(Untitled)

[afromp]

After another month, and into the second semester, she returned to school. A new school, and the other students weren't quite as bad as the ones at her last school.  A distinct lack of born-again students. It was more like the school she'd had back in California, and that was nice.  It helped her settle a bit more.  People didn't ask her too many

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[anima_in_metal]

In the time it takes her to start school and settle in, Johnathan becomes aware just how deep-seeded her fear of the water is. He never sees her take baths, only showers. Sometimes she has small, subtle nightmares even when he's there, and while it only takes a few words to scatter them from her mind he doesn't think that it will stop them from happening.

He wonders how bad they get when he's not with her. On a level, he knows the answer all too well.

On the nights she has work, he bring Moira over, or has her come over to his apartment. Cooks for her, helps her with homework if she wants it. Either way, they spend the night together more often than they do apart.

Outside of Amelia there's work. Calls from Sean, ways to help his brother navigate the affects of what he's done. Other, minor magics - things he's always done, but never been willing to show anyone else. Now, with Amelia, he doesn't worry about that so much.

[afromp]

She finds them fascinating, really. Things he does that she's absolutely sure she could never do. But she watches him do these things, and when he's not there she has dreams. Sometimes nightmares, sometimes just dreams about him.

She prefers the dreams.

[anima_in_metal]

It's interesting to have someone who actually watches these things. He teaches her, in a way, the simpler arts. Things to notice, things anyone could learn if they were shown. The rest is so far in his blood he's not sure he could teach a child if he had one, much less Amelia.

Still, it's nice. And he only freaks out about the age difference when something bizarre happens. Like picking her up from school when her car breaks down.

[afromp]

She likes watching him, likes learning what he can teach her. It's interesting, though she likes watching him do it more than she likes doing it herself. No matter how interesting it is.

To her credit, she did try to find a ride before calling him. A little sure that the age difference does bother him. It doesn't bother her.

[anima_in_metal]

It bothers him mostly, he knows, because it would bother other people and he doesn't want anyone making her life more complicated right now. Granted, random older guy not acting like a creep and giving her rides to and from school while her car is in the shop? Not as incriminating as his subconscious would like to think.

Then again Estrella isn't there to smirk him to death.

[afromp]

It's not as if she goes around telling other students that the man giving her rides is her boyfriend, and that he's ten years older than her. But she knows that it bothers him, but she's not really sure how to broach that particular subject. So she doesn't, not yet.

There are other things to do, like getting her grades back up.

[anima_in_metal]

Well, it's also not like he sits around saying how much it worries him, it just...does. And while he knows that July won't change a lot about her he still looks forward to it. Maybe it will make this anxiety go away.

Or maybe he'll stop being an idiot in the meantime, who knows?

[afromp]

Oddly enough, the closer that she gets to her birthday, the antsier she gets. More nightmares than dreams, and her concentration gets...wonkier. She knows why. But telling other people about her parents, that's never been an issue.

[anima_in_metal]

Which is about when Johnathan and Moira more or less move in to her apartment. The inability to concentrate makes it harder for both them, and it's somewhat easier when she's nearby.

But when it's close to time for her to do her finals and she can barely focus for a half hour at a time? Johnathan is beyond worried. "Amelia?"

[afromp]

She closes her eyes, a little upset that it's upsetting him. "Johnathan?" Frowning, because she knows that he's worried.

[anima_in_metal]

He puts his hands against her cheeks. "If you told me, would it help?"

[afromp]

Touching his hands, his wrists. "I don't know," she admits. "I'm not...I don't know?" It might? And it might not.

[anima_in_metal]

He takes a deep breath and tries, for both of them, to fight the panic and distress she has on the subject. "Are you willing to try?"

[afromp]

She nods, holding onto his wrists. "Yeah. I can try." Closing her eyes again. "It's my birthday soon."

[anima_in_metal]

He stretches his fingers out so that he can rub her temples. "What happens on your birthday?"

[afromp]

A shaky, shaky sigh. "My parents died on my birthday."