in the mourning | flemings

[shiloh elspeth fleming]

▲

Strangely, Shiloh's worries were less on the wake today and more focused on the quick return to school the next day. Packing and repacking everything she'd brought home, leaving a few winter related items because they wouldn't be necessary for the remainder of the school year and would make the end of the year packing easier. Maybe it was cruel to go back so quickly, as there had been an offer to commute the remainder of the year if she really wanted to by the school. She didn't want to burden Temp by being around every night while she tried to get things squared away with the estate and work. Giving all of her siblings a few more months to get situated seemed like the only thing she could do, to be honest. Plus, she had a feeling that being around her schoolmates would at least distract her a bit from everything that had happened. It had worked when going back to Ilvermorny the previous year while Hogwarts was being reconstructed. Thoughts about the fire had all but disappeared now. Maybe the same would happen with her dad. All in due time though...

She hadn't noticed that she'd completely spaced out thinking about this until Eli was suddenly handing her floo powder so that they could head to their destination. A sudden tightness formed in her chest as she tossed the granular powder into the fireplace at stepped forward. How could she not be nervous about this? It was the culmination of the last two weeks. The finale. Eli had looked like he was going to be sick all day, and she could only imagine that her older sisters were worse off. Temp had taken on the burden of handling everything, though Shiloh supposed there was really nothing she could do. Even if she could, there was no way her siblings would allow her to.

In an instant, she came sputtering out of the fireplace at the funeral home, stumbling slightly as she found herself on the new flooring. Why did it always burn the eyes and sear the lungs? There was a long black smudge of soot down both of her arms as she blinked away at the smoky feeling in her face, both hands covered as well from when she grasped the interior of the fireplace on the way out. Of course she couldn't meet people like this, and immediately started to wander from the back room to try and find the restroom, an employee of the funeral home, or a sibling. Waiting for Eli didn't really cross her mind as getting cleaned up superseded all else. She hadn't brought her wand with her, so magicking it away wasn't possible either.

After a few empty rooms and no signs of life, Shiloh started to back track, hoping that the sound of voices she'd suddenly picked up would lead her to at least the front room. she didn't really care at this point if she looked like a mess. They probably all did. Keeping an ear out, she could tell that whomever was ahead was close to yelling, the silence of the building allowing the voice to travel. It sounded like Eli, albeit muffled behind a door. Pushing it open with her elbow
so as not to smudge it with soot, she found the rest of the family in a kitchen, Eli closest to her. The air felt heavy, and from the state of Calliope's shifting eyes and Temp's face, they'd been going at it. It sounded like her brother had just finished reminding them again that their dad was dead. Somehow it didn't register fully, her focus still on her arms. "I umm...I need to wash my hands. The floo powder...yeah..." she held her hands up. What had she just walked in on?

temperance elizabeth fleming calliope ivory fleming Elijah Theron Fleming ● 635 ● Song by Artist

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[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’s mind wandered back to Calliope’s previous words. Valuable. The thought made her tremble with anger again. And at the same time, a pit formed in her stomach as Temp wondered what she had done to deserve all this. Where had she failed? All she’d striven for was to work hard and keep things moving. Whether it was at home or at work, it was all the same in a way. She couldn’t accept her sister’s words—Temp was not her father. ”Does it matter?” Temp didn’t want to answer the question, knowing it was akin to provoking a volatile potion to explode in a cauldron. It wouldn’t change the facts. Their father was dead and had chosen to die and abandon his parental duties further than he already had.

Her eyes watched the paper fall gently to the floor. She didn’t want to touch it anymore. Temp wondered how long until the ink would stain her fingers from tears or her from running over the words to check they really existed. But then the door opened, and Temp stared blankly at her younger brother. Soot covered some of his face, only clear where tears had fallen from his eyes. Temp didn’t know what to say when she opened her mouth to speak until Shiloh interrupted the tense calm that had fallen after Eli’s entrance. There was that lost look in her eyes, the same Temp recalled after their mother vanished and perhaps one that never left.

Mentally she kicked herself. She couldn’t just stand there gawking at her siblings. Temperance couldn’t afford to, or the standstill would never stop. ”Eli—Shy—“ Fuck. Did she tell them about the report? Instead, Temp stepped forward and pulled her brother into a hug, and forced herself to not flinch at the sight of his tie. And Shiloh looked incredibly preoccupied with her soot-covered hands. Temp pulled out her wand to clean them (as well as the soot on Eli’s face), before also pulling her into a hug. All the while, the report remained on the floor, albeit with Temp’s shoe print now on the back of it. She cleared her throat, but everything felt raw. Temp always hated how congested and weak crying made her feel.

As Temperance debated telling Calliope that she was perhaps correct, this entire thing was a bad idea, Temp returned for her coffee. They should have just stuck Theron in that hole in the ground as he apparently wanted and not dealt with the people. The small cup was a third filled, and the coffee was cold and bitter. And even with the entirety of her remaining family in the room, Temp felt distant. All that suppressed grief simmering under the surface, next to years of repressed anger and fatigue. This was the last place she had wanted to argue with Calliope, but of course, it was inevitable with the pair.

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[calliope ivory fleming]

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

READY TO RESPOND WITH A sarcastic comment, Calliope least expected both of her siblings to make an appearance. Eli came first, dressed in the very suit Cal wanted him in before she initially left. Soot covered his eyes while the expression that clouded his face since discovering their father’s corpse welcomed them once more. Aside from feeling like she hadn’t said enough to get all of her frustration out at her sister, the middle Fleming knew that she had to be someone Eli could lie on if and when Temp was being overbearing. But it would be a lie to Calliope if she didn’t admit that seeing her only brother in this state was nothing but heartbreaking.

Before she could get any words out, to stumble over no less, Shiloh too arrived. Soot covering her hands as she innocently showed them all. Cal knew the youngest of all the Fleming’s knew how to put on a mask well, as if the actions of her older siblings taught her well enough. But Cal couldn’t help but feel guilt from it all. They had all been through so much, too much even. While watching the slightly crumpled letter on the floor, Calliope took the time then to rub at her eyes, smearing her mascara a little more no doubt. As her head lifted, she watched the hug between her siblings with a small smile but decided to remain out of it anyway. She knew she had to be strong, for their sake, but her argument with Temp was far from finished.

“So.” She began, clearing her throat as she peered at the door, briefly and awkwardly waving at the fans of their father - who tried to look inside. “How much you wanna bet they heard all of it?” She added, eyes watching as her sister stepped back to reach for the coffee she was gulping prior to their fight. Cal took the time then to pull her brother into a side hug, the similar kind of hug the two would share even when nothing needed to be said. Although, the metamorphmagus was sure those within a three mile radius had heard such a petty argument, but regardless her eyes flickered through shapes and colours as she smiled at her own attempt of a joke. “Family’s all..here now. So when does this shit fest start?”

| Elijah Theron Fleming shiloh elspeth fleming temperance elizabeth fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

march 17th 2028

THERE SEEMED TO BE A BEAT OF TERRIBLE silence before acknowledgement. Eli's throat hurt and he felt oddly embarrassed as he stared at both of his older sisters. The contrast of dark and light, of opposing forces. He didn't necessarily fit, his outburst deflating the anger in the room and leaving a strange static that prickled the hairs on his arms. The door swung open behind him like the punchline to a bad joke, admitting Shy in a flurry of motion. He ducked reflexively, but the corner still caught his shoulder as she edged in eagerly. His eyes flickering over to catch the top of her buttery blonde head as she breezed by, her arms held out from her body in a cringe of displaced discomfort. 

Eli shifted further into the room reluctantly as the door closed on all four of them. He cleared his throat and the record scratched. Temp's voice cracked in the space, high and stressed. Suddenly, Eli was enveloped in the soft smell of her powdery perfume and bitter coffee as she hugged him. He patted her back once, twice and briefly let his cheek find comfort on her shoulder before they were separated. He had a single breath of freedom, his eyes catching on a discarded slip of paper on the ground behind Temp. Calli came next, jerking from pause to swing Eli into a side-along hug that was so familiar he clasped into it naturally. His head knocking briefly on her shoulder as he sighed in relief, a tingle of cold magic brushing over his cheek as the soot smudge was promptly removed. 

The screaming was over, for however long Eli wasn't sure. He dare not take credit for it, because it was a tentative truce he knew could break with one misplaced comment. Carefully, he edged into the room, curiosity making him toe the piece of paper out of view so that he might pick it up later, without notice. Eli spun and leaned against the closest counter, Calli's voice even but sharp with tension. The paper scrunched somewhere behind his crossed ankles. "Yeah," He tacked on, his hands gripping the counter edge behind him, looking immediately to Temp for guidance. "I mean... are we waiting for a DJ or something?" He couldn't help interjecting with a stifled nervous smirk and a delicate flinch, the urge to break the tension still swimming somewhere in his infected gut. 

shiloh elspeth fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[shiloh elspeth fleming]

▲

The tingling feeling of the cleaning charm as it lifted and dispersed the soot from her skin left a cool tickle, the almost translucent blonde hairs on her arms standing at attention with their accompanying goosebumps. Not so much a shiver, but like she had just stuck her entire arm into a freezer momentarily. There wasn't much time to think about her now clean arms, as her oldest sister pulled her into a hug. The comforting warmth made her forget briefly why they were all here in the first place. Emotional exhaustion was what Shiloh was calling it in her head. For the first few days all she had done was go through the stages of grief, coming to terms that not only was her dad gone, but so was her mom. That she wasn't actually coming back despite being told that there was maybe a sliver of a chance. And now they were both gone. Both dead. Not coming back. Ever. Even with those thoughts rapid-firing through her head, she was spent on tears and crying. It would probably come back again days or weeks from now, but everything was dried up today. "Thanks Temp," she responded about getting cleaned up, voice muffled by her sister's shoulder. "Also, you need to clean out your fireplace Cal. That's where all of this came from..." Shiloh added as she flipped her head around to talk to her other sister.

She stood silently as it seemed like the rest of the family was trying to decide what to do next. They were supposed to do some sort of meet and greet with all of the people visiting, right? Former teammates and industry people, none of whom she knew. Some probably knew him longer than she'd been alive. And the four of them were to stand there and talk to every single person that walked through that door, pretending as if they were alright and that they had everything under control. Shiloh nudged her brother in the side gently at his joke about waiting for a DJ. She knew it was his way of deflecting the tension and trying to loosen up, but she wasn't sure if the other two would take it that way. They had definitely been going at it before she'd walked in. Once again hiding whatever was actually happening from her. "So..." What now?

temperance elizabeth fleming calliope ivory fleming Elijah Theron Fleming ● 395 ● Song by Artist

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[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
Elijah Theron Fleming
shiloh elspeth fleming

Forcing the bitter liquid down, Temp’s eyes moved to Calliope. Once again, Temp didn’t have an answer. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose where a headache began to form. Human beings were curious by nature, and there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that pieces of this argument were loud and clear for those closest to the door. Just what Temp needed—a bad game of telephone further muddying the facts surrounding their father’s death. For now, she would leave the question unanswered. It was rhetorical by nature, and they all knew it. Temp decided they could pass it off as natural sibling conflict, grief, or some combination of those things.

Eli’s comment forced Temp to glance at her little brother cautiously. It wasn’t an atypical comment, but her brain was in overdrive as far as his well-being was concerned lately. ”Okay—um…” Temp’s fingers tapped the side of the empty styrofoam cup as she thought through some sort of tentative plan. ”Phineas will give his eulogy, and we’ll get this over with.” Temperance declared. Phineas “Fred” Fletcher was their late father’s so-called best friend. Although Temp couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen the man who often preferred to be known as Fred. Though nobody knew the real story behind that nickname, one might think it a Quidditch thing if Fletcher had not been a longtime professional Quadpot player.

”The sooner we get out there, the sooner we can…” Temp trailed off, eyes landing on Calliope for an extra moment before looking at her other siblings. ”…move on.” It was time, and Merlin knew Temp was fucking exhausted after that unrestrained argument. Calliope had done a hell of a job pulling so much from within Temp to just under the surface. Years of categorically compartmentalizing everything that weighed her down felt far too exposed.

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[calliope ivory fleming]

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

ADJUSTING HER GLASSES SO THEY covered her eyes once more, Calliope couldn't help but grin as her brother piped in, questioning if they were waiting for a DJ. The thought of Temp hiring a DJ for their father's funeral was incredibly ridiculous but yet utterly amusing. Snorting quietly, Cal pushed herself off of the counter, moving to pour another cup of the horrific coffee this place was unfortunately allowed to serve. Shy then added about the need to clean out her fireplace which only resulted with an eye-roll from the middle Fleming.

"Thanks for the heads-up sissy. Will get my most trusted maid to dust it for the royal highness." She grinned, teasing Shy a little as Cal even bowed in the direction of the youngest Fleming, to help elevate the mood. Rising up slowly, Calliope looked over at Temp, slightly surprised when their eyes met for a moment - indicating that they needed to move, to get the show on the road. And Calliope was willing to co-operate. For now at least.

Clearing her throat as she took Temp's words into consideration, the metamorphmagus' hair and eyes shifted through hues and colours as she made her way to the door that separated them from the funeral-comers. "No time like the present then." She spoke, opening the door and ignoring the turn of heads. Looking over her shoulder with a small grin, Cal reached for Eli's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We can argue later, after we're all hydrated, fed, and then tired from crying for this old fuck." Knowing she wasn't meant to cuss around her younger siblings, Calliope's eyes shifted from Eli to Shy, and from Shy to Temp. Flashing them a grin, she then added. "Sounds good right?"

| Elijah Theron Fleming shiloh elspeth fleming temperance elizabeth fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

march 17th 2028

IT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY OCCUR TO ELI, BUT IT would later, when the dust had settled and his dad was laid to rest. His eyes scanning the room, flickering from each of his siblings in quick succession - this was the first time, since they'd moved from California, that he'd seen all of his sisters in a single room together. When Shy was around, Temp was typically nearby. But Calli and Temp seemed adverse to one and other, repelling like magnets. They were rarely seen together, and least of all around himself and Shy. Like they were shielding them from their individual animosities. Eli wished it was on better terms, his head ducked as he squinted at the corner of paper crushed under the heel of his dress shoes - which were just a little too small for him.

Shy's elbow was still just gently pressing into Eli's side, where she'd nudged him for his off-colour comment. He gave it a gentle shake as she pondered their next move, like they were soldiers preparing for battle. Making an effort to flash her a smile, which he had hoped was encouraging. The mention of Freddy, however, pulled Eli's attention sharply and he gave a long, drawn out groan. "Ugh, does he have to?" Eli asked with a scowl. "The only person who'd wanna hear that is literally dead." Eli blurted out without thought, flinching in the aftermath as he sunk into the counter. "Sorry- I just, he's just... he's so annoying." He shook off his distaste, if only to avoid giving his eldest sister an aneurism. He considered an ill-fated ear muffling charm, but decided against it when he couldn't even think of the incantation off the top of his head.

Calli's hand gripped his, giving it a comforting squeeze and he squeezed back. He pushed off of the counter, straightening his spine with a grunt. He ached all over, sleepless and exhausted from the heavy weight of grief. "Sounds good to me," He agreed, forgetting to be shocked that Calli had decided to postpone all arguments. It was highly unlike her, but he supposed dead dads did that to a person.

Eli reached out a hand, initiating a quick slapping handshake with Calli as they both made a swift pact. In the hustle to leave the little kitchen and reenter funeral society, Eli made a point of bending to 'fix his lace'. As he did, he took the slip of paper from the ground and folded it into the lapel of his wrinkled suit jacket. Briefly, with his elder sisters backs turned, Eli found he caught Shy's inquisitive stare as he patted the lapel smooth and stood with a shake of his stiff limbs. He put a finger to his lips, signifying a secret to be shared at a later date. He wanted to check it first, to confirm his bitter suspicions. 

shiloh elspeth fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[shiloh elspeth fleming]

▲

Was it supposed to feel strange that all of them defaulted back to their normal behavior? As if this was just any old day that happened to have a funeral slapped into it. Once she got back to Hogwarts, she was meant to meet the school counselor to discuss all of these. Talk about her feelings regarding all of this and whatnot. Like how she was technically an orphan now. That factoid had been running through her head a lot lately. She figured she'd talk to Temp once this was all done with a figure out what their next steps were. Right now it was one thing at a time.

Eli drew a long stare from her at his comment, and she was unsure if she should say anything or let it go. They were all trying to cope in their own ways, and that was just his thing. Like how her sisters had clearly been yelling at each other before she arrived. Watching him bend over to tie his shoe (and what looked to be a piece of paper slipped into his jacket) she let out a long exhale - a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding in as they all seemingly decided now was the time to head out and get this done with. Shiloh wanted to rely on one of her siblings, to hold onto them or let them guide her. But she also felt like she didn't need to do that. She had relied on them to perpetuate the fantasy of their mom still being alive for too long, and didn't want to do that any more. Their dad was dead, this was his funeral, and then they would be all on their own for real. So she kept her hands to her sides, nervously pressing her clothes down with them to keep herself occupied as they shuffled out of the kitchen and towards whatever happened next. After this, they would be done.

temperance elizabeth fleming calliope ivory fleming Elijah Theron Fleming ● 330 ● Song by Artist

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0