𝔄𝔟𝔯𝔞 𝔎𝔢𝔡𝔞𝔳𝔯𝔞 ~ ᴹᴬᴿᴬᵁᴰᴱᴿˢ ᴱᴿᴬ {R.A.B.} {J.P}

[018]~ 𝒞𝑜𝓏𝓎 𝒞𝑜𝒸𝑜𝒶

Regulus awoke that morning to a scene he was not anticipating, though, he was also not against. He was lying flat on his bed, with the cutest little criminal curled up by his side.

Odessa was curled up in a ball, facing away from Regulus. He shifted to his side to look at the sleeping girl. There was always so much turmoil going on in her head. He would have been daft not to notice her discomfort whenever she was touched, or how carefully she spoke and moved. Yet, from the very start, he did what he could to slowly break her barriers. Over the last few months he had noticed she grew much more comfortable and relaxed, at least around him. She was still relatively meticulously with her wording, but she had grown to let her body relax when it was just the two of them.
This fact was proven more to him when she asked him to stay that night. There seemed to be little thought behind her words, she was just worried his sleep would be impaired by her, and was comfortable enough to let him be close.

Still, she was more than half asleep when she said that, no doubt she would struggle to remember. Knowing that, Regulus got up before she awoke so she wouldn't have a rude awakening. Regulus didn't mind that she wouldn't recall, and it was probably a good thing nobody else knew. But he did. And he would remember the progress he made in breaking down the barriers surrounding her. He kissed her forehead before making his way downstairs.

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Odessa brought out two cups of tea, handing one over to Walburga before sitting on the sofa across from her.

"Butterfly pea flower." Walburga noted. "An interesting choice."

Odessa's face flushed. "Oh, yes. It was a... spontaneous purchase in Hogsmeade not too long ago." She admitted.

Walburga let out a hum. "Acting impulsively can and will lead to dire outcomes." She spoke, no waiver in her voice. Odessa hung her head slightly. "But," she looked back to the older woman. "It can also lead you to great successes." She took a sip of the tea.

Odessa's lips curled up in a smile. "You knew what kind of tea it was without even tasting it..." she spoke curiously. Her tone rose with the end of her sentence, hinting it to be more of a question than a statement.

Walburga put down her cup. "Butterfly pea is one of, if not, the only tea to turn blue in colour after steeping." She examined the young girl in front of her. A real beauty, her looks would not taint the image of the family. She spoke with respect, but was not timid. Even sitting alone in the room with Walburga Black, she took care to properly enunciate each and every word she spoke. "Have you had etiquette training?" Walburga asked suddenly.

"Pardon?"

"Your social etiquette is quite good. Your speech mannerisms are even better than Regulus's, and he began etiquette training at a very young age." She expanded.

"Thank you. I have indeed had etiquette lessons. My father attended a lot of formal events, so I needed to be well-mannered." She revealed. "My speech patterns, however, are more of a habit I developed after I... left home."

"I see, when you were sent to Azkaban." Odessa squirmed slightly, but tried not to let her discomfort show. The side of Walburga's mouth raised into a smirk. "It's quite impressive. I've no clue what you did to end up in that prison, but it must have taken a great deal of power; Far more than any normal child could wield." She commended. Odessa visibly relaxed.

Regulus made his way into the parlour, taking a seat next to Odessa. "Good morning. What are we talking about in here?" He smiled brightly.