Ophelia (purevisions) wrote in carpediem_rp, @ 2015-11-21 20:31:00 |
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Entry tags: | character: alexei vetrov, character: ophelia sinclair, thread: complete |
Who: Ophelia and Alexei
When: 21 November, around 3pm
Where: empty classroom
What: talking
Rating/Warnings: none really
Status: Closed/Complete
Ophelia was more than a little bit confused at how the magic of the school had been thrown off so drastically, and she knew a lot of the other students probably felt the same way. Not being able to use magic confused her, but she did not mind that she could hide away and paint. It wasn't like she did much outside of that usually, though she could not work on potions and that was annoying. She could mostly deal with that- at least she always kept a stock of potions for her brother in case she got sick and couldn't brew.
She did not expect a sound at the door and she startled slightly before looking over, curious and possibly a bit unnerved too. Being around people was not easy for her like it was for some of her housemates. Alexei though was not nearly as difficult as some others, and it was him peeking in. She lifted one hand in a wave, offering a half smile along with it.
Alexei was more than a little out of sorts by the current circumstances at the school. Without magic, he felt more than a little vulnerable, and defensive. And therefore was avoiding his common - or other public places as much as possible. He had a Russian novel and was looking for somewhere else to be for the afternoon. Unfortunately the classroom with the nice windows was, apparently, already occupied. He paused when he saw the older Slytherin, Ophelia. "Pardon," Alexei murmured, prepared to depart to leave her to her work. "I did not mean to disturb your painting."
Ophelia shook her head slightly. It wasn't an interruption really. She could paint on her own or with someone around, that was not a problem. It took a few moments to focus her mind and will on actually speaking, but her voice was oddly stronger than normal- still soft, but assured at the same time. “You can stay.” Because his being there was not a hardship to her. She actually tended to enjoy his company to some degree- and perhaps more than enjoy, though she could not give much thought to that now.
He didn't leave as she shook her head, though there was a pause before she spoke. He didn't directly leave, waiting for her to either speak of dismiss him… He should make his excuses… to let her bed. However he didn't know where else to go, really. "If you are quite certain, Ophelia."
Ophelia set down her paintbrush and wiped her hands on a cloth before looking back at him. It was nice to be treated with courtesy - few really spoke to her anymore since the recent escape, and she knew that at least one of her former friends believed she would side with the newly restored death eaters - she didn't know if she would, her loyalty was her brother, nothing more. “I am, yes. If you would like to stay.” Still flawed sentences, but long enough to be understood without help she hoped.
"It was my intention to find somewhere to read," Alexei explained, in case Ophelia had not noticed the book he was holding. He wasn't bothered the breakout. He might not have known it was happening, but he knew her family was allied with his family. It was not something that would frighten him.
“I am quiet.” It was true. She didn't speak much for the most part and so she wasn't likely to be much of an interruption. She looked back at her picture, examining it carefully. She would not interrupt him if he wanted to be left to read. It was just logical enough to her that if he wanted to read, she should not speak.
"Is that bad?" Alexei never worried about it. Quiet meant discrete. Discrete was appropriate. Alexei wished that… but there was no point in that kind of thinking. "Говори меньше, умнее будет; speak less, it is smarter." Alexei quoted his mother.
Ophelia offered a half smile and shrugged. “I speak to those who matter.” It was true. Laertes. Sometimes a few others. It really depended on her mood and the reasoning at the time for speaking. If there wasn't a reason, why bother?
"Would that others had such decorum," Alexei snarked softly. Many would be better served to speak far less than they did - and to far fewer people. Since Ophelia seemed accepting of his presence, he moved to the window, rearranging a couple of the seats so he could sit by it comfortably.
Her smile remained in place as she nodded, his statement factual in her mind. People spoke from places of misinformation and misguided assumptions far too regularly. It was better to remain quiet unless you truly had something of worth to say. Though, an additional thought did cross her mind. “Some who should speak more don't.” Because she would take no issue to him speaking more with her.
"A far rarer phenomenon I think." Alexei mused in response to her assertion. Alexei was not always good about that, but then he was taught that it was part of his duty to speak up. He was pure-blooded… Russian… male… He shrugged, and opened his book to let her resume painting.
“It is, yes.” Ophelia settled herself back at her canvas. He wanted to read and she would let him do that. She didn't want to be troublesome or bore him. Plus, he was betrothed to Sera and so she did not want to get too interested in talking and being around him. It wouldn't lead anyplace productive.
They could be friends. She was his cousin's roommate. And they got on well enough. Alexei was here, in a classroom because he did not feel completely comfortable even in his own common. And with the magic being oddly suppressed, he was doing what he could to keep himself relaxed. There weren't as many things he could do at present that calmed him because of it.
Ophelia glanced over at him a few times subtly, trying to build up the will again to talk. Or maybe courage. She wasn't sure which she needed at this point. She absently bit her lower lip, her brush applying streaks of paint to the canvas as she tried to decide what, if anything, she should say. “Reading something good?”
"A Russian novel," Alexei answered, because that automatically meant that it was good - it was Russian. He wasn't lost in his reading though, aware that he was not alone, and aware that Ophelia was there, painting… and that magic was strange.
Ophelia nodded faintly. She did read, usually older novels. She didn't know many Russian authors- mostly Nabakov, honestly. She looked at him for a moment longer before turning back to her painting for now. She didn't want to disturb him entirely, though she did like his notice.
When Alexei read non-school things, he usually read in things in Russian. It served multiple purposes. It kept him connected to his family. It also prevented other students from making comments or sharing opinions on what he was reading. However in social (or somewhat social) circumstances, it made it more difficult to talk to someone about the book. Strange that he thought that a disadvantage right now because normally he was glad for that fact. He offered, "It is a contemporary work, modern" since that at least was something that was easy to generalize.
“I read mostly older novels.” Her voice was soft, but she was pleased that he was talking and so she would not fail to reply. “Is it written in Russian? Or a translation?” She could read translations easily enough. Russian though was not something she was able to understand. Lae was the one with language skills.
"In Russian." It better ensured that no one else could read over his shoulder or anything like that. "I read in English too obviously, but not Russian writers." It seemed a little silly to read Russian works in translation to him - although obviously for someone like Ophelia it made sense.
“I don't have any skill for language.” This said softly, a faint flush rising in her cheeks. She did not know any other language fluently, even if she did know a few words in some other tongues. Russian, most certainly not though. She would have liked to have been able to talk to him in that language, or read the book so they could discuss- but then, it was rare that she used though words for a discussion.
Alexei had no choice, "We speak Russian often at home. It was my first language." He'd spoken English most of his life too, but there was a reason he occasionally slipped into a very subtle Russian accent when he was upset. "So it is not so much a skill as just what I know."
Ophelia nodded. “It is like my Sight then. Something that you just do.” It made sense in a way. She glanced at the book and then at him. “What is it about?” She was speaking to him almost as she would to Lae, wanting to keep interacting.
"It's about a fox girl and werewolf in Moscow." It was something that, were it not Russian, would probably receive scorn from his family, but because it was in the language of the motherland was allowed.
Ophelia nodded. She tended to not question things a lot, though she was curious about the book honestly. The Russian literature she had read in the past, (the minimal experience she had with it) had been rather dark, and so she wondered if this story was the same. “It sounds interesting.” A pause. “I should allow you to read.” Instead of bothering him with questions.
Alexei was not so slow as not to know her reputation for being non-verbal. "Is that not what most people tell you? Is this proof that your usual reticence to speak is indeed a curse, that it is dampened here, now?"
A soft laugh. “Not a curse. A choice.” Her voice was soft and she looked down. “Should be seen and not heard.” That was a constant refrain at home and honestly, she was pretty sure her parents could deal with having to do neither. Lae was different but that was because he cared for her, he always had.
"No one is really worth the effort of speaking to them, normally." Alexei certainly felt that way most of the time. Of course he was always an odd-man out, so it wasn't that unexpected. It was easy with Ophelia though, unexpectedly.
“I'd exclude my present company from that.” Spoken very softly, and she ducked her head, feeling colour rising in her cheeks. Why had she said that? Other than it being true. She was a Slytherin. She didn't just say anything that came to her mind, but for some reason she had wanted him to know. She knew he didn't have many friends, and while she had many people that spoke to her on occasion, she only counted very few as friends to her as well. She wondered idly if he was lonely sometimes - Hufflepuff was not like Slytherin, after all.
"You flatter me," Alexei murmured in reply. She did not share her words easily, so he did not doubt them when she elected to use them. She was right too that he was far more of a loner at school than he'd planned on being. He wasn't a Slytherin, despite his bloodlines and family. And he was far less friendly than most of the Hufflepuffs, who were so open and accepting of everyone, something Alexei was not. He had a cordial relationship with his roommates, but was not close to any of them. It was after all part of what had sent him out into the castle to read when the magic went off. That and he was hoping to stave off a compulsive episode, which would be more difficult to deal with without some of his magical abilities.
