I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are.
Category: Pink Sheep RPG
Squeezing Jake's hand, Mandy guided him towards the Raven's Nest with a smile. "His kitchen has the best steak and kidney pie in England, I promise you." A slight frisson of nervousness ran through her, though she knew she had nothing to worry about. Ben would love Jake, how could he not? But he was the first of her friends to meet Jake, since she figured he might need a practice run before Lisa, lest the blonde decide to grill him.
"And what do I get out of it?" he asked. "Besides some of the best steak and kidney pie in England?" It was only fair that he was meeting some of her friends. She had already been exposed to Sam, though it had been mercifully short. By far, his sister was the most protective of him within his small circle of friends.
Biting her lip, she smiled up at him. "Name your price."
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Are you sure you want to offer that so open endedly? That's like giving a blank check to a shopaholic."
"True, but I'm pretty sure I can refuse if I don't like it. And that you're smart enough not to tempt my ire, anyway," she added as an afterthought.
"I am?" he asked with a grin. "Well, I'll think about my price while you explain exactly who this Ben character is."
"You probably missed his career while you were in the states, but he played chaser for the Catapults till he retired and opened a pub instead." She paused for a moment, tucking her hair back behind her ear. "We dated for a while after the war, for a few years. He's a good mate. Plus, I get free drinks." She didn't add that they'd continued shagging on and off between relationhips; that had died off a few years ago, after all.
"Huh," Jake made a non-committal noise as held door open for her, following her into the dark and cool air of the pub. They'd see about that.
Mandy tried not to over analyse the sound he'd made and headed for the bar, smiling when Ben caught sight of her. "Hiya," she chirped, hopping up on one of a row of empty stools, Jake's hand still held in her's.
"Mini Mandy," Ben said happily, setting down the rag he'd been wiping the counter down with and leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. His gaze slid over to Jake and he raised an eyebrow. "Mini Mandy's friend." His tone was decidedly cool.
"Hi," Jake offered, standing behind Mandy's stool, his arm wrapped around her waist.
The woman rolled her eyes. "Honestly. I know I didn't take divination but I didn't forsee the pissing contest. Ben, this is Jake, my boyfriend," she squeezed the hand that sat on her hip, liking the closeness even if the reason for the display was unwarranted, "and Jake, this is Ben; old friend and usualy purveyor of fine beverages. Please play nicely?" she finished with an eyelash flutter.
"I thought you didn't like the word piss?" Jake teased. "After all, there was this bit about a bathtub I seem to remember..."
"I don't, but I'm saving my good words for when I edit tomorrow, so you'll just have to make do." She leaned back against his chest, wondering if territory had been sufficiently marked.
"So," Jake ran a hand over Mandy's hair. "I hear from Mini Mandy that you have the best steak and kidney pie in England?"
"You heard correctly." He crossed his arms over his chest and propped his hip against the bar.
"Well, maybe you could dish us up some? Or we could grab a booth and have a drink together?" she looked around, indicating the quietness of the pub in the early afternoon on a weekday.
Ben really wasn't feeling like the best of company at the moment, but he lifted his shoulder in a shrug and pushed away from the counter to walk through to the kitchen.
"Well isn't he a bucket full of monkey laughs," Jake said dryly, once he was sure the man had gone beyond earshot. "Just how did you let that one get away?"
Though the movement lacked any vehement force, Mandy sent a warning elbow back into Jake's gut. "I guess my tastes haven't improved much then, have they?" There was a teasing tone to her voice, though she frowned. Ben wasn't usually so grumpy, not this early on in the day.
"I'll have you know I'm a barrel full of monkey laughs!" he protested, rubbing the spot she had elbowed. Merlin, she had some pointy elbows.
"Cuddly monkey laughs?" Mandy tipped her head back to give him a questioning look.
"Oh, but of course." He fluttered his eyelashes dramatically, not unlike her just minutes before. "Was there any doubt that they would not be cuddly?"
"I don't know, you sounded pretty prickly before." Mandy slid a hand behind, around his waist. "But you have such pretty lashes that I'll forgive you."
"I thought we discussed this already?" He drew her closer to his side. "I am not pretty nor am I a dancing queen."
Ben pushed out of a the kitchen with a plate in each hand, eyebrows raising as he caught the last bit of the conversation. "Who's a dancing queen? You?" he asked, nodding toward Jake as he set the plates down. "Are you dating queens now, Mini Mandy?"
