Chapter Text
It's hard to say when Eda felt the need to reconnect with her old friend. Feelings of resentment took far too long to burn out, but Eda feels that a mix of time, personal growth, or maybe it's just the habits of the ”ever forgiving” Luz rubbing off on her. Not to mention after the destruction caused to her home, her family, her… people (no matter their betrayal and isolation of her) by Belos she feels a sense of duty to reconnect the people of the boiling isles and what better place to start than with Alador Blight.
This is why she now sat on the outdoor patio chairs and table of a small human realm cafe across from the genius inventor. The place had been recommended by both Vee and Camila as a welcoming enough place that their general oddness and strange behavior would not garner much unwanted attention…That made her laugh, while very accustomed to traveling and extended stays in the human realm she made no effort to change herself for anyone and thrived in the attention. The distracted man she invited here was not one for sticking out, however.
She contemplates the thoughtfulness of Camila and Vee for only a moment longer before growing distracted herself wondering what has caught Aladors attention so thoroughly. His head was cocked attractively toward the sky showing off his jawline and his brows were drawn slightly together. She pulls a funny face hoping that he would look down but pouts when he only stretches his hand out from under the umbrella above them. She watches his hand catch a few stray drops of water from the sky and wonders if he knew the rain here was safe or if he didn’t care enough about the risk of small burns, a scientist at heart, he never changed.
That's when she really notices the darkness in the sky and the smell in the air that sings of rain. She clasps her fingers together, places them on the back of her neck and leans back smiling at him, waiting for him to ask to move inside or go home. The owl lady herself isn’t terribly concerned with the rain and would like to see Alador make a few decisions for himself, he had always let them lead him around and she found that that made it very difficult for her to discover what his likes and dislikes were, his limits, his boundaries. So, with no amount of self-sacrifice she leaves this decision up to him.
He finally turns to her…
“It's going to rain” he says softly, still telling her he is perplexed by something, maybe that Eda hadn’t broken the silence first. Nonetheless, she replies.
“Yes”
Eda takes a deep breath through her nose and closes her eyes, the smell of the coming rain is really very enjoyable and with her eyes still shut and chin pointed down she hears him mimic her breath. She cracked an eye open and smiled at him. He smiles back and lowers his shoulders and brows fondly at her. His head tilted slightly to the right and he grunted as he sank into the chair to mimic Eda’s posture as well, hands clasped in his lap.
They fall back into silence, but both witches understand what when unspoken. They are enjoying this. ‘Let's wait until the rain begins’ the quietness says ‘let's finish our drinks’.
They both reach for the glasses on the table before them. In front of Eda, her third mimosa (a human drink she grew fond of) and in front of Alador an energy drink (Eda has insisted to the waitstaff that it be removed from its can and put into a glass…to match). That seemed like a funny difference between them. Their choice of drinks: Her desire to unwind, to let go, and his desire to be more aware, more present. They had yet to order real food.
When the warm summer rain began to fall in earnest the shade umbrella did little to cover them. Their eyes meet and they laugh deeply before grabbing the rest of their drinks and running to the door of the cafe. By the time they get inside their hair rests in wet clumps on their humor rounded faces and their clothes hug their frames. In the heat Eda had only worn her typical sleeveless dress but Alador had not forgotten his long purple lab coat, however this one seems to be both a lighter shade and material that the one she had grown accustomed to seeing him adorn. This “summer lab coat” he left unbuttoned, of course.
Now then, Eda’s merry laughter dies down as she watches him peel the soaking lab coat from his body to reveal the short-sleeved shirt he wore underneath. The lack of sleeves also reveals a number of purple marks on his arms. He was absolutely covered in bruises in varying stages of healing.
He must have noticed her hesitation to follow him to a new booth and they stand in the threshold of the building together. Her eyes scanning his arms, he seems to find something funny about her worried expression because he smiles with mischief and says…
“Now what's so interesting about some bruises, Edalyn?”
She snaps out of her momentary spell and looks to him in shock.
“Alador… where did you get those?”
He doesn’t seem to understand at all how odd this many bruises are and seems to have an answer prepared as well, as if very used to this response from people.
“I’ve always bruised easily” he seems to be laughing at her in his head. Like she's crazy for thinking he was anything but okay at all times.
“But like this, Alador? This isn’t normal.”
His private joke then loses its charm as he can see that she is actually concerned for his well-being.
“I’m not in pain” he answers simply.
And… Eda hadn’t even thought to ask that. This makes her worry more and she doesn’t know why.
“But where did you get them?” her voice soft.
“I don't remember, I never bumped into anything. Heh, you should see the rest of my body” he chuckled a bit and when that generated nothing from Eda he sighs.
“I’m really okay.”
“Soooo, no one did this to you?” Eda replied, her face flashing in a slight anger that Alador was quick to shut down along with her line of thinking.
“OH…no. Nothing like that at all, I promise.”
A number of words could be used to describe the flaws of Alador Blight, but a deceiver he was not. Eda knew she could take his word for it. She knew no one was harming him, however if he believes he’s okay when he's not…well that wouldn’t really make a liar out of him would it? So, she is still wary and now the picture of his bruises matching the color he was so fond of stayed stuck in her head. The contentment she felt minutes before was replaced by a strange concern for him she hadn’t felt in years. Not since their Hexside days together, not since before her curse.
With that word “curse” standing out to her, her good mood had been thoroughly dampened and the rain largely had nothing to do with it. That deeply hated word gives her a thought she wishes she hadn’t had. Now she wonders… how far back does she recall him wearing long sleeves in the summer, how long does he recall being an “easy bruiser”. Is there a chance he may also be…cursed. Like her.
The owl lady schools her face into an expression of relief as she doesn’t want to ruin his mood as well and she can tell she put him a bit on edge. He hasn’t had anyone express concern for him in a very long time and he doesn't seem to know where to place the feeling of being outwardly cared for. The last thing either of them ever want to be is a burden…to anyone. So, Eda hides her nerves with a smile and Alador hides his arms with his still soaking coat, and they finish off their outing together. They eat and joke and catch up with one another and when the rain stops, they make their way back to the house containing the portal door. Eda hesitates at the threshold of the realms for a moment.
She had meant to stay a bit longer and visit Luz but now feels desperate to make it back to the owl house, to see King, and Hooty, and Raine. Oh, and she knows Raine would be able to calm the sick feeling seeing Aladors bruises to her stomach. She knows Raine might be able to answer some of her questions, they had all grown up together after all. Deciding she can just call Luz later she walks through the door, by now her companion had long since been headed back to Blight manor.
Now she felt determined to figure out what was wrong with her old…new? Renewed friend and with quick pace she rides Owlbert back to the owl house. Hoping deeply that her thoughts about Alador being cursed are incorrect.