I Can Take Care of Myself (Aaron)

[Deleted]

There was no Quidditch practice today, but Ev was itching to get onto the pitch. Luckily, the practice pitch wasn't booked at the moment, so she could fly at her leisure, which was perfect! Ev came early enough that no one else was out on the pitch and she loved it. She zoomed from one end to the other, trying to increase her speed and warm up at the same time. Once she felt as though she was warmed up enough, she decided she was in the mood to try out some tricks. So far, she hadn't actually used these in any games, but she practiced them when she got the chance, thinking that it would be amazing if she did get to use them in a match.

A few others were joining her, but she was much higher than all of them. They shouldn't be paying any attention to her. Ev dropped her broom, a trick she'd done before. The point was for her to fall and then catch her broom and zoom on. It would be great fun, and really impressive if she actually could pull it off in front of others during a match. She didn't expect anyone to be watching her.

@aaron

[Deleted]

it gets better.

THOUGH HE WAS NOT DUE TO PRACTISE, Aaron still loved going to the pitch on his off days. He lived and breathed Quidditch. When things were bad it was there for him. Driving him. With his trusty Varápidos, he went out of his way to go to the pitch. Constantly attempting to improve his technique, sharpen his turns and overall just be better. He was on an everlasting pursuit of perfection.

Aaron took off in to the sky at the pitch. It was fairly modest in size. Perfect for undemanding training sessions and charity matches. Close enough to home that it wasn't inconvenient for him to travel. He loved it. It was perfect. For a while he kept low to the ground, practising his kick offs and spins. Even trying a few risky moves he'd seen some other, more adventurous players, attempt. Nothing too taxing, it was for fun.

Eventually, however, Aaron began working on his vertical dives. Upwards, and then down. It was while he did this, climbing further and further in to the sky, that he saw her. At first she was but a dot in the distance, a high flyer. There were a few of them. She slowly came in to focus the further he climbed. And because she was... falling toward him.

Aaron's face pinched in panic. Yup, she was definitely falling. He didn't think, simply flew. Gripping his broom, Aaron bent low to the wood as he gunned toward her. Fear twisting his stomach. What if he couldn't catch her? When he was close enough to touch, Aaron let go of his broom, clenching his thighs and locking his ankles so that he could snag her around the waist.

She was fairly petite, and he found he could pull her close and steady the broom with his hand. It was a hairy couple of seconds, but they stopped pinwheeling in the air eventually. Closer to the ground now, at least. Aaron could only watch as seconds after them a solitary broom spun past them, destined for the ground. "Are you okay?!" Aaron panted, his chest heaving, heart thumping. 

@evelyn

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Ev was grinning to herself. She'd practically made the jump! Ha! This was going to be perf- her thoughts stopped right when she did. Someone grabbed her waist, pulling her onto their broom and Ev found herself getting annoyed, though at the same time her thoughts were still flying. What just happened? Then she spun around to see her boom headed toward the ground. She looked at the guy holding her. "I'm fine." Her voice was harder than it meant to be. "What do you think you're doing? I had it all under control and now," she paused just in time to hear her broom hit the ground with a snap. Her heart sunk. "Now my broom is broken. What was that all about?" Ev knew she was probably exaggerating, but why would he interfere with her training? Who was he, anyway? She couldn't focus enough to actually recognize him.

@aaron

[Deleted]

it gets better.

AARON WAS SO BUSY APPLAUDING HIS OWN quick reflexes that he didn't immediately catch the woman's tone. He was just glad that she was okay, so when she spoke again, he found himself quite shocked. Turning his head, Aaron saw the scowl on her face. Not one of relief at being saved, but of complete inconvenience. His hand shifted against her waist, loosening enough to give her room, but not drop her as they lowered towards the ground.

"What...?" He said dumbly, head reared back and brows furrowed. "You- but you were falling!" He said, completely befuddled. There feet touched the ground and he was able to let her go. Sure, her broom was irreparable, but better than than her life! "I... I was just trying to help." Aaron ran a hand over his head, his accent thicker at the shock of the girl's tone. "Your broom is hardly a priority when your life is in question, no?"

Shaking his head, Aaron's smile was a touch nervous and a little annoyed. He hadn't been the one to throw her from her broom, so why did she look at him as if he were? "I am confused..." He admitted with a short laugh, nostrils flaring. 

@evelyn

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

The guy was obviously confused, but Ev didn't know why. He'd just practically destroyed her broom for no good reason whatsoever. She lifted an eyebrow as he stammered that she was falling and he was trying to help and yada yada yada. Pointless. Her glare hardened a little, though she was trying to gain control of her emotions. Obviously this guy didn't know what she was doing. "I was falling on purpose." She told him, irritation obvious in her tone. "I was working on a trick for a game," she explained, calming down a little as the words came out. "So my broom is more of a priority to me." Ev took a deep breath. It wasn't his fault, she told herself. But still ... her broom was gone now. She sighed. "Sorry. It's just ... my broom. I guess you couldn't have known what I was doing though. Thanks for trying to help me." The last bit came out as more of a grumble. She was still annoyed.

