Chapter Text
“Tha mi an seo, a ghaoil. Gu bràth 's gu bràth.”
Abolish felt frozen. He blinked. Shelby made a raspy noise beside him. He blinked again, almost believing that the man before him would be gone. Again.
“Scott?” He croaked. Scott nodded slowly, not moving from his place, huddled against his own headstone.
“Tha mi an seo.” Abolish swayed, his knees buckling beneath him.
People were yelling, calling his name, Shelby and Drift’s hands shaking his shoulders. Someone’s arms closed around his shoulders cautiously, pulling him into their chest.
Abolish’s senses were slammed with sudden onslaught of Scott all around him.
His head lolled against Scott’s shoulder, hands finding his shirt and twisting desperately in the fabric. He tried to claw the man closer, clinging to him as if he might disappear again.
Scott’s claws ran slowly through his hair, chin resting on his head.
He realised tears were running down his face, staining ugly patches on Scott’s shirt. He sobbed, nuzzling against Scott’s neck.
“Tha mi an seo, mo ghràidh.” Scott whispered again. His voice was husky and tired, but it was the most perfect thing Abolish had heard in two centuries.
For a few minutes, Abolish was cradled, once again, in his husband’s arms.
At some point, Drift’s hand landed gently on his shoulder. He twitched, not wanting to pull away. He felt Scott shift to look at her.
“Uh. Shelby rang Cleo and Pearl, she’s gonna go get the car, and they’ll be waiting for us.” She explained gently. He felt Scott nod, and he carefully pulled Abolish up with him as he stood. He allowed Abolish to continue clinging to his side, keeping his arms around him.
The car rumbled up the gravel road, crunching to a stop a few metres away. Scott shifted uncomfortably, but allowed Drift to guide him and Abolish into the back seat. She didn’t bother trying to figure out seatbelts, just shut the door and jumped in the passenger side.
Shelby drove them back down the way she had come, and then pulled out onto the road leading to the castle. The drive was long and silent, and the girls both kept glancing at the two men in the backseat in the rear view mirror.
She parked the car on the patch of grass near the front doors beside Cleo and Pearl’s old beat up truck. The girls jumped out from the front, and hurry over to the door.
Scott and Abolish stay curled in the back, Scott’s claws still running through Abolish’s hair, a steady hand still on his waist. After a few minutes, Cleo and Pearl trail after Shelby and Drift as they come back out.
Cleo and Pearl both froze when they saw Scott through the window, staring open mouthed. They had a brief, hushed conversation that Abolish couldn’t hear, and then Cleo stepped forward.
She opened the door carefully, hesitating once she could see the full scene.
“Hey, Abolish.” She said awkwardly. He hummed absently, leaning into Scott’s touch further. She looked back at Scott.
“Hi. Scott.” He looked over to her blankly, readjusting Abolish in his arms. Cleo blinked, then glanced back at the group behind her.
“Okay, uh, do you guys want to get out of the car? We have couches and stuff that are probably more comfortable inside?” She offered uncertainly, waving at the castle. Scott shifted towards the open door, and Abolish whined desperately, tugging him closer again. He chuckled softly, tugging Abolish with him out of the car.
“Thig air adhart, a ghràidh.” He whispered as they slid out of the door. Come on, love, Abolish’s brain provided helpfully.
Abolish allowed Scott to lead him inside after the girls, eventually settling them on a couch in the lounge room. The girls all arranged themselves on the other various couches around the room, all watching Abolish and Scott intently.
“So,” Cleo started, “He wasn’t speaking English before, was he?” She asked. Shelby and Drift both shook their heads.
“He’s barely spoken so far, and if he has it’s been in Gaelic.” Shelby supplied. Pearl tipped her head.
“How do you know it’s Gaelic?” She asked.
“He spoke a little bit back in Oakhurst, mainly for pet names.” She replied.
They all looked back at the two men.
“And Abolish?” Cleo asked.
