the show must go on | zeke

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

BOXING DAY 2024 - 
HAVING ONLY SIGNED UP TO THE BLIND DATING event on a desperate, hopeless whim, Eli wasn't looking forward to it. He put on his best smile, and even let his dad help him pick out a nice, crisp shirt but it all lay like a rock in his stomach. All he could think about was where Ashley was at that second, if she'd enjoyed her Christmas and was off to her own date as the same time he was. A part of him hoped fate would push them together and she'd be who he'd find at the Phoenix Theatre, but he doubted it somehow.

While anybody else might have apparated to the meeting point, Eli could not. He'd yet to pass his exam for it and was not licensed to try outside of a guided classroom. Which meant his sister would take him to a portkey just outside of London city and see him off nicely. She'd be there to walk him back to, if he wanted. Eli had said no, he was 17 for goodness sake. So, the added turmoil of a portkey trip left him nauseous and giggling on the top of a very big hill, his foot in a sign post buried in the ground.

Bracing his hands on his knees, Eli took a few short breaths to brace himself before he made his way down the hill. The Phoenix Theatre was located just behind it on what looked like an abandoned old community centre. Wizards knew better, and Eli sometimes thought if everybody saw something a little different. Something that would make them walk on by without interference. He busied himself straightening his shirt as a few brightly coloured patrons wandered past him, each clutching a lovely brochure in their hands. He wondered which would be his date, straining over heads to see if he spotted a familiar face. Every blond head that passed was Ashley and his breath caught until he saw their faces. 

@ezekiel

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

It was still amazing to Zeke how many magical places existed alongside the non-magical ones that couldn't be seen by the No-Majes for what they were, and the theatre at which he was supposed to be meeting his date from Blishwick Matchmaking was no exception. Not really wanting to deal with a Portkey, Zeke had almost gone the route of taking non-magical transportation to the place, until he reread the letter from the matchmaking service and realized that, unlike the last date he had been on through them, the theatre was neither in London nor in Britain. It was in Galway, Ireland.

After a number of owls back and forth with the matchmaking service and the Ministry of Magic about how he needed to arrange for a Portkey, everything was established. He would go and find a bicycle with a flowered basket, which would transport him just a short walk from the theatre itself.

Sure enough, there had been a bicycle, and it had whisked him—albeit a bit dizzily—all the way to Ireland. When he arrived, Zeke found himself in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere, without a theatre in sight. He got a little nervous at first, especially since he'd just been dropped into Ireland for the first time in his life—by magical means, nonetheless—until he recalled that the theatre was meant to look like a community center from a distance, and that it was enchanted to appear that way to No-Majes.

Zeke walked to the doors of the community center, readjusting his coat. Not wanting to look underdressed, he had come wearing a suit, though the winter coat, gloves, and boots made it less noticeable. He looked around at the few people who were already going inside. He would have, too, considering that it was December and freezing, but he didn't want to miss his date.

It wasn't until he caught sight of someone who looked as though they could have been about his age—dressed in clothing that didn't give him such a "wizard trying to dress like a Muggle vibe"—and then, as he caught the profile of the person in question, he laughed.

"Eli! Man!" he called over the others around, then walked to meet his friend. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

RESTLESSLY WAITING FOR HIS BLIND DATE ELI felt a terrible anxiety begin to overtake him. Seeing as he'd only signed up because he'd seen that Ashley had, the results could really vary. In an ideal world, it would be Ashley. But, the reality that it wouldn't be was quickly overwhelming Eli as he realised the odds were not in his favour. Which meant, by all means, he'd have to put on a fresh face for somebody he didn't know - and had no interest in romantically. His stomach rolled.

So caught up in his thoughts, Eli jumped at the sound of his name being called, wrenching his hands from his pockets like he was hiding something. But, when he turned his head, he found it was only Zeke, walking briskly towards him with a great grin on his face. "Zeke?!" He asked in surprise, arms reaching out to instinctively embrace him, a familiar smile creasing his cheeks as he patted him firmly on the back before letting go. "I am glad to see a familiar face," He chuckled, scratching the back of his head as he felt his shoulders slump with relief. "Feel like I'm about to be stood up." Zeke had asked why he was there, and suddenly Eli felt a little embarrassed.

