mutual attraction || TARYN

Even though it was Arion's first time here, he was already loving it. The liveliness, the atmosphere, the crowded streets, definitely his kind of place. He would be beginning his schooling at Durmstrang after the holidays, but he had to admit that he was looking forward to it. Despite what his aunt and uncle said, he had a feeling he was going to like it there. Leaning against one of the window shops, he observed the people, hoping to catch the eye of some pretty girl.

Taryn didn't like how crowded the square was, but she couldn't stand staying with Rae-not after all she'd done to her, not after she attempted to stab her. Taryn's arm was wrapped up, and the wound still bled through often, even though it had been more than two weeks. She had stabbed herself deep, along with various scratches from falling to the ground. She looked like Hell, or someone suicidal. And, granted, she was both.

Taryn saw a boy, peering through the window of a store, observing everyone. The red head walked up to him and said boldly, "You looking for someone? It might be easier if you didn't look like a stalker."

On hearing the comment, Arion laughed lightly and turned to the girl. "Well, I'm not looking for anyone specifically, but glad to see I got your attention," he grinned. "And looks can be deceiving, so I can assure you that I'm not a stalker." He looked at her for a few seconds before saying, "You're pretty, you know that? Although, I'm sure you don't hear that a lot." He shrugged and leaned his head against the window. "I'm Arion, by the way. This is my first time in this country, so I may seem a little clueless," he smiled at her.

"Well, you did. Stalkers usually do," Taryn shrugged, not missing a beat. "Hm, guess I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, then. Considering you aren't looking for anyone." Taryn looked through the shoppe window. It was somewhat empty-in fact, a good portion of its occupants looked strange and older. A liquor store. "Hmm?" Taryn looked up to catch his comment. "Oh, huh. Thanks, I guess," Taryn replied grudgingly. "Surprisingly enough, I don't hear that often. The whole anti-social thing scares people off," Taryn leaned back against the store, hoping that the anti-social thing scared him off, too. "Arion? What kind of name is that?" Taryn mocked him, although in reality it was slightly interesting to her. Hell if she told him that. "Then again, I shouldn't really be mocking other people's names. I'm Taryn," Taryn looked at Arion with cold hazel eyes. "I'm sure you'd seem clueless anywhere, honey," Taryn mocked, hoping the boy would perhaps leave her alone. The few friends-or one friend-she had was only that because he was just too sweet to be mean to. But here, with this Arion boy-he wasn't at all.

"You might want to leave then, cause I'm sure you wouldn't want to waste your time talking to a stalker." Arion grinned slyly. "Your welcome. Don't worry about it, you looked like you could use a compliment here and there," he shrugged. He laughed at her comment. "Anti social, huh? No surprise there," he commented. "People just don't look properly and they scare easy, that's their problem. Oh trust me, I wonder about my name too," he replied with a chuckle. "But my parents are never around, so I always miss my opportunity to ask them about my weird name." He shook his head in disagreement. "Nah, I like your name; it's different." He looked at her pointedly and asked, "Do you always stare at people like that? No wonder they get scared," he teased. "I'm sure you'd be just as clueless as me, then." He winked and grinned playfully.

"Well, I'm still here, aren't I?" Taryn smirked. "Huh. I guess I could," she mused, considering that she must've looked pretty desperate. She shook the thought off. "No, there isn't. Because I'm me," Taryn rolled her eyes. "People are half-blind to a million sadnesses, a million beauties in this world. Most often they are in another human being. But the human eye is trained to view flaws, not what lies beyond them," Taryn simply stated. "They are scared of differences-not of people. You're parents aren't around, either?" For the first time, Taryn could sympathize. "Neither are mine. Hell, I don't know if they're alive. A little too different, if you ask me," Taryn shrugged. "But then again, so are a good portion of the names out here. Yeah, guess I do," she kept her hazel eyes fixated on him. "It might be the color. Aw, trust me, I'm not clueless. If anything, I am less blind than the average human. Because I understand those sadnesses," Taryn's hazel eyes snapped off Arion and looked out upon the bust square.

