It's Been A Long Day Without You | Ophelia

[Deleted]

Aaron stared up at the towering building that was St. Mungo's. It had been so long since he had stepped foot inside, but the building was so familiar. And he knew the person he was looking for inside would be even more familiar, even if she didn't recognize him. It was kinda hard not to, what with the scars and everything. But his hair was a little longer, and he didn't keep his face as clean-shaven anymore. Would Ophie even know who he was? Probably, but she would at least have to do a double take. Summoning his courage, he stepped into the building.

The smell of sterilized everything assaulted his senses immediately, and he blinked back tears from the overwhelming scent. Shaking his head to clear it, he made his way toward the welcome desk, his courage sapping away with every step. He wasn't ready. He couldn't face his old friend after disappearing off the face of the earth - or at least the face of Europe. He took a deep breath and silenced his fear. Of course he could do this. It was just Ophie. She would understand. Wouldn't she?

Approaching the welcome desk, he noticed that Ophelia's usual desk was empty. He stopped a passing healer by grabbing her arm and asked, "Is Ophelia Teller here? I need to speak with her."

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia’s day had been a bit...off. She had woken up feeling a bit nauseous, and had gone so far as to the toilet believing it was her morning sickness before remembering that that wasn’t possible. Because she was not pregnant, hadn’t been for almost three months now. She thought these spells were over with; in the beginning it was almost every day from when she had returned from the hospital. She told herself it made sense since her stomach was still ballooned out as if it was carrying her child, that it was okay to want to forget what had happened. She didn’t remember the actual incident that had caused her miscarriage, so might as well forget the rest of it too. Over the weeks though she had gone back to exercising and eating better, and her stomach had flattened itself out. Automatically, she put a hand on it, reminding herself that her daughter was gone forever, and she had to move towards acceptance if she was ever going to move on. It didn’t help that Dakota hadn’t been around for the healing process, but Ophelia had been able to accept that factor already.

Sighing a little, Ophelia exited the bathroom and made her way over to the front desk. As she drew closer, she noticed a man standing there looking vaguely familiar. He asked for her by name, and upon hearing his voice, she realized who it was. She gasped, and her face lit up excitedly. “Aaron!” she squealed, rushing over and throwing her arms around her old friend. “Oh my goodness, it’s been so long!” she exclaimed, her voice still high pitched. “How are you?” she asked, her morning troubles gone from her mind.

@aaron

[Deleted]

Aaron's eyes lit up as they landed on the exact person he was looking for. Except for being slightly pudgier, Ophelia looked the same as she always did, radiant and beautiful. As she embraced him, he closed his eyes and let himself lean into her hug. He picked her up and spun her around, breathing in her perfume and letting things go back to the way they used to be before his father returned. His dear old friend and preferred flirting partner at his side once more. It felt like heaven.

Finally putting her down, Aaron placed his hands on Ophelia's shoulders so that he could look at her from a distance. "It's good to see you, love," he said roughly. Was he really about to start crying? No. No. He choked back the emotion and exchanged it for a smile. "You look beautiful, Phie. Have you gained weight?" he teased, gently tousling her hair. He tucked a strand of it behind her ear and smiled. "I've been better. It's just good to be back. I missed you."

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia couldn’t help but squeal gleefully as Aaron picked her up and spun her around. “Oh I’ve missed you so much!” she exclaimed happily. She saw the emotion on his face and placed a hand on his cheek. “It’s so good to see you too,” she said sincerely. At the weight comment though, Ophelia felt her face fell. She knew it no longer was extremely obvious she had been carrying a child, and that Aaron was only kidding, but he was one of her dearest friends, and he didn’t know what dark thing had happened to her. He deserved to know. “About that,” she said, then drew a deep breath. “I was pregnant actually, with a baby girl. I….I lost her in February,” she explained, feeling surprised that her eyes were still dry. “The truth is, I don’t remember what happened that day. I remember leaving my apartment, then just like that I was in the hospital, minus my baby,” she added. She still didn’t fully understand why she couldn’t remember, but her first inclination was that she had been Memory Charmed and probably by Sarah Oliviera. Since she was Aarons’ cousin however, she decided to not bring that bit up.

