with open eyes [aidan]

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

13 February 2026

Brígh huffed a sigh of impatience as the tours wrapped up. She'd suffered through enough waiting, and had been on an excitable edge since this morning. Their arrival at Hy-Brasil had gone smoothly, though the subsequent tours had pushed her closer and closer to the edge of near insanity. It was a miracle, and Addy and Cheese's insistence that kept her from falling, though she absently wrung her hands and took in little to no information about the island itself. It was a bit of a shame that she was so nervous and distracted, as Brígh was certain that Hy-Brasil was quite an interesting place. Luckily for her however, someone else would show her the beauty and intrigue of the island.

The true source of that bundle of nerves deep within her belly was the fact that she hadn't seen Aidan in nearly two months. Though they'd written frequently to one another, and also spoken through the two way mirror, Brígh worried that it wasn't the same. Speaking through mirrors and written word, especially when Aidan's English wasn't spectacular, was completely different from the innate connection she'd felt upon their first meeting. Perhaps she'd even been crazy herself, to draw so much meaning out of a chance encounter. There was something so pure and good about Aidan, and he had lingered on her mind since. She had warred with herself over the previous weeks, weighing the benefits of both him and Albus, who had previously taken the top spot at the forefront of her mind.

Addy had loaned Brígh a cream coloured blouse that flowed easily around her body, lifting as if in an invisible wind. She'd wished her friend luck as the pair parted, and Brígh didn't waste brain power wondering what she would get up to. Hopefully she'd resolve he feelings for Cheese and then Brígh wouldn't have to figure out what it meant to be subtle. The word wasn't in her vocabulary.

Wiping her clammy palms on her jeans, Brígh set off towards the outskirts of the town, where Aidan had instructed her to meet him. Her heart thundered in her chest, beating a frantic pace with each step. She took a deep breath in attempt to settle herself. Why was she so nervous? Aidan was kind... Aidan was good. And he was her friend. She didn't need to be so dramatic, even if she wanted so much more. As she considered the brightness that lit her up each time she received a letter from him, an easy smile grew on her lips. And when she finally spotted that shock of bright red hair, there was no trace of the nerves that had previously plagued her on her face. Brígh beamed at Aidan as she approached, taking care not to rush him as she usually would. "Hi!" said Brígh with delight, her eyes raking over his relaxed form. He was just as she remembered. And she couldn't resist skipping the last few steps and throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I've missed you!"

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

13 February 2026

Finally, finally, finally! This was going to be a good month, Aidan could feel it. January was always a difficult time in Hy-Brasil. He hadn’t even been able to spend all of it at home, since he’d needed to return to the nature reserve almost at the beginning. But it was all worth it, because he hadn’t been planning to be on the island for February, even though everybody knew that that was the best time of year to visit. There were festivals and parties almost every day. That meant lots of opportunities to see his family, and naturally all of his friends were visiting as well, and it was just the best time to be home.

So he had originally been very disappointed when it seemed he’d have to miss Imbolc and stay in Hogsmeade. But things always had a way of working out, and thank the spirits that circumstances had dictated that he had a very good reason to visit home again. That is, one specific circumstance. One specific redheaded circumstance that had a way of making his heart do somersaults and flips and other tricks worthy of a circus. After their first meeting two months ago, he and Brígh had been writing and writing, and then using the mirrors to talk after he’d given up on writing letters in English. Conversations could be tricky, but he’d had two years of practice to learn how to speak. But writing? He couldn’t remember ever coming across a situation where he’d needed to write in English, so that was still almost impossible. Spelling made absolutely no sense! Besides, as much as he loved poring over her letters and intently studying how she had written every word…he wanted to see her. He missed her smiles.

Aidan couldn’t even think about Brígh anymore without blushing furiously because there was just something different about her. He liked talking to people, and he was never not in the mood for a good chat. But that was different – he couldn’t remember ever being so eager to see someone again, to share every little thing that had happened and to count down the days until their next exchange. And he liked to teach people about the few things he knew – how to tell whether a bowtruckle was a healthy shade of green, all the different things fairies liked to eat. But he couldn’t remember ever going through his day and then stopping to make a note because he absolutely had to share something with Brígh, or thinking about how much Brígh would like something or what sort of comment she might make about it.

