Nostalgia | Herc & Balth
Herc Shipwright had been something of a trouble maker in his youth. His parents had shipped him off to a boarding school, tucked away in the Scottish countryside where they would only have to deal with him in the summertime. Luckily, his intelligence had allowed him to excel despite his acting out and general laziness. Most of his rebellious streak had passed when he left school, though some of it had carried over to university. And eventually he'd become a pilot where a certain degree of arrogance and dry wit were expected.
But now, as he walks into the ritzy hotel in Monte Carlo, he realizes that a modicum of boredom has set in. Middle age is sneaking up on him and he isn't sure what to make of his life. He misses his earring and showing off the tattoo that he doesn't think anyone's looked at in years. And most of all, he misses the guitar that he still has packed away in storage somewhere. He's taken some vacation time, reassessing what he thinks he wants. Plus, he plans to have a little fun, play some poker, drive too fast, spend too much and maybe meet someone...or two.
As he finishes checking in and turns to follow his luggage up to his room, he sees something that makes him stop mid-stride. More specifically, someone. He's suddenly struck by an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia. His mind flies back to the large, caste-like, boarding school and his years as a lustful, rebellious youth. How long had it been since they'd last seen each other? He realizes with a start and a chest clenching feeling of regret, that it's been nearly twenty years since he's seen the beautiful boy...man, before him. Balthazar.
