Morning Run

[Xaver]

Xaver exited the castle doors half past the morning hour of three, shutting them quietly, before he started toward the forest. He shook his head, and flipped the CD player in his hand closed, eying the top it with a growl. He had borrowed the thing from a younger student after dinner last night, telling the kid he would fix it. It didn't work around magic.

Xaver had offered to fix it.
Taking the thing apart was easy. Putting it back together was an interesting story. Xaver didn't really understand the muggle item. But he had put it back together, updated it, and made it better than before. And more magic tolerant. The little laser had been broken too, but Xaver had repaired that, as well.
Xaver tapped the plastic top of the Player, and it came to life, screaming words into what he took as earphones. He winced slightly, his head a bit sensitive this morning, and turned the volume down. He placed the headset over his head, and listened with interest, rolling his shoulders.
He had donned a large pair of athletic running black shorts, and a casual red shirt, and some black sneakers, but he knew he had been probably a bit over-cautious.

"I could have decked out in a full suit of metal armor without waking the others," he muttered testily.

Xaver rolled his neck, and yawned, then quickened his walk into a slow jog, stuffing the Player into his short pocket, after reading the label, 'Gorillaz – Feel Good Inc – Rock Collection.'
The kid had a collection? Interesting. The music was interesting. Xaver had never heard it before, and it wasn't the best, but it was alright. He turned it up louder, and lengthened his strides to a dead sprint, running for a flat two hours, slowing to a slow jog once the sun began to rise behind the hills. He panted slightly, unusually, coughing away the cold pitting at the bottom of his lungs. The frosty morning began to dissolve under the glance of the warm sun, though his skin remained pale and icy.

He was still confused and deep in thought, but in a more content mood. Lighter, than he would have been earlier, but still prone to snapping at things. Like the player. He slapped it slightly when it ran out of songs to play, then brought it out of his pocket, stared at it, and gave up trying to figure out the buttons. He knew they all worked, he had just fixed the thing, but he hadn't been raised around that stuff. It didn't make sense, and he became too frustrated to figure it out, to he waved his hand, and it evaporated, to appear on the bedside table of the kid he had fixed it for.

Growling at the ground, he once again sped up to a lengthy jog, covering distance quickly, speedily, and though he was at a pace most mortal sprinted at, he was jogging, lightly. His head ached and throbbed too much for any productive thinking, so he allowed his guard down slightly, and allowed some thoughts to wander. It helped a little bit, but his mood didn't improve too much, like it usually would have.

The coronation was only a few days away. Kylie was as much of a nervous wreck as he was, and he knew she was worked up about going back to the realm again. When his little sister was upset, it upset Xaver just that much more, and he ran harder, until he could feel the strain.
Ginny had said a while ago that she usually never told others what she was feeling, because she didn't want to burden others with her problems; because the other people had problems of their own. He now knew exactly what she meant. Telling another the exact amplitude of what he felt right then would probably drive another more inanely confused than even he was. There was no way to explain it, and it was driving him crazy.
Xaver sped up again, until he was nearly reaching his peak of speed, though he still didn't feel tired of it, his footfalls beating the earth in a soft, smooth rhythm, speeding him along, through the forest. He leaped over random artifacts, hurdled over high ones, ducked branches, and avoiding certain things, but mainly, he let his feet take him where they would.

Xaver ran from one end of the forest, to the other, twice, then finally slowed to a stop by the lakes edge, panting. He rested his hands on his knees, and fought for breath; it felt good to find a way to over-exert himself. He was out of breath, and it hurt royally, but the buzz at the back of his mind was relieving in a way.

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny had seen him running, glimpsed him through the trees. She waited till he stopped, then went over to him. She gave him room for air and watched him for a moment.
"You shouldn't do that." She said, softly, worried.

[Neo]

Neo appeared next to them. "What shouldn't he do?" Things had been boring back at the palace for Neo, since Lavy was away for a little while, so he had decided to see how things were going back at Hogworts.

[Xaver]

Xaver raised his head, and watched Ginny as she approached. He relaxed slightly when she neared, but after a short time, tensed again. He took a few deep breaths and straightened, rubbing his neck with a wince. He didn't answer either of them.
Xaver licked his lips and sighed roughly, rolling his shoulders, coughing absently.

[Neo]

~Well this is a bit awkward isn't it?~ Neo sent sarcastically to Ginny. ~What's with him anyway, is there something going on between the two of you?~

[Ginny Weasly]

She ignored Neo and bit her lip.
"Are you okay, Xaver?"

[Xaver]

Xaver scowled at Neo, obviously, hearing him. He fixed his eyes on Ginny, and nodded slowly.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Just a little worn out lately."
Gently, he smiled at her, then mopped his face on the sleeve of his shirt, playing his cards, and hiding the ground-in fatigue.

[Neo]

Neo smiled softly. The two of them had so much to learn about one another obviously, but he respected their silence and said nothing. Finally he asked Xaver "Do you do this run often?"

[Xaver]

"Yes. It's a good stress reliever. Usually. Just not feeling it today."
Xaver shifted slightly, running a hand through his messy obsidian hair.

[Neo]

Neo nodded. "Why not today? What's wrong?"

[Ginny Weasly]

"Maybe, for once, you can't run away from it." Ginny suggested, watching Xaver, still worried.

[Neo]

"Run from what?" Neo asked, confused.

[Ginny Weasly]

"From anything." Ginny said, not looking at Neo.

[Neo]

(um...yea...have fun with this rp...)

Neo got the distinct impression he wasn't wanted and teleported back to his cave to be alone.

[Ginny Weasly]

(Lolz.)