[D3 - Post Mid-Terms] Threads of a Bracelet

[Raul Villabrujos]

And so, after the tests, the bookish Seeker for the Wampus, decided to trust his instincts. Making his way during free time towards the common area of the Thunderbird. The woven bracelet prominent on his left wrist.

And he was trying his best to whistle the little song that the charmed bracelet whispered every time he touched it.

[Ondine Corbeau]

It may have rung the bell as a girl figure came from a side-entrance in short time. She stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her back, lifting one knee as she slid her foot up. Her face, however, couldn't be seen from beyond a tribal raven mask.



"You've come." The voice seemed to harmonise with the melody in his head.

[Raul Villabrujos]

He regarded the intricate work of her mask, his hands tucked into the pockets of his school robe. The Wampus Scarf draped over his shoulder casually. A small smile offered.

"I'm glad to see my first thought was right, that it was you." He responded, taking one furtive step closer.

"I like the bracelet."

[Ondine Corbeau]

"It hasn't been my intention to cover my prints, Raul. Obviously, I am glad to see you here." His approach was accompanied by her untying and removing of the mask, revealing a new haircut and walrus tooth earrings, as well as some makeup. Like his, her skin had a tone. She wasn't exactly smiling, but it was mostly giving a priority to the expressiveness of her eyes. Which were curiously narrowed and focused on the little things about him before they were raised from beneath thick lashes to engage his.

"And since you are here, do you want to come over for a drink?" Finally, a smile.

[Raul Villabrujos]

He wasn't too tall for their age. That awkward time of adolesence when growth leaves young men lanky and awkward. Unsure of themselves. Yet he seemed comfortable in the situation. Thick, dark eyebrows raised at her smile, the barest hint of white teeth within his own back to her.

"Yeah. I'd like that, Ondine. Thank you." He nodded, his mess of raven hair billowing slightly. "Was surprised to see your raven when I was up so early."

[Ondine Corbeau]

"I surprised myself with it. But then, if there's been a call for that from within and it felt right, why shouldn't I have?" The dark billows were not unnoticed. "Come with me then." She extended her hand so that Raul could take it.

Ondine was at the stage of puberty on which the problem where a girl ends and a woman begins becomes quite convoluted and truly depends on light and angle. In that moment and place, she seemed more mature that she probably was. Must have been... the makeup.

"So, what do you usually drink? I have stock."

[Raul Villabrujos]

He took her hand, vervous now. He hoped his knees weren't weak, or palms sweaty. Instead, he leaned into whatever faux confidence he could muster, following her.

"Oh, uh... soda?" The words stammered out. He made sure to focus on keeping his eyes above her shoulders. Suddenly trepidation seemed to flow through him.

[Ondine Corbeau]

A spark of static zapped them both, at what Ondine smirked, but closed her hand firmly around his. A sense of tingling warmth followed.

She turned to the corridor and pulled him just enough to give him direction. "Soda? Cool. I have some syrups if you like a taste to it."

The door to her room had been left open. There she paused, releasing the grip and leaning at the wall by the entry to let him enter first. Her gaze, unlike his, was involuntarily leaning... up.

"Do you do something special with your hair, Raul?"

[Raul Villabrujos]

"My hair?" He, without thinking, combed his fingers through it. The thick hair almost bounced back into place. He blushed slightly, shaking his head. "No, nothing special. Some rough paste in the morning, that's about it." He hadn't wanted to let go of Ondine's hand, but here they were.

His eyes fell to hers, as he stepped through the threshold. Then, they began to look around. Thise dark brown orbs drinking in the decor. "Huh. So different from our rooms..."

[Ondine Corbeau]

It was indeed different - for its total rejection of no-maj tech. Lamps had whale fat as fuel, refrigeration was provided by a box packed with ice, and the whole room seemed cluttered by masks, amulets and all kinds of simple hand-made gadgets. Most of the masks were imposing and eerie for someone not too familiar with the lore of northern tribes. Still, the orange glow permeating the room was one of warmth, and there were hints of floral and herbal scents, vibrant enough to assume that perfumation must have occured recently, possibly to ward off less pleasant smells.

