Picturing Isabelle here, in Luke's kitchen, was both strange and comforting. He'd only see her cooking in the Institute's kitchen, never anywhere else. He doubted she made dinner or breakfast for any of her dates and he didn't think she'd ever been at Luke's place in Manhattan long enough for any cooking to happen.
Having her here, having her here and cooking, would have been an immense comfort to Alec but it would have just seemed out of place. She was born for the big cities and the people within. She was born to be the center of attention, people revolving around her like she was the sun and while she could have had that here, Alec wasn't sure if she'd want. No matter how much he wanted her to be here, he didn't want her unhappy.
"I'm all right," Alec said, shaking thoughts of Isabelle away for the moment. He focused back on Luke and their surroundings. "I'm fine. I've just been trying to move on past what happened. To forget it."
That plan of action had...well, it worked and then it didn't work. Sometimes, he was definitely fine. He was slick and smooth, graceful and quiet, and he could work without seeing the faces of his family etched in hatred. Other times, that was all that he could think about. He'd tried to immerse himself in hunting, in learning but there were only so many distractions he could find before he did something stupid.
Good thing that had already happened. Alec still felt guilt over that whole encounter.
"I'm good," he said again, nodding. It was both a lie and the truth. Some days were better than others. Some days, he was the Alec he'd been before that other Darrow. Other days, he hated himself more and more each minute. "What about you?"
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Having her here, having her here and cooking, would have been an immense comfort to Alec but it would have just seemed out of place. She was born for the big cities and the people within. She was born to be the center of attention, people revolving around her like she was the sun and while she could have had that here, Alec wasn't sure if she'd want. No matter how much he wanted her to be here, he didn't want her unhappy.
"I'm all right," Alec said, shaking thoughts of Isabelle away for the moment. He focused back on Luke and their surroundings. "I'm fine. I've just been trying to move on past what happened. To forget it."
That plan of action had...well, it worked and then it didn't work. Sometimes, he was definitely fine. He was slick and smooth, graceful and quiet, and he could work without seeing the faces of his family etched in hatred. Other times, that was all that he could think about. He'd tried to immerse himself in hunting, in learning but there were only so many distractions he could find before he did something stupid.
Good thing that had already happened. Alec still felt guilt over that whole encounter.
"I'm good," he said again, nodding. It was both a lie and the truth. Some days were better than others. Some days, he was the Alec he'd been before that other Darrow. Other days, he hated himself more and more each minute. "What about you?"