{You're not even aware you're such a funny pair} andy/pm

The satisfaction at having a dummy finally eat dirt definitely fueled him. Success made him both bold and stupid at this point in the game, though, and he tried to reel in the instinct he had to just revel in the afterglow a bit. He couldn't forget that he still had his very formidable opponent essentially baying for his blood, though, much as he appreciated Andy when he wasn't facing off against him. Though he supposed facing off with someone you respected made everything even better. He could almost taste the win, and he was the type of guy to push through anything just so he could feel the rush of success.

Only he felt the rush of a bludger slam into his side instead. "Fuck." he cursed, feeling something no doubt essential crack. The pain was sharp and hot for a split second as he braced himself on his broom before it numbed into something a lot more bearable. He took a deep breath, wincing in relief, when the gasp of air didn't make anything throb. The good news? It definitely wasn't his ribs. The bad? It was definitely something. Hopefully nothing broken but he wasn't super hopeful on that front. Nothing bad enough for skelegrow, though, he fervently hoped. That stuff was putrid. He was glad at least he'd managed to block most of the bludger with his body. He felt stupid about it but also relieved it meant they were still tied.

The fact that he was worried about winning instead of maybe something on his body broken should have really explained anything you needed to know about what his priorities were. Not bothering to take another moment the tall Slytherin barreled into another dive, using the momentum to slam his bat fast and hard against the nearest bludger, aiming for the center.

{Targeting Green Dummy 5}

Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4

Rolled 1d8 : 4, total 4

Rolled 1d6 : 6, total 6

Andy's hit missed, and he huffed loudly. The teenager was growing tired, and exhaustion typically led to crankiness. So when Ben's next shot began heading toward him, the Slytherin raced to defend the fifth target, it was down to the last marks, and even though the fifth one had initially been the most protected, it was now the most vulnerable for Andy. All of the others around it had fallen, and this one was his last. If Ben hit it hard enough, it'd be game over, and as tired as he was, Andronicus was not ready to lose.

And he certainly wasn't giving up.

Not even if it meant situating himself in front of a bludger bearing down on him, which was precisely what he did. The bludger was fast, and Andy was exhausted, so his feeble attempt to smack it away backfired. The ball ran down the line of his bat, smashed into his core, and sent Andy backward toward the very target he was protecting. The target took some damage, but Andy took more. He coughed; the wind knocked clean out of him and blinked away the stars in his eyes. It took him a moment to get back whatever focus he had left and just in time to whack the bludger again.

If this grueling bit of training didn't send them to the morgue, he was sure they'd be better off for it. So Andy rewound his arm, it was now or never, shouted, and sent the bludger hurling toward the outer target of Ben's that was still floating.

[Targeting Silver dummy #4]

Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3

Rolled 1d8 : 4, total 4

Rolled 1d6 : 2, total 2

He was starting to think this game would never end. On one hand he was sort of glad they were so well-matched. On the other hand they were so well matched. It made this exhausting and painful but very rewarding. He would be quite upset if they didn't beat Huffepuff. (Plus Jae would never let him live it down).

Maybe he could could pawn off Prefect rounds to off to his counterpart tonight on account of being broken. His least favorite prefect duty was roaming the castle in search of some poor couple looking to get a little broom closet time. He'd literally rather do anything else. A bath was starting to sound really nice, too, on account of the fact that his captain had literally jostled some bones loose, no doubt. He was so close to victory he could very well taste it though, which was why he was beyond ready when the bludger was shot back his way.

Maybe beyond ready was stretching it a bit, though, because his brain was firing off faster than his body could currently move. He winced as his bat got the tail end of the bludger in a bit of a clip, the iron ball slowing but not stoping, as it managed to get a good chunk of the dummy he'd been protecting. Not solid enough to shoot it down, though, which he was glad for. He felt a spike of adrenaline as he swooped down, feeling his body protest, as his muscles creaked. He was starting to get stiff now, which wasn't good when you were trying to hit an iron ball with fast reflexes and brute force. He supposed it was bit all or nothing now, wasn't it? With a great heave the tall Slytherin lined up what would, hopefully, be his last shot.

