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𝙷𝙾𝙽𝙴𝚂𝚃𝚈 𝙷𝙾𝚄𝚁  »  currently not accepting  !

he should've just taken antigone up on the offer to watch theseus while he popped down to diagon alley. though she always jumped at the chance to accompany him and arturo didn't often tell her no, there was really only so much that he could take. last time, it had been the accidental tipping over of a barrel of beetle eyes - juice and all - that he'd had to pay the apothecary back for. this time- "i can pay the dry cleaning." he'd only taken his eyes off of her for a few seconds. long enough to turn around and grab a handful of napkins to try and stop such a thing from happening, but it'd been PLENTY of time for her to bump into someone else with her fortescue ice cream, and arturo was sheepish as he offered napkins and awkwardly pulled out his wallet to offer a little more, too. "here. you need 'em."

in this, they're alike; a good junior head would probably feel bothered by clem's relief, like her lack of interest in his department's presentation was a commentary on how she felt about his company, as a whole. instead, he just grins. the pomp & circumstance of his position - and his complete indifference to it, in the day to day - is something that hasn't changed since he was promoted. "like you said, they like to employ the lookers," uncharacteristically self deprecating for the purpose of a chuckle, he gives a sort of one shouldered shrug, as if it wasn't his decision that changed this years lineup, "'suppose i'm getting too old and grey. lucky for you, that means our freedom is pretty close." he ponders, a moment, wonders whether it's appropriate to go there & then thinks, oh, what the hell. what's this sort of fun between friends ? "lucky for me, too. it'll be great for my image for everyone downstairs to see i can still score a knockout in my senior years."

"we can fuck off back to the atrium after this," he promises, his words a whisper reserved for clem alone, spoken close to her ear as he closes appropriate distance between them, briefly, and then puts it back in place again. small mercies exist everywhere, one of them being that while there are appearances for him to keep up at the gala, his plus one won't be required to sit through this years presentation; a competent intern has been trusted in his stead, and the most arturo expects them to have to do is this. show their faces, clap politely, make himself available in case there's anything last minute, slip out the back once the lights went down. there's champagne with his name on it downstairs, and he's pretty happy with the company he has to share it with. "five minutes. tops."

NOX HEIGHTS featuring @taciiturns !

NOX HEIGHTS featuring @hoggleswart !

" really ? " one brow quirks upwards the same as the corners of his mouth, at that, visible relief & clear amusement reading plain across his face, " what features at the top three ? " he finds that hard to believe if he's being honest, but his curiosity is genuine enough, well meant enough that it's clear he's not here to JUDGE. he couldn't, even if he wanted. arturo's lived a lot in the last few years & this might be up there, for him, but the end of his and kaela's relationship has proven there will always be something much worse around the corner. speaking of that particular devil - andie's hand on his arm is the temporary salve he needs to stop glancing in her direction, though it won't last forever. he'll text, eventually, asking her to cut it out - but for now he's grounded in the moment, his answering smile small, but bright. " i'll give you that one. the malfoy's know how to throw a party, " and waste MONEY doing it, but he thinks andie will have that thought without him having to say it aloud. they're kind of alike in that sense. " we're already on the shit list. you wanna dance, make it worth our while ? "

" i think i owe you an apology, " and it isn't much, really, but until they get out from beneath the thumb of the upper echelon, the best he's been able to do is grab one of the cocktails from a server platter so that he can present it with a sheepish smile. that feeling is unfamiliar to him, honestly, though it's not everyday that he manages to write himself into the karkaroff twins bad books - it was probably always gonna happen, at least someday, but merlin, he wishes that he hadn't gotten andie caught in the crossfire. hence the drink. " i knew she wouldn't act right, but i should've given you a better heads up, " or any heads up, really, though this is another thing that arturo neglects to add, " mikaela doesn't mean any harm by lookin'. nikolai, on the other hand... "

ft. @graciieux !