Apology...accepted?

[Elio Zephyr]

Elio really had been having the time of his life since joining Hogwarts. He'd already made a bunch of friends and met a few students in the years above him too. He would have already written home to his parents if he could have found the time outside of lessons and exploring. The first year wandered down the lawn towards a section he'd not explored much yet, until he spotted a clearing that was the entrance to a large lake. He grinned to himself at the realisation in the summer months this would have been the perfect place to hang out, although as it was in October it was probably a little chilly. He kicked at the stones on the floor as he walked the length of the water, happy in the knowledge he'd left anything of value in his bedroom. He didn't need another situation where he risked property damage and had decided instead to make the most of the freedom.
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[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava had been wandering aimlessly around the castle grounds. She just wasn't feeling herself lately, and she couldn't bring herself to work on any new projects. Since Papa had yelled at her, she worried she would get to caught up in a project and get in trouble again. She couldn't really talk to any of her friends either; since embarrassing Zephyr during Flying class she had been worried that maybe she was too much all around. She had never doubted her endless energy or bubbly outlook before, but since losing her mama and Gran-gran, she now worried she could lose the people she had left.

So when she came to the lake and saw Zephyr there, she stopped in her tracks. Wide-eyed, she tried to turn and leave before he could see her. She still wasn't sure if he was mad at her or not, but she wasn't really keen to find out either. She couldn't take him being mad at her too.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Elio wondered if he should have invited Caspian or Rafael to join him. They both seemed like the type to come out exploring and they'd both been keen to raid the kitchens on their first night in the school. Hearing some footsteps on the gravel behind him, the boy turned to see a Ravenclaw whom usually greeted him in a much more enthusiastic way. Elio grinned towards her "Aha! I got you this time, no sneaking up on me out here." It may have been a bit awkward during the lesson, but Elio didn't really mind too much that she'd hugged him, only that he wished he'd been ready for it. Unaware that she may not have been feeling herself Though, the Gryffindor continued to assume he'd simply caught her out before she could do it again. Falling on the gravel would not have been pleasant. He cross his arms out in front of him. "Stay back, you!" Getting himself into a stance so he was prepared.
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[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava winced a little as Zephyr caught her, though he didn't seem too mad. She turned back towards him, blue eyes wary. She bit her lip a little and rubbed her arm with her hand. "Hi Zephyr," She greeted, a little softer than she meant to. "Um... sorry for sneaking up on you all the time. And knocking you over." She looked down, her blond hair falling to cover her face. "I won't do it no more, I promise." She meant it, too. She really did. She didn't want to upset any of her friends because she couldn't control her energy.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

The Gryffindor wasn't sure what to expect, but hearing her speaking quietly and apologising wasn't it. He lowered his arms but slowly, unsure whether or not she was bluffing. He wasn't used to people acting like this around him, and it was certainly much easier to be relaxed when people were having fun instead. "It's okay." The first year shrugged, wondering if he needed to do something to make her feel better. "I think Holland was just as surprised as me though," he gave her an uneasy smile, scratching his messy brown hair as the atmosphere had taken a swift change to the enjoyment he was feeling a moment ago. "I guess my legs aren't very strong. Or not as much as my arms anyway. From you know, all the climbing." He'd been climbing in his home town for years prior to Hogwarts, and it took a lot of strength in his arms to pull himself up to the highest places. "Are you mad at me or something?" He found himself asking, why else was she being so distant?
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[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava couldn't help but smile a little as Zephyr told her it was okay. It helped a bit to think he wasn't mad, though that still left her papa mad at her. She looked up, about to ask him about his climbing, when he asked a question that surprised her. She was quick to respond. "What? No, no! I thought you were mad at me," She told him, a little sheepishly. "I know I'm really energetic and hard to keep up with sometimes." She admitted, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Besides," She tried to be a bit cheerier, "There's no way you're that much stronger in your arms. You gotta climb with your legs too ya know!" She told him, putting her hands on her hips. Now that she knew he wasn't mad at her, she could at least try to be a bit more chipper.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Elio smiled when she said she thought he was mad at her instead. He'd never been mad at anyone in his life. Sure it had been a bit awkward but it was over now and there were much more important things to be paying attention to. "I like it when you're energetic. More people should be." He stated, beckoning her over with one hand when she seemed to appear in a slightly better mood. "Well clearly you've never climbed before," Elio teased, "It's a different muscle. Your legs push you up sure but it's your arms that have to pull you. Look," The first year put out his arms, closing the distance between them although quickly detracting them again when he realised he'd be on the floor if Ava jumped again. She had said she wouldn't do it again, although as a thought flashed through his mind, he raised his arms once more and pulled her instead into a hug. He only had her arms round her for a moment though before he shifted once again, one arm behind her knees to pick her up off the floor, proving his point. She was quite little and it wasn't very difficult, but he turned to grin at her, "See, got you."
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[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava laughed when Zephyr told her more people should be energetic. "Well, you're the first one to think so," She told him with a bright smile. It was surprisingly easy to be herself around him. She could tell they would probably stay friends throughout her time at Hogwarts. He beckoned her over and she obliged, going closer. She had no more than glanced down at his arms when he was hugging her. Surprised, she didn't have the time to hug him back before he had picked her up in his arms. Startled, she grabbed onto his shoulders, looking at him with big blue eyes.

