RP: Moonlight Serenade (Grand Opening of Hammerside Fitness)

[shh_dean]

Date: 8 September 2005
Characters: Fleur Delacour, Dean Thomas, and anyone else.
Location: Hammerside
Status: Public
Summary: Moonlight Serenade
Completion: Incomplete.

Comments

[shh_fleur]

Fleur could not have been more happy or more proud as she stood in the atrium lobby of Hammerside. They had done it; she, Dennis, and Dean had done it. They had made their dream come true. Five months of hardship and work had paid off. Their businesses were debuting. The three friends had banded together and bonded, become like a family and with the love and support of their own families and dear friends, they had accomplished their mutual goal

[shh_dean]

"I wouldn't have believed it and still don't." Dean smiled and let go of Fleur. "That first day, you thought I was hitting on you." His smile grew wider as he looked at her. "Funny but if you'd never come in and had some coffee, which you've addicted me to now by the way, all this wouldn't exist

[shh_fleur]

"No," she replied, "Ze leetle duckies can stay inside. Zey will make our guests smile and Oli-vair's leetle sister can tend to zem if zey become too much trouble. After all, zat is her job here at Hammerside now zat she lives here. And besides, I like your hair ze way eet is right now, not braided like some 'ip-'op singer in London." She looped her arm into Dean's as guests arrived and looked around. She leaned toward him and whispered, "I do not know some of zese people. I had no idea ze population of Stoats'ead Hill had grown so much," she turned to him, "But eet is good for business, non?"

They had carefully moved the piano from Fleur's studio into the lobby earlier that day so the jazz ensemble could make use of it. The soft tones of the keys beneath the musician's fingers filled the space with warmth and happiness.

Lovely ... Never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it ?
'Cause I love you ... Just the way you look tonight."I theenk it would be appropriate," she said as she gently tugged

[shh_dean]

"I guess it has actually. There are lots more people here and I'm feeling like an oldtimer." Dean smiled while he looked over the arriving guests, recognizing some and not knowing who others were." He led Fleur toward the dance floor. "I was just testing you about the ducks but if I get hungry." Smirking, he left his sentence unfinished. "Ah, so you like my bushy haired, looks like an odd tree look then."

Dean twirled Fleur onto the dance floor and then caught her arm when she pulled away a bit. He then settled into a gentle motion, leading Fleur around the dance floor as others watched before he leaned in and whispered. "Do you know that I wouldn't have had the courage to do any of this without you. You've become such a wonderful friend and someone who has changed my life for the better."

[shh_oliver]

Oliver took off down the stairs from his new flat at Hammerside. He was running a bit late and he had to meet Fleur in a few minutes but he wanted to try to look good in his formal kilt and he'd spent a few minutes primming before he came downstairs. Actually much of this time had been debated between going regimental or not and after much debating, he decided to stick to his roots. He wondered if he should stop by his mum's to see about her and Ilana. They loved it here, the hustle and bustle of the place letting them feel more involved in the community and that was very needed since Ilana had been disappointed that there wouldn't be a primary school, so she'd have to study at home

[shh_fleur]

"Do you promise me?" she asked as she tucked herself into his embrace, "And even when I am talking to other people tonight, I will be looking for you, watching for you, mon amour." She kissed him gently, nipping a bit at his bottom lip.

"You look amazing," she whispered, her lips still touching his, "And, mon Dieu, you smell so good." She did not care if people saw her being so familiar with Oliver after her separation.

"Je t'aime, Oli-vair Wood."

[shh_oliver]

Oliver held her close, his heart divided between taking her somewhere and getting lost together under the moonlit sky or proudly strutting around Hammerside with her on his arm. But he knew in the end that she'd need to be social, so they'd stay and more than likely she'd wander off on her own.

But he smiled because she'd return to his bed since she loved him and he'd have her with him tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. "Well, I had to keep up with you. You don't know the pressure in having the most beautiful girl in the town to keep up with." Oliver shook his head and leaned back a bit, looking at how stunning she looked in her white dress. "It's just my smell and you know, a shower or two."

"Make love to me later in my bed and then don't leave until Monday. I want you all weekend." Oliver whispered in her ear before he leaned in, his lips whispering against hers as he added, "And I love you too."

[shh_fleur]

"I am with you and suddenly ze world does not matter," she replied huskily. "No, eet is something in your skin," she turned until her lips nestled into the tender crook at the side of his neck, kissing him softly, seductively, "Zat drives me to such distraction."

She laughed softly with her next thought. "Have you gone natural beneath your kilt?" she asked with a knowing smile and nip to his neck. "You know what ze thought will do to me all night

[shh_caradoc]

Caradoc was having a thoroughly enjoyable day. Irma and he had spent the day browsing Blackwell's bookshop, lunching in Oxford, reading quietly on the patio in the afternoon, and dining on his elf's incredible pot roast. They had parted after dinner to allow Irma to return home to get ready for their evening out. He was looking forward to dancing with her tonight.

He straightened the tie on his tuxedo. He debated only a moment about whether or not he should add the formal wizard's open over robe to his ensemble before putting it on. Irma had never seen him in wizard wear before and would probably like it. He grabbed the corsage he had Cai obtain for him while they were out today and disapparated to Irma's building. At the agreed upon time, he knocked on her door.

