the black sacrament [simon]

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

October 2026

When Luna had pictured her life as a girl, she'd always known what she wanted. To achieve fame and popularity by playing Quidditch. She had only hoped that it would play out perfectly, and the reality was certainly rather close. She had been scouted for a professional team, and they didn't lose every match and Luna got on well with her teammates. Well, more than got on with one, but that was a tale for a different time. Like a puzzle, the pieces of Luna's life fit together perfectly. There was just... one wonky one.

Luna hadn't spoken to Selene in months. She'd written and messaged Phoebe, who returned that Selene was still steadfast in her refusal to forgive. Saint Selene had morphed into stubborn Selene, and Luna wasn't entirely certain how to broach the subject. She supposed that they would maybe be able to talk over the holidays - that was, if Selene decided to return to England. She had hinted at the fact that she would stay at school, laying the guilt on thick, but a tiny bit of Luna inside that she kept silent and tied up hoped that wouldn't be the case. All in all, Luna missed her sisters. She was glad to have broken free of the yoke of weird triplets, but they had been so close for so long. And going months without being able to see them was admittedly difficult.

Luna remained silent on these worries, doubling down her focus on Quidditch training. She was growing stronger, and she'd started seeing a therapist for her disordered eating. Evy had promised to inform her coach if she didn't do something about it, and though Luna loathed admitting defeat, she knew her best friend had a point. She'd needed help, and now that she was getting it, Luna realised just how dire her situation had once been.

Simon was a welcome distraction from the more dull and morose bits of Luna's life. Instead of investigating further, she forgot everything except the rush of ecstasy she felt when with him. Whatever their arrangement was, it was working, and they were playing well together both on the pitch and off. Luna had a feeling Mickey didn't approve, but their performances hadn't been affected so he kept his mouth shut. Luna wondered how long that would last, but didn't question.

It was a Thursday training like any other, and Luna was keen for things to wrap up so she could sneak off for a rendez-vous with Simon. Mickey called for one last passing round just to keep them on their toes - he passed to Luna and she reverse passed back to him. "Keeping you on your toes, McLaggen," said Luna with a grin, catching Simon's eye as she spoke. Merlin, did he look good in a sunset.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Time seemed to go faster now that he was out of school. Simon couldn’t believe how busy he had been since he’d gotten on the Bats and for that he was grateful.

A large duration of his free time was spent working out, partying, and relaxing his tired body. The past month he and Luna had arrangements that seemed to be tailored to both of their needs while attempting to keep their relations hush-hush. They both seemed to skirt around the subject. If they kept things more easygoing, they didn’t have to worry about pissing off their teammates. There was plenty amount of sexual tension and undressing Luna with his eyes from across the pitch, but he swore he knew not to get distracted. This was a once in a lifetime chance and neither of them wanted to mess up a chance at a dream job from hormones. 

It felt good to have companionship and friendship with Luna. Whether if she knew it or not, she had helped him through his darkest time just by being a friend. Simon thought about Claudia often but he didn’t like that he felt like he couldn’t trust her. Things were complicated. And truthfully, he didn’t feel mentally prepared to invest himself fully in a relationship anyways. Not unless if it was a stronger relationship with quidditch. Simon wanted to be the best.

After hitting the showers, Simon made his way over to where he’d normally meet Luna after practice, unable to wipe the stupid smile off of his face once he caught her eye. 

The half vamp swallowed and looked down at the ground, more to feign nonchalance as he felt their teammates eyes on them from afar. "Great practice today," he shoved her playfully, maybe that would make his teammates buy it. ”What are you up to after this?” he asked her in that tone that subconsciously hinted he should have been what she was up to.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

cw gore

Difficult though it could sometimes be to keep her head in the game and out of the sheets with Simon, Luna knew she couldn’t mess this opportunity up. She had been preparing for a professional Quidditch position her entire life - she wasn’t about to let silly hormones get in the way of that. Though she did find herself more and more excited about her evening rendez-vous with Simon. Despite Chaz’s warning, Mickey had not said anything to Luna or Simon, as they still played well together. Perhaps it would be a different story if they were playing the same position, but all in all, the tension between them did not impact the team.

And what delicious tension it was. During breaks, Luna found her mind wandering back to stolen moments with Simon. She’d been round to his flat a few times even, though never saw much more than his bedroom. She wasn’t concerned by that, only the amount of time it took them to shed their clothes and melt into one another. During the day, they were mostly focused on training, and Luna was improving even more than she could have imagined.

