My Favorite Things (Kegan)

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Evelyn was angry. Normally when she was in this kind of a mood, her habit was to stay away from humanity. She would shut herself in her apartment and make no contact with the world, even with her parents, who she loved dearly. The thing was, there wasn't really anyone she could talk to about this. Well, there was one person, but she didn't know when she was going to see him again. Rocco. Her thoughts were on him constantly, but she still wasn't ready to let people know about them. She knew that he was willing to go public with their relationship whenever she was, but she just ... couldn't. Not yet. Not until she found some way to ease her team (especially Dustin) into the fact that she was in a very serious relationship with the competition. The thing was, she missed him. After their trip to Africa and their exploits at several different theme parks nearby, Ev felt like she was addicted. To him. And she hadn't seen him in ages. She was coming to realize that the more time she spent away from him, the worse of a mood she got in. 

So here she was, in an extremely foul mood and trying to find something to lift it. Then she saw it. The ice cream store. Ev loved ice cream. Ever since she was a kid, in fact. And she hadn't changed that much. As a child whenever her parents wanted to congratulate her for something or bribe her to do something she didn't want to do, they used ice cream to do that. Ev couldn't remember the last time she had ice cream, so this was perfect. She stalked into the ice cream parlor, trying not to seem angry and failing. She looked at the flavors and her eyebrows furrowed. Of course Wizards would make ice cream complicated. She had no idea what kinds of flavors were any good here. 

"Hey," she said, calling over to someone on the other side of the ice cream. "What flavors here are good?" She could try to be tactful, but that wasn't Ev's strong point on a good day. It definitely wasn't going to happen now with her present mood.

@kegan
@kit (so you can see what Ev's thinking ... awwe!)

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It was one of xyr first days working as a cashier at Florean Fortescue’s, and Kegan couldn’t be happier. It wasn’t anything like xyr work at the Ministry, but that was nice. Xe wasn’t alone, isolated in one little corner of the Ministry where nothing about their work could be spoken of. Xe got to see people, talk to people, smile at people, remember people. It was fun, especially since Kegan remembered a lot of the people that came up in the ice cream line, even if they didn’t remember xem. Like the girl on the other side of the counter. “Hi, Evelyn.” Kegan greeted warmly. She was a few years ahead of him in Hogwarts, but she had been on the Quidditch team, so her name had come up in a couple of conversations, hence why Kegan knew to call her by it. Eidetic memories were great, especially since Kegan had been sleeping a little better since working at the ice cream parlor. She asked about what flavors were good, and Kegan shrugged. “Everything is great. Personally, I prefer just plain chocolate, but like I said, anything you can try will be a great experience.” That was what Kegan had been told xe should do if a customer asked for recommendations – say that everything was good, but then offer a personal preference anyways.

@evelyn

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Ev started when the person on the other side of the counter said her name. Who was he? The familiar guilt gripped her. How had she gone through school and not known anyone. "Sorry, do I know you?" She asked, trying to be as polite as possible. She'd done this the other day too, when she ran into Natalia. Luckily for Ev, Natalia hadn't cared that Ev didn't remember her, but Ev didn't want to offend people. "I'm sorry, I don't really remember many people from school," Ev added, assuming that that was where he knew her from. She bit her lip as she looked at the mountain of choices in front of her. She wanted to try something she'd never tried before, but then again, she wasn't sure if she did. "Well I want to try three then. Can I have one chocolate, one cookies and cream, and one ..." she hesitated for a moment, wanting to try something new. "And mango. I want to try something new," she explained, even though she didn't owe him an explanation.

@kegan 

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Kegan shook xyr head, smiling slightly bemusedly when Evelyn asked if she knew xem. “No, you don’t.” Xe responded easily. “I have an excellent memory.” That was an understatement, but Evelyn didn’t need to have the whole spiel about xyr memory for such a casual interaction. “You were the Beater on our Quidditch team in school. Ravenclaw.” Xe said conversationally. Evelyn was a good Quidditch player, but she didn’t ever really interact with Kegan, since they ran in their own social circles and were in different years. Evelyn said that she wanted to try three different flavors, Kegan nodded, moving over to the ice cream tubs. “Would you like them all in different dishes?” Kegan asked. Some people could get strange about their different flavors touching, so when there were three different flavors in question, it was better to check.

@evelyn

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Evelyn breathed out a little bit in relief when he said that she shouldn't know him. That was a relief. "Oh I'm glad," she said, not realizing that she said it out loud. Then she felt like she needed to explain herself. "I mean, I wasn't very good at talking to people at school so I don't remember very many people. And now I run into people and they know me and I don't know them and it's ... awkward." Why did she just say all that to him? He certainly wasn't going to care about it, he was probably wishing she would shut up. "Sorry, you probably didn't want to know all that." Then she grinned when he said she was the beater for their team. "I was the Beater." She had fond memories of that time, but wasn't going to make a big deal out of it. He asked if she wanted a different dish for her flavors and Ev shook her head. "No, I'm good with just one dish," she told him with a smile. "Thank you." It was his job, but she still appreciated it. "What is your name?" She asked. He knew hers, she might as well ask.

@kegan

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Kegan nodded when Evelyn explained that she wasn’t good at talking to people in school. Not a lot of Ravenclaws were, it seemed – more interested with sticking their noses in books than getting to know other people. “I didn’t talk to many people, either.” Not exactly true, since Kegan did talk to people, but didn’t really make friendships easily. “But I remember the ones I see, as long as I have a name to go with them.” Xe shrugged when Evelyn said xe probably didn’t want to know all of that. “Knowledge is power, so no real reason to say no to hearing something new, right?” Xe asked lightheartedly. Evelyn added that she was the Beater, and Kegan nodded. If xe paid any attention to Quidditch, xe would have known that, but as it was, Quidditch wasn’t the highest thing on xyr priority list. When Evelyn confirmed that she only needed one dish, Kegan began scooping out the three flavors she asked for, pausing only to tell her xyr name. “Kegan Lloyd.” Xe answered simply, handing her her dish. “Five sickles and three knuts, please.”

@evelyn

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Evelyn's nose crinkled up when he said he was good at remembering faces. She was jealous of that talent. "I'm no good at faces," she admitted. "Even when I've seen people and talked with them, they have to leave a big impression for me to be able to remember their names and sometimes I can't even do that." It was an embarrassing admission, but he didn't seem to be judging her about it. She smiled and nodded when he said that knowledge was power. She felt that way. Actually it had been instilled into her since birth, but she still agreed with it. He handed her the ice cream and Ev paid him quickly, excited. She probably liked ice cream too much for her own good. "Nice to meet you Kegan," she told him politely, not really knowing what else she should say before she left and headed over to a table.

@kegan

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Kegan shrugged when Evelyn said that she was not good at faces. “We all have our own talents.” Xe said mildly. If you ever tried to get Kegan on a broom, well, that wouldn’t end well for anyone involved. Besides, it wasn’t like xe had done anything to be good at memorization – it was literally just in the way xyr brain was constructed. At least Evelyn had actually had to work for what she was good at. Kegan wondered, momentarily, if xe had made a big enough impression for Evelyn to remember xem, or if the next time she came to the ice cream parlor they were going to have the same conversation.

Evelyn accepted her ice cream, and Kegan realized that the parlor was all but empty. Xe was a little hungry, so it didn’t seem all that bad if xe took a break to eat an ice cream snack. Dropping a few Sickles into the till to cover the cost of xyr ice cream, Kegan grabbed a scoop of chocolate, and then approached the table where Evelyn was sitting. “Mind if I join you?”

@evelyn

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Evelyn nodded when he said they all had their talents. Yes, they did. And his seemed vastly different from hers, which didn't seem like a bad thing. It was just different. "Thank you," she said simply, not really thinking there was anything else she could say to that.

She started out by trying the mango, which was actually pretty good. Then she mixed it a little with her chocolate and cookies and cream and decided mango was better on its own. So she should eat it first. She looked up, not expecting it when someone asked to join her. It was ... Kegan. Yes, that was his name. She smiled, "Of course." She waited for him to sit down and simultaneously tried to think of something to ask him. Conversation wasn't really her thing, but she wanted to try. "How long have you worked here?" She asked finally. Not very original, but oh well.

@kegan

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Kegan was glad that Evelyn had allowed xem to sit next to her; it would have been awkward if xe had to go find a different seat, especially since the parlor was so empty and xe’d probably end up staring at Evelyn from wherever xe was, anyways.

“I just started working here last week, actually.” Kegan said, cracking a smile. “My best friend from Hogwarts, Rosalie – her dad owns the place, but he’s not been well lately, and they could use the extra help.” Xe shrugged xyr shoulders. “I decided to move to part time with the Ministry, which is my other job, so that I could help out here more.” And now that xe wasn’t working at the Ministry, Kegan was sleeping a little better. That didn’t mean that xe wasn’t using Sleeping Potions liberally, of course, but xe had managed to get an entire hour of sleep before having to turn to them, which was better.

@evelyn

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Ev was surprised when he said that he only started working here last week. He must be a good worker for them to leave the shop to him after only one week. Or they just trusted him because he was best friends with the owners daughter. That was cool. "Well that's very good of you to help them out then," she told him logically. She didn't know if she'd be the best helping people like he was, but that was cool. "What do you do at the ministry?" Ev asked curiously. Something about other people's jobs was always fascinating to her and she couldn't help but ask about them. Hopefully Kegan wouldn't mind.

@kegan

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Kegan shrugged when Evelyn said it was good of xem to help out the Fortescues. “What are friends for if not to help you out when times are tough?” That was part of the reason Kegan had come running back to them, really – xe couldn’t stand the loneliness of xyr parents’ deaths anymore, and the parlor was there. Rosalie was there. Taylor was there. Everyone was there, and that was more than Kegan could say of a lot of people. At the question about the Ministry, Kegan gave Evelyn a wry smile, and stabbed xyr spoon into xyr ice cream. “Can’t say.” Which was as good as saying that xe was an Unspeakable, because everyone knew they couldn’t say anything about their work. “You still play Quidditch?”

@evelyn

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Ev smiled, "That's true. It still makes you a good friend." Not that she knew too much about good friends. Ev's only real friend was Dustin. She'd started meeting new people and was reaching out more and more- at least, trying to- to make new friends, but she still wasn't good at it. Except she'd do anything to help Dustin. Hopefully with time that would expand to other people, but sometimes it felt pointless. She grinned when he said he couldn't say what he did at the ministry. That meant he was ... an Unspeakable? That's what it was called, she thought. That would be fascinating! Except she already knew it was pointless trying to ask questions about that. At his question, she nodded, "Yes, I do. For the Falmouth Falcons. I'm having fun with it." Ev knew it wasn't the most professional, important type of job, but she still loved it.

@kegan

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Kegan just shook xyr head. It seemed wrong to be labelled as being a good friend just because xe had some semblance of human decency and stood up for friends in need. “It’s complicated.” Xe said after a moment, figuring that Evelyn might think xem as less noble if she knew about the love triangle between xem and Taylor and Rosalie. That would be a good thing, since it would stop the praise, but it would also be a whole new can of worms that Kegan wasn’t sure xe wanted to open. Kegan busied xemself with the ice cream again, trying to savor the chocolate despite the stress that was once again worming its way into xyr system.

Falmouth Falcons. The next time Kegan looked at the paper, xe was going to be looking for that name in the sports section. “Sounds like a glamorous life.” Xe teased. More glamorous than hiding behind closed doors or scooping ice cream, at least.

@evelyn

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Apparently she was getting something wrong in the conversation. Kegan was shaking his head and Ev didn't really know why. When he said it was complicated, she merely nodded. "I've noticed more things get that way the older I get," she commented, not really knowing what else she could say. She didn't want to make the conversation awkward, but it seemed like it was already there. Not that that was a problem, per say. Most of Evelyn's conversations with anyone ended up awkward. She didn't know how to carry a conversation well.

Evelyn shrugged when he teased her about having a glamorous life. "It is if you want it to be. I do pretty good at just fading into the background. I do my job well, but I'm not really one to brag or give lots of interviews. I like to let others take the limelight; it's not really my thing." Mostly she was worried that she would make a mistake and say something ridiculous in front of the press and that everyone would suddenly hate her. She also knew that was unlikely, but it didn't matter. Ev did not see herself as a people person, so talking to others was not particularly appealing to her in any way.

@kegan