Just--both of you need a little space for a bit, probably. It's a difficult situation.
That said, it's bold of your friend to help like that. Be careful, yeah? It's against the rules, right? Just don't get in trouble. If you'd rather book a room or something somewhere I have plenty of extra funds, but I'm sure it'll be helpful to be around someone you trust.
thanks. i feel like i'm being dramatic, but this is harder than i could have predicted.
it is... but i'll just apparate so they can't track me as easily. i'll be careful, promise. i just don't know that i could handle being alone. thank you for the offer.
I don't think it's dramatic. I think it's an unfortunate situation that's been caused by the place we're in. It's not fair for either of you.
Alright. The apparation is smart, anyway: but the offer stands, should you need it. Or just popping by here if you need a break. Alfred wouldn't mind. I'm sure he'd like to meet you, when you felt up to it.
[He's broken. He's shattered in a way few could accomplish. He's a man that fights back, that lashes out when something threatens him or his stability. But this isn't something he can fight. This had been inevitable. He'd met his future only to lose it.
He should be happy. He should be glad that Bruce has left. That the man has returned to the proper better Alfred. He's back where he belongs. But Bruce is Bruce and losing him is like losing a part of himself.
He'd lost his son. Lost him before he could ever make amends for not being who he was supposed to be. Bruce was gone. Like he never existed in this world, leaving very little behind. Leaving him nothing but empty handed memories.
He's taking it about as good as he can, considering. He tries to keep a stiff upper lip at work, and around Regulus. The boy doesn't need his Dom falling apart at the seams.
But at night, when he's sure Reg is well in bed, he allows himself to greive. A bottle of the good stuff from work and the darkness of the living area. He knows he's breaking the rules, violating his contract, that if caught, Regulus could be taken or worse, fire him as his Dom. But he needs this right now. He needs the burn, drowning the memory of his son, all grown up in another glass.
He empties the bottle and it's not enough.] Bloody hell... [He'll have to break into the cooking cabnet.]
[ regulus notices that something is off, something is wrong. he was perceptive enough to figure out that voldemort had a horcrux from the tiniest clues, so it doesn't take much to make him realize that alfred is hurting in some way. but he doesn't know how to approach it so he doesn't ask, just tries to continue on like nothing is bothering him.
it's difficult, though.
tonight he's had another nightmare and it's bad enough that he wakes up shaking and sweaty, hair plastered to his forehead. he pushes it out of the way and sighs, sitting on the edge of his bed for a long moment before finally getting up. he'll go get some water and maybe read to try and force himself to relax. it might help to make him tired enough to sleep dreamlessly--or so he hopes.
he pads down the hall quietly, not wanting to wake alfred if he's asleep.
but he passes the living area and even though it's dark, he notices. alfred isn't asleep, he's in here, and regulus is about to leave him in peace when he smells the alcohol. it's not wine, that's for sure, and it's not dinnertime, either. he tenses, unsure what to do, and pauses in the doorway to just... watch, a moment, frowning.
when he speaks he sounds sleepy, and a little wary, and a little unsure. it makes him sound a bit younger than he is already. ]
Alfred? It's late. What are you doing up?
[ what are you supposed to do when your contract is broken? it's not even one of regulus' rules: alfred put that one in himself. more than being angry or even upset, he's just worried. ]
[His heart sinks into his stomach when he hears that young scared voice at the space between the hall and the living area. He knows he's messed up. He knows that, but there's an errant and unwelcome thought. It's the same one he felt when Bruce had fired him so long ago. He was never meant to be a guardian. All he's good for is this. He's lost Bruce, again. He'll lose Regulus too now. He'll be back where he started, alone.
He places the empty bottle down. Tries to pull himself together. He's not alone right now and he can't show how much he's hurting. Still, his voice is much rougher than it usually is. It's thick with the emotion he holds back.]
