VH Year: 8

Location: Darcie’s London flat

Lian: Black

Darcie: Green

Summary: The start of the riff between Lian and Darcie. Their differences and drama-queen attitudes start to destroy their friendship and twist it into something stranger than it was when they first became friends.

 

 

*Everything in blue and italics is Evan*

A week after bickering and so on between Lian, her aunt [Kiandra's mother], her Grandmother [Nonna Mary], Richard and more than likely several other people and finally shouting she was tired of it; she had grabbed Evan and walked to find an apartment.

"Aunt Lian, do you think we're going to find something?" A vibrant six year old Evan Cortes whispered to his aunt. Lian smiled softly from her place as she held his hand and spoke softly to him "We will, you'll see Evan. I promise that tonight we're moving out of Mary's house." Both of them walked their way up a set of strais following a woman who was no older than sixty-five. They were taken to an apartment, after Lian and Evan inspected it, they went to signing papers.

And hour later, Lian and Evan were moving things in the apartment. She magicked things into places, while Evan did it mugglewise by adjusting knicknacks on the shelves and in his room. "I'm done with my room, Lian" Evan said when he sat on the small couch.

"Well I've got to get you something to eat. Wait, perhaps I could send Falcon to Darcie. Did you feed Narci the Second?" Evan nodded as Lian walked to Falcon, petting it softly. It had calmed down before Graduation...weird. Lian wrote something quick for Darcie.

 

Darcie:

I moved to
London, where I am located on Briggs Avenue* in the Ark Building* in floor 5, apartment 6. If you could join us tonight, it'd be perfect.

--Love,
Your Graduated Musey

PS: by us I meant my newphew Evan and myself.


Prodding Falcon, she looked at Evan "Hopefully she'll join us"

 

Upon skimming over the latest edition of the Daily Prophet that had arrived that morning but hadn’t been touched until 5 that evening,  DD tossed the cruddy newspaper into her ‘burning bowl’. ‘What the hell is a burning bowl?’ you ask. That’s quite simple to answer since promptly after the paper slips into the piece of pottery, the grad takes hold of her wand and casts a spell she could do in her sleep.

Incendio.” The small flame, crinkling and blackening papers brought a small smile to the weary woman’s face. Last night had worn her out. So much too drink and so much idle chit-chat in a dark corner of some club in somewhere suburbia
London. Amazingly, not really, she’d made it back ‘round 4 am, collapsing upon the bed, not even remembering how Guen had protested the body suddenly upon her tail. *itch on side that resembles an itch of a healing scratch* Oh, nevermind. See what had become of her life? Honestly…

And it never got any better either as there was an insistent tapping at the window that quite resembled… “Bloody bird!” Darcie hollered for no apparent reason. Gah, she was wound like a snitch waiting to be released. Needless to say that she snatched the letter from Falcon’s leg hastily and sent the thing on its way without a treat. Poor animal… yea right. Holding the edge of the letter over the still flaming paper, she burnt an opening just wide enough to pull out the letter. “Mmhmm…blah blah…” she murmured as she took in the information quickly. Party as Musey’s. Huzzah!

After a long semi-relaxing shower, Darcie got herself dressed in nothing fancy, simple blue jeans and a black sweater with the Ravenclaw badge sown into the right shoulder. Yea, house pride still rocked. It was no different from muggles wearing their university gear after graduating. Why should she be any different? However, she couldn’t quite strut the streets in Hogwarts attire, so she grabbed her robe-like knee-length black sweater and hit the streets, arriving to Lian’s new pad in record time for walking. Without a snog partner for the elevator, she just used the stairs, coming to a halt outside the door numero 6.

Tap, tap. Rappity tap tap.

 

After having ordered take out and shoving it down Evan's throat she said "Go to bed, Now!" He of course listened and the adults had a party! A knock! Woozah! Narci the Second hopped to the room with Evan after he called for the bunny. Lian made her way to the door.

"Coming!" She wore a huge Gryffindor Sweater with some short pants and her hair in a messy bun and of course...Bunny Slippers! Your typical graduate! Swinging the door open she said "All dolled up for me? Got any party boosters?" She winked softly until Evan came out screaming "Codswalloped bird! Aunt Lian, Falcon came back!" Lian sighed and said "Darcie, Evan, Evan that's Narci" The ickle blushed at the sight. She was purty!

"You're purdy, Darcie" Whoa there, hold yer horses! Lian looked down and said "Evan! Stop being like your father used to be!" With a loud giggle, she shooed the boy off to his room to bed. "That's my nephew. Hehe. Don't worry he won't be much of a nuisance. Can I offer you a small taste of what I've got decked here? I need to have a huge word with you..." She sighed softly and ushered her best friend/sister/Narci inside the apartment. "There's a spare room for the after party drunkness. So please, feel..wait you're home! Screw formalities! Grab what you want, drink what you want...wreck all you want because the last debt the devil pays in this hellhole"

So unlike Lian, but who bloody cared? Not her. Well..Evan was another story. "And no worries, the kid knows how to deal with cereal in the morning. Haha. He's seen worse from me and Nonna. " Snickering slightly, Lian thebum walked into the kitchen and brought back two huge bottles. Elderflower and Nettlewine. "A toast, for freedom!"

