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erniedtmac ([info]erniedtmac) wrote in [info]finnigans_rpg,
@ 2014-11-03 23:16:00

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Entry tags:character: ernie macmillan, character: theodore nott

Who: Ernie and Theodore
What: An actual date
Where: Dip & Swish cafe, Diagon Alley
When: Monday, November 3 - 6pm
Status: Closed / Ongoing



That day, Ernie's professionalism was the very thing that saved him from being a complete mess. All right, it wasn't that bad, but he'd felt nervous flutters in his stomach all day, every time he thought of his plans for the evening. After work, he was more than happy to toss away his ugly healer's robes and find something a little more... flattering, like some Muggle denim trousers that he'd bought on a shopping trip with Justin and a nice, dark purple jumper.

He showed to the cafe with minutes to spare, not wanting to be late and knowing he'd need a few minutes to calm down. He didn't really know why he was so nervous, he'd had plenty of dates before, but this one just seemed a little more important. Maybe it was because Theodore was so elusive in his own way, and that Ernie felt lucky just to be given a chance. The other man didn't seem to trust easily - Ernie hoped he was worthy of it.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-04 07:11 pm UTC (link)
Theo had managed to cope with the lead up to the date by the distraction of his new job at What the Book and copious amounts of calming potions. He'd gone from 'it won't last anyway once Ernie finds out what I am, so what's the harm' to 'no one must ever know, what am I doing' to 'this is just a joke' to 'this is all going to end in tears and heartbreak' sometimes in the space of ten minutes. He was pretty drugged up about half an hour before the date which meant that by the time he got to the cafe he was mostly calm without being groggy or doped up. He was dressed in soft charcoal black trousers and a long-sleeved hunter-green tshirt with a v-neck over a black-tshirt underneath, a plain black robe with a simple hood over the top to keep him warm. The sleeves of his tshirt came down over his fingers and he had his wand tucked away safely, rubbing his index finger over his thumb knuckle anxiously, chewing at his bottom lip nervously.

He turned up exactly on time to find Ernie already there and hoped his date - that was strange to think - hadn't been waiting a long time. "Hey." he said with that shy smile, his eyeline dropping because he still found it hard to make eye contact.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-05 03:15 am UTC (link)
Ernie turned when he heard Theodore's voice and smiled. He nervously stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling out of his depth. Usually on dates, he flirted a lot, injecting innuendo into much of what he said, and tried to make his date laugh as much as possible, all the while trying to be at his most charming. That wasn't going to work here, he knew. He could be charming and friendly, maybe even try to get Theodore to laugh, but anything else might scare the other man off. Yet despite himself, he thought of it as a challenge.

"Hey," he replied. "Just on time. But then, how could you resist a dinner with a handsome healer." He bit his bottom lip, waiting to see what Theodore's reaction would be to that bit of humour - it would help him decide whether he should tone himself down or not.

"You look nice," he offered with a soft smile, appreciating how nicely the particular shade of green looked on his friend.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-08 02:08 am UTC (link)
Theo was hesitant on how to slip into the groove of being someone's date, having not gone on a date before. He spent a couple of minutes thinking over what he was told but he had to remind himself that he'd agreed to doing this and remember that the whole reason he agreed to doing this was because Ernie had made him feel safe. Ernie didn't mean anything by what he'd said and he smiled a little in response. "I couldn't."

He took a slight step back at the compliment though, never comfortable with being noticed and less so with any comments about how he looked. He reached up with his bad hand and pushed his ever-annoying hair out of his face back behind his ear where it immediately popped back into his face. "Uhm, thanks..." he mumbled, picking at the hem of his cloak. He gave Ernie a genuine smile though and came a little closer. "You look really nice. I like that shade of purple." He said, almost reaching out to touch it but pulling his hand back and aborting the movement. "Uhm, are you ready to go in?"

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-08 07:06 pm UTC (link)
Ernie blushed a little and was happy his attempt at humour had been well-received. It relaxed him a little, thankfully, as first dates were unnerving enough without any added pressure, even if it was a pressure he was putting on himself.

