perpetual curiosity

Gryffindor 5th year

[witandimpulse]

stars. can’t do it. not today. || damien and gray

[anarchaicmethodology-deactivate]

"Hm,” Damien hummed. Grayson only paid attention when she deemed it necessary and worthy; watching his mouth and hands, sadly, did not count towards his definition of ‘studious’. It did earn her marks in other areas, however.

He shrugged, sitting up to nose at her hair and tuck her beneath his chin, his free hand splaying over the small of her back. “She should’ve been more careful then,” His rates varied and depended up his mood, as mercurial as anything, because technically he couldn’t charge a flat-rate for his time; it was counted by the faculty as a 'volunteer effort’.

He sat back and looked bemusedly at her. Fondly, yes, but bemused as well. And to think they were having such a lovely conversation. Well, if that’s how she wanted to play, he’d hate to disappoint.

Damien’s expression slowly shifted and he smirked, sliding slowly from the table and he returned to his earlier position, though it meant a little bit of flexibility to achieve. He grinned against the skin of her neck, teasingly brushing it with his mouth as he spoke. “Well, if you’re not going to hold favors, we could just maybe find another way for you to pay.” The hand at her waist spread, fingers straining up beneath her shirt and hooking themselves around the edge of her trousers.

Then he stepped away, sliding off and away with a raised eyebrow. “But of course, you’re tired. Go take a nap.”

[witandimpulse]

Grayson figured as much. She let her smile spread across her face because she knew she'd been caught and there was no reason in hiding it. She was always so obvious when she stared, after all. She didn't even have the audacity to look sheepish. She adored him, and there wasn't much more to it.

She bowed her head to Damien when he nosed at her hairline, letting him tuck her against him and her face was pressed against his chest. This was what she wanted, this closeness and feeling of security and support. She could lose herself in this feeling.

Gray didn't protest when Damien finally pulled away to rearrange himself, but she pressed her hand against his chest to continue some point of contact. The expression on his face, that damned smirk, made her heart stutter, but she did well enough in disguising the effect it had on her. She mimicked it and turned her head away, baring her neck to his lips that only left teasing caresses against her skin and made goosebumps ghost over her forearms.

His fingers at her waist were cold, but even so she didn't pull away or flinch, just released a shallow breath when he stepped away from her. She just stared at him, unable to call him out for being a goddamned tease, and let his words sink in. "Yes, tired," she agreed, but she was still not responding correctly until it dawned on her that that was his intention all along. She replaced the space between them with herself and she dragged him down by his tie, mouth seeking his briefly but none too gently, and released him.

"I hope you know all I'll be able to think about is counting master numbers until I'm out. You can join me, when you're finished with tutoring." The ending came out as a question, though she wouldn't actually do so. She knew he had other things to do, but well, she couldn't help herself. "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight." She extricated herself once more with a small peck to his cheek, and started grabbing her belongings.

[witandimpulse]

do you want to build an army? it kinda has to be an army || Rian and Gray

[quirkandrhapsody-deactivated201]

Hir legs were spread awkwardly. Rian barely kept hir balance by folding hir knees and holding hir arms outstretched, fingers twitching and fluttering.

Everything was jagged lines of motherofpearl.

“GRAYSON!” But ze couldn’t see him, couldn’t turn without fear of cracking more; the ice was too thin. It was barely holding hir weight. “GRAYSON DON’T COME OUT HERE!” Hir voice broke on the shrill command, because ze could see him charging headlong after hir and the ice wouldn’t hold them, not both, it couldn’t.

Hir breaths came out in great plumes of fog as ze panted, winded and somehow unable to catch hir breath. Ze couldn’t see anything in the murky depths of the water below, only hir owl-like relfection and hir heartbeat drummed in hir ears. It felt like flying but the opposite.

Tentatively, ze shifted. It creaked, like their second seventh stair, and the lake lurched when ze tried to glide hir weight elsewhere.

