Ever since the death of his parents, Alaric had slowly been cocooned by a sensation of freedom that he mostly didn’t notice, but sometimes tightened around him so swiftly that he was momentarily left breathless by its grip on him. This freedom showed itself in little ways, like no longer worrying so much about if he dressed in a way they'd find presentable, but also in bigger ways, like being able to move somewhere like Hogsmeade not having to worry that they might one day show up on his doorstep, ready to judge his manner of lifestyle. His parents and their expectations were the reason that Alaric's last flat had felt more like a showroom than an actual home because while Alaric did enjoy all the natural light and the openness, it was stark white to prove it was clean in an effort to meet with their standards and Alaric was almost obsessed with keeping it tidy.
But now? Now Alaric had somewhere new to live just like he felt as though he was starting a new life with his new last name. Delilah had visited while there were still boxes on the floor and he hadn't minded, and there was going to be color in the flat that made it feel easier to breathe - although maybe that had more to do with the fact Alaric considered it his first home with Pandora. His flat hadn't felt like home, but this would and Alaric didn't care if it was slow in coming together since it meant he was watching the pieces assemble themselves with Pandora at his side. It was going to be a place that mixed their interests and styles, somewhere they were both comfortable and Alaric moved aside a piece of furniture to make sure their newest project room was ready for them to start working on.
"I'm proud of the progress we've made," Alaric admitted once he was finished, looking back at Pandora and smiling at the sight of her. How long did the honeymoon phase last? He didn't know, but it was a good feeling that he planned to embrace for as long as it lasted and Alaric moved to grab the paint can so it would be on hand. "Did you put Rom somewhere?" Maybe Rom would be happy to sleep in a patch of sunshine somewhere, but Alaric didn't want to run the risk of Rom running through the paint and leaving kitty pawprints on the floor. Then again, maybe that would add character and Alaric huffed out a surprised laugh, aware he wouldn't have thought that before. "Then again, perhaps it would be nice if he helped. This is his home, too, after - wait. Did I grab the wrong paint can?" @pandorakane
