{ Video; UN: potentia.regere }

[earlofphantoms]

{ Private to Undertaker. }

I've made tea with some passable additions. Will you join me? { He is getting better in the kitchen! Practice makes perfect. } There is much we need to discuss and I prefer to do so in person if you are amenable?

{ / }

{ Private to CielAstre. }

I have missed your face. Will you spend some time with your father? I think it might do us both good.

{ / }

{ Vincent is looking a little strained; he is definitely less confident than usual. }

What does one do to stave off a feeling of foreboding? I tell myself I am being overdramatic { no, really? } but am I? What if I have developed a talent for prescience?

Comments

action!

[somakemelaugh]

[There's that blip on his phone again... And it's another blasted text. He sighs. Reads it. Reads the following entry. Sighs again in concern. And drags himself from his book to walk down the stairs rather than teleport, foregoing the text response entirely.]

What did you break, or what do you think you broke?

action!

[earlofphantoms]

{ HUFF. Vincent frowns at his reception, pursing his lips in a dramatic pout. }

I can fix what I break! You forget I am an adult. { Most of the time anyway. The rest of the time he is a mischievous teenager. } Now sit. I made your favorite tea.

[somakemelaugh]

[He can hardly see that pout, but he can imagine. He hears it in that tone.]

That you are, and also a Phantomhive. I suppose I'll find the parts about somewhere soon, else it will shatter in my own hands when I try to use it, if you won't tell me. [Still, he sits anyway.] I'm not going to swallow it, am I?

[earlofphantoms]

{ He can vocally pout with ease! It's a gift. }

I would never be so amiss with my repairs! { He pours him a cup of tea and presses it into his hands. } Your tongue will warn you in plenty of time.

{ How is that comforting? No one knows. }

I asked you here so I can spend time with you.

[somakemelaugh]

[He's not about to waste a... cup of tea. If nothing else, it will warm his fingers.]

Then it's a good thing I'm already dead. [He giggles lightly and brings the cup to his nose so he can smell it. It's close enough now he can see the details on the ceramic, see the color of the tea and any little bits of tea leaves or anything else inside, but his nose has been better about warning him than his own vision these past years.] Only that, time spent and nothing else? Hmmm. It does smell good.

[earlofphantoms]

{ His smile is somewhat sad. } Can life come from the dead? { He reaches out and plays with Undertaker's fringe affectionately. }

Am I so horrible that you question all of my intentions? { Vincent pushes a cookie towards Undertaker too. } I think I'm beginning to cherish that which I overlooked far too often before. I could be maturing. Only time will tell.

text

[sweetlies]

I always have time to spend with my family.

[somakemelaugh]

[He'll permit the playing and even hold still for it. Cheater, this man.] Seems like it can. You know I do have to question everything. Wouldn't be much fun about if I didn't.

[Oh? And a cookie too? What bribery is this?] If that's what this is about, you know you could just tell Albert to shut it for a bit and let you have my ear. [He pats the empty space on the table beside him, where a chair sits.] Hurry now, before he starts back up again.

[earlofphantoms]

{ Yes, yes. Playing fair isn't the Phantomhive way. } I don't mind the questions, but what they imply! { He tuts and takes the seat enthusiastically, resting his chin on his palm. }

Albert is loquacious. Maybe he spent his life a mute? { There is a lot to catch up on in that case! } I wouldn't contaminate a perfectly good cup of tea or a cookie. This is the first batch that I am proud about.

text

[earlofphantoms]

You cannot deny that I am that! I have treats, too.

[somakemelaugh]

[As he is well aware, and quite comfortable with. Most of the time. Sneaks.] Only concern for well being and what life we both still have. Or maybe just me. You do seem like you're treating me as a test subject, but I'll take that blow for you, milord.

[With that, he takes a slow sip of the tea, mindful of the temperature, and hums at it. Oh, it's even better than it smells.] Not bad at all. [He glances over at where the skeleton still stands propped in the corner and shrugs.] Whatever else he was, he hasn't said, but I'd like to hear about you.

[sweetlies]

The resemblance is too uncanny to explain away.

[Treats, you say?] Oh! Well, you should have started with that.

[earlofphantoms]

This is...new. { He shrugs and sits back, sighing. } I realize there is so little I can do to protect you and him. Maybe all of my efforts were in vain before. If so, I need to start at the beginning.

{ He peeks at Albert and grins. } He is jolly if nothing else. { Skeletons can't be otherwise with their big smiles. }

I've never really been someone who... {Vincent frowns thoughtfully, considering his next words. } feels love deeply. That doesn't mean I can't feel it, but it was always on the surface. Then I died and suddenly it feels...deeper. Stronger. I understand that I am not invincible and that those around me are just like me.

[earlofphantoms]

Why would you want to? You are beautiful and the perfect mix of your mother and I.

{ Yep, definitely his son! } You agreed without them. Now I know you are coming for me.

[somakemelaugh]

[One more taste of that tea and he sets the cup down, holding it between his palms on the table. Poor Vincent. He can see this is going to get serious, so he lets Albert argue with himself in the other room.]

