.(i'm not crazy); just going insane

[Xaver]

It was always worse, the morning after.
The morning after an extreme workout. Or an extreme beating.
You felt it.

When Ginny touched his shoulder, Xaver, very uncommonly, didn't respond. Only after her shaking him a bit, did he grunt a low, husky response.
He barely heard her words - sleep beckoning him back, and never fully realeasing him from its sticky bonds.

"Ifshummnn.."

His wings twitched as his eyes squeezed shut, and he rolled onto his side, rubbing at his eyes with his knuckles. Oblivious of the bruised, marred spots that now decorated him, a particularly nasty, angular one adorning the flat of his stomach, just above his navel.

"Wah..."
He yawned, sucking in a deep breath. Tucking his head back into the crook of his arm as he exhaled.
"..What, now?"

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny sighed, shaking her head slightly.
"Go lie down in our bed with Cody if you want to sleep." She told him, enunciating each word and poking him in the arm a little. She let her eyes swim over his body, smiling slightly, because even with the bruises and marks of a beating, he was still oh-so-very attractive.
She didn't like seeing him hurt, but what could she do about it. He would heal himself, in time.

She touched his face, gently, speaking softly, "He was afraid to sleep alone last night."

[Xaver]

She spoke slowly to him.
Like one might a particularly slow person.

A grin caught and snagged the corners of his mouth upwards, widening, as he felt her gaze run over him.


"He was afraid to sleep alone last night."

Xaver's eyes slid open, and his head tilted slightly, sleep and amusement fading to a dull clawing sensation at the back of his skull.
"He shouldn't have seen that.." he said quietly. "..How's he doing, Babe?"
He shifted, enjoying the touch of her hand, and brought his own up, to cover hers, squeezing her fingers, before drawing the backs of them to his mouth, and brushing kisses across their breadths.
He looked up at her, the blue, dark oceans of his eyes heavy with sleep, but illuminated with worry.

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny sighed, sitting on the floor beside him, keeping her hand in his, and smiling after he kissed it.
"He cried for a long time last night...we have our work cut out in convincing him that none of it was his fault. My poor angel..."

Ginny stared off at the almost dead fire, looking at the embers with a sad longing. "He's growing up, I suppose...but I wish he was still a baby. I miss it...when he hardly remembered anything that happened over an hour ago...and I miss even more when he was an infant..." She smiled sadly, shaking her head, "He was very bright eyed, and you could tell her knew what was going on...while at the same time, he didn't understand it all...when he needed me for everything, and I could calm any and all ailments he had by feeding him, or changing him...of simply holding him."

She frowned, "It took me an hour to get him to calm down. I felt so useless." She looked away from the fire, squeezing his hand, which she still held, "You look exhausted, hon."

[Xaver]

Xaver kissed her hand again, before he released it, remaining on his side, and propping himself up on one elbow, despite the soreness of his body, running his other hand through the lush, dark locks of his hair.
"I feel guilty, of that."
He was too tired to be angry anymore. He could be angry at the world for hurting his son, later...

He wached her, with mild facination as she spoke, of Cody being a baby, her care and love for the child so plainly written over the beautiful features lit by the dying firelight, that his heart ached. He'd come to terms with knowing that he could never truly understand, all of what had been.. but her feelings of uselessness - to those, he could relate.


"I am exhausted. I couldn't even make it down the hall."
He waved his hand idly toward the mouth of the hallway, trying to make some light of the situation, though he felt far too solemn and tired to muster much energy for it.
"..I might just take you up on that suggestion and curl up for a few more hours with our boy. I don't think I'd last much longer if I didn't."

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny smiled, "And I'm sure he'd love to wake up with his daddy near him." She paused, "He was afraid that you wouldn't come home on time." She shook her head, "The boy rarely tells of his fears, but when he does, they aren't those of a regular child, and they really sweep you off your feet."

She paused, sighing at her own tiredness, "Go lie down. I'll go get that shopping done while you two sleep."

[Xaver]

Xaver sighed, softly.
He didn't, after all, have a great track record of coming home in a timely fashion. His absence for the youngest years of Cody's life, was to that.

"He's not a regular child, sweet. I mean, look at his mother."
He winked at her, in an effort of playfullness, though his smile faded, as he sat up.

"I told you I'd do the shopping.. I can do it now, or later.. You look tired, yourself - will you not come to bed with me, then let us do that, later?"

[Ginny Weasly]

"No, no." Ginny shook her head roughly, "You go to bed, I'll do the shopping. Now shut up about it." She leaned sideways, planting a firm kiss on his lips.

She was tired. Fatigued, no matter how much sleep she got, lately.

