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In the afternoon, Gallowglass steals through the city to end up at Astrid's front door. He has brought gifts; a little fistful of forget-me-nots, a small box. He smooths his hair and groomed beard one more time, adjusts his secondhand suit, and knocks.
He had the address. This time she’s the one who answers the door, in a soft linen sleeveless casual dress, which is knee length, and a pale cherry flower pink color. Her hair is down, a sleek heavy weight framing her face. Barefoot, nails painted a brighter pink, she smiles at him from the doorway. ‘Come on in,’ she says, gesturing.
"Somethin' came up, so uh...I just came now," he admits, a trifle sheepish. He takes in the dress and her appearance for a long moment and then thrusts the flowers at her. "Flowers seemed like an okay idea. Uh...are we alone?"
‘Flowers are always okay,’ she says, taking them, cupping her hands around the blooms to smell. ‘Yes. I gave everyone the day off, so it’s just us. I’m not sure where Rhapsody is, I haven’t seen her yet today, but I don’t think she’s in the main house.’ Closing the door, she wanders towards the kitchen, finding a glass for the flowers.
"Oh, Rhapsody, uh...yeah, it'd be fine if she was around." He trudges after her through the house, shoulders hunched; he's never quite comfortable in this space, well aware that the tile he's standing on probably costs more than he's ever made in his life. "Maybe we could sit somewhere comfortable, just...couple couches, or a couch. Wherever you'd be comfortable."
‘Why,’ she turns to look at him, brows arching up, before heading into the small reading nook, which is comfy couches and small spaces, with a window overlooking the inside garden, ‘would it be ok for Rhapsody to be here?’ Awkward.
He rubs the back of his neck, face scrunched up in a cringing sort of expression. "I'll explain everything, just...here. Sit. Sit with me, I mean. I'm not ordering you to sit," he clarifies.
Her mouth twitches in a effort not to smile at his words, and she sits, smoothing the dress over her knees, then watching him intently. Like he’s a riddle. Or something.
"Okay, before we talk; you know I would never hurt you, right?" He rubs his hands on his pants, studying her with intense concentration.
‘Of course,’ she says, scoffing. ‘You’re just a big softy, honestly. I’m amazed that you’ve ever been in trouble in your life.’
He laughs a little, dropping his gaze; his forearms rest on his thighs, hands rubbing together idly. "I aint't real sure where t'start, so...here goes. You ever read fairy tales?"
‘Sure. The Little Goose Girl, Snow White. Peter and the Wolf. Excellent stories, usually meant to teach a lesson of some type.’
"Yeah...yeah, they were." He nods slowly. "D'you know what the lesson was?"
‘I feel like the underlying message was always listen to your parents,’ she laughed.
His expression somber, he slowly shakes his head. "No. No, that wasn't the lesson. It was to stay away from the dark. Don't leave the hearth, where the people are, where the fire is. Don't wander away. Don't leave safety, because the Others can get you."
‘I see,’ she says slowly. ‘That makes sense. In those days it was important to keep everyone safe, so that the family / village could be successful.’
He nods a little, lips pressed together. "Our ancestors were smart. They knew that the world had layers, worlds nestled beside each other, and there were places where the places between those worlds would become thin. And sometimes, that meant th'Others from that Other place, they could come here. They could steal people."
‘So, what you’re telling me is that the stories where based on .. some type of shared reality?’ She has lost any expression, simply listening intently.
"Maybe. Yeah. Like the land of Faerie, right?" He rubs a hand over his face. "I can't tell you everything, because then those Others can come find you. What I can offer is...it's this kind called th'Bargain. We swear an oath, you and me. To each other. It means they could find you easier, if we're not careful. And.." he takes a deep breath. "If we ever broke the oath, it means they would find you and you'd be taken away."
‘I...The Others?’
"You gotta understand that the more detailed I get, the more danger it puts you in," he murmurs, lifting both hands in surrender. "There's a lot of trust tied up here, Astrid. I can't even describe how much you need to trust me."
‘You want me to trust you, and I do, but you’re also asking me to put myself into a dangerous position without understanding all of it.’ There’s no judgement in her words or expression.
She folded her arms, brows tightening as she stares him down, trying to look taller, perhaps. 'What are you.' The question is in a flat tone, with a faint warning note of 'don't lie to me' woven through. 'I can tell that you're not ... a regular person. You don't look the same. Also, what are you so afraid of?
