knee pads | arlo + lulu

[lulu anne blishwick]

Lulu’s broom bobbed behind her back as her Keeper’s gear dangled on her opposite shoulder like an assortment of quidditch body ornaments. She sauntered to the pitch, knowing she was a couple of minutes early, so she didn’t have any urgency in her step...

Well, until she saw him.

Arlo Bletchley. The hot Gryffindor Chaser, who she had an awkward encounter with the previous week in the broom shed. She discovered him in his natural element: arm chair, a stack of comics, wood burner, coffee, and all. Hell, this kid knew how to have a good time, she was surprised she hadn’t known he was there until then. During their encounter, Arlo told Lulu not to tell anyone about him reading comic books, admitting to caring about what his peers thought of him. She felt kind of bad. Especially after she didn’t find him there the next day, or the following, or the day after that.

Lulu stepped onto the pitch, smiling to herself since Arlo was standing alone with his back facing her. She tossed her gear onto the grass so he could hopefully notice her entrance that way without completely spooking him this time. The last time she spoke with Arlo, she had left him completely speechless, which she found hilarious, but she didn't particularly enjoy making people uncomfortable. ”Hello Arlo.” she greeted him, pulling her lilac locks into a high pony tail as she offered a devilish smile.

Arlo Bletchley

[Arlo Bletchley]

Arlo Bletchley was sweaty and smelly and probably should have showered, but now in his fifth year of playing for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, he was still not to agree with his teammates in saying the showers in the pitches changing rooms were better. Especially since he had gotten his Prefect badge the year before and his privileges to take overly long showers and baths in the Prefect's bathroom. He would indulge himself in a relaxing bath and some sort of murder Podcast tonight since he was caught up on his homework. Even a comic book session if he was careful not to get his hands too wet. He had been lost in thought as he stood waiting for his team mates to walk back up to the school with, maybe he would even bring a tea of some sort into the bath. Georgie was always trying to convince him some were better for sleep. He hadn't exactly heard anyone approach but as a messy pile of Keeper equipment that had been suddenly dropped at his feet, pulled him from his thoughts over 'purple tea'.

Quirking an eyebrow under the now damp curls that lay almost flat on his forehead with sweat, he looked up to see who they belonged to. Lulu Blishwick. Of course.

He'd reflected on their encounter in the Broom Shed quite a lot in the last few days. Sometimes it was hard to get the way Lulu had originally laughed at the idea of a dirty magazine out of his head. Or else how excited she had been to discover it wasn't a dirty magazine, but instead Spiderman. His brain dwindled quite a lot on the fact she knew who Spiderman was, never mind the fact how happy she had been to seem to have something in common with him. Other times he let is mind drift to the fact she had teasingly called him Peter Parker and every time had to pretend it wasn't that that was making him smile. In some of the classes they'd shared, he'd even noticed himself letting his eyes drift towards her lilac locks, the back of her head only ever when she was sure she wasn't looking, and find himself wondering if the purple was soft and well maintained or crunchy like some girls hair tended to get when they were too fond of colour. But for now he was confident he could handle another meeting without totally melting into a puddle. Reaching up to push back his sweat covered hair he gave her a polite little grin, nodding his head.

"Hi there Lulu" Playing it cool when you had a plan wasn't so hard. His friends should only be a few minutes. Slytherin had practice after them, it wasn't totally off hand for him to be seen talking to her he supposed. They played each other on the pitch; friendly rivals of course. He held his gaze on her slightly longer than he should have as he watched her hair flick up into her hands as she tied it up. It seemed the soft kind. Eventually he forced his gaze away from her and looked out at the pitch.

"Good flying weather today.." Cool as a cucumber he glanced up into the sky, nonchalantly smiling again. He would not crumble today. This would just be polite conversation, he would play it cool. "We had a good session"

lulu anne blishwick

[lulu anne blishwick]

The smile and greeting that Arlo shot Lulu today was a change from his demeanor in the shed the previous week. His nonchalance almost caught her off guard. He was definitely more prepared today. As the Lion looked up to the sky, dripping sweat from his flushed face and adorable oversized ears, she felt herself start to melt into a puddle by the way he greeted her saying her name.

