| Details for Oblivious |
| Summary: | Kimiko and Eamon spend some quality time together. |
| Date: | January 16, 1938 |
| Location: | Rooftops |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Kimiko skipped out of lunch early today, just feeling a bit of wanderlust and restlessness. A break in the flurrying snow has allowed her to step outside without completely freezing. So where else to go, but the coldest place she can find? Her shoes crunch in the rooftop snow as she rolls up balls of the stuff to build a small snowman.
Wanderlust is Eamon's middle name. Well, not really, but it could be. And when one wants to wander, one generally wanders outside. Except it's cold and deep out there and he's not feeling up to trudging through snow drifts just for a bit of fresh air. The roof is the place! It's already occupied though, now that the blond boy minds. "Hey there, Kimiko!" he greets, seeing her dark head at work. "Thinking of taking up snow sculpture now?"
Kimiko giggles, glancing over toward Eamon. "Hey, Eamon! Yes! I was thinking I could shape him into a lion or something. The guardian of the rooftop." She steps bad, arms akimbo, to examine the shapeless mass of snow and try to imagine the great cat within.
"I'd offer to help, but it might end up looking more like a deformed dog," Eamon says with a bright touch of self-deprecating humor. "But I can, uh, spell it solid when you're done with it? I think. I don't know. My freezing charm's a little weak, but snow's already half-frozen, right?"
Kimiko waves him over. "Oh, come on. You can help. I'll teach you! Besides, it's alright if it looks like a dog. Did you know that in Japan, they have these statues called komainu. They're lion guardians, but Westerners think they look like dogs."
Eamon snickers and comes forward to help her. "Komainu?" he repeats, tasting the foreign word on his tongue. "What's it like in Japan?" he asks, poking the snow with a finger, trying to force some ear shapes out of it, while the snow proves uncooperative.
Kimiko shrugs, a hint of melancholy touching her features. "I've never been there. I just know what my mother tells me. Of course, I've been schooled about it. But I've never even left England." She comes over place her gloves hand over his. "You have to pack it before you can shape it."
"Oh," says Eamon stupidly, in response to both things she's said. "I thought maybe, when you were little, they might have let you go." Before she was old enough to be married off. "Well. Maybe after we both graduate, I can sneak you in." He winks at her, and then does his best to pack the snow down. "I've never been into this… making snowmen and stuff."
Kimiko giggles…maybe blushing? It's hard to tell, as the cold has already reddened her cheeks. "Hopefully things will be calmer before we go, what with wars and such breaking out." She scrapes her hands along the "face" of the snowman, carefully shaping a rough snout. "Why not? I thought everyone liked making snowmen."
Eamon lifts his gloved hands and wiggles his fingers. "It's cold! But I suppose I'll put up with it, for you." He winks at her and tries the ears again. They're too close together. "Wars can't last forever," he tells her, eyebrows knitted. "It has to end eventually."
Kimiko sighs. "I know." Then she perks up with a coy little smirk. "Are you saying you'll wait around until it's over to sneak me into Japan?"
Eamon quirks an eyebrow and thinks about that. "Wait around? Never. But I might come back. Or you could just come with me, and we'll get to Japan eventually." He chuckles. "But we've got two more years to even think about what we're doing after school anyway."
Kimiko shrugs and nods as she shapes the forelegs of the lion. "I think I might want to go to W.A.D.A. and study dance. Wait…come back? You're going to leave?" There is noticeable disappointment in the slight downturn of her mouth.
"Well, I had planned to take a job that allowed me to travel when I graduate," says Eamon with a shrug.
You say, "Oh…right." Kimiko nods, nibbling at her lip. "You told me before. I'd forgotten about that. So…um…how is Quidditch practice going? You really trounced Slytherin in the first game. But I think Hufflepuff will give us a bigger challenge.""
Eamon gives her a long look, something just not clicking in his silly boy brain. "Quidditch is going okay," he says, busying himself with snow-sculpting again, working on a very bad mane. "I suppose that's the nature of sports, don't you think? Try your hardest and maybe you'll be better than the other team. I'm not too worried about winning though. Winning is fun, but it's not what makes the sport fun."
Kimiko could forgive the ears. Artistic interpretation, and all that. But the mane makes the lion. She rises to moves right up beside him, bumping shoulders. "Here…make it big to start with," she says as she packs on more snow. "Then carve out thick lines to just suggest a mane. Like this. Trust me, it'll look great." She demonstrates the technique a few times for him. "I'm glad you're having fun out there. That's the spirit. So…um…" Cue next subject change! "How are things with Mabel? Are you…still…um…trying to…?"
He watches her for a moment, and then tries to imitate her motions. "Mabel? Oh." Frown. "We haven't even spoken since she got mad at me in the Three Broomsticks. If she's going to go bonkers over wanting to kiss her, well… I guess I don't really want to after all."
"Oh," Kimiko nods slowly, fighting the smile forming at the corners of her mouth. "Good. I mean! No, not good. Just…that…um…you should be happy. And…if she's not right for you, then you should find someone who appreciates you." Her smile turns lopsided, teeth gritted nervously as she bumbles through her feeble explanation.
Eamon is an oblivious boy… a very nice, oblivious boy. He shrugs one shoulder, eyebrows furrowed as he carves away at the snow, clumsily working his gloved fingers in an attempt to make it look like…something moderately resembling a lion. "Yeah, she had weird ideas. She never leaned on me or hugged me, we barely even held hands. I tried to invite her to the Yule Ball when I found out I was going to be in Leander's entourage and she more or less shot me down. Why would I want to date a girl who doesn't seem to even like me?"
Kimiko sighs heavily through a protruding lower lip, blowing a loose strand of hair up and out of her face. "Mabel is just…very proper. I can understand it. I was raised with a very traditional mother. But…I think she hides behind it. I think it's fine to want to be proper…but, um…a girl has to show a boy that she cares, too. Right? That…she's interested?" She's stopped sculpting now, and just watches Eamon, looking up at him and trying to catch his gaze.
Doot-do-doo, oblivious boy! "Well, yeah, obviously," grumbles Eamon. "I wasn't asking her to make it with me or something, not like… well, most of the upperclassmen do. I'm not dumb, I know what they're doing in the rooms above the Broomstick on Hogsmeade Weekends." He finally glances up, more to figure out why she's not sculpting than anything, and quirks an eyebrow curiously.
Now Kimiko is definitely blushing. No question. "Oh…right. Um…no…no, I don't think anyone thought that's what you were asking. But…that's just how she is, I suppose. Too proper to see that she had this sweet, devoted boy that was crazy about her."
Eamon examines Kimiko's blush with a certain kind of fascination. He made a girl blush? Interesting. "Oh," he says, now turning a faint bit of pink himself. "I'm not all that, but thanks, Kimiko."
"But…you are," she insists. "You've always been very sweet to me. So I'm sure you were to Mabel as well. And devoted? No question. But…well, I suppose it takes a very special girl to earn that kind of devotion from a boy. She is rather extraordinary." Sighing dejectedly, she slumps back, forgetting for a moment that the object behind her isn't a wall, but just packed…snow. FLUMP! "Aiee!" The lion is rendered innto nothing but a pile of snow, with a pair of very human legs protruding from it. Now on her back, in the snow, Kimi just shuts her eyes at the humiliation of it all.
"Are you okay?" exclaims Eamon, rushing forward to help her from the snow drift and set about brushing her off before she can get too soaked. "Mabel isn't any more special or talented than anyone else," he tells her as he brushes snow from her shoulders. "Everyone has their own skills, you know. She can't dance like you, or sculpt like you. You shouldn't be jealous."
Damn. Her embarrassment didn't just go away when she closed her eyes. Where does she learn how to do that magic? Kimiko gives a little shiver as he brushes her off. "Thank you…" Her blushes burns redder, but gives way to a light giggle. "I'm not jealous. I just see what you must have seen in her. What…what made you decide to pursue her?" She looks up at his face, nibbling her lip.
