just popping in to say .... have you ever thought of how laurent would be after losing irina? i have.
in my main verse, laurent is with the denali’s when they offer to be witnesses for the cullens in breaking dawn, so he’s there with them when caius kills her.... and give me laurent having to be forcefully held back like irina’s sisters were because this is the one moment where his heart rules him - and to avenge irina’s death would either start a war or a massacre. the shock of it after, the feeling that he’d lost everything because where does he belong in the denali coven without irina? struggling not to go on a killing spree because why does it matter now without irina?
back in alaska, carmen’s constant trips out to laurent and irina’s favorite spot, where laurent has sat propped up against a tree for days on end, mourning by himself because he doesn’t feel as if he has the right to mourn alongside kate and tanya. he and carmen have long conversations during this time - about irina at first, but then about family, the past, etc. laurent, weeks later, finally coming around enough to come inside and all he has the strength to do is place his hand on tanya’s shoulder and vow his loyalty. he promises both her and kate that he will prove himself worthy of the love irina showed him.
there are a few times where the anger gets the best of him and his control slips a little too fast to save the victims of his own bloodlust. eleazar steps up to train with him - and “training” consists of whatever keeps their minds from irina’s death. laurent’s “slip ups” become few and far between. he and kate bond over a steady anger that never quite simmers no matter what they do or what they tell themselves. it’s talking with kate that shifts laurent’s views of the volturi being systematic rule enforcers. he begins to view aro as a tyrant.
irina’s death will never become easy, but a year later laurent will finally feel like he belongs. loyalty is no longer the only thing that keeps him in denali - love becomes a part, too.