Verity (jokeshopgirl) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-08-01 08:21:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, percy weasley, verity |
Verity was practically in love with the woman herself.
Who: Percy Weasley and Verity Ashford
When: Week of July 21
Where: Baxter Bakery
What: Random running into
Rating/Warning: Low/None
Status: Complete
Audrey Baxter was an angel. A complete and total doll. Verity was practically in love with the woman herself. Why, you ask? Three words; Maple, Bacon, Donut. It was like, the most glorious pastry ever invented, and Verity had one on the plate in front of her at the little cafe. The weather was nice, so she was sitting outside, sipping from an iced chai tea latte (with sparkling milk) and debating how to start in on this absolutely magnificent baked good.
If that was Verity’s idea of heaven, it was possibly Percy’s idea of hell. Luckily, Audrey was an angel, and Percy was easily granted his own access into the pearly gates by means of raspberry scones and tea.
He meant to just go and read a bit -- possibly catch up on some paper work -- but when he spotted Verity sitting at a table alone, he paused. They were friends, right? Ish? He should probably say hello. So he did. “Hello.”
Verity actually jumped at the sound of his voice. Just a little, in her chair, and her head snapped up to see who was speaking. “Oh, Percy. Hi.” She said, and gave him a little smile. “How are you? Are you... oooh, Raspberry scones. My other favorite.”
“Would you like one?” Percy was always polite. It was sort of his thing. The employees here must have known that he was a favorite of Audreys, since they always tended to give him free things. One scone too many.
“Oh, nah, that’s okay.” Verity said, giving him a smile. “I’ve got my donut. But... come sit.” She said, pulling out the chair next to hers for him. “Tell me how things are.”
So he sat, settling scones and tea down on the table before slipping easily into a seat, back straight against the support. “Things? Oh. Well. Fairly decent. Work is busy, but it’s mine now, so-- it seems worth it.”
“Congratulations again. Your partner... he’s very nice.” Verity meant Percy’s work partner. Obviously. “Is he seeing anyone?” She asked, not very casually. But she was trying. The poor girl had so many hormones running through her she was asking that about everyone so it seemed.
“Well,” Percy said, not quite making that connection as quickly as he should have. “He’s my partner, he’s seeing me -- oh. Oh!” He went a stupid shade of bright pink. “You mean Sam. Oh my goodness.” Suddenly his tea was very interesting. “Er- yes. He has a pony. I mean. A girlfriend.”
Verity had just lifted her chai for a sip, but she lowered it again. “I’m sorry, he’s seeing a pony?” She really should know these things. It’s not as if Sam and Deryn kept their relationship secret on Valarnet, right?
Percy was of the inclination that Deryn probably couldn’t keep anything a secret, she just wasn’t the sort. “Well, in her dreams she is,” he clarified a little embarrassedly. “It does sound odd, doesn’t it?”
“That’s... really odd. Almost as odd as being a witch or a wizard. Not quite as odd as getting pregnant from a dream, though.” Verity said, smirking softly. They all had strange dreams, didn’t they? Everyone on Valarnet. More like memories than dreams.
“Yes,” Percy said, going a little pink. It just seemed odd, was all. Well. It was odd. He shrugged, almost apologetically, before taking a sip of his raspberry tea. “How are you otherwise?”
“Otherwise?” Verity asked with a little chuckle in her voice. “It’s really hard to separate it from the rest of my life. Not really sure what the rest of my life is anymore.” She said, shaking her head. “But things are pretty good, I think. Good job, great bosses, moving into a new place with more space...”
That hadn’t really been what Percy meant, although in retrospect he wasn’t really sure what he’d been asking in the first place. “Moving.” he made a face. “Seems like everyone is doing that lately. I hope you have help, and that Fred and George aren’t giving you a hard time.”
“Nah, Fred and George aren’t giving me a hard time.” Verity said, shaking her head. “I’ve got the weekend I need off, actually, which is really nice of them. I’ve taken off too much work time lately, and I’m thankful that they’re so understanding.”
Percy was a little surprised by that but not as much as he might have been a year or so ago. He only nodded and seemed impressed with his younger, wilder brothers.
“And have you -- heard from...” Oliver. He didn’t actually know why he asked that, and stopped before he could finish.
Verity’s face paled just a little. She shook her head, her eyes dropping down to the pastry in front of her. “No.” She said, softly. “He just sends money.” No phone calls, no emails, just deposits into her bank account to help pay rent and doctor’s bills.
Percy went a bit pink with embarrassment a little shame for having brought it up. “I’m sorry,” he said, and quite meant it.
“It’s okay. I mean, I guess I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did, you know? He wasn’t the Oliver from my dreams, maybe.” She shrugged once, her attention still on the pastry. Her hand reached forward to pick at the maple glaze on the donut.
Percy nodded, understanding more than he cared to let on. It hurt a little to think about. “Yes,” he murmured in agreement, looking down at his own tea. “You’re right, I think.”
“As much as I wish he was.” Or did she? Maybe she didn’t wish he was. If there was a real Oliver out there, then maybe there was hope for her finding the one from her dreams. Or should she try to find someone not from her dreams? She couldn’t live waiting for him. Then again, she wasn’t chalk full of options at the moment. Romantically, anyway. “Anyway, I’ve got more important things on my plate.”
“Understandably.” He sipped at his tea just for something to do with his hands, for a reason to not have to speak for a moment. He didn’t date anyone in his dreams, not really -- he had a short relationship with a girl in school but that hardly seemed like it counted, considering. He was pleased for that.
Verity started in on her donut. It wouldn’t take long for her to finish it up. Now she was thinking about Oliver, and she hated that. “Hopefully the dreams won’t... y’know... kill us in the end.” She said. It was obvious to Verity how powerful the dreams were, even if it wasn’t necessarily obvious to other people.
Percy supposed one might take more stock in the dreams when they wound up with things like babies from them. He took enough stock in his own -- mostly because the magic was an interest, something he was getting quite good at.
“I doubt that would happen,” he said.
Ah, yes, magic. That was the good part of the dreams. Well, there were lots of good parts. Working at Fred and George’s shop was good. Her friendship with Audrey? That was good. Her relationship with Oliver was good, even though it was painful in this world. The pain was what made it terrible. “You’re right. Yes, you’re right.” She said, nodding. “The war won’t kill us.”
Percy had yet to get to a part of the dreams where the war was even a prevalent thing. In fact, dream him was very adamant that it wouldn’t happen at all. He saw, here, that it wasn’t probably the case.
“Best not to worry about about it too much, anyway.”
"Right. Life is too short." Verity put on a smile. It was tired and a little forced, but it was there. "So. When's the wedding?"
“Don’t know yet -- we haven’t decided.” More like he hadn’t decided. “I’ll be sure to tell you when I know. Anyway --er -- I should probably get back to work.”
“Oh, yes. Don’t let me keep you.” Verity said. She finished off her donut and stood to walk out with him--after bussing her plate to the dish tub near the trash can, of course. “Say hello to Sam for me.” She gave him a smile and a wave, then headed off toward her car.