Heal this Broken Soul [Max]

[Rowena Jones]

Rowena barely felt the rain as it poured down on her. Her feet slapped into puddle after puddle, soaking through already drenched shoes. The freezing wet night didn't register for a second as she ran down the streets, only the streetlights and road traffic illuminating her way. She pushed her body further than she had before, ignoring its protests that they'd already been for a run that morning. She sprained her ankle when she'd fallen too but magic was a wonderful thing and she wasn't going to let it stop her. She needed to do this. Needed the distraction of her breath burning in her chest and new scenery to stop herself going mad in her home.

She couldn't get Max's green eyes from out of her mind. Seeing him that morning, finding out he had been trying to contact her, had sent her whole world spinning violently. Michael had taken her home as she'd requested of him, but his attitude had been all off. Even his big reveal of her birth mother's name and everything that had followed had barely registered. Rowena had only been able to think about Max and how she wanted to be sharing this news with him. Ravenna Jones, daughter to Rebecca Jones, daughter to Rachel Featherbourne. All Muggles unless you went back far enough and then you hit a shocking truth. Rowena Covington was a Ravenclaw. Not a direct descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw herself, but instead from that famous witch's brother's line.

Michael had wanted to take her out tonight to celebrate. He hadn't appreciated her refusal at first but eventually backed off. She wasn't stupid, Rowena could see the way he looked at her, but her heart already belonged to one irritating Potions Master and regardless of the situation between them, she couldn't see that changing any time soon. At the same time, she didn't want to lose Michael's friendship. He had done something she hadn't been able to do, he'd given her information she had been about to give up on. He was from such a happy time in her life. She'd compromised by promising a dinner later that week, making the excuse that she had other appointments the next few days. Rowena hoped that he wouldn't take it too badly when she told him at that dinner that friends would be all that would ever happen between them.

Rowena paused on the street corner, waiting for traffic to slow so she could pass. She took the chance too see where she was and started. It seemed that despite her best attempts to drive Max Kameren from her mind, her body had different ideas. And in that instant, Rowena made a decision. He'd been trying to call her all this time. She'd called him a liar when he'd sent that letter asking to talk. But he hadn't been. And he was right. They couldn't leave it the way it was. No matter what happened, they had to talk and face the consequences of that discussion.

There was fear in the pit of her stomach as she backed away from the road and turned instead to the block of apartments by her. Her heart beat erractically as she walked up the stairs to Max's home. It wasn't until she was standing by the door, clothes dripping water into puddles by her feet, hand outstretched to knock that she realised he might not even be at home. Or worse, Eden might be.

[Max Kameren]

Max had planned to get things done today. He’d offered to render healing services at Law Enforcement in the afternoon, and he had a trip to plan. How did one get to rural Siberia, anyway? He highly doubted they had a portkey, and the closest floo he’d found so far was Salekhard, which was on the other side of a mountain range. He’d sent out a letter, but international owls took forever and there was no guarantee Varvara Fedorov could even read English, let alone badly-written-with-an-injured-hand English. Hell, she looked old in the three-year-old memory. What if she wasn’t alive anymore? He needed to follow up with the Department of Transportation about travel to rural areas while he was at the Ministry, and possibly interrogate Milton about Varvara’s existence and why he’d never told him anything either.

After his morning, none of that had happened. He couldn’t stop thinking about Rowena: her face, her pain and fear, but most of all her aura. Max had never felt a connection that way before. In the aftershock of it all he wanted was to recreate it, to talk to Rowena and figure out their differences. He wanted her back, but more than that he wanted to be better for her. No more secrets, no more pacing it out. It was time to come clean.

He’d tried calling one more time but soon figured whatever Michael had done to her phone was still in effect. Max cursed himself for insisting Eden take her phone with her to Godric’s Hollow this weekend when she had her required visitation with the Ashcroft’s; she wouldn’t be using it, but it would have been an easy workaround. For now he was muted again until he could make it to Kensington again to see her. This time he wouldn’t mope around or just visit somewhere in the neighborhood: he’d go up to her door, ring her bell and –

He felt a familiar aura at his door.

Max pushed himself up from his desk and moved through the apartment as quickly as he could, Snitch following at his heels with interest in whatever spiked the aura of the apartment so suddenly. Max undid the wards over the apartment and opened the locks with a wave of his good hand and in one smooth motion opened the door to reveal Rowena standing in front of him, drenched from the rain.

Without a word he cupped her face in his good hand and kissed her; for a moment his aura swirled into hers and they were golden for a moment again, swirling relief and tension and wariness at how they hurt each other but somehow it was all still overpowered by good. As they kissed Max wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her into his apartment, closing the door behind them.

[Rowena Jones]

She'd opened her mouth to speak but there was no time to do much of anything as Max took her face in his hand. Her eyes widened and then fluttered closed as everything else faded away. There was nothing but this feeling. Nothing else mattered more than the arms wrapped around her body, the lips on hers, the feeling of Max's hands on her waist. He kissed her and it was like seeing all the colours of the sunrise, tasting the first burst of fine chocolate melting on her tongue and feeling the suns warmth on her skin all rolled into one sensation.

How had she ever thought she could be without this? How had she ever convinced herself that she didn't love him too? Rowena had finally realised as she walked up those stairs to his apartment that it didn't matter that they had only been dating a short while. Her heart beat for him,
and he made her feel alive in a way that no one had ever been able to do before. Seeing him that morning had jump started her heart once more, brought her back to life after days of drifting aimlessly. It had terrified her but fear didn't hide the truth. Rowena Covington was in love with Max Kameren and she never wanted to let him go ever again.

Rowena followed him blindly as he pulled them both inside his apartment. Thought abandoned her as she shoved impatiently at his clothes. Merlin she had missed him. Had it really only been four days? Four days of misery when she could have had this. Four days on top of that awful week while he'd been in the hospital. Their connection was intoxicating and never enough, she was addicted already to this feeling, to openly admitting to herself that she loved him. And she'd nearly lost him. First to that cannibal, next to her stupid stubborn anger.

She pulled away from Max for a second, her amber eyes shining so brightly they looked gold, and dragged off her top before wrapping herself around him again, slowly guiding them into his room. Her skin was wet from the rain, but the goosebumps on her arms had nothing to do with the chill and everything to do with the electricity running between them. 

Rowena hadn't meant for this to happen. She was supposed to be talking to him, but oh, how could she talk when her mouth was entirely preoccupied with tasting the saltiness of his skin? And when she wasn't busy nibbling and biting her way down his chest, the sounds he coaxed from within her ruined any attempt at proper speech. 

And when they eventually lay sprawled on his bed, and she finally found enough energy to roll over onto her side and look at him, the only words that would leave her mouth were "I love you,"

[Max Kameren]

There was so much he hadn’t told her, so much new that he needed to let her know before they could really be together again. She was right, he hadn’t been fully honest with her. He was afraid before, his he hadn’t stood on solid ground in a relationship in years and he’d lost contact with what it felt like to be trusting. He had more to tell her. She wouldn’t like it, it was possible they’d have another row.

Those worries were cast out of his mind the moment the door closed behind them and his arms wrapped around her, absorbing her cold, soaked body against his. Right now all that mattered was more of her, all of her; a smile twisted his lips in their kiss as she pushed at him until his shirt came up and over his head. He responded in kind by pushing her against the wall of the entryway, his hands finding their way under her soaked shirt and warming her waist as he held her. A shiver went through him that had nothing to do with the cold as his hands explored her; he wanted to trace every curve of her body. He didn’t want to miss a thing.

How long had it been? They’d fought for four days but Max hadn’t been able to properly hold his girlfriend like he wanted to nearly since the Earthquake. They’d been busy, then with his attack they were always supervised. Max was bad with words and Rowena rightly didn’t trust his emotions; for the first time now since he realized he loved her he could show her the way he wanted to. He let down the guards around his Empathy and let their auras bleed into each other so she could feel his too: each kiss felt stronger, more intoxicating. More perfect.

She pushed away from him and green met gold as her eyes flashed up at him. For a moment he thought something was wrong until her shirt came up over her head and she jumped him again. He leaned forward, taking Rowena under her thighs and picking her up so her legs wrapped around him and carrying her the rest of the way. They fell into bed together and it felt right for the first time since he’d been home from hospital. He’d been missing her pressure, the weight of her rolling over and kissing him down his chest.

He pushed her over and pinned her on the bed, relishing her breath in his ear and the sounds she made as he let his instinct take over, following the pulse of her aura wherever it took them.

.. .. ..

Eventually their passion outpaced their bodies and they lay dazed. Sharp green eyes stared into the ceiling, absent-mindedly tracing circles with his fingers into the small of Rowena’s bare back. For the first time in weeks Max felt something like relief; they may not have much anymore, but they had this. Each other, this moment. Right now.

The warmth of her skin on his fingers left him when she turned to him and his gaze shifted, examining her face. His brow furrowed and he looked her over closely, trying to catch every detail; he wanted to remember right now, a small bit of peace before he mucked it up again.

“I love you,” the words were out and a warmth rose in Max’s chest; it was one thing to feel it, another for her to acknowledge it. It was real, now.

“I love you too.” Max smiled. His bad hand came up and pushed Rowena’s hair out of her face so he could kiss her. Slowly the walls of his aura rose back up and he filled with guilt. Now they had to talk. At least they had a common ground to stand on: they loved each other. The idea of moving slowly was sufficiently thrown out the window. He hoped desperately that she remembered this moment when they were arguing in a moment.

