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The house felt surprisingly warm today. In fact, the whole town felt warm today, unprecedented for the Steppe in the middle of February. It especially felt warm, Dankovsky noted, from this particular perch he had set up for himself in the dining room.
The sun’s rays practically roasted his pale skin as they shone down, and the Bachelor silently cursed his husband for evicting him and all of his lab equipment out of the comfort and solitude of their bedroom. Artemiy had chastised him then, something about showing more pride in his role as the new town doctor, despite him essentially being demoted to the role of a glorified nurse.
Who could blame him for wanting to hermit himself inside his room, with the last remnants of his previous, more dignified career? Even if the room had become a bit… cluttered over time.
Yet now he was forced to set up his miniature laboratory at the kitchen table, distracted by the goings-on of the town outside their window. And on a day like today, too!
Dankovsky had hoped that by moving out here to this more… exotic town that he’d get to leave behind the mindless drivel and decadence overrunning his old society. No more Christmas at least, thank god. Yet he noted, to his own horror, that of all holidays the Town could share with society at large, they chose Valentine’s Day.
He could barely stand to watch the grotesque display of people outside, holding hands, kissing, taking afternoon strolls. He almost wishes the kids weren’t outside playing. At least he’d have something to distract him from all this. Artemiy had left a few hours ago, something about some errands to run.
Dankovsky was never one to question his husband too heavily about his daily trips out to the Steppe Proper, he was well aware he was a busy man. As long as he came home before sundown. But on this particular day, against his better nature, he found himself missing him.
He imagined the day they could have had, had Dankovsky not been, as hard as it is for him to admit, a horrible scrooge.
They could have taken a walk by the river, or on the train tracks. Just the two of them. No kids around to worry about, no worries about their respective jobs hanging over their heads. Just a nice walk.
He wondered if Artemiy must be thinking the same thing right now.
And, much like the devil, his husband walked through the front door.
“You’re home early” Dankovsky said, feigning pretend aloofness as Artemiy pulled up a chair beside him.
“Prickly as ever” Artemiy laughed, “I just thought I’d take today off to surprise you.”
“Is this where the surprise ends?”
“Thankfully not, or I would have wasted a lot of time out there.”
Leaning over to his bag, Artemiy pulled out a large paper wrapping, rolled up almost like a newspaper. Holding it out to his husband, he unwrapped it. Daniil held his breath.
He didn’t even know flowers that beautiful existed.
“You have no idea how far I had to walk to find anything other than ashen swish or twyre” Artemiy said, as Daniil slowly took the bouquet into his own hands.
Rubbing the petals between his fingers, he noted they were much softer than Artemiy’s worn, calloused hands. Maybe a bit more like his own. And they smelled heavenly. Like the Steppe in full bloom.
“Phalaenopsis amabilis,” Daniil said as he gently placed them back in Artemiy’s hands, “moth orchids.”
“I’m glad you like them.”
Daniil’s eyes wandered from Artemiy’s hands, to his eyes, to his mouth, and lingered long enough that Artemiy felt he could read his mind. Leaning in, he took Daniil’s mouth against his, pressing the full length of his body against him, until Daniil’s eyes fell shut.
Slipping his hands beneath the bouquet, he slid them into Daniil’s, and pulled. His husband seemed to get the message, and leaned onto Artemiy’s lap, legs secure enough around his waist that Artemiy could lift him up with ease without ever having to break the kiss.
Daniil clinged to him, arms around his neck, as Artemiy’s strong legs carried them both upstairs, bouquet still pressed between their chests.
As his husband laid him down on the bed, he was suddenly happy their kids weren’t here. Let them stay out a bit longer, have their fill of outside until nightfall. There was no rush.
Dankovsky decided he wasn’t that upset about Valentine’s Day anymore. In fact, he hoped the night would last longer. Much longer.