Jarose Fic ll Astronomy Tower
Jace Grindelwald sat on the edge of the astronomy tower, feet dangling over the edge and staring at the grounds. He saw lights through the curtains of the little hut at the end of the grounds, but no commotion. The forest was quiet, with the occasional rustle caused by the creatures within it. The black lake was calm, it's surface as reflective as a mirror. The gates stood so far from where he sat now, leading away from this haven of safety and security. Leading to a world of pain and destruction, one where no one is safe and nothing is guaranteed. One where-
"Don't jump." The voice came from behind, along with a familiar flowery smell.
Jace spun his head wildly to his right and saw Rose Weasely sitting down beside him.
"I wasn't planning on it," Jace replied simply.
"I know," Rose fixed her eyes on his, "you're too brave, too noble to do that." There was a small smile on her face as she said that, but it wasn't mocking. Jace squirmed; he was really only just starting to get used to people thinking he was some kind of hero.
"I know you don't think too much of yourself, and I know you don't do it alone, but you are brave. Noble, too…and a bit lucky at times." It was Jace's turn to smile. Okay, so she understood a little better than he thought. Jace could see Rose studying him from the corner of his eye, but he couldn't think of anything to say, so he feigned interest in a set of ripples that had just arisen from the lake.
"I like to have a place like this too." Rose was looking out at the grounds now, so Jace felt it was safe to turn to her.
"A place to clear your mind. A place to sit, alone, and just focus on anything but yourself. It's like a deep breath after years of being underwater; soothing."
Jace wasn't entirely sure how to respond, so he nodded.
"Sometimes, you can't go to people," Rose had turned back to Jace, and Jace was now tugging at the laces on his trainers with apparent enthusiasm, "so, you go to a place. You can't tell anyone about it, though, or they'll come and spoil it. Sorry I spoiled yours."
She added that last part as an afterthought. Jace was yet again unable to respond coherently, so he just looked at the forest, imagining the beasts within running around crazily, hidden by the treetops. They stayed silent like that for a long time, and Jace was sure Rose was studying him again, but he never looked over at her for fear that she was.
He heard a dog bark just once, and saw someone’s shadow cross the window in the hut. A small creature that Jace couldn't make out scurried out of the forest and into a nearby pumpkin patch and the Whomping Willow twitched lazily. Nothing else interesting happened for what felt like several minutes, until-
He turns to face her again, almost hesitantly, “Yes Rose?”
But it’s okay, because she hesitates too. “...You weren’t really going to jump, right? I mean, it’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just-”
“No,” he cuts in, smiling, “No, Rose.”