Plot: Charlene seeks out the man that made her think that he could be someone from her past, someone that she hadn't seen for five years. If this is him, what is going to come of it? Characters: Charlene and Levi
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2025 9:11 pm
It had been a couple weeks since she first bumped into the stranger in the hallways. Something about his surprised expression and the blue of his eyes took her by surprise. She had cast one last glance back before the servant girl called back to her when she realized she had stopped walking. At first, she thought nothing of it, it was all normal and he just looked familiar. She had seen plenty of people with her father, so that must be where she knew him from. The longer she tried to ignore the look in his eyes the more she felt the need to find out who he was and what the deal was. ' Where do I know him from...?' she had spent a good portion of the day before trying to think hard on it, only to come up blank. She had gone to bed right away after her midnight routine, and around six in the morning she began to shift more in bed than usual, apparently all of her thinking had dug up memories that she thought she had pushed away, causing her to suddenly sit upright. She held her hand to her chest as she panted, her normally neat hair a mess from her shifting. ' s**t...I know where I know that face from.' it was the night she had gone out with the soldiers and well, ended up pregnant with her little girl. Did that mean he was the father? She shifted so she could pull her legs up and she wrapped an arm around them as she chewed on her nail bed of her thumb. No, if her father caught wind of this, he'd be all over it. She hadn't thought she'd actually run into him ever again, but then again, she shouldn't be too surprised because lots of nobles gathered here. It really should have reassured her that her daughter had good bloodlines and now she'd be able to check to see if there were any health concerns she should keep in mind but she didn't know what to think. She sighed, letting her head drop to her knees. " What was his name...?" she thought to herself out loud, that night was still really fuzzy, whatever had been in the drinks she'd been served was strong, and that night was the reason she had stopped drinking most of the time. She rubbed her temples before she got up. She had a headache starting and she needed to get ready.
The day had been going really slow, her mind not focused on the tasks at hand. Her classes and attention were failing her and just before lunch she left class early. It wasn't like it was a subject that she didn't know, but she was just not able to pay attention like she wanted to. As she walked down the hall towards her room she chewed the inside of her lip. Her eyes kept looking around wondering if she'd see him again, what would she even do? What could she say? Surprise, remember me? It's been five years and you're a father! That would go over so well. She stopped her steps, placing her hands over her eyes as she leaned her head back and groaned under her breath. It wasn't like her to not be all put together and focused, her father would be ashamed of her if he saw her now. She lifted her eyes up and they caught a glimpse of a sign that said 'Music Room 3' and she figured a chance to step out of the halls while she had a meltdown would be best. She opened the door, closing it softly before she closed her eyes and leaned her back against it. She wasn't accustomed to being so out of it, and it was all his fault. Well, and her own, but this was neither here nor there. She knew that she'd never do that again, and when she was with Luka they had been careful and used protection. She didn't even remember if she did with the man that she couldn't get off her mind.
As she lowered her hands, her eyes opening she breathed out and looked at the ceiling. " I have to get my act together." she murmured before she lowered her eyes and scanned the room. There were instruments, wide open space and beautiful paintings on the wall. She hadn't really been in this room before, but she liked it. As she looked around, she felt her heart pound in her chest, her breath catching as she froze. Sitting in a chair was none other than the man she was hoping to avoid. Well, not avoid as much as not knowing what to do. Her eyes widened before she moved, not thinking about it as she walked up next to him, and she looked at the book that was cracked on his chest; something about boats she'd venture to guess, as there was a picture of one on the front. Her hand raised slightly as if she was going to touch his cheek, his face flashing back into her mind from where she was nineteen all over again. He had been so gentle, catching her as she tried to stand and losing her balance. She hadn't recalled how she ended up in the back room with him, but he got to see a side of her only one other had ever gotten to see and that was on much better terms. She pulled her hand back and held it close to her chest before she stepped back slightly. His name came to mind, and she suddenly felt her mouth getting dry. " Levi...?"
The name felt so right, yet so wrong to be leaving her mouth after so long. She felt frozen, unsure if she wanted to run away or stick around to see if he'd wake up. She tightened her hand around the front of her shawl and forced her feet to stay put, she was going to see this through to the end. She had to. For Bree.
ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ ➢ "please don't let it be awful, please don't let it be awful..." ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ➢ Utopia, #3 Music Room ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ➢ Charlene ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ➢ NA ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ➢ ripped jeans, white hoodie, black jacket ᴇxᴛʀᴀ ➢ Steve
When he bumped into the blonde duchess in the hall, all Levi wanted to do was get the hell away from her. He took blame and apologized for the accident before hightailing it out of there. He knew exactly who she was. Well, not personally. He had her name and a couple of memories worth of information to understand just how connected they really were. Her name was Charlene Rowley, a duchess to be from Luna. He first saw her half a decade ago, when she traveled to Phronese on a diplomatic mission with her father. That day she was dressed in a shoulderless baby blue gown made with flowery lace and wheat-colored embroidery around the waist. The detached wrist cuffs were made of match. Dangling earrings, a choker and a gold necklace completed her look.
