Darkness (Stefan)

[stefancartwright]

Stefan smiled slightly as she brought his hand to her cheek, then when she cupped his cheek his smile widened just that little bit more, meeting her gaze head on. When she said she'd missed him, he felt the coldness in his heart, warm just that little bit, he was slowly beginning to feel like himself once more. It was suddenly as if the last few months hadn't happened, he knew they had but now he was willing and wanting to forget about them.

Ariadne gently washed the blood from his face, and he never looked away from her once. He was completely mesmorized by her gentle touches, he barely felt it when she cleaned the cut on his head, though he knew he would the next morning, he always did. "Good to go huh? I think we can put off returning to that hell hole just a little bit longer." he said, referring to school. Looking away he stood from the stool and headed back into the kitchen area. Grabbing a bottle of pumpkin juice, he placed it on the counter beside Ariadne and smiled slightly, "If your not drinking this..." he held up the firewhiskey, "Then you can always have that." he said with a smile, throwing back a large swig of firewhiskey.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne took the bottle of pumpkin juice gratefully, smiling back at Stefan. "Thank you," she replied, opening the bottle quickly and took a long drink directly from it. Pumpkin juice wasn't necessarily her favorite, but it sure as hell was better than firewhiskey. She set the bottle down on the counter and stood, her hands reaching up to finish untying the strings of her cloak. Ariadne took it off, draping it over a nearby armchair and shook out her hair, happy to be rid of the uncomfortable thing. Her black dress wasn't too tight, but it wasn't incredibly loose either. Still, it was businessy enough for what she had been planning on doing. However, she was now the slightest bit uncomfortable.

Ariadne ignored the fact, willing to suffer through the pain so as to spend more time with Stefan. Grabbing the bottle of pumpkin juice from the counter, she sat on the surprisingly plush couch, kicking up her feet and stretching out. She nodded her head towards Stefan, motioning him over slightly. "Please?" Ariadne adding, smiling.

[stefancartwright]

Stefan raised an eyebrow at Ariadne and smirked slightly, "Inviting me to sit down in my own place? I see you cheekiness has returned..." he commented, chuckling lightly as he stood from the stool, still holding the bottle of firewhiskey tightly in his hand. The fire crackled merrily, warming the room now completely, something which he was thankful for, if there was one thing he hated it was being too cold in his own home.

Instead of sitting down on the sofa next to Ariadne, like he suspected she'd been wanting Stefan took a seat on the comfy little chair beside it, just off to the side of the fireplace, allowing one of his legs to drape over the arm, as he leant back taking a swig of the firewhiskey. "So when you heading back to school...someones bound to miss you." he said, it didn't sit right with him, Draco being a street away. He trusted the man explicably but he wasn't sure what Ariadne would think of her Father's extra curricular activities, and he highly doubted she'd take it well knowing Stefan was now a Death Eater to.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne inwardly scowled at Stefan choosing to sit by himself, but shot a pleasant smile his way. It was entirely up to him, what he wanted to do, though she wanted noting more than to cuddle with him, and spend the night in his arms. Clearing her throat, she flipped over onto her stomach and crossed her arms over the arm rest, laying her head upon them and watching Stefan pleasantly. She smiled softly, eyes twinkling in the firelight. He was truly an extraordinary man, whether he was bandaged or not. His brooding eyes and grin were enticing and altogether sensual, even when he wasn't trying to be. His physical beauty exceeded all others. In short, Ariadne thought he was nothing short of perfect.

At his question, she frowned. "I'm not sure," she replied. "I don't really want to go back. I'm ready to leave," she finished softly. In truth, she was ready to move onto the next stage of her life, to leave Hogwarts and never look back. Ariadne wasn't going to miss the school in the slightest. Still, she still needed to figure out what she was going to do with her life, career choices were limited. Still, she was lucky that she had enough money to survive for a while without deciding, and she planned to give herself a year to get settled. "What about you?" Ariadne asked curiously.

[stefancartwright]

Stefan smiled as he listened to her plans for after school, she'd be taking some time off before actively pursuing whatever it was she wanted. Honestly he didn't blame her, she had enough money to blow off working for the rest of her life, he wasn't so lucky in that respect. As much as he hated it, his future counted on him getting good grades this year, then he could get himself a decent job upon leaving school, all of it worked towards his true family...the Death Eaters.

