#LoveWins

[friendsfordinner]

Who: Cornelius Hickey & OPEN
What: hey. hey guess who's married. guess. take a guess. bet you can't guess, OKAY it's Hickey
When: early October, post Forest Talker attack
Where: Milton

Content Warnings: as always, the possibility of canon-typical Terror warnings (mentions of gore, cannibalism, period-typical homophobia, murder, all of Hickey's crimes. etc.). Will mention in the thread if they occur.

---

Hickey's basically married now!

Yeah, sure he's considered himself basically married ever since Billy arrived here. They're living together, after all, and as long as Hickey's got Billy, he hasn't really felt any lust or desires towards any other people (except Crozier) (that's different). And he does love Billy. At least, he's pretty sure he does. Love's a weird feeling and it's something that Hickey has never really been able to put a name to or identify in himself, so yeah, it might as well be love! And Billy's been wearing the ring that Hickey gave him. And they've both been upfront about it with each other, to the point where Billy said that he and Hickey were together during that awful town meeting.

So yeah, they've been basically married already. But Billy gave him a ring (looted off some corpse, not entirely romantic but something the ever-practical Hickey approves of), so now they're officially married! What do you mean most marriages involve a priest or signing a contract in front of the law, they don't have either of those here! This is as official as it's going to get!

So naturally, Hickey's going to gloat.

He goes about his day to day life in Milton. He'll check out the notice board, he'll rummage through what abandoned buildings he hasn't yet rummaged through, he'll go on a little walk. But every time he spots someone, he adjusts his hair, brushing it behind his ear. And then brushing it behind his ear again. And then he'll lightly scratch his neck. Or he'll wave them over. And hey, just ignore the fact that all of Hickey's obvious stupid little tells are with his left hand and just ignore the fact that all of his obvious stupid little tells are blatantly him just showing off that ring finger. With a ring on it.

Hey did he mention he's married???

Comments

[questioningmermaids]

March is chopping wood--annoying but nessecary--when he glances up and over at Hickey. Who is moving his hair. Once. Twice. Left handed. March spots the ring, because he's a goddamn detective, man, but that doesn't mean he's going to give in to Hickey's little tells.

He straightens, axe in hand, and finally asks:

"What are you doing?"

[friendsfordinner]

"Fixing my hair," Hickey points out, like this is a totally normal thing that normal people do. "It keeps getting in my face. What d'you think, should I get it cut?"

And don't mind him as he attempts to fix his hair one more time, once again blatantly showing off that wedding ring to March.

[questioningmermaids]

March's hands move immediately to both of his hips in his usual Power Stance.

"Yeah, I can see that, I mean what's with the--"

and he'll mirror Hickey, only with his lips pursed up and blinking rapidly, a pantomime of a valley girl and a stereotype that has yet to be seen in his lifetime.

[friendsfordinner]

Hickey is going to happily misinterpret March's gesture, simply because it benefits him and this way, he gets to gloat.

"Oh, the ring? Well, it's simply because that Billy, the man who might as well be my husband, decided to make it official. As far as I'm concerned, by the laws of this place, we're bloody well married."

[sukeltaja]

"Congratulations."

Zane is just sort of there as Hickey's taking a walk, falling easily in line with him, the few fish he's managed to capture dangling from the line he's tossed behind his back. His smile is genuine.

"It's new, right? The ring."

[friendsfordinner]

Somebody isn't used to Tom Zane being all Tom Zane yet. So when Zane appears, right out of nowhere, taking Hickey by surprise, he reacts accordingly: he brings back his fist to try and punch Zane in the face.

At least when he spots that it's Zane he's attempting to punch, Hickey's expression is pure 'oh shit.'

[sukeltaja]

Hickey's fist connects smoothly and cleanly for two reasons. One, Tom Zane does not have the powers he does back in the Dark Place, the comfort of real-time editing reality forever locked away. Two, he is a strung out, unhinged artist.

At the very least he doesn't fall, but he does stumble and, eyes wide, looks accusatory at Hickey, holding his bleeding nose.

"I'm complimenting you!"

[desperate_times_right]

Hickey isn’t Chloe’s first obnoxiously married friend, so she catches on pretty quick.

“You rascal, what's that?”

Yes, things have been a little crazy, but she can't believe that Billy didn't mention it!

[friendsfordinner]

"Why this?" Hickey flaunts the ring towards Chloe like a complete shit. He grins before pointing out,

"Billy gave me a ring. About time, yeah? After all, it's been a while since I gave him his."

