Original subtitles

(Dance music playing over headphones)

(Indistinct chattering)

(Inaudible)

(Club music playing)

(Clicking)

Come on.

Hey, guys...

Um, I was just...

Wanted to see if you were still up.

Bye.

(Inaudible)

(Panting)

Are you okay?

Me? I'm fine.

You don't know me, but if you did you'd know I'm always fine.

(Screaming) What about your drink?

You can keep it.

(Theme song playing)

(Beeping)

(Beeping continues)

(Woman over computer device) Destination reached.

- (Scanner beeps) - WOMAN: Scanning successful.

(Indistinct chattering)

Hello.

Hi.

(Indistinct talking continues)

(Pop music playing on tv)

(Audience cheering on tv)

(Panting)

No. No. No.

No. No. No.

Oh, no!

I'm going to stay in tonight.

You don't feel so good?

I'm fine.

(Alarm beeping)

I wanted to say thank you.

Uh...

Which I didn't get to say.

Last time.

I just had a hunch.

Sometimes you have to take a chance, right? Otherwise, how'd you know?

(Chuckling) Obviously I got this wrong.

Oh, sorry.

(Chuckling)

My name's Danny.

My name is Joe.

So, Joe, are you...

Are you...

I've ran out of questions.

- Um... - Ask me.

Please.

Are you out?

No.

If you want to go, I can understand that reaction.

I don't want to go.

I work for an investment bank.

It's their apartment.

Security is a concern.

(Door closing)

There's a terrace.

If you want to smoke, I mean.

I'm going to take a shower.

(Shower running)

I'll let you get dressed.

(Door closing)

(Footsteps approaching)

I can pay.

No, it's fine, um...

I must be easy to read.

You are.

Is that bad?

It makes a change.

The people I work with are inscrutable.

(Clearing throat)

I can be inscrutable.

Did you look through my clothes?

(Chuckling)

See you.

Has he rung?

He will.

A week...

I've never been more certain of anything in my life.

Why?

Because...

That can't be it.

There's more. There has to be.

You love falling in love.

The moment when it's all possibilities and dreams.

You think he's out of my league?

Thought never crossed my mind.

Where are we going to drink tonight?

Somewhere dimly lit and terribly old fashioned.

So, we're on the doorstep,

saying goodbye,

and I'm trying to give him Pavel's number because I don't have a phone,

except he doesn't write it down. And I'm like,

"If you don't want to... If you don't want to see me again..."

And then he says, "Numbers, Danny, I have no problem with."

Like he could remember every phone number in the world.

(Both laughing)

And then we shook hands.

If you'd told me a week ago I would've been this happy

with a handshake at the end of date...

I'm sorry. I'll stop talking about him.

It's all right. No, I understand, you're...

It's just a feeling... You know?

Not being able to think about anyone else?

Yes. I know the feeling.

Yeah, of course.

(Knocking at door)

(Knocking continues)

Otherwise, how do you know?

At some point you're going to talk about yourself, right?

Not your work, I understand.

That's secret.

But the other stuff?

Why?

(Laughing)

Isn't that what you do when you meet someone?

I tell you stuff. You tell me stuff.

This is us.

(van lock beeping)

You're so grown up.

You drink tea out of a thermos

and you go for country walks.

I must seem young

compared to the people you work with.

You do.

You're not joking, are you?

I started university when I was 15.

So, you've never messed around?

- In what sense? - Any sense.

I've been serious

for a very long time.

What made you change your mind?

- About? - About me.

I wondered what it would be like to do these walks with someone.

For a minute I was worried you were going to say it was because I made you laugh.

I don't think you've ever made me laugh.

It's not that you won't...

I understand.

- I'm sure you will... - I understand.

So, you turn up, on my doorstep,

which is wonderful, except I never told you where I live,

and I was wondering, and I should say in advance, that I don't mind,

but...

Did you

carry out some kind of background check on me?

The way we met was unusual.

Right. (Chuckling)

So, you thought,

stranger, seduction,

not that, um, I'm presuming you're seduced by me,

that's, um, process ongoing...

Um, what was I saying...

Um, yeah. So, you thought

our meeting was part of a setup?

It's fine. It's fun. I just... I thought you said I was easy to read.

That would've been the reason you were selected.

The appearance of innocence.

I'm not innocent.

You might be the only innocent person I know.

Can you tell me what your real name is now?

My name is Alex.

I'd like you to come up.

If you want, obviously.

And if you don't want, that's cool.

- I want to... - I didn't mean to say, "cool".

You want to...

But?

It's a little fast.

Well, maybe next time.

-You've got to stop shaking my hand. -I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

(Door closing)

Fuck.

It's normally tidier than this.

It's never tidier than this.

Had you guessed?

Hmm. I'd guessed you hadn't slept with guys before.

I'd thought maybe you'd slept with a couple of women.

Can I ask you a question?

Mmm.

What's stopped you?

You don't have to answer.

How do you admit to someone you've never been in a relationship?

Who wants to hear?

When they do, who wants to stay?

I do.

At school I was old.

At university I was young.

(Sniffling)

I've always been out of step

with the people around me.

In the end, I left it so late. I gave up.

I told myself I was all about the mind.

And people found me odd.

I grated on them.

I could see it in their eyes.

And rather than change, I...

I started playing the role more and more.

I didn't need anyone.

That's what I told myself.

I didn't want anyone.

Did you imagine you'd spend the rest of your life alone?

Yes.

I can't begin to understand what that must feel like.

-You always knew you'd find someone? -Always.

(Chuckling)

I can't imagine what that must feel like.

(Chuckling)

I'd like to try again.

We don't have to.

- You don't want to? - (Chuckling)

(Sighing) We can wait.

I've waited long enough.

Drugs?

I've been using them to make me believe that the sex was special.

That the person I was with was special.

But I'd love to know what it feels like for real.

Because I bet it's the best feeling in the world.

Will you stop worrying about me?

Will you stop worrying about me?

(Both panting)

You saw me.

What I mean is, you saw me.

And you asked if I was okay.

And not like most people ask it, like they've asked it 100 times that day already.

You asked it as if

nothing else mattered to you.

And I thought, "How is it that this person who I've never seen before...

"How are they the only person in the whole world who knows?

"That I'm not okay."

But I was sure if I could just find out your name,

if I could just find out who you were,

everything would be okay.

What if everything isn't okay?

Then we tell each other.

And we deal with it.

Whatever it is, we deal with it.

Together.

(Chuckling)

Is there something you want to tell me?

No.

(japanese flute music playing)

I'm excited you two are going to meet.

I should've organised it sooner.

A month or two, I could understand,

I'm not so old I can't remember

what it's like to be smitten.

But eight months listening to you declare

how wonderful he is while failing

to introduce us feels wilful.

DANNY: Sorry.

(Music continues)

(Audience applauding)

Scottie, this is Alex.

(Clearing throat)

Alex, tell me...

What did you make of her?

Too much?

That doesn't surprise me.

Danny has always preferred his men to be as straight as possible.

A tedious form of self-loathing

that I've unsuccessfully tried to wean him off.

Scottie, I was telling Alex...

I hope you told him that this is where we first met?

You must be wondering how an old queer like me

ended up friends with a handsome young man like him?

Nineteen years old, he walked through that door, as lost as a person could be.

I saw him in his tatty jeans, with his cropped hair and his puppy dog eyes.

I could guess his sad story without hearing a word.

I presumed, if I bought him a drink,

there wouldn't be a single second when

he wasn't hoping for someone better to come along.

But what can I say? I'm a soft touch

so I bought him that drink,

and to my surprise he talked to me for the whole night.

He didn't leave even when others stalked him.

A small gesture, but it meant a great deal.

And we've been friends ever since.

I'm the one he comes to when times are tough.

And they often are.

Poor Danny has a terrible track record

for picking the wrong man.

He's an insufferable romantic.

One of the last.

Does it fall to me to say, "Don't break his heart"?

I could never hurt Danny.

May I ask, as someone who has been witness to the breaking of many a heart,

how you can be so sure?

Because he's the only friend I have.

I'm pleased for you.

I'm pleased for both of you.

Had you two met before?

No.

DANNY: You know, Scottie asked if you knew how I became his friend.

ALEX: Danny, you don't need to tell me anything...

I love you.

And I need you to know.

I was 19, like he said.

It was a bad time.

I'd left home. I was doing a lot of drugs.

And one night I was wired.

Not happy, not high, or...

I was numb.

And I posted an ad online

saying that anyone could come round.

I mean anyone.

My only condition was that they didn't speak.

And people showed up...

I didn't turn them away.

I didn't ask anything of them.

And they must have thought their luck was in...

'Cause they didn't make a sound.

The next day I couldn't stop crying.

And I went to see Scottie.

I didn't

know him very well. I'd only met him a couple of times.

But he was the only person I could trust.

And he took me straight to the hospital.

I was put on a course of PEP.

Which is, um, emergency medication.

I was on the drugs for 28 days.

And Scottie looked after me.

Sixteen weeks later I had an HIV test.

And I was clear.

(Sobbing)

And we were friends.

(Sighing)

I've never done anything like that again.

I swear.

I was out of my mind.

I'm always safe.

Always.

I don't know what happened to me that night.

I look back and I don't recognise that person.

And I've never cheated on you.

(danny sighing)

I don't want to have any secrets from you.

I never want to have any secrets ever again.

(Chuckling)

(Classical music playing over stereo)

Let's go away for the weekend.

Sure.

I have to buy a battery for my laptop.

I can't go without replacing it.

I understand.

(Buzzing)

(Dialling on mobile)

(Rock music playing loudly)

Has Alex called for me?

(Indistinct talking)

Has Alex called?

(Knocking)

How long?

(Sighing)

Eleven days.

What happened?

I told him.

That you loved him?

How you and I became friends.

That was a mistake.

Why didn't I shut my mouth?

Because you needed to know,

could he still love you?

I've fucked it up. I...

I'd fucked it up before I'd even met him.

Have you tried everything?

(Sighing)

Well, there's only one thing left to do.

Accept that it's over.

I can't.

What other choice do you have?

You'll get over it.

Not quickly. Not completely. But enough to carry on.

Trust me on that.

Now, I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me.

I have work to do.

You want me to leave?

I'd never ask you to leave.

Rest here. Sleep, eat.

But today I can't play assistant to your personal life.

Just out of curiosity, did you ever wonder

what I might want?

What you want?

What do you want?

Do you want this?

Is this what you want?

What do I owe you? Five nights? Ten nights? Tell me!

Scottie, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

(Footsteps running up stairs)

We should call the police.

Nothing was taken.

We couldn't even give our stuff away.

(Beeping)

(Woman over computer device) System rebooting.

(Beeping)

Item for Danny Holt.

(Beeping)

(Beeping continues)

(Woman over computer device) Destination reached.

Alex?

Alex?

Alex?

(Lullaby music playing)

(Music stops)

(Gasping)

(Hyperventilating)

(Gasping)

(Breathing heavily)

Police please.

(Sirens wailing)

(Intercom buzzing)

-(Beeping) -Police, can you open up, please?

-(Banging on door) -(Police shouting indistinctly)

(Banging continues)

Step aside, sir.

Stay off to the side there, sir.

(Panting)

(Sirens continue)

His name is Alex.

He's my partner.

It's his apartment.

He disappeared two weeks ago.

D'you think it might not be him?

Tell me what you know about Alex.

He's a genius...

(Sobbing)

He went to university at the age of 15.

He's got no family.

His parents are dead.

Um...

He works for an investment bank.

What else do you need to know?

Do you know

this man?

Yes, this is Alex.

Your partner?

(Sighing)

Yeah.

What kind of relationship did you have with him?

Did it involve sadism?

- Drugs? - No.

You see, it's hard for me to believe you

were in a serious relationship,

when you don't even know his name.

This man is called Alistair.

His parents are alive.

He did not work for a bank.

Is it possible you enjoyed extreme sexual encounters

with someone who didn't want you to know their name?

Is it possible?

This will stop.

Right now.

He lied.

About everything.

- When you introduced us... - You knew?

Not exactly.

Our paths had never crossed.

But I recognised the type.

I see them in the corridors of Whitehall.

People with power.

And secrets.

Their importance emanates from them.

I felt it.

He worked for MI6.

He was a spy.

But, Danny, the police are concerned you might have

taken something from the crime scene.

A personal item.

Something of sentimental value.

But you wouldn't have done that, would you?

Of course not.

No. Of course not.