Ineffable Serendipity [Tess]

Posts : 33 Join date : 2017-10-20

His lopsided grin turned slightly serious as he allowed a faux frown to touch his features at her words. "Save?" he repeated, curiosity lining his tone. "Whoever said anything about save? I'm sure you're perfectly capable, although clueless. Who would've thought the French don't have snorkelling?" Winking a little, Jesse grinned. For a Pureblood female, she seemed very laid back -- which was a good thing. Too many, in his opinion, took everything seriously, making everything so dull. There was no joking with them (not that he did much of that; it wasn't always proper), or saying anything even remotely outside of the script they'd been taught from birth. It was all so dull. Safe, definitely, but dull nevertheless.

But Tess? She was different. Proper, still, with her apologising for interruptions and keeping her distance from him; he didn't feel that he had to be cautious around her, because she wouldn't do anything to put his name at risk. But, at the same time, Jesse felt like he could relax and be less stiff around her, that she wouldn't mind. So far, this had proven to be true -- she had, after all, understood his muggle comment and taken that to heart.

Nodding at her words, his lips twitched back into a grin. "A muggle I'm about to show the wizarding side of Capri," he added. As she began to change, even if it was just putting clothes over what she already had on, Jesse turned away, giving her the privacy she needed. Slipping out his wand, he pointed it at himself, casting a very quick drying spell before pulling his shirt over himself. His pants, however, were another thing altogether; there was no need for it anymore.

Tapping it, Jesse cast a quick spell, muttering under his breath. Now small, he tucked it into the pocket of his shirt. He could enlarge it again later; it wasn't difficult in the least. Turning back, he glanced quickly to see if she was dressed before turning fully. Her comment made him chuckle. "It depends for what; I would argue I'm overdressed. We are, after all, going for a swim," he said, trying to put her at ease. After all, he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable or anything.

Motioning to the path, he smiled. "Shall we?"

Posts : 41 Join date : 2017-10-04

Tess found herself smiling softly at how...proper he was. When he turned away, she found herself slightly ashamed at the thought of her so freely just changing. It seemed improper of her to do so, but for a moment she had simply forgotten to keep up farces. Yes she was a lady and yes she was raised better, but her she was someone different. She wasn't treated like porcelain, she was allowed be make mistakes and when she left, nothing would follow.

And so she let herself walk around with a stranger without proper supervising. So as he teased her about her being a muggle, a small giggle was emitted before allowing herself to follow him. It all seemed so relaxed between the two; no expectations, no forced propriety. They walked as equals, he didn't hover over her should she trip during the trek towards more steep slopes. She in turn allowed herself to act like a regular teenager.

Jesse was very different from a lot of boys she met: for one thing he was quiet. He only murmured little things here or there, never really speaking unless he had something to say. He also didn't try to show off which she found endearing. So with every little phrase, she found interest in the information he gave her.

It was after a few minutes of comfortable silence that she looked up at him. "I enjoy silence as much as the next person, but might I ask for a narration of this area? Or yourself?" her eyes were bright with mirth. "No wonder your date went south" the light teasing was clear in her tone that she meant not harm.

If Tess was perfectly honest, she did not understand what went wrong. Jesse was nice, despite her not knowing a single thing about him. She only assumed that his date would have had similar thoughts about him.

Posts : 33 Join date : 2017-10-20

The trek towards the area wasn't a difficult one, not in comparison to some of the other trails around the area, and Jesse walked beside Tess, careful to keep one eye on her movements as they walked, although he let his mind mostly wander. She seemed fine, after all, and only if she appeared to need a hand would he give it; how often had Aria told him off for offering assistance when it was clear it wasn't needed? As much as his training told him to hold out a hand every time there was a slight dip in the path or a branch to step over, Jesse reminded himself that he was with by no means a typical Pureblood lady. She had, after all, jumped off the cliff.

As always, he preoccupied himself with thoughts. It was a habit he'd developed that he hadn't been able to shake; whenever he found himself taking walks with those he was comfortable around, he either spent the entire time talking or thinking. In this case, despite the comfort that was obviously there, he didn't know Tess well enough to chat with, and so his mind had fallen to thinking. Besides, what was there to chat about? He didn't know her well enough for proper small talk -- the good kind, about mutual interests and remarks about the random -- and he wasn't going to subject her to Pureblood ball talk.

He was pulled from his thoughts (although what he had been preoccupied with, he didn't know) by Tess speaking, and he turned towards her, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips as he ran a hand through his (dry) hair and left it resting on the back of his neck. "Apologies," he said, meaning it despite knowing she was teasing. He paused, considering what he could say, and then arched an eyebrow as her other words registered. "And pray tell what you mean by that?" he replied, his smile turning impish.

