blame it on the boogie | mina

[gehry benjamin ollivander]

Don't blame it on the sunshine

Don't blame it on the moonlight

May 12, 2027
mina pandora oliveira

The day had been slow, but it wasn’t due to a lack of work. A new shipment of books had arrived and needed to be stored in the backroom until they were put on the shelves that Friday for their release. But Benny’s curiosity had gotten the better of him. So as he uncharacteristically volunteered to organize the backroom, which only took a few waves of his wand. Though the other employee scheduled that day, a younger girl of barely twenty had informed him that nothing was alphabetized as intended. So, with a book in one hand and his wand in the other, he skimmed the first few pages of this new novel that had everyone’s attention.

It was all the craze, and truthfully, Benny didn’t know about it until customers began asking for it incessantly. And he’d made his way over to the side of the bookstore that he hadn’t memorized and even tried to look for it before his coworker informed him it wasn’t released yet. Apparently, it was part of some series? So with a renewed focus, he quickly organized the backroom so that he could have more time to read while back here. But after pacing a bit, he sat down on some boxes. And then his eyes started to droop.

Merlin that ‘Cantis Cream Cold Brew’ had not given him the energy boost he had expected. So much for their slogan ‘This cold brew will have you singing for the rest of the day’. Or perhaps it was the sugar. In either case, it didn’t take long for Benny to doze off, his sunglasses falling onto his face and book nearby. And he would have stayed just like that, but the door swung open, and the suddenness and the sound jolted him awake. ”An infusion of wormwood!” He tried to push himself up by leaning on the top of a box, but his hand simply went through the top since it was half empty. But after blinking a few times and realizing this was the backroom of Flourish and Blotts and not sleeping in sixth-year potions class, he saw who had opened the door. ”Oh. Hi Mina.” Benny stood up and retrieved his sunglasses that had fallen to the floor. He had forgotten their shifts overlapped today.

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[mina pandora oliveira]

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Another Wednesday, another day at the bookstore. Even after almost three years of working there, she still enjoyed it. Could it pay more? Absolutely. But that was why she shared an apartment with her sister and paid a smaller amount in rent. That was Callisto’s only option, because the other was Mina running amok and shacking up with Rue or someone equally irresponsible. And their parents were definitely going to let that happen again. Disappearing for the summer after graduation had aged them enough that they would probably willingly pay for her rent if it meant she’d stay from living with her crazier friends. The only problem she had with Flourish and Blotts was that the owner never knew how many employees they needed on the schedule. Mina was fairly certain that she could do it all with the help of at least one other person, but recently there had been a few more hires. Which meant she and Benny were getting less shifts and less money. They weren’t always paired up on the schedule but when they were it usually ended up being fun. Perpetual flunkies stuck in the service industry. At least that was how she viewed it.

When she stepped into the shop with a to-go holder of Spellbucks for herself, Benny, and the new girl, she was surprised to see that there were a few customers browsing and the new girl standing behind the counter with her arms tightly crossed under her arms. Mina awkwardly stared at her before glancing around the store to see if she was missing something. “You good?” she asked before the girl started into a rapid description of how the day had gone so far, her voice getting louder every couple of words in her furious excitement. According to her, Benny had been set to stock the new arrivals that were to release at the end of the week. Suddenly, Mina understood. “This one is yours,” Mina nodded to the girl as she handed over the Firewhisky Frappuccino. “If you ever want a little…no?” she stopped as the girl waved off the offer to spike the drink the next time she picked it up. That was unfortunate. It was unbelievably good with actual Firewhisky in it.

Using her hip to bump open the door to the backroom of the store, she wasn’t surprised to see Benny half-asleep inside. “You’re definitely going to need this then,” she held out the Expecto Patronum Espresso for him as he stood up from the floor. A drink so strong that it apparently made your body feel corporeal. She liked her caffeine just as much as the next person, but that was some otherworldly shit right there. The one time she had it, it made her feel like her heart was going to blow up. Of all the ways she’d damaged her body over the years between drinking, drugs, and Rue’s potions, this was the one thing that scared her the most. “She’s pissed at you,” Mina added. Not that Mina felt bad for the new girl. There had plenty of busy days over the years where she’d been all on her own dealing with customers. But she knew it was different when multiple were on together and supposed to be divvying up the work.

