Memories, like the Corner of my Mind... ( Ally / Cameron )

[Deleted]

For the reader: This thread was written to do some flashbacks as well as current conversation, in such it includes several godmods which were agreed upon ahead of time for the purposes of character history. Each has been approved by the other writer.

There were times that Cameron wished his life wasn't so convoluted, but the one thing he didn't regret were the girls he had been working over for years. While guys were also easily mislead into different beliefs, the subject of girls always came across as more enticing somehow even if a full half of his conversions never even hinted at sex. A soft touch, a kiss, a close friendship which allowed some liberties, even nothing more then hand holding trust could do wonders for the mindsets he needed. I this particular case she had been an early conquest a few years back and while they sometimes fell together again, she had moved on.

They had never fallen out, she remained a student even if she was closer to his skill with massage then before and he didn't give many lessons. She was one of the few he had ever taught much to however and she knew the most of it. As casual friends now who shared a close body bond he often had let her practice on his back...as well as other places, but now that was dying down more, even as their friendship stayed quite strong. Younger she might be, but she remained a favorite early girl in his life especially as he knew he had helped her innocence to move on.

As they passed into the courtyard to find a place to sit, he spotted a fraction of the tattoo she had wanted showing at the corner of her back and grinned. he could still remember holding her hand as she, with wide eyes, felt the first pinpricks of the needle and he had soothed her down with a touch. The grip on his hand had lessened certainly as it went on and she found a way to deal with what was a semi-touchy area. He knew spots in other places which could be far worse and one of the reasons he was here. It wasn't just his knowledge of tats and what he bore himself, it was the fact she could trust him she believed, completely.

Well, maybe not where swimming was involved, but close enough. He wouldn't let her do something truly painful, he was much better at avoiding pain himself through careful planning...

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She walked with Cam to the courtyard, marveling for a moment at what their relationship had become, remembering all it had been before this. They were friends now, very close friends, and very familiar also, but not much else these days. They had been...an experience together, and both had moved on since then. She caught him looking out of the corner of her eye, noted where his gaze held and smirked. The tattoo wrapped around her side, ending just above her hip. It had been one of their last big adventures she supposed, and she still remembered vividly the day he'd taken her to get it. One of the few secrets she'd kept from her father.

She hadn't lied exactly. She had told her parents she was going exploring, she'd just let them assume she meant the island and not a tattoo parlor in the muggle world. That had been an experience, and she'd been grateful to have Cameron with her. She'd also been grateful for her Meta abilities at that point. She smiled, remembering when he'd asked her about what she wanted. "Vivere senza rimpianti" she had told him. Then, "Live with no regrets." It was Italian, a language a good many of her mother's family spoke fluently. Her great grandfather had come from Italy long ago, farther back than Ally could really comprehend. It had been appropriate, she thought, for her life, for that moment, to sum up her relationship with Cameron and herself in one go. She had put a lot of thought into it really, and was proud of her choice.

He had held her hand as the needle pricked her skin, a million times in quick succession until the words in an elegantly sloppy sort of script, appeared down her side and wrapped themselves around her body. Yes, it had been good to have him there. It wasn't the sort of thing a person forgot either, and it had cemented their friendship beyond the sensual aspects. That night had been the last time for them. It was almost as if they'd both known it. The experience had been incredible, but familiar, easy and lacking the nerves of new relationships to contend with. He knew her body, knew what she liked, what she needed. She knew his, and what he taught her, she had learned avidly and well, skills she would be eternally grateful for. As it stood, the fall breeze whipped through the trees in the inner courtyard, tossing leaves and ruffling the grass at their feet along with his hair. "Daydreaming, Cam?" She turned her attention to him fully. "Or were you just admiring the view?"

She trusted Cameron with her life, had trusted him with her body in ways she hadn't allowed anyone else just yet, and truth be told she wondered if anyone else might not be a disappointment in comparison.

[Deleted]

She picked up on his eyes and reacted; he should know she would. They had been quite intense and she knew the feel of his gaze as much as anything else! Chastising himself inwardly he nodded and as they sat down answered her with a grin. "Well there are so many wonderful memories to...dream about you know," he shrugged letting her know he was, "but really it's nearly the same thing, memories and the view." He reached out and ran his fingers down her side over where it was.

"That was a good day. Though I was admittedly surprised it didn't happen again." He doubted she would be fooled as he added seemingly about the tattoo "I often wondered if you ever had the bug again to do it again?" An outsider would have automatically jumped to the meaning of a tattoo, but she would not he was fairly sure. Ah, subtlety! If he was good at anything it had to be getting into people's heads for the long term...

And she had been a wonderful student, though not in mind games that she realized.

"I ask because I do have something to tell you, fairly big news. And I was hoping to find out where you were in your head first. Sort of." As in 'have you found anyone yet you sealed lips girl?' or was she still bouncing around, playing the field some. She was without a doubt one of the more interesting girls at school and he was surprised someone wasn't chasing that pert rear around the school, and then the thought of Leyshell's firm tummy and hips reminded him that he had some very good compensations already. he smiled, just thinking about that.

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She sat next to him, enjoying the fact it was a nice day, especially knowing it would be getting much colder over the next few weeks. It felt almost surreal really, after the events of last year and the summer, and so she understood perfectly when he spoke. A knowing smirk pulled at the corners of her lips and she turned her head to meet his eyes fully. "There are" she agreed softly, lost for a moment somewhere in the events that had happened after they'd left the tattoo parlor. She had snuck him back home, unwilling to have the adventure over with. In retrospect, Abraham had probably known, but if he'd told her dad th subject had never come up, and for the dozenth time she wondered if he'd known there was a boy in the room when he came to talk to her about relationships and the importance of trusting the people she created them with. It had been a nerve-wracking moment for both her and Cameron, adding to the emotional triggers in the memory itself. She'd had a lot of firsts with Cameron, and they echoed in the way he was looking at her now. He spoke again and she laughed. When he brushed her side she smiled, lost in her own memories of everything from the first to the last night for several moments. "Wouldn't change either one" she told him. "Except possibly for almost getting caught at the end." Because now she thought of it, she was certain her dad probably knew.

A thoughtful look crosses her expression for a moment, and she turns, seemingly studying something in the distance, but her gaze is miles and months away, somewhere else entirely. Knowing as he spoke that it wasn't just the tattoo he was referring to, she smiled ruefully. "Over the summer I thought it was probably best not to press my luck again" she said after a few moments. "And now...well..." She turned back, studied him for a long moment with that same far-off, nostalgic look in her eyes. She leaned up and kissed his cheek, "I wouldn't say no to doing it again if it felt right" she admitted, shrugging, "You left quite an impression that last time." It was strange, it wasn't like she'd stopped caring about Cameron, and she defintely hadn't stopped being attracted to him. They understood each other, and that was a wonderful thing to have. Maybe, in the end, that was more important to her to keep than her...lessons. Outwardly, she grinned at him. "You know where to find me if you're ever up for an adventure, Cameron."

She studied the leaves on the trees around them, the way they shook with the wind before finally releasing the tree all together and blowing away. She envied that, the ability to just blow where the wind took you without thought to the consequences. News? That caught her attention, drug her from her reverie. She focused on him again, understanding this was something she wanted to pay attention for. "You know me, Cam" she gave him a cheeky look. "I promise I'm not harboring secret feelings of undying love over here" she assured him. "Love is great and all, but I'm way too young for that and besides, people make everything so much more complicated than it has to be." She shook her head as though remembering something unpleasant, thinking of her friends' complaints in the dorm. "So tell me, what's your 'big news'?"

@shava4

[Deleted]

Cameron chuckled about the almost getting caught; he was lucky enough to have an house elf to travel with otherwise he couldn't have gotten back from that particular trip; who knew she lived on an island? Ah but it had been worth it even if risky. When a girl took you back to her personal space, it was almost more revealing then sex about how much she let you in and that he appreciated greatly. He had seduced her in a very absolute way to have gotten in that deeply making her one of his more successful tries. Not that he considered it only in that way, but it seemed that was what he was to be left with considering her actions since that time.

Ah, fear of being caught again. "I'm curious, what did he do? I know you sad something about words, but not about what and if you got punished later..." And while he would maybe feel a tad of guilt for it, she had been the one to ask him to come and he had gone as a guest. The onus was on her really, but he was curious. Chuckling he grinned, feeling far better at those words and yet regretting the thoughts at the same time. "Oh I hear you, I enjoyed that night just as much I think if not more..." Ah Leyshell, the things you have put to an edge. "Oh I know, I was just curious about the summer and what had happened, but you've explained that now, thanks."

Making a face, he shook his head. "Ha yes, I already guessed that part out. I understand ours is a different sort of connection, I never expected you to be an easy fall in the first place. You seem too tough for that sort of thing." Complicated! Yes, people do that a bit too much. "Well. It's been an interesting change. You know how purebloods are and we have these little traditions" he smirked. "that none of us are extremely tickled with. Well, my parents told me I had a dinner guest I needed to meet. Turns out that they signed a contract on me already. " He turned his hand and now she cold see the emerald ring on his ring finger. "They, uh, sort of decided that we would hide it if they didn't mark us. No dates set, but it's a bit tricky now."

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "He didn't say anything surprising really. We had a long talk about relationships and how it was important that I choose carefully and be sure I trusted guys before I let them into my head." If having that talk with her father had been awkward, recounting it to Cameron was worse somehow. "I think he probably knew you were there, I'm not sure why he didn't bust me for it." She'd never be able to ask in case he didn't know. Typical dad. She laughed, "I didn't get punished, and even if I had, it would have been worth it." She'd have gladly gotten into trouble to keep those memories. They were special to her in ways that transcended typical emotions. She felt connected to him in a way so much more powerful than sex, but she had no words for it really. A smirk, not so much arrogant as appreciative and maybe slightly sardonic. "Good, I like hearing that." She knew he'd remember, not that it really mattered if he didn't.

She appreciated that sentiment, thought that maybe it meant he understood where she was and how she felt about him even though she had no words to explain it herself. "Exactly" she agreed, then grinned cheekily at him. "That's me all right, tough." She gave him her best game face which looked rather comically like she'd spent too much time staring at the sun. It relaxed a moment later and she leaned back, glanced up at the sky. She nodded when he spoke about pureblood traditions. She did understand, had heard stories, even stories within her own family, and she didn't like where this conversation was going at all. "A contract?" That got her attention in less than a second. As in a... Surely not. But yes, as he continued, she realized that was exactly what it was, and she flinched. "That's...that's tough."

She waited several seconds, processing the news before she spoke. "Do you like her? I mean, do you even know her?" She thanked Merlin her parents weren't like that. For that matter, she thanked anyone else who might be listening. "Cam..." She took a deep breath, "How tricky is 'a bit' exactly?" If this was his way of telling her they couldn't have sex anymore, he'd certainly gotten the point across. "So you're...what? Engaged? Betrothed?" Archaic sounding, that word. Then another thought occured to her, this one much more upsetting than the idea they couldn't be physically close. "Does this mean we can't...I mean we can still be friends can't we?"

@shava4

[Deleted]

Cameron thought back, remembering her father's voice but not seeing the man. "Ah, that sort of...fits. He sounded sharp. I thought at the time we were so caught, I was surprised when I managed to get out of there actually." Hmm, he must have either had a good reason or he really trusted her a lot. "Unless I have a damn good reason, my father would bust me big time, probably in front of mom to make it sting a bit."he smiled at her words and patted her on the arm. "I'm glad, it was quite a memory for me as well."

His smiled broadened. "Tough and crazy, that's you. My kind of crazy, we match well." There was humor in the words. It as short lived however, as from her words he knew she was following him very well. "Very tough. I knew it could happen eventually, wasn't expecting it this soon. I think the other family is paying well to push things a bit because their daughter is a ouch dangerous. Or maybe she is just hard for them to control; she is willful." Very willful as he had figured out.

"I knew of her, but not anything close. She's a touch of a tease. She told me she wanted to remain virgin till her wedding night, some tradition in her family. Then I think she tried to push my buttons to see what she could get away with. We had a good argument about that and I think it's settled now. I can stand her if that's what you mean. Maybe more. Might take a bit." Tricky all right, bu how to tell her. "Tricky as in I think I can make this work. But it's a delicate balance with her; we both had plans now sort of messed up by this."

He touched her shoulder to let her know she was part of that in his mind. "I...think I could come to be happy with her, not really sure yet. It's sort of pre-engagement. But that part may happen sooner then later. We're working details out between us. We both want to screw up things for our parents for the surprise really." He gave a weak laugh. Her worries struck him though and he responded fast. "Wipe that thought from your head, darling, it's not happening. We're friends for life. No, it's just that the physical-- damn it."

Scooting closer he reached out and took her chin in his hand. "Ally, you know I love ya, 'kay? That's never going to be in doubt. But this changes a lot of things in my life, not to mention where I should be putting my concentration. If I have any hopes of getting this marriage to work, she has to become my partner. That means sharing and honesty. I doesn't feel right if I am committed to her in all this to be sleeping around with anyone else. Best friends, sure, going swimming, maybe even an occasional kiss and damn well the normal sorts of back rubs and all that should be good, but not more...intimate. As much as my heart and mind may want to be with you that way...can you see my side of this?"

