isn't it delicate

[Evelyn Brown]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","oneword1"]

[attr="class","fromyou1"]
Alexander Caius

sometimes when I look into your eyes I pretend you're mine, all the damn time

[attr="class","itsover"]

For weeks she has wrestled with her feelings, trying desperately to sort them out. All she knew was she was fine one day and then the next she was not. And it all came down to Lex. Ever since they danced together at the Den, she’s been overcome with strange flutterings and dizziness whenever she thought about him. It reminded her of what she had felt for Daniel, only this was more intense. He was her best friend, and has been since their days at school, and she fought what these feelings meant for so long. But after the holiday party where they danced yet again, she had to admit to herself that something was going on. Evie promised they’d meet up at the manor to brew potions and tend to plants, but she was starting to feel nervous about it and it had nothing to do with her entering a literal vampire den. Her heart yearned to see him again and it honestly scared her. There were so many reasons why she shouldn’t feel this way about him, yet here she was feeling it anyway. [break][break]

When the day came, Evie dressed herself warmly in a sweater and jeans, slipping her feet into a pair of boots. She twisted in front of the mirror, smoothing her sweater with her hands as she inspected her appearance. Butterflies were already fluttering around in her belly, her heart felt like it was floating in her chest. She let out a shaky breath and grabbed her wand off the dresser, tucking it into her handbag and draping it over her shoulder. Evelyn stood in front of the mirror for a few more moments before spinning on her heel and Apparating to Marrow Manor.[break][break]

She landed gracefully just outside the door, her gaze climbing up the manor’s exterior. From the outside, it looked a little daunting. Maybe even a little spooky. Evie swallowed, her eyes flicking back to the front door as she reached out to knock. The door creaked open eerily and she hesitated outside. “Alexander?” she called out before slowly stepping inside. The foyer was richly decorated, the chandelier casting the room in warm light. She looked around as she walked deeper into the room, searching for signs of life. She felt utterly alone. “Charles?” Perhaps he was at the library. After a few moments, a man came into the foyer looking as if he was about to leave. He stopped when he saw her and Evie froze as well. Her heart sped up anxiously. “I’m looking for Lex,” she squeaked, clearing her throat. “Would you be so kind as to take me to him?” The man, a vampire, nodded before waving her on to follow him. Evelyn swallowed down her fear and clutched her purse before following.[break][break]

As they walked, Evie observed the rest of the house. Charles must have done a lot to it over the years - it was rather beautiful. The further they got the more her unease settled. The vampire she was following seemed alright, even making some small talk as they continued into the house, and she knew she was one step closer to Lex. They rounded a corner and walked down a narrow hallway, coming to a stop outside the door at the end. “He’s in there,” said the man. Evie thanked him and watched as he turned around and left, those butterflies swarming inside her again. She took a deep breath and reached out to turn the knob, peeking inside as she opened the door. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. Lex was lounging on his bed reading a book. His bed was sitting on a platform and was surrounded by hundreds of books. There were books lining the shelves surrounding the platform and even some underneath it. Her mouth hung open as she stepped inside the room. He looked up from his book and Evie smiled apologetically. “Hi,” she breathed. “I’m sorry, I came a little early.” She walked forward, stepping up on the platform and going straight to the bookshelves. Her fingers brushed against the spines of the books, her eyes scanning their titles. Evie glanced back at Lex. “This is amazing, Lex. How many books are there?”

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[Alexander Caius]

Lex was rather overjoyed that he and Evelyn were back in touch. They had been best friends…but life had happened and they had sort of drifted apart. Lex had transformed and spent time finding his new self…Evie had committed to her relationship and schooling. And they had just taken different paths.

But now, they were reunited. And while Lex still held feelings for the girl…he wasn’t expecting any sort of reciprocation. He was just happy to have his best friend back in his life. And she was due to come by the manor today as well. That was a pleasant turn of events for the young vampire. He didn’t get many visitors.

But he had some time. So he was lounging on his bed, fully dressed and reading an old copy of Lord Of The Flies. It had been one of his favorite muggle novels and he often took time to just reread it.

