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 Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:19 pm
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:20 pm
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:21 pm
It was all wrong.
These thoughts that ran on for weeks, plaguing his mind when he worked. When he tried to sleep. When he ate, drank, lived. Anything he did, it was disrupted by the never ending thoughts of not being good enough. Of failing. Of working his life away and keeping one of the few people he cared about under wraps. He kept Ethiriel locked away while he selfishly wasted both of their lives. She wasn’t helpless, but she needed help. Help he hardly gave her. Help he hardly gave anyone but himself. He hadn’t even called Anita since their last discussion about a get-together that never happened. Would possibly never happen.
Would never happen.
No, he couldn’t keep the poor girl locked away any longer. He didn’t have time, he didn’t have the ability to keep her healthy. She seemed so placated with everything, content with her prison. She had never once complained, allowing him to let her decay with no outlet. She rarely went outside; she rarely did anything so long as he was working. It was all his fault that she wasn’t being taken care of and he couldn’t even bring himself to change. He had put himself in this rut and it was all his fault.
Ethiriel needed someone who would put her wellbeing over their own. He wasn’t fit to be a guardian -- not to another being. He wasn’t fit for this. He wasn’t ready to take care of anything; what was he thinking? He loved Ethiriel without question, but she needed better. He wasn’t working out and it was time to maybe let go.
The thought put a hole in his chest.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:22 pm
The photographer couldn’t get it out of his mind.
Melisande was so much happier with her new guardian – someone that could take better care of her and keep her content. Was he good enough for Ethiriel? Was she truly happy in this small apartment? Was his work too often for her? Did he pay her enough attention at all?
Was he a good guardian?
No, it felt all wrong. Perhaps he was too young, too inexperienced for taking care of another creature, a humanoid creature. Sure, Ethiriel was pretty self-sufficient other than her food source, but even then she could feed from water and the sun, just like any other plant. No, he shouldn’t compare her to a plant, even if she had the same soul. She was living, breathing and sentient; she couldn’t be compared.
Leo felt awful just thinking it, but, perhaps she wasn’t content. Maybe she humored the boy – yes, boy. Sure, he was old enough to be a man but he sure didn’t feel like one.
He was going to have to do it. For Ethiriel’s sake, he would do it. He didn’t like the idea; he had gotten used to Ethiriel’s calming presence in his life but… she needed a better caretaker. Leo couldn’t do it, anymore. Not when the tea Frei needed closer attention than he had ever given her. Sure, he’d taken her on job hunts and runs, but he did little for her and he realized it. He was neglectful, always into his work and nothing else. His stomach churned just thinking about it.
From the computer, Leo took a glance at the Raeven, sitting so daintily on the couch with a mug of water in her hands.
She was used to the silence, only broken by the sound of fingers pounding on keys.
Exhaling quietly, Leo pulled up his email. He knew of one person who would be a good match for the Frei. He was kind hearted, upbeat and had even mentioned wanting children before. He had only worked with the man once but he could tell that Henry was a good guy.
Leo swallowed hard, clicking send on the letter. It was too late, now.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:23 pm
”Ethiriel…?” Leo called from the computer, roughly an hour after sending the initial email.
Henry had gotten to the photographer rather quickly – they had been discussing for the last several minutes what was to be done. The nurse had accepted the suggestion and they had talked over meeting and, of course, going to lab to do paperwork. Leo had also contacted one of the Lab staff for permission for all of this to happen. None of this was received well, aside from with Henry, but everything had been accepted. Ethiriel was to go to a new home.
”Yes, Sir Leonard?” she responded, raising her chin.
”I’ve… got something we need to talk about.”
”What is it?”
”Well…” the man started, his voice wavering just the slightest. He had never felt this nervous before, but the guilt of it all sat heavily in his stomach. He couldn’t do this anymore – as much as he loved the Frei, he knew he wasn’t right for this.
”Is everything all right?”
Swallowing hard, Leo pushed himself away from the computer so that he could rest his elbows on his knees. ”You… well, do you remember Melisande? How she left her original guardian?”
There was a small hesitation, but Ethiriel offered a small ”yes,” in response.
”This… is really hard to say, but… I’m stepping down.”
”…What?”
”I’m no longer going to be your guardian. I’m giving you to someone who can take better care of you.”
Ethiriel froze, her eyes wide and brows raised. She shakily placed her mug onto the coffee table before her so that she would not drop it. Giving away? Was it that easy? Was she just a trinket? Tears stung her eyes but she held them back with grace, attempting to hold a neutral expression. ”I do not understand.”
