Thread: How to Ride a Night Mare [Quin x heartless]

Tossing back his wine, David shook his head, cursing inwardly. It wasn't bad enough he had to fall in love with an asshole but they had a young woman in their house, who acted just like him when she got mad. David applauded Star's ideals, he really did, but he just couldn't get behind it to defend her. Because even as Eric expressed himself in the most offensive manner possible, the Brit knew him well enough that he understood what the other was feeling and where he was coming from. When Eric looked at his eldest daughter, he didn't see himself. He saw Charlotte. The way she was when he met her. And although there were years of struggles and working through the guilt of things that they did and what brought them together in their original journey to Utah, there was still an element of shame regarding the blonde man's past. The danger would forever and always be, what if Star encountered a man like Eric? Or even worse... Piper? Even with Charlotte's cautioning words to end the topic until after dinner, Eric couldn't fucking drop it. He tried, going as far as returning to his meal, hunched over his plate and shoveling eggplant chunks into his mouth. But every time he glanced across the table, it brought back to mind the things Star said and he got pissed off all over again. Like he was constantly telling Charlotte whenever they had the rare blowout fight and he fucking lost it enough to verbally hurt her with something, truth or not tigers and their stripes. Tigers and stripes. Finishing his mouthful and swallowing it down with a drink of water, Eric sniffed and set his cup down, filling the silence just when Ethan was about to pipe up with something to get rid of the tension. Mountains. Pretty arbitrary, right? he said, keeping his voice deceptively neutral. I'm wondering what the fuck you think has been protecting you from those struggles all these years. Hybrids getting attacked, being 'ostracized'. Do you forget who and what you are? Please, Eric, let's just drop it, David said pleadingly. It's just an idea. I just wanted to know what she was thinking of. It's not like she's packing and going tonight, mate. No, of course not. Not tonight, Eric agreed, huffing as if it were ridiculous to state something so obvious. But the fact that the thought is even in her head, that it's even a possibility. I mean, fuck! Charlotte, is this okay with you? Really? The world is changed but it's not any safer than it ever was. Turning to Star, he motioned at her gruffly. Why can't you just stick around, work in the communities here? Work on a problem that you can actually solve without all the fucking risk? If you really need to get out of Green River, go to Clawson, or somewhere out in Cali if you really gotta stretch your legs. Settle down, find a nice lady or guy to marry and start a family, for fuck's sake. But why? Why you gotta set your sights on a place where not only will the reputation we've worked so hard to build up to protect you no longer exists but you're not even close enough to protect physically either. By law or anyone else. Eric shrugged, giving her a somber look, even as his chin jutted out stubbornly. I'm not trying to control you, Alex, I'm trying to protect my little girl, he said, rubbing at his light blonde facial hair. I've almost fucking lost you enough for a lifetime, so, forgive me if I get a bit irate when you bring up walking into a lion's den as if it were a career option.