I'm Full of Black and Blues

☽ Ludo Valder ~ 21 ☾ -RP blog only-

[andrei--dalca-blog-blog]

The Valentina’s are holding a Christmas ball to try and cheer everyone up after that horrific battle that took place, which is a terrible idea if I do say so myself, but humans tend to make silly decisions. I didn’t intentionally keep the news from you, but I don’t want you to attend. Your control is not strong enough yet, it is not a wise idea.

[ludovalder-blog]

What do you mean you don't want me to go? Are you going? Oh. You are, aren't you.. You think we're all - they're all brainless, yet you're going to spend an evening amongst them like it's nothing and forbid me?

[alexanderbarrett]

Come on, kid, everyone has a story; just ‘cause you don’t wanna share it doesn’t mean it’s not there. A lot of people were in that village…a lot of people who shouldn’t have even been there in the first place.

Hell, it’s not exactly the most festive mood right now.

[ludovalder-blog]

Mm. I think they're trying to make up for it by surrounding us with tinsel.

Honestly, I don't know how anyone is going to get themselves out of this shit. I've met people around here who are just acting like nothing happened, like everything is just back to normal. God, it is so far from normal.

I'm Ludo, by the way.

[andrei--dalca-blog-blog]

Ludo? Where are you?

[ludovalder-blog]

Andrei? Did you know everyone in town is talking about a ball? Why didn't you tell me?

[alexanderbarrett]

You seem as pleased as I do; what’s your story, then?

[ludovalder-blog]

I don't really have a story, man. Let's just say I was in the village that was being burnt to the ground, so I don't particularly appreciate the celebration when so many lost their lives.

My, it's easy to bring the mood down isn't it. Sorry.

[gwenmarsh]

So Cold || Gwen & Ludo & Andrei (?)

It just wasn’t the night of her dreams and it was never going to be. She would never question or insult her rulers out loud, but in her own mind was a whole different story. "Smile, Gwen!" the queen had called to her at one point in the evening. But she just couldn’t do it and make it look right. She just ended up looking like she was going to be sick. A guard she vaguely knew had pressed a glass of champagne in her hand and told her that it would help, but it just wasn’t. All it was doing was giving her a headache and making her tired (as alcohol usually did). Unlike the masquerade all those months ago, this ball just wasn’t magical or even fun.

That night, so long ago, the lights had been brilliant and brought a shimmering glow to everything. Tonight, they seemed too bright and harsh. The music wasn’t joyful, it was grating and too loud. Many, if not most of, the laughs seemed overly forced and fake. Maybe it was all just in Gwen’s mind. Perhaps it was her sour mood making the party seem distasteful. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that her sister’s grave was still fresh and perhaps the one person she felt most comfortable being around (besides her brother) was being unreasonable. That wasn’t fair, she knew (and she never should have cursed in front of him), but it simply hurt the way he’d spoken to her and been angry at her for being worried and wanting him to not take his issues out on his friends.

And she had sworn over and over that she was done thinking about that. God, she was pathetic. She couldn’t go five minutes without thinking about it. All it did was make her blood boil and eyes water. It was pathetic and stupid and ridiculous. It was utterly nonsensical. Thinking about the things that had gone wrong for her recently wouldn’t change anything. She just wanted to sleep. One of the worst parts of this whole party business was how much cleaning had needed to be done in such a short amount of time. She was just tired, and the last thing she wanted to do was pretend to be a happy bundle of energy. And so, needing to rest her eyes and head, Gwen snuck out onto one of the expansive balconies. Her breath came out in large white puffs and gooseflesh quickly erupted on her skin, but the dark and quiet was just what she needed right then.

With a heavy sigh, she leaned her arms against the cold railing and closed her eyes, face pointed towards the glittering stars above.

[ludovalder-blog]

The word 'forbidden' wasn't one that Ludo usually paid much attention to, which usually caused him to end up in situations or places that were difficult to get out of, but when Andrei had forbidden him to attend the Christmas ball there was no doubt in his mind that he was going to disobey that order. It was a ball for his people, and although his body and the sire that he lived with caused him to appear quite the contrary, the young vampire was determined to make it to that ball, to try and pretend he was still human, still in a place that was his home. He had waited for Andrei to bid him a good night (completely rubbing it in), before sneaking out of the cave, his figure a blur as he ran through the night, the speed the one thing from his change that he'd taken a liking to.