Lulu mirrored him looking upward as she stretched one of her arms over her head as she did so, attempting to feign the same nonchalance. He shared that Gryffindor had a good practice session that afternoon and the snake couldn’t help from crinkling her nose, ”Smells like it.” she teased lightly with a smile. Tilting her head with a bobbing pony tail, ”Showers are that way, mate...?” Lulu gestured with a chuckle. It wasn’t meant to offend him, she was more making friendly conversation. No matter how weird the subject..

In reality, a hot and sweaty guy was…well, hot. She wasn't complaining. But she was learning it could be fun to yank Arlo’s chain. After he he had popped up on her radar recently she was determined to get to know this jock mystery nerd.


Arlo Bletchley

[Arlo Bletchley]

Lulu was a lose canon, and maybe deep down that was what Arlo liked about her so much. She was free, with very little filter and in a way he admired that. Too bad he didn't realise it. As she so playfully insulted him, Arlo allowed his eyebrows to knit together into a frown. Although he tried not to let it get to him so much, it was hard for him not to take a compliment like that to heart. Trying to slyly give his shirt a little sniff, his cheeks tinted to a slight pink. Did he really smell? But then he noted the sly little smile that played on her lips, and decided she must be just messing about.

Returning her small smile he rolled his eyes. "Haw haw, very funny." Reaching his hand up, still slightly self conscious he pushed back the sweaty mass of hair. "Nah those showers are shit anyway. I prefer the ones back at the school. Always have. Especially now I can get into the Prefects bathroom. I love the bath in there. Much more....private" Once he realised he was divulging all of his secrets, he cut himself off with a small shrug, hoping she wouldn't pick up on too much of what he had said. Was he a pampered Princess, who liked the fancy lotions and potions of the Prefects bathroom, along with it's oversized tub? Of course. Did Lulu Blishwick need to know that? Nope. Instead he just nodded again and decided to move the conversation on instead.

"What's up anyway?" He asked, trying to keep thing light-hearted. Easy. Breezy. Casual. Facepalm. He knew what was up, Quidditch practice. Twice in a week he'd made an idiot out of himself in front of her. Great. Letting his top teeth clamp down just slightly on his lip, he decided he'd try play it cool. He would not crumble for Lulu again. Merlin, where were his friends. They needed to hurry up and come rescue him. 

lulu anne blishwick

[lulu anne blishwick]

Lulu couldn't stop the slow spreading smile as he spoke to her. He seemed a bit self conscious about the comment. Nodding her head along to his words, she attempted to meet his gaze with her icy blue saucers as he explained himself. "Ahh, such a pampered Princess." she gushed playfully with a funny face. The purple haired snaked sighed playfully. "Must be nice...while the rest of us bathe like peasants." she blinked up at him, stretching her opposite arm over her head. She looked away, towards the quidditch shed in an attempt to rid herself of naughty thoughts of Arlo bathing.

The lion then asked her what was up. Now, that was an invitation to initiate some sort of conversation. Hell, she wished she went in with more of a game plan this time. She was half expecting Arlo to blow her off as soon as she approached him. Throwing herself on the plush green grass, she worked on stretching out her legs as she reached for her toes. She also couldn't help but notice how good he looked towering over her.

"So. Are you not hanging out in the shed anymore because of me?" she asked him simply, her expression more nonchalant as she looked him dead in the eye from down on the ground. She wasn't afraid to ask, especially now that she was learning the hot jock had a gooey inside.


Arlo Bletchley

[Arlo Bletchley]

As she called him a pampered princess, he frowned slightly before scoffing out a laugh "Rude, but yes. It is lovely" Smirking wickedly he looked away from her to glance around the pitch again. He realised he had been staring at her a fair bit, and he probably shouldn't be so intent about it. In the last year he had brought a couple of girls to the Prefect's Bathroom to hook up. Maybe he could show Lulu the inside of it. Maybe she'd like that. But then, he caught himself thinking, did he really wanna bring her there to show her the fancy, or to actually hook up with her.

