| Details for Satanic Sweetness |
| Summary: | A confluence of persons suffering, for whatever reasons, from sugar cravings. |
| Date: | November 25th, 1938 |
| Location: | Sweet Temptations |
| Related: | References are made to Cheating and Swinging and Swaying. |
| Characters |
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Sweet Temptations
This shop is both a malt shop as well and bakery and sweetshop. Polished hardwood floors and walls painted a soft ivory give the room a welcoming and calm air. Green plants and flowers are placed in planters throughout the room and landscape paintings of the countryside cover parts of the walls. Two counters run across opposite sides of the room leaving the center area open for seating. The tables are set up for groups of two or four, the tables polished wood and the cushioned chairs made to match. The counter to the right is the malt counter, its wood polished to a high shine and cushiony bar stools lined up in front, provides a place for patrons to sample all manner of drinks that fizz, foam and steam. On the left is another counter dedicated to candy and pastries. The candies sit in elegant glass jars atop the counter with plates of every kind of pastry or cake you can imagine. There are both muggle and wizard flavors for everything sold here. A large board hangs over the front wall across from the door with a neatly organized menu of what is for sale at each counter.
Its early evening and Nathan is sitting at a table in the sweet shop with several boxes of chocolates on the table next to him and a coffee cup in his gloved hands. The man is tall even sitting down and dressed all in black. His muscled frame gives him an imposing air but his expression is quite calm for the moment. Slowly the tall darkly dressed man take a sip of his drink and lets his deep blue eyes wander the room. Its mostly empty at the moment and his expression is thoughtful as he glances out the windows looking onto the street. He takes another sip of coffee checking the time. Its still a couple hours till closing time.
In through the windows is a frame of a petite lump of clothing - oversized jacket, cloche hate, thick glasses. With it is the weirdest-looking dog, which is physically the opposite of its master - tall, skinny everything, with whisps of long black hair fluttering in the wind. The lump stands outside a second, smoking a cigarette before tossing the butt into the cobble street and tying the Saluki to a lamp post outside. She gives it an affectionate pet before stepping inward. "Oh, Miss Cooper, you're early. You'll have to give it a second, we've just started decorating it," says the kind lady behind the counter, to which Cooper gives a casual, "Take you time," before shoving her hands into her pockets. Her own eyes wander the mostly empty shop until they settle on Nathan. And for a while, she stares at him, eyes narrowing until she say to him, "….Satan?"
It's an occasion one has a long day at work and some jobs carry this risk more than others. It's also a possibility one just is bored and looked at paperwork which this one might have had a bit of a mixture. Graham has changed from his work robes to is normal suit and jacket for the cold. He enters into the sweetshop glancing a bout nodding in greeting to any he sees along the way. He spots at least one familiar face "Cooper if i didnt know better i'd say you were cold." he grins though the exchange makes an eyebrow raise now.
From his table Nathan eyes the dog through the window with interest. When Cooper and then Graham enter the shop both get a breif smile and nod of his head. He sips his coffee and his head tilts and then turns when the woman in her bundle of clothing speaks to him. He raises a brow at her and his eyes show his amusment. "Me the devil of the Christain religion? I assure you I am not Satan ma'am though that is one of the more interesting comparisons I have been subjected to lately. I am Nathan Eldritch and you are welcome to have a seat while you wait." He gestures to the table he sits at with its three empty chairs.
The bell over the door tinkles to announce a large and expensive sable coat, with a small woman somewhere inside it. The distinguishing features of her face are at present crisply-outlined carmine red lips; and an enormous pair of tinted spectacles, dark blue lenses inside black cat's-eye frames. Her head is wrapped in an ivory, red, and pale blue paisley silk scarf, which has slipped a little, showing a narrow band of henna-red hair and just one strategic curl. She looks every inch (about 5'4") a Muggle; what could she be doing in Diagon Alley?
