Work Text:
If there was one moment in the entire day Owen liked, it was the evening.
Right after dinner, when he was done washing the dishes, he loved to retire into his private apartments in the castle, not too far from the master bedroom and the nursery.
Like a sacred ritual, Owen kindled the flames in the fireplace, dimmed the lights and changed into his satin pajamas (a gift from Fox on Christmas Day). He checked his phone one last time before sitting in his velvet sofa, enjoying the cozy warmth of both the cotton blanket and crackling fire; he picked up the book resting on the small, wooden table right next to him, opening it to the page where he put his bookmark.
Of course, reading was always a pleasure, but it wasn't the main reason why Owen loved that time of the day.
"May I come in?"
The door opened slightly and Xanatos peeked inside. Owen turned his head, a soft smile on his lips.
"Of course."
The darker man entered, carrying a tray with a hot teapot full of tea and two cups. No sugar or milk was needed, for they both preferred to taste the tea's actual flavor. Xanatos closed the door with his foot, careful to not slam it, before placing everything on the table.
"Earl Grey with cornflower petals, blueberries and chamomile. It's a new blend."
"McNulty's?"
"Naturally. I know it's your favorite."
David winked as he poured the aromatic liquid into the cups. He passed one to Owen, before sitting next to him.
"What are you reading?"
"Peter Pan, by James Matthew Barrie."
Xanatos bit his bottom lip: since Oberon condemned Puck to stay into the body of Owen, away from Avalon and forever a mortal, he often saw the blond reading about fantasy stories.
He missed his old home, his land.
"Owen..." Xanatos murmured as he gently took the other's good hand into his own, his thumb caressing the smooth knuckles.
"Please, sir, don't start again." Owen sighed, closing the book.
"You miss it."
"I do. But it would've been a much worse punishment to never see you again. To never know what it means to be part of a family."
David found it impossible to look away from those clear eyes as Owen talked.
"Oberon thinks that being a mortal and without magic is a punishment, some kind of torture. He's too arrogant, too blind to understand..." Owen started caressing David's hand as well. "And I admit that my first reaction was panicked. And perhaps for the first months I felt depressed. But not once, not once, I ever regretted my choices."
"And yet you're reading Peter Pan... " Xanatos sighed, shifting a bit closer to his lover and taking both of his hands. The closed stone fist felt obviously heavier, a constant reminder of his own arrogance and stupidity. Owen decided to keep that as a sign of devotion.
"It's just a book, David." He raised an eyebrow. "A simple way to fight off the sense of nostalgia that my counterpart feels from time to time."
Seeing that Xanatos wasn't convinced, Owen put his forehead against his and whispered:
"I'm not going to fly out of the window." He smiled.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
They exchanged a long, sweet kiss, before returning to their cups of tea. Owen put his head on Xanatos's shoulder, sighing in contempt.
He wouldn't have exchanged these moments for the whole world.