* nothing left to fear

meme.   ( just send me things tbh. )       @thebrightestwltch

realised after the fact that this is basically a sort of distant continuation of this.

          perhaps ron should have pretended to still be asleep. eventually, hermione would have moved to get on with her regular day. ron would have had the opportunity to avoid her. afterall, she worked like clockwork around james and it hadn’t taken ron long to get used to the schedule or where he should be and when. then again, james hadn’t stirred yet and ron knew it was a little later than usual - he was always awake like clockwork whenever the distant church bells of the village chimed in the early morning as they had done around half an hour ago. the lumpy, uncomfortable sofa bed left him sore enough to wake early despite always being one to love sleep. so even though he could have pretended to be asleep, he was laying there, on his back, staring at the chipping paint on the ceiling. and then there was hermione, strangely comforting and also altogether unnerving beside him. whether she was suffering with some heavy regret preventing her from leaving the sofa or it was more the wine leaving her quiet and unmoving despite also being awake, he wasn’t entirely sure. 

          blinking slowly at the suggestion, still not making any move to really announce he was awake, ron considered if it was possible. the previous evening had been rough. ron had grown to notice that a second bottle of wine being opened meant it was hermione’s turn to fall into a slump. he’d grown to learn how to subtly aid in making sure she got to bed, had a glass of water on the bedside table and wasn’t woken up by james. sometimes he cherished those nights. it made him feel guilty to wish hermione into that mental darkness, but it awarded him a night where he could look after his nephew and tell him grand stories about the good old days, about how great his parents had been. he wasn’t foolish enough to make promises he couldn’t keep, however. as much as he would have loved to promise james that one day they would take him to the zoo or that they’d get him whatever pet he could desire, ron wasn’t stupid enough to think that this confinement and hiding was just for a few months. perhaps at first he’d been hopeful, but now he was fully aware it was for the long haul.

          however, the previous evening hadn’t awarded him with that. instead, he’d been pulled into a kiss that had clouded all of his judgement. in the light of the morning, ron was sure that deep down in hermione’s subconscious she’d known that the physical reassurance was something ron couldn’t run away from. falling back into that routine was far too easy. while there wasn’t exactly the breathtaking and overwhelming positive love he’d experienced in the beginning of their relationship, in more than one way it was incredibly familiar and comforting. the kisses and touches and the connection between them was like riding a broom. it took no second guesses, almost like some carnal autopilot seeking comfort and an outlet for all of the pent up emotions and frustrations that they’d both been feeling for months as they skirted around each other.

          ❝ probably for the best, ❞ he croaked eventually once hermione began to move, voice still surprisingly sleepy despite having been awake for what felt like an eternity. there was no way they would forget about it. at least, ron couldn’t. it left him feeling confused, if he was being honest with himself. in the burnt out phase of their relationship, ron hadn’t wanted hermione’s company in any capacity. he didn’t want to talk to her and he certainly didn’t seek any physical affection from her. much like their arrangement now, he’d become very much acquainted with the sofa on the nights he spent in their home. he’d truly felt nothing for her. while it was harsh and painful to admit, it was true; for months nearing the end of their relationship he had felt nothing towards her. and yet, over the last few months he’d began to worry about her safety in the back of his mind. on nights where he couldn’t sleep, he’d formulate plans of how, should they be found, he could sacrifice himself to save james and hermione. and when she’d kissed him while drunk and beyond sad, he should have said no. he should have been the bigger person and stood his ground - his emotionless ground. but he, even in his entirely sober state, had needed that physicality just as much as she had.

“ she not working? ”  she’s a juxtaposition in heels,  dior dress and her eyes over the car next to him.  her hands go in instantly,  pop the top open and she finds herself working from memory,  as if her hands could not forget what they had spent so long doing.  in a past life,  she was a mechanic,  and in this one,   she is something else entirely.

      @brvckens liked.

          of course, the one time leo actually left the relative safety and peace of his rural home to head into the city would be the one time his car decided to pack in. true, while he was in every sense a handy guy with a plethora of impressive diy tasks under his belt, the mechanics of a car were beyond his specialty. even if he was acutely aware of airplane engines and their logistics, applying that to a motor vehicle had surpassed all of his know how entirely. after all, he’d never been much for being a student - he’d only wanted to fly the planes. ❝ recon it’s the battery? ❞ he was entirely unsure of himself. usually very blunt and to the point, his voice was far quieter and careful as he watched her work with complete curiosity. 

