still stuck on the water.
Adam watched the dark space beyond the first line of trees. “Why would you go into the woods?” he asked, and his first thought was that it might be an opportunity for sex, just like for the straight couples, but he tried to keep judgment out of his voice.
Emil inhaled so deeply it was hard not to stare at his powerful chest. “To find a fern flower for good luck. But there’s no point in trying this year. The wreath told me all I need to know.”
Emil had endured a tough life, battling death and misfortune, yet Adam had never heard his voice as beaten down, and the itch to hug him was hard to resist. “Why not? I’ve never done that. Could be an adventure.”
Emil snorted, and Adam’s heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. “You want to go? Be my good luck charm?”
“Looks like you might need one tonight,” Adam said, mesmerized by the fire reflected in Emil’s eyes. He wished to see that kind of spark in them every day.
Emil smiled, and for a moment, Adam thought he’d grab his hand, but he just brushed his fingers over Adam’s forearm and led the way toward the fire. “Let’s not wait then and beat everyone to it.”
Emil grabbed one of the large torches available for the search and lit it from the bonfire.
Chapter 14 - Emil
The forest was magical tonight. It could be the liquor Emil had earlier, but his blood buzzed, as if he might rise off the ground at any second and join the fireflies. They hadn’t left the party that far behind, but the uneven terrain, with gentle slopes and walls of bush blocked out any signs of civilization.
The warm glow of the torch shone through the lattice of branches all the way to the tree tops, turning the narrow path into a gothic cathedral with endless naves and a vaulted ceiling decorated with the most exquisite gold leaf. And as they walked, pretending to search for a treasure that couldn’t exist, Emil could practically hear Adam’s heartbeat.
Tension was thick in the crisp air, but Emil didn’t dare say a word, as if the priest wasn’t made of flesh but of stained glass and might crumble at a gentle push. He wasn’t sure whether Adam was aware what searching for the fern flower together implied for straight couples, but he was glad for the company nevertheless, even if it had been brought on by pity. Throughout his adult life, moments of kindness had been too few and far between for him to question Adam’s reasons.
The forest was dense enough that following the path seemed like the best way to traverse a large distance fast, but if they wanted to find anything, even just a peaceful spot to chat while all the straights tumbled in the moss closer to the village, they would soon need to leave the beaten track behind. Then again, for Emil this outing was just an excuse to be around Adam, even if nothing intimate would happen.
The flames cast a soothing glow on Adam’s face and shone through his hair, turning it into gold thread. He looked innocent, sweet, like someone beyond the touch of evil. Emil was the only one who knew the truth, and despite being unable to have Adam the way he wanted to, the bond of a shared secret was real.
“I love the scent here,” Adam broke the silence at last. “No park in Warsaw—no place I’ve been to, really—smells this way. There’s something primal in this forest.”
Emil laughed. “It will get primal really fast if we meet a herd of European bison.”
Adam squinted, and his cheeks dipped slightly when he smiled. “Now you’re just trying to scare me. I’ve been here for over a month and haven't seen any.”
“Have you actually left the main footpaths in the forest?”
“Fair point.”
Emil shook his head. “I’m just messing with you. They’re not exactly dangerous unless you bother them. You know, unlike the wolves and brown bears. But don’t worry, I can protect you, city boy,” he said and winked at Adam, pushing back his damp hair.
Adam took a deep breath. “I don’t think I’ve ever gone off the path in the forest. They always tell you not to do that, but I suppose you know those woods like they’re your own backyard.”
The conversation must have relaxed him, because he now followed Emil with more confidence, his gaze piercing the darkness, like an arrow shot between