Handle With Care

The List

After I had calmed down, Elric had made sure I consumed the brownies and milk, while he got a fresh roll of gauze for my injuries along with a set of clothes. As he did so, and as I ate, I wondered how my life here would be from now on, no less how everyone else would feel about it.

Part of me wondered if Elric would take the reins on the situation, and to be honest, I wanted him to. I didn't know how to react to all this, this sudden declaration that I was staying with the vampires now. And it seemed like the best thing to do, would be letting Elric take control of what would happen from now on. It was his house, and his family, after all.

"How did you like those brownies, sweetheart?" Elric asked when I was finished eating, taking a seat beside me on the bed after he returned from taking the towel back to the bathroom.

"Th-they were delicious," I answered truthfully, setting the glass of milk I had recently downed back on the nightstand. My eyes still felt a little itchy from my crying earlier, so I reached up to scrub at them.

"Good, I'm glad you liked them," he said, and when I lowered my hands to peek at him, he was, of course, smiling warmly at me. Part of me wished that I had the ability to smile back, but I knew if I tried, I would only be hit with another wave of pain, and I couldn't handle that. I didn't think I ever would.

So, I just settled for a nod, that ended with me looking back down at my hands in my lap. Though, Elric's own hand came into view, resting on top of mine and curling around it, holding it in a comforting grasp. In return, I moved my hand so the palm cupped against his, and curled my fingers around where I could.

At least my hands were getting more comfortable with this new situation. I hoped I was able to quickly follow suit.

"I'm going to take these dishes back downstairs. Would you like to come with?" Elric asked. A wave of nervousness washed through me at the mention of going downstairs, but I swallowed it away.

"Uhm... well... d-do I look like I-I've been crying?" I whispered, and although the question required me to look at him so he could answer, I couldn't bring myself to do so. But yet, he answered anyway.

"No, you look fine. Just a little tired, is all," he said softly, and I nodded again.

"Th-then I guess so," I responded, and his hand gave mine a squeeze. Afterwards, it slipped away as he stood, reaching over to pick up the dishes. I stood as well, trailing after him when he gave me another smile, and then turned to head out of his room.

As we stepped out into the hall, I realized that Elric's room was actually right across from the one he allowed me to stay in before. It made sense that he was able to hear my shouts and such so easily after I woke from my nightmares.

My shoulders kept growing more and more tense as I followed Elric down the hall, and down the stairs. It was roughly afternoon, or late morning, based on the clock I had seen on one of Elric's nightstands, so I hoped only a couple of the others would be downstairs. If not, then, I'd just have to ignore my unease as best I could.

It just so turned out, as Elric and I reached the bottom of the stairs, that there was only one other vampire in the area, that I could see. Esther was in the kitchen, seemingly putting away clean dishes as he moved from the dishwasher to numerous cabinets.

Elric continued toward the sink, setting the dirtied dishes inside while I stayed by the stairs. Esther turned around, holding a handful of utensils, and he didn't seem to have noticed us until then, yet he only appeared mildly startled.

"Oh, good afternoon," he greeted us cheerfully, settling his eyes on me after a quick glance at Elric. I hunched my shoulders a bit, but his face spread into a wide grin, and the tension in my muscles depleted a bit.