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Post by JJ Winstead on Jan 16, 2024 12:19:06 GMT -8
as much as he was struggling with being homesick, JJ was far too excited knowing that he was less than an hour away from seeing his brother again. it felt like just yesterday they were tending fields in the heart of summer. the young man looked himself over in the mirror, picking off small bits of lint or stray hair as he did. JJ wondered if they had horses here, or if having a dog would be too much for the lifestyle of an auror in training, were cats common? he felt so out of place. “i’ll jinx myself if i keep thinking like that,” JJ laughed, turning to head for the door, taking one last glance through at his new apartment. gods, his stomach hurt.
text to: brother winstead hey. ordered something for you at puddifoots tea shop, be there by noon
JJ shoved his phone in his pocket and heading for the shop on his feet. he was close by enough now. the apartment was a temporary thing. newly in the market to buy, though still undecided if that meant definitely relocating to the UK for the long term. the walk gave him time to think about those things in … greater detail. when JJ made the decision to come here, he didn’t think, he just did. the shockwave of that choice, the repercussions, the world of uncertainty that may follow were the last thing on his mind if it meant seeing rip. 17 years was too long, and his love for their homestead almost stopped him.
but it didn’t.
admittedly, JJ wanted more in life. he had his family, their farm, the small network they had created in broken bow, but the youngest winstead was walking in someone else’s shadows no matter how much he outdid himself. his parents, jessica, supported his decision without faltering. it was genuine support, and JJ loved them for it, but the weight of their sadness was still fresh in his mind. how would his brother react? would his anger, grief, estrangement overpower the excitement? so much had happened, and JJ understood the best he could. he wanted his brother to be happy, but that didn’t quiet the concern.
as puddifoots came into view, the young man halted to take in the view. it was a cute spot, and he found himself liking the architecture of the UK. hands shoved deep into his pockets, JJ pushed himself the rest of the way, slipping inside the tea shop and taking a quick glance around. he didn’t see his brother, so he looked toward his watch: 11:48. the wizard took up a seat by the window, waving toward the woman aproned and smiling in his direction.
yesterday: 6,209 days
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Year/Job
Auror
Never meant to be a bad man, I just had a fast hand |
Occulmens
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Post by Rip Winstead on Jan 16, 2024 12:23:17 GMT -8
With all their big cases pretty well wrapped up, Rip was just hanging out in his cubicle shooting the shit with Nyle. Things were relatively peaceful nowadays and, boy, did they need that. There was still work to be done with the poachers, but with Fritz snagged and locked up in Azkaban, he felt they deserved a little break. Well, that and he needed some space to figure out what he was feeling. The night they got Abernathy, he thought he was going to lose Juniper like he did Jenn. After he finally disarmed and incapacitated the wizard, he had been reeling from the adrenaline and the worry he felt for her and, without thinking, he kissed her. He’s replayed that moment over and over again in his mind, both longing for it and feeling shame for it. When he realized what he was doing, he pulled away from her and fled. That was the last time he saw her and it was really weighing on him.
He considered telling Nyle about what happened, but he just couldn’t bring himself to admit to it. Rip looked at his friend with his mug of coffee in his hand and opened his mouth to say something when he felt a vibration in his pocket. Puzzled, Rip furrowed his brows and reached in to pull out his cell phone. No one but his family messaged him on it and he hadn’t heard from any of them in a little while. He opened his text messages and saw one from JJ. Rip froze, his heart starting up in his chest and he opened the text to read it. “Sorry,” he told his partner, setting aside his coffee and standing to put his coat on. “I’ve got to go. Family emergency.” Rip offered Anton a half-hearted smile before exiting the cubicle and leaving the Ministry.
Rip landed with a crack in Hogsmeade and checked his watch - 11:54. He still had time. The village was crowded with witches and wizards coming to shop or eat their lunch and Rip watched them all closely, trying to find his brother even though he knew it to be impossible. How could he be here? If he was here, why didn’t he notify him of his coming? Was this truly an emergency? His heart crawled into his throat as the anxiety started to eat him up. After just a brief moment of looking, Rip made his way to the tea shop. He slipped in quickly and was immediately greeted to the face of his little brother, aged seventeen years from the last time he laid eyes on him. His feet were frozen to the ground, both dread and joy stirring up inside him. What was he doing here?
Swallowing, he finally moved to the table where his brother sat. “JJ,” he breathed, a little disbelieving that he was really even here. Rip’s hands went to his shoulders to stand his brother up and pull him in for a tight hug. Tears welled in his eyes as he held him, his hand patting against his back to convey just how emotional this was for him. He hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye to him before he was exiled from their home. Rip’s eyes shut tightly and he just held on with everything he had for a few more moments before he pulled back, resting a hand on the side of his brother’s face. “What are you doing here, man?”
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