you knocked me off the ground | vasilia

[rhys alexander greyback]

i hope that you catch me

'cause i'm already falling

February 16, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

When Rhys woke up on the morning after being called to the Violet Hound by Vasilia’s staff, he wondered if the entire experience had been some cruel dream, and now he was awake in reality. Fortunately, a few text messages had cleared that up, and there was a level of tranquility about him that almost foreign. Actually, it was a bit foreign as he’d stopped by one of his usual shops for supplies for an upcoming job, and the shop owner asked him what potions he took that morning. But he supposed he chalked it down to knowing that he had taken the kind of step he would have been too scared to take before without a heavy push, a significant risk, and it had been rewarded. Naturally, things still weighed on his mind, seeing his family and how to explain his situation to them or even the nagging feeling deep down in the pit of his stomach that eventually he would have to face Ilija—his long time best friend who sister he had just confessed his feelings for. But, it could wait another day—or another week, even two weeks.

Unfortunately, Rhys had a job with the bank in Mexico already planned before his impromptu confession and left the day before Valentine’s day and was supposed to be gone for at minimum an entire week. And while Valentine’s day had never meant much to him, things were different now. Arrangements had been made to have flowers delivered to Vasilia while almost certainly working at the pub. He didn’t want to seem like he had forgotten. Flowers had also been sent to Maria, but that was a different context. However, his good luck seemed to continue, and the job in Mexico finished in a couple of days, and he spent a little bit of extra time gather some supplies (Tequila, etc.) before heading back home. Rhys approached the flat he had visited once before. It was not too early in the day but not late either. His hope was that she was home and he could catch her before she went to the pub as she might have been studying in the meantime. If she wasn’t here, he would try the pub next and hopefully, she wasn’t too busy and could get her to sit still for a moment as he was home four days early. Rhys knocked on the door, waiting patiently and a small package in his hand of chocolates from a village near where he had been working—similar to some of the ones he’d given her on Christmas.

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[vasilia abigail fortescue]

February 16,2021
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia felt like she was living a dream. Eleven days ago the entire world had been flipped on it's head, and she still couldn't fully believe it. Vasilia and realized she had strong, romantic, feelings for Rhys in December. But she'd never dreamed those feelings might be reciprocated. And yet? They had. How that was possible, Vas didn't really understand but she was trying very hard not to question it. Because honestly? It made her feel likes she was on cloud nine.

Alas, despite the wonderful discovery, Rhys had to go away for work. It was understandable. It was part of his life, constantly traveling, though it was a little sad to have him leave for so long so soon after the confessions. Vasilia tried to stay busy (though a slightly healthier busy) during his absence. She hadn't even realized it was Valentine's day until she was at the pub and found a delivery person with a bouquet for her. She, of course, had been very surprised. And when she'd read the card of who it was from she'd blushed furiously and scurried off to her office with the flowers so none of her employees saw her fluster. Of course, she failed quite epically and by the end of the day her staff was very aware of the fact that something was going on between Rhys and Vasilia. She'd come out of her office, blush finally under control, only to overhear two staff members discussing who had won the bet. That had been a bit of a shocker to say the least. A bet?! After much pestering Vasilia got to the bottom of it and she was mortified. Apparently the staff (and a few regulars) had been betting on when Rhys and Vasilia would get together. One particular individual won the pot by guessing after February's full moon but before Valentine's day. Vasilia should have chastised the individuals for the nonsense but she'd only felt more flustered that apparently everyone had been betting on when this would happen. It seems the only two that had been unaware of the mutual feelings... were Rhys and Vas.

A few days later and Vasilia had decided to take the day off from the pub. Her father hadn't been feeling too well the past few days, so she'd spent the morning at her parent's, helping however she could, before heading back to her flat above the ice cream parlour. She'd taken a shower after getting home, and had been studying a bit, when she heard a knock at the door. Curious of who it might be she got up and crossed to the door. Ilija maybe? Usually he called or texted before coming by though. Maybe it was one of the ice cream parlour's employees with a quick question?

None of her guesses was Rhys.

