Closed Run and Talk

Branson Archer

bookworm; good-natured; literary agent
 
Messages
1,231
OOC First Name
Emzies
Blood Status
Mixed Blood
Relationship Status
Seeing Somebody
Wand
Knotted 16 1/2" Sturdy Black Walnut Wand with Basilisk Skin Core
Age
5/2041 (20)
Branson was glad to be back at school, for all the reasons that he was usually but more so than that Branson was looking forward to being done with the year. it was always going to be a difficult year being an OWL student but it would be so good when it was over. Bran was meeting his friend for a run, they had fallen both in and out of practice of it for the last couple of years, but it always still tried to go whenever he had a moment and really, given that this year was going to be stressful and the stuff in his life, like with Blair was stressful, he would need the relief of just going for a run. He had come outside, ready to meet with Jordie and go on this run. He was stretching limbering up but so keen to just get started.
 
Jordie was running behind a few minutes, but soon enough he had made it down to the meeting place. "Hey Bran!" He called, waving happily as he jogged up. "Good to see you," He came to a stop near the boy and joined him in stretching. "How ya been?" He asked with a wide smile.
 
Branson smiled at his friend as he jogged up to him. He gave a little wave, "Good to see you too," he replied with a warm tone for his friend. He gave a little shrug, "I've been okay, a little worried about these OWLs we've got," he admitted with a slightly shy tone. "How've you been?" he asked returning the question.
 
Jordie smiled automatically at Bran. "I had one hell of a break," he blurted immediately. "Ares and I went exploring and ran into a boggart." He told Bran, stepping a touch closer. "I'm still having nightmares." He shuddered. "Come on, let's go," He waved at Bran to follow and set off in a slow jog. "Are you nervous about your owls?" He asked, shooting Bran a smile.
 
Branson nodded along to the story which Jordie told about his break, he had never come across a boggart - apart from in class - and he shuddered at the thought of running into it in the wild. That had to be impossibly hard and scary. "Yeah, I'm more worried than nervous," he had mentioned that, but it was worth repeating and clarifying since he was not usually nervous but he was worried. Worried about not keeping up but not necessarily nervous.
 
Jordie was confused by Bran's statement. "Aw, come on. What are you worried about? You're one of the smartest kids in class, you're going to pass with flying colors," He encouraged his friend with a smile. "What about the rest of your life? Anything new going on?"
 
Branson shrugged slightly. "Well, that really, school had always come relatively easy to me, and it's a bit stressful...so what if I don't do as well....," he said with a little shrug, there was a bit of a pressure being seen as the smartest to then also do well in all years, and while he'd put in the work, he couldn't help but feel the pressure of doing well. He gave a little shrug. "I'm not sure, Blair and I....every time I think we might be taking a step forward, it turns out we're in the same place,"
 
Jordie listened to Branson worry, nodding along. "Well you know, even if your scores aren't as good, me and your dad and your friends, we're all going to love you all the same. We're human, Bran. Grades are good and all but they aren't everything." He tried to reassure his friend. Jordie blinked as Bran brought up Blair. "Wait, Blair? As in, Chaser Blair?" Jordie laughed lightly. "I didn't know you guys were close." He gave Bran a grin. "Do you need me to play you up? You know, put in a good word on the inside?" He offered, only half teasing his friend.
 
Branson gave a little shrug, he did agree with what Jordie said, he knew his dad would too, he didn't need to do amazing for them to care about him or to be loved, but he did want to do well, he did want to be good at it. He didn't have anything to say to it. "I know you're right, but sometimes it just is difficult to remember," he told him pretty honestly. He gave a little shrug, "We've been kinda been going back and forth, I dunno if a word would help...I need to speak to her," he said. Knowing that this was likely the case, that he needed to just speak to her. "What about your love life?"
 
Jordie smiled, listening to Branson talk. "I hope it goes well." He tried to encourage Bran. At the question of his own love life he sighed. "Ares. The Slytherin beater from Beauxbatons?" Jordie asked. "I tried to ask him out, but I tried to be cute and give him a note. I was just an idiot and forgot to sign it. He thought it was a joke! I got so frustrated I kinda accidentally turned into his secret admirer." Jordie laughed a bit shyly. "I've been trying to make the notes super obvious but he's so dense." He sighed.
 
Branson gave a little smile feeling the same, wanting the stuff with Blair to go well, or to just conclude because he didn't think it would be a good idea to keep pursuing it. The boy listened as Jordie talked about what had happened. He didn't know Ares at all, but he didn't need to know him, just needed to the story had been happening. oddly it was not unlike him and blair. "Maybe we should both learn to be more direct when talking to crushes," he commented with a little smile, since perhaps that would've maybe helped Jordie too. "And he's nice?"
 
Jordie laughed lightly. "You could be right," he teased his friend. "Ares is super nice," He told Bran. "He's like- he's strong, but not just physically, and he's intelligent. Not like book smart, but you can really hold a conversation with him, you know?" Jordie smiled. "And he's always got my back. He didn't even want to go into the cabin we found, but I went in anyway without him and he went after me." He grimaced. "I was trying to impress him- it backfired majorly."
 
