Valentino shot her a fond smile and then reached out for some tequila, taking a long sip as he listened to her speak. He laughed at the abrupt subject change. So that was why is normally sullen best friend was suddenly so energized. “Your ball date? I mean…yeah, she’s definitely not hard on the eyes by any means even if she’s not my type,” he shot her a smirk. “I take it you like her then?”
"Oye, mi amor... we both know I am incapable of such feelings.“ Her words rang true but it was her features that failed her attempt at deceit for her smile was gleaming, eyes shining brightly, almost as brightly as her mother’s golden sun-shaped earrings she was wearing. “But yes, agreed, very much agreed she is not bad on the eyes at all...”
After a couple of harmless sips and she was still perfectly stood on her feet without any difficulties. Her date for the night, on the other hand, was rather giddy and much more relaxed as she dawned the uncertain amount of drink. She was much more preferred her that way, considering how tense she looked for almost the entire night. Although, it did make her wonder of things that could possibly stress her out. Her gaze landed on the other nervously, as they made their way through the empty hallway. She had promised to escort her back to her dorm, mainly because she got worried about how she’s going to survive the night. But, there are things that she’s still unable to get her grasp onto. Things that’s rather foreign for her mind and heart to compromise.
A loud gasp escape from her lips, as she felt arms snaked around her waist, thus pulling her closer. She could still smell the scent of alcohol coming from her, but stronger now from this distance. Her lips curved into a smile as she heard her name flows from the others lips, as if it’s almost like a chant, a prayer with much of an adoration. Before she could change her mind, she dipped forward, welcoming her presence as she hovered her lips against the others and her eyes fluttered close.
Eyes fell shut, and her body almost automatically leaning in to press against the others. Everything was quite intense in that moment, but particularly the scent that flowed off of Lyanna, her light and airy perfume filling Celia’s senses. The dark haired girl felt the other’s breathe against her lips, for there was little to no distance between the two. And then her intoxication gave her the last push to find the courage to finally press her lips against the other’s. A feathery soft kiss, feeling the other’s soft ones moving against her own. Hands gently moving along her back one higher and the other to encircle the girl entirely.
For in that moment Celia felt the need to get closer to Lyanna, as though that were humanly possible anymore. Whilst kissing she could feel the other’s chest rising and falling against hers, and for the first time in a very long time Celia held her breath. For she felt as though this was a moment she wanted to drag out, to exist in for a little while longer. And then there was another part of her, that simply wanted to consume the other girl whole, to learn every inch of her body in a passionate haze. A constant war between fast and slow.
Celia’s mother, Dorothée, was a vibrant woman. In particular she adored the color orange, for it is the color of the sky when the sun rises and sets, as though energy would fill the air and set the heavens aflame. There weren’t many things that the woman loved, but her family was on top of the list (even higher than the color orange) and in particular she adored the german shephard the woman had taken in when it was just a puppy. It was for this affection that she named the creature Roi, “King” or “Monarch” in french. For in her eyes the creature was royalty and so she treated him as such.
This dog was more than simply a pet of the family, no, he was a part of the family. Roi became the protector of Celia. As a little girl she was plagued with a very light sleep, so when Celia would wake she would cry and Roi would jump onto the bed and curl up by her side until the little girl stopped crying. After time passed by, he didn’t need to make the journey to the bed for it was his own as well, and his place was beside Celia. When she was a little girl he was taller than she was, and she found it funny to try and ride him like a pony. But, her mother would scold her and forbid this from happening for it could harm the dog and that was the last thing that she wanted.
Whenever Celia would have to leave to attend school she would cry and cling onto the dog, and each time she left the farewell became more difficult. For she had come to love the dog as though it were a brother.
TW: death (due to illness), murder (of a dog) & emotional pain
When her mother became ill, and refused to acknowledge the fact that she was ill due to her pride, things began to fall apart in Celia’s life. Her mother struggled against her sickness, until she was no more than a shell of her former self and ultimately passed away. Her father could not control himself, his anger was immediately directed at everything that reminded him of his beloved wife. Anger consumed him until reason ceased to exist.
The night after her mother had passed away, was the worst that Celia could remember. Her father was shooting spells around the house, destroying everything they had built in their marriage. He was yelling, screaming at the top of his lungs and Celia knew not what to do so she hid in her closet, her arms wrapped around Roi. Face hidden in his fur, the thirteen year old girl felt as though she might just survive this. But she had been so wrong, because the next thing she remembered was her father ripping open the doors of the closet, and pulling the dog out of her arms. He yelled at her to grow up, and stop crying. For tears were streaming down her face.
Her biggest regret was that she hadn’t taken the dog away earlier, that she hadn’t escaped when his anger began to bubble up -- because then she might just have saved a life. But instead, she closed her eyes and tried to stifle her sobs. Out of pure anger and pain the main had used the unforgivable curse on the dog -- there and then -- before slamming the closet doors shut again. Celia had not known how much time had passed then, it could have been hours but she was still sitting there, curled up against the wall, sobbing as her lungs were fighting for air.
Only once silence filled the air did she dare to peak out of the closet and did she collapse on the dog’s carcass. Holding Roi tightly she lay there for hours. Until finally she found the strength to get up, and pull her dog into her arms and leave out of the window of her room for the De La Cruz house. When Valentino appeared the girl couldn’t hold herself together any longer, she could not explain what had happened. She couldn’t put together coherent sentences for in those short 24 hours she had lost her entire family, figuratively and literally. Her mother passed away, her dog was killed and her father lost himself.
That night the two children went into the depths of the Amazon and gave her beloved dog a proper funeral. But what stayed with her from that night on, was that this was just the beginning of her suffering.
After a night of excessive amounts of booze and dancing the other had offered to escort Celia back to her dorm room. Celia had never really thought that she would get to feel such a thing one day, this whirling sense of having butterflies bat their wings in her stomach. Her family was at loss of affections, and though she had grown up with the De La Cruz household she didn’t see this feeling in her future. A soft giggle escaped her lips as the giddy girl wandered down the hallway, fingers intertwining with Lyanna’s as they were holding hands. Her dark hues glued on the other’s figure, not quite looking where she was going towards that moment, causing her to stumble every now and then as well as chuckle along the way. Celia could not remember a time in which she had ever smiled this much, and so sincerely.
Perhaps her thoughts had been right, alcohol does solve all your problems... It made the voices go silent for a little while, and it made her brave enough to go through with something she never thought she’d dare do. Not long after Celia pulled Lyanna back as she came to a halt. Pulling the other into her arms, wrapping her own around the other girl’s waist. “Thank you, Lyanna.” The other’s name rolled off her lips as though it were honey, dripping in gold. And before Celia could stop herself she was inching closer to the other.
Valentino raised an eyebrow as his best friend spoke, mildly interested until she mentioned the tequila and that’s when he perked up considerably. “You are a goddess and my life would be hollow without you,” he said, emphatically. He smirked at her announcement and shook his head, amused. “You’re right, obviously. You and I are of a superior breed. But what exactly spurred this on? Have you been inhaling too many potion fumes again? I’ve told you a million times that makes you loopy.”
Celia let out a soft giggle as she heard the other’s words, “Gracias, mi amor. As would be my life without you.” She paused before taking another sip from her bottle before answering rather cheerily, “Yeah found a new favorite liquor-- and also isn’t Lyanna beautiful?” It was rather unnatural for Celia to be so giddy, she didn’t have many reasons in life to smile over-- but when one came along she truly was happy.
"Okay, I have good news and even better news...” A slight grin slipped upon Celia’s features (alright, slight was quite the understatement there). “First of all, I have a bottle of tequila, that needs another partner in crime to finish.” she paused before adding dramatically “Oh and of course, I am amazing. I started this new self appreciation thing where I say it out loud to make other people feel like shit. Not you of course, I just mean those little...” another pause, “Uh... you know those people.”
“–Merci. It’s so pretty. And now, I feel bad for not prepare anything for you.”
The Beauxbatons found herself staring at the girl fondly, as she delicately slipped the corsage on her wrist. She grinned, returning the smile Celia offered. She’s honestly so thoughtful, not to mention beautiful, with the blush dusting on her cheeks. She had to hold herself from pinning the other against the wall and do the rest. But, the night is still young and she had vowed to actnicely. It’s too early for her to think of it, anyway. After all, her date had made a tremendous effort to prepare for the night. She wouldn’t want to ruin it for her selfish fervor. Lyanna took the other girl’s hand and looped it against her arm, thus continuing their journey and leading her to the hall.
“–Oui. Yes. I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to witness the envious gaze from the entire room, knowing that I’m with the most beautiful girl around.”
"Oh please, you’re here with me that is a gift enough.” Celia was back to her general flirtateous nature as she allowed herself to wink at the other as they began to walk towards the great hall once more. Their arms looped together. “They have nothing on us, mon chéri.” It was shortly after that the two had reached the great hall, illuminated as it was with the most beautiful decorations. The ceiling mesmerized her since she had first set foot in the castle, but her glance was solely directed at Lyanna.
“How about a dance?” Her smile radiating upon her face, the spark slipping even into her eyes. Celia had always loved to dance, and what better than to dance with a beautiful young woman? It was odd to think that as children they had played together, gone on vacations together, and she had failed to see just how beautiful the other had been. Perhaps distance made the heart grow fonder, but Celia knew for a fact that she would enjoy the evening thoroughly with someone like Lyanna at her side-- or better yet, in her arms.
For what she thought could have ended like a disaster, was proven her wrong. Lyanna wasn’t even that drunk when she throws the other girl a genuine offer to go to the Yule Ball with her. She doesn’t even expect her to say yes, instead of brushed it off, thinking of it as a mere joke or prank she initiates for another scheme. But, she was being genuine, thus she had been looking forward to this day to come. She was extremely early to arrive in front of the Castelocbruxo’s dormitory and the moment Celia steps out of the door, she was left in awe. A smile graced her lips as they made their way to the Great Hall.
Frown marred through her features, as if she was more than willing to accompany her to her dorm to get whatever she left behind. But, the sudden tug against her arm manages to halt her steps. Lyanna turned around to face the other girl, only to greeted by a sight of a beautiful corsage on her hand. Another smile tugged at the corner of her lips, as she gently took Celia’s hand.
“–Is that for me?”
"Yeah...” biting down the first thought that came to mind ‘no its for my cat obviously...’ the young woman felt a blush creeping its way upon her cheeks and a smile slipped onto her lips for a moment. “I thought you know, a beautiful date deserves a proper corsage and not just the shitty ass flowers that they have in this country.” It wasn’t hard to tell that Celia wasn’t a fan of England, it was icky, it was cold, the food wasn’t good, the water tasted nasty, the accents were odd, the nature was well lifeless and there’s no need to even get started on the weather and temperatures. Once brought onto that topic she could honestly rant for hours, and truly missed her home. She missed the warmth, the spirit, the foods and the beautiful nature throughout which she could thread.
With that she stepped forwards, gently slipping the corsage onto the other’s wrist and carefully tying the bow. Once she had done this, she felt her hand being held by the other’s. It was comfortable, an odd comfortable feeling. It brought the smile to return to her features as she finally dared to look up towards the other. Her usual pride returning to her, as Celia straightened her back and lowered her shoulders. “Shall we? I believe I need to parade around my beautiful date and rub it in people’s faces that they’re all ugly.”
Usually, this time of year brought nothing but sorrow to Celia. For this was the time of the year when she would begin packing, packing to go home and spend time with her menacing father before she could finally run off to the De La Cruz household. But this year, no, this year was different -- she could tell. For she was wearing a lengthy gown, embroidered with flowers, such a delicate color that matched her skin tone closely. She felt as though the monsters in her mind were locked away, hidden from the glamours of this moment. In drunken honesty she had accepted Lyanna’s idea to go to the ball together, knowing that it was meant as a joke. But that didn’t matter, for there was something about the girl that had so graciously picked her up from her room, that was alluring.
Alluring enough for Celia to spend half the day locked up in her room, frantically searching in her herbology and spells books for a particular spell rather than drowning in her potions notes. And she had found it, a spell that would create the most beautiful corsage, of wild jungle flowers. Bright colors that dripped with joy, a feeling she only ever had when stepping out into the wild, letting her animagi side take over and run through the wilderness of the amazons. It was in that moment when they had begun walking down towards the great hall that Celia paused, fingers curling around one of Lyanna’s lower arms -- but for the first time not entirely aggressively. “Wait, I forgot...” Shortly after Celia dove her hand deep into her bag and brought out the very corsage she had been working on, sheepishly she glanced up towards Lyanna, highly uncomfortable with acting so kind, and partially afraid that the other girl would laugh at her baring emotions.
Koda just mainly let people be because that meant less confrontation, and all in all, understanding someone’s reasons to be didn’t mean supporting them. That was more or less what her relationship with Celia and Valentino were like, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t let Karma catch up with them if it had the chance to. She didn’t know if it was that attitude that had Celia so… into her, but she couldn’t exactly change that just to have her give up on whatever intentions she had with her, whether truly romantic or just superficial. “… maybe everyone in Castelobruxo. My subconscious, my conscious, my spidey sense…. It’s not that hard to gather, Celia. You might wanna work on that.” She granted, cold hands going beneath her armpits as she shrugged. “Uh. Outside? Then the kitchens also seem like a good place. I can’t handle my alcohol without peanuts at least.”
The love of the heart and love of the body are two concepts to which Celia has always had a complicated relation. The matters of the heart were terrifying to the young woman for that would mean letting someone into the chaos that was her mind. Matters of the body were simpler and that was her escape. The only way in which Celia could truly show affections of any kind without letting someone get too close and let them burn their fingers when touching her heart. For she truly feared for this, that whomever had her heart ultimately would be doomed. For her love was a curse, this was one of the many voices corrupting her mind day by day. And so, Celia chose to simply ignore the statement made as though she hadn’t heard it. Instead, she added. “The kitchens sound good to me, then we can munch on all the foods.” A small grin appeared on her lips as the dark haired girl started walking in the direction of the kitchens, “Come on, guapa.”
