|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 12:48:57 GMT -5
The cafeteria wasn't exactly known for its fine cuisine, but there were a few hidden gems. The sandwiches were pretty good, if you got there in time. The salad bar wasn't bad, if you were into that sort of thing. But what Gary craved was the brownies they had once a week. Every Tuesday, he went down to the cafeteria early to make sure he snagged one before they were gone. But today, after dealing with a fairly sticky problem with the mayor of a muggle town that had recently been on the receiving end of some magical pranks, Gary was running a little late.
He hurried down the main corridor, stopping just for a second to flirt with Marcy, the receptionist, and take a piece of candy from her jar. He was soon on his way again, single-minded in his focus. Just as he rounded the corner to the cafeteria, however, he nearly crashed into someone else going in the opposite direction.
|
|
|
|
Post by June Bankman on Apr 28, 2010 13:04:00 GMT -5
June's gem in the cafeteria was the coffee, hands down the best coffee she'd ever tasted. Or maybe she was just used to it, even with the coffee maker Brady got her for her birthday a few days ago. She didn't have the heart to plug it in and use it yet, just in case Talon asked. She was trying to be careful around him, just letting them both cool off before she did anything that would get them both angry again.
She hadn't seen Brady since her birthday, and had barely spoken to anyone , either. She wasn't exactly in the mood, and she wasn't usually one to let a bad mood slow her down for any period of time. She bounced back quick... but this last fight had been rough.
She was headed back to her office from the cafeteria, a lidless cup of coffee in her hand and three sugar packets shoved in her pocket when she rounded the corner, pulling up short as she nearly collided with someone, the coffee sloshing in the cup and a good half of it ending on her hand, her robes, and the floor. Luckily, it somehow seemed to miss the other party.
"Oh, come on," she muttered to herself, looking around for a trash can or something before looking back to the person she probably almost killed. There was a faint smile that touched her lips when she recognized who it was. "I didn't get you with any of my magical flying coffee, did I, Gary?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 13:23:55 GMT -5
Unfortunately, a few splashes of coffee had landed on Gary, and he had a terse remark on the tip of his tongue. But then he looked up and recognized who he had crashed into, and, thankfully, the words never left his mouth. Instead, he broke into a crooked grin.
"Junebug!" he said, brushing himself off carelessly. "Oh, just a couple of spots, but it's no big deal. I am wearing black, after all. I gotta say, of all the people that could have crashed into me and spilled coffee on me, you would have to be my number one choice. How have you been?"
|
|
|
|
Post by June Bankman on Apr 28, 2010 13:33:41 GMT -5
"Well, great, until I ended up bathing in coffee," June replied, unable to help that her smile grew to match his. She spotted a trash can behind him and excused herself, stepping aside to throw away the cup and performed a quick drying spell on herself, and well as a cleaning spell on the floor before she met his eyes again.
"Are you headed to the cafeteria? Looks like I need to go back," she said, though her tone was (forcibly) light. "I haven't seen you around in a while, Gary. Away on business?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 13:54:04 GMT -5
Gary could be more perceptive than people gave him credit for, and he took notice of the way she was avoiding his eyes and the foced lightness in her tone. But for now, he said nothing.
"Yeah, I was just on my way. It's brownie day, you know... Did you happen to notice whether they had any left?"
As he spoke, he started walking with her in the direction of the cafeteria. "Eh, you know how it is. Lots of attacks on muggles lately, so I've been pretty busy. Just today, I had to meet with the mayor of a town where someone charmed all the traffic lights to be on green, all the time."
|
|
|
|
Post by June Bankman on Apr 28, 2010 14:23:02 GMT -5
"You know, I didn't even look. I usually try and avoid the food- it all tastes like Tuesday Mystery Meat to me." She shrugged and put her hands in her pockets, finding it much easier today just to listen to him talk.
Luckily she understood things about the muggle world and unterstood what he was telling her. "Well, that sounds disastrous. Was anyone hurt?" She imagined that a few people must have been. Doing something like that was done just to get people hurt. She couldn't understand all the violence, and she hoped this war ended soon.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 14:38:36 GMT -5
"Oh, you should try the brownies," he said. "They're really good. They import them in from that bakery in Hogsmeade, so they weren't even made here. Most of the other stuff... I agree with you about. Actually, I'm not even really a fan of their coffee, unless you happen to get it fresh."
He agreed with her about the war. It was bad enough that the wizarding world was fighting against itself, but attacking the muggles seemed like a particularly low blow. They didn't understand about magic, and acts like this one seemed designed to cause as much destruction as possible, along with also causing the muggles to find out about the existence of magic.