But as he turned the next page, he heard the door open and he looked up. Evelyn. He instinctively smiled and his eyes flicked to the clock, assuming he must have lost track of the time as he had been reading. But the clock and Evie both confirmed that she was simply early. And that was okay. Lex sat up and closed his book, setting it aside as he watched his friend gravitate toward the cases of books.

This is amazing, Lex. How many books are there?

Lex grinned and shrugged.

”I had a rather large collection to begin with. But working with Charles…he occasionally gives me copies of books he has extras of…”

He stood and crossed to her, reaching higher than she could likely reach before his fingers gripped a book about magical maladies brought on by various herbs. He held it out to Evelyn with a smile.

”You might like this one, actually.”

[Evelyn Brown]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","oneword1"]

[attr="class","fromyou1"]
Alexander Caius

sometimes when I look into your eyes I pretend you're mine, all the damn time

[attr="class","itsover"]

Evelyn didn’t think she’d seen so many books outside of a library. There were muggle books and wizarding books that she recognized, but many she did not. It excited her. She could spend the rest of her life here, reading book after book without ever getting bored. Evie hummed softly when he spoke, her fingers and eyes still inspecting the books. Her own collection paled in comparison; she was quite envious. She could hear the bed shifting as he stood up and she looked over at him with a smile. A subtle, enticing smell hit her as he reached for a book high up on the shelf and Evelyn blushed. Was that his cologne or just his natural scent? She was sure she hadn’t noticed it before. It was like she was standing in front of a mountain spring. Evie cleared her throat, trying to will her shyness away as she took the book from him. Her fingers smoothed over the cover. Yes, she’d like this indeed. “Thank you,” she said, smiling softly as she looked up at his face. “I’ll return it to you when I’ve finished.” Evie tucked the book away safely in her bag. “This really is marvelous,” she told him, gesturing to all the books around them.[break][break]

As much as she’d love to sit here and talk about books for hours, they did have a plan in mind. Evelyn clapped her hands together and grinned. “Shall we?” They could tend to the plants and pick what they needed to brew. Evie didn’t know what they’d be brewing, but she was willing to do anything. More butterflies came as she slid her hand in his, clutching his arm with her other hand. She didn’t know her way around and despite Emanuel’s kindness to her, she was still a little leery of being surrounded by vampires. With Lex, she felt safe. [break][break]

She followed him through the manor’s corridors, her eyes taking in the rest of the place. The whole house seemed to be decorated in a Victorian-esque manner. She found she quite liked it. Some vampires were milling about here and there, waving to Lex and even stopping him to talk. She could feel their eyes on her and listened as Lex explained who she was. It must have been some time since they last had a human visit. Except Professor Barlowe she assumed. Evie kept a grip on his hand until they had made it outside. The greenhouse was directly in front of them. It was charming - Evie couldn’t help but smile when she saw it. As they entered she let go of his hand, feeling the absence of his touch keenly, and walked up to a row of familiar plants. “They look so healthy,” she marveled, her fingers gently touching the leaves. “What are we brewing anyway?” Evie turned to look at Lex. “I haven’t the faintest idea.”

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[Alexander Caius]

As Evie seemed to appreciate the book he had handed her, Lex smiled, his pearly whites glistening in the light. He enjoyed being able to make others happy...especially Evelyn. She mentioned returning the book and he shook his head.

"No worries...it's yours now."

She seemed ready to go so Lex nodded and slipped his shoes on before opening the door. He hadn't expected her to take his hand and a small fluttering in his stomach caught his attention as he looked down at her. Her other hand came to rest on her bicep and suddenly, Lex understood. That was a safety stance. She was in a mansion full of vampires. Even if they were kind and gentle...they still had the ability to tear her apart. And she was scared. He was a safety net for her.

He lead her through the halls of the manor...occasionally stopping to chat with various residents of the manor and introducing Evelyn along the way. As they walked toward the back door, he smiled down at her.

"I believe that Danica will be around later this evening."

He shot her a wink and held open the door for her, the pair of them stepping out into the brisk, winter air. The greenhouse was just ahead and it took them no time to get there. Opening that door for her too, he watched her enter the greenhouse and look around.

They look so healthy.

