Midnight Swim

This started as a gift back to myself in December ’21, and I’ve been picking at it on/off ever since. The initial inspiration came from Richard Siken’s poem ‘Saying Your Names‘, specifically the line: Our bodies shivering, and the sound/of our breathing, and the shore so far away. This story is about Loira Winford and Severin Dolle, who belongs to Janni, going for a midnight swim on three separate occasions over the years. Janni was also kind enough to revise my draft to make sure Sev’s accent was properly portrayed! 

While there is some suggestive dialogue, nothing you wouldn’t see in a PG-13 show takes place. 

This AU is titled ‘Rough Hands Open Hearts’ (previously called ‘Cattle Drive’) and is, in essence, the Everything Goes Right AU. I’ve gotta make up for all the pain I write elsewhere, somewhere, and it is very specifically in this imagining! Anyway, I loved working on this and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did bringing it to life. Let me know what you think! 

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The fire was on its last embers when Severin was woken by a touch to his arm. Loira was kneeling next to him, a shawl thrown over her shoulders and a finger to her mouth. It was sometime past midnight, he reckoned, and dawn was still a few hours out. He opened his mouth to speak, and Loira shook her head before gesturing for him to follow her.

Groggy, and a little bit confused, Severin Dolle rolled off the cot. It was, he supposed, his cot. He’d been using it every time he was up this far north and had been coming for a few years now. That first year he had stayed with the Winfords and had then found himself invited back every year after.

Another family had tried, once, to offer him a place to stay. He’d been saved from having to refuse by Mrs. Winford coming over, hooking her arm in his and going “Severin is staying with us of course,” in that no nonsense way of hers. He wasn’t sure he’d ever appreciated it more.

Pulling a sweater over his head, Severin followed Loira to the door. She was wearing a simple cream dress, her sleepwear he imagined. Immediately, he felt a need to clear his throat and look away. Carefully lifting the latch, Loira eased the door open before slipping outside. Her eyes were nearly as bright as her smile when she gestured for him to follow.

He did. Of course he did.

The first thing Severin noticed was the cold. Even in the warmer months, it was cold in the foothills before the sun came up. The second was that the moon was still shining brightly overhead. The third was that Loira had taken his hand and was tugging him along behind her as she ran, and he half-stumbled, away from the house. He stared down at their hands, only a small portion of his brain working towards making sure he did not trip.

Loira only slowed when they reached the treeline, panting as she let go of his hand with a quiet, joyful laugh. She pulled the shawl tight around her shoulders, and for a moment Severin could only stare at her while some part of him recalled her working on that shawl over the last few weeks. She’d finished it a few nights before. Her mother had been darning socks while he had been helping her father fix some of his traps.

“Light, I was so worried they would catch us!” Loira said, turning her bright smile on him. Severin blinked at her again, finally finding his words.

“What’re we doin’?”

“It’s a surprise, come on!”

Somewhere, he recognized that smile meant trouble. He just didn’t care, and his own grin slowly grew to match hers. Severin couldn’t imagine saying no to Loira. He couldn’t imagine wanting to.

“Yeah alright, let’s go.”

Loira held out her hand, and after what felt like a lifetime of staring at it, and her, Severin took it.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the shore of Lake Loren. Severin missed most of the journey, brain occupied entirely with the feeling of Loira’s hand in his. His hand in Loira’s. Their hands. Together. Holding. He wanted so badly to run his thumb over the back of her hand. But it wouldn’t be proper, and so he didn’t.

That he had been snuck out of bed by a young woman in a nightgown who had led them through the woods and to the lake – unaccompanied – was also, distinctly, improper, but that was a thought he was doing his absolute best to ignore. It was almost working until Loira squeezed his hand, and Severin was so surprised that he nearly tripped.

“We’re here!” Loira announced in a quiet whisper. She let go of his hand to gather her skirt, running the last few steps towards the water. The moon reflecting off the lake made her look radiant, the silver light softening the dark blonde of her wavy hair. She’d done it back in a braid for the night, he realised, and his fingers twitched at the thought of doing it for her.