But yet, when she opened the door, that was who she met. Vasilia, no surprise, looked thoroughly stunned to see Rhys. Her thoughts went a million miles a minute. How was he here? Had she gotten the date wrong? Had it already been a week? No, she was sure this was still a few days early. After a very long stunned moment common sense seemed to return to Vas. "You're back early!" She finally said, as if that wasn't already very obvious. Then, she started to smile brightly.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i hope that you catch me

'cause i'm already falling

February 16, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys waited patiently after he knocked, she might not even be home, or she could have even been asleep. Though he doubted it, she seemed to sleep as much as he did. He decided he would give it a few moments, knock again and then try the pub. But then the door opened, and an astonished and confused Vasilia was looking at him. Rhys grinned when he saw her. It seemed that getting over that initial obstacle of admitting how he felt had really opened up something different for him. Well, different in his budding relationship with Vas, but he was familiar with how it was at the beginning, just like when he’d been with his ex-girlfriends before. ”We finished up early, and I wanted to see you.” Rhys spoke after her shock wore off. He took a step toward her and leaned forward to give her a soft kiss.

Pulling away, he looked at her again. ”Did you get the flowers?” Rhys was confident they would have arrived on time, it wasn’t his first time ordering flowers for one occasion or another, and he’d gotten surprisingly good at it. It really was lucky, though, with his schedule with work and the option to be sent back to the Island or the bank, he wanted to spend whatever time he could with her where their schedules allowed it. In fact, now that the Order knew he was back early, he was asked to help with more research the following day. And on top of that, he couldn’t remember the exact day of an upcoming doctor’s appointment with Maria. Rhys cleared his throat and remembered the small box he was holding. ”Oh—I got these for you, thought you might like them.” It had been something he’d learned how to do over the years. Rhys would see items, and they would remind him of one of his friends or his sisters, and he’d bring it back to them. More often than not, it wasn’t anything grand but something small.

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[vasilia abigail fortescue]

February 16,2021
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia didn't understand how he was back so early, but she wouldn't complain! She was a happy person by nature, but when she saw him at her doorstep she felt completely overjoyed, her smile growing brighter and brighter. Then, hearing his words only elevated it to new heights. Her heart raced, a natural reaction now-a-days when she saw Rhys, as he said he'd wanted to see her. "Well, I hope you at least took sometime to enjoy Mexico while you were there. But I'm glad you're back," She answered, though she'd come to learn he was a bit of a work-a-holic when he was traveling for business. He leaned in to kiss her, and she immediately raised on her toes just a little to kiss him back, her stomach fluttering (as she still wasn't used to this development), before he pulled back.

At the mention of the flowered she blushed. She stepped out of the doorway, ushering him into the flat and closing the door behind him. The flowers in question were in the kitchen, just as lovely as the day they'd been delivered, in a vase on the table. "You didn't have to," she started. Though, it had made her especially happy when she got them. "They are absolutely beautiful." He was still quite close, so she leaned up onto her toes again to kiss him on the cheek, a quiet thanks. She almost mentioned how the staff had reacted to her getting the flowered but decided to tell him later. Since he'd just gotten back after all.

Though, at the mention of getting her something else, she looked back at him in surprise. He was holding out a box."Oh? What is it?" What had reminded him of her in Mexico? Well... food probably. Vasilia was an aspiring chef after all, food reminded most people of her. But she couldn't help but smile. While Rhys had always been an open person with her (more so then he was with others), she felt like he'd opened up on a whole new level since that day in the cellar.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i hope that you catch me

'cause i'm already falling

February 16, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

It wasn’t uncommon for job timelines to be misestimated in his line of work. Sometimes a job that took a few days ended up taking a month or something scheduled for three weeks took a week. One never knew what they would find when they got to the site. Estimations were made from tombs nearby and previous jobs. It wasn’t a precise process by any means, with people using their best guestimation at best. Without these plans, he might have stayed the rest of the week there, drank tequila, and enjoy a mini-vacation away from the rest of his responsibilities since he was scheduled. However, despite the early release, he had at least let Maria know he was back, as was his habit now though he wasn’t in a rush to see anyone else but Vasilia.

Rhys walked past her when she moved, though blushing from his question. He didn’t quite understand why but he saw the flowers on the table and was glad they had arrived safe and sound. She thanked him with a kiss on the cheek, and he looked and smiled at her. ”I wasn’t sure if you were working later or not.” Rhys admitted. Otherwise, he might have stopped by a few hours later than now, but it would have been hard to keep a surprise if he’d asked her beforehand. The flowers were just a gesture. He knew the importance of them. If he had learned anything from his experience with Deva was that flowers or some kind of gesture could mean a great deal—depending on what it was. And there was the matter of Valentine’s Day, naturally.

