Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

There. João caught her. She had definitely lied about failing in legilimens, because he was sure she stopped his heart and started it again, just when he didn't even blink as he looked into her eyes. She was at least merciful, because it'd only stopped for a second, not enough to drain colour out of his face, not enough to ruin his comfortable sitting, not enough to make any physical mark, unless she was really able to read his thoughts.

He let another hearbeat pass, still not blinking away, though his stare wasn't tensed. "Do you want it to be?" he simply asked as neutral as he could be as his heartbeats got faster in anticipation.

Yes. Yessssss. Yes she did. And Aspen would have said so right away, nodded, confirmed, and asked WHEN -- but hesitated.

Because he was doing that thing of answering questions with another question, neither confirming or denying that he was inviting her. Though he'd come to see her, and held true to his promise of writing her, who really knew if Joao really wanted HER to cross the ocean to see him? And if the answer was no - that'd be fine, but at this point when she had her hopes up - it'd sting a little.

Maybe a lot.

...

She slipped a hand in her robe. In case she needed to set him on fire or hex him into next week.

"Yes." ............ "More than anything."

Adrenaline. If it sped up the heart and breathing, why did it appear at times of holding breath? If she'd answered a second late, she would have answered a fainted boy, and that would have ruined everything. He had to have his adrenaline checked--once his brain worked properly.

The first two things he did, even before smiling and relaxing his body that had tensed against his will, were to breathe, and to control his mouth's smiling limit not to scare her off to think all his life's aim had been her visit. Then he had to find his voice and trust it wasn't too enthusiastic.

"You only need to tell me when." There was nothing he could do about his glinting eyes though. Hopefully, she wouldn't see well in the dark corner. "We can go to Rio de Janeiro, or Brasília, or anywhere you want."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

Adrenaline. If it sped up the heart and breathing, why did it appear at times of holding breath? If she'd answered a second late, she would have answered a fainted boy, and that would have ruined everything. He had to have his adrenaline checked--once his brain worked properly.

The first two things he did, even before smiling and relaxing his body that had tensed against his will, were to breathe, and to control his mouth's smiling limit not to scare her off to think all his life's aim had been her visit. Then he had to find his voice and trust it wasn't too enthusiastic.

"You only need to tell me when." There was nothing he could do about his glinting eyes though. Hopefully, she wouldn't see well in the dark corner. "We can go to Rio de Janeiro, or Brasília, or anywhere you want."

Aspen hadn't been holding her breath (it hindered her aim when casting, and hurt concentration), but the change in her from BEFORE he answered to his AFTER his answer were visible, if not palpable.

It really was what she wanted. Not just to see more of him, and to see him in his home, but to just get away. Really, really far away. And as soon as possible.

With a tiny, teensy, there but just barely hint of embarrassment, Aspen proceeded. She'd ALWAYS been a planner, ever since she was little and had taken West as her own charge, she'd been making plans for him, for her, for everyone. She'd already been planning this trip, just in case Joao did extend the invitation. Really, she'd already PLANNED it.

She pulled out a little planner from her robes, a little calendar that already had a date circled on it. "This is the day the train drops us off at King's Cross." Pause... "I'll be ready then." Like straight away... from the train straight to portkey or however he crossed the Atlantic. She showed him the circled date. She'd already ... yeah. Planned. Hoped.

Instead of being more relaxed, João was stiffer and more alert than ever; because he didn't want to mess up this time. He had many questions too, and even more doubts about this invitation; but he postponed them for the time being and simply let her surprise him again with the circled date on the planner. A part of him had known that such a thing was coming, but the bigger part looked surprised and pleased deep down.

He leaned forward to see the page better. It sufficed to take one look at the date and it was burned on his brain. "What about your parents?" he asked as he looked at her again. "We have never met. Will they be comfortable with it, especially right away?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

Instead of being more relaxed, João was stiffer and more alert than ever; because he didn't want to mess up this time. He had many questions too, and even more doubts about this invitation; but he postponed them for the time being and simply let her surprise him again with the circled date on the planner. A part of him had known that such a thing was coming, but the bigger part looked surprised and pleased deep down.

He leaned forward to see the page better. It sufficed to take one look at the date and it was burned on his brain. "What about your parents?" he asked as he looked at her again. "We have never met. Will they be comfortable with it, especially right away?"

Aspen didn't raise her eyes at his questions. She'd expected the general idea of what he was asking, but not... how he was asking. Carefully, she phrased her response, "They...," hmm. They. Hmm. ".... my mum won't mind." And that wasn't a lie.

After that ... answer ... Aspen did look up to meet his eyes, though she was clearly guarded. "I think we should worry more about yours. How do they feel about you having visitors? " Aspen closed her little calendar book and put it away, certain he'd noted the date.

And then with no warning whatsoever or hint that it was coming, Aspen leaned over and put the smallest little hint of a kiss on his cheek.

João's eyebrows were almost lost inside his hair as she phrased her answer. So they didn't know. He wanted to believe she would ask them as soon as possible, but he knew better than that. Her manner brought a smile to his face though. She'd better learn to lie properly in two months.

"I won't kidnap you," he said directly, ignoring the part about his parents, "and I don't want an angry dad ready to kill me at any sight." Until she got permission from her parents, he wasn't even going to think about his.

"...it needs more than a kiss to distract me." It was more than enough to elicit a chuckle, and he was an inch away from grinning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

João's eyebrows were almost lost inside his hair as she phrased her answer. So they didn't know. He wanted to believe she would ask them as soon as possible, but he knew better than that. Her manner brought a smile to his face though. She'd better learn to lie properly in two months.

"I won't kidnap you," he said directly, ignoring the part about his parents, "and I don't want an angry dad ready to kill me at any sight." Until she got permission from her parents, he wasn't even going to think about his.

