slow down

“N-No, I…was talking to myself. Sort of.” Shyly, Casiphia would continue, eventually working up the nerve to be vague, but honest. She secured the lid onto her to-go cup and turned not to face him, but to display  the left side of her easily. She really wasn’t ready to look him in the eye, especially with how embarrassed she felt. Staring at her feet, she said, “I’m trying to learn how to live without someone I thought would be around a lot longer.” Cassa lifted her hand to show him her engagement ring—notably without a wedding band—her gaze trained on her feet. “This is one of the few things I-I have left of them, so, um…” she stuttered, feeling her throat constrict and tears gather in her eyes, “S-Sorry, it’s hard to talk about. But I wasn’t talking to you. I probably made you even more uncomfortable, sharing something personal like that. I’m sorry.”

“Sort of.” Everett repeated back to the other, the confusion falling from his face as he realized he didn’t need to know what the other was talking about and it was fine in the fact that he didn’t recognize her. When the other continued, Everett clutched his cup as he listened, he was never great with social situations, more so social situations that involved people emoting so heavily. “No-... no, you’re okay.” He commented, trying his best at an easy smile. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but I can understand that grief can grasp you at unexpected times.”

“I mean there are far more complicated dishes out there… I just have yet to master them,” Bentley admitted with another laugh. He definitely pushed himself a little too hard but he couldn’t help himself, always wanting to learn and do more. “It’s nothing, really. Like I said, we were overdue for a proper anniversary celebration,” he insisted, smiling at Everett warmly. When the other had a positive reaction to the meal, Bentley couldn’t help but light up, “I’m so glad to hear that! I couldn’t help but have a heavy hand with the parmesan, so I’m relieved to know you still love it.”

“Is this going to be a new hobby of yours do you think?” Everett couldn’t help but ask, wondering if he should buy his boyfriend some recipe books and an apron so he didn’t feel too guilty in reaping in the benefits of the other making him home cooked meals often. “It’s not nothing, this is really nice and special and I’m very grateful for you.” Everett told the other leaning over and pressing a kiss to the others cheek. Because no one had anything like this for him before and it made his insides feel warm when Bentley made him feel special. “I mean I think I would have been upset if you hadn’t been heavy handed, you can never have enough cheese.”

On a cold winter morning like this, Casiphia’s usual café was her destination before a long day of brewing potions. Was it fair to say it was her “usual” given she’d only been back for a few weeks? She wasn’t sure. Either way, she dusted some snowflakes out of her hair and off her clothes as she walked in. They stuck out even more given her black attire. It wasn’t intentional, and more ironic than anything considering she was desperately hiding the fact that she was a widow from everyone.

Once her prized caffeine was acquired, Cassa shifted to the counter laden with all sorts of accoutrements for customers’ beverages of choice. As she stirred sugar into her latte, her eyes caught the glint of her engagement ring in the light. Her heart sunk into her stomach. She wasn’t ready to take it off yet, but it still sent jolts of grief through her when she saw it.

Casiphia sighed, and murmured to no one in particular Takuya, as if he was there, “I still don’t know what I’m supposed to do without you, you know.” She could feel a set of eyes on her, and realized the person next to her readying their drink had most certainly heard her whispered confession. She probably looked like an utter loon; looking as exhausted as she did and muttering to herself. Merlin, it wasn’t even half-past seven. “Sorry,” she said quickly and at a standard volume for conversation. Her posture straightened, “still half-asleep.” She gave a half-hearted attempt at a dry chuckle and opted not to make eye contact with the other person.

Everett looked around him when he first heard the others words, there was no one but the two of them adding extras to their coffee’s but he swore he had never seen this person before in his life. “Are you talking to me?” Everett asked, because he was very confused as to why the other couldn’t live their life without him, given they had never met before. “No-... no, it’s okay. Don’t need to say sorry, I’m just... confused. Since I’m pretty sure we’ve never met and you seem very dependent on me. Unless you were talking to yourself.”

