Legends....[Tony]

[Shiloh Alexis Mindel]

Shiloh seemed to shrink within herself as he made light of her predicament by making a joke. She slunk over to the table and sat down, having given up on trying to get the snow out of the way, and winning back her freedom. "Alright Tony.. Though yes, there was an unspoken rule about not befriending playmates.. How else were we supposed to keep it casual?"

She rubbed her temples with pressure to attempt to relieve the headache the insistent cold and the man she was with in the hut had brought on full force. She groaned as she laid her throbbing head on the chilly wood of the table, trying to keep down the dinner she'd had last night that threatened to exit her stomach. Her headaches tended to do that... Especially migraines brought on my stress. The fact that she had no idea where to go from here, was being pulled in so many different directions she couldn't count didn't help matters any.

"What does walking me back have anything to do with it? I'm a big girl, remember? I'm not a student who's hand you have to hold so I don't get lost." Her temper had risen again at what he seemed to have implied by that. "As far as sleeping arrangements, it's your hut.. And you're the one in pain.. You think I'm selfish enough to make you sleep in a rickety chair, or on the cold floor? What do you take me for?! Get up there and stay.. I'll figure something out.. "

Shiloh made sure he'd gotten in bed and noticed the look of pain cross his face with a dreadful feeling of guilt because she knew she'd caused part of it with making him get out of bed. Sighing she went to the small pile of wood stacked in a corner, placed it in the fireplace and sent a spark to catch the tinder. She waited until it had caught good before she sat a spell on it to make it burn twice as hot to break the chill of her having had the door open.

She moved over to Tony, and told him to let her see his leg.. Maybe she could take some of what she'd caused away.. At least she hoped. She gritted her teeth on the feeling...thought that this was for sure heading the one way they had agreed to avoid. She resolved to push that out of her mind... For now.. and help the one man she'd come to lo....... no.. she wouldn't admit it, couldn't even to herself.. For now she'd take what she could get, and if that was only a good time... Then so be it. She wouldn't let herself hurt when the 'newness' wore off.

[Tony Dedrian]

Tony listened to her, and then watched her come over. He was still shuddering, but her touch warmed him to the core, soothing him slightly. He gave a small smile and closed his eyes, nodding as she asked to see his leg. He laid it out across the bed, laying backwards and sighing. Having her here was indeed a joy... but she felt so... conflicted. He dare not peer into her mind, knowing that Legillimency would totally be wrong... but it was so tempting to see how she felt... how she truly felt about him...

Screw it.

His eyes closed, he would peer into her mind, pushing through her weakened boundaries and wondering if she'd recognize him trying to look. It wasn't a normal practice in Hogwarts to defend against Legillimency, so he assumed for the best for him that she wouldn't realize this slight invasion of her privacy for his benefit. He focused more, pushing deeper within the conclaves of her mind, and began filtering through her thoughts and feelings for him, keeping his emotions in check so she wouldn't feel any adverse effects from his peering.

He cleared his mind, in case she DID know how to defend against it, and slightly edged his way in, keeping his breathing even as she did whatever she did to his leg to help.

He wanted to know how she felt.

Needed to.

It wasn't long ago when he had to use it before on a student who was plotting on setting seven dung bombs off in front of Kaliana's office, so he wasn't out of practice. But then again, it intrigued him as to if she could detect him, and then if she had Auror like capabilities, and tell it was him.

-------------------------------------------------

Legillimency- This form of magic allows Tony to sort of peer into the mind of his opponent/subject and see what has been and what is within the mind of the one he's targeting.

If it connects, then the person targeted has the option to either PM their thoughts to the user, or post them outright into the thread.

[Shiloh Alexis Mindel]

Shiloh moved over to take Tony's leg and work some of the muscles that were knotted around the fresh wounds. As they started to loosen up, and he made to close his eyes, she searched her memories for any herb she could pull out of thin air to use as a topical pain relief and that would soften up the skin so it wouldn't scar as bad as she knew it would other wise.

She remembered a tea brewed from Oregano, Rosemary and Thyme with a little lavender to soften the taste that her mother once gave her to relieve the pain of a broken ankle suffered on a muggle trampoline and that her mother had applied the herb capsasicin topically instead of giving her any over the counter or medicines given by a doctor. As she was remembering, she felt a tickle at the back of her mind and she suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

She tried to shake it off, not figuring anything out of the ordinary and finished her half massage of Tony's leg to move to the fireplace that was now roaring warmth to brew the bitter tea. She grabbed the tea kettle, went to the sink to fill it with water, and placed it on the hook over the fire. (She had to brew it the muggle way or it wouldn't work.) She then summoned the herbs she required and once the water was at a boil she placed all of them but the capsasicin into the water to steep after pouring some clear water into a shallow bowl and placing the last herb into that to soften.

