#13 - Falling...

[Luckett Langford]

Lucky let out a low whistle as they stepped into the isolated area, the waterfall cascading like something seen in a moving portrait. But it wasn't just a mere waterfall; it was the Waterfall.

The kind that made you think you'd stumbled into some fairytale where dragons could swoop down at any minute to ruin your day. The sun, peeking through the trees, created a glow on the water, while the steady crash of the falls muffled the sound of his overthinking. Everything felt oddly unreal, like seriously out of a storybook. But would this one have a happy ending?

His hand hung awkwardly by his side, hovering close to Sophia as if she might reach for it again. Did he want her to? Yes. Would she? Maybe. But what if she did? And what if she didn't? His brain was on a loop, and all he could do was try not to look like a wally about it. He shoved his free hand into his pocket and exhaled, his shoulders relaxing as he scanned the space.

'Oh, here,' he said, shrugging off his robes with practiced ease and spreading it out on a nearby rock. He made sure it was far enough from the water that she wouldn't feel uneasy but close enough that she'd still have the best view -- if she even wanted a view of the Waterfall..

'That should do. Bit posh, innit? A waterfall picnic without the picnic.' His grin was a little lopsided, but it was better than the nervous nibble he'd given his lip moments before.

'Gonna have a poke around for ingredients. Never know, might stumble on another rare beauty. Like a Puffapod or something.' He clapped his hands together like he was gearing up for adventure, his tone light, but his eyes lingered on her longer than he'd meant.

With a quick, encouraging squeeze to her arm, he moved toward the water.

Rolling up his sleeves proved harder than expected. His newfound Quidditch muscles weren't exactly cooperative, and he had to wrestle with the fabric before getting them to stay put.

'More trouble than they're worth,' he mumbled, eyeing his biceps with an irritation.

The creek reflected under the sunlight, and he crouched carefully, peering into the water. He was looking for a Lotus. Pink, wasn't it? Or maybe purple. Either way, it had to be here somewhere. His fingers brushed against the cool stones as he moved between the rocks, careful not to get his shoes too wet. Every now and then, he stole a glance over his shoulder at Sophia.

There she was, hair glinting in the light. She looked lovely. No, that wasn't the right word. It worked, but no. She looked like Sophia. And, for a passing second, he considered walking back and settling down beside her -- and asking her if maybe, just maybe, he could kiss her again.

But then, he thought he'd spotted something pink on the water. His heart jumped as he leaned in closer, squinting and hoping it hadn't just been a trick of the light. Stretching a leg, he hopped to another adjacent rock, doing his absolute best to avoid falling face-first into the water.

He felt like he'd hit his limit on falling today -- in every possible sense.

Still, his mind wasn't on the flower. It was on her. Just a teenage boy in a creek, pretending to search for ingredients while quietly hoping the girl he'd kissed might want him to do it again.

'What do you reckon we'll do this summer?' he asked, stirring up conversation as he searched. 'Besides the World Cup, I mean. Anything you wanna do this time that we didn't get to last time? What if we paint the treehouse a bunch of different colors?'

[Sophia Rhynhart]

Sophia had lagged behind a bit, as they left the Forest Path and headed to the Waterfall area. She never lost sight of Lucky or was too far from hearing range, but she was in zero hurry to get to their next stop. But thankfully, it was a bit of a walk to get there. She could already hear it, but Sophia prepared herself with fierce stubbornness to not let this get to her too much today.

The cascading water was loud. She closed her eyes, as they were about to arrive, and spent a few minutes (with Lucky so kindly and patiently waiting until she was ready to face it) -- convincing herself that it was just like the rain.

The waterfall was just rain, focused on one spot, and spilling into a low creek. Nothing big enough to get her, drown her, or flood the area. And besides, she had Lucky. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, and Sophia knew it.

It was still scary as hell, as they properly arrived at the main spot. It was beautiful, too. Sophia tried to care about that, and was thankful that Lucky picked a spot with some bigger rocks; thus she'd have to really work to get a full view of the Waterfall a bit further way, and more into the mountain area. They were closer towards the creek and mountainsides, so that helped a bit.

Just rain. Really loud, distant rain.

A strange benefit of being so caught up in their kiss and the weight of all those thoughts that came with it, was that somehow her intense fear of water finally took the backseat. She was aware of it at all times, but was able to mentally brute-force her way through -- keeping her composure enough that she didn't need calming down or had to leave.

