#nitaelwy

Happy Pride Month 🌈

I wish all of you a wonderful start to Pride Month.

I hope this June brings you joy, acceptance and visibility, and lots of colorful moments.

Take care of yourselves, be proud of who you are, and have a beautiful Pride Month

Begging

Hans held himself back, though every fiber of his body wanted the opposite.

Henry knelt before him, close enough that Hans could feel his breath against his skin. Close enough that one more moment would carry them both across that boundary which had long existed only in Hans’ mind.

His fingers rested at Henry’s neck, slowly brushing through the dark hair, gliding to his cheek, as if he needed to make sure this man was truly here. That he was truly looking at him with that open, loyal gaze capable of tearing down every defense.

With his other hand, Hans moved across Henry’s chest. Not hurriedly, but searchingly, as if he wanted to understand every detail. The warmth. The strength. The soft hair beneath his fingers. The living pulse beneath the skin. Every touch was more dangerous than a sword.

He wanted to kiss him. God, how badly he wanted to.

But there was that old voice. The voice of duty and expectation. The voice that had told him for years what he was meant to be. That men like him were allowed to take, but never to feel. That desire was permitted, but devotion meant weakness.

Henry lifted his chin slightly, as if he could see every one of those thoughts.

“Hans,” he said softly.

Only his name. Nothing more.

And yet there was more permission in it than in a hundred vows.

Hans’ thumb brushed over the corner of Henry’s mouth. His gaze lingered on those lips, then returned to the eyes that neither pushed nor demanded. They only waited. Patient. Certain.

“If I begin this,” Hans murmured hoarsely, “I do not know if I will be able to stop.”

Henry’s mouth curved into a small, warm smile.

“Then don’t stop.”

Something inside Hans broke apart in silence.

He leaned forward, slowly at first, as if giving himself one final chance to flee. But when their lips finally met, there was no caution left. Only the end of all restraint.

Study

Inspired by a Twitter post

Beneath the shade of an old oak tree on the banks of the Sázava, Hans and Henry had set their duties aside for a few precious hours. Behind them, Pirkstein rose above the rocky cliffs while the river gently lapped against the shore and a warm breeze swept through the meadow.

Henry sat in the grass with an open book resting on his knee, reading aloud. It was a Latin copy of an old legend, one whose story had long captured his interest, though its language still challenged him. Every so often he stumbled over a word, furrowing his brow as he attempted a pronunciation that was more guesswork than certainty.

“Not quite,” Hans said at last, looking up from his sketchbook. “Try again.”

Henry rolled his eyes, repeated the word, and was immediately corrected once more.

“You enjoy this far too much.”

Hans leaned back.

“Someone has to make sure my bodyguard doesn’t remain completely uneducated. Henry, I consider it my duty to improve your education.”

“How generous of you, my lord.”

“I know.”

With a quiet grumble, Henry continued reading. His voice mingled with the gentle sound of the Sázava while Hans listened and sketched at the same time. He had intended to draw the castle behind them. Perhaps the landscape as well. Yet, as so often happened, his gaze kept drifting back to Henry. The familiar crease between his brows, the focused expression on his face, and the way his finger traced each line eventually found their way onto the page instead.

When Henry finally looked up, he caught the look Hans had been giving him.

“What are you drawing, anyway?”

Mars & Venus, Allegory of Peace

Mars & Venus, Allegory of Peace, 1770, Louis Jean François Lagrenée

„As Henry parts the drapery, morning light reveals the sleeping Hans. Henry gazes at him, utterly captivated by his beauty.“

Hans and Henry meet in secret, just like Mars and Venus in the old story. Mars stands for strength and Venus for love. In the myth, they share a passionate affair even though Venus belongs to another. It is similar for Hans and Henry. Hans is expected to marry Jitka one day, yet his heart belongs to Henry. This is why they seek quiet places meant only for them.

That night, Hans lies in bed and sleeps peacefully. Henry sits beside him and pulls the curtain aside just a little. He watches Hans with a warm gaze. Being close to him brings a calm that Henry never feels in his daily life. Only here does he find this clear stillness.

They could not be more different. Henry learned from his parents how to show love and allow closeness. He knows honest affection and gentle words. Hans carries a different weight. He was born into a role and many decisions were made for him long before he could choose. He knows the world expects much from him.

I want to kiss every part of your body💋

Henry’s favorite distraction

After a long day at the forge, Henry finally made his way upstairs to his room. Everything in him felt heavy, and all he really wanted was to sit for a moment, to ease the tension in his back before lying down.

He had barely sat on the bed when Hans followed him. Without hesitation, he climbed up beside him, kneeling close enough that Henry could feel his breath. With a gentle motion, Hans brushed the loose strands of hair from Henry’s face, letting his fingers linger there as he looked deeply into his eyes. Then, almost playfully, he ran his hand through Henry’s hair, tousling it the way he always did when he wanted to be close to him.

Before Henry could say a word, Hans leaned down and kissed him.