Closed The Perfect Game to Cheer One Up - Gobstones PV Azrael Hunt

Date Reducio September 9th, 2024

Mentions Reducio @Elisa Wagner

Extra Reducio WC: 664 | Thoughts: #288f3a | Speech: #8f288c

In all of his life, Azrael hadn't felt exactly as many emotions as he had felt in the span of a week. To say it was borderline exhausting would be an understatement. To think he would be busy with the sudden onslaught of things to do was right, but he was never really busy enough to not ask himself questions. Too many of them as a matter of fact. They circled his mind, each appearing a few times a day, making it almost impossible to enjoy anything.

How was he supposed to enjoy finally being able to go outside and make some decisions himself when all that came to mind in those moments was why couldn't he do that before? All the other students he had spoken to before, and there weren't many by all means, had been allowed to go out and had some kind of friends. Him? No. He hadn't even spoken to anyone younger than thirty in his life. Why? Was there something wrong with him? Something that was going on with his family? Was he simply special? He didn't think he was, not in a good way at least. Why would his parents practically barricade him inside the house for all his life if he had something good. Maybe they had been so ashamed to have him they didn't even want anyone to see him? That didn't make much sense either, they said they loved him. And well, why would they keep someone they didn't like at all near them at all times and not even let him out of their sight for too long?

And again, he went spiralling down with those questions. He had come outside, to just calm down and get some time alone, something more familiar and less overwhelming for once. Sitting on the edge, he drove his legs up and pressed them to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and resting his chin on his knees. Being outside, in the fresh air, without anyone counting down the minutes of his freedom, was...nice. As nice as it could be with his seemingly non-stop pondering. Its not like he could help it either. He did love his parents, they weren't bad to him. They always helped him, made sure he was fed and clothed and gave him tons of presents. He should feel grateful, he was pretty sure not everyone had such luxury. Even in his mother's books, which was the only literature he had had access to, characters not often had parents as nice as his. So what was wrong with him? Why did he feel like they had done something wrong?

He didn't have anyone to talk to about it either. Sure, he could probably write his parents a letter and ask them. He had planned too, really he did. But he hadn't. He hadn't at all, not even picked up the quill and some parchment. He didn't feel like he could. Sighing, he looked around the courtyard. It was quiet, no-one around. No, wait. A girl, with the green of Slytherin on the edges of her robe, was walking up to the fountain. She was definitely going somewhere, or at least he thought so, with how seemingly confident her step was. Maybe she was meeting someone here? He didn't know her, so she couldn't be coming up to him. Azrael was pretty sure he didn't seem in very high-spirits or approachable.

He sighed again, watching her. Slytherin... How come he wasn't one? And its not like his parents had told him anything about how he should get into Slytherin or how some House was better than the others. He didn't know much about Hogwarts, if anything, before the letter came in in the first place. Ah, there he goes again. Is there nothing that can save him from his own mind?

Walking over to the boy, she thought over what she'd do. Yes, that would be the only way shy Elisa would succeed comforting a complete stranger. Taking a deep breath and putting a warm smile on her face, she walked right up to the boy and with a tiny moment of hesitation, she sat down right in front of the boy (at a proper distance, though), on the old, stone bricks. She put down her bag, gobstones in her left hand.

Alright. You're talking to your brother, he's in a bad mood because- he hasn't finished his homework in time. You're the lovely big sister and you're comforting him. Right. That's it.

Adjusting her smile, she said in a warm, caring tone big sisters would typically use, "Hi! You're looking a little off, would it help to talk about it?" Too direct, Elisa made note in her mind.

"I- I've got a little game here, if you aren't in a hurry..." Elisa added. Taking out a small, round stone from the sachet in her hand. "Wanna play gobstones?"

Elisa herself couldn't be said to be a very good Gobstones player- she didn't particularly enjoy being squirted at, but in response to her brother's pleads, she'd often play with him. That was also why she knew that Gobstones could lift one's mood up. Seeing the opponent being squirted in the face was- hilarious, in her brother's opinion.

That was alright, classes for the day were already over, and she'd have time to clean up her robes. Worth it bring the smile on somebody's face, Elisa thought.

Date Reducio September 9th, 2024

Mentions Reducio @Elisa Wagner

Extra Reducio WC: 226| Thoughts: #288f3a | Speech: #8f288c

Oh, so the girl had come to him. Azrael found himself at a loss. It was enough to empty his head and he just kind of stared at her for a few seconds. He really didn’t mean to be rude or anything, he just didn’t at all know what to do. He didn’t really know what to do when he was the one approaching a person, but being approached was even more intimidating. “Uh, uhm…” he trailed off, lowering his feet back onto the ground. He let his hands remain in his lap, fidgeting with his fingers. He had no idea what goobstones were. He did figure that it was a sort of game, the girl did say so. Was it normal for people to know how to play? Oh why did his parents not teach him anything?!

“I- I don’t know how to play.” he forced out. His cheeks burned and he could imagine that he was blushing. He always got pretty red when embarrassed, especially with how pale he was, it was always way too evident. “Can you…teach me?” He really hoped he wasn’t doing this wrong. Well, she had approached him first, so she most likely wanted to speak with him, right?

The expression on the boy's face was not nearly a smile. It was first a puzzled stare, then turned into something of nervousness and embarrassment, mixed with some... guilt?

Elisa's insides screamed at her. The emotions showing through the boy's face were way too familiar. The horrible sensation of having committed a serious crime lurched around in her head. What was I thinking of? This boy obviously wanted to stay alone, and I come here, smiling and all, proposing to play a game of Gobstones, a game he probably never heard of. What a terrible, horrible jerk I am, interfering into other people's business like this!

She bit her tongue, trying to control her legs- they suddenly felt a need to run away as quickly as possible. Elisa sat firmly on the ground. No, she started this, she'd finish this.

Taking a deep breath, she spoke again, this time, without daring to look at the boy again, "Sure! It's quite like the Muggle game of marbles, actually, except that-" I won't reveal that yet- it would terrify the poor boy even more! "Well, there's a little turn if you loose." She spilled out the round little gobstones on the ground.

"But- of course, if you prefer to be left alone, that's perfectly fine too..." Elisa thought to add quietly, still not meeting the boy's eyes.