Going Home (Selah)

[Dorian Innes]

It was late, nearing two in the morning, and Dorian knew it was reckless, brazen, perhaps even stupid to appear uninvited and unannounced, yet he couldn’t wait any longer. Once he had finished with the dance and ensured the students were safely back in their dorms, he left Hogwarts immediately. Seeing Selah tonight, after so long, he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep otherwise. He could only hope she felt the same, or at least that he wasn’t unwelcome. Even if she was asleep, he had no choice; if he didn’t come tonight, he would lose his nerve entirely.

Dorian Apparated onto the doorstep with a soft pop and lingered there for a long moment, staring at the door without moving. With a heavy sigh, he pulled a cigarette from the packet he kept in his pocket just in case; he had hoped he’d quit by now. He had cut back significantly, but tonight his hands shook too much for restraint. He didn’t love that the smoke would cling to him, and part of him wished he had a flask of whisky instead, but this addiction was the lesser of two evils.

Lighting the cigarette, Dorian drew in long, slow drags, letting the smoke fill his lungs and steady the tremor in his chest before exhaling sharply. When he finished, he dropped the stub to the ground, tamped it out with his boot, and then vanished it entirely. Bracing himself for what he needed to do, Dorian raised his hand and knocked on the door, every second stretching, every heartbeat pounding in his ears, fully aware that the moment she answered that there would be no turning back.

[Selah Innes]

She'd returned home, stripped out of her best dress, showered and put on her comfy clothes before settling into the couch downstairs to rot. Out of everything that had happened the last thing she'd expected was Dorian actually speaking to her, Selah hadn't been prepared for that. But of course duty had called and their conversation had been cut painfully short which felt fitting anymore. Everything had been painful as of late and she'd just learned to bear it, move on and keep going regardless of how badly she'd wanted to collapse into the pain.

Cailleach chirped from her perch softly, she'd been trying more as of late to converse in her own way with Selah and she knew it but it just wasn't the same. The silence had been eating at her more and more especially since she'd been offered that position Stateside. Was she really considering it? It certainly couldn't be worse than living with ghosts like she was now. She had no idea how long she'd just sat there curled into herself beneath a quilt before the clock chimed an hour far later than it should have and she dragged herself upstairs to bed.

Their bed.

Selah hadn't wanted to change the sheets or wash it or anything since Nigel had brought him home that one night completely sloshed out of his mind, she couldn't fault the man neither was in their right mind. He just brought his friend home, where he thought he belonged. Where Selah wanted him to belong but Dorian thought otherwise and she couldn't convince him differently especially when he didn't want to talk to her, but he had talked to her tonight though hadn't he? Even for just a few sentences?

She had of course because otherwise her mind would have actually driven her mad. Climbing into her side she settled in and closed her eyes, feeling that now all too familiar cold settled around her; the lack of warmth that came from being there alone. Sleep was surface level, she didn't dream anymore so when that knock came at the door she heard it clearly and her lashes lifted immediately glancing at the time. Climbing from the bed she threw on her robe and made her way downstairs wondering what emergency would be waiting now before she unlocked the door and pulled it open, "Can I…" Her words died when she saw who was standing there and Selah swallowed hard, "... Dorian?"