"Nah, gave that up the same time you gave up Chasing, Benny-boy," she shot back lazily, perturbed that her brilliant idea of introducing the two of them had fizzled. It had seemed simple enough; her friend who was a boy and her boyfriend, why shouldn't they get on? Again, the unplumbable depths of the male psyche had her stumped.
Jake cocked an eyebrow. He, of course, wanted to ask if Ben was a queen, hence Mandy's attraction to him, but the man was carrying food. There were several important life lessons he had learned in Vegas, one of them being never mess with a guy who had access to your food.
"Have anything to add to that, pretty boy?" Ben asked, gripping the edge of the bar. He had nothing against the other man, but he was absolutely spoiling for a fight. He only hoped Mandy wouldn't be too angry if he did start something.
Jake's face remained carefully blank. The man in front of him was spoiling for a fight and while he could understand the attraction toward such an activity, that didn't mean he was interested in participating. "No, nothing," he said, though he allowed the smallest of smirks to play on his lips.
Mandy sighed, and reached out to grasp the plates Ben had set on the counter. "Let's go grab a booth," she said to Jake, before turning back to Ben. "Come have a drink with us later?" When you're not so pissy that you're biting my new boyfriend's head off?
Ben scowled and picked up his polish rag, only to toss it back down on the bar. "I'm taking a break, Darcy," he called to the woman on the other end of the bar. He paused to grab a bottle and three shot glasses and followed Mandy and her new boy to a table.
Setting down their plates of pie, Mandy slipped into the booth next to Jake, scooting close. She looked up, surprised to see Ben following them. She'd thought maybe he needed some time to cool off, but he was bringing shots. All could be forgiven.
Jake gaze followed Mandy's. Former boyfriend was bringing alcohol. Yes, because that was such a good idea. Temper plus alcohol? Usually led to deadly things. Or fires. One shouldn't discount fires.
"I'm sorry he's being so pissy. Usually he's a great guy," Mandy whispered to Jake, giving his cheek a quick peck as Ben made his way over to them.
Jake nodded. They'd see. Obviously Mandy cared for the man or else he would have left long before. "Alright."
"Promise to make it up to you," she added in a slightly sultry voice.
"Pie?" He captured her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it as he wiggled his eyebrows, letting her know that wasn't the only thing he was thinking about.
"With cherries on top," she assured him. "And inside." She gave him her own saucy look just as Ben sat down opposite.
"Who wants a drink?" he asked as he sat, setting the bottle and glasses on the table.
"Sure," Mandy replied with a shrug as she cut herself some pie, hoping to keep the peace between the two. After the train the other week, she'd been happy that her family had been more accepting than Jake's sister. That all seemed to have evened out, now.
He poured three shots, ignoring the other man's silence and pushed them over. "Sláinte," he saluted with the little glass and knocked it back. "Tell me more about yourself, Jake."
The Hufflepuff sipped his shot, not really caring how that made him look. The barkeeper had a slightly twitchy air about him and Jake wanted to be in full control of his facilities in case he other man twitched too much. "What do you want to know?"
Ben raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Mandy. "You know, the usual."
"There's a lot of usual. Or unusual. Got to be more specific."
"What do you do for a living, who's your family, what makes you think that you're anywhere near good enough for Mandy? The usual." He poured himself another shot.
"I gamble. My family's none of your business. And Mandy and I bonded over bathtubs and cuddly monkies." Obviously this was a very different conversation than the one he had with the Brocklehursts.
"Uh-huh. I could just find out for myself you know. And I didn't ask where you met, I asked why you think you're good enough for her."
Jake's eyes flashed. His family was quite dear to him and if he needed to, he would call in any and every favor owned to him by Zach and Ced and end whoever posed a threat. "You can try," he said coolly. "And if you were a true Ravenclaw, you'd know that I just gave you the answer you were looking for."
Mandy grimaced. They'd just bloody escalated all over again. "How about he's good enough for me because I like him. And I liked you once upon a time so maybe you could call that some common ground and act like grown ups." She set her empty glass down and continued on. "He makes me laugh, and he doesn't act like my blood's something to be ashamed of or there's something more important to get back to. He's important to me, Ben. And so are you. So could you both please just try and get on? For five minutes at least." She sat back against the leather seat with a huff, hoping neither would storm out on her after pulling her best Mum routine.
