halfway & one step forward | juniper

[rhys alexander greyback]

Past the point of no return

December 15, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys couldn’t remember the last time he’d entered the Hound’s Lounge. It was a bit of a different scene compared to the pubs he typically found himself in. At least lately, The Three Broomsticks appeared to have become a suitable replacement for The Violet Hound. He still missed the pub, mainly as it had grown into a hub for werewolves to drink. Contrary to popular belief, fights were rare, considering the crowd. Although, Rhys had to admit that Vasilia was likely a big part of that. Rhys’ brow furrowed as he stood at the bar, awaiting the whiskey he’d just ordered.

She still crossed his mind, his feelings unclear, but that was true about many things these days. At least the few constants didn’t change and kept him afloat. After turning away another woman asking if the barstool immediately to his side was taken, Rhys finally received his drink. For now, Rhys opted to stand while saving the seat for Juniper. Sipping his whiskey, Rhys fiddled with his watch again. It wasn’t often he wore this one. It gleamed in the light. His ‘nice’ watch matched the scene. Archer dragged him here once, but not before insisting Rhys could not just show up in his usual everyday jeans and shirt. But Rhys’ grumpiness over his attire had quickly been swept away as it hadn’t taken him long to find company for the night.

At least he didn’t have to wear a tie. Instead, he settled for one of his button-up shirts (sans tie) and his ‘nice’ jeans. But he didn’t mind. His fidgeting was merely a bit of his impatience settling in. Rhys had spent almost the entire day with Amelia out and about, and Juniper had joined him. It had been a bit of a last-minute invitation, but he made it without hesitation. Only now did he start to go through them. Merlin knew how many pictures he’d taken that day, plus Juni had messaged him many more that he had yet to go through. Many were blurry. Some were duplicates because Amelia liked to hold down the buttons on the phone, and some were beautifully candid. The phones even caught a bit of movement as traditional magical photos did, though not as much.

Even though Rhys was home for the following few weeks, he maintained the schedule he shared with Sage. Before he’d prepared himself for the evening, Rhys had ensured Amelia was all settled with her mother. Those transition points were tricky sometimes. On a day like this, Amelia had caused quite the fuss when Rhys took her to Sage’s flat. It tore him to pieces inside to see her upset, but hopefully, she would understand one day. He stopped at one photograph, one of the few Rhys noted he’d managed to smile. Nobody seemed prepared for the picture. As Amelia was almost out of the frame, Juni looked off to the side, and Rhys looked at Juni. With his free hand, Rhys continued nursing his whiskey while on his phone.

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A long day separated by parts was the only way Juniper could describe how it had been so far. On any normal Friday, she would have been consumed by work, grading her students classwork, or sitting on her couch stuffing her face full of chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. As of late, her Fridays had started to shift back towards what they had once been: a brief workday and then out with Rhys. Everything at Witch TV was handled for the time being, and barely anyone was in office on Fridays in December anyways. And she had already decided to push off her Hogwarts duties until the weekend. Leaving early to meet Rhys with Amelia was definitely the different part in all of this. It was definitely exhilarating, seeing him in a way she'd never before. At the same time, she had quickly learned how to be patient. Had she been more invested in the production side of her children's shows, she probably would have seen that first hand by the parents that were there.

Chasing a toddler around was exhausting though. And that was a toddler that wasn't hers. Amelia, thankfully, was a sweetheart of a child and Rhys made it all so much easier. The newfound respect that had started to bubble up for both him and Sage was immense. She'd known they were good parents already, but every further interaction with their daughter only confirmed it more. When it came time for her to go back to her mother's though, Juniper had left to head home as well. She didn't need to be there for that, a third party watching and listening. She still felt awkward around Sage after her sister's death and they had never really been close to begin with. Trying to navigate that relationship now, when she was seemingly getting closer to being back with Rhys, was going to take a lot longer of a conversation than in the middle of exchanging their child with one another.

Which was all fine with her, because she wanted to get ready for their date anyways. Juniper had never been to the Hound's Lounge, and apparently it was a little classier than the average pub they found themselves in. It was a nice change. Content with her outfit (and hoping she didn't freeze on her way there), Juniper disapparated from her apartment and to the lounge. She found Rhys inside, literally standing well above the rest of the patrons at the bar, looking at his phone.

