3 Nov 2019, 16:19
On the Run
Jake nodded his head, though there was still a part of him that desperately wanted to hold back onto the bigger Ravenclaw as he slid away. Still, a great weight had come off of him - he was no longer shaking...and he finally felt safe. Jake wiped at his eyes to clear away any stray tears. He nodded his head in response to what Gem said, but if Gem was perceptive he might have noticed some uncertainty and blankness in Jake's eyes, and the slightest hint of a shrug. In fact, Jake didn't KNOW what schoolmates were here for - he had never had them before when he was being homeschooled...He had thought that other kids were there to bully...but he liked Gem's idea of it a lot better and it made having schoolmates sound not bad at all.
"Big brother...?" Jake repeated in amazement (but not the bad kind), as he looked up at the other boy. For a moment, there was pure hope in his eyes, and then a shy gaze down back at the floor. "I never had siblings before either. It was just me and Mummy, and---" he cut off, blushing deeply, sheepishly correcting himself. "Me and my Mum and my Dad." He paused for a moment, but no mocking came.
Jake may have never had a brother, but he liked the thought. He had never known what it would be like to have a brother. Other kids could be scary and what if he had got somebody mean, like his older cousins? They always teased him and made mean jokes. Having a brother might have been like having cousins that never went home. But there could be nice big brothers too...Big brothers protected and played with you, and if you had a big brother Jake knew it was ok to hug them, so if you did what he had done and needed a hug for a very long time that was ok, it was just being a brother.
"It sounds good,"Jake said shyly, a sweet smile appearing on his face at the understatement. "What do little brothers do...?" he asked Gem, looking up at him. He wanted it to be like Gem said - he just didn't know if he knew HOW to be a brother...'cause what if he did everything wrong? He didn't know exactly what wrong would be, but if he did it, Gem was probably gonna change his mind. 'Cause surely there were other little boys at Hogwarts that would make a lot better brothers than Jake would.
"Big brother...?" Jake repeated in amazement (but not the bad kind), as he looked up at the other boy. For a moment, there was pure hope in his eyes, and then a shy gaze down back at the floor. "I never had siblings before either. It was just me and Mummy, and---" he cut off, blushing deeply, sheepishly correcting himself. "Me and my Mum and my Dad." He paused for a moment, but no mocking came.
Jake may have never had a brother, but he liked the thought. He had never known what it would be like to have a brother. Other kids could be scary and what if he had got somebody mean, like his older cousins? They always teased him and made mean jokes. Having a brother might have been like having cousins that never went home. But there could be nice big brothers too...Big brothers protected and played with you, and if you had a big brother Jake knew it was ok to hug them, so if you did what he had done and needed a hug for a very long time that was ok, it was just being a brother.
"It sounds good,"Jake said shyly, a sweet smile appearing on his face at the understatement. "What do little brothers do...?" he asked Gem, looking up at him. He wanted it to be like Gem said - he just didn't know if he knew HOW to be a brother...'cause what if he did everything wrong? He didn't know exactly what wrong would be, but if he did it, Gem was probably gonna change his mind. 'Cause surely there were other little boys at Hogwarts that would make a lot better brothers than Jake would.
4 Nov 2019, 04:36
On the Run
@Jake Morris
"Hell if I know how lil' bruvvers act, joost be yerself an' hang around me, I suppose." Gem shrugged, squinting at the area he'd previously been sitting at, how it seemed like something was moving. He shifted, craning his neck to peer closer - it wasn't until he saw a real big tub of orange lard hop out of the shadows. Basil.
"Oi! It's me lil' boy, Basil! Fatso!" He giggled, watching the tubby ole' cat waddle on over to his lap, curling up right on his legs. "Ya like cats? He's quite friendly, he loves ta be pet. Such a sweetheart, joost never knows how ta... not eat everythin'. I swear, I'll go broke cos' of this critter, always buyin' him food and spoilin' him. He's quite a talkative fellow, though." As if on cue, Basil let out a short, very expressive, meow. "You wanna pet him? He's a lovely cat, truly."