The boy's had always liked ribbing each other, but he wondered what his friend would say about him being there on a blind date, so he avoided answering at first. "What are you doing here?" He deflected, creasing his brows as he shoved his hands back in to his pockets, a slight tilt to his head as he regarded his friend. "Galway's a bit far out for a show." It hadn't occurred to Eli yet that Zeke might be his date, it was too far out, one of his best friends matched up to him like they hadn't known each other since before their voices had broken. Impossible. 

@ezekiel

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Of course Zeke had some apprehensions about going on a blind date—especially to somewhere as nice as a magical theatre in Ireland—in the event that he got matched with someone with whom he really didn't "click". He wasn't going to speak too soon, though; he'd at least give the other person a chance. Matchmaking always seemed a little bit suspicious, but stranger things had happened.

Among those strange things was running into Elijah Fleming, of all people, and he embraced his friend without a second thought. Eli had been shocked to see him, too; it wasn't as though either of them had talked about going to the theatre before they had left Hogwarts for the holidays.

"I am glad to see a familiar face," Eli told him. This certainly wasn't where Zeke would have anticipated running into Eli, though he did look nice—similarly dressed up for the theatre, naturally. "Feel like I'm about to be stood up."

Stood up? Was Eli here on a date, too? Zeke didn't have time to ask him before Eli asked him what he was doing there. "Galway's a bit far out for a show."

"I was just gonna say the same thing," Zeke answered, a little spooked by what a coincidence this was turning out to be for the two of them. Eli was there—probably on a date—and so was he. Maybe Blishwick had booked a section of seats for their clients? That had to have been it.

"Nobody's gonna stand you up, though, looking like that," Zeke reassured Eli, grinning. "I'm actually here for one of those, uh, Blishwick date things," he admitted, "though I… haven't really seen anybody." It was alright. They still had a little while to go before they would need to go inside and get seated for the performance.

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

IT SEEMED THEY WERE BOTH BEING A LITTLE evasive, but Eli wasn't surprised. He only laughed when Zeke tossed the question back at him, shrugging his shoulders easily. He'd tell his friend, he wasn't going to lie about it. Maybe he was just embarrassed that he couldn't even tell who he was going to meet. Eli opened his mouth to reveal that he was waiting on a blind date when Zeke beat him to the punch.

For a second, Eli was struck dumb. What were the chances that they'd both be sent to the same place for a Blishwick date. "Me, too!" A mixture of shock and delight on Eli's face, he was smiling. At least Zeke wouldn't make fun of him for being on a blind date, but that wasn't all Eli was thinking about. "Wait, so if you're here for a date..." He gestured to Zeke, and them himself, "And I'm here for a date..."  Brows pulling together, the answer fell in to place without him needing to say it out loud. "Dude, I think you're my date!" He blurted out, a slight frown on his face. 

@ezekiel

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Eli was also there on a blind date, he said, which wasn't too out of the ordinary. He, however, began playing with an idea. "Wait," he told him, "so if you're here for a date…"

Zeke listened.

"And I'm here for a date…"

Continuing to follow Eli's thought process, Zeke waited, though he thought he knew what Eli might have been getting at.

"Dude, I think you're my date!"

He never thought that Eli, of all people, would end up being his date. On paper, though, as strange as it was, it probably made perfect sense. There was no doubt that the two of them had a lot in common, but they had never been more than friends. They had never tried to be anything more than friends, either, which was why Zeke found himself chuckling as Eli suggested it as a possibility. Either Blishwick Matchmaking knew them better than they knew themselves, or they had really gotten it wrong this time. Whichever it was, at least the night wouldn't be a waste.

