| Details for Will You Still Love Me, Tomorrow? |
| Summary: | Gus talks with Eibhlin about his grief and thoughts on the future. |
| Date: | 1939-01-11 |
| Location: | Castle Corridor |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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It's Saturday evening, just after dinner, and Augustin hasn't been seen much, today. With all the food readily available in the Hufflepuff dormitory, there hasn't been much need to even appear for meals. If anyone had asked a passing Hufflepuff, though, they wouldn't have been able to say that Augustin was in there. Where he's been is anyone's guess, but he's here, now, walking down the corridor with his hands in his pockets. His hair looks wind-tossed.
Eibhlin likely hasn't been seen much today either really. Either in the library or curled up with a book somewhere relatively quiet most likely knowing her. Now, with dinner having just ended, she's headed down the hall only to spot someone she hasn't seen all day. She doesn't say anything just yet, but should he look her way, there's a quiet smile for him waiting on her lips.
He sees her - that red hair is hard to miss. Gus stops and waits for her to catch up. Just for the moment, they're alone. "Eibhlin," he says. His gaze drops to the smile on her lips, and one side of his mouth turns up briefly in response, though it doesn't actually touch his eyes. "What are you up to?"
Hard to miss for some, easier for others. Its only a moment for her to catch up when he stops to wait. She does not that the quick of his lips is missing in his gaze but doesn't comment on that just now. "I was just taking a walk," she hadn't really thought about it much on leaving the Great Hall. "What about you?"
"Coming back from one," Gus answers. "Blowing off some steam." He takes a deep breath. "I'll walk with you," he offers. "Where were you headed?" He looks up and down the corridor, willing to go in either direction.
Eibhlin glances down the hall the way she came and then back to Gus before replying with a shrug. "Honestly, I was just walking," and ended up where her feet led her. Though his answer causes one slender brow to arch slightly, "Blowing off steam?" she questions, "Are you okay?"
Gus stares at Eibhlin for a few seconds. Then he slowly shakes his head in the negative, and looks away. "Of course not," he mutters.
Eibhlin shakes her head, "I know, I meant…" she tries to make up for the question. Lifting a hand to cheek she puts a light pressure on it in hopes if getting him to look back to her. She meant what happened that he had to go blow off steam, but 'what happened' didn't seem like the right words for now either. "I'm here for you if you need me Augustin."
Gus reaches up, automatically, to touch her hand with his. The knuckles are turn and bloodied, like he's been repeatedly punching something. "You… you don't have you be," he tells her quietly. He lifts his eyes to her. "I don't expect you to stick around out of pity or… some kind of sense of obligation. I'm a mess right now. You don't deserve to deal with that." Which might explain why she hasn't seen much of him, lately.
[OPEN-RP] Angelus has listed an open scene named 'New Year's Eve' at TP Room 1.
"Yes," Eibhlin replies quietly though there's a hard edge to the word to help push it through to him. "I do, because you're my friend," she explains catching sight of his knuckles with a sigh. "What did you hit now?" she asks, the slightest touch of teasing in the question as she aims to take his hand and get a better look at the wound. "And I do," she adds to her previous reasoning, "Because you wrote and said you needed me even if you'd been trying to avoid me since we got back to school."
Gus leans down to kiss her. "You're so… good," he whispers. Then he pulls back and looks down at his hands. "Trees," he says. "There are a lot of them on the grounds." He nods a bit. "I'm not exactly avoiding you," he tells her. "Just… well, okay, I am. Because I don't know what I'm doing here, or how to… handle any of…" he gestures with that hand, and the other one comes out of his pocket too, just as damaged. "… all of this."
Eibhlin doesn't push him away, but neither does she exactly return that kiss. She does off a slight smile for him when he pulls back however. The redhead just shakes her head at his answer, releasing a quiet sigh. "What you're doing is being with your friends and trying to work though it," she replies, trying to remain positive for him. "No one expects you to just get over it."
Gus nods. "Sure," he says. Then he backs away a step or two. Friend distance. He puts his hands back into his pockets. "Friends. If that's what you want."
"That's not what I said," Eibhlin replies with a sigh, but she's not about to try and argue. "But how about we head up to the hospital and get your hands looked at?" It gives their walk a direction at the very least.
"I just think I should know, one way or the other," Gus says quietly, even as he turns toward the direction of the path to the infirmary. There's no rancor in his voice. "Are you still my girl, or are we just friends, now? I can't… just read your mind." He keeps his strides short enough to make the walk easy on her.
Eibhlin slips into step beside him. "I didn't think anything had change din that regard," she replies, watching his reaction out of the corner of her eye as she watches her step. "I can't exactly read your mind either."
"I just don't want to lose you," Gus says, and something catches in his voice. "I told them about you. That night." He bites his bottom lip. "She was… she was furious with me."
"Gus, you're…" Eibhlin starts, but then he's continuing, the words the follow giving her pause. She swallows, her voice caught in her throat for a moment. "Augustin, I-" But what does someone say to that. "I'm so sorry."
Gus turns to face her and reaches for her shoulders. "It's not your fault," he tells her a little hoarsely. "It's just… bad luck, that that's how it ended with her. Being cross with me. I could've… been nicer to her. I said some awful things." He chokes up and hangs his head.
Eibhlin nods, just once, a slight movement of her head. What happened might not be her fault, but how it ened between him and his mother, well that is. At least in part, in a way, and that thought will linger for awhile at least. "No matter how cross you might have been I'm sure she still loves you," she tries to assure.
"Papa said the same thing," Augustin manages after long seconds regaining control. "I think… I think I should go home," he admits to her. "He and Lizette need me there. What's the point of school, now? I've always known I'll take over the business." He's still holding her shoulders. "But I'll miss you, if I go."
"She's your mother, she'll always love you," Eibhlin replies, a nod following for his mention of going home. Its not until he continues that he means not coming back. Its when that registers that she presses her lips together as she searches his eyes. "I was going to ask how they were taling it, but.." It never felt like the right time to bring it up in those few minutes they'd had together since it happened. "You need to do what you think is right."
Gus will try to gently pull her into a hug. "I don't know what's right," he murmurs. "All I know is that the world doesn't make any sense right now, and my family is hurting. If… if I do go… will you still be my girl?" he asks. "Or would that be too much to ask?"
Eibhlin doesn't resist that, leaning into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. That question isn't one she answers right away though. "If you go when will I see you?"
"Hogsmeade weekends," Gus answers her, resting his cheek against her fiery hair. "Holidays. And we'll write all the time. After the funeral I spoke with Papa… he's not opposed to us. He says he can't dislike a girl who makes me happy, even a little."
Eibhlin nods slight, taking a moment to consider her answer. The mention of his talk with his father brings a hint of a smile though her face is still hidden against his chest. "Lizette needs you," she finally replies.
"She does," Gus says. "She writes me every day, two or three letters. Francine is home, but she's pregnant — we just learned that. Anyway, she can't just stay forever, not with her own family to look after."
"Congratulations?" Eibhlin says, the word sounding awkward and uncertain as it comes from her lips given the situation. Lifting her head she offers up a subtle smile, and if there's a hint of tears in her eyes its likely just a play of the light. "I really am sorry Gus. What happened, it shouldn't have."
"Thanks," Gus says, sounding just as uncertain, and returning her smile. "A bit of light in the darkness, now." He touches her cheek. "You're right," he says. "It shouldn't have happened. But it did and…" He shakes his head. "We've all just got to keep on living. I suppose I'll talk to the Headmaster tomorrow, then."
[OPEN-RP] Angelus has listed an open scene named 'New Year's Eve' at TP Room 1.
Eibhlin nods. He's right there. It did happen and life doesn't stop because it did. "Gus?" she pauses, hesitating. "Thank you. For telling you told them. It means alot." Even if the events after that were anything but good.
Gus kisses her forehead. "You're welcome," he says quietly. "I will miss you, you know."
Eibhlin closes her eyes for a moment when his lips touch her forehead. "Its only a couple months until end of term.." A couple months that carry the potential to feel like forever. "And Hogsmeade weekends come often enough, plus there's a holiday in there." She's at least trying to help keep at least that on a positive note. "But.." she ads, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips. A real kiss, not just a peck.
Gus returns Eibhlin's kiss, his touch exceedingly tender. "I'd like you to come to my house for a visit," he says quietly. "In the spring. It's beautiful, everything's green, there are flowers everywhere. Think about it."
Eibhlin nods. "I'll think about it," she agrees to that at least. "Go take care of your hands for now though, hmm. And no more punching trees?"
"I will," Gus says. And he does, giving her one last lingering, sweet kiss before going to do so.