Chapter 55
To Make a Point
Alastor rarely used a car when in his own backyard, often preferring to walk or teleport places. More often than not, vehicles were only involved if it belonged to someone else, or if he was going somewhere unfamiliar. It would seem that his automobile was going to get a second workout in a week; a rare thing, really, but it couldn't be helped. After all, he needed to make an impression with his dear colonists today.
He would ensure that Eliza's last 'welcome' to the colony would not happen again, and the best way to do that would be to walk into the colony together, traveling from the outskirts right into the heart of his territory with his guest. The message must be clear: This woman is always welcome in his domain. Rosie may be able to calm the colonists, but any who saw her in his company would be deterred from taking action against her, both now and in the future. However, he would not force her to walk the entire way. No, until they arrived at the colony's edge, he would see that she rode comfortably until it was time to display. He actually considered driving her all the way in, but it simply wouldn't make the same impact. Walking in casually showed greater confidence and bravado, and both are critical for making a point.
Still, perhaps he should have warned her that he liked to get the day started early, because when he knocked on her door around eight, all he heard was an exasperated sigh followed by a very curt, "No."
Caught by surprise, he took a few seconds to process her reaction. "I do believe I said I would not accept any argument for this."
"I'm about to take a shower," he growled on the other side of the door. "I'm not going anywhere without preparation!"
"Preparation?" Waiting a few seconds before realizing that he wasn't going to get a response, he couldn't help but wonder what she meant. Did she intend to wear make-up for this? She's never done so before; not that she needs to, her scales were quite lovely all on their own. Unless she wears make-up and it barely shows? No, that didn't sound right. How can you hide make-up on white scales? Also, wouldn't it show whenever her scales went dark? Her hair was always worn down unless she needed to put it up for cooking or cleaning, and her wings probably didn't need much work since they were hidden most of the time. What in tarnation did that woman need to do to prepare?!
As he waited, he thought back to his day and age. Women certainly took a great deal of time to put themselves together for the day, that much was true, but Eliza was from the modern age. Women didn't seem to put in as much effort now, or if they did, it wasn't usually to look prim or proper. Of course, there are exceptions to that rule, but even they don't typically adhere to his preferred taste for modesty anymore. While Eliza was a very pleasant exception, her well-kept appearance always felt rather natural, somehow. Perhaps he was mistaken.
Inside the bathroom, Eliza stood in the hot water, trying not to fret. After her last trip to the colony, she couldn't help but feel nervous about returning, even if Alastor was going with her. Would that really leave a lasting impression? What's to stop them from jumping her another time when Alastor's not around? Even if they accept that she's welcome in their territory after all, he had a massive following there. What if some of the women mistook them traveling together as some sort of date? Then they'd have a whole new reason to want to rip her apart. Knowing Alastor, he probably didn't even consider that. After all, he wouldn't have any reason to think of this outing as a date; it's probably not even on his radar as a possibility. His devoted fans, however, were a different story.
'Don't turn the cold on.'
Id's sudden intrusion into her thoughts made her bristle. 'What? Why?'
'You're going out with Mr. Five-Foot-Rule,' Id stated, simply. 'Even if it isn't a date, that's no reason not to enjoy it. Soak in the heat this time around!'
'Are you kidding me?! You know it makes me more temperamental and… other things!'
'Oh, boo-frickety-hoo,' Id spat. 'So you tear apart the first uppity bitch that tells you to get the fuck out. What's the problem?'
'Aside from making Alastor angry? They're part of his colony, remember?'
'I think he'd sooner join you,' Id argued. When Eliza reached up to flip on the cold, her wings started roiling in her back. 'Don't do it! Come on, don't ruin this.'
'If you seize my back up, I might not be able to go at all.'
Her wings slowly calmed as the truth of that sank in. 'I hate you so much.'
Eliza stared at Alastor's car. She's never seen one like it; red with a black, flat top, large windows and a long front, it was an older model than anything she's ever seen before. Black front fenders that extended into a step to help everyone get into the car, a tall, silver-rimmed grill, large headlights that seemed to be suspended on a bar that ran across the grill…
"Is something wrong?" Alastor asked when she hesitated to approach.
