The Devil Doesn't Bargain (MatD part 2)

Chapter TWENTY SIX - Hairy

Ominis Gaunt proved to be ever the frivolous and affectionate drunk. At least today.

I'd seen him inebriated on a couple occasions, but nothing could chase the burn from his lips or the aching souvenirs of his childhood this time. 

After the decision had been made that visiting Cerberus Erebus Grimm was in fact in our best interest, Ominis had warned us that there was only one way in which we would be allowed access to him.

And that was through the Gaunts.

Despite Sebastian's pleas for Ominis to sit this one out, Ominis had refused. 

There was no meeting Cerberus without Ominis, and so there were no answers without him either.

Ominis had promptly tugged the bottle back from Sebastian and taken to cradling it while directing Anne exactly what to include in the letter she was currently inking home (or hell rather) for him.

The Gaunts had of course gotten us out of trouble following our absence after Solomon's death, but Ominis had assured us he'd received howler after howler from his mother following the ordeal. Each letter having found the most ideal time to embrace him in private. For, as he put it, "what was a Gaunt if not secretive in their faults". It was imperative that our letter be as compelling as possible.

Ominis Gaunt also proved to be quite a lightweight and though he'd only taken a couple more swigs from the bottle "for good measure", he was soon leaning to one side and his words tumbled out ever so sideways as well.

Despite it all, he was able to spin quite the plea while keeping our true intentions disguised between the lines. 

Anne's quill scratched the last word into the letter quickly and after letting the ink dry a moment, folded the tanning parchment and plucked an envelope from the table at the back of the room. 

As she worked to seal it all together, Ominis leaned forward on the table, head hanging loosely on his neck and fumbled for her fingers.

"Have I ever told you, you 've delightfully soft hands my darling?"

Sebastian crinkled his nose.

"As a matter of fact you have." Anne sung, tapping his hand gently before returning to the letter before her.

"Oh 's good. Yes. Good. Good." 

There was no denying the terror we all felt in an Ominis who felt the desire to drown himself at the mere mention of his childhood and family, but he had so adamantly insisted and so quickly tumbled from his worries that we couldn't help feel a bit at ease too. Surely we wouldn't allow such drinking to continue past this point, but for now, it seemed the least we could allow his poor soul.

Ominis slid his back against the table leg down to the floor and pulled his knees to his chest. Brahms trotted over quickly and rubbed against his ankles.

"'m! There's the tea-stealing little beast." He cooed and lulled his head to the side. "Tha's a sweet little tea-stealing beast." Ominis lifted his hand still wrapped around the bottle and tilted it towards the cat. "Fancy a taste?"

Anne gave us a pointed look.

"Alright mate, let me take this from you before you spill it everywhere." Sebastian swiftly pulled the bottle from Ominis once more and the boy frowned before tilting his nose up to Sebastian and speaking as quickly as the alcohol would let him.

"You fancy a taste my hairy little friend?"

"Brahms is by your knee." Sebastian corrected.

Ominis smirked. "Was talking 'bout you."