20 Feb 2025, 19:22
A Mask Tells Us More Than a Face
Place: Campgrounds; around the Foreign Student Cabins
Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Time: Just before the start of the Gala of Mysteries Fall Ball of 2024
Five days. It had been five days since the terrorist attack in Hogsmeade that had caused so many so much pain and trauma. Yet still, somehow, Hogwarts and deemed it appropriate to hold their annual fall ball. Ginyami wasn't sure whether to be disgusted or impressed, but he supposed he ended up being a little bit of both. He was disgusted the school had the audacity to put on such festivities so soon in the aftermath of such a frightening, damaging, and traumatic event. However, he was also impressed because he could also understand how perhaps continuing to hold the ball would have been helpful for some. Many students could use it as a distraction to help them cope and move on from their disturbing memories of that fateful day. Others could see the ball as Hogwarts' message to survivors that they could rely on events that were still expected and routine for them. It would have been cruel to rob those that could have been aided by the gala of those potential opportunities to find healing and solace among others also suffering.
As Ginyami sat in a chair in their cabin room, a bottle of fire whiskey on the table beside him, he turned his head to look at his boyfriend who had also partaken in the alcoholic beverage. They may not have legally been allowed to drink, but the navy-robed noiret hardly cared just then. He wanted what was best for Sara, especially after the agony and anguish - physically, mentally, and emotionally - that he had gone through. And just then, if even Ginyami preferred to be numb to it all, he was certain Sara would have appreciated the same. Thus why he had managed to obtain the illegal drink and shared it with his cabin mate.
It didn't seem to be enough, however. Even just having one's inhibitions lowered, one's body relaxed, and one's insides warmed in the chilly weather was not enough to keep the horrifying memories of past scenes away. At best, it allowed them apathy, but Ginyami wanted more for Sara. They needed something else. Something more pleasant.
Sara liked cats. That was a fact. And if Ginyami's memory served him well, some mumajin-born mudblood idiot named Jack Burnett had obtained a kitten that summer and had invited Sara to play with her whenever he felt like it. Sara had told him so. But that also meant going to the Hogwarts castle to seek Jack out as, presumably, the kitten was with him.
Well...it probably would have done Sara some good to get out of the cabin after spending so long within it, especially on that night of all nights. Who knew? Perhaps he would even be one of those individuals who ended up benefitting from attending the ball. Ginyami would have to stay close by to make sure he remained alright, especially if they were both starting to get tipsy, but...it could have been good for them both.
"Sara," Ginyami called, pushing himself up from his chair. "I think we should go out. Get a little fresh air. Perhaps even seek out that feline friend of yours - 'Salami', was it?" The corner of his mouth unwillingly quirked up a little. What an absurdly moronic name to give anything, let along a cat. Still, if it made Sara happy, what did its name matter? "...Do you think you can manage that?" Forcing himself to head toward the door, he suddenly realized how unnaturally light-headed and dizzy he felt. Perhaps they had drunk more than he'd realized, but...at the very least, he had to press on. For Sara's sake, if nothing else.
Sara Kohana (@Hanako Tone's iNPC)
Last edited by Jack Burnett on 24 Feb 2025, 10:37, edited 3 times in total.
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
22 Feb 2025, 15:28
A Mask Tells Us More Than a Face
Strange how just a moment ago his mind was swirling with an unusual amount of stress, now just lightly faded into the background. It was embarrassing, really. He thought he had a better grasp of handling himself after the Hogsmead accident. He had enough time to recover fully. Even managing to reach out to some people apart from Yami. This morning he thought attending the ball would’ve been the best time to show he was doing well to anyone interested enough to ask. Even more so that Yami would be attending.
Why wouldn’t he feel secure and safe with Yami attending by his side? He was so attentive, so caring so…present. Some might say a little too much present since Sara got trapped under a burning carriage. Being around his boyfriend almost made the events feel like a distant memory. Well- almost. It was difficult to forget about the event whenever Yami had to extent extra effort to appear calm if Sara was out of his sight for a moment. Before, Sara would have been consumed by the guilt of being the cause of stress if it weren't for their previous talk while Sara was still healing. Which only concluded to Sara that he wasn't helping anyone by blaming himself for things out of anyone's control.
