Nathaniel's gaze locks to Anders'. He is blushing, partly from the action and partly from shame.
"I know," he answers quietly. "I do." He covers the hand on his cheek with his own hand, turns to kiss the palm. "My parents always called Thomas the handsome one. Any time anyone came to visit, all three of us were lined up like soldiers for inspection, and they both took turns picking over us. Finding things that were wrong with our appearances. They always spent longest on me."
He reaches up to tuck a stray strand of perfect golden hair behind Anders' ear.
"You're going to say I deserved better. Father used to say no one deserves anything--you have it, or you don't." His brow furrows and there is a small, helpless widening of his eyes. "Then he murdered an entire family and took their land, wealth, and titles, so."
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"I know," he answers quietly. "I do." He covers the hand on his cheek with his own hand, turns to kiss the palm. "My parents always called Thomas the handsome one. Any time anyone came to visit, all three of us were lined up like soldiers for inspection, and they both took turns picking over us. Finding things that were wrong with our appearances. They always spent longest on me."
He reaches up to tuck a stray strand of perfect golden hair behind Anders' ear.
"You're going to say I deserved better. Father used to say no one deserves anything--you have it, or you don't." His brow furrows and there is a small, helpless widening of his eyes. "Then he murdered an entire family and took their land, wealth, and titles, so."