The blush eventually turned into a full-blown grin at the aborted movement, a small thing that spoke volumes to Ernie and let him know that there was indeed some mutual thoughts and feelings here. There had been moments he'd worried he'd pressured Theodore into this, pushed him into accepting something he didn't actually want. Those doubts were all but gone now. He moved over to the door and held it open for Theodore. "After you."

The cafe was decorated simply, not the fanciest of places, but the food was good and the service friendly. They were met by a waitress who showed them to a booth and left them with menus before going to fetch some food for another table, giving them time to settle in and decide what they wanted.

"So, how was your weekend?" he asked conversationally, flipping open his menu to take a look.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-08 11:03 pm UTC (link)
Nott Senior's fingers had pushed their dirty way into every aspect of his son's and now his fingerprints were rubbing off on Ernie too, merely by association with Theo himself. Living under it was as though Theo was carrying a sack of rocks on his back twice as big as he was, but the start of emptying the bag and freeing himself was by doing this, trying to be normal and following through regardless of the weight. That Ernie reacted the way he did made it easier for Theo to carry the weight by not adding to it or making Theo more aware that it was there. Showing anything true of himself would always be hard, but that little slip had done more for the tiny thing between them than he could have guessed.

Theo entered the cafe and was relieved to be seated in a booth, casting a couple of quick spells so that he couldn't be pounced on unexpectedly without even realising he was doing so. He gave Ernie another one of those rare smiles and had a quick look through his menu, not sure what he'd be able to stomach. He wasn't expecting such a innocuous question and he looked a little bit like a rabbit in the headlights for a second before answering. "Oh, I, I spent it packing." He revealed. "I moved out of my flat and into a friend's place for a while. Other than that it was quiet though." he laid his bad hand flat on the table and it didn't shake, which he was pleased about. "And yourself? Up to anything fun?"

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-09 01:18 am UTC (link)
The initial nerves of meeting up with Theodore had mostly dissipated by now, which meant that at the next smile, Ernie's stomach started to flutter for completely different reasons. For a moment he wondered how awkward it would be to ask a bloke on a date at a cafe and not to be able to eat, but he knew better - Gwen Macmillan's son had always had a solid appetite, and the stomach to show for it.

"Packing?" He remembered Theodore being worried about having lost his job, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that he'd moved. At least he wasn't alone, and hopefully his friend was understanding of his sleepwalking. "I hope the move went well. Sometimes it's nice to live with someone else, there's always another person there to cook with and to talk to whenever you want." Not that Ernie knew much about living with others - he was an only child and had lived alone ever since he'd left home, and only at Hogwarts had he ever had to share a space with others.

"Not much here. I did a Sunday shift, so I really only had Saturday off. I read a little, listened to the wireless, cooked a chicken pot pie. It was comfortable at least."

The waitress returned to get their orders, and Ernie asked for a Chamomile tea and some chicken parmagiana. He looked to Theodore to find out what the other man wanted.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-09 04:35 pm UTC (link)
Theo nodded. "It was an easy move; I don't really have much stuff. But you're right, it's nice to have someone else in the house." Although he'd started to double hex his wards so that he didn't wake anyone up with night terrors, screaming or sonambulism, although waking up bruised from walking into the walls and the wards over the doors was getting old.

It was nice to listen to Ernie's day and that next to what Ernie had said about living with someone put images in his mind about being there, about cooking while Ernie was away working and having everything ready for him to come home to, napping while Ernie was reading, listening to the wireless with him, watching while he bumbled around the kitchen making delicious smells that might even entice him to eat. The thoughts simultaneously comforted and terrified him and he hid away in the menu for a second to gather his thoughts.

He was going to ask how the pie came out when the waitress reappeared to take their order. "May I have a coke with no ice and the fishfingers and chips please." he asked, resisting the urge to order from the kid's menu, looking up at Ernie like he was subtly checking it that was okay.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-09 06:26 pm UTC (link)
Ernie was pleased to hear that the move had gone all right, but he felt a little pang at hearing that Theodore didn't have much to move. He was tempted to get him something as a housewarming present but was afraid to seem too forward - it could still be a friendly gift, though, right?

He smiled at Theodore after the other man made his order. "Their fishfingers are good, I've had them here before." The waitress smiled at that and moved away to get their orders in to the kitchen.

"Have you ever been to Musical Maladies in Hogsmeade?" he asked. He remembered how one of their first conversations had been about music, and with his outing with Zacharias in his mind, he thought he'd see if Theodore knew of the venue. "I heard they have a Blues Night on Fridays."

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-09 11:01 pm UTC (link)
Theo had all the default programming there to potentially be victim to letting himself be abused in a relationship, if he'd ever be able to get that far. That Ernie was a good guy with a heart of gold was some kind of kismet, certainly something that Theo would be thankful for; he was almost too good to be true. Ernie's seal of approval was good enough for Theo and he kept it in mind for when their food finally arrived.

"No, I've never been." he said in all honesty, as he was rarely social and never went out to places like that where there'd be a large crowd and poor audibility. His therapist would jump for joy if he did go to somewhere like that though, a place where he wouldn't be able to rely on his hypervigiliance as a crutch and have to interact like a normal person would do. "Oh... I've never been anywhere to listen to it played live before." he admitted, equal parts curious and cautious. His curiosity was where to bait the hook though, the saying about it killing the cat never as true as when applied to Theo. It wasn't a failsafe method of getting him to leave his comfort zone, especially these days, but it was the largest lever possible that yielded the best results when trying to coax him into agreeing to a new idea. "Is the place any good?"

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-10 02:20 am UTC (link)
To stop his hands from getting restless, as they sometimes did with nothing particular to do, he folded them on the table before him. "I've been a couple of times, but not for the Blues Night. The drinks are good, the bands are an interesting mix - some better than others, but more often than not they're pretty good. And most people go to watch the bands, so there's not much dancing or jostling around. It's actually pretty nice and respectful, if a little loud at times."

A small tray approached their table, having been levitated by the waitress. Ernie took his tea from it and gave the woman a smile in thanks. "If you ever want to go, I'd be happy to go with you. It could be fun." He bit his bottom lip, hoping he wasn't going too far in assuming Theodore would be fine with another meeting, whether or not it was a 'date'.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-14 12:29 am UTC (link)
It sounded as though the place would have Theo on high alert, but it didn't sound as bad as he thought it might from the way Ernie described it. He knew enough spells and hexes to keep himself from being buffeted and poked around too much as well, even if he did tend to be a bit loathe to use them in public as they could actually draw more attention to the fact that he didn't want to be touched and crowded sometimes.

He was aware of their surroundings enough that he didn't jump when the tray came to their table and he likewise took his drink and took a sip, his ever-present warning spell not alerting him to any poisons or potions that might be in his drink; Theo really took paranoia to a new level. Ernie offered to accompany him to a Blues night at this place and really he would feel a lot better going with someone he somewhat trusted rather than going on his own, especially if the place would be loud. It didn't dawn on him that Ernie could be asking him on a date. "Yeah, it could be, I'd like to do that." he agreed that semi-awkward smile responding to Ernie's unsure expression.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-14 04:00 am UTC (link)
Ernie felt a little giddy at Theodore's response. It was always a positive sign to line up a second date before the first was even over... but then, maybe it wasn't meant as a date but as a friendly outing, which was how Ernie had offered it, but he wanted more, but would Theodore, and... If he could mentally slap himself, he would. Bloody hell, even his mind babbled.

"Great," he said with hope in his eyes. At the very least, they would see one another again. Not to mention, Theodore's smile was more endearing to him than it should be.

"So, have you read anything interesting lately? I don't know if I told you that I finally got through The Wasp Factory," he said, mentioning the book Theodore had given him so many weeks ago when they'd first started getting to know one another.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-14 03:47 pm UTC (link)
Theo wasn't used to seeing someone else so pleased at the simple idea of just seeing him; the thought was alien but it made a tiny curl of happy warmth unfurl in his chest, one that Ernie had triggered in him before. He sipped his coke and tried to commit how the little bloom of happiness felt to memory, another one of very few weapons in his small arsenal against the armada of horror that he felt always circled his mind, a dark moat in his subconscious waiting for him to fall into it. In this scenario, Ernie was a lighthouse.

"I actually haven't had the time." he said, sounding rueful. He'd been drawing lately, or what passed for drawing anyway - he didn't claim to be Monet and these were more scribbles than anything else. "I've been drawing." he said, confessed even, because the act of doing so was private for him, like keeping a diary would be to other people. "What did you think of the book?" he asked, interested, leaning forward and absently circling his finger around the rim of his glass.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-15 06:19 pm UTC (link)
Ernie could definitely see how little time Theodore might have for reading - or even desire - considering how his last few weeks had been. "Well, it's been a bit rough lately, so I don't blame you. Maybe now that you're a little more settled, you might be able to get a little more reading done." His eyebrows, however, lifted at the mention of drawing. This was new. "You're an artist too? Do you draw anything in particular? I'd love to see your work one day." He hoped he sounded encouraging rather than overly enthusiastic, but he wanted to learn so much about Theodore and what he liked to do - basically, everything about him.

"It was different," Ernie began. The book had been disturbing in some ways, but had also been an interesting look into the mind. "It was sad, especially when the truth came out about Frank's gender and the kids he'd killed, not to mention how lonely and resentful he'd been before that. Some parts were hard to get through, I'll admit, but I did like how he was shown as human, you know? Because people aren't just 'good' or 'evil' - we're all somewhere in the middle. But Frank's dad was terrible - imagine doing that to your children."

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-15 08:12 pm UTC (link)
Theo nodded, hoping that he'd get some time to read as well although that tended to leave his mind with more time to wander. He wasn't expecting the interest in his drawing though and was quick to clarify what he'd meant. "Oh, no, I'm no artist, not by a long shot." he said earnestly, hoping Ernie took him at face value and not as false modesty. "They're little more than scribbles, they're, they're terrible." he said honestly, thinking back to them, a book stuffed with charcoal scruff, graphite shadows and sometimes felt tip swathes, usually in black. "It, it's more of a therapy thing." he ended, but even then - maybe one day he would show Ernie.

He'd been interested in Ernie's take on the book, and liked what Ernie said about good and evil and people being people, something that had plagued him when he'd been younger and trapped between Slytherin and Pureblood.

For his part, Theo had been interested in the Gothic themes, the casual cruelty that had spoken things to him that he hadn't been able to really hear. He'd seen something in the rituals that Frank created and the death's of the wasps and the actions of someone else isolated in a place by themselves, like he was seeing a what-could-have-been, Frank a character he could empathise with in some strange way that might have scared him. The revelation at the end of the book had been satisfyingly unexpected but he'd never really concentrated on the father in the book, his mind skimming neatly over mention of him almost without his realising it. Ernie had zeroed in on that specific point and Theo heard white noise for a second, flinching.

"Hm, no. Well. Some people create objects just to assert their will over them." he said quietly and then changed the subject. "Do you draw? Or paint or anything? Musical instruments?"

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-15 11:34 pm UTC (link)
Ernie hoped he hadn't embarrassed Theodore by talking about his drawing, but he'd genuinely been interested. "Well, if you feel good doing it, then they can't be completely terrible. That's all that matters in the end." He tried offering an encouraging smile.

He'd hoped to have a chat about the book that Theodore had enjoyed enough to recommend, but for some reason, his date changed the subject. There must have been something in what Ernie had said that had affected Theodore, but he'd think on it later. Right now, they were here to relax and have fun and get to know each other better - it wasn't the time to be a healer or a counsellor. He let it slide.

"I can put colours together, if that counts," he said with a chuckle. "Never had any artistic talent per se, but I love to listen to music, and I'm a pretty good dancer, both when out with friends at a club as well as more proper dances likes the waltz, foxtrot, or rumba. I've been running the dance night at Finnigan's lately, or at least most nights. It's fun, and it takes me away from my worries for a while. Oh, and no talent talk can go by without mentioning I'm okay with a spade and watering charms - my Mum's the herbologist in the family, though. You should see her roses! And you? Anything other than art that you love?"

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-15 11:54 pm UTC (link)
Theo gave a short half-laugh at Ernie's commentary on his drawings because really, he hadn't seen them. The smile lingered though and it was aimed at Ernie even when he lifted his glass and sipped at his coke. He let the shadow of the topic of father's slip away to the little box where it could stay and paid attention to a much more pleasing topic - Ernie.

He shrugged good naturedly because it could do - he'd seen the abstract art of some painters and had actually enjoyed it more than landscapes and portraits - but it seemed that Ernie's passions lay elsewhere. "I like the waltz." he mentioned, having been trained in most of the formal sociable dances (and some of the more obscure, just in case) during his pre-Hogwarts education. "Or at least, I like hearing it played and watching it peformed. I'm not a dancer." he disclaimered quickly.

"Did you like Herbology?" he was curious to know. "What kind of plants do you like? What kind of roses does- do you have?" he asked, skipping again over family, always family. He withdrew back into studying his glass a little, irritated at himself but not showing that on the outside. "Well, thestrals, as you know." he hadn't seen any in a while though. "I like researching obscure magic. Oh, I like languages." he added, recalling that this wasn't something everyone else appreciated.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-16 01:41 am UTC (link)
Ernie felt frozen in place by that smile, his eyes on it even when it was partially obscured by the glass of soda. For a moment, his mind wandered to things he would love to do to those lips and he had to bite his own to distract himself from staring. A light blush flushed his cheeks as he moved to take a sip of his tea.

"Have you ever tried?" he asked when Theodore talked about waltzing. "It's fun. And sometimes all it takes is the right partner, you know? Sort of like a good friendship." Or a good romance.

He shrugged at the mention of Herbology. "I didn't care for the class as much as I like to do it on my own time. I have some growing room on my patio at home, but I mostly plant for the spring and summer so nothing's in bloom right now. Usually some peonies, some black-eyed susans, and even a little mint and rosemary. As for the roses, they're Mum's special breed - she grows them herself. Macmillan's Ever-Changing Roses." He grinned in pride at his mother's work. "They change colour every few seconds, going through almost every colour in the world except for black. They only turn black when held by someone who's recently dabbled with dark magic, apparently, though I've never seen it myself."

He smiled at the reminder about Theodore's interest in thestrals. He would have to ask him about them later, see if he's done any further research or work with them. "So you're a cunning linguist," Ernie teased. "Which ones do you know? I pretty much know English and Scots Gaelic, but I've heard a few others and they were quite nice sounding. And as for the obscure magic, it could definitely be fun to look up new spells and uses for old ones. Are you researching anything in particular right now?"

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-16 05:16 pm UTC (link)
"I've been tutored in it." he said, a little awkward, especially with what Ernie said about the right partner. He hoped his friendship with Ernie, if that was what this still was, wouldn't be like his waltzing. "I've never really been the social dance type." Which didn't mean he hadn't had to attend them, over and over; his desires had always taken a backseat to his father's wishes.

He liked the idea of growing little things on the patio and would have given it a try had he not considered himself inept when it came to looking after anything, the rats were a shining example of that. He was intrigued by the roses though, although he wasn't sure he'd ever want to touch one. He imagined meeting Ernie's mother and being shown the roses only to hold one and have it turn black to it's core; he wasn't going to kid himself, Dark Magic had to have seeped into his pores by now. He wouldn't be meeting Ernie's mother though, so he supposed he'd be safe. "I don't know a lot about Herbology but that sounds almost impossible. She must be very talented." he said with sincerity and respect for someone who could breed that kind of magic into roses; they sounded amazing and the Ravenclaw part of him wanted to find out more.

He tucked some hair back behind his ear and looked down, a little bashful at talk of his linguistic skills, taking another sip of his coke and considering if he'd need to order another when the food arrived. "I'm not researching anything at the moment. I've put anything more obscure on the back burner for the time being, but I kept the books from the library." He'd had to, after selling the Nott Estate. He wasn't about to let anyone get into those books and end up injured by the hexes his father had likely put on them to keep them from stranger's hands, in much the same way that he'd had to remove the 'devices' from the attic and clear, dehex and uncurse the grounds as much as he could. He'd handed it over with the suggestion that some Cursebreakers take a look before anyone settle into it, just in case there were spells in places that even he didn't know about - he wouldn't put it past his father to have done so.

"I like the Celtic languages but I actually don't speak a lot of them. Well, Welsh and I can get by with Irish. I know German, French, Greek, Spanish, a lot of the European languages, Russian, Romanian, Czech a lot from those areas and the Scandanavian languages a bit but those are pretty similar so once I had Norwegian down it was pretty easy to pick up Swedish and Danish. Hindi. Tamil and Urdu but I haven't quite started on that part of the world yet. I can get by in Chinese but I feel more comfortable using a translator spell with conversation, I'm better with text for that and Japanese." He slowed down to a stop, realising that he'd been babbling on a little. "I'm not completely fluent in all of them, and I'm better conversing in some than reading but, yeah, I don't know, languages are just easy." he shrugged a little.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-17 03:31 am UTC (link)
"That's all right," Ernie said with a shrug, not wanting to pressure Theodore about dancing. "Some people prefer to dance, and others to watch. You're always welcome to watch my dance nights at Finnigan's, if you like."

He nodded, always happy to brag about his mother. "She is. It's some sort of combination of spellwork and magical dungs, but she refuses to tell me exactly how to do them until I've more time to dedicate to the study of them. Maybe one day, though." He also made a point to remind himself to get one of the roses to bring to Theodore someday, just so he could see.

Ernie understood about putting reserach on the backburner. He wondered if Theodore doubted himself after what had happened with the rats, as it seemed he didn't read and didn't research anymore, at least not as much as he said he used to. "The wonderful thing about books is they'll always be there when we're ready for them."

His jaw dropped as Theodore listed all the languages he had some degree of familiarity with. "Tell me again why you're not working as a translator for the Ministry or for Gringotts'?" he said teasingly. "It must be incredible to have so many languages in your mind. I wouldn't understand most of them, but I'd be happy to hear you speak some of them."

Another tray floated their way carrying their dinners. Ernie's plate of chicken parmagiana rose up off the tray and he quickly moved his hands and tea so that it could rest on the mat in front of him. He grinned and his stomach rumbled a little in hunger. "Looks good," he said with a grin to his companion.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-19 12:46 pm UTC (link)
While Theo was a regular at Finnigan's, if only to attend Battlescars and sometimes haunt the Nook, he rarely looked in on the extra activities like that and hadn't seen Ernie's dance nights. "What are your dance nights like?" He asked, honestly curious although not because he wanted to really take part - like he said, he'd never been the social dance type.

"Your mother sounds like a smart woman." Theo commented, appreciating the way she'd pay information for work on Ernie's part, but respecting the method as well. He smiled at Ernie's reminder about books as well; maybe he would start researching again. Maybe.

Theo blushed and ducked his head down, hiding behind his hair at Ernie's teasing admiration. "I don't think they'd have me." he admitted, playing with his Coke glass. "I could teach you some, maybe?" he offered gingerly.

He looked up as the trays came over and similarly made room for his dinner, smiling back at Ernie, the smiles coming a little easier after the first few, his face getting used to excercising those muscles now. He cut away a little piece of fishfinger before spearing it on his fork and studying it dubiously. His stomach growled a little but he couldn't seem to make his mouth open to eat the food. He took another sip of his drink and then managed to take the bite, eating like it was a chore. "Does yours taste as good as it looks?" he asked Ernie, poking at a chip.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-23 03:16 am UTC (link)
"They're fun," Ernie replied. "Mostly fast music, but we play the occasional slow song. And I teach people to dance. I choose a style - usually a merengue or salsa or cha-cha - and lead a group lesson, and then after that I show people steps one-on-one. It's nice to be able to do something other than healing, you know?"

He grinned, pleased both at the offer and the opportunity to spend more time with Theodore. "I'd love to learn, yeah. Though you speak so many, it would be hard to choose which one to learn. I'd have to leave that choice to you. But I know if I were working there, I'd hire you in a minute."

Ernie and food had a very intimate relationship, so when the plate sat before him, he did not hesitate in digging in. "It's really good," he said after swallowing a bite. "Just the right amount of breading, fabulous tomato sauce, and more than enough cheese on top. A good parmagiana is a work of art, you know." He smiled. "And the fish?"

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-24 01:21 pm UTC (link)
Theo nodded because he could understand how taking a break might feel better, especially when so much of who Ernie was seemed to be part of his profession; he was pretty sure if you cut Ernie down the middle he'd have 'Healer' written right through him. That might have been why something about the way Ernie spoke about dancing made him want to try it.

"Hm, maybe you could teach me another dance and I could teach you another language. Something that might help with your new idea, maybe - translation spells can be unreliable sometimes." He was bashfully shy about Ernie's faith in him, not sure that it wasn't misplaced.

Theo might not have liked to eat but it turned out that he liked to watch Ernie eat. Ernie's sheer pleasure in something so simple as a good meal made Theo smile from deep inside and he wished for a moment that he could summon the same enthusiasm for something he really should do more often. "It's good." he said, because it was - the fishfingers weren't too dry or too soggy and the chips were well done, cooked all the way through and not too crispy. He just couldn't bring himself to delve in with any gusto. "Better than I could make for myself." he admitted easily.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-25 07:03 pm UTC (link)
Teach Theodore to dance? Ernie had a vision of trying to teach him either a rumba or a beloro, something slow and romantic, and his face warmed up a little at the thought. "I think that sounds like a deal. We'll exchange one art for another."

"That's the wonderful thing about eating out - we don't have to worry about cooking. Not that I mind, I enjoy it, but it's more fun when I'm cooking for more than one. If it's just me, I'd rather just get take-out." He twirled his fork in the spaghetti that sat next to his chicken, eyeing it with anticipation. "So I'm guessing you don't cook much? Does your friend, the one you moved with, does he cook?"

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-25 10:35 pm UTC (link)
Art for art? Theo liked the way Ernie had with words and turn of phrase - it was something that he liked to play with himself and sometimes, when he was having a bad patch or back in the Janus Thickey ward, it had been the only way he'd been able to communicate, word play and hidden meanings.

"I don't." Theo agreed on the cooking point. "I can, if I have to, but not very well and I don't, don't really make anything that requires much cooking." he could live on cereal. "Draco... you know, I'm not sure. He was always good at Potions and he works in a similar field so I have no doubt that he could, but I'm not sure if he does." Once again, cereal tended to be a staple of Theo's diet and he tended not to eat very often when he was at home. Lunch happened at work and he grabbed breakfast but he often couldn't bring himself to face dinner.

"But you cook? You seem to know a lot about food."

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-11-26 05:43 am UTC (link)
Ernie had been eating his pasta when Theodore replied and started talking about his friend, whose name he had not said until this moment. At the sound of Draco's name, he breathed and swallowed at the same time and started choking on his food. He coughed and lightly pounded on his chest, then reached out for his tea, needing to drink something to get his food down.

Malfoy?! He'd known Theodore had been in Slytherin, but he'd never actually thought about the fact that he would have known Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle. He really should have thought of it before, but the vision he had of his friend was so different from what he had in mind for the others in that House.

"I'm sorry," he said, voice raspy. "Went down the wrong hole." He took another sip of tea and forced the fact from his mind, for now at least. He'd have to think on it later - he knew that anyone who dated him would have to accept his friends, and he'd always known the opposite was true as well, he just had never imagined having to accept Malfoy.

"I do. Sometimes just baking something sweet, and others its making a dish to bring to a friend's. It's fun, relaxing, sort of like making potions actually, except it tastes much, much better." He tried for a smirk. "Maybe if you're lucky, you might get to taste my chicken pot pie."

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[info]nottfinished
2014-11-28 05:50 pm UTC (link)
Theo was startled when Ernie choked, not sure what to do and pushing Ernie's tea closer when he reached for it. He had no idea what he'd done but the panic in him rose until Ernie managed to speak. "Are you okay?" he queried, first and foremost worried about Ernie, reaching out to him across the table.

He watched and still worried when Ernie calmed down and answered him. He tried to smile back at Ernie's smirk but it didn't really work when he was so concerned. "Maybe... are you sure you're okay?"

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-12-01 04:17 pm UTC (link)
Ernie first tried to wave away Theodore's question, but the hand reaching out to him combined with the note of concern in his voice had Ernie pausing. He reached out himself to place a hand on Theodore's, trying to ward off the worry.

"I'm sorry to worry you," he said in a voice that was much more normal now that he wasn't coughing. "I'm fine, I just breathed and swallowed at the same time. I promise you, I'm okay." The smile he offered was bright and comforting and affectionate as Ernie tried to relay only positive emotions. He would think about Malfoy later, but bad feelings and memories from Hogwarts didn't have any place in this tentative first date.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-12-01 06:49 pm UTC (link)
The little touch was electric and Theo's hand twitched under it. He was relieved to hear that it wasn't anything stupid and Ernie seemed okay - if Theo had inadvertently killed him on their date he wouldn't have been able to forgive himself, that and paranoia ran rampant through Theo's mind even on a good day.

"Morgana..." he swore softly under his breath and then smiled back. "It's okay, as long as you're not choking." He sighed and drew his hand back, albeit a little reluctantly, to fork up a chip and nibble at it. "Is chicken pot pie your signature dish?" he asked, much more relaxed now that he knew Ernie wasn't dying.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-12-03 08:39 pm UTC (link)
"Choking on a first date would definitely be bad manners," Ernie said with a chuckle. "I promise, no dying today."

He went back to eating - tentatively this time just in case - and nodded at Theodore's question. "At least it's the one me Mum likes best, so I've probably made it so many times I could do it in my sleep. I like to try new recipes all the time, though. Seems everyone has a favourite, and it's nice to make it around their birthdays or other occasions."

Which reminded him, in a way, that Christmas was coming soon enough - he'd have to get started thinking on gifts if he didn't want to end up running around at the last minute.

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[info]nottfinished
2014-12-03 10:19 pm UTC (link)
Once he'd been reassured that Ernie wasn't about to keel over, Theo was able to relax a little more.

He smiled a little to hear that Ernie cooked like he did for his mother, even though he wasn't really able to relate, not when his mother was a gap in a lot more than just his life. "What's your favourite?" he asked, curious. "Is your favourite dish to cook the same as your favourite dish to eat?" he queried next, thoughtfully, intrigued as to this factor. He barely liked anything he cooked or ate and so he couldn't apply the question to himself.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-12-04 04:56 pm UTC (link)
He shook his head, and he grinned as he thought about food and what he enjoyed most. "While I enjoy my own cooking, Mum's is what I enjoy the most. She has this recipe for pork pie that I've never tasted anywhere else and is just so juicy and delicious. And every Christmas and St. Andrews day, she'd make a steamed treacle pudding that we'd have after we'd finished our goose."

The memories were bittersweet as they also reminded him of his father, and he tried to push them aside, preferring to concentrate on the man opposite him in the booth, at least for now.

"And you? What're your favourites?"

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[info]nottfinished
2014-12-05 01:03 pm UTC (link)
Listening to Ernie talk about his mother's cooking was like seeing it for himself and the fact that these were clearly happy memories made Theo smile. It was strange that when Ernie spoke about food it didn't make Theo feel as sick as when he thought about it; he'd quite like to try that steamed treacle pudding for example, although heavy, warm, sweet foods were easier for him to eat than anything too savoury or strange.

He nibbled another morsel of fishfinger that he'd divided off and swallowed before he spoke. "I suppose it would be porridge." he said, a little awkward about saying so. "With salt and just a little bit of sugar. I like breakfast food more than anything else, but it doesn't really require much in the way of culinary skills." It was like eating a hug, it went down easily and it tended to have the added advantage of filling his stomach so that he could go longer without having to eat again.

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[info]erniedtmac
2014-12-06 11:10 pm UTC (link)
Ernie liked hearing Theodore talk about things that were a little personal, even if they were something as small as what food he enjoyed eating most. "It doesn't matter if it doesn't take skill, as long as you enjoy it," he offered. "It sounds nice, like comfort food."

He finished the last piece of his chicken and then tackled the last of his pasta. "Is there anyplace in particular you like for a good breakfast? We could always go, meet up early one morning and go out for breakfast. If you like."

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[info]nottfinished
2014-12-07 09:50 pm UTC (link)
Comfort food? He supposed that made sense, like he was trying to reassure something about himself, by himself. Yeah, comfort food. He nodded a little bit, his fork speared in a chip that waited in a state of stasis for him to eat it as he paused in thought, broken out of his reverie by Ernie again.

He ate the fated chip and smiled at Ernie's suggestion. "I've never eaten out for breakfast." he admitted. "I wouldn't mind trying it though, if you'd still want to go?" This date wasn't as bad as he'd feared it would be.

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