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bianca p. aubrey ([info]persephones) wrote in [info]valesco,
@ 2012-05-06 19:05:00


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Entry tags:bertram aubrey, bianca aubrey, danielle rookwood, derek dobbs, donovan rookwood, gabriel corner, group, heathcliff shimpling, katerina edgars, michal conway lynch, mirabelle jasper, rachel corner, therese bonaccord

Open to Guests!
She'd done it. Bianca wasn't even going to apologize for the thought; she'd done it. These past few weeks leading up to the wedding had been so nerve-wracking, worse than any training she'd gone through, more terrifying than any mission she'd been on, worse than...she really thought that she was not going to make it down the aisle. The guilt and the fear had nearly paralyzed her, but putting on her wedding dress, seeing her closest friends dressed up and looking so very happy for her, a last minute owl from Bertram that made things all seem right.

Well, she practically ran down the aisle after that!

The reception had turned out beautifully, and she really, really had to thank her mother for making her have such an event. All the planning leading up to it had been stressful, but it had made her stronger, and Bianca's life depending on being able to push through anything life threw at her. Her hair was down and out of the twist it had been forced into this morning; if she was going to dance and party, she was surely going to have her hair flying about.

A particuarly happy tune came on and she grabbed Amissa's hand, bouncing happily with the little girl who was now officially her step-daughter. The thought thrilled her, and Bianca caught Bertram's eye with a big grin.


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Therese!
[info]conways
2012-05-07 01:29 am UTC (link)
Weddings were, Michal would openly admit, his favorite kind of social events to attend. What was there not to like about them? Free alcoholic beverages? Check. Free food? Check. People that for the most part ignored his celebrity? Check. Insecure and desperate women ripe for the picking? Yes. Nothing could be better.

Except the fact that since his cousin was the bride, his entire family was present tonight. Almost, at least. Thankfully his parents had been unable to attend, but the same could not be said about his two siblings. Separate, Ewan and Lissie were manageable, but together they proved to support the reason why he only did things with them apart. They were making it difficult for him to unnoticeably distance himself to enjoy the fruits of going stag, which did not please him.

In retrospect, Michal supposed their desire to spend time all together as siblings was his own fault because he automatically refused those invites, but that was not something he could change now. Or wanted to think about. So, in an attempt to avoid another one of Lissie's notorious pouts, Michal ducked his head low and slipped into the first open chair sitting away from the dance floor (where his sister currently was).

It was only until he gripped the place setting's empty glass that he noticed the seat next to his was occupied. Hm. Turning slightly, his mood did brighten slightly at realizing it was a woman. Thank Merlin.

"My sister is stalking me," Michal supplied tonelessly. "Brown hair. Deceivingly big eyes--- do you mind?" He made an indication toward the seat, already deciding he wasn't going to move regardless of what she said. Why would he want to give up a seat next to such an attractive woman?

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[info]alongday
2012-05-07 06:55 pm UTC (link)
Therese lowered herself from the hovering position over her chair as he sat down beside her. She had been ready to find Mackenzie and interrupt whatever romantic, gooey exchange she and her husband were having, because this setting, this reception was becoming increasingly depressing. There were many faces she had not seen in a long time, and she loved seeing the younger Slytherin girls of her Hogwarts days, but with the resurfacing of her miserable ex and feelings for a certain Kestrel she was too shy to actually admit, a wedding was quite honestly the last place she wanted to be.

She was trying to pull herself out of the self-deprecating mood she'd been in for the past few weeks, though. Tonight was supposed to be about love and being happy, so even though a very large part of her wanted to kick the leg out of the table with the cake sitting prettily on top of it, Therese knew that it would only make things feel worse, and herself feel even more worthless.

"Do you owe her a dance?" Therese asked, recognizing his face. Falcons, Lynch, Keeper. It seemed like no matter where she went, she was surrounded by these quidditch players, but at least he wasn't one of her patients, and she knew so little information about him that he most likely was not going to need to lie on her couch any time soon. That was a good thing, and Therese felt her shoulders relax slightly. "You must dance with your sister at a wedding."

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[info]conways
2012-05-08 01:33 am UTC (link)
Breaking from his usually stoic manner, Michal managed a hint of a glower on his face. Yes, he had purposely gotten that out of the way earlier in the evening, knowing it would be something Lissie would not stop demanding for until done. Now, she and Ewan were just teasing him, purposely making his life difficult.

Why did they have to be so incessant with family bonding? They were bonded enough. Not to mention full adults, and their ways fully set.

"I already did," he finally responded gruffly, about to cross his arms in an annoyed manner (was that her business to be asking?), but he stopped himself. That wasn't the correct way to act. Instead, Michal sat up in his chair for straighter posture and let out a light sigh. "My siblings just enjoy bothering me in public as a pastime," he shrugged, his gaze going up toward the ceiling before returning to her.

