Taking a Break (Rhys/Bren/Lana)

[Rhys Owens]

Rhys was tired, he’d been tied up with the classes at the Auror Academy ever since graduation; he was still surprised that he’d managed to get accepted, but it was a surprising amount of work. He puttered around his parents’ house as he waited for Bren to arrive. His mum had moved out some time during the school year – going to live with her family for a while – leaving him alone in the house. It was chock full of memories, of his dad and of Bran, and Rhys could understand completely why she had left. In fact, it was the reason he was looking to get the hell out of there too.

Spending the day with Bren was going to be a lot of fun, and he was desperately looking forward to it. Even more so though, he was hoping that he’d be able to convince Bren to join him in renting a place; apartments were expensive and Rhys had no intention of burning through his families vault so he could have a place to stay. A roommate would make everything a lot more affordable and he was pretty sure that Bren would be particularly fun to room with.

There wasn’t really anything else that he wanted to get done before Bren arrived so Rhys went and took a seat in the parlor to wait for his friend to come through the floo.

[Brennan Grahl]

Eventually Bren did arrive by floo but he was not alone. Holding a hand back for his traveling companion, Bren stepped out of the fireplace still offering that hand to help Lana step out after him. As for Bren himself, he looked so terrible. His eyes were red and puffy from a sleepless night full of tears. Rhys and Bren had not planned on having anyone along for their apartment hunt. In fact it had been implied that the two of them would go alone.

"Rhys..."

Bren croaked, as his throat was still sore from so much crying the night before. He wanted to go to Rhys but something kept him firmly planted where he stood.

[Svetlana Grahl]

Lana took Bren's hand as she stepped from the floo. Not for assistance, but rather to give it as comforting a squeeze as she could. She wasn't sure how much she was able to comfort him, seeing as he had spent all of the night crying in her arms. If her presence helped at all, she would have thought he would have managed to get some sleep. Still, she didn't look much better. Her face was pinched and drawn, though there was no evidence of tears. That wasn't something that she was willing to give into.

She had originally started to deny Bren's request. He and Rhys needed to talk. But after gazing into his face, really looking, she agreed to go. She would be there, if only to support him. Besides, it wasn't as if she had any plans anymore.

"Hello, Rhys," she greeted, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. "I hope you don't mind me being here..."

[Rhys Owens]

Rhys rose happily to his feet when Bren stepped gracefully through the floo. However, he came to a sudden stop, more than a little surprised and confused, when Bren turned around to help someone else step through after him. It didn’t bother him that Lana was joining them but he was about to comment on the fact that it would have been nice to be asked first – but it was at that point that he actually managed to consciously take in Bren’s appearance and he completely froze.

Bren looked absolutely wrecked and it was extremely obvious that something was tearing him apart. He felt a ball of fear form in his stomach when Bren’s harsh voice called his name and he started to take a step forward – intent on taking the other young man into his arms. Lana’s voice ringing out stopped him again; he’d almost forgotten that she was there.

The smile was long gone from his face, and his eyes were blazing with worry and curiosity. He replied, “I don’t’ mind at all Lana; you’re always welcome. I would appreciate it though if someone would tell me what’s going on.”

It occurred to him at that point that Bren, who was obviously in pain about something, hadn’t stepped forward seeking Rhys’ comfort or support since he’d arrived. This made Rhys hesitate again and start to fear that he’d done something wrong. Instead of stepping forward and hugging Bren as he’d intended, he slipped his hands awkwardly into his pockets and waited for someone to tell him what was going on.

[Brennan Grahl]

Bren was thankful for Lana's small gesture of support but he would much rather have sank into Rhys' arms when he approached like that. It would have been inappropriate in this moment though. There were matters to be addressed and only THEN would he know if Rhys was still willing to endure Bren's company.

"Thank you... for permitting Lana to be here... if she or I were spotted anywhere alone or in different company there would be no end to the questions..."

He would not mind being questioned but it was his father questioning Lana that he feared. The man could be brutal and Lana was a delicate flower that a beast like his father could smash without remorse. The very thought terrified Bren and he squeezed her hand just to make sure she was still there and safe with him.

"Rhys, we... I... cannot have an apartment with you. As of graduation Lana and I..."

With jagged breath Bren braced himself for the tears to come but that well was long dry since last night. Which was good, because if he started crying now he felt as though he might never stop.

"...are arranged to be married."

He explained with all the reluctance of a child who did not want to tell some misdeed of his but knowing the punishment would only be worse if he kept it secret any more. His eyes never left Rhys' as he explained the situation. Bren was a mix of pain and fear and sadness for the hopeless situation and how his father would not even consider the idea that Bren might have been interested in someone else. Lana was sweet, and a great friend, but she would never be the sort that could make his heart flutter.

"If we do not wed..."

He continued, choking dry sobs, as there was more, still more to explain how and why this was happening. Or at least why he and Lana were even entertaining the idea.

"... there will be only death and misery for both of our families."

Granted the current situation meant misery for Bren and Lana for certain and perhaps even Rhys, but at least no one had to die.