{targeting green dummy #5}

Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 3, total 3

Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

They were in the end game now, and Andronicus knew one way or the other someone was going to win soon. He didn’t know where the last bit of energy was coming from, and honestly, it was probably purely adrenaline by now, but he didn’t question it either. As Benjamin’s shot came rocketing toward him, the Slytherin felt like he was laser-focused. Able to assess better than before, to time his blocking perfectly (also it helped that he knew exactly where the shot was headed, having only one target left), and Andy stopped it with skill.

He managed to block the shot and wind back enough to send it soaring back at Benjamin. It was almost like a tennis game now, volleying back and forth, and Andy knew he didn’t have much more of this in him. If his shot missed, and Ben hit it back again, he wondered if he’d be able to block it. Andy hoped he wouldn’t have to find out. They had both played so well; the Captain liked to think he’d be happy either way, that they were both very skilled and had earned the win, but he was a little too tired now to pretend to be better than he was deep down. Andy wanted to win.

[Targeting Silver dummy #4]

Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

Rolled 1d8 : 6, total 6

Rolled 1d6 : 2, total 2

Fuck.

He honestly wasn't prepared for such a quick volley back and he wasn't going to get there in enough time to block. He winced as the dummy was hit and down it went. He'd been so close! Despite the fact his captain had won, though, he couldn't resist wanting to finish.

With a tired grin the tall Slytherin sped up, willing his aches and pains to stay within manageable levels, as he sought the bludger for what he hoped would be his last bloody shot. He was so tired, now, on top of achy that it made it difficult to strategize. It felt like they'd been at this for what felt like months, but where really hours. It'd been fun, though, he was just at the tail end of his endurance now that all he wanted was a long soak in the prefects bath and to sleep for a thousand years. Maybe if they asked the kitchen elves nicely they make some snacks appear in their dorms.

The prefect took a deep breath, angling himself best he could, as he dived at the iron ball with all of his remaining strength. He brought his bat arm down, feeling the zing in his arm as bat and ball made contact, as he sent the bludger careening towards the last remaining dummy. Andy had won fair but if he could at least get the last dummy out in one last hit, he'd feel better about loosing, it'd been close afterall. There was no way his remaining dummy would survive another direct hit in the air and he was questioning how good his reflexes remained, so late in the game, but it frankly didn't matter. One last shot.

{targeting green dummy #5 for funsies!}

Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 4, total 4

Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1

Recap and Final Scores!

B1: G4 SUCCESS, 2 DAMAGE, HIT ANDY
A1: S1 FAIL, NA, HIT BEN
B2: G4 SUCCESS, 7 DAMAGE (G4 OUT), NO HIT ON ANDY
A2: S2 FAIL, NA, HIT BEN
B3: G2, FAIL, NA, NO HIT ON ANDY
A3: S3, SUCCESS, 8 DAMAGE (S3 OUT), HIT BEN
B4: G2, SUCCESS, 4 DAMAGE (G2 4 REMAINING), HIT ANDY
A4: G5, FAIL, NA, HIT BEN
B5: G2, FAIL, NA, NO HIT ON ANDY
A5: S5, FAIL, NA, HIT BEN
B6: G2, FAIL, NA, NO HIT
A6: S1, FAIL, NA, NO HIT
B7: G1, FAIL, NA, HIT ANDY
A7: S1, SUCCESS, 6 DAMAGE (S1 2 REMAINING), HIT BEN
B8: G2, SUCCESS, 5 DAMAGE (G2 OUT), HIT ANDY
A8: S1, SUCCESS, 2 DAMAGE (S2 OUT), HIT BEN
(DUMMIES BEGIN TIRING OUT, 1D6, 3 AND UP BEGINS TO DAMAGE TARGETS)
B9: G1, SUCCESS. 5 DAMAGE (G1 3 REMAINING), HIT ANDY
A9: S5, FAIL, NA, NO HIT
B10: G1, FAIL, NA, NO HIT
A10: S5, SUCCESS, 4 DAMAGE (S5 4 REMAINING), HIT BEN
B11: G1, SUCCESS, 4 DAMAGE (G1 OUT), NO HIT
A11: S5, SUCCESS, 4 DAMAGE (S5 OUT), NO HIT
B12: G3, SUCCESS, 3 DAMAGE (G3 5 REMAINING), NO HIT
A12: S2, SUCCESS, 6 DAMAGE (S2 2 REMAINING), NO HIT
B13: G3, SUCCESS, 3 DAMAGE (G3 2 REMAINING), NO HIT
A13: S2, SUCCESS, 8 DAMAGE (S2 OUT), NO HIT
B14: G3, SUCCESS, 6 DAMAGE (G3 OUT), NO HIT
A14: S4, FAIL, NA, NO HIT
B15: G5, SUCCESS, 4 DAMAGE (G5 4 REMAINING), HIT ANDY
A15: S4, SUCCESS, 4 DAMAGE (S4 4 REMAINING), NO HIT
B16: G5, FAIL, NA, NO HIT
A16: S4, SUCCESS, 6 DAMAGE (S4 OUT), NO HIT
B17: G5, FAIL, NA, NO HIT

FINAL STATUS:
G4 OUT, G2 OUT, G1 OUT, G3 OUT, G5 4 REMAINING
S3 OUT, S1 OUT, S5 OUT, S2 OUT, S4 OUT

Andronicus Wins!

Andy had half expected his shot to miss entirely, he was so tired and aching in places he didn't even know he had, but when he saw the bludger arching perfectly, he couldn't stop the smug grin from appearing on his face. It was a hard-fought victory, and Andronicus was proud of them both for playing as well as they did, but in the end, he was happy to have won. Ben's last dummy sank to the ground, and Andronicus smirked, telling himself there was a reason he was captain but then reminding himself that that was a rude thing to think. The inner battle for morals and compassion couldn't even give it a rest after a deserved victory, it seemed, and he scolded himself even as Ben lined up another shot.

The Slytherin managed to block it and protect his dummy one final time before Andy sank to the ground. Weary and in pain, he held his side as he stepped off of his broom and moved to the center of the pitch to congratulate Benjamin on a game well played. Andronicus wasn't going to give him some platitude like 'it didn't matter who won' because he knew that wasn't the case. They were both Slytherins, both competitive. "Well played, Ben," he did manage to say, though, and that was entirely true.

"Think I might have broken my... well, everything," Andronicus said with a chuckle that sent another shockwave of pain rippling out from his ribs, and he groaned.

Swing and a fucking miss. Well he supposed he should be mature and take his loss like someone who actually knew the meaning of sportsmanship. With a bit of a grumble the Slytherin followed his captain down, resisting the urge to kick the dirt like a child. He was so sore though, in both a non-literal and literal sense. "Shuddup, you fucking smug troll." he managed, narrowing his eyes a bit, even as a smirk curled up his lips. He couldn't be mad, exactly. He liked Andy and a good deal of what he liked about him was that he was brilliant at Quidditch. He could at least take comfort in that it had been bloody close, though that did little to alleviate the little pit in his gut that was pure disappointment.

"Though I suppose you played brilliantly, even though you sound like your're dying." he said, grinning, before a sharp pain made itself known on his side. Damn and blast. He was relatively sure his bones shouldn't feel this... loose. It wasn't a pleasant loose, either, but more like something had cracked and the debris was floating along his bloodstream and cutting up his insides while someone poured hot water over everything.

In a word: unpleasant.

"Do you reckon we should... fly to the Hospital Wing?" he asked gingerly. It was either that or they'd have to lean on each-other and pretty much drag themselves there.

While Andronicus was proud of them both, he wasn’t above gloating, and the look on Benjamin’s face just made his win that much sweeter. And if every bone, muscle, and a bit of Andy’s body weren’t aching something fierce right now, the seventh year would have probably been smirking. “I think I might be dying,” he said with a laugh, but it came out more like a cough followed by a groan, and Andronicus clutched his side. It was a hell of a match, and it was hell on their bodies too, but Andronicus felt like it was going to pay off…. Well, just as soon as they fixed some broken bones and things. After that it will have been worth it.

“Yeah…. Probably….” Andronicus agreed that they were far more likely to arrive at the Hospital Wing if they flew rather than walked, but the idea of getting back on his broom was a tiresome one. He was so far past that burning sensation from a good workout that Andronicus wondered if his muscles might just up and quit. Go on strike, protest, and shut down. He wouldn’t blame them. And from the look of Benjamin, he probably wasn’t feeling a whole lot better. He’d taken just as many hits as Andy (and he’d lost, which was painful in and of itself, Andy reminded himself proudly).

“I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself, Danvers,” he began, turning back to his broom and groaning as he threw one leg over it and got ready to fly. “If you can beat me to the hospital wing,” Andronicus waited the proper amount of time (proper: not a fair amount, but enough for Benjamin to get to his broom, at least) before he rocked toward the castle.

highest roll wins? xDD 1d20

Rolled 1d20 : 13, total 13

"Me too." the tall boy admitted ruefully, a twisted little grin hanging off his lips, as he gave a hacking sort of laugh that probably sounded like something was loose where it really shouldn't be. He wondered, briefly, if this was the sort of behavior that made muggleborns question a wizard sanity and common sense. He knew they were stupidly practical, most the time, and he'd gotten quite a few ... acquaintances a little miffed by his lack of grounding thoughts but well, what could one do? He loved Quidditch and he was grossly disconnected by the plight of the common witch or wizard in general. He wasn't even sure where his thoughts seemed to gearing towards even, other than it'd be nice to get an "I'm injured play with my hair" type of snuggle and snog, but didn't fancy the conversation that he was an idiot for putting himself into the predicament to begin with.

"You're lucky you have Jacq." he muttered, feelingly vaguely put out. His captain was a lucky bloke, really, because Jacq was smoking and Andy was bound to get a good amount of sympathy from his girlfriend. (Maybe without the judgement he'd get for being an idiot, too, which was a bit unfair.)

And because he was, in fact, a competitive idiot he perked up at the thought of redemption even as his body protested. Loudly. Fuck it, though, you only lived once right? "You're on Lovecraft." he said gamely, bright blue eyes narrowing a bit as he got in position. He took a breath, sending a little prayer to the flying gods listening, before he mounted his broom and decided that the risk was worth the reward. Maybe. If he was really fucking careful. He had the thought that as a prefect he should know if this was against the rules or not but, well, as a Slytherin you were only in trouble if you got caught.

He figured he could flub his way through a fairly decent impression of being concussed or confunded, actually, especially since his body was breaking into tiny pieces.

Risk vs. Reward.

Rolled 1d20 : 12, total 12

As they jumped on their brooms, Andy was sure he felt every bit of his body screaming for reprieve. They probably shoulnd't have been flying right now, but damn if it didn't sound like a far easier way to get to the Hospital Wing than the stairs. And now that they'd made it another competition, Andronicus's tired (and probably half-broken) body had very little to do with the decision-making. Speed had always been important as a beater, but it had never been the most crucial part. Power was more critical, and he'd built and maintained his broom for precisely that. It could take a beating without giving up, and it responded to his commands quickly and without complication, but it wasn't swift. It wasn't a seeker's broom, after all.

And yet, as they rounded the castle's spires and approached the large windows of the Hospital Wing, Andronicus realized he was in the lead. And then he realized that winning also meant he'd be the first one to crash through the open window and land on the polished marble floor. He'd be the first to take questions (and potentially ire) from Madam Pomfrey. And he wanted none of that. Better to lose on purpose, he decided, and the Slytherin pulled back at the last second to let Benjamin pass him. Unless Benjamin noticed Andy's tactics change, of course.

Merlin but he was really starting to hurt, he thought, as the race passed by in a blur of adrenaline and muddled thoughts. He was fairly sure he was going to loose only Andy pulled back at the last minute on purpose, as the window closed in on them both. He could get mad about it or gloat and he was built for the latter than the former so he focused and steadied his broom a bit as the window remained blessedly open. He managed to slow down enough not to crash, but he jumped off his broom anyway, deciding he'd rather crash into the floor rather than slam into the wall. His broom continued on and he winced as it limply crashed onto the stone floor. He had the presence of mind to roll out of the way of the window as he caught his breath and just... remained on the floor.

It took him a moment to realize this wasn't the Hospital wing, thank Merlin, but one of the dry storage rooms close to it. Sheer luck, actually, but it meant it was blessedly empty and hopefully no one heard the bloody racket the two boys were making. He laughed, slightly hysterically, as the flushed boy looked at the ceiling. They were acting like a pair of errant Gryffindors but well, Quidditch tended to make everyone a little stupid. "You alive?" he spoke out, exhausted, as he closed his eyes and rested against the cool stone wall. He was fairly sure he was suddenly in need of a new broom, and didn't relish looking at what remained just yet. He'd just broken the last one in, blimey. He really needed to watch how rough he was with his quidditch gear.