[Everett isn't the one Hector lacks faith in. Hector isn't lovable. His own mother told him she didn't want him. Everett has his bonded, and probably others beside. Everyone wants him. And he loves Hector?
Everett did need to say it, because even with it said plainly, Hector keeps repeating it in his mind in disbelief. He thinks it through in Greek, in Romanian, in the scant Latin he's picked up along the way. It still confounds him.
He twines his arms around Everett and tucks his head into Everett's neck, inhaling the scent of his sweat and musk and realizing as he exhales that he's shaking. His eyes sting, and he shuts them tight. His heart is pounding too fast. He's not tearing up. He's just...having a heart attack or some fatal reaction to the drugs or something, shhhh.
But...if Everett says he loves him, even if he's just being kind, then Hector must be allowed to say it too. Just once, so Everett knows that the denial before hadn't been because he didn't mean it. He lifts his head just enough so his voice isn't unrecognizably muffled in Everett's fur.]
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[Everett isn't the one Hector lacks faith in. Hector isn't lovable. His own mother told him she didn't want him. Everett has his bonded, and probably others beside. Everyone wants him. And he loves Hector?
Everett did need to say it, because even with it said plainly, Hector keeps repeating it in his mind in disbelief. He thinks it through in Greek, in Romanian, in the scant Latin he's picked up along the way. It still confounds him.
He twines his arms around Everett and tucks his head into Everett's neck, inhaling the scent of his sweat and musk and realizing as he exhales that he's shaking. His eyes sting, and he shuts them tight. His heart is pounding too fast. He's not tearing up. He's just...having a heart attack or some fatal reaction to the drugs or something, shhhh.
But...if Everett says he loves him, even if he's just being kind, then Hector must be allowed to say it too. Just once, so Everett knows that the denial before hadn't been because he didn't mean it. He lifts his head just enough so his voice isn't unrecognizably muffled in Everett's fur.]
...I love you.