Who: David Urquhart and Kenna McLeod What: David's first venture into a Muggle pub lol When: Last week sometime, post-charity match. Where: The Pig and Whistle, Fife. Warnings: None!
Kenna and David were the youngest people in the pub by thirty, if not forty, years. Sure, the Pig and Whistle wasn’t exactly the most buzzing pub in the area, but it was across the street from her flat and always seemed to have a more quiet atmosphere. Given that David had seemed nervous about the idea of being around muggles, she figured it was a great place to get that drink he had promised her after the charity match.
“I think it’s rather charming in here,” Kenna said as she reached for the beer that had just been placed on the table. “And the people seem very friendly!”
David cast a sideways glance at the table of chatty elderly gentlemen, presumably Muggle, and tightened his grip around his beer. “Quite,” he said delicately, and took a sip, hoping to calm his nerves. The lack of magic surrounding them was strange; one could normally feel its presence humming about in the background, but here it was silent, save for the customers getting a bit rowdy after their third drink. “How did you find out about this place?” He asked after clearing his throat, and shifted his gaze back to Kenna.
“It’s on my walk to the grocer,” she answered before taking a large from the pint. Sighing, she leaned back in the booth and kicked up her feet so her feet could rest on the bench beside where David sat. “It never seems that busy, so I thought it would be nice and quiet. Not one of those busy pubs where I don’t think you can hear anyone talking to you.”
“Sure,” he agreed slowly, and took another sip, still not convinced, but he supposed none of them looked threatening enough to overtake them. “What should we talk about, then?” David raised an eyebrow, and sank back into his seat as well, mirroring Kenna’s position. “Something not Quidditch-related, preferably.”
Kenna wrinkled her nose as a look of amusement crossed her face. “You mean you didn’t bring a list of proper topics to discuss?” Her voice was light and she smiled before taking another large gulp of the beer. “Here I thought you were in charge of the discussion topics.”
David put on an apologetic grimace and and made a show of feeling his coat pockets for the offending list. “I failed you.” He informed her, his hands coming up empty. Quickly, after that display, however, his nerves rose up again and reclaimed him, so he drank more beer so he wouldn’t have to look across the table like a fool.
“That’s all right,” Kenna answered with a small shrug of her shoulders. “My parents tell me I could talk to a rock, so I could just ramble on about something silly to pass the time.”
“Please,” he gestured, speaking before he realized that he had inadvertently agreed that Kenna often spoke of silly things. Which he didn’t think was true at all. “Er,” David added sheepishly, and rubbed the back of his neck. “I like hearing you talk.” He attempted to amend. “Since I’m quiet.”
Tilting her head to one side, Kenna gave him a small smile. “I’m going to pretend you were implying you liked the sound of my voice.”
He looked down at his hands, and felt suddenly thankful for the dimmer lighting so Kenna couldn’t see his face turning a tinge of red. “Is that something you’d want to hear me say?”
His comment caught her off guard, so another gulp of the beer was taken. “Well compliments in any form are always nice to hear,” she answered before putting the pint glass back to her mouth.
“The sincere ones, anyway,” David agreed, and took a matching swig. “You deflected my question, though.” He wasn’t sure why he was pressing the issue, but at the moment, the only thing he could think of was what Kenna’s reply would be.
This time she took a few seconds to completely finish off the pint and placed the glass at the edge of the table so the bartender would know she wanted another. “I did so answer your question.”
David shook his head insistently. “You said compliments are always nice to hear, not whether or not you wanted me to say...if I liked the sound of your voice.”
“Well do you like the sound of my voice?” Kenna asked just as the bartender came over to retrieve her glass.
“Do you want me to?” He countered instead, and finished off his beer in time for the bartender to collect his empty bottle, as well.
Looking down at the table, she gave a small shrug. “Yes. Like I said, it’s nice to hear compliments sometimes and such.”
He didn’t answer for a few seconds. “I like the sound of your voice.” He said quietly, finally. “It’s soothing.”
“Soothing?” Lifting her head, Kenna’s lips formed into a small smile. “Well I suppose if you’re ever having trouble sleeping, I could come over and read the dictionary to you.”
“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow, feeling more comfortable now that he could latch onto the trust OED as a conversation topic. “All right. Well, then, tell me: which entry would you start on?”
Tilting her head upwards, Kenna gave his questions a good amount of thought, so much so that new beers were brought before she was finished thinking of the perfect entry. “I would start with diphthong,” she replied as her hand went for the newly delivered drink.
David let out a snort of laughter. “Diphthong. That’s what you’d start with.” He shook his head, still grinning, and reached for his new drink. “All right. Then what?”
“It’s a good word! And a bit fun to say.” She might have let out a small laugh before drinking some of the new beer. “But then I would just pick random words. No fun in going alphabetical at that point.”
“True. Live life on the edge and all that,” he raised his new beer slightly to her before taking a long gulp.
Kenna gave a playful shrug. “Have to keep you on your toes, David.”