Leo sighed and rubbed his temples. ”I’m sorry.”
That was all he could say.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:23 pm
She couldn’t believe it… not at all. It had been a few days since Leo had announced the switch, but it still felt like a dream, a cloud; blurry, unrealistic. How could he get rid of her so easily? And so out of the blue? He hadn’t even asked her if it was okay, he just… did it.
Ethiriel had locked herself in her bedroom; the blinds constantly open so that she could receive the sunlight. Her appetite had dwindled greatly – she felt no need to feed yet she made sure to keep sunlight on her rather than purposefully starve. No silver, no water… she kept to herself. She dismissed all of Leo’s attempts to talk to or feed her. She couldn’t see him, not right now. Instead, she remained on her bed listlessly. How did this happen? What had she done?
Or what had she not done?
Was he tired of taking care of her? Was she too much of a burden? Was she just considered a fixture in the house, a decoration to be moved or removed at will?
Her rune thrummed painfully, her chest tight. This was a nightmare – she had grown accustomed to this place, to Leo, but he didn’t want her anymore. She really was just a trinket to be given away like a gift. She did not know this new guardian of hers and it made it that much more painful. Why was Leo doing this? It wasn’t right…
Secluding herself, Ethiriel hardly left the bed for the several days she had been there. She had no energy or will.
This was it.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:24 pm
Here We GoMeeting one of the Lab's staff members, the switch takes place.Standing StillAbout a week later, Henry and Ethiriel meet with Alex -- and reunite with Zul.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:24 pm
It was all too familiar. The bumps and long stretches of silence, the seatbelt pulling at her chest to keep her in place – a ride she did not enjoy.
Ethiriel could feel her rune thrum painfully, a sickening feeling of abandonment tore at her insides. This new man claimed that he would take care of her, make sure she was happy, but all she could feel was disdain and discomfort – was he going to keep her until he got bored of her as well? This stupid car ride, why did it have to end up like this? The tea Frei couldn’t help but lean closer to the window, farther from Henry, as she stared into the nothingness that claimed itself as her vision.
Henry, while silent, was mulling over what to say. He knew she had heard his slipup at the Lab and he felt completely awful about it. Wanting to say the right thing, he went over as many apologies in his head as he could possibly come up with.
”Ethiriel…” he started, turning his head just enough to catch a glimpse of her before returning his eyes to the road. ”I’m so sorry for what I said… I didn’t mean it like that.”
He was met with silence.
The nurse let out a silent sigh, deflating visibly. ”I’ve never adopted before, it just… My wording is horrible and I’m so sorry if I hurt you.”
Ethiriel’s eyes fluttered for a moment, stinging slightly at the warmth that started to surround them. She blinked twice and continued to look away, her arms crossed lightly just at her bust. She knew he was being sincere, but she still couldn’t help but be unhappy with the man – the situation. She couldn’t help but be mad that she was dropped entirely, that what was originally her whole world now hardly cared about her or her wellbeing.
Sure, Leo wasn’t the best of guardians, but why did he have to abandon her?
The Frei’s silence made Henry sigh again as he removed a hand from the wheel to scratch the side of his head. He didn’t know what was going on in Ethiriel’s head and he, for now, could only assume that she hated him, or at least held a strong dislike. He would change that if he could help it. He hadn’t known her long but he would do his damnedest to make her happy – happier than Leo ever had.
He would provide for her.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 7:20 pm
Returning the FavorTo help cheer Ethiriel up, Cesc invites her out to see an opera - an experience she'll never forget.
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:15 am
Flyby InvitationWith a brief phone call, plans are made to meet up at a Lab get together.
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:16 am
Gabe: -gets to the very last ring before answering, voice a little croaky and rough but sounds completely awake- "Yeah."
Henry: "Hey Gabe!! I didn't wake you up, did I?"
Gabe: "No, man, it's ********' four in the afternoon. What's up?"
Henry: -falters for just a bit and laughs- "Well, you could have been napping! First business, I'm calling to check up on you! Been feeling okay lately?"
Gabe: -pauses a moment to take a breath, speaks a bit more airily- "Yeah, I'm fine. Allergy season starting up, you know."
Henry: "Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Don't forget to drink lots of water!" -barely misses a beat, just as happy as ever- "Were you planning on coming to visit Ethiriel and I or is it our turn to go over there? It's been a while and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing you!"
Gabe: -makes a quiet strained sound after a second- "Uhh... who what now?"
Henry: "I mean, she kind of can't-- Wait, what? You remember! I left you a message a couple of weeks ago about it!"
