Open Growing Pains (Or Lack Thereof)

[Oswald Brambleheart]

open after Kris posts with Cameron (I guess?)

School photos inspired a certain kind of dread in Oz, especially after the last yearbook. It already stood out how short he was, even amongst the other first years, and he was well aware he wasn't really going to get too much taller. By seventh year, first years would probably still be taller than him. And he knew it was a genes thing, and it wasn't as though he resented his grandfather or anything like that. Still, not standing out so obviously would've been a really great thing. As he approached one of the photographers, thankful it was the kind of sullen looking Slytherin boy and not anyone who looked like they might baby him, he cautiously cleared his throat. This was painfully awkward, and he didn't want to hold things up, but he had some pride about himself. "...'scuse me," he started, quietly, looking around to see if anyone else was listening. "...could you, uh...make me look a little taller?" His ears were probably as red as his hair, and he knew he risked the older boy laughing at him, but he knew all he could do was ask. Even if it was excruciatingly embarrassing. "...please."

 

[Cameron Roswell]

Cameron had been pleasantly surprised to find he really loved doing his work with Accio. Seeing the school events and students through the camera lens was like having a shield, a barrier that stopped him from having to talk or interact with anyone. He could just observe and no one would bother him to participate in things he didn't want to. Taking the class portraits however, was nothing like that.

Every kid had a special request, wanted to make a funny face or stand in a weird way or wear sunglasses or whatever dumb pose that Cameron was going to have to edit and argue with the layout girls over at the end of the year. It was tedious and irritating and Cameron was ready to snap at the next kid that stepped up to get his attention, mouth already open to tell him no until he turned around and looked down. And down.

Cameron wasn't the tallest guy in his year(far from it, he was barely managing to stay taller than Margo these days), so the fact that he could see clear over the second year's head in front of him made Cameron feel a pang of sympathy and he closed his mouth with a click, moving to fuss with his lens. "Wow," he managed, "You really need the help, are you part gnome or something?" He said, squinting as he checked around the hall. "I mean, sure. Why not," he added gruffly, motioning the kid over to the nearby chair. "Let's try it with you sitting down, might make it less obvious."

 

[Oswald Brambleheart]

Realistically, Oz knew he couldn't get by on 'I'm just really short for my age' for long. If he was even getting by at all, which he wasn't sure he even was. Being just barely over four feet tall put him taller than his grandfather, and that was about it. He could maybe hope to get somewhere near enough to five feet tall...if he wore shoes with thick soles and embellished a little. And even then it would've still been hard to believe. He'd just have to be upfront about it sooner or later - it wasn't as though he could always hide his ears under his hair, either. But if he could avoid getting into awkward, potentially racist altercations, he would. "Close," he simply said as the older boy suggested he was part-gnome. Goblins were far more noble than gnomes, of course, but if the boy was going to help him then he certainly wasn't going to correct him.

Oz hopped up onto the chair, sitting up as tall as he possibly could. Which was perhaps slightly ruined by the fact that his feet were not touching the ground. This was awful, and he could feel a twist in his chest that had become unfortunately frequent at this school. If he could've just avoided all of this, he would have. But his grandparents wanted to see photos of him at school, so he had to get them done. Plus, now Audrey was here, and she would've snitched on him immediately if he bailed on school phots. "...s'not my fault," he eventually said, feeling a bit of desperation. He was haughty, but didn't blame the photographer. "...please don't make me sit on a booster seat." If he had to stand on a box, he would, though it felt a bit sad.

 

[Cameron Roswell]

Cameron snorted at the boy’s response, following him over to the chair they’d set up and trying to frame up the shot as the boy got comfortable. He frowned as he lowered his camera, aware that being able to see the chair in the shot now just made the kid look even smaller in context. “Just genetics, isn’t it, I get it,” he said with a shrug making a vague hand motion to the way his ears stuck out before quickly looking over his shoulder for a moment, aware if he was going to complain about genetics, appearance wasn't the first thing Cameron would have words about. “Don’t have any unless you wanna sit on my charms text book, which I rather you did,” he said wanly. “Let’s ditch the chair, maybe just stand against the wall here. Blank background, no point of reference,” he said, motioning to the wall behind them. He could probably just crouch a little to keep the boy’s face in frame and it’d look like everyone else.

 

[Oswald Brambleheart]

Oz, despite himself, couldn't help but give the smallest of smiles at the older boy bringing attention to his ears. He hesitated for a moment, pushing his hair back briefly to show the pointed tips of his ears. "...think yours are bad," he offered, making a kind of joke. He had been proud of his origins, at least when he was growing up, but now he sometimes felt like he wasn't quite supposed to be there. Part-being and all. Strangely, it almost felt like a relief to just make a comment like that, as though he wasn't at all bothered by it. He was of course mildly bothered, but maybe this was a good way to handle it. He didn't exactly feel like sitting on anyone's textbooks, especially not his own, so he was relieved to see the suggestion of a plain background. "...hey, thanks," he added, feeling a little more calm.

 

[Cameron Roswell]

Cameron raised his eyebrows when the boy showed him his ears, nodding a few times and fiddling with his camera awkwardly. That definitely explained a lot. He knew he had a chip on his shoulder about his muggle parentage often enough, hard to shake the feeling that people out there would think less of him because of it, but at least outwardly no one could really know until they saw him try to cast a spell. This kid wasn’t so lucky.

“Ah. Yeah. 'S'all good,” he managed, clearing his throat as the boy thanked him, feeling his ears heat up. Most people were too busy bossing him around or ignoring him while he was behind the camera, it was kind of nice to actually feel like he was doing something more than a chore with these today. “I’d say any time but if they start making me take more of these than once a year I’m quitting. You should see some of the stuff other people try to make me let them do,” he said dryly, shifting a bit to frame up the kid in the shot so he’d be even in the frame with his other portraits. He did have to crouch a little, knees protesting at having to hold the weird angle, but he figured it was worth a little discomfort just this one.