Lex nodded and shrugged. He and the other few vampires that enjoyed tending to the plants didn't have too much else to do to occupy their time. Then she asked what they would be brewing and Lex sighed, his brow furrowing as he thought about it. And as an idea set it, he chuckled.

"We could see if amortentia has any effect on vampires? Slip a little bit in Rodolpho's tankard later?"

He chuckled to himself. Lex hadn't been known for being a prankster...but he did enjoy the occasional joke. Besides...it would be a good science project to see if it actually worked!

[Evelyn Brown]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","oneword1"]

[attr="class","fromyou1"]
Alexander Caius

sometimes when I look into your eyes I pretend you're mine, all the damn time

[attr="class","itsover"]

She hadn’t expected him to give her the book and she opened her mouth to protest, but closed it promptly with a smile. That was kind of him, she thought, a pleasant warmth spreading through her. There were few people she knew who shared a love of books like her. Tova was one, but it was Lex who stood before her with a beautiful collection he decided to share with her. Evie felt very grateful to have such a friend. Something inside her stirred, a thought wisping away in the vestiges of her mind. She knew what it was, so she chose to ignore it and instead took his hand and followed him out of his room.[break][break]

Meeting all the vampires was a little overwhelming for the bird, but she managed to greet every one of them with a smile. Hearing that Professor Barlowe would be here later was enough to put her at ease. Professor Barlowe and her had become Animagi together; she respected her on so many levels and if she felt comfortable here, then she supposed she could, too. Evie visibly relaxed as she stepped through the door frame and into the crisp, cold air. Her breath caught as it hit her, a light laugh escaping her. She stepped into the greenhouse when he opened the door for her.[break][break]

Evelyn had asked what potion they’d be brewing and Lex came back with an interesting suggestion. Amortentia was complicated and difficult, but she had to admit the idea of brewing it appealed. She tried to tell herself it was because it was a challenge, but she suspected there were other reasons. “Rodolpho. The tall, dark, and handsome fellow?” she asked, somewhat teasing. “Whose hair are you going to put in it, yours or mine?” Evie grinned at him playfully before turning to trim some of the roses. If they were going to brew Amortentia, they would need them. She could summon the rest. “It sounds as good of a plan as any,” she told him, holding her bouquet of roses below the thorns. “And I am curious.” Evelyn turned to him, a small smile playing on her lips. [break][break]

After setting aside the roses, they tended to the plants together. It was quick work - they didn’t need a whole lot of tending - and Evie was ready to start brewing. She looked up at Lex with a warm smile, her gaze focused on the soft crimson of his eyes. She could feel the fluttering inside her belly as she stared into them and her breath caught in her throat. Evelyn looked away quickly and cleared her throat, moving to pick up the roses where she left them. “It takes a minute to brew Amortentia, so we better get to it,” she said, holding the roses close to her heart. As if that would make these feelings go away. She held out her hand. “Will you lead me?”

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[Alexander Caius]

Inside the cozy warmth of the greenhouse and safe from the biting chill of the winter air, Lex smiled at his friend. The way the cold air had nipped at her nose and left it adorably red made him smile a bit and then moved deeper into the greenhouse.

She seemed intrigued by his idea of brewing amortentia and as she playfully described Rodolpho as tall, dark, and handsome, Lex shot her a look of mocking hurt. He chuckled and nudged her playfully.

"Got a sudden eye for vampires?"

As she shot back and asked who's hair would be going into the brew, he smirked and held up a small vial with a long red hair in it.

"He and Isolda have been beating around the bush for decades...it's time they either kiss or move it along. Best case...it works and we fast track them. Worst case...vampires are immune to the brew and we learn something new!"

He shot her a wink and for a moment, the two just stared at each other. It was...new behavior and Lex had to remind himself that this was likely in his head. Evie had never returned his feelings. And that was okay...but he was struggling to keep the lines drawn in his mind.

We better get to it.

Lex nodded and as she held out her hand, he smiled softly, taking it in his own and hoping the cold of his touch didn't bother her too much as he lead her. The greenhouse had a spiral staircase that lead to a lower level and he began to gently lead her down, guiding her so that she wouldn't slip.

But if she did...he would catch her. He'd never let any harm befall her in his presence. Even if that harm was simply a scraped knee.

[Evelyn Brown]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","oneword1"]

[attr="class","fromyou1"]
Alexander Caius

sometimes when I look into your eyes I pretend you're mine, all the damn time

[attr="class","itsover"]

“Got a sudden eye for vampires?”[break][break]

Heat rose instantly to her face. Not that particular vampire, she thought, but didn’t say it. She got herself together rather quickly, choosing to tease him about the hair they’d use. A sly smirk pulled at his lips and he held up a vial with a single coppery hair in it. Was he planning this all along? Evie was thankful they wouldn’t have to test it out with either of their DNA, but the readiness in which he had it made her think he wanted to brew Amortentia all along. Was it to see what she smelled? Evelyn felt a little nervous now. The last time she smelled it, it reminded her of Daniel. But had it changed as her feelings did? She distracted herself from these thoughts by cutting the roses, nodding along to what he was saying. Her curiosity would win out over her nerves and she knew she’d help him brew it anyway.[break][break]

The moment between them felt charged and she had a sudden urge to kiss him. Evie swallowed that down and broke the tension by looking and stepping away. This was all moving too fast for her liking, but she couldn’t help the things she was feeling. She took a deep, steadying breath before telling him they should probably get to brewing. He nodded and took her hand, the butterflies swarming once more in her gut, and led her down a spiraling staircase. Evie stepped down carefully, but on the last few steps her heel slipped and she started to fall. A soft ‘oh’ escaped her before Lex caught her in his arms and pulled her up. In doing so, she had gotten turned around and was now facing him, his arms wrapped protectively around her. The close proximity brought a blush to her cheeks, that scent she smelled earlier intoxicating as it filled her senses. “Erm,” she let out a shaky breath. “Thank you.” She was hyper-aware of his hands on her and she quickly stepped out of the embrace and climbed down the rest of the stairs, her body shaking a little with anxiety. [break][break]

She struggled to get herself together, but by the time Lex was beside her again she had it figured out. Evie cast a glance at him, offering him a small smile, before walking to where the cauldron was. She pulled her wand out of her handbag and summoned the rest of the ingredients out of thin air. Evelyn often kept potion ingredients on hand for whenever she might need them. Her fingers gently filtered through them, arranging them in the order they’d need them, before she used her wand to light a fire and fill the cauldron with water. While they waited for the water to start simmering, she turned back to Lex. “I assume you remember how to brew it,” she told him, smiling. Lex was always the brightest out of all her friends. She felt it was a shame that he couldn’t use magic anymore because he was a force to be reckoned with. “Tell me, do you think it will work?”

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[Alexander Caius]

The way the heat rose to her face and her blood rushed a little faster wasn't lost on Lex. Was there a vampire that had caught her eye? He was convinced it couldn't be him...but someone had to have tickled her fancy for her to react that way. And he couldn't help the pang of jealousy that hit him. It was one thing when it was a wizard...but another vampire?

The two made their way down the spiral stairs and despite Lex doing his best not to let Evie slip...she did. His arms quickly and instinctively circled around her waist to catch her and as the two found themselves face to face and in such close proximity, Lex couldn't help the way his breath hitched in his throat. It was like something out of a movie...all he had to do was close the gap.

But Evelyn had other plans.

Slipping out of his embrace, she awkwardly thanked him and continued down the rest of the staircase. Inwardly, Lex kicked himself. Of course she didn't want to kiss him. She never had. Why would she now?

Once at his cauldron, Lex returned her smile...and turned to start gathering ingredients. But the floated by him and he paused. Of course...Evie still had magic. He grabbed a box of tinder matches...but quickly put them back with an awkward chuckle as, once again, Evelyn utilized her wand to get it all started.

I assume you remember how to brew it?

Lex grinned and nodded.

"Of course," he offered. He reached out, grabbing the first bit of ingredient and adding it to the cauldron once it was ready. His long, nimble fingers grabbed the wooden spoon laying there and he slowly stirred as he watched her. She asked if he thought it would work and he shrugged.

"Would be interesting if it did...might mean there's more humanity to us than the world thinks."

Without looking, he reached for the next ingredient...but he overshot, his fingers brushing her own accidentally.

"Oh...sorry," he offered, pulling his hand back and returning his gaze to the cauldron.

