Knockout (Sequel to Dark)

Chapter 10 (Part Two)

"Sure."

Harry's flat is in walking distance of the gym. They decide to take the scenic route, through the pretty wooded park and past an almost empty playground until the pair hit a main drag. It's car horns and traffic lights for a good five minutes before the city quietens upon making a right.

They turn down a quiet street off the busy main road and the chill that whistles between them has Bo wish she'd brought something a little warmer. It was a mistake to take her hair down after the class as now it's stinging her cheeks. She steps closer to Harry as they pass a dog walker before they come to a complete stop outside a gate.

Heavy dark clouds loom, gobbling up the twinkle of stars as night descends in a hurry. She's busy watching the sky transform, head tilted back until her name is called.

"Bo."

Harry's made the short journey from gate down to the front door and he waits for her to meet him at the bottom. The hand he raises in invite has her moving towards him through a thought once lost, legs walking a muscle memory. It would be hopeless to think she'd react in any other way but to go to him, to take his hand and let him lead her inside.

It's warm, is the first impression Bo gets of the garden flat. A disorganised muddle of shoes is left just inside the door, and Bo adds to it as she toes hers off. She dumps her bag where harry leaves his before she's free in her visual assessment. There's peeling wallpaper, nicks of paint missing from the skirting board and original door frames with stiff brass handles. And Bo instantly loves it.

It's disorderly and incomplete in a charming sort of way, which makes his previous flat pale in comparison. A sourness seems to fill her mouth upon remembering just how awful his conditions were before, no room to breathe with misery creeping in from every corner.

But here, it's an easy sort of living space, one that he's made home by just being there. It already smells of him, like this little flat has accepted Harry and approved of his occupancy.

There's not much occupying the first room in the way of furniture, just cardboard boxes of varying sizes that Bo has a suspicion he's let become a permanent fixture through simply being bone idle.

An old fashioned radiator is tucked into one of the alcoves opposite the door, a heavyset one that will throw out heat throughout the basement flat in the winter.

"There's not much to see, but this is the front room. The kitchen is just through there and my bedroom and bathroom are across the hall."

It's almost as if he's waiting for some sort of approval, standing off to the side as he nibbles at his bottom lip.

"It's a great place."

Despite its quirky flaws, this would have been Bo's first choice for a place of her own.

He grins.

"I have a garden, too. It's not much but my mum and sister are going to help with doing it up a bit. Even if it's just finding the patio under all the weeds."

Bo had never thought in all the time she'd known him, Harry would ever get excited over a scrap of lawn and some crazy-paving. But she gradually comes to understand the fascination as he rambles about having his niece over and his plans for one of those fancy fire bowls. She makes a mental note of the possible gift for his new home. Well, more of a garden-warming present if you're being fussy.

They stay within the living room so Bo can explore a little more. And with that inquisitive feeing harnessed, she sets about unpacking a box containing two lamps, a pack of brand new coasters (courtesy of Harry's sister) and a small elephant ornament selected especially by his niece for the coffee table.