Jake glanced at Ben from the corner of his eye. "I could act like a grown up," he said conversationally, shifting sideways to allow him to pull Mandy into his lap, "but then I wouldn't be able to do this." Brushing some hair away from the side of her neck, he went in as if to kiss her, but instead blew a raspberry against the smooth, pale skin. "I win," he whispered into her ear, his breath hot little puffs of air against the exposed skin. "Because I have you."
Her eyelids, which had fluttered closed as he touched her hair, flew open as she squeaked indignantly at his unexpected raspberry, squirming away from Jake's treacherous lips. Her glare lessened as he spoke, and she settled against him with a pout. "Yes, well you might not have lips any longer if you keep that up," she groused at him.
He snorted. Yeah. She would say that now. They'd see in a few hours time.
She prodded him semi-gently with her elbow, all too aware of what that snort suggested.
He just raised an eyebrow.
"Shut up, Summers."
"I didn't say anything!" He looked at Ben. "Did I say anything?"
Ben raised an eyebrow, but decided to go along with it. "I didn't hear anything."
"Exactly. So I don't know why you're telling me to shut up."
"Because I'm a woman. And a bossy one at that. It's what we do," she explained with a sweet smile.
"But I'm adding to the conversation. Do you really want me to shut up?" he asked with a smirk.
She supressed any reply about other things he could do with his mouth. "Since you're no longer growling at each other, I can be happy with that."
"I win."
Mandy considered elbowing him again, but settled for rolling her eyes. "Of course you do." The woman gave him a look that clearly indicated he could claim his prize later, when they were alone.
Ben made a face at the couple sitting across from him and poured himself another shot, knocking it back quickly. He needed that like he needed another hole in the head, he decided quickly.
"Jake, it was nice to meet, but I've got a pub to run. Mini Mandy, I'll talk to you later," he said as he slid from the booth, collecting the bottle and shot glasses before he walked away.
Mandy laced her fingers through Jake's, drawing his arm around her middle. She'd come back to see Ben, find out what had made him so very pissy, and hope it would go better next time.
Summary: Current boyfriend Jake meets former boyfriend Ben. They have a figurative pissing contest over Mandy.
Squeezing Jake's hand, Mandy guided him towards the Raven's Nest with a smile. "His kitchen has the best steak and kidney pie in England, I promise you." A slight frisson of nervousness ran through her, though she knew she had nothing to worry about. Ben would love Jake, how could he not? But he was the first of her friends to meet Jake, since she figured he might need a practice run before Lisa, lest the blonde decide to grill him.
"And what do I get out of it?" he asked. "Besides some of the best steak and kidney pie in England?" It was only fair that he was meeting some of her friends. She had already been exposed to Sam, though it had been mercifully short. By far, his sister was the most protective of him within his small circle of friends.
Biting her lip, she smiled up at him. "Name your price."
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Are you sure you want to offer that so open endedly? That's like giving a blank check to a shopaholic."
"True, but I'm pretty sure I can refuse if I don't like it. And that you're smart enough not to tempt my ire, anyway," she added as an afterthought.
"I am?" he asked with a grin. "Well, I'll think about my price while you explain exactly who this Ben character is."
"You probably missed his career while you were in the states, but he played chaser for the Catapults till he retired and opened a pub instead." She paused for a moment, tucking her hair back behind her ear. "We dated for a while after the war, for a few years. He's a good mate. Plus, I get free drinks." She didn't add that they'd continued shagging on and off between relationhips; that had died off a few years ago, after all.
"Huh," Jake made a non-committal noise as held door open for her, following her into the dark and cool air of the pub. They'd see about that.
Mandy tried not to over analyse the sound he'd made and headed for the bar, smiling when Ben caught sight of her. "Hiya," she chirped, hopping up on one of a row of empty stools, Jake's hand still held in her's.
"Mini Mandy," Ben said happily, setting down the rag he'd been wiping the counter down with and leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. His gaze slid over to Jake and he raised an eyebrow. "Mini Mandy's friend." His tone was decidedly cool.
"Hi," Jake offered, standing behind Mandy's stool, his arm wrapped around her waist.
The woman rolled her eyes. "Honestly. I know I didn't take divination but I didn't forsee the pissing contest. Ben, this is Jake, my boyfriend," she squeezed the hand that sat on her hip, liking the closeness even if the reason for the display was unwarranted, "and Jake, this is Ben; old friend and usualy purveyor of fine beverages. Please play nicely?" she finished with an eyelash flutter.
