Chasing Redemption
twotc ship: ava x eric (avaric)
She was not fireproof, after all
On a desolate Thursday evening, Ava was sprawled out on an armchair by the fire, legs propped up on the coffee table in a careless manner. She was tapping her quill against the hollow of her cheek, face shadowed by the greenish hue that was emanated from the magnificent glass wall of the Slytherin common room that look out into the Great Lake. She was scribbling on the parchment before her, but it was obvious that her mind was somewhere else. Days had passed since her last interaction with Eric, and she had been feeling dismal. He has not said anything to her in days. He barely even looked at her, and her senses betrayed her that at this point, she’d to anything to hear him scream. Alas, not only her senses did, but her mind and body did as well.
For the first time in her life, she had someone to answer to. Before Eric, no one has really acted as sort of like a mirror for her to really see the consequences of her actions, and no one had thrown the ball back to her to re-examine what she has said and done, even when she is spewing out credible bullshit. Everyone is usually wrapped around her fingers, but during the first task, Eric had called her out when she was fibbing, and he challenged her so well - she likes to push the limit and constantly see what she can get away with, but he put her in that place that forced her to take a step a back.
Ava likes chaos and inconsistency. She thrives on it, and she tends to orchestrate it herself. She enjoys being the driver of drama, and having an answer for everything. Thus, she craves the external stimulation, and the infinite “what ifs” that Eric provides. She loves the unpredictability of life and the opportunities that comes with them, and Eric is the wild card.
He had ignited a primal instinct in her, the need to win and dominate. She couldn’t stop engaging with him, and he made her so high. She could try and pick on on other students, and pretend that everyone else was him, but no, he’s leveled the playing field too well. She was not winning, it was obviously apparent - he was in her head, and she is eating up all of his jokes, insults, and dare she thought, flirty comebacks off of his palm like a starved puppy.
Not to mention that she found the Gryffindor’s physique entirely attractive. She found herself constantly, if not always, thinking about the well-built boy with the gleaming amber eyes. She couldn’t help but notice his scruffy, brown hair despite it not being very long, his nice smile, the way his rock hard biceps clenched every time he dived deeper in the depths of the Great Lake, all complimented by a commanding presence..and she’d gladly jump off of a cliff if anyone knew that every time Eric does the lip biting thing in between sentences, her stomach drops and flips in slow, lazy somersaults.
Realizing sleep was nowhere near her, she got out of bed. Throwing on her robe, she descended her way downstairs to the Great Hall. The room was darker than it was during the day. Amber glow emanated from the crackling fireplaces. She found Horus sitting by the fire. He was completely oblivious to his surroundings, and his eyes were closed. The boy made her anxious at first, as she has never encountered a necromancer before, but she admired his individuality and wisdom. Even though he seemed to embody a waxy, sullen, and solitary persona, she was sure he meant well. She cleared her throat, “Mind if I join you?”
Horuś’s eyes blinked wide open. He must have fallen asleep as he was reading up on one of Eiden Brun’s other books in preparation for the upcoming task – Aino had foisted the heavily annotated tome upon him and forced him to read it. He quickly lifted the book off his chest, closed it and placed it over the dark table, before taking off his glasses and folding them up. He laid the wire frames on top of the book’s covers. ‘Ava, is it? What do you want?’
Ava gulped, before tucking her hair behind her ears. With her eyes peeled onto the ground, she replied quietly, “I need to talk to you about something.”
Horuś inclined back into his armchair, sinking into the worn leather. He looked at her almost boredly. 'Well, spit it out.’
Ava’s lips pursed slightly. She sighed and finally looked up to meet his gaze. “I don’t do this very often, so bear with me here. As you might have noticed, we’re in way over our heads, Eric and I. He has not said anything to me in days, he barely even looks at me anymore.”
Horuś raised an eyebrow. 'Forgive me, but I don’t follow your little squabbles like the rest of the school does. If something has happened between the two of you, that’s none of my business.’ He ran a hand through his hair. 'Sure, Eric is quieter than his usual boisterous lately, but with the next Task coming up, I’m hardly surprised.’ He thought of the knot of nerves at the pit of his own stomach.
She blinked, “It’s not what you think. I still think he is an utter git. I just need to know if he’s okay….I’m feeling horrible, and he must be upset..I mean, I just think he needs to relax, I do not want to let this petty fight get in the way of the tournament. That’s all, really” She interjected quickly, words spewing out of her mouth in stutters. “I’m tired as everyone is, I can’t sleep at night, and I’m having manic episodes because he is nowhere to be found. He’s freaking me out!” her shrill voice broke the thin air in the room.
Horuś jumped in surprise. 'Jesus, woman, keep your voice down, there’s people in here who are trying to relax,’ he shot her a look of warning. 'Look, what Eric does in his free time is none of my business. Believe it or not, we all have our own separate lives outside of the boys’ club,’ he scoffed. 'If you’re wondering if he’s broken down and come running to me crying, I’m happy to report that my robes are tear and snot free.’ He swept a hand over his crimson uniform demonstratively. 'However, if you’re so bothered by his “unusual” behavior and concerned about how this will affect your performance,’ he shot her a cold look, 'You should check up on him yourself rather than come screaming to me. Don’t forget, I’m not your teammate. He is.’
Ava broke the lingering silence, “I’m not really asking much from you, I’m just looking out for your friend. I’m sorry, but people experience horrible things every day, and they still manage to pleasant to others. I was hoping to learn something from you. A little advice would be great..I just needed to know what should I do to make him okay…” her voice cracked.
Horuś let out a breathy laugh. 'Still manage to be pleasant? While that may be the admirable case, have you ever wondered if too much pressure might make the glass break? If Eric is being unpleasant, I don’t blame him.’ He directed his gaze towards the blazing fireplace. 'After all, there are so many people who /don’t/ have terrible things happen to them, yet they’re still terrible to him.’ He propped up his arm on the armrest, and rested his head upon his palm. 'If you’re seeking to make amends with Eric, I think you shouldn’t be so dependent on me. Eric and I share a different dynamic than Eric and you, and whatever I would say to him would end up sounding wrong coming out of your mouth.’ His dark irises flickered away from the flames to bore into her. 'If you want to make him feel better, you’re going to have to do this on your own terms.’ His lips stretched into a cold smile that was neither ill-meaning nor pitiful. It looked like an objective observation in the form of a facial expression. 'But you do have a lot to apologise for. I’m not sure you’re completely aware of how much damage you’ve done.’
Ava sighed, and her eyes softened, finally agreeing with him. “I suppose you’re right. Whatever it is, it’s probably better when it’s coming out of my own mouth.” She fiddled with the ends of her hair before adding, “Thanks anyway. I didn’t mean to blow this out of proportion, it just kind of happened. Have a good night.”
'Good night to you too,’ he said as he unfolded his glasses and put them on again. 'I wish you luck in resolving your … problems with Eric. I think that would be the best for everyone involved in this situation.’ He looked away from her and opened his book once more.