Running his fingers through her hair, sectioning and brushing it out before making a nice, secure braid… He almost wanted to thank Vivienne for all the times he’s braided hers. The thought of his twin sister was enough to jolt him from his reverie. Severin wasn’t sure what he was feeling, but he was absolutely certain he didn’t want Viv to have any part in it.

He was slow to come up beside Loira, wanting to stuff his hands into his pockets and lamenting his current lack of them.

“We’re here,” Severin echoed, and then looked around slowly, expectantly, before looking back at Loira with a tilt to his head, “why’re we ‘ere?”

Loira smiled as she drew the shawl from her shoulders and carefully folded it up. Severin suddenly felt a little bit nervous, and swallowed.

“To go swimming of course!”

“Swimmin’,” he repeated back with a growing sense of trepidation, “right, swimmin’, yeah. In tha middle of’ tha night?”

“Mhm!”

“With nobody else around?” All things considered, Severin thought he did an admirable job of not sounding strangled.

Loira looked over at him, and her chin ducked down with another quiet laugh.

“Yes silly, now are you coming or are you going to stand there all night?”

Before Severin could start to explain that it would be rather better for him to stand there all night or, better still, return both himself and her to the house, Loira was turning away. And then Loira was pulling her nightgown over her head, and Severin wasn’t sure he had ever prayed harder for strength in his entire life.

He looked away quickly, shifting his weight and then shifting it again as he studied the water and the sky. He had looked away quickly, but not quickly enough to miss a glimpse of her shoulders and back. His foot started tapping against the shore, willing himself to think of anything else. There was lots of work to do in the morning. The Abelson widow had asked him to come around and fix her window, and Mister Darlenton had some logs he needed help chopping.

He tried not to think about the sound of splashing water coming from his left. He tried reallyhard to think about being back in bed, and the work that was to come, and not how Loira’s hand had felt in his, or how the moon caught her hair, or that glimpse of a shoulder. He was damned, and wondered how quickly he could come up with a reason to get to the nearest town – two days away if he remembered right – and get to their church.

“Are you coming, Sev?” Loira called from where she stood in the water. Severin felt something tug somewhere between his stomach and heart and lifted a hand to rub the back of his head. His gaze swung purposefully past her, landing instead on the carefully folded up dress and shawl.

“Uh, ahm, yeah – yeah, I’m comin’, I’ll be right there,” he answered after a moment. It took another long pause before he pulled the sweater off over his head, and then his undershirt after it. Sev. The way Loira said it made him feel warm despite the chill.

Folding up both garments, he stepped towards the water and then paused with a frown, staring at his pants. If he kept them on, they’d get soaked. It made more sense to take them off. Turning his back to the water, Severin pulled at the fastenings and added them to the folded pile. In his underwear, and feeling more tested than ever before, he quickly made his way to join Loira in the water.

Loira smiled at him, and any doubt Severin had about whether he had made the right choice vanished. She got these small littles crinkles near her eyes when she smiled, and Severin didn’t realise he was staring at her and smiling back until she suddenly looked down and away.

“Come on, it’s beautiful in the middle. You can just float and watch the stars.”

“Yeah, ‘course,” Severin answered, and followed her through the water with a lot less grace, and none of her efficiency. He didn’t live anywhere near water back home, so swimming wasn’t chief on his list of even semi-regular activities, but for Loira? Hell, he wasn’t sure there was anywhere he wouldn’t follow if she asked him right then.

Floating in the middle of the lake, Severin’s thoughts wandered as he stared up at the stars. Loira was right, they were beautiful, and the quiet out there was something else. His breathing sounded loud, and he realised he could hear hers too. It made him want to breathe more quietly, the better to hear her.

