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“Last time you told me that Lock needed to rest a bit before, you know, the watering sequence?” Aster asked. Even though he was unsure if that was true or not… maybe he was starting go crazy. He didn’t know. He didn’t really care if he was going crazy at this point.
“If not… you can just—“ Aster moved to the side, sighing harshly once.
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Vix had hward the commotion and hurried to the kitchen, just in time to see Asters freak out. "Breath, Aster. He's going to be alright." She assured him, though she wasn't convinced herself. This was the worst she had personally seen Lock.
"What do you need help with, Harrison?" She asked, ready to do what she could to help.
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“Make yourself useful.” The fire that was once in Lock’s eyes was now in Harrison’s, and it burned a lot brighter. He passed Lock’s body into Aster’s arms and ran his hands through his hair. “Lay him down in the hemlock at the bottom of the garden.” He glances at both Vix and Aster. “Do not leave him while I get water.”
Harrison pushed passed Aster into the kitchen, where he study at the sink and filled up a large watering can.
Eidus shook his head and smiled to Eskja's question. "You should know by now that I never buy anything back home whenever we come out like this". He wanted to observe the dragon shifter more but he noticed she had just finished purchasing her fish.
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Aster did as instructed, just lay the body down, it’ll be fine. One irrational fear Aster had was losing someone close or a family member of sorts. It was something he regarded as his only real weak point. The fear was overwhelming and it wasn’t good for him.
Now… what Harrison just said, though it was completely normal, scared him. Hemlock… sure. Lay a sick person on a bed full of poisonous flowers, fair enough. But then again, Lock was a Drus. He’ll be fine… probably. Aster laid Lock’s body down as he was told to.
And now— he regretted something. Vix had seen him as his most sensitive. This was going to be a problem in the future, yet he was unsure as to the degree of said problem.
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While the watering can was filling up, Harrison took a moment to send a message to Cora just to let her know that Lock was okay, and to thank her for staying with him. He hadn’t counted on Aster pulling Lock away before he’d gotten to the florists, so it must have caused Cora some level of shock when a person in a suit decided to seemingly kidnap the boy…
The can was filled up. Harrison hoisted it up with both hands and carried it as carefully and quickly as he could down to the hemlock beds where Lock lay. He started gently pouring the water over the boy and the plants. “I can’t leave any of you alone for 5 minutes before someone gets hurt…”
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Aster stood stiffly to the side as he watched.
Say you’re sorry…
“…”
Just say sorry— you can do it…
“… Harrison—“
Aster bit his lips a little, before he turned to face his ‘landlord’.
“Sorry,” he managed to say, his voice shaking a bit. While was he, of all people, so damn sensitive today…
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Another round of tears fell down Harrison’s cheeks as he quickly looked at Aster, his eyes wide. “I..” he sighed, turning his head away. He wanted to shout as loud as possible just to get his feelings out, but when he spoke his voice came out as nothing more than a soft lull. “I love you Aster, but you really know how to piss me off.”
He set the now empty watering can down and turned away from Lock before heading back to the house. “Vix, keep an eye on him. Aster, come with me.”
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Aster did, again, as instructed. He followed Harrison inside, curious as to why he wanted to talk to him.
When inside, he sighed again.
“What’s the issue?”
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Harrison made his way to the living room on the ground floor, closing the door after Aster was in the room. “All I ask is that everyone keeps an eye on Lock, and the moment he actually does leave the house you allow him to wander off alone?” There was no hiding the disappointment and sadness in his voice. “I know he doesn’t leave the house that often, but the rule still stands. I..I can’t lose him.”
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Aster nodded.
“I understand, Harry,” it wasn’t often that the demon would call the boy by his nickname.
“And I’m sorry for that.”
Aster may be a demon, but when it comes to life and death of a ‘family member’, he wasn’t going to just not acknowledge it.