Who was this women, exactly? He had never seen her before, did not recognize her... this wedding reception was small enough that if it came to it, he would probably be able to find out who she was. But there was no fun in that when she was right in front of him.

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[info]alongday
2012-05-08 10:54 pm UTC (link)
"It seems like a very fun pastime," Therese teased with a smile, his glower and fluster quite amusing. Boys never really seemed to grow up, did they? But, it was amusing, and he was much more interesting than the lovey-dovey drivel that Sebastian and Mackenzie were going on about in the corner. Therese was sure that she would be huffing just as much as Lynch was if she had to listen to them gush about the boys, or the new baby, or the ducks.

That was terrible of her. She was very happy for her friends, thrilled because of all the hardships they'd been through. It was just--very hard not to feel jealous of things. Though, maybe it wasn't jealousy, maybe it was the feeling of rejection and the fear of----she was at a wedding, and she was sitting beside a very handsome man that knew absolutely nothing about her. She could at least amuse herself for the evening, right? Therese straightened herself up and let her hair fall over her shoulders.

Her eyes went to her fingernails, and she played with them gently as she tried to look disinterested. "I don't have any siblings to drive me mad or to drive mad, it seems like I've missed out."

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[info]conways
2012-05-09 02:24 am UTC (link)
"You are not missing anything," he responded darkly, though immediately after felt a bit of guilt for stating that. His siblings were not that bad, their intentions quite moral (most of the time); it just did not suit his personal character for them to be so attentive. They did not need to talk and do things constantly to still be a close family.

Giving into the guilt this woman had subtly slipped him, Michal gave a glancing look back over his shoulder--- with a refreshing result. Lissie had moved on from the vicinity. Though, if he was going to be honest, it was Ewan that proved to be the real threat. And he had been suspiciously out of sight for the past half and hour. Not a good sign.

Regardless, the lack of his sibling's breath down Michal's neck did give him the opportunity to fully focus on his current gaze. He had been doing a poor job in enwrapping her.

"So," he started, lifting his hand to make a waving motion. "Come on then, I'll be here for a bit. Who are you? What's your story?"

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[info]alongday
2012-05-11 01:13 am UTC (link)
She stared at him for a few moments in thought, putting her hands on the table. Her story? No one had asked for her story in some time.

"My name is Therese, and I've had a rather shitty past few years."

If she were her own healer, she'd urge herself to discuss, out loud, what was ailing her. No matter how many times she panicked to Mackenzie about the state of her situation with Rupert, or the frenzy that Rémy continued to put her in with the publishing of his book, she never truly explained why the events of her life drove her so mad. Confusion was a large part of the problem, her self-esteem took the largest of blows with Rémy's every word, her concern for her professional status gained with each encounter with Rupert, it was all very...it chipped away at her mental state quite surely and strongly. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to not commit herself to the wards of St. Mungo's for evaluation and help. It could be because she believed she knew better, but her own words rang in her head. Her patients always thought they knew better, and here she was, ignoring her own advice.

There was no way she would drop this all on Lynch, however. Therese had some sort of sense, and while it felt like her inner ramblings rang through her head for hours, it was only a split second before she buried away the thoughts and smirked, squinting one eye as she picked up her drink and held it out for a toast.

"But that's not for tonight, is it?"

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[info]conways
2012-05-13 03:10 am UTC (link)
She said bitterly. And candidly. Michal was actually rather surprised at Therese's openness to a stranger, though if he had to admit, he did enjoy it. How could you not enjoy bluntness? It worked for him very well through the years of his life. Much less of a hassle and really just better for all in the long run.

So, while her statement did encourage a silent raised brow, that did not stop Michal from meeting his glass to meet with a wordless clink. Perhaps that was too perceptive in the sense that he obviously could not complain about his past few years like she could, be he could understand what it was like to suffer through them. For the most part.

"I guess," he shrugged, after a drink. A thought came to him, and Michal quickly began to rattle off his words. "So what is for tonight?" he mused, fully intent on this new game. It seemed fun. And, if the worst should happen and he is spotted, it will look like a very important conversation.

"Drinking," he began, tipping his glass slightly as he spoke. "Dancing, eating... avoiding your family," Michal stopped for a moment, picking up again as new ideas came to mind. "Being secretly miserable? Permanently borrowing pocketable items... well?" He stopped patiently, waiting to see how Therese took to this. He may be persuaded to partake in the actions he was not already doing.

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LALA~
[info]jasper
2012-05-09 12:41 am UTC (link)
Mira was so happy for Bianca she could cry. Well, she had already cried, multiple times, but it was all for her best friend and her happy day in her life where everything had finally come together to a nice neat white bow! It was very-- she was happy! How could you not feel emotional about that? Happy! And nothing else!