[Svetlana Grahl]

Lana sent Rhys a ghost of a smile, appreciating that he wasn't going to boot her out of his home. Not that she had ever believed him capable of such an act. Though there was a good chance of it after they told him. The expressions of both of her favorite boys left her wanting to pull her hand from Bren and give him a push towards Rhys. She would have too, if Bren hadn't chosen that moment to squeeze her hand.

No end to the questions. Surely they were allowed to have friends. Okay, so she shouldn't go around alone with a guy friend as it wouldn't be proper. But couldn't Bren be seen with a fellow man? Male bonding and all of that? She wasn't certain, but she was hopeful.

As Bren took his jagged breath and steeled himself to finish telling Rhys what the hell was going on, Lana's hold tightened around his hand. For all intents and purposes, he was her anchor right now and if she didn't hold onto him she wasn't sure she could stay upright. She had thought her heart was as broken as it could be, but as he uttered the words it seemed to shatter all over again.

It was no secret to Lana that life wasn't fair, but this whole thing just seemed to add insult to injury. She knew that she could never do anything for Bren aside from lend him support and try to be a good friend. If that alone didn't hurt enough there was the fact that he could easily be all that she needed. Handsome, sweet, a good dancer, and an even better man. Alas, she wasn't his type. And he was far too dear to her for her to truly be upset by that. All she wanted was for him to be happy. After all, none of this was his fault.

Lana leaned into Bren for a moment, coming close to tears at being reminded of what would happen if they not go through with this. Unable to just stand there anymore she released his hand and rushed Rhys, throwing her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Merlin, I am so sorry. This is all my fault."

Pulling away from him she looked between the two. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold back the tears, but she refused to make them feel any worse about the situation than they already did. Knowing that they really needed to talk, she glanced around the room.

"I'm just going to go... umm... look around or powder my nose... or something just as girly..." That said, she didn't move until she got some semblance of a response from one of them.

[Rhys Owens]

The formality of the situation just confused Rhys further, why would either of them think that Lana wouldn’t always be welcome where ever Rhys was living? True – he hadn’t really expected her to be joining them today but her presence certainly wasn’t unwelcome. Then the rest of Bren’s sentence penetrated his mind and Rhys was sure the lack of understanding was perfectly clear on his face – why would anyone care who they were hanging out with or if they were alone together somewhere? They were friends and friends did stuff together all the time.

His mind, which had been grinding in place trying to figure out what was going on, came to a screeching halt with the next words that left Bren’s mouth. It suddenly started to become at least a little bit clear just what was happening – the idea that Bren and Lana had somehow gotten together after graduation was surprising and hurt more than a little bit. He did his best to brace himself for what he was sure was going to be said to finish the sentence. The words weren’t exactly what he’d thought they would be, but they were very efficient at demolishing Rhys’ heart regardless.

For a moment he wasn’t able to breath, and the rushing sound that filled his ears meant he almost missed the explanation as to what would happen if the two didn’t marry. There had been some hope that perhaps something could be worked out and this would all be alright – but Rhys knew that he would never do anything that could ever possibly put either of his friends in danger; so his only hope now was that he’d wake up and it would all just be a bad dream.

Rhys’ mind was so distracted he didn’t even see Lana move, and he almost fell over when she threw herself at him – wrapping her arms around his neck. He managed to catch his balance and put his arms around her as well to steady them. He could feel tears starting to form and with an extreme effort of will, which he hadn’t thought he was actually capable of; he managed to choke them back before they even appeared in his eyes. The first thing that flashed through his mind was the old saying that bad things always happened in threes: first there was the loss of his father and brother, now of Bren and Lana – as he knew that he likely didn’t have the emotional fortitude to spend a great deal of time with them after they actually married – and he had no idea what the third would be but he couldn’t begin to imagine how it would be worse than what had come so far.

“Hey,” he whispered into her ear, “It’s not your fault; everything will be fine. You’ll see.”

It wasn’t exactly clear to Rhys just how everything was going to be fine but it certainly seemed like the thing to say. At least Bren and Lana would have each other; that would count for something. He let her go as she pulled away and mentioned heading to freshen up – he pointed out the door and said, “If you hang a left out the door the second door on the right is a washroom.”

He wasn’t really sure that he could handle being alone with Bren right now – but there wasn’t really anything he could do to change it.

[Brennan Grahl]

With apology in his eyes, Bren watched after Lana as she found some girl’s way of escaping this horrible scene. Rhys was nice to give her directions so she had a comfortable path away from this. Unable to stop himself now, Bren advanced on Rhys. He stepped closer wanting nothing more than to embrace him and never let go. But he could not take the thought of Rhys pushing away from his arms if he tried. A shuddered breath escaped him before Bren could speak again.

“I wish things were different Rhys. I want you to know that. If I had more choice in the matter I would have gladly spurn my family and their prejudices and we would follow our previous plans. There is nothing I wanted more than to find a perfect little flat for the two of us where we could live out our days contentedly.”

Bren inhaled deep and exhaled slowly, forcing his breath to remain even when he wanted to break into dry sobs for how hopeless the situation had become.

