RP: So let me know

[rar_cho]

Date: Wednesday, October 18, 1999
Characters: Cho Chang, Stephen Cornfoot
Location: 47 South Vinewood Avenue
Status: Private
Summary: Cho checks on Stephen.
Completion: Complete

Comments

[rar_stephen]

"You?" he asked, feeling as though he'd been punched in the stomach. What had she done? Nothing. That's what she'd done. Absolutely nothing. "It's not you." He shook his head and laughed, but it was a dark sound. "That sounds so bloody cliche, but it's the truth."

And it was the truth, and just like that, he felt as though his emotions had finally sorted themselves into 'what was real and had actually happened' and then into the pile of what ifs. Cho hadn't broken his trust. She hadn't lied to him. She hadn't been cruel to him or suddenly left his side for some other bloke. She'd done nothing.

When he looked back at her, he could see the firm set to her jaw. Her stance was defensive, and her eyes were troubled. "I only meant to ask if you were being honest with me," he said, feeling like a complete jackass, "and that is completely offensive. I suppose I wanted confirmation on your feelings-that you--that your actions have been sincere. But you've done nothing...I care about you. Too much possibly. And outside circumstances caused me to--to doubt what I've been doing. With you."

Stephen tentatively reached out and slid his hand down her arm. "I've never been here before, and I'm not sure--I don't know--because of things in the past--I'm uncertain. I just need to know--how you feel."

[rar_cho]

Stephen insisted it wasn't her and even though she believed him, his words didn't ease her tension. Stephen had always alluded to a darker side which he preferred not to discuss so she had known in a way to expect something like this. She had known, yet still wanted to get to know him better. To truly understand someone, she believed it required acceptance of the bad times along with the good. Still, it seemed these outside circumstances and things in his past could easily cause him to doubt her. Doubt them.

He was uncertain and needed to know he could trust her. Her indignation waned at the realization she was glad he felt he could ask such things if it was worrying him. "Stephen, I've always been honest with you. I care about you and would never hurt you like that. That’s not who I am at all.”

She leaned into his touch despite her mixed emotions. He said he’d never been in this position before and she could understand those kinds of insecurities. She hoped she could reassure him her actions were sincere at least. “I'm not the kind of girl who flits from one bloke to the next." She took a deep breath as she admitted, "It's been well over two years since I've been interested in anyone, Stephen. Not since Hogwarts. That changed though when I ran into you on the stairs that day.”

She placed her hand over his and brought his hand up to lightly kiss his bruised knuckles. “I understand it’s scary to trust someone like this. It’s the same for me. By opening up to you, I’ve willingly given you the power to hurt me. I have trust that you won’t though.” She raised their joined hands and placed them over her heart as she looked up at him, “I trust you, Stephen.”

[rar_stephen]

Stephen had never experienced such extremes in emotions before. One second he was furious, then he was confused, then bitter, then cold... Now, he felt his chest tighten. Cho had always been sincere with him. He knew that. He'd known it since they'd first spoken. She was real, and she was honest. He could trust his heart, regardless of the later consequences.

Cho kissed his bruised hand before placing their joined hands over her heart. I trust you, Stephen. Her words struck him. Without thinking, he stepped to her, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her, hard and intensely. He needed it. He needed to know his feelings were real and based on fact.

Instantly his blood thickened, and he felt the heat pool in stomach. He'd never felt such intense passion. His mind blanked and he was lost to it. But then it was too much--his feelings were overwhelming, and when he pulled away, he was breathing heavy and fast. Fuck.

[rar_cho]

Stephen's warring emotions were apparent in his manner and facial expressions. She wanted so badly to ease his mind about whatever concerns he might have. She wanted to help him through whatever was troubling him.

He moved closer and kissed her with such intensity it took her by surprise. She quickly responded and became lost in his passionate kiss. When he drew away, she was left weak in the knees and feeling thoroughly kissed. She stared up at him as she tried to catch her breath. His lips were swollen from kissing her so hard. She put a hand on his chest, feeling his rapidly beating heart and desperately wanted to kiss him again. "I love it when you do that." Even his black eye couldn't detract from how attractive she found him, especially when he looked at her like that.

She took a deep breath as she tried to regain her composure. "Can we sit down?" They needed to talk. She still needed to check his injuries. He just needed to stop looking so damn good. Her knees were weak enough as it was. "I really need to sit down."

[rar_stephen]

Stephen swallowed. He could hear Cho's ragged breaths. She was so close. He felt he should apologise for his actions, but he wasn't sorry. Not really. What he felt for her was real. The raw passion he felt wasn't something he had fabricated in his head. He hadn't even been looking for a relationship with anyone--it had just happened.

Cho wanted to sit down and he nodded. She sat and he stood beside the couch. His body felt all over the place, pulled in too many directions. Finally, he gave in and sat on the other end of the couch, and he clasped his hands together to keep them from shaking. Then he stared down at the floor. Waiting for her to say something. Waiting for something else to happen.

[rar_cho]

Cho sat down and was finally able to get better control of her emotions. It probably helped that Stephen had chosen to sit at the far end of the couch. Close proximity to him seemed to cloud her thinking.

She looked at him and knew he would wait as long as she needed. "Stephen?" His eye was rapidly blackening and she knew a healing spell tonight would work better to reverse the bruising. She scooted over next to him, hoping he would now agree to let her help. "I would still like to do what I can for your bruises. I'm willing to listen too, if you want to talk about your day." She knew he might refuse both offers, but he needed to know she wasn't going to turn away from him when things got rough.

[rar_stephen]

Cho slid closer to him, and he glanced up at her. Stephen inhaled slowly. Logically he knew it would be best if he let her go ahead and heal his injuries. He nodded. "Okay," he said. As for hearing about his day, he wasn't exactly ready to tell her about his family's problems.

"I was attacked by a wizard we had to arrest due to domestic violence," Stephen explained. He tried not to sound as bitter as he felt. "He said I provoked him." Stephen shrugged. "But he'd nearly beaten his wife to death. He punched me in the eye," Stephen said as he pointed to his swollen face, "and I punched him back." He held up his hand. "All around bad day."

Stephen swallowed. Cho listened to him so calmly, and all he could think about was kissing her again. Shite his emotions were all tangled and confused. He also felt guilty. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to--to treat you--to be unkind." He shook his head. "Sometimes I-I don't know how to feel. It's new for me. And I'm not--I'm not very good at it. I just know that I want you."

[rar_cho]

As soon as Stephen agreed she could heal his injuries, Cho got on her knees beside him on the couch and quickly went to work. She was relieved his eye and hand only required a few simple healing spells. She hated to see him hurt in any way and now, he should look much better in the morning.

She settled against the couch sitting sideways with her legs tucked underneath her as she listened to Stephen talk about what had happened on the job. She could understand his anger and frustration at dealing with such a situation. She sighed, "I'm glad he was arrested. It's always hard when we see victims of domestic violence at St. Mungo's."

Stephen was looking at her like he wanted to say something else. He then apologized for earlier and she shook her head. "You weren't unkind, Stephen. You were just being honest about your feelings. I'm glad we talked about it."

She smiled at his next words, "You're better at this than you think, Stephen." She reached up to touch his face, wanting to ease the tension she saw there. She brushed her fingers against his cheek, "I want you, too, and trust we'll figure things out with time."