the dirty nerd is strong with this one

For the Drabble - Silverflint - "Do you think we’re bad people?” :)

So this didn’t go quite how I expected, and the line didn’t end up working itself in, but this little snippet was inspired by this prompt so close enough? Have a nice little rotten ten years later fic with some sad, some angst, a wee bit of fluff, and the possibility for more if I ever get the inspiration?

@brassfannibal

Ten years. Ten longyears since that day in the woods, since John Silver had stood with apistol trained on his captain, his friend. Ten years since he’d endedtheir war, because he’d been too weak to see it to its end, too weakto risk losing the people he cared about the most, even if the causehad been of such great impact.

Now he stood on asmall hill, crutch tucked under one arm, the other wrapped tightlyaround the child clinging to him, staring down into the valley.

The house wasnondescript, much like Mrs. Barlow’s house had been, all those yearsago. It was small, whitewashed with a straw thatched roof, a smallgarden in the front surrounded by a sturdy looking fence. The gatewas painted green. It reminded Silver of a cottage he’d seen in apainting of Ireland once. There was a snuffle against his shoulderand John sighed, adjusting the weight in his arm and starting downthe hill slowly.

The sun was startingto dip by the time he reached the gate, nudging it open with hiscrutch to slowly approach the door. There was no sign of movementinside, thought there was a light, as if from a lantern in the roomfurthest to the east, and Silver knew someone was home. He justdidn’t know what would greet him when the door opened. Taking a deepbreath he whispered a few words and the child reached out and rappedon the door loudly.

There was silencefor a long while, then footsteps approached and Silver did everythinghe could to calm his heart as it threatened to beat out of his chest.

The door swung openand cold green eyes met his, the smile he had directed at the childdropping as Flint’s eyes widened, then narrowed, taking in him, thecrutch, the child, the small bag tied around his waist. He wanted tostep back under the weight of the gaze, but he refused to break soeasily.

“I had nowhereelse to go,” he whispered finally and to his great surprise, Flintstepped aside and gestured him in, his eyes on the child the wholetime.

Silver entered thecottage carefully, looking around for signs of a second inhabitant.There were indications, certainly, but it didn’t appear that Thomaswas there at that present moment.

“What happened?”Flint asked quietly, his voice a little rougher than Silverremembered. His eyes were still on the child.

“Sickness,”Silver said quietly. “It took so many…”

“When did you lasteat?” Flint asked, heading for the small kitchen, tucked out of theway in the northwest corner of the main room. Silver glanced down atthe boy on his hip, seeing his was sound asleep.

Carefully he set theboy in the large chair in front of the empty fireplace, tucking himunder a blanket before joining Flint in the kitchen.

“Thank you,” hesaid softly when Flint put a large slice of cheese and a hunk ofbread in front of him, still digging in the cupboards for other food.He produced an apple and some dried grapes, alone with a bottle ofrum, and set them before Silver.

“Madi?” he askedsoftly as Silver began to eat, watching the other man carefully.

Silver glanced athim, taking in the changes in the dim candle light. The red wasstreaked with grey and the lines around his eyes were deeper. Hisbeard was still as red as ever, fuller now, not quite so carefullytrimmed. His hair fell past his shoulders, tied back with a blacksilk ribbon, and gold still sparkled in one ear, despite the yearsthat had passed.

“Gone,” Silversaid quietly. “It took so many…our…”

He fell silent,looking away, his eyes resting on the child by the fireplace.

“John?” Flintprompted after a long moment, laying on hand on Silver’s wrist.

“Our daughter,”he whispered. “It took our daughter…then it took Madi…then…bythat point so many were sick, there was nothing more I could do…wefled.”

“Your son?”Flint asked, nodding to the boy. There was no mistaking his parents,with his hair as black and curly as his fathers and his skin a fewshades darker, like his mother. John nodded quietly, reaching for therum and taking a drink.

“How did you knowhow to find me?” Flint asked after a while. Silver glanced up athim then looked away.

“I’ve alwaysknown,” he said softly. “I never lost track of you. I just neverknew if you’d kill me the minute you saw my face again.”

Flint sighed,rubbing his hands over his face. “Ten years puts many perspectiveson otherwise difficult situations,” he admitted.

“Those sound likeThomas’ words,” Silver chuckled, finally looking at Flint again,catching his smile.

“They are,”Flint admitted with a laugh. “My temper has cooled, not vanished,”he grinned and suddenly Silver was transported back ten years, to aday in a boat, when they hunted the most unlikely pray together.

“Thank you,”Silver said, reaching his hand out and laying it over Flint’s. “Idon’t deserve your kindness, after what happened.”

Flint sighed, thenshrugged. “You did what you felt was right…you likely saved mylife. I know you saved Thomas’, and the scores of men I would havekilled, or gotten killed, to settle my feud. And besides…theoutcome wasn’t so bad.”

“Where is he?”Silver asked softly and Flint laughed.

“London, as ithappens. Won’t be back for a few weeks yet.”

Silver smiled,moving to pull his hand away when Flint twisted his own hand andlaced their fingers together, holding tight.

“John, I owe youthanks, for being able to see beyond the horizon I painted formyself. For being able to see that I’d been carried away to madnessby my drive for revenge. I owe you thanks for stopping me before Iburned the entire world to the ground.”

Silver shifted, thensqueezed Flint’s fingers. “The world deserved to burn,” headmitted, anger in his voice as tears gathered in his eyes. “But Icouldn’t bare to see you burn yourself with it.”

“I know, and I’msorry,” Flint whispered.

“It’s the pastnow…” Silver said softly.

“You need tosleep,” Flint observed. “And bathe.” At that Silver snorted.

“I’m sure I do,”he grumbled. “A change of clothes wouldn’t go amiss either.”

“I’ll see what Ican do in the morning,” Flint promised, squeezing Silver’s fingersonce more before he rose. “I think sleep is the priority.”

“If you say so,captain,” Silver chuckled, his voice weak as he rose slowly fromthe table, his arm shaking where he held the handle of the crutch.Flint caught him as he collapsed.

“Bed,” hegrunted, hauling Silver’s weight up and against him, practicallycarrying the other man to the bedroom and dumping him unceremoniouslyon the unmade bed.

“I feel there’s acomment here,” Silver muttered sleepily and Flint snorted as hetugged his single boot off.

“Save it,” Flintmuttered with a chuckle. Silver just hummed.

“Your boy,”Flint said, tugging a cover over Silver. “What’s his name? I don’twant to frighten him if he wakes.”

Silver didn’t answerand Flint sighed, turning to the door, nearly gone before…

“James.”

Flint turned to seeSilver’s blue eyes watching him.

“His name isJames.”