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She thought about it for a second. "I'm sure dad had his reasons. He usually does." If it had been her mother, she wouldn't have gotten off near so lucky, though it was likely if her father knew, her mother did also. She laughed, "strict parents huh?" She wrinkled her nose at that thought. Though her mother wasn't as laid back as her father was, she was still pretty understanding about most things, and Ally wondered if she had mellowed out over the years because of her father. They treated life as something to be experienced and explored, and didn't necessarily mind their kids doing the same, so long as certain boundaries were in place of course. He patted her arm and she turned to smirk at him. "My parents are pretty cool about a lot of things. They're both free-spirits so they're not as much about structure and tradition as some others I've met." Not that she had much experience with that really, she tended to stick close to the island during the summers.

Surprised by the compliment, she gave him a searching look. "Yeah, its good we're on the same page" she said after a moment, wondering where this was going. It wasn't much longer before she knew, and the news brought her up short, made her wonder what exactly he was trying to tell her. Her eyes widened, concern replaced shock in her eyes. "Dangerous? As in Avada you in your sleep dangerous?" Amazing what some people would do for money or social connections. She tried to picture him with a pampered, proper, pureblood socialite and winced noticably. "I guess you'll have your work cut out for you then" she managed finally, though her voice sounded strange even to her own ears as she tried to take everything in. "Maybe she will calm down. I mean, you have some time right? Or are they wanting to rush the marriage part too?" She felt odd, or rather, she felt several things at once and it was a bit dizzying. She was concerned for him, surprised by the situation, anxious about what it meant for their friendship and the future. She was many things and all at once.

He continued, and she listened, a startled look at his comment about family tradition. "That's archaic" she announced. Like the rest of it, she didn't add out loud. Delicate wasn't the right word in Ally's opinion. "Waking a sleeping hippogryph is a delicate situation, Cam. What you're talking about is a mess." She held no empathy for the girl in question. Probably wouldn't have even if she'd known who it was. He could empathize if it suited him, and under the circumstances it might. But, blaming his parents did nothing for her, holding it against this nameless, faceless girl who was single-handedly taking one of her closest friends from her, that she could feel somewhere deep down, and it helped, if only a little. "I guess so" she answered. "So this means you'll be settling down sooner rather than later then." It was more an observation than a question. Just like that, someone who had understood her and her take on life, who had agreed and empathized with her need to feel and experience was being forced into what sounded like a very strict box. She didn't just disapprove, she hated the idea of it. Torn, she lowered her eyes, which had begun to shift colors rapidly as though she couldn't quite decide which emotion to present him with. "Is this the part where I say congratulations? Because I will...if that's what you need me to do."

Since she hadn't been looking at him, his touch caught her a bit off-guard. Even still, her eyes remained on the horizon, studying it as though she was searching for something just out of her range of vision. "I'm sure it'll work out. I don't think there's anyone you couldn't charm if you put your mind to it." She tried for the casual air that colored most of their conversations. She didn't blame him for wanting to mess things up for his parents, would have probably helped him if she could have. "Won't they just make your lives harder then?" When she was sure she had control over her expression and her emotions, she turned back to him. When he spoke, something clicked in her mind. Ah, so that was it. He wasn't telling her goodbye, just changing things around a little. Still, he was the only one she'd ever touched that way really, though they hadn't done so since the summer. Though her thoughts were tumultous, outwardly, she shrugged. "I think I can control myself" she rolled her eyes and smiled sardonically at him. "I've got work outs to keep me busy anyway and dance club meetings, by the time those are over and I've gotten through the homework, the only thing I'm going to want to do is sleep." There, that sounded more like her.

He took her chin, and though he wasn't forceful, it did force her to look at him, and she'd been trying to subtly avoid direct eye contact, afraid the eyes would give her away. Love...but she understood what he meant. Not the kind people went around doodling on parchment about or bragging on in the dorms, but...then...maybe that might have made this easier. She didn't answer, letting him speak, and not opening her mouth to respond until he went quiet. She did understand. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place and that wasn't his fault. He wanted her to understand that he was trying to make the best of a bad situation. Was he worried she wouldn't? She shifted back only just so that she could break eye contact. "So we'll be friends then" she said resolutely. "The other stuff was never going to last forever anyway, we both knew that, so a marriage contract is as good a reason as any." The next part was harder. "You're right, you should be focusing on making the best of this and I'm not planning to make it any harder on you than it has to be." She looked off into the distance, an odd sort of smile on her face. "Of course I can see it. What did you think I would do?"

@shava4

[Deleted]

Wavering between saying yes and no, he shrugged. "Sort of. More like they want to make an impression on me and try to shame me into doing what they want." He rolled his eyes. "Mine have tried to create a hidden osais in London and they object to anything going a way they don't like in it. My sister escaped by accepting the marriage they offered and having a baby. She's completely free of it so now I, the only one to carry the name on for the family, am the sole target of parental wishes. That is what actually makes it harder at home. You'd love the house I think, it's pretty amazing. Not as good as a whole island, but you'd be surprised at how beautiful it is."

Leyshell had always been in his mind as a dangerous person, but he wasn't sure how far she was really going to go. "Hmm, well part of this is feeling so hang with me here a moment." He thought a second, organizing the thoughts he was running through. "I've always had an instinct she was dangerous and hadn't gone around her much in the past. Turns out she works out with weapons and her mother was a hit witch. She wants to follow that way I believe, but I suspect her parents put it in the contract to make sure she was trapped in the situation with no exit. I doubt she has anything against me personally, but she likes her freedom too. Neither of us were happy about this you can imagine."

Shrugging he continued. "As for revenge, both parents want a social event. We're looking at a couple of loopholes to see if we can mess that part up. Then we'll be free of control at the same time." She asked about settling down and he actually scowled at the ground before answering. "Not settling down so much. Nothing till after graduation in a few years either. Maybe they hope to resign us to the situation early on." A startled look her way and then a laugh out loud, bleeding off tension of the moment. "No, you certainly do not have to say congratulations for a situation I'm trapped in legally." He grinned at her, shaking his head.

"Absolutely friends, there is no doubt there. Close friends. Heck, for all I know maybe you'll like her eventually." He made a face. "I do want to see you happy, Ally, don't shove me out because of something else, all right? I don't want to push you away, I want to make this work somehow. I know this was a shock, trust me I didn't want to tell you in a letter either. How cruel would that have been, eh?" Ridiculous, he could see her trying to avoid eye contact the scoundrel. She was already thinking about retreating he could bet on it. "I really should have invited you over for a weekend this summer to show you the place. You'd have loved my room..." His expression sharpened for a moment. He glanced around a bit as if checking around him and then gave her a look which said he had naughtiness on the mind, something she might appreciate. "Ah. An idea occurs to me. And since she did agree I could 'wrap up' anything we each had going on, we might manage something tricky if you're game for a challenge..."

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

When he rolled his eyes, she nodded, rolling her own in return, a perfect mirror, dark hazel and bright blue in perfect unison for a moment. "Stupid of them" she points out, deciding after a moment to try and lighten the moment. "Considering you have no shame." Her eyes soften as she smiles, but there is something at the edge of the expression, nearly indescernable except to one paying close attention. A desire to help, to fix, combined with a helplessness hereto not experienced by Alleana Moon. A first, another for them to share, and probably their last now that she thought on it, and she hated that. In a twisted way, she sort of understood his parents reasoning, or thought she did. "They sound like control freaks." The words were out even before they were fully formed in her head. She didn't bother looking contrite or trying to soften the words, doubting he'd be angry with her. She is grateful when the subject changes, not so much distracted as glad for for an excuse to internalize her thoughts about the marriage situation. "You're the only other person I've met who has an island to themselves" she says softly, enjoying the thought of that for some reason she can't quite grasp. "You know its hard to surprise me, Cam, but I guess I'll have to take your word for it." Since it was unlikely she'd get anywhere near his home. 'Doubt his fiancee would appreciate that' she thought wryly. Narrowly avoiding the smirk that would have betrayed her inner thoughts.

She nodded, sitting silent, studying his face, nearly able to see the gears as they turned behind his eyes. She didn't press, curious as she was. He spoke and she snorted. "Sounds like exactly the sort of person you'd want to share a bed with for the rest of your life" again, into mind, out of mouth, but this time she looks somewhat contrite as though she realizes she probably isn't helping the situation. Trying to find some sense of empathy for the faceless girl who would some day be Cameron's wife, she tried to put herself in the girl's shoes. Married by force to a guy she barely knew, being told suddenly that her entire life had been signed away without her knowledge or approval...Okay, she could empathize, but that didn't mean she had to like the situation anymore, than she already did. It only meant she was less likely to consider poisoning the girl's pumpkin juice. Out loud, she said only "I can imagine" and then goes quiet again for several seconds before she speaks again. She considers touching him a for a moment, but, unsure why she feels the urge to do so, she resists. "How strict are the rules?" She asks, "am I going to get a wedding invitation the day after graduation?" Again, an attempt at teasing, but the more she thinks about it, the more she realizes its unlikely she'll go at all, too weird.