It's a curious thing, what you hold dear when you realize it's no longer yours to hold. I took for granted my own life when I thought I'd lost everything and once it was gone, I wanted it back desperately. But you? I believe you loved your family. Even if it seemed like they'd always be there, you must have known on some level that it was all just a temporary state. Did you think about it, as the Queen's watchdog?

[sweetlies]

I think Aunt An was the only person who saw a lot of mother in me. Everyone else says I take after you. Even the Queen.

[That's unfair!] I might have answered a fraction of a second sooner though.

[earlofphantoms]

{ Albert can wait; he has all the time in the world, after all. Vincent's time, on the other hand, is all too brief and the man is fully aware of that fact. }

I must have, but I can't remember. { He closes his eyes and thinks back. All those years and yet... } I thought I could stay ahead of every enemy. I thought if the worst happened, I might die, but not them. I would have told the Queen to forget it if I had known and moved everyone to another country.

[earlofphantoms]

You have her eyes and her personality. The rest is undeniably me.

{ But how much is an act? }

Only a fraction? I must be important indeed!

[sweetlies]

True but that's only because her eyes were blue.

[Hard to say anymore, when he's been living that act for four years.]

Did you doubt that?

[earlofphantoms]

The shape is the same too. { And that makes you adorable. }

I have a lot of doubts.

[somakemelaugh]

[He doesn't want to think that Vincent's time is limited. It was a fact he had been all too aware of before and now more so that he had to bury the man once already. But he'll keep it in the back of his mind.]

[For the moment, he thinks on a possibility, an alternate universe where Vincent knew there would be an attempt on his family's life and what that would mean. Or there would be an attempt on his life alone and what that might mean for Rachel and his two small sons. Since Claudia, he has noticed he takes more sympathy for the women in his life, or anywhere really.]

You still carry it alone, I've noticed. For the most part. [It's not unusual. It's what he expects, which is why the beginning of this meeting was a little surprising.] Would it be belittling to say I take a certain pride in your actions now?

[sweetlies]

Are they? I never noticed. Not much survive the fire to compare.

[Photo's, he means.]

I don't see why you should.

[earlofphantoms]

{ The Phantomhive women are not to be crossed lightly - if one has the nerve to cross them at all. Vincent does not only take after Claudia in looks. His iron will to win - to triumph - comes from her as well. Then there is also his rather shameless desire to have fun with what he does and never be pinned down in a situation that does not please him.

Maybe he inherited that bit from Undertaker. }

What good does it do to make you worry? My son already carries burdens beyond his years. I will not add to them.

{ It's sad that Undertaker can't see the Earl's cheeks pink. }

Pride in what? Belly-aching?

[earlofphantoms]

All you need do is look in a mirror. The shape should remain the same as you get older. I think you will be exceptionally handsome.

You think my time is done, but that isn't how I see it.

[somakemelaugh]

Hmm. [He closes his mouth and looks away, out through the windows, as if he could see anything beyond a blob of green.] I'll wager he inherited the denial from you. Odd that it takes a nearly blind man to see what should be so plain after all this time.

[He shrugs and sighs, enjoying this a little much, and lets the cup sit on the table alone so he can curl fingers under his chin.] Ah, well. Keep trying. You'll land on it eventually.

[earlofphantoms]

{ Denial? What denial? Ciel and him are perfectly healthy, functioning not adults! }

You have a special vantage point. We can only make one decision at a time and then accept the repercussions before we make another decision. The path we walk is invisible to our eyes no matter how good our sight.

{ He stretches his arms over his head, humming. }

I think I might be too late. Where I land is...here. As if I have earned a second chance.

[somakemelaugh]

[If Undertaker, of all people, has to be the adult here, they're in so much trouble. So much!] 'Fraid not. You're still missing it. I've no hope for you.

[He's almost giggling. Almost.]

[sweetlies]

I have no photos to compare anymore, unfortunately. [Dad please]

Back home, perhaps. We don't have to go back. And just because I lost you hasn't diminished my feelings for my family.

[earlofphantoms]

{ He narrows his eyes and sticks out his tongue. }

But you are proud. { That's enough for now. He looks like a very pleased cat. }

[earlofphantoms]

I'm sorry. I would find you some somehow, but I can't do that here.

{ He hasn't accepted his death and he never will. }

I'm glad. You're so strong. Don't let yourself become bitter.

[somakemelaugh]

[That gets a grin out of him, full on. It's meant to be a serious conversation and he hasn't lost that thought, but some things just need to be said.]

Indeed, and you still seem not to have the faintest idea why. It feels so nice to be able to keep secrets again.

[earlofphantoms]

{ Vincent doesn't do serious terribly well. But something warm and happy curls in his chest when he sees the grin. He wonders over the feeling, understanding, distantly, that part of him loves Undertaker. }

Parents are allowed to keep secrets from their children.

[somakemelaugh]

[He tries not to do serious well in most things. Life is all around too serious as it is, and even after nearly a year in this city, he still remembers all too well the centuries before of death and death and more death. Something about that statement catches his attention though, and there might be the faintest falter in that grin.]

As well you should know, being one yourself. I imagine there'd be plenty you haven't told the boys.