♥ anagapesis ♥

There was a brief flash of tension as he hoped that Avalon would only take the drink tossing as a joke, cleaning cocktails out from his hair was a task he had no praticular desire to perform. But then she smiled and raised the glass up to her lips and Rion could feel the tension flood out from his shoulders. “It was a decent night,” he shrugged, taking the opportunity to get closer to Avalon. He much preferred being up next to her. “Would have been a lot better with you by my side, though. I would have felt less lonely that way.”

The word lonely caused her to pause. Frank’s accusation, though immediately followed by an apology at the time, briefly flickered in her mind. Curious, Avalon gently bit her lip, eyeing him as she matched him, moving in closer towards him. “No one kept you company?” Then a lift of her chin; a minute gesture- as if to remind him that she had not been alone.

Well that was simply plain annoying, Avalon could at least give him some kind of hint for what drink she wanted but no, she was of no use. “I’ll be back in just a moment,” Rion smiled. He headed straight towards the bar, fighting the urge to visibly sigh in front of her. He returned a few minutes later, a cosmopolitan in one hand and a whiskey in the other. “Hopefully this is right for you,” he said, simply ignoring the fact that Avalon was using a phone he was only partly sure wouldn’t work here. “And if not, well, at least you have two drinks to through over me.”

Avalon did not lift her eyes from her phone screen— continuing to swipe right then left, looking at all the apps that she could not use— until Rion returned with drinks in hand. Hearing him speak, she clicked the screen black and stowed it away before looking up at him, her hand tossing her blonde hair back off her shoulder. “Hopefully,” she replied, a faint smile to her pink lips as she took the cosmopolitan from his hands. It wasn’t her favorite drink, but it was one that she approved of— meaning he was safe from splashed drinks for the time being. Still, wanting to set the record straight, Avalon eyed the drink for a few seconds, hoping that he would worry and that her value to him would truly sink in for him to appreciate, before bringing it to her lips for a small sip. “Did you at least have a nice night?” With a single question, she released him, Rion now hook. Whether he’d get back on was up to him and his answers.

The blonde seemed to soften beneath his fingers, a little shift in her stance that let Rion know that he had done something, at least partly, right. “Thank you, Avalon,” he kissed her cheek briefly before turning his attention to the bar. He wracked his brain for anything that might help him work out what she wanted. “I want to say a cosmopolitan? But after what I’ve put you through tonight I think everyone would understand if you were after something stronger.” He really hoped that this wasn’t a test, Rion was in no mood to have a drink thrown over him.

Avalon kept her lips pursed, giving Rion no indication if he was right one way or another. She was his girlfriend, he ought to know her drink order— ignoring the fact that their last drink had been fast-tracked to his bedroom. “Whatever you think, babe.” Then habit had her hand slipping into her purse to reach for her wanting, wanting a distraction and excuse to hold her silence; the Wizarding World and its grudge against modern technology, however, prevented her the saving grace of Instagram feeds and text messages. Still, her thumb swiped across the home screen to keep up her act long enough.

For once, Rion found himself wishing that Avalon would keep talking like she normally did, that the words would just keep coming from her lips as usual. But no, all she gave him were two short words which stank of incrimination. And maybe she was right in blaming him but that didn’t make hearing the words any less galling. “I am, I will. Just give me a chance.” He reached a hand up to her face, giving Avalon a little smile before he spoke again. “Anything you want, alright? Anything you want and I can get it for you, my dear.”

Though her cold front had started to melt away the more effort Rion put in to try to fight for her, she did not completely soften to his touch; with his hand upon her cheek, she managed a light sigh, a drop of her shoulders, and then- “This is your second chance, babe.” A correction. And a warning, second chances not often something she gave out. The last had been to Calix and that history was still sore, too much so that Avalon blinded herself to the parallels. “I don’t know,” she lied, looking towards the bar, her chin lifted higher. “You tell me.” It was a test. Avalon was curious to see if he’d pass, or if the wrong drink would set her off.

“I’m not saying he kissed you because he’s jealous of me; you’re beautiful, he’d have to be an idiot not to want to kiss you. But I’ve always had lots of things that people want and lucking my way into dating the hottest girl from school must have irked him.” That was the explanation, that could be the only reasonable explanation. “But you’re right, it was just a kiss. Nothing serious.”

There were many things Rion had expected but Avalon walking away was not one of them. She did look good walking away and he did absolutely want another smoke but he knew that was not the best choice to make. He’d spent enough time with Audelia to know what a trap those suggestions were. “Avalon, wait,” he ran to catch up with her and placed a hand on her shoulder, the other taking her hand. “Yes, I did stop looking for you and that is completely on me. But I’m new to this whole committed, monogamous kind of thing and I’m trying, okay?” He had to get her to understand, to make her think that he cared for her. Rion wasn’t about to let all of his hard work go to waste. “I’m trying to the kind of guy that you deserve.”

It could have been the liquor that was confusing hear or maybe Rion’s explanation was roundabout as it felt in her head, but it all still sounded like he was talking about jealousy. That aside, his compliment came through clear as the crystals of a chandelier.

