[Flins watches the interaction, his golden eyes flickering with light at the salute. It's one that he too gestures to Casimir as he slinks up the stairs, turning to face the young vampire.]
My offer to become a Ratnik is still open, by the way. [Not that he expected Hugo to seriously take it. He smiles a bit more playfully.] The hat would look nice on you, and they've actually improved the rations they send out! Somewhat.
[But alas...his jovial words die down as the man next to him speaks of what is deserved.
Hugo's words aren't foreign to him--they're ones that have been mulled over in his mind many times the last 1-2 months. He'd spent eight of them being a nobody. Slinking to and from Meropide with his reports, not so much as a blip on Kaisou's radar until Harumasa had gifted him the phone. And then it was like a superbloom, his isolated graveyard erupting in life all around him.
His eyes cast down to the brewing liquid in his hands.]
They are like a collection of oddities, items that don't quite belong anywhere. Puzzle pieces that are just shy of a perfect fit. And yet together, they are a hoard of treasure. It seems I'm one of the newer additions to the collection, the same as you. [His finger brushes along the mug, thinking on this next bit.]
Of all my wards over the years, you have always been one that stood out to me. Perhaps I saw a bit of myself in you. After all, we both ran away from our titles, toed the line of life and death. We wandered aimlessly through the world, wondering just what our purpose was.
Only to find it, pull ourselves to our feet, and fight like we always have. So. To say I am deserving of such things is a reflection on you as well. As the humans say, 'you take after your father.'
[He chuckles, waving his hand to brush the statement to the side. He knew just how loaded that sentence could be.] Joking, of course. [or is he.]
[ Hugo had to laugh at that. He remembers the first time it was offered when he was a little younger and his outlook much bleaker. His reasoning was that the light was too precious for something like him to hold, but out loud merely that he was bad at taking commands.
Now, after a few months of forced reflection and even more forced self-worth, the reasons he could think of to not do it were even more flimsy. ]
Could you imagine someone like me being a Ratnik? A monster of the night, becoming a carrier and keeper of the light?
[ Without giving an answer, he turned to watch Flins, listening to him speak. Many of the things he said made sense. The people here were oddities. Their lives, the circumstances that brought them here. All the way down to the lives and changes they go through once they come to the city. To call them a treasure wasn't something he considered... but it wasn't incorrect.
His sight had dipped as he thought, but came back up when Flins was pointing out their similarities. It would be a lie to say he hadn't thought about their similarities. It was what brought him back to rely on him in the time when he swore off relying on anyone. Flins was just similar enough that he ended up returning again and again.
And as he was coming to terms with that, Flins just had to drop the F bomb.
Hugo looked up a third time, looking the fae in the eyes. The beginnings of the laugh bubbled out of his throat despite his effort to school his shock and amusement at the saying (9).]
Father? You would count me among your little ones? Well, the position is open, I suppose. You can do no worse than the last one. Truly, the bar is in hell.
[ Despite the feelings that accompanied things like that, Hugo merely took it in stride. That was not a fate of feeling he felt tied to letting control him. Nothing could control him, not even Father Ravenlock. ]
And to sneak such a thing in after luring me into your abode. How many children have you collected?
[Flins' eyes glitter as he reads Hugo's face. There was no initial reaction, no scrunch of the nose or curl of the lip that had spread across the young vampire's face. It wasn't surprising--those without the conviction to do so would likely think it a fool's errand. But now, the refusal was more mild, more humorous. Whether or not Hugo actually took that step didn't matter--It said so much more about his mental state.]
Come now, it's no more odd than a snow fae. In fact, I've heard that sort of duality is quite popular. Think about it, a creature of the night, going against his nature to shine light for those trapped in the darkness. Poetic, isn't it?
[He strides over to the fire, taking the poker by the brick siding and pushing it along. It would never go out, but it still needed to be tended to. The fire flickers against the gold of his eyes, contemplating what Hugo says. The Ravenlocks were a family in blood only. Nothing he'd heard from both Hugo or the whispers of the elite in other circles spoke well of familial ties.
