No morning ever went by as slowly in Alya's entire life. She was horribly nervous and annoyed at herself for it. For the few minutes they stood on the doorstep all she could think was 'What if he doesn't really want me here?' 'He's got a new life.'
Then the door was open and she had Leo in her arms. "Leo."
If anybody wanted her to let go she hoped they had a crowbar.
He wasn't letting her go any time soon. It had been so strange to be separated from her for these past few weeks. They had been born a day apart. They were raised more as twins than anything else. It was as if he was living without part of his soul intact when she wasn't close by.
"I was going crazy waiting for you to get here. I thought perhaps you changed your mind about visiting."
The laugh that came out was the first genuine laugh she'd had in weeks. It just kind of bubbled out all on its own without being forced. "I think I might have drove Grandpa crazy asking when we could leave."
She pulled back, not enough to let go, just enough to really look at him, reassure herself he was okay. There were some shadows in his eyes but he seemed--more like Leo than he had in the past couple of months.
"I should have written you back. I'm sorry. Tell me about the modeling...and the puppies and the kittens and you and..." Doesn't quite manage to quiet her heart but does manage, just barely, to stop babbling.
"It's alright. I should have written sooner, and I suppose I should have thought about what I was saying before I wrote it. I didn't mean to upset anyone." Steps out of the house, closing the door behind him, taking her hand in his own, he walked with her out toward the lake so they could talk in private.
He really like the gardens around the house. Sometimes he walked by himself. Other times with Sinclair. Every now and then he transformed to a lynx to play with the birds that were around. It was nice to be walking with her.
"Modeling is interesting. I like it, mostly, but there are a lot of parties and I suppose I'm just not used to people treating me as if I'm a lobster in the tank, you know? But I'm learning so much about fashion that it's worth the things that annoy me. The puppies and kittens help to make the house not seem to so terribly huge. I believe they help to keep Sinclair company when I am working too. I love it here, but I miss all of you so much. How are you? What has been going on with you since I've been gone?"
"I'm sorry. It's just...you know me, it's easier to be mad than to miss you. You shouldn't have to hide the fact you're happy or that you're doing well." She twined her fingers around his.
They fell into step easily as they walked through the gardens. The house, the gardens, it was all beautiful and peaceful and Alya had Leo so her skin stopped feeling too tight.
She listened while Leo talked about his new life. "Are you drawing a lot? I mean you're not going to stay pretty forever." She laid her head on Leo's shoulder.
"We're..." It's on the tip of her tongue to lie and say they're fine but she'd never been good at lying to Leo. "We're experiencing some technical difficulties." Alya squeezed his hand. "But we'll work them out. There was a bit of a row in Charms." She gave a sheepish shrug. "I may have started it. Brando's dad wasn't all that thrilled."
"Other than that things are pretty much the same."
"You have every right to be mad. I was naive to believe there wouldn't be repercussions for my decision to leave the way I did." He walked with her until they reached the stone bench by the lake. Sitting down, he didn't let go of her hand as she sat down next to him.
"I am. Mostly sketches for designs, but sometimes I sketch people, things. Mostly things from here, but sometimes the things I remember from home. I did one of the vase in the parlor at the manor. The one Mum refuses to destroy no matter how angry she gets."
He looked over at her, taking in her appearance, searching for any changes that had occurred while he was away. He didn't notice any that were standing out.
"What does Brando's dad have to do with Charms?" Yes, he was unaware of that staffing change. "I hope you all get sorted out as quickly as possible. I never wished for my happiness to come at the price of all of yours. You must find me terribly selfish right now."
"Maybe. But, I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing. I'm not naive you know...not really. I knew things were going to change eventually." She closes her eyes and recites from memory:
"Turning, turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world;"
"Things fall apart Leo, the best we can do is fix what we can and build something new." The more she talks, the more Alya's starting to actually believe it. They weren't really broken--just on their way to building something new.
"Sebastian has taken over Charms. He started this week."
"Oi, well that explains why Brando is in such a foul mood. I mean outside from wishing to hate me, and absolutely hating my life here of course." His tone wasn't angry. If anything it was sad. Trying to deal with the fact he had lost his best friend over all of this was still hard to accept
( ... )
Alya's quiet for a while. She doesn't know what to say. "He's mad Leo and he's hurt. But it won't last forever. Just give him a little time."
She laughed again. "Yeah, I heard Dad laughing about that whole thing with Grandmother and Sinclair. Did you really tell her she didn't get a vote?" More laughter bubbles up. "I'm sorry--but really? That seemed like a good idea? Reeeeallyyy? Guess she showed you."
Her cheek rubbed against Leo's in a gesture her father always used on her to make her feel safe, it was comforting and soothing and she meant it. "Love you too."
"He doesn't wish to be friends with me anymore. I reckon he has nothing but time now." He doesn't elaborate. If Brando wishes to get into it he can, but the wound is still too fresh for Leo to get into once more.
He sighed at the teasing. "He gave me a curfew, Alya. A curfew. But when I told she didn't get a vote tempers were running high. I suppose I shall not make that mistake again."
Leaning against her, he was content to stay that way until they were called in. That was the thing about his sister; they could be fine just sharing the same space.
Then the door was open and she had Leo in her arms. "Leo."
If anybody wanted her to let go she hoped they had a crowbar.
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"I was going crazy waiting for you to get here. I thought perhaps you changed your mind about visiting."
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She pulled back, not enough to let go, just enough to really look at him, reassure herself he was okay. There were some shadows in his eyes but he seemed--more like Leo than he had in the past couple of months.
"I should have written you back. I'm sorry. Tell me about the modeling...and the puppies and the kittens and you and..." Doesn't quite manage to quiet her heart but does manage, just barely, to stop babbling.
Reply
He really like the gardens around the house. Sometimes he walked by himself. Other times with Sinclair. Every now and then he transformed to a lynx to play with the birds that were around. It was nice to be walking with her.
"Modeling is interesting. I like it, mostly, but there are a lot of parties and I suppose I'm just not used to people treating me as if I'm a lobster in the tank, you know? But I'm learning so much about fashion that it's worth the things that annoy me. The puppies and kittens help to make the house not seem to so terribly huge. I believe they help to keep Sinclair company when I am working too. I love it here, but I miss all of you so much. How are you? What has been going on with you since I've been gone?"
Reply
They fell into step easily as they walked through the gardens. The house, the gardens, it was all beautiful and peaceful and Alya had Leo so her skin stopped feeling too tight.
She listened while Leo talked about his new life. "Are you drawing a lot? I mean you're not going to stay pretty forever." She laid her head on Leo's shoulder.
"We're..." It's on the tip of her tongue to lie and say they're fine but she'd never been good at lying to Leo. "We're experiencing some technical difficulties." Alya squeezed his hand. "But we'll work them out. There was a bit of a row in Charms." She gave a sheepish shrug. "I may have started it. Brando's dad wasn't all that thrilled."
"Other than that things are pretty much the same."
Reply
"I am. Mostly sketches for designs, but sometimes I sketch people, things. Mostly things from here, but sometimes the things I remember from home. I did one of the vase in the parlor at the manor. The one Mum refuses to destroy no matter how angry she gets."
He looked over at her, taking in her appearance, searching for any changes that had occurred while he was away. He didn't notice any that were standing out.
"What does Brando's dad have to do with Charms?" Yes, he was unaware of that staffing change. "I hope you all get sorted out as quickly as possible. I never wished for my happiness to come at the price of all of yours. You must find me terribly selfish right now."
Reply
"Turning, turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world;"
"Things fall apart Leo, the best we can do is fix what we can and build something new." The more she talks, the more Alya's starting to actually believe it. They weren't really broken--just on their way to building something new.
"Sebastian has taken over Charms. He started this week."
Reply
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She laughed again. "Yeah, I heard Dad laughing about that whole thing with Grandmother and Sinclair. Did you really tell her she didn't get a vote?" More laughter bubbles up. "I'm sorry--but really? That seemed like a good idea? Reeeeallyyy? Guess she showed you."
Her cheek rubbed against Leo's in a gesture her father always used on her to make her feel safe, it was comforting and soothing and she meant it. "Love you too."
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He sighed at the teasing. "He gave me a curfew, Alya. A curfew. But when I told she didn't get a vote tempers were running high. I suppose I shall not make that mistake again."
Leaning against her, he was content to stay that way until they were called in. That was the thing about his sister; they could be fine just sharing the same space.
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