Igniting A Forbidden Flame PV: Flash Closed

@Flash Holmwood

Captivation, one may call it, why Persephone’s eyes never deviated from her housemate, watching and waiting for him to unleash the domino effect. One sweet word, phrase, a look, was all it would take and the Slytherin girl could end this interaction without any hassle. Honesty would’ve been to admit that talking to Flash reawakened her intellectual mind, stimulating parts of her that were left untouched since the wave of disinterest that flooded over the population with the Valentine’s Tea event. However, it would take much more than an extensive vocabulary for Persy to admit that loneliness was radioactive, and her skin was melting off before his ocean eyes. Even in the desperation for solid ground, Persy would never surrender to the enemy; the matter at hand was, however, necessary to that: was the enemy Flash, weakness, or whatever she had coursing through her veins when the devious lioness was ambushed?

Silence loitered in the air, so deafening that her left temple began to throb in pain. Her pale hand shot up to massage this ache away, slow circles traced distinctly along her skin. The quiet only grew quieter, echoing wishes in her mind begging to just leave, retreat to home base, the safety of the Slytherin Common Room enhanced with the ideal atmosphere to plan her eventual attack on this brunette. Of course, he too was a snake, escaping him was not as easy when compared to avoiding the rivals outside their own house. At the very least, Persy could bolt to her next scheduled class, an overachieving fifteen minutes early. Digging deeper into her options, she realized a quick flee wasn’t one. As she had so brutally reminded herself mere moments ago, the boy hardly presented dim-witted. To run would be an adamant display of fragility, of fear that she did not possess. There was no reason to be more of a fraud than she already was.

Barely giving her the chance to react to her newfound logic, Flash spoke up once again, educating her on his intentions (hah, ally!), and a cunning apology. Beyond this, he mimicked Burnett in the manner of achieving his early psychology degree. A sharp pain on the inside of her cheek made her aware of her clenched teeth; had she exposed her sensitivity to his behavior? Eyes widening, the blonde physically shook, bucking the idea from her mind. Persephone was not sensitive. There was no feeling anywhere in that hollow shell, just logic and rational.

No matter the rules of thumb, Persephone had to retort somehow, defend her lack of offense. But before she could, the male snake went into a [normally] heart-wrenching detail of his home life. The stern look that rested upon her face didn’t falter, but something inside her chest did. Cannons were lowered, pistols were put back into safety. Holsters were full.

I am the manipulator, not the manipulated.

“Bothers me? You mean reminds me of everything I aim to escape? No, definitely not.”

God, stop talking you idiot!

“You’re being stupid again. Why don’t you drop the acts and talk to me like a normal person?” A request, replenishing the humanity in her soul. Persy didn’t smile, but lifted her eyebrows as a way to tell him that I’m not going to kick you, but if you try that again I might very well. Without a single ounce of doubt, the blonde knew the worst part of Flash’s sly tricks: whether to the extent he desired or not, they were effective. Persephone was clever, not immune.

Releasing a breath held by tension, a whisper was barely audible under the gentle sigh. “Bannis-moi en enfer…”

Reducio

'Bannis-moi en enfer.' is French for 'Banish me to hell.'

He was right. He was glad his risk had paid off, though he would have to accept only a minor victory. He didn’t expect he was going to get on Persephone’s good side so easily. He had done what he could in the spur of the moment, and he was starting to get better at navigating these landmine riddled conversations. This was the point, he realized, that he would no longer be able to mine any more information. The information he got already was precious enough.

Reminds me of everything I aim to escape... how revealing. His speech did that, then? He wanted to know more, but he had time. The year was still not over, and they would undoubtedly be seeing a lot of each other. If he played his cards right, he would know what she was trying to escape before summer. Right now, however, he was only irritating her. At least he wasn’t irritating enough to attack or shoo away. He could tell part of her wanted him to stay.

People complained about not talking normally, but deep down they all wanted Flash to be this way. Nice, helpful, interested in them. Everyone needed someone to look their way, to make them feel less lonely. They didn’t want to admit it to themselves, but Flash knew it.

”I’ll try practicing sounding more like a ‘normal person’.” Flash smirked, knowing Persephone would be annoyed, but that some part of her may have liked being pestered. ”Until then, it’s been a pleasure talking to you, really it has.”

It would be best to let her stew for a while with what he said. He hoped the time in between their next meeting would be one where she thought about him a lot. He had no idea what she had said last, but he could tell it was in French. It was a distinctive language, he had at least been taught common niceties in most common languages in the event he would need it. It seemed he found an occasion for it already.

“À la prochaine” Flash waved dreamily as he walked backwards towards the exit. He had to keep his eye out as long as he was in missile range. Once he was near the door, he turned and left.

Flash leaves unless forcefully stopped

@Persephone Barret

@Flash Holmwood

This soon, moving to a new country and changing her name was melodramatic. Only when she’d been torn away from all she clinged to would Persephone resort to last-minute methods. As difficult as it was for her to acknowledge through the blinding hot vexation, not much had been given away, but ammo was ammo. It only took a single shot to the heart to deprive someone of their life, and Persy had given Flash the key to the armory. Since her awakening to the nature of the world, the snake had taught herself to never lose your control on a situation, never surrender your control of the wheel, and she had done just that to the enemy. The entirety of this interaction, she knew what he was attempting, sprouting vines of manipulation, and still, she dare not move. Not fear. Interest. But what’s so intriguing about losing everything she’d worked for?

Perhaps, it was the chance that somebody in this God forsaken school was up to par. As of late, she had only encountered fools who attempted a victory through methods devoted more to compassion; the Slytherin girl was more impressed by cunning habits, qualities of a true Slytherin.

“I’ll try practicing sounding more like a ‘normal person’.”

Flash was no idiot, he had exhibited that diligently upon exploiting her weaker walls so that an element of her character was discovered, even triumphing her stubborn nature. His words were chosen carefully, like her own, systematic in character. There was nary a doubt in the blonde’s mind that he wished for her annoyance, baited it even, because they had such remarkably similar techniques. But, against Persy’s own will built through years of construction, he had pulled enough out of her in the last fifteen minutes to last him the rest of their time together, including the coming months. For now, her lips were sealed.

Bidding her adieu, the brunette walked backwards toward his escape, their eyes locked with each other's, blue and green. When he spoke French in return to her own regard, a small smile forced its way onto her face, breaking the tension of her stern stare of discontent. Until next we meet. A naive hope, maybe, but Persy craved that day never arrive; she couldn’t afford another blunder like today. It would interfere, wreck her plans from the inside. No, Flash Holmwood was best avoided.

“Quand l'enfer se fige, mon concurrent.” She whispered, her competitor already vanished beyond the doorway, leaving her secluded in the Transfiguration classroom. The quiet, as they say, was piercing.

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