RP: Shattered Peace
Date: 5 June, 2005 (backdated)
Characters: Seti Vector and Julian Avery
Location: Julian's flat at 5th and D
Status: Private
Summary: The promise of a quiet night of reflection is broken by the arrival of Unexpected News.
Completion: Complete
Seti had missed too many important moments in Julian's life over the years - good or bad, it didn't matter to her now, she just lamented the lack of memories to fill the void - and she was looking forward to the morrow with an almost unreasoning amount of gratitude for the opportunity. To see her Habibi so happy, to see him and Gilderoy off on their new life, to take part in it, well...it brought tears to her eyes whenever she thought about it.
And tonight, she was being given a gift almost as wonderful: she and her cousin were to hold a vigil of sorts, reminisce and share stories. Quiet. Peaceful reflection. He'd been running himself too hard lately, in her opinion, and needed this moment to take stock of things. So, here she was, wine in hand outside his door, prepared for the long hours ahead.
The tingle from the wards, signalling Seti's arrival, was a bit of a shock. Not because her visit wasn't anticipated, so much as with Gilderoy gone for the day, it was the first sign of life outside of the little world set up at fifth and D streets. Despite how loquacious Georges could be, the place seemed as quiet as a temple between prayers. Fitting analogy, giving what was to come.
Which was in no way a source of anxiety for Julian.
Opening the door, he grinned and pulled Seti into a tight hug. "Darling, I'm so glad you're here. Please, come in." He offered his arm to lead her up the stairs to the third floor.
The embrace was returned with a fond smile and a kiss for each cheek, before Seti slipped a hand under his elbow. "You seem to be holding up well, my love," she observed as they climbed. "I was hoping that I wouldn't find you a nervous wreck of a groom, one that had to be tied to a chair and delivered forcibly to the bride the next morning. It really wasn't something I was looking forward to." Her eyes skewed sideways to catch his reaction, hoping her gentle teasing would relieve some of the tension that lingered in the lines of his face.
Julian chuckled at the quip. Hopefully it wasn't too strained. Truthfully, he wasn't anxious about committing to Gilderoy, not any more at least. After all, he already had, in his own way. But a wedding was a formal declaration, and a public one at that. If anything, the nervous energy he was experiencing was more like... stagefright, in a way. So many details to sort out, opportunities for errors, and this was an observation by their friends and peers. Still, he knew in his heart that he could do this, would do this, for Gilderoy.
"Habibti, if one could lie bald-faced before the Dark Thing, then a small admission of truth before people who actually like me shouldn't be much of a problem." Shouldn't be. "I'm mostly just worried that something's been overlooked. You wouldn't believe how many rehearsals it took during my first wedding. Great Uncle Allucard didn't have a bladder tolerant to excitement, after all." He grimaced at the memory. "Also, it's good to have another soul here. I hadn't thought this business with not seeing the... bride... before the wedding would be so difficult." Julian smirked before giving Seti's cheek a warm peck.
"You know there's nowhere else I would be on such a night, Habibi. Don't fret, you'll see him soon enough," she smiled her reassurance as they walked into the main area of his flat. "And it seems to me that as long as the two of you are there tomorrow, and willing, then the rest is inconsequential, yes?"
"True, but he won't even let me see our wedding robes. That's taking things a bit far," he sighed and mock-pouted. Well, perhaps it wasn't completely a mocking. How was he to accessorise with scant details?
Seti led the way to the small kitchen and immediately set to work getting the wine opened while Julian fetched down two glasses. "I've never understood the need for so much of the fluttering that surrounds a wedding. Vous et celui vous aimez. It's far simpler than people allow it to be. What does the rest matter, in the end?"
"True also, but then there wouldn't be an excuse to play dress up." Julian laughed, genuinely, at the look he got. Before taking the glasses and a prepared plate of cheese and fruit into the living room, that laugh settled into a warmer chuckle. Softly he continued, "I've found that the ceremony itself is for the bystanders. After all, everyone in the wedding party goes through hell to get to that gloriously shiny moment. The real heart of a wedding is the exchange of vows." A pause, then even softer, "And I know you understand the magnitude of exchanging significant vows with another person." Say what you will about Julian Avery - especially as most of it was likely true - but there was at least one thing about him which was a constant.