Ondine entered after him and couldn't help it that she wanted to mirror his finger-combing. She rose on her toes and moved her fingers through his hair, by his scalp.

"They're very nice and luxuriant..." But then she withdrew it, whatever the reaction, and pointed to the ice box. "Let's get something."

[Raul Villabrujos]

He was caught surprised by the way she ran her hand through his hair after. The red in his cheeks feeling quite warm. "Thanks, Ondine." The words cracked in his voice, before looking to the icebox. "Yeah. Let's sounds good. Sounds real good." Bringing composure back to his voice.

He breathed in the herbaceous scent, finding it pleasant, if unusual to him. Swallowing his nervousness, he seemed to relax somewhat.

[Ondine Corbeau]

She pulled out two ottomans from beneath a table covered with charm-making utensils and materials, taking the stained one for herself and pressing the cleaner one for him. As she leaned over the ice box, her hair and earrings followed gravity's guidance, keeping her face obscured for a while and only her form in view. With one hand she perused the box, looking for the drink as if there were truly many and varied inside while softly running her fingers of the other hand across the hide of a drum stuffed into the corner, the sound once again finding harmonics with the bracelet music.

"Soda for you, and ginger ale for me. We had a drinking night among my fellows some time ago, and a bit o Fitz's moonshine is still here, though I guess it's not for this occasion?" She smirked, turning sharply, then pirouetting into being seated in front of his, leaning forth to give him a bottle she had just opened with her teeth.

[Raul Villabrujos]

He honestly tried to not look as she was rummaging. Tried to avoid just staring.

He wasn't all that succesful. Quickly looking up as she turned back with the bottle, he smiled, though puzzled by that statement. "Oh, well, I've never been one for... drinking drinking. Especially with training for quidditch." He replied. "But I could take you up on that offer. If it's an offer. I don't want to take advantage, I mean."

He had tried to not look so stunned when she had opened the bottle with her teeth. He was impressed, though.

[Ondine Corbeau]

She perked her brows real quick.

"If you're not too used to, I wouldn't risk it just yet if I were you, just in case you suddenly come up with an idea to ask me out for the dancing night and then suddenly realise we'd actually need to practice it a bit together now." She took a gulp. "On the other hand, if you actually need something stronger to build up courage to ask me out, that may be a good reason to have one."

She started fidgeting the feathery pendant at the level of her bosom. Maybe he was not the only one nervous here.

"So it's a standing offer. And you taking advantage doesn't sound half-bad. As long as I can also take one."

[Raul Villabrujos]

"Wait. I though the bracelet was you asking me out." He watched her, shuffling idly on the ottoman, before taking a sip from the cola. Screwing up his courage, he let his eyes meet hers.

"If you'd like. I'd like to take you to the dance, Ondine." Another long sip, as soon as the words left. Hearing the quiet music from the charmed bracelet.

"Do... do we need to practice?"

[Ondine Corbeau]

She only replied to the second part, smiling genuinely. "I'd like that, Raul. I don't just invite any boy here, you know." Eye contact being the cue, she then leaned forth again to clink bottle on bottle, a trace of the smile remaining on her gently lippied lips.

"Do we? Probably depends how your broom-riding experience helps in leading with the right moves and all. I honestly would like something better than us two rocking like penguins with an egg between them." She sighed, and rolled her eyes a bit with some exasperation. "I can't say I know a lot about how to dance with a boy!"

[Raul Villabrujos]

"It's all in the hips." He stood from the ottoman, offering her his hand now. "Broomriding not so much with dancing. From my mamá, absolutely. There's a lot of dancing at family and friend gatherings where I'm from." He smiled at her, full and genuine.

"Parties with dancing tend to go till four or five in the morning. Just before the sun comes up. But..." and his voice dropped quietly.

"I'd like to dance with you now, too."

[Ondine Corbeau]

"I hoped and sensed I might hear this kind of an answer from you, Raul." Overcoming a sudden pang of shyness she willed not to be there, she rose from her seat as well and, biting her lip while beholding him closely, took a step forth while opening her frame, expecting he would take over from there.

The bracelet music picked up, tones becoming distinguishable; was she hearing it too? If so, they could dance to it in what to all others be silence.

[Raul Villabrujos]

There were rules to dancing. His left arm slipped behind her back. His hand placed gently just above the small of her back. Any higher and it would look like they were related, any lower, and it would look like he was just trying to be a creep.

His right, with which he had offered to her, interlaced their fingers together. A shy, boyish smile, more child than young adult, came more naturally as he drew her closer.

He waited a moment, then the natural point in the rhythm. Leading on his right foot, guiding her back, then moving forwards. They were only a few inches apart, really.

Certainly not enough room for anything else between them as the charmed music continued to play.

"Paso a paso, uno, dos, tres..." he barely spoke up, keeping the tempo doble.

[Ondine Corbeau]

Paso a paso, uno, dos, tres... became the mantra in her mind as her mouth remained sealed with her lower lip bitten in. Her eyes were open wide though, risen to take in his face as if it held answers on how to proceed. She was not a natural, at least not in dancing, but a quick learner, so after the initial awkward semi-responsiveness to his guidance which had brought a slight blush of embarrassment on her cheeks she eased into his hold, relied on his frame and found pace that corresponded with both his intention and music.

She seemed more preoccupied with keeping up than was perturbed by his closeness... perhaps even not at all. He nostrils worked in synch with her chest, undulating in silent enforced breathing, overcoming the notion to forget respiration being swept up into the shared activity. At some point she bobbed her head and nodded. It could mean that she liked it, for what followed was less forced breathing and a breach to the distance between them by another inch.

[Raul Villabrujos]

Nervous energy coursed through him like crackling electricity. His hand at her back idly shifted, due to sheer nerves. Their interlocked hands remained firm. His gaze stayed on her eyes, the rest of the room almost disappearing to be just them, in that moment. All he could do was lead, fall back into the dance, to tune out the pounding in his chest that hammered in his ears.

Her movement was matched by his own, their two forms against each other as the music played on.

Did it get warmer in here?

A swallow, as his tried to keep the contented smile on his face. Thick brows and dark lashes showing his true expression of enjoyment, his eyes aglow with something more.

[Ondine Corbeau]

Whatever he was feeling, she must have been feeling it too, for her breathing became distorted again by another reason than the focus on the next step. Her temperament was not on the side of patience and moderation. Caught in a moment of her own design, her control was slipping, drowned by the comfort of his arms and the warmth it radiated from their connection. At a spur of a moment, she...

... and then she clung with her face to his chest, hiding it from him, leaving him to wonder about the hot lippy mark on his jaw.

[Raul Villabrujos]

When he felt it he almost pulled them out of step with the tempo. Almost. He dared not acknowledge it. She had surprised him in the daring move, and so quickly hidden herself against him that Raul worried that it might just be a dream.

All he could do to even show something was squeeze his arm around her back, and bring his chin against her forehead as they danced.

"I'm glad we asked, Ondine."

[Ondine Corbeau]

"Afefofeewefeefer." She replied instinctively, though unintelligibly given she had bitten into his lapel, having a chariot race in her head over what she had just done. The cart that won had a banner with some choice words about being too timid with the boy, so she slid up her face while leaning into him, the weight of her upper body finally against him.

"I have no regrets either, Raul." She uttered, and signed her declaration with a peck on the aforementioned chin, her lips unsealed in a way that could mean it just might not be over for them.

[Raul Villabrujos]

This time he did acknolwedge the peck, tilting his head up to truly enjoy it. Their dancing slowed somewhat, allowing them to draw closer. He then leaned down, kissing her forehead. Breathing her in as they swayed to and fro.

"I mean, we.... could just make it official? In like.... as boyfriend and girlfriend."