Ophelia tucked her arm through the crook of Aarons’ elbow. “I’m taking lunch,” she called to the Healer nearby with a smile. They took her spot at the front desk and Ophie led Aaron out of the hospital. “I want to know everything that’s happened since I last saw you. The good and the bad please,” she instructed, looking up at him seriously.

@aaron

[Deleted]

This was not going at all how Aaron expected. He was almost holding back, expecting a slap at any moment for leaving so suddenly. He expected harsh words and a demand for an explanation. But none of it came. In fact, Ophelia seemed as happy to see him as he was to see her. God, he could just hold her forever, right in front of everyone. To seem someone so familiar, to be part of his old life again, well, it was just fantastic.

His face fell as Ophelia spoke of her miscarriage, and he suddenly felt like the world's greatest ass. "Oh, honey," he said softly. He felt like he should do something. Reach out and touch her face the way she had touched his. Hug her. Kiss her. Something. But people never really knew what to do in these kinds of situations, did they? And the last thing he wanted to do was make things worse. "I'm sorry for your loss, love. I'm sure she would've been just as beautiful as you." Was that crass to say? Was he just making things worse? It didn't really matter, as the words were already out of his mouth.

When Ophie told a nearby healer she was taking lunch and looped her arm around his, Aaron grinned, momentarily relieved. She didn't seem to angry at him about his poor choice of comments. He allowed her to lead him out of the hospital, following her like a lost puppy dog. "I'll tell you everything," he promised. "Over lunch. Which I'm buying. Where to, m'lady?"

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia knew Aaron was struggling with how to react properly to the news of her miscarriage. The truth was there was no right or wrong way to react. Well, there was one wrong way and that was running away from the problem instead of trying to heal together. But what had happened, happened. There was nothing Ophelia could do to change the past, and she had to encompass her mothers’ aura of whatever happens, happens. The Lydias, wherever they were, were together, and she could at least take comfort in that. “Thank you Aaron. I’ve moved on...mostly from the grief stage of mourning. I’m just…” Ophelia looked around; there were a good amount of people still in the foyer. “I’ll tell you over lunch,” she promised. They could get a table that would have more privacy than the foyer of a hospital.

They stepped out into the sunshine as Aaron offered to buy lunch. For once, Ophelia didn’t argue. “Well, if you insist,” she said with a light laugh. “But I am happy to pick the place,” she added, tugging on his arm so they took a left and headed down the street. They passed several different types of restaurants, and Ophelia let her stomach do the leading. Soon, they found themselves in Covent Garden, and she realized where she was taking them. “Chiquito, Tex Mex style food,” she informed him. They walked in and were quickly seated at a booth near the window, where it was more quiet than the bar. Ophelia thanked the hostess before turning her attention to Aaron. “I’m angry, Aaron. Dakota...he just left. Said he couldn’t handle the heartbreak, as if I could on my own or something,” she said in a low voice, surprising herself how venomous she sounded. “The other thing that I can’t get my head around is..I don’t remember how it happened. All I know is I fell, and fell badly enough to get knocked out for over a day and lose my child,” she added, shaking her head a little. She wish she knew what had happened that fateful February day, but her mind was just...blank.

@aaron

[Deleted]

Aaron allowed Ophelia to lead him to their destination, simply happy to be along for the ride. He walked along the streets like a fascinated child, trying to take in all the sights he hadn't seen in so long. When Ophie settled on Tex Mex, Aaron's nose wrinkled and he laughed. He was much more fond of Italian, but he did tell her she could pick, so he wouldn't complain too much.

