January 9, 2021 – 6:51 PM
Nigel Vane — Played by Bree
December 25th, 1890 — Vane Household, Bartonburg
Christmas was usually a solemn occasion in the Vane household, not because brother and sister did not enjoy the holiday but because it was shared with their father. Nigel was rarely explicit in his dislike for his father, but he knew Beth knew—and she disliked him even more. Fortunately their father had never a family-oriented one, so after the initial celebration the two siblings were left in the sitting room, drinks in hand and silence between them. Only for a moment.
"
One of my friends has put his Bartonburg home up for rent. Offered to rent it to me for less than the asking price," he started, watching his sister closely from the couch across from her.
— gorgeous set by MJ —
January 10, 2021 – 3:59 AM
Beth Vane — Played by Beanie
Beth didn't like Christmas; she had a steady level of dislike built up for any holidays that required a high level of exposure to her father. But now she was in the sitting room with Nigel and she was at ease.
Her father did not like when she used the wheelchair; she had used the cane all day, and she was tired. But now she was sitting to one side of the couch, drinking her wine, and she didn't want to move - because her joints hurt and because she wanted to spend more time in this comfortable silence with her brother.
He broke the silence. Beth raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh?" she said.
She did not want to get her hopes up.
January 10, 2021 – 4:06 AM
Nigel Vane — Played by Bree
He had at first dismissed the possibility of having his own home. He was thirty-four, unmarried, and most importantly had a home at Hogwarts nine out of the twelve months of the year. It was the ideal position for an academic, at least one who was deprived of global expeditions and materials for new books. But every summer and every Christmas he returned home to a tyrant of a father who claimed to love him despite his cold behavior towards the sister Nigel loved even more. He would have to get out of one these days, he knew.
"It's small," he said, feeling irked by the silence in the room that brought even more attention to the uncomfortable topic. "And I wouldn't be around for most of the year, anyways. I'm not sure it's worth it." He looked at her expectantly, knowing some words were best left unspoken.
— gorgeous set by MJ —
January 10, 2021 – 4:09 AM
Beth Vane — Played by Beanie
He meant what she thought he meant, then; Beth straightened at her end of the couch. She took a sip of her wine before she responded. "I would take good care of it," Beth said, "When you were gone." They were speaking in layers, and their father was asleep, so why was she so nervous of his disapproval?
"Nigel," Beth said, "It would have an extra bedroom, right?"
January 11, 2021 – 5:52 AM
Nigel Vane — Played by Bree
His options were clear, but the decision was less so. He could afford it, having spent years in his father's home while accumulating savings from book royalties and career experience. Renting was an easier option, too, and less of a commitment. It wasn't really the house that was in question, though, was it?
"I don't know of any Bartonburg home with only one bedroom," he said quietly. "I don't know how father would feel about you being there." Unchaperoned. Unwatched. Nigel knew she could fend for herself, but he knew what other people thought. There was even a question of what authority he had to pull Beth from the family home without damaging his carefully-maintained relationship with his father.
— gorgeous set by MJ —
January 16, 2021 – 6:09 PM
Beth Vane — Played by Beanie
Beth frowned. Her father would notice if she was gone, but - he did not like her. It had been abundantly clear her entire life that her father did not like her. The thought of being left utterly alone with him, even on Nigel's breaks, was sort of bleak.
"He may prefer it that way," she suggested, instead.
February 14, 2021 – 5:55 PM
Nigel Vane — Played by Bree
Nigel did not want to admit to the truth in her words. Their father had always preferred him—that much was clear—but he rarely liked to think that he disliked Beth. Besides, there were many fathers that would be unhappy with the path Beth had pursued, and Nigel tried to tell himself that. Yet it was undeniable that their father's treatment towards Beth was centered not around her career path but her disability—and in his heart, he knew that.
"Are you prepared to keep house and work?" Because, presumably, she would act as the lady of the house while Nigel was away, and thus she would be responsible for the staff, the bills, and everything that came with it.
— gorgeous set by MJ —
February 16, 2021 – 10:48 PM
Beth Vane — Played by Beanie
She hadn't really expected a response to that, and was happy to move on. "There's an extent to which I keep this house," Beth pointed out; not the bills, but the female staff talked to her when they didn't want to escalate things to her father. "I could get a handle on increased responsibility, too."
February 27, 2021 – 6:33 PM
Last modified: February 27, 2021 – 6:33 PM by Nigel Vane.
Nigel Vane — Played by Bree
Nigel sat in silence, contemplating, considering. It was unconventional for a sister and brother to share a home while a parent lived nearby, but it was not unheard of. Of course, he trusted Beth as much as he trusted anybody, but she was and would always be his baby sister.
"And you will ensure you are appropriately chaperoned with taking guests?" he asked with a smile, just teasing her now. "And no throwing parties without inviting me, of course."
— gorgeous set by MJ —