Posts : 41 Join date : 2017-10-04

Tess briefly wondered how she lost her sense of propriety as they talked. Or...not talked. It seemed that the idea of the chaperone had been thrown out the window once Delia came around. It was indecent, she knew it was. But no one would know right? It's not like her father would appear out of nowhere and yell at her. Briefly her eyes scanned the area with a bit of paranoia.

'You're being silly' her mind reminded her as such.

And she was, especially if she was being bold enough to tease the older boy before her. She didn't know what had come over her but the words seem eerily like something Cor would say. Except without the explicit cursing. But the glimmer in her eye did not diminish, rather she found herself bold enough to continue.

"Well..."she began placing her index finger on her chin as she pretended to ponder, "you obviously have the gift of gab. You just talk someone's ear off."

It was brazen, especially as he looked properly dressed and his hair had dried, while hers rested limply on her shoulders, still wet and messy from the salty water.

Posts : 33 Join date : 2017-10-20

Her statement made him laugh again, turning slightly to take her in as he did. He hadn't really done that, not exactly; he knew what she looked like, but it was one thing in the water and another thing on land, and he was nicely surprised to see the humour glinting in her eyes. It made a change from earlier, when she'd only appeared cautious and unwelcoming. At the very least, she seemed to be more accepting of him, something that was oddly comforting. He hadn't meant to scare her or put her off, in any case.

"I wasn't aware we had anything to talk about," he said, keeping a straight face, although his tone was very slightly teasing. "Besides, I heard somewhere that silence is the best communication tactic; nobody can say anything wrong and upset the other, no?" He let out a soft chuckle. "My apologies, Tess. I got carried away with my own thoughts."

Smiling almost sheepishly, he lowered his hand from his neck, slipping it into his pocket. For the first time, he looked around; he'd been letting his feet do the guiding, having walked this trail so many times he had it memorised. "We're about five minutes away. How are you enjoying the views so far?" he asked, motioning around.

There was a slight pause. If she wanted him to talk about himself, what could he say? There wasn't much to talk about, on his end; a lot of things were boring, political stuff that he wouldn't really want to get into. Not there and then, anyway. He saved that for boring people -- and Tess wasn't boring. Not by a long shot. Instead, he said the first thing that came to mind, after floundering mentally for a few seconds. "I just came from Tibet this morning."

Posts : 41 Join date : 2017-10-04

Tess too shared the amusement in his comment. It was clear that she had surprised him with her commentary but she took it in stride. To be perfectly honest, she was usually the type of person that enjoyed silence, it brought her comfort in the worst of times. But this time it was somehow different; it was not just the scenery but perhaps the company as well. And it was good company.

At his apology she waved her hand signaling that she meant no harm n her commentary. "Do not worry, I know you meant no harm. But yes, the scenery is quite beautiful. I especially enjoy the man I accidentally made eye contact with about half a kilometer ago" she smirked slightly.

She briefly wondered if her brothers had sent someone after her. It seemed that no matter what, being alone was nearly impossible. She had been slightly surprised at the fact that they hadn't popped in to properly interrupt everything. In fact, the man had scurried away making sure to hide.

"Tibet?" she repeated. "That is fascinating, yet another place I have yet to visit. What sent you there? Leisure?"

The idea of five minutes left of trekking was a comforting one. She'd like to properly take in the waters.

Posts : 33 Join date : 2017-10-20

He smiled gently at her statement, but then quirked an eyebrow. The man? Jesse had noticed him too -- had been looking out for him, in fact -- but if Tess had not only seen him but made eye contact? He shook his head gently. "My apologies yet again, Tess," he said, this time genuine in tone. "I do not mean offence, but for safety purposes -- and integrity -- I am never quite alone. I am allowed a..." He paused for a split second, to find the right word, and thens settled for, "resemblance of it, because I fear I shall go quite mad if I had someone breathing down my shoulder at each turn and step, but I am always accompanied by someone from a distance." He paused to glance back at the path, noting with some satisfaction that the man had, at least, hidden himself away.

Looking back to Tess, he smiled at her. "If I ever find myself in a situation where I am seemingly alone with someone in a way that could be rumoured to be inappropriate -- whether true or not -- for both their protection and mine, the person following me shows themselves momentarily, so I can say with a hundred percent certainty should anyone ask that I knew I was not in a potentially compromising situation." He creased his eyebrows at the length of the sentence, and then mentally shrugged it off. He had never been able to shake the habit of speaking in that fashion -- as though giving a political speech -- and often he was teased that it was his politician blood.

"I'm sorry you had to see him; he never should have put himself in a position where you could see him, let alone made eye contact," Jesse went on, a moment later. "It is something I will address, although do not worry: he isn't in trouble. I will merely mention it for his knowledge so he knows for the next time.

It was the compromise he'd settled on, after some ... arguing with his parents -- although mostly his father. Jesse knew he couldn't be alone, not always, but he enjoyed his alone time and having privacy with his friends (and potential friends). To have someone obviously hovering around made it difficult to be real. So, after some discussing, a solution had been reached and Jesse agreed to having someone following discretely, with a few other rules and policies in place here and there.

The question brought a full, proper smile on his face. Not often did he get to talk about his travels; not many were interested in odd places like that. "Leisure," he confirmed, leaving out the part about visiting an acquaintance. They were vampires after all, and that was a secret the family never shared with anyone -- trustworthy or not. He'd never even really told Matteo. "I was there for a holiday, in some remote nomad-esque town in the mountains. A small community of our kind, so it was easier to manage. You should go; it's stunningly beautiful."

Posts : 41 Join date : 2017-10-04

Supervision was not something completely foreign in her life, Since she was young, the first person to oversee her was her nanny. The nanny was cold and very demanding to her. Every imperfection that might have marred her skin, her anxiousness to be seen as a hindrance. From then on it was one of her brothers always making sure their "baby" sister would behave. Next was her grand-mere and her father who sent people to follow her. Initially it had started nearby, whether it was holding an umbrella over her to protect her from the sun; slowly they gave her space.

But as Jesse began to apologize over the man she was confused for a brief second before everything clicked. She didn't dare interrupt, but it seemed he did not realize that she too was used to it. Lifting her hand she signaled him to be quiet.

"Please....I'm used to it" she smiled slightly in a comforting way to reassure him she was not bothered. "I-I thought it had been my father and I had been a bit worried. But no need to worry about my sensibility."

When their conversation went back to his travel stories, her curiosity grew. She was envious of the boy beside her who had those liberties. She knew he was not adding too many details, but it was silly for him to tell her that she should go somewhere. Her adventures were so limited after all she was born in the "lesser" gender.

"Are we there yet?"

Posts : 33 Join date : 2017-10-20

It was only at her hand that Jesse realised he'd been somewhat rambling, and one again his hand found its way to the back of his neck as he held back an apology; it would be weird, and besides, hadn't he apologised enough? Still, it was hard to swallow the words 'I'm sorry', and he instead settled for a sheepish smile. "No," he said, glancing around quickly. "Your father would not..." He paused, then gave her a crooked, almost sly smile. "We crossed a border earlier that cannot be crossed by anyone without permission from someone from my family, or the wandmakers. This area is sacred and protected, and therefore charmed with spells even I do not know."

This was true; it was a sort of legacy that would be passed down later, once his father died. He was secret keeper for the charms, with only him knowing how to remove them should it ever become necessary, and for safety reasons, only one person ever knew it. But he said none of this, and probably never would. The only person who would know the inner workings of the Valentino family would be a Valentino -- and, therefore, he would only ever tell his wife.

But it was the second part of her statement that made him pause. Why wouldn't he? He always concerned with the wellbeing of his friends. There was a flash of surprise that rose within him at that; had he already considered her a friend so soon? Normally he got to know someone more before he decided if they were worth caring about -- not that he ever said that aloud. It seemed that, in this case, his mind had somehow decided before he had a chance to think it through. But he said nothing, merely offering her a smile. He'd show her he cared, somehow, eventually, through his actions. Those, he had always been taught, spoke louder than words, after all.

Nodding at her question, slightly disappointed she hadn't inquired about Tibet any further, he instead focused on the current place. Motioning to end edge of the cliff before them, he slipping out his wand; with a single tap, he cast the bubble charm on himself, and then a couple other protection spells. Turning to her, he asked, "Do you mind? Not that I think you're incapable, of course, but there are a few others I have to add, for safety, and I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you," before doing the same for her, once she agreed.

And then, with a grin, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside. "Ladies first," he said, an almost teasing quality to his tone, as he motioned to the cliff. "Just go straight in; it's a bit of a drop, but there aren't any rocks or currents at this exact spot. Don't go anywhere yet; wait for me to join you. There's an exact route to take." Turning aside to give her privacy to take off her robe, he waited to hear the splash before he moved to join her in the water.

Posts : 41 Join date : 2017-10-04

Why was he rambling? She tried not to smile as his voice actually begun to get louder and the speed of his explanation increased. Still, once he did properly hear her, and paused, before explaining, she felt herself relax. She was safe from her father's supervision, so in turn she would not be able to get in trouble.

Though....for a brief second she did worry at the fact that no one would actually be able to track her. If something went wrong who would know? 'You're being too paranoid. And you can properly take care of yourself.' But there was a thing that was running through her mind. Just who was Jesse? How could he be able to get through these areas? And why would he have supervision?

If her memory served her right, there were three heirs within the main family of the island. Still she had only the pleasure of meeting the females within the family. She had found Isabella to be pleasant during some of the balls, and she knew that Mycroft had avoided her like crazy during her time of being single. She had also met Aria, the youngest sibling she believed? She mostly kept to herself, but Winnie had shown to have a crush on her briefly. Still similar to Winnie, the third child had been missed considerably during the balls. Winnie had missed due to his disinterest of them in general and in turn she was forced to appear in his absence.

The silence loomed over them as they continued to walk. It gave her time to ponder this over, that is until they reached the cliff. Before she could have asked more questions, he turned over to her. "Do you mind? Not that I think you're incapable, of course, but there are a few others I have to add, for safety, and I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you,"

Something in his tone surprised her and she found herself blushing. He had made it very clear that he did not question her power, but it was the idea of her safety that warmed something within her. "I wouldn't mind" she murmured softly before he put the charm around herself as well. But as he took off his shirt, it was enough of a signal for her to do the same.

She unclipped her overalls and let them slip from her body before throwing her shoes to the side as well. Once more her propriety seemed a bit silly since she had her bathing suit, but did as asked. She looked down briefly down the drop before taking in a deep breath. There was no need for her to worry, she knew she would be okay. One deep breath and she dove in.

The drop was deeper than expected and she forced her body not to tense up too bad. And when she properly landed in the water, she was relieved the drop was fine. Looking up she waited for him to fall as well.

Posts : 33 Join date : 2017-10-20

He heard the splash before he turned around. It was odd, how seeing a woman in their swimsuit while on land made him somewhat uncomfortable, but in water it was fine. He'd never quite been able to figure out why; he was fine when he was on the beach. It seemed to only be when he was in a place that wasn't the norm for people, or when they were changing -- even if that was merely taking off a loose shirt to reveal the swimsuit underneath. Perhaps it had to do with what was appropriate and what wasn't, or perhaps he was just weird, as his twin and Matteo never failed to point out. Whichever the case, the splash was his indication to turn, and with that he immediately moved to the edge of the cliff, glancing down to make sure Tess was alright.

Then, seeing that she was, a smile crept onto his features as he took a perfect dive, bringing his arms in front of him as he arched over and plunged into the water. Surfacing near Tess, he gave it a few seconds for both to adjust, and then jerked his head in the general direction of the open ocean. "The exact location is further out. We'll follow a current to a secluded cove, which is where the corals are. If you're lucky you might be able to see turtles as we move along," he explained.

He paused, just realising something. "Have you ever ridden a current before?" he added. If she had, it would be easy; if she was new to it, though, he'd have to explain a few things first. The last thing he wanted to do was assume and start explaining things condescendingly -- what was it Aria called it? Man-explaining? Mansplaining? Something like that -- to someone more than capable. But he didn't want to endanger her by not offering some kind of warning. So, he settled for adding, "The current we'll be catching is stronger than most."

Posts : 41 Join date : 2017-10-04

The water was beautiful and she found herself floating within the water. She did appreciate the higher level of salt within the water, made it easier to float. She kicked around slightly, only to dip immediately as Jesse jumped in the water. Closing her eyes she felt the salt water hit her face from the splash. Grinning slightly, she wiped her face and swam closer to the teenager.

"That was pretty impressive" she commented slightly unsurprised by his skills. Of course he was a natural, life on the island meant that you depended a lot on the island.

"The exact location is further out. We'll follow a current to a secluded cove, which is where the corals are. If you're lucky you might be able to see turtles as we move along," The mention of sea turtles brought a wider smile from her; she loved turtles so much for she saw them as slow and graceful. She definitely hoped they would sea some.

"Are...are the stories of sirens or merfolk real?" it was an ignorant question but she remember reading the folklore behind the islands. She always found them to be gorgeous and in Beauxbatons they were always great teachers for choir.

When the conversation changed to currents, she forced herself not to roll her eyes at how he worried. It was charming, if not a bit silly to herself. "While I do feel confident in my swimming...I'm willing to listen" she was clearly teasing but making sure he wouldn't worry too much about her. She was strong.

» Tess Holmes
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