Ping.

Ping.

Ping.

Ping.

"You're rubbish!"

"Shut up."

Ping.

Silence.

"That didn't even hit the bottle."

"Shhhh. I'm concentrating."

Ping.

"It doesn't seem to be helping."

"Shhhhh!"

Ping.

Ping.

"Last one."

"Shhhhh!"

Ping.

"So, that's naught," Vince wrote a big fat zero on the paper under Howard's name, "out of ten. Good effort," he smirked.

"Let's see you do better then," frowned Howard, picking up the clothes pegs that were scattered at the foot of the empty milk bottle.

"I can't do any worse," Vince pointed out. Of course his first bloody peg went straight in and he grinned wildly at Howard.

"I hate you," the older boy said and Vince grinned even wider as he dropped the second peg in too. In the end he got seven out of the ten pegs and Howard decided they should play something different.

"What though?" asked Vince, tipping the clothes pegs back into their drawer and replacing the milk bottle on the front step. We've played every game in the world and it's still raining."

"We could play tidily-winks."

"No."

"Marbles?"

Vince shot Howard a filthy look and the older boy giggled. "Look, don't blame me because you thought they looked like sweets and ate one."

"You could have stopped me."

"I know but I did kind of want to see what would happen."

"You're a tit."

"A what?"

"A bluetit. It's a bird."

"Riiiight," frowned Howard, as he sifted through his numerous puzzles, though he didn't exactly think Vince would be interested in sitting down and doing a 5000 piece puzzle of a globe. He threw it onto the carpet anyway and Vince just snorted and flung himself into a chair.

"I'd rather chew on a bread knife."

"You're welcome to try," Howard offered politely and Vince shot him a childish scowl. He lifted his knee up and rested his pointed chin on it as Howard tipped the pieces all over the floor.

"They're all brown," groaned Vince, "how can you possibly know which piece goes where?"

"I don't. That's the point. You find the right piece."

"Boooring," droned Vince, fiddling with his toes, thought his holey socks.

Just then there was a knock at the door. Howard got to his feet and went to answer it.

"Howard," came the voice and Vince groaned. Jenny.

"Hello, come in. I'm just about to start a puzzle."

"Ooo, I love puzzles."

She would. Vince scowled, slumping down further into the chair.

"Oh, hello Vince," Jenny smiled as she settled herself on the floor next to the puzzle, "are you helping with the puzzle too?"

"Erm, no," Vince sighed.

"Oh, okay."

Vince sat watching the puzzle taking shape. Jenny kept leaning across and touching Howard's hands, his leg, his arms and then they'd both giggle and laugh. Vince didn't like it, it made his guts crunch together and his nails dig into his palms. It seemed to be hours later when Vince finally became totally fed-up of it.

"Where are you going?" Howard asked, as Vince pulled his shoes on.

"Dunno," he shrugged, "anywhere. Out."

"But it's raining."

"Oh well." And with that, he was gone.

Vince went where he always went. He hid under the bridge and watched the river skip by. He stared out across the water as the rain thundered down upon it. It looked strange and the lightening flashed suddenly, lighting the sky up and Vince shuddered. It reminded him of the bombs in London. His hair was plastered to his head and he wasn't sure if the water running down his face was rain or tears. The thunder rumbled and Vince pulled his legs up to his chest. The lightning flashed.

--

"Vince!" Howard shouted as he ducked under the bridge. "Vince!"

Vince stirred a little in his uncomfortable sleep, making a soft murmuring noise, so soft that Howard nearly missed it.

"Vince?" he questioned again, straining his eyes into the blackness. Then the lighting struck and in the split second of light, Howard saw Vince's body flopped in the dirt.

"Vince," he said, running over and shaking the younger boys shoulders. "Vince. Are you okay?"

Vince stirred a little and Howard pushed his fringe from his eyes.

"Vince," he called.

"Mmm. Wha' m'asleep."

"Vince. You're under a bridge. Come home."

"What?" Vince asked, his eyes finally fluttering open. He shuddered violently and sniffed.

"Come on. Come home."

Vince nodded, weakly. He was a little confused but he trusted Howard and allowed himself to be dragged to his feet. He leant against Howard's side and the older boy held him steady as he helped him through the torrents of rain back to the house.

--

Howard placed a blanket over Vince's shoulders and wrapped the duvet tight around him, tucking it in either side. Then he led on the bed next to him and wrapped himself around Vince as much as he could. Anything to warm him up a bit.

Vince mumbled, when Howard put his arms around him. He turned into the embrace and tilted his head back until he found Howard's chin with his lips. He pressed forward, blind in the dark room until he found Howard's mouth. He kissed him gently and then, fell asleep. Howard didn't sleep that night but that didn't stop him wondering, when he got up in the morning, if he'd been dreaming.

--

Things played on Howard mind for a long time. He felt now, that every time he was alone with Vince he was being drowned in something he couldn't name. It was as though he needed to grab Vince, to cling on to him like a life raft but, at the same time, the raft was on fire. He felt like he had to choose, did he let himself drown or get himself burnt?

--

"You seem quiet," Jenny said, wiggling her fingers into Howard's clenched fist as they walked down the pavement.

"Do I? Sorry." He ran his other hand through his hair but he didn't say anymore. He hadn't really wanted her here. He was supposed to be walking and thinking alone. If he'd wanted company, he'd have asked for it. Jenny had just appeared and now she wouldn't go away.

"Is something troubling you?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"Nothing."

"Is it because it's nearly your birthday?"

Howard hadn't even thought about that but she was right, it was only a few months now until he'd be drafted and pledging his life to King and country.

"I don't know. Maybe."

"You know, I'll be here when you get back," she promised.

"Yeah."

"We all will. And you will get back. I know you will."

"Mmm."

"Howard. I always want to be there for you."

"Yeah."

"I think I… I mean, I love you."

"Mmm." Howard hummed. He wasn't listening. He was looking at the ground, watching his feet move, one in front of the other and thinking about his life. About Vince.

"Howard?"

"…"

Vince.

"Howard."

"…"

Vince.

"Howard!"

He jumped, "What?"

"You weren't listening to me."

"I was." Howard insisted.

"What did I say?"

"I … erm … something about chicken." He guessed. She slapped him. Obviously he'd guessed wrong.

"I poured my heart out then," she yelled "and you didn't even listen!"

"Jenny," he moaned as she began to walk away, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Jenny, come back. Let's talk about this."

She didn't come back and as she rounded the corner of the street, Howard kicked out at a nearby wall, causing a sharp shooting pain to surge through his toes.

--

Howard threw his bedroom door open and stomped, well limped, in with a face like thunder. He slammed his coat onto the floor, kicked his shoes off violently and slammed the door shut again, all under the watchful eye of Vince, who'd been sat on the bed drawing. The younger boy waited a second or two before asking brightly,

"Good walk?"

"Shut up."

"Thought so," he smiled and went back to sketching.

"My life's a mess," cried Howard throwing himself dramatically onto the bed.

"Oh, here we go. Drama, drama," sighed Vince, still not looking up from his notepad.

"Well… aren't you going to ask me what happened?"

"What's the point? You're clearly going to tell me anyway."

Howard scowled for a second. He did think about keeping quiet just to make a point but he needed to vent his anger somewhere.

"I woke up in a bad mood," he began and Vince smiled as he put his notebook and pencil down.

"I know. You didn't eat any breakfast and then you threw Naboo across the room."

"Well, you shouldn't have a bloody teddy anyway. You're a man for God's sake." He did have to remind himself of that sometimes.

"I'm gonna blame that on your bad mood. Go on, tell me what happened," Vince encouraged.

"Well, I thought I'd get out of here and clear my head a bit. Get some fresh air."

"I know, you said before you left."

"Just listen, will you?"

Vince thought about responding with a childish 'oooooooooo' but Howard looked like he might rip his head off if he did. So instead he just said, "alright. What happened then?"

"Well, I'm just walking and thinking, when Jenny comes along…"

"Oh her."

"… and she starts talking away about … something."

"Interesting then?"

"And I'm not listening, it's just sort of background music. You know how I like music on when I'm concentrating."

"Mmm."

"Anyway, she must have said something important because next second she's slapping me for not answering her and running away crying."

"What were you talking about before she ran off?"

"I don't know… I think she said something about waiting for me when I go to war."

Vince shivered. He didn't like the thought of Howard going to the front line. "She told you she'd wait for you?"

"Yeah."

"That's pretty big."

"Yeah."

"So she must have said something even bigger."

"What's bigger than that?"

"What about, 'I love you'?"

"You don't think she'd have said…" Howard trailed off dumbly as flashes of memory came back to him, like remembering a dream. "Shit, he whistled.

"Howard Moon!" Scorned Vince mockingly, "language."

"She loves me?"

"Well obviously."

"Well, what do I do?"

"I dunno," Vince said, "don't care either," he lied, picking his drawing back up.

"Don't you?" Howard asked seriously, staring at the side of Vince's head, noting perfect curve of his cheekbones, smiling at the poutiness of his mouth as he concentrates.

"Nope" was the lie.

"Do you think I should find her? Tell her I love her too?"

"That depends on whether or not you love her."

"Yeah but, how do I know?"

"Dunno but I once heard, if you have to ask, it's not love," Vince answered, peering sideways at the older boy before returning to his drawing. Howard thought for a second.

"So," Vince said, after a while, "why are you limping?"

"Kicked a wall."

Vince suddenly burst out laughing before groaning loudly.

"What?"

"I've put a big pencil line through my picture now. That's your fault."

"How?"

"You made me laugh."

"Sorry."

"Kicked a wall?"

"I was angry."

"So, you took it out on a wall?" Vince asked incredulously. Howard ignored the smirk on the younger boys lips.

"There weren't any puppies in kicking distance."

"Awww. That's horrible, Howard."

"Sorry. I get cranky when all my toes are broken."

Vince stifled a giggle. "I bet they're not all broken. Here. Which foot? Let me have a look."

"What? You're a doctor now, are you?"

"Yep," Vince grinned, pulling both Howard's shoes off and inspecting the feet. "There's nothing wrong with your toes you great lummox," he smiled, as he ran his hands over them.

Howard hummed and allowed his eyes to slide shut for a second and Vince massaged his feet.

"Feeling less stressed?"

"Mmm," Howard murmured the affirmative.

"Good," chuckled Vince.

After a moment or two of blissful foot rubbing , one of Howard's eyes slid open lazily and he caught sight of Vince's picture discarded on the bed next to him. His hand shot out and he pulled the pad towards him.

"Don't look at that!" Vince cried, snatching the pad away but it was too late. Howard had already seen.

"Vince?" Howard questioned, pushing himself onto his elbows. "Was that…? I mean, what was that?"

"Nothing," he hid the drawing against his chest and moved to the other side of the room.

"It was … very good." Howard assured him getting to his feet. He reached out and touched Vince's arm soothingly. He felt the younger boy relax a little at his touch. "You captured it perfectly."

Vince nodded, his head was tilted down but his eyes were on Howard's now, obscured slightly by his fringe. "I wasn't sure if I'd got it right because … it seemed like a blur at the time."

"Yeah, me too," Howard agreed. He wasn't sure how it had happened exactly but now the two boys were millimetres from each other.

"You know Howard…"

"Hmm?"

"If you go to war, I'd wait for you too. You'd just have to ask."

Howard nodded, his hand going to cup Vince's cheek. Gently he tilted Vince's head back and leant down to press a kiss to his lips. The notepad fell to the floor and there, for all to see, was the perfect sketch of the first confusing moment under the bridge. The moment when Vince had figured out exactly what he wanted.