Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I LOVE HEDpe"

Blaise Selwyn Zabini (dark_blaise) wrote in finnigans_rpg,
@ 2014-08-20 23:17:00

Entry tags:

character: blaise zabini, character: melinda bobbin

Who: Blaise and Melinda
What: Working off sweets
Where: Beginning at Sweet Nothings
When: Wednesday evening around 6:30 pm
Rating: SFW - for the moment will change it if Blaise says something inappropriate

Blaise swung by Sweet Nothings that morning as directed and picked up a box of samplers that he grazed on little by little throughout the day. With each bite he couldn't help but think of highly enjoyable ways in which he could work the delectable treats off later that evening with Melinda. As a result he was more than ready for the day to end so he could make his way to meet her.

He'd made a point that morning of dressing to the nines before heading to work. Hanging his robes on the hook by his desk as soon as the day was over he quickly exited and headed directly to where she had instructed him to meet. Alright, maybe not too directly as to do so would have been a too over eager and completely out of character. Rather than apparating like he did when it was time to head home Blaise exited the Ministry and walked the streets of London to the Leaky Cauldron where he then entered into Diagon Alley. With only about three minutes to spare before the designated rendezvous he arrived.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

dark_blaise
2014-08-22 02:41 am UTC (link)

Blaise new exactly where his mind had wandered and from history knew that Melinda likely wasn't going there. He'd always had a surface flirtation with her but nothing that he would have ever believed would lead to something more. If anything over the years he'd come to recognize different levels of possibility. With Melinda there was always possibility but nothing that he believed he would actually be the recipient of, not at the moment anyway.

Blaise watched with appreciation as Melinda exited the shop and headed his direction. He especially liked the way her heels heightened the appeal of her legs. As he appraised her he noted that her stripes clashed with his checks. If he had thought it through Blaise would have chosen a solid color so as to minimize the soreness of the patterns if people were to watch them as a couple that evening. Too late now though he supposed giving her a light smile.

"Evening Melinda, you look ravishing," he raised an eyebrow at the last word as he moved to position himself so that she could lace her arm through his as they walked. "Just point me in the right direction," he quipped having no clue where it was she wanted to go. "You did after all state that this was a night where you would be doing the educating."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_melinda_
2014-08-22 02:39 pm UTC (link)

“Thank you,” Melinda smiled up at Blaise as she laced her arm through his, letting her hand come to rest on top of his forearm. “You look quite dashing yourself.” She did notice the pattern of his shirt, something that she might have found clashing with her own sense of style, but tonight she knew where they were going and was already prepared for the eclectic – to say the least – style of their destination; checks and stripes weren’t likely to be considered anything but an addition to what was already there.

“Hmm,” Melinda pondered as they began walking. “Educating seems such a harsh word. I think I prefer to see it as presenting you with an alternative to starving or maybe even introducing you to a, uhm, sensory exploration, perhaps?” With a small chuckle she pointed towards The Leaky Cauldron. “It’s just a block and half down Charing Cross Road, so not that far, but please, I’ve been dying to ask you all day; did you enjoy the cake, at least?” Melinda wasn’t fishing for compliments; she knew her cakes were good, but she really wanted to know if Blaise had enjoyed them enough to justify what wasn’t going to be a wild night in bed to burn off calories, rather a savoury experience to keep up their metabolism.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dark_blaise
2014-08-24 01:44 am UTC (link)

Blaise took note of the direction they were to head and did his best to hold back a cringe when she mentioned they would be going to an establishment on Charring Cross. It was one thing to accept Muggleborns based on their magical abilities which at least gave them some common ground with purebloods. However, actively seeking out Muggles and willfully engaging with them was not his idea of an evening that would be beneficial in any manner.

Taking a deep breath he forced a smile onto his face and opted to focus on the company rather than the location. "I've already had one sense overloaded today," he said patting his stomach with his free hand. "Though I could have spared myself and shared with my boss. He spent the entire day trying to guess the flavors based on scent. I'm fairly certain he'll be by tomorrow." As he spoke he wondered if he ought to choose a favorite. There had been so many different flavors that it had been impossible to separate one from the others.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_melinda_
2014-08-24 03:30 pm UTC (link)

“You ate all of them today?” Melinda burst out, chuckling, at Blaise revelation. “All right, I admit I hadn’t expected that. I’d thought you’d may, I don’t know, spread them out over a couple of days.” Looking up at him, she was still smiling hoping that even with all the cake there was still room for something to make up for all the sweetness he’d indulged in today.

Once they were through The Leaky Cauldron it was only a short walk before they reached the brightly yellow shop front with ‘Cuisine Libanais’ in bold red letters and Melinda could push the royal blue door open and invite Blaise into one of the most colourful places she knew. Down the right side of the room was a long glass counter filled with trays of fresh vegetables and salads, colourful fruits, pastries, snacks, breads and spreads. There were colourful spiced sauces with different meats and tagines of all shapes, sizes and patterns with steam puffing from them. On the wall behind the counter were boxes of Middle Eastern specialties, baskets, bags, purses and scarves. And along the right side was a line of tables ranging in size from a café table to a 12 person dining table with equally varying chairs. Each place, however, was as neatly set as if it was a fancy restaurant, albeit not two of the glasses were the same and none of the cutlery matched. Everything in the place clashed to a degree that it made up its own harmony.

