Closed Loss of A Friend

[Alexei Kozlov]

Alexei sat in the quiet abandoned room, his back against a post. In his hands, he held a picture. His fingers almost curled around the image while he held back tears. In the frame, a family of four smiled back with a chubby bulldog barking in between them. It wasn't snowing in the picture, but it was a cold day around the time the picture was taken. The evidence were in the hat and gloves they worn, knitted ones. Igor had a hat too, a puffy one. He looked absolutely silly in that thing...Alexei thought it was only fair to have him wear one as well. He won't ever regret that decision. Tears threatening to spill over, the picture made him laugh despite the sadness taking over him. How could one not laugh looking at a pudgy face like Igor, he was a good boy. Such a good boy. Igor was a wizard's best friend.

@Lysander Summers

 

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander had been on a hunt through some of the old, seemingly unused rooms in the castle, for more junk he could "borrow" and take back to the Wild Patch for repurposing. He was proud of the makeshift throne he'd made, and there was more he wanted to do to really make the gardens feel like a kingdom of their own. He opened the door to another room and peered inside, searching for something he could easily carry, and instead finding Alexei. He smiled, brightening up at seeing his friend. "Weird place to be hiding." He commented with a small laugh, though as he took a few steps closer, he could make out the glassiness of his friend's eyes. Was he sick? Crying? Neither were a good sign. "Are you...are you okay?" He asked, frowning with concern.​

 

[Alexei Kozlov]

Alexei held the photo tight in his possession, fearing he would lose it or someone would snatch it away from him. That sudden thinking came when he heard a door creek open. Alexei eased up seeing that it was Lysander, his good friend of many years. Alexei sniffles, wiping away the appearance he was close to crying. "Hi, I'm not hiding...or, maybe I am," the hufflepuff tries for a smile. Holding his breath, Alexei struggles there to appear alright. "I think so, I'm not hurt. I...," Alexei stops, he peers down at the photo. It invokes a sob from him, before he knew it he was tearing up into his sleeves. "He's gone..."

 

[Lysander Summers]

The door shut itself as Lysander had made his way into the room, though the boy still leaned back to give it a firmer push, making sure that the latch clicked into place. Alexei said he wasn't hiding, but this still felt like a private moment, and he didn't want anyone else stumbling in when something very clearly wasn't okay. He went over to his friend, placing a hand on the back of his shoulder in a comforting gesture, feeling relieved that he wasn't hurt, or sick. "Who?" He started to ask, though his own prying into the photo Alexei was holding gave him a good indication. He recognised the dog immediately from their walks around the harbor, oftentimes with Linden. Odie and Igor had gotten along whenever the two of them had hung out. Bjorn too, though with the Hufflepuff boys having broken up, there hadn't really been any group walks since. "Not Igor? Alexei...I'm so sorry." He said, feeling a pang of sadness wash over him. He'd dealt with a lot of pet deaths of his own in his life, with how full his family's property was with so many different animals, and so many with such short lifespans. "What happened?" He asked. He wasn't sure how old Igor had been. Odie had been getting on too, but he'd still been an active crup, and he had to imagine he still had a good few years to go. He didn't want to even begin to think of how he'd feel when he did eventually pass. It was easier to ignore his animals mortality.​

 

[Alexei Kozlov]

Alexei sobs, finding solace in his friend's comforting touch. It's like he's been holding it in for a long time, possibly due to shock. Maybe denial, or some other steps to grieving. Somehow, in this particular moment breaking down crying was his way accepting the inevitable. Deep down inside, or in his mind, wherever it maybe he didn't want to accept it. He never wanted to accept it, yet, he broke down easily like an egg. The hufflepuff rubbed his forehead against his friend's shoulder. Finding his way there to cling for any source of comfort, any he could find near him. "He was getting up there in age, and his diet wasn't going so great. My dad tried everything, he went to your dad's shop for advice. Anyways, none of it worked. And it doesn't help that he a muggle pet. They're quick to die faster," Alexei says in between sobs. It wasn't fair, poor Igor, his life cut too short. His father informed him any magical remedy needed to be taken with cautious, or none at all. Igor's body couldn't take it, and he died. Pushing more of it on him, his dad said wouldn't have worked. "I miss him so much..."