Almost a nervous wreck. [Wendy] on Labyrinth Gardens

Rupert Princeton

January 08, 2015 2:39 PM

Almost a nervous wreck. [Wendy] by Rupert Princeton

Rupert was absolutely determined to tell Wendy how he felt this year. It was beginning to tear away at his sanity, this limbo of friendship and romance. Already his father had voiced his disapproval, but Rupert didn’t care if his relationship with Wendy only lasted this year. He knew he would regret it forever if he didn’t tell her now. At least, if she would give him a chance, it would be worth it.

Rup was very glad to be here and not at home. This was his last year and he was looking forward to staying in America for good. No more travelling back and forth from England to Arizona. He wanted to stay here and live here and play for an American Quidditch team. It was of the utmost importance that he led his team to victory this year.

On Saturday the same week classes had started, Rupert had grabbed Wendy in the common room to ask if they could chat later. He tried to make it sound informal, but his hands were sweaty and he felt jittery. The Labyrinth was a special place to him; he and Wendy had picnics here and had gone star-gazing together. It was also here he’d asked her to the Midsummer Ball. It was a familiar place near the Pecari commons and yet offered privacy from the snooping eye. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was in the labyrinth his older brother had met with Theresa on a usual basis, back before the great fiasco happened between them. Rupert’s relationship with Wendy was nothing like that, though he thought Cepheus had genuinely fancied Theresa at one point, perhaps towards the beginning of their clandestine romance.

It was torture, waiting. Rupert was dressed in casual wear, it being a week-end. He wore his signature burnt orange trousers, loafers, a white short-sleeved button-up and black trouser braces* instead of a belt. His hands fidgeted, slipping in and out of his pockets in an effort to decide what to say. He didn’t want to burden her with his feelings if she didn’t want to hear it, but he didn’t think she would completely knock him down. She was a nice witch and very likeable. He was sure that was part of the reason why she had been voted Head Girl this year, and he’d passed on his congratulations to her during their first day here. It was difficult not to see her often when they lived in such close quarters and were sure to see each other in class.

He was so deep in thought, sitting, standing, clenching and unclenching his fists, that he didn’t realise she was there until she giggled. He started at the noise and took a step away from her in surprise. “Merlin, I didn’t see you there. Sorry.” He combed his fingers through his blond hair, a nervous habit he’d picked up from Cepheus – the blighter – and cleared his throat. “How was your summer?” Stupid, stupid Rupert! he thought to himself immediately, sliding his hands into his pockets again. Now this superfluous small talk would commence before he could tell her, and his nerves were only getting worse. He forced a smile, but he knew it didn’t look convincing.

OOC: Received permission from Wendy’s author on the giggling.
*After writing this I realised it didn’t make sense in American English. I meant suspenders.

40 Rupert Princeton Almost a nervous wreck. [Wendy] 248 Rupert Princeton 1 5

Wendy Canterbury

January 14, 2015 1:23 AM

Hopefully there will be no wreckage here. by Wendy Canterbury

It was always nice catching up with friends, but catching up with Rupert alone in the Labyrinth Gardens seemed a little different somehow. Her first week back had been swamped with Head Girl work and making sure all the first-years knew where everything was. She had written letters to her sister, her parents, and Aria to tell them of her new position. She knew Waverly was going to be a little jealous, but her older sister seemed to be enjoying college life a lot more in North Carolina. Wendy was glad for her even if she hardly got to see her anymore.

When Rupert had asked her if they could meet later to talk, she could feel the tension and awkwardness in the atmosphere. Her fight-or-flight instinct was triggered then and her curiosity was piqued. Of course she was going to meet him; they were friends, after all, and the ball had been so much fun with him last year even though she'd felt awkward at some points. Wendy hadn't spent much time thinking over her feelings after a nice little romance over her summer break, but she understood herself better now and she thought she could understand Rupert a little better now too. Romance had its own set of rules and emotions and triggers that Wendy had had the opportunity to experience over the summer.

Rupert had to like her at least a little to be suddenly nervous around her. She couldn't think of another reasonable explanation. As she thought about what she would say if he did ask her out one day, hopefully before they graduated, she thought it might be nice to have another romance with a magical peer. Rupert was really good-looking in her opinion and he was nice and respected her non-magical upbringing. In fact, he seemed more interested in learning about her background than anyone else she'd met here. From what she'd heard, that was kind of odd for purebloods.

From the common room, the walk to the Labyrinth was pretty short. She stepped out past the suit of armor wearing a floral, beaded frock with a white collar and her hair tied up. It was still kind of warm in Arizona until the end of fall, but she liked the heat. Wendy found her way through the maze to Rupert's side. He looked really nervous, and watching him move about for a few seconds made her giggle. She couldn't help it; he looked a little silly, but part of her didn't know how else to react to this scene.

Ah, small talk first. She eased slightly, ready to tell him all about her two-month boyfriend, but saw that Rupert didn't seem to be very happy. Maybe he didn't actually want to talk about their summers but get right to it without actually saying so. Boys were so confusing sometimes. "It was really good and relaxing," she said simply, eager to hear what he really wanted to say. "Typical summer in Phoenix. Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

19 Wendy Canterbury Hopefully there will be no wreckage here. 245 Wendy Canterbury 0 5

Rupert

January 21, 2015 12:19 PM

Revealing the big secret. by Rupert

Wendy looked rather dressed up for a casual meeting, making Rupert even more nervous. She just looked so lovely no matter what she wore. He was unhappy with his attempt at small talk, but it couldn’t be helped. That was supposed to be the normal way to ease into a more difficult conversation. At least, it would be a difficult conversation for him. He didn’t know what Wendy could be thinking at this moment.