"Yeah, you're still here and that's what worries me," Arion replied with a laugh. "Unfortunately, I have to agree with you on that," he commented, referring to the people being blind to beauties. "You know why that happens? It is because every single person believes that their life drama is worse than every other person's," he stated and looked intently at Taryn. He sighed. "And when they can't find anyone to listen, they resort to much worse techniques to relieve the pain." He shook his head and muttered, "Just so you know, I hate talking about this stuff cause it's too serious and depressing. I'm just not used to this. I mean, can I just ask you when was the last time you had some actual fun?" He questioned curiously. "So, if not your parents, who do you live with?" He smiled at her lightly. "No, hazel is a very good colour; anyone who disagrees is a fool. And it's not a crime that you understand those sadnesses, it's a good thing."

"Wow, you really are new, huh?" Taryn asked the rhetorical question. "Trust me. You don't have to worry about me," Taryn bared her teeth in a sarcastic grin. "Got that right," Taryn muttered under her breath. "But sometimes there are worse sadnesses. If you keep them silent or you speak them loud makes all the difference," Taryn spoke softly. She kept her sadnesses to herself, most of the time. "Some people don't want to be listened to." Taryn ran a hand through her red hair. "This is honestly all I talk about-or write about. I don't talk very often." Suddenly, Taryn was on the defense. "My idea of fun is definately much different than your's. But, the last time I had classifiable fun was at the city park. Made a friend there. And he isn't creepy, thank you very much," Taryn glared slightly at Arion. "My adopted mother, Rae," she said coldly. "I like hazel, mainly because there isn't a single 'hazel'," Taryn replied swiftly. "There's hazel-green, like my eyes, and hazel-gold, like-" Taryn stopped short. She had been about to say Avon. But Avon's eyes, they hadn't been hazel-gold. They had been almost straight gold, just brushed with brown. And Avon was dead. "Actually, I don't know anyone with hazel-gold eyes," Taryn shrugged. "I guess it's not. People just don't admire the trait."

Arion figured out from the moment he talked to Taryn, that she had gone through a lot of pain. A part of him was sympathizing and the other part just wanted to show her what it was like to live in the moment without worrying about anything in the world. But at the way they were conversing at this point, he didn't think she was willing. He looked at her, his gaze softening. "Just so you know, I'm here to listen. I may not be as good as your new friend, but I promise to try."

He grinned and replied, "Oh I'm not creepy either darling; just different." His grin slightly faded as she mentioned she was adopted. "I'm sorry," he told sincerely and gave the girl a quick hug. He knew she was fibbing but decided not to question it. It wasn't his business anyway. "Well, like it or not, I happen to appreciate your eyes," he muttered. "So, where are you originally from?"

Taryn, hard as she try, felt herself melting a little-this was the same way she had become Afonka's friend, too. "Sometimes, that's all you need," she whispered, looking down. "Someone that'll listen. But people don't generally like to do that, do they?" Taryn looked up, her hazel eyes sparkling a little.

"Not creepy? Why, honey, if I've ever heard a bigger lie," she teased. "It's okay," Taryn shrugged. "I don't know if my biological parents were any better. Rae's Hell, though," she spoke as if conversing about the weather-plain and emotionless. She felt Arion quickly hug her, and was grateful-grateful that he felt bad, because sometimes you needed someone to sympathize, and grateful that he was quick, not forcing himself onto her. It made her hate him a little less. Taryn heard Arion's mutter about her eyes, but decidedly ignored it, not sure if it was even meant for her to hear. "Poland," Taryn replied. As if to prove a point, she quickly spoke, "Mieszkam w Polsce, teraz też. Mówić po polsku, jak również, ale możesz być zaskoczony, jak mało mówić go biegle. Ja wziąłem to na siebie, aby uczyć się języka niemieckiego i rosyjskiego, a także, ponieważ tak wielu ludzi mówić tych języków," in her native Polish. Grinning, she translated. "Virtually no one speaks Polish now, or fluently. I learned German and Russian, too, since a good portion of Durmstrang speaks it. The only other person I know that spoke Polish fluently was..." Taryn's voice trailed off, and she looked down. Rae lived in Russia, while Taryn still spent a good portion of the time she had to be at home in the little Polish apartment. It made her feel closer to Avon. "Where are you from, then?" she quickly asked, trying to cover up her slip.

"Well, I'm not like those general people. So you have nothing to worry about," Arion told in a quiet voice and gave her a hand a squeeze. Suddenly feeling sparks, he immediately pulled back his hand and blushed lightly. "Sorry," he murmured.

"You just don't know me. And once you do, you'll be agreeing that I'm so not creepy," he winked. "How long have you been living with Rae?" He asked, hoping that she really wasn't as bad as Taryn was saying. "I'm from Russia itself, but I live in Finland." He grinned back as she spoke in Polish. "Very impressive." He talked in Finnish as well, "Olen ainoa suvussani joka puhuu suomea. Olen viettänyt suurimman osan ajastani siellä ja vaikka setäni ja tätini eivät osaa puhua, en onnistunut poimia muutamia asioita alkuperäiskansojen." He translated, "I'm the only one in my family who speaks Finnish. I spent most of my time there and even though my uncle and aunt don't know how to speak, I managed to pick up a few things from the native people." He smiled slightly. "Which house are you in, at Durmstrang?" He questioned.

"I didn't think you were," Taryn joked, still frowning slightly. Her hand tingled at Arion's touch and she quickly yanked her hand away, mumuring apologies of her own.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Taryn rolled her eyes. "Hmm...'s long as I can remember," she shrugged. "My parents were never really around-and my earliest memory's from age four." Convienantly, Taryn left out that her sister was only three years younger. "Russia? Impressive. That's where Durmstrang is, so I'm surprised you've never noticed it, if you're a wizard," she puzzled over this slightly, then remembered that Durmstrang really tried their best to stay hidden. Taryn listened to Arion's fluent Finnish. "I've never heard anyone around talk in that language," Taryn said thoughtfully. "Wow. I guess your aunt and uncle aren't from Finland originally?" she interrogated. "Which house? Uchitel. Third year," Taryn nodded.

"You felt it too, didn't you?" Arion asked with a surprised smile. "That was quite weird since that has never happened with me before. But it was a good kind of weird," he decided.

"Want to know the truth? I don't even know what my parents do half the time," he laughed humorlessly. "I mean, they come at the oddest of hours and then go away for a couple of weeks..." he trailed off and sighed. "I don't want to question them mostly because I'm afraid of what their answer will be. So, I just assume that their job keeps them a busy a lot." He shrugged. "Never noticed what?" He asked confusedly. "Actually, even I've never heard anyone speak Finnish," he whispered it like a secret and grinned at Taryn. "Nope, they are from Ireland." He explained further. "My mother's brother is my uncle and their family is from Ireland. But my father is a Russian, so I guess you can say I'm half Russian and half Irish." He commented. "But there were some...um..problems and so had to move from the country." His face lit up as she mentioned she was in Uchitel. "Hey, that's awesome because I'm in Uchitel too. So we'll definitely run into each other," he smirked. "I'm a second year though."

"Felt what?" Taryn lied easily, her face blank as a paper. The lying was second nature for her-as was the blush on the back of her neck, hidden by hair. For the first time in forever, she was grateful for its deep red hue. "I have absolutely no fucking clue what you're talking about."

"At least you know where they are," Taryn muttered darkly. "If anything, it may hurt you," she spoke louder this time. "Assumption usually is better than the truth." Taryn remembered a conversation she and Avon had once had. She'd asked the little girl why she was such a dreamer. Avon had simply replied, "It's a dark world-and I'd rather dream." In reality, it didn't make much sense. For dreaming just made it darker when you opened you eyes. "Except for yourself," she amended his thought. "I suppose I have Irish roots, what with the fucking red hair," Taryn laughed a breathy, humourless sound. She ignored the slight about the problems-since Avon's death, she'd lived by the 'mention nothing' policy. Besides, she preferred eavesdropping. Taryn shook her head teasingly. "Well, shit. I thought I could've been lucky enough to avoid you," Taryn looked up through her curtain of hair and winked. "Phew," she pretended to wipe her forehead like it was a relief.

