[ unlike a certain someone, he waits till morning, at a more reasonable hour.
(it's also because he knows that william would have gotten to albert first)
there's breakfast on the table, louis tending to a pot of tea brewing on the kitchen counter, and he looks up when he hears albert's footsteps, and louis greets his brother with a soft smile. ]
Good morning, Albert.
[ his eyes are still sharp, observant, but it doesn't take much effort to realise that albert is carrying himself just a little bit differently, and the rollercoaster of emotions he'd felt from their bond last night supports his theory.
so he brings tea over, setting a cup in front of albert. ]
You were out late last night.
[ it's soft. maybe a little bit concerned, but it's at least an opening - louis won't push too hard, but it's there for albert's taking if he needs one. ]
[Albert is dressed as he normally would be to go out and work in the Ruby Underground already when he comes downstairs. It's still something he's becoming used to, not having to feed himself and entertain himself, just when he'd got the hang of things here. But it's good to see Louis' face first thing in the morning.
He doesn't actually see the question coming, perhaps because he was put at ease just seeing Louis there, and he freezes as soon as he sits.
He noticed, too. Louis, William... They both know he went somewhere, went to someone, and experienced an intense range of emotions. They might even have sensed more than that.]
...I was. I'm sorry if I worried you. I was visiting someone.
[ when albert's idea of feeding himself is mostly takeout, louis is absolutely going to put his foot down and take matters into his own hands.
it's the primary reason why he's awake this early, to make sure that the house is in running order before albert has to leave for whatever errands that he has to run, but the more selfish reason is that this gives louis a sense of normalcy, a taste of something that's more like before.
and of course, he notices that freeze - it's hard not to when they're in such close proximity to each other. his bond with albert may not be the same as william's bond with albert, but it's difficult not to feel just the slightest bit concerned over the intensity and the range of emotions that he had felt seeping through the edges of their bond, especially when louis knows instinctively that it's caused by someone outside their little trio.
so he pauses, parses the wording albert uses: ] They didn't hurt you.
[ it's a statement, more than a question - he can attribute it to their bond as well, but logic dictates that if albert was hurt, he would have known immediately. ]
... You seem happier, Brother.
[ it's faint, but there's a soft wistfulness to louis's tone. ]
[Ah, so that's it. Louis must have felt the anguish and elation that ran through Albert when he was with Ignis and been concerned that something bad had happened. It made sense. He looks sheepish as he stirs the smallest bit of milk into his tea, then lifts it for a sip. He's considering how to answer, so that he can meet Louis' eyes when he does so.
And when he does, he smiles faintly.]
I... feel wonderful.
[Which is an incredible revelation from Albert. He can't recall the last time he felt this good, this hopeful despite everything. His brothers are here and safe, and he has... blossoming, budding love. Love he's still not sure he has any right to, but love. And he has breakfast made by his dearest Louis that he dares not let go to waste.]
[ and louis lets out a breath he hasn't realised that he's been holding, because,
albert looks happy.
and it's the kind of genuine happiness that louis hasn't seen from albert for many, many years, because the last time that he'd been allowed to see albert had been in the worst of circumstances, just the briefest of glimpses from behind albert's room in the tower, but
he's happy, and louis can't bring himself to intrude on albert's happiness, can't bring himself to ruin his beloved older brother's revelation.
so he smiles back, even if it doesn't fully reach his eyes. ]
Of course. [ it's force of habit that keeps him standing, even as he moves around closer to push the plate of food closer to albert, gesturing at him to eat before it gets cold. ] They must be special.
[ they must be, because the last time louis had seen albert this enamoured with someone, it had been with william. ]
[Albert wants to say that he is happy, even if things are uncertain. That things won't always go his way, but with all of them, he's sure he can survive, and live well.
He does catch the sadness in Louis' eyes, and while he still doesn't know the cause behind the terrible heaviness he feels whenever Louis looks at him, he imagines it has something to do with his own fate that parallels William's. He can't change that, he's sure. There is nothing about the future that awaits him that he'll be able to alter, if they have already lived it.
It's devastating. This place becomes his hope, then, his hope to be with them as brothers and people, rather than as three parts of one criminal.
He eats several bites of the breakfast--something he always misses when he's not near Louis--then smiles at him, just a touch more brightly.]
He is as remarkable as he is generous, as handsome as he is kind.
[Where does he even begin?]
