The sound of the witch’s footsteps echoed faintly in the dark alley she was passing through, near Charing Cross Road. Only a few meters until she had to turn to find the Leaky Cauldron. When she finally did, Callisto entered without hesitation, smiled to Hannah Abbott, the new landlady and one of Neville’s friends, and stepped in the rear to access Diagonalley.
As much as she was fond of the pub and its waiters, the ex-Slytherin didn’t have much time to kill at the particular moment. After almost eight months of research, she had finally found an apothecary owner who was interested in her record and was willing to actually teach her a few things in potion making –not that she was bad at it, but she thought that she could always improve and learn new tricks. Her current work placement at Alaric Wraith’s shop was, she had to admit, shitty, as she almost only did the cashier’s work. It was time to change.
Taking a deep breath, Callisto resumed her walk in the crowded street, passing between witches and wizards, avoiding some owls’ beaks, or delicious ice creams that looked like they were ready to fall more and more with each passing second. Then, the young woman caught the scent of bread from the nearby wizarding bakery and her belly made a grunt. Great, she thought. It really wasn’t the time to get hungry. Her stomach protested, making the witch stop quickly in her tracks. It was like the perfectly glazed pastries were calling to her. Callisto took her time deciding if they were really worthy or not and finally entered the bakery. It was better to be hungry now than in twenty minutes, in front of Vivian Viridian.
Putting a small packet into her satchel, Callisto exited her now new heaven with a stomach full of cream horns. She checked her watch and swore under her breath: she was almost late and nowhere near the apothecary. The witch sped up her pace, sometimes shoving a kid or two –to which she apologized just as quickly–, almost fell over some grumpy goblin, and finally arrived in front of Under the Lake Apothecary. Looking at her reflection in the glass, the girl rearranged her rumpled hair, brushed her skirt a bit and pushed the door open.
The small bell rang just as Callisto entered Viridian’s apothecary. The smell of herbs and various potions ingredients tickled her nose and heightened her senses. The young woman was positively impressed as the store was well kept despite being full of hundreds of different baubles, gems, and plants. The enchanted clock on the wall at her right indicated ten thirty: she was just on time.
A rush of thoughts came to her: what could she say ? She brought her Hogwarts records in case Viridian wanted to make sure she was taking a skilled apprentice in her shop, but what if the woman mistook that precaution as snobbishness ? All she wanted was a chance to be part of the Ministry’s Unspeakable Program, to prove that she was worth it, that she wasn’t the frightened little girl from Hogwarts anymore, that she had grown and matured.
Faintly shaking her head, the witch approached the broad cherry bureau at the back of the shop and waited there. When she realized no one was coming she started to tap her fingers against the dark wood. Didn’t they hear the doorbell ? Callisto cleared her throat.
— Hello ? Is someone there ? I-I’m Callisto Rowle, the owner granted me an appointment.
code by EXORDIUM.
Dernière édition par Callisto A. Rowle le Mar 29 Mai - 17:11, édité 4 fois
The day had been good so far, for Vivian Viridian. She had woken up, kissed her husband, and resumed her morning walk towards her boutique, welcoming the warming sun of September and its breeze with a soft smile, lightening her blue eyes, surrounded by pretty wrinkles. Yeah, like every other moron on the planet, she was aging. She gladly accepted it, excited to see what was to come next. Now that this awful war was finally over... Life was good and exciting again. Of course, shadows remained. Those in the eyes of Shae, her daughter were especially worrisome, but Vivian made it a point of honor not to intrude in her baby's life too much. She knew too damn well what bad parenting did to people - her husband had been a wreck she had to work on many years. She had seen it as an experiment - almost the same as making a potion really. An experimental one, the kind that might burst into your face at any moment. Just the way she liked life. She was considered careless and a bit dangerous sometimes, but she needed that spice ; and she was glad her daughter was a bit like her, and a bit like her father too.
