non ducor, duco

#healer:delwyn #healer:delwyn1 #thread

Aya inhaled sharply as as her arm was caught in a tight grip. Instinct demanded that she ignore the words of this person and hex him instead for so suddenly intruding upon her personal bubble, and he’d remain forever blissfully unaware as to how close she’d been to blasting his hands away instead.

He was lucky she thought fast.

“Expulso!”

She all but spat out he words, quick fury igniting as she hastily shoved the man behind her. Some might have called it honourable, but Aya would deny it to her last breath as a lack of desire to deal with the aftermath of an attack as opposed to the confrontation itself - clean-up was always a bitch.

“The fuck is this?!” Her voice was a vicious hiss as the - well, whatever it was - was flung a good ways away. It wouldn’t be enough to keep it away, no, but it would allow for a few moments’ respite so she could figure out why on earth her grindylow search had gone so awry.

Aya hoped the explanation was good.

Aftermath [ bt ] Seunghyun / Aya

Another bitter remark and dark eyes moved from the crackling fire to the petite girl sitting beside him. She was stubborn, but Seunghyun knew it was mainly her upbringing that hindered her receptiveness to emotions so much. He couldn’t blame her for that, for what her parents had caused. He’d expected this response, even if somehow he’d hoped she’d allow herself to be comforted by his words and presence. Comforted because it was him.

The resistance he’d anticipated, but it still frustrated him again, annoyance very nearly apparent in his knitted brows. Even if she refused to see she was blameless in the situation, Seunghyun wouldn’t cease his efforts to comfort her. She was stubborn…but so was he. He took solace in the fact that she held onto his hand, her fingers even colder than his despite her being the only living being in the room.

A hitch in her next breath told him her defenses were shattering and he wasn’t surprised when she swore under her breath. He gripped her hand tighter in response but she pulled free to cover the tears that were gathering in her eyes.

He did, of course, understand her resistance to open herself up, lay herself bare with her misery and anguish in front of the eyes of another person. Anyone would resist feeling so vulnerable and helpless, but for Aya it was harder, even if deep down he hoped she knew she could trust Seunghyun to protect her from outside forces until she’d faced what she needed to.

The vampire sitting beside her felt a familiar ache in his heart as the girl he’d watch grow up and blossom into a beautiful and intelligent witch pulled her knees to her chest to hide her face and her tears. She ordered him to leave. They both knew he wouldn’t. He turned slightly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and bent his wrist to rest his large hand atop her head as he leaned closer to embrace her.

“You should know better, Ayita…I won’t ever leave you,” he vowed.

#prof:seunghyun #prof:seunghyun1 #thread

“But I want you to.”

She both meant it and didn’t - Aya was still stubborn in her insistence that she didn’t want to be seen like this, but- The comfort was welcome. Almost. Perhaps. It would have made more sense even to her had she been in a state of mind to collect her thoughts as she usually could, but the past few days spent in pure, unadulterated emotional turmoil meant that they’d scattered enough to mimic the constellations he’d so been fond of.

Still. Seunghyun’s hand, familiar in its weight, grounded her for the first time since Isaac had been pronounced officially gone from this (and her) world. The limb was cold. It always had been- and yet, an undeniable warmth radiated from him that had her lifting her head up from her knees. Her eyes were dry. Her sleeve was wet. Her fingers shook.

“Nothing to see here. Both of us have better things to do.” Her voice shook too.

Aya’s hand, however, tentatively slipped back into his. If her grip was tighter than usual and her nails dug into skin, she certainly didn’t mention it. If she leaned onto his shoulder before hiding her face once more, she certainly didn’t mention that either. How did he do it? How was Seunghyun even sane still after having lived so long, after having undoubtedly lost more people than she’d likely ever even managed to get close to?

She couldn’t even make herself get off this damned couch.

And she hated it. She hated being in this state at all, she hated this lethargy that seemed to have settled into her bones to stay and she hated that the sight of food made her sick and she hated that looking at a fucking toothbrush meant she needed to turn away and she hated that her apartment was empty and-

Aya hated a lot.

“How d’you do it?”

i-love-kiko

Oblivion [ Zico / Aya ]

Zico was seriously fucked and if that wasn’t bad enough, he knew it. Nothing in this situation was slanting in his favor. He’d been caught redhanded and captured not only by a spell but by fucking gravity. Not even the universe seemed to be on his side in this scenario; a minor detail he currently chose to ignore.

