sensitive

“I’m just weirdly good at this game, I’ve got really good aim,” Dakota replied with a shrug. “Don’t beat yourself up too much about it. I truly don’t even know wear it comes from.”

“Well consider me jealous then,” she said when Dakota told her that it was just something she was weirdly good at. “I guess that’s fair enough. There are things I’m weirdly good at– like crosswords and jigsaw puzzles.”

“I wish I could say it felt like enough,” Victoire admitted, “It doesn’t. It feels like it’s never enough and I just want to do more.”

“One hundred percent,” she replied with a loud laugh. “Right? I feel like demisexuals definitely get left behind, even asexuals, and it’s a very valid sexuality.”

“Tell me about it,” she replied in agreement. “I’m grateful for those who do acknowledge it, although I wish it was more talked about and normalized than it is.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be done soon enough and then you can have the table.” Jackson assured the person hovering not too far away. He was surprised they hadn’t put their coins down already to reserve it but maybe they were just seeing how long the game would last. The way Jackson pocketed a ball smoothly a moment later probably gave them a good idea.

"Oh no, please– take your time," Florence said when she realized somebody was still playing. She'd been directed this way by the employee at the front, but she hadn't realized the man would still be mid-game. He seemed to be fairing well for himself though. "I'll make myself scarce until you're done unless you don't mind an audience."

“Hah, yes!” Dakota exclaimed after winning another game. “Pay up,” she said to the other. “Unless you wanna go double or nothing. Though, considering I just beat you twice, I might call you crazy if you’re eager to try again.”

“I’d be absolutely foolish to keep going. No, no you win fair and square,” Florence replied as she slid over what she owed. “I’m kind of humiliated honestly. I’ve clearly got to work on my skills.”

“Does it matter what they’re saying as long as they are speaking?” Evelyn countered cheekily, tossing the woman a little wink. “But now maybe I am projecting… it’s probably been a little too long.” She admitted with a laugh. “Oh! I would love some photos with them if you really don’t mind.” Evelyn admitted, pulling out her phone and unlocking it to hand over to Florence. “Do you want me to return the favour?”

“Hah– I guess that’s fair,” her laugh brighter in response. “Did you ever date a Scottish person? Sounds like you’d be happy just letting them read to you every night or something,” Florence mused lightheartedly after the woman spoke about it being too long. “Yeah no problem at all! I wouldn’t have offered otherwise,” she insisted warmly upon taking the phone, directing the redhead to pose for the photographs with the adorable animals. “Sure, why not? They’re too cute to resist,” Florence then said when Evelyn offered to do the same for her.

“Thrilled,” Victoire admitted, “I shouldn’t because it’s a shit show now but I hated not being able to help as much,” she explained, “No, no, pancakes are fine. Let’s do pancakes.”

“Don’t you worry, I gave him a stern talking to after the fact,” Ciara said, laughing lightly, “They’ve been doing good. I will admit that Patrick is my favourite but he’s been around the longest. I’ve recently got a niffler in my care. Unnamed for the moment but he keeps trying to rob me. That’s no surprise and he can’t get very far at the moment as he has a broken leg,” she explained, “What about you?”

closed starter - lizzie & florence ( @flcrenceeames )

“Come on, don’t tell me you’re already done,” Lizzie said, slightly teasing to Florence. “We haven’t even made a dent in trying these pride themed drinks. We haven’t even gotten to the demisexual themed one.”

“You’re super set on us making it through this entire list, aren’t you?” Florence laughed after her friend’s enthusiasm about the remaining themed drinks they had yet to try. “I have to say I am so glad to see there is a demisexual one. It feels like people always overlook that. I know it falls under the ace umbrella but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve to be acknowledged.”

“I imagine most situations have something like that.” Lulu answered with a little shrug of her shoulders. “If you prefer.” Though right now Lulu just wanted to be back home and where she felt most comfortable. She supposed that she had to take into consideration Florence’s feelings here because she didn’t know where it was she was staying now. It was the first time she’d seen her in years… or at least seen her and known who she was. There were a lot of questions there but she knew right now wasn’t the time to ask them all. “Let’s head this way then.”

“I don’t really have a preference. It’s more about what you’re most comfortable with,” Florence felt the need to clarify why she’d had reservations about apparating back to Lulu’s place. She already felt like she was intruding on her life in that moment, even if it hadn’t been intentional. “Okay,” she then nodded, taking another sharp turn to continue to follow her sister out of harm’s way.

“Well they are wild animals, not meant to be domesticated. Maybe he won’t learn but I still have fun bonding with him nonetheless,” Ciara shrugged and smiled. She loved animals more than anything: that’s why she picked this career.

“Really? Not the Scottish accent? Because I’d say that’d rank high up there. I have met some people who can make me weak at the knees just with a few words.” Evelyn confessed with a little laugh. “I think they could be very happy with me too but yes… they do look well tended to. Very content.” She agreed. Maybe someday she could have something like this. A little farm or a cottage with lots of animals to care for and a beautiful view that made her want to paint it every time she looked out the window.

“I mean there’s no question that it’s an incredible attractive accent. I’m just still in the process of figuring out what it is they’re actually saying to me,” Florence admitted with a sheepish laugh. The woman was more used to the Nordic and Slavic accents given she grew up studying in Durmstrang. She looked at the redhead and the way she seemed so reluctant to part ways with the animals. “Do you want me to get you some pictures with them or something? You look so at home with them.”

“I don’t really have an answer other than one time is too often but this isn’t the first time.” Lulu responded simply, casting her eyes around where they were. “I imagine we’ll be best heading this way. It’s out of the area and usually they set up safe points once you get out of the main part of everything though I can probably apparate us back home now that we’re out of the main danger.” It wouldn’t have been a good idea when under the pressure they were before but now she could think once more she felt confident they could magic themselves out of there.

Florence’s heart sunk at the news. She’d read about it in the papers but being able to see the destruction the Death Eaters left firsthand was absolutely devastating. “Safe points? That’s really convenient,” she replied, listening intently at the information Lulu was sharing with her as they made their way further from the fight. Flo froze up a little at the mention of being apparated ‘home’. Would Tallulah really let her into her own home after everything? It seemed so unlikely that she’d be welcome there. “How about one of those safe points? They’re a closer and safer bet right now, right?”

“I guess I probably should eat something,” Victoire replied, “Back to work full time today,” she added in explanation. She had gone in a few hours a day for light work while she healed properly but now she was going back for a full shift. Probably still light work but she was going in, “What are you making?”

“I mean… define often.” Because it usually happened a couple of times a year it seemed but it was never easy to deal with no matter what happened. She was red cheeked but seemingly no worse for wear. The fact of the matter was that doing Quidditch had made it so she was much physically fitter than she’d ever been. “Are you alright?” She asked, noting the others heavy breathing.

“Well that’s not a really reassuring response,” she grimaced. Florence had seen her fair share of attacks considering Durmstrang was specialized in the Dark Arts, which the Death Eaters seemed to favor, but it didn’t mean that the students there were evil. “Just... out of shape,” Florence insisted, although she was sure the stress hadn’t done well for her blood pressure. “Where do we go from here?”

“My hero,” Vic said with a soft sigh as she walked into the kitchen stiffly. She was fine and feeling better but bruises were still healing and they ached quite a bit, “Good morning,” she said as she reached for a potion for her pain, “Yes, please.I’m just gonna take this and I’ll drink the coffee to get rid of the after taste. That would be great,” she paused, “But you don’t have to go through the effort of food if you’ve got things to do.”