@aaron

[Deleted]

it gets better.

STILL FROWNING IN OBVIOUS CONFUSION NO matter that she appeared to explain. "On...?!" His mouth flapped momentarily, a well of frustration forming. "Are you trélla(mad)?! Falling on purpose?!" His tone was baffled and perhaps slightly defensive. He was only trying to help and she appeared furious with him. "I thought you were in danger." Though he now realised he was indeed wrong as she explained. For a game? He thought that was perhaps a step too far.

Aaron maintained however that, risk taken, her life must be above her broom. She seemed intent to disagree. He found that even more confusing, not commenting as he continued to reel for the entire interaction. She, however, seemed to find her feet twice as fast. And Aaron had to go over what she said twice before he realised she was thanking him. He ran hand over his head, sweating from the adrenaline and shock of it.

"No, I... I should have-" He pouted out a lip, dimples catching in his cheek as he squinted. "I was too... impulsive." He struggled over the English of it. "I will pay for a new broom." He declared, sure in his offer as he popped his own under one arm and went to assess the damage of her own. Shattered some eight feet away. "If we can repair it, I know a man." He said, offering a smile. "It's the least I can do."

@evelyn

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

It seemed to take him a minute or two to actually understand what she was saying, and the guy sounded bewildered as he tried to figure it out. Ev felt herself calm down remarkably fast while he figured it out in his head. Then he demanded to know if she was something, but he spoke in another language. That was fine. Ev was pretty sure she could guess what he meant and she offered a small smile and a shrug of her right shoulder, much more calm now. "Probably," she admitted honestly. After everything she'd been through the last few months, Ev just was trying to find some excitement in her life and doing new things in the air was the one thing she actually had control over. "Sorry I worried you ... and snapped at you." However justified she felt for it in the moment, she knew it hadn't been his fault. Ugh, she was so annoyed right now!

Then he was saying that he was too impulsive, apologizing himself and she shook her head. "There was no way you could know what I was doing. That's all my fault." She frowned as she glanced at her broom. "You don't have to get me a new one, I'm fine." She followed as he approached the broom, not really sure what to say to him. Then he said he knew someone that might be able to repair it and she smiled again. "Okay, we can take it to your person," she conceded eventually. 

@aaron

[Deleted]

it gets better.

THE CHANGE IN THE WOMAN WAS ALMOST instantaneous. She shifted from being furious to almost relaxed in a matter of seconds. 'Probably' she said, so casually that Aaron didn't even realise he'd said the end of his sentence in a different language. "I see," He said, nostrils flaring as he gave a gusty laugh. His heart was still beating  a little faster than usual, lungs a fraction too big.

"Now that I understand it was intention, I realise why you snapped," Aaron said rationally, shrugging it off. Her tone no longer stung, now that he was more aware. It was funny how perspective could change everything.

Though her broom, Aaron was worried about. He was perfectly serious about replacing it, crouching down at its side and inspecting the splinters. "Hmm," He hummed, scratching his head absently. "There's some major body damage, but it could be salvaged." He mused, gently cradling the top and brush as he lifted it from the ground. It sagged a little in the middle.

"There's a man named Declan, he works at the shop in Diagon Alley." Standing, Aaron brought the broom with him. "He is very good." Aaron assured her, eyes wide. "If you let me take her," He went on, referring to her broom as 'her', as he did his own. "I can assure you he will do his best." There was sincerity in Aaron's demeanour. He truly felt guilty. "I'm Aaron." He introduced himself, unable to hold out his hand as he held the woman's broom. 

@evelyn

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

The guy seemed to be calming down now too, since Ev explained herself. It made sense, but she was still a bit annoyed. Yes, it was her fault, but her broom. She hated seeing it in this condition, which was why she only glanced at it once before turning her wrath on the guy in front of her. She shrugged, "Yeah, but I shouldn't have. My bad." She wasn't good at being patient with others. Or understanding. Ev just wasn't really good with people in general.

He was looking at her broom more carefully now and Ev had to look at it, which put a frown on her face. She nodded as he started explaining what he thought about it. She bit her lip when he picked it up and it sagged. Her broom. She turned her attention back to the man when he started explaining about the person he knew. She paused a moment before saying anything. "You can take her," she answered slowly, "but can I come with you?" Ev wanted to at least know where her broom was going. That way she'd know where she could get it back from if she needed to. Who knew if she'd ever run into this guy again. He introduced himself and Ev nodded. "I'm Evelyn," she answered. "Sorry again for snapping at you." He was being so nice, being willing to help out with her broom that she felt like she needed to apologize again.

