| Details for Boy Talk |
| Summary: | Gabby after hunting Ajax down, makes him have an honest talk. |
| Date: | Nov 24, 1937 |
| Location: | Armour Gallery |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Gabrielle comes into the Armor Gallery, obviously searching for someone. Or someones. And will catch her breath when she discovers the taller one here. Wasn't actually expecting /this/ one here. "Ajax? Can we talk?" Gabby has a stack of books in her arms, puled to her chest as she walks in.
Ajax is tucked into a far corner of the gallery, sitting with his back against the wall and knees drawn up to his chest as he scrawls away on parchment for some essay or another. He pauses, glancing at Gabrielle, and then sighs faintly. "I need better hiding places. All right — what's on your mind?"
Gabrielle will raise an eyebrow and walk over, "Don't be mean, I'm trying to help."She'll sit down across from him, and fold her legs under her, setting the stack of books to the side. She'll take a moment and study him, "I talked to Theo."
Making a face, Ajax says, "I'm not trying to be mean, and I don't need help." He doesn't argue with her approach, though he does go back to scrawling on his parchment. "And I don't want to hear anything about Theo. He makes his own choices, and I'm — I'm risking enough by giving him the chance to do the right thing."
Gabrielle will roll her eyes, "I never said I was helping you." She'll fold her hands, "Well…tough. Theo's my friend, and this needs to get sorted…. and if you've decided to be this stubborn, then maybe you don't deserve him." she'll tilt her head up slightly, almost in defiance. The look is ruined some by a lock of hair falling into her eyes.
Ajax seems perhaps somewhat relieved to hear that he's not in for a helping, but he sighs audibly at the rest. He sets down his quill, doing it rather too hard, and spatters ink across his work. Reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose, he says, "Are you actually here to tell me I've done wrong by him? We were starting to get to know each other, yeah, and I liked him, yeah, but I'm a bloody prefect, and he was — well, he knows what he was doing. That puts me in an insupportable position!"
Gabrielle will again raise an eyebrow and fold her arms, "What's more important? Points, or finding out /why/ he was doing what he was doing? He's embarrassed….To tell /you/. He told me, because he doesn't care if /I/ think he's dumb. But he actually said he'd rather loose points than have you think he was stupid. I've got a solution, to /help/ him. And you can help, or not. If you liked him, and it's past tense, then just say so, and I'll do it myself. If you want to help…" She'll trail off, hoping he gets what she's saying.
Glaring at Gabrielle, Ajax rolls up his parchment, no doubt making a horrible mess of whatever his assignment was, and shoves the roll back into the small satchel he's got beside him. "You think I think he's stupid!? Merlin's flaming frock! I wouldn't have said ten words to him if I thought him stupid. He's got — a thing, I don't know what you'd call it, a difficulty, whatever. I know how it is to be born with something weird about you that makes people judge you — and I don't bloody care! I'd have helped him with anything if he asked. I'd have tutored him or gotten permission to help him with his writing or WHATEVER he might need, but sneaking about and copying? That's not only a risk of losing points, it's cowardly and cheap! And I could be sacked as a prefect for knowing about it!"
Gabrielle sigh…boys are just as dramatic as girls it seems, "Oh Merlin! I didn't/say/ that. He's afraid you'd think that!" She'll pause for a second, "He's dyslexic." She'll get ready to stand to block his way in need be, although her voice is softer, "He didn't know how to ask for help, but now…help him. He knows the work, he just couldn't /write/ it. If he didn't know he'd have failed his classes. You know that. Help me help him. That's more important as a Prefect, isn't it? Helping students?…Please. He's terrified you'll hate him…He was a mess last night."
Ajax really is right about to storm off. He's halfway to his feet when Gabrielle says the "d" word, and Ajax realizes — he has no idea what that means! So, he sits back, looking quite puzzled, and says, "He's what? Isn't that a muggle word for bad digestion?" He reaches up to rub his forehead. "He told me he had a — a thing. I'd help him if he'd let me! If he'd let me in, I could even go to the professors and tell them what the problem is and how I plan to help!"
Gabrielle makes a weird face,"No..It's a brain thing…It's….he can't read things right. It gets jumbled." She'll shake her head, "He's embarrassed. He gets labeled as a dumb jock as it is, could you imagine how he'd feel if the professors new? Look, I agree, he can't keep just coping, it's not right. But, if he dictated to someone, and then copied that? It's his own work, his own words…" She'll take a deep breath, "If we both helped him , it wouldn't be so bad. He'd get his work done, and you two could spend time together, and figure that whole thing out. "she'll wave a hand in the air at the last part of her sentence.
Frustrated, Ajax says, "But if he tells them, they could really help! There might be a charm they could do or an enchantment they could put on a quill or — something!" He throws up his hands and then drops them onto his knees. "Look, it was stupid of me to overreact. I know it was. I'm just — I'm afraid of liking anyone, okay? Every time I've ever started to think it might be safe, it's gone badly. I made a stupid assumption, I panicked, and — well there it is. I can see that he was just trying to trust me, and on a certain level that's really good, and — and — argh!" He drops his head into his hands, falling quiet.
Gabrielle shakes her head, "that's not my call….and really shouldn't be your either. If you want to go talk to him about that, fine. But I offered my help, so I am. And i"m asking you to help, because I think you /do/ care…." She'll sigh and sound a little sad, "I understand about being afraid of liking anyone…I really do."and then her voice changes to a matter of fact tone. "But, I mean, it's Theo. He asked you on a date like 2 months ago….and hasn't dated anyone this year. How much more do you need than that?"
Ajax lifts his head at that, a sudden flush finding his cheeks. "He — really? He hasn't… anyone?" At that point he groans and lets his head fall back against the wall. "I'm a complete and utter idiot. Here I am agonizing about trust issues on the one hand, and then I completely fail at respecting Theo's trust in me on the other. How could I EVER thing him stupid when I'm clearly the one without a brain in his head?"
Gabby shakes her head, "No one. He didn't even go to the Halloween dance" She'll wrap her arms around her knees and she pulls them up to her chest. She'll give a small smile, "I don't think your stupid, and he won't either. It's just been a rough spell for everybody." She'll rest her chin on her knees, "I think he's confused, and doesn't quiet know what to do about you. Liking some one is hard enough, a boy liking another boy for the first time?That's gotta be even harder."
"I wouldn't know," Ajax says distantly. "I've only ever liked other boys." He rubs his forehead, sighing, and says, "He — he asked you to talk to me, though? He doesn't completely hate me?" He lifts his head, managing to look a bit hopeful even.
Gabrielle nods,"He did…and no… "she'll laugh softly, "He doesn't hate you." She'll smile softly again, "I think he's really lost right now, between you and losing the Quiditch Captain. He could use a friend….anything else that's up to the two of you. I can't do all the work." she'll smirk slightly, again the effect is lessened by the lock of hair in her eyes.
Ajax's jaw drops. "He lost captain? What — did that miserable troll RIPLEY get it?" He scrambles to his feet, snatching up his satchel. "Bother prefecting and everything to do with it! I should be storming that pustule's room and hexing him from here to the crack of doom!"
Gabrielle eyes widen and she would think this was /hysterical/ if not for the fact that Ajax was moving, "Wait! Stop!Don't let Ripley ruin anything else!Please!"She'll start scrambling to her feet as well, in her haste knocking over her own stack of books, "Theo needs you! If you go get into trouble…that's not going to help him!" She'll move in front of Ajax, again trying to block his way. "If Theo wanted something to happen to Ripley, Theo would make it happen…at least conspire /with/ him…." She'll have her hands held out slightly.
Ajax stands there, staring at the door and no doubt contemplating vengeance and black magic of the worst kind, but he finally just sighs and says, "Fine. I'll play it right — but I can still IMAGINE what I'd do to that useless sack of vomit." He draws a deep, slow breath and then smiles weakly at Gabrielle, shrugging some. "So, apparently I owe you one. Thanks for this."
Gabrielle laughs softly, "I'm sure I can give you some ideas for what would be appropriate vengeance daydreams." she'll shake her head, "You owe me nothing.Theo's my friend, and is hurting. I don't like it when my friends hurt."She'll smirk, "People think Ophelia's bad with you? Oph's got nothing on me."
Ajax offers his hand, nodding, and says, "You're a properly clever witch you are, Gabrielle, and a good friend. Thanks for putting me straight about this — and if you see Theo before I do, please tell him that I'd like to apologize — and to talk — whenever he has the time." He ducks his head a bit, grimacing, and says, "But for now, I'd probably ought to go and rewrite that essay."
Gabrielle , still smirking, will take his hand. "That's probably the first time I've been called clever by another Ravenclaw." She'll nod, "I'll let him know, but you should seek him out…after your paper."