[Evelyn Brown]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","oneword1"]

[attr="class","fromyou1"]
Alexander Caius

sometimes when I look into your eyes I pretend you're mine, all the damn time

[attr="class","itsover"]

Evelyn was completely oblivious to Lex’s true feelings for her. All she thought she was doing was ruining a friendship by developing this… this… she really didn’t want to name it because she didn’t want to ruin what they had. Despite all this going on with her emotions, she was really happy to have Lex back in her life. She didn’t want something to happen and for that to go away. That’s why she’s fought this so hard. How could she risk losing her best friend? She lost Daniel like that. Evie was trying her best to keep things the way they were.[break][break]

His soft chuckle reached her ears, she turned to look, noticing him setting down the matches and heat rushed to her face. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said with a small grimace. She lifted her wand before putting it back in her bag. “It’s a bad habit.” Work had been so hectic lately, Evie was always having to use her wand to do things quicker. She and Cara had been floating down to Creature Induced Injuries to help out with the overflow of patients. Evelyn was often working four or five 12 hour shifts a week and she supposed she was a little tired from it all. She smiled as Lex came beside her by the cauldron, watching as he placed the first ingredient in and started stirring. [break][break]

“...might mean there’s more humanity to us than the world thinks.”[break][break]

She was about to tell him that she knew that there was without this experiment, but he had reached for more ingredients and his fingers brushed against hers instead. Electricity sparked at the brief contact and color rose to her cheeks. Lex retracted his hand immediately and whispered an apology. Her head shook almost imperceptibly as he did. “No, it’s… it’s okay,” she said quietly, her hand rising to rest on her chest. Her heart was beating rapidly beneath her touch. “And I know there’s more humanity to vampires,” she added after a beat. The proof was right in front of her. Lex was still the Lex she knew during school, only he was elevated to a higher state of being.[break][break]

She watched as he put the second ingredient in, content to just let him do the rest. Evie leaned against the table, her gaze fixed on his face. He looked so focused. So… handsome. Her heart fluttered a little as she watched him, a light, bubbly feeling stirring up in her gut. “How do you plan on slipping this to Rodolpho?” she asked curiously after a few moments.

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[Alexander Caius]

It's a bad habit.

Lex grinned and shook his head. "No it's not," he offered with a smiled. "You have magic, might as well use it, yeah?"

Sure, Lex was still bummed about not being able to use magic anymore and he was still very much getting used to living life without it. But he would never fault anyone for using magic when they had it. That would be silly. It would carry a similar weight to the world just assuming that all he wanted to do was eat them all. Did Lex feed on humans? Yes, occasionally. But it was always consensual and never to the detriment of the volunteers. But most of the time, Lex survived on the blood of animals. He wasn't the monster the world painted him to be.

And as Evie voiced that she knew there was humanity in him and his found family, Lex brought his eyes up to meet hers. And for a moment, they just stood there...watching each other. Lex kicked himself internally. He needed to get his shit together. There was no way that Evelyn was interested in the likes of him. He was just seeing what he wanted to see. So when he finally pulled his eyes away from her...he just focused intently on what he was brewing.

But then she asked about Rodolpho and how he planned to slip it to him. Lex just grinned, still keeping his eyes on the cauldron as he worked.

"Won't be hard...the man loves a good glass of bourbon. We'll just slip in a drink and take it to him. He won't say no to it."

[Evelyn Brown]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","oneword1"]

[attr="class","fromyou1"]
Alexander Caius

sometimes when I look into your eyes I pretend you're mine, all the damn time

[attr="class","itsover"]

She supposed her magic wasn’t a bad habit, it was more so that she used magic for everything, never taking a moment to do things by hand. Evelyn felt sad, like she had let Lex down, even though he probably would beg to differ. He didn’t seem to be bothered by it, but this was supposed to be a way for him to connect to the former version of himself and here she was speeding through it with magic. His smile was reassuring, however, so her sadness was short lived. She decided that she would let him lead the rest.[break][break]

Their eyes met and time stood still. Her breath caught in her chest, her hazel eyes wide with wonder. It was moments like these that Evelyn felt it was real, that her feelings had meaning and so did his. Part of her stirred, wanting to move to be closer to him, but then he tore his gaze away from her and she felt empty again, her whole self deflating. Heat rose to her face and Evie focused her attention on her bag, her fingers running along the leather as she tried to get a handle on the sudden dip of her mood. She tried to tell herself it was better this way, that their friendship would remain intact, but the heavy weight of her sadness crept up on her before she knew it and her heart ached.[break][break]

Evie managed to rally her spirits well enough to look upon him again, her heart fluttering a little as she watched him. She asked him a question and she listened thoughtfully to his answer. Evelyn wasn’t typically one for deceit, but her curiosity overpowered her moral code on this matter. Did potions work on vampires? Her gut told her that yes, they did, but her mind questioned it. For a potion as powerful as Amortentia, the effects could be catastrophic. Feeling a sudden sense of urgency, Evie reached out to place her hand on top of Lex’s. “Are you sure this is a good idea? We have no idea what will happen…” her worry was written on her features. She didn’t really know Rodolpho, but she couldn’t bear the thought of them causing harm to him.[break][break]

Assuming Lex took a moment to comfort and reassure her, Evelyn reluctantly removed her hand from his, her fingers tingling. She wrung her hands together as she anxiously watched him stir in more ingredients. They were nearing the end, the potion already showing some of that pearly sheen and her nerves were a little frayed. Evie was anticipating what she’d smell and she knew it would link back to Lex somehow. Would he smell anything, she wondered. Finally, there was one remaining ingredient and Evelyn reached out to pick it up, stepping in close to Lex as she dumped it in. A few more stirs and it was complete. [break][break]

She held her breath, scared to breathe the steam in, but eventually she had no choice but to. “I smell…” she trailed off as her senses were flooded with the scent of a mountain spring, pages of an old book, and a metallic-y scent that she immediately thought was blood. Her face burned red as it just confirmed to her what she was afraid of. Her gaze snapped to Lex, her lips parted as she considered telling him. And ruin your friendship? Evelyn’s insides were crawling with anxiety, her heart beating rapidly in her chest, but her eyes were focused on the soft crimson of his, drifting downward to rest on his lips. Without thinking, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his, her hands sliding up his chest to rest on his shoulders. For a moment, she lost herself in the kiss, warmth flooding her body and a lightness bubbling in her throat. But then the realization hit and she snapped backward, her fingers coming to her lips. “Oh I’m - I’m so sorry.” She scrambled to get herself together and started for the stairs.

ulla

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[Alexander Caius]

A soft hand came to rest over his own and Lex turned his crimson eyes to her as she spoke. She was always so sweet and so caring. It was endearing. He offered her a small smile, placing his cold hand over her soft, warm one.

"Evelyn...darling...we're dead..."

Sure...that might have been a tad blunt. But it was true. A potion wasn't going to change anything. Honestly, Lex didn't think it was going to work at all. He supposed he'd find out once the brew was done...if he could smell anything, perhaps it would be indicative of it possibly working.

Evelyn seemed to accept the answer and Lex offered her another soft smile as he continued to work. And as she stepped in to handle the last steps...he watched her through eyes filled with admiration and adoration. She was such a bright witch. One of the brightest of her year...right there with young Tova. He had always loved it about her. She was just...effortlessly brilliant.

The potion was finished and he watched as she breathed in...he did the same but...

He couldn't smell anything. It made his gut lurch slightly. He really was...dead. There was nothing more to him, was there? He watched her closely as she peered up at him. Was she realizing it? Was she fully realizing there was nothing to him? He opened his mouth to speak but...

Her lips caught his and he immediately melted into the kiss.

Dead or not...every cell that made up his animated corpse lit up and he felt a warmth spread through him that he hadn't felt since before the attack. But all too fast, she pulled away, apologizing and moving to leave. And Lex couldn't let her go that easily. He'd waited so long for that moment. So his hand shot out, gently grabbing her wrist and pulling her back. Once she was in his arms, he pressed his lips to hers again and he did his best to let her feel how warm the torch he carried for her was.

When he pulled back, he breathed out softly, a tiny smile on his features.

"I've wanted that for so long," he whispered, his hand softly tucking her hair behind her ear.

