Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Your move," Josephine relaxes into her seat.
Outside, Josephine and Pandora engage in a game of wizard's chess to alleviate their boredom. With Josephine's ample resources, neither of them feels the pressing need for employment.
Pandora chews her lip in concentration, her gaze fixed intently on the chessboard.
Suddenly, the door swings open, and Regulus emerges, his hurried footsteps breaking the quiet.
"Evan and Barty are here. Evan's injured," Regulus announces. Josie rises swiftly, her heart quickening its pace already.
They all hurry inside. Barty assists Evan to the couch, a concerned hand on his waist, a smudge of blood marring Evan's shirt.
Josephine's eyes widen at the sight, and she immediately rushes to Evan's side, guiding him gently to the sofa.
"Josette," Evan greets her with a pale smile. "Good to see you," he murmurs, his voice strained. Josephine remains silent, focusing on making Evan comfortable. Meanwhile, Regulus approaches with a potion and his wand at the ready.
Barty seems composed, his worry solely for Evan, his grip firm on Evan's hand.
Regulus begins to unbutton Evan's shirt to assess the wound.
"Merlin, Regulus, your girlfriend's right here," Evan quips weakly, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
They all shoot a glare in the blonde boy's direction, while Pandora edges closer to the group.
The wound on Evan's side is sizable, a grim reminder of the danger he faces. But with Regulus's skill, they can heal it once it is properly cleaned.
Josephine hesitates, reluctant to touch the blood, leaving the task of cleaning to Pandora.
"Nice place you've got, Josette," Evan begins, only to be interrupted by a pained grimace.
"Quiet, Evan," Josephine chides softly, her concern evident.
Evan manages a weak chuckle as Regulus starts murmuring incantations, the skin on Evan's side slowly knitting together.
Meanwhile, Barty sighs heavily, fatigue evident in the dark circles under his eyes.
"Thanks, Reg," Evan acknowledges once the healing is done, Regulus simply nodding as he applies a small bandage to the wound.
"Are you alright? What happened?" Josephine inquires, her fingers nervously picking at her nails.
Evan sighs deeply. "I sent a letter to Barty about leaving. We plan to meet somewhere safe, but my parents..." He trails off, his expression pained. "They found out about my plans."
Josephine's frown deepens, anger bubbling up inside her once more, her nails now a distraction.
Barty holds onto Evan's hand tightly, his grip almost painful, yet Evan seems unfazed.
"Regulus, find Barty a room," Josephine instructs firmly. "I'll help Evan to one." Regulus nods in response.
Barty exchanges a glance with Evan, receiving a silent reassurance.
"I'll prepare some food," Pandora announces before darting out of the room.
"Alright, Evan, let's get you up," Josephine says, approaching the couch and offering her hand.
Evan groans slightly but stands with effort. Josephine takes his arm to support him, guiding him slowly towards the stairs.
"So," Evan begins with a wince as they ascend, "how's your summer been?" His smile seems forced, masking his discomfort.
Josephine's mind wanders to the events of yesterday, the shattering vases a stark memory. "It's been alright," she fibs.
Evan shoots her a discerning glance.
"It doesn't matter. You're what's important right now, okay?" she reassures him.
Evan sighs heavily as they reach the top of the stairs. "Whatever, Josette. You never open up about your own struggles."
"Neither do you," she retorts, her grasp on his arm tightening slightly as she guides him.
"Yeah, well..." Evan winces. "Maybe we should."
"Talk about our problems?" she inquires, helping him navigate the hallway bathed in sunlight.
Evan nods, his blond locks swaying slightly. "At least about our boyfriends, right? That's what best friends do."
She shoots him a knowing look. "I suspect you just want to boast about how good Barty is in bed."
Evan smirks. "Maybe."
She senses he is using humor as a shield for deeper feelings, a coping mechanism she understands well.
Josephine leads him to one of the spacious rooms, pushing open the door to reveal a grand bedroom. Guiding him to the four-poster bed, she notes the deep green hue of the duvet.
Evan winces slightly as he settles onto the bed.
"Mine and Regulus's room is just down the hall if you need anything," she informs him.
Evan nods slightly in acknowledgment before attempting to find comfort in the bed.
"I understand if you prefer to be alone. That's perfectly fine, I get it," Josephine begins gently. "I'll have Pandora bring in some food and then leave you to rest for a bit. But... if you need someone to talk to, I'm here," she offers, a small, reassuring smile on her lips.
Evan's smile holds more warmth this time. "Thank you, Josette," he replies sincerely.
She simply nods before quietly exiting his room, closing the door behind her.
A worried sigh escapes Josephine's lips as she begins to absentmindedly pick at her nails. She knows she needs to clean up the mess from the vases she threw in her fit of frustration yesterday. She had tried to clean it up yesterday but Regulus intervened, insisting she take a break and rest.
With resolve, Josephine makes her way to the office. Once inside, she closes the door behind her before summoning a broom.
Technically, she could use magic to clean up the mess, but perhaps she wants to handle it herself.
Slowly, she starts sweeping up the broken glass into a pan, lost in her thoughts.
The door opens, and Josephine turns to see Regulus stepping inside, closing the door behind him. His raised eyebrows silently question her actions.
"You could just use magic," he remarks as he approaches.
Josephine sighs. "I know, I just..." She trails off, lacking a clear explanation.
Regulus says nothing as he moves beside her, summoning another broom to assist in the cleanup.
A rush of emotion washes over Josephine at the gesture, almost bringing tears to her eyes.
She refocuses on the task at hand, the room filled with a comfortable silence as they work together.
"Thank you," Josephine says once all the glass is cleared away.
"Don't thank me," Regulus shakes his head, moving closer to her.
Josephine sighs before offering him a small smile.
~~~~~ GUYS HOUSE OF THE DRAGON IS SO GOOD💗💗💗 I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
ALSO!!! I made a pinterest for my characters/fanfics.
https://pin.it/1HRolN0zp
Ill also put it in the comments so you can just click on it if you want to check it out!!!
