Gabriel ran his fingers through Lysander's golden hair, holding him as if trying to shield him from everything. His grip was firm but gentle, a silent promise that no one would take Lysander away from him, not now, not ever.
"I don't need anyone else," Gabriel said firmly. His voice was steady, yet there was a hint of desperation beneath it. "And I don't need any more children."
Lysander trembled against him. "But—"
"I said I don't need them!" Gabriel's arms tightened around him. "If they're not yours, I won't love them. That's why... I don't need anyone else."
Lysander continued crying against Gabriel's chest, his frail body shaking with the force of his emotions. But this time, his arms hesitantly moved, fingers curling against the fabric of Gabriel's shirt, clutching onto him as if afraid he might disappear.
This—this was all Gabriel had ever wanted.
