Griffin ⇆ Nathan - Blog Posts
an unfortunate situation. griffin thinks that's a bit of an understatement, but he can tell from the look on his dad's face that he isn't necessarily in the greatest headspace. neither is griffin, to be fair. neither is most of the town, probably. he lets out a breath, nodding at his dad, "it's... it doesn't really feel real, y'know?" and he knows it's still fresh and there aren't a lot of details, but it's so surreal.
he's a little bit terrified and a lot worried about his family and the people he cares about. he wants nathan to tell him that everything is going to be fine, but griffin knows he can't, he knows that's an impossible ask. with everything that's been going on? he can't see a future where things get better, just maybe less terrifying. because even if he survives this, if everyone he loves survives this, nothing will ever be the same. "i don't work today, so... yeah, yeah, i'll be home. i'll stay home." griffin nods. he swallows hard, tugging on the sleeves of his sweatshirt as he stares at his dad. "dad..." he hesitates a moment, feeling a little bit stupid at what he's considering asking, once again that same seven-year-old instinct washing over him, his cheeks go pink with embarrassment, "can i hug you?"
〔 🦂 〕 … 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳, nathan looks griffin in the eyes, hopes the presence of his youngest son could help pull himself together but the forlorn look on his face is almost enough to break him. his heart is caught in his throat, trapped between the scream trying to claw its way out of him and all the secrets he cannot dare to say. the answer is so simple — she was murdered — and yet he can't bring himself to say it out loud. never in his life has he felt so powerless, drained of all the confidence that typically came to him like second nature. it used to be so easy answering all of griffin's questions, but not he doesn't even know what to say. “ an unfortunate situation, that's what. ” but it's more than that, and he knows it. it's an act of violence, it's a warning. kirby's death was likely not a stroke of bad luck if whoever killed her is trying to put the blame on him. the only thing nathan doesn't know is why. he heaves a heavy sigh. “ would it be be too much to ask you to stay home today? i can't — i — ” i can't risk losing you too. “ i don't think it's safe to be outside right now. ”
a lot of ghosts seem to loom over the talbot family — whether dead like jacob thorne and his uncle or alive but dead to the family like rebecca. it's something griffin could feel since the moment he could conceptualize the family he came from. it's even heavier, now, with the loss of kirby, a thick layer of fog over the talbot family. when he sees his dad, griffin takes note that he looks different somehow. not the powerful, figuratively towering man he's known his whole life, there's an air of something he can't quite identify and it's a little bit terrifying. he locks eyes with nathan, chewing at his lower lip, "i... i don't really know." he admits, shoulders tense and brow furrowed, "i don't get it." he shakes his head and pauses a moment, shifting from foot to foot anxiously, "what happened, dad?" he asks, feeling like he's seven again and asking why the sky is blue or why gophers live in the ground or any other question he's asked nathan or charlotte. they're supposed to know all the answers, right? even now when griffin knows better, he still wants an answer even if it's not possible.
𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. the talbot residence. 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻. 10am. 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵. griffin talbot. @chappcdlips
〔 🦂 〕 ... 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿? despite his familial ties to kirby, she was more colleague than kin, the only string connecting them being his sister — her mother — with whom they both were too estranged with to ever consider a genuine bond together. the age old cliche, i should've done more, sits in the back of his head, but would he have really? or is he only thinking it because he no longer has the choice? his breath hitches when he hears griffin's footsteps padding down the staircase, not yet quite ready to face the situation with his youngest son. not after what he's seen and been through. “ i'm sure you've already seen the news. ” it was inescapable. like driving past alaina's house, or seeing the missing posters with daniela's face plastered all over town. “ how are you feeling? ” he asks, voice dropping to a gentle whisper.