“It would be unfair and selfish of me to ask if you would still consider there to be an “us”; even if it cannot be publically known. You deserve your happiness as much as the next person. I love you Rhys, I regret that it took my father getting in the way for me to realize just how much. If I do not go through with this marriage, Lana’s mother will have broken an unbreakable promise she made some years ago and she will die.”

With Lana out of the room, Bren felt more comfortable talking about the details. It was for her sake that he did not speak them before. Finding out last night was difficult enough, he could only imagine what was going through her head. She was practically a saint in his book, she had shed few tears that he had seen and she did not come to hate or resent Bren for the situation he and her family had put her in. Why could he not just find interest in a pureblood girl and marry her to make his father happy? Sometimes he cursed himself for being “misguided” as his mother called it, but one cannot tell the sky to be anything but blue.

“I’ve never been a murderer, I will not start now. Please forgive me, for this, all of it.”

Even though he had done nothing, he felt as though he had terribly betrayed Rhys for the circumstance alone.

[Svetlana Grahl]

Lana's eyes strayed over to Bren and didn't leave him as Rhys gave her directions. She wouldn't allow herself to dwell on Rhys' opinion that this wasn't her fault. The only way she could stay strong through all of this is if she took responsibility for it. Very much so a "you've made your bed, now sleep in it" mentality.

Finally satisfied that Bren would be okay to be alone with his boyfriend, she took her leave. The feeling that there was an elephant sitting on her chest lessened somewhat as she took a right out of the room. Her heart was still aching and breathing was still difficult, but knowing that if she needed to break down she could do so without having to worry about anyone else was a relief. She could only imagine, even after witnessing the tears, how badly this hurt Bren. To be stuck with a wife that held no attraction for you all because your mother in law would die if you hadn't wed. He was a knight among men to agree to this despite his own pain.

It wasn't until then that she realized that she hadn't passed any doors that would have been a wash room. Any other time she would have just turned around unfazed, but now it hit her like a physical blow. She dropped her face into her hands for a moment, taking a deep breath. When she didn't feel like she was going to crumple to the floor, she turned around and headed the other way.

She came back upon the parlor door and was about to pass as Bren was finishing his explanation to Rhys. A cold hand tightened around her heart and she brought a fist up to muffle her sob. Her grace deserted her and she stumbled a couple of steps back. She was glad when she backed into a wall and could use its sturdy presence, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor. Taking deep, gulping breaths she tried to keep the tears at bay.

Sure, she didn't have to accept this fate. She could have sat back and waited for her mother to perish. Then she would have two younger brothers to look after and she still wouldn't have been able to back to Russia for the ballet. There was no way that she would do that to her brothers or her mother though. She hadn't had anyway of knowing what favor Mr. Grahl would demand of her.

Out of nowhere the image of Nolan's face flit through her mind. She suddenly felt ill. She still needed to tell him. How in the world was she supposed to tell him all of this? How could she make him understand? Especially when Bren had been a spot of contention in the past. Finding the wash room was completely forgotten at this point, as she drew her legs up and hugged her knees to her chest. Forehead resting on her knees, she still didn't allow the tears to fall.

[Rhys Owens]

Rhys pulled his hands from his pockets after Lana left the room and Bren started to actually close the distance between the two of them. For a brief second, Rhys had thought that Bren was actually going to seek out the comfort that he apparently desperately needed. That wasn’t the case though, and when Bren stopped almost within reach Rhys crossed his arms uncomfortably across his chest. He could feel his heart racing so fast that it almost hurt.

The tears that Rhys had managed to choke back made a reappearance and fought desperately to get free as Bren started his apology. Bren had once again managed to put Rhys’ own thoughts and feelings into words and speak them back to him. It was an odd ability; but one that had never failed to make Rhys feel better until today.

It was hard not to laugh morbidly at the idea that Rhys still deserved to be able to find happiness – in his life to date he’d had feelings for two people and both of them had been wrenched away from him through this situation. When Bren admitted his love Rhys finally lost the battle and he felt the tears well up in his eyes and begin to fall. Rhys felt any remaining hope die when Bren explained that it was an unbreakable vow

He was shaking his head emphatically before Bren ever finished the sentence about not wanting to become a murderer. When he spoke, his voice was harsh and gravelly from suppressed emotion, “I would never ask that of you and there is nothing to forgive.”

After a deep breath he continued, “All we can do is work with what we have. At least you and Lana will have each other. You’re great friends and you’ll be able to take care of each other and keep each other safe and happy, and keep everyone else alive. That’s important.”

There was nothing Rhys wanted more than to run and hide. Either up to his room or perhaps further than that. But Bren deserved better than that. With an effort of will he started trying to think of it from another perspective. He was entering a career that was notoriously dangerous and was intending to make it his life’s purpose to find out about and destroy a group that had killed numerous wizards and witches over the last few months that all had significantly more experience than he did. The odds of him surviving his own quest were practically non-existent and this way Bren wouldn’t ever have to deal with his eventual failure.