Nothing to worry about, lad. Just got a spot of bad news is all. Not handling it well as I should. Should be right as rain come morning. Just...
[He shakes his head. He can't tell Regulus not to tell the authorities on him. It's his Sub's right. Regulus has a right to a Dom that won't break their contract.] Do what you feel is right.
[ regulus can still see him, barely, in the dark. the way he sets the bottle aside, the way he tries to shake it off.
he listens to what he has to say, but doesn't believe him. if it was just a little bad news, he wouldn't have breached their contract. it's something bigger, and that bothers him. he's not sure what to say for a moment so he just purses his lips, considering.
the implication that he might go tattle on alfred startles him and he scowls stubbornly, moving into the room with purpose and first dropping next to him on the sofa, then insistently swinging a leg over to perch atop his knees, arms draping across his shoulders as he hums impatiently. honestly. he's not a narc. ]
Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. [ he sighs, tipping his head forward until their foreheads barely touch. ]
[He knows Regulus is a good boy. A good man. He's had it so hard, had so few adults he could trust fully. And he's gone and proven that even he can't be trusted. He's let the boy down. Just like he let Bruce down.
He's a bit surprised that the teen sits next to him and even more so when he sits on him. The weight is warm and the boy is close. He takes a shaking breath. He can't remember ever being this close with Bruce. Something else he'd failed his son at.
Be closes his eyes and mutters.]
Bruce disappeared. I can only hope he's back home. And I should be happy about it. He's back with his Alfred. The proper one.
[But he's not. He's not happy about it. He's not and he deeply regrets not being able to really talk to his son, all grown up.]
[ he sighs softly again as he listens, not because he's frustrated but because he's trying to understand. he closes his eyes a moment, contemplating his words carefully. ]
Should be and how we actually feel are often different things, Alfred, and there's no shame in it. It's very... human, innit? To feel a way other than we think we should.
[ he lets his fingers idle through the ends of alfred's hair, nails scraping briefly over his scalp. ]
You're allowed to be upset. Someone's been taken from you. Just because he was different from the one you're used to doesn't mean he's any less important. Like how just because you're not the Alfred he was used to, doesn't make you any less or more proper. We're all just--trying to carry on. Familiarity is important, even if it's a bit different from at home.
[ he opens his eyes again, voice low. ]
You can be happy for him going back home after you've had a good mourn over it. You don't have to feel guilty for that. Even if you should, it's not like it's anyone's business but yours how you feel about things. Be selfish for once.
[It is human. But he still feels lost and guilty. He should be glad that Bruce managed to get away from this place. But he has never been able to handle a Wayne being taken from him well. He'd still never properly mourned Thomas. He couldn't. He'd had to focus on Bruce. His world had been Bruce. Less so here, but the feeling is still the same.
That and there's a gnawing fear that those that leave don't actually go home. There's no proof of it. There's nothing but the word of LIES to go by and he doesn't trust them. Not one bit. For all he knows, Bruce is just somewhere else on this planet. Some other facility, with no one there for him. While he knows the man can fend for himself, the thought is nauseating. More than the want to have his boy here still. Here where he can keep an eye on him now and then.
His breath shudders and his forehead slips to rest on Regulus' shoulder. His shoulders shake as of he's still trying to keep it in. He won't cry here. He can't.]
I never really got to tell him...how much I love him. Or how proud I am of him. I wish I could tell him that. I wish I could have been there more for him. I know I'll never be his father, I'll never replace his parents, but I wanted to tell him at least once, how I saw him. I failed him, Reg. As a father...
[His arms wrap a bit around the teen, needing something to hold onto.] And I failed you too. As your guardian.
[ it's natural to feel lost, and guilty too--regulus can't begrudge him the emotions in any way, though alfred seems to be begrudging himself them.
(regulus is more frightened of going home than not going home, honestly. nothing awaits him but death in the bottom of a lake, and this place is at least better than that. probably.)
he curves closer, tipping his head and tucking into alfred's neck with a sigh. he's not good at being comforting, though he's working on being tactile--it's difficult, with the family he's come from, the upbringing he's had, to be emotive. but this deserves it, doesn't it? ]
You know you don't need to say it in so many words, right? [ he murmurs it, barely audible, but just for him. ] It's in how you talk about him, how you treat him, how you act when it comes to him. I'd be very surprised if he didn't know from the get-go just how you feel about him. Saying it is just another step. Showing love is more important than saying it. I don't think he'd want you to replace his parents anyway. You're different, but that's good. You don't need to be someone you're not.
[ he sighs, lifting his head and using one hand to tip up alfred's as well, looking at him seriously; his grey eyes are sharp in the low light, but they're fond too. ]
You haven't failed anyone, and I don't want you to think that about yourself. It's absurd. You're too hard on yourself. You think you failed me, but did you ask me how I feel about the matter? No, you just blamed yourself.
[He knows that this is also unfair to Regulus. He's supposed to be looking after this boy now and all he can think about, all he can focus on, is another boy, grown into a man. But that's how it'll always be. The entire world is second to Bruce Wayne. Even Regulus, who's helped him turn his life around here by giving him someone to care for and protect takes a backseat to the specter no of a scared little boy in a dark alley.
Regulus really deserves a guardian that can make him priority one. That won't fall apart the second an adult man who can take care of himself disappears. He already knows of Bruce comes back, he won't hesitate this time. Awkward or not, he'll offer a contract, just to keep the man close.
And that's not fair to Regulus either. But the most unfair is right now. Is the fact that he's assuming about the boy trying to comfort him.]
I have though. I broke our contract. How is that not failing you. I can't be trusted. You've every right to walk out that door and find someone what'll do right by you. [The way his hand twists into the fabric of Regulus' shirt days otherwise. He doesn't want Regulus to go. If he had his way, he'd make this arrangement perminant. But it's not up to him.]
[ and it feels unfair, in a way, but that's just the spoiled child in him wanting attention, wanting affection that he never got at home. it's not as though his parents or any of his friends were so much as capable of being doting, so he latches onto it when he can get it.
regulus wouldn't begrudge him wanting that other contract either, considering, but he'd still be jealous as anything. he's not thinking about that though, frowning deeply as he observes him.
for a moment, he doesn't know what to say or do. then he darts in to urge a kiss to his mouth, though it's quick and chaste, before he speaks. ]
My own family would kill me if they found out what I've done. Without a second thought. You've been nothing but good to me, so what makes you think I'd even want to leave? We all make mistakes, and in the grand scheme of things this is very small.
[ he leans close again, this time to murmur into his ear. ]
If I can help it in any capacity, I'm not going anywhere. Sometimes I worry you'll realize you've made a mistake taking me in and you'll tell me you don't want me here anymore.
[The kiss isn't remotely what he's expecting. It comes so quickly that he can't really react. After, he's still a bit dumbfounded. He doesn't know what to do. He should tell Regulus that he shouldn't do that. What they have, it isn't that sort of contact. And he's playing at being the young man's guardian, the way he had for Bruce. To be intimate with anyone near to the age of the boy he considers his son, it's not something he really thinks about very long.
But it's just a kiss. Perfectly innocent, even if it was on the mouth.
He still feels it lingering there as Regulus speaks. He knows that and he wants to give this boy a family that loves him. That would go to the ends of the Earth to support him.
His hug goes a little warmer.]
