B. Jones

Bevin Jones. Seeker. Ballycastle Bats.

[ballycastlepyxistravers-blog]

Pyxis watched the person go before letting out a breath and looking back at Bevin. “I’m alright, mostly,” he returned. “Little more sore than I would like to be, my shoulder’s been popping something awful the last couple weeks. I just haven’t had a chance to go in to see Rory again.” Or had been avoiding her, avoiding the aftermath of their shared kiss. Either way. “Are you good? Feeling okay?”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

Bevin nodded sympathetically. If there was one thing he understood, it was the aches and pains that would no doubt flare up occasionally with a long-term injury, and he was not about to offer concern or advice regarding taking it easy when he was in the same position. “Me too. A little on the sore side. I was having a scan, but it has shown up clear, so there is nothing to worry about.”

[barkeepamberfonesca-blog]

“Oh, you certainly can. That’s a bit of a rarity, though, when people come into the bar.”

“First drink of the night’s on me, love. If you’re drinking tonight, that is.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“If I just wanted to drink, I would buy a bottle to have alone at home. I come to bars to be social. I may go for one, though, if you are really insisting.”

“How are you doing?”

[barkeepamberfonesca-blog]

“I’m off tonight.”

“Sofia’ll be around soon to ask for your drink if Cassidy doesn’t come by first.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“Can I not be here for the company?”

[laurienshafiq-blog]

“Please ignore Will Davidson. He’s a Magpie, he’s got no clue what he’s talking about.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“What is the rumour about you this week, then?”

[ballycastlepyxistravers-blog]

“No, of course I wasn’t here for me, I was just…”

“Visiting the children’s wing. Yeah. There’s a kid there that loves the Bats, you see, and I owed him a visit. That’s all.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“There is no need to look so sceptical. I can vouch for him. Both of us were there. Now if you would mind?” Bevin raised an eyebrow, and waited until the person had disappeared into another corridor before turning to Pyxis. “How are you doing?”

[photographermaritzaruiz-blog]

“Fair point, fair point. And there’s a bit of fun in having familiarity with them, of course. It’s just unfortunate it gets taken to such extremes so often. Portree aren’t always avoidant, but the older team members are, unfortunately. The younger ones, they seem to love it, but the ones that’ve been in the League more than a few years… Well. That tends to be the case on all teams, really.”

“Oh, it certainly did. Not that I’d like to tell any of them that, of course, but it was very pretty. Hmm, that may be true, actually. The debt would keep them from managing a new stadium, at least until they get a few Cup wins. The Reserve Keeper that’s replacing Wood is actually brilliant, as I’ve seen so far. She’s young, of course, and not an Oliver Wood, but she’s got a good eye and predicts better than expected.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“Oh, I agree. That is why I have always been very open about being happy to do organised interviews with anyone, rather than the press following me around to attempt to find some gossip by taking photos of me out of context. It’s the case on nearly all the teams, except for the Bats, you mean?” he asked with a bit of a laugh, thinking of how it was the ones who had been on the team for longer there who played more to the paparazzi.

“Unless they have a very generous sponsor. We might just have to wait to see what happens there. As well as with Puddlemere. Perhaps some shift around in their team will be what they need to pull back up the league table, especially with Wood in a managerial position. I reckon he will be a little more effective there than their current owner.”

[gossiphazelortiz-blog]

Hazel did always wonder if Bevin’s injury remained as bad as she thought it was, bad enough that he would need pain management potions prior to playing games, especially the high stakes games that could go on for hours even at their shortest. He covered himself quite well, though, and though Hazel sometimes doubted the sincerity of that cockiness, she appreciated it and refrained from calling it out as well. Offering a wide grin in return, she shook her head slightly. “I don’t doubt you will,” she returned simply. “You’re a shoe in for them, just as always. A bit of added motivation in the form of a bash is helpful, though, no doubt.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

Bevin grinned back at her, appreciatively. “Exactly,” he said. The truth was, he didn’t know if they were a shoe-in for the finals, anymore. There were three teams with a decent shot at those two spaces, and while they would always be confident about their chances, Bevin suspected some members of his team weren’t taking the threat of the Holyhead Harpies as seriously as they should be. They had reached the Leaky Cauldron by now, however, so Bevin took the opportunity, to move away from potential discussion about that, instead suggesting to Owen that he pick a table while he found some menus.

[tasia-montague-blog]

“Vice versa mate.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“Bring on the semis.”

“I will let you get on, anyway. I have a busy afternoon ahead of me.”

[beaudupont]

“Yet? They never will.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“No, eventually there will be somebody who is younger and better.”

[ballycastlepyxistravers-blog]

Lynx grinned when Bevin winked, letting out a little laugh and shaking her head with it. “Maybe if I go to a practice one of these days, I can get him to cut it down to eight hours instead of ten. Give you guys a break and all that.” She was teasing as she looked up at Pyxis with a twin grin to his own, making him roll his eyes fondly. They both knew quite well, after all, that his practices were always long largely because the practice he continued on his own time was long, and Lynx had gotten that same practice from him. It would just be a blessing if she didn’t end up as damaged as he had left his shoulder from working it too hard, really. 