“I’ll be more careful next time,”
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Harrison’s eyes narrowed for a split second as he searched the demon’s face. It was very uncommon for Aster to show kindness unless he wanted something, so what was he after this time? “You’re being nice… What do you want?”
Another thought crossed his mind, had Emi been left in public by herself??
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Aster’s face has gone red. He showed a surprised expression although it had been subtle.
“This time…? It won’t be an item, I’m afraid,” he mentioned, fidgeting with his hands behind his back. It might be best to tell Harrison about it. He was taking care of everyone after all.
“Do you think a demon can fall in love with a vampire?” He asked, his face blushed a bit more.
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Harrison thought for a moment, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if a migraine was growing. “I don’t think it’s love as much as it is lust. The two are easily confused, and since you both emit such sensual vibes it is only natural you’ll get confused.”
He had made it a rule a long time ago that no relationships were to occur between housemates; a rule he’d decided would be appropriate after Aster had tried flirting his way into Harry’s room. He was also familiar with the nature of both Aster and Emi, and to keep the air neutral he needed to enforce a rule that would suit everyone.
“Don’t tell me you’re having feelings for her? I warn you that’s not the wisest thing.”
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Aster understood the first part and how Harrison might’ve thought he was confused. As much as he wanted to agree, this time… he was pretty sure Harrison got it wrong. Well, sort of.
“I know that love and lust are different and I think I know what I’m feeling this time around… even if it’s a little ridiculous,” the demon mentioned. Truth be told, he didn’t believe himself either. For him to fall for someone like Emi? That has got to be some sort of wild feeling.
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“Don’t get your hopes up.” Harrison’s voice became hushed and he averted his gaze. He slink over to the window, sitting on the ledge as he peered through the polished glass. Love was a touchy subject for him, since he wasn’t sure what it was anymore. “Loving is hard, it doesn’t always work. I learned that the hard way from you.”
His parents also had a hand in his misunderstanding of love.
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Aster snickered a bit at Harry’s regards. True. Love was indeed something that was hard, even for Aster. Because even though he was this kind of person he was still one, a hopeless romantic, and two—surprisingly—a virgin. He wanted love if anything and so far, no one was able to provide him of the thing he needs. It seemed like he had everything, yet he lacked every meaning to it all.
“I won’t… it’s just an idea,” that I wish would be true…
Aster turned away and back towards the door.
“The sketchbook you threw at me,” he mentioned, motioning towards the door. “Your art skills improved” he said before opening the front door and exiting, blowing a cigar on the pavement since Gavin would scold him if he smoked in the gardens.
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Harrison looked down at the ledge he was sat on, letting out a soft breath-like chuckle at Aster’s parting comment. He really was a strange demon, yet he meant a great deal to Harrison just as the rest of his housemates did——despite how difficult they were to deal with at times.
Back to the previous thought. They had left Emi—a sadistic, murderous vampire—alone in a town full of people. A town where she could quite easily get a hold of knives or some other weapon. It was just one problem after the other today, and he couldn’t decide which was worse: losing Lock or Emi going on a killing spree.
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With the ambers of the cigar locked between his lips, Aster got out his phone. He wanted to call someone who was still at the marketplace. Though he was unsure who had their phone with them and who didn’t. Maybe he’ll just go to the marketplace himself… well, that was his thought before.
He decided to call Emi. More or less because he wanted to hear her voice.
He then put out the cigar and flicked it across the road before he headed back inside, waiting for Emi to answer. That is, if she had her phone with her.
(Sleep isn't real. I thought you knew this already.)
Emi's phone vibrated, and she was half tempted to ignore it. She was sitting on the edge of a fountain, studying her knife, and the people around her. She was salivating slightly, seeing all these people around her, so much life and blood and meat. If Harrison hadn't forbidden her to… well, if he hadn't, then she would have killed them all and had a proper meal. Then again, he hadn't told her that she specifically couldn't today.
And he had never said anything about the dogs.
She smirked at the thought, just as her phone rang again. She sighed and pulled it from her pocket, checking the caller ID. Hot Demon Guy. Or Aster. Whichever you prefer. What did he want now? He had been acting strangely all day. Why was he calling her? To meet up? He could have just texted.
She answered and held the phone up to her ear. "What?" She asked flatly.
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(True, true.)
”Heya. Wondering if you can do me a favor and get me some oranges down the block— weird request, I know. But I’m kinda busy at the moment,” Aster asked as soon as she answered. God damn his heart for bumping so much. Why is it doing that? Just… why.
He turned to Harrison…
“You need anything from the market?” He asked. He hadn’t been so caring in so long, why was he acting like this now.
"Um… sure?" Emi blinked, not thinking about blood for the moment. Why was he asking her. Wasn't he there? "I guess? Is something wrong?"
Now she knew something was wrong. He never asked her to do something, never asked Harrison anything politely ever, never talked the way he was talking now. She had been living with Aster for a while, and she had never actually seen him care,.
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Aster returned his attention to Emi on the phone, waiting for Harrison to answer.
”Yeah… I guess you can phrase it that way…” he hated himself right now. He felt weak, anxious, fragile, and way too sensitive. His insecurities were getting the best of him. What happened to the true demon he was? Who knows really.
Emi groaned, leaning back on her hand, switching the phone to her other ear. She really didn't want to play psychologist to an over-dramatic demon. "What's up?" She finally asked, eyes falling on a homeless bum who slowly meandered his way toward her. When she set eyes on him, he smiled greasily and increased his pace.
Her own smile widened. Dinner time.
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Aster sighed.
”Don’t worry about it. I just need oranges and that’s it. Thanks,” since he didn’t want to annoy her too much, Aster hung up and returned to the living room.
He sat down on the floor as he reached to grab his ‘Oni’ head pillow which was quite large and fluffy and a book to read. He sat there, continuing from where he left off. He seemed calm. At least for now.
Emi rolled her eyes at his words, but when he hung up, she blinked in surprise. He's never done something like that. A whisper of some unknown feeling shot through her, almost like… concern… and she shook her head, trying to get rid of the feeling. What was going on? First Aster was acting weird, and now she was feeling emotions? This wasn't right.
After a short confrontation with the homeless guy, who turned out to be trying to rape her, and her finally getting a decent meal for once, she left his body in an alley, amazed that she hadn't been caught. She bought the oranges, like she had been asked, and hurried back, wiping the last bits of blood from her face, although there were still tell-tale signs on her shirts and nails, and her eyes were startlingly bright crimson again.
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Aster sensed someone coming back. Though he didn’t really care. The novel he was reading was way reaching a point where it was too good to be read another time.
“Harry,” he called “someone’s coming, you might wanna go get the door” he requested, flipping the page of the book in his hand.
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A sigh flew from Harrison’s mouth as he pushed himself up from the chaise lounge he was perched on. “Yes sir.” he grumbled mockingly, restraining an eye roll as he left the living room and opened the front door. Just reaching the driveway appeared to be Emi, and he could spot the blood a mile away. “You know I think I might leave her out here for a bit.” he called to Aster, rubbing the back of his head with a groan. “Rain appears to be brewing and she could do with a wash.”
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“Uh huh…” Aster sternly murmured, focusing on his book way more than he should. He didn’t really listen to what Harrison said and honestly, he couldn’t care less. However, when he finished said scene, he sighed and flipped the bookmark.
“Who was it?” Aster asked, carrying around the ‘Oni’ head pillow around as he walked to the fridge, looking for something to eat.
Emi walked up the driveway, swaying slightly. If she went without blood for long enough, the next time she had some, she would be acting a little bit drunk, or, at the very least, tipsy. She knocked on the door, seeming to be unable to find the handle to the door. She fumbled around for it for a bit, her nails accidentally leaving some scrapes on the door, before she stopped and shook her head. She set the oranges down and moved away from the house, trying to get her bearings, to stop acting so… well, drunk.
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