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[Prof. Caleb Rothwell]

[Jasmine Weasley]

Tag; Ash

 

Summer didn't mean quite the same thing as it had when she was a student. It was now just another Tuesday — a steady cycle of nine-to-fives during most of the week, with blissful weekends off. The difference was that the weather was much more enticing to enjoy when she wasn't at the observatory. While most of her siblings were off in the world doing their own thing, Ash was still in school. It was easy to forget he was only slightly younger than her sometimes when she'd graduated ages ago now, and he was still toddling around Hogwarts. To further emphasize that time divide, she'd recently gotten a promotion at work, getting a much-appreciated pay bump and shedding the 'junior' from her title. No matter how vastly different her place in life currently was from Ash's, though, it didn't mean she didn't want to see the guy. Summer was the perfect time to coerce him into some quality sibling time, as it might be the only shot she got before he returned to Hogwarts. She had a certain investment in his love life now, so she needed to check in on that after imparting him with her wisdom. Surely he and Teagan were dating now.

 

Jasmine had turned up to the Weasley residence to fetch her younger brother. She didn't say much about where they were going, but had him hang on and she apparated them out of town. They landed behind a dilapidated shed that was barely keeping upright, though around them was practically all open field. This spot was just handy because it was right up against the treeline. Less likelihood of being seen. "Welcome to Kenmare," she said with a grin as she came around the shed. There, just on the other side of the road, was a farm. One that looked like it had been plucked right out of another time period. "Well, technically we're just outside it, but you get what I mean. Come on," she said as she set off in the direction of the great stone buildings.

[Ash Weasley]

Now that he was older Ash had a clearer sense of appreciate for his siblings. With that being said it wasn't like he was about to sit around a camp fire with them and sing Kumbayah or anything, but he hadn't found them as insufferable as he usually did, with the exception of maybe one of them. When Jasmine had extended the invite to hang out he hadn't opposed it and was actually looking forward to getting to know what his older sister was up to. Their eldest sister was a step away from getting married and Jasmine sort of was heading in that same path, going as far as living with her boyfriend, which he didn't necessarily approve of but he kept his opinion on that to himself- most of the time. Linden was still home and they'd occasionally hang out and Vi? Eh, who knows what she was up to these days. 

 

It was nice getting out of the house and didn't ask where they were going until they had apparated to the most random place he could think of. The look on his face was filled with confusion and honestly a bit of disdain as his eyes landed on the dilapidated shed. "Ireland?" He said outloud and looked around the area and raised his brow at Jas as he looked at her, "What are we doing here?" Not that he was opposed to a calm, relaxing outing but in his mind he had made the assumption they'd be in a city or something more lively. Nevertheless he followed after her, his eyes averting to the distance where he can see a few sheep and a cow from the local farm.

[Jasmine Weasley]

It was a nice day out today, but not sweltering, which worked out great for what she had in store for them today. Ash's confusion was clear on his face, but she'd expected as much. There was no evident reason why they'd be here. Neither of them had any ties to this place, and as of yet she hadn't provided any explanations on what they were up to on this outing. That was on purpose, though none of this was some big surprise or anything. Just something fun for them to do while catching up, and perhaps something her brother might find a tiny bit of a humour in. "Yes sir. Haven't been here much, but the places I have seen are quite lovely." Very lively pubs, and very peaceful countryside. Ash finally got around to asking the reason for this visit, and Jasmine smiled. "I'm curious what explanations you've already come up with, but I'm doubting any of them are correct," she stated with a chuckle while they walked. The woman looked over at her brother, shooting him a wink. "But you'll be able to tell me soon enough if you were correct or not." Her brother was a very calculated and composed person, so to catch him even slightly off-guard felt like a bit of an achievement.

