(1937-12-05) Butterbeer and Buttercups
Details for Butterbeer and Buttercups
Summary: Theodore finally gets the nerve to take Ajax out.
Date: 5 December 1937
Location: Three Broomsticks
Related:
Characters
TheodoreAjax

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Three Broomsticks Pub Hogsmeade
Wed Dec 05, 1937 ((Sun Nov 11 05:37:29 2012)) (C,3 NE)
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Despite the obvious patina of age, The Three Broomsticks has a warm, inviting ambiance. This character the pub has attained is, no doubt, thanks to the years it has been steeped in the environment of this particular village. Just one evidence of the village's influence on the pub can be seen in the dark paneling inside the building. The wood was once the outer walls of the home that housed Hogsmeade's founding family. Put to good use once again after the founding family bequeathed it to the pub, the paneling has served the pub just as well as it once served Hogsmeade's founders. The Three Broomsticks has flourished under its current proprietor and is always open and ready for a customer or visitor. The dark wood surface of the floor glows with a polished sheen from much cleaning, and exposed ceiling rafters, which appear to be original, cross the ceiling in tidy squares. Wood tables of varying sizes litter the room, and matching chairs are scattered among them. Several secluded booths fill up the space along one wall. A flavorfully aged mahogany bar takes up most of the space near the back wall with a series of mirrors and shelves of varying heights hanging behind it. Those shelves behind the bar are lined with memorabilia depicting the life and people of the village as well as items which are special mementos to the pub's owner.
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Theodore is sitting at a table in the corner of the room, a bit out of view from most tables. He's wearing a pair of khaki pants with a henley undershirt, the top button left undone, stretched tight across his thick chest. He has a flannel with him as well, but it's off and on the bench beside him. He left a note for Ajax to meet him here, and waits patiently, sipping a glass of coffee, rapping his fingers on the table impatiently.

Ajax appears, casting looks curiously about, and then ventures into the place when he spots Theo. He approaches the table, offers a polite nod, and says in a carefully neutral tone, "Hello, then. Do you mind if I join you?" He offers a polite but somewhat distant smile as though uncertain of himself but trying not to show it.

Theodore smiles widely when Ajax arrives, "Blue! Hey!" He stands and gestures at the seat across from him. "No… No, of course not! Sit." He waits until Ajax sits before he does. "I was gettin' worried you weren't comin'…"

Ajax sits, smiling a little, and looks down at the table quietly. He shakes his head a bit, then, and says, "Well, in the end, I had to, but— well, I was surprised. I didn't think —well, I don't mean to be an ass about it, but I got the feeling last night that you might not like to be seen in public with me."

Theodore smiles widely when Ajax arrives, "Blue! Hey!" He stands and gestures at the seat across from him. "No… No, of course not! Sit." He waits until Ajax sits before he does. "I was gettin' worried you weren't comin'…"

Theodore bites his lower lip, and he looks down at the table, then off at the other patrons. He lets out a sigh, and then looks back at Ajax. "I'm-" He scratches his head, trying to get the words right. "It's not you. It's me." He looks at Ajax, a bit like a lost puppy, "This is… weird. For me."

"I know," Ajax says, nodding. "I thought about it a lot yesterday, and I'm not mad or anything. I just also don't want to be forcing you to be— or to do, or whatever it might be anything you don't want." He smiles with only a touch of bitterness, adding, "It 'wasn't me' with Gareth, either, but it still was. I couldn't make him waitand I can't make you be okay with anything. It's got to be your choice."

Theodore reaches across the table and he takes Ajax's hand. "I REALLY like you. I can't explain it. I don't know why." He smiles, "I'm not Gareth. I see something wonderful sitting across from me, and…" He shrugs, "And I want it. I just… I've always dated girls before. It's… I have no doubt, no question of how I feel about you. I chose you. Just… Bear with me while I get over that it's different…"

Ajax blushes at that, not having expected it. He lowers his head a bit for a moment, then looks up to meet Theo's gaze with a grateful look. "And— really —I'm okay with it being more of a process for you. I know that for some that the more traditional kind of romance is more appealing. I'm an oddity in that I've only ever really been interested in the lads." He laughs softly and shrugs, giving Theo's hand a squeeze. "But I really like you, too. You get me all flutterpated and such. I can bear with that, for sure."

