[ individual ]

Ɛναηgєℓιηє Ɠσуℓє radio broadcaster Purelood. Twenty. Neutral.

[valeriagoyle-blog]

Valeria cocked her head to the side, eyes narrowing in a mixture of honest irritation and confusion, “You think even if you don’t use your last name, people don’t know who you are, Evangeline? That even while you pretend otherwise you’re not benefiting from your association with this family every single day? W a k e  u p,  Evie—-get your head out of the clouds. This is how things work in the world. There are winners, and there are losers, and our family? Is winning—and no, I don’t care who suffers for it. Because if it wasn’t us, it’d be someone else. You talk about blindly following but sweetie, you’re the one who needs a dose of reality so let me give it to you: no one else will ever love you, or trust you, or be there for you like we will. So stop fighting against who you are and the people you should be appreciating and stop worrying about people who will never worry about you.” She stepped back, huffing in irritation, “Now you’ve ruined my good mood. On second thought, I’m going to Lloyd’s alone—-I doubt even he’s got enough firewhiskey in stock to satisfy me if I had to listen to your ridiculous  p r e a c h i n g  all night.”

[goylc]

And this was what she was supposed to be grateful for? A family that manipulated her into thinking no one but them cared about her? What a joke. “Yeah, me benefiting from it explains why I started from the bottom at the radio station instead of getting something the first day just because of who I was. It you are okay getting things that way, that’s fine, but don’t ever try to minimise my efforts because I know what I’ve had to do to get where I am as a person.” She sighed and looked away, as always, this conversation was going nowhere. “You can keep winning all you want, and thinking you’re better, because maybe you are. But I personally don’t want things that way. I don’t expect to convince you or anyone about it. You get things your way, I’ll get them my way. What’s bad about that?”

Of course she didn’t care who ended up suffering if she had at least what she had had until now. It angered Evangeline beyond measure, but it also saddened her. How could someone so beautiful, and normally happy could be su putrid and horrible inside? 

Evangeline looked at her sister knowing the cracks were growing longer and deeper each second that went by. “If you’re saying I should stand still, look pretty and pretend the world isn’t bothering me... well, I’m sorry, but I can’t, so do what you will. I’ll visit whenever you guys want me to, and when you ask, I won’t open my mouth. Sounds good? Good?” Leaning until she was able to pick up her parched bag, she walked past her sister and toward the exit of that place that for the longest of times had stopped feeling like home.  

[umtxddy]

“Then, no offense, but your family has their heads so far up their arses they can probably taste their own intestines.” Teddy had been raised to be respectful, and kind, and polite, the kind of person their parents would have been proud of,  but they couldn’t help but throw all that out the window when injustices like this were happening right under their nose.  “Not hating him isn’t the point. You should more than tolerate him, you should lose your breath when he enters the room, you should go to bed at night dreaming about the next time you see him, you should..” Teddy paused, thinking of how many people they’d felt this way about. “You should love him. And he should love you, not treat you like an ornament, or…or a stuffed animal. I look everywhere, it’d be pretty hard to be in love with me without me noticing.”

[goylc]

“That’s probably true, but don’t say it out loud. One, you never know who’s listening and two... they’re still my family, Teddy. I understand fully what you’r saying. Hell, perhaps even more than I should care to, but I do.” It hurt her to do so, but if there was any hope that some light would hit her siblings’ eyes, it was her. “I don’t really care for stuff like that. So it’s fine by me to marry whoever, really. I know I ‘should’ many things when it comes to him, but many of us can’t and don’t want to afford romance. It’s just not practical. Something tells me you need to look harder. Really, really harder. And I’m not exactly saying they love you, but maybe they think you’re cute. That thought’s never going anywhere if you don’t help it, lover boy.”

[valeriagoyle-blog]

“Really, Evangeline? He’s disappointed you? How? By loving you, defending you, always being willing to protect you—? I think your little defiant act is cute but being so ungrateful is definitely not.” Valeria’s temper, infamous and volatile, reared it’s ugly head, “We are your  f a m i l y  and despite our differences we love you—-and it would be nice if you’d do more than throw that in our faces every chance you get. There is no bond stronger than family, Evangeline—you should remember that. Who else is going to be here for you but us?”