"On one hand, I guess we can't be too jealous of one another?" Zeke laughed, still getting over the absurdity of it. "On the other, this might go down in history as the funniest thing that's ever happened to us," he considered, and they had a number of stories in the running for that title. As long as Eli wasn't embarrassed by it, neither was he. Zeke didn't anticipate that anything would change between him and Eli; they were friends, and they'd get a funny story out of it, if nothing else.

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

ELI COULD EASILY AGREE, IT WAS A PRETTY funny dilemma they had before them. But, he wasn't upset at being paired with one of his best friends. Zeke had always been smarter than Eli, but they had the same love of mischief and adventure. It was the perfect end to his situation, given that he'd only signed up because Ashley had and he had no desire to date anyone else. Though, he felt a stab of regret as he wondered if his friend didn't see it the same way. Maybe he'd actually wanted a proper date. Eli could do his best, though.

"I mean, I couldn't have predicted this." Eli snorted, rocking on his heels as he searched Zeke's face for any hesitation. He knew that his friend liked boy's, but he didn't think that Zeke knew that he wasn't very fussy either way. With a closed mouth grin on his face, Eli suddenly offered his arm to Zeke, just as he would anyone else. "Well, we better head inside," He declared, quirking his brows. "I'll buy the refreshments." There was humour thick in his tone, but he was also excited. Now he could actually enjoy the date without worrying he was letting someone down. 

@ezekiel

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

"I mean, I couldn't have predicted this," Eli told him with a snort of laughter.

"I'm no Seer, either," Zeke replied, though he thought that being one probably would have ruined a lot of the humor in life. If someone was a Seer and knew about some funny coincidence or something, did they just keep it to themselves and then act like it had taken them by surprise later on? He wasn't really sure about that one.

In any case, Zeke took Eli's arm when he offered it and said that they should head inside the theatre. "I'll buy the refreshments," Eli offered as well, though Zeke wouldn't have minded paying for them.

"Thanks, man," he laughed. He wasn't sure what the theatre would have as refreshments, but it would probably be some of the same snack foods that they had tried since arriving at Hogwarts. Zeke had a feeling that it wasn't going to be like some of the movie theatres that they had back home, where everything was coated in butter or nacho cheese.

"D'you know what this play's about?" he asked Eli. He couldn't remember seeing a description of it anywhere in the letter he'd received back from Blishwick Matchmaking, though maybe he had just overlooked it in favor of figuring out how he was supposed to get to Ireland. When in doubt, they could probably get a program from someone.

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

AS THEY WALKED IN TO THE LARGE REGAL looking theatre, Eli tilted his head back to admire the vaulted ceiling above. A great chandelier hung in the middle of the reception and milling around were various house elves in little shirts and bowties. They went down the line checking tickets and handing out programs.

Drawing his attention away, Eli shrugged heavily. "No clue," He admitted, having been so nervous he hadn't done any research whatsoever. "Isn't that more your gig?" He smirked at his friend. In their years of friendship, Zeke had always been the planner of the two. As they moved down the line, Eli finally offered his ticket to the elf - which was promptly punched - before giving them a brief guide as to which entrance to take to get to their seats. Apparently, there would be an elf inside should they get confused.

"Maybe it'll be more fun if we don't know?" Eli said suddenly, refusing to look at the program as he stuffed it in to his back pocket. "We can take bets." They passed a queue near a concession stand and Eli pulled away to grab them both a bottle of fizzing butterbeer and a very fancy packet of chocolate covered almonds. It was definitely not the place for greasy hotdogs and nachos. Eli was sort of disappointed about that. "I bet it's a comedy." Eli said as he came back to his side, quirking his brows as he waited for Zeke's predictions. 

@ezekiel

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

"No clue," Eli replied.

So… that made two of them who had no idea what they were about to see. Zeke, unfortunately, wasn't too up-to-date with the theatre that existed in the magical world, though he probably could have explained a little bit about any of the No-Maj shows that were based on a work of literature.

"Isn't that more your gig?" Eli asked him with a smirk, and Zeke guessed that he was… sort of right about that. Of the two of them, he was the one who was more likely to pay attention to detail.

