Quote:
Originally Posted by
Edward Penguin 
Elan felt more comforted by Nia's gentle touches than he could have imagined. He was a little surprised when she gathered him in her arms and he could feel a sense of need to hold him. It felt odd. He would have thought that as the boy, he should be the strong one, but perhaps this is the way it needed to be, one comforting the other. this was a growth time for him, though he wouldn't likely realize it until much later. He only knew right now, that she was making him feel better.
As she rocked him when he whispered out the word alone, he felt a connection, a stirring inside his chest that he really hadn't before. It wasn't like she was being motherly, like it might have seemed to someone who might be looking on. She was being a partner, sharing his grief and loneliness and pain. It was as if by her actions, she was trying to shoulder his burdens not from him, but with him. It was a good feeling, one he only knew as relief. Her kind words gave him the first sense of hope that he had felt since the owl had arrived. He could only nod.
Her last question gave him pause. Could he answer it? Well, how could he not when she had decided that she would give herself to him in this way. "Well..." he began quietly. "...the note I received from the Italian ministry of magic was brief, but it appears that mum had begun practicing magic. She had become more open with it since I began to attend here. One day, dad came home and apparently, because things were going poorly at work, he blamed her and her witchy ways. They began to fight and mum was trying to defend herself, in the muggle way. There was a struggle...and..." he couldn't continue, but he thought she would understand. He began to look at his hands, as if embarrassed by his father's actions and that she would think poorly of him because of his father.
Nia really hoped she was helping. She'd never had to deal with something this big, and almost scary, before. But she wanted to get Elan through this. It'd be hard - but she was getting older now, and had always had a strong will and maturity, and Elan needed someone like that now. Someone that knew him, that he was comfortable with. Nia wasn't certain she was the
only person that came into that category, but she was
a person who could help, and that was all that mattered. It hurt her to see him so down, and she'd do all she could to help him through these times.
As he nodded in response to her words, Nia gave a reassuring smile. Mentally she was trying to find ideas that might lift him up - give him a boost so that he could find exactly where he stood. And maybe even where she stood. Did she feel the connection still? She thought she did, but they hadn't mentioned it since last year. And, well, this could affect things greatly. Not that she she be worrying about that now. She wasn't the one who mattered.
She sat quietly during that pause, not wanting to rush Elan. She guessed how hard it was. She swallowed slowly, and almost felt a sense of pride in Elan as he told the story. Despite his loss, he'd managed to kind of accept it, and that Nia could see as a positive thing in terms of grief. And then he looked down and away from her, as if trying to shy away from her - maybe embarrassed. She couldn't think what to say, what would be right...but she know Elan need not worry about her thoughts. Even if it was his father's fault, he was still family, right?
"It's okay," she said softly, cupping his chin in her free hand and lifting it gently. "Do you think that's what happened?"