Ode to the Dreamers in Fall.

[Drew Thornton]

"Bugger off," Drew growled back, pushing her just hard enough to knock her off balance, but not hard enough to do any real damage. He tried to get up on his own and just ended up getting more tangled up. It didn't take long for him to give up, pull his shoes off, and chuck them at the nearest tree in frustration.

[Charlie Jones]

Charlie swaggered backwards and landed on her rear. She watched him throw his shoes off, and obviously not in a fit of joy. Her laughter stopped long enough for her to push him from his shoulder as a retaliation. "Merlin, why are you so sensitive about your shoes?" She sat where she fell, pulling her legs together. She rolled her eyes.

[Drew Thornton]

Drew took the shove, but didn't go very far as he was already on his butt. Instead of answering Charlie, he growled to himself, resting his elbows on his knees and running his fingers through his hair.

[Charlie Jones]

"Time of the month for you, or what?" Charlie said, not giving up. With her foot, she nudged him slightly in his hip. The abuse wouldn't stop until he answered her. "Dude, what's your problem today?" She simply gave him an unbreakable look.

[Drew Thornton]

"Shut up," Drew answered, pausing his grumblings just long enough to spit that out at her. He spat another mouthful of blood on the leaves and kept his eyes on the ground in front of him.

[Charlie Jones]

Charlie's frustrations got the best of her. "Stop telling me to shut up!" Scooting closer to him, she pushed him again.

"First of all, you're bleeding from the mouth, man. We need to take you to the wing. Second of all-- what's your," Charlie pushed him again and with more force, "PROBLEM?!"

[Drew Thornton]

"You're my problem!" Drew shouted back. "I'm minding my own business and you start yelling at me and messing with me and I'M the one with the problem?"

"And I'm not going to the stupid nurse for a bit tongue..." he grumbled.

[Charlie Jones]

Charlie was clearly shocked out of her wits. Listening to Drew, she had to admit in the back of her mind that she did bother him a lot. "I'm SOOORRRY that you came in the wrong place and time. Y'know, I can't just get out of your way just because you're in one of your moods," she huffed out. Craning her neck to the other side, she mumbled a few curses.

[Drew Thornton]

He wanted to apologize. He probably should have apologized. He knew he had been in a mood and while it was true Charlie had been messing with him, she wasn't the reason for his bad temper.

"I'm not in any sort of mood," he grumbled instead.

[Charlie Jones]

"Yeah yeah yeah. And I'm Viktor Krum," Charlie retorted. The bad vibe clung heavy in the air, and the fall scenery wasn't as beautiful as she thought anymore. Drew's mood was contagious and she was definitely catching it.

And while she could have just gotten up and left, she cursed her good conscience. Drew's a friend, her good side reasoned, and it wasn't the time to up and leave. Instead, she sat there, grumbling with him.

[Drew Thornton]

He sat there for a while in his socks, feeling the cold hard ground on his rear end, and wondering why Charlie didn't just up and leave him alone. He finally calmed down enough to figure that Charlie deserved the truth about what was going on. She'd probably make fun of him again, but if she did, he'd hold her fear of the dark over her head until she stopped.

"Alhana's not coming back," he mumbled.

[Charlie Jones]

She said nothing and didn't look at him for a full minute. She had to choose wisely about her own reaction, and what to say. She knew that it had to be deep for him, even though in her own opinion she thought it was ridiculous. It's a great day! Why wallow in sorrows?

So to avoid saying anything she could regret, Charlie still kept her knees to her chest and quietly nudged him with her shoulder. But it was not one of anger. It was one of sympathy.

[Drew Thornton]

Drew took the nudge as it was intended and gave her a small smile back. "Sorry. I know I've been a jerk lately," he said. Jerk was an understatement. When he wasn't wallowing in misery, he was taking it out on everyone around him.

[Charlie Jones]

"Ha!" Charlie said, but shut up instantly. She was still on verbal watch. Giving herself another moment before having a go at talking, she finally added, "So... are you getting your shoes from there or what?"

[Drew Thornton]

Drew glared at her quickly after the outburst, but said noting in retort. "Eventually, I supposed," he answered, looking over at where he had tossed his shoes. He was in no real hurry to get them.