5 Mar 2025, 21:48
It's time to talk & walk
8.March.2025
It had been a week since Eldred had slept in Sebastian's bed, and yet he still felt as if there were unspoken words lingering in the air. Lately, he had spent a lot of time thinking about what had happened, where he stood with his feelings, and how he should behave. The simple question Linnéa had asked him, ‚What do you want from this?‘was the easiest to answer, but the hardest to bring up with Sebastian.
This needed to change. The Gryffindor student had firmly decided to address the matter—and to stick to the truth. No matter how it was received, because when he wrote to his mother about it, she simply replied: "Tell him, and if he finds it stupid, kick him in the knee until he cries." Eldred was sure the last part of the advice was just meant to cheer him up. Still, it worried him a little that his mother was sending him such a note. It did do its work, though - it made him smile.
It was the same week he had persuaded his father to help him organize a second fake permission slip. Of course, it was missing a signature, but surely Sebastian could just forge his father’s! Eldred had slipped the document into an envelope this very morning and had written a short note on a piece of paper to sent it to Sebastian Drake:
"Meet me at 4 PM at the Hogwarts grounds,
over the Bridge where the paths cross towards Hogsmeade!
Let’s hang out.
PS: Don’t forget to fake-sign this slip
-Eldred"
And now, here he was. In his white wool sweater and brown-laced boots. Eldred wore his hair neatly as always, even though he hadn’t felt like getting ready this morning. His head was aching a little, which he was currently blaming on the excitement and not on that one incident in the cold rain the other day. What if Sebastian didn’t even show up? Eldred swallowed the uncomfortable feeling and tried to push the thought aside for now. It wouldn‘t bring him anything to worry about it just yet.
Interaction:@Sebastian Drake
Last edited by Eldred Grayswell on 7 Mar 2025, 18:30, edited 3 times in total.
6 Mar 2025, 14:49
It's time to talk & walk
| ———— |
・❥・  ・❥・•Veela Allure in Effect• —date. [ 8th March, 2025]———event. [Hogsmeade!]——————------------------------ The embarrassing crisis Sebastian had gone through the other week, regarding his unexpected bed warmer, was largely forgotten by the time he got the note inviting him to Hogsmeade. It was the first time since the incident that he’d heard from Eldred, and therefore drew the conclusion that it had meant nothing. Otherwise the boy would have surely been kicking down doors ever since, in hopes of seeing him? To confess his undying love for him? But no, there had been radio silence. And with time to himself, and his new friend Yuki, Sebastians confusing feelings about it had ebbed out into nothing. Something nostalgic, almost. Now he thought back to it in bemusement, the note that was still hiding somewhere in his drawer. Sweetheart. He still wasn’t sure exactly what he could expect from this hang out, but Seb was more of an along-for-the-ride than ask questions type of person. Signing the permission slip in his dad’s signature was straight forward enough. On Monday after classes, Sebastian changed into something more stylish instead of the boring black robes he had to wear otherwise. He met up with Eldred on the grounds, a few minutes past 4 PM, as was his routine. Of course, Eldred was already there waiting for him. Sebastian couldn’t remember if he even remembered to respond, but he’d thought it was obvious he wouldn’t risk missing it, and Eldred had clearly expected him to show up anyway. ”Hey,” Sebastian greeted him with a smile, slightly out of breath from the walk. His cardio wasn’t great, hence why he asked, albeit jokingly, ”Please tell me that Hogsmeade isn’t far away from here.” Reaching into his pocket of his expensive coat, he pulled out the fake slip, to show that he hadn’t forgotten. tag. [@Eldred Grayswell ]—( codes by uly. )— | ———— |
Matisse Montfort | Beauxbatons
6 Mar 2025, 20:22
It's time to talk & walk
In the short time that Eldred stood alone there, he tried to calm himself with the memories of the past few days. From one failure to the next, this day couldn’t get any worse. But just as he thought he had found peace through this rational perspective he had been searching for inwardly - he noticed Sebastian Drake was approaching.
As always, the other student carried an aura of exceptional attractiveness. Instead of the Gryffindor uniform or the pink pajamas, Eldred now witnessed him for the first time in normal clothes. They didn’t seem all that conventional — he imagined that even the coat probably was something to be proud of, because it wasn’t as wrinkled and worn-out as others he knew. As a wizard-born, Eldred couldn’t make sense of Muggle brands. His eyes quickly traveled from Sebastian’s shoes up to his face, noting briefly that he would ask Sebastian later where he bought his clothes.
