Currently indebted to drafts

Tagged by: @unborderedreflection thank youuuu~ Tagging: whoever wants to I guess? ;; 

“Well...I guess it’s about right.” 

“Especially the financial issues part~~~”

Elle narrowed her lips and, pulling herself to her knees before Ludger, put her hands on her hips. How could Ludger be okay? He could barely move yesterday, and here he was acting like nothing happened.

“Of course I slept okay,” she said, a bit sharper than she intended. Elle bit her lip and sighed. “I’m sorry. It’s just…” she glanced up at Ludger. “I missed you so much and you being back… it almost feels too good to be true.”

Elle climbed off the bed. “You must be hungry. I’ll get us some food.” Stepping outside she paused and leaned against the wall. The girl reached in her pocket and pulled out an old, crumpled photograph. It was taken shortly before Cannan. In it she and Ludger were smiling with all of their friends. Elle passed a thumb over herself and Ludger and wiped tears from her eyes. There was no way Ludger was just okay. She wasn’t a kid. She was nine years old. 

Elle clenched her jaw and pushed the photograph back into her pocket and headed towards the kitchen to order food. All this time Ludger had taken care of herself first, pushing his well being to the back, even to the point of sacrificing his own life. This time it would be different.

After ordering food Elle skipped back to the room to join Ludger. He was home. And nothing would change that.

Elle shifted in his lap, and Ludger couldn’t help but smile. All he could have ever wanted was right here in front of him. Even before he knew Elle was of his flesh and blood - even if it was a fractured version of himself - he had felt a strong paternal instinct pulling at him to protect her.

“It feels really good for the both of us.” He stated, as Elle climbed out of his lap, sliding onto the floor. As she mentioned food his attention directed to his stomach. Come to think of it... he wasn’t hungry at all. You’d think for just coming back from the dead he’d at least crave something - but not once had he ever felt hungry.

He was about to respond, but Elle had already stepped out of the room. Oh well... telling her that he was not hungry after all of that would only worry her more.

It took a few moments, but the small girl returned with some food for the two of them. Though Ludger wasn’t hungry at all, he resolved to try and eat anyway. “Tomato soup?” He observed, smiling at her choice on the menu. “And here I thought you didn’t like tomatoes.”

He took the bowl from her with a grateful nod, dipping the spoon in and taking a bite. Huh... even though he wasn’t hungry - it was hard to explain but - he enjoyed the taste of the food all the same. There was this weird sensation though... It was as if it didn’t fill up his stomach at all. Though the taste was all the same.

(yes, yes! alt milla deserves all the presents!!! <3 ) 

“Milla!” Ludger huffed, waving her down, though stopping a minute to catch his breath. “I’m glad that I found you.” He stood up, scratching his cheek awkwardly, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a handmade hairpin with a beautiful flower design. 

Ludger gave a friendly smile as he looked over at his twin. “Oh yeah, I got you something.” He stated as he stood up from the table. Meandering into the other room to grab a package and present it to the other bi-toned young man.

Elle dreamed that Ludger was home again. It was the same dream she had every night for a year. The how and why sometimes changed, but Ludger was there. Often, it made her long for sleep during the day. It was the only time she could see him again.

In her dream, Ludger brushed her bangs from her face. He had been tired and weak, but slowly regained strength. He tried to pretend that everything was fine, but Elle could tell he was lying.

And she didn’t care. 

She felt someone move, and she slowly opened her eyes. And saw him. It wasn’t a dream. “You’re… you’re still here.” She pulled herself to a sitting position and looked him over with a critiquing eye. He seemed okay. More himself than before. But something was different.

Elle pushed the thought away. She didn’t care. He was here.

“How… how are you feeling?” She felt his forehead with her small, cool hand. “Does anything hurt?”

Elle rustled awake in Ludger’s arms, her green eyes - the same shade as his - looking up at him sleepily. It took her a moment or two but she pressed a small hand to his forehead. 

He shook his head, “No, weirdly enough-” Not that he was complaining. “I’m fine.” At least it seemed like he was? 

