#lavnders

jessica   is   alive.   it   doesn't   feel   real   the   first   time   he   hears   those   words.   matt   found   her   down   in   the   mines.   words   rumble   in   his   ears   over   and   over   again,   enough   to   make   him   feel   faint.   ‘   no,   she   can't   be.   i   saw   her   —   i   was   there.   ’   they   try   to   explain   the   situation,   but   it   doesn't   make   sense.   she's   dead   !   (   because   if   she   isn't,   then   it   means   mike   left   her   completely   alone   down   there.   it   means   he   didn't   try   hard   enough   to   save   her.   )   it   suddenly   feels   like   the   night   is   catching   up   on   him   :   the   restless   hours   spent   trying   to   survive,   clinging   to   the   idea   of   saving   his   friends   and   making   it   out   alive.   the   horror   of   the   things   he   had   seen   and   done,   images   that   were   now   burned   into   his   brain   forever.   watching   as   jess   was   dragged   through   the   snow,   barely   clothed   and   realizing   he   didn't   make   it   in   time   to   save   her.   but   you   did,   didn’t   you   ?   you   just   didn’t   realize   it   in   time.   

they   won’t   let   mike   see   her.   not   until   the   interviews   are   done   (   something   about   wanting   to   have   untempered   recollections   of   what   had   happened,  whatever   the   fuck   that   means.   )   it   must’ve   been   a   couple   of   hours   before   they   allow   them   to   see   each   other,   but   it   feels   like  centuries   have   gone   by  when   an   officer   comes   back   to   let   him   know.   words   blend   together   again,   only   caring   about   one   thing   :   i’m   going   to   see   jess.   throat   starts   closing   up   before   he   can   even   begin   to   think   about   something   to   say.   (   i’m   sorry   i   didn’t   try   harder.   i’m   sorry   i   wasn’t   fast   enough.   i   don’t   want   to   lose   you.   i   love   you.   )   who   cares   if   it’s   too   early   to   say   it   ?   it’s   true.   and   he   hates   that   it   would’ve   taken   him   way   too   long   to   realize   it   if   it   wasn’t   for   this   goddamned   experience.   that   it   took   him   losing   two   of   fingers   and   jess   nearly   dying   for   him   to   come   to   the   realization   —   but   he   loves   her.   

desperate   hugs   and   relieved   cries   happen   in   slow   motion   as   mike   watches   jess.   physical   appearance   doesn’t   register   at   first   glance   (   being   honest,   the   deplorable   state   he’s   currently   in   isn’t   one   of   his   best   looks   either.   )   but   she   looks   as   beautiful   as   ever,   and   alive,   and   somehow   that’s   all   that   seems   to   matter.   time   speeds   once   they   find   their   way   to   each   other,   and   mike   knows   he’s   saying   something,   words   pronounced   as   he   presses   his   lips   to   the   crown   of   her   head,   but   mind   isn’t   able   to   register   what   exactly   is   coming   out   of   his   mouth.   he’s   trying   to   be   gentle,   doesn’t   know   the   extent   of   her   injuries   yet,   but   he   can’t   help   it   when   right   hand   presses   against   her   cheeks,   caressing   the   side   of   her   face.   ‘   you’re   here.   ’   what   if   this   is   all   a   dream   ?   maybe   mike   died   before   the   cabin   was   consumed   by   flames.   but   then   she’s   speaking,   she’s   telling   him   she’s   right   here   and   mike   decides   that   if   he   died,   then   this   must   be   heaven.   

♡  𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘  𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘  𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄  !

━     ❛  @lavnders​  ❜    .    𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚜   .   “ come wrap your arms around me. ” 👀

THE  REDHEAD  SMILED,  GETTING  UP  from  his  seat  to  place  himself  behind  her.  Maneuvering  so  he  could  sit  behind  her  and  wrap  his  arms  around  her  smaller  frame.  ❛  What,  cuddles?  Right  now?  ❜  He  teased,  pulling  her  closer  to  him,  resting  his  chin  on  the  space  between  her  shoulder  and  neck,  snuggling  closer  to  Lavender  and  breathing  her  in.  

     it slips out so naturally that one would be silly to think it was accidental .            they’re  walking  the  cobbled  roads  of  hogsmeade  side  by  side,    much  closer  than  they  need  to  be  despite  the  winter  chill.      luke   LOVES    the  village  in  the  wintertime.       he  loves  the  smell  of  honeydukes,   the  laughs  emitting  from  zonko’s,   and  the  company  he  usually  has  on  his  weekend  visits.       if  he  was  with  the  boys  right  now,   they’d  no  doubt  be  running  around,   slipping  on  ice  patches,   roughhousing  and  causing  a  ruckus  so  grand  the  school  would  likely  hear  about  it.       it’s  a  marvel  he’s  allowed  to  go  at  all  still,    but  he’s  glad  his  behavior  has  been  nice  enough  to  warrant  a  trip  with  lavender    (  and  no  one  else.   )

    so,   he  isn’t  thinking  when  he  calls  her   BABE.      it  rolls  off  his  tongue  sweetly  before  he  pops  an  equally  -  as  -  decadent  sugar  -  spun  quill  into  his  mouth.     if  it  weren’t  for  her  reaction,    luke  likely  wouldn’t  have  noticed  at  all.     he  can’t  tell  which  scenario  is  more  embarrassing.