"I thought you didn't like the word piss?" Jake teased. "After all, there was this bit about a bathtub I seem to remember..."
"I don't, but I'm saving my good words for when I edit tomorrow, so you'll just have to make do." She leaned back against his chest, wondering if territory had been sufficiently marked.
"So," Jake ran a hand over Mandy's hair. "I hear from Mini Mandy that you have the best steak and kidney pie in England?"
"You heard correctly." He crossed his arms over his chest and propped his hip against the bar.
"Well, maybe you could dish us up some? Or we could grab a booth and have a drink together?" she looked around, indicating the quietness of the pub in the early afternoon on a weekday.
Ben really wasn't feeling like the best of company at the moment, but he lifted his shoulder in a shrug and pushed away from the counter to walk through to the kitchen.
"Well isn't he a bucket full of monkey laughs," Jake said dryly, once he was sure the man had gone beyond earshot. "Just how did you let that one get away?"
Though the movement lacked any vehement force, Mandy sent a warning elbow back into Jake's gut. "I guess my tastes haven't improved much then, have they?" There was a teasing tone to her voice, though she frowned. Ben wasn't usually so grumpy, not this early on in the day.
"I'll have you know I'm a barrel full of monkey laughs!" he protested, rubbing the spot she had elbowed. Merlin, she had some pointy elbows.
"Cuddly monkey laughs?" Mandy tipped her head back to give him a questioning look.
"Oh, but of course." He fluttered his eyelashes dramatically, not unlike her just minutes before. "Was there any doubt that they would not be cuddly?"
"I don't know, you sounded pretty prickly before." Mandy slid a hand behind, around his waist. "But you have such pretty lashes that I'll forgive you."
"I thought we discussed this already?" He drew her closer to his side. "I am not pretty nor am I a dancing queen."
Ben pushed out of a the kitchen with a plate in each hand, eyebrows raising as he caught the last bit of the conversation. "Who's a dancing queen? You?" he asked, nodding toward Jake as he set the plates down. "Are you dating queens now, Mini Mandy?"
"Nah, gave that up the same time you gave up Chasing, Benny-boy," she shot back lazily, perturbed that her brilliant idea of introducing the two of them had fizzled. It had seemed simple enough; her friend who was a boy and her boyfriend, why shouldn't they get on? Again, the unplumbable depths of the male psyche had her stumped.
Jake cocked an eyebrow. He, of course, wanted to ask if Ben was a queen, hence Mandy's attraction to him, but the man was carrying food. There were several important life lessons he had learned in Vegas, one of them being never mess with a guy who had access to your food.
"Have anything to add to that, pretty boy?" Ben asked, gripping the edge of the bar. He had nothing against the other man, but he was absolutely spoiling for a fight. He only hoped Mandy wouldn't be too angry if he did start something.
Jake's face remained carefully blank. The man in front of him was spoiling for a fight and while he could understand the attraction toward such an activity, that didn't mean he was interested in participating. "No, nothing," he said, though he allowed the smallest of smirks to play on his lips.
Mandy sighed, and reached out to grasp the plates Ben had set on the counter. "Let's go grab a booth," she said to Jake, before turning back to Ben. "Come have a drink with us later?" When you're not so pissy that you're biting my new boyfriend's head off?
Ben scowled and picked up his polish rag, only to toss it back down on the bar. "I'm taking a break, Darcy," he called to the woman on the other end of the bar. He paused to grab a bottle and three shot glasses and followed Mandy and her new boy to a table.
Setting down their plates of pie, Mandy slipped into the booth next to Jake, scooting close. She looked up, surprised to see Ben following them. She'd thought maybe he needed some time to cool off, but he was bringing shots. All could be forgiven.
Jake gaze followed Mandy's. Former boyfriend was bringing alcohol. Yes, because that was such a good idea. Temper plus alcohol? Usually led to deadly things. Or fires. One shouldn't discount fires.
"I'm sorry he's being so pissy. Usually he's a great guy," Mandy whispered to Jake, giving his cheek a quick peck as Ben made his way over to them.
Jake nodded. They'd see. Obviously Mandy cared for the man or else he would have left long before. "Alright."
