August 16th, 1888 - Lockhart Residence
@'Fortuna lockhart'

Febs had always sworn she would never be this girl. She'd always been fiercely independent. She didn't need anyone else to make her happy, but it had sure taken someone else to make her miserable. Of course she'd played her part, but it had been out of self-preservation.

And she felt like an idiot for it.

The night replayed in her head over and over when she least expected it. Everything had just deteriorated in the course of a single conversation and she couldn't even pinpoint where it had all gone wrong. They'd gone from having a name for their fist daughter, to her leaving her locket on his nightstand all in a matter of minutes.

It was an impulsive reaction to something she should have taken the time to think about. In the moment though, she'd felt so lost, so helpless, that she hadn't known what else to do. She couldn't make him see what she saw in him; couldn't handle the passive-aggressive questions and comments, not after pouring her heart out, not after giving all of herself to him. Had she given any more, she wouldn't have had anything left.

What she should have done was just gone home for the night, said they could talk about it later, but she hadn't and she regretted it immensely. So now she was on her way to Tuni's to drink her fool head off and just forget about it for the night. She'd almost spilled it all out in a letter today. Instead she'd managed to simply request her pendant back and of course, he was being difficult. There was no way she could go to his place to pick up her necklace, it made absolutely no sense. Febs had no idea what to say to him yet, should she run into him.

"This isn't bad," She said of the flavored whiskey in her hand from her perch on Tuni's bed. "Where'd you get it again?" That was easier than diving into her dramatic personal life. The more she drank the looser her tongue would get anyway.

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Tuni barely made it through the workday. Her thoughts were scattered and erratic. Febs had been a constant on her mind, worrying about her friend and the things that weren't actually said. She was a smart enough girl and could put two and two together but.. something still felt off. Something wasn't right. But that couldn't be touched on until she'd finished her work day and run by the Jewell Magical Distilleries. She remembered a girl a year old than her being from the very family and talking about their firewhiskies they concocted.

When it was time to go home, she dipped off to the shop they had and had a chat with one of the daughters to get a few smaller bottles of their flavored drinks. Full size bottles were a bit too much, especially if they were going to try a few of the flavors. She ended up leaving with a few smaller sized bottles of each flavor. She was a bit giddy with excitement, but that felt wrong. Simply because, it wasn't a night for celebrating.

It wasn't long after that Febs was settled in her room and on her bed. She turned a smile up to her friend, a small bottle in her own hands. She glanced at the label, noting the "Mads" insignia. Taking a drink she was quick to grimace and even wince. "This one is hot," she said with slightly watering eyes, "Jewell Magical Distilleries."

Shaking her head slightly, she set the bottle to the side and reached for another one. "What's yours?" she asked, not going to push her into talking until she was ready to. She sipped on a new one she opened, a honeyed firewhiskey that she found far more to her liking than the extra spicy one.

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

Febs could tell Tuni was worried, but once the flood gates opened, there would be no closing them back up. She took another swig, straight from the bottle. "I get a hint of... Cherry? It's delicious, let me try that one." Febs liked spicy things so she reached to take the other to trade.

"Have a good day at work?" She asked before trying the new bottle. The following wince was involuntary, but she didn't hate it. "Oh I like these, I'll have to remember this place." If she were to keep going like this she could singlehandedly keep them in business. At least until her mother caught on.

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Tuni nodded at the mention of cherry. She remembered being told it was one of the flavors. "This one is honey," she said as she moved to hand the spicy bottle over to her friend, "There's one that's vanilla. I'm interested to see how it compares to the honey."

Looking around, she tried to find the right one that had vanilla so it could be her next taste. "It was alright," she answered as she found the right bottle on her desk and came to sit on the bed next to Febs, "I was a bit distracted." She gave her friend a pointed look then as she brought her own bottle to her lips to try it. A pleasant smile replaced the grimace from before. "I like these sweeter ones. The vanilla is the smoothest so far though," she added with a nod. It hardly burned at all going down which was strange for a firewhiskey.

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

Smiling sheepishly over the bottle in her hand, Febs felt guilty at her friend's pointed look. "I'm sorry, you're the only one I can talk to." Talking to one of her siblings, even August, would risk it getting back to get mother. No, poor Tuni was the unlucky recipient of all the crazy contained in Febby's life.

"Oh let me try the honey one," Febs highly suspected that would be her favorite. She hunted among the bottles to find it and pulled it the stopper. Just the smell had her smiling.

"Are you comfortable, got your bottle of choice? This might take a few minutes," Febs was only half kidding. She had no doubts she'd get all kinds of worked up and wordy the further she got into the mess that was her love life. Febs got herself comfortable, one of Tuni's pillows in her lap, though she wondered how much her friend would care of she ditched the uncomfortable layers digging into her ribs.

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Tuni waved off the sheepish grin of Febs. She hadn't mentioned it to make her friend feel guilty, not for talking to her at least. Just.. for not telling her more. But she understood if things couldn't exactly be said through a letter. Especially if it gave them a chance to lay about and drink. That made it a better excuse.

