**Warning: alcohol, smoking, suggestion of PTSD
Kai looked down at her watch. She had just finished putting away her things and realized that it was almost 7:30 pm. Her stomach growled and she decided to check out the dining hall.
She grabbed the leather jacket that she had left on the couch and her wand from the table in the kitchen. She placed the wand in her boot and put the jacket on. Grabbing the key, she stepped outside and locked the door before heading down the road to the dining hall.
An owl hooted a greeting at her as she walked down the road. Happy hunting night brother, she thought in response.
Ten minutes later, she was pulling open the door of the large building. The room was large and furnished with four long wooden tables. There was a serving line in the back and she walked over that way. She slowly walked down the line, glancing at the options. Most of it was meat and she sighed internally. She had been vegetarian for four years now and just couldn't bring herself to eat meat anymore. She loaded her plate up with veggies and grabbed a bowl of veggie soup with a side of bread and turned to find out where she should sit.
Kai slowly glanced around the room taking everything in. There were about three or four groups of people, mostly men, siting at three different tables. She spotted a bright spot of blonde hair and recognized Chelsea, who looked up and waved her over with a smile.
She smiled back and headed over to sit next the girl who was animatedly talking to an attractive man with brunette hair and a week's worth of hair growth. She noticed his bright green eyes and smiled a hello to him.
"Kailani! Hi! I'm glad I caught you," The bubbly blonde gave Kai a side hug. "Everyone!" Chelsea raised her voice to get the table's attention. "This is Kailani. She's our new healer. Kailani, this is everyone."
"Hopefully you last longer than the last dozen," another handsome man spoke with a twinkle in his eyes, "I definitely wouldn't mind you sticking around." He was blonde and clean shaven with close cropped hair. His eyes scanned her face and he winked at her. She laughed off his advance and took a moment to look around the room. Most of the people in the room were men, only one other, older woman, besides Kai and Chelsea. And every single man that she saw was fit and fairly attractive, ranging in ages from young, looking barely out of adulthood, to men who might be nearing forty. She internally smirked at herself, but corrected dirty mental thoughts almost immediately. She wasn't just passing through the sanctuary. She would be here for a while. She couldn't just let anyone warm her bed otherwise things would get messy. And she didn't want to be "that girl".
"What do you mean the last dozen?" Kai asked the blonde man, tilting her head to the side and frowning. Was there something driving people away?
"Charlie's driven the past twelve or so healers out of the sanctuary because they 'weren't up to the standards'" he shrugged. Of course the cold, ruthless giant she met earlier was the reason why so many healers didn't last. "I'm Kellen by the way. You're American? Where in the States are you from?" He reached out to shake her hand.
"Hi, please call me Kai. And yes, I was born in Hawaii, but I'm kind of from all over the place," she shook his hand and began to eat her food.
"I've never been. But if all the women look like you, I'm asking Charlie for a vacation next week," Kellen smiled at her and she laughed, rolling her eyes.
"I don't know. We island girls can be a lot to handle," she smirked at him. She enjoyed his flirting. And the proper English accent was an added bonus. That was the best part of living overseas, the accents.
Kellen scoffed at her laughing, "I work with dragons. I got this."
She appreciated that he could joke and instantly felt at ease. She got to know the rest of the people at the table. Kellen, she learned, was 27, from the UK, and had been at the sanctuary for nearly four years. He was the second in command, after Charlie. Cooper, the brunette man that Chelsea was talking to, was 26, from Ireland, and had been at the sanctuary for about six months. She learned that Chelsea was from London and was only a year older than Kai's 24 years. She suddenly realized that she was the youngest one there.
Nerves sank into her stomach. She was confident in her abilities, but how was she going to get the respect of those she took care of? The best case scenario was that no one got hurt, and no one was able to her heal, leaving Charlie doubting her abilities. The worst case, she let a shiver of disgust trace down her spine, keeping her face neutral and pleasant to those around her. She didn't want to think about the worst case scenario.
The group chatted as they finished eating and Kai began to loosen up and started to feel felt like she fit in, her nerves at being accepted began to slowly drift away. Granted, she was very used to adjusting to her surroundings, but for the first time in her life, she truly felt comfortable. There was no looking over her shoulder or worrying, trying to outrun the darkness of her past. Charlie wouldn't let anyone into the sanctuary that didn't belong. She was finally free.
"We're heading to the pub. You coming, Kai?" Chelsea grinned standing up from the table. She nodded in response. She could use a drink after today. The crew wandered down the road toward the center of the village and ducked into the pub. The weather was still brisk in Romania in the middle of March and they all breathed into their hands to warm them up. They found a table in the back, and Cooper went to grab everyone drinks.
Kai watched Chelsea's eyes following the man with a faint smile on her face. "What's the deal with you two?" she asked her quietly with a smug look on her face. It might not be as distinctly obvious as an animal in heat, but Kai noticed a lot, including the other girl's lusty gaze.
"What?" Chelsea's blue eyes widened as she looked at Kai. "Nothing," She responded too quickly and a light blush spread across her cheeks.
"The blush on your face says otherwise," Kai teased her gently.
Chelsea's blush deepened. "I like him," her voice was quiet and hesitant, keeping the murmur between the two of them. "But we've been friends for so long now. It seems like if he had wanted to do something about it then he would have by now."
Kai only nodded in response. She understood that feeling. And she knew there wasn't much she could say to make Chelsea feel better, so she opted to keep her mouth shut.
Cooper returned with their drinks and Kai watched as he brushed his hand against Chelsea's and intentionally took a seat next to her, even though there was an open one next to Kai. Maybe there was hope for the two of them yet. She bit her lip, preventing a smile from crossing her face.
"So what kind of standards am I supposed to live up to?" Kai asked in a brief lull in the conversation. The question that had been in the back of her mind all day and she took another sip of her beer. She had been fairly quiet most of the night, choosing to listen and watch the group of friends talk and tease each other. They all turned to face her and she clarified, "If Charlie has fired so many healers, what do I need to do to stay?"
The group deferred to Kellen, their command chief at work and the leader of their group. He sighed, rubbing his chin as he pondered the question. "Charlie can be.. difficult. He didn't always use to be as closed off as he is. I mean he's always been steady and aloof, but.. the war was hard on him. I just don't think he can stand the idea of losing anything or anyone else he cares about. I think the previous healers just weren't up to the task of working with dragons or," he paused, frowning, "understanding the nuances that we work around, which is really what this place needs. It takes a certain mentality to handle them, and they just didn't have what it takes. But Chelsea said that you've worked with dragons before right?"
She frowned when he mentioned "nuances". What does that mean?
"Yeah, There's a sanctuary in Asia where I worked with them for a bit," she nodded, shrugging off whatever thoughts she had about what Kellen was trying to imply. She would find out soon enough.
"Well then you'll be fine!" Kellen grinned. "You've just got to learn to handle Charlie's moods. If you can handle dragons, you can survive him. Like I said, he can be difficult. But he really has been through a lot, and he's got a good heart underneath it all." Kai saw sadness flash across Kellen's face before it brightened again when someone walked into the bar. "Speak of the devil! Charlie!" He waved the ginger over.
She could see Charlie purse his lips, but he headed their direction. She finished her drink as he came over and she stood to get another. "Who needs another?" She asked the group and everyone nodded. "What are you drinking?" She asked her boss as she tried to shuffle past him. He hadn't backed up from his spot next to the chair, and she found herself very close to him. This close, he loomed over her. She looked up at him, waiting for him to answer her question, and tripped over the chair. She felt strong hands grip her arm above her elbows, steadying her.
"Whatever everyone is drinking is fine," His voice was deep and Kai caught his eyes again. Grey. His eyes were a light grey, like a storm over the ocean, but his face was unreadable. She ripped her eyes away and he dropped his hands from her arms as if he had been burned. She nodded, heading toward the bar. She took a deep breath and realized her heart was beating much faster than it should, especially considering that interaction was with her boss. She could still feel his large hands gripping her, tight but gentle, a tingling sensation where they had been.
She turned as the drinks were placed in front of her and realized that she wouldn't be able to carry all five, when a hand reached around and grabbed two of the drinks. Kai smiled thankfully as she turned to her savior, and realized that the hand that grabbed the drinks was Charlie's. "T-Thank you," she stammered.
