t h o m a s ➽ mccormack (thomases) wrote in valesco,
@ 2013-01-25 17:30:00

Entry tags:

Rose!
He held the omnioculars up at a nearly ninety degree angle to get a full, vivid view of the top of the waterfall they stood at the base of. He and Rose had emerged before sunrise to walk this trail of natural wonders of Istanbul and its surrounding area, and Thomas was making sure to soak it all in. The sun was only just beginning to rise above the high trees, creating a sparkling morning mist. It should be cold, especially near the water, but the magical community had taken this area as their own; the waterfall was physically untouched, but the water was charmed to the perfect temperature for a quick swim.

Or at least, that’s what the plaque said on their last checkpoint.

“How high do you think that is?” Thomas said as he continued to look through the treetops, his glove a slight hindrance to his hold. He was dressed head to toe in warm clothes, a woolly hat snug on his head, though he was beginning to regret it as the hike was building up a slight sweat. It felt good, though, to be exerting energy into something other than quidditch and running away from crazy ex-girlfriends.

The fresh air seemed to be rejuvenating, and Thomas actually found himself smiling at the sheer beauty of nature---when was the last time he'd literally just taken a walk through the park? This was a thousand times larger and much wilder than the park by his flat, but the sentiment was there. His mind needed the time to clear itself, and he could always count on Rose for a quiet, thought-provoking time.

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flower
2013-01-26 01:28 am UTC (link)

Rose had, within the first few days upon arriving in Istanbul, decided that she would keep to the strict personal stance of not leaving the athletic complex for anything except practice, matches, and the occasional meal. So, it was no wonder that she had at first resisted Thomas' plans and wishes to drag her along on his exploring and touristing of the city. But, after having had one too many maps thrown at her and a growing path of rug burn on her legs from thinking it wise to go limp on him, she'd come to the conclusion that there was really no fighting Thomas when it came to him making sure the both of them experienced international culture.

And, begrudgingly over time, though she couldn't admit it until months from now, she had come to enjoy their activities. They were usually quiet and beautiful, very calming and surprisingly something that usually helped clear her mind of the day. Scenic landscapes and ancient religious buildings, they were all peaceful and people tended to keep to themselves. Aside from one particularly embarrassing incident in a Muggle mosque, that was. But Rose now covered her bright red hair in public with various hats, so that wouldn't happen again anytime soon.

Speaking of-- Rose pushed her hat up as it had fallen over her eyes, and rested her other hand on her hip to somewhat rest as she regarded the waterfall before her. Shading the blossoming light in the east from her eyes, she frowned slightly as she thought.

"Forty, fifty feet," she guesstimated, watching the water fall down into the pool at their feet. She, like Thomas, had grown warm from the hike, and had thought it best to rid herself from some layers. Though, now, she supposed she might be stripping them away for a slightly different reason.

She smoothly tugged her hat off and tossed it to the ground to start a heap of clothes that had previously been keeping her limbs warm. But, they weren't really necessary when you were planning on jumping down into a pool of water that was 'the perfect temperature for a quick swim,' were they?

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thomases
2013-01-26 03:13 am UTC (link)

He let out some uncontrollable laughter, finding himself glad that even with how rough and dramatic the past few months had been, Rose was still able to quite clearly read his mind. A walk through the park was great, but in his heart the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of flying and soaring through the air could not be ignored. Thomas tossed his hat to the ground, gloves quickly following after. He bounced on one foot for a moment, nearly falling over as he tugged off his shoe and sock. His hill of clothes was growing just as quickly as Rose's and he laughed again.

"That's not too high," he said, taking the time to properly put his omnioculars back in their case before adding it to his pile.

Thomas' time in Istanbul, hell, for the month of January as those few first minutes into the New Year are what had started this madness, should have forced into him some reluctance. Everything he wanted to do seemed to blow up in his face. But! But, he hardly found himself concerned that someone could be coming, or that they'd get in trouble for making their way off the beaten path. Even with the headaches and heartaches he'd had to deal with whether his own doing or someone else's, he'd managed to survive. Thomas had always shrunk back into himself when things became too hard to handle for the self-diagnosed neurotic, but look! Scotland was in the semi-finals, he'd stopped himself from doing something stupid with Audrey, and now he planned a dare-devil like jump into a gushing waterfall.