That same guilt morphed into a deep appreciation for the young navy robed boy. Sara would've tried to do anything if it could bring the other boy some peace of mind. Which was what he thought that attending the ball no issue would do. But alas, his body didn't listen to him. Even when he tried to quell the blank contemplations, the tremors in his hands, and his tense shoulder - Yami seemed to be better at listening to Sara's body more than Sara himself. As he.. had proven for so many years to be pretty good at. But did he push him? Gave him a lecture on why the ball isn't so bad? And there was nothing to be concerned about as long as Yami was there? No - he got a bottle of firewhisky from a friend and suggested drinking it in the safety of their rooms.
How did he get so lucky?
If it were anyone else but Yami that suggested the bottle, Sara would've been much more hesitant. It was a little surprising... but he wasn't opposed to trying it. He didn't feel much at first, since they didn't take a lot. But soon it was like a warmth generally so foreign or rare washed over him like a soothing tidal wave. His mind - usually so wrapped around all sorts of thoughts and worry and guilty, quieted down. The tension and tremors in his body softened and he found himself in an oddly... relaxing position.
Relaxing? That.. didn't seem very right.
But even if it wasn't.. he didn't feel..that overtly concerned about it. Or anything really. Which is why he found himself sneaking glances at Yami a little more often than usual as the other boy lounged at a chair in their cabin room. Seemingly deep in thought as the comfortable silence filled the room. Absurd how he usually was so..worried about glancing at his own boyfriend. Like he was doing something wrong even if the other had called him out for it plenty of times.
His ebony hair, always so neat and trimmed well. The hint of black irises Sara could find in his usually almost closed eyes if he looked closely enough. The rare expressions underneath that generally controlled smile most people are used to. It suddenly hit him that he had watch Yami's features morph from a boy to who he was today. Experiencing the changes the other exhibited. From the jaw and cheek that grew more defined, the leaner shoulders from their quidditch practice, and more importantly ... the way he spoke and treated Sara
It has been just 2 months of dating and Sara's life hasn't moved as fast as it did until Yami admitted his desire to date Sara. Even if it was fast, it was a good sort of difference.
And it made him ... want to admit he wants to continue seeing more of those changes. Not just from Sara, but this person too. Perhaps the drinks were making him a little... off with his thoughts. He had been so .. reluctant, almost afraid to even want to admit it. Like he was afraid the other was going to wake up one day and adopt the same mindset Sara had towards himself at a young age. But with his head a little lightheaded and his body warm, the usually consistent mental barriers he put up himself crumbled slightly.
And it was such a nice freeing feeling that he almost missed Yami's words.
" Oh.. Salami" his face lit up easily at the mention of the black cat. It's been a few months since they had seen her. Surely she's a lot bigger now. Suddenly the idea of going out didn't seem all that terrifying. Especially if it also meant he could see some familiar faces, like Jack.. or Salami.. perhaps he would be lucky enough to even see Emmalee. "..Yeah.. I .. think I can manage.." as long as you're there too..
He was grateful not to be too quick on his feet, knowing if he did he might have accidentally stumbled a little. Without realising, his hand already reached out for Yami's before he could fully even stand by his side. " I just feel a little .. better. What about you? " he asked. Too busy trying to notice Yami's expression to realise Sara was perhaps the more obvious one between the two.
His hand comfortably interlocking them with Yami's like it was the most natural thing to do. Too focused on how good it feels to have the touch of Yami's warm skin to realise his previous reluctance on touching anyone this way.
