Legacy Finished

Jack poked and prodded at Flash's words, until the stress began to weigh on his thoughts. Like a haze crawling in the back of his head, he felt an ominous, encroaching feeling. That stupid smile… should be smacked off your face... He was indignant. Why should you have all the power, you didn’t do anything for it. More and more, the thoughts buzzed in his head, asking to be heard.

He felt a brief flicker of amusement when Burnett bat away his cloak, though the buzz came back as Burnett continued talking, insinuating increasingly ugly behaviors, as if to imply he was anything besides what he presented himself to be. Burnett was clearly aiming to get Flash to break the pretense, but it meant too much to him to drop just because someone pestered him long enough to do it. Why did he have to get so personal? Was it just because he could?

Flash stood up out of his seat calmly, taking a breath and a sigh to even out his mood. He looked straight at Jack when he talked.

”If you’re quite done, I think I’ll be the one going, actually.” He looked over to Opeila. ”I would like to apologize for the way Burnett spoke to you, I feel in part responsible. If you know Burnett, you know he means it all in good fun. He just doesn’t know when to stop.”

Flash grabbed the book off the table as well as a notebook, as those were the only things he brought. He let the coat stay where it had been thrown off. ”I leave the cloak problem up to you. The whole school’s safety is in your hands now. I believe in you.”

He tried to keep his voice even, without the hint of sarcasm that was clearly implied, but he couldn’t help but wince for a moment as he spoke. ”I think I just decided that I want to spend my birthday alone. It was nice talking to you both.” It was better that he left before things got worse. They would only get worse. Having said enough to excuse himself, he hoped he had made his point. He didn’t look back as he walked out the door.

Opeila couldn't help but being at least a little amused about the way that Jack tossed the cloak back. Then he seemed irritated about Opeila's questions and asked her, why she thought, that this was about her. "Oh, I am not making this about me. But it is Flash's cloak, and he obviously knows, what that is, so I can't help but wonder..."

Then Flash got up and left. He apologized for Burnett's behaviour. As if it was his fault. "No need to feel responsible. I know him. Happy Birthday..." Opeila looked after him, feeling her anger grow. She absolutely couldn't blame him. But there went her plan to somehow make this a nice day. She even had a cauldron cake in her bag, that she had planned to give him. In a quick move she got up, took the cloak and threw it at her rude housemate. "There, take it! Are you happy now? Do you need more proof that you did not improve the situation? What on earth was that even about?" She exhaled annoyed. "Yes, it is his birthday. What was the point in going on about that letter? Why couldn't you just leave us alone?"
Aggressively she closed her book and put it in her bag.


@Flash Holmwood @Jack Burnett

There was a certain composure Flash kept up that hadn't been present when Jack had first spoken to him in private. The redhead wondered if it was a result of sheer determination and a greater presence of mind since that meeting or if the other boy simply couldn't allow himself to seem flustered or put off in front of Opeila. It might not even have been her specifically; Flash could have just been especially careful about his facade due to the many other students watching them close by.

Before he could say anything, however, he was astonished to find that not only did the other Slytherin boy apologize to Opeila on behalf of Jack's actions but he actually defended them. Flash claimed that if one knew Burnett, they would know he meant it 'all in good fun'. Flash spoke as if he himself believed he knew his dorm mate well, though they had only really spoken to each other properly on one other occasion.

Did the blue-eyed boy really presume to understand his peer, or was he simply putting on another confident act? Either way, it seemed like a pretty good guess. But...hadn't Flash claimed that he hadn't wanted anyone to think they were friends before? If he was implying he understood Jack's motivations, wasn't that getting dangerously close to suggesting what Flash had been hoping to avoid?

He stared after his housemate for a while, astonished and pondering things over, when the black cloak attacked him once again - this time accompanied by Opeila's angry, shrill scoldings.

Jack waited for the girl's tirade to abate before removing the cloak from his head. When he looked at her, his hazel eyes were hard and disappointed; his mouth a single, thin line.

"I couldn't leave you alone because you were only allowing him to pay attention to you," he replied calmly. "Not paying attention to him. And attention is the very least anyone needs on their birthday."

Folding up the cloak, Jack carried it under his arm with some delicacy before following after Flash.

"Hey, Flash!" he called, breaking into a small jog in order to catch up with his peer. "I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you. What about a favor? I'll do you any favor you like, so long as I'm capable."

@Flash Holmwood & @Opeila Seilun

Flash knew where to walk if Jack started following him. Of course he would follow, despite being specifically told not to. Flash wasn’t naive enough to think that he wouldn’t. He only hoped Opeila’s opinion of him had not only been salvaged, but improved. Now that he had Jack isolated things would be different, and isolation was his entire intention. On the second floor there was a long, quiet hallway that lead to the tower where the Headmaster’s Office was, and lately no one ever walked it. It was close enough that he could just pick up his pace a bit and then they were there. Alone together.

Flash turned on the spot when he felt he was out of hearing range of anyone that could be nearby. There Jack was, with the cloak under his arm, yapping about favors. Like I’m stupid enough to believe you. Flash let his feelings show on his features-- contempt. He hated being toyed with, even if a part of him enjoyed the intellectual challenge. It wasn’t a big enough part, he didn’t have enough ammunition to fire back.

