Whisper through the phone (TW)

Country The Netherlands
Date and time of the call 15/06/2022
Outfit: White shirt with blood on the arms and down the middle of his front. Habit trousers.
Dedicated to @Letha Aetós

It did take a lot to shake one of the first pureblood vampires. Almost half a year ago, Oscar had gotten scared of himself and what could hurt him. Even though he had his better half to support him, he had believed that it would be for the best that he left her alone in his home. Even though it hurt to leave her, he believed it had been for the better. He had hurt way too many when he had lost himself almost half a year ago and even though he had found comfort in Letha’s arms, it wasn’t enough. He was scared that he would end up hurting her again, possibly killing her. He wouldn’t want to live with that. So, as anyone would do, he wrote her a note and had taken off. He had told her to wait for him.
The months had been eventful. Hunters, drugs that weren’t enough, and drugs that suited vampires, which would kill any normal being. That had also been where it had gotten dark for Oscar. He lost track of time. Not just time days. Months. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if it had been years. With shaky hands, he walked into a phone box. He took the phone and dialed the wrong number plenty of times, spending so many coins on the wrong numbers. With a little curse of himself, he managed to dial the right number.

He heard her take the phone. Her voice gave him shivers and he could feel how he wished to speak, but no words left him. Eventually, he threw the phone handle back, so it canceled the call. Even though he didn’t need to breathe at all, he did. Maybe there was something in him, that simply told him that if he breathed quicker, the toxicity in his body would leave quicker. He stood in the box for a long time, waving away multiple strangers who would either use the phone, sleep in it, or simply because they were worried about him.
After a couple of tries again, he managed to call her again. Her voice sounded through the phone and to be certain that he didn’t waste another call, he threw a fist at the window in the phone box. It made glass shards cut his arm, and with his telekinesis, he made sure that there was nothing left in the wound. He hissed from the feeling. “Letha?” he whispered shakingly. “Can you come and get me?” he continued with a soft voice, almost sounding like a lost boy who had lost his mommy. The small wounds were already healing up, dressing his pale skin in his own blood. He looked for street signs, hoping that there was something that could tell him where he was. “Veldstraat… I’m at Veldstraat,” he whispered through the phone “Germany… The Netherlands, I don’t… Please come and get me,” he whispered shakingly. He knew she might have plenty of questions but listening to her worried voice almost felt like she was pushing him. Pushing him to run away again, and he really couldn’t do that. He hammered the phone down to cancel the call again. He leaned against the phone box’s inside and glided down to the bottom of it, hugging himself from whatever pain he felt in his chest. It took a while before he got to his feet, no he crawled out of the box, and with a little help from the walls next to him, he got all the way up. He supported himself all the way to a place where he could numb the pain he felt, without turning off his emotions. As soon as everything had taken effect, he continued to find a house, which he made sure was a death house. A small family of four.

It had been a couple of months now since she had woken up and known he wasn’t in the house anymore. It had torn her heart out, and as she had read the note, known he wanted to wait for her, she hadn’t known what to do. She had suddenly felt so alone, even if she knew she could call Aria and she would be more than happy to keep her company; she also knew that Aria had a hard time coping and settling on the idea that her mother wasn’t the mother she had grown up with. Ace, well, he had made his point perfectly clear that he didn’t want anything from her nor his father and that he would preferably be left alone. Then there was River, and she was sure her oldest son would rather that she just kept away.
So no, she was, if anything, completely alone. Days had turned into weeks, weeks into months. To the point where she was sure he would never come back, and all she would do was wake up, eat her breakfast in silence; drive to the Academy, where she would sit in her car for a couple of minutes before putting on her best smile and then keep on with her work. Then she would drive back, go to the grocery shop down the road, make dinner and go to sleep. Day after day. Utterly alone and broken. So, she had gotten a cat. Cliché, she knew that. But it was the only thing that ended up getting her up in the morning. Pancakes, or she had been very close to calling it Ace, just because it looked so grumpy all the time, but well, not even she was that cruel. She had found more joy in her life, having that little fellow in her life, even if it wasn’t quite the same.

