Crystal Shelves {Annabella}

[Theo Delacour]

He had told her to come. Would she? You never knew with her. It irked him, but at the same time, it secretly thrilled him. That was the main reason he had sought her. That was the main reason he was there now, browsing through the library as casually as if he'd been in a park. As it was, he was currently walking the lines, his eyes alight with interest, absorbing everything in. He had been here before a couple of times, but it seemed that every time he came, everything was different. Not a single thing was the same after every visit, and this was something that Theo's keen eyes noted and filed away for further reference and investigation. Nothing escaped his notice. It was something he prided himself in, and something that kept him firmly entrenched where he currently was: the top of the petty school food chain. But if that was what worked in order to keep the level of life he was accustomed, then so be it. He was willing to play the part of silly drama, if it only meant that he could get rid of the need for revenge that had been piquing his mind for a long while. He was burning up with his love - or his incapability to do so - for Annabella, and even if his plan wasn't as carefully mapped out as most of them were, he was willing to risk it once again. As of late, Theo was all for taking risks, wasn't he? But sometimes there wasn't anything you could do but throw yourself headfirst. Of course, Theo was doing it with more precaution than most, and that in itself, would be what ensured his well-being later on in the future.

They had nothing to lose. If at all, there was much to be gained, and he was pretty sure she acknowledged it. If anyone could recognize an opportunity, it would be Annabella Bletchley. And an opportunity was exactly what he was offering her. They would both benefit from this, and even if it wasn't exactly conventional by normal standards, by his standards, it couldn't be better. These little games they played, those in the Slytherin House...they were popular, well-known among the student population, well-played by only a few. There were high stakes, and only a few dared to attempt anything that could remotely resemble what Theo was pulling together so far. All his life, he had prepped himself to be one of the scarce few who could toy with danger, and come away unscathed. What he was assembling right now could hardly be considered dangerous, but with someone like Annabella, it was better to take all the necessary - and not so necessary - precautions. Theo always guarded himself well. By any necessary means, he didn't care how paranoid all of them would make him look. He didn't have to worry about that, though, because nobody ever got a wind of his true intentions. Nobody had that kind of insight into Theo Delacour's mind. Not his family, not his inner-circle, no, not even Anna.

Clenching his fists, Theo's lip curled back in a sneer, altering his otherwise friendly-looking persona. There would be no thinking of her like that. At least of her as a person. As an object, well, that would happen often enough during the course of the night. But for her to take shape and actually become a living, human entity...it was strictly forbidden. For tonight, she was just another object, cluttering up Theo's precious space of mind. She was a problem that would soon be taken care. A problem that would resolve itself. She was a puppet, just to be toyed with to his very own liking. Tonight, when and if she showed up and accepted (and how could she not?), it would be something that everyone would know of. It was undeniable. It would be explosive, in many ways than one. If they pulled it off tonight. And he would. There was no doubt about it in his mind.

His bangs flowed freely, and he brushed them back, thinking he heard a noise. Making sure not to touch any of the books with his bare hand, he quickly hid himself from view with a whispered Concealment Charm. Even if he had a foolproof way of avoiding any kind of punishment for being here after hours, that didn't mean that he wanted to face people. Much less at this time of night. A business transaction was about to take place, and that was it. He didn't want any distraction from this. All day, it had been the only thing crossing his mind, over and over again, and he had prepared herself for this. From his overall physical appearance, to the smallest detail, everything had been taken care of. He made sure to look especially good tonight, and his mind was particularly prepped for any unexpected thing Annabella could throw his way. One way or another, he would make things go his way. He would make it happen.

[annabella acardia bletchley]

annabella was usually a cautious person. she always chose to think out her decisions before acting, though it never took her long to sort what could potentially help her, and what could set her back. not only was she an excellent judge of character, but she had perfected the art of only taking part in things she knew she could win. it wasn't the best game plan, but in her nineteen years of life, annabella hadn't come across anything she couldn't defeat. perhaps that was why her tactics seemed so fool proof; she hadn't had the chance to really put them to the test. however, as she paced in front of the fireplace in her delta deta house study, she couldn't help but wonder if there really was a first time for everything.

the other dominate part of her, the one that proved to be almost suicidal at times, was her love of competition and her inability to back down from a challenge. when mixed with a little curiosity, the result was almost lethal. as far as she was concerned, there were two choices. the youngest bletchley could either go to the library and meet mister delacour where he had asked her to, or she could mentally chain herself to her bed and refuse to go, knowing that every time she met with him, they drug each other deeper. a smirk crossed her lips at the thought, and having made up her mind the second she received the invitation, annabella snagged her jacket off the hanger and set off into the black night, slamming the door in her wake.

she couldn't help but to wonder if he was watching her at that moment, laughing at how the cold, midnight air pressed in on her under dressed body. maybe she was only choosing to see the worst in him due to her current frustrations. or maybe the other things she saw in him were even worse than his enjoyment of her suffering. again, she had to smirk. their mind games and mini battles were notorious, or so it seemed. to annabella, they were natural and even habit, similar to the way she bathed, brushed her hair, and breathed air. she didn't need to think about them until she reached a fork in the chess game. then, every choice and every move was crucial.

hugging her long, black belt-waisted jacket tighter around her body, annabella climbed the first flight of university stairs. she was willing to take her chances as far as being caught, and therefore didn't attempt to conceal herself or check around any corners. she had a destination and a path to get there; everything else was non-existent. why he had asked her to meet him in the library was unknown; annabella could only remember being there once in her entire university career, not to mention it was very much closed at night. as she waved her wand and tugged open the library door, her survival instincts kicked in. surely theo delacour wasn't inviting her to the library at night when it was locked up to enjoy a cup of tea and a nice conversation. he had a reason, though she doubted it had to do with watching her get caught in the library after hours. not even he would deny her way with authorities; annabella could talk her way out of anything, and in the rare case that her words didn't work, her wand did.

the large room was dark and the only sign of brightness seemed to come from her hair. as she rounded the corner, noticing the shelves looked slightly different, annabella chuckled. from the looks of it, her "destination" had decided to not show up. really, what was the point of asking her there only to stand her up? perhaps she would have given him the point (for lack of a better term) if they were still in their third year. with her arms crossed over her chest, the blonde slid up and laid back on top of one of the large, oak study tables.

five minutes. she would only wait five minutes.

[Theo Delacour]

Anticipation. It thrummed through his body, and made his heart pump faster as he practically savored the taste of it in his mouth. Sweet and addictive. It was something that he hadn't freely experienced in a long time, and it made him realize just how little he was living. He was missing out on too many things, that even though were merely indulgences, they were the main thing that made life all the easier to deal with. No, he wasn't about to bemoan how little enjoyment one got out. If at all, Theo was the one to preach about how practical you had to be, always think with your head, ignore your filthy little dreams in order to pursue your ambitions. Dreams were second, third, even fourth plane when ambitions crossed your path. You had to have priorities. You had to be able to ignore the little voice protesting inside your mind that sometimes, it wasn't even worth it. Because it was. It always was worth it in the end. Coming out on the top, staying on top of everything was Theo's everyday practice, and maybe...just maybe, that was another of the million reasons he had sought Annabella out. She would ensure his stay at the top, if only for a little longer. The other guys would be pissed, and he, well, he would be tasting, sweet, lustful victory. That was exactly what you got for abstaining so long. Rewards. Heaps, and heaps of them.

But he was getting ahead of himself, wasn't he? There was still much territory to cover for those rewards to get there yet, and because of that, Theo finally removed the Concealment Charm from himself and stepped away from the bookshelf, finally facing Annabella. She had gotten there, attitude spilling from her in silent powerful waves, and Theo knew then and there that he couldn't have made a better choice, as much as it irked him to admit it. They had never been on the best of terms, swallowing each other merely because they were in the same House, and for some shared interests (that he could assure you were very scarce and few in-between). Theo was virtually Anna's opposite, as much as they resembled one anoyher physically. See Theo...well, Theo stood for a lot of things that not many Slytherins approved, but had to stand if you wanted to keep some kind of peaceful semblance to the rest of the student population. Fighting with other Houses was one thing. Feuding inside your own walls, well, it wasn't uncommon, but it didn't mean it was a welcome occurrence. So, low-key arguments always arose. Especially between the two Slytherins present in the library.

"Welcome," Theo said sardonically, his right eyebrow raised as he raked his eyes over her overall appearance. Apparently, he did find her quite appealing. Theo wasn't blind, nor was he so foolish as to try to deny it. There was no point. Said appeal would help this function to both their benefits, even if her attitude chagrined him to no end. Devil may care was certainly not a phrase that formed part of Theo's ample vocabulary. And for Annabella? Well, the girl certainly played the part to perfection. That was just one of the many clashes they both had, but here they were. Both living proof that ambitions, sometimes, were worth more than a thousand things. And they were willing to take a risk to get what they wanted. Whether Annabella acknowledged it or not, by being here, she was being the Slytherin that a lot of people thought her to be and she refused to act. She was here on her behalf only. She was here because she knew there was something in it for herself, because she wanted something so badly she was willing to give up a little bit of her pride and show up at a summons. From Theo no less. She had to know by now that it could've only been him. Nobody else could pull of something like this. Not because they lacked the capabilities, but they lacked the interest to do so. They weren't so keen on devouring the world as he was. They didn't know what he had set in store.

"So, I must tell you. If you're not ready for this, you should just turn tail and leave. I have no desire to deal with weaklings," he drawled lazily, nonchalantly caressing his wand as he extended it in front of him, obviously aiming it at Annabella, without a single air of threat, but still present. Oh, hadn't he said so already? He was ready for almost anything. He only had to ensure his safety first. He wouldn't take risks. Oh no. And victory's smell was getting stronger and stronger now that Annabella was here. He smirked at her and shrugged. There he stood cooly, eyes glittering, wand poised and ready. He eyed her boldly, and once again asked himself: what was there to lose?

[annabella acardia bletchley]

she was counting down the time until she would be able to leave the annoyingly cold and eerie library. it had been mentally decided that she would give him five minutes to show up and not a moment longer. from there, annabella would either go and hunt him down herself, or simply return to the sorority, somehow knowing she had come out on top. or at least, that was what she was going to tell herself. unfortunately, almost like a personal reminder, all good things came to an end.

on cue, annabella head the soft sound of another presence and immediately assumed it was theo, as he was the only one who would volunteer to break into the library after hours to add to the visual effect of his plan. once again, anna was onto assumptions, though she was reasonable in doing so. he had to have a game plan; he'd be stupid not to. so laying on her back, annabella didn't bother sitting up or looking his way. judging by his tone, things were quite formal. formal? she could have laughed at the thought. hugging her jacket tighter around her body, anna smirked. "you know what?" she began, finally glancing up to notice a wand pointing at her face. in less than a second, she had slipped hers out of her pocket and grasped it; all for extra comfort, of course. "i think i can handle it," she finished with a chuckle, deciding to sit up and, rather than lay on it, lean against the table.

crossing her arms over the curve to her chest, anna let him do his once-over and proceeded with one of her own. like she had predicted, his hair was really the only thing she could see. blonde and long, not unlike her own. it was certainly one of their few similarities, or at least one of the few she'd admit to. whether they liked it or not, they were similar. too similar, too different. "do tell me what the point of this is." she sighed, surveying him with green, blazing eyes and a raised brow, sarcasm dripping off her smirking glossed lips. "enlighten me."

[Theo Delacour]

Then there was, of course, that issue of their egos. Theo shifted imperceptibly as he stepped toward her, his eyes narrowing minutely as he tried to read her body language. He had to be careful around her. He just couldn't afford to be however he was around the rest of the people. As particularly foolish as it sounded, Annabella Bletchley was special in her own twisted way. It exhilarated Theo to know that there was at least one person who was up to par in this area. He wouldn't have to dumb anything down for anyone. Not while he was with her. Grudgingly, a speck of respect rose from all the disdain he had for her, and he looked at her through observing eyes. Only to scoff the next second as those words left her mouth. Right. Back to square one, it seemed.

"With this whole bethrothal business between us, I feel the need to lay down some ground rules. One, I know what it implies, so don't ever dumb it down for me. Two, if there's anything I detest more in this world than anything, is arrogance on someone who doesn't deserve it. You, my dear, are the prime example of that. Three, we're both doing each other a favor, so would you please stop pretending this is a one-way route? Four, shut the hell up as I sort through the details you are sure to have overlooked." Smiling sweetly at her, Theo proceeded to tap one of his fingers against his chin as he continued to eye her up and down. There would definitely need to be some limitations to this. He would end locked up in St. Mungo's mental wing if there weren't. Slowly, but surely, she would drive him insane, if only for the sake of doing it. But what would those limitations be? He knew that she wouldn't stand for too many of them. Her so-called independent nature would prevent her from accepting too many rules, even if they were bound by this 'treaty of sorts'. So, few rules. Concise, direct, and definitely no loop-holes. If there was anyone capable of finding any, it would be her. Theo would wince if he thought of the repercussions of that, so he just waved it away as closed the distance. Now that the actual threatening situation had passed, he could afford to move. Wandless magic was something he hadn't mastered, but it definitely wasn't for lack of trying. Still, a good trick or two was never too much to have whenever you were in this kind of situations.

Feeling the smooth texture of the wood in his fist again, Theo allowed a fraction of himself to relax. He wasn't defenseless without it - who self respecting wizard was? - but he felt safer, somewhat. Especially when you were in the midst of negotiation. Or was it even negotiation? Theo had a feeling she wouldn't budge on whatever she set her mind to, so wasting his breath would be futile in that aspect. Oh, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try. "So, Anna..." he started, simpering easily as he slipped into the role. Once the gears were shifted, it was oh so easy to continue. Trying to ignore the fact that he felt she had a slight edge on him in the physical attraction sense, he opted for the easy way out: talking. Mind games would most certainly play a major role in this charade, so he might as well start taking a feel of the territory. And really, the feral grin that spread over his features at the reference of territory was nothing more than pure unadulterated pleasure. So, could someone let the games begin? He had a feeling this would be increasingly fun. "I happen to be particularly territorial. So guess what? No flirting. I have to be your world, darling," he said fakely, his voice dripping honey as he smirked victoriously.

It was all about testing boundaries, wasn't it?

Not wanting to wait sedately for her reaction, he went on. "If not, the deal's off. You and your parents look rather foolish, your reputation goes to hell and your cold product. No self respecting pure blood will want to pick up the pieces. Yeah, I'll be sacrificing myself a bit as well, but it would be worth it" It was going to be consecutive establishments, whether she wanted or not. Things would go his way tonight. In this, Theo was determined. Taking a step closer to her, he looked down, wrapping his arm around her neck. It was a casual stance if you looked at it from an objective perspective. But being objective, you would also notice the slight pressure his hand was doing right at her neck. Small, almost unintended threats to get his point across. Nothing too serious. He knew the risks of getting too physical with Annabella. It was those kinds of interactions that would lead down a slippery slope called love

"I have no problem, touching you," he said, but this time, his smile was forced. "Can you say the same thing, though?" No need to name a challenge. He would resort to petty blows that could stem from there, but it was still new to him , the way he was going to be handling her from now on.

[annabella acardia bletchley]

she had always thought about how and who she would marry, though as a child, the idea of an arrangement didn't occur to her. as she grew older and began to understand the importance of keeping a bloodline pure, she became accustomed to the idea; that's really all it ever was. a hassle and an inconvenience involving two people. however, no matter how educated anna was on the subject of betrothals, she never thought she would be the girl getting handed off to a man her father chose. hell, she didn't see herself being "handed" off to a man at all. she had always been a firm believer in a nice double standard. some women, even most, were born to serve a man; to be handed off and sworn into a life of a devoted housewife. that was fine for them and miss bletchley could care less. unless, it was suggested she became one of them. that just wouldn't do. unfortunately for the man beside her, annabella wasn't one of them. she wasn't raised to cook meals and entertain herself in a cold, lovely and not at all loving house; which was exactly what a betrothal led to. miss bletchley was no fool; in her world, marriages were to join two wealthy and powerful families through their children. no matter how many times parents would assure their children that these arrangements were for the best and that they knew what was really going to make their child happy, annabella knew better. she knew that happiness wasn't ever going to come to her in a nice little package, bow and everything. if she wanted happiness, she was going to have to look awful hard. if she wanted love, well she was going to have to look even harder. however, if she ever found a man that basically could pass as prince charming, she would be more than willing to be the wife he dreamed of simpily because she wanted to. then and only then would she ever consider herself one of those girls.

annabella didn't believe in love. she had no idea what it looked like for starters, and therefore had no proof that it even existed. however, more than anyone could have predicted, she wanted it to be out there. she wanted someone to prove her wrong, and she wanted to see with with her own eyes, to feel it with her own heart. it was the best kept secret; annabella bletchley secretly looking for love? get out. luckily, she was able to keep that to herself. not that anyone would believe it in the first place.

patiently, she listened to the words he spoke. if he wanted silence while he was speaking, no matter how rudely he had demanded it, she was going to give it to him. hell, the blonde was more than happy to save her breath. it wasn't like he listened anyway, though he really should have. anna rarely lied, believe it or not. she manipulated and led people in the wrong direction, but she usually found the truth was an easier route. besides, she had no problem speaking what was on her mind. usually, she did it without even knowing it. feeling his hand and the pressure on her neck, the blonde sneered. he must have known exactly where the line was and just how far he could toe it. the little physical contact was subtle and could even pass for a "kind gesture", if annabella were a complete idiot. instead, she carefully waited for him to apply more pressure. in that case, she would simply turn around and hex him until it was physically impossible for him to touch her again. but as he went on, she had to roll her eyes and raise a curious brow. just because he was one of the men in the running for her hand of marriage, apparently mister delacour thought he was at the top of the food chain. didn't he know? paper beats rock. the rules he was laying down were absolutely absurd, obviously fueled by his inside knowledge of her betrothal situation. little did he know that no matter who her parents matched her with, which she had heard was down to him and reese parkinson, annabella wouldn't go through with it. one was her best friend, the other was apparently a controlling, delusional bastard. the way he spoke to her made her want to reduce him to dust right there and then, but at the same time, she was highly amused. did he honestly think waving her family's reputation in front of her face was going to scare her into marrying him and willingly devoting her life to serving him? there was always an alternative, as annabella had learned when she was just a child. there was always another path, a way out. and if there wasn't, she would have to carve one herself.

