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It had been a long day, and it was only about half way over. Jack’s shop had been vandalized and slurs painted across the windows, outing his secret. Putting him at risk for arrest and incarceration given the laws of the time.
The man had been distraught, obviously, and Llewellyn had sent him home with the promise he would take care of it. Hiding the windows with signage and trying to minimize the damage until they could properly scrub the paint away.
The perpetrator had come forward so very confidently, proud of himself for his handiwork. As though he’d done something good… Well, for the first time in a long time? Llewellyn had felt a hot anger run through him, and in his desire to set things right he had arrested the man for damaging private property.
What Llewellyn hadn’t expected when he knocked on Jack’s door later was the reaction to his attempt at fixing things. Jack was jumpy and nervous as he let him into the room, looking down the hall as if something might follow Llewellyn in. “Did you not want me here?” Llewellyn gestured, confusion in his tone.
“Sorry, I just feel like… Everyone is watching me.” The man responded with a sigh, closing the door behind them.
“Well, I’ve got news that should ease your mind.” He responded, leaning on the table next to him with one arm. “I’ve arrested the vandal.” He wouldn’t be away for long or anything, but it should at least keep him from making things worse… Or so Llewellyn had thought.
Instead, Jacks eyes narrowed. “You did what?” He asked, barely contained frustration in his tone, starting to walk across the room.
“He even confessed to the crime. Rather proudly, I might add.” The detective added with a troubled frown, he still couldn’t wrap his head around the hatred that people felt for people like them. As if they were a blight upon society that needed to be outed and dealt with some how.
Jack stopped short. “What- What did you-?” He started, and Llewellyn finished for him to save the man from trying to put his question to words. “Charge him with? Well, descruction of property and-”
“No, no, no. I mean…” Jack gestured, trying to make himself more clear. He hadn’t wanted this, after all. Llewellyn’s sense of justice was admirable but… For people like them? There wasn’t justice. He had his reputation to think about, his business! “I just wanted to make this go away. I didn’t want an arrest, or a trail, or-”
“Justice to be served?” Llewellyn responded, confusion in his tone. Really, he didn’t understand what the problem was at the moment. Justice for the wronged was what mattered, Jack had been wronged. The man in question had probably done the same to others!
“It wont be justice!” Jack responded hotly, glaring across the room in frustration. “It’ll be every bigot in the city gossiping about the fairy butcher!” Llewellyn finally got it then, his expression shifting to something awkward and concerned. “It will kill my business.” Jack continued.
“But-!”
“It will ruin me.” He cut off the detective before he could continue.
“Please-!” Llewellyn tried to start again, to get a word in.
“And how long do you think you’ll last at the constabulary when the rumors start flying about the sodomite cop?” Jack cut him off again, pointing out the obvious as he strode forward to get in his face.
“Jack…” But the man wasn’t finished yet.
“That’s what they call us, you know. You saw it. Splashed across my shop in blood red letters.” Jack continued as Watts rubbed the back of his head, looking away.
His reputation had never mattered, justice did. He did what he felt was right to help people around him, if his time at the constabulary ended then it ended. He was used to things ending, and Jack was more important to him than that. The man had told Llewellyn, after all, some things are worth the risk. And Jack had been worth the risk to him. Had he not already put himself on the line to prove that when Jack had been arrested a year ago?
“I’m sorry…” He finally uttered, swallowing thickly he realized that perhaps the man hadn’t quite been literal about that. At least not when it came to one’s reputation and staying under the radar.
“I just wanted to make this… Go away.” Jack started again, cycling back to what he said again.
“I can fix this.” Llewellyn responded, seeing a resignation in the other’s eyes over the mistake. If he didn’t fix it, then this would be at an end. The first good thing that he’d had in his life since… Gone.
“I wish you could.”
“I can.” Llewellyn responded firmly, he would. He would make this all go away, to put aside his feelings on the matter for the man that he loved. To put minds at ease and hopefully minimize the damage done. “I’ll get the charges dropped-”
“And then what?” Jack cut him off again, staring at him.
“What do you mean?” Then what? Then they could try to move on, to lay low for a while and to fix what they had.
“How will you fix… this?” The man gestured between the two of them, as though the damage was irreparable. “This will always be against the laws that you’ve vowed to enforce.” He spat out, as though Llewellyn had ever agreed with the laws. Half the time he was pushing himself into situations to point out the unfairness, working around them for the sake of victims who would otherwise be ignored.
Desperate, Llewellyn shook his head. “Maybe not always.” Things could change, times were changing. There had even been the startings of a movement, of talks about a time when these things weren’t a problem. When people were allowed to love who they wished freely. And if not? His career still didn’t matter as much as this.
Jack was silent for a long minute, before he shook his head. “There’s no way in the world that this will end happily. So we should at least end it quickly.” He reached his conclusion, pushing aside the promise and his prior words that he’d spoken over the last year.
“No! Jack- You’re right. I should not have arrested that man. It was a rash and ill-considered and I will never again-” He put a reassuring hand on the man’s shoulder, trying to make it clear that he could fix all of this. If he only had the chance, he could make sure this was as far as the problem went.