The shore was so far away. They really had reached the middle of the lake. Swam to the middle of the lake in the middle of the night. His body seemed to remember at about the same time he did, and he shivered involuntarily.

“S’a bit cold,” Severin said into the quiet.

“It is, isn’t it?” Loira answered, just as quiet.

He wasn’t sure, exactly, if he rolled towards her first, or if she rolled towards him. What he knew was he was in the middle of a lake with Loira Winford, and she was cold. Her chin was barely above the water as she tried to limit how much skin was exposed to the night air, and Severin swam a bit closer.

“C’m’ere,” he said arms extending outwards. He ignored how gruff it came out. He hoped Loira would too.

It took her a moment to decide, and in that moment her green eyes were fixed on his face. Severin didn’t know what to make of that kind of scrutiny. He was more relieved than he would have expected when she swam forward into his arms. He was even more relieved when he wrapped his arms around her and felt at least a small band of material at her back.

It was quiet on the lake, and then Loira wrapped her arms around him. It was a tentative gesture, followed by resting her cheek against his shoulder. Severin wasn’t sure if his heart was going to stop, or explode. He was certain it was beating loud enough for her to hear. He knew it was all he could hear.

“This is nice,” Loira said quietly after what felt like an eternity. Severin inhaled deeply, the cold air mixing with the smell of the lake and her hair. She was close enough that he could bury his face in it if he wanted to. And he wanted to. But it wouldn’t be proper, he reminded himself, none of this was. And so, he didn’t.

“Yeah, it is,” he answered, his arms tightening around her a fraction.

“Glad you followed me?”

He could hear the mischief in her question and smiled.

“Dunno, was havin’ a real nice dream…”

Loira chuckled in his arms, bumping her head against his neck.

“I’ll leave you sleeping next time then,” she teased. Severin felt something twist in his stomach.

“Don’t,” he said, almost before realising he had and then before he could think it through, “don’t. I’d like to do this again…”

Loira shifted slightly, voice a quiet murmur.

“I’d like that, Severin.”

In the middle of Lake Loren, they floated in each other’s arms, shivering lightly. The sound of their breathing was all they could hear and the shore, the shore was so far away.

xxx

Several years later.

Severin awoke with a grunt and a start, peering into the dark of the room as he blinked sleep from his eyes. It was the middle of the night, and a cold breeze was wafting in from the open window. He raised a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes.

“What’s it? What is it?” It came out a sleepy, groggy grumble.

“Come on Severin, get up,” Loira whispered from the end of the bed. He felt her patting his leg as she walked closer and let out another grumble.

“It’s tha middle of tha night, come back t’bed.” A hand reached out to grab her, pulling her forward. Loira protested as she half fell over him, laughing, and the sound brought a smile to his face as he tried to tug her back into the bed.

“Stop it!” Loira laughed, swatting at his leg, “come on, get up!”

“Aww c’mon darlin’, come back t’bed,” Severin murmured back, both arms wrapped around her now and gently pulling her up towards his face.

Loira squirmed, lying half on top of him, and smiled as she lifted a hand to run it through his shaggy black-brown hair.

“I am going to kiss you, and after I kiss you are getting out of this bed Mister Dolle.”

“Mister Winford to you, Mrs Dolle.”

Loira laughed and Severin smiled, his eyes still closed as he held her closer. His smile grew wider when he felt Loira’s weight shifting, and she pressed a long, lingering kiss to his lips which he happily obliged her in returning. When she pulled back, he made an unhappy sound in the back of his throat, brows drawing down. He tried to pull her back and Loira swatted at his chest.

“No!” She laughed again, “come on, get up, get out of bed!” She pulled herself out of his grip and Severin grumbled more loudly.

“Get up!” Loira repeated, tugging the blanket back this time.

“A’right, a’right, I’m goin’,” he mumbled and swung his legs out of bed. They immediately hit his boots, and Severin frowned down at the ground before looking up at Loira properly for the first time. She was wearing a simple cream coloured dress, and had an old shawl thrown over her shoulders that picked at something in his memory.

