Dec 22, 2021
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chronicles aes / lynn rivers (1/?)
the camel’s back may already have been broken but you gave them the straw. and then you ran over them. with a tank.
Lynn: Precisely. *nodding, leaning against the nearest bed and sitting down finally. Her knees just weren't up to the test anymore. She pulls her sweater around her closer, then flicks her eyes back up to him.* As for telling them? That's your choice. It won't change last night. Alcott: *Easy smile instantly fades, and he tenses, shaking his head* Lynn. I think they deserve to know, so if you wan-- Lynn: No, see, you don't get to do that. *flatly, her hand saluting the air.* You don't get to make that my choice now after six months of making everyone basically swear in blood not to tell. *Honestly, her chin lifting.* I wanted to tell last night - when I realized you were likely going to be out of control. Only I asked Nadia to talk me out of it. She was right then, she's still right now. It's your choice. Your secret. Don't you dare put that on me.
-Lynn Rivers, The Renaissance: Of The Moon
Rachelle was clearly a bishop, she thought idly: the powerful piece that moved to any lengths necessary for their King, in an irregular fashion--but was ultimately stuck on the same track. Lynn always had fancied herself a knight.
Lynn Rivers, The Renaissance, Chapter 29
When A Tornado Meets A Volcano; april 17th, 2027
chapter two.
Nick: *coming down the staircase from his common room, sporting a simple jeans and t-shirt combo, grinning as she looks up* Hey there gorgeous. *cups her cheek as he reaches her and kisses her once, softly, in greeting before pulling back to look her over* You look fantastic.
Lynn: *looking up absolutely delighted, kissing him back for a moment--her grip on the magazine tightens-and she pulls back still grinning as he looks her over, lips twitching & even with a slight blush says cheekily* I know. *rolling the magazine up and sticking it in her purse, which she fixes on her shoulder, smiling back at him, 'relenting'* You look good too.
Nick: *grins once more with a small chuckle as she acknowledges that she looks great & then tilts his head as she "relents" and laughs once* Oh why thank you. *grins again, and holds up his arm* Ready to go?
Lynn: *brow wiggles in response still grinning and then tucks her arm with his tightly, nodding* Whenever you are.
Nick: I was born ready, babe. *arches his eyebrow with a small smirk & then leads them out to the grounds, heading towards the gate cause they don't give a shit apparently* How was your week?
Lynn: *smile* Good. *eyebrow pops grinning at him with the remark, walking down with him & then brightens at the question* Oh, I'm still celebrating. *grinning* And trying how to figure out how to convince my brother that since I helped him on Thursday find a way to sing for his girl that he owes me an encore...*head shake* He disagrees. *smiles* How was yours?
Nick: *laughs softly and nods* Celebrating without me? I quite enjoyed our mini celebration last week *grins and then chuckles* Mmh, your best bet is to talk to his girl then, assuming he's wrapped around her finger. Pretty uneventful. Though Binns' asked me to tutor one of the younger students, I meet them next week.
Lynn: *grins back, teasing* Picturing it? *brightens at the idea & grins* Oh! Good point. And yeah, well, they've pretty much been dating since they were in diapers really, so...save for the recent stuff I'm ignoring. *frown flicks across her lips but she clears her throat and smiles again* Oh? Do you know their name?
Nick: Hmm, maybe. *grins and shrugs* That's a long time. *chuckles and then nods at the ignoring comment before smiling when she does* Yeah. A fourth year, her name's Nadia Tudor, do you know?
Lynn: *laughs, blinks and she turns slightly, just kind of looking at him in surprise as she realizes he's serious, and she blinks again* Yeah, *smiles* I...have. We....were just talking about her actually. *amused* She's dating my brother. *smile flicks, and she exhales beaming in one breath* God-I-love-that-I-can-say-that-again. *beams*
Nick: *blinks as well as she looks at him oddly and then his mouth opens in understanding* Ooh...in that case forget I asked, let's pretend I already knew that. *laughs* I gotta tell you, what an impression must I be making on your brother. *Grins* First his sister and now I have to steal his girlfriend a way for a couple of hours every night. *shakes head*
Lynn: *smiles* Right. Momentary lapse of memory. *headshakes amused, and then she laughs once, lips pressed together, teasing* Not a good one. *groans slightly* He's asked to meet you sometime actually...*amused* But I think this is great. Nadia's awesome.
Nick: Exactly. *lips twitch* No, not a good one at all.*laughs and then nods, amused before popping his eyebrows briefly* Oh I'm sure he 'asked' in the most polite manner possible. *chuckles and then takes out his wand as they approach the gate* I'm sure she is. *grins and then turns to gate* I'm sure she is. *grins and then turns to gate, undoing the spells before turning back to Lynn* On Hogsmeade weekends the difficult security spells get taken off because Filch has to handle the gate *lips twitch in amusement* They don't get replaced till the nightly rounds after curfew.
Lynn: *lips twitch slightly annoyed, muttering* Well he better be polite...*head shake & looks back brighter, nodding* She's kind of grown up at my house at my house as much as I have at hers, so. *amused* You know she's Hols sister? *blinks as he turns, undoing the spells, her eyes widening a bit & she grins suddenly* Oh! *blinks, then goes on her toes & kisses him soundly for a second, pulling back & grins* ...Can you teach me how to undo the easy ones?
Nick: *blinks in even more surprise* Oh yeah, yeah I know...well I know now *grins and chuckles, kissing her back when she does and laughs once at her request, nodding* Sure. *opens the gate, and leads her through it before closing it with a flick of his wand* Put it on the list of other things I have to teach you. *teasing*
Lynn: *smirk flicks amused* All right, all right. *laughs once* See, now we have to find things I can teach you...*follows through the gate, hmming and teasing, turning now that they're beyond the bounds & resting her arm around him to prepare for apparition* We could start with how to pick a 'winning' football team....
Nick: I could think of a couple *brow wiggling and laughs at her suggestion, shaking his head and then pursing his lips in amusement* Cheeky, as you English would say it. *grins and then disapparates them to an alley in LA, near the mall he wanted to take her* Welcome to Cali. *grins*
Lynn: *brow flicks and she grins amused* Well in that case, suggest away...*tightens her grip around her as they disparate & blinks in surprise when they arrive, letting him go to look around & then smiles, bouncing slightly* ...an alleyway? *laughs* Glamorous.
Nick: *laughs* Yes, an alleyway. this is the *real* California. *grins and takes her hand, leading her out of the alley and into the busy street, taking out his sun glasses immediately and putting them on, turning to Lynn with a grin* Shades are a must here, I'l have you know.
Lynn: *lips twitch, taking his hand and follows with her free hand taking her shades off too & slipping them her shades off too & slipping them on immediately, following asking confused* Is there a fake Cali...? *blinks and smiles, tucking herself into his arm a bit closer to avoid someone on the street, grinning* Wow. *squints slightly against the light* Is it always so bright?
Nick: *laughs and shakes his head, amused* Probably the Cali you've made up in your mind *grins* most days, yeah. The sun is pretty common *lips twitch*. See why I had a problem getting off the plan? *teasing* Though, I'm glad I did.
Lynn: *laughs & tilts her head amused* All right, true--*lips twitch* I don't suppose it's actually possible I could run into Johnny Depp? *pause* No wait, he's in France anyways...*waves this off; smiling back at him* Oh? And why is that?
Nick: *lips twitch* I'm sure if you're lucky you'd be able to catch a glimpse of some other celebrities. *teasing and grins cheekily at her question, raising his eyebrows in a "what indeed" before answering jokingly* Cause my leg was starting to fall asleep.
Lynn: *presses her lips together teasingly* I'll keep my eyes peeled then. *pretending to search over his shoulder for a moment, deliberating out loud teasingly* Of course then if I'm looking elsewhere I can't be looking at you...*lips purse still not looking at him, even as her hand squeezes his & then she laughs at his answer, shaking her head amused* Ah. So practical.
Nick: *grins sincerely* That would be a sad thing, I do so love being looked at. *only halfway joking as he squeezes her hand as well, grinning at his own joke* Of course. *tilts his head sideways at the entrance of the mall* Right here.
Lynn: Yes, well. *lips twitch* I guess we have that in common. *just shakes her head at him amused, finally looking back at him and turning to the mall* so it was...Spencer's, right?
Nick: Of that, I have no doubt. *grins and then nods at her question* Right, Spencer's. *opens the door to the mall and leads her in* It'll be right next to Hot Topic..*chuckles* Trust me, we won't miss the stores.
Lynn: *pushing the sunglasses back up so she can look around, recognizing like, none of them & thus completely intrigued & then grins back at him* You know your way around this mall that well? *smile flicks* How close by do you live? Or...did live...or whatever, *waving her free hand*
Nick: Well I lived in Santa Monica, close to the beach, which is like twenty-five minutes way, but I came here a lot. Great parties *grins* that and I always got stuck babysitting my little sister and her friends. Half of whom were in love with me *lips twitch* Not without reason, but.
Lynn: *laughs, her brow arching at him teasing* Oh, only half? Bit of a let down, don't you think? I mean really, *gestures at him* look at you. *head shakes and then pauses* ...wait, Hollywood parties?
Nick: *grins at her teasing, then shrugs* Well, I just didn't want to make you jealous *teasing as well and then laughs, nodding* Sometimes, yeah. If you know the bouncers and they like you...which admittedly is difficult when you're a guy. *chuckles* I went to a premiere though, and the after party when my friend got a role in a movie. All on looks, really, she's a god awful actress.
Lynn: *grinning* Oh, is *that* what you were doing? *amused* I don't get jealous. Because, well, *repeats previous gesture at herself, teasing* Look at me. *lips twitch *Then she brightens, and grins at him* But then I could get us in. *laughs again, head shaking* Oh, very supportive of you...what was the movie?
Nick: *grins and indeed looks her up and down with a small smirk* Oh, good point. *grins* You could probably do that easily enough. *laughs* Well, I'm honest. *grins* And I've teased her enough about it as it is..*shrugs* Generic action flick--TNT 2, have you seen it? Guns. Cars. Fighting. Attractive guy pent on revenge. Hot chick driving the getaway car? *laughs*
Lynn: *wetting her bottom lip subconsciously as he looks at her and smiles again* Well there's always ways around uncooperative bouncers anyways....*grins at the description* With even less plot than the first one? *head shakes amused* Haven't seen that particular one no, but then again it sounds like I have. *brushes a strand of her hair back* Ever go out for a part yourself?
Nick: Is there? *grins* Oh, I need to see this for myself soon. *lips twitch* Though now that I'm of age it'd be relatively easy to just...apparate into the bathroom or something. *laughs* Yeah, exactly. *shakes head* Oh no, I can't act *laughs*
Lynn: *winks, but then laughs once in false-protest* Oh but what fun would that be? *wiggles her eyebrow & beams* Well. If the guy's really hot it's *obviously* still worth seeing..*shrugs a shoulder* That's what they want us to believe anyway. And it does make them a lot of money. *amused and then turns to him* Oh no? *bites her bottom lip* Not even a little, such as role-play? *pinches her finger/thumb together teasingly*
Nick: *grins* The fun in knowing you have more time to party, obviously. *shrugs and then laughs* Well, it works. *lips twitch* Well, *tilts his head* Maybe a little bit. *stops in front of the store and motions to it* Voila.
Lynn: Oh a little...*lips twitch* we can work with that...*stops in front of the store and her jaw falls for a second, and she just laughs in surprise/amusement, turning back to him after a few seconds* ...you weren't kidding.
Nick: *watches her reaction with a grin on his face, laughing once when she does and shakes his head in amusement* Nope, I wasn't. *squeezes her hand once and leads her inside* The best part though, that's at the back. *grins*
Lynn: *just laughing, with the slightest blush & bright smile, squeezing his hand back and following, teasing* Well, that's *usually* the case... *looking around as though she really doesn't know where to even *go* at first & blinks a few times, grinning at one that says 'Responsibly Drink Heavily' & nods in approval, and then blinks at the book section grinning at the titles and lets his hand go to start looking through them, picking up Cosmo's Truth or Dare and turning to him, just lifting it up, wiggling her eyebrow*
Nick: *laughs and just keeps looking at her to watch her reactions, lips twitching as she nods at the shirt and grins as she heads for the books and puts his hand in his pocket as she lets it go for the moment, grinning at the book she picks up* Mmh, sounds like fun times.
Lynn: *wiggling her brow still nodding, and then gestures w/ truth or dare (because evidently she's buying that) at one that reads 'Stuff Every Man Should Know', lips twitching & teasing* Oh, see, maybe I won't have as much to teach you if you get that...
Nick: *looks at the book as she gestures to it and then laughs* Oh, but what fun would that be? *grins* After all, visual and tactile learning are just as effective. And more entertaining. *wiggles his eyebrows in a small smirk*
Lynn: *lips twitch and she chuckles once, teasing* More fun if I'm not talking you through it, I suppose? *head shakes and puts the book down, eyebrows flicking* Should we venture to the back?
Nick: hmm, well I'm a fast learner. *grins and then shrugs before laughing once* if you're mentally prepared for it *teasing*
Lynn: *lips twitch* Ah, of course, ravenclaw. *grinning, looking over his shoulder for a moment and then back at him, and instead of responding out loud she just puts her hand on his shoulder as she walks by him, dragging her hand down his arm to tuck her hand back with his/spin him and bring him with her*
Nick: *just grins and shrugs as she comments and chuckles as she takes his hand again and turns around to walk with her, putting his arm around her waist*
Lynn: *tucks closer to him, smiling to herself for a moment & turning to slide her own arm around his mid-back, she grins at him & then blinks seeing the assortment of objects back there, laughs once incredulous shock/awe, bites her bottom lip and blushes again, blinks in quick succession and just says in exhale* ...damn. *brow wiggles, looking at him* Well *these* look like fun...
Nick: *grins as he sees her reaction and laughs as she blushes slightly, finding it adorable, grinning again and nodding in agreement* Yes, yes they do and are for the most part. *eyebrow wiggles and smirks once*
Lynn: *tightening her arm around his waist as he chuckles & she presses her hand to her cheeks laughing* Stop it...*pushes his shoulder, despite that she still has an arm around him & just shakes her head* Oh? *lips twitch* Well do you have recommendations, or would you be up to something new for both of us? *brow wiggles*
Nick: *smirk flicks a bit and laughs once as she tries to push him away* Oh I'm definitely up for something new *grins and looks around* Something catch your interest already?
Lynn: *with her free hand toying with her bottom lip, she looks around for a second and then nods, her lips twitching around her thumb/forefinger into a smirk, brows wiggling and points at a set of candy lingerie*
Nick: *follows her pointing finger and then laughs once before breaking out into a smirk* Oh...*licks his bottom lip* Delicious.
Lynn: *grinning & drops her finger, looking back at him (after picking said boxes up) grinning* And you?
Nick: *looks around and first picks up the edible body paint* Well, seeing as how we originally came for this *grins and then looks around again and picks up a 'sexual nirvana' card game* Huh. *grins*
Lynn: *grins at the tube and brightens* Right. *lips twitch* Almost forgot. *looking around too, blinking in amusement at just some of the titles on things and then laughs once when she sees what he's holding* Nirvana? *putting her hand back on his shaking her head, looking back at him almost matter of faculty, lips twitching* Well, I do love card games.
Nick: No idea. *laughs* But it looks interesting enough *grins and shrugs before the ringtone "Livin' On a Prayer" is heard and he reaches into his back pocket, taking out his phone and clicking to read text and then sighs* SOS.
Lynn: *when she hears the song she grins & starts singing along with it, head shaking and tossing her hair over her shoulder waiting for him to read it, and then blinks confused* ....SOS??
Nick: *grins at the fact that she knows the song* Oh you've got points back for that one. *teasing and then shakes his head* "Save our Sanity". It's something me and my siblings came up with *lips twitch* It's Jesse. Probably needs help with Henry. *pauses* My nephew, I mean. Otherwise he wouldn't have texted...would you mind coming with me to check on him?
Lynn: *grins, sticking her hands in her back pockets and bouncing on her toes for a second* It's Bon Jovi baby, of course I know the song. *blinks as he explains surprised* You...have a nephew? *beams after a moment* Yeah absolutely. *delighted* I'd love to meet them.
Nick: *just grins* Yes well, you English people are deceiving. *teasing and then nods* Yeah, he's almost a year old. *grins* Great, I'll just pay for the things and we'll leave.
Lynn: *lips twitch* Little mystery never hurt anyone. *blinks and looks at the boxes/book in her hand and furrows her brow* Oh..no that's okay, I can pay for these. *presses her lips together, and then adds smiling* Excited I get to meet your brother...
Nick: no, its not a bother, please. i want to. prove that all chivalry isn't dead and what not *lips twitch* hmm, he's an...odd breed, Jesse. *chuckles* I don't know quite how to explain it but, you'll see I guess. And Henry is...possibly the quietest baby i've ever seen, it's shocking. *shakes head*
Lynn: *purses her lips together for a moment deliberating hesitantly even as she's smiling and then she exhales, nods and hands them to him* Well I suppose really you're the one that's going to eat the candy anyways. *lips twitch too* And chivalrous too. *amused and then laughs once* Anything I should know? *blinks* A quiet baby? *blink* I thought that was an oxymoron...
Nick: *takes the items with a bright smile, nodding at her explanation* well now that you've sold me your soul *jokingly and then tilts his head towards the checkout register and walks towards it, still looking at her and then chuckles* not really, well except not to ask about Henry's mother, she bailed. *grins* see, that was my reaction too. but now i've figured it out *puts the items on the counter and then takes out his wallet* He's not quiet. He's plotting. observing. He's going to take over the world.
Lynn: *teasing back, even though she's blushing again a little bit* Just my virtue. Possibly. *walking with him and then her eyebrows go up at that, blinking in surprise* She what? But...*biting her bottom lip and just shakes her head a few times* ...unbelievable. *brow furrows, exhales* But you...help your brother out as much as possible then? *softer, much less teasing/smirking and more genuine smile, and then she laughs again* Oh, actually you know, it wouldn't be that surprising at all if that were true. *head shake* Always the quiet ones...*tiniest eye roll* And then, *lips twitch* if he's anywhere near as brilliant as his uncle...*smiles*
Nick: *lips twitching then repeats* Possibly. *smiling leaving his face for a moment and then nods sadly* afraid so. It's all complicated and he's never really told anyone the real story but thats it *shrugs* I do what I can, yeah. My sis and my mom also like to babysit Henry and help out. But Jesse's doing good. As good as any 22 year old single parent can be that is. *smiles and then chuckles* then he'd take over the world by 5 years old, of course.
Lynn: That's...terrible. *her brow furrowed as she listens, looking borderline between furious-with-the-girl, sad, and appreciative that their family is so close-knit, and she just nods as he shrugs, her brow twitching higher and half-smiling* Right. I can't even imagine...*shaking her head still incredulous, sighs and continues with her smile widening* I mean, it's good you're all there too...*her smile is really sincere, and then she laughs again* Right. By five? Sounds like he's the member of your family I should make sure likes me the most really then....
Nick: A bit, yeah. But as terrible as it is? She was...not the most respectable of women. a part of me thinks its for the best, though the other part...she is his mom, ya know? *sighs and then shakes his head* though Jesse always raves about the magnetic force a young single dad w/ a baby. *chuckles* 'We joke to deal with pain' as my mom likes to say. *He pays for the things and thanks the cashier, handing Lynn the bag and putting his wallet back in his pocket before taking her hand once more and laughs* Oh I'm sure he'll love you immediately.
Lynn: *nodding, still listening earnestly with her eyes glued to his, taking the bag, sliding it over her wrist and then taking his hand too, nodding to the cashier as well and exiting with him, laughing a bit under her breath* Well, Jesse's definitely on to something. *amused lips twitch and then blinks in surprise and smiles again* My mum says something like that too. She's pretty big on never giving up really. *brushing her hair back as they walk, and grins* Well I am fairly lovable. *pause* Are we apparating or taxi cab-ing or...?
Nick: yeah, I used to think of his as the relationship guru *lips twitch* but now that i have my own skills, of course, i don't need to consult him *grins and then chuckles, nodding* I guess great minds think alike then. *walking with her, grinning still* I wouldn't deny that. Apparating, he still lives in Santa Monica in an apartment, tiniest thing you can imagine but he's really prideful, wont let either of my parents help him out financially in everything except...diapers and baby formula *chuckles* i'd otherwise take a taxi but he'll probably be texting agai- *phone starts ringing again and then he closes his mouth, nodding* man never misses a cue.
Lynn: *lips twitch* Of course. *nodding and then laughs amused* So like a man *head-shaking, teasing*, but, well. That's really great actually, that he's that determined. And it sounds like Henry's very lucky to have hi--*as the phone rings, she chuckles again*--well and you, apparently. *lips twitch* Are you psychic now? *brow arching*
Nick: I would not be that stubborn...well, maybe, but *laughs* yeah, one of his many redeeming qualities. *reads the text, lips twitching, before he puts the phone back in his pocket* no, just very knowledgeable of my brother's impatience. *grins* so now for a...private enough place to apparate.
Lynn: Oh no? *amusedly twitching her lips and as he adds 'well maybe' she grins wider and nods, and then turns so as not to see his phone's message, waiting while he reads, arching her eyebrow curiously but not asking and then grins again* Hmmm...*points after a moment at one of the photo booths in the mall, with the curtain pulled and she smirks for a moment, turning back* Bet we could disapparate in there.
Nick: *looks around at the photo booth pulled up and then laughs once, grinning, images instantly running across his mind, and nods* alright, good plan. *leads her to the photo booth and holds the curtain open for her to go in and goes in afterwards, closing the curtain before he sits and pulls her down with him* but as long as we're here...*grins and puts a couple of dollars into the machine*
Lynn: *laughing once, delighted as he holds the curtain open for her and then goes in still holding his hand, standing against the side and chuckling again in surprise when he pulls her down, laying one hand on his shoulder, crossing her ankles under the dress and looking amused as he puts the dollars in--she's also just intrigued by dollars as opposed to pounds btw XD-- and turns her head amused, wiggling her brow in the close quarters* You do realize this is completely adorable of you right? *lips twitching*
Nick: *laughs and then nods* Yeah, I realize that. *grins* I can be pretty diverse. Adorable and *leans in and looks down at her lips before smirking once against her lips, whispers* hot. *camera takes the first picture and he laughs after the flash, grinning*
Lynn: *her hand on his shoulder tightening as he leans in, her gaze dropping to his lips for a moment without her realizing it and she exhales staying perfectly still with his whisper, blinking as the flash goes off and she laughs as well, pushing him with her hand again and shaking her head saying matter-of-factly* And a tease? *as the flash goes off again, and she laughs turning towards the camera to insure that at least *one* of these shows her actual face*
Nick: *laughs again as she pushes him away and calls him a tease, camera taking a picture of that before he grins and turns to the camera for the other picture as well, one hand around her waist and the other making horns with his fingers and putting it at the back of her head for the picture*
Lynn: *laughing too as she realizes the horns, proceeding to grin wickedly with pursed lips and narrowed eyes in an attempt to complement the photo and after it flashes she turns to him for the last photo, one hand still on his shoulder, the other she moves to bunch up the front of his shirt and she leans in and kisses him before the flash goes off, pulling back a breath and saying amused* You know, I actually do love a Femme Fatale...
Nick: *turns to face her for the last photo as she bunches the front of his shirt, hand wrapping tighter across her waist as the other cups her neck as he kisses her back for the brief moment, grinning once as she pulls away* hmm, you know that doesn't surprise me at all.
Lynn: *laughs, hmming and unclenching her fist to run her palm down his chest (with her gaze for a moment), as the pictures print and she smiles back up at him saying with feigned reluctance* I'm thinking we should probably...go, before it's your brother's text interrupting us when we'd rather .. not be. *brow wiggle, and she turns, taking her free hand to pull out the photos and looks at her sheet, handing him the other one and laughing, exclaiming amused* These are great...
Nick: hmm *reluctantly nods, sighing out* i think you're right. *tilts his head* but then again, you're used to hearing that right? *teasing and then takes his sheet and chuckles, smiling before taking out his wallet to put them in there* it's just because we're so incredibly photogenic. *grinning and then taps her thigh so she'd stand up, standing up as well* ready to go?
Lynn: *grins and says simply with a cheeky grin.* Damn straight. *sliding her own sheet into her purse, and zipping it back up, sliding her purse on her arm and following his hand, eyebrow arching for a second and she stands up too, wrapping one arm around his waist, the other around his neck, her purse/their bag from the store hanging off her wrist at his waist and she just nods* Let's go.
the morning of april 18th, 2027
Twigs and branches crushed and snapped under weight as she ran through the forest. She felt the dirt underneath her claws give way as she dug her paws into the ground, lunging forward with long strides. The night in the forest had been quiet, very quiet. The animals all were taking shelter, even the centaurs seemed to be impossible to locate for the night. One look earlier in the reflection of the river showed the reason- it was a full moon.
Hols fur immediately stood up on edge, a shiver running down her spine as she was once again reminded of the fact by a distant howl in the night. She came to a halt, however, when she heard a not so distant howl and snarl followed by a human yell. In that instant, Hols sprinted towards the origin of the sounds, muscles reverberating as her legs hit against the ground hard, propelling herself forward even faster than before.
A few more seconds and she was able to see the scene ahead: Sam Roswell, with his wand pointed at a wolf, no a werewolf. Hols didn't think, she just reacted; she kept moving forward and lunged forward with a roar, sending Sam falling to the ground with a loud thump, the weight of her lioness form crushing him under her. She heard more than a few bones snap, and Sam's pained yell soon after. Hols looked around and picked up his wand with her mouth, snapping it in a moment with her teeth while she turned immediately to the werewolf and roared, baring her teeth and warning him off. The last thing she needed was for a werewolf to follow her out.
As soon as the werewolf ran away, she was turning back to Sam; Hols knew she would have winced if she was a human. A chunk of his leg had been missing and he was all scratched up, and still he wasn't unconscious, just splurting out blood. She snarled as she realized she had to help the guy. Her mouth instinctively went for his neck but further thinking made him realize that it wasn't a good idea. She closed it around one arm, pulling him forward when another yell pierced through her ears, the arm must have been broken then.
Paying it no mind, she continued to haul him backwards, eyes kept in front of her just in case the werewolf decided to come back. No matter how terrified she was of the werewolf, she couldn't let it show and didn't; she was bigger and had claws and fangs as well. Fear was only making her act out more aggressively, her form unhappy with being threatened.
Sam tried to fight her off, with whatever strength he still had left, but she couldn’t understand a word coming out of his mouth if indeed there was anything but screams to be detected. She just pulled on his arm harder, angry with the human for making this that much difficult on her.
As soon as they were out of the forest and Sam was on the ground, Hols morphed back into a human. Sam’s eyes widened in surprise but Hols quickly took out her wand from her back pocket and pointed it at him. “Obliviate,” she said quietly, and wiped Sam’s memories of the events of tonight. A memory modification could be broken, and the last thing she needed was for Sam Roswell to know that she was an animagi and for him to go blabbing about a werewolf attacking him.
“Stupefy,” she muttered next, effectively knocking him out. Hols exhaled and closed her eyes before she cursed under her breath. A fucking werewolf. Not that she didn’t expect to run into one sooner or later –she had run into almost every single animal that called the forests of England its home-, but she had hoped she wouldn’t have. Hols didn’t have a problem with werewolves; her uncle Lucan was a werewolf but this particular werewolf was running around the forbidden forest, bloodthirsty and probably without the wolfsbane potion. Shit.