Pausing her glanced back to her, squinting slightly in the sun. He had been nibbling on his bottom lip once more, and not exactly paying attention to what was being said, but rather just watching her again, or rather her ponytail now bobbing around. Unsure of why watching her stretch was so interesting, but Arlo kept at it anyway. He had been waiting for some sort of mundane conversation to start. His opener had been rather lame, but it was enough, or so he had thought.

What her verbal diarrhoea actually came out with wasn't what he had been prepared for.

"Uhh, what?" It was safe to say her response had thrown her. It wasn't really the polite pattern of conversation he had been expecting. It was hardly light hearted, but still, it was ballsy. And he sort of enjoyed it. Rather caught off guard, he raised an eyebrow, trying to work out what he should say in response. Truthfully yes, he had been avoiding it slightly. It wasn't like he went every day anyway, but he was scared to run into her there again. He didn't need to be caught again, or be forced to face his truth. a small, almost hurtful glower crossed his face "No. I don't go there every day anyway. Why, have you gone back looking for me or something?" He teased slightly, as he felt his eyebrow raising curiously.

lulu anne blishwick

[lulu anne blishwick]

Lulu smiled, unable to hide the awkward that was starting to seep from her after he asked if she was looking for him in the shed the past week. Arlo was starting to turn the tables on her. Well, that was unexpected, but she kind of liked it. Her ears went hot at the look on his face. She bit down on her bottom lip as she stared up at him with a chuckle, "Yeah." she nodded without hesitation, before a crooked and slightly bashful smile took over. Lulu was quiet for a second, marinating in the moment as she took him in. Arlo was hard to read and she was beginning to find a thrill in talking to him. There was a part of her that wished he would stay but she knew that was a strange thought since closed practice was about to begin.

She wondered if he was lying about not going to the shed every day. He seemed pretty miffed to be discovered that one fateful night, so she didn't know what to believe. In reality it didn't matter, but she also didn't want him to feel like she was going to ruin something good he had going for himself. Lulu hated being seen as some sort of fun sponge.

Her eyes darted behind the tall young man, and she craned her neck back to look behind her, before her gaze returned to Arlo. The coast was clear. Lulu sprang up back to her feet easily, "I'm not going to tell anyone, Arlo." she told him solemnly, looking him dead in the eye. He knew exactly what she was talking about. She wouldn't mention the trigger words: comic book, Spider-Man or Peter Parker, to get him all hot and bothered today. Not on the pitch where his jock mates could potentially hear.


Arlo Bletchley

[Arlo Bletchley]

The fact she had gone looking for him threw him again. He hadn't expected her to actually do it, and definitely hadn't expected her to admit it so readily. Lulu Blishwick seemed to be full of surprises. Continuing to look down at her, still stretching, Arlo was intrigued. His immediate though was; why. He wanted to ask and find out why, why she was seeking him out. But then he supposed he wasn't really ready to open that can of worms, instead of replying in any way, he simply clamped his mouth shut and nodded. Eventually settling for "Oh...ok"

Somehow he picked up on her doubts and felt the need to defend himself somewhat. "I don't. Really. I used to go hang out there a lot, but, I don't really have time to anymore I guess. With all my homework and studying, and Quid and stuff. I'd really like to but...." trailing off into silence, he wasn't quite sure what to end on with that point. Soo he simple gave an awkward shrug and drew a line under it. He hoped she understood. Even if she didn't totally believe him. Still, even if he didn't have anything else to say, his eyes stayed locked on her. Looking down on her, his expression was soft but not exactly a smile. Lulu continued to surprise him and caused his stomach to feel like it was jerking again as she confessed she wasn't gonna tell anyone. His mouth worked wordlessly moving air, as he searched for something to say. But as soon as Lulu jumped up, he closed his mouth again firmly, and simply nodded. Eventually mumbling "Thanks"

He was only able to hold her gaze for another split second before his cheeks and tops of his ears pinkened again. Curse Lulu Blishwick and this power she had over him. All he could do was concentrate on the way she'd said his name so quiet and contently. She'd only even jeered it at him from the hoops on the pitch as he raced towards her to try score. That was a lot more soft, he decided then and there he enjoyed the sound of it.

