curser (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} curser) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} 20somethings,@ 2022-05-19 11:17:00 |
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| Entry tags: | c: alexander ollerton, c: chet davies, d: 2028 05, ~ complete, Ω: rp |
RP: Dating advice?
Who: Alexander + Chet
What: Dating Advice from Mr. Grump.
When: Thursday Lunch Break; 05/19/28
Where: Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Cursebreaker HQ
Warnings: None
Completion Status: Complete
Alexander had told Holly when he took on a couple extra shifts that it had nothing to do with her recent inexplicable panic attack. It truly hadn’t. He’d been around her long enough to know that if something like this happened, it just meant she needed space. Now locked back in the bowels of Gringotts Bank with the rest of the Cursebreakers, he’d been burning through as much of his mountains of paperwork he possibly could while ignoring the chides from some of his sophomore associates about why he even needed to work considering his relationship. It didn’t bother him, but the muffling charm he cast still came in handy until he saw Chet Davies walked into the break room looking like he needed the same hideaway.
“Davies?”
Chet nodded at the elder wizard, “Ollerton,” he greeted, as he entered the break room the Cursebreakers had claimed as their own from the Goblins long before Chet had come around. They weren’t close, and Alexander hadn’t been a trainer during Chet’s time as an apprentice, but all the Cursebreakers in London knew each other. They might not know all the field ‘Breakers, and Chet had met some new faces when he’d come back after a year in Egypt, but he’d known Ollerton as long as he’d been at Gringotts.
Then again, he’d probably learned more about Alexander since his return than he’d ever known beforehand. Because of rumours. And then things had come out in the press and on Winsta and the like, and the rumours had been proven true. Well, some of them. Chet didn’t believe Alexander was a prostitute or a kept man or anything. But he did have a long term girlfriend in billionaire heiress Holly Shingleton. How he’d managed that, no one knew.
He cocked his head at the older wizard. It wasn’t often he saw him one on one. Then again, with all the extra time they were all putting in lately, Chet especially (it felt like, anyway), it was bound to happen, right? But... Well, this might be a golden opportunity.
Coira wasn’t a billionaire heiress, at least that Chet knew of (ha ha ha), but Chet had struggled with how to balance seeing her and his duties at the Bank. Even when he wasn’t back and forth between London and Cairo, he was spending hours upon hours buried in paperwork and helping with the trainees from last year and he was going abso-fucking-lutely nuts.
“How are you?” He asked, not jumping straight to can you give me advice because you seem to have figured this shite out if the rumour mill has anything to say about it... He went to make himself a strong cup of tea at the little bench set up with coffee, tea, and a host of other draughts. He was on hour eight at the office today, even if it was only lunch time.
It was the most Chet had spoken to him since they’d both been back in the offices. Alexander didn’t mind. The office was a place he could shut off his brain and just work.
“Could be better.” Alexander drained his third cup of coffee that day already.
“I honestly don’t know how you’re doing it on top of trips to Cairo.” Alexander may have been working from the penthouse most of the time but he still managed to keep tabs on assignments, even when they weren’t to Central and South America.
“It’s impressive.” He said with a bit of jealousy. Alexander missed being in the field now that most of the trainees were moving into training in their core competencies. It meant he loomed through the offices without much of a direction. And the new wave wouldn’t come for months.
“Well, at least it’s good to know they’re burying you seniors, not just us grunts,” he replied with a little bit of a smirk to himself. Alexander was pretty much as high up as a field ‘Breaker could get, and the ever-present rumour mill had it that if the Head ever stepped down, Ollerton was the one who’d replace her. Well, that became the rumour after Ollerton’s moods had calmed and his life had seemingly stabilized. Chet assumed that had happened right around when he’d met Holly and when he’d taken on the training of the new apprentices. It wasn’t definite, and their Head was unlikely to retire anytime soon, but his name was definitely on the list, Chet knew.
Chet shrugged, “Hydrating like a motherfucker,” he said ruefully. His tea now steeped and ready to go he looked to Ollerton when he admitted it was impressive, a somewhat surprised look on his usually maudlin face. “Uh, thanks,” he answered, completely unsure if that was the right response. He certainly hadn’t gotten any of his parents’ political acumen, nor his sister’s social affability.
In his surprise, he sat at one of the little lunch tables, “Hey, uh, weird question... but how do you do it? Like, balance this career and still...” Gods, this was so awkward and personal, “Uh,” he swallowed. Putting it vaguely he finished, “Have a life.” He looked lamely at his tea, sat on the table.
Alexander looked up from the paperwork he had hidden underneath the table. He may have been out of the office more than usual, but he could still read someone’s face and Chet looked genuine.
A small chuckle pushed out of his chest, “It wasn’t easy.” Alex put the paperwork away. No one at work had ever asked him how he managed to balance his intensive schedule with a steady relationship. “I actually fucked it up before I got it right.”
The subject was a bit more involved than Alexander wanted to get into. He wondered if he could talk through it without talking about his jetsetting parents and feeling better on the road than staying in one place.
Chet didn’t mean to but he sighed when Alexander admitted he’d mucked it all up before getting it right. Chet currently felt like he was doing the same thing. Coira was an amazing girl, and he wanted to support her in the right ways and be able to enjoy their time together - but finding the time had become a major problem.
“I think I’m in that part right now,” he admitted begrudgingly, his eyes still trained on his tea.
“I mucked it up multiple times before finding the balance. It’s not easy.” Alexander sipped his coffee, wishing more than anything he was just sitting in the penthouse with Holly. He tried to choose his next words carefully. He saw a bit of himself in Chet. Dedicated to the job and to the assignments that he took. “I disappeared when she broke up with me. Threw myself back into the field. I burned through assignments week over week.” He laughed a bit thinking of the field work. “I found myself missing her and I had a sister who shook me out of my one track mind.”
He drained the rest of his coffee and got up for a refill. “With that talk, I realized I was doing the same thing my parents had done. Always on the move. Never in one place for too long. So I adjusted. Took a back seat to the ruin delving and chose her to keep the balance.” He waited trying to gauge Chet’s reactions.
“We still travel a lot for our jobs. I mean you were at the same conference in Egypt, right? But we always come back to each other on lazy Sundays and nights alone. Sometimes existing is the best we can do.”
Chet listened to Alexander carefully. Ollerton was years ahead of him, and had the option of choosing to take a back seat from the field work to take over the training program here in London. Yes, he still had to travel, but not as much and generally not ‘on assignment’. Chet didn’t have that option. Yes, he’d been welcomed back to the London office after his year in Cairo, but he was still in the thick of it, still paying his dues. He chewed on Ollerton’s story for a moment.
“I guess I just... I don’t have the desk job chances you do, no offense,” he wasn’t actually sure if that was something his superior would take offense to, but still. “And she’s got late night shows and tours,” and then he realized he didn’t know who Coira was, “Oh, she’s a musician,” he added in explanation.
“None taken.” Alexander chuckled. It took more than that to offend him. “My advice is probably shite when it comes to balancing traveling and being in the thick of it. I forget how much further along I am at times.”
Differing schedules. Ships passing in the night. He’d realized how difficult that was when he took over the training post.
Holly had been traveling for the company and there were many nights he arrived back at the penthouse completely alone. “I think I can speak on the differing schedules. When they line up, take the time. Work will always be here. She’ll always have shows and tours. But when there is nothing in the books then be with each other. The senior Cursebreakers can’t keep you here.”
Chet laughed at Alexander’s last point - a rueful little puff of air. “They can’t? Tell them that, I’m pretty sure I’ve been threatened with every curse we know (and probably a few made-up ones, too) to get these reports in on time. And it’s not like we can take the reading home, nearly all of it is required to be kept here at the office.” He shook his head, “I don’t know, it feels hopeless.” He adored Coira, but she deserved better, didn’t she?
“Maybe we should just take a break,” he said with a sigh. Let her go, let her find better, someone who was... more. More available, less walled up, ready for the commitment, professionally and personally. He shook his head again, feeling cynical and sad.
He pushed his now cold tea away and looked to his superior, “Thanks, though, for the advice, and the time.” He knew Alexander had a lot on his plate, too. “If there’s anything I can do to help, with the trainees or whatever, let me know, I’ll pay the favour back,” he gave Ollerton a small smile - he really shouldn’t be offering to do even more work, but it felt like the right gesture nonetheless.
