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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 10:04:38 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 10:04:38 GMT -7
Two weeks. Ev could hardly believe it was two weeks from their match against Puddlemere United. Two weeks since Rocco announced their announcement, since Ev broke up with him and two weeks since Dustin stopped talking to her. The time seemed to fly past and drag on for years. She spent most of the time in her apartment crying. She'd seen girls in movies who always ate ice cream and chocolate when they got out of a breakup because it helped. She tried that. It did not help. Nothing did. The fact that she'd not only lost her fiance, but her best friend as well made things even worse.
Evelyn knew that Dustin said he just needed time, but she still felt anxious that it would't help. She was nervous he would decide that dealing with her just wasn't worth it and that worry made everything else seem ten times worse. She already knew Rocco wouldn't come back, there was no hope of that after all the things she'd said to him, but Dustin ... she hoped for Dustin and that made things harder.
When she got his owl, asking her to meet him in this particular park that she was standing in now, she responded immediately saying she would. The nerves still ate at her, however. She had no idea what he wanted to say to her! She got there early and stood beside a bench, too anxious to sit down. She was playing with her hands, her eyes darting this way and that while she looked for him, even though she knew he wasn't supposed to be there yet. Why was this so hard?
@dustin
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 10:10:44 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 10:10:44 GMT -7
It had been two weeks since Dustin had lost spoken to Evelyn. It had been a rough two weeks, to say the least, and while his conversation with Yadiel had been enlightening, it hadn’t been easy, and Dustin was a little worried about what was to come. He thought that he had forgiven Evelyn, but he was worried that the moment he saw her, everything would come swelling back. Part of the reason he had asked her to meet him in a Muggle park was that he hadn’t wanted things to get ugly – neither of them could pull their wands if they got mad (though Dustin seriously doubted that it would happen). It was also a neutral place, one that neither of them had any connection to. Neither of them would be more comfortable there than the other.
Dustin had spent most of the morning pacing around the perimeter of the park, long before he had asked Evelyn to be there. He was in his nineteenth or twentieth circuit when he noticed that there was someone standing at a bench where there hadn’t been one before. Dustin knew that it was Evelyn immediately – his eyesight was great, sure, but he couldn’t see her face. He just saw the way she was standing, and it screamed Ev. She had a way about her that not many people did. Dustin quickened his pace to a light jog, and stopped when he was in front of Evelyn. He looked at her… and didn’t feel anything. Not anger, but not happiness, either. “Hi.”
@evelyn
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 10:16:49 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 10:16:49 GMT -7
She was going to be sick. The nerves were eating at her and Ev didn't know if she could do this. She was terrified that she was going to lose her best friend for good and that there was nothing she could do about it. She's already done too much to ruin their friendship, after all. After a while she started biting her lip and wringing her hands as she waited. In the corner of her eye, she saw someone hurrying up to her and Ev turned. It was Dustin. She was happy to see him, but terrified about what he would say. She nodded at his greeting and forced a small smile, looking up into his eyes. She couldn't see anything there, not happiness or teasing or anger, which made her tense even more. "Hi Dustin," she said, feeling extremely small and vulnerable. She subconsciously bit her lip again, though at least she wasn't wringing her hands anymore
@dustin
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 10:22:26 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 10:22:26 GMT -7
Dustin thought that maybe he ought to have thought this through further. He had assumed then when he saw Ev, he would know what to say – or at least know enough to figure out whether or not he could be friendly with her when she returned to practices soon. But now, looking at her, Dustin couldn’t shake the feeling of emptiness inside of him. Even when he hadn’t been talking to her, Ev had inspired intense emotions – a lot of anger and guilt, mostly. It was strange to think of her and not experience a jolt of something. Dustin sighed. He knew there was still at least one secret between them, and wondered if getting that out of the way would make things any better. “Viovinnia Nott.” He said quietly. “That’s the name of the girl.” The surname Nott had exploded over the Wizarding world when Vi’s older brother and Abigail Shacklebolt had been killed by Elaine Dupree, so Ev knew what sort of person Dustin was really dealing with. Being messed up with Elaine was not a mark of good character, and Dustin worried what her brother’s death meant for Vi. But Vi wasn’t the one he was worried about now. Dustin peered at Evelyn, trying to decipher what she was thinking about the announcement.
@evelyn
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 10:29:38 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 10:29:38 GMT -7
A few moments of awkward silence passed between them and Evelyn just wanted to crawl under a rock. This couldn't be going well and she had no idea what Dustin was even thinking. She couldn't even guess. She looked at the ground nervously, trying to think of something to say. When he sighed, her eyes shot up to his face. Then he said the name of a girl ... the girl, Ev realized when he explained a little more. Her eyes widened mouth opened a little in surprise as she felt the familiar frustration at her. Nott. Wasn't there something about a Nott in the papers recently? But she'd never heard the name Viovinnia before. It couldn't be her then. Ev wanted to say something about his revelation, but couldn't. Maybe a revelation of her own would help? It might hurt as well, but she was trying to help. She looked down again, nervous that she'd make Dustin angry again. "I went to Africa over Christmas. That's when he proposed." And when you came back from your trip to France, you were upset about her. That's why I didn't tell you," she didn't say the words. Couldn't have forced them if she wanted to.
