had been worried about him! Gilbert had gone missing for a few days and he wasn't sure if he should be offended that he was left behind.

couldn't wait! If he did, he would have lost the trail, and West had gone off doing research or something.

sighs, well, he's glad that Gilbert is alright.

perfectly fine. He's burned his bloodied clothes, and changed into fresh ones. He wonders what West has been up to while he was gone?

found out about a haunted house and met a strange man by the name of Alfred. Nothing as exciting as what Gilbert had been doing.

they can go kick some poltergeist ass together then!

would like to make sure Gilbert is actually fine and isn't hiding any injuries. A werewolf was not easy business.

wasn't bitten, if that's what he's worried about. He's a little bruised up, but nothing to fuss about. He'll come meet West at the hotel if he's that worried.

would like that actually. He wasn't worried about a bite mark...but he remembers when Gilbert broke two of his ribs and insisted he was fine.

absolutely fine! They healed, didn't they? He arrives at the hotel soon after, glad he at least changed his clothes. West would have had a fit if he'd seen all the blood.

waiting for him in the lobby a little put off by the lack of notice for his absence.

spots him and grins sheepishly "Weest! Hey...uh, sorry for bolting. I kinda...there was a werewolf, and I was tracking him, so..."

crosses his arms over his chest. "You know that what we do is dangerous. Some heads up wouldn't have killed you."

sure the werewolves would have. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, okay? I'll call next time."

sure the werewolves would have. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, okay? I'll call next time."

feels bad for always getting irritated with him about such small things but he did worry. "I'm glad you're safe though. Did you want to rest before we go check out this house?"

shakes his head. "Nein, I'm good to go. Where's the building?"

nods, he was feeling a little tired but e could manage. "It's a ten minute walk north."

glances towards the door, before he really actually looks at his brother. "Oi...did you sleep last night?"

is caught a little by surprised by the question. "I had a lot of work to get done...I'll sleep tonight." He flushes knowing full well that his brother knew.

waves it off. "We can take a nap now, come on. I know I said I was okay, but I'm exhausted. Too many close calls on that hunt."

eyes him suspiciously before nodding and turning back around to head to their room. "You're not just saying that because of me...are you?"

knows West has his pride. "Nein. I got.." He lifts his shirt up, motioning to the large bruise across his ribs. "That. Hurts, and I need a nap."

unlocks the door and steps in waiting for Gilbert to do the same. When he sees the bruise he cringes a bit. "Tough opponent." He's already pulling off his shirt and shrugging out of his pants.

nods, heading inside. "Got flung into a fire hydrant. Not fun." He sheds his shirt, flopping onto his side of the large bed.

wouldn't think it would be. He crawls onto the bed inching closer to his brother. "I could have helped you." He murmurs quietly.

smiles a little, nudging West's shin with his foot. "I know. You could have kicked his ass. I just...wasn't thinking, I guess. I saw and I chased."

hums his tiredness catching up to him. He reaches out and grabs Gilbert's hand. He needed the contact to feel even remotely safe enough to sleep.

shifts closer to his brother, holding his hand tightly and tugging the other closer against him. Oh, West... "Sleep."

gently rests his head on Gilbert's shoulder slowly easing into sleep. As was accustomed. "Danke Gil.."

guilty. He knows that West can't sleep without him there, and he'd still run off for days. "I'm sorry..." he whispers quietly, squeezing his hand lightly.

hates that no matter what type of slumber he was plagued with nightmares. He wondered how Gilbert put up with him for so many years. He wakes up with a start panting loudly sweat dripping from his

face as he tried to remember where he was.

does it gladly, so long as he can be there for the other. He's always been a light sleeper, so he wakes when West starts to thrash, and is immediately there when he wakes. Clutching his hand, he tries to get _

_the other to look at him. "Hey, you're safe. You're safe West, it's me. It's Gilbert, we're in the hotel room. We're safe."

can feel a hand squeeze his and Gilbert's voice does slowly bring him back. He collapses back onto the bed glad for the bit of contact. He's trying to even out his breathing. "It..was there..."

tucks his little brother against his chest. He hates that West still has nightmares about that, wishes it never got that bad. "It's dead. I killed it, remember? It's dead, it can never hurt you again."

breathes Gilbert in holding onto him and taking comfort in the contact. "..I remember..dead...ja."

nods. "Dead." He reaffirms. "Just breathe slowly okay? I got you, you're safe."

is slowly starting to control his breathing and relax against his brother. He closes his eyes shuddering a bit but he feels considerably better than when he had just woken up.

