Snippet # 2

Claude sighed as he approached Sebastian, looking away momentarily, “Do you love me?”,  he asked.

Taken aback by the question, Sebastian stared at him “Do I what?”

“Do you love me?” Claude repeated.

Sebastian sighed and looked away. “Do I love you?”

“Well?” Claude asked

Sebastian frowned at him and turned around “With our daughters getting married and this trouble in the town….You're upset, you're worn out. Go inside, go lie down!” Sebastian huffed, “Maybe its indigestion…”

Claude blinker and frowned before he walked up to his husband and placed his hands on his shoulders.

"What? No, Sebastian! I'm asking you a question...Do you love me?”

“You're a fool” Sebastian snapped

"I know..." Claude answered gently. “But do you love me?”

Sebastian sighed. “Do I love you?” He asked himself.

“Well?” Claude asked again.

Sebastian glared at him, “For twenty-five years I've washed your clothes, cooked your meals, cleaned your house, given you children, milked your ‘cow’. After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?”

Claude blinked and decided to take another approach. “Sebastian….The first time I met you was on our wedding day…..I was scared ”

Sebastian’s gaze softened as he looked away again. “I was shy” he admitted

Claude smiled, seeing that his plan was working. He decided to continue, “I was nervous”.

“So was I,”

Nodding to himself, the taller of the two moved closer to his partner, wrapping his arms around him, “But my father and my mother said we'd learn to love each other…and now I'm asking, Sebastian…” he paused before settling his chin on Sebastian’s shoulder. “Do you love me?”

“I'm your wife!” Sebastian exclaimed.

"I know..." Claude said immediately before pulling Sebastian closer, “But do you love me?”

Sebastian glanced at Claude for a while before turning his gaze away. “Do I love him?” he asked himself, “For twenty-five years I've lived with him, fought him, starved with him…Twenty-five years my bed is his,” he paused before glancing back at Claude, “If that's not love, what is?”

“Then you love me?” Claude asked, a smile starting to form on his lips.

“I suppose I do…?” Sebastian said sheepishly.

“And I suppose I love you too” Claude said softly.

Sebastian pulled away just enough so he could turn around to face Claude who happily pulled him back in an embrace.

“It doesn’t change a thing…But even so; after twenty-five years…It's nice to know”