The box was simply wrapped. Even with the practice on Christmas, it still wasn’t something he had even come close to mastering. ”Open it.” Rhys insisted, waiting for her to open the box. It was a small gift but a gift nonetheless, and his complicated history with gifts and holidays made him sensitive to try and find something fitting—perfect even. However, receiving gifts was still an odd feeling for him, which hadn’t really changed over the years. They had come so far since the first time he’d sat at that bar, sulking about something or another—probably crabby because of the full moon and a pretty girl with warm golden eyes struck a conversation with him. She’d never looked at him like others did like he was some oddity sitting at the bar drinking their good whiskey. She just saw him, and he hadn’t even begun to let her know how much that meant to him. 

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[vasilia abigail fortescue]

February 16,2021
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia had never really "dated" much. It had never interested her really. So current developments made her feel very insecure and unsure of herself. Whether she was doing things right, or not. It was probably why blushing had become such a common occurrence around Rhys since the cellar. It wasn't that she felt she was inadequate, but simply that she didn't have the experience of how you acted. What was or wasn't appropriate, how things changed, how to act. Rhys, however, didn't seemed to bothered by it. Though she was sure it would come up soon just how.. inexperienced she was. Somethings would come out eventually. But until then, she would be happy, content with how things had developed.

Though, why she wasn't at work today wasn't really something she wanted to talk about. Rhys knew her father's health was on the decline, so bringing up that he'd been worse the last few days felt like both an obvious turn of events, and quite depressing. Not the sort of thing she wanted to discuss right when he'd gotten home. So, she just smiled as he mentioned not knowing if she'd be working later. "Thought I'd trust my staff for once," was her excuse, though it was very much true. Vasilia had a hard time letting her staff run things on their own, despite knowing they were capable of it. She just worried that something might happen and they'd need her. "So, as luck would have it, I'm free the rest of the day." What were the odds that he'd come home early on the day she took off work?

Rhys didn't explain what it was, instead just insisting she open it. She smiled, though obliged. She took the box from him, carefully unwrapping it. Inside she found chocolates. Her smile widened. While she hadn't guessed chocolates she had been right about food reminding him of her. Though as she looked at the box and chocolates she was sure she'd never seen this brand before. The fact that he'd gotten her chocolates in general was insanely sweet, but even more so that he'd gotten something like this, that she wouldn't have been able to find in the UK. She closed the box and looked up at him with the brightest smile. "You know, times like these make me rather glad you aren't a fan of chocolate," she teased. Of course she remembered that. In fact, Vasilia remembered most things Rhys had told her about himself. It'd been ingrained into her mind.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i hope that you catch me

'cause i'm already falling

February 16, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Despite Rhys’ reputation and experience, dating wasn’t exactly high on that list. Deva had been his first serious girlfriend, and then there had been a couple other girlfriends along the way, but other than that—nothing more than flings and one-night stands and mutually beneficial physical relationships. Still, this thing that had sparked between himself and Vasilia was undefined, but it didn’t seem to be fading at any rate. Rhys had to admit that he still had no idea how this happened or even why. There wasn’t much he had done to ever change himself to make himself more “marketable”, nor had he been looking, and yet here he was. Half of Rhys wanted to know what would happen next, and the other half wanted him to let it be and enjoy it before he inevitably did something wrong.

It was lucky that Vasilia had the day off, and he’d chosen today to show up back home early. Though he was surprised by her response just because he knew how she pushed herself with working. While it was different, Rhys chose not to question it—again, there was that part of him that told him to just enjoy it and stop thinking. He grinned in response, ”Really? That’s a first.” He joked. Maybe it was something new for her or new habits. Rhys doubted it had anything to do with him though he wasn’t going to question it further because the timing had worked out so well. The entire time he had been working, he’d been focused but only because he felt like he wanted to come home quickly for once, rather than that usual drifting feeling he was left with. Usually, that ended with him working more or traveling around whatever area he was in. It was interesting to see how the past year had changed his priorities.

Rhys recalled when they had met and really because it was the usual response he got when he would admit he didn’t like chocolate very much. People thought he was strange or something was wrong with his brain, but it had just not been something he’d ever been fond of. But, he knew that Vasilia was, and with her cooking ability, Rhys figured that food or things from outside of the UK were things she might like. ”So you don’t have to share?” Rhys asked. It wasn’t as though he was allergic or anything. He just had a preference. ”Well, I’m glad you’re not working. I know our schedules don’t always line up.” Rhys spoke. It was the downside of both their lives. Traveling as he did, Rhys wasn’t accustomed to being in London for much of the year, which he was trying to shift because of Maria, but now he had more reason. It was a good time to probably talk about some things and put his mind at ease, but he still felt awkward. ”So, what were you up to today?”

