Adrian Battye (adrianswall) wrote in carpediem_rp, @ 2015-08-15 21:31:00 |
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Entry tags: | character: adrian battye, character: molly carpenter, thread: complete |
Who: Molly and Adrian
Where: Marble City, Sugarplum's Sweet Shop
When: Friday 14 August, afternoon
Warning: None
Status: Closed, Complete
Molly had followed through on her thought of heading back to Marble City. After running into Sera at the broom shop she wandered out to the Main Street again. She didn't really have a set goal in being there and so she was just window shopping now. Part of her wanted to go back and buy the new broom that had just come in, but she knew she probably shouldn't.
She paused outside the sweet shop, looking to see if anything caught her eye. She considered that she could take something back with her for her siblings and her parents. It was possible that it would be appreciated and she walked into the shop to look around.
Adrian was moderate about many things in his life due to the anxieties about his predisposition to addiction. However he did allow for a couple select indulgences, and chocolate was one of them. Sugarplum's carried a reasonable selection, but also had proved willing to make specialty orders for him. It was easier here than Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.
Approaching the store, Adrian recognized a blonde head. This store was clearly a good place for random social encounters. He'd met up with Jackson here randomly a couple weeks ago, and now his Captain. "It's a pleasure to see you, Molly. Are you shopping, or just browsing?"
Molly glanced over at Adrian and offered a smile. "If it isn't one of my favourite chasers." She looked amused to see him- he was the second person she'd run into today and honestly she tended to appreciate seeing him. He was good company and pretty interesting most of the time. He was also one of her closer friends in the house because her blood status caused some rifts in some places.
"Just browsing right now. How about you? You live closer to here I guess so it's easier to come out and visit I think?"
"Only one?" Adrian teased. He knew of course that she had three Chasers she managed - or would manage. And Molly wasn't about to play favorites on the team - and shouldn't. Chasers had to work together to be successful - and work with the Beaters. Still he could play that he was hurt, for effect.
"Possibly too close. It has its benefits and its risks." Adrian didn't entirely like acknowledging anything that might be a dependency, even chocolate, but there it was. "They have some dark chocolate set aside for me, if you want to come try some."
"Only one. Probably my favourite male chaser at the moment here?" A grin was offered and she ran a hand through her hair, brushing a blue streaked bit from her eyes. It had been fun to charm it different colours and she knew the blue streaks made her eyes pop, which was fun too.
"I know that. Out in Chicago there are pizza places every block and I can sometimes just not help myself." A grin and she nodded at him. "Not going to turn down a bit of a snack, you know me. Growing girl."
"Until you get Stilinski locked down, you mean?" Adrian arched a brow at her. Her eyes were looking bright today - the blue in her hair working to make them bluer. It was a good artist trick employed in real life. He knew it worked with his eyes, but being Slytherin meant he didn't wear blue as often for house loyalty.
"Are the pizza places all the same, or do you have a particular favorite or two?" Adrian asked, holding the door to the confectionary open for her.
"Then you'll be my favorite seventh year male chaser." A firm nod and she winked at him teasingly. All she had to do was add a second classification to make it work. Honestly she tried her best to not have negative interactions with people in the house. It was hard with some of them and their purist ideas though.
"There are a few I like more than others. It's all about the cheese to topping ratio honestly." The more cheese they offered the more interested she was in that pizza. She entered the shop and breathed in deeply, smiling at the blend of sweet scents.
Adrian was amused by her Slytherin answer, but he had more or less invited it. Pursuing that line of conversation further would be no more productive really than the start of it was, so Adrian dropped it. Food was a less potentially insulting topic. "It seems a little funny to discuss cheese and toppings when in a sweet shoppe, not a savory one."
The shop they were in smelled like sugar and chocolate and honey. It was one of his favorite smells honestly. Along with the smell of leather of Quidditch gear, though not at the same time really. Adrian nodded greeting "Good day," to the shopkeep as they came in.
Molly shrugged and nodded. "A bit odd, but there are some savoury treats here too." She loved looking around in here honestly, even when she didn't buy anything. It was nice to inhale the blended scent of all the sweets and she did always seem to find something new that caught her eye.
She nodded to the shop owner as well, offering a smile (then averted her eyes from his lingering gaze.) "So, aside from your chocolate what are you looking to get?"
"Some," Adrian agreed, but only because chocolate had diverse uses and could be savory. "I'm here often enough… I wasn't really planning on looking before meeting up with you," he admitted. Now with someone else to spend a few minutes with it made sense to really look around again. "There is always something to find though."
"There's always something new." And unlike muggle shops it was usually something that she had not tried in the past. She loved the option to have candy with magical additives. It wasn't something she got to have a lot at home and so she savoured the times she had a chance to wander stores like this.
"That depends on how often you frequent the shop," Adrian pointed out with a chuckle. He was here far too often, obviously. He could even tell what days certain confections were produced on. "But often enough yes."
"I guess I'm not here often enough." She didn't mind apparating but the fact was that she had to make arrangements to be away so that the kids wouldn't be left to themselves. It was a bit harder for her than for most of her friends. "I really do love being out here though. And this hopefully will distract me from the new brooms they got in."
"Those are nice-looking," Adrian agreed. He'd seen them a day or so before. "But new models come out every year and most of us can't afford to buy new brooms that often." Okay so some of their classmates (particularly their housemates) could, but for the most part the team couldn't do that.
"I haven't had a new one since I started on the team. Maybe I should..." Molly had the money this year to do it and with the probable scouts she would need to be on her best game. She picked up a package of ice mice and examined them for a moment. Those were one snack she tended to enjoy.
Ice mice were also good choices in August. "Mine's a couple seasons old too." Although his was professional grade, a hand-me-down from Wallace, so it was competitive enough still. As much as he was looking forward to the Quidditch Finals, he was also not looking forward to them. Wallace had sent him an owl about spending time together. Apparently she was serious about the current boyfriend - or he was serious about her more likely - and wanted him to meet the special man. He hadn't told his sister yet, knowing what her reaction was likely to be. He couldn't not do what she asked though, and Sissy would rather he cut her off entirely.
"It's pretty good though still, isn't it?" Her eyes flickered around the other sweets and she plucked up another small box, caramels this time. "I don't know. I keep going back and forth on it. I have money saved and I want to get scouted so I should probably get something I can be more impressive on." She turned to him and grinned. "So, World Cup. What should I bring? Since you invited me I can't come empty handed." She had learned that much about courtesy from her parents.
"You sound like Jackson, and he's on the sofa." It seemed a little silly to Adrian that Jackson wanted to bring something he when he was already there, and he felt a bit of the same way about Molly. "Bring whatever you want," he said, giving her the same answer he gave Jackson.
Molly nodded. "Sounds good. Mac's ale for the adults, lemonade ice cubes and other treats like that for us." A small smile curved her lips again and she picked up one more small box, settling on the three things she wanted. "Okay. Pros and cons on the new broom. What do you think?"
"Sounds like a good weekend," Adrian agreed. He was reminded again - by her words - that Molly, like him, tended to avoid drinking, although for different reasons. He was reminded too that Molly knew he didn't drink. That she knew more than she should, not being part of his family.
It was easier to follow the Quidditch line of discussion. "New models are always a bit more responsive, better safety, a bit faster usually. And new broom smell. Cons are price, and whether the improvement is worth breaking in a new broom or sticking with the one whose foibles you already know."
"Excellent. Consider it happening then." While she was not as entirely opposed to drinking and would occasionally have a few beers, she rarely went much farther than that unless she was with people she trusted and that knew her.
"I have the money saved and all, so that's not huge. I think quidditch is sort of the only thing outside muggle relations I'm both qualified for and would enjoy." Because that was always a problem. You wanted to enjoy what you did. "I think I'm going to go for it. The speed is good and I can take a week and solve the new quirks before the game actually starts."
"We have practices for at least a month before the first game anyway," Adrian agreed. "And I'm not about to tell you that you shouldn't when I'm riding a professional model." An older one but still, professional grade. You've heard the rumors of scouts being a big thing this year too," Adrian added.
"Yeah, I'll have time to break it in. I'm hoping some teams take a second look at me. I'm pretty strong and skilled enough." Her lips quirked into a smile as she looked at him. "So, how much chocolate will you be getting today?"
"They would be stupid not to look at your play carefully." Adrian reassured her. As for how much he was getting, well, "they could only order it by the box," Adrian admitted, a little sheepishly perhaps, but also just straightforward. "Unfortunately it probably will not last as long as it sounds like it should."
Molly grinned at the compliment and nodded. "Like I said, skilled." Because she had developed a very extensive talent for being a beater and she worked hard to expand on it. A laugh as he said the chocolate he wanted could only be gotten by the box, and she shook her head at him. "I swear if I ate as much chocolate as you I'd weigh a ton. Where exactly do you hide it?"
Adrian arched a brow at her teasing about his habits - and weight. "Exercise burns off a lot of it." And there was obviously something in their family, since Narissa ate a ridiculous amount and remained impossibly tiny too. "I don't eat it all at once either," he pointed out. "And it's only polite to share," which reduced his stocks as well. Although really, it was the exercise and family trait that seemed to have the most influence on it.
"All true." Molly knew that she had to eat a good deal to keep her own weight because of her activity level both at home and school. It wasn't that she tended toward unhealthy things, simply that she needed a lot of food for her size. "You need a lot of energy to keep up with my practices I guess."
