... (itendsinfire) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2018-08-08 22:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | #november 2017, reagan, reagan x sebastian, sebastian |
Who: Reagan and Sebastian
When: After school, Wednesday, November 8th
Where: Reagan’s home
Status: Complete
Reagan was feeling better today than she had in awhile. She had opened up the shop and worked for a few hours before leaving it in Emma’s capable hands. And then mindful of her own hands, Reagan had gotten a manicure to fix the fingernails she had destroyed while attempting to dig up Abigail Baron’s grave again. After a bit of retail therapy, Reagan had gone home to start a bit more research. She had considerably less books now than before, since Caius had taken quite a few home with him, but he would be back on Friday and hopefully they could find something that would remedy this problem. The desperation that had consumed her over the past week had dulled and confidence had begun to slowly take its place. She was starting to feel like herself again, and earlier that morning while sipping her coffee on her back deck, she had begun to formulate a plan to get Anthony D’Onofrio’s help… should it get to that point. She was still willing to put her faith in her and Caius’s abilities, but… it never hurt to have a back up plan. Because Reagan wasn’t going to give Caius up, and if her father in law thought she would, he was going to have a strong fight on his hands.
For the moment, Reagan was curled up on her couch, one of Caius’s books open in her lap and a fire roaring in the hearth. It was another gray, rainy day and the sound of crackling wood in the fireplace occasionally drowned out the showers against her roof that seemed to come and go. A notepad sat on the cushion beside her and she rolled a pen between her fingers, her dark brows drawn in concentration as she read over a rather silly love spell. It affected the subject’s insular cortex, where it manipulated emotions in favor of the spell caster. Not quite the memory modification that Reagan was looking for, but she had found herself reading the pages anyway. It wasn’t an overly dark spell, but it was complex. She had to imagine Caius probably flipped right past it whenever he used this book. Love spells were certainly beneath him. Just thinking about him brought a small smile to her lips, and she supposed it was progress. Usually thinking about Caius made her chest flood with despair.
The knock at the door jerked her out of her thoughts and Reagan lifted her gaze from the book to stare at the fire for a moment. She’d had no trouble with Caden Lucas since his attack, but unexpected visitors still got her heart racing. At least for a few moments. She recovered quickly and set the book side, unfolding her legs from underneath her and padding down the hall to answer the door. The flash of bright red hair from the sidelight was all Reagan needed to see to know it was Sebastian McCarthy. She had mixed emotions about it. Because his blood was the reason Caius lost his memory. But it wasn’t Sebastian who had cursed her family. He had just wanted to learn magic. If anything, Reagan was furious with his mother, and her family and so on. It wouldn’t be fair to take out her frustrations on Sebastian.
So Reagan unlocked the door and pulled it open, unsure as to what he might want. They hadn’t planned a lesson in quite some time. But maybe that’s why he was there. “Hello,” Reagan said, noting that it was raining again. So she stepped back to let him come inside, if that’s what he wanted to do.
Sebastian wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing at Reagan’s house, but after his parent’s joint confrontation last night, he felt like he needed to at least warn her that they knew. Maybe a simple text would have sufficed, but he didn’t think that would have captured the situation in it’s entirety. A simple text had seemed impossible. So he was there in person, standing at her door, soothed by the rain in a way he didn’t quite understand. “Hi,” Sebastian said, tucking his hands into his letter jacket as he stepped inside, ducking out of the rain. “Do you have a few minutes? I feel like you should know what’s going on and… It’s just easier in person.”
Well, didn't that sound ominous. Reagan sighed softly and shut the door after Sebastian stepped inside. "Take your coat and shoes off," she instructed before heading back down the hall to her living room. Even if he wasn’t staying long, it had been raining and she didn’t want water tracked through her house. "You didn't blow anything up, did you?" His magic couldn't exactly do that, but she wasn't being literal. She didn't sound concerned either, because he looked to be in one piece and Reagan had enough to worry about at the moment. She would decide if Sebastian's news was cause for concern or not once he explained it to her.
That won a tiny smile from Sebastian as he toed off his shoes and hung his coat up by the door. “Not technically,” he answered, since everything was physically in one piece. Emotionally and magically, not so much. His family was a mess and he was pretty sure he was responsible for blowing it up. “You know how I texted to see when you broke the curse? It… It kind of made our magic go a little crazy that night. And it woke my mom’s magic up. And things kind of blew up at home and I ended up having to tell them what was going on.” For what it was worth, he was miserable about it. He’d done everything he could to keep Reagan and Caius out of it, but when it reached the point that they were in danger, he didn’t feel like he could keep quiet.