Gabe: -another delayed response- "No? I-I don't know who you're talking about. Did you get a girlfriend or something?"
Henry: "Er... well, yes! But that's not who I'm talking about! You don't remember the message I left you? I'm taking care of a Raeven now! Have you been feeling all right??"
Gabe: "What!" -awkward shuffling then the sound of a chair creaking, footsteps- "Wait-- is Ethwhatever a bird? I-- god dammit. Hang on." -sounds muffled, must have pulled the phone away from his ear, some quiet beeping and then a mumble- "You've gotta be ******** kidding me." -comes back to normal volume- "Message was sittin' there the whole damn time, I didn't hear s**t about any of this."
Henry: "No, no! Ethiriel's-- well, you'll see I guess! I'm sorry man, I had no idea you hadn't heard!! I figured you'd already seen the message!"
Gabe: -scoffs quietly- "I'll listen to it after this, I guess, but uh-- whatever, gimme the condensed version."
Henry: -chuckles and switches ears- "Well, er... it sounds really strange but she's essentially a human torso--"
Gabe: "Dude." -sounds really flat- "What the ********>
Henry: "I know it sounds really weird but she's very interesting! Poor thing's been pretty depressed so maybe the company would be appreciated...?"
Gabe: "Quit yankin' my chain, man, what the hell are you talking about? Why is she there? How is she alive?"
Henry: "I'm not yankin' any chains, Gabe! She's not human-- I don't really know how to explain but she's like... some sort of experiment! There are more of her than just one!"
Gabe: -sighs exasperatedly- "Alright, alright. So, what, you want me to meet her?"
Henry: -pauses for just a bit, a little exasperated as well but not nearly on Gabe's level- "Well, I mean, you're going to have to at some point--"
Gabe: "Why, is she your new roommate or something?"
Henry: "I technically take care of her!"
Silence.
Henry: "...Gabe, come on, man. It's no big deal!"
Gabe: "Is she from the hospital?"
Henry: "Wh- no, she's from Lab 305! You can't just take a hospital patron home..."
Gabe: "Well you're not giving me a lot of information, here. I dunno what the hell's going on." -chair creaks again, sounds like he sat back down- "...When's free for you?"
Henry: "Well, I did say she was an experiment but that's beside the point! Anyway, hold on..." -muffled sounds of moving chairs and papers, and a quick 'ah!'- "I'm free... next Friday. I'll see if Candice would like to come over too-- my girlfriend, like in the message..."
Gabe: -gives another exasperated huff at the other name, stammers a little like he's going to speak up but stops and sounds calmer- "Okay. I'll give it a listen and see you then."
Henry: "I'm sorry man, I probably should have sent you a text or something but I figured it'd have been better over a call. I'll see you on Friday."
Gabe: "It's fine. I'll see ya."
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:18 pm
Potluck & Crawfish BoilSet up by members of the Lab family, Ethiriel and Henry enjoy the fair weather with some friends.
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:48 pm
It was just like any other visit; Henry had gone through his normal preparations such as cleaning and making sure there was enough food and drink around in case Gabe started feeling weak or tired -- but this time there was a third to prepare for as well. While Gabe was to arrive any minute, the nurse made sure that his new companion was content as well. She had food left over from her time with Leo and plenty of water, of course, so she was easy enough to satiate.
Henry's brother was running just a tad late. It wasn't unusual, certainly nothing to worry about, and before long there was a tell-tale knock on the door. The man was a bit shorter than Henry, a little darker in complexion with tired blue eyes. His brown hair was swept back on one side, a little messier than usual today. There was a faint scent accompanying him that was slightly acrid but scarcely detectable unless you stood within half a foot of him.
"Gabe," Henry greeted, his arms open wide as the door followed suit. "It's good to see you, man; it feels like it's been ages!"
In a sense it had been -- neither of them had been afforded the time for their usual visits. There was a slight tone of apprehension now that the moment was here. Henry had no idea that the mere mention of change had that effect on his brother, but introductions were to be made and there was no backing out now. This was Henry's life, now.
"I know you just got here and all, but I'd like you to meet Ethiriel."
As the door swung open, Gabe was standing there rubbing his neck. He left his brother hanging with his arms out for a second, until he was satiated, and then leaned in for a brief one-armed exchange.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," he offered quietly as he pulled back and tucked his hands in his pockets. Gabe gave a short sniff, a bit of congestion present in his voice.
At the mention of Ethiriel so quickly, he turned his head and furrowed his brows. Gabe looked further into the entryway to try and spot the unfamiliar presence as he stepped past the door and entered properly.
"Where is she?"