gehry benjamin ollivander ● 550 ● Hold On Loosely by .38 Special

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[gehry benjamin ollivander]

Don't blame it on the sunshine

Don't blame it on the moonlight

May 12, 2027
mina pandora oliveira

Benny still felt a little groggy. He blinked until his vision cleared and placed his sunglasses on his head, where they sat neatly on his disheveled hair. While Benny would never let it grow long again, he also didn’t always keep up with regular haircuts, so his straight hair often stuck out in random spots if it got too long. After a dramatic stretch of his arms, he took the cup she offered, and he felt an instant wave of relief. ”You are the best.” Benny simply commented before sipping the Espresso. It was still far too warm to chug as he wished, so with a lazy wave of his hand over the top, the cup felt less warm in his hand he could drink heartily.

The introduction of Expectro Patronum Espresso into Benny’s life had been invigorating. People complained it made their hearts race, and they couldn’t sleep, but Benny didn’t have that effect. In fact, he felt quite good after a double shot in the morning. ”Where would I be without you.” He added, relief in his voice and a little dramatically. Years of working together plus all those years at school—sometimes it felt like they’d never actually grown up. Though when Mina commented that their new employee, something something Fischer, was now upset with him, Benny shrugged and grinned lazily. ”She’ll forgive me.”

Benny turned to survey the room, most of the boxes were organized, and he could finish it later after letting the new girl go home. ”She likes me.” Benny smirked before drinking more of the Espresso. It was already helping him wake up. Either that or he needed a power nap smack dab in the middle of his shift. But either way, Benny didn’t anticipate any issues with their young coworker based on how she tended to blush when Benny was around. ”What’d you get?” He asked Mina, noting the last beverage in the to-go holder.

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[mina pandora oliveira]

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"Obviously," she grinned as Benny took a sip of his drink. It really amazes her that he managed to drink more than one of those in a day sometimes. "They really should come with a warning label on them," Mina added as she stared him. Like: 'WARNING. THIS DRINK MAY LEAD TO CARDIAC ARREST'. It definitely seemed like the alcoholic energy drinks she used to pound back right after graduation, before she realized that there was stuff that tasted better and let her go to bed at a reasonable hour. Benny was apparently just a year or two behind her on the physical abuse oh his body. Her activities with Rue had done a number on her and it had gradually become less fun. Sleep was really nice too. Drinking what Benny was loading himself up on was definitely not going to give her that.

Mina didn't know if he wanted an honest answer about where he'd be, but if he meant today in particular, probably not crushed to death under a pile of books. The espresso would keep him awake and energized, and free of the weight of the leather-bounds that perpetually lived on the top shelves of the storeroom. "You'd be having a lot less fun," Mina stated frankly. Though it went both ways. She enjoyed his company just as much, and it beat the friendships she made with her muggle club friends. They were a bore that only wanted to party. Benny knew how to have fun. And it was even a different kind from what Rue gave her. "We'll have to teach her how to have loosen up. Being a bookworm is for customers, not employees," she added to Benny's comment about their newest coworker. It was okay that she took the job seriously, but she didn't need to be as wound-up about it as she currently was.

Whether the girl actually liked Benny or just tolerated him was up for debate still. Mina could see the way she had looked at the storeroom only a minute earlier. How it was easier to have him locked away in here doing inventory. Personally, she preferred having him on the floor, whispering about the customers odd choices of clothing or the perpetual potion smell that wafted in with them. "Just a coffee," she responded. Loaded with cream because she couldn't take the bitterness of it being black. Or have it scalding her tongue. "So what's the arrangement you're going for in here today? I don't think I get it..."

gehry benjamin ollivander ● 421 ● Song by Artist

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[gehry benjamin ollivander]

Don't blame it on the sunshine

Don't blame it on the moonlight

May 12, 2027
mina pandora oliveira

It had not taken Benny's friends, especially the female ones, to notice he called them all his favorite or the best. Not that he had a particular favorite (not really). But he still liked to say it, nonetheless. " That takes the fun out of it." Benny insisted. And it wasn't as if the random potion Rue had him sample from time to time had one of those food labels with all the ingredients and other things. It was part of the adventure. And Benny didn't quite understand why coffee didn't kick him into another dimension as it did other people.

" Yes, I suppose you're right." Life working at the bookstore might not have been as glamorous as what his sisters had accomplished, but Benny liked it nonetheless. Plus, he got to stay close to them and other friends in the place he'd grown up. It was comforting to have that stability despite his chaotic ways. And like he reminded Nell from time to time, it was important to live one's life. It was not all about whatever lofty goals one set for themselves. They would not leave you with wonderful memories of the experiences you had.

The shock of an Ollivander misbehaving, skipping class, or sleeping in it had worn off about halfway through his third year. He had befriended Mina very quickly, although they were separated after sorting. Plus, he'd known a few of his classmates since he was very young. It was a fun group of all very different people. " Next time we go to one of those clubs you like, we can bring her." Benny suggested. Maybe it would help her loosen up, and they could get to know her better. The age gap wasn't but a few years.

Benny didn't care if the new girl liked him that way, but it would be easier. It had been just Benny and Mina for so long, but they'd easily gotten accustomed to a third employee. And it also meant that Benny had more time off, which he would never complain about. " Merlin Mina…live a little." He furrowed his brow to feign disappointment. A simple coffee that simply would not do. One of these days, he would get her to love espresso as much as he did. But they moved on from the coffee to the task Benny was supposed to have completed hours ago. " I would love to tell you." He began, eyes scanning the open boxes and scattered books. " But I don't remember my plan."

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[mina pandora oliveira]

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The things Mina was fine putting in her body really did not correlate to what was considered health and what wasn’t. Alcohol? Awesome. Fun muggle drugs? Yep. Cigarettes? Totally. Potions made by Rue? Occasionally. Caffeine in the amount that Benny consumed it? Absolutely not. There were other stimulants she’d rather put into her body that weren’t coffee flavored, which didn’t make sense on a lot of fronts but that was just how she was. Since school though, that sort of thing had slowed down drastically. There was the occasional test of a new Rue potion and she found more enjoyment out of edibles these days than anything else. Having a supplier a block away in Horizont made life so much more interesting.

“Of course I’m right. I always am.” Except when she wasn’t. But who had time to worry about those sorts of things? Trying to figure out what Benny was up to was infinitely more fun for her. “We’d have to like, trick her, wouldn’t we?” Mina lowered her voice as she spoke. There was no way their new coworker could hear her through the storeroom door all the way at the checkout desk, but better safe than sorry. “Because I don’t think she’d willingly go.” At the same time, dragging a wet blanket along with them wouldn’t be fun at all. Buttering her up over the next few weeks sounded like a good plan.

She jokingly rolled her eyes at the idea of ‘living a little’, because that was basically her life’s motto. And Benny’s. “I’m picking up brownies from Nova later. I think that’s living a little,” she answered. Those were always double the strength of whenever she made them, plus Callisto hated knowing that was in the flat. It was out of sight out of mind when Mina had her stash hidden in her bedroom. “Well, its certainly something,” she added, taking a look at everything that surrounded the two of them. “It’s too bad she can’t run the shop on her own yet. Then we could get out of here…so where do we start on this?” Mina gestured vaguely at everything inside the storeroom, not sure what the best way to tackle it would actually be.

gehry benjamin ollivander ● 371 ● Song by Artist

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[gehry benjamin ollivander]

Don't blame it on the sunshine

Don't blame it on the moonlight

May 12, 2027
mina pandora oliveira

Mina wasn’t wrong. For all of Benny’s intelligence, he was useless without some guidance. Lack of ambition or aspirations really made all those good traits almost meaningless, but Benny always thought it was a matter of perspective. And he was happy with himself and his life. Benny learned very early how not to let words affect him—or at least he tried his best. So whenever Mina or Rue took charge, he was happy to follow along. He paused to consider the point about the new employee. A thoughtful expression crept onto his face.

In the end, he lightly shrugged. ”We can just tell her it’s a work thing.” Like some team building events for their small staff. It's not like saying that would be entirely false. And if their new friend didn’t enjoy herself, that was on her. Benny wasn’t one to put much effort into dragging or pushing people into things, at least outside of some initial encouragement. ”She does Merlin’s work.” Benny declared seriously. Nova was a childhood friend, and her talent at the shop was unmatched in Benny’s ideas. Not even Vasilia’s baking matched it, as much as it cracked his heart a little to admit it. Benny let out a loud breath from his mouth as he considered the room and the task at hand. ”Might as well work on these in the front, I don’t feel like moving boxes around.”

[ end benny ]

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