"I'm not too sure yet, finish school, get a job, I'll just be happy to escape that hell hole once and for all...maybe visit my Father..." he said with a dark chuckle. Once school was done with he'd been promised revenge on his Father, Draco had insisted on making sure they do it right, which in turn meant now Stefan had the backing of the entire Death Eater faction.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne's eyebrows rose at Stefan's dark comment about his father. Still, she quickly hid it with a smirk of her own. "Sounds like a good plan to me," she replied, rolling over onto her back and letting her blonde hair fall over the arm of the chair. She closed her eyes, her smirk becoming a sort of smile. She was rather pleased with what was going on right now. She was talking and being friends with Stefan. Ariadne couldn't deny that she wanted more than that, that she wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on hers once more.

But, that wasn't going to happen unless she made a move. Of course, Ariadne wasn't about to ruin what trust she had regained from her dearest friend. Her thoughts trailed off, fascinated with thoughts of Stefan, fantasies if she were to go so far as call them that. Her mind traveled back to their last night together, only this time she wasn't tainted with alcohol. It became a beautiful thing, a perfect thing, romantic and passionate in all the right ways.

[stefancartwright]

Ariadne had fallen quiet after commenting that his plan sounded good. She'd rolled onto her back, closed her eyes and began smiling, so the room fell into complete silence as she day dreamed...or at least he figured that's what she was doing from the smile on her face. He had to admit it frustrated him she was just blatenly laying there not talking, thinking about God knows what as though he wasn't even there. Sighing he grabbed his bottle and stood up, "I'm going to get cleaned up then we should head back."

Not waiting for a reply he walked into the modest bathroom, locking the door behind him before he reached for the shower. Carefully he pulled off his bandages, and whilst the water in the shower heated up he grabbed a bottle of blood replenishing liquid and a pain potion. Downing them quickly he tossed the bottles as well as the empty firewhiskey bottle into the bin, before undressing completely and climbing into the steaming hot shower, already beginning to feel better thanks to the joined effects of the medicine and firewhiskey.

The bitterness over the last few months still burned brightly inside him he couldn't and wouldn't deny that. In all honesty he was tired of the drama now, tired of the messing around between them. They shared a night together and instead of making things better for them it had made them worse and now they were back at square one were they were simply just friends. Stefan was tired now, for years they'd done this dance and now as he got closer to finishing school and moving on with his destiny the more he grew fed up. Things were not going to work between them ever, they were too complicated and now he was accepting that, he was resolved.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne looked up, opening her mouth to call out to him before Stefan rounded the corner, out of sight. Frowning, she sat on the couch, shaking her head and sighing heavily. Why did she have to constantly mess everything up between the two of them? Back at square one, and not looking bright in the ways of moving forward anytime soon. It was beginning to get depressing. Ariadne wanted to do something bold, something rash that she wouldn't forget now that she was sober, but she wasn't sure where she was going to go with it, or how Stefan would react.

Stefan was obviously still bitter about the whole thing, and it was awful. Her ears picked up the sound of the shower running, and she bit her lip. It was now, or it was never. Taking a deep breath, she stood. Holding her arms to her chest, she slowly padded towards the bathroom door. Ariadne stood to the right of the door, leaning against it in wait. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she needed badly to kiss him again. If he didn't take it, she'd be fine. When the shower shut off, she knocked on the door timidly. "Stefan?"

[stefancartwright]

Stefan didn't want to get out, if he could have his way he'd gladly stay inside the shower, the hot water was soothing on his injuries. Eventually though when enough time had passed he switched it off, climbing out and reaching for the towel when there was a knock on the door. It was Ariadne, grabbing his towel he began drying himself off, summoning some fresh clothes for himself into the bathroom. "Hang on I'll be out in sec Ariadne." he called back.

He got dressed, then quickly began drying his hair. Now he wasn't vain, but he did take great care in doing his hair, once it was styled the way he liked he slipped on his shoes. It was late and he was to be heading back to school now, to meet with some other members of the Death Eaters, pass on what he'd been told in this meeting. Standing he went and unlocked the door, stepping out he walked past Ariadne shooting her a friendly smile as he grabbed his cloak and pulled it on. "I need to get back to the school, you coming or you still have something to finish around here?" he asked, grabbing his wand and picking up her cloak handing it to her. His face was blank of any emotion, he'd squashed his feelings back down feeling it better they stay there.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne waited the seemingly endless amount of time it took for Stefan to get out of the shower, get dressed. When the dryer started, she about screamed to get him to hurry up the process. Her heart was pounded, and she couldn't believe that she was about to do this. The consequences could be grand, and it was a risky move, but she needed to show him, totally sober, that she still felt for him. It may be a pathetic attempt, but she had to try. When he opened the door, smiling down at her, she smiled back, nerves secretly bursting. He handed her her cloak, asking her if she had anything to finish.

Swallowing, she stopped him as he turned his back to her, heading out the door. "Yes, I do," she replied, voice quiet. Before she had the opportunity to change her mind, she pulled him around and pulled herself close, standing on her toes and placing her lips on his. She melted almost immediately, heart thudding rapidly, threatening to burst from her ribcage, and her face flushed. It was perfect. She broke off the kiss, standing back on her heels and peering sheepishly up at him. "I..." she started, but her breath caught in her throat.

[stefancartwright]

The kiss, Stefan would admit had caught him completely off guard. It had been the last thing he would of expected, and in a way it both excited and angered him, one more than the other. He looked down at Ariadne for a moment, his eyes searching hers before he looked to a spot over her head, trying to figure out what to say without sounding like a giant jackass.

Truth be told the kiss had been perfect, she'd initiated it, she was sober, it should have made him happy at how right it had felt but it didn't. The outcome of their night together still played heavily in his mind, really after so long of not talking to him because of what had happened, she kisses him now? Stefan knew he was being irrational but he felt used, played, he couldn't keep getting hurt, shaking his head he stepped back against the open door, "We need to go." he said quietly.

((OOC: He's being stubborn I'm sorry!))

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne swallowed her pride. "Sure," she replied flatly. It hadn't worked. He hated her more than ever now. Everything had been worth it, in her mind, and that's all that really mattered to her now, on the outside at least. On the inside, she was slowly dying. Stooping over, she slipped on her heels and tied her cloak around her shoulders, slipping past him without another word. Tears stung her eyes, but she didn't look back, not for a second.

Her heart was breaking beyond repair. Stefan... it was an awful feeling, knowing that she had caused him to deny her one simple kiss. She knew he felt the sparks too, they were undeniable. But, she also knew that she deserved it. Biting her lip, she blinked away the tears, letting Stefan catch up at his own pace. Ariadne wanted things to be the same between them, she wanted to admit her love... Ariadne was in love with Stefan. It was as simple as that, but she was too afraid to admit it aloud.

[stefancartwright]

Stefan felt horrid, but he hadn't been able to help it. He was protecting himself, the closer you allowed people to get the easier it was to get hurt and he was tired of it. As Ariadne brushed past him he sighed, closing the door behind him he began following her. "Honestly Ariadne what did you think was going to happen?" he asked her as he followed her in to the darkened street.

"Did you think one kiss would erase how humiliated you made me feel thinking I'd screwed things up? The last time I gave into a kiss with you I got screwed over...you didn't talk to me for months...can you really blame a guy for not wanting to suffer throughthe humiliation again?" he asked, as they walked up the street. "It's not fair. Friends don't do that to friends or whatever the hell we are...at one point I really thought we were more but...I can't keep doing this..."

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne spun around at him, shoving him backwards and pointing a finger in his face. "Goddammit, Stefan!" she hissed, getting in his face. "I know how you feel, alright? I know how you are and I know what I did, and I'm sorry! I was a bitch, an awful friend, and an even worse partner. You have the right to feel the way you do, but don't you dare call me out on something I've already admitted was wrong. It's my fault that we're here, it's my fault that I can't stop trying to show you how I feel, even though you hate me for it! Am I supposed to now believe that it's my fault that I'm in love with you?!"

As soon as she shouted that last bit, her eyes glazed over. Her breathing shallowed, and she took a step back, eyes wide. She had blatantly said it, out loud, for Stefan to hear. Mentally cursing her temper, she turned around and started to walk away. "But, I guess it doesn't even matter," she whispered bitterly, fists clenching underneath her cloak.

[stefancartwright]

"Your in love with me?" Stefan asked disbelievingly. Just when he thought things couldn't get any more complicated between them they did. Sure he had feeling for her to, deep feelings but how could he act on them now? This wasn't how love for another was supposed to be declared, it was supposed to be romantic, right, and at a time you both felt ready, not blurted out in the heat of an argument.

"All this time...I've been in love with you for years and now after...after all this, after I begin to wonder whether it's worth it anymore you say you love me too?" he shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, blowing out a deep breath, trying to fight off the migraine forming. Things were just too damn complicated, why did they have to make things this way. It wasn't just Ariadne, it was him too.