Adding onto this if anyone still follows me ( i used to be @ kit-replica ) for hijack or frostcup im gonna go back thru this blog and delete everything up until 2020 to clean this shit out, so if you care pls go thru my archives and save shit you like or ask me for the file if you cant find what youre looking for
For all those who followed him, kit-replica will be excising all of his HiJack content from his account, so I’d strongly urge you to download your favourite pieces now, as his deadline is the 1st of February 2021.
As today is the 108th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, I figured I ought to finally make a master post for the Titanic HiJack AU (especially as this September will be the fic’s 5th anniversary, and especially seeing as I missed How To Train Your Dragon’s 10th anniversary).
Fanfic
•Chapter 1: Prologue/Ship of Dreams
•Chapter 2: Full Ahead
•Chapter 3: Survivors
•Chapter 4: Dinner in First Class, dancing in Steerage
•Chapter 5: Last Light
•Chapter 6: Drawn to ice
•Chapter 7: Hard to starboard
•Chapter 8: Women and Children first
•Chapter 9: A business arrangement
•Chapter 10: A sinking feeling
•Chapter 11: A lonely darkness
•Chapter 12: New York/Epilogue
Fanart
•Titanic Poster/cover art (Plus Colour-it-yourself version)
•“First Sight” (plus Colour-it-yourself version)
•“The Portrait”
•“Southampton”
•Hamish’s letter
Author's Notes: The original lyrics for “November” in Calendar Boy/Calendar Girl actually go “I’ll give thanks that you belong to me”, however, due to my personal belief that no person “belong”(s) to another, and that it reflects an extremely old-fashioned sentiment, that I’d update it to a more positive version of my own design.
This chapter is set during Thanksgiving 2018.
November - "I'll give thanks that you go out with me"
Low embers burned on the horizon to Jack's right as he drove southwards along Commodore Perry Highway, Providence firmly in the distance behind him, and his destination growing closer every minute.
A green highway sign swept by, bearing the name of his home away from home:
↖ BERK
A small flutter of excitement danced through him, and his lips drew into a smile: he'd be seeing Hamish before he knew it. Jack was looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with his boyfriend.
The ride through the too-big-to-be-a-village, too-small-to-be-a-fully-fledged-town brought him to where Matanuck Beach Road South junctioned with Jay Street. He turned off onto the residential roadway, and didn't stop until the house with burnt-orange planks and crimson trim loomed out of the darkness.
Jack brought his dented Crown Victoria to a stop on the curb outside, and took in the view the house had to offer, warm and welcoming, bathed in an inviting glow.
He'd only just set his sneakers on the sidewalk when a figure sauntered down from the porch.
"Hey!" Hamish called out, beaming from ear-to-ear. He was decked out against the cold in cargo pants and a sweater which matched his eyes.
"Hi." Jack broke into a grin. The two young men drew into a hug, and indulged each other with a welcoming kiss.
"I've been looking forward to this all week."
Jack chuckled. "You and me both."
They reluctantly broke contact so Jack could grab his travel bag from the front-passenger seat. "Hit much traffic as you were leaving the city?"
"Not as much as I thought I would. I think more people were driving into Providence. I'm glad I won't have to go through that until next Monday." He hefted his bag over one shoulder, and passed a leather jacket to Hamish. He locked up the car, and they strolled towards the front door.
"Everything set for Aster, Anna, Nick and Sandy?" The green-eyed man enquired.
"Should be. They'll be driving up in the morning and should be here a little after eleven if the roads stay clear."
"Neat. This should be fun."
Jack chuckled. "I kinda feel sorry for your Dad. It took him a while to get used to me; he's probably going to be a little overwhelmed when he meets my 'family'."
"I think I gave him a pretty good head's up... And hey, he can be surprisingly liberal when he puts his mind to it."
"He kinda has to when his bi son dates a guy with white hair." Jack smirked.
They stepped over the threshold into the front hall of the Haddock house. A "Mrrrow!" heralded the appearance of Toothless, who wove himself between the blue-eyed man's legs in welcome.
"Hey buddy." Jack set his bag down to give the black Norwegian Forest some affection. Toothless contently lapped it up.
Hamish smiled, glad they were still getting along, it'd taken a while for the feline to warm up to his master's/servant’s significant other when Jack and Hamish had first started dating.
The relationship taking a positive turn may or may not've had something to do with Jack feeding Toothless's tuna habit, to which Hamish swore he knew nothing about.
"Here comes trouble." A booming Scottish brogue chuckled from the doorway leading through to the dining room.
Jack abandoned his fussing over Toothless, and extended a hand towards the elder man. "Mr. Haddock."
"Jack." Stoick greeted as he shook the younger man's hand. "How was the journey?"
"Pretty light. The centre of Providence was a mess, but the outskirts were pretty clear. I think most people who were heading away for the holiday had already headed off hours ago."
Stoick chuckled. "It helps when the place you're going to is 'just down the road'."
Jack glanced towards Hamish. "Definitely."
"Anyway, feel free to relax, grab a drink. Gobber's coming around in a bit, and we were just about to order some pizza."
"Sounds great." Jack grinned.
They drifted into the dining room and settled down for an evening of conversation, laughs, cola, and a wide range of pizza toppings.
"Ah... Ahh... Ahhhhh!" Hamish gasped through his grimace as Jack pushed into him. They were in his bed, Hamish on the mattress, and Jack on top. The white-haired man grunted as his cock slipped in and out of his boyfriend. He cracked his eyes open a fraction, taking in the view of the green-eyed man beneath him. Hamish lazily jerked his erection, trying to match the pace the man above him set.
He didn't know about Hamish, but Jack could feel he was close. He began to pick up the rhythm, and Hamish's lube-slick hand did its best to follow.
With a pleasured gasp, Hamish jolted, and spurts of his cum splashed across the edge of his fist and splattered across his heaving abdomen.
The combined sight of seeing his boyfriend cum, and Hamish's sudden clench around Jack's manhood was all the white-haired man needed. With a grunt, he shot his load in Hamish's soft and eager warmth.
Overcome with a euphoric lethargy, Jack pulled his softening dick out of his equally-exhausted boyfriend. He lowered his head, and began to lick up the largest puddles of Hamish's cum.
The green-eyed man watched tiredly. Once Jack was done, he leant forward and kissed his boyfriend.
Jack eased back and smiled. "Hey."
"Hey." Hamish smiled lazily back in reply.
"Feeling alright?"
The other man nodded. "Yeah."
Jack kissed him again. "Good."
He settled onto the mattress beside Hamish, and drew the sheet across their naked, flushed bodies. In the morning they'd wake up, suck each other off until they were once again licking up each other's cum, strip and change Hamish's bed, and then grab a shower to freshen up for Thanksgiving.
But until then, they'd just soak up each other's presence as they drifted off to sleep.
A text notification chimed on Jack's phone, and he pulled up the contact.
Jack held up his phone for Hamish to read the message. "Bunny sends his love."
Hamish shook his head with a laugh. "The day he finally asks Anna out can't come quick enough."
Jack nudged his boyfriend. "You on the other hand, can take all the time you'd like in coming."
Astrid let out a mortified groan and rolled her eyes. "Too much information Jack, seriously."
Jack stuck out his tongue at their friend, and let out an amusing yelp when Hamish swatted his boyfriend. The look on the auburnette's face was a half-hearted effort to look reproachful. "Okay, no. As much as I'd like to go another round with you, the others are going to be here in a few minutes."
"After dinner?" Jack proposed.
Hamish winked. "If we're not too full from the food."
Astrid shook her head. "Sometimes I fondly miss the days when you used to be too embarrassed to talk about that sort of stuff." She then levelled a reproachful look at the both of them. "They'll work things out when they're ready. I don't want to catch either of you playing matchmaker, okay?"
Both young men shared a look, before they both turned to salute her.
"No, Ma'am." Hamish responded.
Jack, Hamish, Astrid and Stoick had been killing time speculating on which teams they'd be supporting in that afternoon's football game, the Dallas Cowboys or the Washington Redskins, when Aster's green 2004 Ford F-150 rounded the curve in the road, and drew up behind Jack's car.
A moment later, a mid-2000s metallic blue Volkswagen beetle pulled up behind Aster's pickup.
The Hugh-Jackman-as-Wolverine-lookalike slipped out of the pickup's driver seat, whilst Nick emerged from the passenger seat. Anna and Sandy approached from the beetle.
Jack broke into a grin at the sight of his friends. "Hey guys."
"Jack." Aster greeted, on his best behaviour in the presence of Stoick. "Sorry we're a bit of late, there was this guy in a suped-up bit of nonsense who couldn't decide if he wanted to turn off of the highway for here or head on into the city."
"Aster persuaded him to finally choose with a few gentle taps of his horn." Nick chuckled.
With the group gathered, Jack clapped his hands together.
"So, introductions..." He turned towards Aster, Nick, Anna and Sandy. "This is Hamish's dad, Stoick Haddock. He's chief of Police here, so no breaking the law. He's lived in Berk since he emigrated to America when he was a teenager, and is a huge fan of the Minnesota Vikings."
"Good morning, Happy Thanksgiving everyone." Stoick said, a little awkwardly.
"Mr. Haddock, I'd like to introduce you to the people I consider my surrogate family." He stood beside Aster. "This is Edward Aster, here's effectively my older brother. He's originally from Australia, has a heart of gold, good with engines, and he absolutely loves springtime."
Aster stepped forward, and shook hands with Stoick. "It's a pleasure, sir."
Jack moved to Nick. "This is Nicholas Severnaya, my surrogate Dad. He's formerly of Moscow, but been living here for two decades, and he's got wood carving skills you wouldn't believe."
Stoick sized the older man up as they both shook. "A pleasure, Mr. Severnaya."
