Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "It's a fair cop."

Username: 
Password:    
Remember Me
  • Create Account
  • IJ Login
  • OpenID Login
Search by : 
  • View
    • Create Account
    • IJ Login
    • OpenID Login
  • Journal
    • Post
    • Edit Entries
    • Customize Journal
    • Comment Settings
    • Recent Comments
    • Manage Tags
  • Account
    • Manage Account
    • Viewing Options
    • Manage Profile
    • Manage Notifications
    • Manage Pictures
    • Manage Schools
    • Account Status
  • Friends
    • Edit Friends
    • Edit Custom Groups
    • Friends Filter
    • Nudge Friends
    • Invite
    • Create RSS Feed
  • Asylums
    • Post
    • Asylum Invitations
    • Manage Asylums
    • Create Asylum
  • Site
    • Support
    • Upgrade Account
    • FAQs
    • Search By Location
    • Search By Interest
    • Search Randomly

Dean Thomas ([info]artistdean) wrote in [info]finnigans_rpg,
@ 2014-08-18 16:53:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:character: dean thomas, character: seamus finnigan

Who: Dean and Seamus, open?

What: Dean wants to be grumpy with friends

Where: Finnigan's - bar

When: Late afternoon

Rating: SFW



Dean was feeling distinctly unimpressed, and now also damp. The paint base he'd spent most of the day making, had made dozens or even of times before, had exploded over him. That hadn't happened since he was an apprentice. Clearly some small impurity had got in the cauldron despite all precautions.

Braith had come running at his shriek of protest and just pointed towards the door. She was a woman of few words and he knew it meant she would clear up while he went home to shower and give in for the day. Luckily the base wasn't poisonous or even dangerous, just mildly clingy. Over half an hour later he was finally feeling clean and Apparated himself to Monument Alley, swiftly making his way to the pub.

Seamus was installed behind the bar and Dean pulled a somewhat grumpy smile to his face. "Hey, can I get that free drink now? Stupid base exploded all over me, got sodding everywhere." He slapped his journal down on the bar and plonked himself on a stool.
</ljcut>


(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-20 09:03 pm UTC (link)
Seamus resisted the urge to hold up a hand to make Dean wait while he fetched quill and ink. His eyes did glaze over slightly when Dean starting talking about pigments, though. He understood on a theoretical level why Dean would need more than one shade of green, but was convinced no one who didn't work with the things all day every day could really remember all the names. "Moroccan green," he echoed. "What's green about Morocco?" He hadn't made it that far in his travels, but he associated Morocco more with brown and sand shades.

He made a mental note to tell anyone who asked to get Dean fine detail brushes and any kind of paint they could find. Dean would make a use for it whatever it was. "Did you see the list of Quidditch team cakes Melinda put up in the journals?" he asked. He was thinking about some recipe books for Dean, but wasn't a hundred percent sure they were a good idea. He didn't want to remind Dean of the sleepless nights, but it might inspire some new ideas. Ones more edible than the cheddar-and-apple cookies Dean had insisted Seamus try last month.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-20 09:35 pm UTC (link)
Dean made a mental note to write something in his journal about the colours. He had serious doubts that Seamus would remember any of the right names. "Not a clue," he shrugged. "Just the name of the colour. It's sort of a jewel shade." It was a bit pointless to try and explain all the differences of paint colours to pretty much anyone who wasn't already interested in them.

"Oh, yeah, they looked great. Of course I wanted all the wrong ones for my teams, but if she carries some of them on there'll be some I want. Or I just ignore the teams and get a couple anyway." He liked that Melinda was experimental her flavours, although the ones that got to go on sale tended to be rather more successful than his more unusual combinations.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-20 09:56 pm UTC (link)
Seamus chuckled at that, settling himself more comfortably on his bar stool. "Me too. My loyalty to Kenmare is not quite enough for me to eat green tea cake." He made a face but then shot Dean a wink. He'd tried far weirder things coming out of Dean's kitchen, after all. "What took your fancy? The raspberry and orange one sounded pretty good to me." This, too, would be useful research - because Seamus was going to make a cake!

A customer demanded his attention and Seamus moved away for a moment, grabbing a few of the clean glasses on his way back. He sat down again, wand in hand while he cast unbreakable charms on each in turn. The charms tended to run out after a month or so and Seamus liked to catch them before that when he could. "Maybe I should buy a couple of cakes for after Battlescars..."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-20 10:18 pm UTC (link)
Dean wrinkled his nose. "I know what you mean. I sort of want to try it once just to see, but give me fruity or chocolaty any day. Apart from bananas, they always seem weird in cake. The raspberry and orange sounded good, so did the cheesecake." Dean's eyes started to glaze over in a sort of food related lust and he licked his lips, sadly tasting the remnants of the chilli-stroganoff mismatch.

