Is that what led to everything else? Getting to understand why that past happened, even if you drifted away
[ ...oh. ]
I'll leave that gratitude for your other charges. Although I suppose I should eventually offer gratitude of my own to this cat of yours for being so lenient.
It wasn't an issue of if I wanted it or not. Being a Ravenlock comes with certain sorts of people having certain expectations that you can't outrun. He is the one he had to want it.
[Not to worry Hugo, he'll finish the thought for you!]
Drifted apart. He stopped showing up to try and arrest me or my refugees, so naturally, I thought the Black Order had finally disposed of him. Then I learned the Black Order was overthrown and he'd made his life in Kaisou..and here we are.
[He knows Hugo can connect those dots himself.]
So it was merely obligation that led you to take that hand. Come now, Hugo, surely you know what won't work on me. I came from nobility.
You held on this whole time, waiting for that hand. Like a child starved.
And there it goes, continuing on and no matter how many times Hugo closed his eyes, it was still there on his screen. Yes. Drifting apart. Not knowing what happened to each other, only to find one another here. Wasn't there a saying about apples and trees? ]
Then you surely understand how difficult it can be to drop at times. I suppose we are acquainted enough that this sort of high-handed talk isn't truly necessary.
You talk about me like some wilting romantic, or a pathetic man who holds one candle all of this life.
He betrayed me and I wasn't going to let him hurt me again. That's all. Getting to the point we are now is due to his efforts. I wasn't going to change his mind. What was there to change? If he truly thought the same as the others, that being a Ravenlock vampire made me a 'seed of evil', what truly is there to do about such a thing?
How do you identify love when you've never known it?
You're right. They're hard habits to drop when they've been etched into your soul. I still see them in my mannnerisms, as I see the Ravenlock's in yours.
That family...was respected, to be sure, though I've never heard anyone praise them. Spun sugar smiles with knives behind their back. Apprehension, caution...those are more the words I'd associate with the Ravenlocks.
Now, now, I didn't insinuate either of those. Simply that you longed for the one piece of comfort you knew. After knowing a flame's warmth, anyone would wish for its presence when cast out into a snowstorm.
[He reads the next part and thinks it over. Truly, he wasn't sure of the answer. Love was something he'd be unsure if he'd ever feel a fraction of again, and not even just the romantic side.]
You are truly an expert of weaving your way through a conversation. So effortlessly putting all the legwork on this dog, when you had to cast so much pride aside to accept it. That said, he must have regret his actions quite dearly if he came forward.
How to recognize...
I simply don't know. I suppose I'm the same. Other than the Lightkeepers finding me and showing me the faith in humanity, I've never known such a feeling. I hadn't expected my reunion in Kaisou and it certainly shows in my actions. Falling back into the old habits was both frightening and comforting.
...would you like to discuss this at the lighthouse?
It was already humbling to be chased around the map for what was it? Seven years? What's a little cooperation when the alternative was collateral damage and a terrible reputation for hurting their precious 'good boy'?
I'm not going to parse works and make it sound like I didn't want him to. I did. It just happened to be a case where I wasn't expecting him to do so. The last we met before that, he was calling me an irredeemable murderer and whatnot.
I expected to be greeted like a villain, not taken care of. So yes, I did take that hand, because despite the pain he put me through, I still valued how he saw me.
... When will you be free? I suppose I am not particularly busy.
A fair point. You'd already made your enemies by that point, having one less would ease the weight.
[This is why you have to be a cat person. No cat gets the 'good boy' clause.]
Seven years is a long time for reflection. The more you look at your past, the more you comb through the details, even the most black and white of conclusions get muddied.
My schedule is clear. I've given my reports to Meropide already, and the seas should be mostly calm. Other than that...I've avoided being outside for too long. I'm sure its the same for you, but the atmosphere doesn't agree with me.
