Who: Eloise Midgen & Augustus Pye. When: BACKDATED to the Monday before Valentine's Day; End of Shift at St. Mungo's. Where: St. Mungo's and then to Eloise's flat. What: The end of the work day and some late dinner! Status: Complete. Rating: PG-13.
Being a head healer at St. Mungo's had it perks; but mostly, it was just a lot of work. Augustus couldn't complain though, especially because he liked being busy and it was easier to use work as an excuse for his empty house and lack of friends rather than facing the fact that it was probably him. He set his quill down after signing the last bit of paperwork for the night before pulling out his wand and tapping the scroll he was working on. It rolled up with a flick and disappeared to be filed away along with the rest of the paperwork that was never looked at.
The dim light of his office gave him somewhat of a headache -- shutting his eyes, he frowned and rubbed his temples roughly. From the unusual sounds of shuffling in the hallway, Augustus could tell that the current shift was ending. He scooted away from his desk and immediately strolled out to the corridor, finding the Shift Healer. Clearing his throat, he scratched his head and gave no sign expression to the woman in front if him. "Jones. I trust everything is well for tonight? You can discharge the healers for this shift, unless there is anything they need to stay for." From the looks of it, tonight was rather slow and there was no major accidents that had come up; seemingly making it an easy night.
The plump witch sighed at him, before pulling up a scroll, an ugly frown on her face. "It's all well now, Healer Pye -- but that Midgen girl. Really, I don't know what to do with her." AJ glanced at the woman with the mention of Eloise. She was one of the only healers that he seemed to be friends with and the mention of her name put him on edge. "Er- What happened?" Before the older witch could answer however, he waved her to stop speaking. "Nevermind, I'll just ask her then. You can go now Healer Jones."
The woman nodded and walked past him without so much as a goodbye. Turning, he spotted Eloise a little ways down the hall and started to head towards her. She hadn't noticed him, and so he leaned a against a wall and crossed his arms in front of him. "So. What'd you do this time, Lou?" A small grin spread across his face without permission as he stared down at the back of Eloise's head. It was true that she wasn't very good at her job, but she was pleasant, sweet, and nice to talk to -- and personally, he found it kind of humorous.
Eloise HATED working with Healer Jones. She was mean and grouchy and she had the WORST had writing of anyone she'd ever met. It wasn't her fault that the older woman's penmanship was terrible! She signed off on all her patients, checking the last one before she left for the evening. She was bad at this job. The patients loved her. Well, the ones she wasn't killing and she got on with EVERYONE but she was just not a Healter. She hated blood. She didn't like the way the hospital smelled. Half of the cases made her cry and every night when she went home, she felt like part of her life had been sucked away, never to return.
Augie's voice caught her by surprise and she turned around, brushing her hair off her forehead. His amused smile was reassuring and she had to admit that she liked that she could make him smile. He rarely did and she was positive he needed to do it so much more often. "Oh Augie," she sighed, playing with the ends of her hair. "I swear it wasn't my fault this time. I can't read anything Jones writes and her three looked like an eight... I swear I wasn't trying to overdose Mr. Hadley." Eloise sighed again. She was hungry and tired.
"And she's mean. No one likes her," she complained. Of course, that could've been because Eloise screwed up twice today. "Also, I may have accidentally removed the bones from Mrs. Malkin's hand..." She really had no excuse for that one but Augustus didn't seem to mind. Not really. In fact, she was certain he hadn't fired her because he found her hilarious and he needed SOME form of entertainment. "Are you thoroughly vexed with me?" she asked, blinking her wide blue eyes up at him.
Augustus wouldn't have paid any mind to it, but seeing Eloise may have been the first time he smiled all day if he let himself notice things like that. A laugh surfaced as Eloise began to explain the situation to him -- he loved the way her face scrunched up when she was riled up. Well, he would love it if he noticed things like that, that is.
It was true that Eloise really shouldn't have had this job, but for some reason he couldn't find it in his heart to fire her. Though, come to think of it, he probably should fire her -- she didn't seem to enjoy the work that much anyways. Despite that fact, he liked having her around and he really wasn't ready to let her go. Another token of laughter escaped his lips before he replied, "Merlin, Lou." Shaking his head, he pushed away from the wall so he was standing up straight again. "Well, at least you didn't kill him. I'd hate for that to be on your conscience for the rest of your life. Walk with me?"
He motioned for her to follow him back to his office. Everyone was staring at the two of them, plus he was always looking for a reason to be alone with Eloise. It made him feel ... different. "Poor Mrs. Malkin. Though, that's what magical medicine is for. I just question if you're the one that should be distributing it ... No offense." He laughed again at her question, opening the door to his office and waving her inside. "I don't think I could ever be vexed with you, Eloise. I'll handle Mrs. Jones." As she walked inside he leaned down to her eat. "And just between you and me, I think her handwriting is so awful because she can't see past her chubby eyelids."
Eloise blushed when he laughed as she followed him to his office. Everyone was always asking her about Healer Pye. But to her, he'd always been Augie. Their friendship was a strange one but it'd been formed at Hogwarts and they'd kept in touch off and on and when she entered into St. Mungo's, it'd seemed to solidify. She barely noticed the looks she got anymore. It wasn't like they were sleeping together but she'd already heard that vicious rumor more than once. Which, she was pretty sure Mrs. Jones had started. Taking off her lime green robe, she hung it up in his office and felt a tingle of awareness as he leaned down, whispering in her ear. His words, however, had her laughing and covering her lips in an attempt to hold in a snort. Turning, Eloise realized how close she actually was to him as she had to craned her neck to look at him. She idly straightened his tie, smoothing it down and sighed.
"Sadly you can't keep covering for me, Augie," she sighed, knowing that he cleaned up a lot of her messes for her. He was wonderful that way. Eloise had yet to really think about what that meant. She knew they were friends but he'd also ended his marriage fairly recently and she wasn't sure he would even consider thinking about her in any other way then friendly. She dropped her head to his chest with a dramatic sigh. "I just wish my parents weren't so set on me being a healer," she sighed, pulling back.
Moving to sit down on the edge of his desk, she idly swung her legs. "Are you working all night?" she asked, hoping the answer was no. It was late and she had a couple of hours before she had to go to the radio station and a late dinner would be perfect. "Please say no because I'm starving and all they had in the cafeteria today was meat and horribly limp lettuce!"
Perhaps it was inappropriate how much he favoured Eloise, but AJ couldn't help that he wanted to keep her around. She was pretty, funny, smart, gentle, and most of all -- she made him feel something. Even when he was with his ex-wife he had an indifference about him ... he didn't care where they went or what they did; she made all the decisions and spoke for him constantly. It was like he wasn't really even his own person. Eloise, however, made him feel like he could express himself -- or at least the closest he'd ever been to expressing himself. He liked her a lot, though he wouldn't let his feelings for her hinder their friendship. He was sure a grumpy, almost 30-something bloke with no family or real skill wasn't the right type of man for her in any scenario. "I don't know if I'd call it covering for you, really." He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "Just you know, you've- you can't help it."
A small frown came to the corners of his mouth when she mentioned her parents. He didn't understand why they wouldn't want to see their daughter happy. Granted, his parents weren't always the best at that, but Eloise was different. She was beautiful when she was happy, radiant even. "I don't, well, if you don't like the job, Lou-" His brows furrowed in thought. "I'm sure we could figure out a way to let you go without it being- er, your fault, so to speak." Augie wasn't the type to lie. In fact, one of his best virtues was telling the truth, but he was sure he could figure something out if it awarded her some happiness. Even if it did mean that she wouldn't be at work anymore.
