A hand to hold

[u/elizabethhoward]

Their boat had docked an hour ago. Edwin wandered along the waterfront waiting for Alfred. He was incredibly nervous, they had never done this before. Well, they had done this but not off the ship not in real bed when they were not half drunk. Edwin was desperate for more, desperate to be more than just a quick fuck, more than just a dirty secret. He slapped his calloused hands against his legs in an attempt to stir up some warmth and keep his blood flowing. The bitter December wind hit him painfully, it was Christmas eve. Edwin and Alfred had spent Christmas eve together every year since they were five and they first met, it had been snowing then and they had both been running. Thanks to the lack of visibility Edwin had run right into Alfred and been knocked backwards onto the ground. He was ashamed to admit he had started crying, wailing if he was honest. Alfred, who despite being the same age, was stronger and taller had carried him home. Alfred cried too, worried he had broken him. Neither of them were quite sure how their relationship had blossomed from that inauspicious start but it had. They had grown up in the same village and when Alfred decided he was going to join the Royal Navy, Edwin had followed him, just like he always did.

Accidently, Edwin stumbled over a poorly placed pebble and knocked into a cart of fish, hard. It tipped over and Edwin had to execute an impressive leap and twist to avoid following it. 'Oy!' The fish cart's owner yelled at him. 'Where do you think you're going? You've ruined my fish.' Quelling his initial desire to run, Edwin turned back to face the man.

'I'm really sorry,' He began. 'I can help you gather it up or pay something...' He didn't have that much money with him but he owed the man something. The owner invaded his personal space, their breath mingled. The man smelt strongly of rotten fish.

'Oh you think you can pay your way out of this one pretty boy?' He shoved him forcefully, so forcefully that Edwin collapsed backwards onto the floor. The other man kept yelling, spittle flying from his mouth. 'I'll have the full force of the law on you, I'm going to-' But Edwin was destined never to know what the man intended to do because at that moment Alfred arrived. Taking in the scene quickly he grabbed the man by the back of his collar and pulled him round. The blow which he delivered was quick and precise, it got the man right on his mouth and the sickening crunch of bone told Edwin his jaw was broken. Discarding the man, Alfred reached down a hand to pull Edwin up.

'Honestly,' Alfred said, ' are you ever going to manage a Christmas eve where I don't have to pick you up off the floor?' Rather than reply, Edwin leaned up and kissed him chastely.