Authoress' Notes:

Well, this time Starbucks saved my writing! I feel like it's a bad thing that my best writing happens when I pay too much for unhealthy food. Ah well. The sacrifices I make for the craft!

This piece would take place... oh, I don't know. Three weeks after the last chapter? Maybe? Early enough in their relationship that Coward's still feeling like an idiot at every turn.

Oh, and B/C buddy? I've decided to name the raven Gregory. It just works. The name might never actually appear in any of my pieces, but in my heart, he's Gregory. 8D

Disclaimer: If I owned it, the gay would be way more obvious.

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Intruder

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It was the end of a long, hard day, and Lord Coward was more than ready to go home. A single report was all that stood between him and freedom, but it was a spectacularly boring report, and his mind was wandering, so he decided to take a break. He stood at his window, staring out across the city as dusk fell, and watched with a mild sort of interest as a large black bird fluttered down to sit on his windowsill. A raven, and a large one at that-- unusual enough to take note of, but hardly something he'd never seen before. With a small sigh, that of a man thoroughly bored by a job he'd once viewed with awe (had that really been mere weeks ago?), Coward allowed his eyes to slide closed. What he wouldn't give for a good dinner right now!

"Good evening, Lord Coward."

With a startled cry, perhaps a bit higher-pitched than he would have liked, Coward spun around to confront the intruder. "Lord Blackwood!" he sputtered, sounding a bit more relieved than was dignified. "How did you get in?"

An eyebrow went up. "The door." Coward flushed. Well of course Blackwood had come in through the door, but that was hardly the real question, was it? He felt himself flush, if possible, even more at Blackwood's next words. "Have you recovered from your accident when we last met, my lord?"

"Y-yes. Yes, I have," Coward answered defiantly, and God above, did the man have to smirk like that? His face already felt like it was on fire.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it," Blackwood replied. "Now, Lord Coward, I actually came here to ask a favor of you."

"Of... me?" Coward was baffled. What was this man unable to do that he, Coward, was able to grant?

"Yes," and now a pleasant, friendly smile appeared on the man's face. It was a charming smile, definitely, but it made him look infinitely more dangerous. Coward felt his breath hitch (from fear, obviously). "I belong to an... exclusive club, of sorts, and I wondered if you would care to dine with me tonight. I think you would be well suited to membership, and I thought we could discuss the matter in more civilized settings."

What could he say? "I would be honored, my Lord. Might I ask where you had in mind?"

"The Café Royal? It's a particular favorite of mine."

Coward nodded. He'd only been there two or three times, but the food had always been quite good. "That would be fine with me." He tidied his desk for the evening, deciding to put that final report off until the next day-- he doubted he would have gotten any more done on it this evening in any case-- and the two men set out into the gathering darkness.

"Tell me, Lord Blackwood, to what club did you earlier--" Coward's inquiry was cut off by another sound many might describe as a shriek, but which he would have described as a virile and heroic shout of surprise. "What was that?" he asked (or was it "screamed"?), perhaps a little more hysterically than he ought to have.

"I believe it was a raven," Blackwood replied, humor evident in his voice. "You were saying, my lord?"

The men continued down the street, one more amused, one more embarrassed, than ever, as the raven flew overheard, silently marking their progress.

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My theory? Café Royal is the hot date night for closeted gay Victorian men.

So, you got a treat-- three screams in this chapter! This, I think, will be the last of the humorous chapters (though I'm not positive). I definitely plan to fast-foward a bit in their relationship in the next chapter, so if you haven't already, now might be a good time to check up on my other B/C pieces. That's partially a shameless plug, I'll grant you, but I plan to set the next chapter immediately after one of the other pieces (I won't tell which! You'll just have to read them all! :D), so yeah.

Please review!