.spring.

[Ginny Weasly]

((Ok guys, this is a warm-up for me and Xav. I have no clue where it is going to go, but if at any time there seems to be an opening, feel free to join in. :) ))

The harshness of winter was gone, the first buds of spring had begun to show on the trees. Ginny had caught a glimpse of some early spring flowers, and such buds filled her with such hope. Such happiness.
Winter inspired nothing but stillness to Ginny.
Spring inspired life, anew.

It was still chilly out, and so Ginny sat in her living room, at a desk she often worked at, her feet propped up, her body facing the glass doors that led into the back yard. It was very early, too early for her children to wake up. Not too early for Xav, but he had been to bed much later than she.

Ginny thought back to finding him in that hospital on America. Scary.
He had said Xences was dead.
She still felt relief from that.

She could recall when she was pregnant with Meliody and Xences had touched her belly. She had gotten sick almost instantly. To this day she doubted it had been in her head, but so far there had been no repercussions.
Thankfully.

Deep in thought, Ginny closed her eyes against the warm spring sun, the silence of the house helping her think clearly.

[Xaver]

It was the first slivers of morning light that woke him, slithering through the slightly parted shades and stealing across the sheets. Xaver stirred with a soft moan, his arm shifting up slightly to the now cooled pillow where Ginny's pretty head usually was. His eyes slid open, his brow furrowed as he drew in a breath, then let it out in a yawn, stretching his arms above his head and gently pulling the tensed muscles of his abdomen, hips, then legs. He gave a muffled grunt and relaxed as pain simmered throughout his figure - remnants of his trip to the States not more than a few weeks or so ago.
"Mmfh."
His tones were little more than a whisper as he swung his legs over the side of the bed with a patient and well-controlled grace, bare feet hitting the new carpet. Gripping the bed-side table for support as he rose, Xaver's tall, lean form made an impressive shadow over the dresser as he made to it in all his naked and still-recovering glory. He dressed slowly, shuffling on simple briefs and sweatpants that sagged comfortably to sit at his hips, foregoing all else and turning toward the door. He didn't feel the chill of the morning, yet a shudder still traced through him, goosebumps springing up over a fresh pink scar that trailed from his left hip and up like mangled barbed-wire to his right shoulder. He had spattering of train track staples here and there, holding together not yet healed injuries. The bruises littered about him were paling, however, and there hadn't been any sign of infection for days.
He padded easily, quietly, across the carpet of his home, the tips of his rough fingers grazing the wall of the hallway as he went. Emerging soundlessly into the living room, he paused, a smile tipping his handsome features.
Ginny.
Xaver truly loved his wife, and the sight of her, morning light brightening up her gorgeous face and the tints of her shockingly red hair, had him forgetting the morning scruples with his recovering form. Nabbing a blanket from arm of the nearest couch, he moved toward her, making some noise now purposefully, as to not surprise her. He stopped near her extended knees, gently draping the cover over her feet and slender legs and bending to brush a kiss over the corner of her mouth.
"Good morning, beautiful."

[Ginny Weasly]

Her husband padded into the room, she could hear his soft footsteps. Just the thought of him made a smile appear on her face, and by the time he had reached to kiss her, her eyes opened and she was looking directly into his deep blue eyes.

"Morning, handsome."

She reached up and before he could escape she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer so she could kiss him lightly.

"How'd you sleep? Still seem a bit bruised up, babe."

He did look like he hurt, but not as much as he had. Still a little roughed up, it seemed.

Her thoughts of Xences faded quickly as she looked at Xaver. Yes, the two were twins, but there couldn't have been to unlike people in the universe. All in the eyes.

[Xaver]

Xaver had just began to pull away when her arms encircled him and pulled him closer. He smiled warmly at her welcome and kissed her back, lovingly, tenderly. After a moment he withdrew and planted another kiss upon her nose before moving to draw up a chair and sit beside her.

"How'd you sleep? Still seem a bit bruised up, babe."

He nodded, tilting his head to the side just slightly as he considered her question.
"Well as always, beside you."
Xaver passed her a smile and shifted to a more comfortable position on his chair, slouching slightly.
"It's not so bad, in the scheme of things. I am as well off as I possibly could be, now."

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny shifted in her seat so her upper body faced him better, so she could view him much better. She liked what she saw. The black hair, pale skin, chiseled features. All of it coming together with his eyes.
Ginny was a big believer that the eyes always told the truth.

"I'm glad you feel better, Xaver." She smiled slightly.