Then her phone rang, it took a moment before she picked it up and at first, there was no one there as she asked who it was. But something told her; “Oscar?” she whispered but then the only sound she heard was the peeping of the call that had been ended. After that, she just sat there at the dining table looking at her phone, and as it rang again, this time, she was quicker to pick it up. “Oscar?” she called as she heard how glass was being shattered, can you come and get me “where are you?” she asked, her eyes widened as he told her a city in the Netherlands “yes, okay, okay I’ll come, please, please don’t go off anywhere else” she got up from the chair “Oscar, I’ve –“ the call was ended, and she swallowed the lump in her throat “I’ve missed you” she whispered for herself and looked around in the dark kitchen before she started crying.

She knocked on Ace’s door, Pancake complaining in the basket. When it opened, she let a shaky breath leave her. “I’m sorry to ask you this, but I need to get Oscar; he's somewhere in the Netherlands, and I can’t leave Pancakes alone. Could you watch him, just for a couple of days, at the max?” she asked with pleading eyes. Not that she gave him much choice before she pushed the cat in his arms and let the rest of its belongings stay on the doorstep before she ran back home to get the car and drive to the airport.

Finally, she opened the door where she knew he was in. “Oscar?” she called, closing her eyes as she could smell the death hanging in the air. What was going on? “Oscar”, she called once more, walking up the stairs, trying to avoid looking for the four others that once lived in the house.

Oscar had gotten comfortable in the oldest of the children’s beds, playing mindlessly around with a fidgeting thing. He saw hallucinations and felt everything extremely relaxing and almost pleasuring. His face was completely emotionless, and his eyes barely moved when he moved the thing in his hands.
He heard her voice, and a small smirk was pulled on his lip as he stopped fidgeting. He believed it was a hallucination. This time he could hear the voice one more time and someone walking up the stairs. He dropped the fidgeting thing, and only because of his telepathy, he didn’t get hit in the head by it. Carefully he moved out of the bed. He wanted to call her name, but nothing left his mouth. Step by step he moved closer to the door “-ha?” a very small whisper left him. “Letha!” he screamed her name and folded his arms around his stomach. Where was all the pleasure gone? “Letha!” he called for her again, this time with a voice that was cracked. Tired, sorrowful.

He felt like he couldn’t see for a moment, but he could smell her, and if not her, the clothing detergent. He could feel her, and even though he couldn’t really determine what she was saying, he could hear her. He wailed and tried to get closer to her. Hopefully, this wasn’t just a painful hallucination.

She ran to him as he started to scream, but as she saw his state, she felt how her legs stopped moving, almost as if something was pulling her back. Maybe it was the sheer shock of his condition that made her pause, not knowing what she could do, if anything she could do would actually help him. Especially when it had gotten this far, and he didn’t want or had needed her help last time she had run through Aston city to find him again after he had turned his feelings off.
But as he called for her again, she managed to move from the spot she had been otherwise glued to.
“I’m here”, she whispered as she got closer, letting her arms fold around his small statue and pulling him close, slowly finding their way down on the floorboards, where she pulled him even closer before she began rocking back and forth. Almost as if it was a habit, she hummed the lullaby his father had sung for him many years ago. Tears glided down her cheeks as she looked around in the house she was in. The giant beams were placed on top of each other, almost making it look like they were in a tree house. Her fingers found his hair, and she stroked it so gently she could, and even if it smelled, she turned and buried her nose into it because she had missed him, she had missed him so much.

Shakingly his arms found their way around her. His grip was loose, and he tried to hold onto the shirt she was wearing. He had made sure that the youngest child was dead in its bed, the other child he had thrown in the tub in the upstairs bathroom, the mother in her own bed, and the father, well he was laying on the couch.
They slowly got down onto the floor, rocking back and forth. She started singing and for every single sound that left her, things got clearer for him. “I’m sorry,” he gasped and started to cling to her as if she was his life vest from going mad. “I am so sorry,” he cried, feeling how tears glided down his cheeks as he pushed his head closer to her. For a while, he laid in her arms, listening to her song. “I didn’t want to turn them off,” he said shakingly. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispered.

She hushed him as he apologised; she didn’t need it, even if he had hurt her when he had decided to leave. She knew that he had a lot of emotions he had to deal with, many lifetimes of trauma that he had to deal with, much like herself. They just had to figure out how to help each other, even when it sometimes meant that he had to go away; she would always come and find him. She owed him that, and she wanted to, even if people kept telling her she deserved better. Those opinions were something she cared for; the man in her arms was.
“Of course, I’m here; I promised I would always be there for you”, she whispered as she pushed some hair away from his face, he looked horrible, but for now, she just let him sit there on the floor with her. When the time was right, she would get both of them to a hotel nearby where she could make sure he was suitable for the flight home. “just tell me when you’re ready, and I’ll get us to a hotel nearby,” she whispered, pressing her lips against his forehead.

It twisted his heart to hear her tell him, how she had promised to always be there for him. He knew, it just weighed so heavily on him to be reminded. He was loved and cared for. He nodded softly as she explained how she would book them a place to stay. He closed his eyes, taking in the feeling of how she kissed his forehead. “It’s okay. You can do it now,” he spoke quietly. His hand on her back had found a tiny bit of her hair that kept his fingers occupied. It was so calming to be in her embrace. Though it had filled him with so much pain, just when she had arrived, he could almost feel how every small piece of his emotional heart was being glued back together. “I just need to wash my face,” he whispered, not even thinking about how Letha could remove the bloodstains from his face and clothing. “I just really want to go home,” he told her. But he didn’t let go of her. His arms stayed wrapped around her, not wanting to let go.
“I have missed you so much,” he whispered, swallowing a lump in his throat. There was something in all of this, that made him believe that she was his roots; as long as she was close, he wouldn’t end up harming himself or others.

She nodded when he told her that he just wanted to go home; instead of letting him get up to wash his face, her fingers moved over his skin and slowly made all the blood come off him and his clothing; she made a floating ball of blood before she let it fall to the ground further away from them. His following words made her stomach and heart twist painfully, not that she didn’t want to hear him say that she had hoped he had been thinking about her, that he would have missed her. But it still hurt, and she was quite sure that it would hurt for quite some time now,
“Okay, let's get you home instead of going to a hotel; you can sleep on the plane”, she whispered and got up with him; her arms were around his shoulders as she started walking through the house, being very careful not to look inside of the rooms where there would be the remnants of the family that had lived here before Oscar had decided to stay here.

She helped him inside of the rental car she had gotten; even though she could run fast enough, she didn’t want to bring too much attention to her. When he was secured on the passenger seat, she got in behind the wheel and started the engine; not far after, they started driving to the small airport where a private plane would be waiting for them. One of the few perks of being as old as them was that they had plenty of money reserves around different parts of the world.

Home sounded so lovely when it came from her. She told him he could sleep on the plane. He did his best to get back up with her, though there was something in him that made him feel weak, or maybe it was just because she had been so close, and it had woken feelings he had subdued. He would ‘normally’ have found more of the vampiric drug to subdue them. He walked with her downstairs, not paying much attention to what she did or didn’t look at. When they got into the car, and she had secured him, it woke kind memories of how he had tried to deny his feelings when he had put her seatbelt on so many times. As soon as she sat next to him and started to drive, he turned his head to look at her. He raised a hand, to let his fingers find into her hair, and his thumb caressed her cheek, just in front of her ear. “Home is wherever you are. Whenever I’m with you,” he mumbled, feeling how it even twisted his own stomach to say such a strong truth, but it also made him relax and it almost felt like the subduing drugs were starting to work again. Peace. She was here with him.
When they got to the small airport with the private plane, he looked toward it, still a little dazed. His hand hadn’t removed itself from her, still caressing her, and slowly looked back at her, clearly thankful for what she had done to come and get him.

