Re: Boathouse: Hugh & Atticus
Hugh smiled, a nod to indicate that knowing grin. "I hope so," he responded quietly. He wasn't certain he believed it was - but then he'd meet someone like Theo who very arguably had such for a while and he'd have to at extend at least some tentative belief again. It maybe had been easier when it had just been flirting and romance and he hadn't looked for anymore. Flirting and sex still was - a relief maybe, if perhaps given more stringent rules than it had been granted before. No sex with friends, no friends with benefits. He felt too fragile for anything that had the possibility of feelings in connection with it.
He took a sip of the coffee and nodded. "I'm not someone who should hide," he grinned at Atticus. "I think if I've learned anything at all in the past year, it's that I'm no good when I do. And not hiding is sometimes scary as fuck, but I can't stay safe in my giant mansion anyway, and I'm miserable if I try it." He tilted his head. "Why do you hide on the island?" since it had come up and all.
Heart lifted her head as if sensing something nearby but then laid it back down again, seemingly relaxed, and after a glance at her Hugh offered. "Someone you can talk to and enjoy sharing time with, at least at its base level. I think there's different levels. I'm more open with my closest friends than I am ones I just enjoy the same activities with. Deep friendship - you've seen someone at their worst and still believe in the best of them, I think, and to me there's nothing more... restorative than that type of friendship."