“What’s all this then?” He asked, even though he was already tugging on his boots.

“You’ll see!” Loira replied with a smile before exiting their bedroom. He frowned at her back, knowing well enough that she had some sort of mischief planned. That didn’t stop him from following. There was nowhere he wouldn’t go for her.

Severin’s boots thudded a steady pace as he made his way down the stairs. Their house had been built quickly; the plans formulated in the back of his mind over years of visiting without him realising it. The community had been more than pleased to come together and help.

When he got to the ground level, Severin blinked and looked around for his wife. His wife: Loira Winford. The thought still made him beam, pride welling in his chest. She’d always been incredible. And always had a streak for mischief that caused him excitement and stress in equal measure.

“Darlin’?” Severin drawled, frowning as he made his way towards the door. It was open, and he grabbed his coat from the wall and shrugged it on as he stepped outside. Loira was standing near the gate. His brow furrowed as he shut the door behind him, lengthening his stride until he reached her side. His eyebrows lifted high up his face in silent question.

Loira’s answer was to grab both his hands and lift them to her lips to kiss their backs. Severin cleared his throat in response, weight shifting as something rose in his chest. Loira lowered his hands, thumbs running over them. Severin stared down at her; attention fixed on her face.

“There’s my handsome husband,” Loira said softly, smiling up at him. Severin’s brain felt like it needed help getting started.

“And there’s my beautiful wife,” he rumbled in reply, and then looked around the yard. The moon was still high in the sky. It was the dead of night.

“Ya gon’ tell me what we’re doin’ out here?” He asked, letting go of Loira’s hands to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer. Loira’s head tipped back, her hands resting on his chest, and she smiled wide, green eyes twinkling.

“We’re heading to the forest,” she answered as her hands slid down his arms. She stepped back, taking his hand in hers and began walking. Severin followed contentedly behind her, giving a low hum.

“N’why’s that?” he asked. Loira just shook her head ahead of him, the braid he’d done up for her earlier that night thumping against her back.

There was something immediately familiar about reaching the shore of Lake Loren. Loira led them right to the waters edge before she turned to beam up at Severin, who had to take a moment to remind himself to breathe. He remembered clearly the first time she’d brought him out here, years ago now, when he still lived down south for nine months of the year. Loira was even more beautiful now than she had been then.

“So why are we out here?” She asked with a smile, and Severin felt his own grin forming under her attention.

“I think yer bringin’ me swimmin’.”

“In the middle of the night, with no one else around?” Loira asked. He chuckled, chin dipping as he sniffed and raised his eyes to look back at her.

“Yer funny.”

“I am, thank you,” Loira replied, removing her shawl, and carefully folding it onto the ground. When Loira turned towards the water to pull off her dress, Severin didn’t look away. Instead, he stepped forward to run his hands down her arms, dipping his chin to plant a kiss on the top of her head. The happy little murmur she gave in response made his heart beat just a little bit faster.

He didn’t take long to join her in the water. The first thing he noticed was that it was freezing but moving would take care of that soon enough. Loira had already swam out ahead, and Severin wasted no time in catching up. He still wasn’t as comfortable as she was in the water, but it was the middle of the night, and nobody was there to comment on him splashing around.

In the centre of the lake, Severin and Loira lay looking up at the stars. Out there, all they could hear was the sound of their breathing and, gradually, Severin became aware of the chill seeping back into his bones. Loira would be cold too, he knew.

“Hey,” he called into the night, shifting from his back to tread water instead, “c’m’ere.”

“Mm?” Loira called, rolling onto her stomach before swimming closer. Green eyes blinked her question in the moonlight. Severin answered by opening his arms. She didn’t hesitate to swim right to them, wrapping herself around his body and pressing her nose into the side of his neck.

