slipped and tripped and made a sideblog

Victor’s answer gave Ace a moment of pause, one to think about what it meant to love someone so much that you’d surrender an integral part of yourself for them. He noticed the other man’s pointed expression right away, being able to read those eyes better than many. Deciding it wasn’t worth bullshitting his friend any longer than he had to, Ace sighed.

“Radimir and I got into a-” he almost called it a fight but was it really that when one of them was seething and the other was nearly too shocked at the notion to respond intelligently? “A disagreement at the hospital.” Ace dropped the elusiveness altogether to just come out with what was on his mind, trusting that his friend would listen and understand. “He was incredibly upset with me for responding to everything the way I did, standing up for us rather than running. Almost unforgivably upset it seemed. But call it the senseless Gryffindor in me…I don’t regret a thing. Even if I didn’t stand a chance, the moments spent on me could have bought a few precious more for somebody else, somebody more in need than myself and that, to me, makes it all worth it. And I understand how my partner wouldn’t see it the same way but…” With a quiet breath, Ace reiterated, “I don’t regret it. I believe in the way I am, I believe in people and I’d do it all again the same way, maybe I’d even go into it with double the force.”

Realizing he’d fallen into a spell of tense seriousness, Ace relaxed his features and let a breath pass his lips with an almost petulant sound. He rose to gather his and Victor’s glasses and bring them to the bar for another round. “Impart your worldly wisdom upon me, Vic; would it be smarter to cut the man I love loose in this increasingly tense climate that seems to have no end in sight, knowing I’d just hurt him again and again when the hard choices have to be made? Or do I selfishly cling to his companionship that keeps me sane and just hope that I never have to make a choice like that again?” 

Rinsing their glasses, Ace interrupted his own quandaries momentarily to ask, “Another of the same or should we mix it up?” He allowed a beat after Victor’s answer to conclude somberly, “He’s a stubborn fool and so am I. And I used to think that was the most endearing part of us…but I’m not so sure now.”

“Ooh, not a spat.” Victor’s reflex was to tease, what could you do? Despite the initial response, Victor did listen intently to his pal. In fact, he agreed with how Ace was spilling out his feelings, knowing all the good Ace did through the stifling pressure of ambush and surmounting in the hour of need. He shouldn’t feel any regret. “I believe you. And you shouldn’t.” He spoke upon impulse before his brain could really process. And it did, debating the counterpoint that Ace was in fact left in harm’s way. And even though Victor found it admirable for Ace to be so brave to give his own life to save moments of someone else’s, if it was up to him his preference would be for none of his wedding guests to have been attacked on what was supposed to be the raddest party of the year. 

“The martyr writer, are we? Brave enough to even dare ask for my advice.” Victor chuckled at his chum, softly delighted he was trusted enough to confide in. He looked back up at his dear friend, circling back at the memory of his quick pass through the hospital to check on Ace, how cheeky he’d been for his state and yet Radimir clearly sporting the opposite in physical and mental health. Seeing as Ace moments ago had just asked about Minnie, that comparison was still fresh in Victor’s mind. And how he would answer this prompt would come straight from that source. “I’ve been called selfish countless times before. That doesn’t scare me, Ace. In fact, you know I’d wear it proudly.” A small cheeky smile peeped for a second before he continued. “I mean, you said it yourself - you love him. Just how much do you love him that you would choose to bow out from a man who accepts you for your interchangeably idiotically heroic orrrr heroically idiotic choices? ... Stubbornness makes a lonely lover, my friend.” His eyes peeked down in insinuation. “These are miserable times already.”

The more energetic he got, the more he spoke with his hands. Yet, he never raised his tone. “Not saying you should change who you are. I love who you are. You’re brilliant! You’re Ace Calhoun! And I don’t know what Radimir is asking for... But truthfully, if it were up to me with Minnie, it would never come down to be my choice to let her go. Fuck sparing each other of the hurt! It’s a cop out for real real feelings, like what we have together. So if it’s my say, I’d rather take the misery shot and see if we’d figure it out. She’s stuck with me... at least to the day she decides not to be.” Victor shrugged his shoulders. “Call me selfish for sticking, but if I’m going to be stubborn about something, it’s about sticking with Minnie.”

In regards to the drink, a simple response from him sufficed in meaning twofold, “It’s up to you.”

KYLE: There's this place in London. Looked like fun so I popped in to check it out. I'm basically a professional axe thrower now. You ever been?

KYLE: Feel like I just learned a lot about you, Deepak.

DEEPAK: How cheeky! Nope. But I'm intrigued. Do they just always let random patrons in and start throwing axes all flippity jibbly everywhere?

As always, Ace was smiling lightly to hear Victor talk about his wife in any capacity, to hear him recall even an exaggerated version of their beginnings. “Do you think it would’ve been a deal breaker if it was something that came to bother her down the line? That the work is so precarious but it’s your passion anyway?” He licked his lips, wondering how much longer he could keep up the line of questioning before his friend grew suspicious and turned things back around on him, though Victor did love talking about himself and that was Ace’s gamble on making the conversation work in his favor.

“Reality, I’m sure, was also a suitable reminder to why you’ve been in your line of work for as long as you have, hm? You’re good, better than good. I’m sure that was a relief to her?” Ace added something of consequence to their chat, not wanting to bog it down with negative hypotheticals even though he was keen on picking Victor’s brain on them. 

As much as he was a Ravenclaw, Victor funnily enough was not the most imaginative person. He always left more of that stuff to Vince and Nessa. So it took him a bit to imagine a life where Minnie would have been truly bothered by Victor’s career choice. “No.” He said plainly. “... Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. And I am very good at it... but I love Minnie. I love her more than any job.”

By now, Victor was beginning to have his suspicions over what Ace was trying to get to, even if he didn’t quite understand what it was exactly. He answered with a more hopeful tone, “I’m sure it was. Yeah.” Victor took another sip of his drink, looking at Ace wondering if he would explain himself and his spiraling train of thought. 

Ace noticed Victor’s shift in demeanor and wondered if people saw through him so clearly when his own partner was brought up. He could tell by sight alone that what his friend felt was similar to the focus that he gave to speaking about Radimir, ever reverent even in his absence. It made him smile; he was glad Victor got to marry his person regardless of the circumstances. Taken as he was by listening to Victor talk up his wife, his head even tilting slightly to the side at one point, Ace laughed at the joke to wrap up Victor’s long winded answer. “Obviously.” He shook his head in amusement and took a moment to sip his drink. “It’s only natural to be troubled by the outcome but I’m happy she’s able to look forward- regardless of the reasons,” his chin pointed down a bit to fix Victor with a suggestive smirk to match the man’s own. 

“Hm, I do like that arm…” Ace pondered even as Victor was still speaking. And then as an afterthought, “Oh yes, it would be a shame if he couldn’t write anymore too, of course.” It was easy for him to be so light hearted in Victor’s presence as his friend simply brought out that side of him and truthfully, it was a relief to know he could still be that way considering how heavy the thought of his boyfriend had been in his mind lately. He offered a more sincere answer as a sign of his gratefulness. “He’s been a little slow to recovery. Not so much physically but…” Ace clicked his teeth quietly. “Let me ask you something. How’d Minnie feel at first about you being an auror? Having this high risk job paired with your ever bold, always daring, never quitting disposition?” It’s a serious question but his descriptors for the other man are delivered in a teasing swoon, always looking to keep things a touch playful. 

Victor laughs into his own drink as Ace makes one suggestive comment after the other over his own partner. “You dog!” He took a sip into his drink, then let it simmer a couple seconds after swallowing to ponder over Ace’s question. “I was already an auror when Minnie and I first started dating, so I guess it kinda came with the territory.” He swished his drink a little. “I think it didn’t unnerve her at first. I mean, she was totally in love with me by day one, but still, it was too soon to tell? It really didn’t get to be a player in the relationship until this war began picking up, around the time we first got engaged... Reality is always a pretty reliable reminder.”

KYLE: Axe throwing, duh.

KYLE: To be fair, I was definitely going for a serial killer vibe with that one.

DEEPAK: Where in the world are you throwing this axe?

Ace couldn’t help but laugh at his friend’s approach to the matters at hand. There was a reason he enjoyed Victor’s company so; few people opted to meeting Ace in his optimism for life and then encouraging him higher rather than trying to forcibly ground him. “Planning? Absolutely not, the parade for you is composed entirely of the greatest minds in improvisation and their sole instructions are to not do anything you wouldn’t,” he beamed, playing along easily. He didn’t mind deferring to humor for now, knowing Victor had at least heard what he had to say and knew he was grateful.

“It doesn’t have to be said at all,” Ace insisted immediately. “Not one second of what happened is your fault, Victor. There isn’t an apology to be made in the first place so…take it back, I don’t want it.” He smiled at the mention of Victor’s wife and the predictability of him describing his wedding in such a way. Still, he asked carefully and considerately, “And has Minnie been able to take the absolute wildness in as much stride as her very immovable and chivalrous husband?”

Victor’s smile grew a thousand yards bigger. “Merlin. You do know the way into a man’s heart!” At the mention of his darling wife, you could tell something in Victor’s spirit quieted. “Ah,you know Minnie. She looks delicate as a flower, but she’s just as capable as any auror. Even more secure than I am.” His hand mindlessly patted his chest, feathering down his button down as he trailed into thought. “She’s strong-willed. That humble reminder never ceases to surprise me. But I can tell she’s troubled at the outcome... Clearly, that’s why she’s most excited for the honeymoon. Well, you know, besides the obvious.” The same hand that once laid on his chest gestured to him, hinting he was the gift Minnie Edwards was most looking forward to unwrapping. 

Ace chuckled when Victor turned the sentiment of relief back on him. Modest enough to not want focus put on his own experience at the wedding, Ace took a moment to gaze fondly at his friend making himself comfortable in a spot often filled by a different man dear to his heart. Moving his attention to fixing them both an Ogden’s Firewhiskey highball drink they used to enjoy as younger men, Ace admitted, “I hear that I have you to thank for getting back up on my feet at all.” Giving the drinks one last stir to perfection, Ace brought them over to hand one to Victor. “Radimir told me you pulled through for him at a time when things were looking rather bleak,” he said as he clinked their glasses lightly together in a thanks and cheers all at once. “And if he was lost in the smoke then for sure, I would have been too,” he spoke matter of factly as he took a nearby seat of his own. “Thank you for that,” Ace maintained his gaze on Victor, his sincerity on the matter painted on each and every one of his features. “I know you’ll tell me it was no matter but I mean it, thank you for being there for him when I couldn’t be, it means the world. It might mean more.”

“Indeed, you do. I expect the celebratory parade you’re planning to be absolutely smashing!” Victor teased. Could it have been too soon to joke about a near-death experience? Pfft, did it matter?! It was probably better to act as normal as they could. It was easier to do that than to relive the harsh memories of that day. “... Then I won’t tell you it was no matter. It was all matter.” A cheeky smile swept over his face. Still sporting it, he genuinely now uttered, “I’m glad I was there to help.” Victor took a beat before adding onto the subject while they were on it. “I guess it should also go without saying too I’m sorry for what had happened, but there. I said it anyways.” He chuckled at the back of his throat. “I told Minnie our reception would be absolute wild. Complete party animals! ... I did not expect it to come true quite literally.”

Of course it’s a hug that Ace greets Victor with. Considering it’s the first time they’re seeing each other following the brutal events of the latter’s wedding, he embraces his friend tight for a moment before pulling back to give him a smile that matches the brazen Gryffindor demeanor that Victor had befriended back when they were in school. 

“Considering how hard we used to go on the pitch I know this isn’t the first time I’ve told you this but I especially mean it now; I’m happy as hell to see you in one piece, Vic,” Ace chuckles as he leads the man further into his home. The invitation to make himself comfortable is always present as Ace makes his way to the cabinet bar top in his living room first and foremost. “Drink?” He offers Victor, inviting him to peruse through the extensive liquor and wine selections on display. 

It’s the sense of relief Victor has when hugging his dear old friend, even when he knew well of his survival for a while now. The hug lasts a little longer than usual, but could you blame either one of them for going through what they have? At his wedding of all places. “Speak for yourself. Look at you! I’m more grateful to see you up on your feet again.” Even through his trademark cheeky tone, Victor spoke genuinely about his care. As Ace was the one quite literally hospitalized from this event, and Victor made it out with barely a scratch on his face, even he knew who had the shittiest hand dealt here. Victor takes over to the armchair with all the comfort of a friend to sit, as Ace offered him a drink. “Always!”

KYLE: So... tell me more about this half-Veela Bulgarian bloke.

KYLE: Specifically how he can compete with this

KYLE: [https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/bb/6c/57bb6c7f017b1d1a5a9054c5546c8c9b.jpg]

DEEPAK: Hahaha, what in Harry Potter's name are you doing with a muggle axe?

“Hm…” Scamp considered Terry’s answer, weighing it against the fact that she was closer in age to Danica than he was and wondering if there was any relevance there at all. When asked to clarify on his situation, Scamp sported an amused smile, tilting his head to the side towards her. “There’s a girl…she’s a pain in my ass but that just makes me want to make sure she isn’t a pain in anybody else’s ass too. Just mine. I dunno, it’s complicated. Or maybe it isn’t. I’m just playing it by ear, as one does in this day and age.” He laughed at himself and his crotchety old wording, as though he weren’t constantly in and out of casual situationships himself.

Terry was never one for dramatic instances, but there was always a sense of comfort and camaraderie with Scamp. So in moments like these, she found herself the most playful. With a small breathy gasp coming from a slight gaping mouth, she replied with “A girl?” A soft smile coiled on her face. The tease was sweet, but softened away with her smile as she opted into her instincts to listen in. it was humorous the way Scamp talked about the girl he liked, sensing just how much he must have been taken by her - even if she was as much of a pain as he described.

Unknowing of her own physical awareness, Terry’s body slightly clenched at the word complicated. She had a few unconscious thoughts about that - none that she was willing to unbox in that split second, so going against the uncomfortable feeling drawing her back, her mind moved on. Terry felt the need to prod Scamp a little. Maybe he wasn’t ready to get into detail, but they were going to be there for a while... and if he wasn’t ready to actually discuss about it, then he would never have brought it up to begin with. Right? “What’s complicated about it? If I may ask.”

“You do this kind of thing often?” It was customary to ask others questions about themselves, right? Benji knew he had conversations every day, but it was those moments when he was actively trying to have one, aware of the fact that he was talking to someone else… that he tended to choke. It was worse when others pointed it out, when they made fun of him or were obviously weirded out by his social inadequacies. The stranger standing in front of him had been nothing but kind and polite, which made forming words into sentences a little easier. He even blushed as she pointed out how much he had been complimenting her. “No,” he answered honestly. “Some people do that, don’t they? Give out compliments so much that it feels fake… no, I’m quite stingy about it actually. Only when I think it’s deserved.” He shrugged off what turned into yet another compliment. “And your name?” When asked what his job was, he took no time answering. He was quite proud of what he did and it showed on his face. “I work for the MFBI, believe it or not.”

“Working on the Wixen Census or asking random strangers seemingly invasive questions? No on the first thing, but on the latter, I have to be honest, it’s a definite trend.” Even in that truth, Toni was cracking a joke, even if it didn’t seem like based off her inflection. “They do.” Toni hadn’t pegged Benji to be dishonest in his compliments, but it was nice to hear how deserving he thought she was of them. “Good to know. Being 3 for 3 might’ve presented otherwise.” This time, Toni made it obvious she was teasing with the pursed lip smile she held on her face. When asked about her name, she replied with, “Toni.” To the point, utterly charming in her succinct confidence. “That’s what pretty much everyone likes to call me.” Her eyes slightly widened at Benji’s response about his job. Not like she couldn’t see him doing so, but it was not something she expected and it was rather an impressive answer to her. “Wow! Thank you for what you do.” And she sincerely meant it. She continued as she scribbled down the information on her clipboard. “You must certainly have a lot on your plate. Makes sense why you must be so busy.”

Benji was not the naturally cheery type, but her undeniably pleasant nature brought out the hint of smile from his previously stressed face. “That’s… well, that’s quite nice of you. I suppose if you have the time, it’s a good thing to do.” The words escaped him quite awkwardly, small talk with a stranger not being one of his strong suits. Their conversation did have him wonder what he would do if he had any free time. More and more, he had been confronted with the very question. He often found himself at a loss when his work was not consuming his every waking moment and his family allowed him a moment to breathe. “I’m York… well, it’s Benji. Sorry, used to my coworkers calling me by my last name.”

Toni nodded. “Thank you. Just doing my part in the civic duty, when I can.” Her eyebrow couldn’t help but cock up, feeling no need for compliments for doing the right thing, and yet, between her smile and the bare minimum, here she was accepting them. It wasn’t like she wasn’t used to this kind of attention. However, it did always tickle her interest to wonder the why of it all. “You always this consistent in flattery?” She could tell he was being a bit awkward in his delivery, and in that, she might’ve already had her answer. But in her habit of being thorough, Toni had asked anyway. “That’s not a question for the census, but purely so for my curiosity.” She threw a smirk at him. Toni scribbled down his name as she delightfully greeted him proprely. “Nice to meet you, Benji York. Tell me, what do you do for a living?”

heart to heart // tahir+ovi

There was a nagging in the back of his mind to pull himself together with haste but Tahir’s gentle touch to his back allowed Ovi to feel his way through what he was experiencing at his own ease, knowing he was absolutely safe in the arms that held him. Through the care being delivered to him by those resonant fingertips, Ovi’s gaze remained low, though not in any negativity, rather from wanting to savor the moment. Even in a state of crumbling, he felt the hairs on his arms stand from the touch to his beard, the sensory input directly connecting to a thousand other pleasant memories and feelings in him.

Ovi only looked up properly at the sound of Tahir’s voice, so raw and candid, yet thoughtful at the same time. His power was in his honesty, and that only added to Ovi’s endless list of infatuations with him. Ovi’s expression, intently focused despite the tiredness that had overcome him, became suddenly taken aback to hear Tahir talk about being afraid. Was that what Tahir thought the problem was? That he had reservations about them becoming too much too fast or something of that nature? Of course. Ovi sighed unpleasantly in his mind. You haven’t bothered to explain otherwise, now have you? Too wrapped up in your own grief, too self-involved. Echoes of familiar words from a familiar family member forced him to take a breath and come out of his own head.

“Tahi, I’m not afraid,” Ovi spoke with surprising grit in his tone despite the quietness of it. “At least not of this- us.” He shook his head to enunciate his point, brows furrowed with how seriously he took his following sentiments. “We are the happiest thing in my life. Everything we can be excites me, I think about it constantly and I can’t wait. I can’t wait to see where we’ll go and how we’ll get there. I’m so unafraid I could speak sonnets like this to you all day and all night without stopping one time. I swear it.” A small, wobbly chuckle burst forth from him at his own reckless abandon towards the end there. Anyone else would have run from him so long ago with things like that spewing from his mouth but not Tahir. Never Tahir. 

“If I was afraid of anything then it was of being apart, Tahi. Saying goodbye means being apart and…” Ovi swallowed, looking off to the side for a moment to gather the right words to complete his thought aloud. “Saying goodbye has been harder on me since I’ve said it to my dad. My last goodbyes to him weren’t what they should’ve been and sometimes I…I get this sinking feeling when I know that moment is coming up for us. When I have to walk away from you or you from me, and it doesn’t get that way with everyone, you’re just-” Special. Important. The One. Invaluable. Everything. “You make me forget that we never know how much time life will give us.”

Ovi swallowed tightly in repeating the phrase that had set him off to begin with but pushed to maintain his composure, hoping to everything that he even remotely got his point across. “I’m not afraid of anything about us. If there was ever a problem it wasn’t with us, but me. Things I had to…” another deep breath, “I had to come to grips with myself. And it wasn’t fair of me to pull you down into that sinkhole with me.” Reaching up, Ovi placed his palms to Tahir’s cheeks, gently tipping him forward to speak just before placing a kiss to the younger man’s forehead. “If the little moments are important to you then there won’t be more questions about it. They’re yours, my love. Just like the rest of me.” The words ambled out of him as though he’d said them a hundred- a thousand times before with all of the soothing weight of warm honey on the tongue- and he didn’t regret them for a second.

A deep inhale and exhale moved its way in and out of his lungs. Tahir drew out a small sigh of relief listening to Ovi’s forming thoughts. Not only was it a comfort knowing he was not afraid of what they had between them, he was at ease with each word describing his reciprocated feelings. Tahir too felt the happiest he had ever been with Ovi. He would say not much truly belonged to him in the world, but still, he could undoubtedly state the two of them were the happiest thing Tahir without doubt called his own. Tahir smiled at Ovi comparing his words to sonnets - an accurate read. He said, “I never want you to stop.” And he fully meant it.

Something Tahir always valued was the moments his loved ones would confide in him. And for Ovi, it wasn’t just special listening to him speak on his aspirations and his interests. He just as much wanted to get to know his fears and insecurities. So he did what he always did - he listened. To his words and actions alike. The looks off to the distance, the silence in the pauses Ovi took, the subtle beauty in knowing one of life’s greatest and cruelest truths still couldn’t distract from reveling at the heart that beat across from him. The mind collected the information while his chest bottled the warmth, all of him clearly laid out to read through the longing of Tahir’s soft, brown eyes.

Tahir’s information about Ovi’s dad had been limited. “We haven’t spoken about your father a lot.” This wasn’t a new observation for him, but it was definitely one he didn’t feel necessary bringing into light until it was properly acknowledged by Ovi first. Tahir’s hand gently glided down Ovi’s shoulder to his lower bicep then back up again. He asked, “Have you ever talked about it? ... About him and saying goodbye?” His hand continued to caress his boyfriend’s side, as Tahi subconsciously made every opportunity to lay out his affections through his tender physical touch. He moved into this difficult subject with a delicate hand, just as he’d manifested into gesture.

Listening to Ovi continue giving his point made something slightly stir in the pit of Tahir’s stomach. He watched as this man internalized much of the responsibility on himself, separating the problems far away from Tahir. It wasn’t like his first instinct was that he had something to do with their unexpected blip, but the opposite was just as much true. Tahir could easily read through the intention Ovi gave when taking him out of the equation, but it still didn’t sit well with him. ‘I had to come to grips with myself. And it wasn’t fair of me to pull you down into that sinkhole with me.’ An oddity, both seriously considered as it was interestingly amusing, that Tahir for once could not agree with Ovi. 

He didn’t want to ignore Ovi’s proposal, to give him all the little moments as well as the big ones. That’s something Tahir entirely wanted. He was happy to hear Ovi tell him they were his, just like the rest of him was. However, he had to clear something off of his chest first. Something to solidify what Ovi’s choice to spend their everythings together really meant. He began with saying plainly, “I love you, Ovi.” Those words had been swimming in his mind for longer than he could have even realized. Before, they never really needed saying as the two of their souls had been linked since the moment they had meant. Before, it never really needed saying - Tahir just simply wanted to. 

“Let me pick your brain about something, Terr.” Scamp broke the comfortable silence between them, sighing through his words. His eyes were trained keenly on the building they were monitoring from their rooftop vantage point, but multi-tasking entertainment with objective focus on a stakeout came as second nature at this point. He only waited a beat for her to give a courtesy manner of consent before continuing. “Defining the relationship. Cool or no? Or is riding out that talking phase till something naturally comes to a head the way to go?”

Terry didn’t always care for the sit and silent moments on the job. Learning quickly in her experience that she was destined to be the kind of person who ran headfirst into a mission like she did in life, stakeouts were always a little more restless for her. Though, over the years she grew to appreciate even these quieter moments on the job. And sometimes, she’d be paired with the right partner and the time ran much more quickly than anticipated. With Scamp, even in childhood, Terry never found trouble sitting still as he always managed to keep her preoccupied. 

So when Scamp proposed to prod around her mind, she didn’t hesitate to answer. “Shoot.” She giggled at his choice of phrasing. Before she could finish her thought process, Terry was thinking out loud, “Hm, well. If I had to pick between the two, I’m probably gonna go with cool.” Sensing something deeper than small talk, she continued, “Pretty specific something to pick my brain about. Any particular reason why you may be asking?”