(sorry i literally hate titling bro)

With a grunt, Arthur staggered inside the door, leaning heavily against the wall. Thankfully, the dusty walls cast some shade, a blessed relief from the beating rays outside.

“Arthur, we can’t stop. We need to keep going, or he’ll find us-“

“No,” Arthur’s voice was more of a whine than he intended it to be. He blamed the heat. “We’ll be fine for a while. No one saw us duck in here,” Sweat still beaded down his neck and face, and he brushed a calloused hand across his face in a weak attempt to keep it out of his eyes. Exhaustion was beginning to sink its claws into him, and with each passing moment Arthur was more tempted to let himself drift into sleep. A little while would be fine, just a short rest-

“Arthur? Arthur!”

Lou’s voice cut through his muddying thoughts.

“Yes, wh-what?”

Lou was kneeling in front of him, concern etching lines into his handsome features.

“We can’t afford to stay here too long, but, a little while should be okay.” The words seemed to drag themselves from his lips begrudgingly. “I’ll keep watch. You clearly need the sleep, if you’re this tired.” Lou’s expression carried the typical annoyance Arthur had come to expect, with a hint of something… more, in the way his mouth twitched up for a second. Affection? Relief?

Arthur was too tired for this. He nodded vaguely in Lou’s direction, and let his eyes slip closed and his mind drift off into sleep.

He was out before he could notice Lou move a bit closer to him, a warm expression playing across his face as he observed his companion.

The last sensation Arthur had before succumbing to a dreamless sleep was a sense of what could only be love blossoming in his chest.