Not Quite Alone
Reducio @Zephyr Deakin |
 Credit to Skylar Astor |
Reducio WC: 532 |
Winter break was finally over. Classes started again and the commotion at the castle was once again full of swing. Surely Rose missed it but she was also missing the quietness of her holidays. She sighed as she was walking down the corridor to get outside. Since she has come back to Hogwarts there was one place she wanted to go. The Great Lake. It was the perfect spot to find silence. To her the most peaceful of all surrounding area of the castle was this one.
When she reached the outside she felt the cool wind brushing her face before heading towards the lake. There was still snow on the ground and some spots appeared to be slippery as she walked carefully.
Today was not as cold as it has been some other days. The sky was blue the sun shining and the air fresh. That was so refreshing. Rose liked feeling the coolness on her face. Although being warmer than few days ago the tip of Rose's nose reddened along her cheeks as she tucked her head in her scarf. Finally the Great Lake was on sight and she saw some students walking around. She went a bit further on the bank's lake to where almost no students were going. That was a reason why she liked going there. It was quieter and more peaceful. She wanted to draw so she needed quietness to do so.
As she was walking along the lake shore she took her dark blue notebook out of her pocket and a pencil. Rose quickly looked around to see where she was and decided to stop as she found the spot was nice to draw. She didn't sit down as there was snow and it would be cold instead she remained standing. She started to draw the opposite blank and the castle's roof that could be seen from there. It was really pretty so she wanted to capture this moment. Next time she hoped she will have a camera to capture it differently. She was focused sketching on her notebook when she heard a sound behind her. Rose tried not to pay attention to it as she thought it was only a bird. Nevertheless when she heard another sound she frowned as she was sure no one was there when she arrived. She quickly glanced around but couldn't see anyone.
However she suddenly thought of something -actually more of someone- as she smirked. There could be only one person who would come here and be not on the floor. At the thought she felt her cheeks heating up and her heart starting to beat faster. She tried to calm herself down and she just continued to draw as if she had noticed anything. She wanted to finish her sketch first although it was just an excuse to buy some time until her heartbeat would have come back to normal.
She sighed as she hoped it was not someone else.
"You do like watching people from above don't you?" she asked on a teasing tone loud enough for him to hear. Her back was still facing him as she was feeling a bit shy to turn around.
Last edited by Rose Pearce on 7 Feb 2026, 14:33, edited 3 times in total.
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Not Quite Alone
credit to Skylar Astor
Reducio Word Count: 546 |
Reducio Mention: @Rose Pearce |
He was sitting on a thick branch overlooking the Great Lake; his one leg was bent while the other was dangling. His back was resting against the rough bark, and his drawing pad was balanced on his knee. Currently, he was sketching the clouds and the winter sky. The lake below him was very calm, and the snow blanketing the ground gave the place a magical allure, but not too much that it was blinding. This place reminded him of home in a peculiar way, due to the open air, the water, and the silence. Hogwarts felt too big at times, but he found a balance while being there; everything became manageable.
That was when he noticed her.
Rose came into view from the path, all bundled up while being careful with her steps on the snow. He stopped drawing and didn't move; he probably held his breathing for a while, too, worried that he would make noise and break her moment. He just watched her in a non-judgmental way, just being his observant self. The girl always has a focused and peaceful look, as if she belongs to the place.
He almost felt guilty for being there, feeling like he was intruding, even though he didn't follow her there. He considered climbing down and leaving before she noticed him. But then she stopped walking, took out her notebook, and started writing something.
Maybe she wanted to be alone, so he went back to his sketch, though his attention was torn between her and the view now. How can she even write something while standing there instead of sitting? He was in that train of thought when she stopped moving as if suddenly alert. Uh oh... He knew that feeling, when you realised you're not alone.
She spoke next in her familiar teasing and soft voice... “You do like watching people from above, don’t you?”
He froze...
For some reason that he couldn't comprehend, she knew it was him. His face was warm, and he looked down sheepishly, like a deer caught in headlights. A grin formed before he could stop it. He may have been embarrassed, but he was also amused. Oddly, that didn’t feel bad. “I’m not watching. I was drawing the sky. You just happened to walk in.” She already knew he liked being up there.
Giving her a curious look, a small pout appeared, "You always seem to know when I’m around, it's impressive. And not gonna lie, it's curious.” He moved from where he was sitting and finally started to climb down so he was not completely out of her sight. Once he was in front of her, he smiled.