@aaron

[Deleted]

it gets better.

TENSION LINGERED IN THE AIR AROUND THEM. Though Aaron was decidedly less put out, he still felt the taught line of it between them. He had, after all, made a grave mistake. And it had cost her her broom. Aaron knew the value of his own, so he recognised her frustration. It was just unfortunate that it was aimed at him. Guilt and shame burned his cheeks, he was usually a little sharper than this.

"We could do this all day, you know." He attempted to joke, chuckling under his breath slightly as he gestured with his arms - hopeless. "Back and forth - I keep telling you I understand, you keep disagreeing with me." He licked his lips, dimples pressed in to both cheeks.

Though those dimples were only twice as deep as he was distracted by her brooms remains. Declan was a wizard with magic hands, if anybody could fix this it would be him. Though, Aaron shouldn't have been surprised when the woman asked to accompany him. "O- of course," He nodded heartily, still cradling her broom. "Here, if you take her, I'll give him a call so he knows to expect us." He handed off the broom to its rightful owner. He could have sent an owl, but even he couldn't deny a Muggle mobile was just too convenient to deny.

"Uh, hello, Declan?" His mobile was out and to his ear, and he smiled softly at Evelyn before turning away. "Got a broom emergency, would you mind if I stepped in today?" It was a quick phone call, Declan had a blissfully open afternoon and he'd agreed to see them both for a diagnostic, no promise of a fix same day. Aaron wasn't shocked. Stuffing the phone in to his back pocket, he turned back to Evelyn still smiling.

"He's free today, if we walk over now we should get there just in time." Apparating would have been more convenient, but he wasn't sure about waiting around. "I have a bag we can store the broom while we head over." Spelled, of course, for convenience of space. "I know you're sorry, Evelyn." Aaron added with a soft nod, "So am I." 

@evelyn

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Ev couldn't help but laugh a little when he said they could argue about this all day. "I guess you're right about that," she agreed with a small shrug. A part of her wished she just hadn't tried that trick today. At least then she wouldn't have to be dealing with this situation right now and she wouldn't have gotten angry at Aaron. Then again, at least he was nice. He wasn't angry at her anymore either.

Her smile widened when he said she could come along and she took the pieces of her broom back. "Thanks," she said, her smile falling as she looked down at them. She heard him talking on a cellphone and was a little surprised that he had one, but she didn't try to listen in on his conversation. That would be rude and she'd done enough of that today.

She nodded when he said that his guy wasn't busy now and they could walk over. "Sounds great," she felt more hope about the entire situation than she'd felt in a while and found herself glad that he at least had a contact that could potentially fix it. "Perfect," she agreed, following him until she could put her broom into the bag he spoke of. She smiled, "So what should we talk about on the way, since I'm assuming we don't want to apologize the entire way." Wait a second, was she actually joking around with him? She normally didn't feel so comfortable talking with people like this, except for Dustin of course, but he was her best friends and it took her a long time to tease him. She liked the thought that she was getting better at this.

@aaron

[Deleted]

it gets better.

MERCIFULLY THERE WAS NO ARGUMENT ABOUT walking over to the shop for the repair. Aaron had taken a surprising amount of control of the situation, though he attributed this to his feeling of unmentionable guilt at ruining a spectacular flying instrument. And, the more time went on, the more Aaron realised the woman wasn't a walking death wish, but more so just another Quidditch adrenaline junkie.

"Uh..." Aaron said, a laugh snorting out of his nose. "As long as you don't." He remarked back, quirking his brows. His cheeks hiked at either side with dimples. As they crossed the pitch and through the athletic centre, Aaron considered topics. "I mean, Quidditch seems a safe enough bet, right?" He offered, kissing his teeth as he stuffed both hands in to his pockets. "Can't go too wrong there." Holding open the entrance door for her, he stepped out behind and then kept pace with her down the street. "How long have you been playing?" He said, starting off easy.

@evelyn

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Evelyn rolled her eyes at his response. She had no intention of apologizing all the way there, though she didn't really know what she did want to talk about either. Ev didn't consider herself as being very good at conversation, unless the conversation was about facts or data or flying ... she was book smart but definitely not people smart. She smiled and nodded when he said that Quidditch was safe. "Yes, I think I'd have to agre with that, seeing as how we both play." She gave a soft laugh. At his question, she thought for a moment. "Since my third year at Hogwarts," she answered easily. "Always as a beater. What about you?" She might not be good at getting to know people, but returning questions was always a good idea. They continued the small, easy conversation while they made their way to the place he knew. The conversation was surprisingly easy to follow and Ev was a little surprised that she actually enjoyed it. Even though he all but destroyed her broomstick, he was nice, and his friend was supposed to help fix it. Not too bad.

--- the end ---

@aaron