The city suffered from an infestation. The degenerate men of corporate business, their hands greedily sliding in a constant search, from one nefarious act to another. The whores were screaming into the stifling night from mouths of an unfathomable depravity. Behind closed doors, politicians were lying in delirious drug induced nightmare games at the expense of innocence. Rorschach drifted from one hideout to another, aimlessly searching for a violent niche to burst upon and destroy. Streetlamps that appeared as halos only illuminated the true nature of the city, while the houses festered in a soup of domesticated fornication. The walls could only contain the avarice and adultery for so long before it spewed onto the stairs and flowed into the gutters for all to see. As his hand separated another tooth from the mouth of the man crippled below him, Rorschach tried to loose himself in the chaos of the night. The man crumpled at his feet, face buried into a sewer grate. Hands clenched, breathing ragged, Rorschach turned to follow the deceiving lamps towards a familiar haunt, one that he knew to hide many a stalking criminal.

Beneath the canopy of trees, Rorschach sat, leaning against the broken statue of a forgotten fountain. The park was surprisingly empty, free for once from the tarnish of people and the sin they inevitably brought with them. Humans. Disgusting, depraved. Rorschach gritted his teeth. He hated moments like these, when his mind was left to wander. It didn't matter how much he tried to reason with himself, how much he tried to purge the city, the nature of men would always be sordid. He looked on all men and women alike, monsters of their own desires, cockroaches swarming amongst the garbage of the city. A skeleton of steel and stone that bred hatred and violence. Except, there was Daniel. Dan Dreiberg. Dan. Even amongst the crime, the filth, Dan remained –in Rorschach's mind- the personification of good. It was wrong. Even if he could ignore his partner's political views, he could not ignore the homosexual tendencies. It should have made him leave. It was no loss to go back to solitude. How could he be drawn to the madness, the outright immoral life Dan lead? People were sick. They were born, screaming and writhing from whores, covered in blood and disgrace, and they often lived and died in the same violent manner. Yet Daniel remained pure. A man amongst the disillusioned. Rorschach would find him, in the violence, and see goodness, purity. Dan.

If he had of remained by himself he would never be in this situation in the first place. How was he supposed to explain that what he wanted was never aloud to be given?

He remained leaning against the statue, the marble smooth and cold as the density of the darkened park swallowed the noise of the city. For hours he remained there, unable to come to a decision. The silence was broken by the feral scream of fighting animals. Rorschach lifted his head though he could not discern what it was above him that had intruded upon his reverie. The scuffle in the trees above was short, and Rorschach noted the distinct sound of a growling cat, the muted yet shrill cry of a trapped bird. As the fight finished, silence returned and Rorschach watched a single feather drift slowly to land beside him.

Slowly rising, he cast one last look into the trees above, before heading off in the direction of Dan's house.

The tunnel smelt of stale air and something that could only be describe as industrial. Piles of dust collected in swirling clouds around Rorschach's ankles as his feet disrupted the forgotten subway trail that lay beneath Dan's house. With each determined step he tried not to think about what this would lead to. A few more paces and it would be too late to turn back. Rattling noises echoed from the mouth of the tunnel and as Rorschach reached the docking bay that held the owl ship, he closed his eyes and reminded himself that there was no other choice.

Daniel was lying partially under the owl ship, an assortment of tools on either side of the mechanics creeper he rested on. Completely immersed in the repair work, Daniel didn't notice Rorschach watching. Watching, in a world of turmoil. Watching a muscled arm reaching back and forth to lift a screen of metal. Watching the rivulets of sweat trail down a shirtless chest. Watching as a smudge of oil was left on his shoulder.

Do it. Just, do it. He started forward, grabbing the board with both hands and pulled Daniel out from under the ship. The movement was aggressively fast and he came face to face with Daniel as he leant impossibly forward. Daniel looked upward at him, his expression of annoyance quickly replaced with one of questioning. His voice sounded almost disbelieving as he whispered "Rorschach"

He pulled them both up, unwilling to trust himself with words. Rorschach stepped back before climbing up the makeshift stairs into the owl ship. He paused at the doorway, his face titled slightly towards Daniel, as he walked in completely.

For a few moments, Daniel could only stare, as if the figure had been an apparition. Wiping the sweat from his eyes, his mouth now uncomfortably dry, Daniel followed after his partner.

Rorschach waited, as Daniel entered the owl ship. Waited, as he stood uncomfortably close. They had created a silence, stifling in its tension. With slow, hesitant movements, Rorschach lifted his mask, over his mouth, leaning forward to place a ghosted kiss onto Daniel's chin. Daniel titled his head, sliding his nose across Rorschach's face before kissing him. It was slow and tentative, so unlike the confrontation in the kitchen weeks ago. With the end of every kiss, he would catch Rorschach's lower lip between his teeth, gently pulling him forward for another assault as his hand came to hold him by the shoulders, bracing them both.

Unsure of what to do, Rorschach removed his gloves and laid his hands onto Daniel's chest before pulling away. Not homosexual. But… it's the only way. He brought his face to Daniel's chest, resting his lips against the skin that separated him from Dan's heart. He could feel the straps of his trench coat being pulled loose, the coat falling to the floor. They were stumbling, pressed together now until his back was against the wall. Daniel removed the other man's shirt before resuming the exploration of Rorschach's mouth with more urgency. Eyes closed, Rorschach told himself the constriction he felt in his chest was from being in such a filthy situation, nothing more. His hands went to Daniels hips as his belt was undone. Only way. His own hands began to unbutton Daniel's pants. After this, Daniel can't be pure. Cant' see him in that way. Can go back to normal. His back arched as a hand traced from his stomach to below his hips, to hold him in an almost reverent manner. Won't be good anymore. Two hands held Rorschach in place, trapped against the wall, as Daniel knelt, taking him in his mouth. The air around him seemed to burn as he choked on half formed cries. Whore. Whore. Hands clenched, he tried desperately to fight against the urge to buck forward.

Daniel rose again, his eyes searching Rorschach's, catching his gaze as one arm reached along the wall, searching until he found the light switch. The ship was brought into total darkness. Rorschach couldn't even see the face before him, as he felt Daniel's breath beat upon his cheek.

"Trust me"

A hand traced upwards, following the line of his neck, cupping his jaw, reaching higher. It was so slow, as the hand reached under the mask, pulling the cloth off in a gentle motion. Rorschach struggled halfheartedly, but ceased as Daniel placed a kiss on each eyelid, his hands now holding Rorschach's hips in place again.

"Trust… me"

It was awkward, and Rorschach stiffened, unwilling to admit the discomfort, the pain. He rested his chin on Daniel's shoulder as they adjusted. The movements were slow and Rorschach felt his body betray him as instinct took over and he raised his hips to meet Daniels. Everything became frantic, animalistic; his skin was burning, tremors running along the inside of his thighs. His eyes were closed painfully tight, unable to breathe, hands holding onto Daniel's side, bruising the skin before slipping with sweat and searching again for somewhere to hold. As his head was thrown back, eyes opened wide to be lost in the darkness, Daniel brought his mouth forward, kissing the hollow of his collarbone, bringing them both over the edge.

There was silence again. Both men lay naked on the floor. Rorscach was curled, almost fetal, his hands folded in front of his face. Daniel traced aimless patterns down the scarred back, zigzagging over the jutting spine to form a map of adoration. Rorschach continued to remain silent and unmoving, and Daniel ceased the gentle actions with a sigh. Slowly standing, his voiced was so heavy in understanding it seemed to burn into Rorschach's skin and echo through the marrow of his bones
"its okay, I'll leave"

He could hear the padding of feet on the stairs, a naked ankle passing by his eyes. As Daniel closed the basement door the lights returned. Rorschach remained mute, uncurling his hand. He gazed at the feather, soft between his fingers, until the image blurred into a nebulous of black and white.