"How's your school break? Did you enjoy your time with your family?"
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
Not Quite Alone
Reducio @Zephyr Deakin |
Credit to Skylar Astor |
Reducio WC: 808 |
Rose still facing the lake kept sketching on her small dark blue notebook waiting for an answer. When his voice came to her ears Rose smiled as she has not been wrong on the identity of that mysterious person. Nevertheless she felt her cheeks warming as she turned around to see Zephyr. She closed her notebook she put in her pocket along with the pencil.
Feeling her heart beating a bit faster and knowing her cheeks -or more her face- have turned redder she tried to hide a part of it in her scarf for him not to notice her abnormal redness. Since it was cold and her cheeks were often turning redder due to the coolness she hoped it would go unnoticed and just appeared as someone trying to warm itself.
At Zephyr's answer she couldn't help but smile mischievously at him.
"Perhaps I wanted to be the angel that appears in your sky." she said chuckling at her own silliness wondering how such ideas could come into her mind.
Rose was teasing Zephyr as she knew he liked climbing trees and getting up there to have a nice view and be in a quieter place. She was aware of the feeling as she has been able to experience it once as well. And despite her fear of height she couldn't deny how great it felt to be up there. So obviously she couldn't blame him for liking getting up on a tree.
"I won't blame you for going up there as it is quite nice..." she said smiling "...even if it were to observe people." she added teasingly quickly glancing at him.
Rose noticed his pout that made her slightly smile as it was rather cute from him.
To avoid his look that was making her cheeks redder -which have had become less red- and losing a bit of her composure she turned towards the lake again looking up at the sky letting the wind brushing her face.
"I'm the wind, remember? I'm everywhere. You can't avoid me." she said on a deeper tone as if she were trying to mimic Zephyr's voice not without failure. "That's what you told me when we were up in that tree. So I suppose I'm following where the wind leads me." she calmly said finally looking at Zephyr -who was now in front of her- her light green eyes slightly sparkling as she flashed him a smile.
When he smiled at her before asking her about her holidays Rose felt her face heating up again. She slightly turned herself from his sight for him not to notice her cheeks have reddened again. At least she could have the winter temperature excuse to be redder than usual.
"My holidays?" she repeated as if she wanted to make sure what he asked when she already knew well. But she felt a bit nervous.
"It was nice! As I wrote in the letter I sent you I had a great time with my family and was really happy to see them. Especially Olen." a small smile appeared on her lips at the thought of her black Maltese dog she was already missing. "When I talked about you to my brother I also told him I climbed a tree with you or I should say thanks to you." she smiled at the memory "He couldn't believe it was true and wondered how you succeeded to make me doing that." she paused as a small rictus appeared "But that gave him a great idea. He got it into his head to make me fly on a broom." she let out a small laugh. "Exciting for him, scaring for me. Thankfully it was the end of the holiday so not much time were left. So obviously you can imagine how it went; me trying to avoid him with anything to keep me busy and him running everywhere to try catching me doing nothing." Rose remembered how it became messy back then to their grandparents' house that everyone wanted the siblings out of the house.
"The thing is...he didn't succeed and sees in you kind of a supernatural who has some influence over me to make me doing everything that scares me as if I were not anymore." she laughed but was also feeling a bit embarrassed at how her brother may appear now to Zephyr. Her too got surprised at how his older brother behaved. "He is counting on you to make me fly." she added chuckling gently. "But of course he was joking." she quickly added not to make it seem serious. Feeling embarrassed she didn't know what to do or where to look at.
"Should we walk then?" she offered hoping moving would make her feeling less embarrassed.
"What about you? Did your holidays go well?" she asked him as she started walking.
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Not Quite Alone
credit to Skylar Astor
Reducio Word Count: 751 |
Reducio Mention: @Rose Pearce |
It didn't take long for her to tease him, like she always does. That was one of the things that didn't change, thankfully. At least it tells him they're still okay and there's still hope to act like before when he was around her. She joked about being an angel in his sky, his brain stalled, not expecting that. Having gotten his bearings back, he chuckled as he shook his head. “An angel, really?" Trying to sound casual, even though his smile gave him away. “I was just drawing clouds, not summoning beings from the heavens. Though it's not the worst thing to walk into.”
