i give you air from my lungs

[Hadley Carpenter]

Hadley walked down the streets of Aluzbra Alley a little slower that she would have liked to. It appeared there were limitations to even the most advanced medicine. So, she still had a very slight limp and if she moved just so in the wrong direction, a quick stab of pain knocked the breath from her. That did not stop her from wearing heels however; she was a business woman, she lived in heels when she wasn’t in the field. It didn’t matter that they made her back ache terribly if she stood for too long. She sat at a desk for most of the day, which also wasn’t really helping her back. It all seemed to be a sort of a lose-lose situation for the moment. She supposed, on the positive side of things, it was a good bit that she had been placed in a country she had lived in before. Granted, it had been when she was a fair bit younger and she had been in school for just about the whole year, but she did remember enjoying her time in Austria. Though, she wished that the streets were less cobblestone, more material that was easy to walk on. She was going to need to soak in a hot bath later to ease the soreness at this rate. She paused for a moment to take a short break from the walking, expecting to be around the Ministry, and looked at the buildings. She had been paying more attention to how she was walking than to where she was walking and had turned down the wrong street. She pursed her lips for a moment before shaking her head. It wasn’t a n issue, she knew the general idea of where she was and how to get there from this spot. It didn’t really matter when she actually arrived anyway.

She had a required number of hours she had to fulfill weekly, but other than that the department was pretty flexible with when she had to come in. She even scheduled most of her own meetings. Last night, she decided that she was going to come in early this morning. She was also going to stop for coffee in one of the places right outside the Ministry entrance. She hoped that by being alone in the department she would be able to focus on the paperwork long enough to finish everything up quickly. Less aimless chit-chatting to be distracted by. Then she would only have to go to a couple meetings before she could go home and lay down for the rest of the night. Perhaps watch a movie or something like that. The meetings hopefully wouldn’t take longer than an hour each. The first was an evaluation of an artefact found a few months ago; just a few of the normal diagnostic tests before deciding if it would be safe to place in a museum for the public or if it would be too dangerous and would be destroyed. Well, probably not destroyed; it would probably go missing somewhere between the Ministry and the deepest vaults of Gringotts. Then it might end up in the hands of a well paying collector, but that was off the record. The second meeting was a discussion on whether or not it would be fruitful to return to a site that had yielded incredible results last season, but was unable to be completely excavated. She was arguing to finish the excavation; she hated to leave a job only half done.

She wandered in the direction of where she thought the Ministry entrance would be, wondering if she should connect to the floo network just so she could transport straight into the Ministry then come out and get coffee. “On your left!” She turned her head to look over her shoulder to see some man cycling down the sidewalk. She shook her head, there was a reason there was a bike lane on the roads. She twisted quickly to move herself out of the way anyhow. Being knocked over would in no way make her feel any better. She didn’t think to avoid the fast movement by side-stepping out of the way until a popping feeling followed by pain shot up through her back. She hissed through her teeth and her vision swam as her knees buckled underneath her. It looked as though she was going to be falling over anyway.

---

Tagged. Benjin
Wearing: This
Notes. Tada!

[Benjin Preistley]

So this was Austria. Countries always felt different to him whenever he was a part of them. Visiting, he had all the luster and innocent heart of a traveler, but actually purchasing property and coming to meld himself into the population was like seeing it all over again, for the first time. He'd visited Austria before, mostly just passing through to Germany, Austria didn't have it's own Quidditch team so there wasn't much use for him here, it had a couple leagues for the smaller, lesser known sports but nothing quite the same. Wasn't something he could sink his teeth into. If it didn't make him money, generally he wasn't interested. Of course, it helped matters a great deal that this was one of the largest Ministry outposts, therefore ensuring him a nice, juicy raise, combined with the fact that one Ms. Carpenter had actually contracted on with them, it was the perfect next stop for him. He liked being close to something so very, very pretty. Benjin was lucky in that his was a profession that could be done from just about anywhere. He didn't like to stay in one place for too long. Combined with a love of sports, and an even bigger love for watching them knowing he was making money in more than one way, he really, really had lucked out that he had for a number for plans and the willingness to pay attention to details. Dream job really.

He had taken the time to properly establish himself within the Ministry, meeting of the Ministry and shaking hands with his new secretary. Decorating his office, all before his official announcement which was due to run in the papers tomorrow. Knowing a certain woman read the papers, he didn't really want her storming up to his office and looking at him with those little accusatory eyes. She was far prettier in a stunned silence. Which, he was expecting any moment now. His now empty plate of breakfast had been placed to the side, napkin folded neatly on top of the crossed fork and knife. Maybe their cuisine wasn't often represented in other countries, but they were sure doing something right with their breakfast. The break alone was something to write home about. Good service, efficient. Even brought him more coffee the way he wanted it after seeing how he had made his first cup. Something not many would have thought to do. Paper open in front of his person but he was only half reading, it was such a lovely morning out and even if he hadn't been waiting on company, he would have been very distracted. People moving about their business, heading in to work or managing the slow walk home on this Monday morning. First bright and sunny day they had had all winter, from what he had overheard. Apparently, this was the first time they even had had the patio open for diners.

