To Keep Us Sane

[damien]

Slamming the door shut, Damien locked it with his wand and hurried to his desk, breathing hard. This was going to be a bad break, he could already tell. Trying to calm himself down, he threw himself into the chair and pulled parchment, ink, and a quill over to him, hand shaking so bad that he didn't chance writing yet.

After a few minutes of taking deep breaths, Dey filled the quill and finally began to write out his first letter to Vivianne.

Vivi,

I'm sorry this letter is later than I would have liked. I wanted to have Kent to you by the night after we arrived home on the train, but by the time he gets to you now it will probably be morning of our second day. Dad is causing some problems, but I'm handling things fine. He just delayed my time to write this, is all.

Is it ridiculous to say I miss you already? I do, even if it is ridiculous. Mum is happy Denny and I are home, Denny is glad to see Mum but doesn't want to be here with Dad. I don't blame him, he's in a bit of a mood. Honestly though, don't worry yourself. Everything is fine, I have it all under control. I hope your break has started out alright.

I miss you, but thinking of the night of dance helps a bit. Of course it was a beautiful time, and you know why, but it's not the same as being with you. Well, write back when you can, love.

Damien

Damien let the quill drop from his hand and stretched, waiting for the ink to dry, not entirely satisfied with his letter. He wasn't quite sure of how to write this, though, so he figured his was safe enough. Once the ink had seemed to dry he rolled up the scroll and stood, walking over to Kent who was sitting by the window. "Hey buddy, got a job for you," Dey said, tying the scroll on to his leg. "Make sure you stay there till Vivi writes back. Be good and listen to her, yeah?"

After a stroke of his feathers, Dey watched the owl swoop off out into the night.

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

When she came home from the sudden change in the school year, her mother must have suspected that there was something different about her. She caught herself humming as she went around the house and eating a few bites rather than picking through all of her food. She smiled to her father in the morning and was ready on time when they went out for something at night. In the time she had been home, she had barely had any time to breath. Her parents were whipping her off to Christmas party after Christmas party, probably in hopes of finding someone for her when she was in such a good mood all of the time. They didn't have to know that someone had put her in such a good mood.

When the owl knocked against her window as she was getting around for bed, she thought quickly about the face of the person who would have sent him to her. Vivi could faintly remember the owl, so she opened the window quickly and tore open the envelope. Her arms were bare against the cold wind that could get through her thin night gown, so she reached to close it after the owl swooped into the warm room while she read the letter through a second time. The first time, she was so excited to hear from him that she didn't pick up the words. On the second and third reviews it started to make sense.

She went to her wooden desk quickly and pulled out a pot of black ink and a quill from one of the drawers. Now, with her parents asleep in the only a few doors down from her, the rebellion of her actions seemed to set in. She was supposed to be going to bed. Instead, she kept her candles lit so that she could see the paper she was writing on and the note she had to answer. It was so wonderful to hear from him again. If she didn't know any better, she would think it was all a wonderful dream that went away.

Damien,

I'm just glad to hear from you and do know that you're all right. Both that you're fine at home and that you got there in one piece. I heard about these terrible muggles things - cars - that are supposed to kill so many people. But you're safe, anyway, and that's all that matters. I hope he keeps being fine. I can't stand the thought of something happening to you.

I don't think it is in the least. I've missed you since the moment we had to part to board the trains. I know we haven't had long, but my parents have gotten me into three parties already. Three! I'll be out of dresses before the end of the week. I hope your holiday continues to be all right. Mine is bearable, yes, a much better one than I remember.

I was gone for awhile, so I'm sorry if this letter is getting to you late. I miss you and hope everything is well. I've been thinking about that night more than anything. You're right, though, nothing's the same as you being here with me.

Vivianne

[damien]

Tap. Tap. Tap.

What the hell was that noise?

Tap. TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP.

Damien growled and rolled up in his bed, stumbling over to the window and throwing it open to let in Kent. Blinking, he froze where he was standing and looked around the unfamiliar room before feeling his breathing catch in his throat. He wasn't in his room. He was at the Leaky Cauldron. The nights events rushed back to him and he quickly reached up to press his palms into his eyes, shoulders shaking just once before he gained control of himself.

"Kent, you better have brought a great letter from Vivianne," Damien said in a croaky voice, moving to his owl and untying the letter. Instead of reading it, though, he moved to his bag sitting at the foot of the bed and rummaged through it, pulling out new clothes for the day. He changed and ran a comb through his hair, scrubing at his face that felt sticky from the very small bit of crying he hadn't been able to ward off earlier that morning. Once he was satisfied he moved back over to the desk in the room and sat to read.

After practically memorizing the words, Damien took a deep breath and started a new letter. He only got down her name before freezing, not knowing what to say. He couldn't ruin her Christmas but letting her know what really happened. She didn't need to know about it all. He would have to lie, just so that she didn't worry herself sick and worry her parents with her odd behavior. Finally, after half an hour of staring, he started.

Vivi,

Merry Christmas, love! Thinking about you all day, I promise you that. When we see each other next I will give you your present, okay? Don't you worry about getting me one, I mean it. Denny sends his greetings.

Cars do tend to kill many people, but I made it home just fine. Mum picks us up from the station and we apparate out instead of driving home. I'm assuming you do something similar, but I'm still glad you made it home alright. Please don't worry about me, I'm doing perfectly alright and things will stay fine. I'm confident that I can handle it all.

I'm glad I'm not the only one, then. Three parties, did you say? That's nothing, I've had four. Just kidding, love, three is quite ridiculous. I hope they don't exhaust you by the end of the holidays, I'd like to meet up with you and see you being well rested and cared after. You're taking care of yourself, surely? I'm sure my holiday will be brilliant, and I hope your's stays better than you remember.

I miss you more than should be allowed. Merry Christmas, Vivi! Don't get caught under any mistletoe. Stay safe, and I'll see you before you know it.

Damien

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

Damien,

Happy Christmas, Damien! I hope yours has been all right. Mine was fine. I have a few new dresses to show off in our secret place over these next few weeks! I hope my modeling won't bother you. Tell Denny I send mine back. I'm going shopping with my mother and sister tomorrow, and I'll pick you up something with the intent of "buying it for myself." They won't even notice, probably.

You're safe, love, and that's what matters to me. You can't know how lovely it is to come home late at night to a letter from who else but you!

I didn't think it was possible to miss anything as much as I miss you now. We'll have a lot of catching up to do when I see you again. I hope the days fly by until then. Stay well, and I'll see you much later than I would like.

Vivianne

[damien]

Vivi,

My Christmas was okay. It would have been much better if I could have seen you, but I had the letter from yesterday to wake up to, so at the moment that's all I can ask for, no? I promise you, the modeling won't bother me in the least. You know how much I love seeing you, no matter what you're wearing; you're always pretty, clothes or...no clothes.

Don't get into trouble with buying me a present, although by the time you get this it'll probably be too late. You better not have spent too much or gotten caught, Vivianne Catherine Flint. Stay safe and happy, and I'll be happy. I must admit, waking up to your letters makes the days bearable.

I miss you most out of everything I miss about Hogwarts. I'm counting down the days until I get to see your face and kiss you once more. I hope the days fly by as well, but I imagine things might always be too slow for us. People get impatient when they really want something, yeah? Keep happy and take care of yourself, and write back soon. Keep me in your thoughts, please. You're always in mine.

Damien

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

December 26

Damien,

Of course mine would have been far better if you were there. But you're making me blush, Damien. Really. You shouldn't say things like that. They aren't... proper.

It's not as if I'll go into bankruptcy to get you something for Christmas, love. But it was all fine. It's nice and wrapped and stored in the bottom of my trunk for when you'll have it in your hands. I'm fine. Everything is really going along quite well. Tell me something you've been doing. I want to know what muggle Christmases are like.

I don't know how I could get you out of my thoughts. I think about you and how much I miss you constantly. One letter doesn't take the place of seeing your face and kissing you. Do you have that same room reserved for the day we come back. I think we'll need it. I miss you terribly.


Vivianne

[damien]

December 27

Vivi,

My goal is to make you blush often, Vivianne. Just because things aren't proper doesn't mean they can't be said. You know you enjoy all of my dirty talk. Kidding. Well, mostly. Did I mention you look good without clothes on? Alright, stopping there.

I'm glad it all went well, and I won't lie and say getting a present from you doesn't make me feel special. It does. Muggle Christmases aren't the most exciting things in the world. Presents were open and Denny and I shared a nice glass of hot chocolate together. I have a new set of quills since mine are worn thin; baby brother knows best. Oh, and did I mention that our trunks did not accompany us home this holiday? It seems father thought they were too large, so we were stuck with bags of clothes this year. What can you do, though.

I'm glad that i'm being thought of, and I promise you're being thought of too. I don't know if I can really say how much I miss you. The days are a bit bleaker without your face to lighten them up. I can certainly get us that room for the day we come back, love. We'll make up for lost time, I promise. Miss you.

Damien

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

December 27

Damien,

It's not what young couples are supposed to talk about, Damien. We aren't supposed to have anything to do with such things. Doing something and talking about it are two completely different subjects entirely. Goodness, Damien. If my father would see someone of your letters...

Hm. They always looked different than ours on the posters and things I see everywhere. All of these muggle things seem so odd and different than what I'm used to. You have everything you need, though? I can find a way to pick up something if you need something, Dey.

Why do there seem to be more days than I can handle ahead of us before I can see you again? I miss you so, so much.


Vivianne

[damien]

December 28

Vivi,

Is it just me, or were you smiling when you wrote me that? I hope you're smiling when you read these, even if you are blushing. Your smile is beautiful. And I would imagine talking about these things would be a lot more proper than actually doing them, love. If not, we could always take a poll to decide. I hope your father never sees any of this, Vivi, because then I might be a dead man. He need not know I've seen you without clothes.

I promise you, I have everything I need, Vivianne. I wouldn't let you risk coming to see me anyways, love. That would be rather reckless on too many levels, and we are not Gryffindors. Please don't worry about me.

I hope you'll be able to hold on, love, because I would hate for you to be sad during your holidays. You'll see me before you know it. Don't count the days, count the letters. Those are more enjoyable. I miss you a lot, Vivi. A ridiculous amount, even.

Damien

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

December 28

Damien,

I'm smiling because they're you. At least, they're something of you. Without you here, I have to settle for the next best thing. In this case, it's your letters. No matter what they say, you're handwriting makes me smile because it's like no one else's. You know what I mean? Or do I sound like a complete fool?

It's hard not to worry for the people you care about, Damien.

I'll be handling all right, I think. I have to be off, though. Mother says it's important that we go to this late night thing tonight. I'll be thinking about you the whole time, I'm sure. Still missing you like mad.


Vivianne