He could tell his family was starting to notice – of course they were, Aidan could never keep a secret for long. His little sister had started to make teasing comments, and he had noticed his parents exchanging looks every now and then whenever they caught Aidan staring into space. Still, he hadn’t told them everything and he wondered exactly how they might react to know this was all for a mainlander girl. To be fair…he didn’t know what to think about it either. She wasn’t a druid. That was just a fact. And it didn’t work with everything Aidan knew he wanted from life – to return to Hy-Brasil after his apprenticeship, live and die in his family home, raise a good druid family. He wanted his children to appreciate his home as much as he did, to love being a druid as much as he did. And he couldn’t ever imagine doing what Virva had done…moving to the mainland to start a family.

The only thing he could do to make himself feel better was remind himself that nothing had happened. He knew he was smitten – that had to be the only explanation for why he couldn’t stop thinking about her. But it was all just in his head, and he hadn’t received any indication that that interest went both ways. So really, it didn’t matter that she wasn’t a druid, because she was just a friend. And Aidan already had non-druid friends, and his parents couldn’t be upset about that. Easy-peasy, even if it made him a little sad. Anyway, he had wanted to be there when Brígh and her classmates arrived, because coming to Hy-Brasil for the first time was a special thing. The whole island was so deeply imbued with magic that you couldn’t feel anything similar on the mainland. He’d heard mainlanders describe it as feeling overwhelmed with the sensation of magic, although he’d felt something of the opposite. Having grown up with it, leaving the island had made him feel empty. Every time he returned home, he didn’t feel overwhelmed…he felt complete.

But Brígh had assured him there was a schedule and sent him a copy, and Aidan had read over the thing so many times he practically had it memorized. So he knew that she had free time on the first day, and had asked her to meet him outside Boudicca’s Grace (because really, there was nothing to see there except a couple boring buildings). He couldn’t wait to show her around his island, and therefore shown up surprisingly early. When he finally caught sight of her, he returned her smile with a lopsided grin of his own as he felt his heart skip a beat, because… “Wow,” he found himself saying the thought out-loud as he took in how pretty she looked. “Missed you too!” he said excitedly, wrapping his arms tight around Brígh and burying his face in her hair as she finally closed the distance between them. After lingering for a few moments, he withdrew just enough to shoot her an eager smile. “I happy you came. You already have tour, yes? You like it?”

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

If Brígh had things her way, she wouldn't stick to this ridiculous schedule at all. However, Addy had mentioned that she would be stuck in detention or otherwise punished if she wandered off on her own. So she'd begrudgingly listened to the voice of reason and followed along the tour, though she didn't pay any attention whatsoever. She'd get her own private tour shortly enough. But if Brígh was being honest with herself, she'd much rather a tour of something else. Her body was alight with both excitement and nerves as she departed from the group during their free time after lunch, off to find Aidan.

As expected, Brígh's heart hammered out a frantic pace as soon as she saw that shock of red hair. She beamed, any vestige of nerves disappearing from her. It was like nothing else really mattered in the world, just that she would be able to see that smile again. She was quickly rewarded, Aidan's look of delight instantly becoming a memory she'd treasure for years to come. She was glad they'd met up outside of the town because she didn't want any unnecessary rumours starting about why she was sneaking about with a young druid boy. A young, very attractive druid boy at that.

Aidan exclaimed a sound of wonder as she approached, and Brígh's cheeks burned. She was delighted to see him again, and didn't hesitate to wrap him up in one of her signature tight hugs, lingering a bit longer than necessary. Thankfully, Aidan didn't seem keen on parting from her embrace, but eventually the pair separated. Brígh's eyes searched his face hungrily, memorising each freckle, the upwards quirk of his lips, the lopsided and easy fall of his hair across his forehead. She took a deep breath, grinning from ear to ear still. They must have looked properly silly, so wrapped up in one another. At first glance, they could have been cousins with their flaming locks, though Brígh's hair was darker and a deeper shade of red than Aidan's, her freckles much more pronounced. And yet there was something about them that matched so well, but Brígh couldn't place it.

"Yes!" she said excitedly, twining her fingers with Aidan's and giving his hand a squeeze. "I didn't really pay attention, unfortunately. I was a bit er... distracted,
" Brígh admitted, flushing scarlet once more. "I want to see the places that matter to you. Not something I could read in a book - or something that Addy could read to me from a book." said Brígh, her lamplike smile softening somewhat. "I'm so glad to be here with you. When I heard about the field trip, I wondered if you would be able to come back here. I wouldn't want to see Hy-Brasil without you," she added, catching her bottom lip between her teeth.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

After two months apart, Aidan’s mind was struggling to string a coherent thought together about Brígh except that – wow, the mirror really didn’t do her justice. It had been enough to capture all the truly breathtaking parts of her – her sharp sense of humor, that she always seemed to have a matter-of-fact opinion formulated about everything, and the way she was quick to share it with everyone around her. And, of course, her wicked smiles. Brígh was always quick to smile, but there was something specifically dangerous about that particular curve of her lips accompanied by a mischievous spark in her eyes. Aidan wasn’t sure exactly what tended to bring those about, but he was a goner every time. It seemed to bring out a special kind of speechless idiocy he didn’t have with anyone else.