Branson nodded along, it did seem by how Jordie spoke about it that it was someone he had fallen for pretty hard, he was quite surprised he hadn't just told him and tried to figure it out that way. He was glad that Jordie had someone like that that he cared about so much, his friend deserved it, and he knew that if he was so positive about it it was probably a really good thing. "What happened?" he asked Jordie, he wasn't sure how it could backfire and was curious about it.
 
Jordie sighed at the question. "There was a boggart in one of the rooms. Ares found it first. I went rushing in, it focused on me. If my brother hadn't shown up, I... don't know what would have happened." Jordie winced, shaking his head. "I'm still having nightmares about it," he admitted gently.
 
Branson remembered facing the boggart in defence against the dark arts, he knew in a controlled environment like that it would be easy to do it. If there was anything more with it, or done in a place where you couldn't do magic, that would things much much harder. "Oh wow, that sounds....awful," he couldn't remember what Boggarts did eventually with the fear, if anything..."Boggarts are awful," he added sympathetically.
 
Jordie nodded lightly, agreeing easily. "You're telling me," He laughed lightly. "Anyway, what about you?" He asked, smiling over at Bran. "Exams this year are going to be intense... do you have anything youre working for?" Jordie asked. "I haven't decided myself yet."
 
branson frowned a little at the question, since it wasn't like he'd just asked something, that would merit it returning to him, he'd just asked Jordie to talk about the story of his break. He then shrugged at the further question. "No, but I want to do something with writing, or reading," he said, "Not the dail prophet, but something....," Branson said. He thought working in a bookstore was fun, but it wasn't all he'd want. "I started working at the bookshop in Obsidian,"
 
Jordie lit up at Branson's answer. "That's really cool!" He told Branson enthusiastically. "I bet you could do it!" He nodded, having complete confidence that it was something Bran would kill at. They rounded the lake then, and Jordie slowed. "Hey, wanna stop here for a breather? Just enjoy the view for a while," He offered.
 
Branson nodded in agreement. Drawing to a stop in front of the lake and took in a couple of deep breaths. He was always thankful for the runs he did with Jordie, they were helping him keep in shape and they were really good to keep his head clear. "Are you still running twice a day?" Branson asked, remembering that Jordie used to. He didn't know if the other boy would have the time to do that now with everything else.
 
Jordie fell onto the grass, trying to catch his breath. "Oh, yeah. And I'm doing yoga over lunch now too," he told his friend with a smile. "Along with extra quidditch practices twice a week." He stretched, falling back onto the grass. "It's nice out here."
 
Branson frowned slightly at what Jordie said, he didn't know how Jordie had the time to do all of it. He was busy enough as it was, and couldn't imagine doing more. "Do you have time for all that?" he asked, as far as he was aware Jordie was doing pretty well in classes too. He didn't know if Jordie was just good at handling a lot of things at once, but he just wanted to check in with him.
 
Jordie nodded automatically at the question. "Of course!" He told the other boy. "I have a girl, Alice, she's been doing yoga with me," He explained, like that meant he had the time to do it. If he was being honest, he was exhausted, but he wasn't going to say that out loud. Jordie had too much to do. He had to be a good prefect, a good student. That just meant he had to work hard.
 
Branson kept frowning, "Okay," Branson said, though his tone was almost uncertain. "You should be careful you don't burn yourself out, you know, you deserve to rest and like do something chill," he wasn't sure how else to say it but just smiled at his friend, and thought it best to at least have said something, rather than just leaving it at that.
 
Jordie smiled, chuckling softly. "Thanks, Bran." He ran his hand through his hair. "Maybe I won't sign up for so many classes next semester." He offered, giving his friend a small smile. "I've been helping out at the arts club too," He said, looking out over the lake. "I just... feel like I need to, you know? I'm also looking after these two puff girls, tutoring them and helping them out. I mean... last year we had one Hufflepuff prefect expelled and then another had their badge taken for attacking another student. And then Connor was a mess during his head boy speech. Professor Carter trusted me enough to be a prefect, I've got to earn that. Make up for the others. We're supposed to be leaders, kind and caring. I need great grades, I need to do better in Quidditch. I need to be good enough." He admitted softly.
 
Branson gave a little nod and appreciated that Jordie was opting to open up to him. He thought it was a lot and that was coming from someone who was equally doing a lot. He listened as he spoke, highlightly the very valid reasons for why he should be working that mich but Branson gave a little smile, "You don't need to be Jordie," he told him. "For one, you are good enough, I doubt Professor Carter wouldn't have given you it, if he didn't think you were good enough. And you don't have to make up for past student mistakes, they have nothing to do with you," Branson told him. Of course one had to keep it, but it had to be difficult to lose. "You're also great at quidditch, the best on your team. Jordie....what I'm trying to say is that no one will think less of you if you have off days, or say not right now to helping out," Branson told him, he knew it would be difficult to shake, but Bran felt it right to say anyway.
 

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