 

“Coming!" “Quick before someone attempts to snatch me and take me home with them!” Darcie called back humorously, since, well, it was quite funny to think that someone could do such a thing. And before she could even get another laugh out of it to herself, the door was swinging open to reveal a very comfortable, lazy Lian. *snicker**snort* "All dolled up for me?” “Of course!” and to emphasize her sophisticated sexy wardrobe, she leaned against the doorpost in a slightly provocative manner. “Got any party boosters?" “Just my skills…” she purred. “Now, you mentioned a nephew…”

Whoa! Bad, very bad mistake! This one was waaaaaay underage. “Dammit...could have warned me,” the younger of the grads cursed under her breath as she straightened herself back up and cleared her throat lightly. “Evan,” she repeated with a slight nod, her brow lifting at his little honest confession. Children didn’t lie much at that age. Luckily he was shooed off and to be somewhat polite, Darcie waved a hand before stepping into the room, shedding her robe at the door. “Of course…surprise me…” she answered, her brow perked once again over the ‘big word.’ No, wait. Lian had said ‘huge word’; like that was any better!

wreck all you want because the last debt the devil pays in this hellhole" “Don’t tempt me…” Darcie answered pointedly, standing still in the middle of the room awaiting whatever liquid was placed into her hand first. “Good…I’m not quite fond of children…” she murmured, glancing with a wary eye toward his bedroom door, just waiting for him to spring out again like some beast that couldn’t remain caged. But oh! Bottles! Taking the entire elderflower bottle into her hand, she tapped it against Lian’s bottle. “To freedom!” she toasted, taking a hearty sip before lowering the bottle away from her lips.

“I take it plans have changed… obviously…”

 

“Quick before someone attempts to snatch me and take me home with them!”

"Specially if he happens to be called Lockore Darkmoon!" Lian said back with an obvious hidden giggle. That was downright evil! Aww how nice of Darcie to admit "While I'm a lazy arse, I just moved in today and thought you'd like to see party headquarters first" Ooh, Lian let a small and sexy purr at the mention of skills. "Now now, don't make me jealous, Darcie"

Dammit...could have warned me,”

"Yeah, don't worry. He'll sleep well." Upon seeing the robe in the floor, Lian took her wand from the coffee table and magicked it into playing a nice number [take a hint as to what kind of dance] and it was hung into the coat rack. After that, Lian didn't care. “Of course…surprise me…” Lian smirked softly and said "Even thought things with Lockore didn't go as expected when I left..which he'll prolly tell you someday. I managed to take my life back. But one thing. Endicus sucks major time. He attacked me upon the last week of classes. I didn't exactly tell Lockore how or what happened. I just don't really wanna delve into that- She paused and gave a look of disgust and then said "But Lexus was there. And perhaps some of my worse nightmare were relived in that moment. Like Aries, perhaps. But I snapped out of it and I gotta move on.- She paused again

"Lockore on the other hand, knows about the letter in a certain way that left him to ask..when he wasn't supposed to, damnit."She knew as to what letter "And hell, it got so bad that if I were you I expect a visit. I was paranoid off my mind, so I told him what could happen if I didn't handle anything back at home with the deliberate pace and calmness I needed to have dealing in with of course mathematical numbers and so on." Lian sighed and flopped into the couch

"They wanted to run my goddamned life again. And they almost got to me by attempting to use- And she pointed on the direction of Evan's bedroom with a lazy index finger. "I managed to use an adviced I myself have of course avoided all this time. And I can imagine Lockore saying 'Sure, now she listens to me'-Lian paused with a chuckle, after all her attempt at a manly voice sure failed. Lian ran a hand through the hair that fell on her face, afterall she had a year without Narci and hell did she needed to catch up. "All what caused all this change wasn't Mr. Darkmoon, who is lucky I didn't sent him to Mungo's. No, no. The Ball.- She paused there and gave an offhand blush

"After the Endicus accident, which I hated because the fact someone had managed to pull him off but didn't leave enough room for me to kill beat him within an inch of his life-, She still wanted to do that! "We had a small run-in at the ball. We did dance and no, since there was no mistletoe I didn't need to kiss him. But within our talk and I blame you- She pointed to Darice-"We got into a discussion I wanted to avoid. Who was the perfect person for who. Bloody Hell Darcie, what got into that boy's mind!? He leaped on fate and kissed me, knowing that I within me still held a grudge for what happened."

A grudge that wasn't exactly all of Endicus' fault either. But that will wait until later. "And that is all"

“Don’t tempt me…”

"The minute I say burning something, you'll be all over it- She winked softly as Darcie reminded Lian she was no good with kids. Lian arched an eyebrow "Well, you're lukcy! Evan is a very well self-suffient boy. In his case, we relate to each other, because of the parent loss thing. But this case, I took him in as inmediate family. I wouldn't, and couldn't let him go through what I did." And lifting her Nettlewine and tapping it against Darcie's bottle she said "Damn right freedom it is! William Wallace was right when he shouted that"


“I take it plans have changed… obviously…”


"With what I just told you, everything changed. Hopefully for the best. Now I just need to clearify things with Lockore...which will take a lot of time because he'll enjoy saying 'You finally listened to me'" Another cheat imitation of his voice. Rawr.

