Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea)

Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Wed Oct 21, 2020 6:02 pm

"Adrienne is out for the count."

Azalea nodded, not at all surprised. The youngest Newbury resembled a firecracker's spirit most of the time. loudest and brightens when she was engaged and out like a light when tired. Ivan was of a much steadier nature, a candle that burned consistently through the night unless disturbed. The brunette remained quite, holding ehr own cup of coffee as Jake explained his son had apologized to her. She remained silent through Jake's insistence that she was owed a proper apology, only to put her cup down when he was through.

"You know, I don't think I'm as deserving of an apology as we're making it out to be," she confessed, brown eyes raw to the mug for fear of looking up at him and finding some truth in his features. "They're not so little Jake, that they won't know when I'm around and when I'm... not." she finished, the guilt obvious in her voice as she continued to stare at the dark brew in her mug. "It must be so confusing for them, to have me one moment, then Clara, then me again. I'm not sure I blame Ivan at all for saying exactly what he felt."

A deep sigh emanated from the man across from her. "Regardless, he shouldn't have spoken that way."

Azalea merely shook her head, conceding the point. There was no point in arguing what should and shouldn't have happened. They could only salvage what already had happened. "I'm gonna go say a quick goodnight," she finally managed, getting off her seat and heading towards the stairs. Jake jokingly said something about a ten minute deadline she didn't hear but the witch was sure she got the gist.

The first room she pepped into was Adrienne's and sure enough, the little girl was out cold. Azalea padded softly into the room and bent over the young witch, kissing her head softly and adjusting the covers Adrienne must have pushed off in her sleep. Once the girl was tucked in snugly, Azalea exited the room, making sure to leave the door a smudge open just as she'd found it.

Ivan's room was trickier with the witch internally debating if she should even go in. Finally, her need to see the boy safe in bed won out over any reservation she may have had. On tiptoes, the brunette made her way to Ivan's door, peeking in through the crack to check if he was asleep. The boy was lying way too still to be asleep, almost as if holding his breath.

Throwing caution tot eh wind, Azalea entered the room. The little boy made no movement as she neared his bed, bending ove to place a kiss on is forehead before giving his covers the same treatment as his sister's. Ivan was very much awake, of that much she was sure. Why he was faking sleep was a different story.

"Good night, sweetie," she whispered into the darkness. "And remember, no one's mad at you. Not your dad and certainly not me."

She heard his breath hitch softly at the confession before he grew still once again.

"I'll be right here if you need me," she promised, trying to add the words "for tonight" as the guilt returned. Whether it was real or imagined, she felt the doubt exuding from the young wizard as she left his room.

Trying to shake off the feeling of letting Ivan down, Azalea focused on the task at hand as she climbed down the stairs once again, heading into the kitchen.

"Want to know something stupid?" she asked, not really taking in the man going through his post on the kitchen table. "I actually don't have anything to change into. I really hope Victoria left something of hers here from her last visit... Jake what's wrong?"

Finally having reached the kitchen counter, the Potion Mistress had seen his ashen face as he studied a bit of paper. Coming to stand behind him, she placed one hand on his shoulder, her eyes looking over the text that was causing him distress. It was something about a tax investigation but very little else made sense to her.

"Who's being investigated?' she asked, unsure what it meant and why Jake was slowly turning whiter as he clenched the paper in his hands.

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Thu Oct 22, 2020 7:35 am

It was the hand on his shoulder that alerted Jake to Azalea's presence in the room. Even the softest touch had made him jump ever so slightly as his gaze shifted from the paper in his hand to halfway towards the witch. A failed attempt to pull his eyes away from the figures, because they'd returned back to the page almost as quickly as they'd moved from it.

"Who's being investigated?'

The man tried to reply, but found his mouth dry. The attempt was made a second time, and the man had to swallow hard to get his throat to work again. "I am," Jake replied on the third attempt, still looking at the paperwork in front of him without really knowing what it was he had to do. "They're suggesting..." Jake paused again, his eyes scanning over the words to double, and triple check what he already knew they were suggesting from the multiple times he'd already read over the paper. "They're suggesting I've been moving large sums of money out of the country, and it's triggered an investigation.