Aaron dutifully walked into the restaurant and sat down in the booth, smiling at the fact that it was dimly lit and well out of the way. They could talk freely as they wished. He ordered a water with no lemon, and, as the waiter walked away, Ophelia began venting. Aaron listened intently, taking in every word, preparing what he would say. He was angry for her, and a growl rose in his throat as she described how her former flame and the father of her child walked out on her. He couldn't say much to that. He had walked out on his sisters when they needed him most; but that had been for their protection. The last thing he wanted was to be swayed by his father's influence and end up attacking his siblings. He was a coward in his own right, but Dakota was the worst of the worst. The growl deepened when she mentioned that she fell and blacked out. That was a typical abuse sob story, and it didn't sit well with Aaron. "You fell, huh?" he said, more harshly than he intended. Shaking his head to clear it of the blinding anger that was creeping in. He reached out and grabbed Ophelia's hand, holding it gently in his own. "I'm sorry this happened to you, love. And I'm sorry I wasn't there to make it better. It won't happen again," he promised solemnly. Scratching his head sheepishly with his free hand, he added, "I suppose you want to know where I ran off to now, don't you?"

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia laughed at Aarons’ face. “Don’t worry, we’ll find SOMETHING you like on the menu,” she promised teasingly, tugging on his sleeve a little. She appreciated that Aaron wasn’t making that much of a fuss though; even though she was no longer pregnant, she was still human, and humans had cravings. She just...didn’t give into the food cravings as much as she allowed herself to while carrying a child. He was a good listener, not interrupting her venting at all. She did however hear the growl that came from the back of his throat, and remembered he too was a werewolf. What was it with Ophelia and werewolves? Was it a weird fetish thing she unconsciously had? She realized the way she was thinking about Aaron and cleared her throat. He had just gotten into town, and she had been through a miscarriage; it was too much to try and throw in anything like that at the present time.

Ophelia squeezed Aaron’s hand gently as he apologized for not being there for her. “You didn’t know, and I didn’t know how to reach you,” she admitted, not moving her hand from his. “But you’re here now, and that’s more than some people can say,” she added, giving him a small smile. She chuckled at his sheepish look, offering to tell her where in the world he had been for the past year. “I was going to wait until the complimentary chips and salsa were brought over,” she told him with a wink. “But, of course I want to know where you’ve been, what you’ve seen, who you’ve met,” she added, noticing the tiniest hint of jealousy in her voice on the last question. Mercifully, the waitress brought over their chips and salsa, and Ophie asked for some more time to decide on their lunches so that she’d go away. She nodded at him. “Well? I’m waiting.”


@aaron

[Deleted]

Aaron had to admit he was relieved when the waitress showed up with chips and salsa. It delayed him in telling what was a rather embarrassing - to him at least - story. He finally let go of Ophelia's hand and played with the chips, finally settling on one and nibbling on it. He avoided the red saucy mess beside the chips; they had enough salt on them to keep him happy. But at Ophie's impatience, Aaron knew he couldn't wait any longer. Finishing off his chip, he scratched at his beard, wondering where to start.

"I ran away," he said bluntly, hating how the words sounded on his tongue. He was the world's biggest coward, and he knew it. "My father came back. Fenrir. He was here, at least for a little while. I was afraid." God, how he was. The moment the name left the old beggar's mouth, his blood had run cold. "I was afraid he would try to recruit me into the pack. Or come back to finish what he started." Aaron tilted his head so that the worst of his scars, one that ran from his chest to just beneath his cheekbone, flashed in the dim light. He could almost feel it tingling. "I was worried about the girls. Odette and Jamie and especially Max. I thought if I left, maybe he would follow me. Maybe he would stay away from them. I went back to Brazil, where I was born. I took up modeling. You wouldn't believe how many people love the rugged, Scar Face look. I figured I was safe there. The others were safe if I was there." Aaron looked down at his hands. They were shaking. How could he have left behind his siblings, for any reason? He should have fought harder to keep them safe. Maybe, if he had, Elias would still be alive.

"I didn't really meet anyone besides other models. I mostly stuck to myself, working during the day and getting drunk at night to keep the nightmares at bay. It wasn't a good place for me, Phie. And as soon as I heard that Fenrir had moved on, I came back." He had to come back. He had left too much behind. Too much that he might never be able to fix. "I couldn't stay away."

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia saw the look on Aaron’s face as he admitted the truth straight away; he had run away. Her initial reaction was what felt like a hand clenching around her heart, as it reminded her so much of Dakota. He had run away rather than face any sadness or problems in his life, and she felt a lot of anger towards him because of it. She had no idea what kind of problems Aaron was facing though, so she reminded herself to save judgement until she knew the whole story. She was glad she did; the minute he mentioned Fenrir, Ophelias’ veins turned icy cold. If there was anyone who she had feared when she was pregnant with Lydia it had been Koda’s uncle Fenrir. She had never had the misfortune of meeting him, but from what Koda had told her, he would have expected their child to be raised as part of his...his pack. Ophie felt ill just from the idea of that; Koda and his family, aside from Sarah, was nothing like that monster. “Back?” she whispered, sounding mortified. If Fenrir had come back, if he had learned she was pregnant...she didn’t know what lengths he would have gone to to mark the child as his own.

Ophelia looked down and saw her fists were in two little balls. She unclenched them, seeing the tiny indents on her palms that her fingernails had marked and sighed. “I don’t blame you for leaving then. Dakota didn’t mention his uncle had returned, but perhaps he didn’t know,” she said slowly, though at this point she wasn’t sure what to believe. “You love your sisters, and...I’m sure if you had met your brother you would have loved him too,” she added softly, reaching out with her hands to take both of his. “You’re a protector Aaron, always have been,” she reassured him, smiling a little. Her smile faltered ever so slightly as he mentioned the models, and drinking heavily at night; Ophelia was no stranger to nights of drinking, and what she did during those nights. She moved her hands away and settled them into her lap as the waitress came over to take their order. “Can I get two fish tacos, soft shell?” she requested.

@aaron

[Deleted]

Aaron looked down at his scarred hands as Ophelia consoled him, full of shame and regret. He hadn't missed the flash of anger in her eyes, and he deserved it. He was no better than Dakota, no better than his father himself. He wrung his hands furiously, trying to get rid of the dirty feeling plaguing him. He needed to be clean. He needed redemption. But he didn't deserve any of it.

He shook his head when she called him a protector. "If I was any kind of protector, I would've stayed to keep them safe. I would've fought Fenrir and I would've killed him so he couldn't hurt anyone else. I would've--" But his rant was granted a reprieve as the waitress arrived to take their orders. Aaron froze and looked down at the menu that he had yet to even open. He quickly flipped to the first page and named off the first thing his eyes landed on. "I'll have the steak quesadilla," he said abruptly, trying to sound as if he had been planning on ordering it the entire time. The waitress gave him a knowing smile, wrote down the orders, and walked away, leaving them alone once more.

Aaron was suddenly parched. He grabbed his cup of water, pushed the straw out of the way, and drank deeply. Once the cup was empty, he placed it carefully back down on the table, trying not to make it obvious how badly he was shaking. He looked up at Ophelia with hooded eyes and said, "I've been drinking so much wolfsbane potion that I've run out. I need help."

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia shook her head with a sad smile. “You did what you thought you needed to do to protect them. You wanted to lead him away from your younger siblings - that is protection right there,” she told him, trying to sound confident. In truth, Fenrir terrified her and she didn’t blame him at all for running. She could tell he looked relieved when the waitress came over to take their orders. Her stomach rumbled; she hadn’t realized just how hungry she was until the woman walked away. She took a sip of water, the look the waitress had given them not going unnoticed by her.

