The next day Cecil decided the safest way to avoid his mother and brother would be to climb out of the window.

Although it was still early when he left the house, Cecil still decided to head for the meeting place early. He would just find a cafe nearby and wait for the time to come.

At ten o’clock, still two hours before their agreed upon time, Cecil noticed a figure that looked suspiciously close to Silas.

When choosing his waiting spot, he had made sure that he could see the place where they were supposed to meet clearly, so Cecil was stunned. Did Silas also arrive early?

Throwing cash on the table, Cecil rushed out of the small cafe, leaving the server extremely happy over receiving a large tip.

With his heart thumping hard, Cecil ran towards the man suspected of being Silas. The closer he came, the surer he got, and the bigger his smile grew.

“Silas!”

Hearing a shout from behind, Silas turned around. Seeing Cecil running towards him with a big smile on his face and eyes that only had him in them, Silas thought he was dreaming.

Only when he was caught in a warm embrace was he sure that he was not imagining things and the person Cecil was running towards was really him.

Seeing someone so happy at his sheer presence made Silas emotional. He really chose the right person.

Noticing that Silas was not hugging him back, Cecil looked up nervously. Was Silas uncomfortable to be hugged in public? Cecil still remembered Louis’ reaction when he hugged him in front of others. He really didn’t want to make Silas angry, so he tried to retreat hastily, but a hand on his back held him.

“Sorry, I was too surprised to react.” A warm smile appeared on Silas’ face as he looked at Cecil. Maybe even he himself didn’t notice how gentle his gaze was, as if he was looking at his most precious treasure. “I didn’t expect you to be so early.”

“Hehehe.” Cecil laughed sheepishly. “Let’s just say I got here a bit earlier because I was too excited.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Noticing that Silas was still only holding him with one arm, Cecil got curious. Lifting his neck to take a look at Silas’ other hand, he was stopped by Silas’ chuckle.

Silas lifted his hand and revealed a small bouquet. “I originally wanted it to be bigger, but then I remembered we were supposed to go shopping and carrying flowers with you would be too inconvenient. But in the end, I still got it.” He scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment. “Because- I thought I don’t want to be the only one to receive gifts.”

Not be the only one to receive gifts? But wasn’t that how it was supposed to be? Unconsciously, Cecil had said his doubt out loud.

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“No.” Silas shook his head gently. “Just as you want me to be happy by giving me gifts, I also want to see you smile after getting one from me.” He gently caressed Cecil’s cheek. “If only I’m happy, what’s the point?”

Cecil just stood there, unable to comprehend Silas’ words. To love is to give, right? But Silas said love is also about receiving. Pondering, Cecil lowered his head into Silas’ warm embrace.

Above, Silas continued. “If you only take, then maybe one day you will find out that the other has nothing left to give, and even their feelings are given away.”

When did he ever receive anything from Louis? Shocked, Cecil found that he couldn’t remember getting even a single thing from Louis. Back then, he always thought that was okay because he had money and the other didn’t… “But I have more money than you, so isn’t it only normal for me to give you things?”

Lifting the other’s face, Silas looked Cecil deep in the eyes. “Even if I had not a single penny on me, I would still give you flowers even if I had to pick them from the roadside. They may not be expensive and maybe not even as pretty but-” A smile crossed his face. “I would still do it if it made you smile.”

Slowly Cecil’s face turned completely red, until even his ears felt like they were burning. Shoving Silas away and snatching the bouquet out of his hands, Cecil turned away. With a hand on his racing heart in hopes to calm it, he started walking.

“You better not lose all your money, what would the people say if they saw you picking wildflowers off the roadside?”

Smiling, Silas went to catch up with Cecil. “You never know what will happen in life. Maybe I lose my job the next day.” He shrugged his shoulders.

Shooting the man walking next to him an annoyed look, Cecil said, “I guess then I have to take care of you. You can be happy that I’m rich!”

With a laugh, Silas took Cecil’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go looking for a coat.”

Looking at their joined hands, Silas felt more relaxed than he had ever before.

It seemed like he had finally found a place to call home.

Walking along the shopping street while holding hands felt surprisingly good. Cecil couldn’t keep his face from making a silly smile.

If he had known holding hands felt so good, he would have tried it sooner, but- Louis didn’t like physical contact, so the occasional hug was all he got.

Cecil could count on two hands how often he had hugged Louis in the past ten years. But with Silas…

They were only on their second date and already held hands. Wait, actually they had also held hands at the banquet…

Gripping the other’s hand tighter, Cecil wished Silas would never let go of him.

Along the way, there were many posters advertising events that were happening in the city. Cecil let his gaze wander over them, when suddenly one caught his attention.

Noticing that Cecil was staring at something intensely, Silas followed his line of sight.

A gallery opening?

Looking at the light in Cecil’s eyes, Silas was sure that the other wanted to go but even when they had passed the poster Cecil still hadn’t said a word.

“Did you see the advertisements on the side?” Cecil nodded.

“It seems like there is a gallery opening today. Sounds interesting, right?”

“Yeah, but aren’t we supposed to buy you a coat?” Cecil looked at Silas without a hint of regret. Although he really wanted to go to the gallery, today was his day with Silas. A gallery can’t run away, but a man can.

“Wouldn’t it be okay to do both?”

With slight embarrassment, Cecil shook his head. “Well, normally maybe, but when I go into one I usually spend the whole day there.”

Silas was stunned. One could spend a whole day looking at paintings?

“Oh, really?” Looking at Cecil, Silas made up his mind. Even if he had no real interest in paintings, it wouldn’t hurt to understand his future lover’s hobbies. Especially since it seemed like Cecil really loved such activities.

“I was never in a gallery before, but it sounds interesting. Would you mind taking me with you and explaining everything to me?”

Expectations and struggle appeared on Cecil’s face. “But what about the coat-”

“Don’t worry, can’t we get it another day?”

Another date? Cecil almost jumped for joy. “Yes! Let’s go!”

The gallery wasn’t far away, so it didn’t take them long before they arrived.

Seeing the carefully dressed people, Silas felt a little out of place in his casual clothes. “Is it alright for us to enter with casual clothes?”

Cecil looked him up and down for quite a while. It wasn’t until Silas knocked on his head that he took back his stare.

Clearing his throat awkwardly while averting his eyes, Cecil said, “No problem, you look great.”

Shaking his head while laughing, the two entered the gallery with the other people.

Silas understood nothing about paintings and artists, but even so, he never felt bored. Watching Cecil staring at the paintings with fascination, he himself felt like he was observing a beautiful painting. No matter from which angle he looked, Cecil would always surprise him and show him a new aspect of himself. And in the process, he would find something new about himself too.

For example, before being with Cecil, he would have never thought that he could feel so many different emotions. He always thought that his emotional world was just dull and he was not the type to laugh and feel love. But with Cecil by his side, the world seemed to shine more.