there were so many things from her life before magic that mary failed to reconnect with. she barely saw her family these days, out of fear of bringing them in danger if she visited, out of fear of showing them all the ways she had changed. she was no longer the girl running around with muddy shoes and wide grins and cows surrounding her. she was a hardened person, with a scarred skin and charred insides. the only thing she kept coming back to was god, was muttering the same words over and over again, was folding her hands before she went to bed and closing her eyes. and even that had changed — she didn’t ask for healthy calfs or for grandpa to recover any more. she asked why, why, why, and for her friends and family to be safe from remorseless people who would kill her without thinking twice. but she still prayed. “that would be nice,” she said eventually, returning to leo and their conversation, rather than her thoughts. “we should make a habit out of it. i mostly pray alone these days and … i never used to, when i was younger.” there was always her father, leading the prayer before, with his deep voice, and she and all her siblings saying amen after. “and i don’t think it’s … about it helping. it’s about continuing to do it, i guess.”
a bright smile colored his lips, as half of him had expected rejection. we should make an habit out of it. leonardo stretched his hand towards her, waiting for it to be shaken and seal the agreement. beneath that scene, so pure and simple, so kinda and pious, laid a conflicting thought. this was the scenario his parents would weep over. their prestigious pureblooded son, shaking the hand of a dirty mudblood. a low class one even. finding some form of deep connection with her, something in common between their wildly different worlds. but it was also something that, taken all the social prejudices, would make them quite happy. leonardo openly reaching for faith, and not doing it alone. finding someone as in need of a word from god and praying with them - isn’t that hat they always wanted ? for him to be more religious ? “ thank you. “ he wasn’t quite sure what he was thanking her for. the honesty, perhaps, or the offer, or simply the fact that she understood.
“i guess that does prove that she’s good at what she does.” it was good, to poke fun at situations, to smile a little. mary needed lightheartedness. it made her chest feel a little less tight, her muscles a little less tense. “i guess you’re right,” she said, shifting a little. “i mean, it won’t be completely useless, whatever the results. i just … we need something big.” was she cocky, to think that she could find that? mary wasn’t sure. all she knew was that she was terribly determined to find something. she pulled her legs up on her seat, rested her head on her shoulder. he wanted to ask her a personal question, and mary felt her body tense, but she nodded either way. “i do,” she said, closing her eyes for a moment before meeting leo’s. “i mean … it feels stupid sometimes, i suppose, but i do. it feels right, too.” her anger wasn’t with god, most of the time, and while she wasn’t sure how much use there was in praying, it was a habit, etched in her veins. “i don’t know if it helps, but i don’t think that that’s the point, you know? it’s kind of like a ritual. some people have other ways.” she felt like she was avoiding what she needed to say, but she was scared of voicing all her thoughts on religion. “i don’t go to church that much any more, though.”
it felt unusual, to be asking to see that far deep into someone else, to breach their limits and their walls, to ASK. yet there’d been similar moments with mary before, in which they unveilled their sins and their thoughts on the very concept - htye UNDERSTOOD the problems and the questions. if anything, talking with mary about it made him feel a little less lonely. “ when i see you all go, i still pray. sometimes. trying to make myself useful i guess. doesn’t seem to do much. “ there was a hint of bitterness in his voice. people came back injured. people came back dead. “ but we who stay don’t have many options to pick from. “ a tiny reassuring smile was sent her way. god, she was so brave. so much more than him. “ if you... if you ever want to phave a quiet moment with the upstairs before leaving, i’d very much enjoy doing it with you. “” there it was. yet another way to take away the loneliness, to give her the strength she’d need when her commrades fell around her, when she found herself alone in battle like the good soldier she was. when he waited around cursing himself for being so useless. in that, they could still find some comfort, he hoped.
she greets him quickly , but warmly , completely at ease . “ who knows ? maybe i’ll get a singing career out of this . ” she jokes , comment mostly fueled by the alcohol coursing through her veins . but eloise never had a problem with putting herself out there , being the center of attention . in fact , she LOVED it , relishes it almost any time she gets . fingers grip the microphone , hips already swaying . “ let’s do THIS . ” she directs a wide grin in his direction before motioning for the song to begin .
“ alright ! “ traitors, traitors, traitors. his eyes couldn’t help but scan the crowd as the lyrics floated in the hair, a little dot of light jumping from sound to sound - who could be watching and reporting back ? who was the enemy within the walls ? snap out of it, focus. his frien seemed happy enough to engage in such a micro form of treason and above all, seemed to be enjoying herself. why couldn’t he reach that ? why couldn’t he just turn off the spy in him ? a hand reached out for eloises’, pulling her into some form of dance as laughter, a bit hollow, mixed in with the lyrics out of his mouth, not as beautifully in tune as his usual singing. bless karaoke.the crowd seemed satisfied.
she understood his fear, at first she had to contain her anxiety when holding draco but now it was almost as if she could consider herself a pro. it helped that draco was an easy baby, not too fussy and slept through most loud noises and conversations. “ let’s not refer to the baby and kill in the same sentence. stop worrying, “ else he was going to make her worry. “ his head and neck are fine, that’s the important thing. leo, he’s fine. “ if it was anyone else she wouldn’t have been so patient nor kind but this was her longtime friend, narcissa trusted him. “ i don’t think so, little odd to take in. ‘m still getting used to it but not a bad change, “ // @peacvck
“we are a few steps up leo, but we have been for a while,” he said, his voice slightly teasing, returning to his usual state of pretentiousness. it was great, though, to see leo holding draco, to be with people he loved so dearly. “but it’s a big change, indeed.” the feeling of warmth, of genuine happiness that spread through him were ones he was growing more and more used to, even if he was tentative of doing so. there was a lot to lose ( and it was his fault if they lost it ). “a wonderful one, though. i mean, look at him! he’s truly magnificent, isn’t he?” // @leonardoflint
leo thought he loved the concept of draco a little more than the fragile thing itself. babies were terrifying and even one he cared about so dearly got him far too stressed. nevertheless a warm smile remained on his lips as the caressed the light few hairs on the boy’s head. “ he is magnificent. looks just like you, cissa. “ soft laughter spilled out with a playful look at lucius before a softer one fell on narcissa. “ we should get a photograph, uh ? the four of us. the first with draco and us three ? “ // @dyiingflower
“ you want a drink? ” rodolphus questioned taking a sip of the glass of scotch in hand, leaning back against his office desk. it wasn’t often that he branched out and spoke to those who were not immediate relation but something had always remained off about leo. he knew that he was often around the malfoy’s but he had an eye for these things, after all rodolphus was a wolf in sheep’s skin hiding among the ministry without much issue. it had become second nature to keep close watch on others especially those he believed had incorrect intentions.
rodolphus scared him. granted, not as much as his wife, but he scared him. especially when leo knew the couple didn’t trust them and that alone could be a death sentence - so of course that after bumping into lestrange at the ministry he’d agreed to a nice evening with the man. after all, purebloods gathering together was especially common in those times, so it only LOOKED right. but leonardo was smart enough to know that it wa ssome sort of assessment of him and he was terrified of failing. “ yeah, thank you. “ he threaded lightly and slowly.
his skin pulsed harder against her hand the longer she touched him. as if his heartbeat sounded from his wrist. his heart demanding to be acknowledged, to be felt. an anchor. she shook her head in irritation at leo’s damn poetry rubbing off on her. but the irritation softened as her new surroundings took shape. his bedroom… another person, a lesser person might scoff at a room as a secret. but tessa, whose own walls held every dark bit of her, understood. she rotated slowly, trying to absorb it all even as the haze of alcohol clouded her mind. plenty of time, she decided, to uncover the room’s secrets. later, when remaining vertical posed less trouble. so certain that there would be a later. her fingers loosened her grip on his wrist, collapsing on his bed rather than settling for the couch. drunk on a day where politeness and propriety had little sway over her. her gaze studied the ceiling, half-wondering at his reaction, half-mulling on what led them here. a secret for a secret she had said. her confession splattered against the ceiling, dripping back down on her as she spoke. “i barely remember her. my mother.” disgust still evident, but something weaker coloring her tone. “she’s more a collage of bits and pieces than a person. her pearl necklace, the color of her hair, the way she screeched at the house elf not to feed me biscuits.” her hands twisted into the blankets. “i remember knowing she didn’t want me, had never wanted me. and loving her anyway. thinking that if i loved her enough she’d love me back.” her voice broke. tessa refused to glance leo’s way. cursing herself for opening her damn mouth but too stubborn, or maybe something stronger -her eyes made it to the tips of leo’s fingers- to stop now. “and then she… my dad bought me pretty robes and shoved a bow in my hair and told me to cry, to look pitiful and tell everyone how much i would miss her. to play the grieving daughter. instead i chucked that bow in my cousin’s face.” there was more to say, so much more to share but she fell silent. exhausted. if he laid down next to her, put his arm around her waist, tangled his hand in her hair, she might let him. her foot kicked in his direction “your turn.”
