Sherlock: The Next Generation

Chapter 66

Chapter 66

"You are coming."

"But I really don't want to," Hamish made a face.

"As my boyfriend you are obliged to attend these kinds of things with me." Ollie folded his arms, giving Hamish a stern look.

"But..."

"If you come we can do something nice tomorrow, for Valentine's day... Our anniversary." Ollie gave Hamish the sweetest of smiles.

"Fine," Hamish sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter with a slight pout.

"Don't look so glum," Ollie moved to stand in front of Hamish, placing his hands on his shoulders and giving him a crooked grin. "Mortimer is coming to the party as well."

"Whoop de doop," Hamish muttered. Ollie laughed, moving into to give him a light peck on the lips.

"Yes, that would be my reaction. I'm going to go change into something nicer."

Although he definitely was not looking forward to being dragged to some stupid party Hamish did appreciate the fact that it forced Ollie to dress up a bit. And he looked good in a tight dress shirt. Very good. Ollie got his gaze, a teasing smile playing on his lips. Hamish glanced away while Mortimer just laughed at the two of them.

Since it was being held in a house off campus it took them a while to get to the party. Most of the walk was done in silence. The silence was a friendly one, though. They must have been among the last to arrive at the party because the house was already packed with noisy, irritating, almost drunk young adults. Music blared through all of the rooms just making the noise all the more intolerable. Hamish really wished he had refused to come... Claimed to be ill or something. Not that Ollie would believe him. He knew him to well unfortunately.

It didn't take long for Hamish to somehow lose both Ollie and Mortimer, so he just wandered through the rooms alone, wincing constantly at those who accidentally rubbed against him and the myriad of sounds that echoed around his ears. After a few already drunk people trying to hit on him Hamish decided that maybe alcohol would be the best way to get through this. At least he would be too drunk to care.

It didn't take him much time to locate the stash of alcoholic drinks. He just kind of walked through the rooms and ignored people with stony glares. At one point he came across a room filled with fumes. He accepted the offer of some kind of cigarette, taking a few drags. It wasn't too bad actually. Kind of relaxing. Calmed him down and got rid of the nuisance that was his over-active brain. He wasn't sure how many he took. It was a strange combination, them and the drinks.

"Hamish, are you ok?" A pretty sober Mortimer looked down in concern at Hamish, who was now slumped in a chair.

"Great, great, never been better!" Hamish slurred with an overly cheery grin. Which told Mortimer just how drunk Hamish was. "Where's Ollie?" Hamish giggled slightly. "Ollie the octopus." He giggled again. Right. Because that totally made a whole lot of sense. Mortimer shook his head, bending down to pick up Hamish under the arms.

"Right, we're going home. Ollie can wait."

What the hell?

Hamish was confused. He wasn't in his bed and someone's arm was slung across him. What? He only had a blurry memory of the night before. There had been a stupid party. He had drunk. Then he had smoked something. Cannabis, most likely. Brilliant. If his dad or papa found out then he was screwed. Papa especially would not be happy. Everything after that was particularly hazy. He had been both drunk and high, of course. Though the smoking had calmed down his brain to what must have been a normal human level. He remembered Mortimer finding him and taking him home and then... Fuck.

The person lying beside him wasn't Oliverio like he had thought. Fuck. This was not good. Not good at all. Blinking open his eyes Hamish practically leapt out of bed. Mortimer just mumbled something under his breath, rolling over. Hamish was glad to find that he was pretty much fully clothed.

They had kissed. He had kissed Mortimer. He didn't remember much else. It had happened a few times before Hamish had blacked out. There had been a few proclamations of love from Mortimer. At least he thought there might have been. He really wasn't sure.

Hamish's movements were absolutely silent as he slipped out of the bedroom. Everything would be fine if he could get back to his room. Nobody would have to know.

"Hamish?"

Shit.

"Ollie," Hamish smiled warmly, slowly moving in the direction of his room.

Ollie's dark eyes narrowed, glancing towards the door that Hamish had come from. "You were in Mortimer's room. I knew that you come back together but..." He shook his head. "I know that you do not have the best grasp on all things emotional but I thought you would know..." He trailed off, refusing to meet Hamish's gaze. "We are in a relationship, Hamish. Well we were."

Hamish blinked, taking a few minutes to register everything Ollie said. And, more important, what he did not say. "Wait, Ollie, you don't understand... It isn't what it looks like. It isn't what you think."

"I don't know what to think," Ollie shook his head in something akin to disgust, standing up from where he sat at the table. Without even an explanation he was out of the door. Hamish watched him go in dismay. Everything left unsaid flew around his mind. It had been such a short conversation but already Hamish felt hopeless. Maybe Ollie just needed time to calm down...

"Well that went well," Mortimer's sarcastic, but smug tone, and that small smile on his lips did it for Hamish.

"You..." Hamish spun around, facing the son of his father's greatest enemies. "You did this. I was high and drunk last night! You took advantage of me."

"You seemed quite happy about it then," Mortimer arched an eyebrow. "I didn't hear you complaining. If you had said no, or pushed me away, I would have stopped. But you didn't."

"I had - have - a boyfriend. You knew that. I couldn't exactly be reliable for my actions! You could have, you know, told me to stop."

"You know perfectly well I am not to blame in this situation. Nor am I to blame if your relationship with Oliverio just happens to crumble. That would be such a shame."

It was his fault. Hamish knew that. But somehow, for some reason, he was sure that Mortimer had set it all up. He didn't know how he had done it, but he had. "Why, Mortimer? Why? Shouldn't you be happy that your friend, your rather dysfunctional friend, is in a relationship?"

"Yes, I suppose I should. But..." He shrugged. "I had hoped there was more between us. Ollie came between that."

What... No. Mortimer couldn't be suggesting. No. Hamish couldn't deal with this crap. Mortimer was a great guy, his friend. But he wasn't the romantic type. Something was wrong here. "You... Liked me?"

"I'm surprised you didn't notice."

"Of course I didn't notice."

"Yes, of course. I have for quite a while... And Oliverio took the place that should have been mine." Mortimer's voice was so calm, almost cold.

Hamish frowned. "Yours?"

"Yes, yours. First come, first served, right? I was your friend first."

"That is not how it works."

"Shame. But your relationship in Oliverio is in tatters. You did cheat on him, after all. He isn't just going to forgive you. I doubt you even have a chance. So you might as well just give up and start going out with me."

"Get out." Hamish didn't know what it was. Maybe it was Mortimer's voice, the look on his face, the words. Hamish wasn't sure. But he felt a sudden surge of anger. And he didn't want to see Mortimer. Again. "Get. Out."

"Fine," Mortimer smirked slightly. "I will leave. For now... But my offer still stands."

"Piss off."

Mortimer arched an eyebrow. "Your language is getting so much worse. And fine, I am going. But this isn't the last you have seen of me." It didn't take the nineteen year old long to pack his bags and go. Hamish was left alone, feeling so confused and stupid. He had screwed everything up and he wasn't sure how it had all happened.