Complete and Utter Opposites (Katie)

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine shook her head. If he wasn't going to accept the money then she'd have to find a place to hide it so he could find it at a later time when he wouldn't be able to give it back to her. There was no way she was going to keep all the money when it could set a family up for a week, and she was just going to be another mouth to feed for his family. She let him put the money into her bag, slinging it on her arm of her uninjured side. 

She was just about to say that she probably couldn't make it to his house on foot when Walter had her pinned against the wall again with his hand tucked beneath her chin. Her thoughts scattered and just as her face had been cooling down, her cheeks were flaming again. She had been thinking something... It had been important but in the state he had her in, she could't recall what she had wanted to tell him. He was so close to her that it was next to impossible not to lean forward and kiss him, but there might have been some repercussions to that. It was probably better that she didn't, she barely knew him. It wasn't the first time she'd been attracted enough to someone that she wanted to do nothing more than to make out with them, a few of these people got to say that she had acted on this thought but most weren't so lucky. Walter didn't fall into this category, not because he wasn't nice or good looking. On the contrary, Jazz found him very attractive, but he was so nervous and anxious that she was afraid of how he'd react if she followed her impulses. She swallowed hard, her eyes trapped in his. "Well, I kinda have a really big cut on my chest, so I-i don't think climbing onto your back is an option." Damn... now I'm the one stuttering. 

Walter had her rather flustered, suddenly wishing they were out of her small shelter. It wasn't very soundproof, but the close walls seemed to give them a little too much privacy at the moment. Unfortunately, she was stuck until he managed to get her off the ground. Jazz cleared her throat. "We uh... should probably go if you want to get to your house before dark." She wasn't exactly sure where he lived, but it was probably far since she was close to the center of the district, and most people lived on the outer walls. It had taken them long enough to get to her shack and she didn't want to keep Walter there any longer.

[Lotus]

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It took Walter a while to reply to whatever Jasmine had said back to him, because the blush that had crept up her cheeks had kept him entranced. He watched her face; her eyes and every so often his eyes would flicker down to her lips. He didn't understand why he was doing it or why he was feeling the way he was by being so close to her. He found himself stroking her jaw with his thumb as the other squeezed her hand softly, a confused expression spreading across his face as to what his body naturally wanted to do and what his mind was screaming at him not to do.

After what probably felt like an age to Jasmine, Walter suddenly recoiled and cleared his throat. Shaking his head a little, pushing his glasses up his nose and looking anywhere but in her eyes for fear of losing track of time again. He thought back to what he thought she'd said and nodded his head, "W-W-We sh-should g-get going, y-yeah. I-I'll c-c-carry y-you th-ere."

He didn't want to carry her. Somehow being around her made him feel strange feelings that he'd never felt before in his entire life. She was confusing him, especially when she was the only person to have ever made him talk and touch someone. He didn't know whether it was because it was Jasmine herself that had made him do what he was doing, or the fact that he had very few other options in the situation. But despite Walter knowing he was way over his head, he knew it was because of Jasmine that he'd found a way to 'cope'.

Walter took the bag she'd slung over her shoulder and placed it over his instead, before crouching down in front of her and placing his arms under her; one under her legs and the other supporting her back. He tried to be as gently as possible, but so far the only contact they'd had was her arm slung around his shoulder as they walked from work. He closed his eyes, feeling the sweat drip down the back of his neck again and having to swallow over the ever growing lump in his throat. "T-T-T-Tell..." He paused, taking a deep breath as he slowly stood up, hoping if he just got on with it, the whole carrying thing would be easier to deal with. "T-Tell, me, i-if, I-I, hu-rt, y-you."

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine ground her teeth as Walter hoisted her off the dirt floor, but once she was settled against him the pain had subsided a little bit. And then they were off. The sky outside her home had turned various shades of red, pink, and orange which made the buildings around them glow in red hues. The air was finally beginning to cool, and the wind had picked up slightly to lower the temperatures further. It felt really nice after the day she'd had.

After walking for a while, she began to nod off. Her eyelids grew heavy as she settled further against him, his walking somewhat rocking her back and forth. She leaned her forehead into the crook where his shoulder and neck met, and reached up and hooked her arm around his neck to keep herself from slipping. She doubted she was very heavy, but still slipping down could be rather uncomfortable. 

She sighed in exhaustion, her chest pressed into his as it expanded with each breath, but it didn't hurt as bad as it did earlier. With all the pressure taken off of her injuries, she fell into her exhaustion, and before she could stop herself, Jazz fell asleep leaning against him. Her last thought before she lost consciousness was about how oddly comfortable it was leaning into him.