Reagan had moved to sit back down on the couch, but paused, turning to face Sebastian. That wasn't something she had been expecting to hear. Sebastian more or less confirmed what Reagan already knew. His mother was a witch. Reagan supposed it was only a matter of time before his parents found out what Sebastian was doing, and who was teaching him. She wasn't upset about it. Reagan was confident in herself, and other magical families didn't intimidate her. It was probably a trait she had inherited from her mother. "Is everyone all right?" Reagan asked. "Your mother? Did she know what was happening?"
Sebastian took a deep breath as he nodded. “We’re all okay. Mom wrecked the car, or something, and Trip started a fire in his dorm, but all Phee and I did was track water and dirt all over the house.” It had been scary because it was so out of control, but not because they’d actually hurt anyone. He imagined it was worse for his mother and brother, with fire being so much more destructive. “My mom… she knew she was a witch, but I don’t think she knew what was happening. None of us did. I didn’t really put it together till later, which was why I texted. But she knew she was a Baron descendant, and said the reason they didn’t practice was something was hunting them. And now whatever it is can find us again.” The vagueness of the threat made it seem even worse. Was it a demon? A person? Were they cursed, as his father had said? What had Sebastian unleashed on his family? Just thinking about it made him feel sick.
Reagan said nothing for a bit. She sat down on the couch, one leg tucked up beneath her. There was an urge to chew on her thumbnail as she sometimes did when she was trying to work out an answer to a tough question, but she had just gotten a manicure and Reagan did not want to fuck it up already. Given how focused she and Caius had been to break their curse, neither of them had given much thought to what could happen to Sebastian if and when they did. They had just figured they needed his blood and that was that. Then again, they hadn't counted on a 'back up' curse either, so clearly she and Caius had experienced more than one misstep. It didn't take very long for Reagan to finally put it together what Sebastian was talking about, or what his mother meant.
Exhaling slowly, Reagan offered Sebastian a small smile. "Sebastian, I'm pretty sure they stopped practicing because we were hunting them. My family... Caius's family. They've been trying for a very long time to break this curse, and I think at some point, someone realized a Baron descendant could be the key. Now, it's possible someone in your mother's family realized this and opted to stop practicing so we couldn't find them. Why, I don't know. Maybe they knew about the curse and believed we deserved to be doomed. Maybe someone lied to them along the way and twisted it into something else to keep the family in line. Did your mom know about the curse Caius and I broke?"
God, Sebastian really hoped that that was the case, because he knew Reagan and Caius weren’t hunting them now. He could deal with a long term family feud over some kind of demonic entity any day. He didn’t really keep up with his parents’ social relationships, but he thought his dad might even be friends with Caius’ dad. “I really hope that’s the case. Things haven’t been super clear. I know there’s no way she knew about the curse. She didn’t even believe me, thought maybe you were making it up.” Sebastian thought that was bullshit. He wasn’t close to Reagan, but he didn’t feel like she was trying to deceive him. “I couldn’t see any reason why you would do that.”
Reagan rolled her eyes, unable to help the surge of irritation. "Why on earth would we want to do that?" More than anything she wished the curse hadn't existed, that it had just been some stupid story from Anthony to try and keep she and Caius apart. But unfortunately it had been true. "If your mom didn't know about the curse, then whoever warned her against practicing magic fed her a bullshit line. Because I've met your mother, and she doesn't strike me as the type to blindly do what someone tells her to do without an explanation. But Abigail Baron went to great lengths to make sure this curse stayed in tact. And it's very possible that over the years the reason behind it became distorted, or exaggerated. I can't pretend to know the reasons why your family continued to abstain from magic. Fear, probably. Self-preservation. I can see someone in my bloodline thinking they needed to fully sacrifice a Baron's descendant to break the curse, rather than just collecting blood like we did. Or maybe they were being hunted by our ancestors out of revenge without the idea that your blood could actually help." She trailed off and shrugged after a moment. "I don't believe you're in danger, Sebastian. You, or your family. The curse is broken now, but it's pretty obvious that you need to be taught how to control your magic now. You, your mom and sister. It'll just keep getting worse if you don't."