Up until weeks ago that was the last time he saw her. Since then, he had noticed her now and again but kept his head down or took a leave when the opportunity showed itself. It was nothing new to have old acquaintances of his brother approach him. Mentally exhausting, and not any easier as the years went on. It was a constant guessing game about the whys and hows of his brother’s relationship, they didn’t always end amicably. Charlene was one of the acquaintances Levi believed to have been unlucky to have met him, but lucky that things ended the way they had.
(Memory, Charlene Rowley, 5+ years ago) (Note: in this memory, Liam is the old name for the present Levi. Levi is the twin, now deceased)
Liam sat at a table in his brother’s drawing room, his head being held up by the palm at his temple, watching tiredly as Levi partook in hand-to-hand combat with one of the guards. It was seven in the morning, but he knew propriety hardly got between his brother and his selfish ways. His bone-head friends were there too, clearly hung over but still being needlessly boisterous as they cheered Levi on. It went on for several minutes before an unpleasant sound filled the room, followed by a mix of screaming and cheering. Liam winced, knowing that had to hurt. He started to leave but Levi signaled for him to sit back down, then looked at the floor where the injured guard was. It wasn’t until Levi’s foot was wound up and ready to kick that a pained “Huzzah” came out of the guard’s body. Only then did Levi grin proudly and take a seat at the table.
“Even after a night of libations and poking you still got it in you!” One of the grittier boneheads exclaimed.
Levi made a smug grin and looked over to Liam. “Could have gotten yourself some too if you joined us like I offered. She was quite a looker for some Luna whore.” He looked at one of the friends and made a nod toward the wine pitcher. “What was her name again? Charlie? Maureen?”
“I think it was Charlene.” “That’s it! Charlene. Charlene, Charlene…” Levi emptied his glass before continuing with the jingle he was crafting on the fly. “Come and let me play with your—“
He was no prude, but Levi never liked thinking past parts of some memories involving his brother, including that one. To hear some of the things he uttered in a voice that matched his own always left him feeling dirty. He only had his brother’s side of the story, but was of the opinion she had been nothing more than a notch in his bedpost that woke up alone, cold, and confused in an unfamiliar bed. He had no interest in approaching her, and if the professors were going to keep pairing them off with people, he hoped to never be paired with her. If she came to him… well, he’d deal with it then.
He did not think that that day would come so soon.
Levi’s usually didn’t mean to spend the night in the music room, but he did. It was one of the few pleasures he couldn’t let die when everything changed, so he made time to lose himself in the lush, velvety notes of his cello. When he went by another name, he was by all accounts proficient, having practiced for years. His brother, on the other hand… chased him around the manor with the intent purpose of beating him with the neck and fingerboard he broke off of his. The rest became kindling. After packing and hiding away his instrument, he got cozy on a chaise lounge and had only meant to rest his eyes.
“Levi…?”
His otherwise restful slumber came to a halt as his head twitched and eyes opened with a jolt to the sound of his present name being said. “Holy s**t!” Levi covered his face with his hand to hide the shock of seeing someone else there. It didn’t help that it was Charlene of all people.
“I hope this isn’t how you treat everyone you find sleeping…” Cool-colored eyes glared at her but stopped when he let a yawn out. He lifted the book that was now in his lap, looked at it, then set it aside. He then rose to his feet and stretched his arms up over his head. “Can I help you…” He started to call her ‘Lady Charlene’ but felt that to be too nice, and would insinuate she was worth remembering. He could only guess if his brother remembered her, being that he was dead. She was still there in his room-sized bubble, and it was almost offended. If he were less cordial, she would take the hint and am-scray. That was the hope, at least. He pulled his shirt down and straightened it after all the stretching.
This time he took a better look at her. ‘Is she scared? ********> Charlene looked statuesque with how she stood there clinging to her clothes, as if one poke from him might leave her crumbing to a million pieces of the floor. ‘Levi, what did you do now…’ he found himself asking that question even now, five years later.
He let out an exasperated sigh. Addressing and taking blame for his brother’s shitty behavior was not how he liked to start off his mornings, but he could. This was more important. Charlene could get whatever was on her mind out, and he could do whatever he felt needed doing about it and be aware of how he needed to act around her going forward. ‘What a win-win scenario this is.’ Levi didn’t move from where he stood and looked over the blonde again.
“It’s been a while, Lady Charlene. You look well.” He gave in on it, for now. A generic statement but not an untrue one. The only difference he noticed on her was aging and that she grew into her handsome looks. He hoped the kinder approach helped her chill, and if it did, they could rip this bandaid off quicker.
OOC::
Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 9:06 pm
Even though that night was blurry she still remembered his voice. Sure enough, even as he exclaimed out in surprise an apologetic look flashed across her face. She hadn't meant to startle him. She even spoke softly! " I'm sorry I--" she inhaled sharply as he stood, quickly shaking her head a little as he spoke as if she did that on purpose. She hadn't! Just as he had sounded like he accused her he asked if there was something he could do for her. ' Focus Charlene! You don't know if he even remembers you, find that out first.' she coached herself through the process before she took a shaky breath in, her hand tightening on her shawl before she felt like her heart stopped in her chest.
