I feel the point is made by now… so stopping with these notices.
The Crow
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)
(Part 18)
XxxxxXxxxxX
The rest of the time spent in China, Clow kept true to his words and took Violet everywhere he could – as long as it fit in their week time limit. The trip also did wonders to Violet psych, as she relaxed into her first romantic relationship.
...
Her first romantic interest was Mr. Stephens from primary school.
He was a young biology teacher gaining experience by teaching children. Kind and with an ergonomic attitude, little Violet felt enchanted by him until she discovered he was married – the little hearts surrounding their names she's doodled all over her notebook were painstakingly erased, lest Aunt Petunia found out and mocked her for them.
That wasn't the last of Violet's fascination with older man, amusingly enough. Boys her age tended to be immature and mean. Hogwarts didn't change that opinion much - look at Ron! And he's her friend!
When she was thirteen and her body just starting to bloom into a teenager... She's been awkward all over. Limbs stretching, body parts filling up and uncomfortable hairs growing where they shouldn't as she was bombarded by hormones… She watched her roommates go crazy over boys – mostly the older, more mature boys – and did what she did best, observed.
That's roughly the time Remus came into the picture to teach her the Patronus charm and to talk about her father. He gave her his undivided attention, he didn't single her out in class, treated her like she was actually a normal student – who happened to be the daughter of his best friend, but that just came with benefits – Remus made it insanely easy to fall in love with him.
She'd been insecure and a nervous wreck all year – with the prospect of Sirius Black hunting her down, and Dementors deciding she was in the menu – Hermione was the only one who could understand what she was going through, since the brown haired witch suffered through her own infatuation with a professor the year before. Ron still thouhgt girls had cooties, so he was not in the know...
Violet continued insecure though. Even after learning Remus was a werewolf, she had no courage to approach him with her feelings, not when she'd compare herself to the other girls and see how lacking she was.
And then Remus met Tonks, and although heart broken, Violet kept her silence – not wanting someone who saw her as a surrogate niece to agonize over her selfishness.
The third time she fell in love… Well...
Third time is the charm.
…
The touches continued.
Innocent brushes of skin on skin, a larger hand caressing her fringe away from her eyes or massaging her back and shoulders. Sometimes those touches escalated, and Violet was then privileged to be the sole target of a very amorous sorcerer.
'Who'd have thought?' Violet sometimes questioned herself with wonder. 'That awkward little Violet would know what love feels like'
And she was happily gaining experience in that department.
Without intention as it was – with the shift in her relationship with Clow came some perks.
And consequences.
'You can live a lifetime beside someone and learn something new about them every day' As she was slowly learning.
As it happened on the first free day they had after obtaining her wand schematics. Clow took them to tour up the Chao river, following the waters until they could see the Great Walls in all its' magnificence. It made the witch feel dwarfed and quite intimidated - small in a greater sense of life. Humbled by the construction, Violet decided then and there that when she went traveling – someday – she'd go check out all great landmarks of mankind.
"This is the Changcheng, or Long Walls, is more than a thousand years old and built, compounded on and strengthened by more than one empire over the years until two hundred years ago, when it was reconstructed around Beijing during the Ming dynasty" Like usual, Clow was a fountain of knowledge... Making the witch think with amusement once more, that her… paramour – she hesitated calling him a boyfriend - and Hermione would get on like a house on fire. "It was built to protect certain territories from invasion and even sustain the Silk Road trade… It's original planning was actually made by the First Emperor Qin's magical adviser, and the actual structure is being powered by a ley-line running just below it, bolstering stone resistance and providing the defensive forces a massive spell barrier to guard them from any magicians allied to the invading armies"
Before her very eyes as Clow and Violet stood before the Walls, magic rose from the foot of the monument like mist, teased by the presence of two powerful magicians. The ethereal mist curved and curled around the wall, stretching until it was almost invisible to the untrained eye.
"Are we an invading army?" The witch asked with amusement shining in her eyes. It was a beautiful show of magic, raw and natural, as if the ley-lines buried underneath the behemoth wall had actually incorporated a semblance of sentiency after so long acting as a wall.
"We would have to be on the other side" Clow mused back, they shared a laugh, then had a grand time trying to find some stairs to climb up the pesky thing.
It really repelled magic though, and Violet thought it would be more fun to try and circumvent it – the sorcerer disagreed.