"Promise to make it up to you," she added in a slightly sultry voice.
"Pie?" He captured her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it as he wiggled his eyebrows, letting her know that wasn't the only thing he was thinking about.
"With cherries on top," she assured him. "And inside." She gave him her own saucy look just as Ben sat down opposite.
"Who wants a drink?" he asked as he sat, setting the bottle and glasses on the table.
"Sure," Mandy replied with a shrug as she cut herself some pie, hoping to keep the peace between the two. After the train the other week, she'd been happy that her family had been more accepting than Jake's sister. That all seemed to have evened out, now.
He poured three shots, ignoring the other man's silence and pushed them over. "Sláinte," he saluted with the little glass and knocked it back. "Tell me more about yourself, Jake."
The Hufflepuff sipped his shot, not really caring how that made him look. The barkeeper had a slightly twitchy air about him and Jake wanted to be in full control of his facilities in case he other man twitched too much. "What do you want to know?"
Ben raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Mandy. "You know, the usual."
"There's a lot of usual. Or unusual. Got to be more specific."
"What do you do for a living, who's your family, what makes you think that you're anywhere near good enough for Mandy? The usual." He poured himself another shot.
"I gamble. My family's none of your business. And Mandy and I bonded over bathtubs and cuddly monkies." Obviously this was a very different conversation than the one he had with the Brocklehursts.
"Uh-huh. I could just find out for myself you know. And I didn't ask where you met, I asked why you think you're good enough for her."
Jake's eyes flashed. His family was quite dear to him and if he needed to, he would call in any and every favor owned to him by Zach and Ced and end whoever posed a threat. "You can try," he said coolly. "And if you were a true Ravenclaw, you'd know that I just gave you the answer you were looking for."
Mandy grimaced. They'd just bloody escalated all over again. "How about he's good enough for me because I like him. And I liked you once upon a time so maybe you could call that some common ground and act like grown ups." She set her empty glass down and continued on. "He makes me laugh, and he doesn't act like my blood's something to be ashamed of or there's something more important to get back to. He's important to me, Ben. And so are you. So could you both please just try and get on? For five minutes at least." She sat back against the leather seat with a huff, hoping neither would storm out on her after pulling her best Mum routine.
Jake glanced at Ben from the corner of his eye. "I could act like a grown up," he said conversationally, shifting sideways to allow him to pull Mandy into his lap, "but then I wouldn't be able to do this." Brushing some hair away from the side of her neck, he went in as if to kiss her, but instead blew a raspberry against the smooth, pale skin. "I win," he whispered into her ear, his breath hot little puffs of air against the exposed skin. "Because I have you."
Her eyelids, which had fluttered closed as he touched her hair, flew open as she squeaked indignantly at his unexpected raspberry, squirming away from Jake's treacherous lips. Her glare lessened as he spoke, and she settled against him with a pout. "Yes, well you might not have lips any longer if you keep that up," she groused at him.
He snorted. Yeah. She would say that now. They'd see in a few hours time.
She prodded him semi-gently with her elbow, all too aware of what that snort suggested.
He just raised an eyebrow.
"Shut up, Summers."
"I didn't say anything!" He looked at Ben. "Did I say anything?"
Ben raised an eyebrow, but decided to go along with it. "I didn't hear anything."
"Exactly. So I don't know why you're telling me to shut up."
"Because I'm a woman. And a bossy one at that. It's what we do," she explained with a sweet smile.
"But I'm adding to the conversation. Do you really want me to shut up?" he asked with a smirk.
She supressed any reply about other things he could do with his mouth. "Since you're no longer growling at each other, I can be happy with that."
"I win."
Mandy considered elbowing him again, but settled for rolling her eyes. "Of course you do." The woman gave him a look that clearly indicated he could claim his prize later, when they were alone.
Ben made a face at the couple sitting across from him and poured himself another shot, knocking it back quickly. He needed that like he needed another hole in the head, he decided quickly.
"Jake, it was nice to meet, but I've got a pub to run. Mini Mandy, I'll talk to you later," he said as he slid from the booth, collecting the bottle and shot glasses before he walked away.
Mandy laced her fingers through Jake's, drawing his arm around her middle. She'd come back to see Ben, find out what had made him so very pissy, and hope it would go better next time.
Summary: Current boyfriend Jake meets former boyfriend Ben. They have a figurative pissing contest over Mandy.