He cooks. [There. Something comfortable.] Extraordinarily well, though his Yorkshire pudding doesn't hold a candle to yours. Every time I told him about one of my favorite dishes of yours, he'd try to make it for me. He... brought me roses once, and we danced together. [Albert aches just thinking about it, what a beautiful moment it was, that time that he first admitted to having feelings at all.] When I see him, my heart races, and my knees threaten to give out.
[ there are some things that louis can never bring himself to say. not now, not when there's something in him that still aches, quietly, when albert's smile lights up his features in a way that louis hasn't seen in years,
and he never wants albert to stop smiling like that, again.
it just cements his resolve to never say anything about the fate that he knows has come to pass, something that maybe they can avoid here, in this strange new world that has come to pass. it's the least he can do.
but for now, he smiles back at albert, listening attentively like he always has before. albert's smile has always been contagious, after all, and louis has seen his older brother wield it like a well-used weapon to placate the almost predatory ladies of the nobility, to keep them at bay. it's different, seeing it be used for albert's own happiness instead. ]
I'm not even that good, really. [ just a little bit awkwardly. because his own cooking skills were more out of necessity than any kind of passion, so louis has always viewed those as more utilitarian than anything. to be compared like this-- louis can't help but go the slightest bit pink, although his own expression is torn between flattery and awkwardness. ] But I'm glad that you're at least being fed well while you were alone.
Does he-- [ a pause, and louis reaches over, almost as if to reach for albert's hand, before he thinks better of it, withdraws, lets his hand fall to his side instead. the question that he switches to instead is said a little bit more delicately: ] Is he who you went to visit last night?
[ logically, it's not hard to draw the conclusion, given the strength of the emotions louis had felt from albert. but if it's as serious as albert makes it out to be, then louis wants that reassurance, too. ]
[Even Albert is amazed that he's found some measure of happiness here. It seems impossible, but he really is content with certain aspects of his life, and one of those aspects happens to be his romantic pursuits. God forbid his dear brothers find out he's courting more than one person... But he's glad that at least Louis seems to understand, or at least accept more than William has.
They should know by now, Albert thinks, believes with his whole heart, that he's theirs before anyone else's. He's killed for them and with them, after all. No one can take away a bond forged in blood, no matter how hard they try. Albert will always find his way back to William and Louis.
His smile only grows as he sees Louis smile back.]
Nonsense. You'll always be my favorite cook. [And Albert at least has the decency to admit:] I haven't been letting him take care of me, though. Not as much as I probably should have. I am still rather hopeless in the kitchen, and I'm keeping the local restaurants quite well employed.
[Opening his hand, he places it on the table for Louis to take. It's nonsense for him to not reach out when he can.]
Please, Louis. Don't shy away from me. I'm still yours, and William's.
[And then he looks wistful, if only just.]
I went to see him, yes. I wanted to tell him some things I'd kept hidden. I stayed for a while, and it was quite the emotional affair, on my part. But he soothed me and understood me better than I even understand myself. I have this... unfortunate tendency to make things too stark in my mind, when subtlety is more called for. You know that about me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
also after you know what but at like a reasonable hour
(it's also because he knows that william would have gotten to albert first)
there's breakfast on the table, louis tending to a pot of tea brewing on the kitchen counter, and he looks up when he hears albert's footsteps, and louis greets his brother with a soft smile. ]
Good morning, Albert.
[ his eyes are still sharp, observant, but it doesn't take much effort to realise that albert is carrying himself just a little bit differently, and the rollercoaster of emotions he'd felt from their bond last night supports his theory.
so he brings tea over, setting a cup in front of albert. ]
You were out late last night.
[ it's soft. maybe a little bit concerned, but it's at least an opening - louis won't push too hard, but it's there for albert's taking if he needs one. ]
no subject
He doesn't actually see the question coming, perhaps because he was put at ease just seeing Louis there, and he freezes as soon as he sits.
He noticed, too. Louis, William... They both know he went somewhere, went to someone, and experienced an intense range of emotions. They might even have sensed more than that.]
...I was. I'm sorry if I worried you. I was visiting someone.
no subject
it's the primary reason why he's awake this early, to make sure that the house is in running order before albert has to leave for whatever errands that he has to run, but the more selfish reason is that this gives louis a sense of normalcy, a taste of something that's more like before.
and of course, he notices that freeze - it's hard not to when they're in such close proximity to each other. his bond with albert may not be the same as william's bond with albert, but it's difficult not to feel just the slightest bit concerned over the intensity and the range of emotions that he had felt seeping through the edges of their bond, especially when louis knows instinctively that it's caused by someone outside their little trio.
so he pauses, parses the wording albert uses: ] They didn't hurt you.
[ it's a statement, more than a question - he can attribute it to their bond as well, but logic dictates that if albert was hurt, he would have known immediately. ]
... You seem happier, Brother.
[ it's faint, but there's a soft wistfulness to louis's tone. ]
no subject
And when he does, he smiles faintly.]
I... feel wonderful.
[Which is an incredible revelation from Albert. He can't recall the last time he felt this good, this hopeful despite everything. His brothers are here and safe, and he has... blossoming, budding love. Love he's still not sure he has any right to, but love. And he has breakfast made by his dearest Louis that he dares not let go to waste.]
Can I tell you about someone, Louis?
no subject
albert looks happy.
and it's the kind of genuine happiness that louis hasn't seen from albert for many, many years, because the last time that he'd been allowed to see albert had been in the worst of circumstances, just the briefest of glimpses from behind albert's room in the tower, but
he's happy, and louis can't bring himself to intrude on albert's happiness, can't bring himself to ruin his beloved older brother's revelation.
so he smiles back, even if it doesn't fully reach his eyes. ]
Of course. [ it's force of habit that keeps him standing, even as he moves around closer to push the plate of food closer to albert, gesturing at him to eat before it gets cold. ] They must be special.
[ they must be, because the last time louis had seen albert this enamoured with someone, it had been with william. ]
no subject
He does catch the sadness in Louis' eyes, and while he still doesn't know the cause behind the terrible heaviness he feels whenever Louis looks at him, he imagines it has something to do with his own fate that parallels William's. He can't change that, he's sure. There is nothing about the future that awaits him that he'll be able to alter, if they have already lived it.
It's devastating. This place becomes his hope, then, his hope to be with them as brothers and people, rather than as three parts of one criminal.
He eats several bites of the breakfast--something he always misses when he's not near Louis--then smiles at him, just a touch more brightly.]
He is as remarkable as he is generous, as handsome as he is kind.
[Where does he even begin?]
He cooks. [There. Something comfortable.] Extraordinarily well, though his Yorkshire pudding doesn't hold a candle to yours. Every time I told him about one of my favorite dishes of yours, he'd try to make it for me. He... brought me roses once, and we danced together. [Albert aches just thinking about it, what a beautiful moment it was, that time that he first admitted to having feelings at all.] When I see him, my heart races, and my knees threaten to give out.
no subject
and he never wants albert to stop smiling like that, again.
it just cements his resolve to never say anything about the fate that he knows has come to pass, something that maybe they can avoid here, in this strange new world that has come to pass. it's the least he can do.
but for now, he smiles back at albert, listening attentively like he always has before. albert's smile has always been contagious, after all, and louis has seen his older brother wield it like a well-used weapon to placate the almost predatory ladies of the nobility, to keep them at bay. it's different, seeing it be used for albert's own happiness instead. ]
I'm not even that good, really. [ just a little bit awkwardly. because his own cooking skills were more out of necessity than any kind of passion, so louis has always viewed those as more utilitarian than anything. to be compared like this-- louis can't help but go the slightest bit pink, although his own expression is torn between flattery and awkwardness. ] But I'm glad that you're at least being fed well while you were alone.
Does he-- [ a pause, and louis reaches over, almost as if to reach for albert's hand, before he thinks better of it, withdraws, lets his hand fall to his side instead. the question that he switches to instead is said a little bit more delicately: ] Is he who you went to visit last night?
[ logically, it's not hard to draw the conclusion, given the strength of the emotions louis had felt from albert. but if it's as serious as albert makes it out to be, then louis wants that reassurance, too. ]
no subject
They should know by now, Albert thinks, believes with his whole heart, that he's theirs before anyone else's. He's killed for them and with them, after all. No one can take away a bond forged in blood, no matter how hard they try. Albert will always find his way back to William and Louis.
His smile only grows as he sees Louis smile back.]
Nonsense. You'll always be my favorite cook. [And Albert at least has the decency to admit:] I haven't been letting him take care of me, though. Not as much as I probably should have. I am still rather hopeless in the kitchen, and I'm keeping the local restaurants quite well employed.
[Opening his hand, he places it on the table for Louis to take. It's nonsense for him to not reach out when he can.]
Please, Louis. Don't shy away from me. I'm still yours, and William's.
[And then he looks wistful, if only just.]
I went to see him, yes. I wanted to tell him some things I'd kept hidden. I stayed for a while, and it was quite the emotional affair, on my part. But he soothed me and understood me better than I even understand myself. I have this... unfortunate tendency to make things too stark in my mind, when subtlety is more called for. You know that about me.