"Hello there," she slipped up beside him, her eyes wandering down to the phone screen as well. He was going through pictures that he had taken throughout the day. They weren't going to win any awards, with quite a few blurry and out of focus ones in the mix, but the mundaneness of them was charming. "Did you want to get a booth?" They had been running around all day with Amelia after all and her heels were not meant for standing long.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

Past the point of no return

December 15, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

The exhaustion of a day with his daughter wasn’t the same as a day of work. It didn’t even compare. Chasing a two-and-a-half-year-old around was far more draining than digging through sand, looking for traps, or evading cursed objects. But every time Amelia giggled or wanted to show him something, he forgot about all that. Three years ago, the prospect of fatherhood had sent Rhys spiraling and literally running toward work, but now he couldn’t imagine his life any other way. It was an interesting thought, especially as Rhys noted he wasn’t alone at the bar anymore.

At first, he thought it was merely another woman trying to get his attention, but then he caught the scent of Juniper's perfume—the one she always wore—light and unique enough to always get his attention. Maybe this wasn’t what Rhys pictured ten years ago, but as he turned to acknowledge Juni’s presence, he realized he liked it very much anyway. ”Hey.” She had dressed for the occasion as he did, not that he was shy in letting his eyes take it all in. And almost out of habit, Rhys leaned in and quickly kissed her. ”That one over there is free.”

The booths weren’t terribly big, but it was just the two of them. ”Do you want to get a drink first?” Rhys slipped his phone back into his pocket. They could sit down first and wait for a waitress to drop by or order at the bar first. Considering a whiskey was already in his hadn’t, Rhys wasn’t too particular about it. He also hoped his short kiss with Juniper signaled to the usual hovering women that he wasn’t available. It was odd walking into a bar with that mindset, well, when Juni was present in any case. Everything was casual, as they’d agreed, so whatever he did elsewhere didn’t matter. But tonight—she was his date.

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Juniper wasn’t sure if there had ever been any real hiding of the fact that they were casually seeing one another again. Anyone with half a brain and a pair of working eyes could have seen it from a mile away, even when they were sneaking around at Hogwarts. For as obtuse as Dahlia came across occasionally, Juniper was positive that she was the first one that had actually noticed. There had been a long glare, and then a look of either indifference or acceptance, over the fact. She supposed the other Greyback had only heard stories of Rhys’s past and had decided for herself that she’d wait and see. Now they weren’t even hiding it, despite not putting an actual label on it again. The slow procession back to how it used to be was sort of nice. She liked it this way. A few months ago, she may have been a tad concerned about how others might react if they saw Rhys kissing her openly in public, but now she didn’t care at all. She was back again, and she wasn’t going away any time soon. That would deter the other Dolohovs out there.

She didn’t look towards the table Rhys was referencing, relishing in the kiss for just a moment longer. They’d eventually get there. They had the whole night now. ”I probably should…” she said as she thought about what she wanted to drink. Leaning on the bar, she got the bartender’s attention quickly, waving him over. She ordered an espresso martini. She needed that kick of caffeine. Running around all day like they had really taken it out of her. It was far more activity than she normally had in her workday.

”She looked like she was going to pass out right before I left,” Juniper stated in reference to Amelia as she turned back around to face Rhys. Her drink would take a moment, unfortunately. ”Hopefully that means an easy night for Sage…”

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[rhys alexander greyback]

Past the point of no return

December 15, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys hadn’t thought about how Juniper might respond to such a public display of affection as he was getting carried away with the energy of the day. Nothing was expected to go to plan with a toddler, but somehow, it had been perfect nonetheless. And Rhys had invited friends to accompany him on days with his daughter before, not that Juniper was ever just a friend. The thought floated through his mind as she leaned into him. Casual with no label or expectation, but Rhys knew damn well it was more than that. Maybe that night in the library had just been about pent-up tension and sex, but that was ages ago.

While waiting for her drink, Rhys nodded in agreement. ”She was still awake when I took her to Sage’s, but it usually doesn’t take long for her to fall asleep.” It was actually quite remarkable how Amelia would fall asleep in minutes. When she’d been a baby, both Rhys and Sage had found her napping in the oddest positions and places. Even then, she’d been quite the adventurer. For now, he left out the part where a tantrum ensued when Amelia realized she wasn’t staying with Rhys. He wondered what it all looked like from a two-year-old’s perspective or how long it would take her to understand the two-home situation.

”The earlier she falls asleep the earlier she wakes up….” Rhys lightly shrugged. Which meant Sage was due for an early morning the next day. The bartender appeared almost done with her drink. ”I’m glad you were with us today.” Rhys began in the meantime. ”She likes you.” He added, sipping from his whiskey. Amelia, as any child, would put Saffron or Dahlia’s bluntness to shame. Had she not liked Juniper’s company, they would have known right away.

