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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Nov 24, 2015 16:50:23 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2015 16:50:23 GMT -7
drink with me to days gone bye
The cold grey of dusk had descended on the village of Hogsmeade. The days were growing longer, it was true, but daylight was still at a premium. Royal’s mother still expected him to tell her if he planned on staying out after dark. If he had been in any other situation, he might’ve protested, but despite the time that had passed, Royal was still feeling very vulnerable. It would be easy, too easy, for his life to end. All it took was two words, and then – he stopped the train of thought before it could go any further, and ducked into the dimly lit warmth of The Three Broomsticks. He smiled at the bartender and offered polite waves to whomever cared to greet him, but all in all, the crowd was an anonymous humdrum who still, for some reason, remembered the Minister’s son. Ex-Minister’s son.
Royal sat himself at a table near the center of the room; he always found it silly when people tried to hide in corners of bars. It was much easier to get lost in a crowd, especially on a day like today – the cold frigidness of the night, combined with the fact that it was Saturday and no one in their right mind (except for him, of course) worked on Sundays drew a large crowd. Resting his chin on his hand, Royal smiled appreciatively as he was brought a butterbeer. Carefully, he unspooled a roll of parchment and dipped his quill into ink, as was customary for him when he had free time. For the first time, though, Royal actually had something to write. His quill skated across the paper in long, smooth strokes. Outside, the dusk was turning into night, with no one to bear witness to the dying of the light.
@teddy @jacob @odette @victoire
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Nov 27, 2015 23:00:06 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 23:00:06 GMT -7
"Keep up," Victoire said, not turning to face Teddy as she did so. He was now by her side the majority of the time, especially when she was out in public considering he was part of her protection detail. She thought it was a little bit overboard, but the Order had decided that this was how it was supposed to be. She was, thankfully, able to get only one guard on her tonight so she wasn't surrounded as she tried to relax for two seconds.
She had been the minister for two days now, and she was prepared for how exhausted she would be. Still, she wanted one moment to herself, to actually take in the fact that she had done it. She was the Minister of Magic.
To say it was strange having Teddy and Sebastian by her side at all times was a gross understatement. She had pushed both of them away, severely, on a personal level. She was sure that just made them even more worried about her, but she didn't care. She didn't have time for that.
She really wanted to go to the pub alone, but they wouldn't have it. Especially Teddy. They entered the pub, her trying to roll the weight off her shoulders and act like a twenty two year old for two seconds. It seemed like a hopeless endeavor before her eyes fell on someone. "Royal!" she said, finally dropping her professional nature for five seconds to run over to him-
@royal @teddy @odette @jacob
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Nov 27, 2015 23:23:28 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 23:23:28 GMT -7
drink with me to days gone bye
He should have stayed home. That was the first thought that Royal had when he heard his name called across the crowded pub. He looked up, and his heart seized. Victoire was running towards him and it was like no time had passed at all. Time had passed, though. Hello Royal, I’m so glad to see you. Sorry I haven’t talked to you since your dad died. Hi Royal, hope you’re doing well. Oh, right, I forgot, of course you’re not doing well, because your dad died. What’s up Royal, thought I’d check in to see how you were doing since your dad is dead and all.
Months had passed. Months. Not a word from her, not a peep. He had thought that she loved his father at least a fraction of the amount he had. He had thought that she would understand how he was shattered, how his insides were now his outsides and everything hurt. He had thought that she would talk to him. He had thought that they would heal together. He had thought wrong, obviously, but none of it seemed to matter to Victoire. He was just a friendly face in a crowd.
He cast a quick drying spell on the ink and carefully rolled the parchment back into a neat scroll. He left it on the table next to the closed inkwell, just in case he needed an excuse to break eye contact later. If he did, he could always busy himself with putting his items away. “Victoire.” He answered steadily. Looking behind her, he nodded to her companion. “Teddy.” He rubbed his fingers across the ragged edge of the parchment and tried to shove down his anger and be civil. “How have you been?”
@teddy @jacob @odette @victoire
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Nov 28, 2015 8:29:39 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2015 8:29:39 GMT -7
Victiores run started to slow as she got closer and didn't see that bright smile adorn Royals face. That smile that would always cheer her up, no matter what was wrong. He was one of her best friends, along with Teddy, Odette and Jacob. Jacob. It had been even even longer since she had spoken to him. She felt a pull in her gut. A pull that reminded her why she hadn't talked to her friends in so many years...