“Bonsoir!” Melinda greeted the elderly witch behind the counter and got a bright smile and a quick update on how her grandchildren were doing. Once Melinda had offered her congratulations on every first step and lost tooth, she turned to Blaise. “So, how spicy do you like your food?”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dark_blaise
2014-08-24 07:14 pm UTC (link)

Blaise smiled and shook his head as she expressed disbelief at the fact that he'd nibbled each of the samples away as the day had progressed. "You've obviously not spent the day sitting at a desk with nothing but paperwork to keep you occupied." It was those days that Blaise found himself grazing if there was food near by. He hadn't even take a lunch break today due to the fact that he hadn't been hungry.

The conversation took up most of their short walk which was abruptly cut short as an onslaught of bright colors accosted his sense. He'd have given anything to be able to cast a spell that would have dimmed the lighting and as a result the brightness of the environment. He stepped to the side and tried to find something dim to focus on as Melinda greeted the lady who seemed to be the proprietor of the establishment.

There was just so much that he'd finally walked over to the counter and was focusing on a plate of vegetables when a voice pierced through the signals for real food that his stomach was sending. "I prefer flavor over heat," he stated simply. There were spices that could overwhelm and take over food or those that pulled out natural flavor. He relished the later.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_melinda_
2014-08-24 09:50 pm UTC (link)

“We’re not big enough to have our own bookkeeper, so I spend entirely too much time by my desk,” Melinda chuckled with a nod; she knew that those days tended to have a higher calorie count than regular days where she was elbow deep in pastry dough and fondant.

Seeing Blaise in the Bashir’s place it was obvious that he was overwhelmed. She had been coming here for years and had learned to tune out the extreme onslaught of smells, sounds and colours. While she had somewhat hoped that Blaise could look past that too, it wasn’t worse than the idea she had had still could happen… somewhere else.

“Flavour it’ll be,” Melinda assured him, and asked the witch behind the counter to pack up a mezze and fresh mint tea for them to go. Oh, and a bottle of their rose water; she was running low. While Mrs. Bashir was filling the small boxes with delicacies, Melinda came up next to Blaise. “It’s a, uhm, loud place, I know,” she admitted, then looked up at him. “How about we take the food down to the park?”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dark_blaise
2014-08-25 08:24 pm UTC (link)

"That's a shame," he commented finally taking a full look around as his brain was beginning to adjust to the visual discordance. Now that he could focus it reminded him of the gaudy nature Madam Puddifoot's had to it on the few occasion he'd been into the tea shop.

He listened to her order and was glad she chose something that would offer variety, even if he was wary about what that would be. Relief washed over him when she mentioned they should take the food elsewhere. At least that way if the food didn't sit well on his palate he wouldn't have to pretend out of courtesy for the proprietor. "That is a brilliant idea," he said relief washing over his face as he moved closer to the door so that he could hold it open for Melinda once she had the food in her possession.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_melinda_
2014-08-26 09:38 am UTC (link)

Once Mrs. Bashir had been paid, thanked and assured that Melinda would eat, say ‘hello’ to her parents, and keep in mind that she needed to start thinking about giving them grandchildren, Melinda joined Blaise, thanking him, too, as he held the door open for her.

The walk to the park didn’t take long, and once they had found a bench, Melinda began unpacking the bag of food. “They’re old friends of my family,” she explained as she arranged the containers between them. “But they still make some of the best food and they make Owl deliveries, which has saved my evenings more times than I can count. All right, so…” One by one she began pointing out the containers. “Hommos which is chick peas, tahini and a bit of lemon. There’s tabbouleh or parsley, tomatoes, mint and spring onions with a lemon and olive oil dressing. Baba Ghanuj, which is smoked aubergine, tahini with lemon juice and pomegranate seeds. Spinach fatayer which is basically a spinach pastry. Pumpkin kibbeh that’s made of roasted pumpkin and filled with walnuts and pomegranate molasses. And of course the pita bread to sort of tie it all together.”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dark_blaise
2014-08-26 05:22 pm UTC (link)

Blaise let Melinda take a seat and stood beside the bench while she pulled the food out. Once she had everything laid out he took a seat in the space that remained. "Interesting combination," he commented as he took them all in. Most of what she presented looked like a dip and all of it quite vegetarian.

"Where's the meat?" he asked picking up one of the pumpkin items first. Blaise simply couldn't resist anything pumpkin. He liked the look of the tabbouleh and made a mental note to put some on a pita next.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_melinda_
2014-08-27 12:55 pm UTC (link)

“The meat,” Melinda said as she set up the two glasses from the bag as well as the knives to use with the spreads, “is back at the shop. Instead you have…” Picking up one of the fatayers, she spread a small dollop of hommos on one. “The chick peas, that are high in protein, low in calories and therefor very fitting for the purpose I promised to show you tonight.” She took a bite and nodded in approval. “Perfect, really. Much better tasting and a far better alternative to starving yourself.”

Seeing Blaise on that bench out in the Muggle world with a serving of vegetarian Lebanese food in front of him, it made Melinda think of a fish out of water. Not that he couldn’t cover that up or that he wasn’t doing a very good job of doing so, but it was clear that he wasn’t comfortable, and again, she was cemented in how she felt about him. She loved flirting with him; the man was handsome – and probably more than was good for a regular human being – he had great taste, both in pastries and style, and though he was rather full of himself she enjoyed his company, enjoyed his visits to the patisserie, but his discomfort out here just proved to her that they simply were too different on certain levels. At least at this point. That, however, didn’t mean that she was about to call off this outing. Who knew? They could always go back to the patisserie; she was fairly certain that there were still enough to make a proper sandwich – with meat – in the cooler.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dark_blaise
2014-08-28 01:56 pm UTC (link)

Blaise cocked his head to the side as Melinda described how chick peas were perfect for the evening. "So, what exactly is your plan for this evening Miss Bobbin?" he finally inquired as he reached over and took one of the glasses of tea.

As he sipped he watched the woman sitting less than a metre away. She was pretty and he enjoyed spending time with her. Not only was she pleasant on the eyes but she was also well versed in dealing with people. Others enjoyed her company and he couldn't think of a single instance where she had ever rubbed anyone the wrong way. That in and of itself showed that beyond casual interactions there would never be anything between them other than friendship.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_melinda_
2014-08-28 02:30 pm UTC (link)

Picking up her own glass of tea, Melinda held it up and let the freshly fragrant steam waft over her lips and nose. “You mean aside from my social responsibility of preventing you from developing a slight case of body dysmorphia?” she asked with the hint of a teasing smile, before she took a small sip and placed her glass back down on the bench between them. “No plan, really,” she admitted. “Except, we’ve only really talked in the shop or at social functions and I thought it would be nice to try something different. I do like your company, you know?”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dark_blaise
2014-08-29 01:55 am UTC (link)

Blaise precariously placed his glass down on the bench before taking a piece of pita bread that he could put the tomato mixture upon. "Women everywhere thank you," he replied with mock haughtiness.

As he prepared the bread Blaise likely piled on a little more than he ought to. He assumed this was supposed to be a light meal, just enough to tide him through the evening. He decided he'd try to make it through. "You should make it count. This might be your last opportunity as I'm not certain I won't waste away before the morning."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_melinda_
2014-08-29 08:47 pm UTC (link)

“I’ll make sure to stock up on Owl treats for the numerous thank you notes,” Melinda chuckled as she spread a generous layer of homos on a bite of pita bread and topped off with a spoonful of tabouleh.”

Chewing her own little bite of heaven thoroughly, discreetly wiping her mouth afterwards, she glanced at Blaise. “You really think I would let you waste away?” she asked curiously, though there was still a smile playing on her lips. “I’m sure I could find a high end place somewhere, but then I would be breaking my promise to you.”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dark_blaise
2014-08-30 09:56 pm UTC (link)

Blaise took another bite of his own bread. "Of course you won't. I'm one of your best customers." He was only semi-joking. If it weren't for his ability to purchase the pastries he'd rarely have breakfast as going to the market wasn't something he'd grown accustom to. Nor could he actually cook a meal to save his life. It was something he knew he needed to learn but had never taken the time to do. It was too easy to pick things up on the way in and out of the office.

"I don't need a high end place. Too much flash takes away from the company." It was a statement that held truth but one that Blaise often used to flatter.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_melinda_
2014-08-31 12:25 pm UTC (link)

“True, you are,” Melinda agreed with a nod, “but even if you only came in the shop once in a blue moon, I still wouldn’t do that to you.” Of course, if Blaise hadn’t been as frequent a customer as he was Melinda wouldn’t have seen him as a friend or acquaintance as much as just a handsome customer that she had once gone to school with, but that was an entirely different discussion for a different forum.

Trailing her finger along the rim of her glass, Melinda chuckled and glanced up at Blaise. She could see how women easily could – and did – fall for his smooth charm. At one point she probably would have too, if it hadn’t been for the fact that she had seen him in action back at school during Professor Slughorn’s social gatherings. “Flattery will get you… well,” she smiled at him. He was already getting small extra favours as the regular customer that he was. “It will definitely make me consider a minimalistic place the next time I lure you out to dinner.”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dark_blaise
2014-08-31 08:22 pm UTC (link)

"How could I ever stay away? Even when I'm being gruff you always have a smile." Not that he ever thought her smile was just for him. It was likely more business practice than flirtation. It likely came naturally just as the words he chose around women easily flowed from his brain and out through his mouth. It wasn't something he planned but a skill he'd honed so well that it was second nature.

"Tell me, Melinda," he continued, the tracing of her finger along the glass not lost on him. "What do you do when you aren't working or being adored by flattering men?" He finished off the piece of bread he'd been working on while he waited for an answer.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -