Hideaway Strath too soon

sending arturo off with the crappiest post ever. ;-;

“As I you.” The gangster murmurs in return. It is hard to speak the word “I love you” so soon after Lotte’s death when he can’t feel his heart. He’s gone numb to it, or perhaps it has simply turned to icy stone. He does still love Hemlock, of course, but Arturo handles grief by shutting down and locking himself away, or, alternatively by giving himself over to a monster that should never be allowed loose from his cage. He doesn’t realize what the lasting effects of allowing Riptide to slip through the cracks would be, doesn’t realize that the parasite will very soon snuff him out. And…maybe he does. Maybe he is selfish and just doesn’t care. With the grave finished they place Lotte’s corpse in it, bury her and gather the children to explain what has happened and what is going to happen in the future. Arturo isn’t sure they fully understand but he doesn’t push. If they do not understand now they no doubt will in the near future.

When the pair are finished explaining and answering the questions that they can Arturo ushers the children away allowing Hemlock to tend to Lotte's grave and plant her namesake to guard the tundrian's grave for all of eternity.