Hope Falls

Draven lay panting on the floor, partially shifted, half man, half wolf around his body. Each time he bared down, more fur beginning to disappear.

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Wyatt audibly laughed then, failing to still himself. “Interesting.”

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“She and Magnus have been quiet lately, our ambassador there said she’s not been seen in a few weeks, apparently she’s trying to come to grips with her visions and is isolating herself.”

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“I don’t - I couldn’t…” Thea murmured as she came round, shaking her head.

"Gods, Draven." Matilda hissed through gritted teeth, having to look away for a moment to gather herself before dropping to her knees next to his head. Slipping her hands beneath and lifting his face to rest against her legs; rest one hand on his back and moving the other down to take his hand.

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"Ah, the hard faced arms trainer know how to laugh. Interesting."

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"You couldn't what? What did you see?"

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"Oh.. oh I really need to get there then." Karina frowned. "That isn't good."

“She may just be struggling with the intensity of your new visions.”

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“Just wolves… so many of them. Couldn’t identify any of them by their forms, they look so similar…”

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“Just because you’ve never said anything funny enough for me to laugh doesn’t mean I don’t know how to do it.”

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After a few more minutes, Draven completed his transformation, taking deep ragged breaths to ease himself. Sweat shining off his skin despite the cold temperature and lack of clothes.

"Doing that will hurt you even more than shifting with healing wounds to begin with." Matilda reprimanded quietly, moving the hand away from his to grab the light throw blanket from the bed and throw it over him for modesty. Her other hand still tangled gently in his hair.

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"I'm not a comedian, I accept that."

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"Where were they?"

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"It still isn't good, I still need to get there. Sooner rather than later."

“Now is not the time to be unable to communicate…” Draven bit out in exhaustion.

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“That was the first thing you’ve said worth a laugh so I agree.”

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“I couldn’t tell, it was all blurry…”

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“Speak to Emmett and I’ll speak to Conan.”

"Your body would have shifted back on its own by tomorrow, you're being wreckless. Again." Matilda sighed, brushing her thumb against his cheek caringly.

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"Oh, well... we will up our defences and send word for everyone else to do the same." Magnus whispered, "Good work, Thea. You've always been the best there is."

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Florence reached across to slap his arm in jest. "What do you like then? If it isn't someone like me, but it isn't someone domineering?"

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"I will, when he gets home."

“Absolutely none of you business. Again with the being nosy.” Wyatt grabbed her by the wrist as she hit him, holding it up.

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“War… always war.” Thea mumbled sadly. “I had hoped our child would be born to peace.”

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“Start talking, Matilda.”

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“As for names… I don’t think you can go wrong with biblical, considering.”

"I told you what I have seen in my vision. There is nothing else to comment on."

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"Biblical... Mm." Karina hummed in agreement. "That.. that is a really good idea. He'd like something like that."

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"I like... oh what do I like? I don't know, it has been awhile." Florence laughed, twisting her wrists and yanking down to free her hands without thinking; a move he had taught her.

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"I believe peace is an illusion at this point."

“You know exactly what I’m expecting you to comment on right now.”

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Thea opened her mouth to speak before she tensed up, blood running cold. “I said before that I’d die before I let them do again what they did before… but if they come when I’m pregnant I - “ she swallowed, beginning to breathe rapidly in panic as she pushed herself up to sitting

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“Y’know what he’s like, and there’s plenty of pretty names in that book.”

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“Use your man eating abilities then.”

"I have said all I want to, all I know. I have emotions I am working through, it's just at the point you should know about then so you can respond however you wish."

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,"Oh I don't need to look at a book to think of some. A theme, that is enough - it was too much before, too many to think of but - I already have ideas now."

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"On you? Seems a waste. Your a pretty boy, but personality wise..."

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"Thea." Magnus grimaced, sitting himself up. "You don't know that your vision means war. You - nothing is ever going to happen to you, not like that, not again."

“No you told me because you want a reaction, Matilda. You know that, or else you would’ve kept quiet. But what reaction are you wanting? Me to tell you it’s out of order and we can never be anything because you were my brothers world? Or do you want me to tell you that in my head a thousand ways over I’ve imagined asking Sarika for her permission to bring you into the relationship because my self control isn’t doing so well around you?” Draven deadpanned, moving to sit up. “You want a reaction, I just don’t know which one.”

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“Oh well that’s a great place to be in, hopefully my God children will have names by the end of the day.”

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“No, not on me. I’ve already said you’re not my type. You humans are terrible at absorbing information.”

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“I can’t - I can’t d-do that a-again - I c-can’t go through t-that again.” Thea ragged out as she set into a panic attack.

"Which one is the honest one, and which one is the one that you think you should say out of duty - to keep the peace or something like that?" Matilda asked quietly, shuffling back and beginning to fiddle with her hands.

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"As soon as Emmett said he didn't want a theme all of my ideas just... shrivelled." Karina laughed. "There are too many options; aren't there? It's impossible without narrowing them down. You're wonderful though; that is such a good theme."

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"Who would you like me to flirt badly with then?"

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"Oh, oh my love." Magnus frowned, slipping his arms around to pull her into him once again. Resting his hand against the side of her head to guide her ear to his chest so she could hear his heartbeat. "You are safe, it's okay. I've got you."

“I’d have - have to s-suffer th-through it again if t-they came and she was s-still part of me. I w-wouldn’t be able t-to end it.” Thea sobbed against him, burying her face against his chest.

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“You were Søren’s mate, ceremony or not. For me to be anything other than a friend to you would be disrespectful, and I can’t - we can’t, do that to his memory, our feelings be dammed.”

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“Whoever you like, that’s not for me to decide. Why do you care about my opinion?”

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“I have my perks.” Dagmar chuckled.

"Why are you encouraging me to sleep with people?"

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"Mm, one of few." Karina laughed.

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Matilda paused momentarily, eyes briefly glimmering before she blinked. Finding a loose part of skin near her nail and beginning to pick at it to distracted herself. Whispering a sad, quiet; "Yeah... exactly."

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"It won't happen again, it won't." Magnus soothed, rocking gently with her then.

“But that’s not what you wanted to here is it?” Draven whispered. “Which isn’t fair, putting all the onus of this on me, so that you being upset, or us disrespecting Søren is all on me…”

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“Oh I have a few?”

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“I can’t do it again.” Thea cried, moving her hand to cover her face.

"You do, which is lucky. Most people only have one."

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"Both options make me sad," Matilda admitted quietly. "I've been... struggling with it for weeks now; feeling like I am betraying him one moment and thinking he'd be happy for me the next. It's hellish, confusing. Respecting him makes me heart ache, the idea of loving you makes my heartache too. It is... ridiculous. I don't want to be in love with a married man at the best of times; yet alone my fiancès brother but I am and.. like I told you it is a lot to work through."

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"You won't. You won't."

(( Night night ))

“You didn’t say in love before, you just said love… you’re in love with me?”

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“And what are the others?”

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Thea steadied her breathing after a few minutes, though was still slightly shaky.

"Yes." Matilda answered firmly, voice quiet.

“For how long?”

"I don't know. It just... came about, naturally, it grew." Matilda mumbled, "Is it worth talking about if nothing can come from it? It feels like we are torturing ourselves."

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"No, no this isn't going to turn into me blowing smoke up your ass." Karina laughed quietly.

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Magnus kissed the side of her head softly, pulling her properly against his chest. "Just keep breathing, spow and steady." He encouraged gently, running fingertips up and down her arm.

"I don't know. It just... came about, naturally, it grew." Matilda mumbled, "Is it worth talking about if nothing can come from it? It feels like we are torturing ourselves."

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"No, no this isn't going to turn into me blowing smoke up your ass." Karina laughed quietly.

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Magnus kissed the side of her head softly, pulling her properly against his chest. "Just keep breathing, spow and steady." He encouraged gently, running fingertips up and down her arm.

“Oh but nobody ever does that anymore, I kinda miss it!”

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“It needs to be spoken about.”

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“I can’t do it again Magnus.” Thea whispered, voice cracking.

"Why? Tell me what difference it will make."

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"Thatis what Conan is meant to do for you, not me. You clearly need to lower your standards." Karina grinned.

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"You won't, breathe with me now." He encouraged before taking deep, almost exgarrated breathes that she could copy.

“My standards are what they should be.”

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“Because I need to know what made it happen, what I did to make it happen, when I started - started betraying Søren by making his mate fall for me.”

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Thea moved to take his hand, nodding as she breathed in sync with him.

"Don't." Matilda mumbled, getting to her feet to sit on the bed - moving herself away from him more. "If they is why the conversation really isn't happening. Me loving you is my betrayal, not yours."

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"Start telling Conan to live up to them then."

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"That's it, well done." Magnus praised gently.