Searching for Something Sweeter [tag: anyone]

[ooc: HIIII GUYSS. BRIE IS GONNA POST SOMETHING BECAUSE I'M A BIT TIRED AND I HAVE NOTHING TO DO AND I JUST WANNA GET BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS SO YEAH. /allcapsrantoff]

[ooc AGAIN: I had a dream about the Vampire Diaries last night.

I don't even watch the Vampire Diaries.

But it was hot. ._.']

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SONG:



OOC: Just reminds me of Brie. Okay. Done.

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It was a quiet day, just as all the others had been lately. Brieanne was particularly oblivious to the lack of activity, as the activity going on inside her mind was overflowing. She tried to get her mind under control by putting her thoughts onto paper, but the thoughts came out as single, cryptic words with no definition.

Opression.

Monotone.

Purged.

She didn't know how to properly express the immensely warped feelings she had, so she decided to keep them locked away in the secret box tucked away in the long and twisted hallways of her innermost mind. Nobody else needed to pry into her life. Nobody else.

She found herself that day wandering into Hogsmeade, standing right outside the happy and colorful sweetshop, Honeydukes. Walking into the shop, she felt the coldness of the air around her melt away as the warm air from inside caressed her, drawing her into the burst of color.

The shop was so bright and cheery that you had to be a walking corpse if you didn't grin at the sight of it. Brie always felt light hearted and happy as soon as she walked in, and that's why she had been making frequent trips as of late. She picked a spot near the Chocolate Frogs and the Whizzing Whisbees, humming to herself as she took out a piece of parchment and a quill, beginning to write down simple words once again.

((Hope it's alright I insert Toddy here; it's just so quiet I mean except for the fact the DARK LORD HAS RISEN))

Todd was wandering down the Sugar Quills aisle, eyes drooping as he inhaled the sweet scent of the shop. He hadn't slept well at all lately, and he figured it showed. He'd already grabbed a bag of Sugar Quills and a few chocolate frogs and figured he'd head toward the front to check out the weather through the windows. He wasn't sure what he was planning on doing today, but it would be pretty dependent on whether it was raining or not.

He paused when he spotted Brie. He wasn't sure why it was such a surprise to see one of his friends here; there were, after all, dozens of students from Hogwarts in here. Todd shrugged off that thought and wandered over to her, lifting an eyebrow when he realized she was writing something in her notebook. "Have a report on candy canes, Miss Devereaux?" he mused.

(It's totally fine dear! 8DPERSONALLY I AM SO EXCITED HE HAS RISEN ISOHFIHSGI)

Brieanne looked up from the scribbles she had absentmindedly made on her piece of paper, blinking several times before finally speaking, "I kind of wish I did," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders, "I have no inspiration today. Usually, I can write and write and write.. but I just can't today."

She looked down, smiling before looking up at him in wonder, "You look a bit tired, Todd.. what's going on?"

Todd smirked, rocking back on the balls of his feet. Writing had never been something he'd been able to get into; reading, sure, but the translation from his head to paper had never been an easy feat.

He run an absent hand through his hair, resisting a yawn. "I've just been having trouble sleeping is all. My brain won't shut up." He peered at the notebook again, but didn't try to look on the paper. He figured it was something personal and it was best just to ask. "So, what are you writing, if not candy cane documents?"

Brie brushed the tip of her quill back and forth across the paper, some of the letters smudging as she did so. It didn't matter, though.. all the words she had written were rubbish. Not that she knew she had written anything at all. Her mind wasn't with her to begin with.

"Seems we're in the same boat, then," she said, stretching out her fingers as she looked down at her paper again, "Eh, what am I writing, you ask.. I could ask myself the same question," she said, laughing lightly, "I just haven't been down-to-earth lately. My mind's in the clouds."

She traced letters of the words she had written on the page, softly reading them out loud, "And it is he who has caused us great despair, his darkness clouding our minds. We claim to purge ourselves of thoughts of onyx darkness and unkind actions, but some lose theirselves in the temptation. Those lost loyalties never fully return to the side of white light. They are always drawn backwards into the dark."

Brieanne blinked, putting down her quill, "This is what comes out of my mind. It's so cryptic and weird.. I just don't know what the hell is going on. If it's not one thing, it's another.."

[ooc: I totally just wrote that whole thing off the top of my head xD]

Todd blinked, shifting from foot to foot as he thought on that. Despite how tired he was, he felt a gnawing restlessness. What she'd written was pretty dark in his opinion, to say the least. He reckoned something had to be troubling her lately, or else it wouldn't end up on paper.

