Eight days, nearly eight full days before his vision had fully returned and he’d finally decided to reach out and check in with people properly. Lorcan had been the first, wanting to check in with the cousin he was closest too. Now his approach with Aberdeen was different as instead of calling her, and talking over the phone, he’d texted and invited her over for lunch. He wanted to see how she was doing, though he hadn’t seen her there, as well as her fiance. He would talk to Ben at some point, alone perhaps, and check in with them too. He was making the rounds and checking in though, it was his duty he figured, he’d brought them all in and so he had best make sure they were all ok.

Rather than ordering food, which would have been the easy way to go about things, he’d picked up pastries from Hudson and made lunch himself. The tea service he had, for when certain tea drinkers came over, was out and the teapot full of tea while a cup and saucer waited for Aberdeen. For himself he had espresso sitting and cooling to a tolerable, drinkable, temperature.

Now he just needed her to arrive, he’d already texted and let her know the front door was unlocked and to watch for the rabbits - he didn’t need her tripping on the poor dears. He did love the rabbits very much, he was still happy with Rene gifting him such little bundles.

Abby was a little nervous for some odd reason and she couldn't pinpoint why the feeling was there. Ben has been…busy as of late so they haven't had time to spend with each other [which she didn't mind all that much. Having time to yourself is good every once in a while when it comes to relationships], but she supposed they would find time when they could. She figured it had something to do with the big project he had texted her about. It didn't take her too long to make it to her older cousin’s house, parking in the available space while keeping a look out for the cute rabbits that often had free roam of the property.

She carefully stepped in through the door, closing it quietly. “Alex! I'm here!” Was that….Hudson pastries she smelled?! Abby followed her nose, eventually finding her cousin in no time. “Oh wow…This must be something important if you brought Hudson pastries, Alexbee~”

She gave the small man a hug and sat down, waiting for him to do so as well before getting into the tea and pastries.

Looking up as his younger cousin came in, he’d heard her closing the front door as the entry room tended to echo, and flashed her a smile. “I made tea, I have a feeling you’ll need some.” He wasn’t going to be offering alcohol even though he had plenty of it in the house, thanks to Rene, he didn’t need his cousin becoming drunk or unable to safely get herself home at the end of this chat.

“You might not have been at the big battle but Ben was…and you do deserve to know what happened.” Secrets were something their family dealt in, it was how they had amassed such power, but keeping secrets from other family members…especially ones like this. Nope. “Have a seat and have some tea and pastries.” Because she would need it…and he needed caffeine, that in mind he sipped at his own drink.

Abby had heard of the big battle but didn't receive very many details on it. So when she heard that Ben was at the battle, Alex had more of her attention. With the way he was talking, she figured what he had to say wouldn't be as good. “What….? What happened Alex?” She grabbed a blueberry muffin, pulling it apart delicately with her fingers. After enjoying a blissful bite, she poured herself some tea, added a bit of cream and honey while waiting for the older cousin to explain the bad news she figured she was going to hear.

“The battle was intense. Gerard…vanished, I won’t say died but he vanished. Ophelia did as well. Ben vanished also…” He whispered, sipping his espresso after a moment, setting his cup down gently as he leaned back in his seat. “Only Lorcan, Gerard’s fiance, and Lorcan’s partner survived without vanishing or going unconscious like I did. I wasn’t dead…but I think it was something of an out of body. We all came very close to death, closer than I’ve ever come.” And he was certain they were all dealing with it, accepting what had happened, it wasn’t even easy for him.

“I don’t know how Ben is handling things, I haven’t talked to Gerard yet but I plan to, I’m honestly thinking of inviting everyone to dinner soon so everyone can talk - if they need to.”

…..What?

Vanished? What did he mean by that?

Then she heard the word dead, and the panic set in. Sure, Ben was busy, he was alive…She knew that because he did respond to texts every once in a blue moon. But to also hear that Ophie, Alex, Gerard AND Ben just vanished…It made her feel guilty as well. If she had been able to get out of the house, she could’ve helped somehow. It was no wonder she felt off at her recital that night. Granted she still performed spectacularly to where no one noticed [she was ever the perfectionist when it came to her ballet], the feeling never left.

She just buried it and figured it would go away on its own.

“W-Why did you wait till NOW to tell me?” She was trying not to yell at her older cousin [it was disrespectful], but she hated being left out of the loop when it came to the powered side of things. “Y-You know I would’ve missed my recital to come help Alex…Why didn't you text me or send Katya?” She may be selfish and a spoiled brat, but family is extremely important to her, practically drilled into her head since birth. Family always comes first, no matter what the cost.

And yet, no one thought to let her know there was a big battle where she could have helped? Maybe prevent this experience from happening?! Now she really had to go talk with Ben to get his side of things, but she would remain with her cousin for now.

“I didn’t want to take it away from you, it’s important to have a civilian life. I gave up my family for years, in an effort to spend more time powered up and not to risk being found out, in the end I found it’s better to have family and to indulge in civilian things at times - to find a balance.” It was why he wasn’t so mad at having brought family into the war, it meant he didn’t need to separate his worlds as much. He didn’t need to keep secrets from so many people.

“Katya was on the battlefield as well. Rene stayed at home and watched over Lorcan’s mauvian…” Which was still shocking to think about, to know, his cousin was allergic to cats but could handle mauvians and Mr. neat and clean had a mauvian in his home. It wasn’t his mauvian per say but it might as well be, as it was attached to the person he was dating. The idea of his cousin dating was still very new to him…and amusing; in a good way.

“Talk to Ben when you can, I say make sure it’s a comfortable setting and private, where he’ll be comfortable talking about things. It was no easy fight and the first one for everyone.” Himself aside, of course. “Just be cautious this year when the fall and winter roll around, keep close to Ben as well as the rest of us. Things always happen around then…never good things.” Especially things involving spiders…

“Important as it is, family takes precedence over anything I have to do, civilian or otherwise. Next time I will join no matter what the cost will be." She didn't want anyone in her family going through anything alone or without her ever again after this. Even the fact that Katya was on the battlefield bothered her. EVERYONE was there and where was she? At a recital. It bothered Abby to the point of frustration, but ultimately she knew getting mad at Alex would do her no favors. It's not like he could control what happens in Destiny City anyway.

Sighing, she took a sip of her tea and tried her best to focus on relaxing. “I’ll talk to Ben…Later.”

After she tried her best to quell her temper.

“If it’s any consolation Rene and Hudson wasn’t there either, fighting isn’t Rene’s cup of tea.” Or wine perhaps, since he didn’t drink tea and much preferred wine as his drink of choice. Hudson he wasn’t sure on, he needed to talk to his elder cousin soon. He didn’t mention that Lorcan and Kioshi, he still couldn’t believe his cousin was dating someone much less a corrupt senshi, had left their mauvian with his partner. So really two people had been left out of things aside from Aberdeen. He didn’t think she’d feel any better.

“Yes, talk to him. I’m certain he’ll need the comfort. I know I did.” He’d spent that night, and the following days, cuddled up to and clinging to Rene. Never mind that he’d been blind for several days, he didn’t need to tell his cousin that, he wasn’t going to worry her any more than he already had.

“I think I’ll arrange to host a high tea and only those in our group will be involved.” He’d have to arrange things with their head of family, so no one else would arrive for high tea with them, this would be a little sub group of the Evan’s family…those involved in the Negaverse. He’d have them all over so they could talk properly. It was the best idea he could come up with.