With a glance at his watch he neatly folded the paper and lay it in front of his person, easing himself comfortably into the wicker backed chair and let his arms rest on the metal frame, waiting. It wasn't long before the head of bright blonde, perfect hair finally came into view and he allowed himself to smile. To really smile. It wasn't like she was going to see it anyway...but it was wiped away all too quickly by a bike rider moved by her carelessly, she avoided it easily enough, but something crossed over her face that he hadn't seen her wear before. Pain? He stood too quickly, his hand on the railing of the small fence dividing the cafe's property from the street and hopped over it easily, jogging to where she was and pulling his wand out at the same time. Careless prat. With an errant charm, he immobilized the biker from moving even an inch further away, left him there until he could figure a more suitable use for him and crossed to Hadley, bending to place an arm under her shoulders and to clasp her hand in his own, helping to right her from where she had fallen. Without even trying an explanation he flicked his wrist and the biker came skidding backward, frozen tires scraping awkwardly against the cobblestone and he unfroze him. “How careless of you, how rude to knock a woman over and continue with your day.” He was far more upset than he likely should have been. Not just disrespectful to women, or people in general but careless. “I demand that you apologize to her,”

[Hadley Carpenter]

Her knees hit the ground, hard. How embarrassing. And frustrating. Now she was probably going to have bruises all over as well. And she hadn’t done anything fun to earn them. For once she was glad she had decided to forgo stockings this morning; they would surely have been ruined now. The real question now, though, was could she get up without falling back over. Her lips were thinned in both pain and slight anger. There was a reason there were bike lanes. She also should have known better than to move in the way that she did. She took a deep breath and started to slowly move to get up, she stopped as a pair of legs jogged up to her. She was appreciative of the help he was, no doubt, going to offer, but at the same time she didn’t really want it. There weren’t many that she allowed to touch her so this was going to have to be quick. Her vision still blurry she allowed the man to help her up, wincing slightly at the way his arm under her shoulders curved her back. She blinked rapidly, breathing deeply and slowly, her lips pressed into a thin line. She moved her arm over his shoulders as he took hold of her hand. Gripping his shoulders, and feeling a bit bad about the fact that she was probably wrinkling his suit jacket, she clung to him for a moment. There was a possibility that if she tried to support her own weight fully and immediately that she’d just slump right back over. She’d apologize afterwards for any creases.

She finally looked to the gentlemen helping her up and, oh. “Benjin.” She breathed. It would have been him; it never failed, he was always around just when she needed him. She would love to know how he did that. She’d love to turn it around and surprise him every once in a while. She felt the first genuine smile in ages slide on to her face. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.” The smile was short lived however, as she felt something slide back into place once she was fully righted. “Oh, ouch. Oh, fuck.” She gripped his hand tightly without meaning to as most of the pain subsided. Her fingers on both hands loosened their hold, but stayed where they were. It was so rare that the two of them touched each other that she was going to push her luck and keep her hands on him until he withdrew. Although, she would be just as content if he wouldn’t withdraw. “How careless of you, how rude to knock a woman over and continue with your day.” She was a little shocked by how angry he sounded. She looked over to where he was speaking, careful to only move her neck and her head. The biker came skidding back towards them, completely frozen. She tried not smile, impressed as always with Benjin’s complete power and control of his magic and the situation. But he shouldn’t be so angry; she was already over it, just in need of a nice chair.

“I demand that you apologize to her.” She turned her head to murmur quietly in his ear. Her words were for him. “Benji, it’s fine. I moved wrong, he didn’t touch me. It would seem that I’m not as healed as I thought I was.” She hesitated slightly before lowering her voice and spitting the last sentence out. She hated feeling so weak, especially in such a public area. It wouldn’t have bothered her as much if she had fallen at home, just frustrated her that she wasn’t recuperating fast enough. But in public here, slightly humiliating. Her extensive injuries weren’t exactly common knowledge and she intended to keep it that way. She didn’t want pity. She didn’t want to be surrounded by people who knew what being assigned to desk duty meant, people who wouldn’t really meet her eye because yes, she had nearly died. She wanted to finish her desk duty and get back to what she was good at. One near death experience changed very little. She had spent enough time flat on her back thinking through the dangers of what she did. Weighed every single pro and con in her head and working through the sudden fears that trauma tended to bring on. Still using him to support a good bit of her weight, she shifted the rest from foot to foot, testing the waters. It still twinged a bit. “I need to sit down for a short time. Please.” She stressed the word slightly, trying to both relay the urgency but also provide a small distraction.

---

Tagged. Benjin
Wearing: This

[Benjin Preistley]

This was not how he had planned this. He was an gentleman who took great pride in the fact that he was good at planning things. He usually had things go the way that he wanted as well, because of this planning. He liked it very much whenever his hard work was rewarded that way. It was deeply satisfying to him...and this. Wasn't what he had planned, so naturally, he was upset about more than one thing. First of course, was that Hadley was harmed, even if it was slightly. Any break in her skin was his business, whether she liked it or not, and some asshole in too much of a hurry was about to get a lesson in manners. He had been planning for her to see him, Hadley. To be on her way to work and see him sitting here, and pause. That pretty look that she always got whenever she was irritated but confused..therefore more interested than she ought to be would coat her features and she would join him for breakfast...and then their banter. Which he so enjoyed, except, it wouldn't come to that. That plan had been ruined and he didn't care for it in the slightest. “Benjin.” her moment of surprise had been ruined for him. He could feel his jaw tense as irritation battled his concern for her internally. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.” Of course she would say that, he glanced downward, half a smile threatening to break through his mask of anger at the careless man who had put her on her knees, if she was bleeding, there was going to be hell to pay.

“Oh, ouch. Oh, fuck.” Half distracted as he took her hand, the desire to check her bodily for more harm nearly overtook him. She was gripping his hand too tightly, she was actually harmed. From the fall? Had the biker knocked into her and he just, somehow missed it? He didn't like being conflicted. His temper battling his other natures. As her grip on him lessened, his gaze was able to shift back over to the biker, not even fully realizing that he was still touching her, even if it was just his hand in hers, something that normally would have been a much, much bigger deal. People these days didn't seem to realize how important touch was. Touching every person and every thing. Lost the value of it. Which, was why he acted the way he did. “Benji, it’s fine. I moved wrong, he didn’t touch me. It would seem that I’m not as healed as I thought I was.” The fond name for him was noted, enough to nearly distract him...if it weren't for what she said next and his spell was broken. Attention diverted completely. Benjin had been keeping decent tabs on her over the past few years...but he wasn't omnipotent. Didn't know what she was doing at all times...had she been hurt? Recently? He should have heard about that, he assumed that was the sort of thing she would tell him. He did pop in and out of her life often enough. Her voice lowering and the cyclist said something under his breath about crazy people, something that should have brought him back over but...what did she mean that she wasn't as healed as she thought?

“I need to sit down for a short time. Please.” She really was hurt...those heels couldn't be helping. He conceded. Slipping a hand more firmly around her waist and holding her carefully as he guided her in the direction of the cafe he had been seated in most of the morning...at least they might be able to turn back their plan like it was somehow, even slightly salvageable. “Spot of tea.” he agreed, moving them the long way around the fencing that he had hopped over a moment ago to the table that still had his paper atop it. Pulling her chair out with one and and depositing her in it with the other. Slowly, measured as he returned himself back to the chair he had been in before, composing himself against the back of the chair. “Don't make me ask for you to explain, Hadley.”

[Hadley Carpenter]

“Spot of tea.” Apparently she wouldn’t be getting into work early today after all. “That sounds lovely.” If the situation would have been different, there was a small chance she would have passed out from all the touching going on between the two of them. The rarity of it in their normal interactions left those moments when they did actually touch feeling like fire spreading across her skin. But this, she didn’t want to be touched as though she were fragile, as though she could be broken. Even if right now it was a very real possibility. She let him guide her body in the direction of a small eatery of some type, where he must have been sitting earlier. Moving her towards a small table for two with a newspaper folded on top, this felt vaguely familiar. It seemed that a good amount of their encounters happened in these quaint little cafes. Without releasing her, he pulled her chair out and helped her to sit down. She sat as gracefully as she could, only allowing herself to wince again once his back was turned. She shifted a few times until she found a position that would suffice as semi-comfortable as he moved around to the other side of the table. She could feel his eyes on her, demanding an explanation.

“Don’t make me ask for you to explain, Hadley.” That was the last conversation that she wanted to have right now, but how could she deny him. “I won’t just, give me a moment dear.” She leaned forward just slightly giving him a quick smile, holding steady with one forearm pressed on top of the table and the other moving behind her. She pressed the tips of her fingers lightly into her lower back, doing her best not to wince at the tenderness she encountered. She was just making sure that everything was still where it belonged. Felt like it, good. She wasn’t particularly interested in some medi-wizard poking and prodding her any further today. She leaned back, settling into the chair he had deposited her in more fully. She stared directly at the table, not looking up. He was going to be angry, so angry, that this was the first time he was hearing of what had happened in Cambodia. “There was an...accident,” she struggled to think of a word that didn’t sound too serious. “During the last excavation I was on. You remember I sent you that lovely postcard from Cambodia?” She picked absently at the skin around her nails; a very old habit that only resurfaced when she was nervous, which didn’t happen very often anymore. She looked up and stared at his shoulder, trying her best to avoid direct eye contact, but needing to see his response. “I may or may not have been seriously injured during a collapse.” It wasn’t that she had purposefully not sent him a tiny missive telling him about what had happened, she hadn’t told anyone. She wouldn’t have even informed her mother, but the hospital had done that for her while she was unconscious.

Now sitting here, right in front of him, she felt incredibly foolish for not informing him. Both incredibly foolish and incredibly guilty. A person didn’t just find some way to stay in another person’s life for so many years and not care about them to some degree. She cared for him after all. Her eyes fell back to the top of the table, she opened her mouth to say more but no sound came out, how selfish she had been. Closing her eyes, she clenched her jaw for a moment and shook her head very slightly. “I’m sorry. So sorry.” She whispered, he would probably have barely heard it, if at all, in this public place. She finally looked up to his face, her eyes pleading for his forgiveness. She knew that he would have more questions. She would answer them, but she wanted to move past this part of the conversation as fast as possible. She hated to admit it, but thinking about what had happened still frightened her. She was still waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and gasping for breath as she was crushed in her nightmares. She took a deep breath, an unconscious gesture that reassured her lately, something about being able to fill her lungs was comforting.

---

Tagged. Benjin
Wearing: This

[Benjin Preistley]

As a general rule, Benjin was very careful about when, and how he touched the woman sitting across from him. His touches weren't something he wanted her to be regarding as something causal. He wanted her to notice each and every time he deigned to brush his hand against the small of her back. Wanted it to be a matter of some importance whenever he held her hand and guided her around a room.
However, exceptions were to be made if she were injured. He couldn't very well have her walking alone only to have her fall again because of some rigidity he was clinging to for no real cause. He was very tempted to check her over, examine her ankles and feel for any breaks that might be causing her pain...something that she would be covering up because she was a lady. Too much of one sometimes. Just as she knew that he was watching her, she had to know that there would be moving past this, she would tell him what he wanted to know. “I won’t just, give me a moment dear.” Benjin's lips pursed, if only for a moment. He didn't care to be kept waiting and if she wasn't going to show that she was in pain...if she was stubborn enough not to tell him that she was uncomfortable he had no reason to allow her the small indulgence of getting herself comfortable before she answered him. She was only hindering herself. Bringing one foot to rest across the opposite knee, and exercising a great amount of restraint he waited, watching with interest as she pressed into a spot that he couldn't see on her back. Lower, he would guess but there was no telling. Her brow pinching only slightly, meaning it had to hurt worse than she was letting on. She wouldn't have made a fuss over something small. He'd seen her sit through hours and hours of business meetings without so much as shifting in her seat. Well, without him giving her cause to anyway.

“There was an...accident,” Benjin shifted, keeping a neutral expression as he leaned sideways, elbow resting on the arm of his chair while his hand moved to cover the lower half of his face, the other resting on his bent knee, casual. As if this were any other conversation that they had ever had. An accident. He should have heard about an accident. He endeavored not to be away from her for any prolonged amount of time. Tried to keep himself abreast of any large developments...but there had been a stretch of time where he couldn't secure a position close enough to her, where she had almost fallen from the radar...and that must have been what she was meaning. “During the last excavation I was on. You remember I sent you that lovely postcard from Cambodia?” Nervous, she might as well have a flashing light over her head, she had kept this from him on purpose then. Didn't slip her mind. He said nothing, only the smallest twitch in the corner of his eyes as he put the pieces together, one by one. “I may or may not have been seriously injured during a collapse.” His grip on his knee tightened painfully. May or may not. She thought now was the time to be coy? His lips were pressing together under the cover of his hand as he waited. She would tell him more, if she was smart. Jut lay everything bare, it was already out in the open, after all. Sure enough, her gaze dropped to the table, good, she should feel badly about her choices here. He might not have been very obvious with his affections, but his actions to remain in her life, she should have told him, and they both knew it.

“I’m sorry. So sorry.” She was apologizing, which was a good start. There was a knot in his throat. He would have been there, had he known that she was hurt. He would have come to her, and stayed by her side, of course just obnoxiously out of reach until she were well again. Surely, she should have known that. Wetting his lips he inhaled sharply through his nose, motioning with his hand for more tea, he was sure somebody had to of seen the gesture. “Which was it.” his hand lowered but his posture didn't change, watching her from his mostly slouched against the back of the chair, grip on his knee lessened but now there was a jiggling to his foot. Clearly, whatever had happened, bothered her. “Did you, or did you not seriously injure yourself Hadley.” He almost never used her given name. He was much fonder of a very specific string of playful monikers depending on his mood. “Clearly, it was to your spine? Just what happened....” terse, tight lipped but trying not to be. A collapse was hardly her fault. He was very glad that she was alright, it wasn't like she hadn't chosen this profession, it was what she was passionate about and he admired that about her....he knew she was given to get harmed at one point or another but, she had known better than to keep it from him. She wasn't even fully healed, apparently. His blue eyes moved back to hers, unblinking until he shook his head, a very small gesture considering that they were in public and she was in pain. Who knew what sort of reaction she was expecting from him. Though, to be clear, he was in no way saying that it was alright. The smile had absconded from his face completely. A single brow raised, waiting for her answer.

[Hadley Carpenter]

The quick movement of his hand caught her attention for a moment and it was enough for her to collect herself. Bring everything back into focus. Apologies would only get her so far. “Which was it.” Her head tilted at his question. Well, it sounded much less like a question and much more like a statement. “Did you, or did you not seriously injure yourself Hadley?” Her eyes jumped up to meet his, and she almost flinched at the use of her given name. He so rarely used it, always favouring whichever pet name suited his fancy that day; oh, she was in so much trouble. Well, there was little point in avoiding telling him the whole truth right now. There was little doubt that he would find some way to find out all the information anyhow. It was better if she just up and told him now. She hated when he was angry with her. She removed her hands from the table, folding them in her lap contritely. “I was seriously injured. One of only a half dozen that survived the collapse.” The small movement of bringing her hands down from resting some of her weight forward had added some discomfort to they way she was sitting, but there was absolutely no way that she was even going to twitch for the rest of this little meeting.

“Clearly it was to your spine? Just what happened…” She exhaled slowly through her nose and glanced away for a moment. He wasn’t going to like this either, but the expression on his face brooked no argument whatsoever. “More than my spine.” He was as aware of the risks of her profession as she was. He was as aware of the possibility of her death on the job as she was. But she had chosen to do this because she loved every moment of it, and that he knew as well. And yes, there had been a time or two that there had been minor accidents before that she was injured that she had let him know about, but nothing as catastrophic as this. This had the potential to have been career ending, as well as life ending. Part of the reason that she hadn’t contacted anyone afterwards was that she had been unconscious for quite a long period of time following it. She crossed her ankles and clenched her jaw twice quickly, trying to keep her face as smooth as possible. She would show no discomfort. She just started speaking, let herself talk as she usually did when she was with Benjin. “There was a triggered collapse in the ruins I had been excavating. One of the fool locals that we hire. The team that I was leading that evening was too far in to outrun it. Though, I suppose that was the whole point of that particular pressure plate. When the ceiling came down I was-” She paused just as suddenly as she had began.

She hadn’t actually spoken about what had happened with a single person. She had written dozens of reports and filed all the necessary claims, and she was clearly doing everything that she could not to think about it. But she had not spoken about it once. She cleared her throat softly as she noticed how drawn out her pause had become. “Apologies, just-um, collecting my thoughts. Now, when the ceiling came down I was, quite clearly, trapped under the rubble. I don’t know for how long, I wasn’t conscious. I came to very briefly in the hospital later the next day, so it’s very possibly that I was in the ruins overnight.” Underneath the table, quite clear of anyone’s view, her hands fidgeted incessantly. “My injuries, though contained to a relatively small area of my body, were quite severe. I will spare you the graphic details unless you really wish to know.”

---

Tagged. Benjin
Wearing: This

[Benjin Preistley]

Hadley had to know by now that he had his ways of finding things out. That if she thought that he was going to get away with all of this, she was mistaken. He would be going straight to the records office as soon as he had released her, to check for the records of her, she had to know that, she was far too intelligent to think otherwise. She might not know him as well as she thought that she did, but she absolutely knew him well enough to know better. Willful disobedience. He had thought that they were past this. Despite how she obviously knew that she was mistaken, and that there was a flash of repentance in her eyes as he asked his questions. She was lucky she wasn't his yet. He would have tanned her for something like this. “I was seriously injured. One of only a half dozen that survived the collapse.” So, not only was she seriously injured, she had almost died. Could have died. Mortal risk. He could feel his jaw clenching. Painfully. His teeth pushing together. He empathized why she hadn't told him what had happened, but he couldn't understand. Wasn't that what people did? She treated him like he was important to her, but whenever she was nearly removed from this world, she couldn't be bothered to tell him? He didn't think he intimidated her, at least not in that fashion. She shouldn't have been scared to tell him things.

“More than my spine.” More. It was taking an uncomfortable amount of effort to keep his face still, to remain neutral and to keep breathing in a steady pattern in and out of his nose. Focus on what she was saying. “There was a triggered collapse in the ruins I had been excavating. One of the fool locals that we hire. The team that I was leading that evening was too far in to outrun it. Though, I suppose that was the whole point of that particular pressure plate. When the ceiling came down I was-” Pressure plates. Seemed like something rather rudimentary for her to have been harmed by, given how long they had been doing what she did. Her whole life, if he remembered correctly. He understood accidents happened....but there was a change coming over her face that he hadn't seen before, and the odd timing of her stopping, mid sentence. His grip loosened ever so slightly from his knee. He waited. Benjin was a very, very patient man. It wasn't even something he thought about most of the time. Watching, while she worked through whatever it was that she was thinking about. Wondering – not for the first time, just how her thought process worked. “Apologies, just-um, collecting my thoughts.” That, was absolutely not something that she needed to be apologizing for. ”Now, when the ceiling came down I was, quite clearly, trapped under the rubble. I don’t know for how long, I wasn’t conscious. I came to very briefly in the hospital later the next day, so it’s very possibly that I was in the ruins overnight.” Overnight. So, in the hospital, where people could have gotten a hold of him. Perhaps there was no reason for them to look for him, as opposed, to her mother as a point of contact but he was expecting to be reached, nonetheless. Even by post card, as she had stated before.

Were he not so attuned to her, to watching her, he wouldn't have seen her shoulders moving, even as tiny movements as she was using. She was fidgeting. He couldn't see it, she was hiding that from him too. Clearly, more shaken up by the injury still...more than just a residual pain. She didn't want to talk about this. He was making her more uncomfortable. Something that of course, could have been remedied, had he known this whole time, which was only slightly relevant. “My injuries, though contained to a relatively small area of my body, were quite severe. I will spare you the graphic details unless you really wish to know.” Of course he wanted to know. He wanted to know about every bruise that she sustained. He wanted to know everything that hurt her feelings, but his head shook anyway. “Another time,” she had had enough. He could see that clearly. “I will know.” he added, to ensure that she knew he was going to be looking into it. His foot lifted from his knee and came to rest under the table , his hands moving to his lap. “Which healer are you seeing? Clearly they are not adequate. I will find you another. Does that suit you? I wouldn't want you to think I'm penetrating your life without invitation.?” He wanted to take care of her, but he wasn't letting the subject go. It was a very fine line to walk. He didn't think that she would be as alright with him taking her straight to the hospital to be checked again, would insist on working, or something else silly. He hated working. Only did it because it had to. “You never need to spare me anything darling, I just wanted to know if you were alright.”

[Hadley Carpenter]

She could see from his expression that he wanted to actually know. The he did want all the graphic details. She had seen the tensions at his temple as he clenched his teeth at her words. She looked down at her lap. She didn’t want him to be angry with her. The question was could she tell him? Could she list through every single horrifying injury in some blase manner as though she were as fine as she was pretending to be? She wished once again that they weren’t sitting in such a public area; she would much rather be having this conversation somewhere more private, somewhere her brave face reserved for public didn’t have to be so ironclad. “Another time.” Her hands stopped moving in her lap in surprise. Usually their conversations, especially ones of such an inflammatory nature, continued until every detail had been dissected and the conversation exhausted. The two of them could easily talk for hours without noticing. “I will know.” She looked up to meet his eyes and nodded evenly. That was fine really. She didn’t have any qualms about him knowing what was listed in her medical records. She wasn’t hiding. Denial and hiding were different things after all. One day she was going to have to ask him how he managed to get access to her personal files without being next of kin. She was curious, but that was for another time as he had said.

“Which healer are you seeing? Clearly they are not adequate. I will find you another. Does that suit you? I wouldn’t want you to think I’m penetrating your life without invitation?” That was quite a number of questions in one breath. She tilted her head at his words. Without invitation. She was sitting here, was she not? “By this point, your invitation goes without speaking.” It had been years after all, he needn’t really ask anymore. If she didn’t want him to find her, then she would have disappeared a long time ago. No, his presence in her life was welcome. “The healer was assigned through work. Curse Breakers see the same healers as the Aurors generally. Something to do with work-related injuries and normally keeping it within the department. It is both fine print and ease of access.” Though seeing how they were doing such a bang up job, she was definitely willing to explore other options. “I would be more than willing to see another if you think they could help? We are not required to see the healers we are assigned.” She valued his opinion, and he had connections in places that she didn’t. This was an area that he might have better information, better favours, than she had. “You never need to spare me anything darling, I just wanted to know if you were alright.” She knew that now. And her smile, though a little tight-lipped, was genuine. “I am not, but that is fairly clear at this point.” After a moment hesitation, her expression turned serious. “I am sorry Benji.”

A waiter walked up next to their table at this point, bring a pot of tea with them and two tall mugs. Hadley placed a pleasant look onto her face, as though they were merely discussing something bland and agreeable, like the weather. She straightened her posture as he placed the cup in front of her, but her smile faltered slightly as she saw stars for a moment again. That settled it. She was going to go into work and reschedule her meetings that were supposed to be today or see if they could be condensed. Then she was going to figure out some way to get back to her condo without splinching herself and not getting out of bed at all for the rest of the day. This was so frustrating, she had been aware that back injuries took an extended period of time to heal, but this was getting to be ridiculous. She needed to be able to function as a normal human being. She looked back to Benjin as the waiter walked away, slouching back down slightly, realizing that she hadn’t any idea what he was doing here. He hadn’t been in this country the last time they had spoken. “What are you doing in Austria dear?”

---

Tagged. Benjin
Wearing: This

[Benjin Preistley]

Somewhere, in another place or time, he could have had her curled up in his lap, soothing her hair flat over her head while she told them exactly what had happened, every detail without hesitation and dealing with the consequences as they came. Instead, he had to sit here with his eyes trained on her like he was nothing more than a concerned friend. Which, for now, he was. It wasn't time yet. Implusivity, like was threatening him now could have ruined everything. He didn't like the negative emotions, like this, so clear on her face though she was trying very hard to keep it from slipping past the backs of her eyes. “By this point, your invitation goes without speaking.” Benjin's brow quirked, a smile threatening the small lines worry had etched around his mouth. He knew that. She knew he was just going to do it anyway. Still, they could pretend that she had a choice. Wasn't that what all of this was? “The healer was assigned through work.” Buffons. The lot that was in the Ministry was just fine for office mishaps, papercuts and stubbed toes, not for spinal injuries, or anything to the extent of what she was dealing with. ”Curse Breakers see the same healers as the Aurors generally. Something to do with work-related injuries and normally keeping it within the department. It is both fine print and ease of access.” Bulderdash. It was just because they didn't feel like paying for more. He had to handle injury claims all of the time. Sports players tended to be a great deal more reckless than most others, breaking bones every few minutes. He knew the right sorts of doctors.

In his head, he was already running down the list of those within the country, as requested for other patients...and those that would be willing to floo over at the earliest convenience, whenever she spoke again. “I would be more than willing to see another if you think they could help? We are not required to see the healers we are assigned.” He was aware, but he said nothing. “I am not, but that is fairly clear at this point.” Yes. Apparently so, he would arrange for her to see somebody tomorrow, under his supervision. The exact time would have to be sorted out this afternoon. “I am sorry Benji.” Benjin's tongue moved over his lip as his hand pulled away, his expression forcing itself into something lighter. “Never apologize darling,” he moved to grab his coffee from in front of him with a weak smile, “Cannot properly punish you until you're in fighting shape, after all...so you can see where my motivation lies,” he winked, for good measure, knowing that he would be moving past the subject totally by the time he placed his cup back onto the table, and with good fortune, a waitress saw fit to visit them at that very moment. She took his now empty cup and replaced it with two new ones and a fresh pot, which was good because that last dreg had been cold and miserable on his tongue. Easing back into his chair after it had been poured he watched her, just the thoughts passing over the lines of her face...whatever mental process she was going through was almost always hidden from him. Such poised, pretty features. The pain was diverting, and he was going to take advantage of it. “What are you doing in Austria dear?” “Isn't it obvious?” this little game they played, always acting like she was surprised that he turned up wherever she was. Sooner or later, like he wouldn't just pop in, unannounced.

“The real question is,” Benjin's hand moved to grab a packet of sugar, shaking it so that all the granuals moved to one side of the paper, tearing it open with his teeth for...no reason whatsoever before dumping it into his tea. “Why, would they send you here of all places.” Benjin's eyes flicked upward to her blue eyes before reaching for the creamer, “England's larger...Ministry better equiped.” More desks, is what they meant, most of the time. He knew that Austria was hurting in terms of hiring people, just one scandal after another. Didn't exactly, make people come running. Though, it was a heck of a raise whenever he got here, and he wasn't going to just say no to that. He was coming anyway...but he hadn't said as much in their negotiations. “Must mean they want you back out...quick enough,at least” poking and prodding. They weren't giving her a good doctor, but they were going to want her back at work. She was far too good at what she did. “Selfishly, of course, I would assume they just wanted to give me something pretty to look at, while I did the real work...”

[Hadley Carpenter]

“Never apologize darling. Cannot punish you properly until you’re in fighting shape, after all...so you can see where my motivation lies.” She huffed out a short laugh at that, her mouth forming the the words ‘Punish me?’ as she lifted an eyebrow. She shook her head, his playful words and wink making her feel a bit better. She waited until the waitress left to look at the cup in front of her, deciding whether or not she wanted it black. She was perfectly capable of drinking it black. There were plenty of times that she had spent an extended period of time in a country where there was little to no access to sugar or creamer. But she enjoyed her tea with a little sugar in it generally. Today though, she didn’t really want to extend the extra effort reaching for the sugar and ripping it open. She was almost comfortable supporting herself on her elbows on the thin armrests of the chair, she’d hate to ruin it. She could deal with black tea today, it wasn’t that much of a strife all things considered. “Isn’t it obvious?” The fact that he seemed to always turn up in a country she was in a few months after she arrived? Yes, it had become rather obvious over the years. She only smiled up at him for a moment in recognition.

“The real question is, why, would they send you here of all places. England’s larger...Ministry better equipped.” She hummed in thought for a moment, her eyes watching his movements. Following his hand as it brought the packet of sugar to his mouth to tear it open with his teeth, distracting her. Terrible man. “Your guess is as good as mine really, in that matter. I would assume dire circumstances.” She gave a half shrug as she shifted to lace her fingers in front of her midsection. “I dislike how prideful this sounds, but I can’t think of another way to say it at this moment. I can count on one hand the people in that building who have been to as many places as I have and who have the knowledge that I possess about ancient magicks and artefacts. I’m sure this Ministry was chomping at the bit to get their hands on someone like me.” She reached forward with one hand, not moving from the back of the chair, for her cup to take a few small sips. “Must mean they want you back out...quick enough, at least.” She sighed wistfully. She wished that she could get back in the field quickly. It was where she enjoyed being. “Well, as much as they, and I, would like that it isn’t really possible. I was assigned the maximum length of desk duty short of permanence. Length of desk duty is determined based on severity of injuries. And with the way the healers were working, it feels almost as though they were trying to drag it out a few more months as well, keeping me here.” She rolled her eyes in disgust at the thought of being trapped behind a desk for longer.

“Selfishly, of course, I would assume they just wanted to give me something pretty to look at, while I did the real work…” Her mouth dropped open slightly in mock outrage as she huffed out a breath. “The real work? How rude of you, sir.” She made her tone especially insolent as she pulled a random epithet from her mind to attach instead of dear. “If you wanted something pretty to look at, the countryside is quite lovely, I assure you.” She pursed her lips in a small smile and tilted her head. Her smile grew a bit more as she continued, unable to hold it back. “I have real work today, in fact. Should I so choose to make it to the Ministry today.” She looked up to meet his eyes, wondering exactly what kind of reaction her words were going to have brokered.