[goylc]

Loving someone didn’t always have to be linked with being proud of them. How? Easy. Evangeline felt like a mother who tried to make her children see the difference, the clear difference between right or wrong, and the worth of empathy and justice... but instead they took the wrong way to move forward, ignoring people’s pain. Feeling superior over something that at the end of the day didn’t matter, and making use of resources that they didn’t truly deserve. But still, with the arguments provided by her sister, Evangeline took a deep breath, closed her eyes, assessed the situation, and decided to step back, just for one more day. 

“Look. You’re right. I’m being a brat to you, and this isn’t your fault. It’s not your fault.” You were just indoctrinated, I don’t know how, but you were. “If you want to make us of what being part of this family brings, by all means, do it. You guys are living your life the way you want to, and I’m doing the same, and that should be... enough.” But it wasn’t. Not when she knew, when things came down to it, her siblings would most likely end up on the wrong side of the tracks. It wasn’t too late, she hoped it still wasn’t. “We started drifting apart when I understood some things and I decided I just... you know? I don’t use my name, my last name, in public, because I want to get things on my own terms and with my own work. I want to be able to communicate with people without them thinking the worst. It’s the name and the benefits I distanced myself from as soon as I could because I couldn’t live off someone else’s doings, you know?”

Another deep breath. “I’m marrying Asher still, whenever he’s done preparing to become a healer. I’m listening to what I have to do. I may not want to entirely follow your path, but I am an obedient daughter when it comes to something that will apparently benefit us all. I care about all of you deeply even if it may not seem like it. We’re just... we’re just not children anymore, Valeria. We can’t blindly follow ideals we were told to follow because it was convenient. Parents aren’t always right. The way a society is being run isn’t always right. Maybe I am the one in the wrong, but I am thinking and making my own mistakes and going out of my way to try and make, at least my life, a little less... I don’t know. So what if I’m wrong? Let me be. If letting you guys be is the only thing I can do right now, then fine. Just quit thinking this is some baby defiant act? Please?”

[umtxddy]

“So it’s a blood status thing? I don’t understand why love isn’t enough for some people. You’d think after the last war, people would have realized the dangers of being an elitist twat, but no. They still have to force their daughter into an unhappy life for the sake of social standing.” Teddy slumped in their chair, even the thought sending their mind into a downwards spiral. “I’m sorry, Evangeline. If it helps, we’re in the same boat when it comes to the difficult to fall in love with thing.”

[goylc]

“Because... you know, purebloods. I don’t care about any of that crap, but hey, my family just thinks I’m an ungrateful little rebel shit so I’m fine with that. I love them, but I swear...” She sighed, shaking her head to stop herself from becoming all too passionate about this. If she could hold all of her siblings by the shoulders and shake some reason into their brains, she would. But that would most certainly not work. “Anyway, Asher’s not so bad, I guess. He’s becoming a healer, and so far I think I tolerate him. It’s not love, but at least I don’t hate the guy, so, as long as I don’t become an ornament, I’m fine.” She looked up at him from her papers, scrunching her nose. “Are you on doxy shit? You’re as close as anyone’s gonna get to an actual stuffed animal. I’m sure there are some people, you just haven’t noticed.” 

[valeriagoyle-blog]

Valeria examined her fingernails, only half listening to her sisters self-righteous speech—she loved Evie, truly (she was a riot, honestly), but the holier-than-thou attitude did get a bit exhausting at times. “Evangeline,” She said, in her best imitation of their older sister, “Yes, yes, we all know how much you enjoy proving that you break the mould but you can be totally rebellious while sipping on one of the new drinks at Lloyd’s club—he’s so excited about them, you don’t want to disappoint him, do you?”

[goylc]

“Valerie.” She repeated, in that same annoying tone of voice. “It’s not about breaking the mould, but if that’s what you want to see it as, then fine by me.” Shaking her head, she stared down at the sheets of paper she had ripped and taken apart from magazines and newspapers. Collages were her only hobby as of late. “I don’t know, he’s disappointed me a lot throughout his life, why wouldn’t I return the favor? My relationship to all of you is based in nothing but frank and sincere reciprocation.”

[umtxddy]

“Please don’t punch me any day, please. I bruise like a peach.” Teddy scowled as they realised what she was talking about, fists curling in their lap. “Oh. Oh. That’s bloody bollocks. I mean, I like a rich man as much as anyone, but what’s the use in golden pockets if you don’t have the golden heart to match? Let’s elope, then you can’t marry anyone else.”

[goylc]

“Only because you said please and because the image of a peach bruising is rather disturbing to me somehow.” Nodding at him as he seemed to understand what she was saying at last, Evangeline sighed. “It’s not that he’s rich exactly. He could be poor, but he’s still part of the sacred 28 families. Still bollocks though, I’m not arguing with that. Let’s be honest, even if I eloped, I don’t think I’d marry. I’m not as easy to fall in love with as you put.”

[stcnfordbones]

“Muggle music is my favourite thing, like seriously - - - it’s my LIFE. And it sucks that we can’t just integrate ourselves within the muggle culture, like their music and celebrities, films, you know - - - the stuff like that, and it kills me that we can’t do that. It’d be like having the best of both worlds, you know? It’s such a tragedy.”

[goylc]

“I hear you, but see, to some people, there’s nothing remotely good in muggle culture, and it’s not exactly safe to say something about it right now. That’s... I think that’s the worst part. What are we, if not freaks to them? What’s left to do but endure right now?”

[jacquelinegoyle-blog]

“-I guess everyone has their…quirks. I, however, have just been finding it hard when I have selfish siblings who only think about themselves rather than the family as a whole. There isn’t much that I can do about it except try and guide them in the right direction and yet they take my patience for granted.”

[goylc]

Said the queen of bad quirks. Evangeline thought. “I’d think of the family as a whole in certain circumstances. Circumstances that aren’t playing out right now. Furthermore, if I were to voice my real concerns, I’d be even more of a pariah than I am right now, and, quite frankly, why bother? Sorry that your oh so royal patiences is put to proof every single second of your painful existence.”

[valeriagoyle-blog]

“Right—different because it’s coming from you, my oh-so-rebellious little sister—your complaints are so much more valid than anyone else’s, I forgot.” Despite her teasing, Valeria gave Evangeline an affectionate pat on the head, “Oh, please, keep your knickers on—it’s all in good fun, and I don’t think you’re giving him enough credit—maybe he likes a bit of chaos too. Besides, what else are you going to do with your evening—sit in your room alone listening to that ghastly muggle music? Sounds like a real party. If you don’t say yes to me I’ll just get Lloyd to ask you.”

[goylc]

“You know? For once, the fact that you’re not able to listen for long is making me very happy.” Evangeline granted, refraining herself from rubbing her eyes and then from jumping on Valerie to bite the hand that was patting her off. She had no doubt her anger issues came from the family she had been born in, but alas... family was the only thing that remained when everything else went to tell. She was hoping that would remain true in the end. “I might just do stuff none of you care for, exactly. Please, we both know he’s not going to ask me, he’s just going to drag me out whether I want to or not, so could you not?”

[valeriagoyle-blog]

“Hmmm, and here I thought you were a pureblood whining about something as useless as muggle music—-maybe we aren’t so different after all, Evangeline.” She teased, smirk firmly in place. Giving an airy sigh, she shrugged, “Please—Lloyd would be dragging you out, not the other way around. And I won’t need a wingman… unless I want to see if I can wind William up enough to provoke a reaction—-which might actually be fun, now that you mention it….” She mused, looking deep in thought before snapping her fingers, “Between all of that and Lloyd’s penchant for debauchery, we probably won’t even have time to embarrass you, Evie.”

[goylc]

“... you don’t get it. That’s different.” You’re more useless than muggle music, Valerie, and yet you don’t hear me complaining or saying how much I wish I could punch your face sometimes because you only open up your mouth to spew bullshit only people like you understand. If only she could actually say that. “I’d rather die, thank you.” Well, that wasn’t so different. “Please don’t do that? For one day I wish you people could stop being so... ” She whisped her hands as she tried finding the right words for what she was looking for. “Just be actual empathetic people who are not trying to cause chaos for their entertainment? Yes? That’d be nice.”

