Shakespeare one shots

The luckiest guy

Wanna go for a ride?
It's an emotional rollercoaster.

It's all Isaac's fault. He made me listen to it on the bus and now I can't stop.

Also: Horatio's old truck is back :D

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

Horatio, observer of all observers, couldn't help noticing how Ros and Guil made Hamlet laugh. He'd never managed it, not really. He could pull a sarcastic chuckle from the prince with a witty comment, but the two jesters made Hamlet double over with mirth. Horatio adored it.

Hamlet would often join Horatio in the library exchanging long goodbyes with the two. Horatio knew their schedules and thus knew that they'd be together again in class two hours later, but indulgently leaned against the doorframe and gazed fondly at the three friends.

The jesters were wonderful people, no doubt. Horatio noticed that Hamlet visibly brightened when they walked into the room. Horatio was pleased about it. If Ros and Guil's presence was all it took for Hamlet to light up like a star, Horatio would make sure he was around them as much as possible.

And yet...

"Horatio, c'mon, let's escape for a little while."

The scholar smiled in spite of himself and allowed the enthusiastic prince to drag him by the hand out of the library, through the halls, and down to the shitty parking garage with low rent that housed Horatio's knackered truck. Hamlet claimed shotgun and they were off, rolling all the windows down to feel the wind and blasting whatever was playing through the aux cord attached to the prince's phone.

Horatio drove them out of city limits and into the German countryside, the initial rush of freedom settling now the novelty had worn off. Or so Horatio thought, until Hamlet stumbled out of the car looking almost drunk and sprawling happily into the grass when Horatio pulled over.

"The sky is so big, come lay under it," Hamlet giggled, and Horatio couldn't say no.

I'm the luckiest guy on the Lower East side, he sang in his head.

~~~

Ophelia was an angel in an earthly body, and Horatio fully accepted this.

She was talented, intelligent, bubbly, and endlessly patient, not to mention beautiful. She had a warm smile and always smelled like flowers. The kind of girl Hamlet deserved.

So what did Hamlet do? He dated her brother.

Horatio was confused but supportive when Hamlet appeared suddenly on Laertes' arm. They both seemed happy, so Ophelia and Horatio patted them each on the back and retreated from the room to get their emotions under control.

"I'm in love with him," Ophelia confessed tearfully, and Horatio rubbed her shoulder.

"Me too," he said. She sniffled.

"Well, if my brother doesn't work out, I'd be happy for you two."

"Ditto. You'd be adorable together."

They sat side by side, wallowing quietly in how blind their prince was.

~~~

"Hey, let's get out of here."

Horatio had never grabbed his car keys so fast.

As they drove, he chose not to address how long it had been since they'd done this. Hamlet was drumming his fingers, an anxious habit that he hadn't quite quelled, and Horatio reached to intertwine their hands to calm him.