“I should get back to it,” he said standing and stretching. He was pretty sure he was gaining back problems thanks to being bent over old books and parchments on his desk non-stop.
“Thanks again,” he through at Alexander as he dumped his tea, rinsed his mug, and set it aside for next time. Then he headed out the door of the break room back to the mess that was his corner of the office. His desk piled high, texts from Coira and his father currently going unanswered.
“Davies?”
Chet nodded at the elder wizard, “Ollerton,” he greeted, as he entered the break room the Cursebreakers had claimed as their own from the Goblins long before Chet had come around. They weren’t close, and Alexander hadn’t been a trainer during Chet’s time as an apprentice, but all the Cursebreakers in London knew each other. They might not know all the field ‘Breakers, and Chet had met some new faces when he’d come back after a year in Egypt, but he’d known Ollerton as long as he’d been at Gringotts.
Then again, he’d probably learned more about Alexander since his return than he’d ever known beforehand. Because of rumours. And then things had come out in the press and on Winsta and the like, and the rumours had been proven true. Well, some of them. Chet didn’t believe Alexander was a prostitute or a kept man or anything. But he did have a long term girlfriend in billionaire heiress Holly Shingleton. How he’d managed that, no one knew.
He cocked his head at the older wizard. It wasn’t often he saw him one on one. Then again, with all the extra time they were all putting in lately, Chet especially (it felt like, anyway), it was bound to happen, right? But... Well, this might be a golden opportunity.
Coira wasn’t a billionaire heiress, at least that Chet knew of (ha ha ha), but Chet had struggled with how to balance seeing her and his duties at the Bank. Even when he wasn’t back and forth between London and Cairo, he was spending hours upon hours buried in paperwork and helping with the trainees from last year and he was going abso-fucking-lutely nuts.
“How are you?” He asked, not jumping straight to can you give me advice because you seem to have figured this shite out if the rumour mill has anything to say about it... He went to make himself a strong cup of tea at the little bench set up with coffee, tea, and a host of other draughts. He was on hour eight at the office today, even if it was only lunch time.
It was the most Chet had spoken to him since they’d both been back in the offices. Alexander didn’t mind. The office was a place he could shut off his brain and just work.
“Could be better.” Alexander drained his third cup of coffee that day already.
“I honestly don’t know how you’re doing it on top of trips to Cairo.” Alexander may have been working from the penthouse most of the time but he still managed to keep tabs on assignments, even when they weren’t to Central and South America.
“It’s impressive.” He said with a bit of jealousy. Alexander missed being in the field now that most of the trainees were moving into training in their core competencies. It meant he loomed through the offices without much of a direction. And the new wave wouldn’t come for months.
“Well, at least it’s good to know they’re burying you seniors, not just us grunts,” he replied with a little bit of a smirk to himself. Alexander was pretty much as high up as a field ‘Breaker could get, and the ever-present rumour mill had it that if the Head ever stepped down, Ollerton was the one who’d replace her. Well, that became the rumour after Ollerton’s moods had calmed and his life had seemingly stabilized. Chet assumed that had happened right around when he’d met Holly and when he’d taken on the training of the new apprentices. It wasn’t definite, and their Head was unlikely to retire anytime soon, but his name was definitely on the list, Chet knew.
Chet shrugged, “Hydrating like a motherfucker,” he said ruefully. His tea now steeped and ready to go he looked to Ollerton when he admitted it was impressive, a somewhat surprised look on his usually maudlin face. “Uh, thanks,” he answered, completely unsure if that was the right response. He certainly hadn’t gotten any of his parents’ political acumen, nor his sister’s social affability.
In his surprise, he sat at one of the little lunch tables, “Hey, uh, weird question... but how do you do it? Like, balance this career and still...” Gods, this was so awkward and personal, “Uh,” he swallowed. Putting it vaguely he finished, “Have a life.” He looked lamely at his tea, sat on the table.
Alexander looked up from the paperwork he had hidden underneath the table. He may have been out of the office more than usual, but he could still read someone’s face and Chet looked genuine.
A small chuckle pushed out of his chest, “It wasn’t easy.” Alex put the paperwork away. No one at work had ever asked him how he managed to balance his intensive schedule with a steady relationship. “I actually fucked it up before I got it right.”
The subject was a bit more involved than Alexander wanted to get into. He wondered if he could talk through it without talking about his jetsetting parents and feeling better on the road than staying in one place.
Chet didn’t mean to but he sighed when Alexander admitted he’d mucked it all up before getting it right. Chet currently felt like he was doing the same thing. Coira was an amazing girl, and he wanted to support her in the right ways and be able to enjoy their time together - but finding the time had become a major problem.
“I think I’m in that part right now,” he admitted begrudgingly, his eyes still trained on his tea.
“I mucked it up multiple times before finding the balance. It’s not easy.” Alexander sipped his coffee, wishing more than anything he was just sitting in the penthouse with Holly. He tried to choose his next words carefully. He saw a bit of himself in Chet. Dedicated to the job and to the assignments that he took. “I disappeared when she broke up with me. Threw myself back into the field. I burned through assignments week over week.” He laughed a bit thinking of the field work. “I found myself missing her and I had a sister who shook me out of my one track mind.”
He drained the rest of his coffee and got up for a refill. “With that talk, I realized I was doing the same thing my parents had done. Always on the move. Never in one place for too long. So I adjusted. Took a back seat to the ruin delving and chose her to keep the balance.” He waited trying to gauge Chet’s reactions.
“We still travel a lot for our jobs. I mean you were at the same conference in Egypt, right? But we always come back to each other on lazy Sundays and nights alone. Sometimes existing is the best we can do.”
Chet listened to Alexander carefully. Ollerton was years ahead of him, and had the option of choosing to take a back seat from the field work to take over the training program here in London. Yes, he still had to travel, but not as much and generally not ‘on assignment’. Chet didn’t have that option. Yes, he’d been welcomed back to the London office after his year in Cairo, but he was still in the thick of it, still paying his dues. He chewed on Ollerton’s story for a moment.
“I guess I just... I don’t have the desk job chances you do, no offense,” he wasn’t actually sure if that was something his superior would take offense to, but still. “And she’s got late night shows and tours,” and then he realized he didn’t know who Coira was, “Oh, she’s a musician,” he added in explanation.
“None taken.” Alexander chuckled. It took more than that to offend him. “My advice is probably shite when it comes to balancing traveling and being in the thick of it. I forget how much further along I am at times.”
Differing schedules. Ships passing in the night. He’d realized how difficult that was when he took over the training post.
Holly had been traveling for the company and there were many nights he arrived back at the penthouse completely alone. “I think I can speak on the differing schedules. When they line up, take the time. Work will always be here. She’ll always have shows and tours. But when there is nothing in the books then be with each other. The senior Cursebreakers can’t keep you here.”
Chet laughed at Alexander’s last point - a rueful little puff of air. “They can’t? Tell them that, I’m pretty sure I’ve been threatened with every curse we know (and probably a few made-up ones, too) to get these reports in on time. And it’s not like we can take the reading home, nearly all of it is required to be kept here at the office.” He shook his head, “I don’t know, it feels hopeless.” He adored Coira, but she deserved better, didn’t she?
“Maybe we should just take a break,” he said with a sigh. Let her go, let her find better, someone who was... more. More available, less walled up, ready for the commitment, professionally and personally. He shook his head again, feeling cynical and sad.
He pushed his now cold tea away and looked to his superior, “Thanks, though, for the advice, and the time.” He knew Alexander had a lot on his plate, too. “If there’s anything I can do to help, with the trainees or whatever, let me know, I’ll pay the favour back,” he gave Ollerton a small smile - he really shouldn’t be offering to do even more work, but it felt like the right gesture nonetheless.
“I should get back to it,” he said standing and stretching. He was pretty sure he was gaining back problems thanks to being bent over old books and parchments on his desk non-stop.
“Thanks again,” he through at Alexander as he dumped his tea, rinsed his mug, and set it aside for next time. Then he headed out the door of the break room back to the mess that was his corner of the office. His desk piled high, texts from Coira and his father currently going unanswered.