Bad Coping Skills [Colton]

[Deleted]

July 5, 2025
@colton

Renfri had been released from the hospital five days ago. After taking some time to get an apartment in the country and sign her Hogwarts employment paperwork she'd decided that drinking needed to happen. She had a lot to celebrate and mourn. The end of her curse breaker career. A dead left arm that wouldn't move no matter how much she tried.  A new job Renewed family connections. She didn't know what was worse. The mourning or the celebrating. Either way, it was drinking time. She'd been sober since March, she had a lot of catching up to do.


Being both native and foreign was an odd conundrum. She was raised in the country but hadn't been home in seven years. She she'd forgotten most of the establishments and as an adult she'd never learned the places to go. But someone at the hospital had recommended the Violet Hound. It offered good food and good booze. So.. why not?

Renfri arrived at the pub shortly after the nightly opening. A few patrons had started their nightly drinking ritual. Some of them shot her a glance, but looked away when they saw the left arm in a black brace and sling. It meant damaged. She was damaged goods. Renfri pursed her lips into a thin line but ignored them, taking a seat at a table after ordering a firewhisky. Screw them. She'd be wearing this sling for a few years. Her arm was. basically, dead. But did she let it get her down? Okay, a bit, but that's why she was here. to celebrate her victories and drink her sorrows.

[Deleted]

To an outside observer Colton might have seemed like some type of alcoholic based on just how many bars and pubs he had visited since coming to Europe. Yet, there was a reason for all that. Colton did enjoy a good drink after work but he also needed to find the right place. Everyone had their favorite watering hole. Be it for the staff or other patrons, the drinks, or just how close it was to where they were going. He hadn’t found that place just yet. That or Colton was still just trying to see which would be best for him. It was hard to find something that had the same comfort of where he used to drink when he was thousands of miles from there and home.

Colton heard of a pub on Horizon Alley from one of the other MACUSA Aurors and they spoke of it highly enough. He probably would have just given it a shot just knowing they served alcohol. After a particularly annoying day in the office he decided it was as good a day as any to go. It wasn’t hard for him to find, as it was around time for its nightly opening many other stores had started to close. Which left it one of the few places on horizon alley with the lights still on. Colton entered the Pub to the quick turn of heads from people interested to see just how was walking in now. No one ever expected someone dressed like him. It gained him a few stares, awkward looks and a couple laughs. All of which Colton was fine with, this was who he was and how he was raised. He wasn’t about to betray either of those things just because people might think he dressed funny.

Taking a seat at the bar he order just a firewhiskey, long since giving up on asking on any American drinks. He’d been in Europe long enough to know that wasn’t something any bar or pub was going to normally carry. His drink arrived and Colton turned in his chair to look around the pub. It was nice enough inside, nothing would ever have the charms of where he used to drink back in America but that was just him. Colton found himself focusing on one table in particular. Mostly because it was just one woman sitting alone drinking. Upon closer inspection she also seemed to have a brace on one of her arms. With the smallest of shrugs Colton got up with his drink and moved toward the table.

“Pardon me ma’am, is this seat taken?” Colton asked the woman as he arrived at her table and pointed his free hand to the chair opposite of hers. “I don’t care to drink alone and where I’m from the people with casts or braces normally have the best stories or are normally more interesting than the rest. If it's not too much of an imposition that is.”

@renfri

[Deleted]

July 5, 2025
@colton

Renfri had gotten her firewhiskey a few moments before the most unusual man entered the pub. Not unusual in a bad way, he was quite handsome. But in these parts you didn't exactly see cowboy hats often. Or... ever. This was London, England. Not the old west. Renfri wasn't one to judge though, she used to be a treasure hunter. Plenty of people had worn similarly practical attire when the digs demanded it. So, yes, cowboy hats weren't strange to her. Just strange for London. Past that initial attention though, Renfri took to sipping her pint instead of focus too much attention to him. There were plenty of unusual folk in pubs like this, soon enough a cowboy would just be old news.

