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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 13, 2007 20:50:24 GMT
New experiences are good for you, I remind myself as I walk hurriedly down the busy Muggle street, surrounded on all sides, it seems, by incessant noise… mostly the honking of cars, but also people yelling, talking, laughing. Why must Muggles be so loud? I ask myself, knowing that’s an unfair accusation – wizards are plenty loud as well.
And you’d think I could get used to it, but no. In fact, with every honking car and every sudden shout, I twitch a little more violently, looking over my shoulders a little more frantically, and hold a little tighter to the wand concealed in my pocket.
This is just a new experience and it’ll be all right, I chant, shoulders getting tenser by the minute as I search, wide-eyed, for some sort of exit. A quiet-looking store or blissfully empty building. Or a way back to the wizarding world since I’ve forgotten how I got here in the first place.
How do Muggles stand it? I think, too busy looking over my shoulder again to notice that someone is stepping out of a shop and directly into my path.
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 13, 2007 23:00:52 GMT
Gabriel had just been shopping for Bella, she had needed new stuff for Genevieve and he had offered to help. He decided that the best place for him to go was into the muggle world, his father was a muggle and he was used to it. He enjoyed it actually. It always made him think of what his life would have been like if he were a muggle.
A lot less interesting.
He stepped out the shop he had just been looking in and walked righ into someone, or had they walked into him. Either way it was collision. His head snapped up and looked at the girl apologetically. "I'm so sorry, i didn't see you there." He said sincerely.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 13, 2007 23:06:28 GMT
"Ah... ah, no, fine, sorry, fine," I say quickly, shaking my head and stepping back a bit. I hold on even tighter to my wand for reassurance, closing my eyes briefly to compose myself as best I can when the cars are still honking and people still shouting....
Some kind of noise-reduction charm around your head, that's what you should have done.
"I'm sorry," I say again after opening my eyes. "I wasn't looking at where I was going."
I glance over my shoulder again uneasily as I speak, and start to edge away.
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 13, 2007 23:12:09 GMT
"Don't worry about it." Gabriel smiled warmly at her, though she seemed nervous, on edge. Like the place frightened her. He didn't like seeing people frightened. "Are you alright?" He asked with a furrowed brow and concerned expression. He thought she might be lost or something. Or maybe worse, maybe someone was after her. He waved away the even more ridicualus ideas in his head. He was an auror and that seemed to have made him think of every situation for things like this.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 13, 2007 23:16:18 GMT
I laugh slightly, eying the shop he just came out of and wondering if it's quiet in there.
"Perfectly fine, really. Just... I don't like the noise," I say, continuing to look around uneasily. "Not used to... cities," I explain, since I can't exactly say that I'm not used to muggles. "I'm sorry I ran into you."
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 15, 2007 23:15:51 GMT
Gabriel chuckled slightly. "Yeah it's something you have to get used to when your around mu-...in big cities." He said, quickly covering his slip up after nearly saying 'muggles'. He hoped she wouldn't realise.
"Don't worry about it at all, happens all the time." He grinned. "I'm Gabriel Hart by the way." He smiles, holding out his hand to her. He wanted her to feel more comfortable. And nothing was more uncomfortable than talking to a complete and utter stranger.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 15, 2007 23:28:15 GMT
I frown slightly, wondering if I really heard him almost say 'muggles' or if I just imagined it.
"Arden Patricks," I nod after a moment, hesitating a little before letting go of my wand, taking my hand out of my pocket and shaking it out a bit so I can shake his hand. "You're just one of those people who gets run over a lot, are you?" I ask, raising my eyebrows slightly with amusement.
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 15, 2007 23:33:08 GMT
"Nice to meet you Arden." Gabriel grinned, then chuckled again at her comment. "I wouldn't say 'run over'." He replied, standing up straight showing off his 6'2 frame.