'Thanks,' she said, hesitating briefly as Lucky spread his robes out on a rock for her to sit on.

But since she had no desire or interest in his ingredient hunt, there wasn't much else to do. Not like she was going near the water right now, no matter its lower depth. He picked the perfect spot, though. Always thinking of her -- especially after she'd opened up about her nightmares during the summer. He'd seen firsthand, to her initial embarrassment, how that affected her.

And the spot he picked gave her a great view. The nature around him were pretty too, she supposed. Eyes on Lucky, Sophia reminded herself again that she was okay and it may be scary, but it couldn't get her. Just like rain, that's all.

She did sulk a bit about the mention of a picnic when there wasn't one. That was something they had to arrange soon, now she had it in her mind. Maybe tomorrow, and maybe with Martha? That might be a good idea. Great, now she was hungry again. The Fudge would have to be enough for now. Sophia lazily wondered if Martha had any left...

What made her pout before was now a welcome pause; watching Lucky search for ingredients, down by the water's edge. It was a quieter moment, but not as awkward as she'd worried things would be after... well, after the Forest Path. Even if her traitorous mind kept replaying the moment they'd kissed, over and over.

'I'm not sure,' Sophia answered, suddenly thankful for conversation; perhaps it was a bit too quiet, with just the waterfall-rain and her own thoughts. 'We barely had to go to Diagon Alley last time, as Mum got most of our stuff for us. I think they want do it properly this time, since y'know. 7th year.'

It was strange to think that the upcoming summer was also their last, prior to another year at Hogwarts. They'd be of age, too. It felt real enough earlier in the school year, but still so far away. Now it crept up on them. Sophia wasn't sure if she was really ready to start saying goodbye to Hogwarts, and to move on with her life after graduation.

It was a really huge thing, and scary. But at least she would have her friends at her side.

'You're not painting my treehouse.' Sophia huffed. 'It messed up something when I tried last time. Some sort of magic or whatever. And it's fine. No need to change things. It's good as it is.'

The treehouse, right?

'I do want to walk around a bit more, though. Since we're headed to the Academy later, y'know?' Sophia sighed. 'It feels so weird, growing up. We spent so many years wishing for it, wanting it to hurry up so we can do big kid stuff or have adult benefits. Now it's almost here, and I kind of want it to slow down a bit. Does that makes sense?'

[Lena]

Calming water trickled along the shallow creek, leading from the beautiful waterfall. A fresh Lotus blossom floated along it, just out of reach. The water bobbed it back and forth, but surely there was a way to draw it closer?

Or throw caution to the wind and just wade in to get it.

Reward: 30 Herbology exp

[Luckett Langford]

There it was, the Lotus, floating like some kind of perfect, unattainable thing just waiting to be grabbed. Teasing him. It was awfully familiar, and the mental comparison jabbed at him.

He crouched lower, squinting at it from a different angle, trying to figure out the best way to snatch it. His arms were long enough, sure. He was practically a human giraffe -- tall, sturdy, but prone to tripping over his own feet. But still, a bit of reach didn't guarantee success. His luck could easily run out and next thing he knew, he'd be floundering in the water, dripping wet.

Yeah, best not to risk it.

He let out a quiet exhale as Sophia spoke up, and for a moment, it was like he could breathe again. She wasn't avoiding him, not pulling back after what had happened, and that made him feel like maybe everything wasn't about to spiral out of control. She was talking to him like it was any other day. And thank Merlin, because Lucky wasn't sure he could handle silence.

'Diagon Alley, huh? Brilliant idea. Maybe I'll finally buy that ridiculous umbrella I saw before 5th. You know, the one that's way too big for any sensible reason but looks like it could double as a tent in a downpour,' he chuckled, but his voice didn't match the tone.

Not when the thought of Diagon Alley brought up so many memories -- of him and his sister, his friends, year after year, trekking through the streets, checking out the storefront items that would probably only last a semester before falling apart. But that was the ritual. The tradition. The thing that meant they were getting older but still hanging on to something that felt safe.

The thought of it maybe being the last time, though? It felt odd.

He glanced back over at Sophia, trying to keep his face neutral, but there was something there -- something too heavy for his liking. It yanked at his chest, a silent pull he couldn't ignore.

'No painting the treehouse,' he added with playful surrender, like it was a joke to break the tension. But the words tasted off. And then she mentioned things being good as they were.

