Iâll be frank with you, the desire to write more for the Forged in Fire series has been burning in me lately (eh? eh?). Only problem is, Iâm not entirely sure where to take it next. Thatâs where you guys come in.
I have a vague outline of where I want the series to end, ultimately, but Iâm drawing a blank on a LOT of the in between stuff. So Iâm asking you guys; what do you want to see next for Desmond, Raymond, Mary, Bronev, Swift, and/or even Mackintosh?
Iâm open to any suggestions. Thank you guys so much!
Post BBVZ. Five Times Hershel and/or Flora was worried about Alfendi and they didnât have to beâŚand one time they did.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
Hershel Layton could appreciate hospitals. He wasnât like many in the world who feared and disliked the very thought of them. He admired the dedication the doctors and nurses had for their professions and greatly respected all involved in the medical field. While he could not describe all of his experiences with them as pleasant, he rationally understood that the negative experience was not usually the hospitalâs fault, but that of an outside party.
Despite that however, Hershel did wish he was absolutely anywhere in the world other sitting in one at this moment. Today, he was not there as a result of his own ailments, but was waiting desperately for news about his son, Alfendi.
He could hardly remember the phone call he received from Commissioner Barton nor getting in his car and speeding to the emergency room. By some twist of fate, he had arrived at the hospital just in time to get a glimpse of the paramedics rushing in his son, who was covered in far more red than Hershel could attribute to just the boyâs scarlet hair. Â
The old professor did his best to fight back the familiar feelings of despair. The feelings that yet another person he loved was going to be taken before their time, just as it had before...
Focusing on those feelings would not help the current situation.
Thankfully, he didnât have to wait longer before his daughter arrived, armed with food and water, both of which he had forgotten in his panic. After over an hour of waiting, Flora pulled a nurse over to ask for details, but they were met with a brief statement before she continued on her way.
âYou know Alfendi, Professor.â The girl consoled, her eyes shining with tears. âHeâs going to pull through.â
âI hope youâre right, my dear.â He replied, smiling sadly and taking her hand.
He wasnât sure how long the two of them sat like that before the doors to the waiting room flew open. A very disheveled Luke Triton rushed over to his unoccupied side.
âHow is he?â He asked, eyes darting about with adrenaline.
âHeâsâŚ.Heâs holding on.â Flora answered, giving Hershelâs hand a supporting squeeze. Luke sat on his other side, running a hand through his hair.
âAlâs going to be fine.â Luke said after a moment, confidently. âAny minute now theyâre gonna take us to his room and heâs going to be yelling at the nurses.
Flora giggled and Hershel couldnât help but smile.
But any minute now dragged on and on, and the time went by with no word from the doctors. The three took turns attempting to nap, flipping through magazines, and chatting. It wasnât long before they heard sounds of arguing coming down the hall.
â--y nephew, now let me through this instant!â Â
âSir, please, just cal--â
âDonât tell me to calm down, young man!!â
âDonât shout, p-please! You can wait in--â
The doors flew open and a very disgruntled Desmond Sycamore stormed into the room.
â...Bumpkins, all of them.â He muttered to himself, pushing up his glasses that only barely masked the murderous glint in his eyes before turning to Hershel. âWhat's happening? Have you heard anything since we last spoke??â
âUnfortunately, I have not.â Hershel replied with a sigh.
There was a time when Hershel thought he was never going to see Desmond Sycamore again. A time where the professor hadnât been upset at the thought that he might not see his brother again.
The person Hershel had to thank for not only the exact opposite happening, but for Hershel and Desmond to grow quite close over the years, was now barely clinging to life a few rooms away.
Desmond crossed his arms. âBah, thereâs no one stronger than that rascal.â Despite the light, joking tone Desmond had a worried, but supportive expression on his face. âHeâll be fine, Professor.â Â Â
âThank you for being here, Professor.â Hershel tipped his hat.