Screwed royally or nah, expressions weren’t that easy to read on the features of a cat. A guttural growl echoed upwards as Aya looked down at him like some haughty queen upon an undeserved throne, looked down on him, like the intruder and thief that he was. Any hope of his cooperation was void as she toyed with her wand almost as if she was more interested in inspecting her manicure. She issued threats with a tone that lacked the appropriate emotion the girl in the pictures he’d just seen should have. Zico felt the empathy that had surfaced for her slip away.

Zicovian Blackadder was foolish and stubborn, or perhaps he was of resolute mind and strongly convicted. The answer varies depending on who you ask. Still, the spotted, rope-bound housecat glowered up at the porcelain mask his captor wore as the seconds continued to tick past.

Instead of using the entire minute he’d been so graciously given to think up an excuse, Zico was busy thinking up a plan, a backup plan, and last resort. He’d come too far to fail now and while the circumstances were against him in this scenario, he was pretty accustomed to those odds.

His minute passed and still, it was a cat the former auror faced.

#sly:zico #sly:zico1 #thread

Aya considered herself a good actress. Emotional detachment had always been a skill to be envied, and while she perhaps hadn’t quite had the ability throughout her schooling she’d more than made up for it afterwards. It was amazing, after all, what growing up in all its twists and turns and troubles and tribulations did to a person.

She didn’t think she’d quite turned out as she’d wanted.

Even as she’d found her focus, however - a calmer disposition, a centred mind - Aya had retained the edge that was uniquely her own, that had been forged and melded and sparked from being spat out into the world from a tarnished pit of a household. It would suffice.

The seconds passed slowly, like grains of sand struggling to slip through an hourglass, but Aya was patient now - she had time and time galore. Aya would wait because she could - because if she wanted to know what he was up to, to pry information out of him, she would do it well and good and proper. There were ways to make people speak without hurting them.

Forty seconds passed. Fifty. Four. Three. Two. One. She smiled, and the wand between her fingers twirled to point at Zico. Her hands did not shake, and her aim did not waver, and her eyes met the stare of the glorified housecat’s easily.

“Wrong choice,” she whispered, and the incantation left her lips.

resolute

[ @healerilya ]

It takes an embarrassingly long amount of time before Aya is able to will up the decision to step into the hospital wing. There is- It is something akin to embarrassment, really. She is not hurt, and she is not a student, and she will stick out like a sore thumb - to add insult to injury, she doesn’t particularly want to do this either. It has never been within her nature to ask for help.

But she must.

Perhaps it is not entirely necessary. Logistically speaking, Aya should be able to move on without answers - should be able to move on with life and sort past the memories that like to spin round her mind in a never-ending cycle on a daily basis - but she doesn’t think she can, and she doesn’t think she want to. It is for her own peace of mind and for Isaac’s death’s resolution, and for such purposes she is willing (reluctant, yes, but willing) to put aside her pride and admit some help would be appreciated.

Her steps are quiet as she makes her way into the infirmary, back straight and chin just slightly upward as she is prone to holding herself. Ilya will be here - she is sure of it. The man is dedicated to his career and it is only to be admired (if it means it’s easier to find him, all the better for her). Once she catches sight of him, however, her lips purse and she remains silent for a moment, turning her head away.

When she speaks, it is but the quietest of mumbles.

#healer:ilya #healer:ilya1 #starter

Oblivion [ Zico / Aya ]

He’d thought the worst of Aya.

She’d walked away unscathed in the face of Death and could provide no concrete evidence as to who the perpetrators that had killed Isaac had been. She could not identify them and they’d left no trace. Isaac had lost his life, Amelie had lost her brother and Aya had slunk out of the Ministry and into a comfortable teaching job.

Zico was furious that Amelie’s elder brother had been taken from her, even if he was pretty sure the guys would hate his guts if they’d ever met. In his eyes, anyone who caused Amelie to suffer should be punished, himself included. Aya was the only person he could blame for what had happened and he’d planned to enjoy watching her lose everything and get her just desserts.

However, pieces of a puzzle he’d had no idea were so far-encompassing began to fall into place before wide eyes. The photos…the images burned into them were burned into Zico’s mind. He wasn’t expecting this. No, this wasn’t what he’d wanted to find…it wasn’t fair!

“Incarcerous.”

