gooseberryhigh | QUIDDITCH: Mar 25, Match #8

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QUIDDITCH: Mar 25, Match #8

EBONHIDE

COPPERTALE

Those praying for spring to finally come are disappointed when they wake up to an overcast day. It snowed a little this morning, leaving a thin layer across the pitch. Cheerleaders make footprints in the snow as they walk out.

Chaser Webb grabs the Quaffle first, and zips around the opposition to get to the goals. Chaser Lacey catches up to him and grabs for the ball, and Webb throws from too far away, missing as Keeper Velasquez blocks his shot and tosses the Quaffle over to Chaser Stoker. Coppertale wins the first goal of the game, but Ebonhide gets the Quaffle next.

Beaters Barringer and Meer struggle to get any headway on Ebonhide's Chasers since they fly separately, eschewing the expected tight formation. While they aim for Quayle, Chasers Decourt and Webb knock out three goals for Ebonhide, putting them ahead 30–10. Beaters Kim and Bailey fight to protect their team from Coppertale's Beaters, and get a few good shots off. One Bludger from Bailey almost nails Chaser Lewis, but bounces off her helmet instead.

Coppertale doesn't let this get them down for long. Ebonhide's strategy opens up many opportunities for intercepts, and Chaser Lacey proves to be a real obstacle thanks to his size. When Lacey gets between any Ebonhide Chasers, he continuously blocks passes, and they can't seem to shake him. Lacey's excellent throwing arm quickly gets the Quaffle to his teammates.

Chaser Stoker catches one such pass, but sees Decourt and Webb closing in on him. He appears to intentionally drop the Quaffle, confusing everyone until Lewis swoops underneath him and catches it, then swings upwards to make a tidy goal past a surprised Keeper Wilde. By the hour mark, Coppertale's ahead, 80–50.

Chaser Quayle finds a way coordinate with his team, and leads the Coppertale Beaters' shots right to where his Beaters need them. Beater Barringer hits a Bludger at Quayle as he gets close to the Coppertale goals, but Kim is there, ready to jump in. He slams the Bludger at Meer with all his might, who just barely manages to deflect it in self-defense. But the Bludger goes off-course and hits an unsuspecting Velasquez, breaking her arm. Reserve Dixon is subbed in as Keeper.

After this, it doesn't take long for Ebonhide to reclaim the lead again. Decourt ties the game 93 minutes in, 80–80, her fourth goal of the match. Both teams are aiming for a few more points than this, but Ebonhide appears the more confident that they'll get it. They knock out three more goals, two of them by Webb with assist from Quayle, as Barringer and Meer turn their attention to just trying to keep their opponents off Keeper Dixon.

Seeker North sees the Snitch and goes for it, with Seeker Wainwright on her tail. Bailey flies for a Bludger, while Barringer goes for the other. The Seekers are too close together; Bailey hesitates and Barringer doesn't, but both Seekers veer apart just in time, letting her Bludger pass between them. Bailey hits her Bludger now as North and Wainwright make a sharp dive for the Snitch. The sudden Bludger makes Wainwright miscalculate; he pulls away and wings Chaser Lewis, Wainwright spins out and both of them crash. North maneuvers and avoids getting caught up in the collision, and there's no competition in sight as she catches the Snitch.

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EBONHIDE WINS
160–90

Whether you’re a player, cheerleader or spectator, post below with your character’s reactions! If you wish to post separately about the game, please use lj-cuts and mark for spoilers for the first 24 hours, so no one sees the result before reading the official match description.

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So that underwear theory holds some water!! She must have been wearing the star ones when she found those quarters! Catching a snitch while up against Reid Wainwright himself has been her dream literally all year. She’d fantasized about it when catching grapes and tennis balls and marshmallows. She’d probably had dreams about it.

Now, though, she just hovers over him and Nisha on the ground and feels a little bad. A little. She doesn’t flip or show off this time, just lights on the ground and tells everyone what a good job THEY did, because they Did. She’s still honestly processing this. Give her time!

Coppertale had lost. This was good news, technically, although it did put some personal affairs into a strange state. Nisha must be disappointed. Maybe she didn't want to talk to Archie. Maybe she'd rather be with her team. She played well, but the point difference was significant. Archie's rarely reassured by his individual success if all his friends aren't equally satisfied. Nisha, he imagines, is the same.

But Archie hangs around the periphery of Coppertale's players, watching Nisha with large, still eyes. He waits several minutes, at least until Sylvester is gone, and then begins to approach. If any other Coppertales acknowledge his approach he ignores them.

She's worked through her nervous rituals, already. Bouncing and shaking and touching her hair until the curly ponytail is a frizzy mess while carefully enumerating all the things that went wrong in her head. And although she's calmed considerably when Archie makes his way over, Nisha's disappointment is as glaringly obvious as the bright red scrape across her right cheek, a smear of vibrant color.

She ducks her head when she spots him. A whole lot of feelings going suddenly sharp and freezing in her chest. He's coming over. This should be a good thing. She should be excited. But, Nisha's confidence is shaken and she's left feeling doubtful. He's here to reject her, in person.

After a quick, steadying breath and a moment to dislodge a particularly large clod of dirt and grass from her quidditch leathers, she forces her legs to get to work to meet him halfway. "Hey. Ebonhide did great, today."

Archie comes to a stop in front of her, and it takes him another second to actually speak. He immediately notices the scrape, and in a moment of weakness reaches out like he might touch her face. But there's something that stops him. Actually, there are many things that stop him. Most of them are his own fault, with his cowardice is chief among them.

"You're hurt." It's more of a statement than a question, but his voice wavers with uncertainty. "I have something that would help. Keep it from becoming infected or scarring."

A bright shock of energy grabs Nisha's chest when Archie reaches out. For a moment, all of her attention is fixed on his fingers fluttering between them. She glances up at him, unsure but hopeful, and then back down at his hand. Her thoughts tear off in several different directions at once, and it's a long second before she remembers she needs to participate in this conversation.

"I just ate dirt. It's, like, a scratch." She says, automatic, despite the fact that her whole body kind of hurts. And then she gives a bit of a start. "But, that...would be nice? Thanks."

Archie nods mutely. It's beginning to drizzle, just a mist, but it's enough. She looks beautiful, tangled hair and scratched face, tired and ragged. Strong. They look like complete opposites. This is a bad match. Some kind of joke or mistake. She's not the girl his father would want him to be with... but that's irrelevant now. There's no fortune or bloodline for Archimedes to uphold. There are no more consequences for straying from the plan. He's not going to move to Finland anymore.

"I'm sorry." He doesn't know how to explain himself. Why he panics, why he seeks advice and then doesn't take it, why getting exactly what he wanted makes it hard to breathe or think. Ordinarily, he's all talk, no action, unless that action is secretive and potentially morally objectionable and he doesn't want to be caught.

But the words seem worse right now. Talk to her, most of them said. But a few also said just kiss her. So that's what he does. He leans down and lets their lips touch just as the rain picks up.

Edited (checks romantic kiss in the rain off my shipping to-do list) 2018-03-26 17:11 (UTC)

They'd spoken once about fireworks. How one kiss, explosive, could blow everything else away. Giving purpose and obvious meaning to all that physical contact. That's how people always described it in books and movies, at least. Nisha had expected it to be a bit more literal. Their first kiss had been closer to that version of reality, loud and electric and overwhelming. But there had been no clarity, just the muddying of waters already murky.

This, though, is quite clear. And when Archie's lips find hers she doesn't jolt or panic. Nisha throws one arm up and around his neck to pull him closer, overeager at first. But she slows, her other hand lighting on his face, fingers touching his cheek before sliding into his hair, exploring.

The rain is cold and loud and Archie is warm and quiet and strange in a way that makes all of her own internal buzzing lull to silence. She doesn't want this kiss to end, and so, she doesn't let it. Nisha presses herself up and agaisnt him and lets everything else fade away.

Edited (lmao long tag is long my bad) 2018-03-26 18:12 (UTC)

Archie's arms wrap around Nisha's waist. He feels warm from head to toe, and momentarily, he's singular. His racing thoughts still and wait for the moment to end, and they allow him to focus only on the person in front of him. It goes on and on, desperate and uncertain, until certain necessities interrupt the romance. He needs to breathe, he needs to comprehend.

Archimedes is the first to pull back, but not far. They're still a tangle of limbs, mostly driven by instinct and pop culture images of kisses. He couldn't have done that without the movies he's seen or rumors he'd heard.

"I..." He chokes on his own thoughts. "I think I feel the same." Simple and insufficient, but true. "I'm sorry." He's not sure what, exactly, he's apologizing for.

"Why?" She asks, immediate and automatic. Then, urgent and without pause, she follows it up with, "Don't be."

Because Nisha knows that instinct to apologize - even if she can't explain it. Just a feeling of guilt and dread that she, herself, fights every day. Recognizing it in Archie is a blast of hot and cold. Anger and sadness and a connection, yes, but a painful one. And it makes that desire to reassure and protect him bubble up inside of her even more fiercely than before.

Nisha drapes both her arms over Archie's shoulders, keeping as close to him as he'll allow and, squinting, she smiles up at his face. Rain-soaked and solemn and here, in her arms, Archie's the most handsome boy she's ever seen. "'Cuz, y'know, like, I've got this big dumb crush on you. So, that's super good news to me?"

i forgot to update the quidditch page last time i will do that now

Game Length: 1h 55m 10s
Final Score: 160–90 (110–90 without Snitch)

EBONHIDE
# goals blocked by Wilde: 14
# goals scored by Decourt: 5
# goals scored by Quayle: 1
# goals scored by Webb: 5

COPPERTALE
# goals blocked by Velasquez: 8
# goals blocked by Dixon: 2
# goals scored by Lacey: 3
# goals scored by Lewis: 3
# goals scored by Stoker: 3

Edited (yes that was the rng result for coppertale's chasers. very cute.) 2018-03-26 03:34 (UTC)

eat shit quayle

solo is personally very proud of Ulysses for being so good at assisting goals

no clems right eat SHIT quayle

TO BE FAIR, the Coppertale Beaters were on him pretty hard this game. :o

Be nice to your boy, Cam.

ughhhhh speaking of casper why did you have to save his bacon i was so hoping he'd die >:(

:) I loved it and I'm not sorry~

Edited (Gotta look out for his boys!) 2018-03-26 14:05 (UTC)

solo will defend Ulysses ardently

Ahhhh Looks like Tuesday found her lucky underwear
I was going to save this for my ic response but idk if it's coming tonight and I'm tired so

sorry

BUT THANK YOU :(

JENNY, we need to do an Archie/Nisha scene!!!! He's.... probably going to kiss that girl. Any preferences on before or after the game????

Also Reid will crawl over to check on Nisha :(

WEH YES!!!!! Maybe after? She will be in a little worse of a mood but it will cheer her up! :c

She is going to flop on Reid and whine once she's sure he is okay.

Yes sounds good!!!! ;o; I'm doing adult things like putting away laundry but I'll try to put up a starter before I fall asleep ♥

He's alive and very embarrassed. Maybe he needs to stop being a complacent asshole.

COOL :> I am probably going to roll off to bed soon. I will hit it if I am still up but will otherwise hit it tomorrow!!

She can whine and huff at him about it, if that would help.

SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS Nisha could have FINALLY DIED if she had only REFUSED to wear a helmet??

Also thank u for doing quidditch luv u. Very good. I am thrilled every time Nisha's ridiculous ideas show up.

read this and then fell back asleep and dreamt everything was the same except dinah’s surname was chucklesworth

her real alter ego, exposed!!!

no joke when i woke up i was like "haha, marin put in dinah's funny superhero name instead of her real name" and then i had to stop to be like "or is chucklesworth her real name? ... wait..."

All my dreams lately have featured reality exactly except for 1 lamp doesn’t work and the persona 5 fight music is always playing so
There are more clues for you

This Means Something

Something Important

Death omen, god, please

we deserve this

scream @ archie and nisha

Sy turns his back and Archie immediately makes a move

dating is now legal since ebonhide and coppertale are technically no longer in competition

but sy has his eyes on you, kid

Edited (email posting is literally the worst ever gdit dw) 2018-03-26 17:23 (UTC)

thats my boy

YELLS.

ebonhide is now in first place and it's up to sy and nisha to flirt-destroy their team

This is an excellent bonding opportunity.

Cutes :((((

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QUIDDITCH: Mar 25, Match #8

PLAYERS & CHEERLEADERS

Tuesday

AUDIENCE REACTIONS

AFTER THE GAME

Archie & Nisha

Archie & Nisha

Archie & Nisha

Archie & Nisha

Archie & Nisha

Archie & Nisha

Archie & Nisha

Archie & Nisha

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