Still, even with all that…the small glimpses he could get through the mirror didn’t hold a candle to the real thing. The thought struck Aidan that, in the moment, Brígh had captured the distant beauty and grace of a fairy, floating towards him with her flaming red hair loose around her shoulders and a blouse that gave her the appearance of being mid-flight. But fairies were almost untouchable, and Brígh was very, very real – Aidan could feel every point of contact between them, and his fingers dug slightly into her hips at the unwilling thought that he would need to let go soon. There was an acceptable duration for a hug – one that seemed to be longer on Hy-Brasil than the mainland – but Aidan was satisfied with the heart-stopping sensation of her fingers twining with his. He returned the movement automatically, although seemingly unable to tear his eyes away from Brígh’s face.

He had been perhaps a little too distracted with the excitement of seeing Brígh again, enough that he almost missed her response to his question. That irony wasn’t lost even on him. Aidan inhaled slowly as he tried to remember what she said, because although he could agree with her that there were incredible distractions here – he at least wasn’t thinking about the island. But then she said the exact right thing that Aidan was a breath away from vibrating with excitement and agreement – because that was the true magic of Hy-Brasil! Not the druids’ (incredible, amazing, highly-developed) expertise in Healing or magical creatures, but the shared community and culture they had built in this project of theirs living away from wizards and witches who had lost their path. Aidan gave Brígh a brilliant smile. “It not possible to see Hy-Brasil’s treasure, not with this schedule.” Even Boudicca’s Grace – the least charming part of the island, in Aidan’s opinion – held a special kind of magic in the air as he took a moment to glance around, before gazing back down at Brígh. She had caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and Aidan swallowed nervously as he felt his gaze drop and quickly flit back up. Resist the temptation, resist the temptation, or risk scaring her off for good. That was a scary thought for Aidan.

So instead Aidan concentrated hard on communicating exactly what he thought Hy-Brasil’s treasure was. He wanted her to understand what he found so special about his home– although it was hard to share druid ideas in a mainlander language. “Memories everywhere. Mine too, but sometimes I can almost see past, but now. Hints of ancestors who came before, and what they leave us. Not ghosts. Different kind of magic. Not one you summon with wand or staff. But it everywhere here. Deep in Wildwood, and on Dragon’s Tooth, and by coast.” Aidan felt his voice grow somewhat faint at his next admission. “Most mainlanders who visit, they come to see thing of value. But if you here only for salve or unicorn, you miss seeing what it really mean to be druid. I hope…I hope I can show you?”

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

The weight of Aidan's arms around her waist, the slight tightening of his grip on her hips set Brígh's skin on fire. A flame of desire licked down her spine as they lingered in an embrace for several heart beats. When they finally separated, Brígh caught Aidan's gaze, certain that her eyes were bright with joy and something deeper. She twined her fingers with his, giving his hand a gentle squeeze as she smiled brilliantly up at him. There was something so wonderful about being here with Aidan, particularly in his natural environment. She had been delighted to find that Aidan had been able to come to Hy-Brasil so she could experience it for the first time with him. It was just one thing on an increasingly long list of firsts that Brígh wanted to experience with him.

The pair were unable to tear their eyes away from one another, drinking in each other with hungry eyes. It had been two months since they'd seen each other in person, from their very first meeting. However, their undeniable chemistry hadn't diminished one bit from that first time. With letters and chatting through their mirrors, their relationship had developed even in spit of Aidan's limited grasp of English. His command of the language had improved greatly, with gentle prodding and explanation from Brígh. She'd even joked that she barely spoke English, considering her homeland truly despised everything about the conquering country.

"Bollocks to the schedule then," said Brígh firmly. Addy would be disappointed, but Brígh got to see her all the time. It was a rare feat for her to be able to spend quality time with Aidan, despite him usually being in Hogsmeade. She'd drafted some plans to sneak out to visit the village apart from scheduled Hogsmeade weekends, and yet she wanted to make the most of her permitted time with Aidan. Brígh knew he could teach her of what she needed to know about druid culture.

