To Keep Us Sane

[damien]

December 29

Vivi,

You don't sound like a complete fool, I promise. Your handwriting is simply Vivianne, so I know just what you mean. While the letters will never be good as actually seeing you, they are sustaining me through the holidays. Don't fret, I'm not having a horrible time or anything. I would just be having a better time if you were here to hug and kiss or at least just see. But I am alright.

I know it's hard not to worry about those you care for, Vivi. I worry about you constantly, and Denny, and my mum, and others. You especially, of course, because I care about you so deeply. Don't fret yourself sick, though, because I'm all right. Promise.

I hope you still are handling fine, and that you had fun with your mum at whatever late night thing you headed to. Denny and I are spending the day together. He'll probably get sick of me talking about you, but I'm the older brother so he'll survive. I miss you so much it hurts. Is that pathetic of me?

Damien

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

December 29

Damien,

No, I'm not having a terrible time either. Really, it's the best Christmas and vacation I can remember. It would just be better if you were with me everywhere I went. For one, Mother wouldn't be yelling at me for not flirting enough. Can you imagine! I bet your mother has to keep you from flirting with every pretty girl who walks by. You dog.

I try, love. Hope you aren't worrying over me either. I'm perfectly fine and cared for. Nothing that I need besides your company, but you shouldn't come for both of our sakes. Your parents probably wouldn't like you running off to meet with some girl they don't even know.

I don't think so. I couldn't sleep last night because I was too busy thinking about you. And I had just had a coffee at the house of one of mother's friends, but I think it was you that kept me up and not the coffee.

[damien]

December 30

Vivi,

I'm glad yours is the best you can remember. Mine has turned out rather well too, I think. I agree that you would make it better, though. I'm sad to hear about your mum yelling at you for not flirting enough, but I do hope you continue not to. I'd be a bit saddened if you found a replacement for me so fast. As for me flirting with pretty girls, there are a few problems with that. I don't flirt well with strangers, only you, and I'm never near the village. We're split off from civilization, you see. So no worries of your dog of a boyfriend flirting. Oh, did I mention I wouldn't do that anyways?

I'm extremely happy to hear that you're taken care of and fine, but I must agree that me coming to see you would not go over well. I'd be worried less about my parents reacting to their son running off, and more worried about your parents reacting to a random strange boy coming to chat up their daughter. I might not make it back home alive.

Are you sure it wasn't the coffee? Grant it, I've had a few sleepless nights thinking about you, but it's all right. I just miss you a lot, Vivianne. Terribly.

Damien

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

December 30

Damien,

Well, at least I have you all to myself. Even if we only have letters right now, at least some other girls can't have a shot at you. I just try to think of what everything will be like when I get to see you again. School will be much better than it ever was before. Don't you think so?

Yes, it would not be in our best interests to do this. School in a few days. I've never looked forward to it more. I just need to see you again before I go crazy from being away from you. Only a little more now, though.

I think for sure it was you. Coffee can't keep me up as long as your thought did last night. I couldn't stop thinking about the dumbest things about you and me and everything. I think I spent ten minutes literally remembering how you said my name. I've gone mad.

[damien]

December 31

Vivi,

Happy birthday, my love! You're 18 today, and older than your boyfriend. Does it feel any different? You're getting old on me, dear. Just kidding, of course.

School will be far greater now, I'll say. Anytime we get bored in class, we can think about us, together, with no clothing articles and a nice soft bed. Oh, there I go being a dog again. I just can't help myself. But at least I'm all yours, right? Maybe if you think about this part of me, you won't want to see me as quickly.

I was just kidding, of course, and I do hope you still want to see me. I know I would to see you horribly, and it's getting harder each day without having you to hold. You're right, though; only a little bit longer. We can make it. I can make it.

I don't think you've gone mad, nor do I think that's dumb. It's incredibly cute, Vivianne. In fact, I've got a little birthday surprise for you. I suppose it's a bit like a howler, only quiet, and it will repeat itself as many times as you need. I guess it's rather stupid, all I say is your name, but I thought it'd be better than just thinking about it on your birthday, right? It's attached on the note, just open it.

Again, happy birthday love. I hope you enjoy your gift, even if it is rather rubbish and possibly egotistical of me. We'll be together soon, and tomorrow is new years. So happy new year's eve as well! I miss you more and more, Vivianne.

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

December 31

Damien,

Godric, I feel ancient. I didn't think about being old than you. Did you know that it isn't entirely proper for that to be the case? My parents have only ever sent me over to older boys to try to make a match. Ugh, I feel about a hundred at the moment.

You're my dog, anyway, it seems. Because you keep saying such things about me. Honestly, if my father would get this letter, he would be searching for your address to show you what he thinks about it. Godric. It isn't right to talk about such things. Married couples... do things and never talk about it. It's not the way things are done.

I want to see you more every day. Your voice made me miss you all the more and remember what I have to come back to at school. Go to the train early if you can. I'm getting my parents to bring me around half past ten so we can maybe meet for a few minutes before everyone shows? Do you think you could get them to bring you?

Happy New Years to you too. I hope you have a good one. Make a nice resolution and all. Missing you has become second nature at this point.

[damien]

January 1st

Vivi,

Don't worry about being proper so much, love. With me, you're allowed to be completely improper. I don't mind, in any case. Besides, you're not too much older than me, and just because you're are doesn't mean anything. Don't feel a hundred, feel eighteen. You're still amazing.

Have you not yet realized that I don't always follow the rules, Vivianne? Shocking, I know, studious Ravenclaw that I am, but what can you do? Please, don't ever let your father catch sight of these letters. Can I still be your dog, even if it isn't proper? Your blush is ever so cute, and I'm sure half the time you even smile. Don't deny it dear.

I'm sorry to hear that my voice only made you miss me more. Well, I feel special knowing that, but the plan wasn't to make you feel worse. It doesn't take anything more than a cloud in the shape of a dress to have me thinking of you all over again and missing you so bad it aches. I can get Denny and I there early no problem, seeing as my parents aren't accompanying us to the train this year. I'll get us there early so that you and I can meet up behind a nice pillar somewhere.

Hopefully your birthday went well, and any parties you most likely went to for New Years Eve. Happy New Years, love. I've made a resolution already. Also, I'm sending you a kiss via letter; you'll just have to pretend a lot, but I wanted to kiss in the new year. Miss you like mad.

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

January 1st

Damien,

You're a scandal on legs, it seems. Being eighteen isn't so very different. It's just the thought of being older, really. Soon you'll be up here with me, though, and everything will be all right. But you can still be my highly improper dog. My dog who makes me blush every few seconds, especially in these letters where I can picture you saying these things. But I will not admit to smiling at such crude statements. Highly improper.

Excellent! We'll be able to meet before everyone is around to separate us again. I've already talked to you about the room. Why can't it come any sooner? Only a few more days away!

I pretended to have you there to kiss at midnight. Some other year, you'll be at my side and be able to greet the new year with me. I just made a toast like the rest of people who had not found someone to kiss when the clock struck twelve. In my mind, though, you were right there and ready to kiss me when the bell rang. I'm missing you more that is probably possible.

[damien]

January 2nd

Vivi,

I'll be eighteen in April, love. But close enough, I suppose. I'm happy to be your improper dog, because I know you love it so. When you picture me saying these things, do you picture that low voice of mine where I speak slowly? I hope you are, because that's how I would say them to you. Sorry, I'm probably being improper again. You won't admit to smiling at them, but you are smiling. I just know it.

Brilliant, yes? Things will be a bit more bearable on the train, then. Or maybe worse, once I have a taste and can't have the whole thing. The room will be ours, though, and then we can both...get filled up. There I go again. Not much longer now, love. So close I can almost taste it.

I pretended to have you to kiss as well, dear. I look forward to the year we can kiss in the future. Maybe it would be a bit better to think of the future, and the kisses we will have soon, than to think about the kiss that we couldn't have as the year changed. I miss you more than I can even describe now, love, and I just have to keep reminding myself that it's not too long to stop from apparating to see you right now.

[.Vivianne Catherine Flint !]

January 2nd

Damien,

Now I'm the improper one for dating someone younger than me. You make me feel old. And what other voice would I picture, my love? Look at that. You have me being improper now. You're rubbing off on me, I'm afraid. Look what you're doing to me!

My new letter will be the last, my dear, dear Damien! I can hardly wait. I've already packed. This is a first for me. I'm always scrabbling for something I've forgotten on the day that the train is supposed to leave to come back. The moments can't pass nearly fast enough. I can't wait to kiss you again, be in your arms again, just see you again, hear your voice! We'll have a lot of catching up to do, so I hope that you didn't leave any last minute homework. I'll be taking that time to catch up on everything we didn't get to do over the Christmas break.

The kisses in the future will have to do. Soon, though, I'll be able to kiss you again as I've been missing since we left with just a good bye kiss. I can barely keep myself from finding your address to see you again. The hours need to stop passing at the speed of a day! I miss you and long to be in your arms again.