"...it needs more than a kiss to distract me." It was more than enough to elicit a chuckle, and he was an inch away from grinning.

And THAT - was why Aspen had asked Joao back to England. She needed someone that challenged her, that knew when she was twisting the truth, and to know when she was throwing out distractions as diversions. He got a real smile for calling her out, and it doubled in size when she could SEE that HE was a second away from grinning too.

"You won't kidnap me because you're incapable of doing so," FACT. They both might end up dead, but there's no WAY she'd be kidnapped while alive. It'd be a hellfire of hexes. "Besides, I'm going willingly. By invitation, even." Griiiiin. "After all our history together, you're more worried about my dad killing you then me? I'm almost offended."

João needed that--real smiles--and he felt amazing now that she offered him one. He had a vague idea how to amuse and please her, and he was willing to try when she visited Brazil.

If she visited Brazil.

"You don't know what I'm incapable of," he said dismissively, as if he didn't even consider kidnapping her like a real work. "I am told that I worry about myself too much, yes." He paused, searching for right words. "But my surname is not Odessa, so I think your father would not even consider sparing me." He grinned then and dropped the case... for now. Because it was getting dark and she had to get back to the castle soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

João needed that--real smiles--and he felt amazing now that she offered him one. He had a vague idea how to amuse and please her, and he was willing to try when she visited Brazil.

If she visited Brazil.

"You don't know what I'm incapable of," he said dismissively, as if he didn't even consider kidnapping her like a real work. "I am told that I worry about myself too much, yes." He paused, searching for right words. "But my surname is not Odessa, so I think your father would not even consider sparing me." He grinned then and dropped the case... for now. Because it was getting dark and she had to get back to the castle soon.

That sounded like a challenge. Aspen would save it for Brazil (because she was totally going, come hell or high water) to take him up on that challenge. Maybe they'd just SEE if he was capable of kidnapping her. The idea of it made her smile even more, longer, though ever-so-slightly more... devious.

"No...," she laughed, "that's not what I meant." Aspen dropped her eyes to the table,where she drew a little designs on the table with her finger. "What I meant was, you should worry more about you, but not because my dad will harm you. But worry for you because I might." She had before.

Multiple times.

It'd probably happen again.

"You don't have to worry about my well-being. I can take care of myself. And I'll take care of King's Cross and my.... parents." Parents. Yeah. She could feel that their time was running out, could also see it in the cast of shadows around the dingy room that the sun was near setting. "I'll see how much Portuguese I can learn in a couple of months."

There was nothing more fearsome enjoyable on earth like Aspen and her light mood when she was challenged. He grinned at her, distracted for a moment as he visioned their time together, and it took all his will not to laugh.

"Oh, right," he said, eyebrows raised. "You won't have a guide to give you a free tour and home, then." Not that she could harm him. Too much. He knew her patterns now. Or he thought he did.

That didn't sound too well, and he got serious all of a sudden. "Don't take care of them, Aspen. Take their permission." He wanted to think she didn't really mean the phrase, but he had to make sure. "I'll meet them, and probably my father too, if they wish to." Could she see the concern in his eyes?

GOOD.

Sitting there for a few more seconds as he let her understand it was important to him that she did everything right before visiting him, he got up and offered her his hand to walk her to school.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

There was nothing more fearsome enjoyable on earth like Aspen and her light mood when she was challenged. He grinned at her, distracted for a moment as he visioned their time together, and it took all his will not to laugh.

"Oh, right," he said, eyebrows raised. "You won't have a guide to give you a free tour and home, then." Not that she could harm him. Too much. He knew her patterns now. Or he thought he did.

That didn't sound too well, and he got serious all of a sudden. "Don't take care of them, Aspen. Take their permission." He wanted to think she didn't really mean the phrase, but he had to make sure. "I'll meet them, and probably my father too, if they wish to." Could she see the concern in his eyes?

GOOD.

Sitting there for a few more seconds as he let her understand it was important to him that she did everything right before visiting him, he got up and offered her his hand to walk her to school.

"I'd just take your home," Aspen answered simply. Though, she hardly knew what sort of home Joao did live in. A house? A cottage? An apartment? A giant mansion with troll guards? Merlin, she hoped it was the last. Trolls for guards. That'd be amazing.

The glow and fun and smiles was waning though, waning with his insistence about parents. See. The thing was. Aspen didn't have... Hmm. She'd just have to find a way to get around that whole thing. Though, it was going to be hard because for whatever reason, it was OBVIOUSLY important to Joao. She could see it on him, though she wanted very badly to pretend she didn't see it or that his concern didn't matter.

It did matter. She'd just have to think it over in the coming months. She'd probably think of little else, so she'd have it worked out by the time the train rolled into King's Cross.

Aspen took his hand, noting which hand he offered, and got up too. "I don't think my parents are coming to King's Cross." She knew they weren't. "It's just me and West." Pause. Maybe that'd work? "You can meet him again. You two didn't get off on the right foot before." In Herbology, where Aspen and Joao began their wand-slinging relationship.

João shook his head to himself. Of course they weren't going to King's Cross. It took all his will not to judge them, such parents who didn't greet--it was way over him to even think about criticising them.

Maybe it had been a horrendous idea to invite her over. What if she would be disappointed in Brazil? What if she was caught up in the adventurous feeling of it now, but once she'd crossed the Atlantic she would regret it? There was no way to find out her vision of Brazil or what she expected from him and--

"Okay. I'll meet him." Could she tell he was very distracted? They'd started walking and he reached out to hold the door for her, keeping silent in the process. Only then did he fully register who she'd mentioned.

"You said West?...what will he say about it?"