She had gotten seriously involved with the aurors, and then with the ministry. Minister Shacklebolt was a great man, great enough to take her on as his assistant. Shacklebolt, she had another sinking feeling hit her as she realized why royal wasn't smiling. Finally, the thought reached her right as she reached him, and his same somber attitude started to adorn her own face. "Royal. Royal, hey-" she stopped. What the heck was wrong with her? Running toward him like everything was back to normal. She hadn't talked to him since... well, since at least last July when his father died. Her boss, her idol, his father, his best friend.
She hadn't taken the time to properly mourn. She used the excuse that she didn't have the time. Was she going to stand by that excuse? Or was she going to man up, fall on her knees and apologize?
"Busy," she answered, "Teddy's taken up a job at the Min- with me now."
@teddy @jacob @odette @royal
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Nov 28, 2015 9:05:00 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2015 9:05:00 GMT -7
@teddy @royal @odette @victoire he needed a drink. badly. it had been a horrible day at work and the only thing jake could think of that would make it better was either his mom's home cooking or a glass of fire whiskey or a bottle. possibly even two. he wasn't sure yet. since his mother's cooking was too far away and if he went home after a bad day his mother was likely to pester what had happened out of him and then he'd be compelled to tell her. what he did on a day to day basis wasn't something one should tell one's mother. he ran his hand through his hair lightly, his fingers shifting to touch the gash that had been made earlier in the day but after a few drops of dittany it had started to look like it was a few days old and healing. ah the wonders of magic, and the wonders of a glass window when it shattered. dark wizards being arrested or taken out could be so creative when it came to trying to escape.
he walked into the warm pub, stopping for a second to shrug out of his black jacket, he'd been wearing it since his fifth year in high school. it had stitches where it had been sewn back together and a few holes that he hadn't been able to fix with a spell so he'd just left them. he figured he'd have to give in and buy a new one too, but this one had been a gift. and well to he honest he didn't really want to see it thrown out. he shook his head a little as he tucked the thing over an arm and walked into the bar, hearing a familiar voice call a familiar name and he turned his head and with a grin noticed some people he hadn't seen in years. he shouldered his way carefully through the people waiting at the bar and made his way over to them. "vic? royal? teddy? my god." he said as he dropped his jacket down onto one of the chairs at the table where royal had been sitting and he noticed the tension. it took him a second to act, shifting forward and wrapping his arms around vic in a huge bear hug as he pulled her close to him. "still as small as ever" he said with a slight grin as he looked to teddy. "hey mate" he put his hand lightly on vic's head and couldn't help it, he scrubbed her blonde locks affectionately as he moved to let her go. "working on something amazing i see royal" he'd sent royal an owl after he'd heard about his father's death but he hadn't gotten the chance to see him yet. the troubles at hogwarts and in the wizarding world were keeping him and his fellow law workers run off their feet. but it wasn't an excuse. he felt horrible about it.
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Dec 1, 2015 23:49:53 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2015 23:49:53 GMT -7
"Keep up."
Teddy was right behind Victoire as they walked through Hogsmeade. She was being oddly professional with him lately. He supposed he understood why, after all he did volunteer to be a part of her guard to protect her from harm. After the last two Ministers had been murdered, when Victoire stepped up as Minister Teddy was not going to let her go into a death trap alone. Even though they weren't dating anymore (and who knew if they ever would again,) he would still go to the ends of the earth to protect her.
Even if that meant spending time out in public with her at a pub.
Victoire had wanted to go alone to the pub, but Teddy was not about to let her go to such a high traffic area by herself after everything that had happened recently. Especially so close to the school where students had been attacked. No, he wanted to keep her alive. Not just for his sake, but because he believed she was the Minister this country needed.
Teddy followed Victoire into the pub and was trying to seem like he wasn't there just to follow her around when Victoire let out a yell and took off running. Teddy's head snapped in the direction she had taken off in, all his reflexes tensing. Then he could see he had nothing to worry about at all, as a very familiar face stood just across the pub from him. A smile crept up onto Teddy's face.
"Royal," Teddy greeted him with a small smile. He stopped smiling though when he remembered what Royal had been through recently. But not just Royal, Victoire as well. Victoire hadn't been nearly as close to Shacklebolt as his own son but she had still worked under him. Teddy stood there between the two of them in silence for a moment, letting them take a second. Teddy couldn't help but look at Victoire and raise an eyebrow as she explained for him what his job was now. Teddy ignored his urge to let out a frustrated sigh.
Being around Royal made him think of how things used to be, with their old friends. Vic, himself, Royal, Odette, and... speak of the devil. "Jacob!" Teddy said, sounding more surprised than anything. What were the odds?
@odette @royal @victoire @jacob
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Dec 1, 2015 23:59:50 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2015 23:59:50 GMT -7
Odette's weekly routine consisted of finishing work for the week and heading out for a drink whenever she felt she had had a stressful day. Which happened more often than not. Such was life when you worked with goblins. Usually Odette would go to the Hog's Head to avoid students but it didn't appear to be a Hogsmeade weekend and the Hog's Head looked particularly busy when she passed by it so the next best thing: The Three Broomsticks. Odette had walked into the pub and immediately walked around the perimeter of the pub to the bar, where she promptly ordered a drink. She gently tapped her fingers as patiently as she could against the counter top as she awaited her drink when she heard a familiar voice. And not just one... but several.
Slowly, Odette turned around and looked in the direction in which she had heard their voices. There, in the middle of the pub, stood her old friends. Her mouth fell slightly open in shock as she laid eyes on the four of them. She turned around just to see that her drink had been set down. She pulled out a few knickles and set them on the counter then, with her drink in hand, headed to the table at which Victoire, Royal, Teddy, and Jacob stood.
"Well, well," she said, smirking at her old friends. "A reunion I wasn't invited to? Typical," she joked, smiling at her old friends. Odette had always been the youngest and after a few years, she didn't mind poking fun at herself for being younger than the rest of them. How long had it been? Three-four years?
@royal @victoire @teddy @jacob
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Dec 3, 2015 19:54:26 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2015 19:54:26 GMT -7
drink with me to days gone bye
There were so many people that Royal’s head was beginning to spin. On the Hogwarts grounds, sprawled out on the grass, it hadn’t seemed like the five of them took up that much space. In the crowded pub, however, they seemed so big, so bright, larger than life. They hadn’t seen each other in so long, and his heart lurched painfully. At Jacob’s comment about the parchment, Royal smiled – a genuine smile, not the faux polite one he had pasted on for Victoire and Teddy. “I’m writing a book.” He announced proudly. “It’s about my dad.” There. He had finally said something about the elephant in the already cramped room.
Odette’s appearance pried open the cracks in Royal’s already thawing cold exterior. He hadn’t realized how much he needed to see his old friends until they had all appeared, as if some unseen force had pushed them together. When it had just been Victoire, it had been awkward, to say the least, but now he felt like he could breathe. “Pull up a chair, guys!” He invited as cheerily as he could muster. He gestured to the server for a round of butterbeers, parchment all but forgotten. There was so much to catch up. He had gotten a tattoo, for Merlin’s sake. He could safely say that no one else would have expected that from him. He hadn’t expected it from himself, until he had been in the tattoo parlor with a sketch of a line of stars on a piece of parchment.
“Anyone have anything they’d like to share with the group?” He asked teasingly. Best way, he thought, to get the conversation flowing.
@teddy @jacob @odette @victoire
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Dec 12, 2015 23:34:38 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2015 23:34:38 GMT -7
The sudden onslaught of their friends made Victoires stomach turn with guilt. She happily let Jacob wrap his arms around her and squeezed just as tight. She felt as though tears could burst from her at any second if he held on for too long, and they almost did when he claimed that she was as small as ever. She smiled at him, leaning forward to give him a light kiss on the cheek before smacking his arm, "I could still beat the crap out of you, Albertson," she joked as he placed a hand on her head. As he ruffled her hair she grimaced, trying to pull back but only finding a laugh escaping her lips instead.
Then Royal said what he was working on and her heart stopped. She felt a pounding in her throat and reached a hand out, as if she was going to touch Royal. But she didn't, She let it hover there until she heard a voice behind her.
She whipped around when she heard another voice. Odette, another friend whom she had abandoned with her career obsession. "Odette!" she said with a bright smile, stepping between the boys to greet her. She placed a hand on Odettes shoulder and gave her a squeeze, "how are you? Busy as hell?" she asked with a little smirk. No surprise there, they were all busy.
She was glad and sad that the tension between her and Royal had broken. But, now wasn't really the time to talk about all that. As Royal suggested they pull up a chair, Vic nodded at Odette before turning back to the table. Teddy, of course, pulled out a chair for her which she sat in without hesitating. It felt normal to have him there with her now, with all of their old friends around. She even looked up at him and gave him that smile. That smile she gave that told him she was irrevocably in love with him. She shook her head, clearing her throat as Royal asked if anyone had anything they'd like to share.
Victoire decided to keep her mouth shut, for now....
@jacob @odette @royal @teddy (why is this my favorite thread ever.)
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Dec 13, 2015 19:08:07 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2015 19:08:07 GMT -7
Teddy's mouth had formed a thin line when Royal mentioned his father. He knew he had to be in a lot of pain. It was slowly approaching a year since his murder the past summer, so Teddy knew it had to be hard. He had never known his own parents but he had grown up without them. He knew it could not even equate to losing one who had had your whole life but... Teddy felt he could somewhat empathize with him. "Well, hey," he spoke up to Royal, the right side of his mouth turning into a small smile. "If you need help or someone to proof read, I'm your guy." He put his hand on Royal's shoulder and offered up a more sincere smile.
Odette's arrival nearly blew Teddy away. His mouth fell open in slight shock as she joined the group. "How weird is this?" He commented aloud on their being in the same place all at once. He was certain this hadn't happened since... well, since Victoire and Royal had graduated at least. The smile Teddy now wore was a big one; he couldn't remember the last time he had smiled this widely. As the group gathered around the table, Teddy was feeling much like he did back when they all hung out together and he pulled out a chair for Victoire. It didn't cross his mind that this could possibly make her more annoyed with him than she seemed to be lately. But then she gave him that smile... the one she used to give him. Teddy's mouth fell open slightly at this; he stood there a moment floored by it. Did she mean to look at him like that?
When Victoire cleared her throat, Teddy looked down and took a seat. He looked back up at his old friends when Royal addressed them. Teddy glanced at Victoire, wondering if she was going to tell everyone her own news. When she seemed to not make an effort to open her mouth right away, Teddy cleared his own throat. "Uh, I just spent the last four years in Greece," he said, nodding and chuckling.
@jacob @odette @royal @victoire
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Jan 1, 2016 14:03:47 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2016 14:03:47 GMT -7
@teddy @royal @odette @victoire “Anyone have anything they’d like to share with the group?” they were all sitting around the table now. him, odette, royal, vic and teddy. that was surreal. the last night they had all been together like this had been .. before him and teddy had graduated. he was sure of it. that was a mind blowing thing. when they'd been kids they'd all thought they had more than enough time in the world, while in school he had never thought that when he'd graduated he'd have pulled away from his friends. the thought of him leaving his friends hadn't occured to him till after he had graduated. he knew it was kinda stupid to feel that way but he felt bad. he'd seen odette since though. once. at a pub only a few weeks ago now it was. he smiled a little at her before he looked back at royal and he shrugged a little. "nothing exciting. works dominates my life" he said with a small laugh. "the ministry was crazy enough to make me a hit wizard" he said, resting his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand in a position he had spent a lot of his hogwarts years in. watching boring classes or watching cute girls in the library instead of studying like he had been supposed to have been doing. he hadn't been able to help it.
he wondered if vic would bring up anything about her becoming the minister of magic. jake had heard it through the grapevine at work rumours that hadn't been killed so he actually thought it could be true. which might be why teddy had been with her. as far as he'd known the two hadn't been close for a little while now .. but this was all heresay. he hadn't actually seen them to ask. he ran his hand through his hair and raised his hand to the bartender. "send over a few bottles of firewhiskey" he said with a grin as he looked back at the people around the table. "my shout first" he said resting his elbow back on the table. he knew that odette drank it, he'd seen it in her glass the time they had caught up in the pub. he glanced to her again, listening to what was happening at the table. he glanced back to teddy when he said he'd been in greece. "and you came back? you didn't want to stay in paradise?" he said with a teasing grin. if he could take a year off and go to greece he would. but there was too much work do be done, he touched the half healed gash on his cheek lightly at the thought of it. he dropped his hand quickly and looked at vic. "what about you?"
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Jan 20, 2016 23:51:46 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2016 23:51:46 GMT -7
Odette pulled up a chair just as Teddy offered to proof read for Royal, and she raised her eyes in interest at him. "Always knew you would end up writing some type of book, Shacklebolt," she said, shaking her head with a small smile. Odette knew that Royal had to have been going through a very rough time since his father... but Odette figured that the last thing he needed was everyone feeling sorry for him. Odette knew what it was like to loose a parent you loved, and she had hated that part about it.
The brunette turned to face the blonde and her smile widened. "You got that right," she said, feigning exhaustion. "All I ever seem to do is work. And who knew the world of a curse breaker could be so busy." She added, making eye contact briefly with Jacob when he ordered a firewhiskey and giving him a thankful wink. Then Jacob asked Vic what was going on in her life. She turned back to face her friend. "Yeah, Vic, what have you been up to working at the Ministry?" She asked.
@royal @victoire @teddy @jacob
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Feb 13, 2016 19:42:46 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2016 19:42:46 GMT -7
drink with me to days gone bye
Royal hadn’t come to the bar to drink. He had come to write, and that was all shot to hell, and now he felt oddly small. He had been used to being able to compete with the large personalities of his friends effortlessly, but now it seemed like it was so much in between them. He had thought that he had gotten the elephant in the room out of the way, but now it just felt like the animal was sitting on his chest. He managed to eke out a quick “Thanks.” He hadn’t come to the bar to drink, but he definitely needed one. He accepted a shot of firewhiskey quietly and kicked it back, trying to burn away all the things he was feeling.
There was Greece and work and more work and more work, and Royal agreed entirely that work was the best and worst thing about his life. He wrote all the time, and even when he wasn’t writing, he was thinking about writing. Like now. His thoughts chased each other in circles. His friends actually wanted him to write the book, which was strange. It had seemed like a pipe dream until he had said it aloud. He was writing a book.
When they began to speak about Victoire’s work, Royal blanched internally. He didn’t particularly want to talk about the Ministry, but everyone else seemed keen on the topic, so he kept his mouth shut. The fingers of his right hand skipped across the stars on his left arm. Alpha was on his hand, in between his second and third knuckles, and the rest crawled up his forearm until two nestled itself in the crook of his elbow. Again and again Royal tapped the stars, hoping to bring some sort of clarity to the situation. Quiet was probably his best bet.
@teddy @jacob @odette @victoire
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Feb 15, 2016 12:13:07 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2016 12:13:07 GMT -7
Royals book, Jake and Odettes work, Teddy in Greece, Vic at the Ministry. Catching up was always full of strange conversational twists and turns, and Vic was actually hoping to keep it off of herself. It was kind of hard not to, though, considering it was a pretty big deal. She nodded and smiled as everyone conversed and caught up, raising an eyebrow at Odette and Jacobs exchange. Then she pointed at Jacob, "you know, you're right. Whoever gave you that job was crazy. Maybe I'll have to fix that," she laughed, pulling her hand back. She accepted the offer for Jake to get the first round and ordered a simple butterbeer. Out of habit, she found herself leaning slightly toward Teddy as the conversation went on until their arms were touching. Then she jumped, leaning away right as Odette asked what she had been up to working at the Ministry.
She cleared her throat, her entire body acutely aware of Royals presence. "Oh, well, I just am- I'm just-" Victoire didn't stutter and she wasn't about to start now. She sat up straight, crossing her legs under the table. "I'm the Minster now. I mean, you may have seen it in the Prophet but I know you're all so busy," she started, but her hands were shaking so she shoved them under the table. "It's a lot of work. especially since I don't have a Senior undersecretary or a junior assistant right now," she explained, "but we're managing. What about you guys? Why has work been so busy?" she said, referring to the table.
She still didn't look at Royal.
@royal @odette @teddy @jacob
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last online Mar 29, 2024 3:43:26 GMT -7
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Mar 14, 2016 21:07:24 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2016 21:07:24 GMT -7
Teddy chuckled lightly at Jacob's comment about 'paradise.' Sure, it was a beautiful country but the years Teddy spent there were a lonely hell. "What can I say, I was homesick," he shrugged with a small grin, but his glanced could not help but glance at Victoire. She had been the real reason he came home and the same reason he had left. It was hard to stand in front of all of them now considering how they had all last been together... but they were all somehow getting on fine and it wasn't too awkward.
It was kind of weird to hear how busy everyone had been with work when all Teddy had been doing the past four years was freelance writing in Greece, doing odd jobs here and there for muggle citizens who needed little chores done. It actually made Teddy feel... kind of useless that his friends had real jobs and he had gotten a job as Victoire's guard pretty much by default and volunteering. It was disheartening to compare himself to them in that way, but he was happy they were all doing well for themselves.
Teddy had been brought out of feeling sorry for himself when Victoire jumped next to him. He had been so caught up in feeling sorry for himself he had not even realized that their shoulders had been touching... it had felt so natural in the moment. He looked at anyone but Victoire after that. Finally, Jacob and Odette had addressed Victoire and what she had been up to. Teddy had wanted her to tell them herself, and was proud that she had... but when he looked across the table at Royal, he almost wished that she hadn't. It wasn't her fault but... Teddy figured it still had to be a very sore subject for Roy.
"Well, hey," Teddy piped up, trying to deter the conversation away from work. He could tell that not only was Royal uncomfortable, but Victoire as well. Teddy knew his friends well enough to know when they were avoiding one another's eyes and Victoire was definitely avoiding Royal. "Here's to being together again!" He said, raising his own shot of firewhiskey that had been placed on the table for them in a toast.
@jacob @odette @royal @victoire
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