"Yeah, a couple of people were hurt," he said. "At least one seriously... but no deaths, luckily. Still... whoever did it knew what they were doing."
They entered the cafeteria, which wasn't very crowded, and he went to get in line. Up ahead, he could see the brownies, and he broke into a smile. "Good... there's some left. Coffee's on me."
|
|
|
|
Post by June Bankman on Apr 28, 2010 14:51:59 GMT -5
"Maybe next time they have them. I'm not really in a brownie mood today. It is comforting to know they aren't made here, though," she added with a small smile.
It was a secret that June never told anyone, but in all the time she worked at the Ministry, getting coffee every single morning, June had never actually paid for her own. She knew fully well this was a side effect of her flirty nature, but it still amused her nonetheless.
"Well, I won't argue you if you insist." She took a breath and sighed, filling up another cup with the brew, this time (just in case) looking for a lid after she dumped her sugar packets in.
She held the coffee, standing with him in the short line, letting her eyes wander a bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 16:31:10 GMT -5
"I do insist," he replied with a grin. Gary filled his tray with a ham and cheese sandwich, a bottle of pumpkin juice, a banana, and of course, a brownie. When he got to the cashier, he told the woman to add June's coffee onto his bill, then paid for all of it. When he was done, he turned to her, noticing that she was looking around the room.
"I hope you're just looking for a place to sit and aren't just ignoring me," he joked.
|
|
|
|
Post by Brady Ferris on Apr 28, 2010 17:37:36 GMT -5
Brady had just made it to the cafeteria before Gary and June walked in. He was not particularly a fan of the entree that they were having in the cafeteria so he picked up one of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that were left and a bottle of pumpkin juice. The brownies didn't go unnoticed by Brady either and sweets wasn't something he usually ate but hearing Gary talk about them before made him pick up one. He wasn't sure if he would even eat it but he got it anyway.
A table was empty and Brady took the opportunity to take it before the cafeteria became crowded. His mind had been everywhere for once. He hadn't seen June in a couple of days and that made him wonder. Sure, they had not met too long ago but something might have seemed a little off. Brady wasn't sure why he felt that way but it just did feel like something was off. It wasn't really his place to question it but that feeling wasn't really going away.
Quietly he sat there as he opened his bottle of pumpkin juice.
|
|
|
|
Post by June Bankman on Apr 28, 2010 17:43:39 GMT -5
June's head turned back, and she graced Gary with an easy, if not distracted, smile. "I could never ignore you, Gary, and you know it."
She nudged him playfully and ran a hand through her hair, which was still just slightly damp from her shower that morning. "Thank you for the coffee by the way," she added. "And, for the record, I did spot a table by the window in the back."
Her grin became a little cheeky, and she waited for him to approve of the table or not... though she was sure he wouldn't say no.
When she looked back, however, the table was occupied, and her eyes narrowed a little until she recognized who was there. "Oh. Looks like it's been taken."
Brady hadn't noticed her, since the table was a bit away from them, and she wasn't sure how she felt about seeing him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 18:42:38 GMT -5
Gary grinned at her. "Yes, I know my presence is captivating, but you seem a bit more distracted than usual," he teased. "You sure everything's OK? How are things going with that boyfriend of yours... Fang?"
He knew perfectly well that June's boyfriend was named Talon, and although he had never formally met the man, he'd seen him with June once or twice. Gary had decided, just on the basis of those couple of times, that he did not like the man, and had nicknamed him Fang.
"Never mind. You don't have to answer that," he said quickly, already anticipating her answer telling him that it was none of his business. Which it wasn't. But something was bothering her, and for all the friends she had, he hoped she would tell someone, even if it wasn't him.
He looked back at the spot she had indicated and noticed that Brady was sitting there. "Hey, it's just Brady. We could still sit with him, if you wanted."
|
|
|
|
Post by June Bankman on Apr 28, 2010 19:06:04 GMT -5
"Not distracted," June replied. "I'm just really tired. It's been a rou- a busy week."
She grew quiet when he mentioned Talon. Usually, she was quick to laugh and correct him with Talon's real name, but today she didn't. Maybe he sensed the pause and told her it didn't matter, and while she would have never said exactly that it wasn't his business, the effect was always the same. She wondered if Talon ever talked about her to his friends. If he did, why couldn't she talk about him? She didn't like it any better if he didn't talk about her, though.
Merlin, she wished she could stop dwelling on that fight.
"Yeah... I know Brady. I just..." She bit her lip and trailed off, realising she wasnt being herself and she forced a smile. "He won't mind if we join him. Come on."
