Putting People Back in Their Place (Nirek and Madison)

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One week. It had been one week since she had so publically went out on Valentine's day with, of all people, Finley Allen, and made it clear to all who were looking that he was hers, and not just in the sense of a game. If she had been any other person, they might have said it the other way around - that they were Finely's - but this was Madison Bishop, and nobody owned her. Indeed, even though Finley was technically the male in the relationship, she knew she was the one with the real power.

After all, he did everything she wanted, whether or not he realised it. From doing homework together to taking walks around the lake, subtle hints had been used to get the Ravenclaw to bend to her will. Of course, he would never know, and that was the way she wanted it.

There was just one problem, and that problem came in the form of a Gryffindor by the name of Nirek. The boy was still under the impression that Finley was her game, and Maddie knew she had to keep it that way. Excuses would do no good, for Nirek was a fool and Maddie was quite certain he would seek vengeance against her. Besides, she had worked so hard to get the boy on her side; why would she now destroy all that?

So, having already planned all she would say, Maddie sent a letter to the boy, simply telling him that she would explain her latest move on Finley and to meet her at their usual spot - the Room fo Requirement. Sitting in the chair with a faked relaxed posture, she waited for the Gryffindor to arrive.

Guest

Nirek had not been pleased when he had heard of the new... relationship in the school. Madison Bishop and Finley Allen. Well, that was certainly not one of those thing he'd seen coming, especially when the Slytherin had insisted they had a common goal of destroying the Ravenclaw.

How could you possibly destroy someone you were dating?

Nirek had tried to talk to her about this, but every time he had seen her, she had been with the stuttering mess of a boy and Nirek knew better than to go over. Stupid as the Gryffindor might be, he knew that walking straight up to the duo would cause some kind of questioning from the Ravenclaw.

So he waited.

Not long later, the note came from Madison for the two of them to meet up, and Nirek had hurried along to the Room of Requirement, slipping through the door after checking the coast was clear. "About time." Nirek commented to the Slytherin witch as he took up the other seat in the room.

"So, how exactly is what you're doing aiding us in the long run? A relationship, with Finley? Really?" Nirek asked, his obvious confusion of the subject clear in that moment.

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She heard the door opening a few moments later, and simply turned her head slightly to watch Nirek enter, raising an eyebrow at his words. About time I explain myself? she thought, dryly, mocking him internally. Because I definitely couldn't function without your continual support. But she said nothing out loud, instead waiting for him to take his seat. She wasn't going to offer him anything until he asked; that was how it worked, anyway.

And, as expected, the questions came almost immediately. Predictable, she told him mentally. You should be careful. Predictability is the downfall of many.

"Yes, really," she answered, verbally.

A second passed, and she smiled. "Think about it for a moment, Nirek," she continued, making sure her tone wasn't patronising, even though that was all she wanted to convey. How could a fifth year be that dumb? "Friends come and go. Best friends leave. These things do hurt and cause pain, but what destroys men?" But she provided no answer, instead actually waiting for a response. She would let Nirek figure this out on his own.

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At her comment of 'yes really' Nirek raised an eyebrow at Madison. Wow, it said, in a mocking manner. Had she truly sunk so low that she was now dating the Ravenclaw? No, Nirek would not believe that she was really doing this. He couldn't - it made zero sense for their long term goal, but Madison continued.

At the information he was given, Nirek took a moment to process it, before leaning forward, taking in the witch before him. "So... you're... making Finley fall in love with you?" Nirek asked, his lips working up in to a smile at the plan she had concocted. "And then you'll tear it all from beneath his feet."

Nirek nodded, showing his understanding before he paused, and raised a single finger, pointing towards Madison. "But what about you?" He posed the question, a smirk finding its way on to his features. "What happens if you fall in love with him too? The game ends... We couldn't allow that to happen, so how do we know you won't fall in love?"

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Her smile widened a little as he finally got it. Why it took her quite literally spelling it out for him, she didn't quite understand; anyone with half a brain could have figured it out, considering he knew most of the pieces, even if said pieces were fabricated. He did, after all, still believe she was still playing the Ravenclaw.

"Yes," she replied, even as inwardly she said, No. He already is in love with me. "But it will take time. If it's immediate, there won't be the desired effects. Don't forget your goal isn't to hurt him temporarily but leave him in too many pieces to count." She could feel an odd emotion bubbling up insider her as she spoke, and it took a few moments to place.

It was anger, and a desire to protect someone other than herself or her sister. It was odd, something she had never really felt before, and she bit it back with slight difficulty. Finley was hers, and she would do anything to keep him from the very thing she was saying.

"What happens if you fall in love with him too?

Madison couldn't help it - she let out a laugh. Not because the idea was absurd, but because it meant that Nirek believed her, and he was honestly blind to the whole situation. "Please," she scoffed, having already prepared herself for this. "Why would I ever love that s-s-stut-t-tering f-f-fool? Think before you speak or you'll make a fool of yourself."

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Nirek couldn't help but frown at the idea of waiting as it left the younger witch's lips. "Wait? Wait. How much longer do you expect for me to wait? It's been like... a very long time since I have been able to do anything with the idiot, waiting on you to get to the point of breaking him. But, he was mine before he was yours. When do I get to do something again? All this waiting... it's boring. And Finley... well, he's only growing more and more confident with each day.

"Because of you." Nirek explained, putting a lot of emphasis on the last bit because he was not so stupid that he hadn't noticed the Slytherin was building him up. Yes, it was the plan, but Finley seemed to be being built up too much.

And he needed to fall down.

"Why would I ever love that s-s-stut-t-tering f-f-fool? Think before you speak or you'll make a fool of yourself."

"You seemed quite... smitten when you were heading down to Hogsmeade together last weekend. So... I guess I need some kind of goodwill gesture to reaffirm that you're not going to fall in love with him." Nirek responded, whilst her words said she wouldn't actions also spoke clearly too. He needed something to use against her, the Gryffindor knew that much, but he wasn't one hundred percent sure what.

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Madison tilted her head a little, pretending to consider his words. "I could say 'patience is a virtue', but we both know that means nothing to those doing the waiting," she started, shrugging lightly. "It's true that I have been building it up, but think of it this way: what makes the most impact? A few small waves, or a tsunami?" She paused to let her words sink in, then went on. "A condominium falling would cause more damage than a bungalow or a single story house."

"And yes, Nirek, because of me." She chuckled. "Certainly not because of you." A second of silence went by, and then, as though having come to a decision, she let out a slow breath. "Have you not seen what I've been doing? I've made it so no other female would dare try and go after him; his chances of finding a girlfriend other than me have gone down to a zero. People are nice to him because they know he's mine. He's coming to depend on me and me alone."

Again, she shrugged. "When I leave and walk away, he'll have nothing. Nobody to turn to. He'll be at his weakest, with no friends and no support. Without me, it would take but a single blow to destroy him. Except, there'll be nothing to pick him back up, and you can continue to kick him for as long as it pleases you. If that's not worth waiting for, I don't know what is."

"I guess I need some kind of goodwill gesture to reaffirm that you're not going to fall in love with him.

There was only one way to get him to believe her lies, and that was to show him she was a good actress. Widening her eyes, she feigned a look of hurt. "Don't you know, Nirek? I'm doing this for you. Do you not appreciate it?" She lowered her eyes and softened her tone. "I'm sorry. I only wanted to help. I thought I could get you to like me." Her last statement was said in a soft whisper, almost as though she was talking to herself.

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Despite the witch's long explanation, the only part that mattered was the part where he would get to deal the final blow that would destroy Finley. That, that was the bit that Nirek wanted most. Why? Because Finley was the kid Nirek had always wanted to be, smart, had real friends, and despite his stutter, he was a good kid. Nirek, Nirek was just a bully, who, like any other bully, teased people because of his own jealousy.

"So, when do you think we'll get to the point where we can break him completely?" Nirek asked, his attention focusing on only the part where he came in, because the rest was simply waffle he wasn't at all interested in.