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Merlin, she sort of hoped the child would pass out the second she was dropped off. The three of them had been going nonstop all day, to the point where even Juniper was struggling by the time she had gotten home. Juniper had given herself an hour to put her feet up, fighting against the urge to take a late afternoon nap as she sunk deeper into her couch. Ultimately, she succeeded in staying awake and managed to get here on time, but there had definitely been moments where it was getting rough. The espresso martini she had ordered was sure to help.

It was definitely a good thing that Rhys didn’t have her for the night, mostly because Juniper wasn’t sure when the night would even end for the two of them. ”It’s almost uncanny hearing her talk. Really puts into perspective how much she takes from both of you.” Even down to her choice of words, which were still few in number, but ever growing. Rhys was going to have a fun time raising her, that was for sure. ”But I’m glad she does. I like her too.” And it was hard not to. She had to remember to bring some of the puppets from Vertic Alley next time.

The bartender returned with her martini and Juniper thanked him before taking a sip. It was definitely what she needed, her eyes widening at the strength of the espresso. ”Try this,” she held it up to Rhys to let him take a sip before they moved over to the booth. ”That’s going to keep me up all night now.” Then again, she didn’t really doubt that was how it was going to be anyways. With winter break for Hogwarts effectively starting today, she had about a week and change to get grades completed by the holidays. But for tonight, she could chill out just with Rhys.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

Past the point of no return

December 15, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

No doubt Amelia was quietly passed out after their long day. Children seemed to operate on an endless amount of energy. The older Rhys got, the more he wondered where all that energy went over the years. Then again, he never slept as soundly as his daughter did. And for that, he was grateful. The moment Sage informed him she was pregnant with his child, Rhys decided then and there that he never wanted his daughter to experience a life like his. Sage was surprised, naturally. Merlin, even Rhys was surprised at the reaction. In the present, he was glad he chose to navigate such an event this way.

”Really?” Aside from her eyes, Rhys didn’t immediately notice how Amelia might take after him. She already spoke a lot more, though a word or two she only seemed to know in French due to Dahlia and Sienna. Although the toddler enjoyed telling Claire ‘no’ while immediately giggling afterward. ”She’s very…adventurous, which is probably more me than Sage.” Rhys smiled at the thought. No doubt part of that was Saffron as well. There was a fearless spirit in that child.

Rhys leaned in to take a small sip of the martini Juniper ordered. Immediately, his face reflected that he had not expected that sort of drink. ”Merlin—you and coffee.” That was one way to wake up, but Rhys would stick with his whisky. They made their way into the small booth, where Rhys scooted in after Juni, letting his arm lean on the top of the booth seat behind her. Now settled into their intimate little corner, Rhys leaned in to speak again. ”You clean up well, McGonagall.” Her outfit was leaving Rhys unable to think properly on top of the whisky. She must have worn it on purpose to distract him. He forced himself to look ahead and drink more from his glass. He did have something else to say aside from the shameless flirting. ”I was thinking…I’d like you to spend more time with me and Amelia.” In the short time from taking Amelia to her mother’s to meeting Juni at the bar, a lot had run through Rhys’s mind. ”If you want.”

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While it was impossible to tell with a two year old, it did feel like Rhys was on the mark with calling his daughter adventurous. The somewhat clashing personalities of him and the ever so serious and pragmatic Sage definitely met in the middle with Amelia. Though Juniper was positive there were outside influences as well from friends and family. She had never really contemplated that this was how children formed their own thinking, despite spending all of her time focused on programming for them. Engagement and entertainment had sort of been her bread and butter after all. The catchy songs and colorful characters of Vertic Alley that led to simple, easy to understand lessons did fit into it all, though she was only just starting to piece it together. Which made sense in Amelia's case, because she was technically a viewer. Juniper needed to hear from her audience more, it seemed like.

Off to the booth they went, Juniper sliding in first. "Its either this or I'm passed out on my couch," she raised an eyebrow at him. Running around all day knowing that the day wasn't even done was exhausting. Fun, of course, but draining. Having tomorrow be the start of the weekend helped immensely. Now she didn't have to do anything for two days. "Of course I do," she responded playfully before taking another long sip of her drink. It hit in all the best ways. She couldn't even taste the vodka, as it was hidden by the roasted notes of the espresso. These things really should have been illegal for tasting so good. "Between those dull Ministry galas and the events the station puts on, I've had to learn how to," Juniper admitted. Not that she ever dressed horribly for work or dates, but it has definitely been upgraded in recent years. Rhys certainly hadn't seen it.