I don't deserve you. And you are helping already. I might have made a lot of mistakes lately, but taking you in wasn't one of them. I'm glad you're here. I'm grateful you want to stay. [Regulus is someone who needs him too. Probably more than a 30- something Bruce Wayne did.] And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke the rules
[ he wants to do it again, to make it mean more, but he refrains because he's afraid alfred will push him away for it, citing propriety. regulus honestly doesn't care much about propriety, but he knows alfred does, and that he should respect it. so he tries to.
he sighs, dropping his head to alfred's shoulder and closing his eyes. it's clear alfred is really beating himself up about this, though he doesn't need to--
--he feels the way the hug shifts, and it makes him smile faintly. ]
Mistakes are just that, mistakes. Generally speaking, they can be remedied or fixed. If I can make up for the horrible things I've done by being good now, why not the same for other mistakes? Besides, you broke your own rule, not one of the ones I set. I'd be more concerned about one of those, but I still wouldn't leave. It'd take--a lot. Do you understand that? You're stuck with me, for lack of a better way to put it.
Yes. I'm calling on behalf of Alfred Pennyworth, who is- somewhat indisposed, at the moment. [Read: obsessed with trawling every inch of this new landscape in search of his boys.] He wants you taken somewhere safe, and I have a church that can accommodate this.
[ he sighs. it sounds like he's moving, but not fighting, which is a plus. ]
I've been trying to get to Haven, to see if any of my potions are salvageable. They can help people, if they haven't been broken. I can't tell them apart visually anymore, but they're all labeled--
--I'm almost there. I could meet you--somewhere in between?
Hello, Regulus. I hope it's alright for me to contact you. I was hoping... Well, I'm sorting out a job, and it was suggested that I brush up on wards against cursing. I'm not a magic user, and really haven't met any others - although it seems there are several who are unhappy with my future empoloyer. But I thought of you, and was wondering if you could help me? Or, if not, perhaps point me to a good place to ask. Not Nick Scratch, or any of his associates, probably.
If you could get back in touch, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.
[ he looks a little tired, but whatever, who doesn't? he's been pulling long shifts at haven. ]
Hello, Integra! May I ask who your future employer is? It doesn't really matter to me, but I'm curious. That said, I'm well-versed in wards, on domiciles, objects, and persons. They came in handy during the war I was a part of. [ wry.
then: ]
I wouldn't send you to Nick Scratch or his associates for any reason. That said, what kind of wards are we talking? If personal wards, would you prefer it to be an object you can wear and remove as needed, or something more... intrinsic, on your person itself, to protect you no matter what?
[ well, he sounds like he knows what he's doing. ]
Ah, Jonathan Sims? He's starting a new Institute here in Duplicity, to keep track of... strange things, occurrences, if I understand correctly. But I've accepted a job working security for the place, and Jon is... well I don't know if you've met him, but he has a tendency to rub people the wrong way, I believe. And that includes magic users, so he thought I should take precautions.
Actually, a ward over the whole building probably wouldn't be a bad idea, if you could manage it. I haven't actually seen the place yet, so I don't know how large it is, if that matters. I'll discuss it with Jon, though. Maybe just on the rooms with sensitive materials, we'll see.
[ she pauses for a moment at his statement about Nick, though. sounds like prime gossip intel, which is what she's used to dealing in. ]
Oh? I keep getting fed bits and pieces, but I've still not heard much about him, other than 'stay away,' really.
Hmm. [ she taps her finger absently against her lips for a few seconds. ] It might be a good idea to have it be on myself, so I don't have to worry about always wearing a certain item.
[ she reaches down briefly to finger her cross pin. but she didn't wear it to the masquerade, so there will surely be other times she doesn't have it on her. ]
I see. That sounds of interest, actually. I'm--intrigued by the magic of other worlds, the 'supernatural,' so to speak, and how it interacts with my own. It's a learning process, here. I don't think I've met him, but, ah, is there some particular reason he doesn't get on with magic users? Is he going to object to my methods if I try to assist?
[ a beat, and then: ]
Is his 'tracking' purely academic, or is he hunting? I can probably ward the whole building, but if it's very large I would need help. There are associates from home I could ask, if needed.
[ he considers the statement, then shrugs. ]
He's someone I would have associated with when I was in school, or when I was a--an ill-advised soldier.
