So close and there to wander
Confines wearing thin
Clear in where to squander
Such untroubled skin
- Ian Dury & The Blockheads, "Broken Skin"
When Archer and Miss Rani returned to the school, something about the building made Archer feel ill at ease. He could not pinpoint what it was, just a feeling of menace that hung around the house. He did not wish to leave Miss Rani alone even for a minute, and even though she told him she would be fine on her own he accompanied her on her way to Mr Smith's quarters. He did not quite know what use he would be to her: she had proven herself a quite capable young woman and would surely fare better than him in a confrontation, but still he was reluctant to leave her alone. And if he accompanied her, he would perhaps catch a glimpse of the man who had stolen his heart in a few short days. Just a glimpse was all he would need to fall asleep happy and go through the next day smiling, even with a severe lack of sleep.
When they came to the corridor in which the rooms were located, they could hear raised voices, clearly arguing. Miss Rani stopped to listen and gestured to Archer to be quiet. He did not like the idea of eavesdropping, but one of the voices was Mr Smith's and he could not stop himself from waiting with bated breath to hear it again.
"...being ridiculous!" that was Miss Smith's voice, sounding frustrated.
"I am being ridiculous?" That was Mr Smith, indignant and almost shrill. "You are the one accusing me of… of cavorting with the staff!"
"I did not say you were doing anything with anyone!" Miss Smith's frustration intensified. "I only said that you look at him in a way I have never seen you look at anyone! And he looks at you the same way!" Mr Smith made a sound like he was letting out an explosive breath.
"I do not look at anyone! I am here to find out what is happening-" He was near shouting now.
"And in the process you've clearly fallen for that nice boy!" Miss Smith sounded insistent.
"I have not fallen for anyone!" Mr Smith yelled.
"Then why are you so defensive?" Miss Smith sounded softer now, as if she was appealing to him. "Doctor, I know you. The face might be different but the person inside has not changed that much. You have been alone for too long. I know you miss Rose, but isn't it time to move on? You should never be alone, Doctor, and everyone deserves to be loved." She said the last with a conviction in her voice that made Archer's head feel light. She knew. She knew the secret feelings he had for her brother! Oh God, if she knew, who else? He was ruined. Doomed. He leaned against the wall for his legs refused to keep him upright any longer. But he could simply not stop listening to the conversation on the other side of the wall.
"So what do you propose I do?" Mr Smith - The Doctor? - asked, sounding almost helpless. It broke Archer's heart to hear him speak in such a tone - he wanted to run into the room and comfort him, help him, support him. "Ask him to run away with me and live in sin?"
"Well" Miss Smith said, "It would be a good start." Mr Smith made a little noise that sounded halfway between a sob and a laugh.
"And when he says no?" He asked, sounding even more helpless.
"I don't think he will say no, Doctor. His heart is in his eyes every time he looks at you. Take a chance, old friend. He seems like a lovely young man, and I have seen how you look at him. He could very well be just what you've been looking for, even though you've never admitted even to yourself that you are looking." Mr Smith sighed deeply, and there was silence for a moment.
"I… I will think about what you said." He finally contended. Miss Smith, apparently satisfied with this, went on:
"Have you figured out what is happening here yet?"
"I think so, but it depends on what Rani finds in the lighthouse." Mr Smith sounded excited again, and the sound of pacing could be heard. "I am nearly sure but I cannot make a positive identification unless Rani brings me what I am rather convinced that she will found there. But she better hurry we are running out of time." In the corridor, Rani turned to a highly bewildered Archer.
"Best I go in" she whispered. "Thanks for walking me back. Goodnight, Archer." Then she hurried down the corridor and knocked on Mr Smith's door. Suddenly Archer regained the ability to move his legs and fled in the opposite direction, his mind reeling. He was simply not ready to face Mr Smith yet, not after what he had overheard. Mr Smith cared for him! Wanted him! Perhaps- perhaps even loved him. It was as if his feet did not even touch the ground as he hurried back to his rooms, his heart singing with joy.
As Archer neared his own door, he was once again filled with a diffuse feeling of dread. Something was wrong, he just knew it, but he could not put his finger on what it was. Not even the bubbling happiness inside was enough to calm his suddenly anxious mind. He hesitated for several moments outside the door before drawing a deep breath and opening it. At first glance, the room seemed perfectly normal: James sat on the bed, half-undressed, hunched over as if deep in thought. A small candle burned on the nightstand, and the room was still. Archer felt reassured enough to go inside, and close the door behind him. He instantly realised what a terrible mistake he had made, for James raised his head and looked at him with eyes that were not James'. They were cold in a way that he had never seen before, and inhuman coldness that frightened him more than he had ever been frightened before. Then a voice cut through the silence and Archer jumped in terror.
"About time" said Cook. "Where have you been, little faggot? Squealing under Mr Smith?" Archer spun around, a furious denial on his lips, but the words faltered and vanished when he faced the woman. She seemed to have grown since he last saw her in the kitchen earlier during the day, at least a foot, and in her hand was a device of a kind he had never seen before. It looked like a lantern, but it was lantern out of a nightmare. The metal was twisted and blackened, as if by unbearable heat, and the lens was a dark red that reminded Archer of blood. Something about the lantern was horrifyingly familiar, but it took his petrified brain a moment or two to realise what it was. He had seen it before: in the dining hall. Just as the lightning exploded - the moment before Mr Green vanished. The clues that had been littered around his brain came together to form a picture that made him want to weep in terror, but he somehow found himself able to speak.
"It was you." he whimpered, horror-struck. "You made them disappear! Mr Barton! Agnes! The boy, Green!" The Cook made a face that was a mockery of a smile, as if a creature who had only vague notions of what it should look like was attempting to do it. It made Archer's blood run cold.
"Yes" Cook said. "And now, dear Archer, it is your turn." She raised the lantern and pressed some sort of button on it, but Archer did not give himself time to see the result. He threw himself down on the floor, and heard a sharp noise ringing over his head. It must have been the lantern firing whatever it was it was firing! He could not remember it making such a noise before, but figured it must have been muffled by the thunder when Mr Green vanished. Archer scrambled for some sort of protection and his hand fell on the old mirror his mother had given him for his eighteenth birthday. It had a crack down the middle where the silver inside peeked out, and therefore Archer had not used it for several months. He had, in fact, not realised he still had it. In a panic, he held it up to protect his face when he heard the odd sharp noise again. When questioned later, he could not remember what had made him do it, but it was what saved his life. Suddenly, there was the clang of metal hitting wood and James cursing loudly.
"You idiot!" He yelled. "Now see what you've done! You vaporized the commander!" Archer scrambled to his feet, staring with wild terror at the man he had considered a friend. But was it even a man? Archer didn't know. It didn't matter. He fled, petrified, to the one place in the entire house he knew he could find help. Mr Smith's quarters.
Archer ran so fast through the building he nearly tripped over his own feet on the staircase, but luckily he managed to get a hold of the banister at the last moment. A desperate sob forced its way out of his mouth as he stumbled through the corridor leading to Mr Smith's rooms, and he banged at the door with a frenzied desperation. After what felt like an eternity, the door was opened by a rather disconcerted Mr Smith, but Archer paid his expression no mind and instead threw himself into his arms where he started weeping. After a moment of stunned immobility, he felt Mr Smith's arms wrap around him in an embrace that made him feel safe for the first time this dreadful night, an embrace he never wanted to leave. It felt so right to be held in his arms, like he belonged there, and as if everything would work out alright as long as he was clasped in them.
"Archer" Mr Smith murmured, gently, and Archer turned his face up to meet his gaze.
"Oh, Mr Smith, I-" His eyes still swam with tears, and therefore Mr Smith leaning in and kissing him came as a complete surprise. His lips were dry and slightly chafed, but they pressed against Archers' as if they were made to, and Archer made a little gasp from shock and pleasure. It was enough of an invitation for Mr Smith to slip his tongue inside, and Archer whimpered with need as his own tongue shyly met with the intruder to twine together in a dance as old as time. Mr Smith tasted of strong cheese and sweet jam, and something else that was purely him. A taste Archer wanted to spend the rest of his life learning. A cough somewhere further inside the room made Archer pull away, blushing fiercely, hardly daring to look at Miss Smith. But she was smiling at them in a way that was both amused and triumphant, and Archer shyly smiled back even as he pressed closer to Mr Smith, who seemed intent to keep holding him. It felt truly wonderful.
"May I suggest you wait with the snog until a better time, boys?" She asked, eyes twinkling. "I think there is a good reason Archer came here in such a state." Archer blushed furiously and hid his face in Mr Smith's shirt. It smelled of smoke and soap, and a scent that was similar to the taste of Mr Smith's mouth. It was the scent of the man itself, and Archer wanted to cover himself in it, blissfully unaware of anything but the lovely scent filling his nostrils. However, this was not the time to do so: instead, he carefully related the events that had transpired after he departed from Miss Rani earlier, ending with how he had held up the mirror and the strange accusation that James had uttered. Mr Smith looked eager.
"Do you still have the mirror?" He asked, and Archer felt pleased that he could produce the item from his pocket. Mr Smith took it reverently, examining it closely. Then he made a little whoop of excitement.
"Silver!" He yelled. "Of course! Silver! How could I have been so stupid? It's obvious! Silver!" He nearly danced with excitement.
"Doctor, I think it would be a good thing if you explained." Miss Smith said, sounding fond and exasperated at the same time. Archer got distracted by wondering why Miss Smith referred to Mr Smith by his title instead of his name - why did she not call him John? Maybe there had been a rift in the family. But then why was she there? These musings made him miss out on some of what Mr Smith was saying, but then he got a grip of himself and started listening.
"...crashed at the lighthouse, then most likely Mr Barton was the first victim since he was fond of rowing, and Agnes the second one since she went to meet him by the shore. But the device wasn't at full power yet, so their bodies weren't vaporized!" Mr Smith was talking so quickly it made him difficult to understand, but Archer tried his best to listen to his words instead of staring at his gorgeous mouth. "Mr Green was most likely just a test to see if it was fully powered up yet, and it is now! That's why the cook disappeared! Now if we can just find the device I can neutralize it and then I'll just talk to James and-" He paused to take a breath, and in the brief moment of silence another voice cut in. A voice that made Archer freeze in terror.
"I don't think there is anything to say, do you, Mr Smith? Or should I say Doctor?" James said in a mocking tone as he stepped into the room, the nightmarish lantern in his hand giving out a dull red glow.