butterfly effect | diana

[ares edward lestrange]

━ wasted on sunday, erase you on monday ━

ARES LESTRANGE LIKED TO THINK his relationship with Diana was simply platonic, a friendship where the two could confide in one another for the mistakes they made and the paths they chose. Strangely enough, aside from being able to spend time with his son, seeing Diana at the bar of Hogs Head was one other thing he anticipated and looked forward to.

But with the days of Diana coming in to visit eventually thinning out, Ares began to think if he had said something wrong or not. Sometimes he was too forward - he knew this. Stepping his toes into uncharted waters especially when it wasn't necessary. Continuing on the evening shift at Hogs Head felt like hell for the wizard, especially since many patrons were turning up to the bar already pissed out of their minds. It wasn't even nine yet.

"Wait your turn!" Ares called out, lifting his wand in the direction of a patron that was simply pissing him off. Wiping down the bar and turning as the other man caught on, Ares didn't bother turning back as he felt another person approach the bar. "What do you want? Pint?" He simply asked, knowing it was usually the same every time.

| diana eoina bainbridge |

hopefully this works!

[diana eoina bainbridge]

Life is not a love song we can try

To fix our broken pieces
one at a time

December 1, 2028
ares edward lestrange

Diana still tried her best to acclimate to daily life without the weight of her decisions as a constant reminder. She had long ago stopped trying to quantify what blood was on her hands, telling herself that it would’ve been worse had she refused, and her family paid the price for her mistakes. Elaine had put Diana in an impossible situation that an adult could have hardly dealt with, let alone a sixteen-year-old girl. Like her sisters, Diana tried to find whatever silver lining existed in that old world. And there was some solace in knowing that Diana was not the only ex-purifier with regrets or clear hindsight into what they had participated in.

Maybe that was why she found herself at The Hog’s Head again. At her age, she was allowed a life outside of her work. Fortunately, she gained more hours at the museum, hopefully translating into full-time work. Unfortunately, Diana occasionally had to visit the black market for extra money. Every time Diana walked those alleys, she felt as disgusting as the dirty cobblestone steps beneath her feet. She couldn’t remember when she’d last stopped by for a drink. All the days felt as if they blended together at times.

Diana noted the patrons who wobbled in their seats as she approached the bar. Ares had his back turned, and she took her usual seat near the corner of the bar while she waited for him to turn. Instead, she heard his voice, but Diana was not convinced he had seen her. Hearing his question left her hair shifting to its natural blonde before removing her cloak. ”To start.” She responded, hoping he wasn’t too busy that night. Befriending Ares and getting to know him further renewed some hope in Diana that a good person could still exist behind whatever veneer they created from past decisions and mistakes.

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[ares edward lestrange]

━ wasted on sunday, erase you on monday ━

PAUSING WHAT HE WAS DOING, Ares Lestrange's eyes rose. That voice was familiar. Too familiar and the unsettling feeling in his gut only made him turn around. Seeing Diana seated at the bar was not what the Lestrange had anticipated, especially as her visits to Hogs Head had thinned out. Ares felt like a teenager all over again from the feeling, losing a 'friend', consistently questioning himself if it was something he had said or not.

"Where the fuck have you been?" He found himself asking. Ares couldn't care for his abruptness, but he was afraid something had happened to her. They had confided in one another, over their fears, their mistakes of being part of the Purifiers, so for Diana to suddenly disappear after months of their little chats was a little difficult for the Lestrange to process. As much as he hated to admit it.

"I was moping around like a teenage girl because I thought I said the wrong shit to you." He admitted, using the towel that rested over his shoulder to have a wipe down of the bar, while his fingers waved - pouring a pint as she had requested. "A school girl Diana. When have I ever been emotional? Am I on my period?"

| diana eoina bainbridge |

[diana eoina bainbridge]

Life is not a love song we can try

To fix our broken pieces
one at a time

December 1, 2028
ares edward lestrange

Ares seemed surprised by her entrance. Diana supposed she couldn’t respond the same. The last few months felt like a blur. The previous day felt like Autumn had just started. But now they entered December and the busy holiday season. It wasn’t the same disassociation she’d allowed herself during the years with Elaine. That was survival. This time was merely work, family, and life. So normal compared to before. Anyone else might have mistaken the Lestrange’s tone as rude, but Diana felt she knew him well enough by now. Allowing herself to smirk almost coyly.

