surface tension [simon]

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Mid June 2028

While Simon's celebrated return to England had heightened Luna's spirits immensely, she still barely had time to spare with her rigorous training schedule. March and April had sped by in a rush, filled with Quidditch, love-making and raving. Though Luna had not indulged quite as much with illicit substances, Simon had wasted no time entrenching himself back in the British rave culture. She'd missed him so terribly that she didn't mind. At least he was here, in London, with her, and not in Sweden, playing for a rival team in a different land. Though Simon still did play for a different team, it didn't matter.

Upon Simon's return to London, Luna had spent so much time with him at his flat, they'd decided it was likely better for her to move her stuff in. It had been a terrifying prospect, especially for Luna. She'd never so much as considered moving in with a lover before, but she swore what was between her and Simon was different. They'd gone through highs and lows, curses and challenges, and they'd come out relatively unscathed. They could face anything.

The arrival of May meant that the international teams were calling up players for the squad. Luna was determined to make the team, and trained harder than ever before. She fell into bed exhausted each night, with barely enough energy to kiss her boyfriend. It was just as well, as Simon was spending more and more time out, and Luna was too tired to notice his absences. He always came home at some point, but Luna didn't question him - she trusted him.

When the day came for the international teams to be announced, Luna was vibrating with excitement. She was sure that this year, she'd be called up. But the names came and went, and once again, Luna wasn't selected for the squad. What could she have done better? What had she done wrong? Instead of falling into the yawning cavern of hopelessness that split her insides, Luna pushed herself harder. She increased her training, and with that came a decrease in her appetite. She was falling back into old habits but Luna knew that if she kept pushing, kept trying, she'd play better. Be better.

One evening after a long day of training in the Welsh sun, Luna collapsed onto the sofa in the flat she shared with Simon. He wasn't home yet, and she wondered mildly if he would be at all. Or was he out with the boys again? Too fatigued to get up, Luna flicked her wand and a bottle of water floated over to her. She cracked it open and drank deeply, closing her eyes as a breeze drifted across her face. She would take a few moments to rest, that would be okay.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

It only took a couple of weeks after returning to London for Simon to slip back into his old ways of drinking and partying. The honeymoon phase with Luna was still there for him and he loved living with her, but he also had a strong desire to be out with the boys. A lot. Especially his new team The Falcons. They were a rowdy bunch and gave him his fair share of shit for team hopping, but they accepted him with open arms. The only downfall to that was they seemed to be a group who had their own problems with aggression and drinking. One player in particular enabled him early on. He had a hard time saying no to his team mates so he was partaking in drinking and more illicit substances than he knew he should. Most of the time he didn't hide it from Luna but there were times he felt like he had to.

A little past midnight, Simon was ready to return home to his beloved Luna. He lost track of time...like he normally did. To make it worse, he hadn't realized that the list of names for the English division had been released earlier that day. A time he should have been able to emotionally support his girlfriend since it was something she was working hard for. Simon was solid on the Swedish team, for now, so he selfishly forgot...

The front door swung open and heavy footsteps entered the darkened flat, briefly slamming the door. Not out of anger, he truly underestimated his strength in his stupid, drunken state. "Hooooney, I'm hooome." he bellowed as he noticed Luna on the sofa with a slightly delayed reaction. Simon was so drunk he had no idea what time it was. The drunken fool hopped over the sofa to pour his love over her. 

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Luna flopped onto the couch, allowing herself just a few moments of rest. Her body and mind felt flat, like she'd had all the air beaten out of her. She caught the bottle of water that she had summoned and took a long drink. It refreshed her, but her eyes were still dead weights. Tilting her head back, Luna closed her eyes. She listened to the hum of traffic outside the open flat window, the occasional horn and the background chatter of Londoners going about their business.

Exhausted as she was, Luna didn't even dream when she fell into a doze. When she jolted awake, it was many hours later, and the sun had long since set. Darkness surrounded her, but Luna's wand was still by her side and she lit it, glancing around. The digital numbers on the clock read 00:14. The flat was silent, meaning that Simon wasn't home. Frowning, Luna took one of the throw pillows from the sofa and hugged it. She permitted herself a moment of sadness - the loss of purpose, the gutting heartbreak of not making the team. She knew she would double down even further to make it next year, and plans were already starting to formulate. Luna was nothing if not determined. But for just a moment, she allowed her heart to break.

