Avalee sat in the hall, breathing heavily. She alone, save a few moving paintings. They kept quiet. The stone wall was cold on the back of her neck, this helped her pulse slow, it was going at an ungodly rate just minutes ago. Her breath came erratically. She slid down the wall and sat.
She had just skipped out on class in favor of calming down in the hallway. She had run a ways down the hall, it was dark, and she felt safer there. A minor panic attack. Sweat accumulated on her forehead, and tears in her eyes. This hadn't happened in a while. Why now? They were preparing for FINALS! A Ravenclaw as ever, she was mad. All her classmates were still in class studying still. No one cared. Which meant she wasn't as embarrassed as she could be.
She took a deep breath.
"Avalee?" Axel's deep voice called softly from down the dark hall. His quick footsteps could be heard as he hurried toward her. He saw her sitting against the cold stone wall, sweaty and teary eyed. He frowned and sat down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to him. He took his free hand and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a gentle brush of his thumb.
"What's wrong sweet-heart?" He asked.
"I just..." She took another deep breath. "Had a p-panic attack." She stuttered as she spoke. Avalee leaned into the arms of Axel, feeling the comfort only he could provide. She immediately felt safer. She was embarrassed for acting like this, like a damsel in distress, but she just needed him right now. She needed the warmth of his arms and words.
His presence calmed her. She was far too dependent on him at this point in their relationship.
Axel kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair, trailing his fingers through her fine blonde strands.
"It's alright. I'm here now. Just take a deep breath." He whispered. He hated to see Avalee like this. She looked so afraid.
She pulled back for a moment to gaze into his eyes. Then she leaned in for a kiss. She gently pressed her lips to his, so light almost like they weren't touching. She waited fro him to kiss her back. She always did that. She always made sure she was accepted before she kissed someone. She guessed it was from all the years of guys rejecting her. The always too eager Avalee.
Axel was almost startled from the sudden kiss. She had been so shaken up just moments before. But he smiled as she placed her lips against his, so lightly. He kissed her back the same way, just as lovingly.
She pulled back and leaned into his arms again. "Thanks for being here. I needed you" She paused, almost smiling. "How did you find me anyway?" She wondered aloud. She wasn't really in a common hall, which was why she was there. She didn't need a bunch of first years staring at her.
Axel smiled.
"You're welcome babe." It was a nice feeling to know that Axel was actually needed for once. It was something he hadn't heard for a very long time. "I have my ways." He replied to her question. He had been walking through the halls since it was his free period and he heard her, he sensed her. Axel was a wolf animagus, so sometimes some of the characteristics of the wolf were part of his human self too. He could hear very well, he had a very strong sense of smell, was agile, and could eat like no other.
She just sat there for a moment, feeling nice in his arms. Like she was meant to be there. Like she belonged for once, for the first time. She just wondered if the feeling was as mutual as she wished it was. She let it go though. She would find it out eventually. She glanced back to the door she had run out of minutes ago. She really didn't want to go back in.
"Can we go somewhere? Do something?" She looked nervously at the class again. "I-I just can't go back in there..." She looked into his eyes, not knowing if he was busy, or what.
Axel nodded and stood up, pulling her up with him.
"Where would you like to go?" He asked her. "Did you want out of the castle?" He frowned when he saw how nervous she was. He kissed her softly on the cheek to send some comfort to her.
Her stomach still flip-flopped as he kissed her. She wasn't used to a gentle, kind kiss like his. She liked it. Soon she was standing up next to him, her fingers entwined with his. The walls in the hall seemed looming, she needed wide open blue sky.
Wherever you are! She said in her mind, so badly she wanted to say it out loud. She meant it. She really liked Axel, it almost scared her how much she did. "Out. Away. Just somewhere away from here. Somewhere with you." The last sentence came out as a sort-of whisper, she wasn't sure if he had heard her. It was strange admiting it aloud.
Axel looked around, trying to think of a suitable place. And then suddenly he had an idea. He knew of places nobody else did. The lake in Hogsmead was one, but perhaps the secret field? At least that was what he called it. It was a field about ten miles west from the edge of the forest where the the grass grew high and giant tree's scattered around random spots. Yes, that was where he would take her. It would be perfect.
He gave her a squeeze of his hand before pulling away and transforming. She would know what to do.
((Can we fast forward to the place? Like...when they get there?))
((Yeah!))
Avalee opened her eyes as soon as Axel stopped moving.
She was in a place she had never been before. A field. It was beautiful. The tall grass was at almost up to her waist, and it swayed softly in the breeze. Trees grew tall and strong in several places. The soft wind dried the anxious sweat from her brow, and calmed her hot flesh. She was clam in this place, with Axel.
"Where are we?" She softly asked.
Axel turned into himself as soon as he felt Avalee slide off his back. He put his arm around her and looked at her. The sun was shining down and made her eyes glisten so beautifully, that is almost took his breath away.
"This is a field." He said. "I found it when I went running some time ago. Nobody ever comes out here because students never go beyond the forest and mountains."
"It's so beautiful." She smiled softly. "Thanks for taking me here."
She took his arm off of her shoulder and held it instead. She pulled him towards a tree.
"Let's climb," She said glancing back into his gorgeous blue eyes.
"You're welcome." He said happily. Suddenly he was being pulled toward a large, thick tree. It was a willow.
"Okay!" Axel laughed. When they reached the bottom, he couldn't help but be intimidated by how high the tree was. He looked to Avalee.
"Can you get up this big thing all by yourself?" He asked.
"I think so." She said.
She grabbed a low branch, and started to pull herself up.
"Didn't you ever climb trees when you were little?" She asked. Avalee always had. It was a nice place to be alone and hide from the rest of the world.
Axel began to pull himself up after Avalee, using the strength of his mucles.
"'Course I have." He said as hopped onto another branch. "I just wanted to make sure you could do it. I would never forgive myself if you got hurt."
"I'm fine." She said, although it was nice to know someone cared.
She took ahold of a branch that she almost thought was out of her reach. She was glad she was wearing her comfortable outfit under her school robes. She wore cheap black athletic shorts, an aqua shirt, and her hair down, blowing around in the light breeze. She continued to pull herself up, to security on another branch. She looked back down at Axel.
"So tell me more about you" She asked in a soft voice, her eyes warm, and looking into his. The outline of a smile played on her face.
Axel looked up at her and shrugged, his crimson red hair falling into his eyes.
"There's really nothing to tell." His voice was quiet and in a way, almost sad. He really didn't have anything to tell Avalee. He lacked a history or foundation.