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All things considered, this group isn’t the worst to visit on Abolish’s rounds to the remaining Oakhurst members.
Don’t get him wrong, it’s still a hassle. Normally, check-ins aren’t Abolish’s job in the first place, and his are usually remote, but Morcant seems to think that the survivors need a personal touch rather than a distant observation. Abolish doesn’t know what Morcant is playing at. There’s always some game with him, dragging Abolish into some situation or another with that amused look in his eye.
At least the visits don’t get in the way of any other jobs. Usually, they came at a down period, or on the way to another mission. Now that it's been several months since Abolish finished up in Oakhurst, he’s hoping that some locations could get cut from rotation every so often. Or at least made more Abolish’s speed, which is to say he doesn’t have to get so “personal” with anybody. Life could be a dream.
One of the worst stops is maybe Sausage, since he’s on his own and has no one to occupy himself with to save Abolish the effort of contributing to the conversation. But he’s settling in fine, even if he’s fairly unpredictable. Nothing to write home about, really.
The visit to Oakhurst itself is not great. Cleo is still clearly harboring unbending resentment for everything and everybody, and Abolish is no exception. Any chance she got, Cleo would make her ire apparent. Pearl actually does want to see Abolish, and he likes her fine. Her unique situation with the werewolf blood is useful enough to keep them occupied and to get Cleo tolerating Abolish’s presence so he could help Pearl adjust. Still, their conflicting opinions on him always led to an irritating amount of tension in the air.
Abolish just hopes that if they ever have a falling out – which is very likely for emotionally volatile new vampires like them – they don’t make it his problem.
Scott – Abolish’s actual biggest priority – Shelby, and Drift are always on the move. They’re the easiest group to check on, as they entertain each other. Abolish just sort of tunes them out whenever they all start chattering and makes sure there are no issues that he has to take care of.
If Scott breaks his promise, or if Shelby and Drift finally snap and follow in Scott’s hopefully former footsteps, then Abolish knows he’ll have to deal with it. Probably no getting out of it.
That was the visit that felt the most like his actual job. Fading into the background, observing, and reporting things to keep an eye on. It felt familiar, expected. Something to almost look forward to.
But not too much. Shelby’s uneasy looks even after she already claimed to forgive Abolish for killing her are getting old. Also, Scott’s kind of aggravating. But it’s nothing Abolish hasn’t seen before.
Then, now, there’s Apo and Legundo, with the addition of Cherri. As Abolish said, it’s not the worst group to visit. But the catch is that they often rope Abolish into actually visiting rather than just stopping by.
If it wasn’t for Legs, Abolish might not have to actually visit in person. Because Apo was, as far as Abolish can surmise, low on the hassle list for the Oakhurst vampires. As much of a threat as she could pose, being so resilient, she seems to be manageable as long as she has her loved ones.
But Legs is a genuine oddity. The first cure recipient, and someone the organization actually has to keep tabs on. And Legs always wanted to talk to Abolish, which was fine, Abolish doesn’t mind Legs. But the guy sometimes got this anxious look in his eye, like Abolish was doing something dangerous.
Whatever. It’s nothing Abolish hasn’t seen before. Abolish isn’t an idiot, he knows what Legs is so worried about, and he simply doesn’t care.
So when he gets to the house, he prepares himself to stay longer than he would like.
Cherri is the one to answer the knock, which is a boon. She has no preexisting connection to Abolish, so she’s a lot more impersonal with him.
The household was actually expecting him this time, after it was communicated that Apo found Abolish’s unannounced visits “creepy.” That just means Abolish is good at his job. But he already knew that.
“Hey, you,” Cherri greets with a grin. “Any good news?”
“Not for you, since Scott is still alive,” Abolish answers. It’s the information this house is always waiting for, and Cherri laughs with a note of disappointment, as expected. “Can I come in?”
He has to ask every time, since Apo made it clear that the invitation is on a case by case basis. Technically, vampires can freely enter structures that belong to other vampires, but Cherri and Legs count enough to necessitate an invitation, even one given by Apo.
Ugh, the invitation thing is something that is downright insulting for Abolish’s line of work. It would’ve been nice for him to have been saved the trouble.
“Sure, you scamp,” Cherri acquiesces. “Can’t let you slack off spying on us, huh?”
Ever since Abolish met Cherri, he immediately decided that she should never under any circumstances meet Morcant. The combined conspiring twinkle in their eyes might be enough to push Abolish into an early retirement.
Still, the familiar disposition is good. Abolish knows what to expect from Cherri. He recognizes that same carefully maintained presentation. The observation, the patience, the quick moves. If Abolish didn’t know better, he’d think she’s one of his team’s. In any case, he doesn’t mind hearing from her.
