#heliwrr

Dhani knew he couldn’t afford to miss anymore days here. Though he wasn’t sure if Aleksey really kept track. However three weeks of (possibly) unknown whereabouts were not going unnoticed. He wondered if Aleksey and Warren had a talk about that. Three weeks was enough then, of being stuck in the house. But yesterday he had spent there voluntarily, wallowing in his own self pity, crying over things he couldn’t control.

She still cared for him, even loved him. But she was just confused and needed time.

Somehow it still felt like his world was ending. What if she didn’t come back? What if her confusion led her somewhere else?

But Dhani was back at work, shelving books and discordantly helping other student. He had to be patient. He knew how much he loved Daisy. Maybe that would be enough. Maybe, eventually, everything would work out just like they had planned.

“Sir,” Dhani knocked on the door jamb of Aleksey’s office, holding a book in his hand. It was a particularly old one and the spine was obviously coming loose from the pages. Dhani handed it carefully.

“I have another one for the repair pile.”

Send my muse a name and they’ll tell you:

What song they associate with them: The Wolf

The farthest length they’d travel for them: Anywhere, at the drop of a hat

How comfortable they are with them: Even though she knows it’s silly, Qhuinn is still somewhat unsure of her place around Aleksey. She knows that he likes her and considers her a friend, but she still views herself as more of an annoyance to him than anything else.

Would they take a beating for them: Without question

Would they give a beating for them: She would tear the throat out of anyone who dared to lift a finger to him.

Would they date them: As she has had a crush on him since day one, she would seriously consider if it he wasn’t with Stitches. That being said though, she doesn’t think that she would be good for him, with as badly as she failed with Hollis. 

Full honest opinion: Qhuinn openly adores Aleksey. She thinks that he is one of the smartest people that she has ever met, and that as well as other things makes her feel intimidated and inferior. But she also thinks that he is far braver, stronger, and kinder than he gives himself credit for, and she will forever remind him of those things when he forgets them.

@heliwrr:

    Aleksey had spotted Abbi some time ago but he’d not approached. They didn’t know each other that well and he didn’t want her to think that he was preying on her on her first event. But he’d been keeping an eye on her perhaps protectively.

After he’d done a few circles of the area using slow but controlled paces he stepped up because he heard the sounds of unchained feet shuffling indicating a master or mistress was coming.

Gently he reached out and touched Abbi’s chin with the side of his finger and lifted her face up.

“The more you curl in the more you’ll draw attention to yourself.” Aleksey murmured calmly. “Try not to look so scared, some will be able to sense it.”

Abbi startled when she was touched. It was gentle, which could mean either friend or foe trying to lure her into a false sense of security. She was almost scared to look up, but then heard that quiet Russian accent in her ear and had to check to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. Nope..it was Mister Tall, Foreign, and Mysterious. What was he doing with her?

The Seer swallowed hard and offered a little smile, though her confusion was evident in her eyes. “Yeah..yeah I know. I’m trying to appear..neutral? I guess that’s the best right? Can’t look too scared. Too angry, or even too indifferent. It’s hard to know..”

She tried a warmer smile, as it was nice of him to stop. “How have you been Aleksey?”

Colton had seen Aleksey in the game nights a few times, and there was something troubling about the man. From his distaste of human contact to the way he seemed to snap at the smallest things, it didn’t take a Psychiatrist to know that Aleksey was tortured. Making his way into the library with a stack of old volumes he had checked out Colton knew Aleksey would still be in there working late as he often did save for the nights he took some time off to enjoy the games in the lounge.

Colton was the same way. When he walked into the library he saw the man sitting at the desk and he approached, making some noise on his way to the desk as to not startle the wolf in men’s clothing. “Mr. Onegin,” Colton spoke when he was about six feet away. “I didn’t expect you to be here so late.” Lie. “I was just one my way home when I remembered these books were due back in the morning. As I prefer to spend mornings indoors and my first class is not until late tomorrow, I thought I’d just slide these onto your desk before heading home.” he explained.

Juniper walked into the library and was surprised to see how many people had had the same idea, standing there for a moment, scanning the tables of people she finally saw one person she somewhat recognized. She had seen him in a few different game nights and he seemed okay. Walking over to his table she tapped the table top lightly with the tips of her fingers and gave a small smile. “Aleksey right?” she asked softly, to not bother anyone else in the library. “Do you mind if I join you?” she tapped the back of the chair across from him hopefully.

She wasn’t sure what the older man was working on, but she’d rather sit with him and work on her work than sit among the fuller tables of people, even if they were nice and friendly, she was not in the right mindset to be around too many people. It had taken a lot to even get her out of her apartment, and now that she was she wasn’t sure if she had done the right thing, but she was out and she was making the best of it.

Dhani took a deep breath. It was a nice day out. Being in just boxers wasn’t so bad. When he was a kid his parents could hardly keep clothes on him, especially outside. He did sort of miss them, though. And seeing how beautiful Tenanye looked a few feet away... Undressed wasn’t the word. He’d have to remind himself, should he have permission to do so, to ask Anye to help him with Daisy’s Halloween present. He loved buying Daisy dresses and Anye had such a good eye for fashion...

And so did Aleksey with his suits. Maybe Dhani would get to wear one again for a more special occasion. All his clothes were at Scott and Daisy’s. Except for the few suits he owned and got to wear at Exotic Tastes. Aleksey didn’t look very happy. Master Aleksey wasn’t one for social events. Dhani frowned, a little, thinking. He wanted to help his favorite boss. He always wanted to help.

Most of the guilt Dhani had felt over Aleksey’s backing out of the claim had ebbed away. Time healed as it passed. But Dhani was always determined to show Aleksey he had changed. He was a good slave now. One Aleksey could be proud of and happy to have in his employ.

Dhani got up from his place on the ground, brushing the dirt from his knees and walked over to Aleksey, kneeling again in front of him, hands gathered in his lap.

“Master, is there something I could do? I know these types of gatherings aren’t your favorite thing...”

After a few beers, with a game of Never Have I Ever, and some gentle nudging from Daisy, Dhani left the game room about two hours after Aleksey. He was almost sure Aleksey wouldn’t be in the office of the library. And if he wasn’t, then he had an excuse for not wasting his breath in trying to talk to him. But Daisy was right. Dad was right. Mom was right. It was better to talk things out. Especially when they hurt.

And Dhani was hurting a lot.

He hadn’t bothered with a holiday present when he’d figured out Aleksey had been gone well into December. He did honestly thing the professor had left and the school wasn’t going to bother replacing him during winter break. Emerson had up and left without so much as a note. So it wasn’t surprising to Dhani. Massively disappointing, rage inducing, and anxiety spiking. On top of Rafael’s fading memory and eagerness to leave, which Dhani had been depending on Aleksey to help with. And Warren cornering Dhani in the lounge...

Dhani had enough to worry about. He’d gotten his hopes up about getting to go home, even for a little while, even if it meant saying goodbye to Rafael in the process. He’d gone out of his way to talk about the things he would do at home to help Maebh, the things his dad would know to say to help them. Long before Hanukkah had come and gone, he’d been thinking he might actually get to go.

Dhani took a deep and knocked on the door to the office.

@heliwrr