He felt as though all of his strength had returned somehow. He scooped Elle up into another hug, content and happy and not about to look a gift horse in the mouth for right now. He was back, and he had Elle. And soon he would be able to see all of his friends again. But just how would they respond to seeing a deadman walking....?

Elle curled in a small ball in Ludger’s lap and stared wide-eyed as he wrapped his pinkie around her own. She looked up into Ludger’s face, her cheeks wet with tears. “I’m not sad-crying.” The girl sat up. “You’re here. You’re home. I don’t care…” She leaned her head against his chest. She could hear his heart behind his shirt. “I don’t care. You’re home.” 

She closed her eyes, lulled by the sound of his voice. “I’m home.” She whispered, before the anxiety and adrenaline of the day caught up with her, and the little girl fell asleep in Ludger’s arms.

It didn’t take much longer for the small girl to fall asleep in his arms. It was clear she was exhausted. It was clear that today had been hard for her. Come to think of it? What was today? What was the date...? Elle looked older. But not by much. 

Everything hurt too much to think about for now, and his head was still spinning. So he found himself drifting off again with the young girl in arms. 

-------------

He came to not much later - Elle was still asleep, curled up in his arms. But something was strange. The weak feeling he was experiencing earlier had all but vanished. In fact he felt perfectly healthy. But how that came to be? He couldn’t really say. 

He reached down a hand, brushing the bangs out of the young girls eyes. Whatever was happening, it seemed like it was permanent. Though - he knew better than to assume that was what was going on. He could only hope that was the case.

“No!” Elle pulled herself to her knees on the edge of the bed, her eyes wide in horror. Should be dead? “No!” She pulled her hands up to her ears. “NO! Not dead. You can’t…. NO!” Elle lay down next to Ludger, putting her arms around him protectively.

She always lost those closest to her. Mommy… Daddy… Ludger… It was her fault. They always died because of her. She wasn’t strong enough. She was never strong enough.

“Not again.” She buried her face in Ludger’s shoulder, her tears staining his shirt. “But I’m stronger now. You’re here now. I’m home again.” Everything was supposed to be okay. Everything had to be okay. Right?

The young girl shut down in front of him. He had said the wrong thing. He wasn’t composed. Not at all, but he had to pull himself together for Elle’s sake. He could do that... couldn’t he? He could pretend to be okay, right? 

“Wait, I-” He let out a shaky breath. He shouldn’t have admitted it aloud. Elle had been through enough. She came first-- “I’m not going anywhere...” He found it odd almost. But the more time that passed, the more strength seemed to be returning to his body.

He now found himself able to sit up, and he drew Elle into him, wiping her tears. “I’m here now, alright?” He forced a smile - a smile to be worn for her sake.  He made sure she would feel his touch. a Reassurance that he existed - even if he didn’t know how. That wasn’t something he would ever bring up in front of her again. 

Emily stood where shr was taking in the sights and sounds. Things were so much different now that she was off the streets. But still, she was waiting for a friend.

‘Wonder where he is. Thank goodness I can handle myself but its more fun with friends.’ She thought to herself. It was at that moment when she looked up to she her friend Ludger sprinting towards her. She smiled as he apologized.

“It’s alright Luds. I haven’t been waiting long. I would have been late myself had I not been woken up.” She confessed with a grin.

“Oh...Really?” The bi-toned young man gave a bashful rub of his neck with an awkward smile. At least he hadn’t kept her waiting. He knew something of that nature would be something that, if his brother found out, would definitely lead to relentless teasing and lectured on his behalf about ‘keeping a lady waiting’ and ‘poor gentlemanly form’. Though, of course, they would be all in good taste.

“I can almost reach!“ Leia said while standing on the back of her friend. “And Ludger! It was my bag! It’s got my GHS, my notepad, my wallet and more in it! I can’t just wait till tomorrow to get it.“

She tried to hoist herself up higher while hanging onto the window sill. “And wasn’t it so convenient that I ran into you over at the cafe? Otherwise you wouldn’t be here to help me!“

The Kresnik let out a low sigh, followed by a small smile symbolizing that he had given up. If there was anyone he would want to do something like this with - Leia was certainly his best bet. At least her intentions were honest. And having your GHS was really important, especially since you needed it for transportation.