Flins would be lying if he said he was any better suited for the job. His family crest laid claim to nothing. Even the branch families had few descendants. He was eccentric, and detached, and odd, but at the same time...warm. Maybe that was the difference.]
Ha..! Of course I would. You would be the eldest, naturally. [He sounds so elated about it, much to his own surprise.] I can't promise I'll win any awards for best father, but protection is something I can certainly offer. Surely that beats hell by a slim margin.
[He sips his tea, closing his eyes to avoid looking too guilty.]
And yet you accuse my generosity as luring children away to my lighthouse like a spirit. [His voice raises a little, to the higher floor.] There is no justice, Casimir!
[You bring that upon yourself, Sir Flins comes the meow.]
I've learned young Phainon is also in this city..he was quite a young ward when he came to me years ago, younger than even you. And then there's Husk's adopted refugees from the Black Order that have latched to me as well. I'm still learning their names. Lapis, Anby, and Blade are the ones I remember.
[ A surprising lack of deflecting or saying he was too much of a villain for that. He gave it a real amount of thought, albeit a short one. The point of Mockingbird isn't entirely different from The Lightkeepers. They just targeted different groups. He was very bad at organized forces with rules... but... ]
Tell when they're holding registration or whatever their entrance thing is next and maybe I'll think about it.
[ Listening on, he smiled. It sounded a lot better than 'hell'. He could hardly imagine Flins allowing the sorts of things his father did. A family around Flins might be something closer to 'a true family'. ]
Ah, Phainon. I've heard you talk about him before. I'm familiar with Anby. Her past life was from the same place as mine. We have fought a few battles together in that long ago time. Husk adopting refugee's though. Your home together with him will be quite full... when you get to that stage.
[The lack of any real argument was an interesting detail. Not that Flins brings any attention to it. His eyes simply close knowingly, waiting. And when he hears that response...well. How times have changed.]
I will. That...does require me to remember to ask. But I'll make note to put it in my next letter to Nikita. As it stands, you've always been an honorary member to me.
[The idea of a home life with Husk was a strange one to think about himself. He'd always lived a solitary life. Even now he was quite far from Kaisou compared to the usual distance. A full house felt even more surprising.]
Well, most of them have their own lives. One's the illustrious Mockingbird, for example. But as far as 'settling down'..it seems I may have reached that point. Found the one who was looking for someone like me.
[ He didn't expect Flins to actually do it, but it would be a surprise if he really did. As for his 'honorary membership', it wasn't really something Flins himself could decide, but he did consider himself as a person who tried to do his best to do right by the people who couldn't protect themselves.
The turning it back on him made his shoulders tighten, even when his expression doesn't change. It was the same for him. That dog was sentimental and more attached than Hugo could have predicted. At the same time, Hugo wasn't fighting it nearly as much as he expected in himself. Life had moved in that direction before he could truly realize it was happening.
Hugo meets the gaze in continued silence at first, eventually loosening into a shrug. ]
You sound like someone who is willingly walking into that life with want and desire to see it flourish. I do not share the same sentiment. Nor do I think it's truly even possible.
It's easy to speak pretty words and make it seen like something real and genuine. Making others believe in its sincerity is like breathing to someone like me. What it doesn't do it assure me that I even know the weight of such things, nor if I'm capable of it.
So no. I wouldn't compare our situations. You sound like a man sure of love.
[Whether or not Hugo was fully recruited into the Lightkeepers was neither here nor there. The answer alone was what showed the vampire's growth, and Flins' eyes can't help but glint.
He's truly come so far from the trembling boy in the closet, hasn't he. Maybe he'll put in a request for an oath lantern. Just for fun.]
Oh I doubt I could pull off the domestic way of life. I'm far too attached to my solitary lifestyle and position.
[That's not to say he didn't enjoy his attachments here, but...a Lightkeeper will always belong to the lighthouse first and foremost.]
Listen to you. You make it sound as if my words are insincere! You're truly laying into me this holiday season.
...But.
I have lived such along time, Hugo. I have wandered for most of it, from the tundra of Russia to the rolling countrysides of France. To the harbours and islands and beaches with sand as white as snow. Merely a sentinel to other people's happiness.
It is truly a lonely existence. And one I personally do not think suits you.
[His eyes close with a smile.]
I don't plan to stop you should Kaisou be but a resting point on your journey. You are old enough to decide when it's time to move on. Just as it's yours to decide when to stay. No matter what, I'll always be here to guide you.
Whether that's as an 'adoptive father' or simply a Lightkeeper, that won't change.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2025-12-10 07:15 pm (UTC)My offer to become a Ratnik is still open, by the way. [Not that he expected Hugo to seriously take it. He smiles a bit more playfully.] The hat would look nice on you, and they've actually improved the rations they send out! Somewhat.
[But alas...his jovial words die down as the man next to him speaks of what is deserved.
Hugo's words aren't foreign to him--they're ones that have been mulled over in his mind many times the last 1-2 months. He'd spent eight of them being a nobody. Slinking to and from Meropide with his reports, not so much as a blip on Kaisou's radar until Harumasa had gifted him the phone. And then it was like a superbloom, his isolated graveyard erupting in life all around him.
His eyes cast down to the brewing liquid in his hands.]
They are like a collection of oddities, items that don't quite belong anywhere. Puzzle pieces that are just shy of a perfect fit. And yet together, they are a hoard of treasure. It seems I'm one of the newer additions to the collection, the same as you. [His finger brushes along the mug, thinking on this next bit.]
Of all my wards over the years, you have always been one that stood out to me. Perhaps I saw a bit of myself in you. After all, we both ran away from our titles, toed the line of life and death. We wandered aimlessly through the world, wondering just what our purpose was.
Only to find it, pull ourselves to our feet, and fight like we always have. So. To say I am deserving of such things is a reflection on you as well. As the humans say, 'you take after your father.'
[He chuckles, waving his hand to brush the statement to the side. He knew just how loaded that sentence could be.] Joking, of course. [or is he.]
no subject
Date: 2025-12-11 03:56 pm (UTC)Now, after a few months of forced reflection and even more forced self-worth, the reasons he could think of to not do it were even more flimsy. ]
Could you imagine someone like me being a Ratnik? A monster of the night, becoming a carrier and keeper of the light?
[ Without giving an answer, he turned to watch Flins, listening to him speak. Many of the things he said made sense. The people here were oddities. Their lives, the circumstances that brought them here. All the way down to the lives and changes they go through once they come to the city. To call them a treasure wasn't something he considered... but it wasn't incorrect.
His sight had dipped as he thought, but came back up when Flins was pointing out their similarities. It would be a lie to say he hadn't thought about their similarities. It was what brought him back to rely on him in the time when he swore off relying on anyone. Flins was just similar enough that he ended up returning again and again.
And as he was coming to terms with that, Flins just had to drop the F bomb.
Hugo looked up a third time, looking the fae in the eyes. The beginnings of the laugh bubbled out of his throat despite his effort to school his shock and amusement at the saying (9).]
Father? You would count me among your little ones? Well, the position is open, I suppose. You can do no worse than the last one. Truly, the bar is in hell.
[ Despite the feelings that accompanied things like that, Hugo merely took it in stride. That was not a fate of feeling he felt tied to letting control him. Nothing could control him, not even Father Ravenlock. ]
And to sneak such a thing in after luring me into your abode. How many children have you collected?
no subject
Date: 2025-12-11 04:42 pm (UTC)Come now, it's no more odd than a snow fae. In fact, I've heard that sort of duality is quite popular. Think about it, a creature of the night, going against his nature to shine light for those trapped in the darkness. Poetic, isn't it?
[He strides over to the fire, taking the poker by the brick siding and pushing it along. It would never go out, but it still needed to be tended to. The fire flickers against the gold of his eyes, contemplating what Hugo says. The Ravenlocks were a family in blood only. Nothing he'd heard from both Hugo or the whispers of the elite in other circles spoke well of familial ties.
Flins would be lying if he said he was any better suited for the job. His family crest laid claim to nothing. Even the branch families had few descendants. He was eccentric, and detached, and odd, but at the same time...warm. Maybe that was the difference.]
Ha..! Of course I would. You would be the eldest, naturally. [He sounds so elated about it, much to his own surprise.] I can't promise I'll win any awards for best father, but protection is something I can certainly offer. Surely that beats hell by a slim margin.
[He sips his tea, closing his eyes to avoid looking too guilty.]
And yet you accuse my generosity as luring children away to my lighthouse like a spirit. [His voice raises a little, to the higher floor.] There is no justice, Casimir!
[You bring that upon yourself, Sir Flins comes the meow.]
I've learned young Phainon is also in this city..he was quite a young ward when he came to me years ago, younger than even you. And then there's Husk's adopted refugees from the Black Order that have latched to me as well. I'm still learning their names. Lapis, Anby, and Blade are the ones I remember.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-14 05:28 pm (UTC)[ A surprising lack of deflecting or saying he was too much of a villain for that. He gave it a real amount of thought, albeit a short one. The point of Mockingbird isn't entirely different from The Lightkeepers. They just targeted different groups. He was very bad at organized forces with rules... but... ]
Tell when they're holding registration or whatever their entrance thing is next and maybe I'll think about it.
[ Listening on, he smiled. It sounded a lot better than 'hell'. He could hardly imagine Flins allowing the sorts of things his father did. A family around Flins might be something closer to 'a true family'. ]
Ah, Phainon. I've heard you talk about him before. I'm familiar with Anby. Her past life was from the same place as mine. We have fought a few battles together in that long ago time. Husk adopting refugee's though. Your home together with him will be quite full... when you get to that stage.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-14 05:44 pm (UTC)I will. That...does require me to remember to ask. But I'll make note to put it in my next letter to Nikita. As it stands, you've always been an honorary member to me.
[The idea of a home life with Husk was a strange one to think about himself. He'd always lived a solitary life. Even now he was quite far from Kaisou compared to the usual distance. A full house felt even more surprising.]
Well, most of them have their own lives. One's the illustrious Mockingbird, for example. But as far as 'settling down'..it seems I may have reached that point. Found the one who was looking for someone like me.
[His eyes cast to Hugo evenly.]
It sounds like it's the same for you.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-15 03:04 pm (UTC)The turning it back on him made his shoulders tighten, even when his expression doesn't change. It was the same for him. That dog was sentimental and more attached than Hugo could have predicted. At the same time, Hugo wasn't fighting it nearly as much as he expected in himself. Life had moved in that direction before he could truly realize it was happening.
Hugo meets the gaze in continued silence at first, eventually loosening into a shrug. ]
You sound like someone who is willingly walking into that life with want and desire to see it flourish. I do not share the same sentiment. Nor do I think it's truly even possible.
It's easy to speak pretty words and make it seen like something real and genuine. Making others believe in its sincerity is like breathing to someone like me. What it doesn't do it assure me that I even know the weight of such things, nor if I'm capable of it.
So no. I wouldn't compare our situations. You sound like a man sure of love.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-15 03:51 pm (UTC)He's truly come so far from the trembling boy in the closet, hasn't he. Maybe he'll put in a request for an oath lantern. Just for fun.]
Oh I doubt I could pull off the domestic way of life. I'm far too attached to my solitary lifestyle and position.
[That's not to say he didn't enjoy his attachments here, but...a Lightkeeper will always belong to the lighthouse first and foremost.]
Listen to you. You make it sound as if my words are insincere! You're truly laying into me this holiday season.
...But.
I have lived such along time, Hugo. I have wandered for most of it, from the tundra of Russia to the rolling countrysides of France. To the harbours and islands and beaches with sand as white as snow. Merely a sentinel to other people's happiness.
It is truly a lonely existence. And one I personally do not think suits you.
[His eyes close with a smile.]
I don't plan to stop you should Kaisou be but a resting point on your journey. You are old enough to decide when it's time to move on. Just as it's yours to decide when to stay. No matter what, I'll always be here to guide you.
Whether that's as an 'adoptive father' or simply a Lightkeeper, that won't change.