The flight had been a long one and he’d had plenty of time to think on the way home. Home. That wasn’t a word he’d used often or even had somewhere to think about being a home. Shay was there, waiting for him. Not literally, but he was part of ‘home’ and someone to look forward to seeing, someone to keep the loneliness at bay. He’d come to the decision after about 3 hours solid thinking just staring at the pages of his book that he was getting too old for these kind of missions and would start passing them on. It would mean more time on the ground and less travelling. Less being away from Shay. Despite being tired after the flight and the train connection, Haytham decided on hiring a car to get back, eager to tell his partner of his decision and in a hurry to put aside his title, position and standing to just be a man with the one he loved. (Not that he’d ever admit that.)
Finally rounding the corner into their street he saw the lights on. Good. Shay was home. Practically running to the front door, taking the steps two at a time he dumped his bag in the hall as the door was pushed closed. There was a strange smell in the air and a haze. Smoke? Who had been smoking in the house? Neither of them did so Haytham was on his guard immediately, hidden blade snicking out ready and quickly using his vision to scan the lower floor. Two people in the living room, one appeared to be hanging upside-down over the coffee table and the other slouched on the floor. Both alive, both breathing and showing up as not being a threat. What the hell was this? Easing forward he heard an insane sounding giggle as he peeked around the corner of the open door frame, sight returning to normal. Hickey of all people was on the table, giggling hysterically with a roll up hanging out his mouth trailing ash in a small pile on the floor. Shay was on the floor back to the sofa eyes closed, head back and mouth moving like he was singing. “What in HELLS NAME IS GOING ON HERE!” Haytham started forward and almost broke his neck on a pile of whiskey bottles.
