DESCENT

XXII- Calm before the Storm

ALASTOR NYX:

Not even ten minutes later, a freshly-showered Alastor half-skipped, half-walked down the stairs with a merry hop in his step, whistling an upbeat tune as he looked around.

He was too much in a good mood; he couldn't even find it in him to fidget with his borrowed clothes–a dark gray hoodie matched with black joggers, probably the only comfy outfit of her brother that would have fitted his considerably larger frame and never mind the way William's faint scent still clings...

Huh. It actually kind of reminded him of his mate's honeyed scent, though this one feel more subdued. Alastor was practically bouncing up and down in joy as he moved.

It's fine, he already knows that the two of them are related (so William's basically family too!), and in his opinion, they sort of even looked-alike; the Veils both have the same serious gaze, same lithe stature and now that he had both of their scents to compare, it was just as good as a DNA test.

That made him happier.

(He was almost afraid of the drop.)

When Alastor got down, he opted to follow her scent around the fairly large house (which felt honestly too big just for two people, now that he actually thought about it) ... where he soon found his mate seated on a chair by the dining table, leaning on it casually with her arms and ankles crossed.

Across from her, a pair of buttered toast, bacon and sunny-side up eggs rested tantalizingly on the plates, completed with a—what he can tell by scent alone—freshly squeezed, glass of orange juice by the side.

The domesticity of it all almost made him want to ignore the way his stomach grumble at the sight of the food longingly in favor of immortalizing the view in his memory.

He doesn't want to forget this.

Winters raised an eyebrow, barely turning to look at him over her shoulder, "What are you doing, standing around there for?"

"Uh... is this for me?"

As soon as he actually said it, Alastor suddenly felt like kicking himself. It sounded way better in his head. Because of course it is, moron. Thankfully, his mate was too polite to call him out for his stupidity and simply gestures for him to sit down without another word.

And when he hurriedly settled down on the seat in front of her, Alastor immediately notices that she didn't have anything in front of her.

Everything was seriously for him.

"You... aren't you going to eat anything?" he tried to ask, feeling suddenly very shy that he's the only one eating while she's most likely going to sit there and watch him stuff himself full.

(Maybe she wants to be spoon fed?)

"I just ate."

...okay, ouch.

Still, it didn't deter Alastor, especially his curiosity, "Wait, does this mean you can still eat human food?"

Her eyes crinkled around the corners in what seemed to be restrained amusement as she stared at him for a beat, idly pointing at one of the plates, her lips twitching as if meaning to smile, "Start eating already. And yes, of course I can."

"Oh yeah? What's your favorite food?"

"I like anything sweet," she says, not even stopping to think as she slowly uncrossed her arms to clasp them neatly on her lap, like a princess, he thinks, giddily, "...ice cream, cake, chocolates, you know."