rubs his back slowly, holding him tight. He's silent for now, just letting his brother collect himself.

gently pulls away meeting Gilbert's gaze. "I think I'm okay...I'll just take a quick shower and we can visit that house." He says quietly as he shifts to sit at the edge of the bed.

sighs quietly. He's wanted West to get some proper sleep...but he likely wouldn't be able to now. "Take your time in there, the house isn't going anywhere."

hunches over at the edge of the bed and buries his face in his hands. "Do you think I'm pathetic Gilbert...it's been seven years and I still can't get over it."

frowns. "Why would you say that? Of course you aren't, that was..it was traumatizing shit, and I'm so..so sorry I couldn't get there in time. You still go and hunt with me, don't you? We record all these_

_things so other people know what's out there. You get up every day and kill those beasts. How is that pathetic?"

nods but doesn't look up at him. "Ja, you're right." Except, one of the simplest things he couldn't even do...and that was sleep.

nods. "Of course I am....West.." He ruffled his brother's hair "Come on, everything will be alright, okay? So long as we have each other."

can't agree more. "I don't know what I would do without you."

grins a little "Kick all the monster ass?"

smiles lightly. "Not without you."

ruffles his hair. "If I'm ever not there, you gotta kick extra monster ass for me."

figures his hair was already messy anyway. "I promise."

nods. "Good." He likes seeing West with messy hair. It reminded him of when they were kids, and made his brother look younger.

finally gets up stretching a bit. "Do you think you'll be ready to go into this house? You still have battle wounds."

brushes it off. "I'm fine. They're just bruises, nothing's broken." He stretches out on the bed, before fetching his knife from under the pillow.

nods. "I shouldn't be' too long."

nods "Ja, ja, take your time okay?"

enters the bathroom strips and gets into the shower.

flops back onto the bed, checking on a few of the bandages he'd hidden from West. It wouldn't do any good to have the other worrying over him.

worries about him anyway. Soon, he's out of the bathroom and heading to his suitcase to grab some clothes.

lounging on the bed upside down.

quirks a brow as he pulls on his boxers. "Comfortable?"

grins. "Ja. Everything is upside down."

pulls on a shirt. "They would be." He agrees.

humming to himself, as he thinks about what they'll need for this trip.

finally dressed and kneeling down to go through his bag of weapons. "We need a lot of salt."

sits up, moving to get the rock salt rounds and the iron coated weapons. "Do we need an exorcism track? Is the place abandoned?"

nods. "No ones lived there for years. A couple tried five years ago but they've gone missing ever since." He explains as he loads his rifle.

hums, shoving an EMF into his bag, along with a few flashlights. "I'm hoping it's just haunting the place, and not an object or some crap."

zips his own bag and throws it over his shoulder. "When I was asking around it didn't seem to be the case but most people try to avoid the place. Typical haunted house."

packs up the rest of his things, doing much the same with his own bag. "Okay. Let's go check it out, then."

nods as he heads out leading the way to the place. He knew where it was after all. He stops just inside the gate glancing up. "This is the place." He stats softly. "Ready?"

gazes up at the large house. "Hell yea I am. Ready to whup some poltergeist ass."

smiles lightly. "I've been told to be careful with this one." He says as he walks up to examine the front door. "You should heed that warning too."

brandishes a knife he'd casted in iron -broken into a place to do it, too- and glances around, before trying the knob. "Ja, ja, we'll be fine. Is this one extremely violent? Makes the walls bleed?"

pulls out a small pistol specifically made for poltergeist. The door is locked but Ludwig manages to get the window open. "It has been reported to injury people." He explains. "Want a slip through and

open the door for me?"

they all injure people. "Ja, I got it." He climbs through the window, and pauses. "Woah." It looks like the ghost certainly did a number on the house. Walking around, he unlocks the door for West quickly, _

_before the spirit makes it impossible for him to have back-up.

steps in and closes the door behind him. He's glancing around face completely serious. "Let's work up to down."

nods, immediately heading for the stairs and keeping an eye out. The stairs creak loudly under his steps, but he doesn't much mind so long as they don't give out.

follows after him keeping and eye out behind them just in case it wants to sneak up on them. There is a loud scream that resounds through the house a few seconds later. Ludwig cringes bringing his

hands to his ears trying to block it out. "Gott..."

's entire body tenses up, and he whirls around to look everywhere. "I don't see shit...do you see anything?"

shakes his head and mentally scolds himself. "I forgot to mention. She was raped and killed in the basement."

