[IC] Family Matters (A Hedgehawk & SouffleGirl123 1x1)

[Hedgehawk]

Aloysius was exhausted. In between doing work at both the Guild and the family arms business, he seemed to have very little time to himself. It had gotten so manic that he was actually looking forward to Friday night dinner with the family. Admittedly it wasn’t the same without his father around. He was still getting used to the idea of not having him around. While he wasn’t exactly close to either of his parents, he did at times enjoy his fathers company. More than his mother for sure. His mother and him had always had a tense relationship. The first issue she had with Aloysius was that he wasn’t born a girl. She had been desperate for a girl to help ‘carry the lineage on’. That subsided with the birth of Lola, but at that point, his mother was far too focused on Lola to worry about him.

That all changed when Lola started displaying her powers properly a few years ago and she was graded. At that point, it was revealed that Aloysius was for some reason stronger than his sister. That caused his mother to do a full 180 and suddenly take an interest in him once more. Funny that. Now all she would do is talk about how he was destined for greatness and how he would one day rule the Magi. Not that Aloysius really cared for it. He was more salty at the fact that his relationship with Salem wasn’t allowed to go anywhere. It ruined his senior year when the Guild council essentially forbade the duo to be together out of concerns about what mixing two pools of potent blood together would mean for the future of Magi-kind.

Entering the family home in New York, he tossed his coat and suitcase onto a chair in the reception lounge and sauntered across the home. through the living room, and into the dining room where he then preceded to over to slump down one one of the may ornate wooden chairs around the large twelve person table. Not even caring for or at least acknowledging anyone else who may be there. He then let out an exhausted, almost attention seeking sigh.

[SouffleGirl123]

Lola had been sat at one of the seats near of of the heads of the dining table, textbooks sprawled out ahead of her as she wrote out math equation in a notebook. Math tended to come easily to Lola and the fact her mother had shoved her into after school tutoring most days of the weeks just as a way to keep the girl 'out of her hair'. As if she didn't fuss over her only years ago. Unfortunately, she wasn't powerful enough for her mother's liking and a shift happened in that moment. Instead of just shift her attention to her son, Esme Leighton seemed to take out her frustration on Lola. Initial it started with yelling and blaming but nowadays Lola felt disowned in all but name and dwelling space. For the most part her tended mother ignored her, only talking to her to correct her or to use as a pawn in whatever plan she had for Al.

As she heard footsteps in the loungeroom she looked up briefly, her eyes redirecting back to her homework at the smallest glimpse of her brother. Some part of her instinctively expected her father to walk through that doorway just like he used to every night. He'd try to hide the hollowness of his face cast by the exhaustiveness of his job and gently say Good evening, my little cherry blossom. Although with Al being closer to their father considering Lola was graded not long before the man's death they still had somewhat of a special bond. She'd wonder how much closer they'd be if he was still alive through her mother's shift.

It wasn't until Aloysius threw himself in the chair across from Lola with a dramatic sigh did she look at him properly after giving a roll of the eyes. "And what's got you in a tizzy?" she asks somewhat scornfully. Despite having now pent the majority of her life in America, remnants of a Cambridge British accent still played on her tongue, courtesy of her mother. Her relationship with her brother was far from the best in what it seemed like a competition from their mother for her care that neither of them truly wanted. What always got Lola was that high horse he was always on about her.

[Hedgehawk]

Realising that he wasn't exactly alone, Aloysius looked up from up from his slump to see Lola there working away at something. At least it wasn't his mother sitting there. He leaned back and pulled at his tie, loosening it slightly as he tried to give himself some room to breathe. Things between him and his sister were tense to say the least. Even putting aside the fact that they lost their father and their mother was something else, the duo always seemed to have some kind of unresolved tension. Aloysius just found that Lola always seemed to have something against him. He was sick of it.

”Just lots of work, In Between Guild work and running the business, I don’t seem to get anytime for myself” It was true that he had been working way too hard recently. He had been assigned on fixers desk, trying to help deal with teens who had just discovered their powers and couldn’t control them.

”Not that you would understand, just sitting there with homework” He had to get a dig in. It wouldn’t be an Al and Lola interaction without some digging.

[SouffleGirl123]

At Aloysius' response Lola scoffed and grabbed a spare pen from her little collection next to her book and threw it at the man. "Please," she spits back angrily. "You work at the fixer's desk, it's really not a job to be all high and mighty about,"

Her eyes looked back down at her homework in front if her as she gave a exasperated sigh. It was never bad enough that her mother was acting like she was a dud but if course her dear older brother had to join in, rubbing salt into everyone of her wound left by their mother.

[Hedgehawk]

”Hey, Just because it involves sitting at a desk, doesn’t mean it isn’t an important job!” Aloysius would grab the pen that was thrown at him before throwing it back towards her. It was a bit of a sore spot for him being stuck behind the desk. It was all he seemed to be good for at the Guild. Even when there were issues in his hometown, they sent Salem to deal with it, not him. He was stuck behind the desk being the handler. Aloysius kept telling himself it was just because they were scared to see him in action and how awesome he would be. His test scores in the Guild exams were only two behind Salem. He deserved to have his own missions.

”Have you seen mother today? What kind of mood is she in? I don’t want another lecture about work, or responsibility or family values…”

[SouffleGirl123]

When Aloysius threw the pen back Lola was ready for it. She threw her hand up and caught it, barely even glancing in her brother's direction. "Predictable," she grumbles under her breath, adding the pen to the pile.

At the young man's question the teenager looks up at him, annoyance written on her face. "I don't know if you noticed, Aloysius, but mum tends to have a 'pretend my daughter doesn't exist unless I need someone to blame for something going wrong' approach to parenting me. Why would I just see her? I guess the fact I haven't means she'd fine today, I suppose,"

[Hedgehawk]

”I am sure she isn't always like that.” Aloysius mused to try and comfort Lola. Though in all honesty he knew she was. He remembered the fallout of his father's death when Lola was still the favoured one. Finding out that she had to split the inheritance with the children was one thing she was not pleased about.

"Besides, I am sure she will spend her entire night telling me about how I am so destined to do great things. And how perhaps I should try applying myself and try to take power for myself." Aloysius let out a soft sigh. He hated the attention his mother was giving him over this. He knew she was desperate to return the Leighton legacy back to its former glory. But he was unsure why it had to be him.

[SouffleGirl123]

At Al's response Lola flashed him a dirty look. Maybe he was trying to comfort her but she knew he knew full well that was a lie. "You and I both know that's a lie," she responds dismally, pointing her face toward the table. She could feel her face become hot but blinked back the couple of tears threatening to fall. Her family didn't deserve those.

Silence fell between the pair for a short while before Al redirected the conversation to be about his standing with their mother once more. "And what flavour do you reckon for me? Blaming me for something that went wrong with her day or not even a look my way, hmm?"

[Hedgehawk]

”Well it isn't your fault and she has no reason to blame you. She was like it with me when you were younger. She just projects her own insecurities onto those around her. You didn't ask for the power you have, it was just given to you. Just like me." Al say back in his chair as glanced over at Lola. He did feel sorry for her. He had first hand experience of his mother's scorn, and it was never a nice thing to be under.

" You know. If you don't like living here with mother, you can always come back to my place. It's not as big or as luxurious, but it would be your own space" It was certainly a casual request, but it was the best Al could think of given the circumstances. Given how busy Al was, the place was abandoned most of the time anyway, so it would be nice to see the place used a bit.

[SouffleGirl123]

Lola swallowed the lump in jer throat. "Don't act like what I'm going through is the same as what you did," she replies simply, her eyes still planted on the table. "Don't pretend she's not more vicious. Or that you have dad and I-" she cuts herself off. She knew if she said she had no one Al would make a whole grand speech about how she had him when she knew for a fact she did not. Sure, he wasn't their mother but he was never truly on her side.

At his offer the teenager snickered. "You act like that's any better," she replied. Perhaps it was but she felt it almost no different.

[Hedgehawk]

Listening to Lolas words, Al's face furrowed in annoyance. He was legitimately trying here. He knew that he couldn't protect his sister from everything, but come on now, it was a better offer.

"Yeah, I had Dad. And he loved you too. You were just being so smothered by mother that he put his time into me instead. Didn't mean he didn't care. He left you the trust fund that mother can't touch. In theroy you could be out of here and be on your own. Part of me thinks you actually like being tortured this way" Was it a bit of a dick way to end the sentence? Yes. But did Lola deserve it? Of course. Snickering his offer away like it was nothing was just proof of how childish Lola could be, and that might be reason while she was always being treated like a child.

[SouffleGirl123]

At Al's initial response Lola shook her head. Her face became hotter with every moment, storing threats of tears. "And who do I have now, hmm?" she snaps back while standing. Her movement pushed the chair back with a loud squeak as it rubbed on the wooden floorboards. "So he loved me too, good. That doesn't change the fact I'm fighting a battle alone that you got to spend with him."

She slammed shut her textbook, looking her brother up and down. What she being childish, maybe, but Al acting like he was God's gift for offering a half-baked solution didn't ammuse his sister. She grabbed her supplies, tightening a fist around her pens. "I don't know if you noticed, Al, but I'm not an adult. I can't just up and get a house. I can't even take money out of the trust fun for another two years. At least here I know I'll be fed," she snaps, looking down at the man in the chair. It seemed no matter what Lola did it was her fault. Anything went wrong with the Leighton family's standing in the Guild? I was how low Lola scored. Was the verbal punching bag of her mother? Her fault for not moving out, even if she was still a minor. Everything seemed to come back to herself so much she was starting to think maybe they had a point.

[Hedgehawk]

"I don't mean it like that" Aloysius said as he raised his arms up defensively and got up out of his own chair. "I know what I suggested is most certainly not the perfect solution. But I am happy to do my part and help. I don't have any ill feelings against you. Even if for some reason you think I might do" Aloysius was about to walk over to her when he was interrupted by the sudden sound of heels on wood. At the other end of the table stood their mother: Esme Leighton.

"Oh what is going on in here? Is my daughter being a nusicnance again" She folded her arms under her chest, not even looking at either Lola or Aloysius.

"Now come on, that is hardly fair now"

[SouffleGirl123]

Lola wanted to respond to her brother, remind him if the many times he'd definitely made her feel like he had ill feelings toward her. All the times he dug deeper into the wounds make by his mother, or creating new ones himself. Or maybe how the small piece of childhood wonder she had left wanted him to be the big brother that stood for her the way their father had for him when she was the apple of her mother's eye. Yet she didn't get time to utter a word of it before Esme Leighton walked into the dining hall.

Her mother didnt waste a moment before going straight for Lola's throat. "Just putting my books away before dinner, mother," Lola mumbles, holding her textbooks tight to her chest. She'd be lying if she said her mother didn't scare her, not in the way ghosts or scary movies did but in a way she knew her mother could still shatter her heart into a million different pieces. "Or do you have a problem with that too, your highness," she follows up sarcastically.

[Hedgehawk]

"You know dear, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" Esme responded, not even looking towards her and looking towards Aloysius instead. "Ddfending the weak might seem noble Aloysius, but ultimately they are leeches on your own power. Cast them aside and look after yourself"

"Now come on. That isn't fair and you know it." Aloysius retorted. He wasn't about to let his mother carry on when Lola was clearly hurting. "Lola is a strong woman. She is stronger than nearly everyone else in the Guild. Last I checked she scored higher than you did she not?" Aloysius glared at his mother who simply lowered her stare to the floor. "Or did you not tell her that?"

[SouffleGirl123]

Lola had turned on her heel and started walking off to put her books away when her brother spoke up. Although he was often self-centred in his words and views he wasn't afraid to start up for his sister. Well, once wasn't. Although he'd stand for her on occasion those moments where becoming more and more fleeting and it'd take more harsh words for their mother before he intervened. As a result Lola started pushing back against him, ensiring to distance herself. She couldn't take the heartbreak of losing the care of the last of her family alive to do so, not on anyone or anything but her own terms.

She liked when he stood up for her, it felt like something their father would do. That was when he spoke that last line, Last I checked she scored higher than you did she not? It caused Lola to freeze in place. Her mother has always made a big deal of how badly Lola did, she never thought her mother would have done worse. "I sorry, you what?" she asks, turning back to her mither and brother

[Hedgehawk]

Esme finally glared daggers at Aloysius trying to get him not to speak by simply scaring him, but with a small smirk, Aloysius continued talking. "Oh yeah. You scored 9,924 on the test. As mother keeps comparing you to, Salem scored 11,478. Mother scored 8912. And what she really doesn't want you to know... I just scraped 10,021" Aloysius crossed his arms and watched the pair of them. He knew that he let the cat out of the bag, but he was secretly enjoying watching his mother be flustered. It was reminding him of when the will had been read out after his fathers death. Esme herself had fell entirely quiet. Not saying a word.

[SouffleGirl123]

Lola pursed her lips as she gripped on tighter to her books. "Well, it's good to know I'm not the stupidest one here, hey mother dear," she replies through gritted teeth as heat ran to her face. It seemed her mother had a way of riling her up. Hearing about how far behind she stood despite classing Lola as useless as soon as she saw less than 5 digits angered her. A lot of things angered her these days it seemed.

[Hedgehawk]

"Yep. Plus Lola is a full on hydromage, which some argue is actually better than being a aeromancer. Heck, with enough training, and a little experimentation there was no reason why you couldn't actually be a stormmage." Aloysius unravelled his arms and looked over to Lola encouragingly. He did want his sister to be strong. Not for the sake of the family, but more for herself. She deserved to feel like she was something, rather than not being something.

"This really is getting stupid if you ask me. Yes Lola, you scored higher than me. But neither of you came close to Salem, so I don't know why either of you feel any kind of smugness." Esme retorted, mostly aimed at Aloysius. Niether of the pair looked impressed with the other.

"Maybe I didn't want to be? Maybe I am content on not being the strongest. I know to you, the world is a zero sum game. I just wanted to be happy. Protect my family... what little family I have left." At the end of his comment Aloysius looked down at the wooden floor.

"Oh don't you start the feel sorry for yourself charade again..." Esme hissed towards Aloysius.

[SouffleGirl123]

At his comments the teenager raised her brow at her brother. She was sure he knew as well as she did that she was nowhere near powerful enough to become a storm mage.

"You act like we care about Salem's score, mother. If you're so obsessed with her why don't you just go adopt her or something instead of bothering us?" Lola snaps before turning on her heel and letting Esme have that verbal attack on her brother. "I'm going to go put my homework away. Is attendance at this family dinner necessary of can I get my dinner in my room?"