A gasp escaped Zico’s plump lips upon hearing an inconveniently familiar voice behind him. He whirled, photos from his hands fluttering in all directions. He’d only pivoted halfway before ropes wound tightly around his torso, pinning his arms to his sides. With wide, anger-filled eyes, the student stared at his professor. He was caught redhanded. He’d been so engrossed in the pictures that he hadn’t heard a sound, assuming she’d made one. He’d let the shocking evidence he’d discovered distract him and now, he was caught.

He resisted against the tight bonds, narrowing his eyes at the woman in front of him. One foot shifted back and his boot slipped under a glossy photograph. Zico blinked, his knees hitting the back of the giant chest and suddenly he was falling - head first into the dark prison cell the enchanted trunk hid in its depths.

There was no horrible sound of screaming or bones breaking and no ungodly thud from a student colliding with a stone floor a story below. Instead, a low growl echoed its way up the stone walls. On the floor of the cell sat an angry looking spotted cat, ears back against his head, ropes wound around his body from the shoulder down. It was the only thing Zico could think to do in that instant; the only thing he could manage to keep his head from cracking against the floor. The fact that he didn’t have a more ferocious or intimidating Animagus form only soured his mood further and when Aya leaned over the trunk to look down, he hissed hatefully at the professor.

#sly:zico #sly:zico1 #thread

Normally, fury was red-hot anger, bubbling up from inside her quick and ready to spit ire and flames at those who provoked her anger. Normally, fury was loud and vicious and bold, courted as easily with a smirk as with a grin. Normally, fury was uncontrolled - a blank rage that encompassed both her and those who’d earned her wrath.

This fury was not normal.

Eyes hard, her mouth thinned into a straight line, unimpressed by his little show as an animagus. The memory of his form at Isaac’s funeral flickered briefly in her mind, and the snarl that came to her lips was unbidden. What gave this boy - this despicable little sneak of a child - the right to snoop through her belongings as though she were a common thief? What gave him the right to bring memories to light that she was trying to move past?

“You.”

Aya’s voice was smooth and her words were razor-sharp, each one a not-so-thinly veiled threat. His hissing in return did little to intimidate - foolish child, she had the upper hand and most with common sense knew not to antagonise their captor.

“I’ll allow you all of one minute - sixty seconds on the dot - to think of a very, very good reason for your presence here.”

She leaned over the opening of the trunk, gaze almost impassive as her fingers ran daintily over the tip of her wand. Her expression was almost - some would call it bored even - and while her bad cop act was lost without the good cop to back it up, it should suffice. Intimidation was, after all, a rather powerful tool. Aya would know.

“After those sixty seconds, I expect you to turn back. If you don’t, I will make you return to your original form, and the ministry will be hearing another suggested charge against you.”

While her voice was calm, the chill was present - but she couldn’t help it. The hurt was still raw and the wound still fresh - a stranger pulling at the bandage was the last straw for patience that had never existed in the first place. She hid a swallow. Her expectations of ever moving on continued to dwindle.

“Choose wisely.”

teammizuhara

Oblivion [ Zico / Aya ]

It had been bothering him for months now.

She had been bothering him.

Her very presence gnawed at something inside him. When he caught sight of her passing in the halls, as she sat with the other professors during meals, distracted him in class although it was unlikely he would’ve been paying attention anyway. He stared at her with contempt, remarks always curt, bordering on rude. His attitude fit right in with how most of the staff perceived him. He was just an angry teenager. But with Aya, it was different. It was personal.

Maybe it was unfair for him to blame Isaac’s death on her. No one really knew what transpired the night he died. What Zico did know, was that she had walked out unscathed when Amelie’s brother had perished. It bothered him…it bothered him much more than it should and much more than he wanted. It was bad enough that Amelie had been robbed of her precious elder brother, but having to face the incompetent bitch that caused his death on a daily basis? It was too much.

He took it upon himself to rectify the problem.

It wasn’t difficult to keep both eyes on her for a few days, get a general feel for her comings and goings, subtly inquire about appointments he knew she’d made. Before long he’d carved a window of time into her schedule where he felt pretty confident he’d be able to have a good look around her quarters. He was sure she was hiding something. Some type of evidence of her guilt in Isaac’s death or at least something that was important enough that she’d agree to leave school in order to keep it hidden.

A simple brush pass in the hallway earned him Aya’s keys. A scowl and a begrudging apology kept him in character, or at least, he hoped. He didn’t pass another soul as he approached the professor’s living quarters and went through the large keys on the ring until he found the correct one. He skipped the obvious hiding places. If there was any real dirt to find, she’d have it locked up tight. She was a former Auror after all, she had to be smarter than Zico was giving her credit for.

He was coming up empty until he checked the closet in her bedroom and found a massive trunk against the wall. The trunk itself was foreboding in appearance and had a strange aura to it, were such a thing possible. It was black and steamer sized with heavy iron fittings. It looked old and was battered, with dents galore. Zico cautiously grabbed the handle and tugged on it but used his wand to move it the rest of the way out of the closet instead due to its weight.

He fished the keys from his pocket again, feeling extra lucky he’d been able to swipe them instead of relying on alohomora to get this far. If he had, he would’ve been at a dead end. He used the keys to open the chest as layer after layer of the enchanted object revealed its contents. He watched with wide eyes and baited breath. He was sure he’d found the place where her secrets were hidden.

He rummaged around a bit in the outer layers, but had a feeling what he needed would be stowed in the chest’s deepest compartment. To his alarm, the center container opened up deep below where the floor should’ve been and looked a lot like a prison cell. Zico felt the hair on the back of his neck rise and his heart begin to pound. This was definitely the trunk of an Auror. He redirected his searching to the other contents and his heart felt like it stopped when he opened a book and a dozen photos fluttered out.

Staring up at him were the faces of Aya and Isaac, smiling, laughing, holding hands, embracing, kissing…

He was sure he had just uncovered Aya’s deepest secrets, but this was not what he’d thought he’d find.

#sly:zico #sly:zico1 #thread

Aya knew that not all of her students would be easy to handle. She’d been the same herself - she certainly couldn’t blame them - but few left her as unsettled as one that had been cropping up often in staffroom discussions.

Zicovian Blackadder.

The name was familiar, very much so, and not in a way that was good. In all fairness, however, she’d always extended the benefit of the doubt to the entirety of her students despite dubious parentage, and had thus far avoided accusations of hypocrisy - skill and dedication always had been and always would be her standard measures.

But the boy did unsettle her, and it was vaguely worrisome. It would’ve taken a complete dunderhead to not realise that he disliked her, but she’s always brushed it off as a troublemaker who despised authority. Now she wondered if that was truly the case at all - something about him had her on edge, and her wariness had kicked up a notch or four. Said instinct - gut instinct, really, a rather valuable tool - had had her keeping a close eye on him as well as she could.

It served well, after all, to remain prepared.

Such thoughts were for later though, as Aya had a student to teach. The girl wasn’t terrible - there was potential alongside the room for improvement - and a little guidance to help her excel wouldn’t go amiss. Every student learned differently, of course, and who was she to chase away a pupil genuinely making the effort? No, no, that wouldn’t do. While teaching had never been her first calling, pride would certainly not let her approach her job with anything less than full effort.

It was nearing the end of the scheduled lesson when her hands, in an often-done move, reached into her pocket to brush lightly along the brass of the keys. It was comforting, really (and one of her very few habits), and if it helped her ground herself after-

No.

Aya all but blanched as her fingers met nothing but the lining of her pocket. Her mind, for a brief moment, went blank with a pure sheet of panic before hastily recollecting the happenings of the day, trying to figure out what had happened. One instance - the only possibility - made its way to the forefront like a sore thumb. The boy.

He’d bumped into her - the only person to have - and she’d merely brushed it off like an absolute fool because of the security of the castle. Regret, mixed with sheer fury, coursed through her, and Aya was only made aware of her expression as her student let out a startled breath. Right, right, she needed to leave-

“You may be excused - our next lesson will be as per usual.” Her voice didn’t shake, no, but it was a close call. An accio had her materials in her hand within the instant as she stormed out of the room, breaking into a quick jog once she’d left. More than once, she cursed the buildings apparition wards.

In record time - as she hadn’t seen since her days in training - she made it back to her quarters before slipping into silence. If she startled him, he’d know that she was here and that simply wouldn’t do - not when the little sneak had been snooping around her most hidden belongings. That particular trunk existed for a reason, and that reason was for her items to remain secure. She’d be damned if she let a teen get away with this.

Her bedroom door was ajar.

Jaw clenched in anger, Aya slipped in. His silhouette, back turned, was right where she didn’t want it and her trunk was wide open, with-

The photos. Fuck.

They lay strewn around the floor in a mess, bits and pieces of her heart and soul and love and laughter on display for him to see, exposing what they’d worked so damned hard to keep hidden until the bitter end. Rage bubbled inside her, and her lips parted into a hiss.