"You're going to blend in with your scarf there soon, Kimiko." Eamon gives her cheek a gentle, teasing pinch and then drops his hands to his sides, stuffing them in his robe pockets. "Oh. Are you… erm… do you fancy her, then? I mean…" He shuts up and looks sideways rather than finish that thought. He was raised muggle, he's not exactly cool with some parts of the wizarding world just yet. "Well. She's pretty, I suppose, and well… I don't know. I guess that's it? I didn't know her so well then."
Kimiko blinks, and her dark eyed go wide in shock. "Fancy her? Wh-…no! No, I'm…not that sort of girl. Do I…seem like that to you?"
Eamon looks bewildered. "No! No, not really. I just…well, it sort of sounded like maybe, for a minute, is all."
"Well, I'm not. I couldn't…I'm just…I like boys. Not all boys. Just some. Well…not that I have a list, or anything." Shut up, Kimi. "I mean, maybe there are certain things I like in a boy, but a list would be silly. I might seem desperate, or something. But I'm not! I'm just…I'm fine. How are you?" Witness the smooth talker that is Kimiko.
"Well, maybe a list of things you like… but probably not a list of guys you like. That would be…" Eamon doesn't have a word for it. "I'm fine," he adds, almost automatically. "Er. Do you want to go inside and warm up? Get some cocoa maybe or something?"
Kimiko looks back at the remains of the snow lion, wincing at her clumsiness. "I suppose we should. It's starting to snow again, anyhow."
"Thanks for smooshing that lion, by the way. You saved me at least 15 minutes of embarrassing myself and painfully maiming our house mascot's image." Eamon offers her his arm courteously. "Do you play wizard chess, Kimiko?"
Kimiko breaks into a happy smile when he offers his arm like a gentleman. A little nervously, she slips her hand into the crook of his elbow, standing close as a result. "Sometimes, sure. Are you very good?"
"Are you kidding? I'm terrible. But I still like to play. If you're interested." Eamon leads her off the snowy rooftop and into the drafty cooridor. At least the common room will be warm and dry.
Kimiko nods, looking a bit relieved. "Oh, good. I'm terrible, too." She laughs merrily, descending into the castle with him.
Eamon chuckles as he leads Kimiko the short(ish) walk to the 7th floor tower and tells the Fat Lady to shove aside…politely, of course. He is a prefect after all. "Why don't you go find us a warm spot to play? I'll get a chess set."
Kimiko nods and skips off to clear off a side table, pulling it around in front of one of the bit, comfy couches. She takes a seat on one side, leaving room on the couch beside her for Eamon. "So…I saw your name on the sign-ups for the Paladin's Challenge."
Eamon comes back with a box, which he opens and begins setting the board up. "Oh, uh, yeah. It's kind of fun, dueling. Good practice and all that. And hopefully Seamus will do a better job at organizing it than that Auror did. 1st years against 6th years and all that. What about you, were you thinking of signing up?"
Kimiko shakes her head as she helps to set up the chess pieces. "Oh, nooooo. No, no. I'd probably fall off the stage before any spells were cast." She smirks abashedly. "But I'll be there to cheer you on."
Eamon glances at the dark haired girl and smiles. "You should have more confidence, Kimiko. I am sure you're a better witch than you give yourself credit for. All the same, I'll never turn down a cheering squad."
Kimiko smiles and shrugs. "I'm pretty good at potions. I'm not awful with a wand. But fighting?" She shakes her head. "I wouldn't even know where to start. Japanese girls are not taught to fight." She starts the game, moving her first pawn without thinking much about it.
"You are pretty, um…" He doesn't want to say soft. That's not what he's looking for. Without the right word though, Eamon simply looks helplessly at her and grins. He directs a pawn out in turn and leans back into the couch.
Kimiko's lips part, her blush returning. "I'm…pretty?" Apparently she misinterpreted his meaning.
Not what he meant, but an opening is an opening. "Um," Eamon replies, clearing his throat. "Quite-ah, quite pretty, yes."
Kimiko shifts in her seat, stifling a giggle. "Thank you. You…you are very handsome, also." Though she lowers her gaze, her eyes keep flickering up to his.
"Oh. Um. Thank you." Eamon's not so great at this whole exchange of compliments. Or flirting, even. Girls, he likes, but he's no lady's man by any stretch. "Um. It's your move."
"My…move?" Kimi looks momentarily panicked…until she follows his eyes to the chess board. "Oh! Right. My move." She shifts another pawn into place, demonstrating the brilliant strategy of having no strategy. "So…yes."
Eamon moves out a knight without thinking, leaving it sitting along in front of a line of pawns. His eyes lift from the board to Kimiko expectantly, seeing what she'll do.
Kimiko takes the bait (if it was even bait), and moves a pawn closer to approach the knight, making it perfectly vulnerable to the knight itself.
Eamon sees an easy target when it presents itself! He gleefully sends the knight to smash the pawn and smirks at Kimiko. Merciless, smash and grab, that's kind of his style. "Hah! Take that!"
Kimiko gasps, then giggles delightedly when the knight ruthlessly smashes her pawn. "You said you were terrible at this! Fine…I'll just come get you." She direct a bishop out onto the field to begin the hunt.
"Oh-ho, so it's going to be like that, then." Eamon gleefully starts moving things around, no rhyme or reason, just an effort to see if he can smash more pieces.
Rhyme? Reason? Is that part of the game? It's soon becoming evident that Kimiko enjoys Wizard's Chess for much the same reason Eamon does: to watch the pieces get smashed to bits. She doesn't even seem to mind that he is completely trouncing her. Every pawn and knight turned to rubble elicits a gleeful cheer from her, whether it was black or white. At last, she's down to one pawn, her queen, and her king. It isn't looking good for Team Saito. "It's not over until it's over!" she declares, and moves her queen across the board. "Check!"
Eamon has a bishop, and a scattered handful of pawns, and a rook left beside his king. "Hrm," he murmurs, scowling. With nothing in range to take the queen, he settles for moving the rook between them, a temporary fix to what is probably going to be a stalemate.
Kimiko's eagerness gets the better of her. "Queen takes castle!" she orders, and the queen marches over to mercilessly crush the rook to dust with her scepter…putting her directly beside Eamon's king. "Check!"
"King takes Queen," says Eamon serenely, grinning madly as the king slams his sword through the Queen, reducing her to rubble. "Do you admit defeat?" he asks her, a ferocious light of glee in his eyes.
Kimiko's jaw drops. Well…damn. She smirks impishly up at him. "Never surrender! Pawn, advance!" The meek little pawn is actually trembling as it moves forward, still several spaces away from becoming a queen, but can it make it? Kimiko certainly hasn't calculated the moves. "Never underestimate the little ones."
Eamon gives Kimiko a long look and a slow smile. "Me? Never." The bishop is directed in an attempt to intercept the pawn…it may take some wiggling to line it up proper though.
"Nooo!" Kimi protests. "Pawn, advance! Hurrrrry!" As if it were a race, she tries to cheer the pawn on, encouraging it to speed its way to the far end of the board.
"It can only move one block at a time!" laughs Eamon. "It won't go faster just because you cheer for it! Bishop to C3."
"I just want it to feel that it's doing well," Kimi explains. "Come on, little guy. Advance!" The pawn moves forward again, right into the bishop's line of fire. This just isn't Kimiko's game.
Eamon shakes his head and sighs. "You'd cheer for a tree to grow, wouldn't you, Kimiko? Bishop takes pawn."
Kimiko squeals in mixed delight and lamentation. "Oh noooo!" Alas, the poor little pawn is impaled by the bishop's staff. One can almost make out it's little lips mouthing: Avenge me! Kimi examines the board, where she has but her king remaining. "Uuuuugh. Fine, alright, you win. But I want it stated for the record that I went down swinging." She giggles, ever a good sport, even in defeat.
Eamon claps for himself, leaning back into the couch and basking in the warm accomplishment of trouncing the tiny girl and her tiny pawn. "Record shall so reflect that one Kimiko Saito did not go down without a fight."
Kimiko kicks her shoes off and pulls her legs up under her. "Also let the record show that your bishop displayed unnecessary cruelty to my pawn. Next time, I expect a clean death."
"Noted," agrees Eamon, still grinning. His head lolls sideways, looking her over. "That was fun."
Kimiko grins, nodding. "It was. I…um…I really liked spending time with you." Her fingers lace and unlace anxiously, a nervous habit.
"I like spending time with you, too, Kimiko. It's hard to worry or feel sad when you're around. You're… very perky." Which is a compliment, right? Eamon hopes so.
Kimiko seems to take it as one, judging by the sparkling smile in her eyes. "Thank you. I wish that were always true. But life is short, right? That's what everyone always says. Life is short, so enjoy it."
"Too right," agrees Eamon. "Take chances, be bold, live every day like you'll never live another one, right?" Smiling, he begins cleaning up the chess board with a wave of his wand.
Kimiko shrugs, "Well…I don't know if I'm that bold. I think one could get into real trouble like that. But…yes, taking chances is a good thing." Her fingers fidget in her lap. "You never know what opportunities you might be missing if you don't answer when they knock."
"What kind of boldness were you thinking of that would get you in trouble?" Eamon laughs and puts the lid back on the box. "You okay, Kimiko? You've sure been wiggly tonight."
Kimiko stiffens suddenly, sitting bolt upright. "Wiggly? Wh-…really? I'm fine. Everything's fine. How are you?" She winces, shutting her eyes. How are you? Genius, Kimi. Genius.
A long confused look is given and Eamon casually runs a hand through his hair. "If you're certain. You just seem…nervous. If I'm making you uncomfortable, you'd tell me, right?"
"Well…yes. Of course." Kimiko nods her assurance. "But no…I'm not uncomfortable. I said I like spending time with you, didn't I?" She looks into his eyes, an expectant half-smile lingering on her lips.
"Well yes, but… well, I suppose you could like spending time with someone and, um, also be uncomfortable?" Eamon isn't sure what that expectant half-smile is, but now it's making HIM nervous, which makes him smile back at her like he's being strangled from behind and doesn't want anyone to know. "So, um…what do you think of the Beauxbatons Champion being kicked out of the Triwizard Tournament?" Politics! That will go well!
Kimiko blinks…then sighs heavily. Defeated by politics! "Well…I think it's absolutely horrid, of course. It's bad enough that Durmstrang won't permit Muggle-born witches and wizards. But to deny the will of the Goblet of Fire? It's outrageous. I signed that petition that Summerbee was putting out. I hope it will make a difference."
And now Eamon just looks blank. "That was a really poor choice of subject changes, I'm sorry. I, um…just couldn't think of what to say. But you're right, it's horrible. I hope it makes a difference too." And to his credit he doesn't jump at the chance to call Ophelia a cheating, relationship ruining slut. Wasn't she dating Hephaestia? Oh, never mind. What does he know about anything, honestly, he's lucky if he can tie his shoes most mornings.
Kimiko takes a deep breath, gathering up her courage. She swallows, licks her lips, twiddles her thumbs, and does just about anything and everything else to stall before speaking. "Eamon…can I ask you something personal?"
There so goes, fidgeting again. Eamon looks concerned. "Of course, Kimiko. You can ask me anything."
"It's about Mabel again," Kimiko grimaces apologetically. "Well, more about you. But…are you okay? After what happened with her, I mean. I was so worried about you that day, but you left so quickly, I couldn't follow."
Eamon shrugs and nods. "Sure, I'm fine. It's not like… I was very invested. I was a little upset for a few days but it's been months, I'm fine now."
Kimiko nods, smiling warmly at him. "Good. I felt bad that I didn't come after you. So…um…that didn't turn you off from girls, did it? Or…has there been someone else?" Again, she catches her lip between her teeth.
"Don't feel bad, Kimiko. I just needed to cool down a little." Eamon smiles at her reassuringly. "What? No… I mean, why would it? If I gave up on flying just because I fell off my broom, I wouldn't be on the quidditch team, right? There hasn't been anyone else though. I think Lois had dreams of setting me up with just the right someone, but knowing her, the right someone will be…" He doesn't say what he's thinking, he leaves it up to Kimiko's interpretation.
Kimiko slowly leans closer, brow lifting and eyes widening in anticipation of who that someone will be. Then it doesn't come. "Who? Who is the right someone?"
Eamon shrugs his shoulders and looks helpless, hands spreading out with hands up. "Lois is crazy, Kimiko. How should I know who she thinks would be perfect for me? Probably some fourth year Hufflepuff with acne. She also doesn't seem to think very highly of me."
Kimiko blinks. "She what? Crazy? Why wouldn't she think highly of you?" She fires off the questions at him in a cloud of puzzlement.
Eamon lifts his hands in front of him now to ward off the assault of questions. "She's not really crazy, just, er, high strung. It's got to be something in the Yaxley blood, all of those girls are a bit off." Look at Eamon, trying to sound all smart.
Kimiko chuckles, nodding and trying to seem like she has a clue what he's talking about. "Well…what sort of girl do you think is right for you?"
Eamon frowns and again looks like he's being strangled. Is this a trick question? A crazy female trap? Tread carefully, here, MacCaille! "I honestly hadn't ever thought of it. One who shares my interests, I suppose? She'd have to like to travel, because it's hard to have a relationship with someone who wants to stay home if you're always going out."
Kimiko chews her lip so hard she winces at the pain. "Um…well…what if she's never traveled? It's hard to know if one likes something that she hasn't tried."
"I've never traveled either," admits Eamon thoughtfully. "But I want to, and I know I'd enjoy it. So I guess… at least if she wanted to."
"So…that's all? Just a girl that wants to travel?" Kimiko tilts her head. "What if she's dim? Or rude? Or…if she's got pimples and warts?"
"Well obviously there's other criteria," says Eamon, alarmed suddenly at the possibilities. "That sounds shallow though." Blink. "Kimiko, you aren't thinking of setting me up with a friend or something, are you? Because if you were, I'd rather you didn't. Not that I don't think you have nice friends…" This isn't going right.
Kimiko's face falls, first figuratively, then literally as she rolls forward to face-plant into the couch. "M'm frrmng mh mph mrr ph mgh MH!" she explains.
Eamon is so very confused. Poor kid. "Kimi?" he asks, very concerned as she lands in the space between them. Awkwardly he puts a hand on her back and patpats. "I didn't quite, um… what did you say? You're trying to what?"
Kimiko lifts herself up again, hair mashed into her face now. She sighs, blowing vainly at some of those stubborn strands of hair. "Nothing…I'm just being silly. I'm…no, I'm not trying to set you up with any friends."
Eamon's eyebrows now knit to meet in the middle above his nose. He helpfully reaches to brush Kimiko's hair out of her face, fingers gently grazing skin. "Then what are you trying to do? You said 'I'm trying.' To do what?"
The touch of his fingers on her face elicits an almost immediate reddening of Kimiko's cheeks. "I…did I? I meant…I'm trying…to…um…n-nevermind. I'm being stupid." She lowers her gaze, trying to mask her embarrassment.
"Um. Okay." And that's all Eamon really can do. "Well. I'd better go return this before my dormmate realizes it's gone. Of course, he'll probably blame Jackson…" No matter. "And then I guess I should probably do that essay for DADA. I've sort of been putting it off. I'll see you around?"
Kimiko stares blankly at him for a moment. "Um…right. Yes…of course. Studying. It's important." She nods, trying to look…studious, maybe? "I'll be around. Whenever you need me. Or…whenever." The couch cushions are looking like a great place to bury her head right about now.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Eamon asks one last time, and by his tone, he doesn't believe he is. "Whatever it is… you can tell me, you know. Isn't that what friends are for? To tell each other things?"
Kimiko groans in frustration, but she smiles at him. "Eamon…you're very sweet." She rises and smooths out her skirt. "Go do your essay. I should work on mine as well."
Now thoroughly confused, Eamon nods, "Eh…thanks. Good night, then, Kimi." Box in hand, he heads up to the stairs to his dorm.
Kimiko sighs softly, puffing out her cheeks with a sigh. "Very smooth, Saito. Every boy wants to ask out the girl that shoves her face into the couch." Grumbling at herself, she drags her feet up the stairs to the girls tower.