Open Rough Start

[Felix Carnahan]

Felix felt horrible and it had nothing to do with the bruises on his body. This was supposed to be his year. It was his first season as starting seeker and now it was all over and he was stuck in the hospital wing with no clue how the game was going. Part of him knew he shouldn't have expected to be as good as Lucas right away but practice had gone so well and their first game hardly counted. He had at least gotten into the air this time but it hardly made him feel better about getting knocked out so quickly. Maybe if he had done a better job dodging or if he had just caught the snitch just as fast as everyone else seemed to things would be different. Felix sighed and sunk lower into the bed he had been dumped in. There wasn't any use in thinking of all the things he should have done differently. If he tired to list them all he would be there all week. But he let his self pity win for now as he waited for the nurse to come round again.

 

[Zagreus Kohler]

Well, that game could have gone better. While Zagreus was quite pleased with his own play and had managed to do what he said he would and kept Gryffindor at 0 the whole game, it had all come to nothing as they had caught the snitch anyway. There was a rather downer vibe in the changing room after the game and Zagreus didn't really know what to say to make anyone feel better about the loss. Coming last was not what anyone had been hoping for. No doubt the whole of Hufflepuff would be feeling it, so he decided to avoid the common room for the time being and instead headed up to the Hospital Wing to see how Felix and Penelope were doing. He saw Felix first, understandably looking quite miserable about everything. But Zag approached the bed anyway, quietly clearing his throat. "How are you doing?"

 

[Sawyer Carnahan]

Well, that game had been miserable Sawyer surmised, fairly confident he was more than an expert on bad Quidditch games after his current track record on the Ravenclaw team. Still, it hit differently seeing Felix out on the pitch instead of himself. He would have been in the Hospital Wing sooner, but he’d stopped to make sure Thistle was taking things okay before making his way to the third floor. The last thing he needed was Theia finding out both their younger siblings were a mess and freaking out herself as well.

It was nice to see that one of Felix’s teammates was already there and Sawyer would have considered leaving Felix to lick his wounds with his team if he didn’t need to check his brother was alright with his own eyes. “Well that could have gone better,” he said wryly, moving to squeeze himself in next to Felix on the bed, mindful of his brother’s injuries. “Hey,” he added with a wave to Zagreus, recognizing Hufflepuff’s keeper and sending what he hoped translated as a friendly keeper to keeper nod of hello.

 

[Felix Carnahan]

Felix sat up when he spotted Zag enter the hospital wing. He wasn’t being fussed over so he figured the game was probably over. But his body screamed at him for the sudden movement and he groaned as he laid back down. He frowned for added effect when the other Hufflepuff asked him how he was. “I’ve been better.” he said glumly. “Did we win?” he asked tentatively but he had a sinking feeling he knew the answer to that question. When he saw Sawyer’s worried face Felix felt an odd mix of emotions. He was comforted to see his brother checking in on him but at the same time he was a little annoyed. It wasn’t like he was a baby. People got knocked out of the game all the time. He would be fine. Felix frowned again at his brother’s comment. “Don’t rub it in.” he groaned.

lets pretend i have a functioning brain and this isn't super late

 

[Zagreus Kohler]

He should have probably expected the question about the outcome. He should have, but he didn't. And almost instantly he inwardly cringed, not really enjoying the idea of being the bringer of bad news. "Oh, um... no... we didn't." He didn't really know how to put that in a nice way. Losing was losing, no two ways about that one. And he just felt even more awkward about things when an older boy appeared, someone Zag could only assume was his brother or something. He seemed to recall they had the same surname, anyway. He suddenly felt as though he should go and leave them alone. Maybe he could find Penelope and check on her. "Er, hey?" he was a little surprised when the other boy offered him a wave, awkwardly giving a little wave back.

 

[Sawyer Carnahan]

"In fact I'd say you guys lost pretty spectacularly. This coming from a pro-loser such as myself," Sawyer said magnanimously, patting Felix vaguely on the head before using the hand to tilt Felix's face a little. "You still in one piece, bludger didn't knock anything lose? Theia'll kill me if she notices you blinking funny or something. Funnier than normal," he said, checking Felix over, aware that he was definitely making things awkward for Felix and his friend and reveling in it for a smug moment before backing off some to give Felix some space. "Always next year though right?" He offered, nodding to Zagreus in the hopes the other boy would back him up on the sentiment. It was only last year Sawyer could remember Felix offering his own attempt at comfort after he'd lost his own game and he was glad to try and return the favour in his own brotherly way, doubly so considering Ravenclaw had managed to win their last game.

 

[Felix Carnahan]

Felix gave Zag a sympathetic look. “I figured.” he said with a sigh. He had known a win was a long shot when he saw Penelope get rolled in to. But crazier things had happened. “Guess that’s the season.” he said mostly to himself. The disappointment settled deep in his chest and it only got worse as Sawyer started to ramble. His brother wasn’t helping even if he thought he was. Felix ducked away from his hand and wanted to throw something at him but all he really had was the pillow behind his head and he needed that. Instead he crossed his arms but winced as he pressed a tender spot on his ribs. “I’m fine. I'm not a baby.” he groaned and felt even worse that he had to deal with Sawyer's prodding in front of his teammate. "Yeah." he said dejectedly. "Next year." It was true that there was time for him to make his mark as seeker, but it didn't feel great to be a total failure.

 

[Zagreus Kohler]

If the words were supposed to be encouraging, Zag found them to be anything but that. He wouldn't say they had lost spectacularly. And even if they had he wouldn't say that out loud. It just made him feel even worse about the whole loss. "Wasn't that bad," he did have to mumble under his breath, not wanting to put down the performance of his teammates. It could have probably gone a lot worse, after all. And as the older brother continued to ramble on, Zagreus just felt more and more as though he should leave the two of them to it. He felt quite like a third wheel just standing there. Though there was one thing he could agree one, shifting his head slightly into a nod. "We'll win next year." He just had to practice even harder and save every single shot which came his way.