She still felt queasy and like something was off as she grabbed a tall cup out of the cupboard and poured the tea into it to cool slightly. She just figured she'd eaten something off, or that the stress was still high. After bringing some gauze she'd found out onto the table and placing the steeped capsasicin onto it as a poultice she grabbed the cup and went back to Tony's side. Offering him the cup, and explaining what it was and why she was giving it to him she bent to place the still hot... but not scalding poultice onto his thigh and wrapped it tight enough to allow the leaves to do their work.

"That's a tea my mother made me when I was young for a broken bone.. Though I put some lavender in it to calm the bitterness down. It won't conflict with your other medicine.. And might make moving a little less taxing. The wrap is topical poultice that works something like aspirin in the muggle world though it reduces scarring slightly. You don't have to take either one if you don't trust me." She said in explanation as she hoped that he would allow her to help in that little way. When she'd neared him to give him the tea, she felt much better.. But still didn't put two and two together..

She walked over to one of the over stuffed chairs, flicked her wand and made a pillow and warm blanket appear folded on the arm. Oh it's going to be a long rest of the night. She thought to herself and groaned still suffering from her migraine.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Results of Legillimency

Her thoughts bounced around.. She'd come to care a great deal about the man on the bed.. Even possibly loved him.. Though she still refused to accept that for herself. Yet she was afraid of what would happen if she'd admit anything of the such to him.. She didn't want to look like she was taking advantage of his sorrow. And he'd lost his love not long before now..

How confused she was.. They'd agreed to keep it simple and unattached by any standards, and now he's saying he wants to be 'friends'?! If he only knew how much more she wanted. Being friends wasn't enough. Though she'd take what she was offered for as long as it was offered. And promised herself she wouldn't be hurt when the newness wore off. She hadn't been looking for anything of this sort.. Really she hadn't. Yet.. Here she was, falling in love with someone who plays the game as readily as she does...did.. and with out strings. What had she gotten herself into?

[Tony Dedrian]

He felt her hands rubbing the knots out of his leg and relaxed a bit more, her touch calming him. He had heard sounds of her rummaging through his cabinets, and opened one eyes. It seemed as though she was preparing tea? He smiled a bit, wondering what she could be cooking up.

His use of Legillimency yielded more than he thought possible. He blushed a bit, finding out that she did indeed feel the same... He closed his eyes again, feeling even more comfortable, and smiles as she came up and offered him the tea. He sat up and took it, thanking her and sipping on it as she applied the poultice to his leg. He winced a bit at the heat, and gritted his teeth as it settled into his leg. After a moment, it calmed, and he took a deep breath before starting.

"I know what I said... before about no strings... nothing of the sort... only sex. But... Shiloh, I have to ask you... would there be any possibility of you wanting more out of this? I know we're a bit backwards, but... Listen, if there's... any possibility.. please, tell me now."

It was as simple as that. He wanted to be with her. To try, one more time in his life, to see if perhaps he could be happy again. He sighed and pushed himself up level with her, giving a slight smile, and holding out a hand. He awaited her reaction... and prayed she would answer the way he hoped she would

[Shiloh Alexis Mindel]

Shiloh looked back at Tony as he started saying something about being wrong. Then he started in on wanting something else.. something more.. She frowned as what he was trying to imply. She rubbed her tired eyes and throbbing temples, her stomach still rolling slightly from the tension everything that had transpired that day and into the night had built.

She sighed as she tried to take in what he was saying... More? Try again? HUH?! She thought desperately to herself.. Trying to put two and two together with all the ways she'd been turned around that day...What, with the monster and everything... It was amazing she was walking on her own two feet, and not in a bed in the hospital wing being sedated cause she'd lost it.

".....More? What do you mean..more? I think we would have died if we'd done any MORE..." She replied, oblivious to his meaning at first.. Then it dawned, much like the sun would dawn in a few short hours. " Wait... MORE?! Where did this come from? As far as possibilities.. Anything is possible... Though we are both self-proclaimed loners, casual sex types.. So why would either of us want to.. Complicate matters.?"

Needing something to do, some where to sit she turned to the table, pulled out one of the chairs and brought forth her drawing stuff. She didn't indulge in the inanimate arts too often, needed to be in 'the mood' but when she did, it hit with a vengeance. She thought that now it would help her move her mind to something.... anything less stress-causing than where she was, what she was thinking about right at that moment.

She sighed and put down her drawing utensils with a slight thump.. It was useless. Turning to Tony she waited on him to let her know what was going on in that complex mind of his.

[Tony Dedrian]

"Ooookay." She was so cute when she was flustered like this. But also, this was stressing her out to the maximum, it seemed. Did he want to continue this, or would it just be ok to halt this now, and give her some peace? It was difficult, still grieving for D.J. (his fiance) and all... but something inside him told him it was time to move on... she wouldn't want him to keep going the way he has... Shiloh was the first time he had enjoyed sex in... a long time. Horrid thing to base your feelings off of, sure, but then again, it's the first sign of his humanity returning to him since that night he watched the light leave D.J.'s eyes...

Maybe it was this job... maybe it was the Aurorship that worried him. Being out in the world, dodging Dark Magic and dangerous creatures that could easily tear him six ways to Sunday, and not coming home to a family, or even at least a wife/girlfriend who had been waiting for you the entire time to hold you in their arms... to love you again. This tore him up, realizing that if he hadn't been an Auror, that maybe, if he didn't have to come from the Ministry offices that night to meet her... she wouldn't have walked down that street. Maybe she would have survived had he been there with her, defending her.

However... the what-ifs have proven to be nothing but chisels in Tony's already cracked resolve. He felt deep inside that it wouldn't be good to let history repeat himself, but then again, he would have to give up the single most rewarding job he had ever had. He enjoyed the danger, the action, the adrenaline of being in duels, fighting to protect people, to defend those innocents from the evils that plagued the world... He would miss that. Being a hero. Being a servant to the Wizards and Witches who wanted peace in the world.

But he couldn't let someone else die because of him. Whether it would be Shy, or D.J. (talking about the cat, this time), he wouldn't be able to handle it. He would follow through with his suicidal thoughts and use the chair method...

He had it all worked out one day. He had a large stone, about sixty pounds, under a chair, with a rope tied around it. The rope would go up behind the chair, and wrap around his neck. One swift motion, and he would pass out, dying in a state of dreamlike asphyxiation... then, hello, Darkness.

But he chickened out. He actually transfigured the rock into a rabbit, and punted it out a window in his panic. (he later went out, healed the rabbit, and set it free). Either way... he lived, because he believed that somewhere, out there, there was something worth living for. Worth fighting for.

Love.

He wanted to love again. He wanted to hold someone in his arms, protect them, take care of them, be with them for all eternity, showing them the world, and showing them that... well, they were his world. Have kids. Live forever. Die happy and together... and live forever in the afterlife.

It sounded amazing to him... but Shy, however, was about to stab herself in the eye with a pencil. He'd tell her about his feelings someday, perhaps, but not tonight. The chill having worn off, he sighed, and pulled a blanket back.

"It's cold. We're both tired, stressed, and really just could use some rest. Tomorrow's Saturday, and we can sleep in. Please, join me for the night, and we'll talk about this some other day, maybe after we get rid of that thing in the forest. Ok?"

He patted the pillow next to his, and smiled, inviting her. No more love making tonight, that was for certain... but he wouldn't mind having someone there to help keep him warm... and also hold through the night close to his heart.

((Go ahead and close this one out with your next post.))

---------------Tony Exits (But not really. He's still there, in bed, and shiz.))----------------------

[Shiloh Alexis Mindel]

Shiloh sat there trying to rub the stress from her shoulders, temples, and neck.. Rather unsuccessfully.. She even whipped up some 'wizard' tea supposed to be calming to the nerves and drank it near scalding as another way to get her mind somewhere. Truth be told, she wasn't really as stressed at the possibility as she was the fact that she was rather ensnared by the prospect of.....a relationship.... with this man.

She stood up to pace slowly around the small hut as she heard Tony inviting her back into his bed.. Not for the previous fun it seemed, but to provide.... comfort and warmth.? She shrugged it off slightly, though the exhaustion was finally catching up to her. Attempting to stifle a yawn she decided to stretch a few muscles to release the tension enough to where maybe she'd be able to sleep once she did figure out what, how, to go about everything.

"I figured you'd want me to take the 'couch' at the least. I'll be fine there......" she tried to breeze past the invitation then sighed. "Okay.. I'll 'keep you warm' as you say. Though, I need to clarify something.. Nevermind.. That can be for later." she finished as she grabbed the blanket she'd summoned from the arm of the chair, and headed toward the bed on feet made of lead.

With a swift flick of her wrists she'd opened the heavy folded blanket and situated it over the other, thinner blanket already covering the bed. Watching Tony wearily with eyes betraying her exhaustion she pulled the bed covers back and climbed in, pulled the covers back over her, and within a very short time her body gave up the fight it had been battling with sleep.


----------------------------------Shiloh exits.....figuratively....-------------------------------