“Incarcerous.”

[ trial and error ]

crxariel-blog

Daring, indeed. Aya must have known she was playing with fire, balancing right above a sharp blade that was all too eager to draw blood at any chance offered, yet she still danced, with ease and grace and an undeniably air of playfulness. Ah, yes. How Aleksa had enjoyed her company, back then as much as she did now.

« Maybe it is the use you should be trying to find then, and not the clothes. » But Aya also seemed to have been decidedly honest and maybe Aleksa should be kind enough to return the favour — maybe.

Warm fingers tangled with hers, easily; the girl had become so casual with her actions, that Aleksandra didn’t have to wonder about how often they had to have ben repeated. The passing of loved ones had become a normal and frequent occurrence in her life; there was no pain left to be felt and she knew that one day it would be the same with Aya, yet she couldn’t help but wonder if the girl felt the same, or if she still hurt.

Looking at her, she seemed nothing short of mischievous and playful, thankfully.

« Since when have you become so curious, milochka? » There was true joy in playing the cat and mouse game and Aleksandra wanted to see how long she could lure Aya with vague comments and pointed glances before she gave in — if even.

Cool fingers started caressing the warm skin caught between them, gently stroking over the pale, blue veins on the back of Aya’s hand. « I would point out about how curiosity kills cats, but you’ve always felt more like a puppy than a kitten. » With a care the professor knew she didn’t actually possess — such a fickle, human emotion; a typical weakness — she reached out to tenderly trace the arch of Aya’s cheenbone. The girl had always been gorgeous, outstanding in her skills and looks, alike and had it not been for self control and joy the vampire found in playing games, she might have long since tried to catch her full lips and take her breath in dark corners and secluded rooms; student or not.

« I also used to think of myself as more of a cat person, but- » The ruby painted lips dropped their usual smug grin; the sharp curves instead replaced with soft edges and something that could almost have been read as affection. « I have become terribly attached to you, milochka. »

Care and affection; so fickle and so very human. Aleksandra believed she had long since abandoned everything that bound her to her previous life, yet there stood this simple mortal — someone she knew would be turned to dust in the blink of an eye — and yet she had grown fond of her. A typical weakness.

« I considered getting myself a pet. »

#prof:aleksandra #prof:aleksandra1 #thread

“The use doesn’t currently exist.”

The words were easy as they slipped from her mouth - relaxed, even, calm - yet the sentiment behind them was anything but. Still, Aya was a decent enough actress to pull off nonchalant and did just that - this was neither the time nor place for such sentiment.

Even so, the sting remained, buried under skin and blood and tissue and nestled in the space of her heart. Sometimes she feared it would stay and sometimes she hoped it would stay, but as of yet it showed no signs of disappearing - Aya was simply becoming more and more accustomed to its existence. Perhaps that was the best way to describe it: her becoming familiar with the lack of his presence as opposed to moving on entirely.

The cool touch of slender fingers was welcome distraction, but her own hand instinctively curled to a close.

“Wasn’t I always?”

The glint was still there, even as her head cocked before her chin was raised just slightly, There. It was just on the edge of brash but she’d always been one to at least toe the line if not jump over entirely, and a little bit of mischief felt more than appropriate. “I’m neither cat nor dog - just human.”

It was a simple statement that spoke volumes, and Aya was sure it meant all the more to Aleksa. The brush of those same feather-light fingers, far gentler than she’d ever seen them, had her close her eyes briefly for a quick, soft sigh before she opened them once more. This was new.

Seeing Aleksa so- Different? Softer? Whatever it was, it was new, but Aya couldn’t say she didn’t like it. It was this same curiosity that her former professor outlined that had her trailing her gaze across face, leaning inwards just a tiny bit. It was stunning, to say the least, and she thought it suited her quite nicely. Perhaps this was simply incentive to behave the same more often - although this hadn’t quite been what she’d expected in answer to her question.

“Have you now? Pets need more care than you’d think.”

slyamelie-blog

┊ Ghosts we Knew. (A+A) ;

slyamelie-blog

A weak smile remained on her lips as she received nothing but silence in return for her greeting. She swallowed, her throat dry as she thought about what she could tell her brother to continue the conversation; to fill the silence.

“I made captain.”

“I’m doing so well in Potions.”

“I joined the VTF.”