"My accounts have now been locked," Jake continued, motioning to the paragraph in the paperwork that stated that much had happened. "Until such time that I can prove where this money is going, and that I'm not doing anything illegal with the money. I'm not, I wouldn't know how to do that, I don't want to do that!" The last was said in a knee jerk defence that he knew Azalea didn't need to hear, but that he needed to say aloud to make it real. He was not the kind of man who would play so haphazardly with his money, he'd always outsourced all of the work around the large pot of money he'd accumulated from his Quidditch days so that it kept... making it's own money.

Honestly, though, he didn't know how it worked.

It just had worked since his early twenties, and the tax payments had been made when they were due.

"They're also saying, if I can't prove where the money has gone, they're able to fine me, or prosecute me." The final part was said as the man put the letter on the counter, his hands moving up to run through his hair as he tried to work out what to do.

If there was anything he could do now...

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Sat Oct 24, 2020 1:12 pm

"I am,"

Raising an eyebrow, the witch waited for more. Paperwork wasn't her forte to begin with and tax issues, were not something she had ever had cause to concern herself with. Dad had an accountant, Josh had an accountant, she might have one but the brunette couldn't honestly say,

"It must be a mistake," she concluded when Jake was finally done explaining. She herself couldn't see any benefits in moving large sums of money overseas. And even if someone did, it was their own money to do with as they saw fit, in this country or any other. "Do you have an accountant. If not, Dad's got one, I can get his number or soemthing," she offered because it was clearly bothering the male. Reaching over, she softly plucked the letter from his hand before Jake's features drained completely of color.

"It's going to be okay, you can just call them tomorrow and ask them to talk it over. I'm sure they'll apologize for their mistake." In fact, the witch was not sure of any such thing but that's what happened when someone made a mistake: they apologized.

"we have a much more serious decision to make about tomorrow though," she added, moving away from behind him and taking her seat across the kitchen table. "What do we do with the kids? Clara can't make it tomorrow and I have classes until noon." The witch paused, wondering if she should say her next thought out loud.

"Would it be... what if I took tomorrow off and stayed here with the kids?" she finally suggested, unsure how he would receive such information. "I only have my NEWT level workshops and those kids are stressed enough to revise on their own..."

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Sat Oct 24, 2020 1:31 pm

"It must be a mistake,"

Jake's eyes remained on the figures on the piece of paper as Azalea spoke, still trying to make sense of it. Was it possible that kind of sum of money had been moved from his account? Yes. Had he done it? Absolutely not. His accountants might deal with the account, moving money around, investing it in the 'right' places, but Jake had never ever authorised a move to offshore accounts in the countries listed on the paper before him.

"Do you have an accountant. If not, Dad's got one, I can get his number or something,"

"I have an accountant..." Jake replied as Azalea gently prized the paper from his fingers. No resistance came from the man, though, as instead he looked up at the witch for the first time. The worry would be clear in his features, even as Azalea denoted he could ring the accountants in the morning to discuss it, and he would hopefully be told it was simply a mistake. Jake couldn't bring himself to nod, though. Surely if HMRC were contacting him, they had some kind of evidence already stacked against him?

The witch drew away from him, though, moving around the table, back to her coffee as she addressed the situation of tomorrow. The children. The letter had jogged his brain temporarily, leaving him to forget that the children wouldn't be going to school tomorrow, and that they would have to sort something out. His first point had been to ask Clara, but Azalea had already beaten him to it, by the sounds of it. "Clara isn't free?" Jake echoed, but Azalea's short nod put that option clearly out of sync.

His own day would be filled with work at the Ministry again.

Azalea was teaching until noon.

He would have to call his boss to tell him he couldn't go in.

"Would it be... what if I took tomorrow off and stayed here with the kids?"

Jake had been about to point out he would have to take the day off work. His words had been halted by Azalea's offer, though. An offer that would mean putting their students studies on hold -- even if Azalea was insisting that the NEWT level students would be okay without her, it didn't... it didn't sit right. And yet, it was one of the better options they had in that moment...