Everything Reagan was saying made sense, even if she was just theorizing about the reasons why his mother’s family had stopped practicing. It was frustrating how little they would tell him, whereas Reagan seemed open and honest, willing to talk to him as an adult instead of an irresponsible child. “It’s hard to tell the difference between what they don’t know and what they aren’t willing to tell me, but I don’t think my dad knew about any of it and I think what my mom knows is only bits and pieces, and maybe half of it is lies. And unless we’re now cursed, I still feel like I made the right decision.” But Reagan didn’t think that was the case. Even if she had no proof, it was nice to hear it from someone. “I’d like to still learn from you, if you’re still willing to teach me. It feels like my magic’s even stronger now and-- and it does things I can’t explain. My dad’s going to teach my mom and my sister, but we’re not really speaking so I don’t see that working out very well,” he said, then sighed. “I just didn’t want them showing up at your door, making accusations or some shit.”
Well, it certainly sounded like awakening Sebastian's magic, and breaking the Kelly/D'Onofrio curse, made a fine mess out of the McCarthy family. Reagan didn't think it was really as bad as Sebastian's family thought it could be, so maybe it would be beneficial for his parents to come talk to her. She supposed she could have suggested they just look up her mother, or Anthony, but since it had been Reagan and Caius who broke the curse, it should probably be her. Caius would be useless at the moment. "I have no reason to believe you're cursed, Sebastian. It sounds like a simple matter of misunderstandings and miscommunications. If they show up at my door, they show up at my door. I can handle it, and frankly, it sounds like they might need answers." Reagan hesitated at offering to continue teaching him. She had so much on her plate right now, and her own problems obviously took priority. On the other hand, if it turned out she needed more of his blood to break whatever lingering curse was affecting Sebastian, it would be beneficial to keep him close. "I'll continue teaching you," Reagan agreed finally, her arms folding loosely against her chest. "But full disclosure I'm dealing with the fallout of breaking that curse as much as you are. I'm not sure how or why it happened, but when the curse broke, it backfired on Caius and erased parts of his memory. So my main priority is trying to find the spell to reverse it."
Sebastian nodded, really hoping that Reagan was right, that there was no curse and that his parents were blowing everything out of proportion. That would make him feel immensely better. If that was the case, then all he’d done was woken up his mother’s line of magic, which was dormant for no reason at this point. The only issue might be that there was an entire line of witches that was completely uneducated on their own powers. And Reagan didn’t seem mad at him, which he really appreciated. He hadn’t been sure if she’d still be willing to teach him, but he had to ask. “Oh shit,” he muttered, eyes widening a little at how Caius had lost parts of his memory. “I’m really sorry. Don’t worry about teaching me anything right now. I’m grounded anyways.” Not that he was really adhering to it, but there was a difference between getting home a few minutes late versus hours.
She looked confused for a moment, and then amused. Sebastian was grounded. Obviously she knew he was a teenager, but he was a teenager who was grounded now. Probably because of this magic business. Reagan had gotten into trouble occasionally at his age, but she had never gotten grounded. That had been more Nate's thing. "Well, when you're ungrounded, you can call me. I'll make time for you. You helped us out, so it's the least I can do. And I'm sorry this has given you and your family so much trouble. I should have considered the possibility that the blood magic could have consequences for you."
This was the first time in a long time that Sebastian had been grounded and the unfairness of the situation urked him more than anything else. He understood he’d been doing something his parents expressly forbid, but his reasoning had been good. His heart was in the right place. And, given the opportunity, he’d do it again, because he still felt like it was the right thing to do, even knowing the consequences. Which really nullified the reason for grounding, if it was for him to learn a lesson that he wasn’t going to accept. “It’s okay. I still think it was the right decision,” he told her with a little smile. “And if there’s no real threat, this could be a good thing, you know?”
It was the right decision, even if they were all dealing with the fallout from it in different ways. Eventually things would right themselves and life would be back to normal again. Reagan just had to have the patience to get to that point without losing her mind. "I think you're right," Reagan told him. "And in time, I think your mom will realize what she was missing by ignoring her magic. Based on what I know now, Baron was a talented witch and even if her descendants stopped practicing, that doesn't diminish what you could be capable of doing. Not to mention your father's ancestor was one of the Six. So you've got two powerful lines running through your veins. That's pretty rare. It would be a crime to not harness it." Reagan thought about Caius, and if the two of them had children someday, how unlimited their talents would be. "Go easy on your mom," she suggested. "If she's been lied to her whole life, she's likely to feel confused and betrayed. I bet she'll come around once she realizes how this could open up her world."
It would be a crime not to learn. Sebastian thought even his father might agree, but he couldn’t imagine learning from him at the moment. Reagan had been a good teacher. He knew he could fail in front of her and she wouldn’t lose her shit, whereas Sebastian couldn’t handle being any more of a disappointment to his father. As for his mother, it was hard to go easy on her when she hadn’t gone easy on him. “Maybe,” he said. “I think she needs to learn the truth, and she doesn’t want to hear it from me.” For some reason, he wasn’t a reliable source. Sebastian took a deep breath. “Thanks for listening. I just… really thought you deserved a head’s up. And it was a lot to try and say over the phone.”
Reagan couldn't really judge Brianna McCarthy. While Reagan thought it was a bad choice to deny witches the right to learn their craft, she also knew she didn't have all the facts. Nor did she have children. Hopefully Sebastian's family would get their shit together before the magic proved to be too unruly to tame. "If she wants to talk to me, I'll talk to her," Reagan said. "But thank you for the warning. I'm sorry all of this has happened. Magic can be complicated and fickle, but then, so can people. Maybe once I explain everything to your parents things will get smoother for everyone."
He wasn’t sure which of his parents was planning to talk to Reagan, but he hoped one of them would. It might clarify some things that they’d been unwilling to hear from him. But he also didn’t relish the idea of either of them yelling at Reagan over teaching him when it had been his own request. It wasn’t like she sought him out. And he still wanted to learn from her, even if they didn’t want him to, and if they talked to her that might not work out. He hated so many things being up in the air, but there wasn’t much he could do at this point. Sebastian took a deep breath and nodded, ready to head back towards the door and give her her time back. “I’m really sorry about Caius. I know that’s not what you’d hoped for when breaking the curse. So… if there’s anything I can do, let me know.” He probably shouldn’t offer, his parents would strangle him, but it was just who he was.
Reagan wasn't worried about anyone yelling at her. If they wanted to, they could, but the other witches in this town didn't intimidate her. She supposed she got that particular trait from her mother. Reagan wasn't particularly pleased with every aspect of Veronica Kelly, but she couldn't deny that most people didn't fuck with her mother, and Reagan aimed for others to view her the same way. Strong and full of confidence. Not to be messed with. Reagan shook her head and waved one hand dismissively. "It's not your fault. And while I appreciate the offer, I think this is something I'm going to have to fix on my own." She paused. "You may see him a bit more in Overlook. I don't know if you remember, but he lives next door to you." Her smile was faint. "If you do see him, I'm not sure he'll remember you, since most memories that include me seem to be missing in his mind at the moment."
Sebastian nodded, though he hadn’t really put it all together until recently and was still a bit confused by it. “I saw him the other night. But… he used to live around the corner, so it kind of threw me off. Or his sister does,” Sebastian said with a shrug. He hadn’t really known Caius, couldn’t have said his name before meeting him in person, but he knew Sera D’Onofrio the way he knew all the cheerleaders. And the kids in Overlook were a little pack themselves. “I should get going,” he said, thinking of the time and how he was supposed to go straight home. “Maybe next week I can learn something new, if you’ve got time.” She had other priorities and he didn’t want to bother her, but with his magic acting up someone really needed to teach him.
Reagan stood from the couch to walk him back to the front door. If she had been less focused on the book still on the couch, she might have had him stay for awhile to teach him something new. But as it was, he was grounded and Reagan was making progress through Caius's book. "Next week sounds good as long as nothing major comes up. I'll text you." Maybe she would see his parents before then, maybe not. Reagan would deal with it when she had to deal with it. "Be safe until then, okay?"
“That sounds good,” Sebastian said with a little nod. He was really hoping he wasn’t still grounded by then, but it was hard to say with the way things were going. “You too,” he said, then headed towards the door. He knew there was nothing he could do to help, but he hoped she found a solution to her problem soon. He couldn’t even imagine what it must be like, but he knew it had to hurt.