"It takes a lot to knock me down." He grinned. "But surprisingly i do get run into, by people that don't look up when walking. I would think i'm pretty hard to miss." He finished, laughing softly.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 15, 2007 23:38:16 GMT
"Unless you're not looking at anything, perhaps." I shrug, smiling slightly, slipping my hand back into my pocket but not gripping onto the wand hard enough to hurt anymore. "Nice to meet you, too."
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 16, 2007 15:21:38 GMT
"That's also very true." Gabriel chuckled. "I do that often. Too preoccupied with something else, to be able to look where i'm going." He smiled, looking around, it was pretty busy and the amount of people seemed to be making Arden nervous. "Don't worry, i'm not trying to hit on you or anything, but would you like to go for a coffee or something. There's a quiet place round the corner." He suggested, hoping she wouldn't get freaked out or anything, he just wanted to help.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 16, 2007 15:34:25 GMT
I hesitate, but then look twitchily around the street again. Quiet.... Yes, quiet would be good.
"Ah... sure, why not?" I shrug, laughing slightly at the bit about him hitting on me. "And I should hope you're not, by the way, judging by how old you look... no offense."
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 16, 2007 15:42:33 GMT
Gabriel smiled as she accepted, then laughed at her comment as he began to lead the way towards the small cafe. He pretended to look offended. "I'm not that old! I'm only 21." He replied in a shocked tone, though he was only joking. "You remind me of my cousin." He chuckled. "She's always calling me old. I think she's about the same age as you. Give or take a year or two." He finished with a smile.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 16, 2007 15:49:56 GMT
"Nah, I'm not calling you old. Just too old," I shrug, smiling slightly and following him. It occurs to me briefly how many different painful ways Andrew would kill me if he knew I was following some strange man to an unknown destination.... But he's just a muggle, so I've got the advantage.
"So how old is your cousin?" I ask curiously. "'Cause... I'm frequently mistaken for twelve, but I'm really not."
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 16, 2007 16:06:44 GMT
"I suppose that isn't as bad then." Gabriel chuckled. "Bella's seventeen now i think. But i do often still think of her as a kid." He added honestly. "But only because i've known her all my life." He smiled. "I don't think you look twelve." He assured. "I'd say at least sixteen." He guessed, he was getting pretty good at guessing people's ages.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 16, 2007 16:17:52 GMT
"Pretty good," I say, raising my eyebrows briefly. "Yes I am." I pause. "I suppose it would be hard to get used to someone you know getting older."
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 16, 2007 16:26:57 GMT
"Oh yes, i was right!" Gabriel grinned. "Yeah it is. Especially since she's a mum now." He smiled. "That's even harder to get used to, even when there's a little baby in her arms to prove it." He chuckled slightly.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 16, 2007 16:29:50 GMT
"Wow... mum at seventeen?" I shake my head. "A lot of people around... my school... have got kids now, it seems... but it's still insane." I laugh slightly. "Children make me twitchy."
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 16, 2007 16:40:32 GMT
"Yeah it was a bit of a shock for me. The first time i see her in over a year, and not only is she pregnant, but she also goes into labour on me." Gabriel chuckled. "Yeah, a lot of people in my cousin's school have kids as well. A bit mad." He smiled, then laughed at her next comment. "Nah, kids are cute, i love them. Can't wait to have my own." He smiled, turning the corner onto the street of the cafe.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 16, 2007 16:47:09 GMT
I laugh slightly. "Didn't say that they weren't cute, just that they make me twitchy. I'm not really used to them, I guess." I shake my head. "Must be a bit of an epidemic then.... So you like being a... well, sort of an uncle?"
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 16, 2007 20:41:47 GMT
"Ah, that must be it. I'm like permanently around kids. If i'm not working, i'm almost always around family." Gabriel smiled as he reached the cafe and opened the door, grinning at the little tinkling sound the bells above it made when the door was opened.
He held the door open for Arden and looked around. There was a few people inside drinking cups of tea and coffee and such, but the place was still pretty quiet.
"Yeah kind of like an uncle." He beamed as he walked over to the counter. " She made me Godfather as well." He added proudly.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 16, 2007 21:01:05 GMT
"Ah," I nod. "My family doesn't really have any kids... and I've been in school the rest of the time, so I really haven't seen anyone younger than eleven in a couple of years." I laugh slightly, ducking through the doorway the way I usually do, as though it's two feet lower than it really is.
