Julian had left Guy and immediately started peering into open doorways, partly familiarising himself with his new surroundings, but mostly searching for Anthony. He'd found the dormitory, the clinic, and now...the rec room.
He stood silently in the doorway, just staring. Guy had warned him that Anthony was older, but seeing the reality was still a bit jarring. There were lines on his face that hadn't been there only a short while ago, for Julian. But oh, he was still his beloved Anthony, beautiful in his austerity.
He licked his lips nervously and said softly, "Good book?" God, he could barely breath, nervousness and excitement (and lingering intoxication) making him lightheaded.
Anthony did not raise his eyes immediately, nor did he seem startled, but something in the voice must have thrown him unconsciously back twenty years, and he responded mildly, "I've never been particularly fond of Ruskin, but at least it seems to have interesting things to say about him."
And then he looked up.
It wasn't like seeing a ghost. It was seeing a ghost. He found himself speechless, staring. Oh good God, how long had it been...?
He swallowed finally. "Julian." The name was quiet, almost a question.
"Anthony." Julian smiled faintly, taking a couple of steps into the room. His heart was pounding and his voice vaguely unsteady as he asked, "You didn't forget me, did you?"
Anthony felt lightheaded and a little bit ill, as if he were the one who had had too much to drink, and not the other way around. Good God, he looked so young. Had Julian really been that young?
Had he ever really been that young?
He carefully closed the book, swallowed again, forcing words to come. "Of course not," he murmured finally, tilting his head to the side slightly.
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He stood silently in the doorway, just staring. Guy had warned him that Anthony was older, but seeing the reality was still a bit jarring. There were lines on his face that hadn't been there only a short while ago, for Julian. But oh, he was still his beloved Anthony, beautiful in his austerity.
He licked his lips nervously and said softly, "Good book?" God, he could barely breath, nervousness and excitement (and lingering intoxication) making him lightheaded.
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And then he looked up.
It wasn't like seeing a ghost. It was seeing a ghost. He found himself speechless, staring. Oh good God, how long had it been...?
He swallowed finally. "Julian." The name was quiet, almost a question.
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Had he ever really been that young?
He carefully closed the book, swallowed again, forcing words to come. "Of course not," he murmured finally, tilting his head to the side slightly.
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