Just another country 'bumpkin
A simple table by yourself to sit and think thoughts uninterrupted is something people take for granted. Jrue didn't know much, but she did know that. Sitting in the smaller hall, and gazed at people dawdling and conversing with one another, flipping through scrolls and minding their business. It had NOT been long since she'd first arrived at Hogwarts, but she was still minding her business, not caring to be interrupted by someone else's presence.
mentions ~ @Zephyr Deakin
speech ~ #4b6075
Sure, she missed home. Sure, she missed her parents. And her budgies, boy, what she would do for a moment to kiss each one on it's tiny little head. But here she was, sitting in the midst of the small hall, wrapped up in her thoughts and living in the moment.
She hadn't been assigned much work by her professors. Her responsibility right now was to get adjusted to the school, her trunk unpacked, and to Owl home on how exciting this new experience was... but would she? She did miss it, she was having fun... But it wasn't anything particularly spectacular. What would an Owl home even say?
' ' Dear mother and father.She felt her throat physically tighten at the thought. Yuck. Her entire grade was probably sitting at their desks with their quills in their hands doing the same thing. She wouldn't bother, however. She was too busy worrying about important things... Like how she hadn't emptied her trunk yet...
Hogwarts! I am having the most fun. Wowzers, what an experience!
I shall cherish and treasure this opportunity until my time on this gorgeous
green planet ends.
Your ever loving child,
~ Jrue
Important, right?
... Maybe she was homesick. Really, really homesick. But Jrue would rather have all of her toes bit by pygmy puffs than to admit it. Or maybe basilisks, whatever was worse. If her mother found out, she'd be made fun of forever. Really, it would end up being until her time ended on Earth. Or her father, yowch. She'd go home for break and it'd be the first thing out his mouth.
' 'I can't believe you have your mother's amazing talent, an impeccable one-in-a-million opportunity to live this fanciful magical life, and you'd rather be spending it home with us. Isn't all you talk about how you want to leave? This child of ours, Clara! Can you believe her?' '
... So maybe it was a little ridiculous, but it'd be something along the lines. Jrue rested her cheek on her hand, cupping it softly as she leaned on the table. How long had it been since she got here? 4 days? God, it felt like a lifetime ago...
Maybe she did need a couple friends.
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Just another country 'bumpkin
Zephyr didn’t think Hogwarts would tire him out this fast, but it did. It was not the classes per se, those haven't really fully started yet, it was mostly the noise. The castle was always busy with people talking, laughing, running, asking questions. There was never a dull or still moment here. Back home, on the farm, their mornings were usually quiet.
He just came from the owlery, where he wrote his very first letter home. It took him a long time to write it because he didn’t know what to say at first. His mum liked details, and his dad preferred concise, straightforward things. His little sister Zaria didn’t care what he wrote as long as he drew a silly picture at the bottom. So, he settled for something short but with important details:
Hi Mum and Dad,
I got sorted into Hufflepuff. It’s nice here. The people are nice too. Food is good. I miss the farm. Tell Zaria the cows are fine without me. Tell her not to go inside the chicken pen on her own. I’ll write again soon.
Love, Zephyr.
P.S. I drew a dragon. It’s bad.
He stared at the letter a long time before rolling it up. He didn’t want to sound sad. He didn’t not to make them worry. However, the truth was that he did feel strange. Not exactly unhappy, but the castle was too big and he was too small. Before coming to Hogwarts, he always knew what job he had to do; here, he wasn’t sure about anything yet.
After the school owl took the letter, he walked out of the owlery, and as he walked in, the halls were loud again with students moving everywhere. His head filled up with different sounds; too many things were happening all at once. He didn’t want to go back to the Hufflepuff common room yet. It would be full of students talking and laughing. He liked the other Badgers; everyone was friendly, but he wanted a quiet moment for now. Then he remembered passing a smaller hall earlier, a place with tables but fewer people. Maybe he could sit there for a bit to just breathe and think. So he made his way there, and every time someone bumped into him, he muttered “sorry,” regardless if it his fault or not.
When he finally reached the smaller hall, he was relieved to see it wasn’t packed. It was quieter here. Spotting an empty table near the middle, he walked toward it, slid into the chair and let out a deep breath. He told himself he would get used to all this. Hogwarts wasn’t a farm, but that's okay. While sitting there, his eyes drifted around the room again, and that’s when he noticed another student already sitting there. She looked deep in thought while staring at nothing in particular. He didn’t know her, but he had seen her face at the Sorting Ceremony.
