WWI-verse Anarchist AU

[ay_my_lord]

*Horatio has a room in a lodging-house not far from the castle; he shares the house with three other men on his floor and an extended family on the floor above him. his belongings, he has largely left in Wittenberg, on the (perhaps vain) hope that the war will soon be over and he will be able to return within a few months' time at most.

with his fellow-lodgers at work, though, he has the narrow front room to himself--or rather, in this case, to himself and Hamlet. he is pouring out tea for them, his spectacles slipping down his nose* I'm glad you came to call today. I'd been hoping I'd hear from you soon--it's been awkward trying to get back to the castle without a wedding invitation.

Comments

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

Not in public?

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Not at all.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I won't. I might waste away from longing, but I'll respect your wishes.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*laughs* You'll never really be longing for me.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

Not 'never' -- you never thought about why I made myself your sweetheart? Other than because Guildenstern wouldn't have me, of course, and wouldn't let Rosencrantz have me --

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Because you liked to see me blush.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I wanted to have a day like that with you, going around town, walking on your arm, being your love. You were just so proper -- not in a self-important, stubborn way -- but you wanted to get along with people, so you were always aware of what was expected, and you were always trying to be that. I wanted to shake the expectation a little. *pauses, adding* And I liked seeing you blush.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*and those are two different things, wanting to be Horatio's sweetheart and wanting to shake him, to shake everything--but Horatio doesn't mention it* Well--it was nice, to be your sweetheart. Even only for a day.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I kept half-hoping you'd kiss me again afterward.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*before they reach the door, while they're still safe behind curtains and walls* Why?

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I think it's what I'd been hoping for from the beginning. I wanted there to be another expectation, or no expectation at all -- I wanted you to see that I could be yours, if you wanted me. Yours to take on dates and kiss, yours for anything, if only for a day. *laughs, as though it's funny, just a silly schoolboy secret he can talk about easily now -- that was a ridiculous way to realize it, wasn't it? cross-dressing and joking, instead of asking outright -- but he can talk about it easily now* I stopped hoping, though, and half-hoping, for it to be anything more than that. But now you know I used to long for you.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*soft, only a breath of sound* I used to ... but that's past, now.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

*a faltering smile* You used to?

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Just like you did.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

*oh -- tries to laugh again, but it comes out this stupidwheezing sound he hates (not charming at all)* ... It's too bad. Too bad we didn't talk about ...

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*a little smile* It's all right, though. You've fallen in love; we've both of us moved on.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

Well, let's go. You are fetching, and I don't want to deprive the world of looking.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*leans in to kiss his cheek* And you're a flatterer. But thank you. *he leads the way out, into the chill of a sunny day*

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

*follows feeling not-quite-certain, not-quite-ready, but he always feels that way and (he thinks) he can handle it not a little because of Horatio's simple faith in him -- this man's never been hurt by him (he said he wasn't), this man's never hated him, this man thinks the end's going to be all right, so it will be all right*

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*do you have anything else you want from this thread, or is this scene?*

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

*i'm fine with a scene :)*