Charity Summerby (charitably) wrote in theprofslounge, @ 2009-07-21 16:45:00 |
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"Another bloody round," Charity insisted, waving the bartender over. He looked incredulously at the row of empty, over-turned shot glasses lining the bar and shrugged. The pair hadn't come in a vehicle, so what did he care if they drunk his entire stock of whiskey? Besides, he'd overheard the woman telling the man she intended to take advantage of the bloke when he was drunk; if the bartender was lucky, she'd mistake him for her date. Whether Michael knew it or not, Charity was priming him for a karaoke. The more alcohol she got into his system, the less likely the odds were that he would turn her down. The less arm-twisting she'd have to do. Leaning heavily on his shoulder, Charity asked, "Are you drunk? Is everything fuzzy wuzzy yet?" Michael shook his head at her, but that was a bad idea, considering everything in his field of vision took longer to stop moving back and forth after he had stopped. "Nah at all." He reached for his glass, about to have a sip but paused when he noticed no liquid in it. Okay, he wasn't drunk, but he was rather silly already, finally starting to feel himself loosen up. At least he wasn't as broody as he was the week before. "Not yet. I'm still warming up. Need to fill my stomach with something else too, you know. Even if it's just desserts." Best way to stay in control. Because as Auror, he just couldn't not, even though he was off duty. "So order something? Oh, I wonder if they have chips here. I don't usually let myself load up on carbs, but then again, I don't usually drink this much either," Charity answered. Every pub seemed to have chips. Or at least some crisps. Okay, so this wasn't a pub, and Charity definitely wasn't as in control as she thought she was. Plopping down on the barstool, she leaned toward Michael, narrowing her eyes. "You know, I can't remember if I thanked you for inviting me tonight. First time anyone outside of my brother's invited me to one of these things." "You can thank me all you want! I probably don't remember if you did either," he said, laughing. Some pie or something wouldn't be a bad thing if the bartender served those here. If not, chips was always good too. But really, he was craving pie. "Clearly, you need to get to know more of the members of the school." "I know... enough," Charity said carefully. After all, Hal still occasionally asked if she'd like to come out to India. The more she thought about it, the more it sounded like a good idea. She could do some personal photography while she was out there. And, of course, get laid. Charity snorted to herself. "Besides, I was waiting for the line where you tell me that you're the most important member of the staff, and therefore, anyone else I meet is just... second class." Michael raised his hands as he shrugged. "I have to tell you this? I thought it was common knowledge already." Putting his hands down, he laughed at his own joke. When the waiter dropped by to give them their glasses again, he didn't waste any time picking it up. Getting the alcoholic buzz was not far away. Not that he wasn't having fun already. Hey, it could have been possible that he had forgotten about Simon and Padma completely! "I was sort of expecting it, actually," Charity answered with a sloppy, squinty-eyed grin. She gave his hair a playful ruffle, something she usually only did to Nico, but hey, alcohol made people do funny things. "My whole view of you has been skewed, Michael, and now I have to find a way to set it all right." Her attention was all off with the buzz, and she glanced over her shoulder at a particularly bad set of singers gyrating and warbling off-key. "Oh, I know. The only way to sort this is to get up on the stage and sing something. You game?" "What?" Michael and singing? Bloody hell that was something he rarely attempted to do. "Sing? Me? Sing? Up there?" "Not alone. I'll be right there by your side, killing a few dogs within hearing distance," Charity teased, slipping her arm through his and resting her chin on his shoulder. Yeah, she was a little more gone that she realised. Michael wasn't sure if he had enough alcohol in him to do it without feeling like a complete idiot. But, well, it wasn't everyday he was tipsy enough to actually consider doing it. Why continue considering? "Well, as long as you're there. I don't see what's the problem. Let's, uh, do this last glass first, huh?" he said, raising the glass he had in his hand. "We're gonna have to wait our turn, you know. Go and sign up and all that jazz," Charity told him, biting her lip. He must never have done this before. "Gives you enough time to load up on liquid courage." His eyes moved briefly to her lips and he tried not to think of how hot that looked. Rebound, Michael, don't let yourself become that guy. He smiled and shrugged as he started to get up. "Good plan," he said and ambled over to sign up. He was back in a few and promptly settled down in the chair, shaking his head at Charity. "I don't think anyone who hasn't known me since I was in nappies has ever managed to get me to sing in public. Count your lucky stars, Charity!" "I take it that she's known you since the pair of you were in nappies?" Charity's eyebrow shot up. Ordinarily, she would have simply thought it, but what the hell? He was the one who'd brought it up originally. "I take it that's what happened last week, huh? Saw