Okay. So now he had that on his plate, too. Was she talking about the treehouse, or was she talking about them? The thought twisted his stomach into more knots, and suddenly, he couldn't stand still. His mind was spinning, and he needed to get rid of that suffocating feeling again.

Without even thinking, he kicked off his shoes and socks and his hands moved to his trousers, yanking them up above his calves, trying to get his thoughts out of his head and onto something else. The Lotus. He needed that Lotus. Or maybe he didn't. Who was he kidding? Was anything really going to make sense until he figured out what the bloody hell was going on with them?

'Right,' he quickly said, his tone light, but with an understanding that went deeper than he'd intended. 'I mean, who wouldn't wanna take a breather before all that.. responsibility and adult stuff kicks in, right? It's like staring at a big, shiny new broomstick and then realizing you don't actually know how to fly yet.' He shrugged, not looking at her.

He was too busy trying to shove his trousers into a tight cuff, struggling against his own muscles for the second time. What a joke. Too big for his own clothes. How bloody annoying. The things you think you want, but they never quite work out the way you imagine them, huh? Figures.

With a final tug, he pulled the fabric tight, then stepped carefully into the water. The coolness against his feet was a welcome relief, and as he waded toward the Lotus, he let his mind wander. The coolness felt good. A distraction, really. And as he leaned over and cupped the flower in his hands, he thought about how much he wanted to shout out in victory. The Lotus was his.

But no, that wasn't the victory he was after, was it?

Instead, he just stared at the pink flower, the petals trembling in his hands as the words Sophia had said echoed against the thoughts in his head. "I kind of want it to slow down a bit."

That hit harder than he'd wanted it to.

He let out a deep breath, watching the ripples of water as he raised the flower. Should he start playing that game now? Pulling the petals off one by one? She liked him, she liked him not? That would be funny, but it was the kind of cliché humor that only made things worse in his head.

Maybe it was a sign. Maybe it wasn't. Either way, he was still standing in the water, looking at something beautiful that reminded him of everything he wasn't really sure about anymore.

He then stole a glance at Sophia, his expression tinged with a wistfulness.

'It's like we've been speeding toward this finish line, innit? But now that we're close, it's like we're both realizing we might not be ready to cross it just yet.' His eyes fell to the Lotus. 'Maybe that's what growing up is -- realizing you can't go back and you can't exactly fast forward either. But, hey, we've got a bit of time to figure it out, right?'

[Sophia Rhynhart]

'Hmm,' Sophia said, deep in thought, as though she hadn't even heard him.

She stared off towards the mountains, at bushes and patches of grass. Then a wildflower or two, and some stray rocks that had been there long enough to accumulate moss. While it certainly appeared that she was off in her own world, lost in the sea of her own thoughts -- she'd heard him. Sophia always listened to Lucky, and she always took his words on board.

Unless it was something ridiculous, like that she'd had too much pudding or that there was ever a downside to taking a nap.

Sighing, which was enough to break whatever trance she was in, Sophia glanced over at Lucky having retrieved the Lotus. Pretty, but not...

Frowning, Sophia reached up to the beautifully blue rose tucked behind her ear -- only to find that it was gone. She quickly checked around her, but no rose. Had it been knocked out on their way out of the Forest Path? They'd had to duck few branching trees, and avoid a couple of overgrown sections. Or was it the walk here, towards the mountainside and waterfall? Or had the breeze picked up when she wasn't paying attention, and blown it free into the unknown?

Why did it make her so sad? Sophia bit her lip, swallowing hard. She brushed her hand over her ears, just in case, but no... it was gone. Just like that. She hadn't even noticed it happen. No hope of back-tracking to where it happened, or try to save it from being lost forever. 

Would he replace it with that pink Lotus? It wouldn't fit the same though, behind her ear. And it wouldn't feel the same, either. Two flowers, both pretty, but one grew high and the other floated low. Their meanings were different. They couldn't recreate it, and she wouldn't let him if he tried.

In a rather uncharacteristic move, as if the waterfall and creek no longer scared her, Sophia got up off the rock and his robes. She brushed some hair from her face -- not used to it being natural, instead of how straight she usually kept it.

Lucky had given her heart a scare, when he'd reached for his trousers at first. Just suddenly started removing clothing, but no just shoes and socks. Calm down, jeez. But for a moment, she'd thought -- no, best not to imagine.