But first thing’s first; she needed to check if Sam had gotten bitten. She kneeled down on the ground, and checked his wounds. Hols had dealt with broken bones before, and with a best friend that wanted to become Mungo’s next director, she knew her fair share of spells. Yet, the werewolf had done a bang up good job at fucking Sam up, but at least he hadn’t bitten him.
“Fucking werewolf has me fucking helping fucking Sam fucking Roswell, fuck,” she muttered under her breath after she did as many healing spells as she could which in reality didn’t really do shit. She had to get him to the hospital wing.
“Let’s give Hols a big heart, let Hols be a nice person underneath her hardcore exterior, she’ll help anybody,” she spoke out sarcastically and annoyed as she put a disillusionment charm on both her and Sam, before taking a deep breath and heaving him up, putting him over her shoulders. She stumbled back a few steps under his weight and kept walking forward for a couple of more steps before she just grew tired of it and took out her wand again, putting a feather-light charm on Sam; much better.
“Oh, she loathes Sam with every fiber of her being? Even better! Prove to the world she’d help out an enemy, that’s just great,” she continued to mutter as she walked up the grounds, back to the castle.
“No she won’t get any recognition for this, no one will know who saved the asshole from a werewolf but hey, at least she’d have performed her good deed of the day. Ain’t life grand?”
She stopped talking as she neared the school, opening the doors of the castle silently and then continued to walk up to the Hospital Wing as stealthily as she could. Once there she placed Sam on a bed and took the disillusionment charm off of him, and walked out of the hospital wing after setting a ‘bang!’ out of her wand to wake up Madam Pomfrey. She was so perturbed by the sight of Sam there, all bloodied up and bruised to even think twice about the source of the noise.
Hols then knew where she was going to go: back to the forest. She needed to find that werewolf, needed to make sure that no one was else, whether human, animal, or magical creature, was suffering at the end of its rage and more importantly…that werewolf was a person, a human being. If she could find them -talk to them in the morning, inform them of the wonders of wolfsbane and a designated safe-house-, then she could help them. Hell, she could even provide the wolfsbane; her uncle Jandro had a million connections and he never asked any questions.
All she had to do was make sure she didn’t get bitten. Easier said than done.
Hols exhaled and then made her way back down the stairs again, out of the castle and back into the grounds. She took off her disillusionment charm and stuffed her wand back in her back pocket before she turned back into her lioness form.
With one look back at the castle, she dug her paws in the ground once more before she took off into the forest.
&.
Nick: *grins at how comfortable she gets and then nods before turning on the spot and apparating inside of his brother's apartment to avoid any muggles catching them, standing right inside the door which is basically the living room, sees Henry in his play pen there and immediately grins, Henry looking up in a small laugh* hey champ! long time.
Jesse: *from the bathroom* is that my idiot brother I hear? Is that Nickyyyy? Sure took your damn time! *flush is heard, then sink turns on*
Nick: *just shakes his head as he looks at Lynn and then just points in the direction of the bathroom which is right ahead of them* can you believe this guy?
Jesse: *from bathroom still* is that company I hear?
Nick: cool, just keep embarrassing me in front of said gorgeous company, go right ahead.
Jesse: *comes out of the bathroom, wiping his hands on a towel before he grins as he sees Nick and Lynn* you weren't kidding about that adjective. *hugs Nick*
Nick: *hugs Jesse and then turns and motions to Lynn* Jesse this is Lynn, Lynn, my brother Jesse.
Jesse: *extends his hand out* nice to meet you *grins*
Lynn: *grinning as she releases him, casting her eyes/gaze between him and Henry and immediately all but beaming as she sees him in the play pen, waving at him once too instantly, about to add her own hello when she hears Jesse and she just grins hearing them, pressing her lips together amused and nodding, mouthing/saying quietly so Jesse doesn't hear her* Brothers, trust me, I completely understand. *lips twitching and she turns when she sees Nick, her hand still up and so she offers a half wave, smile flicking as they hug, her eyebrow arching and she can't help but ask* Oh? Adjective? *lips flick, teasing* Was he bragging about me again? *as they release and he turns to her, she takes his hand smiling and shakes it* Nice to meet you too.
Nick: *grinning as Lynn waves to Henry, Henry smiling back at the company, before he has to interact with his brother, just chuckling and nodding as Lynn says she understands*
Jesse: again is definitely the correct word *grins*
Nick: *turns around to pick up Henry from his play pen and holds him up, speaking to Henry* can you believe this Henry? not three minutes in here and I'm already being picked on.
Jesse: the adjectives were many, by the way. he's chatty, you see. *makes the motion with his hand*
Nick: *shakes his head and then he steps forward again* and Lynn, this is Henry. Henry this is Lynn, can you wave hi? *grins as he watches Henry hold his hand up and clench and unclench his hand in a wave*
Jesse: the one people always come to visit *teasing*
Nick: yeah, about that, what's the deal? I told you I was *turns to Lynn and grins, winking once* busy *turns back to Jesse* this weekend, whats the emergency?
Jesse: *teases* I just missed ya, bud.
Nick: yeah, yeah. which date?
Jesse: *slow grins* Erica.
Nick: Kristen bailed?
Jesse: fundraiser car wash.
Nick: hmm *looks down at Henry* your daddy is predictable. so naturally he interrupts *our* *gestures to him and Lynn* date. *looks up at Jesse* i think we deserve an apology.
Jesse: no problem. *turns to Lynn* Lynn, sweet-british-accented Lynn, I'm sorry...that I didn't save you from my brother sooner- *breaks into laughter as Nick throws a rattle at his head*
Lynn: *her smile wide and lips pressing against each other harder as if to remind herself she couldn't actually melt at the sight, waving once again s moment later and returning* Hi Henry. Charmed. *her lips flick at Henry's half wave and she looks, frankly, like she would squeal at how adorable that is, but just turns gesturing at Nick/Henry at Jesse's remark and teasing* Well, naturally, considering what an absolute stud he is. *grinning, looking between them and casting a smile at Nick's wink just listening for a moment and then laughs too, surprised turn as he starts to apologize, her lips flicking at the modifiers/adjectives and she just shakes her head* Rattle-throwing tendency aside, *teasingly*, trust me, I don't want to be saved. *smiles* But I was glad for the chance to meet you, so, no apology necessary.
Nick: *looking down at Henry as he actually babbles a bit but then goes back to being silent* see, I'd told you he'd like you.
Jesse: oh he gets them all from his daddy *passes the back of his fingers across Henry's feet to make him giggle* the Callaway genes are a blessing.
Nick: *cant help but nod at that, grinning and then laughs at Lynn response* that's right, Jesse. she doesn't need to be rescued. *winks at Lynn*
Jesse: uh oh. *turns to nick* did you make a mistake and find someone impervious to your charm? *teases*
Nick: *smirks*...no.
Jesse: *shakes his head and turns back to Lynn, grinning* it was great to meet you too. *checks his watch* its almost about time to pick her up. Okay, how do I look?
Nick: like shit.
Jesse: no cursing around my child, damnit. *turns to the door* Coming. *picks up Henry momentarily and kisses him bye before giving him back to Nick* thanks again, bro. *claps his shoulder and turns to Lynn* i'll make it up to you guys.
Nick: better be a promise.
Jesse: *putting on his shoes* there's tequila on top of the fridge if you get Henry to fall asleep.
Lynn: *startled a bit but beaming as he babbles* You did. But then you also said he was quiet... *smiling as Henry giggles* ...so I guess I'm just special. *looks up as he winks at her again and she just purses her lips amused, shaking her head and then her jaw prat-falls and she scoffs saying teasingly* Oh yeah, you're definitely being charming right now... *head shakes again and she props her elbow on her palm, toying with her ear and smiling as they say goodbye, nodding her goodbye and then brightening* Tequila? *lips twitch*
Jesse: he usually doesn't...eerie. you really must be special. *turns to Nick* she's a keeper.
Nick: *chuckles, just grinning at his comment and laughs again at Lynn's comment, and then shrugs innocently*
Jesse: *grins* Patron. *picks up his keys and then heads to the door, waving bye again* see you all later. *walks out of the house*
Nick: *chuckles and then shakes his head, turning to look at Henry* you going to fall asleep? *Henry turns to look at him, blinking and then starts laughing* Thought not.
Lynn: *laughs and adds to Jesse* She can hear you, you know. *still toying with her ear, waving once at Jesse as he leaves with a simple* Nice to meet you. *shaking her head amused and looks back around at Henry/Nick, laughing once more as Henry does and with her eyebrows arched she grins* Well, wow, you really weren't kidding. He's hard to describe. *lips twitch*
Nick: *laughs* yeah, he's....Jesse. simple as that, really. *grins* but he's one of the best guys I know. though I'm not exactly the most unbiased person *grins again and shrugs and then goes to sit down on the couch, patting the seat next to him to indicate Lynn could sit down* really am sorry about this by the way *chuckles* not exactly the plan I was going for *grins*
Lynn: *lips twitching in amusement eyes following him and then sits next to him, setting her purse/their bag down at the coffee table and fixing her skirt as she sits, grinning at him and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear* Seriously, no worries. I mean, if my brother texted me like that--*pauses thinking out loud, her head turning a bit* --well actually I suppose that would mean my brother was touching a cell phone which quite frankly would be cause for another celebration but--*pauses, turns back and she smiles*-- I'd go to him too. *beat* Honestly, it's great. *lips twitch* And besides, *gestures to Henry a bit* as far as a plan goes, *amused* you know there really is no sight more alluring than a man with a baby. *presses her lips together amused*
Nick: *laughs, nodding his head as she explains she'd do the same thing, lips lifting in a small smirk at her next comment* of course *looks down at Henry* you're helping me get points champ *grins, looking back up at Lynn* do you wanna hold him?
Lynn: *grins at Henry nodding in agreement* I can't help it really. *head shake* Hormones or something. *brightens and then nods* Yes! *grinning and holding out her arms to take him*
Nick: *laughs at her enthusiasm and passes Henry over, Henry looking around as he's moved, looking up at Lynn with a smile* hey, uncool buddy, I already called dibs. *lips twitch in amusement*
Lynn: *holding him closely to her and grinning back* Hi Henry. You have a beautiful smile, you know that? *lips twitch* Callaway genes, I guess. *looks overtop of Henry half gasping again and she shakes her head amused* Excuse me? Dibs? *lips twitch* Flattering, but keep talking about me like that and the only Callaway I'll be touching is Henry here. *teasing*
Nick: *grins as he watches Henry giggle and nods* yes, those great genes. *lips twitch and then throws his hands up in defense* wait a minute there, I meant no offense you know *teasing and then chuckles* but alright, no dibs. well I mean...of that sort. *grins*
Lynn: *laughs, mhmming for a moment and nodding, pursing her lips teasingly and looks down at Henry* What do you think, Henry? Should I forgive him? *Henry just looks at her wide eyed still smiling for several moments and then makes a tiny noise, and she blinks, laughs and just looks up feigning-relenting still teasing* Well, I mean if Henry says I should.
Nick: *laughs and then tickles Henry's foot making him laugh in giddiness and Nick grins* the champ always has my back. *looks back up at Lynn with the same grin* so I have a question.
Lynn: *beaming as Henry laughs and shakes her head amused* Of course he does. *blinks for a moment and then lips twitch* Sure. Shoot.
Nick: *grins* well, though its cliche and wasn't spoken in the most sensitive manner *lips twitch* my brother's right. you're a keeper. *grins* question is will you be my girlfriend?
Lynn: *blinks in slight surprise and then just starts smiling, nodding and shifts Henry slightly so she can hold him with one arm, taking her now free hand to reach and ghost her fingers down his cheek, leaning into kiss him once, softly and pulls back and nods again* Absolutely. *laughs once under her breath*
Nick: *kisses her back just as softly, grinning as soon as she pulls away and nods once as well* great. *grins and then kisses her once again, looking down at Henry as he starts giggling* Henry, you're not allowed to see this! *covers up his eyes playfully, grinning*
Lynn: *grinning and meeting him in the kiss, laughing in surprise as Henry starts giggling, and pulling back as he covers Henry's eyes and she just starts giggling too, shaking her head* Well between this and the swearing Henry's getting quite the education isn't he? *amused*
&.
Hols follows the trail of small animal carcasses, the smell of blood leading her to the clearing and she approaches it stealthily the rest of the way, her shoulders hunched low as she sees the wolf. A snarl captures in her mouth at the sight of slaughter before she snaps her eyes to the hunched wolf, ears perking up at a pained moan.
With the moon's light starting to wane, the wolf stops stalking and pacing. Every muscle in his wolf's body aches in exhaustion, his fur matted and twisted with blood. Whose anymore he can't tell. He knows he was hit with spells, he knows he wrestled animals larger than him-- he knows... he knows...
That thought scares him, consciousness was beginning to awaken, flickering awareness back into him and he collapsed curled onto the ground, his tail thumping the dirt up. As he offered a low and piteous moan, that sounds suddenly to his protesting ears like an all too-human cry as bones snap into place, thick black hair recedes and tears fall down from eyes not red but amber brown to soak human cheeks.
It was Alcott. Jolted by the recognition, Hols' stiffens with fur stuck up, tail jerking to the sky. For a few moments she remains at a loss, a statue of shock. Then the mighty-lioness hunches, bowing her head in sadness.
Exhausted, Alcott curls into a fetal position. He lays in the dirt until he can't stand the stink of rotting flesh and sits up slowly to inch away and leave the flies their feast. Wiping blood off his sticky chest, he winces. Disgusted as he looks around him and sees the carcasses of rabbits, squirrels, and birds. Hissing in pain, his limbs shuddering and protesting every movement, it occurs to him he's far from okay. He's alive though, and he has no bloody intention of staying in that clearing.
As he lifts his head he realizes that the spell Eliza cast worked. He was back in the right clearing and he stands up going for the backpack in the tree, quickly throwing a shirt and shorts over scarlet streaks. His face is gaunt, haunted by the uncertain memories of the night and the blood drying behind his yellowed nails.
Muscles protesting the stiff bow, Hols slowly stalks backwards without taking her eyes off Alcott when her paw land on a mess of sticks. Despite how far off she is, Alcott hears. At the dull crack of stepped-on twigs behind him, Alcott jerks up. Snatching his wand, ignoring protesting muscles, a dry throat croaks,
"Who's there?"
His head spins this way and that as he looks, even though he's still breathing heavily and even though he's in no shape to fight his grip his firm. Eyes dark as he casts, the tip of his wand floods the clearing with light beyond the far-off rising sun to reveal a hulking, golden-brown lioness.
"Shit--" Alcott raises his wand again.
She casts her eyes down momentarily as sudden light hurts her eyes, then growls as he raises his wand in her direction once more. Smoothly morphing back into a human at once, standing up with her hands in the air, her growl turns into actual words,
"Right, all right, calm your ass down!"
About to cast, Alcott jumps a bit (and promptly swears again) as the lioness transforms. His jaw drops in total surprise, sweat dripping off his brow, shirt sticking to his chest. Wand leaping even higher in surprise, he snaps,
"Graft?!"
"Brackner."
The rough jerk of his arm was answered by a sharp pain shooting from his elbow to shoulder. Alcott lowers his arm just as quickly, proving he hadn't learned the lesson. Hols keeps her hands up to show she means no harm. Heavy silence is only broken as she asks,
"Can you stop pointing that at me?"
He turns the wand.
"Morning."
She inclines her head to him in mockery, lowering her hands now as he does the wand. Determined not to look at the carcasses, she locks gaze with him. He just stands there, looking at her. He blinks. He bites his lip - then winces at the sharp pang. Oh dear God. Had she seen? Of course she'd fucking seen, he mentally chides himself, bitter at his own fear as it floods his chest and robs him of breath. Get a grip. Clearing his throat, he says instead,
"When I said you were an unregistered Animagus? I was joking."
"When I said you were an animal and could give me rabies i was joking too..."
There's another stretch of silence, as Hols trails her gaze over him. Alcott just mirrors the incredulity, recalling with ease when she had said that. Yet he couldn't remember for the life of him what happened in the night -- and judging by the state of the clearing, he didn't want to.
Her shrug and swallow jerks them to the present again.
"Guess the joke's on us," Hols was dry as ever.
"Right."
He laughs, tilting his head and pressing his lips together. Hols doesn't move to continue, both of them determined to keep awkward silence at bay.
"...for how long?"
Alcott exhales himself. He doesn't answer her question at first, just swallowing and looks away from her gaze cast skywards. Dawn had was winning it's eternal war against the night, pink and orange rays streaking across the sky. He stiffens, rubbing at his shorts to try and expel sweat, blood and memory.
Hols bites down on her bottom lip, nodding to herself: the silence was an answer. His first time then. "Bloody hell," she's mutters to herself. Passing a hand through her hair, she casts another glance over him, trailing slower over blood as she remembers where it came from. She exhales again.
"Maybe you should sit down. You look like shit."
His eyes cast down to the ground for a second. He's thinking over in his head that his panic that she might tell is a little bit mollified. After all, doesn't he know her secret too? He could use that. But his head is still pounding, the tiniest sounds are piercing already-ruptured eardrums and the world's kind of spinning, so he just laughs once, shakes his head at her and bites out,
"Do you care?"
Hols rolls her eyes, curses under her breath, biting back, "Are we really going to do this right now? Just sit down. You're about to collapse, and I'm not set on taking you to the hospital wing."
She exhales, spinning away from him. Deciding she can't take the carnage and takes out her wand, she starts vanishing the carcasses, muttering, "Had enough of that already..." Alcott ignores this, wordlessly sliding his own wand away and studies the nearest trunk, as if the wood-grain has the answer to life in it. Scratching at the bark, without looking at her, he shrugs and half grumbles out,
"Look, I'm sorry all right? Not the best of nights." He exhales somewhat painfully. Hols stops momentarily mid vanishing when the words 'I'm sorry' leave his lips, shakes her head and just continues. Hating the third awkward silence, Alcott bristles and shakes his head. "What are you...doing here?"
His eyebrows narrow, "When I was --" He cuts himself off, and only now does he turn around to lock eyes with hers.
"I could have hurt you."
"I was --" She stops talking, realizing what she was going to say and disliking the way it sounds. Fuck that. Finishing the vanishing before she looks back up, she says instead," But you didn't. No harm, no foul." She shrugs. "On my account, that is."
There's a slight pause. Alcott's head tilts as she cuts herself off, eyes narrowing and frown deepening. She corrects,
"How much do your remember of your night?"
"What did I do?"
His face hard, the immediate question was tight as his chest seemed to cave in on itself, clench around his heart. There was fear in his eyes. Hols bites her bottom lip, and pockets her wand in her back pocket before answering.
"You attacked Sam."
Alcott's entire body seemed to seize as she just relates the initial fact. Not taking a breath until lungs still sore protest the lack of oxygen. He half gasps out, steely-eyed as he spins away. Hols continues without moving, "Busted him up pretty badly, but he sent you flying back before you could bite him. I pounced on him to keep him from doing anymore damage, snapped his wand in two, and you ran off when I roared. Dragged him out of the forest, erased his memory and took him up to the hospital wing, came back to find you."
Yet even as Hols still talks, he's moving, rocking, fist clenching at his side and punching uselessly in the air, just missing the tree. Alcott didn't know if he was disappointed or glad not to smash his knuckles to the wood. Exhaling what would have been a shout had he the breath, "Goddammit!"
He takes a steadying breath as his eyes shut, both hands falling to his side as he focuses on hard, long breaths. Hols doesn't move but she stops, knowing that she doesn't have to tell him what he did in the mean time. The evidence of his bloodlust had been scattered around them.
When Alcott opens his eyes to look back at her, it's with confusion, blinking as if he's just seeing her. His question was half muttered while his eyebrow arched,
"You saved me?"
Hols purses her lips as he takes in the nod, exhaling under her breath. Not really knowing what to say, she tilts her head slightly as he just turns to look at her. The question makes her chuckle once.
"Well, don't sound too surprised. I would have done the same for anyone."
Plainly, "Most people wouldn't have."
Alcott laughs once just looking at her again, still shaking his head incredulously. Hols shrugs, adding quickly, "He'll be fine, by the way...lots of broken bones, most caused by me landing on him actually, scratches and..." Hols is unable to restrain a wince at the memory.
"Injuries, but nothing fatal."
He's still breathing a bit unsteadily at the list, eyes fluttering, squeezing and shutting, only to open with his hesitant admittance, "I didn't....mean to...I didn't want to hurt anyone."
Alcott doesn't know why he said that.
"Hmm..." Hols tilts her head, "True. Most people don't turn into the very animal they have tattooed on their shoulder either."
"You have a lioness tat?"
His lips flick with sudden amusement. She only 'Hmm's. Smirking, thinking that maybe now wasn't the best time Alcott is unable to keep from imagining for at least a moment.
She shrugs as if she knows, nodding only once, twice, at his words and returning, "Well. If you had meant to hurt someone, you'd be a pretty sick fucker." She purses lips already taut. "Wolfsbane helps with that - I assume and hope you're working on that?" Her eyebrows rise.
"Yes. Devin's been getting the ingredients and learning how to make it." Alcott swallows and nods, wry and humorlessly acknowledging that he 'would' be and then nods once more. Why in the world did he have to agree with Hols again? He presses on,
"If that fails though...I'll find another way to send for it. I just figure I'm going to need to make my own. For...for you know. Now .. on."
Her only response is another 'Hm' at first, not surprised he has Devin working on how to make it. She nods slowly along, "Right...you should keep extra just in case."
Before Alcott could say another word, she'd jerked her chin up with her pursed bottom lip jutting out to state, "Time for the unpopular opinion...have you considered telling the headmaster and staff?"
"No, and you can't either."
"Excuse me?" Head jerking up panicked, he snapped without thinking. Hols' eyebrows rise further and she crosses her arms in front of her chest. "Care to try that again? a little bit nicer this time? i did save your life. And Sam's. It was a suggestion- and a damn good one at that, you can't do this on your own, they'd help."
"No, they'd take me out of classes."
"They helped my uncle. Took him to the Shrieking Shack every month, gave him Wolfsbane, the professors were understanding, they wouldn't lock you up..."
"They'd put me under lock and key back home where I would promptly end up disowned instantly- I just nearly killed a student! There's absolutely no way they could think I'll be safe, here. This -- this can't, get out." His eyebrows narrow, hissing through clenched teeth words foreign, "I'm grateful for the help, I am, but this has to stay secret."
Hols exhales and then frowns as he mentions disowned, not really being able to argue with that and gets a bit peeved.
"So I'm just supposed to keep my mouth shut, then? huh, what if you accidentally hurt someone else again?"
His jaw tightens a bit, he bites the inside of his lip - regretting that instantly as his body screams in protesting reminders of it's non inconsiderate ordeal. That's the only reason why he sounds pleading when he looks back at her, "Please."
Hols throws up her hands up in exasperation. Bugger wasn't even not paying attention. She pinches the bridge of her nose before exhaling, looking back at him as he says please. Astonished and pretty damn sure the word had never crossed his lips before, she just nods.
"Yeah, you better."
"I'll have the Wolfsbane next time." He swallows, and then can't resist from challenging, "Unless you have a better idea."
A small moment of deliberation and a frustrated groan later, she snaps, "No, not exactly."
"Thought not." Alcott's usual smug-smirk was back with the matter-of-fact snap.
Her hands go to her hips as she glares at him.
"I'll only keep my mouth shut if you do the same. If this gets out, you may be disowned, but I'd be jailed."
"I'll keep your secret. If you keep mine." He doesn't look away, promising that.
"Good." She mutters under her breath, arms crossing back on her chest, I have enough people trying to expose me somehow without you in the mix.
Arching his eyebrow as he hears her mutter, rubbing his ear in annoyance at the way his hearing is still adjusting and can't help himself from asking, "Whose trying to expose you?"
She blinks as he hears it, and then exhales. Right, super sensitive werewolf-hearing. Bloody fantastic. "I've shared enough secrets for the day."
Alcott just looks at her, then he figures it can't hurt, "For informations, sake, the only people who know of me are Devin and Eliza." He pauses to wet a lip still too dry and cracked, "And now you."
She shakes her hair back, tossing over her shoulder, "And Lynn, Keagan and Corey are the only ones who know mine, though you probably don't know the majority of those."
He snorts. "Well of course Lynn knows, thick as thieves."
"Damn straight."
"Guess we're both just lucky the other has a secret too."
Her eyebrow rises, "Lucky wouldn't be the word I would use." Sarcasm drips from her lips as she continues, "Though it makes me feel loads better to know you would have gotten me incarcerated otherwise."
He arches his eyebrow, and just says pointedly, "As you would have had me exposed and disavowed?"
Hols furrows hers in response, snapping, "I'd have done no such thing. I do have scruples. I'm just not stupid enough to ignore the current leverage."
"Well, if you'd noticed, I hadn't threatened once to expose you either. In any sense of the word. I'm not a snitch. I just won't let you play me either."
"And neither am I, I think I already proved that before this, eh?" She glares, then shaking her head: this was mind-numbing, aggravating, and she was exhausted of it already.
"That's true. You had."
"Fine. so we both keep our mouths shut about this to everyone and this doesn't have to get ugly. And i do mean everyone, including Dev and Eliza." Suddenly she realizes he didn't say Sienna's name. Confused, and kind of curious, she decides not to say anything. "And I won't tell my partner's in crime."
His lips twitch, but he nods immediately in agreement, reaching down to unstick his shirt. It smacks back. She nods, smug and appeased.
"Oh, I think it's better we keep this between us anyway. Considering...Sam." Alcott swallows tightly and double-checks because he's anxious about that, "He won't remember anything?"
The smug look turned serious, "Nope, not a single thing, not after the sun went down. I took care of it."
Alcott's lips twitch as she looks smug, but he too turns serious and tightens his jaw. Letting a rather lengthy pause fall while he simply looks over her shoulder at the rising sun, he meets her eyes again before speaking, words weighed with guilt despite the brevity,
"Thanks."
"Your welcome." She nods, then adds quickly with a hand jerking between the two of them, "This doesn't change anything."
She frowns, thinking it over, and then shakes her head, more to herself than anyone else. Alcott arches his eyebrow at her as she thinks for a moment and he laughs once under his breath when she speaks.
"Considering you already thought me an animal, or considering you refuse to believe there might be anything we have in common at all?"
She deliberates. "The first one. And kind of the second one, except I don't like the wording. We don't have anything in common. Well. Save a secret we don't want to get out. And maybe a touch of narcissism, at most."
"Narcissism? I thought it was more like confidence. As for other things we have in common, I would not know." His lips flick up, still challenging, more at ease now as his breath evens and headache lessens, "You refuse to find out."
"I know another thing." Hols' lips twitch before she rolls her eyes, "There goes that damn r word again. Refuse?" Scoffing, "In order for me to even be able to refuse, I'd have to have had an opportunity to accept or reject the offer. Was an offer ever made? No. Therefore, no refusal is possible."
"If we're going to be technical." And oh, is he smirking now, "Then Then I have to point out that you preempted any chance for me to offer by snapping it's pointlessness. But I didn't know you were so into technicalities. Seems a bit of a word game to cover up something really."
"Then I'd have to point out how unappealing yet wholly unsurprising it is for you to be deterred so easily." She tilts her head at him, smirking herself, "Enlighten me, cover up what exactly?"
"I haven't been deterred."
Hols purses her lips in brief amusement. "You haven't?" Her lips twitch back open while she exhales, shaking her head and chuckling once,
"As you said, I am not turned around lightly."
"What a joy." It's sarcastic.
Alcott's smile is starting to turn genuine. "And I don't know. Neither do you. That's the point." With an idle shoulder shrug, "There's certainly been nothing to cover up yet. Only the fact that if there were truly nothing at all you wouldn't be so determined to constantly remind me of it."
Rolling her eyes before arching her eyebrows even higher at this answer, she scoffs again, "I think you're over thinking. The reasoning could be, and is, as simple as the fact that there really is nothing."
Fixing his shirt again and hiking the backpack up on his shoulder, Hols gaze flicks to his torso momentarily - and away as she catches herself. He looks back at her with a tiny grin only to say, "Of course. I didn't think it had changed anything. My point was that you didn't have to assure me of it." He winks.
"Because really. What could it have changed Hols?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing at all Al."
She pauses in confusion, suddenly noticing the use of first names. Blinking, she shakes her head, "...which means is about time for me to walk away."
One eyebrow flicks upwards as she calls him Al, Alcott gets a tiny smirk in place. Amused, pleased, and also slightly confused, he decides to just nod in agreement, gesturing away from him as if to say 'be my guest.'
"Don't point your wand in the face of other defenseless animals, alright? Don't think I forgot you were going to hex me."
"Don't think I forgot you were watching me get dressed."
Alcott says nothing more as she snorts, turns, runs forward a bit jumps to land on all fours with a thumb. The lioness looks back over her shoulder at Alcott, stalking out chin high.
Alcott jumps back a bit and exclaims another curse as she morphs. Stumbling backwards as his limbs ache, he slams a hand up against the tree trunk and watches the lioness stalk out with his brows still flicking. Breathing is still a chore. It's only after she leaves that he admits to the weakness, and leans back against the tree.
Focusing on breathing and looking up at the sun muttering under his breath nothing but "Oh bloody hell." And then after staying in place for a few minutes trying to breathe and order things in his mind, he remembers Eliza and Devin are to meet him. Swearing again, he fetches his shrunk-broomstick and mounts so that he can leave at high-speed.
&.
Eliza: *startles awake and blinks, realizing she's curled up against Rory's side underneath his jacket and she jolts her head off his shoulder; he jerks awake as well and looks around at her; she slides down the bench a bit in surprise, swallowing and shaking her head at him* Oh! Ohmygod.
Rory: *looks at her awkwardly and hesitantly, confused as she's panicking; catching his jacket as she shrugs it off accidentally*
Eliza: I--I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep--
Rory: *waves that off* It's fine.
Eliza: *in the dim morning light, she checks her watch, her other hand flattening her hair behind her ear, breathing very quickly* What--what time is it? *spies the clock face and turns around seeing the sun coming up and wets her bottom lip, biting it* Oh. *turns back around* Oh wow. I'm so sorry.
Rory: *furrows his brow looking at her back before she turns back around, but he waves it off with another shrug* Seriously, don't worry about it.
Eliza: *bites her bottom lip and nods like a bobble head, still awkward* It was just...*shivers and running her hand over her arms* just, a bad night. *breath*
Rory: *nods*
Eliza: *brow furrowing as he doesn't speak, only increasing her panic* You could have woken me up, really, I wouldn't have minded--
Rory: *head shakes once* It's fine.
Eliza: *breath* But. I...I feel like I totally took advantage of you.
Rory: *arches his eyebrow kind of amused* Took advantage of me?
Eliza: *arching her own eyebrow back, lips twitched in a half smile in spite of herself as she insists* Yes! You were being...so nice to me and you still are and--and never mind. *blinks*
Rory: *head shakes I didn't...I didn't mind.
Eliza: Oh. *breathing a bit easier* Okay.
Rory: *looking up at the sun himself, standing* Besides, I hadn't seen the sun rise in a while.
Eliza: *smiles at him and looks back around* Right. *there's a beat where they just look at each other and then her face suddenly breaks again* Right! Sun rise. *swivels back around staring up at the rising sun and runs her hand still trying to fix her hair, looking back at him* I'm sorry--I have somewhere I...look you need to sleep. *thinks to herself: I am such a terrible liar. * -- Thank you, so much, but...
Rory: *waves this off* Don't bother explaining. Seriously, Eliza, it's fine.
Eliza: *bites her bottom lip* Right. Thanks. Really. *nods at him and starts hurrying off the Quidditch field towards Jenny's house again; turning around when she gets there and looking back to see where Rory went, watching him walk into the castle courtyard, breathing a sigh of relief and going back around the house into the very edge of the forest, seeing instantly Devin standing where they'd arranged, but no Alcott*
Devin: *looking up with his face stretched into a look of stern determination--a look Eliza has begun to recognize when he doesn't want to show his own panic and worry--takes one look at Eliza and blinks in surprise, dropping his bag and pulling her into a hug* What happened?
Eliza: *startled, but grateful and hugs him back for a moment, breathing into his shoulder* Oh nothing. I just made a fool of myself.
Devin: *blinks* How?
Eliza: Not important. *releases him, rubbing at her tired eyes*
Devin: *looks at her*
Eliza: *ignores this and shakes her head* Where's...isn't Alcott supposed to be here by now?
Devin: *firmly* There's no reason to panic yet.
Eliza: *bottom lip trembles a bit, but she nods* Right. *nods, clears her throat and shakes her head again saying firmer* Right! We're new to this.
Devin: *arches his eyebrow at her* You didn't come back to the Common Room last night at all, did you?
Eliza: *bites her lip* Were you waiting for me?
Devin: *shrugs a bit* Well. I...not really, because so long as you were gone I was able to say when she asked to Sienna that Alcott was just with you--
Alcott: *behind them both, rugged and clearly exhausted, his broomstick leaning up against the tree and he looks at them both with his customary smirk despite the blood evident on his shirt and the guilt in his eyes, saying matter of factly* --Has the added benefit of being true.
Eliza: *with a half squeal, she launches herself at Alcott and hugs him* Alcott!!
Alcott: *with a sudden inhaled hiss of pain with the tight embrace, his face breaks into a wider smile as he none the less hugs her back, moving her hair out of his face and lips twitching* Morning, Eliza.
Devin: *looking similarly relieved, though obviously less restrained and chuckles once under his breath remarking lightly* Going to let him breathe?
Eliza: *is wiping more tears out of her eyes and shakes her head, her smile now an undeniable beam* Shush. *letting him go and she grins at him, looks at him for a second and realizing exactly how awful he looks in everything but spirit, and bites her bottom lip*
Alcott: *noting what she's looking at and he shakes his head*
Devin: *standing next to Eliza with his own shake of his head, grinning at Alcott before Eliza could speak and adding* All right, mate?
Alcott: *nods once, his smirk twisting and he breathes, a hand rubbing his chest, exhales in a soft chuckle* Yeah.
Devin: *reaching a hand out; the pair grasp hands and pull into a quick hug, Alcott hitting Dev's upper back, Dev just keeps his hand on Al's upper back fearful slightly of hurting him and pulls back*
Eliza: *speaking breathlessly and going to the backpack* Okay. Okay, so, I brought a new shirt, that one has--
Alcott: *looks down and his brow furrows a bit, realizing the blood and he frowns, immediately taking the shirt off and taking the one Eliza tosses him*
Eliza: --yeah, and and we brought water, and food, and Pepper-Up, and bandages and--*eyeing the scratches on his chest as he takes the shirt off and she blinks*
Devin: Actually Eliza, I think you need to breathe...*with the intention of cutting her off from mentioning them*
Alcott: *puts the new shirt on over the scratches instantly and he shakes his head at them both* What I really need is to sleep. *nonetheless taking the water handed to him by Eliza and downs half the bottle at once*
Devin: *nods* Of course.
Eliza: *falls silent for a moment and then asks breathlessly* How...how was it?
Alcott: *swallows and his face falls, lowering the water bottle, thinks for a second and then says quietly* There's no description.
Eliza: *firmly* You did it. You, you did it! And, it'll get easier, and you'll have Wolfsbane, and it'll happen faster and...
Alcott: *cuts her off, with his own small determined grimace* We don't know that.
Eliza: *falls silent and then adds firmly* But still. You did it.
Alcott: *rubbing his forehead* There's something...there's something else. Why I'm a little...late, getting back here, I had a run in with....*he looks at them for a moment* Sam.
Devin: *insta!frown*
Eliza: *surprised, her brow furrowing and gasps once*
Alcott: *looks between them*
Devin: Sam?
Eliza: This morning? He was in the forest? He didn't see you tr--
Alcott: *waving this off* No, no, nothing like that. He...*gestures to the broomstick* I just...had to take him to the hospital wing. *is thinking to himself that he should actually double-check this story with Hols and groans under his breath at the prospect; Eliza/Dev ignore the groan, thinking it's guilt alone.*
Eliza: *cuts herself off and looks at him pained, asking quieter* What?
Devin: *exhaling and saying point-blank* You attacked him last night?
Alcott: *jaw tightens and takes a breath, saying nothing, but he nods once*
Devin: *breath* You didn't mean to.
Eliza: *looking haunted and practically hysterical, but she keeps her voice steady when she asks* How...how is, he?
