[Free for all] Christmastiiiiime is heeeere

[its_game_time]

 

 

CHRISTMASTIME

 

• comment with your character(s). leave blank or write starters or whatever floats your friggin' boat
• respond to others
• CHRISTMAS. CHEER. SNOW. MISTLETOE. JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON etc
• or winter solstice/whatever exists in your character's world but do technicalities really matter I thought not
• CATCH (because there has to be one): no Scrooges!! no matter how grumpy you might normally be at this (or any other) time of year, you suddenly find yourself in the Christmas spirit and partaking in Christmas things. That doesn't mean you're necessarily going to enjoy it, but you can't quite stop, either...
• BE LOVELY, FRIENDS

Comments

[tempestossed]

[In this case, there isn't a purpose; he simply can't help himself for whatever reason. Much as he's hating it inwardly, the compulsion to decorate the tree, to smile, is too strong to resist, even for someone with his level of willpower.

Glancing over at Miho, Sync barks a short laugh...though it comes out sounding cheerful rather than scornful, as he'd doubtless meant it to.]

Hmph! What a farce this is. Pointless and stupid...the Headmaster's doing, no doubt.

[Deputy Headmaster, that was. Fai D. Flowright was unlikely to ever be offered--much less accept--the position permanently. No, he was content to remain the Charms teacher, and lead some Musical Magic classes on the side as well.]

[bladedbeauty]

[ At the mention of the Headmaster, it all starts clicking into place for her. Because after the expulsion of their last one, things had been quite a bit... unorthodox in the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And this had Professor Flowright's charms written all over it. Still, despite the cheerful demeanor and calm atmosphere, there was some satisfaction in seeing the suffering and indignation hidden under the layers and layers of spellwork. If only just a little.

Never once did she forget that the same could happen to her as well.

Discovering a newfound interest in his predicament, she approached. The tree was decorated to sickening perfection with a reflective ornament at every possible angle, and draped in tinsel. All Miho could do was look at it in her usual quiet disdain. ]

[tempestossed]

[...And yet, even when he's compelled to be happy and do something Christmas-y, Sync still manages to find a way to twist things to his own ends.]

There's still another two boxes of ornaments to put on the tree. Why don't you join me?

[She'll hate it just as much as he does, he's sure. But it's a "friendly" invitation, an offer to work together and do something like ~family~.

Somehow, he doubts she'll be able to refuse.]

[bladedbeauty]

[ And from that moment, the spell takes its effect on her as well, drawing her into the scene towards the nearest box of ornaments with jerky and stiff movements. But for all her internal struggle and a sharp look to her fellow Slyterin, Miho could not stop herself from joining in.

So much for a quiet evening in peace.

This look here that she's sending at you, Sync? Means she is very unhappy. which probably means that he's at least just the slightest bit happy ]

[tempestossed]

[Oh, he glories in that deadpan glare. Stunted and twisted as his capacity to feel is, in this moment, he's just about as happy as it's possible for someone like him to be.

...Still, why not make it even better?

The spell makes everyone cheerful and agreeable, at least on the outside, though there's something of an inner component to it as well. And seemingly good-natured conversation is part and parcel of spending time together with friends and family...]

I'd bet this the first time you've ever decorated a tree like this, isn't it?

[...so it's unlikely that Miho will be able to resist giving some sort of answer to his 'question'.]

[bladedbeauty]

[ Reaching in, she took out the first ornament on top, handling it with the most delicate of touches as a look of neutral calm mapped its way across her features. Even under a spell, emotions and her control of them had never been an issue. On the contrary, Miho possessed an impressive amount of restraint. And as she had proven before, the young witch had a mysterious mastery over several rare elements of the magical world.

Still, there came some struggle to keep the voice that had been lost to her just that. Lost. In fact, Miho found herself fighting almost tooth and nail against the conditions of the spell. And while her outward appearance showed only the quiet reverence of respect as she hung the ornaments carefully on the tree set up in the Slytherin Common Room, her eyes snap to him with all the vehemence that she could muster.

She was, after all, a master of expressing all her discontent and disdain with a single look. Spell or no spell, that much wouldn't change. ]

[tempestossed]

[Sync just smiles back at her, the expression almost twinkling--another side-effect of the spell, no doubt, though he is pleased with her response.

And so he continues talking amiably. There's no sign that he was aware of her inward struggle, but then...even Sync doesn't know everything about everyone.]

I'll take that as a yes. But, then again, even orphanages have Christmas trees, don't they? So maybe it's not the first time after all.

[He moves over into her space, an intentional action, and starts unwrapping ornaments and handing them off to her after hanging them on their little hooks. The empty areas on the tree are getting higher, so she'll have to start using a ladder--or magic--soon.]

What about presents, I wonder? You must've gotten something each year, even if it wasn't always what you wanted...but have you ever given anyone else anything? Other than a knife in the heart or a killing-curse in the back, I mean.

[bladedbeauty]

[ Let it never be said that they couldn't work well together as a team. After all, there was a reason the two were officially assigned as a pair within the Society's ranks, taking on errands and working behind the scenes for the cause when there was a need for their specific skill set. And that sort of partnership showed in the flow of which the tree slowly came to life in seasonal cheer, the spell working hard to make their work amiable and without issue.

Where there would have been repulsion and recoil, there was only a pinch of her brow each and every time she was forced to brush her fingers against his palm, or his hand cradled her own to ensure Miho had a good grasp on the ornament he passed to her. Because heaven and hell forbid she ever drop the precious thing.

But no, this had not been her first time decorating a tree. Playing well with others was something they tried to teach at length in the orphanage. Even if all the girls had a less than ideal regards towards each other, there was always an unspoken truce if only to keep everyone from being at the mercy of Gail's disciplinary methods.

And the side-long look she gives him is answer enough to his inquiry about presents. Even now, despite acquaintances and at least one soul who could be considered a friend, Miho had yet to ever give out a gift. ]

....YEARS later...

[tempestossed]

[Sync certainly takes every opportunity to touch her that he can, letting his fingers linger as they brush long the sides or back of her hand--and clever as it otherwise seems, perhaps the deputy headmaster's charm can't differentiate between Sync's intention to push Miho's boundaries and make her uncomfortable, and the more normal reasons a boy his age would have to want to touch a pretty girl's hands as much as possible.]

Heh. No gift-giving from you either, I thought as much. It just goes to show that you're even more like me than you're willing to admit. And who would want anything from... [he struggles for a half-second, but the charm won't let him say trash]...anyone like us anyway?

[He gives a shrug that seemed light-hearted, trailing a fingertip over the curve of her wrist as he hands over another lovely spun-glass bauble.]

Even if you wanted to, you don't have any friends to give presents to...unless you count Ion, who shouldn't count at all, because he wants to be everyone's friend. You're not special to him. Not any more than anyone else.

[A smile comes to his face, and once again, it's chilling how much he looks like his brother, and how utterly empty of malice or spite the expression is...which is a marked contrast to the true meaning of his words, despite their equally pleasant-sounding tone.]

Now there's someone I wouldn't mind giving a present of my own to...