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Percival Ignatius Weasley has discovered sarcasm. (analretentive) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-06-12 16:43:00

Who: Percy Weasley and Audrey Baxter
When: Early June, after these texts
Where: Percy’s Office
What: Pastry Delivery
Rating/Status: Low
Status: Complete!



Audrey wasn’t sure what to do. She’d just finished work, had texted back and forth with Merlin a little, and had to get away. She didn’t want to go home and see Nina (or Merlin, if he happened by to try and talk about things) and didn’t want to stay at work (in case Merlin came there, instead) so she grabbed up some Raspberry croissants and headed straight to the law office where Percy worked.

She poked her head in, feeling sheepish and sad, totally unlike her normal self, wondering if there was a secretary or something she should talk to. “Hello?”

They didn’t really have a secretary -- it was a pretty small firm, and the interns had gone for the day already.

Percy exited his office at the sound of the voice -- really, it was just around the corner from the lobby -- and was surprised to see Audrey there. First Verity, and now her? Was everyone having legal issues lately? “Audrey? Are you alright?”

“Oh, Percy.” Audrey said, a little relieved she didn’t have to poke about or deal with a handful of strangers just to get to talk to her best friend. “Yes, I’m okay. Thought you might like a delivery.” She said, holding up the bag. She tried to smile, but it would be obvious to him it was a bit forced.

Oh dear. Percy looked concerned for a moment, ready to ask a million questions. But, considering that he was a polite and proper soul, he offered Audrey one of his trademark tiny smiles instead of questions. “That’s very kind of you. I appreciate it,” he said. “Would you like a cup of coffee? It’s not nearly as good as what you have to offer generally, but I do buy it locally.”

“I’d love one.” Audrey moved to catch up with him in the hall, holding out the bag. “I know you like Raspberry, but James,” She called him that, even though everyone else called him Wilson? Just cause. “He pretty much likes everything, doesn’t he? Anyway, there are some sweets in the bag for you two. Just make sure to have a good dinner first.” Thanks, Mum.

“Thank you, we’ll be sure to do that. And yes, James is less picky than I am,” Percy admitted with a fond sort of smile, taking the bag and holding it with two hands. “The coffee is just there,” he said, gesturing to a pot and a little stack of clean mugs. “Help yourself.” He paused then, considering. “I--er. If you’d like, we can catch up a bit in my office?” She seemed a bit like she needed to talk. And really, no one came to his office just to hang out.

“Okay, yeah.” Audrey looked a little relieved at that. She’d been nervous that he wouldn’t have time to chat, and she honestly wasn’t sure where else to go to let some things off her chest. It might bave been a little selfish to hope that she could babble at him for a few minutes, but what were friends for, right?

Exactly. And Percy honestly had so few real friends, that he would never really turn one down in a time of need, anyway. Even if he was busy, he was just too polite to do otherwise.

Once they’d both gotten themselves some coffee, Percy ushered her into his entirely too-clean office, which was very notably devoid of anything even remotely considered decoration. Except his plaque - paperweight on his desk, because that had been a gift from James, and also was just useful.

Percy wasn’t very good at conversation - particularly conversation about awkward or personal things, but he felt it best to just get straight to the point on these sorts of matters. “Is everything okay, Audrey?”

Audrey wasn't all that surprised by the state of the office, as it seemed so very, well, Percy . She sat in the chair opposite Percy's desk, holding her mug between her hands. "I... yes. I think so, I mean..." she sighed a quick sigh. "What if Merlin really is gay?"

Percy blinked, a little taken aback by that one. And then, because he couldn’t help himself, he gave Audrey a little smile. He wasn’t good at relationship advice by any means, but this concern in particular didn’t seem difficult to sort out. “Sexuality is a bit more difficult than all that, Audrey. He wasn’t ashamed of what he was, or hiding it. He didn’t pick you in any misguided attempt at sorting himself out, did he?”

“I don’t know.” Audrey said. She was slightly comforted. Percy was right, and she sure knew it. Sexuality wasn’t a simple black and white. She knew that as much as anyone else did, in her own shades of grey. “I don’t think so. I just... Arthur kissed him when he told Arthur that he was with me. I don’t know what’s going on. I can’t let myself fall in love with him as much as I want to because I’m terrified that I’m going to have my heart broken if he decides he doesn’t... you know. Want me.”

“You can’t blame Merlin for someone else getting jealous and doing something rash.” Percy rose his eyebrows, as if to say ‘do you know how silly that is?’. Of course, he didn’t quite say it aloud.

He held his coffee mug with both hands, but did not bother lifting it for a drink. “What’s the saying? Better to have loved and lost? What I mean to say is, you shouldn’t not give yourself a chance to be happy just because you’re anxious.”

“Oh, no, I’m not blaming him, I’m just...” She gave a little sigh and lifted her hands to rub over her eyes. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m afraid that I’m falling for him way too fast. I’ve never done all this before. And I’m terrified that he’s falling for me too fast, and that... that we’re just going to end up hurting each other.”

“I’m hardly one to give advice on that,” Percy said, almost gently. “I moved in with James after dating for a month and a half.” The redhead clearly had no particular care for time restraints or what ‘too fast’ meant, in these regards.

Audrey gave a little nod. “Maybe... maybe that’s just the way things go. Maybe you just... know. And then things are perfect.” It’d never happened to her before, but that didn’t make it impossible, right?

“Nothing is ever perfect,” Percy said, and sounded quite serious about it. “But things can be good and better both. You can know when you’re happy, and when it’s someone else making you that way. Shouldn’t that be enough?”

"Yeah, it should. And I suppose it is," Audrey responded, sounding somewhat sheepish. "I’m just... a bit scared. That’s all. I’ll get over it.” And talking to Percy was definitely helping. He was quickly becoming one of her closest friends, surprisingly enough. “Thanks, Percy. It really helps to get it all off my chest.”

It wasn’t too surprising. Percy was occasionally shy and a bit anxious, but he was fairly loyal once friends with someone, and had a knack for speaking what was on his mind. It worked. He gave a smile and a nod. “Any time,” he said, and found he rather meant it.