[This is obviously set before the roleplay, it's actually in Oliver and Percy's fifth year, the night of the final Quidditch game wherein Gryffindor were slaughtered by Ravenclaw (I think it was Ravenclaw, yes?)] oli_keeper_wood (03:57:29 PM): ::lying on his bed with arms crossed over his chest, lets out a very loud sigh:: percy_weasley_mm (03:58:58 PM): ::looks up from his book for the twentieth time that night, glancing in Oliver's direction and looking uncomfortable:: Er. Oliver? Are you sure you're all right? oli_keeper_wood (03:59:32 PM): ::sighs again, clearly lying:: Yes, Percy, I'm fine. percy_weasley_mm (04:00:38 PM): You -- oh. ::goes back to reading, unable to concentrate, and finally throws the book down with a sigh, getting out of bed and going to stand next to Oliver's:: You're not fine. oli_keeper_wood (04:01:09 PM): ::shakes his head, looking up at Percy, expression hollow:: percy_weasley_mm (04:01:59 PM): :erches on the edge of Oliver's bed, a little awkwardly:: Do you, er. Is there anything I can do? oli_keeper_wood (04:02:29 PM): ::nods mutely:: percy_weasley_mm (04:03:02 PM): ::blinks:: Well, I. Er. What is it? What can I do? oli_keeper_wood (04:03:25 PM): Turn back time and make Potter play in our final game? percy_weasley_mm (04:06:45 PM): Oliver? oli_keeper_wood (04:06:53 PM): Yeah? percy_weasley_mm (04:07:37 PM): Oh. ::face falls a little:: I thought. Oh, never mind. oli_keeper_wood (04:08:01 PM): What did you think? percy_weasley_mm (04:09:46 PM): I just. You know, you're my friend. I'd like to be able to help you. I mean. ::shrugs:: Oh, I don't know. I know I can't help, anyway. percy_weasley_mm (04:10:03 PM): The best I can offer you is - I don't know. Nothing. A game of chess. Help studying for your exams. oli_keeper_wood (04:10:16 PM): ::grins:: A game of chess? Really? percy_weasley_mm (04:10:24 PM): But whatever I have, you've got it, if you want it. ::shrugs again and heads back to his own bed:: percy_weasley_mm (04:10:38 PM): :auses, brightening:: I - if you want, sure. ::smiles:: oli_keeper_wood (04:10:47 PM): I'd love to. percy_weasley_mm (04:12:37 PM): Get your pieces, then. :pens his trunk and starts rummaging for his set:: oli_keeper_wood (04:13:14 PM): :: pauses, scratches his head:: Right. Right, yeah. :: leands over the side of the bed to search underneath it:: percy_weasley_mm (04:17:06 PM): ::coughs:: Oliver? In your trunk. oli_keeper_wood (04:17:54 PM): Oh! Oh, right. :: jumps off the bed, opens his trunk and starts going through things, frowning at some of the contents which he hasn't seen in months:: percy_weasley_mm (04:23:28 PM): ::tries not to laugh as Oliver tosses the contents of the trunk all over the floor, still unable to find anything in its depths:: oli_keeper_wood (04:25:00 PM): :: finds several scraps of parchment on which he's drawn Percy's picture, eyes widen and he puts them carefully to one side instead of throwing them on the floor. pulls a few more random objects out, then finally finds the chess pieces, stands up and ignores the mess, stepping towards Percy:: percy_weasley_mm (04:27:45 PM): ::is sitting crosslegged at the top of his bed, with the board in the middle, setting up his pieces:: Here, come sit on the end. ::extends a hand to help Oliver up:: oli_keeper_wood (04:28:21 PM): ::grins giddily and takes Percy's hand, holding it a beat too long as he sits down:: percy_weasley_mm (04:31:09 PM): :ushes his glasses back up on his nose automatically, readjusting all his pieces until they are lined up precisely:: oli_keeper_wood (04:31:38 PM): :: quickly arranges his pieces too, getting a knight and a bishop mixed up in his haste:: percy_weasley_mm (04:33:45 PM): ::reaches over silently, not looking up as he switches the pieces back into their proper places, and meets Oliver's eyes for a split second, looking over his glasses as he raises his head:: oli_keeper_wood (04:34:17 PM): ::grins at him:: Sorry. percy_weasley_mm (04:35:47 PM): ::grins back, unable to resist Oliver's smile:: It's okay. oli_keeper_wood (04:36:05 PM): Okay. Um... you go first. percy_weasley_mm (04:37:33 PM): :atiently:: Oliver, you're white. You go first. oli_keeper_wood (04:38:10 PM): Oh, oh, right. Er... ::frowns as if contemplating his first move, then moves the left hand pawn forward two spaces:: percy_weasley_mm (04:41:05 PM): ::moves the knight's pawn forward two spaces, smirking slightly:: oli_keeper_wood (04:42:02 PM): ::mouth falling open a little at Percy's smirk, quickly closes it and moves the Queen's pawn forwad two spaces:: oli_keeper_wood (05:49:06 PM): ::quietly, watching Percy as he decides his next move:: Thanks for this, Perce. percy_weasley_mm (05:51:26 PM): I'm - well, I'm glad I could help, Oliver. I just wanted to take your mind off - things. You know. ::moves the queen's bishop's pawn forward one space:: oli_keeper_wood (05:52:18 PM): ::quirks an eyebrow:: Take my mind off throwing myself out the window? ::moves the right hand pawn forward two spaces:: percy_weasley_mm (05:53:21 PM): Sure, if that's what it was. More trying to stop you driving me insane with your moping, really. ::smirks a little as he advances his queen's knight:: oli_keeper_wood (05:54:00 PM): I was driving you insane? ::absently pushes his king's pawn forward:: percy_weasley_mm (05:54:52 PM): Well, naturally I wouldn't have expected you to notice. ::takes the unprotected queen's pawn with his knight:: Check. oli_keeper_wood (05:55:52 PM): What do you mean, I wouldn't have noticed? ::moves his queen up to take the knight:: percy_weasley_mm (05:57:29 PM): You usually don't, when you're being infuriating. ::advances his king's knight:: oli_keeper_wood (05:57:57 PM): Oh. ::moves his left most pawn another space:: percy_weasley_mm (06:02:32 PM): ::moves his king's side bishop out to the side of the board:: oli_keeper_wood (06:03:39 PM): ::moves the left side castle up to behind the pawn:: percy_weasley_mm (06:04:10 PM): ::castles kingside:: oli_keeper_wood (06:08:14 PM): ::shifts his king out:: percy_weasley_mm (06:09:01 PM): :auses, looking exasperated:: Oliver, you can't do that. You just moved your king into check. oli_keeper_wood (06:09:17 PM): It's part of my plan, Perce. percy_weasley_mm (06:09:31 PM): It's against the rules, Oliver. oli_keeper_wood (06:09:48 PM): Since when? percy_weasley_mm (06:09:59 PM): Since always. Do you even know how to play chess? oli_keeper_wood (06:10:19 PM): ::looks up:: I'm insulted. percy_weasley_mm (06:10:36 PM): Well, play by the rules, and I'll take that back. oli_keeper_wood (06:10:53 PM): :: pauses, thinks:: I think it's time for new rules, really. percy_weasley_mm (06:14:19 PM): ::stares at Oliver:: I'd be shaking my head in disbelief here if I hadn't been your best friend for five years already. oli_keeper_wood (06:14:46 PM): ::grins:: It's your move. percy_weasley_mm (06:14:53 PM): What new rules would you like, then? Should we reverse the positions of all the pieces? Start calling the knights "Bludgers" and the king the Snitch? percy_weasley_mm (06:15:20 PM): Wear capes while we play? Play naked? I'm lost, Oliver, really. Do tell me what these new rules should be. oli_keeper_wood (06:15:58 PM): ::glares:: How about we make one new rule, and it's "Oliver Always Wins"? percy_weasley_mm (06:16:57 PM): ::glares back:: I rather favour "Percy Always Wins", really, oli_keeper_wood (06:17:22 PM): ::grins:: But I don't like that, and since I'm the one establishing the rules, that won't be it. percy_weasley_mm (06:17:48 PM): How did we decide that you were the one establishing the rules, exactly? oli_keeper_wood (06:17:55 PM): I established that rule. percy_weasley_mm (06:30:10 PM): But who said you could establish it? oli_keeper_wood (06:30:38 PM): I established the rule to estblish the rule that established I was establishing the rules. percy_weasley_mm (06:34:05 PM): ::looks very intently at Oliver for a moment before starting to laugh uncontrollably, falling forward and knocking a few pieces off the chessboard:: oli_keeper_wood (06:34:45 PM): ::grins, proud that he's made Percy laugh, then:: What are you laughing at, Perce? percy_weasley_mm (06:35:28 PM): ::can't respond, laughing too hard:: oli_keeper_wood (06:36:33 PM): ::grins, laughing a little himself:: Percy! What is it? percy_weasley_mm (06:42:18 PM): It's-- ::attempts to compose himself:: It's nothing, really -- ::looks up at Oliver and starts laughing all over again:: oli_keeper_wood (06:44:01 PM): ::frustrated, grinning, hits a hand on the bed:: Percy!!