The sound of Eloise's laugh made him smile and he continued to grin at her as he watched her pop up onto his desk. "Actually- er, no." He moved over to lean against the desk next to where she was sitting. "That sounds- I guess we'll just have to find somewhere for you that has a better selection of vegetables. Anything spark your fancy?"
Eloise gave him a patronizing smile and knew she could count on his support. However, she also knew that she needed to make a decision about her career. They both knew she was in it for her parents and it wasn't that she didn't mind the job... well, no. No matter how hard she tried to talk herself into liking her chosen profession, she just wanted to be at the radio station or working on her art. But her parents had their hearts set on a Healer in the family and short of marrying one... she was the only option as her brother was only thirteen and Hannah wasn't interested in it either. Sighing, Eloise just shrugged. "No... I'll just work harder...." she said, sadly. "Maybe I should switch to working in the morgue... I can't really kill a dead person..." Of course, she was fairly certain that would kill her spirit but... yeah.
"It'll be fine," she said, plastering a faux smile on her lips. "I can do this. A little hard work and if Jones didn't scare me so much I could actually ASK her a question..." She really wished it was AJ she was working with. Of course, he already went out of his way for her and she wasn't going to ask for any preferential treatment. Well, no more than she was already getting.
"Oh GOOD!" she exclaimed, happily. "Let me run to the changing room! I'm pretty sure I still have urine on my clothes from Mrs. Figg's granddaughter." She gave him a quick, friendly peck on the cheek and hurried to the door. "I'll be back in a flash!" Eloise bounded out of his office, a whirlwind of happiness and excitement. She loved going to dinner with AJ. It was always fun and they always found something to laugh over. Ten minutes later, she returned, dressed in an oversized sweater dress with a large owl on it, tribal leggings and mid-calf brown boots. A knitted hat was on her head and she had a plaid coat in the other.
Pushing the door open, she came back into his office. "I have TONS of stuff at my place if you just want to come over," she said, thoughtfully. "Of course, I don't have any meat so if you want something else we'd have to stop first!"
AJ shook his head. There was no way he was going to let her continue to be this miserable. "I'm not letting you near any dead people, Eloise. Maybe ..." His voice trailed off for a moment. He was thinking -- so much that he began to bite at the inside of his cheek. Maybe he could figure out a way she could work directly for him. Mind you, people would certainly talk if they weren't already, but that was the beauty of being Augustus Pye; he didn't give a shite. Though, he suspected perhaps Eloise would care. Then again, she wasn't one to care much if she was happy either. "What if I could move you around a bit? Er, they were looking to hire someone to help me anyway- I could see- that is, if you wanted to." Maybe she'd like that and she wouldn't even have to tell her parents she wasn't doing as much healing if she didn't want to. Maybe this was stupid. He wasn't sure.
"Alright." Augie should have been used to Eloise's type of affection, but he could still feel his cheeks turning red after she kissed him. Luckily, she got off the desk before he had much time to respond; the way she was sitting was messing with his head. He laughed again at her comment and watched as she ran out of the room, a whirl of blond hair and quirkiness. Once she was gone, he moved to his desk and gathered a few things. Taking of his Healer robes, he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and undid his tie.
She came back into his office and he found himself smiling again at her outfit. Usually, he would think that anyone that dressed like her was off their rocker, but it suited her in the best possible way. "You look cute" he said rather matter-of-factly before he caught his words. "Your place sounds lovely. We don't have to stop anywhere, I'm sure I can manage all the same." Augustus didn't like to eat meat in front of Eloise -- not because she'd bother him about it, but because he felt it was more respectful to her. Pushing his arm out, he beckoned Eloise to hook onto it. "Shall we?"
Eloise blushed under his compliments, trying to will away the flare of feelings she had for him. They were just friends. That's what she kept telling herself. Nothing more than friends. "Thank you Mr. Pye," she said, linking her arm with his, noting the lost tie and the unbuttoned button. Everyone thought they were dating but they really weren't they were just good friends. That was all. "Are you sure?" she asked, as they headed out of the office and into the hall. "I don't mind," she said, knowing that people did like meat and that her way of eating, especially in England, was odd. "If you're sure. I have a HUGE pot of vegetable stew if you'd like. Or I can make something."