[shh_irma]

Irma opened the door. She had borrowed a long black dress from Gertrude yesterday afternoon, and had a pair of her own sensible shoes to go with it. The dress was a bit lower cut than she usually preferred. When Caradoc, precise as always, knocked on the door, she was ready to go.

"Hello Caradoc," she said. "I'm all set."

[shh_caradoc]

Oh, she was lovely. "You look spectacular, Irma. This is for you." He handed her the corsage of white camelias. "Would you like me to attach it for you?"

[shh_irma]

"Please," Irma said and stood still while he did it. "Thank you."

They walked outside, and Irma held on while Caradoc apparated them to outside the Hammerside building. Sidealong apparation was something she had been getting used to, since they had started seeing each other. "Well, I suppose we should head inside."

[shh_ernie]

Eleanor was upstairs getting ready. Ernie, having decided that he was going to treat this as a real date, took one last look at himself in the mirror, opened the door, and stepped out onto the front steps. Hopefully, his tuxedo was something along the lines of what Eleanor had imagined. He'd watched a few movies to get an idea of what a tuxedo had and transfigured his suit.

Taking a deep breath, he rang the bell and waited. Flowers. He should probably have flowers. Before Eleanor opened the door, he plucked a leaf from one of the shrubs and transformed it into a rose. One flower would have to do as he was still adjusting to his new wand. He didn't want to overextend himself. Not tonight.

[shh_eleanor]

Eleanor had just about finished putting her hair up when the doorbell rang. Glancing at the clock, she groaned. Whomever it was had horrible timing. Well, Ernie was downstairs, he could get it, and send the person away.

She wanted tonight to be perfect for his sake. After everything recently, he deserved a good night. And, in her opinion, she'd really outdone herself making sure she looked good. He'd seen everything in her wardrobe at least once, and she hadn't wanted to spend the money on something new, so she'd gone to her parent's house the day before to borrow a dress and a pair of shoes, from Mum. She would probably break an ankle in the shoes before the night was over, but it would be worth it

[shh_ernie]

Everything suave thing he'd thought to say completely left his head. Yes, he was staring. And yes, he was well aware that it was rude. But he couldn't help it.

His mouth opened and closed several times before he finally managed, "Wow." He shook his head, mostly in the hopes that he could conjure up something coherent. "You look bloody fantastic," he breathed out. With a smile, he held out the rose. "And this is for you. If you're ready to go..." He offered his arm.

[shh_eleanor]

Brilliant. The dress had worked exactly how she'd hoped it would. It made her father's lecture about how the weather was starting to turn, and how she should wear something longer and with sleeves all worth it.

Eleanor took the rose with a grin. "I'm almost ready," she said, before kissing him. They were engaged now, they didn't have to wait until the end of the date to get to the kissing. "Now I'm ready."

[shh_alicia]

The week had been hard. Alicia hadn’t allowed herself time to be sad about Charlie not returning, but had instead buried herself in work and training. Whenever she was home, she had spent all her time playing with Bert, and had managed to teach him to hide his face behind a paw whenever she said “Oliver”. Why, she wasn’t entirely sure, but she was certain it would be a great way to annoy Oliver at some point

[shh_dean]

Dean caught sight of Alicia as he was looking for Parvati. He hadn't spoken to her since the year before when she'd been dating Seamus and he wondered how she was doing now. Dean knew she worked at the Five Alarm but she had left there a few months ago and he wondered what she was doing now.

But Oliver had mentioned that she might want to live in the building and Dean would be happy to see her move in. He thought Alicia had an infectious personality and he'd welcome her with open arms to Hammerside.

When he saw her swaying to the music, he wondered if she was there alone and why the hell no one brought her to the dance. She looked absolutely stunning and Dean decided to take matters into his own hands, reaching over and grabbing two bottles of ale from one of the wait staff working the dance before he walked over to Alicia and grinned. "You look thirsty after all that swaying."

[shh_alicia]

”Wha-?” Alicia had been caught up in the music, so when a friendly voice reached her, she nearly swirled around, and broke into a grin when she saw Dean standing next to her, holding two ales.

“Dean!” she exclaimed with a soft laugh, still grinning, “I’m sure you’re aware that when you put on such music, people are bound to sway and become thirsty.”

She looked around the room, before she addressed him again. “The place is just stunning,” she said, “I have to admit that when you first began working on this, I had no idea how you were ever to make the place even remotely habitable and now… you have people dressed formally, and… and…” with a fluttering hand she gestured around them. “And ducks.”

[shh_dean]

Dean grinned at Alicia's surprise while he held out an ale to her and commented. "You know, it is unfair that you sway like that. All of these married men are watching you like you're Big Ben or something."

He brought his bottle up and held it in toast. "Here's to old friends and renewing acquaintances." Dean clinked his bottle against hers and took a swig before he belched and patted his chest. "Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have had so many of those bacon wrap thingies."

"Thank you. Fleur, Dennis and I worked hard here and it's paying off." He smiled and held his arms out to encompass the place. "People can come here and make it their own. That's what it's all about really. Oh, and the ducks too." Looking over at Alicia, he asked, "How have you been doing?"