Cub \\ cth [ongoing]

2: anywhere but here

"Molly, please stand still. I just have to-", Alice's voice was muffled by the bobby pin between nude laquered lips, dainty fingers tried to pin back the final piece of hair onto the head of her unruley, seven year old daughter.

"Am I going to look like a princess mummy?", the little girl spoke softly as she looked over the intricate braids being weaved, a smile spread across her mother's face and a slight chuckle. The serious air in the room was eased by this, prompting the woman to give her daughter a kiss on the cheek despite knowing it'd be wiped away.

"Of course, baby." A sigh of relief releasing when every hair was in place, she handed the dark haired girl her dolly and sent her off downstairs to play, seeing she was ready to go with twenty minutes to spare. "Luke, love, are you all dressed? I swear if you are on that damn phone-"

Making her way across the hall, her sight set on her son, the lip between his teeth showing clear frustration as he fumbled to knot his tie. A chuckle slipping out, with a sigh, Luke let her take the reigns considering he couldn't get dressed to father's standards if his life depended on it. "Thanks, mum."

"Anything for my boy," a smile spreading across her face as she took in how grown he looked. Hell with his height, he could be taken for a man! Folding over the silky material for the final time and shevling his jacket to perfect placement, their blue eyes met in the mirror briefly, the resemblance quite clear. One of many similarities between the two, people always commented on how they dazzled the same way, something that has marveled Alice to see ever since he opened his eyes for the first time seventeen years ago. "you look very handsome. Lauren's going to be all over you tonight."  (A/N ;) horizonharry )

Pink coming to cheeks at the mentioning of his crush's name, soon his longer arms wrapped around his mother in surprise with the warmness of their embrace settling fondly. "You look beautiful mummy, you always do. I should tell you more, considering that twat doesn't."

Coming apart, the words brought a mixture of tension and heart warmth, feelings conflicting but still a soft sterness coming over the blond woman. "Don't talk about your father that way."

Eyebrows stitching in frustration and jaw clenched slightly, his gaze settled on hers, only for Alice to look away reluctently and focus in on the pleats of her dress lining up just right. "It's the truth mum, but you're just too blind to see it."

"Believe me Luke, I very well notice, but your father isn't the one in the wrong. I could be bett-"

"Don't you dare finish that," the loudness of his voice making her jump a bit, Luke was always extremely respectful and careful with his mum, almost as if she was a bird with a broken wing. It had been that way ever since he was young, since he first had a rememberance of his father barking and mother submissing. As to why he was choosing to be firm now, that's what confused her. Swallowing the lump in his throat and holding back salty tears, his face softened seeing how she had reacted, but still not feeling an ounce of regret for stopping her. "you've done so much to make us happy mum, you deserve to be too. But he's the one keeping you from that, from being happy, and I'm tired of standing by watching him hurt you."

"I understand, sweetie. I really do, but I love your father. I am tired of it all too and you may not comprehend it, but that won't change until it says so in here," a sad smile slid across full lips as a manicured finger pointed to the left of her chest, voice laced with faux confidence. "I need you to know that I am happy. I have you, and Molly, and a whole bunch of people I love, including your father, and just with that I'm as happy as can be, okay?"

Luke wanted to tell her, but with the look on her face and the pureness of her words, he knew it would break her. So he didn't, and he hated himself for it. "Okay."