beat it

“No, but I suppose the biggest issue with that assertion is, strange is in the eye of the beholder. What’s normal to you could be strange to someone else, and vice versa. Maybe we are absolute freaks.”

.

“Maybe so,” Dawn replied, clearing her throat. Be normal. “Go on then, what’s that magazine tell you about my future?”

“You’re so full of shit.” 

.

“You reckon they have little quidditch robes her size?” Ted asked. “Really get her all decked out for her first game. Buy her the full ensemble and that way you’ll be able to spot her in the crowd.”

.

“Oh.”

“Well. Maybe. So long as it’s a reasonable, sensible bite.” Whatever that meant.

.

“Everything I do is sensible and reasonable, Sturgis.”

“Sure, fine. So long as you don’t steal even a bite of my beef and broccoli.” It was a joke—mostly. Chinese takeaway was practically sacred to Sturgis, and now being in London with plethora of options, he sought to take advantage of trying different restaurants. 

.

“What if I trade one bite for one of my chicken?” she asked, using the same tone she used to butter up her dad, and her brother, and, well, most people.

Doc flattened out the rolled up magazine, giving himself a better view as to what the column had to say about Aquarius and Aquarius relationships. Did he believe in any of it? No. But it was fun, and mindless, and he figured that mattered more than any inherent belief system. 

He cleared his throat, reading verbatim. “Two Aquarius partners can have a very interesting sexual relationship, full of excitements and experimentation. They will fulfill each other’s fantasies without any repression, and easily find a language in which to connect their strange sexualities. Both of these partners will have trouble fitting in the usual stereotypes of sexuality and will rarely understand the usual taboos and restrictions other people tend to impose.” Funny, given the fact that they had had sex multiple times in the past. And was it wrong? Likely not.

.

Dawn frowned slightly, peering over his shoulder at the magazine. “God,” she murmured, reading a long with him. In a past life, she’d have laughed out loud, enjoyed all of it. But now the laughter felt forced. She hoped it didn’t sound it. “Strange sexualities. I’d never thought of mine as strange.” The most strange part was, perhaps, the fact that it’d almost been a whole year since she’d done anything of the sort.

“You know I’d do the same for you, right?” She thought it important to say out loud. “I mean, not to sound all clingy or anything, but you’re basically the best friend I have left on this continent. Well, maybe Nash, too. Or maybe Elizabeth. But the list is small, Withey.”

.

Dawn looked at Hattie, blinked, and immediately burst into tears. “Oh, bother.” 

“Hey! You can’t ask questions like that when you most definitely already know the answer.” The better question was, why the fuck did he continue to carry it around with him? Boredom, mostly. And a strange amount of curiosity. “Do you want to see how compatible we are?”

.

“I’d love that.” If anything, it would be a good distraction for the next ten minutes.

“You’re always helping me. This was my opportunity to at least try and help you back.” Long since over any jealousy, Hattie could now see the importance of having a friend like Dawn. Someone who could help smooth out all of her hard, rough edges.

.

“I like helping,” she replied with a small shrug of the shoulders. It was the least she could do after all, given the past year, the burden she’d laid, all the help she’d needed.

“Yes, I reckon a better tradeoff for us, not that I’m mad about it. Better be good seats, though.”

.

Dawn pretended to be affronted. “Beggars can’t be choosers, Ted.” The phrase though, reminded her of her mum, and her smile faulted ever so.

“Yeah? Is that your way of offering some tickets so that we’ll go to one of your games in the future?”

.

“Free tickets for a new supporter seems like a good trade off,” she lightly teased.

Doc’s eyes lit up. Despite knowing that their birthdays were close, he still found instant pride in knowing that they shared an astrological sign. “Me too!″ Hastily, he grabbed said magazine out of his back pocket, and began scouring the pages for their compatibility scores.

.

“I know.” The words weren’t said unkindly, though. She found herself smiling, and then laughing when he pulled out the magazine, for what felt like the first time since the fire. “Where’d you get that? Why did you get that?”

“I’ve been on my own for how long? And I still can’t manage to scrape together any baked good. My biggest problem is, I’m too fucking stubborn to give up on it all.”

.

“Well if you’d only let me help you.” Yet, the mere thought of baking left a sour taste in her mouth.

“You are such a liar. Tell me the truth. I want to hear it. How am I supposed to improve otherwise?” Hattie wasn’t usually one to take criticism well. In most instances, she was attached to being the way she had always been. But recent events had forced her past her inability to ever truly change.

.

“I’m not. The flavours are good, even if -- well --” She waved a fork in the air, “the cooking times were obviously off.”