"Well, she's currently in the livingroom," said Henry, ducking his hands into his pockets before nodding down the hall. "She can't see, just so you know."
And with that he turned, leading Gabe back down the familiar hallway. Henry had lived in this house for several years and it was as familiar as a second home. Always decorated the same, it was like the place never changed.
And now it had reason not to.
"Ethiriel, this is my brother -- Gabe." Henry announced, his voice soft and welcoming.
"Greetings," Ethiriel responded, 'sitting' on the far couch with a mug of steaming water in her hands.
Gabe followed his brother with little else to say. They both walked with a similar gait despite their differences and, as they crossed the threshold to the living room, both came to rest at nearly the same point standing side by side.
Ethiriel's greeting was returned with silence.
He blinked at her, expressionless. Gabe glanced to Henry, then back to Eth, to the far side of the otherwise empty room, to his brother, then settled on Eth once more.
"An elf," he stated flatly, "You have an elf torso living with you."
His voice was quiet, meant to be between the two men, but he didn't stop to think that perhaps Ethiriel's ears were better due to her lack of sight.
Indeed, Ethiriel's hearing was enhanced thanks to her handicap, and he, too, was met with silence.
"Gabe!" Henry hissed, his brows knit upward. His tone wasn't scathing by any means; more surprised than anything. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he reared his hand back to turn his brother. "Ethiriel's a Raeven -- I believe her previous guardian referred to her as a "Frei"-- and there are kinds with stomachs, too!" he said with just a bit too much enthusiasm.
"Yeah, you keep saying that, but I don't see how she's a raven--"
Ethiriel closed her eyes. "You boys speak as though I am not here. I am sorry that I am not of interest, Sir Gabe."
He allowed himself to be cut off by Ethiriel's interjection. Gabe closed his mouth tightly and, though still impassive, looked at the floor. Clearing his throat, the younger man sidestepped slightly out from under his brother's grasp and turned his attention back to the silvery frei.
"Sorry. You're just, uh-- surprising." Gabe grimaced and turned his face away. "It's good to meet you. You know, Henry won't shut up about you."
"I see," she said, her silvery eyes flicking toward the two. She couldn't make anything of them from this distance, but she knew where they stood. The only change in the house that had been made since she arrived were the spread of silver trinkets so that she could make her way around.
Henry laughed, his chuckle low and soundless. "Hey, I'm just excited, okay?"
Her short answer made Gabe wince and he glanced away again. He looked his brother's way and raised his brows while reaching up to rub one of his shoulders.
"So -- you said your girlfriend might come by today, too?" There was a hint of skepticism in Gabe's voice.
Gabe's tone wasn't missed, nor were his awkward actions. Henry glanced down at his brother in return, a sympathetic smile forming. "No, Candice said she wasn't able to make it -- another time."
He made a soft sound in return.
Looking back to Ethiriel, Gabe seemed hesitant. After a moment, he took a few slow steps and seated himself on the sofa adjacent from her. Once he was down, it didn't take him long to make himself at home and slouch, kick a foot up on one of his legs.
The new trinkets weren't missed and Gabe took little time in plucking one from its position on the coffee table. He turned it over in his hand.
"What's up with these?"
"Oh, they're--"
"--how I see," Ethiriel finished, her eyes flashing toward Gabe -- or, more accurately, the bobble in his hand.
"Leo told me that silver is the only thing she can see and gave me a bunch of the stuff he had bought for her. I figured, well, that it'd be easiest to give her guideposts."
Gabe's attention immediately returned to Ethiriel and he sat still for a moment. Without moving, his eyes flicked to Henry as he explained, then settled onto Ethiriel's silvery gaze. His fingers adjusted around the silver, holding it with more care, before he started moving it back to where it was. Its base didn't touch the table and Gabe paused for a second, still watching her eyes intently. His test was slow, tentative, as he moved the trinket a bit more to the right, then left, before setting it down as close to where he'd picked it up as he could.
Ethiriel wasn't sure what to make of this test; it was obvious that it was done out of curiosity, but she couldn't help but feel toyed with. She did, for his sake, follow, but eventually her eyes rested forward instead.
"My own branches are the only thing I can see, as well."
He pulled his hand back and frowned.
"So they're silver, too?" Gabe craned his neck to get a better look at her wings, if they could be called that. "Are they attached?"
"Yes," she confirmed, still staring ahead. "Just as the crown on my head is."
"Oh." Gabe settled back in his seat.
With both hands clasped in his lap, the younger man sat idly for a moment. He glanced up at his brother, who still seemed to be standing watch, and furrowed his brow.