@Jrue Peterson
Calming Presence | The Muggle Condition
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Just another country 'bumpkin
[quote]
The droning murmur was a nice backing track to Jrue drawing circles on the table with her pinky. A couple students had entered the room, and she only looked up once or twice before continuing to doodle on the table with nothing but her digit. She wasn't afraid of talking to other people. In fact, she loved it. But talking to other people who were older than her, who knew the place she was in better than her, for some odd reason, scared her. It wasn't because she was anxious to do anything, but she felt... inferior to them. Like she was weaker.
Maybe it was because she had grown up without too many neighbors, being out in the rolling hills. The only time she interacted with people was when she went shopping or to school. And she loved it, because she knew all those places. Paisley was nice, but there wasn't enough
people for her there to get a chance to be the social butterfly she wished she could be. The farm and school took up a lot of her time.
She had just finished doodling at a stack of books she could see from across the hall (poorly, mind you) and had gone back to looking at people. She hoped nobody saw her and thought she looked pathetic. Or thought ' ' Wow. That lass looks mean. I'd better stay clear from her or she'll probably turn my textbook into a toad..' '. But then she remembered she was a first year, and much younger than everyone, and that surely wasn't the case at all.
Gazing around, she spotted another first year in her house. Jrue was pretty sure they sat diagonally from each other at the Hufflepuff table, when she'd been far too nervous to talk to anyone, and only spoke to the older girl who had sat her down. What was his name... Zipper? Zayden? Something with a Z, that was for sure. He didn't seem like the worst person ever, so she took a deep breath, picked up her couple scrolls and quills, and made a beeline for him.
As she approached his small table, she cleared her throat. ' ' Err, howzitgoin...' ' She said too fast, her words slurring together into one. Jrue bit her cheek. ' ' Sorry for interrupting. You seemed pretty cool, and we're in the same house, and I was wondering if I could sit here because I don't know if you noticed but I was sitting alone and that's kind of pathetic, so. Um.. yeah. ' ' She blinked rapidly.
This kid better be nice, or she'd be royally screwed.
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✵ Jrue Aberdeen Peterson ✵ mentions ~ @Zephyr Deakin speech ~ #4b6075 |
Maybe it was because she had grown up without too many neighbors, being out in the rolling hills. The only time she interacted with people was when she went shopping or to school. And she loved it, because she knew all those places. Paisley was nice, but there wasn't enough
people for her there to get a chance to be the social butterfly she wished she could be. The farm and school took up a lot of her time.
She had just finished doodling at a stack of books she could see from across the hall (poorly, mind you) and had gone back to looking at people. She hoped nobody saw her and thought she looked pathetic. Or thought ' ' Wow. That lass looks mean. I'd better stay clear from her or she'll probably turn my textbook into a toad..' '. But then she remembered she was a first year, and much younger than everyone, and that surely wasn't the case at all.
Gazing around, she spotted another first year in her house. Jrue was pretty sure they sat diagonally from each other at the Hufflepuff table, when she'd been far too nervous to talk to anyone, and only spoke to the older girl who had sat her down. What was his name... Zipper? Zayden? Something with a Z, that was for sure. He didn't seem like the worst person ever, so she took a deep breath, picked up her couple scrolls and quills, and made a beeline for him.
As she approached his small table, she cleared her throat. ' ' Err, howzitgoin...' ' She said too fast, her words slurring together into one. Jrue bit her cheek. ' ' Sorry for interrupting. You seemed pretty cool, and we're in the same house, and I was wondering if I could sit here because I don't know if you noticed but I was sitting alone and that's kind of pathetic, so. Um.. yeah. ' ' She blinked rapidly.
This kid better be nice, or she'd be royally screwed.
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Just another country 'bumpkin
Zephyr had finally gotten his breathing steady again. Sitting alone helped. The hall was not that loud like the rest of the castle. He could actually think in here. He kept his eyes on his parchment, trying to pretend he was not tired or homesick or overwhelmed. But then he heard footsteps coming toward him. He looked up slowly, trying not to seem startled. The girl was familiar to him, at least from the sorting ceremony. He remembered her face. She looked nervous which he understood if you're trying to be friendly even though you're all nerves.
