Year/Job
SIXTH YEAR
BLAKE
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Post by Liam Sagewater on Jan 22, 2024 14:34:34 GMT -8
He'd been down here for about an hour, the sound of his quill scratching the parchment the only real sound to disrupt the steady silence. In the span of an hour, only one other person had come through, but they had left just as quickly. This was why he'd chosen the kitchens to write his letter. Liam could have gotten this same silence in the library, but there was the possibility of sudden outbursts of laughter, a stray sneeze, or random coughs. Small distractions, but still relevant. After dinner, no one really cared to venture into the kitchens. It was the perfect getaway.
Liam paused long enough to snag one of the neatly sliced apples that lay on a plate. Another perk was having a snack. If anyone asked, he'd claim it helped stimulate the brain. Crunching down lightly, he continued the letter; the words curving across the paper in his painstakingly neat handwriting. Some claimed he was OCD; he preferred the term organized. Liam preferred when the world made sense. Chaos was not to his liking. How people managed with messy writing and disorganized notes was beyond him. He shook his head at the thought but stopped as the door opened. He had a guest...read pest if they were here to disrupt his peace.
Tags: Rose Kelly
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
Now I'm just that girl who tries like Way too damn hard |
Chaser & Captain
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Post by Rose Kelly on Jan 22, 2024 18:16:50 GMT -8
Ever since the party, things have been a little tense between Rose and Finch. They were still hooking up and having fun together, but she had made it perfectly clear that she wasn’t his girlfriend. It wasn’t anything she hadn't said before to other people, but for some reason this time it didn’t feel like she meant it. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she felt truly heartbroken with his reaction. She had expected him to understand - and he did - but it was clear her words had hurt him and that had hurt her heart. He kept her at somewhat of a distance since and Rose could feel herself getting desperate for just a glimpse of what they had Christmas break. She tried to tell herself that it was just because he was so much fun, but deep down she realized that maybe she had feelings for the bird. Which was a problem in her eyes because Rose Kelly didn’t do feelings.
Between Quidditch practice and meeting up with Finch under the bleachers afterward, Rose was feeling pretty hungry. Unfortunately for her, she missed dinner. The Great Hall was empty when she arrived and the redhead let out an annoyed huff of air. Guess she’d have to go down to the kitchens and scrounge for something good to eat, though she really wasn’t looking forward to it. The last time she graced the kitchens she was with Finch and things were so much simpler back then. Still, it was her only option unless she wanted to go hungry tonight. With an exasperated sigh, the witch turned around and headed for the dungeons.
The pear did its little dance and the portrait swung open. Rose stepped through the door, fully expecting it to be empty, but what greeted her instead was the shape of a boy hunched over the table. For a moment, she considered turning around and leaving, but then her stomach growled and she just sighed and moved forward. As she got closer, she recognized the head of dark hair. “Sagewater,” she said with a small smirk, moving past him to grab a dinner roll. Rose leaned her hip against the table and let her eyes pass over him. He didn’t seem thrilled that she was here, a quill in his hand and a piece of parchment in front of him. “That the essay for Gauthier?” She took a bite out of the roll and chewed slowly.
Liam was cute and Rose definitely had a thing for him at one point. But when she told him what her intentions were, whatever they may have had fizzled out. She moved on quickly, giving the encounter zero thought, and before long they were just kind of friends. I say kind of because, well, he was way more studious than Rose and honestly studying bored her. There was something about him that did interest her, however, and that was the simple fact that he was Finch’s dorm mate. She took another bite from her roll, watching him with a curious look in her eye. “So, does Finch ever - you know - talk about me?”
