RP: Normalish Again Who: Liam and Tina What: A return to semi-normal. When: 27 September 2027 Where: Pucey Potions research lab. Warnings: None Completion Status: Complete
One of the things Liam had figured out about his coworker rather early on when she started working at Pucey Potions was that Celestina Knottingley wore her emotions on her hair. He hadn't picked up on it right away, but certainly within a few months, he'd realized that he could read her moods by the color of her hair. When she'd eloped nearly three months ago, her hair had been bright and fun, and he'd been happy for her because he'd believed she was happy. Within a month, however, her hair color had slowly become darker until it seemed to be just her natural dark curls.
In the last month, more than just her hair showed her tumultuous emotions. She'd become less put together all around. It had seemed to him that she'd stopped with self-care. She hadn't even listened to music in the lab as much, even though she'd spent more and more time there with him, either working on her own research or helping him with his. Sometimes, she'd even stayed later than him.
Liam had convinced himself that he'd only noticed those things about her because Tina was his closest co-worker and had become a treasured friend. That denial could no longer be maintained when she's showed up at his house Saturday night. She'd kissed him, and even though he'd responded briefly, it had been too much too fast for him to truly process his own feelings. And he'd spent Sunday doing just thought. He'd listened to records, picked apart their friendship so far, and come to the realization that he loved her.
When she'd showed up to work this morning, looking fresh and put together, her hair a bright pink on the ends, her nails polished, he'd known even without her telling him that she'd resolved the issue of her crumbling marriage. He'd smiled at her as he told her good morning, but things were too busy for much more than that. It was nearly lunchtime when he'd noticed her typing away on her phone only to toss it away from her a moment later.
Spelling his potion into stasis, Liam crossed over to her, leaning against her workstation. "Hi," he said at first, unable to keep the small smile off his lips or out of his eyes. "It's really great to see pink in your hair again," he murmured a moment later.