RP: Chinese & Conversation

[rar_andromeda]

Date: Friday, July 26, 1999
Characters: Andromeda Tonks, Roger Davies
Location: Roger's flat
Status: Private
Summary: Andy drops by to see Roger
Completion: Complete

Comments

[rar_andromeda]

"Yes, it is. He can't be around Muggles until he's older and able to control his gift. There's too great a risk, really, that someone will notice if he accidentally changes his hair color or when he eventually changes his face." She looked at him. "It's why we moved here. I had to sell the house when I ended up caring for Teddy."

She took another sip of her wine before she picked up her plate and started to eat. She was starving, so she was glad that the food tasted good. She listened to Roger and smiled. "I forget that people your age don't marry as young anymore. My daughter didn't, either. Having your own house will be a nice step whenever you're ready."

[rar_roger]

"I hope you're happy here as well as Teddy." He forked up some chicken and broccoli with some rice and took a bite.

Andy mentioned 'people his age' again, and he looked up from his plate. "Yeah, I suppose," he said. "But Andy, it's not like you grew up in the Dark Ages, or something. There's -- what, twenty years between us? That's not even a whole generation." He didn't know why he felt the need to point that out to her just now.

[rar_andromeda]

"I am. It's different, but that's not always bad." She shrugged a shoulder then reached for her glass of wine.

When he mentioned the Dark Ages, she snorted. "No, it wasn't that long ago, but sometimes it feels like a lifetime. So many of my generation married right out of school, had children before they were your age, were dead not long after." She glanced down at the plate and frowned in thought. "A lifetime ago."

"Twenty-five, I think, which is most certainly a generation. My daughter was older than you," she pointed out before having another sip of wine. "I'm far from ancient, of course, but it's definitely a different time now than it was when I was your age."

[rar_roger]

Roger considered that. "Maybe not the Dark Ages, but dark all the same," he said quietly.

"I know it was a different time, but I think it's probably our experiences that make us different from each other, more than our ages," he said carefully. "There are things you've been through that I could scarcely imagine. Sometimes that makes me feel further from you than the years do." It felt strange admitting that, and so he busied himself with forking up more chicken.

[rar_andromeda]

"It was dark," she agreed softly. "But you've had your dark age, haven't you? I can only hope that Teddy never experiences one in his lifetime."

She ate while she listened to him, curious how they ended up discussing such serious matters. "Age is merely a number that marks the passage of time. It's the experiences that we have that really mark our maturity," she mused. "Harry, for instance, has been through things that some people my age or older have never endured. I've been through a lot, enough to make me feel much older than I am, but not as much as others. I'll be turning another year older next week, but it doesn't really mean anything."

"I think we're all far apart sometimes, Roger." She reached for her wine and considered it as she sipped. "Maybe it's just part of being human."

[rar_roger]

Roger drank his wine, listening to Andy. "No; I don't suppose it means much, by comparison," he said, "But a birthday should be a big deal, I think. After all, you are here. You know? What day next week?"

He was quiet for a while before he spoke. "Maybe it is part of what makes us human," he said thoughtfully, reaching for the bottle to top off their glasses. "But I don't think that necessarily means we can't find each other."

[rar_andromeda]

"It hasn't been a big deal since I was a child," she told him. "Last year, I didn't even think about it until days later." She shook her head and took another drink before she stretched and leaned her head back against the sofa. "August 1. Thursday, I guess?"

He refilled their glasses, and she watched his hand as he gripped the bottle. He had lovely long fingers. When he mentioned finding each other, she looked at his face. "Perhaps not," she said softly before she glanced away and took a drink of her wine.

[rar_roger]

"Yeah; that's a Thursday," he said, smiling slightly. "Anyway, I think it ought to be a big deal. I can't think of a reason not to at least raise a glass for your own birthday." He watched as she arched into a stretch; she looked good when she let herself relax. He dropped his gaze when just as she looked over at him, and cleared his throat.

"This is nice," he said, setting the bottle of wine down and lifting his glass again. "Andy ..." he trailed off, unsure what he even wanted to say. "I'm, ah, glad you came by."

[rar_andromeda]

"I had a glass of wine last year. Just a few days late," she said with a slight smile before she ate more of her food. She was getting full, which was good except she also felt somewhat lazy. It was comfortable here, she decided. Much like Roger in that odd way that made her feel able to relax with him.

"It is nice," she agreed, glancing at him when he said her name. At his words, she smiled. "I'm glad I did, too. The food was good, but the company is even better."

[rar_roger]

Roger chuckled. "Yeah, I'd say as far as the company goes, you've got a slight edge on the chicken and rice," he joked, then sobered a bit.

"I might be a bit biased, though. I ... like spending time with you."

[rar_andromeda]

"Well, it's nice to know that I rate higher than chicken and rice," she said. "I suppose that I should be glad that I didn't get any beef and peppers or I might have had competition."

She rolled her head slightly and sipped her wine as she listened to him. "Don't worry. I won't protest your bias in this case as it benefits me. I enjoy spending time with you, too."

[rar_roger]

"Nah, I think you'd have been okay against beef," Roger mused. "But throw in a little shrimp, and all bets are off; sorry."

Still leaning back against he sofa, Andy rolled her head toward him again and told him that she enjoyed spending time with him as well. Roger watched her for a minute before he reached over and moved his hand over her free one, his heart pounding a bit.

The most she could do was move her hand away, and then at least he'd have some idea how to tread.

[rar_andromeda]

She laughed. "Alright. I'll be sure to keep you away from seafood when I'm feeling competitive, then

[rar_roger]

"What?" Roger blinked as Andy asked him about work, thinking surely they must have discussed that already, and furthermore, not much in the mood to talk about work. "Um, work was just fine," he said carefully, before registering that she hadn't moved her hand yet.

That was a signal, right? He was pretty sure it was a signal, though he wasn't sure what of; after all, while she wasn't moving her hand away, she also wasn't doing anything encouraging like moving closer or something. Fucking hell, he wasn't used to this. Usually, by the time a girl was in his flat, there really wasn't much exchange of signals before they were exchanging other things.

Anyway, this wasn't usually the way he was -- if this were a normal girl, he'd already be snogging her and who knew what else. It wasn't like him to hesitate or to feel unsure about something like this, only ... Andy wasn't a normal girl.

Still. In for a penny, in for a pound. He scooted a bit closer and let his thumb make circles on the delicate skin inside of her wrist.

[rar_andromeda]

"That's good. If you were required to work late, I assumed that there might have been extra work or an emergency." His flat was rather warm. She felt flushed and decided that she might better stop drinking the wine. It took much more than two glasses to affect her, but she thought it was likely best to be cautious considering her frame of mind

[rar_roger]

"Why should you go?" Roger asked quietly. He couldn't see a reason -- not when he'd seen her looking at his mouth. That was encouraging. He set his wineglass down and moved even closer, gently taking her glass from her and setting it on the table as well, watching her face. He lifted his hand to her face, brushing her dark hair away from her cheek.

"I really think you should stay." Heart still racing, he leaned in close, softly kissing her cheek before working his way toward her mouth so that he could ghost his lips over hers.