Alcott: *looks at Eliza with clear pain in his eyes and he exhales before saying instantly* He'll be fine. Nothing...nothing fatal. And I didn't...I didn't bite him, I guess, so that's..that's good...
Devin: *nods instantly* Definitely good.
Eliza: *is rubbing her eyes, her breath having hitched and she just exhales looking back away for a moment and blinks as she looks back before echoing Dev firmly, her eyes perfectly dry* You didn't mean to, Alcott.
Alcott: *childishly* It doesn't mean I didn't.
Eliza: *insistant* You can't blame yourself.
Alcott: I can't?
Eliza: No! You...you didn't have control, you tried to stay away from all humans last night, it's not...
Alcott: *shaking his head*
Devin: *eyes narrow* That's where he went.
Alcott/Eliza: *look around at him* What?
Devin: Sam. *looks back at them, having not realized he spoke around* He left the Common Room when you did yesterday afternoon; he looked...*frowns* pissed. Suspicious. And pretty much up to no good but I thought, well, that's pretty much always how he looks...
Alcott: *nods* True fact.
Devin: *swallows* You don't think he followed you both into the forest?
Eliza: *with a frustrated exhale gasp* You mean, that he was spying on me?
Devin: *looking hesitant*
Eliza: *aggravated* I'm going to-- *pauses realizing that he's already in the hospital wing, her face falls and decidedly she looks around at Alcott changing her statement* So you were far enough in away from everyone who wasn't dumb enough to follow. This really isn't your fault.
Alcott: *breathless, just looks at her* Eliza...
Eliza: *firmly repeats* It's not your fault.
Devin: *rubs his forehead* Do you have any idea what he remembers?
Alcott: Nothing. *is still looking
Devin: *beat* Meaning you don't remember or--
Alcott: No, he remembers nothing. *exhales* His memory was obliviated.
Devin: *brow flicks surprised* You modified his memory?
Alcott: Yes. I...did.
Devin: *blinks looking a bit impressed and then nods* Okay.
Alcott: *has finished off the water bottle, just looking back at them both; his face lined with his exhaustion, guilt, and pain, even if he's still smiling* Seriously. *tosses empty bottle at Dev, who catches it and puts it back in the bag* I desperately need a shower and a bed.
Eliza: *promptly wraps her arms around him again as they walk back to the castle*
{prologue: summer letters 7} nick & lynn
Dear Lynn, So, guess which sucker uncle forgot his phone wasn’t baby proof? Or rather, it wasn’t Henry/freak accident proof? It’s really quite the interesting story, and I’m sure you’ll only love the champ all the more for it, seeing as he can do no wrong. I’d really love to be able to tap into that kind of power again, think it would still be there after all these years? But right, the story. Well my siblings and I have this summer tradition of sorts: we rent out a couple of the worst movies ever made and spend the entire time criticizing and making fun of it, laughing our asses off, etc. If the movie is really bad we turn off the volume and add our own dialogue- it’s just something we’ve been doing since we were kids. While we were getting snacks ready in the kitchen (standard mix of all popcorn, chips, and candy in the same bowl) Henry started getting all fuzzy and crying so I put on his favorite song on my phone to calm him down -Mountain Man by The Crash Kings if you were curious- and set the phone on the end table near his play-pen. Fast forward just a mere three minutes in which we’re all coming back, and precious little Henry is standing up by holding on to the side of the play-pen, with my phone on his other hand that he was using as a makeshift drumstick that he was banging against the wall. I think he knew he was in trouble because as soon as he saw us he let out a startled little sound while he fell back on his butt and my phone went flying. Right out the window, into the neighbor’s backyard. Where a dog proceeded to chew it up. Now just imagine me chasing after this giant ass dog, telling him to give me back my phone. We got into a tug of war for it, and I won for a moment, but the flew out of my hands when I pulled back and it landed on the street where it proceeded to be ran over by a car. This story wouldn’t be believable if it weren’t true. Therefore, I am without my phone for at least a week because my parents keep arguing about who’s going to buy it, how much money, and so on. Really, I would much rather buy it myself but I gave most of my savings to Jesse when he needed help with the rent last month. So, old fashioned letter-writing for a bit it is, whenever I simply can’t apparate over to visit I mean. At least that one doesn’t require an owl, seeing as how my mom has a fear of big birds. I think if she had a gun in her hand last time she saw one she would have shot the poor thing. How would I have explained that to Hols? Apart from witnessing technological murder, I haven’t been doing much. Being an amazing brother and uncle, I suppose. I did meet up with a couple of my friends yesterday, went surfing. You’ll be happy to know, it’s just like riding a bicycle, you never forget so I didn’t wipe out…too badly. And it was only once but all my friends would exaggerate simply to embarrass me. I think it’s a favorite past time of theirs. See, I was going to ask if you wanted to meet them, but now I’m not so sure. I’m not masochistic enough for it, I think. My mom has been bothering me to find out when you’d be able to come visit for dinner though. She insists you get your parents’ permission…tell if I’m wrong, but parents don’t usually let their kids travel eight timezones away. What about you, babe? Anything exciting happen in the last week? I’m happily awaiting your response. Happily but impatiently, I feel odd without my phone in my back pocket. Ever yours, Nick &. Nick, Baby, only you. Actually though, I found the story very believable even if it weren’t true. Much more believable than a few of my own…that I shall not go into detail on here (I was set up. That’s all I’m saying. Hags lie; everyone knows that.) Henry has wicked taste in music though, so points for that. Think you meant fussy, by the way, unless he really did get fuzzy and crying…actually, babies are very fuzzy. And now I’m just rambling. Funny thing about letters: you notice when you’ve gone far off topic much faster than if you’re saying it outloud. Or maybe that’s just me… I personally had just believed Jesse had roped you into some kind of soujourn for babysitting, or Kristen got you to help with some fundraiser, or you were abducted by aliens: so actually, I’ve already got permission to come and see you officially now. I finally wore Mum down. Granted, I’m also sure she knows you’ve been coming over too, because I don’t think she ever misses anything (it’s really very aggravating), and so I think she was just making me work for the permission she’d already given just because. Probably to teach me some kind of lesson. It’s obviously done it’s job. But upside: I’m now officially able to come meet your Mum, so she can stop fretting about not being allowed. Downsite: not nearly as fun as sneaking out. I really do miss you, babe. It’s gotten to the point where I’m actually looking forward to school, which I’ve never done. It feels so incredibly strange to think I won’t be going back to Hogwarts after next year. More than half my life has been spent in it’s halls…and I can’t even really enjoy it, since certain assholes are going to need to be put down in at least the first few months of the year. Hm, scratch that: that I’ll very much enjoy. So what you were saying about replacing dialogue for awful movies? I used to do that with my Mum except it wasn’t movies, it was these god-awful soap operas she and I got semi-addicted too when I was sick once. Semi-addicted too because I don’t remember any of the character names; we supplied our own. There was one character we called the “telephone vampire” because all he did really was stalk this girl through creepy phone calls we were probably supposed to find sweet, so we put this whole blood lust spin on it. But then when that apparently became the new trend—I miss Anne Rice—we made it film noir instead. The only real problem with that is that film noi requires decent writing and we were usually laughing too hard to actually make up good lines, so we’d end up just quoting Maltese Falcon, or Double Indemnity or something. And when everything in the room becomes “the stuff that dreams are made of,” it would turn into everything being “my precious” and I’d grab Dev for a night of massive LotR watching. It was the only film for a while he was cool with watching. That’s kind of changed though. I mean, he still mostly watches things with Nadia, but this summer things have been better. He’s exhausting himself working at the Ministry, and you know I swear he’s already studying for those damned O.W.Ls…but a few nights ago he just showed up out of the blue (knocked and everything!) in my room and we ended up watching Braveheart together. I had been going to watch Love Actually, but he drew the line at that one. Still, considering the fact that only six months ago he’d forsaken all muggle technology, I’m considering this progress. To be honest, I still feel anytime Mum mentions us doing something “too muggle” he gets this odd stiff look for a moment before relenting. It just…makes me sad to see: I never wanted him to have to deal with, well, any of this. And I know Mum didn’t either, it’s why she worked so hard to keep us away. On happier notes, I got the magazine issue early yesterday, where they’re putting my drawing in? They called to ask what caption to put, so now it’s got both Hols and I in there, drawing by Lynn Rivers: The Lioness Hols, being the title. I’m still shocked they chose mine. I mean, not that I don’t totally deserve it (I do), but because that was hardly my best drawing and the pool was just so large. It’s…unexpected. And considering we’re graduating this year and I still don’t have a career plan, this is heartening. Maybe I can open up a PI-slash-artists-studio with an international branch so I can travel and a legal department-slash-bribery dept so I can get out of trouble that I’m certain to get in. Hey, it sounds like a solid career plan to me. In regards to your friends though, I would love to meet them, duly warned as to their exaggeration and armed with the knowledge that really, nothing they could possibly say would change my opinon. Though if there is anything you want to tell me, now would be the time ? Have faith babe, if they’re going to torture you, they’re going to have me to deal with for that. I won’t let them. Last week wasn’t all that exciting after all the Hawaii drama, it seems things have quieted down to an unbearable stifling point. Can we just…run off to Ireland for a weekend, or else back to Hawaii just the two of us? Then that private beach could really be private…so I wouldn’t even need to pack, would I? Love, Lynn