âOf course, Professor.â Desmond winked before suddenly looking quite sheepish. âNow, you donât think the hospital staff will be concerned with my mode of transportation do you?â
âWhat would there be to be concerned with?â Luke asked hesitantly.
Desmondâs eyes flicked to the window where Hershel noticed a the edge of what had to be a robot of some sort. He wouldnât be alarmed if they were already on the fifth floorâŚ. âWell, itâs quite large--â
The conversation was cut off as a tired looking doctor stepped into the room. âMr. Layton?â
âYes?â Hershel stood up far faster than a gentleman should have. âHow is he, Doctor?â
âWeâve done all we can, your son is currently stable, howeverâ The woman approached the group who were all watching with eager eyes. âIâm afraid thereâs no easy way to put this but, weâre not sure when he is going to wake up.â
Hershel tipped his hat down, taking a moment to accept the situation. Breaking down in front of Luke and Flora would not be good for either of them. â...Can I see him?â
âOf course. Right this way.â
Hershel didnât remember the walk through the hospital halls. All he was aware of was his heart beating in his ears as the doctor paused outside of the room his son was in. He tipped his hat in thanks almost automatically and stepped into the dark, quiet room.
Alfendi was in the corner, hooked up to several machines. Hershel pulled up a chair next to him and took his sonâs hand.
A few drops of water hit the bed as Hershel stroked his sonâs hand.
âOh, AlfendiâŚâ
A/N:
Hey you guys knew what was going to be coming. This is a five times prompt. They always end tragically. Blame Level 5, not me.
Post BBVZ. Five Times Hershel and/or Flora was worried about Alfendi and they didnât have to beâŚand one time they did.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
Late afternoons were one of Professor Laytonâs favorite parts of the day. It had a calm about it that the rest of the day seemed to lack. He usually took this time to unwind after his last class of the day by reading some of his favorite classics by the fireplace of his quiet home.
Sitting down, Hershel flipped through the pages, eagerly searching for where he left of the previous day. He remembered he was at one of his favorite parts...
Ding Dong.
Hershel paused for a moment in confusion at the sound of the doorbell. It was rare for someone to drop by at this point in the afternoon during the week. His children were all still working at this time. Perhaps, it was someone from the university. A new dean was going to be appointed soon and the president of Gressenheller was asking all of the faculty for input.
Not wanting to be rude, Hershel Layton pulled himself out of his armchair, ignoring his stiff joints, the question of who could be visiting still dancing on his mind.
âGood afternoon,â Hershel greeted pleasantly as he opened the door.
He had to fight to keep the shock off of his face. Standing at the door was his son, looking haggard and exhausted. There were dark bags under his eyes and his clothes hung awkwardly, as if he had been losing weight.
âHey Pops, can I come in?â Alfendi asked, looking over his shoulder and rubbing his arm sheepishly.
âAlfendi, my boy!â The man didnât have to try to hard to force a smile. While despite his initial alarm at his sonâs condition, Hershel was genuinely glad to see him. It had been some time since he had seen Alfendi last. âPlease, come in.â
Alfendi stepped in and unceremoniously flopped onto the couch, letting out a sigh. After closing the front door, Hershel took his book and sat down next to him.
âWhat brings you here this afternoon?â Hershel asked. âI am very glad to see you, but arenât you usually still at work?â
âYeah, wellâŚâ Alfendi started to blush and looked away. âI kinda got kicked out by Hilda and Justin today.â
âOh? Why is that?â Hershel asked. On a case as large as the one his son was working on, he didnât think it would be very practical to send away a third of their team.
âI donâ really want to talk about it.â Alfendi replied quickly, looking rather ashamed. âDo you mind if I jusâ, hang out here? You can do whatever you were doinâ before.â
âOf course, my boy. Whatever youâd like.â Hershel agreed, having learned long ago that Alfendi would talk to him whenever he was ready. It was best not to push the young man, especially when he was very clearly stressed.
As Hershel went back to reading he heard his son sink deeper into the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table.
