you are cordially invited | zen

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

jul 2028

THERE WAS A RECORD PLAYING SOMETHING sweet and spooky in the living room when the doorbell rang. Maybe Rafe's or Penny's turntable, he couldn't remember whose it was, just that somebody's usually found its way into the public domain when they were having a little shindig. Eli padded in odd socks to the doorway, a dish towel hanging over one shoulder and two glasses of some cocktail he was experimenting with so his hands were full. He fumbled momentarily with the task of opening the door before deciding to use his elbow and foot to pry it open.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry-" He mumbled, crouched at the waist as he wedged his shoulder into the frame and finally pulled the door open. He straightened with a comically large grin of triumph to find Zen standing on the stoop looking somewhat deer eyed but present nonetheless. He lifted his busy hands with a cheer, "You came!" Eli hadn't been entirely sure that she would. His clunked the two glasses over his head with a crow of joy, spilling just a drop or two.

He'd been negotiating feed prices in Diagon Alley when he'd run into her the previous week. Zen had been a fellow Ilvermorny transfer. Smarter and quieter than Eli by a long shot, but he remembered her well enough. They'd both been fish out of water at the time, fumbling to find a space in a school that was already well established socially by the time of their arrival. They hadn't kept in touch too closely after graduation, but he'd recognised her immediately. Standing straighter, looking him right in the face and smiling back at him. She'd changed, but so had he, he supposed. He'd invited her to have lunch with him and they'd caught up as best they could over toasties before parting ways. He'd invited her to the next Puff Party by owl, but hadn't gotten his hopes up.

Stepping back from the doorway, he motioned with his head for her to come inside and out of the cool evening air. Leaning against the wall and offering her one of the glasses as he kicked the door shut behind him. "Made it myself," He told her as he led them both through the hallway towards the living room. "I'm messing around with a little something." He rambled, looking at her over his shoulder to be sure she hadn't fled. "It's got a shot of pickle juice in it- basically like a pickleback but the shot glass is in the drink." He explained, taking an experimental sip of his own and flinching with a laugh. "It's got a little kick to it." 

zenevieva mira novell

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[zenevieva mira novell]

━ stop. what the hell are you talkin' about? ━

IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, Zen had grown tired of living with her aunt and uncle. She loved them both dearly, but given the resemblance between her aunt and her mother - and even the mannerisms...it was a bit too much.

Zen had been slightly younger when both of her parents died, and while the memory felt hazy during her every day life, her aunt and uncle's actions reminded her that they would always be the closest thing to a mother and a father. But oddly enough, at the ripe 'old' age of twenty, she felt like she had enough.

Next came Eli. Another Ilvermorny transfer like herself, and just slightly older than the Novell but bubbly no less. The two became friends such a long time ago when Zen still considered herself to be an introvert. But given the changes she had underwent in the last few years, and even settling into the Beast Division in the Ministry, a slight reunion with old friends was worth it.

After spilling a few emotional feelings here and there over lunch, Zen let it slip about her life in recent days, a little slip that she was looking for an apartment and other details. Just a few days later through an owl, an invitation for a 'Puff Party' had arrived. She had no clue what it meant, but she was sure she would turn up anyway. Low and behold, the day had arrived.

With a gentle knock, Zen didn't wait long before she was welcomed to the Fleming, his outfit casual as anticipated. With a towel hanging over his shoulder and the odd-socks being an Eli charm, it made the Novell grin a bit. "Hey!" She greeted just as cheerfully, making sure to step slightly to the side as drops of liquid fell out of the glasses he rose above his head. "Of course! Did..I give the assumption that I wouldn't?" She questioned as she walked, taking the motion to come inside.

Thanking the Fleming quietly for the glass he offered her while continuing to follow him through the hallway, Zen had a little sip as she walked - eyes widening slightly at the strength of it all. Had Eli eyeballed his measurements? "Just a little kick?" She laughed, going in again for another sip. "I taste a little more of the alcohol but the pickle flavour creeps up a bit."

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

jul 2028

WITH HIS BACK TO ZEN, ELI LICKED RESIDUAL pickle juice from his lip with an easy shrug. It wasn't so much that Eli had thought Zen wouldn't come, it was just that she was sort of a dark horse to him. Eli was so painfully transparent, it made him a little rubbish at figuring out less exuberant peoples motivations. "I dunno," He said out loud, a little smile on his face. "We treat all our guests like that." He quirked his brows as he offered her the spare glass of his pickled concoction. He wouldn't want her to feel unwanted, so he kept mum and ushered her into the main room.