Of course, when you looked at Shae, you had a hard time connecting her to the sensitive, soft-spoken, smart and quiet Hugh Viridian, but underneath all the yelling, the brawling and the swagger, it was there. The way she always carried stones in her pockets, the way she looked at star sometimes. Shae was her precious, perfect little baby, she was the perfect combination of all that she loved about her husband and herself. And it was hurting to see how much this precious baby had suffered those last few years. Too painful to think of, really. So Vivian had persisted. Making sure Shae knew she was loved and supported. Making sure there was always fresh herbs, tea and delicious cookies in the packages that were sent for her. Waiting for this delicate and complex mind of her to open up and talk about the issues. Of course, Vivian sighted while rearranging glass bottles on the counter, she was still waiting for that to happen.
The morning had been particularly calm. She was expecting a huge delivery from Australia, containing new and exciting things to test and discover, and she had sent an hysteric owl to her daughter, summoning her to come. She was also expecting a new wannabe apprentice - Callisto Rowle, a young lady barely a year younger than her own daughter. She had accepted to meet her and consider her as a future apprentice, mostly because spending her days talking with clients had become boring. She was ready to pay someone, if that person was patient enough to endure her endless smalltalk and constant digressions. Maybe Callisto would be that person, and if she was vivace enough, she might even be of good help in making new potions. She was after all the first seller of the Viridian's products, and she proudly displayed the newly made potions her daughter had helped conceive, thanks to her researches.
Just as the door bell rang, Vivian was in the back of the shop, frantically looking for an order that a client had made, and was supposed to come pick up at noon. And of course, she had forgotten all about it. With a sigh, she was wondering how much time it would take her to make it perfect, and forgot for a minute that the door had rang. Then, she heard a small, timid voice, and rushed back to the front desk to welcome the newcomer, discovering the face of a future apprentice. She smiled softly to the dark-haired girl, looking at her from head to toes. Delicate and pretty, with a rather fair complexion, the intelligence in her eyes and the sparkle of curiosity and defiance was all it took for the witch to like her. Vivian shook the girl's hand and smiled even more.
- Hi there ! I'm Mrs Viridian, but please, call me Vivian. You're Callisto Rowle, right ? Well, you're just on time. I forgot about a client, and now, I have to work twice as fast to make it. The lady needed a pinch of bitterroot, a dozen caterpillar, five ounce of leech juice, a turltle shell and valerian root. No idea what she intend to make with all of this, but if you could lend me a hand, we could discuss your apprenticeship furthermore with a nice cup of tea, and cookies ! I made some last tuesday !
A cheerful smile, and she was already showing the girl the back of the shop, explaining where were every ingredients, her storage system and how she usually took care of a client order. The bell rang again, and she let Callisto help herself, already pleased with the quick reactions of the girl who seemed relieved to have some actual real and tangible work to do.
SHAE -
She had been summoned with so much strength that she hadn't dare to say no. Her mother could be scary sometimes, especially with a smile ; so Shae strode the streets and hurried toward the boutique she loved and sometimes feared the most. These past few days had been good. Almost happier than the rest. She felt good about a ton of stuff. Her work was slowly but surely recognized on a international level, and she was to meet a few journalists to talk about it during the following week. They were talking about big articles for American's newspaper, and Australian's too. She had only been drunk twice this week, and only swore to kill Aristide thrice. So far, so good.
Pushing the door with her usual swagger, she smiled as her mother emerged from the back and started blabbering about her baby finally paying her a visit, and all that idiotic stuff she looooved rant about. Vivian hugged her, shrinking her nose at the scent of cigarette, and Shae rolled her eyes, smiling a bit faintly to one of the brightest person she knew.
- Baby ! You're finally here ! My Autraslian's order has not made it here yet, but we're expecting it very soon. I have a little help for today, since Callisto Rowle was looking for someone to take her in as an apprentice... You must know her, she was just a year younger than you in Hogwarts !
Looking at the girl also emerging from the back, Shae contained a little noise of horror. Callisto, huh ? She had never known the name of the girl, but she certainly knew who she was. A Slytherin, used to hanging around with Aristide - maybe because she had poor taste, maybe because her father was a Squib. Anyway...She had had a hard time in Hogwarts, during the dark year. Suddenly ashamed of herself and clenching her jaw to contain the pain of the memory, Shae shook her head and nodded at the girl.