To her surprise though, the cowboy approached the table she was currently drinking her sorrows and victories at. His accent gave away that he was a full fledged cowboy, with that cowboy American drawl and all, asking if the seat across from her was taken. Initially just an eyebrow raised. It'd been quite some time since someone called her ma'am. Setting the pint down on the table, she tilted her head to the side as she gazed up at him, assessing this cowboy now that he was close. Again, still handsome. Ah, why the hell not. It was a shame to drink alone, as he soon went on to explain. She cracked a smile, even when he mentioned the brace on her left arm. "Sometimes interesting stories don't have happy endings, cowboy," She answered back smoothly. Then, with one of her feet, she pushed the chair in question away from the table, so he could sit. "You're a long way from home. You come over with those MACUSA reinforcements?" She continued to ask. She didn't answer "yes" to his request to join her, but kicking the chair out like she did was a pretty clear invitation.

[Deleted]

As Colton stood there waiting for just what reaction he get from the woman he weighted the odds she might be offended by what he said. At times people didn’t like to bring up what hurt them, Colton himself never minded sharing what he could about his injuries as long as it wasn’t something confidential but that was just him. The woman finally spoke explaining that not all interesting stories had happy endings. He smirked for a moment and nodded. “If they all ended happily they wouldn’t be all that interesting.” Colton replied as she pushed the chair with her foot, inviting him to sit down, or at least that’s what he took it for. As he sat down she remarked that he was far from home and if he came with the MACUSA reinforcements. “Something like that. I was sent over to lead them actually. Either a promotion or the home office was sick of me.” Colton explained with a small laugh. He was determined to see it as a promotion but also wouldn’t be surprised if a few of his old coworkers were happy he was thousands of miles away. “What brings you out drinking by yourself if you don’t mind me asking. It’s normally either something good or bad. At least from my personal experience.”

@renfri

[Deleted]

July 5, 2025
@colton

The stranger sat down in the offered chair after commenting that if all stories ended happily the wouldn't be interesting. Renfri smirked. Well, that was true. Plus, the cause of her her disability was a rather interesting story. Not many people walked away from fiendfyre alive. It was known as a particularly horrid dark art that few messed with. Even those that new the spell were careful with it's use, as it could go out of control and turn on them easily. After sitting, he explained her hunch. Definitely came with MACUSA, though, he elaborated. "Maybe they thought the Ministry's problems needed some good old-fashioned justice," she answered. Cowboys did have a bit of a reputation after though, though running into a cowboy now-a-days was quite rare.

Then, a question that was hitting a bit closer to home. What brought her drinking alone. Renfri, despite the trauma of the accident, wasn't "traumatized". She was bitter, yes. But she'd always known how dangerous curse breaking was. "A bit of both, actually," she started to explain, pausing only momentarily. "I'm celebrating the start of a new life, and mourning the loss of the old one. Plus, I haven't been allowed to drink in months. Hospitals are a bitch like that. I've got some catching up to do." Considering the sling and brace, mentioning the hospital wouldn't be that surprising. If you were in a sling and brace in the wizarding world it meant you'd been through something particularly bad. Something magic couldn't heal.

[Deleted]

Colton laughed for a moment as the woman explained that MACUSA might have sent him over for some old fashion style justice to help the ministry. “I like the way you think.” He replied with a small smirk. He’d like to think that but he knew he had been one of a number of choices for the replacement Auror chief. He might have just been the only one who was willing to move a crossed a whole ocean for the job. Colton hadn’t just accepted the job for the sake of Europe either. The more the purifiers acted up here seemed to encourage the radical group back in America. He could help both fronts by moving to Europe. “Still, I won’t be too surprised to learn a few people are happy I’m not in the office anymore.”

As the woman explained why she was drinking Colton wasn’t too sure what he could add. It was hard to find proper words that were sure not to make things worse. That was till she got to the end about being in the hospital. “Yeah, I know that feeling well about hospitals.” Colton finally replied before enjoying some more of his whiskey. “I can’t say I’ve been held up for months but a week or two sure. Still if you get lucky and can find the right nurse and a little charm, anything is possible.” Granted Colton didn’t know exactly why she had been in the hospital for besides it involved leaving in a sling. He couldn’t know if alcohol would have made matters worse or it was just hospital rule like it was back in America. He was just lucky to sweet talk someone into sneaking him in some. “Either way for both a celebration or mourning it’ll require a lot more alcohol. Next round on me?”

@renfri

[Deleted]

July 5, 2025
@colton

Renfri’s smirked. It was nice to talk to an American. They were just so... different. More casual. More straightforward. It was fleshing, after spending months in a hospital where everything tiptoed around you. Renfri’s wasn’t the “delicate” type. She liked things direct, no matter the news, and she hated when people tried to be careful, as if you might break if you gave bad news. She just liked things straight. ”Well, from what I’ve heard, the Ministry’s been doing quite a bit of diplomacy lately. Haven’t been around for it. But glad to see someone that actually takes action is around now.” Her travels had kept her far form home pretty constantly. Plus, her family was a bit.... complicated. It was just easier to stay on the move. Until now. ”From my experience, people are only happy when the biggest threat to their position isn’t around. So, cowboy, cheers to being considered a threat to your co-workers?” she raised the remainder of her own drink, though whether he chose to return the cheers, she downed the remainder after a few moments.

She set her glass down on the table and leaned back as he answered her comment on hospitals. He hesitated only a moment, so nothing awkward. ”Is that how you’ve avoided long hospital stays back in the states?” As a MACUSA agent, sent to help with the current... issues, no doubt he’d seen conflict before. He couldn’t be a stranger to danger. Renfri’s smiled at his offer for the next round of drinks. Alright, but only if I get a name for my charming drinking companion. If you’re planning on drinking as much as me, introductions are in order. I’m Renfri. Selwyn.” She almost hesitated at her last name, as Selwyn was an “important” name in the UK pure blood society. But no doubt it would mean little to an American.

[Deleted]

The woman explained that from what she heard the ministry was being more diplomatic as of late. That and she was glad someone was around that might actually take some action. With that he let out a small smirk. He planned to be such a person and did like that others might get that impression too. “That’s the plan.” Colton replied downing some more of the whisky he walked over with. “As noble as the act of coming over here to help was it wasn’t done without my own motives.” Fair to say Colton took the job partly for his own advancement and the sooner the purifiers were stopped the better the chances the group back in America would stop acting so brave. Colton raised his glass as she did while she cheered him for how some of his coworkers had acted as they might have been threatened by him. “That makes plenty of sense but begs the question on your experiences. Just how threatened did they feel about you?”

Colton laughed as she questioned him about avoiding long hospital stays. It was true he had used his charm to certainly get out earlier than he should have at times. Mostly with the promise he would be back for check ups he hardly came back for. “It certainly helped but between training, planning and just dumb luck I’ve been graced in avoiding anything too terrible. A few weeks tops. I have sweet talked my way into an early release.” Colton wasn’t so full of himself that he didn’t know he was lucky at times. He'd avoided his share of major hospital stays just thanks to not standing at the wrong place at the wrong time. The woman agreed to his offer of drinks but did want his name, not before calling him charming. Which he smiled and would be more than happy to offer as she gave her name. “Well it’s lovely to meet you Rendri, I’m Colton McCoy. Now if we remember these names tomorrow will all depend on just how much you plan on drinking and how much I have to match.” Colton replied with a smirk as he didn’t plan to be outdone in drinking, even if the idea of getting black our drink didn’t feel appealing.

@renfri

[Deleted]

July 5, 2025
@colton

Renfri smirked and leaned forward, elbow resting on the table. "As noble as that sacrifice would be, no one would come here without an ulterior motive." The bad publicity, the drama, British Ministry was basically a shit show. Any wrong steps could be a career killer. So those active in the current political storm either were idiots that didn't know what they were doing, or those looking to prove their own dominance and superiority. Tragedy brought out the opportunists, those smart enough to use the situation to their own advantage. Some people might consider those bad traits, but Renfri saw value in them. Self sacrifice would get you no where. As he returned the question of co-workers feeling threatened she leaned back in her chair. Good question. "Enough to ensure I was no longer a threat." That fool had made sure of that when he set off that trap.

Renfri knew she wasn't charming. She knew that. She was all rough edges. She could get along with people, sure, but charming? This man was though. From the way he carried himself, and how he spoke. Confidence but not cocky. She wouldn't doubt that he'd sweet talked his way out of a hospital or two. She smirked just a little. "I'm sure your local healers think you're a handful." A charming handful, but a handful none the less.

Ah, Renfri wasn't even sure how much she planned on drinking. A few months in the hospital had lowered her tolerance, so she wouldn't be able to drink as much as she used to. Not at first. But, she wasn't a light weight. "Only time will tell. I have three months of drinking to catch up on." Renfri actually rarely got black out drunk. Mostly because she didn't have many people she trusted to get that drunk with. She might be a loner most the time, but she was a smart loner.