Juniper had expected that, with the natural progression of things between them again, this sort of conversation would eventually bubble up. There was a lot more at play now that Amelia was in the picture, and the two of them couldn't be nearly as selfish as they once were. Maybe that was a realization that came with age. Something she never could have contemplated in her early-twenties but now seemed okay the closer she got to thirty. "I-I would love to," she stammered out. She had been of the opinion, while never actually voicing her thoughts, that eventually their relationship with one another would advance to this stage. The real question was what this made her now: girlfriend (again) or friend with extra extra benefits?

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[rhys alexander greyback]

Past the point of no return

December 15, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys had to confess that in their previous years, he’d unfortunately been unable to make an appearance at some of those Ministry galas due to his work. But given the choice between some Ministry social event and making Christmas with Juniper and her family, the choice had been clear. The years did make a difference for a person, and in Rhys’s mind, Juni had walked in with a purpose, looking like that. Their time today with Amelia and Rhys’s overall time at Hogwarts had given him much to think about. Regret had begun to slip through the cracks as he spent more time with Juni, and he wondered what could have been.

Where would they be if Rhys hadn’t left that summer? He thought of the choice he’d made, staring at the ring he’d bought and orders from the bank—both a path to the future but one less difficult than the other. With Vasilia, Rhys also felt happy, but the giddiness of being seventeen again was exciting. ”I like it.” It's not that she wasn’t easy on the eyes in other cases. Rhys always found her beautiful, but this was far more attention-grabbing. He was a fan, though the other women in the place were probably not fans, considering she had Rhys’ attention.

When Rhys had started dating Juniper in their sixth year, it hadn’t mattered to him much if his close friends and Juniper immediately got along or not with them, but knowing that Juni and Amelia got along well was everything. ”Good.” Rhys smiled slowly, happy with her agreement. Drinking more of his whisky, Rhys tried to pace himself for once. ”I didn’t get to ask you earlier, how was work? Term ends next week, right?” Rhys recalled their terms always ending as close to Christmas as possible in their school days.

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Obviously Juniper put more effort into going out with Rhys than when she did for any of the aforementioned events. There was a difference between wanting to be seen professionally and wanting to be seen by Rhys. She knew that at the end of the day she didn't need to do too much to grab his attention. It was nice to get dressed up to go out for fun though, even if it was just to a pub like this. "Thank you," she said earnestly. Even all these years later, the compliments and endearing words made her feel fuzzy. She couldn't blame the alcohol for the small burn in her face just yet. The martini hadn't had enough time to work it's magic, aside from the initial jolt of espresso energy.

The conversation shifted from Amelia to work, and Juniper wrinkled her nose. "Today was the start of break for students, but yeah, I have a week still to put in end of term grades." Luckily her classes weren't on Fridays, which was why she had been able to take the day from the station in the first place, but that also meant that her students expected everything to be done and graded already. That, unfortunately, was not how things worked. "Which shouldn't be too hard. My seventh years that took the one class last year are brilliant I was second guessing the anatomy class after the ones last year seemed dumbfounded by it."

Juniper knew it was partially her fault, teaching theoretical concepts to those that didn't understand her style. Hell, even she didn't know what to expect out of it. With a year down though, she had been able to adapt it and make it work for the next set of students. Most ended up being rollovers from her Advanced Transfiguration class, which made it incredibly easy since they all knew one another already. She hoped that was how it would proceed in the years to follow too. "But I should be all done before Christmas, so that's good at least. I'll actually get a break before having to start working in next term's syllabus."

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[rhys alexander greyback]

Past the point of no return

December 15, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys would admit that he always liked it when he could make Juniper squirm or blush. Early on in their relationship, he learned it wasn’t all that difficult, but that was when they were sixteen versus now. But the satisfaction was the same. In the dim lighting, Rhys noted the pink on her face. He slowly smiled. Moments like this were always a swift kick to his senses. The light feeling in his chest and overall relaxed feeling. Maybe he was riding the high of the day, but Rhys realized he felt good. And how could he not with present company? The years could fly by, and they would still find one another.

Thinking back on the briefly tense conversation in her flat over the summer, Rhys wondered where they stood now. He had just invited her to spend more time with his daughter, which was one of the most important aspects of his life. And they were still casually seeing one another. Whatever Rhys felt for Juniper was undoubtedly strong, but he hesitated to label it. Fear stopped him from doing so, especially since things had been going so well. And why ruin a good thing by opening his mouth? Rhys was still sober enough to know better.

