Setting Things Straight

[Mervyn Strangewayes]

When Mervyn had first received his rose from Sapphire, he'd thought the affectionate note a little strange, but hadn't dwelt on it for long before heading off to class. Throughout the morning, however, the note had kept nudging its way into the back of his mind, distracting him from his work. The longer he thought about it, the weirder it seemed to him that Sapphire would send him such a direct message - let alone sign it 'Love'. And, come to think of it, he didn't recognise the handwriting, either. It looked a bit like Sapphires, as if perhaps someone had tried to imitate it and failed horribly. At that, Mervyn stumbled upon a horrifying thought. Was the message from Onyx? He and Leda had set Mervyn and Sapphire up before, so it wasn't absurd to wonder.

The minute he was let free from History, Mervyn headed down to the heart of the school to search for the Gryffindor. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but he wasn't shy about confrontation and he needed answers, now. If it was Onyx, Mervyn had to put a stop to this before either he or his sister got the wrong idea. Mervyn spotted Onyx in the entrance hall, and, withdrawing the card from his pocket, marched over and thrust it in his face. "Oi - did you write this?"

 

[Onyx Derouin]

Onyx had been on his way back to the common room when out of nowhere the card from the rose he'd sent Mervyn was there, right in his face. He blinked, stepping back. He hadn't expected to be found out so easily. Maybe he shouldn't have rushed through that note.

He took the note from Mervyn, looking at it a moment as if reading it for the first time. He shifted the lollipop in his mouth and looked at Merv for the first time. "Well, glad to see she's figured things out." He offered the boy the note back. "I'm surprised she got up the courage to send something like this." He might have lost the note but hopefully he might be able to salvage this and make the two of them talk.

 

[Mervyn Strangewayes]

Mervyn narrowed his eyes as Onyx read the card. He seemed not to recognise it, though Mervyn wasn't willing to let him off that easily. He could easily have been acting. "I weren't born yesterday, mate," he said, as he took the note back. "This ain't 'er 'andwriting. 'N' woss this? 'Love'? Gimme a break." He put the note back in his pocket for safekeeping, shaking his head. "Woss it got to do wiv you anyway? Why do you care so much if Sapph and I go out wiv each other?" Though he was angry, Mervyn genuinely wanted to know the answer to this question. It was so bizarre.

 

[Onyx Derouin]

Onyx sighed. He knew he'd lost this battle. "I don't want you together. Not like that," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "It's just... She's alone, mate. She doesn't talk to anyone. Her friends are a joke." He snorted. "I just think if I force her into talking things might be different this time." He shrugged.

"It's not like you two don't like it each other. What's the harm?" He asked, his sapphire eyes questioning.

 

[Mervyn Strangewayes]

Mervyn couldn't believe what he was hearing. He let Onyx make his point, just in case it was going to get any better. It didn't. "'Oo are you to say 'er friends are a joke? Would you like it if she said that about you?" he asked, hot with rage. He didn't really know Sapphire's friends, but it wasn't fair of Onyx to be so rude. "It ain't about whevver I like 'er. It's about you stickin' your nose in where it ain't wanted. 'N' for your information, I ain't interested in 'er like that. It ain't 'appening - ever. So wotever this is, you can just stop it, yeah? You ain't clever, 'n' you ain't funny. If you wanna 'elp 'er so much, 'ow about you stop judgin' 'oo she wants to 'ang out wiv?"

 

[Onyx Derouin]

Onyx shook his head, obviously ignoring the part about not liking his sister. "I don't care who she hangs out with, Merv. It's just her 'friends,' don't seem to give a damn. Alkander wants a rival so bad she has to fight to get him to let her help him find the schools secrets and Oliver," he sneered the name, "He was her Leda. She adored him, even made him a jacket and everything, but he hasn't spoken to her in nearly a year. He..." He stopped, looking past Mervyn, his eyes wide.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire wondered into the castle, twirling her hair around her finger. Should she cut it? She should probably ask Onyx about it. Despite what she said the boy did have something resembling a sense of style.

A loud voice drew her out of her thoughts, and she glanced up. Mervyn seemed awfully pee ed at Onyx. She rolled her eyes and started towards them, ready to kill her brother, but slowed when she heard what Mervyn was saying. Well, part of it.

He... Didn't like her? She wasn't daft, or delusional, but the way he said it hurt in a way she didn't expect. She froze in place, blue eyes wide with a mix of surprise and hurt.

The next she heard was from her brother, and it was just a word, but one that hurt her just as much. Ollie ... she ducked her head, and her hands began to shake. She didn't know what hurt worse, the way Mervyn spoke about her or the thought of Oliver.

Either way she didn't want to stick around to find out. She knew when Onyx saw her, the way he trailed off. But she didn't really care. She shoved past him and started to hurry off.

 

[Mervyn Strangewayes]

Mervyn didn't understand how any of what Onyx was saying excused him for impersonating his sister and trying to set her up. Yes, it was a shame that Sapphire's friends had let her down, but how was this the answer? He was making Mervyn look like an idiot, and treating him like one. He opened his mouth in the silence to respond, but was distracted when suddenly someone shouldered past Onyx. Sapphire! "Oh, bloody 'ell," Mervyn said. This was just perfect. "See wot you done now?" he asked Onyx - because none of this would have happened if Onyx had just minded his own business. "I really ain't got time for all this. Go 'n' tell 'er it's your fault, 'n' apologise. If you want me to be 'er friend, you better do it." Mervyn wouldn't have abandoned Sapphire just because Onyx didn't apologise, but Onyx didn't know that, and since he cared so much about Sapphire having loyal friends, he hoped he would do as Mervyn had told him. Hoisting his bag up on his shoulder, Mervyn turned and strode away.