“We’ve got to talk, Ro.” Max kissed her and pushed her over onto the bed, pushing himself up on his elbows and looking down at her with a slight frown. “Ground rules: No walking out. We’re doing this here, now. I haven’t been totally honest with you and I regret it.” He shrugged self-consciously, pushing himself up and reaching for a sheet to cover himself with, “I’m sorry, you deserve better than that. I want to be better than that.”

[Rowena Jones]

“I love you,”

Rowena hadn't planned on those being the first words she said to him when she'd decided to come to his apartment, they'd sort of just slipped out. And she couldn't help the enormous smile that spread from ear to ear when he replied in kind. 

“I love you too.” Max smiled and for the first time Rowena truly believed him when he said it. How could she not when she'd felt it in every movement they'd just shared together. The warmth that filled her chest reassured her, this was how it should have been, the first time those words were said in the open. She leaned into his kiss even as she knew their time for pleasure was coming to an end. She'd come here for a reason, hadn't even planned to fall into bed with him. In hindsight she should have known better but damnit, she could kiss Max all day and never tire of it. 

“We’ve got to talk, Ro.” Max kissed her and pushed her over onto the bed, pushing himself up on his elbows and looking down at her with a slight frown.  She should probably not pout just because he'd pulled away and was no longer kissing her, but she suddenly wasn't sure she was ready for what was going to come. Kissing sounded much safer. She frowned at herself now. Fear had created a distance between them for far too long already. He was right. Rowena knew that. She'd been the one to come here for that exact reason in the first place. She shifted slightly, pushing herself back from him a little to try and give her enough space to focus on something other than her boyfriend's naked body. 

“Ground rules: No walking out. We’re doing this here, now. I haven’t been totally honest with you and I regret it.” Max shrugged self-consciously, pushing himself up and reaching for a sheet to cover himself with.  Rowena finally took a second to glance around at his room, rolling her eyes lightly at the untidiness of it. She sat up, pulling the duvet closer to her, draping it over her folded legs and picking at the edges in an attempt to soothe her nerves while Max spoke.  “I’m sorry, you deserve better than that. I want to be better than that.”

Rowena bit her lip, shaking her head slightly. "It's not just you Max," she said, her gaze fixing onto his. She'd been rash and scared and angry. She'd lashed out instead of trusting him to explain. In this she was as much to blame as he was. But the way he was talking made her nervous. There was more and she steeled herself for new revelations. " I won't leave though. I promise. No more storming out. You deserve better than that." She glanced at him, wincing in nervous anticipation. "Can you just tell me though? Rip it off quickly, like a plaster. It can't be that bad right? No secret kids or mistresses or yet another engagement?"

[Max Kameren]

“Ground rules: No walking out. We’re doing this here, now. I haven’t been totally honest with you and I regret it. I’m sorry, you deserve better than that. I want to be better than that.”

Rowena bit her lip, shaking her head slightly. "It's not just you Max," she said, her gaze fixing onto his. "I won't leave though. I promise. No more storming out. You deserve better than that." The sentiment was sweet and slightly eased Max’s anxiety; he knew she’d be angry with him again, but he couldn’t take another four days like this one. He hoped they could reset this without hurting each other. "Can you just tell me though? Rip it off quickly, like a plaster. It can't be that bad right? No secret kids or mistresses or yet another engagement?"

“Well -“ Max started, arching a brow at her. How did she do that?! It’s like his guilt was written across his forehead. “Well, I wouldn’t put being engaged twice on the same list as having a mistress…” He winced, suddenly aware of how physically vulnerable was if she decided to lash out at him; he’d taken away the option for her to walk away, what would she do instead? He ran a hand through his hair nervously. “But yeah, actually. Chalk the first one up to being seventeen and stupid. My Hogwarts sweetheart; we moved in together and her parents were uncomfortable about it unless we were engaged, so…” Max shrugged, his eyes glued to the mattress between them, the tops of his ears burning red. He was mortified. “We broke up a few months later and she kicked me out.”

“Sorry, sorry I should have told you. I’m an idiot. I’m notorious for this kind of stupid shit, which was why I wanted to take it slow with you. I wanted to do it right for once.” That plan was going swimmingly, he mused as he fell back to lay on the bed, looking up at her and drowning in his guilt. He hoped she could forgive him for not telling her, but even more he prayed she wouldn’t judge him for it. Getting close to people was painful and confusing for him, it frequently didn’t go well.

Max covered his face to avoid her eyes, groaning in his deep embarrassment. “What did I tell you about Simone, then?”

[Rowena Jones]

“Well -“ Max started, arching a brow at her and Rowena started, her eyes widening. She'd been joking! She didn't know how to be a mum! And she wouldn't share him with another woman. If Max thought having a mistress was OK then he better get far far away from her before he admitted it.

“Well, I wouldn’t put being engaged twice on the same list as having a mistress…” He winced running a hand through his hair nervously. “But yeah, actually. Chalk the first one up to being seventeen and stupid. My Hogwarts sweetheart; we moved in together and her parents were uncomfortable about it unless we were engaged, so…” Max shrugged, his eyes glued to the mattress between them, the tops of his ears burning red. “We broke up a few months later and she kicked me out.”

Rowena could have kicked herself. Of course it was another bloody engagement. Apparently the man had lots of practice asking women to marry him. Wasn't it supposed to be a once in a lifetime thing? Maybe that was old fashioned of her though. And then the information he'd shared registered properly and she frowned. "Wait, you proposed to..." Urgh, what was her name again? Rowena could remember her teenage self seeing Max with his girlfriend, Claire? Chloe? "Carol?"

It had been a whole other reason for her to hate Max. Not only could he do well at school, but he could also have strong friendships and then he'd had the audacity to add an actual relationship to the mix. And this during 7th year! She'd been buried in books, had no time for anything remotely to do with other people. But she was realising that even back then, Max had been able to get under her skin unlike any other. It was strange to think about and she shook away the thought.

“Sorry, sorry I should have told you. I’m an idiot. I’m notorious for this kind of stupid shit, which was why I wanted to take it slow with you. I wanted to do it right for once.” 

Was this what being in love meant? That you ended up doing stupid shit like meditating in an effort to sort through the whirlwind of emotion that your partner put you through? She was kind of going in blind here. She'd lived with James, had even said she loved him, but knowing how that felt now, she could see that she'd just been going through the motions, doing what was expected of her. Being in love with Max was brand new territory. 

Was she a little pissed that he hadn't come clean before this? That it had taken drugs and a huge fight for him to actually open up to her? Yes. But then Max had to go and say something like he wanted to do it right with her and her stupid in love heart had melted at the sentiment. She tried not to read too deep into it, but damnit, it seemed that now she was in love, she was also turning into one of those mushy annoying women who wanted to be the special one, the one who Max would realise was different from all the others. Rowena scowled at her own thoughts, blaming it on hormones. Post sex bliss apparently was a good anger dampener. She didn't want to get angry anymore. It got them nowhere. But without it, she didn't really know how she was supposed to react. 

"You should have, and you are. I've only been trying to tell you that for years," she finally said, a small smirk pulling at the corners of her lips before she sighed. "Urgh, you're making it very hard for me to be annoyed at you," Rowena continued glaring at her boyfriend. "But if you're an idiot, I am too. I was scared and angry at so many other things and I overreacted. I can't pretend to even begin to really understand what it's like for you Max. I try but I can't. And then you mentioned Simone and I don't even think it was the engagement that bothered me. I didn't really have the right to that information but..."

Max covered his face to avoid her eyes, groaning in his deep embarrassment. “What did I tell you about Simone, then?”

Now it was Rowena's turn to groan. Chloe, Carla, whatever, she could let slide in some ways. As he said, he'd been young and stupid. But Simone... from the little he'd told her in his drugged up state, Simone had been an entirely different situation. "Not a lot really, just that she controlled your mind?" she said, "which is terrifying you know? You didn't say it but I figured that she used your Empathy right? And I don't want to do that? That's the last thing I want to do and now I'm just scared that I'd do it unconsciously?" 

[Max Kameren]

“Sorry, sorry I should have told you. I’m an idiot. I’m notorious for this kind of stupid shit, which was why I wanted to take it slow with you. I wanted to do it right for once.”

It was a slight ease to his unbelievable embarrassment that Max felt a throb of that same affection mixed in with Rowena’s frustration with him; it wasn’t malice that kept Max from telling Rowena about his past romantic life, really. It was embarrassment; he’d been a fool with Carol, and he’d been taken advantage of with Simone. He would like to think he’d grown since then, but telling the stories brought it back for unwelcome comparisons. Did he or did he not just tell the woman he’d been dating two months that he loves her, after all?

"You should have, and you are. I've only been trying to tell you that for years," Max scoffed at her smirk, rolling his eyes at her smug smirk. "Urgh, you're making it very hard for me to be annoyed at you," Rowena continued glaring at her boyfriend. Max grinned in reply, moving closer on the bed and pressing his lips to the cool flesh of her shoulder affectionately. It was a comfort to know she wasn’t offended by his stupidity. Or worse, that she wasn’t drawing parallels between Max and Carol and Max and Rowena. He’d worried about that when she’d brought up Simone during their fight; each relationship was a very different situation, and Max was in very different stages of his management of his affliction each time.

"But if you're an idiot, I am too. I was scared and angry at so many other things and I overreacted. I can't pretend to even begin to really understand what it's like for you Max. I try but I can't. And then you mentioned Simone and I don't even think it was the engagement that bothered me. I didn't really have the right to that information but..."

