InsaneJournal

WHO: Gwen & Meaghan
WHEN: Tuesday, morning
WHERE: Meaghan's flat
WHAT: Gwen goes to try and cheer Meaghan up.
RATING: PG
STATUS: Complete.

Everyone was talking about the Who's Who, and while Gwen understood, it still wasn't a huge deal to her. The only thing she had to knock down straight away was the fact that she was absolutely not pregnant. Otherwise, whatever insinuations were happening were going to happen. Though she did laugh out loud at the speculation that she'd make her way to the Weird Sisters' band members next. Never mind that it already happened.

She shook her head to stop thinking about that, though -- no sense remembering old regrets and one-night stands, especially since it never came up again. And even more especially since she was going to see Meaghan before practice and that was absolutely not something Gwen wanted to let slip.

She used the Floo to get to Meaghan's, and, standing up and brushing herself off, she called out. "Oy, Meaghan, love, you here?"

Meaghan had spent a lot of time in her shower that morning. She was in a funk, it was certainly true. While she was perfectly content with how things had turned out with Terence (what happened was fun, especially in light of her terrible previous sexual encounters, but he certainly wasn't the type she could see dating in any meaningful sense), she was still worried about whether or not people would realize it was her initials attached to his. Specifically, and perhaps irrationally, she worried about whether her brother or mother would make the connection. She briefly considered owling her father to ask his advice, since he knew better than anyone how to deal with Catriona (she was still baffled as to why he put up with her mother's insanity, but he never seemed to be ruffled), but the thought of asking her father how to deal with a one night stand was really not an exciting prospect. Instead, she enlisted the help of her...well, her best friend, really, and owled Gwen.

She was, however, still in bed surrounded by cats and littered wine bottles when Gwen called out, and she sat up quickly and pushed them (and earned a couple swipes for her efforts)aside and tried to pull herself together. She really didn't deal well with either crisis or attention, so both being heaped on her was not the best for her state of mind. "Oh, yeah..one second," she called back in a panic, dashing up to throw on some real clothes, though she didn't bother with fixing her hair. "Uh, come on back," she called.

Gwen hadn't thought much of showing up at this time -- it was late morning, nearly noontime, and she had figured that Meaghan would be up. "Meg -- oh, did I wake you up?" she asked. She held out two cups of whatever it is she got from a coffee shop by her flat before Floo-ing over. It amazed her that they didn't spill all over her. "Might need to warm that a bit before you drink it," she said. She took out her wand and warmed her own up until the heat spread through the cup.

"You all right?" she asked, concerned, watching as the cats scattered and Meaghan tried to do something with her hair.

"Oh, no, you didn't, I just didn't expect you to come quite so quickly," Meaghan said, giving up and throwing her hair into a bun. "Not that I don't appreciate it, I mean. I just, I guess I'm a bit slow to start. Um, but thanks for coming so fast," she said, taking the cup of coffee gratefully and then making a face when she took a cold sip. She hadn't really registered that Gwen had told her it would be cold until the other witch warmed hers, and Meaghan nodded and followed suit. Caffeine would certainly help perk her up. Once she had taken a few warm sips, she felt significantly better, especially seeing her friend there with her.

At Gwen's question, Meaghan raised a hand to dismiss her, but could feel some ridiculous hot tears slide down her face. She shook her head, fanning her eyes with her free hand to prevent further tears as she took a deep breath. "I really shouldn't be upset about this. It's just gossip. But the last thing I need is more fodder for my mother. She already is barely speaking to me. Thank Godric we won the last game, though to hear her tell it, the win was DESPITE my incompetence and not because of my skill. Or, you know, all the other players on the field." She took another sip of coffee and felt her need to cry pass. Which was good, this was not something she needed to cry about. "I'm sorry, this is dumb. I didn't mean to make this a crisis when it isn't, I just...I keep my head down, I'm normally not talked about. No one wrote about me all those other horrible times, the one time I have a date that ended nicely, even though we're just staying friends, it ends up being gossip."

Gwen sank down onto the chair nearest her and shrugged out of her outer robes. She held her cup in both hands and sipped it again while Meaghan talked, and she was sympathetic. "I know," she said after a moment. "And I don't think this is dumb and you're not being dumb at all either. It's a hard thing, this gossip, you know. Maybe I'm just used to it by now because I keep ending up there, but the first couple times really hurt." She smiled a bit at her friend.

Maybe it was just that Gwen didn't really understand what the big deal was. But, just because Gwen shrugged it off (minus the whole pregnancy thing which was absolutely not true) didn't mean Meaghan did. Since Meaghan was one of (the only) supportive friends she had, Gwen was going to do anything she could to make her feel better. "I mean -- what are you worried about?" she asked. "That your parents will figure out you're having sex? Come on, they do. And so does your brother. Hell, I know your brother has sex -- AND one night stands -- so if he tries and make a big deal out of this, I'll hex him sideways of yesterday."

"No, it is dumb. I know I shouldn't take rumors to heart, even if this one is true. Except wanting to tie him down. I never wanted to date Terence, I just liked shagging him and talking to him, but I've gone three years without the former without problems and I can do the latter regardless, so really I don't know why I'm so upset except after mum's whole freak-out over our back to back losses...I just want to be seen as worthy in her eyes at SOME point, and this isn't helping," Meaghan said, finally taking a breath. "And I'm sure they know I have sex, but I know Catriona will find a way to be further evidence that I'm terrible. And as for Kirley...he's just over protective. I don't want him rushing to Terence to have words just because he had sex with his baby sister. And...well, yeah I know he must have plenty of one night stands, but that doesn't stop irrational protection, does it? Not that I excuse that either. I'm an independent woman, I can do what I'd like, right?" Meaghan stood up during this rant, punctuating her sentences with wild gestures that knocked a few things from nearby dressers and desks. "This is all stupid, I need to pull myself out of this little funk I've been in. Joey found me all these great clothes but I still feel...like I'm a girl playing dress up. Not that I ever did..."

Gwen frowned through all of it. "Hey, you're amazing, Meaghan, and if Terence or some other bloke doesn't see that, that's on them not on you. You ARE worth it. Your mother's blind to that too, you know? I'd snatch you up in a heartbeat for the Harpies," she said. And she meant it. She hoped she knew Meaghan wouldn't think she was just spouting hot air. "If I thought you had any desire to come over to the dark side. I know you love your team and I -- look, I know what it's like to try to live up to a parent, all right? But that's why I refuse to play for the Magpies."

She sipped more of the hot tea and tucked her legs up under her. "Name it then. Besides the clothes Joey made you buy -- and I'm hesitant to believe he picked out anything worthwhile, by the way -- what do you want to do to get out of the funk? Name your price."

Gwen reached over and gave Meaghan's knee a pat. "Also I don't really see your brother as the type to go have words with Terence either. He may be overprotective, but do you really think he'd go off and do that? He never really seemed like the type for confrontation to me."

Meaghan sighed and rolled her eyes a bit. "I didn't want Terence like that, Gwen. I mean, I don't think I'm ready to have anyone date me seriously and I don't know if I ever will be. As for my mum...well, maybe she is. But she has a hold on me, she knows she does. She raised me this way, really." She gave Gwenog a tight smile. "That's why you're better than me. Among other reasons."

She shrugged and sipped her drink, not sure of what she actually wanted. Really, in a perfect world, she wanted to be comfortable with herself and proud of her skills, and yes, maybe not a loser who hadn't ever had a boyfriend. That wasn't happening any time soon. "I don't know...something stupid and potentially dangerous?" Even as she said it, she knew it sounded excellent. "I have no idea what would qualify, I've already done karaoke and that was pretty bad. And Joey did a good job, though buying clothes is hard and the less I have to do it, the better," Meaghan said, tilting her head to the side.

"I know, you're right, but I can't help worrying. Kirley is the only member of my family that loves me unconditionally, and I just don't want him to look at me differently. I don't want him to see me as someone who's gossiped about. I want him to be proud of me."

While it was true that Gwen thought she was better than most people, really only in the realm of Quidditch, she didn't always think so about her best friends. "I'm not any better than you, Meaghan," she said with a sigh. "You've just got to learn to stand up to your mother, that's all. I think you can do it."

She sipped her tea and pulled a face. "Not proud of you? How on earth could Kirley not be proud of you? And this gossip is nothing! Honestly, I don't want you even thinking about it anymore. What can I do to make you stop thinking about it? Tell you a secret? Expound on my gossip? My gossip was juicier you know, and pretty much ninety percent true." She winced a bit. Even the Weird Sisters bit.

Meaghan gave Gwen a withering look at her comment of not being better. Clearly she was, or she wouldn't be Captain of the Harpies. Not that Catriona would ever allow Meaghan that role. "You know you're better than I am, but still, that's not the point. I'm still working on separating for myself my mum's opinion as my mum and as my owner." She shrugged and set her drink down. "It's easier said than done, is all." She let her breath out slowly and gave her friend a smile. "I'm trying, you know? It isn't easy for me, to have people pay attention to me. I don't...I just don't like it at all. First the hate mail, now this? I just want to do my job and have fun and not have to worry."

She shrugged her shoulders at Gwen's comment. "I don't know, really. Maybe it would help if I knew someone else's drama was worse than mine, though I don't like thinking of YOU having drama, if that makes sense. I'm always willing to listen though, and helping you would make me very happy."

Gwen didn't really know what to say to help. She frowned. "Well, have you thought about looking for another team? I mean, really considered it?" Like she said before, she knew she could never play for the Magpies because of her dad, and Meaghan didn't have to play for Pride of Portree. "Would that help at all?"

She laughed a bit. "I can't really help it that I've got drama. It's always sort of followed me round a bit you know, though it's only recently that it's started to show up in the gossip rags. It's so weird reading about yourself, isn't it? And to see what they get right, what they don't, and what they completely miss."

