darker_london | Family (Johan, Werner, Alastair) (Reply)

Johan made his way into his bedroom, doing his best to keep it quiet. "You have a visitor." He said to Werner, trying to keep the smile on his face. The truth was, seeing Werner sick and looking so very fragile was terrifying. Werner wasn't fragile, dammit. Werner was a bloody werewolf! But now he looked like just another sick person, and the doctors still couldn't tell them what was wrong. He'd been getting a little better over the past few days, but Johan just wanted it to go away. Seeing the man you loved crumbling was not on his list of things he wanted to experience.

"Hey, Dad!" Alastair entered the bedroom as well, setting a bowl of steaming soup on the side table before offering his father a far too friendly grin. He was compensating for his fear. He hadn't spent enough time with his father. Werner had lived in Vienna and He'd been moved to London...it wasn't fair. If Werner died now, Alastair was going to hate himself, even though his parent's failed marriage was hardly his fault. He could have called more!! "Brought you something to eat." He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted Werner's leg.

Werner propped himself up against the pillows and he managed to smile quite widely at both of them. His family. "Thank you, Son. I'm not terribly hungry..."

"You should eat it anyway." Alastair interrupted. "It'll keep you strong!"

Something stirred inside Werner and for a split second, he nearly snapped at his son to mind is own fucking business. But a moment later, the urge quelled, and he swallowed his hurtful words with a throat gone dry from worry. What was happening to him!? "No, you're right." He reached up to ruffle Alastair's hair. "There's no one I'd sooner listen to than you." He reached for the soup as Alastair frantically tried to smooth his hair down.

"Dad, you mussed me."

Johan snorted and he patted Alastair's shoulder. "He's fond of that." And then he turned his attention to Werner. "How are you feeling today, Love?"

"Better and better." Werner said, taking a bite of the soup, which really was quite good. "Probably be back to my old self in another couple days. Just need a good lie in is all. I'm sorry I missed your opening, Johan."

"Oh, piffle." Johan waved his hand around. "I think ten years being front and centre buys you some leeway. Not that I didn't want you there. But all is forgiven. Do you need something to drink? I could make you tea?" Johan leaned forward to brush some of Werner's hair out of the way of his mouth before the soup spoon got near it and there was a soup/hair disaster.

There was something in that simple gesture that made Alastair's heart melt. His mother had married three more times after leaving Werner and not once had she had something like this. Absolute love and affection. This was what he wanted. Which was probably why he wasn't interested in screwing around like so many of his friends were. So when Werner asked for water, Alastair jumped up. "I'll get it. I'll be right back. I totally love you guys, by the way." He grinned then. "Everyone should be like you." And he trotted off to the kitchen. Well, he trotted off hoping he could find the kitchen...

"You heard him! Everyone should be like us!" Johan grinned and he planted a kiss on Werner's forehead. "That's a smart boy you helped make there."

Werner chuckled and he took another bite of soup. "I couldn't be prouder." He agreed. "Johan...if...if this is bad. Whatever is wrong with me... If it's bad, I don't want to go back to Vienna. If it's the end, I can't be away from him."

Johan felt his stomach drop away, but not because Werner said he didn't want to go home. They were scheduled to be here for another few months, but if Werner wanted to say, Johan could make it work. He could guest appear in orchestras all over the UK, it wouldn't be a problem. But Werner had said 'the end' and the very thought terrified Johan. Johan didn't have family, really. Now he had Peter and Elizabeth and Devon, and he had his dear Joelene. But he didn't know the latter three all that well, even though he was incredibly fond. He didn't have friends he was entirely close to because then you had to talk about family and Johan wasn't interested. Who he had, was Werner. And if Werner died, he would go back to being quite alone. He loved Alastair, but Alastair was not his son and he didn't believe that Alastair would visit him if Werner wasn't there to visit as well. And Johan didn't want to be alone.

"Don't say that." Johan leaned forward, resting his cheek against Werner's. "It's not the end."

"I have to say this. I have to tell you that if it is-"

Johan raised his graceful fingers to Werner's lips to silence him. "I know. I'm with you. All the way, I am with you. I will be wherever you want me to be. But please...don't say it's the end." There were tears in Johan's eyes, which surprised Johan as much as it did Werner. So Werner leaned up to kiss them away.

"Of course." He whispered, his smile entirely sympathetic.

Alastair walked back in with the water, but he stopped mid-stride and sort of hovered when he saw Johan looking upset. "Erm...I can pretend I didn't find any water and go keep looking..."

Johan laughed through his tears and he looked up at Werner's son. The boy really was magnificent. "No, everything's fine." He said, wiping his tears away. "Everything is going to be fine."

"Good then." Alastair brought his father the water and then he hesitated a moment before turning to Johan. When he did so, he was nervously playing with his shirt sleeves, pulling them over his hand. "Johan, I...I wanted to...you know I love you, right? Like a parental figure in everything but name?" He wasn't especially comfortable saying it, but really, that was only because he wasn't sure what Johan would say back. And thankfully, he needn't have worried.

Johan rose from the bed and he wrapped his arms around Alastair, feeling quite moved to tears for the second time in two minutes. "Alastair. I love you too. Like a son. In everything but name."

Alastair smiled and he raised his arms to embrace Johan tightly as Werner watched them. This was exactly what he wanted in life. And if that was going to be cut short, at least he had happiness here, in front of him. It wasn't some elusive idea, or something he would never quite be able to grasp. It was simple and wonderful at the same time. "And I love you both. Hug me too!"

Alastair and Johan both laughed, and they moved to do exactly that.