She was teasing him for observing people, not denying it this time around. “Maybe I do observe, but it’s not like that.” Gaze is going to the lake thoughtfully. “I’m just more comfortable watching than talking sometimes. It's easier and safer when you’re not right in the middle of things.” He grinned, ears reddening. “But I don't do it in a creepy way, okay? I promise.”
If he noticed how much her red cheeks went even deeper, he decided not to comment about it, but it didn't mean he missed it. Her little impression of him was met with a snort before he could stop himself. “That was a terrible impression, my voice is way cooler than that.” The part where she said she was following the wind, he studied her face. “So you’re following the wind now? Is this a normal wind thing, or is it a special one I should know about?” His tone was teasing now, but deep inside, he was curious. “Feels suspiciously specific. Or did the wind just happen to bring you here today?” He was not serious about the question and was enjoying teasing her in that moment.
He listened with interest when she shared about her family and their holidays, especially when she talked about Olen. “You sounded really happy in your letter.” When she mentioned her dog Olen, Zephyr was reminded of the photo she sent to him. “You've got a very cute dog! I showed it to Zaria, my little sister, and she loves Olen instantly.” Then there was her brother, with whom she shared their escapades here in school, when they climbed a tree together. “I’m still surprised you did that; you were shaking the whole time.” Despite her fears, she still climbed up to join him. Hearing that her brother thought of him as some kind of supernatural influence made his eyebrows rise. “That’s a lot of pressure, I swear I didn’t cast a spell on you or anything.” If he remembers the moment, he didn't put a lot of effort into persuading her.
The broom story was funny that he laughed more openly. He could picture it clearly as she shared it with him, Rose avoiding her brother, and her brother chasing her around. “I’m glad he didn’t catch you. Flying should be your choice, not something you’re forced into. If you ever do try it, you can take it slowly, when you're ready. Just like I promised, we can fly together?”
She offered to walk, and he didn't see any issue with that, so he shrugged and nodded. He put both his hands into his pockets out of habit and also because it was cold. For his own holiday, his thoughts immediately went to the broom, and a sincere smile appeared on his lips. “It was good, I still can’t believe you gave me a broom.” He already wrote to her, but... "Thank you again, it was a very unexpected gift. I was shocked, even my dad, who's familiar with how expensive brooms can be. No one’s ever given me something like that.” He looked down briefly, “It meant a lot to me, Rose, really.” There's something he needed to know from her, "Why, though...why did you give me a broom?" That question was born out of curiosity and nothing else.
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
Not Quite Alone
Reducio @Zephyr Deakin |
Credit to Skylar Astor |
Reducio WC: 1 127 |
Rose and Zephyr were walking along the lake bank. Clear sky with few clouds, sunlight going through and reflecting on the frozen surface of the lake giving it a glittering view, tree branches still white covered with a thin layer of snow laying also on the ground. That was the scenery surrounding them. The weather was slightly windy and cold yet refreshing and agreeable to have a walk outside. That was a nice day which was making Rose happy. A smile was plastered on her lips as she was walking refraining herself from twirling around and running as she didn't want to slip. As she was walking she thought of Zephyr's several remarks on her words. She looked up at the sky as she slightly smirked.
"Because you don't summon angels doesn't mean they won't come or can't come to you." she told him teasingly.
Recalling his next comment about it not being the worst things to walk into, Rose's mischievous smile got wider as she titled her head on the side before putting on an innocent look while looking at Zephyr.
"Fair enough." she shrugged "You don't appear to like angels that might come greeting you." she slightly pouted. But then an idea popped up in her head as she added still on her innocent tone trying not to let her mischief appeared.
"However don't be surprise if you encountered something less heaven-like later." She tried not to laugh as she quickly looked towards the lake to hide her small smile that would give her away on her fake seriousness attempt.
She then calmly looked at the scenery in front of her as she felt the wind brushing her face. Rose turned again to Zephyr. When she told him she was following the wind it was only a way to slightly tease him as his name referred to it. So when he told her she seemed to know where he always was she had just wanted to play around as her habits of teasing him whenever she could.
"Well...If I were to tell you it wouldn't be curiously fascinating would it?" she widely smiled at him "So yes! Let's say the wind just brought me there!" she chuckled. "You're the King of Wind after all!"
To be fair there were no reason she just appeared to walk where Zephyr was finding himself. She didn't expect nor think to find him here at the same time as she was. Although she knew he liked coming here she just wanted to come and draw some of the winter scenery in a quiet place.
Rose's lips formed into a smile again as she quickened her pace slightly out of excitement as she let out a small laugh.
"I'm glad to hear Zaria loved Olen! Maybe she could meet him one day. Olen loves getting to know new people and is really playful." she paused for a while as if she were thinking.
"I recall you told me your sister was always full of energy if I'm not mistaken and Olen always needs attention and someone to play with he seemed to be tireless." she chuckled "So I'm sure both of them would get along perfectly!" she enthusiastically added smiling.
When Rose remembered her brother's reaction when she told him about the climbing tree story she put on an annoying look as she let out a sigh. Her brother, Ewan, wouldn't believe her that he was ready to make her climb the tree in their grandparents' garden for her to prove him she could climb again. Actually the tree she fell from younger. Ewan thought it was the way for her to overcome her fear that had come up because of an accident which resulted in small -or big it was all relative- trauma. Perhaps he was right but although she did climb with Zephyr thanks to his encouraging words she wouldn't be able to do it alone. And Zephyr was right too she was awfully shaking and her body was tensed. Far away from the idea of someone who would do it everyday. Nevertheless the more she may try the better she would get and eventually the fear could disappear at some point. Without realising it Rose had gone silent for quite a moment now as she heard Zephyr's voice again stating they could fly together whenever she would be ready. She was of course agreeing with the fact that nothing should be forced. Rose suddenly took a serious look which was rare from her as most of time was fulfill with teasing and laugh.
"I used to like climbing trees. High. I wanted to fly. Even that my parents were seeing in me a future Quidditch player." she looked down while walking as the blurry memory of her fall came back to her mind. "But as I told you when we climbed I fell one day. Since that day my brother thinks if I were climbing this same tree I fell from my fear would fade." she sighed "To be honest I'm not sure about that." she slightly chuckled followed with a smile.
When Zephyr spoke about his holiday he thanked her again for the broom and Rose could feel his gratitude in his voice and how surprised he still seemed to have received such thing. She was glad he liked it as her cheeks reddened.
"Don't worry! All my pleasure! You're a dear friend to me and I wouldn't want you to find yourself in any beds of the hospital wing because of a non-decent broom!" she was making it a slight joke but deep down she was meaning it. Yet she slightly frowned when he asked her why she offered one.
Rose quickened her pace to place herself in front of Zephyr as she walked backwards facing him ready to explain her reasons still frowning at him.
"Mmmh...Isn't it obvious?" she asked on a feigning serious tone as if she were ready to scold him. Of course she was only teasing him in a way.
"You're a broom racer and want to be a Quidditch player so of cou-..."
Rose couldn't finish her sentence as her eyes widened when her feet suddenly slipped with a slight twist in her ankle as she felt herself falling on the snowy ground. Her auburn hair blowing in the wind of her fall before she winced in pain as her bottom hit the floor. Rose's hair fell back on her shoulders slightly messy when she felt a sharp pain in her ankle. The pain was acute that she couldn't help but got teary eyes before some tears rolled down her not so red cheeks. Indeed her face was now rather very pale.
She looked up searching for Zephyr's reassuring eyes.
Last edited by Rose Pearce on 19 Jan 2026, 21:00, edited 3 times in total.
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Not Quite Alone
credit to Skylar Astor
Reducio Word Count: 751 |
Reducio Mention: @Rose Pearce |
At her joke, he chuckled an eyebrow rose. "I’ll give you that, you’ve got a point. Though if an angel ever does show up, I’m going to blame you for the trouble.” She put on that innocent, almost-too-sweet look, and said he didn’t seem to like angels. “Don’t pout at me, Rose. I never said I don’t like them. I just haven’t had one greet me before, that'll be weird if that ever happened.” He was secretly amused and noticed her conspiratorial glance toward the lake when she warned him he might meet something less heaven-like later, as she put it. Now what does she mean by that? He was trying not to laugh outright. "Why do I have a feeling that's vaguely threatening. Are you implying you're the opposite of heaven-like?” His voice had the teasing edge that he only ever used with her so far.
When she turned back toward the scenery, she looked so peaceful that he almost forgot what they were currently discussing. He just watched her for a second, but then she turned to him again, all wide smile and sparkle in her eyes, and he snapped back to reality when she teased him about the wind bringing her there with that mischievous grin she always sported whenever she tried to tease him. “Curiously fascinating? Fancy words now, are we? I should be worried about what happens if I start taking my title seriously. Are you saying you’re basically a leaf on the breeze? Just floating around wherever the wind takes you?”
He didn’t have to filter himself as much, didn’t have to think as hard about what to say or how to act. Rose could tease him, call him ridiculous, and he could tease back, and they would still be okay. “On a serious note, I should probably be thankful that the wind brought you here, or should I be terrified instead? Who knows what other mischief you’ve got planned for me.” He gave her a playful grin, waiting to see if she would blush, roll her eyes, or just tease him right back.
Rose suggested letting Olen meet Zaria someday. "That would be a disaster in the making, and I am not sure how we can make that happen unless I bring my sister to the King's Cross station next time and you bring Olen with you too." His sister would love the dog, that's so cute. "She's full of life and has a vast reserve of energy, I don't even know where she's getting it." His social battery has a limit, and when he reaches that, there's no stopping him from retreating and hiding in his own room for the rest of the day. That's just how it works for him.
She shared how much she used to enjoy climbing trees, but one incident changed the way she approaches that kind of activity. "That's sad. I hope you won't let one incident spoil something you used to like doing. You climbed the tree when I asked you to, it's not so bad, right?"
According to her, he was a dear friend who deserved a broom. It was for his own safety to have a decent broom to avoid being sent to the hospital wing. Receiving such an expensive broom from a friend he had only met that year felt surprising. At first, he couldn't quite believe it, because he knew how much brooms cost and how his family would never buy something like that without careful thought. He was grateful, but also uncomfortable because he didn’t feel like he had done anything big enough to deserve it yet. What matters most to him is not the broom itself, but the fact that Rose noticed what he loves and cared enough to make sure he would be safe. It meant a lot to him.
Her sudden approach caught him a little off guard as she practically marched herself in front of him while walking backwards, facing him. He raised an eyebrow, seeing her determination while trying to explain herself. His curiosity spiked when her cheeks had that soft glow again. Why is it that every time she talks to him, she blushes? He's slowly realizing that now.
He was in deep thought when she fell. Time seemed to slow as he saw her slip and hit the snowy ground. Her hair fell around her face, and her small frame collapsed awkwardly onto the frozen ground. Instinct took over before he even thought about what he was doing. “Rose!” Running to her aid. “Are you okay?” He was tensed as a rush of panic washed over his chest.
Seeing her wince and the tear glistening in her eye only worsened what he already feels. He crouched down quickly beside her, “Don't move just yet. What part is painful? Tell me? He reached out gently to support her shoulder, but didn’t try to lift her yet. He wanted to make sure first if she was not seriously hurt. The color drained from her cheeks, and he hated seeing her in pain, feeling frustrated with himself for not being able to prevent it. “I’ll help you up if you want."
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
Not Quite Alone
Reducio @Zephyr Deakin |
Credit to Skylar Astor |
Reducio WC: 1 046 |
Smile over her face Rose was enjoying her time with Zephyr. The weather was nice and they were laughing. That was a good day so far. Since they have met she has almost instantly felt comfortable around him which could probably be perceived through her numerous teasing. Sometimes she did felt bad for it or wondered whether it was too much but since Zephyr was laughing and teasing her back she worried less and less. It was something else she liked about spending time with him: how simple things appear and it was to laugh. Although her confused feelings they talked about before and the fact she was feeling perhaps more nervous around him she still enjoyed it and was glad they were still friends.
Rose saw Zephyr's raised eyebrow and raised one back her arms crossed over her chest.
"Why would you blame me? Angels don't bring trouble." she looked at him in a judging way as if he were some weirdos thinking even more he really might not like angels after all. Nevertheless she ended up laughing.
"Mmmh...I suppose if you see angels you're either lucky kind of blessed or yeah...just dead." she said innocently serious as if she were thinking deeply yet laughing inside. Obviously that was not her main thought at first. She let out a sigh at how Zephyr seemed to perceive the idea of seeing an angel. So yes as she told maybe a less heaven-like beings could be more welcomed. Her eyes sparkled full of mischief but she again put her innocent look before answering him.
"Zephyr you know I would never dare to threat you. Not a King. I value life too much." she said almost on a dramatic yet apologetically tone followed by a light laugh.
"But yes next time less heaven-like beings could meet your way." she muttered to herself when Zephyr asked her if she were referring to herself. She frowned staring at him before mischievously smiling.
"Well...I can't tell you that. Who said the less heaven-like being is me?"
Rose was really enjoying her teasing time with Zephyr. He has always gotten into it since she had known him but that time even more than previously. It was hard for Rose not to completely laugh as she was trying to appear sometimes serious in her teasing but eventually a smile broke on her blushing face.
When Zephyr mentioned her using fancy words that made her chuckle a little.
"Don't you like fancy words neither?" she asked in a feigned tone of annoyance following his previous reaction and idea of angels. Obviously she was teasing him again.
"It's more poetic isn't it?" what was that answer? To be honest Rose had no idea what she was actually saying but more or less what was coming on her mind not even knowing how much sense it made.
"And you speaking in metaphor now?" she teased him back when he compared her to a leaf carried by the wind. To be honest that was quite a good way to put it although she hoped being stronger than a leaf. She just slightly laughed at his statement while looking at him not showing disagreement nor agreement. Nevertheless she may have stared too much as her heart started beating faster and her cheeks blushing when Zephyr's voice brought her back to reality.
Her eyebrows rose showing this time a real innocent surprise look at Zephyr's words.
"Terrified? Am I like a monster to you? " she suddenly asked feigning an offended tone.
"Maybe you indeed see me as a less...no" she paused "as a not heaven-like being." she pouted arms crossed over her chest.
Nevertheless she looked away smirking before whispering to herself.
"You have no idea how many mischief may await you." she hoped Zephyr had heard as it was meant to kind of terrifying him as he put it.
Rose's face then relaxed as she slowly breath in and out the fresh air while looking at the lake as she listened to Zephyr talking about an encounter between her dog Olen and his little sister Zaria. She smiled picturing how that could go and he may be right. That could indeed be chaotic yet probably entertaining. She chuckled at the thought although she was curious too about his sister.
After she told him more about the fall from her grandparents' tree Rose looked at the nearby trees from bottom to top her eyes paused a moment looking up before she let a small smile appearing on her lips while nodding to Zephyr.
All of this enjoyable and teasing time were before her clumsiness decided to rear its head again. After her painful fall Rose was finding herself sitting on the floor as her bottom was getting cold because of the snow despite her coat. Zephyr quickly ran over her as she looked at him before her eyes went down her ankle. She frowned closing her eyes trying to measure the pain or to make it fade away. It was really hurting. Her head turned back to Zephyr her watery eyes trying to show confidence as she slightly smiled at him.
"That's how clumsy I can be. You understand better why I fell from the tree now." she chuckled a bit at her own words in such a situation.
"It hurts only a bit." that was not true "I should be okay. More fear than harm." she smiled trying to appear strong as she tried to stand up. As soon as she moved and her ankle got a pressure on she winced in pain unable to stand up as she embarrassingly blushed avoiding Zephyr's gaze.
"Well I suppose not..." she quietly said "Sorry about that.." she apologised knowing it had kind of killed the mood and shortened the good time they were having together.
"I guess I will be the one laying in one of these hospital wing's beds." she slightly joked as a remembrance to what she said earlier to Zephyr about the reason he should have a decent broom.
Now they indeed only had to head back to the castle and get to the hospital wing. They just had to figure out how as Rose was not able to walk or at least on one leg.
Last edited by Rose Pearce on 28 Jan 2026, 13:56, edited 1 time in total.
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Not Quite Alone
credit to Skylar Astor
Reducio Word Count: 788 |
Reducio Mention: @Rose Pearce |
Reducio OOC Notes: so sorry for the delay! |
He thinks before he speaks, in the general sense. With her, the conversation just flowed naturally. That alone means a lot to him. He snorted, “That depends on the angel, I have read enough stories to know they’re not always harmless.” Her judging look was met with an amused smile.
He stopped walking and stared at her in shock. “Woah, that escalated quickly,” he was laughing now, “That’s not comforting at all, Rose.” Admittedly, he liked how her mind worked, how she jumped between humor and seriousness without warning. It honestly kept him on his toes. Seeing that dramatic sigh, he already knew she was up to something.
He shook his head in amusement. “I don’t know, you’re pretty convincing for someone who values life.” She muttered something about the less heaven-like beings, and his ears warmed. He caught the words anyway.
