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1
It hadn't escaped Ros' notice that Gray had been drinking a bit much. Considering Ros quite enjoyed an adult bevy, that was certainly an unpleasant realization as she thought about it. (Being a bit of a drunk was rather low on the list of new things Grayson did now. Criminal activity should've been more a problem but, well, it just hit different, didn't it?) She'd never say out-loud she was disappointed but deep down in the pit of her soul ... she sort of was. And didn't that make her the worst sort of judgemental crotchety bint?
The Grayson she knew was brilliant and had his whole life ahead of him. Part of her had hoped (even if he'd destroyed her utterly) that he'd become something of that man she once knew. When she saw him that first night, debris flying around them and danger inescapable... She'd had a sliver of thought. An insidious little voice in her head, saying nothing had changed and he was just as perfect now as he was then. The truth was he wasn't and it pained her more than any words she could convey. She often fluttered between the gentle part of her heart that wanted to hold his face in the palm of her hands and soothe and the violent part of her that wanted to smack him hard enough until he snapped the fuck out of this shitty life he'd created for himself.
Both parts were loud and stubborn within her, so she'd done neither.
The amount of vitriol coming out of his dumb ass mouth could certainly be addressed, though. She quirked an eyebrow and leaned forward to get her own drink, figuring she'd need the help today, despite her earlier judgement. He should probably take it easy on his liver, she had been the epitome of health this whole bloody month and deserved an unwinding cold one if she was going to be dealing with this absolute shit. "I was with Reed." she mentioned, settling in because that was the only thing he could mean by 'busy'. She also knew he'd clue in on who Reed was in a fucking second. She wasn't sure what he'd do with that once he remembered. She lifted her chin in challenge anyway, daring him to say something else about it, because he could fuck off if he thought he had any input on who she spent time with.
The challenging expression on her face softened slowly, though, at his apology. She leaned in, willing herself not to focus on his knee pressing against her thigh, as the soft words registered. "Whats wrong?" she whispered, her eyes flickering over his face in concern. She was sure whatever they asked him to do wouldn't be something she approved of in the slightest. And she still didn't have enough to turn over to the internal affairs unit... Accusing an auror of misconduct was a hell of a lot easier when you weren't a fucking Auror. Go figure.
2
Aleksei had, unfortunately, never really noticed Nikon's lack of calorie intake before. He'd thought his brother was a fussy eater mostly. Perhaps he'd not paid enough attention though living together had certainly clued him in a bit more but there was a bit of a weight difference between them he hadn't considered the root of before. He didn't think there was anything too concerning going on, nothing to really tip him off really, other than Nikon being quite a bit slighter than him. He'd attributed it to the fact they played different sports - one considerably more violent than the other.
"That." he agreed, smiling at his brother before turning back towards River with a bit of a shrug. "He's proud of you." he added, lips curling up a little in fond amusement, because that was just the type of thing Nik did with the people he loved. No one more supportive than his brother on that score. Which led them to the next moment, this time at Aleksei's expense. He hated the embarrassed flush that always crawled up along his ears at praise, though. "Beater." he responded, willing the pinkness to go the hell away. "Sometimes. I like to keep active." plus he still loved to fly. Just as he thought the subject of Quidditch would drop Nik mentioned duelling and a new rush of embarrassment renewed the reddening of his ears and splashed pink across his cheeks.
He was helpless but to agree, though, because he had won the tournament and he was a good duelist. "Thats on trend for you, though. Its one of your most endearing traits." he murmured, shrugging a little, and shooting River a commiserating sort of look. Nik could be a bit biased, he thought, but it didn't mean he wasn't also right. He had no doubt River was as talented as Nikon said he was. He forgot to mention he still dueled also when he could make it to tournaments. For one it was exhilarating. For two it was lucrative. Nikon might've been the one getting spoilt but Aleksei certainly liked to live comfortably.
3
Ben wasn't so nice he'd take it easy on Andy. He'd still hit a bludger his friends way, afterall, but he was a considerate sort of bloke. When wasn't being a prickly asshole, anyway. (Read: much like a bludger it was a bit hit or miss on that score) He couldn't help the challenging grin in response to Andy's holler, even despite the way he'd neatly deflected it back. Probably because it had been so automatic it was easy to see the bludger sail towards him. He braced himself, spotting an opportunity, as he let himself fall into a more naturally defensive formation before making Andy feel better by being a dick. " When I win, it won't be because I went easy on ya!" he hollered back with a grin. If Andy could shout then he could breathe and if he could breathe he could hit a bludger. He focused on the target he'd try to hit and zoomed forward to meet the bludger Andy had sent sailing towards him with a hard swing. Wood met metal - the loud thwack sending a strong reverberation up his arm as he focused on both aim and strength. {gold #3!}Rolled 1d2 : 2, total 2
Rolled 1d8 : 6, total 6
Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1
4
Reed’s usual reserve momentarily gave way under the gentle touch of Giovanna’s hand on his jaw, feeling a surge of something akin to vulnerability—a sensation he was not used to nor entirely comfortable with. But rather than retreating, he allowed himself a rare concession to lean into that emotion, into her. “A surprise indeed,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes locking on hers.
