(Untitled)

[the_cop]

Ray carried Edward the whole way home to spare Horatio and his hurt shoulder. He didn't have a coat, didn't even have any damn shoes, so he kept Edward tucked under his shirt, both arms around him. Every so often he'd reach out to touch Horatio's arm, make sure he was still there

Comments

[strandedseaman]

It took Horatio a long moment to realise that Ray had stopped, long enough that he all but ran into his husband's shoulder where Ray stood frozen in the door.

"What is it?" he asked, almost the first words he'd spoken since leaving the cave, forced past a renewed fear tightening around his throat. Had Simpson left yet another horror for them to find?

[the_cop]

Horatio's voice broke through Ray's thoughts and he turned, licking his lips with a shake of his head. "Nothing."

The fire in the fireplace was down to embers, and the furniture was still strewn where it had been knocked over. Ray stepped inside, anyway, trying not to feel so goddamn shaken up.

"Can you, uh...start a fire? I'll change Edward, he's wet," he finally said.

[strandedseaman]

"Certainly," murmured Horatio, but it was to the overturned chair that he went. He stared down at it for a long time before turning it to rights, balling a shaking hand at his side afterward.

"Ray," he said. His eyes had caught the pieces of the chair that must have been used to incapacitate the other man. The sight was very nearly enough to put Horatio on his knees.

[the_cop]

Ray laid Edward down carefully in the crib, like he'd been injured too, and turned to look at Horatio.

"Yeah? You okay?" he asked, chest still tight. He felt like he was on the verge of breaking, like everything was gonna fall apart all over again.