”It hasn’t been that long, has it?” She was half serious with her question, offering a sheepish smile. He wiped down the bar while preparing her order. ”I’m sorry—they’ve given me more hours at the museum, but I’ve still had to…work…you know.” Years later, Diana had yet to leave the black market life behind altogether. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do without the extra money for now. She shook her head—so dramatic. Diana paused momentarily for effect. ”You know you can call or message, too.” She reminded him. As if their social interactions were only limited to her actions.

But Diana knew Ares had other responsibilities as well—primarily his son. Family was important. Diana would never deny that. ”Well—I’ve missed you too.” She added softly. A very unlikely friendship but one that worked. After that initial conversation, Diana felt comfortable talking to Ares. She supposed their backgrounds and honesty left an easy path to genuine vulnerability. One that was difficult to find or forge with people so quickly. Even now, Diana still struggled letting people close enough to trust.

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[ares edward lestrange]

━ wasted on sunday, erase you on monday ━

ARES TRULY HOPED DIANA WAS joking. His facial expression blanked while his brows rose a little. "Not that long?" He repeated. "Did you miss the part where I said I was moping like a teenage girl? Simply because I missed you?" As Diana went on, Ares found himself nodding in understanding, placing a coaster in front of her and putting the pint she had requested on top of it.

He understood what she meant by the need to 'work'. It was somewhat evident that she was referring to working in the black market. It was a hellish life, but Ares wouldn't shame anyone who needed the extra bit of money. "Fine. I accept your apology for now." She hadn't even apologised, but this was the premise of their friendship after all. Abruptness, bluntness and banter. He really had missed her.

As she mentioned that he could've called or messaged also Ares' eyes widened a little. "You know..you're not wrong there." He paused before continuing. "But..I thought that would be..overstepping I guess."

| diana eoina bainbridge |

[diana eoina bainbridge]

Life is not a love song we can try

To fix our broken pieces
one at a time

December 1, 2028
ares edward lestrange

Diana tried her best not to crack a smile at his exaggeration. There was something serious about him and dangerous. Maybe it was that dangerously sharp jawline or his slow smile, but then the second he opened his mouth, an unexpected forthrightness. ”Stop—you’re making me blush.” Diana teased him, her hair shifting to a light orange. Years spent in invisible chains made Diana forget what this felt like. Something normal and fun, just as one should have at this age. And better yet, someone who was not one of her sisters expressing they missed her presence. Of course, she was bound to blush a little bit.

”Well—tell me how I can make amends?” She requested, happily accepting the pint and taking a sip. Ares reminded her of those days and dark moments, but every interaction brought her further away from it on his part. Maybe adding new memories helped push the old ones farther away, and she had to admit she liked his company. Not to mention, he was easy on the eyes. Diana had to admit that not everyone at the Museum was so easy to get along with. Their work consumed most, or they were only willing to speak about the theorized magical practices of Vikings or whatever.

She tilted her head curiously. ”Overstepping? How so?” Diana would not have thought it so, but that was rather polite of him in a way, rather than the stories she heard from others about people who excessively messaged when clearly it was not wanted or sent unsolicited images. ”We’re friends, right?” Diana asked. It was likely this exact stool where Diana had once crawled in and had the shock of her life meeting another escapee, so to speak, wondering if she was just a loose end. But now, it seemed both were returning to feeling human once again.

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[ares edward lestrange]

━ wasted on sunday, erase you on monday ━

WATCHING AS HER HAIR TURNED to a light orange, Ares Lestrange cracked a smile. He was flirty at heart, but his friends got the worse of it. He loved affection but was fearful of commitment. A 'typical' lad. "You've always been so careful when expressing how you feel around me..maybe I should..do that a lot more." He considered, grinning as he leaned in a bit before tapping away at the counter, finding something new to keep his hands busy with.

As Diana took a sip of the pint, questioning how she could make amends, Ares knew the perfect solution. But there were two ways his address about it would turn out. She'd immediately decline, along with a strike to his face, or she'd accept. There was simply no in between. "Dinner. Not overly romantic, but something and someplace far from here so we can actually..pretend we live an stress-free life."