"Don't you know, Nirek? I'm doing this for you. Do you not appreciate it?"

Those words made Nirek pause, looking at Madison as if it were the first time he'd done so. "For me?" He asked, his lips moving in to a smile that Madison probably hadn't seen before. A hopeful smile, one that showed her 'interest' in him was working to win him over to what she was saying. That he believed she might have some kind of feelings for him.

"I'm sorry. I only wanted to help. I thought I could get you to like me."

That, that Nirek hadn't been banking on, and for a moment, his mind forgot about the feelings he had for Caramarienne. Instead focusing on the fact that Madison wanted him to like her. So that... that meant she... liked him? Nirek had not seen that coming and the Gryffindor did not know what to do with this information. Did he have feelings for Madison? No, not really, but where was the harm in capitalising on someone's emotions for your own gain?

"It's okay, you're helping. I appreciate the help. It's great." Nirek responded, giving her a warm smile to convey that she hadn't done anything wrong in that moment. "And of course I like you, otherwise I wouldn't allow you to play with Finley, would I?" Nirek asked, letting out a small chuckle and then looking awkwardly down at the ground, not knowing what to say.

Madison Bishop liked him.

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"Soon," she told him, even as she, very firmly, thought, Never, as long as I'm around. No, Finley was hers and hers alone, and she would do whatever it took to keep him safe. He had started as a game, as something to pass the time with, but he had turned into so much more than that, and Madison knew that she cared for him.

"Soon," she repeated, nodding once. "I want a little more time to get to know him. We've just started dating, and that means he'll be opening up more, and I'll be getting more information on his weakest points that I'll pass on to you. When we do get him, we'll get him good, with all we have. But before that, we have to know his weakest points."

All she could do was stall for time until she could come up with a more... permanent way to stop Nirek from hurting her Finley. For now, she reckoned she bought herself a few months at the very least to figure out a plan.

But then, his reaction to what she had meant as a temporary exercise provided the answer for her, and she bit back a smirk. Too easy, Nirek. You really should stop showing your emotions, she chided him, doing nothing but nodding curtly, as if embarrassed.

"And of course I like you, otherwise I wouldn't allow you to play with Finley, would I?"

Allow? she scoffed mentally. She was the one who had allowed him, and the fact that he thought otherwise was endearing in a condescending manner. I will destroy you if you so much as lay a finger on Finn, she added, a silent promise she fully intended to keep, even as she bit her lower lip and averted her gaze further. She knew an ace when she saw one, and this was the perfect ploy.

"Are you sure? I didn't mean to make you upset," she murmured.

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The idea of needing a little bit more time to find out what could crush Finley the most was not a bad one. Frustrating, of course, to the boy who really wanted this to be done as soon as possible, but he could understand the reasoning. "Okay. You collect a little more information, let me know what we can use against him, then we'll destroy him. Together." Nirek replied, looking more than impressed with himself - as if he'd come up with that all on his own.

Which, he obviously had not.

The embarrassment that touched Madison's cheeks (Nirek bought in to it in a second) made him smile a little shyly. He didn't see himself and Madison going anywhere, but he was not going to throw away these emotions she held for him. No sir.

"Me? I'm not upset." Nirek replied, moving off his seat to kneel before her, pushing her head up just enough to look at him. "I'm happy we're doing this together." He insisted, giving her another small smile. "Just... don't take too much longer over it. I'm not very patient when it comes to these things. You can do that for me though, right? It's only Finley, after all." Nirek commented, grinning at her by the end, because this was too much.

Leaning forward, Nirek pressed a light kiss to the witch's cheeks. "I know you won't let me down." He added as he got back up, and moved off towards the door. "I'll be in touch, Madison." He added, the smile on his lips not faltering as he slipped through the door, his mood greatly improved from what it had been that morning.

» The Beginning (Madison & Nirek)
» Like Minded People (Madison & Jacques)
» My Lady (Nirek & Cara)
» Disappointing is mildly putting it {Elenore}
» Jokes On Us (Nirek)