Arion was disappointed and taken aback by Taryn's denial, even though he sort of understood why she wouldn't want to face the truth. But he knew that she felt it too, and for now that was enough; he wasn't going to give up on her. He stared at her for a few seconds before replying, "Nothing, I probably imagined it. I mean, I couldn't have felt that with you." He smirked lightly to show he was messing with her.

"Where they are once in a while," he corrected her. "And I actually do think of the worst case scenarios. For all I know, they could be killers and still I wouldn't know what to say because I don't think I actually love them. But that would give me a reason to hate them though." He sighed. "Except for myself," he agreed. He laughed at Taryn's comment about her hair. "The hair suits you. Besides, I bet that not many people will be having read hair," he pointed out with a grin. "Well, I guess you are very unlucky then." He winked back and ran his hands through his hair. "And why would you want to avoid me? I'm not that bad, am I?" He asked teasingly.

"You probably did," Taryn agreed, bobbing her head. "Obviously," she rolled her eyes, ignoring the sarcasm. "Taryn Lennee, the girl who can't be loved."

"Still," Taryn shrugged. "I think it's in the nature of humans to imagine worst case scenarios." Abruptly, she was hit with the thousand thoughts of her death, Avon's death, over and over and over... "You can't love people that you never see," Taryn generalized. She grinned. "Gingers are gingers, after all. When I was little, I accidentaly dyed my hair bleach blonde." Actually, that had been all Avon, in an attempt to make them look like sisters. "It doesn't work for me. No, a surprisingly few do," Taryn nodded. "I am. No, I suppose you aren't," she stuck out her tongue.

"There's no one that is unlovable," Arion disagreed. "Everybody has at least one person in their life that loves them or cares for them. You just haven't found that person yet," he told and looked into Taryn's eyes to show that he was being honest.

He laughed humourlessly. "Yes, that's what makes us humans after all. But then again, we really can't blame ourselves for imagining like that," he reasoned. "Well, I haven't experienced that so I really can't comment on that," he said referring to her statement of not being able to love someone without seeing them. "Gingers are unique." He stated and winked. "I don't mind any hair colour as long as it's natural. Though I might change my preferences to redheads," he smiled mischievously. "Glad you don't think so," he told softly and gave a small smile. "You're not so bad yourself."

"Yeah, there are unlovable people," Taryn countered. "What about Voldemort?" Taryn rolled her eyes slightly, just enough to looked pissed but to let him know she was joking. "I do have someone who cares about me. She's dead." Taryn said this rather bluntly, keeping her eyes-emotionless, all traces of laughter gone-locked on his.

"No, I suppose we can't. It's not like we do it on purpose." Taryn shrugged a little; quite frankly, she often preferred the worst case scenario to the best thing that could happen, because if you imagine the worse, anything seems better. "No, gingers are gingers," she teased, sticking her tongue out at Arion. "Oh, haha," Taryn rolled her eyes, jokingly punching him on the shoulder. "Gee, thanks," Taryn said sarcastically, winking at him. Then, seriously, "No, thank you. I seem to have a fan club of anti-Taryn people-starting with Rae." She'd said this last part to herself more than anything.

"I'm pretty sure his parents loved him at some point before he went all nutters," Arion commented in mock seriousness and burst out laughing. His laughter faded as he heard Taryn's confession. "I'm sorry," he murmured genuinely and gave her a hug.

"Hope for the best and expect the worst," he stated in agreement. "I suppose you're right, but it's good to have positive thoughts as well." He grinned at her. "Well, you can be assured that I'm so not going to join that club." He promised and smiled knowingly.

"So, I better get going before I creep you out once more," he told, a playful glint in his eyes. "Will I be seeing more of you in school or are you going to avoid me?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow.