Speak of the Sea [Hankcon AU] (Sequel)

duo; the seer

Their time spent travelling had, eventually, come to an end. After parking up on a gravely roadside, the smell of sea air filled his lungs as he stepped out of the car. The surroundings were a mountainside, overlooking the sea. "---Not too far from home, huh?" He looked over when Hank spoke, seeing a smile on his face. There was a cottage just a walk away, and he'd been informed that was where Hank's aunt, Sorcha, resided. 

"Just to clear up any confusion... She's my mom's half-sister, as my grandfather remarried." Hank explained as they walked up to it, seeing his expression. "Don't look so nervous. She won't bite." He laughed softly, knocking the door a couple times.

It opened after a moment, and a small blonde woman stood there with a huge smile on her face. "Is that really you?! Oh, wow! Hi!" She squealed with excitement, hugging her nephew, who was definitely... much taller. "It's been, what, like 15 years? I last saw you when you were a little kid, Hank!" She laughed softly, stepping back and taking a good look at him. "Yeah. I see you've kinda lost your accent," Hank chuckled too. It was a mix of a New York accent and a Scottish twang, but thankfully she was still understandable.

"And who's this?" Sorcha looked to Connor, who had been standing there awkwardly without saying anything. "This is Connor, my partner. Don't let his silence put you off... He's just kinda awkward." Hank teased, getting him to smile. "It's nice to meet you." He held his hand out to initiate a handshake, but to his surprise, was hugged as well. "You're family to me! It's nice to meet you too." Sorcha replied happily, and shortly after, invited them both in.

They'd been shown where everything was, and also where they would be staying. Their room had a striking sea-view, and Connor found himself stood by the window, watching the waves crashing against the rocks. It was around 6pm now, but right now, time was oblivious to him. His body-clock wasn't right, and he was just wide awake. Exhausted, but wide awake.

"How are ya feeling, Connor?" He turned when he heard his name, Hank sitting on the bed behind him. "I feel like I wanna sleep but I also feel like I could run for miles." He sat beside him, putting his head on his shoulder. "We call that adrenaline," Hank replied, Connor just looking up at him. "You humans have words for everything." He laughed quietly, a smile forming on his face as Hank kissed his cheek.

"Sorcha seems to like you. I'm glad about that." He mentioned, Connor tilting his head in slight confusion. "What's not to like?" He asked, making him laugh. "You know, you're right. You're so right." Hank hugged him tight, his laughter stopping and just coming to a smile. "Are you happy we did this?" He asked, looking down at him.

Connor didn't respond for a moment, but instead, was thinking about the last 48 hours. He'd left all he knew behind, all for one person; for one love. Normally, this would make you sound crazy, but to him...

It just sounded right.

"I'm more than happy that we did this." He answered eventually, meeting his gaze. "I'm so glad," His lips were kissed softly, causing him to smile. "If I wasn't so exhausted, I'd take things further. I hope you understand," Hank said, making him giggle. "Hmmm, sure." He teased gently, seeing Hank's expression. "Oh, don't do that." He sighed over-dramatically, getting up shortly after. "I'm messing with you." Connor replied with a grin, just maintaining eye contact for a minute or so.

"Hmmm..." Hank arched an eyebrow, but had a smile on his face too. "Are you hungry?" He asked after the 'staring contest' had ended with him looking away, and his boyfriend giggling again. "I am, actually... Hopefully we're not gonna eat drive-thru food again, though. I don't think I can handle it." Connor said, looking confused again when Hank gasped loudly. "---Nah, Sorcha's making us dinner, remember? Come on." He smirked at him. Connor just looked at him with a confused smile, his hand being taken as they left the room.

___________

The rest of their night was spent sitting around the fireplace, and being entertained by amusing stories Sorcha told them about Hank as a kid, which made his partner laugh again and again. But when the attention was drawn to him, he wasn't as open as he probably would have liked to be.

"---So, where did you grow up, Connor? What was your childhood like?" 

The questioned Sorcha asked had took him by surprise. He felt the arm around him -- that being Hank's -- pull him closer, perhaps for comfort, or reassurance. "Oh? It was..." He went to speak, but it was as if his mouth and his brain were disconnected; he couldn't form the sentence. He glanced to Hank as if to say, "What am I supposed to say?", and to his relief, his silent cry for help was recognised.

"---Oh, wow, is that the time? Early start tomorrow," Hank forced an awkward laugh, glancing at the clock on the fireplace. "Hank, hun, it's only 8 o'clock!" His aunt laughed too, looking back to Connor. "Plenty of time to talk!" She smiled, and all he wanted to do in that moment was just disappear.

"---My childhood was... Like any other. I lived with my mother, but rarely saw my father." He began to talk eventually, capturing her attention. "Oh, I'm sorry... Where did you grow up?" She asked her question from before again, and another.... painful silence occurred. "I---Well, I grew up... Nowhere specific for too long. My mother, I---She... She is someone who gets tired of their surroundings after a while... So, I moved a lot... But eventually ended up back on the coast, where my father lived." Connor explained, in his awkward fashion, but Sorcha was still intrigued. 

"---And I'm assuming that's where you met Hank?" She asked, but spoke again before either of them had a chance to speak. "---And now you're both here on an adventure! A perfect, romantic place for a getaway, I will agree with that." She seemed more excited about it than the other two, and laughed to herself. "I think I'm getting carried away! Sorry, boys," She took a sip of her wine before putting it down again.

"Perhaps, we'll get to know each other better further on into your stay, Connor."

He smiled at her. She was trying, he knew that, but there was a lot about himself he couldn't just tell people.

___________

"---Are you alright?"

He rolled over in bed, looking at Hank in the half-light. "I'm fine... I just felt, I don't know... A little under pressure. I feel like I've made a bad first impression." He mumbled, noticing his smile. "You haven't. After you came up here, she was gushing about you; she thinks you're great, even after just meeting you." Hank explained, kissing the back of his hand gently. "You have nothing to worry about." He reassured him, getting him to smile too.

"Another person I need to hide from, though." Connor sat up in bed, sighing quietly. He looked over when the lamp on the nightstand came on, and also noticed his boyfriend's expression.

"You don't have to hide if you don't want to."

Connor rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "I have no other choice, Hank. The people back home wouldn't understand, and the people here won't understand either. I feel like I'm living a double life. Which is exactly why we had to leave and---" He cut himself off, staring at him for a moment.

"---What?" Hank laughed slightly, but didn't get a reply for a moment.

"Did you tell your aunt that we were here on vacation?" Connor asked quietly, seeing his expression change. "---Well, yeah. Okay? I did. What other choice did I have?" He said, being stared at again. "Look, we'll just be here for a little while, but I promise you. I'm gonna sort something out for us. Something permanent." He added quickly, holding his face.

"Starting when, Hank?" Connor folded his arms, his gaze not moving. "Starting tomorrow." Hank smirked at him, and now his partner was the conflicted one. "Tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?" He questioned, Hank just kissing his forehead lightly.

"You've just gotta trust me."

And with that, the lamp turned off, and Hank didn't say another word.

Connor stayed sitting up for a bit longer, thinking about all the possibilities, but decided shortly after it was a wasted effort, and knew that he was right...

He just had to trust him.