Between the Bars | Lusie & Toby

[Deleted]

Title Inspiration

Lusie sat with her back to the wall on the floor in the library. She had decided to hunker down somewhere in the back, between a few shelves that housed old muggle books. She loved it back here, but she rarely saw anyone else back in this section, so she likes to claim it as her own little study spot. She showed it to Toby at the start of the term and since then they had studied her together often. Tonight was no different. She stretched her legs out on the carpeted floor beneath them and the book on her lap fell to the floor when she did so. She had no idea what time it was, but the sun had done down hours ago and the window high above her head was pitch black. The light from the fire lamps provided a cozy glow as she flipped through the pages of her Herbology notes.

tobias charles watkins

[tobias charles watkins]

Nighttime was Toby's favorite time to study. Not only were there less distractions in the library at night, he had trouble sleeping lately, so it was a great use of his time. Ever since his messy fight with Kinsey, which was now thankfully amended, he was sleeping weird. He had a feeling like it was the time of the year when he started to feel the pressure and tried to blame it on stress. He knew he wanted to pursue a career in either Healing or Magiczoology - possibly both. The Ravenclaw was always obsessing over his next step, constantly battling the dreaded feeling like he wasn't doing enough with his life. 

The best solution to his insomnia was usually heading to the Library, which was open late. Toby enjoyed the Library any time of the day, but there was a section of the Library he had favored recently because of Lusie Windsor. They frequented the dusty Muggle section and sat on the floor reading quite often. Toby enjoyed that Lusie was cool with reading or sitting in silence and studying. They got along very well, Toby recently found himself smitten by the Puff. He was making it toward the back of the Library when he heard a thump on the ground. 

"Had a feeling I'd find you here." Toby admitted with a smile curling at the corners of his lips, looking down at the Princess on the floor. He took a couple of steps toward the young lady. "Do you care for some company?" he asked her hopefully, allowing his long legs to collapse out from under him, sitting beside her. 

@lusie

[Deleted]

Lusie looked up and stifled a yawn when she heard Toby’s voice ask if she would mind some company. She shook her head, of course she didn’t. She never minding his company in specific. There were definitely people whose company she did hate, but Toby wasn’t one of those people. Toby had become one of Lusie’s best friends over the past few months, possibly even on equal levels with Edmund, if that was possible. “Go ahead.” she agreed, picking her book up off the floor and laying it back on her lap. “I’ve just been trying to go through these Herbology notes.” she reported, trying to make it sound more interesting than it was. Truth be told, Lusie loved her classes, and she loved Herbology. But she was having trouble focusing today and that was causing her notes to be the most boring things she had ever read.

tobias charles watkins

[tobias charles watkins]

Toby peered over her notes curiously before opening his mouth, "Looks like a bunch of mumbo jumbo.." he teased her perfect scrawl with a laugh. His eyes scanned over her Herbology notes, more to be helpful, not nosey. They were partners in that class anyways. His finger pointed at one section on her notes, tapping lightly on a segment about herbs for aiding nausea.  "Ginger root would be good to add... Oh, and peppermint is a remedy for nausea too." he added casually, stretching his long legs out in front of him and cracking open a random book of Tarot he plucked from the shelf in another aisle. Toby wasn't looking to crash her study session by talking too much, but he had to ask. "Have you been here long? You look tired." he told her with a small laugh, not realizing what a weighted statement that could be to a female.

@lusie

[Deleted]

Even though he teased her about her notes, she almost found herself agreeing with him. She was getting burnt out on studying for exams and she still had another year to go. Lusie loved studying. She loved school and she hated the idea of graduating and leaving she was starting to think she might drive herself crazy, studying more than she had ever studied before. But instead of continuing to tease her, he began to help her, offering a few new things she should add to her notes. She scribbled them down with her quill and then closed her notebook, picking the textbook back up off the floor. “Well the sun was still up when I came here… so… several hours, probably.” she had no idea what time it was currently.

tobias charles watkins

[tobias charles watkins]

Toby smiled satisfied when the Princess scrawled his suggestions into her school work. The helpful geek in him was always trying to help his friends succeed, even if he was an enabler in many ways for his peers. Toby enjoyed helping people, it gave him meaning and made him feel good. He listened when she explained being there since the sun was up, it hadn’t been up for hours now. Toby blinked at her, suddenly feeling like an underachiever.”Maybe you should take a break, cramming is pointless after so long..” Toby told her gently, trying not to sound bossy.

His fingers clutched the corners of the book, brown eyes scanning until they found an interesting section about tarot and star signs. ”Whats your sign?” Toby asked curiously with a chuckle, since it sounded so unintentionally flirty.

@lusie

[Deleted]

Toby suggested that she take a break and Lusie nodded, that sounded like a smart idea, so she closed her book and set them down on the floor next to her. While going through another book, Toby asked her what her sign was. Astronomy, she supposed. Though Divination would fit also. “Libra.” she answered, giggling a little bit at his question. “Does it say I’m going to die tonight?” she asked, scooting closer to him so she could try to see what it said on the page. “What’s your sign?”

tobias charles watkins

[tobias charles watkins]

Toby looked down at the text when Lusie morbidly asked if she was going to die tonight. Without missing a beat, his warm brown eyes scanned the page in silence for a brief moment until he froze and slowly looked up from the book out of comedic effect as if maybe she were. The Ravenclaw laughed 'pretend' nervously with shifty eyes before he opened his mouth, letting out a squeak, ”Heh....I would feel too sorry to tell you if you were...” he declared jokingly, enjoying the opportunity to play with Lusie any chance he got.

The Princess revealed that she was a Libra and he cocked his head to the side. ”Libra, huh?” he asked out loud, already searching for any text on her birth sign, his finger stopping at a Libra segment as he answered her question. ”I’m a Scorpio.” Toby informed as matter of factly. After a second, he was unable to surpass a chuckle as he sank with his back against the shelf, leaning into Lusie a bit more, barely thinking about it, and chuckling. He recited from the book, ”Libra women are elegant, loyal, tactful..." Toby nodded his head in fervent agreement, "I reckon that describes you in a nutshell." Toby stated confidently with a solid nod, before he was absorbed in his reading again, allowing her to view the page if she so pleased. 

A few hours later...

Time effortlessly passed them... Too quickly... Toby hadn't realized how tired he was. At some point he had stopped reading and got very comfortable with Princess Lusie. Somehow, he managed to wedge himself closer to the corner of the wall and book shelf so that Lusie could be easily tucked against him and cradled in his arms, chin resting on the top of her head gently. His breathing was soft, chest rising up and down slowly in a peaceful slumber, glasses on the ground beside the book with its spine wide open and face down on the ground... Book abuse.

When Toby would eventually wake, he'd surely be embarrassed by the overly cuddly public display of affection....



@lusie

[Deleted]

Lusie didn’t remember falling asleep. She remembered laughing about horoscopes even though she knew there was actual merit to astrology. And she vaguely remembered looking over his shoulder as he read some book for one of his classes, still taking his advice about taking a break from her own studying. But the break was only meant to last for a few minutes, maybe a half an hour, just to rest her eyes.

Rest her eyes indeed.

She woke up when she moved her leg in her sleep and felt it bump into another leg, one that wasn’t hers. Her eyes fluttered open and for a second she soaked in the comfort she felt. She wasn’t sure she had ever felt so comfortable even in her own bed, and she loved her bed. But then she felt the slow rise and fall of whatever her head was resting on. A chest. She sat up quickly, Toby’s arms were around her and his head had been resting on hers. How had they gotten like this? Lusie’s cheeks went bright red. Should she wake him up? Maybe he’d sense her moving and wake up. Maybe she should run away now before he saw the blush across her face…

tobias charles watkins

[tobias charles watkins]

Just as easily as sleep had come, Toby was a light sleeper, so any sudden movement would usually wake him. Tonight he had gotten unexpectedly cozy for only Merlin knows how long. It wasn't until Lusie had moved that he slowly started to slip back to consciousness. His eyes slowly opened and his vision was blurry... Where the hell were his glasses?  He was warm and comfortable in his current position, but not in his bed, and he had the smell of dusty books filling his nostrils.

Toby sat up, arms retracting from holding Lusie romantically, as if a sudden electric current were sent through his body. The realization of who he was holding made him flinch, finding it inappropriate if someone potentially saw them in their slumber. Hell, he didn't want to get Lusie into trouble with her family. Toby cleared his throat,  "Oh-" he quickly pushed himself up and felt for his glasses on the ground before shoving them on his face and jumping to his feet. "I'm sorry--I-uh-" he laughed nervously, feeling himself getting awkward, face going red hot. Toby looked up at the windows, unable to tell what time it was around them. It was really late, or early... Toby grumbled, "I didn't mean to do that." he laughed awkwardly, again. "I'm sorry." he apologized again quickly. Oh, Merlin. This was awkward. What had he done?! 

@lusie

[Deleted]

Just as soon as she sat up she heard him stir a little too and finally his eyes opened and he removed his arms for her waist, fishing around on the floor for his glaces. Lusie started packing up her books while she stood. She didn’t really want to look at him, not because she was mad at him, but because her face was red and her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest, do a little dance, and leap into his arms. She couldn’t let that happen, she needed her heart to remain in her chest where it belonged. “No it’s n-not your fault.” she said, stuttering the words out. She felt her hands shaking but kept them busy as she piled books into her bag and then stood up, throwing the strap over her shoulder. “I-I should get to my dorm.” she said, “Goodnight Toby.” her eyes glanced to him for a moment before she turned around and walked around the bookshelf and nearly ran out of the library. She got outside of the library, turned the corner and then stopped, letting her back rest against the stone wall while she breathed deeply. Her heart was beating fast and now she could barely keep from smiling. Oh man. She liked him. When did this happen?

tobias charles watkins
((Lusie out))

[tobias charles watkins]

Toby would be a liar if he denied enjoying the random cuddle session with Lusie Windsor. There hadn’t ever been a time he had done that with a girl, other than maybe Kinsey when she was sad, or one of his sisters when they were younger... This embrace had a bit more feeling to it. He could, well, feel it. Lusie didn’t seem upset by anything, she was a little flustered and sleepy, but he could tell that she wasn’t angry by her tone. Toby was awkward enough for the both of them, feeling guilty for some reason. He nodded his head, unable to put together anymore strings of sentences without becoming a babbling baffoon. Scratching the back of his neck, his feet were rooted to the floor, ”Okay, yeah. Goodnight Lusie.” Toby watched as she quickly made her escape before following suit by packing his things and quickly making his way toward his dorm, still in a daze of what had just happened. He wondered if they would play it off like nothing and never mention it again. Eventually he drifted off to sleep for a few hours before he had to get ready for the day.

@lusie
(Toby out!)