Closed Consolation

[Elliot Briar]

After Lars and Blake had both left, Elliot had just groaned, idly considering seeing if he could smother himself with his pillow before deciding that sounded like too much work. The pain from the bludgers and the fall had significantly lessened after the nurse had got him sorted, but there was a lingering ache centered on Elliot's forearm that seemed to just radiate a general misery through his whole body. Elliot was starting to suspect it was less from the injury itself and more from the loss. That, and the realization of the weird, broken thing that was his remaining relationship with Lars.

Turning his head, Elliot sighed, staring at the flower Lars had left on the bedside table and wondering if he should just try to go to sleep here and hope things were better when he woke up.

 

[Lillian Lockwood]

It had taken Lily much longer than she would have liked to get out of the crowds than she would have liked, and she hurried to the hospital wing as soon as she was able to get through everyone. She rushed into the room, looking around and letting out a little sigh when she saw him. She hurried over, not noticing the flower on the other side of the bed he was staring at. "El," she breathed, brushing her fingers through his hair. "Are you alright?" She fretted gently.

 

[Elliot Briar]

Elliot knew things were all messed up with his best friends because he'd screwed up with Lars, but he couldn't deny the sense of comfort and relief he felt when Lily showed up, closing his eyes with a tired smile at the familiar feeling of her fussing with her hair. A lot of things had changed for them both over the years they'd been friends, but right Elliot was grateful to retreat to that familiar space while everything else around him felt so miserable. "Yeah, I'll live," He said with a sigh, cracking open an eye to look at her gratefully before scooting some on the bed to make room for her to sit. "Guess you saw the game then.." He said bleakly. It wasn't like he was expecting Lily to miss one of his games ever, but he wasn't exactly keen about how publicly he'd managed to make a mess of everything already this year. "Does everyone think I'm an idiot who can't tell the front of my broom from the bristles?"

 

[Lillian Lockwood]

Lily moved to sit with Elliot, brushing her fingers through his hair. "Don't be silly," she reassured him softly. "If Sapphire hadn't hit you with the bludger, you would have won." She smiled, brushing his hair from his eyes. "You were very strong out there, Blake just got lucky. I'm proud of you." She looked him over. "How are you? Are you hurt? Are they keeping you overnight?" She fussed over him, straightening his collar.

 

[Elliot Briar]

Elliot sighed, appreciate Lily's reassurance even if he didn't totally believe it. After that one practice Elliot had maybe really thought he'd stood a chance, but bludger hit or not, the game had been so close. "I dunno, I think guys like Blake are just supposed to win, you know," He said, tilting his head to lean it against Lily's shoulder so he wouldn't have to keep looking at her concerned face. "It's not so bad. Arvel was right, it stopped hurting pretty quick," He murmured, thinking back to the vague memories of things on the pitch after he'd hit the ground. The details were already becoming something of a blur, which Elliot was grateful, not really interested in reliving the whole thing. "I'm free to go whenever, I just- Wanted to lay down a bit," He admitted sheepishly. "Lars came by earlier.. It was..Weird."

 

[Lillian Lockwood]

Lily smiled softly. "Nah... Blake just got lucky," She reassured him, running her fingers through his hair. She smiled as he said he would be alright, leaning her head against his. She was surprised when he said Lar's came by, her fingers stilling in his hair. "Oh? What happened?" She asked softly. Lars and Elliot had been a bit of a dicey subject for quite a while now. Where things finally getting better between her best friends? She could only hope.

 

[Elliot Briar]

Elliot sighed, smiling slightly at Lily's unwavering confidence. As much as it had frustrated him over the break that she refused to apparently have any negative feelings about him, even when Elliot knew he was in the wrong, right now, when he was feeling so miserable about everything, it was a nice reassurance. He didn't really believe her, but he appreciated it none the less. He cringed when she asked about Lars, even though he'd brought it up, glancing again at the flower on the bedside. "It was weird. He brought me and Blake flowers and it was just. Super awkward," He said, reaching up to press his fingers into his eyes with his unhurt arm. "It almost felt like he'd rather talk to Blake than me, which is beyond messed up," Elliot said, sighing again and dropping his arm. "I just need to talk him properly.."

 

[Lillian Lockwood]

Lily nodded, still running her fingers through his hair. "Yes, you should," She hesitated at him. "Speaking of Lars, I..." She shifted a little. "I think you should talk to him, because... well, I yelled at him. And we fought." She sighed, laying her head against Elliot's. "We both cried. But we're friends again, now," She bit her lip. "If you two would just... yell it out, clear the air, there's a better chance things will be better for you both," She spoke gently.