Untitled
adult

The classroom looked more like a church. Several benches were set up to face what could have once been an altar but was now more of a platform from which to teach. Sofia found it odd. The people who came here to learn generally didn't recognize a god as their master; most of them had come to know their own power too intimately to rely on anyone else.

The space was empty of people, yet so filled with energy that it was hard to feel alone. The air almost seemed to fizz and pop, stirred about by the wind breezing in through the open (broken) stained glass windows. A storm was coming. The wind told her as much as it pushed back the hood of her travel-weary cloak, igniting her senses to the smell of damp soil and the sound of footsteps clicking down the hallway.

Standing in the center of the altar with her back to the door, Sofia summoned all of her strength and channeled it into trust. Trust that she had followed the right trails. Trust that she had heeded the right people and rightfully pushed away the rest. Trust that her purpose in being here would be revealed to her after such a very long time of searching.

The footsteps passed the entrance to the room.

They stopped.

They took three steps back to the entrance.

Sofia inhaled bravery and then turned her head far enough for her chin to kiss her shoulder, eyes downcast.

Silence echoed. The wind stopped moving carelessly and came to her face, delicately lifting her chin before pushing against her shoulder to reveal more than just her profile to the person at the door. The touch was achingly familiar. Sofia dared to look up just in time to hear Cedric curse in a language she never learned. The wind retreated and closed the door behind him with absolute silence.

"You shouldn't be here." Cedric was firm. There wasn't a quaver in his voice. But even from this distance, Sofia could see the flicker of fear in his eyes.

"You let your hair grow long." Sofia's lips turned up at the corners. "I like it."

Cedric scrubbed his hand over his face. "Fuck, Sofia - pull your hood back up. You shouldn't be here."

She turned to face him fully and watched as he walked towards her, through the narrow hall the pew-like benches made.

"I like your clothes, too. It's nice to see you in a different color, though I don't think I would have chosen all black for you. You've always been so pale and this just washes you out."

He was in front of her. He was so close she could reach out and touch him. But she didn't get the chance before his hands were reaching out with a perfunctory attitude to pull her hood back over her head, tucking away her hair so quickly that she barely registered how cold his fingers were when they grazed her neck. His hand was on her lower back and he was moving them forward, eyeing the windows like they might attack.

Sofia stopped in place. "No, Cedric. I'm not leaving not without - "

Cedric's hand was more insistent than her feet, pushing her along with him without breaking his stride. "Anyone could see you and if they don't kill you on sight, you'll wish they had. Come on."

"Ced-"

He whirled on her, hands digging into her shoulders as his gaze bore into her eyes. Fear, rage, frustration, exhaustion all threatened to crush her.

"No matter how many times you come to find me," he hissed in a whisper that might as well have been a scream to her ears. "No matter how much good you think is still in my heart, no matter how much you loved me or how much I love you - I am a bad man, Sofia. I have done terrible things. I will do terrible things. This can never be and you need to give up onme and move on with your life."

"Love," Sofia whispered back. She was met with confusion.

"Love?"

"You said love. Not loved."

Fear, rage, frustration, and exhaustion were all gone. Replaced with nothing but pain. Cedric's grip on her shoulders loosened and tightened several times as he seemed to battle himself. And then he slid his hands up into her hair, delicately holding the back of her skull. His forehead came down to rest against hers in a motion closer to resignation than affection.

"Please," came his voice, quietly begging. "Please leave me here."

"Cedric," came a deep voice from the doorway.

"Fuck," whispered Cedric against Sofia's temple as his entire body tensed. His hands dropped down to his side as he turned to face the doorway, keeping Sofia's body tucked behind his. She pressed her hand to his back for security, for confidence, for strength.

"Tell me about your little pet."

Sofia couldn't see the face of the newcomer, but she could practically hear his feral grin.

A/N
HELLOOOOOOOO I LIIIIIIIVE
In celebration of my 10 week old sleeping for 8 hours and then taking a 1.5 hour afternoon nap (bless her), I wrote y'all this drabble. I like it. I have no idea if I'll follow up with it but I might. I also have no idea what prompted it in my head, outside of my latest trash pairing that I've been reading A LOT of (because what else am I gonna do while nursing) - Reylo from Star Wars. I really like this idea that some writers have in that Kylo/Ben doesn't get redeemed. That he's a bad guy and he's not going to get better. That definitely played a part here.

Regretfully, please don't take this as a sign that I'm back. I'm not. But I'm gonna write as I can. Happy reading!