Work Text:
"There's someone in the paintings."
They're in the hallway of some count's manor - Probably Barriere, everyone knew him - when Edgar mutters it to himself.
Luca turned his head as soon as the words registered, blinking in confusion a few times.
"... What?"
The artist lifted a hand, starting to point before lowering it again and shaking his head.
"... No, no. Nevermind. It's nothing."
The inventor frowned slightly, but nodded, letting it be.
-
His room was dark as he paced in circles.
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor."
"Shut up."
"Eddie…"
"Shut up ," He repeated, louder this time, as he drew to a halt and wrapped his arms around himself; "Don't play with my feelings like this!"
"I'm not," Luca's voice murmured back; "I would never do that to you."
"You are! You have to be, because you're not here!"
"That's not my fault, is it?"
"It is your fault," He crowed, lifting a hand to rub at his eyes; "You left me! Goddamnit, you left me…!"
… Silence. Edgar sniffled for a moment, quieting his crying before it picked up again with a gasp, and he turned around suddenly, eyes wide with horror.
"No, nononono - I didn't mean it, please come back - Luca! Luca, don't leave me alone in here!"
He spun in circles a few times, as if a visual hallucination would do better than an auditory one, but the cue he was so desperately searching for never came. He ended up choking softly, sitting on the edge of his bed and hunching over, grabbing his hair in his fists.
"Goddamnit, God fucking damnit, Balsa…"
-
Andrew was in the room when Edgar gasped and abruptly dropped his brush, making a green stain on the carpet. He stood still for a moment, eyes wide as he stared down at the painting - for a moment, Andrew recognized the reaction. As if he were waiting for the messup to be responded to with shouting or a beating. He approached hesitantly when Edgar still didn't move, and tapped lightly on the artist's canvas to get his attention. Edgar jumped rather violently at that, and let out a shuddering breath, casting another glance down at the brush.
"... Are you okay…?"
"I'm fine, Kriess, don't worry about it."
"Are you sure…?" The gravekeeper hesitated, reaching out a hand to gently lay on Edgar's shoulder; "because -"
"Don't touch me!"
Both of them flinched away from each other at that, Andrew blinking a few times in surprise and examining the artist more closely; Edgar held his left hand in his right, rubbing up the skin of his wrist a little, brushing a few of the still-healing scars there with his thumb before bringing it back down to the top of his hand. His eyes were massive, fear filling them for the most part alongside paranoia - and slight guilt, that started to seep in the longer he stared…
… Ah, he was staring. Shit.
"I - I'm sorry -"
"No," The gravekeeper jumped in; "it's - I'm sorry, you didn't -- are you okay, truly?"
"I'm fine."
He didn't believe it for a second, but nor did he press the painter, turning back to the other's work station and looking over his tools.
"You have, um, turpentine, right…? At least let me help with the stain."
"Uh, y - yeah. White bottle. Thanks…"
-
Luca had to squint into the darkness of Edgar's room to make out anything at first; huffing softly, he set off small sparks to light his way until he could reach the artist's bedside lamp and turn it on.
"Honestly, Eddie, it's only five --"
" Turn it off! "
The sharpness of Edgar's sudden cry, from his now-visible seat beneath a swath of blankets, made Luca jolt, letting off a little excess electricity and forcing the light to flicker a few times - but it stayed on, much to the artist's distress.
" Wah - Jesus, Edgar!"
"Turn it off, for fuck's sake, Lu!"
"Why?"
"He's staring at me!"
Luca's brow furrowed, and he looked around the place curiously, absolutely baffled by what Edgar might have meant - and the artist responded with a whine, an arm poking out from the blanket bundle and pointing shakily at the various painted canvases and works of progress. Not a single one of them depicted a human at all - most of them were still lifes and scenes from his memory, as far as Luca knew - but still, Edgar seemed convinced there was someone in the paintings.
"Eddie, there's nobody there…"
" Yes there is, " Edgar wailed in reply, pulling the blanket tighter over his head; "He won't leave me alone…!"
"Okay, okay! Uhh…"
Cringing, Luca glanced around the room, his sights setting on some discarded tarps - normally Edgar used them to protect the floor. With a soft huff, he crossed the room, gathering the spotted tarps and draping them, one at a time, over every painting he could find until there was nary a canvas to be seen. Satisfied with his efforts, he returned to Edgar's bed, sitting down on the edge of it.
"You can come out now, master painter. I don't think anyone can see you but me."
There was a hesitation, but slowly, Edgar emerged from his cocoon; Luca noted that he was uncharacteristically shaking like a leaf, and he only started to relax when he realized what Luca had done, unfurling further and finally turning to face the inventor.
"... Thank you."
"'Course," Luca smiled, though it fell shortly thereafter; "If I can ask, who's watching you…?"
Again, Edgar hesitated, staring at the silhouette of his most recent work in progress with a shudder. Finally, he managed to speak, in barely a whisper;
"It's Mr. Serai."
"Ah…?"
"My - my old mentor, sorry. I forgot you forgot."
"Ah…"
Luca followed his boyfriend's gaze, brow furrowed.
"... Do you know why he's watching you?"
"No," He whimpered; "But given what he did to me before…"
Edgar trailed off, tears rapidly welling in his eyes and falling down his cheeks. Luca desperately wanted to ask what the man had done to terrify his lover so - but also knew better than to reopen those wounds, and instead directed his energy towards a sudden fierce protectiveness over the artist. He slid his hand across the mattress, watching Edgar's face carefully as his gaze dipped down to watch his approach.
"Well, he can't see you now, and he can't hurt you, either! So, how about we go get some chocolate and leave him to sulk, huh?"
Edgar shook his head rapidly, though he made to grasp Luca's hand in one of his own.
"I can't - I can't leave - Lu, there's paintings all over the manor, he'll follow me everywhere…"
"Hey, hey -" He was careful, picking up the hand Edgar allowed him and scooting closer; "Even if he does follow you, Vic, Andrew and I will be with you for every second. He won't be able to lift a finger to hurt you with us around - not to mention Wick! You know how protective he is of us!"
"..."
Edgar still hesitated, glancing back to the tarp-covered canvas. Luca squeezed his hand gently to pull his attention back, smiling as reassuringly as he could.
"... I promise, I won't let him hurt you again, Eddie."
That convinced him, and he nodded silently, receiving one in return from Luca before the inventor made to stand and helped detangle his boyfriend from the blankets and stand in turn. They walked to the door hand-in-hand, and Edgar hesitated with his hand on the knob, looking back to Luca.
"... Thank you, Lu."
"Anytime, Eddie."
Together, they stepped out of the room.