Kaleidoscope || t. scamander

One Solution

"Roo," Theseus started, "You said something, back in the room in Capetown."

"Mhmm." 

Silence. 

"What was it?" 

Roo felt the world freeze in place. His words echoed around her, went through her, forced themselves in the tiny spaces of her brain and poked her like tiny knives threatening her every thought process. Nothing mattered except for the panicked rumbling at the back of her mind that was suddenly squeezing past her brain like a beast galloping through her to shove the fact right in her face, as bright as obnoxious neon lights: 

She liked him. 

She liked Theseus. 

And there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. 

She opened her mouth, only to close it again upon realizing that there was nothing else to be said. What could she say? She felt like lying was her best option, but then again she was certain her senior would see right through her. He knew how she was, knew her every flaw and every physical habit. There was no way in hell he was going to let it go if he caught a glimpse of truth hiding behind her wide brown eyes, and god knew Roo had the worst talent for masking her true feelings. 

Plus, there was the war that they had to think about. Nobody had time for love and stupid affairs such as these when there were powers at stake, wizard's lives on the line. She couldn't risk it. She couldn't bear the thought of Theseus carrying that extra weight as he went to throw himself into the arms of death. 

Her maroon eyes flitted upwards, noticed Theseus's stare, before they quickly settled back onto the soles of his black work shoes. There was an ache in the back of her throat, something lodged inside that wouldn't allow her to speak, no matter how much she tried. 

Warmth engulfed her hand.

Roo gasped, looking down to see Theseus's hand holding hers gently, his thumb rubbing across her knuckles in a comforting motion. She swallowed thickly.

What was he doing? 

Still, Roo adamantly kept her gaze grounded onto the floor. His warmth travelled around her and circled her body like a shield that made her want to sigh. It felt safe and secure, as if nothing could hurt her when his presence was around. Goosebumps exploded along her arms at the realization that his body was so close, too close to her own. Her breathing stuttered. Mind went blank.

Roo squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, unable to meet his intense blue orbs swirling with so many intense emotions that had her heart cartwheeling along her stomach. She couldn't do this, no matter how much she tried. She couldn't sacrifice their relationship for her selfish feelings.

And especially not now. When their lives were holding on by a thread.

She tugged her hand away. His fell back to his side.

"It was nothing." It almost felt like she was out of her body, listening to her voice from foreign ears, "really, I was just worried about the Cape Town wizards."

She looked up but didn't meet his eyes, didn't dare peek at his expression for fear that she'd break at whatever she found there. "I'm going to sleep. It was a long day. You should rest too, Theseus."

And with that, she didn't even see him out. She walked away, footsteps echoing down the hall as she left the auror in the silence of  her own bitterness.

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