As she stood mere inches away from him, he resumed holding her gaze, just at a lot closer quarters. Definitely closer than was socially acceptable, but he supposed Lulu didn't give a fuck. She never did. Gazing down at her, he sort of forgot he was staring at her again. Oops. There was voices approaching his from the changing rooms behind him, but it was hard to recognise them when he was so distracted by her. They were far enough in the distance for now that he didn't have to acknowledge them just yet. Everything was fine for now. 

lulu anne blishwick

[lulu anne blishwick]

Lulu didn’t expect Arlo to come out and share more details with her. It was kind of cute how he kept blurting information at her. She wasn’t sure if he was defensive or not. The purple haired snakes curious smile grew as her gaze met his again when he was ready. ”Buut, what?” she asked sweetly, digging deeper. Lulu then shook her head more dismissively and waved a hand more playfully, not wanting to make him more uncomfortable than he already was. She felt like she had the upper hand in the conversation and that was enough for her. That eye contact was weird though. She felt her heart drop to her stomach. And she had just noticed she was holding her breath.

Surprisingly, she was the first to step back after she heard voices approaching from behind her. Her head may have been in the clouds most of the time, but she wasn’t completely oblivious to her surroundings on the quidditch pitch. Addilyn Slater was partial to thank for that this year. It was one of the only places she actually focused and was able to show she was more than a spazz.

The voices weren’t her teammates, so she had a feeling Arlo’s social timer was about to run out for her. Instead of making it seem like they were talking about something uncomfortable, she changed the subject again. Lulu in her typical Lulu Blishwick fashion then asked, ”Would you rather be a reverse centaur or a reverse merman?” she ended with a chuckle, hoping he understood what she was doing. Unlikely.

Now his fellow Lions would have no idea what they were talking about... But to be honest that question could have easily been far worse than a questionable love affair with comic books.


Arlo Bletchley

[Arlo Bletchley]

"Buuuutt" He hesitated, drawing the syllables out to match her pattern and tone of voice. For a moment he wasn't sure whether he wanted to share, but for some reason he did. He felt he owed her some sort of explanation, especially since she held his secret so closely and tentatively, "I just don't have time to read comics anymore with everything else I have to do.." he shrugged and pulled a face not unlike hers, trying to swat away whatever seriousness there was to his statement. It didn't matter. Pleasing everyone else and living up to his parents was more important anyway.

As Lulu stepped back, Arlo startled. He realised what was going on much slower than she did, and he didn't exactly like it. Part of him what to step back in and close in the distance between them again. Lulu's wicked gaze still hovered on him, just less intense now. Deep down here was some sort of longing in him, but then did he really want to get caught talking to Lulu Blishwick. Lulu was not the kind of person he needed to be seen with. She was a weirdo. With her next question his eyebrows shot up even further. Confusion clouded his face. "Wait...Lulu what?" Tilting his head to the side, he tried to work out what was going on. The question seemed so random and left field, but then she always was he supposed. "You what?"

Eyebrows still knitted together, he watched her, face clouded for a moment as he kept his line of vision still on her. The voices were getting closer, and yet, he still couldn't drag his eyes away from her roguish face. He knew he'd have to eventually, but, for now he'd enjoy it. Living in their little bubble, uninterrupted, was nice for now. 

lulu anne blishwick
@catsie

[Deleted]

SPEAKING OF ARLO'S JOCK MATES WHO COULD POTENTIALLY OVERHEAR...

