darkest

          it  all  happened  so  fast,  and  before  she  knew  it,  the  man  was  striding  away  with  half  her  belongings.  mary  stood  there,  open-mouthed  and  unsure,  a  distinct  feeling  of  discomfort  crawling  under  her  skin.  maybe  it  was  the  way  he  spoke  to  the  shopkeeper  as  if  she  was  nothing  more  than  an  amusing  pet,  or  the  way  he  commanded  her  to  follow  him  for  lunch.  her  treat.  or  maybe  it  was  the  fact  that  she  didn’t  know  this  man.  she  hastily  shoved  the  rest  of  her  belongings  back  into  her  bag,  fingers  brushing  briefly  against  the  reassuring  wood  of  her  wand.  childish  paranoia.  it  was  the  middle  of  the  day.  they  were  in  a  public  space.  get  a  grip,  mary.

          slinging  her  bag  over  her  shoulder,  mary  quickened  her  steps  to  catch  up  with  him,  licking  her  lips  quickly  before  giving  him  a  polite  smile.   ❛   —   hey,  listen,  um,  i  really  appreciate  you  covering  for  me  back  there.  but  i  do  need  to  be  somewhere,  and  i  don’t  even  KNOW  you,  so  i’m  sorry  but  i’m  going  to  have  to  say  no  to  lunch.   ❜   not  that  he’d  asked.   ❛   —   i  can  take  my  stuff  back  now,  thanks.   ❜   polite,  civil,  but  leaving  no  room  for  argument.  the  mary  way.  she  stopped,  holding  her  hand  out  expectantly  for  her  belongings,  keeping  that  blandly  pleasant  smile  fixed  on  her  face.  she  just  wanted  to  go  home.

             ❛  . . . . what is it ? too good for a meal with a helpful stranger ?    ❜    now  she was cautious ?   huh, who knew someone could grow clever so suddenly.  and evan turned to give her an odd look, his hurt glance scrutinizing her for a moment before he was relaxing once again.    ❛     . . . i’m evan.    ❜   and rather than return her things, he was offering a free hand in introduction. brows raised in a teasing fashion and a light chuckle catching in his throat.  he did not leave it there, however, incapable of not poking holes in her excuse.     ❛   you weren’t so worried about speediness when you were holding up a dozen people in line. but alright. these are dark times, i suppose.   ❜    the reminder needless.  he nevertheless offered up her things with a shrug. his last observation spoken through a hearty laugh.    ❛   you’re very rude.    ❜   

          there  was  a  queue  behind  mary  macdonald,  and  she  was  well  aware  of  it.  she  tried  to  filter  out  the  sound  of  grumbles  and  tapping  feet,  tucking  a  loose  strand  of  hair  behind  her  ear  as  she  fumbled  in  her  coin  purse.  stupid  wizarding  coins.  she’d  forgot  how  much  of  a  hassle  they  were.  mary  thought  with  longing  of  her  credit  card,  and  how  straightforward  and  easy  and  light  it  was.  she  finally  just  tipped  the  contents  of  the  purse  into  her  cupped  palm,  ignoring  a  peeved  cough  from  someone  behind  her  as  she  sorted  through  the  mess  of  gold,  silver  and  bronze  coins  in  her  hand.  her  heart  sank.  just  as  she’d  feared  —  she  was  short  a  couple  galleons.  she  was  still  for  a  few  seconds,  trying  to  will  herself  into  nothingness.  it  didn’t  work.  instead,  she  looked  up  at  the  shopkeeper  again,  giving  him  a  charming,  abashed  smile.   

          ❛   —   SO,  it  looks  like  i’m  a  tiny  bit  short,   ❜   mary  began,  keeping  her  voice  low.  already  his  face  was  changing  into  an  expression  of  displeasure,  and  she  hurried  to  continue,  forcing  her  smile  to  stay  bright  and  unwavering.   ❛   —   do  you  accept  muggle  money,  by  any  chance  ?   ❜   the  shopkeeper’s  face  had  now  surpassed  displeasure  and  was  well  on  its  way  to  downright  anger.  she  fished  out  a  few  bills  from  her  pocket,  hating  herself  and  everything  else  in  the  world  at  that  moment.   ❛   —   you  can  exchange  it  at  gringotts,  just  down  the  street.  and  don’t  worry  about  change,  this  is  actually  MORE  than  it  costs,  so  you’d  actually  be  –   ❜   just  then,  someone  tapped  her  shoulder,  and  she  whirled,  smile  now  bright  and  sharp  enough  to  draw  blood.   ❛   —   can  i  HELP  you  ?   ❜

he’d been content to say nothing, the irritation of his fellow linesmen flying over his head as evan studied a certain shelf over the cashier’s head.  until the word    muggle,   foreign and unwelcome, wholly uncommon in these times floated into his ear and his attention shifted.  the witch seemingly oblivious to a sharp intake of breath even as far back as over his shoulder.  shoving to the front, as there was no way the crowd could be any more irritated than they already were. 

evan raised a brow at the the woman’s question, instead of answering the rudeness, fingers plucked the filthy muggle money from her hand. his features loose and not so unfriendly as the glares she was receiving around them. he studied it with a curious expression, already sliding a few galleons across the table towards the disgruntled shopkeep. he met her eye, the bills crinkling in his hand,    ❛    rather delightful, isn’t she ?   ❜     his smile lifting to match her’s, evan turned to the cashier with a nod and reached to assist the witch with her assortment of suddenly disorganized belongings. ignoring any sort of protest she might make and the collective relief of everyone else in the room.   ❛  come on then, witch. we’re having lunch. your treat.   ❜   evan grinned as he shifted to leave, speaking over his shoulder with half her belongings and crumpled muggle bills in his fist. 

“Is this important or could it wait till later? I only have an hours lunch and I’m starving.” Amelia rushed out as she headed out of the Ministry with her arms full of paperwork. She was supposed to be on her break. But these days, her break just consisted of her working in a cafe instead of her office. Which she didn’t mind. In fact, she liked that little bit of peace in her day where she didn’t have to deal with anyone else. “Unless you want to talk while you watch me eat?”

 his features stretched with bemusement at her rushed attitude, in stark contrast with his own relaxed gait that still managed to keep pace with her’s.   ❛  you really know how to show a lad a good time, bones.   ❜     ignoring the obvious request to be left alone, evan followed at the witch’s side. glancing at the shiny watch on his wrist and making a mental note of the time, although it flicked towards the papers tucked out of sight in her arm’s. when he spoke, his tone clearly easy and unconcerned,    ❛  since you’re the one with all the plans, where are you taking us out ?   ❜  

⟡⌜⇴ TOM HARDY ⌠ 36 & he/him ⌡: have you seen EVAN ROSIER ? HE is an UNSPEAKABLE who’s apparently also A DEATH EATER. When you see them walking around, be careful, because while they can be CONFIDENT and STRONG-WILLED. I heard they can also be pretty UNFORGIVING and IMPERIOUS.    ( alex & 26 & she/her & pst )