Now back to where he had left off. The doctor had just determined that--
Something landed on his shoulder, distracting him. Turning his head, his heart sank at the sight of Alfendi who was slowly dozing on his shoulder. While the boy had often fallen asleep around the house when he was young, it was rare to see him so tired at the age of twenty four. Â
Hershel found he didnât have the heart to move him, so he left Alfendi sleep there the rest of the afternoon. Though, he thought his heart might break when Alfendi clearly started having a nightmare.
The professor fought back the heartbreak as he watched the young man toss and turn. He had been concerned when his son had been transferred over to the homicide division for this very reason. Whatever case his son was working on was clearly not healthy for him.
The older man did all he could for him by trying his best to soothe his sleeping son, stroking his hair and speaking in a calm and soothing tone. After a few moments more of tossing, Alfendi eventually relaxed. Hershel went back to his book relieved, letting him sleep in peace.
Hours passed, and as the afternoon turned into late evening, Alfendi still hadnât woken up. Just as the older man was considering waking his son up, there was another knock on the door. Hershel tried to gently move Alfendi aside to answer the door but Alfendi latched onto his arm.
âItâs open.â He called out softly, hoping that whoever it was could hear him.
âGood evening, Professor.â The door opened and Hilda Pertinax, Alfendiâs girlfriend and co-worker stepped into the house.
âGood evening, my dear.â He greeted, motioning for her to take a seat. The young woman looked stressed, but thankfully did not show any signs of sleep and food deprivation.
âHow long has he been like that?â Hilda asked, sitting down across from them.
âAll afternoon, Iâm afraid.â Hershel answered with a sigh. âThough, it seemed as though he really needed this. Has he been alright? I must confess, I am very concerned about him.â
âHeâs⌠Heâs been working very hard lately. Too hard to be honest.â Hilda admitted quietly. âHe desperately wants this case to be over, I think. But the way he was working himself wasnât being very productive.â
Hershel looked back down at Alfendi, who despite the fact that he was sound asleep, still had a hardened, stressed expression.
âI wouldnât worry though, Professor.â She added in a reassuring tone. âJustin and I gave him a stern talking to this morning and set some new ground rules for him. Weâre going to be keeping an eye on him so he stops overworking himself.â
Hershel smiled softly. âIâm very glad to hear that, my dear.â
That moment when your mentor accidentally REVEALS HIS INNER BRONEV.
This was from a conversation I had with a friend about Laytonâs laugh. We noted that he had a hearty, consistent laugh, and that usually such a laugh was pre-meditated. What then would be his sudden, outburst-y, genuine laugh?
The answer: DESCOLE. He would have Descoleâs psychotic laughter. It runs in the family. Thatâs why his laugh is pre-meditated.
Armed with this headcanon, @jay9marie wrote this short and incredibly dramatic fic and I drew this equally short and incredibly dramatic comic. Now, ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the chaos.
Post BBVZ. Five Times Hershel and/or Flora was worried about Alfendi and they didnât have to beâŚand one time they did.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
âDidja unpack thaâ last box yet, Triton?â Floraâs twenty one year old brother called out as he broke down yet another cardboard box.
âUh, this closet is getting to be a bit of a mess, Al.â Lukeâs concerned voice came from around the hall. âYou might want to move some of this stuff someplace else...â
âJust shove it all in! Sâalrighâ.â Alfendi replied, sitting down on the couch next to her.
âIs there anything I can do to help, Alfendi?â Flora asked as her younger brother closed his eyes and let out an exhausted sigh.
âNah itâs fine, Triton has the last box.â Alfendi said looking around his new apartment with a childish laugh. âI canât believe I finally have my own flat!â
Flora smiled sadly, hardly able to believe how old Alfendi had gotten so quickly. It seemed like yesterday he was the tiny pipsqueak who always dragged around a stool to stand on so he could reach the kitchen cabinets. Now, not only did he towered over her, but he was a police officer to top it off.