Zeke handed his ticket over to the house-elf who was checking them at the door and waited until he got his returned to him. The elf motioned him and Eli in the direction of where they would be seated. On that, Zeke did make a mental note. They didn't need to have too many misadventures in one night.

"Maybe it'll be more fun if we don't know?" Eli didn't even bother to look at the program. "We can take bets."

Zeke didn't want to spoil it if they were going to turn it into a game, and so he politely declined a program for himself. He wasn't sure how much Eli was going to bet, but Zeke thought that it would be an amusing way for them to pass the time.

Eli veered off to get them some refreshments—a bottle of butterbeer each and a packet of chocolate-covered almonds. Unfortunately, this place was a little bit more upscale than an American movie theatre, though Zeke had to admit that it was pretty classy, with a chandelier and everything. (And butterbeer and almonds weren't a bad trade-off, really.)

When Eli had come back with their refreshments, he said that he bet that they were going to be seeing a comedy. Taking the opposite angle, Zeke laughed, "Well, I bet it'll be a drama, then. Something, I don't know… tragic, like Romeo and Juliet."

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

THIS WAS THE FIRST BLIND DATE BUT HE WAS actually enjoying himself. Of course, that probably had something to do with the fact that he was on the 'date' was a close friend, but he wasn't thinking about that. He was laughing at Zeke, his nose wrinkling as he thought about sitting through a long sitting of a no-maj drama. "God, that would be typical," He muttered, though he wasn't too bothered. It would be better than suffering at home. The silence between forced conversations was almost too much to bear at times.

Eli juggled the packet of chocolate covered almonds, tossing them from hand to hand as they queued to enter the auditorium. "I'm surprised you could pull yourself away from homework for this," Eli teased, eyeing his friend from the corner of his eye. Zeke's love for academics was no secret and neither was Eli's dislike. Though it had never come between them, he couldn't help himself sometimes. "You know," Eli said, standing on his tip toes to try and peer inside. "I've never seen Romeo and Juliet." He twisted his mouth, feeling a bit stupid. "But, I know how it ends."

@ezekiel

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

"God, that would be typical," Eli commented when Zeke joked back that they would be watching some sort of dramatic production instead of a comedic one. Truth be told, he didn't know what they would be sitting through, but he hoped that it would be something that would actually interested them. It wasn't that Zeke minded theatre, but he couldn't exactly get behind some of the stuffy, snooty stuff.

They filed into the line to enter the auditorium, and Eli toyed with the almonds he'd just purchased while they waited. "I'm surprised you could pull yourself away from homework for this," he said, at which Zeke had to laugh. So far, that had seemed to be what he'd been doing with most of his seventh year. He hadn't meant to be such a bore, but he had Auror training to think about.

"I will have you know that I'm almost done with my applications for Auror training," Zeke teased Eli back. Really, he would be glad to get those done and over with and sent in to MACUSA and the British Ministry. Heck, he didn't even know if the Ministry of Magic would take him because he wasn't a British citizen, but he didn't think that it would hurt to increase his chances of getting in somewhere. "And then it will be smooth sailing back to reality and the second semester of seventh year!" He laughed, making wavelike motions with his hand as he spoke.

Eli admitted to him that he hadn't actually seen Romeo and Juliet before, but he knew how it ended.

"That hat didn't put me in Ravenclaw for a reason, man," Zeke reminded Eli. "My mom teaches it all the time, and I can think of maybe a couple lines?" He chuckled; it really was a ridiculous premise. "You know Juliet was only thirteen or something, right?" That and all of the death really made it entertaining (and creepy) when people thought of the story as being so romantic.

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

ELI COULDN'T HELP BUT SNICKER AT HIS FRIEND, but he always admired his ambition. It was far beyond anything he could fathom, but it was something to be seen. Eli couldn't imagine being so focused on written work for such lengths of time. H could barely handle his homework as it was. And, though he'd laughed, he fully believed that Zeke would have done such a thing, completely unironically.

"You know you're gonna get in, right?" Eli said with a firm confidence on his face. He was smiling, but not in a joking sort of way. The program was gripped in his hand and he rolled it up and knocked his friend on the head. "You're gonna blow those Brits outta the water." And then he turned back to face the stage, watching as ushers pointed the remaining stragglers to their seats. He could see the curtain ruffling with movement on the other side and felt the echo of chaos behind them. It made him feel better about the possible sappy love story he was probably about to be subjected to.

Turning his head, he frowned at Zeke, though he was still smiling. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, not unkindly. He'd heard that Ravenclaw favoured the wise and clever, but Zeke was the cleverest person he knew. He scrunched his face at his friend - the walking fact sheet. "Ew, no..." He scowled, poking his tongue out in discuss. "Though I guess it makes sense." He leaned in close, so as not to be heard by the hoighty-toighty's of Britain's upper class theatre-enthusiasts. "Only a couple of lame 13 year olds think of a bogus plan like that when they don't get their way." He elbowed Zeke in jest, grinning wickedly. "Amiright, or amiright?" 

@ezekiel

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

"You know you're gonna get in, right?" Eli mentioned about his Auror training applications, proceeding to thump him on the head with his rolled-up theatre program for thinking otherwise. "You're gonna blow those Brits outta the water."

Zeke was pretty confident in his ability to get in, but he also didn't want to risk it. He wasn't cocky enough to think that he had it in the bag for certain, though he appreciated that Eli thought that his chances were so good. "Bro, I don't even know who I'm up against," he admitted. He didn't know which of their classmates were also thinking of going into Auror training—whether that was with MACUSA or the Ministry. Either way, Zeke had put his best foot forward.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Eli asked in reply to his comment about Ravenclaw.

"Ravenclaw's the smart House," he chuckled. At least, as far as the Hogwarts Houses went, the Ravenclaw students were the smarter ones, in general.

At his factoid about Juliet's age in the play, Eli's facial expression turned to one of disgust, though he said that he supposed it made sense. Zeke could feel Eli's elbow against his side. "Only a couple of lame thirteen-year-olds think of a bogus plan like that when they don't get their way," he grinned. "Amiright, or amiright?"

Zeke had to laugh. Though they had definitely been those thirteen-year-olds once upon a time, they were old enough that that seemed like ancient history. They were practically men now, and refined—going to see some magical play the day after Christmas. Finding their row and filing into it then, Zeke motioned for Eli to follow after him. Luckily, whoever was closer to the end of the row than they were hadn't arrived yet, so it wasn't a hassle to shuffle along to where they had been assigned to sit.

"So how many Dragots am I gonna owe you?" he teased Eli at a whisper. They couldn't see what was happening yet except for a few footsteps behind the curtain, unfortunately, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be Romeo and Juliet.

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

ELI HAD ALWAYS BEEN A DREAMER, BUT HE believed that Zeke was great. That didn't feel like  lie when he said it to his friend, that he'd do well. Because, as far as Eli was concerned, Zeke always did well. He shrugged his shoulders, loosely, carefree. "I still know I'm right." A knowing smirk on his face as he jostled Zeke with his elbow. 

"But you're smart." Eli said obviously. "So, maybe the hat doesn't always get it right." It still fascinated him, that a wise old hate chose their future. He found it hilarious, but he didn't let it define him either. "Are you... like, sad that you didn't get in?" He wrinkled his nose, roughing the end of his nose with the side of his hand as he turned his chin to look at his friend. They'd settled in to their seats now and Eli felt too tall for it, hunching down in place with a nervous laugh.

"At least 30." Eli stressed, rubbing his thumb and finger together as he snickered lightly. The show hadn't started yet, but he truly hoped it wasn't Romeo and Juliet. Eli wasn't opposed to romance, but he knew how that play ended and he didn't think it was something he wanted to slog through on a 'date'. "But, wait- if I'm wrong." He refrained from laughing, but it was written on his face. "Let's make it ten, I'm dry." He pouted out his bottom lip before hiding a laugh behind his hand as he turned in time to see the curtains begin to pull open. 

@ezekiel  
you wanna finish this up next maybe?

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!