The Shopkeeper's Secret

fuck have

sighed, exhausted

ered him. He'd watched him walk weakly up the long drive, wondering how the hell he'd lost sight of him o

were 12. George had always known that with Si

t for the army together. While Simon had got in, George had been reje

army, learning combat, engineering and even the la

failed recruitment many years prior. When Simon learned how George's father had bribed a doctor to

of his mind. Lucky for him, considering the alternative, a tree had stopped the car from tumbling into the 300-foot gorg

ed Simon to decide then and there to leave the army. He had to help his

any years they had been apart, he felt overcome with guilt. He knew it wasn

around, driving way too fast and being all around careless with his

remembered how good his friend was at hiding his emotions

ises. When he couldn't, he'd always known what to say to ward off suspicion because he'd known t

n as a 12-year-old, he had come up with brilliant plans to keep them both away from home for weeks, even months on end

ed enough to sign off on all of that. He had never really shown any real interest in his son since hi

d she would be okay after the birth, she had died barely a month after he'd come to the world. George had no memory of

onversation with the servants that had known her. When Simon had gone to see him in hospital after the car accident, he had felt the void

, that he was his friend's only hope at a normal life and at a

ening with emotion. When it occurred to him that George hadn't realized how panicked he'd been wh

orge, took his head in his han

life. I have protected you and will continue to protect you with my life." He was shouting now. "So, yes now

rted shouting back. "We're in a fucking third world country,

enaries that your fucking dick of father sent, find

rge threw up his arms and made

means very little to you even now, but

pped in hi

p with him on the landing. George turned around and lo

ld. His own ability to hide grief wasn't something that Simon was good at. Simon was a well-adj

mind and anticipating when he needed him. These last 20 years since the accident, Simon had been all th

ved in and hugged him, a manly, brotherly hug. He always thought of Si

practical outlook had been the only thing that had kept him alive this long. But he didn't

want to leave." Simon gave him

ided to b

and walked along a wide, well-lit

on said a lot more calmly, "Is there

ter bedroom and George took off his

sort of STD on you

s shoes, socks, shorts and underwear, throwing them carel

wall is lined with cameras. Perez had a grand old time watching you on the monitors. If I hadn't

g at his own shamelessness. "It's slim pi

l, man?" Simon broke into full laughter now. "The craftsmanship turn you on?" He l

inued, "You couldn't walk eight steps i

nude now and holding onto the bathroom doorway for support as he laughed. Simon with his ba

t stop laughing. When he finally did, "It's pret

imon's voice did little to stifle both their laughter

aughed out, George's face brightened as he remembered the reason for his ludicrous behaviour. Somet

What i

nd stared off over his shoulder, as if he

t this

he said it that

silver hair – much like his own – from his now uncharacteristically blissful visage. Stu