Contemplating (OPEN)

It had been over a month now and still he was avoiding Hades. The truth was he had no idea what to say to him or even where to being. He owed this man his life, twice now and that's what scared him the most.

He picked up a rock and threw it straight into the lake. His mind wondering elsewhere.

Willow had just finished her sitting for Charlotte and had stayed behind to swim a little in the lake, having to sit in it with her wings crossed over her for quite a long time her body had gotten used to being in there and the inhibitants of the lake hadn't minded her presence for some reason.

Flipping in the water Willow poked her head out from under it and saw Arsen sitting there, frowning a little she swam over to him resting her chin on her crossed arms as they folded on the soft grass by the lake.

"Hey Arsen."

He jumped turning to look at the lake as something moved. He narrowed his eyes just as Willow popped her head out of the water.

"Oh hi Willow." He said giving her a weak smile. "It's cold isn't it? What are your doing swimming?" He asked hating the fact he couldn't feel how cold it really was out here.

Willow chuckled a little bit and heaved herself out of the lake conjuring a fluffy white towel from thin air and wrapping it around her body so that one her head was popping out of the abnormally large towel.

"Nah, it was at first. I just finished a sitting with Charlotte. I had to stand in the lake, half submerged in water with a tan swimming suit of for about 4 hours. Lets just say you adjust to the temperature."

Shuffling closer Willow smiled at Arsen.

"Now little one, what are you doing out here on your own ne?"

"A sitting?" He asked "I don't understand." He said not sure what that meant. "Oh you mean she painted you?" He smirked. "You are far too nice for your own good you could have frozen to death."

"Would you like me to warm you up?" He asked holding out his hand.

"Honestly? I don't know. I just found myself sitting here 10 minutes before you showed up. I guess i just like being outdoors. I hate feeling trapped but no matter where i go i still feel like im being stuffed into a room." He frowned wrapping his arms around his legs.

Willow nodded when Arsen got what she had meant by sitting, she had just assumed that hanging out with Charlotte would have enabled him to learn all this technical stuff when it came to art, apparently not maybe they talked about something else when they were together.

"Aye but she pulled the kitten face, I can't resist the kitten face besides it made her so happy."

Shrugging a little Willow bit her lip before shuffling closer to Arsen in her blanket like towel.

"Yes please if you wouldn't mind that is."

Willow frowned a little at Arsen she hated the fact that this boy had been through so much and she couldn't have helped him anymore, she wanted to desperately but she didn't know how, she couldn't go back in time and stop things happening to him. She must focus on the now.

"Maybe that is because you are thinking about it not being a box, then you liken the surroundings to a box to make it something that you hate, like the trees on each side, represent walls of a box, all you have to do is stop doing that."

"Oh not the kitty face. She does that to me ALL the time i just tend to close my eyes and cover my ears so i dont give in." He smirked. "She has me wrapped around her finger when it comes to making her happy i can't help but do as she asks."

He smiled weakly wrapping his left arm around her shoulders whilst taking her hand in his right and turned up the heat. "Is that better?" He asked sending a heat wave through her hand and into the rest of her body.

"Hmm maybe." He frowned. "Maybe im just over thinking things. I should just stop thinking altogether it makes life so much easier. Can i ask you a question?" He asked turning up his heat slightly to keep her warm.

Willow chuckled, there was no way that any human being alive could resist the kitten face that Charlotte could do, it was like...like chocolate you couldn't help but eat it even though you know it;s bad for you.

"I know exactly how you feel Arsen. That girl means a lot to me, even without the kitten face I'm hard pressed not to do as she wants."

As she felt her body become warm under Arsen's touch Willow smiled and decided that she would share her massive towel with him wrapping it around his shoulders letting the cool air waft up her leg but it was instantly countered by the warmth from Arsen.

"Thanks Arsen it's lovely."

Tilting her head towards Arsen Willow nodded a smile on her face.

"Of course Arsen you can ask anything of me!"

"She is very stubborn when she wants to be." He smirked. "But i don't think i could live without her now she is a part of my life. I know most people will think i'm an idiot for thinking like that since im only 12 but i can't help but feel like it's true you know?"

He froze glancing at her as she wrapped the towel around him. But it was the fires fear of being near someone that was still covered in water not his own. "Thanks." He smiled as he held his half of the towel closer to her to make sure no draft came through.

"Your welcome. Guess i'm useful for one thing huh?" He smirked.

He thought for a second before asking his question. "How do you stay so happy all the time? Even after something bad happens to you your still smiling. I don't understand how you do it." He frowned looking across the lake.

Willow smiled at Arsen as he spoke, it was lovely to hear someone as in love as she was and to know that the way she felt was not completely ridiculous, she didn't think Arsen was stupid for thinking about Charlotte like this, in some cases people are thrown together and they just stick for life.

"I don't think that's silly Arsen, I think it's beautiful you two can share this bond of love you have from such a young age and it wont always be the same love, it will grow and change as you do but it will always be there."

With a wide smile WIllow chuckled at Arsen's question, why was she so happy all the time...well...many people seemed to like to ask her that question and her honest answer was that she saw no point in sadness. No point at all.

"Well, I always operate by the message 'why ruin your own life when so many others are out to ruin it for you' very few people in this world make you feel good, so you must learn to pick yourself up, forget the bad, and focus on the good, everything has something to smile about in the end."

"Thanks well that makes one person i suppose." He smiled listening as she carried on. "Yeah and so will her father." He frowned. "He wants me around because i make Char happy but if i so much as touch her im dead. It's very confusing." He explained. "But i guess all fathers are like that right?"

"Hmm that's kinda hard for me to do that all i seem to feel is anger. Everything annoys me now a days and i have no idea why." He said. "Well i can guess but i dont know if it's right. And then on top of that i have Hades following me begging me to come home." He sighed. "Well not begging but it's rather annoying i have no idea what to say to him. He doesn't even feel like my father, my father died. I have no idea what to do."

Willow smiled gently at Arsen, it seemed like he was going through a really hard emotional time and she wanted to be there for him as much as she could, moving back a few stray strands of his hair that had become ruffled in the breeze Willow shrugged her shoulders, her own father never really being compus mentus to be protective of her.

"From what I remember they always do seem to be like that, it's just because he loves her deeply, and perhaps for Cobalt this love is even more of a rarity and he doesn't want his little girl snatched away the second that he's got her."

Turning back to look at the lake she thought for a moment, thinking hard about a solution to Arsen's problems for they were complicated and emotional, Willow couldn't rightly say she knew how he felt right now but she wanted to help him none the less.

"Well you know what that means don't you? You need to find something that makes you less angry, you should spend more time with friends, more time with Char, fly, draw whatever it is that calms you."

Chuckling a little bit at the prospect of Hades trailing around on his knees after Arsen was a little odd and amusing for her but she turned her attention back to Arsen's problem.

"If you want my opinion, maybe what you should do is meet with Hades, just a meeting you don't have to stay at his home or anything and just put to him your feelings tell him that you don't see him as your father and thats a problem, say that you don't feel right at your new home, anything thats on your mind...so that maybe you can work through it together?"

"Yeah i understand i suppose but it's still rather annoying having to watch my back all the time just incase he's watching, waiting for me to mess up so he can kill me." He frowned.

"I know i tried painting but i just can't do it. I just don't have the patients that Char has, she's been great trying to teach me to paint." He smiled. "It's just a shame im no good at it. I could always fly since quidditch has started this year. Hey! Guess what?" He smiled sitting up straighter. "I was made seeker for Slytherin house thanks to your help during the holiday." He smiled giving her a hug.

He nodded. "I know i have to eventually i'm just planning what i should say. I have lots of questions to ask im just sorting out which ones actually need answers and which ones are just stupid." He shrugged. "So what you been doing recently?" He asked changing the subject to one slightly more happier.

Willow sighed, that unfortunately was something that had to be sorted out between Arsen and Cobalt but he didn't seem like that much of a bad guy when she had met him only a little protective.

"He wouldn't kill you. I think I can pretty much guarantee that."

She listened to Arsen as he spoke to her about not having an outlet and then when he mentioned flying she smiled at him, it was lovely to hear that he still kept the flying going and Willow was over the moon when she heard him say that he had been made Seeker.

"WOW! That's so brilliant Arsen! I'm so proud of you! But don't think I'm going to be bias against you in the matches."

Winking a little Willow wrapped Arsen up in a large hug and stroked his hair for a while.

"Me? Oh..."

Her smile fell a little from her face, the last couple of weeks had not been good ones and tomorrow wasn't going to be very nice either but hey ho.

"I've been just fine thank you."

"No he'd just try to kill me and bring me back before i can he's nice like that." He smirked. "But it's okay i'm fine as long as i don't hurt her and that's not something i want."

He laughed. "Thanks there wasn't a lot of competition really, just me and this one girl that practically fell off her broom." He laughed. "Wait, what do you mean?" He asked slightly confused.

He smiled snuggling into Willows hug. He closed his eyes, this is what his mother should have done instead of standing by as his 'father' hurt him.

"You sure? I'm a good listener if you wanna talk about it. I'm sure you don't get to spill your problems often do you?" He said lifting his head slightly to look at her.

Willow smiled, hugging Arsen close to her, thinking that she was happy to be there for him when he needed her because as she imagined he wouldn't have many moments like this, and even though it made her blush a little she supposed to both Arsen and Charlotte she was more of a big sister/mother figure than a friend.

"You'll see little one, you'll see."

She smiled touching her finger to his nose and hugged Arsen even closer to her, stroking her fingers through his hair to calm him down and soothe him even more.

"It is not the job of a young person to listen to the troubles of the old, it is me who is here to listen to you, make you feel better."

Willow smiled again and rested her head on top of Arsens.

He pouted playfully. "I don't like surprises i'd prefer to know now." He smiled moving back into her hug. It felt nice. He smiled snuggling into her with his eyes closed, savouring the moment. He'd never felt the love of a mum and he'd imagine this is what it would be like.

He smirked. "I'm not that young and im a good listener. Promise." He smiled. "Besides you already have made me happier and i'd like to repay you by doing the same." He smiled. "Besides what is it you english say a problem shared is halved? Or is it... oh i don't know something along those lines."