When Victor opened his eyes, he stared straight ahead, heart jumping for a moment before he blinked a few times, realizing where he was. He inhaled slowly before raising his hands to rub the sleep from his vision.

Or he would have done this, if it weren't for the vice around him, locking his arms against his ribs. He glanced behind him to where Benji lay with his arms clamped over Victor's middle, leg hooked over his hip, and his sleeping face pressed between Victor's shoulder blades. Victor breathe-laughed at the image that had now inscribed itself into the shale blackboard of his mind, feeling as if he were wearing a koala as a backpack--only Benji was far cuter than a koala, of course. He had missed waking up to Benji burrowing against him for warmth. Unlatching his boyfriend from him as if grasping a butterfly's paper-thin wings between his fingers, Victor rose to his feet after ensuring he hadn't woken him.

Victor managed to dress himself without a sound, quieting even his own breathing and peeking over every so often to where Benji had flipped over to his other side, dead to the world. He slipped into his jacket before stepping over to the curtain covering the door to the balcony, pulling it aside and gasping at the blinding desert of whiteness that stretched out as far as he could see. Then, he wrapped his scarf around his neck, grabbed the key, and hopped into his shoes before stopping himself. He'd forgotten two very important things.

Shaking his head at his own carelessness, Victor pulled out a little piece of paper and scribbled a short note on it, leaving it atop his pillow. And of course the most important thing he'd almost forgotten--he leaned down, kissing Benji's cheek, before finally disappearing, hyper-vigilant once again that he wouldn't allow the click of the handle to awaken the love of his life.

He'd remembered that they had passed a shop on the way in yesterday. Pulling out his phone to check, he realized it was barely seven in the morning, and as he descended the stairs into the few inches of snow that had blanketed the cobblestone overnight, he saw that the area was deserted; there were no footprints in the snow yet, either, and Victor almost felt like he was intruding on the pristine atmosphere as his boots gnashed in the snow beneath them.

The trip to and from the store proved painless despite the gnawing of cold against his digits as he carried his bag of ingredients. He re-entered the building, stomping the white crumbs from his feet before he ascended, quietly unlocking the door, only to find Benji sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his own eyes and yawning cutely, reminding Victor a bit of a baby marmoset.

"Oh... morning, mi vida," Victor said, jumping a bit

"Morning, babe. What happened to us sleeping in? Because we're, y'know, on vacation?" Benji teased, wrapping the blanket around him. He picked up the note Victor had left and read it aloud. "'Went to get ingredients for pancakes. Be back in 15. Love, Vic.' Aww, that's so sweet of you to leave a note. But, y'know, you could have just texted me," Benji said with a chuckle.

"I know, I just... didn't want you to panic as soon as you woke up and think I disappeared without saying anything," Victor replied, setting the groceries down and undressing himself. "Also, it snowed."

"God, you're so considerate," Benji swooned. "Need any help with breakfast? I was thinking maybe we can hang out here for a few hours before going to the city center, then. It'll probably be better that way, since it'll be hard to get around."

"You can sit tight, I got it. Plus, you handle cooking a lot so it's only fair for me to return the favor from time to time. And honestly, I'm not looking forward to going out in the cold again anytime soon. Oh! And I can finally show you my island," Victor said, as he got to work preparing their breakfast.

"Fucking finally," Benji said, watching Victor for a moment; he then took one of the smaller blankets and shrouded himself with it before reluctantly rising and lighting the fire in the fireplace once more. He then opened the curtains to let in the natural light from outside as they chattered about nothing in particular.

Humming, Benji padded across the wood floor to the kitchen area, observing from a bit away for a beat as Victor poured some of the pancake batter into the pan. Benji waited for him to put his equipment down before he pressed himself against Victor's back and snaked his arm around his boyfriend's middle with his blanket. He pressed his lips together into a line as he rested his chin on Victor's shoulder and Victor turned in his embrace, allowing Benji to engulf him in the blanket, their chests pressed flush against one another.