Nick beamed. "The pleasure is all mine, and please... Call me Nick. I left my old homeland when that bol'noy syn shlyukhi Putin was elected. Now I am proud to call this my homeland."
Stoick looked a bit amused. "I take it that was something rude?"
Nick winked at him, an amused glint in his eye. "Extremely rude." Hamish and Astrid shared an amused glance.
Jack gestured to Anna. "This is Anna Fisher, my surrogate Mom. She has the patience and understanding you could ever hope to find in someone, and is the best dentist I know."
Anna let out a short laugh. "I'm not that good."
"She's also very modest." Aster added with a chuckle.
"Extremely." Nick agreed.
"It's nice to meet you, Anna." Stoick smiled as they shook hands.
Jack gestured towards Sandy. "This is Sanderson Maansnüzi. The life of the party, a skilled audio engineer, and proof that big things can come in small packages."
Sandy stepped forward to shake hands with Stoick. He then signed towards the taller man.
Stoick was just about to apologise for not being able to understand what Sandy had said, when Jack elaborated without prompting: "'It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Haddock. Hamish has told us a lot about you'."
Stoick gave a slightly awkward nod, and briefly glanced towards his son. "Mostly good things, I hope."
Sandy signed further in response. "'He always speaks very highly of you'."
The elder Haddock took in the widely-varied group. "Welcome to Berk. Thank you for coming out here today, and I hope you have a good time whilst here in our town. It means a lot to Hamish that you're here to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. Normally we'd have dinner at home with a few friends, but he suggested we do something a little different this year, to give you a bit of a taste of what the town's like."
Hamish took over from his father: "We've got a table booked at Gobber's restaurant. They've got a special Thanksgiving menu on today in addition to the usual stuff they serve."
Nick nodded approvingly. "Excellent!"
"We've got a little while before, uh, before the booking." Stoick began. "Did you still want to give them the tour you were talking about?"
"Sure." Hamish nodded, and shared a smile with Jack.
Hamish and Stoick had alternated in conducting their Thanksgiving guests through Berk, giving informative, but brief anecdotes about the harbour, the Scandinavian-style wooden Stave church, the row of shops along Main Street, the skating rink (which they talked about, but didn't visit, as it was a bit of a hike along the road to the highway), the cafe owned by the Hoffersons, and finally the town square.
As was to be expected, the square was decked out with Thanksgiving-themed banners on the streetlamps, whilst the middle of the square was dominated by a large Norwegian Spruce, like the one in New York's Rockefeller Center, but a little smaller.
Like the one in New York, it was currently unlit, awaiting a ceremony due to take place in a few days that'd see most of the town's population turn up to watch.
"This square was once the common ground of what was once Berk Village. The meeting hall was stood pretty much where the Town Hall is now, whilst houses, mixed with a few businesses of the day were scattered around it." Hamish explained.
Stoick indicated a brightly-lit bar on the edge of the town square, where Main Street joined Matanuck Beach Road South. "There's been a tavern of some kind on that spot since the seventeen hundreds, up until the original building was burned down by a group of 'excitable temperance proponents' in nineteen-twenty-five. After Prohibition was scrapped in thirty-three, the building which stands there now began construction, and it's been operating under one name or another ever since."
"You definitely don't live up to the 'quiet little town' stereotype." Aster smirked.
Stoick shrugged with a playful look. "We may have underlined the more 'interesting' bits of our local history. There's plenty of years where this town didn't have anything remotely interesting happen which Hamish and I skipped over."
"Unfortunately our town elders can't all be arsonists, bootleggers or spies for the British and French... In the years between the Revolution, Prohibition, the Civil and World Wars, it can get pretty boring around here." Hamish added with a smirk.
"Though... There is one further bit of local history from here." Stoick added, with a conspiratorial gleam.
He led their guests/tour group over to a brick-clad well in a corner of the square nearest the street. The well was now surrounded by brick paving, wrought-iron benches and decorative planters, but a sign nearby informed the group that the well had been there since the town had been founded.
The Chief of Police gestured towards the well. "On the early hours of the sixth of October, nineteen twenty-three, Dorothy Olney was discovered by constables of the Berk Police Force attempting to dump the body of her husband down this well. Her husband, Jeffrey Olney had a well-documented reputation around Berk for being a frequent and violent drunk..."
"Even though it was three years into the Volstead Act, which banned alcohol in the earlier 'twenties, Rhode Island was one of the states to refuse to follow the prohibition law." Hamish elaborated. "Missus Olney's husband was notorious for being quick to anger, and his drinking only made his temper worse."
"The constables brought Dorothy in for questioning, and she revealed several bruises on her arms and body, all in placed that would've been hidden by the dresses she wore. She went on to explain that on the evening her husband died, she'd been cooking his dinner in their home for when he got back after his usual drinking session at the tavern. She told the constables that her husband had been irritable when he'd arrived home, and worked himself into a state over a grievance he had with a man who worked with him down on the docks." Stoick explained.
Hamish continued the storytelling: "Apparently Mr. Olney didn't feel like he was getting enough sympathy from his wife, and he started arguing with her. Unfortunately their neighbours were used to hearing Mr. Olney shouting, and they didn't intervene in what they thought was just another incident in a long line of incidents involving their neighbours. They didn't even bother to investigate when the shouting suddenly ceased."
"A few of the families living either side of the Olneys' house and seen Jeffrey Olney storm out on several occasions, they assumed on that evening that he'd stormed out again. They wouldn't find out for a few more days that Mr. Olney had been lying dead on the floor of the kitchen."
"Dorothy told the officers that she'd accidentally hit him in the head with an iron skillet from the stove, that she'd brought it up to protect herself from his 'uncontrollable rage'." The Younger Haddock chimed in.
The elder continued: "There's still some debate whether she meant to hit her husband, or if she'd accidentally hit him when he tried to grab the skillet from her. Had the death of her husband happened even only a few years earlier, there's a good chance she would've gone to prison for what she'd did."
"But," Hamish paused for dramatic effect, "Rhode Island, along with the rest of the country had made wife beating a crime by nineteen-twenty. With that law on the books, the bruises which were still visible when she took the stand, and the accounts of Jeffrey's co-workers and the people he frequently drank with, Dorothy successfully convinced the jury of her husband's abuse, and they found her not guilty."
"Whether or not she'd accidentally killer her husband was one of the lingering questions after the court case. Another, was what happened to Dorothy after the trial?" Stoick intoned. "Less than a week after she'd been acquitted, she disappeared along with everything she owned."
"Her disappearance generated plenty of gossip at the time. Some speculated she fled the town to get away from the bad memories surrounding her husband's death and abuse."
"Some suggested she left because she had gotten away with murder." Stoick supposed. "There was even a wild rumour she'd been murdered by either by friends of her husband's, who he was still in good standing with, or members of his family." The Police Chief stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I must admit I find this last bit of gossip rather unlikely, based on how poorly regarded Dorothy’s husband was regarded around Berk."
"Either way, the case put the town on the map for a little while back in the 'twenties. Things have been much quieter now." Hamish smirked.
A distant tolling caught their attention: the clock atop Berk Bait and Tackle was announcing noon.
The Haddocks glanced at each other before turning warm smiles to their guests. "So," Hamish began, "who's hungry?"
Barry Cuda's was as busy as you could expect it to be for a restaurant open on a public holiday, and even from a distance the eatery was ablaze with light, movement and the noise of merriment.
Hamish and Stoick weren't the only residents of Berk to choose the establishment for their Thanksgiving plans, and fortunately because they'd known in advance about Jack and Hamish's plan to invite the former's friends down for the holiday, they were able to get a large table booked with relative ease.
Although it didn't hurt that they were personal friends of the manager.
Leaving puffs of evaporating breath behind them as they crossed Main Street, Hamish, Stoick, Jack, and their friends traded the chilly November damp for the welcoming warmth of the restaurant's foyer. Fiske Ingerman, stationed at a host's stand which resembled a beach kiosk, broke into a smile when he saw his friends arrive.
"Hey guys! Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome to Barry Cuda's!"
"Happy Thanksgiving." Hamish grinned. The rest of the group echoed the younger man's greeting.
"Gobber let me know to expect you guys; we've got a bunch of tables set up at the end of the restaurant for you." He gestured out towards the far end of dining space, where a line of four square tables had been lined up in front of the large picture window/glass roll up garage door. The tables occupied part of what was normally the dance floor, the space having been temporarily sacrificed to allow more diners to eat inside rather than out on the chilled terrace.
"If you go take a seat, someone will be over in a moment with your menus."
"Thanks bud." Hamish nodded in gratitude, and led the group over to their seats.
As the group settled down, Gobber appeared from out of nowhere, clad in a brightly-coloured sweater emblazoned with:
WHAT I'LL MAKE FOR THANKSGIVING?
PROBABLY A SCENE
"Good afternoon ladies and gents, my name's George, and I'll be your server and fellow diner today."
The murmur of amusement ran the length of the table.
Stoick levelled his oldest friend with a resigned look. "Gobber, you're eating with us today, you don't have to serve your own food."
Gobber put a hand on his chest in mock offence. "As the owner of this establishment and a self-admitted micro-manager, I would not allow anything but the best service for good friends." He then gave them a wink. "Actually, my staff are probably pretty relieved to leave me to it; I can be a bit of a dragon when I'm not happy."
"Or when the grocery store has run out of your favourite strawberry pastries." Stoick quipped.
"I can't be held responsible if a shoddy delivery driver leaves me feeling hangry." Gobber retorted flippantly. He then turned a bright smile towards his friends/diners. "So, could I interest any of you in a wee starter?"
After taking their order, Gobber had made himself busy taking some of the extra workload from his wait staff, bringing over half of the drinks order, and about the same quantity of the meal once it had been prepared by the kitchen.