He honoured the vows he made.
The cheerful giggle of the wine pouring into the glasses was the only sound to be heard for a few long moments, as the pair of them were drawn into their own separate musings. Seti broke the silence first. "I know you're sure about this step you're taking, love. We've talked that over enough to erase any doubts I might have had," she spoke quietly, staring down at ruby liquid, "but I have to confess that you're worrying me. You push yourself too much lately."
In their discussions over the last month, the subject of Carolyn had been coming up with greater frequency, accompanied by a corresponding urgency in Julian's manner that made Seti uneasy for any number of reasons. Put in a position where he had only his own welfare to think of, she knew him to be a fairly patient man, but when it came to family - well, even as a young man, Julian hadn't tolerated threats to female kin at all well. And wasn't that same intolerance the whole reason she'd flown to Egypt? So the growing likelihood now that Carolyn was in some kind of danger was a thing guaranteed to worry Seti, as she watched a disquieting fire flare to life in the depths of her cousin's eyes whenever they spoke of it.
Her gaze rose, met his, and her hand reached up to run gently over his cheek. She frowned as she noted that he'd lost weight again. "Slow down, mon cousin. You'll be a help to no one, including yourself, if you burn yourself out first."
"I'm getting the impression that Gilderoy and I won't be the only ones relieved when the honeymoon begins," Julian joked lightly as he took Seti's hand in his, kissing the back of it fondly. "Love, don't worry so much. Weddings are naturally a nerve-wracking event. Things will calm down so much more after it's over. You'll see."
Not what I meant, as you're well aware, O Slytherin, she thought to herself. Cloaking his real worries behind pre-wedding jitters. If she didn't know that this defence mechanism was almost instinctive, she might have found it in herself to be annoyed. As it was, she found herself torn. Press the issue and risk adding to his stress? Or let it slide and then wonder if he'd be able to cope all by himself? A terrible choice, no matter what. She bit her tongue and simply sat, hoping that her silence might draw him out a little more, that her own concern might make itself heard.
And she was right, of course. Julian knew what she was referring to exactly. He could feel it at his core, literally. But despite having talked to her at length about the mysteries, frustrations, hopes, and fears concerning the finding of Carolyn, he simply couldn't speak of her right now. His network of informants were turning up nothing still. Rochester was nowhere to be found. Julian's dreams continued to be plagued by guilt. It was a sensitive subject at the best of times. And right now his control was like an instrument's strings stretched too tight, his nerves the pick grating across them. Eventually they could snap the chords that composed the symphony of his reality. He had to pluck carefully.
Denial was often the easiest way for Julian to relieve pressure.
"I should be more than fine, so long as I have you to watch over me, my Habibti." He took a nibble of some cheese and chased it down with a swallow of wine, after a toast. He then snuggled in close to his sweet cousine. "So, what would you like in the way of souvenirs from France?"
My Habibi, whole and well again, Seti heaved a tiny sigh and set her glass down on the table in front of them. It seemed that he was going to keep it all bottled up, which, as her logical mind pointed out, was certainly his prerogative and something that he'd been doing for years. Not without ill effect, immediately answered her heart. It wasn't as if having virtually no one to confide in all that time had done him any good. Perhaps it made him better at burying it deep down - well, he'd always done that, learned it from the cradle, really - but if that was what he was trying now, he'd not done a thorough job of it. She knew it was there. Knew he hurt. And that knowledge overrode any logic that the colder, more detached side could counter with.
Her cheek came to rest on his shoulder, but the comfort that normally accompanied such closeness remained out of reach. Whether it was a particular note in his voice, or the set of his shoulders, or simply her physical proximity to him, she didn't know, but the air around him almost seemed to buzz with a restless energy. It was altogether too tempting, sitting there with him, to do as she'd threatened before and tie him up until tomorrow. Maybe drug his wine first so that he'd at least get a good night's sleep.
"I'll consider it my gift just to have you and Gilderoy safely back here, so that I can watch over you," was her reply. She tucked her legs underneath her and curled up against him, unhappy with the odd, nagging feeling of disquiet but unwilling to deny him such succor as she could offer. "Habibi," - how to handle this diplomatically? - "have you settled all your affairs for while you're gone? Is there anything else you need me to take care of?"
Characters: Seti Vector and Julian Avery
Location: Julian's flat at 5th and D
Status: Private
Summary: The promise of a quiet night of reflection is broken by the arrival of Unexpected News.
Completion: Complete
Seti had missed too many important moments in Julian's life over the years - good or bad, it didn't matter to her now, she just lamented the lack of memories to fill the void - and she was looking forward to the morrow with an almost unreasoning amount of gratitude for the opportunity. To see her Habibi so happy, to see him and Gilderoy off on their new life, to take part in it, well...it brought tears to her eyes whenever she thought about it.
And tonight, she was being given a gift almost as wonderful: she and her cousin were to hold a vigil of sorts, reminisce and share stories. Quiet. Peaceful reflection. He'd been running himself too hard lately, in her opinion, and needed this moment to take stock of things. So, here she was, wine in hand outside his door, prepared for the long hours ahead.
The tingle from the wards, signalling Seti's arrival, was a bit of a shock. Not because her visit wasn't anticipated, so much as with Gilderoy gone for the day, it was the first sign of life outside of the little world set up at fifth and D streets. Despite how loquacious Georges could be, the place seemed as quiet as a temple between prayers. Fitting analogy, giving what was to come.
Which was in no way a source of anxiety for Julian.
Opening the door, he grinned and pulled Seti into a tight hug. "Darling, I'm so glad you're here. Please, come in." He offered his arm to lead her up the stairs to the third floor.
The embrace was returned with a fond smile and a kiss for each cheek, before Seti slipped a hand under his elbow. "You seem to be holding up well, my love," she observed as they climbed. "I was hoping that I wouldn't find you a nervous wreck of a groom, one that had to be tied to a chair and delivered forcibly to the bride the next morning. It really wasn't something I was looking forward to." Her eyes skewed sideways to catch his reaction, hoping her gentle teasing would relieve some of the tension that lingered in the lines of his face.
Julian chuckled at the quip. Hopefully it wasn't too strained. Truthfully, he wasn't anxious about committing to Gilderoy, not any more at least. After all, he already had, in his own way. But a wedding was a formal declaration, and a public one at that. If anything, the nervous energy he was experiencing was more like... stagefright, in a way. So many details to sort out, opportunities for errors, and this was an observation by their friends and peers. Still, he knew in his heart that he could do this, would do this, for Gilderoy.
"Habibti, if one could lie bald-faced before the Dark Thing, then a small admission of truth before people who actually like me shouldn't be much of a problem." Shouldn't be. "I'm mostly just worried that something's been overlooked. You wouldn't believe how many rehearsals it took during my first wedding. Great Uncle Allucard didn't have a bladder tolerant to excitement, after all." He grimaced at the memory. "Also, it's good to have another soul here. I hadn't thought this business with not seeing the... bride... before the wedding would be so difficult." Julian smirked before giving Seti's cheek a warm peck.
"You know there's nowhere else I would be on such a night, Habibi. Don't fret, you'll see him soon enough," she smiled her reassurance as they walked into the main area of his flat. "And it seems to me that as long as the two of you are there tomorrow, and willing, then the rest is inconsequential, yes?"
"True, but he won't even let me see our wedding robes. That's taking things a bit far," he sighed and mock-pouted. Well, perhaps it wasn't completely a mocking. How was he to accessorise with scant details?
Seti led the way to the small kitchen and immediately set to work getting the wine opened while Julian fetched down two glasses. "I've never understood the need for so much of the fluttering that surrounds a wedding. Vous et celui vous aimez. It's far simpler than people allow it to be. What does the rest matter, in the end?"
"True also, but then there wouldn't be an excuse to play dress up." Julian laughed, genuinely, at the look he got. Before taking the glasses and a prepared plate of cheese and fruit into the living room, that laugh settled into a warmer chuckle. Softly he continued, "I've found that the ceremony itself is for the bystanders. After all, everyone in the wedding party goes through hell to get to that gloriously shiny moment. The real heart of a wedding is the exchange of vows." A pause, then even softer, "And I know you understand the magnitude of exchanging significant vows with another person." Say what you will about Julian Avery - especially as most of it was likely true - but there was at least one thing about him which was a constant.
He honoured the vows he made.
The cheerful giggle of the wine pouring into the glasses was the only sound to be heard for a few long moments, as the pair of them were drawn into their own separate musings. Seti broke the silence first. "I know you're sure about this step you're taking, love. We've talked that over enough to erase any doubts I might have had," she spoke quietly, staring down at ruby liquid, "but I have to confess that you're worrying me. You push yourself too much lately."
In their discussions over the last month, the subject of Carolyn had been coming up with greater frequency, accompanied by a corresponding urgency in Julian's manner that made Seti uneasy for any number of reasons. Put in a position where he had only his own welfare to think of, she knew him to be a fairly patient man, but when it came to family - well, even as a young man, Julian hadn't tolerated threats to female kin at all well. And wasn't that same intolerance the whole reason she'd flown to Egypt? So the growing likelihood now that Carolyn was in some kind of danger was a thing guaranteed to worry Seti, as she watched a disquieting fire flare to life in the depths of her cousin's eyes whenever they spoke of it.
Her gaze rose, met his, and her hand reached up to run gently over his cheek. She frowned as she noted that he'd lost weight again. "Slow down, mon cousin. You'll be a help to no one, including yourself, if you burn yourself out first."
"I'm getting the impression that Gilderoy and I won't be the only ones relieved when the honeymoon begins," Julian joked lightly as he took Seti's hand in his, kissing the back of it fondly. "Love, don't worry so much. Weddings are naturally a nerve-wracking event. Things will calm down so much more after it's over. You'll see."
Not what I meant, as you're well aware, O Slytherin, she thought to herself. Cloaking his real worries behind pre-wedding jitters. If she didn't know that this defence mechanism was almost instinctive, she might have found it in herself to be annoyed. As it was, she found herself torn. Press the issue and risk adding to his stress? Or let it slide and then wonder if he'd be able to cope all by himself? A terrible choice, no matter what. She bit her tongue and simply sat, hoping that her silence might draw him out a little more, that her own concern might make itself heard.
And she was right, of course. Julian knew what she was referring to exactly. He could feel it at his core, literally. But despite having talked to her at length about the mysteries, frustrations, hopes, and fears concerning the finding of Carolyn, he simply couldn't speak of her right now. His network of informants were turning up nothing still. Rochester was nowhere to be found. Julian's dreams continued to be plagued by guilt. It was a sensitive subject at the best of times. And right now his control was like an instrument's strings stretched too tight, his nerves the pick grating across them. Eventually they could snap the chords that composed the symphony of his reality. He had to pluck carefully.
Denial was often the easiest way for Julian to relieve pressure.
"I should be more than fine, so long as I have you to watch over me, my Habibti." He took a nibble of some cheese and chased it down with a swallow of wine, after a toast. He then snuggled in close to his sweet cousine. "So, what would you like in the way of souvenirs from France?"
My Habibi, whole and well again, Seti heaved a tiny sigh and set her glass down on the table in front of them. It seemed that he was going to keep it all bottled up, which, as her logical mind pointed out, was certainly his prerogative and something that he'd been doing for years. Not without ill effect, immediately answered her heart. It wasn't as if having virtually no one to confide in all that time had done him any good. Perhaps it made him better at burying it deep down - well, he'd always done that, learned it from the cradle, really - but if that was what he was trying now, he'd not done a thorough job of it. She knew it was there. Knew he hurt. And that knowledge overrode any logic that the colder, more detached side could counter with.
Her cheek came to rest on his shoulder, but the comfort that normally accompanied such closeness remained out of reach. Whether it was a particular note in his voice, or the set of his shoulders, or simply her physical proximity to him, she didn't know, but the air around him almost seemed to buzz with a restless energy. It was altogether too tempting, sitting there with him, to do as she'd threatened before and tie him up until tomorrow. Maybe drug his wine first so that he'd at least get a good night's sleep.
"I'll consider it my gift just to have you and Gilderoy safely back here, so that I can watch over you," was her reply. She tucked her legs underneath her and curled up against him, unhappy with the odd, nagging feeling of disquiet but unwilling to deny him such succor as she could offer. "Habibi," - how to handle this diplomatically? - "have you settled all your affairs for while you're gone? Is there anything else you need me to take care of?"