@dustin
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 10:36:44 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 10:36:44 GMT -7
Evelyn didn’t say anything about his ex-girlfriend’s name, and Dustin felt like something had lifted off of his shoulders. She knew now, but she wasn’t going to tell him how stupid he had been to fall in love with her when her family was obviously bad news. Evelyn said that he went to Africa over Christmas, and he stiffened again. While he had been on a mountainside in France, she had been hundreds of miles away, on the African plains. Something inside of him wanted to ask questions, wanted to get more information about everything that had transpired, but Evelyn hadn’t asked anything of him, even though she probably had really wanted to. Now that he had told Ev one of his biggest secrets, though, Dustin figured it was time to let another cat – er, bird – out of the bag. “I’m an Animagus.” He said in the same quiet, flat tone he had used to tell her about Vi. He was still worried about her reaction, but maybe if they could go back and forth, getting everything off their chests, then he would be able to feel something again.
@evelyn
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 10:46:39 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 10:46:39 GMT -7
Ev didn't know what to expect when she told him about Africa. Maybe for him to ask questions or demand what she'd been doing there, but he didn't say anything. She looked up at him, still nervous. He looked tense, but not angry and that was a relief. When he did speak, it was without emotion and Ev didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing ... or if it was just a thing. Then his words registered and her mouth fell open as she looked up at him in surprise. "So am I," she whispered. How had they kept so many secrets from one another? "I'm a Hawk," she explained, figuring he wouldn't care about the kind of hawk.
@dustin
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 10:51:51 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 10:51:51 GMT -7
What the hell was going on? Dustin was certain that the foundation of his world couldn’t be shaken any more, but then Ev went and said that she was an Animagus, too. Why had she kept it from him? Dustin had kept his ability a secret mostly because he didn’t want his parents to know, and his parents got along famously well with his best friend, so they’d find out if she did. Which was still a lame excuse, but at least Dustin hadn’t kept it from her for some sort of reason. Evelyn said that she was a hawk, and Dustin’s eyes widened. “I’m a kite.” He replied. He wondered if Ev knew that was a kind of bird, or if she thought that he was pulling her leg. Well, this explained why they both liked flying so much…
@evelyn
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 11:00:06 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 11:00:06 GMT -7
Ev couldn't tell what Dustin was thinking, though his eyes were big. Was he surprised or getting angry or ... she didn't know what else it could be. This conversation had gone all over the place, to them confessing all sorts of things and she didn't know what else to expect. He was a kite ... a bird? Ev actually didn't really know what that was. She tried to think about something else to confess to him and while she was sure there was plenty, nothing was coming to mind at the moment. "Is that a bird?" she asked softly, nervous to be breaking the trend of confessions. At least they were still talking, sort of. He wasn't stalking away or getting outright mad at her.
@dustin
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 11:07:21 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 11:07:21 GMT -7
For the first time in five minutes, one of them said something other than a confession, and Dustin had to admit it was a little weird to think about answering a question when he had spent so much of his energy making sure that he didn’t ask anything too personal or judgmental. The good thing about Ev’s question was that it wasn’t asking him anything about actually being an Animagus – just a fact about what his form was. “Yeah.” Dustin answered. “It’s a kind of bird of prey, like hawks. Mine is a Brahminy kite.” He explained. If Evelyn didn’t know that kites existed as a subclass, she probably didn’t know what a Brahminy kite looked like, Dustin realized. “If we move to someplace where the Muggles can’t see us… I can show you?” He suggested. This was weird. The only other person he had shown his Animagus form to was Vi, and considering how that relationship had worked out, Dustin wondered if he was accidentally dooming his relationship with Ev by showing her.
@evelyn
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 3, 2017 12:33:40 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 12:33:40 GMT -7
Evelyn nodded when he answered her question calmly, going on to explain more about the bird in question. At least his voice was calm and he didn't seem upset. "Oh, okay," she answered, deciding that on her way home she was going to need to find a book about birds so she could figure out what it looked like. A few weeks ago she would have simply asked him to show her, but after everything that happened, Ev didn't particularly feel worthy enough of his friendship to ask a question like that. Then he talked about them moving and that he would show her. He said it as a question and Ev was surprised yet again. Maybe that was how this would be from now on. She expected nothing, so everything she got from him was a surprise. It was simultaneously a nice thing and quite sad, but trust had to be built and while she trusted Dustin almost entirely, she knew he didn't have a reason to trust her. She nodded, "I'd love to see, Dustin," she answered. "Do we just want to leave the path and go into the bushes a way?" After all, they were in a park with lots of trees and such. Maybe that would be enough cover? "I can show you mine too, if you want." Ev hadn't shown anyone her ability before, not even her parents, but she felt comfortable sharing it with Dustin.
