Closed Take Me Home

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava was nervous about today. She needed to see her dad. To make him agree. She spent a little extra time getting ready before finally making her way to brightstone. She searched through the crowds, standing on tiptoe, blue eyes searching the mass of people for her father.

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian was sitting by the fountain and quickly stood up the moment he saw the first wave of students coming into Brightstone for the holiday. He quickly searched for his little sunshine when he spotted a head of blonde hair popping out from the crowd. Blue eyes searching to which he smiled. He lifted his hands to wave around, hoping she would see him.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava spotted her dad right away, hurrying through the crowd until she came closer. "Daddy!" She grinned, raising her arms up. Was she too old to be picked up? Probably. Did she really care? Not at all.

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian chuckled at how childlike Ava was when he was around. At her arms outstretched, Ian did not hesitate to pick her up. He had missed most of her childhood and he would do anything just to make her feel that she was not alone and she got him. "Ava!I missed you!", he breathed out as he engulfed the girl in a hug.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava giggled as he picked her up, wrapping her arms around his neck and cuddling in close. “I missed you too, daddy,” She managed, waiting until he set her down before speaking again. She took his hand and interlaced their fingers. “Can we go sit down somewhere, daddy? I want to talk to you about something…”

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian twirled her once before setting her down and kissing her head. The man immediately frowned at her request. "Is something the matter, love? I am thinking of going around for a bit then eat something sweet.", he replied as he tightened his hold around hers.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava shook her head. “Kinda. Can we sit and then walk around? Its important to me,” She gave him her biggest blue eyes. “It’s really serious, daddy.” She pouted softly, resting her cheek against his arm and looking up at him from under her lashes, trying her best to look cute.

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian even got more confused until he sighed."Alright, you win.", he smiled. "Lead the way,missy." he joked,playfully pulling her with him. His daughter was really gokd at convincing him just like her mother.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava smiled widely, pulling him over to the nearest shop and finding a corner booth. She chose to sit across from him instead of beside him. She waited until their drinks were served before taking a deep breath. She straightened, folding her hands on the table. "Dad," she started, doing her best to look serious. "I want to stay home from school next year."

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian laughed as his daughter led them to the nearest shop. Once settled and drinks were served, the man took a sip when Ava jumped onto the topic right away. He choked on his drink before regarding the look on her face. She was serious, that was for sure. "Honey.", he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Why?Is something wrong at school?Do you want me to write to your Head of House?", his concern evident. He thought she enjoyed it. She only had two years left.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava shook her head. “Nothing so wrong to make me want to leave because of it.” She hesitated. “Nothing to really make me want to stay right now either, but that wasn’t my point.” She sighed, tucking her hair behind her ears. “No, I… I want to leave because of you.” She tried, then quickly backpedaled. “That sounded horrid, no, just hear me out.” She took a breath, launching into her prepared speech.

“Everyone else is okay. Arthur has always had Miss Kami, Emily has her mom, the twins will have Miss Kami and you,” She looked away. “But I don’t. You left all three of us, but I had to lose mama and grammy before you came back. And right when you came back, I came to school. I feel like I barely know you. We barely see each other.” She shook her head, pulling her arms back. She kept them folded on the table, biting her lip. “Vader and I are planning to get an apartment after school. We’re both still saving up. I don’t want to change that. I’m going to try and get into a good art school somewhere, we’ve been talking about it for a bit. But I… I don’t want to go from seeing you a few months a year to barely seeing you at all, trying to dance around school and work when we don’t have living together to connect us.”

She sighed, glancing up and hoping he didn’t notice the tears in her eyes. “I want a year. For us. You’ve been gone my entire life. I… I’ll come back for seventh year. I don’t have any important tests this year and I’m terrible at my classes anyway. I try, I do, I just can’t concentrate… I can study at home with you this year and come back for the big tests and graduation next year. Please daddy?” She started to reach for him, but hesitated, pulling her arm back.

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian was quite confused and shocked at Ava's answers, especially when she said that she was leaving because of him. Just as he was about to speak out, she asked him to hear her out. And he did. Never could he believe that she already had plans after school. To pursue her passion and even decided on an apartment with Vader. Ian knew the kid and liked him as a good friend for his daughter. But the more he listened, the more he understood and she was right. He, admittedly to himself, did not really know his daughter at all. This must be where her abandonment issues and insecurity came from. He noticed her hesitation which even hit a string in his heart. He quickly stood up and rounded the table to sit beside her. "Sweetheart, I hear you. And I must say you really prepared well, young lady.", he tapped her nose. He wrapped an arm around her. "Alright. But only for a year. I want to see some NEWTs at least.", he said in a serious tone. "Does Vader know?Philip?", he wondered if she and the Slytherin boy were talking again.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava was nervous when he rounded the table at first, but quickly relaxed, curling up against him. “I have to be,” She murmured, “I can’t keep being caught without a plan,” She shrugged, wrapping an arm over his belly. She sighed in relief when he agreed, biting her lip so she didn’t cry. “Philip knows,” She murmured. “It doesn’t really matter… I tried to give Philip a chance, I even kissed him a bit, but then he was mean so I slapped him and we aren’t talking again. Vader….” She sighed, curling up closer to her dad. “Vader doesn’t need me the way I need him. He’s been lying to me for years. I’m pretty sure I know what it is, but… he doesn’t trust me. He’s my whole world, and it… it hurts knowing it matters more to me than to him. I think… we just need some time to clear our heads.” She shrugged, sniffling a little.

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian felt more guilty that Ava had to feel like this. All because he was not there for her. She was fifteen. Fifteen should be about boys and friends. She should be worrying about the future after two years, not now. All he did was be absent from her life and she was paying for it. "Honey… Philip...The boy cares for you. He may have strange ways of showing but he does..And you know that, sweet pea.", squeezing her. "Otherwise, you're not like this." He stroked her hair. He did not know why he was defending the boy but Ava cares for him. "Vader...And you came a long way...Maybe some time together helps but hopefully, the two of you will work it out. Alright?" He pulled a way to look at her in the eyes. Tucking her hair, he smiled. "Have you decided on the art school? Since you are taking a year off, I figured we can visit some schools and see what they offer. Even find apartments nearby." He could take some days off for this. Her firstborn came first more than anything.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava rolled her eyes as her dad defended Philip. “Dad. He followed me to my classes but didn’t talk to me. His cousin put me in the hospital wing and for months he refused to even speak to me and when I finally confronted him about it he defended his cousin, like it doesn’t matter who hurts me so long as they ‘mean well’,” she shook her head, “He can’t be mean to me or my friends and expect me to just let him because he ‘loves’ me. He’s smug and mean, he’s not nice like miss Kami.” She sighed, liking the feeling of him stroking her hair. “I want the him that’s soft and sweet and kind, not the him that’s mean and too proud.” She pouted.

She looked up at him as he encouraged her. “Really? You would do that?” She smiled brightly. “I would love that! And maybe I can help miss Kari in the bookstore and save up some money, too.” She nodded decisively before settling back into his side, tucking her feet up under her. “I love you, daddy,” She murmured softly, enjoying the warmth of his arm around her.

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

As much as Ian wanted to be angry at what Philip did, the fact that his daughter knew how to take care of herself and she kissed him did not change things. "He sounds like me. The following part. I like him.", he admitted sheepishly. "Honey, you kissed him. Say what you want but I am guessing you pulled him into a deserted corridor just to kiss him.", he teased, guffawing in laughter. He did not want to be the strict dad and as long as Ava knew what she was doing, he would be there to support her. "Philip loves Ava. Ava does too. End of story.", he said in a singsong voice.

Ian nodded. "Of course, honey. Anything." He was glad that she was very welcoming of Kami and her sister being a part of their lives now. "I can give you money, you know. But sure, you and Emily help Kari at the store." He hugged her tightly. "Love you too, little girl.", he replied. He gestured to the server for their order, her favorites as well as some cake.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava smacked her dad playfully, sitting up but not scooting away. "It was a closet, thank you, and i was trying to reward him for actually being a decent human being. But then he had to be a jerk and tried to take what was supposed to be a special moment and use it against my friends, and then tried to be a jerk with me. He can kiss himself now for all I care," she rolled her eyes, sipping from her drink.

She smiled up at him. "Thanks, daddy, but I want to work for it. Earn it myself." She smiled as the food was brought over, digging in eagerly. "Ugh, daddy," she whined. "Philip doesn't even know any of my favorites. I mean it was sweet he tried but I hadn't liked anything he made me since second year. He keeps going for all these grand gestures and it's sweet, it is, but he hasn't even bothered just sitting down with me and trying to talk. It's like he doesn't even know me."

She sighed, propping her cheek up in her hand and poking at her food. "There's this other boy- Christian- he's nice to me, he asks about my day and talks to me like a person. I know that I still have a thing for Philip- but honestly, I need to get over him. He's all grand gestures and I think he's more in love with the idea of me than he is with me. You know? It's not like with you and miss Kami where you know how she likes her toast without her saying anything or how she's taking lessons with Miss Kari and Professor North behind your back so she can talk to you and understand your work and the world you grew up in and-" Ava gasped, quickly covering her mouth, eyes widening as she realized what she did.

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian frowned but did not say anything but this Christian boy seemed to get her unlike Philip. He pushed the cake to her direction as he started eating as well, nodding at what Ava said. He chuckled when he was used as an example until he choked on what he heard next. The wide blue eyes confirmed that he heard it right. "Kami did what with who?", he asked in disbelief. "And I think Kami told you countless times to call her Kami and not Miss Kami, remember?", he added.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava swallowed nervously, looking away and twirling her hair around her finger. “Um, Miss- I mean, Kami is… maybe going out to eat every weekend with Miss Kari and Professor North, and he’s giving them lessons about the wizarding world. She’s, um… trying to learn more about the ministry and things so she can support you better at work…” She admitted shyly. “I… only know because Arthur was being nosy and stole a letter from Professor North. I took it back but not before Arthur had the chance to rant about it.”

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

Ian chewed his food carefully as he digested the information Ava told him. Now, it was clear to him why Kami seemed interested in his work and he noticed she seemed to know a term or two that he clearly did not tell her about. "Now, this is interesting." he smiled amusingly. "Alright, I'll play along. Keep an eye on Arthur and don't let him get too far with his pranks.", he added. He gestured a fork at her plate. "Finish it up for we still have things to buy.", he sounded firm but Ava knew he could not keep it up with her.