"Well... I couldn't ask you..." Jake started, but Azalea gave him a look that told him that he didn't have to ask, that she would be willing to help out as much as he needed. That track of thought was quickly put away, politeness was not going to win out in the end. "It would be really appreciated," Jake conceded honestly instead, an idea hitting him slightly later than would normally be applicable as he realised a better option.

"But you don't have to make your students suffer. I mean, you could take Ivan and Adrienne with you... if you wanted. Ivan will sit quietly and do his homework, or read whilst you teach, so he wouldn't be a problem. And, Adrienne..." Here, Jake did have to give pause for thought. Adrienne was a little bit more hands on, and whilst at Hogwarts, she did get a little bit too excitable to be cooped up in classroom of studying students. But, Azalea always knew how to deal with the youngest Newbury, and perhaps... perhaps she had something that she could offer in place of his half thought out plan in that moment.

"Then you can bring them back here when you're finished. I'm supposed to finish at six tomorrow..." Jake explained, though they both knew better than to keep the timings of his shifts as gospel. It wasn't the best plan in the world, but it was something, and something was better than nothing.

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Sat Oct 24, 2020 1:51 pm

"But you don't have to make your students suffer. I mean, you could take Ivan and Adrienne with you... if you wanted."

"Hmm,' the witch pondered, nursing her now cold cup of coffee. "We could introduce Adrienne to Peeves,' she suggested with a sly grin, considering his idea. "I don't know about the rest of the castle but those two would have a good enough day."

In honesty, his idea was a good one. Ivan would like nothing better then spend half a day in a library as expansive as Hogwarts' and Adrienne wasn't any trouble when she was occupied. it was only her boredom one had to watch out for. And there were plenty of things in a magic castle that would engage a seven year old witch. "And if Amanda or Grayson find out the children are there, well they'll not be short on any fuss made over them. The house elves too would enjoy feeding the children."

Waiting as he finished his tea while still ignoring her coffee, the Potion Mistress finally made her decision. "Okay, I'll take them to work. I don't think the Headmaster will mind seeing as he's out all week on sick leave. And I can get them lunch and bring them home. I think it might also be a good idea to keep a spare change of clothes here," she added, almost embarrassed as she looked down at the turtleneck and jeans she'd been wearing all evening.

"Just, for emergencies like these," she added, not wanting to imply anything untoward. Jake had clearly not processed how unprepared she was for this sleepover and Azalea found herself unable to ask mundane questions like "where should I sleep?" or "can i borrow a T shirt please?". Today's barrage of events had put much of their personal conflicts to the side in favor of working out the children's conflicts. But now with Ivan and Adrienne safely in bed and the matter of the tax investigation relegated to next morning, her subconscious was subtly reminding he that they had a lot more to talk about.

"May I?" she asked, reaching for his nearly empty cup when it looked like he was done. Picking up the two mugs, she made her way to the sink, draining them first before filling them with hot water and reaching for the dish soap.

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Sat Oct 24, 2020 2:12 pm

Jake let out a soft laugh at the idea of leaving Adrienne with Peeves for the day. "I don't think Headmaster Kessler would appreciate that." Jake pointed out good-naturedly, but at least it was an idea. The man didn't push whilst Azalea mulled over the idea, knowing that it was putting a little bit of pressure on her to juggle his children, and her students for the morning. If she wanted to look after them, though, he wouldn't stop her, because the Ministry needed him at work, and he felt guilty enough for ditching halfway through the day that day.

Kids did come first, they always would, but he didn't like letting other people down where he could avoid it.

The final acceptance came, though, and Jake gave the witch an appreciative smile. "Thank you," he managed softly, knowing that the thanks was not needed, because Azalea wouldn't hear it if he was stuck with trying to balance everything. It was the mention of having spare clothes here, though, that caught Jake slightly off guard. Realising now that the witch had not been prepared for everything that had happened that day, and the fact she'd promised to stay, it left them both in the situation of mild embarrassment. There were no women's clothes in the house anymore. Veronika's clothes had been sorted and cleared a couple of year's back, Victoria hadn't left anything here that he could offer to Azalea, and his mom had been thorough in her own packing.

Which left them only one option.

