Sound of silence

[innocent_insanity]

WHO: Kurloz and you
TONE: Light? Sombre? Contemplative?
RATING: PG-13 for language
WHEN: 18th January - early evening
WHERE: School hallways
WHAT: Kurloz is sitting by one of the windows, sketching the winter scenery outside as well as whatever catches his fancy. Approach for a portrait? Ask to see his pictures? Stare curiously at the mute kid??
STATUS: Ongoing

Kurloz still wasn't sure how he'd convinced his mother to let him stay at Hogwarts (for now) but he figured he'd have to thank his local healer who'd informed her that it would be unwise to move the boy so soon to an unfamiliar location when he had only just begun to re-establish his friendships and function as a healthier teenage boy again. He was grateful though, and was happy to be back at school, even if his mother had been a bit more wet-eyed than usual when sending him back.

It was peaceful that evening, and Kurloz had found himself a nice window-space in the hallway to stare out into the darkening grounds outside, idly sketching out the scene in his sketchbook.

Comments

[candycrabapple]

Karkat had been watching him for a little while, and had decided to come over and look at what he was doing. He stopped a few feet away, and gave him a curious look.


"Hey, show me what your drawing."

He figured there was no point in asking too many questions, because it's not like he could just tell him, and Karkat didn't want him wasting his sketch book on replies.

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz glanced up at the disruption and stared at the short boy for a moment before smiling and handing his sketchbook over. The sketch was surprisingly detailed despite the monotone nature of the subject, Kurloz having used magic to make his wand behave much like a watercolour paint brush. As a result the snow was shaded with hints of indigo and violet with the oncoming dusk, the sky a deepening mix of pinks and reds with dark blue on the edges.

[candycrabapple]

Taking the sketchbook, Karkat just stares. He was never known for his drawing skills and when seeing someone with such talent is humbling and also kind of annoying.

"You know, if you don't end up doing anything with this when you leave here, then you're wasting a real talented part of you. You could even become a pretentious prat with it too."

[innocent_insanity]

It took a moment for Kurloz to realize he was being complimented, but when he did he grinned with a strong hint of bashful pleasure, rubbing the back of his neck as he got his notebook out.

aw thanks, bro! me mam's a painter, you should get a look on with some of her shit!

[candycrabapple]

Karkat shrugs the thanks away.

"Well if you learnt from her then I better she's selling her stuff and making money off it. Otherwise she's a mo-... Fool. Do you always use that notebook to talk? Isn't there some magic spell or something that can make shit easier for you?"

[innocent_insanity]

Shrugging, Kurloz smiled a bit and answered with more writing:

i gots me a spell what can write what a fucker thinks but just writing is fine for me. and me mam does sell her stuff, does a lot of portrait work and shit.

[candycrabapple]

"Well, good, fantastic. At least she's not a moron."

He stands there and looks at the note pad for a bit.

"What about sign language?"

[innocent_insanity]

i can do that shit but not everyone else can, you know?

[candycrabapple]

"Want to teach me? It looks at least less pointless than some of the other things I've already learnt here."

[preanimator]

Herbert slowed his steps when he saw Kurloz. He still wasn't sure what to make of the Slytherin, but he didn't hate the other boy, unlike much of the rest of the student population, so he nodded politely when the other boy glanced over, holding his books to his chest.

[innocent_insanity]

Smiling, Kurloz waved at the small boy amiably, sitting up and getting his notebook.

bro its been a while! how the fuck you been?

[preanimator]

Herbert shrugged, because that was actually kind of a hard question to answer. "All right, I suppose. My work's been going well. You're still at school, I see."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz ducked his head and shrugged while writing:

for now at least.

He then perked up, grinning.

made any wicked cool progress on that re-animating dead shit?

[preanimator]

"Oh, yes, your mother was going to take you out. She changed her mind?" Herbert inquired politely, feeling a small twinge of pleasure at the thought. It wasn't as though he an Kurloz were friends, but as one of the only people who seemed to take the small boy seriously, the Ravenclaw would miss him if he was gone.

"As for the reanimation process, not precisely, but I have been developing something that will bring me one step closer, and I made good progress on that over the hols. Moriarty assisted me a bit."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz nodded at the question, expression turning curious as he learned about Herbert collaborating with Moriarty. Couldn't say he'd ever really spent time with the guy though he seemed friendly enough... to specific people.

that's good at least. so you had a pretty good break, motherfucker?

[preanimator]

Herbert shrugged again, looking a little uncomfortable. It had been confusing more than anything else. Finally telling Bruce he knew about him and then ... having not much come of that. Dealing with Moriarty who seemed to maybe like him, but he wasn't sure why and if he was supposed to be doing something about it.

"What about you?"

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz waved his hand in the air with a nonchalant expression to indicate 'same old, same old', before writing out:

other than mam losing her shit over nothing, was pretty good. spent most of it outdoors more than anything.

[littlefairybull]

The squeaks and clanks of his braces herald Tavros' approach before he even gets close. Tavros himself doesn't have very many friends, and honestly he's not sure how much of a friend Kurloz actually considers him, but he's happy to see that the other boy was still around. Kurloz had sounded so upset about leaving.

"Uh... hey?"

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz grinned when he looked up and saw Tavros, giving the boy a wave. He liked Tavros well enough, even if they weren't in the same classes or House, and seemed to have lingering feelings of fondness after those couple of days before Christmas that he couldn't remember.

Getting his notepad, he scribbled:

how you doing, bro? had a good break?

[littlefairybull]

It didn't even occur to him that the odd closeness he felt with the older boy was out of place, but it was there and he was drawn back by it, even if there were no apparent reasons for it. He would probably have questioned it more if being sad and alone wasn't a thing he felt so often.

"It was the best, in a long time, actually! You?"

[innocent_insanity]

other than mam's panic attack, pretty good. :o)

He glanced down at Tavros' braces and tilted his head curiously.

you getting any better with stairs, bro?

[littlefairybull]

"Oh." He was not really sure what to say about that. Panic attacks were hardly any fun, he got them for a while after his accident. Luckily not so much anymore.

Tavros blinked and followed Kurloz's eyes down to his braces, then smiled a bit and shrugged. "A little bit. I just try to make sure, that I keep walking. Then the easier walking will be, and I won't fall so much. That's how it is, every time i get new ones."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz hopped off the ledge, tilting his head and examining the braces curiously. He'd never had much contact with them himself and he found them interesting, and hey, if they helped a nice guy like Tavros to get by, all the better!

Straightening, Kurloz scrawled out: how long have you had these rad fuckers for then?

[littlefairybull]

He just stood there awkwardly, fiddling with the hem of his robe sleeve as the other boy looked him over. They're all metal and leather and clockwork, well crafted despite the light dings here and there.

"Since a little before, I came to be at Hogwarts. I am muggleborn so, uh... I got help, so I could be made able to come here easier."

[innocent_insanity]

dunno if a fucker like me could manage that. takes guts, bro.