Joseph Flint (yourowner) wrote in snitchers, @ 2017-08-03 22:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | char: joseph flint, char: lenora flint |
Who: Joseph Flint and Lenora Flint
When: BACKDATED to.. last week, I think?
Where: New York City
What: A date... and an apology
Warnings: None
Rating: Low
The hotel in Manhattan was tucked away in a forgotten alley. Impossible for any Muggle to find, but wizards and witches moved in and out of it happily. The wizarding world in America had a glamour to it, everything was shiny and art deco, rather than the boring traditional look of England. Joseph found he rather liked it. A part of him could see himself living there and each time he let his mind drift to that dream, Nora was in the bed next to him.
Though he'd told Marcus his wife was coming along solely to watch Lucas, Joseph doubted his brother believed him at all. He and Nora were spending more and more time together. Joseph knew it was a bad idea, letting the witch closer to his heart, but he was incapable of putting a stop to it. Her body was created from the heavens and her soul was blacker than the night sky. Her duality was intoxicating and Joseph thirsted for more.
He'd promised her a date before they left the city. A black dress was laid out for her on the bed they shared along with a black velvet box, containing a pair of black diamond earrings. He left a note saying he'd be back at seven to pick her up.
Seven o'clock came and Joseph walked into their suite, dressed in the finest suit he owned, his stubble perfectly groomed and his thick hair brushed back from his face. "Nora," he called out. "Are you ready?"
---
Lenora knew that Marcus would be furious with this entire situation, and he was, but thankfully she didn't have to listen to it for long. No, merely only the time it took for her to pack while they were in their own bedroom with the door closed. He continued to ask her why she had to go with his brother. Why was she suddenly volunteering to be a bloody nanny? Wasn't her worthless job enough? Maybe the care of a child would make her more open to the idea of finally producing him an heir, as she had yet to preform her one and only task for him. Perhaps being around a child long enough would make her less cold and barren.
Instead of engaging during this entire tirade, Nora kept her head down, waving her wand at various dressers and the closet, her things quickly zooming into her suitcase, only to be shrunk down to a more manageable carrying size and weight once she was finished. Turning to finally look at her husband, she didn't even bother to show a hint of annoyance, or emotion of any kind. Her face was blank as she leaned forward to kiss him softly on the cheek and told him goodbye, she'd see him in a week.
Nora just didn't have the energy to fight back anymore, it seemed. By the time she met Joseph downstairs, her expression was one of exhaustion, but thankfully, it turned around quickly enough when they were finally in America. It was... an interesting place. Like no where she had ever really been before. The atmosphere, the people, the landscape, it was all so... new. So refreshing. She found herself revitalized in a way she couldn't explain. For once... Nora smiled a real smile as the week wore on. She was serious about her duties, doing her best to keep Lucas entertained while Marcus worked - taking him to the zoo, children's museums, and several different magical hot spots hidden throughout the city, and known only to the magical tourists.
But in the back of her mind, Nora was still aware their date was coming up soon. She had never really been nervous, but for some reason as she stared at the clothing he had purchased for her, her nimble fingers running across the soft material, she couldn't help the slight butterflies that took up residence in her rib cage.
Getting dressed, Nora was just finishing up with the final touches on her makeup when she heard Joseph arrive. Exiting the bathroom, Nora leaned in the doorway, a small smirk pulling at the corners of her lips as the black diamonds in her ears sparkled in the overhead light.
"I am," she replied simply enough, closing the gap between them as she looked up at the man who towered over her. Even in her heels, she was still dwarfed by him, and the rest of humanity, for that manner. "Thank you for the outfit.. and the jewelry. I think it suits me quite well, don't you?" Turning around once so he could get the full effect, Nora smoothed her hands down the front of his suit, unable to stop herself from licking her lips. He looked... deliciously handsome.
"You clean up well, Joseph Flint. Now.. where are we going?"
---
By the stars, she was beautiful. Nora wasn't like most of the witches he associated with. She wasn't curvy, her figure almost boyish, but she walked with grace that he doubted few people noticed. For a person to endure as much as she did and still carry her head high was all but a miracle. It only added to her beauty, creating layers of complexity and resulting in a vision that he couldn't bring herself to stop staring at. "You look perfect," he said and took a few steps towards her, leaning down to brush his lips against hers gently. His large hand moved to the small of her back and Joseph smirked down at Nora.
"It's a surprise," he said before pressing her closer to him and quickly apparating them out of the hotel room. Seconds later, they found themselves on a rooftop in Manhattan. The night was bleeding into the sky like ink spilled on parchment. A table was set for two and Joseph smiled as he moved to hold a seat out for his date.
She deserved this, yes, but Joseph's intentions were far from selfless. He wanted time alone with Nora, time he felt was in short supply back home. He was focused on his work, Marcus was ever present, and Nora had a life of her own. It was the last part that troubled Joseph the most. Nora's life outside of the house was a mystery to Joseph. He had no right to know, and that kept him from prying, but it slowly ate away at him. If the world was different, he would have Nora to himself.
"Don't think this is it," he told her. "I've more planned."
---
To be honest, most of the surprises in Nora’s life weren’t of the positive variety. Hell, that’s how she ended in her disaster of a marriage in the first place. So when Joseph advised her that his plans for the evening were a surprise, she couldn’t help but let nerves and anxiety sink in. Lucky for the both of them, she was a master at keeping her emotions hidden far beneath the surface. To the outsider, it was almost as if she didn’t have any….
But instead of speaking, she squeezed her fingers into the material of his suit, closing her eyes as they apparated, only opening them a few moments after they had arrived at their destination, which promptly took her breath away. Stepping way from Joseph, she walked onto the rooftop, towards the ledge and took in the beauty that was New York City. Between their dinner set up, the evening sun, and the light of the high rise buildings, the view nearly took her breath away. What had she done to truly deserve this? She had to question her reality, at least for the slightest moment, before she turned to face her companion.
“What to do you mean this isn’t it?” she said softly, moving towards him, her arms circling his waist as she stood on her tip toes, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Even for all of their turmoil and fighting and mistrust, Nora found her heart aching for the man she was holding. He was trying so desperately, and she was no fool. She could see that as plain as day, and it meant the absolute world, but that didn’t take away the complications of them being together. She was still married, to his brother. And Nora knew firsthand how much Joseph loved and protected his family, from harm and scandal. This, what they were doing, fell exactly into the latter category. “Are you even going to give me a hint?” she asked, raising a brow as she walked towards the table, unable to fight the fact she was a bit hungry. At the very least, she figured they could both use a drink.
---
Lenora had been a welcome surprise in his life. Yes, he once considered her a complication at best and the undoing of his family at worst, but now he was able to see her for the witch she was. She was unfailingly kind, something he knew most people didn't get the opportunity to witness. And while her exterior was diamond hard, inside she had such love, grace, and joy bottled up. It killed him every day that she couldn't allow herself to feel the magnitude of her emotions, but life wasn't always fair. In fact, it was often anything but.
He had tried, of course, not to have feelings for her. Joseph hadn't felt anything other than attraction for a woman since his wife died and he was perfectly content to continue with that trend. But in spite of his better judgment and his desire to remain unaffected by her presence, Nora had taken root in his heart. He couldn't help the way his pulse quickened when she walked into a room. He couldn't deny arousal which grew every time she slipped into his bed. And as the weeks went on, Joseph found himself caring less and less about attempting to deny it all.
He watched her as she looked out over the skyline. The setting sun caught the ends of her dark hair, creating a glow around her. Though he wasn't a religious man, Joseph thought this must have been what people imagined angels to be. Soft, beautiful, and still terrifying. He couldn't held how his eyes followed her as she moved to the table, his lips twitching into a small smirk.
"No," he said and joined her at the table. Joseph held the chair out for her, leaning down to brush his lips against her cheek as he pushed her chair in gently. "You're far too clever for your own good and you'd figure it out." Joseph took his seat across from Nora and nodded to the waiter to bring out the first course.
---
Nora settled herself into her seat, unable to stop the slight shiver that travelled up her spine at the sweet, brief moment of physical affection shared between the two of them. Such a simplistic gesture seemed to awaken a part of her cold heart that continually seemed to be prodded back into life the more time went on. Nora, who had never felt like she deserved such affection, was suddenly drowning in it, and she couldn’t say that she minded. It was different and new, and undeniably thrilling. And for someone who thrived to find a new high in life, this was certainly something she enjoyed more than the strongest drug.
