Second Glance

"Hello my freaky darlings. . ."

"Skinner?"

Alan raised his eyes to the young man he'd come to look to as a son. The instant recognition bothered him on an instinctual level. That Tom Sawyer could know the man within four words of his message could mean only that he'd adapted to Skinner's colorful way of speakin, but he didn't think so. The recognition had started at 'Hello'. Young Tom had been waiting to hear form their gentleman theif. And he wanted to know why.

It wasn't long before he got his chance. He waited until everyone had gone about their individual buisness and followed the young American to his quarters. "Sawyer."

"Yeah?"

"If I ask you a serious question I will expect a serious answer."

He smiled that naive, open smile and nodded, "Of course."

Quartermain did not return the expression, "What was Skinner doing naked in my room, the first day of the voyage?"

"Skinner was in your room?!"

There was his answer, not in the words, but in the expression. Tom was jealous, and Alan didn't think it was Skinner that he was jealous of. "How long have you been watching the gentelman, Sawyer? To anyone else it would appear that you have eyes only for Mrs. Harker."

The boy slipped heavily to his bed, blushing furiously.

"I take it this is not a first occurance."

He shook his head. "My freind Huck, back home, we experimented some, mostly just boy s bein' boys. He left, got a girl, got a life and a family. . ."

"And you? You aren't a part of America's secret service, are you."

"I ran away. You know what it's like to really think you love someone, and to watch them walk away from you, thinking you understand why?"

"So you've been watching Mina with empathy then. Because you understand what Dorien's betrayal has done to her."

"Yeah."

"And Skinner?"

"He doesn't know. He never will if I have anything to say about it. I don't plan on going through Huck all over again."

"Forever is a long time to be alone."

Tom looked up as a solid weight settled beside him, "You don't sound like you're freaking out over this."

"It is common practice for soldiers to fall in together, I never understood why after everything, they returned home and pretended nothing happened, going back to their families as if they'd never loved another man. It doesn't seem like a thing you turn off and on."

"It isn't."

Alan nodded and put a fatherly arm around the slender shoulders, "You make your own destiny young Sawyer. I will not lead you in one way or another." He stood and moved toward the door.

"Thanks."

"But I will give you something to think about."

Tom waited.

"Though Skinner is obnoxiously verbal about our Mrs. Harker at times, he has never said anything that might turn her head." He opened the door and turned back, "I beleive our Mr. Skinner is trying to cover his. . . unussual preferences, as much as you are. I don't much care for Skinner, but I have come to resect his ingenuity. He could posibly be a good man."

The American looked down at his hands and nodded, then waited for the door to shut, before laying down, alone with his thoughts.

Alan stood on the other side of the door, a wry smile on his face. //Skinner was trying to see my journals when he made his night time visit. He wanted to know how close I wanted to get to the boy he was interested in. Two very young men, who have both been hurt enough to make them extremely wary of love and life. Their relations promise to be interesting at least.// He walked away toward his own rooms. Now that that was settled, he had other things to worry about.


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Once they reached M's hiding place, Alan could almost feel the tension radiating off of both Mina and Sawyer. Each of them was waiting for a meeting with their Someone special, whether it be for the first or the last time. When Skinner showed up with his usual riskque behavoir and a pinch to Mina Harker's bottom, he watched Tom's anger and damned the theif for a fool. While the other's kept their distances, he was the one to take clothing to the shivering man. The rest of the group would imagine that he did it because he was their defacto leader. However, he wanted a talk with the invisible menace, and this was as opurtune a time as he would get at the moment. "Dress yourself."

"Well well, I missed you too cupcake." The sarcastic man mocked and began to slide the clothing on, "Mmm. Warm."

"I want to talk with you."

"Now what 'ave I done to offend your delicate sensabilities?"

"You don't fool me Skinner, I've known deceit for too long to be oblivious to it."

"You didn't catch Grey."

"But I have caught on to you. That stunt you pulled with Mina has made our young Sawyer very angry."

"T. . . Sawyer?"

"Tom." He smirked, "Yes. Did you think your overt interest in Mrs. Harker would hide your interest in him?"

"He's just a kid."

"A child who is running from the last man who loved and left him. Did you know that?"

"Man?"

"We might not all of us come out of this alive. I suggest you have a talk with Sawyer before we embark upon it."

He pulled up the collar of the thick parka and reached for his grease paint. "Perharps I will."

Quartermain nodded and walked to th emouth of the cave where everyone had gathered. "Sawyer, could you fetch my glasses?"

Tom nodded and moved into the back of the cave in search of the eye glasses that rested secure as always in Alan's pocket. He stopped short when he saw Skinner, aplying his paint. "Skinner."

The thief nodded, only the front of his face done yet, it was a slightly disturbing and oddly erotic sight.

"Have you seen Quartermain's glasses?"

"'e wears them in 'is pocket at all times. Why?"

"He sent me to find them."

"I think you've been dupped m'friend." Skinner smirked, "'ere." He pushed a crate forward and motioned to it, "'ave a cackle."

Tom sat down and became very interested in studying his hands.

"If it makes you nervous you don't have ta stay."

He looked up and saw Skinner motioning to the compact he held. "Oh! No, it's fine."

"Something on your mind then?"

"Yeah."

He waited and when Tom didn't speak again, he spoke up instead, "I heard you have a boy back home."

Sawyer cursed Alan's helpful streak and shook his head, "Had. He's married now."

"That a fact? Decided he liked the fairer sex?"

"Guess so."

The thief hadn't been expecting such a sad and truthful answer. "Hurts don't it."

"Huh?"

"Getting left fer someone with three things you can never give him."

Tom snorted, "Yeah. Hurts."

"Ya know. . . I ah. . . I don't much care for those three things."

"Looks like you care for Mina's just fine."

"Looks can be decieving."

The American's sharp gaze met the blank places where Skinner's eyes would have been. "Can they?"

"Give us a chance?"

The Brit stepped forward and Tom blinked at the slowly outstretched arms. He had promised himself that he wouldn't do this again. He couldn't. . . but the white smile was so confident, and the arms looked so empty. . . "I don't know if I can."

"Then give us a kiss?"

He was about to object when the theif shot forward and enveloped him in a strong and warm hug. Tom yelped softly and blinked startled eyes up at the other man, who only smiled and lowered his lips to the younger man's mouth, open in shock. The kiss was firm and deep, and Skinner's tongue danced lightly through Sawyer's mouth until his own joined it, and his arms came up to wrap around the Brit as tightly as Skinner held him. He tilted his head and surged forward, pressing as close as he could, and then closer. It was so warm, so solid. Like a lifeline that had been missing, a place to tie down to and call home. Tom wondered if this was what Huck had felt when he'd found his wife. He wondered if he'd found his someone. When the kiss ended, he lay his head on Skinner's shoulder a moment to catch his breath.

"You stole that kiss." He accused lightly.

"'s what I do, luv."

"Luv?"

"Give us a chance?" The theif asked again.

Tom looked up at the mess they'd made of the makeup around Skinner's mouth. "I'm not one for one time things."

"I can be, but not this time." He answered truthfully.

"Is this a forever kind of deal?"

"It could be."

Tom breathed out, not leaving the embrace. He was happy there. That made his decision, "If you leave me, I'll shoot you."

"To kill?"

"Depends on how mad I am."

Skinner laughed, "I'll take that deal."

Tom smiled and moved up for another kiss before they had to leave. A kiss for luck and strength, and hopefully for a promise. A promise of things to come.

"Sawyer! Don't bother. I found them."

Tom looked up at Alan's voice in confusion and Skinner chuckled, "His glasses."

"Oh."

"That would be our cue."

Tom reluctantly pulled away and quickly fixed Skinner's make up, "This isn't over."

"Nah, 's only begining."

"Just so we understand each other."

That earned him a smile. Maybe this trip had been worth something after all.

~tbc?~

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