Summary : Ravenclaw female MC getting consoled by Talbott.
WARNING : Story takes place following the event in Year 6 Chapter 19.
It feels wrong and surreal, recalling Rowan was in the same House as Talbott, and yet he knew very little of her; and now she’s gone.
Tonight is different. Although it isn’t the first night he finds himself unable to sleep. It’s been a habit of his, actually, to sneak out of the Ravenclaw Tower in his Animagus form. His usual hideout is the owlery; he finds it rather comforting to watch the nocturnal animals become lively as the rest of the world is lulled to sleep.
His mind goes to Elysia. A part of him wants to give her comfort, despite feeling unsure he can provide her any. He often wonders if she feels overwhelmed with everything that’s been going on. And now she has to deal with actual death, too—not just anyone’s, but Rowan’s. He wonders if she’s able to get any sleep at all.
As he manages to sneak his way out of his dormitory, he has to stop in his track when he notices someone is curled up on the couch near the window in the common room. It’s already past midnight and the light is dimmed. Talbott can only barely make out the outline, and yet he knows.
“Can’t sleep?” Her voice is low, but in the dead of night her voice is as clear as day.
“I could ask you the same.”
Elysia sits up and pats the spot next to her on the couch. The common room is lit by the enchanted stars covering the tower’s dome, but Talbott can’t miss her eyes in the dark looking at him, inviting him to join her.
Abandoning his idea to visit the owlery, he gingerly takes his seat next to her. Wrapped in quilt, she doesn’t seem to find his presence to be intrusive.
She leans her head back on the couch to gaze up at the stars. He wonders if she can tell that he starts getting uncomfortable with the silence. This is mainly why he prefers to be surrounded by the owls; they don’t expect him to say something and start a conversation. This does not mean that Talbott had never been unsure of what to say, it’s just she’s usually the one who initiates the talking anyway.
But tonight is different.
He follows her suit and look up at the stars. There’s a lot of the unsaid; he doesn’t know whether she wants to talk about the unsaid, or will it be disrespectful for him to pretend like there’s nothing left unsaid. He comes to the conclusion that Elysia herself is probably unsure of what to say. What she has to say, she’s already said it.
After a moment of stargazing, he can see her from his peripheral vision turning and studying him. “So you wanna tell me where you were heading?” she finally asks. “Sneaking out like that, clearly the common room wasn’t your final destination.”
He returns her gaze. This close, he can almost hear her breathing. “I’m right where I wanna be.” It earns him a stifled laugh from her, and a little smile that fades too quickly, although it didn’t go unnoticed by Talbott.
She goes uncharacteristically silent, choosing to play with her quilt instead. There’s so many things to say but nothing comes out, both from her and him. He wants to ask if she’s okay, but he knows it’s a stupid question. Of course she’s not okay. After all, he can imagine how she feels.
As the silence grows more and more unbearable, he decides to verbalize what he’s been meaning to ask. “And what about you? Why are you not in bed?” But seeing her repeatedly flapping the end of her quilt suddenly fills him with the urge to stop her; and once he does, he’s met with a startled look on her face. She breaks his gaze to glance at his hand on hers but doesn’t return to look him in the eye right after. Talbott was half expecting her to take her hand away, but she never does.
“I can’t sleep, that’s all.” she offers as an answer, although he knows better than to buy it.
Talbott readjusts himself on his seat so that he’s facing her. The shift consequently makes her inch closer towards him. He’s not sure if it’s the darkened room that makes him feel bold, knowing she can’t see the look on his face very clearly; or if it’s purely his inclination to offer her comfort.
He takes a quick glance at where their hands are touching, trying not to move a muscle in case it makes her pull her hand back. But still he can’t help but lightly brush his thumb on the back of her hand.
“It’s her bed, isn’t it.” He says after a momentarily pause and instantly regrets it when she responds with a choked sound. But he can feel her hand in his tightened into a ball of fist as she lowers her head and nodding profusely.
“I—” She stops herself, a sob is threatening to break out, but she manages to hold it in by taking a sharp breath. “I can’t stand looking at it, Talbott!” He instinctively lets her rest her head on his shoulder. “I can’t sleep with her bed, empty—staring at me.” Her voice is muffled by her low sob. He loosens her fingers so that he can hold her hand in his while his other hand lightly rubbing a small of her back.
He’d be lying if he said he’s not a little nervous to have her in his arms like this. Sure, they’d been on a date a few times before and she did invite him to join her for the summer before their sixth year began. The plan, however, had to change when he heard that she’d finally found her brother—only for Jacob Nyxon to disappear again, along with other things. All before their fifth year even ended. He overheard Rowan asking her at the start-of-term feast if her brother came home that summer. Talbott didn’t need to hear her answer since the pained look on her face told him he didn’t.
Quick to regain her composure, Elysia draws back from him. He should’ve known the moment would not last; but still, Talbott finds himself wishing it could last longer, even if it’s just for a little. He realizes he’s disappointed for having to let go of her, but careful not to show her. The last thing he wants is her mistaking that she makes him uncomfortable. She hurriedly wipes away any trace of tears on her face while smoothening his rumpled shirt where she was clutching on for dear life just now. He furrows his brows in disapproval and shushes her when she starts apologizing.
In her desperate attempt to lighten up the mood, she tries to laugh it off but it only comes in a long sigh. Even though she’s avoiding his gaze, she has yet to let go of his hand. She fixes her gaze on their intertwined hands, resuming her previous silence.
“I thought I could finally get some sleep out here. But it isn’t just the empty bed.”