As Joseph took a seat across from her, Nora couldn’t stop the way a fake pout pulled at the corners of her lips when he wouldn’t give her a hint. “Now, now, that’s not very fair,” she said, feigning disappointment. “I can’t help my brilliance. I was merely born this way.” Batting her eyelashes, she knew that it was a losing battle, but it was fun to play along, just in the slightest bit.
But that thought was quickly forgotten as food was brought to their table. Because for as tiny and dainty as Lenora was, the girl had a very strong obsession with a good meal. And she could tell that Joseph spared no expense to provide just that as her eyes went a bit wide. “Impressive…” she managed to get out as the glass next to her was filled with fine wine. She plucked it from the tablecloth, taking a small sip before beginning to eat. And though she was very much focused on the mixing of every delicious flavor she could ever want, the aroma of a new course wafting over her every now and again, that didn’t stop her from engaging the man across from her in conversation. She was no stranger to teasing him, which she did quite often, but also regaled him with tales of her and Lucas’ adventures while he was shut away doing dreary business. It didn’t take a genius to pick up on the affection Nora shared for Joseph’s son, her face lighting up as she told him another story about to zoo, and how much he liked the rhinos and lions.
“What about you?” she eventually asked, finishing off her first glass of wine. “Have you managed to take over New York City yet, in all your meetings?”
---
Lucas had been fated with an absent father. Joseph felt guilt over that, guilt that he tried desperately to hide and ignore. His son was perfect, but each time Joseph looked at him, all he could see was his wife. The pain of losing her was still raw even years later. He managed it by looking away. By sending Lucas away. It wasn't healthy and it was hardly fair, but Joseph could never be the father he should have been. Lucas deserved more. And now, perhaps... perhaps his son was finding that, with his aunt. Nora's face lit up when talking about her adventures with the little more. The love she had for him was obvious, so much so that Joseph had stopped eating and was transfixed on her words.
A wave of shame washed over Joseph so violently that he leaned back from the table. She didn't deserve what he had done to her. And while Joseph knew that Nora's fate was not entirely his fault, he had contributed enough to it. And, dammit, he was going to find a way to free her from it. He had to give her a life back, even if...
His throat was thick when he finally spoke, his voice full of emotion that he didn't normally show. "Lenora," he said. "You.. you don't.." Sighing, Joseph ran his fingers through his thick hair and tried to force himself to be open enough to get out his thoughts. Joseph was a clinical man, preferring facts over feelings. But facts wouldn't save him from his feelings for Nora. If he was very, very lucky... his feelings for her might be his salvation.
"Your article. I had no right to hold that over you for this long. You have a gift with words and I took it upon myself to use your own gift against you. Regardless of my intentions, what I did wasn't right. I want you to know... I'll never say anything, regardless of how you behave or if you choose to stay."
---
Whatever Nora was expecting out of Joseph, whatever she had come to expect in the last several weeks, it wasn’t that. It was literally the furthest thing in the world from that. For a moment, Nora’s world completely stopped. Her heart, her brain, her movement and breathing as she stared at him, completely lost, completely transfixed. Had he really said those things? Was this really happening? Reality didn’t seem real in the slightest, and Nora didn’t know how to react. The girl who always had a comment, a retort, a gesture of some sort, sat completely silent, her thoughts lost to the world…
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there transfixed, her knuckles white against the fork in her hand. In the briefest of moments, her entire reality, all she had come to know in the last nearly two years had been turned upside down, and it wasn’t easy to come to terms with. Finally though, she managed to move, and with that movement, she set down her silverware and got up from the table, walking away towards the edge of the building, to once again take in the sight of the city around her. She breathed it in… the pulse, the life of the city life. She let it revitalize her for a brief moment, bring her life when she could barely manage to function – the reality of the situation finally settling in.
“I don’t…” She finally managed quietly over her shoulder, “I don’t know if this is real. I want to believe you. I need to believe you. But it’s been so long and I don’t…” Her voice cut off with a hint of emotion and once again, Nora turned away. She hated the sting of tears in her eyes, the sudden feeling of emotion that overwhelmed her. This wasn’t fair, truly. Nora wasn’t prepared for this.
She turned to finally look at him, her chocolate eyes bright with emotion that refused to fall, she was too proud for that. “What have I done to deserve this sudden change of heart?” Because she needed to know. Her lack of self worth was suddenly showing quite brilliantly..
---
"You assume it's sudden," Joseph replied. "It only appears that way because you haven't been paying attention." How many nights had he lost himself inside of her? Did she not see the devastation he felt when she'd lost her child? Their child. How was it possible that Nora hadn't noticed that Joseph was slowly falling madly in love with her? He couldn't say that, though. Joseph wouldn't force that knowledge of her. Nora had to choose, had to decide what she wanted in life. It was time for her to be able to do that and telling her how he felt would be tipping the scales in his favor.
The time for winning was over.
Standing up, Joseph took several strides to the edge of the roof where Nora stood. His hands moved to her hips and for a moment, he held her gaze. High above the noise and bustle of the city, they were the only two people in the world. He would never forget the way she looked up at him, or the shining tears in her eyes. He'd always remember the way her chin jutted out, just a little, a sign of the pride she so desperately clung to.
Leaning down, his lips brushed against her forehead softly. "It should have been me," he murmured quietly. He couldn't know if Nora would've been happy with him. Joseph suspected that she'd resent him all the same. Either way she would have been forced to marry a man she didn't love. Still, if he had been given the chance, perhaps he could've found a way to make her happy enough. And he would've been happy just having her next to him.
"Don't tell me what you're going to do. Not now. I..." He what? Why should she show him any kindness. He wasn't owed any and didn't deserve it. Joseph was betting on Nora being a better person than he was and, luckily, that was a safe bet to make. "Let me take you dancing. Let me have tonight."
---
It wasn’t that Nora wasn’t paying attention, it’s that she didn’t believe she was capable of eliciting such a response from the man across from her, or any man for that matter. Her entire life, Nora had been nothing more than a hole to fill, an itch to scratch. She had never been shown kindness, or love, of affection, and had always believed she was nothing more than a piece of ass, or property, for someone to use and abuse. Her self worth was at a hard zero, and the idea of reading into something beyond surface value was an utter mystery. This was how it had always been, and how she always assumed it to be, so when it suddenly changed, she was left lost and confused, unsure how to process what was happening. How to understand the words of affection and acceptance she was currently being offered.
So when she looked up at him, when he towered over her, holding her gently, it was as though she was a newborn fawn in a world she didn’t quite understand, tripping over herself and failing miserably at navigating the new world. She was lost, adrift in foreign territory that she had never quite learned to traverse before. It wasn’t completely her fault, but it would take her time to learn, to accept, that she was worth more than what she thought. That people really cared about her on a level that was beyond just mindless fucking.
His words struck a chord though, and a slight hiccup of real emotion escaped past her lips as she stood up on her tip toes, unable to fully processes the gravity of feeling anything this deeply, and pressed her lips to his. Physical affection was easier than emotional, and told just as much of a story. And for Nora, it was the best she could do. She was an utter failure at anything else, and she felt that shortcoming so strongly in that moment her stomach sank. She wishes she could be more, she wished she could be better.
“I’ve never been dancing,” she admitted finally, a single tear sliding down her cheek as she wrapped her arms around Joseph’s middle, unable to let go. “Can we go now? Please?” Before the moment shattered around her. Before she said something stupid, and managed to ruin everything. “I want to share this… experience it.. with you.” He could have this part of her. For once, she was willing to give it.
---
His thumb grazed her cheek, wiping away the stray tear. The wetness against his thumb almost burned, like a memory attaching itself to him, never to be forgotten. He hugged her close for a moment, his large arms wrapping around her small frame. Joseph looked out over the city, took the lights and colors. He could feel the importance of this moment, feel the weight of it upon his shoulders. When they arrived home, Joseph would pull it from his mind and store it away somewhere safe. He would tuck away this moment with Nora, the neon lights dancing on her dark hair and the smell of her perfume in the night air. It would become his happiest memory, even tinged with the bittersweetness he knew would come.
Moving his hand to cup her delicate chin, Joseph lifted Nora's face so he could look down into her beautiful eyes. "We can do anything you want," he promised her. "We'll dance until the sun comes up and I'll carry you back to bed," he said with a gentle smile. With one last lingering kiss, Joseph apparated them away, taking Nora to the magical dance floor hovering over Central Park. And together they twirled to the music, with starlight and moonlight shining down on them.