At first it was easy, dressed in one of his old suits with a glass in his hand, Ludo moved swiftly throughout the crowd, ignoring the new scents around him in favour of finding a familiar face. Had anyone noticed his absence since the attack? Then again he wasn't sure he'd made enough of an impression on anyone to cause worry or suspicion, which really dampened his mood the more he thought about it. Yet still his dark gaze searched for someone, anyone, maybe Pierce or that lady he'd met in the meadow, Annika.. But what would he say? 'Hey, remember me? I'm now apart of the species that helped burn and kill a village! Stellar night, isn't it?' Yes, that would go down perfectly. God. He hadn't thought this through, then again maybe he didn't have to tell people anything, to be honest he just wanted to see his friends again.

Barely an hour had passed before Ludo was regretting his sudden rebelliousness. He wasn't used to being around so many people after his change and every scent and pulse that surrounded him was slowly beginning to drown the young vampire. He could just imagine plunging his fangs into soft skin and drinking like the many times he'd done so from his Sires wrist, the very thought already making his jaws ache with a sudden hunger in which the need to satisfy frightened him. He needed to get out of there and quick. Stumbling through the crowd, Ludo was finding it hard to keep himself composed, hoping he just looked drunk rather than like he wanted to bite those nearest to him. He clutched at the velvet choker around his neck, already regretting his choice of style for the way it only irritated him the more, but soon he passed out of the room and made it to the balcony where the fresh air could wash over him.

The young 'man' panted from the pure pressure of the situation as he braced himself against the balcony edge, his shaking hands buried deep into his hair. No matter how hard he tried, this was the final, proving fact that he wasn't human any longer and it pained him.

It only took a few minutes for Ludo to realise he wasn't alone, the sight of the woman barely a metre away making him jump in shock. He bit at the inside of his cheeks as he watched her, feeling like this was a game he was never getting out of.

[alexanderbarrett]

So, let me get this straight…a fuck ton of people just died, and we’re having a Christmas party?

…Pass me the alcohol. And plenty of it.

[ludovalder-blog]

Tell me about it. Merry fucking Christmas.

[ludovalder-blog]

Event 3 // Under The Mistletoe

- Wearing one of his only suits, his smartest and cleanest one, he could only do so much on a bakers budget

- Has a red choker around his neck, which he finds ironic due to his situation, but wears because he thinks it makes him look more like himself than a tie

- Has a pair of slim boots on his feet which he's quite proud of, having spent a half hour making the scuffs and marks disappear

- On his wrist he wears his most prized possession, his fathers old watch which he was given when he was eleven. The red band seemed all too fitting for this dress code.

[scarlettviola-blog]

Well, if you managed to make it out of that battle alive…congratulations.

[ludovalder-blog]

Congratulations? So all the dead deserve is an 'Oh well'?

[ludovalder-blog]

The Boy Who's Had Too Many Chances (PART 2) // Ludo&Andrei /

It felt like thousands of years weighed down on Ludo as he slept. His head was heavy and his arms felt like stone where they were tucked at his side. The feeling was uncomfortable, like oversleeping, like he’d forgotten to do something important before letting his eyes slip closed. But he ignored the feeling in favour of curling deeper into his cocoon of blankets, wanting to remain in the comfort and warmth beds always supplied. Everything seemed easier when he slept.

Of course, as soon as he began searching for more sleep, it started to slip through his fingertips. Something wasn’t right, something felt different. He pushed his face further into the pillow in search of that comfort again but was overwhelmed by a scent that wasn’t his own, that had hints of familiarity yet he couldn’t remember where from.

Ludo slowly opened his eyes, his gaze blurry as he he took in the room around him, in a house that wasn’t his own. In a cave that wasn't a house at all. His brow furrowed and he lifted himself up despite the ache flooding through his bones, the panic that was settling in his chest a much more important matter. The room was darkly lit, the crackling glow of flames spreading orange and haunting shadows over the walls. He was standing now, limbs shaking and head thick from sleep as he made his way slowly to a mouth of the ajoining cave, resting his weight against the stone as he looked around, hoping he was mistaken.