---

Tagged. Benjin
Wearing: This

[Benjin Preistley]

“Your guess is as good as mine really, in that matter. I would assume dire circumstances.” Benjin's eyes turned playful at her words. “That's giving yourself a lot of credit there, don't you think?” Really, assuming that her guess would be even close to as good as what he could guess. It was all a tease, just like everything else usually was between the two of them, but sometimes, he would get this look of momentary confusion, or fire directed at him because of his words and it was the most delicious. “I dislike how prideful this sounds, but I can’t think of another way to say it at this moment. I can count on one hand the people in that building who have been to as many places as I have and who have the knowledge that I possess about ancient magicks and artefacts. I’m sure this Ministry was chomping at the bit to get their hands on someone like me.” There she was. His grin widened as he placed the cup back on the table, lacing his hands behind his head, “Don't bother, we both know I would be as arrogant as possible. How do you think I got the job, all of my jobs.” he pulled a face, his nose scrunching “lying through my teeth, that's what” Arrogance and lying tended to go hand in hand. At least with him.

“Well, as much as they, and I, would like that it isn’t really possible. I was assigned the maximum length of desk duty short of permanence. Length of desk duty is determined based on severity of injuries. And with the way the healers were working, it feels almost as though they were trying to drag it out a few more months as well, keeping me here.” That should have known better, that there were easier ways to keep an employee. Good benefits for one, and skimping out on their healers wasn't going to do that, but he said nothing. He was already at risk of becoming irritated once more. “The real work? How rude of you, sir.” Oh the little rat. His tongue pressed against the inside of his teeth at the snark she added to the end of her words. “You love that I'm rude, like the way it tingles you twixt your legs,” deadpan, his expression not changing in the slightest. She wouldn't win this little game. She thought that she could make him uncomfortable, he would just turn it right back on her. It wasn't until she realized that he actually said it, it wasn't just inside of her head that his grin slowly started to crack across his face. “If you wanted something pretty to look at, the countryside is quite lovely, I assure you.” Backpedal, that was what he wanted. Lifting the spoon from beside his saucer, he tapped it against the table, for lack of anything better to do with his hands, and the need to be doing something. “I have real work today, in fact. Should I so choose to make it to the Ministry today.” “An' just what do you think I do all day?” he grinned, “As much as I know you imagine me diddling myself all artistically in my office, I have real work too,”

He gestured with his hands as he spoke, “Soft lighting, maybe a wee bit of airbrushing, adding another couple of abs, I don't know how you like to imagine me going at it, but It's not just diddling and paperwork, I can assure you that,” not to mention that he had books to balance, and a large meeting himself this morning with the majority of his department. All boring things that she didn't need to know about, or care to know about, he was sure. With a wink he gestured inappropriately with his spoon between a circle made with his fingers, only half aware that he was even doing it. “Honestly though, the countryside? Don't tell me this injury has you thinking you're the equivalent of rolling hillsides and flowers...because to tell you, you've always had a wee little hiney. Sorry ta tell you.”

[Hadley Carpenter]

“That’s giving yourself a lot of credit there, don’t you think?” She raised an eyebrow, meeting his eyes. “Just because you’ve got a few years on me doesn’t make your wisdom any better than mine, old man.” She winked at him, he wasn’t that old. Eight years was nothing really. Just a poke back at him. He probably knew more about the intricacies about what exactly went on inside the Ministry, knew more about being in politics than she did. Different brand of wisdom. “Don’t bother, we both know that I would be as arrogant as possible. How do you think I got the job, all of my jobs. Lying through my teeth, that’s what.” She made her features hold some manner of overly dramatic shock for a moment, raising the pitch of her voice slightly. “Why, you mean, you didn’t earn your position entirely of your own merit? Positively scandalous.” Before returning to a default smirk. “You love that I’m rude, like the way that it tingles you twixt your legs.” Her mouth clicked shut audibly at his words and her eyes widened. Her tongue ran along the seam of her lips as she cleared her throat delicately. “That was a bit forward.” She wasn’t going to admit that there was any degree of truth to his words however. She never admitted defeat under any circumstances.

She watched him pick up his spoon and hit the top of the table with it. “An’ just what do you think I do all day?” She opened her mouth to reply something completely asinine just because she could, but he continued to talk. She wasn’t exactly sure what he did honestly, just that he was in charge of things to do with sports. They didn’t talk about his job very often, though she wasn’t sure if that was because he didn’t want her to know or what exactly. “As much as I know you imagine me diddling myself all artistically in my office, I have real work too.” She laughed as the images flashed across her mind unbidden, like terribly cheesy pornography. “Diddling. That’s a great word; I may steal it.” She nodded along as her grin widened, her eyes moving to his hands for a moment. He had wonderful hands, distracting hands; they were moving more often than not and there was just something about them. Something that drew her attention and made her eyes linger, almost as distracting as his lips were. “Soft lighting, maybe a wee bit of airbrushing, adding another couple of abs, I don’t know how you like to imagine me going at it, but it’s not just diddling and paperwork, I can assure you that.”

Her lips quirked up, “That’s not quite how I imagine it, dear. It’s usually much more exciting than that. But I do appreciate that rather humourous mental image.” He gestured obscenely with a wink and she rolled her eyes as she snickered. Sometimes she wondered how they functioned as adults when they were around each other. “Honestly though, the countryside? Don’t tell me this injury has you thinking you’re the equivalent of rolling hillsides and flowers...because to tell you, you’ve always had a wee little hiney. Sorry ta tell you.” She pouted at him for a moment. She was better than rolling hillsides and flowers, much better. And the bit about her arse, well, she wasn’t sure how offended she was just yet. She knew he was kidding. She hoped he was kidding. He had better be kidding. “Okay first off, rude again. Second off, please, my arse is not that small. Definitely enough there for a good hand full.”

