in the mourning | flemings

[temperance elizabeth fleming]

all your burdens
on my shoulders

you escaped like a runaway train
off the tracks and down again

March 17, 2028
calliope ivory fleming

Temperance’s boss had threatened to use a banishing charm if she found Temp in the office that week. Though the fact that Temp somehow found time to do tidbits of work in between everything else was some kind of miracle. But it was all Temp could do to exhaust herself so she didn’t stare at her bedroom ceiling all night. The day prior, she’d submitted the stack of legal documentation to the Ministry regarding the legal guardianship of Shiloh. The real miracle would be if it was processed formally before Shiloh’s seventeenth birthday that August. The fact of the matter was Temp was already the appointed guardian for now. The lengthier legalities would pertain to everything else since their father had not left a will.

The past week was a whirlwind of planning, and the day was here. The wake. Temp’s stomach felt upside down and exhausted and could not cover how she felt behind this mask she had put on two weeks prior as everybody gave their condolences and shared kind words about Theron Fleming. The ones that were easy to spot in the crowd were former professional quidditch players and teammates. You could tell but the staunch denial of their dress shirts and robes over their guts. But it slowly ate away at her. Every memory she was forced to listen to, every laugh she forced out at another anecdote. Who was this man they were going on about because that did not sound like the man she knew as her father?

The other part of the week was spent caring for her siblings or as much as they would let her. Temp worried the most about Eli and Shiloh, and with Calliope, there was a sort of an unspoken truce for the sake of the family and circumstances. And as far as anyone knew, Theron had passed in his sleep. Temp hadn’t found a way to say otherwise. Temp was grateful for the minute of peace she managed to find filling up her tiny styrofoam cup with black coffee alone in the kitchen. She’d lost track of how much coffee she’d consumed that day, but it was all she could do to get a break from the crowds. She already planned her next steps: find and check on her brother and sisters. But first coffee.

---

will tag in Elijah Theron Fleming and shiloh elspeth fleming eventually

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[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

MARCH 3RD WAS THE SECOND time within Calliope Fleming's life where everything came to a stop. Truthfully there were various events that put a halt in the middle Fleming's plans, but the first major issue was when Cal was forced to give up her dream in order to help her family. And of course she accepted it. She loved her siblings, secretly loved her father, but she felt it was necessary to put herself first just a few years later. The second issue was now. Her father's death. Still, no one knew the cause of death - aside from the knowledge that he had passed in his sleep - yet each of the Fleming's were waiting for news, but such an event was momentous, especially for Calliope. As each of the siblings returned to being under one roof together.

Since moving to her apartment in London, Calliope's communication with Temp had been brief. They hadn't been on the best of terms since their last scream-fest when the middle Fleming revealed she was moving out. Though, Calliope visited to collect Beans from Shiloh's room, keeping him around as Shiloh was prohibited from having various animals while studying at Hogwarts, meaning Cal had to shuffle around, have an awkward conversation with her sister before getting up and out - quicker than she had entered the door. So it was only a given that Calliope would be more open to doing things while Temp ran around to stabilise everything.

She couldn't help but feel bad for her sister once more, taking on another paternal role of not only essentially raising Shiloh, but maintaining bills, shifting guardianship..the works. But the feeling wasn't enough to pretend that things hadn't been different since back then. Although with weeks passing, the guilt Calliope felt continued to eat away at her. She hadn't opened up to any of her siblings about it, nor Cara or other friends, but instead kept herself isolated in her apartment after spending the day with her siblings at home. They were all grieving in their own ways of course, but Cal kept a brave face - for Eli and Shy mainly.

With the day of the wake arriving, Calliope dressed in all black - but paired said outfit with dark glasses. Her eyes had shifted through colours and hues throughout the night, with dark circles making an appearance also. She didn't want to show others that she had indeed been crying, that she had indeed kept herself up in the lead up to today, but the colour of her hair - a deep blue, the same shade that it had been since finding out about her father - was evidence enough. Walking in alone, as she knew Eli and Shy would arrive sometime later - Calliope stepped and shuffled past the quidditch fans, listening to the quiet hums of people recognising her as one of Theron Fleming's daughters, while others murmured their apologies and the constant 'Sorry for your loss'.

Making her way to the kitchen with the idea of coffee in mind, Calliope jumped in the spot as she saw her sister - not anticipating to see her first. "Fuck." She breathed out, her hair spiking with patches of colour, gently fading as she calmed down. "Aren't you meant to be out there? Talking or something?"

| temperance elizabeth fleming |

hopefully this works!

[temperance elizabeth fleming]

all your burdens
on my shoulders

you escaped like a runaway train
off the tracks and down again

March 17, 2028
calliope ivory fleming

Temp just about jumped out of her skin when Calliope entered the kitchen. Fortunately, no coffee was lost or wasted in the process. And she turned around in time to catch the last shift of her hair color before it returned to its dark blue shade. For whatever words they shared in the past, Cal’s hair or, often, her eyes gave away a lot. Not that it always gave Temp an advantage, but for example, she could not deny how she felt to the oldest Fleming at that moment. However, this encounter felt ill-timed. For a brief moment, Temp had let her mind wander and disconnect from everything, but now she was back on planet Earth.

She blinked a few times at Cal before turning back around and tearing open two packets of ‘saccharum’ brand sugar and pouring them into her coffee. When she was finished, Temp faced her sister. ”Not for a bit.” She responded flatly. Leave it to Cal to lecture Temp on the day's schedule as if Temp hadn’t written it herself. Plus, it was not a task she was eager to approach early. Naturally, her notes were ready because Temp didn’t know or trust what would pop into her mind if she were to wing a few comments about her father. Carefully, she sipped at the warm beverage.

”Where’s Eli and Shy?” Temp asked. Since she’d been so busy, the two had mainly spent time with Calliope, which was helpful and surely beneficial for them. As much as Temp wanted to play the older sibling and sit and comfort them, it had not fit into the schedule. Thoughts like this only threatened to worsen her mood more than it was because it was just another reminder of how much was on her plate as she hadn’t even passed a quarter of a century alive.

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[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

SETTLING FROM HER SISTER’s WELCOMING jumpscare, Calliope looked down at the styrofoam cup in Temp’s hands, while a small smile worked up on her own lips. While the two of them were vastly different, sometimes they just had the exact same ideas. Reaching for her own cup, with a pour of coffee here and a stirring of extra sugar there, Carl’s brows furrowed as her sister responded to her. “So you’re just gonna let the idiots out there socialise amongst themselves?” She countered, hand lifting in the direction towards the quidditch fans and other people who had gathered for the Theron Fleming’s wake. “They all think he’s amazing because of his career. Big whoop.” She added, before taking a few sips of the coffee.

Turning so her back was against the counter that faced Temp, Cal continued. “They’re still at mine. Shy needed the comfort from Beans and Eli was barely dressed by the time I was ready to go. So I told them to come in an hour or so.” That and the middle Fleming could honestly not face the look on Eli’s face no more. Like herself, her only brother was overly cheerful and filled with mischief. But since he had been the one to find their father’s body, the light had escaped his eyes since then. It was nothing more than heartbreaking to see. “He doesn’t need to be pushed to fit whatever schedule you’ve made up. Shy promised she’ll get him here. That’s enough as least.”

| temperance elizabeth fleming |

[temperance elizabeth fleming]

all your burdens
on my shoulders

you escaped like a runaway train
off the tracks and down again

March 17, 2028
calliope ivory fleming

It was too much to ask for a measly three minutes alone. Temp wondered if such a privilege was not meant for her or fell under something unforgivable because she could not remember the last time she’d had a few minutes to herself. Everything was either work, dealing with their father o,r making sure her siblings had what they needed. Well, at least Eli and Shiloh, since Calliope had left to do her own thing. It didn’t bother Temp that Cal had returned to her chosen career. Despite everything that Temp carried around, like those Atlas figurines holding a globe, she wanted her family to be happy. Now how they went about this might make Temp want to rip her hair out, but regardless.

And she didn’t need Cal’s side commentary either. She and the rest of the peanut gallery must quiet down—perhaps forever. ”What do you think I’ve been doing since I got here?” Merlin, she didn’t want to deal with this right now. Cal needed to get off her multi-color high horse and maybe keep her mouth shut for one day while they buried their father, and then she could go do whatever she wanted, and Temp would happily not interfere. ”They’re all surprisingly punctual.” Maybe it was a Quidditch player’s habit. Matches needed all players on time to begin, after all. As far as their opinion of the late Theron Fleming, Temp had thought of nine hundred and ninety-nine different ways to get them all to see the real Theron Fleming but realized the point was moot.