( sms : adam ) You webre toooootally stalkifng me ( sms : adam ) i demnda a rewatch ( sms : adam ) you and your buns shojuld come over ( sms : adam ) 🍆😈

               oh, that surge of pride stirred reminiscences in her. how many times had she made the same case in front of people like barron, insisting she did fine on her own and needed neither job nor shelter from the innkeeper, even as she lived on the rotting carcass of a ship ? circumstances had changed since then — her life had changed. still, it wasn’t the kind of thing you could just forget. ❛ then think of it as cushioning your funds if it pleases you, w.d. i read the papers, you know. i listen around. that’s how show-business works. as long as barnum does fine, so do you. but just in case it crashes and burns, i’d like to be certain neither of you find yourselves destitute. i hated people who expressed so much as the will to help me, you know. when i was anne’s age, a little younger. i don’t plan to drown you in jewels and gold bars. if you won’t use the money, which i understand, then save it, do whatever you’d like. just keep it somewhere you can reach if if you need it. ❜ this was as much of a compromise as she was willing to make, it seemed, and she punctuated it with another drink that burned her throat on its way down. she slid the bartender another bill, accepting one last bottle in return.                lila’s gaze sharpened at that, the woman crossing her arms in her seat. ❛ because i want to help people like us, and you know full well people like us rarely ever get into orphanages. it’s the poorhouse, or the street, and from there anyone’s mercy and your own two hands. oh, and a noose if you’re careless or clumsy. ❜ she’d resorted to stealing. the wheelers had to work at an age upper class sons and daughters were still schooled. and there was nothing for her to do now but go out and find the children she’d been, and spare them the same struggle.                ❛ truth be told, i’ve not the faintest idea how to handle that. ❜ she snorted, raising her eyebrows at w.d. ❛ still don’t know how my daughter managed to turn out the way she did, with me raising her. probably took it all from her father. ❜ these words disguised a deeper crack, the underlying fear that came with knowing she was much better at preserving her own life than that of others, the possible consequences should she unwittingly fail anne. ❛ someone has to pave the way, ❜ lila said grimly. ❛ i’m not saying it should be anne, or you. god knows i’d rather know you’re both safe. but the war ended not so long ago, and things are changing, slow as it may be. i can keep arguing my head off with english diplomats, but america’s another can of worms entirely. ‘course it was worse in my ma’s time. i do believe it can get better. ❜                she understood w.d’s concern all too well. as much as she wanted to believe carlyle had nothing but good intentions towards anne, years of ingrained caution pushed her into assuming the worst before she was proven wrong. lila poured herself another glass, gaze somber. ❛ i know someone like that, too. trusting and kind and prone to see redemption everywhere he can find it. he’s the best person i know, but he matured into it. she’ll be alright, i think, as long as you can look after her, even from a distance. the experience will come. if i can teach her only the good parts of the rest, i will. ❜ perhaps it was the alcohol speaking, temporarily untying her tongue, but she found herself babbling again. ❛ d’you trust that boy, phillip ? not just with anne, with everything. i know barnum does, but i’m interested in your opinion, not his. ❜

          ❝ if barnum crashes and burns, we’ll pick right up where we left off. they always need more hands at the shipyard. ❞ for as much as w.d. was stubborn about wanting to take care of himself and anne, he’d grown accustomed to the life being part of the circus provided. while the increased salary was more than welcome and the one bedroom flat they’d managed to afford rent of was beyond what he’d expected, the other perks were far more rich. having a family dynamic, close friendships, being able to perform and see how happy it made anne to be doing what she loved. going back to their old life wasn’t going to ruin them. they were survivors. however, it would break their spirits. he knew that much. ❝ i’m sure anne has been storing the gifts you give her away. she’s smart. ❞ w.d. relented. for as stubborn as he was in insisting lila keep her money, he was acutely aware that anne had the opposite view. for what lila gave them monetarily and through wisdom, w.d. knew they would never be able to repay her with anything - or if they could, it would be through anne’s quick wit and smarts rather than his own self. 