It only took her a split second to catch up, though, and she let out a breathy laugh. "Okay, okay, you win," She told him, her blue eyes sparkling. No one had held her like this since Philip had caught her when she fell out of the tree. That seemed like ages ago. She smiled playfully at Zephyr. "Alright, you've proven your point. You can put me down now," She told him, noting his chocolate eyes.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

It was easy enough to carry her, after all he could take his own weight and he was a bit taller than the blonde. The grin remained stuck on his face as he turned, not releasing his arms just yet. Instead he adjusted her in his arms and walked a little further back towards the lake he'd just moved away from as he spoke. "I'm glad to see you smiling again," he mentioned honestly, a sad or grumpy face was much harder to get along with. "You know, I'm surprised there are as many people as there are outside right now. You'd think more would stay inside where it's a bit warmer." Purely stalling for time, the Gryffindor walked a little further and this time into the lake. Sure he was about to get the lower half of his jeans and shoes wet but if his plan went as such he would be laughing too hard in a moment to worry about that. It wasn't until the water was almost up to his knees that he finally stopped walking, and glanced back up to the face of the girl in his arms. She may have said she wasn't going to jump on him again, and he believed her, especially when he got his own back. "Wow, this is freezing," he added. And then he let go.
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[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava grinned, not noticing Zephyr moving. "Most people aren't as fun as we are," she told him. It seemed like a perfectly innocent statement. It wasn't until he mentioned it was freezing that she bothered to glance down, and by then it was too late.

She squealed as he let go, but the joke was also on him. Her arms were still around his neck. She held on for dear life as she dropped to the water, nearly gasping as the cold engulfed her.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

He liked being called fun. It was one of the traits he worked on most of all and he thought it was very fitting given he was about to drop her into the lake in revenge. Of course there was nothing serious about it. He didn't hold the fact she'd jumped on him against her so much as saw an opportunity to prank her in return. What he didn't expect though was that her grip would remain around his shoulders when he let go, something he really should have since he'd experienced first hand what she did. As the sudden change in weight was brought on himself, he lost his footing and fell forwards, landing on top of his friend as they both plunged into the water. Just as quickly as he found himself freezing, did he pick himself back up, pulling Ava out with him. Luckily he'd held his breath just a moment before, but the shock of it still had him laughing as he stood up once more in the soaked clothes.
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[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava gasped as she shot out of the water. It was freezing cold. She looked at Zephyr, and burst into laughter. She laughed so hard it made her sides hurt. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"You... Look... Ridiculous!" She gasped out, tears rolling down her face. He was dripping wet. Granted, so was she, but she wasn't looking in a mirror. She grinned widely at the boy.