Fear caught in his throat as he noticed he wasn’t alone, his dark eyes finding the other man easily through the shadows. At first Ludo was sure he’d been kidnapped, taken far away from his village to be tortured and killed for another’s sick amusement. The very thought of death brought everything flooding back, images of the past week flashing through his mind. He remembered lying broken on the ground, remembered the strong hands and hushed voice that had tried to soothe him, the eyes that matched those of the man before him. Then he could recall the pain, days filled with crippling hurt like he’d never imagined, like everything inside of him had been ripped out and replaced with someone else’s, like his very bones weren’t his own anymore.

Yet he knew this man had stayed by his side through it all, whatever it was, working to somehow sate his pain or at least make it seem like it hadn’t gone on for hours and days on end. The soothing words and worried eyes felt like a comfort he’d never had since the fire, but why did the man bother to support him, or care so much?

He only needed to close his eyes for memories of sharp teeth and powerful hunger to break through the darkness. No. No, he wasn’t. He was a baker, he was human. This man couldn’t be a vampire, at least not the kind he’d read about in stories, the kind he remembered from the day he almost died. He didn’t know what to believe anymore, yet the vivid thirst brought Ludo crashing to his knees. His head spun and a whimper fell from his lips as he struggled to understand what his mind was telling him loud and clear.

[ludovalder-blog]

The Boy Who's Had Too Many Chances // Ludo&Andrei /

[andrei--dalca-blog-blog]

Andrei had stood and stared on the outskirts of the village, the cries that met his ears a terrifying sound to behold. People had begun to run from the village now, crying children bundled into the arms of silent fathers and whimpering mothers. Some made it to just outside the flames where they would collapse, only to be dragged back by a hungry vampire. Really, Andrei thought in a detached sort of way, the vampires wouldn’t be so hungry if they had not been forced into feeding on animal blood for so long.

The vampire in question turned to look at Andrei with bright eyes once he had his fill, regarding him with a cold stare where the older vampire stood and watched the chaos. The Romanian was aware that most of the vampires detested that he was so old and knowledgable on the war, yet he refused to take part in it. Already Andrei could tell that this was complete chaos, he had led better infiltrations with weaker, less desperate men against a harder enemy and had come out victorious. This attack had been clumsy, desperate, yet effective. A sleeping village of humans would hardly put up much of a fight.

He could see the vampire turn and run off throughout the fire, probably to go and talk to Mensah, tell him that Andrei had been doing nothing. Served him right, he had told the coven leader he wanted no part in this, yet the man had been arrogant enough to force Andrei into coming along. Well, Andrei had come, he had seen, and he’d had his own flashback of the wars he’d been in. 

In a bout of cold fury, Andrei ran forward, chasing after the young vampire with ease. How dare they. He was considered old before they had even been born, and their youthful face were young not just because they were now frozen in time, but they spoke of bloodthirsty without discipline. Iulia would be laughing right now, eager to get to them and teach them some manners and control, just like she had him. As it was, Andrei lunged forward and kicked the other square in the back, the young one falling to the ground. In a display of cold calculation, he placed both hands on either side of his head and twisted, cracking his neck efficiently. It was harder than a human’s neck, but not much harder than a deers, or rather a stags. Then, to make sure, he ripped the head clean off the torso. Let Mensah hear of that. 

Then he kept wandering. Some buildings had been burning for a while now, and the poor conditions the humans were living in meant that some places were just blackened rubble now. Andrei had no sympathy. Let them live in a cave instead and see how their weakened bodies handled it. The vampire moved through the chaos, killing everything that dared to come and try attack him, not caring if it was wolf or human. Interestingly enough, he didn’t meet any angels. Andrei spared a thought for Celine, wondering if she was still alive. Most likely. 

That was when he heard a soft whimper, coming from one of the ash-covered patches of ground that had been some sort of home, some of the support still looming above him. There was a body lying there, Andrei could see it now, but even better he could scent the oncoming death. One knew what to smell for when one had been in enough situations.

Andrei walked over to the man - boy, to the boy, he looked quite young on closer inspection - and was about to kill him swiftly when something made him stop. That face. Those features -

“Dalca, my dame back home, I promised - ” Andrei shook his head, panting as he watched the boy in front of him try to stop the bleeding at his stomach. Gun-shot wound. Fatal. He’d be dead in less than a minute. 

“Don’t you mean your old lady, Wilks?” he soothed, ignoring the battle surrounding him to move his fingers gently though dark locks, tenderly. But Wilks’ eyes had already gone blank.

Andrei could save him now. “What’s your name, kid?” he muttered, kneeling next to the body that reminded him so much like one of the lives that had left in his arms. 

[ludovalder-blog]

Dying wasn’t like how it is in the books. It felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on Ludo where he lay, like his chest was being squeezed by the hand of a giant, like there was some thick cloth wound tightly around his face. There were no singing angels, no hands taking his own, no voices whispering comfort. There might have been a white light in his eyes, but he wasn’t sure if it was true or just the blue Sansoria sky dyed with smoke clouds.

Repeatedly he tried to get up, or at least move, collect some sort of strength to be able to pull himself somewhere quiet, away from the havoc that went on around him, the people that walked past like he was already gone. There was no way that was going to happen, the reality of that only becoming clearer as the pain continued to spread like water through a sponge in his chest, as the numbness remained below his waist. All he could do was lay his head back and drink in his memories while he was still awake, the helpless cries still falling from his lips like a record.

He could remember lying like this when he was six, his head in his mothers lap while they waited for his father. It was the first time he’d fallen out of his treehouse and he lay there with bleeding knees, a bruised jaw and a broken arm. It was painful, of course it was, but his mother was there for him, rhythmically combing her fingers through his hair and singing a soft lullaby in his ear. "Slaap Kindje Slaap, saar buiten loopt een schaap..” Her voice was sweet honeysuckle, soothing a panicking childs mind while he sniffled all over her sewing apron. He could remember her soft brown eyes, so much like his own, focused on him, on showing no worry so she could distract him from the pain. 

Oh god he wished he had that now. He wished he could have his mother stroke his hair and take the pain away by singing about little sheep with white feet. He strained, trying to hear his father speak to him, with a giants booming voice that went perfectly with his laughter crinkled eyes. A man who was never concerned with how big his baby would be getting, for he would always hoist them over his shoulders and run like they were five and not fourteen. And Felix. He shut his eyes tightly, remembering how his baby brothers hand had curled around his little finger, remembering the first time they’d built forts, the first time Felix had crawled into his bed after a nightmare. It was hard to see how much his memories of his family had faded since the fire, all of their photos having been eaten up by the flames.. but despite the sadness, Ludo wasn’t ready to die yet, he wanted to experience that affection again, wanted to have someone to pet his head when it was his real time to pass, another face to remember in his last moments. He was so alone.

A choked sob erupted through his clogged throat and Ludo slowly lifted his left arm, the one that wasn’t trapped under his body, to wipe at the blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth. The movement, however small, still made his head spin, a wave of nausea flooding through the pain like seasickness. There was nothing he could do to try and imagine like this wasn’t happening, like he wasn’t slowly fading away, the clouds in his eyes growing bigger. There was so much of the world he hadn’t seen, so much he hadn’t done, yet the world around him was starting to grow quiet, to disappear.

He was about to close his eyes when a shadow spread over him, a blurry figure stepping to kneel beside him. Was it his mother? No, he could see that, but still his hand reached out for the other. His fingers pawed at the shadows knee, trying to grasp a hand but not having any strength to do so, settling just for the feel of the material against his skin.

"L-lu-ludo.." he managed to sound out, the metallic taste of blood woven around his tongue and scratching at his throat.

"Please..please.. it hurts.. I don’t want to die like this..please.." he didn’t know how much of those words were making it past his lips as he begged, knowing this was just some stranger and they couldn’t do anything to help, but he would take any sort of comfort right now, even if they were lies.

Ludo’s hand was shaking where it lay on the strangers knee, fogged gaze trying to focus on the other. He whispered, because that’s all he had left.

"I’m scared."

[ludovalder-blog]

The Boy Who's Had Too Many Chances // Ludo&Andrei /

"Go find shelter! Run! Run!" Ludo exclaimed, hastily passing the small child from his arms into her awaiting mothers, the soot that covered his hands littering marks on her white sleeping gown. She was barely six years old and terror showed clear on her face as she cried and clung to her mothers dress. He wished he'd had time to press a kiss to her forehead before they'd fled, in reassurance, in understanding. He'd had many moments where all he wanted to do was cry and clutch his mother close, but now it was enough to know he had gotten that girl to her safety, gotten her home. If it was still standing.