          ❝ in fact, i caught her the other day teaching a kid how to read. didn’t even know she knew how to read the fancy texts, ❞ w.d. laughed, a hand running over his head with a hint of embarrassment. he’d never learned to read beyond the very basics needed to get through life, same with writing. while anne had spent more time at home with their mother, learning more than he’d had the patience for, there was only so far their parents could take their education as former slaves. ❝ if she wouldn’t protest so much about leaving, i’d say take her with you and give her the education she deserves. ❞ a solemn smile fixed over his face at the prospect. anne was too old to force to do anything, not that he would have forced her in the slightest. yet, he feared that her intelligence was being wasted somehow and he’d not noticed it until too late. his hand shifted, resting on lila’s shoulder with a soft squeeze. family was a difficult subject to deal with for both of them in different ways. ❝ if you treat her half as well as you do us? i have no doubt why she turned out well. you’re a good woman, lila bard. for as much as i protest against your help, it doesn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated. ❞

          a warmth of affection rushed through him, perhaps exasperated by the introduction of more alcohol to his system running down into his stomach. ❝ as long as things keep changing and people want it to change? then that’s fine by me. barnum is doing a good thing giving a platform for those usually hidden. minds are changing slowly. we can’t expect miracles. ❞ of course, w.d.’s own prejudices against the rich and privileged were, perhaps, not aiding in creating a more equal society on his part. it was why he’d been skeptical of the likes of barnum, hesitant to entertain the idea of phillip having good intentions and certainly not hesitated in giving any protesters a piece of his mind - and fist. ❝ i can only do so much. she was easier to protect as a child, ❞ w.d. admitted, watching lila’s expression closely. while he’d been a child himself, he’d shouldered the role of being her brother and guardian without hesitation. however, he’d never considered that outside of her youth, anne growing into her own person with a stubborn mind and an open heart would be the most challenging. 

“predictable? i beg your pardon!” he huffs, downing the remainder of his drink. the devil likes to think himself the exact OPPOSITE, and he’s sure the detective agrees with him : despite how well she knows him he prides himself on the fact that he can and often does still surprise her. a frown appears on his face, born out of both his mild annoyance and confusion. “if sex isn’t what you’re after, i’m not sure how much assistance i’ll be able to provide. these emotions of yours are bloody inconvenient at the best of times.” naturally, he means HUMANITY as a whole, not her specifically, but he doesn’t bother to elaborate. “correct me if i’m wrong, but don’t most humans still like to keep their partners to themselves? so you looking for ROMANCE with someone who’s already in a committed relationship is, well. stupid, really.”

the club owner busies himself with pouring another drink and refilling her glass, figuring she could use it ; he then glances over to the man in question, giving odette an exasperated look. “my deal is with YOU, not him, and i’m certainly not going to sit here while you play matchmaker when you can’t even manage the same for yourself.” though, that’s not to say he isn’t filing that tidbit of information away for his own personal use at some point in the near future ; ‘ridiculously attractive and adventurous flautists’ are right up his alley, after all. or perhaps up theirs, if they so desire it…he’s flexible. “you’re not going to be ‘content’ unless you stop making things so UNNECESSARILY difficult. surely you’ve heard of single men?”

         ❝ i don’t mean to offend. being predictable is endearing in my eyes. someone walks past in tight trousers or a short skirt? i know you’re going to watch them walk by. comforting knowledge, some might say. ❞ as some might say, odette was basically digging her hole a little deeper. the pang of panic she felt after seeing the distress her words had caused her new friend - if they could be classed as friends - had left her scrambling to make amends. truthfully, she liked being around people she didn’t have to try and figure out. lucifer gave in to carnal desires and was very blunt and honest with her, which was far better than the usual innocent molly-coddling she dealt with regularly. ❝ you’ve never wished for long term companionship? ❞ she asked, leaning against the table some more with her elbow while intrigue settled onto her features. distracting herself from her romantic woes with getting so know someone else wasn’t a bad idea. especially when she’d vowed not to end up sleeping with said person no matter how many drinks he put in front of her. yet, his point pulled a heavy sigh from her and had her instantly taking a long drink from the refilled glass.