Just For a Day

[Mervyn Strangewayes]

Continued from here.

Mervyn pushed a piece of potato around his plate, trying to look as if he was enjoying himself. He liked Sapphire's company. He liked shepherd's pie. He just couldn't enjoy any of it - not today. He couldn't even be that happy when Sapphire said she was thinking of going into magizoology. It suited her, but Mervyn was jealous that she knew roughly where she was headed in life and he didn't. Suddenly Sapphire stood up and took his plate away. He didn't object. Watching a movie sounded infinitely better than trying to make conversation over dinner. "I like horror," he said. "As long as it's not gory, like." He still couldn't tolerate the sight of blood. Getting up from the table, he followed Sapphire out, hoping she wouldn't try to pry out what was bothering him.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire nodded. "Hmm, I can work with that." She dropped their plates off in the kitchen and headed for her room. "I think I've got one." She hummed softly as she walked in and headed for the bookcase. She stood on the shelf, reaching for the top. Just as her fingers closed around the DVD she wanted, a loud boom shook the house. With a startled yelp, Sapphire fell from the shelf. She pushed herself up off the floor with an awkward laugh. "Oops, heh," she ran a hand through her hair, shaking a bit. "Lost my footing there-" she started, but a series of booms interrupted her.

With a small cry, Sapphire scrambled quickly underneath her desk. She pressed her back against the wall and curled up into herself with a whimper. Fireworks? Why now?! She cussed loudly, covering her ears and trying to block out the noise. "I'm sorry!" She cried out, shaking violently. "I- I didn't- I just- ah!" She let out a cry and tried to retreat farther into the hole as the fireworks continued.

 

[Mervyn Strangewayes]

Mervyn followed Sapphire to her room, considering faking illness so that he could go home. Home... No - he couldn't go home. And his hotel room was so quiet, so empty. He was so lost in thought that he didn't realise Sapphire was slipping off the shelf, and jerked back to reality with a guilty pang. "Oh - are you all-" he began to ask, but was interrupted by a booming sound nearby. Just fireworks. Nothing to be frightened of. Which was why his eyes widened as Sapphire let out a cry and scrambled underneath her desk. He stared at her for a few seconds, not sure what to do. He wasn't good at comforting people at the best of times, but in this case he had no idea what she was so afraid of. It was her shaking that eventually prompted him to move, to climb under the desk with her and put a hand on her arm. "What is it? Is it the fireworks?" he asked. "It's okay. I - I don't know what you want me to do. Tell me what to do."

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire started as Mervyn appeared next to her, placing a hand on her arm. She moved her hands enough to hear what he said. She bit her lip and tried to calm down. "I- I'm so sorry, Merv, I-" she flinched as another round began. "I know its- Nn, it's pathetic, innit?" She cringed, turning her body so that she was resting against him. "I didn't know they were- were tonight." She struggled to regain her composure, laughing weakly. "Styx don't bother me a lick, but get a good-" she whimpered and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Bloody thunderstorm and I'm-" she flinched again as the fireworks continued around her. "I'm so stupid," she whispered, feeling insanely embarrassed. "Just- I'm so sorry you have to see me so dumb, just... Could you stay?" She asked quietly, afraid to look at him.