[ After sundown, once he figures out what to bring. Although he did decide to drop the formalities with Flins, that didn't mean he would just forget basic manners. Sure, you should always give a gift to the fae, but he was going over to Flins' home. It was just good manners. ]
It has been the same for me. It's quite horrible that this season where others want to see you more than usual also has to be so heavy with light energy. I will save you the trouble and make sure you show up promptly.
I look forward to it. I have been graced with a log that never stops burning, and a space heater from one of my charges in Meropide. I can confirm it should be much warmer than usual.
[He has reasons to look into quality of life updates now, he guesses. People visiting regularly that aren't attuned to the winter frost. Goals for 2026? A resolution that'll be forgotten in a month? Possible.]
Our penance for being so energetic last month. Like a bad hangover.
[He'll await Hugo's arrival, standing in his lighthouse and looking into the fire, lost in thought. Putting things into words to Hugo was certainly making him step back to look at it all.
Casimir walks up to him, and he nods his head for the cat to take over his shift to watch the ship lights up top.]
I will be having company. Would you mind standing watch early?
[The cat simply bows its head and goes to slink off.]
[ It probably takes Hugo longer to go through his things and find a suitable gift than it took to get to the lighthouse. He wasn't one to venture to Meropide himself, so it was probably the second time he had ever ventured so far.
Walking up to the front of the lighthouse brought back memories of that beacon in the dark while he was on the run. Walking up, he knocked and paused, looking up the side of the stone building and then out to the crashing waves that brushed the cold air up the cliffs. Light twinkled off the surface, like a horrible reminder of the season.
Willing his head to turn away from the waves contemplatively, he looked to the door instead. ]
[The waves were unrelenting in the way they crashed against the cliffside, only to ease back out to the endless ocean that lay on the other side.
The knock on the door sounds, and seeing as it wasn't really an ample time for any other visitors, that certainly narrowed down who it could be.
Gliding towards the door, he can sense Hugo's presence on the other side, and opens the door for his friend. Yellow eyes as bright as the lighthouse's beacon themselves greet him, glinting in delight.]
Hugo, please come in. The waves get a little temperamental at this time of day.
[The warmth is already permeating from the lighthouse door, practically inviting them in.]
[ Placing a hand against his chest, he doesn't go through with the bow or any other formalities. He was cold. Sea cold was so different from regular cold. It had been so long that he forgot how perilous it was to meet up with Flins during the cold months.
Not waiting any longer, he steps inside, trying to look calm and not freezing like he felt. These were the times when he wished that he picked up fire magic. He really should look into that. Flins being the sort of fae he was meant that the inside was always warmer than the outside. It didn't take long after entering that the warmth hit him like a wall, and he could feel the tightness of his skin easing.]
Ah, the inside is nice and warm. A good change from the cold outside. You are ever the thoughtful host.
[The sea chill had a way of seeping right into your bones, and isn't for the faint of heart. Thankfully, the presence of a Yule Log that would never burn out now kept the lighthouse quite a bit cozier than it used to be. Maybe one day he'll look into insulation. Or someone else will for him.
Casimir, the gray tabby Maine Coon that had taken on the job of 'apprentice' lay in front of the fire, standing up when Hugo made his way in to 'greet' him. He pads over, immediately rubbing up against his legs to welcome him with a soft purr.
Flins chuckles as he shuts the door, walking over and watching the cat below them. Casimir was always so difficult to win over. Hugo must have a gift.]
I've been told my abode is nearly uninhabitable. So I've been looking for ways to remedy that. [Again, you could just get home improvements.]
I cannot offer much, but I do have a kettle warming up for tea.
[He glides his way to the kitchen, getting out two mugs.]
Were the holidays kind to you? [He laughs, his tone turning lighter, like a doting parent.] Did Santa give you everything you wanted?
From what I've seen, you have a lot of doting, good-hearted children looking after you. Someone's bound to force their good-will on your habitation.
[ Hugo would, but he's waiting to see who was going to break first. It was like watching a fun drama from the sidelines.
The vampire kneels down, offering the cat his hand and a smile. ]
Hello little one. Taking up watch with this old man? You'll have to watch him closely.
[ Looking over to Flins, Hugo heaves a sigh, his shoulders rising and falling. ]
I have always had mixed feelings about The Saint and his holiday, but... I would not call it a terrible holiday this year.
It's been many years since I've even thought about it's passing. When I was busy running across Eurasia, there wasn't much time to think about holidays and human traditions.
What about you? Have you been showered with love and gifts?
Human kindness has always been fascinating to me. I've done nothing to warrant such worry my way, and yet they fret over me nonetheless.
[He will cling to his musty, briney way of life until he's bruteforced otherwise.
Casimir sniffs the hand inquisitively, bumping his head into that hand affectionately. Hello, young master. That is correct-I am Sir Flins' colleague. I will continue the watch so you may converse with him.
Running his back along that hand, the cat brushes past one more time before he moves towards the stairs to walk up to the higher floors. Flins puts the teabags in the mugs and pours the water, moving back to hand the mug to Hugo as it brews, the scent of ginger in the air.]
Ah yes, you are elf as well as vampire. I can understand how this holiday can pull you in separate directions. While I'm a snow fae, we've never really been 'included' in the celebrations, even before the Wild Hunt.
That said, it's always been a strangely inclusive holiday. Everyone has been welcome to celebrate the merriment and gifting to others. I'm glad you can rest those wings of yours.
...[He taps his fingers against his mug, letting out a frosty breath.] More than I expected. The Lightkeepers would certainly gift me, but the people of Kaisou have no such obligations. Let alone to the cryptic lighthouse keeper that seems to cause trouble wherever he wanders. This city has taken me by surprise once again.
[ Hugo lifts his head to the cat, raising the hand that wasn't being rubbed again to press to his chest in a proper Lightkeeper salute. What sort of phantom thief would he be if he didn't remember details like this? ]
Pleased to make your acquaintance. I wish you luck in your vigil.
[ He watches as the cat does indeed walk off, intending to do the lightkeeper duties. To think Lycaon was the reason he was starting to learn these things about animals. Absolutely awful. He didn't want to be grateful for such a small thing.
Pushing the thought of Lycaon away, he turned his head to look at Flins instead, listening to him speak of his surprise. It was like listening to his own observations after his first few months. ]
It's odd, is it not? Their happiness. Their affections and accepting hearts. Fitting in the dark places should take more effort. Yet, I agree with them in you being deserving. It might even be humorous that they're more intent on making sure their debts are paid than the fae in question is.
[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: 2025-11-29 07:06 am (UTC)[ ...oh. ]
I'll leave that gratitude for your other charges. Although I suppose I should eventually offer gratitude of my own to this cat of yours for being so lenient.
It wasn't an issue of if I wanted it or not. Being a Ravenlock comes with certain sorts of people having certain expectations that you can't outrun. He is the one he had to want it.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-29 08:49 am (UTC)Drifted apart. He stopped showing up to try and arrest me or my refugees, so naturally, I thought the Black Order had finally disposed of him. Then I learned the Black Order was overthrown and he'd made his life in Kaisou..and here we are.
[He knows Hugo can connect those dots himself.]
So it was merely obligation that led you to take that hand. Come now, Hugo, surely you know what won't work on me. I came from nobility.
You held on this whole time, waiting for that hand. Like a child starved.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-29 03:14 pm (UTC)And there it goes, continuing on and no matter how many times Hugo closed his eyes, it was still there on his screen. Yes. Drifting apart. Not knowing what happened to each other, only to find one another here. Wasn't there a saying about apples and trees? ]
Then you surely understand how difficult it can be to drop at times. I suppose we are acquainted enough that this sort of high-handed talk isn't truly necessary.
You talk about me like some wilting romantic, or a pathetic man who holds one candle all of this life.
He betrayed me and I wasn't going to let him hurt me again. That's all. Getting to the point we are now is due to his efforts. I wasn't going to change his mind. What was there to change? If he truly thought the same as the others, that being a Ravenlock vampire made me a 'seed of evil', what truly is there to do about such a thing?
How do you identify love when you've never known it?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-29 03:36 pm (UTC)That family...was respected, to be sure, though I've never heard anyone praise them. Spun sugar smiles with knives behind their back. Apprehension, caution...those are more the words I'd associate with the Ravenlocks.
Now, now, I didn't insinuate either of those. Simply that you longed for the one piece of comfort you knew. After knowing a flame's warmth, anyone would wish for its presence when cast out into a snowstorm.
[He reads the next part and thinks it over. Truly, he wasn't sure of the answer. Love was something he'd be unsure if he'd ever feel a fraction of again, and not even just the romantic side.]
You are truly an expert of weaving your way through a conversation. So effortlessly putting all the legwork on this dog, when you had to cast so much pride aside to accept it. That said, he must have regret his actions quite dearly if he came forward.
How to recognize...
I simply don't know. I suppose I'm the same. Other than the Lightkeepers finding me and showing me the faith in humanity, I've never known such a feeling. I hadn't expected my reunion in Kaisou and it certainly shows in my actions. Falling back into the old habits was both frightening and comforting.
...would you like to discuss this at the lighthouse?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-29 04:22 pm (UTC)I'm not going to parse works and make it sound like I didn't want him to. I did. It just happened to be a case where I wasn't expecting him to do so. The last we met before that, he was calling me an irredeemable murderer and whatnot.
I expected to be greeted like a villain, not taken care of. So yes, I did take that hand, because despite the pain he put me through, I still valued how he saw me.
... When will you be free? I suppose I am not particularly busy.
[ It's a light month, and he's miserable. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-29 04:57 pm (UTC)[This is why you have to be a cat person. No cat gets the 'good boy' clause.]
Seven years is a long time for reflection. The more you look at your past, the more you comb through the details, even the most black and white of conclusions get muddied.
My schedule is clear. I've given my reports to Meropide already, and the seas should be mostly calm. Other than that...I've avoided being outside for too long. I'm sure its the same for you, but the atmosphere doesn't agree with me.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-01 12:44 pm (UTC)[ After sundown, once he figures out what to bring. Although he did decide to drop the formalities with Flins, that didn't mean he would just forget basic manners. Sure, you should always give a gift to the fae, but he was going over to Flins' home. It was just good manners. ]
It has been the same for me.
It's quite horrible that this season where others want to see you more than usual also has to be so heavy with light energy.
I will save you the trouble and make sure you show up promptly.
>action;
Date: 2025-12-01 03:01 pm (UTC)[He has reasons to look into quality of life updates now, he guesses. People visiting regularly that aren't attuned to the winter frost. Goals for 2026? A resolution that'll be forgotten in a month? Possible.]
Our penance for being so energetic last month. Like a bad hangover.
[He'll await Hugo's arrival, standing in his lighthouse and looking into the fire, lost in thought. Putting things into words to Hugo was certainly making him step back to look at it all.
Casimir walks up to him, and he nods his head for the cat to take over his shift to watch the ship lights up top.]
I will be having company. Would you mind standing watch early?
[The cat simply bows its head and goes to slink off.]
no subject
Date: 2025-12-01 04:30 pm (UTC)Walking up to the front of the lighthouse brought back memories of that beacon in the dark while he was on the run. Walking up, he knocked and paused, looking up the side of the stone building and then out to the crashing waves that brushed the cold air up the cliffs. Light twinkled off the surface, like a horrible reminder of the season.
Willing his head to turn away from the waves contemplatively, he looked to the door instead. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-12-01 05:00 pm (UTC)The knock on the door sounds, and seeing as it wasn't really an ample time for any other visitors, that certainly narrowed down who it could be.
Gliding towards the door, he can sense Hugo's presence on the other side, and opens the door for his friend. Yellow eyes as bright as the lighthouse's beacon themselves greet him, glinting in delight.]
Hugo, please come in. The waves get a little temperamental at this time of day.
[The warmth is already permeating from the lighthouse door, practically inviting them in.]
no subject
Date: 2025-12-06 03:24 pm (UTC)[ Placing a hand against his chest, he doesn't go through with the bow or any other formalities. He was cold. Sea cold was so different from regular cold. It had been so long that he forgot how perilous it was to meet up with Flins during the cold months.
Not waiting any longer, he steps inside, trying to look calm and not freezing like he felt. These were the times when he wished that he picked up fire magic. He really should look into that. Flins being the sort of fae he was meant that the inside was always warmer than the outside. It didn't take long after entering that the warmth hit him like a wall, and he could feel the tightness of his skin easing.]
Ah, the inside is nice and warm. A good change from the cold outside. You are ever the thoughtful host.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-06 04:20 pm (UTC)Casimir, the gray tabby Maine Coon that had taken on the job of 'apprentice' lay in front of the fire, standing up when Hugo made his way in to 'greet' him. He pads over, immediately rubbing up against his legs to welcome him with a soft purr.
Flins chuckles as he shuts the door, walking over and watching the cat below them. Casimir was always so difficult to win over. Hugo must have a gift.]
I've been told my abode is nearly uninhabitable. So I've been looking for ways to remedy that. [Again, you could just get home improvements.]
I cannot offer much, but I do have a kettle warming up for tea.
[He glides his way to the kitchen, getting out two mugs.]
Were the holidays kind to you? [He laughs, his tone turning lighter, like a doting parent.] Did Santa give you everything you wanted?
no subject
Date: 2025-12-10 03:37 pm (UTC)[ Hugo would, but he's waiting to see who was going to break first. It was like watching a fun drama from the sidelines.
The vampire kneels down, offering the cat his hand and a smile. ]
Hello little one. Taking up watch with this old man? You'll have to watch him closely.
[ Looking over to Flins, Hugo heaves a sigh, his shoulders rising and falling. ]
I have always had mixed feelings about The Saint and his holiday, but... I would not call it a terrible holiday this year.
It's been many years since I've even thought about it's passing. When I was busy running across Eurasia, there wasn't much time to think about holidays and human traditions.
What about you? Have you been showered with love and gifts?
no subject
Date: 2025-12-10 04:17 pm (UTC)[He will cling to his musty, briney way of life until he's bruteforced otherwise.
Casimir sniffs the hand inquisitively, bumping his head into that hand affectionately. Hello, young master. That is correct-I am Sir Flins' colleague. I will continue the watch so you may converse with him.
Running his back along that hand, the cat brushes past one more time before he moves towards the stairs to walk up to the higher floors. Flins puts the teabags in the mugs and pours the water, moving back to hand the mug to Hugo as it brews, the scent of ginger in the air.]
Ah yes, you are elf as well as vampire. I can understand how this holiday can pull you in separate directions. While I'm a snow fae, we've never really been 'included' in the celebrations, even before the Wild Hunt.
That said, it's always been a strangely inclusive holiday. Everyone has been welcome to celebrate the merriment and gifting to others. I'm glad you can rest those wings of yours.
...[He taps his fingers against his mug, letting out a frosty breath.] More than I expected. The Lightkeepers would certainly gift me, but the people of Kaisou have no such obligations. Let alone to the cryptic lighthouse keeper that seems to cause trouble wherever he wanders. This city has taken me by surprise once again.
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Date: 2025-12-10 05:28 pm (UTC)Pleased to make your acquaintance. I wish you luck in your vigil.
[ He watches as the cat does indeed walk off, intending to do the lightkeeper duties. To think Lycaon was the reason he was starting to learn these things about animals. Absolutely awful. He didn't want to be grateful for such a small thing.
Pushing the thought of Lycaon away, he turned his head to look at Flins instead, listening to him speak of his surprise. It was like listening to his own observations after his first few months. ]
It's odd, is it not? Their happiness. Their affections and accepting hearts. Fitting in the dark places should take more effort. Yet, I agree with them in you being deserving. It might even be humorous that they're more intent on making sure their debts are paid than the fae in question is.
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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.]
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.