… Why, looking about her with a whimsical smile and exclaiming, "Cooper, sweetie! I had no notion Michel would have anything in today as sweet as you. Oh, come here, and tell me…" She says 'come here', but she rushes over. Her hands, gloved in pale blue doeskin, reach out toward the younger woman; she draws her in to kiss the air over each of her cheeks. "How did you get on the other night?" she asks conspiratorially.
Cooper slaps a hand on her forehead, realizing what she had just said. "No, you're right. You're not Satan. But when I first saw you, you were wearing red and black and you reminded me of Satan," she clarifies. Though in her concern to correct herself, doesn't clear up exactly where she's seen the man before. A turn of her head to Graham, she looks down at the jacket consuming her, "Do I?" Cooper can't seem to see anything unusual about it. With a snicker she replies to Graham, "I suppose I am. Though its strange to see you in Sweet Temptations. Didn't take you as a sweets sort of man." She gestures to her new acquaintance, "Have you met Satan-er…uhmm Nathan here?"
And suddenly, the air around her turns French and very heady. Cooper barely has to look to see who it is. "Oh! Fabia!" she beams, brightly. While she's accustomed to giving air-cheek kisses, she does seem familiar enough with the woman to know her standard greeting. "Come uhm…join us! This gentleman has invited us to sit a while."
Graham looks between the pair the clarification not really clearing things up for him. "Hm I make brief appearances they have an excellent orange fizzy." He says with a grin though he looks as he's introduces. "I have not met in person but heard a story." he moves over offering a hand "Graham Cohen." a bit of a knowing look crossing the auror's face but it might not be the time to bring up something he'll turn to the door as another enters he recognizes but not formally and does pull up a chair to sit down.
Nathan chuckles at Coopers words. "Did I? I always thought Satan a much more scary and less dashing figure than myself but then opinion differs with everyone. Please do have a seat and your friends may as well." He smiles warmly to Fabia as she arrives and greets the other woman. "Good Evening ma'am." Nathan then takes Graham's offered hand and shakes it firmly before releasing it his expresson curious. "I would ask what sort of story you heard about me but I'm fairly sure its nothing good." He grins and his tone is playful as he looks to each of his new companions with a smile and takes a sip of his coffee.
"Has he?" Fabia giggles softly, her gaze flicking across to Nathan from behind those impenetrable sun-spectacles. Well. Perhaps not impenetrable. She slips them off, to get a better look at him, and at Graham, whom she recognises vaguely from the Broomsticks and to whom she nods pleasantly. With her green eyes revealed, she seems older than at first glance, though no less glamourous. "Let me just order a little something, shall I, and then I'd be delighted to join you all." She pats Cooper's arm affectionately, and steps gracefully across to the counter where the cakes and pastries and chocolates live. She's nibbling at the end of one of the arms of her spectacles, deeply engrossed in the dreadful decision she's about to make. What to eat — what not to eat?
"Orange Fizzy. Well alright. I'm going to stow that in my mind somewhere for future extortion use or perhaps just a thoughtful birthday gift," Cooper gives a tricky smile to Graham. Though the mention of a story does interest her. "Yes, I'm quite curious to know what this story is as well. Though if its truly something terrible, you can make up a tale for now and me the truth sometime later." A smirk however goes to Nathan when she says, "No one ever said the devil was bad looking. Lust is a sin, is it not?" Half of that smirk is directed to Nathan, the other half to Fabia to whom she calls, "The strawberry short cake has never done me wrong here, darling." Like Graham, she too joins and takes a seat at the table, remembering to introduce herself, "Genevieve Cooper, by the way."
"How tough can I be with my Orange Fizzy right?" he says to the other auror before turning back at Nathan's reaction. "Perhaps, but sweetshop is hardly the time or place." Graham says to the newly met man he turns and offers a friendly wave at Fabia though he'll wait till she's back to introduce himself properly. He doesn't pick up the menu having to get his drink now since he's spoken about it and all.
Nathan nods to Fabia as she walks off to place an order at the counter. He sip his coffee agian and looks back to Graham and Cooper. He feigns a look of shock when lust is mentioned as a sin. "It is? Well then I suppose I'm guilty of that then. Hmm do they keep a count or list of the times you've sinned you think? I hope not otherwise Hell has probably ran out of parchment by now." He grins and is clearly joking again he smile warm and playful.
In the pleasant warmth of the shop Fabia unfastens her sable coat whilst selecting, with a great many mmmmhs and perhapses and changings of her mind, nine truffles which she wishes to be placed in one of the shop's darling little decorative gift boxes. "And a slice of the strawberry shortcake, please," for surely Cooper would never steer her wrong, "and, oh, perhaps a cup of tea? But which tea? She sighs dramatically, glancing over her shoulder at Cooper and the others, and takes another moment to decide. And then she flounces back to the table where they've all gathered round Nathan, her coat swaying about her, revealing a low-cut evening gown of sea green satin and silk chiffon. The bodice, that is to say, is of satin, cleverly ruched to give her the illusion of a more generous bosom than she in fact possesses, and glides down over her neat waist and her hips, to where the silk chiffon blossoms out into full skirts which almost but don't quite reach her ankles. She is wearing also rather a flabbergasting diamond necklace. (She never takes it off, even to wash.)
She's there just in time to hear Nathan's remark about parchment, which draws from her a peal of laughter. "Oh, my," she says, "how many trees has the Devil sent his minions to cut down for me? What are the deadly sins again? Lust, Envy, Sloth, Pride, Greed—" she begins. "Gluttony. What's the seventh? I don't recall… I've seen Mr Weill and Mr Brecht's piece two or three times, of course, with Mr Balanchine's heavenly choreography, isn't it silly not to recall?" She sighs and shakes her enscarfed head, hopelessly.
Cooper tuts to Graham and shakes her head replying, "Not tough at all. You're quite ruined Cohen. No one will have you now!" Though her co-worker's polite refusal to tell said story, earns a curious look over at Graham, and another mental note to ask over it later. Nathan's comment on hell elicits a snort from Cooper. "Perhaps they'll start forgiving you, when they've found they run out of space," she eyes the boxes of chocolates on Nathan's table that were there when she first arrived, "Certainly gluttony is also on your list of offenses." Fabia's debate on tea choices, chooses her to call out her order for the woman, "Almond tea." Because the shop makes a mean cup of tea. "Sin, I believe, is quite an apt topic for 'Sweet Temptations' shop. Lust perhaps is up there for me. Very close second to sloth, or at least my messy flat attest to that." Thoughtfully she looks over at Graham, "It's hard for me to think one for you. You're far too chivalrous for any vices. But if I had to guess, pride maybe?"
Graham listens looking to each as they talk about the deadly sins. Though he will look to Fabia "We didnt get to meet properly, i'm Graham Cohen." he offers his head. He looks over to the other auror though and chuckles "Perhaps so though maybe I too greedily read my books?" he says in return to her. The door opens and an owl flies in dropping something in his lap. "Gotta be kidding me." he opens it sighing "Perkins says he cant do his extra patrols tonight.. lazy sot." he looks to each "Apologies I must cover his patrol." he'll get up looking to each with a nod before he heads out.
Nathan chuckles and grins broadly at Fabia. "I believe Wrath is also considered one of the seven sins. And do not worry too much about how many trees have been lost in your name I have probably decimated a forest or two myself." He laughs when Cooper makes her comment about forgiveness. "And let me into Heaven instead? Oh no they wouldn't dare. I have my spot reserved." He grins and chuckles again and then gives Cooper a mock glare. "Now I don't go around criticing your choice of indulgence. I happen to love chocolates…and the company lovely ladies like yourselves." He winks and nods to Graham when the man gets up to leave them.
The strawberry shortcake and the almond tea (Fabia fell in completely with Cooper's suggestions) arrive at that moment; Fabia beams at the girl who has delivered them, and says, "Thank you, sweetie." She leans over to sniff the tea, and utters a 'mmh' of pleasure. "Bless you, sweetie," this to Cooper, whom she favours with a fond smile, "what good ideas you have. Despite your depressing taste in songs." She strips off her doeskin gloves, finger by finger, revealing perfectly French-manicured hands adorned with a number of diamonds to supplement those about her throat; she waves to Graham as he departs, and promptly forgets he was there, because she's a shallow creature, and present company is too cute on the one hand and too devilish upon the other for her to have any wish unsatisfied by it. "Oh, I'm so pleased," she sighs, dropping the gloves on the table next to her plate and separating a tiny bite of the cake with the little silver fork provided, "the shop was still open, I arrived so early and I'm suddenly starving… Oh, we haven't been introduced, have we?" She drops the fork without eating the cake, and extends her hand to Nathan. "Fabia Fairfax."
Cooper grimaces in sympathy for Graham as he leaves, and she waves him off, "I'll make sure Perkins gets it good tomorrow." After the friendly threat, she gives Nathan laugh, "Let Satan into heaven? Oh will the world turn upside down." His defense of his chocolate earns a quirked brow from her though, raising her hands up she grins, "Well alright, no need to be so feisty. I'm guessing you're either in heat or already menstruating, which should explain the your cravings and your reaction." Who's the lovely lady here? Not Cooper. The blonde gets a whiff of that wonderful almond tea as it comes by, and with familiarity she dips her pinky in it to have taste. "There's something missing from that Fabia…"
Smiling warmly Nathan takes Fabia's hand in his own and lifts it to his lips placing a soft kiss upon it before he releases it once more. "Nathan Eldritch. Its a pleasure to meet you Miss Fairfax. I believe I had the pleasure of speaking with your valet, a Mr. Frid Lee the other day when I was at the Three Broomsticks." Nathan looks to Cooper and chuckles and then that chuckle evolves into a full out laugh at the comment about his chocolate cravings. He shakes his head with a grin on his face. "Last I checked I was male and incapable of menstruation… Men are allowed to like sweets too. Besides I enjoy chocolate and alcohol to an equal degree and my love of chocolate doesn't interfere with my masculinity in the slightest." He smirks at them both and takes another sip of his coffee before he sits the cup down on the table.
"Oh," Fabia gasps, intrigued, whilst accepting the kiss upon her hand as though it were her due, which it certainly is, though one doesn't properly speaking kiss the hand of anyone whom one is addressing, however erroneously, as 'miss'; "do you know Frid?" But there are so many competing claims upon her attention, some of them quite naughty; she smirks a little at what he says after that, and then leans in very close to Cooper. "Isn't there?" she sighs, and she reaches inside her sable coat and suddenly there's an ornate silver flask in her hand, held low, for discretion's sake. (Frid never sends her out without a flask, anymore than he would without her pocket money and a spare pair of stockings.) A quick sidling glance to the left, then to the right, to determine whether any of the shopgirls are watching, because goodness knows she frowns upon this sort of thing in her own establishment. Then she unscrews the lid with quick, deft fingers, and upends it over her tea-cup, filling it to the very brim. She lifts it very carefully in her other hand and drinks two scalding mouthfuls. "Mmmh. Try it and see if you like it better now, sweetie," she suggests, pushing the lipstick-marked cup towards Cooper. And then, of course, as her flask is still sloshing promisingly with the movement of her hand, she holds it over Nathan's coffee and raises an interrogatory eyebrow; yes…?
Rena does not frequent Sweet Temptations as often as she would like to. In fact, it's probably been several months since she set foot inside the door of this delectable confectionary. It's about time she came back.
Slipping quietly through the door, the young woman just pauses there for a moment. Closing her eyes, Rena just drinks in the heavenly aromas floating through the air around her before glancing around the shop. For a flicker of an instant, she has that gleaming kid-in-a-candy-store look in her eyes, but she regains her composure quickly. Moving forward, she catches sight of some familiar faces seated around a table, being quite friendly. Hoping to catch someone's attention, she raises a gloved hand and offers a subdued but cheerful wave and smile.
