#gideline

Forever can never be long enough for me To feel like I've had long enough with you Forget the world now, we won't let them see But there's one thing left to do

"She was a princess, who lived in a tower. But then she met a boy, a stable boy really, who bet too much, and who dragged her on adventures around the castle. And they fell in love, and he was going to marry her when a war started and the princess and the stable boy had to fight.

How're your holidays going? So far, mine've been a bit of a drudge - seem to find myself at Moll and Arthur's, playing with their tots than doing anything productive, or grown up, now that I'm - a pause for dramatic effect dearest Vance - out of school. Merlin, 't'is a frightening thought, to know I've got nothing cement for the year. Maybe I should take up busking tables at the Leaky Cauldron... Think I've got it in me to charm the patrons into a nice and hefty tip?

Flat-hunting's slow-going though, really; what we can afford's pretty dingy, and I just can't see myself or Fab really going all out with making it homey and stuff... Actually, now that I think about it, Molly'd probably nab us by the ears and actually make us make it all homey and stuff. Make a big deal about it being a 

Maybe when you get back from France, you can give us a hand, yeah? We'll make a day of it, have a lookaround, go tourist on the place. Drag Wakanda and my identical git along with us, if they want. 

NEWTs haven't come back yet, and the Academy hasn't responded to the applications, so that's a bit of a worry - though not half as worrying as me making a horrid first impression on your mum. Not quite the way I wanted to meet the formidable Mrs Vance, let me tell you. 

How is the aforementioned lady of the house? Hell, I'll even ask how Hobday's going, if it'll get you to send me a reply. 

I didn't muck this up again, did I? Already?

Really though Vancey; send me an owl so I at least know you're alive, a'right? I know, I know, it's not like it's the end of the world, but like good old Dumbles said, "these are dark time", and honestly, anything could've happened, and I wouldn't know until news got back to me and-

I just realised how completely prattish I sounded, and I ask that you disregard all but that first sentence, understood Vancey? Long story cut short: I miss you, but I hope you're having fun. 

From that git of a guy who likes snogging you so much,

Gideon Prewett.

Dear Giddy, 

I'm so sorry for not replying in such a long time--the muggle town we're living in doesn't have a close post-office. I just convinced my mother to allow me to walk three miles to send this. She wants me back by three-thirty, and by my watch it's 2:00. So I apologize (again; over and over again) for this being so short. 

I'll be back in England by the twenty-fourth; woud you like to meet sometime when I get back? It'll take a bit of convincing my mum to let me go into Diagon Alley...we kind of did a number on her in the train station...

I hope this letter gets to you; I don't even know how it'll get to you, if you don't have a house to go to. Maybe you'll drop by the Leaky Cauldron one day and see it on the counter? 

That's pushing luck a bit, but...I can hope, can't I?

Two-thirty four. Times flies, huh? I can almost hear mum calling my name.

I miss you. I really, really do.

Emmeline Vance. 

Cerulean orbs bore into him, into the doorway, and he holds his breath (not that he really needs to, not anymore) as she stares directly at him. 

Maybe, he thinks to himself, maybe this time, this time she’ll see me, this time she’ll hear me. But just as he parts his lips to utter reassurance, her gaze drops, and her shoulders shudder under the weight of a burden he can’t help her carry anymore.

Guilt drips into him like the feeling of an egg running over his head, and once more he curses the curse that took him from this earth, that took Fabian, that fucked the lot of them over. He should be there, he should be able to keep her safe (not that she really needed help, mind you). 

"You're a'right Vancey," he murmurs anyway, pressing his forehead to the door frame. "You'll be a'right. You're strong. You'll get through this. I know you will, love."

She doesn't answer him.

"So... You'll be a'right, s'long as you don't let 'em get your breathing tube, or bite through the suit, 'kay Vancey?" Emmeline nodded, fingers trembling as Gideon passed her her wand, and took a steadying breath.

"D-Don't go doing anything reckless, G-Giddy."