Just Can't Help It ** (ELEANOR)

[Deleted]

@eleanor
<3

Sweets. Samuel needed sweets. More specifically, chocolate cake. Even double chocolate cake with chocolate icing and chocolate shavings. He had his own cravings, but cake was the best. And the biggest glass of milk possible. Sugarplum's Sweets Shop in Horizon Alley was closest to his loft he had in London, and he needed this cake as soon as possible. He'd most likely go back to his loft after, but who knows? Maybe he'd stay to just devour every sweet thing he saw before going home to recuperate.

The small bell above the door rang, and he gave a wave to the elderly woman at the counter. He was always here, well...at least twice a week. He usually got enough to keep him settled for a few days, but last week he had been by some girl and it had put off his whole schedule. Going over to the counter, he glanced over the items. She asked how he was and he responded, "I'm wonderful, how are you Daisy?" Samuel always treated her as well as possible, she was the one who did all of the baking and he couldn't even thank her enough.

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Eleanor hadn’t been to Sugarplums’ in quite some time; that was likely due to it being Nate’s favorite spot to take her for a quick treat. She had missed the delectably sweet confections dearly, but also was wary of running into Nate on her own on a quick stopover during her lunch. She had noticed though that Nate had been out of work for the past few days, so today she was taking her chances. She made her way from the Ministry to Horizon Alley and sniffed the air. She could already smell the chocolate and the shop was still several blocks away.

Smiling, she walked down the cobblestone street and entered the sweet shop. Someone was at the counter putting in an order, so Eleanor waited patiently for him to finish while deciding exactly what she wanted. As she finally made an executive decision to purchase an angel food cupcake, the other customer turned around; Eleanor recognized him immediately. “Sam!” she exclaimed, reaching out to hug her friend. “How are you? Aside from satiating your sweet tooth?” she asked with a smile.

@jill7

[Deleted]

@eleanor
<3

As soon as he had turned around, his name was yelled and he had arms wrapped around him. But before he could open his eyes, the voice gave away who it was. Eleanor. Smiling, he hugged her back with his one available hand and laughed. "Hello lovely Eleanor!" Samuel pulled away and held up the box of chocolate cake he bought only a few seconds ago. "Of course I am satisfying my sweet tooth! You know me so well. Though, I am doing wonderful. Have today off, and I had my weird craving."

"Come sit!" He brought her to one of the small circle tables in front of the windows and sat down. "Are you hungry? Would you like any sweets? You must, if you came to this wonderful Heaven." Samuel opened up the box of his chocolate cake and grabbed a fork, grinning wickedly. Taking a forkful, he shoved it in his mouth, reminiscing in the bliss of this cake he had constantly. "How are you?"

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Eleanor couldn't help but return Sam's smile.  "Lucky, I don't remember what a day off feels like with the Triwizard Tournament organization.  We just are finishing up the details of the Second Task, which is going to be quite the doozy for the Champions.  But I can't say anything of course!" she told him, laughing.  She walked up to the counter and purchased two angel food cupcakes - her diet had been going fine after all, and starting tomorrow she was on vacation!

She couldn't help but laugh again as he tucked into the chocolate cake.  "You do have quite the sweet tooth don't you?" she said teasingly.  She unwrapped her first cupcake from its wrappings and picked up a knife to slice off the top.  "You know, they originally designed cupcakes to be eaten more like a sandwich?  But over the years people just got complacent and made a mess by just shoving it into their mouths," she informed him.  She sandwiched the halves together and she took a bite.  She closed her eyes and savored the flavor.  "How was your Christmas?" she asked him after a few moments of blissful silence.


@jill7

ooc: let's say this is early January

[Deleted]

@eleanor
<3

Samuel laughed quietly, swallowing the cake that he had just taken a bite of and taking a large sip of his milk that one of the cashier's had brought over to him. They knew him so well, needing milk with his chocolate cake. "I do try to take a day off once a month. Not that I don't enjoy my job, but sometimes being able to just sleep in does a wonder for your body." Samuel was always up at the crack of dawn and even sleeping in until eight am was a joy. "Of course not! I know what it's like to not be able to say anything. But I can imagine it will be an interesting task!"

"I always have, and always will. Chocolate is my passion." He laughed, tilting his head as she explained the cupcake. In all honesty, he was one of those people that ate cupcakes in a complete mess. But now that he saw Eleanor making it into a sandwich, he became very interested and stood up. "Hold on one moment." Samuel went back over to a counter and ordered a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting and sat back down, making it into a sandwich himself and taking a large bite. "Mmm so much better than I thought it would be." Samuel would need to work out much more tonight than he usually did. "My Christmas was wonderful, thank you for asking. Just had a small get together with my mother and sister. And yours?"

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Eleanor smiled. "I just took a week off, so the idea of taking even a day off between now and the Second Task would have me drowning in paperwork.  So the second the task is over I will be taking a few days of much deserved vacation."  She paused, then smiled again.  "Plus, by then Cyrus' season will be mostly over so we'll have time off together."  Their week in Paris had been....magical was not even close to what she described it as.  Who knew where their next destination would take them?

Ella watched satisfactorily as Sam bought a cupcake and tried it her way.  "Told you," she said faux teasingly.  She took another bite of her own cupcake sandwich, chewing thoughtfully.  "So...any new women in your life Samuel dearest?" she asked him, looking interested.


@jill7

[Deleted]

@eleanor
<3

"As you should! I can't imagine planning the tasks for the tournament is an easy job to do, and having to make sure everything goes as planned and safely must put quite the stress on you." Samuel smiled. He actually hadn't watched the first task yet, but he did hope to. Though the second task he may actually go and see, especially since Eleanor was planning it. "Ah, yes. You and Cyrus! How is that going by the way?" Samuel knew of the past between the two, and had a feeling it was going even better than expected.

He continued eating his chocolate cake, and shook his head with a smile as she asked about any ladies in his life. "No, no new women." Not any that he had found to indulge into his life. Samuel threw some of his hair behind his shoulder and looked at Eleanor. "There is this insane student that seems to follow me every time she's in Hogsmeade, though I just humor her." He laughed.

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Eleanor couldn’t help but smile at Sams’ words. Yes, planning the Second Task was highly stressful and had caused a few tears so far, but Ella was incredibly proud of herself for being given such an important responsibility at such a young age. How many twenty-two year olds could safely say they were this important to their job? Of course, if she messed anything up she’d be fired immediately, but the Ravenclaw was intensely organized and passionate; she wasn’t going to mess anything up on her watch.

Her smile widened at the mention of Cyrus. “We’re really good thanks! We just got back from a week in Paris, which was as romantic and magical as you can imagine,” she said with a small giggle. Paris was the most romantic city in the world and getting to finally experience it with Cyrus was just...perfect, there really was no other word for it. “I think the time we spent apart was for the best if I’m being honest. It felt like an eternity, but when two people are meant to be together, they’ll find their way back to each other. And so we did.” She sighed dreamily, taking another bite of her cupcake sandwich. At Sams comment about the girl in Hogsmeade, Ella’s smile turned into a bit of a smirk. “Oh? Just humor her?” she asked, sounding slightly skeptical, and she chuckled a little.

@jill7

[Deleted]

@eleanor
<3

"I can imagine, but I'd rather not." Samuel chuckled quietly. Eleanor knew of his religious beliefs and his own morals, but he wouldn't judge her for her own actions and morals. That was completely, well...immoral! It wasn't like Samuel to be incredibly judgmental, especially about close friends of his. For example, Maria, who wasn't a close friend, he felt fine judging. And with the way she put herself out there, it was good to be judged sometimes. Maybe then she'd stop acting so sloppy. "I'm glad the two of you did, you are wonderful together and definitely a good relationship to model after."

Her tone of voice caused him to drop his jaw, and he scoffed at her. "Eleanor! Yes, just humor her! She's a little girl, only seventeen at that. Still in school." Samuel couldn't imagine even trying to develop romantic feelings for such a young girl, she was still just a teenager. "I've got almost ten years on her, and while she is a beautiful young girl and flirts too much, I couldn't do such a thing."

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Eleanor feigned an innocent look. “I don’t know what you mean Samuel, we acted like perfectly respectable adults,” she said sweetly, then giggled a little bit. Sure in public Cyrus and Ella had wined and dined like the twenty-two year old adults they were; they had even made a few friends while in Paris over shared meals. But in private? It was enough to make anyone blush, and Ella wasn’t planning on disclosing any of that time to anyone. “Well thank you; I must admit the time we spent apart was...difficult, but in the end I think we’re stronger for it. We’re older and more mature, knowing what we want in life,” she said, grinning widely.

Ella raised an eyebrow as he said he really did just humor Maria. “Well you can admit she’s beautiful which is something,” she said, her voice still teasing him. “So do you think she has immoral thoughts about you?” she asked him slyly.

@jill7

[Deleted]

@eleanor
<3

Samuel smiled at her. "Perfectly respectable? Oh I'd have to doubt that, Eleanor." He was kidding of course, he knew they behaved. Somewhat, as least trying to find a private area and not something so public. Samuel had never had that that type of relationship with anyone...well, not lately. He had, many many years ago. And while she had broken his heart, Samuel hadn't planned on being with anyone else for awhile. "That's good, Eleanor, I'm very happy for you, really."

"Something, as in me being a very nice gentleman. I can appreciate a beautiful girl when I see one, you know that." He looked at her pointedly, his smile getting larger. Even if Maria was beautiful, the age difference was something Samuel would never be able to get over. And why was he even thinking that? The girl very bluntly stated she doesn't date or do relationships, she...does other things that he did not want to think about. "Immoral? You should hear the way she was talking! Much worse than immoral." He laughed out loud.

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Eleanor blushed and stuck her tongue out at him.  "No fair, we were apart for four years, what can you expect from me?" she exclaimed teasingly.  She took the last bite of her cupcake and brushed the crumbs from her lap.  It wasn't exactly as if she and Cyrus had been...virtuous before they had taken their break anyway; they had been together for almost four years after all.  Plus, it wasn't as if they were casual flings; they were Cyrus and Eleanor.  They belonged together.  "Thanks Sam, I appreciate it," she added with a smile.

Her smile widened as Samuel told her that this Maria girl, and the way she talked.  "Did she make your ears bleed from all that talk?" she asked him, knowing that Sam was more religious than she was.  She was curious about this girl though; did she know about Sam's religion, and how serious he took it?  Perhaps that was why she goaded him so.  She looked up at the clock on the wall and gasped.  "Oh Merlins' beard, I have to be off.  But let's catch up again soon!" she told him.  She got up and gave her friend a hug before dashing out and down the alley for work.

---END ELEANOR---