cheer attempt {martin}

[logan james davenport]

The castle had spent the last week incredibly tense as nearly everyone, Logan included, had watched and waited with bated breath, though the one-year anniversary of the horrific massacre on the school passed without incident. It seemed like the sick sort of thing that the Death Eaters might do, strike them on what was likely the zenith of their mourning, but nothing had happened, of which Logan was extraordinarily relieved, but it still put a damper on the holiday spirit. Nobody seemed very much in the mood for celebrating, and even Logan himself had a hard time finding his own holiday cheer. Not even those in charge of decor around the school could find it.

Though Logan was determined to not let the Death Eaters get the better of them in that regard- he might be weak, but he could not allow their spirits to be completely broken. So Logan had set about decorating the library that Saturday morning, using his prowess at charms to make the entire place cozy and inviting. Garland ran along the length of each shelf, colourful baubles and flickering candles floated high overhead, and in every bare corner he had placed a charming Christmas tree bedecked in either gold or silver. Logan had even cunningly hung mistletoe in strategic places that he had seen lovebirds frequent.

With his work now complete even though it was barely eight in the morning, Logan plopped down in one of the large, cushy armchairs by the inanimate fireplace. He flicked his wand at it, and instantly an aromatic, roaring fire appeared in the grate. He had added a neat little charm that made the thin smoke from the fire smell vaguely of cinnamon and pine. Logan smiled lightly as one of his cats, the Calico named Snickers, leaped lightly into his lap and curled up, purring quietly. Logan lightly scratched her behind the ears, smiling softly.

He already felt measurably more cheerful than he had been before, it seemed that setting the atmosphere really did help with holiday cheer. "L-lovely, eh girl?" said Logan as he continued to stroke the silky cat on his lap. He had always spoken to his pets as if they could understand what he was saying, even if he knew full well that he couldn't have a conversation with a cat. Snickers lifted her head from her paws, ears flickering toward a faint noise, sounded like footsteps coming from around the corner. Mildly curious, Logan leaned forward to peer around the back of his chair only to see...

[martin]

One year. It had been one whole year since Quinton had died. No, had been murdered by that half-breed vampire! To say the pain was still linger would be somewhat of an understatement. While he had come to terms to the death of the boy the pain, the emptiness of the loss was still there. In all his life he had never felt the way he had when he was around the boy. He had been the light of his life, he made things fun and interesting. But, now the light had been put out. He was getting on much better now than he had the previous year. Martin had chosen to remain silent, not saying much of a word to anyone no matter how hard they tried. He simply hadn't the heart to speak to anyone. He did little to nothing, only going about the basic duties of life and school. But, as the months passed he had grown out of it more or less. He had crawled back into the shell he had been in before he had met Quinton, maybe even receding a bit farther into it. He said few words and didn't speak at all to strangers, but he now at least interacted some with society.

But, within the past few days he seemed to have gone back to his moping state. The memories of the attack were fresh in his and everyone's mind. The images, though, were beginning to become too much for him. He needed a way to escape it all. So, he had turned to the one thing that could help him escape this world. Books. With a heavy sigh, the boy quietly walked down the halls to the library, hoping that he'd find some book that would distract his thoughts. It was a bit sad, really. It was suppose to be Christmas. A season of joy and love, and yet here he was sulking and simply not having even the slightest sense of holiday cheer. So busy in his thoughts Martin hadn't realized the decorated room until he was already deep into it. Blinking in surprise, the Hufflepuff stared around at the holiday decorations, surprised that someone would even had the thought of doing something so grand. It wasn't until a few moments had passed, though, that he noticed that he wasn't alone.

His soft green and brown eyes finally came to rest on the librarian that had done all of this. He hadn't expected to see the young man out here, usually seeing him walking in and out of the back rooms or working behind the desk of the library. He glanced away for a moment, wondering if he should say anything before he quietly, but nervously, stepped over to one of the bookshelves, simply trying to busy himself.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[logan james davenport]

Logan's gaze fell upon the young man, and he was quick to offer a smile, though he had turned away a bit too quickly- he might not have even seen the gesture. Honestly, Logan was very curious about the young man, he was so withdrawn, so quiet and thin... And that look in his eyes... It was a look that Logan had begun to be more acquainted with than he would like to be, there were so many students in the school that had it. He hadn't seen the battle himself, but he had taken up this post in the immediate aftermath.

All the emotional trauma, the poor students and staff had been through so much, and honestly it made Logan nervous. He didn't really know what to do for any of them, and all he ever wanted to do was help, but in this situation he was powerless. But in the case with this boy, Martin Forest, Logan had learned that his name was, he particularly wanted to be helpful, bring the young man under his wing and help him succeed. He had remembered that for the longest time the boy had refused to say a word- apparently he was beginning to open up again, but Logan had yet to hear a word from him.

He just wanted to see Martin smile, maybe hear his voice a time or two. His heart was aching for the boy, so young and to have gone through whatever he had seen... Logan tentatively watched him as he browsed the shelves, pondering what he should say, if anything. Though one thing was for sure, he wasn't going to not do anything, if he could just get one smile out of Martin at the very least... He looked down when he felt Snickers nudge his hand- he hadn't realised that he had stopped stroking her.

The calico was extremely shy, though around him she could be demanding of his affections, at least in a very gentle way. Logan returned to petting her as he pondered what to do, but decided that he wouldn't get any closer to his goal if he just sat there and did nothing. For once in his life deciding to be outgoing, he scooped up Snickers in his arms, holding her like a baby as she purred against him, and stood up, taking a few steps closer to where Martin was browsing.

He stayed a comfortable distance away, not wanting to be overbearing, but he was close enough to make it seem that he was intent on at least some casual conversation. "Um, g-good m-m-morning," Logan stammered, offering a cheery grin in spite of the fact that his stutter had gotten almost out of control. He couldn't help it, his speech impediment always got worse when he was nervous, and while Logan wasn't quite sure why, Martin made him very nervous indeed.

[martin]

In the past few months, the library had been his common retreat, always finding one reason or another to end up withing the long, endless rows of bookcases. It was an easy way to avoid other people and the conversations they may carry with them, but there was something else that the boy had refused to acknowledge. He held an underlining sense of interest in the young man, but after the horrible loss he had experienced with Quinton, the dirty blonde refused to risk such a thing. That, and he believed that he could never care for someone as he had for Quinton, he couldn't do that to the boy even if he was no longer there with him. Yes, Martin may have accepted the boy's death, but he had yet to let him go. He kept him in his thoughts every day and he would never betray the boy's loyalty even in death.

But, that underlying, unconscious interest and desire continued to lead him into the library whether he was truly aware of it or not. Grasping one of the books based on the functions and properties of dragon blood, scales, and other body parts, he silently flipped through the book as he tried to keep his mind away from Mr. Culpepper. But, it seemed as if fate had other ideas as he heard the man's voice from behind him. Jumping a bit, the book almost falling from his hands, Martin jerked his head up to look at the librarian. "Oh, um...huh-hi...,"

[/color] he responded, his pale green eyes glancing up at the blonde before falling back to the ground. "The um...The library...it luh-looks great..."[/color] He wasn't quite sure what else could be said, his awkwardness having returned to him. He couldn't seem to hold anyone's gaze for very long and it was even more difficult with this man. So, instead of looking at the young, and rather handsome man, Martin kept his focus on the cat Culpepper held in his arms.[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[logan james davenport]

Logan felt his insides squirming, while normally an awkward soul normally he wasn't quite on this level- he could at least have some amount of pleasant conversation, exchanging casual things like where one might find a particular genre of books or the weather. General chatter that was expected of him. But this... He felt entirely out of his element. Perhaps it was because he had grown to be quite fond of Martin, something about the boy and his unique struggles made Logan want to take him under his wing, nurture and protect him from any further harm that could possibly befall him.

Logan knew it was foolish to think that way, there was, first and foremost, the fact that he was a staff member of the school- plus there was the difference in their ages, and the distinct possibility that the boy might not even swing his way. Logan was quietly bisexual, with a tendency to more frequently gravitate toward men when it came to romantic feelings. Perhaps it was his slightly feminine personality, whatever the reason, Logan always found more appeal in men. But he liked women, too, it kept his options open. Or as open as they could be given how terribly shy he was, how he was reduced to a blushing, stuttering mess around anyone even remotely attractive...

Logan flushed deeply as Martin fumbled with the book, he hadn't meant to startle him. Though all the same he beamed when the young man spoke, his own voice trembling, complimenting him on the decor of the library. It wasn't so much the compliment that sparked his grin, but the fact that Martin was actually speaking to him, he didn't think he would ever get to hear him say anything. It was definitely encouraging to say the least. He grappled with his tongue a moment, willing his words to come out more smoothly this time.

"Th-thank you," said Logan, adjusting his arms around Snickers, who oddly enough was still purring and had yet to run away- normally she was quite skittish, "I'm s-sorry, I, um, I d-didn't mean to f-f-frighten you."

[martin]

Despite the fact that he had allowed himself to slowly and only slightly pull out of his shell and lower his barriers a bit, Martin had yet to really readjust to actually continuing a conversation. Usually the most anyone would say to him was a friendly greeting or perhaps asking nothing more than a simply question concerning an assignment. So, to have this conversation still going on was a bit of a stretch for him. Occasionally glancing up at the young man, his pale green eyes meeting with Mr. Culpepper's before looking away. He had never been good with holding another person's gaze, but holding the gaze of this man was so much more difficult. His fingers fllipped silently back and forth over the edge of one of the pages of the book he still had sitting uselessly in his hands. He eventually closed the book, finding no point in keeping it open and out as it was clear he wasn't going to be reading it at this time.

"It's fine...I just...Wasn't expecting it. That's all,"

[/color] he stated, his nervous stutter finally fading from his voice as he carefully put the book back onto the shelf, placing it right back where he had found it. Martin had volunteered at libraries and bookshops to know just how annoying it was when people didn't put books back properly. He had had to clean up a number of messes or reorganize books simply for that purpose. So, he made sure not to do the same for others to have to bother with. As the book slid back onto the shelf, Martin glanced back at the feline that rested comfortably in the man's arm and the boy couldn't help but give a faint, short-living smile as he went to pet the cat. "Cute cat..."[/color][/size][/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[logan james davenport]

Logan's heart hammered in his throat, try as he might to keep calm. He didn't know what it was about Martin Forest that made him so crazy, but there was definitely something special about the boy. He felt honoured to have earned enough of his trust for him to open up, he remembered when he had first seen Martin, when he had been so drawn in to his shell that he had refused to speak. It was a real treat to hear his voice, to see that unsteady smile. Although it hadn't been of true happiness, it had still made Logan go rather weak at the knees.

He was absolutely smitten with the young Hufflepuff, and he had no idea what to do about it. Likely nothing. It wouldn't be professional of him to go about anything of that sort with a student, could cost him his job, but the idea of simply letting Martin go without at some point admitting that he felt something for him would break his heart. Logan couldn't say that he had ever truly been in love, not beyond the puppy love he had had in the grand total of two relationships in his past, but he felt something for Martin that he had never felt before.

"O-Okay," said Logan with a lopsided smile, though he still felt guilty for startling him. He watched with a vague sense of surprise as the Hufflepuff went to pet the cat in his arms. Funnily enough, Snickers didn't shy away or try to free herself from him, but rather she rubbed her head against Martin's hand, continuing to purr. That never happened, normally the calico was very wary of strangers... "Her name is S-Sn-Snickers," said Logan with another smile, "I think sh-she l-l-likes you." He gave forth an uneasy giggle.