“I promise to find out what happened to you…”

Her neck went limp, bleached locks falling like a curtain around her face as she stared down. The despair and frustration that had simmered underneath her facade for all these months was finally boiling over. She felt utterly useless, but furious. After all this time, she still didn’t know what, or who, killed Isaac. There was nothing she could direct her anger at other than herself and it burned through her insides like acid, tarnishing every memory of her brother with corrosive regret and leaving her hollow, leaving her empty; allowing pain and anger and vengeance to seep through all the holes.

She lifted her head.

Aya.

There was one who knew everything– and it was a cruel twist of fate that Aya happened to come across Amélie at the very moment she had surrendered to her grief. There were no common courtesies or school rules she had to abide by as she stood up and remained protectively between Isaac’s grave and her professor. Instead, there was only a thin string of rationality and pride that held Amélie back from lashing out at Aya, along with the fact that the only person who could answer her questions couldn’t do so if she was dead.

So she hid her weaknesses behind a steely stare and tight-lips, appearing more collected than what she really was. That signiture Im determination was well and truly alive now that she had been reminded that unlocking the secrets of Isaac’s death actually only required her to unlock Aya– and she would do whatever it takes.

“Was flaunting your ability to live and breathe at his funeral not enough for you?” She asked, her head cocking slightly as she feigned confusion. But it was a mere distraction as Amélie’s fingers curled tighter around the handle of her wand that she held at her side, the tip raising slowly and pointed directly at the woman who stood before her.

#sly:amelie #sly:amelie1 #thread

Flaunting.

Was that what she’d been doing then? Guilt - foreign and familiar all at once - coursed through her, and her grip on the flowers tightened minutely. Little changed in her expression barring her lips, which pressed into a thin line as Isaac’s sister - her student (to think) - raised her wand in what could only be called a threat. It was--

No. Acting was but a skill, and it was a skill well-learned by the vast majority of the pureblood community. Aya was no exception and it showed - her control was, now if it hadn’t been before, infinite. She stared the tip of Amélie’s wand head-on while her own remained at her side, out of sight. Her hands remained empty but for the flowers already in them - a small but peculiarly arranged assortment of forget-me-nots, daisies, sweet peas, zinnias, and purple hyacinths. She’d picked them out herself.

“Put the wand down, Ms. Im.”

Her voice neither shook nor wavered externally as she glanced at the stone, and the glassy sheen that appeared in her eyes would likely go unnoticed anyway.

“I’ll apologise for my continued existence.” Aya stepped forward. “But should it end it won’t help matters any.”

She shouldn’t have come, she shouldn’t have come, she shouldn’t have come. For all that her face was calm - and only out of respect for Amélie being his sister - her thoughts were a frenzied mess. This was neither ideal nor wanted, and if her fight-or-flight instinct could not be sated with a fight then flight was the only other option.

“Rest assured,” she said, continuing forward, “I’d like to set these here and I’ll be on my way.” Biting the inside of her cheek, she paused for a second, turning away. “Again, my condolences to your family.” The words were rehearsed - a call-back from the still entirely vivid memories of the funeral. Perhaps it had been for the best that none of said condolences then had been directed towards her.It was a shame though, that she’d picked a rather unfortunate time to visit.

Aya had only wanted the privacy to say a quiet hello to him.

Aftermath [ bt ] Seunghyun / Aya

Stubborn girl. Her retort was bitter. While he didn’t expect her to recover from this loss quickly, he did expect her to appreciate his sentiments and the effort he’d made to be there for her. In that moment he felt the smallest twinge of annoyance. He clenched his chiseled jaw, muscles moving tensely beneath his skin, just as the doubt that had risen shifted uncomfortably below the surface of his calm. Perhaps he had expected too much from her. Perhaps she was not yet as mature as he’d believed. Perhaps she was not yet ready for the events to come…

After a brief moment, he had successfully composed himself again. Of course, she felt cheated. The future she had chosen had been stolen from her. Seunghyun did not believe she’d thought far enough ahead when starting down this path. The excitement of her dangerous job and the excitement of first love seemed to have kept her living in the moment. If she had been looking further ahead, she might’ve seen all of this on the horizon. After all, she was his protege. There were few who knew him better, but thankfully those sharp eyes had been looking elsewhere for quite some time now. Seunghyun believed Aya was uniquely suited for things to come, even if she wasn’t quite living up to his expectations at the moment. Love could do that to a person. Distract them, change them and certainly not always for the better.

He squeezed her hand tighter, exhaling a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He trusted she would reanalyze her response and regret her reaction in due time. For now, he was determined to offer her the comfort he was sure she would not receive from anyone else in her life. Patience, wisdom, strength, he could offer her all of his considerable experience with grief and loss. He knew in time she would be back on her feet and luckily, time was something he had an endless supply of.

He realized his words or perhaps even just his presence was already having an effect on her. The barriers she kept in place to protect herself were finally beginning to crumble as he’d known they would. “It’s all right to mourn, Ayita. Even if few people understand the depth of your loss, you have every reason to grieve. It’s not selfish to comfort yourself and heal and move past this. He may be gone, but the only one who is in pain now, the only one who is suffering, is you.”

#prof:seunghyun #prof:seunghyun1 #thread

“His family would strongly beg to differ, I’m sure.”

Still, her hand’s grip matched his - it felt a little bit like an anchor and an anchor was very much needed, considering she rather felt like slipping away from this reality entirely and into another one where everything was well and good and normal. Disbelief was still something that reared its ugly head - every few hours, every few minutes. Aya wondered how long that particular sentiment would last because it was maddening to forget and be reminded, again and again and again. Her breath hitched, and a moment later a single drop landed on her arm. She froze.

Aya wasn’t a crier. She’d kick and scream and shout and fight, but crying had never been her preferred form of displaying emotions - not when she’d been a child, not in school, and certainly not now. “Fuck,” she whispered quietly, letting go of his hand abruptly to press the heel of her palms against her eyes in a vain attempt to stop the ever-building pressure. No, no, no- This wasn’t what she wanted, this was the last thing he needed to see, this was something she simply didn’t do and- She let out a low breath as another tear slipped past the skin of her hand, long legs coming up onto the couch so she could hide her face entirely.

“You should- You have t’leave. Go.”

Her voice broke slightly. Seunghyun said it was alright to mourn and grieve, but didn’t he understand that she didn’t want to? Mourning hurt and grieving hurt, and suddenly the numbness she’d felt this far seemed comparatively blissful. This was ridiculous - Aya was not a child.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him because she did. Trust from her was difficult to come by, to say the least, and she could count on one hand those who’d earned it. Seunghyun was one of them - and he’d earned it many times over. Aya could only hope it was reciprocated.

It was this facet of their companionship that made her want desperately for him to leave. Yes, she’d been labelled a protégée, but in reality he was neither father nor brother but close friend and professor, and she’d already burdened him plenty within her lifetime. He didn’t need to see her like this - he didn’t need to see her crack when she no doubt would in his presence.

[ trial and error ]

crxariel-blog

Amused; like always Aleksandra just seemed so thoroughly amused by the world around her, one could have even stopped to wonder how it was possible to see anything but sadness and despair after so many years on earth. Truth was: she did see it, she just didn’t care.

Even during the most dry and heavy of times it was always possible to find a small spark of something — be it light or love or passion and since their first encounter, she had seen that certain something in Aya. As cocky as she was as a student, the girl always had a talent to back it up with and Aya couldn’t help but appreciate her confidence. Still, some joy was left in having said confident woman go along with her wishes, no matter how absurd they may have seemed.

« Moya milochka, shouldn’t you know by now to expect nothing but the unexpected with me? » Teasing Aya had always, by far, been one of her favourite past times. She would have paid good money to watch the girl grow flustered and embarrassed, only now said girl had grown and riling her up had become harder; as had bringing a smile to her face.

« Me? » Aleksandra replied with to the question with one of her own as she cast a brief glance around the surrounding area to confirm that no, no one was paying attention to them. The grin firmly stuck to her ruby lips, she easily slipped past the heavy, velvet curtains and into the rather spacious changing room. Appreciative at best and straight up hungry at worst was the look she gave the woman in front of her; like always, there was not even an attempt at masking her interest.

« Don’t you look lovely, krasotka? » I couldn’t just eat you up — and while that was only a thought it reflected in the glint of her eyes as she lifted a small hand, to place it right over the small of Aya’s back. The touch was light and just short of suggestive, considering the other woman’s state of undress. « A woman should always have one or two pieces of lingerie in her wardrobe, just in case. You should get it. »

#prof:aleksandra #prof:aleksandra1 #thread

“I should.”

She slipped off her shirt easily - grace had long since been taught to her in every move, and fluidity was her forte. Clumsiness was decidedly not a trait that was usually valued amongst aurors, after all, and Aya was fortunate (perhaps) to have not had to unlearn it at all.

Mostly - straps were still fiddly.

