“But he looks so innocent!” protested Sam.
Tally snorted in derision, “He’s really not.”
Sam stared at him in disbelief.
“Jinx is the one who tracked you, he is not powerless.” said Tally, clearly trying to reassure Sam that he didn’t need to worry.
“Oh,” said Sam. He should have thanked Jinx. He would have to do it the next time he saw him.
“I’ve got places to be,” said Felix and he got back in his car. Tally gave him a little wave, but Felix ignored him. Tally didn’t seem to mind.
“Thank you,” said Sam, even though the dancer probably couldn’t hear him. He winced as a wave of dizziness hit him.
“Come on, let’s get you inside,” said Tally, his blue eyes looking deeply worried.
The next few moments were a blur. They walked inside and a nurse tried to get them to take a seat in the busy waiting area, but Tally was having none of it. He explained the nature of Sam’s injury and before Sam quite knew what was happening, he was on a bed, in a cubicle.
Sam couldn’t see the nurse that had dressed Tally’s wounds anywhere, and he was a little disappointed. He wanted to show her just how well taking Tally home had worked out. Then he remembered that he was there because gangsters had hit him on the head and to outside eyes, it probably didn’t look like things had turned out well at all.
Tally stood by his side, clutching his hand. Smiling at Sam fondly.
“You’ll get cold,” said Sam, looking at Tally’s skimpy outfit. No one had paid any attention to it, but then again, it was an inner city emergency department, so probably not the most exotic clothing they had seen.
Tally smiled. “I’ll be fine.”
“Phone Deirdre and ask her to bring some clothes,” suggested Sam.
Tally shook his head. “I don’t have a phone,” he said softly.
Sam felt like he had been kicked in the gut. How could he have never noticed? He should have spotted that and done something about it. As soon as he was out of hospital he was buying Tally a phone and some shoes, and clothes he chose himself instead of hand-me-downs. Sam was a terrible boyfriend.
“I think my phone is still in my pocket,” said Sam as he reached for the back of his jeans. Sure enough, it was still there. Looking unscathed, unlike him. He handed it to Tally.
Tally took it and frowned in concentration. “I think I know how to do this,” he said, and he bit his bottom lip as he focused. He held the phone awkwardly and seemed to be pressing far too hard. Whilst using his index finger.
Sam laughed, “I should have just given you a phone the day we met, then I would have believed you instantly.”
Tally gave him a brief glare but seemed to be far too distracted by battling with the phone to get truly annoyed. Sam watched him. Seeing someone so young, handle technology like an old person was incongruous. Any lingering doubts he might have had about Tally’s story evaporated.
A fresh wave of dizziness rolled over Sam and his vision flickered. He stared at Tally and gasped as he saw something else. Tally’s eyes were the same, but his face was different, narrower. His hair was longer and dark. Caught in braids and twists.
Then a wave of, not quite memories, but feelings and emotions, hit Sam. The echo of the weight of a sword in his hand, the sound of battle. The smell of wood smoke. The feel of soft furs and cold mud. The warmth and darkness of a hut. And Tally writhing in pleasure beneath him. And love, so much love, shining brightly all the way through everything.
“Taliesin,” Sam breathed in awe.
“Yes?” answered Tally, sounding bemused as he looked up from the phone.
Sam grabbed him and pulled him close, eliciting a little squeak of surprise. He held Tally as close against him as possible, never wanting to let go. He never wanted to be parted again, even for a minute.
“You found me. You came back.” Sam whispered.
“You remember?” asked Tally, with excitement clear in his voice.
Sam reluctantly shook his head, “No, not really. It’s like a dream, which is good because it means I got to fall in love with you all over again.”
Tally pulled back a little to stare at him with deep blue eyes. The joy, happiness and love that Sam saw in those depths made his heart sing.
Sam couldn’t stop himself babbling some more, “I think I have always been looking for you, always waiting. Nothing ever felt quite right. Something was always missing. It was you. You weren’t there.”