@Jack Burnett's INPC @Ginyami Midorimori
7 Mar 2025, 03:47
A Mask Tells Us More Than a Face
Though Ginyami's cheeks had already been slightly flushed by the inner warmth the alcohol had granted him, his complexion reddened considerably when he felt Sara's arm link with his; not to mention the natural ease with which he did it. Since when had he done such a thing with anyone to already be giving the impression of being so experienced at it? Surely he hadn't...had he?
Or maybe the alcohol was just getting to him. The squinty-eyed young man rubbed his temples wearily with his free hand. Perhaps he was imagining that things were more pleasant than they were. Was that why so many adults resorted to alcohol when troubled? And here he'd just thought it was the lowering of inhibitions, but...the more he tried to puzzle things out, the more his brain seemed to refuse to do so. Why was he even bothering to figure all of this out, anyway?
Though his inner excitement and glee were positively overflowing, for some reasons he could not explain, the sixth year's joy chose to express itself outwardly in the form of a rare but very definitive scowl. He chalked up his superficial and sudden crankiness to his inability to think too deeply in combination with his jealousy at the potential rival with whom Sara had gained experience linking arms with before. Perhaps that brat, Hiro...or maybe that Hogwarts girl, EmmaLee... He didn't want to let it affect him, and at the very least he would have had the wherewithal with conceal how it had affected him. Just then, however, he couldn't, for the life of him, remember why he normally would have bothered trying to conceal how it affected him. Or why he would have tried to keep it from letting him affect him at all. Wasn't he allowed to just feel sometimes? Even if it was just anger? Or joy? Or both at the same time?!
Ginyami made a disgruntled sound of frustration at his overthinking and gave up chasing that particular train of thought. It wasn't worth it. Squeezing the hand that had interlocked its fingers with his, he possessively pulled Sara's interlocked arm closer to him with the leverage of his own and marched them out the cabin door into the cool evening air. They hadn't gotten very far, though, before the sight of a white head of hair visible through the obstacles of the various other cabins almost caused him to stop dead. He didn't, though, forcing himself to walk on past as he let the familiar glimpse slip past his peripheral vision and he turned his attention to Sara instead.
So kind. So considerate. So innocent. He didn't deserve to be caught up in whatever he and Valentin had left standing between them. But Ginyami was still determined to at least resolve that mess and get as much closure for both himself and Val as he could before making it clear to everyone in no uncertain terms that Sara was his...and he was Sara's. Not that Ginyami had originally intended to be...and how could he have belonged to someone who seemed so reluctant to want anything for himself, let alone anyone? But somewhere along the line, he had started to realize he couldn't hide or avoid his true feelings anymore. Regardless of what Sara thought of him - regardless of what Sara wanted or didn't want or had even considered what he himself wanted - Ginyami, at least, knew he wanted to be with Sara.
For that, though, he had to have at least one more talk with Valentin. And for that, if he didn't want to distress Sara even beyond the scarring experience of the terrorist attack, he had to be sneaky about it. It wouldn't take too long. Especially with the sudden flare of boldness that had kindled and sparked within him. Fire whiskey really was something.
"Sara," Ginyami spoke again, trying to remind himself why it was necessary to keep something from his best friend one more time, "Why don't you go ahead? I just remembered there was something back there that I forgot to take care of. Don't worry, I shouldn't be long. I'll find and meet up with you again soon." Smiling at him encouragingly, he squeezed Sara's hand one more time before gently but deliberately extricating his own from his boyfriend's grip.
Leaning over to give Sara a placating kiss on the cheek, he followed it up with a small, cheery wave before finally turning on his heel to come back the way he had come. Once he was sufficiently out of earshot - as he had made certain they had gone at least that far with Sara before stopping to turn back - Ginyami didn't have to take too much time to seek the famous Durmstrang Quidditch Seeker out before he spotted him and locked his eyes onto his target.
"Schnell!," he called, his voice reverberating with emotion and intensity. "We need to talk."
Sara Kohana (@Hanako Tone's iNPC), Valentin Schnell (@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood's iNPC), & Nikolai Volkov (@Matthew Campbell's iNPC)
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori