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rhys alexander greyback
HOGWARTS ALUM WEREWOLF CURSEBREAKER ECHO
1,168 posts
played by vanessa
the air around me still feels like a cage
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last online Apr 26, 2024 10:59:56 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Dec 10, 2020 2:01:05 GMT -7
Post by rhys alexander greyback on Dec 10, 2020 2:01:05 GMT -7
i just feel like I'm condemned to wear someone else's hell
December 17-18, 2025 vasilia abigail fortescue
Rhys had a look of annoyance on his face but again it was more toward himself for getting himself into yet another mess though this one was of a minimal magnitude compared to the other messes in his life. That ones that despite the bottles of whiskey he’d managed to consume on his own were still very present and very real in his life. Rhys rubbed his eyes again, his head still hurt and so did his eyes but he figured with some sleep it would improve and the kind of sleep that wasn’t whiskey induced. He didn’t like to be wrong but admitting it to himself and admitting it out loud were too completely different steps. The look she gave him only confirmed that she wouldn’t say anything and that this was somehow for his own good though it didn’t feel like it. Leave it to Rhys to push away someone being helpful in a way that benefitted him, but what else was new. The way she worded her thoughts in such a way that failed to indicate one way or another the topics of which he had spoken of frustrated him as well.
”Fine.” He crossed his arms again, the serious look returning to his face. ”I do trust you, though.” He spoke as an afterthought after a few moments. Sure, they hadn’t been friends since his school days, or she hadn’t run into a cursed cave with him time after time or anything like that but something about her made him feel….comfortable. She was looking out for him during a situation that typically had his friends poking fun at him but still checking he was okay, even Deva would have found some way to amuse herself over this, but she didn’t. The next look she gave him had confusion written all over it and that caused Rhys to also become slightly confused unless his hungover brain was simply malfunctioning. ”Yes.” Rhys responded simply, as he gave her a slightly confused look back. ”What did you think I was talking about?” Rhys asked, they had somehow gotten off the same page.
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last online Oct 27, 2023 12:42:38 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 10, 2020 9:42:05 GMT -7
Post by vasilia abigail fortescue on Dec 10, 2020 9:42:05 GMT -7
Vasilia knew that, while he was annoyed she wasn't telling him, he really wouldn't like what she told him. He'd probably be angry at himself if she shared. So, she'd rather he be annoyed then whatever his reaction might be to hearing the truth. Vas really wasn't the type to take advantage of someone's weakened state. She didn't look at him as he answered, though she did pause when he added that he did trust her. Though he wouldn't see it, his words made her smile just a little.
As the stove started to heat up, she turned to look at him, still looking at confused as ever, as he confirmed they were still talking about magic. She wasn't offended by his question of not doing magic at the pub, just... confused. His question didn't really make sense to her- Wait. Oh god. Vas' confused expression changed to one of realization. "You know I'm a squib... right?" She couldn't recall telling him herself that, but... well, it wasn't something she usually said outright. People usually just... knew. But considering Rhys had gone to school with her brother... Was it too much to think he would have figured it out considering she didn't go to Hogwarts? No, considering his personality it wouldn't have been surprising if he hadn't thought of that. And Ilija wasn't the sort to tell everyone he had a squib sister either. Not that the family was ashamed of her, it just caused issued with some wizard families. While the Fortescue's had taken her non-magical ways in strides, the Ollivanders down the road had had a very different reaction when their eldest was born as squib.
