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The Long Way Home (5) : You're walking home in the dark and soon hear the sound of footsteps following behind you. Every time you turn around, nothing is there. If you try to quicken your pace, the footsteps start running right along with you. No matter how you try to see behind you--if you use your phone camera or if you look in window reflections, you can't see anything...but you know it's getting closer. If you don't run fast enough, you can almost feel a hand on your arm, a breath on your neck...

You need to get home, fast.

If you can.

While it was late for most, tonight, Aloysius considered the time that he was heading home to be rather early compared to other nights. Something had been sitting in the back of his mind as he saw some overly excited students talking about the upcoming holiday season. Halloween held nothing pleasant for him, not in a long while, yet it wasn’t something he would bring up here.

Another check of his watch, more frequent as he walked down the path from his most recent patrol. It was close enough to home yet far enough from the rest of the city that he felt mostly sure that his path wouldn’t be crossed by anyone of order. Not that he would let them follow him to the safety of his home with Liam. But once the last few things were finished, he powered down and continued to walk and observe the changing colors of each tree along the quiet road.

A single snapped twig shattered the peace, though, instantly setting the man on edge. No aura of order had been nearby, not that a mauvian could prevent that. So for now, the pace continued, if not slightly quicker, as each sound in the crisp air drew additional scrutiny.

Solid-sounding steps began in the distance, matching the once leisurely pace. It was too familiar, and Aloysius threw a curious glance behind him, revealing nothing. How early it had started, the leaves hadn’t even fallen yet, and now this.

The manor was close, but not close enough, and even though he knew his lungs would regret it, Aloysius broke into a run as the footsteps sounded like they were gaining on him. Again came the momentary regret over how much smoke he’d choked his lungs with over the years, but he kept running and tried not to look back. No mimicked voice this time, though he wasn’t sure if he wanted to test the theory.

With the manor in sight, he pushed himself harder, panicked thoughts leaking through the earring he shared with his husband as he hoped they would be there to let him in. The last thing he wanted was to fumble with his keys, something he wasn’t sure he would have time for as he felt the ghost of a hand on the back of his neck.

Another hand ghosted over his neck, moving forward as if it were about to grab him and stop him. Then he panicked and started sprinting even though it felt like he couldn’t even breathe from the effort of it. The brick of the driveway bleeding into the three steps up towards the door. The fact that it was open instead of closed was a relief, and even though he should have probably slowed down, he felt his legs scrambling as he impacted with his husband and hurriedly slammed the door behind him.

A force slammed into it, just once, as he wheezed and coughed now that he had finally stopped running. Sliding down to the floor, he looked up at Liam while trying to get air back into his lungs. It wasn’t easy, it never was, but he also wouldn’t admit that the fact they’d got him to stop smoking had been a good idea. Through another wheezing cough, he reached up for them.

“Something followed me.” Emphasizing the fact that he didn’t think it was human. Though now that he was inside, nothing else had happened. It wasn’t something he trusted, not around this time of year, but he wasn’t going to go off and leave his responsibilities to someone else because of all this. Something that always left him more on edge, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

“Thank you, darling, for getting the door for me.” And with another wheezing cough, he let his head thud back against the door as he sighed tiredly. Everything ached, reminding him this was why he didn’t follow his husband’s workout routine.

Letting Liam pull him close, he stayed quiet for a moment as he listened for anything moving on the other side of the door. This was a first, the fact that something had followed him so near to the edge of the city, and he didn’t like that even this small area of peace wasn’t as safe as he’d wanted it to be.

Sliding his arms around Liam, Aloysius tried to slow his breathing as they spoke. There was still that wheeze, and while the mention of using his inhaler seemed like a good idea, he wanted to avoid it. Partially because he didn’t like the fact that using it meant he was admitting he was as bad off as he was.

“Upstairs, away from the door, please.” More a mumble than anything, he nodded to the rest of their ideas. A shower was needed anyway, even if he hadn’t run the last bit, since he’d been out working and then had gone on patrol. Tea was always good, no matter the occasion, but he knew the other would pick the right one for how he felt.

Shifting slightly so he could look back at the door for a moment, he was relieved that nothing more had happened. “I thought that I might have someone following me, but I felt nothing and saw no one.” Another worry that had been at the front of his mind since he’d started his newest side project.

