Henri’s War [ free short story ]

Genre: M/M romance, fantasy/diesel-punk

Length: 11k~ words

Summary: Mark runs a bar in the free territory known as the Margin, outside of the war zones ripping the rest of the world apart. He’s not running from anything, least of all the memory of his former lover Duncan, a soldier who left him flat for unknown reasons two years earlier. They had been set to leave the occupied city of Marigolt together in a dangerous run for the Margin, but Duncan stood Mark up at the railroad station with just a short hand written note asking forgiveness.
Mark runs his bar apolitically, but that all changes when the revolutionary and underground fighter Dr. Alistair Henri walks into his bar with his consort and bodyguard Duncan St. Quire on his arm.

What price will each man pay for Duncan’s love? And can Duncan ever be at peace with his own warring allegiances?

Author’s Notes: Clever readers will pick up on the fact that this story is roughly based on the classic movie Casablanca because it is! I love that movie! So it’s a bit of fanfiction, sort of? However it is different in some important ways, and I hope you like the take I did on the beloved story.