Fic Post
Hornblower, Rated R, thanks to princess-s and mylodon for advice and beta duties.
Horatio rolls his eyes as he pulls up his chinos to fasten them. The ball hadn’t hit Hether that hard but he’s still groaning like it’d shattered his arm. All’s fair in love and racquet ball anyway. Hether hasn’t even begun to get changed yet though, preferring to sit on the bench of the changing room. “Quite the angry puppy of late, aren’t we Hornblower, your Missus get a hefty whack of alimony did she?”
Horatio’s moved in front of the mirror to make sure he’s presentable and so has no one to glare at but his own reflection. “Maria was quite reasonable in the settlement, thank you very much.”
When he turns back around he can see Hether grinning at him, “Ah, I know what you need. Do you want to go out tonight then? I can text Cleveland.”
If Horatio wanted to go out, and he doesn’t, he’d go with William, who at least was less likely to scare off most of the female population of London. “Maybe some other time, I’ve a lot on.”
Hether turns to his bag to fish out his wallet at that. Once he has it he takes a card out and waves it at Horatio. Horatio takes it and gives Hether a look once he’s read it. “An escort agency? You think I’m that sad?”
Hether shrugs at that, “What? Like spending money on them all night in the hope they’ll let you shag them at the end of it is more dignified? Suit yourself if you don’t want to use it though.”
Horatio makes another face at that, but he keeps the card.
~
It’s quarter to nine on a Friday night and Horatio is restless enough that the thought of the card Hether gave him comes to the surface of his thoughts. It wouldn’t hurt to look at the website, there’d probably be something there he could ‘relieve his stress’ to at any rate. He has to give his card details to access anything though and after a couple of minutes of hesitation thinks sod it. It’s not like Hether’s account had been cleaned out via Nigeria yet. Once he’s in he can see sections for what is coyly termed ‘female models’ and ‘male models’. Horatio is a fan of both snails and oysters; well he’s had a few drunken fumbles with other blokes anyway. So he clicks on the males and finds further subdivisions to then click through. It makes him a bit uneasy as it’s not too dissimilar from trying to pick out a shade of paint from the B&Q website. He finds his way to the blond, blue eyed, shorter than him, section. He’s only clicked through a couple of photos when he sees the one he wants.
It’s eleven when he opens the door to the just buzzed in ‘Nick’. Horatio doesn’t think for a minute it’s his real name, why the hell would they use their real names? Nick is smiling languidly at him when he opens the door though and once he remembers that staring is rude Horatio invites him to come in.
“Erm, can I get you anything? A drink or…do you want something to eat?”
Nick flashes him a quick grin, he’s making his way to the centre of the living room, checking the place out, Horatio supposes. “Nah, I’m good, thanks. I’ll have a beer if you’ve got it though.”
Horatio gets two beers from the fridge and hands one to Nick who has made himself at home on the couch. He’s rewarded with a bright smile and a thank you as Nick takes the drink from him and Horatio suddenly feels like the extremely goofy seventeen year old he once was. It takes him a moment to realise he’s still standing awkwardly in front of Nick, he sits down at the other side of the couch though once he does. Nick for his part has either been told to smile all the time or finds Horatio terribly amusing. Horatio clears his throat for something to do.
“So, did you find it alright then?”
Nick nods, “Yeah, I got a taxi.”
That reminds Horatio, “Oh, how do I…I don’t have that much cash on me and…”
Nick shakes his head, “No, it’s fine. You, well, when you give your card details? It’ll be charged to your account.”
Horatio nods at that and fiddles with his bottle, he’s not so sure this was a good idea now. Nick puts his own bottle down on the coffee table in front of him and shifts to kneel in between Horatio’s legs, which Horatio parts instinctively. Nick is smiling up at him again as he undoes Horatio’s zip and slips his hand in.
“Tough week at work?”
Horatio nods at that but he doesn’t think he can actually form words. His body’s not slow to respond to the sensation of Nick’s hand stroking him. Nick doesn’t seem to be waiting for an actual answer though.
“Well, that’s what I’m here for, to relax you.”
Nick continues to stroke him until he’s fully hard, and Horatio finds he can actually make noise when Nick slides down his chinos and boxers to take Horatio into his mouth. His head is thrown back against the couch and he’s moving his hips against Nick’ mouth. The leather of the couch is uncomfortable underneath his thighs and arse but he doesn’t even notice that until Nick lifts his head.
“Do you want me to keep going or do you want to stop now so you can fuck me?”
Horatio’s face must look as blank as his head currently feels because Nick continues. “It’s just…you incur extra charges after two hours, I don’t know if you’d want to wait till you’re hard again, or if you’d want to do that at all. I just thought you should be aware.”
Horatio feels more than slightly ridiculous discussing this now, “Oh, thanks for telling…” Nick is still looking up at him and Horatio can tell by the way all his clothes cling to him that his body is in as good shape at the photographs online made it look. Horatio thinks he would actually like to fuck him. “It’s alright, I’ll pay the extra if need be.” He winds his hand through Nick’s hair when he bends his head again.
~
Horatio is suddenly woken by the jolt of Nick sitting up in the bed beside him. He’s twisting round to look at the clock when Nick says, “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep, what time is it?”
Horatio answers through a yawn, “About five thirty.” Nick moves to get out of the bed at that but Horatio reaches out a hand and places it on the back of Nick’s arm. He’s a little taken aback when Nick flinches slightly, but when Nick turns round to him he’s smile is as wide as it always is as he says, “I should get going then.”
Horatio doesn’t see the point of that, “It’s five thirty, you can stay here till morning, I don’t mind.”
Nick’s smile’s again at that, “It is morning.” He lies back down though and Horatio, without really thinking about it, puts his arm around him like he would a pillow.
~
William is standing in front of Horatio’s face with a solemn look on his face when Horatio glances up. “I think someone’s cloned your credit card.” William waves the statements he’s holding at that to emphasise the point. “Some dirty little bastard is buying hookers with your card.” William leans over the desk to show Horatio the latest statement, “See this here? I didn’t recognise it and it’s appeared every month for the past six, so I decided to track down what it actually was. It’s an escort agency.”
Horatio leans back in his chair at that. “Ah. That’s….I actually…that was me.” He tries to offer an explanation. “And it’s not plural hookers. It’s just the one and well…I know it looks sordid…but actually you can do things apart from sex with them. I went to the Tate Modern with him last week.”
William looks completely baffled before finally deciding to say, “Him?”
Horatio’s embarrassment is beginning to shift into exasperation now, William’s his mate, and his PA, but he’s not his bloody spiritual adviser. “Yes! Him! You know that I like men too, William. You came home from Uni once and found me…”
“Do you mind? I’ve tried to repress. What do you mean you went to the Tate Modern with him? You paid him to go with you?”
“Well, yes. He was on the clock, that’s how it works.”
“Christ, Horatio, they let you in on your own you know.”
Horatio scowls at that. “Look, it suits me. He comes round when I want him to. He does the stuff I want to do. And…well, we get on. I like him.”
“But it’s not real, Horatio. He does it because you’re paying him.”