[Lotus]

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It didn't take long for Walter to notice Jasmine had fallen asleep as they walked through the streets. Somehow he was keeping himself together and despite Jasmine being asleep in his arms as he walked through the streets, he didn't feel scared of the few people that passed by him. Well, not as scared as he normally is walking through the streets anyway. His eyes constantly flickered down to her sleeping face, a feeling swelling in him at how peaceful she looked - but once again he had absolutely no clue what that feeling was.

He rounded the corner onto his street, and as he saw his home he felt the panic attack coming on. Seeing his home was like a reminder that he wasn't okay being out and about, talking to people and touching them. The only place he felt truly comfortable was his room; his haven. It was away from the world, away from the people and it was filled with all his books that took him to new places away from the struggles he faced every day. By this point, sweat was dripping down his neck, and his breathing had become laboured, so much so he was in fear of dropping Jasmine so he picked up his pace to get her to safety.

When he reached his front door, he didn't have a free hand so he kicked it in the form of a knock. Almost immediately his mother opened the door, soon joined by his father. They saw the state he was in, but they also saw the fact he had someone in his arms and was willingly touching them. A slight look of relief and joy passed across his parents faces before his father took Jasmine from him, taking her to the couch for the time being until Walter could explain himself.

Instead of checking Jasmine was going to be okay, he entrusted his parents with her care until he had composed himself. Almost immediately he was locking himself in his room, hands over his ears as he crouched to the floor; rocking back and forth.

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine was comfortable until she was being jostled into someone else's arms. She looked up to find an older version of Walter, but they had different eye colors. She tried to put as much distance between them as possible, which wasn't very far considering how he was carrying her. Walter had disappeared into what she had assumed his bedroom then she was being settled onto the couch. She was able to scoot herself onto the far end of the couch, trying to put as much space between her and Walter's family as possible. She blinked slowly, trying to think of something to say. 

She was at a complete loss of an explanation. What was she supposed to tell them? Oh, Hi. I stole from your son last night and fell out of a tree so he had to carry me here? It was a bit of an awkward situation, one she had never found herself in before. She hoped Walter was okay, and that he could come back and explain the situation. It was clear she was injured, having a bandaged wrist and ankle. She moved gingerly, feeling as though she were put under a spotlight

Jazz scratched at the back of her neck with her uninjured hand. "I um... is he going to be okay?" 

[Lotus]

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Walter's rocking back and forth slowly calmed down until he was sitting against his bed, forehead resting on his knees and hands still over his ears. He wasn't sure how long he'd been holed up in his room in a state he couldn't get himself out of; no one could get him out of his panic attacks anymore. Ever so slowly, his breathing returned to a normal state as well as his heartbeat. Unclasping his hands from his ears, he felt the sting he left behind from where his nails had dug into his skin - the blood sticking to his nails and being one of the big signs of one of his worse attacks. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he removed his head from his knees to look around his room. Knowing that everything was in its place and he knew he was safe where he was, the last of his panic attack disappeared.

Leaning his head back against his bed, Walter thought back to all the things he'd done in just one single day. One single day and he'd spoken to and willingly touched another person. Another person. Never in a million years had Walter thought there would be a person in this world that would make him want to be normal - to interact like a normal human being. Then his mind starting functioning properly again, realising he'd left Jasmine in the company of his parents with no explanation whatsoever.

Walter jumped up, wiping his eyes one last time and attempting to rid his fingernails of the blood before opening his bedroom door and taking a deep breath. He walked into the living room to find Jasmine wide awake and a look of terror across her face, but what was worse seemed to be the tense atmosphere the room held. Walter cleared his throat after realising knowing really noticed him enter, before trying to speak.

It took multiple attempts at trying to clear his throat before he opened his mouth for words to come out. "M-Mum, d-dad..." Another deep breath. "T-This i-is J-J-Jas-mine; a-a fr-iend. Sh-e h-ha a-an acc-accident at w-work a-and I-I sa-id sh-she c-could st-ay he-re." This time he turned to Jasmine, feeling embarrassed that he was still a stuttering mess. "J-Jasmine, th-ese a-are my p-parents."

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine felt the tension knot in her stomach as if she had swallowed a stone, several actually. She was about as used to being into a situation like this as Walter was around the opposite sex, but his parents seemed to sense and understand her unease. They had reassured her that Walter sometimes needed space and time to be alone, but after that, not much was said. They mainly just talked to each other, leaving her to her own devices but kept her within sight. She didn't blame the for not leaving her be. It's not like she'd given them much of an explanation after Walter had shut himself into his room. 

When he finally joined them, she felt relief flood through her like the breaking of a dam. Even if she didn't know him that well, he was still a familiar face. It was kind of a bit of an awkward introduction, having been in their home for some time, but she nodded and straightened somewhat on the couch. "Hi.. I'm- well I was a Leafer, but I slipped and fell from the top of my tree. The doctor told me I couldn't work until my injuries heal. I-i live alone, and without any form of income.. well...." She swallowed hard, feeling as though it were clear what would happen if she'd gone home alone. "I know it's a lot to ask for... but I have um.." 