With the final plates set, and the group ready to eat, Stoick raised his glass of Narragansett Lager.
"I know everyone's eager to tuck in, so I'll make this quick. Today I'm thankful that I'm lucky enough to have a smart son, thoughtful, and patient son to call my own... He has far more patience for obstinately stubborn people than I'll ever have."
There was a polite round of laughter at the table as Stoick saluted Hamish with his drink. "I'm also thankful that he's found someone who makes him happy," he repeated the motion towards Jack, "and friends who have helped expand his family, who've given him a community he can be a part of."
"Here, here!" Nicholas agreed enthusiastically. He raised his own glass of Kraken Rum. "I am thankful to have such good friends here, and for this great country in which I wake up in every day."
Anna was next: "I'm thankful for my friends and family, those are the things we should always hold closest to us."
"I'm thankful to have good friends, good health... And a half hour where Jack'll be too busy eating to talk his head off like usual."
The group broke into a round of laughter, and Jack playfully stuck his tongue out at the Australian.
"Seriously though, I'm even thankful to have the show pony in my life, it's never a dull moment whenever he's around."
Jack jokingly placed his hands over his heart. "Awww, you do care!"
Sandy signed, and Jack translated: "'I'm thankful to have a warm and welcoming collection of old and new friends here, and to be able to join them today. I'm also thankful that the Bears will pummel the Lions into the grass this afternoon'."
The group warmly chuckled at Sandy's remark.
Gobber raised his glass. "I'm thankful for the good company, good conversation, and good food."
"Of course he'd say that when he owns the place." Stoick playfully chided.
"And the customers keep coming back." The other man winked.
Astrid was next: "I'm thankful for my friendships with Hamish and, and that they're still going strong over a year later, I'm thankful that business at the cafe is going well... And that I'm getting to enjoy this meal with everyone here."
Jack favoured Hamish with a fond glance for a moment, before raising his glance of Pepsi. "I'm thankful to have Hamish in my life; he's shown me good things do come to those who wait. I'm also thankful I'm lucky to call you all my extended family, and I'm thankful for this food we're about to eat."
Hamish raised his glass of Fanta. "I'm thankful that I've got Dad, Astrid, Gobber, and everyone here in my life." He turned towards his boyfriend. "I'm thankful that you go out with me, and that you haven't stopped."
Jack gave him an earnest smile, and he then leant over so they could both share a brief kiss.
Gobber's voice wobbled a little, betraying his inner hopeless romantic. "Well now... Ahem... Without further ado, Bon appétite, ladies and gents." The restaurateur proclaimed, and the diners began to sample their Thanksgiving lunch.
Feeling satisfied by their meal, and a little lighter in the wallet, Hamish, Jack, and company leisurely made their way towards the front of the restaurant. As they shrugged on their coats, Fiske caught their eye from the host's stand.
"Did everyone enjoy their meal?" He asked.
"Definitely." Hamish responded.
"It was great." Jack smiled.
"Just what I'd expect from Gobber's team." Stoick agreed.
"As good as usual." Astrid chimed in.
"Ochen' khorosho." Nick added, giving Fiske a thumbs up.
"The dog's unmentionables." Aster chuckled.
Sandy signed in satisfaction, and Jack translated: "'Wonderful, I'll be recommending the place'."
"We'll have to come by again some time." Anna remarked.
The younger man beamed. "I'll be sure to pass your compliments on to Gobber. Thanks for stopping by, hope you all have a good afternoon, and a Happy Thanksgiving."
The diners wished a Fiske the same in turn, and made their way out onto Main Street.
Hamish clapped his hands together, drawing their attention. "What do you guys feel up to? We've got some board games and card games back at the house, and there's always the teevee for anyone who wants to watch the football games."
"Do you happen to have Cards Against Humanity, by any chance?" Nick asked with interest.
Stoick facade of jovial host wavered slightly. "Yes, we do have that game..."
Nick shared a mischievous glance with the others. "Then it is settled!"
Stoick wasn't the biggest fan of Cards Against Humanity, he'd freely admit his feelings if anyone ever asked him. He'd been introduced to it by Gobber, Hamish and Astrid, and whilst he accepted that they loved the game, it left him feeling a little uncomfortable and a little disapproving of some of the card choices.
Although, his objections could be worn down on those evenings where he and Gobber had been enjoying a few drinks.
He was able to appreciate that the game was keenly enjoyed by his son and his friends, and because of that, he made an effort to take part in the spirit of the evening.
It was nearing three in the afternoon, and they were on the final round of their game.
Hamish glanced surreptitiously around the dining table, keeping the black card's content concealed for a moment longer.
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' Blank."
The dinner guests fed their response across the table to their auburn-haired card czar. He took the white cards, and laid them face-down on the table. He flipped the first card over:
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' 'Flying sex snakes!'." There was a light chuckle around the table. "Yikes!"
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' 'Morgan Freeman's Voice'." There were a couple of snickers.
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' 'Unfathomable Stupidity'. The response was lukewarm.
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' 'Two midgets shitting in a bucket'." The table let out a disgusted groan. "Jesus..." Hamish laughed.
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' 'Team-building exercises'." The round of laughter was louder this time. "In a choice of going on a team-building exercise, or fighting Voldemort again... I think Harry would rather deal with 'he who shall not be named'."
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' 'Harry Potter erotica'." The players broke into a loud bout of laughter. Hamish shook his head in mock-dismay. "He wouldn't have seen that coming."
"Shouldn't that be he wouldn't have seen him cuming?" Jack asked with a mischievous grin.
"Jack!" Anna gaped, somewhere between embarrassed amusement and appalled.
Aster gave Jack a kick under the table; Jack took his lumps without a hint of shame.
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' 'Spontaneous human combustion."
Hamish grimaced. "Ouch!"
"'Next from J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of...' 'Lance Armstrong's missing testicle'." His face turned into a scowl. "Ew."
"Armstrong? Jeeze, how old is this set?"
"First edition." The card czar shrugged. "Jack's been trying to convince me to retire it." He returned his attention to the white cards. He tapped each card in thoughtful reflection. Eventually he slid a single card forward.
"Because it was rather twisted... And not as disgusting as the midget one, 'Harry Potter Erotica' is the winner."
Nicholas let out a cheerful laugh. "Zamechatel'nyy!"
"So, who won?"
Each player at the table tallied up the black cards they'd won over the course of the game. Stoick had the lowest total winnings. Jack appeared to be the winner of the night's game, until Sandy pushed his stack forward.
"'Twenty'." Jack translated.
Hamish grinned, and he extended a hand out to the blond man. "Good game."
As his son tidied the card decks away, Stoick rose from the table. "Can I interest anyone in some party favours? I've got some mini microwave pizzas, quiche, some of Gobber's garlic bread, and some mini vegetable shish kabobs."
Aster let out an appreciative hum as he rose from the table. "The vegetable shish sounds good."
"I think I'll have one as well." Anna chipped in. Jack gave Hamish a light nudge in their direction. The emerald-eyed man gave his boyfriend a knowing look in return.
"What flavour are these pizzas?" Nick enquired.
"Uh..." Stoick paused to remember. "Cheese and tomato, and there's some pepperoni ones."
Nick and Sandy both shared an appreciative look and nod. "We'll happily give them a good home."
Stoick let out a chuckle, "I'll go get them ready, they should be out in about five minutes", he then moved off towards the kitchen.
Hamish handed the game boxes to Jack. "Could you put these away?"
The white-haired man nodded with a half-smile. "Sure, Babe."
Hamish gave Jack's cheek a quick kiss, and followed his father's path towards the kitchen door.
Stoick was absorbed with the instructions for the microwaved food. "I don't suppose you could get the people who print these things to use a bigger font? I'm going to need glasses if they make them any smaller..."
"I can do that, Dad."
Stoick gave him a generic shrug. "I'll manage. But you could plate out the vegetable shishes if you're offering to help. They're in the refrigerator."
The younger Haddock nodded, and he retrieved the vegetable option. He set them down on the counter and began to unwrap the cling-film covering them. "Thanks for putting things on tonight. And for joining in with the game."
Stoick responded with a shrug, and set the pizzas and quiches defrosting. "It means a lot to your friends, and I don't want to look like some sort of stick in the mud. I'm glad your friends are having a good time."
Hamish grinned. "They are."
Jack poked his head through the door. "Anything I can help with?"
"We're good." Hamish reported with a smile.
"You could keep the others occupied whilst we finish up here? It shouldn't be long now." Stoick suggested as he tidied away the empty packaging.
Jack smirked. "You guys are a dynamo. I wouldn't expect anything less from a couple of Haddocks."
Stoick raised a quizzical eyebrow towards the younger man.
"Okay, what are you after?"
Jack flashed a bright (and utterly unconvincing) smile. "An Xbox One?"
Stoick pointed a fork towards the younger man and quipped: "You'll get coal for Christmas if you want to push your luck."
Jack shrugged. "Worth a try." He shot a wink at Hamish. "See you out there, Babe."
After the door had swung closed, Stoick let out a low rumble of a chuckle. "There's never a dull moment when your boyfriend's around."
Hamish laughed in response. "Well... He set the bar pretty high when we first met."
When Tooth met Bubo the Owl today we noticed that Tooth was wearing a beautiful locket. We’ve not seen it before. Apparently it is cut from a single ruby and is encased in gold- it is her most treasured possession and very seldom seen by anyone. We know it contains something very special but she won’t say what. Does anyone have any ideas?
Author’s Notes: This story features some musical enhancement; the link is embedded in the song lyrics.
This chapter is set during Halloween 2018.
October - "Romeo and Juliet on Halloween"
The notes of This Is Halloween followed Hamish along the twilight-shrouded sidewalk as he make his way through College Hill to the apartment Jack shared with Anna and Aster.