“It’s been a while, Lady Charlene. You look well.”
He remembered her. She wasn't imagining that this was him. Her eyes widened as she forced herself to breathe out no matter how hard it was. She was not going to break down, not now when she had finally found him again. " I-I..." her voice cracked along with her usual calm mask she wore. She lifted her head up more as she told herself the very same words, she told Bree when she had to be brave. ' You will be okay, everything happens for a reason, all we can do is move forward as best we can.' she could see her daughter's face flash in her mind, that innocent smile that she was doing this for. She finally calmed down and closed her eyes before she reopened them and raised her head up to look at him. " I'm surprised you remember me." she kept it simple as she looked him over. He looked a little older but then again, they were both five years younger then. His dark hair didn't reflect on Bree but the shade of his eyes that tinted hers made her mind run. She saw it now, how did she forget? She forced a small, nervous smile as she released her dress and lowered her hands. " You as well, time has been kind to you." she paid him a genuine compliment before she had to force herself to look away from him, her face heating up with embarrassment. How was she supposed to tell him? Surprise, after five years and not expecting to see you again, you have a child! She gripped her own hands as she looked down at her shoes and shifted them on the floor. There was no easy way to go about this, so she should just be outright with it.
" This isn't exactly....how I wanted to do this but..." she whispered before forcing herself to look up at him. It was partially her own fault she didn't remember and didn't make the effort to find him. The least she could do for him was look him in the eyes as she told him. " I don't know how much you actually remember from the last time... I'm a little foggy myself on details but..." she paused once more, searching his face and seeing another resemblance to her daughter in the form of facial shape. Yeah, that confirmed it. Time for the ball to drop. " I...no, we have a child together." Even as the words left her mouth, she felt her chest tighten painfully, hoping he didn't laugh her away. she wouldn't lie about that, but she also knew that many noblemen were likely taken in by a lie such as this before. She wouldn't blame him if he hesitated. Her next words slipped out softly as she couldn't hold his eyes, looking down and to the side again. " She... has your eyes." and now that was all she'd be able to think about for the rest of the day.
She was terrified to think of how her father would react when he found out. Key word being when and not if because she knew he had people in the school who were keeping an eye out on her and likely would have been able to put two and two together. She only hoped he wouldn't blow up on her, and she didn't realize it but she began to hold her breath as she awaited his response.
ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴏᴏᴅ ➢ tired af, annoyed, in shock ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ ➢ "Dammit Levi you stupid community sidewalk... " ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ➢ Utopia, #3 Music Room ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ➢ Charlene ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ➢ NA ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ➢ ripped jeans, white hoodie, black jacket ᴇxᴛʀᴀ ➢ Steve
Minty colored eyes rolled around in their sockets when the Luna Duchess got that sheepish look on her face. Fine, he’d forgive her for scaring him awake as she had. His heart rate would fall back to its usual rhythm eventually. One hand flicked a dismissive wave to her apology while the other rubbed one side of his face as he yawned. What’s done was done and the only thing Levi wanted was to check on Steve and go back to sleep in the comfort of his own bed. If luck was on his side, Charlene was only there by happenstance and after some pleasantries he could escape. He had a feeling that wasn’t the case.
Levi gave her a deadpanned look as she eventually spoke and said she was surprised he remembered her. That time had been kind to him. ”Well Lady Charlene, some memories just refuse to fade away. Suppose that makes you one of the lucky ones.” No doubt his brother would have actually remembered her as they both had photographic memory, but he would have pretended to not. He simply felt the need to be honest, even if she wasn’t in on what he meant by that. The second bit had him scoffing, not that he meant to be so audible with it. He would have to disagree; time being a cruel mistress and all that. Levi watched on as she behaved peculiarly, fidgeting and looking flushed with embarrassment like…
Oh no. His eyes widened slightly and his mouth twisted with mild disgust at what he thought she could be doing.
"This isn't exactly....how I wanted to do this but..."
Charlene was going to confess to him. Well, to whom she thought he was. They had relations five years ago, had she been clinging on to some hope of them getting together since? Levi thought he was going to throw up in his mouth if she actually followed through with this bad idea. ’Girl, please don’t do this, he poured the milk in before the cereal….’ He looked back down at her big blues, trying to remain patient and calm as he waited for her to come out with whatever she planned on saying to him. He wondered briefly if he was overthinking it, that maybe she was smarter than he was giving her credit for. She could say practically anything else and it’d be a better confession.
"I… no, we have a child together."
Except for that.
Levi searched her face and waited for something on Charlene’s to slip and expose this jape for what it had to be. And when that moment did not come, he wheezed and lightly snorted a laugh from his nose. He took a few steps past her and waited until then before he really let it out, stronger, louder. ”You can’t be serious. No we don’t. I-I...” He managed to get out once he calmed down. When she said that they had the same eyes, Levi scoffed again and shook his head, his laughter dying down to nothing more than shaking shoulders and a slightly sore jaw. He turned to face her again, wearing a look of amusement and disbelief across his face. He didn’t have children, not with Charlene or anyone for that matter. His brother on the other hand… it wasn't the first time he’d been approached by someone making the same claim but nothing had ever come to fruition from those times. He never made any claims either, but that was to be expected.