Jazz looked around for her bag. When she didn't see it, she glanced up at Walter realizing he'd been the one to have it last. He didn't have it with him in that moment, so it must have been in his room. She would have to mention the money later if they allowed her to stay, but she would have to be careful to keep them from knowing exactly how she came across the money. She returned her gaze towards his parents, wondering vaguely what it was like to have both parents around. "I hope this is okay..."

At that point she realized that she'd been rambling, and closed her mouth. She glanced back at Walter again, looking for any kind of confirmation before dropping her eyes down to her hands.

[Lotus]

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Walter felt a small smile come to his face as he witnessed Jasmine rambling in front of his parents, and when she looked to him he couldn't stop smiling. He moved closer to her and placed a reassuring, yet shaking hand, on her shoulder; giving it a slight squeeze. Slowly, Walter moved his gaze from Jasmine and up to his parents and he was shocked to see their faces.

They were grinning. Beaming from ear to ear. And he had a vague feeling as to why.

"S-S-So, i-is i-it o-kay? I-I wa-nt t-to h-help J-Jasmine g-get bet-ter a-and t-turn h-her l-life around." He felt Jasmine stiffen under him but he tried to shoot her what he thought was a reassuring look, and squeezed her shoulder slightly. Suddenly, he heard his parents agreeing to anything he wanted to do for Jasmine. They were more than happy for her to stay, and they were being the welcoming people he knew and loved.

He knew it had been awkward in the room when he was having his panic attack, but now, as he moved round to sit next to Jasmine in hopes of her feeling more comfortable, his parents fully introduced themselves and started doting on her like the daughter they never had.

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine relaxed as Walter moved to sit down beside her. Relief flooded through her as his parents agreed to let her stay and began firing questions that she could barely keep up with. How long had she been alone? How long had she worked in the fields? How high was she when she fell? The questions didn't stop coming, and she tried to answer them as best she could, however she hoped she wasn't offensive in any way. It had been a long time since she'd been in a family setting like this, and never one that was so enjoyable. 

When she did have somewhat of a family, it had just been her dad. He had beaten her every day until she finally knocked him out with a tree branch and left to live on her own. She had begged on the streets until she figured out how to steal without getting caught, and even built herself a make shift shelter. Later on she met other people like her, and got involved in the crime ring of District 11. They were all kids, trying to live on the streets. Some of them had been harsh, but others had helped her. Unfortunately, if any of them noticed her disappearance then they would come looking for her. Of course, they didn't know she was with Walter. He had absolutely no part of the Crime Ring, therefore they wouldn't know to look for her at his house. She wasn't entirely sure about his parents however.

Before she knew it, Jazz had a hot meal in her stomach and a bath that she had to carefully endure as to not bother her injuries further. Afterwards she'd been helped by his mother into her linen dress. The fabric was soft on her skin and didn't rub against her stitches, and it fit loosely on her body. All that was left was to decide her sleeping arrangements, but she didn't dare bring that up.

[Lotus]

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Walter could understand why Jasmine seemed so nervous around his parents, and himself for that matter. It was an entirely new situation for her after living on her own for goodness how many years and he didn't want to think about the life she'd endured before he started talking to her today. In a way, her being nervous made Walter feel slightly better about himself; albeit in a very strange way. It made him somewhat realise that being nervous around new people was a normal thing, even if the way he acted was at the complete opposite end of the spectrum to how Jasmine was handling the situation. Then again, he had always stuttered in front of his parents, and they weren't strangers, so maybe he was a little bit too weird after all. He sighed, noticing his parents glancing at him as he seemed to have his internal battle. He shook his head and just concentrated on Jasmine instead; that would be the only way he would push through this.

The evening passed on with Jasmine having probably the first proper meal and first warm bath in a long time. His mother helped her with the bath, trying to help soothe her injuries, and he couldn't help but smile softly when she came out of the bathroom dressed in a white linen dress and looking calmer than he had seen her all day. Walter hadn't said much, despite thinking a lot, all throughout the evening - embarrassed at what Jasmine would think of him stuttering all over the place in an environment he knew, but still, the goings on around him didn't go unmissed at all. He saw the way his mother fawned over Jasmine like her own daughter and the way his father started to become protective over her. He saw the looks his parents constantly gave him - the pride and joy shining in their eyes at the huge hurdle Walter had manage to overcome in just a short amount of time. Walter wouldn't say he was 'healed', but he knew with Jasmine, he was going to get there some day.