He'd waded out into the water to collect that not-so-important flower. Sophia made sure not to give it any special attention, as to not give him any ideas. She couldn't quite meet his gaze either, as if she'd somehow let him down or done something wrong in losing their precious blue rose.

'Here. It looks slippery.' Sophia bravely reached her hand out for him to grab -- intending to lead him back to the shore. At the risk of accidentally getting pulled in, if he wasn't careful or lost his footing while holding her. 'If you want more, look for them from here.'

There was a concerned hint to her tone, as she reluctantly glanced at the rushing water -- not wanting him to stand in it longer than necessary. Her heart beat fast, and for once not because she was inviting Lucky to hold her hand and to pull him closer. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, and flapped her hand in urging him to hurry up and grab it.

If he did or didn't, Sophia was still a bit quiet and reserved. Not avoiding him, but not herself right now. She was right there with him, yet also a million miles away. 

'I don't think it's a finish line,' she suddenly said, turnings his words over in her mind. See, she had been listening. 'Graduation, it's not the end of things. It's a new beginning, innit? Sure, we're leaving Hogwarts and our childhood behind, but everyone grows up eventually.'

She shrugged, not seeing it in the same light as he did. Assuming he was, of course, really talking about graduation and growing up and becoming adults. Sophia didn't want to assume otherwise -- didn't want to have to really put her brain to work in reading between the lines. It just wasn't how she lived her life or saw the world. 

The things that mattered shouldn't be tucked away behind riddles and half-words, or spoken in a way that required decoding or some smart-people way of thinking. In her opinion, true honesty was clear and direct. It was sometimes even clearest without words. 

She glanced at Lucky, her gaze a bit sad and her expression almost disappointed. In him? In herself? In the situation that wasn't awkward yet not comfortable either? They were stuck at an in-between. But she saw him, as she always did, and his uncertainty was clear. His doubt, his reluctance, and even his little stolen glances she did a good job of pretending not to notice.

But replaying the kiss also meant replaying the seconds before it, and after. Sophia could tell, having thought on it really hard despite herself, that Lucky had given this whole thing at least one thought more than she had. Sophia almost wished she couldn't read him right now.

Not that she really could, through the haze of their aftermath and confusion -- but she could tell he was bothered. Lucky wasn't as at ease as he wanted her to believe.

'It's okay,' she told him, without consulting herself first. 'You don't have to lighten the mood, Lucky. I'm okay; nothing bad happened, right? It's okay for it to be heavy for a bit; it's just us out here. It's not like I'm upset or anything. I'm not worried. I'm not... anything, right now. We're okay. We're good.'

She lightly touched his forearm, knowing sometimes he needed the reminder. Because that was who Lucky Langford was -- always taking it upon himself to make sure others were okay, and always trying to lighten someone else's load. When in doubt, crack a joke. In her own ways, she was similar, but it wasn't what Sophia needed from him right now.

'I don't regret it, if that's what you're worried about,' she added, so quietly that it was almost like a secret.

He heard her, of course, but Sophia wasn't looking at him anymore.

She stood at the edge of the water, her heart still racing and her nerves on end at the sight of it. But the haze of everything else, and her serious mood that even allowed fears to take the backseat, also granted a rare moment to actually look at the water.

It was a pretty blue to match the sky, and so clear she could see pebbles on the bottom. That was oddly reassuring, being able to see exactly how not-so-deep it was -- so much that Sophia found herself able to stand there a bit longer. Just looking, safe on the shore.

Her reflection was strange to her now. Not just her hair, but the Sophia staring back at her. Not grinning or half-asleep, just Sophia. She touched her natural hair, frowning as she remembered they had class this afternoon.

'What do we have after lunch?' Sophia wondered, unable to remember her school schedule at a time like this. As if she ever remembered the bloody thing, anyway. N.E.W.T year was worst, as she couldn't just follow her friends as now they had individual schedules. 

She was not fond of her natural look, despite gaining a new sentiment after how it changed because of their kiss. Sophia was in awe of that. But this was not the Sophia for the public to see; not the way she wanted to present herself among the masses of the school, including those who would surely poke fun at her for it or perhaps cause her to be overlooked entirely.

Using her watery mirror, making the process much easier and in her control, Sophia concentrated to change her hair back to its usual violet. Nothing happened, at first. Sighing, she jumped a little on the spot -- shaking her limbs and relaxing her tensed shoulders.

On second attempt, violet (a bit bluer than usual) slowly bled into her earthly warm brown. It streaked, and gradually spread, but then faded and left her hair back in its natural state. That was more than nerves or a lack of focus.