Listening as she went on, Ares noted how her head tilted to the side. Was he wrong? The Lestrange knew he had a habit at times to cross the line, and while he felt comfortable with Diana, they never really clarified their friendship. "I mean, if you call countless trauma dump sessions, bonding over something we both kind of regret but got ourselves involved in for our own personal reasons, and kind of escape reality quite often as..friendship?.." The Lestrange paused, grinning over at her. "Then absolutely we are."

| diana eoina bainbridge |

[diana eoina bainbridge]

Life is not a love song we can try

To fix our broken pieces
one at a time

December 1, 2028
ares edward lestrange

Diana had learned to pick up when her hair changed but wasn't always immediately aware of it. But whoever she was with typically noted it. Growing up with so many siblings, Diana hardly had to speak for any of them to know what might have been on her mind. It left her shy as ever compared to her twin or older brother. Still, Ares' response caused her to pause as he leaned in. Her hair remained its light orange, although darkening ever so slightly. When was the last time her heart skipped like this? And not out of sheer terror or fear? Merlin—it had been a very long time. Feeling bashful, she looked away for a moment before looking back. "Maybe you should."

Merlin, where had that come from. That confidence quickly left as she picked up her pint again. Sipping as so to hide behind the large stein. They were not new friends or anything, and Diana realized how she'd grown comfortable conversing with Ares. Maybe something about their shared experiences, which were inherently vulnerable confessions, already left them close. Either way, she couldn't deny how her stomach flipped when he'd smile at her or flirt. He seemed to ponder an answer to her question, though he didn't wait long to answer. Placing her pint down, Diana considered his suggestion for a moment, although she knew her answer. "Dinner sounds lovely." She softly smiled.

When he phrased it that way, it was a little complex. Diana nodded and lightly shrugged. "I mean—all friendships have to start somewhere, right?" Unconventional was quite the understatement, but Diana supposed Ares had surprised her, considering her only other experience with other Purifiers was Ondina. She drank more of her pint, drinking larger amounts rather than sipping. One thing that had helped her through those years was alcohol now and then and whatever else her peers managed to have on hand. Not that she dabbled as much anymore, but she craved that warm confidence a pint brought her. Plus, the energy from Ares was contagious, making Diana feel almost relaxed. "You'll be calling me your best friend one day if you aren't careful." She teased, returning to her less than half-empty pint. Whether or not that would ever be true, she didn't know. Diana knew that she trusted Ares to a point. She trusted him enough, which was more than she could say for others in her life.

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[ares edward lestrange]

━ wasted on sunday, erase you on monday ━

MANAGING TO MAKE A WOMAN blush was always the highlight of Ares Lestrange's day. Especially if it was a woman close to his heart and overall life no doubt. His relationship with Diana had grown over time, but he never really touched the waters of flirty-ness, unsure of how she would take it. But with her hair sporting an orange colour, parts of it going even a tad bit darker - Ares knew he was in the clear. "Oh?" He began, feeling a little more confident from her reply.

"So every time I make you blush it'll go orange huh?..Do I just need to keep talking to keep it this colour?.." He wondered aloud, feeling the corners of his lips rise into a smirk. Not expecting her to actually accept a dinner invite, Ares felt his smile soften a little. "You mean it?" He asked, pausing his typical wiping actions to truly look her in the eyes. "Like a half romantic, half assy dinner?..With me?"

Laughing quietly at her reaction, Ares too, shrugged. Things were the way they were simply because they talked, and hung out whenever. Of course, most of their time together was spent with Diana visiting him at work, but having a bartender friend was fine no? Free drinks until your hearts content. "I suppose.." He added, glasses lifting in front of him before whizzing off to their usual spots, hanging upside down, ready for the next pint or wine to be poured into them.

"We aren't best friends now?" He asked, hand raising to his chest as he feigned pain. His expression matched his actions, showing off how dramatic the Lestrange truly was. "And here I was..thinking we had something.."

| diana eoina bainbridge |

[diana eoina bainbridge]

Life is not a love song we can try

To fix our broken pieces
one at a time

December 1, 2028
ares edward lestrange

Never in a million years did Diana think she’d be in such a normal situation. She was flirting with a bartender and one who happened to be her friend. Not to mention, he was handsome. Merlin, every time he smiled and she saw those dimples, her brain seemed to stop working and short-circuit. But Merlin damn her body as her hair, sometimes her eyes shifted with her feelings. Ares appeared to take the invitation Diana so boldly offered. Internally, she felt giddy. Getting to know Ares over the previous two years, Diana hadn’t realized how comfortable she had grown around him and his flirting.

She laughed. I mean—it could, I don’t always have control over it…” Diana admitted. It was unfortunate, she recalled incidents in school due to her reactions. Aside from meeting Elaine, nothing entirely regrettable but, in hindsight, perhaps avoidable if Diana only had some control over this. She nodded, slowly smiling at Ares. Whether he truly meant romantic, well, Diana could only hope, but it wasn’t often she had seen him outside the bar. The change of scenery was welcome.

Diana laughed again. ”I mean…” She stammered a bit as her brain searched for a response. ”A best friend would have texted me.” Diana responded matter-of-factly, picking up her pint to drink. Somehow, it was nearing empty. It was likely that she’d simply sought relief from how warm he was making her face feel.

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[ares edward lestrange]

━ wasted on sunday, erase you on monday ━

FEELING HIS LIPS RISE INTO a wide smile as she mentioned that she didn't always hold control over the way her ability expressed her emotions, Ares couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "So sometimes I'll just have to figure out..if it's just your..natural feelings taking over then." As she nodded, confirming that she meant the truth about their cheesy romantic dinner-date, the Lestrange patted at the bar that separated them.

"Cool..Then I'll..text you all the details..are you free next week?" It had been a while since the Lestrange had done anything romantic that didn't include eyes wandering or trying to flirt (but fail everytime) with Mina Oliveira. Picking up on the stammer, Ares couldn't help but smirk again, leaning on the bar to slightly close the gap between the two of them.

"Maybe I'm not a best friend then...Just a guy trying to take a pretty lady out on many, many dates." Standing tall, Ares cleared the next load of pint cups and the ones that had finished in the washer. "Want a refill?" He asked, eyes looking down at her near-finished pint.

| diana eoina bainbridge |

[diana eoina bainbridge]

Life is not a love song we can try

To fix our broken pieces
one at a time

December 1, 2028
ares edward lestrange

Diana’s heart felt like it was fluttering in her chest. Pumping rapidly, but now in the way she was accustomed. No terror or fear forcing it to fight the constraints of her rib cage. But instead, a light giddiness she hadn’t felt for a very long time. Merlin—when was the last time a handsome fellow shamelessly flirted with her like this? It had been a long time, to say the least. Any flings she may have carried on with during those dark years were meant to pass the time or perhaps even just a half-hearted attempt to feel something other than misery.

”I am.” She confirmed. Fortunately, the Museum was not known for its late hours of operation. And despite the increase in her schedule, the rest of her hours were hers to control. The black market was not a nine-to-five sort of gig, and Diana wasn’t nearly as desperate for gold as she was two and a half years ago. Besides the butterflies Aries sent into her system whenever he looked at her and slowly let the corner of his mouth turn up into a crooked smile, Diana also felt a sort of calm at the recognition of how normal this all was.

”Many?” Diana was a little surprised, though she wanted to tease his confidence. He was always like this. They had grown to know one another since that evening, years before, when Diana had walked in for a drink and accidentally found him here. ”And how many girls have you said that to at this bar?” She wondered. In the back of her mind, she was also curious. How many times had she sat here while he tended to other customers, including other women who were likely just as mesmerized as Diana felt at times? She nodded in the affirmative to the refill offer. Despite that little thought in the back of her mind, she was still reeling that he wanted to take her out to dinner, a proper dinner and all. She never thought she was his type, despite what she hoped over time.

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[ares edward lestrange]

━ wasted on sunday, erase you on monday ━

NODDING AS SHE MENTIONED SHE was free, Ares made a mental note to free up his schedule. Not like he had tons and tons of plans anyway aside from working additional hours here and there and seeing Sebastian whenever his schedule aligned with the Oliveira's. Though it was funny how things worked out, Ares didn't imagine he would be flirting his way into a chance or opportunity with Diana all that time ago, but here he was. Planning a date.

"Mhm, you heard me." He smirked, wiping away at the counter while he spoke. Ares Lestrange, while he was indeed a flirt to many, he was a romantic to few. "I'm far from the one and done man I used to be. So if we're..going to be..you know, dating, then I want you to feel extra special every time." He paused, looking up at her. "Whether it's on our first date or twenty-fifth."

At her question, Ares couldn't help but chuckle. She knew a lot about him of course, especially as time went on. And even back in the day, his smooth words didn't even work on her. "I've..merely flirted while on the job. A compliment here and there but you're the first I've ever asked to dinner." Which was the truth. His forwardness with how interested he was in others didn't always win him brownie points. Most times, the results ended up similar to Mina Oliveira. Disinterested and simply annoyed with the Lestrange's presence.

Refilling her pint quickly and with ease, Ares gave Diana his best smile. "Still interested? Or have I put ya off yet?"

| diana eoina bainbridge |