sortinghat_logs | We say hello to say goodbye

WHO: Everyone!
TONE: Light
RATING: G and up
WHEN: September 1st
WHERE: The Great Hall and so on
WHAT: 4th wall log for the start of term feast and endgame
STATUS: Ongoing

For once, the sun is shining brightly as the Hogwarts Express makes its way to it's destination. It's been a long Summer, but now it's time to leave behind all the playing and mischief in order to go forth and be productive students- haha, as if that's going to stop anyone!

The arrival at Hogwarts is cheerful and exciting. There seem to be lots of new people here this year, both students and professors alike. Everyone seems to be excited to start the new year off, and the elves have outdone themselves this year. The start of term feast is delicious and full of all kinds of deliciou food. The sky above the Great Hall features a crystal clear, brightly shining moon and twinkling stars.

As the feast ends, Dumbledore will rise and make his usual announcements- but the difference is, he doesn't send everyone to bed. Instead, he claps his hands and the tables move out of the way and music starts playing. He says that tonight is a very special night! It marks the 1000th year anniversary that Hogwarts has been open! So a party is being thrown in honor of such a special occasion!

Over the course of the night, as if the castle itself wants to get in on things and make it's impact, some people will find that they are more prone to opening up. They won't exactly spill their guts, but if they have feelings they wish to share with someone, then they'll find themselves much less inclined to keep shut on them. This will carry on all night, and well into the next day or two.

So mingle, have fun, and try not to indulge in too many desserts! You do still have class tomorrow.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You don't have to apologize for my own stupidity. [rolls his eyes] It isn't as though you lead me on or anything.

It's not stupidity, you can't just control these things.

You should be able to. [and yes, there's a little bit of strain there]

As much as sometimes you try to be, you're not a robot, Herbert. [Nudges shoulder with his.]

Well. I'll have to fix that one of these days, I suppose. [That ... was probably meant to be a joke, though the smaller boy looks unhappy. Well, as unhappy as he ever gets.]

Herbert... [Gives him an equally unhappy look that essentially makes him look like a kicked puppy.]

[The smaller boy doesn't like that look, doesn't like the way it effects him, not at all. He's not the kind of person who naturally wants to make people feel better, to soothe hurt feelings. But for some reason, he doesn't want Bruce to feel bad. He tells himself that it's logical - it's not as though the other boy would ever consider him out of guilt. But he knows it's more than that, and it bothers him, to be so vulnerable to another person's needs.]

Look, don't worry about it. I'll be fine. You should go dance with your boyfriend or something.

You really think I'm that crappy a person? To just go and dance as if nothing's wrong?

Bruce, be rational about it. What else should you do? You're certainly not going to start fancying me out of pity, and you've been happy with him up until now. You shouldn't let things change or let it ruin the dance simply because I was stupid enough to allow myself to fall in love with you. [sighs] I knew better. You've obviously had a thing for Stark for years.

It's been this way for months. It'll probably be this way for at least a few months to come. What else can you do but live your life?

[He sighs and runs a hand over his face.] This isn't fair.

[Herbert looks at the other boy with a faint, almost fond smile.] Of course it's not. Did you ever imagine life is? Some people get everything they could ever want, and some people don't, and that's the just the way it is. If you want things to be any different, you have to fight for it, but-

[shrugs] This isn't something to fight, is it? Not if you're happy.

[Sighs with mild frustration and huffs.] I'm not exactly thrilled that you're unhappy. [Perhaps if he could come up with some sort of cloning spell... but then what if that just results in Tony ending up with two Bruces? And in all honesty, the thought of two Bruces just makes him... cringe.]

... You'll find someone better.

[Herbert just stares at him for a moment. He almost laughs - something bitter and not at all humorous, wanting to remind the other boy that he'd already driven away his best friend with his interests, right into the gleefully waiting arms of a girl, and that the only other boy who'd shown any interest had been doing so just to screw with him, and had drifted off the moment he got bored. Herbert's pretty realistic about his chances - he's not handsome, nor charming, and maybe, maybe if he'd been straight there would have been a larger pool of possible ... candidates, but he's not.]

No. [says finally] I won't. And I'm not interested in that, anyway. I didn't expect to have those feelings in the first place, I'm certainly not going to waste my time looking desperately for someone who might take me. I'd rather get rid of the emotions entirely, but no one's willing to help with that, so I suppose I'll have to figure it out on my own.

You know, sometimes I get the feeling you're even more pessimistic than me.

I'm realistic, Bruce. I'm not sure if you've become a complete idiot, which is entirely possible with Stark's influence, but I'm hardly considered prime dateable material. Even if I were to find someone better, they'd never be interested in me. They'll have their own arrogant, beautiful wanker to chase after, and I won't even be on the radar, or better yet, they'll hate me. You know most people hate me, don't you?

[He shakes his head and does laugh this time, and there's even a bit of humor in it, tired and sad, but still there.] Bruce, I don't want to find anyone else. All right? Did you go looking all over when you thought Stark was straight?

Excuse you, you're the one insisting he's never going to find someone else when you're not even in your twenties. [Sounds a bit arch but rolls his eyes, a small smile on his lips. He doesn't answer Herbert's question regarding Tony though, just sighing and bumping their shoulders lightly together.]

I'm not going to look. [corrects, leaning just slightly into Bruce and looking down at his hands]

I'll miss you. [says quietly, after a moment] Over the summer, I mean.

[His gaze softens and he smiles, leaning in more.] You can always come visit me? My parents wouldn't mind.

I don't know if that's a good idea. [not looking at Bruce]

Wh- [he begins, then pauses, remembering what Herbert's just told him and how yeah, when he was just crushing on Tony and he'd had to deal with the guy being over the moon about some girl...] Oh, right. [Stares down at his hands, wringing them in his lap.]

[Herbert glances up, then gazes at him for a long moment. finally, showing a kind of compassion he seems almost incapable of most times, he pats Bruce's shoulder awkwardly and stands.]

I should go. Homework and such, you know. Dances really aren't the kind of place for me.

[Bruce glances up with definite sorrow in his eyes and gives Herbert a small smile.] I'll stick around a while longer, I think... I'll see you upstairs later?

[nods] Have fun.

[He hates Stark, and he wishes horrible things would happen to Stark, and he's not the kind of person who can just be happy for Bruce for finding what he really wants. But he can make himself scarce and not dampen the other boy's enjoyment with his very presence, so he vanishes back to the dorm to lose himself in a book and try and figure out why on earth he ever said anything in the first place.

Probably a spell. It's always a spell.]

We say hello to say goodbye

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