[desperate_times_right]

Chloe laughs, delighted. “Nice! He surprised you?”

Billy’s got more gumption than she gives him credit for sometimes.

cw: some implied homophobia

[moralabsolutism]

"Congratulations. You two deserve each other." Oh, look, it was the voice Hickey probably least wanted to hear, dripping with sarcasm and contempt.

The roof Rorschach was on happened to be literally right above Hickey's head, sloping down before coming to a flat level portion that covered a porch that led into the house. He was perched on that part, which meant he actually wasn't that far from the ground, only about ten feet above the ground. He wouldn't have normally noticed anything going on with Hickey but the man was being ridiculously obnoxious flashing that thing around. Rorschach had watched silently from the top of the roof as he showed it off to someone else and listened into the brief conversation, as usual managing to remain unnoticed despite the fact he wore the face he did and was probably one of the few that used the rooftops more than the ground. Then he skidded down closer for confirmation, and yep, that was definitely a wedding ring.

[friendsfordinner]

Any sort of shit-talking or eye-rolling or talking about his upcoming nuptials will be ignored for a moment as when Hickey spots Rorschach, he rubs the bridge of his nose before complaining,

"Goddammit, I thought something would have killed you by now. Why're you still alive?"

[moralabsolutism]

There was a larger part of Rorschach than he wanted to admit who was petty enough to take delight in causing Hickey exasperation. He was smirking behind the mask, the black dots clustering around his mouth area and remaining there as he continued to speak with his mental voice.

"I'll never die. Too stubborn. And there's nothing here tough enough to keep me down for long. Must be the same reason you're still around. You're like a cockroach in human form." He shifted from a crouching to a sitting position, keeping his legs bent up at the knee towards his body rather than dangling over the edge. "But who knows? Maybe I'll find a can of bug spray big enough for you yet."

[unsheathedfromreality]

There's a word in Shriketongue for what Hickey's doing--ostentatious male preening to show off a new prize--and it drifts through the back of Illarion's head when he looks up from the noticeboard to see... that.

There's also a word for deflating the posturing man with a joke because he's being too obvious about it.

"Tell me you don't have fleas."

Mammals get fleas, not mites, right?

[friendsfordinner]

"Why would I have fleas? That's the sort of thing dogs have."

Says the man who can turn into a wolf. At least the only person who knows about that secret isn't here to give Hickey shit.

So instead, he moves his hand up by his hair again, once again showing off the ring just to show it off.

[unsheathedfromreality]

"They're not that picky." Fleas, that is.

Illarion would turn back to reading, but the movement in his peripheral vision has the desired effect: He looks straight at the ring, gold-in-black eyes narrowing behind his veil. Then, he huffs--amusement, exasperation, or a shadow of both.

"Hope whoever gave you that is more discerning."

[goingtobeunwell]

That strange wolf that kept coming around for scraps and head-scratches hasn't been around for a few weeks now. Crozier finds it odd that such a tame creature would suddenly stop visiting the place that offered free food and warmth, but then again this place is harsh for a great many creatures, not just the humans now living here. Something could have happened to the wolf - the pack moved elsewhere or it was killed by the forest-talkers, or perhaps --

Well, there had been some talk about the people in town turning into wolves. If it had been a human in wolf form Crozier is fairly convinced it was one of the children from the town. So many of them are vulnerable and needing just a quiet place to escape, and he wouldn't begrudge them finding their way to his cabin now and again for some food and a fire.

But he doesn't like that he hasn't seen the wolf in some time, and on one of his many routine walks through the forest he comes across a place that he's encountered the wolf before, only sans-wolf. In the friendly wolf's place is Cornelius Hickey, looking smug and self-satisfied and far too happy for a man who deserves to be miserable for the rest of his grubby little life.

[friendsfordinner]

Eventually Hickey will realize that having Hickey the person follow the same lines, routes, pathways as Hickey the wolf will end up with an enterprising person putting two and two together. Hell, the more he hangs around as a wolf, the easier that will be. But Hickey's always been good at overlooking the really obvious things and instead focusing on the specifics.

All that's a problem for later as right now, making his way to where he laid some traps, Hickey spots Crozier. That smug, self-satisfied look is still on his face as he gives Crozier a nod. As the conversation continues, Hickey adjusts his position so that he can easily take off his gloves.

"It's been a while," Hickey says, with a nod. "You probably feel it should have been even longer, but I can't do anything about that, yeah?