's grip tightens hard on his knife. "You did the research? Is that asshole dead, or do I have another job to do?"

smiles at him grimly. "The man has been dead for over thirty years."

's shoulders ease very slightly. "I say we burn his bones later anyways. We'll have to burn hers as it is."

nods. "I found the grave. I haven't done grave digging in a while. To the basement in that case before we anger her worse."

she has a damn good reason to be angry. He heads down the stairs as quickly as he can imagine, while still keeping an eye out.

follows him and right when he hits the last stair he's flung half way across the basement colliding hard with a wall. He let's out a gasp as he slowly picks himself up. "I can already tell we're going

to have a colourful relationship." He wheezes.

rushes over to help West up, lashing out with his knife a little. "Salt ring. We'll plan first." He pulled out a container, pouring it around them both.

takes a seat kneeling against the wall. "No matter how many times that happens I never get used to it."

checks him over for any major injuries. "It's at least easier when you can see them. Just rest for now."

thinks he'll just have bruises. He glances around. "See that mattress. It was there...her body was buried somewhere near by."

grips his knife, and nods. "Stay here." He moves out of the salt ring toward the mattress carefully. The bag slung over his shoulder has kerosene and a lighter. "Okay, I think we're-" He's thrown back an _

_old table crumpling under him. "Ow, fuck...can't you just show yourself? Come on..."

stands up rubbing at his side as he notices a sharp object floating behind Gilbert. He makes a quick dash tackling his brother to the floor as it stabs into the wall where he had been standing. "She

really doesn't like men." He pants. "We need to do this quick or we'll be leaving with more injuries. I can distract her for you."

can't blame her for that either. "No. I'll be bait, you burn the fucking body." He pushed his bag into West's hands. "Go."

Takes the bag and nods. He knew never to argue with Gilbert during times like this. He makes quick work of taking everything out as he glances around the are and tries to think like a killer. Where

would he bury the body. His eyes fall under the mattress and he goes to quickly dog and check. It was better to get the body exactly even though he knew the entire building was going to go.

trashing the corner of the room far away from Ludwig, and taunting the spirit. Everytime he boasts about how manly and dominating he is....well, she doesn't like that much. Good thing he has quick reflexes.

is pouring kerosene over the body and the mattress. The spirit realises this and goes for Ludwig as he's about to light it. A large trunk comes flying at his legs and knocks him off his feet. He

loses the lighter and struggles to reach for it but it flies across the room
And he's being dragged back to the mattress. "Gilbert! Get the lighter." ((Damn it didn't send.))

swears, scrambling after the lighter. He flicks it on, and tosses it at the kerosene soaked body, the whole thing immediately going up in flames. "Shit, West! West, are you okay?"

feels the hold on his injured leg sag. He's panting as he quickly gets up limping towards Gilbert. "Ja, I'm fine."

can see a figure go up in flames, and hear it shriek. "Okay..well she's no longer a problem. Let's get out of here before the place burns down with us still inside."

nods as he makes for the stairs and with a bit of a struggle gets out of the house only to collapse in slight exhaustion outside. "I'm okay...I just need a moment."

swears, kneeling down next to him. "Are you sure you're okay? Just...relax."

is catching his breath and cringing a bit. "She was a nasty spirit." He says as he props himself up with a bit of difficulty. "Really, I'm fine."

rubs his back. "Okay. Do you have injuries or anything?"

glances up at him. "I think I may have sprained my ankle but that's it. Help me up." He says as he extends his hand to Gilbert.

tugs West up, wrapping an arm around his waist to support him. "We're done here, right? We can head back to the hotel?"

nods. "That should be it unless I've missed something in my research." He's thankful for the support.

to look over his brother properly for injuries. The other hid them just as often as he did. "Okay. Well I'll do a sweep tomorrow night and see."

glad when they arrive back at the hotel and takes a seat tiredly on the edge of the bed. "Should I start looking things up for the next one?"

hums. "Nah. Rest, take a breather. Do you want me to run out and get something for you to eat?"

glances up at him considering that before shaking his head. "Nein...relax too. We can eat later."

drops all his weaponry on one of the chairs, before flopping back onto the bed. "mmm, bed..."

falls back against it with a small sigh. He was a little tired.

can tell. "How bad are your injuries?"

keeps his eyes closed. "They aren't that bad." They really weren't as far as he knew.

doesn't believe him "Can I see them?"

's lips thin but he nods as he pulls his shirt off and the bruise was already darkening to a lighter shade of black.

frowns at that. "Shit..." He inspects the bruise, lightly testing around it. "No ribs are cracked or anything, right?"

hisses when he touches it. ""No, the ribs are fine."

pulls back. "Sorry. I can get you balm or something..."

nods. "If it soothes the pain then ja..."

nods, and gets up to start rummaging around his bag. "I know you disapprove of stealing from witches, but this isn't voodoo crap. It's actual balm, so..."

him a momentary disapproving look before resigning to the fact that it was probably going to help him. "How did you steal it?"

shrugs. "Remember that coven we busted up last month? It was there, so I just...took it. It's safe! They sell this shit at the drug store, but it's expensive."

shakes his head but looks at him fondly. "Ja, I remember that."

plops down on the bed, opening up the container. "Lemme see." He scooped the paste onto his fingers, leaning close.

braces himself for the cooling factor and the fact that it was probably going to hurt.

it will likely burn a little. But he gently starts to paste it over the bruise, carefully rubbing it into the skin.

cringes but other than that doesn't make a noise as he lets his brother work it in his side.

eventually finishes up, and pauses as he inspects the bruise. "Anywhere else?"

isn't sure. He was a little sore that was true. "I think that's it."

pushes up his brother's shirt, inspecting the skin. "You think, huh?"

flushes lightly but let's him do it. "Maybe try my back?"

sits back a little. "Ja. Just...pull off your shirt, it's easier."

hums and does what he's asked, sitting still.

sighs, when he sees West's back. It's pretty bruised.

hadn't thought it was that bad but apparently he was wrong. "Is everything alright?"

starts to carefully apply the balm. "You're more banged up than I thought. Only bruises though, no cuts or scrapes." Well...bad scrapes.

sighs at that. He didn't even want to look at his leg.

most certainly look at it. He finishes up with his back, and nudges him lightly. "Where else?"

that's enough. "That's everywhere."

looks at him. "West..."

averts his gaze. "Ja?"

frowns. "West, let me see them. You don't like when I hide injuries."

pulls up his pant leg with a sigh.

frowns when he sees that. "I'm going to get a cloth, and antiseptic pads." That was a lot worse than a few bruises.

nods. "Should I take my pants off?"

gets up to go fetch his first aid kit. "Ja, sure."

pulls them off and sits back down. He gets a good look at the injury and cringes. It looked bad.

tugs his leg into his lap, and gives him a look. "West..." He starts to clean the wound gently with antiseptic pads. "I'll have to bandage it."

gives him a small smile. "At least it wasn't you."

glances up at him. "I'd rather it was me."

doesn't say anything to that and just looks away as he's being treated.

West should know by now that he will always take a hit to spare his brother. He finishes disinfecting the wound and cleaning it up. Applying some polysporin to the wound, he figured yea it would sting a little,

_but it wouldn't get infected, he started to bandage the leg.

winces at the disinfectant but other than that remains quiet.

finally finishes up. "Anything else? I've already got all this stuff out, and I know when you're lying."

is sure that's it. "I can't think of anything else unless I've developed internal bleeding in the past ten minutes."

reaches over, and knocks on the wooden desk. "I wish you wouldn't, West. You know crazy shit happens to us..."

feels a little bad for saying that now. "I know...I'm good though, really."

sighs when he watches his brother, still concerned. "Alright...if you say so."

hunches over looking very young for once. He just wanted a normal life. One for his brother and him.

tugs West gently against his side, hugging him close. "Hey. You're good, right? Don't fret, that's one less baddie in the world"

rests his head on Gilbert's shoulder humming lightly in response. "This is true."

sighs happily, relieved to know his brother is here, and safe...and sometimes he needed those same reassurances he told his brother every night as well. "Yup, and we'll keep killing loads more."

laughs. "I wouldn't count on anything less." He says as he straightens himself. "When my leg is feeling better I'll work on the next case."

him a light squeeze. "Rest up. I'm not that adverse to doing research, you know."

nods a bit. "I know." He says as he pulls himself more onto the bed trying to get comfortable. "If you go into my notebook...you'll see some newspaper clippings I found. It should help you if you

want to start on it."

ruffles his hair, and fusses a little to tuck West in. He doesn't much care if West is all grown up, he'll always be his baby brother. "Alright. I'll handle that, go ask around, whatever. You just sit tight _

_and rest."

flushes at the way he's tucked in. He really was a little too old for that. "Don't stay out too late."

ruffles his hair. "I'm a big boy, I can handle myself. But I won't~"

smiles lightly his cheeks still tinged red. "Good luck." He would probably stay up and read or write.

thanks him, packs a few weapons just in case...and heads out.

sighs and grabs a book. He'd distract himself somehow.