24 Jun 2020, 10:25
My Light in the Darkest Night
Private Thread with @Flash Holmwood
Date || April 25th, 2020
Time || After the Blossom Ball
Willow was often described as someone that always brought light to a room by those around her, mainly from her family of three. She was usually bright, bouncy, full of joy. Between the Hufflepuff fire and now the attack on the Blossom Ball, just over 20 days apart that light was gone for the time being. A darkness had filled her heart that seemed like it was here to stay. A fear of the new world around her that had never existed before. She knew there were bad things in the world, but not that happened at a school. One that she was supposed to be incredibly safe at no less. Suddenly she felt more vulnerable than ever, and she was scared. Post fire she already had issues falling asleep, so much so that she had taken to sleeping with Mildred in her bed, rather than alone in her own. But even then she would only get three to four hours at best.
This night was no different, all the students that were injured in the Blossom Ball were scattered about the Hospital Wing. Flash and Willow were quickly separated upon entering earlier that night to be taken care of as quickly as possible. Willow, with her gaping leg wound, and Flash with his arm wounds. They wouldn't be there for more than 24 hours probably, but they were staying the night. The comfort of being in a warm bed next to Mildred leaving her sleepless besides her temporarily passing out from the pitch to the hospital wing. After enough tossing and turning she sat up. Her leg was already mostly healed thanks to the magical elixirs that were at the schools disposal. There was a slight light over the hospital wing with nurses milling about tending to the cluster of students that were brought in.
She spotted Flash a few beds down and limped her way over. Whether or not she was able to walk on it at this point, she was still scared to put full pressure on it. Coming from a muggle world she wasn't used to injuries that were as severe as she had healing so quickly. As she approached the side of his bed she gently put her hand in his, rubbing her thumb on the back of his hand to gently wake him up. "Flash~ Flash, wake up~" Her voice was gentle and soothing, almost singing out his name for him to wake up. The last thing she wanted to do was startle him awake.
Willow still looked like a disheveled mess. Her hair quickly redone with the hair fork into an incredibly messy bun on top of her head. Luckily, she didn't wear makeup otherwise that would definitely be messed up from the crying and fighting. Her eyes didn't meet his, instead focusing on her hand in his. Warm, familiar, comforting. "C-Can I sleep next to you? I can't sleep alone anymore... N-Not since..." Her voice stuttered uncharacteristically. Asking for help was still new for her, especially in moments like this. Not that he would judge her, he never did. After the long pause she let hang in the air, she took a deep breath, "The fire... And now this. I just... I don't want to be alone."
It's said that light shines brightest in the dark. Which Willow always thought was a stupid saying, because of course it'd seem like lights were bright in the dark. But in this situation it made sense. The light of her brother, the person that had quickly come to mean everything to her. The one who had proved that he'd never let her get hurt, or let a cry for help ring into the night like a fearful song. More than ever, she felt grateful to have met him in Herbology, even through the pain of their fight, and be there for each other now. It seemed like over and over he saved her in the ball, even before that was saving her from herself, protecting her from her impulsive decisions (like sticking her hands into a fire), and they had only know each other for a couple months.
To her, he was the brightest light that shone in the dark.
Last edited by Dorion Anderson on 25 Jun 2020, 19:18, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know whether to cry or scream or do both. It feels like I've done more than enough of both. And it feels like I haven't done enough." - Mason Deaver
Stamina 12 ∴ Evasion 12 ∴ Strength 5 ∴ Wisdom 12 ∵ ArcPower 10 ∵ Accuracy 15
Stamina 12 ∴ Evasion 12 ∴ Strength 5 ∴ Wisdom 12 ∵ ArcPower 10 ∵ Accuracy 15
24 Jun 2020, 18:24
My Light in the Darkest Night
Whether it was a pitiable position or not, Flash preferred the hospital bed to his own dorm. Even with the occasional whimper or cry from the lasting victims of the ball, he was able to fall into an exhausted slumber not long after he had been transported from the Great Hall, where the emergency first aid had taken place, to the hospital wing, were the children were being kept to make sure their stings had not been something worse. Something like the spiders.
Not quite conscious, Flash was stirred back to reality by a distant recognition, both of touch and sound. Once his stirring had come to, he blinked his eyes clear enough to make out the familiar shape of his beloved sister. He was reintroduced to the aching stiffness lingering in his body, despite all the bleeding having stopped and the cartilage in his face being realigned. There was a lot more that had happened than just getting kicked in the face and pierced through the arm. His whole body was spent.
Still, he was able to rouse his alertness. She was distressed, disheveled. Her hair was up, yet somehow only barely clung together with her wooden yellow rose. Her voice, too, shook almost imperceptibly as she spoke to him in hushed tones. She was asking for something she frankly didn’t need permission for, but it wasn’t as though they had set a precedent for it already. Flash could fix that quickly.
”Come here.”
His voice still croaking from not having properly awakened, he took her hand and guided her down to the small bed, inching his own body off to the side to make room. Once she slid into the warm spot where his body had laid motionless a moment before, he took the thin cotton blanket in one arm and wrapped it around her, hugging it tightly to her back and he wiggled around to find the best position. His one arm tucked under her head, the other wrapped around her shoulders so that she would be completely wrapped up in his arms. A small pocket dimension between only the two of them. He squeezed her head into his chest gently, just once, to let her know she could do the same if she needed to.
He understood without having to discuss it. Likely, Willow understood as well. He was there for her when she needed it, so long as he was breathing and physically able to. He might have been chided for his reckless devotion by a few foxes he knew, but they weren’t around to pester him about going too far or doing too much. Really, knowing that Willow was willing to come to him rather than suffer in silence was a comfort to him as well. He didn’t want her to be alone, she deserved the devotion he gave her. Also, cuddling his sweet sister to sleep was hardly an imposition. In fact, it was quite nice for him as well. With time, Flash was starting to like hugs more and more.
”Do you want to talk about it, or maybe you would like another story?” Flash checked in on her, wondering how much support she really needed. Perhaps the embrace was enough, but while he was awake he might as well make sure.
@Willow Anderson
Not quite conscious, Flash was stirred back to reality by a distant recognition, both of touch and sound. Once his stirring had come to, he blinked his eyes clear enough to make out the familiar shape of his beloved sister. He was reintroduced to the aching stiffness lingering in his body, despite all the bleeding having stopped and the cartilage in his face being realigned. There was a lot more that had happened than just getting kicked in the face and pierced through the arm. His whole body was spent.
Still, he was able to rouse his alertness. She was distressed, disheveled. Her hair was up, yet somehow only barely clung together with her wooden yellow rose. Her voice, too, shook almost imperceptibly as she spoke to him in hushed tones. She was asking for something she frankly didn’t need permission for, but it wasn’t as though they had set a precedent for it already. Flash could fix that quickly.
”Come here.”
His voice still croaking from not having properly awakened, he took her hand and guided her down to the small bed, inching his own body off to the side to make room. Once she slid into the warm spot where his body had laid motionless a moment before, he took the thin cotton blanket in one arm and wrapped it around her, hugging it tightly to her back and he wiggled around to find the best position. His one arm tucked under her head, the other wrapped around her shoulders so that she would be completely wrapped up in his arms. A small pocket dimension between only the two of them. He squeezed her head into his chest gently, just once, to let her know she could do the same if she needed to.
He understood without having to discuss it. Likely, Willow understood as well. He was there for her when she needed it, so long as he was breathing and physically able to. He might have been chided for his reckless devotion by a few foxes he knew, but they weren’t around to pester him about going too far or doing too much. Really, knowing that Willow was willing to come to him rather than suffer in silence was a comfort to him as well. He didn’t want her to be alone, she deserved the devotion he gave her. Also, cuddling his sweet sister to sleep was hardly an imposition. In fact, it was quite nice for him as well. With time, Flash was starting to like hugs more and more.
”Do you want to talk about it, or maybe you would like another story?” Flash checked in on her, wondering how much support she really needed. Perhaps the embrace was enough, but while he was awake he might as well make sure.
@Willow Anderson
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
25 Jun 2020, 01:03
My Light in the Darkest Night
Cuddling with @Flash Holmwood
Once Willow had finished her plea for comfort, Flash easily welcomed her into his arms. As always, taking the lead and guiding her into the bed next to him. Her small frame nestled in next to him, the momentary feeling of shame of waking him up for a request like this quickly squashed by him completely enveloping her into a shelter of safety and warmth.
There was something else familiar about him, as she wiggled to settle into his arms and get comfortable. Her head lightly nuzzled into his chest, as if trying to crawl right into his heart for safe keeping. Behind the lingering smell of smoke and fire from the ball, was the smell of spending the morning with him. In this tiny enclosure of his arms she could almost believe she was out on the grounds with him. Would their walks be different now? More paranoid, tense. Looking over their shoulders for mosps or hags. Worried about what would be behind the corner. Maybe they would have to pull their walking trails in more, to stay as far away from the forest as they could. She had to get those thoughts out of her head. In this moment she was safe, protected. She could panic later, for now she let her eyes flutter close.
This was peaceful. To be with him was like to be in a second home. One arm wrapped lazily over his midsection, her other hand placed over his heart to feel the rhythm of his life force. There were a few moments that night where she contemplated her death and his. Maybe it was over dramatic, but what else was a twelve year old to think during an event like that? She liked to imagine that they both needed this after everything that went down. To be held and loved wholly and fully without question.
His voice croaked out again, causing her to lazily shift her head to look up at him. Did she want to talk about it? What was there to say. 'I'm terrified how quickly you came to help me. I don't want you to get hurt for my sake, I want you to protect yourself.' or even 'I'm scared that Burnett was right about friendship being a death sentence because I would've done the same for you if I could walk.' No. That would have to be saved for a morning walk with a particularly strong tea and clearer thoughts. She just shook her head slightly before returning her head to his chest. She was afraid that if she spoke that her voice would betray the thoughts swirling in her mind, something that he could easily pick up on. Well, maybe a story would be nice. With all of the strength she could muster she spoke back up, "A story would be nice." Her voice mildly quivered once again, and she hoped he would just take it as exhaustion or as a result of the injury.
If he were to tell her a story, she could barely keep her eyes open. The exhaustion of the constant spell casting, of the injury, crashing down onto her. She tried to hold on until the end of it, but wouldn't make it. Quickly drifting off into a happier dream realm than the one she lived in.
"I don't know whether to cry or scream or do both. It feels like I've done more than enough of both. And it feels like I haven't done enough." - Mason Deaver
Stamina 12 ∴ Evasion 12 ∴ Strength 5 ∴ Wisdom 12 ∵ ArcPower 10 ∵ Accuracy 15
Stamina 12 ∴ Evasion 12 ∴ Strength 5 ∴ Wisdom 12 ∵ ArcPower 10 ∵ Accuracy 15
25 Jun 2020, 14:56
My Light in the Darkest Night
Once Willow got comfortable, she answered his question tentatively, as if she wasn’t sure. Well, it wasn’t as though they wouldn’t have more opportunities to talk, and Flash was too tired so needle her about her real feelings. For the moment, a story was good. Stories had lessons anyway, so he could make a point. Well, as long as she was paying attention. He briefly sorted through a few fables he could think of to come up with something. He could have simply tried to recite one as best he could, but it wasn’t like Flash to simply parrot someone else’s words. Especially since fables weren’t a particularly difficult medium to work within. Starting his story with a drawn out yawn, his word soon softly followed.
”There was a little girl who ran away from home. She was tired of being told what she could and couldn’t do, so she disappeared into the forest to escape responsibility. Little did she know, her village would be attacked on the same night, and she would have no home to return to.”
No one would accuse Flash of weaving cute, fluffy stories. After all, there was no satisfying conclusion without trials and tribulations. It wasn’t unusual for old fables to dabble in darker themes, so he hoped Willow didn’t take his story as some sort of invitation to imagine her family was gone. It was just a story.
”With that, she soon found out that she now had the responsibility to fend for herself, but she couldn’t do it alone. She was too young, she didn’t know how to. Knowing that, she approached a forest spirit that took the form of a large wolf, three times her size. She pleaded for its protection, asking it to become part of her family. To her surprise, the forest spirit agreed.”
Flash yawned again, not very capable of containing it at that point. Willow yawned in response, her body seemed to relax the longer she was within the embrace. Around them, there was practically no noise, besides the occasional sound of the scrunching of old springs as someone shifted around in their sleep. What time was it anyway? Well, it hardly mattered, they would be asleep again soon enough.
”For years then, the young girl thrived under the forest’s protection, growing bold and strong. She wanted to thank the spirit who saved her life and showed her mercy, but she had no possessions. Knowing she could never return the kindness, she wept instead, lamenting that in her destitution she had nothing worthy of an offering.”
”’For what do you weep?’ The forest spirit asked. The young girl explained her plight, but the wolf shook its head in admonition. ‘It is simple, in exchange I would have your life.’ The girl was alarmed at first, but quickly came to accept her fate. She found it only fair that as her life was spared by the forest, it was fitting that her life be left in the forest’s hands. But then, the spirit admonished her again.”
Willow’s breathing had evened out, slowed down. She was starting to drift.
”’In return for sparing you, I would like to live a long life of happiness at your side. I would like to have you as my family forever. Perhaps my size fooled you, but when we met I was also a lonely child, and you had spared me too.’”
Sleeping. He would join her soon.
@Willow Anderson
”There was a little girl who ran away from home. She was tired of being told what she could and couldn’t do, so she disappeared into the forest to escape responsibility. Little did she know, her village would be attacked on the same night, and she would have no home to return to.”
No one would accuse Flash of weaving cute, fluffy stories. After all, there was no satisfying conclusion without trials and tribulations. It wasn’t unusual for old fables to dabble in darker themes, so he hoped Willow didn’t take his story as some sort of invitation to imagine her family was gone. It was just a story.
”With that, she soon found out that she now had the responsibility to fend for herself, but she couldn’t do it alone. She was too young, she didn’t know how to. Knowing that, she approached a forest spirit that took the form of a large wolf, three times her size. She pleaded for its protection, asking it to become part of her family. To her surprise, the forest spirit agreed.”
Flash yawned again, not very capable of containing it at that point. Willow yawned in response, her body seemed to relax the longer she was within the embrace. Around them, there was practically no noise, besides the occasional sound of the scrunching of old springs as someone shifted around in their sleep. What time was it anyway? Well, it hardly mattered, they would be asleep again soon enough.
”For years then, the young girl thrived under the forest’s protection, growing bold and strong. She wanted to thank the spirit who saved her life and showed her mercy, but she had no possessions. Knowing she could never return the kindness, she wept instead, lamenting that in her destitution she had nothing worthy of an offering.”
”’For what do you weep?’ The forest spirit asked. The young girl explained her plight, but the wolf shook its head in admonition. ‘It is simple, in exchange I would have your life.’ The girl was alarmed at first, but quickly came to accept her fate. She found it only fair that as her life was spared by the forest, it was fitting that her life be left in the forest’s hands. But then, the spirit admonished her again.”
Willow’s breathing had evened out, slowed down. She was starting to drift.
”’In return for sparing you, I would like to live a long life of happiness at your side. I would like to have you as my family forever. Perhaps my size fooled you, but when we met I was also a lonely child, and you had spared me too.’”
Sleeping. He would join her soon.
@Willow Anderson
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15