"You can borrow one of my shirts to sleep in, if you'd like. Or... whatever you want, feel free to pick something from my room." The offer was there, and though it wasn't a very good one, it was the best the man could do in the meantime. "I can shrink you one of my work shirts to wear back to Hogwarts tomorrow, if you'd like." Jake offered, it was probably best Azalea not return to Hogwarts in exactly the same clothes tomorrow, if they could help it. Though once again, the offer was not the best, but it was all they had to work with.

Azalea had quickly busied herself with the washing up, though, taking his half-finished tea when he nodded his consent to it being taken. The witch turned away from him at the sink, and the room grew quiet save for the sound of the water running in to the sink. The weight of the day still held heavy, but now, with everything seemingly in place, it left the two of them alone, and the antics from the previous week that they hadn't spoken about loomed over them both.

Jake's eyes remained on Azalea as she carefully cleaned the cups of their contents, wondering whether he should say anything... or whether it was best to wait for her to speak. Truthfully, he knew that leaving it untouched would likely not end well for them both. They were too good at running away from everything that needed to be spoken about.

But how did you start the topic off?

Asking how Josh was seemed to be too nosey. Asking what last week had meant seemed to be too much of a vague question, but also too pointed. He couldn't ask if it was going to happen again because that would be far too forward, and sound like he was asking her for sex again. There was no easy way in to the conversation that they needed to have...

Jake would have to find a way, though.

"How was your weekend?" The man settled for, because it allowed Azalea the option to talk about what she felt comfortable telling him. If she spoke about Josh, they could perhaps move on to what they had done, and what he plans were. The fact she was here meant that whatever had happened this weekend, she'd not opted to rule him or the children out of her life. And for some reason, that made the Auror just a little bit hopeful.

Even if he couldn't pinpoint exactly why.

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:52 pm

At his offer to pick something from his closet, the witch nodded. The idea of venting into his bedroom to do that was more than a little terrifying but Azalea doubted now was the right time to bring that up. in this house, Azalea had never felt properly welcomed, at lest not until the older Newburies had left. But even then the witch couldn't imagine walking into Jake's bedroom despite the nature of their changing relationship.

Instead she chosen to focus on a problem she hand't even thought about. When the Auror mentioned shrinking one of his shirts for her, Azalea realized she would have to return to school in the same clothes otherwise. If she had her key on her, she could access her own closet from any doorway thanks to the magic imbued in the hardware. Unfortunately the brunette had left everything in her quarters that day before seeking out the room of requirements.

"No need to shrink, I'll just tie it at the waist, or say oversize shirts are the new black," she managed before getting up to wash the mugs. At any rate, she would have plenty of time to reach school and change for her first class.

That should have been the end of it. She had her back turned, he had his worries at the table. The kids were asleep upstairs and if she pretended hard enough, they were just two friends helping each other out.

Except he had shown her a week ago on no uncertain grounds how they didn't work as friends.

"How was your weekend?"

Her back visibly stiffened, the cup of soapy water jostling as her hand shook, sending flecks of water and suds on her turtleneck.

"Good. I mean, not good." she tried to save, putting the mug down and inspecting the damage to her blouse. "II mean, Ethan wasn't well." she finished, trying to flick the suds off the fabric. "He had a cold, so I stayed with him most of the weekend. He has nannies and private nurses but I wanted to be there in case..." In case what? In case he needed her? "Just in case."

With both mugs washed, dried and left on the draining rack for tomorrow's breakfast, Azalea finally turned from the sink, looking for a kitchen towel to dab at her garment. "We didn't get much time to talk," she added, clarifying a minute later. "Josh and I that is. I was too busy with Ethan and asleep the rest of the time." Not strictly true but it would do under the circumstances.

"How about you? How was your weekend?"

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Sat Oct 24, 2020 4:16 pm

The way Azalea's back had tensed up at his question had been the clear sign his choice of words to start the talking had not been the right one. The man had almost told Azalea to forget that topic, or to move to comfort her, but the witch had replied despite the tension clearly on show in her body, her hands moving with a tremor and splashing water upon herself.

"Good. I mean, not good."

The answer was as confusing as it could be, in truth. Azalea clearly wasn't sure what she wanted to say. Whether it was for his benefit, or her own, genuine confusion, he couldn't say. But, he didn't speak, trying to decide what it was he could say to make her feel better in that moment. Less stressed. The clarification came a moment later though, the reason for the weekend not being so good made clear. "Is Ethan alright now?" Jake asked, because even if the man didn't know the boy in question, he was a child Azalea cared for.

As the witch turned, looking around for something, Jake stood from the table, moving in to the kitchen. A soft mention of a towel, and Jake located one from the drawer, passing it to Azalea as she confessed that she hadn't had time to talk to Josh. It was understandable, when children were in need, Azalea was the first to forget about herself, in favour of looking after the child, Ethan was no different.

But it meant that she hadn't spoken to Josh about what had happened last week.

It meant Josh did not know.

Where that left the two of them, Jake did not know as he leant against the kitchen side. Jake would take a moment to think that over, giving a small time of quietness between the two of them. Before Azalea returned the question to him. Looking back to the witch, the man gave a small shrug.

"I spent the weekend with the children. Clara left on Friday night to do... whatever it is Clara does," he explained, half joking by the end of the sentence because he wasn't sure Azalea would be able to put her finger on it either. "Kids kept me busy with everything they wanted to do, swimming, playing all the games we could fit in, movies, Ivan reminded me they had homework to do." Again, the last was said to lighten everything up, a fond smile playing on the man's lips before he fell quiet again.

Perhaps tonight wasn't the right time to start the talk, not if she hadn't spoken to Josh...

"Come on, let's go find you something to change in to, and we can get showered, and stuff." Placing a soft hand on the witch's arm until she followed and he'd let her go, the duo would head up to Jake's room together in search for some clothes for her to change in to. Or, rather, Jake would open the wardrobe door for Azalea, and allow her the pick of all of his clothes. Whatever she thought would work as makeshift pyjamas, and an outfit for the next day. Jake would, in turn, move to sit on the end of the bed as he watched her looking through the options before.

"You know," Jake would manage as she picked out one of his old t-shirts from the wardrobe. "It's been a long time since I've seen you in one of my t-shirts..." The fond memories came back, though, and the smile on the man's lips showed he didn't mean anything bad by his comment. It was just a simple fact.

Whatever Azalea might reply, Jake would relent from that train of thought, though, insisting she take the first shower whilst he listened out for the children, and that he would go after she was done.

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Sat Oct 24, 2020 5:27 pm

The details of his weekend, while not surprising, did what they were meant to do. They helped change the course of the conversation, charting it into safer waters. Soon, Azalea wold have to tell him they couldn't carry on the way they had last week. Soon she would have to admit that no matter what she felt with him, it was unthinkable to consider an option that din't involve Ethan. Soon, it would all come to an end.

Soon, but maybe not right this minute.

"He's doing better now, or he was this morning anyway,' she explained, following him up the stairs and into his room. The witch wasn't sure what she expected but it was a mostly spartan room. A big bed, a desk, a minimal fuss dressing area and that was about it. Not that she tried hard to look but upon initial glances, there appeared to be no sign of a female cohabitant.

"Have at it," he invited, opening the door to his cupboards and then stepping aside. He didn't betray any hints of where particular garments were, leaving Azalea to wonder if she dared open any drawers. A moment later, the witch decided she did not. one side was dedicated to work clothes, which Azalea gave a wide birth to. The other was full of t shirt and track bottoms to be worn around home or while working out, she supposed. Reaching into a pile of T shirts, Azalea pulled out the first one that felt soft enough, retrieving it carefully so as not to topple the pile.

"I'll sort the work clothes tomorrow, this will do for now," she mumbled, holding her chosen tee shirt out to the read the bold text printed on it. "Moose Jaw Meteorites?" It was probably some sports team he liked, she reasoned, not thinking on it much.

"You know, it's been a long time since I've seen you in one of my t-shirts..."

"Well, you better buckle up then," the brunette attempted to joke back, heading towards the shower. His return grin was just the dozes of lightheartedness she needed to shut the door behind ehr with a smile.

The bathroom too was functional, despite bewaring a tub that looked unused. Most fo the accessories were in the shelf by the shower stall with a single person's morning essentials lining the cabinetry by the sink. If there was ever a female partner here, her signs were well and truly removed.

Folding the T shirt and placing it by the sink, the witch checked once again that the door was firmly shut. Once assured, she began to strip, first removing her jeans and thong (great, she didn't have more underwear to change into) and then reaching for her turtleneck.

the bruises didn't look the same under the dimmer lighting of the bathroom. Yet they had grown darker, more angry over the last few hours. No longer bright purple, they were fading to an ugly puce, leaving parts of her skin scabbed and parts cracked and split. once again, shame overcame the young woman as she saw evidence of what she had let happen.

This was why she had to tell Jake. This was why they could never consider a future together.

This was why, teh life she had pretended all day was hers, could never be hers.

Unsticking the nipple covers from her body, she discarded them into the bin before stepping into a hot shower, as hot as it would go, as loud as it would go.

So she could pretend the warm water sliding down her face was only from the shower head.

The witch stood there, naked and alone, underneath the scalding water, her skin slowly turning scarlet as she tried to burn away the marks and the tears.

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Subject: Re: Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea) Sat Oct 24, 2020 5:50 pm

Jake had enjoyed the light joke in return for his good natured comment, the smile on his own lips a clone of the one on Azalea's. As she disappeared in to the bathroom, Jake had sat for a moment, contemplating what he should do. Staying sat on the bed whilst Azalea showered seemed almost too close, and so the man had exited the bedroom and crossed the hallway to the children's rooms.

Adrienne was still out for the count, wrestled between the sheets because even when asleep the child could not stay still. It took a few minutes to get her gently untangled and tucked back soundly in the duvet without waking her. Jake had tiptoed back out of the room with the same amused expression he always had reserved for his daughter's sleeping habits.

Ivan was snoring softly in the bedroom beside his sister. Once again, Jake had moved in to the room, and gently coaxed the child on to his side so that he wouldn't continue to snore. It wasn't loud, but Adrienne always insisted it woke her up. Ivan had stirred momentarily, but with the stillness perfected from years of experience with the children, Jake had not woken him from his sleep.

Exiting the room, Jake had moved downstairs to get a glass of water for bed, catching himself as he went to return upstairs and doubling back for a second glass for Azalea. He had probably been gone ten minutes by the time he reappeared in his room. The sound of the running water still loudly coming from the bathroom. Normally, Jake wouldn't have paid much mind to it. Would have pulled out his phone and checked the daily news, or watch one of the many videos that had come through on the group chat at work.

But before he could do that, a sound had caught his attention as he placed the glasses on the bedside table.

Pausing at the half stooped height by the table, Jake strained his ears.

The same sound met his ears a few moments later.

Moving to the door of the bathroom, Jake put his ear against the door. A third time, the sob came from behind the door. "Azalea..?" He called out carefully, but no sound came back. Just the sound of the water hitting the floor of the shower replied.

Which only confirmed what he'd heard.

Jake's hand moved to the lock on the door.

Hesitated.

"I'm coming in, Azalea." Jake told the witch. Turning the lock from the outside -- thank Merlin for the child safety locks that allowed you to unlock them from the outside easily -- Jake gently pushed the door open. "Are you ok-"

The question cut off as Jake's head emerged through the door ahead of his body. The glass from the shower cubicle might have been heavily misted from the heat of the water, and blurring Azalea's body from clear view, but the mist did not blur colours like that. The witch's usually unblemished skin was darker around her neck, even from here. Off colour...

Bruised?

"Azalea..." Jake spoke gently as he stepped in to the bathroom, eyes focused on the discoloured areas of the witch's skin. "What happened?" Jake asked as he moved to the shower, which was only enclosed on three sides thanks to the sheer size of it. The witch stood before him, and the bruises on her body only came more clear with the glass that was buffering them taken from the equation. Whether he would get an answer, Jake didn't know, nor did it matter either, because he hadn't waited for one.

Azalea's eyes would not meet his, and that spoke enough as he stepped in to the shower and drew the witch close to him, in to the safety of his arms beneath the spray of the shower. "It's okay, I'm here." The man murmured in to her hair as she let out another sob against his chest. "You're safe." He would say as he placed a kiss to the top of her head in reassurance.

He didn't need to ask who had done this to her.

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» Why Does It Always Rain on Me? (Jazalea)
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