He blinks once, twice, brow furrowing. "...Come again?"
Her foot taps for a moment. 'Sometimes, if I really work at it, I can read a person's ... energy, for want of a better word. Your energy,' she points at him, 'is not the same as my energy,' she points at herself. 'It's also shaded a sickly purple, which usually means someone is really afraid of something.'
"I'm...afraid this is gonna go bad," He admits, shoulders drooping; he rubs a hand over his face. "We don't have the best track record on communication."
She starts and stops 3 times, before taking a breath and letting it out. 'That's a very fair point. I really dislike being lied to. So, keeping that in mind, how should we proceed?'
"I'm not human," he repeats, "But I'm not a bad guy either. I'm not a monster or anything."
'I didn't say you were a monster,' she points out. 'I simply said you weren't human. I also never thought you were a bad guy.' She rubs her face. 'I don't know what to say.'
"The more I say, the more in danger you are," he stresses. "That is what's most important to me, Astrid. Th'other option, just to repeat - it was that you'd never see me again."
'Is that why you didn't tell me about this, before? You were worried about me?'
"Yes," he admits, sounding almost relieved. "We have to be careful. I...have to be careful." He thinks on it a moment, rubbing his neck. "It isn't safe. I could draw the wrong attention and then I'd really be gone. But I also don't want to draw attention to you."
'What do I need to do?' Frustration tinges her tone. 'I'm just going to say that I really would like to know the rest at some point. What I do know is just as dangerous as what I do know.'
"I can't tell you all of it, Astrid," he retorts, his patience wearing slightly thin. "Some of it I can't even remember, for real good reason. You said you trusted me, and you're not trustin' me to know what would keep you safe."
'Fine. Now what?'
He points at his face. "This isn't my real face. I can look like anyone I want. I have to change my face; if I'd done that and you didn't know, that could've put me and my people in danger."
'Thank you for telling me that you're going to have a new face. Honestly, now that I've seen it, I'll always know you from your aura, I think.'
His brows lift. "Wait, really?"
'I've never seen one change, not really. It may be overlain with different energy, or emotion, but it's like a heartbeat, or a fingerprint, or a brain scan, or all those things I don't know if apply to you.'
"Well...fuck," he says, sounding more than a little surprised. His brow furrows. "Well...that made this a lot safer. I was going to tell you anyway," he tugs at the collar of his shirt and jacket, displaying the tattoo of a calico blue flower on his collarbone. "I will always have this tattoo, no matter what I look like. Just in case."
'Right.' She slides her hands in her pockets. 'I'm sorry you're going to have to give up your job at the tattoo shop.'
He shakes his head. "It's okay. I think...I think I got a plan for somethin' different. Ain't no reason I can't go back to th'school next year or so." He fidgets in his seat, then thrusts out the small box to her. "I got this for you."
She looks at it, then at him. 'I'm having a lot of emotions right now.'
Gal's mouth slides to one side; he nods, averting his gaze to stare at the floor. There's a long moment before he pushes to his feet, shoving the box in his pocket. "I gotta go."
'Sure.' She steps back, letting her hair fall forward a bit to hide her face. 'I have a lot of emotions, but to be clear, I don't think, nor have I ever thought, that you're a violent man, or a monster. I also never doubted that all you wanted was to keep me safe.' Her tone is calm, slightly detached, but there's not a bit of untruthfulness in it. 'Please, stay safe and take care of yourself.' She turns, walking away in whatever direction is opposite of his.
He stows both hands in his pockets, drifting in the opposite direction. "You too." He beats feet, getting out of there as quickly as he can. Once he's outside he pauses, head dropping back so he can glare at the sky. Stalking off the porch, he finds the little box to yank it out of his pocket and yeet it into the next zipcode. His hands rest on his hips, gaze on the ground; he turns, taking three stalking steps back towards the house - but he catches himself. Thinks better of it. The Red simmers in the back of his vision. Gallowglass trudges up the street, head down, letting many things turn over in his mind.
She doesn't realize she's crying, until the salt on her lips makes it known. Stopping, catching one on her finger, she stares at it, watching the prism of light refracted, then flicks it to the ground, before walking onward, head up, eyes steady, but no smile.
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