As they entered the living room, the music humming quietly alongside a cacophony of cheerful chatter. Over his shoulder, he heard a squeaking cough and cringed with a short laugh. "It's a prototype...?" He grinned sheepishly, leaning against the archway to let her wander into the living room. A couple of heads lifted, there was a few tentative greetings and Eli swept an arm over Zen's shoulder and only dropped a gentle splash of alcohol onto her arm as he jostled her close. "This is Zen," He declared, moving into the room, but steering them in the direction of the kitchen. "She's my zoo chef- or whatever its called." He gave a careless wave and pulled them through the room to the 'home improvement' saloon doors that led into the flats kitchen.

With another experimental glug of his drink, Eli flinched and bent at the waist with a hiss as he set the glass into the counter. "'Kay, maybe you were right about the pickle juice..." The kitchen looked like it had been hit with a bombarda, but it was just Eli. He liked to be useful at the parties, but it usually just meant that he made a great big mess and broke at least one dish. There was already a pan and brush erected near the pantry door, a bucket of little glass shards waiting to be healed by Cord's superior charm work. "Should we replace some of the pickle juice with a fruit juice, you think?" He mused, approaching a pewter cauldron that had been repurposed into a punch bowl. "'C'mere," He jerked his chin for Zen to venture closer as he peered into the radium green concoction. "How are you, anyways?" He smiled at Zen with fond interest. 

zenevieva mira novell

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[zenevieva mira novell]

━ stop. what the hell are you talkin' about? ━

WITH HER LIPS STRETCHING TO match his smile, Zen had another go at the drink Eli made, her face tightening from the different flavours that were being thrown toward her. "Glad to know I'm equal with everyone then!" She chimed, following his lead as the Novell was ushered into another room.

Curiously her eyes wandered, taking in the different decorations, while smiling softly at the music and Eli's response. "After the first few tries its..not so bad but it definitely needs some work." Zen grinned then, taking the chance to take a bigger gulp before adding "Sorry to be blunt." Zen then paid attention to the others amongst them, shyly waving and greeting them back as most, if not all of them noticed her.

Zen stayed on Eli's heels however, laughing before she corrected. "You mean 'Sous'? Thank you for such an honour." Lifting a hand to her chest as if she was accepting the honour, the Novell couldn't help but snort as Eli bent over, the prototype getting to him. "Yeah! Try cranberry or pineapple..still acidic-y but..more tasty." Zen recommended, coming closer as he gestured for her to come a little closer.

"Oh you know..ministry life is fine..but everything could be better I guess..I'm..kind of outgrowing the 'living at home' life." She confessed, her smile dropping a little. "But nothing super depressing!..I'm still..good! But how have you been? Post-graduation and all?.." Zen never really had the chance to hang out with Eli after the two graduating so it was nice to finally get the chance to catch up with one another.

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

jul 2028

ELI WAS CERTAINLY FAIR. Almost religiously so, nodding a friendly head at Zen as she seemed to relax just a little more. Listening as she kindly took a second sip from her glass, despite the fact that she still looked a little watery eyed from the first. Eli's arm hung loose around her shoulder, grinning down at her as she apologised. He gave her a little shake, steering her toward the kitchen with a barking laugh. "Don't be sorry," He told her, releasing her so they could fit through the swinging kitchen doors one at a time. "I'm trying to perfect it." He added with his best serious expression, it wasn't very good at all.

"Who?" Eli asked with a laugh as she corrected him, the word sounding odd on in her mouth. He hadn't a clue what she meant, no more familiar with his French than he was with his cocktails. "Pineapple! I think we have pineapple!" Eli's attention was stolen immediately, his head disappearing into their fridge as he rifled around and pulled out three different cartons of fruit juice, lining them up on the nearest counter messily.

"Oh, yeah I get that." Eli blew out a commiserating breath. "Moving out of my dads place was... kind of the best thing I ever did." Eli admitted with a sheepish shrug. "It was like... I could actually breathe." He nodded sincerely, eyes wide. Zen seemed to be putting on a brave face, Eli could see it in the way she put on a great big smile. It was a feeling he was pretty familiar with, the need to look like he had his shit together. Even though he rarely did. His smile weakened and he gave her a friendly elbow. "Good is good, better than bad." He offered her with a small, kind smile.

