Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 11, 2009 15:11:23 GMT -5
A frown again touched his face at her reply concerning cyanide, not at all liking the direction her thoughts seemed to be taking her. [blue]"Do not say that,"[/blue] he chastised her, the concern and displeasure clear on his face. It sent his mind back to the time when he had tried to kill himself, and he did not want D'rorah entertaining any notions of doing something similar. Although Dylan was not dead, she had still had him taken away from her in a cruel manner as Taisy had been from him. He remembered all too well what his head had been like at that time, and could not allow D'rorah to follow in a similar direction as he had. Thinking it was his fault, thinking it was too much to live with... [blue]"Self-destructive thoughts can all to easily lead to self-destructive behaviour,"[/blue] he warned, knowing just how much that was true. It had just been a stray thought at first that maybe life wasn't worth living, and had eventually developed into a whole lot more. A hint of both guilt and grief made its way onto his face but he quickly wiped them away, not wanting to think about it.
He also wasn't particularly happy to see her not drinking the tea and simply absorbing the warmth. The room was warmer now the fire had been going for several minutes, and the glow from it lit the room as darkness began to fall outside. It might not be possible to return to the castle tonight; at least not without suspicion, which was something he always sought to avoid. The curfew would be in place by now and people had seen D'rorah leaving the castle... however, returning at a similar time to her would be too risky. [blue]"You do not need to enter the Great Hall to get meals. The Hogwarts house elves are very accommodating if you need some food and you would be unlikely to meet Mister Cooper in the kitchens."[/blue] Again he wanted to reach out and wipe her tears away, but did not, unsure of what her reaction would be.
[blue]"Other things on your mind are exactly why you should be eating. Without proper nourishment it is more difficult to think things through thoroughly. And I care, and the other lightfighters should too, not least Mister Cooper. If you do not eat you will become weak and more easily overpowered in a fight, not to mention it increases the possibility of making a mistake in your research. The same goes for sleep,"[/blue] he added, with the bags under her eyes also obvious.
He remained silent again for a little while as she carried on speaking; yet again he was not liking what he heard. She was not in a good state at all... a night away from Hogwarts and the rumours that would likely be circling frantically already might do her good. He could at least make sure she got some sleep and food, although she still didn't seem too keen on drinking that tea, having put it aside.
He stood quickly as she stumbled, catching her by her arms to steady her. The distraught on her face was quite plain to see – at least, in comparison to her normal facial expressions, or lack of – and apparently she wanted to leave before she broke down entirely. [blue]"Careful,"[/blue] he warned her, lightening his hold on her but not entirely letting go. [blue]"It was not more than you deserved; it was the least you deserved. You were more than Mister Cooper deserved."[/blue] He wasn't sure she would agree with that point of view, but thought that there was no harm in putting it out there. There was a definite note of contempt in his voice when he mentioned Dylan. [blue]"You put your life on hold for this cause, for your allies, and they do not seem to realise."[/blue] Still he was not quite used to the idea of himself being one of her allies, a lightfighter, so he spoke of them separately. [blue]"You don't always need to be the strong one,"[/blue] he told her, speaking softly this time but still will the same determinedness that had been in his voice before.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 11, 2009 18:06:33 GMT -5
D'rorah's lips pursed slightly as Kerridon mentioned that she would be unlikely to meet Dylan in the kitchens. The statement was grossly inaccurate, given that she and Dylan had spent a good deal of time together in the kitchens when they had first met. He had been the one to introduce her to the fact that it was even possible to visit the kitchens for dinner. But Kerridon had no way of knowing that. She certainly couldn't argue that he was wrong however. She knew she needed sleep and food. She knew her body and mind required such things in order to continue functioning. [blue]"Sleep,"[/blue] she scoffed lightly, feeling the word stick in her throat. [blue]"If only you knew how I yearned for a full night of sleep."[/blue] The last time she had slept properly had been a night she had spent in Dylan's arms, in her cottage in Hogsmeade. Of course, nights such as that were long gone now. There would be no more of those. And her nightmares were relentless in the wake of her renewed emotional turmoil.
She had tried to catch herself as she stumbled, but knew she wouldn't be able to. Kerridon, however, reacted quickly enough to saver her from further calamity. Certainly, she had been through enough unpleasantness this night. Smashing her head against the marble table would have been too much unpleasantness to add on top of everything else. She looked back up, meeting his eyes as he stated that she was more than Dylan deserved. She would have never thought such a thing herself, but she could hear the contempt in his voice as he mentioned Dylan's name.
Her eyes searched his quietly as he continued speaking. It was true. Any semblance of a normal life had been hastily put on hold these days. How nice it would have been to let herself go for a moment, to take a break from her customary rigidity. But it she wasn't being the strong one, there had to be someone to lean on. In her present state, her own strength was all she had to keep herself standing and moving forward. Without that, she would find herself once again sequestered in her dormitory, lying there patiently and waiting for death to take her away. It had been Kerridon who had saved her from that as well. He had noticed her absence and acted to find her and see to her safety.
It was the softness of his voice as he told her she didn't always have to be the strong one that chipped away at the walls she built around herself and caused her to finally cumble. Her weight shifted forward as she leaned against Kerridon and wept, her tears washing away the shame she felt inside herself. The flood of her emotions swept the strength from her legs and left her powerless to reconstruct her stony mask of calm. For a few brief minutes, D'rorah bared to the world the fact that she too was human--she too had moments of weakness and emotional needs. Just because she made an effort to always appear calm and logical didn't mean she was devoid of emotion, as so many others suspected. She felt things deeply but had learned to control herself. For some reason she felt safe here as she clung to Kerridon.
