WHO: Aderyn Ceredig, Henry Claus WHEN: Tuesday morning WHERE: Casa Ceredig WHAT: Cuties WARNINGS: Brief mentions of Lucifer captivity
Two weeks ago, Henry had offered to sell his art in order to fund some tattoo sessions to cover up the scars Addy still bore around her mouth. The tattoos would save Addy having to wear foundation every time she left the house, or having to explain to people that the scars came from when the devil sewed her lips shut. Addy was ridiculously grateful that Henry was offering to do such a wonderful thing for her. But when she had headed down to thank him for his generosity, she had found Iestyn crying in Henry's arms, and she had decided to leave them alone. She was sure Iestyn was crying because he was grateful, but she didn't want to get in the middle of it.
Besides, Addy had gotten stuck on the thought, Iestyn had nearly lost Henry. Here was this beautiful man, willing to do so much to make the lives of the people around him better. And Iestyn had nearly lost him. If Addy was thinking about it, she was sure her brother was. Best to let them cling. She could express her gratitude later.
On Tuesday, both Henry and Addy had afternoon classes, so Henry had agreed to drive the both of them to the Parsonage to drop Evie off with Tuck, before ferrying them to their respective campuses. It was still morning, however, and Addy was playing a game with Evie which consisted of Addy putting a few blocks on top of each other, and then Evie waving her hands around until the blocks all were knocked over. Addy would hiss, 'booooooooommmm', and Evie would cackle and clap her hands. A simple game, sure, but every time Evie laughed, Addy felt like every shitty thing she had been through was worth it.
Henry wandered into the lounge and he smiled as he watched them play. "Hey, Addy. Hi, Evie! Can I sit in here with you?"
"Sure!" Addy said, grinning up at him. She stacked the blocks again, and Evie started her attack. "I think my daughter is part Godzilla. Watch. Boooooooom!" And Evie cackled and clapped.
Henry chuckled and he pulled out his phone to take a photo for Iestyn. Then he said off-handedly, "I sold the paintings."
Addy felt like her heart skipped a beat and she glanced over at him, but he was watching Evie. And she was fairly sure it wasn't just because Evie was the cutest human being in the entire world. "...and?"
"And it's enough," Henry said, finally glancing at her. Addy had been worried that Henry avoiding eye contact was because he hadn't made enough profit to help fund the tattoos, but there was something else going on. "You can book in whenever you'd like."
Those damn scars on her face...they were an eternal reminder of everything she had suffered. Of everything she had been forced to watch the person she loved most in the world suffer too. Every time she looked in the mirror, there the scars were to remind her that Lucifer had sewn her lips shut for daring to defend her poor brother when Lucifer wanted to torture him. And every time Iestyn looked at her, he would be reminded of Addy dying in that dank basement. Addy teared up and she moved up onto the sofa to pull Henry bodily into a hug, though she still kept an eye on her daughter.
Without Addy there to build the towers, Evie just grabbed a block and repeatedly hit another block with it, happily making noise.
Addy felt Henry's arms wrap around her, and a second later he buried his face in her hair. "I'm sorry it's necessary," he whispered, and Addy pulled away, her eyebrows quirked up a little. Did he sound...guilty?
"Henry," she said, keeping hold of him, "what's going on? Are you alright?" She watched him like a hawk as he answered.
"I'm just- I was in the same position, but for such a short amount of time," Henry said, shrugging. "But I got lucky. And an Olympian asked for a favour and my scars are healed. But you-" Henry shrugged and then he let out a sigh, "I'm sorry he couldn't heal yours too. Yours and Iestyn's."
Ah. Henry felt guilty that he had been healed and they hadn't. Which was ridiculous, because Addy was so relieved Henry had been healed. "Hen," she said, reaching out to hold his face in her hands. "You are very dumb."
Henry snorted, which broke the tension and he nodded, "I'm sure you're right, but why?"
"You're feeling guilty for something that isn't your fault. I can see it all over your ridiculously handsome face. Do you think I actually begrudge you not having to deal with months of pain? Or forever being paralysed? You think I'd rather have you have to go through skin grafts and plastic surgery and tattooing to hide scars just because I have to get tattoos to hide mine? Is this why you offered to sell the art."
At least that, Henry was quick to refute. "No! No. I see your point. And you're right. I just- I wish-" Henry shook his head, "but none of that is why I got the money. It means so much to me that I can help. That's all. I love you and I can help."
Addy smiled, sniffling a little because she was still quite emotional about all of this. "Our lives got so much brighter the day you came into them," she said, meaning it. "All of ours." Because she had nearly lost him too, and it had broken her heart. But here he was, sitting on the sofa with her, being his adorable little self. Addy had thought she had the best brother in the world, but now she had the best two brothers in the world. "Thank you, Henry. I'll make the appointment soon."
Henry was fiddling with the hem of his sleeves and then he said, "my life got brighter too. Obviously. But thank you," he said. "Can we stop talking about uncomfortable stuff now?" Their shared trauma was never easy or pleasant to rehash.
"Oh my god, please," Addy laughed. But she reached out her hand and twined her fingers with his, just for a moment. A moment of solidarity in a world where you could get devil kidnapped and end up with just so many scars, physical and psychological. At least they had each other.