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"Hänschen. Where are we going?" Ernst asked with an innocent face, pure trust within his eyes. It pained Hänschen to see.
"Somewhere important." Was all Hänschen could punch out, looking away from Ernst. He couldn't look at him right now. He couldn't look at the boy he loved. Not before what was about to happen.
Ernst accepted that response though, and Hänschen could feel the other's bright smile. "Is it okay?"
"Not quite." Hänschen responded, voice ever quiet as they trekked up the hill, a route Hänschen knew better than he knew anything. It was a lie. It was been okay at least three miles back, but Hänschen couldn't bring himself to hold Ernst's hand. For Ernst to squeeze it in assurance, for him to squeeze back. It was a small while until they reached the field of wildflowers, the walk a tense silence for Hänschen, a calming one for Ernst. "We're here." Hänschen simply stated, hitching a leg up and jumping over the fence. When he turned back to Ernst, to be sure the other was fine with the jump, Ersnt was staring wide eyed at the plain infront of him.
"Oh. Oh wow, Han. This is beautiful." Ernst all but whispered, slowly clambering over the fence.
Hänschen laughed softly. "I know." He said with a smirk with only half the effort added, turning on his heel. "But I can assure you it gets better."
"Better?" Ernst squeaked, and Hänschen would've scoffed if his mind wasn't so plagued with other thoughts.
"Follow me." Hänschen simply commanded, strolling up the path, flowers nicking at his knees, pricking small dots of pollen onto the fabric there.
Ernst did so, and Hänschen could hear the small crunches of the leaves as he did so. A faint and fond smile etched its way onto Hänschen's features, reluctantly reaching behind him, tensing for a moment once Ernst took his hand, almost like a reflex. A squeeze was shortly followed. "Why are your hands so sweaty?"
Hänschen actually chuckled then, tsking. "My, Ernst. Do you not remember that the body sweats in humidity?" Hänschen could feel the blush he elected from Ernst with the words, hot and red.
"N-- Of course I do."
Hänschen scoffed. "Likely." They fell into a silence after that, walking hand in hand, Ernst trailing behind Hänschen with a look of awe, Hänschen in the front, wearing a look of worry and comfort. They reached the stump of the tree easily, Hänschen feeling a pang of nosalgia in his stomach. "It was cut down when I was ten years of age." He informed with a shrug. "I don't have too many memories attached to that oak. This, here, though, I have one too many. I spent most of my childhood here, escaping from the... what could only be described as Hell of my life."
Ernst slowly untangled his hands from Hänschen's, calmness in his being as he walked in front of Hänschen, arms slowly moving as Ernst turned to face Hänschen with a frown. "Why are you showing me this?"
Hänschen took a careful and calculated step towards Ernst. "Because I want you to know how special this place into me, and how true the words must be because of that."
Ernst tilted his head at Hänschen, and Hänschen could've thought it cute if he weren't so distracted. "What words?"
Hänschen gestured to Ernst to sit, of which he did, and Hänschen sat besides him, facing him with a worrisome expression upon his features. "These. I'm leaving, Ernst." The expression Ernst wore at those words made Hänschen ache. He wanted to take his words back, to hug Ernst, to say he never meant it. "I'm telling you-- I've brought you here because these are the two things I can't bear to leave the most."
Ernst's jaw was shaking, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. "Hans--"
Hänschen put his hands up, wordlessly saying that there was nothing he could do. Nothing anyone could do to change this. "I'm telling you this here because I'll return one day, I'm sure to. And when I do I expect to see you, Ernst. I expect to see you settled, nice, with the family you always longed for."
"Hänschen," Ernst began, voice breaking. It was clear he couldn't continue with the words he wished to speak.
"Ersnt." Hänschen gave back lightly, a smile upon his face despite the circumstances as he trailed his index along the curves of the tree. "I also expect you to tell me of all the memories you create here." He was looking down, unable to face Ernst. "I'm allowing you to."
"Don't leave me." Ernst managed to say, voice shaking and weak. It broke Hänschen.
"I must. But I'll see you, one day in the future, and you'll have the stories to tell that I couldn't experience."
"Promise?"
"Cross my heart."