Kindred Souls (Xayden/Aito)

[Aito Satoshi]

The lake.

One of the spots on the school grounds that he often did not venture of his own free will and choice, yet also a spot that was choice for reflection and contemplation. The Ravenclaw boy ventured here shortly after returning to the school grounds after winter break. The whole of the common room had been full of student greeting their friends and lovers after the separation, and after Aito had greeted Alley and given her a hug of greeting, he found himself pulling on his coat and scarf and slipping out of the room. He moved in a fog to the snow covered grounds and further still until he was beneath the trees of the lake, gazing over the frozen waters with a quiet expression.

The break had been nice, and his sleep studies hadn't gone horribly. There had only been one time that he had woken up in someplace totally bizarre and as such had been scared to death, but his mother soon found him and brought him back for his treatments. It was an exhausting process, which resulted in his father purchasing more rest draughts for him and promising he didn't have to sleep for a while. They didn't like the pain the boy felt in his sleep, and keeping him awake through the draughts was the only way to protect him from what it was that he saw when he left this plane to dream.

The kids at the hospital always loved it when he arrived early to play with them too. Even the adults had grown accustomed to the flowers he would leave for them. Everyone there seemed so sad when it was time for his schooling to start up again, including him. He felt so alone in the halls of Hogwarts. At least in the hospital, people looked forward to his return, and they knew his name. Even some of the professors called him Alto. It made him grimace at times, but he decided it best to not argue about it. Even with his grades light years above the others'...he was so very easily forgotten. Such was life.

His hair had grown some since the break and skirted over lean, broad shoulders as he looked down at the gathering of snow upon the ground. Undisturbed, pure, beautiful. It was one of the few things that gave his spirit some form of comfort when he felt his troubling thoughts creeping up on him again. Pity he couldn't keep it close to him. With a low sigh, he pushed away from the tree and moved to the frozen edge of the water and looked at the horizon with the breeze blowing his hair into his eyes. Next year would be his last year, and what would he have to show for it, save a further knowledge of magic and a broken heart? He'd done nothing new, nothing exciting, his life had not changed in the last two years. Perhaps it was time for something to happen and turn all this around. But, what?

[Deleted]

It appeared as those things would never change at Hogwarts. It was always the same people doing the same old things, bringing about a sort of familiarity that both comforted and disturbed Xayden at the same time. The minute that he had returned to Hogwarts from his winter vacation he had been greeted by his three closest friends, who ironically enough had also been his lovers, and had one point or another had been the cause of his heartbreak. Noah Weldings. Rejected Xayden the previous summer the second that Xayden had confessed having feelings for him.Alejandro Fernandez. Had decided that they would be better off as friends, and broke up with him. Makoto Takashi. Got with Noah before he could even try anything.

Yes, he was in fact surrounded by the very heartache that he had once fought so hard to free himself from in the past, and he had always questioned himself why he was never able to succeed. Merlin, he disgusted himself with his obliviousness sometimes. Despite all the familiarity that he had felt upon returning to Hogwarts, there was also two things that was very different this year. Two things that separated this year from all the others. The first was that Luna Demetriou had been waiting in the common room for him, welcoming him back and engaging him in a small, surprisingly pleasant conversation before heading back up into the female dorms to avoid the sickeningly sweet sight of couples in the common room, something that he himself could only tolerate for a few short moments before he too left the common room to escape.

The second thing that was different was not something that had surprised him, but it was something that had almost ruined the positive mood that he had been in. Matthias Ojanpera had not returned to Hogwarts after the break. Rumors had been spread, and everything from him being sent to Azkaban, to his apparent death was now floating around the school. It brought a fresh wave of pain to the wound on his heart that had just begun to heal. He found himself needing to escape the confinement of the castle, the words that ate at his heart. So he tugged his famed jacket closer to his form, and left the warmth of the castle to face the bitter cold of the outdoors. His hands shoved into the depth of his pockets, and his eyes facing forward, he began his walk to the one place that he believed no one would bother him.

The Lake.

He had always been drawn to it for some reason that had always confused him. It wasn't as if he held any special connection to the dark waters, and yet the mere sound of the waves brushing against the shore, the beauty that he found in the darkness, they had always managed to calm and soothe him the way that almost nothing else could. He found the presence of the waters enjoyable compared to the presence of other humans, for the waters did not judge. They did not care who you were or what you had done in the past, they treated everyone the same.

As he approached the lake, he was surprised to see that there was another person already there. Stopping where he was, he observed the other male. He was tall, and had long black hair that appeared to be around the same length as Xayden's own hair. He could not see his eyes from where he stood, as his hair had fallen into them, shielding them from Xayden's dark stare. He noticed how close the other male standing very close to the edge of the frozen water, something that had worried him almost immediately.

This boy, this stranger had this certain air of sadness around him, something that even someone like Xayden could sense. A frown pulled at his lips, and slowly cautiously so as to not startle the boy, he called out to him, his deep voice immediately disrupting the silence.

" Hey. You're a little close to the edge there. The ice isn't that stable. If you're not careful; you will fall in and trust me, the medical wing is not where you want to spend the last few days of the holidays" His face was calm as he casually walked closer to the stranger, slowly making his way closer and closer to the other male before he was standing only a short distance away from him. Close enough so that they could have a conversation, but far away enough so that he also respected the other's personal space. His dark blue eyes observed the scenery calmly, and for a moment all fell quiet again.