At long last, training for the day ended and the team soared down to the ground for landing. They conversed amicably, discussing further techniques that they could employ in their next game against the Tornadoes. They split to shower in their own stalls, then Simon sidled up to Luna, grinning at her in a way that made her cheeks warm. There was something positively intoxicating about those bright blue eyes, the swell of his lips. She arched a brow, playing coy. ”Oh, thought I might-” But whatever Luna thought she might do, the words didn’t pass her lips.

Luna blinked, and tilted her head downwards. But what she saw wasn’t Simon before her. Her vision was fuzzy, and as she tried to focus, her head span. She was wearing long black robes, not her jeans and jumper, and her hands were pale and almost skeletal looking, reaching out before her and arranging…

Bones. Bones that had been cleaned of flesh but the stench of blood still clung to them. Luna cast her gaze around her and found herself in a circle of ivory pillar candles. Her breath caught in her throat, but before she could glean anything more, the vision blurred and she was back in her own mind, in her own body. Luna jolted, inhaling sharply as she sat up. She’d collapsed during her vision - she hadn’t had one in months. She’d thought they’d stopped as she hadn’t seen her sisters for so long, but perhaps the choppy, blurry version she had just witnessed was a result of that separation. Luna’s heart hammered in her chest as fear-stricken eyes found Simon.

”I’m fine,” she announced unsteadily before he could speak, heaving herself to her feet. Luna’s mind was on the fresh bones. They’d been arranged in a very specific manner, and there had been other things there. The vision had been vile, but Luna’s curiosity had been piqued. Half of her wished she’d seen more, and the other half wished she’d seen nothing at all. ”Are people going to the pub?” asked Luna, running a shaky hand through her hair, trying to calm herself.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

A confused expression washed over Simon's face as Luna started to answer his question about her plans after practice. The blondes mouth opened as she started to answer, but she froze. Suddenly Luna didn't appear to be entirely there. His head cocked to the side, "Uh..Luna..?" he surpassed an awkward laugh. Before he could determine what to do next, she collapsed to the floor. Their teammates had noticed, following with a cacophony of laughter surrounding them from afar. They obviously didn't realize that something else was going on. The fear-stricken look on Luna's face when she found Simon standing there was enough to show that it wasn't intentional.

Simon looked around, bending at the knees and quickly reaching down to offer Luna assistance as she stated she was fine, following by asking if the Bats would be going to the pub. His expression went perplexed, "Yeah...they are." he answered her question, noticing the shakiness in her hands and knees. She didn't appear to be someone who should be at a pub at the moment. His arm reached out to offer her support if she'd take it.

His icy saucers searched her expression, trying to read what was going on. "Do you need to sit down or something?" he asked her quickly, not entirely convinced that she was okay. It all happened so fast he could barely process it. Simons expression softened, "Lu. What just happened?" he asked her, unsure if she even knew. Simon hadn't seen anything like that before.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

tw gore

Luna straightened awkwardly, brushing off invisible dirt from her jeans. She ran a shaky hand through her hair, refusing to meet Simon's eyes. She tried to laugh along with the team, but the sound was forced and hollow. She asked if the rest of the team would be heading to the pub, trying to portray an image of calm. Eventually, the teammates wandered off, having lost interest. Mickey gave her a piercing stare before turning off to join the rest of the team. Luna remained rooted to the spot, not realising that everyone except for Simon had departed.

With a jolt, Luna realised that Simon was talking to her. "Oh, no, I'm fine," said Luna faintly, reaching up to touch her forehead. It felt like her brain was throbbing in her skull, itching to get out and flounder upon the hard ground. "Just a headache." Her tone invited no further questions, and she took a deep breath. Luna looked up, finally catching Simon's eye when it happened again.

The stone floor bit into her knees and scarred hands arranged the fresh bones. Blood was smeared across the floor, which was dimly lit by the flickering candles. She reached behind her and collected something that squelched unpleasantly in her grip. There was a steady drip, drip, drip from the object as she slowly brought it around and placed it in the centre of the bone effigy. It was a human heart.

The scene blurred as Luna rose to her feet. She turned to the right, and slowly approached the carcass of a dead doe. She plunged her hands into the chest cavity without hesitation, drawing out the bloodied intestines. With a sharp tug, they swung free, spraying the floor with more blood. Luna turned, her vision going fuzzy again and suddenly she was kneeling, the organs splayed out before her in what could only be described as a gruesome effigy of a woman. "Dark mother, dark mother, hear my plea..."