"Don't distract me or you'll have to eat all the burned pancakes," Victor murmured in Benji's ear before planting a kiss on the spot on Benji's neck below his ear and beside his jaw. He then turned back around; Benji bit his lip to contain himself at the sensation, heart fluttering on little paper wings.

"You wouldn't make me do that," Benji said with a pout.

"Well, someone's gonna have to, because I'm not throwing away food," Victor retorted, smirking at Benji over his shoulder.

"Fine. Then I'll just sit here quietly and stare at your ass."

"Good boy," Victor teased, flipping one of the pancakes in the pan and popping his hip out to the side with a wink in Benji's direction.

"Ugh, you know what that does to me," Benji said, shielding his eyes as he simultaneously attempted to cover the rosiness that encroached upon the territory of his cheeks.

"Get your mind outta the gutter, B. We haven't even eaten breakfast yet and you're already having impure thoughts," Victor said, stacking up a few pancakes on a plate and arranging some sliced strawberries around them before setting the plate down in front of Benji along with a little bottle of syrup, his own face tinged red, too.

"My mind isn't in the gutter..." Benji mumbled as he picked up a fork and popped a strawberry into his mouth, before pouring a bit of syrup and finally cutting into the stack of pancakes, all the while avoiding Victor's gaze. "Anyway... thank you. These look lovely, as usual."

"Nothing but the best for you, mi amor," Victor said with a smile before he kissed Benji on the forehead.

Benji waited until Victor returned to the stove before he raised his gaze, shoveling food into his mouth and chewing slowly as he watched Victor in action.

He'd really shot himself in the foot by putting sex back on the table. And he immediately closed his eyes with a sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger at his internal monologue for phrasing it like that...

On the table... No, as much as he'd like it, he would also feel bad about it, especially since it wasn't like he was in his own flat. Benji took another bite, pupils glued to Victor's behind, before his boyfriend shut off the stove and whipped around carrying a plate of pancakes. Benji jumped.

Victor sat across from him, eyes fixed on his food as he devoured it, before he looked up to see Benji finishing up his plate. When Benji raised his gaze to meet Victor's, he almost choked on his mouthful of pancakes.

"Are you okay?" Victor asked, his voice overcome with gentleness.

Sighing, Benji got up to wash his dishes. "I'm fine, I was just... thinking, is all," he said, setting his dishes aside to dry.

"Oh... what about?" Victor asked between forkfuls of his meal.

Opening the cabinet and pulling out two mugs, Benji asked: "Coffee?"

"Yeah, thank you," Victor said, knowing he didn't have to press Benji too hard before he opened up; that had gotten much easier lately, his shell no longer calcified and impenetrable, but malleable and soft, now--at least, whenever he was around Victor.

Setting the coffee machine to brew, Benji sat back down, staring at his dancing and flittering fingers for a moment before looking Victor straight in the face. "I was actually thinking about sex."

Victor finished his food and set his plate aside before he reached across the table and took Benji's hands in his own. "We don't have to do it if you're not up for it," he reassured him.

"I know. But that's the thing. I want to and I'm definitely up for it... but not like that. Mentally, yes. Physically, though... I have no idea," Benji admitted, leaning forward so that his and Victor's noses almost touched. "Maybe we just need things to be more... spontaneous. Like when we were in high school."

"Okay, then... in that case... wanna go make out?" Victor asked, tipping his head to the side.

Instead of responding, Benji leaned forward a hair's-length and closed the gap between them, eyelids fluttering closed as he pressed their lips together and tensed under Victor's grip. And when Victor raised his hand to grip at his face, Benji melted against his skin, not wanting to pull away. As soon as Victor retreated, he found himself missing the sensation right away.

"Not here..." Victor said as he stood from his seat and pushed his chair back into its place at the table before he padded over to the bed and flopped down backward. He rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his elbow. "C'mere."

Leaving their coffee untouched, forgotten, Benji followed, tossing his blanket aside before climbing next to Victor on the bed and mirroring him.