"Did I miss another message about who Leo is?"
Henry watched until the silver had been set down, then making his way to the seat nearest Ethiriel. His expression faltered, flinching at the question at hand but he was the one who brought him up.
"Leo is Ethiriel's former guardian. He felt like she... would have been in better hands under my care."
Ethiriel's expression didn't change.
Gabe leaned forward and scratched his chin. Again, his eyes found the silver bobble and he stared at it while giving a small hum in response.
"And what's the deal with this Lab? Three-oh...four?"
"Three o'five," Henry corrected, his voice back to its usual pep. "I didn't get to meet him but this man named Kyou creates the Raevens -- no two are the same from what I understand! In fact, I'm gonna get to meet one of Ethiriel's friends soon!"
Another quiet hum.
"One of her friends being another not-bird-person," Gabe offered rhetorically.
He leaned back in his seat a bit abruptly, hands on his knees, and turned to scrutinize Ethiriel. His brow was set but his eyes were a little wide, almost as if he were looking at her for the first time. Gabe grimaced, opened his mouth, stammered, closed it, then opened it again.
"What's your opinion on being called an experiment? 'Cause it's kinda wiggin' me out."
Before Henry would respond to the first question, he was interrupted.
"It is a fact," Ethiriel offered, her voice cool and soft. "I am an example of such -- most other Raevens are... considered perfection. I am flawed."
"Uh-huh."
Gabe straightened up his posture. His eyes found Ethiriel's rune, traced down her ribbon, then stared across at his brother's green eyes.
"Is this a Master Race thing?"
"GABE--" Henry chided, his eyes meeting his with anger that hadn't been there prior.
Ethiriel's eyes widened as well, brows knit. "I have little idea as to what we are created for."
Henry's glance turned to Ethiriel in apology, for a split moment forgetting that she was unable to see them. Instead, he took a breath and faced his brother once more.
His brother cringed. Ethiriel's answer seemed to be what he'd been looking for, as soon after Gabe gestured a hand matter-of-factly toward her without tearing his gaze away from Henry.
"Just seems kinda strange to me, if you don't mind--" Gabe glanced to Ethiriel, the tone of his voice changing briefly to get across that he was not only addressing Henry, before glancing back, "--for a guy in a lab to start pumping out a new sentient species and hand 'em out for civillians to take care of. I mean, what was the process?"
He leaned back, resting an arm along the edge of the couch. Gabe's words were a little rushed but he didn't raise his voice. "Does that not seem weird to you, Miss?"
Henry wanted to intervene but it was definitely a point made. He deflated, brows furrowed as his eyes never left his brother -- at least, not until Ethiriel spoke.
"It is my existence," she said, having not missed a beat.
Her tone caused Henry to deflate further, staring sadly. Without turning to face him, Henry continued, "I met with a man, Leo and another Raeven at the Lab. I had to sign paperwork and then... well, that was it."
Like signing over an item.
Gabe's hand dropped to the sofa cushion. Even if he didn't show a sadness like Henry felt, her answer certainly caused him to deflate as well. He looked at Henry with tired eyes and tight lips.
"So kinda... like an adoption?" Gabe's voice was softer, not just in volume but in tone.
"Yeah... essentially, yes." Henry confirmed, "I take care of Ethiriel as much as I can--"
Without being smothering, he hoped.
Finally, he turned to face Gabe again, exhaustion painting his face. "She's just like one of the family, now," he prompted. Even if Gabe couldn't agree, it was true. She was in their home, now. And soon, he would have to agree with Candice, too.
While looking over his brother, Gabe stayed quiet. He clasped both wrists loosely, letting his elbows rest on his knees. The exhaustion was new, foreign on Henry, and he glanced warily at Ethiriel.
"...Yeah." He didn't sound convinced but there was no obvious hint of dismissal, either.
Gabe cleared his throat again, or tried to. He brought a hand up and made a fist against his mouth, then couched once. Twice. "You, uh--" he smirked as his voice croaked, "--got anything to drink around here, or what--" Another cough, this one harder.
Henry nearly stood when his brother coughed, a hand reached out idly. "Oh," he said, following through with his motion before standing. "Yeah, yeah -- we do. Lemme get you something. Ethiriel, would you like more water?"
"No, thank you." She said, reaching forward to place her mug onto the table beside the silver trinket.
"Water or juice, Gabe?"
Gabe flashed the briefest glance to Ethiriel as she set her cup down. His brows raised toward Henry as he walked off and Gabe kept his hand over his mouth.
"Water," he winced, "Thanks."
Taking a second to breathe, Gabe looked at Ethiriel's cup once Henry was out of the room. It was still full.
He only leaned away from his hand enough to not muffle his voice when addressing her. "Not thirsty?"
"I do not drink..." she said, lifting her head and facing Gabe as best as she could. "At least, not as a human would." Ethiriel's attention drifted from him once more, now back toward the silver on the table. "I do not eat like a human, I have no need for edible substances."
He chewed on the inside of his lip. Pressing his mouth roughly against the side of his fist, Gabe closed his eyes and sighed, then dropped his hand back to his lap.
"I, uh... probably should've guessed. No stomach, and all," he mumbled halfheartedly. "Mm. How you likin' it here so far?"
Expression faltering, sadness stained Ethiriel's features as she continued to stare at the table. She sighed, folding her hands before her. "Your brother has shown nothing but kindness and I am appreciative."
She couldn't voice her depression -- it was extremely unladylike.
"Good. Good," Gabe nodded, speaking quietly.
He didn't sound very sure.
"He's real good about that. I mean it's-- his job to be, but, y'know," Gabe trailed off, staring at the floor while his words turned sincere, "He means it."
"I believe he does," Ethiriel added, glancing up in Gabe's direction again. "He has taken better care of me than Leonard ever had."
That confession alone made her rune throb painfully.
"I would like to ease his burden"
At that, he tensed. Gabe narrowed his eyes and the floor, then glanced up to make sure Henry wasn't on his way back just yet. He turned to look at Ethiriel and leaned in, head turned so he was side-eyeing her, and lowered his voice.
"What burden?" It held a slight hiss, carrying a self-consciousness she might have found familiar.
Ethiriel tensed as well, feeling him lean in and his change in tone was jarring from before. Breathing out, she fidgetted before taking bait. "I am a burden. I am aware... and I would like to change."
An uneasy silence followed. While Ethiriel fidgeted, Gabe pulled back. Though she couldn't see it, there was a mix of emotions on his face that he couldn't seem to settle. After nearly a minute he let out a sharp breath, then eased back against the sofa.
"Good luck," he offered bitterly, barely a whisper.
"...Thank you."
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:13 pm
Out of the room, Henry lingered in the kitchen for just a bit longer. He couldn't hear what his brother and ward were talking about but the fact that they were at all was possibly a good sign -- hopefully. Having given them a few minutes alone, he took a deep breath with a renewed smile before returning into the room; a mug of hot water in one hand, a glass of iced water in the other.
"Here," Henry said, his voice back to its happy lilt as if nothing had happened. Gabe's drink was handed away first -- Ethiriel's after his hand gently came to rest on her shoulder.
After her thanks, Gabe sat in strained silence. He scrutinized Ethiriel for just a few moments more, then returned his gaze to the small silver fixtures placed around. Before Henry came back, the only sound he made was to clear his throat -- which he tried to do as quietly as possible. It didn't help.
His brother's emergence was strangely comforting by comparison. Gabe leaned back in his seat after taking the glass. "Thanks," he offered, glancing to the frei and her hot water. Gabe stared into his glass.
"You wanna fill me in on your girlfriend?"
Ethiriel had barely accepted her water by Gabe's question, though she hesitated to dip her fingers in. Instead, she gently followed the lip of the mug with her thumbs, her gaze downcast.
"Mm?" Henry murmurred, quickly glancing up at his younger brother. "Oh, uhm sure!" The nurse's brows turned upward as he pushed himself away from Ethiriel's seat. He allowed his hand to linger for just a moment before sliding away and sitting opposite of Gabe.
"She's a counselor at the local school; her name's Candice. She's a total sweetheart and already's taken a liking to Ethiriel!" said Henry, his voice lifting encouragingly toward the Frei. "I bet you'll like her!"
Gabe's brows lifted as Henry sat and he kept eye contact with his brother but it was difficult to tell if the younger was truly interested or feigning.
"Of course she is," he muttered under his breath just before taking a drink.
His eyes flicked back to Henry with doubt. He grimaced through a smile and shrugged. "If I meet her."
Perhaps it was Henry's faith in other people, or maybe he was just thick headed, but whether Gabe was truly interested or not was lost on him -- he had asked of his own accord, of course he was interested! "Well, of course you're gonna meet her! I'm not sure when but I'm sure it'll happen!”
His excitement was apparent.
"Mm."
Gabe's excitement was less so.
"So, uh--" he shifted in his seat, turning a little so he was facing both Henry and Ethiriel simultaneously, "What do you two do when you're at work?" His voice dipped toward the frei. "Do you stay here by yourself?"
This time it was Henry to shift.
"Well, for now, yes... I'd like to set something a bit better for her up but I can't really take her to a hospital--"
Ethiriel's eyes flashed in Henry's direction, then back to Gabe.
"I am fine here, partially to thank by your system of markers," she said, hardly sounding impressed but oddly gentle all the same. "Thank you."
"Right."
Despite engaging and asking questions, Gabe was becoming quieter. That wasn't unusual, but for Henry it was a sign of discomfort in his brother.
There was a pause then as Henry's expression faltered, his brows still knit together. She still couldn't open up, but really, he couldn't blame her. She was still getting used to things.
His brother, however... this was normal.
With a quick tapping of his fingers against his knee, he gave a final pat with his palms before standing. "What would you like for dinner, Gabe? I can make one of your old favorites!"
Ethiriel had finally taken to dipping her thumbs into her mug.
Gabe downed the rest of the water while looking over the rim of the glass at his brother. He rubbed his mouth with a back of his hand and scoffed.
"I don't even know what you have here, man."
"I generally keep a pretty stocked fridge, man!" Henry exclaimed, crossing his arms. "It might just be me eating here but you know how I feel about eating right!"
"Don't, I, though." Gabe rose to his feet with a soft grunt, empty glass in hand. "I'll look around. Want a refill, anyway."
He glanced back at Ethiriel with quirked brows. "We'll be back in a minute."
Henry glanced back once Gabe spoke toward Ethiriel, surprised but pleasantly so. "You remember how to get to the kitchen from here, right? In case you need us?"
"Yes," Ethriel stated, more content to deal with her mug for now, even if the water was becoming tepid.
Letting out a small sigh through his nose, Henry looked back at Gabe before nodding his head outward. The journey to the kitchen was short and immediately the nurse had began searching through cabinets. "I have just about everything we'd need for a lot of your favorites so feel free to choose--"
When they got into the kitchen, Gabe didn't make much of an effort to look around. He refilled his glass and supported his back against the sink, craned his neck to peek into the cabinets Henry opened.
"Haven't had pasta in a while, if you feel like doing something with that," Gabe shrugged, "Are you sure you want to go through the whole meal time song and dance when she doesn't even eat?"
As soon as the word was said, Henry had grabbed the pasta boxes and a few cans of tomato sauce. His demeanor hardly changed at Gabe's concern. That was thoughtful -- not that he didn't think his brother contained such emotions.
"She might not eat but she certainly isn't unwelcomed to join us. She knows she's allowed to do anything she wants..."
But really, Gabe was right. It was a concern of Henry's but in a moment, he was struck with realization. With a finger pointed in the air, he walked over toward the the drawer to his brother's right. Once opened, several silver pieces of cutlery shifted inside.
"This is what she eats -- she can still join us," he said triumphantly.
Gabe tongued the inside of his cheek dully while watching his brother move around. As needed, he leaned to the side or lowered his head whenever he was in the way of the cabinet or drawer Henry needed but otherwise stayed put.
"...She eats forks?" His tone was dry. Obviously she didn't.
Half a chuckle escaped Henry's lips as he pulled a few utenciles out and examined them. "No," he said despite his brother's obvious 'joke,' "she eats tarnish from silver -- Leo told me she also eats rust to a degree."
"Huh."
He didn't sound impressed, but the fact he leaned forward to scrutinize the silverware was more telling.
"There's more than just her, right? Is that what they all eat?"
"Yeah, there are several -- though I've only met one other. His name was Lazarus."
He didn't continue with that thought.
"They all eat whatever is related to their soul and essence as far as I've been told! All of this is left over from her stay with her previous guardian."
"They've got some names on them, don't they," Gabe murmured.
That new bit of information caused him to furrow his brow. Instead of pressing, he just took another swig of water.
"Think I'm heading out after dinner."
Chuckling again, Henry shut the drawer. "Well, I guess it depends on who names them..."
He turned, brows raised at Gabe's announcement. Was he getting tired already? Maybe he was getting worn out with all of this? "Are you sure?" He asked, turning to lean against the counter as well. "You're feeling okay, right?"
His attention was turned listlessly to the floor while the glass hovered near his lips. Gabe shrugged.
"I'm fine. Did you have something else in mind?"
"Well, not really. Just talking, I guess," Henry admitted, a smirk pulling at one side of his lips. "But I understand, I just wanted to make sure you weren't hurting or anything."
Gabe scoffed and took a sip.
"Don't think she's in a talking mood, anyway."