Walter tried to be discreet as he itched at the dried blood behind his ears, but his actions never went unseen by his mother who gave him that sad look she always did when she realised just how bad of a panic attack he'd had. His mother told him to follow her to the kitchen where she cleaned behind his ears with an antiseptic liquid that stung, just like all the others times. Once she was finished, he thank her in a whisper and a stutter, before sighing and wandering back in to the living room where Jasmine was seated on the couch. His eyes glanced to the clock and noticed the late hour, which reminded him that sleeping arrangements needed to be sorted. His parent's home wasn't large at all; there being just enough room for the two bedrooms, living room, bathroom and kitchen - not that any of those rooms where entirely large either.

He glanced at his parents, knowing he couldn't let Jasmine sleep on the couch in her state, which meant his bedroom was the only option. But no one ever went in his room, not even his parents. His bedroom was his secret haven, somewhere he could escape to, so if Jasmine used that room while she recovered he'd have no where to go and that idea terrified him completely. But he knew that it might be the push he needed; not that he'd pushed himself enough for one day. He sighed, running a hand through his hand before pushing his glasses back up his nose. "I-I'll sle-ep i-in he-re. J-J-Jasmine c-can h-ha-ve m-my be-d." As soon as he said those words, he heard the slight gasp from his parents, but he chose to ignore them as he forced a gentle smile in Jasmine's direction.

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine swallowed the lump in her throat. She couldn't take that space away from Walter, his room was his sanctuary. She could see that it was his place to go when he needed to be alone by the way he bolted as soon as they got through the door. It was his safe place, and she didn't want to take that away from him. It was clear that he needed to be alone from time to time, and if she stayed in his room then he wouldn't be able to get any privacy. 

However, with her injuries, the couch my not be the best option. She could sleep on the floor of course, but the hard wood beneath her feet might be hard on her body. She may have slept on a pile of cloth over dirt, but that had provided cushion and warmth. Her shack had also been a small, enclosed space. His living room was a rather large and open space compared to what she was used to, and that may cause some problems with actually getting sleep. Then again, she didn't sleep that much in the first place, having been used to getting six or so hours max. 

Suddenly, an idea popped into Jazz's mind, but it would have to wait for later. She didn't want Walter's parents to hear the thought, at least not yet. She was thinking of a way that would both help him get comfortable around people, but would also fix the sleeping arrangements to where nobody was left sleeping in an uncomfortable spot. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to take action on her plan until after everyone had retired for the night. 

It wasn't hard for her to appear tired. In actuality, she was exhausted, but she had to stay awake for a little while longer. Jazz stifled a yawn and dug her knuckle into her right eye, trying to scratch the deep set itch that had intruded, and nodded at Walter's proposition. She'd just have to find a way to thank him properly for it. Her smile in return for his was reassuring, and she reached out to take hold of his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before letting go. He'd already managed to talk er into staying with him, so she doubted she'd be able to convince him to let her sleep on the couch as she looked up at him from her spot. "If that's what you want."

[Lotus]

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Walter froze up a little when Jasmine reached out and squeezed his hand, unexpectaning of the action. It took him a little while to regain his 'bearings' after she'd willingly touched him before he managed to reply to what she'd said. "I-I, y-yeah..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck with shaking hands. "I-I'll j-just g-go ch-change th-e sh-eets."

With that Walter pretty much ran out of the living room to his haven that would no longer be only his in a few moments. He'd been making his own bed ever since he was little because he was unable to handle his mother coming in to change the sheets as well as wanting to help out as much as possible; he knew how hard his parents worked after all. It took him around fifteen minutes to strip his decent sized bed, and place on new, crisp sheets that smelled of the laundry powder his mother used. He turned down one corner of the duvet, and looked the bed over another couple of times before he was happy with it.

It took Walter a little while to leave his room, the idea of letting someone else in there causing a storm to brew with in him. He wasn't sure if he was okay with this. But he knew he had to be and he also knew he had to hurry up because he'd seen how sleepy Jasmine was - especially after she'd been practically unconscious in his arms earlier.

"T-The bed's m-made..." He all but whispered as he walked back into the living room just as his parents were bidding a goodnight to Jasmine. His parent's eyes snapped to stare at Walter, a slight worried look forming on their faces before they hid it and said goodnight to Walter himself and headed off to bed. He slowly made himself move closer to the couch and sat down gingerly next to her, reaching out his incredibly shaky hand and holding one of hers in his. "D-Did y-you wa-nt t-to sl-sleep n-now?"

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine got a glance from Walter's mother after he got up to remake the bed for her as if to tell her to please be gentle with her son. Unfortunately, she wasn't a gentle person and he was going to have to get used to her one way or another, or it could backfire horribly and he'd end up hating her. She hoped he would get used to her soon, she didn't want to think of the alternative. She liked him and didn't want him to be like a few other people she no longer knew.

His parents bid her goodnight as Walter returned to the living room. She smiled through her exhaustion, rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand to soothe its shaking. She was about to throw him so far out of his comfort zone that she wanted to give him just a moment longer of content. Taking a deep breath, she nodded at Walter's question. "Yeah, sleep sounds like a good idea."

Jazz would have moved from her spot from the couch, but with the way her ankle was and the fact that there wasn't a lot of things she could use to support herself on the way there, she was stuck where she was until Walter helped her. "Are you sure you're okay with me staying in your room?"

[Lotus]

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Despite Jasmine saying she was ready for bed, Walter couldn't help but zone out slightly at the calm that spread over him from her rubbing the back of his hand. It wasn't until he realised that he'd actually zoned out that he jumped back to reality with a slight shock, smiling at Jasmine sheepishly. He'd vaguely heard what she'd said afterwards, but it still took him awhile to reorganise his thoughts. Slowly, he nodded his head, "I-I'm no-t su-sure b-but i-it's okay a-at th-e s-same t-time..."

Walter shook his head, trying not to think of what was about to happen. Instead, he stood up and reached down to pick Jasmine up in his arms. Taking a deep breath he finally got her settled in his arms and tried his best to once again not stutter despite his heart rate spiking, "L-Lets get you to bed then."

He carried her into his bed room and gently laid her down under the cover, before tucking it up around her. He perched on the edge of the bed and took her hand in his once again; his hands still shaking unfortunately. "D-Do y-ou n-need any-anything el-se?"

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine clenched her jaw and tried to hide her pain as Walter hoisted her off of the couch. She swallowed hard and tried to focus on who was carrying her. He was shaky, but steadier than he had been when he tried to get her home. He was already making progress, getting more comfortable around her and stuttering less. She didn't want to push him too hard but she also wanted for him to be able to function properly around her. There was only one way that she knew how to do that quickly, having been through a similar experience herself.

However, she had noticed the blood behind his ears, but hadn't had the chance to see if he was okay. She hadn't wanted to talk about it while his parents had been present, but now that they were alone, she had her chance. She bit her tongue down between her teeth. No, she couldn't bring up he blood, which didn't seem to be there anymore as though it had been washed away, because that might push him too far. If he wanted to talk about it then he would tell her, right? 

Jazz thought back to her previous idea. Maybe Walter had had enough for one day, and needed time to adjust to the days events. Maybe he needed to be alone for the time being. She wanted him to be able to talk to her. Maybe if she gave him his space, then he'd be willing to come forward and speak freely with her, without any hesitation. It may have been a far fetched ideal, but she hoped to reach it. 

Jasmine hesitated before speaking as Walter laid her down on the bed, leaning over her for just a moment in a way that made her face redden slightly. Unfortunately, he had moved to sit on the edge of the bed next to her before she could gauge exactly how he was making her feel so flustered. She almost jumped when he spoke. She shook her head in response, "No. Thank you for carrying me here... I guess I'll see you in the morning?"

[Lotus]

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Walter nodded his head stiffly in answer to Jasmine, squeezing her hand and rubbing his thumb in staggered motions across the back of her hand. Somewhere between answering her with the nod of his head and squeezing her hand, Walter had gotten lost in his own thoughts. Thoughts of how it seemed he could only nearly be himself in front of Jasmine, when he'd never really taken much notice of anything before she'd stolen from him and then fallen out of the tree. He didn't like to think of how he would still be a stuttering mess around everyone without the events that had happened that day, despite him still not fully being okay within the presence of her.

He sighed, shaking his head. Thinking about how close he was to her was only scaring him and making his head swirl. Sometimes he thought it was a good swirl, like the feeling he'd had in his stomach earlier around her, but it made him rather dizzy instead - something that often happened when he was overloaded. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his breathing until his heart rate returned to normal and he could open his eyes again.

Walter looked down at Jasmine and put a small smile on his face, "I-I'll st-ay t-till y-you fa-fall as-asleep."

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine dug her knuckle into her eye, instantly becoming sleepier than before, and wanting nothing more than to curl up and check out for the night. So many things had happened in the last few hours that she was exhausted. Walter had seemed to zone for a moment but still held on to her hand, his thumb stroking her skin gently in a way that made her think that he wasn't completely consumed in his own mind. 

She stopped and looked up at him when he spoke next. She was going to ask him later if he would stay with her if she wouldn't be able to fall asleep. It was likely that she wouldn't be able to due to the size of his room, having slept in something half the size for so long. She didn't like being in open spaces, especially alone. 

Jazz scooted away from him a little and laid down close to the wall that the bed was set up against, not wanting to face away from the room where she would not be able to see what was going on behind her. Her linen dress, which hung loose around her, rumpled as it settled around her form and actually hinting at the shape of her body that her baggy work clothes couldn't manage to do. She pulled the blanket up around her hips then reached out and took Walter's hand. 

"You can stay in here if you want instead of sleeping on the couch... it is your room after all"

[Lotus]

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Walter's eyes widened when she moved closer to the wall, especially when her dress rumpled around her. Seeing her slight figure outlined by the dress made his cheeks flush a deep red and he had to clear his throat, not understanding why he was feeling so strange. Her dress had only rumpled and everyone had a body underneath clothes. He shook his head at his stupid thoughts and rather tried to listen to what Jasmine was saying. Instead of the act of him listening to her calming him, it did the exact opposite.

Sleep in the same room as her. He knew it was his room, like she'd pointed out but it would be wrong. Wouldn't it? At school they were always taught about privacy of the opposite sex, so wouldn't sleeping in the same room completely contradict that? Especially when she was more than vulnerable at the moment. He felt her rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand, not really realising she'd taken a hold of it in the first place, but he couldn't squeeze her hand back like he'd done before.

His mind was going around and around, not really sure what to do in this situation. He knew that staying in the same room would be a good thing, because if she needed anything during the middle of the night he'd be on hand to help. But then the other part of him was completely against it. It was not only to do with the fact of what they'd been taught in school, or the fact she was a girl. It was the fact he didn't think he could take sleeping in the same room as someone. Knowing that there was someone only a few feet away from him the entire night sent shivers of fear through him. He obviously knew no touching would be involved, but it was just the mere idea of knowing there were constantly around him that terrified him.

Walter found himself shaking his head at Jasmine, mumbling incoherent words as he tried to get his thoughts in order. He felt his hands shaking, his forehead starting to sweat and his mumbling was just the first sign of one of his panic attacks.

And he hated himself. He hated himself that he couldn't handle this situation normally. He just wanted to be able to make a decision like a normal human being, like Jasmine does. He knew Jasmine was stubborn but she as normal. She didn't panic around people, she didn't constantly stutter and she didn't have panic attacks. He was jealous. He was jealous of everyone that was normal. He just wanted to be able to handle this situation.

"I-I-I-I-I..." His constant stutter nearly put him off talking, but he forced himself. He knew that if he ever wanted to be normal he'd have to try and fight through his panic attack and speak to Jasmine. Because he knew, he knew that Jasmine would be the person to get him through any panic attack in the future. He knew she'd be the one to save him. So he tried, for her.

"I-It's. Not. A-A. G-Good. Idea. B-But." He took a deep breath. "I-I. W-Will. I-In. Case. You. Need. Me."

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine shook her head and looked away from Walter as he seemed to implode on himself. It was clear that he wasn't handling the situation very well from the way he was shaking. His cheeks had turned red and splotchy as he muttered nonsense. He was such a mess in the moment that she was worried she'd sent him into Shock.

She swallowed her throat as her stomach knotted beneath her rib cage. It had been a dumb idea anyway. She was used to sleeping alone and always having to look over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being tailed. She was always alone, and either way if Walter decided to stay the night with her or not, she'd likely be unable to sleep. She was in for one hell of a night, but she had hoped that he would have reacted a little better.

Jazz saw that he was trying, but she feared she had pushed him too far to soon. It wasn't like she'd climbed into his lap or anything. Now that she thought about it though... sleeping next to someone was rather intimate. Maybe that closeness was too much for Walter, but after he'd been alright carrying her to the house for the most part, she figured he might be okay. Although, he had disappeared after passing her off to his father. Maybe she shouldn't have asked him to stay the night with her. 

She felt her cheeks redden when she heard him speak again. She hadn't been expecting him to accept her offer, but it seemed the boy had gotten his wits about him. He was stuttering harder than ever, making her wonder about why he was having such a hard time with the idea. Then again, she had no formal education past age 11 and didn't quite have a grasp on personal boundaries. She was a thief after all, and personal space wasn't something she was accustomed too. 

She rolled onto her back and crossed her arms over her chest, keeping her eyes firmly on the ceiling feeling like she'd foolishly walked into a hole. "No, it's okay. You don't need to force yourself to try, if you're not comfortable. It's no big deal... It was a dumb idea anyway..."

[Lotus]

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Walter shook his head, knowing in his heart hat staying in his room with her throughout the night was the best course of action; because if anything were to happen he would be there on hand to help. He kept shaking his head, trying to fight back his anxiety attack that he'd pushed away just moments before. "N-No!" He all but shouted, knowing he had to do the right thing no matter how much trouble it caused him - at the end of the day, it could only help him get better.

He stood up off the bed, moving towards his door. "I-I'll b-be ba-back so-on." He fumbled with the door handle, and as he opened the door he stuttered one last thing. "D-Don't f-fall as-leep y-et." Moving out of the room, and leaving the door open he headed towards the kitchen to fill two glasses of water; one for himself and one for Jasmine. Before he headed back to his room he crouched down to the floor, placing his hands over his ears and just concentrated on his breathing. He had to calm himself down before he went back into his room, back to where he had to stay the night with someone in such close proximity to him.