They stared at each other, the space between them a deep, cutting gorge feeling like a risk to life if crossed. Victor reached out and Benji allowed him to take his hand, but for now, all he could do was let it lay before him, suspended away from his body. It was as if a glass chandelier hanging above them teetered on a thread, and any attempt at moving closer would send it crashing down to the floor, spewing crystals everywhere.

"I know I've been sorta... adamant about this whole thing and I want to be honest with you that it's not just about the sex. Like, yeah that's fun, but I also just want to feel more connected to you, you know?" Benji said, pupils locked on where their flesh joined à deux.

Victor glanced down at the sliver of blanket between them, pressing his lips together momentarily before he raised his gaze and spoke. "That makes sense... and to be honest, I've been feeling that way, too. But I didn't want to bring it up because I didn't want it to seem like I'm pressuring you or trying to guilt you into doing something you aren't fully sure about or anything. Because I wanted you to take your time."

Benji swallowed and brought Victor's hand to rest on his own face. "I guess the old Benji probably would feel guilted into it, honestly. We've already been dating again for a few months and we've been taking things... really slow, so I probably would have gotten anxious about that."

"Well, I'm glad you don't feel like you have to in order to please me, because I'm happy just spending time with you, no matter what we do," Victor reassured him, brushing his thumb across his face with a smile. "I don't wanna just use you or be selfish. Like I still can't get over all those times you let me take my anger out on you. I know you asked me to but it still made me feel like a bad person."

"That was pretty fucked up, wasn't it?" Benji said softly, lacing his fingers with Victor's. "At this point I don't know if I even know what I like anymore. But... I hate knowing that you felt that way. And I know why you wouldn't want to tell me."

"To be fair, my head is a lot clearer now. I want everything we do to be done when we're in a good mindset and not trying to ignore or divert attention from our problems. Because it's not productive."

"You're absolutely right. And that's the only way we won't fall back into old habits again, is if we actually fucking talk to each other. I'm trying really hard but I'm not going to be waiting around and observing you trying to figure out what's on your mind. It's exhausting. And it was honestly a little pathetic that I did that."

"It wasn't pathetic, it just comes with the territory of focusing too much on others and not on yourself. I mean, I did it, too. Not just to you but to everyone around me. Because I wanted to fix things before they happened. But I can't do that. It's too much for one person. All I can do is listen to people's words and not try to decipher a hidden meaning, but also, I guess... be more forthcoming with my own problems. Which I'm getting better at. Slowly."

"We've come a long way," Benji sighed, tightening his grip on Victor's hand as he stared into his eyes. "But I'm glad we're talking and listening to each other. I can see that we're both actually trying and it's paying off.

"Yeah... you're right. I think I wanna take some time to reflect on this, though. Before we go any further," Victor said, and Benji's eyes glistened in the same manner as his lips. "Plus, talking about how messed up we used to be sorta killed the mood."

"True. Although maybe we should uh... take a nap now. We got up way too early, I think," Benji said, stifling a yawn as he pulled the covers over him. "How about we try tomorrow, when everything's closed? We won't have any excuse, then, and we don't have to talk about our messiness because we got it out of our system today."

"I like that idea," Victor said, following suit and snuggling closer to Benji, their foreheads pressing together, two pieces of cobblestone fitted next to one another among a sea of billions as they drift into a light sleep.

They awakened again an hour later, somehow groggier than they had been before, eyelids heavy and facial muscles squeezing, preventing their full range of ocular function for a moment.

Victor patted around in his bag for his Switch, pulling it out and turning it on as he rolled onto his back. He hummed as he waited for it to load and tipped his head to the side to watch as Benji did the same, unable to stop his lip from twitching as it turned up, blooming with the sparkle in his eye as Benji's head dropped to the side, unconscious smile attached, too, as neither of them could prevent their hearts from showing on their faces, no matter how hard they tried.

Taking a few more minutes, Victor put the finishing touches on his island, making it as presentable as he could manage, before moving his little character across the screen with the joystick.

"I opened my gate up so you can come by whenever you're ready," Victor said..

"Gimme a sec, I have to pick an outfit. I'm still in my pajamas," Benji said with a chuckle as he maneuvered his own character to the wardrobe on his screen. "That's what you're gonna wear when you have guests over?" Benji teased, glancing at Victor's screen in turn and eyeing the green jacket, grey joggers, and red boots he'd dressed his character in.

"Fine, lemme go to the shop and buy a new outfit, then. It's been a while since I played, leave me alone," Victor replied with a roll of his eyes and a smirk as his character ran down the little path lined with white onscreen for a moment before disappearing into the building with a little mannequin in the window.

"How much are your turnips, by the way?" Benji asked.

"Um... Like four hundred something."

"Shit, okay, I'm gonna bring some over, then."

"Why? How much are they on yours?"

"Like... ninety-one."

"Timmy and Tommy are really trying to rip you off..."

"I know, right? They're adorable, but at the end of the day, they're still capitalists and all they wanna do is take our bells..." Benji said, shaking his head before he and Victor broke out into an explosive fit of giggles.

Once their laughter died down, they lay there quietly, focused on their tasks, the only noises between them coming from their games, the soothing music and the little pitter-patter of footsteps as their characters walked around, coupled with their occasional muttering and giggling to themselves floating through the air. Outside, the sun continued to sparkle off the layer of snow that stretched across every surface.

"Okay, I'm dressed. I'm gonna come over now," Benji said.

"Lemme see."

"You'll see when I get there, it's a surprise. Jeez, you're so impatient..." Benji said with a click of his tongue.

Victor pouted, moving his character around the screen and dropping items on the ground. "Anyway, I have a bunch of gifts for you but you probably already have most of them since you play way more than me."

"Aww... you're so sweet, thank you," Benji cooed, turning to kiss Victor on the cheek and sliding even closer to him under the covers. He nuzzled his face into Victor's neck, the light, warm breaths tickling his skin. Then he returned his gaze to the screen. "I brought some gifts for you, too, by the way."

Benji ran his little sprite about, leaving behind fossils and DIYs on the snow-laden ground, and Victor picked them up, examining each new item and marveling at them while murmuring to himself about how he didn't have them in his museum yet.

"Thank you, B. Now I can finally complete some of my dinosaurs," Victor said, flashing a crooked grin in Benji's direction. "I'm surprised you haven't roasted my outfit yet."

"Stop running around so I can see--There's nothing to roast, you look cute," Benji said, watching the little flowers that erupted from his character's head. Victor had dressed his sprite up in a grey plaid jacket with dark jeans, grey ankle boots, and a little green beanie, and it looked very similar to what Victor would wear in real life. "What do you think of mine?"

"You look badass," Victor said, eyes sparkling as they stuck to the side of Benji's face. Benji had dressed his character in a black fur-lined bomber jacket, navy pants, black lace-up boots, and a pair of shades. "All right, I'm gonna give you the grand tour because I spent a lot of time decorating and building roads and stuff a while back so I'm pretty proud of it. Follow me."

"Lead the way."

Victor hummed as he directed them down the path past the town square decorated with multicolored lights and a big, white Christmas tree, slipping further into the peaceful world with Benji at his side. The beach flanked them on the other side as the waves lapped at the digital shoreline.

A bit farther along, a bamboo grove, the tops of the leaves caked in snow, gave way to a forest of pine and fruit trees and separated houses from each other. They crossed the bridge over the river to go north on the island as a blue penguin ambled over to greet them. Victor took the gift she'd given him--a white military jacket--and tried it on, deciding he liked it, especially when Benji said he looked like his very own Prince Charming.

After taking a quick pause to sit down in the camping area Victor had made near the middle of the island, complete with a hearth and some cushions, they made their way to Victor's house. He moved aside, motioning for Benji to go inside first before he followed after him into the living room and showed Benji each of the six rooms he'd added to his house.

He showed Benji the upper level, which he'd set up as a bedroom, complete with several beds perfect for rolling across, along with the kitchen and another room he'd stashed a bunch of cute yet random decorations in, making it look like a rainbow junkyard.

"I still don't know what to put in the basement," Victor said, as he ran across the living room from the back room, which he'd designated as the basketball court, of course. "My artistic vision leaves a lot to be desired. Mostly because it's nonexistent."

Benji couldn't help but laugh. "Come on, it looks nice! But I can help you with decorating, of course. I'm good with like... color and shit. Maybe when you see mine you'll get some ideas. Although an aquarium or a fossil collection would be pretty sick, for instance."

"Hmm... That's a good idea. I also haven't seen the inside of your house in ages..."

"Yeah, I'll leave and you can come over to mine. But your island looks really good so far! I'm impressed. Especially with all the roads. Those are the worst to build."

Scrunching his mouth to the side, Victor watched as Benji's figure retreated from his house and ran down the road to the airport before disappearing. Victor closed the gate to his island before making the journey to visit Benji's abode.

In comparison to Victor's, Benji's island was years ahead in terms of development. He'd invested in stone bridges and stairs, as well as stone-lined roads and fountains across the entire island. There were also snow people standing under some snow-and-light wrapped pine trees, along with flowers punching up through the snow. Benji had even invested in changing the layout of the island to create a garden, a cafe and even a petting zoo. The color palette was all coordinated in grey, blue, and black and looked sleek. Victor couldn't help but admire Benji's aptitude for visual work.

They continued playing for a bit longer as Benji showed off the special features he'd added, as Victor followed him around before stopping in the shops to see if there were any items or clothing he hadn't seen before. Once they finished exploring and partaking in the daily activities, including fishing and catching insects, they decided to get up and face the day properly.

It was barely ten in the morning when they rolled out of bed and got ready, suiting up in their thick winter jackets and boots before heading outside into the shining blanket--or, what was left of it. What had been pristine only a few hours ago had become grey slush after countless feet like hammers and picks on glass had walked in it, breaking the illusion of perfection.

Arms entwined, they trekked across the pavement, observing their fellow humans as they walked. They'd gotten accustomed to existing without the fear of being perceived in their state of togetherness, and even if they hadn't, there would be no one around with them who had the intent to perceive. People minded their own business as they darted off in different directions, the stillness in the air giving way to the sound of shuffling against wet snow, like a glass bottle full of beads gliding through their surroundings.

The bus took them to Princes Street, where as soon as they arrived, the sight of the castle upon the hill composed of volcanic rock--overlooking an expanse of gardens now white with green spots peeking through--greeted them. Behind it, the blue-grey sky provided a scenic backdrop, and for a moment, the only thing Benji and Victor could do was stare through the space between the black vertical segments of the sharp cast iron fence outside the perimeter.

Bare trees lined the criss-crossing walkways as they descended into the space below that separated the old fortress from the much newer roads. They passed by an ancient brick spire at the front of the walkway that pointed into the sky like a jagged claw with smaller ones around it, before approaching a fountain with figures of maidens carved into it, free of running water due to the season.

Benji, of course, stopped Victor to photograph almost everything they came across, before taking a few selfies and finally dragging Victor into the shot with him, breaking into fits of giggles when Victor would huff and roll his eyes but beam nonetheless when he draped his arm around Benji's neck and pulled him into a kiss, their breath mingling between them, the physical manifestation of a cloud come to earth. And of course when Benji's cool hand met Victor's equally frigid cheeks, they both couldn't help the gentle curl of their lips against each other, the rest of the world peeling away to expose the spot that only the two of them could inhabit.

They climbed up the winding, serpentine roads, the rectangular cobblestones set in the earth like scales and making their gait unsteady under the shadow of the craig. The renewed blood circulation had reinvigorated them, providing them with the energy to push them through the cold.

When they reached the castle, its walls siege-wary, older than they could fathom and crafted entirely of heavy stone, they gazed down at the city below, Victor's fingers digging into Benji's skin as he held his hand tightly, swallowing the lump in his throat yet relaxing when he remembered that just as he would catch Benji when he fell, Benji would do the same for him.

As the day whispered onward, they made their way through the streets and closes, arm in arm, chatting and joking and laughing, hearts warm despite their surroundings. They continued down the Royal Mile in the Old Town, pubs and shops selling fudge and whiskey and tartan and all the local fare they could conjure appearing on either side of them, a lone grey church spire beckoning them in the distance. The buildings that flanked them were no taller than five storeys and constructed from bricks of all shades of greys and reds.

"To be honest, I was curious to come to Edinburgh because it's where my family apparently came from. 'Cause, you know, Campbell is a Scottish name, after all," Benji said, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen on them and drawing his scarf closer to his body.

"It is pretty amazing, though. I can see why they say it's one of the most beautiful cities in the world," Victor said, eyes glued to the facades as they passed, unable to look away.

"Yeah... But I feel like being here and in Britain generally has made me a lot more aware of stuff I didn't think about back home," Benji said, gaze shifting from the scenery to Victor's profile

"Like what?" Victor asked, looking at Benji in turn.

"Like... colonialism and shit," Benji said after a moment's pause. "A lot of... white people in the US know our ancestors have been there for generations but we don't like to acknowledge how they got there. Or at least, not the details. And it's obviously something that still affects people today."

"Hmm... yeah, I can't exactly relate to the whole 'not being aware' thing, because, you know," Victor said with a tight-lipped smile, pointing to his own face. "I am one of those people who gets to deal with it every day."

"True... I guess I'm trying to figure out ways in which I can be more understanding. We can't just not acknowledge that in a lot of ways we come from two different worlds. Well, you obviously recognize that but I guess I didn't think about it as much because I didn't really have to."

"Plus, there's gonna be a lot of things you'll just never understand, but that's okay."

"Right. But that also doesn't mean we shouldn't talk about it. Obviously, it's not your job to educate me on racism. But I feel kinda silly that it took me so long for things to start clicking," Benji said with a sigh.

"Also, honestly, it's not even about personal feelings a lot of times or us as individuals. There are larger systems at play."

"Yeah, that's true. And you don't have to coddle me. I would actually prefer it if you didn't, because I'm a big boy and I can take it," Benji said with a mischievous grin.

"I'm not gonna read too far into that," Victor said, nudging Benji in the shoulder with his arm as he chuckled. "But, now that you mention it... I guess I do sorta wish that when I was going through all the bullshit with you-know-who, that you had been a bit more understanding, especially since you did sorta go through some similar legal stuff, even if it was when you weren't of age yet. I guess I'll always wonder how much worse it could have been if the cops had gotten involved..."

Benji bristled, took a deep breath, and exhaled, resisting the sensation that often came with these sorts of conversations, as if someone had his heart clenched in their fist. He directed them to one of the snow-covered benches, brushing some of the flakes aside before sitting down and pulling Victor down with him. "That's fair."

"Like, don't get me wrong, I appreciate you for helping me try to handle stuff but... I wish we could have talked about it more instead of like... just getting on with it. But I guess on the flipside we didn't really have a whole lot of time for that," Victor said, stretching his arm across the back of the bench to engulf Benji's frame.

"That's true, too. But just being able to talk about it and how it affected you instead of just... doing what needed to be done is really important. And talking to a therapist isn't always the same as being able to confide in the people you care about."

"Yeah... I know I've said this before, but I feel like I took on a lot of the emotional labor and felt this need to like... take care of everything and everyone around me and it's just too much. I can't do it all on my own, but nor can you, and nor can anyone. I wonder if that's what affected our dynamics in the first place, though. Because I can only take responsibility for my own actions."

Benji paused, pensive, and watched as a group of people shuffled across the slushy pavement before he responded. "I mean... that's a good point, though. I wouldn't be surprised if I was unconsciously putting a lot on you because you seemed a lot stronger than me once you came out but... it's unfair. And I need to do it less."

"Especially when in a lot of ways my life is just harder because of how people see me, I just... wish we had been able to talk about it all at the time that it happened."

"It's not too late to talk about it now, though," Benji acknowledged, resting a hand on Victor's knee. "I want you to be able to confide in me and for us to be able to come up with solutions together. Even if this is something that I can't exactly solve, I do want our relationship to sorta be a safe space for us, and I don't wanna contribute to your suffering if I can control it."

"I'll hold you to it," Victor mused.

"I'm serious."

"I know," Victor said with a soft smile and a roll of his eyes, before pressing a kiss to Benji's cheek and then standing up, offering Benji a hand. "But we should go inside now because it's cold as fuck and my jacket needs to dry."

"Okay," Benji replied, taking Victor's hand and hoisting himself up. He realized he had a lot more thinking and reading to do.

They found a little restaurant on a curving street with pastel colored buildings along it, slipping into a booth so they could sit with limbs entwined in the warmth. Benji rested his face in his palm as he stared out the arched window beside them and watched people pass by in the receding sunlight, conscious as always of Victor's gaze on him, before he tilted his head to look at him.

The corners of Victor's eyes crinkled as he blinked slowly in Benji's direction like a cat overwhelmed with love for the object of its affection. When Victor rested his hand on Benji's back and Benji dropped his head onto Victor's shoulder, they became so enthralled with each other's presence once more that they didn't even notice the server raising an eyebrow and waiting for them to place their order, notebook in hand.

Once they finished their meal, splitting the bill between them, they trekked out into the evening air arm in arm, deciding at the last minute to go on a ghost tour in the underground vaults of the Old Town because Benji thought it sounded cool, and Victor was curious to see what it was all about; he may not have believed in much of a higher power, but one thing he knew he wasn't sure about was whether ghosts were real or not. What better place to test this than in the most haunted place in Britain?

The descent into the underbelly of the city consisted mostly of Victor's sweaty hand gripping at Benji's as the darkness surrounded them like a dank, oppressive cloth, the stale, ancient air still despite boring into the calcium of their bones. Benji cocked an eyebrow and shook his head at Victor but allowed him to hold his hand as they glanced around in the candlelight.

And when Benji saw a wisp of white and muttered an "oh shit" before leaping into Victor's arms, Victor couldn't stop himself from breaking out into laughter, cutting off the droning of the tour guide, when they saw that what Benji thought had been a ghost was, in fact, just another skeleton placed behind heavy metal bars to scare tourists.

"It's not funny, I really thought I saw something," Benji whispered into Victor's ear.

"Then why am I laughing?" Victor whispered back, as he set Benji down on the stone floor.

"Because you're a dickhead," Benji said, smacking him on the arm but without any bite.

Before Victor could retort, an icicle glided across his cheek and he shrieked, burying his face in Benji's scarf and wrapping his arms around him like a vice.

"Karma, bitch," Benji muttered, before kissing Victor on the cheek. "It was just my hand, relax."

"Curse you and your stupid cold hands," Victor said, messing up Benji's hair and earning himself a shove as Benji groaned and fixed it as the tour guide narrowed her eyes at them.

"I still love you, though," Benji mumbled after he'd made himself presentable, grabbing the front of Victor's jacket and sandwiching himself between Victor and the bricks behind him as the rest of the tour group walked on.

"I love you, too," Victor replied, his smirk invisible as the light crept away. He ducked his head down to kiss Benji, palm resting against the wall as Benji cupped his face.

Once they realized that it was completely pitch black and they'd been left alone, they latched onto each other, stumbling in the dark and knocking over something that sounded hollow when it hit the ground. But they didn't stay behind to find out what it was.

They stuck to each other until the end of the tour, listening intently to the tour guide recounting the history of the vaults, growing more at ease with each passing moment. Despite what surrounded them, they found the warmth and light in each other's arms as they continued onward. As they ascended back to street level, a wind whistled below them, but they didn't think much of it.

By now, the night had properly settled upon them, weighing them down and reminding them of the hours they'd been on their feet. They return to their flat via bus, almost falling asleep on each other but saved right before their stop by Benji snapping back to life and smashing the stop button so they could exit.

The jog back to the flat passed seamlessly and they barely registered the temperature outside as they entered the warmth within, stripping off their clothes and collapsing into the sheets, cocooned in each other's embrace and falling asleep instantly, the fresh winter air knocking them out, as they could only forget about the chilling possibility of ghosts haunting them in their dreams.