Topic: {Oh, I'm so naive...}

[purpleraincloud]

(Seth)

When did life get this way?

Avalee sat in the herbology shack. It was relly the only place that could truly calm her down. She had her arms were crossed and were down on a table. She buried her head in her arms. The smell of this place really callmed her down. The smell of dirt and flowers made her feel at home.

This was the kind of moment that she wished she had a mom or aunt that she could talk to. Or a sister. But she didnt have that. She didn't even have a friend.

She sat there and waited for Seth. She had sent him an owl a few hours ago, asking him to meet her. They could at least act civil. Right?

[Sky]

"I got your owl...." Seth's voiced said gently as he entered through the doorway. He was leaning against the frame, his muscular arms crossed. He had on a thick yellow hoodie and jeans. Dragonhide boots protected his feet from the snow. But he was always warm. He didn't really need them. He saw her at the table, her head buried into her arms. He frowned and stepped into the shack, walking to the seat next to her and pulling out a chair, sitting down and facing her.

  "Are you okay?" He asked.

[purpleraincloud]

Avalee sat up when she heard him enter the room. She look down at her outfit. A big tshirt from a band she loved, under a large black fleece jacket. Axel's ring was cold against the skin of her chest. She had hidden it under her shirt. Her favorite blue skinny jeans did little to keep her legs warm, but her boots did a remarkable job at protecting her feet from the cold snow.

She shook her head at him. She turned around in her chair, looking at him.
"How long have you known he was back?" Avalee asked in a blank tone, hiding her real anger and sadness.

[Sky]

Seth went to speak but sighed instead. Of course, she must have felt betrayed. Seth never told anyone. Not even her. And she was the one who at least deserved to know the truth. He had no choice now. He had to tell her.

  "Two months. It was in London." He said quietly. "I was in town and I saw him at a market. I didn't believe it. I circled him, watched him for at least half an hour. And that scent...it was most certainly his. And then I knew. And I left."

[purpleraincloud]

Avalee sat there for a moment. Shocked. How could this have happened? She shook her head slightly, angry at first, then a little passive. She twisted he fingers together, popping them. Nervous habit. She bit her lip, then sarcastically smiled.

"You could have told me. I mean, you sort of owe that to me? Don't you think? After what you did?" She looked at him. Her face pained but a little angry. He could have told her. It would have been as easy has sending her an owl.

[Sky]

"You're so blinded by your love that you can't even find fault in Axel." Seth said in response to her.

 After what he did? People in that bar were in danger. Axel had lost it. He had no choice but to protect everyone. Avalee herself was in danger. He could have let the place burn down, risk letting people get killed, but he didn't.

"I thought it was better to simply forget and move on."

[purpleraincloud]

Avalee shook hEr head at him. Getting angry.

You don't get it Seth! I don't care how toxic you think my love for him was. You don't get to decide that. You don't get to decide what's best for me. You don't even know me. And I doubt you even know Axel."

Avalee knew she was right. Just because she and Axel didn't fight the way Alice and Seth did, didn't mean something was wrong.

[Sky]

    "Maybe I just care about what happens to you!" Seth exclaimed, standing up. "Maybe I didn't tell you because I knew this is what would happen. You would be a wreck! A lovesick wreck!" He went to say more, but just couldn't find the words. He pressed his lips together in frustration, shaking his head.
 
"I don't know Axel? Pardon me, but did you live with him for like 7 years? Are you family? No. I didn't think so. I know Axel. He's like my brother. My entire opposite. Did you know my family did everything they could to make him feel welcome in our home but Axel was so affected by his parent's deaths that he just hid away in his room all the time? That he wouldn't even play games with me anymore? And when he finally did start coming out, he became a trouble maker and always got punished. That's why he assumes our family hated him. Because he was the one always in trouble."  
  History was rolling off his tongue before Seth could even stop to breathe. He was so angry now, he felt his legs begin to shake.

  "So, let me tell you, Avalee. I know Axel. More than you ever will."

[purpleraincloud]

Avalee stood up. No fear in her eyes. Only anger. Her chair fell backwards with a thud. Se kept shaking her head. She was really p!$$ed now. She took a few angry steps toward him.

