kindness.

Collin looked up when Lo entered his office. “Ah, shit, the paychecks.” He immediately began sorting through his folders until he found the checks. “I’m sorry, I’ve been so busy I forgot about the checks.” He stood up and handed Lo’s hers, putting the rest in their respective mailboxes.

@lobarlow

“Oh, thank you,” Lo said, taking the check. “I was actually coming to ask you for some advice though. If you uh don’t mind, giving me some advice, even if it’s not about magizoology.”

“Really? You’d do that for me?”

Lo nodded. “Yeah, of course. We’re friends, right? Besides, I think sometimes I take it for granted. It’s like people who live near Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon.”

Blaise was quiet as she watched the burgundy liquid pour into the stemless wine glass. “I don’t think anyone deals with something like that well,” She admitted, chuckling softly. “How often do you have to work with her specifically?” 

“Like everyday,” she replied, with a slight groan. “Why couldn’t I be like confident and snarky and snark back instead of just wanting to crawl into a corner after speaking to her?”

She didn’t leave. Micah felt his heart racing. She didn’t leave. She took a seat and gave him a soft smile. He hesitated for a few moments before saying softly. “Hey.”

After Lo had ordered herself a coffee, she walked over to Micah’s table which was not too far from hers anyway. “Hey,” she responded back. “How are you?” she asked.

Micah was sitting in the Bearclaw, drinking a hot mug of coffee when he the door opened. He looked up instinctively and froze. Lo had just entered. Part of Micah wanted to duck out of sight, but he fought the instinct. He waited to see if she’d notice him and what she’d do if she did.

@lobarlow

Lo’s heart nearly stopped when she saw Micah as she walked into the Bearclaw. Part of her wanted to just turn around and leave, but she was already getting seated and he was already looking at her. She gave a soft smile to him. She hated this.

“Uh, yeah. I’m always free if cocoa’s involved.”

“Glad to know that’s all I need to get you to go somewhere with me,” Lo replied, letting out a small laugh.

“Yeah, it’s like, you go to this thing three years in a row and then just stop. Feels weird,” Valerie agreed. “I’m always up for hot cocoa, let’s do this.” 

“I kind of miss Ilvermorny, is that just me?”

“That’s so cool. I’ve always wanted to see them they’re so pretty in the pictures.”

“If you want we can stay at my parents for a week or something, that way you can see them.”

“Oh. Duh, of course, you did.” Aodh turned slightly in bed. “Water would be nice. Thanks.”

Lo nodded and walked to the kitchen, grabbed herself some tea, and Aodh some water. She handed it to him when she got back into the room. “How long do you think it’ll take before Violette comes in here to try and force us out?”

“I’m from Minnesota. So maybe not quite as cold as Alaska. I wish I could go to Alaska.” Charlie pause. “Do you get the northern lights up there?”

“Yeah, depends on the weather though, you don’t see them every night.”

“Ugh, Micah. Tell him to come here so he can cut my leg off and I can hit him with it for making you hurt. It’s a win-win-win.” Aodh grumbled. “I can’t drink with my potion, the healer says it’ll make me ill.”

“I meant non-alcoholic,” Lo replied. “Like tea? Or water?”

Returning from the kitchen with two wine glasses, Blaise sat down across from Dolores, tucking one of her legs under herself. “He seems nice. Or at least, he sounds nice from what I’ve heard. I bet his dad jokes are killer.” She paused, taking the time to remove the cork from one of the bottles of wine, and pouring herself a glass. She motioned towards the other glass, as if to ask Lo if she wanted some. “My dad used to say that there is always one person like that where ever you work. You just have to ignore them.” 

Lo nodded at her motion towards the glass. “I just, I want to be liked at work. These are the people I’m going to be working and training with for a while. I don’t deal well with people not liking me.”

“I can’t go to the festival,” Aodh grumbled. He was still mopey. He went to see a proper healer, so he was free of the full leg cast, but he was still in pain. And there was the scar. It was invisible most of the time because he wore his pants, but Aodh knew it was there. “Yeah, do that. My leg hurts. I don’t want to be around all those people. Whatever.”

“I’ll tell Violette and grab my computer so we can search,” she replied. “I’ll tell her I’ll go one day. I just don’t want to deal with seeing Micah today. Do you want something to drink, or anything while I’m up?”

“C’mon, it’s not even that cold outside. If it’s above 20 it’s warm for winter.” 

“I know it’s warm, I’m from Alaska, I just don’t think I ever got that thick skin from living in the cold most of the time.”

@lobarlow

“That…is one of the ugliest cats I have ever seen.” Amata gestured with her spoon towards what had to be one of the kneazles that they kept around the Carson Center. “I want it.” 

“I don’t know about that, it looks like a small ugly tiger to me,” she replied.