the first to give and the first to ask

She gave a tiny smile, and a little laugh, "Well I'm glad that there's something nice about me... someone that appreciates it."

Even when she had happy thoughts to dwell upon it seemed the girl reverted back to her usual way of thinking. What else was there for her to do? It was all she had ever known. Life with her family, being on the side lines, feeling forgotten, neglected, unwanted.

There was nothing else in her head, but those feelings. Sure people, Roman, Lora, Tre, tried to tell her differently, but it would take more than their few words to change a life time of training. If she could ever really change at all.

"Well, I do not think that we are going to find out this places secrets today, and I don't know about you but I'm not interested in buying a Dragon," she gave a crooked grin, "So what do you say we go wandering?"

"There are a ton of things about you that are nice," Afonka said truthfully - but then again, everything he said was. Lying didn't come easily or naturally to the Hrabrost. It just felt wrong.

His eyes lit up at her suggestion. "Yes!" he cheered, and then instantly quieted down, glancing around the store sheepishly, laughing softly. "Sorry about that," he patted the dragon statue closest to him. "You're probably not used to loud noises."

Grinning up at Faye, he nodded, "I'm always up for exploring."

Faye shook her head at the boy, laughter on her lips. Talking to statues? It was nice to feel just care free for once in her life, no worries, no panic, just...

Fun, and friendship.

Her grin lengthened and she turned on her heals, "Thank lets go explore."

He grinned at her, clapping his hands together. "Alright," he said, eyes bright as he made his way towards the door. Pulling it open, he stood in the doorway, holding the door open to her.

"So," Afonka asked, "Where are we going?"

Passing by the boy, she gave a slight frown, eyes bright, before she smirked, "Well know, I don't entirely know. That's not how adventuring works."

She gave a little giggle and stood outside the door watching the snow fall around them, and looking both left and right. She couldn't say she had a particular feel for either direction, though she had come from the left, so on instinct her gaze lingered on the right.

"I just sort of go where ever whim takes me," she pulled her gaze away from the street and smirked at her friend, "So Mr. Alkaev, where does whim take you?"

He gave his head a small shake of amusement. She had a point. If you knew where you were going, it just wasn't as fun.

Slipping outside after her, the Hrabrost grinned up at the sky for a moment. It was so beautiful. He loved the way the snow fell and left the world dotted with sparkling ice crystals. He sighed happily, giving his breath a little grin.

"Well Ms. Hansoff, the whim happens to take me..." he glanced around, before closing his eyes, holding out his arm, and spinning himself around in circles before stopping, blinking his eyes open, reeling from the dizziness. "Well, it looks like the whim takes me forward."

Faye laughed a little at his antics, but grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction he had chosen anyway, "Don't throw up on me or anything. I may have to kick you out of my adventuring if you do that."

Giving a grin, she let go of his hand and skipped ahead a little feeling alive with the freedom. Whistling a tune to herself she turned back the boy with a grin.

"So... Hows Tessa? That is you're girlfriend's name, right? Tessa?" She certainly hoped she could remember such a simple fact about someone she called a friend.

Grinning at the younger girl, he allowed her to tug him forward. "Me? Throwing up?" He couldn't help but laugh at the thought, shaking his head. "Nah, I have a stomach of steel." For emphasis, he patted his abdomen with his free hand.

"Yeah," he said carefully, nodding. It was true, after all. They were still dating, even if the conversation about Feliks had been rather disheartening. "Her name's Tessa." He couldn't help but smile at the thought of her. "She's doing well." Afonka nodded, though he'd hardly spoken to her since his birthday.

Faye smiled, it was a nice to hear these things, "Good, that really good - I'm happy for you two, really. She's sweet. I wished I talked to her more, I really should."

Faye pushed her fists into her pocket, and kicked a drift of snow as she passed. They were starting to get to the edges of the town, the stores -which had given way to houses - were beginning to give away to empty fields, hints of trees. She knew from experience they shouldn't be able to get much further.

"We should spend sometime together, sometimes. You, me, Tess... Roman." She shrugged her shoulders again, the pleasant feeling when she thought about her boyfriend marred with the knowledge that his engagement to Kendera was official in unbreakable ways. "That would be nice, I think. Maybe..."

"I think you two could be good friends," Afonka said quietly, rubbing at his reddening ears. Tessa and Faye both had this unique and idealistic way of looking at the world. With all the time he spent with the two of them, it was a wonder it hadn't rubbed off on him. He liked to think it was because he was quite happy with the way he saw the world.

Watching the passing city with dull interest, his thoughts turned to Tessa. Maybe he shouldn't have run out on her. Maybe he should've stayed. They could have easily worked it out, but instead he'd disappeared to Azorat in an act of avoiding her.

"It would be," Afonka hummed. Tilting his head at the younger girl, he grinned. "You know, we - Roman and I - were talking about a double wedding. The four of us."

A slight frown crossed her features that she tried to push away, but she knew even if the the dark expression was off her face, it wouldn't stop the bitter disappointment that had already settled over her.

"That's a very nice thought," she said softly, "Though I'm afraid that if it comes to Roman's fiancée you'll have to look in other places. Kendera James is who his parents promised him too, not me. Maybe they can join your double wedding."