 

"Specially if he happens to be called Lockore Darkmoon!" Darcie opened her mouth to make some sort of snappy retort, but…nothing came forth, so she just shut it immediately before some wandering flying insect found her mouth by accident or purposely…those brainless creatures. At least she was let in within a decent amount of time. "Now now, don't make me jealous, Darcie" “You already are, love…” she purred once more, realizing somewhere in the back of her mind that she was being just a tad too feline for her own good. Maybe she should have kept that ambition of becoming an animagus… Then again on second thought, no.

The younger grad stood languidly in the center of the room, fingers tucking into her jean pockets as she listened to her Musey, curious as to why the Gryffindor wasn’t off working in whatever business she was threatened in to doing. First sentence included him of course. When did things go well between them? Had they had any sort of completely civilized rendezvous in the past 3 years? “I managed to take my life back.” “Bravo…” she murmured.

Next topic. Endicus? Older Slytherin student with the silver hair… “Attacked you? My Merlin Musey! You’re just telling me now?” Oh, Darcie wasn’t hurt…well, maybe in just the slightest. But… Lexus had been there. “Lexus eh?” she reiterated softly, a small smirk appearing on her face. Oh ya, Narci was le matchmaker. Hardly; seriously. One time occurrence, random side effect of some galactic calamity.

But oh, goody, his name came up yet again! Fidgeting slightly with her belt loops, DD half listened to/half heard the news. That letter? Oh, that was old news, an entire year ago or more actually. Time was flying by faster than Darcie could comprehend. “Right… a visit…” She mentally took note of it, but knowing her, the wine would scratch that memory out before morning arrived. Mmm… was it time for the wine yet? Oh, maybe not; not with Lian falling onto the couch in such an undignified manner. Talk wasn’t over yet.

“Thank Merlin you at least did something about it…” It was pretty much all Darcie could offer, because to be technical about things, the younger hadn’t quite given up on making her father happy yet. All this dilly-dallying around with odd jobs and a dueling addiction was just a period of preparation for bigger things. What bigger things? Who knew? Quite possibly it could all amount to absolutely nothing but a life of hedonism before dying.

“The Ball.- Here’s where Darcie’s ears perked, and eyebrow for that matter, intrigued as to how far the ‘Lexus’ thing had gone. The more Musey explained, the bigger Darcie grinned. “Bloody Hell Darcie, what got into that boy's mind!?” “Simple. You’re hot. They have urges…They have… parts…” But, that didn’t quite explain the Ravenclaw’s unusual high level of testosterone for a female. “People have urges,” she added swiftly.

"And that is all" “That was quite a tale, m’dear…Outdoes anything I’d have to share.” Grinning to the fire comment, she remarked, “That’s right… yell fire and I’m all over it like myself on a hot date.” Screw that stupid ‘white on rice’ muggle phrase. “I wouldn't, and couldn't let him go through what I did." Whoa… “You surprise me sometimes… you know that? I mean… I know you’re caring and all…Nevermind…” she mumbled, just shaking her head, taking the wine like needed water.

“William Wallace was right when he shouted that" “What?!” Wait…’dropped Muggle Studies a long arse time ago…’ “Nevermind that either…” To cover up her obvious lack of knowledge about the muggle world in which she was sort of living in, Darcie gulped the wine instead. Sipping be gone! “Now I just need to clarify things with Lockore...” “Luck with that…” Hell, Darcie was the one that needed to be hearing that.

 

"I am not" Lian added back swiftly. Okay, maybe she had purred right a moment ago. But...it wasn't her fault! It was...someone elses! And yes, the last time Lian and Lockore had a good civilized talk was mhmm...well Lian lost count. Perhaps in the midst of a duel? No. Great Hall, no. Lexus was there and she couldn't just pop something there.

Hearning the small murmur, Lian beamed a little. "That's not all I managed. I applied to a job in a muggle record shop. Girl, you cannot imagine the music I found! They have loads of records that I myself enjoy" But Darcie semeed a little worried over the Endicus thing

"He pinned me managed to force a kiss out of me. I did get a chance to bite his lip so he'd let go. I did my own damage. But yes, I tell you know because I knew that if I told you that night you'd be there burning him along a few other students. Oh yes,- Lian paused drawing a sip from her drink "Because nobody touches Musey the Bunny"

Ms. Matchmaker!Narci had that little smirk. Lian arched an eyebrow. The older girl sighed and kept herself together. “Thank Merlin you at least did something about it…”

"Thanks" Chosing not to dig as to why Darcie had look kind of 'downish' upon hearing Lockore's name, Lian said "You don't look good when I mention his name. Why do I sense something is going on without my knowledge? It's not my business anyways" It was true, not her business unless someone had used her name without her permission!

Lian didn't really want to go into the 'Lexus' thing, because simply. She still didn't know what the hell would happen with that. Simple, she had enough confusion in her mind as it was. She wasn't right for him. She really wasn't.

“Simple. You’re hot. They have urges…They have… parts…”

"Still, I am not right for him.-Lian began. That complex she had, she was brought up thinking she really wasn't worth of anyone's attention. Yet she had a lot of it. "And I don't need to know what him and his little friend do on Friday nights when loneliness hits in." Lian said, oh her mind always in the gutter [even though she wasn't as bad as Janus!]

Darcie mentioned urges and Lian took the moment to simply jump the gun and say "Just like you know that someone has a bloody urge...- She could have done it, but thankfully the neverending paranoia didn't allow her to do it.

“You surprise me sometimes… you know that? I mean… I know you’re caring and all…Nevermind…”

"Darcie, I saw his father get killed. Do you think I was going to let that kid, who was merely a few months old live with a mother who was mentally unstable? Being that even though I am not as stable as I should be, I can live and keep that kid safe. His mother went off the deepend and Onastacia and I knew the kid needed his Great Grandmother until I graduated from school" Lian was still to this very day trying to move Evan foward and into his feet.

"But yeah, I am a caring person." As Darcie wished her luck, Lian drank a swig from her bottle and said "Now, forget the depression, we've got a bash to do in a very impromtu moment!"

 

No wonder Lian was just telling her now about the Endicus mishap. That boy was practically a rapist. Wasn’t Slytherin taking more care of their affairs? Darcie completely understood the pure enjoyment in it, but they were slipping, picking the wrong victims and doing it so sloppily. “Damn right I would have burnt him…still might if I run into him on the streets…leave him in the gutter…snake trash…” she mumbled under her breath, her Slytherin pride still smoldering underneath the outer-Ravenclaw display.

But, of course, all her natural rage she could possibly muster could be dowsed with just one name, and Lian had figured it out. How could she not when Darcie regressed into adolescent ways of avoidance. "You don't look good when I mention his name.” Crap. Was she flushing like she had a fever? Or losing color to the point she likened a vampire? “Why do I sense something is going on without my knowledge?” “Because there is…” she murmured and shuffled her left foot on the carpet. “It's not my business anyways" “You know it always is…”

Just like always, Narci and Musey were denying the things that’d make their lives happier in the end. Just when a happy ending was within sight, the iron gate went up and neither were to be caught off guard. Except this time, Darcie had screwed up. She never quite gained back control enough to say what Lian had told Lexus. I am not right for him. She just nodded, and nodded again but with a soft chuckle, not minding the visual image at all. But enough of that hawt stuff…

“Darcie, I saw his father get killed.” Oh… Downer. Any dirty images she’d been letting play in her mind were shoved to the wayside as she listened to why Lian now looked like a teen mother to anyone that didn’t know her personally. "But yeah, I am a caring person." “Sometimes in harsh ways…but you are…” Darcie couldn’t help but murmur, her mind not letting the memory of the day of the letter leave her consciousness just yet.

“Now, forget the depression, we've got a bash to do in a very impromptu moment!" “Easier said than done…” the younger grad mentioned, but with another hearty swig of the wine out of the way, it was possible she’d been a bit too hasty. “I take that back…and I’m going to need a couch…” Stepping over to the couch where Musey had been seated, Darcie turned and collapsed upon it, placed the bottle between her knees, leaned her head backwards and closed her eyes, appearing pensive in a Mulder-ish way. "He has my address you say?"

 

Damn right Lian would hide things like that. “Damn right I would burnt him…still might if I run into him on the streets…leave him in the gutter…snake trash…”

"Darcie, your Italian side is showing more than your Slytherin" Lian called out with a small withdrawl. And this is why she didn't tell much about this. Because she knew the Endicus wand massacre would take place and nobody would get over Darcie [and Lockore if he really found out who the attacker was and if Darcie ordered him to attack]. Sighing, Lian scattered over allowing Darcie some sitting space.

“You know it always is…”


Lian shook her head and said "I'll tell you why it is no longer my problem- She paused and took a swig from her bottle "Because if I get in it, I sure as hell know I'll be keeling over after I try to fix mistakes done both in the past and now- She paused again, swallowing the real reason why she kept quiet; the best for everyone and Lian was entitled to keep a secret too!.

True, both of them denied feelings. One more than the other and that was Darcie. Lian would be afraid when it came to love. Love, nothing but a word, an emotionless emotion that drives you to do wild things. And the only reason she looked like a Teen Mom was because of an idiot named Cleery.*stabs to kill* “Sometimes in harsh ways…but you are…”

Nodding, Lian said "For the bloody record, I hadn't done anything out of the ordinary, Darcie" She winked to her, knowing NotSoIckleMs.Gutter!Narci might have thought something out of line.
“I take that back…and I’m going to need a couch…”

"Thank Merlin I moved over" Lian idly nodded at the last question and said "If you're going to hit someone, you might want to hit me now. It took him a while to get it from me, but sadly...I budged." She was blushing and then took another swig from her bottle.

 

"Darcie, your Italian side is showing more than your Slytherin.” “Oh.” Duh! Forehead-palm-smack! “I do have one of those don’t I…” Sometimes the girl got so lost in her father’s British appearance in the mirror she frequently visited that she forgot how she ended up with green eyes when the entire Dracel side was blue. Her mother, of course, was her mother, but it was more like the two of them had grown up victims together, bound by the family’s evil that they became friends instead of mother/daughter. When she and Sanne had meals together out and about, no one could tell they were related, except for a distinctly feminine feature here and there, her ears and hair texture; nothing more. Sometimes Darcie herself believed Sanne wasn’t her real mother, just some loving woman to cover for her father’s trysts out among the dirty pureblood district. Who knew…it was plausible.

"I'll tell you why it is no longer my problem.” Darcie lifted a brow, not liking that tone of voice. What the hell did Musey mean? She was always there to fix her mistakes! What if she really [insert dirty word] this time around?! Neither of them would ever recover from the hole she dug herself under his administrations. “And now…?” she lightly pushed, not expecting an answer, but hell, surprises weren’t that miraculous.

"For the bloody record, I hadn't done anything out of the ordinary, Darcie" “I know… I know…” she whined like a child being scolded for something old and repetitive. But it had all still hurt. She’d never live it down; displeased with the way she cracked so easily yet still continued with the affair that hit a quite nice peak. And hell… she’d never directly told Musey about the elevator. The only people that knew were Lexus and Locke…who heard it in quite a vivid manner.

"Thank Merlin I moved over"Mmhmm…” Darcie hummed and squirmed slightly, settling down into the cushion, just taking a moment to relax and converse casually about her serious issue. “I’m not going to hit anyone…” she murmured, eyes still closed at this point. Deep breath in and deep breath out… but sadly...I budged." Opening one eye, she peaked over to Lian, catching the faint blush, instantly closing it and returning to her tranquil state. “Maybe he just wants his animals back…”

 

 

I do have one of those don’t I…”

Lian kindly took it upon herself in saying "You still do," With a small pause of her own, allowing Darcie to reflect upon what she was reflecting, Lian [and her pupeteer] made up a mental though train.

'So, what is next?
I wish I knew. Hell, I swear she'll keel me
Oh well *waves to herself a goodbye*
'

Lian herself fixed herself when studying Darcie's expression. She was [insert several naughty words here] tired of it. She wasn't a janitor, she wasn't cupid and she sure as hell had enough on her platter as it was. Plus this whole damned romance crap wasn't her scene. Never had been. Explain, how can someone deprived of the emotion of love up to a certain point, could even love? Don't answer, it is damn near impossible.

And why, would someone like Lian, be involved in such mess? As it was not her business. Anything concerning Lockore Darkmoon's romantic interest was not her business. It never had been her place to be in. Mostly when 'we're' talking about a woman who can't show her feelings and a man who's damn near untrackable! [Unless your name was Darcie Ican'tshowmyfeelings' Dracel.]

And why did she suddenly want out? Because of point a- and now point b: Lian Cortes is not a loving person nor able to express her ideas without screwing things up more than what they are. Darcie hadn't [bleeped] that badly that Lian knew; or happened to care about at this point due to the fact that Lian was once again not going to even bother with two thickheaded people! Good Night Nurse!

“And now…?”

Lian shook her head and said "I've grown tired of having to clean up after you like a 6 year old. Even Evan is more self suffiencient than you at this moment.-Lian looked to Darcie and said "You have ambitions and I respect them, but somethings- She paused and took a swig out of her bottle "Are just wrong. I want out of this whole Lockore mess, why I'll explain"

And Lian paused, measuring her words for once in a lifetime before even bursting out. Silently adknowledging Darcie's question. "I told you I was tired of picking after your broken pieces. Darcie, I can only do but so much and this is all I can and will do- her pause and longing silence as she was about to shout that she was tired and bash and break bottles...not a good example for Evanickle.

"You are a heart player and guess what, it's bloody catching up to you and about to bite you in the arse- She said with clearly a look of 'Stop pushing this or I'll be saying harsher things that will cause you to kill me'. Lian hated having to shove the truth to Darcie's face, for fear or both their tempers reaching their topmost moment...

She whined, Lian noticed and said "It's alright, not like I care about it anymore" Oh Darcie wouldn't kill her...yay!

“Maybe he just wants his animals back…”

Lian sighed and said "The affairs at home could have gotten dangerous. He'll tell you more of the paranoia I was under. After Endicus, like I said. Not even Lockore could put a hand on my shoulder. I slapped it off. So it's not only about his friends,-Lian paused and said "It's also about your 'safety' which he cares about..oh well you should know the mush" Hell, Cortes you could've said better!

 

Breathe in, breathe out. Just because Darcie had claimed she wasn’t going to hit anyone, that didn’t mean her emotions couldn’t instantaneously make an about face. She was doing her damnedest to remain placid, remain un-violent. Her attention was put towards evenly spaced breaths, deep intake through the nostrils and a slow exhale through her mouth. But when her dear Musey felt button-happy, Darcie was no longer responsible for any malevolent actions.

"I've grown tired of having to clean up after you like a 6 year old. Even Evan is more self-sufficient than you at this moment.- GASP! The bwitch! They were friends! They were like… the best of friends and this is how Darcie was going to be treated! To keep her tongue from lashing out, she shut her mouth tightly, resorting to punishing her nose with her suddenly swifter breaths. Her emeralds caught a glance of Lian looking over with her peripheral vision, but kept still.

"You have ambitions and I respect them, but somethings.” Somethings?! What somethings aren’t alright to be ambitious over?! The moving liquid beside her only made her hand grip on the neck of wine bottle tighter, afraid that if she lifted it to her lips, Lian would spit out something else off her conscious that’d made the younger literally spit out the contents of her mouth. "Are just wrong. I want out of this whole Lockore mess, why I'll explain" Lockore?! Since when did ambition and Lockore go together in the same sentence! That wasn’t ambition… that was… that was… something opposite, that’s what it was!

"I told you I was tired of picking after your broken pieces.” Broken pieces?! What the hell?! "What the hell..." she mumbled maliciously under her breath, feeling like it was the forever titled ‘Day of the Letter’ all over again, except... her knees wouldn’t be folding under the weight of pain alone. Oh no… She’d return the hurt, even if she’d be regretting it seconds later.

"… it's bloody catching up to you and about to bite you in the arse.” It didn’t bite her in the arse. He cursed her into biting her own arse. She’d told everything! All that had been hidden for years had been revealed to the one person she’d been hiding it from, the one person she’d desperately been trying to protect from the harm she could only cause in the end. Living a few brief moments of bliss wasn’t worth the agony afterwards.

"It's alright, not like I care about it anymore" “That’s not true…” Darcie murmured, not wanting to believe that Lian just ‘didn’t care’ anymore. They’d bonded over it in the beginning. If there was no care there for the issue anymore, what was the friendship? If the beginning was no longer taken into consideration, how was it to continue? So many questions, too many neurons not working properly for such perplexity… Taking the wine bottle, she lowered it to the floor beside her, out of her hands where she just couldn’t hold it any longer.

Trying to play cool and suggest he only wanted his animal friends backfired. She couldn’t convince herself otherwise and Lian knew better, too. And of course, Lian speaking more did nothing to ease the angry tension she couldn’t shrug off. “He'll tell you more of the paranoia I was under.” “Paranoia?!” Darcie yelled in reiteration. “I slapped it off.” “Slapped it off?” Now, there was an idea making the muscles of her right hand twitch.

“Oh well you should know the mush" “Oh I do know that mush!” Now, the younger was hollering, standing from the couch hastily, staring down upon Lian. “Oh I know exactly how much he loves me and how he’d effing die for me and you’ve never stopped to think how much this heart of a ‘heart player’ actually hurts over the fact that I can’t protect him from me! And maybe I’m scared and maybe I’m the one that’s paranoid because of what he knows now and what I can’t stop myself from feeling! There are issues here deeper than your little altercation in the hallway with a dumbarse Slytherin!” With her rant out of the way and the emotions running higher than ever, Darcie couldn’t stop herself from pulling her hand back and making hard contact with the side of Lian’s face.

Though without delay, both her hands were to her mouth, covering it, her eyes instantly soft with sincere regret. “I’m sorry…” she whispered pitifully behind her hands.

 

Hearing Darcie's what the hell, Lian sighed. This was hard. And she stopped caring. Lian Cortes was tired of picking up after everything that went wrong. Goddamnit, couldn't anyone see it!? SHE WAS NOT A PUPPET! Never was! Never would be! She had shown her mother that and how she'd show Darcie. And then a swing back came

“Oh I know exactly how much he loves me and how he’d effing die for me and you’ve never stopped to think how much this heart of a ‘heart player’ actually hurts over the fact that I can’t protect him from me! And maybe I’m scared and maybe I’m the one that’s paranoid because of what he knows now and what I can’t stop myself from feeling! There are issues here deeper than your little altercation in the hallway with a dumbarse Slytherin!”

"Then goddamnit TELL HIM SO!" Lian hollered back, getting that one confession she needed from Darcie. The final piece was set into the puzzle. One Lian had solved ages ago before any of them began to deny. But she had been slapped. "You stupid skank!" Lian rosed up from her chair. Ignoring Darcie's words of 'sorry'

"No you're not, you've never been! You bloody [bleep]" She said, balling her fists and slamming them into the coffee table. She'd rather not slap Darcie. Instead, her wand was in her hand and it could be told. It could be told and said. She dropped it. Instead a driving hand was connecting Darcie. Goddamnit, now she wasn't sorry. Nobody touches Lian Cortes. Nobody, not even her mother.

"For that, I am no sorry" Lian said with a serious face when an ickle came out the room. Sh.."Evan go back to bed!" Lian shouted and the ickle scampered, telling how Lian was feeling. No tears, no nothing. Just an utter look. Lockore would be killing Lian for this, she'd die proudly. But! She's stick him with raising Evan for that. Haha! Looking at the other woman she said "You, just crossed the last endeavor"

A moment after she said "I am sick and bloody effing tired of this! Everytime something happens I am dragged into the crap! This is your romantic life, Darcie. Not mine! I cannot be involved in things were sooner or later I will be forced to take sides!" She was right, Lian knew what she felt. And now, she just wanted to break a lot of things. Goddamnit. She walked off and went into the kitchen, looking into the sink and looking back out.

She had just [bleeped] very great. And hell, she had just tossed a lot out a damn window.' Leaving them for me' Lian thought. It was never about her, never had been, never would be. But she had done so much for them and she was tired of forgetting her own goals. She was damn sick about it all and Lian knew...she knew she was unhappy now.

Walking back out, the same as before, Lian said "Have a good damned day, Dracel. Have a good lost life and hell, hopefully you'll be able to do something without having someone pick after you. Or maybe, JUST maybe when he comes and you tell him I slapped you and he rushes to kill me- Lian paused and said "Tell him to take his sweet arsed time in killing me" Because she sure was gonna take hers in getting even upon death. The time bomb had exploded and now she had begun a path where things would change.

She wants to hear she's beautiful
She's beautiful

 

Then goddamnit TELL HIM SO!" “He ALREADY KNOWS!” There was no escaping that fact. It couldn’t have been any plainer (from Darcie’s perspective) back in the shack that night. Shack, night, sounds dirty doesn’t it? And so was that foul language coming out of Lian’s mouth in return to the nice bright pink handprint on the side of her Darcie-dissing face.

"No you're not, you've never been! You bloody [bleep]" Her eyes widened in shock, wanting to water to relieve the dryness (and perhaps the hurt too), but dare didn’t. Her hands remained poised over her mouth, stunned beyond belief that she had lifted a hand under malicious intent to her Musey. But, just when she felt it safe to lower her hands, she was proven hella wrong. SLAP!

"For that, I am no sorry" “I had a pretty good feeling you weren’t!” Darcie spat, lifting a hand to her stinging flesh, eyes narrowed angrily. By this point, she wasn’t sure who to blame for starting it, Lian or herself. Every second or so, she would press down with her fingertips, not even sparing a glance in Evan’s direction when he was commanded to go back to bed. She seethed with each press, not sure what to say or do except suffer the pain and think, just try to at least think.

"You just crossed the last endeavor" “To tell you the truth, I’m surprised I made it this far…” she commented haughtily, finally pulling her hand away from her cheek, holding her chin up and focused her eyes on anything but Lian. She said nothing in return to Lian’s remark about taking sides, just ground her teeth out of the frustration of wanting to win the verbal fight. But she had nothing. Just stood still holding her ground as Lian walked to her kitchen, except for bending down and grabbing the wine bottle, draining it more easily than it should have been.

Bloody terrible habit she was getting into. Drowning away her worries which only returned worse than the night before. Simple pathetic job. No Hogwarts. No redemption from her name. No dueling. Ambition running thin. Playtoys running low, so low she couldn’t count even one at her immediate disposal. What was she anymore? Where was all that glory she’d felt at Hogwarts? What was the purpose of her life?!

"Have a good damned day, Dracel.” Her head snapped around as Lian reemerged, her mouth opening in surprise at how it was going to end. “Fine!” she yelled in return, yet instead of storming from the apartment, she remained to hear the rest, eyebrows furrowing together as Lian made it seem like she wanted him to finish her off, just make life easier by ending it. What a pitiful way to fix such misery.

"Tell him to take his sweet arsed time in killing me" “No… no…” Darcie drawled thoughtfully. Finally moving, she stepped over to Lian, pausing just inches from her Musey’s face, braving the hurt to look her friend in the eyes. “That’d be the easy way out…” she remarked enigmatically.

 

Damn right Lian wasn't gonna stay mad, no get even. Eyeing Darcie, they had both [bleeped] tvery bad this time. Lian by talking and Darcie by slapping. It was her own fault. “I had a pretty good feeling you weren’t!”

"Damn right I am not going to be sorry- Lian spoke, her tone deeming to say 'Duh!' "Because it should be told I tried being nice at words, but hence that once again let it be noted- Damned poetic side of herself "That I once again am horrible at verbally being nice!" Each and everyword was meant, was told. Held back perhaps for a long time, all the tongue bitting did no good. All the pent up anger. All the moments she had tried to hold it all in with one big breath. So it wouldn't look like she was being egocentric. Noticing how it looked like Darcie was surprised. 'What the hell she thought? That I wasn't going to retalliate? That girl is gone, Darcie. She was replaced by the monster everyone had unleashed softly. The monster I myself had tried to withold inside me'

“To tell you the truth, I’m surprised I made it this far…”

"You only made it this far because I grew to love you as the friend you are.- Lian revealed after attempting not to bloody loose it again "And sometimes, love hurts"

---Pause

In their verbal lash upon Lian's return, she looked Darcie back. The pump, the hype could be felt. Tension could be cut with a knife and things would remain nearly as tense. But then, Darcie said something that could make anyone [yet not Lian at this moment shiver] “That’d be the easy way out…”

"Well, who said I'd go down without a fight?" Lian remarked back with a hint of irony. She knew Lockore would kill Lian for even touching...no considering the thought of hurting Darcie. Still, Lian blew caution to the wind and did the 'considered right thing'. "You know what is bloody funny- Lian spoke, with such tone that coud mean somethings were calming down.

"I never expected it to end like this. But guess what: I am to be blamed for telling the given truth. Reality, m'dear is the antihero and I'd rather be that than a hero whom looks into fantasy" The metaphore meant that those who had to say the truth would say it to the face, not hide. Meanwhile some hid behind a façade of reality, a lie, the fantasy. Lian couldn't be like such people. Thus making it harder upon her to speak the truth for fear of hurting. But she knew she had to.

"All I did was tell the truth, still be a main role in this play called life and instead become the antihero. The one whom procclaims what is wrong and states it for someday it shall fix itself." And perhaps someday was now. Lian played her cards and she was ready for whatever was thrown in her way. "I know he'll find out,-She pointed to Falcon which meant he would as Falcon witnessed all actions. The bird shan't lie and all must be accepted. All is fair in love and war.

"But! On a change of subject: You've had enough drinking you know. Sleep the night off here, I'll be at the store buying some things I need for breakfast tomorrow morning." Lian's voice returned to the soothing voice it was before, her head hung low as she said "I won't let you get out of here after you nearly drank that whole bottle. I am worried."