Spelling his own empty teacup to the sink while Seamus served a customer Dean idly looked around the room for a few moments, nodding vaguely to some of the regulars who caught his eye. "Mmm, not a bad idea. Therapy and talking is all great but it can be pretty draining. Positive incentives for getting to the end. I'd say I'll make some, but trying to remember probably wouldn't work."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-21 01:44 pm UTC (link)
Seamus could tell Dean was distracted by thoughts of cake, and shook his head. "There go my hopes of lasagne," he whined. "I brought it on myself, bringing up delicious cake." Dean's baking, however experimental it might be, was doubtless significantly better than anything Seamus could manage - but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try. And if he'd already owled his mam asking her to make a cake, just in case, well... No one need know.

"It's getting easier though. Kinda." Seamus felt like he knew most people in Battlescars pretty well by now, which made it easier to talk in front of them. There were still things he'd never brought up that nagged at him weekly. Should he talk about them? Would it help? Or would it just make things worse...? He pushed those thoughts aside, with the guilt of leading the group without really knowing what he was doing. "Cake would be good." Not the coming Sunday, though. That was Dean's birthday and Seamus and Dominic had been planning what to do to celebrate it.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-21 02:34 pm UTC (link)
Dean shook himself and then grinned at Seamus and pulled a tiny notebook from his pocket and the pencil out of his journal that was still sitting on the bar. "Look, here, I'm making a note to remember the lasagne. Cake will come if it comes," he shrugged a little sadly. He knew that he tended more towards sweet things when he cooked in the middle of the night. Lasagne was definitely a daytime project.

"Oh, sure. I mean I got all that extra practice in, but I know all about the getting easier to talk. However slowly." Dean wasn't exactly the most forthcoming person when he first started going to therapy, but given how much he had found it helped he was much happier to talk now when he was in a safe space. "If I'm doing lasagne you've got no chance for this week." And I'm not making cake to eat on my own birthday.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-21 05:59 pm UTC (link)
"You know I'm kidding," Seamus said. "I'll eat anything you bring me and I don't care about regular meals. I had those biscuits you made for breakfast yesterday." He chuckled. "Besides, if I ever get really hungry you know Susan, Hannah and mam will all cook for me. Actually, I think even your mam would cook for me if I asked her. Or Jess." Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. Seamus doubted anyone in their friendship group could rival Aunt Rose's jerk chicken...

"Speaking of Jess, she can come to your birthday as long as she promises to be more than half-dressed this time!" Dean's sister's crush on Seamus had become somewhat less awkward as the years went on. For a start, she seemed to have finally accepted he was really definitely gay and not just saying so to escape her.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-21 07:08 pm UTC (link)
"I do, but a reminder isn't a bad thing." He glanced at his other notes and list of tasks and underlined make paint base with a grimace. "I care about you eating regular meals. I mean you're right about everybody else cooking for you, but still. I wouldn't advise asking Jess though, she's not quite got the hang of it yet. There would be crunchy burnt bits and almost raw bits. Mum and Aunt Rose are on a mission to fix her issues before she goes to uni."

Dean couldn't help but snort at the accurate description of the outfits a slightly younger Jess had worn to try and attract Seamus. "She's pretty over it now, I think she'd be fine, but nah, I'm going over on Saturday evening to do birthday things with the family. Also a bit of a congratulations-slash-going-away thing for Jess. I mean I know she doesn't go for another few weeks but she's going to York and there seemed to be a huge list of going away parties coming up for all her friends too. It will be weird without her here." He leaned over and rested his elbows on the bar and his head on his hands. "You can come along if you're not working, but I know Saturdays are busy."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-21 07:28 pm UTC (link)
Seamus craned his neck, trying to read Dean's tiny journal upside down - just to see how much his friend had on his plate, rather than the individual tasks. "Big softie," he muttered, but he was smiling. "Thank god Jess never heard that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach..." Jess had gone to quite enough effort trying to woo Seamus (much to his dismay) without that.

He moved forward slightly to rest his hand against Dean's elbow on the bar. "She's going to love it." He didn't say that Dean could always apparate to visit her, or that she'd likely be far too busy to miss home all that much. Dean knew all that - be he was still Jess's big brother, it was always going to be weird for him that she was growing up. "I'm working Saturday." He said, shrugging slightly. He saw enough of Dean's family that it didn't bother him to miss one chance. "But get Jess to come out for a meal or something with us closer to the time, yeah?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-21 07:43 pm UTC (link)
Dean tucked his notebook away again and rolled his eyes. "Oh, she totally heard that she just hasn't quite got the knack yet. She may also have pointed out that tasks in relationships should be shared and that both Dad and I can cook at least some things. I decided to nod and agree." He loved his sisters to pieces but both of them were very much their own women thanks to his Aunt and parents support.

"Yeah, I know. And I'm sure I'm going to end up Apparating up about twenty things she forgets in the first week, but still, it'll be weird." They had a different relationship now than they did when they were younger. Him being away most of the year hadn't helped when he was at Hogwarts and then Jess had reached the awkward teen phase, everything had about evened itself out now though. "And sure, she'll like that. We might have to let Cat come too or else jealousy and sisterly spats might happen, and whining about three years until she gets the chance." He rolled his eyes. Cat and Jess were somewhat chalk-and-cheese but both very attached to him.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-21 08:11 pm UTC (link)
"So when she finally figures it out am I going to get a stream of spicy nibbles delivered to my door trying to turn me?" Seamus asked. It was easy to laugh at it now that Jess seemed to be over it, no matter how embarrassing it had been at the time. He gave a dramatic sigh, exaggerating for effect. "Maybe that's why I'm single. Can't cook, won't cook." Or, in truth, more like he just never had time to cook.

He left his hand where it was, settled comfortably against Dean. "It'll be weird," he agreed. "I remember when Graeme went off, even though I was going to be at school most of the year anyway... Well. You remember." Graeme, attending a muggle university, hadn't had much time to write so all of Seamus's news of him had come second hand via his parents. He hadn't been happy about it and Dean had had to listen to most of his complaining.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-21 08:29 pm UTC (link)
"Nah, she'll probably be too busy ignoring all of the careful lessons and living off pasta and pot noodles. At least to start with. Maybe if she's showing off." Dean shrugged. He was trying to take the early route of not knowing too much about Jess's uni antics, he had a feeling they might be spectacular.

"Not a clue. You're also pretty busy. But you're busy running a pub, and if people are chatting me up when I'm behind the bar, they've got to be doing it to you too." Seamus was usually pretty busy, but he also made time for his friends too, which Dean was grateful for.

Dean's mouth quirked up in a little smile at the memories of their younger selves at Hogwarts. "Yeah. What was that, third year? Merlin we were so innocent." He sighed. Everything was so different after what they'd seen. "I'm guessing I'll be getting second hand news too, but she's a good kid, she'll be fine. And if all else fails her very tall and surprisingly scary when he wants to be older brother can come and visit. Even if she doesn't thank me for it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-21 08:44 pm UTC (link)
Seamus's smile faltered a little at that because, yeah, sometimes a new customer would try a smile or a wink. Seamus didn't think much of it, but nor had it ever occurred to him that anyone would know it was happening. It made his inability to get more than a couple of dates a year (if that) all the more unusual. "Sure, but it's mostly women," he pointed out, his mouth briefly going sour as he added, "that's your area, not mine." He tried to bring the smile back, but it was difficult. "Anyway, you know what I'm like." He didn't exactly go around sleeping with strangers. He'd always said it was because it was hard to feel comfortable around people he didn't know.

His grip tightened before he moved his fingers to rest in the inner crook of Dean's elbow. So innocent indeed, but they'd already suffered through the opening of the Chamber of Secrets and the threat to muggleborns - to Dean. "And if she's more comfortable with deception than violence then I'm sure I'd make a brilliant fake boyfriend," Seamus offered. "As long as everyone's clothes stay on, because she's still you sister."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-21 09:00 pm UTC (link)
Dean could imagine new customers coming in and flirting with his best friend. He'd seen it a time or two when they were both working or he'd been at the pub while Seamus was. It was always a little galling that it was happening to Seamus and not him. Although the fact it was often women who would never stand a chance made it less so. "Yeah, true, I guess. It happened at the café too and of that lot precisely two people made me think it was going anywhere. Not exactly a model of sowing wild oats over here either." He rolled his eyes. They both had trust issues, although for different reasons, and the middle of the pub wasn't usually a place it got discussed.

Dean snatched his arm suddenly out of Seamus' grasp at the suggestion of fake dating his sister. "Circe on a stick, Seamus why the hell would you suggest that! That's creepy and wrong. Why would you...? Never suggest anything like that again." Logically he knew Seamus was joking, but unfortunately logic wasn't always on his side these days and something had snapped and suddenly Dean was standing, his voice raised, and wand in hand, although it wasn't actually pointed at Seamus. He was breathing hard, staring down at his friend, rage coursing through him as his fight or flight response engaged.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-21 09:11 pm UTC (link)
Seamus had been about to make some easy joke about the two of them and their wild oats, but then the mood snapped. Though his eyes widened, Seamus didn't panic. This had happened before. Instead, he made a quick gesture to the few customers who'd been alarmed by Dean's outburst that it was under control. His pulse was beginning to pound, a familiar adrenaline filtering through his system.

"Okay, Dean, I'm sorry. I won't." He couldn't really see the difference between joking about Jess's crush on him and joking about fake dating her, but that didn't matter. There was obviously a difference to Dean. And he was genuinely sorry, for triggering Dean if nothing else. He held up his hands in a gesture of truce, showing he still trusted Dean not to really hurt him, showing that he didn't want to fight. "The flat's open." The flat was always open to Dean, twenty-four seven, but it was more tactful a prompt than saying 'do you need to get out of here?'. He could give Dean some time to calm down, then get one of the kitchen staff to cover for him for a few minutes.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-21 09:21 pm UTC (link)
Seamus' gestures of truce connected in his mind and he began to shake along with his heavy breathing. He still felt angry, but there was also terror creeping in around the edges and his eyes started to dart around the room as he suddenly realised he'd had his back to the door and most of the people. He usually trusted Seamus to watch his back but in this moment that wasn't helping.

He almost didn't hear the words over the roaring in his brain but the word 'flat' made it through and suddenly he moved, dashing down the bar to the opening, checking his rear before moving through to the private area and up the stairs.

Seamus' rooms weren't that big, but they were safe, they were warded and even Dean's panicking brain knew that somehow and his survey was rapid before he parked himself against a wall where he could see the entrance to the flat and have nothing at his back.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-21 09:31 pm UTC (link)
The half hour Seamus waited to give Dean a chance to calm down felt like a year. No matter how many times this happened, how much he knew it wasn't really personal, having Dean be angry with him still felt wrong on an almost physical level. Seamus checked the clock behind him exactly six times before finally hauling one of the kitchen boys out to cover for him. He hadn't actually taken a break yet today, he felt entitled.

At the bottom of his stairs he took a breath, bracing himself just in case Dean was still angry. Then he walked up, making as much noise as possible and even knocking (at his own door) before he let himself in. "Hey," he said, offering a smile but keeping his distance for now. "It's only me, taking a belated lunch break. Things okay in here?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-21 09:46 pm UTC (link)
By the time Dean heard Seamus coming up the stairs he was considerably more calm than when he'd left the bar. There had been pacing and muttering and a lot of very precise breathing but eventually he'd managed to pull out his self-care kit and sit on the sofa, still slightly angled towards the door.

He had looked up at the sound on the stairs, hands still running over a scrap of paper with a stupid exchange Seamus and he had had in class back at Hogwarts on it. The room was full of the scent of the candle he'd lit, sea salt and the sense of warm water filling the air.

"Hey," he said quietly as Seamus came in. "Sorry. I know it was a joke, but logic deserted me for a little bit. I'm doing better now." He gestured to his box, similar to ones he kept at his own flat and the studio, several of the items next to him on the sofa where he'd been holding and using them.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]openbottle
2014-08-21 09:58 pm UTC (link)
The scent of the candle comforted Seamus as soon as he recognised it. Just the fact that Dean had calmed down enough to find and light it was a good sign. "It's okay," he said. He never needed Dean to apologise, but it seemed churlish not to accept it when he did. "I'll add it to my list of stupid shit not to say." He really did have a mental list, one which had started long before the war, of things he should think before saying.

He approached Dean on the couch. "Room on there for me?" he asked, hoping Dean would be ready for a hug but willing to respect it if he wasn't. He could take his own reassurance from the fact that Dean was still in his flat, rather than across the city in his own or his studio.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]artistdean
2014-08-21 10:06 pm UTC (link)
Dean inhaled deeply, making sure to look at Seamus and see his friend, remind himself of their connection and not the joke that had misfired in his head. Slowly letting out the breath again after a few seconds he nodded, shifting a couple of stray items onto the top of the box so Seamus could sit.

"Yeah, there's room," his smile not quite easy but certainly more relaxed. He wanted the comfort of touch now, the warmth of a friend. It was a touchstone all of its own.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -

Home | Site Map | Manage Account | TOS | Privacy | Support | FAQs