Hearing that he was trusted was just a little strange and a lot pleasant.  Despite his efforts to help the world and all the people in it, most who knew anything about Valentin Enache wouldn’t dream of<i>trusting</i>him.  At the very least they were incredibly wary, but many despised him.  They assumed he would, at some point, turn on them all and become more like the things he hunted rather than maintain a peaceful relationship with the innocent humans he protected.<br/><br/>Charlie was different, though.  When had the man last been treated with kindness?  Sure, there were a few people who dipped coins into his cup, but then they hurried off, their small monetary donation enough to convince them that they’d bought the right to ignore the real problem.  Val had tried to do better, at least.  It apparently was still not enough, if finding Charlie half frozen in the snow and near death was any indication.  And yet his contributions had earned him something in the way of confidence, even if there were no other options for his trembling guest to choose.<br/><br/>“Hmm?”<br/><br/>He’d become lost in his own thoughts.  Val looked down at that pitiful face and took a deep breath, huffing it out before returning his gaze to the fire.  It was easier to look at that than the suffering he saw on Charlie’s face.<br/><br/>“Because you’ve been through too much in your life to die on that street corner,” he whispered.  There was no need to continue the hushed tone, but the calm quiet of the room and the somberness of the moment made the thought of talking any louder feel awkward and out of place.  “You’re strong.  You’re a survivor.  It wouldn’t have been right.”<br/><br/>The sound of approaching footsteps had him silent again, and soon after he was greeted by the only doctor he trusted.  James Lawson knew all about his peculiar lineage and the complications thereof, quite intimately.  The good doctor had the scars across his ribs to speak of his own encounter with a nasty demon.  Val had been the one to step in and stop it, sparing Dr. Lawson from the attack by his own possessed colleague.  It earned him a private doctor on the side for those times when he was injured, and through the time they had known each other, James had gotten good at patching him up and knowing how his half-demon body worked.  His more common knowledge in the world of medicine was what he was need for this time, though.<br/><br/>“Alright, Val, let’s see him,” the older man mumbled as he waddled in.  He was short, a little round, and his hair and beard were both white as the snow falling outside.  He had kind, green eyes that went into half-moons when he smiled.  James waited for the blanket to be loosened and gave a quick visual assessment and a temperature check before clicking his tongue, nodding, and motioning Valentin to follow.  “His temperature is still too low.  We need to warm him in a bath, not by a fire.  He might blister.”<br/><br/>James knew the layout of the main rooms of the house, thanks to all the visits he’d made over the years, so Val simply followed after him.  Then he waited by silently as the warm bath was prepared.  Val doubted that his guest would approve, since the warmth of the blanket had burned him, but he trusted that this was the right thing to do.<br/><br/>“We’ll finish warming you up, and then we’ll see about that soup,” he promised, working the blanket loose again and letting it drop to the ground before lowering Charlie down into the tub.