Her arms moved to wrap around him for support as she let everything out that had happened over the past months. She was more relieved than she wanted to admit at finally finding someone who cared. Her face settled against his shoulder as the first violent wave of sobs passed. She had needed this for a long time... someone who could support her strength and share the burden of being strong with her. Someone who could see her weep and not think less of her for it. [blue]"No one before has ever cared how much it hurts,"[/blue] she murmured weakly against his neck. After a few more minutes, her breathing began to finally slow and steady and she pulled back to regard the man who supported her. Her eyes searched his as she found herself in an unfamiliar situation, allowing herself to let go in front of someone else and feeling helped by it, rather than diminished.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 11, 2009 18:49:26 GMT -5
The sneering way that D'rorah repeated the word 'sleep' was yet another cause for worry in Kerridon's eyes. Apparently getting to sleep was an issue even when she did try. Potions were not really a permanent solution, but they might help in the short-term. [blue]"Have you tried using potions from the nurse or Professor Sparrow?"[/blue] he inquired, with an idea that, like him, she probably disliked such potions because of the powerless feeling it gave you. However, he knew that at some times they were necessary, as seemed the case now. [blue]"Perhaps you should use them, at least to get back into a regular sleeping pattern. Once the habit is back in place you can stop using them,"[/blue] he suggested, not sure how she would feel about the idea. It was obvious she needed to start both sleeping and eating regularly again, but if she was having trouble sleeping anyway then it seemed a little magical help was needed. Once a routine was in place, sleep should come more naturally to her.
Kerridon met D'rorah's eyes with a solid gaze as he spoke, not faltering at all to try and show her that he was the one being strong at the moment, so she didn't have to be. And apparently after his last words the message finally got through, because she crumbled mere moments later; crying into him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, not so much that she would feel crushed but enough that she would sense the support, one thumb gently stroking the back of her neck she sobbed. He didn't offer meaningless words of comfort such as "it'll be okay", knowing there was no way he could guarantee that. D'rorah knew it too, and false promises hardly served as true comfort. Instead he stayed silent, simply holding her as she had her moments of falling apart.
It appeared to have all been held in for far too long, because she was crying for several minutes before quietening a little. Such display of emotion was unheard of for D'rorah, which showed just how much she must have been holding it all in. With her leaning into his shoulder, he hoped she couldn't see the frown on his face at the mention of no one caring again... Could people not see that D'rorah was just as much human as they were, and did also need support every now and then? Not that the lightfighters were exactly a cohesive unit, but they should at least care.
As she pulled back a little, he released one arm from around her so she could do so, but kept the other there to support her in case she stumbled again. Plus, it felt quite natural to have his arm around her... which was odd. At such close proximity he could hardly fail to have his eyes drawn to the injury D'rorah had sustained while falling – the cut on her face. He raised the arm he had just drawn away and placed his hand gently on her cheek, murmuring a few words which promptly made the cut fade away into non-existence. Another murmured word erased the blood left staining her cheek.
He pulled his arm down again – or at least, tried to. But apparently his hand had taken up anarchy and was doing exactly as it pleased. That being, gently wiping away the tears from her face as he had wanted to do earlier. He paused, looking her in the eye and suddenly unable to look away – yet another body part in rebellion against his brain.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 11, 2009 19:16:32 GMT -5
The idea of sleep and potions didn't appeal to her in the last. She had no idea what would happen if she needed to wake suddenly in the night and could not be roused. The last thing she needed was to offer an opportunity for some agent of the Mage to easily overtake her because she had made herself senseless in the pursuit of sleep. But perhaps Kerridon was right. She knew she needed to sleep... and perhaps, at least on occasion, that need would outweigh the potential dangers of the potion. [blue]"I can think of few things more unpleasant than being trapped inside the nightmares which make sleep difficult,"[/blue] she remarked quietly. [blue]"But I suppose it might be necessary from time to time."[/blue]
She felt Kerridon's arms wrap tightly around her as she cried, offering her the support she craved. There were no half-hearted attempts at soothing away her emotional agony, there were no empty words promising that things would be alright. It was nice to be comforted without being placated. She felt his thumb at the back of her neck and was oddly soothed by the soft, repetitive motion.
She found herself wondering what pains and tragedies Kerridon might have endured during this war. Like her, it seemed he had no living family... though, she was grateful at least that Raziel was not around. Of course, if he had been, it was very likely she would not be standing here now. Things might have been very different... D'rorah might have found herself carted off to the Shadow Realm to face Dark Phoenix rather than brought here for a safe recovery. It was odd how such things worked out.
As he placed a hand on her cheek, she felt the skin knit together as a small cut was healed. She found herself inexplicably smiling as his hand remained at her cheek. To her great surprise, she found herself wishing that his hand would spend far more time upon her cheek. This wasn't the odd, flustering moment she had experienced so long ago in the Astronomy Tower with Dylan. She remembered having swiftly leaned forward and placing an awkward kiss at his cheek. At the time, she hadn't understood what had driven her to it, just that she felt a connection with him. Here she felt a deep connection, as though she gazed into the eyes of a kindred spirit. She didn't have time to think about the action. With her emotional walls down for the moment, she never thought to question what she was doing as her lips slowly parted and moved forward to connect with his own. She kissed him slowly, savoring the feeling of being safe within his arms.