[ he presses his lips into a thin line. ] I haven't witnessed him do anything wrong, but he has all the hallmarks of the associates I've tried to put behind me.
Anyway. I could do that, as well. I've been working on a good one. Feels a bit like cracking a cold egg over your head, until it settles in, but it'll stick and it'll protect from most things. If there are any specific concerns, I could tweak the magic.
I believe you can look up the different things he's collected there. He put out a text on the Network a few days ago, explaining a bit about it. It sounds as though he's trying to keep it fairly restricted, which I think is good because he's gathering statements from us, as well as natives.
[ she pauses at his question about jon and magic users, thinking about how he compelled her to tell him what she hadn't even wanted to think about herself. ]
Ah... I think he's really just not very good with people. He... Well, it's not really my place to say, but I can only imagine he happened to question Nick, and possibly others. He doesn't seem terribly discreet. I think he's letting people come to him with their experiences, but-- again, I'm not really sure, you'd have to ask him.
[ she looks apologetic, because she wishes she could answer his questions. she'd rather not subject anyone unsuspecting to jon, because she doesn't think most people will appreciate his attitude quite like she does.
she thinks about their first conversation, and what he told her about that time. why he'd been marked 'traitor'. ]
I see. That's good to know, at least. I have the feeling, the way life has been lately, that I'll end up running into him sooner or later. But I'll do my best not to cross him.
[ she smiles a bit at the description of the ward's feeling. ]
That sounds fine, thank you. I'll let you know if any concerns come up, of course.
I... I really appreciate this, Regulus. I know we didn't talk much, earlier, but when magic was mentioned, I thought of you, and-- well, I'm really glad you're willing to help out.
[ she's trying to be more demonstrative in her appreciation lately. that's how you make friends, right? ]
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text;
i think i fucked up at the hotel.
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What happened?
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and i may have slipped and told him i love him
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Dare I ask what happened afterward?
If you need anything, I'm here.
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it scared him
[ bc of course it did ]
thanks. i guess i just wanted to warn you, i'm kind of a mess... :D :D :D
and i'm not going to be around the bookshop except during my shifts.
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Thank you for the warning, but... Please take care of yourself, Dora.
Where will you be staying?
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i haven't told him.
i just didn't want anything to be super awkward for you if you stopped by the shop and wondered where i was.
[ she actually just needs to talk about it, but her pride keeps her from admitting that much. ]
with a dominant friend of mine, alucard. it'll just be for a bit- until i can face him again.
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That said, it's bold of your friend to help like that. Be careful, yeah? It's against the rules, right? Just don't get in trouble. If you'd rather book a room or something somewhere I have plenty of extra funds, but I'm sure it'll be helpful to be around someone you trust.
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it is... but i'll just apparate so they can't track me as easily. i'll be careful, promise. i just don't know that i could handle being alone. thank you for the offer.
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Alright. The apparation is smart, anyway: but the offer stands, should you need it. Or just popping by here if you need a break. Alfred wouldn't mind. I'm sure he'd like to meet you, when you felt up to it.
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try not to worry about me, ok?
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and let you know if i've made things worse than i realized.
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I'm sure things will be fine, Dora. You both just need a minute.
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He should be happy. He should be glad that Bruce has left. That the man has returned to the proper better Alfred. He's back where he belongs. But Bruce is Bruce and losing him is like losing a part of himself.
He'd lost his son. Lost him before he could ever make amends for not being who he was supposed to be. Bruce was gone. Like he never existed in this world, leaving very little behind. Leaving him nothing but empty handed memories.
He's taking it about as good as he can, considering. He tries to keep a stiff upper lip at work, and around Regulus. The boy doesn't need his Dom falling apart at the seams.
But at night, when he's sure Reg is well in bed, he allows himself to greive. A bottle of the good stuff from work and the darkness of the living area. He knows he's breaking the rules, violating his contract, that if caught, Regulus could be taken or worse, fire him as his Dom. But he needs this right now. He needs the burn, drowning the memory of his son, all grown up in another glass.
He empties the bottle and it's not enough.] Bloody hell... [He'll have to break into the cooking cabnet.]
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it's difficult, though.
tonight he's had another nightmare and it's bad enough that he wakes up shaking and sweaty, hair plastered to his forehead. he pushes it out of the way and sighs, sitting on the edge of his bed for a long moment before finally getting up. he'll go get some water and maybe read to try and force himself to relax. it might help to make him tired enough to sleep dreamlessly--or so he hopes.
he pads down the hall quietly, not wanting to wake alfred if he's asleep.
but he passes the living area and even though it's dark, he notices. alfred isn't asleep, he's in here, and regulus is about to leave him in peace when he smells the alcohol. it's not wine, that's for sure, and it's not dinnertime, either. he tenses, unsure what to do, and pauses in the doorway to just... watch, a moment, frowning.
when he speaks he sounds sleepy, and a little wary, and a little unsure. it makes him sound a bit younger than he is already. ]
Alfred? It's late. What are you doing up?
[ what are you supposed to do when your contract is broken? it's not even one of regulus' rules: alfred put that one in himself. more than being angry or even upset, he's just worried. ]
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He places the empty bottle down. Tries to pull himself together. He's not alone right now and he can't show how much he's hurting. Still, his voice is much rougher than it usually is. It's thick with the emotion he holds back.]
Nothing to worry about, lad. Just got a spot of bad news is all. Not handling it well as I should. Should be right as rain come morning. Just...
[He shakes his head. He can't tell Regulus not to tell the authorities on him. It's his Sub's right. Regulus has a right to a Dom that won't break their contract.] Do what you feel is right.
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he listens to what he has to say, but doesn't believe him. if it was just a little bad news, he wouldn't have breached their contract. it's something bigger, and that bothers him. he's not sure what to say for a moment so he just purses his lips, considering.
the implication that he might go tattle on alfred startles him and he scowls stubbornly, moving into the room with purpose and first dropping next to him on the sofa, then insistently swinging a leg over to perch atop his knees, arms draping across his shoulders as he hums impatiently. honestly. he's not a narc. ]
Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. [ he sighs, tipping his head forward until their foreheads barely touch. ]
I'm right here.
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He's a bit surprised that the teen sits next to him and even more so when he sits on him. The weight is warm and the boy is close. He takes a shaking breath. He can't remember ever being this close with Bruce. Something else he'd failed his son at.
Be closes his eyes and mutters.]
Bruce disappeared. I can only hope he's back home. And I should be happy about it. He's back with his Alfred. The proper one.
[But he's not. He's not happy about it. He's not and he deeply regrets not being able to really talk to his son, all grown up.]
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Should be and how we actually feel are often different things, Alfred, and there's no shame in it. It's very... human, innit? To feel a way other than we think we should.
[ he lets his fingers idle through the ends of alfred's hair, nails scraping briefly over his scalp. ]
You're allowed to be upset. Someone's been taken from you. Just because he was different from the one you're used to doesn't mean he's any less important. Like how just because you're not the Alfred he was used to, doesn't make you any less or more proper. We're all just--trying to carry on. Familiarity is important, even if it's a bit different from at home.
[ he opens his eyes again, voice low. ]
You can be happy for him going back home after you've had a good mourn over it. You don't have to feel guilty for that. Even if you should, it's not like it's anyone's business but yours how you feel about things. Be selfish for once.
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That and there's a gnawing fear that those that leave don't actually go home. There's no proof of it. There's nothing but the word of LIES to go by and he doesn't trust them. Not one bit. For all he knows, Bruce is just somewhere else on this planet. Some other facility, with no one there for him. While he knows the man can fend for himself, the thought is nauseating. More than the want to have his boy here still. Here where he can keep an eye on him now and then.
His breath shudders and his forehead slips to rest on Regulus' shoulder. His shoulders shake as of he's still trying to keep it in. He won't cry here. He can't.]
I never really got to tell him...how much I love him. Or how proud I am of him. I wish I could tell him that. I wish I could have been there more for him. I know I'll never be his father, I'll never replace his parents, but I wanted to tell him at least once, how I saw him. I failed him, Reg. As a father...
[His arms wrap a bit around the teen, needing something to hold onto.] And I failed you too. As your guardian.
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(regulus is more frightened of going home than not going home, honestly. nothing awaits him but death in the bottom of a lake, and this place is at least better than that. probably.)
he curves closer, tipping his head and tucking into alfred's neck with a sigh. he's not good at being comforting, though he's working on being tactile--it's difficult, with the family he's come from, the upbringing he's had, to be emotive. but this deserves it, doesn't it? ]
You know you don't need to say it in so many words, right? [ he murmurs it, barely audible, but just for him. ] It's in how you talk about him, how you treat him, how you act when it comes to him. I'd be very surprised if he didn't know from the get-go just how you feel about him. Saying it is just another step. Showing love is more important than saying it. I don't think he'd want you to replace his parents anyway. You're different, but that's good. You don't need to be someone you're not.
[ he sighs, lifting his head and using one hand to tip up alfred's as well, looking at him seriously; his grey eyes are sharp in the low light, but they're fond too. ]
You haven't failed anyone, and I don't want you to think that about yourself. It's absurd. You're too hard on yourself. You think you failed me, but did you ask me how I feel about the matter? No, you just blamed yourself.
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Regulus really deserves a guardian that can make him priority one. That won't fall apart the second an adult man who can take care of himself disappears. He already knows of Bruce comes back, he won't hesitate this time. Awkward or not, he'll offer a contract, just to keep the man close.
And that's not fair to Regulus either. But the most unfair is right now. Is the fact that he's assuming about the boy trying to comfort him.]
I have though. I broke our contract. How is that not failing you. I can't be trusted. You've every right to walk out that door and find someone what'll do right by you. [The way his hand twists into the fabric of Regulus' shirt days otherwise. He doesn't want Regulus to go. If he had his way, he'd make this arrangement perminant. But it's not up to him.]
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regulus wouldn't begrudge him wanting that other contract either, considering, but he'd still be jealous as anything. he's not thinking about that though, frowning deeply as he observes him.
for a moment, he doesn't know what to say or do. then he darts in to urge a kiss to his mouth, though it's quick and chaste, before he speaks. ]
My own family would kill me if they found out what I've done. Without a second thought. You've been nothing but good to me, so what makes you think I'd even want to leave? We all make mistakes, and in the grand scheme of things this is very small.
[ he leans close again, this time to murmur into his ear. ]
If I can help it in any capacity, I'm not going anywhere. Sometimes I worry you'll realize you've made a mistake taking me in and you'll tell me you don't want me here anymore.
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But it's just a kiss. Perfectly innocent, even if it was on the mouth.
He still feels it lingering there as Regulus speaks. He knows that and he wants to give this boy a family that loves him. That would go to the ends of the Earth to support him.
His hug goes a little warmer.]
I don't deserve you. And you are helping already. I might have made a lot of mistakes lately, but taking you in wasn't one of them. I'm glad you're here. I'm grateful you want to stay. [Regulus is someone who needs him too. Probably more than a 30- something Bruce Wayne did.] And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke the rules
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he sighs, dropping his head to alfred's shoulder and closing his eyes. it's clear alfred is really beating himself up about this, though he doesn't need to--
--he feels the way the hug shifts, and it makes him smile faintly. ]
Mistakes are just that, mistakes. Generally speaking, they can be remedied or fixed. If I can make up for the horrible things I've done by being good now, why not the same for other mistakes? Besides, you broke your own rule, not one of the ones I set. I'd be more concerned about one of those, but I still wouldn't leave. It'd take--a lot. Do you understand that? You're stuck with me, for lack of a better way to put it.
voice; un: father anderson
Please respond, Mr. Black.
[Ad nauseum.]
voice. un: rab.
Father Anderson?
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What's your location? I'll escort you.
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[ he sighs. it sounds like he's moving, but not fighting, which is a plus. ]
I've been trying to get to Haven, to see if any of my potions are salvageable. They can help people, if they haven't been broken. I can't tell them apart visually anymore, but they're all labeled--
--I'm almost there. I could meet you--somewhere in between?
video; un: integral
If you could get back in touch, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.
video.
Hello, Integra! May I ask who your future employer is? It doesn't really matter to me, but I'm curious. That said, I'm well-versed in wards, on domiciles, objects, and persons. They came in handy during the war I was a part of. [ wry.
then: ]
I wouldn't send you to Nick Scratch or his associates for any reason. That said, what kind of wards are we talking? If personal wards, would you prefer it to be an object you can wear and remove as needed, or something more... intrinsic, on your person itself, to protect you no matter what?
[ well, he sounds like he knows what he's doing. ]
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Actually, a ward over the whole building probably wouldn't be a bad idea, if you could manage it. I haven't actually seen the place yet, so I don't know how large it is, if that matters. I'll discuss it with Jon, though. Maybe just on the rooms with sensitive materials, we'll see.
[ she pauses for a moment at his statement about Nick, though. sounds like prime
gossipintel, which is what she's used to dealing in. ]Oh? I keep getting fed bits and pieces, but I've still not heard much about him, other than 'stay away,' really.
Hmm. [ she taps her finger absently against her lips for a few seconds. ] It might be a good idea to have it be on myself, so I don't have to worry about always wearing a certain item.
[ she reaches down briefly to finger her cross pin. but she didn't wear it to the masquerade, so there will surely be other times she doesn't have it on her. ]
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[ a beat, and then: ]
Is his 'tracking' purely academic, or is he hunting? I can probably ward the whole building, but if it's very large I would need help. There are associates from home I could ask, if needed.
[ he considers the statement, then shrugs. ]
He's someone I would have associated with when I was in school, or when I was a--an ill-advised soldier.
[ he presses his lips into a thin line. ] I haven't witnessed him do anything wrong, but he has all the hallmarks of the associates I've tried to put behind me.
Anyway. I could do that, as well. I've been working on a good one. Feels a bit like cracking a cold egg over your head, until it settles in, but it'll stick and it'll protect from most things. If there are any specific concerns, I could tweak the magic.
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[ she pauses at his question about jon and magic users, thinking about how he compelled her to tell him what she hadn't even wanted to think about herself. ]
Ah... I think he's really just not very good with people. He... Well, it's not really my place to say, but I can only imagine he happened to question Nick, and possibly others. He doesn't seem terribly discreet. I think he's letting people come to him with their experiences, but-- again, I'm not really sure, you'd have to ask him.
[ she looks apologetic, because she wishes she could answer his questions. she'd rather not subject anyone unsuspecting to jon, because she doesn't think most people will appreciate his attitude quite like she does.
she thinks about their first conversation, and what he told her about that time. why he'd been marked 'traitor'. ]
I see. That's good to know, at least. I have the feeling, the way life has been lately, that I'll end up running into him sooner or later. But I'll do my best not to cross him.
[ she smiles a bit at the description of the ward's feeling. ]
That sounds fine, thank you. I'll let you know if any concerns come up, of course.
I... I really appreciate this, Regulus. I know we didn't talk much, earlier, but when magic was mentioned, I thought of you, and-- well, I'm really glad you're willing to help out.
[ she's trying to be more demonstrative in her appreciation lately. that's how you make friends, right? ]
text, un: tonks, backdated a week ish
[ ..... yes, great start, Dora. ]