Part 10
Hunter opened his eyes when he heard some angry shouts around him. He looked around and noticed that there was a man in the water that wanted to get onto the overcrowded boat.
"We can't let you up or we'll sink and all end up in the water", Puck said with sadness in his eyes.
"But please", the young man begged.
"No", a man said.
Hunter looked at Sebastian. Sebastian didn't want to watch this scene. He buried his face in Hunter's shoulder. But Hunter noticed something else. The older man next to them held his eyes closed. He shook the man slightly. But gained no response.
"Wait", he croaked when the young man was about to swim away.
"What is it", a man on the boat said.
"This guy's gone I think", Hunter said and a man felt the older man's neck and nodded sighing heavily.
"He's gone", he said.
"Well get the dead weight off the boat!" someone said and Hunter, Sebastian and another man got the dead man into the sea. Someone muttered a prayer and they helped the young man up onto the boat. He was younger than both Hunter, Puck and Sebastian and those three were youngest of them all. The young man had short brown hair and dark eyes. He was also very small.
Everyone started to huddle together to keep warm. They realized two more of them were dead so they let them drop into the sea as well. Maybe someone else would come by. The only sound they could hear were the sounds of the breathing from the men around them and their own. But there were no screams anymore, no splashing. It was too quiet and too dark.
"What are we going to do when we get to New York", Sebastian asked Hunter quietly. Hunter sighed. What was he going to do? When he had Thad he had known what he would do.
He would find the pair of them somewhere to live. He would get a job on the police force and he'd make sure Thad was okay at all times. But now he couldn't. Because Thad had disappeared. He had gone down with the Titanic. He was alone, for the first time ever in his life… he was alone. Hunter jolted a little in surprise when Sebastian hugged him tightly. Hunter realized it then.
He wasn't alone. He had Sebastian with him still. They were united through their love for Thad. They both loved him, in different ways but still. But their love for Thad united them and they had both lost him… him and Wes.
Hunter thought back of that strange little lordling they've met. He'd saved them, made them his friends, shared his world with them and gladly took part in their world. He helped Sebastian and Thad find each other. He helped them out from the place that would be their grave. He helped Sebastian and Hunter at least get a chance of survival.
"Hunter", Sebastian asked again, his voice strained. "What are we going to do when we get to New York?"
Hunter moved so that he could hold Sebastian in his arms. Sebastian's back was to his chest and Sebastian's head rested on Hunter's shoulder. Hunter was not going to let go of Sebastian, ever.
"When we get to New York", he croaked. "Will find a little apartment where we can both live."
"Near the park", Sebastian asked.
"Just beside it. It'll be bright and clean and cozy and warm. When you walk in through the door the first thing you will see is the big living room. There will be a chandelier in the roof."
"Made of crystal and big windows to let the sun in", Sebastian croaked. "There will be a cozy atmosphere from the furniture and in the corner a piano and on that a violin case."
"We'll have one study, two big bedrooms, two bathrooms and two guest rooms and a kitchen."
"How about a big dining room where we can have parties for all our friends", Sebastian said.
"Yes I totally forgot about that."
"And a library", Sebastian added.
"And a big balcony."
"It would be a loft apartment so that we could have somewhat of a garden on the roof. We need one so we can watch the stars."
"And talk to Thad and Wes because they'll be watching us from the stars."
"And a room where you could just sit in the quiet for a bit", Sebastian said. "I'll be a lawyer and you a big and brave police man."
"Together we'll bring down criminals."
"Yeah", Sebastian laughed. "And… and we'll have a little puppy."
"A small one, with big smart and friendly eyes."
"We'll name him Thad."
"Yes and a bigger dog, a protective and kind one that will always help."
"Wes."
"Yeah…"
"Those are nice dreams boys", someone said. "But that's just all they are… dreams little children make before they grow up."
Hunter sighed. Yes they were dreams, but good dreams. And the man was right. He wasn't grown up yet, but he was getting there. Hunter looked at the stars and sang softly:
When I grow up
I will be tall enough to reach the branches
that I need to reach to climb the trees
you get to climb when you're grown up.
He fell quiet but Sebastian looked up at the stars as well and sang:
And when I grow up
I will be smart enough to answer all
the questions that you need to know
the answers to before you're grown up.
The boat was silent again and Hunter and Sebastian both looked at the sky and sang together:
And when I grow up
I will eat sweets every day
on the way to work and I
will go to bed late every night!
And I will wake up
when the sun comes up and I
will do all the stuff I want all the time
and I won't care 'cause I'll be all grown up!
"Shut up", someone groaned.
"No continue", someone else said. Hunter and Sebastian looked at each other and sang together:
When I grow up!
When I grow up, when I grow up
I will be strong enough to carry all
the heavy things you have to haul
around with you when you're a grown-up!
Some of the others joined in on the singing, anything to make the time move faster.
And when I grow up, when I grow up
I will be brave enough to fight the creatures
that you have to fight beneath the bed
each night to be a grown-up!
And when I grow up
I will have treats every day.
And I'll play with things that Mum pretends
that Mum's don't think are fun.
And I will wake up
when the sun comes up and I
will spend all day just lying in the sun
but I won't burn 'cause I'll be all grown-up!
When I grow up!
Everyone stopped singing when an man slammed his hand down on the boat. Everyone looked at him. He looked older and he looked scared. He also managed to look pissed off. Hunter looked down at his lap. Maybe not everyone found comfort in singing. Thad had always done that, in singing and drawing. Hunter realized it then… He still wore the backpack. He took it off and opened it. Sebastian looked at him and Hunter pulled out Thad's sketchpad. It was okay, it wasn't even wet. Hunter felt tears sting in his eyes and he ran a hand over the front of the thing. He sniffled and looked at it while singing softly:
And when I grow up
I will be brave enough to fight the creatures
that you have to fight beneath the bed
each night to be a grown-up…
TBC I know the song is not time appropriate but this is fanfiction :P