"do you honestly think i give a damn about what could happen if i refuse to play the role of your wife on theo's fantasy island?" she chuckled, shrugging away from his hand on her neck and stepping forward to pace in front of the table. she crossed her arms over her chest, her blonde hair bright in the corners of her eyes. she had to give him an 'a' for effort though. some girls could be threatened into doing what a man asked, but anna wasn't one of them. if he really did follow through with what he had suggested, meaning making a mockery out of her name and parents, the solution was simple. if he wanted to take their games to the next level, she had no choice but to agree, and in addition, destroy every delacour she could get her hands on. however, part of her couldn't help but to think part of theo wanted to marry her. she was everything pure-blooded men bid for and asked their parents to find. the difficulty level of the games she had mastered were far above any other girl in the entire university, though to be fair, he was the only one (men included) that could keep up with her. either way, attempting to threaten her into agreeing without a massive battle had been a nice thought. respectable, even. she didn't blame him for trying.

but she did blame him for being an arrogant bastard. the way he spoke to her with such invisible force was worth chuckling about; not for a second was she considering being frightened into caving, or agreeing to whatever he was going to ask of her. even though it looked as if they were going to be officially set to marry in the near future, not a drop of it meant anything to annabella. promises and words on paper were nothing compared to the personal decisions people made under pressure. softly chewing on her bottom lip, anna continued. "you can't frighten me into doing anything. i'll speak with who i want, when i want." she continued, turning to face him with a raised brow. slowly, she paced across the short distance separating them until she was directly in front of him. in fact, they were close enough to where she could have stuck her tongue out and touched him. slowly, she untied the belt of her jacket and let it slide off her shoulders, rustling slightly as it hit the floor.

annabella sighed and placed her hands on his torso, dragging them up his chest and over his shoulders. it took a great deal of control to even be able to put her hands on him after listening to the arrogant slurs he had just produced, but she needed to prove a point. "do i have a problem touching you?" she asked lightly, her voice a little above a whisper. "no." she paused, her green eyes focused as she gazed up at him with the trace of a smirk.

"but your rules?" she chuckled under her breath. he was a smart enough guy to finish her sentence for her. it was quite simple. annabella didn't do rules no matter who created them.

she needed one last thing that was sure to hit like she wanted it to. something that would take the point of his speech, disregard it, and throw the excess in his face. she needed a check point.

"i would like to see the ring."

[Theo Delacour]

Oh, he had a perfect reply for that right on the tip of his tongue, but smartly, he held it back. Apparently, Anna—or Annabella, whatever—was not done yet, and she wasn’t going to just lay down and take all he had to pile on her. Rolling his eyes, he also bit back an infuriated sigh. Just like him to think someone would do his bidding just because. He kept forgetting why it was that he had picked her in the multitude of Slytherins, and she made sure to remind him often of it. She had brains. Perhaps not the willpower or the patience to play along with his entertaining games, but she understood them to perfection, and thus, refused to be bogged down by them. Annabella could see right through him, and if that didn’t put him on the defensive, he didn’t know what else would. Another ruse would have to do otherwise he would just end up choking on water he could’ve easily treaded. And well, he needed Anna, as much as it chagrined him to finally admit it to himself fully, he needed her. An outstanding reputation was one of the top priorities here, but there were a lot of benefits that could be reaped from this arrangement. Eyes flashing, Theo glared at her glacially, his defenseless posture not settling well with his independent and commanding nature. Being at someone’s mercy had never been his forte. Could someone blame him for that? He was born to order, not to be ordered. Submission was never an option in his world. So if Annabella thought that he was going to get pushed around, she was sorely mistaken. There was no doubt in him that she could and would overpower his will if the opportunity presented itself, but he wasn’t going to give it to her.

“You are a fool for thinking that even for one second that I am forgetting that little detail,” he hissed with a certainty he was not feeling. No need for her to know that. Zero opportunities, that was Theo's game now. “I’m no idiot, Anna, so you better start switching your mind from the single-track you’ve kept it in for so long and use it. You’re not here with your stupid posse, who follows your every whim just because.” He paused as her hands finally landed over his shoulders, and even if he wanted to ratchet the physicality of their encounter up notch, he resisted and focused on what she had to say instead. This little meeting was going to be over; just because he wasn’t sure his mind would be able to handle much more. Over time he’d start building up a resistance wall against Annabella's normal effects over him, but all of this was still too new to handle for long periods of time. That would have to be remedied, but not tonight. Not tonight, when murder was becoming top priority in his thoughts. He needed a cool and level-head to think things through. “It is a game, Annabella. It’s a damn game, and not only because I say so, but because it’s foul to even consider we’d exist in each other’s ranges if it weren’t for a sick and twisted game. A game where we’re taking down people we don’t want up, a fucked up game we’re about to play. And that’s the cold, blunt truth of the issue, sweetie” he hissed, the endearment thrown accusingly as he stared down at her. Minor disadvantages that were starting to pile one atop of the other one, and Theo was starting to be buried in them. Needless to say, the imagery was not a pleasant one. “I want you to understand that this is something you can’t mess up with your stubborn ways,” he was playing with fire, but hell, if he was going to burn either way, might as well start now. Annabella was anything but stupid, but putting others down had always been his specialty, hadn’t it?

“We’re going to be together for as long as it takes us to get what we want, and then, it’s over.” He held up his index finger, interrupting her before she even said anything. Zero chances, zero chances… It had become a mantra inside his head, and by Merlin, he was sticking to it. “Number two,” he held up the next finger. “There will be exclusivity. At least publicly. I don’t care what you think about love, and I don’t care what your views of exclusivity are, but I refuse to be made a fool of in front of everyone. One misstep, Annabella, and its going to be hell. I won’t even end the charade, I will just step it up. You make me look like a fool; I make you look like a fool. Easy as that. Don’t think you’re the only one who can manage one-night stands. I don’t care what you do with your free time as long as nobody else but you and whatever gormless twit is accompanying you at that time are the only ones aware of it. Which brings me to rule number three,” he bit out. He was keeping his distance, three large steps back away from her with his back against a locked bookshelf as he spat out the guidelines to their charade. Theo was expecting her to snap at any given moment. He just knew it would happen, but wanted to get all of it out before it happened. Then it couldn’t be said that he hadn’t warned her. Unconditional love, between them? Not happening. They knew it, and even if they had tried to feed that tactic to the rest of the students, they wouldn’t have bought it. Not when it came from creatures like them both. Independent, fiercely overpowering and…adversaries, up to some point. “People have to see us together,” he glared at her before she thought of interrupting him. “Constantly.” Gritting his teeth together, he crossed his arms. That was it. Those were the three things that he was going to lay as ground rules. If she had anything else to add, then she could try and get a word in. That didn’t mean Theo was going to listen. “Do you have anything else to add?” he questioned smugly. He was going to die, after this. It was just going to happen. He knew it, and yet he didn’t seem capable of stopping himself from careening into that full crash that was bound to happen. People did not treat Annabella Bletchley like that. Then again, he wasn’t ‘people’. He was, after all, supposed to be her boylfriend. Thoughtlessly, a grin spread on his lips.

Look at that. What a novel concept

[annabella acardia bletchley]

his first layer was certainly his ego, and she was quickly slicing through that. apparently his ego was the dominant one in decision making and speaking as annabella was unable to catch anything that didn't revolve around theo. his second layer would have to be his competitive streak. although it was obvious what he had really asked her to meet him for, he wasn't willing to admit defeat, not even for a second. following the two primaries, in no particular order, was his manipulative, lying, bastard self. there wasn't enough words to even describe the many parts of him. hell, it seemed as if he changed every other day anyway, what was the point? crossing her arms back over her chest, annabella smirked as he backed away from her and leaned against the shelf. she sighed, crossing her legs at her ankles and raising a curious brow at him, enjoying the way she made him mentally squirm. no, she couldn't tell by looking at him and he hadn't said anything that tipped her off, but there was something about the way he was speaking that convinced her. he was so determined and set on one point, almost as if he had spent weeks planning what he was doing and telling himself not to be pulled off course by whatever she decided to throw his way. obviously, it was a reaction that he wanted, and he wasn't going to get it in the form of her agreeing to his sick and twisted little rules. she would play their game for only one reason. there were no rules. as soon as he started believing he had the right to control her...

well annabella would have to resist the urge to laugh in his face. not even her own father, pure-blood king, gave his daughter rules. annabella had her entire family wrapped so tight around her finger, she barely knew what rules were. apparently mister delacour was volunteering to be the one to teach her. that was fine, really, as long as he knew what happened when fire gets fucked with. either way, although she found his position amusing, the words he spoke were pissing annabella off. his whole 'king delacour' facade was making her gag, and certainly he took enjoyment in that. still, it was a natural reaction and instinct for the blonde; even the tone in which he spoke to her set off her bitch-impulse. she could have killed him. not in the i'm mad at you, this is what i could do sort of way, but in the literal sense. with her wand held loosely in her left hand, annabella could have turned on him and with a flash of green light, he would have been dead. like a sick child who had been handed a teddy bear, the thought made her feel slightly better. it was reassuring, if nothing else.

"i have what i want, theo. i have exactly what i want already, without you. i have money, power, position, and an outstanding reputation. i have exactly what you need." slowly, she advanced on him like a hunter and their prey, which was almost an accurate comparison. "funny how that works, isn't it? you need me and i don't even want you." yes, theo had certainly pissed her off. like a mother being fucked with while trying to protect her young, theo had picked and poked at her until she was ready to throw away the civil, verbal battle card. she was getting sick of his shit and those inane rules of his. "you need me. i'm the road to success for you and all you have to do is tie our family trees in a nice little bow."

unfortunately, darling, you need two ends of string to do that, and quite frankly, me and my end think your rules are bullshit. i don't follow rules, especially those brain stormed by you and your ego. keep your fantasies to yourself. i'm not going to hang on your arm like a shiny new toy." she continued her advance until she was directly in front of him, her hand on her hip and her green eyes blazing with a glare worthy of only two people. both of which were in that room. spinning her wand between her fingers, she lightly stuck the tip of it into his stomach, just as a little reminder of how far she could be pushed before she cracked. before she'd snap her fingers and watch his life fall around her. it had happened before; anna had no problem doing it to people who deserved it. however, she was no fool. she knew taking theo down wouldn't be as easy as the others because he put up a good fight. it made her nose wrinkle in disgust to even acknowledge it, but she liked that about him. it set him apart.

"threats don't work on me. i'm not frightened in the slightest. come after my family and i, theo. you'll only give me a new sport to play. you're one of a hundred bachelors; you could be replaced. stop trying to play the 'holier than thou' card and get to your point. though if you still plan on making it, i highly suggest doing so on your hands and knees at my feet." perhaps she was being hypocritical by bringing up his ego; she certainly had one of her own that was equal in size. however, unlike theo, she didn’t let hers do all the talking. well, not all the time. though she chose to stress the fact that he was one of a hundred bachelors and he could be replaced, she knew very well what the situation was. it looked as if theo was going to be the last man standing. when most girls would have been happy to have a man like theo in the running for their hand, annabella knew better. she knew better than to give a man power over her.

especially if that man was theo delacour.

[Theo Delacour]

If only he could bring himself wrap his hands around that neck of hers and press until it snapped…simply imagining it was making his pulse race, his hands trembled as his fingers flexed. He yearned to do that, but instead? Instead he was stuck on clenching fists and glaring daggers. Feeling petty was not his specialty. But that was all he could do for now, and it angered him more because Annabella knew this, and was taking absolute advantage out of it. Merlin, he wasn’t getting anywhere with this. He needed to leave, but if he just upped and left right then, it’d be as if he lost this little battle, and by any means, that was not going to happen. A flash of fear passed through his eyes for a moment, as he realized that, indeed, he was alone in this. There wouldn’t be anyone to back him up as soon as this deal was completely sealed, and nobody knew for how long this little charade would go on. He had just made it pretty clear that it didn’t matter for how long it went on, so long as they each got what they wanted. But would Annabella ever get that? Because it seemed that as soon as she reached a minor victory, she’d only want more, and more, and…Theo's eyes widened minutely. The simple thought was enough to send anyone toppling over the edge, but Theo gripped his stability with fingers that had had too much experience. Breathe in deeply. He was just giving her more ammunition than what was absolutely necessary. “There are others you know, consider yourself lucky love that I've chosen you instead,” he said, saccharine sweet. “Why do you insist on underestimating me? ” And she was, so she shouldn’t even try to deny it. According to Theo's perspective, Annabella Bletchley thought she had the advantage merely just because, and in his mind, that would never be possible. He needed to make it more than clear just how wrong she was upon making that assumption. Arrogance had always been his forte, had it not? He just had to learn how to manipulate it better in order to make Anna tick. But then again, that horrible factor that was now missing was what kept him from doing so: time. Time, time, time. Theo could almost hear the slow ticking of the clock, slowing down even more as he stood there, before her, the two of them not willing to back off as they dueled for a non-existent placement of the hierarchy they were about to establish in their own little monopoly. It was pointless, this little affair they had started up. They would never back down until they were sure the other one was the loser, and none of that would happen any time soon.

Whilst Theo was confident in his strong point, his mind games, his quick tongue and wit, Annabella was confident in her inherent superiority, dangling it in front of him like a repressed metaphor of how marred and warped all of this was. And so they would keep on battling, retreating a few steps, but never leaving, dancing around each other, each one delivering blows that got lower and lower as time passed. And it would only get worse. Worse because they would spend time together, worse because they would start getting used to each other instead of used by each other. Worse because they would become insensitive to the other’s barbs and jabs and power until there was nothing left but the plain, raw and unbridled truth and distortion, and they would eat each other alive. There would be no mercy, no compassion, no sense of loyalty whatsoever. They had never had those too developed to begin with, and with each other, they would just wither away in the light of their hatred. And that hate would only escalate. Escalate because sooner or later, they would start seeing themselves reflected on the other. See what they hated most about themselves starting to show on their opponent. Because it’s always the flaws that bleed into you, and spread like a disease, until you’re infected to the point of mirror imagery. The sole thought was enough to make him feel repulsed to the point of being sick, but of course, pride kept him grounded to the spot. He was almost panting with the need for space, oxygen and sanity, all in that respective order. Having Annabella Bletchley in the same room as him was an asphyxiating experience. She used up so much energy, and his focus was blasted to death whenever she was around. She invoked so many unpleasant sensations in him, the majority of them unwelcome as they came. Because he refused to admit there was attraction somewhere buried deep beneath the scorn and disdain; he refused to acknowledge that respect would surely blossom out of this whole ordeal, no matter how lenient he was on the affair. No, no, no. He was getting good at thinking this through. All he needed now was for her to step back, and he’d be fine.

But since when did fate actually favor him?

Annabella stepped closer and closer, until she had jabbed in her wand into his stomach. A light contact, but one that made him shiver in revulsion nonetheless. This was something he was going to have to endure for an eternity, and for a moment he found himself re-thinking the whole thing. Had it actually been as good and vile as he thought it would be? Vile, surely. Good? Theo felt the need to laugh. Nothing good could possibly be engendered from this. Only black, black malice. Choking back hysteria, he glared fiercely at her, finding it was the only thing he was capable of doing at the moment. He was rooted to the spot, not being able to bring his hands up to push her away, or push her closer in a vindictive fashion. Because surely the disgust and bile he felt rising at the back of his throat could not be one-sided? It took every ounce of strength he had to do the unthinkable...he bent close to her face, and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. He wasn’t sure what her reaction would be, but best leave her with the same inching feeling of dirtiness that she left him with. He stalked over to the door, pausing his hand on the doorknob, before looking over at her with a vicious grin. “See you at breakfast, babe.” So what if he was digging himself a grave. They wouldn’t call him reckless if he didn’t spit in death’s face. He had a reputation to live up to.

[annabella acardia bletchley]

she gazed up at him with curious eyes, wondering what exactly had convinced him to change the path of his plans. less than three minutes ago, he was set on establishing rules and manipulating her into becoming arm candy. but now, he was retreating, was he not? she had to admire, though, even as he was clearly removing himself from the situation, he continued to throw comments her way, all of which were clearly meant to irritate the hell out of her. rolling her eyes, annabella tucked her wand into the back pocket of her jeans and bit her tongue as he bent to kiss her cheek. it was best to let him leave and let the whole kiss thing slide. like all their little "battles", they were -most likely- both leaving feeling victorious. each thought they had taken the cake simply because their pride wouldn't let them see it any other way. both refused to lose, and unless someone clearly came out on top, they'd each go home claiming to come out on top over the other one. however, annabella knew better than to count theo out. she'd claim the win for this one solely because she had driven him to leave the place he had entered and claimed first while making sure he didn't achieve what he came for.

“Why do you insist on underestimating me?”

she raised a brow and watched as he paced toward the same door she had entered through. even now, while he was quickly approaching the other side of the room, anna could feel her skin rejecting the small, tingling patch his lips had touched. she scowled. did he know he was going to do that? of course he did; he was a smug bastard himself. quickly wiping her cheek with the palm of her hand, the blonde turned and slid back up onto the table, laying back, but still watching as he gripped the door knob. despite all her questions and curiosity, doubt and uncertainty, she couldn't help but to chuckle softly. their games, as they liked to call them, were childish to a certain degree, though anna highly doubted they would ever grow out of it. the only way she would ever be able to stop competing with theo was if she started to feel something other than hatred for him. she would have to care, even a little bit, in order to step back. her chuckling turned to laughter. in order for her to do that, he was going to have to go from complete sly bastard to someone she could respect. perhaps that wasn't true, though, because in more ways than one, she did respect him. however, that didn't change the facts. he was an arrogant prick. would she have it any other way? her laughter stopped at the thought. of course she would, right? rolling onto her side, annabella smirked at him, sitting up to swing her legs off the side of the table. breakfast? he was intentionally playing with fire. even if she was taking the win, he wasn't done playing. so why did she underestimate him?

she didn't. not in the slightest. however, there were certain parts to her tactics that he would never understand. a perfect example being why she let him think she underestimated him, while at the same time, mentally giving him credit for being as manipulative as she was. ugh. another thing they had in common. absently waving a lazy hand in his direction, annabella smirked, deciding she'd give herself a pat on the back once he was really out of the library. see? she didn't underestimate him; not for a second. "because perhaps i know you better than you think i do, darling." she stated, forcing herself to add the sweet little name to the end. "goodnight." she added, sarcastically blowing him a kiss.