Nodding, she rolled over onto her belly and propped herself up on her elbows and sipped lightly on the vanilla firewhiskey. "And we've got all night, really," she said with a shrug, "So take as long as you need. But only if you want to, Febs. I am honored you want to tell me such things but you never have to if you don't want to. I'm just here to help however you think will be best!"

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

Febs would need all night if she was going to keep drinking at this pace. Stretching out her arms, Febs decided she was sticking with the bottle with the honey in it and blew out a soft sigh. "We had a huge argument a little over a week ago, I accidentally told him I thought I was pregnant- I'm not by the way, of that I'm certain." The whiskey had also been partially to help with her cramps.

On a sigh she pushed on. "It was a huge go around. He wanted me to stay, I told him I was going. It was a mess. Clearly I ended up staying." Otherwise she would have gotten her wand back and have already left. She took a sip of whiskey to steady her nerves before continuing on. "I stayed at his place a couple of nights, sneaking back in before everyone was up at my house. The other night, I woke up to an unexpected surprise, yay no baby!" Her smile was kind of wry, but the sentiment was mostly there. "We were both more disappointed than we anticipated, I suppose, which sounds crazy, I know." It sounded ridiculous, even now. But that was the truth of it.

"Then he made some comment about being able to marry him by choice rather than out of necessity and it snowballed into this argument about how I couldn't stand that he said things like that, why he kept questioning me about things like that. I know why, but it didn't settle. He warned me he would always do it and I just, I don't know. I took off the locket he gave me and left." Her voice was catching by the end, so she took another long sip of her drink. "I shouldn't have. I should have just gone home for the night so we could talk about it another time, but I just felt hopeless." She still did, sort of. But Merlin she missed him.  

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The following 1 user Likes February Umbridge's post:1 user Likes February Umbridge's post
   Bella Scrimgeour

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Tuni hadn't really expected to hear the whole of it in one go but she remained silent regardless, an ever attentive friend staring back at Febs with wide eyes throughout. She sipped on her own bottle of firewhiskey as she listened, nodding on occasion, eyes widening further at some points and even wincing at some details. It sounded well and truly dramatic. Awful almost at times. And, honestly, Tuni didn't know how Febs wasn't an absolute blubbering mess. She would have been, for sure.

"He's an ass," she ended up saying perhaps a bit too bluntly once Febs had finished and she'd taken another drink of her firewhiskey, finishing the small bottle, "He's clearly the idiot here. Especially since I know you probably laid it all out for him. And who is he to question your motives? It's not like you were doing anything to try and trap him or something." She rolled her eyes as she rolled over to find another bottle, "Where's that cherry one? I want to try it."

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

Febs nearly snorted through the catch in her voice, the signs pointing towards another meltdown, at Tuni's blunt dismissal. It was good enough to keep the tears at bay for the moment. Of course Tuni would come to her rescue, but little of what her friend said really sunk in. It would be easier if she could be mad about it, if she could dismiss it and walk away, but she couldn't. The ache was too sharp, the regret too strong.

Passing the cherry bottle over, Febs sighed, wiping away the few tears that leaked out. "I know; he knows that." She just had no idea why he couldn't believe it. "He was just as disappointed as I was, that's what kills me. I've told him over and over how much I love him and that I would never be unfaithful." Febs had to admit that one stung the most. Of all the things he could question, that struck the hardest. To question her loyalty because he felt like he had to earn it, when he already had, was hard for her to swallow.

"He says it has nothing to do with me, that he worries he "won't be able to keep me." I kind of thought being head over heels in love with him was enough, but every time it makes me feel like it's not." Febs took a long sip of her little bottle of honey whiskey, nearly draining it. It burned, but it was fine, she was already numb to it.  

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The following 1 user Likes February Umbridge's post:1 user Likes February Umbridge's post
   Edric Umbridge

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Unable to help the giggle that left her at Febs' snort, Tuni just tried to focus on the bottle of cherry tasting firewhiskey. Taking a tentative sip of it, she found she didn't really hate it and decided to hold onto the bottle for herself. Laying on her side now, she looked to her friend as she started to explain more. A slight frown creased her features as she watched and listened.

"Sounds like he's awfully insecure," she answered with a shrug, "A lot of gruff sort of talk and whatnot but really deep down he's got some insecurity issues." Of course, she didn't have the best of experiences with the man and she only had what Febs had told her to go off of in regards to anything else.

"But you still love him," she continued on after taking another drink of her own bottle, "Like really love him. And now you're questioning yourself. But what if it isn't ever enough, Febs? Do you really want to live your whole life questioning if what you're feeling for him is going to be enough?" Cause if that was the case, it wasn't fair to her at all and Tuni would hate to see the dimming of her best friends light.

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

All Febs could do was smile sadly at her bottle. She knew what Tuni was referring to and what caused it, but it wasn't her secret to tell, so she just shrugged. If it had been her in his position, she likely would have thought similarly after being left by the one person who was supposed to love you unconditionally. She just couldn't make him see how much she wanted to be that person.