Liam Sagewater (don't feel like you need to match I didn't expect this to be so long)
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Year/Job
SIXTH YEAR
BLAKE
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Post by Liam Sagewater on Jan 22, 2024 19:35:20 GMT -8
What cruel tricks the universe could play on a man who was knee deep in paperwork. As if the letter he was writing to his parents could be considered paperwork. It was merely a request that they send him several items in preparation for an event that was several months away. He wanted to gather all of the necessary items sooner rather than later. He needed room for error. Either way, the person who entered was indeed going to disrupt his peace. For starters, the voice belonged to none other than Rose Kelly. She was as beautiful as they came, and while her very presence demanded attention, he had little love for her and her carefree lifestyle. That being said, he respected her for her honesty. Some people made it hard to dislike them, not that he was actively seeking enemies. Still, her being here meant he wasn't going to finish the letter without dismissing her completely.
"Kelly," he responded. He gazed up at her, taking note that she hadn't sat down. Maybe her visit would be a short one. Brownie points for him. The Ravenclaw shook his head when she inquired about the parchment. "No. I finished that hours ago." He wasn't trying to brag, just making a statement. He was not one to let things pile up unnecessarily. He dipped his quill into the inkwell when she asked about Finch. Was that why she was here? To get the details on his dorm mate?
"No. Why would he?" He started back to writing. More importantly, what did it matter to her? He could have gone several routes with his answer, but he didn't want to get dragged into gossip.
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
Now I'm just that girl who tries like Way too damn hard |
Chaser & Captain
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Post by Rose Kelly on Jan 22, 2024 20:52:23 GMT -8
“No. Why would he?”
Rose was unprepared for how hard this would hit her. The redhead chewed anxiously on her bottom lip, her gaze falling to the half-eaten roll in her hands as the absolute devastation swirled around inside her. Why would she expect him to say anything anyway? It wasn’t like they were dating. Perhaps a part of her had hoped that, maybe, his feelings were strong enough to say something to someone else. But now she just felt so fucking stupid for that. “No reason,” she mumbled, twisting the roll in her hands. She looked up enough to see the parchment he was scribbling on and the heaviness just sat on her chest, making her feel like she was suffocating. “I’ll just - I can leave you alone.” Rose flashed him an uncharacteristically sad smile before quickly making herself a plate and taking it toward the end of the table, far enough away so he could continue what he was doing undisturbed.
Liam Sagewater
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Year/Job
SIXTH YEAR
BLAKE
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Post by Liam Sagewater on Jan 23, 2024 8:47:20 GMT -8
Her silence was unsettling at best, but not unwelcomed. He figured she was coming up with a witty response as to why any man in his right mind should find her to be the topic of discussion. Liam was happy to provide a counterargument if the opportunity arose, but instead, she provided him with nothing. Her earlier cockiness had dissipated in a single moment. Now he felt like an arse. He looked up, truly examining her for the first time. That sad smile crushed him, and he stood up as she grabbed a plate and started away. "...Rose, stop," he called after her. He could finish the letter later. It'd be selfish of him to just leave her high and dry when it was clear she was searching for an answer. He didn't know what was going on between her and Finch, but he'd provide a shoulder to cry on if necessary. Maybe even a proper answer if there was one to be had.
He left his things where they were and joined her at the end of the table. Sitting across from her, he let his arms rest on the table stop. "Pretty sure there's a quote out there saying there's a little reasoning behind every 'no reason,'" he told her. "Want to talk about it, or are you going to make me go hunt down Finch and find out?" He raised a brow, almost daring her to make his trek across the castle for his dorm mate. He'd do it too. Then he'd hunt her down once he was finished. It wasn't like he had anything else to do today.
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
Now I'm just that girl who tries like Way too damn hard |
Chaser & Captain
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Post by Rose Kelly on Jan 23, 2024 9:45:35 GMT -8
He called for her to stop, but tears were starting to well in her eyes and the absolute last thing she wanted was for Liam to see her cry. She trudged along until she found a spot on the complete opposite end, slamming her plate down. Without waiting, she started to devour her food. Gods, she wasn’t going to become some fatty who ate her feelings, was she? That would be the worst. Rose could tell that Liam was making his way down to her and she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, thankful the tables were so long. He sat across from her and she kept her attention on her plate, trying to finish as quickly as possible so she could get the hell out of here and back to her dorm. Naomi would question why she went straight to bed, but Rose didn’t really know what to tell her.
Liam started speaking and while she wasn’t looking at him, she was listening to what he had to say. Yeah, no shit there’s a reason. Rose didn’t want to think about why she wanted to know and she certainly didn’t want to tell anyone about it. But when he offered to talk about it, threatening to find Finch if she didn’t, she slowly dropped the turkey leg she was holding and raised her gaze to meet his eyes. A heavy sigh fell out of her. “Don’t get him,” she said. The other last thing she wanted was for Finch to find out she’d been asking. She didn’t want him to get his hopes up. For a moment, she watched the raven in front of her, considering her options. Liam and Rose weren’t really friends and honestly she wasn’t sure what his relationship with Finch looked like outside the fact they shared a dorm. She couldn’t open up to her friends about her struggles and there was no way in hell she was gonna talk to Nate about this. But Liam… he always seemed so… objective.
Rose sighed again. “I don’t know what to tell you. Finch and I…” she trailed off, trying to think of an accurate description for their relationship. “He’s different from other guys. I don’t know - he makes me feel something. And you know I don’t do feelings.” Heat had rushed to her cheeks with her admission, the rosy blush lining her cheeks. “This whole thing is so stupid.”
Liam Sagewater
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Year/Job
SIXTH YEAR
BLAKE
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Post by Liam Sagewater on Jan 23, 2024 20:14:52 GMT -8
The aggression was noted but went unmentioned. He didn't think it'd do much good to point out that she was being highly emotional right now. Under any other circumstances, he might have mentioned the change in attitude was long overdue. Now was not the time nor the place. His brown eyes were unwavering as she met his gaze. His head tilted to the side as she requested he not seek out Finch. "Okay," he said simply. He waited patiently for her to continue. If she were getting her thoughts in order, it wouldn't do much good to rush her. 'Finch and I.' That was an interesting way to start a sentence. He could almost guess where this conversation was going, and for an instant, he wondered if it was too late to back out of it. She continued speaking, and his face managed to stay placid. Watching that rose color wash over her cheeks was more than enough for him to agree with her. This whole thing was stupid. "So you like Finch and you want him to like you back," he asked, "But at the same time you don't...." He shook his head. "I'm going to take it as though you know that makes absolutely zero sense, right?" Maybe they weren't BFFs, but Liam was generally honest with most people he came across. He ran on logic, and he would tell you how it was without cutting corners. Most times he let people down gently, but others needed a more direct approach. The truth was nasty at times, but it could and would set you free. "You can't have it both ways, Rose." He gave her a sympathetic look.
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
Now I'm just that girl who tries like Way too damn hard |
Chaser & Captain
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Post by Rose Kelly on Jan 24, 2024 3:03:08 GMT -8
Rose didn’t know what she was doing, telling Liam things she could hardly admit to herself, but it kind of felt good to say it out loud. Since she and Finch got together, she’s been an absolute mess. From the beginning he gave her everything she didn’t know she was missing and she gave him all of her, every last bit, during those two weeks during break. It had been like a dream, Rose was caught up in the moment and, before she knew it, she found herself wanting more. But there was this deep seated fear that came with it. It clawed its way up her throat and left her heart racing. There was no rhyme or reason for it - she just didn’t do relationships. Finch had asked her what she was so scared of and Rose had thought about that every single day, yet still she had no answer. It was like the reasons why were locked up tight inside her and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t access them.
The raven started speaking again and Rose could feel the heat burn into her cheeks. Yes, she realized how ridiculous it sounded. Part of her knew that if she was going to be in a relationship that she’d want it to be with Finch. It just… she just couldn’t bring herself to say it or do anything about it. She didn’t need a boyfriend; she was perfectly content with hooking up, but Finch said he was hers… for now. That he wouldn’t wait forever. It caused so much anxiety to stir up inside her, the fear of being with him competing with the fear of losing him. “Yeah, I get it,” she snapped back with a heavy sigh. She ran a hand over her face, careful not to smudge her makeup. He told her she couldn’t have it both ways and she could feel that strange prickling in the corners of her eyes, something that she’d become painstakingly familiar with as of late. “Why does it have to be all or nothing?” she asked, almost desperately. “Why does it have to have a label?” It wasn’t like she was seeing anyone else at the moment.
Liam Sagewater
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Year/Job
SIXTH YEAR
BLAKE
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Post by Liam Sagewater on Jan 24, 2024 11:13:13 GMT -8
Women were confusing at best. It was no wonder he'd remained single for so long. His brain couldn't keep up with their demands. People who ran strictly off of emotions were strange. How did they manage to get anything done when their brain was constantly at war with their hearts? She snapped at him, but he decided not to take it personally. She was clearly stressed. He fixed her with a serious look when she asked why it had to be one way or the other. "It's not about labels. It's about not playing with Finch's emotions because it's cruel and he deserves better than that." Plain and simple. She was drop dead gorgeous, but that didn't mean he'd just let her casually walk all over Finch's feelings. He was far from being a matchmaker, relationship counselor, or whatever titles people used these days. What he did know was that at some point, a line had to be drawn somewhere. Had she talked to Finch about using labels? Couldn't they work something out? Surely they were old enough to discuss such matters without going at each other's throats. "You know, I get you don't do relationships or emotions or labels, but what do you have to lose," he asked. "It's not like you're marrying the guy."
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
Now I'm just that girl who tries like Way too damn hard |
Chaser & Captain
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Post by Rose Kelly on Jan 24, 2024 19:57:55 GMT -8
“It’s not about labels. It’s about not playing with Finch’s emotions…”
Rose faltered, suddenly unsure of everything in her life. Finch’s… emotions? Was she so selfish that she failed to see how he felt about all of this? She tried to tell herself that he knew what he was getting into, but part of her could see the mixed signals she’d been sending him. The two weeks they had spent together were intense and meaningful, then she ripped the rug from underneath him during the party. Shame welled up inside her, those tears that had started to form in her eyes filling her eyes as she thought about the hurt she caused him. All this time, she was trying to stop herself from leading him on… but in the end that was exactly what she had done.
The lion didn’t want to be cruel to Finch because Liam was right - he deserved better. He was a gentleman, always thinking about her before himself, and she was starting to realize just how selfish she had been. Rose blinked back the tears, willing them to not fall as she looked at the raven before her. His words were making more and more sense as he went on. What was the worst that could happen? But his next words just amplified the anxiety rising in her chest. “Yeah, but if our relationship doesn’t end in marriage it just ends? How is that any better?” All she could see happening was one of them getting hurt. That was something she’d been running from for a long time. Her feelings for Finch were intense, she could admit that much, but what happened when it didn’t work out? What happened if it did? There were too many questions without any answers. “I’m not saying you’re not making sense, but I just can’t see how there’s a happy ending for either of us in this scenario.”
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Year/Job
SIXTH YEAR
BLAKE
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Post by Liam Sagewater on Jan 25, 2024 6:45:22 GMT -8
Liam was silent as Rose digested his words. It felt like a private moment, but it wasn't like he could just get up and walk away. He averted his gaze, focusing on the opposite end of the table where his things lay abandoned. He peeked a glance in her direction and saw the tears welling up in her eyes. Great, you've made her cry. Good job, Liam. His thoughts dripped with disgust for himself. It hadn't been his intention. He wasn't trying to make her out to be the bad guy. He was trying to protect his friend. He'd feel rotten if those tears started sliding down her cheeks. By some force of nature, they didn't. Thank Merlin.
She threw him a curve ball, but he was ready. "I think there's this misconception that all relationships end badly," he told her. "People drift apart, but it's not always a bad thing. Every ended relationship isn't some bitter fight. When you spend that much time around a person, you get to learn them. Maybe those qualities aren't what you're looking for at the end of the day. Mutual breakups happen. You can still be friends. And if you anything, you learn what best fits you." Was there the possibility that their relationship and friendship alike went up in flames? Absolutely, but how would you know if you were never willing to give it a try?
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
Now I'm just that girl who tries like Way too damn hard |
Chaser & Captain
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Post by Rose Kelly on Jan 25, 2024 10:03:59 GMT -8
She was quiet as his words washed over her, her gaze falling to the forgotten food on her plate. Her teeth grazed her bottom lip as she considered it. If she could just let go of this fear of the future… She tried to reframe her way of thinking, imagining what would have happened if she wasn’t so scared of commitment. Searching her feelings, she discovered that she wouldn’t have hesitated to become his and Rose shut her eyes tightly, her head tilting to the side and her lips pressing together as the pain went through her. The intense feeling passed, the sorrow still weighing heavy on her heart, but it was more manageable now. The witch relaxed a little and opened her eyes, raising her gaze back to Liam’s face. “Yeah,” she said in defeat, all the fight rushing out of her. “Maybe you’re right… there’s just one problem, though - he’s been avoiding me lately.” Was it too late for her to tell him she changed her mind? That she was willing to give them a shot? A heavy sigh fell out of her and her head fell into her hands.
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Year/Job
SIXTH YEAR
BLAKE
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Post by Liam Sagewater on Jan 25, 2024 18:05:03 GMT -8
If he'd known he was going to play relationship counselor this evening, he'd have owled for Lydia. She loved this type of cringy stuff. You couldn't even think about a relationship without her volunteering for Matchmaker. She'd have done perfectly here. This was her element. Then again, Rose needed a concrete explanation, not flighty feelings of the heart. That's where he unfortunately came in, whether he'd wanted to or not. Liam had unconsciously avoided getting tangled up with anyone on such levels because he let his brain guide him. With that being said, he could acknowledge and understand Rose's feelings. He just didn't think it wise to lead with them. Sometimes it was best to take a step back and see the bigger picture. Brown eyes looked at her curiously when she finally spoke. Finch had been acting sort of off lately. Had it been because of Rose? Great, he was giving advice to the 'enemy'. He tilted his head to the side as she seemed to give up hope. Any other person might have called her a coward, but Liam didn't go through life insulting people. He preferred the gentle route. "Rose, I know we're not super close or anything, but you don't peg me as the type to just throw in the towel without a fight. You've got two guaranteed places to find him. One is the Great Hall. He has to eat at some point. Two is the Quidditch Pitch. He's not going to miss practice." If she couldn't find him in either of those places, it wasn't meant to be. He flashed her a smile. "Good luck."
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
Now I'm just that girl who tries like Way too damn hard |
Chaser & Captain
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Post by Rose Kelly on Jan 26, 2024 7:45:23 GMT -8
Something in her had changed the day she ran into Finch in the courtyard. Rose was… softer than before and less sure of herself. This was all new territory for her and for the first time in her life she realized that she had been wrong. This whole time she thought she wasn’t leading him on, but that’s precisely what she had done. Now, she had made them both miserable and for what? To snog and hookup without any attachment? That wasn’t possible anymore - she was already attached. She had given him parts of herself no one else has ever had and she enjoyed it. But he wasn’t talking to her and, instead of fighting tooth and nail for him, she was retreating into herself and hiding away like some kind of loser.
Rosaline lifted her head from her hands as Liam began to speak again, her eyes sad as the heaviness sat on her chest. She listened to him, shame starting to stir up in her gut. He was right; this wasn’t her. Rose Kelly didn’t give up and she certainly didn’t cry over a boy. Rose was surprised that Liam Sagewater had been able to talk some sense into her and she straightened her spine and wiped away her tears, taking in a deep breath. He smiled at her and she returned it with a small smile of her own. “You’re totally right,” she said more confidently. She needed to talk to him, but before then she needed to think about what she was going to say. Rose had always been led by her heart, but this time she needed to use her brain to come up with a game plan. “Thanks, by the way… for listening to me ramble. If you tell anyone, though, I’ll come for you.” Rose was dead serious, but her tone was light, a soft smile playing on her lips.
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