Lean On Me ( PLUM )

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‘A bit vague’ was a bit of an understatement. Plum still had no idea how all of these bits and pieces of information fit together to make a complete picture. Though she didn’t think Door was being overdramatic. She’d seem overdramatic, one always does in the business of ruling countries, and this was not of those times. But it was good to hear that she had made her friend feel better.

They moved into the living room and Plum was trying to think of an appropriate movie to watch. She had several movies with her, but whatever she didn’t have there was always magic for that. But she pasued momentarily when Door told her it was Caz. And that was odd because the only Caz she knew was a professor. But she had heard rumors on the wind that he had become young and that he was no longer a professor. And if that was true then that certainly complicated things quite a bit.

She turned to look at Door. “You mean the professor? The rumors about him being young are true?” She had been under the impression that these were only rumors. She hadn’t thought that they could possibly be true. Yes, this did seem to complicate things quite a bit.

[door]

At 'the professor', Door shifted visibly. It sounded so stupid when other people said it. Well, it sounded stupid when she said it too but it sounded more stupid when other said it. She sounded like a little girl with a crush. But, the truth was, ignoring all of the student/professor bits, ignoring the other realities she had peaked into, Door still would have been in love with the boy she knew now. Despite how horrible he was being lately, despite the tears and the self-doubt, she had felt it when he grabbed her head and pulled towards the books at the fair. Whatever she felt for this man...she felt it for him.

"He's eighteen. And...not taking things well." Door ran a hand over Plum's couch. She knew that the woman had offered an ear but Door really hated unloading on her like this - she had her problems.

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Plum did not think for a moment that Door sounded like a little girl with a crush. No, that was most certainly not the case. It was certainly a bit odd, but sometimes things happened. And love was one of those things that just happened. The first time she herself had loved it was a much older man and…well that hadn’t turned out the way she thought it would, but she had learned from it and was older and wiser now. The second time she had loved, one morning she woke up and knew that things were different, that her feelings were different. Loving and caring about people just happened and sometimes completely unbidden and unwanted, but it happened all the same and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

She did feel for Door though. This made things all the more complicated and complex. Friendship with him would have been complicated, but having feelings for someone…well that was another matter entirely. Especially if they were one-side. Oh dear, what a mess.

“No one would handle it well,” she told Door gently. “I’m sure he takes comfort in knowing that he can rely on you though.” She sighed. That was the problem though. It was all beginning to make sense. He was hurting because he wasn’t who he used to be and Door of course was trying her very best to help, but it was only hurting her. And now they were both hurting and Plum wished there was something she could do about it. “I know it’s rough now, but I’m sure in time things will get better. Time heals all things.”

[door]

Takes comfort? In her? Last time she checked, Caz had definitely thrown her out. Had questioned her motives for wanting to help him? Had pried and pushed, only to toss her aside when she was feeling good and exposed. And, despite all that anger and hurt, she still could get the damned man out of her head! She was still thinking about him, letting him effect her, worrying about him. She sighed.

"One of the many reasons I love you to death, Plum - you are ever the optimist." Door meant that in the best sense of the word. This girl was pure sunshine (unless you ticked her off) and she was always willing to see the world through a better set of eyes. Door often wondered if that simply the difference between Plum's world and her own.

Door didn't want to ask Plum for any favors (the girl was being so good to Door already) but she thought she had to - she had promised Caz to do everything she could to help him. And even if she thought he was a massive jackass right now, that promise was still good. "Plum, I um...I hate to ask but I...well, besides, I want to know for my own reference." Door switched tactics in the middle of the sentence. "Plum, can your magic override others?" She had always been unsure about such a thing. If someone placed a spell on say, Door, could Door go to Plum and wish it away?

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Plum was ever the optimist? No, not really. Plum was a realist who often found herself hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Optimism was all well and good, but that was for the public. It was more of a front than what Plum actually felt because it was easier to speak optimistically and raise someone’s hope rather than to give way to the panic she felt within.

It was entirely true that few people knew her innermost thoughts and feelings, but she had thought she had let her guard down around Door. Door wasn’t the public. She was a dear friend, not someone to hide her feelings from. Though she supposed she could come off as generally optimistic. After all, no one could read her thoughts. No one could tell what she was feeling all the time. She hid her feelings well, just like she had been trained to. Maybe she was over thinking this. Maybe she was just being ridiculous. Yes, she was being perfectly silly. And by now Door had moved on to a different question.

Could her magic override someone else’s? This was where things got tricky. She took a deep breath before answering. “That depends. That depends on the kind of magic or spell or potion. It depends on whether or not I have the magical ability to override someone else’s magic. I’m not terribly strong yet. And it depends on the person who did the magic. It also depends on the wish. There is only so much that I can do. But it is always worth a try.