Weddings being fanciful in nature, Faye had never spent much time thinking about her own. Though there had a been a brief time before her illness and Roman's engagement had crashed everything she had briefly wondered...

But that was all besides the point now. He was an engaged man.

And he wasn't engaged to her.

"Yeah," he elongated, rubbing at the back of his neck. Maybe that hadn't been the best idea, bringing this up. But now that they were, he found that he had to say something.

"Well," Afonka said slowly, glancing at Faye for a moment before his gaze darted away. "I know Roman doesn't plan on marrying Kendera. He's trying to find a way to get out of it. I don't really know how, but he is looking for a way."

Glancing at her hopefully, he said, "And that's something, right?"

She wrapped her arms around herself and gave a wan smile, "That's a nice thought, and it means a lot that he did try, but it seem's you're a little behind on the times. Their magically bonded - the ultimate relationship commitment."

Her arms seemed to only tighten as she walked and let her thoughts wanders. The road in front of her blurred dangerously but she hardly noticed and did not stop moving.

"There's no getting out of it now."

"Magic," Afonka said softly, glancing around the frozen city they were on, as if it could prove his point. "It doesn't work all the time. Harry Potter survived the Killing Curse, and that's supposed to be impossible. Didn't stop him. Twice."

He nodded decisively, rubbing the back of his neck. "And if he can do that, I'm sure Roman will find a way." He tilted his head, a slow grin spreading across his face, "There has to be something in really old Wizarding books."

He rubbed his hands together, "And I know where to find a ton of old Wizarding books."

Faye stopped her walking finally, and glanced over at the older boy, a soft smile pushing its way onto her lips. It was kind of him, really, to be so optomistic. Faye wasn't really sure if she could afford to be any more.

Maybe, at this point in her life, it was just easier to be happy with what she got, when she got it, and let go of the rest.

"I wouldn't want him to risk it though. Magic can... it can hurt, when its meant to. If he were to try and fail..." the young girl felt cold at the very thought and shivered. "I'd rather watch him marry someone else, than have to witness... any thing like that."

Pausing as she did, he grinned back at her. He wasn't sure if she totally believed his words, but just making her smile was good enough.

And maybe, if he actually found a way to undo this magical engagement bonding thing, she'd really believe him.

For a moment, the boy was confused, not comprehending her words. But when he did, his face fell and he too, shivered. "That would just be awful." But still, he'd at least try to find an answer in books.

The arms that were still around her tightened as she tired to protect herself from the horrifying thought of such a thing.

"It would be."

She repeated softly, before looking out in front of her silently. She wished she could see her future ahead of her, as easily as she could see the road. Maybe then she'd know where to go, what to do.

Maybe everything wouldn't seem as frustratingly impossible.

The idea of anything happening to Roman - Afonka shuddered at the very thought. It sickened him, really to imagine anything it. He was his best friend, but that wasn't just it. He was another human being. Even if he'd never met the boy, Afonka was sure he would still feel something if he'd heard anything had happened to him.

He nodded in agreement with Faye, letting out a little sigh before shaking his head, dispelling the morbid thoughts.

"What about we talk about something happier?"

A nod of her head, even as Faye realized, yet again, that she was the one who turned their conversation bleak once more. That seemed to be all she was ever good at these days, making conversations dull, depressing.

She wasn't even sick any more, yet she still managed to do it.

"Of course," she said, walking again, "I suppose school is going well enough? Not too bad. You have Owls this year, don't you?"

"Yeah, OWLs," he nodded, rubbing at the back of his head. "I really should start studying for them. I don't think I can afford to fail." He wouldn't even be happy with himself if he didn't do well. But he was sure that his grandparents would be furious.

"But I'm sure I'll do fine," Afonka said convincingly, nodding.

Faye smiled encouragingly, "I'm sure you will be too. You're smart, at least I think you are."

She was making an effort to keep her tone light and friendly and she believed she was doing passingly well. It helped to be able to focus on something other than her usual not so pleasant haunts.

"I can help you study, if you'd like. I mean.. I'm not very good at magic, and I'm a year younger so I don't know everything that you would... but if you just need someone to ask you questions or... something. I can. If you'd want."

"Aww, thank you," he gave his head a bashful little shake, grinning at Faye. He didn't think he was all that smart. He was just average. There was nothing special about Afonka Alkaev. But the compliment was still appreciated. "I think you're smart too. Smarter than me."

His face lit up at her suggestion. "You'd do that for me? Really? You - You're the best, you know that, Faye? You really are."

Faye shrugged and grinned, "Of course I would, I mean... what else are friends are for? I mean I wouldn't want you to fail at something if I think I can help."

She shrugged and kept walking, content with just the company of her friend.

"You'd do the same for me. So really I'm not all that great at all."

"Still," Afonka breathed, his grin widening. The gesture was nice. That she cared enough to help him study - he could hardly explain how that made him feel. "Thank you. I appreciate it. A lot."

A small frown etched across his face, "That doesn't make you any less great, though."

"It just makes me who I am. Faye... nothing great or magical or wonderful about that. Its just what it is... just me."

She nodded her head, walking in a silence for a moment before stopping and adding, "That's not a bad thing. Its just a thing."

"Now lets go. Are we exploring or what?"