While Sebastian was coming towards him, Eldred began to smile kindly. It was actually authentic because he was genuinely happy that he hadn’t been stood up. It would have been pitiful if the other hadn’t come. No matter what was between them or what would happen, a secret trip to Hogsmeade would be a shame to miss!
"Hey," Eldred greeted Sebastian back. Now that he was closer to him, he examined his face and breath more closely. The gray eyes clearly explored Sebastian’s face, cheek, and lips before returning to his green pupils. As Sebastian added to his greeting, one side of Eldred’s mouth curled upward into a crooked smirk. "It’s not just very far, it’s exceptionally far away...", his facial features relaxing into a calm expression for Sebastian,then he quickly added "but actually it’s less far than walking up and down to our dormitory. And there are no stairs. If you like, we can definitely take a break, it might be good anyway. Getting lost would be quite the bad experience" Eldred shrugged his shoulder and realized himself, now that Sebastian was here, he really liked him.
So much so that Eldred felt whatever conflicting and nervous storm in him was brewing, relax at once. Strange, he thought about his own heart, then made a gesture toward the stone path, like a physical invitation to a carriage or a dance. Eldred turned with his gesture, made a smooth turn on the heel, and began walking. He assumed Sebastian followed him.
"Before I try to avoid it," he began after four or five steps. His face turned upwards, looking at the sky as he was hoping to every magical creature on Earth that it wouldn’t rain again.
"I’m really sorry about the flower..." His head turned toward the other.
"I borrowed so many books on flowers, and I don’t think I’ve ever touched wet soil this often in my entire life either. Still, it died on me... I should have come to you earlier, I just felt kind of embarrassed. I didn’t want you to think I had purposely ruined it. I even took it to shower with me once. I thought it needed more water or something..."
Interaction:@Sebastian Drake
[I have the official permission to passively godmode Sebastian Drake to be walking along.]
6 Mar 2025, 23:07
It's time to talk & walk
| ———— |
・❥・ ・❥・•Veela Allure in Effect• —date. [ 8th March, 2025]———event. [Hogsmeade!]——————------------------------ Hearing their destination was not just far away, but exceptionally far away was the last thing he wanted to hear. He stared at Eldred, pleadingly and a bit incredulous. “You’re joking, right?” God, he better be. It sounded unbelievable that the walk was shorter than back and forth to the Gryffindor common room, though that was quite bad enough! With Eldred taking the lead, they began walking down the stone path. Sebastian didn’t know the way, so he followed him in blind faith. If he had expected to not hear anything about the other week(which he hadn’t), he was mistaken. Not even five steps into their walk, he apologized for letting the peony die. Seb had expected, if anything, to hear about– I don’t know, sharing a bed? But he hadn’t mentioned that yet. He made it sound like a huge deal, when in reality it was just life. Flowers were delicate, and apparently ‘watering once in a while and leaving it in the sun’ was more difficult than you could imagine. He thought that humorously. “It’s really alright, Eli.” It was the first time he used the nickname since he learned about it. Cute! “I didn’t expect it to live forever, nor did I really think about it that much until you dumped it in my bed. That’s what happens. Flowers die,” Sebastian reassured him, glancing to his side with a smile. His tone turned more playful as he continued, “Though I must admit you’re exceptionally bad at gardening. It could almost be considered a talent.” Not to be mean, just facts. tag. [@Eldred Grayswell ]—( codes by uly. )— | ———— |
Matisse Montfort | Beauxbatons
6 Mar 2025, 23:59
It's time to talk & walk
Sebastian's pleading face was just too cute. Eldred wished he could take a photo of it and frame it! "You'll manage, I believe in you" he replied.
The path was only 15 minutes long, which the student knew from his father, but he didn’t want to believe it until he could witness it himself! Maybe his old man had just remembered it wrong because he walked with an unnaturally fast pace? It was better to leave the matter open. He didn’t want to give Sebastian false hope. So, as they were talking, they already passed the first sign that had ‚Hogsmeade‘ written on old grey wood. Eldred only glanced at it from the corner of his eye and continued walking alongside Sebastian.
Hearing Sebastian use his nickname put a smile on his face. From the other boy’s voice, it didn’t sound as bad anymore; eventhough others might think his name was Alistair. It was worth it as long as it was because of Sebastian. The thought came to him so cheesy and quickly that he took a deep breath to banish it from his mind. Emotional chaos was the last thing he needed at that moment—after all, he had more important things to address!
While he was still looking at Sebastian after his apology and listening to his comment about Eldred’s truly terrible gardening skills, Eldred had to laugh. A quiet chuckle escaped his smiling face. To him there was no problem with taking criticism, unless it wasn’t justified. Sebastian’s, whether it was a joke or not , was one hundred percent valid!
"I don’t know what you mean by that, Seb! I should definitely graduate and participate in the advances classes in Herbology. Being eaten by a plant sounds great, and with my talent, I might even manage to destroy the school with a sunflowers at the same time!" Eldred joked, briefly glancing at the path ahead. Since Sebastian called him Eli, he felt empowered to call the boy Seb. After all, he technically had permission, did he not?
From the path ahead, Eldred could guess that they weren’t too far away. Stone walls began to rise slowly at the side of the road, signaling they were getting closer to a village. He didn’t see chimney smoke just yet, but time felt to be running out. Eldred instinctively slowed his pace, and the smile faded. The Boy didn’t want to arrive just yet; who knew which other students they might run into, and whether, in the bustle of the streets, he would still have the chance to talk to Sebastian about their night.
"Seb..." he suddenly began in a quieter tone, glancing again at the other boy from the corner of his grey eye. Was it silly to bring it up now? Maybe it would be better to wait until later when they’d eaten and spent more time together? On the other hand, it could ruin a good day if he found out at the very end, it didn’t matter at all to Sebastian…
He briefly considered how best to approach the situation. Spontaneously, Eldred decided to first ask about Sebastian’s perception before he jumped in and confessed his feelings. May they be whatever strange knot of warmth they are. In a calm voice, he continued: "I don’t want to spoil any mood, but… um… have you thought about that one night?"
Interaction:@Sebastian Drake
[I have the official permission to passively godmode Sebastian Drake to be walking along.]
7 Mar 2025, 15:52
It's time to talk & walk
| ———— |
・❥・ ・❥・•Veela Allure in Effect• —date. [ 8th March, 2025]———event. [Hogsmeade!]——————------------------------ The path ventured into a forest-like area, which made Sebastian a bit nervous to the point where he didn’t really hear Eldred’s rant about advances Herbology. Was it only him, or weren’t they too far away from school? They were strictly prohibited from entering the forbidden forest, hence the name, but right now he couldn’t really tell the difference between the forest walk to Hogsmeade and the forbidden forest. What made the difference? A bunch of dangerous monsters, most likely— but if the monsters habitat were in the woods, what said they wouldn’t jump them here as well? They were practically in the woods! Sebastian couldn’t understand the faculty’s reasoning, but at the same time, he didn’t want to accidentally run into a giant spider either. He wouldn’t walk into the forbidden forest to test his hypothesis anyway, at least not anytime soon. The other boy didn’t seem fazed at all, Sebastian noted as he glanced at Eldred. To be fair, he might just be too busy talking to even consider it. ”Are you sure this is the right way?” Sebastian asked warily, glancing around them with a spooked look on his face, as if he was expecting a troll to jump out from a bush any minute now. Not considering that there were groups of other students heading in the same direction as them, so they should be alright. I mean, the forbidden forest was literally right there! ”… Have you ever seen a giant spider, or a troll out here?” He began but the other was quicker to change topic. "Seb..." Eldred began, in a tone Sebastian interpreted as unsure. Oh god, here it comes, he thought dreadingly. Not sure what however, but it didn’t sound great. Something about monsters or being lost, probably, since that was what was currently on his mind. Both were in all actuality very unlikely since they hadn’t even strayed from the stone path. But--- details. Sebastian raised his eyebrows at him, questioningly. It was neither of those things, he was just wondering about that night. It was pretty funny he was worried that their pillow talk would ruin the mood when being attacked by a troll would have been a total mood killer, if anything. Sebastian smiled. ”Yes, it’s hard to ignore someone falling into your bed at night.” He said it lightheartedly with a hint of humor. Like it was a funny memory rather than something that he’d been losing sleep over and possibly made him question his life. That did definitely not happen... He might have forgotten about the weird feelings it caused him at the time, but had otherwise no bad memory of it. It had been very nice, as he remembered it, but it had felt a bit distant until now when he was close to Eldred again. ”What about it? Been missing me?” Sebastian teased. He wouldn’t blame him. tag. [@Eldred Grayswell ]—( codes by uly. )— | ———— |
Matisse Montfort | Beauxbatons
7 Mar 2025, 16:48
It's time to talk & walk
The thought they might be in danger didn’t even cross the most hidden corner of Eldred’s mind. He walked on casually, with calm steps, his eyes scanning the ever-expanding view of trees and the path. Every now and then, he glanced to the side to observe Sebastian’s profile, burning the curves of his nose and lips into his memory. It suprised him that Sebastian asked whether they were on the right path. To Eldred, it seemed obvious enough. Kind of cute that Sebastian’s perception was so different from his own, he thought. Was he actually worried?
Eldred smiled and replied to it with a calm confidence in his voice: “Yes, we are. Don’t worry, I’ve got everything under control.”
As for the question of whether he had ever seen a big spider, it still hadn’t clicked in the back of his mind that Sebastian considered the possibility of encountering one today as a real danger! Eldred just shrugged. “No, unfortunately not yet. I hope to, though. Someday, that is.” he replied casually, as he liked the idea but wasn’t actively seeking it out. Of course, he would like to have that experience, but Eldred was also realistic - It would be better if he knew a few spells first before facing a dangerous crawly creature or troll.
When Eldred changed the subject, he watched Sebastian carefully out of the corner of his eyes. He wanted to notice any change in his expressions - to see and notice right away, whether the eyebrows lift or the nose scrunches. With the hope of reading Sebastian’s feelings from his eyes, Eldred tried to come up with a good strategy. Only for Sebastian to completely shatter it with the direct statement about ‘falling into bed’. The memory was amusing—warm and funny, even though it also stirred many complicated and conflicting emotions in Eldred. He still had to smile, especially at the teasing towards the end. Sebastian was as relaxed as always, and somehow, he was saying exactly what Eldred needed to hear!
It felt like an easy entry, a door open for Eldred to say what he wanted. It was perfect! Before he could fully appreciate how easily Sebastian made it for him, Eldred began to smirk. He leaned towards Sebastian and gently pressed his elbow against the other Gryffindor’s upper arm. “Yes, you are too charming to miss out on. We should do that again. Maybe we can buy some snacks in Hogsmeade for it.” With that, Eldred had laid part of his cards on the table—he had at least shared 50% of what he intended to say. Namely, that he truly missed Sebastian and would love to relive the night again. As what, he wasn’t entirely sure—probably as friends. Very close friends?
But before he let his confident smile fade and gave Sebastian the space to respond, Eldred quickly added the question, “Does this answer bother you?”
He hoped it didn’t.
Interaction:@Sebastian Drake
7 Mar 2025, 17:38
It's time to talk & walk
| ———— |
・❥・ ・❥・•Veela Allure in Effect• —date. [ 8th March, 2025]———event. [Hogsmeade!]——————------------------------ ‘Unfortunately not yet’--- What, was he crazy? He made it sound like he wanted to see a spider. What the fuck? Sebastian couldn’t understand why Eldred would ever risk it, hadn’t he watched what happened to Frodo in Lord of The Rings? He knew it was only a movie but still. When he’d seen it, he wouldn’t have believed wizards to be real either— but alas, here he was, some fucking fantasy boy. Fortunately, the topic of spiders was forgotten when they started getting deeper. Literally. Or well, he wasn’t exactly sure what Eldred meant when he told him that they should do it again. That he should fall into Sebastian's bed again to relive the momentarily awkward but eventually cozy moment… or that he wanted to make it a regular thing? Actually– what the hell was he even thinking? Of course the prudent Eldred wasn’t asking him to be some kind of friend with benefits! In this case, the benefits were pretty wholesome; including cuddling, backrubs and at most snogging, but it still couldn’t be what he was actually asking of him. Right? His dad’s lifestyle influence was clear, since that’s immediately where his mind headed. Sebastian gawked at the other boy, gobsmacked, who has just so unabashedly suggested they end up in bed together more often— if what he had been thinking was actually true. The idea wasn’t entirely off-putting. In fact, that was an appealing thought the longer it simmered. As long as he wasn’t asking for anything more— commitment. Sebastian didn’t know if he could give him that. He hadn’t even known he was, potentially, into guys until a week ago. But hugs, backrubs (and snogging) was kind of exactly what he wanted in life right now. And less homework. Finally, after staring the Eldred dumbly for what felt like forever, he decided that it was potentially a good arrangement. An experiment, if you will, in self-discovery. As long as they weren’t running down the halls screaming it to anyone in sight, he could work with it. After all, Eldred was handsome and smelled good. Probably tasted good, though that was still to be discovered. “It doesn’t bother me.” Sebastian said quickly, pulling his jaw up from the ground. Quite the opposite. Though he did glance around them to see if there were any eavesdroppers nearby. He still needed to get some facts straight. “Are you- Are you asking me if we can be more than just friends?” At this point in their walk, they’d miraculously arrived at the little village; he could see the rooftops of huts and a bridge just ahead of them. There were more people here, hence why he continued more quietly, “Like, intimately?” This was definitely not what he’d expected from this hangout. tag. [@Eldred Grayswell ]—( codes by uly. )— | ———— |
Matisse Montfort | Beauxbatons
7 Mar 2025, 18:29
It's time to talk & walk
Was Sebastian’s jaw dropped? To Eldred it looked like the other boy was flummoxed all of sudden. Eldred felt stared at, and kept his gray eyes locked to the green ones attentively. The head kept as confidently high as possible. Any thought that Sebastian might be judging him negatively was internally crushed and quietly shouted to stay silent (at least for now)! It was the worst time to doubt himself. It was the ultimate moment to be brave and stand his ground—even as a 12-year-old.
It felt like this moment lasted an eternity. During this time, a shadow of a dominant calm slowly crept on Eldred‘s face. It was the kind that only comes to the surface when he forces it up, to function and to perhaps try gain control over a situation. Acting calm could very well be his hidden talent. He‘d had to practice it often enough lately, that the tranquility behind his gray eyes made him appear almost older.
Finally, Sebastian‘s answer fell from the mouth—‘It doesn’t bother me.’ The sentence was the sweetest music to Eldred’s ears, and he watched as the surprise faded from the other boy‘s face. To him, Seb seemed to momentarily collect himself. Then he was checking to see if anyone had overheard them. Eldred didn’t mind if Sebastian was embarrassed about what they had just discussed. It was indeed very private—though it was just about the fantastic feeling of lying snuggled up in bed together.
But then what Sebastian asked next caught Eldred’s breath. His eyebrows shot up, and he stared back with his mouth slightly ajar. Now it was his turn to stand there with his jaw dropping in front of the other boy! More than friends? Did he mean…?
Eldred’s imagination was brutally jump-started, and images of kissing, holding hands, and getting married raced through his mind in a flash. He was far too young to think about marriage! His head threatened to combust! Just a week ago, he didn’t even know he liked boys, and now Sebastian was standing there asking him something like this— did this mean gorgeous boy had thought about it?
Eldred’s eyes fell on Sebastian’s lips. He wasn’t sure for how long, until he blinked and looked away, closing his mouth. His ears slowly turned red, but he succesfully banished the heat from his cheeks and tried to keep appearing as relaxed. Inside, a storm of chaos hit him, like waves crashing against a sandcastle!
“I thought, like... really close friends. Well, maybe...” Eldred lowered his voice, partly because they had arrived in Hogsmeade. Now adults and a few older students were passing in the distance. They hadn’t yet stepped through the gate, but the surroundings were much less private than they‘d been just two minutes ago. “- cuddle and talk, maybe more - or maybe not. I mean, not together, more like... somewhere between best friends and... whatever we feel like?”
With the question, he meant more the statement itself. Eldred didn’t want anything serious, just more, and whatever that meant, he wanted to figure it out with Sebastian, relaxed. The 12-year-old seemed a little more nervous but still not shy—thank Merlin for his self-control.
Interaction:@Sebastian Drake
Plot to be continued at the new Location: Hogsmeade