Aidan's gaze fluttered momentarily to her lips, and Brígh smiled, a coy sort of thing. "I'm sure there are many treasures here that my classmates won't have the true honour of seeing," she replied kindly, her eyes locked on Aidan's face. The soft curve of his lips tempted her, the brightness of his eyes and the angles of his jaw. She took a deep, settling breath. "Well, there is of course the meaning of value, right? Some people only see value in terms of sales and money. But I see value in relationships. I'd love you to show me." She tugged his hand gently. "We have a whole long weekend to explore everything," said Brígh. "So where do we start?"

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Aidan had to wonder if Brígh wasn’t a mind-reader or if they were really that in-sync, because she was saying all the right things and he felt his skin flush in pleasure at her brilliant smile. Brígh was a pretty girl by any definition of the word, but she looked particularly breathtaking when her eyes were alight with the happiness and fire that Aidan could see now. Her gaze could engulf him entirely without warning and set him ablaze – and he couldn’t say the prospect was a bad one. She was a force of nature, a pillar of bright fire that could attract anything around her and move any obstacle in her way. And Aidan? He was happy enough to be pulled into her orbit if it meant she looked at him like that more often.

Speaking with Brígh meant that Aidan had been exposed to more English than ever before in his life – so he was getting used to some of the odder thoughts and phrases that mainlanders seemed partial to. Still, he gave a startled laugh at Brígh’s choice of vocabulary and he repeated it in a thoughtful tone. “Bollocks to the schedule,” he tried out the words, laughing slightly at himself at the way he mangled the new phrase. “Ah,” he said, wrinkling his nose before smiling at Brígh, “it sound better with you. This word, it not for me.” To be fair, Aidan thought, anything would probably sound better if she said it – in her melodious tone, her accent slightly twisting every word into something more regal and polished than it had any right to be.

Brígh’s reminder that he was technically supposed to be taking her on a tour pulled Aidan out of the semi-trance he’d been in since seeing her again – it was like taking a deep breath after being submerged underwater for a long time. He blinked a little owlishly at her thoughts about what had value, and only nodded uncertainly since he wasn’t quite sure he had understood her meaning. “Yes, value in family, value in friends. And,” Aidan felt his face grow hot at his next thought, “and lovers too. They make life…bright,” he finished lamely, distracted again by her wicked smile and intense gaze. He couldn’t remember the point he had been making, if there was one at all. Not when she was so close, and so much more captivating than any topic they might think to talk about. He reluctantly pulled away, although making sure their hands stayed connected, and pulled Brígh slightly to follow him as he began to walk towards the treeline. “Not many paths in Hy-Brasil,” he explained as their feet left stone and met the mossy forest floor. “But we go to start in Wildwood. It heart of island. Shrines. Homes. You will see!”

It was true – the forest covered the majority of the island, and most interesting things could be found in the Wildwood. The shrines where druids went to pray and leave offerings, the sites where most celebrations were held, and the majority of druid homes (built into the trees or hills, usually). But Aidan also had a particular fierce love for the Wildwood because of all the creatures that called it their home, and the connections he’d been making with them since birth. Unicorns that liked to sharpen their horns on the trees, nifflers playing on the vines, bowtruckles and occamies watching everything from above. You could truly find almost anything you wanted in the Wildwood, and Aidan began to distractedly lead Brígh through different winding trails – although eventually he realized he’d been instinctively leading her to a spot he knew well from his own time preparing to become an animagus. Aidan made a sound of familiarity as they entered a clearing. There wasn’t much to it, a small patch of mostly trampled grass and an ancient tree that had clearly been struck by lightning many times. “Animagus spot. One of them,” Aidan explained brightly as he turned to Brígh, his voice cutting through the otherwise almost complete silence. “See grass? Someone here not long, maybe yesterday. Must be big. Bear? Horse?” Aidan guessed out-loud.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

When Aidan looked at her, Brígh felt truly seen. Not in the way that Addy knew her, or that Eggy could see through her bullshit. But that Aidan saw her for who she was, flawed and broken and beautiful all at the same time, and cherished her anyways. Brígh was more than ready to sod off the schedule so that she could spend all her time with Aidan, and beamed as he echoed her, tasting the curse words on his tongue. "No, leave the filthy words to me," said Brígh with a laugh, giving Aidan's hand a squeeze.

They spent far too long simply drinking in the others presence, and Brígh finally reminded him that they had a tour to go on. Brígh would be perfectly content with just looking at Aidan, perhaps exploring the contours of his lips with her own, but they had time for that later. Especially as this was such a rare chance for him to show her what his home was like. She truly hoped she'd be able to return the favour, preferably sooner rather than later. Galway in the spring was truly a sight to behold, especially with the grass green and dipped in dew in the early mornings. Her silent appraisal of Aidan as he spoke, tempting her to forget the tour altogether, ended as Aidan decided that there was in fact a place for them to start. His bright energy was like a flame, licking her and enticing her to catch fire as well. She would be more than glad to burn, as long as she had Aidan by her side.

