Tonight Don't Leave Me Alone (Jack)

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Feb. 22, 2025

Mazie was so excited for this party. In all honesty, she didn't know why she was excited. Sure, she was going with Jack, but it wasn't really a date. Despite what she wanted, there wasn't anything going on between them. He was into some pretty brunette, even though he hadn't told Mazie about it. She couldn't believe he'd kept that a secret from her for so long. Maybe he'd tell her tonight. 

Even so, Jack was taking her. For that reason alone, Mazie was happier than she could imagine. She was going to walk there with her best friend. Because of this, she dressed as nicely as she could. She curled her hair with loose "beach" curls, actually put effort into applying her makeup and wore her favorite dress, a sky-blue dress that really brought out the blue in her eyes. She felt pretty, which was definitely a good thing. Even if Jack ended up spending most of the night with that other girl, at least Mazie would look good. She'd be able to find people to spend her time with. 

She made her way down to the entrance hall a little late, but not rushing it. She didn't want to detract from all the effort she'd put into her looks tonight. Besides, Jack wouldn't mind. He had to be used to Mazie being late for things by now. They'd been friends for a long time and even though it wasn't quite normal for Mazie to be late, it wasn't uncommon either. She made her way down the large staircase, smiling when she spotted Jack.

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

Mazie's Dress, except sky blue

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Jack wasn’t entirely excited for this party, mostly because of the way that this roommate was acting up in their dorm. He still hadn’t left to go to his own party and that made Jack a little concerned, but everyone else was heading out so he decided not to dwell on it too much and after getting dressed in his simple black suit, the only one that he had, he made his way down to the entrance hall where he told Mazie he would meet her. He was still a little surprised that he had asked Mazie to go with him, but he had only asked as a friend, which was why he knew she said yes.

He nearly dropped his jaw when he saw her come down the stairs in her light blue dress. She looked gorgeous. He had seen her dressed up before, at the ball last weekend, and at some of the dances and events back at Ilvermorny, but for some reason this was different. “Hey there, you haven’t seen my friend have you? Tall, blonde, kind of tom-boyish.” he teased, walking over to her.

@mazie

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Goosebumps covered Mazie's arms when she saw Jack. His eyes were wide and he seemed a little surprised. Good. Even though she knew he was interested in someone else, she wanted to make sure he knew she could be pretty too. Not that she didn't think he knew that ... okay, her thoughts weren't really making sense. She didn't care. 

Her smile widened as he approached her, asking if she'd seen his friend. Mazie chuckled, shrugging a bit. "Y'know, I don't think I have. I think she might be hiding up in her common room right now or something," she answered back easily. Then she looked over his shoulder and around the entrance hall. "I can take her place for you though, if you want..." Mazie trailed off, teasing him now. 

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

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Mazie played along and the smirk didn’t leave Jack’s face. “I’d be happy for the company.” he winked, offering his arm out for her. She was his date after all, and it wasn’t like this was the first time they would walk arm in arm like this. They were friends, and sometimes they were touchy. He had hugged her just the other day when they walked, and they had danced rather closely at the dance last weekend, not to mention that they had kissed a few weeks before, but Jack tried to shake that from his head. He tried not to think about that. They hadn’t talked about it once and it was all confusing enough. “You really do look great.” he admitted.

@mazie

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Mazie loved the smirk on Jack's face. She loved the fact that he was teasing her, playing along with her teasing in return. This was one of the reasons the two of them got along so well, and she just loved it. She grinned, "Well she deserves to miss her chance for standing you up," she commented, unable to not say something else to tease him, even though she was talking about herself. Mazie thought it was funny. She took his arm, walking a little closer to him that she normally would. She couldn't help it, she wanted to be close to him. Besides, once they got outside, she could probably use the semi-chilly air as an excuse. It was still February, after all, and her dress wasn't really designed for warmth. She wouldn't be cold once she got to the party though. Those things always got hot pretty fast. She beamed when Jack told her she looked nice. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself," she teased. "Though ... I don't think I can ever remember a time when you didn't look good." Mazie winked. Yes, she was flirting, but it was the same kind of flirting she and Jack always did, wasn't it? It shouldn't be a giveaway of her feelings, she didn't think. 