"Worried you're once again going on your path of destruction and I've been down this road again trying to tell you. Darcie all I am trying to do is help, but I feel you need to be left to find out on your own. Now you make a choice- She smirked on this one "Either you slow down on your drinking, hun. Or face not a slap from me, but a full stay on a rehabilitation center I happen to know in
Southern Norway that belongs to them"

And by them she meant the people she hated the most. "And I as said earlier, he won't be pleased if he finds our I've hurt you, but he won't be pleased either you hurt yourself"

 

"You only made it this far because I grew to love you as the friend you are.- Awwww… How touching. *sniffle*… Okay, not quite, but it was absolutely touching nonetheless. Yea, she knew she pushed the limits, what little barriers were left to be tested between the two of them, but it never seemed to hit home that one day she might just completely tear down all they had built together. And so she was left for a moment to mull over Lian’s last line and her existential dilemma. But it did nothing to really soothe her nerves, yelling again when she was told to have a good day, life, whatever. And it did nothing to slow her sassy Slytherin tongue.

"Well, who said I'd go down without a fight?" Darcie just stood there and blinked in response, trying to analyze the point Lian was attempting to make. It was still easy if she was killed in the end. Only the end mattered, not the methodology in between. Her brow lifted in that typical ‘Dracel’ fashion. “No…what is so bloody effing funny?” she inquired in the same tone, almost mockingly, but not quite, which was going to bite her in the arse because, well, apparently it was going to end; just like that.

“What’s wrong with fantasy?” the younger murmured, feeling almost dejected enough to cast her eyes downward and nibble on her bottom lip until it was raw. But she wasn’t quite there, still staring forward at her friend; ex-friend? “The one whom proclaims what is wrong and states it for someday it shall fix itself." “Bravo…you found your role in life…” Had she more energy for sarcasm and mild theatrics, she’d lifted her hands and clapped them, but they felt extraordinarily heavy for being so small and feminine.

"I know he'll find out,” “Not necessarily…” she mentioned so small-like, she felt like a punished child. “What good would it do…we’ve done enough bad haven’t we…?” *sigh* Where was the wine collect… Dammit. “No I don’t know….enough drinking you say? Ha!” She mustered enough strength to lift her arms and cross them over her chest, momentarily forgetting how angry she’d been and how angry Lian had been, and let her lips settle into a pout. It wouldn’t work naturally. Her Musey was too stubborn and could resist the Darcie charm…most times.

“I am worried." “Thanks…I guess…” the grad muttered, finally looking downward in that pathetic ‘I-give-up-on-being-angry’ way. Now you make a choice- Uh oh… Dun, dun, dun! As soon as the word ‘rehabilitation’ registered in her brain, her mind was made up. Anything likened to Mungos was hell and hell, she was trying to live in a fantasy world void of facing the repercussions of her life choices. “I’ll slow down…” she mumbled, not pleased about it. At least she wasn’t made to promise…

“but he won't be pleased either you hurt yourself" “Who says he needs to know?” After all, the entire reasoning behind him not knowing how she felt and all that nonsense that made sense to her from her fifth year onward was because he needed protecting from the awful truth that Lian so nicely put moments earlier. Stepping forward toward Lian, Darcie pulled her arms apart and wrapped them about her Musey before she could be pushed off like some drunkard. “I’m sorry…I really am…” she mumbled, snuggling her face into her friend’s neck.

 

It seemed somehow, wounds would patch fast. Like normal, damn. It never failed, Lian had her charm on as well..Charm..on...whoa there Cortes! “What’s wrong with fantasy?”

"Fantasy leave very little for the mind to open about." Lian stated rawly, she was still a friend, but her role could only do so much. And as a friend, Lian knew she had to mhmm...to mhmm...think things before talking perhaps would help. “Bravo…you found your role in life…” Now there she was mistaken, Lian smirked and said "You're mistaken, my role in life is guidance." Pointing to the door that led to the ickle's room. "And I stink at it"

Perhaps not, but again, she was Lian. She didn't know where she was headed to in life again. I don't wanna hear, I don't wanna know... Perhaps Lockore wouldn't find out by Darcie's tongue but if not by Lian's own. Alas she couldn't hide from him. "We've done a ruckus if you can tell- Lian clicked her tongue and snickered softly. No I don’t know….enough drinking you say? Ha!”

Okay, maybe not for the night..."We're having a drinking contest eh?" Lian snickered..Okay, so Darcie will slow down. Lian smiled at this and said "Look at me, Narcihums- Lian said with a affectionate look in her eyes "I don't want to resort to drastic methods, so do stick to your word of slowing down and we'll be able to drink our arses off tonight, mmkay?" Lockore's not stupid, Darcie...

"He's not stupid, he'll notice eventually" Lian whispered and then she felt a hug and the words sorry. THIS time, Lian heard them and patted Darcie's back and took her for a big hug. "And I'm sorry for being the meanie head, but sometimes I hafta do it, whether we like it or not" Lifting Darcie's head off her shoulder, Lian planted a small friendly kiss on her cheek and smiled "Shall we have a drinkaton for the night?"

Lian was evil. Plain evil.

 

END

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