"Wildwood," Brígh repeated, nodding her head slowly. "Well, I'm glad I worse sensible trainers then," she added with a grin. Imagine if she'd been flouncing about like a nonce in heels or something. She may have cared how the rest of her outfit looked, but this was an outdoor space. Aidan led the way and she followed in a comfortable silence, her neck craning around and around as she tried to take in each leaf, each branch, each rock that they passed. Though there were few trails, the ground was well worn with many footprints. Aidan seemed to know where they were going, even if Brígh hadn't a clue. When they halted, Brígh glanced around the glen. "Animagus? I knew it was more common to be an animagus with druids but --" she cut herself off, her gaze piercing Aidan's. "Are you an animagus?" she asked abruptly, a mischievous grin curling on her lips.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

As wild and untamed as Hy-Brasil was, the island really wasn’t that big. It was true that some druids found their corners of comfort and didn’t venture far from them – the fishing families that stayed by the coast, the winegrowers that had taken over any bit of open space – but most spent their lives carefully exploring every bit of their home. Aidan certainly had, combing every bit of the Wildwood, the strange ruins and otherworldly shrines, the druid homes blended into the trees or dug out of the hills. The Wildwood was its own living entity, constantly growing and changing and home to any number of wild and fantastical creatures. But it still felt known to Aidan, familiarity and warmth soaked into every fallen log and nest and path.

Still, it was all unfamiliar to Brígh, and Aidan had to admire her courage in following him into the unknown. It would be too much for some people, but then again…there was nothing about Brígh that suggested she could be scared away from anything. In fact, if there was anything he had gleaned from their conversations these last months, it was that Brígh was fearless. Unafraid of stepping into new worlds. He really liked that. As they walked, Aidan filled the silence with his chattering observations, pointing out signs that a creature had passed by (“Awww look at hoofprint, it must be baby!”) or familiar landmarks he used to mark his progress. Finally they came to the animagus clearing, and Aidan stopped wondering what animagus form the last druid here had taken as he turned back to look at Brígh. It was winter, so the sun had already set hours ago and left the island in darkness until the rise of the moon. Now that they were out of the darkness of the Wildwood, it washed the entire clearing in soft light and Aidan felt his heart skip a beat as he looked down at Brígh. She looked startled at the thought of animagi being common in the druid population, thoughtful confusion carved into her pretty features. “We learn in school,” Aidan confirmed, giving a dry laugh as he remembered his teachers’ frustration at his multiple failed attempts to keep the leaf in his mouth. He couldn’t help his active lifestyle!

Still, Aidan felt like he had been pinned to a wall as Brígh’s eyes seemed to pierce straight through him. Her lips curved into her trademark dangerous smile and – wow, Aidan had to stop thinking about her lips. His eyes had drifted down again but he forced them up as his brain rebooted and processed her question. “Yes,” he began as his smile turned sharp and playful, “Try to guess.” He was terrible at keeping secrets, though. He’d been raised his whole life to share everything with his family, and Aidan could feel a laugh building up as he watched Brígh think. Eventually he couldn’t keep it back any longer, and he squeezed her fingers gently as he let go and allowed himself to transform. He could feel his tail wagging furiously as he gave a happy bark, circling Brígh a couple times before giving her the full force of his trademark begging puppy eyes.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

Brígh had always been a leader in her own right, but she dutifully followed Aidan as he led the way through the Wildwood. She giggled as he pointed out various animal tracks, and kept a tight grip on his hand even as she craned her neck, looking this way and that, trying to take in all the sights at once. "I wish I had a million sets of eyes!" she exclaimed with a laugh, beaming at Aidan. His natural effervescence matched her own, their light and bright attitudes an unprecedented match. For Aidan, Brígh knew she would face monsters and worse - but she knew that he would try to talk to any beast that they came across first.

The freedom that the woods around them afforded had Brígh feeling lighter than she had in weeks. It was easy to forget the drama in her life stemming from her da, and from Parvati's betrayal. It was easy to forget the chaos that enveloped the wizarding world, that she wanted to defend herself and her friends, and those who could not protect themselves. For now, there was nothing but herself and Aidan, crunching through the wood, acting as a tour guide and more. Brígh glanced up at Aidan, feeling suddenly shy as she considered how much her world had grown, just by knowing him. She had always been rather self centred, focusing on what she could do to change the world and help those in need. Aidan had opened her eyes to a different side of things, the natural way of the land and existence. How beautiful magic and the Earth were at its very core.

Shock rumbled through Brígh as she considered that Aidan might be an animagus. She fixed her gaze on him, a rather mischievous smile curving on her lips. She pondered what form he might take, but only one came to mind. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Aidan trotted away and transformed into exactly what she had expected. A dog! The clever glint in his eyes reminded her of his true form, though she wondered if human or canine was more realistic. He barked playfully, his tail wagging with delight as Brígh couldn't help the peals of laughter that escaped her. She watched as Aidan circled her then plopped in front of her, unleashing the force of his gaze upon her.

Brígh dropped to her knees, reaching out to scratch Aidan (it was less strange than it sounded) behind his ear, her own eyes fixed on his. "This is unfair," she murmured, grinning still. "You could ask me to do anything with that look, and I would."

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

The prospect of visiting home was usually enough in itself to excite Aidan – he loved Hy-Brasil with every fiber of his being and always felt a part of himself missing every moment he was away. It was so difficult to explain the connection that a druid had with his community, and the particular unique qualities of Hy-Brasil with the magic seeped into every leaf and living being. There was no other feeling in the world like it. Still, there was something so special about showing it all to Brígh. Most mainlanders came here to consume – to devour the knowledge and magic of the druids and then return to their homes, cut off from themselves and everything beautiful and natural about the world. But there were some mainlanders that came to see the magic of the island with their own eyes, and to truly understand, and Brígh watched everything with such wonder that it brought Aidan joy to watch her.

The smile on his face felt like it would become permanent as he watched her marvel at the Wildwood, absorbing everything he said as she watched carefully. As they approached the clearing, Aidan’s eyes were fixated on Brígh as she studied the new location – when her eyes moved to meet his, Aidan only smiled as he got caught staring. The clearing was only a clearing, after all. Aidan had been here so many times before that he was uninterested in the lightning-struck tree or the flattened grass. He had made such a visible effort to come home in February so that he could spend the time with Brígh – time that was rare and, therefore, extremely valuable to him.

His animagus form was also special to him, because Aidan never felt so unencumbered and free as when he was a dog. Every sensation felt different, the wind running through his fur coat or the coarse dirt firm underneath his paws. He shot his puppy dog eyes towards Brígh at full force, his tail never ceasing to wag for one moment in his eager happiness. When she dropped to her knees, Aidan barked excitedly as she started to give him pats. His eyes closed involuntarily at the pleasurable sensation. Eventually he decided he wanted to get closer (to give her better access, of course) so he raised his front paws and clumsily placed them on Brígh’s shoulders. Really he should have realized that his clumsy movements would have more force behind them than Brígh kneeling in her unsteady position, because he knocked them both backwards into the grass, his own smaller form landing heavily on top of her. Aidan immediately transformed back, hovering over her and bracing himself on his palms as he found himself laughing. “Sorry,” he managed after a few beats, still breathless with laughter. “Habit. I always knock over. The druid children, they like it.” Aidan always spent a lot of time around children in his animagus form -- he knew they found his antics comforting in times of crisis. But those thoughts fled his head as he found himself fixed in place, unable to will himself to get up immediately, because…wow, he liked this new angle a lot. "Brígh..." Aidan’s eyes lingered on Brígh’s face, a more intense expression on his face than usual.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

The fact that Aidan had made such an effort to join her here in Hy-Brasil, especially as he was living in Hogsmeade now, touched Brígh, warming her heart and making her swell with affection. She marvelled at the sheer beauty of the place, the way it was so untouched and pure. A bit like Aidan, she thought to herself with a secret smile. She glanced over at Aidan and caught his gaze, the grin on her face growing as their eyes met.

With a squeal of delight, Brígh sunk to her knees to better appreciate Aidan's animagus form. It really came as no surprise that this was his soul's form. Brígh wondered if he was more human or dog - but found she didn't care really. It was an amazing bit of magic that Aidan could transform into this adorable pup at will. He unleashed the full power of his puppy dog eyes. She complained aloud how it was unfair to do that to her, that he already held such power over her. How was Brígh to resist any request of Aidan's? Not only due to his cuteness as a dog, but in general? Aidan could make any request of her, and Brígh knew she would move heaven and earth to fulfil it.

Aidan accidentally knocked her over, but Brígh was overcome with giggles as his paws pressed into the white fabric of Addy's shirt. She thought nothing about the mess - she was a witch after all. Aidan transformed back into the form she knew so well, and apologised breathlessly, the light of laughter and mirth dancing in his eyes. In that very moment, Brígh understood just how beautiful Aidan was, from the inside out. He didn't move, surveying her with the kind of intensity she hadn't expected from him. Her name fell from his lips, like a pleading whisper or perhaps a prayer. Almost in a daze, Brígh tucked her elbows beneath her, reaching up with her heart and soul and closing the distance between their faces in a sweet and patient kiss.

It could have been hours, or perhaps many sunlit days, before Brígh and Aidan separated. She considered him with such affection, her face split in a grin. "Aidan," she murmured, reaching out to brush a lock of red hair from his face. "I've wanted to do that for a very long time," she finished, her eyes alight with joy.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Aidan’s heart must be playing tricks on him, because Brígh looked so much like she belonged in Hy-Brasil that it was hard to remember where she actually came from. He’d noticed it from their very first meeting – everything from her name to her freckles to her fiery red hair had reminded him so strongly of home that it had felt like they’d known each other their whole lives. But not even just that…watching her bend over to admire the lavender, or copy his technique of picking rose petals until she had gathered together two fistfuls of the lovely petals…the image had done all sorts of things to Aidan, making his heartbeat pick up in speed and his face flush a deep red. Since then, she had shown so much interest in all things druid, paying such careful attention even as Aidan stumbled through explanations in his broken English.

It was easy to picture her as belonging to the island, instead of being apart from it, that when Aidan had seen her for the first time on Hy-Brasil it had felt so natural. More like coming across someone from home rather than showing a stranger new sights. Even now, as they lay sprawled on the grass with Aidan hovering over Brígh and his palms pressed solidly into the ground…the image of Brígh smiling up at him with her red hair such a shocking contrast to the green of the grass played tricks on his mind, like she’d always been meant to be there. He wanted to say something to her, about how absolutely beautiful she looked tonight (or always, really), and how insanely happy he was whenever they were together, or how important it was to him that she was here in his home. But he couldn’t formulate even the simplest sentence and the only thing that escaped him was her name, spoken softly and reverently.

Brígh leaned up to close the distance between them, and Aidan gasped at the long-awaited sensation of her lips on his. He’d wondered so many times how it might feel, what her lips might taste like. But at the same time, it had been such a forbidden thought that he had forced himself to think of something else, anything else whenever they were together. That was impossible now, because there was nothing else here – no clearing, no night wind pulling at their hair and clothes, absolutely nothing except her. His palms curled into the ground, clutching loosely at the grass as Aidan returned the kiss slowly and softly. Despite the fact that it had been building for a long time, fueled by subtle little comments or lingering glances, there was no sense of urgency now. No, it was sweet, and slow, and Aidan had to fight not to smile into the kiss as he leaned down further to gently press Brígh into the grass. When they separated, Aidan released a shaky breath as his head spun. He felt dizzy with pleasure and the barely-fought-back impulse to lean down and kiss her again. He gazed down at Brígh, who looked incomparably lovely as she smiled up at him with flushed cheeks and swollen lips. His resolve began to crumble as reached up with a hand, and Aidan placed his full weight onto one palm as he moved to catch her hand with his and twine their fingers together. “Me too,” he said breathlessly. He couldn’t resist any longer, and bent down to capture her lips again, his movements somewhat clumsy and inexperienced at the new and unfamiliar situation he found himself in.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

When Brígh looked at Aidan, she felt as if she truly saw him. Past the sweet and kind exterior, to the equally beautiful person within. Someone who cared wholly and loved fully. Through and through, he was pure - there were no twists and turns, only a shining beacon of hope and goodwill. Aidan was not a problem to solve, a mystery to unravel, or anything to be fixed. He was wonderful just the way he was. And looking at him -- really looking at him -- filled her with such joy and lightness, she felt as if she would drift through life with him. Aidan made her want to be the best version of herself, the one who was kind and thoughtful and protective, the one that Addy and Cheese saw in the quietly shared moments. Aidan made her feel as if her life made sense.

Aidan hovered over Brígh and her gaze searched his face hungrily, looking for any sort of denial as to the way they felt for one another. There was nothing there, only a tenderness and a timidness that Brígh eradicated in one smooth motion. At long last, their lips met, gingerly, softly, but no less lovingly, He tasted of pine and morning dew, and Brígh thought she could drink him in forever, but her elbows grew sore and she pulled away. There was no sense of urgency between them, just curiosity and undeniable magnetism. The words fell from her lips before she could stop them - that she had waited to kiss him for a very long time. Brígh was not known for her patience, but she held the utmost respect for Aidan, and hadn't wanted to push anything that potentially hadn't existed. But now... here in this clearing, with such intensity and closeness between them, she couldn't contest that this moment had been building between them for months.