[goingtobeunwell]

He doesn’t like that Hickey’s able to cross through his usual paths - and even less that it seems Hickey also considers this territory his own. For all the space available here, it’s a hard fact to swallow that they’d have to run into each other now and again. Maddening, really, that he can’t do a damn thing about it either.

“‘Never again’ would still be too soon,” he grouses. He wonders if he’s seen the wolf - not that he’s about to ask.

Poor thing is so friendly, drawing Hickey’s attention to it would ultimately be a death sentence for the creature. There’s a persistent little voice at the back of his mind that says perhaps Hickey has something to do with the wolf’s disappearance. There’s no proof, just conjecture and past actions to go on. He quiets that piece of his mind before it starts running rampant.

[burying]

Kieren can be found in the church yard, helping with the effort to bury the Forest Talkers — as requested by the bunch of kids who've joined them. It's hard, tiring work but he doesn't mind and he doesn't feel the cold anyways. Not to mention it's something to keep him busy.

"So is that what I think it is, then?" He'll pause from the digging, straightening and rolling his shoulders.

Yeah, Cornelius. You're being absolutely obvious. Kieren's noticed.

[friendsfordinner]

"What, a wedding ring?" Hickey, who is absolutely not helping to bury the Forest Talkers, preens, moving his hand so he can show off the wedding ring even more.

"Now that Billy and I both have rings, closest thing to official, yeah? We're probably the first and only married couple in this town."

Someone is unaware of Bigby's love life.

[burying]

Yeah, thanks for the help, mate.

"Wow, harsh on all the folks separated from their spouses thanks to world-hopping." Kieren's voice is deadpan, and he pauses to think on it. Is anyone else actually married in this place? He's not actually sure. Still, Kieren's smiling.

"But you're probably right." he muses. "Not much in the way of romance in this place."

Well, here he is, burying people. The height of romance.

[fissure]

Well, well, well.

Since last they met, certainly Prior has taken steps to keep his distance (mostly because he thinks Hickey's lost his mind). He hasn't asked around either – that's not really his business (not anymore) – but as of late, plainly, it's been a bit difficult to avoid the subject.

Curious and slow in his approach, like a meandering cat, Prior watches Hickey's obvious display. It's a preening that reminds him of the peacocks at the bird house, tail feathers splayed and shaking for attention. He wants to say you've already got the mate, you bloody loon, but realizes it's less a display of sexual viability (or lack thereof, in this case) and more a demonstration of prowess. As if to say look what I've got.

He purposefully waits until Hickey passes his cabin door before speaking up. "I think I might have to change my name," he notes flatly from the door. "Three people have already mistakenly congratulated me..."

[friendsfordinner]

Hickey frowns at Prior's statement before the dots connect and—

"Oh, your first name's Billy, yeah? Don't know why people would congratulate you, seeing as you look nothing like Billy Gibson."

Billy Gibson, bless his heart, looks like a skeletal giraffe composed entirely of angles. Hickey finds all those angles absolutely delightful and adores the hell out of them, but the point stands. He's not an easy man to confuse. But then again, he doubts anyone would confuse Gibson for Prior anyway, this is just an attempt at small talk.

Hopefully.

"Far as I can tell, Billy and I are the first couple to actually shack up and make it official. No wonder people are talking."

cw: religious insensitivity, homophobia, allusions to CSA

[fissure]

Making to fall into line with the other man, he leaves his cabin behind and stares down at his boots in the snow. Few talk openly of homosexuality even in Prior's time, and those that do are apt to looking back over their shoulders. Where Prior can have his choice – and what choices he's made – he's managed to stay somewhat undercover in the soft and sensitive munition-yellowed flesh of his fiancee. Sarah provides plausible deniability and Prior can't say that he doesn't love her or women, for that matter.

But men? Men are easier.

The moment drifts by exactly as expected and Prior finds that his can't help his sardonic smile at Hickey's proclamation. "The first ever?" he asks, his curiosity on display. Sporus or Hierocles be damned, just to name a few.

"As long as no one attributes it to adelphopoiesis," Prior adds with no small amount of cheek. "Why should it be marriage when the Catholics can call it 'brotherhood.'"

And never mind their sexual interests. Prior has always wondered if the Church was near fully to blame for most homosexuals, but no one had turned him gay. Then again what has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Certainly, Father Mackenzie took great pride in his religious tutelage, and that's not bound to have ended with Prior.