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[vasilia abigail fortescue]

February 16,2021
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia made a face at his joke, though he was spot on. Vasilia tended to work herself to exhaustion and collapsing. She knew she could do the work, but she also felt like she had to. She had a very complex relationship with work, and stemmed from a number of issues in her life. Her older brother leaving and her having to "take over" as eldest for Felix. Being her father's protégé. Her father's illness when neither of her siblings were able to come help. Basically she'd taken everything on her shoulders and never really stopped to transfer some of the weight when others arrived to finally help her. Vasilia was very bad at asking for help, even when she knew she needed it. Plus, she also felt like in the case of Felix she had to protect him from the world (as she was still struggling to see him as an adult). "I'm not that bad of a work-a-holic" she protested, though she fully knew she was that bad.

Vasilia didn't really find his dislike of chocolate was strange. More curious and interesting then anything. She'd refrained herself (and still did) from asking a plethora to get to the bottom of what it was about chocolate he didn't like. As a chef she was very invested when it came to people's taste buds. She personally, despite her focus, hated cilantro, though she did cook with it quite often. As he correctly guessed why she was glad he didn't like chocolate she grinned. "Exactly."

She moved to the kitchen, setting the box down on the counter before turning and leaning against the counter to face him. She smiled as he mentioned their schedules. "They can when you know the person that makes the schedule." Between the two of them, she probably had the more flexible schedule. Being the owner of the pub meant that she could change her own schedule whenever she wanted. Though she hadn't before now, as she hadn't had much reason to. Now though... well, she sort of liked the idea of maybe planning her days off around his own a little more. "Nothing that can't be reschedules. Studying a bit, then was thinking of taking the bike into the shop for a tune up. It's fine though, and I can do that next week," she shrugged. She kept her motorcycle in good condition, making sure to have it checked every few months for the enchantments and any other maintenance. It wouldn't hurt the bike to wait a few weeks before getting a tune up.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i hope that you catch me

'cause i'm already falling

February 16, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys gave a light shrug though he gave her a look. She could say what she wanted about her work habits, but it was well known that she was the definition of a workaholic. Then again, Rhys had heard that word used to describe himself, but he didn’t really see it as such. Their lives differed significantly in terms of their responsibilities and things like that. Rhys didn’t have the same weight on his shoulders that Vas did. In fact, when it came to family, he really technically had no obligation at all, but he had felt that urge and drive when he was younger to seek them out—he chose that. But for now, he wouldn't push the issue—at least not seriously. ”Really? So your staff has had to call someone to pull you out of the cellar before?” It was a joking question, though a tiny part of Rhys wondered if something like that had happened before. She had admitted to him previously that she had worked so hard she had collapsed, so he figured he would ask.

She moved into the kitchen while they continued to talk, and Rhys followed a bit behind. ”Really? Do you think you could ask her if she’ll let you make time for me?” He gave her a bit of a playful smirk. Since that conversation in the cellar, Rhys knew some walls had come down, the boundaries kept between friends (or younger sisters of your best friend). All that had been needed was that little piece of knowledge that they both shared feelings for one another. He also had to admit that while he’d always thought Vas was pretty, that view had changed when he’d realized he liked her as more than a friend, and even now, as she leaned against that counter looking at him, he noted her features. Things were still new, but he felt comfortable around him, and he hoped she did with him.

Vas mentioned a bike, and Rhys had to process what she was talking about. Bike typically meant one of those muggle bicycles, but he realized she meant a motorcycle as she kept talking. ”You have a motorcycle?” It wasn’t unheard of in the magical community, though Rhys had been taught how to ride one when he was working in America when he was younger—it had been some time ago. His eyebrows went up in surprise but also intrigue, and he had to admit he didn’t mind the image of Vas on a motorcycle in his mind. ”I didn’t know that.” Rhys admitted, moving a bit closer to her now. There was so much he had to learn, it seemed. But for now, he settled for being near her. Rhys stood in front of her, not trapping her between himself and the counter by any means, but close enough to where he could look at her and brush the hair from her face. Then, looking into those always changing eyes, he leaned down and kissed her, but for longer this time than when had been at the door. For the past month or who knew how long, she had been all he could think about.