“Nothing too fancy, just some Chicken Alfredo,” he chuckled in response to Ev asking him about what they were having for dinner. “That’s okay, right? I thought it was a safe dish to go for. I thought about calling you to ask but… it would ruin the whole surprise part of this,” Bentley added, feeling the need to explain himself for some reason. Once things were done, he brought them over, neatly plated. “Your dinner is served,” he smiled before placing the plate in front of his boyfriend and then placing his own across the table. “I hope it tastes as good as it looks,” he added with a sheepish chuckle before taking his own seat. 

“Just some Chicken Alfredo he says as though it’s nothing.” Everett commented with a wave of his hand and small shake of his head, because the other was underselling himself because it was definitely more then what he had ever made from scratch. “It’s very much alright, you know I’m a sucker for pasta and I’m glad you kept it from me. I like that it’s been a surprise, this is a very sweet thing for you to have done for us.” Everett looked at the food down in front of him, feeling his mouth water a little at the smell of it, “I mean it smells incredible.” Everett commented, taking a forkful of pasta and putting it into his mouth and letting out a noise of appreciation. “Okay-... yeah, this is really good.”

“I know we technically celebrated our anniversary at the party but… it didn’t feel like our kind of celebration,” Bentley explained as he heard his boyfriend home from work. “So take off your coat, take a seat and I will serve you up with a nice home-cooked dinner that I didn’t use an ounce of magic for,” he announced proudly, the man’s obsession with a mundane life knowing no bounds.

@everettxpickcring​​​

The smell of food hit Everett’s nose as soon as he walked through the door, their small flat letting him be able to catch glimpse of Bentley in the kitchen more or less straight away which brought a smile to his face. “We’re not big party people, you’re right.” Because their first kiss had happened away from the crowds, in the secluded music room huddled around a piano, so this felt right. “Well I have to say if the smell is anything to go by, maybe we shouldn’t use magic to cook with anymore.” He commented, removing his coat before taking a seat as the other requested. “What’s on the menu, Chef?”

“What? No? I’m just saying, you should make them listen to you,” Evelyn replied. “People deserve to be listened to.”

“And once again you say that like that hasn’t been my intention from the beginning.” Everett commented, because it’s not like he enjoyed speaking to a room of people and being blatantly ignored. “I’m an intern. They’re not interested. Or if they are they don’t show it and I think it might be a clique thing.”

“Oh, this is a non-alcoholic version so my reaction wouldn’t be what you’re expecting anyway,” he smiled apologetically. “But I’ve had it before and it was pretty good, so I’d say to go ahead. If you happen to not like it, you can always just get something else, right?”

“Yeah, I don’t like to admit that I’m wrong though. I felt like they gave me a look as to say that I’m not going to be able to handle it, so knowing my pride I’ll drink it anyway.” Everett commented, bringing the cup to his lips and taking a taste. “Actually-...” He continued, smacking his lips slightly. “It’s not too bad.”

“Well that’s a start, I suppose,” Evelyn replied. “I guess the question now is, are they actually listening?”

“I’m sorry- are you trying to tell me how to do my job and talk to people?” Everett couldn’t help but ask after a moment, wondering if this conversation was going in the direction he thought it was. “No. They’re not. Or at least I’m pretty certain that they’re not.”

closed starter - evelyn & everett ( @everettxpickcring )

Evelyn smiled when she saw the other. “Well, if it isn’t law enforcement intern. Have you been sticking up for yourself more since I’ve seen you last?”

“I wouldn’t say that I haven’t been sticking up for myself, trust me when I say that they know that I’m in a room and I make sure my voice is heard.” Because people did hear him, they chose not to listen to him most of the time. 

“Hasn’t it been two by now?” Bentley pointed out with a laugh, leaning to kiss Everett back on his cheek. “But no, not yet. I don’t think we would’ve moved in together if I had,” he teased. “I really can’t believe we have those stupid Gossip Witches to thank. Without them and the Veritaserum… who knows how long it would’ve taken for us to say something?”

Everett listened to the other and did the math in his head, his mouth forming a small ‘o’ shape where he realized where he had gone wrong. “Because it was New Years I took into account the wrong year.” He admitted sheepishly. “Merlin, I’m a terrible boyfriend. I can’t even give you the correct amount of time that we’ve been together.” He chuckled awkwardly, feeling rather ashamed and embarrassed of himself. “I thought that the living together would be what would have pushed you over the edge if I’m being honest.” Because he was more then aware that he was not the easiest person to get along with. “Please don’t give them the credit, I like to think we’d have kissed one another without their help. But I know that you’re right in saying that you’re unsure of how long it would have taken us to come to our senses.”

“Aw hey, it’s the anniversary of you and Bentley’s first kiss isn’t it?” Eva grinned in a teasing manner at her brother. “Are you two gonna toast to it something? I mean it’s pretty special,” she nudged playfully. “Shit, should I have gotten you guys a gift or something? That’s only really for married couples right?”

@everettxpickcring

Everett couldn’t prevent the small blush that appeared on his cheeks at his sisters words, “It is, yes. The one good thing that has came out of those Gossip Witches is slipping us both Veritaserum, not sure the kiss would have happened without it.” Everett recalled, knowing he had been too much of a coward to make a move. “We normally do, it’s nothing big or fancy, but it doesn’t need to be.” He told the other with a small shrug. “Yeah, pretty sure that’s only for married couples, but if you wanted to give us a gift anyways, well I’m not going to complain.”

“Get rid of you for five minutes? Why? Are they not treating you right or something?” Evelyn asked, opening the file to check it out. “Seems legit to me.”

“Apparently I talk too much and the comments I make when sitting in on meetings are uncalled for. Not my jurisdiction. And not what my internship is about.” Everett sighed, he was only trying to make himself memorable, try and get a foot in the door but he seemed to be making things worse. “Well at least it was for a valid reason and not something completely made up.”

“It does seem to work most of the time, doesn’t it?” Bentley nodded, laughing softly at how endearing the other’s disappointment was on the subject. “Now that’s ‘their thing’– being rude,” he mentioned half-jokingly. “But who knows, maybe he’s got a proper home but he comes by so often to grab double meals and double petting sessions?” he suggested with a little shrug, although the thought of the cat they’d taken in as their own having a different family did make him a little sad. “Hmm… do you think he’s okay? We don’t even really have a way to check, he’s not chipped or anything,” Bentley began to let worry in. “Not at all. I think you two would pull the evil villain slow chair turn trope perfectly– he can be perched in your lap as you pet him and everything,” he painted the picture with another laugh, trying to focus on that instead of where Figaro was. “The most beautiful mind,” Bentley confirmed with a fond smile, moving to press a gentle kiss where Everett was hurting. “Now sit while I go get you that ice. We don’t want you bumping your head onto anything else, now do we?”

“That and the sound of a cat food tin opening, that seems to be more effective in Fig’s case.” Because you could simply just move one of his tins out the way and he would come skittering into the room, meowing for attention and for food. “Is this what they teach you in vet school, cat personality 101?” He couldn’t help but tease the other a little, though a frown quickly took over his smirk of the thought of their cat having somewhere else to live and they were simply his second home.”I’m sorry, but we’re his proper home. He decided that when he moved in here without either of us knowing it. He can’t just up and leave like it’s nothing.” Listening to Bentley he couldn’t help but sigh, “I don’t know, I haven’t done a full sweep of this place yet, he could just be under the bed or stuck in the laundry hamper again. But we should probably go and get him chipped for this exact reason.” That and he was pretty sure that’s something responsible owners would do, they had just been slightly more on the busy side to get round to doing that. “Oh I would, you wouldn’t be able to tell me apart from a Bond villain and this could be my origin story.” He smiled softly at the other and his compliment as he placed a kiss to his head. “Alright, alright, I’ll sit.” Everett commented, moving to sit in the armchair in the room, but as he placed his weight on the cushion he heard a shriek before seeing white fur coming sprinting out from underneath the seat cushion causing him to jump slightly. “Found him.” He called out. “He somehow managed to weasel himself under seat cushion, not sure how, but pretty certain we’re not on speaking terms now.” He commented, taking a seat as Bentley requested, no sans cat.