Avalon was equal parts upset and relieved as she felt Rion’s touch. The part of her that was still angry wanted furiously to stomp her heel into the toe of his shoe, but the winning side of her silenced that need; he had, after all, come running for her— even if it were only a few meters’ run. As he gave her his excuse, Avalon stopped in place, forcing the club-goers to wait or walk around. Her eyes had not immediately looked to him— having fought to hold onto some of her frustration towards Rion— but did so once he had finished speaking. “Try harder.” If tonight proved anything, it was that she was in demand. Though she fancied herself a romantic, Avalon wasn’t the type of girl to stay very long; she would find something wrong, she always did.

“Longbottom?” Rion had to pause for a moment, working hard to make sense of it all. “I always knew he was jealous of me but this? This is … unacceptable.” He would need to be having words with Longbottom and soon, there were some things that Rion could not let slide and this wound to his pride demanded compensation.

“Wait, wait, wait, Avalon, honey, that’s not what I meant.” So what had he meant? Quick solutions were only easy when you were sober. “Of course I wanted to find you, there’s no-one I would prefer to spend my time with.” That was only partly a lie; she was pretty self-centred but that just made it easier to keep her around. “I meant that I wish that I hadn’t stopped looking for you. That I hadn’t thought you were back home.” Hopefully that would work.

“I doubt he kissed me because he’s jealous of you.” Avalon was not even sure if jealousy was part of the equation. Self-confidence had always convinced her that she was the reason people drew interest: not a need for a quick lay or questionable motives, but pure infatuation with her. There had been something in Frank’s eyes... something beyond jealousy. “Either way, it was just a kiss. One kiss.” Had that been all that it was?

Avalon remained pulled away from Rion, body leaned back, though her hand remained upon his chest. She listened to his explanation as the club’s noise filtered out into the street. “You did stop looking for me. That’s the thing!” She stripped herself free from him now, heels walking just two steps back. It may have been a ridiculous critique had he truly not gotten her letter, but sense did not always have to play a part in Avalon’s demands. Her expectations were high and right now they were not being met. “You can finish smoking your cigarette,” she said sharply as her hands ran smoothly over her dress- tipsy but forever concerned about a wrinkled appearance. “I’m going inside and getting a drink. You can find me when you’re done. If you can be bothered.” Avalon turned away from him with one last criticizing, disappointed look before practically stomping inside Toil and Trouble. The music and the lights and the people were all overwhelming, causing her already fast beating heart to quicken. So much was confusing right now but Avalon was certain she needed a tall glass of something fruity and strong.

“It just feels wrong to think of him liking me when he obviously likes someone else…” At Avalon’s sudden question, Bristol’s eyes went wide and she shook her head quickly. “No, no, oh Merlin no, definitely not Rion. No, I wouldn’t do that to you. Rion is completely yours, I promise.” While she’d had quite a few fun evenings with Rion - mostly as his wingwoman, and once or twice in his bed - seeing how he was had pretty much destroyed any chance of a potential crush. She didn’t think she’d have been able to keep him under control. It was amazing that Avalon could, though not really a surprise. Anyone who thought of cheating on Avalon was surely not right in the head. “Really, Avalon, do you think I’d bring this up at all if it involved you? You’re my friend, I would never. No, I just think that you may have um dated the guy I like? I don’t really remember.” 

“They’re just thoughts, Bristol, it’s not like you’re actually kissing him yet.” Avalon released a light breath as Bristol was quick to deny any happenings between her and Rion. There was still a chance that the girl could have been lying, but she didn’t sense anything and any lingering doubts would have been shot away once the hints grew more telling. “Someone I date?” Avalon’s head tilted to the side, her eyes searching Bristol’s, as if somewhere in there she would find the answer. Twenty-two names to sort through, at least she could toss aside the muggles. Then the name came to her and Avalon stood taller, hands reaching for the girl’s. “Is it James? It’s either him or Calix. Oh, now you’ve got to tell me.”

“No, no there’s really no chance of that, I promise.” Bristol had once been good at hiding things but there was something about fondness and love… she could never truly hide it. So no matter what she said, she knew Avalon wouldn’t believe her. “I mean… yeah, you do. Quite well…” If Bristol remembered correctly - though there was a big chance she didn’t given Avalon had had quite the fair amount of suitors - her friend had had something with James at one point. 

“What, because they’re in a relationship? No,” Avalon shook her head. “Believe me, Bristol, feelings change. Personally, I wouldn’t rule anything out unless they tell you no straight to your face.” She pondered on the ‘quite well,’ her lips pursed and light lines drawn across her forehead. Close to her and in a relationship. Avalon held herself taller, looking to Bristol with a suspicious narrow of her eyes. “It’s not Rion, is it?” While relationships weren’t always free of wandering eyes or feelings, Avalon wanted no part of it in hers.

Fabia sighed, scratching her head. “I have no idea what’s in the cabinet, honestly. I’ve never looked.” Though many her brothers, especially Fergus and Felix, had been known to steal sips from a young age, Fabia had always been good. Her parents weren’t big drinkers, but they were well stocked in wine and other beverages, many of the bottles gifts from happy customers.

Avalon’s eyebrows rose, though the girl’s admission should not have come at all as a shock. “Never? Fab.” Her shoulders dropped with a sigh. But that was it, it was decided- she was going down to fetch them a bottle. Clearly her friend needed to learn how to live a little. “You can stay here but I’m going to get us something to drink.” She wasn’t asking for permission; Avalon was merely relaying her intentions before she turned, reached for the handle of the door, and snuck through into the hallway.