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♰ 'Aldo made a breathy little gasp at the contact, his hands finding themselves at Thomas's waist.' ♰
They are so close that Thomas can feel Aldo's shaky breath ghosting over his mouth, a full body shudder coming over him. He swallows thickly, neither of them making an effort to move away from the other.
Weeks of tension all seem to make themselves known now: the accidental but lingering brush of the other's hand, a soft conversation in each others' quarters, tea during much needed breaks.
Surely this one time he could be forgiven. Or else, why else would The Almighty have meticulously placed the two of them here in this very room? Who was he to doubt Him?
Thomas was making excuses.
Before he can attempt to speak, Aldo is leaning almost as if he's read Thomas's mind, the two of them finally throwing all caution to the wind.
Until they aren't.
Their lips have just touched as the door to the library creaks open, the two instantly jumping away as if scalded by one another. Once they hear footsteps, Aldo ducks behind a bookshelf on instinct, accidentally knocking his elbow against it as he tries to press himself against it.
He has to suppress the sound he wants to make at the sharp pain that shoots up his arm, still managing to tug Thomas over before he can be spotted by whoever else has decided to show up.
It was almost as if this was a public place for all of the Curia to partake in.
It seems that their minor scuffle hasn’t exposed them just yet, footsteps shuffling past them before receding to the back of the room. However, whoever has entered must feel alone enough to let out a hearty burp that was definitely reserved for this very moment when they knew they’d be alone.
Aldo and Thomas are angled almost exactly as they were before, Aldo’s back pressed to the shelf and Thomas trying to save the two of them some dignity by keeping a hand next to his companion’s head.
They both lock eyes when they hear the sudden burp, lips slightly parted almost in shock; they seem to be deciding how to register this.
Until Aldo all too obviously attempts to bite back a smile.
The two were trained and self-practicing professionals who were a part of one of the most important and sacred organizations on the brink of All Saints’ Day, yet the one time they needed it most, they couldn’t seem to keep a straight face.
They normally reserved pleasantries and an exchange of nothing more than a warm chuckle when in each other’s company or when in the comfort of their quarters.
At their core, though, much like all men, Aldo and Thomas are boys at heart.
Thomas tries to wordlessly reprimand his companion who rubs a hand over his face in an attempt to hide his growing smile, trying for a stern look, but it’s no use: he has to look away from Aldo to avoid the snicker that wants to leave him.
When he tries again for neutral and calm, Thomas still finds himself unable to properly control himself and Aldo as footsteps shuffle around at the back of the room again. Instead, without thought, Thomas finds his hand enveloping Aldo’s.
They both still for a moment, finally able to look at one another save for the rising pink tint on their cheeks.
How to possibly excuse this?
It felt useless considering that they were both so awkwardly pushed together at the moment, holding Aldo’s hand would be the least scandalous thing they had done that afternoon.
On the one hand, Thomas could chalk it up to just trying to quiet Aldo more effectively, get across to him more sternly: even to Thomas that sounded unbelievable.
Maybe it was easier to just leave it up in the air like that for now.
Aldo’s hand is warm, slightly calloused from past years of handiwork that the two had briefly discussed when he first arrived. If they were warm from proximity or fear, though, Thomas could not say.
He was definitely feeling it.
Aldo was looking at him intently, pushing up his glasses when they begin to slide down his nose; was that a light layer of perspiration on his top lip?
Thomas straightens himself a bit, hoping to all that’s holy that he could be forgiven for the brief thoughts that swarmed his mind, all perfectly vivid enough to almost scare him.
For a moment, he almost thinks he’s free, but Aldo is squeezing his hand now, tight and his thumb gently brushing the back of his hand as if asking for something: Thomas felt like a teenager again, it was all so juvenile.
He hated himself even more for relishing it.
Not for long, at least.
Aldo is leaning in but somehow, Thomas knows this isn’t him trying to pick up where they were going to leave off.
He lowers his head a bit to meet his companion (thinking of him like that right now was almost laughable) halfway, foreheads gently pressed together in a way that makes them both let out a quiet breath they didn’t know they’d been holding and shoulders relax.
They’re so close, they could just do it here and probably never be caught; who would believe it if someone found out, anyhow?
But Thomas knows better. They both do.
This will have to do, this will have to express several things unsaid that could only hope to come out some other time when they were really, truly alone and not trying to avoid the surveillance of whoever had decided to barge in.
Almost as if on cue, the footsteps start to grow closer, giving the two of them an adrenaline rush that no doubt was mutual. How could they even begin to explain this away if they were caught?
Luckily for them, they need only ponder over that for a moment.
The footsteps recede to the front of the room just as quickly as they came, the door creaking open before it closes with a click.
The pair can finally breathe normally, soft laughs of relief leaving them as they fully come to terms with everything that just transpired: ‘Did that actually happen?’ radiates off the both of them.
When the general disbelief has worn off, they’re left in a palpable silence that Thomas knows he should break. Pull away and attempt to compose himself so that the two may part ways and only speak about this time some other time.
But as long as Aldo is staying put, it seems he’ll be doing the same. They needed this more than anyone could possibly imagine, in this little corner of this library.