“You’re not an idiot, Ro. It’s all very confusing, and as you can see I can barely keep it straight.” Max sighed. Max covered his face to avoid her eyes, groaning in his deep embarrassment. “What did I tell you about Simone, then?”

"Not a lot really, just that she controlled your mind?" she said, "which is terrifying you know? You didn't say it but I figured that she used your Empathy right? And I don't want to do that? That's the last thing I want to do and now I'm just scared that I'd do it unconsciously?"

Max frowned, trying to figure out how to explain. What happened with Simone was strange and complicated; he wasn’t sure what really happened. At the time he’d taken his family’s advice when they stepped in and distanced himself; it took nearly a month before he realized that the thoughts that had been creeping in his aura weren’t really his at all. It had all been very disorienting, and in the end he had just tried to put it behind him. He hadn’t trusted himself since.

A hand sought out Rowena’s in the folds of the duvet and entwined his nine fingers with hers. Her fingers running over the bump of his ring-finger knuckle tickled strangely for the first time but he shook it off to continue. Max opened his guards again, letting Rowena feel both his aura and how he felt hers. “It wasn't mind control exactly, and it can't be done accidentally. What she did, it – ugh – if I show you’re you’re not allowed to try it, alright?! There’s a reason I don't tell anyone.”

Max huffed, trying to find the words to describe it. “You know how I’m called to influence patients who are out of control at Mungo’s? There’s two ways I can do it: just letting my emotion radiate – like when we were arguing – or by trying to mimic their aura and convince them they’re feeling what I’m telling them to feel.” He closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to change the frequency of his aura to match Rowena’s; hers was higher, more frequent than Max’s. He would say high-strung, but knew he’d get a dirty look for it. When he thought he had it about matched he sent a jolt through to Rowena’s aura, a small shock of surprise. He grinned when he felt the shiver go through her, opening one eye to watch her squirm. “See?”

He let her hand go and replaced his guard, turning on his side to face her on the bed and absently scratching and the slashed rune on his chest, now healed. “We’d been dating a short while casually before she figured out if she thought of things in certain moods or certain ways, she could imprint them on me. It progressed from there.” Max sighed and his green eyes opened again, staring up at the ceiling. It was horrible, knowing his power could be used that way and there was little he could do about it. He couldn’t block people out, he just had to trust. But he trusted Rowena.

His gaze broke with the ceiling and he moved to better views, turning his head to meet his girlfriend’s amber eyes. He smirked, arching a questioning brow at her: “I think that’s all I have. Really, this time. Any other questions about my checkered past?”

[Rowena Jones]

“It wasn't mind control exactly, and it can't be done accidentally. What she did, it – ugh – if I show you’re you’re not allowed to try it, alright?! There’s a reason I don't tell anyone.”

Oh. That was what she’d been most worried about in this situation. That perhaps the way she was feeling was influencing the emotions between them. That she was projecting her own emotions onto him and he was confusing them or amplifying them or something. It was a relief to know she couldn’t repeat the past involuntarily. Rowena nodded her agreement. She had no intention of controlling anyone, had had enough of people taking away other’s choices.

“You know how I’m called to influence patients who are out of control at Mungo’s? There’s two ways I can do it: just letting my emotion radiate – like when we were arguing – or by trying to mimic their aura and convince them they’re feeling what I’m telling them to feel.” Rowena nodded, frowning as Max closed his eyes. What was he doing? She watched him, growing a little frustrated and impatient. This wasn’t explaining anything! And then she was feeling the shock of surprise instead and she blinked, squirming. That was different to what she was used to. Rowena didn’t like it.

She’d been around Max when he projected emotions in a more broad sense, had even made sure that she was extra vigilant about it back when she’d disliked him. Merlin that was weird to think about now that they were lying naked in his bed. Who’d have thought it, that they’d find themselves here? But she was getting distracted from the matter in hand. They way she'd grown used to seeing his Empathy was that his powers were more like a suggestion, or in the case of their fight, fuel for the fire. What he'd just shown her, it didn't feel like she'd had much choice in the matter. 

“We’d been dating a short while casually before she figured out if she thought of things in certain moods or certain ways, she could imprint them on me. It progressed from there.”

“So you’re saying I could do what you just did to me? And that Simone did that? Made you feel a certain way about things? She made you fall in love with her just by thinking a certain way?” Rowena asked horrified. She’d never thought that Max’s powers could be used against him in such an intrusive way. The very idea of doing such a thing repulsed her. It was such an invasion of self, part of the reason she’d always made it very clear in the past that if she ever caught Max using his Empathy to manipulate her emotions against her will there’d be hell to pay.

Of course that was before she trusted him the way she did now, and certainly before she’d known about the more interesting and exciting ways he could use his powers… Her amber eyes flashed towards her boyfriend at the thought. Would she ever have enough of him? She hoped not. But they hadn’t finished talking. It had only been four days since their fight but so much had been revealed in the past couple of weeks. They still had more catching up to do.

“I think that’s all I have. Really, this time. Any other questions about my checkered past?”

"Not really a question... just.. you're sure about this? That we love each other because we want to? It's natural? You were so adamant about moving slowly and..." she sighed, her gaze fixed on her fingers as they fidgeted in her lap. "I don't want to mess this up Max."

It was probably tempting fate, but Rowena lay down next to him, wrapping her legs with his, her fingers reaching out to trace the runes forever engraved into his chest. As she did, something else occurred to her. “Oh there is something else! Why did your uncle bleed when he cut through these? He wasn’t the most explanatory when I asked him.”

She was quiet for a moment, still processing all the information Max had shared with her, before she grinned, remembering her own good news.

“So you met Michael,” Rowena said thinking back to that morning, though she’d never actually introduced them to each other she realised. “He’s the one who helped me this morning,” she clarified before barreling on, “and you’ll never guess what he does for a living! He’s a geneology expert, finds out about people’s families, traces their histories. I couldn’t believe it when he told me.” She grinned at her boyfriend, excited to share the news. “He found her, my birth mother, well he found her name and from there he traced her back. Guess, guess who I’m related to….” She continued, her buoyant energy flooding the room.

[Max Kameren]

“So you’re saying I could do what you just did to me? And that Simone did that? Made you feel a certain way about things? She made you fall in love with her just by thinking a certain way?”

Max’s brow furrowed as he thought about it, biting his lip. It wasn’t as strong as that; it was always little ways she would influence him, weighting the scales on his opinion one way or another. It was gradual over the course of their relationship, changes to his psyche so small that Max didn’t notice them. That was the frustrating, painful part: she hadn’t made him do anything. She’d lead him to love, to moving in together, and to engagement on a path of lies and false emotions. It scared him that it could go on that long without him noticing. He had less control over himself than even he thought he did.

“Not exactly. Either way, I’m more aware with my Empathy now. I don’t think it could happen again.” He sighed, trying to put it out of his mind as he did with everything else. Simone, his childhood, and now his torture: just stow it away. “I think that’s all I have. Really, this time. Any other questions about my checkered past?”

"Not really a question... just.. you're sure about this? That we love each other because we want to? It's natural? You were so adamant about moving slowly and..." she sighed, her gaze fixed on her fingers as they fidgeted in her lap. "I don't want to mess this up Max."

After what he’d just told her it was a valid question, but it still saddened him to hear. Max wasn’t sure what qualified as ‘natural’ for him. He didn’t know what to tell her to assuage her fears in a way that felt final because it was still him telling her; could she trust his word? He hoped so: more than that he hoped she could trust the feelings they shared that morning in Kensington, or what she felt with him when he kissed her in the entryway. That couldn’t be false. That was them. Denying it for the sake of a healthier pace would mess this up more than embracing it, he figured.

Max pushed himself up on his elbow, bowing his head to kiss her up her spine. “I’m sure. More than anything else I’m sure of this.” He smiled when she twisted closer and laid back down next to him, entangling their legs. Max’s arms snaked out and pulled her closer so he could feel the warmth of her bare skin. His chest rose and fell peacefully under her fingers, the bumpy scars expanding and contracting in the dim light. His eyes followed her fingers as she traced the marks and his arms loosened around her, relaxing into the warmth between them.

“Oh there is something else! Why did your uncle bleed when he cut through these? He wasn’t the most explanatory when I asked him.” 

Internally Max winced; his uncle was currently the last person on his mind and, tangled naked in bed with his girlfriend, he would have preferred it that way. His fingers traced circles on her back as he thought about it, hoping to get off the subject as quickly as possible. “It’s a blood curse. The Kameren family is old, dark and weird. If one blood-member of our family hurts another member the same injury is applied identically.” He shrugged. “I think there are a few other curses too, but I tend to just figure them out when they apply. Where our eyes come from though, apparently.” The very same bright green eyes the cannibal had been fixed upon, and that he scarred Max trying to curse. The thought sent a shiver through Max and he took Rowena’s hand in his to distract from the offending marks, kissing her fingers to try to banish the memory away.

“So you met Michael,” Max’s grip loosened on Rowena and he narrowly suppressed a groan; who was next on her list of people Max didn’t want to have on his mind in bed with her?! How was Michael still managing to be in the way here, where he wasn’t even present? “He’s the one who helped me this morning […] I couldn’t believe it when he told me.” She grinned at her boyfriend, excited to share the news. He smiled half-heartedly back; he was happy for Rowena discovering something new about her family, but why Michael of all people? He wished she’d seen the slimy prick he’d met earlier that day. “He found her, my birth mother, well he found her name and from there he traced her back. Guess, guess who I’m related to….”

Michael, hopefully so they were related and he would stop gawking at her in that way? “I dunno, Ro. Who?”

[Rowena Jones]

“It’s a blood curse. The Kameren family is old, dark and weird. If one blood-member of our family hurts another member the same injury is applied identically.” Max shrugged. “I think there are a few other curses too, but I tend to just figure them out when they apply. Where our eyes come from though, apparently.” Rowena bit her lip in thought at his explanation. That was a lot more informative than Alex had been and yet just raised more questions. Blood curses did not sound like a good thing in Rowena's mind. She pushed those thoughts aside for now for better news.

“So you met Michael,“He’s the one who helped me this morning […] I couldn’t believe it when he told me.” She grinned at her boyfriend, excited to share the news and Max smiled half-heartedly back. Rowena frowned. Didn't he see what this meant? Eh, no matter. She'd just tell him. “He found her, my birth mother, well he found her name and from there he traced her back. Guess, guess who I’m related to….”

“I dunno, Ro. Who?”

Rowena rolled her eyes at Max's complete lack of an attempt to guess. But then the excitement of her reveal got the better of her and she grinned at her boyfriend, her amber gaze shining. "You, Max Kameren are in the presence of a Ravenclaw," she pronounced dramatically. "You may be suitably impressed now," Rowena declared before giggling.

"No but seriously, I have no idea what it means. It doesn't really explain why that thing wanted me doesn't it? I'm not even a direct descendant of The Ravenclaw... just her brother. Michael was trying to explain it to me? That some of these ancient families disappear by marrying into Muggle families but the Magical gene is still there and reappears generations later and apparently it often produces Witches and Wizards of great power when it does. I'm not sure about that last bit, but I suppose I can ask Michael more when I have that dinner with him on Monday." She was rambling by the end of her speech, more just musing to herself, but she glanced up at Max to see what he thought of her revelation.

[Max Kameren]

“I dunno, Ro. Who?”

Rowena rolled her eyes and Max grinned at her dismay, unable to resist teasing her in all her excitement. "You, Max Kameren are in the presence of a Ravenclaw," His brow furrowed in slight confusion for a moment: of course she was a Ravenclaw, he remembered their school days just as well as she did. Then it clicked and he glanced up at her in surprise, his lips forming a silent ‘o’ as it occurred to him. "You may be suitably impressed now," Rowena declared before giggling.

Max propped himself up on his elbow to get a better look at his girlfriend. “It makes sense! Your birth mum wanting you to be names Rowena, the dark hair, being a notorious know-it-all…” His smile twisted mischievously as he let himself fall back to kiss her scowling face.

"No but seriously, I have no idea what it means. It doesn't really explain why that thing wanted me doesn't it? I'm not even a direct descendant of The Ravenclaw... just her brother. Michael was trying to explain it to me? [...] I'm not sure about that last bit, but I suppose I can ask Michael more when I have that dinner with him on Monday."

Max’s smile gradually faded from enjoying listening to Rowena’s exciting information to a dubious sigh when her gaze turned to him. “You’re getting dinner with him?” Max backed away enough on the bed so that he could meet his girlfriend’s gaze, shaking his head. “I don’t trust him, Ro. I don’t like Michael. There’s something off about him. His aura’s… weird.” He sighed in disdain as he thought about the words exchanged earlier that day: You screwing up has really made it much easier for me…

[Rowena Jones]

Max’s smile gradually faded from enjoying listening to Rowena’s exciting information to a dubious sigh when her gaze turned to him. “You’re getting dinner with him?”

Rowena hmmed a response, her brain still thinking about her newly revealed family connections. She was still missing half the picture she supposed. They'd found her mother but even Michael had said he'd struggled to find anything about her father. He hadn't been registered on her birth certificate..."Yeah, I owe him after he took me to the Ballet the other night and he did really help me out. It's no big deal," she said distractedly.

Max backed away enough on the bed so that he could meet his girlfriend’s gaze, shaking his head and Rowena looked up at the movement. What was wrong? “I don’t trust him, Ro. I don’t like Michael. There’s something off about him. His aura’s… weird.”

Rowena raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend, amused. "Max, you barely met the guy? Did you even speak to him?" She didn't remember them talking, just a little idiotic posturing on Michael's part but that was harmless and she was going to address that. Max should know he had nothing to worry about, her heart was completely his. His jealousy was a little cute though, and she grinned. "I guess you don't know the whole story? We grew up together as kids. Well I was his younger brother's age but he's the boy from that Summer? Remember the one I was telling you about, where I found out about magic."

That Summer had been magical and it was still one of her happiest memories. Her addiction to Wizarding sweets had begun that year, except Bertie Botts. Now that she thought about it it had been Michael who had insisted she eat that disgusting vomit flavoured one. She wondered if she could get back at him after all these years... She'd learned about Quidditch, and also that she was never going to enjoy flying on a broomstick. She'd discovered owls and floo and all the cool things Magic could do. And Rowena smiled softly at the memory of her dad looking thoroughly perplexed at the whole affair while his young daughter reveled in it. 

"Really Max, there's nothing to worry about. It's just Michael. I'll introduce you guys properly next time. I was a little distracted this morning. Sorry."

[Max Kameren]

“You’re getting dinner with him?”

Rowena hmmed a response, her brain still thinking about her newly revealed family connections. “Yeah, I owe him after he took me to the Ballet the other night and he did really help me out. It's no big deal," she said distractedly.

Ugh, of course it was the ballet. Something Rowena loved that it had never occurred to Max to make a date of; it was something from her childhood, something someone of Max’s background rarely even thought about. How was the ballet still around in 2038? Rowena’s casual nature with Max’s dislike of Michael grated on him like the man himself was standing between them, sneering up at him. “I don’t trust him, Ro. I don’t like Michael. There’s something off about him. His aura’s… weird.”

Rowena raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend, amused. He grimaced in response. "Max, you barely met the guy? Did you even speak to him?" Should he tell her about the conversation they’d had before she crossed them on her run? Max wasn’t sure if she would believe him or just chalk it up to jealousy on his part. Her grin prodded at his irritation more and he turned on his back to escape it. He wasn’t jealous of that arse, why would he be? Where was he right now, compared to Max? "I guess you don't know the whole story? We grew up together as kids. Well I was his younger brother's age but he's the boy from that Summer? Remember the one I was telling you about, where I found out about magic."

“Yeah I remember,” He grumbled, green eyes boring into the ceiling. Damnit, he’d hoped the childhood connection Matthew had boasted about was more exaggerated than reality.

"Really Max, there's nothing to worry about. It's just Michael. I'll introduce you guys properly next time. I was a little distracted this morning. Sorry."

He arched a skeptical brow at her, unable to help a slight smirk tweaking his lips when a thought occurred to him. “Sure, maybe next time I’ll push him into traffic and you can return the favor he did you.” As if to prove to himself and the specter of Michael in their conversation Max turned back to his girlfriend, his arms wrapping around her again and resting on the valley of her waist. This wasn’t jealousy, it was something else. Something was off with him. “Did you figure out your phone, by the way? I was just going to trade phones with Eden when she gets back otherwise…”

“Oh! Speaking of exciting news I have some of my own.” He smiled as the other information that had been occupying his mind the last three days suddenly sprung back to the forefront. “There are other Empaths, Ro. Alive. Dad found one.” The idea made Max so excited that even Rowena could feel the spike in his aura: he wasn’t alone in this, there was the possibility of answers.

[Rowena Jones]

Max arched a skeptical brow at her and smirked. “Sure, maybe next time I’ll push him into traffic and you can return the favor he did you.”

Rowena scoffed. "If I remember correctly, it was your fault I almost died this morning, distracting me like that. You should really thank him for helping me out... unless you wanted a squished girlfriend?" She said, raising her own eyebrow at him in question. She rolled her eyes as Max rolled back towards her, wrapping her in his arms, but was unable to resist enjoying the contact. Merlin she had missed the way his body fit with hers. 

“Did you figure out your phone, by the way? I was just going to trade phones with Eden when she gets back otherwise…”

Rowena shrugged lightly, letting the obvious jealousy slide for now. "It's been acting up for a while now. I'll get a new one tomorrow," she said nonchalantly. She didn't really need to tell him that she'd thrown her current one at the wall in a fit of pique as soon as she'd gotten home that morning. The stupid thing had kept her from Max, had made her call him a liar; it deserved to be in a million pieces. And she had needed to replace it anyway. Magic had a way of messing with Muggle technology even in 2038 and she'd found that she had to replace Muggle objects regularly if they were around magic too often.

“Oh! Speaking of exciting news I have some of my own.” Rowena glanced up at Max as well as she could, snuggled into his arms as she was. “There are other Empaths, Ro. Alive. Dad found one.” She felt Max's excitement and leaned back from their embrace to give him a solid punch to the arm. 

"MAX! That's something you start with! I can't believe you kept that quiet...letting me ramble when you have news like that!! Where are they? Have you contacted them yet?" This was huge. Rowena knew how much Max's Empathy weighed on him, how he had struggled to understand it with so little knowledge about it. But other Empaths? It was life changing. She reached up to kiss him hard, her own excitement for him flooding their connection. "I'm so happy for you. Is there anything I can do?" She pulled back to look at him, her amber gaze shining with joy. Rowena ducked her head to kiss him again, before flopping onto her back with a laugh. "Urgh, how am I so happy right now? This week was the worst and now it's the best."