Breadcrumbs & Butterfingers Fin

When was she going to stop staying up all night? Her temples ached slightly as she laid along her bed in the Badger Bungalow, notebook laid out beside her to sketch. When you have something drilled into you from the tender age of five, you wouldn’t be expected to forgot it. Even if it might take a tole on your mental and physical health. Most of the Hufflepuffs were still slumbering as Dakota was still curled up in her nightgown behind the curtains. What even was today’s date? Honestly, she couldn’t quite place it in her mind

As students started stirring in her dorm, Dakota decided that perhaps it was finally time to get up and face the world. Slipping between the curtains, she rubbed softly at the hair along the back of her neck. Her headache roared in protest and she was sure she didn’t look too good either. Snatching up her uniform, Dakota had slipped back onto the bed, pulling the curtains closed before changing into it and out of her long sleeved gown. Silently, she had recognized the fact that she was hungry, something not too hard to miss. Normally, the girl would’ve pushed it aside and just waited it out till lunch or dinner, but her promise to her siblings rang in her head.

Her shoes hardly made a noise as she stepped softly into the great hall. She had come here a bit earlier than intended so she didn’t have to deal with the crowds. Somehow, she looked even smaller than she normally did, maybe it was the fact that she looked like a child rubbing at her eyes tiredly. She’d nap once she went back to the dorms, that was a promise she made to herself. ‘Seems my normal routine hasn’t given up on me,’ with this thought, Dakota slinked forward and grabbed a plate into her small hands. Putting a few pieces of toast that had strawberry jam smeared on it and some bacon, Dakota made her way back out, shuffling her feet along as she walked.

When Dakota was tired her imagination would always take hold on her mind. This day wasn’t any different as she silently nibbled on a piece of toast and stared ahead of herself, her gaze looking spaced out. She seemed to almost blend into the area around her as she made her way towards a table to hunker down at and eat. Everything here was still so new to the girl so that’s where her mind went to, what she had explored, what she hadn’t, what she was yet to do. Someone trying to snap her out of her thoughts may have failed. Well, unless she ran into them.

Dakota snapped back to reality as she hit the bigger body. Blinking, her gaze shot upwards as the grumbling reached her ears. She recognized that voice, one that she had previously helped and joked around with. Silently, Dakotas throat tightened with worry as she stood back, leaning over and trying to clean up the food and plate on the ground. “I’m so sorry Elsian—I didn’t see you there,” she was obviously starting to get frustrated with the plate, a soft sniffle escaping her as she let out a sigh. Of course she hadn’t seen him, it was her fault she hadn’t as well. Maybe if she had actually gotten some sleep she wouldn’t have been swept away in her thoughts and would’ve noticed him.

Once the food was scooped up, Dakota had to stand up and rub the back of her hands against her temples. Again, they had started to ache with protest of the noises going on around her and how exhausted she was. Turning her blue gaze onto Elsian, her heart seemed to thump in her throat as she sucked in a soft breath. “Again, I am so so sorry,” her voice was tight with worry as she finally began lifting up the plate. She was going to throw her food away, apparently the universe had decided it wasn’t time for her to eat. She also silently registered the fact that she’d need to wash her hands now. Great, a sticky mess, how wonderful.

@Elsian Cox

Right about now he was feeling pretty lucky about his fashion choice of the day. Forget how it looked on the mostly plain robes, it would have been a nightmare on the orange sweater he’d worn. Seemed using it as a glorified blanket had worked out.

He shucked off the sticky material, folding it up so the jam was rolled up in the safe, sticky less folds before cramming the thing under his arm in a wrinkled bundle.


‘Do I know you?’ and a confused ‘um’ were his first reactions, internally, luckily. It probably would have seemed like a cruddy thing to say moments after seeing her face, that aside it didn’t stop his brain from thinking the best response to teary eyes and an apology was-

“Oh.” Tone flat. “It’s you.”

It wasn't bad to see the other but it also felt like this was solidifying some sort of unseen pattern in his life. Running into people. Things turning sour and quickly to tears. It wasn’t a pleasant thought and despite not being able to quite put a finger on it at that moment it was enough to make his mood that much worse.

A giggle reached his ear, somehow unflattering to the ears. It made his stomach twist briefly and he snapped his head to the person, glaring at the brunette staring at them. Part of him wanted to snap at Dakota to leave the mess alone, to grab her wrist and make her stop when some jerk thought any of this was funny, another part of him wanted to tell the snickering girl to shut her trap. Mind her business. Distantly though he knew that was the headache and crankiness more than anything so he’d settled.

Luckily the glare and resting bitch face he had seemed to be enough to make the brunette's friend nudge her, to say something that made her stop and turn away when they glared right back. A fight might’ve just been avoided. Not that Dakota would’ve noticed. No, she’d been too busy with the plate and by the time she’d looked back, hands messy and sputtering out another apology she’d only see pursed lips and annoyed eyes.

“Dakota, it’s fine.” He stressed, voice thin.

It really was, the robe protected his sweater. He didn't know how he could make that any clearer than the bundle under his arm.

FINALLY—I am so so sorry on the wait!!

Her cheeks were burning red from embarrassment. This all sucked so much, why couldn’t she just have been paying attention? She knew it was early in the morning by for the gods sake could she not have just checked in front of her before continuing her little absentminded walk?! Dakota had to resist the urge to rub at her warming cheek with her hands, as currently she would not have liked to get even more jelly on her. She had bad habits, and this was one of hers, paying little to no attention to what was happening and then stumbling into a bad or frustrating or embarrassing situation. It had been like that at her muggle schools anyway.

It was like her history was simply repeating itself. She’d make a friend, find quite a lot of comfort and even happiness in being around them, and then it would be quickly stomped out because of one little mistake she made. This wasn’t the only time she was thinking it would happen, it had happened with a friend of hers who Dakota thought she was incredibly close with. One day, Dakota had accidentally tripped her friend with the garden hose while she was pulling it behind her, and it wouldn’t have been that bad had the other young girl not slammed into the ground and broken her nose. The girls parents had claimed Dakota did it on purpose while Dakotas brothers were sure their little sister couldn’t and wouldn’t have done something like this. They had been right of course, but it hurt to see her friend drifting away because of that small accident.

Snapped back onto reality, Dakotas mind barely registered the words Elsian was saying as she finally seemed to be slowly relaxing and her breaths growing calmer. However, at the little giggle coming from somewhere Dakota was unwilling and unwanting to find, her throat had tightened before she was able to finally scoop up the remainders of the mess she had created with her food. Stepping along, he had quickly gone to toss it before, with a bit of hesitation, drifting back towards Elsian as she registered something had caused the girl to stop giggling. Whatever it was Dakota was grateful for it, and when she stepped back beside him she had finally processed what the boy had said before she stepped away. “Alright—but again, I’m really sorry,” her teary eyes were no longer there, but she still felt how tight her throat was and hoped it didn’t show in her voice.

@Elsian Cox

Whatever, this was fine.

Despite initial annoyance it wasn't really all that bad. Although the longer they stood there the more awkward it felt, between the other students' attitude and how Flustered the Hufflepuff still seemed to be. The lack of tears was definitely an improvement but Dakota still played a sorry sight to him looking stiff and voice sounding tight and warbly to his ears; it was a fight to bite his tongue and choke back teasing at the others expense. He desperately did not want her to cry, he’d feel like a total jerk.

“Apology accepted. I’m sorry for shoving you like that.” He offered.

He eyed what little crumbs remained of the sticky mess on the floor, “And for tossing your breakfast.” He had a feeling she wouldn’t hold a grudge though; toast having had vengeance on his robes and all.

Head tilted Elsian brushed back the bangs in his eyes, giving the other a pensive look, an idea forming in his head. It didn't look like she had anywhere to be right now, after all no other students had shown up to drag her away to their table and Elsian had surely grabbed enough food. Something told him he had the right idea of it…

“Hey, you wanna come have breakfast with me?"

He turned just enough to point out the direction of the door as he spoke, lips pulling into a small smile, "I’m not staying here, going on a mini picnic basically, but you’re welcome to come with if you want.”

Tucking her hands together, Dakota had the urge to wipe whatever remained on her hands onto her robes. That, of course, wouldn’t have been the greatest idea she had in mornings, and certainly one of the more terrible ones. The apology Elsian had offered up had seemed to catch Dakota off guard for a moment, as she had entirely believed the accident was her fault, but she supposed apologizing for shoving someone was something normal. Parting her lips, Dakota had given a soft murmur of “it’s alright,” towards him as she offered a bit of a smile. It didn’t look forced, maybe a little crooked.

She watched him eye the floor closely, raising her brows for a moment before his next words had roused a soft laugh from her. “No worries, I guess it just wasn’t my time to eat yet,” perhaps later would be better. Maybe there wouldn’t be so much bustle in the great hall, and she wouldn’t have to worry about running into someone. Allowing her mind to drift for a moment, Dakota had looked down at her hands with a soft tilt of her head. The pinkish tint they now had, from the strawberry jam, stood out against her tanned skin. As she opened and closed her fingers, she found the feeling of it separating and reforming to be a bit nasty, which in turn caused her to make a face.

Glancing up towards Elsian when he began to speak, Dakotas brows were seen raising slightly before she seemed to get a smile. Taking in a little breath, she thought over the offer before giving a hurried nod. “Oh, I’d love to! Thank you for inviting me,” giving a wide smile, Dakota seemed to pause before looking back down towards her hands. Her frown returned as she seemed to hold up a finger as if to say “one second” before hurrying off to find a bathroom. Once returned to Elsian, Dakota was shaking the remaining water from her hands as they were no longer sticky. Stepping quickly to his side, she gave a little nod to show she was ready.

@Elsian Cox