Letting out an exhausted sigh as she fell into her seat (happily!), Mira let her mind wander as little as possible. There was no time for thinking about how this time last year she had hoped to be here, or how about everyone else in the wedding party except her was married, and she had dumbly not brought a date because who would want to deal with them and her responsibilities as maid of honor.

The only logical solution was to become completely smashed and hope these pathetic thoughts would vanish and not rear to life in an embarrassingly public way. But even that was not working, and she simply found herself having to go to the bathroom more than humanly normal. At least she didn't have a date to notice. Though unsurprisingly, true to his form, Rhys had made an off-handed comment about it to the table, which only earned him backhanded verbal slap later.

What else could she do? This smile of hers had been plastered on her face for so long that it felt like her mouth was permanently misshapen forever. At least no one was near her; with that observation Mira slumped in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. She could have a moment, couldn't she?

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[info]bigd
2012-05-09 04:03 am UTC (link)
Brussels stole his breath away. Vinny had had to talk him out of making Prague his new home. Luxembourg filled him with a strangely haunting peace. There had been dancing in Spain, rock-climbing in Corsica, chimaera-spotting in Greece. He'd eaten up and down the Mediterranean until the shoulders of his robes had stopped sagging. Italian sun had added color to his cheeks, and the beard he now sported was more the thick stubble of someone enjoying life too much to bother often with superficialities. For nearly two months, Derek Dobbs hadn't had a thing to worry about except how many sights, sounds, even smells he could cram into one day. Truly, it broke his heart a little to tear himself away from the Grand Tour, but he knew it wouldn't be the same without his best friend.

There was also the small matter of Bianca's wedding, the invitation to which she had not hesitated to send to the contact information he'd left with the Magical Law Enforcement headquarters—never thinking it would be necessary, but wanting to always be reachable in the event he was truly needed. Her added note made it clear that in no uncertain terms was he to make it back for the ceremony. Derek had complied—but only just, as the awkwardly-buttoned cuffs of his dressrobes might indicate. He'd slipped in the back just as the ceremony started.

Now walking through the reception after giving Bianca his good wishes, he took note of the guests and supposed the sheer number of Slytherins in attendance shouldn't surprise him, as this was what happened when two of them got married. Shaking off old rivalries, he idly wished Vinny or Dianna were with him. Conquering inner-demons might have become a sport for him now, but people? Well, that was one arena he wasn't quite ready to step into yet.

At least, he hadn't thought so, as his eyes fell on one familiar face. No acute nerves, no statue-like catatonia accompanied it. She sat in a secluded corner, rare for her, but not when she was with him. Derek took it as some kind of sign, jamming his hands in his pockets as he approached.

"Fancy a dance?"

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[info]jasper
2012-05-09 11:06 pm UTC (link)
Ugh, and that was another thing! Just because she was the maid of honor did not mean she was the most desperate woman at this reception. She could go without dancing with a empathetic friend or observant bachelor for at least one song. It would prove to be difficult by the end of the night, but Mira could do it. Regardless of her mixed inner feelings, she certainly was not going to let anyone get the best of her, or even worse, notice it enough to say something.

So, beginning to get into a mood, Mira closed her eyes momentarily before twisting her body to face this brave (poor?) soul. A part of her had been building up quite a verbal attack purely for the Black Forest annex growing on Rhys Nott's face, but it seemed this victim would get a taste of that.

Her mouth, and building attitude, immediately dropped once she realized who it was.

"Derek!" Mira stated in surprise. She had not thought he would be here! He had said he would be returning earlier with quidditch starting, but she had not thought that meant tonight. She would also be lying if she hadn't said a part of her hoped he would show up tonight, if only for Bianca.... and a little for her. But more for Bianca! It would be better if she assumed all for Bianca, yes? Yes.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Mira took him in as she stood up for a warm embrace. He looked happy! And healthy! And had a beard! A good beard, not one that looked like it would sprout magical creature stories like someone else's--- she liked it. Merlin had he gotten more attractive in the past two months? How was that even possible?

"I'm so glad to see you! I mean--- welcome back," she spoke quickly, feeling significantly happier than before.

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[info]bigd
2012-05-12 02:18 am UTC (link)
His hands came up around her as he laughed. "Are you? I thought you were about to deck me." She'd certainly be capable enough to pack some weight behind that punch, he thought. There was something strangely—or perhaps not so strangely, for him—appealing about that.

"You look beautiful," he told her, pulling back enough to let his gaze sweep up and down her. She, and everything about the ceremony, really. Weddings were still one of his least favourite things in the world, but it managed to not be quite so bad when it was an esteemed co-worker and friend. He'd begrudgingly mentioned that to Bianca, when he'd pointedly given her his good wishes before making his way over here, which she smugly received. Derek's reply had been merely to tell her she had the good fortune to get married at the start of the professional Quidditch pre-season.

