[ P ] sink to black from blue

there exists a tipping point—

Today is not going to be a good day. The snowfall had started well before dark, relentlessly-so, and whilst Abraham is well-stocked for a storm, he is not looking forward to spending it here, very much not alone. From his place lounging on the couch, he watches the snow creep higher and higher along with the sun, cresting well above the lower sill of the window. Ferelith has not yet emerged from the room, but he doesn't doubt that it's only a matter of time before she's up and complaining about not making it to classes today.

Abraham slides off the couch and tends to the fire first, feeding it another log. He collects snow to boil, steeping in herbs—it's somewhat amusing to see such an obvious warrior have a ritual as mundane as tea, but he does it every morning without fail. Bread is warmed and left on the table, as is the other half the tea—an effort to appease Ferelith before she bears down on the headache he already has brewing.

He returns to the couch with the hot drink and resumes watching the snow that still falls in sheets, hoping he'll be allowed some more peace and quiet.

—between gods and monsters

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The most beautiful aspect of snow was its ability to soak up all sound. It fell heavily outside, adding hundreds of pounds of weight to the thick branches of the forest around them, and it was as if the entire forest was hushed. Maybe if she focused hard enough, she'd be able to hear each flake fall and land amongst the thousands of others that now blanketed the region.

Ferelith awoke, yellow eyes opening slowly and immediately looking towards the window in the room, as she did each morning. Her biological clock told her it was time to wake up and get ready for classes, but her room was so... dark. Squinting at the window, she fell out of the bed and walked over, pushing the curtain away. She was met with a wall of snow, piled so high she couldn't see anything else.

Surely Abraham had gone out to clear the snow from the front of the cabin.

Feeling every muscle in her body tense as she prepared herself to walk out into the living room, the girl stood at the closed door and simply breathed. Her and Abraham were like an immovable object meeting an unstoppable force, they behaved like oil and water. It was difficult to live with him and all his damn rules, with him constantly occupying her shadow. At least at school, the novelty had worn off. She was now just that weirdo with a grown man following her around for whatever reason. She always stumbled over trying to explain some kind of lie, instead becoming flustered and leaving the conversation. This had ultimately had a devastating effect on her ability to make friends - so much so that she had given up, deciding that if he was going to interrupt her life like this, she would interrupt his precious thoughts.

With another swallow and steadying her resolve, Ferelith pushed open the door. She was met with the mouth-watering smells of his tea and fresh baked bread. Unfortunately for Abraham, she was already grumpy at the sight of all the snow, and she expected the worst on what was going to happen, or not happen, today. Her eyes were quick to find an orphaned cup on the table, along with a chunk of the bread, and she walked over to it to sit down and enjoy the breakfast in uncharacteristic silence.

After a few bites and sips, the student turned to Abraham, eyes flickering to the front door and noticing that there wasn't a single puddle of water near the entrance. Her chest tightened, knowing he didn't even try to ensure she could get to school.

"Since you couldn't be bothered to clear the snow early enough to prevent this from happening, I guess we are stuck in here." she commented sourly, her dark ears pressing against her skull in contempt. Maybe she'd just go back to bed and sleep the day away - but the thought that she was missing yet another day of classes ate at her. Her eyes glanced back to him, not giving a shit if her words pissed him off, if anything that would just be entertainment for what was going to be a very boring day.

code & art

there exists a tipping point—

Ferelith is uncharacteristically quiet when she emerges from the room and sits at the table. He doesn't believe it will last for long, so he basks in the silence for as long as she'll let him, all but ignoring her. It's strange—this almost domestic lifestyle. He has spent so long now with his paws steeped in blood that he doesn't quite know what to do without the screams in his ears and dark orders at his back. Every now and then, he's had the reprieve of this cabin and the distance it provides, but never has he had a stay be so extended. He would be wise not to forget himself whilst he's on this job.

Finally, Ferelith breaks the lingering quiet—to complain, to absolutely no one's surprise. Abraham shifts slightly where his chin rests on the back of the couch so that he can meet her hostile glower with a neutral stare and a quirked brow. "I clear the snow from the door, and then what?" he challenges coolly. The snow has built up to be well over their heads; even if they could reasonably make the trek to campus, he suspects that they would find class to be cancelled. It's rather difficult to host a mostly-outdoors group of classes when they're up to their necks in snow that shows no signs of letting up soon.

He supposes that his ward can blame him as much as she likes; she always does, anyway, as though she can burrow under his skin and ferret a temper out of him. She's come closer than he'd like to admit a few times, and Abraham suspects she might well see a far less pleasant version of him before this job is over. For Ferelith's sake, he hopes she doesn't.

—between gods and monsters

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Despite her attempt to get under his skin, like usual Abraham essentially brushes off her comment with a lazy, uninterested look. He responds with logic, as always, and Ferelith just rolls her eyes with a huff. Of course he was right - the trek back to the campus would take her far too long to make it on time, and then she would arrive sopping wet and miserable. Best to just wait it out, but the fact she had to be cooped up with him and not someone fun or interesting made her temper flare.

"Well, what are we going to do today, then?" she shoots back, raising an eyebrow she she looks at him evenly. If he wouldn't allow her to leave, then he would have to do his job and keep her entertained. While a small voice in the back of her mind - the voice of reason - knew that wasn't what he had been tasked with, she decided she was going to push for it anyway to see what the man would do.

Anything was better than just sitting around doing nothing. The guy didn't even have any board games or pebbles to play with. Just what did he do before he had been graced with her presence? He didn't seem very exciting; probably a bore at parties too.

Ferelith got up, having downed her tea and eaten her bread like the good girl she was, even if Abraham was loath to admit it. Then, with balls of steel and nothing to lose, she walked over to her so-called body guard and looked up at him expectantly, waiting for his answer on what the day was going to entail for them. It was clear she wasn't going to let him not answer her.

Secretly, she prided herself in being an absolute thorn in his side. It gave her a thrill she hadn't experienced before, and the consequences didn't scare her... yet.

code & art