Closed Post-Game Misery

[Hugo De Rosier]

Hugo was very upset. He had been knocked out of the game, the game he had needed to win. It was probably his final game with Aramis, and now it was ruined. His only hope was Amelie catching the snitch before the other seeker did, giving their team another chance this year. But Hugo had a bad feeling about this. In the hospital wing, he pulled the bedcovers over his face, trying to hide from the world.

 

[Aramis Faroe]

Taking a bludger in the game had stung, but Aramis knew he was only feeling a third of what Hugo was. He also knew there was no way Hugo was going to take the news he came bearing well, lingering outside the door to the hospital wing for a brief moment before gaining his composure and pushing his way inside. Hugo had always been more into Quidditch than Aramis, taking losses extra hard, but he knew it would sting for them both for their time playing together to be over now, for good.

Hugo was easy enough to spot, Aramis familiar with the shape of him even if he could only see the top of his head poking out of the sheet he'd pulled over his face. "I know you're not dead," he said softly, grunting as the motion of perching on the side of Hugo's bed tugged at the still bruising span of his ribs. "I have bad news," he said, willing to let Hugo keep hiding for the time being.

 

[Hugo De Rosier]

As Hugo heard someone come in, he stayed very still in the hopes they would go away. When he heard Aramis' voice, he knew exactly what had happened. He didn't sound very happy, after all. Hugo peeked over the edge of the blanket. "We lost, didn't we?" He asked softly. To his utter horror, the words out of his own mouth made him tear up. He swallowed and then quickly pulled the sheets up over his head again. "Stupid." He mumbled under his breath.

 

[Aramis Faroe]

Aramis nodded gamely in response to Hugo's question. "Is what it is, what can you do," he said with a shrug, trying to ignore the urge to grimace as the movement jostled his injured side. He only got to see a brief flash of the crestfallen look on Hugo's face before he'd disappeared back under the sheet and Aramis clicked his tongue, tapping Hugo's knee through the blankets. "Hey, thought you were done getting all upset about this. It's just a game, remember. There'll be more games," he said, giving Hugo's leg a little shake. After their fight last year, Hugo had seemed to actually take the idea to heart, behaving at least some what better in practices. Aramis hoped he wouldn't backslide now, after their final game together, and leave a bad taste in their mouths.

 

[Hugo De Rosier]

Hugo grunted as he felt Aramis tapping his knee. He jerked his leg back slightly. He was trying his very best to blink away the tears, but he couldn't help the little sniffle that escaped him. He shook his head, then peeked over the edge of the blankets as Aramis said there would be more games. He didn't get it, did he? "Not with you." He said in a small voice. "I'm sad we'll never play a game together again, at least not here."

 

[Aramis Faroe]

Aramis fixed Hugo with a bemused expression as he poked his head out from under the blanket. As much like he didn't like seeing Hugo sad, he much preferred mopey Hugo to angry Hugo. "Oh," Aramis said, blinking a few times when Hugo explained that for once, he wasn't just being a sore loser. "I guess not much we can do about that one," he offered after a moment, giving Hugo a sympathetic shrug, hand still resting on Hugo's knee. Quidditch had never been as important to Aramis as it was to Hugo, and Aramis doubted he'd ever get on a broom for anything more than a bit of fun now that his career at school was over, but he had to admit he'd miss this part; time with the team, with Gemma, and especially Hugo. "At least if you need someone to tell you to suck it up after a bad match, you could always owl me," he said softly, giving Hugo's leg another, gentler squeeze.

 

[Hugo De Rosier]

Hugo stared at Aramis over the edge of his blanket, his cheeks pink from the admission. But Aramis was right, there wasn't much he could do about it. He was very aware of the hand on his knee and wondered if Aramis had even noticed it. He hesitated for a moment. "I'll owl you anyway." He said softly. "I'm really going to miss you, you know." He said in a quiet voice.