take my nirvana | grey

[addilyn elara slater]

made it this far

so i can't stop running

January 20, 2029
grey xavier slater

Benched. Addy still couldn’t deal with the word. Things had been going so well. She even had a blast at the Gala the previous month with her teammates, only for it all to end a few short weeks later. And why? The last match of the year. Addy still wielded her bat for the Harpies in a bitterly cold match marred by consistent fouls (from both sides, honestly) and gameplay that never seemed to end. It wasn’t the longest match Addy had played. It had occurred months before in a match against Puddlemere United that threatened to fall into the next day. But this one was heading in that direction.

After the fifth blatching foul called against her (she still managed to send a bludger toward the opposing Chaser), Addy was annoyed, to say the least. And then it happened—both seekers battled for the snitch while the beaters flew in overdrive. Addy and her teammate worked in tandem to clear the opposing beaters, but in a swift second, all Addy remembered was waking up on the ground. Her teammate also took a fall, but he was standing. Turns out a bludger had been sent toward her (a lucky bludger backbeat move) while the second opposing beater had fallen off his broom right into Addy as well.

So, the Harpies beaters chased the Wasps’ beaters. Addy and her teammate sent bludgers toward them. One sent it back toward Addy, while the other let his whole body collide with her instead. And the league took injuries very seriously. Addy ended up with a broken wrist, arm, ribs, and collarbone from bludger hitting her and the player falling on top of her. Needless to say, the bone-regrowing process was unspeakably painful, and the concussion required Addy not to play for a prescribed period of time.

Practice that morning had been boring; Addy flew for a short while, easily proving her motor skills were still intact and she was ready to play, but another reserve player took the beater spot now. As a reserve player herself, Addy held no seniority on the spot as a starting lineup player would. She would have to wait her turn again. While Addy didn’t want to see her teammates injured or off the team, she missed the sensation of flying. Two matches had passed since the start of the year. Addy watched from the ground like one of the spectators. For now, she curled up on the couch of her shared flat with her phone until she heard a knock at the door.

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[grey xavier slater]

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Quidditch was a rough sport. The level of athleticism to stay on one's own broom and still manage their own role in the pitch was insane. It was probably why Grey had never even given it a shot, shoddy flying skills aside. Needless to say, the sport was dangerous but not nearly as much as it once was. Everyone, players and audience alike, knew it was a possibility for extreme injuries still. But it really didn't happen as much when so many things could be fixed with a wand wave or a potion or two. Concussions were really the only injury that truly warranted an extended absence for a Quidditch player. Unless you were Addy and broke half of your body in the middle of a match.

While worse things had occurred while Grey had been on assignment reporting, namely the explosion a few years back, he had never had an instance where it directly effected him. There had been a moment of wonder as the collision occurred, and even though he knew it was his sister that had been simultaneously bludgered and slammed into by the opposing beater, his brain immediately overcorrected him and told him it wasn't her. The subsequent whistle from the referee and mediwizards rushing to the crumpled pile of bodies below had felt surreal. He couldn't leave immediately because he had a job to do, but did hand his notes off to the first intern he could find following the end of the match and rushed off to St. Mungo's. If his superiors asked, he was just 'getting updated details'. This wasn't the same as when he'd used Claire's name to sneak into the hospital years earlier. He actually cared about Addy's well-being.

Since then, several matches had passed but Addy had remained benched. In his own experience, that wasn't uncommon mode such injuries, and especially for a reserve player. He had the day off of reporting the matches and decided to swing by her flat and see how she was doing. Disconnecting from Quidditch every once in a while was good for him, even though he had a feeling like they would be discussing it at length if she was home. With a takeaway bag dangling from one hand, Grey knocked on her door.

addilyn elara slater ● 381 ● Song by Artist

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[addilyn elara slater]

made it this far

so i can't stop running

January 20, 2029
grey xavier slater

Habitually, Addy rotated her wrist slowly. It felt normal, didn’t make any funny noises or anything, but sports healers reminded her that exercise would ensure the healing process and bone regrowth was not in vain. And it was easy enough as Addy could browse her phone with her other hand. In the post-fall adrenaline rush, Addy had insisted she was fine despite clearly not being fine, and Grey’s pained expression told her the severity of it in the end while at the hospital. Naturally, her stay was a few days at most, but with matches to play, their captain made the call to use another reserve player. Plus, the healers diagnosed a concussion, which would put Addy on the bench for a month minimum.

When she heard a knock at the door, Addy slowly rose from the couch and went to the door. Standing as high as she could on her tiptoes, she peered through the peephole. Oh right, Grey said he might stop by. She opened the door, standing back to let her brother inside. ”Hi Grey.” Addy didn’t mean to sound so gloomy, but she’d gone from the top of the world back to the ground, and it felt worse than all those broken bones combined. Personally, she questioned the concussion diagnosis. It almost felt rubber-stamped simply because she fell from her broom at height. But Addy was hardly qualified to make that challenge.

Somewhere under all that, it also bothered Addy, her parents, who had yet to call or write. The match had made the paper due to the weather, length, number of fouls, and injuries—Addy’s included. Their father religiously read the Prophet’s sports section. It sort of hurt that this was ignored simply because of a job title. Not that Addy would admit it out loud, of course.

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[grey xavier slater]

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It was apparent from the second his sister opened the door that she wasn’t okay still. Physically, she was most likely back to the way she had been prior to the accident. Healing spells and potions had a special knack at fixing everything right back up to the way they had been before the injury. But he wasn’t going to lie that the mental aspect of being benched was what concerned him the most. He knew that already being a reserve player filling in a hole on the team was enough of a worry. And this on top of it was extra mental stress that she quite frankly didn’t need right now. There really wasn’t anything he could do aside from provide moral support though. Grey still believed that the amount of time she had put into the matches she had played so far was enough to give her an edge over the incoming class of rookies. Even if the Harpies didn’t take her for the next season, there would be other teams that would be more than happy to add a multi-positional player onto their squad. As more than just a reserve too.

