Wild Stories 2- Unexplained Happenings

Chapter Three: Hawke Inn

They'd been driving for a while now, about an hour. Jack was staring out of the window, thinking.

What did he think, now that he knew Wild was homosexual? He didn't really believe it to be honest. He didn't know much about those kinds of relationships but he couldn't imagine Wild being in one. He was very assertive and Jack couldn't imagine him taking on the woman's role in a romance. 

Though what was the woman's role? After all, it was well known, though not well accepted, that a woman could do anything she wanted and take on any role as her own. Could a man do the same? Could love be more complicated then he had thought?

But if would be upsetting if Wild was like that. Then they couldn't be friends. His father had told him enough times to stay away from men like that.

His grandmother hadn't though. She was the only one that he knew to be in support of homosexuality, except for well... maybe Adams. Perhaps? After all, he did seem to care about Wild's safety. He suppressed his treacherous fluttering of hope. This has nothing to do with me, he thought to himself.

Jack really didn't know what to think anymore. He wanted to push the whole thing out of his mind and yet... something was beckoning him to the subject. Something always had been. He decided to learn more about it, from a completely impartial, academic perspective. He would simply sit back and observe.

Despite his powers of observation, he was still surprised some hours later when the car stopped outside of a large hotel. It looked rather fancy, bearing an ornate front and resting on marble pillars. 

Jack looked wide eyed at Wild, who mimicked his stunned expression, an affectionate grin giving him away.

"I'll be paying for rooms and food while we're here, don't you worry."

"But it's too much!" Jack murmured as they passed through a golden revolving door and stepped into a red velvet adorned room.

"What good is money for if not to spoil your friends?"

"Good philosophy Wild, don't question it Jack." Till remarked, patting Jack's chest as she walked past him.

He shook his head and followed them.

Wild leaned on the front desk and smiled at the receptionist who frowned down at him, his grey eyes narrowing in confusion. "Hi-ho, I have a reservation here? Under the name-"

"Excuse me, are you sure you're meant to be here?"

Wild clicked his tongue and blinked. "That's an odd name."

"It's just we just don't accept people like you here. It's nothing personal."

Wild stared at him incredulously. "It seems quite personal from where I'm standing."

"I'm sure you'll have an easier time wherever you came from."

"Yorkshire?"

"I'm sorry, we have a very important guest coming soon and it wouldn't look good for the hotel if they saw you. You two can stay of course." He said, looking past Wild to Jack and Till.

"I'm Irish," Jack starts off offendedly and the receptionist raised his eyebrows. "And if this is how your hotel operates then I don't want to stay here."

He sniffed and turned to Till who said "A plague upon your house, you rotten curr."

Wild was beginning to look fairly amused.

"Ah, I see. Well, better cancel that reservation then, so you can free up a room. The name is August Wild."

He nodded at the look of surprise spreading across the man's face, before heading to the door, his friends close behind him.