The five-storey brick apartment building spanning half the block between North Main and Canal Streets towered against the darkening sky, serving as a nearly 150-year-old landmark for Hamish's navigation around College Hill, although its dominance would soon be challenged by a new $56 million, 15-storey apartment monstrosity that would occupy the empty western half of the block. The downside to the construction work had meant his path to Jack's front door was longer, but the upside was that he could admire the cast iron facade on the eastern face of Jack's home.
The green-eyed man watched with amusement as a pair of kids, one dressed as Captain America, the other as Thanos, dashed past as they made their way excitedly along North Main Street, plastic pumpkins in tow.
Tonight was one of those few special nights where you could let your geek or freak flag fly without judgement.
As he ducked into the warmly-lit alcove of the Elizabeth Building's main entrance, Hamish pulled out his phone and brought up Jack's contact.
"Hey, babe. What's up?"
Hamish grinned involuntarily. "Nothing. I'm just outside."
"Cool. Buzzing you in... Now."
The front entrance emitted an electric buzz, and Hamish slipped into the foyer. He took the elevator up to the third floor, where the door to Jack's apartment was wedged open with a doorstop. As the freckled man stepped inside, he nudged the stop out of place, freeing the portal to softly click closed behind him.
A guitar riff playing from a speaker somewhere led the auburn-haired man in from the hall towards the apartment's kitchen/living room. As he entered the space, he caught the lyrics of the song that was playing:
"♫Then the door was open and the wind appeared/The candles blew then disappeared/The curtains flew then he appeared, saying don't be afraid/Come on baby, and she had no fear/And she ran to him, then they started to fly...♫"
Jack was stood over the four-seat dining table, the top half of his costume laid out and undergoing some final adjustments.
"Everything okay?" Hamish asked, as he set his overnight bag down beside the sofa.
"Yeah, just giving it a last-minute check." The white-haired man reported. He then turned his attention to his boyfriend, breaking into an affectionate smile. "And now you're here, I can give you a last minute check."
Hamish laughed. "Getting into character?"
Jack winked. "Not... Yet... You'll... Know... When I get... Into... Character..." He gave his shoulders an exaggerated shrug. "Besides, what choice do I have when I have such a hot boyfriend?" He left the other half of his costume, and perched against the back of the sofa near to the other man.
The prosthetic-footed man glanced around. "Anna and Aster still here?"
His Azure-eyed boyfriend shook his head. "They left a half hour ago, said they'd help Nick with the trick-or-treaters."
Hamish nodded in understanding. "So it's just the two of us?"
Jack slid along the back of the couch, closing the gap between them. "Yep."
"Plenty of time then..." Hamish began.
"Uh-huh." Jack nodded.
"...For you to help me with my ears."
The sudden drop of Jack's hopeful smile and emergence of his pout was more than enough to break Hamish into a fresh bout of mirth. "Low blow, babe."
"Tricks first, treats for later."
"Fiiiiiine."
Jack pushed away from the sofa, and went back to where the shirt for his costume was spread out. Hamish had enough time to read the design on the well-worn white T-shirt Jack was currently wearing, in temporary place of the other half of his costume. The design was emblazoned with a large G-cleff and captioned:
TREBLE MAKER
In a moment of fluid quickness, the pale-skinned man had the T-shirt off over his head, and playfully flung it towards his boyfriend.
The garment landed harmlessly on the sofa cushion.
Hamish had watched the whole thing without the slightest iota of shame, enjoying the brief view of Jack's abs, pecs and biceps, before they disappeared from view.
Fully dressed, Jack struck a pose. "It look okay?"
Hamish smiled. "You look great."
Jack grinned, and he reached down to grab his own overnight bag. "You'd better get changed; we should've been out the door about three minutes ago."
"Aye, aye, captain." Hamish saluted, and he dug out the remainder of his costume.
"♫...Where we danced so close, we were teenage ghosts/We were doin' that graveyard waltz/After all is said and done we were just too young/To be doin' that graveyard waltz...♫"
The skyscrapers and multi-level apartment complexes had soon given way to one, two, and three-storey wooden houses as Jack's car had rode eastwards out of the city, and across the river into the Massasoit Avenue/Dexter Road neighbourhood.
Among the normally-quiet streets, the burble of excited children and in-the-spirit parents bounced among the jack-o'-lanterns, plastic skeletons and cloth ghosts as the last embers of dusk extinguished to make way for nightfall.
Halloween was here with the promise of treats to eat and tricks to pull.
Jack guided his Crown Victoria around a corner, onto a street that a sign, half-hidden by the darkness, proclaimed to be:
CROSS ST
"Nick's place is just at the end of this block, on the corner with the street light."
Hamish leant forward in the passenger seat, he could clearly make out the halo that shone down from the lamppost, but the house Jack was referring to was largely lost to darkness and the shade of a couple of curb-side Maple trees.
The azure-eyed man brought the car to a stop parallel to the house across the street from Nick's, and they climbed out into the cool October evening. Ahead of them, a gaggle of kids dressed as ghosts, zombies, superheroes, and what looked like the Iron Giant darted across the road off to their next house call.
With their overnight baggage in-hand, Jack led the way across the street towards the lamppost, and they hopped onto the sidewalk. Ignoring the side gate to the house as they made their way to the front entrance, they followed the low rock wall which bordered the side and front of the property.
The house was just over two storeys, with a nearly full-height attic, furnished in what was probably cornflower blue clapboards in daylight, a dark-coloured roof, and white window/door/porch pillar treatment.
The front of the wooden house was dominated by a wide bay window on the ground floor, which was almost the full width of the front wall. Suspended above the window was a giant fake spider, happily at home amongst a collection of ropes that had been arranged to form a massive spiderweb.
The small front yard of the house was largely occupied by a thick boxwood hedge, but what spaces weren't occupied by greenery, were decorated with a collective of plastic gravestones and skeletons emerging from their fake plots.
The porch, bay window, and aforementioned hedge were decked out with strings of pumpkin lights, whilst a pair of temporary spotlights mounted on the corners of house plot illuminated the over-sized arachnid.
Jack turned to see his boyfriend taking in the Halloween decorations, in response to Hamish's expression of amazement, the white-haired man broke into a grin.
"Great, isn't it?"
The green-eyed man was snapped from his awe-struck look. He gave Jack a half-smile, and took a quick final look at the display. "Yeah, though I don't think anyone with arachnophobia's going to like it."
Jack offered a smirk and a shrug. "If they're creeped out then they picked the wrong night to go out for a walk."
They climbed up a short flight of stone steps, which led to a small landing, before proceeding up a flight of four concrete steps that led up to a cosy porch nestled to the left-hand side of the property, part of a short wing that jutted out of the main structure of Nick's house.
Per Halloween etiquette, the porch light was burning brilliantly, inviting those in search of treats with its brightness. A plastic placard designed to look like a metal street sign was attached to the door, amongst the printed bloodstains was the invitation:
RING IF YOU DARE
Jack leant forward to press the bell, and waited.
The door swung open, and Jack broke into a broad grin. "Trick or treat!"
"Jack!" Nicholas Severnaya beamed, dressed as a bearded Shrek (complete with green face paint). He turned his welcoming smile to Hamish. "Hamish! Happy Halloween!"
"Happy Halloween, Nick." The emerald-eyed man returned.
"Please, help yourselves." The imposing Russian offered, holding a large bowl of candy out towards them.
"Go on." Jack gently nudged his boyfriend. "Nick's got enough to last the night."
"Jack tells the truth, I get more than enough so that I don't risk running out before the last kids have stopped by."
Encouraged, Hamish dug into the bowl and came away with a Snickers, some Reece's Pieces, and a four-piece Kit Kat. Jack was rewarded with a bag of Skittles, a Twix, and M&Ms.
"Balakirev! Please, take more!"
Hamish shared a look with Jack, who simply smirked. At the invitation, he went in for a second rummage through the bowl.
"Come in! Come in! Make yourselves at home." Nick welcomed as he held the bowl in one hand, and guided Jack and Hamish in with the other. Even though Jack already knew he had the freedom to put up his feet and relax from past experience, the larger-than-life Russian always made the effort to make his houseguests feel as comfortable as possible. "I'll be with you in moment; I can see party of ghouls just up street."
Hamish followed Jack as they stepped into Nick's front hall, which was dimly lit with battery-operated candles and pumpkins. Further into the house, an audio system was broadcasting a Halloween-themed soundtrack:
"♫Off, off with your head/Dance, dance 'til you're dead/Heads will roll/Heads will roll/Heads /will roll/On the floor...♫"
A figure appeared in the part-open door at the far end of the hall, catching the freckled man's attention:
"Glad to see you were able to make it." Smiled Anna, dressed in a brown full-length dress with short sleeves, which was accented with a fringe of rich, green leaves around her waist, and a Cloche hat atop her head, which was also designed to appear as if it had been made of strongly-coloured leaves. As she exited the kitchen to approach them, she held out a plastic bowl in each hand.
Without a moment's hesitation, Jack dumped his haul into one of the bowls, and Hamish followed suit. With their treats safely stowed in the tableware, the young men were able to set their overnight gear down, and accepted the bowls from their Samaritan.
"Thanks." Hamish smiled, and Jack nodded to echo his sentiment.
"All the thanks I need is that you guys make sure you brush thoroughly tonight." Anna noted with a wink.
"Yes, ma'am." Jack responded.
"Will do, Anna." Hamish added.
"Great." She smiled. She made her way towards the side door leading off of the hall, and the two younger men followed in her stead, slipping through the opening into Nick's dining room.
"♫Glitter on the west streets/Silver over everything/The glitter's all wet/You're all chrome/You're all chrome/Oh oh…♫"
"The costume looks great... Are you a wood elf?" Jack asked.