" It's funny how something as simple as frozen water can be so beautiful isn't it? But then again, it seems like the simplest things are always the prettiest." He trailed off again, a small smile working it's way onto his face for a moment before falling off just as quickly as it came.

" So mate. If you don't mind me asking...what brings you out here in this sort of weather? Usually most people stay inside avoiding the cold..."

[Aito Satoshi]

The sound of a masculine voice jerked him from his silent reverie and look up slowly. For a moment he beheld the sight of the Burman with the same serene smile he always seemed to wear, black eyes warming to the idea of a conversation. "It would not be much different than the beginning of the break, actually. Not that I'm sick. I just like to visit people, try to brighten their day. Even if they don't know me, they will eventually." As he spoke in a gentle tenor, he pressed the toe of his leather shoe onto the very edge of the ice and listened to the soft crunch beneath the sole as the frailness gave way to the cold water beneath.

"You're right, simple things are usually prettiest. I would choose a wild flower over a greenhouse garden any day. Besides, the snow makes everything appear so clean and so delicate. It's hard to not appreciate it." All this time, he'd been looking over the water, and he finally re-directed his gaze back and he recognized the other male as his housemate and the Hogwarts Champion and he gave a more genuine, warm smile. The sort that almost swallowed his eyes. He was always happy to talk with housemates. "How was your vacation, Xayden?"

With his last question, Aito turned his gaze back to the frozen lake and let his smile fall back to the normal serene, pensive expression it normally was. "I like the cold sometimes, and the lake is quiet. It's a nice place to meditate, reflect...though more often than not, it's a place that aids some bad memories." He decided to not bore him with the details, slipping his hands into the depths of his coat pockets as he glanced back at the blue eyes that were near him. They were a calm, beautiful shade that he had never quite seen before. Especially not on an Asian wizard. "I'm so sorry, I don't mean to keep staring, but, your eyes are stunning. I'm sure you hear that a lot, though."

Of course, Xayden Andrews would be given compliments on a near daily basis. How could he not? The man was one of the most, if not the most, popular Ravenclaws in the house. And he felt like a total troll, complementing someone who probably got sick of hearing such things.A shifting of the sun through the clouds illuminated patched of ice on the waters ahead and Aito wished at times he had a camera, just to watch the clouds part and the sun come out all over again each day. That was an image that he would never tire of.

"I hope I'm not bothering you, but I am a little curious. What are you doing out here?" Was he trying to get some quiet time in before the next event?

[Deleted]

As soon as he had heard the other boy's response, his brow had furrowed in concern. He had spent the beginning of his break in the hospital wing?! Had he been sick or something like that? He relaxed a bit after hearing the rest of the other's answer. So he just liked to visit people in the hospital wing, there was nothing wrong with his health. Slowly but surely the concern that had filled both his face, and his eyes slowly began to disappear, before it completely vanished. It took a moment longer before he had managed to completely relax again. Xayden was the type that chose to watch over his housemates, whenever he heard of one of them being sick, or something happening to one of them, there was a small part of him that refused to relax until he was sure that they were okay. Not that he'd ever admit to having that part of him, he'd rather others think of him as being a cold, emotionless jerk.

" So you spent the beginning of your break in the hospital wing visiting with the sick, and injured? That's very kind of you. Not many people make that sort of effort to make others happy. I'm impressed." He wondered silently to himself, if he had met someone like Aito back when he had been hospitalized would he have turned out different? If there had been someone back then to cheer him up, and make him smile, would dealing with his heartbreak have been easier? His dark blue eyes watched as the other pressed the very tip of his shoe into the ice, and his gaze became weary at how easily it gave away. That weary look soon disappeared, soon going back to their normal calmness as he listened to the other's answer, for some reason his mood getting even better after he agreed with him.

" As would I." It was no secret that Xayden preferred the simpler things in life, something that was considered odd for someone of his blood, and name. Despite this fact, Xayden couldn't bring himself to care.His best memories were the simple ones, playing quidditch with his brothers, going to the Three Broomsticks with his friends, his talks with Luna, playing in the snow with Mattie. Yes there was a reason why he loved the snow so dearly, it reminded him of the simpler times, the times when everything was so clean and pure.

The time before his world had fallen to the darkness.

He shook the negative thoughts from his head, his eyes moving from the snow, and the icy lake to glance at the face of his company, recognition hitting him the instant they made eye contact. This boy was Aito Thresh, the one rumored to be one of the kindest souls in the Ravenclaw house. He was surprised that it had taken as long as it had for him to recognize the other male. True, there had been some changes, such as the length of his hair, and a few other small things that Xayden couldn't quite put his finger on at the moment, but it still should not have taken it him that long. His hand ran through his hair, and he returned the smile that Aito had given him with one of his own.

" My vacation was pretty good. I got to see my oldest brother and my dad took some time off of his job so we were all together this year." His eyes softened a great deal at the mere mention of his family. He loved them more then anything, and since it was very rare that they were all together at one time, he cherished the time whenever he got it. " How was your break Aito? I hope you had a good one."

Aito had gone back to gazing at the lake, and Xayden had chosen to do the same, only to have his gaze snap back to him when he mentioned that the lake held bad memories for him. Was it just him, or did Aito's face seemed pained, as if he was withholding his troubles, his pain from the world. A frown made it's way across his face, and he opened his mouth about to comment on it, before stopping himself. If Aito wanted to talk about it to him, he would. There was no point in trying to force it out of him, it would only make the both of them uncomfortable, and ruin the pleasant conversation, and peaceful atmosphere.

