Closed Safe Havens

[Vader Hume]

Vader had been dreaming, the dreams were plain and simple and well nice. He had gotten to bed at his usual time and was snoozing away as the morning dragged on. He was surprised to be woken up in a manner that was different than the usual, with his dad walking into the room he shared with padme and flipping on the light. He groaned heavily and opened his eyes blearily, looking towards the source of it, searching for an explanation. He wasn’t sure who could be waiting for him at the door, other than plans with Ava later in the holidays he didn’t have anything, no one should be at the door, at least maybe not at this hour. The boy threw on a gryffindor jumper and put on some pyjama trousers and ventured to the door, he looked at who it was and was confused, ”Helene?” the boy asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he hadn’t expected to see her, she didn’t look too happy. ”Are you okay?” the only reason she might be at his house was if something was wrong, he hadn’t liked seeing her upset before and certainly wouldn’t like it now. The sleepiness he was feeling at being woken up was gone, and his gaze was fixed on his best friend. ​

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

godmod approved by Arle

Ava couldn't believe her ears. She had a younger sister? Okay, fine. Great! She'd love a sister! But it was too much. This girl was too close in age to her. After everything with her aunt and her cousins, she felt betrayed. She had been silent a moment, hair falling to cover her eyes. She pushed her chair back from the table, standing abruptly. "I hate you!" She yelled at him. "My mama died hopelessly in love with you! And you, you were never there!" She felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "I was alone! You just- you just replaced us the first chance you could, didn't you? Or did you forget her, too? If, if my mama were still here you wouldn't want anything to do with me! I hate you!" She couldn't help the way her voice broke as she yelled at him before dashing out of the kitchen and out the front door. She hardly heard him calling out after her.

She slammed the door behind her and ran. She didn't know where she was going, really. After what felt like forever, Ava tripped, skinning her knee. The slight pain brought her back to her senses a bit. Sniffing, she pushed herself up and looked around. She had gotten pretty far away from her house. But she wasn't too far from Timmy's. The thought of going home made her stomach tie into knots. She couldn't. Not yet. With no other ideas and nowhere else to go, Ava pushed up to her feet and trudged to Timmy's house.

Wiping her sleeve across her face, she raised her hand to knock. She had stopped crying but she probably looked miserable. A man answered the door. She assumed he was Vader's dad. "Hello," She greeted with a weak smile, "I'm sorry to disturb you so early. Is... is Ti- er, Vader home?" She waited as the man retreated. Vader appeared a few minutes later. She shook her head as the boy asked her if she was okay. "I... it..." She sighed, her arms wrapped around her torso. "Can... can I come in? I... I don't want to go home," She told him softly, staring at his feet.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader looked at the girl properly, he noted the tears, the cuts on her knees and the fact she looked very distressed. He didn’t much like that at all, and given their conversation prior to the end of the year he couldn’t help but worry that something bad had happened. Vader moved out of the way at the door and nodded, ”Come in,” he said before closing the door behind her. The boy led Ava to his bedroom, and very quickly made up his bed so that she could sit on it. He was pleased that Padme had already left the room and was off doing whatever else. Vader didn’t want her intereferring on his friendship with Ava and he didn’t want her to see Ava so upset. Ava probably wouldn’t want her to either. The Gryffindor told her to stay put while he went into the bathroom and found the first aid kit he had used on several occasions. Vader ignored his dad’s questions about what was going on and rushed back into the bedroom, ”What happened Helene?” the boy asked her as he opened up the kit and looked at her for permission to patch up her knee the old muggle way. Since of course neither of them could do magic, and nor could Vader’s parents. He was of course happy to see her, as he would be but something was clearly wrong, and he would make sure that she was okay before they could have some fun. ”You can stay here as long as you want,” the boy decided to add since when he had greeted her at the door she had said she didn’t want to go home. ​

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava quietly followed Vader inside, avoiding his dad's gaze. She waited as he made the bed before taking a seat. She stared at her hands in her lap. She gave him a weak smile as he looked up at her. If he wanted to play with her bleeding knee, she didn't mind. She ran her hands through her hair when he said she could stay. "Thanks," she murmured, rubbing her nose.

Taking a breath, she started to speak. "Well, I have good news and bad news," she chuckled lightly. "I have a little sister," she looked away, tears pricking her eyes. "I guess that's good. It's just..." She bit her lip. "She's two years younger than me." She shook her head, anger and sadness once again mixing in her gut. "My mama always told me stories about papa. He was never there, all I had was an old picture." She chuckled, reaching into her shirt and pulling a large silver locket out from under her shirt. She opened it an removed the folded picture from inside. She ran her fingers across it.

She laughed sadly, crumpling the picture and tossing it across the room. She fell back on the bed with a sigh. She put an arm over her eyes. "He replaced mama and me a long time ago," she didn't want to cry again, but a few tears managed to slip out anyway.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader gave a little smile and from within the first aid kit, took out a few wipes and some plasters, placing them down beside him as he began patching up where she’d gotten hurt. It was practiced, it was obvious that it wasn’t the first time he’d patched up cuts. Even just not on himself. His two sisters being younger than him had sometimes needed him to take care of them. He listened along as Ava spoke, eyes widening at the fact she had a sister, a younger sister. He wondered if she was at school, two years young implied she maybe didn’t. It would make her about his sister’s age, at least one of them. He couldn’t understand really what she was going through, his family, with all of its problems had always been together. As far as he knew his parents were just madly in love, annoyingly so at times. He was glad he had finished up when she lay back on his bed. He closed over the little first aid kit and got up on to the bed to sit next to her, he could tell that she was quite upset about what had happened. ”What was your mum like?” the boy wondered if maybe making her talk about her mum would make her feel better. He wasn’t sure if it would be the right thing to do, but he was willing to give it a shot. He was also still deadly serious about her staying with him, they’d probably have to tell her dad that she was here, but he could convince his parents to let her stay. Demand it even. Padme and leia could put up with having another girl in the house, after all, the more time he spent and the closer he felt to her, the more he knew he would want to protect her like he would either of his sisters. ​

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava smiled softly as she felt Vader sit next to her on the bed. She swiped her eyes and sat up, examining her knee. "Thanks, Timmy," She murmured. She ran a hand through her hair as he asked about her mama. "Mama?" She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on her hands. She realized then that she'd forgotten to put her shoes on before leaving the house. It was too late now, she supposed. "Mama was a gymnast." She told her friend. "She traveled a lot for competitions. That was how she met Papa. She said it was love at first sight. They got married after like, a month, but then she got pregnant with me and she got scared. Her and Papa got into this big fight and she moved back to New Zealand with her mama, my grandmother. I... never asked why Papa didn't ever come too."

She sniffled and looked down at the floor. "Mama started working as a gymnastics instructor in town. I was always really... energetic. The only time I ever sat still was when Grandma played the piano. I loved to watch her. That's why she taught me to play. In the mornings I'd stretch with mama and while she was at work Grandma would paint with me. She'd teach me the piano every day after lunch." Ava chuckled a bit. "Hey, Timmy?" She looked over to him. "What's it like having a normal family?"

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader smiled at her as she began telling him about her mum, it seemed quite complicated but Ava’s mother certainly seemed fun. The boy felt sad for her that she couldn’t spend time with her mum anymore, that all of the weird and awful things had happened in her family. He’d always known that families were built differently, but this was his first real experience of that. He’d never had any friends to learn about, to learn about how things were different. He thought her family sounded really nice, and it was clear that she’d been quite close to her mother and her grandmother. He smiled somewhat sadly at her, a little sad for her that she had had to experience so much. He knew his relationship with his parents was a bit strained but he couldn’t imagine not having them in his life. The boy looked at her as she asked a question, but he wasn’t quite sure how to answer it, he didn’t know what a normal family was like, his family was just his family, he had nothing to compare it to. Maybe it was more normal than most but he wasn’t sure how to explain it. ”I don’t really know Helene, honestly. I don’t have anything to compare it to,” he replied softly, thinking about it, ”It’s just my family you know?” Vader shrugged a little, running his hand through his own hair and trying to think a little, ”But I mean, my family being normal didn’t stop me from getting picked on, so it’s not like a certain thing that a normal family provides normal,” Vader wasn’t sure this would help but he didn’t know what else to really say, ”But, you’re my friend, so you’re part of my family too!” he settled upon, he’d heard people talk about how friends were actually family too, so he’d happily have that with Ava.​

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava listened to Vader's response. Honestly, it was very rational. But she appreciated his honesty. At his final statement, however, she looked up at him with wide eyes. He... what? No one had ever really laid a claim to her before. Her father had left her until he had no other option. For him to state it flat out when she was feeling very abandoned that she was his family hit her right in the heart. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and she swiped at her face quickly. She got up on her knees and leaned over, wrapping her arms around Timmy's shoulders and burying her face in his neck. "What would I do without you, Timmy?" She murmured quietly, more thankful than ever for his friendship.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader kept his gaze on her, hopeful that what he said might be a good enough answer, but he couldn’t tell her what was and what wasn’t a normal family, since he didn’t have anything to compare it with. The gryffindor just wanted her to feel better and knew that it was better to just be honest with her and explain that he didn’t have an answer for her question. The teen was a little nervous that she wouldn’t like his answer, or really his lack of answer, but it appeared as though she was satisfied. At the very least he knew it was right to say that Ava was a part of his family, he wanted her to know she always had a place to go if she needed it. Vader was a little startled when she gave him a hug, and after a brief moment of shock he raised his own arms and returned it. He knew that they were good friends, he was happy to be family with her. ”You’ll have always a home with me, us here in the Hume house,“ the boy muttered quietly back. Ava had been Vader’s friend for so long, and he was always so thankful for her in his life. She was his first real best friend, someone who understood how reluctant he was over his name, or how tentative he was about people in general. He pulled away from her after a little moment of silence, ”Do you want some breakfast?”​

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava felt a bit more like herself again once Vader pulled away. She sat back and smiled a bit, rubbing her eyes. She would need to go home eventually, but she wasn't ready. Maybe they'd let her stay a few days. Almost in response to his question, her tummy growled. She giggled. "I'll take that as a yes, I would love some. If it's okay with your parents?" She bit her lip. She hadn't met them yet. Would they be upset with her? She swallowed nervously and glanced to Vader. "I owe you, Timmy. Can I help with your chores or something?" Maybe that would be a good place to start. Her Mama had always appreciated it when she cleaned.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader smiled widely at his friend, ”What do you usually have for breakfast?” the boy asked already getting himself ready to grab some food for them to eat. The boy nodded, assuring her that his parents would be okay with this, they wouldn’t mind, of course they wouldn’t. The teen would make his parents see why she needed to stay with them. The Gryffindor wanted her to be safe, and he knew that she’d be good with them. His parents would understand, he’d make them understand. ”It’s okay Helene! You can just relax,” Vader patted the bed they were sitting on "You can have my bed! I'll get the blow up mattress,". At the very least for the first few days he didn’t want her doing any chores in the beginning at least, if she stuck around for longer, then he could share some of his chores with her, but not a lot, just maybe giving her a few things so she wouldn’t feel as bad, and because she’d be more a part of the family. ”For the next few days you don’t need to worry about anything, let yourself get adjusted to this place,” Vader would need to talk to his parents when he went to get them breakfast but Vader could be stubborn when he wanted to be. ​

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava thought over his question a moment. "Is buttered toast with cinnamon and sugar okay?" She asked him. It was a silly thing, but one of her favorites. Ava giggled as he offered her his bed. "Thanks, Timmy, but I don't think I'd be comfortable in your bed. Could I have the blow-up mattress instead?" She grinned as he told her she didn't have to do anything. "Timmy," She chided him gently, "I'll try to do your chores anyway. It'll be easier to just help me." She scrunched her nose playfully at him. She had quickly grown more settled and comfortable the longer she was with him. She knew she'd need to go home eventually, but not yet. She still needed to figure out what to do with her dad.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader smiled and nodded, he could do that, he was sure that he could make that. The teen shook his head a little at what she said, he didn’t think his parents would let him allow Ava to sleep on the blow up bed. He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable and wanted to be sure that she was welcomed and comfortable in his home. He grinned at her, ”Let me go get us breakfast, you can just settle,” the boy told her, he got off the bed and took the first aid kit and headed out of the room. He practically threw the kit where it was supposed to go as he then focused on talking to his parents. He was thankful that due to the early hour, both were awake and sitting in the kitchen. He told them a little about what Helene had said to him, and then made sure to ask them to really think about it. But it wasn’t that difficult in the end, they’d agreed pretty quickly, with an assurance from his mother to make sure she took the bed and to let Padme know when she got back. Vader finished making the toast like Ava had asked and then headed back to the bedroom. He practically jumped on to the bed careful for the toast on the two plates. He held one out for her, ”My parents said you can stay as long as you need, dad said you should probably call your dad and let him know where you are in case he calls the police,” Vader told her, ”I tried to tell him that magical people don’t really work like that, but I think you should at least reach out,” the teen took his toast and took a small bite, ”Mum said you should take the bed, she said she wouldn’t accept anything less,” However, if Ava really didn’t want to, then he wouldn’t force her. He wanted her to feel at home here.​