Ginny watched him for a moment, "Tell me, my love...what of your brother?"

She needed to know. there was something in the back of her mind that felt dark, and she knew it had something to do with Xaver's worse half.

[Xaver]

Ginny shifted to better look at him and he let his eyes trail over her figure appreciatively.
"I'm glad you feel better, Xaver," she said.
Xaver nodded, knowing well enough himself that he was lucky to have even made it back to England.
"Tell me, my love...what of your brother?"

Xences.
A subject both he and Ginny had escaped since he'd been home, Xaver felt his heart cringe. His twin brother had never been the subject of joy or any sort of enlightenment - he was his other half and had been the sole figure in their younger sister's death and on many occasions almost Xaver's own.
Ginny's eyes probed at his soul, and there was naught Xaver could do to avoid them. Not that he would particularly choose to, anyway. There wasn't much to be in the way of secrets between them and their marriage.
Xaver settled back into his chair as he met her gaze.

"What do you want to know, baby?" he returned, ready to answer any of her inquiries and worries.

[Ginny Weasly]

Her feet dropped from the desk so that now her entire body faced him. She reached out for his hand, taking it within her own. The touch thrilled her and comforted her. Simple pleasures like that made her days worthwhile.

"Is he honestly, truly..dead?"
She was afraid he's be unsure. She wanted to make sure. Something itched at her.

[Xaver]

She faced him now and took his hand within her own, and Xaver's raging heart slowed, easing into a gentler, more familiar rythm even as his nerves wound tighter. He knew the question that was coming.
"Is he honestly, truly..dead?"

It was the eyes that haunted Xaver most.
Dark eyes that were so like his own.

"Yes."

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny knew that she shouldn't feel such relief at the death of her brother-in-law. But she did. She visably relaxed and a smile touched her lips. She squeezed his hand as she let out a breath of relief. But that nagging feeling was still there.
The last time she had seen him...

"What of your necklace?"

Something about the last time she had seen Xences.

[Xaver]

"A little of this, a little of that, a droplet of blood, and a feather of Black," Xaver murmed almost automatically.
His eyes met hers as he squeezed her hand, shaking off the image that had taken over him.
"My necklace?"
His gentle gaze was as questions as it was curious.

[Ginny Weasly]

"The day I spoke with...him." She paused, recalling dangling the necklace over Xence's hands and calling him pathetic. She shouldn't have done that.

"He gave me the information I wanted in exchange for your necklace, the one that shows your feelings." Ginny flushed slightly, "If there is anyway to get it...I'd like to have it back. I never liked giving it up."

Xaver had never hid his love for her. He had never hid anything from her...for long. She wanted the necklace though. Call her sentimental. She was.
But perhaps it was the source of the icky feeling.

[Xaver]

So that was how she'd gotten Xences to cooperate. There was hardly another way. The only thing the other Xian heir had ever responded to was corruption or treachery or bribes. The necklace had been enough.
Xaver chewed his lower lip for a moment, rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand.

"There is a way."

[NOT FINISHED]

[Xaver]

[I see that posties can no longer be modified after a while. Hmm.]

So that was how she'd gotten Xences to cooperate. There was hardly another way. The only thing the other Xian heir had ever responded to was corruption or treachery or bribes. The necklace had been enough.
Xaver chewed his lower lip for a moment, rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand.

"There is a way," he said quietly, though his dark eyes grew troubled at the thought. The lines in his handsome face grew deeper, and more tired, within the moments he sat there and mulled it over.
His gaze returned to hers.
"Though within me there is doubt would I be pleased or keen on the measure of your acceptance."

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny's face mirrored his, though she hadn't a clue where this was leading up to. Such was the married life, you became so much like your spouse that you could mimic them to a T, and if not careful, become scarily able to predict each and every move and reaction.
Although, Ginny could already do that, psychic as she was.

"My acceptance to what?" She asked him, puzzled. Xaver's world and it's ways were still a mystery to her, and it was very possible they always would be.

[Xaver]

Xaver's gaze met Ginny's, his eyes dark oceans of untold emotion and severity, focused on his wife in both adoration and concern.
Almost knowing how her expression would change upon his answer.
"Baby."
He shook his head then, planting a kiss upon her forehead, and rising from where he had come to sit beside her. Xaver ran a hand through his thick hair, fingertips lightly grazing the train-track staples holding the edges of a large laceration vertically set in the back of his skull.
"No."
No... It.. No.
Xaver ground his teeth as his thoughts all but stuttered, focusing on bad images and unwelcome thoughts.