Snapping out of her trance, she shook her head. "No, no, nothing's wrong. It's just… Can I touch it?"
Tilting his head, Alastor was a bit surprised by her request. "As you wish." Gesturing forward with his hand, he watched as she slowly walked up to the automobile, keeping an eye on Alucard who was perched on her shoulder. When she reached out to touch it, she actually pulled back slightly. "I assure you, it won't bite."
"It's so shiny," she muttered, feeling the smooth metal. "I've never seen this type of car before. It's beautiful!"
"It was one of my favorites in my day," he admitted, fondly. "I had it recreated, though with my powers and aversion for travel, it rarely gets used. It's a 1927 Peerless Six-90 Sedan."
"In your favorite color, of course," she noted with a smirk.
"Naturally." Walking up to the front, he patted the hood with a smirk. "This beauty was my greatest accomplice in life; one of the few things I kept to assist me in my… hobby."
As Eliza looked in the back of it, she noticed something odd and walked around to it. "What is this?"
"The trunk," Alastor answered, joining her at the back. Rather than being a part of the car, the vehicle had a rack on the back holding up what looked like an extra large carry-on. "Believe it or not, trunks were not commonplace in my day. In life, bodies had to go into the cab. Down here, I had the spare tire rack replaced with a trunk rack. I must say, having the factories add the trunks to the cars a little sooner would have made my life so much easier!"
"Why not just get a car with a trunk rack?" she asked, curiously.
Alastor hesitated, unsure how to answer that without getting into something personal. "It was… well, technically it was part of my inheritance! One of the few things I decided to keep."
Eliza looked up at him. He was staring intently at the cab, specifically the back. "What did you do with the rest of it? Your inheritance, I mean."
After a moment of silence, Alastor's eyes snapped up before he turned towards her, his smile causing them to squint slightly. "Come now, we must be off! We needn't keep Rosie waiting; she's expecting us, after all!"
"Oh, OK," Eliza agreed, looking down slightly as she fidgeted a bit with her hands. Alastor gestured to the other side of the car, where he intended to let her ride in the front, but she offered, "I can ride in the back, if it's more comfortable."
"Nonsense," he scoffed. "You shall ride in the front with me!"
Any further argument was met with adamant resistance, and before she knew it she was buckled in the front passenger seat with Alucard on her lap, and Alastor was climbing into the driver's side. Attempting to sit up straight and keep her eyes forward, she couldn't help but feel like he could see just how nervous she was.
She should have turned on the cold water.
Alastor occasionally glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Was he crazy, or was her guard lower than usual? It was clear she was struggling to keep up her usual icy demeanor, but he wasn't sure why. Maybe a bit of stage fright, perhaps. After all, they were making a statement by walking in together, and she usually keeps a low profile. Well, it's as good of a conversation starter as any. "Nervous about returning to the colony?"
"A little," she admitted, looking out the window. Relatively speaking, the Cannibal Colony isn't far from the hotel, but there were still many buildings between them and their destination. "Part of me is worried how they'll react to seeing us walk together."
"Oh?" he asked, curiously. "How so? I would think the message would be quite clear."
"Well, do you go walking with people often?" she probed.
After a thoughtful span of silence, he answered, "Mainly with Rosie, but otherwise no. Why?"
"And you don't think that'll strike a nerve with your more… amorous fans?"
Alastor paused. "I… admit that did not come to mind. But surely they won't!" After a moment of uncertainty, he asked, "I mean, are my intentions that convoluted?"
Eliza started petting Alucard gently to keep from fidgeting. "To you? No. To others? Probably."
Taking a silent gulp, Alastor tugged at his collar a bit before returning his silent focus to the steering wheel. Surely she was wrong; after all, the rumor that he and Rosie were romantically involved because of their friendship ended over half a century ago, when people became accustomed to the idea that their relationship was entirely platonic. And it's not like he shows real interest in romantic pursuits; surely his fans could put two and two together, once the initial reactions calm down. If their opinion didn't ruin things before, then they wouldn't ruin things now. Unless…
"Does it bother you if they mistake our intentions?" he questioned.
"It could complicate things whenever I enter the colony without you," she mentioned.
With a cheeky grin, he squinted gleefully as he teased her. "Then should I accompany you every time your wanderlust strikes you?" When she straightened with a nervous blush, he laughed. "Oh come now, my dear, I was only teasing!" Eliza was quiet for quite a while, and as he took a minute to think on it, he decided to test the waters a little. "Not that I would mind if you decided to walk with me on occasion."
She stared side-long at him with wide eyes. "You… wouldn't mind? Really?"
"Not at all!" he told her confidently. "Perhaps it would help us get over this awkward spell we seem to be caught up in."
Eliza couldn't bring herself to say that it would probably take a lot more than walks to get over that. Still, his offer surprised her, and she felt more than a little flattered. "I will think about it, then. Thank you."
Brightening up quite a bit, Alastor couldn't help but feel a little giddy. While he enjoyed his walks with Rosie, they were few and far between. If anything, he's done it more this year than over the last decade, or so it feels. It will be nice to have another to keep him company, especially someone he finds so enjoyable.
When they arrived at the colony, he wasted no time stepping out and walking over to the passenger side, opening the door and offering his hand. When she took it, he held steady as she stepped down and landed on the pavement, stumbling a little and causing Alucard to flutter to the ground. "I'm not used to being in a car that needs a step!" she told him, having caught her foot on said step because she completely forgot it was there.
"If it makes you feel any better, I used to trip on it all the time too in life," Alastor confessed with a laugh. Then he gestured towards the colony streets and said, "Shall we, my dear?"
To say they got strange looks would be a massive understatement. As Eliza expected, she was the subject of many jealous stares, each of which earned a hiss from Alucard, while others watched their idol curiously. It was very unusual for him to walk with someone other than the colony's owner, and everyone knew it. There were a few surprised stares from those who've seen Eliza on her visitations, and she could tell that there were some who still believed she tried to hurt Alastor, because their looks of absolute bewilderment said volumes. She may be keeping herself firmly under control, but she was not above a vindictively sweet wave to those people in particular.
'Presumptuous sack of shit,' Id commented in the background, and each wave triggered an even more colorful remark.
Alastor couldn't help but chuckle. "Enjoying yourself?"
"Let's just say some people clearly didn't believe whatever Rosie told them," she stated, giving another wave.
"And here I thought we were here to leave a good impression," Alastor teased.
"They turned on me easily enough," Eliza said, her tone nearly slipping into a growl as her sweet façade faltered. "No point striving for popularity with them if it's so easy to lose."
Alastor's claws clicked nervously. Well, at least her unforgiving side didn't only extend to him, though he couldn't help but feel that this was an indicator that he still had a long way to go. "Fair enough," he agreed, keeping up his cheerful tone. "A good opinion is much easier to lose than a bad one."
"Unfortunate but true," she acknowledged with a nod. "But if they're only nice to me because their idol approves, then their good opinion really isn't worth much."
"Ha! Perhaps not; but at least you should be left in peace. Is that not worth it?"
When she looked up at him with a small smile, he realized that he needed to get used to that strange feeling in his chest fairly soon or else it would drive him insane. "You're right, it is."
As they came close to the half-way point between the border and the Emporium, Eliza saw Plaisirs Crus on the next street over and paused. Alastor looked down at her before following her gaze to the restaurant. "Ah! Wish to visit the ladies along the way?"
Alucard took off excitedly, happy to see the familiar place again, but Eliza faltered. "No, I'll be fine."
The wendigo blinked down at her in surprise. "Is something the matter?"
"I… don't know how they reacted to the whole Vox situation," she told him, quietly. "Part of me doesn't want to know."
The corners of his smile softened. "Ah, because you knew them better than the others. Yes, I suppose that would make a difference, wouldn't it? It's easier to ignore the opinions of people you don't know or care to like." When she gave a silent nod, he glanced between her and the restaurant thoughtfully before focusing on a very excited Alucard circling the street in front of the building. That gave him a wonderful idea. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think Alucard is feeling rather… Peckish! Ha ha ha!"
She just huffed in exasperation. Really, he was going for puns? Now?! "Alastor…"
"Why, he's simply aflutter with excitement, isn't he? I dare say he's crowing over the good food!"
"Sweet mercy, stop!" she begged, trying hard not to laugh at just how proud he was of himself.
"Did you know a man stole several crows yesterday?" Alastor began. "Why, he got away with murder!"
"Save me," she murmured as breathing became difficult.
"What do you call a group of noisy crows? A caw-cophony!"
Eliza broke when a snort made her nose feel like it was on fire. They were terrible, they really were, and yet she was laughing in spite of it all. The man just sounded so proud of his punch-lines that it was impossible to resist. Alastor decided to stop and bask in his success when she told him, "You are horrible!"
"Guilty as charged," he agreed with a grin. "Now, let's go check on the lovely owners, shall we?"
When Eliza reluctantly agreed, the two made their way over to the restaurant, though Alastor's eyes drifted over to the side where he noticed a group of women watching them closely. As soon as they noticed he was watching them, they made themselves scarce, and Alastor's lip curled. Maybe Eliza made a good point earlier, after all. Still, he felt confident that his presence would deter them for the time being. Hopefully long enough to make his point.
When Alastor opened the door to the restaurant, everyone stared in surprise to see who walked in with him in tow. Eliza did her best not to glance around, but it was very difficult as she made her way to the front desk. The guy manning it, a rather nervous looking horse-faced sinner that looked somewhat familiar, glanced at her nervously, his eyes darting between her and her crow.
"Do I know you?" she asked him, feeling as though she should know who he is but unable to place him.
"N-nope!" he denied, his stutter ruining all chance of sounding convincing. "You don't, so don't go thinkin' 'bout it, got it?"
"Now that's no way to talk to a lady," Alastor chastised with a 'tut' and a finger wag.
"Uh, r-right, yea," the man back-pedaled, shrinking behind the desk. "Sorry 'bout that. Um… What would you like to order?"
"Actually, we'd like to see the managers!" Alastor announced.
"I didn't do nothin'!" the cashier denied quickly, looking ready to bolt.
When Alastor's neck cracked from tilting too far, it was clear from his glowing red eyes that his patience was swiftly departing. "Get them, or I will add your entrails to the menu!"
Having already been a part of the menu once, the horse-faced sinner quickly started hitting a button under the counter multiple times, silently wishing he could teleport them here so that the overlord would forget he existed. When they still didn't show up, he looked under the counter and realized he was hitting the wrong button. In fact, there was one labeled "Alastor". How had he not known that?!
As soon as he pressed that particular button, a familiar plump, blonde demoness flounced out of the back room with an excited grin and sparkling eyes. "Hello, Alastor! What can I do for-" As soon as her eyes landed on Eliza, the therapist waved sweetly.
So many things happened that she had difficulty following it all.
The first part was Gula opening the door she just walked through to shout to the back, and suddenly all four managers were out in the main space, clearly interrupting their work for the occasion.
"So what happened?" asked Petalia, the red-headed woman with horns and a single eye. "Did you knock his block off?!"
"I told you," interrupted Olivia, the tall, gray-skinned woman with downturned eyes and gray curly hair, "it was all planned!"
"No it wasn't!" insisted Blême, the thinnest of them all with white skin and short white hair held down by a band. "How could it be planned if Alastor didn't know until the end?"
"That's just a rumor!" Olivia argued.
"Stuff it, all of you!" Gula shouted, silencing their roaring conflict into disgruntled grumbling. Turning back to Eliza, who looked more than a little confused, she told her, "Rosie said the rumors about you hurting Alastor were false, but she wouldn't tell us what happened!"
"Come on, spill the guts!" Petalia demanded, a broad smile on her face as her red, heart-shaped pupil pulsed. "Did you cube up Vox and throw him in the dumpster or what?"
"I-" Eliza began, but was swiftly cut off.
"No," Blême interrupted, holding up a finger, "Alastor tossed him in a dumpster!"
"Eliza could have done it too," Petalia defended, "you've seen her wings! That TV-headed moron wouldn't stand a chance!"
"But he's a powerful overlord," the white-skinned owner insisted. "That means Alastor had to help somehow, right?"
"Actually, there were two." Everyone turned to Eliza, who spoke up at last when there was a break in the discussion. "Valentino was there to back up Vox."