The screaming began, slowly at first, then building into a crescendo until Luna realised the sound was ripping from her throat, tears rolling down her face. She was on the floor again, but far less composed. She brought her hands to her face, checking for the blood of the unfortunate doe - but they were pale and unmarred as usual. She curled into a ball on the ground, not caring that Simon or the rest of the team could see her falling apart, not caring that she looked like a lunatic. Luna, for the second time in her life, was terrified.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Suddenly Luna fell to the ground to kneel, looking at her hands. It appeared like she wasn't finished with whatever was going on. Simon watched the blonde in a frozen, shock-filled horror, thinking that Luna almost appeared like she was hallucinating. And it wasn’t the fun kind. He knew she didn't do any drugs because they had just finished a very grueling practice, nor would Luna willing partake in those sort of activities to begin with. The vacant look on her face a bit freaky, she was completely disconnected to the world around her. That expression was very un-Luna like.

The second time she fell to the grass, he wasn’t anymore prepared than the first time. Everything happened so fast, he didn’t know how to react to help her. Wide-eyed, ”What the f-” Simon staggered backwards as a blood curdling scream tore through her throat, sending a shiver down his spine as his stomach flipped upside down. 

Unable to take another agonizing moment of her screaming, Simon fell to his knees hard on the ground beside her, ”Luna!” he yelled gruffly, shaking her shoulders much harder than he would typically handle her. However, he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to ‘wake’ her up. He was relieved for Luna that everyone seemed to make their way to the pub at the right time.

Simon twisted over the blonde on the ground, clutching her shoulders as he watched her with a face full of confusion, ”Luna, wake up! You’re fine. Nothing can hurt you!!” he promised, not sure what she was seeing but it appeared there was something terrifying going on behind her eyelids.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

As Luna curled into herself, she was awash with overwhelming shame. How had she allowed herself to lose control like this? Her teammates would think her mad. She had to pull herself together. The tears stopped abruptly as Luna forced herself to sit up, swallowing the despair she felt at the vision she’d seen. At last, she looked around and discovered that she and Simon were quite alone. Some of the shame shifted to relief - despite everything, Luna was glad for Simon’s stoic presence. Though he looked just as afraid as she was. His final words had echoed in her head as she fixed her stare on a spot just over Simon’s shoulder, too afraid to meet his eyes. Nothing could hurt her? She didn’t know what that ritual was, but she knew it couldn’t be anything good.

Luna sucked in a deep breath of autumn air. ”I had a vision. Two,” said Luna after a long silence. ”It doesn’t get easier.” Her voice was rough from the ear splitting scream that had torn apart her throat. Shaking slightly, she finally looked at Simon full in the face. ”Can we… can we go to your place?” asked Luna, her words barely above a whisper.

Collecting herself, Luna made her way to her feet on unsteady legs. She didn’t want to return to her flat, alone. Nor did she want to be there with Simon. She needed change, she needed something completely different. The vision had unsettled her, and she wanted to get as far away from Ballycastle as possible. And since going to Ottery St Catchpole wasn’t exactly feasible at the moment, escaping with Simon was the next best thing. Simon still looked concerned, but Luna managed a grin for him ”You know how it is - never know what I’ll see. I’ll be fine,” lied Luna smoothly. ”Stop worrying. You’ll get wrinkles and then you’ll have a harder time chasing after girls who are far above your station,” she added in a clipped tone, masking the terror that still lingered within her.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Simon was relieved when Luna’s eyes finally met his face, looking more like, herself. She explained she had two visions. His expression softened as he tried to read her, Luna’s demeanor showed she had endured something that was too complex for him to understand. Reaching forward, Simon wrapped hid arms around her in a hug, in an attempt to comfort her, ”Fuck, that was actually kind of scary..” he admitted as a hollow laugh slipped past his lips, everything that happened sank in. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel bad, but laughing about it was a defense mechanism of sorts for himself as he tried to slow down his heart from beating out of his chest. ”Is that how your visions usually happen?” he asked her curiously, more trying to understand what was going on. A sudden intrusive thought of the Trelawney sisters curled on the floor screaming in unison flooded his mind. Nah, there was no way it was like that..