Suddenly, her mind realized what she was doing and she started to pull back, an apology already forming in her mind. Before she did, however, she realized that the actions weren't entirely one-sided. She pulled back and met his eyes again as her own opened. She suddenly felt breathless and her voice came out a whisper. [blue]"Pardon my hasty advance."[/blue] Even as the words left her mouth, she found herself wanting to repeat the action... but unsure that Kerridon would entirely welcome it. He had kissed back, but perhaps that was only a natural reaction to having been kissed.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 12, 2009 6:54:52 GMT -5
As he had expected, D’rorah was not overly keen on the idea of sleeping potions. Until finding a certain batch that produced dreamless sleep, he had resisted them as much as he could. Even without the dreams they were still unpleasant, but a little better. [blue]"There is a version of sleeping potion that produces dreamless sleep,"[/blue] he told her, hoping that without that problem she might be more willing to try it. [blue]"I do not have any now, but I can easily brew some."[/blue]
It was a potion he had gotten quite familiar with last year, and even now still used it occasionally. However, after a slight worry that he was becoming addicted to it as a method of escaping nightmares, he had stopped having some ready-made. Instead, he would only make it when he really needed it, and then only enough for one night. It had worked well in curbing his use of it; hopefully D’rorah would not fall into the same trap as he had and become dependent on it.
Kerridon was slightly surprised to see the smile appear on D’rorah’s face as he wiped her tears away – it had not at all been his intention to make her smile, but he wasn’t complaining about the result. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her smile, and was suddenly of the opinion she should do it more often. A small smile graced his own lips caused by hers, glad to see an expression of happiness on her face for once.
Similar to how he had been unprepared for her smile, Kerridon was doubly unprepared for her to kiss him. His eyes widened momentarily before they slipped closed and he began returning her kiss fervently. All too soon she was pulling away though and whispering something about a hasty advance. Kerridon paid little attention to whatever it was she was saying and pulled her mouth to his again, the hand on her cheek slipping down to her neck to try and ensure she didn't pull away again.
Once again, it didn't last long. A loud throat clearing was heard and this time it was Kerridon who pulled away, reluctantly turning his head to see Edlyn standing in the doorway. The house elf was carrying a plate of food – he was distracted enough to not bother looking at what it was – and had a massively disapproving expression on her face. Momentarily lost for words, he eventually spoke up in a semblance of something that was similar to his normal voice, just a little more breathless.
[blue]"Thank you Edlyn,"[/blue] he said, pausing before unwilling disentangling himself from D'rorah. Once he had done so under the house elf's stern glare, she walked forward, between them so Kerridon had to take another step further away from D'rorah, and held the plate of food up to D'rorah. At closer range Kerridon could see it was some sort of rice dish, but he wasn't really too fussed about what it contained. He had informed Edlyn of D'rorah's vegetarianism, so that shouldn't be a problem. [yellow]"Is there anything else master?"[/yellow] she asked, her squeaky voice contrasting with her expression. [blue]"No, I do not believe so... I shall call you if there is anything else,"[/blue] he told her. With one last suspicious gaze at the two Ravenclaws, Edlyn exited the room, leaving them alone again.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 12, 2009 7:44:15 GMT -5
[blue]"I have taken it before,"[/blue] replied D'rorah as Kerridon mentioned the possibility of a dreamless sleep potion. [blue]"It was given to me during my recovery after my parents' deaths..."[/blue] she trailed off, not interested in bringing the old memory too strongly into her mind at the moment. [blue]"I suppose I could use some sparingly... though I do not like the idea of placing myself in a position where I will not wake easily."[/blue] But then, if it kept her from going mad from lack of sleep, she supposed it would be a necessary risk. She knew she needed more sleep than the random bits and snatches she got throughout the days and nights--sporadic moments when she pushed her texts aside because the thought of keeping her eyes open another moment was agony.
D'rorah felt gratified to receive a return smile from Kerridon. She wasn't certain she ever recalled having seen the expression on his face before. Somehow, the shifting of his facial features framed his eyes in such a way that his grey eyes were were lit from within and his whole face suddenly came alive.
She had just pulled away and whispered her hasty apology, the words barely having time to pass her lips, when she was pulled in for another. She felt Kerridon's hand move to the back of her neck as though he wished to keep her from pulling away again and felt her heart stutter. It was a moment that felt eternal, yet ended all too soon as she was startled by the pronounced clearing of a throat from the doorway. She turned her head at the same time as Kerridon to see Edlyn standing in the doorway with a plate of food. Clearly, the old family servant disapproved of Kerridon and the disheveled girl she had brought with him. D'rorah supposed she didn't look much like someone who belonged within the walls of Paradox Hall at the present moment.
Kerridon broke the uneasy silence that had wrapped the room in awkward tension with a thank you to the elf. D'rorah stepped back uncertainly as the elf stepped between them, finding the action required more effort on her part than she would have liked, but still managing the maneuver without falling or stumbling too much. Feeling a bit self-conscious of her ragged appearance under Edlyn's suspicious gaze, she suddenly wished for a washroom and a set of clean robes. She accepted the plate of food with a nod of her head. [blue]"Thank you, Edlyn,"[/blue] she offered kindly, summoning up her elusive voice to remember her manners. Her eyes moved back to meet Kerridon's as the elf departed and she smirked. [blue]"I suppose I do not quite look the part of someone who belongs within the walls of Paradox Hall at the moment,"[/blue] she remarked, gesturing with her free hand to her own bedraggled appearance. She carefully set the plate of food on the table next to the sofa, putting forth an effort not to stumble or spill anything. She doubted Edlyn would have appreciated that one bit.
[blue]"Were you going to have supper with me, Mister Paradox?"[/blue] she asked quietly as she stepped in closer to him once again, turning her eyes up to his grey ones and offering a coy smile.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 12, 2009 8:40:17 GMT -5
Kerridon nodded, understanding exactly why D'rorah didn't like the overpowering effects of sleeping potions, whether they caused dreamless sleep or not. At least if she used them sparingly she was less likely to get addicted. [blue]"It could be useful simply to establish the routine of sleeping again,"[/blue] he added, hoping that she would agree to some. The restorative draught in her drink – which she still hadn't touched – should help her relax enough to sleep tonight, at least, without truly being a sleeping potion. It had had similar effects on the night they had rescued Mami from the shadow realm, but he had still been able to wake up when D'rorah moved towards the younger Ravenclaw.
The silence when Edlyn came in was a little awkward and Kerridon tried to resist looking back to D'rorah, although he failed at that task once he had thanked the house elf. Even when he effectively dismissed the servant, his eyes were still on the other Ravenclaw as he spoke, unable to tear his eyes away just as before. He smirked a little at her comment about not belonging given her bedraggled appearance, remembering the looks Edlyn had given the whole family when they returned from missions. On numerous occasions one or all of them had looked worse off than D'rorah did now.
[blue]"Edlyn is more than used to people living in this house coming in bedraggled and injured. However, she is not used to strangers in this house... or anyone at all any more, for that matter. I do not visit often."[/blue] He knew Edlyn was loyal to Paradox though and was the most matronly figure the house had ever had, looking after everyone and cleaning up afterwards. Everyone, including Raziel, had put up with her silent, fierce glares for whatever reason and had to deal with it. Her small stature did nothing to diminish the severity of her disapproval. She was undoubtedly the head of the house elves in this place, and no one had ever questioned that since he had come here aged ten. [blue]"There are bathrooms and clean clothes upstairs which you can use later. Edlyn or one of the other elves can clean your Hogwarts robes for tomorrow."[/blue]
As she stepped away from the food and towards him, Kerridon couldn't resist catching her chin with one hand and kissing her softly once more, again ignoring her words and finding it far too difficult to pull away. Instead he turned so that they had swapped positions, with her now closer to the sofa, and eventually pulled away with an exasperated sigh at how frustratingly easy it would be to just keep kissing her. [blue]"You are the one who needs to eat,"[/blue] he whispered in her ear, one hand pushing down on her shoulder in an effort to make her sit down on the sofa.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 12, 2009 9:18:14 GMT -5
D'rorah looked back from Edlyn's departure to find Kerridon's eyes riveted to her. She nodded slightly as he remarked that the elves were not accustomed to visitors and that Kerridon himself did not visit often. Edlyn seemed a suitable fixture for the home, her stern demeanor fitting with what little information she had about the Paradox family. She nodded as he mentioned clean clothes and a washroom upstairs. She could tell by the light, or rather the lack thereof, coming through the window that it would be after curfew by now. She would miss a patrol tonight, but she doubted that anyone would notice. The professors had been diligent about seeing that students were in the common rooms at the appointed hour, and D'rorah knew that the Ravenclaw students tended to manage themselves fairly well. Indeed, her own late night sojourns in the library and astronomy tower were the most frequent infractions. Though, as a prefect, she often had the excuse of her hallway patrols to justify said excursions.
She complied all too willingly as Kerridon's hand caught her chin and pulled her to him for another soft kiss. A free hand snaked around Kerridon's shoulder and she found her fingers lightly entwined in the hair at the nape of his neck. She moved with him as he pivoted with her, finding her back now to the sofa as he pulled away with an exasperated sigh. Her eyes searched his for a moment, looking for a reason behind the exhalation and heard it whispered into her ear as he admonished her to eat.
She complied with the pressure placed on her shoulder and sank onto the sofa. A small shiver passed through her as she reluctantly pulled her eyes away from Kerridon and regarded the plate before her. Her lips pursed slightly as she considered eating it, looking for any tell-tale signs of meat lurking in the dish of rice. After a moment of contemplation, she retrieved the plate and brought a spoonful of rice to her lips. It turned out to be remarkably delicious, a simple dish of seasoned rice with fresh vegetables strewn throughout. She chewed carefully as she ate, giving her neglected stomach time an opportunity to become accustomed once again to the idea of encountering a respectable meal. After several bites, she reached for the mug of tea that she had put aside earlier and took a slow sip, feeling the last of the lingering warmth from the liquid permeate her being for a moment before being turned to ice by her own internal chill.
She could feel the effects of the restorative potion almost immediately as her energy level slightly increased. [blue]"You had my drink spiked,"[/blue] she accused, trying to decide between annoyance and thanks. Her eyebrow arched slightly as she took another long sip from the cup. She set it aside, now only a quarter full and leveled Kerridon with a stern expression that didn't quite make it to her eyes, belying the fact that she was teasing him in her own way. [blue]"Thank you."[/blue]
Finding her appetite revived by the combination of food and restorative potion, she set her mind to finishing the supper she had been provided, making an effort to finish everything. Otherwise, she had a feeling she would find the plate handed back to her. As a finishing gesture, she set the plate aside and retrieved the mug of tea, finishing the beverage without further comment or complaint. She then set the mug aside as well and turned to face Kerridon, her eyebrow once again arching as she opened her lips to speak. [blue]"Have I managed to satisfy all of your demands, Mister Paradox?"[/blue] she queried as she inched imperceptibly closer to him. Her eyes once again locked with his and she felt her heartbeat stutter. Her voice betrayed her as she spoke once again, the slight breathless tremor giving her away. [blue]"Or was there anything else you wished to request?"[/blue]
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 12, 2009 10:31:22 GMT -5
The hand that had snaked around his shoulder made it all the more difficult to release D'rorah and goosebumps rose on his neck as it then made its way into his hair. At least when he put pressure on her shoulder she did comply and sit down in front of the food. He took a step to the side, both so he was not blocking the way to her food and so that he could resist any temptation while she should be eating. His heart was beating far too much faster than usual for him to risk trusting his own strength of will, which would normally be more than enough. For some reason, though, it wasn't working in this situation at all.
[blue]"There is no meat in the dish,"[/blue] he reassured her as he saw her considering the food in front of her. However much Edlyn might dislike strangers, she would never purposely make their stay uncomfortable or unpleasant. Silent glares were the extent; other than that, she would do her best to show off Paradox in every manner – and that included food. Judging from the expression on D'rorah's face when she took a bite, this occasion was no exception. He lowered himself back onto the table as she ate, watching her to make sure that she did actually eat all of it.
He watched calmly as she finally took a sip of the drink, and was not at all surprised that she noticed it was not all tea. [blue]"Yes, I did,"[/blue] he confirmed, smirking as she took another sip and glad to see it wasn't putting her off at all. [blue]"If you were eating and sleeping properly it would not have been necessary,"[/blue] he informed her coolly. There was a hint of teasing to his voice, but it wasn't too strong so that she would still be able to tell he was serious about that statement. He nodded at her thanks, not saying any more on the subject for now. She was eating now, so she seemed to have gotten the message regarding that matter. The question was whether she would continue that once back at Hogwarts.
He found he didn't have to force her to eat any last remnants as she cleared the plate anyway, as well as the cup of tea slash restorative draught. The tone of her voice as she asked if there was anything else made his heart skip a beat and again, his body acted of its own accord, standing for a moment before leaning forward, one knee on the edge of the sofa as he leaned in to kiss her again. No he had started he could barely stop long enough to allow her to eat then he was at it again. It was most unlike him, but he was certainly not complaining considering the pleasant feelings it evoked in him. One hand supported him by resting just beside her head on the sofa, the other had once again found its way to the side of her neck.
This time they were not interrupted by house elves or apologies or food... several minutes passed before Kerridon's brain suddenly kicked in and slowly, reluctantly, he detached himself. [blue]"I believe I also gave some mention of sleep,"[/blue] he murmured breathlessly, finally answering her question following the slight diversion. However, he didn't move and remained hovering over her, waiting for a reply and trying to resist leaning in again. The hand on her neck moved up slightly to brush a strand of once-blonde hair that had now turned prematurely grey out of her face where it had fallen.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 12, 2009 12:53:14 GMT -5
She shook her head slightly as Kerridon once again admonished her about eating and sleeping properly. [blue]"I believe,"[/blue] she remarked with a slight lifting of her brow, [blue]"you have made your thoughts on the matter of my dietary and sleep habits crystalline."[/blue] She paused a moment. [blue]"I shall promise to make an effort to be more attentive to them; however, knowing how easily I become focused in my research and the other myriad matters which require my attention, I do hope you will not be overly annoyed if those efforts are not immediately successful."[/blue] That was the best she would offer at the moment. She couldn't promise that she could change a lifetime of habits in one fell swoop. [blue]"You should have met my mother. I believe the two of you might have enjoyed lengthy conversations on the subject of how poor my memory was for such matters."[/blue]
Indeed, she had eaten many a meal at the behest of her mother, so stood behind her as she studied, making sure the meal wasn't pushed to the side or forgotten the moment D'rorah's next interesting revelation came along. Sleep she had been slightly more diligent about... she hadn't had nightmares to worry about then. And, though she would work late and rise early, she typically had not pushed herself to exhaustion in those days, preferring to be fresh and clear-minded while she was working.
She watched Kerridon's reaction as she asked whether he had any other requests to make of her. She wondered for the span of one inhalation where he was going as he stood, and found the unasked question pleasantly answered as he leaned forward and began to kiss her once again. The feel of his hand at her neck sent another shiver through her, though this was a pleasant shiver having nothing to do with her frigid body temperature. Her own cool hands snaked around behind Kerridon's neck as her fingers moved slowly through his hair. She completely forgot herself as she basked in his embrace, forgetting the world for several minutes.
She found her reverie broken as he pulled back to mention sleep. [blue]"Fortunately,"[/blue] she replied, her voice breathy as she fought to regain her senses, [blue]"I have slept more recently than I had eaten."[/blue] Seeing that he hovered over her still, she she smiled as he brushed a lock of hair from out of her face. She felt uncomfortable against the couch, the pins in her hair pressing into her scalp painfully. Not wishing to move, she removed one hand from Kerridon's neck and brought it around behind her, lifting her head up slightly from the back of the sofa as she deftly extracted a series of hairpins. Her hair fell from its typical tight, restrictive coif and spilled over the back of the sofa, the waist-length tresses a motley mixture of grey and blonde that was largely grey by this point. Her eyes had lost the dark tint they had taken on before and were now a pale, icy grey that caught Kerridon in a penetrating gaze. As her head was already lifted from the couch and therefore closer to him, she indulged herself once again with a kiss, running the hand that remained at the back of Kerridon's neck through his hair for several minutes before pulling back to regard him.
[blue]"Remarkable,"[/blue] she murmured, tracing a slender finger over his cheekbone. She meant of course that he was remarkable, but didn't think to clarify the thought she had voiced.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 12, 2009 15:42:08 GMT -5
Kerridon nodded, glad that at least D'rorah was verbally promising to make an effort. He could bring that back up to haunt her in the future. [blue]"I shall be sure to remind you,"[/blue] he reassured her, planning to do just that on a regular basis until she got back into the habit of both eating and sleeping. He looked away from her momentarily when she mentioned her mother, knowing exactly why he couldn't meet her. [blue]"I am sorry that I cannot meet her,"[/blue] he said quietly, illogically feeling guilty because of his father's actions. He knew it was not his fault, but having seen the whole scene from Raziel's point of view had made it more personal than just another of his father's crimes.
Her cool hands made goosebumps rise on his neck again, and although he was slightly concerned when he felt her shiver. Coupled with the coldness of her skin and the grey hairs he could see as he leant back a little, he became aware again of her near-corruption and the effect it had had on her. Perhaps it might be an idea to try and look into some way of reversing those effects. He thought it unlikely that D'rorah had attempted to do so herself, since that would likely come under the title of looking after herself properly, and she seemed to have trouble with the most basic tasks when it came to that.
It was good to see her smile again and he returned the action as she spoke. He was not at all convinced by what she had said about having slept recently, given what she had said about nightmares and the dark rings he could see under her eyes still. However, before he could reply she had removed one of her hands from around his neck and shifted a little to take the pins out of her hair. Kerridon had never seen her hair down before and his eyes widened momentarily as he saw just how long it was. Her kiss sufficiently distracted him, although the hand that had a moment ago been on her cheek now moved to run through her hair, eventually coming to rest on the back of her neck. Like when he had been comforting her before, his thumb gently circled the skin, only pausing once when it met raised skin from one of her scars before continuing as before, ignoring that tiny bump.
Again the moment had to end, this time when D'rorah pulled back. A look of confusion came onto his face when she made her comment, not understanding what she was referring to. [blue]"Remarkable?"[/blue] he replied curiously, his wandering mind going back to the issue of sleep a moment later. [blue]"How can I ensure that you are getting proper nourishment and rest when you are such a distraction, Miss Philosophy?"[/blue] he murmured into her ear, planting a soft kiss on her neck before returning his lips to hers. This time, though, he brought his head back as he kissed her, so that she could either stand with him or end the kiss. The hand at the back of her neck pulling gently upwards as well was good encouragement for her to do the former.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 13, 2009 5:35:39 GMT -5
She smirked as Kerridon questioned her statement of "remarkable". The corner of her lip twisted slightly upward as she watched him. [blue]"Yes, Mister Paradox. You. Remarkable,"[/blue] she reiterated. He had already returned to the issue of sleep, but didn't give her a chance to answer before his lips found hers once again. She felt the gentle urging at the back of her neck and followed along willingly. [blue]"You say that as though I am the only one currently causing a distraction,"[/blue] she replied after pulling back slightly.
It would be odd, spending the night in Paradox Hall. Her eyes were busy taking in the sights around her as she allowed herself to be led away. As they came to one hallway in particular, she paused, surveying the contents of the room with an arched eyebrow. The hallway was adorned with antlers and various other animals that had been preserved in one way or another after death. She noted a crocodile head and wrinkled her nose slightly as she found she was standing on a zebra skin rug. [blue]"This must be where things come to die,"[/blue] she remarked dryly as she stepped off of the rug and onto the hardwood floor.