As she turned to focus back on Aaron, she noticed it. The tremor in his hand as he grasped his cup of water, the way he drank it so greedily as if he had a thirst that could never be quenched. The cup clattered onto the table, almost tipping over, and Ophelia’s concern grew. She looked intensely at him, willing for him to explain what on earth was going on, and was rewarded with an answer. She had known Aaron had had some trouble with Wolfsbane in the past; too much of a good thing, keeping his transformations under control, becoming addicted to the feeling he got when he drank. She knew the potion had its’ addictive qualities, but she didn’t know how bad it had gotten for him. “Oh, Aaron,” she said simply. She wanted to hug him, to hold him, tell him she was going to take care of him, but she was no Healer, she wasn’t an expert in addiction and this potion. She couldn’t cure him. So instead, for the third time that lunch, she reached across the table and took his hands into hers and squeezed tightly. In that squeeze, she reassured him that she was going to be there for him and she wasn’t leaving anytime soon. He had her to rely on, and she wanted him to know that.

@aaron

[Deleted]

The urge to scream or cry or rip the table out of the ground was suddenly very strong. Aaron felt claustrophobic in his little booth with its dim lighting and quaint atmosphere. The building itself seemed to be closing in on him, getting tighter and tighter, the walls constricting around him. The fire inside him began to build, threatening to consume him and everything he loved. Then, like a cool splash of water, he felt Ophelia's hands wrap around his. The fire began to die and the room returned to its regular dimensions. He took a deep breath and sighed as he unconsciously laced his fingers through hers and held on tight as if to a lifeline. He leaned forward and gently pressed her hands against his forehead, their cool touch like ice on his feverish skin. He pulled them away and kissed them. Just as he put them back down on the table, still entwined, the waitress arrived with their food. Aaron looked at their hands between them and regretfully let go, allowing the waitress to place his plate in front of him. The moment the smell assaulted his nostrils, his stomach flared to life, rumbling greedily; he hadn't even realized how hungry he was. As the waitress walked away, he looked and Ophelia's hands once more. "I'm sorry, that was too much," he mumbled apologetically before beginning to pick at his food, his face burning red.

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia looked at him, her sad friend, and knew she had what it took to help him. She didn’t fully understand her power yet, but she knew if she concentrated hard enough she could take away some of this emotional stress he was clearly under. She’d black out with a migraine soon after though, so she decided to go for an alternative route for the time being. She had known Aaron for a long time, ever since their school days. They had been kissing friends on and off, but by the time he had left for Brazil her relationship with Dakota had turned more monogamous than she had been used to. But now, he was here, and she was here, Dakota was not, and there was nothing less complicated than that equation.

So with that in mind, Ophelia stood up, and walked around the table. She scooted herself onto Aaron’s lap, draped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. His lips felt warm and familiar and she closed her eyes, giving herself into the moment between them. She only pulled back when she heard the waitress clear her throat and put their food down at their places. She tossed her hair behind her shoulder and got up, sitting back down as if what had just happened was entirely normal. “Any more comments on being too much?” she asked, raising a brow over to him before picking up a taco and taking a bite.

@aaron

[Deleted]

Aaron looked up at Ophelia in confusion when she stood up. Had he scared her away with his sob stories? Was her lunch break over? What? Confusion turned to shock as she sat down in his lap and wrapped her arms around him. Before he could even respond, she was kissing him. And damn him, he was kissing her back, gripping her hair and holding her as close as possible. Through the lusty fog of his mind, he was glad that their waitress had given them a secluded part of the restaurant. And as soon as the kiss started, it was over. He watched with glazed eyes as Ophelia returned to her own seat, and a soft whimper escaped his throat.

“Any more comments on being too much?”

Aaron shook his head quickly and looked down at his plate. His stomach rumbled pitifully, but his hunger lingered elsewhere. He gaped stupidly, his mouth too dry to find words, and then he busied himself by taking another sip of water. He hadn't even noticed that it had been refilled, he was so wrapped up in Ophelia. It was as if he had become hyper-aware of her. The gentle wave of her hair, the way her mouth always turned up in a permanent smile, the way her eyes shined just so. Aaron pinched himself under the table to get ahold of himself. "You're something else, Phie," he finally said, digging into his meal.

Ophelia Mae Teller