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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 12, 2016 21:20:40 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2016 21:20:40 GMT -7
It was the beginning of August. Four months since the attack. Three months since Zander started coming to help with her recovery.
The last three months had been filled with ups and downs. She'd been in a.... dark place when Zander first started coming. She'd made a lot of progress since then but it was still a process. Some days were better then others. She was a lot quieter, and slower to act on her emotions then before. For a while, she'd been perfectly content just sitting around the apartment and reading. The past few weeks though, it was getting more and more difficult being cooped up indoors.
Carson and his family had moved back to South America, which left the entire apartment to her and Zander. Zander was usually able to keep her occupied, and not dwelling on the fact that she was stuck inside, but unfortunately he wasn't there. He'd gone out to get groceries, and a few other essentials, leaving Braelynn to entertain herself for a few hours, which meant she had time to do something she'd been considering for a while. And that was cutting her hair. Before the attack her hair had almost reached her waist, long and perfect. After nearly dying and trying to starve herself her hair had been left in poor condition. Rather then try to repair the damage, she'd decided to simply cut most of it off. Her dark hair now hung right at her shoulders. She stared at herself in the mirror for a long time afterwards, hardly recognizing herself. It wasn't just the hair though. She'd always been pale, but she was deathly so now. Her cheek bones were more prominent, dark circles under her eyes.... Basically she looked like she often felt. At least it wasn't as bad as when this whole recovery process started... She hadn't dared look in a mirror then.
She finally left the bathroom, and moved to the living room where a stack of books were, waiting. They were Zander's text books from his last year at Hogwarts. Obviously she wouldn't be going back to start and complete her own seventh year, so she'd asked him to bring his books so she could study on her own. She'd just started flipping through the first one when the door opened.
@zander (takes place after the 'recovery' thread, but before the Lloyd family drama....)
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 13, 2016 9:42:57 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2016 9:42:57 GMT -7
Zander hadn't gone out for too long, he tried not to, but he had to get out of there otherwise people would start wondering why he was just holed up inside all of the time. It was hard enough not telling his family who he was keeping in that house, who he was protecting. Today he had actually been getting some new guitar strings. He had been writing more music lately then he ever had in his life and decided that it was about time that he start showing people his work. Still, he had to practice a bit more before doing that. He was concerned too that if people really liked his music then the press would be all over him and... well, that was a ways down the road, wasn't it?
He came home, stepping in the door he didn't look up just yet. "I'm here," he called out. The entire house had protective charms now so that she didn't have to just stay in that back room. He set down his messenger bag and looked up, a big goofy smile on his face.
Then his smile disappeared and was replaced with shock. "Lynn-" he started, his eyes wide as he moved forward. When he reached her, his hand flew up to touch her hair, just touching the ends. "Your hair..." he was too busy being in awe and shock to say how much he liked it and how unbelievably adorable she looked.
@braelynn
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 13, 2016 11:35:14 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2016 11:35:14 GMT -7
The book she was currently flipping through was for Charms. Several of the spells she'd only heard of a handful of the spells she skimmed over. For a moment, she felt a strong desire to try the spells. Learn them. Just like she had at school. When she heard Zander's voice though, she looked up. She didn't smile, but that didn't mean she wasn't happy to see him. She just wasn't quick to smile anymore. Zander on the other hand? He always seemed to be smiling, as if doing the smiling for both of them. His current smile vanished though when he finally looked at her. He looked.... shocked.
Braelynn didn't say anything as he approached, his hand immediately touching the ends of her hair. "I cut it."she admitted, as if it wasn't obvious. "It was getting too long."
@zander
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 13, 2016 16:36:05 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2016 16:36:05 GMT -7
When she spoke he was snapped out of his stupor. He nodded, "it looks great!" he finally exclaimed, moving his hand from the end of her hair to wrap his arms around her waist instead. "In fact, it looks wonderful," he kissed her briefly and pulled back to get another look at her before the book caught his eye. He turned back to her, raising an eyebrow. "Studying are we? Too bad I'm not too good at this stuff otherwise I'd teach you..." his voice trailed off at the end of his sentence. He wished he could bring her a tutor, but Carson and Leliah were gone so... he wasn't really sure what to do about that.
"I got some new strings," he started, stepping away from her then, removing his arms from her waist in order to cross back to the door where his messenger back was. He pulled out the guitar strings and grabbed his guitar, making his way back to the couch. He pulled out the guitar and lifted it onto his lap before looking back at Braelynn, "how was your day?" he asked, giving her one of his dazzling smiles, of course.
@braelynn
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 13, 2016 17:43:59 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2016 17:43:59 GMT -7
Braelynn started to smile then. Before she might have blushed profusely at the compliment, but there was only a small hint of color to her cheeks. "I'm glad you like it." She softly retorted before kissing him back. She hadn't started doing that until about two weeks ago. It still felt a little strange to her, but she'd been getting better about returning his affection. Looking back down at the book in her lap, she shut it and stared at the title. "It's alright. I'm pretty good at teaching myself." Pretty good? Well, that was a modest answer for what Braelynn was. She'd managed to become an Animagi with absolutely no human assistance other then to answer a few questions. Zander knew about her animal form, but he didn't actually know to much about it. He'd seen it only once, during the kidnapping. And it just hadn't been brought up in the last few months. Heck, she hadn't even tried to transform since that night.
Setting the book aside, she sat up, making room for him on the couch as he returned with the new guitar strings and his guitar. "How often do you have to replace them?" She asked, curiosity getting the best of her. She smiled a little in response to the one he flashed her, though hers was far more reserved. "The same as every other day, I suppose.." She answered honestly. There wasn't much she could do in here, after all. "Did you visit your family while you were out?" Talking about him was far more interesting, because he could go out.
@zander
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 13, 2016 18:00:34 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2016 18:00:34 GMT -7
The slight coloring in her cheeks and the fact that she even kissed back at all was enough to send Zander reeling, hence why he had to walk away soon after the kiss. If he didn't, he would have drowned in happiness and/or pushed her too far and lost her again somehow. He was constantly worrying about that. Still, it was hard to focus on the negative with her around... even if she still was working on functioning the same again. At least when it came to them. "Oh good!" he exclaimed, breathing out in relief as she said she was good at teaching herself. "You're probably better company than I am, too," he joked, tossing her a wink. As much as he didn't want to come off as annoying and overly exuberant, he loved her and he was a big goof ball. That couldn't change.
'I don't know why you're so far away but I know that this much is true. We'll make it through and I hope that you are the one I share my life with...'
New lyrics often flooded into his mind when he was around her, especially now that he had her back. He logged them in his head, reminding himself to write them down later.
He got comfortable with switching the strings as she moved over on the couch to make room. At her question he shrugged, "it depends on a lot of things, really. I didn't play for about a month so that gave them a hard time. Usually I change them about once a year... these strings are only nine months old but they sound... sad," he said honestly. "Just need something new," he muttered. Then she answered his question about how she was, same as every other day and he felt his heart sink. He knew she was getting better though, slowly but surely. He nodded, keeping his eyes on her for a moment as she asked if he saw his family. He nodded, "just Ranger was home, but I stopped by," he explained. "He seems to be doing well. Wishes I was around more, I think," he turned away then, back to the strings.
@braelynn
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 14, 2016 21:41:59 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2016 21:41:59 GMT -7
"I happen to like your company." Braelynn retorted matter of factly as she ran her fingers through her now much shorter hair. It still unnerved her to feel it end at her shoulders. She was still the more serious of the pair, even though she had managed to lighten up a little bit in the past few months. "If we're talking logically though, you also happen to be my only company..." She added thoughtfully. Not that she was complaining! Considering her circumstances, she was grateful it was Zander with her.
Braelynn shifted positions, to sit cross legged on the couch and watch as he meticulously set to work. She'd never been good with her hands, but she'd always... enjoyed watching Zander work. Whether it was playing his guitar, or Quidditch. Whatever the task, she just... loved to watch him. "Sometimes new is good." She softly agreed, her eyes flickering from the guitar strings up to his eyes and smiled a little. "Well... why don't you go do something with him? You're here most of the time, so he'd probably like to spend a little more time with you?"
@zander
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 17, 2016 6:24:07 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 6:24:07 GMT -7
Zander couldn't help but smile goofily as she said that she happened to like his company and his face flushed slightly. He knew that, of course, but that didn't make it any less nice to hear. Then she said that he was her only company and his face fell slightly. He turned his attention back to the strings. He glanced back up at her as she shifted positions on the couch, cross legged, to watch him go to work. That caused him to smile again.
"Sometimes new is good..." as she said those words he was suddenly reminded of something. Cecelias wand. He had basically promised her that Bay could make a new one for her. He chewed his lip as he tried to decide how to approach this when she touched on the subject of Ranger. He nodded, "I know I should," then he looked up at her with an encouraging smile. "I'll spend the weekend with him. Maybe take him hiking or something," he suggested. His smile never fell, but it did change a little as he said his next words. "I forgot to tell you... I ran into Cecelia today. At Ollivanders," he paused a moment to gauge her response to that before bringing up her twins need for a new wand.
@braelynn
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 19, 2016 12:02:45 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2016 12:02:45 GMT -7
Braelynn saw his expression change at her last comment, and knew it’d been the wrong joke to make. She’d done that a couple times lately. She’d always been such a well refined, poised, and cautious person when I t came to communication before. And she was trying to be more open. But that was so hard sometimes. And she struggled with making the right comment. Hesitating slightly, she reached out and brushed her fingers against his arm to get his attention once more. ”You’re the only company I want, Zander.” She spoke softly. After admitting it, she leaned back, her hands in her lap.
She smiled just a little as he agreed to go do something with his brother. Right now, Braelynn didn’t feel like she had any family. Desirae had tried to kill her. Her parents thought she was dead. Cecelia, despite being her identical twin, had wanted nothing more than to make Desirae proud. It felt… wrong not having any of them. To basically have everything ripped from her. She didn’t want Zander to ever have to feel that. And if that meant she had a few days on her own so he could spend time with his family? Well, she could endure it. When he spoke again though, she went unusually still. Her expression was impossible to read, her breathing stopped entirely.
He… saw Cecelia?
After a few moments that felt like eternity she remembered how to breath. ”How… is she?” Her voice was quiet, small even.
@zander
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jun 21, 2016 16:32:07 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 16:32:07 GMT -7
When her fingers touched his arm he felt a jolt run through his entire body. He was shocked by it, even though it happened to him all the time. He wasn't expecting that one touch to send him reeling though, wanting more. He looked up slowly, expectantly, and when she said what she wanted to say he smiled. He almost leaned toward her over the guitar, almost, but then she pulled her fingers back and he simply nodded. "You need other company too and that's okay. At least you have the girls," he was referring to Andy and Susan, of course. He knew that she did need more people in her life and that he couldn't entirely fill every role and every gap there was, but he still wanted to try the best he could.
He wasn't surprised that she seemed to stop breathing at the mention of Cece. He waited until she found it again and started to speak, her voice quiet. He slowly set his guitar aside, placing it on the table beside the couch as he answered. "She's... not good," he wouldn't lie to her, of course not, "but there's something we can do to help," he leaned forward slightly, his soft smile never wavering, "she needs a new wand. I told her my uncle makes them privately and I thought... see," he got up suddenly, crossing back to his messenger bag and opening it up to bring back the wand book and a few supplies that he had bought today, the reason he had seen Cece at Ollivanders in the first place. "She's going to send me what her old wand was like but, I'm sure you know, right? What do you think?" he knew he was talking a little fast but sometimes his mouth ran away from him.
@braelynn
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jul 6, 2016 10:41:59 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2016 10:41:59 GMT -7
Braelynn's expression remained unnaturally (well, it was natural for her now a days) still as Zander mentioned she needed more people, and thankfully she had Andy and Susan. She didn't say anything, only nodded slightly. She still felt.... guilt when it came to those two. She'd betrayed everyone. She'd been on their side the entire school year. She could have put a stop to everything. Facing that guilt had been her biggest hurtle. While she'd managed to work through everything with Zander, she hadn't worked it out with Andy or Susan yet...
The girl brought her knees up to her chest as Zander went on to talk about her twin. Cecelia.... Without thinking about it, her gaze cast downward. When everything had been happening, she hadn't been thinking about Cecelia. She hadn't thought about what she might think, or do... What sort of sister did that make her? And now she was letting her sister, her twin, think she was dead. As she looked back up at him, her eyebrows furrowed together. Why was he smiling?
"You..... want.... me to make it..?" She slowly asked, trying to comprehend what that meant. She'd never thought... never imagined that she might get the chance to make wands. Her life had always been planned out for her, and wand lore had never been a part of that plan.
@zander
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jul 6, 2016 13:24:01 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2016 13:24:01 GMT -7
Zander nodded slowly as Bay came to realize what he was suggesting about Cecelias wand. "I do... I brought you materials, books and things... I can get you anything you need," he said, gently reaching over to take her hand in both of his. "I think it's a good idea. I think it's good for you and... for her and for the both of you together. Do you... am I making sense?" he spoke slowly, knowing how strange this entire request must seem to her right now. He really did feel like it was the right thing, though. As soon as Cecelia had said that she needed a wand he knew that this was what needed to happen. It was like fate was giving them this gift, this gift of connecting Bay and her twin even though they couldn't see each other. Even though one of them wouldn't know...
@braelynn
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jul 6, 2016 13:45:11 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2016 13:45:11 GMT -7
Braelynn's expression finally began to change, slowly turning to surprise and confusion. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows lifted. Was he really asking her to make Cecelia a wand? He'd even brought everything he was sure she'd need. There was a strange... burning in her chest. Some unknown emotion that she couldn't quite put a finger too. It only heightened when he crossed back to her on the couch and took both her hands in his.
"I.... yes...." She tried to put words to her thoughts, but only managed to answer is question on if it made sense. "Are you sure..?" She slowly asked. Could she even do it? She'd never made a wand. Just studied the theory behind it. Well, technically speaking she did know how to do it, but she'd never tried. She'd never actually put her knowledge into practice. "I... I've never made one, Zander. What if it doesn't work? What if... if it rejects her?" Wands could do that. They didn't obey everyone. They could be particular. What if she couldn't make a wand that would suit her sister?
@zander
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jul 6, 2016 14:30:15 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2016 14:30:15 GMT -7
Zander waited which, he was getting much better at doing, as she went through the reactions. It was amazing how slow her face could move. But anyway, eventually she spoke and he tightened his grip on her hand. "I am sure and I know it will work trust me on this one." Classic Zander, running on blind faith. "If it happens to not work for some reason I'll buy her a new one. But you have to try." It wasn't a demanding way of saying that more like a pleading way. Smiles softly I know you can do this his voice was determined strong and unwavering. When Zander set his mind to something, he was pretty determined to make it happen. Every moment since he met Bay proved that.
@braelynn
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last online Apr 24, 2024 1:10:32 GMT -7
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Jul 6, 2016 15:04:58 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2016 15:04:58 GMT -7
Trust me. That's what Zander said. That he was sure it was going to work. He was so... confident. Optimistic. Zander was always so optimistic, seeing the bright side of things. Always hanging on to that ray of light, no matter how dim or small it might be. Like now. Despite knowing she'd never done anything like this before, he still believed she could do it.
Finally, that surprise and confusion was replaced with a small smile. "Okay. I'll try." And who knows. Maybe, if it worked, she could make a new wand for herself. She didn't remember what had happened to hers. Her guess was that it'd been lost during the duel that she had no recollection of.
@zander
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