"See there?!" Olivia cried. "How could they have beaten them if it wasn't planned?"
"Alastor can beat anyone," Gula gushed. "Even those two nut-jobs!"
As the four women argued over what really happened, once again ignoring the two individuals who could settle the issue once and for all, Alastor chuckled and looked down at Eliza. "Would you like something to eat before we leave?"
"No, but maybe I could get a treat for Alucard!" she decided, happily. Tapping Gula on the shoulder, the raging blonde turned and returned to normal immediately. Pointing outside at the fluttering crow, Eliza asked, "Could Alucard have a slice of heart before we leave? He really misses this place!"
"Of course!" Walking around the others, she shouted her opinion into the mix as she fetched Eliza's order from the back, returning to hand it to her on a small plate.
Alastor looked rather confused as Eliza walked out to the nearest outdoor table and put the plate down. When Alucard landed and started to eat, he was surprised at how no one seemed to mind that a bird was eating on the table at a restaurant. When she sat down next to the bird, Alastor made his way out the door to join them at the table.
"Is something wrong?" Eliza asked, noting the strange look on Alastor's face.
"I am not accustomed to having animals at the table," he admitted, looking somewhat repulsed.
"They don't mind if it's him," she told him, feeling a bit irritable about the way he was looking at her bird. "He helped take care of a group of…"
Alastor shifted his gaze to her when she trailed off, and suddenly she turned to look at the horse-faced cashier, who looked away the moment their eyes met. "What is it?" Alastor asked, glaring at the man inside.
"Oh, I just realized where I know him from," she told him, her nonchalant tone helping him relax back to normal. "Anyway, he kept away other birds and helped with a rowdy group that came here to cause trouble. As such, they don't mind him on the table. Besides-" she pointed in Alucard's direction, causing Alastor to look back at the crow, "-he doesn't really make a mess."
"So I see." Indeed, the plate had blood left over, but the table was untarnished, and he almost seemed to be holding his beak over the plate as blood dripped off of it. When Eliza held out a napkin, he wiped his face on it and cooed. "I will admit that he exhibits more intelligence than the average beast."
"I've noticed you've been giving him treats lately," Eliza mentioned.
"Admittedly I'm… not the biggest fan of animals. But I am somewhat aware of how to train them. Well, more to the point, encourage certain behaviors that I like."
"Like attacking Curio?" she asked, her eyebrows raised as she waited expectantly for an answer.
His laugh that followed sounded a bit more nervous than usual. "I do enjoy that one in particular, yes."
"Did Curio have something to do with Vox?"
He didn't even have a nervous laugh in him this time as the question caught him completely off guard. "Whatever gave you that idea?" When his reflexive denial was met with a look of resigned disappointment, he sighed. He should have known that she would figure out at least some part of what was going on; the woman is painfully observant. Still, the deal with that little rodent kept him from discussing what happened regardless of what the person knew about the matter, as he must keep his dealings with Vox secret or else risk the little rat telling everyone that Alastor was strong-arming him into behaving. That, at least, he could make her somewhat aware of. "Forgive me. I… truly can not talk about this without breaking certain rules. Can we please agree to drop this topic?"
"When you said you're not hurting my client, you meant that, right?"
Feeling a bit distressed, Alastor knew he needed to choose his words carefully. He really wasn't hurting him, though if he went by the wording of the deal, he certainly could under a few circumstances. But… "There are… punishments involved. But I am not hurting him directly, no."
Satisfied, Eliza sighed and leaned back. When Alucard hopped up onto her shoulder, she scratched the base of his neck until he nearly fell over. "Thank you."
Despite her seeming to accept the answer, Alastor felt the need to remove himself for a moment. "Let me go pay for his treat, and then we can be on our way." Standing up and pushing in his chair, he swiftly made his way to the building, leaving Eliza alone with her thoughts.
Tilting her head down, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd picked a bad time to seek answers. It felt like the best time to do so, since they were away from the hotel and, more importantly, her bosses. His answer put her more at ease, though it raised many more questions that would likely never be answered. Whatever the reason why he couldn't talk about it, at least she knew it now. It certainly explains his deflective comments on the subject, at any rate.
