gooseberryhigh | Ebonfamily Quidditch Last Supper

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Ebonfamily Quidditch Last Supper

EBONFAMILY QUIDDITCH LAST SUPPER

This weekend, for better or worse, Ebonhide's playing Azurcrest. And then that's it. The season will be over. Even if some of them will be facing Hogwarts on the Gooseberry team, the fact remains that this is the last time they're all going to be playing together, ever. Leo wants to gather them all once more for a final goodbye, before the game that will determine the winners of the cup.

They've had mandatory family dinners so that they can bond as a unit at least once a week for a while now. It's a common sight on Friday nights for nine chairs to stubbornly be squeezed in to an eight-chair table. Tonight, it's just like that, on the surface. There isn't any special menu, no agenda. There's a final meeting to talk about what they're going to be doing on Sunday ahead of time, before other students file in to eat. Once enough possible enemy spies are in the vicinity, though, the playbooks go down and it's all about eating and appreciating each other, one last time.

So basically this IC/OOC is just here so a bunch of mushy teammates can get together and talk over dinner. Enjoy it or stare at them, they don't mind.

HOW THIS WORKS

The team has commandeered just one table at dinnertime, in the corner of the cafeteria where they can be at least a little alone

If you are a member or reserve of the Ebonhide Quidditch team, this is MANDATORY unless you really have a good excuse!

This is also mostly a closed party, but they're in a public place, so droppers-by could happen!

» BEFORE DINNER TEAM MEETING: As always, before Leo lets his team relax, it's all about business. They spend a hushed hour in their corner of the cafeteria discussing strategies to use on Sunday. Any listening ears will be shooed away :|
» FINAL FAMILY DINNER: Eat. Plan. Be Family. Make toasts. Reminisce about your favorite drills?

» AFTER DINNER?: Leo will not allow any alcoholic after-parties, but if they end up hanging out, that's cool. (Just remember, you still have Saturday 8am practice!)

» OOC - Questions, comments, concerns!

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The culmination of all of Leo's many months of plotting, observing, and strategizing kind of makes him look insane. Today, he has all of the books he's been using over his four years at this school scattered around the table. But they're not open yet. Leo wants to see exactly what they've learned together, and to come up with a plan with them all involved. In a few weeks, one of them will be taking over the team. This is good practice. He still guides the conversation a little. The question he proposes is simple. "Fifteen goals, or ten and the snitch to get the cup. How are we getting there?"

"How good you think I've gotten at feinting?" Dahlia asks, leaning back, her hands clasped behind her head. "Because Etta's ballsy enough to follow me if I dive but I also don't want to die."

Leo remembers last time someone tried to feint and looks like he's trying to measure up risks and rewards in his mind. "I think you could do it." He's quick to assure her. "But I don't think it's worth the risk if they have the bludgers. You would have to make sure we did. We could use that moment to throw off Gray, but not if you're too close. Unless you did it once, and then again when it wasn't a feint, and Gray thought it was. That be useful."

"Definitely not worth the risk," Wilde agrees, from where he's been scribbling in his journal. "Delgado and Hobbs went straight for Wainwright their last game, once the point differential was small enough. Etta's really good at dodging that shit, too, so you can't even count on trying to stay close to her and making them too nervous to fire."

Edited 2017-05-19 19:13 (UTC)

"You guys should definitely take out Etta," Clem says in the general direction of Casper and Leo. "She's way too tall for her own good. So's Micah but we could use those few inches of advantage." Clem's trying not to rag on Dahlia too hard, because, like? She has no room to talk about being short. But come on, Dahls. You've only caught one snitch this year. You're killing her.

Edited 2017-05-19 19:42 (UTC)

Dahlia knows her stats aren’t exactly great this year, and she’s totally trying to act like it doesn’t bother her. She doesn’t care that much about Quidditch, but going into her final game, with the Cup on the line, she might be a little anxious about her performance. She can only fly so fast, and her arms are only so long, she can’t really rely on good old fashioned luck or Niffler interference here.

“I could outfly Micah with my eyes closed,” she says, with some fake confidence in there for good measure. “But I'm important for like two minutes out of every game. What about the Chasers? You guys,” she nods to Clem and Leo, “play with two of ‘em. What’s their backbone and how do you break it?”

Edited 2017-05-19 20:08 (UTC)

"Jeffy's more excited to play than he is to win," Solomon offers. He didn't exactly have a lot of room to talk, since he was also pretty content, regardless of whether they won or not. But this was their last game, It felt heavier than usual. This was their last strategy dinner with Dahlia, Kazim and Leo. Next year, somebody else would be asking for strategy, and it would probably never be the same. "Hitting bludgers at Jeffy throws him off his game more than it does the other two. It turns him into a liability for the rest of his team. Levi is a showoff, and sacrifices strategy sometimes for stunts, but he's good at dodging bludgers. Giving him the opportunity to perform stunts in his last Azurcrest game could cost Azurcrest a couple goals. Castillo has gotten hit by a bludger in nearly every game this year, but he also scores a lot and assists goals a lot with Levi; they make a good team. But he also doesn't sub out for his injuries, I think he has a fear of underperforming and letting his team down."

Solomon wasn't awesome at strategizing. All he could do was observe and create his own solutions from that. "If we lower Castillo's morale, his performance will probably deteriorate. We don't have to physically take any of them out with bludgers. They all play specific archetypes, and if we just amplify their archetypes, they'll take themselves out."

Leo just nods through all of this, happy to let his team figure out pointers. He rewards Solomon, the youngest player on the team, with a grin. He'd been listening this year, it seemed. That's paying off. "We're gonna try to hit Gray as long as it doesn't look like we'd also hit Dahlia. Without fouling." He clarifies, but he doesn't really think he needs to tell Casper that.

"As far as the Chasers. You're right. Let them play as many tricks as they want. When they get caught up in the showmanship or distracted, be there, as a cohesive unit, to take the Quaffle away. Think that's the advantage you have, but you have to keep it. If they do have to sub someone in, don't relax. St. Clair's been practicing, and Quinn would try to fly you out of the air no matter what position she's in." That's absolutely a compliment.

"'Course you could," Ulysses cuts in with the casual simplicity of someone who knows they're speaking the absolute truth. He's not being flattering; he genuinely thinks Dahlia is the best. Him, pedestalize his team? Never.

Ulysses is distractedly thumbing through Leo's playbook instead of listening — turning the pages back and forth and back and forth, as though there were occult secrets hidden somewhere between the pages. Shit, maybe he ought to pay attention.

Squeezed into this table, with literally no elbow room or leg room or personal space, Dahlia tries to raise her glass without knocking it over and ruining everyone's dinner. She mostly succeeds. The apple juice in her neighbor's salad shouldn't hurt the flavor THAT bad.

"A TOAST!" she announces to the group at hand, holding her mostly full glass aloft. "Out of all my families, you guys seem like you could literally kick the most ass, and I will always love you for it." Yes, she's already tearing up, don't you dare be weird about it.

Wilde's in... very high spirits? Suspiciously high spirits. Instead of formulating some kind of sarcastic comment, he lifts his water up for the toast.

"A toast to kicking ass as a family."

Edited 2017-05-19 20:53 (UTC)

All of this sentiment is making Leo smile a little sadly at his half-eaten dinner, then his team. "To a family kicking ass." He nods and tips his own juice towards the rest of the cups.

And then, after only a second of consideration, he stands up to raise his glass higher. "Whether we score twenty or two hundred points on Sunday. I firmly believe we're all leaving better players than we started this season. I want all of you to be proud. I am. No matter what happens this weekend, I'm honored to say I was the captain of this team. So. To you. Thank you."

Leo slams back his drink like it's actual alcohol, because that was a lot of words at once. He manages to not look too embarrassed. All of the words felt important.

Edited 2017-05-19 22:56 (UTC)

Ulysses whistles his approval through his fingers.

Clem has secretly always wished she could whistle through her fingers, but she can't, and her disdain for Ulysses grows a little stronger.

Dahlia produces a pocket pack of tissues from virtually nowhere and dabs at her eyes. So many words. So many beautiful, touching words.

This much open sentimentality is a bit much for Casper, who glances down at the table rather than looking at Leo while he delivers this speech but nevertheless lifts his glass and murmurs 'geonbae' once it's over and drinks his....water. How anticlimactic.

After a beat, though, he adds, "...Someone who's better at this than I am should probably toast Leo too. Best fucking captain in this school. One of the best fucking people in this school. And this is our last match with him." His tone is dry but the words are actually sincere and he looks at Ulysses expectantly. He's got some charisma, right? He can handle this.