Theodore smiles, "Flutterpated, huh?" He chuckles, and glances away, perhaps to avert a blush. "Lemme get you somethin'." He waves a waitress over, and as he waits for her to arrive, he looks back at Ajax. "So… You've never kissed a girl?"

"Once," Ajax says. "It was… third year, and we were playing one of those stupid games where you hide in a closet and snog." He makes a bit of a face. "The kissing wasn't bad, but— well, when I got my turn with one of the boys, it didn't take me long to figure out which one I liked more." He grins a bit, adding, "I'd love a butterbeer?"

Theodore nods, grinning. "I've never actually kissed a boy. I mean, not a good one." He looks at his coffee, "Huh. Maybe I need something stronger?" He smiles, and when the waitress stops by, he orders them each one. "I've kissed an awful lot of girls." He considers that for a moment, then shakes his head a little, "What'd your parents say when you told them?"

Ajax laughs a little, glancing away. "Oh, it was brilliant. My dad, he— he just asked if I thought that was why I didn't play quidditch. He sort of shrugged it off. Mum was miserable for a month or so because she despaired of never having grandchildren, but then she hit on some idea about how it could be done anyway— never really understood it, myself—and she got over it."

Theodore smiles, but it's just a bit uncomfortable. "My mum won't care when she gets word about us. She's kind of a famous actress, so… most of her friends are buttercups. Father, though…" He sighs, "He'll be mad. He's… well, heirs are important to him."

Ajax nods a bit. "Well, they say there are ways to get children even otherwise. I heard magic can't do it, exactly, but there are apparently ways it can work out. You just need a witch to carry the baby." He shrugs unknowingly. "But apparently it satisfied Mum."

"Well," Theodore says as the butterbeers arrive, "Father isn't speaking to me anyway, so," he shrugs. "I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." He lifts the drink, "Cheers," and takes a long swig.

Ajax raises his drink, clinking the bottles, and agrees, "Cheers." He too takes a long drink, then looks at the bottle, apparently just thinking.

Theodore swallows the butterbeer and looks across at Ajax. He watches him thinking, and slowly begins to smile. After nearly a minute, he finally asks, "…what?"

Ajax glances up, surprised. "Oh! I was just… imagining." He offers a crooked grin. "It's weird to think far enough ahead to think of, y'know… heirs and such. I really don't think like that, but, it made me think about what it'll be like after school. Not kids or anything, just—y'know, what I'll do, what it'll be like."

Theodore smiles widely at that, "Yeah?" He leans forward, elbows on the table. "What do you wanna do after Hogwart's, Blue?"

"I'm really not sure," Ajax says, frowning a bit. "I'm pretty good at charms, so maybe something with that?" He shrugs a bit. "How about you? Planning to play pro?"

Theodore shrugs, "I dunnow… For a while I thought so. This thing with Ripley's made me think a lot about it, though. I mean…" He sighs, shaking his head, "I don't even wanna play the game this weekend, let alone think about doin' it for a living." He shrugs, "Father's pretty high up at the Ministry, in the Magical Creatures division. Wouldn't be a bad job…"

Ajax's eyes light up a bit at that. "Ooh, yeah! That would be exciting. Dragons and all that." He waves a hand vaguely at the ceiling. "You could still fly, probably, and you'd still get to work out of doors."

Theodore nods, "Oh yeah. In the summers, I usually get to go with Father on a few of his less dangerous trips. It's been really amazing. Plus, I get creatures, ya know? It's my strongest subject!" He shrugs, "Outside of quidditch, it's really likely the way I'll go." He sighs, and leans back once more. "So… good at charms, huh? What can a guy do with that? I mean, I just don't know…?"

Ajax shrugs a bit. "I guess lots of jobs use charms? I just don't know, really." He leans back as well, picking up his butterbeer. "But I guess I could just do what my dad does— which is mostly just investing money in the Tornadoes."

Theodore smiles, "Mmmm… Quidditch."

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