With each turn Henry became more and more surprised. He wasn't expecting Gabe to stand up for Ethiriel this much if at all, but he hesitated with a smile.
"Right, right."
Placing the tarnished silver down onto the counter, Henry set back to their meal -- pasta, as Gabe had suggested. Water in the pan, set onto the stove, salt in the water and all that was left was to wait for it to boil. Meat would need to wait as it'd cook through before the pasta could finish, but it would come in due time.
While Henry got their meal ready, Gabe finished off his water and got another refill. He edged away from assisting with any preparation and eventually excused himself back out into the hall. A quick peek told him Ethiriel was still where they left her. As the minutes ticked by in relative silence among the three of them, save for the occasional clatter of cookwear, Gabe wandered the familiar house and took in all of the minor changes since his last visit. The silver knicknacks were everywhere.
By the time Henry called for them, Gabe had already seated himself at the table. He picked his head up from resting against it as his brother rounded the corner.
"Ga- oh, okay -- easy enough! Let me fetch Ethiriel," Henry chimed, happily placing down the pasta, then the sauce, before exiting back into the living room.
There was a short amount of chatter between Ethiriel and Henry, all unheard by Gabe other than their voices, before the two of them emerged linked arm-in-arm. She was sat at the head of the table as Henry placed himself across from Gabe, but not before offering Ethiriel her own meal.
Gabe strained to hear some of what the two were saying. No such luck.
Once Ethiriel's food was down, Gabe's eyes didn't leave the assortment. His curiosity was evident. He collected a bowl for himself, using a lot of the sauce, and took slow bites. His throat still tickled.
Henry had already taken his first bite but stopped mid-chew, watching Gabe as he stared. He couldn't falt his brother, not at all; he had done the same thing the first time Ethiriel had eaten. However, the frei's pekishness had him worried -- she'd only eaten a couple of times since arriving.
With a quick glance to her, Henry chimed in, "Please, Ethiriel – eat."
Lifting her eyes, Ethiriel made no effort to look toward either of them, but instead to her meal. Her movements were slow and careful, but she grabbed one of the more tarnished of forks before slowly rubbing her fingers against its surface. Her eyes never left the pile.
The longer she waited, the more Gabe's brows furrowed. He didn't look at his brother when he spoke, instead wincing almost on Ethiriel's behalf. When she finally moved, Gabe sat up straighter and watched. His expression didn't change.
"Thanks for cooking," he offered without looking at Henry.
Now that they were all eating, Gabe seemed to go at a faster pace.
Ethiriel's hesitance caused Henry's expression to warp slightly, worry painted on his face despite his relief at her eating. He glanced between the two for just a moment before setting back to his food. Gabe's pace wasn't unnoticed, and despite his concern he didn't speak up. He knew Gabe and it was obvious he didn't want to stay for too long.
The rest of dinner was calm, if not quiet. Each of them had their own misgivings about the situation, about each other, and none eager to voice them. Gabe finished first and took his dishes to the sink, staying there by himself for a few minutes. He returned with more water, then surveyed Henry and Ethiriel's progress. The silverware was certainly shinier.
Henry was mostly done with his meal by the time Gabe had returned, though Ethiriel was far slower in her process. She only touched two pieces out of the pile before slowing considerably, her disinterest in a meal painfully obvious.
Conversation even less so.
Gabe frowned. His glass was half full and one hand rested on the back of his chair. Seconds ticked by painfully while he stood by.
Finally, his fingers tapped the chair's neck and he lifted his chin to Henry.
"I'm heading out."
Wordlessly, Henry reached over and gently placed a hand on Ethiriel's shoulder before coming to a stand and grabbing his own, empty plate.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Gabriel," Ethiriel announced, showing no signs of removing herself from the table for now.
Henry, however, took his plate into the kitchen before following Gabe to the door. He was silent for a moment, then shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "Sorry she's so tense. I'm sure she'll warm up to everything soon.”
Hopefully.
The younger brother hesitated, his full name causing a grimace. "Yeah. You, too." He sounded drained.
Gabe ran a hand through his bangs as they walked off. He hadn't been to a get together that uncomfortable in a long time. All he could do was shrug at Henry's assurance.
"It's fine. I'll see you another time, alright?" Gabe offered one hand to Henry, then a weak bump of their shoulders.
Following through the motion, Henry gave Gabe a quick pat on the back before they parted. "Yeah. Be safe, alright?"
"You got it," he strained, back already turned as he headed back toward his car.
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:32 am
Beach-side VisitCruz and Anita drop by for a visit to hopefully get Ethiriel into a better mood.
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