[center][url=https://fontmeme.com/handwriting-fonts/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230831/ac8804e6d3b1f594980a8b27d77e1580.png[/img][/url] 

A Collab between [@Hedgehawk] & [@SouffleGirl123]
Featuring [color=EE4B2B]Aloysius[/color] & [color=fff79a]Mary[/color]

[img]https://goodmorningwallpapers.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Morning-Tea-Gif-Images-1.gif[/img][/center]

Aloysius had spent the night in a local hotel. The night before, had been a massive dramatic and strange night. Aloysius had managed to piece together so much about what had happened when he left. Mary moved on. Naturally, and his son wasn't even going to give him the time of day. His life had been ruined, and only got worse when Salem appeared. He wondered if he would ever catch a break. 

Mary threw him a bone and managed to agree to let him pop around the old house to speak some more. She had made it clear not to expect a warm welcome. He got the impression that he was about to walk into another session of being berated and having his emotions toyed with. This wasn't exactly the Mary that he remembered. But still. He would take it. He had navigated himself to the house once more. Nothing seemed to change in all those years. It felt like he was walking in time. 

He stood outside the door for a second trying to compose himself before eventually knocking on the door. He pulled on his jacket while he nervously waiting for someone to reply. He was expecting Miles to answer and just outright attack him. At this point his left cheek had started turning black and purple, from all the abuse he had picked up the night before. 

Mary had been sitting at the dining table, her fingers incessantly tapping her coffee mug. Next to her sat a lidded cardboard box, one she never expected to see the light of day except the thinning number of times she’d add to its contents. Eventually a knock came at her door. She wasn’t sure if Miles was home but if he was she hoped that he’d be far too asleep to hear the knocking. 

She pulled the box off the table and made her way to the entrance where Aloysius stood awaiting her arrival to the door. Tucking the box under her right arm she uses her left to swing open the door. As soon as she could she fixed up the box to be held in her arms before shoving it into Aloyius’ chest. [color=fff79a]"There,”[/color] she replies gruffly.

Aloysius couldn't help but smile slightly seeing Mary again. It was short lived however as he was shoved into his chest with a box taking up his arms. He looked quizzically. He peered into the box, trying to garnish an idea as to what was inside. [color=EE4B2B]"Umm… What is in here?[/color] He asked, not wanting to be rude and unpack it infront of her. 

Mary gave a sigh at Aloysius’ question, leaning on the door frame. She glances back to make sure Miles wasn’t closeby before turning back to Aloysius. [color=fff79a]"’Bout a month after you left I had a breakdown,”[/color] she begins keeping her voice low, [color=fff79a]"I’m not talking the bawlin’ and shoving your face with icecream kinda breakdown…”[/color]. Mary exhaled half a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding in. [color=fff79a]"I was in the hospital for 10 days- 7 of those in the psych ward. My parents found me a shrink who told me to write letters to you to process or something like that. I never thought you’d see these but I thought it'd give you some insight into what I was going through.”[/color]

Hearing Mary's words, an expression of worry and panic sores across Aloysius's face. Hearing about the consequences after he left only made his heart hurt. This was his legacy. What he left behind. Even if it was not done on purpose. [color=EE4B2B]"I am sorry. I didn't want you to breakdown. I didn't want any of this. I failed you and Miles. I deserve what I get"[/color] Aloysius let out a defeated sigh. Seeding these letters kind of hit home just home badly he had fucked up.

[color=fff79a]"Look, Al, I'm not unreasonable. The breakdown isn't fully on you. Sure, it probably played a role in it but.. uh… it was the pregnancy hormones that triggered it. They don't agree with all our minds sometimes."[/color] An awkward silence fell between the pair for a short while. Mary gently hit the door frame with the side of a closed fist, more as a distraction. [color=fff79a]"Just… uh… don't tell Miles what you read. I struggled when he was a baby, beyond the tight finances and dirty walls."[/color]

[color=00FFFF]"You shouldn't have had to deal with that. I should have been stronger. I should have told Salem where she could stick it. And Amanda too. I deserved some happiness. But I lost it"[/color] Aloysius looked dishelved. He nodded at her request. [color=00FFFF]"I doubt Miles will speak to me anyway."[/color]

[color=fff79a]"I woulda dealt with it regardless,"[/color] Mary replies with a soft sigh. [color=fff79a]"I just shouldn't have dealt with it alone. I mean I wasn't alone, my parents visited and stayed with me at times, John and Lillan helped out more than I could ever repay and Claire came over a couple of days after he was born and stayed with us for a couple of weeks. I wasn't alone, just…"[/color] Mary stops herself before she says something she may regret. She hated how much help she needed in raising her son. Neither her parents nor the Montgomerys signed up for the burden she became but that didn’t stop them from carrying it gladly. 