[Xaver]

A frown pressed a firm line into his mouth - though it was quickly covered by Ginny's lips, and the expression instantly dissapated.
"Mmh," he grunted, a low growl of a whine as she pulled away.

He didn't protest, however - instead, he shook his head, reaching out and entangling his hand in her hair, gently pressing his fingers to the back of her head, and drawing her close again, claiming her mouth for another set of kisses - prolonging the sensation this time, taking and giving, plundering the fullness of her lips until his heart was about to run away without him. Grinning as the kiss broke, he pressed his lips to her forehead, then rose, releasing her, stretching his arms high above his head, dressed only in his boxers, wings a large, and comfortable presence behind him.

"Alright.. But I'm stealing you into bed, later. No matter what you say."

A corner of his mouth tipped upward, wickedly, even as he started toward the hallway.

"Oh, and Ginny?.."

[Ginny Weasly]

Her eyes closed with the kisses, and she couldn't think stright for a few moments. No matter, she didn't need to think. When he said he'd drag her into bd later, she simply chuckled and nodded. She smiled up at him, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them as he stood. Watching him for a moment before looking away, back towards the waning fire.

"Yes, love?"

[Xaver]

Xaver paused to look back at her, his body aching with newfound injury, though he refused to show it. His heart aching, at the sight of her.
"I love you, Ginny. Truly. Madly. Deeply. Don't you ever forget that."

He smiled at her, then turned, slowly being enveloped by shadow as he stole, quietly, toward their bedroom, and the promise of peaceful rest.

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny was pleasantly surprised into silence as he stole into the shadows. She simply starred after him for a long moment, smiling goofily. She suddenly wanted to go back and lie down with him and Cody,snuggle under the covers with the two most important beings in her life.

But instead she stood, still smiling, and went to find a sweater so she could go shopping.
She was a fool at times.

She hummed to herself, even as she transported, landing on the outskirts of a muggle village close to their home. She could have walked, but it would have taken twenty minutes, each way. And she didn't feel like it right now. Ginny walked swiftly into the center of town, where shops were already opening, even though the sun had just peeked above the horizon.

As she stepped into a shop, an older lady smiled, "Ginny..." She said, surprised, "What a treat. It isn't often we see you or dear little Cody."

Ginny smiled tightly, not really at ease with this particular muggle. She was nosy, and a busy body. Thankfully,she lived about half a mile away from Ginny. "Hello Mrs. Walker. Pleasure to see you."

Mrs. Walker smiled, looking around with intrest, "Where is your little boy, Ginny?"

"Home. Asleep. With his father." Ginny answered easily, shrugging. Where else would he be?

"Oh!" Mrs. Walker looked even more surprised. Last she knew, Cody's dad was gone, and Ginny had been raising Cody alone. Deadbeat dad returns, she thought to herself.

Ginny frowned as she heard the thought, but said nothing about it. Instead she smiled again, "I have shopping to do, ma'am."

[Xaver]

Xaver could feel himself grinning like a fool, still, as he entered the bedroom. Like a fool in love.
He padded to the bed, his gaze softening as his blue orbs flickered over his son, curled up amongst the blankets, fists clenched on the sheets. Xaver crawled into the covers and curled up behind the boy, drawing the youngster to his chest, wings between them and all, wrapping an arm protectively around the boy's middle.
He tipped his head, resting against the pillows, his chin just over Cody's head, and allowed his eyes to close, sleep again gripping at him, with nimble and swift fingers..

[Ginny Weasly]

It took Ginny forever, at least it seemed so long to her, to find everything they needed. And it took even longer to stand in line to pay for the food. Finally, though, she was soon her way out of the store, ignoring the old women who stood gossiping outside of the shop.
She heard snatches though.
"Guess his father came back."
"After so long..."
"Are they even married?"
"No. Do thy plan to be?"
"How should I know?"
"I wonder what he looks like...?"

She smirked to herself, shaking her head as she carried the bags of groceries away. She walked most of the way outside of town before transporting herself and the food back to her house, pushing open the door with her foot. She was quiet as she went about putting the food away, and quiet as she finished and looked about.

No one was awake, it seemed. She sighed and walked back the hall.
"Cody, Xaver? Either of you two awake?"

[Xaver]

It was odd for Xaver to be able to sleep well, even when he was most comfortable. Odder still, for him to fall into a deep sleep - and that, indeed, was in which he'd fallen. He didn't hear Ginny arrive, and he didn't stirr to her moving about in the kitchen, putting the various foods and goods away.
He didn't respond, when she called for him, or Cody, the covers wrapped around the boy, but his own figure barren save the moody shade of boxers he wore, his head tipped downward, his chin brushing his chest. Eyes closed, and unresponsive.

He remained unusually still, and made no reply..