Cherri leads Abolish into the house, where they linger in the main room. It’s a nice place, and Abolish has told the residents as much. What he didn’t tell them is that Apo’s preference for aesthetic over safety is as present as it was at the town beacon, but if she wants to risk her loved ones’ safety, that’s on her.
“The other two are in the backyard,” Cherri explains. “Need anything?”
Abolish has enough flasks of blood concealed on his person to get him up another tier, if he wanted to be a moron and do that. Losing the ability to pass as human wasn’t currently worth the advantages. Such as being less easy to stake.
Not that Abolish is even easy to stake. On that note, he has more stakes concealed than flasks. “Nope.”
“Wrong answer. I have something for you.” Cherri reveals a pocket square proudly and presents it to Abolish.
Abolish takes the gift and examines it. The cloth is a deep red, and there’s an embroidered message in a slightly lighter shade of red. For our errand boy.
“Thanks,” Abolish says politely. He tucks the square into his pocket.
“Figured you needed it after all the mail you end up delivering,” Cherri explains with a pleasant smirk. God, yeah, they can never meet Morcant.
“Speaking of.” Abolish waves an envelope in the air. “You said the doc is in the backyard?”
“Yep. Always right to business with you. I like it,” Cherri praises.
“Thanks.” Not everyone appreciates his professionalism.
Cherri leads Abolish into the backyard, where they nearly run into Apo and Doc coming inside. Apo stiffens, while Doc dips his head.
“Abolish. It’s good to see you,” Legs greets.
Abolish returns the nod. “You too. Letter for you.”
Doc takes the mail reverently. “Oh. Thank you.”
“It’s my job.” Somehow. Why exactly is Morcant wasting Abolish on mail? “Figured you had some notes to show me?”
Legundo brightens at the request. As much as it took him a long time to tap into that pragmatism of his, Abolish finds it notable how he can still latch onto an order. “Yes. My notes are upstairs. I’ll go get them, and we can sit outside.”
In retrospect, it seems the doc and Abolish were both waiting it out in Oakhurst before deciding to take action. For different reasons, obviously, since Abolish didn’t want to bother stepping out of the shadows until he had to while the doc had his remorse and all. Abolish probably would’ve been more annoyed about the doc’s hesitance if he hadn’t been patient himself.
Well, he was still privately pretty annoyed by it, especially when Legs kept being unpredictable even after he started thinking more practically.
With Legs’s impressive if troubled record, Abolish is a little miffed it took him as long as it did to act logically. But whatever. Legs’s business is his business. It’s only Abolish’s concern a fraction of the time.
“Sounds good,” Abolish agrees.
Legs and Cherri go inside, but Apo lingers, staring to the side of Abolish with unhidden wariness.
Abolish knows that Apo’s feelings on his presence are complicated, to say the least, and it doesn’t really matter to him. They both understand that as long as she stays out of trouble, Abolish won’t interfere with her life here.
There was always the possibility of taking out Apo in Oakhurst, but Abolish hoped that if the need came, someone else would get around to it. It’s why he suggested it to Cleo. He could tell that Apo would not be an easy kill to carry out. Abolish would rather not waste his energy.
“Hey, Abolish?” Apo eventually says.
“Yeah?”
Apo’s shoulders drop. “I don’t really get you, but… Legs likes seeing you. Even when he’s weird about it. So… no matter how I feel about you, I wanted to thank you for that.”
Abolish shrugs. “It’s no problem.”
“I mean… You didn’t want to be a vampire, so…” Apo mumbles. “I’m glad you don’t have to be one forever. That you can get cured after Doc’s… gone.”
If she’s jealous of that fact, Abolish doesn’t really need to know.
“Like I said, it’s no problem,” Abolish replies.
There’s a wanted silence between them until Legs returns with a journal tucked under his arm. Apo wavers before they head inside, probably to help Cherri prepare a meal for the house. Abolish hopes they won’t beg him to stick around for it.
Anyway, now sitting on the porch swing, Abolish is content to slide into impersonal talks about cure symptoms. It’s work, but it’s necessary. That was the good thing about Legs back in Oakhurst. He could talk strategy.
Not only that, but the monotony lets Abolish take his own mental notes on the cured doctor for his report.
Since the doc started staying here, he’s definitely changed in presentation. He’s loose in a way he hasn’t been since back before vampires were confirmed to be real, but even then it’s not an exact match. If Abolish needed to call the doc’s current disposition anything in comparison to how he was at the start of the Oakhurst mission, he’d call it more vulnerable. But Abolish isn’t paid to psychoanalyze, and that’s more than fine by him.
What’s actually his business is how the cure takes to the guy. From what Abolish can tell, it’s mixed. Mostly human with some notable side effects. The cure’s already getting taken apart and put back together by the organization, but doc’s a definite interest as patient zero.
Come to think of it, maybe it’s a load off Abolish’s shoulders that Abolish wasn't patient zero. That would’ve been a lot of new tasks on top of what he was already doing.