He hadn't wanted to fight, yet once he'd awoken to frantic screaming and the all too familiar crackle of flames, his mind was changed. He wasn't going to stand back and watch the world crumble around him, he wasn't going to let fire engulf another home, another family. He just wasn't. His breath sounded ragged and harsh as he dashed through the streets, keeping one steadily bleeding arm to his chest with the other clenched in a fist at his side. He was on edge, that was to say the least, half of him wanted to cower in fear while the other half was angry at whoever started this. Bodies lay drained and mutilated around his feet, the most number being humans who didn't have the protection of immortality to save them. They weren't weak, for christs sake, just terrified of dying. It was heartbreaking, but it also made Ludo's blood boil under his skin, these people were his people, some were assholes, but some were innocent. Innocent lives were currently being slaughtered for joy, and after dealing with such guilt and regret for not being able to prevent a death, he didn't understand that.

A sharp cry brought the baker to a skidding halt, eyes searching through the panic around him for the one who caused it, fear running cold through his body as his gaze lifted to the burning building in front of him. There was a boy on the balcony. A young boy calling for rescue, with honey coloured hair and scraped up knees. Ludo didn't have to look twice before he was clenching his hands and crashing through the door and up the stairs, determined to save the boy who reminded him so much of his brother. 

"Hey, hold on kid! I'm here, I'm coming!" He coughed, breathing through the thin material of his shirt as he ran towards the boy, the heat of the surrounding fire licking at his skin barely a concern as he could still hear the childs cries. Light on his feet he scrambled over the windowsill and crouched on the balcony, the wood feeling horribly weak under his weight. "Here, c'mere.." his throat was clogged with ash as he turned to the boy, holding his arms out as the child stayed turned away from him. "Buddy, I know you're scared, but we've got to get you outta here.." he trailed off as the other finally turned around, a tight knot forming in his stomach when he saw the twisted expression on the childs face, the sharp fangs in his mouth. There was barely any time to respond before a strong jerk of the small vampires body had the balcony ripping from the crumbling home and Ludo was falling through the smoke thick air.

~~

He couldn't feel his legs. That was the first thing he noticed when the darkness unveiled from his eyes. The pain was dull, but he knew the warmth flooding around his back wasn't just water, that the copper taste in the back of his throat wasn't a result of running too fast. His lungs strained to swallow a mouthful of air before he let out a long cry, lips chapped from the heat while tears dampened his cheeks. He didn't want to die, no matter how lonely he was, he wanted to see the stars again, he wanted to climb the tallest trees and he wanted to make more of the sweet pastries that reminded him of his mother. There was no denying his fear, clouded eyes trying to search the movement around him while he weakly cried for help. The pain was drowning him now, all of a sudden Ludo understood what his family must've been feeling. The feeling of dying when there is no one there to save you.

[pierce-farroway-blog-blog]

Wound relentlessly around the words we used to sling || Pierce&Ludo

[pierce-farroway-blog-blog]

Pierce stayed completely submerged for a while, the ice water swilling around his body. This was what peace felt like. He could feel emotions rising in him, hot, angry, but they were pushed down by the water cooling his core. He wasn’t drowning here, this wasn’t some desperate plight to kill himself. But in that moment, he felt that if he did kill himself it wouldn’t matter. After all, what did he have in this world anywhere? He had no family, he was estranged from his court whether that was his choice or not, and his friends were great but they couldn’t be around him all the time. He was just a lonely little faerie in a dusty old bookstore.

It was possible he was being dramatic, though. He had been fine before Theo, even if he was a little lonely. But he had been content. Not quite sad, but just. There. And yet, his the angel had shown him this whole other side of life where he had a person to meet, to rely on when he needed to company. He should of known. When one falls in love so quickly, it is bound to burn bright before snuffing out quickly. What had that author said once? My candle burns at both ends, it will not last the night. This certainly had not lasted as long as he would have liked. Pierce wondered if he would ever heal fully. Most likely not, did anyone ever recover from losing their first love?

When he felt something splashing against the side of his face, he frowned in irritation, looking over to find that man who had scared him a few weeks before. What did he want? But the tone of the other’s voice soothed him, and after hesitating, he nodded, slowly moving towards the human. “H-h-hi, Ludo,” he spoke softly, his lips slightly blue now, trembling. 

“I, I know. I just, I was s-s-s-s-so hot, I need, I needed to cool down…” he eventually reached the edge of the river and pulled himself up through the grass, just able to sit down. He immediately wrapped his arms around his knees, feeling awkward sitting here almost naked in front of the other. HIs wings tried to wrap around his body, protecting in a way, but they were too water-ridden and cold to do much.

“Was there someth-th-th-thing you wanted, or are you okay?” he frowned, trying to figure out what the other wanted. Or maybe he didn’t want anything. Pierce looked away. The feelings that had paused when he was in the water came back in full force, and he rested his head on his knees, essentially curling up in a small ball.

[ludovalder-blog]

Ludo resisted the urge to gasp when Pierce raised his head, relief flooding over him when the look of irritation faded from the others face. "Hi.." he replied slowly, his arms instinctively reaching out for the blue-lipped fey when he started moving closer, a movement that reminded him so much of time spent with his younger brother. The thought brought a sharp pang of sadness to his own chest and as he continued to watch Pierce, he only wanted to shield him from whatever was causing him such misery.

His mouth was pressed in a thin line as Pierce slowly moved to sit next to him, resisting the urge to immediately scoop the other up and take him somewhere warm when his wings curled around his dripping body. Ludo looked back over his shoulder to see the rest of the faeries clothes lying ripped and mud kissed on the wet ground and wasted no time in shrugging off his sweater and over shirt, ignoring the slight chill that met his skin when he did so. "Here, well let's give you some warmth now, huh.." he smiled slightly as he wrapped the soft, worn garments around Pierce's shoulders, being mindful of his wings while he tucked the neck of the clothes under the Feys chin.

"Am I okay?" The small smile turned sad at Pierce's question, like the other was either oblivious to his own emotions or rather too polite to comment on them, too used to not having to. He wasn't going to stand for that at all, not when he could remember the amused little smile that had graced the others face when they had first met, he didn't know how he was going to see that again but he was determined to at least soothe the other over his problems, not ignore them. "I wanted to see if you were okay, man.. you gave me a bit of a scare back there."

When Pierce only seemed to curl in on himself more and sink further into his sadness, Ludo cautiously moved closer to the other and reached out his  arm once more. "Hey.." he murmured softly, resting his hand in the space between the others shoulders gently, in case the touch wasn't wanted. "What's going on, Pierce? Talk to me.."

There wasn't any reason for Pierce to tell him what was on his mind, it wasn't like he was going to force the issue out of the Feys mouth, but he would at least remain by his side as long as he was wanted, serve as not only a listener but maybe of warmth for the shaking being, of a shoulder to rest his weight on.

[scarlettviola-blog]

Or maybe you’ve just wandered off into the wrong part of the woods, stud.

[ludovalder-blog]

The wrong part of the woods? Oh shoot, I must've missed the sign.

[ludovalder-blog]

Hey, are you lost or just trying to follow me? Because if it's the latter, you're doing a horrible job of it.

[ludovalder-blog]

Melt Your Headaches // Ludo&Avery /

[averywakefiield]

If there was one thing Avery Wakefield had grown to understand about humans in war, it was that they had more difficulty handling the weight of it all than any other species Avery had come across. It was true that the pressure and constant stress of leading his own pack into battle and protecting the humans was both difficult and extraordinarily pressing for Avery, but…at the end of the day, he knew he had defense mechanisms that would help to protect and preserve his body on the battlefield; he had the ability to transition into a wolf for heightened predatory abilities, to use enhanced senses and strength to help himself survive by the end of the night, and endurance unlike any other being that existed in Sansoria. At the end of the night, he both knew and relied on all of these things to help him survive the war; and what did the humans have? Nothing, Avery realized as he glanced down at this poor, trodden soul. They were the most vulnerable creatures in any realm, more than likely, paired with nothing more than their wit and limbs to help them push and pull themselves through a fight.

How their kind would survive this epic battle against vampires and Fallen Angels, Avery had absolutely no clue. And looking down at this young man, he felt his hope for their kind deflate…it must be difficult, he thought, being a human in a world where everyone was more powerful than you.

"I’ll definitely walk you home," Avery said kindly, helping the stranger to his feet. He watched as the young man tried to pick up the broken bits of bottle that had scattered across the floor, wondering if he was supposed to bend down and yank the slovenly drunk human away from trying to correct a mess he hadn’t meant to make in the first place. "I can’t imagine you’ve met many decent strangers, then; I like to think most people would offer assistance to a man who looks a bit down on his luck."

