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Post by Luke Merryweather on Jul 30, 2012 15:51:27 GMT -5
Luke headed into the Leaky Cauldron at a fairly brisk pace. He'd fully intended to leave on time for his drink with his old friend Elsie, but then he'd faffed around for far too long worrying about Gavi and checking and double-checking that she was okay and she could get hold of him if anything went wrong and insisting that she call him at the slightest sign of anything happening. Luke was extremely excited about their baby arriving, but he was also absolutely terrified. He was good with kids, sure, but an actual baby that was his and the girl he loved - well, that was a different matter entirely and he wasn't sure that he was prepared. Scratch that, he definitely wasn't.
Blinking to accustom his eyes to the light, he glanced around the inn and spotted a familiar blonde head at one of the tables. Grinning, he headed straight over, cutting through the other tables. It really had been far too long since he last saw Elsie - he'd mostly been avoiding her because the guilt of hiding his relationship from her had been far too great. But since Gavi was a month out of Hogwarts and he a month out of his job there, with a new one set up and ready for the new school term, he thought it was about time he levelled with his best friend.
"Hey," he said a trifle breathlessly as he arrived at the table, still grinning broadly - gosh, he'd really missed her - he bent to give her a hug and then plopped into the free chair. "How are you? It's been so long, I can't believe it."
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Post by Elsie James on Jul 30, 2012 16:11:43 GMT -5
"Merlin, I've missed your stupid face!" Elsie squeezed him back, excited to finally see him. "I'm wonderful, thank-you! And I know, way too long!" She sat back slightly to regard him properly: he looked well, and so she was satisfied. She'd heard on the grapevine - Hogwarts was relatively tiny, after all - that he'd quit his job unexpectedly, and whilst a wee bit miffed that he hadn't told her even now, the prospect of a night out with Luke was too good to pass up on, so she let it slide. He probably thought he had told her, knowing Luke. She hadn't been waiting too long before his arrival, only ten minutes or so, but long enough to get a drink and chat to the barman briefly. She waved it - the drink, not the barman - in all it's pink, umbrella-y, cocktail-y glory in his direction. "Sorry, I started without you because I looked like a loner, and I thought if you were going to be ages, I'd rather be a terribly drunk weirdo than a sober one." ------------------------------
outfit (: - she's a wee bit dressed up, but i thought it'd make it look a wee bit more like she was on a date. she can have come from an afternoon out somewhere nice if needs be  |
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Post by Luke Merryweather on Jul 31, 2012 15:04:48 GMT -5
"I've missed yours too!" Luke exclaimed, slapping his hands down on the table as if to emphasise this fact. "I mean, what with the exams and the end of term and - and... well, everything, you know? It's so busy."
He pulled a silly face at her as she examined him - he didn't think he looked any different from previously, apart from maybe being a little less haggard since he was stress-free compared to how he'd been the last few months at Hogwarts. It felt really really good to be free from all the worry - obviously, he now had baby and parenthood worries, but that was a nice kind and so it wasn't having an outward effect on him.
He was marginally alarmed by the sheer flamboyance of her drink - pink? Really? - but eventually decided that he might as well let himself loose a little while here. Catching a passing waiter, he ordered any cocktail the guy thought he'd like - so long as it wasn't pink - and then sat back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. He would probably, he thought, need to be a lot more drunk before he managed to confess to Elsie that he'd had an affair with a student and then knocked her up and was now intending to marry her - although even Gavi wasn't aware of that last part. Frowning slightly, determined to distract Elsie from any suspicion about his sudden quietness, he folded his arms and fixed her with a cheeky grin that would probably look flirtatious if you didn't know they were friends.
"So," he inquired with a conspiratorial air, "What's going on in your love life?"
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Post by Elsie James on Jul 31, 2012 15:16:15 GMT -5
"Yeah, everything," Elsie said meaningfully (okay, maybe she wasn't as cool with Luke's drastic career change as she told herself she was), but it was lost between Luke walloping the table cheerfully and the arrival of the waiter.
"A cocktail?" she giggled, leaning in a bit to make herself heard over the noise of the crowded pub, "You girl!" She returned his smile with one of her own, twirling a piece of blonde hair faux-flirtatiously around her finger as she joked, "Well, there's this guy who drinks cocktails instead of proper drinks when he takes me out..."
Dropping the act, she took a sip of her drink, shrugging her shoulders as she looked up at him frankly. She wondered briefly whether 'screwing around' would count as an adequate description. "Oh, you know... I've been on a couple of dates, hooked up with a couple of guys in bars... None of them are, y'know." She trailed off, the unspoken word Mark hanging in the air.
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Post by Luke Merryweather on Aug 1, 2012 13:22:51 GMT -5
Luke stuck his tongue out at Elsie in a decidedly childish manner, then pushed himself forward off the back of his chair to plonk his elbows on the table and regard her properly. This way, he could also hear everything she said, since the level of volume in the pub was just going up and up and he didn't fancy having a shouted conversation.
"Cocktails are proper drinks," he informed her with a haughty air, shrugging off his jacket and slinging it carelessly over the back of his seat, "If you think they're not then you've clearly never sunk a litre of Long Island in under an hour and spent the rest of the night puking your guts up." Luke knew from experience that it was not a good idea. He was pretty sure that it had been with Elsie, too - he thought they'd shared two litres between them - but to be fair his memory of that night was very hazy, and it had been almost ten years ago.
Luke linked his fingers together and rested his chin on his hands to study his best friend with a critical air. To be quite frank, he was extremely glad that she wasn't seeing that tosser any more - he'd been fully supportive at the time, obviously, since Elsie had obviously been head-over-heels for him, but any man who would cheat on his wife would also cheat on his girlfriend, by Luke's reckoning, and he knew Elsie could do miles better.
Sighing, Luke unhooked his fingers and reached over to give her hand a squeeze. "You're better off without him," he assured her with a surprisingly serious expression on his face, "Honestly. You could do so much better."
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Post by Elsie James on Aug 1, 2012 14:29:43 GMT -5
Elsie fiddled with the dangly bit of her earring, laughing at the memory, as it had indeed been one of the teenaged Luke and Elsie's first forays into alcohol. She had a feeling it might have even been when they were going out. "Oh, can you remember Professor Pippin's face the next morning in Transfiguration! I'd been too hungover to find more than one sock, and you'd accidentally put my tie on as well as your own!" She shook her head nostalgically, "Merlin, I'm glad none of the kids have ever come into the hospital wing like that. We must have been practically paralytic."
"Thank-you," she linked her fingers through his and squeezed them in return. Honestly, she wasn't sure that she would, ever. Because as much as she currently felt like she detested Mark with every fibre of her being, she knew in her soul that she could attribute that entirely to hurt. And on days when she wasn't quite paying attention to maintaining her façade of indifference, she still sometimes found herself remembering precisely how wonderful he was as a person, how true his sense of integrity was, and how talented a Healer he was.
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Post by Luke Merryweather on Aug 1, 2012 16:03:17 GMT -5
"I thought he might cry," Luke confessed, unable to stop a broad grin at the memory. They'd been relatively well-behaved students up until that point, really, but that morning had seen them so hungover that they could barely navigate from classroom to classroom. Luke, frankly, still considered it a miracle that either of them had made it to any lessons at all. "I think they all party - partied," he added, suddenly sad at the realisation that he'd no longer be a part of that life, knowing what the kids were up to and how they were living, "Much harder than we ever did. They just know how to hide it better. Resilient creatures, teenagers," he continued slightly absent-mindedly. Gavi was certainly one of the strongest people he knew, adults and kids alike. Lips twisting sideways, Luke looked back up at Elsie, trying to force himself to make the confession. But he just couldn't.
It wasn't even like he was ashamed of Gavi - he was frankly blown away, still, that she was with him - and he wanted to scream about her to the world. Going out in public with her now was like a dream, he felt so proud to have such a wonderful girl with him. But this was different - this was admitting to his all-time best friend that he'd been stupid enough to get involved with a student... and, almost worse, that he hadn't told her.
Sighing in frustration, ruffling his hair, Luke was delighted at the distraction of the waiter bringing his drink. The cocktail was a manly blue, and Luke took out the straw to try to retain some masculinity. Taking a swig, his eyes widened in appreciation, and he replaced it on the table with a distinct air of pleasure.
Smiling at Elsie, keeping his fingers tight around hers, Luke tried his best to reassure her. He'd never been much good with words, though - his best form of comfort was a hug and a night snuggling on the sofa in front of rubbish films with enough food to sink a battleship. "I mean it, Else," he promised her firmly, looking right into her eyes, "I'm sure he was great and everything but you're Elsie. You could have anybody. You deserve the best and he wasn't."
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Post by Elsie James on Aug 1, 2012 16:23:27 GMT -5
Elsie nearly asked him what was up, but bit back the words. Experience had taught her that Luke would tell her whatever was on his mind - whether good or bad - in his own time, in his own way, and she did her best to respect that where she could. And if it meant half an hour raking over her own heartbreak, which was still a little too raw, then she would grin and bear it, because it was Luke.
She laughed again instead, reaching out to pat his cheek condescendingly, "Oh, Lukey - you sound old!" She patted his hair back into place as the waiter arrived, waited until Luke had had one swig of his drink, and promptly plonked her own straw in it in order to taste it.
"Thank-you," she mouthed the words moreso than said them, honestly touched by his declaration. It didn't matter that she didn't feel it, the fact that her best friend thought it was enough for now. "So," she continued, only slightly too brightly, "Are you going away this summer?"
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Post by Luke Merryweather on Aug 1, 2012 16:59:49 GMT -5
Luke jerked his head away from her hand with a falsely-appalled air, brushing at his cheek with his sleeve like she'd burned him with her touch. He was then submitted to the further indignity of her fixing his hair - although, to be quite fair, it probably needed it. Luke's hair, even on the best of days, was a law unto itself. Waiting until she withdrew her hand, Luke scowled the whole time, but was unable to keep it up and suddenly broke into another huge grin.
"Man," he said a trifle helplessly, "I have missed you." He returned her earlier touch of pressing a hand to her cheek, mostly teasingly but also because he wanted her to know how much he really had not liked being without her. Leaning in close again, Luke announced, "My life was less sunny without you." He gasped in mock outrage as she stole a sip of his drink, but didn't bother with much more than that. He knew they both knew he'd have done the same to hers if it hadn't been such a horrifying feminine colour.
He could tell she wasn't buying his declaration, but he didn't know what else to say. He supposed the only way he'd prove it to her was when she found another guy, much better than stupid Marky Mark, who would love her and cherish her and be single. Surrendering to that reality, Luke left their hands twined together, and allowed her to change the subject.
"Nowhere," he informed her, declining to add that it was because Gavriella was too far along in her pregnancy to allow safe travel in anything other than a car, "Terribly dull, you know me. What about you? Jetting off somewhere hot to get laid by a different man each night?"
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Post by Elsie James on Aug 1, 2012 17:53:38 GMT -5
Elsie grinned back at him, because she'd missed him too, a ridiculous amount. Turning her head, she kissed his hand cheerfully. "Luke, you should know by now that I'm not a man," she teased, "And of course it was. You can't live without me, accept it and move on! But I've missed you too - we're hopeless, really!"
She regarded her attempts to flatten his hair critically: they'd failed completely, to put it bluntly. He still looked like he'd been the victim of an electric shock, or some bizarre kind of jinx.
"Nowhere?" she repeated, a little surprised, and then shrugged herself. "Same, actually." She'd claimed to anyone who'd asked why not that it was because she was saving her galleons, but really, embarrassingly, she just couldn't face the thought of going alone, and Lidia had seemed to be too busy to ask if she wanted to come along. "But y'know," she looked mischievous all of a sudden, "I can do that here, no problem." After all, she was managing okay so far, she reasoned, squeezing Luke's fingers once more.
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Post by Mark Dashwood on Aug 18, 2012 15:36:16 GMT -5
Mark sauntered through the Leaky, a worn expression on his face as he headed toward the bar. He'd spent six hours in lab, working with potioners to prefect a potion for internal organ healing. They'd spent three of those six arguing over what muggle science could bring to the table. It was bad. Mark also had to deal with arguing interns, and bickering staff. Everyone was starting to tick him off, to be quite honest. Then there was the situation at home. He hadn't seen Marko in days, Becky was out and about, and Kate - well, that situation hadn't bettered in the slightest. Ever since she'd lost the baby the distance between them had widened.
Frankly, Mark just needed a drink before the overload of every day life got any worse. He was half way to the bar when he noticed her - Elsie - his Elsie all lovey dovey with some glass wearing man (date?). A pang of jealous rose up in him followed by anger as he watched. He marched to the bar and slammed his hand down on the table. "Double shot of whiskey - dry, everything dry " he muttered.
He took two to the head, attempting his best to put the thoughts and images of Elise, feet away enjoying her time with someone else. A deep sigh in, he ordered another drink, and then her laugh hit his ears.
Unable to take it any longer Mark ordered a glass of gin, neat, and picked it up. He walked, easily - his tolerance quite high - over to the table. Staring between the two of him, their hands intertwined, Mark let lose a loud huff.
"Fancy seeing you here," he griped, setting the drink down between them on the table, "so how long have you been running around with this one? And why just hold hands, why not just get to the shagging right now and here - since it's obvious that's what you're going to do. Dressed like that and all -" he went on, his words slurring ever so slightly.
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Post by Elsie James on Aug 19, 2012 2:46:28 GMT -5
Elsie stiffened as - apparently from nowhere - she saw Mark appear, marching towards then. Instinctively, her grip on Luke's fingers tightened, something which she realised a moment later was probably not a good idea in retrospect. The sheer hypocrisy of his words - let alone their lack of truth - infuriated her, and she fought back to the urge to punch him before she'd even turned to face him.
When she did turn her head, she eyed him silently for a moment, his intoxication becoming clear. "Mark, you're drunk. Please don't embarrass yourself," she said softly, despite herself. Mark looked... pitiful. He looked worn out and exhausted and just a little bit broken, and as much as she knew - or tried to tell herself, at least - that it was all his own fault, it tugged at her heartstrings unbearably.
And he thought that Luke, darling, darling Luke, was her boyfriend? If Mark wasn't here right now saying those words, then the idea would be laughable. As it was, it was just ludicrous, and his manner simply rude. She felt the anger rising once more - anger at Mark for being married, anger at Mark for being here, anger at herself for still loving him, anger at the whole world in general for giving her someone to love and then making it all so unattainable. "What are you trying to insinuate about me, precisely?" she demanded icily, although it was relatively obvious, "And quite honestly, Mark, what I do and who I do it with is none of your business any more." She took a breath, and turned to Luke. "This is my friend Luke. Luke, this is Mark Dashwood."
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Post by Luke Merryweather on Aug 21, 2012 15:19:42 GMT -5
ooc: i'm so sorry guys! i only just realised that it was my turn again!
Luke leapt backwards as if scolded when a second man suddenly descended between them like a landslide. Trying to act nonchalant - usually he wouldn't have reacted like such a pussy, but he really hadn't been expecting that - he was rather relieved to discover when he tuned back in on the conversation and out on his pounding heart that the man was far too busy being very rude to Elsie to have noticed Luke's momentary wimpishness. However, Luke's sense of honour kicked back in before too long had passed, and his eyes widened in outrage at the implication that Elsie was dressed like a slut.
"She looks lovely," he protested hotly, rather missing the point, sitting back in his chair to direct a glare at the obviously inebriated newcomer, and then added firmly, "And I'd be proud if I was shagging her. She is, in case you hadn't noticed, absolutely marvellous. Unfortunately, I'm a taken man, but -"
Cutting himself off hastily, realising he'd almost blown it, oblivious to the fact that there were closer dramas at hand right now, Luke's eyes shot to Elsie to see if she'd noticed his blunder. Fortunately, he didn't think she had, since she was busy introducing the man to him. Or him to the man. Whichever. At the man's name, Luke's eyebrows shot up so far they nearly disappeared under his unruly fringe.
"Wow," he said, unable to help the slight touch of reverence that infused his voice, "You're Mark? Marky Marky Mark? As in the one who completely ruined Elsie's life?" Luke's glasses slid down his nose slightly as his eyebrows returned to their usual place of habitation, and he used the opportunity to level a condescending glance over the top of them, as though he was the older male here and not this Dashwood fellow. He didn't really look like much, this guy. He was the one that had had Elsie so tied up in knots? He seemed a bit of a wanker, Luke thought. Although, you had to give the man some credit. It took skill to fuck things up as magnificently as he had.
"If you weren't so drunk," Luke informed him confidently and mostly untruthfully, nodding in his best schoolteacher manner, "I would punch you in the face for being such a gigantic clusterfuck of a man."
If Mark had been sober and Luke had decided to punch him, based on relative mass, it was probable that Luke would end up snapped in two like a twiglet. However, with that amount of alcohol added to the equation, Luke was fairly confident he could take him.
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