Dani de Mortmoncey has all the weapons she needs (_pocketrocket_) wrote in feinted, @ 2012-04-08 00:38:00 |
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Entry tags: | !thread, dani-moyet, maxwell-boot |
Once upon a time...
Who: Max and Dani
What: He asked her to read him a story. In his lap. She obliges.
When: Backdated! Some Sunday, back in one of those months before March.
Where: One of Hogwarts’ many and convenient disused rooms
Rating: PG maybe?
Status: Cute and complete!
As she’d gotten ready for her evening, there had been a part (a small pa- no a big p- a part) of Dani that wondered at herself for doing this. Because clearly, Max was far better at English than she, as one would of course expect of a native speaker. But he’d been so adamant and she so flattered and besides, he was fun. He made her laugh (and blush, and gasp) as a regular occurrence, and that appealed to her, even if she made a habit of pretending otherwise. There had been so many times over the previous term where Dani worried she had not made sense or been taken the wrong way, that someone she could laugh with and understand - or who at least made efforts to explain - was someone she wanted to spend time with, even if the planned activities were - well, silly and unusual at best. If she had been bothered by them being something of a pretext, she would never have acquiesced in the first place.
Dani took her book of Dutch Folktales from her trunk, tossed her ponytail over her shoulder, and headed off after a quick wave to a half-empty common room. Navigating through the halls to where Max had said he’d meet her took a little longer than she’d hoped - prefect rounds had helped Dani to get used to the castle, but the break at home had seen her backslide in more than just her English skills. Eventually she found the room, a thin line of warm light spilling out from under the door and into the hall to confirm her destination. Dani raised a fist to knock, then shrugged. It could only be her, so perhaps that there wasn’t any point. Instead, the petite girl slipped inside the room, soft carpet muffling her boots as she did so. A plush, deep blue armchair by a fire stood by her evening’s company, who Dani greeted with a small smile. “Bonsoir, Max.” He was still as handsome as ever.
It had been a random teasing suggestion. The conversation had wound its way to sarcasm and ability to read, which of course led to Max suggesting that Dani teach him. In the most physically close, yet clothed, way possible. It was a typical Max statement. A little outrageous - or a lot depending on a body’s opinion - and of course involving sex. They were open statements that were rarely ever serious. If the girl that he was flirting with, hitting on, making a vague pass at (whatever varying degree) wanted to take it seriously - hell yeah. If she didn’t - that was okay too. Possibly disappointing, depending on the female, but not anything to have his feathers ruffled over. Max was insistent at times, women and sex might seem to be the few things that he was persistent about, but at the end of the day a serious and honest 'no' was just that. He could respect that and carry on … flirting or to the next more interested female. Max could be an ass, both intentionally and without thought, but his mother did teach him right.
Which was why, he had been perfectly willing to accept Dani’s set down. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t dismissed him, turned him down, huffed at him, or flipped her hair disdainfully in his direction before. He annoyed her, you know. He pushed on because he was Max and that was how it worked. It didn’t hurt that she’d gone from a hot girl to randomly flirt with, to someone entertaining (oh, he couldn’t recall ever being huffed at by someone his age - it was cute), to someone who was nearly a friend and definitely someone he got on with. He’d actually miss her when she left.
Still, he hadn’t expected her to offer to read him fairy tales. Which lead for tit for tat and next thing he knew he was semi-seriously (mostly seriously) making a case for as to why she had to read those stories on his lap. Because one might as well go for broke.
It worked. Max doubted that she’d come in in costume or wearing a short skirt or shorts. However, he was fine with that, though he’d be sure to act disappointed. Because really … it would have been nice if she had.
Dressed in baggyish jeans, with holes in them, Max managed to put on nice trainers and socks (he’d gotten them back .. long story) and a nice shirt. He waited for her in their prearranged destination.
When he heard her enter, and speak, he favored her with a grin. “Good evening, fair reader.” He bowed only after a beat.
Dani reciprocated with a curtsy without even thinking. It was an expected courtesy at her school, after all, and covered - for a few moments - that she wasn't quite sure how to begin. Small talk? She was forever needing practice in it in English. Or getting straight down to it? Which sounded forward in a way that even she wasn't comfortable with.
"The book was my Maman's," she began, thumb unconsciously sweeping back and forth over the spine. "Le stories are in English too. She uses it for her class at school so I thought it may not be too hard for you?" She flashed him a sweet smirk. There. Back to teasing him. Dani didn't feel he had her quite as much on her toes now.
Or off them, as Max had said, but that wouldn't be until they had taken a seat - right? The obvious irony of this arrangement was how easily her English could be confused, especially with the time spent at home. And Max, with his tallying and hoing and chaps, wasn't always the clearest of speakers.
Max’s smile had taken, rather unconsciously, a kind tilt when his eyes managed to catch her nervous gesture as he righted himself. It easily transformed into a smirk of his own, teasing and filled with a tad trouble, “I should hope not!” His smile turned into a grin that was much more his trademark boyish smile. Wide open, and more amused and thrilled than a body had the right to be; it was typical Max. “I trust that you will try your hardest to simplify any complexities for my understanding. It’s rather on the slow side, you know.”
He moved closer to the chair, gesturing toward it. “Shall we begin? After me?” As opposed to ‘after you’, as he had to sit down first for her to go on his lap. He was so witty. And ridiculous.
“I will do my best, making it l’easy for you,” Dani agreed, smiling a small smile and holding the book against her as Max grinned and prattled. “I am so generous to you, after all.” Or trying to be. He had a tendency of frustrating Dani, making her annoyed and huffy in a way few people could manage. She wasn’t yet sure if it was annoyance or irritation but whatever it was, Max could elicit it from her, usually with less effort than she’d like. But the petite girl was planning to make an effort tonight, not to huff at him. They would see how long her patience lasted.
“Oui.” His silly comment earned a momentary chuckle as Dani waited for Max to seat himself in the plush confines of the chair. Once he seemed settled, the blonde gave an unconscious toss of ponytail-over-shoulder and moved to take her seat. On him. It would be impractical to attempt to perch, so Dani settled in close and comfortable on his left leg, her own dangling between his once she’d sat. There was no way her feet were reaching the ground whilst sitting on another person after all. At least this way she could look him in the eye for once. The steel blue was somewhat more arresting up close. “Merci monsieur.”
Opening her book to the desired page, Dani flicked a quick glance to Max, and began in a measured voice. “In years long gone, too many for the almanac to tell of, or for clocks and watches to measure, millions of good fairies came down from the sun and went into the earth. There, they changed themselves into roots and leaves, and became trees. There were many kinds of these, as they covered the earth, but the pine and birch, ash and oak, were the chief ones that made Holland. The fairies that lived in the trees bore the name of Moss Maidens, or Tree "Trintjes," which is the Dutch pet name for Kate, or Katharine.”
It should be impossible for a person to smile this much. That is, without at least splitting their face at the seams. Nonetheless, Max managed to keep his features in tact and to only look a bit ridiculous. It brought the question as to why a person might want to smile so much and how they could smile that much. It might help that, in all actuality, he was laughing. Not a single peep came out because he managed to curb it. Anyone who said he had no self control clearly had no idea what they were talking about. Sort of. Nevertheless, Max was filled with the desire to laugh and his smile was quite the laughing one as she sat herself down, her feet unable to reach the ground. He knew better than to fully give into the desire as he knew she would take it wrong and they had started so very well, thus far. He also hadn’t given into tugging her pony tail as he was wont to do but that was mostly because he was currently enjoying twirling his finger around the ends of the soft, white blonde stuff.
“De rien, mademoiselle.” He answered with a quirk of his brow, wondering if he’d said it correctly. He had heard it once and it was simple enough phrase to pull from his memory.
He reclined back against the chair, slouching a bit, one of his elbows leaning against the arm of the chair as he listened to her read to him, of all the things. Although his smile had quickly enough dimmed and vanished there was still a pleased angle to his mouth.
Though she knew nothing of the laughter behind it, Dani could see Max’s smile from the corner of her eye. Wide and joyful and, well, the fact that he was smiling so at being here with her prompted a small, curling one of her own. As did the fact that she was cheating a little, her eyes flicking to the page in Dutch if she was feeling unsure. Not that he’d notice, or so she’d hope. So she carried on, reading about how the oak was the most beloved of all trees, and the dangers of the val, the fall which would cause the land to sink into the water, and how the Dutch fought to win their acres from the sea. As she read, she felt the gentle twist of her hair, Max’s hand brushing against the middle of her back as he toyed with it. Dani’s smile brightened, quelling the urge to giggle as a light blush rose in her cheeks.
She’d been too focused on the story - working out the English and glancing at the Dutch - to reply, though hearing him use her native tongue impressed Dani somewhat. She flashed Max a grin. For all that he seemed to enjoy stirring her up, the Welsh boy had moments of endearing sweetness that shone through. Sometimes she had to dig through the jokes and smug smirks to find them, but Dani had no doubt they were there. It’s just that occasionally she was so busy huffing and stomping her foot at him she forgot.
It would seem that they would spend the evening grinning at each other; an answering response grew over Max’s features as he just noticed Dani’s flush. She was pretty like this, not that she wasn’t pretty always. However, he enjoyed the gentleness about her soft features. Often Dani looked fierce as if she were preparing to dismiss someone who she believed would judge her before they had the idea to do so. Or haughty, or coy, or sly as she prepared to put someone in their place or to be indignant. Right at the moment she appeared relaxed. As she had no care of anyone upsetting her, or thinking wrong of her or her team, of being a tightly packed little spitfire. As if she was pleasantly surprised that she could be like that in this moment. Max chose to be pleased by this rather than insulted. He straightened himself so he might a better look at what was being read to him.
He was right, of course. Dani found herself feeling relaxed, comfortable, to the degree she was more used to finding in the library or the sanctuary of Beauxbâton’s quarters. It was pleasant, to be here and feel at ease with him. And to read, of course; one of her most beloved past times. Because it didn’t matter what language you read in, or if the stories were magical or muggle in origin; the ones that were well written could move you, could mean something, open your eyes to something new. It was why she hoped he was enjoying the tale, as the grand old oak spoke promises to Papa Van Eyk, and the little kabouter and his elf friend fashioned the very first clogs. Even if he didn’t like it though, if it was just a part of their games and silliness, she could admit to herself that she liked being here, with him. She liked that they laughed and teased, that they would banter and he’d say something to stir her into huffing at him, but this evening of sitting and smiling at each other held its own appeal. When he straightened up it felt natural to meet him, and Dani leaned against his - rather comfortable - chest and continued to read.