- Pleased to meet you. What about this Australian order mom ? Is it really THAT special, or are you making stuff up to make me show up ? 'Cause you know it won't bloody work every time !! I am a big person now. I have a big person job. I go to big person meetings and stuff.
Vivian giggled in delight and brushed her hair from her face, making Shae pout a bit.
- Oh dear, I know you're busy. And I'm very proud. But I swear, those herbs are ... unusual. We should try them into different concoctions to learn more about them, and maybe you could write another article about it, huh ? Callisto could help, she looks like a brilliant and fine young lady to me ! Right ?
The scarred witch could only smile and shake her head, amused by her over-excited mother, sharing a sympathetic look with Callisto who seemed ready enough to bare with it. What a courageous girl she was.
As soon as her voice rose in the air, the young woman heard some noise in the employee section of the shop. Viridian must have been caught up with something, or didn’t hear the doorbell, but she had heard her voice. When the witch appeared, Callisto squared her shoulders a little bit and stood straight, a faint smile playing with her lips. The older woman spoke fast, and a lot ; Callisto hadn’t had the time to open her mouth to answer Vivian’s question that she was already being pulled to the back of the shop as Viridian’s chatter filled the room. The young witch followed, eager to know more and to make a good impression.
Dozens of ingredients were carefully stacked on shelves, amongst them were containers with eyeballs or corporeal fluids, an entire wall was dedicated to herbs –dry and fresh, while the previously listed elements were waiting on the counter. Callisto was pleased by the view, and Vivian’s chitchat was something she could get used to, she decided.
— I brought pastries too if you’d like, she said while busying herself into making a nice bunch of valerian roots. And if you need proof of my seriousness, I’ve got some too.
Then the doorbell rang again, and Vivian left Callisto at the back, who was quite pleased to be worthy of the woman’s trust. She was seizing caterpillars with big pliers to put them into a more suitable container for the client. They looked better than the ones from Hogwarts: Snape must have hidden the good ones for his personal use while he kept the small ones for the students –most of them failed or weren’t that interested in potion making anyways.
She heard Vivian babble even from where she was and chuckled at the thought of a grumpy kid’s face and their overwhelming mother hugging them, while almost screaming their pet name. She was closing the larvae’s container when she heard her name being mentioned and hurried at the front with a slight smile. The witch was determined to show that she was a nice and friendly girl who could be a perfect apprentice. But when she made her appearance, the corners of her lips fell as she recognized the blonde in front of her.
Callisto didn’t know the girl’s name but she sure knew her face. She was older than her and had been one of the Carrow’s executioners two years ago. The former Slytherin felt her throat bob as she swallowed hard, and one of her fists clench and unclench as quickly behind her skirt. The scar on the back of her shoulder also began to itch. But her stance did not falter.
After a dead bit, she plastered her most convincing smile.
— The pleasure is mine, she then turned her gaze towards Vivian, what about that order ? How is it that special ? If you would let me, I could research the properties of these unusual herbs, to see if I can help, somehow.
The doorbell rang for the third time since Callisto’s appearance, and a middle-aged man came into the shop. He was the most over the top wizard she’d ever seen : blue locks fell on the sides of his face, his robes were as dark as the night and had little stars embroidered here and there. If it wasn’t for the hair, she could have said he looked like a fancier version of Malfoy. She didn’t know it to be possible.
The young witch stared for a moment before snapping back to reality –it wasn’t her fault that she hadn’t been accustomed to seeing such extravagant men, the clients that came into Alaric’s shop were more mundane. After a quick glance at Vivian’s direction, she walked to the man with a smile she hoped would look professional.
— Can I help you in any way, Sir ?
code by EXORDIUM.
Dernière édition par Callisto A. Rowle le Mar 29 Mai - 17:12, édité 2 fois
“Where must we go, we who wander this wasteland, in search of our better selves?”