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rhys alexander greyback
HOGWARTS ALUM WEREWOLF CURSEBREAKER ECHO
1,168 posts
played by vanessa
the air around me still feels like a cage
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last online Apr 26, 2024 10:59:56 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Dec 10, 2020 11:38:43 GMT -7
Post by rhys alexander greyback on Dec 10, 2020 11:38:43 GMT -7
i just feel like I'm condemned to wear someone else's hell
December 17-18, 2025 vasilia abigail fortescue
Rhys slumped in his chair, uncrossing his arms and setting his elbow back on the table and leaning his head against his fist again. It was the most comfortable he could get at the moment without falling back asleep. He was exhausted from his insomnia, from his nightmares from stressing over Maria and the baby, from trying to figure out how to tell his siblings and also because Deva had finally left him. If there was a rock that he could crawl under and hide for a while he wanted to find it. She caught his attention again as her facial expression shifted and he only looked back in a slight confusion. Well, until she spoke, and it wasn’t what he expected. ”Oh…” He muttered, well that would explain why she didn’t use magic in tasks that others typically did though it wasn’t a big deal to Rhys personally. ”I didn’t know….sorry.” Rhys hoped he hadn’t put her on the spot in some way, she wasn’t the first squib he was acquainted with as Nell’s older brother was also one.
Rhys felt a bit awkward, not that she was a squib but because he felt like he’d missed something that was probably obvious but that also tended to be a trend of his to miss things because he was so stuck in his own head. Plus, in the entirety that he had gone to school with her older brother and even worked together for a few years he couldn’t recall it ever being mentioned. Still, he was impressed—she took care of the parlor and ran the pub and still managed to smile and all without magic. Rhys never thought about how much he depended on it himself. ”In my experience, food tastes better without magic anyway.” He’d traveled to many non-magical places and the food had always been his favorite part.
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last online Oct 27, 2023 12:42:38 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 10, 2020 12:29:27 GMT -7
Post by vasilia abigail fortescue on Dec 10, 2020 12:29:27 GMT -7
And there it was. The awkward silence when people found out she was a squib. The apology. Vasilia was used to it. For some reason people thought being non-magical, in a magical world, was something to feel sorry about. Vasilia could still use magical items, just couldn't create magic herself. While as a child and teenager it had been a bit of a sore subject, she didn't feel that way now. Her expression softened, then turned to warm and bright smile. "What's there to be sorry about?" She looked back at the pan on the stove. She reached for the bowl with the thoroughly beaten eggs, and poured half the contents into the pan. "I didn't realize no one told you."
She set the bowl with the remaining eggs down and picked up the other, with the chopped up sausage and vegetables. "It does! My mum, bless her soul, only cooks with magic. Maybe it's just me, but I always felt like it was missing something. Magical cooking is far to rigid. You learn the spell, you practice it, you perform it. But in the end, it's going to turn out the same every single time. You can't change it depending on if there's not enough salt, or too much pepper. Can't mix it up to fit the season, and whatever ingredients are peak at that moment." She shrugged as she tossed a handful of the chopped ingredients onto the cooking egg mixture. Finally, it was clear what she was making. Omelets.
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rhys alexander greyback
HOGWARTS ALUM WEREWOLF CURSEBREAKER ECHO
1,168 posts
played by vanessa
the air around me still feels like a cage
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last online Apr 26, 2024 10:59:56 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Dec 10, 2020 13:52:56 GMT -7
Post by rhys alexander greyback on Dec 10, 2020 13:52:56 GMT -7
i just feel like I'm condemned to wear someone else's hell
December 17-18, 2025 vasilia abigail fortescue
Rhys felt a bit awkward, but it wasn’t’ the first squib that he personally knew, though he had just operating under the assumption that she was magical since her brothers both were as well. ”I uh—I don’t know if Ilija ever mentioned it.” He admitted, though he’d reconnected with his friend over the past few months it had been sometime since their Curse Breaker training and school years. Rhys didn’t want to dwell on it as it didn’t seem she did either and he knew what being on the receiving end of the ‘Oh…” was like so he listened as she spoke about cooking. It was clear to him that it was something she was passionate about. The spark he had seen in her eye when she talked about it when he first met her was probably still in her eye even if he wasn’t able to see it from where he sat at the table. The hangover potion was doing the best it could considering what he’d put his body through the past two days, but he did feel better than when he had initially woken up and he found himself smiling a bit.
As with anything one was passionate about you felt it and you went off that for your next move. Rhys was reminded of the times at work where he’d stood in an underground cave and felt something wasn’t right and he’d listened to that and avoided potentially bad situations. At this point Rhys could begin to smell that something was cooking, and it smelled good, he was thankful that his stomach hadn’t been on too bad of shape from all that drinking so that he could eat something. ”Were you always interested in cooking?” He asked, if his own experiences were any indication these types of things started young. He’d began with his books and the museum that had been nearby that he constantly visited as an escape as he had marveled at all the artifacts brought back from far away places.
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last online Oct 27, 2023 12:42:38 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 14, 2020 14:39:21 GMT -7
Post by vasilia abigail fortescue on Dec 14, 2020 14:39:21 GMT -7
Rhys mentioned Ilija not mentioning it and she laughed. "Probably because he doesn't think about it." Again, the Fortescue's had been a very accepting family. They'd gone out of their way to make sure that she never felt left out. Her being a squib was completely natural by this point. "I liked my childhood, no magic and all. If I'd been a witch I'd have gone to Hogwarts, and wouldn't have spent so much time at the shop. I wouldn't have had as much time with my parents. And I definitely wouldn't have had the time to cook. You could say that being a squib is one of the reasons I was able to get the pub. Because I wouldn't have known how to run a business with all the magical schooling." Well, that was definitely a happy outlook at something that most witches and wizards would have thought was a death sentence. No, she was perfectly happy without magic. She could interact with the world, which was all she needed. Besides, if she really needed magic, she had family and friends that could do it for her.
Picking up a spatula, she tested the corners of the omelet. Not quite ready to flip over. "Not at first. Since my parents ran the shop and I was going to public school, I got to spend my afternoons downstairs. I learned everything about the business while my brothers were off at Hogwarts. I loved mixing the ice cream, and seeing all the different flavors you could create. After a while, I realized that ice cream was just one medium, so I shouldn't limit myself. Cooking just came naturally. So when I graduated I decided I wanted to pursue it, instead of just stick with ice cream. Between the parlour, the pub, and culinary school you could say I've gotten a bit obsessed." she chuckled. Obsessed was right. She tested the corners of the omelet again. Now though, she was satisfied, and flipped it in half, into that perfect omelet shape, and covered the pan with a lid. As she let it cook a moment longer she got down a pair of plates from the cupboard. Removing the lid, she slid the omelet onto one of the plates, then poured hte rest of the egg mixture into the pan. As it started to cook she picked up the plate and walked back to the table, setting it down in front of Rhys with a fork and knife. She hadn't even asked if he wanted breakfast, just decided she was making food. As she was walking back to the stove, to keep working on the second omelet, she spoke over her shoulder. "Anything you want with it? Got some fun hot sauces, if you're feeling daring."
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rhys alexander greyback
HOGWARTS ALUM WEREWOLF CURSEBREAKER ECHO
1,168 posts
played by vanessa
the air around me still feels like a cage
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last online Apr 26, 2024 10:59:56 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Dec 14, 2020 17:25:39 GMT -7
Post by rhys alexander greyback on Dec 14, 2020 17:25:39 GMT -7
i just feel like I'm condemned to wear someone else's hell
December 17-18, 2025 vasilia abigail fortescue
Rhys knew that at times children in magical families would not have magical abilities, it happened. He thought of Nell and her older brother, though that family dynamic was certainly different from what he knew of Ilija’s life. So, it was safe to assume that she was treated rather normally otherwise. She explained more about her life and the silver lining. From his conversations with her over the past few months he’d come to realize that she always found the positive in a situation. It had taken some time to get used to since Rhys hardly had that mindset when he viewed anything. There must be challenges still but she didn’t seem to mind them or even worry about them all that much versus finding a Wizard in this day and age wondering what the heck to do if they’d lost their wand that morning. ”You like it?” He asked, before clarifying. ”I mean dealing with all the people and drunk people and all that?” Rhys still had a hard time understanding people that enjoyed talking to other people so much, it wasn’t something he had ever been comfortable with.
