The time of our great undoing

[fallingbackup]

When Kevin woke up alone for the first time in months, he knew almost immediately that Glen was gone. If he were still human, he'd have looked everywhere for the man until he'd at least tracked down one of his Chains, and gotten confirmation from them that he was no longer in the world with them. But as it was, he could smell that the very spot he was laying on was the spot where Glen's trail had gone cold. The duke had vanished from the bed they shared as the knight slept.

That was well over a week ago now and in his head, Kevin's been lost ever since. He's done the best he can to take over Glen's duties around the house, and the Jabberwock, for whatever reason, has let him do it. But no matter how he tells himself that he's only minding things until Glen returns, and that he will, the atmosphere in the house rankles against him. Young Gilbert doesn't accept him -- not like this. The little Lacie pities him for the depth of his sadness; Lottie scoffs at him for thinking he can even attempt to fill Glen's shoes, even if he knows perfectly well he's only providing a poor substitute. With every day that passes, he feels more and more withdrawn, and so, when he can, Kevin escapes. He can be found wandering the city, now and again, letting the noise of it drown out his own thoughts. Or he can be found patrolling the fences around the farmlands as usual, perhaps in the hopes that the familiar solitude of it will help keep him in his right mind. But the truth is that Kevin hasn't felt this out of place and unsettled in at least a year, since he'd come to live in Glen's house in the first place. He'd thought he was home at last, that he'd found a new family and even a little peace. Now, it seems that all of that peace was in Glen all along, and Kevin has no idea when or if the duke will return.

But the most upsetting part of it all is what he does know. If Glen has really gone home, he's no doubt living through the Tragedy. Right now, somewhere, Kevin's Oswald is staring at the man who's broken his heart, there are swords raised between them, and the duke is maybe just realizing that he's going to die on that blade because Jack Vessalius never did love him enough.

And Kevin can't do anything about it.

Comments

[retraced]

Fuzzy and scratchy, what do they make them out of, animals? Modern inventions are weird.

"That doesn't sound like anything useful to wear," he answers, but mostly because he just can't picture it properly from Break's description. Or at least, he doesn't see how it can apply to something like a cravat.

[almost_elderly]

"It's meant to replace more difficult fasteners. You've got a kid what can't tie their shoes yet, get some wiv velcro straps instead of laces. Strip of velcro instead of buttons, if you can't fiddle wiv little fings."

Either Gilbert will get it eventually or he'll chalk it up to the old man rambling nonsensically and shrug it all off. Break is actually more accustomed to the latter now than Gil might realize. Well. He always did natter on like a looney, anyway.

[retraced]

At the moment he's more inclined to shrug it all off until he can see it for himself. Just like the TV and the plastic coffee containers.

"It sounds like it would help," he mumbles, glancing down at his empty sleeve. "There are still some things that I haven't relearned yet."

[almost_elderly]

Break notices the look, but he pretends not to.

"...well. I've done it twice," he says, in reference to getting one's life back after losing an important body part. "You'll be alright."

[retraced]

He'd nearly forgotten about how this Break had lost a lung as well as his eye. It doesn't seem plausible still to him, and he's lived so much longer than his own Break continues to claim he's got left in his lifespan.

"Yeah. I think so too."

Finally he believes it.

[almost_elderly]

He's quiet in response to that, simply enjoying the fact that Gilbert was able to say it at all. Instead, he reaches out to be sweet on Caroline a bit, who reacts by squalling at him and swatting at his hand.

"No? I see, I see. You don't want me anymore, I've been rejected," he says amiably, moving his hand just to tease her with a moving target. Chuckling, he adds, "Ahh, we ought to get you back to Gillie. Hopefully she won't get punchy."

She does that sometimes, Break has noticed.

[retraced]

Smart girl, Caroline. Gilbert laughs a little under his breath as he bounces her to calm her down, but the smile is completely wiped from his face at the mention of Gilbertine. Punchy. Yeah, he's sort of expecting a punch to the face after all that he's put her through disappearing for over a month.

"Um--" he stutters. "M-maybe as long as I'm holding onto Caroline she won't yell too much?"

[almost_elderly]

"That's a good idea," Break agrees. "I'll go in ahead of you and snatch Edgar, and then maybe we'll bofe be safe."

In which Break and Gilbert practice the fine tactical art of being manly men.

[retraced]

"Right - this is the best plan..."

He sounds dead serious about this Break. Just lead the way and we will use these children against dear Gilbertine to avoid any angry new bruises that are sure to be dispersed in this reunion.

"Let's go."

[almost_elderly]

This is the most serious of all the business. Break knows how this angry women business goes, and he's pissed off a handful of lovers in his time, too. He is a veteran, you might say.

Which is how he can escape more or less unscathed and laugh like hell over whatever shenanigans immediately follow. The fact that Gilbert's return will boot him from a major source of support to the third wheel who occasionally babysits, well. That'll probably be for the better, in the end...