we're grounded in a daydream

hi hi hi im maxine and i’m still extremely horrible at introductions finger guns. but underneath the cut you can find more information about kingsley and if you give this a like i’ll come and invade you for plots.

tw: neglect.

time: mid afternoon

“how many times am i going to see you in these neck of the woods, snape?” kingsley asks as he approaches the familiar figure lurking in the shadows. no one tended to get past kingsley these days despite the lack of sleep that was shown in his eyes. “c’mon, let’s go get a cup of joe.” he says swinging his arm the opposite way towards the closest cafe. 

time: early morning

“will i swear if we do not clean the flat this weekend i’m going to loose it, or throw you out the window if you don’t help me, whichever one comes first.” kingsley says kicking a coat off the couch and collapses into it groaning staring at the ceiling. had he been at the office all night? perhaps. he eventually went to the three broomsticks to finish off his work though when he got too tired of being in the same spot. “and when we’re done maybe we can go on a walk or something. i’m tired of being inside.” 

     That much is a sentiment Gretchen relates to - when people are needy and cumbersome, she prefers when they simply are not around. Relaxation is hard to come by when there’s the looming expectation of human interaction. As unexpected as it is, one of Gretchen’s favorite parts of her shift is at bar close, when the building is all cleared out and she’s left to her own devices after she’s cleaned up all the messes left behind by the patrons she’d served in the evening. The messes are clear reminders of how frustrating others are, and how they expect her to be available to clean up after them and care for them with no regard for herself.

     Her focus returns to him after a moment, and she removes a fork from a nearby guest’s silverware roll (when they object with an angry, “Hey!”, she shoots silencing daggers at them) and weighs it thoughtfully in her hands. “I’ll have to practice my fork-wielding skills; we’ll need to find someone good with a spoon, though, if we want to make a worthwhile team.” Her brow lifts at his next statement, a hint of incredulity appearing on her face. “Having a whole slew of people who support you and look up to you isn’t enough, yeah?” She pointedly avoids saying The Order, even though to most, it wouldn’t mean much - but she can’t be too careful. She never knows who might be listening. “This might not be the best place to make friends, Shacklebolt.”

“well,” kingsley says looking around the place, there were people. acquaintances that kingsley knows for the most part, they weren’t friends, not like how kingsley had known gretchen over the years. “i know you, and we’re here right now, and.... i like to think that we’re friends, i don’t know if that feeling is mutual between us though. i like to think sometimes that you are one and technically i can say that i have made at least one friend in this place, no?” kingsley sighs though at the mention of the order. sometimes he doesn’t like that is the only reason why she knows him when he has led a couple order meetings in the past. “hm, i know you would love to learn, but you have too much anger behind your eyes. don’t you?” he asks a bit truthfully as he tilts his head at her watching her grab the fork from the nearby guest and he gives the other a gentle smile. sometimes he does wonder what it would be like if he had known gretchen outside of the order. “you should speak up y’know. i think people would love to hear what you would have to say. i for one, would be interested.” he says before taking a sip of his tea as he hears the click on the tiny tea platter once he places it back down on the plate. 

She was less concerned with what had just happened, and more concerned about the fact that Kingsley seemed so off. She always admired how put together he seemed in the Order meetings – how he never seemed to falter. Then again, Lily felt so unsure of everything lately that nearly everyone else felt steady in comparison. “I’m sorry that’s happening,” she offered. “Things are usually pretty… tame… in training, but… I know that feels… shitty, sometimes. Anything I can do?” She pulled her cloak around her body tight, almost out of nervousness that she couldn’t really figure out where it was coming from. “No, I – I work at St. Mungo’s, but… sometimes I do come by to come visit people during lunch, y’know? So maybe? – And I don’t really drink, not lately. But if you’d like, I’ll join you at a pub. I won’t say no to some chips.”

“you look fine, but you seem… stressed, pulling a wand on unsuspecting members of the public may have something to do with it,” andromeda explained, her tone of voice kind, the smile on her lips warm. “coffee sounds brilliant,” she added, “but i have to insist you actually get some sleep and don’t live off of the stuff, you need rest too,” perhaps it was the healer in her, or just the nurturing nature she had had since she was a little girl and looked after stuffed animals in her bedroom.