@dustin
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 4, 2017 14:34:13 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2017 14:34:13 GMT -7
Dustin nodded when Evelyn said ‘okay’. He thought that maybe he ought to smile at her, but the idea felt weird, and he didn’t want to accidentally end up grimacing instead. When his friend said that she’d love to see his Animagus form, Dustin nodded, and this time, he trusted himself to smile. He knew what to do with this – people thought that Animagi were cool. He hadn’t actually met a person who wouldn’t want to be an Animagus, if it wasn’t so much work. Evelyn suggested a place where they could hide away from the Muggles before he transformed, and then, surprisingly, offered to show him her form, too. “We can go for a fly?” Dustin suggested. That would be good for them, he thought – that way they could spend some time together, and get used to each other’s presence again, but literally be unable to talk to each other. Well, Ev would be able to talk to him, since he could understand birds anyways (which was another thing he was going to have to get around to telling her, now that he thought about it), but he wouldn’t be able to talk back. Dustin walked down the path and ducked into the bushes, as Evelyn had suggested, before shifting into his Animagus form. Dustin stretched his wings out, trying to get used to them. He hadn’t used his bird form since breaking up with Vi, so it felt a little strange. Dustin cocked his head at Evelyn, waiting for her to shift, too, before taking flight.
@evelyn
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 6, 2017 21:37:39 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2017 21:37:39 GMT -7
He smiled. Not right off, and it wasn't a huge smile or really one that she could place out of all of the smiles of his that she was familiar with, but it was a smile. That had to mean progress, didn't it? Unless he forced it. "Please forgive me. Please please forgive me," Ev found herself thinking repeatedly. She missed Dustin, her best friend. She was truly sorry. Evelyn Estrada would never keep something from Dustin again, but that inner declaration would mean nothing if he didn't find it in his heart to forgive her, or if he didn't want to be her friend anymore. He suggested they fly together and Evelyn nodded, offering her own nervous smile. "Yes, I'd like that," she answered. She followed him to the bushes and her smile became somewhat more sincere when she saw Dustin's bird form. It fit him. She saw him twist his head as he looked at her and she realized it was her turn. She shifted, stretching a little as she saw him do moments before. Then she looked over at him. As a bird, things seemed more free. It wasn't like they could talk, so could she really offend him or make things worse? Evelyn hoped not. She didn't know what she'd do without Dustin, but now also wasn't the time to think about that. She chirped at him, then swooped off into the sky, assuming he was coming as well. The wind felt wonderful. This was even better than flying on a broom, though she loved that as well. She looked around for Dustin, hoping her leaving straight away hadn't upset him. Even as a bird she felt the need to be cautious. She didn't want to mess things up more than she already had.
@dustin
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 18, 2017 13:40:04 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2017 13:40:04 GMT -7
As a bird, Dustin felt free. Like he could breathe again. There was nothing sitting on his shoulders or in his heart, and that was an unfamiliar situation after everything that had happened since Christmastime. Part of that could have also been due to the fact that birds had an entirely different anatomy than humans to allow them to fly, but he wasn’t going to let that thought keep him from enjoying the weightlessness and freedom that came with being in feathers instead of skin. Evelyn made a noise – a bird noise – at him before taking off, and Dustin tried to follow. The thing about kites was that they were better at soaring and gliding than taking off, so it took him a try or two to get his body off the ground. Once he was in the air, though, it was easy for Dustin to catch up to where Evelyn was. It was probably a strange sight from the ground – two totally different birds flying alongside each other like old friends. It wasn’t really that different when they were on the ground, now that Dustin thought about it. He and Ev looked an odd pair, separated by house and years and so many other things, but united by their love for Quidditch, their team, and each other. Why was it that flying made all of this so clear somehow? Dustin wanted to look over at Ev, wanted to tell her what he was thinking and how he was feeling, but she couldn’t understand him, anyways… So maybe it was better just to sit on it until they got back to the ground.
@evelyn
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last online Mar 28, 2024 7:52:29 GMT -7
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Jul 20, 2017 14:50:46 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2017 14:50:46 GMT -7
Evelyn always loved flying, since she took her first flying class in Hogwarts, but being a bird was different. As a bird, she could just be. She didn't have to think about the broom (though that normally wasn't an issue, the broom becoming a part of her when she flew), or about her troubles. She could let everything go and it was so ... peaceful. Still, despite the peace, there was a small tinge of worry in her heart. Flying with Dustin felt natural. It was so interesting that both of them were animagi and that they were both birds, but she didn't know if that would make a difference. She just wanted her best friend back. She was willing to tell him anything, everything. She would answer all the questions he might have for her, just to get him back. She missed her friend. Dearly, and even being a bird didn't take that longing away. At least she didn't have to worry about him seeing it on her face. Birds didn't make the same expressions as humans did. She looked over at him and then forward once more. Ev didn't know where they were going or how long they would fly. She just tried to relax and enjoy the feel of flying. It was a sensation she loved even more as a bird. However, after a while she started to get tired and looked over at Dustin again. She wanted to go back, but not unless he was going to as well.
@dustin
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