“Llewellyn!” He shrugged the hand off. “This is too dangerous. For both of us. I’m sorry, but… It’s over.” He stood aside for Llewellyn to leave.
The detective at a loss for what to say, he snagged his hat off the table and strode towards the doorway, mind whirling. He had to make this right, somehow… He had to prove that they were still worth it.
And he did. The charges were dropped, and a few hours later Llewellyn was back at Jack’s door to inform him. Hoping that… Time, and the resolution of the problem was enough to have cooled their heads and allow them to come to repair the relationship. Knocking, he absently heard the sounds of… laughter inside?
Jack still opened the door, before almost immediately closing it on his face. “Before you say anything,” Llewellyn started, “I got the charges against Marcus Hinkie dropped, as you requested.”
The man’s tone was anxious as he replied, putting himself in between the doorframe and the door to block the two woman and man sitting at the table inside. “Thank you. Unfortunately, now is not a good time.” He responded, looking like he wanted the man who he had claimed to love to be anywhere but there right now.
And he tried to close the door on Llewellyn’s face again. “Please, Jack, just talk to me.” He started, putting a hand out to stop the door.
Finally, the woman inside spoke up. “Jack, who’s that?” She smiled from where she sat, shrugging lightly. “Invite your friend in! The more the merrier!”
“Uh- what’s the ocassion?” Llewellyn responded, glancing inside finally to see the young woman and two people who appeared to be her parents sitting at the table that he often shared with Jack.
Jack began to look… Well, anxious and annoyed.
“Engagement party.” The young woman responded with a smile. “I’m going to make an honest man of Jack.” She ended with a chuckle.
None of it. Not one word of that sentence really made sense to him… It had been… Hours? At most? Who was she?? Trying to recover, to learn more, he awkwardly responded. “An honest man… huh?” His gaze drifted down to the floor, heart sinking with it.
Jack at put himself in front of him again, voice lowering. “Llewellyn, I’m sorry, but this is-”
“Don’t dawdle in the doorway. Come in and have a drink!” The woman interrupted again, seeming to not quite get what was going on between the two ‘friends.’
“Thank you, miss, but I’m here on police business.” He tried to recover, to… somehow not make this worse despite his upset. He just needed a chance to talk to Jack, to… figure this out. “I would never intrude on your joy.”
Jack? Jack doesn’t even afford him another moment. He doesn’t even say a word as he shuts the door rather soundly in his face this time.
The finality of it all clear. Jack had made his decision… He’d rather live a lie for the sake of his business and reputation. Their relationship was not ‘worth the risk’ despite saying it was, so long ago…
And Llewellyn? He turned away, heartbroken as he trudged down the hall.
The man had been distraught, obviously, and Llewellyn had sent him home with the promise he would take care of it. Hiding the windows with signage and trying to minimize the damage until they could properly scrub the paint away.
The perpetrator had come forward so very confidently, proud of himself for his handiwork. As though he’d done something good… Well, for the first time in a long time? Llewellyn had felt a hot anger run through him, and in his desire to set things right he had arrested the man for damaging private property.
What Llewellyn hadn’t expected when he knocked on Jack’s door later was the reaction to his attempt at fixing things. Jack was jumpy and nervous as he let him into the room, looking down the hall as if something might follow Llewellyn in. “Did you not want me here?” Llewellyn gestured, confusion in his tone.
“Sorry, I just feel like… Everyone is watching me.” The man responded with a sigh, closing the door behind them.
“Well, I’ve got news that should ease your mind.” He responded, leaning on the table next to him with one arm. “I’ve arrested the vandal.” He wouldn’t be away for long or anything, but it should at least keep him from making things worse… Or so Llewellyn had thought.
Instead, Jacks eyes narrowed. “You did what?” He asked, barely contained frustration in his tone, starting to walk across the room.
“He even confessed to the crime. Rather proudly, I might add.” The detective added with a troubled frown, he still couldn’t wrap his head around the hatred that people felt for people like them. As if they were a blight upon society that needed to be outed and dealt with some how.
Jack stopped short. “What- What did you-?” He started, and Llewellyn finished for him to save the man from trying to put his question to words. “Charge him with? Well, descruction of property and-”
“No, no, no. I mean…” Jack gestured, trying to make himself more clear. He hadn’t wanted this, after all. Llewellyn’s sense of justice was admirable but… For people like them? There wasn’t justice. He had his reputation to think about, his business! “I just wanted to make this go away. I didn’t want an arrest, or a trail, or-”
“Justice to be served?” Llewellyn responded, confusion in his tone. Really, he didn’t understand what the problem was at the moment. Justice for the wronged was what mattered, Jack had been wronged. The man in question had probably done the same to others!
“It wont be justice!” Jack responded hotly, glaring across the room in frustration. “It’ll be every bigot in the city gossiping about the fairy butcher!” Llewellyn finally got it then, his expression shifting to something awkward and concerned. “It will kill my business.” Jack continued.
“But-!”
“It will ruin me.” He cut off the detective before he could continue.
“Please-!” Llewellyn tried to start again, to get a word in.
“And how long do you think you’ll last at the constabulary when the rumors start flying about the sodomite cop?” Jack cut him off again, pointing out the obvious as he strode forward to get in his face.
“Jack…” But the man wasn’t finished yet.
“That’s what they call us, you know. You saw it. Splashed across my shop in blood red letters.” Jack continued as Watts rubbed the back of his head, looking away.
His reputation had never mattered, justice did. He did what he felt was right to help people around him, if his time at the constabulary ended then it ended. He was used to things ending, and Jack was more important to him than that. The man had told Llewellyn, after all, some things are worth the risk. And Jack had been worth the risk to him. Had he not already put himself on the line to prove that when Jack had been arrested a year ago?
“I’m sorry…” He finally uttered, swallowing thickly he realized that perhaps the man hadn’t quite been literal about that. At least not when it came to one’s reputation and staying under the radar.
“I just wanted to make this… Go away.” Jack started again, cycling back to what he said again.
“I can fix this.” Llewellyn responded, seeing a resignation in the other’s eyes over the mistake. If he didn’t fix it, then this would be at an end. The first good thing that he’d had in his life since… Gone.
“I wish you could.”
“I can.” Llewellyn responded firmly, he would. He would make this all go away, to put aside his feelings on the matter for the man that he loved. To put minds at ease and hopefully minimize the damage done. “I’ll get the charges dropped-”
“And then what?” Jack cut him off again, staring at him.
“What do you mean?” Then what? Then they could try to move on, to lay low for a while and to fix what they had.
“How will you fix… this?” The man gestured between the two of them, as though the damage was irreparable. “This will always be against the laws that you’ve vowed to enforce.” He spat out, as though Llewellyn had ever agreed with the laws. Half the time he was pushing himself into situations to point out the unfairness, working around them for the sake of victims who would otherwise be ignored.
Desperate, Llewellyn shook his head. “Maybe not always.” Things could change, times were changing. There had even been the startings of a movement, of talks about a time when these things weren’t a problem. When people were allowed to love who they wished freely. And if not? His career still didn’t matter as much as this.
Jack was silent for a long minute, before he shook his head. “There’s no way in the world that this will end happily. So we should at least end it quickly.” He reached his conclusion, pushing aside the promise and his prior words that he’d spoken over the last year.
“No! Jack- You’re right. I should not have arrested that man. It was a rash and ill-considered and I will never again-” He put a reassuring hand on the man’s shoulder, trying to make it clear that he could fix all of this. If he only had the chance, he could make sure this was as far as the problem went.
“Llewellyn!” He shrugged the hand off. “This is too dangerous. For both of us. I’m sorry, but… It’s over.” He stood aside for Llewellyn to leave.
The detective at a loss for what to say, he snagged his hat off the table and strode towards the doorway, mind whirling. He had to make this right, somehow… He had to prove that they were still worth it.
And he did. The charges were dropped, and a few hours later Llewellyn was back at Jack’s door to inform him. Hoping that… Time, and the resolution of the problem was enough to have cooled their heads and allow them to come to repair the relationship. Knocking, he absently heard the sounds of… laughter inside?
Jack still opened the door, before almost immediately closing it on his face. “Before you say anything,” Llewellyn started, “I got the charges against Marcus Hinkie dropped, as you requested.”
The man’s tone was anxious as he replied, putting himself in between the doorframe and the door to block the two woman and man sitting at the table inside. “Thank you. Unfortunately, now is not a good time.” He responded, looking like he wanted the man who he had claimed to love to be anywhere but there right now.
And he tried to close the door on Llewellyn’s face again. “Please, Jack, just talk to me.” He started, putting a hand out to stop the door.
Finally, the woman inside spoke up. “Jack, who’s that?” She smiled from where she sat, shrugging lightly. “Invite your friend in! The more the merrier!”
“Uh- what’s the ocassion?” Llewellyn responded, glancing inside finally to see the young woman and two people who appeared to be her parents sitting at the table that he often shared with Jack.
Jack began to look… Well, anxious and annoyed.
“Engagement party.” The young woman responded with a smile. “I’m going to make an honest man of Jack.” She ended with a chuckle.
None of it. Not one word of that sentence really made sense to him… It had been… Hours? At most? Who was she?? Trying to recover, to learn more, he awkwardly responded. “An honest man… huh?” His gaze drifted down to the floor, heart sinking with it.
Jack at put himself in front of him again, voice lowering. “Llewellyn, I’m sorry, but this is-”
“Don’t dawdle in the doorway. Come in and have a drink!” The woman interrupted again, seeming to not quite get what was going on between the two ‘friends.’
“Thank you, miss, but I’m here on police business.” He tried to recover, to… somehow not make this worse despite his upset. He just needed a chance to talk to Jack, to… figure this out. “I would never intrude on your joy.”
Jack? Jack doesn’t even afford him another moment. He doesn’t even say a word as he shuts the door rather soundly in his face this time.
The finality of it all clear. Jack had made his decision… He’d rather live a lie for the sake of his business and reputation. Their relationship was not ‘worth the risk’ despite saying it was, so long ago…
And Llewellyn? He turned away, heartbroken as he trudged down the hall.
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