[TTD] Looking for a saviour (Roslyn)

Edinburgh, May 2004

She didn’t know why she had agreed to meet Barclay’s co-worker from the Ministry for a blind date. Jade wasn’t really looking for a partner and she wasn’t sure if she wanted a male partner at her side either. However, her little brother had been quite adamant that his co-worker was such a great and fun guy who loved travelling and was dying to meet her.

Jade hadn’t dressed up on principle. She was not trying to make a great impression on her blind date. She had only agreed to meet at this pub in Edinburgh because she knew that her friend Roslyn didn’t live far away and occasionally visited it, too. In fact, she had owled her briefly before her date to tell her that she’d be in town and at the pub tonight. She didn’t wait for or expect a reply from Roslyn but she felt better, knowing that, maybe, her friend might turn up there unexpectedly and come to her rescue if the date was bad.

Wearing trainers, blue jeans and a black shirt, Jade really looked like she hadn’t put any effort into her styling. Her hair was falling down her shoulders and her makeup looked like it always did - she had used eyeliner and mascara but no lipstick, eyeshadow or rouge.

As she entered the pub she saw the man holding a red rose just like Barclay had told her he would. Alasdair aimed to give her a kiss on the hand but Jade quickly pulled her hand back. Then they sat down at the bar, got drinks, and he started talking about all his adventures. He spoke of places that Jade had visited herself and she could tell that he was lying. She wondered why Barclay thought that this guy was right for her. Maybe her brother was playing a prank on her. Lost in these thoughts, she didn’t listen to the man anymore but waved at the bar keeper to refill her glass. He got her attention back again when he put his hand on her thigh.  “Excuse me,” Jade said sharply, brushing his hand away and shaking her head in disapproval. “Don’t touch me.” The date had been an ordeal already before but now it was over in Jade’s opinion.

Fortunately the door of the pub had opened in the meantime and a relieved smile spread across Jade’s face as she spotted the new arrival. Roslyn had made it there. She’d probably be more than willing to help her get away from her ‘date’. Jade waved and waited for Roslyn to join them at the bar.

@Roslyn Hayes

Ros knew a cry for help when she read one. Not like it was very difficult to change out of her ministry robes and into something a bit more comfortable, though. Best to at least give Jade's blind date a chance at least, before checking in on her. A girls night out for drinks sounded awfully tempting to her, though, and she sort of wished she'd get to spend at lease a little bit of time with Jade. Her brain was a mess and she felt the need to just ... blurt everything out. Her instinct was to find Fergie but she didn't want him to worry overmuch. A complete impossibility, of course, which meant she'd turn to her girls instead.

Making her way into the pup, the brunette witch cast a glance around before spotting Jade. Shaking her head in clear disapproval and making that scrunchy face that belied a rather sharp sounding reply. Right, then. Best to run interference, then. "Jade!" she called out, grin in place, as she slid into the thin space between them. "Your friend wont mind, will he?" she asked innocently, teal eyes wide, as she took stock of her friends date. Nice looking, at least. "I've missed Jade a terrible amount, you see." she added, pouting for effect, despite the fact she'd seen her friend rather recently.

It struck her that she'd recently had her own savior (whom she wasn't thinking about, thank you) that had saved her from her own rather awful date.

“Roslyn!” Jade’s voice reflected how relieved she was to see her friend. “Yes, we haven’t seen each other in such a long time. Please excuse me.” She said, glancing at Alasdair, dislike clearly shown in her expression. She quickly downed the drink that was standing in front of her, it already was the third but this date was just unbearable.

Alasdair, however, didn’t seem to understand that he should leave Jade alone now. He ordered her another drink and wanted to pick up the conversation again.

Jade looked at her friend, seeking help, but then reacting impulsively when her brother’s co-worker extended a hand to her again, apparently wanting to get her attention by touching her arm. Quickly Jade grabbed her drink and emptied it into Alasdair’s face. The man stood up to his full height and made quite clear that he was not amused. His voice was loud and threatening all of a sudden.

“Sorry,” Jade muttered, “but you just didn’t seem to understand it otherwise. The date is over. I don’t think we connect well.”

Then she turned to Roslyn, her face rather pale now. “I’m so glad you came,” she whispered. She felt a hand on her shoulder again and tensed up immediately. Her eyes widened and she looked at Roslyn pleadingly. Hopefully her friend would be able to resolve the situation.

Bad, indeed, if Jade was this quick to dismiss her date entirely. She felt sort of bad about it, only she was fairly sure her friend wouldn’t be this dismissive if the wizard didn’t deserve it. Not to say that she wasn’t caught off guard when Jade decided to dump her drink on said date.

She’d like to call it a mistake, fueled by alcohol, but it took everything in her not to start laughing like a bloody hyena. The look on the wizards fave was priceless though Jade had gone quite pale in response.

The brunette witch narrowed her teal eyes, not liking the aggressive stance one bit, actually. “I wouldn’t try it.” she said, tone polite, but her body posture tight. “Clearly you both had a bit to drink yea? Just a misunderstanding, really. I’ll walk Jade home tonight, I think. And you can erm enjoy they rest of your evening.” she managed, hoping off her stool and drowning the rest of the drink she hadn’t really had a chance to enjoy at all. She gave the barkeep a wink, sliding some galleons onto the table to pay whatever balance was left.

She was quick to react once she saw the man looming over Jade. She dug her heel sharply onto the mans foot and latched onto the pinky finger attached to Jade arms, twisting hard enough he groaned in pain and let go before stepping back and releasing him. She put herself between Jade and him, a tense smile on her face. “I’d really think twice about whatever it is that’s got your brain mushy inside that thick skull yea? Walk it off before I’m forced to slap a harassment charge on you.” she said, brandishing her badge. She hadn’t taken out her wand, though she was itching to do so, and watched in satisfaction as the man paled and walked away. He was lucky she hadn’t broken his damn finger.

“You’ve worse luck than I do, I think.” She told Jade, a wry grin working its way onto her face, as she worked to suppress the anger she could feel simmering on the surface. It was so easy to heat her blood and it was always difficult for her not to really seal a lesson home without some violence. Creeps like that only understood one language, unfortunately, though she’d like to think she’d learn a significant amount of restraint throughout the years. She’d have probably tried to bash his face in otherwise. “Lets get you home yea? No more drinks for Jade.” she said, smile quirking up her lips, as she tried to lead her friend out of the pub.

How lucky she was that Roslyn had arrived Jade only realised when her date didn’t get the message that she was done with him. She actually felt quite threatened when she had his hand on her shoulder. However, the good thing about having an auror as a friend was the authoritative and professional way Roslyn could handle the situation.

Jade, feeling rather tipsy, merely watched the scene and thought that her friend was quite admirable and… pretty. Maybe she really had had too much to drink. While the Scottish witch could down a few whiskys she struggled with cocktails and that had been exactly what Alasdair had offered to her.

“You’re like my knight in shining armour,” Jade said to Roslyn, grinning as Alasdair finally left. “He was truly awful and he lied so much… What I don’t get is why my brother thought I should date him in the first place.” Jade shook her head disapprovingly, thinking that she really needed to talk to her brother about it and give him a piece of her mind.

Jade was more than willing to be led out of the pub and the prospect of fresh air was alluring. Once they were outside, Jade already felt better and gave her friend a surprise hug. “Thank you, truly,” she muttered. “I’m sorry this was awkward. I’ll make up for it another time, I promise.”

[out]

Oh dear. Her friend was feeling a bit soppy wasn't she? It was endearing, really, for such a normally reserved witch. "Desperation." she said, tone wry, as she laughed. Family tended to do strange and desperate things when their loved ones were concerned. The muggles had a saying she'd heard, though, that the road to hell was paved with good intentions. "Family aren't normally a good gauge on finding a strong match, in my experience." her own mother was constantly failing at it, actually, which would be funny if it weren't so painful for all parties involved.

"Always here for my lassie." she quipped, fond, as she wrapped an arm around Jade affectionately. She grinned once she found herself with an armful of grateful witch, laughing as she patted at Jade's hair in an effort to smooth down the flyaways. "You're welcome, love." she said warmly. "No need to apologize! S'what friends are for, yea? Perks of having an Auror as a friend." she teased good-naturedly. Truly there were many downsides, in her opinion, so might as well take the benefit where it came. Merlin knew she had to bail on plans last minute frequently enough because something came up, or she was called away for weeks on end. "No need, really. You're company is more than enough." she added, dragging her friend down the familiar roads.

She was confident that she could very well apparate them both safely but Merlin knew what that would do to Jade's stomach. She wasn't very keen on finding out, either. She was fond of her current pair of boots, thank you.

{out!}