He continues, clearing a few things up and she listens in silence for a several moments before she nods, a bit of the mischievous spark finding its way past her more negative feelings. "I've got an aunt who's good at that sort of thing. She's in politics. I can ask her about it if you'd like a hand." She wasn't sure how good Aunt Brier would be at finding gaps in a legal document, but she did have a knack for getting people to see things her way, and she knew contracts had been part of her responsibility early in her career. Her mother's parents had also had experience with their own marriage contract, and her father's had needed to find a loophole in a much more dangerous situation, but she wasn't sure how she felt about going to them for help. Now the gears were turning in her own mind. She had a million relatives, countless connections through her aunt, but also the rest of her family. Surely she had someone who could help him find a way out of this mess. 'Trapped' she hated that word and it showed in the face she made, wrinkling her nose as though she had just smelled something rancid. "There has to be a way around it" she said softly, so softly in fact it was obvious she hadn't meant to say it out loud, and the look in her eyes as they gaze down at the grass says she doesn't know she did. When she looks up again, her expression has cleared some of her wide-range of conflicting emotions.

However, when he speaks again, the veil falls over her expression completely. It had been a long time since they'd been friends without anything else. Could they even do that again? Go back? She doubted it, and it could therefore be equally attributed to honesty and bad timing since she barely registers his comment about liking his fiancee. "Doubt it" she murmurs, but there is no malice in her tone, more resignation than anything. How could she like anyone who was going to change his life so completely in ways he had no say in and which likely put him in danger? Even beyond everything else, he was her friend, and deeper than any feelings of jealousy or loss she might feel right now, were the feelings of helpless, consuming guilt. He had been well and thoroughly trapped into something he obviously did not want, and she could not help him. It did not mean she wouldn't try, but the feeling gnawed, made worse by the confusing mix of other, less pressing feelings. She had learned so much from him in the last year or so, but beyond that, she had come to trust him in a way she did not often allow for anyone save Aiden and her family. She was not in love with Cameron, but she felt connected to him in a way she knew would hurt if...no, when it broke, if it wasn't already broken.

He was speaking. Words meant to comfort, to reassure, but she was almost too lost in her thoughts to hear him, much less to be comforted. She forced herself into the present and her eyes refocused on his face. "Of course I'll be happy, Cam" she answers carefully. Not about this, and not now, but eventually she knew, this would all be a memory, buried somewhere deep where she wouldn't have to think about it too much. Merlin knew how long that was going to take. Shove him out? She felt like she'd fallen off a broom and had the wind sucked out of her, like that pinched, breathless feeling she got when she went through the floo. Cruel? Maybe, but it would have given her the opportunity to process her emotions in relative privacy and far away from his way-too-observant gaze. Still, she understood what he meant. This wasn't the kind of thing you told someone in a letter, it would have been easy, sure, but the closure, there was no closure in reading words on a page. Hearing his voice, the words, engraved in the memory far more deeply than ink on parchment. The wind picked up for a moment, the first hints of fall weaved in and out of tree branches, carrying the first few leaves along for the ride. Ally watched as the shades of orange, gold, and deep crimson were carried away on the breeze, eyes closing for a moment to enjoy the feel of the afternoon sun's warmth and the chill of the air on her cheeks. Sensations, so many sensations, too many, even for her.

She seems, after a second, to remember he's there, and her eyes find his again, reluctant but resolute. Eyes on his, she breathes in deeply, the scent of him, held under her nose by the shifting air is simultaneously welcome and unbearable. So many memories associated with that smell, none of which she wants to relive right now."I'm not strong enough to shove you anywhere Cameron" she says softly. A joke, with maybe a touch more meaning below the surface than she is consciously aware of. She had no intentions of being that obvious after all, she was smarter than that, capable of subtlety when it was a matter of self-preservation, and she was nearly convinced it was. She smiles, but the expression noticably lacks its usual glow, as though summoning her usual energy would require too much of her concentration, most of which is necessary to maintain her carefully veiled expression and to keep her eyes from shifting colors again. Changing her appearance at will was one thing. Keeping her body from reacting reflexively was another. The eyes, she knew, would give her away if she let them. She nods, and the smile takes on a slight tinge of nostalgia. "I'm sure I would've" she murmured, knowing its almost certainly true. She finds herself wondering what sort of room he has, if it is a reflection of him or something entirely different. She is curious, all the while knowing it is not likely something she'll have the chance to find out. "Bet its full of Slytherin paraphernalia" she teases even though she doubts it.