Her hand found his that was against her cheek, she felt the sting of tears that wanted to escape her eyes, but for now, she tried to focus on getting him back to Athena, even if home was wherever the two of them were, they still had a house and life back there. But for a moment, she was very tempted just to pull up the roots and move away. Find somewhere where no one knew who they were, maybe a little oasis where they could just be the two of them, find some peace they both deserved after so many years of pain and trauma.
“I’ve missed you”, she whispered and moved her head a little to the side so her lips could kiss his fingers. When they finally came to the small airstrip where the plane was waiting for them, she got out of the car and walked around; once again, she helped him and got him out of the vehicle. She didn’t mind mothering him for a while, especially when she could both feel and smell how drugs were taking hold of his body.

When they finally entered the plane, two female crew members helped with Oscar, placing him on one of the bigger chairs and put on his seatbelt; Letha placed herself in the chair beside him and locked herself in. It didn’t take long before the pilot got the engine up and going, and soon, they were on their way back to Athena. Her hand found his, and she pulled it up, so she could place a soft kiss against it. “get some sleep if you can”, she whispered, not knowing if she could sleep probably before he was back in his bed.

His half-closed eyes glistened a little as she told him that she had missed him. Even though he had said it not that long ago, he chose to repeat himself, “I’ve missed you too,” he spoke ever so softly.
Letha helped him out of the car. He didn’t mind it, because as of right now he needed it and wasn’t really capable of even walking straight. They got into the plane, and here two other women took him. Even though he could still smell that Letha was close, he looked over his shoulder to see if she was coming too. Even though he had just said that home was where she was, he was somehow afraid that she would just be putting him on a plane and sending him back to Athena.
She sat down next to him, and with no hesitation he leaned his head down to her shoulder while she kissed his hand. A low hum left him as she told him to try and get some sleep. He wished he could, but he could feel how his eyes simply didn’t want to close. Even though he was dazed, it felt like his eyes were taped open. After a while, he turned his head a little, so his nose was pointed more downwards than horizontally. “Letha?” he spoke softly, caressing her hand slowly. He turned his head to look a little up at her, even though he couldn’t really see much of her face from the position he was in. “I love you”

It was hard sitting this close to him, not because she didn’t want to, but because she had gained her full potential with her abilities, which meant that she knew exactly what he had gone through those months he had been away. It broke her heart all over again.
Moving around a little, she managed to get her arm around his shoulders, so her fingers could play around with his curls; she hummed when he said her name in a questionary manner.
She felt the rush of her blood float through her veins, making her heart momentarily beat in her chest; once again, she was reminded of just strong she had become after she had gained access to all her memories and had started at the Academy, where she felt like she was slowly gaining and unlocking her full potential, so much so, that she couldn’t always control it.
Her heart quieted down again, and just like every other vampire, it stopped beating entirely. “I love you too, Oscar”, she whispered and leaned her head down so she could place a soft kiss against his forehead. “I love you too,” she said once more before letting her head stay against his.

He didn’t bother to breathe as she moved around. The only thing that mattered at this moment was how they were together now, and how he wouldn’t let anything, or anyone ever break them from each other. Not even himself. He could simply feel that fate had decided from the day they had been born.
He could hear how her heart beat against her chest, but he didn’t bother commenting on it. He had this feeling that it was a lack of control, and that he shouldn’t pay much attention to it. She told him the same words as he had just told her. It comforted him. His hazel eyes however still stayed open as she leaned down to kiss his forehead. A soft hum left him, feeling more eased. He snaked hand left hers, but only to find her elbow, wishing to hold her closer. It was hopefully going to be a short trip home with no trouble. He wasn’t going to be able to close his eyes or sleep, so he simply laid there, holding her close, not wanting to let go of her.

