Who: Eli and Athelstan. What: Reuniting. When: After Logan gives the okay! Where: Athelstan's apartment. Rating: PG-13 and adorable. Status: Complete!
Papa was safe and so was Velma. She’d known that they’d want some time to themselves and snuck out the back door, leaving a note for Logan to let him know where she was headed. She took a taxi to Athelstan’s apartment complex.
Knocking on his door, she bit her lower lip, biting it with her human teeth, worrying he wouldn’t want to see her. What if he’d forgotten about her? Moved on? Stopped caring?
Athelstan had been studying, working hard to forget his personal life. He’d gotten a bit lonely, in truth - he’d had too much work to go much of anywhere, his sister hadn’t written back, and Eli had gone to ground. He hadn’t dared to try and speak with her; he’d had no idea what she was doing.
Someone knocked on his door, and he assumed it was the neighbor. His neighbor was a good sort, a quiet girl who sometimes borrowed teacups and highlighters. “Just a minute, please, Laura.” Athelstan closed his book after marking the page, getting up, but when he opened the door, Eli was standing there.
He stared for a second before laughing delightedly. “Eli!”
When he laughed, Eli couldn’t help but laugh delightedly with him. “I am so glad to see you,” she murmured, reaching out to hug him. She was still standing in the hall, so it didn’t hurt.
Athelstan almost pulled her inside, but instead he stepped out with her, wrapping his arms around her. “You’re safe.” He let up a little, looking at her face with a grin. “Oh, please, come inside; I invite you.” He wanted to just hug her forever. It had been too long.
Her eyes lit up when he invited her in, and she didn’t move inside with him at all, she just remained in the hall with him, arms wrapped tightly around his neck, eyes damp with bloody tears. “I was so scared I would never get to see you again,” she murmured.
He carried her inside, figuring since he’d made it clear, it would be okay. “I was afraid, too.” Athelstan closed the door behind him with a foot, still clinging to her. “Is it safe now? Is everything all right?” Well, he wondered where they would live, but he was sure Eli’s father would figure that one out.
Eli nodded, smiling up at him and blushing hard when he carried her. “Papa says he has killed the one who was hunting him. We are looking for a house but are living with friends in the meantime.” She still held him, still had her head buried in his chest, smelling the familiarity of him.
He couldn’t quite be happy that someone was dead, and yet if it was a predator, a criminal ... Athelstan figured that was just one of those things he could pray over and hope for the best with. “I’m so glad you’re safe,” was all he said. He meant that. “I thought you wouldn’t want to see me,” she murmured, voice muffled. She had no reason to think that, but she’d been afraid.
Athelstan was thinking the same thing. “Why would that change now, my dear?” If anything, he’d have run when he found out what she was. And she hadn’t.
“I don’t know.” She just tiptoed up to kiss him, mouth closed and sweet, just wanting him to know that she’d thought of him every day while she was gone, that she’d missed him and wanted to speak to him constantly.
Athelstan had definitely not expected that; he froze, but only momentarily. He shivered pleasantly, closing his eyes. “If it didn’t change when you became a vampire,” he murmured, smiling, “it would not change now.”
“I do not know what I would have done if you hadn’t felt that way,” she murmured. “I am very fond of you, Sir Athelstan.” He was like her own Galahad.
“I can certainly say the same about you.” He couldn’t stop smiling. “Please, sit.” Athelstan gestured to the couch, wanting to lean on her. He just wanted to look after her and make sure she was happy. She was a grown woman, basically, but still. He felt protective.
She toed off her shoes and moved to sit down on the couch, glad he’d told her that she could sit. “I’m glad you were awake, I was worried.” She smiled at him, looking up and hoping that he’d come sit by her and maybe hold her hand.
He did sit down, leaning his head on her shoulder. “I was studying, though honestly, I’m sure I’ll do quite all right.” He tended to study to the point where things got muddled, so maybe stopping now was a good idea.
She let her head rest on his shoulder as well in turn, snuggling into the crook of his neck. “I am sure you will, you’re very smart.”
