[Magpies/Catapults match] I need one hell of a wing-man [Reece]

The whistle blew.

All lingering hope that maybe, just maybe, the Catapults could turn this around, score enough to get 140 behind the Magpies and then catch the snitch to steal the win, vanished. It was over. And not only had they lost, but the margin was fucking embarrassing. Rasti let out a long groan and buried his face in his hands, pressing his fingertips against his eyelids to drive his eyes back into their sockets. This wasn't the match he'd wanted to see after the long dry-spell in Hogwarts. He had no illusions of the Catapults topping the league, the team had been struggling lately... funding was at a low, things just weren't going right... but he hadn't thought it would be this bad. Not when he knew how hard the team worked. How hard his family worked.

He dropped his hands, leaning forwards against the railing of the expensive box-seats, finally glancing sideways to make out Reece's expression. He'd also hoped to give his friend a great Quidditch experience. They had pitch-side seats, VIP passes, a personal connection with one of the teams. Ok, sure, he'd been hoping to show off a little. But this wasn't the game he'd wanted Reece to see. They'd been destroyed. Utterly destroyed. "Ugh well that was fucking horrific," he muttered, reaching a hand to pick up his drink and then scowling at the pumpkin juice within. He needed something stronger than this. "Beer?" he asked, a tinge of pleading to his voice. Ordinarily he'd have offered to show his friend around, maybe get a couple of autographs... but Rasti wasn't in the mood. He doubted the team was either.

Nothing this year had been going to plan. It had all started out so promising... even though they'd been trapped within the dome of Hogwarts and unable to get home for the holidays, Rasti had enjoyed spending a lot of his time in Seth's company. And then they'd had that day... that one glorious moment... and Rasti had just been starting to think that everything - the dome, the gauntlet... it was all there for a reason, to draw him and Seth together. To give him the prince he'd never felt worthy of.

But then everything had turned to chaos, and he and Seth just hadn't had the time, the space. They'd barely talked. They certainly hadn't talked about that day or where they were, what they were to each other. It was confusing as hell. And while Rasti had plenty of friends... none of them were really close enough for him to divulge the contents of his head. He'd been keeping it all tightly locked inside.

He definitely needed a beer.

"Dammit! No!"

Reece, as usual, got into everything he did. Even Quidditch. Even if it wasn't his team. His team was a dirt poor Quidditch team that nobody ever took seriously. But the Catapults, he knew, were big for Rasti. The Hufflepuff had asked Reece to join him, and while it was a long ass floo-network and several confusing looks from his parents about him spending some of the month away from them, well, so be it. Reece didn't really care. He was glad to be out of the school, and if he got to watch a professional Quidditch game? So be it. He didn't ever want to pursue a career in Quidditch; with more practice over the last few months, and getting a better grasp at not falling flat on a broom while trying to ride it, well, he was getting there. But, a Quidditch career was not something he was interested in. Maybe, he figured, if he didn't get the hit wizard job it would be good, but who knew. He'd have to think about it.

But even so, there Reece was, decked out in as much Catapult colors and clothing he could find (and truthfully, he was a bit of a loser and bought something before the game, so that he didn't totally stand out), but as Rasti muttered about how horrific it was, the Gryffindor's eyes turned towards his friend. He nodded at the mention of a beer, and joined the Hufflepuff by flopping down next to him, stretching so his arms were above his head before they settled, fingers locked together in his own dark hair, "You know, sometimes you have to lose to see where you need to work harder," he pointed out, trying to pep up the other sixth year's spirit a little, "I like to think of losing as more or less a... learning experience. Plus, maybe they just missed you and with the dome and everything, things have been hectic."

He was also trying to pump up the other boy's ego, but who knew if it worked. The Gryffindor gave a grin to the badger and nudged him, "There's always next time, my friend. Always try to look on the positive side of things. It could be worse. Your team could be the Tutshill Tornadoes right now, last place with no wins at all. I think you're being too hard on your guys. I know you wanted to show off but dude, you're a 'Puff, not a Slytherin," he gave a cheeky grin, boasting this himself, "and you're definitely not me. You know how I love bragging and showing off. Maybe we should sit here in this posh-ass seats and talk about what's gotten you all wrapped up tight like a nickle," there Reece was going again, making American references, because he was silly that way, "beer and chatting, yes? Maybe later we can go talk to the Catapults and I can ask them for beater advice. I don't think I'm quite good at beating just yet," he thought about it and playfully swung his arms like he had a beaters bat in his hands. He was going to make another reference but passed on it.

Instead, he nudged Rasti gently, "Dude, you do know you can talk with me about anything, okay? I know we've had our ups and downs, and we're not the best of friends, but I do know what you go through. Every day. Daily."