The dentist performed a small twirl and a curtsy. "My niece absolutely loves Sofia the First, and because she thinks I sound like one of the characters, I decided to dress up as them to surprise her."
"Nice work on the leaves, they're pretty detailed."
Anna performed another curtsy for Hamish. "Thank you. It took me most of the weekend before last to get them painted and looking just right. It left me feeling fondly nostalgic about the last costume I'd made, the one with the feathers."
Jack nodded, that one had been a stunner. "I think I have a photo of it on here." He began to scroll through his phone gallery.
"Watch out, he's probably got his family jewels on there somewhere."
The three of them turned towards the archway leading out of the dining room and into the back of the house. Aster was stood just inside the portal, all six-and-a-bit-feet of him dressed up in a full-length leather coat, leather waistcoat, and a wide-brimmed fedora. At his side he held a plastic toy crossbow that had been painted to make it look less like a toy.
"I keep them in a separate folder, wouldn't want to scroll across them by accident where anyone can just see them." Jack gave the older man a once-over. "Let me guess... Victorian pimp? Or maybe a steampunk Mafioso?".
Aster retorted with a flat look. He hefted the crossbow at his friend-slash-roommate-slash-thorn-in-his-side. "I'm a monster hunter."
"Vampires, or werewolves?" Hamish asked with interest.
"Both." he pulled the crossbow trigger, and a dart with a sucker plugged Jack dead in the chest. The white-haired man deftly pulled it off, and tossed it back to the Australian.
Anna took a step between them. "Okay boys, let's play nice. It's Halloween, remember?"
"You'd be dead if you were a red shirt." Aster quipped with a grin. He reloaded the crossbow, and then retrieved a drink in a Halloween-themed plastic glass from the dining table.
"Which reminds me, your costumes look great." Anna flashed Jack and Hamish a smile as she took them in. Jack was dressed in the gold tunic of a Star Trek captain, whilst Hamish wore the blue tunic of a science officer. The prosthetic elf ears stuck onto his own underscored that he was costumed as Spock. "I didn't realise Captain Kirk and Mister Spock were a couple."
"For one night only." Jack quipped.
"Annnnd... In a boatload of fanfiction." Hamish smirked.
"Did you two work together to make them?"
The blue-eyed man beamed. "Yep, with a lot of help from 'Hiccup' here." He reached out to wrap an arm around Hamish's waist. "I first suggested we should go as 'Romeo and Julian', but we had a look at prices for Shakespearian costumes and decided 'nope!'. Then he spotted his Star Trek box set and it was like... The perfect idea for the perfect couple costume."
A figure appeared in the archway to the back room, drawing their attention. He was dressed as the Riddler, but his short stature and mass of golden hair beneath his green bowler hat could only belong to one person, who promptly doffed his headwear in greeting.
"Hey, Sandy." Jack smiled.
Sanderson Maansnüzi gave a brief bow towards Jack, and then towards Hamish.
"It's good to see you, Sandy." Hamish returned, and the blond man flashed a bright smile. He then made an exaggerated motion of studying his and Jack's costumes, before giving them a thumb's up with an approving nod.
"Yours is pretty neat as well." Hamish remarked.
"Just keep an eye open for Batman." Jack added.
At the sound of the superhero's name, Sandy suddenly looked fearful, and raised his question mark-topped cane defensively as his head darted about. After a moment, the quiet man broke into a silent chuckle, which proved infectious to Jack, Hamish, and Anna.
After the laughter had subsided, the short man gestured towards the dining table, which for the evening's events had been pushed up against the sill of the bay window.
"♫Love, she sees apart from me/possessed behind the eyes/Apart from the frighting/the moaning and the biting/he seemed to be a nice guy...♫"
The table was dressed in a tattered, stained tablecloth, which in turn was covered with a multitude of party favours, drinks and even Halloween-themed food.
"This is just one of the reasons why Nick's parties are the best."
They set their bowls of candy down, and fixed themselves a drink from the available options. Jack helped himself to a red-coloured fruit punch, which had jellied eyeballs floating in it, whilst Hamish chose a green-coloured liquid which a placard proclaimed as 'Ecto-Cooler'.
"You want anything, Anna?"
"I wouldn't turn down some of Nick's Ecto-Cooler." She smiled.
"What exactly is 'Ecto-Cooler'?" Hamish asked.
"It was popular drink in the eighties, made for the Ghostbusters cartoon." Nick's voice boomed from the doorway. "They brought it back a few times, but always for a short stay." The emerald-eyed man took a sip of his beverage, and was pleasantly surprised to find it tasted like orange juice. "Please help yourselves, we are here to eat, drink, and make scary." The Russian grinned.
"Thanks, Nick." Hamish smiled.
"We sure will." Jack added.
As they sampled their drinks a little more, the two Starfleet officers took in the rest of the dining room. The chairs for the table had been pushed out to the edge of the room, opening up the space so people could easily mingle and get to the buffet table.
Above them, the chandelier was fitted with flickering flame bulbs, and dressed with fake cobwebs.
On the wall, an orange-and-black banner cheerily proclaimed:
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
A pair of candle holders were affixed to the wall and fitted with battery-operated candles, and festooned with more of the fake cobwebs. Rubberized blood drops and handprints graced the large mirror that hung between the sconces.
"Should we get this party started?" Nick's voice called as he joined Hamish, Jack, Anna and Sandy. With a nod of the Russian's head, Jack led the way through the arched entrance into the next room, and introduced Hamish to Nick's den.
The space was twice the depth of the dining room, taking up approximately two thirds of that part of the ground floor. To their immediate left lay a waist-high built-in cupboard and shelved alcove, which was stuffed with English and Russian-language novels. Beyond that, on the same wall, a handsome wood and brick fireplace surround jutted out into the room for about a foot, and housed an iron hearth at its centre. Atop the surround's mantle, a collection of brass candlesticks and fake cobwebs had been arranged, and above the mantelpiece, mounted to the wall was a large flat screen television.
Directly opposite the television and fireplace lay a pair of large, overstuffed L-shaped sofas that had been pushed together to form a rough semi-circle. Nestled between the two sofas was a large coffee table, poised to accept drinks, food and other treats for the evening.
Beyond the sofas, the final part of the room housed more chairs, as well as a round table that would be perfect for card or board games. Beyond the table lay a set of darkened sliding patio doors, which likely exited out into Nick's backyard. A doorway leading off to the left of the den connected with the kitchen, creating a continuous flow throughout the whole ground floor of the house.
The gathering congregated by the sofas, and Nick stepped forward, clapping his hands together. "So. Would anyone like to play a game? We have board games, card games, bobbing for apples, pin the arm on the zombie, pop goes the balloon, or the bag toss?"
Jack shared a challenging look with Hamish, and then his friends. "I don't know about you guys, but I could go for an apple right about now."
"♫Under the arc of a weather stain boards/Ancient goblins, and warlords/Come out the ground, not making a sound/The smell of death is all around/And the night when the cold wind blows/No one cares, nobody knows...♫"
The sliding patio door let out onto a small wooden deck, which then led to the large back garden of the house. Whilst the deck was brightly lit by a wall lamp, most of the garden itself lay in darkness.
Jack, Hamish and Sandy stood on the deck, Anna positioned herself on the short flight of steps leading down to the brick patio, and Aster hovered by the railing bordering the platform. Nick stationed himself in the open sliding door, ready to disappear should his doorbell announce more trick-or-treaters.
"The rules are simple, whoever catches an apple the quickest wins."
Jack was the first to step up to the large plastic bucket. He stripped off his tunic and handed it over to Hamish, who stood at the ready with a towel.
"Do you have to go shirtless like some bloody show pony?" Aster quipped.
The azure-eyed man shot an unimpressed look towards his friend. "We spent ages working on those shirts, and I don't want to be wearing a wet one all night." He then gestured towards his boyfriend. "Besides, it's not like I'm bribing him or anything, he isn't the judge."
"On mark. Get set." Nick instructed, and Jack readied himself, holding his hands behind his back. "Go!"
Jack dunked his head forward, snatching at the elusive apples with his teeth. His chin and mouth were quickly soaked from his efforts, and after what felt like too long, Jack pulled his head back, a Rhode Island Greening clutched proudly in his mouth.
"Congratulations!" Nick called out.
Sandy held up his phone, the timer on it read:
0:10:56
"And our challenger?" Nick called out.
"Just you watch, ankle biter." Aster goaded as he shrugged off his jacket, waistcoat and hat. He dumped the items on the wooden railing, and positioned himself in front of the bucket.
"On mark. Get set." Nick began. The bearded man took a glance around at the other spectators. "Go!"
Aster almost dunked his whole head into the bucket. His effort appeared more frantic and undisciplined, but he soon emerged with an apple clamped securely in his teeth.
"Time, Sandy?" Nick enquired, and the man dressed as the Riddler held his phone up again:
0:09:21
Aster smirked, and took a bite out of his fruit. "How'd you like them apples?"
The Antipodean accepted a towel from Anna, and busied himself wringing the water out of his sodden hair. Their host addressed his guests once more: "Do we have another challenger?"
"Yep." Hamish responded. Jack was initially surprised, but a grin, emboldened by his boyfriend's determination, spread across his face.
Hamish unslung the toy Tricorder he'd been carrying, and pulled off his elf/Vulcan ear extensions. He then stripped off his blue tunic, and dropped the items in Jack's waiting arms. His boyfriend chuckled.
"They never had this on Star Trek."
Hamish fired a devilish smirk as he stepped up to the bucket. "Spock was doing it all the time, he just did it off-screen." He turned his attention towards the container of water, ready to bob for his apple.
"On mark. Get set." Nick's voice was laced with amusement as he watched the events unfold. "Go!"
Hamish's head vanished into the cold water in a flash of action, submerging to a level similar to Aster's effort, but less chaotic in action. He stilled for a moment, and then abruptly yanked his head out of the bucket, an apple held aloft.
"Time!" Nick called out. Sandy held up his phone, to surprised excitement from Anna, Nick and Jack:
0:09:10
Jack slung a bare arm across Hamish's naked, dripping shoulders, and the auburn-haired man let the apple drop from his mouth into a waiting hand.
Aster shook his head, but there was an amused smirk on his face. "Well look at that, I guess the tin-footer does have game." He held out a hand, and Hamish grasped it firmly to shake. Aster then glanced at Jack. "And you managed to get your shirt off, Captain."
Jack shrugged. "Well, when you look this good..." Jack gestured towards himself, prompting Hamish to roll his eyes. "It doesn't seem fair to keep it all hidden away."
Having retired to the warmer indoors, Nick's guests had entertained themselves with a few games of 'pin the arm on the zombie', with Anna's effort proving the closest to reconnect the cardboard zombie's limb with its socket.
Afterwards, as the evening progressed, they sat around Nick's card table for a few rounds of Cards Against Humanity, before settling in for the mini horror-thon to end the night.
"♫...I ain't afraid of no ghost/I ain't afraid of no ghost/If you're seeing things running through your head/Who you gonna call?/Ghostbusters!/An invisible man/Sleeping in your bed/Who you gonna call?/Ghostbusters!...♫"
"Okay." Anna began, looking between the group sat around the card table. "♫'My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of'♫... Blank."
Hamish, Jack, Aster, Nick and Sandy shifted through their respective hands. Jack and Nick let out quiet laughs, while Aster let a sly smile play across his face. Hamish and Sandy maintained neutral poker faces. The players passed their white cards towards Anna, who shuffled them and placed them face down on the table.
She drew the first card. "♫'My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of... A windmill full of corpses'.♫" Anna's nose turned up and she broke into laughter at the grisly suggestion. "That's... That's lovely, really."
Nick shrugged, not trying to hide his amusement. "Is Halloween, what night is better for viselitsa humour?"
She shook her head, and turned to the next card: "♫'My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of... Obesity'.♫"
She stifled a chuckle as the others around her laughed.
"Too true." Jack chuckled.
"♫'My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of... An army of skeletons'.♫"
Hamish shared a chuckling smirk with his boyfriend. "Just what any honest necromancer would want for Halloween."
"♫'My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of... An unhinged Ferris wheel rolling towards the sea'.♫"
Aster let out a laugh. "That one's dark and tragically funny." He turned his gaze towards the on-again/off-again thorn in his side. "That was yours, wasn't it?"
Jack didn't bother denying the charge. "I might be fluffy marshmallow on the outside, but buried within me is a heart of the richest, bitterest Colombian cocoa."
"Between you and the candy you guys have picked up tonight, your boyfriend might be ending up with a cavity."
Anna interjected: "Not if I can help it. Okay, last one...♫'My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of... Unfathomable stupidity'.♫"
The group burst into laughter, this time louder than before. As Anna wiped away the tears from her eyes, she slammed the last card down on the table.
Aster grinned as he leant back in his chair. "You're not going to get any argument from me, not with that bogan root rat as your president."
"There were a few good ones, especially those that rhymed, but 'unfathomable stupidity' is the winner!" Anna held the card aloft. "Whose card was this?"
The party guests looked around the table at each other. Sandy raised a hand to claim ownership for the winning hand.
As the sprite started to tidy up the cards and sort them back into their respective decks, Nick checked his watch, the hour was quickly approaching 9:00pm, and the trick-or-treaters would be heading home soon, if they hadn't already.
The bearded man enquired of his guests:
"Would anyone like to play anything else tonight?"
"Babe?" Jack asked hopefully.
The green-eyed man let out a brief yawn. "I'm good, thanks. I think I'm a bit played out."
"Same here." Anna echoed.
"Then in that case, I think a movie is in order." The Russian beamed.
Jack rested his five-foot-and-five-inch frame against the tastefully subtle green, tree-patterned wallpaper of Nick's upstairs hall. The door to the bathroom lay beyond his right shoulder.
"You okay in there?"
Hamish's voice responded from the other side of the wooden barrier: "Yep, I'm good."
"Cause if you take any longer, I'm gonna come in there."
There was a pause. "...I'm still changing."
Jack sidled up to the door, flirtatious affection in his voice. "...And?"
The entry abruptly opened, making him stumble forward into his boyfriend. "And... It's not polite to get up to that sort of stuff in a friend's house."
Jack pouted, and perched his hands on his now pyjama-clad other-half's waist. "Spoilsport."
"Behave." Hamish smirked. "Maybe there'll be one more treat for you tomorrow."
A louder-than-necessary Austrian voice called up to them: "Are you lovebirds going to join us or what?"
Hamish angled his head towards the staircase. "We'll be down in a sec!"
"Yeah, after a bit of 'together time'." Jack agreed, wasting not a moment longer in planting a kiss on Hamish's lips.
Aster shook his head ruefully as the two young men finally joined them. The Antipodean, Anna and Sandy were sat on the L-shaped sofa closer to the back of the house, whilst Nick and the vacant spots for Jack and Hamish were on the sofa closer to the front of the house. Each person was dressed in sleepwear, and a collection of sleeping bags were spread out around the coffee table, whilst blankets dotted the sofas.
Several plates of food and drink had been brought in from the dining room, and the lights had been turned low for the film viewing.
"We had vote on what films to watch whilst you were... Indisposed." Nick remarked, an amused twinkle in his eye. "We have the original Poltergeist, and Beetlejuice."
"Cool." Jack nodded as he settled down on the sofa with Hamish.
The prosthetic-footed man asked as he got comfortable: "Which one did you want to watch first?"
"Poltergeist, then Beetlejuice... To help us settle down from the scary bits."
"Speak for yourself." Aster chipped in. "I love the scary bits."
"Uh-huh, is that why you jumped during that scene where Pennywise came out of the projector screen?" Anna playfully ribbed him with a nudge, causing Sandy to break into a spell of silent laughter again.
The gruff man crossed his arms over his chest and let out a huff. "Jump scares aren't proper scares."
Jack shared an amused look with Hamish. "Poor bunny." He whispered.
Aster glowered. "I heard that."
Jack looked incredulous. "How? I was whispering."
Aster fired a smug look across from the other sofa. "I have really good ears."
Nick barked a laugh as he rose from his spot on the couch, and made his way toward the built-in cupboard beside the fireplace. He opened the compartment beneath the book shelves, revealing dozes of DVD cases crammed into the space.
"Because neither film is on Netflix, I shall have to improvise." He pulled out DVD copies of both films. "With such fine hearing, you should hear this coming." Nick joked as he tossed the case for Beetlejuice towards the younger bearded man, who caught it with little preparation.
The Russian approached the mantelpiece, and popped open the front panel to reveal a concealed DVD player. The surprise on Hamish's face melted away to reveal a broad smile at the hidden room detail. "Amazing."
"I know, right?" Jack grinned.
With remote control in hand, Nick returned to the sofa and settled down with his friends. Up on the screen, Nick navigated through the film menu, and they patiently waited through the unskippable F.B.I. piracy warning.
The classic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer logo faded into view and the archive footage of the lion roared towards the audience. Having said its piece, the lion and the logo returned to the blackness whence they'd came.
The speakers suddenly boomed with the opening bars of The Star-Spangled banner.
On the screen, a caption card appeared:
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
PRESENTS
The caption card was soon replaced by:
A TOBE HOOPER FILM
The director credit disappeared, and the title card materialised:
POLTERGEIST
The title credit faded away, and was exchanged by the fuzzy screen of an old cathode ray television, showing scenes of the Mall and monuments of Washington, D.C.
Hamish shifted closer, and Jack slid his arm back across his boyfriend's shoulders.
"Forget the remake they made a couple of years ago, this is a classic." The green-eyed man smiled.
Jack hummed in agreement. "Happy Halloween, babe."
So many years have passed and like certain previous historical events, this one remains a scar on the psyche of our species.
Like with the case of mourning, we’ve gotten used to the world we live in, to what happened 18 years ago, and to the fact that two towers in the New York skyline that were so full of people and life aren’t there anymore…
There’ll also always be a part of us that’ll feel that pang in our hearts and souls every time we recognise that absence. All we can do is remember them, honour them, and try make the world a little better in all of their names.
A closer look at the T-shirt designs I’d put together for my Pride 2019 artwork.
Hiccup’s went through a few variations of the WiFi logo before I settle on this (though I will throw that one together at some point), Jack’s was always going to be this.
Astrid’s was generally the message I went with, though I went through a few fonts and word arrangements.
Gobber was originally going to have “CUPCAKES ARE JUST GAY MUFFINS”, but the idea was abandoned once I realised his torso was going to be mostly hidden, though I may throw something together inspired by that.
Author’s Note: This story features some musical enhancement; the link is embedded in the song lyrics.
September - "I light the candles at your sweet sixteen"
The flicker of flames gently spread out across the water in a closing ring, the procession of embers carried and passed on by the flotilla and participants in a ritual that had been performed for the past twenty-four years: Providence's WaterFire installation.
Hamish and Jack were stood at the railing overlooking the basin of Waterplace Park, taking in the spectacle that the freckled young man had first been introduced to four months ago. They'd made it a semi-regular habit to visit the WaterFire events if they happened to be staged on a night where both young men were in the city.
The parade of boats reached their conclusion, leaving a chain of nineteen braziers aflame just above the waterline of the park basin. The reflections of the miniature infernos danced across the dark surface of the river, darting here and there in a ballet of chaos and enchantment.
Beyond the circle of the park's focal point, to the south-east, additional braziers flickered on the Providence River along the length of the memorial park. To the west, flames cavorted along a short stretch of the Woonasquatucket.
