A few hours after the incident with Jules, Varna walked back into Percy's gravestone. He was bleeding from the right shoulder, but he had nothing to worry about.
He sat down besides the gravestone, muttering his farewells to him
"Percy, I'm now at peace. Thanks for everything my friend"
This was just what he said before laying down himself, looking at the rainy sky with a smile in his face before passing out to exhaustion.
A few hours later...
He woke up inside a familiar room, lying on the bed with bandages mending his wounded shoulder. Slowly getting up, he was stoked to find who took him inside
"Jeez, you've been laying down in my father's graveyard like it was your bed"
It was a young man in his early 20's, he had crimson eyes, and he is very much acquainted with Varna himself. That boy is Percy's son, Alistair. He offered Varna a can of beer
"Isn't it high time you let go of everything that happened? I mean, I know Jules had my father killed but it was a matter of bad luck. Besides, he knew the risks so it's no surprise if he get killed in the line of duty" Alistair persuaded
"And as a matter of fact, I don't like that you're leaving stuff in the graveyard." he grumpily added
Perhaps that persuasion came too late in a good way. He told him what happened during that day, which impressed Alistair.
"Man... you were really that determined to have your own closure... how am I not surprised."
"Perhaps. However, I haven't finished yet. There's something I needed to do"
Hearing that, Alistair gave Varna a cold stare. He thought he would torture another of Jules' close friends. The latter immediately cleared off the misunderstanding
"Look, you can go wherever you want after this, just not back at your hideout" Alistair warned him
"Why?"
"I see blue swarming all over the place"
Varna bowed his head in dismay. It must've been Erin's doing.
"If that's the case, I'll have to stay here for a few more days"
"And after this, where do you intend to go?"
"Settling things with my new friend" he declared
A nice peaceful day, with Jules and Varna's problems (mostly) resolved though there was still a lot of trauma for everyone to sort through. Rebecca had mostly made her peace with hers, thanks to a gentle heart and seeing the young man's better side. She wasn't even thinking of it as she sipped her tea when she heard a knock at the door. She hadn't expecting guests, but she rather knew who would be calling unannounced.
Setting her tea aside, she stepped over to the door to open it with a gentle welcoming smile. "Hello, dear."
Varna came in knocking from the back door. He now abandoned the mask and cap, but still kept the leather jacket get-up and is wearing an arm sling thanks to the injuries he sustained back then.
"Perhaps I can get a cup of tea like I promised?"
Her smile grew at the sight, an endearing glow as she nodded, "Of course, dear, I've made a pot ready for you!" Rebecca might have been making pots all week, not knowing if and when he might arrive. One must always be ready for guests, regardless!
She daintily stepped up to give him the promised hug, though she was careful not to squeeze his arm or sore spots too hard. That he hugged her back had her surprised, and the pat on the head just had her eyes glistening with joy again. She couldn't bear him to see him in even such pain, though.
"Oh goodness, dear," she fretted over his injuries. "Do come inside and have a rest. You can stay here as long as you wish, I do hope you haven't been dashing from place to place all this time!"
"About that...I really wanted to discuss it with you"
Discuss it with her? Rebecca rather had an inkling where this might be going when he said that, but she was quite curious to see if her instincts were right. She took her seat gracefully, after making sure that Varna had a hot cup of tea and the sugar and honey as well.
"Can I settle here at the moment? I mean, cops are swarming at my place thanks to Erin so I had to wait until the heat dies down" he explained
"Also, I....I feel more.... more... comfortable...when"
She let him continue, and that inkling proved correct. There was a blip of surprise from those blue eyes still, however, having hear it in his own words. She remained silent to let him finish, though it seemed that he had a hard time doing so. The tough young man seemed to have trouble with this one thing.
"Dear, I would be more than glad if you were to settle here as well. I do have a guest room upstairs, and, well, it's not like the police visit all that often. In any case, having you around has already saved me twice and- Oh!" She gasped, as if she had forgot something important, and placed her tea down as she rose...
… and went right over to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"And that's your hero's reward," she beamed happily. "Even if you might've killed a guy". She's still not sure. "You're over that, right?"
He was blushing. It wasn't that long ago that he was threatening her life, and now he was blushing at her kiss.. It seems like Rebecca had totally knocked that hardened, blood-stained exterior of him down by a peg or two. Never in his life did he get a kiss from a girl, even someone he brought harm himself.
"Thanks...I appreciate...your gratitude"
Seems like tough Varna here is getting somewhere. Rebecca smiled warmly at that and helped Varna up by the hand to lead him upstairs.
"That's my room, I think you know that one. That's the children's room for when I'm babysitting. You're a little old for that," she grinned softly before opening the door to what was a rather spacious and well-appointed guest room. It even had its own bathroom. "And this is your room now!"
She led him over to the bed, where she sat and offered the space next to her. "Now then, you were saying before about feeling more comfortable. If it's easier for you to say what that is now, but I can understand if you're not."
As Rebecca left, Varna grabbed her shoulder and, mustering all his strength, finally confessed to her
"Thank you... but if you really... want...please let me stay here for the rest of my life"
At the touch, Rebecca turned to the young man, her gaze as gentle and kind as ever. She had expected some sort of confession. What came out, however, was rather more surprising than even that and there was a stunned gasp at first. He really did like her. A lot. Her cheeks flushed at that, wondering if his affection went even farther than that. Which is why she kept silent as he continued, the lovely heiress's features continuing to soften in affection and adoration.
"I mean... it's okay if you don't want me here. I'm the one who nearly killed you. I just want to repay everything you did for me. You helped me out when I'm about to drown in darkness."
"You did, but you have since left that darkness behind."
With that, she took his hand in his. "I do want you here, dear. You can stay forever, though you need not repay me anything. Simply seeing you ... brighter now, that is all I need." The hand was squeezed with another rosy hue to her cheeks and a softer, "And I would be more than happy to have a strong and handsome man like you with me."
And with that, he finally gave her one more embrace. He had finally found a new reason to cherish his life to the fullest. A reason to start his life anew. A precious thing to protect.
Perhaps the same can be said for Rebecca as the hug touched her heart more than anything, and she had a happy sniffle as they embraced. She was once a widow yearning for someone to fill the void in her heart. She never quite acknowledged that void, what with her friends, her social life, and her appetite for adventure. Yet, at the end of the day, she was all alone in a manor. A feeling of loneliness that she quietly buried for another night.
Now, she wouldn't be. There would be someone to come home to, and to share her life and adventures with. She had no idea it would have come to this after that day, which made their relationship all that much more valuable. Varna was a precious soul, and a soul she would do her best to protect as well!
Who would've thought that a rough encounter as a captor and hostage ended up in a conclusion like this