'Why won't it change?' Sophia said, accidentally slipping a hint of panic in her tone. 

She tried a few more times -- once, getting almost a full coverage of blueish-purple. But it didn't stay. Her reflection remained her natural self. Too overwhelmed to fight it anymore, Sophia slumped her shoulders -- she'd have to accept it for now. Maybe she could sneak away before class, and try in her dorm away from Lucky.

She glanced at him, eating her own words earlier by putting on a bit of a fake smile. Sophia glanced back at her reflection, a pit forming in her stomach as she knew why her hair wouldn't change. It represented the kiss -- no, the vulnerability she'd had with Lucky. Her ability worked to her will, apart from moments of fear or surprise.

While Sophia didn't always understand it or have full control, she just knew that to change it would be to cover up the kiss. To move on from that moment, which she could not do. No, the problem wasn't that simple... it was that she didn't want to move on. She didn't want that moment to end. She didn't want to make things go back to how they were before.

And that was, in a rather uncomfortably direct way, an answer in itself -- wasn't it? But if they didn't go back, what was the way forward? 

'Whatever,' she said, heading back to her rock. Sophia sat down, hugging her knees on the blanket of his robes. 'I'll fix it later.'

[Luckett Langford]

That knot was still tightening in Lucky's chest, the one that had been there for a while now. It wasn't just from the awkwardness of the moment with the kiss. No, it was from the bigger thing, the thing that had been building up ever since he realized how much he cared about her. He wasn't being stupid, right? Overthinking things? Sophia didn't seem herself -- not entirely.

He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it, to them, than just a friendship.

He glanced at her as she reached for him. The water splashed around his ankles as he was almost out. He didn't want to fall backward, definitely didn't want to pull her in. That was the last thing he needed, so he kept his stance steady, putting weight into his own feet to lift himself, his hand reaching for hers. Her palm was warm, and for a second, it felt like enough.

But not enough to ignore everything else swirling in his head.

Why couldn't they just let themselves have this? What was there to be afraid of? It wasn't like things were going to magically work themselves out, not unless someone took a step forward. And from what he could tell, what he felt, that person wasn't going to be her. That left him.

What was he waiting for? Was he supposed to just keep pretending everything was fine? Was he supposed to bottle up these feelings and shove them in the back of his mind like some piece of junk? He dragged a hand through his hair, sighing. What was he supposed to do when the only thing he wanted was for things to change? But he didn't know how to make it happen?

Maybe it was too soon.

Maybe he was overthinking everything. But it wasn't like he had time to waste. Next year was their final year at Hogwarts, and everything felt like it was slipping away. One more summer. One more year. Could he really go through all of this without making his feelings known? Could he just pretend he wasn't falling for his best friend, even if it was too late to take it all back?

He tried to focus on the water around them, the Lotus in his hand, but all he could see now was her face when she'd said she didn't regret it. The kiss. She didn't seem to have a problem saying it, but then why were they acting like nothing had changed? Why were they pretending like they hadn't just crossed some invisible line that had always been there, but never talked about?

He wished he could ask her, could say something, be direct, to make it feel less heavy. But the words didn't seem to fit, not in the way he needed them to. They were tangled up somewhere inside, too big to be said in a few simple sentences. And maybe they weren't meant to be said.

He wasn't even sure he could make sense of them himself.

But it was a slow realization that hit him like the slap of cold water on a hot day: he couldn't pinpoint when it had all began. Liking her, falling for her. Maybe it had always been there? Lurking in the background like a melody you hear and can't stop humming. Just on a loop.

And it was impossible to ignore now. He cared about her in a way that went beyond friendship, beyond the laughs and inside jokes they shared. He wanted something more, even if he couldn't figure out what that looked like. Something deeper, something that wasn't so easily explained.

As he glanced back at her, the way she looked in thought, he realized something. Maybe he wasn't the only one who was confused, scared. Maybe she was too, but didn't know how to show it. Maybe, just maybe, they were both stuck in this weird in-between place, afraid to take the next step because neither of them was sure what would happen next. Being cautious.

For once, Lucky wasn't sure if making a move was the right thing. He wasn't sure he was ready to gamble it on something that could just end up like it was -- weird, small silences where they were both pretending like nothing changed. But in the back of his head, he felt he knew better.

