[ it's not like nick has failed to experience any kind of joy in these past few months, far from it, but there's a freedom that comes from this that nick hasn't experienced in--a long time. he's not sure how long, but soaring through the city is the closest to unburdened that he's been able to feel since william crawled his way into a permanent fixture in nick's life.

his hand is still damp from the sea when they touch down, precarious enough that nick should really keep hold of chris but he doesn't, just a loose sort of grip on the stretch of shirt by chris' shoulder as he twists to look out over the cliff's edge. it makes his head swim, but nick beams all the same. ]

You've done plenty. Holy shit, look, I haven't been this far away from the city since I got here.

[ nick turns back, hooks his hand behind chris' neck and pulls him down--pulls himself up, really, so that he can press their foreheads together. ]

Thank you. Seriously.