sortinghat_logs | The only World Cup that matters

Although he was alone, Alfred didn't seem to mind it. He kept himself busy by searching through some of the booths, spazzing about all the stuff for his country, and spending all his money on it.

And that's what he'd continued to do most of the day, while looking for some of his classmates. He'd already given up even finding Arthur. Let the bastard be cantankerous if he wanted. Maybe then he wouldn't get anything cool from Alfred. The teen was starting to wonder now whether his feelings meant anything.

Maybe everything his head and heart were telling him was bullshit, and he was taking this too far.

Oh well.

He paid another vendor for a cap, wearing it backwards and grinning brightly. It went good with the rest of the stuff he'd bought, which was all in his backpack.

Ehh, weird feelings for bushy-browed Brits or not, he was having a good time, and nothing was going to bring him down!

He'd promised he'd buy his cousin one of these silly American flags, and some chocolate frogs (and some Quality Streets, but he'd have to get out of here for that). Let no one ever say that Arthur didn't indulge anyone, though Victoria was rather strict exception.

Despite knowing the other boy was there he hadn't been looking out for him, and he'd almost forgotten he was there at all as he picked his way through the booths and hummed and picked up a moving figure of one of the American players - the beater that Victoria liked. Well, he'd said he couldn't bring her the man himself but he supposed she might get a chuckle out of this. He paid, then stepped back, bumping into someone and turning around with a scowl.

Ah, bollocks.

"Watch where you're going, Jones!" he snapped, hackles rising. "... And that hat looks bloody ridiculous."

...Speak of the devil. Really, hadn't he just spent two journal entries arguing with this asshole? And now here he was being bumped into. Or maybe he had done the bumping. But he was pretty sure it was Arthur's fault, so...

"Why don't you watch where you're going? And my hat looks fine, just because you don't like it doesn't mean I have to flip it around--"

He cut off when he realized what Arthur had in his hand, blinking a few times.

"...You're going to root for China and you've gone and bought a figure of one of America's Beaters? Seems ass-backwards," he remarked with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Anyway sorry for runnin' into you I guess. Even though I wasn't moving."

Damn it, that was supposed to sound more angry and he was trying to glare, but the expression wouldn't hold. Stupid Arthur and his stupid...STUPIDNESS! Why the hell was Alfred attracted to this douchebag?!

"You look like a tosser," he snarked back, then glanced down, shoving the model of the beater down into the bag in his hand.

"It's for Victoria, you bloody tool, and you know damn well I'm not supporting China. To be quite honest I don't give a toss who wins but if I have to take sides I'll go with the Yanks."

Arthur glared right back, doing a marginally better job of holding it, but the fire wasn't really there and after a few moments he looked away into the crowds.

"I'll accept your apology, I guess."

"I'll consider myself honored then that you thought to accept it," Alfred muttered, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "So you're shopping for Victoria? I ain't even surprised, dude. Did she ask you to buy her sweets too?"

He's not teasing, but he knows how close Arthur and Victoria were, it's a stark contrast for how he acts with Amelia. Then again, Alfred gets on with Amelia way too easily, so that might have something to do with it.

"You here alone? I am."

He wants to touch on the supporting America thing, but there'd been enough teasing, and he would rather try and get on Arthur's good side ONE MORE TIME than to keep arguing. This is supposed to be fun...and he wanted to sort shit between them before school. Before everyone was staring. He'd told Maxim it didn't matter, but for this, it sort of did.

He didn't even give that question an answer. Of course she'd asked him to buy her sweets, because she always asked, and he always bought them for her. At least he realises that in that, Alfred isn't teasing him. Everyone knew how he and Victoria were.

"Yeah, for now," he said, narrowing his eyes briefly on something in the distance then snapping them back to Alfred. He tipped his chin up in a way that might have almost been defiant, had he had anything to be defiant about.

"Father doesn't want to stay on the site after the match, so we'll be leaving then."

At least he was.. being civil?

"Oh. I see. Well...whatever. I was just curious because I didn't know if you were still busy and stuff and I..."

He what? Why did he have to start rambling? And yet even though he was consciously aware of the rambling, he absolutely couldn't stop it. This was one of those times and he knew it.

"...I wanted to say I'm sorry for picking on your eyebrows because I knew you were kidding about supporting China but it still got on my nerves and I guess I was still a little mad about being brushed off before. But I don't have a right to be mad, no. Because I've been picking on you for so long that of course you wouldn't think I was being honest, augh, what am I even talking about? THE POINT! THE POINT IS...the point is that I wanted...

...uhm...

That...we should hang out. For a little while. Maybe. And then you might believe I'm not...you know. Trying to play tricks on you."

Arthur stared a bit, then made a quiet 'tch' sound and looked away, folding his arms over his chest.

"You've always picked on me for my eyebrows, idiot. You and everyone else looking for something to pick at about me. It's nothing new." He was more or less numb to it now. Yes, he had thick eyebrows. Big deal.

He shot the older boy a sidelong look and scowled. The rambling wasn't new either, but it was the first time he'd seen Alfred at this level of being flustered.

"You actually want to hang out with me? I have no issues about kneeing you in the crotch again if you're just doing this to be a prick, you know."

"You lost your temper over me poking fun at your eyebrows, d'you know the size of the inkblot in the middle of your journal? I still ought to apologize. So I am."

Alfred crossed his arms, eyes wandering everywhere, but always just past Arthur. He'd stare past the teen's shoulder, or over his head, never straight at him. This was way too embarrassing.

"Yes, I actually want to hang out with you. That's why I asked you what I did in the journal before. I was...well, I got the idea that I might...try asking you out somewhere properly, and seeing as we both were coming here, it'd be easier."

He scoffed a little more loudly than he needed to.

"You're going to knee me in the balls for a date, really?"

Oops. He did not just say that, did he?

"I lost my temper because despite your claims that you want to be nice to me you are still making jabs about my eyebrows!"

Arthur crossed his own arms in a mirroring gesture, but unlike Alfred he had no issue in looking at the other boy's face. The tips of his ears were burning but that didn't mean he was going to let Alfred feel like he had the upper hand, here.

Then, he just stares for a moment, and let out a derisive snort.

"Date? Are you dense? Sure, Jones, you've been nicer to me lately and the fact you didn't send me all the Bertie Botts Beans that you don't like as a birthday gift was just lovely, but what on Earth makes you think I'd want to spend any time with you like.. like that?"

"I'm trying to be nice to you! I just got annoyed that you were being a smart-ass, alright? And maybe I am dense, but at least I got you something nice for your birthday, you stupid tosser! And I thought I'd try and ask you out to show you I'm serious!"

He rolled his eyes, then gave Arthur a flat look, and this time he's looking him dead on because this time he felt like he had a good point.

"Besides, how would you know what it's like to spend time with me normally when you haven't done it at all? I'm going to be nice! Can't you just give it a chance?"

The glare that Arthur gave him could have set the air on fire. After all this time, all of the bullying and name-calling and general teasing and being an absolute arse, Alfred actually expected him to believe that he was serious about this? For all he knew it was just an elaborate prank.

"... Fine. But this is not a date and if you so much as look at me the wrong way you'll be throwing up slugs for a week, understand?"

He scowled, but it was about the closest Alfred was going to get to a straight answer.

"Eugh, alright. Though for the record, just kick me in the nuts. I think it'd be more pleasant," the American boy murmured. He did offer an awkward smile though. He knew that Arthur was pissy with him, and he couldn't really blame him. But now...was the best time to start trying to reverse all the damage, right?

"Well if you want to hang for now, we can have a talk then. How's your day been?"

That was always a good ice-breaker, right?

"You'll make someone a great wife one day, Jones," Arthur muttered, but he gave a small jerk of his head to indicate that the other could follow as he made his way along a few more of the booths. There was still a bit of money in his pocket, maybe he could find something for himself.

"It's been fine. Had some trouble getting the tent set up, but David fixed it."

That had been fun. One of the inner walls had been refusing to come in straight and it was giving the entire tent a strange 'fun-house' look.

...Patience. Yes, he needed to exercise patience and not give Arthur a sound thwack across the back of his head. Turn the other cheek when you're trying to prove something, right?

"Well that's good. I wouldn't have minded helping if I were around, I'm pretty ace at pitching a tent. Mine's nice, but it doesn't have any magic to it, because I don't see the point. Camping's fun when it's natural."

Or maybe it was just a Muggle thing.

"These vendors have pretty cool stuff, you know. It reminds me of when I was younger and actually got to live in America. Not that England isn't cool, of course. But so's America."

He was talking a lot, as usual, but it was a pleasant sort of talk. As if he was trying to urge conversation out of Arthur, because indeed he was. Plus this was how he behaved with friends, there wasn't really any pranking going on. He would have probably continued on if something didn't occur to him as he thought of his brother.

"Say...you mentioned one of your brothers. They're not all here, are they?"

He was talking a lot, but it saved Arthur having to talk while he worked out what he thought about this situation and occasionally side-eyed the other boy as if he thought he might trip him up out of nowhere. Arthur made the occasional sound of acknowledgement to show he was listening, but aside from that no real conversation was forthcoming.

Alfred had to have expected that though, right?

The question, at least, didn't really leave him any room to continue with that and he gave a half-hearted shrug, glancing away.

"Yeah, they're all here, but they've got more interesting things to do than bother me." Unlike some people, it seemed.

"I'm glad about that. I think they really oughta quit that shit. You're old enough and they're old enough that they shouldn't still be picking on you, especially not over something as stupid as I bet they're pickin' on you for."

He could be considered a hypocrite, if he wasn't working on mending that which he'd broken between Arthur and himself. All the same, if he's accused of hypocrisy, he wouldn't deny it at all.

"No one deserves to get picked on, and they won't be doin' it here if I got any say. I'll knock 'em flat." It's big talk, since he's seen William before and he's taller than Alfred at this point, but it really doesn't matter to the young American.

"They hardly need a reason." Just like Alfred had never needed one, but bullies rarely did. At least, at the end of it all, Alfred was occasionally nice to him and didn't do things like hex his hair different colours in his sleep.

But the American was trying to be nice and Arthur bit back what he wanted to say in favour of muttering something along the lines of 'and you'll be the one to do that I suppose'. As nice as having someone would would actively keep William and Phineas off his back would be, he wouldn't have asked anyone to face them down. They were both intelligent, capable wizards for all their other (obvious) flaws and neither of them would hesitate in petrifying someone and leaving them in the middle of the street.

"Don't be so ridiculous. Besides, I told you, they have better things to do. I'll not have anyone hurt by them on my account, not even you."

"No, Arthur. You're wrong. They need a reason. That they ain't thought of a good one is unfair to you. I'm just saying. But so long as they got better things to do, I ain't got a problem with 'em."

He looked to the right, as if he was really far more interested in the booth next to them than what he'd just told Arthur...which of course was bullshit.

At least until he caught sight of something he liked.

"Ohman! Arts, look! Peanut M&Ms! Dude, these are totally the best!"

Sssh, the language of candy is universal. And Alfred was easily pleased. Also he's an idiot who likes chocolate coated nuts.

The temptation to point out that Alfred had been picking on him for no reason for the past five years was almost too much to resist, but then the other was abruptly distracted by sweets and Arthur found himself simply rolling his eyes and performing an abrupt turn to follow him to where he'd run off to.

"Bloody hell, Alfred.. they're just sweets, what are you getting so excited about?"

Not that Arthur doesn't like sweets. Because he does.

Quite honestly, if Arthur pointed it out, Alfred would end up apologizing and looking guilty. He did really feel bad for it now.

But he wasn't thinking about it now, because he really wants these M&Ms. And he's more than willing to share them. He bought five of them, shoving two into his pocket, then holding three out.

"Here. You can have some! And there's one for Victoria, I didn't forget she likes candy, and I'm sure she'll like these~" he remarked with a wide grin. "I think you'll like them too, and that's why I bought you more than one!"

He really did seem excited to have spent some money on Arthur. Terribly so, like he's just gotten a present himself. Like he'd told Maxim before, he'd been feeling a really strong urge to be nice to Arthur, and not just to buy him a ten foot long snake doll.

"Er.. thanks."

He took the packets, pushing two into the bag along with the rest of the things he'd bought and opening another. It might be best not to tell Victoria that they'd come from Alfred.. she'd probably think they were poisoned or jinxed even if Arthur told her that he'd been standing right there when they'd been purchased and no such thing had happened.

Green eyes flicked about the gathered crowds as he crunched one of the M&Ms between his teeth and shot another sidelong look towards Alfred. So he was really serious about this, huh.

"I wouldn't have imagined you'd think of Victoria," he commented, rolling another M&M between his thumb and forefinger. "You know she doesn't like you very much."

"No problem," Alfred said lightly. He was going to save his for later, he wasn't really in the mood to snack. Not when Arthur was there, he was too nervous.

"Uhm...yeah, I know she doesn't really like me. But I thought maybe this could be a bit of a peace offering if you do happen to tell her it's from me. And y'know, I do pay attention to things. Sometimes..."

He looked over at Arthur thoughtfully.

"I know she's your favorite cousin. Amelia picks on you too much, right?"

"I guess I'll have to go about it delicately," he said, crunching another M&M and frowning up at Alfred when he spoke again. He was rather sure that the other boy liked his cousin far more than he did, but then he'd never really been one to tread lightly for fear of hurting someone's feelings. There were precious few people he would be so careful with.

Alfred wasn't one of them.

"She attempts to pick on me, but she's never been quite up to the task," Arthur replied, shrugging and drifting over to a stall to inspect some figurines. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Alfred had followed, then went on. "And I have no problems hitting her back if she decides to follow my brothers' example."

Alfred looked a little scandalized at that.

"But I thought we aren't allowed to hit girls! It's like a man-rule, isn't it?" he insisted, following after Arthur. He wouldn't really argue the point but...it was just the way he was brought up.

Maybe with Arthur it was different.

"Anyway she isn't that bad. She's just really...you know, interested in me. But I guess she doesn't pick on me that much, so I'm biased."

"Amelia doesn't count." Not that she didn't count as a girl, she was just one he had no objections about hitting. Of course, if it came right down to it things might be different, but he'd have to be in the situation, first..

He frowned a bit and picked up a small model of a broomstick, turning it over in his hands and then letting it go. It flew in circles over his palm, and he smiled.

"Of course she doesn't pick on you."

Alfred watched the broomstick quietly for a moment, then flicked his gaze up to Arthur's face, and well...he couldn't help but to smile himself, just a bit. Arthur looked so nice when he was smiling. His brow relaxed and his eyes looked kinder. He just...looked younger. More his age.

"Sometimes I wish she'd quit trying to be coy with me. I don't really fancy her," he said offhandedly. "I did take her on a bit of an outing at camp, but I was just bein' nice."

Not like I fancy you.

Except he wasn't going to say that. Instead, he reached out to prod the model, making it jolt out of it's flight path, but it corrected itself easily.

"Want it?"

One of the most common things for Arthur to hear from his mother was that he scowled too much. She would often say it made him look like his father, which it did, but such comparisons would usually only lead to a deepening of the expression until she could find some way to make him laugh.. which she invariably did.

"You shouldn't encourage her if you don't like her," he said, his voice slightly flat as he was distracted by the little broomstick. "She has enough boys drooling over her. Or she thinks she does. I'm never terribly sure."

He twitched in surprise when Alfred reached out and prods the broom. It was a well made thing, to so easily correct itself when disturbed. Arthur placed it down, and pushed one hand into his pocket to feel around for change.

"I'm quite sure I have enough.."

"No, no. It's okay! This one's on me, and it's not charity. It's a gift 'cause I feel like it, so don't get all up in arms."

Even if he did get all up in arms, Alfred had already started digging out his money, and he knew he did have enough. He was quick about paying for it, before Arthur could argue that he was doing it at all, and once it was over and done with, he grinned.

"See, no harm done. Enjoy it!"

He tried to protest, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears and in the next moment the salesperson was handing him a small box, which he pushed inside the bag with everything else. No harm done, indeed. Alfred was trying too hard, but at least he was trying and Arthur couldn't.. really fault him so far.

Though that didn't mean he wasn't still suspicious of the other boy's intentions.

"Thanks," he said, a little grudgingly. All in all, he wasn't used to being.. doted on.

Alfred's never done anything by halves, so it shouldn't have been surprising to Arthur that it applied with trying to woo anyone. And he really was trying to get Arthur to come around...maybe he was just being a little too earnest, but it didn't seem likely he was going to stop anytime soon.

Especially not when he was thanked. It only made his smile widen immeasurably.

"You're welcome~" he commented brightly. "I just hope it makes you smile later!"

Certainly it isn't now.

[Guess who was super excited this be here?

This little witch was! While it may not seem it because she it wasn't something she talked often about, Nepeta was quite the fan of Quidditch. While she had already been considering trying out for the school team, just being here invigorated her so much that she knew there was no way she was going to pass it up once try outs started.

She was hanging out in front of her family's tent, a thermos of tea next to her. She had gone out to look around and see if any friends were around earlier and already she looked like a kid who couldn't stay out of trouble. Dirty knees and elbows--messy hair full of leaves and some twigs but the bright smile that stretched from ear to ear made it plain she meant no harm. Whenever someone passed by she would give them a wave.]

[Rapunzel was super-excited, herself. It was rare that she got to go to such an event, but Mother had been interested this year, and of course Rapunzel couldn't be left alone!

...But that hadn't stopped her from 'getting separated' from Mother as they walked about the camp grounds. She truly was getting braver every year. Besides, if she saw anyone she knew, well... They shouldn't have to put up with Mother's... Comments.

She didn't know Nepeta particularly well, but the smile on the younger witch's face was uplifting and exciting; Rapunzel returned the wave and hurried over.]

Hey!

[Likewise, Nepeta didn't know Rapunzel very well but she certainly recognized her. It would be hard to considering her hair--Nepeta had always admired it and hoped that one day hers could be as long too.]

Rapunzel, right? [She patted the ground next to her inviting the other girl to sit] I'm Nepeta. Excited about the match?

The only World Cup that matters

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