Catsie was exhausted. The sixteen year old was always one of the first on the quidditch pitch and one of the last to leave it. She may not have been the brightest tool in the shed and her professors were having a hell of a time keeping her in line lately, but damn if she didn't shine on a pitch. Metaphorically and literally. She had stamina for days, could quickly react to changing conditions, and wore so much glitter she had once actually been called out by a ref for blinding other players. That's what she got for buying ultra body shimmer from an ad in Witch Weekly.

She had just finished complaining loudly about the arm and a leg gideon edward ollivander was going to charge for fixing up her broom after how badly she had pummeled it that day. She was headed off the pitch and right for the showers. Unlike Arlo she wasn't fussed about where her showers happened. She had her face exfoliating scrub and honey citrus scented body wash in the duffel bag slung across her shoulder. Despite her upbringing, despite the posh parties her parents paraded her about and the prim, proper, and perfect ensembles she donned, Catsie was a bit rugged.

She camped with no toilet and took showers in the rain when she was "connecting with nature." She was clean, but she'd never been a spa day and bubble baths kind of girl. She was bouncing on her way to the showers that weren't good enough for Princess Arlo. She had way more energy than someone coming off a rough practice had any right to. "Arlo, my man! Ye were great today." she greeted her teammate with a hard slap on the back. "Lulu, boo!" She blew an air kiss towards the Slytherin. "Whut're we waitin' fer?"

Because obviously Arlo and Lulu were waiting on something and not having a conversation. Catsie didn't see them having anything to talk about and oblivious as ever she just assumed they did not.

[lulu anne blishwick]

Lulu smiled sweetly at Arlo as his eyebrows threaded at the center of his forehead in utter confusion for her. The adorable look on Arlo’s face was enough for her to do it again. And again.

She enjoyed the final moment of their bubble until it popped - and Catsie was standing beside them asking them what they were waiting for.

Well, it was obvious that Lulu was waiting for Slytherin’s session to start soon, but she easily replied.

Lulu's eyes widened, ”It’s da Cats, Meow!!” she greeted happily, offering her gal pal a hug. ”We were waiting for you, of course!” she lied easily, eyes widening with excitement as she jabbed Arlo with an elbow to play along. Though any other time it wouldn’t be a 'lie' because Lulu adored Catsie, but she happened to be caught in a moment with Arlo today.


Arlo Bletchley
@catsie

[Arlo Bletchley]

Arlo welcomed the arrival of Catariara in some ways. He would rather her (a bit of a weirdo herself) that caught her talking to Lulu Blishwick than the likes of Simon or one of the others. But then, with a small twist in his stomach, he realised he didn't really want to be interrupted from talking with Lulu. He wasn't quite sure why but he had actually been sorting of enjoying it, even if there was some unease caused by it all. He had been thinking on Lulu's odd question as Catsie had approached. He hadn't realised he had been lost in it until Catsie asking him a question pulled his brain away.

"Back at ya Catsie" With a small grin he forced his eyes away from Lulu, to instead focus on his friend and teammate. Though here and there he continued to steal glances at Lulu when Cat seemed to be distracted.

"What?" once again his head had been full of fluff and Cats' question caught him off guard. What had he been waiting on again? Oh yeah. "Er, oh yeah. I was waiting on y'all to finish up so we could walk back to the castle together." Arlo had always been a bad liar. He was too good a person for it to come easily to him like it did Georgie. But then that wasn't the untrue bit. The tops of his ears started to go pink as the lie began. "I met Lulu waiting for her session with Slyth, and was just telling her it was a good day for flying" Looking to Lulu, he gave her an uneasy smile. It was cover enough for now. Cat probably wouldn't care too much to look much further into it.

Though looking back down in her direction had definitely been a mistake. Now he couldn't look away again. Her eyes made him giddy, intoxicated. More red crept in to his cheeks when he tried (and failed) to concentrate elsewhere, much like when he found his top teeth moving over his bottom lip to contain the skittish smile now growing on his lips. 

lulu anne blishwick
@catsie