The Clockmaker's Shadow | ONC 2021 | LGBT

10. Flashback

(Author's Note: this chapter is dedicated to another longtime ONC fellow traveller - ravenwood666may and her zombie story with a difference, "Rotting World, Blossoming Love")

Rik swallowed. As gorgeous as Ned was, it was too soon. He wasn't over Ari yet, apart from the issue that Ned was his employer. Never a wise move in his opinion, to mix business and pleasure.

"What is it?" Ned asked in a completely different tone, picking up on Rik's reluctance. "Don't you like me? Or is there someone else?"

"There's someone else. Well, there was," Rik admitted. "He died. Only recently. He was murdered, it's one of the reasons I moved here." And that was certainly true enough!

"Oh, I'm so sorry! How awful." Ned looked shocked. "Were you together long?"

"No, not really, but... we might have been, if..."

"I understand." Ned sounded regretful. "If you ever want to talk about it, I'm here, I'll listen."

"Thank you. That's very kind." If only things had been different, Rik thought he could have fallen for Ned in a big way. As it was, he was struggling to hold back tears at the unexpected kindness.

"I'll see you at dinner, then," said Ned, suddenly brisk, picking up the box with the beetle as he left.

He'd done the right thing, Rik told himself as he prepared for bed later that evening. He needed some time alone, to grieve properly, before he should even think about entering another relationship. Especially considering how the last two had ended! Perhaps he was fated to stay celibate.

His thoughts drifted back to the relationship he'd had before meeting Ari. The one that had ended just as violently.

~~~

The world itself had been as close to steampunk as he could imagine. Dirigibles floated majestically in the sky and steam appeared to be the prevailing power source. Gas lamps lit the streets and steam carriages trundled up and down the roads. When he was lucky enough to score a job as a calligrapher's assistant after only a week of searching, Rik thought he'd found his dream world.

And then he'd met Nat at a gay club and discovered that, for once, there was no stigma attached to being gay or homosexual or whatever they called it in this world.

Nat was just the right height, not too tall, not too short. His hair was an unusual shade, not quite black but too dark to be called grey. And his eyes, now they were grey, as grey as the stormy sea, but it was the dimple in his cheek when he smiled that clinched it. If it wasn't love at first sight, thought Rik, it was certainly lust.

They met a few times at the club before Rik got up the courage to ask him out, and when Nat said yes, Rik thought he'd never find a more perfect world. He began thinking about settling down, saving his wages, maybe buying a house or at least an apartment in one of the terraces. Making a home. With any luck, he'd never have to jump worlds again.

They'd been lovers for just over a fortnight when disaster struck. The details of that night were etched in Rik's memory like acid.

Nat lived in rooms above the shop where he worked as a gentleman's tailor and they'd arranged for Rik to meet him there a little later than usual because Nat had an expensive embroidered waistcoat he particularly wanted to finish.

If only Nat hadn't wanted to finish the waistcoat...

If only Rik had turned up at the usual time...

If only... surely the most useless words in the English language.

As it was, Rik had let himself in with the key Nat had given him and climbed the stairs, calling out as he went.

"Nat! It's me! Have you eaten yet? Want to go out for dinner?"

Unlike the time when he'd found Ari, Rik could remember having no premonition at the time. His only concern was whether Nat would be in the mood to pop down to the local tavern for a bite to eat and a pint first.

He flinched as usual when he got to that point in his memories but this time he made himself continue, trying to recall every last detail.

He pictured himself pushing open the door and seeing Nat, lying fully dressed on top of the bed clothes, as if he had just lain down for a quick nap. His arms were flung wide and his eyes were staring at the ceiling.

"Nat?" Rik's voice was hoarse. "Are you all right?"

Of course he's not all right, scolded a small voice inside his head. No-one would lie like that naturally!

He ran to Nat's side and gave him a small shake. He was still warm to the touch but his eyes remained open, little red dots showing in the whites... There was no sign that Rik could see of an intruder, no indication of robbery; the door had been locked when he entered and there were no windows open far enough to permit anyone to climb inside.

As far as he could tell, nothing had been disturbed, everything was the same as usual, apart from the body on the bed.

Just like Ari.

The similarities were surely too strong to ignore. If not for the fact that the murders happened on two different worlds, he would have been convinced he was dealing with a serial killer.

And as far as he knew, he, Rik, was the only common denominator.