"I think that's why I left the way I did." She said quietly, looking out the window nearby. That was really what got her. He said he'd stop questioning her, but wouldn't stop thinking it. How was she supposed to change that, make him see? "I should have given it more time, it hasn't been long at all, but I just- I thought it would be enough somehow." She hated the way she sounded right now, like some lost puppy who didn't know which way was up. It was painful even to her own ears.

Taking a healthy swig of her bottle, Febs bit her lip, leaning her head back against the headboard. "It's awful, just a mess. I don't even know what to do," She hiccuped. "I miss him, but I don't think he'll give me another chance. Not after leaving like that." That was her biggest regret.

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Tuni really did hate seeing Febs the way she was. It was as if the idiot had already dampened the vivacious beauty her friend normally was. What she saw in him, Tuni would never understand. But.. she had seen something and she'd been happier than Tuni had ever known.

"Then he's even more of an idiot than I originally thought," Tuni said with a sigh. Sitting up, she scooted over to her friend and took her hand into her own and held it tight.

"Listen to me, Febs," she started, a little slurred with her speech and definitely glassy eyed, "You have to do what you think is right and what will make you happiest. If it's going back to that idiotic, arrogant asshole, then so well damned be it. He doesn't deserve you. But if you think you'll be happy with him, you've got to tell him that. But lay some damned rules out." She paused just long enough to let go of her hand with one of her hands to take a sip of her firewhiskey. "And if he can't take it," she gave a small shrug, "You'll find and deserve better. It'll be his loss. Probably the worst on he'll ever feel."

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   Edric Umbridge, February Umbridge

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

Managing a weak chuckle, Febs mopped up tears with her sleeve as Tuni scooted closer. Slumped as she was, Febby was able to rest her head on Tuni's shoulder, giving her friend's hand a tight squeeze. She felt so foolish it hurt, everything hurt.

She let Tuni's words sink in, rather thinking her friend was right. She nodded to acknowledge as much, but this was a lot to think on. Merlin she wanted to go back, to apologize over and over again. She still had no idea if he'd even entertain the thought. She'd unintentionally hit right at the heart of it, she knew that much and she couldn't even begin to describe how sorry she was.  

Today's letters left her with even less of an idea of what to do or think. "I wrote to him today, he has my grandmother's pendant. I asked for it back. He said I had to come get it. He won't send it back through the mail."  Febs sighed slowly, looking at the bottle of whiskey in her other hand. "I don't know what to do."

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Tuni discarded the last of her cherry firewhiskey and used that free hand to gently stroke her friend's hair with Febs' head rested on her shoulder. This was all just one awful and shitty situation. Tuni hated it. Hated him for making her friend feel in such a way. But.. she knew what that kind of love felt like. She couldn't even begin to imagine how she'd feel if it were Rufus and her in a similar situation. She'd want to do anything to get back into his life. The problem was, where to start?

But she listened silently as Febs explained the letters that had been exchanged. She almost growled at the thought but managed to not make any animalistic sounds. That probably wouldn't help.

"So go see him," she said with a shrug, "See if he has anything to say. Maybe you'll see his face and hate him for all he's put you through and it'll be what gets you through it. Or maybe you'll both realize just how utterly miserable it is without one another and can figure it out." She was honestly hoping for the former even if she knew that was doubtful. In the very end, she just wanted her friend to be happy no matter what the course to get there happened to be.

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

Closing her eyes for a moment, Febs felt her head swim a little. That was probably way too much whiskey in a short amount of time, but she could not for the life of her, find the will to care. She'd probably hate herself even more in the  morning, but that seemed to be about right the last few days.

"You're right," Febs didn't know which outcome would be easier in the long run, but she knew which she would rather happen. She was utterly miserable and it was partially her own fault, but she had to find out of there was any way they'd be able to get past this. As much as she wanted to be with him, if he wasn't going to be able to completely believe in them, what was she supposed to do? Tuni was right, she wouldn't be able to live with it, knowing he was constantly questioning her. She'd be second-guessing herself constantly and she just couldn't deal with that.

"He's going to have to wait, I need to get my thoughts together first." The urge to go tonight was strong, considering he said he wouldn't be home and they she could just chicken out of having to talk to him so soon, but maybe she'd just set the timeline and hope he was agreeable.

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Tuni smirked as she continued to stroke her friend's hair. "Of course I am," she said with a little giggle, "Aren't I always?" She wasn't actually expecting a response to that beyond a laugh though. And if she did get that, she'd happily take it. She wanted to see her friend happy and smiling again.

She nodded at Febby's next bit though. It certainly made the most sense. "That's probably for the best," she said honestly, "And he deserves to sweat it out a bit. The longer you wait, probably the better." Though, she wasn't exactly sure if Febs would wait that long. It was obvious she was hurting and wanting to see him. She couldn't really blame her if she saw him right away. She'd want to see Rufus right away after all.

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Another Glorious MJ Set!