he noticed the way she moved, taking in the space. in it, she saw the secrets, the keys she’d just been given to unlock many parts of him. tessa understood what it was like to have walls be a secret, containing you, freeing you. leonardo let the silence drag away gently, eyes soft on her expecting sound to come out her the woman any minute - but he still held his breath when it did. he took his shoes off, brought a foot onto the couch, held his knee closer to him, eyes never daring to leave her during her confession. thinking that if i loved her enough she’d love me back. slowly, it was as if missing bits of tessa crouch fell in place, building the whole picture, justifying her. it was a goddamn tragedy. she was a goddamn tragedy. “ of course you did. “ there was the ghost of a smile on his lips until she turned the spotlight onto him and oh, how it burned. he held onto that knee tighter, closer. “ i think my parents prefered to imagine that they were oblivious. so much that they just... believed that. “ the sound came slowly, as if pulling teeth. “ they loved - they love me. and lemon, in their own rather diminished way. but they were just useless. “ a thought. he got up, slowly laying down beside her, eyes on the ceiling as well, skin tingling. “ d’you see the scar on my cheek ? “ he was closer, she could see it perfectly now, but it was such a visible part of his features that of course tess had it memorized. “ my BROTHER did that. he kicked, and threw me around. there were sharp rocks on the ground as well. broke a broomstick. we couldn’t quite see it with theblood but it was obvious that it was there to stay later. “ he felt like he was still holding his breath. “ i didn’t have a, uh, flying accident. “ the official story. the flints and crouch were full of those. “ he did that kind of stuff a lot. yeah. only really stopped when we turned seventeen and he knew we’d hex him so... your turn. “
she’s only half paying attention when his request rings loud and clear and for some reason it just seems so appealing , a last minute decision to make a fool of herself once more . “ oh screw it . ” she’s already several drinks in and apparently full of confidence , springing to her feet . the contents of the drink in her hand are emptied as she’s leaving the corner the rest of her friends occupied , skipping to the stage . “ prepare for the best duet of your life . what are we singing ?” eyes scan the machine , brows raising ever so slightly . “ summer nights , really ?”
“ well, “ he observed with a grin as eloise simply walked up the stage, “ that’s how you volunteer ! “ one arm easily placed itself around her shoulders in a quick embrace. it was a dangerous scenario hidden in layers of laughter and a rowdy crowd. two purebloods happily singing along to a muggle song - he’d risked some before, in more private settings, but in his mind rang the thought of how some of the more purist ones would perceive the duet. “ i know about 80% of the lyrics of it and i am ready. “ the muggleborns and some halfbloods in the crowd laughed harder.