A light goes off in Cooper's head, and details of the other evening fall into place. "Ahh that's right. Frid's the one who recognized you at the Natrix," she nods confirming Nathan's acquaintance with the valet. Though details of why Cooper was there when the two had seen each other again are left out for now. With a pat on Nate's shoulder she again tut tuts him and says, "Don't worry. Fabia and I have both been in the chocolate-craving, alcohol-raging bitterness state you find yourself in now. It only lasts a week. There's nothing unmanly about your time of month. Just like there's nothing unmanly about my trousers." Her pants, are infact the manliest bit of her because…they're made for men! She's already on the same page as Fabia, sucking the last bit of almond tea off her pinky while her fabulous friend generously spikes their shared drink. "Ah ah ah," Cooper prevents the woman from stopping the pour just yet by keeping the flask tilted with her finger, thus allowing for just a little bit more to be poured in. And then the taste test! "Mmm…" There's a pleased purr the emerges from the depth of her throat, "Christ, I can already tell this tastes like money. What did you add in?"
Nathan chuckles and nods to Cooper when she mentions the Natrix. He sighs quite dramatically and looks to Cooper intently. "Do I look bitter to you? I think I am quite sweet when given proper motivation. And now you have me wanting to prove myself. My manly pride demands it in fact." He grins and his head turns as the door opens and he spots Rena. A warm smile is given to the woman and he waves her over rising to pull out a seat for her. "Hello again Rena. I hope your day has be good so far. I am currently under fire from Cooper here for my love of chocolate…" He retakes his seat and smiles warmly. "Well my luck for the day is quite good I think. Three beautiful women only one of which doubts I am a man…I consider that a win." He smiles playfully watching the three of them.
The flask in Fabia's hand lifts from Nathan's coffee-cup after pouring into it a generous measure; she's smirking at him slightly, after the way of a woman who doesn't doubt her own attractions, even to such tall and blonde younger men. But it's Cooper she answers, after sniffing the neck of the flask. "The thirty-year-old Bruichladdich, I believe," she beams, recapping it. "Frid never lets me out without a little something, for emergencies, you know." And when she hasn't had a drink, by God that's an emergency. She tucks the flask deep inside her coat, revealing rather more of her green evening gown in the process, and takes her turn to sip at the tea. Bliss. She pushes it across to Cooper again. "Rena, sweetie, do sit. I haven't seen you in an age! Won't you have a bite of my strawberry shortcake?" she asks charmingly, apparently determined upon feeding and watering the girls at either side of her. She offers a forkful of it to Rena, while her eyes flick again to Nathan. "Sweetie, I don't see what could possibly be the matter with your masculinity; but if you must prove it to us, I'm sure you could think of a way. Couldn't you?" An eyebrow arches.
Cooper leans forward, her chin resting on her fist, and she too stares intently right back at Nathan. "Didn't we already establish earlier in the conversation, that looks tend to be most deceiving?" Her sweetest smile is given and she adds, "Yes, please. I look forward to you proving yourself!" The sudden warmth in his smile makes Cooper look over her shoulder to see who the new comer is, and upon seeing Rena's face, the blond auror smirks slightly. The gears turning in her head all she says is, "I see." And the statement is more to herself than to anyone else. A friendly smile and wave is thrown to Rena, as well as a chair being pulled out for the woman, "Ahh the woman of the month! You haven't been very popular in political circles I must say Rena." Her brows raise with interest to Fabia. "Thirty years? Perfect," Cooper nods in a approval and snickers, "I like them older." She takes a sip of the spiked tea and hands it back to Fabia, "To answer your earlier question, I was right about that sailor by the way. Cute and eager. But too young to know what he was doing and too naive to know about his ignorance."
Rena's dark eyes sparkle in a mischievous way as she answers Nathan playfully: "Only /one?/ I guess that's fair odds when you're outnumbered three to one."
Moving toward the table at Fabia's invitation to come over and try some of the delectable shortcake. Anybody else, and she might have been slightly taken aback - but she's gotten used to Fabia's outgoing and vivacious personality from her visits to the Three Broomsticks, back in Hogsmeade.
"Thanks, luv - that's awfully nice of you." She says, leaning in to accept the forkful of cake. Obviously, by her expression and the approving "Mmmm…" she seems to like it. Then, without further ado, she takes the offered chair and joins the others. A sidelong glance and smirk is flashed at Cooper, and she chuckles as she serves herself a slice of cake: "I know. Politics ain't my forte, as it were - but I 'ave to stand for what I believe in. Though, I'm stuck in the city for a while on personal business that'll probably keep me out of the limelight and give you all a rest."
Nathan takes a sip of his now doctored coffee and smiles at the taste of it. "Thats much better. Thank you." This is said to Fabia and he takes another sip considering them. "You want me to stumble in blind trying to impress you. Thats rather unkind of you. Surely a man can get a hint of what might work to prove himself in such fine company." Looking to Rena he grins and nods. "I've had worse odds thats for sure and a few better ones as well. Though many of the bad ones involved games of chance…dice are notoriously fickle friends and cards too for that matter. But I enjoy both all the same. I suppose I like my risks." He smirks and drink once again from the coffee cup. "Madam Fairfax…you have a gift for providing most excellent alcohol. I will have to visit you before my own business is open. Maybe afterwards as well."
Cooper likes them older? Yeeeesss, Fabia has heard something about that. She withdraws the cake-bereft fork from Rena's lips, big green eyes twinkling at her; and gives the blonde Auror on her other side a smirk as they pass the almond tea between them. After her next turn at it, she makes a moue and exclaims: "Oh, what a bore, when they need to be taught! Perhaps you ought to have selected a more grown-up specimen, sweetie. Perhaps an Admiral." A bite of cake for herself; her eyes roll backward in her head. For Nathan, she has a slightly more reserved smile (though the glance which accompanies it lingers upon him) and a suggestion that he: "Surprise us, then, sweetie. Roll the dice! Let's see whether you're devil or angel." She laughs; her eyes dare him.
Cooper pffts and pushes her glasses up the slope of her nose at Rena. "Me, in the limelight? That'll be the day." She's lucky if she can get her bosses to call her Cooper. "Do what you think is best Rena. You're on the side of the right, and I'll always have your back for it." She gives her colleague a wink. A soft laugh is given to Nathan and shakes her head, "No one would ever want to see you stumble. Only perhaps, the best way to explain it is that a man wouldn't have to impress. He simply does." Oh women. They're so complicated! Never saying what they mean or meaning what they say! But when Fabia suggests a higher ranking officer, Cooper clutches her heart and then the woman's arm in dramaticism. "An admiral! Oh a woman can dream, can she not?" she looks hazily into the air, as if longing for said officer to come and sweep her away.
The daydream is broken by a bell being rung at the counter. A warm auburn haired lady attending to the blonde auror before summons her over. "Your cake is ready. Sorry for that extra time." And that is Cooper's cue to leave. "Apologies to you all. I'm already late and well liquored for a chum's birthday party," she pulls a cheap cigarette out from her pocket, holding it between her lips. "Fabia, Rena. Good to see you all again," she gives her co-worker and affectionate shoulder squeeze and Fabia gets a peck on the cheek as she slips out of her seat. "Satan, I would watch out for these two," she warns Nathan with a nod, waves a final goodbye to all before picking up her cake and reclaiming her strange looking dog outside.
Rena can scarcely help letting out a small giggle at Cooper's dramatics over the hypothetical dream-boat officer. Now that she has her own piece of shortcake, she appears to be set for an enjoyable time. However, she lets on a little hint of a pout as her co-worker takes her leave: "See you soon, Cooper." She says fondly - and, of course she will. They work in the same office, so to speak. It's just nice to encounter people when you're off-duty.
The comment about Nathan needing to watch out for himself now that he's in the company of herself and Fabia is not lost on Rena. The redhead blushes slightly and chuckles self-consciously, glancing at the man: "Really, you needn't worry about /me/ - it's Ms Fairfax who'll give you a run for your money."
Nathan chuckles at Coopers departing comment. "I have a feeling I've just earned my first offical nickname…" He looks to Fabia and tilts his head. He pulls out a coin and grins at the women. "I don't have my dice with me so I hope this will suffice Madam Fairfax? Heads I take you dancing, tails I take you out for dinner and a drink." He flips the coin into the air and back onto his hand. "Ah it seems you get to dance with a handsome devil." He grins showing her the coins heads up. He studies Fabia a moment curiously "That is if you accept my offer at all? You are of course perfectly entitled to refuse me as well though I would be most dissapointed if you did." He smiles a charming and playful smile and winks at Rena. "Don't sell yourself short. You too are excellent and lovely company and I would offer to take you dancing as well if you wished me to?"
Fabia answers Cooper's farewell kiss with one of her own, leaving a genuine red lipstick smudge upon her friend's face this time; and pouts slightly after her. She doesn't like to be left, under any circumstances, before she has decided the party is over! There's still a little tea in her cup; she sips it, looking from Nathan to Rena and back again. And then Nathan is flipping the coin. Her fate is being decided! How amused she is, as she reached across to take the coin into her silky-soft fingers. "Heads," she says, "I must ring up first; tails, I'll simply go where you choose. Mmm?" And she flips it. Heads. "Ah, well, then. You may escort me to the telephone booth in Charing Cross Road, Mr Eldritch, when you've finished your coffee, and if Miss Lee doesn't require you for any more urgent services." Heaven forbid she elaborate, with that gleam in her eye.
Rena laughs - perhaps a tad self-consciously again - at the others' teasing, and she grins. "I'm afraid I must decline - though I wish I could go with you. After I've 'ad my little treat 'ere, I need to be getting along to my new temporary 'ome to get settled in." Pausing, she casts a regretful, but grateful smile in the direction of Fabia and Nathan: "But thank you, just the same. I 'ope you two 'ave a lovely time. I'm sure there'll be another chance in the future."
Nathan watches with amusment as Fabia takes the coin and flips it herself. He accepts the new stakes with a nod and downs the rest of his coffee with a smile to Rena. "I certianly hope so. You are wonderful company. Take care and I hope to see you again soon." He rises from his seat and offers a hand to Fabia if she wishes to take it. "Well my lovely Madam Fairfax shall we go if you are ready now? I will be most happy to escort and keep you company on the way to your destination." He gives her a charming smile.
"Oh, Rena, must you really go?" Fabia sighs, with every superficial appearance of regret, as she drifts upwards onto her feet. (She's already in dancing-shoes; low-heeled, dyed to match her frock, with T-straps so they won't slip off.) "Well, if you must, you must." She leans down again to pick up her cup and drink the dregs of her spiked tea; she misses entirely the crumbs of her cake, and her well-nibbled sun-specs lying next to the plate. She holds up a finger to stall Nathan where he is and swans across to the counter to enquire after her truffles, and her bill; there's wizarding money alongside the Muggle money in her tiny silver purse, but it takes her a while to sort it out. Then, she puts her handbag in on top of the chocolate box in the pretty Sweet Temptations bag she has been handed across the counter; and beams at Nathan. "Shall we?"
Nathan waits paitently for Fabia to finish making her purchases and when she is ready he nods and tucks his box of chocolates under one arm having already paid for his items and smiles brightly back at the woman walking with Fabia to the door and holding it open for her. Once they are out he will offer his free arm to her with a smile.
At first Fabia is busy tugging on her pale blue gloves; but once that is accomplished she tucks her hand without the least hesitance into the crook of Nathan's arm. "I do like dancing," she sighs to him, "but I must telephone — it's in the rules. Through the Cauldron, please, sweetie, you'll know the fastest way… I always get so turned around in here. What was that you were saying about your business? I was listening, but, you know, I was so thirsty, I wanted to drink my tea…" That portion of her tea she didn't willingly cede to cute blonde Aurors, that is.