She surveyed the room again and shook her head slightly before levelling Kerridon with a teasing gaze. [blue]"I would loathe to seem ungrateful for your hospitality, but perhaps next time we seek somewhere away from school grounds we could venture to one of my homes instead?"[/blue] she offered as she threaded her arm through Kerridon's. It had been some time since she had bothered to stop in on any one of them... though, the last time she had of course been with Dylan. She felt her smile falter slightly as his name crossed her mind, bringing along with it the memory of all that had happened earlier in the night. That memory brought with it another, causing a startled look to suddenly rise on her features. [blue]"My texts!"[/blue] she exclaimed, having completely forgotten about them through all the other twists and turns of the evening. She turned to face Kerridon. [blue]"You did bring them with us, did you not?"[/blue] She couldn't leave them lying out on the grounds of the castle for anyone to find if they weren't here. That was how the whole evening had changed dramatically... it had all begun with the distraction of Dylan and Amy on the couch in the common room and a text that had bounced too close the fire grate. [blue]"I cannot believe I was careless enough to allow one to catch fire,"[/blue] she added, chastising herself.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 13, 2009 11:01:01 GMT -5
Kerridon smirked a little as she explained her usage of the word 'remarkable', unconvinced. [blue]"I am not certain you quite understand the definition of the word,"[/blue] he informed her, the half-smile still on his face. [blue]"I believe the meaning equates to something along the lines of 'noticeable' or 'conspicuous'. I do not think that Dark Phoenix would have sent me to Hogwarts if I was either of those things,"[/blue] he teased. She did at least stand with him willingly, but unfortunately decided it appropriate to pull away again. Directing might have been a little difficult while kissing her, but they both had good instincts – enough that they wouldn't walk into too many walls, at least. [blue]"However, I am apparently the only one attempting to get you some sleep... it would be much easier without distractions."[/blue] He reluctantly dropped his hand from her neck as he took a step backwards, before turning to lead the way out of the room and back into the hallway. He didn't realise that she had paused until he heard her speak, and turned to see a slight look of distaste on her face as she surveyed the room. He could hardly blame her – he had never particularly liked the decoration in this room, especially as it grew and changed as much as it did for the first year he was here, while his grandfather was still alive. However, her words struck a slight chord in him and he didn't quite meet her eyes when turned to face her. This was the entrance he had carried Taisy through about a year and a half ago, setting her down on the floor and desperately trying to perform healing spells to stop the flow of blood coming from her neck, although within a mere minute she had died. It had taken Edlyn and another house elf a long time to completely remove the bloodstains that had soaked into the wooden floor. [blue]"My grandfather enjoyed hunting,"[/blue] he explained shortly, not particularly receptive to her teasing at this point in time. He always forgot how many bad memories this house had for him, and it was just a tiny prompt that set them off again. His eyes on the area of floor where Taisy had led, they rose a little as D'rorah spoke again and nodded in acceptance, hoping his sober mood was not too obvious. He tensed a little bit when she hooked her arm round his, but forced himself to relax and nodded his acceptance of her suggestion. It would be interesting to see where it was D'rorah lived... he guessed there would be somewhere in New York, and probably here in the UK as well since she was attending Hogwarts. Her exclamation did succeed in placing a small smirk on his face as she suddenly panicked concerning their whereabouts. [blue]"Yes, I gave them to Edlyn to put in a safe place; I suspect they will be in the library. You can collect them tomorrow,"[/blue] he told her, not at all intending to let her fetch them now. If he did he might find her not getting any sleep at all. [blue]"Unfortunately, humans beings are prone to making mistakes, however perfectionist they may be,"[/blue] he said in reply to her chastisement, guessing accurately that Dylan would have been the reason for the cindered text he had seen on top of the stack. That boy really had a lot to account for... his opinion of the Ravenclaw Elemental Master had lowered him in his estimation to somewhere just above Keaira... not quite so low as the Slytherin, but not a whole lot higher either. Leading her up the stairs at the end of the hallway, Kerridon headed for one of the rooms he knew to be an en suite guest room. Pushing the door open and holding it for D'rorah, he turned to face her once she was inside. [blue]"You can use the clothes from the chest of drawers to change into,"[/blue] he told her, motioning with one hand. [blue]"The bathroom is just through the other door."[/blue] Despite the lack of regular visitors to Paradox Hall, the elves always kept a stock of clean, fresh clothes in all of the bedrooms, as well as towels and toothbrushes and soap in the bathrooms. He had no intentions of going anywhere just yet, wanting to ensure that when D'rorah emerged she did actually sleep, rather than attack the bookcase in one corner.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 13, 2009 14:07:23 GMT -5
D'rorah frowned slightly as Kerridon rebuffed her use of the word 'remarkable' to describe him. [blue]"It has been quite some time, Mister Paradox, since anyone has thought to question my vocabulary usage. I, at the very least, feel you are quite worth noticing"[/blue] She tried to betray no emotion as Dark Phoenix was casually thrown into the conversation. Kerridon was her ally now, and certainly his past with the Mage was a part of him she could accept. She had pursued her own dark fancies even as a member of the Order of Light. Certainly, she was far from pristine in any sense of the word.
She smirked as he mentioned once again her distracting him from ensuring she slept, but offered no verbal comment. She found she missed his hand as it was dropped from her neck and wondered at the quick turn her mental state had taken. But then, she supposed it made sense that she would be calmer now that she was away from Dylan's emotional abuse and the rigors of school. Having eaten and taken the restorative potion was already helping immensely and she resolved to put a solid effort into it... now she just had to actually remember to pull herself from her texts occasionally.
As they passed through the hallway adorned with various pieces of dead animals, she sensed that her teasing comment had hit a sour chord. His terse response only confirmed her suspicions and she regarded him carefully from the corner of her eye. [blue]"My apologies,"[/blue] she offered carefully. [blue]"I seem to have misspoken."[/blue] She found herself relieved when he accepted the arm she threaded through his own, even though she felt a tension at first. For a girl who was typically guarded with her words and emotions, she seemed to have gotten herself into an awkward spot with her witty banter. This was precisely why it was easier to spend time with books... they did not care what you thought of them or how you interpreted them.
She felt slightly awkward in the silence until she realized she had forgotten about her texts. Kerridon quickly reassured her that they were safe, and she relaxed. She chose not to debate his decision that she would receive them tomorrow. She knew as well as he apparently did that she would have far too hard a time keeping them closed if she received them now. [blue]"Am I really so predictable?"[/blue] she wondered aloud in response. Her expression rapidly shifted to one of shocked objection at his implication of her perfectionistic tendencies. [blue]"I am not a perfectionist. I simply believe that things should be done correctly."[/blue]
She followed along quietly as Kerridon lead her upstairs to a room. At the mention of clean clothes and a washroom, she found herself unable to deny excitement at the prospect of a shower. After her tumble into the dirt, she knew she didn't exactly look her best... whatever that might be. [blue]"Thank you,"[/blue] she replied, planting a light kiss on his cheek before making her way to the chest of drawers to choose something to sleep in and then quickly making her way into the washroom.
The shower was amazing. She carefully washed her long hair and washed away the dirt from the day. She emerged feeling refreshed and renewed after the hot water had soothed her aching muscles. Brushing her teeth and drying her hair took only a few minutes longer before she slipped into a long satin gown of royal blue. She eyed herself in the mirror dubiously, torn between not wanting to alter something that didn't belong to her and not wanting to bare her scarred flesh any more than she had to. She pursed her lips as she considered the options, and decided she placed more stock in respecting an item of clothing that did not belong to her than she did in her own vanity. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she once again surveyed the scars that were not hidden by the gown. Her arms, neck, and decolletage were covered with marks that would never heal, marks that matched the ones which covered her body and Dark Phoenix and her servants had tortured D'rorah endlessly. Other than that, it fit her well... though it was rather more revealing of her figure than anything she would normally wear, it would do for the night.
Finally deciding she had spent enough time pondering appearances she had no power to change, she set her own clothes aside, carefully folded, and stepped from the washroom. Her waist-length grey hair spilled in waves down her back like a waterfall of silver streaked with gold. Her eyes were a calm grey that surveyed the room around her, finding Kerridon waiting for her. She smiled uncertainly, suddenly feeling quite a bit more self conscious about the bare flesh that felt overly abundant to her. It was only a few steps to cross the room to where he sat reading. [blue]"And you claimed I was a distraction,"[/blue] she remarked quietly as she eyed the book, curious what it was.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 13, 2009 16:55:19 GMT -5
Kerridon could not help smirking again at her frown and response to his teasing, and this time did not argue back. He did, however, notice a slight flicker of... something on her face that he couldn't distinguish at his mention of Dark Phoenix, which effectively wiped the smile off his face. Dark Phoenix had been a permanent fixture in his life for so long that he was used to talking about her; it had not occurred to him that D'rorah might feel a little uncomfortable at a casual mention.
Thinking of Dark Phoenix, a weight affixed itself to him suddenly as he realised that she would affect this... whatever it was he had with D'rorah. They could keep it secret, with the constant worry of being caught and her finding out. Or, he would have to convince her he had tricked D'rorah... and that would not be an easy task. It would also probably come with the eventuality that his allegiance would be revealed to not lie with her, likely sooner than it would otherwise occur. There was also the option that this could all just be a one-off, and that it wouldn't happen again... but not only was Kerridon not at all inclined towards this option, considering his actions already tonight he wasn't sure he could resist the temptation. He dismissed it for now, not wanting to bring up the subject of Dark Phoenix again just yet.
D'rorah apparently realised that she had struck a soft spot when he replied, but he still didn't meet her eyes nor reply to her apology. He did not like thinking about that subject as it was, let alone talking about it in the very place where it had happened. At least she seemed sensitive enough to his reaction that she didn't question it.
He suppressed a grin at her objections to what he had said, but the corners of his mouth were still quite visibly turned upwards. [blue]"Truly correct implies perfection, therefore by your own words you admit that you are perfectionist. Miss Philosophy, you seem to be having quite some trouble with your vocabulary tonight,"[/blue] he informed her loftily, failing at completely erasing the vestiges of the smile on his face. [blue]"As for whether you are predictable... you have certain tendencies that are reoccurring... such as perfectionism,"[/blue] he couldn't resist adding.
When the door had closed on D'rorah, Kerridon stayed where he was standing for several moments, not quite able to believe that any of this was happening. All he had been planning to do was make some effort at comforting her... and his plans very rarely went astray. The last time he could remember it happening had also been with D'rorah, in the bookshop in Knockturn Alley, when a spur of the moment decision had ended with him switching sides.
Snapping out of it, Kerridon headed to the bookcase to find something to pass the time – it did not take long to find something appropriate. Picking out the small, red leather-bound volume, Kerridon already had it opened and was reading the first page by the time he was sitting down on the end of the bed – the closest place to sit other than the floor. He quickly became engrossed and was a little surprised at the door opening out of the corner of his eye; he had almost forgotten that anyone else was here. He could hardly miss the abundance of scars that were now visible, but returned her smile without the uncertainty, sensing that she felt a little uncomfortable. It seemed a little odd to him that her face had been left untouched when the rest of her body was so badly marked, but he dismissed it out of habit of not questioning Dark Phoenix's judgment, hardly realising he was doing so.
He turned the book and handed it up to her, tilting his head upwards so he could meet her eyes. [blue]"It is a Latin account of several early wandmakers, and their use of runes to enhance the magical properties of the wands,"[/blue] he explained, shortening it as best he could. He could have gone into much more detail, but did not want to draw D'rorah in to more reading, even if it was not related to the Shadow Wars. He was a little reluctant even handing her the book, and fully intended to take it back if she looked a little too interested in the topic. [blue]"And I do believe that despite the various distractions provided, I have still succeeded in making sure you are showered, fed and recuperating. So perhaps distractions are not such a bad thing after all,"[/blue] he commented casually.
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