it was common for victoria to wander around diagon alley when she had time on her hands to spare. her job kept her busy most of the time, often travelling to break ancient curses or save the day. whenever she was back in town, she would make sure to be seen. she caught a glimpse of a familiar shape and her curiosity won over her common sense. catching flint dropping a bag in a corner behind madam malkin’s, she didn’t give him any time to hide. “ what’s in that bag and why are you hiding it here? ” // @leonardoflint
fool. he was such a fool, thinking he could give more to the order than whispers overheard at parties few would get invitations to. thinking he could be any more than a mesenger, as he could barely even be considered a full on spy. volunteering to do more - in that case, to drop portkeys soon to be used by people the order was helping get out of the country. damn st. mungo’s and fenwick and podmore for dying and making him want to be braver. he barely froze at her question, far too used to lying, but all his skin tingled as he turned with a smile. “ it’s called charity, victoria. “ an arm wrapped gently around her in a polite hug. “ lucius didn’t tell me you were in town, it’s been a while. it’s old clothes, lots of poors and homeless need that stuff and we don’t exactly have any... structures to support them. y’know, i’ve been talking with some people about it really, starting a fund to properly destribute donations to those people, anonymous stuff better coordinated than leaving bags of clothes in places where many sleep at night. “
which of the following do you find most difficult to deal with? loneliness.
if you were attending hogwarts, which pet would you choose to take with you? snowy owl.
what are you most looking forward to learning at hogwarts? every area of magic i can.
how would you like to be known to history? the good.
what kind of instrument most pleases your ear? the piano.
which nightmare would frighten you most? being forced to speak in such a silly voice that hardly anyone can understand you, and everyone laughs at you.
black or white? white.
notes: i honestly thought he’d get hufflepuff since there’s much of that house in him, but the artist in leo wins every time. that, and his constant search for knowledge, his curiosity, his little nerd side... ravenclaw just feels right for him and it was the environment that nourished all those parts of him that would have wittered away elsewhere.
with his sister taking a break to travel, OMEN shows had somewhat stopped, leonardo just jumping in for bits of other people’s gigs and writing, writing, writing. that night though, three broomsticks was packed, after people mentioned they’d seen lead singer of OMEN sitting during karaoke night, head bopping along to the songs. it didnt take long for the small crowd to pull him on stage along with his friend and band guitarist. he was already a few songs in, some of his own, others with the floating karaoke lyrics, when an idea came to his head as he picked a song. “ no, no, c’mon, this is a duet, anyone wanna come up here ? “
amelia hesitates, doesn’t want to burden him with anything else. she remembers who he is, who THEY are, who they’ve always been. but she just can’t bring herself to explain everything to him, not when everything was so fresh. that was a conversation for another day. “you’re right. he does always do that. bad habit that is.” she sniffs, eyes already misty with tears ready to fall. after her visit to edgar’s, one would think that she would have no tears left to cry. but she blinks them away, determined not to completely crumble this time. even in front of leo, one of the only people she fully trusted, amelia has a hard time being truly vulnerable, preferring to keep her calm demeanor. “so am i.” the tears brimming at her eyes finally fall, but she brushes them away quickly, finger tips resting against her temple. she was sorry she wasted so much time, sorry she didn’t tell him how she really felt, sorry she was in this war in the first place. her hands grip his arms tightly for stability, but also for comfort. her eyes finally meet his, gaze misty with tears and heartbreak. “i just saw him sturgis, i mean. got called to the scene.” amelia never had a problem with dead bodies before ( it was part of her job, after all ), but that night was a different story. she’s still visibly shaken, still deeply shocked, even after talking it over with her brother less than an hour before. her voice is empty as she speaks, eyes trained on the wall in front of her as she tries to formulate coherent words. but how could she put into words what she was feeling when it still didn’t feel real ? “i can’t keep doing this. fighting a war where people, perfectly GOOD people keep dying. it hurts so much, leo. i can’t - i can’t. i don’t want to.”
the image of amelia bones crying makes his soul shatter. being an auror means she fights the war on two sides, carnage and pain crashing into her like waves without a single break and in that small fact one could see the stength of the woman. god, he’d be dust by now if he was her. “ i think we’re all way past what we want right now. “ he whispers softly, sad eyes locked on hers, even if she doesn’t look back. “ listen to me. lis- you, amelia bones, are the strongest person i know. you’re a full storm. i’m sorry, i’m so sorry it hurts, “ one of his hands lets go of her arm and moves up to her cheek, holding it with care, “ but they... sturgis died for something. this pain is for something. “ he had to believe in that. no, he had to make her believe in that. “ if i could drag you out of here, “ his voice kept breaking during the whispers, barel any sound in their little corner of headquarters, “ to somewhere safe and painless, i would. but you’d hate me for it. beause you’re a fixer, right. we’re fixers. something’s out of place, we put it back. something’s broken, we fix it. “ he exhales, exhausted of war, “ our world is broken. so we fix it. i’ll fix it with you, but you have to stay and fight, no matter how unfair it gets. “
I. seventeen year old boy looked in the mirror, shirt off, eyes wide, door locked. it didn’t really matter, few people would barge into the bathroom at three in the morning, but too many secrets were inside those cold stone walls. he’d never risk it, he’d never risk anything. in a silence so mournful he would barely dare to breathe, except for the sporadic shaky exhales, leonardo stood perfectly still in front of the mirror. sometimes he did that, just found himself locked somewhere in a near out of body state, as if a switch had finally been flipped, the PERFECTION in him cracking away - mental breakdowns, he’d read once. muggles especially seemed to be obsessed with every way a mind could fall apart and how to name it, how to lock people up for it. his fingers traced the scar on his cheek, the only long term reminder of the hurricane that was his brother. amycus carrow had left none of those, which sometimes made him suspect he’d imagined the whole thing. every drop of blood, every bruise, every time his perfection had warranted pain. leo searched, in that reflection, for any of those, but all he could find was sun kissed skin, speckled with moles and birthmarks. arturo hadn’t hit him in months. amycus hadn’t hit him in months. no one would.
( TW SELF HARM, TW SUICIDE )
so used to seeing the image reflect back bruises, leonardo felt incomplete. first day of seventh year, and he wasn’t in pain. he was in so much pain. perhaps if he dug his nails on that skin, it would bruise later ? perhaps if he threw himself over and over against that marble stone counter ? he’d done it before, during the summer, searching for SOMETHING that could distract him from whatever feelings he couldn’t even bear to analyse. he could almost see those bruises again. what was a boy to do when all he’d ever seen in the mirror were bruises and now there were none ? shaky hands left his flesh, where they’d been creating an indent in which he could barely see any blood. he needed more. anything. an outlet to let all his fear and all his sadness spill out. something to bring him back to normal. tears weren’t enough.
a thought came. terrible. full of relief. he’d had it before, so often it was almost like a lullaby in his head.
he transfigurated a bar of soap into a small knife. it wasn’t very sharp, but somewhat poetic - perhaps i’d have written poetry about it someday, he thought - to have something meant to cleanse do the exact opposite. he stared at it for a while, tears blocking his view for the most part, but oh it was magnetic. so magnetic he drew it nearer to where he’d scratched his skin off, and with some effort, made a few nicks there. blood spilled onto the white floor with a gasp, and he couldn’t feel a thing. so numb, so far gone, so hopeless. so TIRED. it was almost addictive, how he could make small cuts in other places and watch the blood fall out of him, that pure blood which gave him so many duties, that pure blood which made him so damn perfect. he’d bleed it all out. he’d waste all that pure blood. another cut, then deeper, but he was numb - if i can’t feel a thing, perhaps i can do it. perhaps all the bravery he’d always believed would be needed to go that one step too far, off the cliff, wasn’t if he just couldn’t physically feel a bloody thing. so he dug deeper - maybe that’d leave the scars he was missing, should he survive the night. another slash. the sink was covered in blood, he was barely holding onto it. another. god, so much blood, perhaps it’d finally happen. perhaps that hidden need in him to bleed out someday, to not be found after someone made him bleed, at last could be satisfied. silent tears had turned into weak sobs, but he didn’t care, no, he was too far gone.
a knock on the door. leo replied something, that he remembered doing, but not exactly what. the world was an hazy place by then, so consumed by hurt - god, just let him LEAVE. crawl out of that unbruised body, out of every forced smile, out of everything he hated about himself, out of every hopeless moment, out of the cage of perfection he’d always lived in. just let him out.
lucius malfoy raised his wand and unlocked the door. he later said leo’s words were faint cries for help, some internal survival instinct so human it wouldn’t let him say anything else. in secret, lucius closed the wounds, cleaned up the blood, his wand a non stop instrument of SALVATION. in secret, lucius brought him back to his room, searched for a sleeping potion, and let leo heal. in secret, he kept a watchful eye on him the next day and in secret, in a way leonardo would never be able to thank him for, he was there the other day, and the next, and the next.
II. “ we’re OMEN and we hope you have a great time ! “ lemon’s energetic voice boomed through the common room, a bit too small to accommodate such a large party and a little makeshift stage, but the crowd didn’t seem to mind. the band had been months in the making, years if they counted the secret poems and melodies the flint twins had crafted before - but at last, it became a reality. OMEN. leonardo and clementina flint, and a couple of other seventh year music lovers, in a corner of the gryffindor common room, designing the heartbeat of the crowd. it was daunting, to so publicly show such passion, such emotion, such EVERYTHING, and half of him wished the run away the moment he hit the first key. but then he hit another. and another. and their drummer kicked in. lemon’s voice boomed out of the microphone. she was singing their words - he could pinpoint who’d come up with each verse. that word was changed by him. the rhyme was thanks to her.
he forgot the methodic list when it came for him to sing, and quickly he forgot about everything else as well. the boy caged up within a society, within a family, within expectations, within himself, was free. he couldn’t recognise his hands, hitting the keys faster by the verse and he couldn’t recognise his voice, failing to hit the mark a couple of times still. above all, he couldn’t recognise his smile, so wide and whole, filled with pure joy he, for once, didn’t have to fake. he left the keyboard, microphone in hand, body moving freely around the time stage, feet so light he could almost levitate, sweat making his hair stick to his forehead.
when the concert ended, leo stayed on stage for what could have either been five seconds or five years, he had no clue. in front of him, people dancing to a radio, others chatting around, the band behind him packing up their stuff, but he couldn’t leave. he’d never want to be anywhere else.
“ we can do this. “ he placed his hand on top of his sister’s, already resting on his shoulder. with those four words, he changed the course of his life. with those four words he assured her that he was all in. music would soon become a devotion of his and an outlet to expose, no matter how self censored, his feelings, so much healthier than any he’d had before. as they amass a following, the notion that he can touch other’s lives, fill the hearts of the beaten and doomed with just a bit of freedom, will make him hold onto the band with so much more strength and never let go.
they say one needs to rest in order to heal. leonardo only felt his wounds close when breathlessly jumped around a stage.
“complicated,” she nodded, as if she had foreseen that very answer. her hand stilled, her whole body relaxed, this - the cynical understanding, the bitter edge creeping into her voice - was a relief. a scorching cleanse to rid herself of lingering feeling. “complicated is marlene’s middle name, so i suggest you adjust.” relief mixing with revulsion at the thought of her oldest friend’s boyfriend -perhaps she had been in denial that the two had grown so serious- his hand on her leg, hers tangled in her hair. marlene so rarely committed to anyone… and tessa thought to ruin that for the promise of whatever lurked in that smile. her hand ran down from his hair to his face, nails scraping against his cheek. for just a moment. “this isn’t worth it.” her voice ringing hollow in her ears. all emotion gone gone gone. wasn’t worth hurting her best friend, upending her life, torturing herself in the name of whatever insanity possessed people to say that one little word. his hand fell off her as she stood abruptly. noting, with some satisfaction, the paint smeared on his couch. but her face showed nothing but cool indifference, her greatest defense against the ache growing in her chest.she lingered atthe door for a second, as she turned around. “we’ll keep our hands to ourselves. from now on.” her look conveyed that the next time he touched her, she wouldn’t be as gentle in removing him. she left no chance for him to stop her as she disappeared.
he closed his eyes as she lightly scratched him, taking it in without defense. a part of him expected worse, given her prespective of it all. there was SHAME in him, that he’d ever let himself be the person his lies told he was, who tessa believed him to be, the betrayal to poor madly in love marlene that they’d both just committed. the sin. this isn’t worth it. the words, cold and sharp, rang loudly in his head as she got up, and he didn’t dare event standing - god, what had he ruined ? what had he lost ? the ghost of her smile, of her fingers in his hair, of her hand on his leg, they were such WARM feelings, they felt so worthy, but there she went, with half a story and all her hollowness. “ i’m sorry. “ that was all he was allowed to say. with a nod he watched her go, the only proof that she was ever there the paint in his couch, which he’d clean in a moment, but for the time being he would just sit there, eyes closed, leaning back on he couch, taking in every wrong turn that had led him there. for a man always so desperate for organisation, he surely got himself into the most tangled up messes possible. but he’d keep his hands to himself. and his truths.