His shoulder still hurt a little, from that one.

Twisting his head to survey the dancing guests, he then turned back to Mira with a half-grin, suddenly glad Vinny had pushed him into the last minute attendance. Even he had to admit weddings were a lot better when lurking in the background wasn't the first and foremost option for socializing. Having a beautiful witch to while away that time with certainly didn't hurt at all. "I did mean that, about the dance," he said. "I'm something of a master now, you know."

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Donovan! :)
[info]curador
2012-05-09 07:45 pm UTC (link)
With her arms lightly looped around her husband's neck, Danielle had a rather good view down the neckline of her dress. It was very strange, the way her body was changing with the baby, but she had not dressed up like this in months and it was almost startling to see the changes. She had not realized how big she was in all sorts of areas, and it had been much harder to find a dress that did not make her look or feel like a whale, and she had never really cared about these sort of things before and---

Her lips twisted into a pout that was unfamiliar to her face. She had been very manageable of her emotions throughout the pregnancy even when she was going through all the aches and pains it brought along. Her attitude had been nothing but optimistic, but seeing how pretty everyone looked while she was busting at the seams it just seemed---

Danielle's head shot up to look at Donovan, trying her best to hold back the ridiculous tears that were threatening to fall.

"Do you think I look fat?" she blurted, and then her eyes went wide at how superficial she sounded. Danielle's face flushed deeply and she shook her head, feeling very much like a fool.

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[info]impulse
2012-05-10 12:49 am UTC (link)
Donovan was not someone who particularly enjoyed dancing, but was good at it nonetheless thanks to countless amounts of forced lessons while growing up. Both he and Augustus were forced to learn how to behave properly at formal social events, and knowing how to not step on someone’s toes fell into that category. He did, however, enjoy swaying to the beat of the music with his wife, his hands resting on her waist as they moved amongst the other guests who had attended the wedding. Admittedly he had been a little wary about showing up, because of the company he would be in while he was there, but he was also determined to be the bigger person, and show them all that he and Danielle were never going to be torn apart.

He had taken a moment to look away from her, directing his attention towards the live band that was playing the low tempo song they were moving to, and in that moment Danielle had apparently decided to do some self evaluating. The question brought his attention back to her, brows furrowing as he tried to determine whether or not he had heard her correctly. Danielle wasn’t one of those girls who asked questions like that on a regular basis, needing to hear back positive replies just to boost their self-esteem, so when she asked him if she looked fat, he had to wonder what was going through her mind to make her ask such a question.

When he saw the waterworks beginning to get turned on behind her eyes, he fought back a smirk (he wasn’t trying to laugh at her, but she was getting so worked up over nothing) before pulling her in closer to him, adjusting his hold on her as he shook his head. “I think you look amazing.”

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[info]curador
2012-05-11 11:07 pm UTC (link)
"You have to say that out of either obligation or fear that I might cause a scene," she whimpered. Danielle frowned as her eyes dropped back down between them. They couldn't even press close together because of her stomach. If she were to think logically about the situation, which shouldn't have been so hard for a person like Danielle, she would be able to accept that her son was growing every day and she needed to stretch to maintain his little form. But why on earth did someone so little need so much room?

She had two very different ways of thinking battling it out in her head, and it seemed that her emotions were going to beat out her logic. Which rarely, if ever, happened. Danielle simply didn't know what to do but stand there in Donovan's arms and continue to frown and try to hold back her tears. Everyone must think she looked mad, but since when did she care about what anyone but Donovan thought? He thought she looked amazing, but he was obviously lying to keep her from getting upset! And now she was upset because she couldn't control her emotions that lead her to this inner turmoil to begin with!

"I feel----like----" Oh, these tassels were a bad idea, and Danielle's breath continued to hitch between each word, "A---wooly mammoth!"

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[info]impulse
2012-05-12 05:57 pm UTC (link)
Donvan wasn’t usually the type to say something with the hopes of appeasing other people (outside of his job, at least), though he had a feeling that no matter what he said while she was in this state put her at risk of ‘causing a scene’. Still, he wasn’t used to seeing this side of her – Dani had always been the type to tell women they were being idiotic when they acted so superficial, constantly worrying about their figure and their looks. She for one never had to worry about anything like that, being naturally thin and beautiful, but Donovan had always loved the fact that she didn’t spend hours upon hours dwelling on her appearance, consistently asking him if she looked alright.