He drank more whisky while Juni spoke about her work. Since Max finished school, he has been out of sync with the calendars. There wasn’t much of a need to remember them anymore, and it wouldn’t be until Amelia was enrolled in MYSTIC. Now, wasn’t that a thought? Rhys realized his daughter would be old enough for school in a few short years. Where did the time go? ”Sounds like a lot of work.” Rhys commented. But perhaps because Transfiguration was never his forte like it was for her, there was a chance his eyes might cross in confusion, as they might for some of her students. ”Do you like teaching?” Rhys wondered, emptying his glass. Vector had already started putting out feelers again for the following year’s summer term.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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Her head nodded as Rhys commented on the amount of work she still had to do before her break officially started. That was a very brief way to put it. Most of it was merely reading essays, grading them, and then submitting said grades to the school. But they were time consuming, and she liked to be as thorough with them as possible. If she ever wanted a full-time position within MAGIC teaching Transfiguration to the younger students, then she needed to show that she was capable of teaching the harder concepts as well. The one class was definitely too difficult for the majority of her students, but it was what it was. Realistically, that was the next step when it came to the subject. She felt like she was pretty spent after going through Advanced Transfiguration as it was.

”Of course I do. Would I do something I didn’t like?” Yes. Yes, she would. And she would complain about it the entire time too, like she had with her job at the Ministry. Thankfully Witch TV wasn’t all that bad. Now that she had a show under her belt and the higher-ups trusted her, a lot of her worries had disappeared. That had been an unbelievable relief that she didn’t know she needed until it happened. All of the pressure she had been under in the lead up to presenting Vertic Alley had manifested as stress in her shoulders. The tension headaches had been awful. Once her proposal was accepted, it evaporated in an instant. Funny how that worked.

Rhys had already finished his drink as she talked, which made her feel like she was already behind. Knowing him, he’d managed to go through a couple drinks before she even arrived, in an attempt to fight off wandering eyes. It never worked though. ”So,” Juniper said as she finished sipping on her drink, licking her lips as a drop managed to miss her mouth entirely. ”What’s the big Christmas present this year for Amelia?”

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[rhys alexander greyback]

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[googlefont="Fjalla One"]

Past the point of no return

December 15, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys was no stranger to teaching. During his school years, he managed to tutor others now and then. It was typically never by choice. A professor would offer him the option of helping tutor rather than spend the next few months in detention for fighting. A few of those he assisted were still his friends, like Claire. Not that she would ever admit Rhys was responsible for her marks in Arithmancy. After some time with Gringotts, they began pairing him and Archer with trainees as well, though he preferred not to. Wasn’t it enough that one was already the source of another serious injury and curse?

And then he’d taught at the school, where he wasn’t sure he might return. The good and the bad felt equal—the bad, such as the end of his relationship with Vasilia, but the good in reconnecting with Juniper. The thought had Rhys picturing the side-eye expressions of his friends. Rob, Nell, and Si were never shy of their opinions of how Rhys would navigate his relationships. Regardless of what they thought, Rhys felt with some hindsight that he and Vasilia had been spiraling for some time. Her busy schedule and his time away only delayed the inevitable. It didn’t stop Rhys from wondering what might have happened at the school with Juniper had he remained with his ex-girlfriend. But that was a topic he spiraled on alone.

Rhys shrugged lightly. Juniper had a good point, but sometimes people did things they didn’t want to do for various reasons. ”Maybe.” Rhys couldn’t say much as he did things, often begrudgingly, with enough of a push. His eyes left Juni only for a moment to scan for a passing waitress or waiter. It didn’t matter how good Rhys felt. He wasn’t ever without a drink for very long. His logic told him it was just a way to celebrate a good day. But he looked back before finding someone to answer her question. ”Well, right now, she’s into drawing.” Although on everything but paper. ”And blocks, but sometimes she’s fascinated with a big enough box.” Rhys shrugged again. It didn’t surprise him anymore. There was no logic to the curiosity of a two-and-a-half-year-old.

”As long as it keeps her from trying to climb everything.” His heart had skipped several beats the last time he found her about to hop from the couch to the coffee table. Another parent at the childcare center shared how boys were far more rambunctious at this age than girls, which left Rhys wondering how much worse it could have been. Finally, he flagged someone down—a waitress. ”You want another drink?” Rhys asked Juni, not really glancing at her current drink as long as he could get another whiskey, though he made it a double that time. The waitress left. ”Speaking of Christmas—“ Rhys pulled back his arm from behind Juni to reach into his pocket, pulling out a small box. ”I wasn’t sure if I’d see you before then.” It was small and neatly wrapped in simple Christmas paper. Rhys had seen this pin the week before, the stone catching his eye as it happened to be Juni’s birthstone. Placing the box on the table in front of her, Rhys returned his arm to the top of the seat behind her, scooting back in.

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Rhys seemed to sort of agree with her at least. There were definitely times where she sat back and wondered why she did this to herself. Two jobs, both with varying degrees of demands required on a daily basis. She knew that eventually there would be a point where she’d need to pick one or the other. It was an inevitability really. Luckily for her it had only been two years of teaching so far and she felt like the honeymoon period of it was still riding high. The tough days were definitely rough, but the same could be said about any job. Both were still better than her first job at the Ministry. That was absolute hell now that she looked back on it.

He went on to explain that Amelia’s current interests were drawing and blocks, and Juniper nodded her head as he talked. There had definitely been a number of clues towards both of those throughout the day, though Juniper didn’t think she was entirely fluent in toddler quite yet. A lot of the time, she simply smiled, nodded her head, and said something to the tune of ‘Oh really?’ or ‘That’s so cool!’. That seemed to usually work for most children. If only she had the brain of one of the puppets in Vertic Alley. Which was sort of ironic in a way, considering she was one of the writers. Unfortunately her educational knowledge superseded the ability to speak to small children. ”I can’t imagine,” Juniper said, trying not to laugh at the mental image of a frantic Rhys attempting to carefully watch his daughter climb.

”I’m all set still,” she responded to his offer of another drink as the waitress took his next order and left. She took another long sip of her espresso martini, hoping to speed it up a little bit. The longer she took to drink it, the more of an effect it felt like it had. Juniper absolutely did not have the same kind of tolerance that Rhys had to alcohol. She was halfway through her sip when Rhys pulled out a small box. ”Rhys…” she breathed out as she put her drink down and looked at the present. Opening it, an orangish-yellow gemstone immediately twinkled from the low overhead lights of the bar. She was confused at first about what it was supposed to be, until she pulled it out and realized that it was a pin. ”Is this topaz?” she asked. She had a ring her mum had gotten her years ago that also had a topaz, as it was her birthstone. ”It’s beautiful…thank you,” she grinned as she turned the pin over in her hand to see every edge of it.

Leaning up, she kissed him. ”I’ve got something for you as well, just not with me. So I guess we’ll have to see each other again before then.” That was her sneaky way of keeping him close, though she knew she didn’t have to try that hard.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

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[googlefont="Fjalla One"]

Past the point of no return

December 15, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys had always thought the “terrible twos” was some exaggeration from sleep-deprived parents—a dramatic statement to describe toddlers who were a bit fussy at times. But Rhys realized quickly that it was not an exaggeration. ”She gets very upset when I don’t let her scale the bookshelves.” Rhys added flatly. He remembered magically securing anything that could easily fall over, should she climb it, to the walls after putting her down for a nap. With a decade as a Cursebreaker with all the accidents and injuries, Rhys thought he had felt real fear, but fatherhood unlocked some hidden trove of new worries. As if enough wasn’t on his mind.

The salesman where Rhys had purchased this item had attempted to push Rhys toward a ring, of course. And with the low lighting of the current venue, Rhys was very glad the small box could not be mistaken for a ring box. Not that it would’ve been the first time that thought crossed his mind, but it wasn’t time for that. The last thing he wanted to do was disrupt whatever they rekindled. ”Mmhmm.” Watching her handle the item, Rhys felt pleased she liked it. He knew she would. A warm feeling grew in his chest. Part of him was only slightly aware that it wasn’t just the whiskey hitting him.

”Merry Early Christmas.” Rhys kissed her back, remaining close to hear Juni better. While their proximity always created the inevitable, he had come to realize how it worked out for the best. Delaying the inevitable with Vasilia had left them both hurting and Rhys at risk of spiraling, but he didn’t. ”I think I can make that work.” As if there was ever a question if Rhys could make time for her. As they looked at one another, Rhys felt a familiar pull. Like those times when they were younger and everything lined up just right, Rhys felt he could tell her anything. The moments he remembered why he’d fallen for her in the first place.

He heard a glass set on the table, and Rhys glanced over to see the whiskey he ordered. The waitress didn’t linger. That was one sure way to distract him—a fresh drink appearing. One he eagerly took a drink of.

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