she had forgotten any thought on her mission, even if edgar had detailed it to her briefly during their run before she had let her hurt inflict harm on him. bitter words spoken as she lashed out in frustration and edgar had been the receiver who didn’t deserve it. doe eyes blink in confusion as the evening’s escapades ( and morning ) leave her colder by the minute. the happy smile on her lips diminishing as regret, hurt, pain flashes over her features. but leo doesn’t see, he isn’t looking at her anymore and she doesn’t understand why. what had changed? had he seen them? the thought sends a cold shiver down her spine before she shoves the feeling away. forces a smile upon her lips and responds as if nothing is awry. ❝ bulstrode’s brunch, of course! lo siento, lo olvidé por completo. dame un segundo y estaré righ there ❞ language mix as she speaks to him, moving into her bedroom knowing that he stands at the bottom of her stairs with a look she doesn’t recognise. refusing to admit that she was the cause of the hurt flashing in his eyes and the fists his hands had become. they had only been for fun, hadn’t they? but his behaviour causes thorns to dig into her heart, telling her that no ––– what they ( once ) had hadn’t only been fleeting moments in the depth of the night, had not only been two souls holding onto each other as their world was swallowed by chaos. putting dark tresses up in a messy ( but elegant ) bun and slipping into a sapphire dress hugging her curves marlene lets a silent spell paint her face with lipstick, blush and mascara. no features needed to be enhanced, she was as beautiful with as without makeup –– and she knew far too well. SOON, she descended the stairs to greet him and be by his side again. hand reaching for his out to correct his tie out of habit, so used to being close to him and having him close. the anchor keeping her steady in the midst of her storm. ❝ lo siento, i overslept but i am all yours now. ❞ her voice devoid of the usual inuendo as she gives him a warm smile ( different from before, her mind remembering other lips pressed against her skin only an hour ago ). ❝ you ready? ❞ hand previously at his tie moving to grasp his as she lifts her wand to apparate them out of there.
she forgot. their mission, their duty, HIM. she forgot about him. leo nods his head, and doesn’t bother to reply back in spanish. “ no problem. take your time. “ did she notice his tone ? did she notice he’d seen them ? or was she simply playing dumb, a trick marlene had so practised right in front of him in all those galas and dinners ? he is too smart to not realise what the answer is, but too hurt to fully accept it. as the woman returnes, a lie on the tip of her tongue, hands fussing over his tie, he almost wants to wince away, but there is a neutral expression on his face. he forced it to remain there, even through such stabs as ‘i am all yours now’. even as she held his hand. perhaps he’d play dumb too, and the two would simply dance ( usually waltz ) around the subject, perhaps the two would never speak of it. half of him desperately needs them to, feeling it so close to explode, the other wishes they can remain ignorant, oblivious, dumb. his grip on her hand is weak. “ yes. lots of important targets today, better get going. “ the ghost of a smile emerged on his lips.
“i often am.” his mouth opened to inquire what, this time, he was right about when marlene’s name floated through the air. he swallowed a groan. for a second, the wooden door frame looked inviting. he wondered what would happen if he banged his head against it. repeatedly. “come in. you’ll have to tell me what, specifically, is fucked. so i can figure out how to fix it.” he held the door wider, resignation in the line of his limbs. he doubted alastor would be pleased with the discovery but… perhaps this was his payback for the line of hickeys he had left on edgar’s neck. “yes, that is moody. no, you don’t have to leave. we’ll go to the kitchen. with any luck he’ll sleep through this.” he walked ahead of the man- leo already knew the way. the same mug leo always used floated to the table, tea filling it. these visits happened often. “leo, you and i, we’re friends.” he felt like the man needed a reminder. “i want to help. and beyond that, as my direct report, i’d prefer to hear about the mess before it gets worse.”
fix it. of course edgar could fix it, he’d always been able to count on the man for just that. with a nod, leo walked in, clsoing the door softly so he wouldn’t wake up the other man, and moved in a well known path into the kitchen, the two seemed to end up there at least once a month, in the middle of the night, bones trying to calm down the spy. FRIENDS. he looked up at him at the word, and stayed that way for a moment. forget his mission, forget his duty, he just needed a friend in that moment, someone to be honest with, damn his lies, damn every lie. “ i know. “ he brought his lips to the mug, buying himself some time to polish some of the words. “ tessa thinks i’m a cheating disgusting dick. “ friends. he could tell him that part, right ? “ you said that it was STUPID, that we shouldn’t use dating as a cover, right ? but then she’d visit when there were no missions. and i’d write about her. and keys. days in. it just... it felt so real. i thought it was, but she’s with someone else and everything’s fucked because i can barely look at her now an i need to hold her fucking hand and tell the world we’re very much a couple in love. and tessa - “ leonardo liked things to be neat, simple, organised. yet he always found himself in the biggest messes. “ what do i do ? “
his apologies, his acceptance, his soft words washed over her. without permission, they soothed her aching chest, taking all the fight from her body. “you shouldn’t let me get away with it, leo.” she murmured, observing this man who was so willing to give himself away -all of himself- for nothing but bruises in return. her hand reached out, to brush through his hair in silent apology. “stand up for yourself. especially with me.” staring at him for another heavy moment, she gave little warning before hopping off her stool. fingers wrapping around one of his wrists. holding hands had always been too intimate, too showy but this… she tugged him toward the door. “i don’t want to be here anymore. take me somewhere?” as she awaited his answer, leo’s own small confession tumbled in her mind. he understood how heavy of a secret… he understood. even with the haze of alcohol, she wondered what secrets the flint family hid. perhaps marveled at how leo could understand yet still be warm, willing to weather the storm. so warm that the bare skin of his wrist burned her fingers. she tightened her grip and dared to ask the question brewing, brave concern seeping into her tone. “take me somewhere. where it’ll be a secret for a secret.”
stand up for yourself. he looked at her with wide brown eyes, a hint of confusion in them, but above all relief at the softness in her words, the lack of sharp edges making him bleed no more. it hit him then, like a second wave, the sad meaning of her words. was that not his tragedy ? his mortal flaw ? to trade smiles for injuries and hide all pain and every trained wince behind that nod, the nod that said ‘alright, i’ll take take’. i’ll accept it. i’ll passively let you tear into me. he had no response to her words, so wise when she was suffering enough to plausibly lack any wisdom. instead he just stared, confused, relieved, r a w. her simple analysis of him shaving at least a mile of the wall he’d built up around him. he followed her without second thoughts, jumping off his stool, feeling somewhat awokened by the tight grip on his wrist - proof of life for both. he wished she wouldn’t let go any time soon. “ whe- “ his voice cut off. a secret for a secret. what had he said in the middle of all that storm, where had he slipped up ? the conversation replayed in his head a million times, searching for his stupidity, where he’d been foolish enough to let something out. but then the grip on his wrist was so strong, such a magnetic pull back to earth, that he nodded slowly. “ okay. a secret for a secret. “ he held many. he could tell she did too. perhaps, just this once, he could open his own box for a moment, let some demons out, let them battle hers, see which won, or... hopefully, if they’d find comfort with each other. with a flick of his wand, the two were gone, ad in leo’s flat, but not anywhere in it. his bedroom, a sacred place, a place of secrets, one where no family heirlooms could weight down on their exhausted shoulders. one where photos of his sister and his friends ( even those slightly frowned upon by he pureblood community ) decorated the place. one with little pots of flowers and plants everywhere and a bit of mess and music sheets and secrets, secrets, secrets. one with slightly closed courtains, letting the whole place feel darker, a subtle orangy tone throughout, a secret. he moved over to the small couch there, waiting her her to follow or let go of his wrist and sit somewhere else. “ a secret for a secret. “
