I’ve decided to not play the fool Fin

✦ Interacting ✦
@Elsian Cox

As Dori relinquished responsibilities such as prefect, duelling co-captain, and Headliner writer, they decided to focus the most on studies. They couldn't lie, it was getting harder to face their parents as grades had slipped from straight O's to A's and E's. Not that they had said anything about it, but Dori wanted to do well in this opportunity. Their grandma had been the one to convince their parents to let them attend, had convinced Dori that leaving their family for most of the year would be ok. Then she died in their first year. Dori pushed memories of flower crowns in the sunshine tainted by the shade of the tree they placed her grave in front of. Of embroidery left unfinished because they were working on it together. Divination work swam in front of their eyes before they blinked back the small tears in frustration. Now was not the time to be getting emotional. Especially not during breakfast, in public.

Absentmindedly they picked fruit out of a bowl and took bites of pumpkin pastie between essay sentences. Their tea that was made before breakfast was nearly drained and a glass of water was on standby for hydration. Normally breakfast would be spent studying, lunch and dinner were the meals saved for socializing and a lot of Dori's friends knew that at this point. Goodness, the year was nearly up and everything still felt like it was building and crescendoing to a climax of a symphony they didn't know was coming. There was something they were forgetting. They had checked over their to-do lists painstakingly made every week and there was nothing that they were missing from class. Every duelling practice was accounted for. They decided to push that to the back of their head as well, it was getting quite cramped back there.

It was then that a small package was dropped onto their Divination essay. This wasn't from their parents, their birthday wasn't quite yet, their eyes narrowed onto the writing. Might as well open it. They carefully undid the twine and put it in their pocket for crafts later. Twine was always a good craft material. Briefly Dori paused and looked around the Great Hall for who might have sent it, but couldn't find anyone they could think of as the culprit. The green box combined with yellow and green paper made them think it was a Slytherin. Was this from Astrea? No. The handwriting was completely off. They pulled out chocolate frogs with glee, a chocolate treat was always welcome. Followed by frog macarons. A small gasp came out at the sight of them as they delicately pulled it out. They showed it to a friend beside them and promised to share one.

That wasn't all, and Dori started slowly narrowing down the culprits by who knew Dori so well. Who would put this much work into something for them. It certainly wasn't a secret admirer, but surely one of some kind? With fingers that cradled the necklace as if it could disintegrate at any moment they pulled it out. Dori turned to the same friend who helped clasp it on for them, and they held the small frog in the palm of their hands. Finally, they pulled out the flower. Like Alice in Wonderland, Dori obeyed the instructions and pulled on the two paper petals which quickly erupted into a howler.

Dori shrunk back as a howler screamed at them for the first time ever, and asked them to the ball. "Wha-" Some students nearby cupped their ears from the screaming howler, and Dori almost did the same before they saw Elsi standing in front of them with a flower bouquet of real flowers and painstaking origami. There was a grin splitting their face from ear to ear, no one had quite put this much work in asking them to... well... anything. Their eyes followed as he jumped from the table to next to them.

That's what they were forgetting. The ball! The other one seemed to only finish a week ago, they hadn't even begun to think of the next one. "Brownie bite ,I need you to paws this offer. So I can say yes." They enveloped Elsi in a tight hug. The reality of the situation of care and genuine love Elsi had for them blooming with the thoughtful holiday gifts he sent, and now this proposal of sorts. Tears welled up in their eyes and they slightly pulled back, just enough so they could see each other's faces. "You did all this for me? Does this mean we're going to dance together?" Dori had had two ball dances in all of the balls they attended. One with Rafa which was really under the guise of a plot they didn't mean to get involved in. The second was with Flash at the ball he helped plan, but that one left Dori going back to their dorm alone after certain confrontations had occurred. The idea that they could maybe, possibly, finally have a genuinely good ball experience was exhilirating to them.

His eyes widened for a surprised moment before crumpling under a surprised snicker. ‘Only Creampuff,’ he thought with a laugh. Leave it to them to not even hesitate, he just couldn’t hope to keep them surprised for long could he?

Any lingering nerves melted away into fondness as the boy hugged them back just as tight, playfully crushing them to his chest with a happy laugh, “so is that a yes?” he asked hopefully against Dori’s shoulder from where he’d buried his face lazily, grin smothered against their school robes. “Because you know I’m a delicate flower, how would I ever recover if you said no~” The simple answer was he wouldn’t. Deep down he knew that, that little ugly truth hidden under jokes and other regrets but for now he could pretend that wasn’t the case. Could fool himself well enough that the very thought never even occurred save for as a joke or teasing remark to be thrown around and used.


Luckily, it seemed he wouldn’t need to face that little thought yet.

Slowly he loosened his grip as Dorion pulled back, staring back at teary eyes with a surprised look. He hadn’t meant to make them cry, it’d never crossed his mind it could make them cry, but at least they seemed to be happy ones, he realized. The surprise softened, a small smile pulling at the boy's lips as he freed one of his arms to wipe away at some of the tears; it’d been a while since he’d seen them cry. “Of course I did.” He agreed easily, it went without thought! He’d do practically anything for them. “How could I not? Only the best for you, Creampuff.” It was said teasingly but fondly.

“And I would hope so,” the Gryffindor began solemnly, withdrawing his hand, “after all you said yes, and you know what that means…”

He grinned mischievously, arm wrapping back around the other with a tight squeeze. “NO TAKE BACKS!” He called obnoxiously, lifting them off their feet just enough to swing them around a few times just to get a laugh or maybe embarrassed squawk out of the other.

“Who else would step on my toes?” he asked playfully, letting Dori’s weight rest back on their own 2 feet.

✦ Interacting ✦
@Elsian Cox

Dori playfully knocked the back of his head in the hug. "Of course it means yes. A delicate flower for a strong tree- or something like that." A call back to their old name, which still meant so much to them. Their heart was fluttering in a way it never had with Elsi. To be cared for this much, to have such a thoughtful gift, well gifts for them curated for the simple task of asking to be a date to a ball.

His hands came up to brush away their tears and they couldn't help but lean into the touch, just slightly. "Elsi, I-I don't know what to say." Their hand came up to touch the necklace that now rested over the top of their robes. "You know I'm never taking this off, right?" Their eyebrow perked up at the implication of knowing what that means, was there a secret prank they agreed to? Had they sold their soul away? With Elsi, there was truly no knowing what he had up his sleeve.

Before they could fully process what was happening they were lifted in the air, their face burrowing inside Elsi's neck to prevent dizziness. Giggles couldn't help but erupt from their chest. A feeling of weightless joy springing up within their chest that they hadn't felt in awhile. For emphasis of the implication that they could be such a clumsy dancer, Dori made sure to land on Elsi's toes. "Whatever could you mean? I have never done such a thing." Finally they pulled away, sitting back on the bench in a way that left room for him. They patted the seat, folding up their essay and tucking it away. It wasn't due until next week anyway. "Come on, you're never up for breakfast so you should hang out with me."

If he joined them, Dori would spend the rest of breakfast pressed into his shoulder. Occasionally throwing fruit at him to eat. Their hand occasionally coming up to touch the necklace to make sure it hadn't indeed evaporated into thin air.