“I wouldn’t say no to some of that,” Asteria said with a grin, inclining her head toward the bottles in Celia’s hands. “But I was honestly just about to head up to study.” It wasn’t exactly her idea of a fun night, but she had a Potions exam coming up that she was bound to fail if she didn’t go over her notes at least a couple of times. “Carry on.”
“Hold up-- so you’re telling me after we were all hauled up in a room for far too long and a bunch of idiots got themselves kidnapped and some girl showed up dead -- you’re going to go study?” Celia arched a brow at her fellow house mate before lifting her shoulders and dropping them in a shrugging motion, “You do you--”
It’s rather pathetic. As if the fire and the glory of the students’ spirits fading just only two days after the latest announcement about the two missing students. Hogwarts looks deserted, without students bustling around the hallways and the grounds. That’s her chance to finally head over to the place she had been dying to visit since day one, hence the lack of her knowledge of a castle this huge. Her eyes lit at the sight of someone not really far from where she was standing. A smile lingers on her lips as she approached them.
“–Bonjour. Do you happen to know where I can find the Trophy Room?”
"J’en sais rien, Montague.” Celia stated in passing, however, as she answered the other was when she realized what an odd question that was considering everything that was going on. “Why do YOU want to go THERE?” Celia’s brows drew together as wrinkles began to spread across her forehead, lips parting as the puzzled expression seemed to feature itself upon her expression. “You know most people are being pathetic and cowering in corners and you’re asking about a trophy room?” Celia had to admit to herself that she truly adored ho together Lyanna seemed to be whilst the whole commotion of people disappearing and what not was continuing to go on.
Valentino had been busy for hours setting up the altar. He’d gotten special permission to skip his classes to do so. His particular brand of wide-eyed pleading, combined with subtle emotional manipulation had caused all of his professors to agree readily. This was the first time he’d ever spent his birthday and el Dia de los Muertos away from his parents and it felt strange and wrong. He was feeling more contemplative than usual as a result. His parents had assured him that they would let the ghosts of their ancestors know why he was absent but that had done little to make him feel better. He wanted to be home. He wanted his mami to paint his face like she did every year. Having an altar so far away from home was the only thing he could think of to make himself feel better. His tiny lonely celebration did not feel the same. He supposed he could have approached some of the Mexican students from Ilvermorny to see if they wanted to do something together, but the idea of grovelling to his old schoolmates filled him with a deep sense of disgust. Besides, they would know Mexican traditions, sure, but the shreds of Caxcan customs and magic that his mother’s family had protected so fiercely over hundreds of years of interracial marriage, colonization and near extinction were things that only he would be able to understand. No, this small, lonely altar would have to suffice.
He levitated a few more candles to the top of the altar, settling them carefully down, and followed them up with some more cempasúchiles. He didn’t have any pan de muerto….these European house elves did not know how to make it, but he had luckily brought enough espumoso tequila to put two bottles on the bottom ledge. The amber liquid was practically glowing as the sun coming in through the windows hit it, making the gold flecks inside shine even brighter. He murmured another soft spell, moving his wand up and down in slow, careful patterns to decorate the side of the altar with purple swirls. As he was decorating, he felt the prickly feeling of eyes on his back. Without turning to look, he snapped at the person.
“I know I’m beautiful, but take a picture, stalker. It’ll last longer.”
Celia had spent much time in the De La Cruz household, more than in her own. It was for this very reason she knew to be silent, and make space for the family during this time of the year. It was something sacred, something she wasn’t a part of and that was alright-- for this wasn’t a part of her life or heritage, it was his though. Being so far from his family, from his traditions, in a country so very unlike his own must have been difficult, and so Celia set out to find her best friend (perhaps even her only friend). She slipped through the many hallways, averting her gaze down their length in the hopes to spot Valentino somewhere. But, wherever she went, he wasn’t present. And so the search continued. Finally, when she had thought that she would never find him, she turned a corner and found Val before a small altar he had seemingly built himself.
As she heard his words the dark haired girl silently sunk down onto the ground beside him. Often, she would open her mouth and spew out whatever came to her mind. But this wasn’t her place to speak, this was her time to remain silent and to support her friend if he wanted her there at all. Carefully, the young woman folded her hands on her lap and glanced over at what Valentino was doing. Dark hues lit up purple as the swirls danced through the air, her orbs swerved to follow his gracious movements and admire the masterpiece he was creating by himself. Until he told her otherwise, this was all she was to do -- for she was not present to overstep boundaries. Celia was there for her friend, whom had been there for her throughout the miseries of her father’s chosen style of parenting.
