Page 78 of Hansel and Gerhardt
Thrown by the perfectly correct assumption, Hansel could only vaguely look towards the kitchen, then raise an arm to the back of his neck with a blush when he caught Gerhardt’s smile.
“I’ll leave you to it then,” said Zel, making their way out the door. They offered one last smile. “I hope to hear from you soon. Genuinely. It’s been a pleasure meeting you both.”
And with that, they walked away down the hall, leaving Hansel and Gerhardt stunned, staring at one another.
Until, “Fuck!” Hansel cried. “I hope I haven’t burned him.”
Hansel had not burned the slaver. In fact, he was roasted to perfection. He was served with baby potatoes, fresh peas, a thick gravy, and Hansel’s very own cheese and onion dumplings, thirsty and plump, ready to soak up all the juices.
But although Gerhardt promised Hansel that the man was the most delicious thing he ever ate, he did not eat his food with the gusto Hansel expected of him. In fact, he tasted only a little of each thing before laying his cutlery down. They had already agreed to put off discussing the matter of the guild, at least until after lunch, a decision that Gerhardt had seemed fine with.
“Gerhardt, are you unwell?” Hansel asked, all concern.
“No, it is not that.” Gerhardt offered up a smile as proof of his claim. And he looked very well. Healthy and pink and happy, but with a little something in his eyes. A something anxious, but… wanting?
“Then what can it be? You know it pains me to see you go without. Are you sure it’s not the food? Perhaps he is a little overcooked after all—”
“Hansel, no. No, it is nothing like that. He’s beautiful. Everything you do is beautiful. I couldn’t ask to come home to a more wonderful scene, or a more wonderful brother. Only…” He let slip a small sigh. “There is something else I wanted to discuss with you. About somewhere I went today. Before the kill. And it’s about what I bought, which was a little expensive. I hope you won’t disapprove.”
Hansel’s heart warmed to the shift in conversation. He wanted Gerhardt to have every shiny bauble he desired. He was incredibly thrifty even now—they both were—and something about the idea of frivolous spending suggested to Hansel that Gerhardt was beginning to feel safe in their wealth. In their home and their life. In Hansel’s unwavering protection.
He reached across the table for Gerhardt’s hand. “You buy anything you like. Anything at all. And if we can’t afford something yet, it only means we’ll be having fattier meat next week from the rich we slaughter.”
Gerhardt’s golden eyes beamed back at him. “Yours is the kindest love a man could know.”
“You’re all the world to me. And there isn’t a thing I wouldn’t give you if I could.”
Gerhardt surprised him by springing up from his chair and running around the table. “That’s good,” he said breathlessly. “Because…” Hansel shoved his chair back just in time to make space for Gerhardt, who threw a leg across the top of his great thighs, both hands landing on his chest as he settled down on his lap to straddle him. “What I bought… It’s forus.”
A sweet curiosity raised Hansel’s brow. “Us?”
“Well… see… I went to… Hold on, let me show you.” Gerhardt reached into his pocket and pulled out a small purple glass vial. It was enclosed by a long and ornate glass stopper, sealed with red wax. His strong hands twisted the top, cracking it open. “Hold out your finger.”
Hansel’s eyebrows squeezed a touch closer together, but he did it all the same.
Gerhardt tilted the bottle carefully and let a small drop of golden liquid pearl on his finger. “Now rub your thumb across that.”
Hansel did so, his expression easing as the silken substance coated his skin.
“What do you think of it?” Gerhardt asked, wide eyes scanning his every reaction.
“I think it’s…” He huffed out a small laugh. “What am I supposed to think of that? What is it? Is it for cooking?”
“That’s a ‘lubricant’.”
“That’s a what?”
“That’s a ‘lubricant’.”
“That’s a what?”
“That’s a— Hansel, that’s…” He capped the bottle and placed it on the table. “Listen, I went to see the apothecary. And I asked her… I told her about your—our… size problem.”
“Size…” Hansel’s lovely lips parted as though whatever words he might have been about to speak had been ripped straight from his throat.
“I didn’t use your name,” Gerhardt hurried to add on a nervous laugh. “Not— She doesn’t know who you are. Or who I am. Not really. Or anything like that. But that’s what apothecaries do, isn’t it? She wasn’t exactly shocked to hear about it.”
“I didn’t think things were so very bad that you had to go and see someone.” Hansel said it with a blush and a touch of defensiveness, which instantly drew both Gerhardt’s hands to his cheeks.