"No! You didn't accept him! He was never your brother! And you definstely don't give a $h!t about me! You wanna know how I know?!" She was yelling, and now took an angry dramatic pause.

"You KILLED him!" Avalee was really close to him, and was yelling what she had repressed for months now.

[Sky]

"I didn't kill him! And I did it for your fricking protection. Axel's out there back in Hogsmead wandering like a little lost puppy and doing things he shouldn't be doing." Seth got just as close and glared at her. "If I didn't give a nuts about you, I wouldn't be here." He whispered angrily. "I wouldn't have wasted my time walking down here."

[purpleraincloud]

"You did kill him, and it wasn't for protection! Don't lie! Its was because you couldn't stop yourself! And the fact that your wife is in love with him? What about that?"

At this point, Avalee was trying to p!$$ him off and send him over the edge. She wanted to push him, and screw with him the way he had with her. Axel was good for her. She knew that. And as long as she knew that, everything was ok. Her mind started to wander to Phoenix, but she stopped herself. That would have to be delt with later.

She wasn't done fighting with Seth yet.

[Sky]

Seth looked like he had just been slapped across the face. He had a pained expression on his face. How could she say something like that? About Alice. It wasn't true. It wasn't. He kept telling himself that. He looked at the ring on his hand and realized something. He realized how naive he had been. For a long time he had urged Alice to marry him. Maybe he was too forceful. It might not have been what she wanted, but just what he himself wanted. He was selfish and ignorant. He was blinded.

  But he wasn't done. He would not end this conversation with him stricken like this.

"Okay then. Believe what you want. Believe that I did it for retaliation. Believe that Axel is going to come back for you. Oh, and believe that love is existant." He turned around and began walking towards the door from whence he came, anger and other emotions swirling together in his head. His heart felt as if it couldn't contain them all.

[purpleraincloud]

Avalee felt sorry as her words stung him. She thought that she really couldn't hurt him. She couldn't believe that she did. She felt bad. She didn't know Seth. She didn't. His words stung her to an extent. She had been naive to think that Axel would come back for her, and would only want her and love her.

"Stop. Please? I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." Avalee paused, her stomach twisting inside. She took a few steps forward and nervously grabbed his hand. She knew he was str ing enough to break it, and she though that she might even deserve that at this point.

"I, I just saw them kissing, and it...hurt. Seth, I feel the same pain that you feel. Imagine that someone took Alice away from you. And you thought she was going to be Gone forever. You spend months mourning her. Drinking. Trying to off yourself. Trying to get over it. And then the moment you finally get her back. The first time you see her alive, her lips are kissing someone else? How would that feel? And on top of that, she has been back for months, and didn't bother to tell you. How would you react?"

Avalee looked at him. The sadness that she had felt for almost half a year was crashing down around her.

[Sky]

  "I'd feel terrible. Believe me, this hasn't been fun for me either. I...just feel so helpless. I feel like things are closing in around me. This," he said, "was a mistake." It was a reference to the marriage. She may not have understood. It was more for Seth anyway. To finally admit it. His eyes found hers, searching for something in them. Understanding? He didn't really know. But something overcame him as he lifted his hands to her cheeks and brought his lips onto hers.

[purpleraincloud]

Avalee understood what he ment. They were all so young. Even the old vampire Alice was young in maturity. Life was so screwed up. It always screwed up. Avalee thought about it. Ever since the first time she had kissed Aiden, her life had been screwed up. And she was young, naive, stupid, and impulsive. In that moment she had expected to be hit, or Seth could just have walked right out, letting go of her hand.

But then he put his hands on her face and kissed her.

She was in shock. There were two things she could have done in that moment. The first; she could have pushed him off and yelled at him or run away. She could have been furious. He was married. And Avalee knew from experience that kissing a married man with a wife that already didn't like her was a totally idiotic idea.

But she couldn't help herself. In the moment she couldn't do anything. She opened her eyes, and met his. They held an understanding that made her feel not so alone. Without a conscious decision, so moved her lips against his and kissed him back. It was so screwed up, but in the kiss she let loose all the passion and anger she had built up.

She intwined her fingers in his hair, and let herself kiss him.