The Awakening - Purple - February, 2010 (Alexagramma)

The sound of his voice made every hair on her body stand up at attention, cold fear seeping into her heart as her eyes, finally free from Alex's, took in the older Quinn standing in the kitchen doorway. Every part of her wanted to curl up into a ball, to give him as little surface area to inflict damage on as she could, and it was a learned behavior.

Because she knew there would be damage to deal with from the aftermath of this.

"Ah yes... cake," Simon replied coldly, taking in the unfished creation. "To My Alex, i don't think this one's meant for me, little brother...."

Almost quivering, Annagramma pushed herself off the counter, coming to stand beside Alex with her head down and her hands clenched so tightly together, her knuckles were turning white from bloodless. "I w-was going to make you another," she lied, her tone unnatural and soft, afraid of telling him anything he didn't want to hear.

"Is that so?" her fiancé asked, doubt lacing every syllable as he moved to put down the coquet of flowers he had in his hands, a detail Anna only noticed now. "You must have been expecting Alexander home sooner, to make his first."

The blonde remained quiet, knowing that no defense would work. She couldn't even honestly say that she hadn't expected to see Alex today, because she had. She always knew when he was going to be nearby. So instead she just stood there, somewhat between the two brothers, her slender frame shuddering, her golden hair with its layer of flour and sugar hanging partially over her face, trying to hide her terrified green eyes.

"I think we should finish this conversation in private Annie. Why don't you go to our room and wait for me there?" His tone was different now, almost light, as if this was a joke and he quite enjoyed it. But Anna knew what that meant too.

"Okay," she agreed obediently, walking towards the door. the girl paused only for a second to glance back at Alex, taking in one last look before he disappeared again for however long this time, before walking timidly out of the kitchen, and leaving the two men on their own.

"To My Alex, I don't think this one's meant for me, little brother...."

Alex looked back to the cake, there was no answer to that point that he could bring to the surface in that moment. The eyes moved to Annagramma, almost willing her to keep quiet in that moment. Her innocence, even though he adored it, would probably only make the situation worse if she said something. She couldn't lie, she just wasn't built that way...

"I w-was going to make you another,"

The lie slipped from Anna's lips in the next moment, and Alex could only look to Anna. Confused. It was, perhaps, the first time he'd heard her lie -- which spoke volumes for the years they'd been friends, and the kind of relationship they had. Annagramma just wasn't built to do that, and the youngest Quinn could only wonder why she had said those words.

As Simon moved across the room, laying down the bunch of flowers for his fiancee, Alex felt himself shrinking back in that moment. He knew it had been a bad idea to come here. To come today. And yet, he'd allowed himself to be pulled here by whatever force of nature had decided this was the right answer.

"She didn't know I was coming..." Alex tried, but his voice was so soft, it could have been missed by the two.

The dismissal of Annagramma from the room came in a tone that didn't settle well with Alex, but he stayed out of it. What happened between a couple, it wasn't for him to get involved. At least, that was what his head reasoned in that moment.

Alex had watched her leave in that moment, another mistake.

The look in Annagramma's eyes as she paused, it said everything and nothing all at the same time, and Alex didn't know how to deal with that look.

The door closed almost too softly behind the witch, and Alex's eyes turned from where the witch had been only seconds before to his brother. The features that had been neutral in that moment turned sour all too quickly, and Alex had to pause in that moment to catch up.

"Look, I know that tiny prick of yours wants her, but Annie's mine." Simon spat, far too violently. "She said yes to marrying me, and these kind of displays are not exactly something you want from your fiancee."

"She didn't know I was coming, Si."

"You think that makes it better?" Simon asked, his features clearly enraged by that statement. "My wife to be, baking a cake for my brother who she didn't even know was coming? What the fuck do you think that does for the whole situation? Make it better? You're a fucking moron, Alex, but then, we always knew that. Biggest failure in the Quinn family. Can't even man up enough to ask the girl you fucking like to be your girlfriend."

Alex's jaw clenched as his brother shoved his shoulder, trying to provoke him.

"Stay the fuck away from her." Simon instructed, shoving Alex's chest again. "If you don't. You're only going to make things worse for her."

Alex's gaze levelled with his brother's, questioning what that meant, without a word.

Simon simply laughed at the look on his features, and shook his head, not explaining himself at all in that moment.

"This is my home, too." Alex reminded his brother.

"Then, make yourself a new one." Simon replied. "Annie and I don't need you around. Especially not whilst we prepare for the wedding. She needs to concentrate on what's important. And you are not part of that."

Simon shoved Alex back in to the table, for good measure.

"Now, clean this filth up. I need to see to my fiancee, and ensure this doesn't happen again." Simon turned and left the room.

Unease settled in Alex's chest, but much like his brother knew he wouldn't retaliate to a word he'd said.

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