She arches an eyebbrow at him, unsure where he's going, but undeniably intrigued. She catches the glint his eye and smirks, glad for a moment of normalcy between them. She grabs hold of it for a moment, deciding there's no harm in at least hearing him out. Though she didn't much like the concept of being something to be 'wrapped up', she tried to curb her reaction to his choice of words, though her eyes likely changed subtly for a moment or two. "I'm always up for a challenge, Cam."

Words: 1,619
Lyrics: Dead in the Water - Ellie Goulding
Thoughts: Jeeze Ally, introspective much?

@shava4

[Deleted]

He smiled to himself, looking down for a second. "Somewhere between that and her parent shaving a very dangerous child to coral. I think I'm being used to try and tie her down to make her settle." At her mention of a surprise being hard with her he laughed much louder. "Your home was amazing, dear heart, but mine is simply made to be beautiful. And maybe only a handful of people have ever seen it. They built it for family, not to let others socialize in it. So you could say it is very exclusive." Nodding to her response about his future wife, he pursed his lips; he didn't need to answer that one she knew she was right in her sarcasm.

"Oh you would get an invite not that I think it would happen fast, but I'm tossing around an idea I have not told her about yet to prevent our parents getting the social end of this contract. I'm thinking of convincing her to elope after they put money into getting ready for a wedding." The fact she was already thinking of ways around it had him thinking about how much they really were alike; both sought freedom as soon as the traps appeared. "Ph I'd give you a copy to ask her look at, but Leyshell already had two lawyers take a look at it and they made it fairly airtight. I think they must have hired a team to look for loopholes specifically." He frowned.

When she said the words he grinned. "Good girl, never give up trying." His face said he hadn't yet, but he was getting there, the tricks he was thinking about were part of a struggle. She spoke about doubt and he shrugged, knowing she was doing some deep thinking and she wasn't really tuned in directly. "True. Eh, who knows what the future holds. I will play with the dice..." Shaking his head however he said "Not many possessions there really, but there are a few secrets almost no one has ever seen. And somehow I doubt Leyshell will appreciate them like you would." Very true indeed actually, something he really wished he had thought of before. As the idea occurred, he was already refining it, thinking of things in it that would spark her mind.

"We could get in a lot of trouble if we get caught and you're not seventeen yet. Tricky stuff. But they don't watch us very carefully here over the weekends and I have nothing planned for this next one." He glanced around, a smile on his face as he leaned to her ear and whispered "If we're quick, I could take you to see my house and my room before they know we're gone and I can show you something that is more personal then what I have shown you before. And no before you ask, I'm not trying to get you to sleep with me, this is more...personal then that I think."

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She laughed in spite of herself, wrinkling her nose slightly at the grotesque mental image. She shakes her head. "You always did have a flare for the dramatic" she tells him. She thought over that for a second, intrigued. A home that wasn't meant for others? She wondered about the magic that must have been in place to keep a place private in the middle of a city like that. Curiosity burned though she tried hard to quell it. Still, after a moment of contemplative silence, she murmurs "Sounds like fun" and the way she says it betrays her thoughts of exploration and discovery. "It might be nice to have privacy sometimes" she admits. Not in any large dose, she adds silently, but for a few hours here and there... She tended to disappear to certain spots on the island when she wanted to be alone. She particularly liked the barnloft at her mother's parents' house. Over time, she had made a sort of hideout up there, though she knew her grandparents were aware of it, it wasn't a place the rest of her siblings normally went. She got a far off look in her eyes for a moment and a small, soft smile as she wondered what sort of secret places he might have to himself. Though, since he was the only child at home, he might not need them so much.

She smirked oddly at the thought of being at his wedding. What would it be like, she wondered, to see him get married? The pang that went through her had less to do with him and more to do with herself. She had never really considered marriage as part of her future. There was a reason it was called 'settling down' and Ally simply had no interest in settling, at least not until much later, when she eventually tired of moving from place to place. She wanted a career, wanted to dance and travel and see and do things. There were, she imagined, few men who would find that desirable in a wife, and she was fine with that, mostly. Still, for a moment she pictured it, a white dress, formal affair and someone at the end of the aisle who would love her forever. She shook her head to clear it. The image broke apart like shaken sand, and she focused on him again. "Wicked" she grinned, loving the idea immensely. "What you should do is plan to do it the day of the actual wedding" she adds. "Take her and disappear the night before." A mischievous gleam, more intense than usual, takes over. "Stand everyone up at the altar so to speak."

She frowned. If someone had gone over things that carefully, she knew there was little hope for getting out of it."Have you tried convincing them someone else might be better?" She trusted him enough to know he wouldn't think she was referring to herself. "Appeal to whatever it is they want out of the situation and find someone who has more of it that you know a little better? It would buy you both some time, and possibly a more breakable contract." It was the only thing she could think of in a situation like this. Was it money they wanted out of the connection? Prestige? Bloodlines? Find someone better suited to dangle as bait. "Maybe then if you pretended to be happier about it, they wouldn't worry so much about the limits in the contract." It was a long shot. She knew it, but it was the only thing she could come up with on short notice. She smirked at him. "Never" she agreed, but there was a sadness in her eyes. She felt a sudden distance between them that came with the knowledge they were going in very different directions, and she suspected it would only widen over time.

"Good luck" she murmured ironically, in keeping with the metaphor. As the topic shifted, she momentarily forgot about his impending marriage. The compliment earned him a grin as the curiosity reignited in her eyes. "What sort of things?" she wanted to know. The idea of getting to see things, specifically things about him that were not common knowledge was excellent thing to dangle in front of her nose, and she suspected strongly that he knew it. She didn't resent being drawn really. She could respect a person who knew how to read their audience. She could hear in his voice the excitement that mirrored what she felt as he continued.

Her eyes widened slightly as she caught where this was going a moment before he leaned close. A soft catch of breath as he whispered in her ear. Equal parts reaction to his breath against her ear and appreciation of the words. She had never left school grounds to sneak away before. Up to now she had never had a reason. She turned her head to look into his eyes, the spark in them feeding her own. What, she wondered, could be more personal than that? She wanted to know, maybe had to know. Before, if he'd been this close to her, she'd have kissed him without thinking about it, but she resisted, remembering his words from earlier. Still, she couldn't deny the magnetism, and she wondered how long it would take for that to fade. To get to see his personal space, especially knowing so few others had. She knew the stakes were high, the risk was completely ridiculous. They could both be expelled for leaving school grounds without permission, not to mention his parents probably wouldn't appreciate it, and her own would be angry with her for risking herself that way.

Still, as she looked into his eyes she knew exactly where she would be come the weekend. Nothing could have made her go anywhere else. It would probably be their last real adventure, and though that saddened her, the knowledge of what he was risking to let her into his world for a few hours sunk somewhere deep, spreading through her chest like its own brand of magic. She did touch him then, finally, wrapping her fingers around his and squeezing, a mischievous look in her eyes as she smiled in a way she only did on the cusp of a new experience. "Let's do it." she whispered back, close enough to feel his breath on her face as she did so.

Words: 1087
Lyrics: Viva La Vida - Coldplay
Thoughts: Hook. Line. Sinker.

@shava4

[Deleted]

He nodded at her. It was a place which was hidden away from the world really in many ways. "Yeah my parents went to Greece for their honeymoon and loved it so much they built their house to remind them of it always. It can be quite a surprise realizing it's in the middle of London edge sometimes." The idea of doing it on the wedding day made him snort. "Ha! I suspect we will work something out. She's touchy about the rep though and we want to deny them the date not so much ruin the reputation so we'll see. Though it would be a fun scandal."

A sigh escaped him as he glanced around the courtyard. "Sort of. They seem to have spent enough time working on things to be committed to whatever arrangement they made. I think her parents are paying a lot of money and contacts and such." Again he snorted, softer though. "No, they know I am unhappy, but they also think they know me enough that I will still do what is expected. Of course, I get more money for going along with everything as well and they won't have that hanging over my head to control me afterwards so in a real sense I buy some permanent freedom from their control after this."

He paused with a smile. "I think eventually I can bring Leyshell around to what I want. I'm sort of good at that."

At the 'things' question he sort of glancd around again. "I never told you, but I draw. Art in a way I suppose, I don't think it's all that good to me, nothing I would sell, but it's not bad. My sister loves it and made me give her a piece to take to her home to remember me with, so it's pretty personal. And you know they say you can see into someones soul when you see their art." And despite what he had said, he saw in her that magnetism, saw the deep desire in her eyes for that random freedom, the breaking rules and knew as she caught up his hand agreeing to go that there was one more thing he had to do.

One more thing so she might be tempted to break more rules in the future. "Ah hell, the fidelity charm isn't on yet, you seductress you..." and Cameron leaned in close and kissed her, very passionately on the mouth for a good thirty seconds before pulling back. His voice barely on the edge of hearing he said "See you then, Alleana..."

ALLEANA LEI MOON