Not as it Seems (Liv)

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@liv

Liv and Xavier has been cuddling on the couch, reading their text books. Well that was what Xavier was doing, and occasionally taking notes on something he had read. His legs were draped over Liv's lap. She had a book propped up on his legs. He wasn't sure how long they had been like that, but he was about ready for a stretch. So he did, and it knocked Liv's book on the ground. He figured she would get it, it was her book after all. So he sat up and stretched his arms, yawning a little as he did it.

"How's your studying going?" he asked her as he smoothed out the pages on his book. Since school had started things between them had been a little... weird. But he wasn't sure how weird. Just weird. He wanted to make it better, but how was he supposed to fix something when he didn't even know how it was broken?

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School hadn't been in session for long, and already Lavinia was having a hard time. Not in classes though. In fact, she was actually doing a little better then normal there. She knew who to thank for thank, Xavier. He studied so much, of course she started to actually study with him. She used to always study with River but... Just thinking his name right now made upset. He hadn't spoken to her at all. He was avoiding her, and she didn't know why.

Today, she and Xavier were in the common room, his legs across her lap and her text book resting on top of them. Every once in a while she'd hear him scribble down some notes or turn a page, but she just stared at the book in front of her. She didn't know for how long, but she hadn't turned the page, or really try to read anything on the page. Her heart just wasn't in it. She was so unfocused in her attempt to study that she didn't realize Xavier was moving until he knocked her book from her hands and onto the floor. She hesitated a moment, before bending down to pick it up. She didn't open it though, just shut it and set it off to the side. Tilting her head back, she rubbed her hands over her eyes. "Not as good as yours, probably." she admitted. "I've been staring at it the entire time, not understanding a single word."

@xavier

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@liv

Xavier frowned as he looked at her. He had been so focused on his own studying he hadn't even noticed she was having trouble. He scooted closer to her. "Why?" he asked simply. It was a good question. It encompassed all the other, more specific questions he could have asked her. He was unaware of why other people didn't use simpler language. They asked these intense little questions. If they just asked one simple one they would get a better answer, it required the person to answer all of the question, not just part. Well, that was at least how he thought it should work. But people didn't really always do what he thought they should. Actually they almost never did what he thought they should do.

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Why.

Xavier had never been one for words, but when he did use them he somehow managed to express himself quite clearly, without any question of what he might mean. Lavinia let out a sigh, dropping her hands back onto his legs and opening her eyes once more. "Cant focus." Was her own response. Not to surprising. She'd never been a good studier, as Xavier had learned very quickly, but the way she said it wasn't.... well normal. She tilted her head to look at him, saw the frown and forced herself to smile. It looked just like her normal smiles. She'd gotten pretty good at faking. "Tired, probably. There's been a lot more homework lately." She knew why she couldn't focus. But sleep deprivation was a good excuse. It was true, the classes had been quite a bit harder so far, probably because they'd just passed their OWLs last year. It wouldn't surprise anyone to hear a few students were struggling to keep up with the workload. Liv might be a ravenclaw, but she'd never been a good student. She excelled at music. But even that had been a struggle lately....

@xavier

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@liv

Xavier processed her answer. Her smile seemed normal enough, and her answer... not getting enough sleep was a good reason to not be able to study. He nodded in acceptance of her answer then took her hand in his, entwining their fingers together.
"You could sleep now." he muttered sincerely. Perhaps she just needed a nap. The couch was comfortable, and he would make sure no one woke her up. He had been practicing a silencing spell that he wanted to try out on someone, now might be a good opportunity for that. It wasn't hurting anyone, so Liv couldn't complain about it.
"Or I could read to you." he added after a moment. He didn't often read out loud, but he was willing to do many things for Liv that he didn't normally do for others.

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Lavinia knew she'd fooled him. He didn't notice anything was off. He accepted it without a second thought, taking her hand. She squeezed his hand a little, and slid her books off of the couch and onto the floor to make room. Letting out a sigh, she shifted. Not releasing his hand, she managed to wiggle her way into a reclining position, pressed between the back of the couch and Xavier. "Both?" She suggested softly as she finally settled there, snuggled up against him. She didn't think she'd actually go to sleep, but she liked listening to Xavier, it didn't matter what he was saying. Especially when she felt like everything was going out of control, his steady, never wavering voice would help. Because it meant something was normal. She took another deep breath, and closed her eyes. "What have you been reading?" She asked softly. For some reason she hadn't noticed up until now what book he'd been reading...

@xavier

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@liv

She curled up next to him, smashing herself between the couch and himself. He wasn't sure how she got into that position, but it didn't make him uncomfortable. Besides, something was a little bit off about her recently, and it seemed that any amount of peace she could get, he should make sure she could keep it as long as possible.

"Sure." he said in response to her first question. "I'm reading Hogwarts, A History." He said, flipping his book back open to the page he was on.

"It wasn't until 1562 that Marvin the Crazed realized his prized broomstick was actually the spine of a theastral. It was no wonder that it possessed magical properties. It was these bones that caused his to become famous, and his negligence in noticing what his broomstick was made of that earned Marvin his name...." Xavier started reading, though he focused more on Liv touching him than the words of the book, he still absorbed everything.

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Lavinia wiggled just a bit more, for her head was resting lightly against his shoulder and let out another deep sigh. She'd be content staying here like this, curled up with Xavier. He didn't make her depression worse, but he also didn't push her to be the happy person she put up such a front as. But... part of that was probably because Xavier was pretty oblivious when it came to emotions.

She listened in silence as he read aloud about ' Marvin the Crazed'. She couldn't recall hearing about him before.... But that wasn't a surprise. It'd been a while since she read Hogwarts, A History. Only when he finished the passage did she speak up, a hint of her curiosity in her voice. "How didn't he know it was a Thestral spine? They'd look completely different."

@xavier

||MAZE DIRECTION:RIGHT TURN #3||

[Deleted]

@liv

Xavier loved it when she snuggled next to him. He love how close she was, and how he could tough her hair, hold her hand, or just sit next to her. He hadn't known he could enjoy being close to someone this much until Liv had come into him life. Now that she was there... he thought he would do anything to keep her there.

"Well he was crazed. A thestral spine looks nothing like a broomstick, not to mention there isn't a broom part. Perhaps the skull was still attached..." he flipped through the pages of the book then sighed. "Crazy man. I wonder how he got to be that way in the first place..." He set the book down on his lap as he laced his fingers with Liv's. How was it that his mind could be invigorated and distracted at the same time? She always did that to him. "I bet you he was just stupid. That seems like it would have been a stupid thing to miss."

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Lavinia wasn't the best 'Ravenclaw'. Book smarts just weren't her forte. Not like Xavier, who could absorb anything he read. But that didn't mean she was stupid. She had enough curiosity in her to realize that the guy, this Marvin the Crazed had to be more then crazed. "Do you think it was just normal insanity or magical?" She asked softly. Was it a mental disorder that had warped his sense or reality? Or had magic played a role. After all, thestrals were magical creatures, that culd only be seen by those who had seen death... Liv almost shuddered. At the end of last year. During the attack on Hogwarts. A lot of students were able to see them now, Liv included. "Are their magical properties of thestral bones?"

Liv curled her fingers around his own, giving a soft reassuring squeeze. "Twenty, and twenty one." She always told him how many times he said stupid. The number had gotten way to high though, so she only kept track of the number same day now.

@xavier
(just making up numbers now, hahahah.)

[Deleted]

@liv

Xavier rubbed his thumb over her hand as he thought. "It was probably both, his kind of insanity doesn't normally come without some help. I wonder what sort of spell they used... I bet I could replicate it." he whispered this last part to himself. He thought for a moment then flipped through a different book to look for the answer Liv was asking after. "I believe so, but I don't know how magical..." he flipped through a few more pages then sighed. His mind dashed to earlier that day in the library, another incident with a book... he should tell Liv about that...

"I am nearly positive I haven't said stupide 21 times today." he countered, though he was suddenly nervous. Would she leave? He shouldn't have cursed that girl. Liv would not like this. He thought back to the end of last school year when she had told him she couldn't be with him. Those were the worst months of his short life. He didn't want that to happen again, but why did he feel like she was slipping through his fingers?

Xavier is talking so much is it crazy

[Deleted]

Xavier was trying to come up with the answer to her questions, much like he always did. His mind often baffled and amazed her. She wished she could think like he did. To see a problem and be able to logically deduct what was going on and how to solve it. The idea of him replicating the spell that drove the man crazy though.... "Some things are best left in the past." Including whatever spell could have destroyed the man's sanity. As for the Thestral bones... Well she couldn't think of what sort of properties they might have.

Lavinia yawned and closed her eyes. "You're nearly right. You've now said it twenty two times." She stated matter of factly. She'd gotten pretty good at keeping track of the number, and she was pretty sure that was how many times he'd said it.... At least while they were together. It was more then possible he'd said it several times on his own. She didn't open her eyes, just kept them closed and felt her body relax next to him. She had told him she was tired. And she was... Sort of. It was more like drained. The girl just didn't seem able to muster up the energy to be more outgoing at the moment.

@xavier