Work Text:
"What are you going to do now?"
The snow crunched under their feet, their breath passed them in faint clouds.
And Albrecht was so incredibly calm, it scared him.
Their eyes met.
Albrecht's lips trembled a little, his cheeks all red from the cold.
Albrecht stopped then and so did he.
Friedrich took off his scarf and wrapped it around his shivering friend. That earned him a crooked smile, which faded away way too quickly.
Albrecht gave him a very strange look.
"I dont know." He lowered his gaze.
Friedrich nodded.
They stood there on the frozen lake and the silence was all-encompassing.
Friedrich swallowed hard. Albrecht looked at him and his mouth was sad and his eyes were even sadder.
"I'm sorry," said Albrecht, his voice cracking miserably at the 'sorry'.
Now Friedrich was the one who had to lower his gaze.
He had to, he couldn't face that look, the misery, the affection. It hurt. It just hurt too much.
Albrecht took a step towards him. He reached for Friedrich's sleeve and held it tightly between two fingers.
"Please understand me. Please."
"I understand you," Friedrich said softly. And his heart wanted to tear apart.
"Really," he added, looking at the hand that was gripping his sleeve so intently.
"Really." Tears welled up in his eyes again.
"Friedrich-"
"No. Don't- I mean it."
The hug was so soft, with their thickly lined jackets. Friedrich's hands were on Albrecht's back and Albrecht's cheek was pressed against his neck, warm and familiar.
"I understand you."
"I know."