If he didn't make a move, even in the smallest way, he'd always wonder what could have been. The trouble was, he didn't even know when the right time would come -- or if it ever would.

Lucky took a slow breath, his gaze shifting solely on the Lotus again. He could feel the weight of her words, like they were settling into his chest, but they didn't make him feel lighter. If anything, they just tangled up the confusion. But they did reassure him that they'd be okay.

He shifted his weight, half expecting the shoreline beneath him to give way. But he kept steady as possible, because he knew if he fell, he'd never be able to keep his balance again.

Not in this conversation. Not with her.

'Yeah,' he said, his voice soft. 'I hear ya. Don't worry about me,' he added, with a small grin. 'I'm fine. Just.. figuring things out in my head, I guess. We're good. Always.'

Lucky stretched by the water, his gaze drifting between his Lotus and Sophia, who was staring at her reflection. She touched at her hair, her fingers skimming over the strands, but the frustration clear on her face as she tried to coax the violet back. Each attempt only seemed to reinforce the reality of the situation, the color slowly bleeding into her natural brown, only to fade again.

He watched her, almost helpless, as she muttered under her breath, her brow furrowing deeper each time it didn't work the way she wanted. Her shoulders dropped, exhaustion taking over as she made one final, half-hearted attempt before walking back to her rock. Seeing her like that hit him hard (like most things today). It gnawed at him, another feeling he wasn't ready for.

He wanted to do something, say something, but he didn't know how to fix it.

Or even if it could be fixed.

He walked over to where Sophia sat, her head bowed as she clung to her knees. He couldn't help but watch her for a moment, her quiet frustration making him want to do something to make her feel better. But for now, it seemed like the best thing to do was just be there beside her.

He reached down, twisting at his damp trousers and ringing them out, the water dripping off the fabric. The weight of the air felt better, but still a little too thick with unspoken things. As he finished the cuffs of his trousers, he grabbed his socks and shoes, sliding them back on one by one. He kept his movements deliberate, trying not to let the awkwardness settle back in.

'Charms,' he said, breaking the silence with the first thing that came to mind. 'We've got Charms after lunch, if you're still wondering.' He flashed her a quick, easy smile, though his light brown eyes were too busy trying to gauge whether she was feeling better, or okay.

The smile felt like a cover-up, but he wasn't sure how else to deal with the weight in his chest.

But he was trying his best.

'Think we'll make it through without magic misfires?' he added, just to see if she'd smile. It was his way of trying to draw her back out, back into the easy comfort they always shared. Even if they were both a little off now, he was determined to make sure they stayed them.

[Sophia Rhynhart]

Sophia tilted her head to the side, curious what Lucky was doing now. As he reached down to remove some of the water from his trousers, Sophia's gaze was drawn to his hand movements. Not even aware that she was staring (and could easily be caught doing so), she just watched him and tried to keep her imagination from wandering.

It was a bit ridiculous, though. Drying the hem of his trousers? Seriously? But maybe it wasn't that, rather his hands. The hands that fit with hers so perfectly its as if they purposefully grew that way. The hands that had rested gently at her chin, as he'd learned in to kiss her. But also the hands that supported her, offered her food, and even hugged her tight when she was having a hard time.

Hands that she wanted to never let her go, yet she was afraid to hold onto. She was stuck in a constant loop, but her thoughts were working hard on ironing themselves out into something that took a proper shape. Something that was easier to understand and put a name to.

So intent on watching him, Sophia hadn't heard him at first.

'Huh? What? Oh, Charms. right.' She nodded, ears pink as she quickly looked away. 'I dunno, I suppose it might make it more fun though.'

Things were dragging on too long. If this kept up, they were going to end up in awkward territory. With a decisive huff, Sophia jumped off her rock. She marched up to Lucky, careful not to look at all romantic about it -- and gave him a strong nudge to make sure he was standing properly, and facing her.

'This simply won't do,' she said, giving him a determined look. 'Look, we're okay... but we're not fine. Don't argue with me; I know you, okay? What happened was a big deal, and I just need to wrap my head around all of this. Seems like you had more time than me to do that. Am I not allowed to think this through first?'

Sophia shook her head, not willing to let this continue in its tense state. Even while her body ached as if she was overdoing it -- was that possible, with mental or emotional things too?

'So stop sulking, or whatever.' Sophia placed a hand on his shoulder, hoping she wasn't pushing her luck with that. 'Like you said, we're figuring things out. The... that thing, just happened. It would be a bit stupid of us to hastily wrap that all up with a bow and call it a day, right?'

What was she even saying anymore? Sophia was rambling and she knew it, a sure sign that she was not comfortable with things being uncomfortable. That she was getting too in her head right now and needed a breather. 

'What do you want to do now?' she asked. 'More ingredients?'

Sophia halted before making another suggestion, once again reaching for where her blue rose no longer was. She quickly averted her gaze, still feeling bad about that and worried he might be disappointed that it was gone. That she'd lost it somehow, as if it didn't mean anything. 

'C'mon, you're gonna be busy all afternoon doing boring school stuff or whatever.' Sophia said, and poked her bottom lip out in a dramatic pout. 'Should we walk around a bit? Maybe explore the cave? Or you can search for more flowers first, I guess.'

Not aware of it, her hand slid down from his shoulder to his forearm. They were always touchy with each other, and it just did not quite click in her mind to stop doing that for now or do it less. It was too natural. As soon as she did realise, Sophia pretended to stretch from camping out on the rock for a while -- allowing her to remove her hand without making it weird.

'I wanna do something,' she whined. 'Take our minds off things a bit, yeah?'

And even while she made of show of things, with some genuine intents there, Sophia was still playing the role of herself. Lucky could tell, in the subtle differences of her gaze or tone, but it wasn't her faking it -- not really. Just trying not to let things slip out of their control. If they were stuck in an in-between place right now, shouldn't they meet each other halfway, then?

They'll get through it together, like always. 

[Luckett Langford]

Lucky couldn't help but playfully roll his eyes at her commentary. Sulking? He was not sulking. It was just a.. a temporary emotional gap. A minor blip in the cosmic flow of things. That's all.

'Sulking?' he repeated, a grin creeping onto his face. 'I'm not sulking, Soph. I'm just.. you know, deep in thought. Mulling over life, the universe, and whether or not I can get away with wearing my robes to Charms later without someone calling me out.'

He threw a playful glance her way, and nodded at his dirty, wet robes on the rock. He shrugged into a little stretch, attempting to shake off whatever had settled in the pit of his stomach since that kiss. Not that he'd let her know about it -- they were going to get past that. Move on.

He let out an exaggerated sigh, not entirely sincere, before adding with a little chuckle.

'If I'm sulking, you're a bloody saint for putting up with me, huh?' Lucky stepped a little closer to her, just enough to close the physical space that had suddenly felt too big, wide. But no pressure, no heavy stares. Just a light, breezy kind of presence that said "we're good, mate."

'Look, I get it,' he continued with another nod, as he ruffled his own hair, 'we're trying to make sense of that thing. And I'm just trying to stay grounded. You know, avoid falling in any more puddles of intense thought. I reckon I don't wear it well, eh?'

He gave a light, teasing nudge to her shoulder.

'But hey, if you are worried I'm being all weird about it -- I'm alright. Honestly.' Then, with a shake of his head, he dropped to one knee and finished lacing his shoes, talking aloud.

'And I think I'm done searching. I reckon there isn't much else.' He shot her a grin, then added, 'I don't wanna press my luck for another flower and risk falling in. I think it's fair to say I'm a bit of a hazard to be around right now, yeah? You could get wet.'

He stood up, brushing off the dirt from his trousers and giving her a cheeky grin.

Lucky felt the sudden warmth of her hand on his forearm before he even registered it. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling -- Sophia was always doing that, her touches casual, natural, like they had no weight to them at all. But today? Today, with everything that had happened between them, it felt like a wave crashing over him, pulling him under before he could catch his breath.

He glanced down at her hand, then back up at her face, wondering if she was even aware.

Of course, she probably wasn't. But Lucky? His brain was working overtime, processing every detail. He could feel the weight of her hand like it was a thousand pounds, pulling his thoughts in different directions. Was she doing it on purpose? Or was it just.. just like everything else?

Just natural between them.

Then, just as quickly as it had happened, Sophia seemed to have realized, her hand sliding away with a stretch of her own, like she was trying to play it off. Smooth, Sophia. Real smooth.

'Just to reiterate, don't worry -- no more sulking here. I'm all about the positive vibes. So, let's continue on. You wanna check out that cave or should we start heading back to the castle before we end up completely lost and never finding our way back?'

Actually, getting lost didn't sound like the worst idea.