" If this place holds bad memories for you, then you are very brave to come here and face them. Most people lack that bravery, that conviction. Even I hesitate to face the places where my bad memories lay." It caused him too much pain. He still, even with all of Luna's help and patience, was not strong enough. His eyes glanced back up Aito surprised to see that the other was looking at him, his surprise doubling when the other complemented his eyes. A smile, a true smile, the first that he had given since leaving his home back in Plymouth made it's way across his face.

" Thanks, I get them from my dad.You'd be surprised actually. Not many people notice my eyes when they talk to me. They're usually to caught up in the fact that they managed to catch the attention of the champion or the quidditch captain to notice anything else and those that do notice my physical attributes, well let's just say that it's not my eyes that they are interested in." It was frustrating just how people chose to treat him these days. They treated him as if he were some sort of celebrity, and while he might have been thrilled in the past, it just made him feel lonely these days. The only people he seemed to be able to talk to were his brother, his three friends, or Demetriou. All the others wanted something from him. Aito was the first person in a long time that was treating him as if he was a normal person, something that he was greatful for.

" So thank you. That's actually the nicest thing someone had said to me in a long time." His gaze moved again, glancing at the scenery, smiling when the sun peaked out from amongst the clouds and shone bright on a single patch of the ice. When Aito asked him what he was doing outside, his body tensed up, and his eyes hardened, and he fell silent for only a moment, his mind willing his body to relax. It took a moment, a long silent moment before he answered, his voice barely above a quiet murmur.

" You're not bothering me, not one bit. Matthias Ojanpera never came back from vacation and people are gossiping about why he's gone. I left the castle because I'd rather not have people come up to me asking if I killed him or something equally as stupid." He trailed off, not saying anything more. He figured Aito had already heard about his past relationship with Matthias. It seemed like everyone in the castle had already, and even if he didn't he wouldn't hesitate to inform him about what had happened.

He would do almost anything to keep himself away from the castle and the idiots that lay waiting inside.

[Aito Satoshi]

"Well, I'll be honest, I spend time there for another reason, but it's a long story. The visits not only bring some joy and peace to the patients, but it brings me some peace in knowing that I can do something for them." But, in order to understand the problem, one would have to understand the bad memories and the negative thoughts that seemed to plague him more often than they should. People tried to tell him to let go of the past and move into a brighter future, and honestly he couldn't. Not because he didn't want to, but because he could not do it.

He took a staggering breath and suddenly felt the barriers crumble, "You see, I have, for years now, suffered from night terrors and periods of sleep walking. I always wind up here when I don't have control." He was forced to recall when he had finally been jolted into reality by Alley pulling him back up onto the shore the last time that bout happened. "Do you remember...a couple of years ago when one of the Hufflepuff girls was found dead in the lake?" His voice took on a slight weight and he kept his gaze on the water, "She was the first person I had ever truly and deeply loved. Since then, I'm just...haunted with guilt. I promised to meet her here, and I was held up for some reason. It may have been minutes, or it may have been hours, I can't recall anymore. But, when I got here, they were pulling her out. No one knows if she jumped in, was pushed or pulled in. I just feel so tremendously guilty." For a moment he paused, lifting a hand to brush away the evidence of any tears.

"It's likely the not knowing that hurts me most, and the feeling like I could have prevented it from happening. The healers that I see think that all that guilt I feel, simply turned into this...inability to sleep." Granted, he was sure he wouldn't still be with her if it had wound up different. As much as he could appreciate women, he'd found his attractions had begun to favor men as of last year. He still didn't feel as if he had much to offer someone, though.

His gaze slowly went back to Xayden and he offered a soft smile, "Despite all that, I still try my best to enjoy things. When I go home for breaks, the healers have me go to sleep in the hospital, and just check to see if things have gotten better. They haven't yet, and then I get stocked up on rest draughts to just keep me awake and feel as if I've rested. Despite that, I can enjoy time with my mother and father, as well as my Uncle. He tends to visit us on holidays too. Ren and mother teach me spells that they learned in Mahoutokoro over breaks, because I enjoy learning them." He chuckled. Sorted in the proper house, he was.

For a moment, he listened to him speak of others not often noticing his eyes and he was a little shocked, but his lips turned upward into a smile before he said in a playful tone, "If I ever have the pleasure of meeting your father, I ought to thank him then. That particular shade of blue is actually my favorite. My father has green eyes, as he is British, but the whole Satoshi line has black eyes."

As Xayden spoke about the Fin, Aito's posture went rigid. That boy had changed so much in the past few years. Everyone knew about his relationship with Xayden, and a little over a year ago people knew about the break up and that it wound up going badly. His features softened slightly and he spoke, "I'm sorry, people do tend to gossip entirely too much. I know how much he meant to you too, despite getting so hurt. If there's anything I understand, it's that." He offered an understanding smile, before quieting.

The wind would pick up the scent of lime, mint, and green tea upon his skin, the scent of the cologne that his mother had made special for him. He'd run out what seemed like ages ago and had wound up with something smelling of orange and pine. The scent he wore now was the one that he had worn for years.

Suddenly, he spoke again, "I remember seeing you in the hospital after the fight. I was going into my fifth year and was going in for treatments and came early. You were there and you were sleeping, and Matthias was there. He didn't leave often, but the times that he did and the negative energy left with him, I did leave lilies in your room. Merlin, I can't remember now the color. I think they were yellow and white. Anything to bring you some cheer. I didn't think you ever got them, but once you woke up, I didn't slip back in. I always felt a little...afraid to. Not because of you, but him. I don't wish harm on other people, but if you feel safer with him gone, then I'm pleased."