When he seemed to be closer to her, and they were up in the air, she unbuckled her seat belt, pushing the armrest between them up and in a fluid motion, she turned so she could bring him between her legs, her back resting against the wall of the plane. A soft humming sound left her as she let her fingers glide over his curly hair, letting him listen to the manufactured heart beating in her chest and the vibration from her humming the lullaby that she had sung so many times to him in the past. It had taken them a long way to get here, but this time she was sure they would make it to the end, and nothing would ever end up making them part ways. At least she would fight with tooth and nail to her very last breath.

She sat like that for a little over an hour before they could finally land in Aston. “I have a car waiting for us so we can drive home”, she whispered before getting up and taking his hand as she led him outside again.
When they got inside, she sat behind the wheel and fasted the seatbelt; “we just need to drive by Ace first; I have to pick up pancakes”, she said, not really thinking about the fact that he had no idea that she had bought a cat and named him something as stupid as a breakfast food. So, she put in the coordinates for Ace’s address, hoping that he wouldn’t give her a piece of her mind, as she hadn’t really given him much choice as she had pushed the poor cat in his arms and then run off.  

She moved around, and it didn’t take long before he almost laid down on her. Quite comfortably. Even more so when she let her fingers play with his hair, the fake heartbeat, and her sweet humming. He was so certain that even though his stunt had been stupid, it had gotten them stronger, and they wouldn’t be separated by anything. It had always been meant to be.

They landed, and she mentioned a car while. He supported himself towards the chairs while holding her hand. He wasn’t going to let go of her too easily. He nodded a little, almost invisibly as a reply.
Soon enough, they sat in the nice car. He tried to turn a little in the seat to reach the seatbelt but ended up using some of his telekinesis to get a hold of the seatbelt so he could secure himself. Even though he would survive a crash, it was much nicer not to have to fly through a car window. He looked towards her as she mentioned to stop by Ace’s. “Okay,” he mumbled, even though he thought it odd that Ace had pancakes. Had he some in the fridge, or did he actually stand in the middle of the night and baked some?

She was just about to help him with the seatbelt when she noticed that he ended up using his powers instead. She didn’t say anything to it. Instead, she started the car and drove toward Grounds of Lily, more specifically, the address that Ace lived on. Even though she didn’t need sleep as most living creatures did, she could still feel the fatigue of everything that had gone down the last couple of days.
With a soft sigh, she ended up putting something on the radio; after a few tries, she found a jazz channel with no anchor sitting and spewing nonsense that she wasn’t interested in hearing. It was times like these where she knew where Ace had his demeanour from; even though she also knew he would deny it to his very last dying breath that he was anything like his parents; when the truth was that he reminded her of them more than any of her other children.

She finally pulled up by the house and turned off the engine “it’ll only take a minute”, she said, not wanting him to move around too much, then she walked over and knocked on the door, waiting for her son to open the door so she could get her cat, hopefully without having to explain herself too much.

Oscar was quite laid back in the seat and closed his eyes when she found a good channel. He was in some ways tired, but on the other hand, he couldn’t help but let his telekinesis follow them. Feel how the car was placed compared to the road. Was she in the right lane, or did she slide or anything like that – he would make sure that nothing like that would happen. He couldn’t afford that.
They stopped by Ace’s house, and he looked toward her as she turned off the engine. He pulled on a light smile before she exited the car.

Ace was laying in his bed, with the kitten on top of his chest, caressing it while it purred when the doorbell rang. Both he and the kitten opened their eyes wide and looked in the direction of the front door. He made sure to hold the kitten as he got up and with it in his hands he walked toward the door before he opened it, seeing his mother. “I would be lying if I said I’m glad you’re picking up Pancakes,” he said, even though the kitten meowed for its mother. Ace sighed. “Alright, come on in,” he said and stepped away from the door opening so she could get inside, and he could close the door.
Even though he closed the door, it didn’t take long before it knocked on the door, but both Letha and Ace would know that it was Oscar who had already gotten impatient, or at least that could be what they believed. Ace opened the door and his father stepped inside. Oscar walked in to sit by the dining table with his hands folded on his lap, sitting quite straight up, though his eyes looked quite tired.