”If I have to hear about broom drifting one more time…” Temp trailed off, opting to drink more from her cup. Thinking about Quidditch made her consider buying a coffin for herself to crawl into next to her father, but it was hardly the time for a joke like that. Not to mention broom drifting was common in Los Angeles, Witch TV had sent Temp and the intern Weekly back to LA some time ago to look into a story on the subject. But speaking of punctuality, Cal explained that the other two Flemings would not be arriving just yet. Instantly a wave of annoyance passed through her. ”Merlin, Cal—it takes like ten seconds to send a text message.” Temp exhaled loudly, pinching the bridge of her nose.

It wasn’t as if she needed them there exactly, but they had to deal with this as a family. And Temp had to remind herself of what Eli had gone through, which only added to her annoyance, not at her siblings, but at her dead father, who looked more alive in that coffin at the moment than he had since their mother vanished. Temp sighed heavily. ”Oh, Eli…” Temp hadn’t seen her baby brother smile since before that day, and they all desperately missed his old, cheerful demeanor. ”Okay—whatever. Just make sure they get here.” Her instinct was to spare them, but Temp hoped this could be closure for them so they could move on. Sitting at Cal’s place was hardly moving on. And Temp wanted to get back to the tolerable stress of her everyday life.

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[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

KNOWING THAT THEIR FATHER'S WAKE was the worst place to start an argument or simply bicker as the two older Fleming's usually would, Calliope settled on sipping her coffee instead of drawing up a snarky response. The wake wasn't absolutely necessary, but as Temp bit back, mentioning that the legendary Theron Fleming's fans were just..'surprisingly punctual', the metamorphmagus rolled her eyes. Hearing Temp complain about something new only brought the middle Fleming back to that night between the two when they quietly-yelled in the kitchen. They hadn't seen eye-to-eye about most things but that night alone set their differences in stone.

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you" Cal argued, turning to pour herself another cup of coffee. It was safe to say that the truce the two of them had silently agreed upon was already crumbling. World record of three minutes before the middle Fleming was already sick of her sister. "No one lives by a hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute schedule. Especially when you're grieving over your useless father anyway." Calliope's frustration and anger only started to grow then, spikes of colour on her hair returning while her eyes - hidden by the shades still - flickered through also. "Was this even necessary? Didn't he wanted to be cremated? It would've saved everyone a lot of time and most definitely a lot of money." As well as the countless emotions, tears and shit everyone had to go through.

As Temp sighed, Calliope filled her mouth with more coffee, biting back another snarky remark. It was as if all the business Temp had to go through from the last few weeks had made her forget that she wasn't the only one having to deal with the death of their father. Shy was putting up a brave face of her own, Eli had gone numb and Cal was on the defence now more than ever. "Like I said. Shy knows they need to be here within the hour, or more so-" Cal paused then, lifting her arm to check her watch on her wrist. "Fifty-six minutes. Is that alright with you Miss Elizabeth?"

| temperance elizabeth fleming |

[temperance elizabeth fleming]

all your burdens
on my shoulders

you escaped like a runaway train
off the tracks and down again

March 17, 2028
calliope ivory fleming

Temp would have rather willingly scraped her teeth along the side of her styrofoam cup than deal with her sister’s attitude. And the thought of that made her internally flinch already. ”Merlin, Cal, really?” Temp stared at the metamorphmagus incredulously. ”Are we really doing this right now?” For the love of all that was mystical and magical, could they not go fifteen minutes without the urge to disrupt and cause mental chaos? Temp placed her cup down on the counter and rubbed her hands over her face. She wasn’t worried about smearing mascara she wasn’t wearing. One less thing to keep track of that day.

”Yea, well, while you were hiding in whatever hole you crawled into when you moved out, I was the one getting calls all hours of the day from his former teammates and friends back in LA after he died.” In all actuality, Theron hadn’t shared much about these things, and nobody had thought twice. Who wanted to sit down and talk about what they wanted after they died? Temp was the planner in the family, and even she didn’t want to have that conversation despite knowing it was good to prepare. Though she hoped to Merlin or whoever was watching that it didn’t need to come to that so soon, it all depended on how high this interaction raised her blood pressure.

She told herself to breathe, but Temp felt like she was clinging to the edge of a cliff by her fingernails. The last time she remembered her nerves feeling so frayed was after their mother vanished; the weight on her shoulders at the time hadn’t even come close to this. She kept telling herself it was a difficult day for everybody involved, especially the now orphaned children. And part of what kept Temp going was her love for her younger sibling—something she would never doubt. Even in moments like this, she loved her sister Calliope but Merlin she just didn’t like her sometimes. ”Cal—“ Temp shot a hard look at her younger sister, frustration clamping her jaw tightly closed for a moment.

”One day.” Her tone was even. ”One. Fucking. Day.” Temp continued, her coffee forgotten off to the side. As much as she detested the name Temperance, she hated her middle name even more. The only person who’d ever used it was their mother. ”Why can’t we just get this over with without you making it all about yourself? Seriously, just shut up for a few hours and then do whatever you want.” Everything Temp had just piled into a corner to get to this point was just simmering now. But Cal’s unique abilities stretched beyond simply being a metamorphmagus. ”I know he isn’t—wouldn’t be fucking grateful for all this. Do you think I just magically forgot who we’re talking about? Who all this is for?" Temp knew that Cal had never approved or agreed with how the family bent around Theron and to account for his essential uselessness where all he did was breathe all the good oxygen that left less for them. Temp was just pissed off now. Annoyed at the prodding by her sister, annoyed at all the “positive” stories from her father’s friends, and just fucking annoyed that the one person she was actually angry at was dead.

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[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

CLOSE TO GRINDING HER TEETH out of sheer anger, Cal's hair continued to flicker through colours, highlighting her frustration, her anger and most of all the guilt that had merged with her sadness. For the longest time the middle Fleming didn't have the best relationship with their father, and after their mother's disappearance, Calliope wished and prayed that everyday it was him that disappeared, him that would've died. But now the day had come, the guilt of her own thoughts was eating her alive. "Whatever hole?" She began, brows furrowing while her voice raised in volume. "I told you I didn't want to come back, confided in you that I had found my dream and he made me give it up. You made me give it up. When are you going to realise that we're far from a happy family and have been ever since Mom disappeared?"

Cal knew she was asking for it, but given how the two were beating around the bush for the last few weeks, it was safe to say Cal had reached her breaking point. The tears began streaming then, and the dark sunglasses that sat at the bridge of Calliope's nose were rendered useless. "About myself? No, you've made it about you, yet again. With your stupid fucking schedule, this stupid wake and you just taking control of everything." Throwing the glasses to her side, Cal continued on. "I get it. You're stressed, dealing with everything like you have done before, taking up another paternal but you didn't need to do anything. Like I've told you." Calliope placed down the cup filled with coffee before turning to face her sister properly. She was sure they were potentially drawing up an audience but at this point, she didn't care.

"But you haven't even bothered to grieve around us, instead you put on another mask. You haven't bothered to comfort your own siblings the way they actually need it. Eli could sit in a room for hours or days alone if one of us didn't check up on him, this is Shy's second time of having to pretend like everything's okay because we keep sheltering her from the truth and I-.." Choking on a sob then, Calliope swallowed, her hair and eyes consistently shifting through colours and hues. "I can't help but see his face every time I sleep. Or when I blink. I wished it was him that was gone instead of Mom. And now he is. You know the last time I spoke to him I told him I hate him? What..what fucking child does that?"

| temperance elizabeth fleming |

[temperance elizabeth fleming]

all your burdens
on my shoulders

you escaped like a runaway train
off the tracks and down again

March 17, 2028
calliope ivory fleming

Temp watched Cal’s hair shift quickly. For such a rare and unique ability, Temp was quite glad she didn’t possess it. There was no way someone like her would have been able to hold up as much as she did like that. The mask was important. The mask was everything and so much that Temp forgot what she really looked like underneath. How long had she put on a face for the sake of her parents and everybody else? Temp crossed her arms tightly across her chest, gritting her teeth as Calliope came after her. Was she fucking kidding? ”Me?” She felt nothing but incredulous as she gaped while her sister ranted. ”You’re fucking joking, right?” Again, it stemmed from their mother’s disappearance. It always did.

As the frustration built in Temperance’s core, she felt her own eyes begin to well up. She was so damn angry, and every word Calliope spat out added to the pile of things. It was like what she overheard from much older colleagues, especially those with children young enough to attend Hogwarts. There was no reward for parenting, and your children would speak to you as they wished. Is this the type of thing they talked about? The blindness one experienced until you stepped into those shoes? ”Because someone had to do it!” Temp snapped back, throwing her arms in frustration. ”What was I supposed to do?” She looked wide-eyed at Cal, pausing momentarily for an answer. ”Don’t you dare tell me you wouldn’t have done everything you could to make sure Eli and Shy had everything they needed. Did you really see him getting his sorry ass off that damn couch when Eli grew three fucking feet and needed new robes? When Shiloh needed a wand to start school?”

Her chest was rising and falling quickly. A fire had been lit between the pair of them. But Temp spent a lot of that energy fighting back her tears, and so far, they stayed in her eyesight. She scoffed and shook her head, crossing her arms and looking away as she focused on forcing away the lump forming in her throat. Somewhere among all this exasperated anger, she felt defeated. Like it was time to take a knee and admit it. But she heard Cal’s last words but didn’t look at her. Oh Merlin, if Cal only knew what went on in Temperance’s mind on a daily basis. The thoughts, the wishes, the regrets—all of it. ”I would give anything to trade places with Eli…” Temp spoke evenly and trailed off. Fuck, she was crying. Angrily she wiped away the tears. Grieving, she wondered what that was like because Temp wasn’t even sure she’d grieved at all for their mother after their father decided to not even do the bare minimum.

She remembered sitting on that couch after not sleeping after Merlin knew how many hours with Eli next to her as she ran her fingers through his hair. She doubted he’d slept then or hardly since that night. But Temp found herself scoffing again as that last conversation with the coroner popped back into her mind. Shaking her head, she spoke again, though just frustrated this time. ”No. You don’t get to do that.” More tears fell down her face. ”You don’t get to spend all this fucking time treating me like the fucking bad guy here when all I’ve done is try to keep this family together when that…deadbeat, sorry excuse for a father decided he didn’t want to fucking live anymore and let this all happen.” Cal was asking what kind of a child tells their parent that they hate them, but what kind of a father chooses to die, knowing it would make them orphans. And even worse, orphans would have absolutely no closure about their missing mother. Who did they have now?

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[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

WITH TEARS STREAMING DOWN HER face as her sister snapped also, Calliope couldn't help but stumble and stutter as she tried to find her words. "No one had to do it!" She argued. They were all barely adults when they lost their mother, with each of them finding their footing. "That was his fucking job! He was meant to do it, he was our father and that was his only job!" The tears came down heavier now, especially as the metamorphmagus choked back a few sobs, her hair and eye colours shifting while an odd feature or two changed also. Another memory of her youth came back, when her father had seemingly forced her to learn how to control her emotions and her ability, but every time she failed to do so - a feature would change. The shape of her nose or lips, or even the lack of control with her eye colour - with one being different from the other.

"You weren't meant to do it! But you did so anyway and it shaped you to the asshole you are now!" Each of the Fleming's had to grow in their own way, but Calliope always felt guilt that her sisters own right to being a child and not an adult was taken from her. "You never let me even try. I was just there to keep them entertained, keep them emotional, you always did everything on your own but claimed you did it for us. You did it to resemble her. To get some kind of response out of him, but you know you'll never be like her." Eyes flickered to the side, noticing more people pointing in their way and out of sheer anger, Cal stomped over to the door, slamming it to allow their scream-fest to be just between them.

Sniffing as she turned from the door, Cal looked down at her feet. She was close to defeat, knowing that they would never truly see eye to eye. That was normal after all, not every sibling from every family got along after all. But Temp was something Cal was not. Organised by force, taking the burden because she felt like she had to, whereas the middle child believed in being selfish. "This family has been broken ever since Mom disappeared. I sure hope her disappearing was worth it." She paused then, lifting her hand to wipe away her tears and salvage whatever mascara was left on her eyes.

"We'll..never see eye to eye about this or truly..anything. You will never understand. And I'll never apologise for what I've said..but whatever you think..I don't hate you. I hate him." Another pang of guilt hit Calliope then, maybe this was Merlin's curse. Pray for something to happen and one day said prayer would be granted.

| temperance elizabeth fleming |

[temperance elizabeth fleming]

all your burdens
on my shoulders

you escaped like a runaway train
off the tracks and down again

March 17, 2028
calliope ivory fleming

Temp could not believe how Cal simply didn’t get it. How was this not getting through that thick pretty colored skull of hers? ”I know it wasn’t my job!” Did Temp want to step into such a role at that age? Of course not, but they were her brother and sisters, so she did. What choice was there? Again, Temp just continued to gawk at Calliope. What in the world had she told herself to form this little story in that brain of hers where Temp was some authoritarian dictator and Cal was just a pawn. That wasn’t how Temp saw her sister at all. If anything, she admired her individuality and rebelliousness if only because Temp was never afforded that luxury.

”Cal—I…you all were still in school. How the hell could you have done anything. You were still children—“ Temp felt her words mashing together out of frustration but stopped speaking right before Cal went to slam the door in their guests' faces. But who cared about them now? Temp certainly didn’t. Fucking this entire event, what was the point of it all for a man that was too dead to say anything about it. In fact, his silence in death was the nicest response Temp had ever gotten from him. The room went quiet as neither spoke, and the door was firmly closed.

She felt her eyes burn and tears form that she was powerless to stop. The fucking nerve. ”Thanks Calliope. Thanks for that.” The sarcasm dripped heavily with each word. ”I almost missed hearing it from Dad. That I’ll never be like mom, that—that I’ll never accomplish as much as she had.” Since she was a little girl, that had been her model. Someone who stood tall, proud, and confident, and Temp saw the respect she demanded from others, including their father. It was true. ”I was so angry when you moved out because I relied on you. This wasn’t just some one-man show. We were all in this together because what choice did we have? But okay, whatever, I know I’m bossy, but I was the one that wasn’t a child when we lost our parents.” The sisters would never see eye to eye. That broke Temp’s heart a little, not that she’d admit it. Temp stopped, closing her eyes to keep herself from completely falling apart. They had no idea, and how could they?

”After a while, I didn’t want Mom to come back.” Temp admitted. ”Because then it meant she left on purpose because something was wrong with us—wrong with me.” Her voice wavered. ”Dad was fucking horrible to all of us, but…” Temp knew Cal didn’t hate her. She knew even if it didn’t quite translate like that in her brain all the time. But then she just felt heated all over again. ”…but I’m so fucking tired of doing everything, and everybody has a fucking opinion like dad wasn’t the one that gave up even when he knew he was sick, and he didn’t say anything. I don’t understand how he could just do that on top of everything else.” Temp just wanted to scream into the void. ”I’m not asking for a parade or anything, but a simple ‘thank you’ wouldn’t kill you.” Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If Temp had chosen not to step up, then she knew for certain Cal would have, but then Temp would’ve been the awful older sibling who didn’t give a shit. At least they could agree this wake was a terrible idea, and they should’ve just thrown their father into the first available hole in the ground.

template by vee

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

CALLIOPE KNEW THE MORE SHE spoke the higher the chance that the words she tried to convey would get lost in her emotions. Calliope was terrible with words when her emotions were all over the place, it was why she had expressed everything through her ability, and why she found joy in doing so. But with everything that had happened, the things she wanted to say for a long while, slipping out of her mouth because of the moment..all she wanted to do was cry more. Cry in her sisters arms and seek comfort that they all needed, to feel like everything could be right and normal again, even if it didn’t seem so.

“That doesn’t matter! We could’ve done everything together, I’m not even that much younger than you Temp. You took it all, thinking it was the right thing to do, and look where it’s gotten us!” Calliope knew there were other factors for her words, the two of them were just different. It couldn’t be helped. As if it was natural instinct, watching as her sister cried more, Calliope’s eyes also burned, tears and mascara merging together as she cried also. “I—“ She began, before pausing, swallowing a dry lump. There was no point in saying she didn’t mean it because she did. She knew she did. The middle Fleming hated how her sister took everything upon herself since the day their mother disappeared. Cal hated the person Temp became, but most of all she hated how she was nothing like her. Temp was far more responsible, well organised and Calliope was the sheer opposite.

As Temp went on, saying she relied on Calliope, the anger merged with her tears returned once more. “You relied on me? Relied on me? No. You wouldn’t let me help before it was too late, it wasn’t until he forced me to come back, give up everything I had worked for, when he started wasting the money, that’s when I became valuable to you.” Cal remembered when she was forced to come home like the event happened yesterday. It was one of those memories that played on the back of her mind almost always. “I told you from the beginning I would only help until I was ready to get back on my feet alone. I wasn’t lying.” The money she had saved initially had to be dipped into severely just to stabilise themselves considering their father’s bad spending habits. It wasn’t until Cal started working within the Black Market that she was able to save the money she had given to save her family, back.

“There was..or is nothing wrong with you.” Calliope murmured after a while. Her tears had slowed but the sniffling noises continued. “Naturally everyone has an opinion—..” She added, before cutting herself off. “What did you just say? He knew..he was sick? What do you mean…sick?” Calliope along with her younger siblings had no clue of their fathers death, as they were waiting for some kind of news, but if Temp knew something… “I’ll give you the ‘thank you’ you’re looking for once you tell me what the hell you meant by that.” Their father had essentially been rotting away ever since their mother’s disappearance, spending money on beer and alcohol whenever he felt like it, but Cal had a feeling that Temp managed that. So where did they go from there?

| temperance elizabeth fleming |

[temperance elizabeth fleming]

all your burdens
on my shoulders

you escaped like a runaway train
off the tracks and down again

March 17, 2028
calliope ivory fleming

Temp sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. This was going nowhere. They’re were spiraling but only endlessly. And Cal responded in a way so typical Temp resisted rolling her eyes. She felt angry, tired, and overall unappreciated. Wouldn’t most middle siblings be more grateful they didn’t have all this on their shoulders? No, not Calliope. Of course not. There is always a rebel in the family, and that was Calliope Fleming. Elijah was a sweet boy who did things in his own way but never quite left Temperance feeling like she needed to physically launch a chair across the room. And Shiloh was the baby and never much of a troublemaker.

She could only scoff in response. Valuable. What a word. And Temperance was honestly offended by such an accusation. Their parents treated them like prized possessions. Pieces to show off on their chess board. And their father, in his grief, had spent every day of the last six years telling them they weren’t worthy. In his eyes, the only way to redeem themselves would have been to show up one day with their mother back. ”How dare you.” She finally gritted through her teeth. This was her family. Her younger siblings, who she cared for more than anything. They were always valuable to her, no matter what. Why else did she carry so much? It wasn’t for her own health, that was for sure.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back on the counter, arms crossed tightly for some kind of comfort. Fuck. She hadn’t meant to let that slip out just yet. She didn’t answer right away, taking a few seconds to organize her thoughts. Though as the words formulated in her mind and Temp prepared to speak, she felt the incredibly tight knot forming in her throat. ”Cal—“ Temp tightly pressed her lips together as her bottom lip trembled slightly. Fresh tears began to stream from her eyes. ”He was sick Cal—I didn’t know.” Temp explained, adding quickly for her own defense. She’d spent every day since receiving that report wondering what she might have done had she known. Would she have even told Calliope? Would Calliope have just let him rot?

Temp took another moment to pause. With a quick wave of her wand, a piece of paper filled on the front and back materialized out of the air and in her hand. Wordlessly she held it out for Cal to read. But Temp had just about memorized everything on it by now. ’Advanced liver failure. Clear signs of alcohol and potions abuse. “ This was the part that felt like a stab to the chest as she recalled one of the last things the Healer told her. ”He could have gotten treated, he could have gotten help, but he just didn’t want to fucking do it. He just—“ Temp angrily began to rant, her hands trying to fill in the blanks when her brain paused. ”—he just like fucking gave up, and he knew one of us would find him and…” Temp trailed off. She’d turned around and leaned against the counter. Who the fuck does this to their family?

template by vee

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

BARELY FINDING THE ENERGY TO continue their ongoing argument, Calliope decided to ignore her sisters scoff and grit. Deep down and surface level Calliope believed it to be true, in the eyes of their father and even their financial status for the last few years or so, the middle Fleming was only valuable for her extra amount of income. Nothing more, nothing less. Even if Temp didn't want to admit it anyway.

Still full with anger and sniffling, Cal found the time to angrily wipe at her eyes. Another secret revealed, at the perfect time no less. "So when did you find out?" She questioned angrily, watching her sisters actions. As a letter materialised in her sister's hands, Calliope snatched it out of her grasp in order to read. Teary eyes scanned the report, reading over what was found from their father's dead body. As Temp spoke also, the metamorphmagus tried focusing in on the words. Liver. Failure. Alcohol abuse, potions abuse. As well as a long list of other issues.

But it was as Temp said, the abuse stated was acute before rising in detail. In that time alone, their father could've gotten help, begged for it even. So why didn't he? As Temp continued speaking, a fresh set of tears left Cal's eyes, while the sniffing turned into quiet sobbing. "He - He wanted his children to suffer..like the asshole he is!" Throwing the report on the floor out of frustration, Calliope turned, her arms resting against the counter. "He put us through hell..in our own different ways..used you to keep us alive..When really he was killing himself anyway.."

| temperance elizabeth fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

march 17th 2028

THEY HAD TO FLOO INTO THE FUNERAL HOME, like it was some kind of party. Unfortunately, the shame of it was not enough to pull Eli from his stupor early enough to side-along with Cali. His face frighteningly slack whenever he caught a glimpse of it in the mirror. His tie sagging around an open collar he hadn't the energy to button up. Shy had surely tried but he batted off any questing hands trying to straighten him up. At least it fit, he'd thought absently as he'd thankfully had the energy to do up the buttons on his trousers. Half expecting to look down and see the hem floating somewhere at his calf.

Eli only had one proper suit and robe fit for a funeral. He'd worn it only once before. It had looked terribly small when he'd pulled it out from the back of his closet, but he'd taken it anyway. It had laid in a heap in his room for about a week. He'd gathered it up and carted it off with him to Cali's the night before the wake, stopping only to say goodbye to Cord without meeting her eye. He hadn't been able to even touch it, never mind charm it large enough to fit his broadened shoulders and lanky legs. Cord, he realised all at once, with a pang so deep in his chest he had to rub at it to ease the tightness. She was the only person with the wherewithal to not only charm his suit to fit him, but to know it needed doing in the first place. He wished she was there with him, but it wasn't a party.

Eli let Shiloh floo in first, lagging behind with shuffling steps as he watched her take a pinch of powder and disappear in a puff of graceful green flames. He felt like a caricature of himself. The robes sticking under his arms and catching on corners as he ducked into the fireplace and announced his destination just shy of a mumble. Yanked into the nethersphere of space between places and feeling horribly sick as he tripped into the back room of the funeral home in a storm of black soot. He coughed loudly, garnering a few awkward stares from mourners who'd wondered too close.

Rubbing soot from his eyes, Eli left a black smudge down the right side of his face. He blinked watering eyes. Afraid someone might think he was crying as he muttered perfunctory greetings with a thin, stretched smile. Where was Temp, he thought desperately, as he was engulfed immediately by a crowd of people he didn't know. His father hadn't socialised in years, not since the move, but they all claimed to know him so well. Old colleagues, past friends of their grandparents. The minute someone had the gall to mention his mother, Eli had to excuse himself as he felt as if a noose were slung around his neck. Where was Shy, he thought instead. He needn't wonder about Cali, she'd have already found a cupboard to hide in, no doubt. He should've left earlier, all the good hiding spots were likely taken.

Edging his way from the main crowd, Eli was drawn by the muffled sound of raised voices. It was so familiar he was almost tricked into thinking he'd gone back in time. The awkward tension rose as the crowd thinned, but not enough that it wasn't obvious people were listening. Eli slowed his gait, his own ears prickling as he heard his sisters scream at each other. Eli's eyes were stinging, his throat tight as he heard the tail-end of a vicious back and forth. His mind sticking on the word 'sick' from Temp's wobbling throat.

'He gave up- he wanted us to suffer- he put us through hell', the accusations spun like a skipping  record in his mind and something inflamed and sickly burst somewhere in Eli's chest.

Pushing the door open with two slapping palms, Eli injected himself into the back room with a squeal of hinges. Temp and Cali stood on opposite sides of  a self drawn battlefield. Temp's cheeks were flaming red and Cali's eyes kept shifting between colours and shapes. Her pupils flickered square like a goats when she looked at him and he flinched.

"Shut up...." Eli pleaded on a quiet exhale, the words travelling on the backdraft of the door behind him. "Shut! Up!" He echoed, this time louder, his chin jutting outward as he looked from Cali to Temp. "This-" He couldn't speak, strangled by his own thoughts as he imagined his father drowning in a pond of viscous potions and upturned booze bottles. "What does it fucking matter?" He blinked rapidly, the corners of his mouth dragging the sides of his face down. "He's fucking dead anyway..." 

shiloh elspeth fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!