"Aidan," she murmured once more, her tone pleading, nearly begging him to kiss her again. And he relented, kissing her in a way that made her blood sing. She did not note the hesitancy or clumsiness of his movements, instead twining her fingers in his red hair to draw him closer to her, pressing her body against his. Several long, exploratory moments passed before their lips parted again, Brígh with a soft smile on her lips. "I've never been kissed like that before," she admitted, feeling the magic of the wood surrounding them settling on their entwined figures.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

There was nothing hurried or desperate about the scene, nothing to suggest anything except that Aidan wanted this moment to last forever. He had seen the way time ruled over the mainlanders, how they were controlled and pushed by their clocks and hurried paces and impatient need to simply get on with it and move to the next thing. The linear way their minds worked, in that A led to B led to C and their lives were simply about matching the right dance steps and getting perfect marks. Time moved differently on Hy-Brasil. Oh, their seconds and minutes and days and years weren’t different, in the relentless way that time marched everyone forward just the same. But it wasn’t so rushed, and the conclusion wasn’t pre-determined – you chose what came next, and when. You chose whether you would hurry through the motions until they lost all meaning, or whether you would stop to savor every sensation as if you were feeling it for the first time.

But Aidan wasn’t thinking about any of that. In fact, he was incredibly aware that he wasn’t thinking much at all, so enthralled by Brígh and the warmth emanating from her and the feeling of his lips on hers. When they finally pulled away from each other, keeping only the barest minimum of distance required, Aidan’s eyes wandered over Brígh’s face, memorizing the way her eyes sparkled in the twilight and the way the soft rays of light made her glow. At the soft whisper of his name on her lips, Aidan’s eyes fluttered closed briefly – he was dizzy with desire and longing and it swept over him as he shivered slightly. When he opened them again, he brought a hand up gently to trace the soft lines of her cheek and jaw and lightly trace his thumb over her lips – the same lips he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of. He bit his lip at her comment, and confessed in a low tone, “I…this my first kiss.” He gave a breathless laugh and kept himself braced on one palm as he brushed her hair away from her face and lightly ran his fingers through it. “It always like this?” he asked, unable to keep the warmth and wonder out of his tone. Merlin, he didn’t know how he was ever going to be able to keep Brígh off his mind long enough to get anything done. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to – who could think about nifflers or fairies when she was gazing up at him with fire in her eyes?

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

The moment their lips touched, electricity zinged through Brígh like a current. The transfer of energy between them seemed so natural, so easy, so right. Kissing Aidan felt like pieces of a puzzle falling into place, as if she’d been lost before and had been returned home. Having distracted herself endlessly over the past few years, the chance way she had met Aidan spoke volumes. Finally, something good, and something unapologetically hers, was in her life. These errant thoughts floated through her mind until the pair parted, and the way Aidan looked at her sent even further shivers down her spine. She was the only girl in the world - and she never wanted to be looked out by anyone else. He exhaled, and the scent of pine and dew washed over her.

Aidan’s name fell from Brígh’s lips, and his eyes drifted shut, shivering with pleasure. The softest of smiles spread across her face as she admired Aidan, the sense of rightness settling within her. She could very well stay here forever, twined with Aidan, as the sun set and the moon rose and the moon set and the sun rose. Time seemed meaningless as she murmured that kissing had never really felt like that before. When Aidan admitted it was her first kiss, there was no surprise or distaste from Brígh. She didn’t care - all she cared about was that all of his kisses from now on were reserved for her. His fingers trailed through her hair, eliciting a shiver from her ”No, it’s not,” she breathed. She had never been kissed like this - like everyone before was a toad, and she’d finally found her prince.

Brígh gazed up at Aidan with fire in her eyes. There was no hesitance as she kissed him again, her body pressing into his, craving his closeness. Her fingers twisted into his hair as she forgot time, space and everything in between. There was only Aidan.

At last, Brígh had gotten her fill, if only for that moment. ”How am I supposed to concentrate in class going forward when I already know I’ll just have you on my mind?” asked Brígh, the classic mischievous glint in her eye. ”I just want to do this forever... I don’t think I’ll tire of kissing you,” she murmured, tracing her fingers along the line of his jaw. ”Maybe I’ll have to take up Care of Magical Creatures and make various excuses to come visit you at work,” she added with a low chuckle.



Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn