Closed Heart On My Sleeve

[Melinoe Chase]

Melinoe had always been an... expressive child. She often expressed things with tears though. When she was happy she would cry, or angry, or frustrated - but especially when she was sad. Her mother never understood why the dark haired daughter of hers cried so oft. She would sometimes even tell Melly that whatever it was couldn't be that bad - and sometimes she was right. Be it a splinter or her sister saying something unkind it didn't need nearly so many tears.

Because of that it wasn't completely unusual to catch her crying in the towers as she wrote letters home. But not the tears were a bit more raw. She wrote her feelings in the letter that she might not even send, telling her parents how much she wished she could stop being such a crybaby and be more determined and concentrated like Snow. She sighed, wiping at her face. This felt ridiculous.

 

[Loki Styx]

Loki Styx was having a less than stressful year after he dropped several courses and did not bother with some that would waste his time. Loki did not want to exceed too much since he did not want the attention or responsibility. It would just make him look better, and he couldn't skate on by in school or his family if he did do his best. Loki decided that he would need to go to the towers to read in private. The dorms could be a bit crowded and he did not like being around his dorm mates. Of course, when he got to the towers, he saw Melinoe Chase, and she was crying. While that was not an unusual sight, it was one that Loki could no longer turn a blind eye to. He wanted to protect someone like her. She was like a baby bird, and would need to flourish one way or another. He walked over to her, and pulled out a Ravenclaw handkerchief and held it out to her so that she could use it instead. "Do you want to talk about it, Melinoe?" Loki asked, as he was in the dark over what happened in the Chase family.​

 

[Melinoe Chase]

Melinoe was so distracted she hadn't heard approaching footsteps. She was unaware of the presence until it handed her a handkerchief. Mel took it with a quiet thank you, looking up with big, sad blue eyes to see Loki, her practical best friend if she were honest. Melly swallowed and looked down at her letter, crumpling it in her hands. "I'm trying to write home but I feel like any update about the year is pointless." She said honestly. She then told him about the break she'd had from school, and about her sister, going fairly in depth about the struggles they had faced with it. "And the worst part is Snow is doing just fine, going to classes and having friends and I can't stop crying." She said pathetically.

 

[Loki Styx]

Loki was not sure why writing home would be such a problem, but he would understand if she informed him. Anything about the year was pointless, but not much had happened. It was ultimately uneventful. Then she spoke about her sister and it clicked in his head. "You are comparing yourself to your sister." Loki reached out to touch the top of her head. "You are your own person, so unless your name is Snowdrop as well, you will find your own strengths and weaknesses. I have a ton of siblings. If I tried to compare myself to them, I would end up in a similar situation." It also did not help that the rest of his siblings, except Makaria, had different mothers. The firstborn Hades was among the best in the family. He likely did not have a chance to stand up against someone like that.​

 

[Melinoe Chase]

Melinoe looked at Loki as he touched her head, her brow a little furrowed. Loki was always so level headed, wise beyond his years. He always said the most comforting things without realizing it. Or maybe he did realize it. She sighed. "I can't help it. When I think about things i feel like I'm the weakest link. I cry every time I feel any sort of emotions." She remarked pathetically. "How do you do it? You're just always so calm and collected." She asked, her blue eyes trained on him as if searching for an answer in his eyes.

 

[Loki Styx]

Loki always wondered what it was like to be like Melinoe. So emotional. Something that Loki could never relate to. It was almost frustrating to the point where he might show something on his face. “I was trained not to feel emotion as they could be used against someone, or be considered weak. My father also believed that one of his kids could eventually master Legilimency and Occlumency, which requires you to shut down emotion and remain calm. I just have no such desire.” Loki shrugged his shoulders. “If you truly feel weak, then you need someone at your side to fill in that missing link, such as someone strong to take over where you lack.”​

 

[Melinoe Chase]

Loki discussed some of his past in a way, telling her about how he was made to not show emotion. She could understand the logic in that at least. She probably looked weak all the time because she was so emotional. He talked to her about what she might need and she sighed. "I don't want to ask anyone to be strong for me. I want to be strong for myself. I'm just not good at it." She replied still looking dejected over the whole situation. "My sister is always the strong one for me but what if that's taking it's toll on her? Doesn't it take its toll on you not to be emotional?"

 

[Loki Styx]

Comforting people definitely was not Loki’s strong suit and it was showing. Maybe he should do something else. Did it take a toll on him? Loki did not think so, but he settled on the floor to talk to her. “It does not take a toll on me because my life doesn’t have much going on. The elders take care of the hard things, and I’m not being trained on anything. So, if you want to be strong, would you like me to teach you?” Loki could easily teach her how his father taught him, and how to stop caring about things. He did not want her to be too much like him though. That would be weird for him. “It might take a while, so you will need to be committed. And don’t worry about my things. I have plenty of time on my hands.” Loki did not focus as much on classes as he should, but he did not care.​

 

[Melinoe Chase]

Melinoe listened to Loki as he explained why it wasn't as hard for him. Then he offers her the deal of a life time. To be strong. "Yes, please. I don't want to cry every time I feel an emotion." She admitted a bit pathetically. She looked at him through her big blue eyes and she smiled gently at him. "I'm sorry for always being such a cry baby. Thank you for being my friend, Loki." She said with a sniffle. Melinoe would try hard, she would learn everything from him that she could, so that maybe she wouldn't be so weak when things like this happened.

 

[Loki Styx]

It was not often when Loki showed an expression, but this time he did. A subtle smirk as she takes up his offer to make her emotionally strong. He could try to help her in the similar method that he was, but he also doubted that he could get her to his level of control. Even just a little bit would help Melinoe a lot. “It is my honor, Melinoe.” Loki stood up straight and offered her a hand to stand up. “Come along, and I’ll give you the first lesson right now. I don’t think either of us have a class.” Not unless she was taking an elective that he was not.​

 

[Melinoe Chase]

Melinoe never looked away from Loki, watching as he gave the most subtle twitch of the corner of his mouth. Her blue orbs flickered across his face searching for any hint this was a joke or that he didn't mean it. She took his hand though, she trusted him. She stood with his assistance and nodded. "Okay, but can we get a snack too? I'm starved. Crying always makes me hungry." She admitted.