you at the bar talking to a woman, and it... didn't look like good news for you." Michael sighed. He had been hoping it would stay away from the topic, but well, yes, he did manage to bring it up without thinking. "Yeah. Padma Patil. She's the Charms professor at the school. Uh, well, she did mention she loves him, so. No, not good news for me." And it still stung to say it out loud, though it was slightly numbed by the alcohol in his system. "Lost my chance, I guess." "I'll help you take your mind off it," Charity said, suddenly. While she hadn't meant to it sound like a come-on, it definitely did. Laughing under her breath, she clarified, "With our clothes on, I mean. I'll just get you to do bad karaoke with me and probably get you nearly so drunk you might forget your name. Sound like a plan to you?" "What? What's wrong with me without my clothes?" he joked back. Still, he was grateful that she would help distract him, even with bad singing. "Sweetie?" Charity said, patting his bicep. Of course, she knew he had nice ones, but having a hand on one was even better. "I don't do rebounds for anyone. If you ever get over this, then you can come see me without your clothes." She was teasing right back, but she knew without a doubt that she meant it. "Careful," he said with a wink. "I might make you promise that." This would clearly mean signaling the waiter for more drinks. But absolutely pissed was nowhere close so they were still in the zone to have the drinks keep coming. "Maybe if we get enough of this stuff, we'll be doing our own karaoke right in our seats." Michael tried to keep his grin from getting wider, considering the innuendo that sentence could imply, but really, it was supposed to be completely about singing. At least he was making innuendo with the right person; Charity Summerby was a champ at double entendre and implications. "I certainly don't need 'enough of this stuff' to do anything right from our own seats. Hell, I don't even need half as much as I've had to do it on stage either." Charity, on the other hand, didn't bother to reign in her grin. It was sort of expected of her, after all. The double entendre in that comment had Michael tilting his head back slightly and laughing loudly. "Charity Summerby, you wild child." "That would be my middle name, except it's actually Felicia. I know, I know." She waved a hand in front of her face, though it was sort of funny how her eyes wanted to follow her perfectly manicured finger nails. "You'd think it would be Grace or Faith or Hope, but no. It's Felicia. Quite dull, but I honestly did think about changing it to Wild Child. My parents didn't like it none too much." Michael grabbed the hand in front of his face and brought it down. "Joy is what I expected. My nephew would like you. He wants the same middle name. He proves this by going streaking every month." Though its usually not funny when it happens and half the school is covering their eyes, this time, he just couldn't help but find it absolutely hilarious. "I think our turn is coming up soon. Hit me with one more!" The bartender obliged, quite used to giving people shots before they went up to embarrass the hell out of themselves. "Your nephew should never, ever meet me," Charity told very seriously, though the point was lost when she started laughing. "I have a feeling I'd teach him a few things you don't want taught. "And as for Joy, at least the name would fit. I'm usually quite perky and happy." Most days. Of course, July was a terrible time for her, and she needed this karaoke night as much as Michael did. "You're right. He'll also start making passes at you despite being a decade younger." He shook his head. Crazy as the kid was, he loved him dearly. "Though now you've got me curious on what exactly you can teach him. I suppose this would also have to wait till I'm off rebound, hmm?" Michael picked up his newly-filled glass and raised it at the bartender as a thanks. Charity looked a little horrified at the idea of a student hitting on her, particularly Michael's nephew. She hadn't really thought of herself as old until that very moment. Blimey, she was even older than Michael. "Oh, thanks. Now I feel like the old lady with a million cats. Or, suppose dogs in my case. Brill." And with that, she downed her entire shot. She'd have to start spreading these out or else she wasn't going to make it home. "But yes, when I think you're off the rebound, I'll teach you a few things. Your nephew... will just have to learn it from you." Michael smiled and tilted his head at her as he studied her face. "You? Old? Nope. On the contrary, he's just very very young. And bloody hell, he's learning something but it's not from me. I never went streaking." Pity that, actually, it might have been amusing to picture himself doing that in his fifth or sixth year. Yeah bleeding right. For that, Umbridge or Snape would have taken off his bits the first time he tried. His last glass was finished off just in time, apparently. He put his glass down and pushed his chair back. "Alright, drag me up there before I decide this is a bad idea." "Oh, it's a terrible idea, and you're certainly allowed to think so," Charity told him, stepping behind him and slipping her arms at his side to pull him off the chair. For a girl, she was fairly strong. Granted, he weighed a lot more than the weights she used, but for a quick kick of the stool, she could handle it. "Come on, Auror Corner; we've got ears to make bleed! |