In any case, Aleksa’s entrance barely perturbed her. Aya liked to think she’d grown out of how easy it had been to rile her up - she wasn’t a child anymore, no matter what her old professors thought - and there was little to hide when she’d never been shy before. What use was there in starting now?

The mirrors made for a particularly interesting environment. She caught Aleksa’s gaze over her shoulder easily and for a moment her breath caught. The woman had always been nothing short of fascinating, and while her appearance was stunning in itself she knew it was merely the tip of the iceberg - an iceberg that held worlds of knowledge and charisma and persuasion and intellect twined tightly and intricately enough to create the depth of her character. Perhaps fascinating was an understatement.

“I’ve always been lovely.” A lie. “But I already have plenty of pieces in my wardrobe - they’re just not seeing much use.” Decidedly not a lie.

The touch sent a quick spark up the back of her neck and she turned instantly, meeting Aleksa eye to eye. Her lips quirked. A pinprick of cheekiness glinted in her eye that hadn’t made itself known in a while, and her hand reached back to catch the woman’s quickly. “But you never answered me - what’re you getting?”

Aya was nothing if not bold.

teammizuhara

Kiko Mizuhara for b+ab Spring/Summer 2016. More photos here

#prof:aleksandra #prof:aleksandra1 #starter

[ trial and error ]

[ @profaleksandra ]

“This wasn’t what I had in mind when you suggested an outing.”

Aya’s voice was slightly muffled through the fitting room door, and the occasional sound of movement came through mingled with the more often heard curse - such garments were nothing if not fiddly, after all, and she’d not had an excuse to buy brand new ones in, well, a while.

It could’ve - should’ve, in fact - been awkward, but it wasn’t, even though she’d taken the original idea with a grain of salt. Aya was nowhere near ready, not one bit, to think about seeing others let alone actually trying with them, so she didn’t particularly need to be here at all.

But Aleksa was nothing if not convincing.

And, truth be told, Aya hadn’t felt as much herself as she did now in what seemed to be forever. Life had moved on since, stopping and going back for no one as it never did, and she’d had to somehow fumble along with it. It hadn’t been fun in the slightest, but it was something she’d learned to deal with. After all, what else could she do?

“Aren’t you going to be getting anything?”

abcbabcba

[ recommence ]

#min:neukmin #min:neukmin1 #thread #fin

ministryneuk:

“Are you questioning my authority professor?” Henney said with a raised brow. “The complaint against Daniel was sent to my office directly. I then submitted it to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, following standard Ministry protocol.” With a huff he rummaged through his drawer, flicking through files. Neukmin smirked back at the professor. They’d reached match point. Henney was always thorough, leaving no stone unturned—as long as he stayed on his good side, Neukmin knew there was nothing the Professor could do to force his removal.

“And what would you have done Professor?” Neukmin huffed, finding the Professors statement rather ludicrous. “Indulged a student in their fantasies of student-worker relationships rather than end their delusions quickly to spare them further disappointment?” He clicked his tongue. “Maybe it’s you who needs investigating.”

“Here Professor, see for yourself.” Henney said throwing an Auror office file marked with Daniel’s name onto the desk, agitation clear in his rough tone. “Every detail of the investigation was recorded and reviewed—including a statement from Miss Leclair herself admitting that the complaints made against Daniel were false and that she had made them up because she was upset that he rejected her advances.”

“I’m questioning Mr. Lee’s innocence - and perhaps your gullibility, Mr. Henney. Unfortunately, your authority remains well and proper intact.” Never let it be said that all of Mizuhara Aya’s boldness had been lost. She supposed she had her parents to thank for that - nothing like classic teenage rebellion to rouse a fighting spirit after all. “The complaint and the evidence are separate entities - and the investigation needn’t have come into your hands at all.”

“And there are far better ways to end delusions quickly. I should expect someone will end yours at some point, and then you’re more than welcome to learn those.” Her nostrils, in coordination with her temper, flared and she squashed it down roughly. Now was not the time to indulge the manipulative whims of a boy. “You’re very welcome to investigate, but it’s a shame you’ll find nothing.”

It was with an inward smile that Aya took the file, aware that if he’d riled her up at all, she’d done at least the same to him in return. “Since these are, of course, entirely true and not tampered with or brought about through questionable means at all, you wouldn’t mind if I borrowed these to have a look at my own leisure, would you? It would be rather kind of you.”

{ fin. }

défense contre l'enseignant