“He just said Scott’s name and collapsed when he replied.” Drift said.
“Scott came over and hugged him, and Abolish started crying and they’ve been really clingy the whole time.” Shelby added.
“And he hasn’t spoken either? Not even Gaelic or anything?” Cleo questioned. Drift and Shelby shook their heads again.
Cleo massaged her temples.
“Okay, so, we have one person, probably the only one really competent enough to deal with this, acting like a clingy toddler, and another one who’s just come back from the dead but apparently no longer speaks English.” She muttered.
“And we have no real way of communicating.” Shelby added.
“Great.” Cleo grumbled.
“So what do we do?” Shelby asked, playing with the sleeve of her hoodie.
“Maybe we hope that Abolish just needs cuddle time, and he’ll be fine in a bit?” Pearl suggested. All four women glanced at one another and shrugged.
“It’s the best we’ve got.” Drift said. Cleo sighed.
“So do we leave them here, or take them to a room or something?” Shelby whispered, looking back to the two men.
Abolish was still pressed into Scott’s side, arms around his waist, and Scott’s arm was around his waist, the other in his hair. At some point, Scott had started purring, and Abolish had pressed his face against Scott’s collarbone.
“Hey, Scott. Or, Abolish I guess. I don’t know.” Shelby hesitated, “Do you guys want to go to Abolish’s room, maybe?” She trailed off, glancing at Drift uncertainly. Drift shrugged. Scott tipped his head at the two women.
“Right.” Cleo sighed. She stood, and motioned for them to follow. Scott hesitated, but cautiously pulled Abolish up as he followed her.
Cleo led them up to the bedrooms, pausing outside Abolish’s door, and opening it for them. Scott paused, examining the room, before he half carried him in, and set him down on the bed. He crawled onto the bed beside him, the two curling into one another.
“Okay. I’ll come back and check in later, I guess.” She muttered, shutting the door behind her.
Scott tilted Abolish’s face up to examine him.
“A bheil thu ceart gu leòr?” Are you okay? Abolish hummed, pressing his cheek against Scott’s.
“Missed you.” He mumbled. Scott chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to Abolish’s temple.
“I’m here now.” He whispered. Abolish noticed absently he was still speaking Gaelic, but didn’t bother correcting him.
Scott readjusted slightly to be more comfortable, and Abolish’s hands tightened automatically on his shirt. Scott met his eyes and pulled him closer again.
“You were dead, Scott.” Abolish whispered, trying to blink away the tears in his eyes. Confusion flickered in Scott’s eyes as he wiped Abolish’s cheek with his thumb.
“What?” He murmured.
“Avid shot you. You- you were gone for two hundred years.” Abolish whispered, his voice breaking. Scott’s brows furrowed, cupping one side of Abolish’s face.
“What are you talking about? Who’s Avid?” His voice was strained, studying Abolish’s face worriedly. Abolish blinked.
“Scott? What- what’s the last thing you remember?” He asked hurriedly. Scott’s face twisted painfully, pressing his eyes shut.
“I… I don’t know. It’s just dark.” He hissed. Abolish’s chest tightened, grabbing both sides of Scott’s face. He scanned Scott’s eyes, trying to find some explanation, something he could fix. He caught himself halfway to a frustrated whine, swallowing it and sitting back.
Scott side eyed the door anxiously.
“So, I’m guessing I should have known all the people out there?” He rasped. Abolish couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe.
Scott grabbed his shoulders,
“Breathe, love.” He said firmly. Abolish tried to force himself to inhale but it caught in his throat. Scott didn’t remember. He didn’t remember he didn’t- Scott shook him gently, placing one hand on Abolish’s chest.
“Breathe, slowly. In and out.” He reminded him. He managed to take a shaky breath, falling limply into Scott’s shoulder.
“You don’t even remember Shelby?” He mumbled.
“I’m sorry, love.” Scott whispered.