| Details for You're Worth It |
| Summary: | Ria and Lucian have another fight, this time over his history with Briar. But this strange couple manages to get closer after every conflict. |
| Date: | October 20, 1937 |
| Location: | Hogsmeade |
| Related: | Immediately follows Three Hundred Broomsticks |
| Characters |
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Lucian bursts out of the Three Broomsticks a few seconds behind Ria. "Ria! Wait!" He calls after her, turning a few heads on the street. His face is a whirl of conflicting emotions: concern, anger, fear, determination. He picks up his pace, not expecting that she'll actually stop for him.
And Lucian is very much correct! Ria definitely doesn't stop even when he calls after her. With her long coat wrapped around her, she put up her best umbrella charm as soon as she stepped out and hurried off. It actually turned out kind of shitty because she's too flustered to do a good one, and her anger is apparent by the uptight bitch face she's wearing at the moment. She was already stomping off at a fast pace, but when she hears her boyfriend she only goes faster like the little resistant brat that she is. It doesn't take long for her to splash hard into a puddle, getting her leg and the hem of her jacket wet and that is way enough to make Ria stop instantly.
Lucian catches up, moving at a run now. He sighs as he gets near, seeing what stopped her. Damn, he's never wished he'd joined the Domestics Club so much. A drying charm would be just the thing right now. He moves around her, so he can face her. "Ria, don't run away. Look, I get that you're upset, but would you stop and think about this for a second?" Not exactly the most diplomatic approach, but he's very used to being able to speak candidly with her.
Ria has that stiff frown on her face that seems oh so permanent while she tries not to blow a gasket over her muddy leg and clothes. She'd clean it up now, but with this weather it's pointless until she reaches somewhere dry. So for now she settles on simply glaring at Luc. "Think about it? Lucian, I don't want to think about it. Not ever preferably. But especially not right now," she says while her hands ball up into little fists. "Just the idea that her filthy little paws were ever on you makes me sick. I don't even want the details, I just-ugh!" She groans, shivering with anger.
Those various emotions on Lucian's face give way to just one: anger. "Oh, not at all like Ripley smarming all over you. At least I wasn't off with her while you waited on an answer from me. Is it really that it was her? Or that it wasn't you?" He regrets it as soon as he says it, but he maintains his stance. He's going to see this through.
Ria scoffs loudly, and is clearly insulted by his statement. "You are so full of yourself sometimes! You always were! Thinking that every girl is just pining over you all the time, that they all were just ready to eat out of your hands, Mr. Dueling Prodigy! Well I'm going to give you a reality check. I'm not jealous." PFFFTTT. "But I am disgusted that you'd ever mess around with the likes of a mudblood." That's right. She said it. Ria doesn't use the word often because she has class, but she's using it now. "And to top it off, she's foul mouthed and crude and has no trace of sophistication whatsoever. I'm disappointed that's what I am." She rolls her eyes though at the mention of Ripley, hands on her hips before replying, "Oh of course. Use Ripley against me again. Like I didn't see it coming. Lucian, we could be old and gray and you'll still be using him against me. Get. Over it."
"You're damn right, I'll use him, as long as you keep trying to throw nonsense like this in my face! Who gives a damn if she's a mudblood?" Lucian has never cared much about blood purity, though he doesn't step up to defend the Muggle-borns against those that would persecute them, either. It's just a subject that's never been a concern to him. "What are you going to say to your family when they say exactly this to you about snogging a bastard? And you know bloody well that they will."
"I give a damn if she's a mudblood. And of all mudbloods it's her. I find her revolting, running around in public yelling about how she's going to have my brother's babies just to argue against me. She's a complete loon!" Ria's hand goes to her massage between her brows as she closes her eyes in irritation. That's beside the point. "A bastard is very different from someone with dirty blood. It has nothing to do with this argument, which by the way isn't nonsense. I knew about Polly and I couldn't give anymore of a shite about it. But Briar, I never knew about. And it's rather sickening that I had to find out through her while she threw it in my face in public in front of my family. Were you ever going to tell me about your little fling or whatever it was with her? Or did you think you'd keep it a nice, tidy secret? And furthermore if there were any other female sprees, muggle-born or not, you best tell me now before they all come tattling to me about the nasty things you did with them." She looks rather shaky when she says that last part, as if the idea of Lucian fooling about with any other girl that she didn't know about makes her cringe.
Lucian is boiling, and it's as much his anger at Briar as it is his frustration with Ria. "Of course I wanted to tell you! I told you I don't want to keep secrets between us. But every time we even come close to talking about the subject, you make that face…that one," he gestures toward her face. "You've made it abundantly clear how much the very thought disgusts you. So you tell me when a good time would have been. Hm? I can't even get you to hold my hand if anyone is looking, and you think you've actually been open to hearing about who I've fooled around with?"
Ria pulls her head back angrily when he gestures to her face, nose scrunching up in deeper anger. Everything on her body is tense, particularly her jaw which is locked into her scowl as she crosses her arms. And when he throws accusation after accusation at her she only grows more and more red with fury that she quite honestly looks like her head is about to pop off. And it does. "YES, I WOULD HAVE BEEN UP FOR HEARING ABOUT IT!" she yells, throwing her hands upward. This earns a couple of strange looks from passersby, some who shake their head from the lack of surprise. Aren't they always arguing? Ria huffs and puffs after her shout and the steam comes out, but it eventually dies down. The rain helps, perhaps. And after a few long minutes she calms down from her outburst, crossing her hands once more before turning her head to the side to avoid his gaze. Her chin is up stubbornly and she broods in silence another long while before she says in quieter tone, "Okay…maybe I wouldn't have but I just….I absolutely hate that I had to hear it from her. And in such a manner…" She's so embarrassed.
Lucian is ready to shout right back her, ready to call her out on her claim. But something stays him. Perhaps he senses that she's calming (sort of). So he just stands, jaw set, waiting until she explains her real frustration. He sighs, nodding. There is still fury in his eyes, but he is directing it at the door of the Three Broomsticks. The rain plastering his golden-blonde to his forehead only adds to his miserable, drowned look. "I hate it, too," he says in a somber tone. "I really was going to tell you. I was trying to find the right time."
Ria still avoids his gaze. She tends to do that when it comes to apologies. "I believe you. You've always been truthful with me," a hand wipes her own wet strands out of her face. "Ugh, just the look on her face, you know. And then I said all the stuff about her being a floozy - which I would take back by the way only … Kaiden trusted me to keep that a secret." She puts her forehead in the palm of her hand and sighs. "I'm sorry Lucian. I'm sorry, I know I'm difficult. I don't mean to be … at least not with you."
Lucian steps closer, moving his hands to her arms. "I don't blame you for being upset. It…had to be a shock." He lifts a finger to her chin to tilt her head up. "You're worth it. You hear me? You are worth it. Nobody's perfect, and I don't expect you to be. But I want to be with you more than anything." He goes for the kiss. Just a soft, quick meeting of the lips before he says, "I'm sorry, too."
Ria has her gaze settled downward until her lifts her face up with his finger. With pursed lips, she pouts in concern and replies to his vow of commitment saying, "You're crazy. I think you're absolutely crazy." Dealing with her for friendship's sake is understandable. Dealing with her to capture her heart is a whole different ball game that she doesn't get. So after the brief peck, she moves forward and wraps her arms around him tightly in a rainy hug. Perhaps her way of adding 'thank you' to her previous statement. "Why are you sorry? There's nothing you should be sorry for. I'm the difficult one…"
Lucian curls his arms around her as well. She's hugging him willingly in the open street. This is a huge step. They really should fight more often. "I'm sorry that I took so long to grow the stones to ask you out." He doesn't say it, but it's fairly evident how much emotional turmoil could have been avoided if they'd been together sooner.
Perhaps she's just flustered with all this arguing, but it seems like Ria gives in a little bit more and more every time the fight. Lucian does wear her out after all. Shaking her head she leans it against his shoulder, "No, no. You were right to wait. I definitely would have rejected you any sooner." She follows that with a light hearted snicker. But it does bring a question to mind. Look up she asks, "When did you even start thinking of asking me out in the first place?"
Lucian is a bit amazed that she is still tolerating the rain through her half-hearted umbrella charm, but is enjoying this moment too much to mention it. "Last year, at the winter dance. There was this moment when you called my name. I think you wanted to tell me about Sinclair and Montgomery snogging, or something. But I looked up and saw you walking toward me, in that blue and white dress you wore and…I couldn't believe I'd never noticed before how beautiful you are. I dropped my drink, remember?"
Ria can't help but smile into his shoulder at the memory. She remembers too of course, only she doesn't recall noticing a budding infatuation. "Is that why you dropped it? I thought you were just being clumsy. Oh that's terrible of me. I made fun of you so much for spilling it," she snorts. "It was so satisfying to finally catch the two of them in the act though. They were making undeniable googley eyes at each other since third-year. It was only a matter of time, really." But the rain does eventually get to her, and she shivers a bit at the cold. "Perhaps we should go to Harkiss'? I think I could use a dry environment and some chocolate…"
Lucian smiles and slips his hand into hers, tugging her toward the candy shop. He deliberately ignores the comments about the snogging boys. He'd much rather talk about how he fell in love with her. "I just couldn't concentrate on anything else. Honestly, I didn't even noticed I'd dropped it until you said something." He opens the door for her to lead her into Harkiss'. "Ria, I've thought about you every single day since then, trying to figure out what to say, or when to say it."
Ria gratefully follows Luc to the candy shop, thankful to get out of this rain. She certainly welcomes the lack of precipitation indoors by undoing her umbrella charm and drying herself off with a spell. "If it was that long ago…I don't understand how I couldn't have noticed. I notice everything…," she sighs, and reaches up to wipe wet hairs off his forehead before she dries him off as well. "Maybe it's best that way. Maybe I would have avoided you or gotten scared or something had I known earlier." Half frowning she looks down unsurely at her feet when she asks shyly, "Luc…are you sure you want to do this with me? I'm trying but I can't guarantee this is the last time I'll..explode. I want you to be sure. I don't want you to be in this just because another guy hit on me and you think I have a good face or something…"
Lucian frowns, shaking his head at her. "Please tell me you don't think this is just about your looks. You're beautiful, but that's not why I want to be with you. Sure, I made my move because I saw Ripley making his. I saw myself about to lose you and…I couldn't let that happen." He wanders the store with her, hand-in-hand, perusing this chocolate or that, suddenly keenly aware of how little he can afford to buy for her.
A rather shy but quite happy look appears on Ria's face as she takes both of his hands in his. "So long as you're sure about your feelings then. Because it's hard for me to open up to someone who I'm afraid might run off on me if I slip up. And I slip up, often. I'm sorry," she squeezes his fingers lightly before going on her tippy toes to plant a soft and long kiss on his cheek. "I may have not realized it before Lucian. Maybe not even after the first week we were dating, but I think I really do like you. You're patient with me, but… you don't let me get too out of line. I think you're just what I need, and that all this is happening exactly when it should. So forget all this stuff about delaying too long, hmm?"
Her words are just what he needed right then. His smile is subtle, but undeniably happy. "Alright. And don't you worry about me running off. I told you I'd fight for you. I'm still here, aren't I? You and I belong together. I truly believe that, and I know it won't be easy. We're…difficult people. But it's because we both push ourselves to our limits. Beyond our limits. That's what I love so much about you. You're my match. My equal. Nobody else even comes close" He seeks her lips for a lingering kiss.
That's right. He is still here, right in front of her, not stomping away after she just yelled at him in public. And what's even better is that she feels neither above nor below him. The thought brings a warm smile to Ria's face and she meets lips the rest of the way, taking her time to kiss him in a way that's different from all the previous. It's sweet, but she takes her time, and there's a certain ease about it that wasn't there before. As if she's not plagued by who might be looking, or if they'll be caught, or even that she's so mad at him she'll just kiss him to shut him up. Her hands hold onto his shoulders to keep herself balanced while she's on their toes. Indeed, there's nothing like being surrounded by chocolate to really appreciate the ones who care about you.