It would have been sensible for Trevor to stay in the carriage so they could get the shopping done, if the village remained. Speculation, however, was clearly starting to bother old wounds. Alucard could see it, before Trevor spat venom and caused Aveline to back down. He wanted to be angry on her behalf, but even then, the most he could muster was annoyance with Trevor – he did try to apologize right after, but Aveline’s smile seemed to cut it off.
They all knew Trevor was hurting, and this was hard for him. He hadn’t quite shown it until just then, though.
Alucard didn’t have a moment to stop Trevor before he walked out, the gust of wind chilling them all. His eyes stayed on the door a few seconds longer, debating if he ought to go after Trevor. Somehow, he had a feeling that might end in a punch if he tried to speak with him, tried to express some understanding for his pain, given his own situation – given how his mother had been innocent, but burned, too.
He wasn’t sure Trevor would take it well, but someone had to go, right? Aveline and Sypha were already talking about how he might open up to someone, though Sypha seemed doubtful.
A motion caught his eye, and as he glanced to the side of the door, he realized Lucia was gone. The door hadn’t opened again. ‘Shadows.’ She shouldn’t be using her magic but no one could talk sense into her. She’d been prepared to destroy the entire town at sunset, after all.
Still, he did speak up to side with Aveline, aware that he was the one who Aveline opened up to. The situation was different, they weren’t heading to Aveline’s home or to confront the haltija, but he knew it was important to have someone to share the burden with.
He was still keeping his close, still afraid of speaking too soon and losing his resolve, but the knowledge remained that in the future, she would be there. It helped him to think of that moment, and to push through, “If he was willing to confront it by going to his hold, he’ll find a way to deal with it,” perhaps it would have been alcohol on any other day, but that was taken from him now. “We may have to get used to him lashing out for a bit, but we don’t need to let him think he can keep doing it, either.”
Johann arched a brow, “And how do we do that, without getting punched in the face?” It seemed Alucard wasn’t the only one who thought that was a possibility. Johann liked Trevor, but he was willing to keep his head down in regards to this and not poke the bear. “I mean…even assuming he opens up to someone…is that really going to help him not lash out at the rest of us?”
“Speaking of, shouldn’t someone go after him?” Sypha asked.
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Danica said, moving to help with washing up, collecting Johann’s empty bowl and bringing it over to the bucket. She’d help dry things off, seeing as Aveline seemed to have the washing down.
“Hu—oh!” Sypha realized that Lucia was gone then. She hadn’t heard the door open, but she was clearly no longer in her spot by the door, or in the room anymore.
~***~
Marius and Sulla had returned by then, and as Lucia materialized by the carriage, the shadows as remembered, she used them to dim her presence, as well, blending the shadows around herself so she wouldn’t immediately disturb Trevor as he went about tending the pelts – assuming he didn’t notice in his fit of emotion.
Marius was sniffing the pelts, clearly debating if they were a tasty salt lick or not. Seeing Trevor, he decided they were not a tasty salt lick, and he backed off from the pelts while Sulla seemed to make a noise reminiscent of laughter as Marius looked wholly guilty, even if he hadn’t gotten a lick in.
Gradually, however, she let the shadows dissipate from around her, so she’d seem present. “So, I’m still for robbing that town blind if you are,” she spoke, eyes on the pelts at first, before she’d lift to Trevor, “I’m sorry. I should have gotten them off the topic,” she meant to do more to help keep Trevor even, but she’d failed to recognize how difficult the conversation was becoming for him.
She’d blame her fever for not being as attentive as necessary.
She wouldn’t ask for more. In fact, she’d settle into silence if it was what Trevor preferred right then, but she didn’t want to stay in the shadows for too long. Trevor would have noticed sooner or later. She only wanted to step out without alerting those inside that she’d left so soon. She figured they would realize she left anyway, but at least it wouldn’t have drawn their attention.
They all knew Trevor was hurting, and this was hard for him. He hadn’t quite shown it until just then, though.
Alucard didn’t have a moment to stop Trevor before he walked out, the gust of wind chilling them all. His eyes stayed on the door a few seconds longer, debating if he ought to go after Trevor. Somehow, he had a feeling that might end in a punch if he tried to speak with him, tried to express some understanding for his pain, given his own situation – given how his mother had been innocent, but burned, too.
He wasn’t sure Trevor would take it well, but someone had to go, right? Aveline and Sypha were already talking about how he might open up to someone, though Sypha seemed doubtful.
A motion caught his eye, and as he glanced to the side of the door, he realized Lucia was gone. The door hadn’t opened again. ‘Shadows.’ She shouldn’t be using her magic but no one could talk sense into her. She’d been prepared to destroy the entire town at sunset, after all.
Still, he did speak up to side with Aveline, aware that he was the one who Aveline opened up to. The situation was different, they weren’t heading to Aveline’s home or to confront the haltija, but he knew it was important to have someone to share the burden with.
He was still keeping his close, still afraid of speaking too soon and losing his resolve, but the knowledge remained that in the future, she would be there. It helped him to think of that moment, and to push through, “If he was willing to confront it by going to his hold, he’ll find a way to deal with it,” perhaps it would have been alcohol on any other day, but that was taken from him now. “We may have to get used to him lashing out for a bit, but we don’t need to let him think he can keep doing it, either.”
Johann arched a brow, “And how do we do that, without getting punched in the face?” It seemed Alucard wasn’t the only one who thought that was a possibility. Johann liked Trevor, but he was willing to keep his head down in regards to this and not poke the bear. “I mean…even assuming he opens up to someone…is that really going to help him not lash out at the rest of us?”
“Speaking of, shouldn’t someone go after him?” Sypha asked.
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Danica said, moving to help with washing up, collecting Johann’s empty bowl and bringing it over to the bucket. She’d help dry things off, seeing as Aveline seemed to have the washing down.
“Hu—oh!” Sypha realized that Lucia was gone then. She hadn’t heard the door open, but she was clearly no longer in her spot by the door, or in the room anymore.
~***~
Marius and Sulla had returned by then, and as Lucia materialized by the carriage, the shadows as remembered, she used them to dim her presence, as well, blending the shadows around herself so she wouldn’t immediately disturb Trevor as he went about tending the pelts – assuming he didn’t notice in his fit of emotion.
Marius was sniffing the pelts, clearly debating if they were a tasty salt lick or not. Seeing Trevor, he decided they were not a tasty salt lick, and he backed off from the pelts while Sulla seemed to make a noise reminiscent of laughter as Marius looked wholly guilty, even if he hadn’t gotten a lick in.
Gradually, however, she let the shadows dissipate from around her, so she’d seem present. “So, I’m still for robbing that town blind if you are,” she spoke, eyes on the pelts at first, before she’d lift to Trevor, “I’m sorry. I should have gotten them off the topic,” she meant to do more to help keep Trevor even, but she’d failed to recognize how difficult the conversation was becoming for him.
She’d blame her fever for not being as attentive as necessary.
She wouldn’t ask for more. In fact, she’d settle into silence if it was what Trevor preferred right then, but she didn’t want to stay in the shadows for too long. Trevor would have noticed sooner or later. She only wanted to step out without alerting those inside that she’d left so soon. She figured they would realize she left anyway, but at least it wouldn’t have drawn their attention.