Blinded Devotion || Theseus Scamander

Sixteen

1914

Amal's eyes widened as she scanned her eyes over the letter she held in her hands.
She felt her heart ache as she read it over and over.
She couldn't believe what he wrote.
She looked up at the ceiling from the letter and looked outside the window.
After their auror training she though all would be well.
But no.
As soon as she heard the door bell ring, she held onto the letter tightly, clutching it as she ran downstairs, knowing nobody was home.
And when her hand was placed over the door knob she expected to see Lana. But she recalled that Lana was at the Hospital, healing.
She slowly opened and looked up to find Theseus, dressed and ready to go.
His eyes showed her sorrow as he glanced down at the letter she held, his letter.
He had told her that he would visit her before he went away to fight in the war.
She held up the letter, with tears threatening to fall, but she refused to let her tears get the best of her.
"At first you were worried I'd leave you and now you are the one who's leaving, Theseus" she said, but not angrily.
"Amal" he muttered and shook his head slowly, she stepped away and held the door open and welcomed him in.

She lead him into the kitchen and offered some tea, and since he knew she would insist, he accepted and waited as she held her back towards him as she stood over the kettle.
As soon as she poured him tea, she sat down and looked at him.
"Aren't you at work today?" he asked her, trying to ease the silence. She shook her head and didn't explain anything else further.
They had worked together at the ministry, it was their first year and he was already leaving.
"So, you're leaving?" she asked and he looked down at his mug, unable to look up and yet he nodded.
"I will be gone, I do not know how long. It's war. Someone's got to help and if I return" the if made Amal's shoulders tense and he noticed that and continued "I will return working at the ministry".

She did not ask why, she knew he took desicions and when he did he took them seriously and it was hard to convince him to change him mind. You just couldn't. It was impossible.
She looked up and saw him already looking at her attentively "When are you leaving?"

"In few minutes".

A small 'oh' escaped her lips without intending to do so.
But after two minutes they heard a honk coming from outside the house causing Amal to jump.
Both stood up, Amal walked him silently to the door and waited for him to say something else, although she had been the silent one.
"Listen-"
"I-"
Both said at the same time, both chuckled a bit and told one another to say whatever they intended to say first, but Amal refused and let him talk first.
He shuffled through his bag and took out a wrapped present.

"This is for you, Am" he muttered, she took it from his grasp and lightly grazed his fingers that caused him to hold onto the book a little bit more before letting his arms fall at his side.
She looked at it and noticed how carefully it was wrapped, she placed it on the small table near the door and thanked him "Thank you, Theseus".
But it was too much, both longed to touch one another both yearned to be in each other's presence all the time, and yet it was been a few years since their seventh year and both had taken one step back.
And the more they kept their feelings the more they grew hungrier.

Like in their sixth year, she wrapped her arms quickly around his neck and embraced him tightly, and since she had the certainty he couldn't look at her face, she let her tears fall freely as she tried not to make a sound.

Her heart bore too much and so did his, he too, wrapped his arms around her waist. And both embraced one another tightly fearing it might be the last time they'd be around one another.
She did not want to let go, but as she began letting go, his grip around her tightened as he pulled her in more, until there was nothing in between them, not air, nothing. Just their own heart filling each other's empty sides.
Their hearts have been beating for one another for years and neither of them knew.
And for the last time he breathed in her rose and jasmine scent and muttered "I have to go" when he heard another honk from outside.
Amal nodded and let go, slowly, until they were out of one another's embrace.
"Remember" he said with a small smirk showing.
"Exceptional at work but absolutely-"
"barbaric in manners" Amal continued and laughed before she said her goodbyes one last time after she shut the door and he was gone.

She grabbed his gift from the table and sat on the couch, opening it carefully and the first thing she noticed was a letter with written read me first.

Dear Amal,

I know you are reading this after seeing me before I left to go help in the war.
I do recall the first time you had said to me that you could have left the country, I was upset when I heard those words. Because the first thing I had felt was worry, worry about losing you, Amal.
And I now know that me leaving for the war has upsetted you, I understand.
I've already told Jason and he probably told Lana.
As you know, my brother Newton has been expelled last year and I believe he knows your sister Zyra by the way he rambles about her, I might think he fancies her.
I'm sorry it took me years to give you the gift, I bought it when I met you in that silly shop while you were waiting for Lana, I remember you saying it was too expensive but here it is. I was shy, and nervous when it came to you, Am. And I just did not have the courage.
As much as I wish I had told you before, I will say it here.
I love you, Amal.
And I know it sounds selfish, telling you such a thing now, just when I left. But in case I do not return to tell it to you and to show you how much I am devoted to you, I am writing it so you believe such words.
Since the moment I saw you in our second year, I thought you were beautiful, despite being from different houses. But then I saw you in the hallways of Hogwarts, Nelson picking on you, telling you foul words and I couldn't just witness without doing anything.
And I was surprised you talked to me then, and we started talking, we became friends until we became nothing more than best friends.
And I am deeply grateful for every single moment I have spent in your presence, Am. And I am not certain about your sentiments, but what I do know now, is that when I return I will make up for every day wasted.
I promise Am, with all I am.
But please, do not slip away.
I do not want to force you to wait or to do anything that resembles waiting for something that is not certain, but wherever you will be, I will find you.
I will miss your presence, and my mind will be plagued by the image of you, Amal.

Yours truly,

Theseus.

(Ps: tell Clementine I said hi and tell her that I miss her too).

With a blurred vision, she placed the letter besides her and saw the book she had held years ago.
She pressed it to her trembling chest and weeped.

She should have listened to Khadija. She should have.