Severin tilted his head towards her hair, inhaling deeply. One arm held her tightly to him, the other focused on keeping them afloat. When Loira pulled her head back and placed her hands on either side of his face, he just looked right back at her, eyes hooded.

“I love you, Sev,” Loira whispered, and then kissed him gently. It was everything he wanted. Shewas everything he wanted. When her lips grew more urgent, his hand moved farther down her back. It wasn’t much longer before he pulled his head back.

“Y’know,” Severin started, voice rough and low, “s’gon be cold when we get back to tha house.”

Loira rested her arms around his neck, fingers locking behind it. Her smile was warm, promising.

“You’re right, it is,” Loira began with a tilt to her head, “what do you suggest we do about that?”

Severin’s grin widened as his grip tightened around her. Leaning forward, he kissed her neck, trailing kisses up to her ear.

“I can think of a few things,” he murmured, and Loira gave a low, happy laugh in reply.

xxx

Several years later.

It was a few hours before dawn when Loira was woken up by her husband trailing kisses up the side of her neck. Severin’s arm was thrown casually over her ribs, and he was curled into her side. She blinked in the dark of the room, making a small and tired sound, only to feel him smiling against her skin in response.

“Oh, yer awake,” he said innocently, as if he had nothing to do with that at all.

“Mmm,” Loira answered, nestling herself deeper into the bed and under the covers, “no, ‘m not.”

“That’s too bad,” Severin replied, continuing to nuzzle her neck, “‘cause I got a surprise fer ya.”

Still half asleep, Loira turned her head so that her cheek rested against the pillow and blinked curiously at him. Severin’s expression was much too mild, and much too pleased with himself for him not to have something planned.

“You do?” She asked a bit too loudly and then, remembering their three sleeping girls, and their current house guest, repeated more softly, “can it wait to the morning?”

“M’nope,” he replied, and rolled over and out of the bed. Loira watched him go and clutched the blanket close to her chin as she rolled into the middle of the bed, committed to staying in its warmth. Severin took his time walking over to her side, unbothered and unworried.

“Loira, get yerself outta bed, c’mon now.”

“It’s comfortable,” came her answer. All that was visible of her was forehead and eyes, which were very wide. Severin sniffed. She was adorable.

“It’ll be worth it, trust me,” he answered, tapping the edge of the mattress. Her eyes got bigger, and she pulled the blanket down just a little bit to reveal a coy smile.

“Coming back to bed will be worth it too.”

“Temptress,” Severin chuckled with a shake of his head, and leaned forward to scoop her up. Loira grumbled mightily from where she had cocooned herself in the blankets but allowed it.

“C’mon now, nearly there.”

“Will I get a kiss?”

“As many as y’like darlin’, just get outta bed.” Severin’s arms were crossed over his chest, but he was grinning. Loira, with a very big sigh, untangled herself from the blankets and swung her feet onto the carpeted bedroom floor. She blinked on feeling her shoes and looked up at Severin curiously.

“Just put ‘em on,” he urged, a note of impatience making its way into his voice – that it was from excitement was very clear to her. Loira slipped her feet into her shoes and stood, smoothing the skirt of her faded nightgown. Severin’s arms were around her almost immediately, and she blinked as he stared intently down at her shoulders, carefully adjusting an old shawl with the same lowered brow precision he brought to everything he did.

“What’re you planning?” She asked quietly, and Severin just smiled at her before taking her by the hand and leading her out of the bedroom.

The pair crept down the hallway and stairs, and Loira felt an unexpected urge to start laughing. It was so silly, creeping through their house like they were teenagers sneaking out. She felt the laughter rising and clapped a hand over her mouth. When Severin looked back at her in confusion Loira just shook her head rapidly. He didn’t question it, carefully opening their front door and ushering her out with a finger pressed to his lips.

It wasn’t until they reached the treeline, hand in hand, that Severin stopped to look back at her.

“What was all that about?” He asked, glancing back towards the darkened windows of the house before pulling her back behind one of the trees.

“Oh it’s – it’s nothing darling really, just – it’s funny, isn’t it? Sneaking out like we’re kids?” Loira smiled up at him as she leaned into his chest.

“Mmm, ya don’t wanna wake m’sister, s’worth sneakin’ fer.” Severin gave a light shake of his head, nose scrunching at memories from his youth. His attention shifted down when Loira cleared her throat. She was staring up at him expectantly, green eyes bright and wide. He knew she was waiting for something; he’d seen that face often enough to know that, but couldn’t place what.

“What’s that face fer?” He asked, arms wrapped loosely around her waist. His back was pressed into the tree, and his chin tilted almost entirely into his chest to keep her in view.

“You promised me kisses,” Loira reminded him, and Severin chuckled low.

“I sure did, didn’t I?”

“As many as I wanted,” Loira answered with a serious nod.

“N’ how many’s that, snowflake?” Severin asked, pulling her closer towards him.

“Mmm,” Loira thought about it a moment, finger tapping against her cheek, “for now? Three. Here, here, and here.” She pointed to her forehead, nose, and lips in turn. Severin hummed his amusement, the sound a low rumble in his chest as he leaned himself forward. He wondered sometimes if Loira knew how cute she was. Three kids – daughters all – later and his heart still felt like it was glowing near about every time he looked at her.

“Here?” Severin asked, pressing his lips to her forehead gently. Loira responded in the affirmative, her eyes closing as her smile spread wide. He took a second to stare at her face, committing the moment to memory, before trailing over to her cheek.

“Here?” He asked again, smiling as he planted his lips on her cheekbone. Loira shook her head with a quiet laugh.

“Not there?” Severin asked with feigned surprise, and she laughed again.

“No, here.” Loira tapped her nose twice, smiling with her eyes closed as she angled her face up towards him.

Slowly, Severin lowered his lips to the tip of her nose, planting a quick kiss on it. He watched her the entire time, hardly wanting to blink. Her smile was beautiful, and her laugh was one of his favourite sounds.

He was also, apparently, taking too long. Before he was able to lean down to kiss her mouth, Loira was up on her tiptoes, eyes closed and hands lifting to rest on either side of his face. Her kiss was long and deep, and he leaned into it as a slow heat began to build. When they broke apart, Severin leaned back for air.

“Y’know, that’s how we’ve wound up with three,” he remarked. Loira laughed loudly, clapping a hand over her mouth as her attention darted to the house.

“Is that why we’re out here?” Loira asked, and Severin shook his head and took her hand, walking deeper into the woods.

“Nah, it ain’t that. C’mon, it won’t take us long.”

When they reached the shore of Lake Loren, it was under a cloudless sky. The light of the moon bathed Severin in its silver glow, softening the sometimes-harsh angles of his face. Loira was always amazed at the depth of love she felt for him. Until their girls, she hadn’t felt anything so strong. As Sev led them towards the water, Loira squeezed his hand and leaned in towards his shoulder playfully.

“Are you sure that’s not why we’re out here?” She teased.

“I’m sure,” Severin hummed as he came to a stop at the water’s edge. Slowly, he turned to face her and for a moment, he was at a loss for words. The way the moonlight hit her hair made it glow.

“What? What is it?” Loira asked, squinting up at him. Severin shook his head, stepping forward to lift the shawl from her shoulders.

“Yer beautiful, is all,” he answered, thoughtful and low. The flush it brought to her cheeks made him smile as he began folding up the shawl she’d made all those years ago. He had lived a fortnight’s ride away then, and came up to the foothills as part of the cattle drive. Severin hadn’t wanted to go, but then he’d met Loira and started looking for reasons to stay. So much had happened since then. They had a life together: a marriage, a home, and three gorgeous girls who, Severin had no doubt at all, were the most perfect creatures in existence.

Loira was quiet as she watched her husband’s face soften. His hair looked darker in the moonlight, almost black. She had brought him here twice before. The first time was when he was coming up as part of the cattle drive. It hadn’t been lost on anyone how Severin had consistently found reasons to stay on longer, and when the snows arrived early one year and kept him in up north overwinter, Loira had been hard-pressed not to start dancing with delight.

Severin straightened from carefully placing the shawl on the rocky shore. Loira’s hands were at the ties of her nightgown, and he covered them with a low grunt. She blinked, looking up at him.

“No?” Loira questioned, looking to the water with raised brows and then, teasingly added, “too cold?”

“I think we both know how t’warm up from that,” Severin answered with a grin.

“That’s how we wound up with three,” Loira answered at the same time that he added,

“That’s how we wound up with three.”

They stared at each other a moment before dissolving into laughter. Severin let go of Loira’s hands to place his arms around her, drawing her to his chest as he rocked them from side to side. She buried her head against him, arms wrapping around his back to hold him tight. After a few moments, Loira leaned back to rest the point of her chin on his sternum.

“Are we going swimming?”

“Thought we might.” Severin angled his chin down to peer at her, grip around her remaining tight, “if yer wantin’.”

“Would be a shame to have come all the way out here to not,” Loira replied, hands trailing down his back. Severin’s eyes widened, a wide smile slowly spreading over his face as his wife squeezed his rear.

“Temptress,” he breathed, eyes crinkling with a low chuckle before his hands moved to the ties of her nightgown, pausing to receive Loira’s confirmation that he could continue.

“Go ahead.” Loira’s voice was quiet as Severin’s fingers worked at the fastenings. His attention on her was absolute. They had been married for years now, and his appreciation for her – all of her, had never faltered.

Severin’s touch was gentle where his hands were not, running down her shoulders and arms as he slipped the nightgown from her body. The rise of goose flesh was near immediate in the chilly night air, and it was with incredible restraint that he only pressed one kiss to the side of her hip before standing. His shirt was removed with little ceremony, Loira’s green eyes creasing gently with her smile as she watched him.

Her hand on his chest made his skin prickle, warmth spreading through him to warm his bones faster than any fire ever could. In Loira, Severin had found home, and with her they had built one together.

They moved towards the water hand in hand, lit by the moon’s soft glow and in silence save for the lapping of waves against the shore. Together they walked into the lake until they could reach the bottom no longer. Loira would always be more comfortable in the water, Severin knew, but he was easily able to keep pace with her as they swam out to the middle.

There was something familiar and peaceful in how they floated there, buoyed by the water, and staring up at the night sky. When they drifted closer together, their fingers intertwined. Loira wasn’t sure how long they stayed there, existing in the now and in memories. When Severin gave her hand a gentle tug in the direction of the shore, she followed until his feet could touch land.

“C’mere,” Severin’s expression was unusually serious for the circumstance, his words laced with a warmth almost strained by how he tried to keep his voice low. Loira swam into his open arms without question, arms wrapping around him as he held her tight to his chest. Immediately, he buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply. He remembered clearly the first time he’d held her like this, how badly he’d wanted to do what he was doing now. How he couldn’t, then, because she hadn’t been his, but now…

Loira’s shiver against him was slight, and Severin immediately looked down. His brow creased with his frown, squeezing her tighter against him before carrying them towards the shore. With her cheek resting on his shoulder, Loira blinked up at her husband with a soft smile.

“Hot chocolate when we get home?”

“Sounds like a good way t’warm up.”

“Cozy up by the fire…”

“I’ll fix up yer braid…”

Loira’s laugh was quiet as she pulled her dress, and then her shawl, back around her.

“What is it?” Severin asked, coming up beside her and taking her hand in his.

“Oh, I’m just thinking about next time. Bringing towels…” Loira waved her free hand, starting for the treeline.

“Next time,” Severin repeated, smile spreading as wide as warmth blossomed in his chest. He gave her hand a squeeze as they passed back under the trees, “yeah, I think I’d like that.”

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