Meaghan shrugged again, feeling a little like she was being petulant. She didn't want to contradict her friend, but she did make it sound much easier than it would be. "No one else has expressed any interest. At least not in years. I don't think I'd have anywhere else to go to. I want to play, and I love Portree. I don't even know where I'd go if it wasn't Pride. I mean, I know you say you'd have me on the Harpies, but I'm not sure if that's you as a friend or you as a player talking. Pretty sure it's you as a friend. But I'm not unhappy where I am. I'm just...I don't like gossip, that's all." She wasn't sure if that was really true, but trying to think about the possibility of leaving her team was overwhelming.

She furrowed her brow though, at Gwen's statement. "You don't deserve to be spoken of like that. Why should you get talked of just because you've been on a few dates? I don't really understand that at all. What have you done, really? So you slept with Oliver Wood and Regulus Black. So what? Does anyone even really know about that? How would they? I don't know. I hate gossip. Let's just...ignore all that. Maybe we should go out on the town and just have a girl's night and forget it all."

Gwen chose to not respond to most of the stuff about Meaghan playing for the Harpies, if only because she hadn't really thought it through enough to be able to say which way her suggestion would fall. She knew Meaghan was a great Quidditch player, and to be honest, Gwen thought that her muck ups and lack of self confidence were because she was playing under her mother. It had nothing to do with lack of talent. It was sure something to think about though, sure.

She shrugged. "Yeah, well, Regulus took major offense to it and then everyone sided with him. So I guess I was the slut and I was wrong so why not make gossip out of that?" Of course, Gwen didn't believe a word of it. She just felt awful that she mucked things up so badly and that, well, she hated that everyone was treating her like crap for it. "Sure, let's go out. Soon, yeah? What about this Saturday? Invite a bunch of girls? And Joey too, of course."

Eyes wide and blinking, Meaghan tilted her head to stare at her friend. She couldn't believe that Regulus had really said that, and it made her suddenly dislike him rather intensely for a moment. She supposed she understood that he had liked Gwen and was upset she slept with someone else, but even Meaghan didn't think Gwen acted in a particularly amoral manner. "I'm sorry Gwen, but that's actually stupid. You sleeping with someone doesn't make you a slut. Don't say that." She chewed her bottom lip and sat up a bit straighter. "You're right. Why not this weekend? Screw all this stupid stuff. Let's forget about men at all and just have fun. As far as I can tell, none of it feels particularly worth it." She smiled widely and Gwenog and stood up. "Thanks for coming Gwen. I should clean this place up and wallow less. You want some breakfast while I clean and we can just talk about the upcoming games? Despite everything, I feel good about them. What do you say?"

Gwen let Meaghan have her piece about the word slut and flapped her hand a bit. She'd eventually put it past her and hopefully everyone else would once they realized there were better things to talk about. Well, not better, really, but at least different things to talk about. "This weekend sounds brill. Let's shoot for dinner and dancing or something more than just drinking or pub trivia for once?" She paused a bit. "Who should we invite?" Was it bad that she wanted to be picky about this?

At the offer of breakfast though, Gwen stood. "Had a danish at when I grabbed the tea actually, but thanks for the offer. I should get out of your hair and do some laps before practice starts." She smiled at her. "And you don't have to thank me. This is what I'm here for, you know."

Meaghan smiled and nodded. Something different, while frightening, was good for her. She had thought going shopping would be a horrific experience, and while it was difficult, she had survived and had prettier clothes as a result. Meaghan was almost 30; she couldn't hide behind her insecurities too much longer without ending up alone and lonely for the rest of her life. She needed to go out and grab the world, and if the start was dancing with Gwen and Joey, by Godric, she would do it. "Sounds good!" she said, smiling. "And...well, it could just be the three of us, if you'd like. Make sure we love everyone we're with, you know?" She wasn't sure if Gwen was avoiding someone in particular, but at least she was giving her the option of limiting their outing if her friend needed them to.

At Gwen's turning down her offer for breakfast, Meaghan nodded and then pulled Gwen into a hug. "I don't have to but I will anyway. I don't really have...I'm a little hard on friends, you know. With my...issues. So I treasure the ones who have stuck with me all these years. And I treasure you pretty much the most," she said with a wide grin. "You can stay as long as you like, but I think I need to make my flat and myself look a little more polished."

Gwen returned the hug tightly and grinned, holding what was left of her tea off to the side. "I'll head out and leave you to it. We'll figure something out. Maybe we can even ask Tonks. She's cool. She'd probably get on well with the three of us." She pulled back and headed for the floo. "Owl me if you need anything, yeah?" she asked as she reached for the bag of Floo powder.

"Tonks is great. The four of us can conquer the world. Alright then, you go on. I'll ward you later and we can figure out the rest," Meaghan said, trying to run her hands through her hair and nearly getting her fingers stuck. She had a lot of work to do, that was certain. She smiled and waved as Gwen stepped into the floo, and then sighed as she heard her whoosh away. Looking around her cottage, she could see there was no easy place to start, and just decided on going with the hardest part first. Grabbing a towel, she headed to the bathroom to get herself in order. The flat would be there when she got out.