Closed A Little Peace

[Gregory Friend]

Avoiding his dorm-mates was proving more difficult than he thought it would be. Especially when he didn't know when they'd left until he'd opened the curtains of his four-poster bed. But he was trying his best, largely focusing on avoid Ezra, given the most recent fallout, he didn't think Zerrin cared much of him at all, so he didn't have to do more with that. He had stepped outside, the weather was a little turbulent, like it might rain at any moment. He walked to the lakefront hoping to be alone, not necessarily quiet, given that his world was all quiet now. He got to the lakefront and just gazed out, taking in a long deep breath. Gregory just needed to tell someone, and yet everytime he thought about it, he thought of Cassius and Snow and chickened out. He was managing anyway. He was sure.

 

[Conan Burke]

Conan had an okay past year at school. His home life was still a bit rocky with his parents, but there was nothing he could really do with that. The boy was happy to be back at school. Conan was in his usual spot, which was the lake. It had been bit of an early morning. Conan was usually one of the early risers in his dorm. He had made his way down to the lake to do his usual shell hunt, looking for anything that he could add to his collection. He wasn’t sure how long he had been at the lake for but not too far off he had seen a familiar figure of his friend, Gregory, He hadn’t seen the boy in a bit, but he considered him a friend. He waved to the boy before making his way to him. “Hey Gregory, how are you?” Conan says with a friendly smile and wave once he reached Gregory.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory didn't notice one of the very last friends he had approach until the boy waved right next to him. The movement startling him out of his thoughts and causing him to startle away. He hadn't heard him approach, it had been the wrong side of him for him to have any hope. He should've known Conan would be here, Conan was always here. It was where the shells were. "Looking at shells?" he asked, not answering the question which Conan asked, because he simply had not heard it. He spoke quietly, though he wasn't sure what volume it was at, but he was trying to really avoid shouting.

 

[Conan Burke]

As Conan approached Gregory, he felt a bit bad that he may have disturbed the boy from his thoughts. He looked like he was thinking pretty hard. "Sorry," Conan muttered sympathetically, realising that he had startled his friend. "Yeah, you know, the usual" Conan said with a chuckle and nod at Gregory's question. Conan noticed that Gregory hadn't responded to his initial question, though he wasn't too bothered by it. It had looked like the boy had been whirling around in his thoughts that maybe he hadn't really processed the question he had asked. "You looked like you were thinking real hard over there... You alright?"

 

[Gregory Friend]

With the interaction with Ezra still buzzing in his head, he didn't exactly want to get this wrong. He couldn't afford to lose more friends, he had maybe two left at this point, Conan and then maybe Zerrin though he really wasn't sure on the latter. He tried to turn his head a little, to try to make out better what he was saying. but he didn't quite catch all of it. He was sure that a question had come at the end. He figured that given he'd asked Conan about shells, that the boy maybe asked what he was doing. "I'm just enjoying the fresh air," he said, "Find anything nice?" that seemed to be an easier question to ask.

 

[Conan Burke]

If he was being honest, Conan was growing more concerned for his friend, noticing that he wasn't really answering his questions, and Conan wasn't sure as to why he wasn't really answering his questions. Conan nodded as Gregory explained that he was enjoying the fresh air. He smiled happily at his friends question. "Oh yeah! I found some cool ones" Conan says with another nod before he went digging in his box of shells. Conan grabbed a shell that had different shades of blue on it and another that was mostly white with specks of orange in them. "These are what I found" Conan says happily, as he was suddenly a little distracted from being concerned for his friend for a moment, as he passed over the shells to Gregory.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory was glad that what he said seemed to get the reaction. Gregory was looking at the shells that Conan had, letting that distract it. Though he felt so on edge, because looking at the shells meant he couldn't see if conan was talking couldn't even attempt to make out what exactly was being said by him. He glanced up as he took one of the shells. "Can we...," he trailed off and moved to stand on Conan's other side, so his slightly better ear was on the side that Conan was on. He twisted how he stood to be a bit tilted so he might hear better. He didn't do or explain it, just looked at the shell he had that was blue, "This is really nice,"

 

[Conan Burke]

Conan noticed that Gregory had decided to move to the other side of him. Which made Conan confused as to why. He wanted to ask why but he didn’t want to be concerned if it wasn’t really anything. He watched as Gregory looked over the shells he had found today. Which Conan was quite proud of his finds. “Yeah, they’re really nice. I reckon they’re one of my favourites I’ve collected recently” Conan says with a proud smile. He hadn’t really found any colourful shells recently, so he was really proud of his finds. Conan looked up at his friend, wanting to maybe catch up with him or something. “You all good? How are ya?” Conan says with a smile, as he wanted to hear from his friend.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Moving to Conan's other side did help a little. In the sense that though Conan still felt like he was standing at the other side of the great lawn, he could at least tell when he was speaking, though none of the words he was able to distinguish. He held up the shell and looked at it, it was a pretty one. He was always jealous of Conan and Conan's ability to just be calm and collected, to be easy going and to have his shells and be content with that. He heard the buzzing that indicated he'd spoke, and glanced up, but he hadn't really caught much of it. "Oh, no, I haven't seen any shells recently," he replied, thinking that the last word had been you and hearing so little else assuming the boy was asking about if he'd found shells.

