before i ever met you Who: Mafalda Hopkirk and Evan Rosier Where: Her office at the Ministry What: Adults doing adult things like discussing politics When: Noon Ratings:Eh. Some mild swearing with her internal monologue, but otherwise nothing.
It wasn’t awkward at all. Not really, anyway. It’d been years since she had lost her fucking mind and slept with a married man, and the only times she’d ever thought about it was when she was left alone with her thoughts for too long. Unfortunately, these days it certainly seemed like that was happening more often. If buying chocolate was any indication of where she was in life, then let it be known she’d rather never show off the current state of her cupboard.
No. It wasn’t awkward that she’d invited a man she hadn’t really seen except in passing for twenty-something years over to her office for tea. And a discussion about politics. That was the important part -- nothing ever came of discussing politics, right? Besides, they’re both adults now. I mean, they were then, but they still are now.
Shit.
Mafalda pushed aside the scattered thoughts as easily as she did tap the pile of parchment on her desk before setting them down neatly. What the hell was going on in her brain? She felt like some idiotic nervous wreck, a teenager desperate to prove she wasn’t the same gawky nerd from years before. But she had nothing to prove, least of all to Evan Rosier, and she knew that.
Hormones. That’s what it was. The ever-changing flow of her hormones were definitely taking their toll on her ageing body.
She glanced up in time to spot him getting closer to her door and took the opportunity to quickly redirect the train of thought that was careening out of control. After she’d taken a moment to double-check that she had in fact set out two cups and had a warm kettle waiting, Mafalda moved around her desk and opened the door for him.
“Mr. Rosier,” she said coolly, stepping aside. “Very punctual of you -- the tea’s just there.”
Adult conversations about politics over tea. That’s what this was. Absolutely.