[ajvanity-blog]

“To celebrate becoming an official Healer-in training, give everyone a round on me!”

[goylc]

“Your parents must be proud. Uhm... I’m proud too. Not that you need me to be, or anything, but... Good for you? Should you be drinking today? I-I don’t want to seem meddling.” She hated acting like she was asking for anyone’s permission to say or do something, but what else was she supposed to do? Until she knew what ground she was stepping on, having to be linked to this individual, she couldn’t do much else other than being actually pleasing. Or at least sounding like she was.

[umtxddy]

“You’re also super easy to fall in love with.” Teddy had a brief flashback of all the tall, handsome, mysterious men they’d fallen for over the years, and shivered. “Who are you marrying? Must be a right looker to get you to go out with them.”

[goylc]

“You’re joking.” And that wasn’t even a question, despite the fact that she smiled. “And it’s only because you’re joking that I’m not going to punch you, today.” She granted, patting his shoulder gently. “Think again. It’s not so much the looks as it is what’s running in his veins. Apparently gold or something because my parents just aren’t having any of my non-sense about why I shouldn’t marry him, but oh well. It’s what it is.”

[umtxddy]

“Everyone’s problems matter.” Teddy shrugged, slouching down in their chair slightly. “Not seeing someone now, not seen someone ever. Apparently tender and cute don’t count for much when they’re coupled with awkward and antisocial.”

[goylc]

“See, when you’re handsome but also awkward and antisocial, you’re mysterious. But when you’re awkward and antisocial you’re a creep. And you don’t really fit with the creep criteria, at all. If I was looking, which I’m not, because I already know who I’m marrying...” Suuure, just keep saying that until you believe it, Ev. “But if I was, I’d probably be looking for someone like you.”

[zachzabini-blog]

“Listening to the same thing over and over gets old real fast. But that’s what we have to do, right? We gotta listen to the old folks because they always decide everything even though it should be our world, you know? The Three Broomsticks. Can’t exactly work at the other pub and hey at least it’s free booze.”

[goylc]

“Hmm.” She pondered, looking at him, then going astray again. “Have you seen any of my siblings there at any time? They’re like, taller, prettier versions of myself, so there’s really no way of missing them. I’m just trying to find a place where they don’t go, that I can go to myself, but these days it’s becoming harder and harder.”

[umtxddy]

“The couple living in the flat below me keep having really loud sex at 3 o’clock in the morning. It’s quite depressing when I’m the most single person I’ve ever met.”

[goylc]

“... okay, Lupin, your problems are bigger than mine.” At his next words, Evangeline frowned, partially smiling in disbelief. “You’re telling me you’re not seeing someone right now? You seem so tender and cute and all that’s a twenty five year old wet dream. Man or woman, they all want the same. What’s the matter?”  

[valeriagoyle-blog]

“But you actually did just invite me to vent—so you sort of did ask for my opinion, sister dear. And I’ll ignore your butchering of the name our parents blessed me with and just say that I think you should come out with me tonight—a siblings’ night out, what do you think? Jacqueline and Sera have been working way too hard and we’d hardly need to convince Lloyd. So?”

[goylc]

“Vent about real problems, not your usual pureblood whining. I can’t whine about anything not superfluous, so one of the things I like and can’t have will have to do.” She granted, crossing her arms over her chest, her nose wrinkling a little at the mention of Lloyd. “Lloyd? You want to drag Lloyd with us? So basically, you want me there as your wingman and so Lloyd can embarrass me in public again.” Not that they, her siblings as a whole, didn’t do that quite often, but it was a rather awful thing to say it if they took her seriously.

[zachzabini-blog]

Zach wasn’t up for venting about the real problems. Complaining about something as trivial of music was easier. “And do you know how much I wish that we could jam to some Drake at the bar? If I have to listen to the Weird Sisters one more time, I might croak.”

[goylc]

“It’s not so much the Weird Sisters as it is having to deal with something that either never quite changes or simply won’t quit despite it being so bad just because it’s the only acceptable thing old people can listen to. I hear ya’, though. Bar? What bar are we talking about?”