 

[Conan Burke]

Conan was now getting more concerned for his friend. He was confused as to why the boy wasn't properly answering his questions. He was more concerned than frustrated as to why Gregory wasn't answering his questions. Conan tilted his head a little to the side in slight confusion, his face mastered in concern more than anything, he was worried for his friend, but he didn't utter a word though, just continued to look at his friend with concern for a little longer.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory looked at the other shells, not really noticing how Conan was reacting to him. Not really thinking it odd that Conan wasn't saying anything. Though perhaps the lack of conversation should've clued him in that Conan was maybe concerned for him. Gregory was just content to not say much and just look at the shells. He glanced at the ground beneath them, with the stones and then leaned down and picked up a white shell. holding it up a little and then holding it out to Conan with a half smile, though he still didn't say anything.

 

[Conan Burke]

Conan watched his friend out of concern a little longer. Maybe Gregory wasn't really in a talking mood and that was probably why he wasn't properly answering his questions. Again, he was more concerned and worried than frustrated. However, he continued not to say anything for a bit, as maybe that's what Gregory preferred, which Conan didn't mind. Conan tilted his head once again when he saw Gregory had picked up something and held it out towards him. Conan smiled a little at the gesture and gently took it from his hand, realising that it was a shell. He inspected the shell, liking how it looked and everything, he hadn't had one like this one in his collection yet. "Thanks! This would go well with my collection" Conan said with a smile, as he added the white shell to his shoe box collection in appreciation. He then grabbed a hold of his box and gestured the box towards his friend. "Do you want to have one?" Conan asked his friend. He knew that he had given the boy one of his shells one of the first few times they had met, but he had plenty and didn't mind sharing his shells.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory remained focused on the shells. He handed the one he'd found to Conan who took it. He said something, part of which Gregory was sure was just a thanks for the sell, but the rest he didn't quite catch. Gregory glanced back at the ground at the shells, kicking some gently with his shoes, and missing what was said, only looking back as the box came towards him. He looked at it and then at Conan and then froze lightly. "For me?" he said, pretty sure, but not certain of what Conan had said to him.

 

[Conan Burke]

Conan nodded at his friend and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder in a friendly manner. "Yeah, pick one" Conan said softly, as he lifted his hand off his friend's shoulder and picked up his index finger in the sign of number one to show what he meant before placing his hand back on his friend's shoulder, unaware of the boy's hearing problems. Even though Gregory was speaking to him from time to time, Conan was still concerned yet confused for his friend as to why he wasn't properly answering his question. While he hadn't hung out with the Hufflepuff as much, he was still concerned for his friend. "Pick any shell you like"

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory flinched as Conan put his hand on his shoulder, though he immediately went still, knowing this wasn't a threat at all. He wasn't sure what he said though, even if his hearing was better, he knew his mind would be too focused on the flinching, on the hand touching his shoulder. He tried to not squirm or move away from Conan as his hand moved off and then on to his shoulder. Gregory looked back at the shells, he could figure out what the boy was telling him, and then took one, trying to move away from Conan as he did so. "Thanks,"

 

[Conan Burke]

Conan's concern grew a lot more when he noticed Gregory flinched. He wondered what was going on with his friend. He was sure if Gregory was ready to tell him what was going on, he would. But all that Conan was feeling towards his friend was concern. The Ravenclaw quickly took his hand off Gregory, noticing that he was trying to move away from his touch. "It's no problem, always happy to share some of my shells with my friends" Conan says with a small smile. "Sorry, are you okay?" Conan quickly apologised to his friend, noticing that maybe his touch made his friend uncomfortable, while then asking his friend once again with concern, losing count of how many times he had asked how his friend was, but Conan was pretty sure Gregory would probably not answer that question either, noticing the past attempts of asking how he was.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory hoped that Conan wouldn't mention it, wouldn't bring it up. He glanced away once he had picked the new shell for himself, and when Conan's hand retreated. He didn't hear at all the question, too preoccupied with stepping a little away from him, and turning to look out at the lake. He pocketed the shell and then glanced back at his friend, and didn't say anything just gave a little smile. Gregory could feel the slight panic he'd felt from the touch retreat and he just hoped he hadn't missed anything.