[witandimpulse]

Grayson kept climbing until he reached the tree limb, hoping against hope that he hadn't misjudged the brokenness of the branch because he was counting on it being easy to tear away.

"I'M COMING, HOLD ON!" If there was a trace of panic in his voice, it was because this wasn't what he'd been planning on when he'd bugged Rian into joining him on his early morning snowscapade.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he repeated, leaping at the hanging limb and using his weight to give him leverage. Of course, it wouldn't give away as easily as he'd hoped, and he braced himself between the tree and another limb to try twisting it apart. A dozen loud cracks, splashing water, and a shout of alarm later, everything went white and then they were sitting on top of the town water tower.

Grayson held a small chunk of bark in his shaking hands, and he snapped it in two when he started at their surroundings. "Rian? Rian!" He was understandably hysterical now, and he reached for hir, his hands curling, nails digging around hir wrists. "Rian??" Because really, what the hell just happened?

[witandimpulse]

it’s getting late and i cannot seem find my way home tonight || grayson & lucy

[artandsoul-lucy-deactivated2016]

Lucy was trying to finish up some last minute shopping in Hogsmeade. It was expensive trying to buy for everyone but after doing some extra chores and keeping good grades she was able to get extra allowance. Before she knew it, she was hungry but only had money for presents. So, when Grayson offered her free food it was like a miracle. “Ooo what type? Are you sure?” She mainly just asked that to be polite. Still, she felt somewhat guilty anytime someone bought something for her for no reason.

[witandimpulse]

Grayson motioned for Lucy to hurry on inside, not that he really needed to worry about the line, but that he was interested in trying the new flavour.

"Yes, I'm sure. I don't think I can eat it all, and I just really wanna try it," he motioned this time at the signage on the side of the shoppe. "Lavender Honey," he read, then grinned. "It's supposed to be floral and versatile, and the honey makes it refreshing."

Since he had a free arm, he offered to take some of Lucy's shopping off of her hands. "A bit late to be getting your shopping done, isn't it?" he teased.

[witandimpulse]

Lorie Scamander called you a fucking doxie. What have you done to her?

I, sir, have been nothing but a perfect gentlewixen! but if i did do something i’ll talk to her later omg??

[anarchaicmethodology-deactivate]

i brought you christmas you need to open your gifts and i hope you like them love i missed you did you miss me where are you happy christmas! (also griffin really doesn't like you right now???)

Merry Christmas, darling. I’ll meet you at our usual. (No comment? I had been with Hahn briefly).

Is it a battery?

[witandimpulse]

wat

[griffinthegryffindor-blog]

Wut the fock m8? Why the fuck is Richards such hot shit right now, holy fuck. Good goddam luck finding him, give mine a shove for me. 

Happy Christmas or fucking whatever it is you do.

[witandimpulse]

Excuse? Damien is always hot shit. Like whoa. WHOAA.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS GRIFF! /throws tinsel

[griffinthegryffindor-blog]

you, it’s fucking you. I forgot what fucking house you were in, like I’m not the one to keep track of that shit! Kai’s cooking with yours, I haven’t seen either of them in a decade and a fucking half.

[witandimpulse]

so have a nap... THEN FIRE ZE MISSILES!!!!! i just got back, i need to owl him he has christmas gifts to open!

[griffinthegryffindor-blog]

Yeah and, surprise bitch, I voiced them! Congratu-fucking-lations, ten points to the goddamn Floo Floo Fairies!!

[witandimpulse]

what the hell is a floo floo fairy?? i think maybe you’ve inhaled a bit much of whatever kai is cooking up. might have a nap if i were you

[griffinthegryffindor-blog]

Fucking there you go! I ain’t got time for your hypocritical bullshit.

[witandimpulse]

a megaphone! that’s what you are. a vulgar megaphone. don’t they have those at WWW?

[witandimpulse]

i always know griffin is around the corner because i feel the need to wash my brain after he speaks

[griffinthegryffindor-blog]

Shut the fuck up, Wood, I’ve heard you talk about that fucking boytoy of yours! Goddamn filthy.

[witandimpulse]

nothing risqué, nothing gained

[witandimpulse]

i always know griffin is around the corner because i feel the need to wash my brain after he speaks

[jamadthefeared-deactivated20160]

Forever in December, Perpetually I’m Cold | Grayson & Jamad

[jamadthefeared-deactivated20160]

It pleased Jamad to see Wood laying on his back, helpless, and to know that he was the one the put him there. He was raised to defend himself, his name, his family, and what they stood for, but this incident did not fall into one of those categories. His fingers twitched from the lingering pain the impacts had caused to his hands. No, this was itching a sadistic scratch that had been long overdue for itching.

The reverie was broken by the painful lumps beginning to form on his nearly flawless skin. He glanced down at his hands with a staggering gasp and watched the boils raise. It was clear that he had been jinxed. Jamad turned towards the offender in a fury and made swift strides back toward him. The pain was great, but his tolerance for it was large.

“I am going to murder you, Wood.” He declared through clenched teeth. Jamad kicked the boy again, this time in the side of his head. Excruciating pain shot through his leg as the boils popped on impact and he let out a loud pained scream. The fight in him was overcome with pain and he fell to his knees, The cold ground felt good and he fell back to lay, shouting again when more boils burst. The noise alerted someone on the grounds, but it seemed neither boy was in the condition to care. 

[witandimpulse]

Grayson's eyes didn't leave Jamad once, even as he lay sprawled and battered, wand clutched in his hand. He wasn't made for a physical fight, knew it even as he baited Shafiq into his rage. That knowledge didn't make him back down, though. He didn't know when this encounter became a means to prove himself, and he didn't even know what he was trying to prove. That he was tough?

Fat load of good that did him, but he had to admit, in a twisted way, he enjoyed hearing Jamad's cries of pain. It wasn't in his usual character, and he would worry about that at a later date, but he felt Jamad deserved every bit of pain he was feeling now. Who knew how many others had suffered by his hand?

The promise of ending him made him clench his teeth together, an ineffective glower of anger, and he managed one last stinging hex to Jamad's face before everything went black.

When he came to, he felt as if he'd been run over by the Hogwarts Express, and he could taste metal in the back of his throat. He swallowed, tongue thick in his mouth, and he opened his eyes. Thankfully, the dimness of the room didn't blind him as he'd been expecting, and though his curtain was half pulled, he could see Jamad in his periphery, swathed in gauze and motionless.

The swelling in his face had gone down, and he was pleased to find that turning his head didn't leave him lethargic. "Didn't take you as the adrenalin junkie type, Jamad." Swollen or not, he could still hear feel the throbbing in his temples. He wondered how late it was.

[witandimpulse]

you must be swift as a coursing river, but wouldn't you rather fly? || rian and gray

[quirkandrhapsody-deactivated201]

“Shut you, I’m gorgeous.” Rian mimicked Grayson’s expression, poking hir tongue out at him. Ze rocked back and forth on hir heels, the dew damp grass tickling hir ankles. “But it’s a’ight, I know you’re jealous I got the best face,” Ze winked and grinned.

“No! Don’t tell Klaus!” The scraps were quickly gathered up and stuffed into hir pockets, the fanatic scuttle on the morning ground left damp patches on hir borrowed robes. “I’m not littering, see? All good, no litter to see here.”

Ze banked, veering off hir steep ascent into a lazy eight. Rian’s ankles crossed over each other, both of them hooking through the rests of hir broomstick, hir knees locked and both thighs gripping the broom as ze sat up and spread hir arms wide, grinning gleefully. The broom was guided by hir knees and the lazy fourth loops ze was making were led more with hir hips, but whatever, it was crystal clear and seeing the sunrise felt like greeting an old friend. It was lovely.

Of course, it was pretty wrecked when a quaffle caught the handle. Ze shrieked and threw hirself back down, threading hirself gracelessly around the broomstick; ze really didn’t fancy a trip to the Infirmary, thanks!

Finally flying steady again, ze laughed, laughed and laughed and a spark of challenge lit up hir eyes. “Grayson! Is that how we wanna play? Because I wanna play!” Ze dove back down for the quaffle, making a dangerously low pass over the equipment to snatch up a bat. Ball in hand, ze tossed it and took a crack at it, returning it to sender.

[witandimpulse]

"You're not gorgeous, I am. On my level, you'd possibly make the standards of a garden gnome. Why would I be jealous of a garden gnome? You're so weird!" As if weird was the worst thing any of the Wood children had been called, but at least when it was just the two of them, the endearment was just that.

Grayson waited, and waited, and SCORED! He crowed as the quaffle clipped Rian's broomstick and ze was sent careening in a zig-zag across the field as the broom and Rian seemed to be fighting over who got to steer.

He was cackling, but not distracted enough that he couldn't spy the snitch and speed off in the direction of one of the goals. He chose the left-handed side as his goal posts, it only seemed natural for him, and he loop-de-looped around the post a few times to give Rian a bit of time to resettle hirself before he destroyed hir at their practise match.

He'd kept his eyes on the buzzing golden object, so it was the only excuse he had when he was knocked sideways off of his own broomstick. "OI!" he shouted, already feeling the sting in his side, but he held on stubbornly to the broomhandle. "I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS, PETER PAN. IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!" He swore, then kicked a leg over the broomhandle to sit normally again.

[amberinthemoonlight]

somewhere in the end we're all insane | amber & gray

[amberinthemoonlight]

Being able to see the thestral meant Amber could see each awkward approach as Grayson’s hands felt for its scaly skin and hoped to get it right. When she’d started Hogwarts, she hadn’t been aware that almost no one else could see the creatures. In fact it had been so normal for her she hadn’t even known about their invisibility until Professor Weasley introduced her class to them a few years later.

The explanation Grayson gave her made enough sense for her to not question it. Amber sensed that just perhaps he wished to ask about the event that let her see the creatures. She certainly wasn’t going to simply offer that information. In fact she wasn’t sure if she was comfortable telling a stranger as much, even if asked.

Amber thought over Grayson’s suggestion to get the thestral back home. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to spend more time with this stranger, but she had enough empathy for the lost creature that she was swayed. “We’ll need raw meat from the kitchen,” she said as her way of saying she’d help. It would probably be a while before the thestral ran into another person who could see it.

[witandimpulse]

Grayson let himself pet the thestral by feel, managing to find an area that didn't make the creature stir more than necessary or make himself feel awkward by misjudging what he couldn't see. It was one of those rare times when he was humbled.

He let the time pass between himself and Amber silently, not wanting to disturb the peace because, for whatever reason, it seemed taboo. At least it wasn't an uncomfortable silence on his part, and he didn't want to startle the thestral anyway.

Amber's more or less agreement to help him get the poor thing back to where it belonged made him grin. "I know the kitchen well enough that the elves wouldn't question the weird request," he told her, voice still modulated. With that, he gave the thestral one more smoothing over and gave what he assumed was a wide enough berth to get around it without accidentally bumping into it.

"Be right back," he promised, and once he turned the corner he was mapping out the quickest route to the kitchens in his head.

[lysandermander-deactivated20160]

Everything is Gray | Grayson & Lysander

[lysandermander-deactivated20160]

“Thanks, we lost our last game but I’m really hoping we can turn it around against Slytherin.” Ey smiled at her praise. It was nice to get some reassurance every so once and awhile. Lysander was never quite sure why ey got picked as team captain to begin with but definitely took the role quite seriously and the losses quite personally. “Don’t worry about me and homework, I always manage to get through it. I just need to bunker myself down in the library and make myself focus.” Ey laughed and brushed it off, thankful for the offer.

Lysander took the juice and nodded in response. Ey took a few drinks before responding, wanting to take everything Grayson had to say in and not interrupt anything. “I am always willing to help pick something out for you, if you promise to help me. I haven’t figured anything out quite yet. I don’t even know who I’m going with.” Lysander tickled the foot outstretched to em. “I can definitely help paint your toes. I can do it now if you have some polish, I love painting nails.” Something Gray already knew, but ey decided to say it again anyways.

“I know it’s okay to not be in the best of moods. I just hate it. I’ve been really confused about me lately. But Rian and Lorie helped me out a bunch.” Lysander continued the thought at a random point in their conversation, not wanting to take attention but also wanting advice. “I think… well I think I might be… what did Lorie call it again..” Lysander paused to think. “I think I’m gender fluid.”

[witandimpulse]

"Well, if you need to bunker down with someone, I'm just an owl away. Even if I can't help, I wouldn't mind being silent company," Grayson offered. She really didn't like the idea of Lysander having to sit there all alone with a stack of homework, the mental picture that conjured up was daunting and not something she'd particularly enjoy herself if she was in eir place.

"Oh, please!" She pulled her wand out from behind her ear and said a quick 'accio' for her nail polishes. They came floating down the staircase, bumping noisily against anything and everything it was possible to hit on the way. She sipped from her own juice and set the tubes of polish side-by-side in a pretty display. "I don't know what colours I'm going to go with, so pick your poison," she offered, gesturing at them. She was actually really surprised by how many she had. Some of them she'd forgotten about, actually. "I'll help you pick something out. I can do your hair, too, if you want me to."

Gray picked at the treats as she listened to Lysander explain eir predicament, and she smiled a bit when ey mentioned Lorie and Rian being helpful. "Oh, Lys, that's great! I've been gender fluid for as long as I can actually remember." And then some, if Oliver were to be believed. "I don't know how I'm going to feel until I, yanno, _feel_ it. I don't know how to explain it, but it helps, not having all that pressure to live up to what everyone else wants you to. Like, why all the expectations based on what's between our legs?"

She reached over to grab Lysander's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You don't even really have to choose in the end. It's all just a title, and nobody knows best how you feel except you. We'll all still adore you anyway, that won't change."

[witandimpulse]

it’s getting late and i cannot seem find my way home tonight || grayson & lucy

Grayson couldn't get out of ditching Christmas, as much as he'd tossed about some very convincing arguments to Katie and Oliver. As such, he celebrated traditionally with his family (and Soup) and was able to make a break for it as soon as he was up and repacked (which had been done the night before). Armed with his belongings and a tote carrying gifts for his beloved, he secured his winter coat around him tightly and stepped into his fireplace. A dozen seconds later, he was stepping into Hogsmeade and delicately brushing soot from his person.

It was snowing again, a lovely turn of events from the freezing rain that had been forecasted, but one couldn't deter Grayson when he'd made up his mind, especially when the end goal was to get him to Damien. This thought brought a beaming smile to his face, and he had a slight bounce in his step as he made his way past the Hogsmeade ice cream parlour. He paused as he passed an advertisement on a new flavour, and well, who wasn't taken with temptation every once in a while?

Frowning at the gigantic sunday once he was actually at the counter, he was sure he could finish at least half. It was the other part he worried about, he doubted it would survive the trip back to Hogwarts without becoming a sticky mess. But he still really wanted it. He twirled on his heel and quickly scanned the occupants of the building, but didn't see anyone he recognised - but there! Grayson raced toward the door and threw it open. "Oi! Lucy!"

As if his shouting wouldn't draw enough attention, he waved eagerly so she could spot him when she turned. "LUCY! Come share some ice cream with me, will you? On me!"

[witandimpulse]

Stop sulking, we can talk when you're back - I do need you, afterall.

Mhm