As Gem spoke, his hands down Basil's head, scratching behind his ears, messing with some of the short hairs between his fingernails. He was quite happy now, a little brother and his lovely little (big) cat sprawled out right there. Could life get better? He didn't think so.
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
4 Nov 2019, 14:52
On the Run
There it was - the bad word again. Jake squirmed a little at the sound of it - it was a word he was NOT supposed to hear - but otherwise nodded his head. He wasn't sure if Gem really wanted that - him being himself. Not a lot of people really wanted Jake to be himself, he didn't think. But it all didn't matter when Jake saw the new arrival on the scene.
Jake's eyes widened in an instant. "I love cats...!" Jake replied. Actually, there weren't many animals that wouldn't have gotten that same reaction. Sure, dogs were his MOST favorite, and nothing could compare to the pure love he had for dogs, but he loved just about every kind of animal there was. He had never had a pet or anything (though he'd begged and begged), and if he had (and his Mum hadn't been allergic) it likely would have been a dog, but seeing the rules at school made him really start wanting to have had a cat after all. He watched the way Basil waddled - he was a pretty cat, large but lovely - and as Gem talked, Jake's eyes didn't leave Basil, enraptured by every little movement or noise that the large cat made, until Gem asked Jake a wonderful question.
"You mean it? I can really pet him...?" Jake asked eagerly. He'd wanted to of course, but it was rude to ask sometimes. His mum had taught him that you can't just go asking to pet every animal that you see. The young Puff's face grew responsible as he contemplated this great privilege he'd been given, because it WAS a great privilege to get to do it. Slowly, he crawled closer, coming to a stop on his knees and inching forth a gentle little hand. He didn't want to scare him...so he went slow. Jake knew what it was like to be scared. Cautiously he got closer, closer...until he felt the cat's warm fur beneath his fingers. Then Jake softly gave Basil a little stroke and smiled. When Basil received it well, only then did Jake scooch closer.
"Thattaboy Basil," Jake whispered, stroking him. and as the cat let out another meow, the boy giggled with delight. "You're a good kitty, huh...? A good hungry kitty aren'tcha? But you're a sweetie-cat," Jake spoke softly, all traces of his stammer gone. And as he continued to pet Basil, an odd thing happened. The encounter with the bully - the fear, the crying - it all seemed very far away. Like something that had happened long ago, or a bad dream that could no longer hurt him. As he sat on his knees, running gentle hands down Basil's neck, his face had completely changed - for once the fear was out of it, and it was replaced by pure joy.
Jake's eyes widened in an instant. "I love cats...!" Jake replied. Actually, there weren't many animals that wouldn't have gotten that same reaction. Sure, dogs were his MOST favorite, and nothing could compare to the pure love he had for dogs, but he loved just about every kind of animal there was. He had never had a pet or anything (though he'd begged and begged), and if he had (and his Mum hadn't been allergic) it likely would have been a dog, but seeing the rules at school made him really start wanting to have had a cat after all. He watched the way Basil waddled - he was a pretty cat, large but lovely - and as Gem talked, Jake's eyes didn't leave Basil, enraptured by every little movement or noise that the large cat made, until Gem asked Jake a wonderful question.
"You mean it? I can really pet him...?" Jake asked eagerly. He'd wanted to of course, but it was rude to ask sometimes. His mum had taught him that you can't just go asking to pet every animal that you see. The young Puff's face grew responsible as he contemplated this great privilege he'd been given, because it WAS a great privilege to get to do it. Slowly, he crawled closer, coming to a stop on his knees and inching forth a gentle little hand. He didn't want to scare him...so he went slow. Jake knew what it was like to be scared. Cautiously he got closer, closer...until he felt the cat's warm fur beneath his fingers. Then Jake softly gave Basil a little stroke and smiled. When Basil received it well, only then did Jake scooch closer.
"Thattaboy Basil," Jake whispered, stroking him. and as the cat let out another meow, the boy giggled with delight. "You're a good kitty, huh...? A good hungry kitty aren'tcha? But you're a sweetie-cat," Jake spoke softly, all traces of his stammer gone. And as he continued to pet Basil, an odd thing happened. The encounter with the bully - the fear, the crying - it all seemed very far away. Like something that had happened long ago, or a bad dream that could no longer hurt him. As he sat on his knees, running gentle hands down Basil's neck, his face had completely changed - for once the fear was out of it, and it was replaced by pure joy.
4 Nov 2019, 19:21
On the Run
@Jake Morris
It always fascinated Gem, to see how different people acted around animals. It was so much easier to be gentle, be yourself whenever a little creature - one like a cat - made its presence known. He grinned, feeling Basil purr all happy-like when Jake's finger came down on his head, getting him in all the right areas. Jake's attitude had been turned off, just like a switch; no fear, no tears, not a single stutter. It seemed like he was just as content as Gem was, and that just calmed him more.
"He's quite a unit, in'n't he?" He mumbled, feeling an even bigger smile crack his cheeks up, little dimples at the side of his face. "I can't believe I wos able ta carry him back ta Hogwarts, honest. He's quite a good sleeping partner, until he crushes yer chest and damn hear kills ya." He thought back to this morning, when he was woken up by Basil sitting right on his chest, screaming in his face due to the fact he was... 'famished'.
"Did ya have any pets? Back home, I mean. They're quite good company, as you can see 'ere." He ran his hand down Basil's back, his tail twitching upwards delightfully. "I fink he likes ya. Maybeh it's true, you Hufflepuffs are excellent wiv animals."
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
5 Nov 2019, 14:52
On the Run
Jake continued to pet Basil, giggling with each purr and meow. There was nothing more soothing than interacting with an animal, and as Jake talked softly to Basil and felt his soft fur, he just felt calm and peaceful. He giggled again as he heard about Gem's predicament, and smiled at Basil. "Aww he doesn't do it on purpose...right Basil?" he asked.
"I wish I had a cat to sleep with," Jake said wistfully. "I only have..." he began, before realizing what he'd been about to say, and cutting himself off sheepishly. "N-Nothin'..." Because Gem didn't have to know he still slept with stuffed animals...not right now...even if he was his big brother. Not that he didn't like sleeping with his stuffed animals (he would never say that about them, because of course he did). But a cat would just be perfect.
"No..." Jake said sadly. "I really want one, but my Mum is allergic. I wanted a dog my whole life...more than anything." When Gem said that Basil liked him, Jake's face lit up with a shy smile - his eyes positively beaming.
"Mum always says I'm good with animals," Jake said, still petting Basil softly. "Is it true that Hufflepuffs are...? Do you wanna know what? I'm in the Scamander dorm - like Newt. I read about him...he was excellent with animals," Jake said, thinking back to the books he'd read at the library and all of the creatures that Newt had taken care of and protected. To tell the truth, he was already becoming a bit of a hero for Jake. "I wanna be like him when I grow up..."
"I wish I had a cat to sleep with," Jake said wistfully. "I only have..." he began, before realizing what he'd been about to say, and cutting himself off sheepishly. "N-Nothin'..." Because Gem didn't have to know he still slept with stuffed animals...not right now...even if he was his big brother. Not that he didn't like sleeping with his stuffed animals (he would never say that about them, because of course he did). But a cat would just be perfect.
"No..." Jake said sadly. "I really want one, but my Mum is allergic. I wanted a dog my whole life...more than anything." When Gem said that Basil liked him, Jake's face lit up with a shy smile - his eyes positively beaming.
"Mum always says I'm good with animals," Jake said, still petting Basil softly. "Is it true that Hufflepuffs are...? Do you wanna know what? I'm in the Scamander dorm - like Newt. I read about him...he was excellent with animals," Jake said, thinking back to the books he'd read at the library and all of the creatures that Newt had taken care of and protected. To tell the truth, he was already becoming a bit of a hero for Jake. "I wanna be like him when I grow up..."
5 Nov 2019, 21:44
On the Run
@Jake Morris"I fink every kid should be supplied wiv a pet of any sort, honestly. Really, it's like, child abuse. I used ta have a dog, ole' bloodhound. His name wos Tate, loyal and lovin', best pet I ever had, really. He was a bit reckless, though, an' muggles don't really pay attention, so... well, yunno, trains... an' all that." He hated remembering finding out Tate had been hit by a train, it was quite dark. He wouldn't leave his room for a week, nothing could beckon him out.
"Newt! A bloody genius, if ya ask me. Such a humble guy, all he wanted wos for animals ta be understood... treated right, an' all. I fink you've got the potential ta be just like him, with a heart like yours." He patted Jake's shoulder, glancing at all his writing utensils on the table he'd abandoned... it was late, they shouldn't have been out past curfew. "Ehm... hey, I don't want ta rain on yer parade, but I have to get going - you probably should too, or we'll both get sent off ta detention. It's late, an'... well, I'm tired." He pushed Basil off himself, his once darkly colored pants now decked out with strings of short, orange fur. God, he should've bought a lint roller.
"Do... ya need me ta walk you to yer dorm, mate?"
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
6 Nov 2019, 14:42
On the Run
Jake nodded. "Yeah...I know I would be responsible...and I know I could've taken good care of him...but maybe...maybe now that I'm a wizard I can learn how to cure allergies and then I can have a dog..." he said hopefully. It was lucky for Jake that Gem's reference to trains went right over his head - the true meaning never occurred to him, as he thought about how lucky Gem was that he had got to have a dog. Dogs were the greatest animal ever - loyal and loving and adorable, and having one would be the greatest thing that Jake could ever imagine.
The idea that Jake could one day be like Newt was a huge compliment that brought an excited smile to the boy's face. He wasn't sure if it was true...Newt was a hero, and it would take somebody very special to be like he was. Jake wasn't special, not like that...but he was going to try at least. It was all he wanted. To make animals be understood and treated right. Jake had always understood animals - a lot better than people, actually - but he knew that not everybody else did. One day...one day maybe he could change that...just like Newt had done.
He hadn't realized how close to his bedtime it was until Gem pointed out the time. When he did, as if on cue, a yawn escaped him. Jake looked surprised for a moment - how could he still be tired at a time like this - but it seemed that sleep waited for no boy. The threat of detention alone was enough to make Jake wanna get out of here as soon as he could.
Just...just not alone.
When Gem asked if he needed to be walked back to Hufflepuff, Jake slid closer and knelt right beside him, his knee against Gem's leg, reaching out to touch the Ravenclaw's arm and nodding his head shyly. "Uh-huh...". This room might have become a safe place...but the hallways weren't. His eyes looked up to Gem's nervously with a clear, silent plea. 'Please don't leave me'.
The idea that Jake could one day be like Newt was a huge compliment that brought an excited smile to the boy's face. He wasn't sure if it was true...Newt was a hero, and it would take somebody very special to be like he was. Jake wasn't special, not like that...but he was going to try at least. It was all he wanted. To make animals be understood and treated right. Jake had always understood animals - a lot better than people, actually - but he knew that not everybody else did. One day...one day maybe he could change that...just like Newt had done.
He hadn't realized how close to his bedtime it was until Gem pointed out the time. When he did, as if on cue, a yawn escaped him. Jake looked surprised for a moment - how could he still be tired at a time like this - but it seemed that sleep waited for no boy. The threat of detention alone was enough to make Jake wanna get out of here as soon as he could.
Just...just not alone.
When Gem asked if he needed to be walked back to Hufflepuff, Jake slid closer and knelt right beside him, his knee against Gem's leg, reaching out to touch the Ravenclaw's arm and nodding his head shyly. "Uh-huh...". This room might have become a safe place...but the hallways weren't. His eyes looked up to Gem's nervously with a clear, silent plea. 'Please don't leave me'.