"We could overwhelm the protections" He proposed, and with his finesse, she had no doubt he could do it in a breeze without damaging the whole thing.
"Nope. Let's walk. Unless those old bones are already creaking at the thought of exercising" She taunted, running ahead and dancing away from his reaching hands with a cackle or two.
'He's not going to run' Violet knew, but she had fun teasing him any way.
"That's it, witch" Her sorcerer, seemingly composed and austere, did what one of his station and power would predictably do, and started to float over an invisible wind – that propelled him in Violet's direction. When he caught her, there wasn't a hair out of place in his head, while Violet's dark red curls were all over the place.
…
The last night they spent in China, Violet wanted to visit the fair – she's never had the chance to explore it to her heart's content.
Clow didn't repeat his fears, though he did hesitate until she shot him an annoyed glare. 'I am not being babied by him of all people' And the witch was, indeed, feeling irritation creep up at the sorcerer's evasive attitude.
'But I don't want to whine…' She didn't want him to think she was immature. The three hundred years gap between them already daunting on itself. Violet wanted to present herself as mature and reliable – just as much as she was itching to go out on her own and look at all the fair's wares and foods.
Being an adult in a relationship is all about compromising, however, and Violet - who was apt at adapting to survive - came to that conclusion after thinking over her options.
A Violet from last year might have snuck away, irresponsibly even, without telling anyone anything. She's independent and really – when all she could rely on were herself and two other teenagers at the best of times, it was no wonder the witch had low regard for authority.
'I trust Clow wants my wellbeing, but he doesn't own me' and here lies the crux of her indecision. Plus, the witch did understand his worries after he explained them somewhat… 'It is my calling, not his' If she wants freedom, she will have it.
If she's feeling reckless… well… This might also double as a test of sorts – It hurt Violet that she had to test these boundaries, but didn't she just agree with herself that was a mature adult?
"I want to go to the fair, on my own" The witch ended up telling Clow of her decision, prepared to argue her point and concede to whatever he wanted in return. She prepared beforehand – all variants of magical obfuscation spells and camouflaging her magic. The witch even casted notice-me-not charms and had an invisibility one on the tip of her tongue 'In case I need to make a discrete retreat'
"Violet…" Clow started, but casting a single look upon her expression made him blink... then break out in an understanding smile. "What have you planned?" He asked instead of outright arguing against her decision.
'That's a point in his favor' the witch melted just a little, feeling justified in coming to him with this topic... So she explained all she's prepared in a just in case scenario, even allowing with a magnanimously gesture that the mother hen sorcerer place his own protections on top of hers.
"I like that you worry about me, but I've been taking care of myself since forever. I'm not used to being… coddled… and I need my own freedom" Violet told him honestly, going on her tiptoes so she could place a placating kiss on his jaw. Of course she couldn't stop there once the affection started, and trailed up to his cheek before realizing the opportunistic Clow had her up in his arms as he made a trail of his own behind her ears and nape.
"I will always worry about you, my dear, that's as inevitable as the sun rising every morning" The sorcerer told her directly into her ear, eliciting a gasp from the witch.
'This is as good time as any to have that conversation I guess… if nothing else, it should distract him…' Violet struggled to achieve a higher brain function when all her body wanted was to drown in sensations. She did so eventually, and managed to push herself out of his arms, mourning the loss of warmth.
"That reminds me I have something to… well, I guess I should ask this first…" the green eyed woman sighed. She wanted to stay with Clow, and she knew he wanted that too – it was a feeling that coalesced whenever she's thought about it "How… how am I going back?"
Face not betraying his true feelings, though Violet could see how his dark blue eyes became almost black – Clow spoke slowly, as if unsure of the answer himself. "I have found a way to cross through the universes… The theory is sound, but putting into practice is harder. If everything goes according to plan, we will have a permanent solution to cross universe traveling… there is no way to circumvent the toll magic will ask though, so you will have to think hard on what you are ready to give up" He then smiled grimly "I would have told you when I had the means ready, since I didn't want to give you false hope"
"That's good" Violet smiled, feeling as if a world's worth of worries has been removed from her back. Taken aback by her answer, Clow's eyes were increasingly shadowed, and the witch winced, seeing how her words could have been misinterpreted. "I mean… That's good, because while I still want to know what happened in my original world, I… I want to come back here, to stay with you, if you'd want me to…"
"Violet…" Emotions ran through their bond like a thunderstorm.
Intense and raw, Violet was made acutely aware of how thick their connection ran when Clow pulled her into a desperate, hungry kiss – She startled, opening her lips in a gasp that was immediately taken advantage of – and she had her first taste of her sorcerer. Heat surged through her veins, beating loudly in her ears.
The witch melted against Clow's chest, tilting her head so they'd have better access and mobility as the heat escalated in magnitude, his tongue pulling hers into a battle of which there was no loser – When his hands decided that idleness was not for them, and started to map down her back and chest, was when Violet's knees gave up and she had to recline entirely on her lover.
It lasted for what felt like an eternity, the urgency of making contact simmering down into a slow boil, left over embers prickling under her skin, and labored breaths against his neck had her gulping in his scent as if it was going out of style.
'…'
"W-was that a yes?" She asked cheekily, basking in their magic as it entwined in a silvery halo – result of black and white meeting and mixing harmoniously.
"You, my sweet Violet, are fond of making our courtship work the other way around… I should be the one asking the important questions, no?"
"No" She agreed, nodding with a bright, satisfied smile. "Oh… I almost forgot… at what time will you be picking me up from the fair?" Because she most certainly still intended to visit it today… Clow was above scowling, even if it was playfully, so he settled for a half, fond smile.
"There is no winning with you, is there?"
"You're learning" Violet told him mercilessly.
XxxxxXxxxxX
He felt the drainage keenly. His powers, vast as they may be, were sometimes cumbersome when counted on for instant travel. Replacing the gap he's left behind caused waves that although not in the physical plane, could still rear with terrible consequences.
Then he had to compensate for Violet. 'And though she has no awareness, or at least has not accepted consciously, her powers measure with mine… they have to, if we are to keep each other balanced' The circle lit up under their feet, Violet's small, dainty hand holding onto his own as Wang waved from the foyer. His witch waved back cheerfully, lighting up the very room with her smile.
'Her smiles are beautiful when they come from her heart' the sorcerer wondered distracted...He admitted to looking forward seeing the gleeful pleasure written all over her face – the witch was looking forward going home, and though he wished the reason for her happiness wasn't so… flimsy.
Violet has come to a decision, one he wholeheartedly agreed on - But she didn't know what it would cost her. It wasn't even her fault; he hasn't explained everything to her yet. 'I have to… as soon as possible… she is not going to be happy if I keep things hidden from her for much longer'
The grievances she's had in the past have burned scars all over – they pulsed hideously, whispering suspicion and insecurities in her ear. And it isn't even a matter of Violet being ready.
'It is about this very sorcerer's own fears getting in the way'
"Hold on tight" Clow told his precious one, relishing in the heat of her skin against his. Physical contact was almost a need as their bond settled, secure that they'd not be separated on their own accord. The transportation spell ignited the circle, and it expended upwards, enveloping him just as the last remains of his power drained out of him and into the ether, so it could be poured back into him when they reached the corresponding circle in England.
"Welcome home" John Evington was there to receive the sorcerer and his witch, along with the rest of the house's staff. 'I missed this house' Clow wondered briefly why, but came to the amusing conclusion that he did, indeed, enjoy teaching.
Fact cemented when his little students felt his presence back, and came swarming like bees upon honey from whatever nooks they were previously. The smarter ones paid attention to the servants' movements, and were already in the foyer – though not allowed near the area by a preemptive barrier – the risk of one of them messing with the circle was too great.
'Not when I am so vulnerable' Clow smiled inwardly. His hand was squeezed by Violet.
He looked down his side, where she was standing, and she lifted an inquiring eyebrow. 'Oh yes, impatient Violet… doesn't want to stand in the center of attention' He thought fondly, nodding to her and starting on a path to his personal area of the manor.
'I'm sorry to say that hiding won't deter Miss Dubois forever, and it seems Xiao Ling is determined…' Though Violet could deal with the females on her own, it didn't stop him from worrying.
Time to see how things will develop… it was equal parts frustrating and amusing…
…
Extra: I'm not happy with this chapter… it took a lot, and I mean a lot of consideration… at first, I wanted to have Violet chose to leave Clow and return home – but that'd mean angst, and this was intended to be a somewhat (corny) optimistic romance cause frankly, if we want to read angst all we have to do is read the newspaper… but don't worry, angst will still make an appearance. There's the third Arc yet to come in 2 chapters :)