"Um...wowza. That's pretty grim; any clue what it could be about?" He actually had an idea as to who it would be, but he didn't dare say the name aloud.
((Aughgh sorry it's so short but kicking through a brick wall of writers block is a horrific thing to try to do.))

Brie tapped her fingers on the table, obviously in thought, "We both know what it's about," she said plainly, shaking her head, "It's getting worse by the day. My dad's terribly happy about the whole thing.. I'm just waiting here to get whisked away, really."

She folded the paper in to a neat square, putting it lightly in her jacket pocket. Usually, she wouldn't speak of such things to anyone, but she felt she could truly trust Todd, along with Jim and Evaine. "I have a feeling this isn't gonna go away any time soon, Todd. Why can't things be calm for once?"

(It's totally fine, darlin'! I know how it feels.. take your time, okay? D: Don't wanna push your brain into overload.)

"I'm positive it isn't going to go away any time soon," he conceded, raising his eyebrows at her. "The guy's really powerful, and so are his little gang of douches. But there are plenty more people who hate their guts. Besides, you might get bored of calm after a while." He wondered if she'd felt something in her Dark Mark lately. He wasn't sure of all the rules or whatever of them, but figured they had to be connected some way.

"And I'm included in the little douche group everyone hates," she whispered fiercely, shaking her head again. She picked up her pen, writing thich lines on the back of her paper. "I'm scared, Todd."

That was one thing she'd NEVER admit, but she already made it known. "Remember my boggart? Myself as.. one of them? Now it's happening, Toddy. I don't want to lose myself, or you, OR Jim and Evaine.. but I have to do what he wants. I'd rather die.." She mumbled, taking a deep breath and letting it out, "I really would rather die."

Todd frowned, shaking his head determinedly. "No, you're not part of his 'group'. Your dad forces you into that stuff; it's never been your choice, right? I know you, Brie, and I know you don't want this." He sighed, pursing his lips and ilghtly putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're good, okay? They might make you do shit, but you're still you. And the fact that you hate them too proves you aren't one of them." It really pissed him off that they could do this, and the hatred at her dad flared up once again, but he tried not to let it become too evident. He wanted to be able to somehow make sure they couldn't come after her.

"It doesn't matter what I want. I'm his puppet, and I always will be. Deep down, Todd, you know it too," she said, tugging on a strand of her hair, "Sometimes I doubt my purity.. I could turn on you all. It could happen just like that, and I'd just be a stranger.."

She banged her fist against the table in frustration, picking up her glass of water and drinking about a quarter of it, "He's taken so much from me, but I don't want to take myself from him. I know, it's so stupid of me, but.. I can't. The mark isn't going anywhere, Todd. As long as I have this, I'm gonna be connected to him AND my father.. even when I get older and live alone in some big house." It really bothered Brieanne that she could never really escape the clutches of her father, and she was scared for the future, as well. What if she really did lose herself to the Dark Mark? How would it affect her life afterwards? These were questions that even she herself didn't know the answer to.. and it pissed her off.

((I'm so tired so this is just a throwing up of words))

Todd let out a long sigh, resting his elbows on the table and pursing his lips. "Something has to happen. I don't have any answers right now, but something's got to happen, I mean, right? I would tell you that I'm here for you, as well as Eva and Jim, but you know that and it doesn't very well get rid of this particular problem. I just...shit, man, I don't know." He dragged a hand over his face, furious that this had to be a problem at all. "Whatever the case, I don't doubt you or your purity or whatever. I know you've been through a lot and forced into a shitload of stuff, but I don't doubt you. I just...I want to help, dammit."

"Okay, stop it. Stop letting my life problems affect you so much! They're there for some reason.. but I don't know why. Hell, I don't even know how I'm still in my right mind right now! You don't need to worry yourself over me. That's one thing I will never let you do." She kept her gaze on him for a while, the girl reaching for his hands amd putting her own on top of his palms, squeezing them lightly. "You're helping me all the time, whether you know it or not, Todd," she whispered, feeling how soft parts of his hands were, "But I'm asking you to not worry yourself away with it. A lot of stuff might happen, yeah, but I'll.pull through, regardless of what I might say."

She took a moment to put her fingers in the spaces between his own, the action emphasizing her next statement, "Todd, do this for me.. please. I don't beg people a lot, but I swear to God if you keep worrying about what's happening to me.."

(Yep, I just woke up and decided to start typing, so this might suck. :I ) Your post was perfectly fine! I really liked it ;D)

Todd tried to smile and nodded. He wasn't sure how to feel right now, not sure at all, but at least Brie seemed to be kind-of-okay. "Brie, you're my friend. I'd feel like the emperor of assholes if I didn't worry about you. But I won't be fixated on them or whatever. You'll be okay, I think. I worry about all you guys, and that's just natural. I know you'll pull through; you're too strong not to, and all that jazz."

