As the veil thins ¦ Rhys & Rob

[Lyra Horváth]

Thing had been moving along nicely between herself and Rob. After their big fight they had come back stronger. Even if he wasn't a hundred percent happy about her duelling still, he had grown to be a little more okay with it, as well as seeing the benefits of it. Bit by bit they had been refurbishing and refurnishing their flat to make it their home. He paid the rent, her money went to making it their home. Here and there it even went to renting a cottage on the beach over the summer. That had been glorious, but short lived in the British Summer. It had raised some further questions about their future together, and left some awkward conversations hanging in the air as Lyra had shied away from them. For now it was easier to hide away and not face things. It was nicer to be in the here and now.

Walking along the stalls of the festival, she grasped Rob's hang tightly, looking up to him here and there. There was a chill in the air welcoming the start of the coming of winter. It was teamed with an excitement for the thinning of the veil and welcoming of the spirits over again.

As they stopped to line up and get some cider, she grinned, looking around in the dusk. The full moon had been and gone for the month, they could relax, all wrapped up in their cosy clothes. "This is nice, isn't it?"

EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK  
rhys alexander greyback

[EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK]

Lyra and Rob were two halves of the same coin. On one side there was sensible, cautious Rob who ensured that everything was in order before he let loose. On the other was Lyra, chaotic and alluring and impulsive. They complemented each other well, and perhaps that was why the bond that had developed between them was so strong, rather than… whatever it was that tied them together. Rob hadn’t made much progress on his research of the thing that had drawn them together, finding little to no information. He’d been immensely busy with Aware Wolf, which had just been released to market and the business side of things was taking over his life. He was glad to have Sienna by his side, though he feared they would have to bring in someone else soon on more than just a consultancy level.

Lyra, on the other hand, had kept herself busy with duelling. Rob was still rather unhappy about the arrangement, but it had been shelved for the moment as he turned his focus wholly onto Aware Wolf. The pair of them had spent many weekends away at the seaside, which they both loved so dearly. But it had raised as many questions as it settled. Lyra refused to think more than a few weeks in the future, while Rob was a born planner. And so their time passed, pushing aside the hard conversations for future them, much to Rob’s chagrin. But their arrangement worked nicely, and Rob was the happiest he had ever been.

Autumn was in full swing and October was drawing to a close. Rob and Lyra had made plans to meet Vas and Rhys at a Samhain festival they’d been invited to. Rob wondered how the ministry had found his address to invite him, yet supposed they’d gotten in when he and Sienna had filed the appropriate patents for their potion. Arm in arm, Rob and Lyra wandered listlessly amongst the stalls, chatting idly and pointing out cute stalls they passed to revisit later. Eventually, they queued up for mulled cider, Rob’s interest having been piqued by the addition of rum to it. ”Oh yeah, really lovely,” said Rob, rather distracted as they stepped forwards in the queue. ”Two ciders please,” said Rob to the stall keeper, before turning to Lyra. ”Should I get some for Rhys? Do we know when Vas is joining? She said she had to do some things at the pub… or shall I just leave him to it?” asked Rob with a frown.

Lyra Horváth
rhys alexander greyback

[Lyra Horváth]

As Lyra moved about the market stalls, she had more than one thing on her mind. She tried to focus on the moment. How lovely it was to be with Rob and be able to be carefree for the most part. But in the back of her mind was the thoughts of duelling. Recently she had been approached by a number of agents that scouted on the illegal circuit for people to bring to the big leagues. The legal, yet international competitive grounds. It was worth slightly less money overall, yet it was more frequent work. Regulated as well, with the chance to become an actual professional, with benefits and a steady source of income. hanna horváth had squealed at the idea of Lyra becoming a household name. One of the people they had looked up to when they were younger. In one way it was highly appealing, the benefits outweighed the risks. It was regulated and yet she still got to have fun with her work. One agent in particular had thought as a Demi-Human her appeal to the masses of minorities could be larger than some of the current big names on the circuit.

But then Rob was there like a big dark cloud hovering over it all.

Duelling had gone as just an unmentioned secret in the background of their relationship. Lyra kept away from the total seedier places, and Rob just kept away from the mention of it at all. He still abhorred the idea, she knew that. It was a point of major contention between them, but it just went unspoken of for now. The agent had approached Lyra weeks ago but she still had yet to tell Rob about it. Whilst she thought the idea of it being regulated and a stable job in what she loved sounded great and should be a positive to him, the idea of bringing it up filled her with nerves. She didn't want to start another argument like they had suffered a few weeks ago. That had been a terribly dark time for both of them. For now she suffered in silence, playing the idea of it over and over in her mind. Sometimes it was obvious she was far away, sometimes less so. At the moment she was in some between state as she wandered the lines of stalls with him, arm in arm making mental notes to come back and buy gifts for people.

His direct question as they moved up the queue pulled her back to reality. "I'm not sure really." musing, she stayed locked arm in arm with him as she looked up at him absent-mindedly "She didn't say much today really. Maybe just get us one and they can get their own when they arrive if they want it.."

EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK
rhys alexander greyback

[rhys alexander greyback]

even I can't recall

how many days I had been out there

October 30, 2036
EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK
Lyra Horváth

Rhys hadn’t been sure about attending this Feast of Samhain. The idea of being that much closer to the dead sent a chill up his spine. Or maybe he didn’t want to cling to a false hope that he’d actually see his mother or even his brother Elias in those flames. But Rob had persisted, also insisting that he needed some time out of the house. The months since his daughter had been born had been hectic. The bank had not given him as much time as he’d wanted home with the influx of brand new trainees and more Cursebreakers retiring voluntarily or otherwise. He was on the hook with a new class to deal with.

The look of exhaustion that Rhys wore was not a new one. In fact, it was as perfectly normal as the hangover he usually had. Insomnia while dealing with a newborn was a new kind of torture, but all he had to do was look into that crib and see his own eyes look back at him to make it all feel worth it. Julia, the seer, had been right. Blue eyes—his eyes. But then she was likely right about the next part: children. But he tried not to think about it too much. Vasilia was supposed to accompany him, and Charlotte was with her mother, but she had a mountain of work at the Pub. While Rhys wished she was here, he understood, and maybe it meant he didn’t have to stay the entire time and could sleep before he was due back for work in a couple of days.

Walking around, he observed the people and the surroundings. The last festival he attended was approximately a year before and had ended rather badly. The aftermath resulted in fatherhood, but it seemed so far away now. Finally, he saw Rob with Lyra—who Rhys had met purely by chance earlier that year. ”Rob.” Rhys announced himself, approaching from the side. ”How are you, Lyra?” He offered up a small smile. Double dates weren’t what he’d ever had in mind in his future if you’d asked him at eighteen. ”Vasilia couldn’t make it, unfortunately.” In fact, she had almost literally kicked Rhys to go without her as he hadn’t wanted to be the third wheel, and somehow that tiny ball of energy with fiery red hair could get past his stubbornness.

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[Lyra Horváth]

Her small hands clutched around the takeaway cup somewhat clumsily as they stepped away from the line of punters; holding it overly gingerly as if it was too big for her and she was afraid she was about to drop the hot spicy substance. She only had time to give Rob a small smile before her attention was drawn elsewhere.

Rhys had arrived. Lyra turned to him and gave him an equally warm smile and nod hello before she sipped some of her cider and allowed Rob time to greet him. Rhys was a strange figure in her life. He had started as someone skirting the edges since she had arrived to London; her employees romantic partner, a friend of her romantic partner, someone she served in the bar whilst suspecting he was in fact one of her kind. Once all the above had been confirmed; a more comfortable closeness was established. While she wasn't sure Rhys would exactly count her as one of his good friends, she thought of him as one of her friends. She didn't have many and although she had just sorted of adopted him by means of Rob, she did like him. They weren't dissimilar, even if he was a little bit older than her of course, that didn't really matter now she supposed.

As well as that, in the last few months there was another curiosity she'd been drawn to; the baby.

In her mind the idea of having a child had always terrified her. The brief time her and Rob had discussed it she had shut it down out of pure fear. The research had shown they'd be perfectly healthy human children, however there was always the dark what ifs that had clouded the back of her mind. What if her baby would be born a half breed. What if they were even worse if she had one with Rob, a fellow half breed. She wasn't especially particular over her birth control out of responsibility; it was more the fear that caught in her throat at the idea of bringing some unfortunate half breed into the fray for their own sake. The world was changing, of course, but it still had been cruel enough in the past.

And yet, from all she'd hear from Rob, Rhys' child was actually a pretty delightful little girl. It had certainly given her a lot to think about, and peaked her curiosity to say the least. She hadn't spoken about it with Rob, but she was sure he'd noticed in the way she'd asked about Charlotte and Rhys.

"I'm alright, yeah. And how about you?" Tilting her head to the side she gave him a small try-to-be encouraging smile. "Tired I bet?" She hadn't really been around many babies, but she knew for certain they never let you rest much at the start. It probably didn't help Rhys' Lycanthropic side, another thing that caused her pause. Nodding at the news of vasilia abigail fortescue , her smile shifted to more of a sheepish one "She's busy I guess, since I've cut my hours down. Hopefully she can get more help soon." Taking another sip of her cider, she gave Rob a small glance before looking back to Rhys and almost hesitantly asking about the baby

"How's the little one getting on?" she attempted to keep her voice light and cheerful, but there was an obvious tone of very real curiosity that she couldn't deny. 

EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK
rhys alexander greyback

[EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK]

A protective arm slung casually around Lyra’s shoulders, Rob was the picture of lazy elegance. He grinned at Rhys upon his approach, and greeted him fondly. He glanced down at Lyra, who was sipping her cider quietly. His gaze lingered on his mate for a moment before sliding back to his friend. Despite the difference in age between them, Rhys and Rob had lived remarkably similar lives. Both had floundered under the heavy weight of lycanthropy, and even though they came from different backgrounds, the story was the same. They’d fallen into an easy friendship with Sienna as the crux, working tirelessly together on testing Aware Wolf. Now that it was out and in circulation, the friendship between the three hadn’t waned.

At the thought of Sienna, Rob’s wan grin faded. Things between Lyra and him had been tense, to say the least. She knew he didn’t approve of her duelling, but she went about it anyways. Rob felt as if he held the moral high ground, but it was Lyra’s choice at the end of the day. So he stuck his head in the sand, wilfully ignoring how annoyed he was getting. Rob stole another glance at his mate, who commented about how Vasilia had to work more since Lyra had cut back her hours. And Rob knew exactly why. The pang of annoyance flashed through him again, and Rob slid his arm from around Lyra, stuffing his hands instead in his pockets and glaring at the ground. He didn’t want to hear about how talented she was at an illegal trade.

To Rob’s shock, Lyra asked after Rhys’ pup. That’s what Rob liked to call her in his head, since he always forgot her name. Lyra had been so vehemently against children (for no real, logical reason since the lycanthropy curse was not genetic), the slight hopeful twinge of her voice surprised him. He knew Lyra so well that the calm, cool, and collected mask didn’t work on him. Rob met her gaze and forgot his irritation, instead arching a brow.

Rob had often imagined himself as a father. Especially more so after he discovered that he couldn’t pass on his condition. The idea had never explicitly been shut down, but it was more the fact that it would be in the far distant future that Rob had put it out of her mind. ”Yeah, bet the pup is running you ragged,” Rob commented. He mussed his hair, and nodded towards the stall. ”You fancy a drink? They put Bailey’s in the hot chocolate. And whisky in the cider,” he added with a cheeky grin.

rhys alexander greyback
Lyra Horváth

[rhys alexander greyback]

even I can't recall

how many days I had been out there

October 30, 2036
EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK
Lyra Horváth

As the months and days had grown closer to Maria’s due date, Rhys had grown increasingly tense. Like his fear was catching up to him as it was, he still wasn’t entirely sure it was all actually happening. Fatherhood had been a pipe dream. Doubt was natural, the constant weight he carried around. But the second he was handed a baby and his own blue eyes stared back at him, Rhys realized it was real. The same protective energy he had for his siblings, Vasilia, Maria, and close friends—well, he felt that a hundred times over for this baby girl.

