The days passed by in a blur for Nevin. He knew there were things that he should have been doing. But every time he started to try, the image of Eteri walking out the door would appear in his mind, and he wouldn’t be able to even look in its direction. It was stupid, but he had actually taken to avoiding his front door entirely, going near it only to lock and unlock it. If he had to leave, he would - and he was careful to do this only when no one was around to see - slip out one of the windows towards the back of the house. He would try the door when it wasn’t so raw to be near it.
Of course, he had not been sleeping well at all these last few nights, which was not helping the mental fog that clung to him like a thick, pervasive haze that stayed throughout the days. Every time he tried, he would smell her in the bed. He thought once, just once, about changing the sheets and blankets to rid himself of her scent - but when he had started to do that his threads had rebelled, ripping the blankets from his hands and throwing them back on the bed. If that hadn’t been a clear enough message that he wasn’t ready to forget about her, he didn’t know what would be.
At least he was coherent enough not to take things from her alcove, where her smell was even stronger. He knew if he did that he would never, ever, give himself a chance of getting over losing her. And he wasn’t strong enough to throw it away - if he couldn’t get rid of blankets that (at this point in all honesty probably didn’t even smell of her anymore) she had slept in, going where she had kept her things would probably make him break down crying. And he had had enough of that the first day.
He did stop selling any products with honey in them, though. And twitched with a pained expression if anyone ever asked about it.
But finally, it came to a point where he couldn’t avoid going out for something small anymore. He had to go out and get some food, because there was nothing left to eat in the shop. So he threw on his coat and headed outside. He drew his hood up around his head and tucked his arms into his sides, closing himself off as he walked through the streets of Radasanth.
He had made it to the market when he saw something that made him stumble in his tracks, his eyes wide in anguish. Blue hair, so achingly familiar, and a bouncing blue tail that flicked back and forth - in a slightly odd pattern. It was too steady, like… like a clock metronome, not the wild, untamed lashing he knew it should do. Nevin picked up his pace - Eteri, this was the first chance he’d even seen her since she left him. He had thought she might come back to get something of her possessions - like the bag of soul vials she had left there for safe-keeping - but no, she had never even approached.
Wait. That was - that wasn't right why wasn't that right? His mind shoved aside sorrow and focused, clearer than it had even since she walked out. As his thoughts sharpened, he realized just why that bothered him. Eteri had never come back for the soul vials she had left with him.
She considered those vials absolutely precious. When she had told him they were stored there, she had seemed almost hesitant, then ecstatic. Then she had warned him that she was trusting him to keep her most important treasure safe.
”Eteri leave here, OK? Is safe?” Nevin looked at the pouch she was setting down, and his eyes widened. He recognized the bag - of course he did. She had put the part of his soul she had taken into it, and then put in her friend’s soul that she had been carrying inside of her into it. It was where she stored them - and he had never seen her leave it before. He looked up to her, to see Eteri not quite looking at him. “Is safe?” Her voice was soft as she repeated the question.
Nevin swallowed, his voice thick when he spoke. “Of course it's safe here, Eteri. I will take care of it any time.” She stared at him hard, then had thrown herself at him, her lithe form wrapping around him as she gave her best attempt to squeeze the life out of him. He laughed and rubbed her back, then they had moved the bag to the corner of the room she had claimed and started storing thing in. Once it was settled she had rubbed her head against him.
“Eteri leave here, Nevin know always come back.”
How had he forgotten that? Something was wrong, very, very wrong. He picked up his pace, hurrying forward- and as he got closer, he froze. Eteri was wearing - a red collar? Had she been wearing that when he’d seen her last? He couldn’t remember - all he could remember of her having red on was when they were at the restaurant. And speaking of the restaurant…
A chain hung from the collar around Eteri’s throat, and it was held in a man’s hand. Eteri’s ears were drooped downwards, and her face only moved upwards when the man beside her said something. Nevin didn’t recognize him at first - and then he did. The waiter, from the restaurant. Sweet Crimson.
Sweet fucking crimson. That bastard. He - he should have fucking known that Eteri wouldn't leave him so abruptly, he should have trusted her more. One hand curled into a tight fist, and he moved through the crowd around him, shoving people out of his way - and causing a ruckus in the process.
“Hey did you hear about Stefan? He’s gonna get himself killed one of these days.”
“Yeh, tamed another girl. Got ‘er calling him Master and everything.”
“Tis a shame what happens to them when he gets bored of them though. You think he’d at least let his friends have a go.”
Nevin froze in place, listening. Ice raced through his veins. There was no way, no way that they were talking about - he turned to the men who had been speaking, forcing his features into a rictus of a calm smile.
“Stefan? The waiter from that restaurant a few streets down?”
The older of the men shot Nevin a glare. “Yeh, what’s it to ya? Fuck off mate.”
“That’s enough for me, thank you sir.” So. This bastard toyed with people. And what in the name of the Great Flow did he do to women when he was done? Several people who had turned to watch the man who had been rudely shoving his way through the crowd let out gasps and began moving away quickly.
Nevin’s cloak was roiling, unnatural patterns dancing beneath it, forcing bulges in strange places. Beneath it, his threads had erupted from his skin, and were weaving and dancing, lashing in angry motions. He forced himself to take a deep breath and moved forward, plowing through anyone who didn’t move out of his way fast enough.