She spoke all in one breath, to which he reacted with a blink. He was not sure what she said at first, it took a second for his brain to catch up. Then she started talking fast, apologizing, saying he seemed cool, explaining she didn’t want to sit alone, calling it pathetic, though she didn’t look pathetic at all. Probably just unsure, just like him. Zephyr stared for a moment, because he didn’t expect anyone to walk up to him. People usually didn’t, he was not good at talking first.
This girl was clearly trying, she also looked tense, and he didn’t want her to feel bad for coming over, so he shook his head quickly and sat up straighter. “You’re not interrupting, you can sit. It’s fine.” He moved his books a little closer to himself so she would have room. He didn’t know what else to say yet, so he tried something simple.
“I’m Zephyr.” he introduced himself. “It’s nice to meet you.” It's always the safest way to start a conversation, isn't it? But was that enough? Talking to new people was harder than feeding ten hungry goats. He cleared his throat. “I… I remember you from Sorting.” After a second, he added, “And sitting alone isn’t pathetic. I was doing that too.” He looked at her scrolls and quills, then at her face.
“You can sit here as long as you want,” he said again, “Really, I don’t mind.” And he didn’t. Actually, he was glad someone had come over.
@Jrue Peterson
Calming Presence | The Muggle Condition
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Just another country 'bumpkin
[quote]
Jrue set all of her stuff down, her scrolls landing in a pile somewhat messily as she rolled her sleeves up. She cleared her throat softly, the strands of hair around her face falling into her eyes. Brushing it out of the way with one swipe, she pulled out the chair, folding her black skirt under her thighs as she sat down.
The boy in front of her had a cute nose. A button shaped thing that suited the slope of his face. Jrue wished she had a nose like that. Hers was awfully straight and boring, and it made her voice all nasally.
Zephyr... That was it. Zipper, God, it was a good thing she hadn't called him that out loud. "And what a delight to meet you... I hope I can remember your name, Zephyr... I'll just call you Zep for now." She smiled, her cheeks shimmering as the lights reflected on her soft cheekbones.
She watched as Zephyr cleared his throat, the boy shifting in his seat. He remembered her? How? She was so generic, so copy and paste. HE remembered her! Now she felt bad about the name comment.
"Hey," she rested her hands on the table, "now we can sit alone together! Together alone-" She drummed her fingers on the wooden surface, tilting her head from left to right. The boy watched as she made a fool of herself, and she too cleared her throat.
"So, um.. school! Hogwarts. Tell me about yourself! Magic, amirite-" She stuck her tongue out, biting it before it could get too far. It rested on her lips, her lip gloss a tangy orange flavour. She felt so awful for this kid, having to put up with her. He probably had so much Homework to do! Jrue reeled herself in, tongue darting back into her mouth as she pursed her lips, blinking her eyes.
Why was she being so awkward? She was a bubbly and soft kid most of the time. It must've been the grandiosity of Hogwarts. She usually was so brave and full of pride, but now she felt like a tiny ant in a huge underground anthill. Maybe it was because her only interaction was with the farmhands or kids at school. Or maybe not, maybe she just had a head cold that affected her every action as of 12 hours ago.
Whatever it was, she hoped it was put an end to before she said anything else that would put her to shame the entirety of her Hogwarts career.
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✵ Jrue Aberdeen Peterson ✵ mentions ~ @Zephyr Deakin speech ~ #4b6075 |
The boy in front of her had a cute nose. A button shaped thing that suited the slope of his face. Jrue wished she had a nose like that. Hers was awfully straight and boring, and it made her voice all nasally.
Zephyr... That was it. Zipper, God, it was a good thing she hadn't called him that out loud. "And what a delight to meet you... I hope I can remember your name, Zephyr... I'll just call you Zep for now." She smiled, her cheeks shimmering as the lights reflected on her soft cheekbones.
She watched as Zephyr cleared his throat, the boy shifting in his seat. He remembered her? How? She was so generic, so copy and paste. HE remembered her! Now she felt bad about the name comment.
"Hey," she rested her hands on the table, "now we can sit alone together! Together alone-" She drummed her fingers on the wooden surface, tilting her head from left to right. The boy watched as she made a fool of herself, and she too cleared her throat.
"So, um.. school! Hogwarts. Tell me about yourself! Magic, amirite-" She stuck her tongue out, biting it before it could get too far. It rested on her lips, her lip gloss a tangy orange flavour. She felt so awful for this kid, having to put up with her. He probably had so much Homework to do! Jrue reeled herself in, tongue darting back into her mouth as she pursed her lips, blinking her eyes.