Life could be a lot worse, couldn't it?

Stripped down to his shorts, Thomas squished the wet, sandy ground between his toes before starting toward what looked like the best way up the cliff. He shivered in the breeze, but pushed forward, latching onto Rose's wrist to ensure that she did not get cold feet---and to keep himself from doing so.

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flower
2013-01-27 01:42 am UTC (link)

While it was respectable of Thomas to want to hike what little was left of their walk, Rose was not about to climb up that cliff in her knickers. It was cold, and, her legs had become tired from their completely non-magical walk, which she had not once suggested cheating at because sometimes it was about the journey and not the destination.

This instance was definitely about the destination.

So, instead of letting Thomas tug her along, Rose dug her heels into the ground and pulled him back. She waved her free hand toward the general direction of the waterfall. "We're apparating up there," she let out, pressing her lips together in an excited manner.

Was this a bit reckless? Well, yes, but, the yearn to feel the wind on her face and the water on her skin was indisputable and unshakable. It would feel... she wasn't sure why she did, but she knew it would feel good, detoxing even. Like a cleanse! But more thrilling and a bit more dangerous.

Was this a thrill-seeking characteristic building within her? She quickly buried all thoughts concerning that, as they were burdening and heavy.

"Come on," she said, her grip tightening on him. And, before he could protest, Rose disapparated the both them, popping to the top a second later. She released Thomas, and stepped carefully out of the way from the edge. This would be fun! And terrifying. Her heart immediately began to beat faster, and surprisingly it only further cemented her desire to jump.

"After you," Rose spoke loudly over the roaring water, and smiled widely, extending her arms out and leaning over slightly to give Thomas the honor.

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thomases
2013-01-27 05:22 pm UTC (link)

Quite thankful that Rose had insisted on apparating, Thomas peered over the ledge they'd managed to find themselves on. He was sure that the hike and climb up here would have cost him his nerves, but the quickness at which they'd reached this peak only heightened his excitement. The water was spraying them as it dumped itself over the falls, and Thomas marveled in how strong it seemed. Mother Nature never failed to amaze him.

He took a few steps back to give himself a runway. Thomas' fingers moved wildly before he clamped his hands into fists, becoming determined. He'd jumped from higher, hadn't he? He'd taken the leap from Arrows Park to get his magic back---and when he'd jumped, there hadn't been a pool of water to break his fall. He still found himself shaking when he thought back to that day, wondering how he could have confused conviction with his complete loss of faith.

Thomas shook the thoughts from his mind and with one last breath took off at full speed, jumping off the ledge and letting out quite the holler as he dropped. His stomach lurched, he tried to keep as straight as possible, and his eyes shut just in time as he hit the water. The impact sent him far down, into the depths of the warm, crystal clear water. Thomas opened his eyes and kicked himself up, pushing through the strong currents that the waterfall was creating above him.

He surface, gulping for air, and shouted up at Rose after a whoop of success, "YOUR TURN, KNIGHTLEY!"

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flower
2013-01-27 08:53 pm UTC (link)

Rose wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm as she watched Thomas fall as far as she could without accidentally sending herself down with him. And, once she had deemed that he was, in fact, still alive and breathing, she then turned to prepare herself for the jump. Drop, fall, whichever word appropriate to describe her next act would not be enough. Leap! Yes, that sounded much more thrilling than a simple jump.

Not as nervous or hesitant as she should be, Rose stood in the cold for only a few moments longer before firmly deciding to take the plunge now. Her heart raced as fast as her feet, and before she knew it, she was leaping off the cliff and diving back toward the ground.

An electrified shriek escaped her as she fell, followed by something that could only be described in the moment as a string of laughs. What a wonderful feeling, followed only by the pleasant enveloping sensation of warm water around her. Even though it stung slightly, she opened her eyes to look around as she kicked herself back to the surface.

After taking a loud gulp of air, Rose blinked quickly to clear her bleary vision. She looked at Thomas for a moment quietly, then suddenly burst out laughing. Falling back to lay flat on the water, she continued to laugh heavily.

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