- color coded

❝ i guess that’s true ! ❞ he took the compliment with a smile. ❝ i’m not failing any classes right now, but i’m not necessarily doing too well. ❞ amos admitted, with a nervous chuckle. ❝ which class? do you need any help? ❞ 

‘ well, why do you feel like that? are you just feeling overwhalmed?’ eunhee asked softly, then she shrugged. ‘ charms- it’s um, not because i don’t know, it’s complicated. but, i asked someone to tutor me already and um-hopefully it’ll be better.’

she didn’t want to push her further than she was comfortable with, but she also didn’t want to sit idly by as the girl nearly failed because of some asshole. if she was going to do something she’d have to do it quietly. begrudgingly she allowed the change of subject. “library is usually best if it isn’t too crowded but i usually get kicked out so let’s use the great hall after dinner. as many nights as you think you need.”

eunhee let out a breath she didn’t even knew she was holding when emmeline dropped the class subject- she was glad, because she didn’t want to explain all that. even if maybe, emmeline would understand- given they had the same status. ‘ okay, great hall after dinner it is- i, let’s start with four? and we’ll see in the future?’

❝i should –– sleeping is hard when your marks look like mine though ❞ he said . all As and Es wasn’t BAD , necessarily , but it certainly wasn’t what he wanted, especially since he wanted a job in the ministry of magic . ❝ snacks would be … GREAT , actually ! ❞

‘ well, something tells me you’re the type of guy who can work hard when he wants to and get what he wants out of it, it’s only a matter of time- i am only failing one class right now which probably would freak ted out if he’d find out.’ eunhee teased lightly. ‘ okay, i’ll make some for you too then.’

she grumbled to herself, almost sure she WOULD regret it but it was a future issue. she lifted a perfectly manicured eyebrow at the girl. “are you being bullied during class?” she found bullying intolerable, in this case.

eunhee froze in her seat, hands were already linked together nervously and despite not wanting to, she nods. ‘ sometimes. again, it’s not something i can handle, so um,’ she said, trying to obviously change the subject. ‘when do you want to meet and where? i’m free almost every night.’

❝ OH , really ?·❞ he laughed, before gabbing the firewhiskey from the table and taking another sip.·❝ that makes sense ! i didn’t sleep too well last night . i was too busy studying . ❞ him ? studying ? it was certain that he needed to , looking at his grades as of late .·❝ i really need to pass transfiguration. can you turn into mcgonnagall and give me an O on my tranfig N.E.W.T.s ?··❞

she nodded along to the others words, it would be a shit show if she didn’t stick to that resolve but at least it wouldn’t be emme’s fault. “that’s admirable, and sure, i’ll tutor you.” she agreed, a sinking feeling pulling at her stomach. “can i ask why you’re having trouble though?”

❝ i get tipsy SO easy , which is weird because i’m so tall . must be genes ? ❞ he watched her hair turn back in amazement , even though he had known she could do so for years , he still thought it was so wonderful every time . ❝ brilliant ! that sounds great ! ❞

❝ i don’t know about you , but i’m always this awkward when i’m tipsy , ❞ he fibbed , since he was never really that awkward . only around cute girls .  ( or boys, for that matter . that just wasn’t the case here . )  he wasn’t about to say that and embarrass himself any further, of course . ❝ alright , so how about next weekend during the hogsmeade trip , we go to the hog’s head together ? ❞ he propositioned.

 ‘ i usually don’t get tipsy that easily.’ she confessed with a shrug- maybe it was because she’s just been really tired lately, or it wasn’t her being tipsy and just nervous. or both. she closed her eyes for a second and concetrated; her hair going back to her original color- or what she prefers. then, she opens her eyes and smiles at him. ‘ going to hog’s head together sounds like a plan then, count me in for sure.’

“i’m not insinuating you’re a crybaby or anything so trivial. i mean the way i work — isn’t for most people and i don’t want to deal with tears or anything when you figure out i was right.” a heavy sigh withdrew from her lips, she hated begging and the higher pitch that usually accompanied it. “you’re not going to like it, obviously, if you’re failing the class. why not just drop it?”

‘ i promise you, i won’t- i will follow every single step you tell me to do, do every homework.’ eunhee shook her head. ‘ you see, i like it- i just get too into my mind sometimes. this is the first time i am almost failing the class. i don’t want to drop it just because i have this one failure, that wouldn’t sound like me.’

noticing her hair change color, he had realized how what he had said sounded, and how he assumed. “ unless, of course, you don’t want to ! that’s fine too ! ” a nervous chuckle, a rubbing of the nape of his neck. “ are you sure? ” he wanted to confirm, as the last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable. “ because if you’re really glad to, well, then that’s great ! ”

eunhee chuckled at his words; she wasn’t one to get shy like this- she’d get closed-off, not shy which was a big difference.. ‘ are we acting this awkward and like out of a-’ she stopped, not giving the exact type of book.’ book just because we’re tipsy?’ she asked bluntly, but a chuckled followed and placed the firewhisky on the table. ‘ but, yes, i am sure. i meant it when i said i want to repay you. any shape or form.’

        HIS  REFLECTION  RIPPLED  IN  THE  WATER  AS  HE  STARED  DOWN    ,    muddied  combat  boots  only  inches  from  the  impressively  deep  puddle   .    but  not  deep  enough   .    he’d  prefer  to  drop  down  below  and  never  resurface     .    

        now    ,    now     .     it  would  be  an  overreaction  to  call  him  depressed    ;    he  was  merely  the  ignored  love  child  of  teenage  theatrics  and  an  unbearable  hatred  for  school  assignments    .    but  who  was  niko  mulciber  without  a  crown  of  smoke  and  dramatic  one-liners    ?

      speaking  of  smoke   .  .  .  

      allowing  a  cloud  of  charcoal  to  fall  from  his  lips    ,    he  tapped  away  the  remaining  ash    .    now  his  reflection  was  tainted    .    perfect    .

    ❝       jeez-louise    ,    billy     .    you  know  like   ,   nothing  about  being  cool    ,       ❞     he  mocked    ,     cold  golden  hues  falling  on  the  couple  who  had  gotten  into  an  argument  only  a  few  feet  from  where  he’d  been  standing    .    clearly  making  fun  of  the  duo    ,    he  arched  a  brow   ,   causing  them  both  to  shuffle  off  with  their  nerves  painted  so  clearly  across  their  features    .  

    maybe  they’d  shit  themselves    .

       ❝      oh    ,    yeah    .    run  away    .   like  whatever     ,   billy    !      ❞    almost  instantly  did  his  reaction  melt  back  into  his  default  scowl    ,    the  cigarette  returned  to  the  secured  space  between  his  lips    .

for muggleborns like her- who could barely stand up for themselves, standing around people like him was dangerous; but eunhee was in her own world, she was thinking of a certain interaction she had with someone a few days ago while also trying to read off a book- she was a few feet away from the other, but she didn’t give him much attention until...he spoke.

‘hm?’ she asked as she looked up, eyebrow knitting together. ‘ were you talking to me?’

he shook his head quickly, responding with a swift, “ no, no ! not at all ! you don’t look sad at all, don’t worry ! ” he reassured her, not exactly catching onto the fact that she was joking. he, too, would blame the drunk he had just chugged. “ next time ? ” he raised a brow, before grinning and saying, “ i’m glad there’s a next time ! ”

when eunhee realised how her proposition sounded- it was too late, she found herself swallowing and this time she knew for sure that her hair had changed to a even brighter red- something close to a pink because it always did when she was nervous. ‘ i mean- there doesn’t have to be, i’m sorry, i was just- trying to repay you, but-’ then she registered that he said he’s glad and she nodded. ‘ um, yeah, i am glad too.’

“no, listen. you think you want me to tutor you because i’m top of the class but you don’t actually want ME to tutor you. i guarantee i’d end up making you cry and neither of us wants that so do us both a favor and ask someone else.”

 ‘ pleaseee- i promise you i will not cry, like i barely cry as it is- and if i do it’s not school related. but, pretty please, i don’t understand a word and if i don’t pass, i am done for.’

upon noticing the redness of her cheeks he couldn’t help but feel his follow suit –– he could definitely tell he was blushing, unlike her who was so used to appearance changes, and tried to use a swig of butterbeer to cover his face with the stein. after a few ‘glugs’ down of the stuff, he put down an empty glass and could almost feel the burning of so much alcohol in his stomach. perhaps that would be his last drink of the night. “ you’re very welcome ! everyone needs some cheering on once in a while, and i’m happy to do it. it’s my pleasure. same goes for the drink ! ”

eunhee quickly noticed the redness on his cheeks and she found herself placing the back of her palm against her cheek to check if she had matching cheeks and when she felt she did, they only become more red from the slight realisation. she’d blame it on the firewhisky. at his words, however, she sends him a wide smile. ‘cheering? do i look that sad?’ she jokes lightly, though she really did appreciate his words and company overall maybe too much than she’d admit.’ ‘kay, but next time, drinks will be on me.’

he’ll    never    admit    it  ,    lest    he    incur    eunhee’s    wrath  ,    but    he’s    still    worried  ,    too  .     more    so    than    their    mother  ,   perhaps  ,    as    he    has    a    front    row    seat    to    the    absolute    shit  -  show    that’s    become    of    the    wizarding    world  .      (    once    upon    a    time  ,    ted    tonks    had    never    dreamed    of    keeping    anything    from    his    parents  .     funny  ,    how    times    change  .    )     oh  ,    he    knows    better    than    anyone    what    it’s    like    to    suddenly    be    magic  .     how    you’d    never    trade  it  ,    not    for    the    world  .     yet    some    days  ,     he    almost    wishes    eunhee    had    been    born    without  .     his    little    sister  .     his    to    protect  ,    and    he    has    not    a    clue    as    to    how  .     ted    has    never    been    a    fighter  ,    after    all  .       ❝      ‘course  it    didn’t    work  ,    eun  ,     ❞        he    says  ,    head    lolling    to    the    side    to    look    at  her  .        ❝      she    doesn’t    want    you    to    change  .     and     you    shouldn’t    feel    like  you    have    to  .     —there  ,    that    one’s    a    monkey    on    a    bicycle  .     ❞        

you shouldn’t feel like you have to change- she let those words ring through her head nd she turns her eyes away from him. if only it was that easy- it was easier for them to speak, but she knew they only wanted what was best for her. ‘ well, then, what should i tell her? i am fine-’ if fine meant always hiding the scars and the feelings.’- and if i tell her that myself, she doesn’t believe me- wait what, that’s not a monkey. that’s a hippo, teddy.’ she lets out a small laugh at that; just imaging a hippo on a bicycle would be way funnier than a monkey. ‘ so, could you tell her? please. maybe, if it comes from you- that have already been through this? ‘ then, she turned her head back to face him. ‘ do i need to do the whole puppy face look?’

“ i guess i could ! ” he laughed. he nodded his head and said, “ yes, you’re totally sweet ! you’re very welcome. ” he followed suit and took a sip of his butterbeer –– well, his was more of a chug, really, as you didn’t exactly sip butterbeer. “ hey, everything gets better with practice ! you can do it, i’m sure of it ! ”