Goodies for Practice (Josh/Lance/Genevieve/open)

[Eve Mallory]

Eve came to the Pitch as often as she could, usually she'd have a book with her, but she didn't read often while here. She came to support Josh and Lance as they practice, and of course she was there for every game. Sometimes she brought them treats from the kitchens.

She found out that the team made fun of the brothers being spoiled by her and she had started baking cookies for all of the Hufflepuff players. Cookies, cupcakes, drinks, something different each time usually, but they played hard and they deserved something for their efforts. Of course, she always had a little something extra for her men.

Today that "something special" wasn't edible, instead she had been working on crocheting scarves. It was an interesting hobby to say the least but it filled time and she felt good making something the muggle way and then giving it to the people she loved. She hoped that the boys liked them as well.

She sighed and waited for practice to be over, she wanted to show them the scarves and then perhaps be able to do something for the rest of the day.

[Josh Jordan]

Josh walked out to the quidditch pitch with Lance, ready for practice. Quidditch was his favorite thing to do, other than hang around Eve, Genevieve, and Lance all day. Playing along side Lance was always fun. Together, they seemed to be unstoppable and they had fun doing it.

Arriving on time, Josh mounted his broom and started the laps around the pitch before the actual practice started. He flew around the pitch as quickly and smoothly as he could. Finishing up, he pulled up beside Lance and listened to the captain talk about the practice that they would be doing. Lance and Josh would have to fly around and throw the quaffle around while avoiding bludgers. This exercise was always entertaining.

His eyes fell on Eve and he gave her a quick smile and wave. Turning back to Lance, he continued to grin. "Ready?"

[Lance Jordan]

Lance had managed to climb onto his broom as well and did his laps in the opposite direction just for a change of pace half laughing each time they passed each other. It was the small things in life that entertained him and he was often easily amused. The twins were actually quite good chasers together and the quaffle didn't stand a chance when they began working in unison to make a goal.

The hardest part was avoiding those bludgers as they flew around unexpectedly, it was a very tense position but he loved the thrill of it. But for today's practice they just had to practice dodging the bludgers while practing their passes, he was looking forward to it as always. He knew Eve was somewhere in the stands and likely Genevieve too, but right now his focus was on practice. He got very focused when he was playing, probably because he enjoyed it so much and it did take quite a bit of concentration to manuver his broom while dodging things that kept aiming themselves for his head, ribs or broom.

The last practice he'd managed to get sideswiped by a wayward bludger he hadn't seen coming and still had the bruise to prove it. He'd gotten distracted by Genevieve that time and he was determined not to let that happen again. It was still tender but he never let minor injuries bug him too much, besides it reminded him to keep his head in the game.

"You better believe it!" He answered Josh right before the team captain who was the seeker this year blew a whistle and the team took off through the air at an almost breakneck speed. If nothing else they were great at flying which was a skill that really had its rewards when you played quidditch. Josh had already manged to catch the quaffle as Lance dodged an oncoming bludger aiming itself at his head.

[Josh Jordan]

Josh caught the quaffle as it was tossed in the air. At that moment, the world around him faded and he was completely focused on Quidditch. The only things he could see was the team and the goal posts. That was it. He took Quidditch seriously.

He flashed a grin to his brother as they took off at fast speeds. "Bludger coming your way," he yelled to Lance. The bludger passed Lance as he dodged it and came after Josh. Cursing under his breath, Josh threw the quaffle to Lance and started to fly away as the bludger started to follow. There was no way he was going to get hit by a bludger today. He already had his fair share of getting hit.

[Lance Jordan]

Lance imediately caught the quaffle that had been thrown in his direction and swerved off towards the goal post trying to make a B-line for it. He was completely focused with one eye keeping track of Josh's position, one eye one hs goal and his perefrial vision trying to keep a watch for the other bludger he was sure was going to catch up to him sooner than later.

Josh had finally managed to loop up and feign directions and loosing the bludger's shadow that had been chasing after him. Then one of the beaters came up in front of him to hit a bludger he'd just noticed headed his way and he had to dive down to keep from hitting the Hufflepuff girl with a stick. Just then felt more than saw Lance come near right before he saw his brother out of the corner of his eye and threw the quaffle his way as he took two hands to his broom to keep from eatting dirt on the rapid decent.

[Josh Jordan]

Josh made zigzags trying to get away from the bludger. As soon as he got away from it, he saw the quaffle coming his way and reached out to catch it. The goal posts were closer and Josh didn't bother to fly in a straight line, considering that was what the bludger's prefered. He kept part of his viewing on his brother and continued to fly around in the sky.

The keeper seemed to keep his eye on Josh as he flew towards him. Of course, he would need Lance to help get it in the hoop. The keeper followed his movements and Josh faked throwing the quaffle in the hoop and threw it to Lance instead.

[Lance Jordan]

Lance came up from below just in time to catch Josh's feign as he flew right below him and while he zigged comming from the other direction he aimed for the goal rings and threw the quaffle with a sure arm. The keeper hadn't expected the feign from Josh so he'd reached to block the left ring meanwhile Lance aimed for the right-most ring. By the time the keeper had realized his mistake he'd manuvered to the right only in time to block air as the quaffle flew true to it's target.

Lance had almost missed that catch though from his angle but a sense of anticipation he felt from Josh before he even realized it had been enough to get Lance into place in time. It was a close one that time but that made the move that much more impressive. It was almost as if they could read each others minds without knowing it and their smooth plays were like a well oiled machine, they just knew how the other thinked and were able to balance that with their own actions.

As Lance had let go of the quaffle, he'd continued his flight upwards and looped upside down back into position beside Josh giving him a high five.

[Josh Jordan]

The boys seemed to be completely in tune with each other in just about everything they did, even though they may not realize it. Josh found himself smiling as his brother made the quaffle go through the hoop. Sure, he just barely got it in there before the keeper realized what they were doing, but it still went through.

Josh held his hand out as Lance flew beside him. "Very nice Lance. Very nice." The captain yelled about doing it again. Of course, Josh didn't have any problems with that. "Alright, let's go bro. This time, let's confuse the mess out of them." He flashed a grin before making a loop in the air just as the keeper threw the ball. Josh just barely missed a bludger that by passed his leg. He caught the ball with his fingertips and tossed it to Lance.

[Lance Jordan]

"On it!" he shouted in reply to his brother's comment as much as to let him know he was aware the quaffle was now headed towards Lance. His head was still completely in the game and as he caught the quaffle he imediately began flying in a weaving motion. He saw Josh on his left side just a moment before he saw a bludger headed his way, he dropped down and the moment he was upside down on his broom, hanging on with his leg muscles he threw the quaffle to his brother then continued to spiral down purposely to avoid the bludger following him, as his broom flew in a wide upside down loop until he came back upright as the bludger crashed into a pillar that Lance barely avoided.

[Eve Mallory]

Eve was so proud of her boys. She had stood and whistled after having her hand to her chest the entire game worried for the bludgers , it wouldn'tve been the first time one of them got hit of course and she always panicked and cursed this game then. She had once thought of being on the team, but that was forbidden, one hit from a bludger and she would be no more, all of her bones would break and she would be Eve in many different broken pieces, but she loved watching, and playing when it was just the guys and her.

[Josh Jordan]

Josh caught the quaffle and sped off towards the goal posts, never flying in a straight line. Making sure that Lance got away from the bludger, he threw it to him and then spiraled off upwards, dodging his own bludger. Maybe it was those beaters fault that he and his brother had to take turns running from the bludgers. They seemed to go after it at the last minute.

As soon as he got high enough, Josh changed directions quickly. He headed straight downward. The bludger brushed his arm and Josh winced. There would just be a bruise where it brushed, nothing major. He leveled out on his broom and resumed his place by Lance as they flew towards the goal posts.

[Lance Jordan]

Lance caught his brother's eyes indicating the keeper ahead and passed the quaffle to Josh easily while speeding off in the other direction to get on the other side of the pitch but both heading towards the goal post in zig zagging line with ups, downs, lefts and rights both successfully avoiding the bludgers this time as the beaters manage to do their job. The twins managing to keep almost in sync with each other and Lance only slightly ahead getting himself into position for an assist.

[Josh Jordan]

Josh flew pretty close to sync with his brother and neared the keeper. He looked ready this time. His eyes switched to all three posts. Josh flew beside Lance and grinned. "Go to the left post and be ready to catch." He flew past his brother, straight for the right goal post. The keeper moved that direction and as soon as they were close enough, Josh threw the quaffle to Lance who was at the left goal post.

After scoring again, the captain called them in. Josh was catching his breath and then the captain congratulated the brothers on team work. He wiped his brow, which held a little sweat, but the captain said practice was over. After giving Lance a high five, Josh dived towards the stands and landed beside Eve.

"Eva!" He said with a grin. He debated on giving her a hug since he was a little sweaty. "Hug?"

[Eve Mallory]

"No." she grumbled giving him a stern expression, "Arm!" she demanded, she had seen him get hit and it made her want to bludgeon the bludgers to death, " Honestly why you play this game I'll never know..." she continued to mumble inaudibly about him risking his life to impress girls and the like while she studied his arm for a bruise or break, she was terribly worried whenever they got hurt.

"You don't seem to be broken." she said still not appeased. But Merlin he was handsome when he played, they both were and she couldn't help but smile even as she grit her teeth and congratulated him on doing well. She finally caved and hugged him tightly to her whispering a silent prayer that he'd be watched over and safe before pulling back, then she presented him her cookies.

[Josh Jordan]

Josh frowned as she said no, but handed her his arm. "Yes mum," he muttered under his breath playfully. Sure, Eve was small, but she was demanding. He thought it was cute that she worried when he and/or Lance were hurt. Josh would rather her take care of him than having to go the Hosptial Wing. He watched her as she inspected his arm. "The bludger just brushed my arm. It'll be alright. It will probably just bruise, and then later on you can fuss at me more about how I need to be more careful." He flashed her a grin.

"And of course I'm not broken! It will take more than a bludger brush to break me." As she gave him a hug, Josh wrapped his arms around her. She fit perfectly in his arms and he didn't want to let go. Eve pulled back, and Josh let her do so. His eyes widened at cookies. "Eva, have I told you lately how much I love you?"

[Eve Mallory]

Her heart did a flip at the words and she wished they were something else, and that she couldn't explain either. She loved Josh, loved him like a brother, just like she loved Lance, and yet there was something different but...what was it? It was definitely something she couldn't even begin to explain to herself or to anyone else. She often felt she was too young to like boys, and felt so behind when Genevieve was around and worked her wiles on the brothers. Genevieve was so talented at flirting and getting attention that Eve was completely in the dark.

But Eve didn't have a mother to consult about such things as boys and flirting and what was natural. She didn't know why she didn't like boys yet, or perhaps she was just in love with one boy already.

She laughed after she regained her sense, " You know I never tire of hearing it." she told him earnestly, " I have something for you and Lance too...in addition to the cookies."

[Josh Jordan]

"Ah, well good, because I do love you. You're the best!" He grinned at her again and took a cookie. He took a bite out of it and his facial expression was like a child's at Christmas Time. "Oh, real-" he started with his mouth full of cookie. Josh swallowed what he had in his mouth and began again. "Oh really? Can I see, please? Pretty please? Because you love me?" His eyes were sort of big out of excitement.

Josh loved the homemade things that Eve gave him. To him, it had more value than something store bought. Plus, he did love her, or what he thought was love. Sure, he loved her like a sister, but there was something else. She made him feel different. Genevieve made him feel different too, but not quite as much as Eve.

[Eve Mallory]

"Not yet." she said after he finished swallowing his cookie, "We should wait for Lance to get here." She moved to sit behind him and placed her hands tentatively on his shoulders before starting to rub the kinks out of his muscles. She did this for him often after practice usually because she thought he worked so hard that he deserved it otherwise his muscles would get sore.

"But I do love you Josh." she said quietly.

[Josh Jordan]

Josh pouted. "Aw man." He let out a sigh and finished off his cookie. His eyes closed as Eve started to massage his shoulders. Her little hands felt nice on his shoulders. Although she was little, she had a great power over him.

As she said she loved him, he couldn't help but smile. Josh tilted his head back and smiled up at her with his eyes still closed. "Good. I would be awfully sad of you didn't." He wasn't sure which way she meant it. Probably just as a friend, but that was okay. At least she loved him in some way or another.

[Eve Mallory]

She wasn't consciously aware of this power over him, but sometimes she did feel powerful. He trusted her and he cared for her, it was amusing to her that she could bring such a big guy to putty at the work of her small hands, it was amusing and thrilling, and yet he could bring her to putty at just a simple smile.

"Then be happy." she told him kissing his forehead when he tilted his head back, "And know that you are well loved, even with all your suicidal tendancies in that infernal game." she teased.