Post by Ludwig Beilschmidt on May 16, 2013 19:15:15 GMT -5
"It will be," Ludwig reassured his cousin, nodding solemnly. "The fireplace will be fine." Lili was still recovering from illness, and it would be better for her not to go very far, especially with his news still lingering unsaid. Keeping his expression blank had been getting more and more difficult, so he turned his face to the fire and rearranged the furniture: the table was set aside, the two chairs repositioned next to each other, facing the fire. It would be easier to speak like this.
"Hm? Oh... just some tea, please." Ludwig had no appetite. It took him a moment to realize that he himself was still in shock over the horrible news. He had lost relatives too. Lili, however, was still his main concern. He was an adult, he'd suffered through things like this before, and would be fine. His cousin was just a child, and one with a gentle, loving soul, and Ludwig felt terrified that the news would break her apart. Whatever it took, he'd be here to help. He'd resolved that unconsciously while he'd climbing the stairs to her bedroom.
When Lili apologized for her parents, Ludwig hastily shook his head, taking a deep breath. What could he even say to that? It's alright, I understand? That sounded so hollow and proper in light of his knowledge that it almost made him physically ill. "Lili, come sit by the fire with me," he answered instead, beckoning her to the chairs. When the girl had seated herself, Ludwig claimed the free chair, staring unhappily into the fire for a hair's breadth of a second before turning to look at the younger girl. She didn't deserve this, she hadn't earned this.
"I, I actually came here to talk to you about your parents," he explained quietly. "After they dropped off your gift at my workshop, they went to the hospital in the south of the city." This was proving immeasurably more difficult than Ludwig had anticipated, and it wasn't a matter of finding the right words; tears were already stinging his eyes, but he firmly held them back. "They had done a very good thing for the hospital, you know, and they went there today to see what they had helped to build. But, Lili-" Ludwig swallowed hard. "Something happened. I don't think anyone is quite sure what happened yet, but the hospital-- it was destroyed. There was some kind of explosion--" Ludwig had to recollect his thoughts and words one last time. "I'm so sorry, Lili. Your parents, they... were inside, and they did not survive." He watched her carefully, sorrow etched in the deep shadows that the fire cast on his face, waiting for her to understand.
"Hm? Oh... just some tea, please." Ludwig had no appetite. It took him a moment to realize that he himself was still in shock over the horrible news. He had lost relatives too. Lili, however, was still his main concern. He was an adult, he'd suffered through things like this before, and would be fine. His cousin was just a child, and one with a gentle, loving soul, and Ludwig felt terrified that the news would break her apart. Whatever it took, he'd be here to help. He'd resolved that unconsciously while he'd climbing the stairs to her bedroom.
When Lili apologized for her parents, Ludwig hastily shook his head, taking a deep breath. What could he even say to that? It's alright, I understand? That sounded so hollow and proper in light of his knowledge that it almost made him physically ill. "Lili, come sit by the fire with me," he answered instead, beckoning her to the chairs. When the girl had seated herself, Ludwig claimed the free chair, staring unhappily into the fire for a hair's breadth of a second before turning to look at the younger girl. She didn't deserve this, she hadn't earned this.
"I, I actually came here to talk to you about your parents," he explained quietly. "After they dropped off your gift at my workshop, they went to the hospital in the south of the city." This was proving immeasurably more difficult than Ludwig had anticipated, and it wasn't a matter of finding the right words; tears were already stinging his eyes, but he firmly held them back. "They had done a very good thing for the hospital, you know, and they went there today to see what they had helped to build. But, Lili-" Ludwig swallowed hard. "Something happened. I don't think anyone is quite sure what happened yet, but the hospital-- it was destroyed. There was some kind of explosion--" Ludwig had to recollect his thoughts and words one last time. "I'm so sorry, Lili. Your parents, they... were inside, and they did not survive." He watched her carefully, sorrow etched in the deep shadows that the fire cast on his face, waiting for her to understand.