"Exactly. It is entirely your doing." Adrian agreed with a chuckle. He was happy to give Molly credit for his lack of weight if she wanted it. "Your practices are brutal." Honestly, he thought Molly did a good job, and was glad not to be captain. He didn't want that kind of attention. It was why, although he knew about the scouts, he was a bit leary too, not wanting his family history to end up as tabloid fodder. If he played professionally, it would be bound to come out.
"So, what about you? You like the game but you have other stuff too. What are you looking to do after school?" A smile as she walked to the counter to pay for her things. Most people had their goals decided on by this point and so she didn't expect he would be as undecided as she had been. "And my practices are thorough." A grin and she settled her purchases on the counter.
"Play, maybe, if they recruit me for a team… More likely keep working for Mom in the Gallery." Adrian enjoyed being around art and artists. He could handle other people drinking - or using other things and it was common with artists. In fact it was usually easier to hide the fact that he avoided when others were partaking. "Thorough… yes, that is one word for your practices." Adrian agreed with a laugh. "There are others…" Adrian teased, but didn't provide examples.
Molly nodded at that. "You do seem to enjoy being there. That's the important thing. Doing what you love and all." Which was why she was pretty sure Quidditch was where she would go with her life for a while. That was what she loved best about the wizarding world and it had been since she started playing.
Adrian just wished that he knew he was wanted there… that it wasn't just something to keep him busy over the summer. "It's a nice goal at least." Doing what one loved was a nice idea. Life probably wouldn't work out that nicely but it was worth hoping. He'd never managed to lose hope entirely. "We can make sure you look good when the scouts are around."
"You'll have options when you graduate I'm sure. Whatever you end up doing." Because he was pretty intelligent and obviously he had the art gallery as something he could do too. She didn't think that his mother would exclude him from it, though she'd been wrong before. "You guys always make me look good. It's how I was kept on as captain."
"Is that so? It has nothing to do with the thorough practices you run… the loyalty fostered among the members of the team… Entirely because we make you look good." Adrian arched his brow at her, before turning to pick up and pay for his chocolate. "So are you planning on buying the broom today or sleeping on it?"
"If you guys were not so awesome I wouldn't have anything to work with and you can bet Professor H would have cut my ass." She knew that the man didn't like her much and honestly it was mutual. "I think I'll grab it today. I don't know when I'm coming out next so just in case I don't get here before school, I'll have it."
"There are advantages to a team made of so many seventh year students." They all had a fair bit of experience at this point. "It may also be that none of the rest of the team wanted to be in charge… Picture Gabe trying to run a practice…" Adrian shook his head, opening the door for Molly as they exited the sweet shop.
Molly laughed at that image and nodded. "True enough. Sera might have wanted it though." But most people reacted differently to Sera. She didn't quite inspire the same confidence and affection that Molly seemed to with a good portion of the team. "I think everyone would listen though no matter what, honestly. We all want to win."
"Maybe she did." Adrian wasn't going to argue whether Sera did or did not. "Moot point anyway, Captain." And she was right - they did want to win. He opened the box and extracted one of the bars from inside it, before tucking the box away in his bag. "Want to try some?"
Molly grinned. "Sure, I'll try some." She accepted that she was the captain and everyone was okay with that for the most part. No one seemed to be complaining anyway, and she had led the team to a good season the year before, which meant she had more support behind her now.
Adrian didn't want the recognition for certain. "Swiss this time." Adrian explained. It was known he usually bragged about Belgian chocolates, so he needed to point out it was not the same this time…. Although only because he still had a stash of Belgian chocolate at home.
"Adrian, can I tell you a secret?" A tiny teasing smirk curved her lips as she bent slightly, closer to his ear level before speaking again. "The best we get at home is Cadbury." Because there were other things to spend on when your family had seven kids. She appreciated the tastes of his chocolate but she wasn't nearly as attached to the imported kinds.
"Cadbury is very good - although they use a different recipe when they sell product in the US." Adrian liked imported chocolate but wasn't so much of a snob as to dismiss Hershey either. He was enough of a snob to know the difference in recipe between different markets. "The spring eggs are perhaps the best though."
"We get those on Easter." Because she still got an Easter basket owled to her since the younger kids would be upset if the Easter bunny didn't see something to Molly. She did enjoy packages like that at school, even though she'd likely never admit it to her mom. It made her feel loved typically to know she was missed.
"Yes, Easter… spring." Adrian was not religious and forgot sometimes the candies were linked to the religious holiday. "It is good chocolate." He agreed again. "I'll have to remember to share some of the English version with you next Spring."
"That would be really good. I'll share some of my Easter basket with you. I usually get some fun treats in there." It wasn't always chocolate obviously but she tended to get some enjoyable sweets nonetheless. "So, tagging along with me to blow all my money or are you heading home?"
"Mother is expecting me back at the gallery actually," Adrian admitted, sounding slightly disappointed. It would be nice to play with a new broom a little - even if just in the store. But if he wanted to convince his mom to set him up to take over the gallery, he needed to be more than just reliable.