Lost in her thoughts, Shae looked absently at Callisto who was - very professionally - welcoming the newcomer. Decisions were made, during the dark year. She took it upon her to become what Ruth needed her to be. Ruthless. The pun could have been so good, if it wasn't for all the pain and suffering it has caused. Vivian never knew, and Shae intended on keeping it that way. She had regrets, and she felt like she deserved the nightmares. They kept her grounded, aware of her faults, crimes. But in the two years past, it was the first time she had to look at a direct result of this dark year. She saw it in Callisto's eyes, despite her smile. The cold, and dread. The terror, barely contained. The iced hate.
During the dark year and even after, she thought she had had good reasons to act as she had. It was for Ruth. Her cousin was a fucking good reason. To lock her jaw when hearing the teachers talking about muggles and muggle-born students. To lower her eyes when asked about her mother. To lie through her teeth, assuring them that she was pure-blood, and that if they wanted a demonstration, she could show them. She had pushed the regret and the dread so far away, all for the sake of Ruth. But it was alright. She had managed to protect her, to do all of the dirty work in her place. Of course, not always, and there were episodes she knew Ruth still refused to talk about. She had her own too.
She was so certain that she had done everything that she could, when the nightmares came, she cried. Her mind refused to admit that her behavior, not that brave after all, had been more of a passive way of protecting Ruth. She should have grabbed her cousin, and get as far as possible from Hogwarts and the country even. It had taken time for her to admit it. Now, even though she wasn't in the best place ever, she was in a good enough spirit to admit she had fucked up immensely. Her guilt could be read so easily, she had to do something about it.
She had to say something, she had to break the ice, or never would she forgive herself. And she had to do it all without her mother's notice. That was not going to be pleasant. Shrugging, the blonde witch let Callisto deal with the client, who seemed pretty satisfied with her expertise, and she went to the back of the boutique, carrying stuffs and listening to hr mother babbling without really reacting, deep in thoughts. She raised her head and looked at her mother.
- Are you considering keeping her then ?
Vivian shrugged with a huge smile.
- She's smart, helpful, and she doesn't wait on me to take initiatives. I like her. Plus, she's currently employed by a moron.
- And nothing pleases you more than to steal employees from morons, right ? Shae snorted
- Right.
Vivian's smile was contagious, but soon, her mother looked annoyed by the time. Her delivery should already have been made. They were about to piss off Vivian Viridian's mojo, and that was never a good thing. Shae chuckled and she went back to the boutique, observing as Callisto tried to occupy herself instead of having to talk to her. She sighed and came closer, wishing to find the words the witch needed to hear. She wasn't used to delicacy or tact. She had to be better than that, though.
- Listen. I know where we both come from. What we saw two years ago. What some of us did. What some of us endured. I can't ask for forgiveness this boldly, and I'm not even sure I deserve it anyway. But ... If you need anything, just say so. It's not charity or whatever. I had my reasons, and I did what I thought I had to do. We both know I fucked up pretty badly, and so did a few others. But if...
The sound of Vivian steps stopped Shae right in the middle of her sentence and she cleared her throat.
- Well, like I said, don't hesitate to ask my mother for anything, help, recommandations, whatev's.
The door opened again, this time to show a young wizard, carrying lots of boxes with an apologizing look on his face.
- Hi Mrs Viridian ! Sorry I'm late, Goblins wanted to sue me again. Here's your delivery from Australia !! Careful, though, I heard something moving angrily inside one of the boxes.
- Finally !! Stop getting into trouble so much Finneas. Shae, Callisto, please, take the boxes behind while I look for a tip.
Shae agreed and with a swift movement from her wand, the boxes began to follow her. She looked at Callisto, a bit embarrassed, hoping the witch was not considering strangling her. That would make a mess of some sort...
Callisto stood next to the extravagant man as he fumbled with his robes, probably looking for an ingredients list. The witch waited patiently until he found a small note written in sparkly indigo ink. As she came closer to be able to read some of the words and maybe help, the wizard recoiled and clutched the paper in his hand.
— Now, there’s no need to be that close, Miss. Though I would be pleased if you would help me find Erumpent horns.
The young witch busied herself as much as she could, trying not to imagine what kind of look the blonde girl would have while her back was turned. Even though the days of her sixth year at Hogwarts were gone, her mind liked to trick her at the most inappropriate times –if there ever was an appropriate one. The flashes of magic –whether directed towards her or not, the bruises, cuts, and tears. The mockeries, sniggers, and insults she earned when she came back from a detention, late at night. While not every day and every person was completely horrible, she remembered the dread that kept her body taut at the prospect of the Carrow siblings coming at her, again.
She knew she could never really make these feelings and images go away, but her mum always told her that it gets better with time. The witch wasn’t sure when this would start, but she kept her hopes and her head high while waiting. Now wasn’t the time for a breakdown, and certainly not just in front of that girl. Instead, Callisto contained the small tremor of her hands and registered the blue-haired man’s purchases.
Shortly after, the witch saw Viridian’s daughter reappear in the shop and went to rearrange some of the few unicorn hairs that were a bit creased from her previous customer. She wished her mother could come back too so they wouldn’t be alone together. The tension was getting quite thick, and Callisto thought without humour that a Diffindo could cut it.
One instant later she found herself startled by the blonde girl standing right beside her, and almost jumped back to put some distance between them, almost. But Viridian didn’t look threatening, there was even an odd, resigned-like emotion in her eyes, or maybe it was just tiredness. She spoke, fast and determined. Callisto furrowed both her brows as she watched the other girl try to… to console her ? To show pity ? She wasn’t sure, but she didn’t quite like it. She didn’t need her help, and it wasn’t her job to make the other girl feel better after was had been done. Maybe she was being selfish, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
Just before a scathing answer got past her lips, someone came into the shop with an enormous number of boxes. Levitating them would have been easier, Callisto thought absentmindedly. Then one of them moved, and it was enough to pick the witch’s curiosity. Vivian finally emerged, drawing a sigh of relief from her. As commanded, the young woman levitated her share of the boxes into the back of the shop, away from the main room and Vivian’s reassuring presence.
Only to find herself trapped with Shae, again.
— I didn’t have the occasion to give you an answer earlier. I don’t want your pity, not now, not later. Everything I’ll get into will be my doing, she said in a low voice. I don’t want to owe it to someone. And about what you did, that’s not something I can just brush up. Maybe you saw what people endured, but you did not feel it. Feel the—
Vivian came back from the front, all giddy and seemingly excited about whatever was in the cardboard boxes laid on the counter. Callisto straightened a bit and flashed a smile at her. She wasn’t calm and collected like her mum, but she could feel the witch's motherly aura, and it appeased her, somehow.
code by EXORDIUM.
Dernière édition par Callisto A. Rowle le Mar 29 Mai - 17:14, édité 1 fois
Shit had gotten so wrong. The girl has misplaced her guilt for pity, and now she was looking at her in pure disgust. Shae winced and decided she had to take things in control, or the damage would forever be done. Vivian had just made it to the back room, excited about what was inside the boxes, but the atmosphere had dropped dead cold so quickly that even she felt it. Shae exhaled and her mother looked at her, saw the face she made, and turned heels, carefully letting the two witches deal with whatever was between them. She wasn't dumb. Vivian knew something was up, but she also knew that if she tried to push it, Shae would close up and slip through her already tenuous grasp. A swift moment later, and the door of the backroom closed with a thud, leaving the two youngsters looking at each other.
Shae sighed and took it upon her to confront directly the whiskey eyes of Callisto, surrounded by her strong eyebrows. She had to pick her words carefully, but she also had to be honest. This was the only way. Maybe not to fix anything, nor to mend... But to be, for once, active in her own kind of twisted redemption.
- You misunderstood. I don't pity you. I acknowledge what you've been through. I acknowledge that my own passivity made it happen when I should have been strong enough to stand and fight back. I acknowledge that I chose to turn a blind eye, and to accomplish also more actively horrid things. These, I live with. But I don't fucking pity you.
She may have been too harsh in her last sentence, but she regretted nothing. She lifted a finger to ask for silence a bit more, looking for words.
- What I meant was. My mother doesn't know. She wasn't there. She has no fucking idea what I did, what you endured, and I don't think she can imagine to what extent we were fucked up as a generation. She doesn't pity you because she doesn't know, and I intend on keeping in that way.
She squared her shoulders.
- But what I'm really asking for now, is that you don't take all that hatred on her. She did nothing except birth me into life. She's one of the few good people left. You don't owe me anything, but I do. I just ask for you to acknowledge that, I too, was a fucking seventeen years old when all the shit went down.
She took a sharp breathe and rubbed her eyes, even if she already knew that the dark circles around them were visible enough as it was. She wasn't even sure what she expected as a reaction anymore, but if Callisto took it upon her and attacked, she'd had to retaliate. That was certain. If the girl wanted to quietly hate her and look at her with anger every time she would pass by, it wouldn't be so hard. Suddenly, anxiety rushed over her and her breath became faster, and faster, and she bent the knees, looking down, trying so hard to maintain an air of calm and control. She couldn't control anything. She was having a fucking panic attack in front of somebody who would have deserved to punch her in the face to say the least. Quietly, as her breathe was cutting her in two, she finally admitted, mortified.
- I have no idea how to fix this. I fix everything. I'm brilliant at fixing spells, at bending magical laws to accommodate me, but this, this I can't fix. I know. Hate me all you want, it's alright, I know I deserve it. But I don't... I don't fucking know how to fix any of this fucked up situation.
She would have liked to say that she was sorry, but the words wouldn't come through. She just bent the back, almost sitting on the floor, trying to get a fucking grip and calm herself down. She had to make it work, because her mom was next door, and would inquire why, and would worry herself to death, and that she just could not deal with, just as she could not deal with Callisto and her anger after all, because she was still that fucking damn coward. And she dared making fun of Aristide. What a fucking joke she was.
Unfortunately, Callisto’s mercy was short. Whatever Vivian had wanted to do in the back shop had been postponed. Even her carefree spirit had perceived the tension in the room, and whatever look Shae gave her made the older witch flee from the scene. As soon as she was gone, Shae’s insisting gaze was back on her, although the girl seemed at a loss for words. Callisto’s anger rose up again, in a less calm manner this time. Whatever the blonde was trying to do to atone would be fruitless. Nothing could make her forget, or forgive. Callisto opened her mouth to finish what she had started earlier, but Shae was quicker.
She spoke about her past passivity, and the brunette saw red again. She qualified what had been done as passivity ? She recalled Shae being quite active back in the days, as one of the executioners, the ones that punished those who weren’t pure enough, who couldn’t defend themselves. Oh, Callisto had seen her use some hexes and curses, strong enough to hurt, but never to leave marks, burns or broken limbs. And she had gotten away with all of it.
She wanted to yell, to punch, to break her the way she had been broken. But she kept her jaw tight as she listened to the girl speak again. She knew her face and aura screamed anger, but she didn’t really care to maintain her illusion anymore. Of course, Vivian didn’t know, otherwise Callisto would have been suffocated in her arms at the very second she entered the shop. Shae’s mother seemed to be a good, caring person. Nothing like her daughter, who was still pushing her innocence.
— Don’t you dare paint yourself as a victim ! You had a fucking choice, and you chose wrong. Yes, you were seventeen, so was the Dumbledore’s Army ! Some were even younger ! Do you remember the faces of those you punished ? The kids that you hexed again and again ? Because I can assure you that they remember you, and always will.
Callisto closed her eyes for a moment to let her shallow breaths take a normal pace again. She heard the witch speak further. Her eyes rolled back in her head until she heard that tone in her voice, the slight quiver that gave away that Shae was one the verge of tears. She turned her glare at the blonde, who was on the floor, looking pretty much like a mess. Her brows furrowed, and before she knew it, her knees hit the cold wood right in front of the girl.
She knew she was acting on pure instincts, and maybe a bit of habit. Slowly, she reached across their bodies to hold the witch’s shoulder. Even though her mind screamed at how wrong this was, Callisto held her grip tight and clenched her teeth. She knew what a panic attack looked like, felt like, and as much as she despised Shae, she had vowed herself never to turn a blind eye on someone suffering.
— I’m not gonna hex you, you’re gonna be fine, she said calmly as to not worsen the blonde's anxiety, not quite believing what she was doing. Take a deep breath. Do you want me to call your mum ?
All her anger had come down in less than a second. Now, she was focused on trying to help Shae, foe or not. She didn't need to wait for the other girl's answer to realise that calling her mum would be a bad idea. If she did that, Shae would have to explain everything to her mother, her own case included. She didn't need another pitiful gaze directed towards her.
— Forget what I said about your mum, we're gonna keep this to ourselves. Do you keep some ready-made Calming Draught in here ?
Hah ! She had lost it alright. But she was Shae motherfucking Viridian, and she had to get a grip, step back into reality, and stop wallowing in self-pity and self-hatred. She could do much better, even more so with the kind and gentle Callisto who was so selfless that she tried to help her. Shae raised a trembling hand, trying to keep her breath steady. She could not let herself be seen like this : the humiliation was just too much, and she was oh so not deserving of the kindness and patience she saw in the eyes of Callisto. She wasn't deserving of anything really, and it fucking nibbled at her that she was such a loser. She never actually saw herself as one before the war. She steadied herself, griping the hand that was on her shoulder, trying to soften her voice.
- Forget about that shit, it's no use for me. Doesn't work.
Not when she had taken it way too much during a very short period of time. Nah, she had to take the stronger stuff now. Her voice had sounded rash as usual, she was a lost cause at sympathy. She was not the kind of girl you wanted to help, the kind that seemed fragile and helpless. She looked like a punk, and se acted like one, no wonder Callisto hated her guts. Smiling slightly, a very crisped, fake smile, she tried to get up, and failed. A very shaky hand grasped her pocket, and she tapped it to find the pills. It wasn't legal, it wasn't even known to exist. A new formula, something a bit dangerous, but hella effective. It was still tested, and well, she never minded being a tester. She had quite nothing to lose, and the pills made her so calm... She popped one into her mouth and swallowed it, closing her eyes for a few secondes. The effect was quasi immediate, and she felt her breath slowing down, her heartbeats doing the same, until her mind was absolutely still, at ease. The reverberation was a bitch, because this was a fucking drug, let's be honest for a minute, and it had fucked up consequences on the organism, but, as she thought, nothing to lose.
She got up, brushing the hand of Callisto, taking a deep breath, and looked directly at her.
- Alright. I'm fine. Thank you for being concerned. See ? I'm the bad guy here, no matter how I look at it. I get it. I know you won't ever like me. And I can't do shit 'bout it. But if you ever need anything, I'll do it. I'll provide. I owe you at least that, and it's not comparable to what you've been through, but I can't offer you anything else.
Even though her speech was very pretty, she felt stupid when she realized her body was barely calm : she still had tears in her eyes, and she must have been looking like a fucking ghost. She lifted her fingers to the corner of her damn eyes, brushing off the tears, and smiled not very convincingly at Callisto.
- I've got a nice flat here in London, if you're ever in trouble of lodging. We've got an empty bedroom, 'cause there are several of us living here. It's a bit chaotic, but the room comes with several spells to ensure a peaceful environment. It's home to us.
She had forgotten all about the place and context, not even a bit concerned about her mom, who was taking care of the client and everything else. She was entirely focusing on Callisto, her eyes fixed on her, looking for a way to mend, to make her understand that even though she rightly considered her a bad person, she wasn't here to be her enemy. She would not enter again in a cycle of violence. She was done with it, wanted nothing to do with it. She just hoped for a little bit of salvation, somehow.
Sujet: 
Dim 24 Déc - 16:44
