Kayl ran as fast as her feet would carry her. Trying her best to push all her feelings down. If she just pushed hard enough in her run she could erase them all. She had enchanted some music to follow her but she was barely listening to it.
Kayl knew she shouldn't have opened Pandora's box with a co-worker. That it would eventually come to bite her in the ass. But there was something so easy and magnetic about Charlie. It was almost as if neither of them had a choice. It was only a matter of when they would succumb to their attraction. And it was bliss and fire all at the same time for a month. Then everything came crashing down around Kayl.
Her entire relationship with Charlie had been easy. They were so alike that conversations, humor, even sex just ebbed and flowed without any effort. But then it changed. Charlie has been weird for over a week now! He's smiling but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's buried himself in work and she can tell it's to avoid something, maybe even her. There's always some earnest excuse about sex that's entirely work related. He's acting normal but the subtleties in his mannerisms she just doesn't believe any of it. She didn't think he was the type to get weird when he was done with a physical relationship. But maybe she had misjudged him and didn't know him half as well as she thought she did.
Kayl knew she had to confront him. And she was going to do it later today. They work together and he needs to grow up and act like an adult. If they need to be strictly professional from now on then he needs to stop acting weird.
"You look pissed," Elena called to her over the music. Kayl came to a slower jog with her band cropped t shirt flapping around her sweaty body. She whipped her wand out to evaporate the music. Then she doubled over holding onto her biker short clad thighs and panted, trying to catch her breath from all the intense exertion before they continued. They had just come down off the mountain. While Kayl had so many pent up emotions she probably could've kept running at full speed for several more hours, she recognized her friend wanted to turn the rest of the journey back home into a more casual jog.
"Just my running face I bet," Kayl laughed as they took stride next to each other at a slower pace. Kayl could tell Elena wanted to press and ask what was wrong but Kayl didn't want to talk about it. As much as she didn't want to reveal that everyone's joking was right that her and Charlie had been doing the nasty, even more so she really didn't want to admit that it was a complete and utter embarrassing failure mess.
Her saving grace to avoid Elena's prying gaze was also a demon in disguise. 'Speak of the devil' Kayl thought as Charlie happened to cross paths with them. She could tell he didn't mean to. Standing next to him was what could only be one of his brothers. They looked very similar and yet not. This brother was taller and lankier with an earring. He has two scars across his left eye but still was just as handsome as his brother. He also sported a familiar messy mop of long ginger hair.
"Oi Charlie are you going to introduce us? Who is this," Elena was being a massive flirt and she definitely didn't care who knew it. 'Good,' Kayl thought, 'at least she'll be too busy to notice how massively awkward Charlie and I are now.'
"Yeah right. This is my older brother Bill. Bill this is Elena one of the best medics we have out here. And Kayl my new magizoologist partner." Charlie is trying his best not to seem too weird around her as he sorts his feelings. They both got caught staring at each other a second too long as their minds were elsewhere, thinking about each other. Bill noticed the exchange and furrowed his brows.
"What brings you here Bill? And where have you been hiding this stud Weasley? Holding out on your favorite girls." Elena hugged Kayl to her side tight. As if Kayl was also pining after the eldest Weasley brother. No her issue was Charlie, not that Elena knew that. Kayl winced at the sweaty and random close contact of being pulled into Elena.
"So sorry ladies I'm here to ask Charlie to be the best man at my wedding. I've a beautiful fiance I have to get back to. Plus I think Romania is probably only big enough for one Weasley man. I'm sure Charlie has it covered." Bill teases and Elena laughs.
"Lucky lady!" Elena is so smooth. She immediately switches gears like she hadn't just aggressively hit on Bill. Without even batting an eye she continues, "My mistake! Let us make it up to you. You must come round for dinner and a pub night with the team. Right Kayl?!"
Charlie was watching Kayl trying to gauge her reaction. "Yeah of course. First pint's on us for all newcomers."
"I'd be honored. Nice meeting you both, see you later."
Later that evening Bill did indeed have his first pint paid for and in hand as promised. Alexandru was regaling him of his 'heroic tales' with the dragons. On any other night you could catch Alex using a similar tactic on the ladies of this pub. But tonight the whole team was just excited to be meeting Bill. Charlie had a mysterious air about him and Kayl could confess to herself that even she was curious. As if somehow talking to Bill might explain something deeper about Char. Charlie seemed at ease with his brother. She tried not the think bitterly, not unlike he seemed to be with her just a week ago. A huge handsome smile and completely carefree. Kayl didn't want to make a big deal of this. She had all but resolved to herself that romantic things between the two of them were over. But she was trying her best to push away her hurt and confusion and muster up her maturity. She needs to do her best to transition them back into a friendly working relationship. What pained her heart the most was not losing out on the great sex, but the realization that they could never get their deep friendship back. Which is why she had tried her best to resist crossing that line in the first place.
"So Kaleigh, you're newer to the team? How do you like it here?" Bill asked her. If he was being honest he was trying to suss out what was going on with this girl and his brother. It seemed so clear to Bill there was something there. And Ginny had tipped him off that Charlie had caught a girl in his cabin in her underwear during the day. So probably not a one night stand. Was this girl her? Everyone else seemed oblivious to it. These were people who worked and socialized with the both of them on the daily. Which made Bill second guess his instincts but did nothing to quell his curiosity.
"I worked in Arizona with Thunderbirds before getting this placement. I was really connected to the beautiful creatures, especially as it was my house at school. But there is just something about these dragons. They're so complex and it's a thrill every day earning their trust and be entrusted with knowledge in return."
Charlie surveyed Kayl talking about the dragons. It wasn't unlike how he felt about it and she spoke with such a passion that always stirred up something in him, even from the beginning of their friendship.
"Charlie has told me you're a curse breaker. How do you like your work Bill?" Kayl asked excitedly. She had almost forgotten her troubles with Charlie. She was so engrossed in this conversation. The Weasley boys did seem to have an intellectual charm about them that was magnetic.
"I work as a curse breaker for Gringotts bank. I was traveling, mostly in Africa, making relics safe for transport. But my fiancé and I have decided to move back to England to start our lives together." Bill smiled happily, not at all bothered by the prospect of this huge change in his life. Kayl was fascinated.
"Won't you miss it? All the adventure, experiencing new places and cultures? I travelled the world so much growing up I can't imagine sticking to one place."
Bill laughed. Seeing a ton of Charlie in this woman. Whether the rest of their team realized it or not, Bill was now sure she was the woman in her underwear from Ginny's fireplace call. He knew his brother well enough that he couldnt resists a wild and beautiful woman like Kayl. "Everyone gets tamed eventually, well everyone except Charlie."
The whole table perked up regardless of what conversation they were involved in at Charlie's response. This lighthearted joke from his brother provoked an uncharacteristic response. Charlie said in a low voice he was trying to keep casual. "Yeah, not everyone is cut out for this life." He got up and headed to the bar. Despite him trying to sound casual there was an edge to his voice that the whole table picked up on and his gaze had shifted over to Kayl. Her body immediately felt like her blood was turning to icicles. He wasn't fixing her with an anger or intense stare. But it was the poorly concealed nervous hurt in his eyes that froze Kayleigh to her spot.
Kayl stared after him long after everyone else had shook it off and returned to their conversations. A week ago she would have barreled straight after him and not given up until she coaxed a smile from his lips. It wasn't often Charlie let things get to him and make him upset. But now she felt stuck. Unable to run to him and unable to let it go. Only Elena and Bill seemed to notice her distress.
"Kayl," Elena called her attention away from Charlie softly so the others couldn't hear and pulled Kayl aside. Bill got up to head after Charlie. "Don't take it personally. It's not about you."
Kayl let the words slip out before she could stop them, "I'm not so sure that's true."
"I'm not sure what's going on with Charlie but I know it isn't about you." Elena got straight to the point and Kayl was confused by her words. Her brows furrowed in response.
"I know we tease you lot about how close you are. And I suspect that's what's got Charlie in this weird mood. I'm sorry about that. I didn't think our teasing would affect him but I fear we've been drudging up some bad memories for him. You see he was dating this bird here a few years back when we all first started working together. You know Charlie. He really cares about people. And he was young and I don't think he ever had a proper girlfriend before, fresh out of Hogwarts. He was on a high all the time. He loved this girl, he loved the dragons, we all got on so well. His life was basically perfect. Over a year or so of them being together and she up and left to take some ministry desk job back in England. She wanted him to come with her. Was all excited for their future and whatnot. Things ended obviously because he didn't want to go. This job isn't just a job to Charlie. It's his whole purpose. I know you guys aren't romantic. But you're the first person he's really let close to him since and his comments tonight made it pretty clear to me he's afraid you'll up and leave this place too eventually."
And suddenly, Kayl understood exactly why Charlie had been acting weird all week. Kaleigh knew instantly that he must have found her job offer letter.
"I'm happy for you Bill. Fleur is wonderful. Mum'll come round to it too. You're just her first kid getting married." Charlie was shaking his mood at the bar. While Bill and Kaleigh's conversation preyed on some difficult feelings he had been grappling with, he had such limited time with his brother. He needed to just focus on that for now.
Bill's laughter reached up to his eyes as he took another swing of his beer. Nothing quite put him in such a good mood than spending time with Charlie. His crazy life always had him forgetting how much he missed him until they were reunited again. Charlie felt much the same. They had kind of grown up together separately from most of their other siblings. They loved them but it was a bit of a different dynamic between the two eldest.
"Alright Charlie I have to ask. Ginny would kill me if I didn't. What's the deal with Kayl?" Bill grinned. He was going to be cheeky about it.
Charlie took a sip to try to avoid the conversation, "Don't know what you mean?"
"Come off it Char. I know she was in her underwear in your cabin when Ginny called last month. I'm not one to judge about having a shag with a co-worker but she is your partner." Bill pointed his beer towards Charlie like he was punctuating a deposition.
Charlie sighed. There was no escaping this with Bill. And if he was honest with himself. He'd felt quite burdened and almost was relieved his brother was making him come out with all that had been bottled up. "You've met her," Bill nodded along with a grin already having noted she was an irresistible specimen for Charlie, "She came in here beginning of summer and just- completely enveloped me in her world. I'd never met a bird like her. There was so much flirt but we both wouldn't cross that line because she really does take this job as serious as I do. But we just kept getting closer and closer until we both just snapped."
Bill shook his head, but not in disagreement. "Of course you did. She is exactly your type."
"It was a good bit of fun then I found out she might be taking another position and it's really caught me off guard." Charlie finally admitted what had weighed him down for a week now. Consumed his every thought and preyed on his weakest emotions and vulnerabilities. He had no idea what to do or how to act.
Bill's smile faded and he surveyed Charlie quietly. His head sling down as he played with the paper label on his beer consumed. "Have you asked her about it?"
Charlie fought to keep his voice steady, "What difference does it make? I don't have any right to an opinion on what she does. And as her friend I would never begrudge her an opportunity she is brilliant and deserves."
Bill surveyed Charlie's expression deeper trying to figure out exactly what was going on. Then it dawned on him, "You really care for her."
Charlie tugged out his hair tie to re-tie it back and pull at his hair in frustration. "That's such a complicated question. Of course I do, she's become my best mate strange as it may be. But also this is why I don't let myself get involved with woman like this. I know I will always choose my work, it's way too important to me. And I don't want to hurt people."
"It doesn't sound complicated Charlie it sounds like you're making it so. You're afraid of getting hurt as much as you don't want to hurt others so you've been trying to be casual. But seems to me like that wasn't going to be possible with Kayl whether you shagged or not. I think you'd still be in this mood finding out about her job prospect even if you'd never seen her starkers." Bill seemed so proud of himself for being able to piece it all together.
Charlie laughed, rolling off some steam. "Since when did you become so wise William? Mr. Bachelor of England?" Charlie teased. Despite Charlie being known to pull birds, Bill was really the bachelor of the family.
Bill clapped Charlie on the shoulder, "I fell in love that's how."
Bill and Charlie's attention both drifted to Kayl making her way over to them at the bar.
She wore her big grin again and offered, "Shots?"
Bill hopped off his stool and offered it to Kaleigh. "I gotta run to the toilet. Take my spot." And he was off without waiting for a response.
"I think we've both been acting like sullen pricks," Kayl came right out and said it. "It's totally okay if you don't want to keep messing around but I can't take this weirdness between us anymore."
"Kayl I'm sorry. I should have just told you why I needed some time to think instead of trying to pretend everything was fine." Charlie looked at her earnestly.
"Absolutely you should have. You're a terrible actor." She laughed her beautiful and carefree laugh. "It was the letter wasn't it?"
Charlie laughed along then swallowed thickly. He felt he owed her a real explanation. "I used to have a girlfriend here on the reservation and when she left to pursue a more normal career back home, I realized dating just wasn't a good idea for me. Because I'm always going to be here. This work means everything to me. I apologize for reacting the way I did." Kayl pretended she hadn't just heard all this from Elena because she knew it was huge that Charlie was trusting her with this.
"Charlie I would never ask you to be someone you're not or for you to leave this work. It's who you are and one of the best things about you. I don't care if you don't want to do anything romantic anymore either. I just want my mate back." Kayl had picked up Charlie's hands and squeezed. It wasn't the usual sort of affection she would show, but she wanted him to know she was serious and would return his honesty with her own.
Charlie dropped their hands but only to lift one up and caress her cheek. His eyes melted into hers and she tried with all her might not to turn into putty. "I don't want to stop. It's too late to go back, I care for you now. But I needed to be honest that this is my life and regardless of what develops between us that won't change. I meant what I said before, I'm well aware how this life is not for most people. I don't want to hurt anyone, least of all you."
Kayl smiled, despite Charlie's serious tone. How could she not. He had just told her he cared for her, that it was too late to go back. All those stupid butterflies she'd been trying to extinguish had been there for him too! "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon and I don't expect you to ever change. Do me a favor and try not to worry about that right now. Let's just get back to our lives. This is a pretty fun ride and I'd like to go back to enjoying it."
Charlie finally broke a smile that brightened Kayl's night. "One amendment," Charlie leaned in but didn't make the connection. His lips were so close and after all this time apart it was such a tease. With not a care in the world anymore Charlie closed the gap. "No more sneaking about."
He was kissing her fiercely, well aware all their friends could plainly see. They started whopping and gasping when they noticed. Charlie didn't even pay attention! He picked Kayl off her stool and pulled her into his lap. Her hands held tight to his face as she devoured him.
"I was barely gone 5 minutes," Bill laughed and they broke apart. Kayl climbed off Charlie's lap not even bothering to try to recover dignity in front of his brother. She was a take it or leave it kind of girl. And I think her and Charlie just decided they were going to take it. Kayl called out in celebration, "Shots finally?"