Post by Adrian Hollows on Aug 18, 2013 18:52:52 GMT -5
((Because there's always reason behind even Rosa's madness and I figured I'd find it if I dug deep enough.))
"I'm grounded," Rosalind announced bitterly, throwing herself onto the seat next to Pip. Her brother didn't even look up from his History of Magic essay, just lifted his left arm for her to snuggle closer under. That was the best part about Pip; he didn't try to scold her like Rister or Merry did. He was just there. He didn't understand, not all the time, but he tried. "I had to cancel my plans with Niklaus and everything."
That piece of news made Pip's lips curve into a faint smile, and Rosalind immediately elbowed him in the ribs harshly. "You know I don't like him," he drawled slowly, finishing his sentence before turning to face her. "Juan, I can deal with. Even Evan and Matt and whatever-his-name-is aren't as sleazy as Niklaus. Honestly, Rosa, I don't know what you see in him but I'm terrified that one day you're going to come home and tell me you're going to have to marry the bastard." Rosa drew away from him at that, stiff and offended and furious. He may have been a tad bit too tactless, Pip admitted silently, but it had worked. There was still enough of his innocent, idealistic little sister in there for him to reach her. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it. But you shouldn't have talked back to Cleo like you did and you know it."
"I know," she whispered, sounding so chastised and desperately unhappy as she drew her knees up to her chest that Pip couldn't help but to tug her closer. Rosa clung to his t-shirt tightly, gripping at him with deceptively strong hands when he rested his chin on the top of her head. "I know and I'm sorry, but I'm just so scared." Her voice broke on the last word, making her sound so much younger than sixteen years old. "Everyone else is in love and I'm happy for them, I am, because they're my family and I love them even when they barely realise I'm in the same room. But everyone already knew who they loved by the time they were my age and I've never been serious about anyone in my life. So what if I've already missed my chance and now I'm going to be alone forever?"
The sheer depth of misery and fear in her voice was staggering but it would be a lie to say that Pip hadn't felt exactly the same way. They spent so much time with this part of their family that it was sometimes difficult to remember that they were Garwins, not Graas's. When he drew back, his thumb dug into the hollow underneath his little sister's chin, giving her no choice but to meet his gaze. "That doesn't apply to us," Pip told her fiercely. "We don't share their blood or their magic. We can love however many times we want, however many people we want. And what, you think love is some sort of instant magical connection for them? You think Jared just magically loves Layla just because she loves him and Kris decided to make her do something about it? He had to take time to think about it, I'm sure. And if he had decided that he couldn't love Layla like that, do you think she would have stayed single and just pined after him forever? She would have gotten over it and moved on eventually, Rosalind. Because that's what people do. Love young, love once isn't a magic spell from a fairytale, Rosa. It's not even a rule, and it certainly doesn't apply to everyone." And maybe that was advice he should consider following himself, Pip thought wryly. Natalia was his first love and she always would be, but that didn't mean she had to be his only love. "Besides which," he added dryly, "there's a big difference between your crush on that kid years ago and the kinda love Rister and Merry have, for example. So stop being dramatic and go apologise to Cleo. And study, for once!"
"I'm grounded," Rosalind announced bitterly, throwing herself onto the seat next to Pip. Her brother didn't even look up from his History of Magic essay, just lifted his left arm for her to snuggle closer under. That was the best part about Pip; he didn't try to scold her like Rister or Merry did. He was just there. He didn't understand, not all the time, but he tried. "I had to cancel my plans with Niklaus and everything."
That piece of news made Pip's lips curve into a faint smile, and Rosalind immediately elbowed him in the ribs harshly. "You know I don't like him," he drawled slowly, finishing his sentence before turning to face her. "Juan, I can deal with. Even Evan and Matt and whatever-his-name-is aren't as sleazy as Niklaus. Honestly, Rosa, I don't know what you see in him but I'm terrified that one day you're going to come home and tell me you're going to have to marry the bastard." Rosa drew away from him at that, stiff and offended and furious. He may have been a tad bit too tactless, Pip admitted silently, but it had worked. There was still enough of his innocent, idealistic little sister in there for him to reach her. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it. But you shouldn't have talked back to Cleo like you did and you know it."
"I know," she whispered, sounding so chastised and desperately unhappy as she drew her knees up to her chest that Pip couldn't help but to tug her closer. Rosa clung to his t-shirt tightly, gripping at him with deceptively strong hands when he rested his chin on the top of her head. "I know and I'm sorry, but I'm just so scared." Her voice broke on the last word, making her sound so much younger than sixteen years old. "Everyone else is in love and I'm happy for them, I am, because they're my family and I love them even when they barely realise I'm in the same room. But everyone already knew who they loved by the time they were my age and I've never been serious about anyone in my life. So what if I've already missed my chance and now I'm going to be alone forever?"
The sheer depth of misery and fear in her voice was staggering but it would be a lie to say that Pip hadn't felt exactly the same way. They spent so much time with this part of their family that it was sometimes difficult to remember that they were Garwins, not Graas's. When he drew back, his thumb dug into the hollow underneath his little sister's chin, giving her no choice but to meet his gaze. "That doesn't apply to us," Pip told her fiercely. "We don't share their blood or their magic. We can love however many times we want, however many people we want. And what, you think love is some sort of instant magical connection for them? You think Jared just magically loves Layla just because she loves him and Kris decided to make her do something about it? He had to take time to think about it, I'm sure. And if he had decided that he couldn't love Layla like that, do you think she would have stayed single and just pined after him forever? She would have gotten over it and moved on eventually, Rosalind. Because that's what people do. Love young, love once isn't a magic spell from a fairytale, Rosa. It's not even a rule, and it certainly doesn't apply to everyone." And maybe that was advice he should consider following himself, Pip thought wryly. Natalia was his first love and she always would be, but that didn't mean she had to be his only love. "Besides which," he added dryly, "there's a big difference between your crush on that kid years ago and the kinda love Rister and Merry have, for example. So stop being dramatic and go apologise to Cleo. And study, for once!"