(Its hard to play her with less energy)
|
|
|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 19:22:24 GMT -5
He looked at her one more time, silently assessing her. She usually had more energy than he did, but today she was like a wilted flower. It was not at all like her, and he didn't like it. Still, he didn't exactly expect her to spill her guts to him. Even though he considered her one of his best friends, he also knew that he just was not the guy people confided in. Maybe they thought he'd just pass it off as a joke or something. And OK... maybe he didn't always take things seriously, but that didn't mean he was insensitive.
"Maybe that coffee will help," he said lightly.
He took a breath. "Yeah, let's go bug Brady. He looks bored."
He didn't say another word as he led her over to the table where Brady was sitting. "Hey, Buddy, mind if we join you?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Brady Ferris on Apr 28, 2010 19:38:39 GMT -5
For a moment, Brady had a short battle with the top on the pumpkin juice bottle. It didn't want to open. He wasn't paying attention to the people around him as he tried to open the bottle. Finally, he was able to pull the plastic off and pull off the top.
Just as he took a drink from the bottle, Gary's voice caused him to look up. He noticed that it wasn't just Gary. Placing his drink on the table, Brady gave a small smile to both of them. "Take a seat," he said. The first thing he noticed was that June didn't look like her usual self but then again maybe it was just an off time, who knew?
|
|
|
|
Post by June Bankman on Apr 28, 2010 20:02:53 GMT -5
"That's why they invented coffee, right?" June replied, shrugging as she took a sip to emphasize her point.
She said nothing else about joining Brady, but followed Gary to the table, her hand absently running over the backs of the chairs that she passed as they walked.
Brady seemed to sense them and looked up, and it struck her, not for the first time, how nice he just seemed. Like no one ever got on his nerves.
"Hey Brady," she said, smiling at him and pulling out the chair closest to the window. She positioned her chair so that she was leaning against the glass, the sun having warmed it up. It was one of those rare sunny days, and she loved it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 21:07:11 GMT -5
Gary sat down, looking back and forth between the two of them. June was quiet, and she seemed to be avoiding looking at Brady. Gary had no idea why that would be, but he chose not to dwell on it. Instead, he looked at Brady and frowned. Was he just imagining that Brady seemed off, too?
"Thanks, man," he said. "You're looking awfully broody today... what's up? Do I need to drag you out and get you filthy stinking drunk?"
He chuckled at that, since he didn't think he'd ever seen Brady drunk. The idea amused him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Brady Ferris on Apr 28, 2010 21:16:42 GMT -5
"Hey June," he said responded. Brady looked over Gary. "Gary," he added. "I'm not broody." Brady gave him a somewhat odd look. He wasn't ever one to speak what was on his mind unless he absolutely needed to. "I just had problems with the pumpkin juice bottle." Brady glanced down to his bottle and then looked back up at the two.
The idea of going out drinking with Gary caused his eyebrows to rise. It was an odd thing that Brady and Gary were friends. They were opposites. Gary had a big sense of humor and Brady, well Brady was more reserved.
"And I think I'm good on the drinks, thanks though." He pushed his bottle around on the table. "How have the two of you been?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Gary Goodwin on Apr 28, 2010 21:30:14 GMT -5
Gary rolled his eyes dramatically. "Oh, please, Brady... Pumpkin juice? Is that the best you've got? Really... tell me you've had a bad day or work has been crazy or you didn't get enough sleep last night, but don't tell me you're just having trouble with the pumpkin juice."
He then went to open his own bottle of pumpkin juice, and found the bottle just as tough to open as Brady had. "Although..." he said, making a face as he tried to twist the cap, "it is rather tough to open, isn't it?"
Finally, the cap popped off, and he took a drink from the bottle, looking rather like someone in a muggle commercial for soda pop. "Seriously, though, man... you've got to get out and have some fun. Don't you agree, Junebug?"
|
|
|
|
Post by June Bankman on Apr 29, 2010 11:09:44 GMT -5
Hearing her name, but having missed the whole exchange with the pumpkin juice bottles, June looked up. "Hmm... what?"
It took her brain a minute to process the conversation and catch her up. "Oh. I don't know. Brady doesn't really seem like the 'party and loosen up' type. Let him do what he wants." It wasn't said in a mean way, just a way that suggested that whatever he wanted, whatever would make him happy, was probably the way to go.
She rubbed her eyes, knowing that she was acting weird, and at least Gary would notice. She hated that she was so easy to read, but hadn't she told Brady she was an open book? Most of the time she didn't mind, but most of the time, she was in a pretty good mood. She just didn't want them to ask because she couldn't say anything. What she really wanted was for Gary to crack a joke that would make her laugh. She could use a little laughter.
|
|