 

"This here is the Molly Gallivans Farm. They operate it like a traditional old-timey farm, with all of the old buildings and equipment still intact. They do tours of it and everything," she explained. "But, that's not why we're here." Walking past the main building, they sidled up to an open hut, in which sat a man and woman with a cash box and a row of baskets on the wooden counter. "We... are picking berries today. The actually edible kind this time," she said, amusement slanting her smile ever so slightly. "They've got the fields out back." Fishing some money out of her pocket, she handed the 5 euro depositfor each of them to the pair at the counter, and listened as they explained where the markers for the straberry, blueberry, and raspberry patches were. Jasmine looked at Ash and gestured to the selection of baskets. "Pick whichever one you want," she instructed him with a smile. For herself, she grabbed a medium-sized basket with a corrugated handle. Some of these would go in the fridge for snacking, but she was hoping to turn the rest into dessert. What Ash did with his... well that was up to him.

[Ash Weasley]

Ash wasn't impressed and the look on his face said it all. He wasn't about to outwardly start bitching either, but his stern gaze would let Jas know exactly how he was feeling about the whole outing thus far. His eyes narrowed at her non explanation and figured she wouldn't let him  know off the bat what they were doing or why the hell they were entering the 17th century. "I'm convinced you're showing me where you and what's-his-face are going to plant your roots. That place looks like something he'd like." He said pointedly as he gestured towards the shed and then snickered to himself because although he hadn't meant a word of what he had said, the thought of Jas toughing it out here sounded comical. On the outside he did his best for his composure not to waver, but Jas was his older sister and knew him better than he would care to admit and simply followed after her, begrudgingly admitted to her. "You know I don't like surprises, Jasmine." At least not these kinds. 

 

Great. He thought to himself sarcastically as she explained where they were at. Ash wasn't a person who did any hard labor so the thought of spending his day at a farm wasn't exactly his cup of tea, especially because knowing Jas she'd make him do something cringe worthy. And then she clarified that they weren't here for that reason and let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. His short temper worked against him and felt his patience leaving him because she was speaking in riddles, "Alright then spit it out." He drawled out in a bored expression and then quirked his brow as she mentioned picking berries. The main question was why, but he silently followed behind and watched as she paid for them and listened carefully to the owner's instructions. He picked the same type of basket Jas had and once they were out of earshot and alone, he looked at her and said in a mock tone. "Oh, wait don't tell me what's next...we're baking a raspberry cake." He realized he was being a bit of a douche and felt guilt trickle into his conscious and rubbed the back of his neck as he awkwardly added, "I'm joking. This is...nice."

[Jasmine Weasley]

Jasmine knew she wasn't about to get Ash grinning and giggling, but deep down she'd hoped that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't begrudge the time spent with her. She knew she wouldn't get much joy out of her brother unless she whipped out a surprise Teagan from behind one of those sheds, but today's outing did sort of relate to Ash's probable girlfriend. That should make this somewhat foolproof, right? The brunette snorted at her brother's statement. "Merlin, no. Niccolo would flounder like a fish on land if we weren't near a large body of water. When we manage to buy our own home, it'll likely be something seaside." Or on a decently sized lake. This vast farmland was lovely and all, but both of them loved the beach, and Niccolo's ability had always pulled him to the water. It wasn't something she would willingly deprive him of. She glanced over at Ash. "I am capable of coming up with ideas unrelated to him, you know." This outing had absolutely nothing to do with Niccolo. Today was about Ash, because that's who was here with her right now.

 

Once Ash had his basket, they rounded the hut and started walking out to the fields. A few people could be seen dotting the rows in the distance, and Jasmine was thinking they could probably start with the strawberries and make their way to the smaller berries afterwards. Jasmine heard Ash's annoyed and sarcastic remark from the side, and she stopped walking, looking at her brother for a prolonged moment. Her face was largely unreadable, and while she was here wanting to spend time with her baby brother, she was reminded of just how difficult he was to please. In the silence, Ash added that he was joking, but there was no perceivable change in her expression. Jasmine glanced down at the basket in her hand, and some amount of defeat finally bled into her face, which swiftly morphed into resignation. "Are you sure?" She looked up at him. "Because we can bring our baskets back and I'll get our deposits. What you do with your berries is at your discretion, but I thought you might have given them to mom, or maybe made something for Teagan. I'm sure she'd have been impressed if you managed to whip up a dessert for her or something. And I know you like plants," perhaps only because of Teagan, but that fact was irrelevant. "But it's fine if you don't want to be here." He never really did. "Just... pick what you want to do, I guess, and we'll go. I just want to spend a few hours with you, Ash, and I don't care where, because I'm not trying to hold you hostage. I barely get to see you." She brushed a wisp of hair from her face as the breeze blew past and glanced off at the hut behind them.

[Ash Weasley]

​Ash couldn't explain why he was such an ass at times, especially with his siblings, but here he was being a jerk for no good reason. Ironically, Jas was one of the siblings he rather liked and just had the weirdest way of showing it. At Jas' comment about her boyfriend he simply nodded half heartedly and made a non committal noise in acknowledgment. "Is that where you want to live - by the ocean?" He asked wondering if she genuinely liked being seaside or only doing it to please what's-his-face. It struck Ash that he really didn't know what Jas' likes or dislikes were and turned away to look at the scenery, taking a nice whiff as the passing breeze bricked through them but didn't pry or comment further. 

 

 

Ash knew her had done fucked up when the words left his mouth and groaned inwardly, scrunching his nose in the process as he looked down and kicked the ground gently beneath him. He already knew the look that Jas was darting his way because it was nothing new to him and looked up begrudgingly and felt the guilt sink in further and let out an audible, annoyed sigh at her words. He wanted to interject with an Alright...alright we get it Jas can we move on... but that wasn't a genuine apology and he knew it. When Teagan's name was mentioned those guilty feelings only magnified because he could imagine the Hufflepuff would be none too impressed by his behavior. "You're right." He spoke lowly but loud enough for Jas to hear the dejection in his voice. "That was uncalled for and I'm sorry for that." He stood a few steps closer to her and offered her a faint smile, searching her eyes and hoping his idiocy wouldn't tarnish their day. "This is a good idea." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed it to show he wasn't just saying all this to get on with their day - besides his ego would never let him lie about something like that. "Listen, I don't know why I'm such a grump sometimes. I'm working on it. I don't want my attitude to ruin the day though and I definitely don't feel like a hostage. I actually have been looking forward to this." 

[Jasmine Weasley]

Jasmine considered it a good sign that Ash was asking questions back to her. He wasn't staying quiet this whole time and just sticking to the bare minimum interaction. No matter how genuine or feigned his current interest was, it was keeping a line of dialogue open between them, and left her hopeful that they could legitimately chat. About whatever, really. Life, interests, the mysteries of the universe. Jasmine didn't care what it ended up being, as long as she got to spend some quality time with her most elusive brother. "Living by the ocean would be lovely. The salty air and the gorgeous sunsets on the horizon... I've spent time at his grandmother's seaside manor in Cannes and it was beautiful. Amazing view of the stars at night too. Of course that's something she would pay attention to. "Though I think living by any body of water would be pretty great. Niccolo's family lives right on their own private lake, and it's really peaceful. It just kinda lacks the beach and waves." Ideal outcome was the ocean, but there was no telling where life would end up carrying them both. "If mum handed you an inheritance and booted you out the second you graduated — though let's face it, she'd never do that — where would you want to settle? At least at first." Some folks went through several homes throughout their lifetimes. "I think I can safely assume it wouldn't be on a farm," she added with a snort, though her brow still rose in question.

 

Jasmine was used to Ash's general lack of enthusiasm in most things by now. She really was. But that never stopped her from getting her hopes up, just on the off chance that maybe — maybe — this time would be different. Ash had always been prickly and sort of off in his own world. But dammit if she wasn't going to try meeting him halfway anyway. Though his first knee-jerk reaction to response sarcastically might simply be the true way he felt, Jasmine appreciated the apology. She hadn't required one, but his small gestures mattered. "It's alright," she replied, finding his hand on her shoulder with a small smile. "I'd say it's the teenage hormones, but you've always been like this," she added with a faint little chuckle. "Come on, we can start with the strawberries." She resumed walking, making a beeline for the biggest patch towards the middle.

[Ash Weasley]

Jasmine went on in detail, (to no one's surprise), about her love of the ocean. He had never been the biggest fan of the ocean but could admire it and found some aspects of sitting on the sand and just listening to the waves crash against the shore bed relaxing, though nothing he would fawn over. Her next question made his brow raise and honestly was a real head scratcher because surprisingly he hadn't thought that far out. Mostly because he wouldn't move out until he was getting married -call him old fashioned. "It's never crossed my mind because honestly Jas?" He shrugged as he let his words linger..."I wouldn't move out of the house until I've gotten married. So I guess the place I'd "settle" in would be somewhere my future wife and I feel best suits our needs at the time. You know... close to work and anything else we consider important. I wouldn't want to be too far away from mum and dad either.  I'd like to maintain a nice relationship with them, even when I'm too busy with my own life and dealing with stuff. I guess I'm old fashioned. I don't see the fuss in leaving so quick, but I'm not going to judge you all on that either - everyone does what's best for them." Did he approve? No, but he wasn't going to get on a soap box and start getting preachy either. It was only him and Lind at home now, with his older brother probably having one foot out the door anyways so soon enough he knew it would just be him and his folks. "Though I think I can safely say it wouldn't be here." He said with a snicker. 

 

Luckily Jas accepted his apology and wasn't harping on him for his piss poor attitude. "I definitely have been the grump of the family- no one could steal my title." He chuckled at this as he let go of her and then turned to walk towards the field, though stopped halfway and turned to look at her over his shoulder and admitted, "You're the one I like the best out of all our siblings though." It was his way of telling Jas how much she meant to him, even if it was in his own cryptic way. "And raspberries next. I know Tieg likes those." He mentioned her name casually, knowing that Jas wouldn't be surprised that she came up in conversation. What she didn't know was that he had finally asked the red head to be his girlfriend after years of finally surmising the courage to do so. 

 

 

[Jasmine Weasley]

Curious to her that Ash would be so desperate to seek independence from all of them... except their parents. He avoided his siblings like the plague, but would gladly share a roof with his parents for years more? Nothing wrong with that, of course, she just found it ironic considering how he behaved around the rest of them. And honestly, this was sounding a lot like Goldie. She wouldn't be bringing it up, but it sounded a lot like Ash was saving himself for marriage, just like their older sister. Hence the abstinence towards living together. Jasmine was personally of the belief that you needed to try a broomstick before you purchased it — because dating someone and living with said person were two very different experiences — but if others wanted to take that blind leap of faith and hope it all worked out after you said 'I do', then all the power to them. "I'm sure you'd be able to find a nice little house in Ottery. I'd see 'for sale' signs all the time when I used to stroll around. You'd always just be a short walk from mum and dad." Ottery was also a very quiet place. Nice for maintaining one's peace and raising a family. "Easier for me if you live at home, though, cause that means I can kill three birds with one stone when I visit," she added with a chuckle. "Well, four, really, because I've no idea when or if Linden will move." It had been a while since she'd had some one-on-one time with her older brother.

 

Ash certainly was the grump of the family. You had to tread carefully around him sometimes, and he'd always reminded her of mom in that sense. "Violet's come close to giving you a run for money on a few occasions, but I don't think she could genuinely dethrone you." That title was all his to claim. Jasmine paused in her gait as Ash abruptly stopped walking and revealed she was his favourite sibling. "Much as it would be tempting to use that as bragging material, I think that's a piece of information I'm going to keep for myself," she replied with a smile. She resumed walking. "But regardless where I stand in your sibling rankings, you know you can come to me for anything, right? Not just dating advice, though I can certainly assist in that department too." Which he knew firsthand.