Lucky yanked his soiled robes off the rock with one motion, slinging them over his shoulder like a model for a front page photoshoot -- though he was hardly looking that polished. His cheeks dimpled as he reached for Sophia's wrist, giving her a gentle tug in the direction of the cave.

'Come on then, let's get a move on before we both end up napping here on the rocks,' he said, voice laced with his normal swagger, like it was just as automatic as his breathing.

He wasn't about to let them get stuck in their head or let them be suspended in anymore awkwardness. He wasn't going to ask her where the blue flower he'd tucked behind her ear went either. It wasn't the time for that -- no, they were out here, and he was determined to make sure they enjoyed the rest of their morning. No room for silences or thinking too hard.

Besides, what was the point of all this overthinking if it only made things harder?

[Sophia Rhynhart]

Sophia shrugged, glancing over at this robes. You'd think they were filthy, the way he talked about them, She wasn't that dirty, for Merlin's sake. Although... he should definitely grab some fresh robes, if he intended to wear his to class later.

'I'm not wearing mine to Charms.' Sophia shrugged again. That was normal for her; being one of those students who was constantly changing up her uniform preference depending on activities or weather. 'Besides, if Marding never wears his and that's totally fine, then I doubt you'll have any trouble.'

She gave him a somewhat coy glance over, lingering on his arms and form.

'So long as you wear something less form-fitting,' she muttered, blushing a bit at the thought of those poor buttons. He heard her, but she acted as if he hadn't.

Sophia rolled her eyes at Lucky's dramatics, giving a long-suffering sigh to play along.

'I am a saint, I know. Never murdered anyone in my life, so far.' She smirked, pretending to dust off her shoulders as a matter of pride. 'Not sure I put up with you, though. I only spend my time on people who are fun to be around. And Merlin knows I'm no walk in the park, either.'

Merlin, could he please stop ruffling his hair like that? Sophia took in a sharp breath, and tucked her hands behind her back as to keep them from reaching out to ruffle it further. Utterly fascinated with her shoes all of the sudden, she simply nodded for a bit as means of partaking in the conversation. Calm thoughts, Sophia. Ignore the hot ruffle.

'You're not being that weird. Believe me, I've see what weird Lucky Langford looks like and this ain't that impressive.' Sophia gave him a teasing look, poking her tongue out in good measure. She did not think that one through. 'Just don't act all fine if you're not, okay? I mean, unless you are fine and it's no big deal...'

That was not a comforting thought. Was she misreading him, and he was actually pretty okay with the whole thing? She thought it was a big deal but maybe... no, she had enough to wrap her head around as it was without adding in all of that too.

"I think it's fair to say I'm a bit of a hazard to be around right now, yeah? You could get wet."

To say Sophia's boy-crazy, over-active imagination took that sentence and ran with it was... not good for her composure. Sophia quickly turned, biting down to keep amusement in check -- and in case her burning face was as pinkish as it felt. 

This was annoying, a little bit. She didn't have these issues back in the Forest Path, until that kiss. Not like this. And now, her mind was betraying her and she kept replaying the kiss as though it lasted for hours not... however long it had. It felt like forever during the kiss, but now it was way too fast and Sophia hadn't gotten to savour it as much as she thought she had.

But she was not stupid. She knew what thoughts like this mean -- you don't have them about someone there's zero feelings for. Sophia wasn't sure she was ready to confront that just yet, but the evidence was building a pretty strong case for having to seriously think about what she wanted and what came next.

'What's wrong with getting lost? Or with napping?' Sophia huffed, hands on her hips as she shot Lucky a glare. 'Oi, don't talk about naps like they're a bad thing. I would not have made it this far without them. They are wonderful. All cozied up in my blankets, after some yummy food, and just feeling the good vibes? What's not to love?'

She shook her head at him, and let her arms sway at her side as she generally headed further into the mountains. It brought them much closer to the Waterfall, but Sophia had braced herself enough with the creek and "rain sounds" that she felt she could handle it so long as Lucky didn't leave her side.

Worried he might have a burst of energy and run ahead, or off to find some ingredient far away, Sophia grasped at his sleeve with her fingers -- ready to grab hold of his whole arm if he got any ideas about leaving her alone to face the water. She'd go with him, at least. Just never left alone.

'I don't want to head back yet,' she said quietly, her tone implying a deeper meaning. 'I don't want this to be over yet. And besides, what if there's something really cool in that cave? Why haven't we properly explored it yet, anyway? It's been there the whole time.'