Pushing himself up from the grass with the his palms, he offered Luna a steady hand of support. ”Yes, we could go to my place.” he agreed easily, relieved that she didn’t want to go to the pub in her current condition. "I'll order a pizza and we can just chill." he told her, feigning some sort of nonchalance. "There's still an unopened bottle of your favorite wine waiting for you from last time." Simon offered her a smile as he attempted to meet her gaze.

His eyes watched her cautiously as she told him not to worry. She could probably tell that he was mentally preparing himself for her to crumble to the ground screaming a third time. ”If you say so..” he drawled, not entirely convinced, his face showed it. "What did you see?" he asked, not realizing that was a bit of a loaded question before it came out of his mouth, "-Actually, sorry, you don't have to answer that." Simon assured, suddenly feeling nosey. "You ready?" he asked her.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Luna wasn't certain if she was having any sort of success persuading Simon she was just fine, but the concern in his eyes lessened somewhat. Or maybe he was just better at hiding it. She planted a smile on her lips, one that was just a bit too big, a bit too vacant, and suggested they head to his place. She'd never suggested that before - she'd not been round his flat loads, preferring the comfort of her own home. Even if his was much nicer. At long last, Simon relented, and let out a choked chuckle. The grin slipped from Luna's face, and she was glad for it.

"No, not really," said Luna, looking at the ground. "Well they come on suddenly. But I've never..." She'd never what? Seen something so gruesome in her life? Luna would have said most of her visions were rated 15, and the explosions at Kings Cross had been the worst of it. Was the change due to her aging? Now that she was an adult and on her own, was her inner eye opening to more ominous and perverted sights? "I don't have visions that often. They've been becoming more common in the past few years. Kings Cross. Hogwarts. But this one was fuzzier. I don't know." And Luna wasn't intent on talking about it anymore. "I don't want to talk about it."

Luna checked to make sure she was feeling mentally and physically stable. "Sounds yum.," she replied softly, not really hearing what Simon had said. Together, they twisted on the spot and arrived at his Dublin flat. Simon asked her what she had seen, and she glanced at him warily. "If I told you, you wouldn't be able to sleep," she said simply. "So... you said there was wine?" asked Luna. "I could really do with... with getting my mind off things..." she added, though her heart wasn't fully in it.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Simon wasn't fully convinced that Luna was alright, but he was relieved that she didn't seem to have any interest in wanting to go to the pub anymore. She mentioned his place which was a bit of a surprise but he welcomed it. Simon had become most comfortable in his flat the past couple of months, it was his safe place, so he obliged without second thought. They apparated to his flat and landed in the dimly lit living room.

His face softened when she explained that if she shared what she saw, he wouldn't be able to sleep. Simons hand fell on her back, "I'm sorry, Lu. You don't have to talk about it." he assured her, his face faltering slightly as he took in her face. He felt kind of bad for asking now. When he looked at her he wished he could take the fear away from her, there was something else going on in her head. The Luna standing in front of him wasn't the spitfire he'd come used to. She asked for wine and he nodded agreeably, walking over to the kitchen pulling it out of the wine cooler. "Just don't come at me because I still don't have wine glasses.." he chucked with a smile as he uncorked the wine bottle for her and poured a generous portion in a Sweden themed mug.

Simon handed over the mug to her before he poured himself a mug that hailed 'FIKA' on the front, "When I want to get my mind off of things I like to paint or smoke some weed. Sometimes, both at the same time." he shared with a chuckle, gesturing to the easel in the corner surrounded by unfinished work. Mostly landscapes, sometimes people, but people felt too personal these days. He'd been too busy with quidditch to think about painting or tattoos which made him sad because deep down he was a restless artist. Simon shrugged nonchalantly, "You can give it a go if you want. Sip and paint classes are all the rage right now, though I prefer a good ol' puff n' paint myself." he said with a devious smile. Unfortunately since joining the Bats, he hadn't been able to partake as much as he'd like in smoking but that was a good thing. 

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Luna fell into her role well, casually moulding herself into a calmer version of the turmoil she was feeling inside. She was still unsettled from the entrails and blood she had seen in her vision, the bones arranged in a frighteningly human way. But she couldn't think of that now. What could she do with that sort of information? It was happening right now - it wasn't something she could prevent. She had never been able to prevent the actions within any of her visions. No matter how much of a shockwave they sent over the world.

Rolling her eyes at Simon's poor choice of drinkware. "Right, for Christmas. Mental note to get you proper wine glasses. You can even have the stemless ones," she scoffed. "That mug is so tacky. They should take away your Swedish passport just for owning it," Luna added with a scoff, tapping lightly on the tiny spoon attached. "Though the spoon is handy." Without waiting for Simon to finish pouring himself a glass, Luna rather rudely indulged and took a deep drink. Her nerves were frayed - and she really needed to calm down. "Sorry, that was so impolite but... I need it," said Luna in a much quieter voice than usual.

Glancing from Simon to the easel, then back to him, Luna tilted her head. "I never pegged you as the artistic sort," said Luna. "I don't know anything about art, really. I haven't got a creative bone in my body. Selene got the patience and Phoebe got the vision. And I was just left with... bossiness." Luna shrugged. She'd always been shrewd and calculated, and Simon had been one of the few to actually appreciate it. "So, how nicely do I have to ask for a lesson?" asked Luna in a simpering tone, batting her eyelashes at Simon. Already, she was starting to feel calmer. The wine warmed her cheeks, and Simon's proximity sparked her nerves. Luna would never admit it to him, but she was more attached to Simon after spending all these months together, and was grateful for his presence in her life. Instead, Luna pressed her lips into a thin line. "I can think of a few favours as payment if you'd like?"

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Simon watched her reaction to the mug and couldn't stifle the laugh, nor did he want to, because that was funny. The half vampire tilted his head to the side, watching as she knocked back the contents of her mug with an apology. "That mug is my Swedish passport." he said, filling her mug again with nonchalance. "No need to be sorry, there's more where that came from." Simon assured her easily with a smile, pouring himself a portion and taking a sip.

Shaking his head slowly with disappointment at her comment when she admitted not thinking he was artistic, ”Ouch. You only peg me as the 'dumb jock type', huh?” He elbowed her playfully in the side, not taking offense to it. Simon knew that 'artsy' wasn't the first thing people thought about when they looked at him and he kind of liked it. Tilting his head to the side as he reached for a fresh canvas for her, he placed it on the easel. ”I’ll have you know, I was a dedicated member of the Art Club for three years." he told her as matter of factly but he smiled at her with that flicker in his eye. He watched her carefully, noticing she looked more at ease now, her cheeks lightly flushed.

"I don't think bossy is a bad thing." he told her, opening the small trunk of paints and assorted brushes. "People consider bossy a negative connotation but in reality who doesn't want to 'boss up'? It means you're a leader." Simon said, truly standing by what he said. He believed she was the 'leader' of the Trelawney clan whether she knew it or not. The corners of his lips tugged upwards when she requested a class, offering a few favors. "Well, that's surely an offer I can't refuse..." he chuckled with an eyebrow waggle, happy that they could keep things between them lighthearted. 

Simon passed her a clean paintbrush and a palette after squeezing a couple of colors on it, "Hold the brush like a pencil," he demonstrated, adjusting the paintbrush in her hand gently. "Just give it a go, don't think too much about it." Simon encouraged her, still watching her carefully.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

”Mmhm, I doubt that” said Luna, feeling the tension slide off her as easily as the wine went down her throat. This was why she found herself so frequently in Simon’s company. He made her forget things that made her sad, or pissed off. He was easy and light and made her feel good. In more ways than once. His smiles came easily and Luna mentally patted herself on the back when she managed to draw one from him, especially after the whole fire debacle. Not to mention Simon seemed to simply understand her. Without explanation. Just like Evy did, but with a lot more sexual tension and a lot more time spent together, considering they worked together.

Luna’s lips quirked upwards. ”Well, I’ve got the dumb part right. I seem to remember you struggling to pass your exams, Svendson,” said Luna. But she was only teasing. It came to her like breathing, shooting barbs at Simon, knowing that it would just bounce off his oversized ego. ”No, I just… suppose I have more to learn. I can’t say I’ve got any hobbies besides flying and occasionally losing my mind to another person,” said Luna thoughtfully. She frowned. It was somewhat disconcerting that she actually didn’t have any other hobbies. Selene knitted. Phoebe loved gardening. And she just loved bossing people around. Somehow, Luna didn’t think that counted. ”I like fashion,” she supplied lamely, but even that was a stretch.

With a thoughtful glance towards the canvases, Luna decided to take Simon up on his suggestion. He commented that he’d been in art club for three years, which was another surprise for Luna. But she said nothing, watching him unpack his paints instead. ”Luna the leader. I like that.” She took another long drink from her mug, the wine easing the tension within her muscles. Luna even felt enough like herself to suggest other things as a returning favour, which elicited a positive reaction from Simon. She set down her mug and swept over to him. Luna lightly placed her hands on each of his cheeks, forcing his gaze onto her for a split second before kissing him with much more tenderness than she’d ever afforded him before. It went unsaid how grateful she was for him, especially in this very moment.

Luna took Simon’s direction without comment, a first for her. She picked up the paintbrush and pondered over the colour, before finally choosing red. She daubed the tip of her brush in the pigment and swept it across the blank canvas, a blood red line following the direction of her hand. She paused, tilting her head before continuing. ”What if I haven’t got anything in mind?” she asked, glancing over at Simon. ”And were you offering up that nasty weed or was that just an aside?”

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

”Flying and telling people off aligns with quidditch, only...you get to be a professional at it now…I feel like you’re right where you’re supposed to be.” he encouraged her, before agreeing with a laugh and nod, ”Leader Luna does has a nice ring to it.” 

Lunas hands raised to his face to match his gaze with a smoldering look, before trapping his lips in a tender kiss. His hands were busy with paint supplies but he managed to make a hand free, allowing it to fall to the small of her back as they shared a slow, lingering kiss. These were moments he knew he was growing too comfortable with. Every day he reminded himself that his relations with Luna could be the demise to both of their quidditch careers if anyone on the Bats decided to be petty.

Simon knew he was getting in too deep with Luna. Since moving to Ireland, she had provided him comfort and support in his darkest days. Today, he felt like it was his time to be there for her. Simon liked the way she made him feel, but it was also starting to scare him. Feelings were fucking weird. Simon pulled away slowly from the kiss to instruct her on how to hold a paintbrush. She took the instruction silently, which surprised him.

The paintbrush glided across the canvas as Luna made a red streak across the canvas. He watched with curiosity until she expressed not knowing what to paint. ”That ‘nasty weed’ you speak of would probably help get the creative juices flowing..” His eyes widened as he marinated in her question. ”Is this you asking to smoke weed with me?” he asked her excitedly. Before she could answer, or deny, he scurried over to the living room table that he had conveniently stashed his joints he rolled at an earlier time. Without wasting any time, he lit the end of the joint with a couple of puffs, sending a couple of clouds to dance around his face, before extending it over to the blonde. "I remember the old Luna." he lamented playfully, a stoney laugh slipping past his lips.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Luna snorted. "Who knows, maybe Mickey will retired and I'll be named the youngest captain in recent history," said Luna, raising her brows. It was a pleasant idea, though not one she foresaw coming to fruition. She trapped Simon's face between her hands, her gaze intense as she tried to tell him without words how grateful she was for his distractions. Then she captured his lips in a searing kiss, long and slow and lingering and different from the frantic ones from the past.

Over the past months, Luna had been a steadfast fixture in Simon's life. She knew as much. She knew when Simon and Claudia had split, had been distantly friendly before that, and since had provided him with comfort and familiarity. She'd grown rather fond of him, but Luna was not the sort of girl to make the same mistake twice. She was under no impression that this dalliance with Simon would lead to anything more. They were simply having a good time, and it was convenient as they saw one another all the time. Luna had removed her heart from the equation, keeping it locked in a stone vault never to be opened again. She would rather be alone and whole and strong than broken hearted.

A swish of her wrist, and a scarlet streak followed across the canvas. Luna didn't know what she wanted to paint. Just that the colour had called to her. She said something about that nasty weed - Luna still stoically knew it was disgusting and bad, but right now, she needed to calm the chill that had crept into her bones. "The old Luna can't come to the phone right now. She's dead," said Luna, shooting a smirk over at Simon as she did so. Simon was unsurprisingly agreeable to her suggestion, and had darted off to collect something from the table. "You waste no time, Svendson," said Luna with a laugh. He held the lit joint to her, and she eyes it only for a moment before plucking it from his grasp.

Just as she had done months ago with that first cigarette, Luna placed it between her lips and inhaled. She held her breath for a moment before letting the smoke out through her nose, and handing it back to Simon. "I'm not going to get ravenously hungry, am I?" asked Luna, her brow scrunching as she turned back to the canvas. Maybe hunger would help - though it hadn't been able to overcome her steely resolve when she decided she wasn't thin enough. Inspiration did not strike Luna as she appraised the canvas, and she held out her hand. "It's not working, I need more," she demanded.

simon sixten svendsen