Who: Gold and Snape When: Early June Where: Gold’s shop What: Coffee delivery Rating/Status: Low Status: Complete!
This seems to be the thing that they do. Gold delivers coffee to Snape, Snape returns the favor. So, today he was entering the antiques shop with two coffees in his hand, smirking a little as he came in. It always smelled like copper in the shop, or dust, or old leather. Or all three combined with the other smells of a shop that harbored very very old things.
Severus moved across the shop and set the coffee cup down on the counter. “Coffee.” He said the word loud enough not to be misheard.
What really could the word have been confused for, anyway? Gold smiled, taking the coffee, with a polite little nod. “Severus,” he said in both greeting and thanks.
“Morning.” Severus responded, nodding in return. He lifted his own cup to his lips and took a gulp of his hot coffee. He hoped he’d remembered the way Gold took his coffee correctly, but he was fairly confident in his memory.
“How’s business?”
“Business as usual,” Gold smiled before blowing on his coffee and giving it a sip test. It seemed acceptable, and he was pleased for it. “Can’t complain. I do well in June -- what with Father’s Day.”
“Oh, yes. Father’s day.” This June would be Severus’ third father’s day. He wasn’t planning anything for it, though Romana might be. “I suppose that’s a big holiday for an Antiques Shop.” He pulled away from the counter and took a slow lap of the store, glancing around for anything new.
“Oh yes,” Gold said, as if amused by it. “Must buy father something distinguished, after all.” He didn’t understand it, really. He hadn’t really had parents of any kind though, and had no children of his own -- so he was allowed the bitterness.
“And by distinguished you mean... old?” Severus joked. It was a joke. Really. He liked the things in the shop. He took a lap around the globes and headed back toward the register, still looking at things idly as he moved around.
“Same difference to some,” Gold said with a small bark of laughter. “At least, that’s what I tell myself in the mornings.” Because he was old. And distinguished, thanks. “There’s not much new, admittedly.”
“Ah, yes. I imagine that helps.” Severus teased. He stopped when he reached the register. Nothing new was perking his interest today. He leaned against the counter and sipped his coffee. “I try to tell myself that I’m helping people. But really, I’m only feeding into the broken Health Care system in this country.”
Oh, healthcare. Always a bit of a concern, really. And always something to complain about. “Unfortunately, I’ve found the only way in helping with that is if you own the company and product you design completely.” Gold was a bit of a realist. Then again, he was a politician, so it suited him to be.
Not exactly what Severus was interested in. He was perfectly content with disappearing into the background. He would much rather be a cog that makes the wheel turn. Indispensable, but invisible. “Which I don’t think is in the cards for me at present.” Severus said with a little shrug. “I’d rather go without the attention, to be perfectly frank.”
“Understandably so,” Gold said, with some mirth. “Sometimes being invisible is how to get the most amount of work done, anyway.” Gold was a bit louder than all that, but he could see the appeal.
Severus nodded. “It’s also the best way to not get caught at things. No one seems to notice the man in the background as he goes about whatever his business is.” He knew fairly well how to blend in with the wallpaper.
Gold only looked interested in that. “Dear me, Mr. Snape. Do you often do things that you might not want to get caught for?”
“If I did,” There was a hint of playfulness in Snape’s voice. “...would I be likely to confess them?”
“Oh, goodness,” Gold said with a delighted little giggle. “Aren’t you the clever one?”
“I like to think so.” Severus said, smugly.
“Careful.” Gold hid his smile behind his coffee cup. “It’s nearly believable.”
Severus gave a little laugh. “You’re mean.” He teased. It was jovial. He turned to head out of the shop. “That’s what my daughter would call you. I have to go to work. Get less mean, and I’ll come visit again soon.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Gold said in a tone that clearly implied he would do nothing of the sort.