”Brought food,” he said with a smile, holding up the bag to show her before stepping inside. Eating alleviated so much stress, especially greasy, fatty foods. If he was more active and athletic, it would be all he’d eat. Considering he spent the majority of his days either sitting in the stands at Quidditch pitches or in his dungeon of an office at the Prophet, he really couldn’t get away with that at all. He’d end up looking like an erumpent in no time.

”How’d practice go this morning?” Grey asked as he found the table and set the bag down on it. He knew all of the teams’ practice schedules, necessary information in case something drastic happened within the league and he needed to be somewhere instantly. The same with the entire season’s match schedule. ”And how’re you feeling?” he added as he turned back around to look at her. Probably shitty, considering how she currently looked.

addilyn elara slater ● 352

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[addilyn elara slater]

made it this far

so i can't stop running

January 20, 2029
grey xavier slater

Addy appreciated Grey’s attempt to cheer her up, she supposed it was what to expect from her brother—food. Then again, Cheese might have done the same thing in the past, along with letting her rant about how and why these specific rules and regulations were utter shit. Jack was tied up with his recording most days, and he did not owe Addy anything. And she would never admit what an emotional crutch he had turned into. Brígh wouldn’t be home for another few days as she gallivanted off to some part of the world for work.

”Thanks.” She responded flatly. Addy supposed she could eat, and it was probably a good idea. Despite everything, her disciplined mind kept her wary of eating, as if she was training every day like before. Part of her recovery was maintaining herself in tip-top shape should she get called from the bench again. ”It was fine, mostly watched after running some drills.” The only positive was Addy had played in scrimmages as a Chaser—which was her ideal position, but at this rate, she’d play whatever spot opened up.

To her brother’s follow-up question, Addy could only sigh heavily and drop herself to the couch. Uncharacteristically, she tucked herself into the corner, not caring about her posture. ”Physically—I’m fine. Healers say I’m fine, but they’re still limiting my flying time.” Post-concussion care was taken very seriously, as magic could only go so far in head injuries. She might as well have been a muggle dealing with their healers. As far as how she felt otherwise…she’d been better. ”You know…I thought Dad at least would’ve called. The match was in the paper.”

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[grey xavier slater]

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Yikes. It was that bad that she couldn’t even show emotion towards getting free takeaway? Grey had figured it would be rough not being able to play or practice but had never been in a situation himself where he was in a permanent rut. Aside from when he escaped the Auror training and dealing with all of the blowback that came with that. That was different though and being benched with no guarantee of play because of other players filling in the positions had to be hard to watch.

Addy went on to explain that she had done a few drills, and Grey nodded his head. ”That’s good then. I imagine they’re trying to make sure that you’re back in working order before really pushing you again,” he commented. Being all healed up was the most important part about it. He had read stories of Quidditch players having difficulty getting back on the broom after hard accidents, especially falls like Addy had. The nervousness combined with rehabilitation led to a nasty combo occasionally. Similarly, Muggle athletes often got the phenomena called the yips. While that wasn’t attributed to injury, their difficulty swinging golf clubs or baseball bats accurately could be observed with broom handling. From the sound of it though, it was more that the team was making sure Addy was in proper working order first. As they should.

What came from her next, though, made his jaw tighten. ”He hasn’t called?” Grey repeated, hearing his voice start to rise. That stupid fool. Who wouldn’t reach out to their own child after an accident? He sort of expected it for himself, but Addy? All because she had decided to get into Quidditch? Which was preposterous, because he loved the sport and it had always been one of the common grounds Grey had found with him. ”What about mum? And Claire?” he asked a little desperately. Merlin, maybe it was just going to be the two of them from now on…

addilyn elara slater ● 330

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[addilyn elara slater]

made it this far

so i can't stop running

January 20, 2029
grey xavier slater

Logically, it all made sense. Addy was an investment, even as a reserve player. Allowing her to fly too soon would not end well for anyone. However, it didn’t stop all the non-logical thoughts from flooding her brain and starting fires wherever they went. Doubt sat heavily on her shoulders, especially when it became clear who cared, so to speak, after her accident. ”Yeah.” She agreed with her brother. Through the fog, Addy could see he was trying. And she loved him dearly for that. By now, she could smell the food, and her stomach turned, reminding her that she needed to eat more than just a sandwich after practice.

Addy lifted herself from the couch, her body feeling three times its weight. She’d just pulled back a chair when Grey asked about their father. Noting the shift in his tone, Addy wondered if she should’ve said anything. Playing it off, Addy carelessly shrugged but couldn’t help but scoff. ”Are we talking about the same mum?” She asked, giving her brother a look. ”Claire was one of the first to see me.” She felt the need to defend her sister, not that anything Addy said was untrue. Scoffing, Addy pulled the bag toward her, beginning to unpack its contents carefully. ”Mum’s been trying to steer me away from Quidditch my entire life, you know that.”

It was true. Addy had grown an interest very young beginning with scanning through old editions of the Prophet sports section her father kept neatly in his office. Soon, whenever they’d visit Diagon Alley, she’d have Addy by the back of her cloak, dragging her away from Quality Quidditch Supplies display. Well, at least until a look was enough to put Addy back in her place. Retreating into the kitchen, Addy returned with plates and silverware for them. ”It's fine. Millie and the team check in on me and my friends.” It was overwhelming at times, actually.

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