Erskine had to stop short to keep from walking right into Raine, and then drew back a pace, shoulders hunched, as she stood up to him. He still wasn't handling direct confrontation like this very well in most cases, even if there was no real expectation of violence--although to his credit he at least allowed her to catch his eyes.
Why were you alone?
He didn't know how to answer that. He wasn't sure he'd ever even bothered to ask the question of himself, or at least not in so many words. He just... was. He'd been alone for so long he barely remembered what it was like to not be alone, even when surrounded by the men he considered his brothers, his family.
He'd been alone ever since Mevolent, and then again since losing Hopeless. He'd been alone for a hundred years.
After that initial eye contact he lowered his gaze, his breath hitching. It was probably a good thing they were no longer within the walls of the Hotel to set the wards off--and suddenly he wanted, more than anything, to be back in the Hotel. To curl up in Anton's bed and try to sleep, or at least to hide.
He still didn't know how to answer her. There was the easy answer, but he'd be damned if he was going to talk about that. Not with anyone who wasn't a Dead Man. Possibly not with anyone who wasn't Anton at this point. After another moment of quailing his whole body tensed and his expression hardened.
"You really want the answer to that? Ask Mevolent."
Ravel put his hand back up and flicked at the air, dispelling the bubble of sound around them, and turned on one heel back in the direction of the Hotel. He'd had enough of this.
no subject
Why were you alone?
He didn't know how to answer that. He wasn't sure he'd ever even bothered to ask the question of himself, or at least not in so many words. He just... was. He'd been alone for so long he barely remembered what it was like to not be alone, even when surrounded by the men he considered his brothers, his family.
He'd been alone ever since Mevolent, and then again since losing Hopeless. He'd been alone for a hundred years.
After that initial eye contact he lowered his gaze, his breath hitching. It was probably a good thing they were no longer within the walls of the Hotel to set the wards off--and suddenly he wanted, more than anything, to be back in the Hotel. To curl up in Anton's bed and try to sleep, or at least to hide.
He still didn't know how to answer her. There was the easy answer, but he'd be damned if he was going to talk about that. Not with anyone who wasn't a Dead Man. Possibly not with anyone who wasn't Anton at this point. After another moment of quailing his whole body tensed and his expression hardened.
"You really want the answer to that? Ask Mevolent."
Ravel put his hand back up and flicked at the air, dispelling the bubble of sound around them, and turned on one heel back in the direction of the Hotel. He'd had enough of this.