Aftermath
Nicholas walked into the flat, slamming the door so that where ever Travis was, he’d hear it.
“In here,” he called from the bathroom.
Nicholas found him staring at himself in the mirror, the right side of his face a very interesting colour, and quite puffy.
“I’m not going to vouch for you,” Nicholas said simply. “Or help explain it to mum.”
“You started it,” Travis argued.
It wasn’t what Nicholas had expected. “How?” he demanded.
“I was doing just fine until you stepped in, trying to be the Sheriff of London again.” He cringed as he tried to clean himself up a bit.
“He would have hit you either way,” Nicholas says. “They do things... differently where-when he’s from.”
“It’s all right for CID to beat a guy up because he happens to occasionally get off with blokes?”
Nicholas sighed deeply. “He said that wasn’t why he did it.” Though Nicholas realised that Gene hadn’t actually given a proper reason; just said what wasn’t the reason. “And he asked me to tell you that he’d rather not see you again.”
Travis shrugged. “All the same. You know I don’t do second dates.”
Nicholas cringed. “I’m serious,” he said.
“I know,” Travis said. “And I’m not.”
“And why didn’t you mention you knew about that place?”
Travis looked up at him. “Why didn’t you ever say anything about it?” he asked simply.
Nicholas didn’t justify that with an answer. He knew that Travis had probably already figured out why he hadn’t ever said anything to begin with.
“While I’m here,” Nicholas said, intentionally changing the subject, “I should tell you that I’m moving out.”
Travis looked up at him sharply. “You what?”
Nicholas shrugged. “Janine’s asked me to move in with her,” he said simply. “I think it’s a good idea.”
“She’s way the fuck out in Lambeth,” Travis pointed out. “How is that a good idea?”
“Because it’ll keep me from going back and forth all the time.” Nicholas couldn’t figure out why this idea was so upsetting to Travis.
“Why can’t she move in here?” Travis asked. “We’re closer to the station, anyway.”
“Because it would be nice to have a bit of space. Alone.”
“I’m never home anyway,” Travis tried to argue.
“It’s not up for debate,” Nicholas declared finally. “Besides, it won’t be until Denise moves out, anyway. And that might not be for a couple of months, yet.”
Travis just frowned at him. “Fine,” he said. “Whatever. Do what you want. I don’t care anyway.”
He picked up his shirt and went to his room, slamming the door behind him. Not entirely sure what that particular outburst had been about, Nicholas tidied up the bathroom before setting out figuring out supper for the evening. Travis would come around. He always did.