|
Aspen's wand flicked as she mouthed Expelliarmus. When his wand flew out, Aspen directed her wand at it again and sent it flying into the lake. Joao's NEW wand landed with a satisfying SPLASH near the swan boats. He could summon it back, but now he was unarmed. He'd asked for that, dared her, and Aspen would NEVER - not ever - wait for him to get the best of her again. All of Vi's words, as well meaning as Aspen knew them to be, were wrong. They drove her crazy. They made her itchy and feel wrong all over. Joao wasn't here to play, he was not a hero, and they had nothing but time. She swallowed the giant lump in her throat down, raised her chin, and let her wand tip tap into the palm of her opposite hand. "What do you want, Joao?" To see if she was still broken? Still sizzling? Honestly, what could he possibly WANT? Aspen stepped away from Vi, entirely hyperaware of her friend's presence. But if Joao had an extra wand, and Aspen wouldn't put it past him, then this wasn't Vi's fight. Didn't want her in the crossfire. |
João groaned when his wand was taken from him. He didn't have an extra wand, because he was done with plots and Odessas in general. He folded his arms and tilted his head to left. "Ms. Branxton," he acknowledged the other girl, but his eyes were on Aspen's. He just shrugged at her question. "I wanted to see if your new boyfriend was around." Was that forbidden? "Oh, and, I want my wand back." If she didn't mind. |
Was she INVISIBLE? Vivi waved a hand in front of her face to check, but nope. She was here. Visible. Being ignored by Aspen, who was actually moving away... to protect her? Really? When Vivi was the one who was trying to protect Aspen? They obviously both had serious saving-people problems. Must be genetic. Vivi sighed loudly. Obviously. Annoyingly. And then she summoned the wand from the pond and dried it on her coat before tucking it down the front of her dress. "Isn't it tragic when we want things we can't have? I wanted a nice day in the garden, but I've just got myself a lot of trouble instead," she grumbled to herself as she wandered off toward her ball, mallet extended. Just playing croquet here. Nothing happening. Blasted wand was ruining her swing. |
Quote:
When exactly had Joao become so skilled, so precise in hurting her? It was hardly a month ago when she couldn't provoke him to utter an unkind word towards her (though she'd often tried) and now he cut through her like a steak knife to butter. She looked away from him, obviously not going to give him the satisfaction of mentioning Dylan again. He could take satisfaction in knowing she was bothered, upset, but nothing more. It was annoying that Vi summoned his wand though. Aspen had planned on telling Joao to take a swim. But, now Aspen didn't feel much need to worry for her friend. Vi was double armed and even Joao had an extra wand hidden away, Vi could take him with two wands. Aspen just wanted Joao to ask about West. So neither of them were getting what they wanted. "Don't do this," please, "... our fathers made the arrangement. You should honor your father." Either way, she was leaving. Aspen was leaving. She looked to Vi - was she getting this memo? Odessa out ASAP. |
"It is." Tragic. He briefly looked at his wand in Vivi's hands. "I won't cause trouble, though." She was hurting his feelings. He was barely a trouble now, wasn't he? He wanted to see how Aspen was, the girl who cheated on him just because he couldn't impress her brother. Except, he wasn't satisfied at all. If anything, he was further upset at himself. He hated West, but no matter what she did, he couldn't hate Aspen. "I want to apologise, Aspen," he said as softly and genuinely as his rough Latin accent would permit. He didn't want this. |
Odessa out? Vivi gave Aspen a lazy shrug and tapped her ball haphazardly toward... nothing. Just to tap it. "I'm bored." She wasn't, actually, nor was she lazy, but she was going where Aspen was going. When Aspen was going. Up to the point where Aspen told her to get lost, actually. "Sweat pants and pizza. Come back to mine, Asp, 'cause Max is out and I'll feed you." And she was keeping Joao's wand, by the way. Might even take it to the security office and have it weighed and open a file on him. She was an Auror and could bloody well do as she pleased. |
....was Joao asking her permission to apologize? Or just making a general statement? Her plan to leave immediately paused, just for a minute. Aspen's curiosity would drive her to insanity if she didn't wait to hear IF Joao would apologize. Or what he'd choose to apologize FOR. What he was sorry for. It was sadistic, she was sure - he was probably sorry he ever came back from Brazil, sorry for wasting time, money, and resources on her, etc, etc, etc. Sorry for getting mixed up with Odessas at all. Aspen wanted to hear him say it though, one way or the other. "You can't, you mean. You can't cause trouble. You're unarmed, outnumbered, and scared," Aspen informed him. Her head tilted ever so slightly - he'd know that was his invitation to go on with this "apology" if he was going to. Meanwhile, Aspen hit her ball to Vi. It wasn't part of the game, but Vi didn't have to be apart of THIS game if she wanted to bail. Aspen wouldn't blame her. "Just a sec," she told Vi. It was as much to Joao though, as Vi. Just a sec, then she was gone. Aspen was no coward, but this was too much, too soon for her. |
João ignored Vivi. His wand was all clean, mind you, barely used. He didn't have anything to fear for. His eyes were on Aspen again, and he looked at her as he let his hands drop to his side to show he couldn't or wouldn't - didn't matter now - cause trouble. "I apologise for hurting you." At his house. He was sure Vivi knew what had happened, but still, he didn't say that part. Aspen would understand anyway, he knew. Would she... learn Occlumency with Dylan now? He clenched his fists. Dylan wasn't up to the challenge. Clearly João wasn't too, because Lord West didn't like him enough, but still... Dylan just wasn't enough for her. It didn't matter now, though. He had apologised, now he was sure Aspen never wanted to see him now, so he turned to leave after studying her face for her expression. |
Just... a sec. Vivi raised one eyebrow with comment and turned her attention to moving both balls across the lawn with her mallet. She wouldn't leave Aspen behind, but it was obvious she was a third wheel at the moment. Best give them distance. Not eavesdropping, but not going far enough away that could couldn't hex Joao if he even looked at Aspen wrong. "Apologize. I apologize for nearly killing you like a twit," Vivi knocked one ball into the other as she murmured angrily to herself. "I apologize for having stupid hair. I apologize for being a pompous windbag. Bah. Apologizing." Could anyone hear her? Probably not. She didn't care either way. |
Hurting her? Aspen was insulted. He meant the whole fire thing, right? No. Aspen shook her head at him once. No. No, DONT apologize for that. That had been a lesson, a learning experience about trust, an important reveal into Joao's character. She didn't want him sorry for that. She glanced at Vi, who was trying and failing to not be heard. Pompous windbag with stupid hair, huh? "I didn't send him. I wouldn't ever," which Aspen wasn't sure Joao would know, or believe at this point. But Aspen would NEVER send West towards anything remotely dangerous, not for anything. Certainly for herself, for revenge. No Aspen would carry out her own revenge if revenge was warranted. Aspen moved towards Vi, but never quite turning her back towards Joao. She was ready to go. If Joao was wanting to talk now, or listen, it was too late. |
João heard Vivi's murmur, but he didn't try to listen what she was saying. He didn't care her opinion. The moment Aspen shook her head, he was done here. Done with Odessas. Done with bonding to people, caring them, trusting them. He knew she didn't send West. He had already turned his back, though, so he didn't say anything back, but simly walked away outside to his precious car. He was also done with this place. She had been a lesson too, a hard one, about how there was only himself and his family in the world that mattered. The rest would just cheat on you like that. |
| All times are GMT. The time now is 08:04 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.3.2 © 2009, Crawlability, Inc.
Site designed by Richard Harris Design