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"Are we almost there? Me feet are really startin' to hurt, Miles." Alex stopped to rest under a hawthorn tree, his hand pressed against its trunk as he took in a few long, gulping gasps of air. Miles sniggered and walked over to pat Alex's back. "We are almost there, Al. It's just on the other side of the clearing."
"Eh, by gum." Alex clutched his side and grimaced. "I didn't know I were so out of shape. I guess I've got fat and lazy since we started shackin' up." He grinned and stuck his tongue out through the edge of his teeth when he saw Miles's discomfited frown.
"You don't hafta make it sound like you're just some bird I'm fuckin' whilst on holiday. You're so much more than that, Alex. You mean more to me than that. You mean the world to me. You are the entire world to me." He lifted Alex's hand and kissed his knuckles.
"Yeah, Mi, I know. From day one you've let me know, through your words and actions, how you feel about me. It were just a joke, after all. I didn't mean anythin' by it."
He held Miles's hand and they set off again, at a slower pace that Alex found he could tolerate better. Miles had been so adamant and energetic about this outing that Alex felt he would be letting him down if he didn't at least make an outward show of sharing his enthusiasm.
"Remind me of what we're goin' to see? I know it's a lake, but how'd it get its name? What's it called again? The Silent Spring?"
"No love, it's called 'the Silent Pool.' I dunno for sure why it's called that, but according to legend, King John kidnapped a young woman and drowned her. When Agatha Christie went missing in the 1920's, people found her car nearby and assumed she drowned there, too. Luckily she was found safe and sound in Yorkshire, just had to get away from her husband, who was bein' a bit cunty."
"Ah, that sounds...lovely. I can't think of anything more romantic." Alex laughed and squeezed Miles's hand. "Oh, hold up. Let's walk down the middle of the path. It looks a lot smoother. I don't want ya twistin' your ankle and me 'avin' to carry you."
"Like you could. I weigh twelve stone, at least. I'd love to see you t - Alex, wait!"
Within moments, Alex scooped Miles up in his arms. He laughed at Miles's shocked expression and took a few slow, staggering steps forward. "Ya mighta been right, Mi. I don't reckon I can lug you 'round much more."
Abruptly, Alex stopped and plopped down in the middle of the clearing. Miles opened his mouth, but Alex quietened him with a quick kiss and turned so that Miles could see the green outline of the Silent Pool in the distance, the fading rays of the sunlight glinting off of the water.
For the first time in a while, they were speechless.