Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Dec 10, 2011 2:51:55 GMT -4
Ashlyn took Cullyn's hand and clamped onto the compress, to keep it in place. Then she bustled off to her desk, pulling a small collection of vials from her utmost desk drawer. It was her secret stash of potions, which she often kept on hand in case of a migraine. There was no doubt in the young Healer's mind that it would work on Cullyn's injury as well. She uncorked a vial and headed back over to him, sticking it in his hand. "It's tasteless, so you needn't worry. It'll start working in a minute or two." She muttered quietly, lapsng into silence as he began to answer her question.
Her suspicions were confirmed. There was clearly a history between the two boys. Ashlyn should have known from the get go. It had initially caught her attention over a year ago, upon discovering one of Holden's drawings in Cullyn's room. Even as charming as the boy was, Holden McDermott was not someone any of the Aynsworths would associate with.
"He loves you too," Ashlyn responded with a firm nod. She had known Holden for long enough to know when it was true. "And I don't think that's something he can so easily let go of. He keeps saying he's fine, and he's pretty good at acting the part. But I can see it. It's like he'd run away with you if you so much as said the word." She smiled a small, wane, empathetic smile. Heart ache hurt. Ashlyn knew that probably even more than most people.
"You might not have lost it yet, my dear. If he means that much to you, win him back." She reached out and patted his cheek fondly, before settling down in the chair beside him. "As your superior, I shouldn't encourage you to pursue a patient. But I believe what you and Holden share is real. And I'm not buying that it's over." Every word was true. Ashlyn liked to think she was ruled by her head most of the time. But when it came to matters of love - whether it was with herself or those dear to her - she was a slave to the heart. The relationship between the two young men was no exception.
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Dec 10, 2011 4:32:20 GMT -4
Cullyn's fingers wrapped around the vial she placed in his hand. Apparently she didn't believe the lie that he was fine and it had just been a little bump. He said nothing as he listened to her tell him it was tasteless. In all honesty, he didn't care what it tasted like. It was relief in a bottle and despite his lies, he really needed this pain to go away. He wanted to be able to relax and get his thoughts together, because right now, he felt as helpless and confused as a two-year-old on a merry-go-round.
"It's been a year and a half. There's no way he's still hung up on me..." He slumped back into the chair and downed the small vial of liquid, secretly wishing it was something to make the pain in his heart go away. Her words threatened to make him smile; the idea of still having a chance with Holden obviously the only thing that could cheer him up right now. "I don't want to hurt him again. I can't even imagine what he went through the first time." He rolled the empty glass back and forth in his hands as he thought about it. This was all so ridiculous. If only he could be as emotionless as Thayne. It seemed to work for the oldest Aynsworth sibling. Just look at him now: he had everything he ever wanted. And Cullyn had...well, figments of hope that could easily be ripped away from him at any moment.
"I knew what was going on; why we couldn't be together. He probably thinks I left school because of him...unless he believes those stupid rumors Thayne paid off the Headmaster to tell everyone. But I doubt that very highly." Holden's intelligence rivaled that of Cullyn's. There was no denying that. The only difference was their areas of expertise and the amounts of time and dedication they put into them.
He was trying desperately to push away any inkling of hope that might force its way into his mind, but Ashlyn's little pep talk certainly wasn't helping. Apparently she had somehow noticed what was going on between them and believed it to be real. So maybe Cullyn wasn't a delusional fool after all... Win him back. Well, he could definitely attempt to do that. The question now was simply if he was willing to risk everything for what he believed to be true love. Right now he had two choices, two very different paths: Holden or Haven. "Would you risk someone else's life for your own happiness?" He blurted out, setting the vial aside as he waited for the answer that would no doubt make up his mind for him.
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Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
|
Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Dec 11, 2011 12:06:57 GMT -4
Ashlyn listened in earnest while the young man spoke. She had a feeling that Cullyn didn't have an outlet any other way. Who was really aware of what was going on between him and Holden? Probably just her... and no one else. Ashlyn decided on the spot that she disliked seeing this side of Cullyn, the vulnerable, lovesick little boy who just wanted so desperately to be good, yet was continuously being slapped on the wrist by his tyrant of an older brother for it. He needed Holden. And Holden needed Cullyn. There was no doubt of that left in Ashlyn's mind.
"That's exactly what he thought, though. He thought he did something to put you in mortal danger." Ashlyn shrugged a shoulder. "But that's just Holden. He's so optimistic until it comes to matters of the heart. But then again, aren't we all?" She pluked the empty vial from between Cullyn's hands and set it on her desk. He seemed to be doing quite better, and she wasn't that surprised. The brew worked like a charm.
She glanced back to Cullyn at his enigmatic question. Wow, that was loaded. And ambiguous. Would she risk someone else's life for her own happiness? Ashlynbit down on her bottom lip, thoughts immediately going to Kaeden. There were lines they had yet to cross in their relationship, yet to everyone else, it seemed inevitable that they wind up together. But what would Kaeden be sacrificing in the meantime? His personal space? It's not like he was sacrificing his job - she was now a full fledged Healer, no longer an intern, so surely there wasn't any sort of stigma against them aside from the nearly decade long age gap.
But then another healer came to mind. Ethan Cauldwell. And their exploits around Europe every weekend. Greece was on the agenda for that Friday. They'd finish their shifts at St. Mungo's and immediately begin the trip, to return Sunday night, and be back at the hospital at eight AM sharp on Monday. Surely it was taxing on the man's health. But Ashlyn... was too selfish to let that end. "I already am," Ashlyn stated, eyes going straight to one of the many pictures that adorned her office. Her and Ethan, in front of the Colosseum, her and Ethan, in front of the Louvre, her and Ethan, at a rave in Germany....
"But sometimes it's okay. Because sometimes, it's the best thing for that person as well," Ashlyn concluded with a nod. Even if their constant traveling took a physical toll on her best friend, he seemed to need it. With just six months to live, he wanted to maximize every moment of it.
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Dec 11, 2011 14:25:27 GMT -4
"Not all of us." Cullyn whispered, one hand instantly picking at his robe as she stole the vial from him, leaving him with nothing to do with his hands. Usually he resorted to potion making when he was this stressed and couldn't focus, but that obviously was not an option right now. "Some of us were raised with the idea that love is for the weak." He continued, not specifying himself and his family, but that was a given and he knew she'd understand. She was the only one still around who had witnessed them first-hand in their own home: what they all were truly like. Growing up with those ideals forced into your head daily...Cullyn was just lucky he could now see things for what they were.
He kept picking at the material, fraying a few strands of fiber until he could pull one out and roll it between his fingers. The pounding in his head quickly slipping away, his attention could now be turned elsewhere and he soon found it on Ashlyn's face, observing her reaction to his question. Silence passed between them and Cullyn could easily read the pain in her eyes that she had clearly spent a lot of time hiding. When she spoke and looked across the room, he selfishly stole a glance at what she was now staring at. Healer Cauldwell... Of course.
"Does he know?" Cullyn questioned, calmed down and focused enough that he could actually not think about Holden for a few seconds. "When you love someone, you should let them know...before someone else does." He wasn't talking about just Ethan. What he was saying applied to everyone. Though he quickly found himself to be a hypocrite... All those things he said upstairs to Holden earlier, who was to say he'd even remember it? Not to mention he hadn't exactly been truthful. To the boy or to his heart. Maybe it was best he didn't remember then. He still had a chance to fix his extremely stupid mistakes.
More picking at the fray led to more silence on Cullyn's part. Having his head back to normal and a semi-relaxed environment around him, he was finally able to see just how stupid and selfish he was being. A relationship has two sides. He had been looking at his relationship with Holden as one-sided and that side was definitely his. He made all the decisions about whether they were together or not when he should have been sitting down with Holden, laying all his cards out on the table, and seeing if the boy still wanted the full deck.
"Is it almost time for rounds? There's some things I need to take care of - some patients I need to check up on." As much as he wanted Ashlyn to open up to him and follow her heart, now wasn't the time. She was clearly still uncertain and just as fearful as he was. Maybe instead of talking her through it, he could make her realize some things by being an example himself.
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Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Dec 20, 2011 21:00:11 GMT -4
"Does who know what?" Ashlyn responded as she snapped out of her reverie of the two males that she admired so much. It was hardly a love triangle, though. Her affection for Ethan was purely platonic, and the same could be said on his part. But when it came to Healer Dereham... that was a completely different story. One that Ashlyn preferred to keep to herself. She knew their connection had become something of hospital gossip since her years as an intern. Ashlyn knew they would always talk. But if anyone were to confront her to her face, Ashlyn would simply respond that nothing was going on.
If only it were that simple.
Ashlyn smiled politely at Cullyn. She wasn't about to use him as her personal relationship counselor. There were some things that even an open book such as herself liked to keep private. And though she was more than willing to discuss Cullyn's love life openly, she was quite more reserved about her own. If he figured it out - be it from gossip, or simply watching her interact with Healer Dereham - then so be it. She didn't need to be pestered with questions. Kaeden was someone she held very near and dear to her heart. Her feelings for him were something she preferred to keep private.
She was glad for the subject change.
"Sure, I'm about ready to get back on the floor. Though a word of advice first, my dear Cullyn. Holden is in a very fragile state at the moment. He needs to sleep, he needs to heal before he'll be ready to discuss anything coherently. Understood?" For once, the maternal, stern, no-nonsense healer side of Ashlyn peeked out. The moment didn't last long as a paper airplane memo floated down from a chute in the ceiling. Ashlyn unfolded it, eyes scanning the familiar, narrow handwriting. "Healer Dereham needs a second opinion in the Poisons Ward. Did you want to come along, or-?" Ashlyn left the invitation dangling, up to Cullyn to make the decision. Though her tone was carefully contained and neutral, there was no denying the way her lights lit up and how she appeared so much more lively at simply a memo from the man.
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