Trenale Without a Map (Also Nikolay)

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“Well, I’ve only ever really seen him from afar,” said Nikolay wondering how much he was really allowed to say on the matter, “but uh…yes. Very stylish. I hear a lot about him but I’m guessing only half of it is true.”

He tried to laugh a little but it probably just came off sounding a bit awkward. He never knew how people would react when you were talking about their siblings. Some would join in and some would rush to their defence. It was always a touchy subject and could change from sibling to sibling. For example if someone had made a slur against Arkady then…well….Arkady could take care of himself, but if it was Natlaya….well….

“Must be great being sister to one of the most popular guys in school.”

[meredith]

"I don't even know how much of it is true," Meredith rolled her eyes "I think he enjoys keeping people guessing, so he only denies or confirms things when he feels like it."

She did join in his laugh, partly noticing how awkward it was and wanting to make him feel a little more at ease - until of course he spoke again and her face immediately fell. She didn't intend to take it out on him, but she shook her head quite firmly.

"It is most decidedly not," she stated "he tries to avoid me as much as possible I think, potentially because I am the exact opposite of 'one of the most popular guys in school'. Or at home. I'm not exactly Tristian's type of person, we don't really get along."

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It was clearly not a subject she wanted to discuss and he felt bad for touching on something she clearly wasn’t comfortable with. In a bid to help bridge the divide he said, “I can relate to that. My brother wishes we weren’t related I’m sure. Sometimes I wonder how we could be as well we’re so different.”
 
Of course he was sure Tristian and Meredith didn’t physically fight over their differences, sadly the same couldn’t be said for the two Pavlovich brothers. They’re whole childhood had just been a series of burst lips, bruised knuckles and broken noses. Really, he didn’t know how their parents had been able to pay the medical bills.
 
“But…when I need him, I mean really need him, I know he’s got my back,” said Nikolay, not really knowing if what he was saying was true, “I know I can count on him to be on my side.”
 
Liar.
 
“I’m sure your brother is the same,” said Nikolay with a smile.

[meredith]

"I know what you mean," she smiled slightly "but then I suppose my whole family is different to each other..." maybe it was the combination of parentage that made them all so variable, or maybe unconsciously siblings just didn't want to be anything like each other. It was easier to be judged as your own person when you were different to everybody else, so maybe that was it.

"Tristian...." she paused for a moment looking skeptical, before laughing slightly "He probably would, maybe, I think... I'm pretty sure the way it works with most of us is that nobody gets to be mean to us except him, so if anybody else started... well, he probably would have our backs."

Sure it was difficult to say something nice about her brother, but she knew it was true. He'd go right back to being a bitch as soon as the new enemy was out of the way, of course, but he'd defend them when they really needed it.

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“Right,” said Nikolay with a smile, “well…uh…look I shouldn’t be keeping you here like this, you probably have places to be, things to do, and I should really be getting back, I’ve got my job to go too…”

He shrugged the strap of the bag he was carrying further up his shoulder and winced at the pain of it. Bad idea, he quickly smiled trying to cover up for the wince and said, “I think the Academy is over that way, so…we should probably walk in that direction.”

Laughing a little he said, “unless you want to use some magic and just…’poof’ us over there.”

[meredith]

Meredith nodded, realising that stopping to talk hadn't exactly been the most productive way of finding her way back to the academy, but at least it had been an enjoyable experience and she didn't exactly have anything she had to rush back for.

"We should probably start walking in general," she laughed slightly, starting to do just that, heading in the direction he'd indicated. "I wish I could do that with magic. My dad can, but it took him years to learn how and I don't think he can take anybody else with him. I guess there's some things even magic can't do for you."