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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 28, 2008 19:09:04 GMT -5
Ted hesitated, and he had to think. He hadn't seen his apartment in a long time, either, unless he counted the twenty minutes to shower and get ready earlier this evening.
"I'm afraid there's nothing in my fridge," he told her, stalling for time while he mentally went through the rooms. "I didn't want anything to spoil while I was gone."
He generally was pretty sloppy, even he would admit, but he could clean things up quite nicely when he needed to. He'd often been told he cleaned up nicely as well, but that was a different matter. He was pretty sure that he had cleaned the place before he left, so he finally nodded. "No. My furniture is all pretty decent," he promised. "There might be a beer or two... what else was it you mentioned? Oh, yeah. And no stacks of junk on the floor." He smiled at her, making a mental note to make sure he kept the place clean from now on as well. "But you could have a look at it if you don't believe me," he winked.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 28, 2008 21:16:38 GMT -5
Andi listened to him talk about his apartment with a smile on her face. OK, so he wasn't messy, that was good. And he was practical, in keeping the refrigerator empty while he was away. She was almost hoping to find a flaw in him, some strange little quirk that would make her, with all her imperfections, feel a little less inadequate. It wouldn't have mattered, because ever little thing she learned about him just made her crazier about him.
"Hmmm, tempting offer," she teased. "But if you don't have any food or drink except for some old beers, maybe I should stop at my apartment and grab something to bring up there. What do you think?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 28, 2008 21:24:24 GMT -5
"Or I could let you stay well stocked, and we could order in," he suggested, wanting to tell her that it was up to her, but decided to let it remain implied. "I might have some pop, too, but I honestly don't remember." He laughed quietly. "It's good to be back, you know?"
He liked the thrill of being sent out on assignments. He was a guy, after all. There was something alluring in the potentially dangerous, but when it came down to it, he enjoyed the comforts of home.
Especially if she was going to become part of that.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 28, 2008 22:58:38 GMT -5
Andi smiled, considering. In truth, she had been thinking about running into her apartment and changing into the proverbial "something more comfortable" before grabbing some food and drink. But on second thought, it was probably better that she didn't. She didn't want to rush things between them, despite her more daring behavior of this evening.
"OK, yeah... we could order in, if you wanted. You know, so you can start your collection of old boxes of stale pizza for your refrigerator." She winked at him teasingly.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 28, 2008 23:07:58 GMT -5
"Of course," he said with with a serious nod before he laughed. "I was thinking that very same thing."
They had been walking for a while now, and were fairly close to the apartment building anyway, and Ted realized that some part of him would be sorry to see the reflection of the stars in her eyes go. But she wasn't leaving.
He had to give her credit, too. She had chosen his apartment over hers. Here, walking outside, was nuetral ground. He had expected her to choose her apartment... her own territory.
"Well, here's a question for you," he said as if he had been givin it serious thought. "What do you like on your pizza? You can tell a lot about somebody by what they put on their pizza."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 28, 2008 23:38:37 GMT -5
Although she was glad to be going inside, she realized she was going to miss walking so close to him. She liked feeling the warmth of his body next to her, shielding her from the chilly night air. For a night that had started out so crappy, it was quickly turning into one of the best nights of her life. Now, her unnerving encounter with Bellatrix seemed nothing but a distant memory from another time and place.
She almost laughed at the serious tone of his question, but instead, she decided to consider it with equal gravity. "Hmmm... let's see," she said. "Well, it all depends on the mood I'm in, I suppose. Usually, I like to go with the traditional--pizza with the works. Sometimes, I want to pretend I'm eating healthy, so I go with broccoli and spinach. And sometimes, I just like to be strange and order Hawaiian style pizza with ham and pineapple slices. What about you? What do you prefer?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 0:05:01 GMT -5
"I think you named every topping there is," he said with a laugh as he pulled open the door for her and led her to the elevators. "Which mood are you in now, hm?"
He had made his statement up. He couldn't read anything about a person from their pizza except what they liked on their pizza, and actually quite thankful that she hadn't asked what her toppings meant about her. Heck, she even supplied him with the answers.
"You know what, Andi? I am a pretty simple guy, when it comes down to it. I just like my pepperoni. And when I get really adventurous," he nudged her lightly. "With the works."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 8:58:41 GMT -5
Andi considered for a minute. She had no idea what she was actually supposed to be able to tell about him from his pizza toppings, and was pretty sure he had just been making things up. Not that she minded. She thought it was adorable. "Hmmm... Well, I'll tell you one thing, I'm not feeling healthy!" she said teasingly. "I'm OK with pepperoni, if you like. Or are you feeling adventurous tonight?"
She gave him a little wink, then stepped onto the elevator. Pausing before the buttons, she gave him a sheepish grin. "I don't even know which floor you're on," she confessed. She'd only been living in the building for a short time, and all she knew was that he lived somewhere upstairs from her.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 12:35:59 GMT -5
"Four," he told her, reaching past her to hit the button. "I'm room 405."
He leaned back as the elevator doors closed and took them up, feeing surprisingly relaxed.
"I guess I'm feeling adventurous," he said, giving her a contemplative look. Even if he wasn't, he still would have said it since it was the only topping they really shared in common. But he was feeling adventurous. Maybe the mindset of he assignment hadn't worn off yet, but he was pretty certain is was just her. She made him feel a little braver, more outgoing.
He lead her to his door when the elevator stopped, sending out a silent prayer to let his apartment please be clean. He opened the door. "After you."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 18:05:19 GMT -5
"If you're sure that's what you want," she said, smiling at him. "If you'd rather have something a little simpler, we could just go for pepperoni. I don't really mind."
After the rest of the night, including the hazy dance in the club and the star-filled walk home, being inside seemed strangely... normal. Like they had come back down to earth after a dream. Except she her feelings for him were just as strong as before. Maybe stronger. As she looked up at him, she was struck again by how incredibly handsome he was. She had to be the luckiest woman in the world to have someone like him interested in her.
As he opened the door, she was distinctly aware of an audible sharp intake of breath. She wasn't even entirely sure if it was hers or his. Maybe it was both of them. With one quick look at his face, she stepped inside.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 18:14:48 GMT -5
He heard it, and swore it was her. His stomach plummetted to his feet. He didn't know what had elicited the sound, except that he had terrible visions in his head of a trashed apartment, rats crawling over old, moldy food--
He cut himself off in his mind. No, he had been in here tonight. He would have noticed if it were that bad, honestly.
He finally allowed himelf to follow her in, and he glanced around as he closed the door behind him.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 20:24:42 GMT -5
Andi saw the look of panic on his face and realized that she was holding her breath. But it wasn't because she was expecting his place to be messy. She believed his reassurances. Actually, she realized, what was worrying her was the sense of the unknown. She didn't quite know what to expect, coming in to his place. She hadn't ever really been in a guy's apartment before, aside from the aforementioned Uncle Alphard, who hardly counted.
She took a quick look around the apartment. It was sparsely decorated, but neat and functional. She slipped her hand into his and gave it a squeeze, hoping he wasn't offended. "Not bad," she said to him. "You know, I wouldn't have really cared even if it was messy. I'm pretty sure my place isn't spotless."
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 20:44:24 GMT -5
He looked around his own apartment. Everything was in shades of black or blue, and it felt like a single guy's apartment to him, but he was happy with that. He liked it. There were very few pictures on his wall, save a small England National flag on the far wall, displaying the three lion logo. There was a two month old newspaper on his coffee table, but he figured she would forgive him that. There was a couch and a chair in the living room, plus the typical muggle television.
He flipped on another light switch in the kitchen, making the living room bright.
"I should probably be honest," he told her, feeling more confident since he was assured that his place was decent, and smelled all right. "It's not usually this clean. I haven't exactly been living her for a while. That tends to keep a place clean. And, I bet your place is a lot... what's the word I'm looking for... it feels more like a home?"
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 21:21:53 GMT -5
Andi touched his arm, then began walking over to the couch. "Well, you've been away. I understand that. You've barely had time to really get settled into the place, after all. Besides, I'm pretty sure most guys aren't usually good at interior decorating. As I said, my place isn't exactly perfect, either. In fact, my bedroom is actually pretty messy... I hate doing laundry, so I let it pile up until I have nothing to wear. Sometimes it gets hard to walk in there."
She felt better for confessing it. The truth was, she had actually been a pretty messy child. It was just another way she was different from her sisters, both of whom used to complain about the mess in her room. Even the house elves had avoided her room. Only since she had moved out had she finally started to take more responsibility for her own space. She kept the living room, kitchen and bathroom pretty neat... but her bedroom was another story.
"I like your place," she told him, as she sat down on the couch. "Yeah, it could be a little more homey, but it's got potential. It just needs a woman's touch."
She froze as soon as the words slipped out of her mouth. What was she thinking? She looked up at him nervously, hoping thathe wouldn't read into that the wrong way. But what was the right way?