“i mean, yes i am stressed, work is stressful, but it’s not like you’re actually interested in hearing about it.” he says a bit truthfully. he wasn’t going to lie to andromeda. she could probably see right through them anyways. kingsley was never a good liar, that was why he picked a job that aimed for the truth. kingsley had wanted the truth about his birth parents and he got it as bitter as it sounds. kingsley had also wanted the truth behind the concepts of the world and he’s currently searching for that. “i don’t live off of it, please, c’mon andromeda, y’know that if i did, you would like... know. y’know? i’d have the jitters and shakes or whatnot.”

After work, Lily wanted to take a walk and try to find some way to relax, even though she knew she probably wouldn’t be able to. It was the effort that mattered. The walk was a symbol of trying, and trying was better than nothing. At least when she got home, she could tell James that she’d done something to stop herself from becoming an anxious wreck. She’d found herself outside the Ministry, and before she was able to continue on her way, she found a wand drawn and pointed directly at her. Lily took a few steps back, almost losing her balance as she did so. “I – no, I’d hope not,” she joked, trying her best to make the light of what was a very awkward situation. “Don’t worry about it. Really. Are you – okay? You seem… like you’ve had a long day.”

“um.” kingsley furrows his brows wondering how he wouldn’t have even noticed her there. he was usually so much more alert than usual. that was a rookie move of him and maybe he was far from being alright at this point but that didn’t matter anymore. he had seen her around a few times here and there just walking around this hour. he takes notes of things like that. he has heard of her name from a few other people but didn’t want to jump to conclusions if he were wrong. “i guess i’ve been kicked off my high horse a couple times these past few days but uhm--” he puts his wand underneath the sleeve of his cloak and adjusts himself to bare his surroundings. just the steps of the ministry of magic. everything is alright, he just lost a couple of papers, he can ask for a second copy later. “i’ve seen you around here.... haven’t i? i’m usually not like this, do you drink? let me make it up for you.” he says awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. lord, why was he so bad at this stuff?

     MARLENE  GAPED  AT  KINGSLEY  ,  “  you  don’t  follow  quidditch  —  fucking  hell  ,  shacklebolt  ,  what  did  you  think  i  meant  when  i  invited  you  to  listen  to  the  match  tonight?  ”  she  shook  her  head  at  him  in  disbelief.  “  first  lesson  :  you  are  a  magpies  fan  ,  say  it  with  confidence.  and  do  not  let  anyone  sell  you  on  some  other  shite  team  ,  yeah?  ”  

     when  the  bartender  returned  with  the  drinks  ,  rather  than  passing  over  one  of  the  mugs  of  beer  to  kingsley  ,  marlene  hoarded  both  by  her.  she  took  a  generous  drink  from  one  before  turning  her  gaze  back  to  kingsley.  “  the  magpies  just  scored  against  puddlemere  ,  it  doesn’t  mean  anything  ‘less  they  get  the  snitch  though.  you  know  ,  the  little  flying  gold  ball?  please  tell  me  you  know  that.  ”         

“i didn’t think you would drag me out to a bar and even worse, have me socialize.” kingsley says defensively he has been out of the loop recently about so many things he felt like. he barely has time to keep up with work, how would he keep up with quidditch? “i know what a snitch is, i’ve had to read an extensive book about bowman wright unfortunately...” kingsley says arching his brows at the ‘fond’ memory that had nearly made him fall asleep-- possibly the only book that binns had him read on the side that made kingsley have such a boring response to when he was still at hogwarts. although he himself was a good flyer, he never did quite understand quidditch and never got into the whole fangirl side of it like marlene appeared to be. ‘okay, okay, i’m a magpies fan tonight, is that convincing enough?” he asks raising his hands up in the air defensively. 

the brunette stopped in surprise as the wand pointed against her, surprise furrowing her brow and andromeda chuckled lightly, “i should hope so,” she mused, “i really don’t think i’ve done anything to warrant this greeting thus far today.” andromeda nodded gratefully as he lowered his wand, noticing the near manical stress in his eyes as if he had been awake too long, the overstuffed briefcase, along with the way he had reached for his wand without realizing where he would be pointing it it seemed clear he wasn’t getting enough sleep. “are you alright? i don’t mean to be rude but you look like you could use a sleeping draught or five.”

kingsley furrowed his brows. had he really looked so disheveled to her that she ought to offer him a sleeping potion? he hadn’t really noticed, but then again, he hadn’t left the ministry in what seems like days but in reality it was probably an hour. watching the papers mindlessly floating away. well, those are useless to him now. what would be more useful would be a memory charm of some sort that would allow him to remember what was on those pages. but he doubted that she would have something like that. “oh no, no, i’m fine. i’m sleeping, why. do i not look like i have been?” he asks scratching the back of his head. “you want to get a cup of coffee perhaps? to y’know, make up for the fact that i just threatened you with my wand without meaning to.” 

     Her lips twitch with the vague thought of an amused grin, but before she can offer him anything resembling a smile, she abandons the effort in lieu of mock judgement. “Being skilled with a knife when you have a wand seems backwards. To me, at least.” Gretchen passes the butter knife back to him, “In case I need to be saved again,” and breaks the expression with a coy wink.

     She leans over to check how much he’s drained from the teacup, and decides to fill it anyways. Her gaze lingers momentarily on his folder, making assumptions about what he must be working on, before drawing her eyes back up to his face. Nice to see her. A humored scoff exits her, and her focus drifts off to a bare corner of the room as she leans forward onto her elbows. 

     “I’m mostly surprised to find you relaxing - trying to relax, I suppose.” Fingers drum on the countertop. Kingsley is not the type of person she expects to see here, and she personally finds the atmosphere a bit difficult to relax in. Her vision of relaxing is in her secluded home, on her couch, with thick silence settled in the air. Perhaps with tea and a book. 

“i relax, just not in front of most people simply because i don’t find being around people relaxing.” he corrects her with a shrug as he gets comfortable on the barstool. he looks at his folder that he has been working on for the past hour. taking a sip of his tea that is now lukewarm he places it back down carefully on the tiny plate. kingsley could never remember what those serving plates are actually called for tea. he really needed to brush up on his utensil work. “learning how muggles protect themselves and how wizards protect themselves might make you quite a powerful wizard.” he states with a shrug as he pushes the folder aside and turns all his uninvited attention towards gretchen. he could remember hearing her speak up once or twice in the order meetings that kingsley either lead or other member led. she had seemed pretty intelligent then, maybe-- hopefully nothing had changed since. “ before you even question why i’m here, some people have told me i needed to branch out, and.....  i guess coming here was my poor.....” he pauses for a moment wondering if gretchen was a poor attempt, she had seemed pretty significant to him. taking a sip of his tea, letting it drain to the bottom of the teacup he places it back on the tiny plate. “attempt on branching out.” 

     She’s irritated all the more as she knows this person is preparing to strike again, and wants nothing more than to raise some sort of barrier between the two of them. She doesn’t want to have to kick them out, but on Merlin, she will, and if she does go through with it, it will not be mercifully. It is just as she’s reaching for her wand that a butter knife whizzes past the other’s face and she’s stopped in place. Her eyebrow juts up and she follows the line of direction the knife came from.

     Though she won’t admit to it, she’s thoroughly impressed by his aim. The nuisance is likewise intimidated, judging from the way they scamper to the far end of the bar. Wordlessly, she removes the knife from the wall and gestures with it for Kingsley to approach the bar. “I didn’t realize we were using supper utensils as weapons, Shacklebolt.”

“it’s an underrated skill that the auror’s teach you.” kingsley said with a.... smile on his lips perhaps? it was always hard to tell with him. the truth was kinglsey didn’t even learn that from auror training. he was always particularly good at dueling even when he was at hogwarts. it was all about the precision, patience and accuracy was what his ravenclaw classmates had taught him at the time. he stares down at his paperwork that had caused his eyes to feel like they were bleeding out before closing the folder and gathering his belongings and carrying the tea in his hands over to the bar. “most of the other trainee’s laughed when i took it seriously, but it really does scare people off apparently.” he says placing everything on the bartop before sitting up tall on a stool. he had done far too much hunching over for the past week he had realized. it will start to make him appear older than he actually is. “it’s nice to see you again, gretchen, outside of meetings and whatnot. i didn’t realize you worked here.”

location: m.o.m. front steps 

kingsley whom had just finished a meeting finally got out of the ministry of magic. his eyes felt like they were bleeding as he stuffed papers into his briefcase, though a few escaping he tries to grab them before the wind takes them. “dammit--” he mutters as he turns around and reaches into his pocket to pull out his wand and found himself pointing it directly at someone, loosing sight of the papers that he was trying to track down. bliinking slightly he buckles his briefcase together and pulls his wand away from the others chest. “um--” kingsley says clearing his throat. “you were not the reason why i pulled out my wand. you just happened to be there right when i turned around. sorry.” he says furrowing his brows in confusion as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck though his eyes still scanned the air to locate his missing documents.