“It is deserved.” Ophelia lifted her head again, her eyes meeting his for a moment. A half smile was offered paired with it. She liked him being around and part of her hoped - because she knew of his issues- that her company would keep him from becoming unbalanced with regard to what had happened. “I like this room a lot. Usually a good place to relax.” Because it was. Most of the people in the school didn't isolate themselves like she did. “Always so loud in the common. Yours too?” She would guess because Hufflepuffs in general were more outgoing.
"It can be. And also glittery." Especially with the likes of Gracie and others. He didn't mind the strange girl, honestly, but the glitter tended to set him off. "Hence my seeking an alternative place to read, peacefully." He could read even with distractions, and liked the energy of the common, but with the magical suppression knew he was better off keeping to himself too.
“I'm still interrupting you.” Ophelia flushed again, looking back away. She should just shut up and let him read. Maybe she should leave? He wanted privacy, she imagined, and even if she had been there first she did not want to be rude and suggest he look someplace else. She did not mind going back to her room or something. Well. Probably to Lae, she guessed. She wouldn't be a bother to him she didn't think.
"As you do not regularly engage in conversation, I am aware of how fortunate I am that you are and do not view it as an interruption." Alexei didn't blush, but had he been less secure he might have. It almost sounded like flirting, but Ophelia was properly pure, and he was engaged to his cousin. It was just friendly conversation then, not flirting. It couldn't be construed as flirting, or shouldn't be.
“You are too kind.” After everything she rarely expected others to want her companionship, and the fact that he and R still did, even if most others did not was intriguing to her. She guessed though that for Alexei the reasoning was more logical. “It is pleasant to speak with you.” Because he wasn't annoying or loud or obnoxious like many within the school.
"Kind is not how most would describe me, usually." Alexei had no illusions about such things. "I am not." He certainly did not try to be at least. It wasn't what the ideal Russian young man was. Polite but not kind.
“Your words to me are kind.” Ophelia shrugged one shoulder a tiny bit. She liked talking to him. He was being nice to her, listening and not telling her she was dull or should not speak because she was just a worthless female.
"No, just truthful." He wasn't an idiot. He might not be a Slytherin, but he knew them - especially his cousin's roommates (and apparently her paramours). And he knew Ophelia was not generally communicative or social. He appreciated that she seemed to tolerate him well - that she might like him in some friendly way. "You are a proper pure-blooded witch." And should be treated as such, and respected as such too.
Ophelia smiled shyly and pressed her lips together for a second. “I am pleased you think so.” Because that was the way things were. It was what she wanted for herself. She wanted a happy house and family and to be a proper pure girl even if she sometimes had aspirations of being an artist or owning an apothecary as well.
The aspirations were not mutually exclusive. While Alexei wanted a stable marriage, he wanted to work as well. He saw no problems if his wife worked or had hobbies, he expected such. He just.. had not thought about affairs as being one of those hobbies until Sera hinted at it to him. "I am quite traditional, apparently." Or else Sera wouldn't have been so shocked he had been intending to save himself for marriage.
“It is not a bad thing.” Ophelia understood it. It was all she had known her whole life. “You are much like Laertes.” Which again- though she had said it before- was the highest praise she could give. Her brother was much better than any other man she knew and she would be glad to have a man like him.
"No, but it is a challenge sometimes in this place, and in the modern world," Alexei acknowledged. The Deatheaters would not have to exist if the proper, traditional roles were not disintegrating in modern society.
“There are those that appreciate it. I should be glad to have one with your values. Laertes still has not found an acceptable partner.” Because he valued the same thing and would try to find it for her. She just needed to be patient.
"I suspect he might deliberately take his time to give you some freedom in this, and so as to ensure when it is done, it is right this time, unlike the last time." Alexei would, if he was selecting for Sera. Except he was selected for Sera. But if he'd had any say in who was selected for her, it would not be something undertaken lightly.
Ophelia smiled and nodded. “He wishes me to be happy.” And that would be something that she knew she would be granted with his say. He would want her to be in love, or at least with someone that would care for her in a way that she doubted Nico would have. “I trust him to choose for me.”
"As I trusted my parents selection," Alexei nodded. It was a similarity between them, even if it was his parents - and uncle- and her brother doing the selections. Each of them was traditional in similar ways.