There was a crash from the front door, and heavy footsteps trod into the flat. Luna straightened, turning towards her boyfriend. He was steaming. Luna could smell the stench of vodka and cigarettes, and a slightly sweet undertone that she could place. Frowning, Luna opened her mouth to speak, but he flung himself onto her, nearly suffocating her. "Fuck, Simon! I can't breathe," she sputtered, mustering her strength and pushing him off. She eyed him warily, her body like a live wire. "Seems like you had a big one. You reek," she observed, her lips twisting into a smirk.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Simon staggered into the living room, a genuine smile crossing his face as he saw his beautiful girlfriend curled up on the sofa. It would be a sin not to join her when she looked so comfy. He immediately wedged himself on the sofa, pulling Luna into his arms to show her in love as she told him he reeked. A dopey smiled pulled up at the corners of his lips, ”I smell like fun. C’mon..gimme some lovin’ babes.” Simon lunged forward, sloppily smushing his lips against hers as she wiggled out of his grip. To be fair, she was probably exhausted while Simon was currently on another planet drunk and high as a kite. 

His icy blue saucers widened as he took in a very sleepy Luna, agitation seeping in, not that he had noticed that. Simon flailed his arms, falling back into the sofa lazily as he fidgeted about. ”Yoooou are soo beayoooutiful-Hoooow the foook are you so beautifuuul?” he sang in a boisterous fashion, continuing to be grabby with her as he flailed about, close to throwing himself off the couch.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Luna was startled back into consciousness by her boyfriend calling out for her. He staggered into the room and wedged himself into the sofa, enveloping her into his arms. Usually, Luna wouldn't protest, but Simon smelt awful. A mixture of booze, and sweat, and she didn't know what else. She commented as such, her stomach lurching uncomfortably as she tried to disentangle herself. Simon lurched forward sloppily, kissing her. "Simon," Luna warned, her face twisting with disgust.

At last, Simon removed his arms and Luna was free. She scooted back slightly and frowned at him. "Merlin, you're wrecked," she observed. Simon sang out about her beauty - badly, though Luna wryly reminded herself that it was the theought that counted - and flailed about like a fish out of water. "Jesus, just... just sit still for a moment," said Luna, pinning his arms to his sides. After she was certain that Simon wouldn't impale himself on something, she took the half drunk water from the side of the table. "Open," she directed, before proceeding to pour a good measure down his throat. "Simon, you're back in England for two minutes and you're already getting bladdered. What about Quidditch?" she murmured, more to herself than him. "You could get kicked off the team if you keep this up," she added. Both teams, she didn't say, but guilt and jealousy curdled in her belly all the same.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Simon didn’t detect the annoyance and disgust in Lunas voice due to his sloshed state. When his sloppy kisses were reciprocated it was a punch to the gut. Hell, he hated not getting what he wanted, when he wanted. Luna shoved his head back, forcing him to drink water. The drunken fool guzzled the water obediently until he laughed, spurting water across the living room like a fountain. At least it wasn’t vomit..

The look on Lunas face was like daggers to his drunken heart. She had to bring up trigger words like quidditch and even worst, mentioning getting kicked off the team. That was one way to rain on his parade. The words echoed in his head, the sudden realization hitting him that he didn’t like her tone or attitude. Hell, he knew he should have just stayed at the bar all night with the boys.

His eyebrows wrinkled at the center of his forehead, cocking his head sassily. ”Why do you always gotta be such a buzzkill?” he asked much too loosely when she was already annoyed.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY  

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Luna’s apprehension grew, bubbling into an ugly, suffocating thing. She felt almost like she couldn’t breathe, not with Simon’s sour breath washing across her face. She summoned a bottle of water for him to drink, creating more distance between them as she did so. Simon managed a few gulps before sputtering with laughter, spewing water from his mouth like a fountain. Luna rubbed her temple, her patience fraying.

In an effort to bring Simon back to reality, Luna curtly reminded him what was at stake. What he so easily flouted and what she had wanted more than anything. How could the English national team not see the talent she could bring? And Simon - drunken, sputtering Simon - was already more than a year deep in the international leagues. It was just so unfair! All this hard work hadn’t paid off. Luna knew that she shouldn’t blame Simon, and she knew that he wasn’t at fault, not really. But it was so easy to pin her pain on him, especially when he came home in this sort of state.

Luna’s nostrils flared. ”Buzzkill?” she repeated, her voice going up an octave in her disbelief. ”It’s called reality, Svedson. It’s the world we live in,” she replied acerbically. ”There’s no escaping your many responsibilities. You have two teams to train for,” she added bitterly, turning away from him.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Luna stared at Simon in absolute disgust. Even in his current state he could tell that she wasn’t happy with him. A part of Simon truly didn’t care, which he knew was probably going to be a problem. When his feathers were ruffled, he could be a mean drunk. 

"Screw reality. I’m not even that drunk.” he denied with an acidic tone, agitation growing as he watched Luna carefully. That was a lie. The truth was Simon was completely obliterated, drunk and high off of his face, but he hated being called out on his faults. That was the Gryffindor in him that would never die. Butting heads with the Luna was the last thing he wanted to do when he got back to the flat. He came home wanting to shower her in love but she was quick to deny him of any love-making. What a dagger to the heart that was.

Simon attempted to straighten his shoulders, placing his heavy, sweaty, hands on Lunas shoulders. ”Luna, babe..” he started, icy daggers falling on her as his jaw clenched. ”Baby-I’m not going to get kicked off either team." Simon stated ~too confidently as he rolled his eyes to the back of his skull, barely able to comprehend the situation. ”Why won't you just let me enjoy being back? I’ve been working so fucking hard. Every-Ssingle-Day.” he emphasized slowly, unable to prevent a bit of slurring. Annoyance prickled at Simons gut as their eyes met in a fiery exchange, ”-Maybe you should drink so you can loosen up a bit.” Simon stated, definitely attempting to strike a nerve with Luna. 

Well, it seemed they were about to have one of those nights.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Incensed didn't even begin to describe it. The flare of fury that burned through Luna at Simon's flippant demeanour flared quickly and brightly. She exhaled sharply, avoiding rolling her eyes only barely. She felt as if dismissing Simon would take away from the immense sensation of feeling that had enveloped her. She knew him so well, from the curve of his smile, to his deep set blue eyes, to the way it felt when he drank her blood. She knew every quirk, everything that would make him laugh, and even the things that would sting more than he'd admit.

"Won't you?" asked Luna, shooting to her feet. "Isn't this the behaviour that got you kicked out of here in the first place?" sneered Luna, the jealousy plain in her voice. Simon could mess about, get drunk, get high, and still perform well enough on the pitch to earn himself a spot on the national team. And yet no matter how hard Luna trained, no matter how many hours she put in, she just wasn't good enough. It was like throwing a match into a pile of dry hay - once it lit, there was no easy way to put it out.

Luna planted her hands on her hips and glared down at Simon. "Partying won't get me a captaincy. Partying won't get me on the British team. I have dreams, and they don't involve forgetting my nights and pissing away my future," she snapped. "And if you keep this shit up, they won't involve you either!" she finished savagely, but the words didn't quite land as she wanted. As soon as Luna said it, she wanted to take it back. But she was too angry, too hurt, too jealous and proud to do anything but breathe heavily as she stood before Simon.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Simon watched as Lunas face twisted with frustration. There was an odd amount of disgust and resentment behind her tone. The way she stared at him made him want to crawl into a hole to never be found again. Bloody Hell, he couldn’t help but feel like she was about to break up with him. Especially ending her rant stating that she would continue her dreams without him. That sounded like a nightmare, because Luna was his world.

Ruffling a hand through his messy hair, he sighed, biting down on his lip, hard. ”What do you mean by that, Luna?” he asked slowly. Simons icy saucers narrowed on her, ”Why are you being so mean? I wouldn’t ever speak to you in such a way…” he stated, sadness sobering him up suddenly..

Tears prickled his eyes but  he wouldn’t allow them to fall. Simon couldn’t  give her the satisfaction of making him cry like an idiot but his heart was shattering.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Simon's demeanour changed at once, softening as Luna's sharp words sobered him. Luna immediately felt guilty, but her frustration had won out. She'd never been very good at controlling her emotions, and she'd always had a razor-like tongue. "Forget it, Simon," she said, looking away from him and crossing her arms. Discomfort curdled in her belly, washing away her anger from before. And the way Simon was looking at her... Luna even had the urge to apologise. But she would not. She could not. Simon risked everything with his inability to focus.

"Let's just... let's just go to bed," said Luna at last, drained from their argument. Simon's eyes were glistening in the dark, but Luna didn't notice. She refused to look at him, deflated. How was it fair that she could spend her entire life wanting to succeed in Quidditch - it was the only thing she'd ever wanted. The only thing she desired. And yet Simon could fuck around and still be better than her. What a terrible thing it was, to be jealous of the love of one's life.

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Simon wasn’t ready to let it all go. The damage was already done. His eyes prickled with sadness, turning away as he wiped away tears. Something deep down told him that she was going to break up with him. He didn't see the usual love in her eyes that usually made his heart soar out of his chest. Simons stomach flipped upside down and he suddenly felt like he could puke from being so overwhelmed by emotions. ”No. I’m not just going to forget this, Luna.” he shook his head from side to side, suddenly disgusted by the way Luna spoke to him and so quickly disregarding the subject like she normally did when she was wrong.

”I’m not going to bed with you.” he protested, planting his feet on the ground as he decided what he was going to do next. His mind was too cloudy to know what was right to do but something told him Luna wasn’t it in that moment. Simon felt like he was in a tug o war with his heart and head.

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Luna took a deep breath and stuffed the resentment down to that deep place in her mind. She locked it away with a mental key, and her expression softened. She hated seeing Simon like this. She loved him so fiercely, ever since that very first day on the Quidditch pitch. She was terrified, of course. But she was also safe. Luna was always safe with Simon. Her head was a flurry of emotions, each making less sense than the last. "I just mean... let's talk tomorrow. It's been a long day," said Luna, running her fingers through her hair. She bit the inside of her cheek before adding "England tryouts were today," in a quiet voice.

Luna let the reminder hang there, her gaze downcast. "I didn't make the team. Again. I trained so hard, and I did everything right but it wasn't enough..." said Luna, the fight gone out of her. "I just want to go to bed and forget any of this happened," she added, closing her eyes and taking another breath. Now it seemed she was the one on the verge of tears. "Please, Simon? Can we forget it, just for tonight?"

simon sixten svendsen

[simon sixten svendsen]

Simon took a breath in, watching as Lunas face shifted. There was a major energy shift in the room and suddenly Simon was feeling guilty while Luna was on the verge of tears, explaining that tryouts occurred that day. She looked stressed and worn out. Simons eyes narrowed with the realization that he had forgotten about her important day. Fuck. His first instinct was to pull her into a hug to comfort her but he still didn’t want to give in. Especially after she expressed that he reeked from the bar.

His expression softened for his beloved Luna, swallowing hard. “Oh.” his mouth opened and closed with realization. Maybe he had fucked up by not being there after tryouts for her. He completely forgot after getting caught up with the boys. Simon breathed in, ”I’m sorry you didn’t make the team.” he stated, his words hollow with an even tone. ”I’ll come to bed after I take a shower.” he finally agreed before disappearing into the bathroom and turning the water on..

LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

The energy between them shifted, a sort of awkwardness settling between them as Simon offered a flat, if not guilty response. Luna chewed on the inside of her cheek, her failure still clawing at her even as she brought her gaze to meet Simon's. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. She could read the emotions as they skittered across his face - it was like opening a familiar book. When Simon finally did manage to speak, his tone was even, but Luna felt like his apology was forced. As if he wasn't really sure what to say, but felt like this would be the best.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Luna nodded. She hated showing her weakness. She watched as Simon padded off to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Luna exhaled slowly, then climbed into their shared bed. She squeezed her eyes shut, allowing a lone tear to escape, pulling the duvet over her head like she could hide from the shame of not making the national team. She didn't hear Simon join her, having already fallen into a fitful doze.

simon sixten svendsen