Naturally, his friends had come around to see her—marveling that Rhys was entering this part of his life that was vastly different from his usual bachelor lifestyle. Rhys shrugged in agreement. He was absolutely exhausted. If he thought he’d been exhausted before, well, that didn’t compare to this. ”Exhausted.” He muttered. ”Her mother has her for the next few days, so I’ll be able to rest a bit.” Actually, he had to prepare for some work, but he’d never struggled to find time to sleep in the middle of the day before. Rob chimed in. He had started a trend of people referring to his daughter as a ‘pup’, and Rhys hadn’t bothered to fight it—it wasn’t entirely false at this point. And especially in the present company, the company of wolves.

Rhys agreed with a nod of his head. ”I’m pretty certain she has her mother’s attitude.” Maria and Rhys already discussed what temperament their child might have, considering their own individual temperaments. He just hoped Charlotte didn’t inherit his temper. Vasilia working more hours was nothing new to Lyra or Rhys, though his schedule had shifted dramatically so that he and Maria could split their time evenly as parents while he still had to travel for work and make time for Vasilia. It was challenging, and he did look forward to spending time with his girlfriend despite how tired he may sometimes be. ”Whiskey.” Rhys eyes lit up just a little bit. Cider wasn’t his favorite, but it would do. Before he could ask what else they had, Lyra asked him a question.

Turning, his eyes lit up even more—not that he realized it. ”She’s starting to sleep more through the night, and she’s become fond of a medallion I found in Peru when I was younger.” Rhys had hung it off some ribbon on his bookshelf, and once she’d grabbed onto it while he walked by, she was rather stubborn about letting it go. Stubbornness, that was expected, considering who her parents were. But it could be dangled in front of her, and she seemed to enjoy it fully while trying to grab it. Charlotte was doing well, and as far as Rhys could tell, she seemed healthy and happy. Watching his brothers and sisters fight over who would hold her next or feed her always gave him this strange feeling in his stomach. His daughter had everything he never had, and she wasn’t even old enough to realize it. ”I think Si is dropping by next week when I’m back from work. You both should come by.”

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[Lyra Horváth]

Lyra had been too caught up in her own curiosity to notice the inquisitive look Rob had given her. Though she felt his arm slip away from her, self-comforting for a quick moment with a deep breath to steady herself, before moving on to pout playfully. "Rob don't call the baby a Pup. It's not nice" she quipped, rolling her eyes. It wasn't nice sure, but it had another meaning to it for Lyra, a reminder of the monster she was too scared to birth. The thought remained in the back of her mind, floating there like a deathly ghost. Even if it was just meant to be a cute nickname, it wasn't like any kids her and Rob would have would be anything but a puppy of two dogs. Nibbling on her lip slightly, she moved to quiet her mind by taking another sip of her warm drink, thinking on how it wasn't just the whiskey in her cider that was biting at her throat now as she listened to Rhys answer her question.

With a silent nod she gave a small smile. It sounded tough. She wasn't quite sure how he had time for the kid and it's mother, and Vasilia, and work. Though somehow he seemed to make it all work. It gave her more food for thought. The idea of her liking the gold had made her smile slightly warmer, though she was too lost in her own thoughts to say much "That's cute though."

