RP: A battle of wits

[shh_zach]

Date: 17 July 2005
Characters: Zacharias Smith and Ernie Macmillan
Location: Eleanor's soap shop
Status: Private
Summary: Zach attempts to get some work done.
Completion: Complete

Comments

[shh_ernie]

Ernie decided to surprise Eleanor. It was likely she was at the shop, pestering Roger and his crew. She'd leapt out of bed yesterday morning, slightly more excited than when he'd taken her to the Quidditch match, as it was the first day of construction.

He pushed open the door. "Elle, are you here?" No sign of her. A worker had his back to the door. "Er...sorry to disturb..." When he turned around, Ernie shook his head. Out of all of Roger's workers, it had to be Smith. If Ernie were lucky, perhaps he'd choke on one of those nails in his mouth. Although that would delay the opening of the shop. Which would delay Ernie's other plans.

"Eleanor wouldn't happen to be around, would she, Smith?" There, that was semi-polite.

[shh_zach]

Zach heard the door open and turned, expecting it to be Eleanor.

Ah fuck.

He turned back, pulled the last few nails out of his mouth and hit them home with a few swings. "Macmillan," he said, without looking at the man. "Did you come to bring me another drink?"

Peering at his work, he nodded, satisfied, before jumping off the ladder. And of course Macmillan was going to stand there gaping and ask stupid questions. "Yeah. I'm hiding her in my tool belt." He shook his head. "I've not seen her. She's welcome to be here when I'm working though, just so she knows. Please tell her that when you see her. I'd love the company."

[shh_ernie]

There was no call for sarcasm. Ernie'd asked a legitimate question. Eleanor could've been in the back office. Working on something. Or thinking about what they'd done in there. He shook his head. Best not to think on that.

"Yes, I'll be certain to inform her when I see her at home tonight." He paused and looked at Smith for a long moment. Narrowing his eyes, he noted, "You and I haven't...well, we're not on the best terms. But Eleanor, for some reason unfathomable to me, has taken a liking to you. All of this..." He waved his hand. "Friendliness toward her, it's not an act, is it? Because...if this is some sort of...scheme...you'd best...end it now...before someone...gets hurt." Namely one Zacharias Smith after Ernie was through with him.

[shh_zach]

Zach raised an eyebrow at Macmillan's little speech. "That a threat?" he asked, tossing the hammer aside and leaning against the shelves. "What are you worried about, Macmillan? Eleanor, for whatever reason, seems into you. She also seems like a fairly bright girl who can make her own decisions about who she's friendly with. I seriously doubt she needs or wants a guard dog." He tilted his head. "I happen to like her. Aside from her taste in men, she's completely lovely. What reason would I have to put on an act?"

[shh_zach]

"I'm not gaping," Zach growled, sore as hell and not looking forward to having to work the rest of the day. He stalked foward and kicked the ladder over, grabbing the nails and hammer and climbing the bottom few rungs.

"It's hard to hold steady like that, and I need it up a bit and to the right. If you can't hold it tell me." He placed his hand on the bottom, helping lift it into place as he drove home the first nail. "I've no desire to end up with this damn thing on my head twice in one day."

[shh_ernie]

Ernie grumbled, but moved the shelf up and to the right. Concentrating hard, he managed to hold it still as Smith nailed it in place. "And I'm not admitting anything, but...you've got quite a right." He would've reached up to touch his left eye, but he needed to focus on the shelf. "So...er...you and Brocklehurst? And I don't mean any offence." He paused, wondering if it were his place to say anything. "It's just...in my experience, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws aren't always...er...well-suited to each other. Just look at me and Lisa. Or Meg and Terry. Although that could be less about Boot being a Ravenclaw and more about him being a pouf."

[shh_zach]

Zach nearly dropped the hammer on the prat's head. Was he seriously being decent? Zach did actually gape this time, for a moment, before shaking himself. He hopped down and moved the ladder, going to nail up the other side as well, unsure if he needed to acknowledge it. "Thanks for healing my nose," he murmured around the nails.

He hit one home and looked down at Macmillan. "No. We're not together," he said carefully. "I'm not sure what we are." He looked away and hammered another nail in as Macmillan made the comment about Terry being a pouf. He hoped Macmillian didn't see the blood drain from his face. "Could you not call him that? I like Terry. I don't care who he fucks." His voice sounded a bit odd, but at least he didn't sound angry anymore. "You can let go now," he said, tugging on the shelf. "It'll hold on it's own while I reinforce it."

[shh_ernie]

Ernie tentatively let go of the shelf, wand at the ready if it began to wobble. It held and he watched Smith drive in the remaining nails. "I like Boot, too. Always have." He glanced at Smith, a little puzzled, but couldn't see his face. "And I don't care who he fucks either. I was merely noting that my theory about Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw relationships might not hold true in Meg's case. That's all."

When Smith climbed down from the ladder, Ernie nodded. No one would be able to tell what had happened in here. "I likely don't need to say this, but this is strictly between us. You'd like to keep your job and I'd like to keep my bollocks intact." He turned to face Smith. "And Eleanor...it's not...about status. She's important to me. But...I...er...it's not my place to dictate her friends."

That was as much as an apology as Smith was going to get.