Horatio turns back to his computer at that and hears William let himself out.
~
The bed is empty when Horatio wakes up but he can hear the sound of the radio coming from elsewhere in the house meaning Nick is still there. Horatio slips on his dressing gown and follows the sound of the radio. Nick’s sitting in his boxers at the kitchen table leafing through Horatio’s copy of yesterday’s Financial Times while eating a bit of toast.
“Checking your shares are you?”
Nick looks startled to suddenly have company and hastily covers his mouth with his hand while he finishes chewing and swallowing before smiling. Nick smiles a lot and Horatio’s never been able to get rid of the nagging thought it’s not because he’s happy. “I’ve always thought shares in Cadbury’s would be good. People are always going to eat chocolate right?”
Horatio smiles back at that, “Right. Are you interested in this sort of thing then?”
Nick shrugs at that, “Just thought I’d have a look. My grandpa used to read it. I liked the coloured paper when I was a kid.”
“Were you close? With your grandpa?”
It’s just small talk, but Nick looks down at the question, “Yeah. He looked after me, in the holidays and after school and stuff. He’s dead now though.”
Horatio is about to say he’s sorry when Nick looks up again smiling and asks if Horatio wants a cup of tea.
~
Horatio collapses back onto the sheets as Nick climbs off him, they’re both covered in sweat, each others mingled in with their own and Horatio’s stomach is wet from Nick. He’s a little taken aback when Nick scoots off the bed, glancing over his shoulder to inform Horatio. “I need to go in about half an hour. Is it alright if I jump in the shower?”
Horatio nods, “Course.” Nick stays more often than not but not always. There’s a twisting in Horatio’s gut though when Nick eventually emerges. He’s redone his hair, so he’s probably going to another job. Horatio watches him pick up what he took out of his pockets and left on the bedside table. Before he puts his card case away though, Nick opens it while telling Horatio, “Here’s that tenner you loaned me last week, so I could get some milk and bread on my way home.” Horatio’s about to insist it’s just a tenner when he notices one of Nick’s cards has fallen out and onto the bed. Instinctively, Horatio picks it up. It’s a bank card, with what he supposes is Nick’s real name on it.
Nick seems to freeze for a moment, before holding his hand out, the cat being out of the bag so to speak anyway, “Archie Kennedy, pleased to meet you.”
~
Horatio tries not to sulk as Archie moves his queen across the board and says, “Checkmate.”
Horatio attempts to be gracious, “You’re quite good, how did you learn to play?”
Archie shrugs at that, “Bloke I used to know taught me. He learned in prison.” Archie’s expression remains completely deadpan when he says it and Horatio’s not sure if he’s kidding or not. He’s clearing the board away when Archie leans over to pick up a framed photo on the side, “Is this your little boy then?”
Horatio nods and concentrates on putting the pieces back, “Yes.”
“Do you see him often?”
Horatio shakes his head, “No. Maria’s parents are out in Spain, she went out there when we split up and decided she liked it. She’s got a new bloke in tow now. I thought it was best not to be confuse Richard.”
Horatio’s surprised at the tone of Archie’s next statement, “But this bloke isn’t his father, you are.”
Horatio finds he’s just as sharp in his reply, “It’s none of your business.”
Archie regards him for a moment, and Horatio cringes a bit, because he suspects he’s about to get an ear full, but Archie just smiles, “We can play monopoly if you’ve got it. I suck at that, so you’re in with a shot.”
~
Archie’s too still in the darkness beside him for Horatio to think he’s actually asleep. It’s the stillness of someone trying not to move and disturb the other person. Horatio thinks it’ll be easier to say in the darkness.
“It was my fault; the divorce.”
Archie’s voice is quiet and Horatio can feel him finally shift slightly, “What happened?”
“I was just out of Uni and in my first proper job. Maria was one of the secretaries and we hadn’t known each other that long before she was pregnant.”
“That’s why you married her? Because she was pregnant?”
Horatio can hear the credulity in Archie’s voice, “That surprises you?”
“A bit, yeah. I didn’t think people did that anymore.”
Horatio finds himself smiling despite himself. “Well, my parents already considered me a crushing disappointment. They think it’s immoral to make money you see.”
There’s another pause from Archie, “Really? Are they communists?”
“No. They just…they thought it was such a waste, that’s the way they always put it, to go into the City when I could have, I don’t know, cured cancer or taught orphans to read or something.”
Archie doesn’t say anything to that so Horatio continues, “It was a stupid thing to do, marry her, but I did it anyway. I had an affair, with a client rep, Barbara. Maria found out about it. She said she didn’t want anything, just Richard.”
Archie speaks up at that, “Are you sorry?”
“I don’t know. Do you think that makes me a terrible person?”
The silence goes on for so long that Horatio takes that as his answer, before Archie says, “No, Horatio, I don’t think that’s what makes someone a terrible person.”
~
Horatio barely hears the phone from the roar coming from the TV as a goal is scored with 3 minutes to go. He expects it’s William calling to gloat. “Hello?”
It’s a woman’s clipped tones on the other end. “Mr Hornblower?”
“Yes.”
“Good evening, Mr Hornblower. This is Natasha from the agency. I am calling to see if we can rearrange your appointment for tomorrow night.”
Horatio’s paying more attention with that, “Why? Is Arch...is Nick alright?”
“Nick is no longer with us, Mr Hornblower. We have several other young gentlemen though that…”
Horatio hangs up before she gets the sales pitch out.
~
William is looking across at Horatio as if he thinks Horatio has completely lost his mind. “Let me get this straight? You’ve lost your rent boy and you want me to find him for you? This is what you called me over for? It couldn’t wait till morning?”
Horatio continues to pace, “I’m worried. Why would he just leave like that, without even telling me? In fact, he said last week, ‘See you next week.’”
“I see your point. Sex industry workers are well known for being reliable after all. He’s probably had a better offer to work for someone else. Maybe someone’s offered him a live in position as cabana boy. You don’t go looking for the bloke who makes your latte in Starbucks when he fucks off somewhere else.”
“This is different! He might be hurt or in trouble or….” Horatio actually feels a bit sick at the possibilities of what might have happened to him.
William regards him for a moment before sighing. “Alright, you said his real name is Archie Kennedy? Are you sure that’s it?”
Horatio nods, “Yes. That’s his real name. He’s 26. I know because he said he was 12 in 1996 once, we were talking about Independence Day, you know? The film? He said he was 12 when it came out.”
William sighs again, “Well, it’s not much to go on. Do you know where he’s from? Originally?”
Horatio shakes his head, “No. London somewhere I think and he speaks properly.”
“Right, Archie Kennedy, 26, speaks properly and from somewhere in London, that’ll be a doddle then.”
~
Horatio gives his car a worried backward glance as he knocks on the door again. William said this was the address, and William’s never wrong. It might have taken him three weeks but he found Archie in the end. Horatio’s faith is beginning to waver when the door finally opens and Archie is standing on the other side, looking somewhat confused and unusually pale.
“Horatio? What are you doing here?”
“I…ah…they said you’d…I was worried. About you. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
Archie steps aside and opens the door properly, “Come in.”
Horatio follows Archie back up the stair case and into the flat. Horatio’s not sure what he expected, for Archie to live somewhere flashier he supposed. It’s spacious enough for one person and there’s a TV and stereo, but they’re pretty basic. Archie’s clearly not living the high life, although he looks to be comfortable. Horatio finds it hard to tell these days, he doesn’t know how people get buy without bonuses. He’s too busy looking around the flat to notice that Archie’s holding one arm across his side, like he’s hurt. Archie’s heading back into the kitchen, “Do you want a tea?”
“Yeah, thanks.” Horatio follows him, “What happened to your side?”
Archie is frowning when he turns, “Didn’t they tell you? The agency?”
“They just told me you’d left.”
Archie makes a noise much like a snort at that. “Yeah, well, I was on a job that was interrupted by the john’s business rivals, they shot the place up, I got hit.”
Horatio is stunned, “Christ. Are you alright?”
Archie shrugs, “I’ll live but the wound got infected. A dose of antibiotics cleaned it up, left a pretty nasty scar though. The agency doesn’t want me anymore.”
Horatio is sure there’s something he’s missing, “Why?”
Archie grimaces at that, “Not pretty enough now. They aren’t interested in damaged goods.”
“Will you go to another one?”
Archie shakes his head, “No. It’s the same everywhere and the ones that want you with scars aren’t the ones you want to work for. I’ve got some savings, enough for a month or two.”
“What will you do after that?”
“No one cares round the back of King’s Cross if you’ve got a scar on your abdomen, I’ll do that, I suppose.”
The horror Horatio feels at thought must be obvious on his face, because Archie continues, “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ve survived worse, really.”
That’s not a comfort to Horatio, “But the streets? It’s not safe, you could be beaten up, or raped, Christ, you could even be ki…” Horatio stops there as it’s plain Archie is well aware of the risks. He sounds exhausted when he replies.
“Look, Horatio. I’m touched that you took the trouble to find out what happened to me, God knows no one else has given a fuck. I’m not your problem though.” There’s a pause while Archie considers his words, “You’ve always treated me decently. You never wanted to do anything weird to me and you never tried to badger me into letting you not wear a condom. You never slapped me about or called me names. You should go and find a proper relationship.”
Archie turns away at that, to reach into the cupboard for the tea. Horatio has to say it to his back.
“Come and live with me.”
Archie doesn’t turn around to answer, “Horatio…”
“What? You’d rather turn tricks on the street? You…Archie, you need help. No one else is going to offer it to you. Come and stay with me, just until you get yourself sorted out. Please, I can’t stand the thought of you…”
Archie turns around to face him again and Horatio is relieved to see the small nod of assent.
~
Horatio’s not even really paying attention to the TV. It’ s one of those American Cop Shows on Hallmark, the one where every week it seems to be a sex crime, that might actually be the point of it now he thinks about it. Horatio’s not really watching it, he just left it there after Archie finished watching NCIS and went to make toast while Horatio’s mind stayed on what the market had closed at.
He’s surprised then when out of nowhere Archie suddenly stands up, “I can’t watch this anymore, I’m going to bed.”
Horatio frowns at the TV screen before turning the channel over, he’d have done so if Archie had just said he didn’t want to watch it, he’s not sure what the fuss was about.
~
There’s a warmth, beginning to spread, in Horatio’s belly. He can feel lips at his throat and a light touch running over his torso. It’s only when the touch runs down to his crotch to give it a firm squeeze that Horatio realises he’s not dreaming. He catches Archie’s wrist before he’s even opened his eyes properly.
Archie is kneeling above him, even though he’d gone into the spare room when they’d retired for the evening. It’s where he’s been staying, Horatio meant what he said, about helping him. He didn’t want to take advantage. Archie’s smiling though, and it’s the familiar smile that Horatio knows is his ‘work’ smile, strengthening Horatio’s resolve.
“It’s alright, Horatio, I feel better now, let me thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
Horatio looks up at him, “Kiss me.”
Archie’s smile widens at that and he leans down, but he aims for Horatio’s throat again, Horatio suspected he would.
“No, on the mouth, I want you to kiss me on the mouth.”
Archie freezes at that, “No. I don’t do that.”
“It’s a little thing, why not?”
Archie climbs off him and Horatio thinks he can see him shaking, Archie’s tone is harsh as he replies, “Isn’t everything else enough? It’s a little thing to you, but it’s the only thing I’ve got left to give on my own terms.”
Archie leaves Horatio’s bedroom at that and Horatio sits up to stare at the door.
~
Archie picks up his beer bottle and takes a swig of it while Horatio for the millionth time wishes he could back in time and not say what he just did.
“I’m sorry, it’s none of my business, really.”
“No, it’s just…it was unexpected, that’s all. I’m not really that sure where to begin. I left home when I was 17. I met this guy, Kevin and moved in with him. It was good, for a while. He worked the bar in this club, it was a grotty, dodgy place, not one you’d have heard of or be caught dead in. I worked the night shift in the café down from it. He used to come in, that’s how I met him. He got into coke, pretty heavily as it turned out. I was young and stupid and when he said he’d paid the electricity bill and didn’t know why they were saying we owed them I’d believe him. I came home from my shift one morning though and he’d had the shit kicked out of him. He was covered in blood and crying and saying they were going to kill him. He’d stolen money from the club it turned out, to pay his dealer. His boss, he wasn’t even a gangster; that makes it sound more glamorous than it actually was. He was just this dodgy bloke with his fingers in various dodgy pies.”
Horatio nods, trying to indicate that he gets it, “I see”.
Archie’s look makes it plain he thinks Horatio really doesn’t but he continues, “One of the pies was pornography. He said we could pay of the debt that way. Only it was me he wanted to do it, not Kevin. He said I had a look they wanted. I loved Kevin and I thought he loved me. We really thought they might kill him. So I did it. It wasn’t actually that bad. I mean, the other guys all looked alright and it wasn’t anything particularly kinky. I wasn’t hurt.”
Horatio thinks that an odd to thing to say, why would Archie have assumed he’d have been hurt? Maybe Horatio’s just naïve though so he doesn’t interrupt.
“As porn goes it was fairly vanilla. I’d be the student who couldn’t pay his bill at the garage and so gave all the mechanics blow jobs, or the plumber would fuck me over the kitchen table, that sort of thing. I made about five or six of them before we were told the debt was cleared. Kevin then decided to announce that I disgusted him and he couldn’t even look at me anymore. He left me. I kept on making the films after that. The money was decent for a day’s work here and there. It wasn’t like I had anyone left to worry what they’d think of me so why not?”
Horatio’s not sure if he’s expected to reply to that, he doesn’t think he could say anything except a string of expletives at this Kevin anyway, again though Archie doesn’t seem to be expecting a reply.
“Eventually, one of the other lads set me up an appointment at the agency. He said it was safe, and mostly it was, occasionally you’d get one who slapped you about but it was better than minimum wage at the night café.”
Horatio takes a moment to digest it all. He’s beginning to tie things together in his head and he can almost see it like a montage, Archie flinching that time he grabbed his arm, the way he’d reacted to that TV show, the way he’d mentioned not being hurt, as if there was a time when he was. He tries to think of the best way to phrase it, “Archie, what about your family?”
Archie’s expression changes at that. “I don’t speak to them.”
“Why not? You said you left home at 17, did something happen?” Horatio has an uneasy feeling while asking it, he’s fairly certain he’s not going to like the answer.
Archie looks panicked on hearing the question; just before he deflates slightly and seems resigned to something. “What do you think happened?”
“I think someone hurt you.”
Archie looks at him, as if weighing him up, deciding. “My older sister. She had this boyfriend, Jack. He was a total bastard but I seemed to be the only person that could see it. He… he said no one would believe me, that they’d think I’d led him on because everyone knew I was a little cock tease.”
Horatio watches Archie stare at something across the room before he continues, “He was stabbed, a few years later. He drove some girl home one night and I guess her brother believed her, because he went and killed the fucker. It was too late then though, what was I supposed to say to my Mum and Dad? Sorry about disappearing on you like that but Gillian’s boyfriend kept touching me up and then one day he…I was in the bathroom…I should have locked the door, but I didn’t think, I should have been more careful though, he was always looking at me, rubbing himself against me if he got the chance…”
Horatio opens his mouth to assure Archie that not locking your fucking bathroom door is hardly an invitation but he doesn’t get the chance.
“He said it was my fault, that I’d paraded through the hall in only my boxers or something so obviously wanted him to come in. I tried to pretend it hadn’t happened but then he did it again when they were all out for lunch one Sunday. He let himself in and just…I couldn’t tell them and I couldn’t stay. How was I supposed to tell them that? How was I supposed to tell them how I made a living? So I didn’t try to tell them at all, I just continued to stay away.”
Archie turns to him with that. “You know, when I was shot. I was lying there and one of them came over and spat on me, called me a filthy little whore. Jack called me that, and then Kevin called me it and now this bloke was standing there calling me it and I…” Archie’s voice breaks at that and his face twists, “…I hoped that I would die. He spat on me, Horatio. They left me there to bleed out because I wasn’t worth bothering about and I hoped that I would die.”
Horatio tries to reassure Archie that’s it’s alright now as he cries himself out against him, but Horatio’s not sure he believes it himself.
~
There’s a creak in Horatio’s neck as he wakens and stretches, turns his head to see Archie’s already awake. He’d lain down with Archie when he’d put him to bed, promised to stay until Archie was asleep, Horatio might have fallen asleep first.
“Hey, how do you feel?”
Archie looks sheepish at the question, “Alright, I suppose. A bit embarrassed, sorry about getting snot all over you last night.”
Horatio turns around completely at that, “You’ve nothing to be embarrassed about. Christ, I went on about how my wife left me because I cheated on her and how my parents were disappointed I didn’t become a doctor, you should have decked me.”
Archie’s reply to that is to lean forward and brush Horatio’s mouth with his own, it’s fairly chaste as kisses go, but it stuns Horatio nonetheless.
“Archie, you don’t need to…”
“I know, that’s why I want to.” He leans forward again and it’s more lingering this time, Horatio’s not quite sure what to do, funny that this is the thing he feels awkward about, after everything else they’ve done together.
The kissing becomes less and less chaste as it goes on, until they’re tangled together and panting. Horatio breaks away to ask, “Tell me what you like, anything, I’ll do it for you.”
Archie is hesitant for a moment, “I like this. Can we just do this?”
Horatio leans his forehead against Archie’s, “Of course.”
~
Horatio picks up his bottle of mineral water to wash down the bite of chicken salsa wrap he’s just eaten before he speaks, “So I won’t be in tomorrow morning remember, I’m going to that Open Day with Archie, to see about him re-sitting his A Levels.”
William glances up from his BlackBerry at that, “You’re going to go with him?”
Horatio nods, “Yeah, I want to be supportive.”
He ignores the snort and mutter of, “That’ll be a first then” from William. William is more audible when he says, “I’ve still got everything I dug up when I was trying to track him down; you want it?” William riffles through his folders and holds one up.
Horatio leans across and takes it, “What’s in it?”
“Mobile phone bills mostly, it was how I tracked him down in the end, just took a bit of time for the right hands to be greased. Some stuff printed from the Internet from the local news after he disappeared.”
Horatio can see that now he’s opened the folder, the headline of Parents Appeal for Information on Missing Local Teen appearing at the top of the pile.
It’s Horatio’s turn to scoff when he sees that, “How hard did they look? He was in the same bloody city the whole time.”
William raises his head again at that statement, “You think it’s that easy to find a teenager in London who doesn’t want to be found? If he’d been a couple of years younger they might have had more luck because the police would have had to take more of an interest, but there wasn’t much they could do.”
Horatio’s not convinced, “You found him, in three weeks.”
“I had more to go on, his contract mobile number in your phone book for example.”
“Still, if they’d paid more attention to what was going on under their own roof…”
William cuts him off with that, “So they deserved it then? To not know if their son is rotting in some shallow grave somewhere or not? I got some footage from the local news too, his Mum’s crying in it, they cared that he was missing; by the looks of it they were devastated. I’m not saying it was Archie’s fault but you might want to consider it’s maybe not completely their fault either. Should they have been so trusting of this Jack character? Obviously not, but Christ, they’ve paid for it now haven’t they? Besides, you’re one to talk, you’re hardly in the running for any parenting awards are you?”
Horatio sits in silence before enquiring, “Where the Hell did that all come from?”
William gives a heavy sigh, “Horatio, you’re my best mate, but you bloody infuriate me at times.
~
The street they pull up on is leafy and respectable looking. Horatio says it without thinking, “It’s quite nice here.”
Archie sounds amused, “What were you expecting? A crack den and I’d pluckily learned to talk the way I do by watching repeats of Upstairs, Downstairs?”
“…no” The fact Archie continues to grin indicates he doesn’t believe Horatio for a minute. The grin wavers though.
“Maybe I should have phoned first….”
Horatio is determined, “You decided not to, you decided it wasn’t fair to phone them out of the blue and then make the wait to actually see you.”
“I know, but…”
Horatio is still determined, “But nothing. This was the deal, you go and see your parents and I go and see Richard.”
“You haven’t actually held up your end of the bargain yet.”
“I’ve bought the ticket and told Maria to expect me. Do you want me to come in with you?”
Archie shakes his head at that, “No. You’d just be one more thing I’d have to explain, and I think I have enough to be going on with.” Archie suddenly opens the door, “Well, wish me luck.”
“You won’t need it, it’ll be fine.” Horatio smiles at Archie as Archie closes the door, he hopes it’s an encouraging smile.
He watches Archie walk up the path and ring the door bell before stuffing his hands in his pockets. It occurs to Horatio then that they might not be in, and the whole thing is going to end in an anti-climax of nervous exhaustion with no resolution. Then he notices there’s a car in the drive and relaxes a little. When the door opens Horatio can’t see who’s at the other side, until he sees a woman rush forward to hold Archie. Archie’s arms go around her before they both go inside.
Horatio rolls his eyes as he pulls up his chinos to fasten them. The ball hadn’t hit Hether that hard but he’s still groaning like it’d shattered his arm. All’s fair in love and racquet ball anyway. Hether hasn’t even begun to get changed yet though, preferring to sit on the bench of the changing room. “Quite the angry puppy of late, aren’t we Hornblower, your Missus get a hefty whack of alimony did she?”
Horatio’s moved in front of the mirror to make sure he’s presentable and so has no one to glare at but his own reflection. “Maria was quite reasonable in the settlement, thank you very much.”
When he turns back around he can see Hether grinning at him, “Ah, I know what you need. Do you want to go out tonight then? I can text Cleveland.”
If Horatio wanted to go out, and he doesn’t, he’d go with William, who at least was less likely to scare off most of the female population of London. “Maybe some other time, I’ve a lot on.”
Hether turns to his bag to fish out his wallet at that. Once he has it he takes a card out and waves it at Horatio. Horatio takes it and gives Hether a look once he’s read it. “An escort agency? You think I’m that sad?”
Hether shrugs at that, “What? Like spending money on them all night in the hope they’ll let you shag them at the end of it is more dignified? Suit yourself if you don’t want to use it though.”
Horatio makes another face at that, but he keeps the card.
~
It’s quarter to nine on a Friday night and Horatio is restless enough that the thought of the card Hether gave him comes to the surface of his thoughts. It wouldn’t hurt to look at the website, there’d probably be something there he could ‘relieve his stress’ to at any rate. He has to give his card details to access anything though and after a couple of minutes of hesitation thinks sod it. It’s not like Hether’s account had been cleaned out via Nigeria yet. Once he’s in he can see sections for what is coyly termed ‘female models’ and ‘male models’. Horatio is a fan of both snails and oysters; well he’s had a few drunken fumbles with other blokes anyway. So he clicks on the males and finds further subdivisions to then click through. It makes him a bit uneasy as it’s not too dissimilar from trying to pick out a shade of paint from the B&Q website. He finds his way to the blond, blue eyed, shorter than him, section. He’s only clicked through a couple of photos when he sees the one he wants.
It’s eleven when he opens the door to the just buzzed in ‘Nick’. Horatio doesn’t think for a minute it’s his real name, why the hell would they use their real names? Nick is smiling languidly at him when he opens the door though and once he remembers that staring is rude Horatio invites him to come in.
“Erm, can I get you anything? A drink or…do you want something to eat?”
Nick flashes him a quick grin, he’s making his way to the centre of the living room, checking the place out, Horatio supposes. “Nah, I’m good, thanks. I’ll have a beer if you’ve got it though.”
Horatio gets two beers from the fridge and hands one to Nick who has made himself at home on the couch. He’s rewarded with a bright smile and a thank you as Nick takes the drink from him and Horatio suddenly feels like the extremely goofy seventeen year old he once was. It takes him a moment to realise he’s still standing awkwardly in front of Nick, he sits down at the other side of the couch though once he does. Nick for his part has either been told to smile all the time or finds Horatio terribly amusing. Horatio clears his throat for something to do.
“So, did you find it alright then?”
Nick nods, “Yeah, I got a taxi.”
That reminds Horatio, “Oh, how do I…I don’t have that much cash on me and…”
Nick shakes his head, “No, it’s fine. You, well, when you give your card details? It’ll be charged to your account.”
Horatio nods at that and fiddles with his bottle, he’s not so sure this was a good idea now. Nick puts his own bottle down on the coffee table in front of him and shifts to kneel in between Horatio’s legs, which Horatio parts instinctively. Nick is smiling up at him again as he undoes Horatio’s zip and slips his hand in.
“Tough week at work?”
Horatio nods at that but he doesn’t think he can actually form words. His body’s not slow to respond to the sensation of Nick’s hand stroking him. Nick doesn’t seem to be waiting for an actual answer though.
“Well, that’s what I’m here for, to relax you.”
Nick continues to stroke him until he’s fully hard, and Horatio finds he can actually make noise when Nick slides down his chinos and boxers to take Horatio into his mouth. His head is thrown back against the couch and he’s moving his hips against Nick’ mouth. The leather of the couch is uncomfortable underneath his thighs and arse but he doesn’t even notice that until Nick lifts his head.
“Do you want me to keep going or do you want to stop now so you can fuck me?”
Horatio’s face must look as blank as his head currently feels because Nick continues. “It’s just…you incur extra charges after two hours, I don’t know if you’d want to wait till you’re hard again, or if you’d want to do that at all. I just thought you should be aware.”
Horatio feels more than slightly ridiculous discussing this now, “Oh, thanks for telling…” Nick is still looking up at him and Horatio can tell by the way all his clothes cling to him that his body is in as good shape at the photographs online made it look. Horatio thinks he would actually like to fuck him. “It’s alright, I’ll pay the extra if need be.” He winds his hand through Nick’s hair when he bends his head again.
~
Horatio is suddenly woken by the jolt of Nick sitting up in the bed beside him. He’s twisting round to look at the clock when Nick says, “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep, what time is it?”
Horatio answers through a yawn, “About five thirty.” Nick moves to get out of the bed at that but Horatio reaches out a hand and places it on the back of Nick’s arm. He’s a little taken aback when Nick flinches slightly, but when Nick turns round to him he’s smile is as wide as it always is as he says, “I should get going then.”
Horatio doesn’t see the point of that, “It’s five thirty, you can stay here till morning, I don’t mind.”
Nick’s smile’s again at that, “It is morning.” He lies back down though and Horatio, without really thinking about it, puts his arm around him like he would a pillow.
~
William is standing in front of Horatio’s face with a solemn look on his face when Horatio glances up. “I think someone’s cloned your credit card.” William waves the statements he’s holding at that to emphasise the point. “Some dirty little bastard is buying hookers with your card.” William leans over the desk to show Horatio the latest statement, “See this here? I didn’t recognise it and it’s appeared every month for the past six, so I decided to track down what it actually was. It’s an escort agency.”
Horatio leans back in his chair at that. “Ah. That’s….I actually…that was me.” He tries to offer an explanation. “And it’s not plural hookers. It’s just the one and well…I know it looks sordid…but actually you can do things apart from sex with them. I went to the Tate Modern with him last week.”
William looks completely baffled before finally deciding to say, “Him?”
Horatio’s embarrassment is beginning to shift into exasperation now, William’s his mate, and his PA, but he’s not his bloody spiritual adviser. “Yes! Him! You know that I like men too, William. You came home from Uni once and found me…”
“Do you mind? I’ve tried to repress. What do you mean you went to the Tate Modern with him? You paid him to go with you?”
“Well, yes. He was on the clock, that’s how it works.”
“Christ, Horatio, they let you in on your own you know.”
Horatio scowls at that. “Look, it suits me. He comes round when I want him to. He does the stuff I want to do. And…well, we get on. I like him.”
“But it’s not real, Horatio. He does it because you’re paying him.”
Horatio turns back to his computer at that and hears William let himself out.
~
The bed is empty when Horatio wakes up but he can hear the sound of the radio coming from elsewhere in the house meaning Nick is still there. Horatio slips on his dressing gown and follows the sound of the radio. Nick’s sitting in his boxers at the kitchen table leafing through Horatio’s copy of yesterday’s Financial Times while eating a bit of toast.
“Checking your shares are you?”
Nick looks startled to suddenly have company and hastily covers his mouth with his hand while he finishes chewing and swallowing before smiling. Nick smiles a lot and Horatio’s never been able to get rid of the nagging thought it’s not because he’s happy. “I’ve always thought shares in Cadbury’s would be good. People are always going to eat chocolate right?”
Horatio smiles back at that, “Right. Are you interested in this sort of thing then?”
Nick shrugs at that, “Just thought I’d have a look. My grandpa used to read it. I liked the coloured paper when I was a kid.”
“Were you close? With your grandpa?”
It’s just small talk, but Nick looks down at the question, “Yeah. He looked after me, in the holidays and after school and stuff. He’s dead now though.”
Horatio is about to say he’s sorry when Nick looks up again smiling and asks if Horatio wants a cup of tea.
~
Horatio collapses back onto the sheets as Nick climbs off him, they’re both covered in sweat, each others mingled in with their own and Horatio’s stomach is wet from Nick. He’s a little taken aback when Nick scoots off the bed, glancing over his shoulder to inform Horatio. “I need to go in about half an hour. Is it alright if I jump in the shower?”
Horatio nods, “Course.” Nick stays more often than not but not always. There’s a twisting in Horatio’s gut though when Nick eventually emerges. He’s redone his hair, so he’s probably going to another job. Horatio watches him pick up what he took out of his pockets and left on the bedside table. Before he puts his card case away though, Nick opens it while telling Horatio, “Here’s that tenner you loaned me last week, so I could get some milk and bread on my way home.” Horatio’s about to insist it’s just a tenner when he notices one of Nick’s cards has fallen out and onto the bed. Instinctively, Horatio picks it up. It’s a bank card, with what he supposes is Nick’s real name on it.
Nick seems to freeze for a moment, before holding his hand out, the cat being out of the bag so to speak anyway, “Archie Kennedy, pleased to meet you.”
~
Horatio tries not to sulk as Archie moves his queen across the board and says, “Checkmate.”
Horatio attempts to be gracious, “You’re quite good, how did you learn to play?”
Archie shrugs at that, “Bloke I used to know taught me. He learned in prison.” Archie’s expression remains completely deadpan when he says it and Horatio’s not sure if he’s kidding or not. He’s clearing the board away when Archie leans over to pick up a framed photo on the side, “Is this your little boy then?”
Horatio nods and concentrates on putting the pieces back, “Yes.”
“Do you see him often?”
Horatio shakes his head, “No. Maria’s parents are out in Spain, she went out there when we split up and decided she liked it. She’s got a new bloke in tow now. I thought it was best not to be confuse Richard.”
Horatio’s surprised at the tone of Archie’s next statement, “But this bloke isn’t his father, you are.”
Horatio finds he’s just as sharp in his reply, “It’s none of your business.”
Archie regards him for a moment, and Horatio cringes a bit, because he suspects he’s about to get an ear full, but Archie just smiles, “We can play monopoly if you’ve got it. I suck at that, so you’re in with a shot.”
~
Archie’s too still in the darkness beside him for Horatio to think he’s actually asleep. It’s the stillness of someone trying not to move and disturb the other person. Horatio thinks it’ll be easier to say in the darkness.
“It was my fault; the divorce.”
Archie’s voice is quiet and Horatio can feel him finally shift slightly, “What happened?”
“I was just out of Uni and in my first proper job. Maria was one of the secretaries and we hadn’t known each other that long before she was pregnant.”
“That’s why you married her? Because she was pregnant?”
Horatio can hear the credulity in Archie’s voice, “That surprises you?”
“A bit, yeah. I didn’t think people did that anymore.”
Horatio finds himself smiling despite himself. “Well, my parents already considered me a crushing disappointment. They think it’s immoral to make money you see.”
There’s another pause from Archie, “Really? Are they communists?”
“No. They just…they thought it was such a waste, that’s the way they always put it, to go into the City when I could have, I don’t know, cured cancer or taught orphans to read or something.”
Archie doesn’t say anything to that so Horatio continues, “It was a stupid thing to do, marry her, but I did it anyway. I had an affair, with a client rep, Barbara. Maria found out about it. She said she didn’t want anything, just Richard.”
Archie speaks up at that, “Are you sorry?”
“I don’t know. Do you think that makes me a terrible person?”
The silence goes on for so long that Horatio takes that as his answer, before Archie says, “No, Horatio, I don’t think that’s what makes someone a terrible person.”
~
Horatio barely hears the phone from the roar coming from the TV as a goal is scored with 3 minutes to go. He expects it’s William calling to gloat. “Hello?”
It’s a woman’s clipped tones on the other end. “Mr Hornblower?”
“Yes.”
“Good evening, Mr Hornblower. This is Natasha from the agency. I am calling to see if we can rearrange your appointment for tomorrow night.”
Horatio’s paying more attention with that, “Why? Is Arch...is Nick alright?”
“Nick is no longer with us, Mr Hornblower. We have several other young gentlemen though that…”
Horatio hangs up before she gets the sales pitch out.
~
William is looking across at Horatio as if he thinks Horatio has completely lost his mind. “Let me get this straight? You’ve lost your rent boy and you want me to find him for you? This is what you called me over for? It couldn’t wait till morning?”
Horatio continues to pace, “I’m worried. Why would he just leave like that, without even telling me? In fact, he said last week, ‘See you next week.’”
“I see your point. Sex industry workers are well known for being reliable after all. He’s probably had a better offer to work for someone else. Maybe someone’s offered him a live in position as cabana boy. You don’t go looking for the bloke who makes your latte in Starbucks when he fucks off somewhere else.”
“This is different! He might be hurt or in trouble or….” Horatio actually feels a bit sick at the possibilities of what might have happened to him.
William regards him for a moment before sighing. “Alright, you said his real name is Archie Kennedy? Are you sure that’s it?”
Horatio nods, “Yes. That’s his real name. He’s 26. I know because he said he was 12 in 1996 once, we were talking about Independence Day, you know? The film? He said he was 12 when it came out.”
William sighs again, “Well, it’s not much to go on. Do you know where he’s from? Originally?”
Horatio shakes his head, “No. London somewhere I think and he speaks properly.”
“Right, Archie Kennedy, 26, speaks properly and from somewhere in London, that’ll be a doddle then.”
~
Horatio gives his car a worried backward glance as he knocks on the door again. William said this was the address, and William’s never wrong. It might have taken him three weeks but he found Archie in the end. Horatio’s faith is beginning to waver when the door finally opens and Archie is standing on the other side, looking somewhat confused and unusually pale.
“Horatio? What are you doing here?”
“I…ah…they said you’d…I was worried. About you. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
Archie steps aside and opens the door properly, “Come in.”
Horatio follows Archie back up the stair case and into the flat. Horatio’s not sure what he expected, for Archie to live somewhere flashier he supposed. It’s spacious enough for one person and there’s a TV and stereo, but they’re pretty basic. Archie’s clearly not living the high life, although he looks to be comfortable. Horatio finds it hard to tell these days, he doesn’t know how people get buy without bonuses. He’s too busy looking around the flat to notice that Archie’s holding one arm across his side, like he’s hurt. Archie’s heading back into the kitchen, “Do you want a tea?”
“Yeah, thanks.” Horatio follows him, “What happened to your side?”
Archie is frowning when he turns, “Didn’t they tell you? The agency?”
“They just told me you’d left.”
Archie makes a noise much like a snort at that. “Yeah, well, I was on a job that was interrupted by the john’s business rivals, they shot the place up, I got hit.”
Horatio is stunned, “Christ. Are you alright?”
Archie shrugs, “I’ll live but the wound got infected. A dose of antibiotics cleaned it up, left a pretty nasty scar though. The agency doesn’t want me anymore.”
Horatio is sure there’s something he’s missing, “Why?”
Archie grimaces at that, “Not pretty enough now. They aren’t interested in damaged goods.”
“Will you go to another one?”
Archie shakes his head, “No. It’s the same everywhere and the ones that want you with scars aren’t the ones you want to work for. I’ve got some savings, enough for a month or two.”
“What will you do after that?”
“No one cares round the back of King’s Cross if you’ve got a scar on your abdomen, I’ll do that, I suppose.”
The horror Horatio feels at thought must be obvious on his face, because Archie continues, “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ve survived worse, really.”
That’s not a comfort to Horatio, “But the streets? It’s not safe, you could be beaten up, or raped, Christ, you could even be ki…” Horatio stops there as it’s plain Archie is well aware of the risks. He sounds exhausted when he replies.
“Look, Horatio. I’m touched that you took the trouble to find out what happened to me, God knows no one else has given a fuck. I’m not your problem though.” There’s a pause while Archie considers his words, “You’ve always treated me decently. You never wanted to do anything weird to me and you never tried to badger me into letting you not wear a condom. You never slapped me about or called me names. You should go and find a proper relationship.”
Archie turns away at that, to reach into the cupboard for the tea. Horatio has to say it to his back.
“Come and live with me.”
Archie doesn’t turn around to answer, “Horatio…”
“What? You’d rather turn tricks on the street? You…Archie, you need help. No one else is going to offer it to you. Come and stay with me, just until you get yourself sorted out. Please, I can’t stand the thought of you…”
Archie turns around to face him again and Horatio is relieved to see the small nod of assent.
~
Horatio’s not even really paying attention to the TV. It’ s one of those American Cop Shows on Hallmark, the one where every week it seems to be a sex crime, that might actually be the point of it now he thinks about it. Horatio’s not really watching it, he just left it there after Archie finished watching NCIS and went to make toast while Horatio’s mind stayed on what the market had closed at.
He’s surprised then when out of nowhere Archie suddenly stands up, “I can’t watch this anymore, I’m going to bed.”
Horatio frowns at the TV screen before turning the channel over, he’d have done so if Archie had just said he didn’t want to watch it, he’s not sure what the fuss was about.
~
There’s a warmth, beginning to spread, in Horatio’s belly. He can feel lips at his throat and a light touch running over his torso. It’s only when the touch runs down to his crotch to give it a firm squeeze that Horatio realises he’s not dreaming. He catches Archie’s wrist before he’s even opened his eyes properly.
Archie is kneeling above him, even though he’d gone into the spare room when they’d retired for the evening. It’s where he’s been staying, Horatio meant what he said, about helping him. He didn’t want to take advantage. Archie’s smiling though, and it’s the familiar smile that Horatio knows is his ‘work’ smile, strengthening Horatio’s resolve.
“It’s alright, Horatio, I feel better now, let me thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
Horatio looks up at him, “Kiss me.”
Archie’s smile widens at that and he leans down, but he aims for Horatio’s throat again, Horatio suspected he would.
“No, on the mouth, I want you to kiss me on the mouth.”
Archie freezes at that, “No. I don’t do that.”
“It’s a little thing, why not?”
Archie climbs off him and Horatio thinks he can see him shaking, Archie’s tone is harsh as he replies, “Isn’t everything else enough? It’s a little thing to you, but it’s the only thing I’ve got left to give on my own terms.”
Archie leaves Horatio’s bedroom at that and Horatio sits up to stare at the door.
~
Archie picks up his beer bottle and takes a swig of it while Horatio for the millionth time wishes he could back in time and not say what he just did.
“I’m sorry, it’s none of my business, really.”
“No, it’s just…it was unexpected, that’s all. I’m not really that sure where to begin. I left home when I was 17. I met this guy, Kevin and moved in with him. It was good, for a while. He worked the bar in this club, it was a grotty, dodgy place, not one you’d have heard of or be caught dead in. I worked the night shift in the café down from it. He used to come in, that’s how I met him. He got into coke, pretty heavily as it turned out. I was young and stupid and when he said he’d paid the electricity bill and didn’t know why they were saying we owed them I’d believe him. I came home from my shift one morning though and he’d had the shit kicked out of him. He was covered in blood and crying and saying they were going to kill him. He’d stolen money from the club it turned out, to pay his dealer. His boss, he wasn’t even a gangster; that makes it sound more glamorous than it actually was. He was just this dodgy bloke with his fingers in various dodgy pies.”
Horatio nods, trying to indicate that he gets it, “I see”.
Archie’s look makes it plain he thinks Horatio really doesn’t but he continues, “One of the pies was pornography. He said we could pay of the debt that way. Only it was me he wanted to do it, not Kevin. He said I had a look they wanted. I loved Kevin and I thought he loved me. We really thought they might kill him. So I did it. It wasn’t actually that bad. I mean, the other guys all looked alright and it wasn’t anything particularly kinky. I wasn’t hurt.”
Horatio thinks that an odd to thing to say, why would Archie have assumed he’d have been hurt? Maybe Horatio’s just naïve though so he doesn’t interrupt.
“As porn goes it was fairly vanilla. I’d be the student who couldn’t pay his bill at the garage and so gave all the mechanics blow jobs, or the plumber would fuck me over the kitchen table, that sort of thing. I made about five or six of them before we were told the debt was cleared. Kevin then decided to announce that I disgusted him and he couldn’t even look at me anymore. He left me. I kept on making the films after that. The money was decent for a day’s work here and there. It wasn’t like I had anyone left to worry what they’d think of me so why not?”
Horatio’s not sure if he’s expected to reply to that, he doesn’t think he could say anything except a string of expletives at this Kevin anyway, again though Archie doesn’t seem to be expecting a reply.
“Eventually, one of the other lads set me up an appointment at the agency. He said it was safe, and mostly it was, occasionally you’d get one who slapped you about but it was better than minimum wage at the night café.”
Horatio takes a moment to digest it all. He’s beginning to tie things together in his head and he can almost see it like a montage, Archie flinching that time he grabbed his arm, the way he’d reacted to that TV show, the way he’d mentioned not being hurt, as if there was a time when he was. He tries to think of the best way to phrase it, “Archie, what about your family?”
Archie’s expression changes at that. “I don’t speak to them.”
“Why not? You said you left home at 17, did something happen?” Horatio has an uneasy feeling while asking it, he’s fairly certain he’s not going to like the answer.
Archie looks panicked on hearing the question; just before he deflates slightly and seems resigned to something. “What do you think happened?”
“I think someone hurt you.”
Archie looks at him, as if weighing him up, deciding. “My older sister. She had this boyfriend, Jack. He was a total bastard but I seemed to be the only person that could see it. He… he said no one would believe me, that they’d think I’d led him on because everyone knew I was a little cock tease.”
Horatio watches Archie stare at something across the room before he continues, “He was stabbed, a few years later. He drove some girl home one night and I guess her brother believed her, because he went and killed the fucker. It was too late then though, what was I supposed to say to my Mum and Dad? Sorry about disappearing on you like that but Gillian’s boyfriend kept touching me up and then one day he…I was in the bathroom…I should have locked the door, but I didn’t think, I should have been more careful though, he was always looking at me, rubbing himself against me if he got the chance…”
Horatio opens his mouth to assure Archie that not locking your fucking bathroom door is hardly an invitation but he doesn’t get the chance.
“He said it was my fault, that I’d paraded through the hall in only my boxers or something so obviously wanted him to come in. I tried to pretend it hadn’t happened but then he did it again when they were all out for lunch one Sunday. He let himself in and just…I couldn’t tell them and I couldn’t stay. How was I supposed to tell them that? How was I supposed to tell them how I made a living? So I didn’t try to tell them at all, I just continued to stay away.”
Archie turns to him with that. “You know, when I was shot. I was lying there and one of them came over and spat on me, called me a filthy little whore. Jack called me that, and then Kevin called me it and now this bloke was standing there calling me it and I…” Archie’s voice breaks at that and his face twists, “…I hoped that I would die. He spat on me, Horatio. They left me there to bleed out because I wasn’t worth bothering about and I hoped that I would die.”
Horatio tries to reassure Archie that’s it’s alright now as he cries himself out against him, but Horatio’s not sure he believes it himself.
~
There’s a creak in Horatio’s neck as he wakens and stretches, turns his head to see Archie’s already awake. He’d lain down with Archie when he’d put him to bed, promised to stay until Archie was asleep, Horatio might have fallen asleep first.
“Hey, how do you feel?”
Archie looks sheepish at the question, “Alright, I suppose. A bit embarrassed, sorry about getting snot all over you last night.”
Horatio turns around completely at that, “You’ve nothing to be embarrassed about. Christ, I went on about how my wife left me because I cheated on her and how my parents were disappointed I didn’t become a doctor, you should have decked me.”
Archie’s reply to that is to lean forward and brush Horatio’s mouth with his own, it’s fairly chaste as kisses go, but it stuns Horatio nonetheless.
“Archie, you don’t need to…”
“I know, that’s why I want to.” He leans forward again and it’s more lingering this time, Horatio’s not quite sure what to do, funny that this is the thing he feels awkward about, after everything else they’ve done together.
The kissing becomes less and less chaste as it goes on, until they’re tangled together and panting. Horatio breaks away to ask, “Tell me what you like, anything, I’ll do it for you.”
Archie is hesitant for a moment, “I like this. Can we just do this?”
Horatio leans his forehead against Archie’s, “Of course.”
~
Horatio picks up his bottle of mineral water to wash down the bite of chicken salsa wrap he’s just eaten before he speaks, “So I won’t be in tomorrow morning remember, I’m going to that Open Day with Archie, to see about him re-sitting his A Levels.”
William glances up from his BlackBerry at that, “You’re going to go with him?”
Horatio nods, “Yeah, I want to be supportive.”
He ignores the snort and mutter of, “That’ll be a first then” from William. William is more audible when he says, “I’ve still got everything I dug up when I was trying to track him down; you want it?” William riffles through his folders and holds one up.
Horatio leans across and takes it, “What’s in it?”
“Mobile phone bills mostly, it was how I tracked him down in the end, just took a bit of time for the right hands to be greased. Some stuff printed from the Internet from the local news after he disappeared.”
Horatio can see that now he’s opened the folder, the headline of Parents Appeal for Information on Missing Local Teen appearing at the top of the pile.
It’s Horatio’s turn to scoff when he sees that, “How hard did they look? He was in the same bloody city the whole time.”
William raises his head again at that statement, “You think it’s that easy to find a teenager in London who doesn’t want to be found? If he’d been a couple of years younger they might have had more luck because the police would have had to take more of an interest, but there wasn’t much they could do.”
Horatio’s not convinced, “You found him, in three weeks.”
“I had more to go on, his contract mobile number in your phone book for example.”
“Still, if they’d paid more attention to what was going on under their own roof…”
William cuts him off with that, “So they deserved it then? To not know if their son is rotting in some shallow grave somewhere or not? I got some footage from the local news too, his Mum’s crying in it, they cared that he was missing; by the looks of it they were devastated. I’m not saying it was Archie’s fault but you might want to consider it’s maybe not completely their fault either. Should they have been so trusting of this Jack character? Obviously not, but Christ, they’ve paid for it now haven’t they? Besides, you’re one to talk, you’re hardly in the running for any parenting awards are you?”
Horatio sits in silence before enquiring, “Where the Hell did that all come from?”
William gives a heavy sigh, “Horatio, you’re my best mate, but you bloody infuriate me at times.
~
The street they pull up on is leafy and respectable looking. Horatio says it without thinking, “It’s quite nice here.”
Archie sounds amused, “What were you expecting? A crack den and I’d pluckily learned to talk the way I do by watching repeats of Upstairs, Downstairs?”
“…no” The fact Archie continues to grin indicates he doesn’t believe Horatio for a minute. The grin wavers though.
“Maybe I should have phoned first….”
Horatio is determined, “You decided not to, you decided it wasn’t fair to phone them out of the blue and then make the wait to actually see you.”
“I know, but…”
Horatio is still determined, “But nothing. This was the deal, you go and see your parents and I go and see Richard.”
“You haven’t actually held up your end of the bargain yet.”
“I’ve bought the ticket and told Maria to expect me. Do you want me to come in with you?”
Archie shakes his head at that, “No. You’d just be one more thing I’d have to explain, and I think I have enough to be going on with.” Archie suddenly opens the door, “Well, wish me luck.”
“You won’t need it, it’ll be fine.” Horatio smiles at Archie as Archie closes the door, he hopes it’s an encouraging smile.
He watches Archie walk up the path and ring the door bell before stuffing his hands in his pockets. It occurs to Horatio then that they might not be in, and the whole thing is going to end in an anti-climax of nervous exhaustion with no resolution. Then he notices there’s a car in the drive and relaxes a little. When the door opens Horatio can’t see who’s at the other side, until he sees a woman rush forward to hold Archie. Archie’s arms go around her before they both go inside.