His invitation to actually see the child, caught her even more off guard and caused her to catch what she had been sipping on again in her throat. Spluttering for a moment, her eyes widened. Sure she had seen pictures of the half wolf baby, but actually meeting her seemed fantastical. Clearing her throat slightly, she calmed herself down and shot Rob a look, hoping he hadn't noticed her mess up. Things were....weird between them currently and she wasn't sure what he thought of all of this. At first Lyra nodded quietly again before adding in a small, yet far away sounding voice "Thank you, that would be...." pausing she searched for a word she thought would work. "That'd be wonderful" eventually she settled on before cutting herself off defiantly by lifting the cup to her lips and downing the dreggs of it.

rhys alexander greyback EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK

[EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK]

Lyra and Rob's newly repaired relationship had been shaky to say the least. They'd tried to stay apart, but the bond between them refused to allow it. And the longer they went without seeing each other, the more physically ill Rob became. For a long while, each person's stubborn nature won out, but finally, Rob crumbled. He couldn't live without Lyra, no matter how hard he tried. They'd found each other again, and even with the trust still broken, they knew that they needed each other. It was awkward and confusing and Lyra was still staying with Hanna, but this Samhain event was meant to be an olive branch. And Rhys would break the tension easily.

It felt easier, less fake in public spaces. Rob could sling a protective arm around his mate, and chat with his friend. Lyra chided him for calling the baby a pub and he almost forgot about the past few months. He rolled his eyes. "Well, with Rhys as her father she's sure to be a dog," said Rob, glancing sidelong at his friend with a grin. Rob knew he had said the magic word when Rhys' eyes lit up at the mention of it. With a chortle, Rob excused himself to get Rhys a cider with whisky in it, appearing back at Lyra's side moments later.

Rob said nothing for a long moment when Rhys mentioned Si. But Lyra (thankfully) agreed to the proposition, and Rob nodded along. "Yeah, absolutely. Well, what is she named?" asked Rob promptly.

rhys alexander greyback
Lyra Horváth

[rhys alexander greyback]

even I can't recall

how many days I had been out there

October 30, 2036
EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK
Lyra Horváth

Rhys shrugged lightly. Calling his daughter a ‘pup’ was hardly the worst thing a Greyback had ever been called, and Charlotte’s father was a werewolf, after all as her several of her aunts and uncles. It seemed fitting for the wolf pack. He curiously watched them interact though he mainly tried not to focus on it. He remembered Rob’s sorry state months back and feeling quite a bit of sympathy as he’d gone through his own rather serious fight with Vasilia before that. It was terrifying how things could change so easily from one moment to the next, and he still was scared of how panicked he had felt.

Shaking his head slightly, he gave Rob a look. ”Too early to tell if she’ll end up more like her mother or me.” Neither option seemed much better than the other. Two strong personalities with short tempers…well, maybe he would get lucky. Rob left them to grab Rhys a drink, for which he would be eternally grateful in his sad state. He accepted the drink with a nod and heartily drank from it, savoring the sweetness and the burn all the same. Unfortunately, Rhys had to cut back on whiskey when he had his daughter, though her schedule of waking up every few hours was doing well to get Rhys to sleep from exhaustion. But the days she was with Maria, he more or less resumed his normal consumption.

Lyra seemed amused by his story, but it was pretty easy to entertain a baby that age. The shiny gold things did the trick or something that was brightly colored. More and more each day, Rhys watched Charlotte concentrate on trying to grab the medallion from his hand as it moved in front of her. He was exhausted and craving whiskey most days, but all Charlotte had to do was giggle or smile at him, and Rhys forgot all that. But Lyra seemed surprised by his invitation. Rhys wasn’t sure what to think of it, but he didn’t want to put her on the spot either. They both agreed, however, and that small and temporary moment of awkwardness passed. Rhys drank more from his cup, draining about another quarter of it before answering Rob. ”Charlotte.” Rhys spoke, pausing. ”It was my mother’s name.” Rob was one of the very few people that knew the grim details of his childhood. Even some of his siblings didn’t know the entire truth, and he’d told Sienna after a bad nightmare with the early version of Aware Wolf. At least this way, he made sure she was never forgotten.

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[Lyra Horváth]

Having a third person with them had thankfully made tonight a little less difficult. It was less serious and intimate. This was it more just like she was the third wheel with Rob and Rhys. In a way maybe it was better of Vasilia couldn't be with them. That would have made it an actual double date and Lyra wasn't sure her brain could handle the divide between that, and then having to go back to the camp bed in Hanna's studio alone. It had physically pained her to be apart from Rob, especially during their transformation at the full moon. The first in August she had taken a room at St Mungos where if it wasn't bad enough she had to begrudgingly take Awarewolf, she had then been forced to stay in an extra night after the full moon. It had been that bad without her mate by her side that it had caused high concern for the Healers that had talked her into staying the second night. Of course Lyra played stupid and didn't tell them why it had been so bad, she was just glad when they released her that evening to return to Hanna's. She'd been slightly better for September's full moon, but it had still been pretty rough. This time she'd taken a room at Claustrum De Lupus and simply locked herself away, refusing any contact with anyone. Bearing the physical pain and the heart ache was bad enough without having to actually face anyone during it.

The October moon had passed only days ago, and while they were on better speaking terms, working things over. They still weren't like they had been before. Physically though the bond roared, they were clumsy and disjointed and had thought it was better to forgo the awkwardness and stay away from each other. They had come to an agreement the week before they'd transform together in Rob's flat for the October moon. Lyra agreed, thinking it would be better for their physical recovery afterwards, and while it probably was, it was also heartbreak all over again when they had woken up the next morning after their night of physical intimacy to a whole new level of awkwardness and shame. It felt like a one night stand that had been a big mistake. Lyra had left his flat with just a mumbled goodbye again and gone back to Hanna's and cried in the shower before knocking herself out with some sleeping draught till the next day when she tried to forget about it.

She tried to shake herself of those thoughts, and instead focused back on Rhys and gave a small nod. "Probably a mix I guess. So long as you keep up the co-parenting thing and she gets to see you both some" Giving a shrug, she cast her gaze out at the crowds, now starting to huddle around the bonfires. While at first she had been interested in Rhys' pup, now as the thoughts of her future with Rob began to take over her mind like a dark cloud; it was hard to think positively about things. All the same, her name made Lyra smile.

"That's pretty. I like that. I remember my Papa told me before there was a Queen Charlotte of England, and she was a bit of a bad-ass" With a small smile she turned and began to move to take a place at one of the bonfires, unsure of whether they would follow her or not.

EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK rhys alexander greyback

[EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK]

Rob's head was a bit slow, though through no fault of his own. He scrunched up his nose as he glanced between Lyra and Rhys, the sparkle in her eye as she asked after the baby. Rob still hadn't met the pup yet, which was concerning only in that he and Rhys were meant to be close friends. He wondered if Sienna had met her - probably. His partner was a force to be reckoned with. If she wanted something, Sienna almost always got it. She had a stubborn-ness that was undeniable. Sort of like Lyra. Rob's gaze slanted towards his mate, his lips tugging downwards into a slight frown. He took a sip of his cider. What a mess they'd made.

Rob was quickly growing bored of the baby talk, and suspected that perhaps Rhys may have had quite enough of it too. After all, he did have to juggle fathering a child that was not borne of his girlfriend. His hazel eyes met the stormy ones of his friend, recalling a moment many months ago when they had both been equally exhausted, but for different reasons. "D'you reckon theres something here that can turn water into whisky?" asked Rob with a crooked grin. He led his friend and his mate among the stalls, sipping idly at his cider.

Pausing at a tiny woodshop, Rob bent down to inspect something. It was a tiny wooden carving of two wolves, baying at the moon while wrapped up in one another. Something about the figure struck him, and he passed over two silver sickles before tucking it in his pocket. He glanced up at Rhys and Lyra, both of whom were chatting amicably. "See anything you like?" asked Rob, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

rhys alexander greyback
Lyra Horváth

[rhys alexander greyback]

even I can't recall

how many days I had been out there

October 30, 2036
EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK
Lyra Horváth

Despite his exhaustion and tendency to miss the obvious, he knew that relationships were not perfect. Rhys hated that he ended up in these spots with Vasilia. The last thing he wanted to see was that pained look in her eyes, especially when it was his fault. Plus, the aftermath was always rough in itself, like navigating a brand new island and not knowing which way to step all the time. Thankfully they’d survived it, Rhys kicking himself the entire time and absolutely convinced that she would leave him—even Maria had gotten tired of his moping around.

Rhys nodded. So far, they’d found a comfortable situation where they tried their best to split Charlotte’s time between them. Though he still had to work, which kept him away from home for a few days up to a week or two, Vasilia was more than happy to help. Rhys was never great with words, so he would never accurately express how grateful he was for her help and support, though he also hoped that she wasn’t getting any ideas—one child was enough for the new father at the moment. Plus, Max was more than happy to help as well, Dahlia begrudgingly did as well, and Charlotte had inherited their eyes. Though so far, her favorite seemed to be Jean, which was no surprise considering his contagious energy. He couldn’t help but grin, wondering if Charlotte would be as bad-ass as the mentioned Queen.

After catching Rhys’ eye, Rob spoke about the stalls around them. ”They can have all my gold if there is.” He drank from his cider. It was sweet and not as strong as whiskey but would do for now. Though he’d noted that on his last assignment in Mexico, his tolerance for tequila had lowered a bit, it was worrisome. They walked amongst the stalls, and Rob paused again, and Rhys’ eyes skimmed the small shop. There were all types of figurines. He always enjoyed these types of displays—when he traveled, he typically brought back items for his flat. ”You get something?” Rhys asked his friend curiously as he shifted the cider to his left hand, and with his right, he picked up a small carving of a wolf with a few smaller wolves, pups, at its feet. It was fitting, and Rhys put it back down to pull coins from his pocket. ”You should get a wolf to put right next to your Order of Merlin.” Rhys suggested.

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[Lyra Horváth]

Lyra moved quietly between the stalls; Rob & Rhys either side of her. The polite chat dwindled and it wasn’t long before she began to feel at odds with her decision to actually come this evening. Even as tentative as things were with Rob, she had felt her heart soar a little when he had asked her to come. There hadn’t been long between that and the dread in her feeling at the possible awkwardness of the whole thing, and yet her heart had been hopeful. She couldn’t help but feel that. Still, as she walked along, she couldn’t help but try to steal little looks at Rob here and there. She was sure she had been caught once or twice, but it still hadn’t stopped her. The only thing that had was the dread that was settling in her stomach at how much she felt out of place. It wasn’t difficult to feel like an uncomfortable third to the duo that was Rob & Rhys. Now things had shifted between her and Rob again she felt she was intruding on their friendship.

Mulling over the thought in her mind, she had drifted along with them, stopping at stalls here and there. It was easy to at least seem briefly interested in the goods that were being sold. It gave her something to concentrate on that wasn’t wondering if she should take her leave or not, something other than sipping on the insulated warm cup of cider she still clutched and how she might just use a filling charm to get some more. In reality she wasn’t all that interested, even some of the goods she picked up and ran her fingers over and seemed overall more interested in, she really wasn’t. She’d never been a particularly materialistic person; she liked the nice things in life when it came to disposable things like alcohol and even some clothes. But no, in the last few years as she drifted, she had always travelled light. Yes she had developed more of a collection of ‘stuff’ while she had been living at Rob’s flat, but now she was back living out of her rucksack in hanna horváth ’s box room, her belongings had been whittled down again.

Strangely enough she had been eyeing the same Wolven duo that Rob went on to pick up and buy. Snapping her eyes away as she realised she had been watching him buy it, she forced herself to snap out of whatever daydream, or far away thoughts she had been wrapped up in. Quietly she shook her head in answer to Rob’s nonchalant question “Nah nothing really” putting her cup to her lip again she let her eyes drift away again as she heard Rhys began to speak about Rob’s award. Of course she’d heard about it in passing, and read about it in every piece of literature she could get her hands on, but of course Rob didn’t know that. Feigning a new level of distance she stood politely to the side, beginning to wonder again if she should just leave and go back to the depressing four walls of Hanna’s box room.

rhys alexander greyback
EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK