followed by ghosts

“I don’t think there are many people going around with rose-tinted glasses. There’s a difference between wanting to see the best, and believing it.” He informed her, defending those who didn’t want to be bogged down by the same sorrow that Octavia was every day. He didn’t know himself which was the best way to be. “It’s not a bad thing to have people around who want to help you, Octavia.” Alec said plainly. It would do her no good to have no one on her team. “I’m my own person – and I can make my own decisions, beyond what any of my family do. And I’m someone who wants to help you, not hinder you.” 

“Are you sure, because they all definitely act like it. Pretending nothing is going on while people are still dying. Murdered. Children, Alec, innocent children being murdered. And for what? Nothing!” She chocked out, being reminded of her baby brother. It was the thought of him that finally broke the damn and left her unable to contain the tears any longer. Her voice hitched as they slowly fell one by one, rolling down her cheeks. “Isn’t it? It’s just more people to walk away or lose.” She pointed out, throwing her arms out angrily to emphasis her point. “What help have you been to me so far Alec?” Octavia hated herself for  the words words falling out of her mouth, but as the tears and the emotions appeared it was as if her filter disappeared. Normally her words, although harsh, at least held truth and honesty to how she felt, yet this time it was far from the truth. She was struggling to hold it together and actually talk any longer, too wrapped up in memories of her past and seeing her family’s bodies. She couldn’t get out of the darkness no matter how hard she tried.

“Are you talking for everyone else? For me? Or for yourself?” Alec asked, not in an aggressive way necessarily, though the words themselves didn’t lend much to the opposite. “What do you expect people to do, Tav?” And by people, he meant himself because she was quite clearly referring to him in her comments. “I meant that I’d like you to at least consider where I’m coming from. It’s too easy for people to pretend to be something they’re not. But it doesn’t mean everyone is.”

“I know exactly what we’re dealing with, I have no false pretenses about anything nor am I going around life with rose coloured glasses.” She hissed between clenched teeth, wanting nothing more than to put space between the two of them so she could think clearly. “I don’t care about anyone else, not anymore. I’ve got a job to do and I plan on doing so, I’m not about to let anything else get in the way of that.” If Tavia did as he asked, actually considered what he was saying, she was scared of where she would find herself and what she would feel. “And who or what exactly are you then Alec?”

Recoiling backwards slightly so as to avoid being hit by Octavia’s fist, he took in the woman’s composure. Needless to say, Alec was a little shocked by her questions. “Why would it be a joke, Tav?” He asked, his tone genuine. He wondered if it was his comment or the gift he had left for her that she was referring to. “Just because you’re refusing to talk to me, doesn’t mean I don’t want any involvement with you.” The words were said simply and the wizard met her gaze. “Besides, I thought you could do with the drink.”

Seeing him recoil caused Octavia to feel slightly guilty but it didn’t seem to last long as her previous feelings soon returned and a glare to overtake her features. Instead of responding to his question, she chose to avoid answering by throwing more questions at him. “Why would you send this Alec? What were you hoping to get out of this?” She could feel her emotions beginning to overtake her as she tried to get control over them. “What do you want from me? What does this even mean?” Admittedly, she had never received a Valentine’s gift before so this just left her feeling even more confused and all over the place. Her voice choked up a little as she stared at him, wishing that she had actually brought the bottle with her so she could have one of those drinks right now. 

10: Do you like to be in serious relationships or just flings?

Hearing the loud banging on his door, Alec made his way from the living room to the front door. Who on earth could be this desperate to get their attention? He wondered as he moved through the hallway. Opening the door, he found himself face to face with the very witch that had been making it her mission to avoid him lately. It was a shock to say the least, but the look on her face was even more confusing. “Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too.” He greeted her, hoping she would see the humour in his words but very much doubting the fact.

She had still been in the middle of pounding on his door when it was pulled open as her fist had been mid air, causing her to nearly hit him in the face. Though she wouldn’t have minded that outcome too much either if it were to have happened. All the pent up frustration that she had been getting ready to release as soon as she saw him seemed to deflate at his words as she was instead left baffled and stunned to silence. The moment in itself was a miracle. “Happy-- What is this?! Is this some kind of joke? Do you think this is funny?”

Octavia had opened her door to find the gifts on her doorstep, her brows crinkling in confusion having not expected any kind of delivery. Picking them up she grabbed the note that seemed to go along with it and read the words included, only to feel a mixture of her blood boiling and also something else that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Several questions ran through her mind as she scrunched up the note and grabbed her jacket off the coat rack and stormed out the door like a woman on a mission. It didn’t take long for the witch to make her way to his house as she banged on his door loudly trying to get his attention.

Happy Valentines.

Alec.

“You think we don’t all want the worst for them?” Maybe not in the way Tavia had put it, exactly, but somewhere not too far off. Of course, he meant everyone that didn’t fall in lines with the views of Voldemort. “But that’s not what I meant, Tav.” He said, a sigh following his words. “How would you expect me to know? He’s been gone for years.” 

“I think that the people in this town like to sit around playing pretend. I think that everyone is either living with their heads so far up their own arses that they don’t even see what’s happening right in front of them.” After all if what Alec was saying turned out to be true, then he was a prime example for her argument. She’d gotten too settled, too complacent, and forgotten what her goal was by letting herself get sidetracked. “And what exactly did you mean then, Alec? Because I don’t even know anymore.”

Alec paused, unsure of what to say other than a resounding yes. But it wasn’t that simple. She wasn’t supposed to believe him, but he wished she would. Tavia’s trust was hard to earn and difficult to mmaintain, though. “I’d like you to.” He replied, his brows slightly drawn in and a small frown on his lips. “We thought he was dead, Tav! We didn’t know that –” Even the thought of it was enough to caused both anger and sadness to surge in Alec’s body. Saying it – well, he couldn’t. He took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. “I’m not everything my brother is.”

“Oh you’d like me to?” She scoffed shaking her head, barely holding it together. “Well I’d like it if every death eater could go crawl into hole somewhere and die an agonizing death but it doesn’t look like we all get what we want.” If she was a little calmer and had more of her rational side to her functioning, she would have known and heard her own hysteria. As his words registered, it was enough to cause her to pause briefly. “How can you not know?”

A long sigh left his lips at her retort. He shouldn’t have expected much more. He also couldn’t deny that she had a point. “I’m not aligned with them. I’ve never been aligned with them.” Alec told her – it was ridiculous that he even had to. However, knowing her experiences, he wasn’t surprised he did. “I would never do what they did to you.” He shouted over to her, slowing a little as he did so. Was it best to just let her go? He worried he would never get through to her if he did.

Octavia found herself slowing down as her steps became fewer, her need for an argument taking priority. “And what? I’m just suppose to believe you?” Her words came out strangled as she tried to contain herself. “He’s your brother, Alec. Your brother!” It was at that point she whirled around to face him.