"No problem," he shrugged, turning back to the table. She sighed. She didn't care that he kept things professional, but it felt like he couldn't even stand to be around her. She grabbed the remaining three beers and headed back toward the table. Charlie had taken her original seat, meaning she didn't have to crawl over him to get in, but the chair open next to him was still way too close for her. She squeezed into the seat that was too close to the wall and way, way too close to him, her heart hammering inexplicably in her chest.
Kai looked down at her beer, letting her hair fall into her face. She was honestly just trying to ignore the fact that she could feel Charlie's leg against hers, sending brief shivers of pleasure through her. She had no idea why he was affecting her the way that he was. She had known him less than twenty-four hours. It hadn't even been that long since she last had sex. It must just be physical chemistry she was feeling. She had never felt something like this with anyone else, but as long as emotions didn't get involved, she would be fine. She could ignore the constant tension that she felt throughout her body when she was around him. She was an adult and a professional. She would just ignore it the chemistry. She took a deep breath and a large sip of her beer before rejoining the conversation.
"So Kai, you worked at a sanctuary in Asia?" Cooper asked her. He had his arm casually laying across the back of Chelsea's chair and Kai couldn't help but send her a secret knowing smile that was answered with a wink from the other girl.
"Yeah," a soft smile emerged on her lips as she recalled the time spent in Asia. It was one of the most wonderful years of her life and she would forever be thankful for everything she learned.
"Well tell us about it then!" Kellen egged her on with a laugh. "What creatures did they have there?"
"Oh all sorts!" Kai's eyes lit up as she began to explain her work with the creatures in Asia. "They had the most beautiful dragons. One of them, Cui, was this stunning emerald color. I've never seen anything like her. She was a water dragon and watching her fly after her wing was healed was magnificent. They had phoenixes, unicorns, griffins, and a couple other creatures that are native to the area,"
"Is it true that you can't lie around a griffin?" Kellen cut in, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
She nodded, smiling. She loved being surrounded by people who were as intrigued as she was by creatures, "You can't even think a lie around them. You can try, but none come to mind or roll off the tongue. And the whole place is run by these monks and they taught me so much about all the creatures and healing magic and.." she trailed off as she realized what she was about to say in her excitement discussing the place that had become her first home.
"And what?" Charlie prompted her. He had his chin resting on his hand with his elbow on the table and was studying her intensely.
"And about myself," she responded quietly, looking down at her beer. She took another large gulp, finishing her drink, then realized that was probably the reason that she almost spilled everything. "I better head home. Apparently, I have an early morning tomorrow," She gave Charlie a pointed look. She was half tempted to stick her tongue out at him, but knew he probably wouldn't take that well, and she wasn't looking to get fired before she even actually started.
He gave her a glare in response before finishing his beer and standing up. "I need to head out too. I'll walk you back," He nodded goodbye at the group and followed Kai out the door.
"I don't need a babysitter, you know," she grumbled as Charlie walked next to her down the road. "Like I get that you don't trust me, which I don't understand why by the way," she glared at him, "but I don't think there's much trouble I can get into in a ten minute walk back to the cottages." There was a nip in the air and it made her grumpy. She reached into right pocket and grabbed the pack of cigarettes and a lighter she always kept there. She brought the cigarette to her lips and lit it, taking a deep inhale, breathing in the calm and letting it wash over her.
"Those things will kill you, you know," Charlie raised his eyebrows, reaching over and grabbing the cigarette. Kai gasped quietly as his fingers brushed her lips, leaving a trail of electricity burning on them. Before she even knew what was happening, he was taking a puff from her cig. She rolled her eyes and grabbed another one from the pack, lighting it up.
The pair walked in silence for a bit before Kai broke it. "I'm not going to let you run me out of here," she spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful night, but determination threaded through her voice. "I know that I can do this job." Stubbornness ran like fire through her veins. It always had.
"We'll see," Charlie's quiet response made her lips flatten into a disappointed line.
"Why do you hate me so much?" she stopped in her tracks. She was exasperated with the man. And she wouldn't let him scare her. She had dealt with horrible, ruthless men in her past and had cowered. She was done being afraid of them, and she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "I haven't even been here for 24 hours and you've already decided that I need to leave. What is it? What did I do?" she flourished her words with her arms, cigarette hanging from her fingers.
"I don't hate you, Kailani," Charlie ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Kai," She interrupted him.
He narrowed his eyes and glared at her for the interruption. "I don't hate you. I just don't trust you. You're too young and too inexperienced to be working here."
"My age?!" She squawked, fury heating her face. "That's your problem with me? I'm too young?" Disgust laced through the word as her anger simmered, a roaring animal in her chest.
"And inexperienced," he added cooly, "The injuries that happen here can be intense, for the trainers and for the dragons that we bring in. I can't afford to have anyone else die. Too many have died already," he looked away as he almost whispered the last words of his sentence. Kai could tell his mind was somewhere far, far away. She stuffed her anger away for the moment, the healer in her taking over.
"Charlie?" she tried to quietly bring him back to the here and now, but it was like he didn't even hear her. "Charlie?" She tried again a little louder, putting her hand on his arm. "Hey, come back," but he still didn't hear her. She sighed in sadness. She had seen this before in muggles in Vietnam during her travels. Leaving her left hand on his arm, she lifted her right hand to his cheek, directing his eyes to look at her face. It was like he was barely seeing her. She bit her lip, debating about whether or not she wanted to what she needed to do. One more look at Charlie and the pain in his face, and she didn't even think twice.
Kai closed her eyes and deepened her breathing. She looked inside herself and saw the gold light of her magic. She slowly used her mind to grab a tiny strand of the light, pulling it up through her body and directing it through the hand that moved from Charlie's cheek to his temple and gently nudged the magic into his head. Using the light of her magic as an extension of herself, she slowly eased into Charlie's mind and felt like she was watching a movie. She saw horrifying images of a war that were replaying over and over in his mind, trapping him. She tried to look away as she saw the images that flashed; only catching brief glimpses of spells and death. She wanted to help him, not pry. She shaped her magic into a temporary barrier around the hurt part of his mind where those memories were kept. The barrier wouldn't last forever; it was unhealthy to avoid emotional pain instead of dealing with it, but it was enough to ground him back in reality.
She dropped her hands to her side, giving him a moment. "Hey, you ok?" She looked up at him, plastering a confused look onto her face. She had a feeling that if he knew she went into his mind, he wouldn't even let her grab her things before he dragged her to the Ministry's doorstep and fired her.
Charlie blinked and shook his head, seeming surprised to be standing in front of her. "What did you do?" He frowned, suspicion all over his face.
"Nothing," she shrugged her shoulders and started walking toward the cabins again. "Want to talk about what just happened?" She glanced back at him as he started to follow her, his large strides easily catching up to her.
"Nothing happened," the tone of his voice was clear that he wasn't up for speaking, but Kai saw the look of guilt flash across his face.
"Ok," she shrugged her shoulders again. She wasn't going to push. She had her own things that she didn't want to talk about. Instead, she just took a long puff of her cig and they settled into an uncomfortable silence the rest of the way, finishing their cigarettes.
She stopped in front of her cabin, throwing the cigarette butt in the trash can near the door as Charlie did the same. She stuck the key in the door and unlocked it.
"Thanks for babysitting me, Mr. Weasley," Kai turned around and couldn't stop the sarcastic words from falling off her tongue.
"I have to, Miss Lee," a dangerous smirk danced on his face as he stepped close and backed her against her door. His hands were casually in his pockets, as he dipped his head towards her. She felt her heart rate pick up immediately. "You never know what monsters are hiding in the dark," He murmured quietly into her ear. She felt him chuckle as her breath got caught in her throat, and she hated that he could tell how her body was reacting. Arrogant bastard. She figured he was doing it to try to scare her. She hoped he thought her body was reacting to fear, the goosebumps along her neck from his words and not the closeness of his large body or his breath on her neck.
"Monsters don't scare me anymore, Charlie Weasley," She stuck her chin out as she did her best to keep her voice even and not as breathless as she felt. Don't show any fear. And that was true. She could handle any magical beast, no matter how terrifying. This man, however, was lighting a fire in her that she had never felt. "And neither do you." With that, she stalked into her cabin and slammed the door in his face, leaning against it on the other side, trying to catch her breath.
Monsters didn't scare Kai, but the feelings that Charlie Weasley gave her, definitely did.
Kai has a secret... Thanks for reading <3
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Photo from https://localiarreda.it/consigli/design/come-arredare-un-pub-in-stile-inglese-irish-e-moderno/
~M