”I’ll pass, thanks.” Flash wanted to spit on Jack’s useless favors. There was no chance that they came without conditions. ”And Burnett, next time you want to know more about me, why not try asking nicely.”

What is your problem? Why did you interrupt my conversation? There were things Flash wanted to know, but the longer he talked to Burnett, the more likely he would grab ahold of narrative and make it his own. He had to keep it civil, even now. He couldn’t just say everything that ran across his mind. Why are you teasing me? Is it fun? Are you having a good time?

@Jack Burnett@Opeila Seilun

Jack had waited for Opeila to finish before he pulled the cloak of his head.
She forced herself to calm down again, what wasn't easy, especially, when her housemate accused her of only allowing him to pay attention to her but not paying any to him. Pressing her lips together, Opeila shook her head. "Right, maybe you should overthink your techniques of eavesdropping, those obviously don't work out very well." She closed her bag, not looking at Jack again. Opeila was aware, that she tended to make things about her and took things personal a lot, but this was simply not true. She had been trying to somehow help Flash to have at least a little fun on his birthday, until this jerk had showed up and ruined everything. That had nothing to do with her. But she did not see, why she should explain herself to him.
She couldn't just accept the comment about attention being the least everyone needed on his birthday. "Oh is that what you think, Burnett? So you'd be fine with people annoying you, as long as they paid attention to you? To me that sounds a little sad."

Jack ran off, after Flash. Great. Opeila sighed. There went her hopes of this being a good day. Damn jerk.

@Jack Burnett

"Oh, of course! It has to be my fault because it's never yours," Jack laughed mirthlessly at Opeila's remark about his eavesdropping. "Pardon my mistake. Merlin forbid you actually think about what you might be doing wrong for a change." He shook his head, then repeated a quote he'd heard from earlier.

"'I’m sorry, Opeila, but…' he began. And then changed his mind, saying, 'No, actually, instead, why don’t you tell me something fun to do on a birthday.' He left it up to you because even if he didn't want to do anything, he didn't want to ruin your fun." Jack's mouth twisted. "And then you went, 'that is not how this works But alright.' Or didn't I hear any of that correctly?" He crossed his arms over his chest, still hanging on to the cloak with some delicacy, as if it really were a living creature.

"Basically, you knew he was just going along with whatever you wanted to make you happy, but you decided to let him anyway instead of trying to figure out what he was going to say - what he actually wanted." The redhead sighed and rolled his eyes, muttering, "No wonder he feels like he has to put on a facade, dealing with people like you who only pay attention to the surface instead of reading between the lines..."

At the comment regarding being fine with people annoying him, Jack smirked at Opeila. "You must really not know me if you have to ask me that," he told her. "That's the whole reason I interact with anyone in the first place - to have an impact on their lives. To make them pay attention to me, but without liking me or wanting to be my friend.

"If they annoy me - which is unlikely - good. If I annoy them, all the better. If I can get them to hate me, that's the best case senario. People who are faced with things that upset, irritate, or anger them are the most-likely to show their true colors, so that's how I get to know people better than most.

"And yes, maybe that might seem a little sad to you, but since it's my life and I like how I choose to live it, your opinion doesn't really play a part in this matter. See you around~" With a tight smile and a little wave of his fingers, he went off to pursue Flash.


When Jack finally caught up to Flash, he was surprised to see his peer turn around to face him. At least this time he seemed to be less reticent, his contempt obvious on his countenance and in his demeanor. The redheaded Slytherin smiled at the appearance of the more genuine version of his housemate.

"There's the Flash we all know and love," he gushed playfully, gently nudging the other first year in the arm with an elbow. "And come on. You know no one gets anywhere just by being nice. Or can you honestly tell me you would have been more open if I'd just played nicer? 'Using honey instead of vinegar to catch flies' and all that..."

His enthusiastic smile mellowed out into something more serious. "About that favor, though, I mean it. Anything to make your birthday better. Even if you just use it to tell me to turn around and walk away so you can be left alone, I will. Promise." He raised his right hand as one would while making an oath. "I'm a Slytherin of my word. You can at least trust that, can't you?"

@Flash Holmwood & @Opeila Seilun

Flash thought about what Burnett had said. Whether he knew it or not, he made a good point. If he had been nice all along, he probably wouldn’t have said much either. His personal business was just that-- his business. No one needed to know about it, it didn’t change anything. But, on the contrary, it did change something: it made him more vulnerable. If they knew he was half-blood, or from a wealthy family, or that his brother was a politician, it would invite only more questions. Questions about his family, and he didn't want to talk about them, whether through honey or vinegar. He had to admit Burnett was right, but it didn’t change that his tactics were uncalled for.

Burnett couldn’t have an honest curiosity about Flash anyway, there was nothing to know. He always put his best foot forward, and there was nothing behind it. His face had everything there was to know already. Trying to push past it was an invasion, and the only reason Flash could presume as to why he would do it was cruelty. He must have liked to see Flash squirm underneath it all.

A favor for his birthday-- a trap more like. He could ask him to leave, but what would he owe in return? Trusting his word was out of the question. The only way Flash could trust him was if he was in control of his actions, if Burnett was an obedient dog like everyone else. He couldn’t put trust into a feral animal.

”I’d rather you just do as you please. I don’t believe anything I say would be safe from being misconstrued.” Flash was honest with his reasoning, he knew dancing around it would only invite more prodding. ”It’s not as if my birthday needs to be ‘better’. It doesn’t need to be anything at all.”

Flash had calmed down a bit. Burnett had switched, just as he did before, to suddenly being nicer. At least Flash knew this time not to let his guard down completely. It was only a matter of time before he attacked again.

@Jack Burnett @Opeila Seilun

Opeila sent her housemate a smile, that was just as sarcastic as those stupid comments he made. "Yeah, screw you, too." She regretted that right after she said it. Opeila never swore. She made sure of that and it angered her even more that she had let him getting her into such an aggressive state.
But she would not take it back. She would not apologize. Because right now, she meant it.
Still, his interpretation of her comments made her chuckle a little at least. Indeed, he went down the wrong road with those. It kind of reminded her who she was talking to. This was only Jack Burnett, who showed his jerk side. Not need to explode.
"So your one of the quickly judging ones? Hm. Guess I can't hold that against you, doing that a lot myself. But why does it seem so unlikely to you that I actually just wanted to be nice? Not to make his choices for him but suggest some things, that he could have always disagreed with?" With that she picked up her bag. She had successfully calmed down now. This was only Jack Burnett. Who now said that she couldn't know him very well and then explained his opinion. Opeila just sent him a bitter smile. "Yeah. I know. And if you knew what else I know about you, things you don't know yourself, you'd be surprised. That means, if you weren't messing with me all along."
Then Opeila left the Study Room, a tight feeling in her stomach and angry with herself.

@Jack Burnett

At Flash's comment about what he said being misconstrued, Jack broke into peals of laughter. "Alright, you got me. I do enjoy doing that," he acknowledged. "Quick observation for someone who's hardly ever talked to me. But let me clarify something. I never said your birthday needs to be better. I just wanted to try to do something to make it better for you if I could."

He was thoughtful for a moment, glancing at the cloak under his arm, before speaking up once more. "What you said about me before...that 'if you know me, you know I mean it all in good fun and that I just don't know when to stop'," Jack paraphrased. "Did you consider that maybe it's just difficult for most people to tell when I have stopped? That they never know when I'm being serious, so they always just assume I'm messing around?"

The redhead cast flash a crooked smile, giving him a sideways look. "That's what tricksters do, you know. They keep people on their toes; keep them guessing. I have fun trying to be like them. But you...are you having fun trying to be the person you're trying to be?

"Not that it's any of my business," he was quick to disclaim, putting up his palm as if to shield himself from any sharp retorts Flash might have been ready to hurl his way. "And if you are enjoying yourself, that's all fine and dandy. I only ask because from my perspective, it doesn't seem like it. And I wondered if you realized that."

@Flash Holmwood

Flash was instantly irked by what came next. More gut wrenchers, as if they would never stop coming for the rest of his life. He couldn’t let it sway over him, he had made it so far without breaking like he did last time. He felt tense again, starting to feel the physical signs that he was about to boil over. It trembled in his stomach, making him almost feel unsteady on his feet.

It made sense what he said, how one could never tell if he was being serious. Flash believed it, he was sure he couldn’t tell the difference. The safest bet would be to just assume he was never being serious-- the boy who cried wolf came to mind-- but Flash tossed the idea. It would be too easy to give up and say he just didn't know. No one was truly inscrutable.

Then the insinuation-- are you having fun trying to be the person you’re trying to be? It was insulting.

”Fun?” Flash’s face was one of disbelief, which changed into anger. ”What a charmed life you lead, concerned over how much fun you’re having.”

Flash’s words had venom, his voice low, strung tight as if ready to snap. He stood up straight, looking down at Burnett.

”I know it may seem like I’m playing a game to you. Like I’m pretending to be someone I’m not. But there is nothing else, this is who I am.”

Flash’s face flushed again, somehow suddenly flustered, but trying to underplay it. Why did he care what Burnett thought anyway? Why did he pull him aside instead of losing him in a crowd? The fact that Burnett was trying harder than anyone ever had to get to know him… was embarrassing. Of course, Flash had made it that way. He avoided being known at all costs. Here he was, doing everything in his power to reveal as little about himself as possible. Who was he trying to convince, Burnett or himself?

It’s not like he actually cares. I’m a joke to him. Flash tried to keep that line of thinking at bay, it had no use but to confuse him. But if he’s being serious… no that’s exactly what he wants me to think… he’ll ridicule me. He had to end it before it was too late.

”I think this conversation is over, don’t you agree?” Flash avoided eye contact now, leaning against the walls of the hall so he could keep himself standing up. He hoped Burnett might have the decency to see himself out. To see if what he said had any impact at all. To see how long before the onslaught stopped.

@Jack Burnett