"When will you return to the Academy, Gwyneth?" Granger started ever so nervously, clearly not fond of engaging in socializing.
"When summer season ends, but I can choose to stay for a little while longer to spend time with you and Mom."
Guinevere...
It was hard to not think about her, and with Gwyneth in front of him, bearing no unidentifiable feature but her mother's.
The little girl was speechless when Granger suddenly kneels down to her level and wraps his heavy arms around her.
"I-Is something wrong?" Gwyneth asked. "Dad, you're acting weird. Something happened to Mom, right?"
The last question was enough to sear through his chest. Her childish spontaneity never fails to overwhelm him.
"Yes," it left his mouth like a bird desperate to flee from its cage.
Gwyneth leans away from the embrace, sensing bad news was going to be spilled. "Well, what happened to her?"
"She's..." Weighing whether to tell the truth or to lie, he remembers what Benedetta advised him, and he shoves the thought away. "We had a fight."
"You mean you hurt her?"
"No, no, not like that. Your Mom just needs some space, I guess. Don't worry about it."
"But she'll come back right, Dad?"
Instead of answering, he gives her an exhausted smile and a push on the shoulder, beckoning for her to follow him somewhere.
"Granger!"
As they amble down an open hallway, Granger looks around at the loud mention of his name. He turns to see Eden running up from the main courtyard while waving her hand at him.
"Oh, hey," Granger simply greeted. Habitually, Gwyneth clings onto his loose and bandaged hand. His hand being covered of gauge and cloth was normal, but it being boney and rough and pale as snow wasn't. Even though she was eight, she was rattled to notice her father had lose some weight. "How's your training?" Granger asked the trainee.
"Patch and I are graduating next month."
"Congratulations."
"Thank you, sir!" Excitedly, Eden bows deeply. "Wow, your hair looks like starlight."
He scratches the back of his head, slightly flattered. "Uh, thanks."
"I must go now. Bye!"
"Hmm," his eyes linger onto her as she walks back to rejoin Patch and her group of friends. Patch looks at his direction and gives him a subtle salute. Granger nods at him curtly.
"It does look like starlight," Gwyneth mumbled. Granger looks down at her to see her staring at his hair with amazement in his eyes. "Did you dye it, Dad?"
"Yes," he lied. Clearing his throat, he kneels to her height, curious to see how much his daughter has changed over the years. He's never taken notice, but her dark chestnut hair was getting darker that it could become as dark as his used to be by the next year. He could take her with to the Southern Wastelands and get a Naturan shaman to give her the Mark of Natura if she wants and embrace the roots she never thought she had.
"Why would you dye it, you look older now."
Granger scoffs, giving the people passing by apologetic glances. "Gwyneth, do you want white hair as well, at least a white strand, right over here?" He pulls a strand from her fringe playfully.
"No! I would look like an old lady!"
"It won't make you look like an old lady, trust me!" Granger guaranteed, laughing for the first time since perhaps forever.
In the near unnoticed distance, Alucard stands with his hand in his pockets, observing. It's only right for him to stay away from them from now on and fix his own problems without having to involve anyone.
"Alu," Patch comes over to the lone blonde. "Harith is at the entrance waiting for you. He said he's not going to come in since he thinks the Monastery is scary."
"Good. Let's go see him then."
Patch throws a glance over his shoulder. "What about Granger?"
"What about him?"
"We're off to save his wife. He deserves to be involved in this. Or are you holding a grudge on your longtime buddy after having an affair with his-"
"Shut up," Alucard muttered, brushing his palm against the boy's mouth. Patch jerks it away, spitting in disgust as his master looks around in for eavesdroppers. "Don't you see the state that he's in? He's drained out, and only the Lord of Light knows if that demonic bitch is still inside him or not! It's best that we leave him here where it's safe and he's with Gwyneth. See? Through his ghastly appearance, he looks livelier whenever she's around."
"Yeah, he does," Patch smirks, watching the father and daughter having a playful moment straight out of a play. "It actually makes me jealous, makes me wish my Dad had treated me the same, but I bet I probably wouldn't be here."
"I can't help but to notice it only now," Alucard cocked a laugh. "You're growing hair! And it's red, pink, what?"
"It's maroon," Patch groaned, patting on his clean cut shaved mohawk self-consciously.
"Gee, it still looks red to me. I might have to start calling you Strawberry Shortcakes from now on, kid..."
"Don't tempt me, Alu. You know I hold your dirty little secret. I can just tell Granger right now and save you all the trouble if you'd like-"
"Let's just go!" Alucard bellowed, enough not to catch Granger's attention. Forcibly he grabs Patch on the collar and drags him down the hall, giving him no choice.
- - -
After getting out of a quick needed shower, Granger grimaced at his reflection on the bathroom mirror. Shit. He looked like shit, not even a bath could make him think twice. His new white mess of a hair could've been mistaken as a bird's nest and he might as well declare himself dead for looking like the undead.
Now that his hair was washed though, he considers himself for a moment.
"I never thought I'd say this," he whispers harshly. "I look so ugly."
The bathroom was quiet except for the constant drop coming from the basin sink. Emotions begin to flood in Granger's mind again. If he said that out loud with his wife around, he's certain she wouldn't be able to let him leave the room without explaining a whole monologue of why he shouldn't call himself ugly.
He pictures her standing behind him, wearing her cute white night gown with her untamed red jungle of hair absorbing heat in the room.
"Dad! Are you in there?" Gwyneth knocks on the door, pulling Granger out of his daydream.
"I'm here, Gwen, Gwyn," Granger glares at his own reflection.
"Listen, there's a boy at the door, he wants to speak to you!"
"I'll be right out," Granger informed, taking off the towel wrapped around his torso and putting on the clothes he picked earlier. It was a pair of long black pants and inserted a clean long-sleeved button up shirt that smelled finely of fresh linen and lavender.
Lavender...
It's Guinevere's favorite scent...
Oh, for fuck's sake...
A few minutes later, Granger opens the front door of their room, raising his eyebrows at the person before him. "Patch," he greeted curtly. "What is it?"
"There's something you need to know, Granger," Patch replied with a stern yet emotional look. Granger takes note of his hair and masculine demeanor, and he would never expected this boy to grow up so fast, or has it really been that long since he last saw him at the Knights' Headquarters?
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Ladies and gentlemen I'm going to finish this story once and for all ( l o l )