&& Fade into You

“That’s an incredibly sweet name.” Celia encouraged. “I bet you had dimples then, or new someone with dimples. I don’t think toads can have dimples though, it wouldn’t be good for their skin.” She found herself trying to imagine such a thing, but instead looked back to the other student. “So you’re a toad boy. We need them too.”

Smiling a little, he rubbed the back of his neck because he wasn’t used to someone actually being kind. People just found him weird and walked away. They didn’t have conversations with him for some unknown reason. “I am. And I am proud of it. If I could handle more than one pet I would have more” he nodded. 

He hadn’t seen her since the last time they spoke and truth be told, he was tired of the cat and mouse game. If she didn’t want anything to do with him, so be it. He could find other friends, he could find someone else to love. It may take some time, but he knew it could happen. Sitting by the window, he looked out of it, just trying to avoid the world as best as possible. 

“But toad are lovely.” Celia nearly scolded the idea. “Does your Toad have a name? I knew a Toad for a little while, but his name was just Toad.” She considered the situation again. “But if you aren’t happy with just a Toad, then perhaps find another pet as well. I also have my cat, Mab. But she and Ganymede don’t always get on. So Mab is allowed out of the common room, but she always gets out somehow” Celia sighed. “It can be so worrisome with the grumpy, silly old queen.”

“His name is Dimple. I have no idea why I named him that. Must have happened when I got him as a kid” he said and shrugged. He then frowned a little at the thought of getting a new pet. “The thing is that I am rather attached to my toad. Yeah sure it would be cool to have an owl. But somehow I feel like a toad fits me better” River chuckled. 

“You think so?” Celia replied, joy in her eyes. Ganymede was obviously cute. “He’s been fussy lately.” She explained, letting the little one creep up her arm with small claws that snagged along the edge of her robe. “He’s called Ganymede. It just seemed like the perfect long name for something small. For something small to have a big name means big things can happen and it’s much more fun to say than something average like…well I don’t know what like really.”

Just listening to what she was saying, his gaze never once moved away from the owl in question. “Canymede. What a cool name. And in my opinion it fits him. Maybe it also fits his personality? Who knows, am I right?” River chuckled as he looked at Celia. “I wish I had picked an owl to be my pet. But due to me being.. well me I picked a Toad” he rolled his eyes at himself.