[Evelyn Brown]

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Alexander Caius

sometimes when I look into your eyes I pretend you're mine, all the damn time

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She hadn’t even taken two steps before Lex’s fingers wrapped around her wrist and tugged her back to him. A soft ‘oh’ hung on her lips as he wrapped her in his arms and caught her lips in a warm kiss. Evelyn’s mind was spinning, her heartbeat racing as the warmth spread to her cheeks. Never in her nineteen years on earth had she been kissed like this. Lex put feeling into the kiss, but it was still delicate as his lips moved against hers. Evie melted into him, her hands coming back up to his shoulders, fingers digging in gently. What did this mean? Did he feel the same as she did? The questions swirled about a moment before they disappeared, her mind overtaken by the feeling of his lips on her.[break][break]

“I’ve wanted that for so long.”[break][break]

Evelyn gazed up at him, all doe-eyed with a rosy blush along her cheekbones. She struggled to put meaning to his words, only staring into his eyes as she tried to process it. For so long… Her lips parted. “I - I don’t…” Evie blinked up at him. “How long?” How long had he carried this flame for her? And how come she never knew? Memories of their time at Hogwarts filled her head, looking for some sign, some… inkling that he had felt this way about her. The color on her face only deepened as she recalled some of their most intimate moments together. The two of them had always been close, but in the year before his death they had been closer than ever.

ulla

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[Alexander Caius]

Yes, it was still difficult for Lex to process it all. He was dead…it was a fact he had spent two years coming to grips with. And his inability to smell the amortentia was both heartbreaking and very revealing. He shouldn’t be able to feel what he was feeling right now.

Lex had felt some things for Theodora. He would always cherish the time he had spent with the witch. But what he was feeling right now for Evelyn entirely paled what he felt for Theodora. This is what the young vampire imagined love must feel like. He made a mental note to seek Charles and his advice later in the evening…but for now, his focus was on Evie.

How long?

He smiled softly as his eyes flicked over her face.

”Since fifth year,” he admitted. His bit his lip softly, wondering if she would put together that that was about the same time he had broken up with Wilhelmina…sure, part of their break up had been Willie wanting to focus on quidditch. But the other part had been Lex feeling too guilty about how he felt about Evelyn. It hadn’t been Willie he wanted. It had been Evelyn.

And he had never stopped wanting her. He didn’t think he ever would.

[Evelyn Brown]

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Alexander Caius

sometimes when I look into your eyes I pretend you're mine, all the damn time

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“Since fifth year.”[break][break]

Evelyn sucked in a breath, her lips parted as she gazed up at him with wonder. That was four years ago, Evie just freshly fifteen. That was around the time he and Willie broke up and the two of them started hanging out a lot more. Heat flooded her cheeks as she realized she’s swooned about BTS and Daniel to Lex on many occasions, and all this time he had feelings for her. All this time she’s been chasing a storybook romance and it was sitting right in front of her. Tears started to well in her eyes, part of her wondering if she had noticed him like she did now if she could have prevented his transformation. It was foolish to think such thoughts or to feel such guilt about something that has already happened and therefore could not be changed, but her heart didn’t seem to get that memo. Evelyn blinked and a couple tears broke their bonds and trickled down her face.[break][break]

“I’m so sorry… I didn’t know,” she whispered, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Evie took in a shuddering breath, overcome with her emotions. There was so much they could have had if she had just opened her eyes to the truth. There was so much that could have been avoided. So much heartbreak and tragedy. But perhaps it was always meant to work out like this. Her Divination lessons taught her that fate had a funny little knack for taking you down the hard path. Evelyn whimpered a little before falling into his arms and pressing herself against his chest. “I was so blind,” she uttered softly, her voice cracking.[break][break]

After a few moments, she sniffled and rose up to look Lex in the eye, wiping her eyes as she did. She wouldn’t allow herself to cry anymore about things she couldn’t change. It didn’t matter because this was their reality and all that did matter was they were here, now. A soft smile pricked at the corners of her mouth, a hand rising to rest against his face, thumb sweeping along his cheekbone. “I like you Alexander,” she told him, her smile widening. “I know it’s taken me a long time, but I can no longer deny what I’m feeling.”

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