Ida let out a short huff of a laugh, and though she knew better than to act impressed, she smiled at him. “You did exactly as I asked. Er, or tried to. Take enough lefts to lead you to the outer wall so you can…” The witch gestured vaguely to the chaos as he remarked on how much he liked blowing things up. Pfft, of course he did. Anyhow, no need to go on claiming responsibility for any of this out loud.
Though the jovial moment subsided immediately into a scowl as Cliff swatted her hands away. Correspondingly she shoved his arm away from where his hand flitted to the small of her back, she was no damsel, thank you. (Although, it was very much a damsel-like thing to do, faint like that.) “Gross, I don’t want the bloody handkerchief,” she admonished, pushing the cloth right back into his hands. “I’m not worried about you,” she clarified with a sniff as she returned his frown. “You’re just bleeding all over the place. Press it there.”
Feeling perhaps a bit defensive then – and certainly embarrassed, to have made a scene and not be able to hold her own – Ida glowered at him. “Of course I can stand,” she mumbled, more to herself than him. Gingerly testing her feet, she clambered up, brushing dry grass and dirt off her skirts as she did. An initial wave of dizziness gave her room for pause, but soon it cleared, and Ida cleared her throat as Cliff stood up too. Something about this situation – out here, in the open, surrounded by people who wanted to know what the ruckus was all about… It all made Ida acutely aware, then, of who she was with, and what it could look like. Not only that, it made her embarrassed about how he had to bail her out all over again. This little detour took things much farther than she should have ever agreed to.
…But it was sort of fun, even in the mess it ended with.
“Yes, we should go,” she agreed, trying to ignore how shy and nervous she suddenly felt. “I… I’m going to Floo from school. I can probably apparate there from here. You’re fine, yeah?” What a dumb question to ask, of course he’s fine, he’s a grown man. Before he could really answer her, she found herself stepping away. “Okay, I’ll see you, Cliff…” In her moment of anxiousness and haste, Ida completely missed how she didn’t exactly tell him goodbye.
Though the jovial moment subsided immediately into a scowl as Cliff swatted her hands away. Correspondingly she shoved his arm away from where his hand flitted to the small of her back, she was no damsel, thank you. (Although, it was very much a damsel-like thing to do, faint like that.) “Gross, I don’t want the bloody handkerchief,” she admonished, pushing the cloth right back into his hands. “I’m not worried about you,” she clarified with a sniff as she returned his frown. “You’re just bleeding all over the place. Press it there.”
Feeling perhaps a bit defensive then – and certainly embarrassed, to have made a scene and not be able to hold her own – Ida glowered at him. “Of course I can stand,” she mumbled, more to herself than him. Gingerly testing her feet, she clambered up, brushing dry grass and dirt off her skirts as she did. An initial wave of dizziness gave her room for pause, but soon it cleared, and Ida cleared her throat as Cliff stood up too. Something about this situation – out here, in the open, surrounded by people who wanted to know what the ruckus was all about… It all made Ida acutely aware, then, of who she was with, and what it could look like. Not only that, it made her embarrassed about how he had to bail her out all over again. This little detour took things much farther than she should have ever agreed to.
…But it was sort of fun, even in the mess it ended with.
“Yes, we should go,” she agreed, trying to ignore how shy and nervous she suddenly felt. “I… I’m going to Floo from school. I can probably apparate there from here. You’re fine, yeah?” What a dumb question to ask, of course he’s fine, he’s a grown man. Before he could really answer her, she found herself stepping away. “Okay, I’ll see you, Cliff…” In her moment of anxiousness and haste, Ida completely missed how she didn’t exactly tell him goodbye.
![[Image: 5jMCu3I.png]](https://i.imgur.com/5jMCu3I.png)
stefanie made this beautiful set <3