He looked at Charlene as he thought on what to do about the bomb she dropped. Well, tried. Part of him just wanted to cut this impromptu meeting short and go to bed but he knew all of… this would still be there when he woke up. This wasn’t even his kid, but with his circumstances he knew it might as well be, if Charlene was speaking the truth. That was the biggest predicament. How could he be sure? He peered at her suspiciously. ”How can I be sure you’re not telling me this just because we ******** a few years ago? What, did Daddy find out his daughter was a thot and you can’t tell him the kid’s some rando guard’s b*****d?”
”What’s your aim here? You need a noble to pin it on, or did you get cut off or somethin'?” He regretted parts of that questioning as the words spilled out of his mouth. It left a bad taste.
OOC::
Posted: Wed May 07, 2025 8:35 pm
Charlene was a little more than nervous, her heart was racing, and she knew that deep down this was something that had to happen. She hated that her hands were beginning to get sweaty and she pressed them to her dress as he mentioned further that she was one of the lucky ones. She chewed the inside of her lip for a moment. ' Lucky... I guess that's one word for it.' she thought to herself despite the forced smile and nod she had given him. Sure, she felt glad that he hadn't completely forgotten her at the least, but she still didn't know how he'd react.
Sure enough, his reaction was enough to startle her. After he stared at her like she had two heads, she tried to keep her composure, her blue eyes wanting to look elsewhere, almost ready to waver when he laughed. ' How is this funny?' she thought in her head, not turning right away to follow where he walked. Her hands tightened on her dress as she widened her eyes hearing his blatant refusal to admit it. Sure, she wasn't surprised that he would say no at first. It was one of those things that it was hard to think about happening. Especially after she had slept with him one time, and after that nobody else. Well, until Luka. She tentatively turned and her gaze raised to meet his to the best of her ability. She felt her anxiety about how he'd react next humming through her veins, and it wasn't a feeling that she liked. She had never been confronted with something like this before, not even with how the courts treated her. This was a different matter entirely, and she knew it could go good or bad, although she didn't have to wait too long to let her thoughts linger on it before he opened his mouth to speak again.
”How can I be sure you’re not telling me this just because we ******** a few years ago?"
His words hit her like ice water, and she stiffened. Her hands were shaking, and she didn't even realize it. How dare he? It got worse the more he spoke and the way he referred to Bree hit her even harder than being insulted herself. Her eyes widened as she opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come to her. ' Pull yourself together, you can't let him leave now that you finally have him talking about it.' she urged herself but the only words to leave her mouth were ones that she had only dreamed of using. Ones that she wished she never had to say out loud because that would have meant someone insulted her personal sun, her precious little girl. " How dare you." she narrowed her eyes up at him and released her dress from her grip. Her expression was a mixture of hurt and anger. Was that what he really thought of her? Of Bree? She knew that he had no idea what she was really like and while she didn't blame him for being on guard she did not see why the insulting words were needed. " First of all, you're the only one I've ever been with. Second of all, you do not get to call her names." her voice was a lower tone than she usually took, her anger not hidden behind the barrier of her mask for the first time in a long time. She took two quick steps, her hand raising as she made contact with his cheek, hard. She felt her own fingers sting, not realizing hitting someone would actually hurt her as well. In the moment she didn't care, her hand moving to point at him. " That night that we spent could have been forgotten, I could have moved on but not when I got pregnant. You have no right to say anything about my reasons for bringing it up now or not, I haven't seen you since then and haven't been allowed out, so I'm sorry if I hadn't found you before now." she frowned a little deeper, her left hand curled into a fist tighter than she had thought herself capable of. " Tu es un sacré arrogant !" the words had left her mouth before she registered them, slipping into her native tongue thankfully. As she pulled her hand away from him and stepped back a few steps. Despite being clearly upset with him, she still maintained her balance.
At least now she knew why he had never come back to find her or ask about her. He was one of those men who liked to have fun and then move on. At least, that was her immediate thought to his reaction. He was so cocky that it made her blood boil. As she tried to calm herself down, she focused more on the similarities that they had. Bree shared his shade of blue eyes, the way his jaw sloped down to his chin and hell, she even shared his laugh. Charlene knew that she had always wondered what he was like and the fact that he was willing and able to be so cold towards her without even taking the time to make sure hurt. She pulled her hand close to her chest and turned her head away, pleading for the tears threatening at the corners of her eyes to stay there. She did not want to look weak in front of him, not now!
ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴏᴏᴅ ➢ tired af, shock and disbelief, processing ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ ➢ "That's his kid-- ********, that's MY kid now..." ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ➢ Utopia, #3 Music Room ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ➢ Charlene ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ➢ Evie ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ➢ ripped jeans, white hoodie, black jacket ᴇxᴛʀᴀ ➢ Steve
”How dare you?”
Levi drew his head back and arched his brows. How dare he? She came in, woke him up from an otherwise peaceful slumber and announced he had a kid but how dare he? So inconsiderate. ’Here we go. Do go on Charlene, regale me with your tale of…’ he didn’t know where she was going to go with and a big part of him wanted her to spare him the sob story. He was tired and heard his share of them before. Only difference was her demeanor. Charlene appeared incensed but Levi straightened up and looked back to her firmly. ”Be mad all you want but you’re barking up the wrong tree.” He did feel something for her and the difficult position she was left in but odds that she was right in her assumption were slim no matter the story. There was no intention to back down unless she gave him some irrevocable proof. When she said he had been the only one she’d slept with, a scoff escaped him before he could stop it. She didn’t know it, but she was doing a bang up job getting him to react outside of the charade that was so ingrained in him now. ’Yeah, sure. Keep slippin’ up like that cause making s**t weirder is just what we need huh?’
The slap came fast and hard across his face and it shifted slightly from force behind it. It stung with an intensity and he was wincing but Levi’s mind and attention were suddenly elsewhere. He could hear Charlene going off but the words became more and more incoherent, as if he were sinking into water. The image of a child flickered into the forefront of his mind the same time her fingers connected with his cheek. It took several long seconds for him to understand what must have happened and it only muddled things further. The child was one he’d never met before in his life, yet he suddenly had a fragment of her. As if someone had cut a single second from the middle of an otherwise longer reel, and it was thrust into his brain without warning. The child looked undeniably familiar. He could only guess the fragment was a more recent one, and that she could have been five. She still had her baby teeth. Her eyes matched her brother’s but her nose was smaller, much like…
He snapped back to reality and felt the cold goosebumps that crawled along his arms and back. His cheek was bright red and complemented the opposing purple and yellow bruise Princess Evie bestowed upon him so graciously during the art project. Levi looked right at the blonde that was standing feet in front of him. The one with the nose that matched the little girl’s in that shard of a memory. In the past when faced with a similar situation he could punch holes in the sordid tales by pointing out a flaw in the timeline or refuting a key detail. In this case, it felt damn near impossible to do both. Gods, would it work if he just continued to deny it, to say 'it wasn’t me?' or ‘you’re lying?’ The thought sounded rancid the moment it came to mind. He knew that it was a route he could get away with but living with that, with his memory and his garbage quality of sleep? There was another way. He wanted to know more and he had a faster way of getting it than just playing twenty questions with Charlene.
Levi stepped forward while only half-succeeding at being calm about it, then reached for the hand that was not at her chest; he wasn’t looking to get popped in the face for the third time that week. His thumb and middle finger wrapped around her wrist and with his other hand he held it up to her eye level while shushing her, perhaps louder than he needed to. His glance was directed past her to the wall but his focus was on what he could find in Charlene about her kid. Then, he disconnected his hands from her. The moment only lasted five seconds but it felt much, much longer as he found more and more imagery and memories of the girl she named Bridget, or Bree for short.
”She is his kid. My kid, my kid. ********> He quickly corrected himself and waved his hand across his face to feign confusion as the cause for his misspeaking. Levi took a deep breath in and let it out, then looked over to Charlene with a tired glare. She was right, the kid was ‘his’ afterall.
He looked over her, knowing now he was looking at more than just one of his peers. Whether he liked it or not, she along with Bree were going to be intertwined in his life in some way going forward. Realization was taking its time settling in and he blinked, not knowing what to make of the events of the morning. He had been so sure Charlene was wrong. ”So…” His lips formed a flat line while he paused, trying to come up with something to ask. ”So now what?”
OOC::
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2025 6:26 pm
Charlene had never felt so angry in her whole life. Not with the courts, not with her father for trapping in her own house, with her mother for telling her to pass Bree off as a sibling to save the family name. Anger wasn't a feeling that the duchess was used to, nor did she enjoy it. It felt like a fire burning in her chest, especially with the way he scoffed when she so blatantly told him that there was no way it was anyone else, she hadn't slept with anybody other than him. She couldn't read his mind, urge him to tell her the truth... no, she had to rely on her own means to get the answers she wanted. Her mind was swimming with feelings she wanted to push down and hide away but the focus she had on trying not to break apart kept her from realizing how close he'd gotten again. She was shaking and even in his grip around her wrist she couldn't help it. Her eyes snapped up and she stared at him, his eyes not even on her but he held onto her for about five seconds. She blinked, confusion clouding her usually clear eyes before the frustration bled in again. Her lips parted as she was about ready to ask what he had done when he cursed out loud and backed off.
Wait, what had he just done? How did he suddenly realize that she was telling the truth? She slowly let both her hands to drop back down to her sides, her breathing harder than usual as she processed what was happening. He admitted it. However he knew, he admitted it. ' I'm not crazy, I found him. I never thought I'd see the day.' Her eyes never left him even as he slipped up on his words, the mix up slipping right past her usually keen observation skills. As he asked the question of the hour, what to do now, she forced herself to breathe out and it was clear even to someone who didn't know her that this was both a relief and it brought on sudden new challenges that she didn't even think of before.
" My father.... he can't find out." the words were breathed out and she covered her mouth, finally tearing her gaze away from Levi. Even if she wanted to be amicable with the man for the sake of her daughter, she knew her father would expect far more from them immediately. Marriage. A public announcement. Destroying any bad reputations that she had caused her family, because now she could fix things. Her chest felt like it tightened at the thought of being forced into a marriage like that only for the sake her family name. What kind of mother would she be if she wasn't giving her only child a good example of a loving partner? Shaking her head she looked back up at him and finally asked the question she had wanted to ask before her mind spiraled on her. " What did you do? How did you... you were so adamant before and now you're certain I'm not lying." she tried to keep her voice calm now that she moved past the initial shock of his words. " And...I don't know. I never had been able to remember what happened, or your face... everything was so blurry that night and I wasn't even supposed to be away from the Lunarian convoy..." if she had her wits about her, she might have realized how much information she was giving away with just her quiet mutterings. She had so royally messed up her life that night that she never thought hard to the way she couldn't remember. How had she drunk so much? Aside from not being strong enough to turn them away, she didn't think she would have had such a bad judgement call. She ran her hands up through her hair as she turned away from him completely for a moment. She placed her hands over her eyes as she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She was overreacting. Wasn't she? Or was this underreacting? She didn't know. She'd never been able to show everything out so plainly anyway because social norms dictated her to be a lady at all times. Even when she was in pain and heartbroken about her parents' decisions that they made with the claim to protect her.
Wait, what was she doing? She had to pull herself together before she completely fell apart. She had yet to cry but she felt like she'd been punched in the chest even though she was the one who started this. She dragged in two more deep breaths to calm herself down before she slowly let her hands fall back down to her sides. She had answers to give, and answers to get. She needed to focus on what the point of all this was, and not the issues that would come up later. Right? " I... I'm so sorry." her voice was barely audible, as she turned back to look at him, the red mark on his cheek a harsh reminder that she had raised her hand against him. She felt her hand tighten slightly into a ball as she dug her nails into her skin, trying to keep herself focused on the moment. An old, but bad, habit that she thought she had kicked. " This isn't me, I don't panic. I just, I don't know what to do because all my life it's been me and her; now... now there's more factors in play and it's hard to think." she had never been able to admit when she felt lost because that meant weakness in her family's eyes. If she faltered, she failed the family. If she got upset over a comment by a court member, she deserved it and shouldn't get upset. The more she allowed the things that her family had pushed on her to run through her mind the harder she tightened her hand and even when she felt the stinging pain of her nails digging in, she couldn't stop. Blood dripped off her hand and onto the floor, only the sight of the bright red liquid pulling her back as she quickly pulled her hand up and loosened it. ' I must look pathetic right now...' she lifted her head up and tried to redirect her brain in the only way she knew, focusing on others instead of herself.
" Is your face okay? I'm sorry, I acted instinctively, and it wasn't right."
â€And this CAN NOT get back to my mom.†Levi scoffed miserably. She would be on his a** to ‘make it right’ so fast. He could hear her in the back of his mind, ‘you owe it to him.’ ’The hell I do!’ He gritted his teeth and let out a breath meant to replace him spitting out more angry profanities. On this one thing at least, they seemed to be on the same page. She didn’t sound to be in a rush to get married either. â€Good then. No offense, I’m not lookin’ to get sized for any tailcoats anyways.â€
Charlene asked the question he was a little surprised she hadn’t asked earlier. Usually he would have been more tactful in how he dove into her mind, but given subject matter and the way she slapped him, Levi didn’t have it in him to pretend to kiss her on the hand while feigning sympathy and niceties. That, plus the kid was his in some sense. His niece technically but to-may-to to-mah-toe at this point. Levi crossed his arms over his chest and mindlessly toyed with the string on his hoodie. â€I read your memory.†He didn’t have some fancy title or word for it, just found out he could do it one day. It was a nifty thing that saved his a** a time or twelve in the past. â€I read your memory of… Bridget, Bree– … our kid?†He had to still his face because of how weird that felt coming out of his mouth. â€That was all I looked at, scouts honor.†Levi had toured a person or two’s memories outside of his scope before but learned with lightning speed he couldn’t un-remember things he didn’t want to remember like normal people.
Levi gave Charlene a look as she mentioned not being able to remember everything that happened. â€... NOPE, not doing it. Those are memories best left forgotten.†He could seek them out with her permission this time but already had trouble sleeping as it was, no need to burden both him and her with that brand of nightmare fuel. Knowledge was not power in this case, according to him.
â€It was a blur for me too.†He straight up lied. Up until a couple of minutes ago he’d never touched Charlene in his life. Still, he had to pretend he had, and cleared his throat awkwardly. Maybe he needed to take his top jacket off, his neck was feeling warm all of a sudden. â€Did you get back to the convoy okay?†Levi quickly asked to move the conversation along. ’If he really were here, I’m more than half sure he would have offered to refresh her memory…’ The thought of his brother’s ******** tendencies gave him an unwanted shudder.
Charlene went kinda quiet. He could barely hear the apology, but he didn’t know what she was apologizing for. Disturbing his much needed slumber, dropping the mother of bombshells about being father to her kid as casually as afternoon tea? Levi wondered if he needed to hug her. Would she even want one? From him? After all “they’ve†been through? He wasn’t exactly a touchy person either. Instead, he pointed his thumb at the chaise lounge he’d been snoozing away on earlier. â€Sitting… before you bleed to death would be a good start.†Levi’s eyes widened at how easy it seemed that she drew blood from her hand with her nails alone. â€Your nails made of glass or somethin’ Charlene?â€
There was that apology. He’d stopped feeling the impression of her hand on his face until she brought it up again. But what she was apologizing for had him huff out a breath. â€I called you a gold-digging whore and Bree a guard’s b*****d. I think we’re even.†He rolled his eyes, mostly at himself and the brilliance of that failure of a plan. â€I got off lucky. You could have drawn blood if you scratched me instead.†It was something he actually did himself that got him hit, not his brother this go around. All water under the bridge about that.
â€Look, unless you told someone else, and I mention it to someone, who’s gonna know? Nobody’s gonna know.†Levi looked around. There wasn’t anyone else in there with them and he was confident no one was just parked outside with a glass between their ear and the door. He’d been holding secrets for years, what was one more? â€We can walk out of here like it never happened.†They’d have to put some time between each other when leaving the room to avoid any suspicions but he was sure no one was going to think they had a kid together right off the bat. He knew he wouldn’t, even about most other people. Propriety and the fear of bad reputation usually deterred people from these kinds of things. Usually.
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â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„ â–„ â–„â–„â–„â–„â–„ ÊŸá´á´„ᴀᴛɪá´É´: Utopia - Music Room ★á´Ê á´„á´á´á´˜á´€É´Ê: Charlene ★á´á´‡É´á´›Éªá´É´êœ±: none ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ:ripped jeans, white hoodie, black jacket★ᴛʜá´á´œÉ¢Êœá´›êœ±: "Nobody's gonna know..."
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2025 6:14 pm
Charlene hadn't thought this through, clearly. She knew that even though now she knew who Bree's father was, that didn't mean they were any less free. In fact, it was probably less so now. She looked up at Levi when he said he wasn't looking to get married, in so many words. She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and even to her surprise a laugh slipped out under her breath. " You're telling me...honestly, my father would be all over this." the laugh itself was a little bitter, but she wasn't as tense as she was before. Her eyes looked off to the side as she continued to speak, even if quiet. " You know, part of me is glad that even though this ended up a little bit messy, I'm glad you're here." she finally felt better that she hadn't completely screwed up her life with someone who wasn't at least rational enough to talk to, at least after he had a meltdown and used his powers on her without warning. She didn't feel anything when he did it so there was no harm done anyway. When he answered her about what he had done she breathed out and looked at him with both a hint of curiosity and question. As he spoke about Bree, their daughter, she felt a small smile form over her lips, and she looked down at her shoes letting herself focus on the thoughts that gave her warmth in her chest. " Bridget Desaree Rowley." she said softly, it was odd speaking her full name out loud but it was only right for her father to know, right? " But yes, she goes by Bree." she had more questions lingering in her mind but now was certainly not the time for it. She was sure they would have more time to talk and perhaps get to know each other.
Her eyes widened slightly when he mentioned it was a blur for him as well, so they must have both drank quite a bit. Him probably more, only because of her lack of tolerance. Even now she couldn't have a glass of wine without getting lightheaded. She felt her stomach tighten again at the thought of the night in question as she nodded silently before looking back up at him. " I did... father was far from pleased. Even more so when we realized what happened. However other than my pride, I was unharmed." she hoped that he wouldn't be offended by her response but if she wanted to start an honest connection with him after everything that had gone down, she could only be honest. Lying wasn't an option, not after so many years of not knowing what happened and who she was involved with. Her hand stung and his suggestion of sitting suddenly felt like a really good idea. Her legs were weak, but she had been resolving to stand firm because she wasn't going to allow herself to be a weakling in front of someone who really needed to see her strong. He had already seen her at a low point; she was determined to not let it happen again. She breathed out what could have been a low laugh if she wasn't still so torn. She opened her palm and shook her head. " My skin is fragile there. I used to do that more often, but I thought I shook the habit..." she frowned gently and closed her hand again, fingertips softly against her palm this time. " Sitting is a good idea." she took a moment but then eventually made her way over to the spot motioned to and sat down at the end of it, making sure there was room if he too wanted to sit.
She fell silent again, thinking to herself this time. She didn't know who else she would tell even if she wanted to. Perhaps eventually she'd tell Bree but that wouldn't be for a long time. If she did that word would get to her father almost immediately. She hadn't truly made many friends yet, but she could keep this a secret so long as she wasn't restricted from speaking about it. Her lips quirked down into a slight frown before she relaxed her expression again. This could work, they would make it work. Especially where they both just made a mistake, that was survivable. She would spare him all about how she'd suffered for it on her end, as she didn't want to make him feel any more guilty than he already was. If he was, that is. " No, I don't have anyone I'd want to tell." she finally said, before looking up at him directly. " Although if it's okay with you, I don't want to act like it never happened. Like... this never happened." it was a lot to ask, and she knew they both had to heal some before they could fully discuss things outright, but she wanted to be able to have open communication with him, especially with Bree having gotten the power at the same time as her. Who's to say she wouldn't have another one show its head. She decided to focus her thoughts on the mini version of her, the hue of her eyes now making it clear that she had her father's eyes. " So Phronese, huh? No wonder she likes to read so much." she rolled her shoulders back to force some tension out and she looked up at him, her expression unreadable for a moment before she allowed as close to a genuine smile she could muster at the moment. " I hope that we can one day talk freely, at least between the two of us." she left it at that, before she adjusted her hand on her lap so that she didn't stain her dress. She didn't know how to feel right now, it wasn't a normal situation, and she knew that the two of them were forever connected but they had to find something that would work for the both of them.
He wondered what part of what he said sounded like a joke while Charlene started laughing, but more sense once she mentioned her father again. Yes, what she said tracked. Levi had no sisters and his own father was too passive to do more than agree with his mother. What she said about Duke Rowley, whom he knew little about, sounded like the more typical reaction of a parent in their circumstances. If he were to ever find himself on the receiving end of the old man’s attempts, he was sure there the reaction of his resounding “******** no” would track too.
Levi put the palm of his hand under his chin and looked at her with concern. His knee-jerk thought was to ask Charlene if she’d been dropped on her head recently, saying a thing like that to him. But he realized it was more likely she didn’t know who she thought he was. Meaning she was talking to him. A few beats passed before he gave a nod and a low sound from his throat. Levi couldn’t return the sentiment but also couldn’t bring himself to return a nice thing with the same energy. Before she had startled him awake, he wasn’t a biological uncle… father… funtcle? Whatever he was now, he couldn’t go back to not being that. If this was going to be a part of his life now, at least Charlene wasn’t crazy. If she was, she hid it well. He’d pray for a massive heart attack otherwise.
Charlene revealed Bree’s full name and he blinked. Bridget Desaree Rowley, it was. A mouthful but an otherwise fine girl’s name. He’d stick to calling her Bree. Short and sweet. Levi wanted to go back to sleep with the hopes he’d wake up and learn this was a dream.
She didn’t question him calling it a blur, but he hoped they didn’t stay on this subject for too much longer. He drank occasionally and in moderation but had never had so much to make memories a blur. Levi watched her, still holding his chin with his other arm under his elbow. By her account, she returned home mostly unscathed by her brother. Relief filled him as he didn’t know that part of the story. He’d seen and heard far worse done to women by his brother's hands. Her father didn’t raise a hand either. While it wasn’t wrong how Charlene worded what happened, his face still twisted in response before he could stop it. “Good to hear you weren’t hurt entirely hurt by it.” Levi made his parting remark to that conversation with a tightened jaw and a light snap behind his words. He decided a long time ago that just because he was pretending to be his brother, he didn’t have to tolerate every single facet of it.
He straightened his face and looked back down at Charlene’s hand while she spoke of old habits, then watched as she moved to sit on the chair. There was plenty of room for him to join her and he believed that her choice of spot was intentional, but he only took a couple steps closer since they were still talking. After some silence, she said something that had his gaze snapping back to hers and locking on it with raised brows. He inhaled, then let it out after holding on to it for a few seconds. When she said “this,” was she referring to…? He considered possible options. It didn’t cross his mind to act like what happened between “them” never happened, but he knew he could do her one better and make her believe that too. He had good reason to, or at least ones that wouldn’t bite him in the a** in the future. “That’s okay with me so long as we’re talking about it in private and not in the halls or a classroom or wherever. Not on paper either.” He didn’t want a paper trail. Maybe when they all went back home to their respective kingdoms they could exchange letters but he didn’t want to risk that news getting out if her scribbles landed in the wrong hands while they were at Utopia.
“Unless by this,” Levi raised his hands making airquotes as he spoke, “you mean something else besides Bree.” He had a feeling she was talking about the night in question that got them to this point, but wanted to be sure. The school was grassy and poisonous snakes were everywhere. Sometimes the innocent ones were the most harmful.
He tilted his head at Charlene and her question. Had she not known that he his brother was Phronesian when she met him… in Phronese? It sounded like a good thing, her reading. But what was he supposed to do with that little nugget of info? Should he ask more questions?
No… he was wanting to leave, so letting her chat him up would be counterproductive. Levi studied her face with some scrutiny, before lifting his chin so he could look at the wall instead. He turned his hand and shrugged his shoulders. “One day.” He repeated. He was willing to maintain contact but he couldn’t say that it would be as freely as she was wishing.
“By the way, what does she know about her father?” So much for avoiding questions.
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▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Utopia - Music Room ★ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: Charlene ★ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ: none ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ:ripped jeans, white hoodie, black jacket★ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ: 'why? why? why??????????'