She thought through her words before continuing on. [color=fff79a]"Everythin' they did for me should have been your job as his father."[/color]

As Aloysius talked about Miles, Mary rolled her eyes. [color=fff79a]"Cut it with the self-pity. It never got anyone anywhere."[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"I can't help the self-pity. Right now it feels like I am the only one who can comfort myself"[/color] It was a bizarre sentence, but it rang somewhat true. Aloysius was trying his best to soldier through as act tough, but in reality, he couldn't help but feel sorry for himself. No one else was going to after all. He had left behind such a destructive vortex behind that it had consumed Mary. While he had his entire life forfeit at the behest of Salem, Aloysius hadn't really love life. [color=00FFFF]"My entire life has been littered with mistakes and regrets. It is sometimes hard to try and find the positives. I did one thing wrong and ended up losing any chance I would have for finding happiness for the whole of my life. Coming to Tanner has kind of proved that I don't really belong anywhere"[/color] 

[color=fff79a]"Pity doesn’t bring comfort. It’s funny, the more you pity yourself the less other people want to pity you or whatever. You just want someone to say that you did absolutely nothing wrong. You want me to stand here and tell you every choice you made was right, Miles and I weren’t hurt by your circumstances, that you did the absolute best you could in the circumstances. That we eagerly awaited 25 years for you to return home even when that didn’t look like a possibility. You’re not looking for comfort Al. You’re looking for justification. Unfortunately for you, I ain’t no liar,”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"It's not that. Honestly."[/color] Aloysius said with a defeated sigh. He hadn't really needed to verabilse his internal monologue before, so he took a few moments to think before speaking. [color=EE4B2B]"I don't want justification. I know people were hurt. I can't even begin to imagine how it feels like. No. What makes me self-pity is that I made a mistake when I was young. I got punished for it. I nearly died. And I have spent my whole life now suffering for it. People who have done far more heinous things have had lesser sentences. Everything I try to do to make things right, or try to settle down, never work. I don't even have a family anymore."[/color] Aloysius's Voice dropped, his eyes lowering to the insides of the cardboard box and away from Mary. Shame preventing him from looking her in the eye. 

Despite Aloysius’ averted gaze, Mary kept hers straight on him. She was a bit confused on how to feel. Part of her did feel bad for Al but she struggled to shake the hurt brought on by his actions. [color=fff79a]"Yet you are here on my doorstep. Don’t you have a sister? Grovelin’ to her probably would’ve earned you less black eyes. Or was she a lie too?”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"No. She exists. I am not allowed to be around her. She has made it clear that she doesn't want me in her life. I screwed that relationship as well."[/color] Aloysius bought his gaze back up to Mary, her eyes still locked onto his form. [color=EE4B2B]"I want to be here though. I want to fix this somehow. I just haven't figured it out"[/color] 

[color=fff79a]"I don’t know what to tell you, Al. I don’t know how you can fix this. There’s no magic wand you can wave and just undo all the damage. And let’s face it, if there was I’d get mad at you for using it.”[/color] Mary sighs, beating on the door frame once more. 

[color=EE4B2B]"I don't expect you to say anything."[/color] Aloysius let out a soft sigh. He could tell that he was overstaying his welcome. Mary had clearly made up her mind. She wasn't going to forgive Aloysius. And Miles made it perfectly clear the night before that he was simply nothing more than a sperm donor. [color=EE4B2B]"I just wanted to come and tell you that I didn't leave because I wanted to. It was important to me that you knew that. I didn't expect you change your mind"[/color]

[color=fff79a]"I know,”[/color] she says softly, slowly nodding her head. [color=fff79a]"And I never said I won’t ever forgive you it just… it’s gonna take some time Al. There’s a lot of scars there.”[/color] [i]Both figuratively and literally[/i] she wanted to add but she bit her tongue. [color=fff79a]"It’s important to me that you understand that.”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"I do understand it. Time isn't exactly an asset I have. It's hard to be told I have to wait even longer. But that's a me problem to deal with"[/color] Aloysius tried to keep it together but his body language betrayed him. It was obvious he was hurting and he didn't know how to control it. 