It felt nice to be able to talk about relatively normal things. “Do you have a timetable for when you might start school? Speaking of smart.”
“I do not know yet. I take the test to graduate high school next month, so in the fall, I hope.” Eli closed her eyes, smiling to herself. It simply felt good to be with him.
“That would be lovely.” Athelstan chuckled. “Now that things are a bit calmer, perhaps you can go back to work, or find something else to do all summer - I can’t imagine you’d be happy doing nothing!”
“Oh, I would read, even if I had nothing else to do.” She’d find prep books, or just do some of her own reading. She also wanted to get better with weapons.
“Well, yes, but still.” Athelstan smiled. “I do hope you’ll still come with me on hikes, if you ever want to. The trails near here are really very nice, and some of them are accessible at night.” Being out in nature with her would be so peaceful.
“I’d like that very much,” she murmured. She just liked being close to him. He was so warm, and he smelled like trees. “We could go camping if there was a cabin or a motor home.” She liked the idea of sleeping near him - not even having to sleep in the same room, just near.
“I enjoy camping.” Athelstan smiled. “Have you ever camped just in tents, or even under the stars? As long as it’s in a safe spot, it’s lovely.” He’d done it in a few campgrounds in Britain.
She nodded, looking up at him again. “I have done both. You did not object when I kissed you.”
“No. I didn’t.” Athelstan swallowed, blushing. “Should I have done?”
“I’m glad you did not, but I admit, I was worried.” She ran her fingers lightly over his pink cheeks.
Honesty seemed the best policy. “I like you. I can’t do ... much.” He looked down, flushing deeper. “Not yet. But I enjoy your company.”
“Can’t do - “ Eli blinked. “Oh!” She blushed brightly, shaking her head and giggling. “That’s not what I meant!”
Athelstan laughed then, closing his eyes, covering his face with his hands. “Blast. I didn’t actually want to embarrass myself.” Too late, apparently.
“I’m just glad that you like me.” She blushed and lowered her head. “I was scared you’d be terrified of me and find another girl to date.”
He had to be honest. “I was frightened at first. But I mean ... I don’t know, Eli. I saw who you are.” It seemed the most straightforward thing to say. She would never hurt him. And there was no need for anything more.
“You know I don’t want to be this way.” She looked at her hands. “I would never want this.” She wished she could be normal, if only because he deserved normal. “You should probably find a nice normal person,” she said sadly.
“Bah.” Athelstan shook his head. “I won’t have that, young lady.” He took one of those hands and kissed it. “We haven’t even gone on our hike.”
That just made her continue blushing. “Athelstan? Are your dreams... good?” She wanted him to have happy dreams. Him having nightmares wouldn’t have fit with her world.
“My dreams?” Athelstan echoed, brow furrowed. “I would say so, yes. I’ve had some wonderful ones lately about growing up in Saxon England. I became a monk. Worked on the Lindisfarne Gospels - just beautiful.”
“I hope your dreams stay that way,” she murmured. It was enough to make her eyes fill with bloody tears. “Mine only get worse.”
“You’ve told me.” Athelstan gently pulled her close, letting her lean on him again. “But there’s no need to discuss them now.” She could just stay here.
She nodded, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I cannot even cry like a normal girl. You deserve better.”
Something in him rebelled when she said that. “Now look here.” Athelstan said, sounding more strident. “You keep saying you deserve better, you deserve better. Don’t you think I’m the judge of what I deserve and what I want?” His tone was calm, but firm. “I won’t hear any more of that.”
Eli chuckled and nodded. “I suppose this is so.” She lifted his hand and kissed his knuckles, smiling shyly. “I apologize.”
He still couldn’t quite believe he’d said all that, and yet he’d meant it. “Just ... I like you. I don’t think someone as ... kind as you should be so mean. To yourself. That is.”
Instead of talking to him about it again and putting too fine a point on it, she simply leaned forward and kissed him once more. It was a tiny, chaste thing, but still a kiss.
Athelstan didn’t move or do anything. He didn’t quite know how to respond yet, but the best way he could think of to signify acceptance was to not pull away. Hopefully she’d find that it was a start.