What was in the mind of an outsider? An observer? Someone who wasn't necessarily part of it–but considered themselves as an important factor in the play all the same?
Someone like Theodore took it all in with a reluctance of acceptance.
Someone like Stacy preferred to be kept completely out of the loop.
And someone like Alexei… well, frankly, Stacy had no idea what went through her brother's head.
Even when she asked!
"What the heck do you think you were doing?" Stacy threw a glare at Alexei.
The two of them had finally entered their little hut given to them, and as soon as Stacy closed the door–she raised her voice at her brother.
If there was anything strange about it–it was the fact that most clients of VitaBlood would have ended up shocked beyond relief to see their usual lifeless clerk become this energetic and hotblooded.
She was the epitome of dull and didn't care.
But now she did.
Alexei gave her a strange look and crossed his arms. "What do you mean? You're not being specific, Stace."
"Do I have to be specific?" Stacy narrowed her eyes at him. "You know what you did completely–you're not as clueless as you like to present yourself."
Alexei cracked a grin. "It does make me feel good when my little sister thinks so highly of me. You always tended to gripe–"
"I'm still griping about you now. What went through your head with your suggestion earlier? Me and Chaerin in the same room–"
"Shouldn't I be caring about the safety of my sister?" Alexei eyed her. "It makes sense to pair up girls… well, I don't know if something could have–er nevermind."
Stacy shot him a dark look.
Alexei was glad that he didn't say it outloud, even though he didn't completely know why that thought crossed his head, but then he sighed.
"But yeah, do you honestly think I'd let those two have the same room?" Alexei scrunched up his nose. "I don't appreciate the idea that they'd be boning–"
"Please don't use the word bone." Stacy covered her face, feeling more stressed than ever.
"Right, that suits Necromancers more." Alexei chuckled, but then looked at his sister seriously. "Anyhow, do you really put the two together with that thing in mind?"
"You said it first, not me!" Stacy lowered her hands and frowned. "We… we don't have to imagine what those two would do, but you could at least imagine how it must feel like for someone to be with their partner but not have alone time with them."
"Huh, when did you ever get incredible at becoming a relationship manager?" Alexei eyed her. "You never got in a relationship–"
"That's not the important thing here." Stacy frowned. "Be more thoughtful–"
"And have the entire village hear the two going at it? No thank you." Alexei rolled his eyes and then knocked against the hut's walls. "A bit thick, but we're dealing with demihumans. They've got superior hearing–and we're also great at picking up sounds too."
Stacy's lips pressed thinly together.
She didn't want to imagine Lukas and Chaerin together, doing… explicit things–but somehow her brother's words were enough to paint a picture.
Stacy didn't even know what to say anymore.
"And why are you acting like some kind of super willing wingman?" Alexei rubbed the bridge of his nose and tried to find the right words. "You're not usually this… pathetic."
Stacy sharply inhaled and then gave her brother a dark look. "You think I'm–"
"Come on." Alexei grumbled as he plopped down on bed. "Was I ever someone who minced words with you? You're even harsher than me–"
"Not funny, Alexei."
"Well, the truth's never that funny." Alexei scoffed as he eyed Stacy. He had never been exactly the best older brother, oh he tried when there was the chance, but they never actually had to deal with all of this before.
And Alexei knew how Stacy was.
He knew how great his sister was, though he'd rarely say that outloud.
So it was actually frustrating seeing her like this.
Things were difficult in Lux City, the two of them knew that well–but if Alexei had a choice, he wouldn't even bother coming out of it if these were all the safety precautions that they were doing.
ƥαṇdα-ηθνε|·ƈθm It wasn't worth saving some Tenebris girl if this was all they could afford.
A single assassin. Some girl who didn't know how to fight and her boyfriend.
And in the same way, Alexei would rather not see his sister get all focused on some guy and neglect herself because she wanted to make him happy.
Stacy already did that a lot for him… and Alexei felt like he never showed his appreciation that much.
"You know what, have the entire room to yourself." Stacy huffed and turned her back from him.
"Where do you think you're going?" Alexei chased after her and grabbed her shoulder. "It's late–don't go out, Stacy. You don't know what's out there."
"Oh, well it's definitely better than having my only brother berate and belittle me like this." Stacy shrugged him away and then went for the door. "I'm not just some brainless Vampire who's stuck pining for someone."
"Stacy… you know I didn't mean that–just come back, please." Alexei sighed, and if he wanted to, he could have chased her and forced her back in.
But that wasn't their style.
"I'll leave you be for awhile, Alexei." Stacy glanced over her shoulder and gave him a weary smile. "Don't worry about me, I can handle myself. I always do."
And so she left.
Alexei's shoulders sagged and he rubbed his forehead. And for a moment, he wished that he knew what to say… wished that he could have been more honest and tell her how much he worried and cared.
Maybe next time, he'd get the chance.
Elsewhere Anastasia dis Vardoken, or Stacy went off on her own, just to catch her breath.
Little did she know that she'd get threatened by none other than Lukas himself.
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