"Seen enough, or do you want to hang around a little longer?" The white-haired man asked as he nudged his boyfriend.
Hamish shrugged with a smile. "I'm good, it's not like I haven't seen the display before."
Jack chuckled. "And I thought the only thing you cared about was seeing things set on fire."
Hamish grinned. "What can I say? You know how to speak to my pyromaniac's heart."
They stepped away from the railing, a gap that existed for only a moment before it was adopted by some of the other spectators lining the riverbank.
"It's too bad we didn't meet when we were younger, if I knew you were this much of a fan of fire I could've gotten you a cake for your sweet sixteen, lit it with candles and everything."
"That'd be neat, though let's be honest... Would you go for candles or would you put sparklers on it instead?"
"Ahhh, you got me." Jack smirked. "It would've been sparklers."
Hamish let out a quiet laugh. "You can put sparklers on my cake next year if you want."
Jack brightened. "That I'll do, and if you're looking for ideas, I'm happy to have sparklers on mine as well."
"You'd be happy to have sparklers on pretty much anything." The green-eyed man remarked.
Jack suddenly went quiet, and he dropped his eyes to Hamish's waistline.
The younger man suddenly had a dawn of horrific realisation. "No, not gonna happen."
"What if I did it first to show you it's safe?"
Hamish shook his head. "I'm not gonna let my boyfriend burn his dick off just because he thinks it'll look amazing. And I have no interest in turning mine into a Roman candle."
"It's a sparkler, what could possibly go wrong?"
Hamish looked pointedly at him. "Remember what happened on Labor Day?"
The blue-eyed man suddenly looked sheepish. "That was an accident!"
"Toothless wouldn't agree."
"He didn't lose that much tail fur..."
They ambled clockwise around the park basin, making their way towards the river walk sweeping east towards the memorial park.
"So what's the Mosh... Moshass... Moshassuck Cinema like?" Hamish enquired, referring to their eventual destination. Jack had surprised him earlier in the evening with tickets to a revival screening of Back to the Future.
Jack's eyes almost seemed to glow in the darkening dusk. "It's this awesome retro place on Thayer Street. They built it back in the early part of the last century, and even though it's been through a few renovations it still has a lot of character..." Jack let out a frustrated noise. "I want to tell you more about it... But I don't want to ruin your reaction when you see it for the first time."
Hamish flashed a half-smile at his boyfriend. "It's gotta be worth it if it gets you this excited."
"It is. It really is."
Hamish grinned. "Then lead on, m'lord."
The incline along Thomas Street began to grow as they passed by refurbished gas street lamps and historic wooden houses. Beyond the pavement on the opposite side, the floodlit white spire of the two-hundred-and-forty-three-year-old First Baptist Church in America stood out against the darkened sky.
It was thanks to these walks that Hamish had developed an appreciation for walking through Providence after dark. The city took on a second life once the sun went down and the lights flared to life, especially on WaterFire nights.
"And that house... So I'm told... Is featured in one of H. P. Lovecraft's books." Jack remarked, pointing towards a wooden house with a dark frame, yellow and tan stucco panels, painted figures, and a variety of bay windows.
Hamish googled the address, and his phone confirmed Jack's narrated tour: The building featured in Lovecraft's The Call of Cthulhu, and dated from 1885.
This was another thing that Hamish enjoyed about their time walking around Providence, the information Jack conveyed may not've been to an academic level, but it was passionate and wide-ranging. It helped to piece together a map of the city's history and influence.
"You ever read any of Lovecraft's books?" Hamish asked as they gave the Fleur-de-Lys Studios one last appreciative look, before resuming their walk to College Hill.
Jack shook his head. "I've seen a couple of bad movies based on his books, which Bunny refused to watch - He's actually read a bunch of them, felt it was his way of becoming a 'true Rhodie'."
"Does Aster just a fan of classic horror, or does he prefer modern fiction as well?"
"Oh, he loves everything from horror to science-fiction, and he's happy to take a detour through crime and thrillers. About the only thing he doesn't like are those trashy romance novels. 'The only time I'll ever be grateful to have one of those rags is if I end up in some post-apocalyptic Rhode Island and I need something for the fire'." Jack remarked, putting on an atrocious attempt at Aster's accent.
Hamish laughed. "What about the Fifty Shades series?"
Jack levelled a cautious look at his boyfriend. "Don't get him started."
The freckled man nodded. "Gotcha."
"Now Anna on the other hand, she really loves those trashy romance novels."
Hamish let out another laugh. "Oh no..."
"Yep." Jack grinned. "It's made for some pretty interesting conversations between the two of them."
"Imagine if they finally worked things out, got their own place, and had a shared library?"
Jack let out a hearty laugh. "I'd play matchmaker just to see that happen."
"With or without a cupid's costume?"
Jack rolled his eyes. "Bow and arrow, yes. Diaper? No. If I'm gonna be dressing up as some sorta love god I'd rather be that other version of Cupid... The Greek one?"
Hamish consulted his phone again. "Eros."
Jack pulled his boyfriend closer as they walked. "Yep, that's the one."
"I'm not gonna complain about seeing you shirtless and holding a bow and arrow, but I kinda see you as the god of something else."
Jack raised a dark eyebrow in interest. "Yeah?"
"Maybe the god of mischief... Or winter... Or maybe the god of Christmas."
"I'm happy to accept the title of 'God of Mischief' or 'God of Winter', but Nick is the undisputed God of Christmas... After, y'know... Jesus."
Hamish broke into laughter again. "No argument here."
A further thirty-minutes or so found Jack and Hamish walking north along Thayer Street, a brightly-lit marquee a little over half a block away drew them in like a ship to a lighthouse.
The marquee was an up-ended pyramid stuck onto the front of the cinema, and decked out with strips of white, red and blue neon. On the top-most edge of the marquee, the cinema's name blazed in white neon script.
The back-lit panels of the signage were adorned with semi-transparent red letters for the features, and opaque black letters for the show times. Hamish cast his eyes over the available showings:
THE NUN 2:15 4:15 & 6:20
BACK TO THE FUTURE 8:00
A small thrill shot through the green-eyed man. He'd seen the Back to the Future trilogy on DVD and cable plenty of times, but there was something special in getting to see it on the big screen.
Abruptly, Jack hopped off of the sidewalk and paused to let some cars pass by. As soon as the road was clear, he gestured for Hamish to follow, and they crossed over to the other side of Thayer Street. From there, Hamish could take in the whole facade of the Moshassuck Cinema.
Nestled between a strip of single-story stores and restaurants on one side, and a large Greek café on the corner, the cinema was the odd building out on the block, towering over its neighbours at two storeys.
The cinema building was rendered in pale, sand-coloured bricks, with an arrow-shaped, oxblood-red metal roof cornice. Behind the top edge of the marquee, a Diocletian window with a dark tan surround could just be seen.
The space beneath the marquee was almost completely devoted to the main entrance of the cinema, with a pair of narrow columns on either side supporting the facade above.
After taking a few minutes to admire the cinema's facade, Jack and Hamish crossed back over to the building. As they neared the entrance, Hamish could see that the columns were adorned with chrome-framed displays.
The displays facing out toward the street promoted the cinema's business plan, and the upcoming events and festivals taking place in September. Further into the cinema entrance, on opposing walls either side of the chrome-and-glass double doors, additional displays featured lobby cards and film posters for upcoming screenings. One of them proudly displayed the poster for Back to the Future.
Jack leant forward and pulled open one of the doors for Hamish.
"Gents first." Jack smiled.
"M'lord." Hamish nodded back with a slight smirk.
The lobby of the Moshassuck was about as wide as the facade, but what it lacked in width, it made up for in decoration. The walls were clad in Bottichino marble, with emerald plaster trim. The ceiling curved into an arch above them, and was interspersed with ribs that connected to pilasters that ran the length of the lobby on either side. The foyer was lit by art deco wall sconces on the pilasters, and large Roman-style hanging dish lights.
To their right lay the concession stand, a charming feature from a by-gone era.
The counter stretched out to take up a quarter of the width of the whole cinema lobby, and was roughly L-shaped. The counter was primarily gloss black with a white median strip, with stripes of aluminium trim bordering the two colours and the edge of the surface. A third of the counter had been cut out to incorporate a glass display which boasted a wide selection of chocolate and candy.
Atop the counter sat a large square popcorn popper, with retro graphics and plastic buckets printed with the cinema name. On either side of the popper stood soda dispensers, a milkshake maker, a 1990s cash register, and a letterboard advertising the day's screenings.
Behind the counter stood a pair of chilled drinks cabinets, which butted up against a large mirrored panel.
Above the panel was another letterboard, the concession menu. White plastic letters on black advertised the treats the cinema had to offer.
Above the menu was a curved banner with recessed downlights, finished in gloss black and aluminium trim, with the word 'SNACKS' emblazoned on it in three-dimensional silver letters.
Butting up against the far end of the counter was a Häagen-Dazs chiller cabinet, which hummed in quiet contentment in the small space.
Towards the far end of the lobby, beneath another Diocletian window (this one complemented with an antique brass-coloured Roman lattice) lay two sets of double doors that could only lead into the auditorium.
"What do you think of the place?" Jack whispered.
"It's amazing..." Hamish replied in whispered awe. They'd both been to the modern cineplexes the city had to offer on previous dates. Stepping through the doors of the Moshassuck however... It was like stepping back in time.
The auburn-haired man took a few more moments to soak in the atmosphere and architecture of the place, before he returned his attention to his smiling boyfriend. "I figured you'd love it."
They approached the counter, where a woman in a buttoned-up blouse and a red cardigan was stationed. Although the choice of clothing might've seemed more like the choice of someone older than herself, she appeared to be in her late thirties.
"Good evening and welcome to the Moshassuck! How can I help you two tonight?"
Jack smiled at Hamish and gestured for him to go first. The freckled man scanned the menu above the concession stand. "Uh, could I get a medium bucket of popcorn and a large Fanta, please?"
"Sure." She nodded, and started to reach for the buckets above the popper. "And for you, sir?"
Jack didn't even bother to scan the menu. "I'd like a large Coke and a large bucket of popcorn, and some chocolate chip cookies, please?"
The staff member nodded, she briefly set the buckets down on the counter so she could start filling their drinks.
Armed with their snacks, and with their tickets checked and torn by a second staff member at the drop box, Jack and Hamish proceeded through one set of double doors and into the gloom beyond.
It was here that Hamish saw the building's true scale.
Where he'd been expecting a snug auditorium which was the same width as the lobby, the room was almost three times the width of the lobby, and easily twice the length.
The auditorium was dimly lit, a choice that helped enhance the ambiance. On each side of the auditorium, uplighters picked out scrolling carvings on the walls, and at the far end, atop a small stage, a row of spotlights illuminated the curtain covering the screen, bouncing red-coloured light from the fabric up onto the white (or cream)-coloured ceiling, and onto the sloped walls at the front of the auditorium.
The cinema seats stretched out in front of them, split into three blocks by two aisles. Like most of the features of the Moshassuck, the seats appeared to be vintage, and by the looks of it, could accommodate close to five-hundred people.
With it almost time for the showing to start, there was only a scattering of seats still yet to be filled, and a gentle rumble gave the auditorium an unexpected ocean-like quality, with the vocal noise ebbing and flowing like the tide.
Jack and Hamish made their way down the left-hand aisle towards their seats, just as a piece of music began to play over the speakers:
"♫Let's all go to the lobby
Let's all go to the lobby
Let's all go to the lobby to get ourselves a treat...♪"
A selection of cartoon food began to dance and sing on the screen, and the curtain drew back to reveal the full glory of the animated musical snipe.
Hamish broke into a grin. "Wow, I've heard about these."
"The whole place is retro in one way or another."
"How did you find out about this place?" The green-eyed man asked.
"It was Aster. A friend of one of his friends works here, and they were showing the Mad Max trilogy over a long holiday weekend. I found out about it, and the first time I came here, which was..." Jack paused and frowned in thought. "...four years ago..." His blue eyes widened in realisation. "Wow. So yeah, I first came here in twenty-fourteen, and I got to see the original Tron."
His boyfriend grinned. "I'd pay to see that on the big screen."
Jack nudged Hamish's arm. "I'll let you know the next time they're showing it here."
The last remaining seats were filling up now, and as the two young men settled in for the show, the lights dimmed further.
On the silver screen, the 1980s-era Universal Pictures logo appeared silently, and promptly faded to black.
A white title card appeared on the screen.
STEVEN SPIELBERG
Presents
The sound of a ticking clock began to fill the hushed auditorium.
A
ROBERT ZEMECKIS
Film
More clocks joined the first, building a choir of mechanised time pieces. A new title card materialised:
BACK⇦
TO THE FUTURE
The title letters were rendered in a red-to-orange gradient, and bordered in silver. A gentle trickle of light animated over the silver elements, making them momentarily shine.
Jack and Hamish sat ready to learn what would make time travel possible.
Alan Silvestri's orchestral score grew to soar as Doc Brown zip-lined down from the top of the Clock Tower. An instant later, the eccentric scientist landed on the lawn in front of the building, and began to tug the industrial cable free of the tree branch that'd snagged it.
Meanwhile, Marty McFly roared towards Courthouse Square in the DeLorean. The teenager only had precious moments to hit eighty-eight miles per hour in time with the lightning bolt.
His gloves smoking from the friction, Doc managed to free the cable.
"Doc!" Marty urged as the scientist darted over to connect the cable to the line strung between the street lamps. In the time machine, the time-traveller braced for impact.
The clock ticked over to 10:04 p.m., and the lightning bolt struck.
Even though Hamish had been expecting it, the boom from the lightning bolt made him jump in his seat.
The lightning danced down the cable, sent Doc flying as it singed his gloves, and made the DeLorean vanish in a burst of explosive, fiery light.
The scientist watched as a pair of fire trails shot along the street, the proof that Marty had been successfully sent back to the future.
The action briefly died down as the scene transitioned to Hill Valley in 1985, and Hamish stole a glance at his boyfriend. The white-haired man was riveted to the screen, a wide, infectious smile plastered on his face.
The green-eyed man grinned in response, and turned back in time to see Marty's return to his time startle the local homeless man.
Hamish and Jack stayed until the Amblin Entertainment logo played on the screen and dissolved to black. With the house lights now up, Jack and Hamish made their way towards the exit and the lobby, dumping their empty drinks and popcorn buckets in the trash.
"I don't need to ask you if you enjoyed it," Jack remarked, "you're smiling like a kid on Christmas morning."
Hamish let out a jovial laugh. "Oh yeah. I mean... It's just another experience when it's being shown on a theatre screen."
The blue-eyed man nodded. "Yeah." He glanced back at the cinema. "I'm gonna come here every time they show a classic."
"You'd better let me know when you're next coming down here, because I want to come along."
Jack let out a laugh. "Like I could stop you. I think they're showing Ghostbusters next month as part of their 'fright features' season."
"We need to go." Hamish pleaded enthusiastically.
Jack let out a short laugh, and he took his boyfriend's hand in his own. "I was gonna get you a ticket as soon as they went on sale." They stood there for a spell, basking in their shared enthusiasm.
Jack reluctantly broke the moment. "Do you want to grab something to eat? I think a few places around here are still open."
Hamish nodded. "Sure."
A consultation of Jack's phone had provided them with the choice of the Meeting Street Cafe, an eatery that occupied the first floor of a two-storey building a block north of the cinema.
First opened in 1985, the café had served the residents of College Hill a selection of sandwiches, salads, burgers, pasta, and an all-day breakfast. The decor was tidy, if a little impersonal and dreary, but what the business may have lacked in visible character, it made up for in the personality of its staff, and the menu selection.
Hamish watched as Jack mopped up the last of his Lasagna Florentine, his own chicken and vegetable plate lay finished towards one end of the table they shared.
"Looks like we've found our dinner spot whenever we stop by the Moshassuck." The freckled man mused.
"No argument here." Jack agreed. He stacked his plate atop his boyfriend's, and reclined in his seat looking satisfied.
"There anything else you want to check out tonight, or you happy to just sit there in a food coma?"
"The food coma does sound tempting." Jack grinned, though his eyes remained closed. "But nah, I'll be walking this off in a little bit."
Jack and Hamish sauntered along Waterman Street as they made their way back towards the city centre. As they walked, a brick and stone clock tower that could've felt at home in the Piazzo San Marco in Venice rose above the trees. Although the tower wasn't floodlit, there was plenty of light thrown onto it by the adjacent buildings of Brown University, revealing much of its shape: the tower was square until it reached the top of the clock faces, above that, there was what looked like a domed temple with pillars and other embellishments.
At first, the clock tower caught Hamish's eye due to its pleasing classical styling, but a new detail drew his attention: the clock hands were positioned at two minutes to midnight.
Hamish checked his phone just to be sure; the LED screen announced it was 22:45.
"That's wrong." The green-eyed man remarked, indicating the tower.
Jack spared a glance at the tower, he then smirked. "Yep. That's Corrie Tower, a sign of one guy's love, and the university's laziness."
They drew to a stop in front of a large, gothic building that resembled a church. Jack hopped up to sit on a low stone wall that was flanked at each end with cast iron, globed lampposts, and topped with an iron railing between the lamp standards. Hamish hopped up to sit beside him.
"So Carrie Tower was built by this guy who married the granddaughter of the university's founder, as a tribute to her after she died. The tower eventually started to fall apart, so the university made some plans to restore it... Only it's like they're doing it on a payment plan because the only thing they've fixed so far is the base. The clock hasn't run in years, and the bells don't work... So there it sits, looking all pretty but useless... Kinda like Jaden Smith."
"Yeah, but you know what they say about a broken clock?" Hamish posed, a brow raised quizzically and lips poised in an enigmatic smirk.
"That you should throw it away and get a new one?" Jack grinned.
"That it's right twice a day."
Jack chuckled. "You saying I'm only right twice a day?"
Hamish laughed. "I'm not saying anything." Their banter subsided for a bit, and Hamish then asked: "So it's a sign of the guy's love?"
"Yep, it even has an inscription on it: 'Love is strong as death'."
"That's not the least bit creepy." The green-eyed man remarked, provoking Jack to chuckle.
"I know, right? Do me a favour, if I end up dying... Don't build any clock towers in my memory okay? Maybe make a donation to Bruins in my name."
"You know, I might end up dying before you." Hamish quipped.
Jack levelled a sarcastic look at him. "Let's be honest here, who's more likely to get themself killed doing something stupid?"
Hamish playfully relented, holding up his hands in defeat. "You got me."
Jack barked a laugh, and leapt off of the wall. Stood on the sidewalk, he held out his hand to his boyfriend. Hamish accepted the hand, and slipped off the wall to join his boyfriend.
They took a final look at the stilled clock tower, and then resumed their walk back towards Downtown Providence.
"The inscription might've been a little creepy, but the guy clearly loved his wife."
"Yeah." Jack bobbed his head in agreement.
"Guess he's kinda setting a standard for the rest of us to aim for."
Jack cast a sideways glance at the man he walked hand-in-hand with. "What I said about building me a clock tower also covers other small buildings and monuments."
Hamish rolled his eyes. "I meant we should aim to make sure our boyfriends... Or girlfriends... Know how much they mean to us."
Jack's cocky smile rematerialized. "Yeah? Got any ideas?"
"Sure." Hamish said with certainty, and he leant over to kiss Jack on the cheek.