Alucard hissing broke her train of thought, and she looked up to see a familiar, dark-scaled snake woman walking up to her table, a couple women in tow. Eliza raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you?"
"You can explain what's going on," the woman spat, her tongue darting out in irritation. "First you go behind Alastor's back, and now he's walking you around the colony? What's a bitch like you doing to win him over, huh?"
Her passive expression held firm as she told her, "Nothing at all. He offered to come with me."
"You got somethin' on 'im?" asked the ringleader from last time, her large eye narrowed.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You heard her," the snake-like woman hissed. "What are you holding over him to make him play nice?"
As Id started going off in the back of her mind, tendrils snapped behind her. "You actually think I have enough sway to control Alastor? Of all people?"
"You were workin' wit' Vox," the cyclops reminded her. "Who knows what kinda shit ya get up to."
Inside, Gula was running the front desk (her employee disappearing into the back when Alastor came in to pay) and telling Alastor that the treat was on the house when she noticed Eliza being harassed at her table. When she growled, the wendigo followed her gaze to see a familiar face that made his lip curl. Was his presence really not enough to settle the issue?
That needed to be fixed. Now.
"Thinking stringing him along would help this time around was a stupid move," the scaled demoness told her, angrily. "We'll find out exactly what you're-"
"And here I had such faith in my dear colonists. You disappoint me, Cassie."
The woman's head snapped to the side. "Alastor!"
Eliza started to back away slightly when the woman seemed to melt into a simpering mess. Alastor's outward reaction was rather stoic, but internally he was fighting the urge to back away a lot further. "What do you think you're doing?"
"We were just-"
"Silence!" The other women behind the snake flinched and looked down, their bravado vanishing completely. Alastor took a step forward, partially putting himself between them and the therapist. "Answer me, Cassie."
The snake's eyes darted between Eliza and the seething wendigo, nervously. "I wanted to make sure she wasn't forcing you to play nice." Then, in a disgustingly flirty display, she touched her lips and tilted her head down, looking up at him with wide, adoring eyes. "You know I can't stand someone hurting you like that."
"Is that so?" Alastor asked, his own eyes squinting in irritation. "So putting on a pheromonal mating display in public for your unwilling target doesn't qualify in that department then?"
'If we chime in now, I think he'll only get angry at us,' Superego advised when a thought crossed Eliza's mind.
'It would be worth it,' Id growled.
The girls that had backed her up only moments ago were nowhere to be seen. No matter what, this snake was on her own now. "What's a girl to do when you talk so sweetly to me?"
Alastor shook his head, the tips of his claws touching his temple. Eliza decided to at least risk interfering, choosing to not be offended if he shut her down. After all, piping up during moments like this always carried the risk of backlash. "What did he say to you when you met?"
"Must we talk about it?" Alastor hissed, quietly.
"He held the door for me like a true gentleman," Cassie gushed, leaning towards him slightly. He flinched away, his ear twitching irritably. "Then he proceeded to tell me I had wonderful taste in clothes, and that my eyes were a lovely emerald green…"
As the woman continued to fawn, Eliza was busy watching Alastor's face. The way it morphed into expressions of annoyance and repulsion told her much about how accurate the retelling really was. "Alastor, did you compliment her dress and say something matched her eyes?"
"Yes!" he confirmed with a decisive nod. "She was wearing an old fashioned dress and an emerald choker! I never thought-"
"You remember!"
When she reached out for his hand, she was surprised to find that it was taken by a smaller one with white scales. The next thing she knew, Eliza was in her face with an excited glow to her inverted pupils. "Can I study you?"
"What?!" Cassie hissed, trying to pull away from the interloper.
"Obsessive tendencies are absolutely fascinating!" she gushed, pushing forward and driving the darker demoness back. "Delusional fantasies of a non-existent connection, believing you're the one who will catch the attention of an uninterested man, rewriting history in your mind to build your own narrative… Human denial is the strongest force on earth! And in Hell, apparently. But I rarely get opportunities to study such strong examples!"
"Get away from me!" she cried, her eyes snapping from side to side as two large wings took hold of her shoulders.