Pyxis nodded, though, at Bevin’s statement, grinning back at him. “I tried to talk this one into Beating ages ago, but we see how well that went,” he offered with a chuckle. “Versatility is always a good thing to have, though. You’ll be an even better Keeper if you can figure out how a Chaser thinks, you know? Maybe by the time you’re playing for us, we’ll open up a little more and Lynx can be a Bat too. I think our new owner would like to open up to that.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“That would be a miracle. I am not convinced anybody can manage to get our practices cut down to eight hours,” Bevin told her, in a sincere tone, but he ended with a teasing grin towards Pyxis. He was rarely bothered by the long practices, in fact, though admittedly he did have the extra advantage of being Seeker which meant a bit more time sat on the sidelines, resting, while the others practised other moves which were less relevant to him. However, he wouldn’t have got back to the team without some intense training, going beyond what most people would have thought sensible, and so it made sense to him to continue that level of training whilst on the team.

Though Bevin knew perfectly well that Owen had heard the exact same advice from both himself and the Little League coaches, he still nodded at Pyxis as if he was receiving it for the first time. “Why can’t she be a Bat now?” he asked, wide-eyed. “I have told you that before,” Bevin told him, with a roll of the eyes. “And besides, school is very important.”

[ballycastlepyxistravers-blog]

“You’ll like her, I’m sure. She’s sweet, it’ll be a fun day for you. It shouldn’t go too badly. He’s a little… odd, but you know. There are certainly worse people to wind up with. God knows he put forward a big enough bid for it to be worth a short day and all.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“I think so. I cannot see any reason why we will not get on, anyway. It might be an experience, but I do not think you have anything to worry about with him. Good luck, though.”

[ballycastlepyxistravers-blog]

“Can’t say I blame you, honestly. Transfers are always a little worrisome, especially when they first play against their old team. I never looked into Swedish teams either, honestly. I may have to ask her if she played before, now you mention it. It would certainly explain how level a head she’s got.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“Especially when they have been playing that long with the same people. I would be lying if I said that I have no worries left with regards to the Magpies. He and Dawlish have been together since before I even started at Hogwarts, and then you add the stress of the finals. Assuming... Well, anyway. We will tackle that hurdle when we reach it. I would be surprised if she has not at all.”

[barkeepamberfonesca-blog]

“Please. As though I have any reason to compliment just for compliment’s sake. Unlike the press, I can compliment without ulterior motives. Oh, believe me, I’ve noticed the competition already. Everyone’s making such high bids at every lot in case it’s someone they really want, it’s shocking. I almost feel bad for the ones that pay those incredible amounts and wind up with someone they have no interest in, really. You’ve given me a brilliant excuse to avoid her anger, remind me to thank you later.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“The press aren’t the only ones that compliment people without meaning it, but I’ll take your word for it this time. The amount these events raise goes up incredibly every year, I’m pretty sure there are some people who have started saving up especially for it. I wouldn’t feel too sorry for them. They managed to get someone, when a lot of people will be disappointed in that respect. You’re welcome.”

[tasia-montague-blog]

“I guess we’ll just leave it all for the field then.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“You aren’t worried about the Harpies sneaking up and taking your spot in the final?”

[gossiphazelortiz-blog]

Hazel was half expecting more questions, really. When people found out about her gender identity normally, she found it was so heavily questioned that it made her uncomfortable at best, though she decided she would be far more comfortable with a child asking her questions than she tended to be with an adult. He had an easy comment in return, though, and Hazel offered the same grin back to Bevin, looking back at Owen after a moment. “That’s pretty much what it’s like. Only now, I look like a girl too.” She gave a laugh then, nodding her agreement to Bevin’s thought. “Definitely plenty of time to plan. My clearance to drink should come just about the time next season comes to an end. So long as you lot make the finals – which I’m already banking on – we can cover the reasoning with it being a Bats success bash.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

Owen had accepted the explanation so quickly, that Bevin couldn’t help but look down at him with a mix of pride and wonder over his child’s innocence. "That’s pretty perfect timing. I won’t have to watch so much how much I’m drinking, either, if it’s the end of the season,” Bevin commented, running with the story that usually he stuck to one or two pints out of consideration for his body and health for the game. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, though, he realised that he was getting close to committing himself to playing a final without any pain medication, just so that he could drink later on. “Of course we’ll get to the finals,” he told her, covering up his internal wince with a cocky grin.

[photographermaritzaruiz-blog]

“It’s certainly more the desire of the readers than the writers that builds up the obsession with personal information, but I do wish more writers would refuse to give in to that. I’d think it would be more interesting to read about the game itself than about the players, but that rarely seems to be the case. Those that are left are generally the ones that avoid the press as a whole – half of the Arrows, all of Puddlemere, some of Portree, and whatnot. Talking them into getting a shot or two is surprisingly difficult.”

“Appleby’s new stadium was a good year’s worth of photos, I swear. Rumor has it, Chudley’s planning on a new stadium before next season as well, had you heard about that yet? And Wood is talking about retiring from Puddlemere this season and purchasing the team instead. Though I’m sure you know about most of this already, being in the League yourself and all.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

“There’s only so many articles you can drag out analysis over a game for. I can understand wanting to mix it up a little bit. It makes the supporters feel a little closer to the people they are cheering on if they have a sensation that they know some more personal details about them. That makes sense. I never realised Portree were press-avoidant.”

“I have to admit that it was quite the stunner. It probably made for a better picture than some of their players. I heard that same rumour about Chudley, but as last I heard they were worryingly close to debt, I didn’t believe it at the time. Perhaps there’s more to it than I thought, though, if it’s made both our circles. I was aware about Wood, though. We’ve been trying to pay a bit more attention to their friendly games where they might be more likely to give their reserve Keeper a bit of fly-time.”

[bevinjonesy-blog]

tasia-montague:

“I hope she’s the missing link you all need to finally give us something that resembles a fight.”

“Oh, no need to worry about that. We already cleared a shelf for the cup.”