Turning away, Eli gave Zen some space as he started uncapping all of the fruit juices and giving them a cautionary sniff. "I think the pineapple is kind of on the turn but... I mean, it's still in date." He gave the carton a shake and carried it over to his jug of pickled booze. He didn't really want to talk about himself, but he figured it was only fair. "I'm... fine- good," He nodded, swiping errant curls from his rom his face with the sleeve of his t shirt before he tipped a good half cup of pineapple juice into the serving jug. He was using a wooden spoon to stir it, the ice tinkling against the sides. "My uh- I mean, things are kind of off since dad died but, I think we're actually... closer... because of it?" Eli flinched, his shoulders tense where he stood with his back to the kitchen. "Can you pass me the orange slices?" He asked blandly, biting on his bottom lip. 

zenevieva mira novell

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[zenevieva mira novell]

━ stop. what the hell are you talkin' about? ━

ENJOYING THE TOUR AND THE company, Zen couldn't help but grin wide as the two continued talking, leaning on one another. As she was steered towards the kitchen, Zen matched Eli's own laugh, nodding. "Just a little touch of something sweet and perfection will be right up your alley." While Zen was genuinely honest, she also felt biased, considering she loved a sweet drink or even a sweet treat.

Laughing again, Zen waved in the direction of the curious faces, recognising a face or two from Hogwarts. Just as the Novell was going to start conversation with one of Eli's flatmates, she turned her attention back to the Fleming as he realised they had pineapples. "Raincheck?" She asked the person, knowing that she should probably pay attention to Eli. As he explained that 'escaping' his family home was the best thing he ever did, Zen felt her lips thin out. She didn't live with her parents given their circumstances, but her aunt too was overbearing at times. "You have siblings too right?..How did that work out?.."

Smiling as he gently elbowed her side, the Novell nodded. "Just the same old same old right?..I don't have any other plans aside from getting better at the department I'm in so..I'd rather just deal with it than quit altogether." That was the reality of becoming a full timer anyway. In order to find some kind of happiness, you had to sacrifice some mental sanity along the way. "Want me to give it a smell?-" Zen trailed off as she asked, watching as Eli poured the juice into the jug anyway. Whatever juice he planned on adding next, the half-vampire simply hoped that it would improve the tangy flavour.

Noticing a slight change in Eli as he mentioned about his father's passing, but the fact it made him closer to his family, Zen's lips curved into a small smile. She knew the feeling all too well, losing both of her parents when she could barely do anything without them. Reaching over and passing the orange slices like he asked, Zen took one of Eli's hands in the transfer, giving it a squeeze. "Hey. I'm sorry for your loss..you don't have to talk about it if it's..too much. You know I understand." The Novell had met Eli in one of her most fragile moments of her life, new to the UK, living with her maternal aunt and succumbed to being bullied.

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

jul 2028

THE EASE WITH WHICH THEY FELL INTO conversation warmed Eli. Zen falling into step under his arm, her voice losing its uncertain edge, although that might have had something to do with the clearing of the pickle juice at the back of her throat. "Couldn't've said it better myself," He nodded sagely, dragging her in the direction of the kitchen without much consideration of her introduction. He was a bit selfish like that sometimes.

"Yeah," He shrugged one shoulder, the inquiry striking him a bit odd. Didn't she know? But, then again, Hogwarts felt like a hundred years ago by then. Sometimes Eli thought everybody knew everything about him, without every really saying as much. "Three sisters, but I mean Cal and Temp are like fully grown, or whatever, and Shy's still at Hogwarts." Eli shook his head, a bit flushed in the face. "We've never really been in the same place all at once since the funeral." He scrunched his nose, and turned back to the juice cartons with a dismissive sniff.

Eli was so busy still thinking about his strange family dynamic, he didn't even catch Zen's offer until he'd upended the entire questionable pineapple juice into his cocktail bowl. "Oh," He muttered offhandedly, turning with a sheepish smile. "You can sniff the bowl..?" He offered, unable to stop the slight snort he gave as he offered her the ladle for stirring.

Stirring it himself, Eli stared at the mixture as it turned a misty, grungy green colour. The yellow pineapple obscuring the clear concoction in a no less disturbing manner. It definitely smelled better, Eli thought, clearing his throat and peering over the rim like he would a cauldron. Zen's nearing proximity felt hesitant, like she was approaching a wild Hippogriff. He offered her a tentative smile over his shoulder, the sympathetic crinkle in her brow making his chest a bit tight.

"It's fine." He muttered, turning back to the bowl and offering Zen an olive-branch in the shape of the ladle once again. There was a beat of silence where neither seemed to talk, and Eli felt a bit braver. "I mean," He fiddled with the sleeves of his t-shirt, rolling the hem over his fingers. "It was kind of like he was already gone, you know." He offered her a look from the corner of his eye, before he reached over and plucked a handful of pickle slices, tossing them into the mixture distractedly. "He hasn't really been living properly since... well, since mum disappeared." And he cringed a bit at the revelation, because it felt suddenly, searingly true. "Sorry, I'm ruining the vibe."

zenevieva mira novell

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