Ravenclaws had to stick together, didn't they?

[Deleted]

His eyes moved from the lake, to glancing at Aito as he spoke about his story, the reason why he went to go and visit those who were stuck in the hospital wing. So that girl pulled out of the lake had been his lover.In his heart, he felt such a strong sort of kinship with the other boy, it was almost as if his heart was calling out to him. He understood what he was going through. He knew the pain that he was feeling so well that it was almost funny. The pain that was in the boy's voice, the pain that was on his face and in his eyes. The tears that he was trying so hard to hide from Xayden, how long had it been since Xayden had cried those very same tears himself? Then there was that horrible heart-wrenching feeling of guilt that always seemed to eat you from the inside out. That feeling was more then enough to destroy the person from the inside out.

" Aito. I'm not going to be an arse, and tell you to get over it. I know how hard it is to do that. The feelings that you have right now were the very same ones I had when I couldn't save Mattie from whatever it was that was ailing him. However, I will tell you this. You did absolutely nothing wrong. What happened that night was something that was completely out of your control." His hand moved from lying at his side to rest on Aito's shoulder in a small attempt of comfort. His eyes were closed for a moment, before opening. His lips were pulled into a sad smile.

It hurt him to see someone suffering in the same way that he once had.

When Aito spoke of not being able to sleep, he felt his concern levels rise even higher then they were already. He was missing out on that critical time when his thoughts wouldn't be able to reach him, one that would provide him with relief, with an escape from that guilt. His grip on Aito's shoulder tightened slightly. That boy seemed to have no refuge, no escape and perhaps that was the one thing that worried him the most. Maybe he would go and talk to Demetriou once he was done here. She had a good knowledge of magical medicine, perhaps there was something that they could figure out for him if they worked together.

" I don't know if you already have someone that you can talk to but I just want to let you know that if it ever feels like it is too much for you, I'll be here to listen." He would also be keeping a closer eye on Aito from this point on. He didn't know why, but for some reason he felt as if he would be sadder then normal if something happened to him.

When Aito spoke again,Xayden looked up at him in shock. Despite everything that he had been through, he still had the ability to smile, to be happy, and look on the bright side of things.He listened to his story about the sleep draughts, and about what he did over vacation, and he felt his resolve strengthen. He would try his hardest to find a way to help Aito sleep again while he was still here at Hogwarts. Hell, he'd keep in touch with both him, and Luna and keep up his research out of school if that's what it would take. One way or another, he was going to help this guy out of the pain, out of the guilt that he was feeling. Such a nice guy didn't deserve to suffer in such a way anymore.

" That is a very admirable quality that you have there. Not very many people tend to look on the positive when they are suffering in such a way. It's sad. Life is so short, and it has the potential to be so very beautiful, and yet things like this happen and it becomes so easy to overlook that very beauty. Most that suffer chose to avoid life hiding and moping, afraid of getting hurt again. I'm glad to see that you're not one of those people" He fell quiet, listening quietly to Aito as he told him about his uncle, and his mother teaching him spells from another school.

"Mahoutokoro...That's the Japanese wizarding school right?" The name sounded vaguely familiar to him for some reason. " At any rate, that's a good thing. Learning different spells then they teach here I mean. It certainly gives you a competitive edge if you ever want to work for the Ministry."

He smiled again as the topic went back to the color of his eyes, and he couldn't help but laugh. " You would make his day if you told him that. My dad's always been happy that at least one of us got his eye color since it's not exactly common, even in his family. My dad's a brit too, but blue eyes are kind of rare in the family that he comes from. I think the last person who had them was my great great grandfather."He shrugged slightly. They had always been just a color to him. " Really? Green eyes? Hm, I suppose that that would have been an interesting color to see, but I think your eyes are nice the way that they are." Black was a color that he had never seen before on another person. It had always been the usual brown, blue, and green that he had seen. He thought that Aito's eyes were beautiful, and unique. The dark orbs were kind, and calming and held a beauty that Xayden had always admired about the darkness.

Yes, Aito's eyes suited him just fine.

He watched as Aito's posture immediately went rigid at the mere mention of the Fin's name. It was to be expected, many people had seen or had heard about what Matthias had done to Xayden. On top of that, Matthias had become sort of a bully over the past few years, terrorizing those who were defenseless and weak, and making them suffer. Yes, many people had become afraid of him, terrified that they would become his next victim.

" It's fine. It just bothers me that people can say these sorts of things without truly knowing him is all. Yeah, he did mean a lot to me. Back in the days before all of this happened, I had actually thought that he and I were going to get married one day." He shrugged, his hands being shoved in his pocket. The initial pain that usually came up when he mentioned Matthias had faded away to a dull throb, something that often left him feeling numb when it passed.

" But after everything happened, it was clear that that wasn't going to happen. Something changed in Matthias after that. He wasn't the boy that I used to play around in the snow with. He wasn't the boy that used to love taking walks, and sweets. He wasn't the person that I had thought that he was. I thought that something was off about him, and despite everything, I fought my hardest to try and save him from the thing that I thought was hurting him. I would have given anything to see him smile at me again like he used to but it was too late. He hated me. He hates me. He wants me dead." His voice had fallen to a quiet murmur again. " I think that that was the hardest thing to face. I loved him so much. I wanted him to be happy, and despite that, the very fact that I'm alive is the thing that torments him the most. It broke me. I think that if I hadn't talked to someone about it, that simple knowledge would have eventually taken my life. I was lucky enough to find someone who knew the pain that I was in. She showed me that it was okay to let the pain out, that it was okay to rely on other people. She showed me that I was not to blame, and that I deserved to move on with my life, and be happy. She saved my life."

He fell quiet for a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. So now both of their stories were out in the open. There was a gentle breeze, a small wind that carried a faint scent that caused Xayden's body to completely relax. It was the scent of green tea, with a hint of mint, and a small touch of fresh lime. He could recall smelling that scent a few times throughout the castle, sometimes even in the Ravenclaw common room, and yet he still did not know where that smell came from.

" Hmm...Something smells nice." His tone was light, vacant and the expression on his face was completely relaxed. His brow furrowed slightly as Aito spoke again, this time about his stay in the hospital.

" Yes. Matthias really did a number on me. I was asleep for a while after I was taken to the hospital. They said that if I had been awake, the pain would have put too much stress on my body and I might not have been able to heal properly. I'm surprised that Matthias was there though. I know that he came to see me once I was awake, but I thought that Edward would have hexed him if he came anywhere near me at the time." He shook his head, chuckling quietly. Edward had always been protective over him, starting from the first time he held him in his arms, and continuing even now that he had finally reached adulthood.

" Lilies? You were the one who left those? I remember waking up and those being one of the first things that I saw. I had always thought that one of my brothers had been the ones to bring them. Thank you. It's long overdue I know, but that was really kind of you. As for not coming in, that was probably for the best. I wasn't really myself for a while after the accident. I probably wouldn't have been the best person to talk to and Matthias was really dangerous back then. He still is. I would have hated it if you had gotten hurt just for being kind to me. As for him being gone, I suppose that it's nice not having to worry that I might get attacked every time my back is turned, but I still can't help but be concerned about him. Despite everything, I do not hate Matthias. I don't think I ever could. I just wish for his happiness. I believe that he at least deserves that much."

[Aito Satoshi]

Xayden Andrews was truly was a remarkable man.

In the relief he felt from speaking his innermost secrets, and the willingness Xayden had to listen, it was as if a boulder had been moved from his chest. "It's nice to finally get all that off my chest. Thank you, Xayden, for listening. I really needed someone to just listen. That helps ease a lot of the stress." He flt infinitely better as of this moment, and it reflected in the ease of his posture.

Something about the touch upon his shoulder made his lips break into another bright smile as he looked out over the frozen lake again. The pain, for the first time in the past couple of years, was slipping away. "My mother used to say that I could smile straight through the shadows. It's a trait I consider a strength. Despite life giving me lemons, I'm still reminded of summer." He had to chuckle. That was an awfully corny expression. "That was awful, but it's as close to accurate as I can get."

When he spoke his mind on Mathais, Aito paused and looked over at him. It was his turn to press a hand to the other's shoulder. Wishing happiness on someone who hurt him? It was plain to see that Xayden's heart was made of gold. Not many could do such, but he understood the sentiment well. "You wishing for his happiness is a truly kind thing. I wish happiness on everyone, because everyone truly deserves it. I hope he is happy too, just as I hope you can be." There was no doubt that he would be one day, and the person that could coax the smile from the Burman was truly lucky.

He saw him relax and comment, almost dreamily, on the scent in the wind and smiled. "Green tea, mint, and fresh lime? That would be my cologne. I ran out around December because my goofy cat decided the bottle would be a wonderful play thing and broke the bottle in the dorm room. I just got a new bottle, but thank you. I've worn this for years and not many people have noticed it. I'm glad you like it." His touch eased on Xayden's shoulder before his hand withdrew and joined the other in his pocket.

Why had he avoided speaking to Xayden for such a long time? The older boy never intimidated him, but it was perhaps the crowd that always followed him around that always made him wary. "You might think I'm crazy, but I enjoy talking to you. You put me at ease, like I could tell you anything and you would keep it a secret if I needed it to be one. I really needed that confidant today. I get a little...I don't know...you know that feeling you get in your heart when you see couples all over the place and you're so tired of being lonely? I seem to get that after breaks. It's not so bad at home, because I've got nieces and nephews to spoil and that's plenty distracting enough."

He shifted again, taking a few steps back from the water's edge, and one could almost see the white spirit of a girl slipping out of his chest and escaping into the snow. He seemed lighter, much more happy then he was before and looked back at Xayden. "With all the things you have going on, the Tri-Wizard Tournament and Quittitch, what do you do when you need to get away from your fans?" He winked playfully and couldn't help the laughter that escaped his lips.

[Deleted]

"Of course. I'm glad that you're feeling better." His hand dropped from it's place on his shoulder, surprised at the reaction that he had gotten just from touching him. He had never seen someone smile in such a happy way before, and he was content just to watch that smile for that moment, listening when Aito had decided to talk again. He seemed to be a truly sweet, and happy guy. It just made the fact that he was suffering that much more heartbreaking. If it were up to Xayden, then he would have made sure that people like Aito would never have to suffer. They were too kind, and they just didn't deserve it.

" I understood what you meant by that. I didn't think it was awful. Unique, but not awful." He had heard much stranger things come out of the mouths of his friends in the past in the past, he was used to looking at things in different ways.