Really, the thing Legundo’s most concerned about is the possibility of slowed aging. Abolish has to remind him to not worry about it, since there’s basically no way of knowing until it does or doesn’t happen. That doesn’t seem to be enough for Legundo, though.
Abolish doesn’t really see the problem, but he doesn’t need to.
It’s a little into exchanging notes when Cherri comes into the backyard.
“Hey, you two,” Cherri greets, with a tea tray in her arms. “Apo and I are making dinner, but don’t make that face, Abolish!”
Abolish didn’t think he was making any face, thank you very much.
Cherri continues, “It’ll be a while before it’s done. We’re not gonna torment you by forcing you to endure our presence any longer.”
“Sounds good to me,” Abolish replies.
The tray contains a teacup of blood for Abolish and actual tea for Legs. They take their intended drinks, and Cherri tucks the tray under her arm.
Before they leave, Cherri reaches out their free hand and pats Doc on the cheek. “You’re thinking too loud, you know.”
Doc waves them off. “I’m thinking at a perfectly acceptable volume.”
“Keep telling yourself that, peach pie,” Cherri bids playfully.
There’s a look on Doc’s face that someone more invested would call fondness. A release of unease that Abolish doesn’t usually see on the guy.
With that, Cherri heads back inside. The doc follows her departure, while Abolish keeps his attention on the doc. Soon, the doc meets Abolish’s gaze.
“What is it?” Legs questions.
“Peach pie?” Abolish asks with his usual neutrality. He takes a sip of the gifted blood.
There’s a hint of red that rises on Legs’s face, but he laughs good naturedly. “They call each other apple pie and cherry pie, and they decided that I needed a matching moniker. They’re cycling through several candidates right now.”
Abolish gives a small nod. “Got it.”
A pause stretches while Abolish keeps staring at the doc, at the way he isn't drinking from his cup. The dropped guard. The relaxed frame. The near peace.
There’s not really a problem with it. If Legs wants to live like this, then Abolish won’t get in his way. That’s not his usual line of work.
It’s just a little surprising, after everything Abolish learned about what Legundo is capable of. When they could’ve used more of that strategic genius back in Oakhurst.
Disappointing is the closest word.
“Is something wrong?” Legundo asks in trained concern. The sort that he drilled into himself, the kind that didn’t come naturally.
“You look happier,” Abolish answers.
As expected, shame drains Legs’s expression immediately. He turns to face forward, setting the drink on the armrest. He folds his hands in front of him and squares his shoulders.
“I…” Doc’s hand grazes where Cherri touched him. “Sorry. That must be… With how I needed to leave in order for you to stay human…”
“Doc, I said it’s fine,” Abolish interjects. He really doesn’t want to deal with Doc getting in his own head about this.
Besides, Doc living isn’t a big deal. Abolish would’ve liked to avoid that paperwork, sure, but it’s not like Abolish has never considered being a vampire.
The doc still has that self-flaggellating look in his eye that’s come to annoy Abolish. What was the point in him always beating himself up about everything? It was only ever a distraction during the Oakhurst mission. Always something that pulled the doc into the woods alone, away from where he’d be any good.
Alright. Abolish carefully downs the rest of the blood and sets it aside.
“Legs. I don’t care,” Abolish stresses. “You can live how you want. And you’ll die in a few decades anyway, so I can get cured if I want to.”
Ugh, but getting cured would probably be worse paperwork, since it’s still new territory.
The possibility seems to reassure Legs, as he sighs quietly. “You’re right. What’s done is done.”
Whatever Abolish does in a few decades doesn’t matter right now. It really is fine that Doc got persuaded to live instead of curing Abolish. Abolish would never say he’s resentful. That would imply a level of emotional investment that is simply not worth the effort.
Abolish rolls his shoulders and stands. “Well, I got what I came for. I’m gonna head out.”
Legs follows him off the porch swing. “Abolish.”
Sparing a glance, Abolish easily braces himself for sentimentality. “Yeah?”
“I…” Legs maintains eye contact, but his bad eye twitches. “I wanted to say thank you. For… letting me… continue doing what I can at your expense.”
Abolish translates: Thanks for not making me kill myself for you.
“It’s no problem,” Abolish states. “You got a good thing going here.”
The expression on Legs’s face softens in a strange way. Abolish can’t be bothered to sort it out.
Legs lets out a chuckle as he reaches over to grab both their cups. “Somehow.”
To Abolish’s relief, Legs lets them get back through the house in silence. Apo and Cherri are in the kitchen, and they accept that Abolish is on his way out with minimal parting chatter.
Abolish salutes with two fingers. “Y’all take it easy.”
Goodbyes are exchanged, and Abolish finally exits the house, mentally checking off the task. Pretty good visit, all things considered. Nothing difficult to report about.
So yeah. Not the worst group to visit. Good to know that hasn’t changed.