It's supposed to be getting easier. Most days, it is.
Because most days, he can bury himself in his work. Most days, he can forget that he's got a past life banging around in the core of his bones and simply focus deeply on the life he's living now. Most days, it's uncomplicated to come home and press adoring kisses to Archie's cheeks and lips, to enjoy the freedom that comes in this day and age--to relish the fact that they've found one another again.
But this week is different.
All he's dreamed about for a month is the last terrible days. All he's seen when he closed his eyes for the last month is blood gurgling up over Archie's lips, the strain in Archie's features before the tribunal; the tears in Archie's eyes as the end drew too close to ignore.
He's been working hard since before he even graduated. He's been saving up vacation days and sacrificing weekends. He hasn't been doing it explicitly for this, but he's glad to have the time now.
Horatio is absolutely taking this week off to stay stuck to his long-term boyfriend's side, to keep his hand on the other man's wrist and his sharp eyes flicking over the entire world with a distinct lack of trust. That's not more or less unusual, surely, than the fact they've been half-recalling their past lives since meeting in college.
proposals after surviving deathiversary, then?
Because most days, he can bury himself in his work. Most days, he can forget that he's got a past life banging around in the core of his bones and simply focus deeply on the life he's living now. Most days, it's uncomplicated to come home and press adoring kisses to Archie's cheeks and lips, to enjoy the freedom that comes in this day and age--to relish the fact that they've found one another again.
But this week is different.
All he's dreamed about for a month is the last terrible days. All he's seen when he closed his eyes for the last month is blood gurgling up over Archie's lips, the strain in Archie's features before the tribunal; the tears in Archie's eyes as the end drew too close to ignore.
He's been working hard since before he even graduated. He's been saving up vacation days and sacrificing weekends. He hasn't been doing it explicitly for this, but he's glad to have the time now.
Horatio is absolutely taking this week off to stay stuck to his long-term boyfriend's side, to keep his hand on the other man's wrist and his sharp eyes flicking over the entire world with a distinct lack of trust. That's not more or less unusual, surely, than the fact they've been half-recalling their past lives since meeting in college.