When he started talking about Matthias, he was surprised to feel a hand resting on his shoulder in the same show of comfort that he had just given Aito a moment before. He felt slightly calmed by the touch, slightly comforted by the soothing gesture. " Thank you. Most people find it strange that I say that after they ask me about Matthias. They know nothing about him, and automatically hate him because of what he did. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in feeling the way that I do."

He was surprised when Aito seemed to immediately know what he was talking about, and that surprise only grew when Aito admitted that the smell came from the cologne that he wore. The one specific scent that had comforted and relaxed him all this time had come from Aito all along?

" I have been trying to find out where that smell has been coming from for a long time now. I always smelt it around the castle, and could never figure out just where it came from. It never occurred to me that the smell came from a fellow student." He had believed that it was either some sort of charm that some of the teachers used to make their classrooms smell clean, or that it came from some of the treats that his fellow students had been eating. " It's kind of funny actually. The fact that it might be some sort of cologne or perfume completely slipped my mind." So much for him living up to the Ravenclaw stereotype of being a know-it-all.

" I don't think that you're crazy. Not one bit. Honestly, you are one of the first people outside of my small group of friends that I've managed to have a pleasant conversation with. It's a nice change of pace. I'm glad that you felt that you could confide in me enough to share such an important part of your past with me." His hand ran through his hair, for a moment, a gesture that he often did when he was thinking of something. " Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. It's hard not to feel lonely when your hit with all of that love, and happiness all at once. That's part of the reason why I left the common room. It seems like even our house isn't immune to the supposed romance in the air."

His brow rose when Aito asked him what he did when needed to escape from his fans. He strived to make his face as serious as he possibly could for a moment before he gave a simple, three worded answer.

"Run like hell." He managed to keep his face serious for the better part of a minute before he cracked, his lips cracking upwards in a mixture of a smile and a smirk as a deep, rich laughter filled the air. " No but seriously, when I need to escape from those crazy people I use a variety of methods. I either find Demetriou who scares them off for me by glaring at them, sneak into my brother's classroom and hang out with him for a while, go to the three broomsticks with my brother and his boyfriend who's bloody terrifying, so nobody dares to bother us there, or if I really need to be alone, I head to the Quidditch pitch and just hang out either there, or in the Ravenclaw locker rooms, since nobody ever thinks to look for me in there for some reason."

[Aito Satoshi]

This time, Aito had to laugh. The seriousness with which those three words were spoken was something that was wonderfully funny. His laughter was almost musical, a trait that he often found strange, but welcomed it being different. The sound of Xayden's laughter was one he hadn't heard nearly often enough, but it was one of the most beautiful sounds that he had ever heard. If only it were possible to keep him smiling like this when he didn't need to be concentrating on other things.

"You have quite the arsenal of escape tactics. I know Luna's gaze does the trick for most people. She is really a remarkable person too, then again, everyone is remarkable in their own way." He had to admire the cleverness of hiding somewhere where people wouldn't think to look. "Do you ever get tired of being in the spotlight?"[/blue] He asked quietly, an innocent question. By this time he had moved to be more in front of the other for an even exchange of conversation.

He had not even thought to link the Care of Magical Creatures professor with Xayden until he had mentioned him, and then he felt rather foolish. Not like Andrews was a popular name within the school! But, it did him well to know that there were people who did look out for him. Not the celebrity of sorts, but the man himself. He was cared for, and that was good.

"I could never imagine being hounded like that all the time. Everyone wanting things from you...I couldn't imagine it." Perhaps it was just how he was, but, he never had an intent to ask anything of the people he met. He always lived up to his name, his name meaning "affection". That's all he ever sought, all he ever gave. For a moment, he was contemplating this when the wind blew snow down from the tree above them and the cold cluster of flakes landed on Xayden's shoulder. A careful sweep of a warm hand would sweep it away, as he smiled warmly. Fingers accidentally grazed his cheek and within that touch radiated an astounding amount of caring and warmth. A pause passed before a soft palm pressed to Xayden's cold cheek, and an exposed wrist would offer a more readily available source of the cologne. Just one sweep of a thumb across the cheek during a silent moment passed before his hand hastily withdrew and a flush of pink popped over Aito's cheeks. "I'm sorry, sometimes I have a bad habit of being overly affectionate."

That was a reason that girls made him a fast friend. He was always willing to give hugs, give chocolate, mend broken hearts, and dry up tears. They never had to be afraid of him taking advantage of them, because he had no interest in the female physique. People were more than that to him, anyway. Much more. He remembered that he had spent days with Alley, holding the crying girl after her last boyfriend broke her heart, listening to everything she said without judging her. After Xayden's fight with Matthais, he had felt the same desire. Except, there was even more powerful an urge to take all of his pain away. So, he kept his distance to keep his propriety.

"You don't have to worry about me bugging you for things, or hurting you, or following your every move like your personal shadow." He chuckled. It wasn't in his nature to harm a soul, and that seemed to be something the world needed sometimes.

[Deleted]

He was glad that he had been able to make Aito laugh with that silly little joke of his, he was surprised when he actually heard the sound of it. It was so gentle, so soft, and melodic that it was almost as if it was music itself. For that moment, only that small moment, he was completely entranced. His laughter was beautiful, and Xayden found the surprisingly strong urge to continue making him smile, and laugh, just so he could hear that laugh again, even if it was just one last time.

"Yes. You kind of have to when people have a strange need to harass you when they see you." He paused, and laughed a bit at what he said about Luna. " Yeah, Demetriou's pretty scary when she wants to be. If her glare isn't enough to drive someone away, she's so strong that it's almost not fair." He frowned, remembering very well the pain he had felt from being the target of her rage multiple times in the past. " But she's nice enough when you get to know her."

He smiled slightly when Aito asked if he got tired of being in the spotlight. His hand moved to brush away the bangs that had fallen in his eyes, blocking his view of Aito. Blue clashed with black, and he couldn't hide the amusement that was present in his eyes. " You know you have been the very first person to ask me that question? Everyone else just assumes that I enjoy having people swarm me...but to answer your question, yes I do actually get tired of it. I could handle it as a quidditch captain but since I became champion I have absolutely no privacy anymore, and on top of that I have students from not only Hogwarts, but Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons following me too. On top of that the Beauxbatons champion has some kind of strange crush on me, and feels the need to grab me in the lower half of my body every time that she sees me."

He shuddered slightly, a very flustered look appearing on his face as he spoke about the perverted female champion. She made him feel uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable.

"One time she stalked me through the castle, then when she saw me hug my brother she yelled at him for touching someone that was "taken", called him a whore, and groped me in front of him."

Merlin that woman was bloody insane.

" Yeah. it is a lot to handle at times I will admit that much, but I do have to say that when I did the first task, it was so exciting, so much fun that it kind of makes this whole being stalked thing almost worth the trouble. I really wanted to do something exciting since this is my last year here, and since I wasn't able to win Ravenclaw the quidditch cup during my two years as captain, I might as well work myself to the bone to win us the Triwizard Tournament, right?"At the very beginning he had sworn to himself that he would do everything in his power to beat the other two champions, and while he found the Beauxbatons' champion to be somewhat easy to beat, he had been forced to take Durmstrang's very seriously. He knew that he'd have to work very hard in order to best them.

He was shaken out of his thoughts when he felt a soft touch gently brush against his face. He was surprised to find the soft palm of a warm hand gently pressing against his cheek. The action was so gentle, so loving, that it took the older male completely by surprise. The soft scent that Xayden secretly cherished seemed to attack his senses, slowly relaxing him into the other male's touch. The touch lasted for a quick moment, before it was gone almost as quickly as it had come. Calm, and relaxed blue eyes moved to glance at Aito's face, surprised to see that he was blushing from such a small form of contact. A lazy, but genuine smile made it's way across his face.

" It's fine. After all, what's wrong a little physical contact between friends?" He couldn't help but smile at the other's blush. It seemed to suit him, and it made him look cute.

" I'm glad to hear that. It's nice to know that there are still people here that see me as a normal person instead of some idol that they feel the need to harass every time they see them."

[Aito Satoshi]

"You poor man. She is a little aggressive for such a small thing isn't she?" Oh, the Beauxbatons champion had certainly made her presence known in the castle. But, the thought of her grabbing at him like that made him bite his lower lip to stifle the laughter. It succeeded for a moment at least before he laughed again. "The rest of those girls are just strange. I wonder if they teach them the art of being annoyingly clingy up there. I to think I saw her tottering after you calling you her future husband almost as loudly as she could. I really wished I could 'wingardium leviosa' you out of her line of fire there. But, I have to say, you'd be my choice too." The grin that fixated itself upon his features, priceless.

As he considered being in the spotlight for so long, he could truly see how it would affect someone and in that moment, his heart went out to him. "Gosh, it sounds awful. I wish there was something I could do to help you escape all that. You deserve some peace and relaxation. I'll bet once the contest is over, some of the pressure will be off." Merlin's breath, the urge to provide him with a safe haven where no one could find him was almost overwhelming.

His hand lifted and swept windswept black locks back from his face and he chuckled at a thought. "Of all the places I know, there is a great natural hot spring by my family's residence in Kamakura. If you ever have the chance, you would certainly feel renewed if you went, and I'd be happy to grant you access to it."

After he spoke, he smiled. "Do you think we should head back to the castle yet? I, personally, could stay out here for hours to talk with you. Or, we could go for a walk through the grounds if you're not ready yet." As a gesture of his humble nature, his fingers gently grazed Xayden's hand, savoring the soft feel of his skin. "I'm willing to provide as much social solace as you need of me."

[Deleted]

"Yes. She's certainly forward, very very forward. By this point I would have thought she would have lost interest in me, it's not like I'm exactly nice to her or anything like that." In fact, he was even meaner to her then he had been to the Demetriou twins in the past, and that was saying something considering what he had done to them. A sigh made it's way past his lips before his hand moved to brush his hair out of his eyes again, his eyes locking on Aito's form as he laughed at Xayden's tales of misfortune. Despite the fact that he was laughing at his misfortune, Xayden couldn't help but smile, before allowing a amused snort to escape his form.

" More like the art of professional husband hunting. I swear I've seen more of those girls swarming the pureblood males then anyone else." He rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed. Those same eyes widened to almost comical proportions when he heard the later part of his sentence. His hand moved up to slowly cover his face for a moment, stifling the sound of a deep, embarrassed groan before falling back away from his face. " Oh dear Merlin. You saw that?! I thought I was careful to avoid everyone too, but then again with that shrill voice screaming out my name and calling me her future husband, I guess I'm honestly not that surprised...."

So Aito had seen him running as fast as he could, from a girl that was almost half his size. Brilliant. Bloody brilliant.

" It's the thought that counts and thanks. Since it came from you, I'll treat that as a compliment, and not as an admission that you would also stalk me if you were her" The grin that he had on his face, and the playful wink that he sent him were signs that he was not serious. He knew that Aito would never do something even remotely similar to what that crazy girl was doing to him, and for some reason that provided him with a great deal of relief.

" I certainly hope so. While I am sure I'm making it sound worse then it really is there is a lot on my plate this year, a lot resting on my shoulders. I honestly cannot wait for the tournament to end, and for things to go back to the way that they were" Of course, there was no way that that was going to happen. If he won the tournament, chances were that he would become even more popular then he already was. If he lost, then perhaps things would go back to being the same, but he was not going to lose on purpse just to be left alone, his pride wouldn't allow him to do so.

When Aito made that offer to him, Xayden couldn't help but smile. " That sounds like it would be nice. Thank you. You're being so kind even though this is the first time we've actually spoken. That really means a lot."

When asked if he wanted to head back into the castle, Xayden glanced behind them, at the castle with a look of absolute distrust. He knew what would happen the second they entered the castle, and he was not sure that he was ready to face that again. A hand gently brushed against his own, and absentmindedly, he grasped onto it, taking it into his own for a moment.

" Do you mind if we take a small walk around the grounds first? I am not exactly ready to head back. Oh, and are you sure that you want to be seen entering the castle with me? Rumors are sure to be spread around if someone sees us go back together. I don't want to cause you to get dragged into this crazy mess." His eyes fell down to their joined hands, and he immediately released Aito's. "Sorry. I don't know why I did that. I certainly won't be helping if I do stuff like that.."

[Aito Satoshi]

Mind? Absolutely not! It was nice to be out of the castle. "I certainly wouldn't mind being out here with you. As for being seen with you, I wouldn't care if anyone saw. I don't often let what people say get to me. Heck, a couple of the professors call me Alto. If I let what other people do affect me, I'd be miserable."

As Xayden took a hold of his hand, he felt a strange connection to the older man. He liked the feel of his palm against his, but as his hand moved back again, he found his gaze moving back to the blue eyed Burman and he smiled warmly. "I didn't mind that..."

With a soft small smile, he started around the lake, gazing back at him. "I'm curious, what are your plans for after school?"

[Deleted]

This boy was getting more and more interesting to Xayden as time went on. The more he spoke with Aito, the more he found he wanted to know about the other male. He was different, he was unique, and for some reason or another he was able to catch Xayden's complete attention in a way that only one other person had been able to in the past. This realization was enough to make even the normally confident Burman feel like a nervous third year confessing to their first crush, and yet the feeling wasn't entirely unwelcome. It was refreshing to feel this way after so long of feeling almost absolutely nothing but pain.

"That's true." There was absolutely no way to please everybody, trying to do so would only tire you out and make you miserable in the long run. When Aito said that he didn't mind Xayden holding his hand, he smiled and reaching forward, he gently took Aito's hand into his own again, this time not letting go. For some reason, holding Aito's hand evoked a certain kind of feeling in Xayden, a pleasant kind of emotion that felt completely natural. Being with Aito made him feel something that he hadn't felt in a very long time; Happiness. As time passed, and that happiness grew and grew Xayden felt himself wanting, wishing for the happiness to never end.

" What do I want to do after school? Well I'm not entirely sure yet to be honest. There are a few paths that I can take. I can either continue on with Quidditch, and play professionally, I can follow in my dad's footsteps and become an auror, or I can follow in my eldest brother's footsteps and become a curse breaker." He had been smart enough to take a variety of classes back when he was younger, that way he would have a few options to choose from when he had graduated Hogwarts. " Honestly, I'm leaning more towards the first and last one though. My dad was never really around that much when I was growing up and that was something that I never really liked, and if one day, I happen to have a family I don't want them to have to go extended amounts of time without seeing me, or even knowing if I'm okay. At least with a curse breaker, you only get called out every once and a while and you can usually get the job done pretty fast if you know what you're doing..." He remembered Maung happily giving him lots of information about his job back when he was at home, and smiled shaking his head slightly.

" What about you Aito? What do you want to do after school?"

[Aito Satoshi]

Fingers wove between fingers and Aito's smile was much more noticeable as Xayden's hand was held within his own. He matched the older boy's stride with ease, listening intently as he spoke. All of those were good career options, and he couldn't help but say, "I have no doubt that you could succeed in anything that you put your mind to. You have support in anything you do."

With the question directed back at him, he chuckled. "Well, I have options. My father is one of the heads of Wizarding Intelligence and he would love it if I followed in his footsteps. Then, the Satoshi family has a legacy of working in the Ministry in Japan. Its almost a given. We've been in the Ministry since 1390, so there's some pressure there. Then, I've also always wanted to be a healer at St. Mungo's." He smiled.

"I'm really leaning toward that last one. Especially if I could work in the children's ward. That would be my ideal job. I love kids and they take to me pretty easily. I could spend all day in there making them smile. Over the break, I would go in there and enchant their toys so that they would talk to them or run around the room. Seeing them happy puts me somewhere else entirely." He smiled fondly. His heart had more love than he could give sometimes.

"Whatever I choose to do, I hope my family, both my parents and my own, will be proud of me because I would do anything to see them happy. That's just how I am. Mom must have had some insight when she named me. My name means 'Affection' in Japanese, after all." He laughed, giving a gentle squeeze to Xayden's hand.

"If you could have anything in the whole world, what would it be?"