But despite her younger brotherâs growth spurt, she found herself wondering if Alfendi was really ready to be living off on his own. Flora knew that the boy suffered from loneliness frequently and doubted that living by himself would help that problem in the future. When she looked at him she could still see the eight year old who used put on a brave face even though he was really frightened underneath it all.
What if he was just putting on a brave now and was actually nervous to be off by himself?
âEverythinâ okay, sis?â A voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to meet Alfendiâs concerned gaze.
Flora smiled knowing she was caught. âOh, I was just thinking back to when I was taller than you thatâs all.â She ruffled his hair and laughed as he ducked out of it.
âWe donât talk about those dark days, Florââ Â He gave her a flat expression. âBut seriously, whatâs really botherinâ yah?â
Unsure whether or not to dive directly into the subject or not, Flora hesitated a moment before answering. â...You will be alright here on your own, right?â
âOf course! Donât worry about me.â Alfendi laughed, seeming anything but concerned. âTritonâs stayinâ over tonighâ so he can finally meet Justin, and even after tonighâ itâs not like you guys live far away or anythinâ!â
âAre you sure?â She pressed, unconvinced.
Luke walked back into the room and rested an arm on Alfendiâs head. âOf course heâll be fine, Flora!â
âHey! Get off!â Alfendi protested, trying to get out from under Lukeâs arm.
âAlfendiâs tough, plus heâs got me keeping an eye on him.â Luke said confidently. âI only live a few blocks away from here, you know.â
âI said get off!â Alfendi shouted as he climbed over the arm of the couch and tackled the other boy to the ground.
Flora laughed at the two wrestling on the ground. Perhaps everything was going to be okay after all.
Resisting a sigh, Hershel reached out and grabbed his sonâs shoulder at a speed learned solely from experience. He lowered his newspaper onto the coffee table and stood up so he could look his sixteen year old son in the eye.
âAlfendi, what--â Hershelâs eyes widened as he took in his sonâs appearance. The boy was standing rigid and wide eyed, like he had stumbled into a trap. The young manâs jacket was hanging slightly off of one shoulder and his face had a thin layer of dirt. A small part of Hershelâs mind noted that the boy had now definitely surpassed him in height, but he could think about that later.
Gathering his thoughts, he started over. âWhere were you this afternoon?â
âFloraâs.â He replied instantly, slowly leaning closer to the stairs. Hershel tightened his hold on the boyâs shoulder and he quickly stopped.
âThat was this morning, my boy.â Hershel patiently added. âWhat about this evening? You are past curfew.â
âOh, uhâŚâ The boy rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. As his son struggled to come up with an excuse, Hershel looked him over again. Now that he took a better look, he noticed a few superficial scratches and the signs of a few forming bruises. âWell, you see⌠Me anâ Triton--â
As the boy launched into a clearly fabricated story, Hershel felt himself getting very worried. It wasnât like Alfendi to lie to him. Just what had the young man gotten himself into? A fight? Was he in some sort of trouble?
Alfendiâs tale was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing. Hershel gave Alfendi a look to let him know they werenât done speaking and walked over to the phone, wondering who would be calling this late.
âGood evening,â He answered. âCan I help you?â
âHello Professor!â Came the voice of his old apprentice, Luke Triton. âHas Alfendi gotten home?â
âYes he has.â Hershel glanced at his son as he said this.
âIâm sorry he was late, itâs past his curfew right?â Lukeâs voice sounded genuinely apologetic. âIt was entirely my fault. Youâre not going to punish him are you? We got lost on the way home from Floraâs and itâs a really long story. Heâs late because he was helping me...â
Hershel glanced back over at his nervous son. It wasnât anything bad, then, Alfendi was only trying to ensure that his friend would not get in any trouble? How⌠gentlemanly of him.
âI see.â He responded to Luke. âVery well. You ought to get on to bed, my boy. Goodnight.â
âGoodnight, Professor!â
After hanging up the phone, Hershel turned back to Alfendi, who was fidgeting anxiously and glancing up the stairs.
âI think it would be a good idea for you to go to bed as well, Alfendi.â Hershel said after a moment. âJust promise me you will try to be on time in the future?â
âYes, Pops. I promise.â Alfendi put his hand on his heart and looked sincere. As soon as Hershel released him, the sixteen year old darted up the stairs.
Hershel looked up and pushed aside his concern. Luke was clearly looking after the boy and Hershel trusted their judgement. He was sure they werenât getting into any serious trouble.
A/N:
What were these boys up to? Keke and I have our own theories but I think Iâd like to see what you all think. Enjoy!
Pre UF. Dinner at the Layton household makes an unexpected turn one evening.
âEhehehe--â
Luke Triton nearly spit out his food, turning to Flora who had a matching look of surprise and horror.
Luke couldn't for the life of him even remember what the joke that Flora had so sweetly told was. The only thing he knew, was that the laugh that his mentor Professor Hershel Layton had made, was unlike any sound he had heard the man make before.
â--ahahaha!--â
It was the exact opposite of what the young man would have considered gentlemanly based on his years as the professorâs apprentice. Actually though, as Luke actually listened to the sound the man was making, it was almost nostalgic. Quite similar to a laugh he had heard countless times in the past.
â...P-Professor?â Flora hesitantly reached a hand in the direction of her adoptive father. The top hatted professor had abandoned his fork and knife and covered his face with his hands as he cackled. âA-Are you okay?â
âMwahahahaa!!â
Thatâs when It hit him. Descole. Thatâs where Luke had heard this type of laugh before. The masked villain who had opposed them during so many adventures. The same one who they had teamed up with to stop Targent from stealing the Azran treasure. The one who had been revealed to be the Professorâs long lost older brother.
Perhaps the maniacal laughter was a family trait? Now that Luke thought about it, even Leon Bronev had a similar laugh. Could this be the answer to the puzzle as to why the Professor always kept his laugh hearty, but controlled?
Professor Layton seemed to have finally gotten a grip and straightened in his chair once more, wiping the tears that had been streaming down his eyes.
âPardon me,â He began, adjusting his hat. âThat outburst was rather... ungentleman-like of me.â
The two children exchanged looked again. Flora covered her mouth, stifling giggles. Luke found now that the shock had passed, he couldnât stop laughing either. The Professor chuckled as well, softly this time, returning to the dinner Flora had prepared for them all.
It was nights like these that Luke loved. Of course he loved the adventures they went on. The past year alone seemed to have just one after the other, but he had grown to appreciate the quiet ones too. Just him, the Professor, and Flora, spending time together and enjoying the small things.
Nothing was going to break this team apart this time around, not if Luke had anything to say about it.
A/N:
Based on a conversation between @kayespuzzles and I.
Post BBVZ. Five Times Hershel and/or Flora was worried about Alfendi and they didnât have to beâŚand one time they did.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
As Professor Hershel Layton combed his hair in the afternoon before his last class of the day, he took a moment to enjoy the quiet calm air that had settled around the house. Despite his sadness that his daughter had now officially moved out, he let himself enjoy the peace now that all of the chaos and energy of her wedding planning had passed.
Hershel was going to miss Flora very much, but he knew for a fact that she was in very good hands and tried to let that calm all of his concerns about the girl. She had, after all, turned out to become a lovely young lady, and now had a husband to take care of her and a new home.
âMâhome!â The quiet call came from the vicinity of the front door.
âGood afternoon, Alfendi.â Hershel replied, stepping out of the bathroom. âHow was your day?â
The fourteen year old had just reached the top of the stairs and shrugged. âAlright, I guess.â
âOh?â Hershel tried not to let his concern show on his face, knowing how Alfendi disliked it when people showed any sort of fuss over him.
âYeah.â The boy shrugged again, already at his bedroom door. âIâll make somethinâ for dinner later, mmkay?â
âThank you, my boy.â Hershel said with a smile. Before he could think of anything else to say, Alfendi had already shut the door to his room.
Hershel frowned, uncertain of what to do. For the past week or so, Alfendi had become very subdued and quiet around the house.
How puzzling.
For a day or so, Hershel could understand Alfendi being in a low mood. The boy was a teenager and the fluctuating moods were all a part of the package, after all. Hershel found himself drifting over to the young manâs room, wondering if he should talk to him.
It had been six days⌠The exact number of days since Floraâs wedding. Hershel found himself smiling sadly. Alfendi missed his sister. Another puzzle solved.
Hershel raised his hand to knock on Alfendiâs door. He could cancel class tonight and spend some time with his son. It wouldnât be the same as spending time with his sister, but it would be better for the boy than spending another afternoon alone.
â--Yer, kiddinâ.â He heard Alfendiâs voice come through the door. âThen whaâ happened?â
There was a beat of silence before Alfendi let out a burst of laughter.
Hershel let his hand fall to his side with a smile. It appeared that Alfendi would be alright after all. The smile remained as the man turned and walked down the hall, trying to focus on the lesson he would be teaching that afternoon.
The last thing he heard as he walked out was more of his sonâs muffled laughter.
A/N:
Iâm going to blame the reason that I havenât updated in a month on nanowrimo instead of me just getting sucked up in life.Â
Post BBVZ. Five Times Hershel and/or Flora was worried about Alfendi and they didnât have to be...and one time they did.Â
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
Flora stepped into the living room, a basket of unfolded laundry in her arms. She loved using the open space in front of the fireplace to fold the clothes instead of the tiny, cramped laundry room.
âHey Sis, whatcha doinâ?â The voice of her nine year old brother startled her from the couch.
Placing the basket down, she said, âIâm going to fold some laundry, would you--â The words froze on her lips as she noticed Alfendi was tossing something bright and sharp-looking over his head and catching it in one head repeatedly. âWhat are you doing?â She asked, concern for his well being slowly rising.
âIâm practicinâ tossinâ this!â He said with a mischievous smile. âWanna try?â
Flora leaned in for a closer look at the flying object and the concern she felt switched to sheer worry. âIs-Is that the knife you took from⌠fromâŚ?â Flora couldnât even finish her questions. Her hands subconsciously rose, ready to pull her brother out of harmâs way.
âYep! From thaâ stupid guard.â Alfendi giggled, clearly thinking back to their time in Chippenham factory. âIâm gettinâ pretty good at this--ack!!â
Flora gasped in alarm as the knife struck the boy in the head and then fell to the ground with a heavy thump. Before she was aware of what she was doing she was at his side, her hands searching his head, trying to assess the damage most likely hidden by his scarlet hair.
âAre you alright? Where does it hurt?â The questions poured out of her as the younger boy squirmed out of her arms.
âFlorâ, Iâm fine!â He insisted, shaking his head quickly. âIt had a cover on itâŚâ Alfendi then dove on all fours to the floor, searching for the knife like a puppy.
Flora sank back on the couch, a hand on her heart as her adrenaline slowly ebbed.
âAha!â The boy stood up tall, holding the knife above his head. He climbed back up onto the couch beside her and inspected the knife thoughtfully. âYah know⌠Thereâs an 80% chance the cover is makinâ it off balanceâŚâ
âAlfendi!â
A/N:
This story has chapters that are a bit shorter than my normal updates, but this was a prompt I had a lot of fun with. I hope you all like!Â
In personal news nANOWRIMO STARTS ON SUNDAY AND IâM GONNA DIEEEEEEEEE. Iâm not âofficiallyâ participating, just using the event as an excuse to get myself going...Iâm writing the first draft of my original story and I just--itâs going to be a wild ride ladies and gents. Wish me the best of luck. Iâm going to need it.
Like Father, Like Son Sequel - It is said the bond between comrades is stronger even than your family allegiances, however, Alfendi Layton finds that the ties of oneâs true family arenât always easy to shake. - Mystery Room Spoilers
Hilda took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air of the park. She and Alfendi were out for a walk together, enjoying their last day off before needing to return to work.
âItâs a shame really, that we have to go back to work so soon.â She began looking up at the sky. âI was starting to adjust to being at home.â
âCan I get this on record?â Alfendi teased. Hilda gave him a playful shove, careful to avoid his ribs. He dodged laughing and shouted up to the empty park. âThis just in! Agent Pertinax can enjoy something other than work!â
âMake fun of me all you want, dear.â Hilda smirked, taking his hand again. âAt least my record is still outstanding, as if hard work might actually pay off.â
Alfendi looked wounded. âExcuse me, but what exactly is wrong with my record?â
âOh. Nothing. For an amatuer.â She gave him another playful nudge. He snickered and rolled his eyes at her statement. Â
âWhat about you, then?â Hilda pressed when no reply came. âArenât you ready to go back? Iâm sure Miss Baker and Mister Hague are missing you quite terribly.â
To Hildaâs surprise, the smile dropped from Alfendiâs face and he seemed to deflate on himself. âActually,â He began slowly, staring at the ground in front of them. âIâve been meaning to talk to you about thatâŚâ
âIs everything alright?â She asked, giving his hand a supportive squeeze.
âIâm thinking about leaving Scotland Yard.â He said, staring off into the trees.
âOh, right. Of course you are.â Hilda replied with a grin.
She expected him to continue to play along, but when she met his eyes, Alfendi looked pained.
â...Iâm being serious,â Her husband pulled her gently over to a bench just off the path and sat down. âIâm tired of it, Hildâ. All I do is stay crammed in that dusty little office in thâ back solvinâ cold cases. Iâm past my prime anâ everyone knows it. I wanna be somewhere that Iâm useful for a change!â
â...What will you do, then?â Hilda sat down next to him, trying to process all of this.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. âNot really sure yet, but I was thinking somethinâ with kids.â
So that dictated some sort of teaching job, or a social work environment. Neither were the highest earning job, but Hilda knew their finances inside and out, and they would still be fine. It would take some adjustment, certainly. Maybe she could take on a few extra shifts while he got started...
Alfendi shrugged and laughed sadly. âI know itâs stupid, but I canât be there anymore, dancinâ on the edges of what I used to be.â
âTake your time figuring it out, Al.â Hilda placed an arm around his shoulder. âWe have plenty of money saved up, so donât worry about that. Weâre going to make this work.â
He breathed a small sigh of relief, as if he had been holding his breath without her realizing. âSo⌠you arenât mad?â
âOf course not!â Hilda exclaimed, sitting up. âWhy would I be?â
âWell, I donât know!â Alfendi flicked his hair aside. âYou get mad at everything you crazy woman!â
Hilda stood up and put her hands on her hips. âHah, mad at everything am I? Well maybe my obnoxious, dramatic husband has been wearing off on me.â
âSounds like a jobless, lazy bum to me. You should dump him.â Alfendi smiled up at her, seeming truly happy for the first time in a very long time.
âPerhaps Iâll go take care of him now.â Hilda extended her hand out to him.
âGood idea.â He agreed taking her hand and standing up. âNeed help? Iâve heard I can be quite intimidating.â
âYou? Donât make me laugh. Sergeant Hague is more intimidating than you.â
âOh yeah? Then how come Iâm his boss and not the other way around?â
âYou do know that youâre not officially his supervisor, right?â
â...uhhhh, anyway, letâs go!â
For the first time in a very long time, Alfendi Laytonâs enthusiasm sounded genuine once again, and Hilda knew at that moment that they were making the right decision.
A/N:
*sings another one bites the dust*
Thatâs it! The End! Hope you all enjoyed the ride and as thanks for being so patient hereâs an epilogue that is eIGHTY PERCENT FLUFF.
theartofmadeline