Her response to his question was rather vague, but her return question was right on point and flustered him. “Ah, yes, that is, I…” He coughed into his fist and scratched the back of his neck, his dark eyes wandering. “My summer was difficult, actually,” he said as he continually avoided eye-contact. “My father heard that you and I went to the ball together, and he wasn’t happy. That is to say, I had a lovely time with you, really, but he’s one of those traditional sorts, you know, one of those staunch pure-bloods who think that they’re better than anyone else. I don’t agree with him at all, just so you know.”

Rupert didn’t know why he was telling her all this, but he knew he wanted to be honest with her no matter what. “Despite his lectures, I still wanted to tell you I, um, that is, I have feelings for, um, you.” He made eye-contact with her briefly as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling self-conscious and vulnerable now that he’d shared. “There really isn’t much we can do here, on dates, I mean, so asking you out seems a bit pointless. But I’d like it if we could spend time together, or if you could at least consider me as, well, I don’t know, more than a friend.” Rupert cleared his throat and looked into her eyes, hoping for something, but unsure what exactly it was that he was hoping for.

“I’m planning to stay here in the United States after I graduate, so if you’re still here in Arizona, I might be too, depending on which Quidditch league wants me.” Now words were simply pouring out, reasons why she might consider dating him. He would be here in America, not in England with his insufferable parents in an over-bearing society. The thought made him a little bolder, bold enough to imply that he hoped, if she agreed to date him, that their relationship would last longer than Sonora, if she wished. After a moment, he cleared his throat again to say, “What do you think?” as his cheeks coloured. An idiotic end to a loquacious confession.

0 Rupert Revealing the big secret. 0 Rupert 0 5

Wendy

January 22, 2015 1:22 AM

Embracing it by Wendy

It was weird seeing Rupert so flustered, but it seemed like a face on him these days, at least when he was around her. She liked him as the charismatic, talkative boy, not all shy and flustered. But, maybe just because it was him, he looked cute taken aback. He started to talk about his dad and Wendy wasn't sure where he was going with it. The traditional sort...did that mean Rupert's dad didn't like non-magical people? She'd heard of those kinds of prejudices, but Wendy had been lucky enough to somehow get around those types of people.

Then the juicy stuff came, the whole point of this conversation. Though Wendy had prepared herself for some kind of confession, she was still slightly dazed. There was a difference between imagining those words and actually hearing them, she knew now. She and her beau over the summer had been very frank with each other and their expectations, though Wendy couldn't tell him she was a witch, but with Rupert it was different. It was like Wendy was experiencing romance for the first time all over again.

It made her feel unusually shy, and Wendy looked down at her hands, wondering what to say. Of course she wouldn't mind dating him, or at least seeing him as her boyfriend. Sure Rupert's dad might disapprove, but they only lived once. Why throw away a chance at romance for an old tradition? Wendy looked up briefly when he started talking about Quidditch, and for a moment she imagined herself inviting him to stay with her over winter break, meet all her non-magical friends, and see the city she had grown up in. It would be very different sharing that with him, a boy who had never seen a world without magic.

"What do you think?" he asked. What did she think?

Wendy blinked as if awakened from a daze, and she smiled at him, her hazel eyes bright. "I think that sounds okay with me. I was wondering when you'd get around to asking." And then she stepped forward because she felt like it and kissed him like she'd seen in the movies. It was warm, just like she knew it would be, but there was something else: she was nervous. She hadn't been nervous kissing a boy before, but with Rupert she was nervous. Wendy put her hands on his shoulders before she could fall over and pulled away to look him in the eye, her smile brighter. "It's more than okay with me."

0 Wendy Embracing it 0 Wendy 0 5

Rup

January 30, 2015 7:30 PM

Doing the same. by Rup

He’d mucked it up. It was obvious, from his voice inflections and her silence on the matter. She was looking away from him, blatantly trying to think of a nice way to let him down. That was all right; she was different, too good for him anyway. Rupert cleared his throat, feeling awkward and self-conscious after asking such an idiotic question. But as she smiled at him, Rupert couldn’t help but feel just a bit of hope. “I think that sounds okay with me,” she said, and that was all Rupert needed to hear. The blood rushed through his ears and he watched her mouth move, then she stepped forward and then –

Rupert was probably dead. Things were going well, too well, so none of it could possibly be true. He couldn’t move as she kissed him; his eyes were closed, and he felt her hands touch his shoulders, and then she moved away too soon. The words she said in reply, however, were worth hearing: “It’s more than okay with me.”

As his heart was currently lodged in his throat, Rupert reeled in his brain which had melted the moment she’d kissed him and moved to kiss her again. She was the first witch he had ever kissed, and it was lovely. It was more than lovely, but there were no other words he knew that could adequately describe his emotions. He was so happy he didn’t know what to do with himself except kiss her. It seemed like the only natural thing to do.

0 Rup Doing the same. 0 Rup 0 5