“With Agatha here, I think it best we go upstairs… I would like to avoid her seeing me at anything other than my best.” Not that the woman had given any hint of being discontent with the situation, if anything, she seemed only to haunt the library and keep to herself. But he couldn’t help how he wanted to keep up the impression she had of him, that most people had of him.

With another few minutes of trying to wrangle his breathing under control, he already felt drained from it and the tightness in his lungs due to it all. “Upstairs, if we can go now?”

Getting up from the floor was easier with Liam’s help, and he leaned into them and their lips on his cheek. It all sounded good, a solid plan and one that kept him further away from the front door. Nothing else had tried to enter, but that didn’t mean he was free from worry about it now that something had happened yet again here in the manor.

“That would be wonderful, then we can settle in for the night. No work for either of us tomorrow, if I remember correctly? So we can stay in.” Something he was thinking would be best after this incident, at least for the evening and maybe into the morning, just in case. “I have let Agatha know to be on the lookout, but she seems to be content staying in the manor, so she may be fine.” At least hopefully, because he didn’t like the idea of anything getting into his home to cause more problems.

Taking a step away from the door, he listened and leaned over slightly to see if he saw anything through one of the glass panels that surrounded the wood. Nothing but a few moths fluttering around the lights outside and the dark night sky. Part of him hated this, hated how it seemed to cling to him and dig at him even now. Weak. It was more that he didn’t want anyone to see him like this, he didn’t like seeing himself in the mirror at his worst when it came to it either.

Lingering for another moment, he looked back at Liam. “A bath, tea, and then rest. The door is locked, and Desiree is down on this floor if anything moves near the door.” One by one, the thought of the safeguards he had helped settle him alongside Liam’s promptness to help calm his nerves.

“If either of them decides to leave the manor late at night, we can sort out something to keep them aware of the problems out there.” Gently pulling his husband along, Aloysius moved towards the stairs after finally toeing his shoes off near the door.

Only letting their hand go once he needed to get things ready for the bath, he let himself think on things while pulling off all the layers he normally wore and setting them aside to be put through the wash later. Lavender, rose, and chamomile oils were dropped into the water as he got things ready, trying to focus on that instead of the nervousness that tugged at him while he was momentarily alone. Each season, the doppelganger still showed, but at the same time, he saw less and less of it while it still grabbed and clawed at him. If he couldn’t see it this time, how could he avoid it or prepare for it?

Leaning on the edge of the bath as the water slowly filled, his knuckles went white from how tightly he gripped the porcelain. Just like the rest of these holiday issues, there was no way to prepare or head off things, not really, and he hated that loss of control when it came to these situations.

With a sigh and a few more minutes passing, he knew that it was more than this situation that had been setting his nerves on fire. The repeated dives into the unknown, all while leaning on the facade he built up, it was a risk he wouldn’t have taken before. Especially before what had happened with that monstrosity that was contained in that prison that had taken so many unknowns for granted in order to trap them.

Once he was certain that the water was just right, he slid in and eased back to try to relax. It was hard without Liam here, but the warmth did help, and the steam made it easier on his lungs as well.

Thinking on the suggestion, he nodded slightly. “Desiree would know how to keep it out of sight while being more effective.” Something he was sure she would enjoy tinkering with in her down time. Part of him was glad the other didn’t question his need for privacy and security, but he also knew that it could be too much one day.

The main thing he worried about wasn’t something that any security system could stop. Another agent or senshi teleporting in. It hadn’t happened yet, given the only people who had been inside the manor besides them was Alexandre and Melody. Though at this point he was at least half certain Melody had bigger priorities than the inheritance on her mind now.

Sliding back up a bit in the bath as he heard Liam coming up the stairs, he was glad to see the tea tray and reached out for the offered cup. The smell of chamomile and lavender filled the air and he took a few sips while leaning back against the edge of the tub. A soft sigh passed through his lips as he let his eyes fall closed.

“Perfect, thank you darling.” There was still that bit of tension in his voice but it was easing slowly with all the comforts he had now. Reaching out of the water, he made sure to let his hand dry a bit before handing the cup back and running a hand over the other’s cheek. Even now he worried but at least his husband was here to make sure nothing else got to him tonight. That fact more than anything else was what was helping the stress bleed from him.