"Wouldn't you love the attention? The fact that someone finds you so fascinating and intriguing that they simply can't leave you alone?" Practically drooling, Eliza's face was only an inch from hers as she pressed further.
"No!"
And all at once, it stopped.
Stunned into near paralysis, Cassie watched as the calm demeanor returned, the therapist's sweet smile firmly in place as she raised a finger. "And that's how it feels!"
"W-what?" Cassie asked, unable to follow the change in intensity.
"Every time you attempt to drag Alastor into your narrative, that's how it feels!" she elaborated. "It's immensely uncomfortable and utterly unwanted! Now of course this was an exaggerated example, as I only had a short time to make it, but imagine that feeling only growing over the course of years of interactions, and eventually the person will feel annoyed by your mere presence. You lose all chance for any sort of positive interaction, and risk being erased if the day comes that he decides he can't stand you anymore." Folding her hands in front of her, she gave a small, innocent head tilt. "Do you understand?"
Eliza didn't bother waiting for a response as she turned back to the table and held out her arm, pulling it back after Alucard fluttered up to it. The bird hopped up to her shoulder and flipped around to face the front, and then the young woman walked by a rather stunned Alastor, who just watched her in amazement. It was rare to be struck speechless, but for once, the wendigo had nothing to say.
Turning to face him, her brows furrowed when he didn't follow her. "Are you ready to go?" Looking down slightly, she felt rather awkward when she wondered if perhaps her intervention made him angry. "Or have you changed your mind?"
Snapping back to reality, Alastor's smile spread wide. "Not at all!" Walking up to her, his stride was far more boisterous than before. "Let's get going! I'm sure Rosie is already cross with me for taking so long!"
"Go ahead and blame me," Eliza offered. "I did want to give Alucard a treat."
"Ha! I might take you up on that offer."
Cassie cast a spiteful glare at the therapist. How dare that bitch try and tell her how Alastor feels? He revels in attention, and she knew that he had other feelings inside. The man was a troubled soul, and he would find some day that he needed a woman who understood him to come home to. When that day comes, she'd show him all the love she had, and she knew he'd figure out that he, too, felt the same for her. It would be perfect, and he would be hers once and for all. That pasty witch may have his attention now, but that would end as soon as he tired of her. Then he'd come back to the colony and see that what he wanted was right here all along. Her moment would come, and when it did, she would give him everything.
Alastor glanced at Cassie out of the corner of his eye as they walked away from the restaurant. The woman never left the fenced-in eating area, watching him walk by with a dreamy expression. He couldn't help but sigh; Eliza's explanation had been spot-on, but it looks like none of it sank in. Such a pity.
"Alastor?"
The wendigo's eyes focused on her once more. She seemed a little down, and despite addressing him, her eyes were pointed forward. "Yes?"
"What makes me more of a threat than an obsessed fan?"
Alastor stopped walking, and she halted a couple steps ahead of him, turning with her expression carefully blank. He gulped silently. "I… suppose I've just always been rather lenient with my colonists."
My colonists.
'So it's because they belong to him,' Superego noted.
'Is anyone actually surprised?' Id huffed in annoyance. 'Dude's a possessive prick; that ain't some kind of state secret.'
When she gave him that passive smile, he had a bad feeling that he had somehow given the wrong answer. "They must mean a lot to you, then. I see. Well, let's get going!"
When she turned around, she bumped into his chest as he shadow-stepped straight into her path. Flustered, she backed up in surprise, glaring up at him as he put a finger in her face. "My colonists may matter to me, but I'm not walking with them to make a point, now am I?"
As he turned on his heel, his inner radio clicked to life and played some soft Jazz, to which he hummed along as Eliza stood there. There was no point denying the dark blush on her face, and when she hurried to catch up with him once her motor functions started up again, she convinced herself it was from the shock of bumping into him. Not from… other things.
Meanwhile, Alastor slipped into a smug, downright victorious grin. He wasn't sure why making her flustered felt so satisfying; maybe because she hides her emotions all the time. All he knows is that getting a rise out of her is surprisingly addicting, and he's not opposed to doing it again in the future.
After all, he didn't see anyone else getting that reaction; no, this was all his.