Giovanna had been a constant source of intrigue and challenge from their first encounter—which had been anything but coincidental. She had a knack for surpassing his expectations, consistently drawing him in with her audacity and wit. While he could dazzle her with lavish trips and extravagant gifts, their connection delved deeper than mere material allure. He had confided in her secrets of his past—family ghosts, caged monsters, and his uncanny ability to communicate with serpents—elements of his life that might have driven others away, yet only seemed to tighten their bond. His midnight queen did not shy away from his darkness; instead, she mirrored it with shades of her own.
Letting out a soft, almost inaudible sigh, Reed found himself momentarily lost in thought, pondering the significance of this gesture and what it might mean for their future. He wasn’t against serious relationships, but the complexities of his daily life often kept solid connections from forming. It was easier to keep his lovers at an arm’s length, the less they knew about him, the better.
“Sitting for another portrait?” he mused, pulling back slightly, but remaining close enough to maintain the intimacy of the moment. “I suppose that could be arranged, so long as the artist isn’t too demanding.” His words were playful, but there was an underlying seriousness to them.
He offered her a rare, genuine smile—a smile that reached his usually icy blue eyes, softening them with a warmth reserved almost exclusively for her.
5
In the shadowy ambiance of this little room, Reed’s face remained an enigmatic mask, as he considered Perdita across the table. The aftermath of her victory laid bare between them. For a moment, he had honestly believed he had the upper hand, but she had tricked him, and that was a rare feat. Reed was usually so far ahead of his competition that he stopped counting the steps, but tonight, she surprised him. While Poker was just as much about luck as skill, it was not often than someone beat him in both. Her face hadn’t given her away, and that was an achievement. He took a slow, deliberate drag from his cigarette, the smoke wreathing around him like a spectral halo, before exhaling quietly.
“Congratulations, Perdita,” Reed finally spoke, his voice steady and composed, yet carrying an undercurrent of respect. “You’ve played a formidable game tonight.” He paused, the faintest hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. His cool, calculating eyes never left hers, reflecting a spark of admiration for the skill she had just displayed.
“As per our agreement,” he continued, tapping his cigarette into the ashtray and leaning slightly forward, his demeanor all business but his gaze subtly warmer. “You’ve earned the right to a truthful answer from me. Ask your question.” Reed wondered if she had one lined up, or if she would want to wait. He wondered if it would be meaningful, or something trivial, and how creative he’d have to be to hold up his end of the deal, while also not giving away anything he didn’t want to share.
In this moment, Reed’s internal thoughts churned with calculations and considerations about Perdita’s potential role in his future schemes. His outward calm belied the careful assessment he was making—was she merely a clever player, or someone with the cunning and the mettle to be valuable to him? Did Torrence know something about her that he didn’t? But these thoughts remained his own, his expression giving nothing away as he waited for her to pose her question, ready to honor their bet with the cunning and honesty it demanded.
6
Phillip managed to keep a safe distance from Adara when she answered his question, because he knew the sort of reaction she was going to have. Excited, exuberant, etc. He was not surprised that she wanted to go outside—he’d suggested it for a reason, after all—but her excited answer was louder than he expected, and he sidestepped away another inch, just to make sure he didn’t accidently catch whatever it was that made her happy all the time.
Then she started talking about Runes, and naturally, he was stepping that half of an inch closer to better hear her. They may not have known each other all that long, and it was a purely platonic friendship, but Adara had already learned more than one of his weaknesses. And rune-work was absolutely on the least. He was addicted to knowledge, even when it had nothing to do with his personal projects.
“Sandwiches and cookies?” Phillip asked, an eyebrow raising. He considered trying to make a joke—something about her trying to make him fat, but he was already sort of chubby around the middle and somehow gaunt in the face, so it wasn’t going to be very funny. And he knew better than to ask how she could eat all that, so he shrugged, remembered his promise to be less of an ass, and mumbled, “Thanks.”
They sat down on the bench, and Phillip’s gaze drifted to where the rune stones were carved, tracing the symbols into his memory as she began unpacking everything. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to a sauce in a cup he’d never seen. It sort of looked maybe like tartar sauce, but different, and Phillip wasn’t exactly the most adventurous when it came to food. His favorite flavor of ice cream was vanilla, after all.
“Eh, things are okay, I guess. I got to go in the field the other day.” Lowest on the totem pole in the office, Phillip was usually the last person to get called into the field. He did the paperwork and grunt stuff, the boring stuff, so that was cool, he supposed.
“What about you?”
7
« Last post by Nikon Zima on Today at 09:40:03 AM »
Nikon grinned at the possessive hand over his hip. There was a part of him, a tiny part, that worried River would find Aleksei more attractive than him, but it was faint and in the back of his mind. There were tons of ways the twins were different, though, looks being the least of them. He laughed when RIver asked how he had been gushing. “Just… telling him about your ice skating, mostly. How talented you are and incredible.” He beamed. He settled in with the menu and let River look at his, too. “I have barely looked at the menu, but I’m not sure–what do you recommend?” he wondered. “Maybe just… order for me?” He suggested.
He smiled more at River engaging Aleksei in conversation, and didn’t interject. Aleksei needed some prodding to get talking, so letting him answer would be the best idea. He snuggled into River more, and sipped his wine. As River suspected, he had not eaten earlier that day, and had been saving calories for dinner.
“Oooh, he was a great duelist, too. He won the dueling tournament our seventh year. It was great.” He smiled. “I was so proud, probably more than he even was.” He joked.
8
A smile bright enough to power a lumos spell broke out against the brunettes face. Her pale gray eyes glimmered like liquid silver and her lips twisted up into an expression of excitement. Despite the outward show joy she still managed to keep a solid hold of the food. Which meant it was both secured and that her hands were too occupied to be tempted into trying for a hug.
Win/win.
She hadn’t meant the threat to the books in a mean sort of way at all. (Adara had a great respect for books, after all). But she’d be lying if she didn’t admit to having picked up a couple of Lips tells. It was sort of funny and also endearing how quickly he agreed if it meant keeping his books free of chocolate goo. For someone who didn’t take such great care of themselves he took such good care of his books. (Knowing something that soft about Lip made her even softer when it came to him. He’d always get cookies because she still remembered him offering some nameless person balm for her own books. She just wished he would let himself be soft for other things, too)
“Outside! It’s a gorgeous day and some of the aurors set up runic cooling stones close to the outside training fields so they didn’t fry. There’s some benches along the fountain that’s lovely.” she explained, leading the way out. She also wanted to catch a closer glimpse, knowing the runes work was top level. Someone really knew their way around some wards up there.
She hoped Lip took the bait, though. She knew he loved magic so the rune work might entice him enough he wouldn’t think twice about her wanting to go outside. Her friend needed to be outdoors a bit more on top of getting more food. The fresh air and sunlight would do him some good. He could be broody AND tan, if she had any say at all. “I brought sandwiches.” and some chilled butterbeers. She’d gone through a whole loaf of artisan bread to make multiple neatly cut chicken sandwiches in small portions so it didn’t seem like a whole loaf. She’d picked up some lightly seasoned and fluffy pita fries with tzatziki dip from fresh from the deli too because it just paired well with spicy and her experience told her if she distracted Lip enough he’d munch on small portions. With luck he’d eat it all though it was a bit on spicy side. Of course she hasn’t seen him deny any cookies ever so the dessert was safe! “Dig in!” she chirped as she set the fare down on a bench and brought everything out for him to look through.
“How’ve you been?” she asked as she swiped a pita fry and munched on, delighted by the crunchy soft goodness.
9
Somewhere along the line Phillip realized it was hard to be annoyed by someone who consistently brought fresh baked cookies. And once Adara had broken through that tiny crack in his armor, Phillip realized she wasn’t actually all that annoying at all. Phillip disliked most people because he thought they were annoying, but also because he assumed they wouldn’t like him if they got to know him. And Adara got to know the worst parts of Phillip first, and she still kept bringing cookies. He wasn’t sure what that said about her, but he thought it was decent either way.
And since he wasn’t as big of a jerk as some people tried to make him out to be, the wizard had started making a conscious effort to be nicer to her. Sometimes he failed big, sometimes he only failed a little bit.
“Okay, okay,” he unenthusiastically agreed. Phillip was reluctant to stop his work, but as soon as she mentioned ruining the books, he became eager to get her out of the blast zone. “Let’s go, just for lunch,” he impatiently met her at the door, waiting for her to move first, before following her out of the office. He mentioned just for lunch as if he needed to reassure himself that there was a strict timetable; to remind himself that he hadn’t signed up for an entire afternoon of socializing.
“Do you want to go outside and eat?”
10
Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3 [ [missed a roll, please don't count this post in the FPP]]
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