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 21:31:18 GMT -5
He felt immensely better after her confession. It meant that the day she did knock on his door and there were stacks of things everywhere, she wouldn't turn and run. Of course, he was still going to try and keep it as clean as possible, just because she had mentioned it. To make her feel better, he nodded. "My mum always used to yell at me about the messes I'd make." He smiled. "She liked doing laundy, and I think she even liked cleaning, just nothing of mine."
He couldn't have stopped the smile that broke when she said those words if he'd been given all the warning in the world, and he thought, in the back of his mind, that she made him smile more than anyone else he knew.
He came around the side of the couch and sat down next to her, after grabbing the telephone and a phone book to order their pizza, and turned his head to look at her. His tried to force the smile away. "Your application has been reviewed, Ms. Black, and you are hired."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 22:35:28 GMT -5
She liked when he talked about his mother. He didn't mention his family too often, but when he did, it always made her smile. His family seemed nice... warm and comforting and caring, like a family was supposed to be. She had not been raised that way at all. She had grown up with so many rules that she had almost believed that they were next in line for the throne of England. "I think I'd like to meet your mom sometime," she remarked.
At "you're hired" comment, Andi widened her eyes. "I'm hired?" she repeated. "As what? Your personal assistant?" She laughed nervously and was about to make a joke about what sort of "personal assistance" he needed, but she quickly stopped herself. If she kept making comments like that, he was sure to get scared away! Her mother had drilled it into her head that men didn't like women who were too forward. Of course, that lesson didn't seem to have stuck with Bellatrix...
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 22:45:25 GMT -5
He nodded slowly, thinking that his mother would probably really like Andi. "All right. Maybe I'll take you home for Christmas, if you don't have any other plans," he suggested softly.
"Being the woman's touch!" He defended with a laugh. "You said I needed one."
He almost blushed and licked his lips, inwardly laughing at how he had phrased that. "That my apartment needs one, I mean." Well, heck, he was sure he needed one too.
He felt the need to bring the conversation back down a notch. Make her feel comfortable, he reminded himself. "Can I get you something to drink? I have water... and maybe a beer... and maybe a pop..." he laughed. "I can check, anyway. I'll order something to drink with our pizza." He got off the couch to check his fridge. "Oh, feel free to look through the movies I have, if there's anything that interests you." What movies he did own were all mostly action movies, but there was the occasional romantic comedy, and he had a thing for the old classics.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 23:11:35 GMT -5
"I'd love to spend Christmas with your family," she said softly. She had actually sort of been dreading the holiday--even though it was still a few months away--because she knew she would not be spending it with her family. It would be nice to spend it with a real family, one that cared about each other more than the gifts under the tree.
If Andi had been a different type of girl, she probably would have made some sort of comment comparing the personal assistant joke with the "woman's touch," but there was no way she was going to let something like that slip out of her mouth. Instead, she smiled. "Oh, so does that mean you want to go antiquing with me?" she said with a laugh. "I know some great places to go and get some really cute little decorations... vintage art and funky little sculptures... something to give the place a little character..."
She glanced at his movie collection. She didn't know much about movies, having only ever seen one film, with a muggleborn friend of hers from Hogwarts. But she had enjoyed it very much. "I don't really know a lot about muggle films," she said. "Maybe you could just show me your favorite."
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Post by Ted Tonks on Jul 29, 2008 23:33:35 GMT -5
Ted inwardly rolled his eyes. He could already here the questions from his mother about Andi, but the interrogation aside... he wanted to take her home to his family. She was also the first girl that he had known that wanted to meet his family, which earned her a lot of his respect. He was a family type of guy, afterall.
"Antiquing?" He asked. "Those places you're talking about always smell musty and have really ugly things," he told her. "But then again, the last time I went, I think I was about five. I'd be willing to try again. What do you know... I don't even have the beer I should have." He grabbed two sodas and came back to her, handing her one. "I hope that will do for now."
He set his on the table, deciding to look for a decent movie after he ordered their pizza. "Did we decide on everything on top?" he asked, picking up the phone.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Jul 30, 2008 18:29:43 GMT -5
Andi laughed. "Well, you've obviously never been antiquing in the wizarding world," she said. "Sure, there are some really ugly things out there, and I'm pretty sure they use some sort of spell to make it smell extra musty and old. But if you know where to go, you can actually find some pretty cool things buried in all the junk. Maybe we'll have to go sometime. Or I'm sure I can come up with some other nice touches, just to spruce things up around here. You really should get some pictures of your family to hang on the wall."
She opened up her soda and took a sip before looking back at him. "I guess everything will be good, if that's OK with you. Is that a telephone? You must teach me how it works when you're finished. I've always been curious about them."
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