I cant wait to see you again (Tate and Ivanka)

Taden drummed his fingers on his knee to a song running through his head, he watched with bright eyes at those that passed. Today he was in a tree, watching as people walked by unaware of his presence. He listened to families talk, couples argue, and friends make jokes. Today, he was in a very good mood.

Today school wasn't in session, which meant that he didn't have to deal with the cruel kids that he was forced to call 'peers'. Today he didn't plan on seeing any of the Lestrange's; therefore today he was sure was going to continue on in it's splendor.

However, he wasn't expecting to see her. Her name was Ivanka Vorstenbach, and she his age. He knew her from school, though he was sure that she didn't know anything about him, she probably didn't even know his name.

But today, yes today, he would change that.

He waited until she passed under the tree, before he dropped down loudly behind her.

Ivanka was walking by the courtyard again. A few days before, Donnica Lestrange had tried to beat her up, but thankfully she didn't succeed. Well, if she did succeed, Vanka would probably stay home and rant to her mother about her technique and throw daggers across the living room or the practice room or the courtyard, anywhere suitable, really.

Vanka had just waved her mother off as she and Ellie went off to go shopping. Sometimes the other girl wondered if Lena liked Ellie more than she did her niece, but then again, Lena sometimes forgot Ellie's middle name when asked.

As Vanka was by a tree, she felt something - or someone - fell down on her. She shrieked, and she turned around to see who it was. She had no idea who it was, except that he looked a little familiar. "Vittu!" she shrieked. "Mitä vittua oikein teet? Irti minusta, senkin paskiainen. Miksi edes haluat pudota minua kuitenkaan, idiootti? Vakavasti. Hanki vittu irti minusta!*"

---

*What the fuck are you doing? Get off me, you bastard. Why do you even want to fall on me anyway, you idiot? Seriously. Get the fuck off me!

Tate cursed himself and jumped off the girl, reaching down to help her up. That was just the way to introduce himself, he spat as he scolded himself. "Sorry" He said flashing her an impossibly white smile. "I didn't mean to fall on you." He said, it was truthful, he meant to just jump down right behind her, not on her.

"Of course you're sorry! And you better have not aimed for me!" she shrieked, her finger stabbing his chest. "If you're not sorry and you wanted to aim for me, I could have cut you in half. I swear to Merlin I will!

"Anyway, enough of that," Vanka sighed, her tone becoming softer now. "I'm Ivanka. You?"

Tate laughed at her sudden change in demeanor. "The names Taden, call me Tate though... never really cared for the name." He stuck out his hand, to shake hers. "I really didn't mean to fall on you." He stated, smiling at her again.

She really was beautiful.

"Alright then, Tate," Ivanka replied, a bitter edge to her tone. She chose to ignore the apology, since apologizing, to her, was a sign of weakness. "You might as well call me Vanka."

Pursing her lips, Vanka then added, "So. What brings you here?"

Taden bit the inside of his lip, a mannerism he only did when in thought... which was close to always. "I'm a people watcher." He stated simply with a small shrug of his shoulders.

He wondered why she seemed bitter, of course he had just fallen on her and that could've turned her mood sour.... but it seemed like there was something more.

"Ha, and I like pink and faeries are real," Vanka spat. "Tell me, Tate. Are you sure you're not looking out for someone and trying to kill them? Like me, for example?" She then took a few steps back from him. "Everyone at school wants to kill me, and I'm sure you're one of them."

Tate raised his left eyebrow, she was a bit... paranoid. "I dont want to kill you." He said simply, she must've really never paid any attention to him.

He could remember the second year of their schooling when a Donnica Lestrange had been particularly rude to Ivanka, Donnica seemed to have it out for her. He had been walking down the halls, quietly, when Donnica had pushed into Ivanka and Ivanka had pushed back. It wasn't long before Donnica and her friends had Ivanka cornered, and were about to jump her. Tate had realized, then, that he had stopped walking to view the commotion. And before he could stop himself he found himself calling out to the Lestrange.

Donnica's misplaced anger on Ivanka had been directed at Tate now, and ever since the Tate was terrorized by the oldest Lestrange Child, Jarlan.

That was the first and only time that Ivanka and Tate had ever been close enough to have a conversation, not that they did. Tate didn't blame her for not remembering him.

"Well, are you out to seriously injure or maim me, then?" Ivanka asked. "That will work too."

She then gestured to her pocket and slowly began to draw out her dagger.

Tate shook his head, keeping the debonair smile plastered on his face. "I promise, I mean no harm." He gestured to his body, assuring her that she could search him for any weapons, he didn't even bring his wand. "Unless you believe I'm going to attack you with my fists, which wouldn't end very well for me. I've seen you fight before, you're a rather good fighter."

"Oh, alright then," Vanka replied. She removed her hand from her dagger and let it hung loose by her sides. She then smirked at Tate's compliment. "I'm not as good as some of my family, but thanks," she replied.

"You're family has to fight a lot?" He asked, he didn't like the politics of the war they were literally in the epicenter of, but if it meant that he could talk longer to Ivanka then he'd talk about them all day long.

"No, not exactly," she sighed. "Just my Mum. My other aunt died ages ago, and my dad ran away with my mother to America to escape all of this." She shook her head. "And I hear I have another aunt, but Mum won't tell me who it is."

"Your dad ran away with your mother... so your mom is who?" He asked, unless she had two moms which was relatively impossible her 'mum' must be another female relative.

He liked getting to know her, maybe she would speak to him this year when classes started up again.

"I cant wait unitl I'm old enough to get away from this shit." He stated, kicking at the ground absent-mindedly.

Ivanka scratched her head, "My mum is my aunt, really. My dad's sister. My mother is my... uh, mother. The one that gave birth to me and yadda yadda. I don't care. I love my mum more than anything in the world. Okay, maybe as much as Ellie."

Vanka shook her head, "You know you can't. They might as well try to trap us here or something."

Tate smiled, sometimes he wished he had a sibling, or anything that resembled such. Growing up completely alone with a step father that hated you, and no real father at all; was a really bad way for a young boy to grow up.

He let out a short laugh. "Thats true, this village is a black whole." He said stiffly, wondering if there would ever be a turn around with the Dark Regime.

Vanka smiled sadly, "You have it easier. Your mum didn't go to school with the Lestranges as young people and made war with them to try and save the world." Shaking her head and looking up at the sky, she whispered, "I can't get out, not when this war is going on. Lena needs me to keep her sane. Ellie needs me to talk to. Dommi needs me because I know the truth." Vanka opened her mouth to include Alex in the mix but chose to say nothing. It wasn't appropriate, especially when she was around someone as nice as Tate.

"How come you never sit with me or Ellie at school?" she asked. "You'll be better off with the likes of us."

Taden resisted the urge to explain to her just how rough his life was. He wasn't big on self pity, but he also didn't want her thinking he had no reason to react to situations the way that he did.

Maybe that was a conversation for another time, he figured.

He let a bashful, but utterly debonair, smile grace his face at her offer. Things were definitely looking up.

"I'm a loner." He stated simply, with a small shrug of his shoulders. "And I figured that you wouldn't want to be associated with me. The lestrange siblings like to fuck with myself and my company. Befriending me would make Donnica strive to be a bigger bitch to you than she already is."

Vanka sighed. "I can handle her," she replied calmly. "I can always handle her. Having an awesome mum lets me do so." She smirked to herself. "You need friends, dude." She laughed rather lightly. "You need proper friends like me and Ellie, when we can keep you safe." She then rolled her eyes. "Okay, not Ellie, but I will."

Taden smiled at her, "You are going to keep me safe?" He asked laughing lightly. "Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

Vanka shook her head. "Just 'cause I'm a girl doesn't mean that I'm weak," she smirked. "I mean... you've seen my dagger."

"I never called you weak, nor do I think that you are." He said as he moved to sit down on a bench next to where they were standing. "I'm just saying it wouldn't really help my popularity if I had a girl, even if she was a super hot super badass one like you, protecting me."

His eyes widened as he realized that he'd just called her 'super hot'. "I mean." He quickly sputtered out, standing up, "I didn't mean to say that. I mean you are really hot.. But UGH!" He shook his head, his blush deepening. "I'm just digging a deeper hole aren't i?"

Vanka tilted her head to the side. She blinked furiously at him. "You sure?" she asked. "I'm not that pretty..." She then put her head back into an upright position. "I mean... it's always been that whore, Donnica... I thought you liked her. They all do." She then shrugged her shoulders and sat idly next to Tate, crossing her arms.

"It's okay, I don't mind you calling me... that," she laughed. "It's nice to know that someone thinks of me as pretty."

Tate resisted the urge to make a face at the mention of his potential attraction to that vile girl. He smiled at her, instead. "You are by far the prettiest girl at our school." He stated simply.

Taden was rather happy with himself, he wasn't making a complete fool of himself. And on top of that this conversation was going extremely well, as well as the fact that Ivanka seemed to be enjoying herself too.

"Ivanka." He said suddenly, wondering if he was going to be able to go through with what he wanted to say to her.