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[vasilia abigail fortescue]

February 16,2021
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia had told him a little about the time she'd collapsed, but he didn't know all the details. Like how it had been in front of Felix, nearly giving him a heart attack. While she regretted working herself that hard, she mostly regretted collapsing right then and scaring her brother. She tried so hard to shield him from the struggles of their parents or her own. He also didn't know that she'd actually had to go to St. Mungos that time, it had been that bad. No doubt he wouldn't be happy if he knew just how bad she could overwork herself. Considering how he'd come running when her staff texted him. "I'm pretty sure they were setting us up," she finally answered with a knowing smile. "And I just gave them a very good reason to leave you alone with me." Though they had definitely been worried about her health she now questioned their motives after finding out about the bet.

She laughed as he went along with her joke, and asked about making time for him. "Hmmmm," she folded her arms across her chest, then lightly tapped her chin with a finger. "She might be hard to convince. But you can be pretty persuasive. Why don't you ask her?" She was smiling. Rhys had always been very guarded, even with her before. But it felt like since that day in the cellar he'd dropped some of his defenses. Likewise, Vasilia felt more comfortable, as she was trying to hold back the feelings she'd been keeping to herself.

Though, as he deducted that bike meant motorcycle she started to grin. "I might not be able to apparate, but I got the next best thing." While squibs couldn't use magic themselves, they could use enchanted objects, including a flying motorcycle. She'd gotten it for her 20th birthday, when she decided that despite having no magical skill that she would remain fully immersed in the magical world. "I'll show you sometime," she finished. Though she wasn't necessarily promising she'd let him drive it. She didn't actually know if he knew how to ride one yet.

Vasilia unfolded her arms as he moved closer, her heart starting to beat a little faster. It seemed he still very much had a strong affect on her and she turned her head upward as he drew close enough, his stormy eyes meeting her own as he reached out to brush her hair away. She held her breath for a moment, unblinking as she stared into his eyes.... And then his lips were upon her own. Vasilia leaned into the kiss immediately. One of her hands found his own as they kissed while the other rested on the edge of the counter behind her to help support her leaning forward. The longer they kissed the more natural it felt and she felt herself relaxing. She'd always felt so self conscious everytime they kissed, but not this time. This time she enjoyed the intimate act, let herself feel his lips move against her own.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i hope that you catch me

'cause i'm already falling

February 16, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys’ gave a questioning expression as his head tilted a tiny bit to the side. ”Setting us up?” It was the first that Rhys had heard of anything like that. ”What do you mean?” It would change his perspective on that day, though he was still satisfied with the outcome. Again his thoughts went back to what he knew people said about him—his bit of a reputation. Not that it bothered him, he wasn’t ever pretending to be the type that didn’t want to be single, and some of the staff at the pub had seen Rhys as a patron for many years now. It was just…surprising to hear. Not that it was the first time he’d been set up on a date or something in that same category, but he was still surprised.

Vas laughed, and Rhys smiled. It was true her busy schedule was still more flexible than his own. At least that worked to their benefit, he supposed, and if he was spending more time back home, he knew his sisters would appreciate that. But his work was a passion of his and not something he would consider changing at the moment. This was a side of Rhys that most people didn’t see. His closest friends would always get more words out of him than anyone he ran into, and those that were even closer could see who he really was. Then again, Vas had easily walked over some of his barriers, and he hadn’t even noticed all this time—though now, with everything, it made sense. ”I’ll figure something out.” Rhys contemplated out loud. ”Maybe I’ll try just asking nicely first?” He’d always been goal-oriented, though when it came to women, it became natural as he got older and wasn’t the awkward boy from his school years anymore.

It made sense to have some kind of efficient transportation in the absence of Apparating, though if Rhys was honest, he sometimes did forget that Vas didn’t have the same magical abilities that he or her family had. But, just as he had told her—it didn’t matter, so it was hardly in the forefront of his mind. ”I would like that. I haven’t been near one in years.” The last time had been in America, he might have been nineteen or twenty. He tried to recall if he was still in training at the time and who he was with. Renfri was likely there as a vague memory of a bar fight popped into his mind, but even that was hardly unique in their Cursebreaking experiences.

