"Family"
Everard did not like to travel. Big transport vehicles like trains, planes and boats and the lack of controle he had over them, always put Everard in a state of existential dread. He would never be able to express that that was what he was feeling, and he would just swallow it down and endure, as he did with anything slightly inconvenient. He did it, because David always seemed so excited about it and to see David happy, was enough for him to endure it every now and then. Everard had sat looking outside of the little, oval window, affectionately holding David's hand all through the flight, quite unable to sit still. Everard was both horrified and amazed mortal men had created such a behemoth of a device that made them able to look down at the world from such a height. At times like these he thought back on his mortal family and how they would have laughed if he had shared with them what he had seen. How the cities glowed at night and how he could touch the clouds. But that was not the family they were travelling to see and as soon as they had safely landed in Liverpool, it fully hit Everard again what they were about to embark on. They had travelled light, for the travel to the island. Clothes could be bought and Everard did not expect to stay long. He already longed for the nights he had promised David they would spend in the Cotswolds afterwards. If there even was 'a David' afterwards. It had been a long time since the haunting images of Elliot's smoldering, greasy pile of ashes had haunted him, but ever since Benedict's message earlier this month, the image had come to him everytime the subject came up. He did not believe a word of what Benedict had said; that Rhoshamandes had grown kinder or that he tolerated Lestat's people around at the castle all the time. But those were probably all flings to him. David was no such thing and so he could hardly imagine Rhoshamandes having any reservations regarding hurting David if he wanted to.
And yet here they stood, after he held David tightly and took to the air, they had landed on the island, the big castle looming over them like a dark villain. And they stood here because Everard had hopes, always clinging to some remnant of desired approval. Again, the depth of such feelings was never something he paid mind to or tried to vocalise or even make sense of. He did not realise that what he hoped for, by bringing a lover that was not one of his own disasters, who was well mannered, smart and calm, would gain him some approval. Because David was not him.
He turned to his lover, more quiet than usual, but skillfully trying to hide it by remaining confident in posture. He looked over David's handsome face and gave a soft smile. "Before we go in," he started, with an urgency in his voice that demanded David's full attention. "I need you to listen to me very carefully. Don't ever let yourself out of my sight. Avoid being alone with him at all cost. And let me protect you if things were to go South."