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

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Mazie complimented him as well, but then said that she couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t look good. He laughed. “Well you’ve never seen me covered in dirt and sweat trying to chop a tree down.” Most of their work on the farm was done by magic, but since they were in an area with no-majs around, they did a lot by hand the no-maj way. “Or mucking out a horse stall.” he winked. He couldn’t imagine he was very attractive looking during either of those times. But it seemed Mazie was trying to be flirty anyway, it threw him off a little. He wasn’t used to this sort of behavior from her directed at him. He knew that she was flirty, but this was new.

@mazie

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Jack laughed at her teasing, which was rather encouraging to Mazie. She loved his laugh. She twisted her head to the side, looking up at him when he said she'd never seen him when he was working on the farm at home. "Sounds like fun. I wonder what you'd look like with some dirt on you," she teased, her expression growing a bit thoughtful. Actually, Mazie couldn't decide if he'd be more attractive to her when he was dirty from working hard. Probably. "I think you'd still be cute though." Mazie blushed a little and looked away from him. Ugh, why was it so hard to act normal around him now?

"We should get a move on. Don't want to miss the whole party, right?" She smiled, walking toward the big doors of the castle and pushing them open. As she suspected, it was colder outside. Mazie's hold on Jack's arm grew a little tighter, though she didn't say anything. 

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

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Jack laughed again when she said she wondered what he would look like with some dirt on him. “Unrecognizable.” he teased. Actually he loved it, he loved that kind of work and that kind of life, but he also liked being here now. He liked England and he liked being out of America, as much as he loved his home country and was proud to be a citizen of it. But never once in his life up until now had he thought he would ever leave America. “I wonder what you would look like with some dirt on you.” he countered. “You think I’m cute?” he teased.

“Yeah.” Jack agreed and started to lead the way out of the castle. It was a chilly day, but the sun was shining at least. Hopefully it would be a good walk. Though she wasn’t wearing any sort of jacket or anything, he couldn’t imagine how she wouldn’t be cold.

@mazie

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Mazie rolled her eyes when Jack joked, saying that he'd be unrecognizable. "I'm pretty sure I'd always be able to recognize you," she answered flippantly. She couldn't imagine that any amount of dirt could change that, but maybe he was right. Maybe she'd have to visit him and see ... if he'd be okay with her visiting. She quirked an eyebrow at him when he mentioned her being dirty. "You think I don't get dirty? Maybe I'll come visit you this summer and then you can see," she suggested. Of course, she didn't even know if he'd want her to visit, but it sounded like fun to her. She rolled her eyes. "Like you don't know you're cute. Why wouldn't I think it?" Anyone who had eyes in their head would know that he was cute. 

They were walking together outside, toward Hogsmeade and Mazie was happy to be on Jack's arm. They walked in silence for a bit, but Mazie was never good at silence. "So what kind of party is this going to be, do you think? Dancing or eating or talking and playing games?" She just wanted to get him talking. 

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

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Mazie suggested that she come visit him over the summer and see him in action. He had to admit, he really liked the idea of Mazie on the farm with him. He was pretty sure his parents wouldn’t mind. But he wasn’t sure how well he’d do with them staying together while she was visiting. He didn’t want to do anything stupid by accident and embrace himself around her. “I’m sure we can arrange something.” He decided. “If you wannah come get your hands dirty.” He teased. When he said that he knew he was cute, he just nodded but decided not to comment about it anymore. He was having a hard time not reading into it. He did know he was attractive. Or he liked to think so at least. As they walked down to the village, she asked what kind of party this was. Jack shrugged, “food and drink for sure. Maybe dancing. I doubt any games.” the Fudge family didn’t really seem like one for games. Though he only knew what he heard from Riley. “I think it’s supposed to be a tea party or something.”

@mazie

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Mazie couldn’t tell what Jack thought about her visiting him at his farm. Of course, out loud he seemed to not mind the idea, but sometimes he had a habit of keeping his real thoughts hidden and this was one of the few times she couldn’t quite read him. Mazie didn’t like it. She rolled her eyes, ”I get my hands dirty all the time. I’m sure it’d be fun to do it while helping you out.” Mazie wasn’t quite sure how much of a help she’d be, but she wanted to be with Jack. She wanted to spend as much time with him as she could, especially since she wouldn’t be able to see him at all next year. Wow, that was a sad thought.