Edited (Sorry not sorry, Uly~ ♥) 2017-05-20 13:50 (UTC)

Wait, what? Him? Shit, Kim, if you insist.

Ulysses takes a moment to bask in the implication that Casper finds him eloquent or charismatic or whatever, and if you're wondering, yes, he will be insufferable about this later. But for the moment, he's happy to clear his throat and lend his voice to the praising of Leo, whom he, quite frankly, idolises without reservation. Unfortunately, he tends to be at his most charming while he's being a shithead, so his teammates will have to make do with less impressive and more genuine Ulysses. Sorry. Blame Casper for putting him on the spot.

"Leo," he chimes in. "We just wanna thank you. All of us. For everything you've done. I think I can speak for everyone when I say you've been more than just a Quidditch captain to us this year. Without you, shit —" Ulysses rubs at the back of his neck, well aware that he was probably personalising this a bit too much. "Well, I reckon we'd be completely lost." Metaphorically speaking. "You've been a - a real leader. And a damn good friend. This team—" No. He corrects himself. "Whole school'll be worse off with you graduated and gone, I can tell you that much."

Okay, enough of this. Ulysses breaks into a grin. "I know we keep you running over hell's half-acre. So. Thanks for takin' the time to whip our sorry asses into shape."

Edited (CASPER SUCKS PASS IT ON) 2017-05-20 14:15 (UTC)

This is again a lot of words. And they're about Leo. He blinks, slightly off-guard, not sure exactly how he's supposed to respond to all of this. He appreciates it. Of course he does. He gives a wry smile to Casper, for initiating this at all, but nods solemnly at Ulysses. "Someone had to." He responds, though somehow it's very fond.

"Aw, you'd be bored without us," Ulysses says as he forks some apple juice dressed salad. "How else would you get in all that Charms practice, huh?" His words are a little mush-mouthed around the lettuce; maybe he shouldn't be blithely referencing their team's collective vomit count while simultaneously slamming arugula.

That's a memory, all right. Leo cringes and laughs all at the same time, shying subconsciously away from the sound of undigested food. "Every time I vanish anything, I'll have the weird urge to keep doing planks. Probably."

Question: WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS SO STUPID EARLY FOR A TINY DINNER IC/OOC?
Answer: Jobs are very hell and I'm so sorry please feel free to ignore this until an appropriate time, but I didn't want to do this on a phone. Oh god. ♥

omg lyss that gif

They are bears who love each other :(

My greatest year 1 regret is not playing someone who is part of ebonfam. They're so damn cute together. :C

That can be fixed in y2!!!
Which I'm so sad I won't have anyone here next year
I might have to try and fix it RIGHT AWAY :(

I aaaaaaaaaaaaaam planning to fix it for y2!!! but still sad that there will be no leo. :( :( :( ~~the pb I have picked out right now kind of looks like leo~~

Omg so exciting. His spirit can live through his secret son/ lookalike
I have. No real plans. But I should make some.

ilu and all your characters so i would be very open to totally-flexible-based-on-final-cast-list planning with you, if you wanted. we definitely need more lyss characters. ♥

idk if i'll be around bc i have very full days today and tmrw. please assume kazim is present and suitably wry and quiet!

WE WILL MISS YOU, GOOD LUCK TODAY AND ALSO TOMORROW 💜💜

I am actually here for this

Or I will be

My brain is just so so mushy right now

It is possibly made of actual oatmeal

My brain is shorting out every so often.
I almost saved a work file as "prom" for instance...

that'd be hard to explain lmao

i dont have anything to say i just keep coming back to this and smiling :(

Ugh I know they're all so cute

upsetting

also: weird how you're not like, super into the sound of chewing, leo.

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Ebonfamily Quidditch Last Supper

BEFORE DINNER TEAM MEETING

Strategy Time

Strategy Time

Strategy Time

Strategy Time

Strategy Time

Strategy Time

Re: Strategy Time

Strategy Time

Strategy Time

FINAL FAMILY DINNER

CHEERS

CHEERS

CHEERS- (I TOLD YOU I WAS GONNA BE MUSHY :( )

THIS IS 2 CUTE 4 WORDS

no subject

CHEERS

CHEERS

CHEERS

CHEERS

CHEERS

CHEERS

AFTER DINNER?

OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!

Re: OOC-QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,CONCERNS!