Seeing Aloysius’ slumped, saddened figure hurt Mary. Less because it was Al, but because it was another human in pain. Mary was the type to bake cookies for her worst enemy on the worst day of their life, to put herself dead last no matter what those around her did. No matter who they were, seeing another human in pain always broke the woman’s heart. With a reluctant sigh she wraps her arms around Al’s shoulders. 

Feeling her arm drape around his shoulder, Aloysius tenses up. He had been so used to having people touch him only when they were going to hurt him. He let out a deep sigh. [color=EE4B2B]"Everyone just assumes I am a bad guy because of my past. They don't understand what was happening at the time. What I was going through and the tiny details. They just see me as the big bad guy who attacked the Guild"[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Look, Al.You still did those things. They alone don’t make you who you are, I get that, but you do have to face those consequences. I get it, you were dealt a bad hand, you’re not a monster but you’re still a very flawed human.”[/color] Mary honestly wasn’t quite sure how to respond, her internal thoughts fighting between the want to comfort a sad friend and avoid a man who hurt her.

[color=EE4B2B]"I get I made a mistake, but when will people move on. Salem still to this day makes sure that my life is hell. Anytime I think I am recovering she swoops in and causes chaos"[/color] Aloysius huffed a little bit before lowering his arms. [color=EE4B2B]"I never wanted to hurt you. I adore you. I was so looking forward to being a father, having a family. Having a white picket fence life"[/color] 

Adore. Not adored. Mary couldn’t help but pick up on that subtle word choice, it felt anything but inconsequential. She sighs, releasing the man from her grip and stepping back. [color=fff79a]"So was I once upon a time but I ‘spose reality hit me a lot faster.”[/color] Mary remained silent for a moment, pursing her lips. [color=fff79a]"My life wasn’t all bad. Sure, I struggled and worked my fingers to the bone but there were good moments too. Even if there weren’t, for that boy I’d do it all over again. I don’t regret what I went through. I’m hurt by it, sure, but hurt and regret aren’t always the same thing.”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"You shouldn't have had to though. I failed you. I failed Miles. I really want to make up for lost time"[/color] Aloysius stepped back a bit, putting the distance between them. [color=EE4B2B]"I know you won't take to me at all. And there is no chance we will get back together, even if my heart really yearns for it."[/color] Aloysius looked down at the box he was holding, looking at the bits of paper stacked inside. He wanted to read them, but part of him was afraid to do so. 

Mary remained silent as the man talked. A single sigh soon escaped her lips. [color=fff79a]"You should read that somewhere you can be alone. Some of it's heavy."[/color] She decided to not respond to Al's statements of yearning to get back with her. She'd gotten past that a couple of decades ago.

[color=EE4B2B]"Yeah I should. Suppose I should go back to the hotel. Need to try and find somewhere slightly more permanent to stay if I plan on staying around for a bit longer."[/color] Aloysius had noticed how distant Mary was being. He didn't know if it was because of how much she did like him, or if she was trying to protect herself from getting hurt again. [color=EE4B2B]" I don't really know alot that is going on. But if Miles ever wants any help with Magi things. I am more than happy to help. I might be a piece of shit, but magic is one thing I am good at"[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Talk to Carlisle, I'm sure he can get you a room in the coven house or somethin'. Usually the other option is the ranch but between John and Claire I'd be surprised to not find you riddled with stab wounds and bullet holes by tomorrow mornin'. Not to mention my ma and pa are there for another night,"[/color] Mary could help but chuckle slightly at the idea of Al trying to enter the ranch considering its current inhabitants. 

As Al talks about training Mary forces a small half smile. [color=fff79a]"That'll be up to Miles, you should ask him. You're both adults, you don't need me to play message bearer. He only found out he was magi last night so, y'know, he's still adjustin'"[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"The last time we spoke he threw a pretty strong punch at me"[/color] Aloysius gave off a slight chuckle, highlighting his bruised left cheek. [color=EE4B2B]"I know he is an adult, but I missed 25 years, it's taking time to adjust to that kind of thing."[/color] Aloysius noticed how Mary had dodged the statements about him staying in Tanner for longer. He wondered if she really wanted him to hang around. He wanted to be blunt about it, but at the same time, he was afraid of the answer. 

Mary noticed her hand subconsciously raising toward Aloysius’ face to assess the bruise but diverted it to scratch the back of her neck. The last thing she wanted was the man picking up signals that weren’t there. [color=fff79a]"Yeah, we’re all trying to adjust to a lot of things. He’s an enchantment magi, if that means anything to you. Part of me was convinced he actually was a warlock for a few years there.”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"Enchantment runs in my mother's side of the family. Downright dangerous people. It was Enchantment magic that got me in all this mess in the first place"[/color] Aloysius sighed deeply once more. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. Memories about his mother flooded in and he did his best to push them out. It was a part of his life he was trying to forget. [color=EE4B2B]"Hopefully Miles has a good moral compass. That kind of magic in the wrong hands can well…cause rebellions and wars."[/color] 

At Aloysius' comment about enchantment magic getting him into this mess Mary raised an eyebrow. [color=fff79a]"This mess as in the runnin’ away or the having a son? ‘Cus I didn’t use any of my enchantment magic on you. Didn’t even have to bat an eyelid to have you following me around like a lost puppy, didn’t need enchantment magic even if I was wantin’ you like that,”[/color] she replies, crossing her arms. 

[color=fff79a]"Him being magi explains a lot about his teen years I ‘spose.”[/color] she muses in response to his last statement, not quite giving an answer that would quell his concerns. [color=fff79a]"I mean, it wouldn’t change how [i]he[/i] acted but the rest of it…”[/color] She trails off, looking past Aloysius. She soon remembers she was yet to respond to his concern and clears her throat to redraw Aloysius’ attention. [color=fff79a]"I mean, he’s got his flaws but his heart’s in the right place most of the time. May have already started a war though, don’t think the enchantment magic played a big role in that one though.”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]" I know you didn't enchant me. Far from it. More so my mother. She used it to get into my head, convince me that my insecurities were bigger than they were. Filled my head with ideas of glory and self gain. I may have been the gun that started the war, but my mother, she was the one who pulled the trigger"[/color] Aloysius remembered that he hadn't actually discussed his mother with Mary before. Back when he was here he had dodged the questions and gave dismissive answers. 

At his comment Mary couldn’t help but chuckle lightly as she joked [color=fff79a]"Oh, I enchanted you alright, I just didn’t use magic to do it. Or intend to, honestly.”[/color] At the mention of his mother Mary leant against the door frame once more [color=fff79a]"I’m seeing a theme among enchantment mothers using their magic on their kids it seems.”[/color] she sighs

[color=EE4B2B]" Enchantment is possibly the most dangerous form of magic. Even more so if you use it and no one detects it"[/color] Aloysius would watch Mary for a second before carrying on [color=EE4B2B]"I just hope Miles uses my mother's powers for something useful, rather than ruining lives"[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Yes, you know us enchantment wielders, big bad life ruiners,"[/color] Mary muses sourly. Now she had to come to terms with her little addition of enchantment mothers using their powers on their children the night before the guilt was starting to eat her alive more than ever. Her hands fiddled with the charm of her necklace as she continued to talk. [color=fff79a]"Look, I'd be amiss if I said Miles' wouldn't use it for his own gain. But at the end of the day he is a Price, war starting is barely our style. Ruining lives though… I mean not usually but, y'know. We have our gripes. You might not be safe but it seems like I beat him to the punch anyway."[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"It's a good power to have. You can do alot of good with it. But sadly, if used with bad intentions, it's dangerous. I know you wouldn't use it for your own gain"[/color] Aloysius gave off a smile trying to disarm Mary a little bit and comfort her at the same time. [color=EE4B2B]"I will admit, I have missed Tanner. I always kept dreaming of coming back to this place. It is so much more peaceful that New York"[/color]

[i]I know you wouldn’t use it for your own gain[/i] but she had, hadn’t she? Admittedly it was more than just Miles she had to enchant to hide his magi status, although that was the most impactful. She knew magi could sense other magi, someone had to keep Ty off of Miles’ case from even his earliest days in Tanner. And someone had to make sure Amanda’s suspicions never became serious. Sure, it was partially for Miles’ safety but Mary knew she could have realistically managed the situation if she was open on her suspicions from the beginning. Instead she wanted training her son to be easier rather than more effective. With the new information on Miles’ father it turns out it probably was to his benefit his magi status was so hush hush but that didn’t change her intentions at the time. [color=fff79a]"I guess you really don’t know me all that well, ha?”[/color] she responds softly, her hand clasping around the pendant it was toying with.

At Aloysius’ musings about Tanner, Mary gave him a half smile. [color=fff79a]"I can imagine. Well I guess you’ll be happy to know nothin’ really changes ‘round here. John Montgomery’s still leveling guns at boys looking at his girls the wrong way, the forest has seen more beer bottles than anywhere else in Tanner and the diner still needs that new lick of paint,”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"It's scary how it doesn't change. But it also means that everyone here will still despise me. That ain't going to change. People made up their minds about me. I spent so long dreaming of coming back. I guess I built a picture in my head that this would all be different. Adjusting to the reality of it is jarring"[/color] Tanner had been Aloysius's escape from his past. While he hadn't enjoyed using the Jonathan persona, it had allowed him to feel normal for the first time in his life. Those memories had stayed with Aloysius and held far more weight than he would have liked to admit.

 [color=fff79a]"You could've at least left a letter. Somethin', anythin'."[/color] Mary replies simply. [color=fff79a]"Turns out the people around me seem to like me. Y'know what though? Amanda doesn't, you might find some sympathy in her."[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"I should have left a letter, yes. I sent one a week after I left explaining it all. But clearly someone intercepted them. Amanda was the one who caused all this mess. She was the one responsible for Salem pulling me away. I wouldn't go anywhere near that hag. She can rot in hell for all I care. And I doubt people don't like you"[/color] Hearing Amanda's name had made Aloysius's blood boil. 

Mary sighed, leaning deeper into the doorframe. [color=fff79a]"Sounds like Amanda,”[/color] she muses. [color=fff79a]"Doesn’t change the fact you should have told me who you really were earlier. You’re a jerk, y’know.”[/color] Despite her words her tone came off as more gentle, maybe even slightly defeated.

[color=EE4B2B]" Amanda wanted me to be with her. Give her a power child to call her own. I wasn't interested. I only had eyes for you. When she discovered you were pregnant, she began to blackmail me, trying to get me to yield. But I still refused… Then, Salem appears from out of nowhere."[/color] Aloysius let out a regretful sigh at Mary's last comment [color=EE4B2B]"I planned to tell you before the baby was born. I hadn't quite worked out how to have the 'Sorry I am a fugitive with the whole of the Magi world on my back' speech."[/color]

Mary huffed, that wasn’t quite the answer she was hoping for. At every turn Al failed to admit his shortcomings, even getting a sorry rather than a justification the night before was harder than it should have been. It was funny that although the pair hadn’t crossed paths until the prior night Miles still picked up some of his father’s traits. Part of her wanted this conversation to be over, for Al to leave and read through the reflections of her past, but curiosity won instead. [color=fff79a]"Do you remember what it said? The letter I mean.”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"I pretty much know it off by heart. Sometimes it gets a bit harder to recall, but it comes back vividly at times. Sometimes feels like it is mocking me"[/color] Aloysius lowered his head slightly, the letter had been the hardest thing to write. [color=EE4B2B] "Had to write it twice. The first one was too covered in tears to be readable. Sad. I know."[/color] Aloysius attempted to chuckle, trying to deflect some of the visible pain, but instead it just emphasized how isolated he had been. 

[color=fff79a]"Well good luck with some of those,”[/color] Mary replies, nodding at the box. [color=fff79a]"Don’t mind the frustrated ink splotches.”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]" I wonder if Amanda kept any of the letters that she intercepted? Might have to go take a look around the coven house when no one is looking"[/color] Aloysius pondered. His eyes dropped to the box of letters, wondering just how many of them were like how Mary described. 

[color=fff79a]"Well if you find them, let me know. I’d be interested to read.”[/color] Mary replies. [color=fff79a]"But I’ll leave you to it, it may take a while to get through those.”[/color]

Aloysius nodded as he once more looked at the box. [color=EE4B2B]" Yeah… I should get going… Before Miles appears in the door and kicks me over the fence or something"[/color] 

Mary gave an amused chuckle. [color=fff79a]"He’s just protective. And angry. Can you blame him?”[/color]

[color=EE4B2B]"I can't blame him. But I wish I could stop him and make him see reason"[/color] Aloysius simply lifted the box under his arm ready to go [color=EE4B2B]"I suppose I should see you around then?"[/color] 

Mary scoffs, shaking her head. Who was Aloysius to talk about reason? [color=fff79a]"And you need some perspective, Aloysius Leighton. I will see you around,”[/color] Mary replies, waiting for him to turn before closing the door.