“…Right, so if it’s not you, then now there’s a mystery creature involved.” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, trying to read her expression, but she was good at this, too good to be exact. “Should I be afraid?” He may be teasing her back but there was honest underneath. “That’s not fair.”
As for the fancy words, he smiled and then shrugged. “It’s not that I don’t like them, I just don’t usually use them. They usually make me stop and think too much.” Her comment about things being poetic had him smiling again, “Maybe, or maybe you just say things without overthinking them.” That’s her thing. And teased him about speaking in metaphors, he laughed, surprised at himself. “That’s your fault.” He glanced at her briefly. “You bring it out of me.” He caught her staring at him longer than he was used to, and her smile softened just before she looked away. He’s not sure why. He told himself it was nothing, it was just Rose being Rose.
He stopped walking and turned toward her when she reacted to being called monster. His brows knitting together. “What? No, not even close.” She pouted with her arms crossed, looking offended. Zephyr couldn’t help but laugh. “If you’re not heaven-like, then heaven must be overrated.” His gaze averted to the frozen lake once again.
Their laughter was replaced instantly by worry. In an instant, the atmosphere between them changed. It was now laced in concern and pain. He hated the sound she made when she tried to stand. He could tell right away that it hurt and seeing her wince only confirmed his suspicions that it was serious.
Even when she was in pain, Rose wouldn’t stop joking, he was not amused at all. Her smile didn’t convince him for a second. He knew that tone. “Rose, you don’t have to do that with me, if you’re in pain and you need help, just tell me. Don’t ever think that you’re being a burden.” They’re friends weren’t they?
She tried to stand up and immediately winced, in response, his hand reached out to her without thinking. Seeing her blush and then looked away quickly, he didn’t read that as embarrassment, but worry. “Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.” The idea that she thought she ruined the mood bothered him more than the fall itself.
Her joke about lying on hospital beds earned a snort from him again. “Looks like you jinxed it.” He glanced at her ankle again to assess. She wouldn’t be able to walk back on that. It’s not safe and the castle was not that close. He made a decision right there and then. “I’m not letting you hop on one foot all the way back to the castle, and I’m not leaving you here alone either.”
He stood up and brushed the snow off his knees, then turned back to her and crouched in front of her. “I’ll carry you.” Realizing how that might sound, he added awkwardly, “Piggyback. It’s the easier, faster and safer.” His ears warmed faintly in embarrassment, but he didn’t back down.
“I promise I won’t drop you,” meeting her eyes. “You trusted me in a tree, trust me on the ground too.” He shifted his weight and turned around so his back was facing her. “Wrap your arms around my shoulders when you’re ready. I’ll get you to the hospital wing as soon as possible.”
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
Not Quite Alone
Reducio @Zephyr Deakin |
Credit to Skylar Astor |
Reducio WC: 715 |
Sitting on the cold ground covered in snow from which Rose couldn't even feel any coolness as all that was felt in her body was the pain in her ankle. How could have she been so reckless when earlier she was the one to carefully pay attention to each of her steps on the snowy frozen ground for this kind of accidents not to happen. And now she was even making jokes to alleviate the situation although there was nothing to joke about.
To be honest it was her way to try thinking of something else than the ache she was feeling and to make Zephyr less worried about her. Nevertheless she knew Zephyr wouldn't believe her nor take it that way. He seemed not to appreciate much of it as worrying and concern were written all over his face. For a moment Rose felt sorry and ashamed to have tried hiding her real pain to him as her eyes looked down avoiding his gaze and her cheeks heated up of embarrassment. They were indeed friends -even really good friends to Rose- so obviously Zephyr wanted to help her which she couldn't be more thankful. She didn't say anything but only nodded to his statement agreeing with him that she didn't need to hide or minimise anything that could happen involving both of them.
It was indeed probably kind of a bad luck following her words previously. From now on she should be more careful on what she might say if she didn't want to become truly unlucky.
She timidly looked up again at him when he spoke and Rose could tell Zephyr was really concerned. She appreciated to have such a reliable person to her side. She smiled at him as she was about to ask him how they were going to get back to the castle when he simply said he would carry her in a piggyback way. Surprised by this suggestion Rose widened her eyes and felt suddenly shy as her cheeks blushed. However it was not the time to be fussy as it was sincerely offered and Zephyr as he said didn't want her to ever feel as a burden. Plus in the state Rose was she couldn't stand up nor walk or if she did it wouldn't be without any suffering and that would probably worsen her bruise. The piggyback was then the best, easiest and safest way as Zephyr said to get to the hospital wing.
Rose was agreeing but she felt worried for him. Would he be okay? As she was recalling when he pulled her on the tree he appeared to be strong and Rose was even slightly caught of guard by it but now it was different. Not just pulling up someone but carrying someone on its back.
The castle was quite far away and the path was not all flat. Rose was not thinking of herself as heavy to be carried but still she didn't want Zephyr to hurt himself as well because of her. She was about to share her concerns when he reassured her. It was true she trusted him back in the tree overcoming her fear with a risk of her falling from a height whereas now it was on the ground way less risky. Yet she couldn't help but feeling more worried. Rose couldn't think much more when Zephyr turned around offering her his back for her to put her arms around his shoulders. To be honest Zephyr was not really giving her any choices. It was not as if she could refuse since she were not able to move alone. For some times she looked at his back hoping he were going to be fine. Rose hesitantly and timidly wrapped her thin arms around his shoulders waiting for him to stand up with her.
Her heart was beating a bit faster not only because of the proximity with him but because of nervousness and concern for him.
"Promise me to stop whenever you feel tired or hurt or unwell." she quietly told him.
"I don't want you to harm yourself for me and because of me."she added almost in a whisper as she turned her head resting on his back to look at the frozen lake before they would leave.
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Not Quite Alone
credit to Skylar Astor
Reducio Word Count: 821 |
Reducio Mention: @Rose Pearce |
Is she even aware that she usually hides her feelings from other people, especially when she knows she would just be a pain for them? She would often joke or deflect like usual, and while he didn't mind her teasing, he wished she wouldn't try so hard to shield herself from showing what she really feels. He could see it; he's an observant person, but she kept avoiding his gaze. Her cheeks were even red from embarrassment.
There was one thing he realised from his incident: how much he valued their friendship with Rose. "Rose..." He called her name to share his thoughts. He was naturally shy, but when he wanted to say something, he would either say it directly or else overthink it. "We're friends, remember? And friends do help each other, no matter what happens. We don't have to act perfect around each other, or pretend we're okay." It's not supposed to be about being strong all the time. Friendship is more than that. "I don't want you to think you can't talk to me about anything, especially when there's something that's bothering you. Let me help, okay? Let me do this for you."
It may sound surprising coming from him, but it was the simplest and most logical solution he could think of at the moment. He could get her to the hospital wing quickly if he's carrying her on his back. At least with this, she wouldn't try something foolish like forcing herself to walk, or making a risky decision that could worsen her situation. Though the decision was made easy, the awkwardness related to it was not.
It took her some time to decide. Her actions told him she was still hesitating but he could also see she was considering it so he gave her some time to think it over. In the end, she finally agreed to let him help. That was already considered small victory and it meant a lot to him. The trust she gave him fueled his determination to make sure she was okay. He was starting to realise that this was more than just the help, but also because she was his friend. It was what friends do for each other, right? It should not be weird that he wants to be there when she needs him. Not weird at all.
There was hesitation in her touch when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His own movement was awkward at first as he steadied both their balance. She made him promise to stop whenever he's tired or hurt, like a gentle plea. To be honest, he was not even thinking of himself or considering that thought when he offered to carry her, he was more focused on getting her to the hospital wing safely, not thinking about his own potential limits.
He turned his head to the side to look at her. Even now while she was hurting and leaning on him, she was worried about other people. "You're good at that, aren't you? Shifting the focus to everyone else but you. You're the one in pain, and yet you worry for my well-being. Worry about yourself first." He chuckled not even bothering to hide his amusement. “I’m fine. Really.”
Both his arms looped around her back to support her as he pushed them both up. Once he was steady and standing on both feet, he glanced behind him again, smiling. “I promise, I’ll stop if I have to.” He would not risk hurting himself to get her to the hospital wing, but he would not leave her out here too. Letting her down is not an option for him. Feeling her heartbeat on his back reminded him just how close they were. He did his best not to react or tell her about it, and focused on his footing instead to avoid any more accidents.
While walking back toward the castle, there was a moment of silence between them. Whether it was due to awkwardness or because he was just as embarrassed, he couldn't tell, so he focused on the sound of the wind and the occasional chirping of the birds.
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