He nodded slowly when Ludo introduced himself, walking alongside the young man and hoping he was still sober enough to find his way home alright.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ludo," Avery said kindly, walking in strides with the intoxicated man. "My name’s Avery—Avery Wakefield. And don’t worry, we all act a bit…out of it when we’re drunk."

[ludovalder-blog]

"Not really, though I suppose it is just the times we are in. There is panic yet it only lies beneath the skin and people choose to be angry as a way to cover it up.." Ludo shrugged and slipped his hands into the pockets of his worn jacket as they walked along the streets together, the nights definitely getting colder. "I did mean it when I said thank you, though. It's nice to know there are at least some good people who remain here."

He shook his head and looked down at his feet, the topic of the war always seemed to drift into conversation, then again how could it not? There was a risk of losing so many lives and he knew the fate of the humans might take the largest blow of them all, he had no protection of immortality, no quick healing. If he was stabbed he would merely bleed out and take his turn to vanish from the world. He squeezed his eyes shut tight to get rid of that thought, so constantly plagued by the images of what could lie ahead for them all. The soothing of his own mind wasn't exactly going perfectly here, his pain only getting worse.

Holding his head up once more, Ludo put on what he hoped was a brave face, not wanting to waste the kindness of the other man by speaking through tears. He wasn't usually like this, it was just one of those nights where his past seemed to catch up to him and disrupt his pleasant thoughts. Before, it had been easier to handle, yet as he grew up and continued to do so alone, there was no stopping the memories from chasing him while he was at home wishing for company out of anything. He couldn't stop it anymore either, it had all become a storm that he had to wait through.

Ludo couldn't help but let out a light laugh at that, carding his hands through his hair before looking to face Avery once more. "I appreciate the sympathy, but I have to tell you I'm not drunk.. I know the broken bottle  doesn't do much to help my case but I barely had more than two sips.." he explained a little bashfully, that wasn't something he would usually turn to after all. "I just.. I wanted it so I could think about something other than how hopeless and alone I am.."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, man. We all have our own problems and I need to shut up about mine, I should probably just walk alone."

[bastian-egilhard-blog]

"Sorry about that."

[bastian-egilhard-blog]

"Years of training ideally should tell you when the fire is too active and how to calm it down.  But then, what do I know?  You could die from a fatal baking accident tomorrow, and I wouldn’t even have the foggiest on how that happened."

Bastian deposited the silver piece in the register, off-handly continuing to speak,

"Oh, I wouldn’t have taken your kidneys.  I don’t have much use for them.  I would have taken your hair."

[ludovalder-blog]

"Yes, what do you know? I'd like to see you last an hour in my bakery and witness how unpredictable fire can be, especially when you're dealing with ten loaves of bread and twelve customers." Ludo frowned, all of a sudden wishing he didn't come here for help at all.

"Just because you're so confident in your own work, sir, doesn't mean you can judge my own. I cannot fathom how you make a single cent by being such a cocky asshole to your customers." 

[annika-acacia]

"I can never get her to listen to me. What you did was pretty amazing." Annika said with a little breathless laugh, still reeling from having to chase after Lilith. She shook his hand and laughed lightly as he dusted the flour away. 

"No, it barely escaped with it’s life, so just some minor touch ups. I guess I’m just going to have to explain to Noah the slobber stains, but other than that, it’s near perfect." She said with another laugh. 

She raised a brow before shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t… I don’t think so. Why do you ask?” She asked, her lips quirking upwards. 

[ludovalder-blog]

Ludo grinned when Annika laughed at him, shaking his head as he examined the powdered surface of his work clothes. "I'm sorry about that, work follows me everywhere lately," he told her with a small chuckle and a shrug of his shoulders, it was messy work and he couldn't help that.

"Just tell him you wrestled it from the jaws of a nearby lion, something like that. Make it sound a little more badass and the slobber will be appreciated.." He joked, though honestly glad the danes teeth hadn't torn the scrolls in two.

A blush faded in on his cheeks. "Oh. Well, I know a few people back home called Annika, it was a little exciting to potentially have another of my own here.." He laughed softly and rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the ground. "I don't just go around asking pretty girls if they're Dutch, I assure you.."