Why was she being so awkward? She was a bubbly and soft kid most of the time. It must've been the grandiosity of Hogwarts. She usually was so brave and full of pride, but now she felt like a tiny ant in a huge underground anthill. Maybe it was because her only interaction was with the farmhands or kids at school. Or maybe not, maybe she just had a head cold that affected her every action as of 12 hours ago.
Whatever it was, she hoped it was put an end to before she said anything else that would put her to shame the entirety of her Hogwarts career.
Last edited by Jrue Peterson on 24 Nov 2025, 00:16, edited 1 time in total.
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Just another country 'bumpkin
Zephyr watched the girl drop her things in a messy pile, and for a moment, he was not sure where to look. She moved fast and talked fast, and he was still catching up with her first sentence when she was already sitting down. She said she would call him Zep, his eyebrows lifted a little, although there was a small smile he was trying to suppress. “Oh. Um… yeah. Zep is fine, if it will help you remember my name.” He tried to smile, but it came out shy and hesitant. He had never had a nickname before. His family just called him Zephyr, and Zaria called him Zephy sometimes, but that was only because she was seven and liked giving everyone silly names. Zep feels strange, but he liked it somehow, as if it's something friends might call him.
When she talked about them being “together alone” he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to laugh. He gave a soft huff, almost like a laugh, only silent. “That works, if you want to call it that way. Together alone.” Her energy was a lot. She was jumping from topic to topic, and he tried his best to follow. Looking at her this close, he noticed she's got a nice eyes hue, they're gray and her lips... His eyes widened a little when she stuck her tongue out, and he wasn’t sure if she realised she did it. He looked down at his hands so she wouldn’t think he was staring.
She randomly asked about him, and he scratched his cheek as he looked down at the table. “Uh. Well…” He felt his ears getting warm. Talking about himself was not something he did often. “I’m from Swansea. My family has a farm. It’s small. We have cows, chickens, a garden, that kind of stuff. I help out a lot at home. I like working and playing outside.” The open field is his playground. He glanced at her to see her reaction, then looked away quickly. “I’m not really used to places this busy. Hogwarts is loud and crowded.”
He shifted in his seat, trying not to look as uncomfortable as he felt. He wasn’t scared of her, she just talked more than anyone he knew, and he worried he was boring her already. “But, uh… magic is cool.” Because she commented about magic, and he was unsure what else to say about it. “I didn’t know I was a wizard until I got my letter. So I’m still adjusting to this new normal.” He finally looked at her properly, reassuring her and himself at the same time. “What about you? Where are you from?” He was not good at starting conversations, but he knew it was polite to ask back. And he really didn’t want her to think he wanted her to leave, he didn't mind her company. "Also...I didn't get your name...?"
@Jrue Peterson
Calming Presence | The Muggle Condition
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Just another country 'bumpkin
[quote]
Now Jrue felt weird. "Zep. It's got a nice ring to it, sounds kinda like something you'd name a dog though... I could not-" She brushed it off, shrugging her shoulders. The pile of scrolls readjusted on the table as she scooped them towards her, rolling the scrolls tighter and placing them on the floor.
This kid was funny. She could tell he was trying his best to be talkative and friendly, even if he was being a little awkward. His eyes darted around, flittering from her to his hands and back to her again. She liked his energy, it was very calm and friendly. Like an old friend, one from your childhood of drinking milk and eating cookies on the back porch, that never failed to make you smile.
She perked up at the word farm, as if something inside her was awakened at the mention. "A farm! Honest?" She smiled, taking a deep breath through her nose to calm down. When she got excited she could be a bit much. "My family owns a little piece of land, with wooden fences staked into the ground, a rolling green field stretching out over the horizon."
"We have a whole flock of sheep. Big white fluffy ones, and some cows too." She wasn't used to it either, to be honest. It made her happy knowing someone else felt the same. She'd much rather be out sitting in the grass with one of her budgies, feeding it berries and grass, or reading a book under a tree. She loved to sit outside.
"I'm from Paisley, in Scotland. I love it. You should visit some time!" She tucked her knees up, feet resting on the edge of the chair. She pulled her hair over her shoulders, framing her oval shaped face. "My mum's the one with the magic. Her and her whole side of the family. They've gone to Hogwarts as long as I can remember. I'm kind of stuck between both worlds, though. Somewhere in between. Muggle, and Witch." She scratched her cheek, resting her head on her knees.