He glanced around, longing for a change in subject. "So, other than writing depressing poems, did you plan to get any candy today?"

Brie took her hands away from his, sitting them in her lap. The look on her face might've suggested that she didn't want anyone to worry about her, but it only stayed for a few seconds. "Well, I'm not going to go back to the castle without some sweets, am I?" she said, smiling, "I was going to get some blowing gum.. maybe some chocolate frogs."

"We need something sweet these days.. I'm guessing why there's so many Hogwarts students here," she said, putting her chin in the palm of her hand, "Well, what're you here for? I'm sure you didn't wander in here looking for me."

Todd smirked and held up the bag of Sugar Quills and the multiple chocolate frogs he planned to buy. "I figured that, considering all the crap going on, it was high time for me to get another cavity. Haven't had one of those in years," he mused, raising his eyebrows.

Brieanne laughed lightly at Todd's smirk, a blush coloring her cheeks. God, he was cute when he smirked. "But cavities hurt.. eh, not if you're one of those people that likes pain," she conceded, chuckling afterwards.

"I wonder how Jimmy and Moonie are doing.. I haven't talked to them in a while, have you?" she asked, taking out her pen again and brushing the tip over her paper.

Todd snorted softly through his nose and shook his head. "Pretty sure there's a word for that, and I ain't it."

"Hmm...saw a bit of Jimbo a bit ago, but even that was, like, a week ago and not for very long," he replied. Of course, he'd seen a bit more than just Jim - he'd also seen Fionn, the king of asshats, doing what he did best: being an asshat.

"Well good," Brie said, rolling her eyes at him playfully, "I'd hate to send you to a psych ward."

"Hmm.. wonder where they've disappeared off to? We're not exactly much of a Fantastic Four with just two of us.. besides, I kind of miss teasing them," Brie said, playing with multiple strands of her hair, "Seems just like yesterday we were all sitting in the Great Hall, wondering what the school year would be like.. and now look at us!"

"Mm, yes, it does seem that the level of adorableness has noticeably decreased with their absence," Todd mused, leaning back in his chair with a grin. "It does seem like the year so far has gone by pretty fast - and a lot of stuff has changed. For instance, I've switched from regular-length socks to ankle-length."

"Why yes, it most certainly has," Brie said, managing to stifle her laughter, but not for long. "Todd Cross, you are the funniest person I have ever met," she said in between laughs, smiling widely at him. "I think we all changed sock length.. you, though.. I actually noticed. Well, not until now," she said brightly. "But, really.. A lot has changed."

Todd smiled, glad to at least make her a bit happy. He didn't find himself that funny at all, but he supposed he must be doing something right. "Mm, yeah. I think you might have switched over to knee-length?" he conceded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah. Well, maybe it's not that so much has changed. Maybe more that we just...know a lot more. Specifically, about each other." Their little circle of friends had been pretty eager to share information over the course of the last few weeks, after all. Of course, You-Know-Who was quite a bit of a change.

"Well I'll be, you were right," Brie exclaimed, chuckling afterwards, "Well yeah.. I mean, we've learned a lot about each other.. most of it's been really dark and stuff, but we can all pull through it.."

She half-smiled, intertwining her hands and putting her chin on top of them, "There's good times ahead of us.. I know it."

Todd gave a nod, grinning at her optimism. "Good, I'm glad you can tell the bright future. I think we could all use some good times, hm?" he conceded.

"Yep, we could.. There's been talk of some kind of event happening at school.. a dance or something of the sort," she said, shrugging, "Either way, it could be fun. We need to get the gang together and hang out.. I think I've missed some things in the Jivaine world."

[ooc: I feel like writing a Brie/Daddy conversation so yeah Dx]
She laughed at herself, looking around the corner and seeing her father standing there, looking so out of place against the bright colors. Brieanne immediately tensed up, standing up quietly, "Um, excuse me for just a minute Todd.." she said, briskly walking around said corner, her eyes wide.

'Hello, Brieanne,' he hissed, leaning against the wall, "I thought I told you to come by an hour ago. It's been two." Brieanne bit her lip, looking away, "I'm sorry, I got preoccupied with someone.."

"With WHAT?" he yelled, raising his wand, but quickly tapping it against her forehead, "My poor daughter.. being preoccupied with someone.. and is this someone with you right now?.." Brie started to mouth a retort, then shook her head, deciding that she'd rather not lie in public in fear of what might happen. She said nothing, but returned back to the table, her father steadily following her.

Sitting back down, Brieanne closed her eyes, honestly regretting what she was about to do, "Dad, this is Todd.. my friend. Todd, this.. this is.. this is my father."