She seemed to have sort of an unconventional upbringing, but he supposed that wasn’t abnormal considering she hadn’t been able to attend Hogwarts. That did explain why he hadn’t remembered ever seeing her especially with how much time he’d spent with her older brother there and the age gap wasn’t but a few years. Cooking was clearly her passion, her eyes lit up when she talked about it or even when he had mentioned traveling for work and the various cuisines. It always made him happy to see that in people, he saw it from his co-workers but even with friends and family. When Jamie was talking about her potions and Adrian about dragons, that spark in their eye. She exited the kitchen after she had answered him and put a plate in front of him and despite how awful he had woken up feeling he suddenly realized he had an appetite. He hadn’t eaten in a couple of days (minus whatever caloric value whiskey had) so he knew he was hungry but also this smelled amazing.
”Um—surprise me.” He told her, he didn’t have a particular favorite hot sauce, but a lot of time abroad had introduced him to various levels of spice and flavor. ”But nothing that will kill me.” He’d gone to various parts of Latin America and the Middle East and India where spicy meant, well…spicy. ”This looks amazing, you didn’t have to.”
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last online Oct 27, 2023 12:42:38 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 17, 2020 17:02:51 GMT -7
Post by vasilia abigail fortescue on Dec 17, 2020 17:02:51 GMT -7
Vasilia went about fixing the second omelet. His question, if she liked it, made her pause. Then he clarified, the people and particularly drunk people. She smiled down at the cooking omelet. Sure, people could be difficult sometimes. People could be cruel. People could do truly horrible things. And yet? "Yes. I like how different everyone is," she started to explain as she continued cooking. "People can be similar to each other, but no two people are exactly alike." Plus, she'd realized at a young age that she was just... naturally good with people. She picked up on things quickly, and she remembered things about people easily.
His leaving it up to her wasn't always a good idea. Vasilia definitely has some interesting stuff in the kitchen. Though, at least he was smart enough to specify nothing that will kill him. She grinned, already knowing which one to go for. It was one she'd ordered from the US. As the omelet cooked she walked to the fridge and pulled out two bottles. Both had a similar logo, obviously from the same manufacturer. "This one's mild, this one's hot. Pretty similar flavor. Depending on how daring your feeling." She set the bottles down on the table. Personally, she liked the hot one. It brought out the flavors more. Either one he tried though would have a smokey, slow burn taste. As he mentioned her not having to do this, she grinned. "Well, pretty sure you haven't eaten in a while. Didn't have anything last night, at least. Plus, food will help after binge drinking."
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rhys alexander greyback
HOGWARTS ALUM WEREWOLF CURSEBREAKER ECHO
1,168 posts
played by vanessa
the air around me still feels like a cage
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last online Apr 26, 2024 10:59:56 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Dec 18, 2020 0:34:22 GMT -7
Post by rhys alexander greyback on Dec 18, 2020 0:34:22 GMT -7
i just feel like I'm condemned to wear someone else's hell
December 17-18, 2025 vasilia abigail fortescue
Rhys thought about her response, it was a unique (and very positive) perspective about it all. No whining or groaning about the drunk patrons who caused fights or said inappropriate things. Just that they were all different. It was magic in itself that she could find the silver lining in almost anything. Maybe it was the differences in their childhoods that created the distinctions in their personalities, different experiences and different skill sets. Rhys wasn’t very social, but among his closest friends he was and with some liquid courage of course. ”I don’t think we’ll ever agree on that.” Rhys commented as a joke. His work let him be fascinated with other perspectives and points of view, and the fact that she enjoyed talking to people—on purpose was interesting to him. When he responded she appeared with two different hot sauce bottles and placed them on the table in front of him. It really wasn’t until he started traveling that he ate much spicy food, but he had grown to like all different types of food over the years.
Rhys inspected both bottles, he knew mild might have a bit more flavor than the spicier one depending how hot it was but he figured, what the heck, and grabbed the spicier one. He took off the cap and started putting a small amount on his food but he looked up when she commented on his binge drinking. She wasn’t wrong, though he didn’t like it phrased that way necessarily. ”I—uh—don’t normally drink that much…” He cleared his throat and trailed off, beginning to eat his food. He wasn’t sure if he was just starving or the combination of flavors was bringing him back to life. It was obviously the latter as Rhys had eaten the food she prepared at the pub before. He also hadn’t realized how hungry he had been having not eaten for over 36 hours now. The spice didn't bother him, he liked the kick and the flavor.
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last online Oct 27, 2023 12:42:38 GMT -7
STUDYING ABROAD
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Dec 23, 2020 22:46:19 GMT -7
Post by vasilia abigail fortescue on Dec 23, 2020 22:46:19 GMT -7
Vasilia mulled over his words. About 'never agreeing on that'. Probably not. Rhys didn't seem like a people person. SOmething the employees at the pub told her, which was why it confused them that he somehow got along with Vasilia. But, to be honest, Vasilia got along with most people. She was a people person. He wasn't. But wasn't that exactly what she'd just mentioned? How she liked that everyone was different in some way. "Life would be boring if you always agreed with everyone," she finally answered after careful contemplation. "Disagreeing isn't bad. It's just a different way of seeing things."
Vas went about finishing her own omelet as he contemplated which sauce to use, before settling on the spicier one. It wasn't the sort that would burn your tongue off, but that opinion might vary depending on who tried it. Her fellow englishmen in general didn't have much of a tolerance for spicy foods. Vas had just been eating them so much from cooking that she'd built up a tolerance and like for it. He mentioned not usually drinking that much around the time that she was finishing the omelet and sliding it onto a plate. "I'm not judging," she started. "Everyone has bad days where they just need to drink it all away though. Last night was just yours," she finished as she walked back to the table and sat down, setting her plate in front of her. "Just know that if you ever have another bad one, you can always talk to me. That's what friends are for."
(Wanna end it on yours?)
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rhys alexander greyback
HOGWARTS ALUM WEREWOLF CURSEBREAKER ECHO
1,168 posts
played by vanessa
the air around me still feels like a cage
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last online Apr 26, 2024 10:59:56 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Dec 23, 2020 23:40:48 GMT -7
Post by rhys alexander greyback on Dec 23, 2020 23:40:48 GMT -7
i just feel like I'm condemned to wear someone else's hell
December 17-18, 2025 vasilia abigail fortescue
Rhys let very few people close to him ever, and those that were typically saw the more talkative side of him—at least the sober talkative side. With newer people he tended to keep to himself, his guards were constantly up and at this point in his life it was a habit and a constant and a comfort all at the same time. He knew how people could perceive him and at least in his work with the newer trainees he used that to his advantage. Vasilia had a point, agreeing on everything was boring. And his friends would attest to his tendency to argue about most things as a man that was pretty set in his own ways. Despite their differing viewpoints he couldn’t recall if he’d argued with Vasilia, but maybe it just meant that he hadn’t. They talked and discussed things but never arguing in terms of what he was used to whether it was Renfri or one of his sisters or even Maria. It was a small mental note, he didn’t focus on it too much for now. She was right about one thing. It had been a very bad couple of days for him. It had been some time since he’d spiraled quite like that though it was small in comparison and if she hadn’t been here to talk to, he might have just rolled over and repeated the cycle again until Maria came storming through looking for him and he’d be forced to sober up after so many days. Today had gotten off to a pleasant start and though he still carried the weight of it all with him he did feel a bit better. She sat in front of him and his eyes met her own happy and bright ones and he nodded slightly. ”I appreciate that…” He gave a weak smile but only because he felt he’d caused her enough trouble already, though she’d been more patient than any of his friends might have been. ”You’re always so nice to me.” He commented before returning to his breakfast. [ end ]
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