"Sorry, I'm Jrue. Jrue Peterson." She smiled a delicate smile, not showing her teeth. She decided to reel herself in, breaths steady and heart rate slowing. She was safe here at Hogwarts, surrounded by sweet, like minded people. People like Zephyr, and her house mates, and the professors, who had the students best interest in mind.
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✵ Jrue Aberdeen Peterson ✵ mentions ~ @Zephyr Deakin speech ~ #4b6075 |
This kid was funny. She could tell he was trying his best to be talkative and friendly, even if he was being a little awkward. His eyes darted around, flittering from her to his hands and back to her again. She liked his energy, it was very calm and friendly. Like an old friend, one from your childhood of drinking milk and eating cookies on the back porch, that never failed to make you smile.
She perked up at the word farm, as if something inside her was awakened at the mention. "A farm! Honest?" She smiled, taking a deep breath through her nose to calm down. When she got excited she could be a bit much. "My family owns a little piece of land, with wooden fences staked into the ground, a rolling green field stretching out over the horizon."
"We have a whole flock of sheep. Big white fluffy ones, and some cows too." She wasn't used to it either, to be honest. It made her happy knowing someone else felt the same. She'd much rather be out sitting in the grass with one of her budgies, feeding it berries and grass, or reading a book under a tree. She loved to sit outside.
"I'm from Paisley, in Scotland. I love it. You should visit some time!" She tucked her knees up, feet resting on the edge of the chair. She pulled her hair over her shoulders, framing her oval shaped face. "My mum's the one with the magic. Her and her whole side of the family. They've gone to Hogwarts as long as I can remember. I'm kind of stuck between both worlds, though. Somewhere in between. Muggle, and Witch." She scratched her cheek, resting her head on her knees.
"Sorry, I'm Jrue. Jrue Peterson." She smiled a delicate smile, not showing her teeth. She decided to reel herself in, breaths steady and heart rate slowing. She was safe here at Hogwarts, surrounded by sweet, like minded people. People like Zephyr, and her house mates, and the professors, who had the students best interest in mind.
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Just another country 'bumpkin
Zephyr's shy and kind personality didn’t allow him to get easily offended. The comparison she made to with his name didn’t go unnoticed and although it was awkward to hear, he didn't overreact nor got angry. But…that didn’t stop his ears from warming up. He was deciding whether she was simply teasing him or she was just thinking out loud. The people he knew back home were usually just teasing him lightly. "It could." His chuckle came out awkward no matter how much he cover it up. "I never had a nickname except Zephy, but it's only because my sister likes making up silly names." He smiled at her to show that he was not angry or offended. “I don’t mind Zep’s fine if it’s easier for you to remember me.” He didn’t know how to properly act when someone was this bold and talkative, but it’s nice to note she’s not really being mean, she was just being herself.
He didn't hide his surprise when he learned that they also had a piece of land with a whole flock of sheep. "Whoa...Finally, someone who can speak my language!" You can see the relief in his eyes with the knowledge that he found someone who can relate to his farm life. "It's nice, isn't it? We’ve got cows, chickens, and some vegetables in the garden. I help my parents every day. I feed the animals, water the plants, and clean the pens. I like the idea of doing productive work and getting to spend a lot of time outside. I feel useful." She described her sheep and cows, “Sheep are funny, they can be very stubborn sometimes. And cows were mostly lazy but really smart too. You have to watch them a lot."
Slowly, he became comfortable talking to her, and started to relax now that it settled into a topic he could handle. “I haven’t been to Scotland so much, just once for a family gathering, but I would like to see it properly someday, tour the city and enjoy the food. I bet it’s pretty green too.” She also shared the magical side of her family, “It must be nice to grow up with it around. You get to enjoy the best of both worlds while my family, I only learned recently that my dad is a pureblood,” he admitted quietly, looking at the table again. “He decided to leave that world behind when he married Mum. She’s Muggle-born, and he just wanted a normal life. No pureblood rules or expectations. That’s why growing up, magic was never a big thing for us. I didn’t even know I was a wizard until the letter came.”
He thought about his own adjustment. “It’s hard sometimes, I don’t really know what to do with myself when I’m not helping with anything. On our farm, I'm always engaged in productive activities. Here, I feel like I should be doing something, but I don’t know what yet. Everything is loud; when I’m trying to sit still, it’s still loud. Do you feel the same way?” It was his way to justify what he feels, or else he would think he's weird. “It was a lot to take in at first. Everything’s new. Magic, Hogwarts, people everywhere… but I like it. I just… I’m still figuring it out. That’s all.”
He smiled, which he didn’t try to hide. “I think we’ll get along fine, you know?”
@Jrue Peterson
Last edited by Zephyr Deakin on 29 Nov 2025, 14:14, edited 7 times in total.
Calming Presence | The Muggle Condition
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Just another country 'bumpkin
[quote]
Sprites, why didn't I think of Zephy? That's so much better... Jrue pinched herself under the table, pursing her lips thoughtfully. Her sharp nails needed trimming (and a good paint job too, she reminded herself). Little siblings always had the best ideas. Her friend from home, Juliet, and her sister Nancy had the funniest relationship. And her second cousin from England, Eliza, had so SOOO many siblings. So many when they'd pen each other to talk about them she would always forget who was who. Jrue always wished she had had one older brother, one younger brother, by a couple years, and a younger sister, maybe 4 or 5. But alas, she didn't.
Her parents instead decided to be stingy in the sibling department. They were always busy working, her father at Hospital and her mother using floo to travel to her shop near Diagon ally. She snapped herself out of her own thoughts, chiming in just as she watched Zephyr's eyes light up at the mention of their shared hobby. "EEk! I just love cows, don't you? The little fluffy ones with the shiny, curly hair are so cute, but the black ones with the dopey ears and eyes-" She cupped her cheeks in her hands, reveling in the thought of her cows at home.
She was so glad to have gotten him talking. Now he was rambling on about his animals, and her heart felt all fluttery from adrenaline. "My favorite sheep, Mr. Binky, is all gray and fat. Cutest little button nose, though. Although, Dad mentioned that he actually might not be a Mr. Binky..." She bit her thumbnail, rolling her eyes softly before laughing.
She held her breath as the conversation took a more serious turn, however. When Zep started talking about his dad, she felt a somber seed take sprout in her stomach. Jrue blinked her eyes slowly. "Wow... does that mean you deal with your own laundry, no magic involved, cleaning it, and... folding it?" She tried to ease the mood, shivering her shoulders jokingly.
"Everything is loud; when I’m trying to sit still, it’s still loud. Do you feel the same way?” Jrue's ears felt warm. That's exactly what she thought! Exactly how she felt! She just hadn't been able to process it yet. "Exactly, Zephyr! I feel like there's so much going on and it's like I'm the only one who hasn't got it yet! Like that staircase? What is even up with that? My head has been racing this past week or so-" She furrowed her eyebrows, biting her cheek.
"For me," she added, "instead of shutting down, I just get really really REALLY talkative, and it's like the words are spewing out my mouth-" she wiggled her fingers, scrunching her shoulders and releasing them. "I really don't get out much.." she admitted, "so it's got to be this pent up energy I've been harboring for so long. I didn't mean to spook you or overwhelm you by the way.." Jrue chuckled awkwardly, rubbing her arm.
"I think we'll get along fine, you know?" The fuzzy warm feeling in her chest persisted. Jrue hadn't met someone who made her feel this way since she was friends with Juliet, and that was way back in first grade. Way too long ago for a girl her age. She shivered, from cold and excitement, and pulled her sweater over her nose (a terrible habit she had to break). She nodded, eyes crinkling when she smiled. "I agree completely."
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✵ Jrue Aberdeen Peterson ✵ mentions ~ @Zephyr Deakin speech ~ #4b6075 |
Her parents instead decided to be stingy in the sibling department. They were always busy working, her father at Hospital and her mother using floo to travel to her shop near Diagon ally. She snapped herself out of her own thoughts, chiming in just as she watched Zephyr's eyes light up at the mention of their shared hobby. "EEk! I just love cows, don't you? The little fluffy ones with the shiny, curly hair are so cute, but the black ones with the dopey ears and eyes-" She cupped her cheeks in her hands, reveling in the thought of her cows at home.
She was so glad to have gotten him talking. Now he was rambling on about his animals, and her heart felt all fluttery from adrenaline. "My favorite sheep, Mr. Binky, is all gray and fat. Cutest little button nose, though. Although, Dad mentioned that he actually might not be a Mr. Binky..." She bit her thumbnail, rolling her eyes softly before laughing.
She held her breath as the conversation took a more serious turn, however. When Zep started talking about his dad, she felt a somber seed take sprout in her stomach. Jrue blinked her eyes slowly. "Wow... does that mean you deal with your own laundry, no magic involved, cleaning it, and... folding it?" She tried to ease the mood, shivering her shoulders jokingly.
"Everything is loud; when I’m trying to sit still, it’s still loud. Do you feel the same way?” Jrue's ears felt warm. That's exactly what she thought! Exactly how she felt! She just hadn't been able to process it yet. "Exactly, Zephyr! I feel like there's so much going on and it's like I'm the only one who hasn't got it yet! Like that staircase? What is even up with that? My head has been racing this past week or so-" She furrowed her eyebrows, biting her cheek.
"For me," she added, "instead of shutting down, I just get really really REALLY talkative, and it's like the words are spewing out my mouth-" she wiggled her fingers, scrunching her shoulders and releasing them. "I really don't get out much.." she admitted, "so it's got to be this pent up energy I've been harboring for so long. I didn't mean to spook you or overwhelm you by the way.." Jrue chuckled awkwardly, rubbing her arm.
"I think we'll get along fine, you know?" The fuzzy warm feeling in her chest persisted. Jrue hadn't met someone who made her feel this way since she was friends with Juliet, and that was way back in first grade. Way too long ago for a girl her age. She shivered, from cold and excitement, and pulled her sweater over her nose (a terrible habit she had to break). She nodded, eyes crinkling when she smiled. "I agree completely."
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Just another country 'bumpkin
Zephyr was surprised when she squeaked about cows. It wasn't a bad reaction, just surprising, wasn't it? It was amusing to see someone getting excited about farm-related things, especially cows. Most kids his age don't care about animals unless they are dangerous. But this one freaked out about cows. He found himself smiling before he even meant to. “The fluffy ones are called Highland cows. My mum loves those. And the black ones really do look dopey.” His smile grew even more. “One of ours tries to lick my face every morning. I have to dodge him, or I’ll smell like cow spit all day.” She cupped her cheeks and looked like she was thinking about something interesting that he's privy to. He stared at her for a second, amused. She was a lot, that much he could tell.
It was amusing that she called a sheep Mr. Binky, and that's how he might not actually be a “Mr.” His eyes went wide. “How do you not know?” Almost laughing. “You’ve been calling him Mr. Binky this whole time?” He shook his head while smiling. “That’s funny, poor guy…or girl.” He almost snorted, but he stopped himself because he didn’t want to make too much noise that would embarrass him. There were some habit or quirks that he noticed from Jrue simply by talking to her and observing her actions. How she suddenly looked thoughtful at things that were important to her, and how she bit her thumbnail but was not sure if that was only because she's doing it subconsciously or not.
Hearing her next question, Zephyr laughed at her reaction, not even holding himself back. "What's so amazing about it? I grew up the muggle way, so doing the laundry, cleaning, and even folding clothes are just simple chores to me that I can manage manually, yes, without magic, and they're not hard to do." He even sounded proud that he knew something as simple as those tasks. But now that he knew some spells, maybe it'll be easier in the long run, not to mention faster. “Thought magic would’ve been nice for that, honestly.” It seemed to him that they both were feeling the same way when it came to noise and feeling overwhelmed. “Right? It was like every corner, someone’s talking, or running, or something’s floating, or the stairs move for no reason.” Initially, he thought he was the only one who couldn't keep up; it turns out he's not alone.
She talked about how she gets more talkative when she’s overwhelmed, and that was his observation, too. "I can't say the same to myself. I'm not this talkative, maybe because you hit the right topic with me. Farm life." If it's a different topic, he would freeze and wouldn't be able to form coherent words. "You worry too much." was his reaction to what she said about spooking him or overwhelming him. "If I am, I wouldn't be this talkative, and I wouldn't share anything at all. But I do need a minute sometimes, you’re fine. I like that you talk a lot, it helps with feeling awkward.” He meant it, and he hoped she could tell. It was not something he knew how to put into fancy words; he just believed it, that they would get along fine, and that they would become close friends even though they had only known each other for a few minutes. "Indeed. And by the way, do you have a favourite subject or activity in school now?"
@Jrue Peterson
Calming Presence | The Muggle Condition
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5