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Being in a relationship with a man more than half his age was all fun and games until Arlan noticed Dunk getting curious looks from people, mostly women, when they rode into the town nearby to acquire supplies for themselves and the three horses. He couldn't deny that the tall man was handsome and sweet. Oh, I could stare at that body, that face, those eyes all day long. Honestly, it would have been more strange if they weren't amazed by a man of his size wherever they went.
Dunk had an easygoing personality which made him very approachable. That was why the seasoned hedge knight loved the bulky man so much. He was caring, kind, supportive, optimistic and lively for the both of them whereas Arlan was the voice of reason and the more serious one of the two. They completed, respected, each other but he still had some doubts; would Dunk be happier with someone his own age? Someone who could give him children? Someone less hairy?
Dunk had gotten somewhat close to a pretty lass called Tanselle over the past weeks they had spent in the area, visiting town every few days. He wouldn't describe their relationship close close but they talked and she smiled at him in a way a woman smiles at a man she wants to be more than friends with. After all, Dunk liked being around people and he seemed to enjoy their conversations. Arlan, on the other hand, wasn't too keen on people as he had seen the worst of men, people in general, in his time.
He knew getting jealous was pointless and stupid but he couldn't help it. Moreover, the recent lack of intimacy only added to his distress. Was the younger man slowly but surely getting tired of him? Was he not enough to satisfy him anymore? Thinking that at least during sex Dunk was completely his made Arlan feel guilty and greatly disappointed in himself because he was aware of this strong possessive side of his that he wasn't proud of by any means. But marking Dunk on the inside and outside, showing what words were unable to say, made him happy. Ecstatic even.
All the sleepless nights he had laid awake worrying about Dunk leaving him for someone else started to show negatively in his mood. The snappy replies to the other's innocent, mundane questions, not bearing to look Dunk in the eye and feeling more and more anxious each day drove a wedge between them even more than the lass batting her eyes at the tall man had. This has to stop.
One evening Arlan reached his limit: he couldn't live like this anymore. The uncertainty of it all drove him up the wall. Simultaneously, there was a great deal of regret for thinking even for a second that Dunk would or could ever cheat on him, to commit the worst betrayal of all. But Arlan preferred being the first one to know if the other's feelings for him had faded over time, if it was time to part ways. That way it would be less painful at least.
On some level he could understand if the young man wanted to experience a more conventional relationship, to have children and settle down with a beautiful woman. The lad hadn’t had a family while growing up, so it was only natural to want to have one now that he was an adult. Arlan would not stand in the way if that was what Dunk truly craved for. He loved his former squire far too much to ever prevent him from being happy. Hell, he deserved all the happiness in the world!
"There is something I need to talk to you about." Arlan walked to the man sitting by the fire cooking some eggs for supper.
Dunk turned to face the older man, worry slithering its way into his being upon hearing the words he had dreaded crawling out of Arlan's mouth ever since they became a couple. It's happening, he's going to leave me.
"What is it? Is something wrong? Are you feeling sick or..."
Arlan had to interrupt. The lad was acting too sweet for someone who wanted to end things with him. Unfair. Arlan took in a breath to calm his racing mind to say what he had been repressing for weeks now.
"No, I'm fine. Well not really. I'm not fine. I wanted to say, more like ask of you, that if you're tired of me, you can say it to my face. The sooner the better. And I'd rather hear it from you than from… her."
Dunk felt confused, looked that way as well while he stared at Arlan. "What... Tired of you? Me?" He's the one who is tired of me!
"Yes, you. I've seen the way the lass at the market looks at you. I wouldn't blame you, though, as she seems like a good woman." Arlan's heartbeat thumped loudly in his ears, the agony of waiting for the verdict was unpleasant to say the least. However, he had encountered worse on the battlefield, although now every past moment of struggle felt insignificant, irrelevant even. Nothing could prepare a man for this, to be abandoned by the only person he had ever cared for, loved. He turned away from Dunk, ready to retreat when the gavel fell.
Dunk stood up to grab Arlan by the hand. The tension felt suffocating, he felt an overpowering need to rectify the misunderstanding at once. I am not losing the man of my life over something absurd like this!
"Ser, love, it is not as you think." He looked the man in the eye with the most sincere look he could muster. "I am not interested in Tanselle in any way, we are only friends, if even that. I asked her to make you a painting, since I haven't got a single artistic bone in my body. She finished it yesterday and I was going to give it to you after supper."
Arlan thought it through. Dunk had never lied to him, at least not about anything too important. But the youngsters had gotten along so well and they had good chemistry and they were both tall and...
"Hey, are you still with me?" Dunk brought his hand to cradle the other's face and kept it there, the touch light but convincing. "You are the only one I love, now and forever."
Oh.
"A painting, you say?" It all felt so silly now.
"Yes. It's in my bag. Do you want to see it now or after supper?"
"I... I'm sorry. I thought... You were... I don't even know what I thought, what I've been thinking lately. You seemed so distracted and it felt like I couldn't reach you even though you were sitting next to me." It was a relief to be let in on the secret. But a painting? A fuckin' painting has given me even more grey hair these past weeks?!
"Arlan, my love. I've been trying to write a poem for you so I’ve been a bit preoccupied. I’m sorry if I’ve seemed distant, that was never my intention. I wanted to do something nice for you, to show my appreciation. But I think the painting is much better than the scribbles I’ve managed to write." Dunk smiled shyly, relief washing over him.
"You're not tired of me?" Arlan voiced his worries in the simplest of ways to receive a simple answer. He craved clarity now more than ever, still not feeling calm.
"I could never get tired of you. If anything, you're the one who should be tired of me." Dunk averted his gaze for a second while he gathered himself emotionally.
It was Arlan's turn to bring his hand to Dunk's chiseled face that had the gods envious of those perfect features. This handsome devil, he thought and made the target of his affection face him properly again. "I love you, Dunk. And I am sorry if I haven't shown it to you often enough. I don't want to lose you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"I love you too, more than you could ever imagine. But it almost sounds like you're proposing." The young man felt more at ease, so much so that he let out a quiet chuckle, the sweetest sound Arlan could imagine. Well, the sensual moans he elicited from Dunk during their intimate activities excluded, of course. Oh how he missed hearing them already.
"Maybe I am. Would you be offended?" It was quiet for a moment, only a crow cawing could be heard in the distance and the soothing flowing of the river nearby.
"My love, I would certainly not be offended! Not in the least! Dunk's eyes lit up like the morning sun and the stars combined and he embraced the other like the day he had confessed his romantic feelings. Arlan had no choice but to wrap his arms around the excited man, hold him and be held in return. What an unexpected turn of events!
"I want to do this properly." Arlan loosened his hold of the happiest man alive, although they would have to share the first place since both were on cloud nine.
He knelt in front of Dunk and took his hand into his.
"Dunk. Duncan. I love you more than anything in this world. It would make me so fucking happy to get to share the rest of my days with you. I promise to always cherish you, make you smile and support you in whatever you decide to do. Will you grant me the honor of marrying me?"
He knew they couldn't actually get married, but the thought of them being together until the end of days brought tears of joy to his eyes. Just knowing that the other felt the same way, as strongly too, made everything around them disappear.
Dunk was already bawling his eyes out. He was the more sensitive one of the two after all. Not that Arlan complained, it was one of the many traits that had him falling for Dunk. And these were happy tears so there really was nothing to worry about.
"My gods yes! A thousand times yes!"
Dunk knelt as well and leaned in to kiss the bearded man with so much force that they ended up lying on the ground. The kiss got only more heated each passing moment and only when they smelled something burning did they stop.
"The eggs are on fire!" They both shouted and Dunk, being the more agile one, got to his feet and grabbed the pan from the fire to dump water into the flames.
Arlan watched in awe while the other handled the situation with such speed and practicality. There went their supper. However, he was hungry for something else.
"I'm sorry! I forgot the damn eggs..." Dunk returned to the older man and looked ashamed of himself. Arlan lifted his hand to Dunk's chest and spoke softly, with his bedroom voice:
"I wasn't in the mood for eggs anyway. I was thinking of something a bit harder and... more beefy." He lowered the hand until it laid on the taller's lap. He flashed a suggestive grin and waited for Dunk's approval which he didn't have to wait for long. Eagerly, Dunk crashed their lips together and pinned the man of his (wet) dreams to the ground by the hands to wordlessly declare he wasn't playing around.
The painting was quickly forgotten for the time being as they were too busy drowning out the crow's cawing with moans and groans of every sort. ‘The louder the better’ had become their shared motto at this point.
Dunk had asked Tanselle to paint a picture of a sunset accompanied by an elm tree and a shooting star since the older hedge knight loved the outdoors and spending time in nature. Arlan will be pleased, Dunk had thought when the talented artist had given the painting to him. However, he had to wait for the man’s reaction until they had gotten their fill of each other. But he was in no hurry as he loved their intimate moments, even more so after a dry spell.
Thank you for reading!