He had been looking down at her with that same stunned, slightly bewildered expression though when she compared herself to a mammoth of all things, he let out a short burst of laughter in spite of his efforts not to. Before she had the chance to get upset over the fact that he was laughing at her (really, she was being ridiculous and he couldn’t help it), he moved his hands to either side of her face so she was looking at him.

“Do you hear yourself?”

The question was asked with raised brows, searching her eyes, praying that the beads of moisture brimming along her lower lashes wouldn’t fall.

“Dani, you do not look like a mammoth. You look like my beautiful, pregnant wife. And just think, in a couple of months, you’re going to be holding our son, and looking back on this moment, realizing how foolish you were being.”

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[info]curador
2012-05-13 02:26 am UTC (link)
Danielle imagined that she looked like a chipmunk with Donovan's hands on her face. She pushed the thoughts aside as he spoke his kind words, even though his quick jolt of laughter caused her eyes to grow to the size of saucers. She sniffled, not crying, persay, but a few tears did slip out and she quickly reached up to wipe them away.

"I don't particularly like being called foolish," she muttered, her grip on him tightening. "I suggest you use a different word next time you try to cheer me up."

She sent him a particularly pointed look for a moment, but a smile did creep onto her face and she let out a breath as the song changed to a more upbeat tempo. Her feet were beginning to throb anyway, which made the music transition a good thing. Danielle had half a mind to take off her shoes right there on the dance floor, but she believed she could make it back to the table before releasing their tight grip on her toes.

"I can't believe August is almost here," she mused as they made their way back to the table. She certainly was not looking forward to being in this pregnant state during the summer heat, but she was happily anticipating their baby's arrival, "That doesn't seem far away at all now."

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[info]impulse
2012-05-14 07:39 pm UTC (link)
He used his thumbs to brush away any remaining moisture those few fallen tears had left behind, smirking down at her when she made mention of how displeased she was with his words. He just gave a nod of his head, a silent agreement to not use the word ‘foolish’ to describe her in the future, punctuated with a quick kiss to her forehead as the music changed. His hands dropped, one of them reaching for hers in order to lead her off the dance floor, turning back to acknowledge her when she started speaking again.

The mention of their son’s birth month caused him to give a small, automatic smile, one that actually traveled to his eyes – a sight that no one had seen in previous months, while his mind was set primarily on finding the son of a bitch who had hurt Danielle and Rachel. It wasn’t something that was all too common to begin with, seeing how Donovan was hardly emotive, but his closest friends and Danielle were more familiar with that impish little smile than anyone else. Even his own family hardly saw him smile, and that was back before they had burned him off the Rookwood tapestry for being a ‘blood traitor’.

“I can hardly believe it myself. I feel like it’s already been an eternity.”

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Heath!
[info]edgars
2012-05-09 09:05 pm UTC (link)
Her bridesmaids would all match, and not be a few weeks pregnant. The groomsmen wouldn't have any atrocious facial hair, and the groom would not be getting pissed twenty minutes into the reception. Katerina stood with her arms tightly crossed, her chin lifted as she evaluated the hall of the wedding. There were many distasteful guests here, blood traitors and the like. How could this even be considered a social even when there were Hufflepuffs on the dance floor?

"One good thing about the evening," Katerina drawled to Heath, whose side she had not left the entire night, "is that I am conjuring a list of what exactly not to do."

She sniffed, but her eyes caught sight of the newlyweds. Katerina couldn't help but feel a bit of a smirk at how...happy they seemed. Her hand looped through Heath's arm, pulling him close to her side. They were dancing much too inappropriately for the event, and Bianca was smiling so wide that all her teeth were showing. Ugh.

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Mr Corner!
[info]malengled
2012-05-09 10:11 pm UTC (link)
It was an interesting thing, dressing for the wedding of the father to one's first-born child, while accompanied by one's present—if ill-remembered—husband. Rachel decided on a demure slate blue.

She could not say for certain, but given that Bertram seemingly wanted her head on a platter less, and Bianca had been downright pleasant to her, she must not have raised objections prior to the memory loss. One might conjecture the reason she felt so uncharitable was the perceived threat to her bond with Amissa. Her brow crinkled as she thought of how wonderful Gabriel was with her, and the amiable enough relation between Bertram and he. No, it was jealousy that plagued her, pure and simple. Bianca had more memories of Rachel's own daughter than she did. The few she did possess shone none too favourable a light on herself.

But she kept that tidbit to herself, rather than risk her husband picking up on it. She'd learned Gabriel was an infuriatingly perceptive man—usually. Tonight was the exception. They'd had few social engagements once she left the hospital—it was far too taxing on her, and she despised feeling out of her element. Tonight was really their first, and he'd stuck by her side in what she imagined he felt was an obligatory gentlemanly gesture.

She did not quite know how to say she actually wanted him far, far away, as she was not certain how long she could keep her hands to herself.

Nothing had changed between them in the last month. She was still wary and distant; he was still patient and mostly willing to keep that distance. Now, Rachel merely had a strange impulse to divest him of his clothing and—well. But nothing was different. Even if her imagination had provided several, rather graphic musings of Gabriel in the flesh, and… well, he was just so good-looking.

It was appalling, really, the way she would just stare at him.

Clearing her throat, she turned in her seat to Gabriel. "You needn't hover, you know," she said, desperation adding a bit more snip to her voice than strictly necessary. "I'm perfectly fine. In fact, you should go sit with Donovan. He must be immensely bored."

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[info]coverstory
2012-05-11 12:36 am UTC (link)
"I'm not hovering," Gabriel immediately retorted, though he involuntarily twisted away from Rachel to prove even further that his attention had been placed elsewhere. He was not hovering. He was simply staying by his wife in case she desired to leave the reception early. He was making it easier for her to escape, was that so wrong? Gabriel himself was having a pleasant time, though he was growing tired of sitting. He was a festive person by nature, he wanted to dance, but he was willing to sit beside Rachel and keep her company for the evening. It was a miracle in itself that she'd agreed to come, so yes, he might be hovering, but he was also tiptoeing around upsetting her with any extra affection that might not be warranted.

It had been getting better. At least, to Gabriel, it had been. Well---he was getting more comfortable around the house. While he let Rachel adjust at her own pace, Gabriel found his routines once again and continued to be a father to their children, a good newscaster, and the best sort of husband one could be without having a physical aspect of his marriage. Which was fine. Which was absolutely fine. Gabriel was finding he was taking much longer, colder showers in the morning, but that was fine.

Rachel was going to come back to him, and if that meant he was going to spend countless nights alone in the guest room while she figured herself out, then so be it.

Gabriel turned and gave Rachel an upturn of his nose before he broke into a smile, "Donovan is never bored when Danielle is in the room, I learned that a long time ago," he stated, and it was turning out to be something he shared with his friend, Rachel being the subject of his apt attention, of course.

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[info]malengled
2012-05-13 12:09 am UTC (link)
His smile had roughly the equivalent of untuned nails on a chalkboard on her; though not because it was repulsive (certainly the opposite), merely because she had been so little exposed to it in these three months. The initial shock aside, it then caused some indefinable mixture of knee-softening, mouth-drying, eye-fluttering, and something suspiciously akin to hiccups in her. So rather than look like a seizing fool, she opted to turn away and refuse to make eye contact whenever it was displayed. Thus far, the strategy had been a solid one, but she had vastly underestimated his appeal in formal clothing. It must be the blue-bloodedness in her, she thought dejectedly as she snuck a peek at him from the corner of her eye. Surely such a shortcoming could not be considered her fault when it had been conditioned in her from birth?

The disgusting irony of it all, Rachel sighed to herself, was that she knew she'd have taken Gabriel to bed in an instant, if he hadn't been her husband.

Scoffing slightly, because it was the safest reaction, she too angled herself away from him and raised her eyebrow. "Yes, well, I suppose some witches enjoy that sort of—attentive spouse… thing," she replied. Well, obviously, Rachel, a pregnant woman would certainly enjoy the attentions of her husband. She resisted the urge to sigh. Gabriel had probably been the most attentive husband when she was pregnant with Benjamin.

He really was the most infuriating man of her acquaintance.

She could not possibly keep her hands off him any longer.

"I am glad they didn't stay apart," she blurted out. Eyes widening slightly, and rather cursing herself for the outburst, she pursued it. "I remember, some, from when Donovan's family—well, you know, I'm sure. They're quite good for one another—complications aside."

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[info]coverstory
2012-05-14 08:29 pm UTC (link)
That surprised him. Gabriel couldn't stop himself from turning to face Rachel, and he most definitely couldn't stop the smile the slowly slid on his face because of the comment. That was---different. It was positive, it was optimistic, it was certainly out of character for Rachel. Maybe it had to do with the traumatic event the two women shared, but it was one thing for Rachel to have such thoughts. To voice them was something entirely different, and Gabriel appreciated it. It felt like an improvement of their daily conversations, a bit like going back to the near-gossip-like ways before the accident.

"They are good for each other," Gabriel agreed, continuing to watch Rachel, hoping to catch another flicker of this positive shift in deposition. She looked simply beautiful, ravishing, and he'd wished to tell her so before the left for the ceremony but all he had managed was a smile before he put out his arm for her. If he had managed any more it may have pushed things into an area of discomfort, and the whole night would have been ruined before it began. Gabriel managed to peel his eyes off of her bare shoulders to stare down at his hands, "Complications aside."

He felt like such a fool whenever he had to avert his gaze from her. Rachel was his wife! He knew that she didn't exactly recall her time as his wife, which the logical part of him accepted and understood, but it was a pain, literally and physically, to know that he wasn't...allowed to touch her like he wished. Like a husband should touch his wife. It was upsetting. It was infuriating.

"Would you care to dance?" Gabriel said, standing before he could think, putting his hand out to Rachel. He couldn't bear an entire evening sitting here beside her in a miserable state, but it would be even worse to wander around the room and put distance between himself and her. A dance could solve a few problems he was facing.

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[info]malengled
2012-05-15 03:18 am UTC (link)
Yes, Rachel thought with relief, they could talk about Danielle and Donovan for as long as she could possibly stretch out the topic. She could ignore that pesky smile while Gabriel would fill her in on all that she had missed over the last four years (or, rather, could not remember) and it would—what?

She looked up at him with what must have been an insultingly shocked expression, and on the tip of her tongue were all the excuses and refusals one could possibly imagine. Her feet hurt—her head hurt, that was a good one—she hated dancing, she never danced, didn't he know? But Gabriel's hand was outstretched, and just on reflex, even though her mouth was forming "not on your life," her hand was in his. Even if her mind protested, her body certainly knew what it wanted.

Following his lead to the dance floor, her thoughts cycled the eloquently repetitive refrain of we'retouchingwe'retouchingwe'retouchingwe'retouching, and for the life of her, she could not recall the last time they had done so. Touched, that is. It was for a good reason that it had not been recently, as the moment he placed his arm around her, Rachel's lungs decided breathing was a strictly optional exercise.

When they began to move, a wave of déjà vu struck her so suddenly that she stumbled into him. His arm around her waist was the only thing that saved her, and her grip on him tightened considerably after her loss of balance. This moment, with their arms wound around each other, no space to speak of between them, seemed so familiar, yet still sent her heart beating a million miles a minute. Rachel's mind went completely blank—more so than it was—and her gaze at Gabriel must have been slightly dumbstruck.

"I—" she began, her eyes dropping immediately to his neck—even his jugular was attractive, for Hera's sake—no, to his shoulder, as a dull blush was creeping up her own neck, "I'm not certain I care all that much for dancing." Her grip might have tightened infinitesimally.

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[info]coverstory
2012-05-16 03:15 am UTC (link)
It may have been selfish, the way he was so tightly wrapped around her. Gabriel showed concern for Rachel's falter, but his chest constricted at the feeling of her so close, the warmth she provided him by being in his arms. This sort of embrace had been long missed and desired, and his gaze upon her mimicked Rachel's startled expression. She was the only woman, the only person that could break his calm demeanor, to shake him up so that he couldn't find it in himself to compose his thoughts and body to regain some sort of sense. In the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by a flood of wedding guests, Gabriel felt like they were being swallowed up by silence.

"Rachel," he said. It felt like a gasp. Gabriel felt a quick panic arise in his chest; he couldn't continue like this, he could not resist her any longer. What was he to do? Should he pull himself away from her, unwind himself from around her and revert back to their seats so they could sit apart, facing away from each other? Even if he wanted to, if he were able to will his body to do such a thing, Rachel's own grip on him seemed unbreakable. Was it out of fear? No. The way she stared at him wasn't from fear, though---Gabriel could not have been more confused with a situation, but at the same time he knew precisely what to do.

Madness, love was madness.

His hand dared to leave the small of her back, but it was quickly put to the side of her face. Gabriel allowed himself to let his fingers graze along her cheeks and jaw before gently lifting her chin so that he could look her in the eye. It was probably the last thing she wanted, but her eyes brought a smile to his face and he ducked his head close.

"We don't have to dance," he breathed, knowing she'd be able to feel his heart pounding madly straight through his chest.

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[info]malengled
2012-05-17 02:45 am UTC (link)
What was this feeling, like she was two people at once. One Rachel wanted to rip herself out of his arms and keep him far from her, the other wanted to clutch him tighter so he didn't have even the option of pushing her away. She could feel her pulse jumping not only in her chest, but in her stomach, her neck, her wrists, mirroring the dull thud of his. Under his touch, her blood was singing, charmed in her veins. Perhaps it was temporary insanity. Or perhaps she was just tired of being scared and confused and angry and so terribly lonely, even when she was in a house full of people. Even when there was a man with whom she had made a family, who claimed to love her with no evidence to the contrary, she could not trust herself to believe in it, in the fantasy of it all, for a moment. Even when she wished that she could.

Spots swam in her vision, and she knew without a doubt the only thing keeping her upright was Gabriel's arms around her. There would be no undoing what was about to happen, no stepping back from it. In truth, she did not want to. It would be a selfish thing to do, but Rachel had learned that a leopard could not change its spots. No matter what her resolve was in the beginning, she proved to be a creature of self-interest time and time again. Even if it was just for a heartbeat, she wanted to not feel the cloying loneliness, the deep-seated fear that she was unworthy or incapable of some kind of love.

"I can't breathe," she murmured dazedly. She must have blacked out. Surely that was what happened, because if Rachel was conscious, she couldn't have allowed herself the weakness of her lips pressed to his. She wouldn't be clinging to him as though he were all that weathered her through a storm more literal than her own emotions. But she was, raised on the tips of her toes to better her grip, not thinking of steps forward or backward, or unremembered years, or selfish shortcomings. For a moment, it was all she wanted.

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Bianca!
[info]pantsoptional
2012-05-12 11:48 pm UTC (link)
He'd dealt with the wedding itself swimmingly, Bertram had thought -- but now that he was actually married, the reality of what was going on had come crashing down on him. When Bianca caught his eye, he did his best to actually give her a smile (and hopefully not betray how drunk he'd become in the short time since the reception had started). He'd gotten a glass of scotch right after the wedding from his trusty best-man, and it had calmed his nerves a little, but now all that there was here to keep Bianca occupied was everything he was doing wrong now that the wedding was over. There was nothing to fuss over except how he was doing as a husband.

The idea was at least mildly unnerving, and he was nervous that somehow Rachel was going to have a nervous breakdown here.

He flagged Bianca over to him (so he wouldn't have to sway over to her).

"Come sit with me, beautiful."

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[info]persephones
2012-05-13 01:28 am UTC (link)
She of course had to wait for the song to be over before asking Amissa permission to leave her side. The flower girl was more than happy to, as she was receiving much attention from the rest of her family and guests as she was one of few children present. Bianca took a breath and started toward Bertram, having discarded her heels at the beginning of the reception and letting her dress flow behind her prettily. She'd never felt better, and it was as if a great, heavy weight that had been resting on her shoulders for years had finally been lifted.

"Hello, dear," she said with a smile, sitting happily on his knee. Bianca smiled sweetly, wondering if anyone would miss them if they disappeared out of the reception hall and into a dark corner of the building. Her hand went to his chin to pull him in for a kiss, and Bianca smiled against her husband's lips as some of the surrounding tables began to clink their utensils against their glasses in support. It was so strange, having people be happy for her, for them, but it was a very good feeling and Bianca could certainly get used to it.

"Are you having fun?" she asked when they finally parted.

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[info]pantsoptional
2012-05-13 08:19 pm UTC (link)
He could hardly show Amissa how blitzed out of his mind he was, either -- so he waited patiently even if he wanted to be a bit silly and run up to Bianca as she came over to him. He was supposed to be an incredibly happy husband, after all, and maybe if he tried hard enough he'd be able to quell his jitters by way of overcompensation. He looped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, pressing a kiss to her jawline before he was pulled up for a proper kiss on his lips.

"Aside from the clinking making me think I'm hearing bells constantly? Yes, I'm having fun." The corners of his vision might've been swimming a little, but he didn't want to worry her with that.

"What about you? Are your cold feet sufficiently warmed in the ..." he paused, trying to decide about the most cheesy thing he could think of, "... toasty hearth of my love?" This was why he hadn't written his own vows.

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[info]persephones
2012-05-14 09:11 pm UTC (link)
It had taken Bianca a long time to get used to public displays of affection, but Bertram made it easy, this night made it easy, and she happily leaned into him and reveled in his arms around her. She let out a loud laugh at his comment (statement?), looking down at Bertram with an amused, but slightly confusion, expression. "Toasty hearth of love?"

Saying it out loud made her realize how silly it did actually sound, and that she wasn't just hearing him incorrectly, and Bianca laughed again, putting her hands to his face. Was her husband running a fever? Maybe he'd had too much to drink. Bianca's grin became sly, and she put her hand went to his forehead, and then through his hair.

"My feet are fine," she assured him, her hand resting on the back of his neck. Bertram was always so thoughtful and nurturing, she supposed he feeling doubly so tonight. She kicked him lightly to prove her point, "Nice and toasty."

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[info]pantsoptional
2012-05-16 04:00 am UTC (link)
Oh, oh dear. She was touching his forehead and then her hand was in his hair, and he was very certain that she had an idea what exactly was up with him. She wasn't getting angry, though, which he supposed was good -- it made him relax a little, and he was glad that she hadn't been as high-strung today as she'd been the past few weeks.

He chuckled only half-nervously, leaning his head back against her touches right up until she kicked him.

"Hey," he retorted, trying his hand at his best 'offended' face. It probably came off a little less straight-faced than he'd been hoping, though.

"Be careful with the goods. Now that we're married, you can't return me for your warranty refund."

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