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“James!” Roger called through the house, stopping to wait by the door. After a few moments, a slightly lighter voice called back.
“Yeah?”
“Do you want to take a walk with me?” The house was quiet for a few more moments before a man appeared from the kitchen. He was slightly taller than Roger, his thin form clothed in a navy blue and white striped turtleneck, white pants and white shoes with a small heel on them. He was wiping his hands on a red towel, clearly recently having been busy doing the dishes. He looked up at Roger through his thickly rimmed glasses as he set the towel away from himself on the top of the piano.
“What?” he asked, though he wasn’t angry or worried like he usually was. Roger smiled back. That was a good start.
“Would you like to take a walk with me?” he asked again, taking a small step towards James. James’ eyes drifted out the window. It was sunny and warm, a perfect summer's day. He knew a smart person would take advantage of the sun when it came. Living on the English islands, the summers were mostly filled with rain and wind.
“What the hell. Why not,” James replied, taking the coat from the coat hanger by the door and throwing it over his shoulders. The coat was also blue, matching the stripes on his shirt. Roger wore a similar uniform. It came with the job, though it was a bit stupid. Roger smiled brighter. James was obviously in a good mood today. That happened about as rarely as the summer days, so Roger was excited.
“What about Dr Faraday?” Roger asked as the pair of them started to walk out of the house. He wasn’t actually worried about Dr Faraday or her safety, but it was a question that had to be asked. Usually, it was Roger’s place to ask it since James had a bit more preservation than he did. But this time, James just shrugged.
“It’ll just be for a little while, right?” he said with a small smile. “She’ll manage.” Roger nodded with a small hum. That was an acceptable answer. One that he could get behind.
Their white shoes clacked faintly on the rainbow painted roads as they made their way through town. Roger and James smiled politely, greeting everyone they met with a nod or a wave or a quick “lovely day for it”. James wasn’t equally as fond of people as Roger was, but for now… he didn’t mind. He and Roger deserved a nice time away from Faraday and their job. James wasn’t about to let this day go to waste.
As they walked, Roger slowly brushed his hand against James’. The touch was faint enough so that if anyone else saw it, they would assume it was an accident. But when James glanced over and saw Roger’s smug grin, he knew it wasn’t an accident. Slowly, James reached over, placing his fingers in the palm of Roger’s hand. In response, Roger discreetly moved his hand up a bit and closed his hand over James’. James let out a quiet chuckle, wrapping his fingers around Roger’s hand in return until they were walking down the street hand in hand.
James was prone to worrying. He always worried. About Roger, about the house, about Faraday and so on. But one thing he felt like he didn’t have to worry as hard about was public affection, like this discreet moment. Not a lot of people that glanced their way took a closer look, and even if they did, they were on joy. Joy made people forget all sorts of things. Every person in Wellington Wells was so high on Joy, they stopped caring about small things like that. Things that might upset them. The year was 1962 after all. They could afford to ignore some strange action on the side of the road that they would forget after a few minutes anyway.
The policemen were another story though. James always tensed up a bit when one of them walked by. The constables were tall and intimidating, and they didn’t take regular Joy like the other Wellies. The cops were on Blackberry, which allowed them to keep a mostly clear head. Luckily for James and Roger though, a mostly clear head involved a memory that actually worked. All the bobbies knew about James and Roger. Their relationship was the reason they got assigned the job with Faraday to begin with. The executive committee had been looking for “confirmed bachelors” and James and Roger fit that description personally. With every bobby and doctor knowing what they were, no one really paid them any mind. They got a few polight nods from the bobbies and the doctors… Well, the doctors really didn’t pay attention. They had a more important job to do.
James suddenly found himself snapped out of his thoughts as Roger pulled him off the road and onto the grass. He let out a surprised yelp, his grip automatically tightening on Roger’s hand. Not many places in the town actually revealed the grass that grew behind the tall buildings, but there were a few spots.
“Roger, where are we going?” James asked when he had gotten used to the sudden change in direction and pace.
“We’re just… taking a break by that tree,” Roger said, pointing ahead at a birch tree growing in front of them. James sighed, a fond smile on his face as he followed Roger’s lead. Roger was a spontaneous man when he wanted to be. It was easiest to just go along with him.
As they reached the food of the tree, James sat down facing the water. He leaned his back against the rough bark and observed how the waves far below him crashed against the large rocks of the island. It was calming. Though James was not at all tempted to take a dip. The water was basically poison. Just breathing in the fumes that hovered a few metres above the surface was basically suicide. And it was too far down. James wasn’t sure how long he watched the waves, listening to the gentle sound of them hitting the edge of the island, but when he looked to the side, Roger wasn’t there.
“Roger?” he called, the first time quiet and slightly confused. But when Roger didn’t answer, James quickly got up from his seat and looked around.
“Roger!” His eyes found the water again and a pit opened in his stomach. Roger hadn’t… jumped, had he? Or had he falled off the edge of the island. Below the grass and a few metres of dirt, the island was hard rock. Not a good place for an easy climb.
“James?” Roger’s voice answered and when James spun around, Roger was walking towards him. Strange… James was sure he had looked that way and hadn’t seen anything.
“Roger! What are you doing?” James flinched as his words sounded harsher than he wanted them to. But he was just worrying. James always worried.
Roger walked up to him and held out a bouquet of flowers. Most of them were yellow that grew close to the grass, but he had managed to find a few roses of gilead amongst the empty bushes. James exhaled, his body going less tense by the second. Roger had just picked some flowers. He was fine.
“They’re lovely, Roger,” he said softly. “We can put them in some water when we get back home.”
“No… I think I’ll make a flower crown,” Roger replied, shaking his head. For a moment, James just stared at Roger. The ginger hair flowed freely as Roger shook his head. It looked adorable, and James knew how soft it was. Then he quickly snapped himself back to reality, remembering that Roger had said something.
“A flower crown? You know how to make those?” he asked, a soft smile on his face. Roger nodded, smiling wider.
“Yeah. It might take a little while though.” James hummed. He had never made a flower crown. But it couldn’t take *that* long, right?
“We have time,” he decided, gesturing for Roger to join him by the base of the tree. Roger followed close by James’ side, sitting down next to James on the grass as he spread out the flowers in a half circle in front of him. James watches lazily as he leans his head back against the tree. Roger started to quietly hum for himself as he folded the stems of the flowers into a careful circle, large enough to fit on someone’s head. James only watched, his eyes moving between the lazy waves of the ocean and Roger’s idly working fingers and quiet humming. It was nice. The quiet. Being alone with Roger. These moments were becoming fewer and further between. James knew he had to take advantage of them.
“I’m done!” Roger announced eventually, holding up a surprisingly well crafted flower crown. Though the roses of gilead stuck out amongst the rest, making the other flowers almost fade into the background as they stole the spotlight. With a slow nod, James couldn’t help but admire Roger’s skill in small things like this. Small things that required precision and gentle touches. That had never really been James’ thing.
“It’s lovely, Roger,” he said finally, looking from the dashing flower crown to the even more dashing man holding it. “Aren’t you going to put it on?” Carefully, almost as if he was afraid to destroy the crown in his hands with the movement, Roger shook his head.
“No… I want you to wear it.” James’ eyebrows raised as I looked back and forth between the flowers and Roger. He wasn’t sure if he’s ever worn a flower crown before. But if Roger had made it for him, or at least with him in mind, this might as well be his first. After all, there’s a first for everything.
James reached up, taking off his uniform hat with a small smile. He made sure to pat his hair down to make sure it was flat and neat before offering the top of his head to Roger. He felt a hand on the top of his head, ruffling up his hair again.
“Did you have to do that?” James asked quietly, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he kept his head ducked for Roger to place the flower crown on him.
“Yes.” Roger replied, grining wider as he placed the crown on top of James’ head, making sure that it was straight and neat. It clashed with the newly messed up hair, making Roger smile wider once again.
“There.”
James lifted his head, wishing that he had a mirror so that he could see it for himself. But judging by the look in Roger’s eyes, he figured he was looking pretty good. He felt a bit silly though. James was… well… James. Not a guy in a flower crown. Until now.
“How’d I look?”
“You look good.”
“Thanks.” Roger shifted closer to lean against James, his body now turned to face the water as well. Watching the ocean like this was calming, even if the ocean itself was toxic. Slowly, James shifts his hand, moving his arm around Roger and pulling the other man closer to himself. Roger felt James’ chest rise and fall against his back along with his steady breathing. His head tilted against James’ shoulder, his hand slowly landing and resting on top of James’ thigh. They let the rush of the waves surround them, drowning out the distant noise of the town far behind them.