"That's... well, I don't know exactly, but congratulations I guess," I say, smiling at him as we reach the counter.
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 16, 2007 21:29:24 GMT
"You should meet some, they're ever-so fun to be around. Plus they're absolutely hilarious." Gabriel grinned.
He then turned to the muggle who was serving. "Tea with milk and sugar please." He requested with a polite smile and passed his some muggle money. He then turned back to Arden. "It's great actually, i really do love it. It's like having my own daughter in a way." He smiled.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 16, 2007 21:36:39 GMT
"Must be pretty nice then," I say a little distractedly, suddenly realizing that not only do I have no muggle money, but also that I'm in a shop where strangers eat and drink things. The trapped animal feeling starts to creep in again, but I shake my head and try to push it away.
"I did volunteer to babysit for some friends of mine who just had a baby," I say with a shrug, determined to keep conversation going and the vulnerable feeling at bay. "Not sure what I was thinking, but I did."
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 16, 2007 21:45:31 GMT
"It is." Gabriel smiled. He then realised the Arden looked uncomfortable again. Reasons why ran through his head. She might not have money, she might not like tea, she might not like coffee shops. He went for the first one. "I'll pay if you like, as i am such a gentleman." He offered with a smile.
"And how did you find it?" He asked, wanting to keep the conversation going, incase an awkward silence approached, making them both feel uncomfortable.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 16, 2007 21:50:38 GMT
"Find what?" I ask, then realize. "Oh! Uh... haven't actually had to babysit yet. I'm not sure I know how." I pause, feeling awkward, trying to think of the most polite way to refuse.
Why do you not carry muggle money? Or, perhaps more importantly, why do you make such a production out of everything?
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 18, 2007 21:15:38 GMT
"Oh right." Gabriel chuckled slighlty. "I'm sure you'll enjoy it once you get past the twitching stage." He grinned and pushed some more money towards the muggle that was stood waiting. "What do you want?" He asked, knowing that he might sound pushy, but also guessed that Arden was going to try and refuse politely. "It's on me, you can pay me back later if you really want." He smiled.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 18, 2007 21:23:46 GMT
Right... after I change some of my not-really-existent gold into muggle money.
But I heard somewhere that it's rude to refuse if someone is trying to be nice to you, so I shrug. "Ah... just, same, thanks," I say, half to Gabriel and half to the woman behind the counter, not even sure what he'd ordered. I've lost the thread of conversation at this point, and try to think of something else to say. "Um... so what do you do, anyway?" I ask curiously, wondering if I'll eve understand it or if it'll be some obscure muggle profession that only they could possibly have a use for.
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 18, 2007 21:30:13 GMT
Gabriel grinned at her, glad that she had let him get her a drink. "I'm an auror." He answered automatically, it was a knee-jerk reaction to him, and he mentally kicked himself for it. He bit his lip, hoping that she would just ask what that was so he could lie and tell her it's another word for a specific muggle job. He glanced up at her, waiting for her reaction. He had answered so quickly that there was no point in telling her he had meant something else and just said the wrong word.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Dec 18, 2007 21:34:39 GMT
I half jump a bit in surprise, laughing slightly. "You're - are you kidding?"
That is a wizarding-specific job, right? What did Chance say the equivalent was? Cops?
"So you're -" I frown. What are the chances of meeting another wizard like that? Very odd. "I've been thinking about that as well," I say, to explain my reaction just in case it is a muggle job.
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Post by Gabriel Hart on Dec 18, 2007 21:38:50 GMT
Gabriel's eyes widened in shock at her reaction. It seemed that she did know what an auror was. That must mean that she was a witch, or at least aware of the world he lived in.
"Y-you know what an auror is?" He asked in a hushed tone as the server came back with their drinks. He picked them both up and walked towards an empty table, setting the drinks down and looking up at her.
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