this whole situation feels like a JOKE: darcy looks into resurrectiontablets, camden turns up without her even moving a finger. she’d thoughtsomebody WAS playing a joke on herwhen she’d read the name; wondered if maybe there was a chance that he hadn’tdied, maybe he had the same kind of story as parrish, maybe he’d needed toescape – in the end she’d realised that it hadn’t mattered. he’s here now andshe’s staring him in the face. there are plenty of thoughts running through herhead, and the only ones that makes SENSE ( theonly ones she can focus on for more than a second ) are HOWAM I GOING TO TELL ISAAC and WILLTHIS MAKE HIM BETTER OR WORSE?
she’s so tense that she almostflinches when he speaks, but she only ends up swallowing as she quickly movesher gaze back to his own. she’d completely forgotten about the engagement ringthat isaac had given her – she would’ve taken it off if she’d remembered, butit’s like it’s part of her already. and yet despite all the emotions he conveysin his tone, HESITANCE is the one, to her, that suggests that he’s suspicious. if he thinks he’s special and thatshe’s going to discuss her personal life, he’s mistaken. she never does. shenever will. he doesn’t get special treatment just because he’s isaac’s brother ( does that make him some weird form of pre-brother-in-law? ) who suddenlyseems to have returned from the dead.
the corners of her lips curveupwards, eyes narrowing at the same time. her expressions are controlled; thecomplete opposite of when she’s with isaac. with isaac, she’s wide smiles andexpressive eyes – now she only looks like a predator eyeing up prey, even if heIS so much bigger than her.
‘ i don’t think we came here to discuss my personallife, ’ she responds, glancing down to her hand before she slides it across thecool surface to rest in her lap. ‘ we came here to discuss a job. ’ that doesn’tmean she’s not going to ask more questions later, but she can’t answer hisquestion like he doesn’t pose a THREAT. that would only make him moresuspicious – or at least if it were her in his situation, it would certainlymake darcy suspicious. head tilts, dark eyes glancing over him. she’s unsure ofhow she’s staying so cool right now. she doesn’t usually meet clients in theopen like this, but she had to know it was really HIM. ‘ what do you want toknow? ’ darcy already knows the answer.
❛ right. no personal questions. noted. ❜ THAT’S SOMETHING HE CAN WORK WITH, there’s a lot of questions people ask ; sometimes there’s no nice answers, if they’re not prying into personal lives, he can live with that. she’s serious, very down to business but there’s something in her eye, like when she looks at him she’s looking at a GRAVESTONE. he should be dead, alongside his fallen comrades, he should be dead. he’s debating whether he’s going to even tell isaac, to even let him know he’s alive. there’s a guilt that consumes his chest ; a selfish act so many years ago hurt them both. he would’ve stayed, if his dad hadn’t kicked him out. he would’ve protected him. isaac deserved better, a braver brother ( A STRAIGHTER BROTHER. ).
his expression never falters, lips pursed & eyes steady, he doesn’t look broken here. there might be the scars, the almost healed bones, the burns, but when he’s like this ; all business & no emotions, he almost looks normal. not like someone who’s been broken over & over so many times only to be sloppily put back together again by his own shaky hands. he’s trying, to get better, to not be how he was three months ago where he couldn’t even meet his own nurses’ eyes. camden lifts the scolding cup of coffee to his lips, sips it & doesn’t even flinch. his pain tolerance is higher than any human’s should be, it’s had to be.
❛ ——- his living arrangements. where he hangs out. ❜ the cup placed down as he thinks, what does he want to know ? what does he need to know ? he just wants to know isaac’s okay, to know he’s safe, to see if maybe he’s happy. ❛ his father, edmundlahey, where he is too. can you do that ? i’ve already looked at their house & neither of them were there. ❜ tone softening at his fathers’ name, a name he hasn’t spoken in so long it tastes like poison on his tongue. the BROKEN MAN with love shaped into fists, broken glasses instead of hugs. he wonders if his dad would be proud, he doubts it, but he still wonders. he knows he wouldn’t be, camden’s still who he is, even if he’s a more scarred version. ❛ that’s all, i think. ❜
