Though Babi had headed over to a doorway at the back of the lab, he paused before leaving, and laughed slightly at the sight of them. "Run along when you're ready, Alex. Be sure to pass on my warmest regards to your family, so that you might all make it safely back to Imil."
Once the door closed behind Lord Babi, Kraden finally felt safe to free his arms from his coat and do up his breeches, ruined though they were.
Alex was still lying on the floor. Kraden draped the coat over him.
"There's a washroom through there," Kraden explained. "It opens into the corridor from the other side. He never takes long. The door on this side doesn't lock, but the lab door does. I'm not the only one with a key, but, well, I can wait here and make sure nobody else comes through."
"Unless Lord Babi comes back," Alex replied. His voice was still flat.
Kraden didn't reply that it was very unlikely he would return for them tonight. After all, that wasn't Alex's point.
If he could have said something to make it better, he would have. If Alex were in the same position that he'd been in all those years ago, he could have told him that "it gets better", or "I'll watch your back", or "Sasha will sneak you the most treats, out of all the cooks", or picked one of any number of other useful things to say. But Alex didn't need to know that it could get easier, eventually. Alex was never going to go through this again. Poor little Alex was going to go home with a pair of living, breathing, loving parents...
It made no sense to gaze down at a battered child lying curled up on the floor and feel anything remotely resembling envy. Kraden had always gotten through by counting his blessings. He was living a life he couldn't give up, because he'd been raised by someone who had given him everything; someone who had cared for him, deep down, no matter how strict he had been; someone who'd only ever loved him too much. Seeing it from the outside looking in, Kraden had to conclude that there was no love involved in any of this. The more he tried to tell himself that he had been different, the less he believed it. On days like today, it was harder than ever to convince himself that he could still make sense of his life.
Little Alex was doing a particularly excellent job of pointing out his failings. All Kraden knew for sure, then and there, was that he couldn't hate him for it. One could only sink so low.
"… There should be plenty of hot water, I believe, at this time of day. Would you like me to fold your clothes...?"
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timeasmymeasure
Ingratitude - 7
Date: 2011-09-05 04:04 am (UTC)Though Babi had headed over to a doorway at the back of the lab, he paused before leaving, and laughed slightly at the sight of them. "Run along when you're ready, Alex. Be sure to pass on my warmest regards to your family, so that you might all make it safely back to Imil."
Once the door closed behind Lord Babi, Kraden finally felt safe to free his arms from his coat and do up his breeches, ruined though they were.
Alex was still lying on the floor. Kraden draped the coat over him.
"There's a washroom through there," Kraden explained. "It opens into the corridor from the other side. He never takes long. The door on this side doesn't lock, but the lab door does. I'm not the only one with a key, but, well, I can wait here and make sure nobody else comes through."
"Unless Lord Babi comes back," Alex replied. His voice was still flat.
Kraden didn't reply that it was very unlikely he would return for them tonight. After all, that wasn't Alex's point.
If he could have said something to make it better, he would have. If Alex were in the same position that he'd been in all those years ago, he could have told him that "it gets better", or "I'll watch your back", or "Sasha will sneak you the most treats, out of all the cooks", or picked one of any number of other useful things to say. But Alex didn't need to know that it could get easier, eventually. Alex was never going to go through this again. Poor little Alex was going to go home with a pair of living, breathing, loving parents...
It made no sense to gaze down at a battered child lying curled up on the floor and feel anything remotely resembling envy. Kraden had always gotten through by counting his blessings. He was living a life he couldn't give up, because he'd been raised by someone who had given him everything; someone who had cared for him, deep down, no matter how strict he had been; someone who'd only ever loved him too much. Seeing it from the outside looking in, Kraden had to conclude that there was no love involved in any of this. The more he tried to tell himself that he had been different, the less he believed it. On days like today, it was harder than ever to convince himself that he could still make sense of his life.
Little Alex was doing a particularly excellent job of pointing out his failings. All Kraden knew for sure, then and there, was that he couldn't hate him for it. One could only sink so low.
"… There should be plenty of hot water, I believe, at this time of day. Would you like me to fold your clothes...?"
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