Mazie nodded as Jack confirmed that there would definitely be food and drink at this party and maybe dancing. Okay. If there was dancing then it wouldn’t be too boring. ”You gonna save me a dance if there is any dancing?” she teased, smiling over at him. Sure, they were going to the party together ... but that didn’t necessarily mean Jack wanted to be with her. A memory of the way he smiled down at the brunette girl flashed in her mind and Mazie’s smile dimmed a bit. She wrinkled her nose, not wanting him to notice. ”Ugh, tea. What is it with brits and their tea?” They’d almost reached the village by now.

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

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Mazie seemed to really like the idea of coming over this summer and he kind of did want her to come. He was curious what she would think about the life that he lived, the life he would continue to live for his entire life. The farm was his when his parents retired. None of his siblings were interested in it. And Jack was the oldest. He had a legacy to protect. “I’ll write my parents and ask them then.” he promised her. He was pretty sure they would say yes though. She’d just have to sleep in his sisters room.

Mazie asked if he would save her a dance if there was dancing and he nodded, “yeah of course. Who else would I dance with?” He asked with a shrug. Besides Ana maybe, if he got the opportunity. But he wouldn’t abandon Mazie for that purpose. He laughed when she commented about tea. “I don’t know. But I suppose… when in Rome…” He shrugged. He didn’t really like tea either.

@mazie

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She still couldn’t read what Jack thought about her coming to visit during the summer. He said he’d write his parents and she smiled, ”Only if you want to, Jack. I don’t want to get in your way or mess with the serenity of your home,” she teased, nudging his stomach with her elbow. She wanted to come, but only if that’s what Jack wanted too. Maybe he needed a few month’s break from her ridiculous energy.

He shrugged, making it sound like an obvious thing that he would dance with her, even going as far as to ask who else he’d dance with Mazie’s eyebrows rose as she considered him. Was he really going to keep the brunette beauty a secret from her? She’d given him a week and he still hadn’t said anything. Mazie shrugged back, smirking to try and hide the jealousy from her expression when she answered him, ”I dunno. Maybe that brunette girl you were totally into at the dance? When are you going to ask her out?” It was the kind of thing Mazie said countless times before, but that didn’t change the fact that it felt like a punch in the gut having to say it now. She just couldn’t keep it in anymore. All she could do was hope that Jack couldn’t see the pain in her eyes, the longing for him to care for her in a new way that she suddenly felt like she needed to hide.

She grimaced and shook her head when he mentioned “When in Rome”, rolling her eyes. ”But we’re not in Rome, silly. Besides, their butterbeer is way better than tea. I’ll choose that if I get the choice.” like that would be a surprise to him.

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

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Jack shook his head, “no I want you to come. I guess it just didn’t seem like the sort of think you’d like.” He admitted. He kind of hoped she did like it. But he couldn’t quite figure out why.

He raised his eyebrows when she asked about the brunette beauty that he was into at the dance. He didn’t have to think to know who she was talking about, but his heart started beating a mile a minute. She had seen him dancing with Ana? Suddenly he felt so embarrassed. Almost caught. But why? “oh uh, I didn’t know you saw that. Nah I don’t think I’ll be asking Ana out.” He shrugged. Ana was great and he probably would have been happy to date her. But he couldn’t right now. He was dealing with too much regarding his feelings for Mazie. “let’s hope you get the choice then.” he winked.

@mazie

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Jack insisted that he wanted her to come, he just wasn’t sure whether or not she’d like it and Mazie rolled her eyes. ”Oh, come on. When have I not liked spending time with you? It’d definitely be a new experience for me, but I’m always down for new things.” Even more so when it had to do with spending time with her best friend. As long as she didn’t have to sit still for too long, she’d like it just fine.

Mazie was too caught up in her own jealousy to pay attention to Jack’s surprise and embarrassment. She couldn’t meet his eyes, too nervous that he’d see through her if she looked at him too long. However, at his answer Mazie did look at him, her eyebrows furrowing as she took a second to really look. ”Why not?” Mazie demanded, tactless as usual. She chuckled, rolling her eyes before adding, ”Come on Jack, I saw the way you were looking at her and holding her while you danced. Why wouldn’t you want to ask her out?” The whole idea just didn’t make sense to Mazie. He obviously liked the other girl. Despite what it meant for Mazie, she actually did want Jack to be happy, so she really wanted to know. She ignored his comment about hoping she’d get a choice, too focused on their current conversation. If all they offered here was tea, she just wouldn’t drink anything.

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK