Chapter Text
A Hinterlands Sunrise
A small breeze made the tent flaps flutter, brushing gently against Dorian’s feet. The movement was enough to wake him and he groaned quietly at the light seeping through the gap. When he reached over to find Nicos, he was met with empty space and he groaned again. How the man could stand being awake at this ungodly hour, Dorian would never understand. Reluctantly, he rose to go out and find him.
Once he was decently covered, he ventured out into the cold morning air, squinting against the light filtering through the leaves. A little ways down the path, he found Nicos sitting on a large boulder, watching the last bits of sun rise over the horizon. The sun glinted off the clasps of his shirt and Dorian smiled at the sight. He looked almost god-like, sitting still in the hazy morning sunlight, literally sparkling. As quietly as he could manage, Dorian made his way over to Nicos to sit beside him.
As he settled in place on the cold rock, he threw an arm around Nicos's waist and he scooted closer. Nicos smiled, still staring off in the distance.
The rest of the camp was still sleeping, and the wildlife in the area had only recently begun to stir, filling the air with quiet chirps and calls, echoing off the morning silence.
Suddenly, Dorian saw why Nicos always woke so early. This particular brand of peace only happened at dawn. As Nicos shifted to get more comfortable against Dorian, all Dorian could think of was how far he'd fallen for the younger man. He reached over and, tilting his chin up to face him, brought their faces together in a kiss. It was slow and languid and instead of heating them up, only added to the peace of the morning. It felt completely natural and Dorian nearly sagged in relief.
When they parted, Nicos's bright blue eyes bored into his, a smile crinkling around them. "Good morning," he sighed.
Dorian rested his cheek against the top of Nicos's and smiled. "Good morning, amatus."