moving o n {arielle/open}

[sawyer]

Sawyer let himself into his flat, and after putting up his protective enchantments once more, he flopped onto the couch with a contented sigh. The world may be looking like less and less of a safe place, but at the moment, his life was going smoothly. Sawyer was doing well at St. Mungo's, even if he was just the intern that everyone dumped paperwork on. He was still managing to impress his superiors, and was right on track to advance to being a full healer around his twentieth birthday. But aside from his career, there was another elation for the young man, he was in love. Arguably, he had been since he was sixteen, but now they were together.

Arielle appeared to be getting better all the time, he did still worry about her, but not nearly as much. Though still, she was in the forefront of his mind most of the time. Thoughts of her kept him calm at work, cheesy as it may seem, though he didn't crumble in the more intense situations like he might normally. Sawyer had never operated well under pressure, he was a man that needed his time to think things through, come up with a plan. Why he had elected to train to be a healer did still baffle him, there were a lot of split-second, life-or-death decisions involved in more serious cases.

Perhaps it was his overwhelming need to help people, though his inability to duel made becoming an Auror impractical. There was something amazing to be said about saving lives. Though in times like these... A lot of the time people came to them too late. It was a blow to him every time a patient he was assisting with passed, but Sawyer had learned quickly how to deal with it. And in the cases where he was able to help, and the patient survived, made the failures worth it. If he saved one life, his career decision was worth it.

But for now, Sawyer was bordering on exhaustion, having worked a shift three hours longer than what was expected- the intern who was supposed to take his place after his shift had ended failed to turn up, and his supervisor wouldn't let him leave until they had a replacement for the nighttime hours. So it was now nine in the evening, when he normally got home by six. Figuring he deserved a bit of a reward, Sawyer flicked his wand to retrieve a beer from the fridge. Another spell popped off the cap and he took a long sip, sighing lightly after swallowing.

Just as he was finally comfortable, there was a knock at the door. Sawyer groaned quietly, though wondered who possibly had come at this hour. He set his beer on the coffee table, and stepped around a few boxes of things he had yet to unpack on his way to the door. Disabling his enchantments, Sawyer answered the door, still in his yellow healing intern robes (once he was promoted he would move to the signature lime green) only to see...

[arielle]

Arielle walked towards Sawyer's flat, hands shoved deep into her pockets. After all of this time, her strength was slowly returning. She was no longer jumpy, no longer afraid. She was one of the lucky ones. Not very many people could be held captive for nearly 6 months and still recover from the trauma. Sawyer had been the key ingredient to her recuperation, of that Arielle was sure. She couldn't have done any of it without his help. A small smile crept onto her lips as she reached for the door of the flat to head upstairs.

Nodding once at the doorman, she hurried to make her way up to Sawyer's door. She'd been there only a short while before, assuming he'd be home at the same time he always was. When he hadn't returned on time, she'd gone down the street to the little coffee shop and sat, waiting. It was a lonely experience, but she got to sit near the prettiest plant she'd ever seen. That being the highlight of her day would seem rather pathetic to most, but it was wonderful to her. In captivity, she'd been away from the sun, away from the plants she so adored. It was painful to her, to be away from them. Arielle had missed them blooming, had missed them thriving. The summer had been far too hot, so she would have to wait until spring rolled back around to get back to the garden, a fact that physically pained the young Herbologist.

Arielle strode up to Sawyer's door, softly rapping on it with her knuckles. She hurriedly shoved her hands back into her pockets, still chilled to the bone from the bitter wind that was howling outside. She waited patiently for Sawyer, smiling softly as she heard him groan a little inside before stomping towards the door. Once it opened, she looked up, biting her lip nervously. Regardless of their relationship status, she still couldn't help but get a little anxious around him. The last thing she wanted was to do something to scare the wonderful man away. "Hi. I'm sorry if this is a bad time..." she muttered, smiling up at him awkwardly as she hovered in the doorway.

Arielle's Outfit

[sawyer]

Sawyer's exhaustion lifted and his mood instantly brightened when he saw that it was Arielle, he should have known that it would be her on the other side of the door. He didn't have many other visitors, not since his sister had gone back to school, so he should have been able to draw the conclusion on his own. Nevertheless, he was trilled to see her, and his tired expression melted away, revealing a smile. Sawyer shamelessly put his arm around her, bringing her in out of the cold and howling winds. It seemed that summer, while it had lasted a great deal longer than usual, had extinguished suddenly, like a candle being blown out.

The drought and the heatwave had lasted until near the end of October, only to suddenly be broken by freezing temperatures and icy rainstorms. While the heat had been near intolerable, Sawyer had to admit that all the sunshine had been nice, he was going to miss it once the rains turned to snow- the sun could vanish for weeks at a time. But hopefully this sudden, dramatic break in the drought would pave way to a spring with a nice balance, he wanted to be able to garden again. He couldn't do much out of his apartment, but it would be nice to have some herbs on the balcony, maybe a few tomatoes or something, too.

"Of course not, it's never a bad time for you to come over," Sawyer said, smiling warmly as he re-enabled his protective enchantments before laying his wand on the counter of the kitchen that was right beside the front door. "The night intern didn't turn up, so they kept me late. I only just got home," Sawyer explained, gesturing to his eye-watering canary yellow robes. The uniform was likely the biggest pitfall aside from losing patients, it was almost painful to look at.

Being unable to help himself, he leaned down and gave her a kiss that lingered a bit too long to be considered brief, and smiled as he pulled away- his long day almost entirely forgotten, Arielle had always had a unique effect on him in that regard, everything was better when she was around. He took his hand in hers and lead the way back to the living room. "I was just having a beer, did you want anything?" asked Sawyer.

[arielle]

Arielle smiled as Sawyer opened the door, immediately brightening up. It was adorable to see him like this, regardless of the exhaustion obvious on his face, the ridiculously bright intern robes causing the dead look in his eyes to pop. It really was a conflicting picture. He brought her into his arms, and she reached around to hug him back, tilting her head up and standing on her tiptoes to meet his lips for a kiss. Her heart soared, and her brain muttered at her in protest. She still wasn't used to physical contact, but she was getting better every day.

"Of course not, it's never a bad time for you to come over. The night intern didn't turn up, so they kept me late. I only just got home."

Arielle followed him into the kitchen, smiling a bit as he set his wand on the table. She leaned against the counter, watching him. He seemed tired, but he was perking up every second. Arielle giggled a little for no real reason, simply giddy to be in Sawyer's presence. "Well, you're home now. I waited for you at the normal time, but decided to go and get some coffee when you didn't show up. I have to stay warm in this weather somehow," she replied, laughing a little. He approached her and pressed his lips to hers again, and she smiled through the lingering display. Everything about Sawyer was flawless, in her mind. She was saddened when he finally pulled away from her.

"I was just having a beer, did you want anything?"

Arielle considered her options. She hadn't really gotten back into alcohol since she'd been rescued, but the thought sounded nice. Just kicking back with her boyfriend on the couch with a beer... Swallowing her pride, she smiled. "I'll have whatever you're having," she replied.

[/size]

[sawyer]

Arielle's smile was perhaps one of the prettiest things Sawyer had seen, there had been a time where he had feared that he might not see it again. Shortly after she had been rescued she had seemed so... lost. There had been snippets of her former personality in there, but Sawyer had needed to really concentrate to find them. But it seemed that she was getting better all the time, physically and mentally stronger. She didn't shy away from his touch, granted she never had, but he didn't feel the slight reluctance anymore, only what normal young people in love should feel when their lips met.

After the kiss was broken he frowned a moment, though it was quick to turn right back to a smile. "I wish I had known you were planning on coming over, I could have at least stopped by to let you in," said Sawyer, but there was no point in thinking on it. He just didn't like the idea of Arielle wandering around by herself, he knew she could take care of herself and everything, though he couldn't help but be exceptionally protective of her after what had happened. Sawyer had taken it upon himself to never let her get hurt again, not like that.

It was a self-imposed duty that Sawyer took quite seriously, ever since Arielle had agreed to be his. He might not be a duelist, but he would fight to the death for her if need be. Sawyer thought vaguely that he ought to give her a key, she was clever enough to disable his enchantments, and then if she came over when he wasn't around she could let herself in... Sawyer smiled when Arielle said she'd have the same he was, he took it as a good sign that she was willing to let herself have a beer, like she was relaxing. Sawyer grabbed a bottle from the fridge and removed the cap for her before leading the way to the living room. Sawyer sat back down on the couch, positioning himself in such a way that Arielle could lie against him.

[arielle]

Arielle smiled softly. There wasn't anything better than Sawyer, regardless of how exhausted he seemed. She doubted he'd remain awake long, and the mere thought made her smile a little more. Her Sawyer, fast asleep. She could cuddle him all night long. The thought was one that crossed her mind often, in more ways than one... Still, she wasn't sure how ready she was to commit in such an intimate way. Sex was a huge step, and, while the couple had been together for nearly 6 months, it was still something she was unsure of.

"I wish I had known you were planning on coming over, I could have at least stopped by to let you in."

Arielle shook her head, smirking. Sawyer, always her white knight. She smiled when he reached into the fridge to pull out another beer, expertly taking the cap off and handing it to her. She brought the bottle to her lips, taking a swig. The alcohol took hold immediately, filling her body with an incredibly warm sensation. Arielle followed Sawyer back into the living room, speaking as she went. "Oh, Sawyer, it's fine. Really, I'm just glad to be with you right now. I can't really complain about a three hour wait..."

Arielle cuddled next to Sawyer, placing herself as close to him as she could possibly get before taking another sip of beer. After being held captive, waiting was exceptionally easier. She'd been in that cell for 5 months, never knowing whether it was night or day, being unable to count the hours, or even the minutes. Time didn't have a meaning there, it simply had felt like an eternity. Now that she was out, she always had some sort of clock on her. Time was extremely precious after being deprived of it for so terribly long...

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[sawyer]

Sawyer shamelessly put his feet on the coffee table, it had most definitely been a long day, and as it was his own house, he didn't see any reason to restrain himself. Though in the back of his mind he could still hear his grandmother's voice, lightly scolding him to be more proper. The woman had pretty much raised him and his sister after their mother had walked out. Not to say that his father had been entirely absent, though the man had had a demanding career at the Ministry, he still did, particularly after the turn that events had taken in their world...

Sawyer took a long sip of his beer, and smiled as Arielle nestled in beside him, and draped his yellow-robed arm around her shoulders.He bent his neck down and placed a gentle kiss on top of her head, briefly taking in the lingering scent of her shampoo, it was a subtle, though fruity sort of floral smell, it was exactly the sort of thing that Sawyer imagined she would use. He smiled softly at her words, though he did still feel poorly about her having to amuse herself in the bitterly cold November weather. He made a mental note to give her a key before she left.

"If you say so," Sawyer said lightly, slouching a little bit more in his position so their heads would be at an even level. He had never really minded the height difference between them, though he did sometimes have to adjust the way he was positioned so neither of them would be in an uncomfortable spot for their contact. Sawyer took another swig of his beer before sighed contently, this evening was turning out a lot better than he had anticipated. "Well, you know how my day went, what about yours, love?" asked Sawyer, lightly rubbing his thumb against her upper arm.

[arielle]

Arielle smiled softly as Sawyer draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in closer before placing a kiss on the top of her head. She took a sip of her beer, enjoying the slight buzz in the back of her mind from the alcohol. She hadn't been an avid drinker beforehand, having only been of age for a short while. Still, now that she was back, she was content with drinking now. Granted, she hadn't had anything extremely potent since she'd been released, but it was a slow transition. Arielle truly wanted to be a functioning member of society again.

This meant getting a job. She was still looking, not sure where she could find the perfect job for her. Herbology was her passion, and she could spend all of her time studying plants, if need be. However, she wasn't sure where to go from there. Arielle always had the option to train under the Herbology professor at the school. She'd be able to educate children and wouldn't have to worry about being too far away from plants. Still, Arielle wasn't entirely sure that she would be able to enter the school again, after the Battle. It had taken such a heavy toll on her...

If you say so. Well, you know how my day went, what about yours, love?"

Arielle shrugged, taking a larger swig of beer, relishing in the heat coursing through her veins. "Not much to tell, I'm afraid. I stayed cooped up most of the day until my father decided that it would be alright to let me come see you. I really am in need of a place of my own and job to help me pay for said place. But, other than that, my day is much, much better now..." she replied, craning her neck up to kiss Sawyer on the cheek.

[/size]

[sawyer]

Sawyer couldn't help the smile on his face, the evening had taken a turn for the better indeed. His body might be tired from a long day at work, but being able to sit and relax with Arielle under his arm at the very least energized his mind. It made him happy to see her so, well, content- able to curl up with him on the couch and have a beer, standard things for people of their age. It was definitely encouraging to see all the progress she had made, especially when not many people could ever really bounce back from the horrors which she had likely seen.

Sawyer had never pressed her for details, though the gaps in his knowledge allowed a more sinister portion of his brain to fill in ghastly ideas, things that made him stomach churn and his throat clench. He hated knowing that any sort of harm had befallen his precious Arielle, particularly anything of that severity, though there wasn't much that he could do about it. It had been done, it was over now, and Arielle was doing fantastically picking up the pieces. Sawyer lightly swigged his beer again as she spoke about her own day, nodding along a little.

He was glad that her father was finally letting her out of the house, if there was one thing that Sawyer was sure that she needed it was freedom to be able to come and go as she pleased. Keeping her cooped up was like keeping a bird in a cage. "Good, I'm glad it is," Sawyer said, beaming as she pecked him on the cheek. Wildly, he wanted to suggest that she move in with him, though something told him that might not be the right move, even if he could easily support them. He might not make much as an intern, but he had enough to have Arielle live with him...

[arielle]

Arielle smiled softly, snuggling close into Sawyer's arms. She didn't really want to think about getting a job. There wasn't a lot out there for her. Still, she was going to give herself about a month to consider her options. Waiting a little bit longer to leave the nest wouldn't hurt anyone. Something told her that her father and mother wouldn't mind having her near in the slightest. They had already been protective of her before all of this, but now that she had seen and been through unspeakable things, they had the right to up the ante.

"Good, I'm glad it is."

Arielle sat in silence for a while, continuing to take occasional drink from her beer. The alcohol was doing wonders for her system. She was definitely a light-weight when it came to substances with such strong properties, and she could feel a haze begin to grow over her mind. She really didn't want to get drunk, for fear of losing complete control of her mind. Still, at the same time, the idea was attractive. Back in the cells, she'd been so aware and conscious of everything that had happened. Arielle recalled everything as clear as day.

Maybe losing all control for just one night was needed. Arielle lifted her beer bottle to her lips, only to find its contents completely drained. She leaned forward, placing the empty bottle on the coffee table before nuzzling back into Sawyer's embrace. She laughed a little at herself. "I probably should slow down... though, I'm not quite sure if I want to," she stated, laughing a bit more. This must be what it was like to lose control of her mind... Arielle kind of liked it.

[/size]

[sawyer]

Sawyer sighed contentedly before draining the rest of his beer. Something about being able to curl up on the couch with Arielle and have himself a cold beer made his long day suddenly not so long. It felt right, to simply be there, having her under his arm, like something that had been missing from his life had suddenly resurfaced. And in a way, Arielle had been missing for him- six long months, nearly half a year... Sawyer didn't like thinking about that time, he had been such a wreck thinking about what could be happening, or even what was. It still made him shudder.

But it was done. That was over, and here they were, just like a normal young couple in love. Or as close to normal as anyone could get these days. Sawyer set his empty bottle down on the floor, being unable to reach the coffee table without changing their position. He thought vaguely of getting himself another, he didn't even feel mildly buzzed. He didn't have a massive tolerance, but he had enough mass to take a little more than the average gent to get a buzz started. That was all Sawyer ever did, he had gotten embarrassingly plastered once, and the hangover from hell that had resulted had sworn him off going beyond a beer or two or the occasional glass of wine.

The silence that had lapsed over them was comfortable, though he didn't mind when Arielle broke it, stating that she ought to slow down. Sawyer had to remind himself that she was a lot smaller than him, and as such wouldn't need as much to get drunk. "Well, how about we just do another round and call it a night?" Sawyer suggested, using his wand to summon another set of bottles from the fridge.

[arielle]

Arielle felt like giggling. This was a bizarre feeling, one that she wasn't used to. Since birth, she'd been taught to be consciously aware of everything. Her parents, given their past, wanted their children to always be awake. In some cases, Arielle wished that she didn't have that habit. It would have been nice to be able to block out those long 6 months in the damp cells. Maybe this was what she was supposed to do all along. Maybe completely losing herself in her time with Sawyer was what she needed to complete the last step of her healing.

Arielle wanted Sawyer. She had him emotionally, but physically she was lacking. It was a carnal desire, but one she probably shouldn't follow through with drunk. This buzz had loosened her up, but was it enough to detach herself from her mind and finally have an intimate moment with Sawyer...

"Well, how about we just do another round and call it a night?"

Arielle contemplated this, looking at Sawyer. She shrugged. "Well... I don't want to get too drunk... Just stop me if I stop acting strangely..." she replied, reaching up to kiss Sawyer's cheek. She turned, catching the bottle as it floated towards her. She fumbled getting the cap off, taking a swig once the bottle was open. She giggled slightly, the alcohol sending a warm feeling through her. She set the bottle down, looking up at Sawyer. He really was incredibly handsome. She couldn't get over how she'd ignored him romantically for so long. Arielle tipped her head slightly to the side as she looked at him. Those yellow robes were incredibly distracting.

Arielle bit her lip, shifting herself, throwing a leg over Sawyer so she was straddling him, leaning forward to kiss him. She broke it, pressing her forehead against his and gripping the folds of that ghastly yellow robe. "This is really distracting... I think it probably should go..." Arielle mumbled, biting her lip anxiously.

[/size]

[sawyer]

Sawyer smiled contentedly, lightly closing his eyes as he grabbed the second bottle of beer that meandered almost lazily to his outstretched hand. He twisted off the cap and took a long drink, appreciating the high-quality ale. Sawyer didn't drink with much regularity, as there weren't a lot of alcoholic beverages that he enjoyed, but he did enjoy a nice beer, particularly as a reward at the end of a droning, demanding sort of work day. He liked the taste of a good beer, and had taken a while to find out what he liked versus what he didn't. Sawyer found that he didn't like anything too thick or too dark, ruling out a good number of brews- but he didn't like anything too light, either.

Somewhere in the middle was a good compromise. Sawyer chuckled lightly when Arielle said that she didn't want to get too drunk- he didn't imagine that she could after only two beers, but all the same he'd keep an eye on her. He always did anyway, feeling the need to protect her. "Of course, love," said Sawyer before sipping his own beer again. He was mildly surprised when she shifted from her spot beneath his arm, instead moving to straddle his lap.

He set down his bottle as she kissed him, melting into the gesture and readily returning it. It always made Sawyer thrilled when it was Arielle to initiate contact, perhaps it meant that she was better off mentally than she had been before. "Mmm, maybe," said Sawyer, briefly cocking an eyebrow, the interaction was suddenly taking a very different sort of turn. A primal segment of his brain was urging him to pursue it, but Sawyer would be a gentleman... He undid the fastenings of his robes, and shrugged them off his shoulders, leaving the remainder of his uniform (slacks and a button-up shirt) untouched. His hands then migrated to Arielle's hips, lightly resting there and he smiled a bit, wondering what he ought to do with the moment.

[arielle]

Arielle bit her lip, watching Sawyer. Her brain was muddled. She wasn't drunk, but she certainly wasn't herself. That's what she got for being such a light-weight, in all senses of the word. She was extremely tiny, and alcohol, even in small amounts, made her ditsy. She had very little inhibition with a little beer in her system. Sawyer's expression changed in an instant, and Arielle smirked slightly. She could see the indecision in his eyes, the surprise, the carnal desire. His look no doubt mirrored her own. Arielle wanted Sawyer, and she wanted him immediately.

"Mmm, maybe."

Arielle felt her face flush with the purr in her partner's voice as he slowly unfastened his robe, letting it fall off of his shoulders. Arielle blinked, smirking at him. As his hands found their way to her waist, she shivered slightly. Biting her lip, her hands went to the top button on his shirt, lightly playing with it. This was what she wanted, but did she have the guts to go through with it. Her heart fell into her stomach, and she bit her lip. This was a difficult decision.

The horror of those long months in that cell continued to run through her brain. Raped, beaten, tortured... it was the stuff that haunted her. But, she wanted Sawyer more than anything. The idea of sex both thrilled her and terrified her. The conflict inside her was almost painful. Biting her lip, she moved her hands down, unbuttoning
Sawyer's shirt partway, revealing his bare skin. She placed her hands underneath the fabric, feeling his strong chest, peering up to look in Sawyer's eyes.

"I'm scared," Arielle said, breaking the silence with the quiet truth. She had been so quiet, she almost wasn't sure that she had admitted that out loud. But, she had. Arielle looked at Sawyer, indecisive. "I'm scared," she repeated, pausing slightly as she attempted to find the right words. "But, I love you, and I want you..."

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[sawyer]

Sawyer's heart pounded, this moment had existed only in his fantasies for so very long, for years he had thought that Arielle would never want him in this way. And it wasn't even just the sex- the fact that she wanted to be his, he had never thought that it would happen. Sawyer really did love her, and he had for quite some time. But presently, he was completely at a loss for what to do, he had never been in this situation before. Sawyer had gone on a few dates, but he had never reached the point of this sort of intimacy, he was still a virgin.

It wasn't something that Sawyer was ashamed of, but now he wished that he had some sort of experience to go on, so it might make him feel less awkward, less conflicted. It seemed that he was torn. Part of him wanted to release all his inhibitions and just do what he had wanted to for so long, make Arielle his, but the other side of him was screaming to hold back. Perhaps now wasn't the best time. But Arielle seemed to want it just as much as he did, but it was still very confusing. Sawyer just didn't want to hurt her.

He found it hard to breathe as she plucked apart the buttons of his shirt, and he felt almost as if she were setting his skin on fire as her small hands went to his chest, the contact was thrilling, making the argument of just going with it stronger- but his gentlemanly side that was so concerned with Arielle's well-being refused to be silenced completely. His hands migrated to the small of her back, gently pulling her into him, it had been instinct, he hadn't thought about it. Sawyer lightly put his hand beneath Arielle's chin, directing her face upward to look her in the eye after she had spoken. "I love you, and I do want you, but if you're not completely sure, I don't want to go further," said Sawyer.