Afterglow
LOCATION | Corridors, Hogwarts
DATE | 11th April 2025
INTERACTING | @Jamie Saeng| WORD COUNT
x x | OUTFIT
given-taken. | SONG
The euphoric state Meiyu found herself in following her barbaric actions within the serene Garden of Eden, transforming the grounds into the reincarnation of what could only be described as hell. Though, should be asked by another, she recalled none of it — it was as though she was placed under a trance that was only unfathomable to others. Hence why, she never felt the boy with a big nose pull her away, lulling her away from the scene she had grown fond of, glaring at the ablaze garden with a twinkle in her eye in the purest form of adoration that never came naturally to Meiyu.
By the time she had regained any form of consciousness, she found herself alone with the foreign boy in the empty corridors of the castle. Orange hues far from their peripheral vision, the pair stood idly in the corridors, secluded from the madness occurring only a few metres away. Only then, did the severity of the situation dawn on the young girl, though, she did not care for any casualties. Slowly turning on her heel, almost in an eerie manner, Meiyu's stoic expression took its rightful place across her delicate features, her eyes blankly glaring at the boy who stood before her, her chest lightly heaving given the speed and urgency of their departure from the event.
"You ruined the fun." She blankly commented, evidently unamused at how the night had been cut short — just as it had gotten significantly more interesting. Besides, it had already been vastly more interesting than the mundane events of the fall ball, only this time, she had not spent her evening infatuated over a snake and playing therapist to a self centered cry baby. Sighing with immense discontent, Meiyu turned on her heel once more, marching down the corridor and not caring if the boy followed or not. Once a stone bench came into view, she directed herself towards the bench and huffed with irritation once she took her seat, her arms instinctively folding.
With her mind racing in attempts of seek the perfect insult to hurl at the boy who tried to play the role of an unnamed superhero, Meiyu grew more irritated with the boy, simply for being a boy. It had become almost predictable by now, the latter troll like species, had an inkling for portraying themselves as a hero, irregardless to the situation. Akin to her own god complex, though rather concealed and shrouded behind worser traits, Meiyu failed to comprehend any validity in his actions, so, she asked.
"Do you think you're a superhero or do you like to play the role of God in your free time?" She piqued, her vocal tone remaining flat, serving as evidence to how unimpressed she was by Jamie. Gently tilting her head, Meiyu glared up at him, awaiting a response that never came, given her own impatience and refusal to allow men to form a coherent sentence around her.
"I, we, were fine. The fire wouldn't have reached us, there was no need for those dramatics and besides that, I could handle myself. I clearly don't need a weakling like yourself to save me, let alone try to. It's insulting." She resumed, pursing her lips as she concluded and turning away from the uncomfortable feeling of sparing the boy a glance.
Afterglow
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| xxxxxxx | Jamie hadn't been fully aware of himself in the moment, too filled with panic, with urgency and the instinct of self-preservation pushing him to move. It allowed aggression to crawl its way through his typical visage of calm, taking the form of his hand around Meiyu's arm, dragging her with a lack of care he normally possessed. His legs did not stop until they ended up far from the commotion of the garden, safe within the dimly lit halls of the castle. Finally, he was able to breathe a sigh of relief; the danger was out of reach. He had done good. There was no doubt in his mind that his sister would have exhibited just as much honor and responsibility— "You ruined the fun." What? Instantly, he faltered, her words spoken so emptily, so impassively, ringing into his ears and echoing through his brain. It just—it didn't make sense. Was she trying to make a joke? Yes, surely it was just some poor attempt at comedy. He gathered enough sense to crack a smile in her direction, feigning himself as tickled. There was a part of himself which recognized the inconsistency of his logic, though. That he was offering grace where there was meant to be none. That she had actively smiled while stuck in the destruction of the garden. By all accounts, something was very clearly not right with her... but was such judgment kind? Virtuous? Certainly not. He would stand above it and be the bigger person, as he was raised to be. He'd accept her flaws and irrationalities. Consequently, he ignored the rush of annoyance as she marched away from him, forcing Jamie to trail after, his view filled with her cascading black locks until they reached a lone bench. She definitely looked less than pleased as she settled down, to the point he contemplated if he was even welcome to sit beside her... Perhaps not, if the crossed arms were anything to go by. Before he could contemplate the direction of their interaction, she spoke, her words a sharp blade against his neck. "'Play the role of God?'" he mumbled, bewilderment clear in his voice. And then she had kept going, not even giving him a chance to respond to her harsh commentary. She made light of the danger he guided them from, called him weak, called him an insult. Things similar to what he used to tell himself. And yet, to hear it from another's mouth—someone little more than a stranger—filled him not with sadness, but with something else. A tightening of his jaw, a furrowing of his brows, a burning in his chest that resembled feelings he battled with in his earlier days of life. Rage. "Right. Because openly smiling at arson is a sure sign of handling oneself." It came out long before he could regain his composure, the slips of anger compounding as time went on, one after the other. It kept bubbling, surfacing despite his attempts at smothering the flames until they went out. "What exactly did you plan to do? Stand by and inhale the smoke? Cause yourself asphyxiation, maybe? Stop acting foolish and actually use your head." Only when his mouth stopped moving did the boy realize what he was doing, and with this awareness came a fresh blanket of shame. He tried momentarily closing his eyes and breathing deeply, counting backwards from ten within the safety of his mind. Then, he bashfully cleared his throat. "... Sorry. The excitement from earlier seemed to... I didn't mean to be so rude," he mumbled, centering his gaze onto the empty space next to her. |
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[pc is aodhan shaw]
I can only do my best; I do not do this for myself
Afterglow
LOCATION | Corridors, Hogwarts
DATE | 11th April 2025
INTERACTING | @Jamie Saeng
x x | OUTFIT
given-taken. | SONG
Human emotion had always been a peculiar thing to Meiyu, finding the entire ordeal bewildering, though, frequently succumbing to her minimal emotional range that consisted of a neutral to immense range. Thus, the latter had become much more interesting with the sudden display of what Meiyu could only describe akin to a puppy having a tantrum. Ecstatic that her lack of emotional range had forced out the Jekyll of another, similar to her own Jekyll overtaking her earlier during the ball.
"Openly smiling at arson is a sure sign of handling oneself."
Merely smirking in response to the statement, Meiyu could commend the boy for his keen eye, flattered that he had paid attention to her erratic behaviour — such behaviour she secretly enjoyed, almost basking in the chaos she had ensued. Cautiously, her lips parted as she sat on the bench, gazing up at the boy, yet, no words came out. If anything, she enjoyed the view — growing beyond content with the latter displaying such raw emotion, even if it was at his own expense.
Instead of rebuking and tossing an insult his way, Meiyu chose to bask in the experience, growing fonder of the boy by the minute. Perhaps her previous remarks had been harsh, though, she firmly believed that she could easily get herself out of any situation she got herself in. At the very least, she did not need a man to do that for her. Briefly fluttering her eyes shut and exhaling to calm herself down, it took every inch of her to not break every limb the boy had. Instead, she slowly rose, her arms falling back down to her side, inching closer to the boy who had only stood an inch taller.
"Do you genuinely think I can't handle a little smoke, I'm not that fragile like the rest of those dogs." She rebuked with a small scoff, insulted at the deduction he made, unaware that between the two of them, Meiyu strongly believed he would die before her, irregardless of the situation. He did not have it within him, until his outburst, perhaps showing to Meiyu for the first time, that there was something he was hiding — far more sinister than the pair wished to admit or even acknowledge.
Yet, the very least she could do, would commend him for his behaviour. It was the utter basics she had learnt during the tedious etiquette classes she had been forced to attend, vividly remembering that a lady were to always show gratitude, irregardless to where her affinities laid with. Instead of continuing his rambling rage, something had shifted within the boy, as though noticing his own wrong-doing and outrightly, apologising for it. Almost churning at her heart strings, Meiyu did the unthinkable, her body moving before she could comprehend her own actions.
It was possible that the earlier adrenaline rush had made her hazy, given similar episodes had done. She was being irrational, though, she refused to speak and outwardly thank the boy for his heroism, despite merely moments ago bashing him for such actions. Her heart rate quickening by the second and pupils slowly dilating as a hand moved to slowly tug the boy down by the hem of his dress shirt chosen for the evening, one that suited him rather well in comparison to the mongrels within the castle. Once their eyes levelled, her breath hitched before she closed the gap, eyes fluttering shut as she pressed her lips against his, keeping it there for a few seconds before she pulled away.
"I accept you apology, perhaps you can find it within you to accept mine." Meiyu quietly mumbled, almost embarrassed by her own actions. It was the very least she could do and she hoped he understood both her gratuity and sentiment.
Afterglow
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| xxxxxxx | "Do you genuinely think I can't handle a little smoke, I'm not that fragile like the rest of those dogs." "Dogs." How could she sling insults so casually, as if it was second nature? He couldn't wrap his head around the concept, not when it was the antithesis to all he'd known, all he'd been raised to become. If he carried even a dash of her audacity, his parents would have relentlessly knocked it out of him. ... If he could even have the opportunity to be like her... No. She was wrong. Everything about her was wrong, and the longer he stayed in her proximity, the more true it became. Yet his feet stayed rooted in their spot. His eyes still lingered, following her movements as she rushed forward. What was she planning? What was going through her head? He shouldn't have been considering her, but her very existence in that moment felt like a black hole. Perhaps that was why he did nothing to prevent the hand grabbing onto his shirt and pulling him towards her. She was drawing him in when there was no need; he was already flying in her orbit. Then his sights were flooded with obsidian, and there was the softest pressure against his lips. She was kissing him. Why was she kissing him? He instinctively closed his eyes and was forced to acknowledge the sensation, causing an unstoppable flood of thoughts. Rushing, rushing, rushing, he couldn't understand what was happening to him. But the moment ended long before his brain could catch up and he was staring at her once more, caught outside of his depth. "I accept your apology, perhaps you can find it within you to accept mine." ... That was her apologizing? Jamie blinked, and he could feel his jaw unhook by the slightest amount. She was insulting him not even five minutes ago, practically spitting in his face, and now... now, her behavior was giving him whiplash. The disaster of the garden, the disrespect, getting kissed—it was almost too much. Too chaotic. Too— "What is wrong with you?" he asked, stuck between frustration and sheer awe. "Why didn't you just... What am I supposed to..." He took a step back after that, as if suddenly, he couldn't bear to be close to her. And for a second, maybe that was actually the case. But he was quick to catch himself, desperately trying to fix the crack in his mask that she had caused. He wasn't entirely successful. There was heat running up his neck, taking hold of his ears and cheeks, and he could hardly focus. His normal tactics felt muddied and unclear; holding onto them made everything slip through his fingers. But he had to try and remedy this, didn't he? He had to try. "Okay. Fine," he said, desperately forcing his voice to remain strong, to remain firm. "I accept yours as well. Just... don't do that again. Please." He sighed before giving Meiyu a once-over. She looked okay enough, considering none of the fire had managed to come into contact with her. However, appearances could be deceiving, and if he was still reeling from the aftermath, then wouldn't she be struggling too? It would explain her irrational decisions. (Wasn't he learning she was not well, though? That this was her natural state, that there nothing "explainable" about her? No, no, he couldn't think like that. His sister would have done better than that.) "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked with a lifted brow. And before she could potentially interrupt, he raised a placating hand. "I'm asking out of concern, not to doubt your ability to... handle yourself." |
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[pc is aodhan shaw]
I can only do my best; I do not do this for myself
Afterglow
LOCATION | Corridors, Hogwarts
DATE | 11th April 2025
INTERACTING | @Jamie Saeng
x x | OUTFIT
given-taken. | SONG
Albeit at the ripe age of thirteen, Meiyu never envisioned her first kiss to be as lacklustre as whatever this had been. Accredited to having no cousins or friends prior to her admission, paired with the one romance book she had read whilst in primary school, she had expected to feel something inexplicable. Instead, she had stood there gazing at the boy with the large nose as if something was wrong and Meiyu was unclear whether it was the latter's explosive reaction, or her impulsive action. Meiyu immediately shook her head to dismiss the mere thought she had any wrongdoing, besides, at the very least, it had been the most minimal act of kindness that would spare her from ever being indebted to such a creature.
Noting his explosive reaction, Meiyu's head tilted ever so slightly as she glared at his movements, as though she had ascended into an intricate note taking session, one far more elaborate than the notes she took during class. Alternatively, the boy who had been complex in nature and unpredictable in action was far more intriguing then succumbing to actively paying attention in Transfiguration.
"Did I do something wrong?" Meiyu jestered, unsure what caused such shock that he had pulled away from her with haste as though she were a forbidden fruit.
Red hues emerged across his delicate features, an indication to the girl that she had somehow embarrassed him, unclear why exactly that had been the case. She peered across the corridor where they stood, noting the lack of people within their vicinity, her brows immediately furrowing as it served no answer to the deduction she had come to. Meiyu had always presumed to hold such a skill where she was able to understand the expression of others whilst omitting little to none herself. It had been irrefutable that the boy who had now stood before here, had not been the boy whom she had deduced him to initially be; a bitch. Instead, Jamie appeared different from others, as though there had been something deeply hidden within him, a secret she began to desperately seek the revelation of.
His tone which had concealed more than the strength and firmness he wished to convey had quickly betrayed him, or, to Meiyu at the very least. Perhaps his internal anguish which seeped into his external demeanour like a downpour during the seasonal transition into spring indicated such reflections on her counterpart. Pursing her lips into a tight smile, Meiyu attempted to ease the latter, nodding in fable agreeance, sparing the boy from further discomfort at the very least, primarily due to his brash response moments prior.
"I am unharmed." She retorted, wavering her arms around in hopes physical evidence of no burns would suffice in easing him, even if she cared minimally for his mental wellbeing. At the very least, such care was commendable and had garnered him points in her internal asset rankings. "Though I appreciate such concern, you appear more distressed than I am. Likewise, I ask you, are you okay?" She piqued with somewhat intrigue.
It was unlikely he would delve into personal matters so quickly and as a result of the actions of the Spring Soiree, actions she had begun to reminisce despite it being the same night — the fire which had grown at her doing had enticed her significantly, as though she had finally unraveled the hell she desperately sought to do so.
"I sense there could be something more sinister at play," She digressed, maintaining their newfound distance which she had partially taken personally. "What is it that is truly bothering you?"