 

Entering the middle row of strawberry plants, Jasmine squatted down and wrapped her fingers around a red, plump strawberry. "What are you thinking of making with the raspberries for your... girlfriend?" She tugged the strawberry from its stem with a shick, and dropped it into her basket. Ash had to have known the question was coming. Their pep talk had been ages ago now, back when she was still in school.

[Ash Weasley]

Ash was definitely old fashioned when it came to certain aspects of a relationship. He was firmly set on saving himself for marriage because he only wanted to share that intimate experience with the person he vowed to share his life with. Most would probably argue that he needed to explore and seek what was out there first before settling on just one person prior making the biggest decision of his life, but he was more than happy with his decision to remain abstinent. He wasn't going to lie and say he wasn't tempted or the idea hadn't crossed his mind because after all he was a sixteen year old boy with raging hormones, like everyone else his age, but his convictions were stronger. Not that he had talked extensively with Tieg or anything like that, but knew they were the first for each other's kiss and all these other brewing feelings they had for one another. The redhead had become so special to him and had grown a deep fondness for her that he wanted to keep sharing special firsts with her and maybe one day the two would make it across the aisle...but that was a distant thought and hadn't even combed through the idea of that yet. "Ottery would be nice." He nodded in agreement but added, "But that's not going to happen any time soon. I have to graduate, get a job, have a good cushion to fall back on savings and most importantly a wife to agree on where we'd live." He chuckled at the last bit because it sounded so grown up, but had to admit Ottery wouldn't be a bad place to plant his roots. Time would only tell. "Who knows when Linden will move. He seems comfortable, though I thought at this point maybe he'd want to leave like the rest of you. Then again I haven't seen his...boyfriend around so maybe he will stay longer." He used to term boyfriend loosely because he never recalled Linden actually referring to Arnaud in that way but they gave off that vibe. "Or friend- I don't know what label they have." He said with a shrug. 

 

 

He rolled his eyes as she mentioned Violet and snickered, "She does it because she constantly craves attention 24/7." He never understood her antics because they genuinely never made sense to him, which had always placed her at the bottom of the totem pole when it came to sibling hierarchy for him. And then his face softened at her next comment and pulled a genuine chuckle out of him. "Best to keep it to yourself because I don't want people to think I've gotten soft all of a sudden." She then went on to say that he could come to her with anything and he smiled at her, not adding anything to that but she could tell that the words were appreciated and offered her a head nod in understanding. 

 

​The word girlfriend in the past would get him on the defensive, only because in the past he was still wrangling with all his feelings but now that him and Tieg were official he was proud to say that she was, in fact, his girlfriend. "I was thinking of a raspberry tarts and tartlets. I think she'd enjoy that. Do you think you can help me make them? I know mum could but..." He shrugged..."I get to spend more time with you." He said with a faint grin as he squatted next to her and picked at strawberries and placed them carefully in his basket. His mum could make him a great strawberry shortcake with these. 

[Jasmine Weasley]

Jasmine laughed softly. "Long list of prerequisites to work through first. But you'll get there in time. You'll have a much less stressful adulthood if you stay at home, trust me," she told him. "You'll be able to focus on getting your life together a lot easier if you don't have to worry about paying bills and reminding yourself to do groceries every week." That was an oversimplified reduction of what it actually was to live alone, but it really was a whole laundry list of things and tasks you hadn't had to really consider before. She and Niccolo had worked it out and remained afloat, but had she been at it alone, she could have imagined herself struggling a lot more. Granted, if she hadn't moved in with Niccolo, she'd currently be flat-sharing with Vi, so one way or another, she'd have wound up with a flatmate. Moving out had always been inevitable after graduation. Ash mused about Linden for a moment, and Jasmine merely listened with a light smile on her lips. She knew what was up between Linden and Arns; she'd had the discussion with her brother not long after she'd first begun dating Niccolo. "I haven't spoken to Lin in a while, but I don't think he's in much of a rush. Is he still job hunting?" She would think an owl would have come her way if Linden had finally scored a job somewhere.

 

Violet did indeed like attention. She was an enigma that was near impossible to puzzle out sometimes, but Jasmine was simply glad that their relationship had been mended. The corner of Jasmine's lips quirked up ever so slightly in amusement. "Now we certainly couldn't have that," she replied. Merlin forbid any of them think Ash Weasley had a heart. But he most certainly did, and anyone who watched him with Teagan or heard him talk about her would know so. The boy was positively smitten with her. As he answered her question, he neither confirmed nor denied his relationship status, but the omission of it was about as good as a direct response. Jasmine smiled as he asked to make raspberry tarts together. "Of course I can. It'll give me an excuse to use my baking tools, which I often regrettably neglect." She didn't have much time to casually bake on most days. "We can head to the flat after we're done here. I should have most of what we need, and I can give you a little tour around." He'd be the first sibling to see her place of residence. "And don't worry; Niccolo's out on a shoot today," she added with a snort, knowing this was an important detail to her brother.

 

Setting her basket on the ground, she made use of both hands to cleanly pull a few more strawberries from their stems. Shifting her weight to the side, she lightly bumped Ash with her shoulder before dropping another strawberry into her basket. "Congrats, by the way. Knew you had it in you," she stated as she grinned down at her working hands moving between the plants and the basket.

[Ash Weasley]

"Yeah, I know which is why I am staying at home after I graduate. So, if you know all this stuff why willingly put yourself through that?" He asked, not in an accusatory way mind you, but a genuinely curious one. It seemed to him that Jasmine had all this wealth of knowledge, yet decided to shoot herself in the foot instead. He didn't know how her and Niccolo shared their finances either, nor was really going to ask as that was none of his business, but it seemed foolish to him to struggle on purpose. Also, what was the rush of running off and leaving the nest so quick? I guess that was just something that didn't click to him or hadn't observed the type of dynamic each of his siblings had with their parents, which perhaps contributed to their decision making. The conversation turned to their older brother and Ash gave half a shrug as part of his answer. "I haven't asked since it's not really my business to know. I...guess?" It made him think maybe he should ask more questions to see what was going on in all of their worlds, but since he loathed personal questions being thrown his way, (most of the time), then he also adopted the same for others. "I am guessing mum and dad wouldn't want him to just saunter about all day and actually be motivated to do something, so my guess is that he is."

 

"No. We couldn't." Despite the actual seriousness in his voice, his eyes showed that this was all said in jest. He didn't always want to be seen as the grump, but it also didn't bother him that he was labeled as such. The people who knew him well, knew what kind of person he was and how caring he could be at times and that's all that really mattered. He hadn't purposely left out confirming Teagan being his girlfriend, he just assumed his older sister would get the gist since he hadn't gone correcting her either. He paused for a moment as she mentioned going back to her flat and didn't immediate shoot the idea down, but he didn't want to go if Niccolo was going to be there and inevitably become the third wheel. Though the moment she answered his burning question he smirked to himself and resumed picking at the fruits. "Good. You know I would have said no otherwise. I definitely didn't want to be third wheeling it on our own hangout so I appreciate that." 

 

He wasn't expecting the congratulatory bump but it made him grin nevertheless and his ears feel hot to the touch, which probably spread to his cheeks. "Yeah, well I was taking my sweet time, wasn't I? Seemed silly not to ask and I'm glad she actually said yes." He picked a couple more strawberries before pushing himself in a standing position and squatted by where the raspberries were. "She makes me really happy. I definitely don't want to mess this up." Up until this point they had little insignificant spats here and there across their time together as friends, but being in a relationship was a whole different ball game. It slightly worried him how things would inevitably change and hoped that they could continue to cultivate the peace and fun they had built through the years. 
 

[Jasmine Weasley]

Jasmine certainly understood Ash's logic, but knew he was also coming from a very different situation from her own. "Because the pros vastly outweigh the cons," she replied with a simple smile. "I don't have to factor mum into any of my decisions anymore. I'm no longer gripped by anxiety regarding any decision I may or may not make in my relationship and personal life due to fearing how mum might react. Just because I'm out of the house doesn't mean she can't still react negatively, of course, but it's much easier to let go of these worries and constraints when I'm no longer living beneath her roof. It just happened to work out nicely, because Niccolo and I have been wanting to live together for a while, and if that didn't happen, I'd have moved in with Vi. But I wouldn't have moved out alone. That would have been too difficult to cover the cost of a flat." Much as she craved her independence, she wasn't stupid. Jasmine looked at her brother. "I know you can't quite relate to this stuff. Mum has always treated us girls differently than you and Linden. She's always been a little... extra protective over us girls." She still remembered her mother's chagrin when she'd learned Jasmine was not a virgin, and something told her the reaction wouldn't have been quite the same if she'd learned the same of Linden or Ash. "I love mom, but it's felt stifling at times." She shook her head. "I'm glad those things haven't affected you in the same way and that you'll be able to keep mum and dad company for a while still," she concluded, smiling as she touched her brother's shoulder. Her parents would be fine either way, but the house wouldn't feel so lonely with Ash there.

 

No, their parents wouldn't tolerate Linden squandering his adulthood. She would admit, it was surprising they'd even been this patient with him. Linden had not graduated yesterday. He'd been unemployed for a long time. "I'll have to catch up with him one of these days." Not just to see how the job hunt was going. Though she was curious what field he was eyeing, and if she could pull any of her connections to help him out. The guy could probably use a boost by this point. Ash confirmed what she'd been thinking a moment ago, eliciting a chuckle from her. "I know you only just barely tolerate Niccolo, so I wouldn't subject you to that."{/color] Not now, anyway. Perhaps as he aged he would come to grow less leery of the other. "Would you be able to stomach it if it was a double date, then?" It didn't hurt to ask, because she suspected having Teagan there genuinely would make a difference.

 

Jasmine watched Ash move over a few rows to pick raspberries before returning her focus to the task at hand. "I know," she replied with a smile as she dropped a particularly fat strawberry into her basket. "If you truly love one another, then you'll both put in the necessary effort to make it work. You're the most meticulous of us — well, save perhaps me — so I know you aren't about to let the whole thing fall overboard over something stupid." She brushed the dirt from her fingers and looked up at her brother. "I really hope the two of you work out. She's always struck me as your perfect counterweight," she stated before leaning her arms on her knees. "If it's of any comfort, you two really have the advantage of being best friends going for you. You're ahead of many couples in that regard."

Edited by Jasmine Weasley, 14 August 2023 - 01:24 AM.

[Ash Weasley]

Honestly Ash never understood where his siblings were coming from when it came to their parents, specifically their mother. His relationship with her never induced anxiety or having to walk on eggshells around her, so when Jasmine expressed herself so negatively his face turned stoic. He wasn't going to dismiss her feelings, but felt she was being just as dramatic as Vi so often was and took all the strength in the world to not roll his eyes at her. He felt the need to, however, defend their mother and simply said after her whole spiel. "You make mum seem like this horrid person to be around. Maybe she treats the girls differently- who knows- but she does everything she does because she cares about us. I probably see the world more like her, which is why I could understand her versus how most of you see the world." He shrugged, not really wanting to get into with Jasmine and surprisingly didn't feel the need to have someone be right. They both had their reasons and that was okay. "I do know mum misses you though. I can tell. Hopefully now that you two have distance you can built a better relationship." The last bit was said encouragingly. Their mother was definitely not an overly warm person but she loved her little broad with all her might. His perception of her had always been so flattering, perhaps because he was the youngest and he clung onto her more than the others because she understood him best. 

 

 

What they could both agree on was Linden's time ticking away at being able to be at home without doing much of anything. That was his parents issue though and they'd deal with Linden how they saw fit. The conversation went to Nicco and let out a loud snicker and shook his head without hesitation at the thought of a double date. Yeah...no thanks, he thought to himself sarcastically but was trying to be more tactful when he spoke, "How about a raincheck on that?" Aka never. It's not that he disliked the guy or anything but truly had no interest in getting to know him. Maybe that would change with time or maybe it wouldn't, but right now he wasn't keen on putting on a facade for shits and giggles. "I'll see him at the World Cup anyways, right? I can say hi there. And maybe share other words..." He didn't even speak to Shaad besides a head nod of acknowledgment and that was going to be his future brother in law so Nicco was even lower on the totem pole. 

 

The word love had made Ash a little antsy and swallowed hard as his older sister mentioned it so casually. He cared for Teagan truly and did love her, but was still wrapping his mind around these very serious feelings. She could probably tell it had made him uncomfortable and simply said, "I won't." It made him nervous how much a romantic relationship had to be cared for, like a delicate plant that needed the right amount of sunshine and water in order to bloom. "She's really special that's for certain. I've never liked any other girl and I don't ever want to." That part brought a smile to his face. 

[Jasmine Weasley]

Jasmine couldn't help a small laugh. "Oh, I've always considered you to be mum's carbon copy. Your hair just happens to be the wrong colour. So it never struck me as unexpected that you and her easily have one of the closest relationships in the family. And I'm glad you do have that with her, because if I'm being honest? I've been envious of it in the past." Nowadays she was less bothered by it. But their mother never had to butt heads with him in the way she had with Goldie, Jasmine and Vi. And probably Linden too at some point or another. She wondered sometimes if her older brother had come out to their parents yet, but something told her that wasn't the case. She'd been clear to Linden that she wouldn't be outing him to anyone, nor would she bother outing herself unless Linden took the leap first. Not to make him the sacrificial lamb or anything, but rather because she felt no pressing need to be clear on that aspect of herself with the rest of her family, given she was in a relationship with a man. If Linden came out, then that might start a wave of momentum that would make the confession feel more natural. She really couldn't gauge where on the scale her mother would fall when it came to... accepting or rejecting this particular matter. Ash mentioned their mother missing her, to which she nodded. "I've never doubted that she does. No matter our past conflicts, I'm sure it's rough having your kids leave the nest. To go from seeing them every day to seeing them mostly during holidays and special occasions. But I'm hopeful things will only go up from here. With this space, I can gather myself and ensure I'm always giving mum my best foot forward." I mean Christmasses had gone pretty well, so she deemed that a pretty accurate gauge. "I could never just forsake and leave mum in the dust." Even if her mother somehow did something utterly heinous, it could never totally quash the familial affection hardwired into her. Her mother would always be her mother.

 

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Ash was being quite the comic today, with varying degrees of success. His sarcasm tended to range from the mildly upsetting to the highly entertaining, and he was leaning much more to the latter side right now. "You answered that much more politely than I thought you would," she told him with a snort. "Don't worry. Though for the record, I have no qualms with third-wheeling." If she was needed or wanted somewhere, her lone wheel status would not deter her from providing her presence. But Ash was correct that he'd be seeing Niccolo whether he liked it or not at the World Cup. "Yes, he'll be there seeing as he's invited this time around. Ignore him if you want, but just keep it civil, alright?" Their parents would surely have a low tolerance for any conflict breaking out in the family tent.

 

Jasmine plopped a few more strawberries into her basket before pushing herself upright and stepping a few rows over into the raspberry patches. She squatted a few feet away from her brother. "So Teagan's big on raspberries, huh? If we wind up with any leftover berries, we could maybe prep a small jar of jam or something. Does she eat jam?" She'd just have to pitstop at the shops for some pectin.