As they headed out, there were a few stares but nobody said anything. No one ever did. "You realize people look at us like they've caught us shagging in the supply closet," she whispered, leaning into him as a harried healer brushed by them. "It's so silly." Of course, her cheeks were slightly pink at the thought of being anywhere NEAR a supply closet with AJ. It wouldn't be THAT awful. Not even a little bit.
Once they arrived to her place, she took his hand, pulling him through the door and into the kitchen before pouring two glasses of wine. Her art was strewn all over the place and the clutter that amassed was mostly paint and clay supplies. She had canvases everywhere, filled with popart landscapes and portraits. She loved painting. There were a few whismical vases out that she'd finished the other day. She waved her wand, sending her stew to heat up while she waited.
Eloise leaned against the counter, giving Augie a smile. "I love when you come over!"
"Stew is great" he said with a wink. Where did that come from? He usually liked the food she made, even if it was vegetarian. Augustus wasn't one to complain anyway, after all food was only fuel -- something one's body needed to survive. He didn't really understand why people fussed over it anyway.
AJ's face immediately turned red at Eloise's comment. For some reason the though of getting her alone in any place that small seemed to make his lower abdomen tighten. He turned his head bit to avoid eye contact with the tiny blond. "Er. That's- I suppose there's worse they could say." he scratched the scruff that was no developing on his chin, "Almost seems like a waste that we aren't doing it if they're going to say so anyway." Shite. He didn't mean to say that.
Before he knew it, he was pulled through Eloise's front door. He liked her place, which was surprising considering how much he hated clutter, color, or anything that remotely seemed messy. His house was so neat it almost looked as if no one lived there. He shot Eloise another smile when she said she liked having him over, though it was short lived when he noticed the art she was working on had been nearly untouched since the last time he was over. "Haven't been painting much, Lou?"
Eloise laughed at his comment and shook her head. "I'm certain, short of murder, there's nothing less scandalous than you and I in a closet somewhere," she said, as they stepped inside. She didn't think he actually meant anything about them. He'd never shown the slightest bit of interest in being anything more than her friend and she'd always tried to respect that. She hadn't wanted to lose him and even when he'd been married... his wife had thought something untoward, though, nothing ever happened and she'd respectfully stepped back and left him to be alone with that... well, bitch.
Glancing around at her art, she looked at him and sighed. "Sadly, no," she said, arm still linked with his, letting her head drop to his upper arm as they looked around her flat. "It's been... difficult. I haven't had the time or the inspiration, if I'm honest." That, in itself, was quite depressing. She missed painting but she'd sit down and nothing would happen. When you were involved in two jobs that were both quite time consuming... well, it seemed everything suffered.
Pulling him into the kitchen, Eloise quickly got everything together and set the stew to warm. She found herself staring at him as he looked around her flat. He was so bloody handsome sometimes it was hard for her to forget that she couldn't have him. Just friends. That's it. That was all she could thing about and all she had to focus on because they were just friends. That was it.
Augie's frown deepened. He didn't like that she didn't have time to do the things she enjoyed. He was going to fix this. Somehow. "We're going to have to find you some of both, then. Perhaps once you have some time, the inspiration will follow.
He watched her as she waltzed around her kitchen, perhaps a bit too mesmerized by the way she moved. She was so beautiful, so interesting, so ... Young. Shaking his head absentmindedly, he tried to remind himself that he was lucky to even have her as a friend at all. "Er- need any help?"
Eloise gave him an endearing smile and shook her head. "I'm afraid it might be time to put that behind me," she said, somewhat sadly. She had responsibilities. With her father ill... well, it wasn't like she couldn't not help her family. Sighing, Eloise pulled the stew out, not really paying attention to what she was doing. Her mind drifted as she tried not to think about having to give up the station and her art but she had responsibilities as the eldest in the family. Augie's words pulled her back and she sighed. "Not at all," she said, giving him a smile. "I've got it."
As she said it, Eloise slammed into the corner of her island the bowl of vegetable stew FLYING through the air and spilling all over Augie. "Oh my gosh!" she cried, eyes wide as she hurried over, holding her side. That had bloody hurt. A deep ache spread through her side and she knew she'd be bruised when all was said and done. However, at the moment, her priority was Augie and the mess she'd managed to dump all over him.
"I am so sorry," she said, unsure exactly how to clean him up. There was stew dripping down his oxford and all over his trousers. Her fingers flew to the buttons of his shirt, not even thinking as she quickly tried to get the hot stew off of him. "Hurry! Take your shirt off before you're burned!"
I've got it. Augie's was slowly realizing that perhaps he should never trust Eloise when she spoke those words. In a whirl of carrots, potatoes, and other green vegetables that came at him too quick to recognize, Augustus watched helplessly as the bowl of stew hit him square in the chest. It didn't take long for him to feel the heat and wetness against his skin.
Fumbling for the bottom buttons of his shirt as Eloise worked at the top ones, they finally managed to loosen the all before he shrugged off the shirt. He quickly pulled his under shirt over his head as well, letting it fall in a heap on the kitchen floor. It wasn't until it was all off that he realized how dangerously close Eloise was standing to him -- he was practically straddling her as she stood in between his legs ... And he wasn't wearing a shirt. He felt hot again but this time it wasn't from the stew.
"Er- th- thanks." He looked at Eloise, a slightly confused expression on his face, before he noticed a spot of stew on her cheek. Gently, he brush his finger against it and stuck it in his mouth. "Stew's good, Lou."
Her mouth fell slightly agape when it registered that the toned and broad chest in front of her belonged to Augustus Pye. It was... overwhelming and her cheeks flushed pink and her body instantly responded to the very lovely male in front of her. He was... perfect. She swallowed, nervously, feeling the tension in the air spike between them. Her eyes never left his as his finger slid gently over her cheek, eyes widening as she watched his mouth. Her heart sped up and her palms became moist. This was... unexpected. She should move away. Instead, she stepped a little closer, her own fingers brushing off a bit of stew from the side of his neck.
"Uh, thanks," she murmured, blinking up at him. Hand slightly trembling. Was this really happening? Perhaps it was just on her end. Maybe. She couldn't help it when her eyes trailed over his chest, downward, seeing the evident response of his... well, yes. Her cheeks flamed pink again and the desire that he built in her was lit. They weren't supposed... no. But it was Augie... her AJ.
"You, ah," she started, trying to find her voice. "You have a bit of carrot..." She reached out, fingers brushing over his collar bone as she removed the offending vegetable. Unable to stand it anymore, Eloise stood on her tip toes and kissed him.
Augustus didn't even know himself right now and he certainly had no idea what he was going to do. Here he stood, in the middle of Eloise's kitchen wearing no shirt and lusting after the tiny girl standing in front of him. She was so pretty, too pretty even. He had never felt so much tension build in his chest -- not in this way at least, not in the way that made him want to press her against the counter and snog her silly.
She grabbed for the carrot and he leaned forward only to be met with her lips. He wasn't sure if it was his intention to kiss her, but she was there to meet him and he wasn't going to back away now. His body instinctively leaned into hers and his hand moved up to her neck to grab at her hair. Pulling her towards him, he rest his other hand on her hip. Their kiss lingered and deepened until Augustus finally had to pull away to catch his breath.
His eyes locked with Eloise's and he couldn't help but blush. Had that really just happened. The shock remained on his face as he quickly let his hand fall away from her waist in realization that he might have just ruined one of the only good friendships he had. "Er- I'm, I'm uh sorry. I- I, should go."