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Tagged. Benjin
Wearing: This

[Benjin Preistley]

“Just because you’ve got a few years on me doesn’t make your wisdom any better than mine, old man.” Benjin's lip twitched, would have been a much bigger smile if he had been in another setting. If it hadn't been for the conversation that they had just been having. Aside, he wasn't all that much older than her...like eight years, a good handful of years. She was still young and pretty enough to be scandalous, but their age gap wasn't something crippling. He didn't think, anyway. “Why, you mean, you didn’t earn your position entirely of your own merit? Positively scandalous.” Funny, how their thoughts and words seemed to run in the same sorts of circles. Like she was dipping into his personal monologue and she didn’t even know it. Though, he did smile a little larger, his tongue running along his canines as he tried to fight for the expression to leave his face at getting the exact reaction that he wanted. “That was a bit forward.” Maybe. He shrugged just slightly, but she had been getting a little ahead of herself. He could have reminded her as such, but he didn't want to go overboard. “Not really,” he stated matter of factly, wondering if it would make her think...her imagination spinning. As if he was hinting that he could have thought of a dozen more horribly filthy things to say, if he were properly prompted.

“Diddling. That’s a great word; I may steal it.” His spoon tapped the table once more, “No, you will not,” teasing, but slightly serious. Just edging on able to tell if he was serious, or joking given his expression. “That’s not quite how I imagine it, dear. It’s usually much more exciting than that. But I do appreciate that rather humorous mental image.” “Och, but you do think about it.” It was easier like this, conversation flowing like it was nothing. Superficial, fun. “I don't see how tuning my personal bagpipes can be all that much more entertaining but I'm always more interested in suggestions,” he grinned, chuckling lightly. “Okay first off, rude again. Second off, please, my arse is not that small. Definitely enough there for a good hand full.” He leaned to the side at her words, clearly looking to see her arse. Not caring that she would look at him strangely – clearly, her mentioning that it was a handful was an invitation to look at it more obviously. Though it was impressive, his nose crinkled anyway, as if it was unimpressive. “It's wee.” he held up his hands with the length of the spoon between the two of them and shook his head.

“I mean,” his brow pinched, “I've seen worse...” he thought that he was fighting the smile pretty convincingly. Keeping it from his face and watching her get all that much irritating. “I think the more prominent question is, why do you want me to think it's not as teeny as it is?” He shifted his hands to mime lifting buttocks in his palms with another shrug. “But rude? Alright.” He leaned forward, his elbows on the table, shifting his hips in the chair to make himself more comfortable. “Good handful for lifting you against a wall...but not exactly the sort of arse where I'd have to lift it to enter you from behind, darling.” his hips moved forward, allowing himself to lean backward into his chair once more. “Though, size isn't important, right darling?” His eyes dropped to his lap, envisioning a couple of various scenarios before rolling his eyes back up to hers, his hands running closer to his body along the metal arms of the chairs while watching her, waiting for her to be distracted, even slowly, before speaking again. “And what meeting do you have?”

[Hadley Carpenter]

“Och, but you do think about it.” She tried her best not to roll her eyes. She thought about a great many things; the thoughts he tended to encourage did usually swing in a certain direction. She was not, however, going to give a firm confirmation nor a firm denial about it. “I don’t see how tuning my personal bagpipes can be all that much more entertaining but I’m always more interested in suggestions.” Her lips pulled up for a moment, he wanted her details, perhaps? Well, she had wanted to get to the office in some manner of functioning this morning so those chances were slimmer than usual. “I believe you might be using the wrong connotation of exciting.” Besides, it had more to do with the raw intensity of the man himself sitting before her that got her pulse racing than anything else. Than minute details. She turned her head to watch him lean over, her eyebrows moving up towards her hairline at his complete lack of subtlety, amusing. The way his nose crinkled, however, was not. “It’s wee.” She scoffed as he held up his hands with only the spoon between them. “I’m sitting, how can you even tell?”

“I mean, I’ve seen worse…” Her brow furrowed as she exhaled in a small huff, her bottom lip pushing forward into a full pout. That wasn’t very nice at all. “I think the more prominent question is, why do you want me to think it’s not as teeny as it is?” That was a loaded question if there ever was one. She looked down momentarily, debating how exactly she wanted to answer that. “Because it’s not.” She managed to speak around her pout without compromising it. She reached for her tea, looking at him over the rim as she sipped at it and giving him her best imitation of the look of a kicked puppy. “But rude? Alright.” As he leaned forward, her features returned to normal from her exaggerated pout and her eyes widened slightly. That hadn’t been a challenge, hadn’t meant to be a challenge, had it? “Good handful for lifting you against a wall...but not exactly the sort of arse where I’d have to lift it to enter you from behind, darling.” Damn, just damn. Her suddenly too dry lips parted as her tongue darted out to run along the seam of them. A small increase in her breathing, dilation of the pupils, rush of heat to her face, too responsive. All that from a glance?

He leaned back again; she was tempted to lean forward, drawn in, but really couldn’t risk moving too swiftly. “Though, size isn’t important, right darling?” She nodded absently, not entirely paying attention to what he had actually said. Far too distracted by the images flashing through her mind’s eye. She hoped her eyes weren’t glazed over or anything, that would have been particularly embarrassing. “And what meeting do you have?” Higher brain function would have been helpful at this particular point. “Hmm? Meeting, right.” She moved to straighten the hem of her dress, smoothing her hands down the front of the skirts. “I have two this afternoon. One is an artefact check, and the other is more of a discussion than a meeting.” She was still debating moving the second one to another day this week however. She was going to keep the first one though; if it was an item that wasn’t fit for public show than she had business associates that had to be provided for. Just because she wasn’t in the field didn’t mean that all product movement could just halt until she was well. Demands had to be met. “Do you have any particularly pressing matters to attend to today?”

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Tagged. Benjin
Wearing: This