Slowly, Walter managed to stand up again, the backs of his ears stinging slightly at the cuts from where he'd been squeezing his hands over them so tightly. Taking one last breath he picked up the two glasses of water, wandering back to his room. He shut his door with his foot, making a soft smile spread across his face as he neared his bed. A strange feeling swelling in his stomach and chest at the sight of seeing Ravenna so relaxed on his bed - he didn't truly understand it, but he knew he sort of liked the feeling.

"W-Water." Walter placed the two glasses on his bed side table, before grabbing his pyjamas from under one of his pillows. "C-Close y-you-r ey-eyes." Once he knew he was safe, and also partially hiding behind his wardrobe door he stripped and changed into his nightwear. Coming out from behind his wardrobe door he headed to the bed, grabbing a blanket before laying on top of his duvet next to Jasmine, pulling the blanket over himself; hopefully giving Jasmine the space and comfort she needed for the night with her 'own' duvet.

"I-Is thi-this o-okay?" Reaching out to hold onto one of her hands crossed against her chest, stroking his thumb across her knuckles. "Y-You ca-n sl-sleep n-now J-Jasmine."

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine curled her legs in as Walter left the room. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier as they slipped shut and her mind seemed to blank until she was jolted awake by the sound of him coming back through the doorway. She propped herself up onto one elbow and watched as he walked towards the bed, setting down two glasses of water before telling her to cover her eyes. She did as he said, but not without peaking in between her fingers, unable to keep herself from not doing it once. 

Her lips tilted upwards slightly as she caught sight of a rather nice butt and a few surprisingly toned muscles despite most of him being covered by the door to his wardrobe. She leaned back against the pillows, giving Walter back his privacy and keeping her eyes tightly shut until she felt the mattress give a little underneath his weight. She was a bit startled by how close he was, but frowned when he laid down on top of the covers next to her. 

Jazz wasn't the most graceful sleeper. She had a tendency to roll a lot in her sleep and him being over the covers would make her feel trapped and likely disturb him while he slept. She shook her head as he spoke again. "No, Walter you can be under the blanket. It would be warmer... and I tend to move the blankets a lot when I sleep, so it would probably be a bit more comfortable..."

She felt her face turn pink, as she spoke, but then she swallowed the lump in her throat. She'd already said it, so she couldn't take it back, not that she wanted to.

[Lotus]

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Walter had taken a deep breath, and as soon as Jasmine had spoken those words, he was chocking on it. Coughing and spluttering until he forced himself to sit up and clear his throat properly. He turned his head to look down at her, his cheeks flushing a bright red but this time it didn't seem to be from anxiety but rather a different kind of nervousness that only seemed to occur around her. He swallowed over the lump in his throat before stiffly nodding his head.

"A-Alright - if, if th-that's com-comfier f-for y-you."

He unwrapped himself from the blanket he'd laid over himself, before climbing out of bed only to get back in it, but under the covers this time. He spread the blanket out over the both off them, before laying back down - rather stiffly - and taking another deep breath to calm himself. It was different being under the covers with her, and the thought of how close he was to Jasmine now made him wonder if he was to get any sleep at all.

Eventually, Walter worked up the courage again to take a hold of Jasmine's hand in one of his, stroking his thumb across the back of it. "N-Now." He took another deep breath. "Sleep."

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine felt her gut twist with slight guilt as Walter sputtered. She seemed to have scared him quite a bit by the way he had been left sputtering and coughing. If he had been drinking from his glass, she would have bet that he would have spit the water all over the bed. She bit her lip as she debated about whether or not she should take it back and make him go sleep in the living room. She was afraid she might kill him if she didn't, but he climbed under the covers anyway. 

She felt her cheeks become inflamed again as her legs knocked into his. The bed was small, putting them close together and making it impossible to not be touching him in some form or another. She was worried that she'd pushed him too far, his ears were red again and he seemed to be stuttering still. Then again, he hadn't been able to stop the entire day. She hoped he'd learn to be a little more comfortable around her, then again she did mug him the day before so she was mildly surprised that he had helped her this much.

Jazz brushed off her apprehension and took a deep breath that escaped in a sigh as she gave him a look before she shut her eyes and relaxed into the mattress. She hadn't been in a real bed for several years, and it felt like the most comfortable thing she'd ever been on. It reminded her of when she'd first gotten out of her household, wandering the streets and looking for scraps, and only about twelve or thirteen at the time. She'd come across a boy in a similar situation, maybe a year or two older than her. He'd had a lot more experience living on the streets than she did at the time, he'd showed her how to survive on her own, and had gotten her into the gang of kids ages eighteen and under that took care of each other as well as themselves. She'd spent that night in a warehouse with a group of other kids, and slept next to the boy. She'd felt safer that night than she had any other night prior, and woke up feeling as though she'd spent a lifetime with that boy. She'd been close to him for a long time, until a few years ago. He'd disappeared after breaking into the warehouse that held all the fruit they picked and gave them to those who were starving and sick. She never did find out what happened to him, but she hoped that Walter would feel that same sense of comfort in the morning that she had felt so many years ago.

She wanted Walter to be able to be around her without having a panic attack, and this was the only way she knew how without causing him to have a coronary. Her eyelids grew heavy again as her body relaxed completely and her mind gave in to her exhaustion.

[Lotus]

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Walter felt Jasmine relaxing little by little, and heard her breathing settle into that steady pattern brought on by sleep. He wondered what it must be like for her to have something soft to sleep on for the first time in however long she'd been in that shack. He wondered what it must be like for her to go to sleep knowing she's safe for, what Walter seemed to gage, as the first time in her life. It made him feel better about himself that she was out of harms way; from others and from the wounds that now littered her body from the fall. It gave him a sense of peace, that despite how he was with people, he'd gone out of his comfort zone for her. He didn't really know why exactly, but he knew that because he'd gone to such lengths for her already that she will be the one to fix him.

He sighed; his mind completely alive caused by the occasional brush against Jasmine as either he or she shifted under the covers. Even though he was physically and mentally exhausted from the days events, being so close to her was wrecking havoc on his mind. He wanted to sleep, more than anything but he knew he wouldn't be able to with her so close. At moments he felt relaxed, felt like he could handle it, until Jasmine moved unconsciously in her sleep and he stiffened up all over again. Walter couldn't help but constantly glance over to her, her face relaxed and calm; free from her pain and exhaustion as she slept. Once again, the sight of seeing her in his bed did something to Walter that he didn't understand, so whenever he felt that strange stirring in his stomach, he looked away - only for his mind to be more alive than ever.

Walter knew there was another reason other than his anxiety and sharing his own sanctuary; of which was a big deal, that was causing him to stay awake. But the cause wasn't entirely because someone else was in his sanctuary, it was the fact that it was Jasmine. He knew that if he fell asleep he wouldn't wake up if she needed something, because despite her being there, it was still his own little place - the one place he could let his guard down properly. And in this case it would mean him sleeping like the dead.

So he also couldn't fall asleep for that reason - because if she needed something in the middle of the night, or was in pain then Walter wouldn't be awake to help her; and he dreaded to think what she would do if she was wandering around or trying to help herself in his place without him knowing it.

By the time the sun started to peep through his curtains, casting dusty streams of light through his room, Walter had slept for roughly an hour, in chunks of five minutes. One minute he'd finally be relaxing and getting used to everything, his mind finally drifting off, and five minutes later he would jolt awake slightly as Jasmine moved or his thoughts woke him up again. It was safe to say that Walter was exhausted, but turning his head to see Jasmine still fast asleep with the morning glow bouncing off her cheeks and hair, he couldn't help but think it was slightly worth it.

[Draco Malfoy]

Jasmine Colt

Jasmine felt the warmth of the person beside her, reaching out with one hand to press her palm into something hard and covered in cotton. It was such a pleasant sensation that she pressed her face against it. Oh god it smelled amazing, like mulch and peaches. She inhaled the scent until her body relaxed again and her mind drifted back from her semi-consciousness, and into her inner thoughts. 

She'd had the most peculiar dreams. The area around her had been filled with the most vivid colors and there was a breeze. She couldn't tell exactly where she was, but Walter was there. He was smiling slightly, but he didn't seen as nervous as usual. The colors swirled around them until they were engulfed in the swirling hues until they suddenly burst apart and she was jolted awake. She found herself laying on a bed, but where was she? 

Jazz lifted her head up from where it was pressed against t find that it was Walter, her left hand curled against his chest. She felt her face turn red and scooted backward, her memories flooding back to her. That's right, she'd fallen at work and Walter had insisted on taking care of her despite the fact that he was pretty much inarticulate. She didn't know how long she was leaning into him like that, but he was awake. She felt her stomach drop, hoping she hadn't sent him into a meltdown. 

It was when she scooted back farther towards the wall that the pain registered. Her side stung and her wrist and ankle ached. Pain shot across her skull behind her eye, almost blinding her. She let out a whispered curse and dug the heels of her hands into her eye sockets, trying to relieve some of the pressure. When she felt some relief, she lowered her hands from her face and looked back up at him. Man, he looked like hell. His face was pale and his eyes had taken on a pinkish hue. It looked as though someone had crushed violet flowers and spread the residue underneath his eyes. 

Jasmine pushed herself into a sitting position, grimacing with the effort as her stitches stretched. She looked back at Walter, who looked as though he hadn't slept at all. "Do you... Do you have to work today?"