home, he would never
eat in such a hurried and uncivilised way, but in Honeyhill, the rules differed
and getting his stomach full was much more important than personal dignity.
“Ya ready?” Crunch smiled at him, getting up to
pull up his trousers.
Victor pressed the rest of the food into his mouth
and nodded, adjusting his clothes as well. Crunch was even thoughtful enough to
bring a cloth for him to clean himself, something he very much appreciated. If
the situation was any different, he and Crunch could have become good friends.
But then again, would they have ever met in London?
“I enjoyed this ditch.” Crunch snorted, as they
climbed out, using the grass and weeds to get back to the meadow.
Victor opened his mouth to tell him they could
enjoy it again, but no sound came. He just sighed, getting to his feet. He felt
positively tired. “Me too.”
“I’ll bring ya some ‘oney tomorrow and maybe we
can find an even nicer ditch.” Crunch laughed, patting his arm.
Victor couldn’t help himself and smiled back,
tracing his fingers down Crunch’s torso in a gesture so subtle, most people
wouldn't have noticed. It was something he learned back home. “Honey sounds
good.”
“I’m not gonna let ya go skinny,” Crunch said as
they started making their way back towards the orchard.
“Then you need to take care of my skin as well. It
could use some fruit.” Victor winked at him, still lost in thought.
“Oh yeah? Yar arse’s already like a peach.” Crunch
wouldn’t stop grinning, and the slight curl of the corner of his mouth made
Victor’s lips quiver.
“Oh, do you like peaches?”
“Very much so.” Crunch pushed his hands into his
pockets after pulling away the last of the tall weeds to make way for Victor
and himself
“If that’s so, maybe you should try how my peach
butt tastes like,” Victor teased him as they entered the empty orchard.
“You little...!” Crunch didn’t get a chance to
finish the sentence off with an insult and stood up straight, looking to the
footpath close by. Victor followed his gaze and he had to force himself not to
react to what he saw, even though every single hair on his body bristled up.
Iron Teeth was sitting under a tree, sinking his metal jaws into an apple. All
Victor could hope for was that the man wouldn’t be suspicious and that Crunch
made up a reason for them to be here.
They walked onto the footpath, and Crunch gave
Sharpe a cut nod, without even stopping.
“See ya at dinner,” was all Iron Teeth said before
returning to his apple.
Victor wet his lips, all tense. “Your friend?”
Crunch just raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t I tell ya
an hour ago, to keep away from ‘im at all cost?”
“Why? Is he a boylover as well?” Victor tried to
lighten the mood. “Don’t worry, I don’t fancy him.”
“Don’t act dumb.” Crunch cut the jokes instantly.
“He is not a ‘boylover’. He’s not even a ‘humanlover’.”
Victor pressed his lips shut, walking by Crunch’s
side. “Why are you even here? You are a decent man, not like the others...”
“Me? Decent?” He just laughed, but Victor noticed
him discreetly glancing back to Sharpe.
“Yes.”
“Isn’t it obvious? Dals ‘ave money.”
“But here, you didn’t have a man for so long. Is
it even worth it?” Victor sighed, scanning his face with unfeigned interest,
but he could almost physically see Crunch crawling into a shell, clenching his
jaw, tensing up.
“A small inconvenience for a better future.”
“What future is that?”
“A house in Bylondon maybe.”
“Where you will live alone, because everyone will
soon know what you used to do.” Victor shook his head, feeling his heartbeat
pick up. “You should leave, Crunch.”
The guard sneered at him all of a sudden. “Ya
don’t seem to mind what I do.”
Victor swallowed. “I’m not in Bylondon anymore.”
“Maybe I’ll take ya with me.”
Victor blinked, his chest tightening as he looked
up at
eat in such a hurried and uncivilised way, but in Honeyhill, the rules differed
and getting his stomach full was much more important than personal dignity.
“Ya ready?” Crunch smiled at him, getting up to
pull up his trousers.
Victor pressed the rest of the food into his mouth
and nodded, adjusting his clothes as well. Crunch was even thoughtful enough to
bring a cloth for him to clean himself, something he very much appreciated. If
the situation was any different, he and Crunch could have become good friends.
But then again, would they have ever met in London?
“I enjoyed this ditch.” Crunch snorted, as they
climbed out, using the grass and weeds to get back to the meadow.
Victor opened his mouth to tell him they could
enjoy it again, but no sound came. He just sighed, getting to his feet. He felt
positively tired. “Me too.”
“I’ll bring ya some ‘oney tomorrow and maybe we
can find an even nicer ditch.” Crunch laughed, patting his arm.
Victor couldn’t help himself and smiled back,
tracing his fingers down Crunch’s torso in a gesture so subtle, most people
wouldn't have noticed. It was something he learned back home. “Honey sounds
good.”
“I’m not gonna let ya go skinny,” Crunch said as
they started making their way back towards the orchard.
“Then you need to take care of my skin as well. It
could use some fruit.” Victor winked at him, still lost in thought.
“Oh yeah? Yar arse’s already like a peach.” Crunch
wouldn’t stop grinning, and the slight curl of the corner of his mouth made
Victor’s lips quiver.
“Oh, do you like peaches?”
“Very much so.” Crunch pushed his hands into his
pockets after pulling away the last of the tall weeds to make way for Victor
and himself
“If that’s so, maybe you should try how my peach
butt tastes like,” Victor teased him as they entered the empty orchard.
“You little...!” Crunch didn’t get a chance to
finish the sentence off with an insult and stood up straight, looking to the
footpath close by. Victor followed his gaze and he had to force himself not to
react to what he saw, even though every single hair on his body bristled up.
Iron Teeth was sitting under a tree, sinking his metal jaws into an apple. All
Victor could hope for was that the man wouldn’t be suspicious and that Crunch
made up a reason for them to be here.
They walked onto the footpath, and Crunch gave
Sharpe a cut nod, without even stopping.
“See ya at dinner,” was all Iron Teeth said before
returning to his apple.
Victor wet his lips, all tense. “Your friend?”
Crunch just raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t I tell ya
an hour ago, to keep away from ‘im at all cost?”
“Why? Is he a boylover as well?” Victor tried to
lighten the mood. “Don’t worry, I don’t fancy him.”
“Don’t act dumb.” Crunch cut the jokes instantly.
“He is not a ‘boylover’. He’s not even a ‘humanlover’.”
Victor pressed his lips shut, walking by Crunch’s
side. “Why are you even here? You are a decent man, not like the others...”
“Me? Decent?” He just laughed, but Victor noticed
him discreetly glancing back to Sharpe.
“Yes.”
“Isn’t it obvious? Dals ‘ave money.”
“But here, you didn’t have a man for so long. Is
it even worth it?” Victor sighed, scanning his face with unfeigned interest,
but he could almost physically see Crunch crawling into a shell, clenching his
jaw, tensing up.
“A small inconvenience for a better future.”
“What future is that?”
“A house in Bylondon maybe.”
“Where you will live alone, because everyone will
soon know what you used to do.” Victor shook his head, feeling his heartbeat
pick up. “You should leave, Crunch.”
The guard sneered at him all of a sudden. “Ya
don’t seem to mind what I do.”
Victor swallowed. “I’m not in Bylondon anymore.”
“Maybe I’ll take ya with me.”
Victor blinked, his chest tightening as he looked
up at
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