Rhys typically didn’t like people close to him, he avoided crowds and crowded places for that reason, but he wanted to be near her. It was no secret he was a physical guy, and Vas didn’t seem to mind so far. Maybe it was just his way of showing how he felt versus using his words—which often failed to translate correctly from the thoughts in his brain. But, it was different from his aggressive self he had truly found with Maria. Their arrangement had been fire and gasoline, while with Vas, he felt a certain serenity mixed in with wanting her. Rhys felt her hand in his own, and he instinctively moved a little closer as his other hand went to her waist. But after some time, he pulled back. Unfortunately, they still had to breathe. The other reason Rhys had wanted to keep going was to push away certain thoughts that had popped in his head. She was his best friend’s sister, and Ilija still had no idea. It annoyed him that his mind wouldn’t even let him enjoy the moment.

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[vasilia abigail fortescue]

February 16,2021
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia smiled sheepishly as he asked what she meant. It was embarrassing to think about how so many people had realized that Vasilia and Rhys liked each other, but it was somehow completely oblivious to both of them. "I just found out the other day. Apparently the whole staff was waiting for when we'd admit we liked each other." She wasn't going to tell him about the bet though, not yet. As that was especially embarrassing. "They seemed to realize it a long time before us." Which was rather ironic, as Vasilia was known for having very good people reading skills. But she'd been to blinded by her own feelings to see Rhys'. Also in her defense, Vasilia had never really.... liked anyone this way before. Hell, even when she met Rhys she hadn't liked him in this way. It had developed as she got to know him.

Rhys had a nice smile, though he didn't show it too often. Vas realized he smiled more when she was around though, and especially since the conversation in the cellar. She liked how his eyes brightened whenever he smiled. It made her want to keep doing whatever it took to keep him smiling. He always came off as sullen, and brooding. Except when they were talking. "I've heard she has a thing for you, so you'll have to turn on the charm to convince her." she teased. She wasn't really sure why the conversation was still happening, but it was pretty cute.

The kiss lasted much longer then many of the other kisses they'd shared and her heart wouldn't stop racing, especially when she felt his free hand at her waist. Eventually though he pulled back, breaking the kiss. She felt breathless, but in a good way and couldn't help but smile. She wanted to kiss him again immediately but controlled the urge. "So... any plans the rest of the day?"

[rhys alexander greyback]

i hope that you catch me

'cause i'm already falling

February 16, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys was intensely curious as to what she meant regarding being ‘set up’. Not that he had a problem with it at that moment, though his attitude toward such a thing might have been different before perhaps. For now, he looked a bit perplexed—Rhys looked down for a moment and shook his head. ”Really?” Had it been that obvious? He thought about how Renfri, Sienna, and others had mentioned Vasilia to him, and some of them had never even met her. ”A few friends of mine had brought it up before…” Rhys admitted. It wasn’t something he’d ever planned on mentioning or not so soon, but it was relevant now. ”Renfri, she went to school with Ilija and me, interrogated me quite a bit after that Christmas Party.” Well, she had interrogated him about the flask—the most important thing, of course, but then Vasilia had been brought up as a topic. At the time, he hadn’t seen why, but now it all made more sense.

The mischievous grin remained on his face as she continued to describe this supposed third party. This side of Rhys she was seeing and experiencing was not the face he put on in public. She was past the walls that many never got past despite how hard they may try. Though Rhys was still discovering what kind of walls Vasilia had, if any, she was more of an extrovert than he was or would ever be. But just as he had told her, there was a comfort of being with her and close to her and let Rhys be this way. ”Really? I guess I’ll have to use that to my advantage.” Although he had selfish reasons for wanting her to work less, he knew it might benefit her as well to work less of a rigorous schedule.

There was always something that would switch in Rhys. A handshake to a stranger would be a hug to a longtime friend, and his relationships typically became more physical the more intimate they felt. With Vas before, it had been a couple hugs at most, and yet now it was definitely something more. After the kiss, she asked him what his plans were, and really he had none. It wasn’t that he hadn’t wanted to plan anything, but there was always the chance she would be completely busy that day, but also he was sure that she was tired (as he was tired himself) and it could be a chill day. ”No, not till much later.” Now that he did think about it, he did have a couple of non-urgent errands to run plus checking in with the mother of his child, but she wouldn’t expect him until much later. Rhys kept his face close to hers. ”I do have some ideas, though.” He muttered as he leaned in to kiss her again—the hand that was on his waist moving her closer to him to bridge that distance. And while each subsequent kiss they shared seemed to last longer than the last, there was always the problem of breathing. Rhys pulled away reluctantly but just enough so he could breathe. ”We’re not at risk of your brothers walking in, are we?” Rhys asked in a low tone. It wasn’t the most compromising position they could be in but would still bring up questions—and Rhys hadn’t spoken to Ilija about this though he wasn’t sure if Vas had either.

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[vasilia abigail fortescue]

February 16,2021
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia wasn't really sure how she and Rhys had been so blinded and oblivious and it was apparently so obvious to everyone that had seen the pair interact. She nodded at his "really", confirming that, yes, everyone at the pub had known. As he went on to mention some of his friends mentioning it to him her eyebrows raised in surprise. She'd heard the name Renfri before. She was another one of Ilija's good friends growing up. But what exactly had happened on Christmas party to warranty it being brought up then? "Why the Christmas party?" She thought, trying to remember all the events of the night. It had been quite a blur, as she'd been working. Then, she remembered. "Oh!" She exclaimed in realization. Rhys had hung out with her in the kitchen after some sort of disagreement. She smiled sheepishly. "Right, I suppose that might have made a few people suspicious."

The amount of physical contact between Vasilia and Rhys had been very minimal. She'd hugged him a few times, and when she'd been very drunk held his hand (of sorts). But besides that? Before the cellar there had basically been no physical relationship. It hadn't been a factor at all in their friendship or their developing feelings. But once everything had come to light... It was like whatever had been stopping them had broken. While Vasilia was still very hesitant (due to her inexperience), Rhys wasn't and his confidence was reassuring. He didn't push her though, which she was very grateful for. But... there was still a topic that they hadn't discussed that Vasilia was hoping didn't come up for a little longer. Just how inexperienced she was.

She smiled as he answered, glad that his stop by wasn't just that, a stop. Before he had to rush off and leave again. Though, when he spoke again her heart beat hard in her chest and the slightest touch of pink colored her cheeks. But she didn't pull away, instead she pushed away from the counter and leaned into him as they kissed again. Unfortunately though, it still felt too short when he broke it to catch his breath. He didn't pull back this time though and she felt a shiver run up her spine. "No, we're alone," she breathed. Ilija didn't have a key to the flat above the shop, and Felix was working. He never came upstairs during his shifts.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i hope that you catch me

'cause i'm already falling

February 16, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

One would never find something if they were never looking for it in the first place. That was how Rhys had tried to justify what had happened in the past two weeks. Relationships or anything of the sort was territory he took the long way around. His past situation with Maria hadn’t been anything like that despite how often they had been seeing one another—they were both focused on the single purpose, and it was never a conversation. But how he felt about Vasilia, which had grown since they had first officially met the previous year, had just happened. Something had bloomed, but because it had taken time, Rhys had never bothered to notice until it was pointed out to him and then he admitted and accepted it to himself.

Rhys brought up the Christmas Party, though now that he did, he also remembered why he had been upset. Chasing an ex-girlfriend who he had single-handedly pushed away for so many years, Rhys didn’t know why he had reacted the way he did, knowing she had found someone else. He remembered Renfri threatening him as he began to walk to the other side of the ballroom from the Curse Breaker corner, and then Vasilia had appeared and talked to him. Rhys remembered actually calming down, despite his lack of sobriety that night—though it didn’t take long for him to get riled up again when a text came through. ”Renfri has never been very good at calming me down—Ilija usually has better luck, but I’m not sure where he had gone by that point.” Now that he thought about it, Ilija had basically disappeared, which is why Renfri had been able to stop him from walking away. In any case, he now realized how obvious his reaction to Vasilia was compared to anyone else that night.

Touching her, being near her—these were the things he often craved deep down inside, although he typically met that need in a much different way. It easy to talk to a woman and have a physical relationship with them when you settled for only knowing their name. But his attachment to Vas was different, and all these months, he’d been happy with just being near her in some capacity, which typically meant he was often at the pub. Those were the old boundaries, but these new ones were obviously different, and Rhys wasn’t complaining. They still hadn’t talked about exactly this was, but he was far too distracted at the moment for that. And while Vas had the effect of calming him, it didn’t stop his face from being slightly flush or his heart racing, or the need he felt. With his face barely away from hers, she answered him, and he licked his lips slightly before smiling. ”Good.” Was all he remarked before kissing her again, letting go of her hand to pull her even closer to him.

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