#baptiscd

@baptiscd

—   the silver chef’s knife was rhythmically hitting the teak cutting board as carrots were thickly sliced for the family’s dinner  .    once the cutting board was more orange than tan  ,   hannah would use the flat edge of the knife to slide them into a waiting double broiled pot on the stove that was filled with butter and fresh dill   .    the kitchen smelled strongly of the spice   ,    but paled in comparison to the roasted duck that was nearly ready in the oven   .    her husband favored the meal with plum sauce coating the meat   ,   but it was not the season for that fruit   ,   so instead   ,   rosemary and oranges were used    .    her eyes kept wandering to the thin gap in the oven that allowed her to see inside as she contemplated the duck’s taste   .    she did not eat meat  and therefore did not know how it would come out with this new addition   .    the woman at the market said it would be divine   ,    and she knew her husband would still tell her it tasted great   ,    but there was still a small worry that the rest of the family would not think the same   . 

her back had been to the kitchen door when it was thunderously thrown open   ,  and her heart climbed into her throat as the pictures rattled on the wall when the door bounced loudly against the wood   .     quickly she turned with the knife still in her hand to see who   ,   and why someone had decided to frighten her   ,    but lowered the sharp object just as quickly  when she spied little alaric with his shoulder bunched up around his ears   ,   and a dark look in his eyes   .    often   ,   she had seen that look directed at his father   ,   or one of his siblings after they pushed him too far   ,   but it had never been directed at her before   ,    and she did not know what had caused it   .    his teeth were bared to her   ,    and his fist shook at his side   ,    but he did not speak as she crossed the kitchen to place her hands on his shoulders   .    she went to wrap him up into her arms to comfort him   ,    but he pushed at her stomach until there was a good couple of feet between them   .    “   alaric   ?   ”   she called    ,    confused and slightly hurt   .   

“   you are not my mom   ,    hannah   .   you  don’t get to decide what’s right and wrong for me.   ”   he shouted as he lifted his arms again to shove at her   .    not wanting to hit the hot stove   ,   she batted away each of his hands as they came near to her at first   ,   before deciding on grabbing hold of his wrist tightly   ,   and keeping him in one place   .     he then decided to use his feet to step on her toes   ,    and he tugged   ,   and he tugged   ,   and he tugged   .   one hand broke free from her hold which caused him to lose his balance as he was already at an odd angle   ,    and crash onto the floor with angry tears in his eyes   .    hannah dropped to the floor beside him at the same time to make sure he did not hit his head   ,   but kept her distance as he behaved like a wounded animal trapped in a small cage   .    as the oven timer chimed   ,   it clicked in her mind what he might be angry about   .    she had recently spoken to his father about not sending him away to a boarding school   ,    not when there was war once again on the horizon   ,   and john agreed with her that it might not be for the best   .   he must have told his son their decision   . 

random asks / literally always accepting!

    “They aren’t lies, Alaric. They’re stories. Fairy tales. The world inside these walls is hard enough as it is... and if telling stories of mythical creatures and brave princesses gives your sister a better outlook on life then what’s so wrong about that?” 

the  shades  are  drawn  and  he’s  been  out  for  hours.  with  the  stresses  in  the  county  and  tensions  running  high,  paul  is  on  empty  mentally  and  physically.  that  doesn’t  stop  his  mischievous  nephew  from  causing  some  trouble  obviously.  the  pinch  of  his  nose  leads  into  a  snort  and  it  hurts  enough  to have  his  eyes  shooting  open.  a  cough  wracks  him  and  he  sits  up.  

the compound was a hot bed of activity . screaming , howling . baying at the half moon as wolves  (  some caged , others roam free  )  padded directly behind the soldier . the rank stench all around was incredible , almost palpable . a mixture of everything obscene . blood being the most prominent . men and women wailed , tortured / overall distressed . not the best place for a child to be and yet john wanted the boy to visit with uncle jacob .

the door to the caged closed with a loud metallic click as the eldest seed sibling looked down upon the young boy , now locked inside .  ❛  dunno how john runs things at his compound but here we don’t tolerate that shit . stay in the cage until i let you out .  ❜  turning to go , as though an afterthought .

@baptiscd // ( always accepting random asks! )

He couldn’t do it. If he did, John had made clear whatwas at stake and who would be made to suffer for it. Barely a year into livingunderground and his only option had been taken from him. Oh, there technically was still achoice, but he knew the repercussions. Even if he followedthrough, there’d be no peace in knowing what he’d cause after his death. Sara would be made to suffer, would be wiped outof existence alongside him and she wouldn’t have a choice in it. Could hereally do that to her? After everything she’d done to survive?

Even if he didn’t want to live anymore, he couldn’t takethat from her.

Alex stands up, violently launching himself away from the cot he’d beensitting on and curses, a stilted, cut off “Fuck!”As he slams his fist into the metal wall. His knuckles burn but it’s barelynoticeable, not when his heart acheswith the realization of what’s to come. He tilts his forehead until it restsagainst the wall, hand falling to hang beside him, arm limp. Tears build up, overflowing and he cries silently, barely a muffled sob to accompany them. The last time hecried had probably been when .  .  . he doesn’t want to think about it, but it’dbeen over a year ago. Since going underground he’d slowly been receding furtherinto himself, detaching from everyone else. Most of all himself, but he’s notso far gone as to miss the creaking sound of the door being opened. Alex liftshis head and looks over, watching as a small form peeks their head in.

It’s Alaric. The kid was getting good at finding whereAlex went off to spend time alone. He turns towards him and crouches down, moreon his level. Not that Alex is very tall anyway, and judging by the kids alreadylong limbs he’ll probably out-grow Alex by the time he’s an adult, but for nowhe makes himself as approachable as possible. Not in the least bit intimidatingtowards kids. Even if Alex can feel himself tearing apart at the seams, hepulls it all together, loose stitching, for when a child is around. Despite the dimlighting in the supply room, Alaric doesn’t look scared as he hurries over, leavingthe door open behind him.

He only falters when he gets close enough to see Alex’sface. The red in his eyes, and the wet tracks down his face from where he’d criedearlier. He hadn’t even thought about it until Alaric reaches out and with his smallhands wipes at the remaining tears. “Daddysays you’re not supposed to cry.” It’s startling to hear, and Alex blinksat him, taken aback by the advice, but he recovers within seconds.

There’s a few ways to go about this, and while Alex neverconsidered himself the type to ever settle down and have kids –– life just didn’thave that in store for him, he did like them, got along well enough withthem too.

“Bold of you to assume I have very much time to sleep in the first place, but the sentiment, as SUSPICIOUS as it is, is appreciated Alaric.”

HE SQUINTS for a moment, studying the young man before shaking his head. HIS KIDS always had a habit of thinking they could pull ‘fast ones’ on him as though he didn’t spent the better part of their childhood RAISING THEM. He glares intently at him for a second before shaking his head.

“Your Uncle Paul has an easier time sleeping than I do and I’d much prefer it that way because he needs his rest. He should be back in a few moments, last I heard he was heading back from the springs, feeling rather spry from what it sounded like. You and your...gentleman friend can set up in the guest room.”

HE NODS, watching Alaric new beau stalk off through the house to set their belongings away, but it isn’t until Karter’s hand catches his son by the arm that his INDEX finger rises and a serious expression plasters on his face.

“There is ONE other matter. Under no circumstances are the two of you to do ANYTHING but sleep do you understand me? I mean it, if you way your uncle up in the middle of the night with your...CAVORTING, you and your friend will answer DIRECTLY to me.”

He claims that Paul’s sleep is the problem, but truthfully he’s still DISPLEASED with Alaric’s introduction of a ‘boyfriend’. NO ONE was good enough for his children. NO ONE will ever be good enough for his children no matter who they are.

immediately face was pulled into a look of disgust .  ❛  absolutely not , have you seen those beasts ? enormous , track mud everywhere and the shedding is incredible . they slobber and howl and i want nothing to do with them . and besides you hardly even take care of your other pet . you never walk the deputy and i’m the only one that gives them attention . i told you that would happen . now go feed them , it’s at least been a few days .  ❜