Delilah, Florence And The Machine

🥀

ava-avery​:

There was something freeing, fleeting about being in a hotel bar alone. There was a feeling of mystery; was she there on her own? Going somewhere or just meeting someone? The possibilities were endless and she highly enjoyed that. Hotels, Ava thought, had the same fleetingness of an airport, but with less stress and more class. 

Technically, Ava had started the night with a friend. A distant one she only knew from the party scene, and who had needed someone for liquid courage and to back her up when meeting a bloke. So Ava had come with to make sure her friend wasn’t being kidnapped or set up with someone terrible. After waving her mate off to her date, she’d decided to stay at the hotel for a few drinks. 

Plenty of interesting things happened in a hotel bar at a friday night. Travellers and locals alike gathered for a drink. And sometimes, it seemed, even the owner paid the bar a visit. 

Ava turned at the sound of her name, smile at the ready. “Harper, hello;” she cooed. That was the great thing about the wizarding community; there were always someone around if you just hung around long enough. “Are you doing a late work-night inspection, or are you here to play?”

-

Harper leaned over the bar, meeting the bartender’s eyes and greeting him politely before gesturing towards herself and Ava. Moments later two drinks slid towards her, and with a nod and word of thanks, she picked them up and turned to face Ava again. “I’m done with work for the day” she punctuated her declaration with a freeing exhale and sip of her drink, holding the second glass out to the other woman. “I just figured I’d start my night on the path of least resistance. And besides, I was hoping to run into someone who’d want to join me in doing the same,” she continued, a twinkle in her eyes.

Despite many of her reserved tendencies, Harper really did enjoy just going out and adventuring for a night, hopping between bars and other establishments. Sometimes shops took advantage of the extended summer daylight hours and stayed open longer— a fact that was especially tempting.

Glancing around the bar again, Harper wondered how long Ava had been there. She voiced the question, her curiosity getting the best of her as she added “And have you seen anything interesting go on?” Despite the number of people, things seemed to be relatively uneventful so far. Good for business, Harper thought, but the night was still young, so there was hope for some drama to develop… Though she would highly prefer it not be at one of her hotel bars.

You’re so calm and quiet, you never say. But there are things inside you. I see them sometimes, hiding in your eyes.

Tracy Chevalier, Girl with a Pearl Earring  (via roseir)

geraldine-whoisleft​:

Geraldine put in admirable efforts training her dogs. On the whole, the three of them listened and behaved well, but the moment one of them realized they were going somewhere exciting, it all fell apart. 

The back of the shop? Angels. The second the pet store came into sight? Complete and utter chaos. She had no idea how they did it, but they were definitely in cahoots. She was being pulled along now far more than she was leading, driven by three dogs who could smell treats and socialization. It was a state truly only beat out by the dog park and the “W word”. Walks. She couldn’t believe they had her thinking it now, too.

“Wait,” she cautioned. It slowed Ignatia which meant Levina was soon to follow, but Cornelius was still barreling ahead. He saw Harper before she did, and all hopes were lost. She shook her head and walked up to where her husky was very much intruding. 

“I’m sorry they’re in your way,” Geraldine replied. All three of them were sniffing at her now, like she might be the source of bonus treats along with the cashier. “They always get a bit excited by the pet store.” She gave Ignatia, ever patient and sitting by her side now, a fond pet. “Why are you here? Did you finally cave and get your own?”

-

If it were any other large dog, let alone trio of large dogs, running up to her, Harper would panic. But Ignatia, Levina, and Cornelius weren’t just any trio; they were Geraldine’s. So despite the fact that she was still sometimes hesitant about how to handle them, Harper had a sense of familiarity and even fondness for her friend’s dogs. “These three?” Harper laughed, “In my way?” she shook her head. “They could never. I just wish I had the treats they're looking for.” She held out her empty hands to the dogs, as if to show that she had nothing. To make it up to them, she took a turn providing each with pets and scratches behind the ears, her eyes softening as the dogs basked in the attention.

“As for caving and getting one of my own, I haven’t… yet… but I think I might be getting close,” she hinted, the corners of her mouth turning up into a smile, “just a couple more window shopping visits and maybe I’ll actually make a foray inside the shop.” Harper chuckled at herself and the upturned corners gave way to a genuine grin, an increasingly rare occurrence over the past few years, directed at Geraldine.

“So, are you a woman on a mission right now, or just trying to get some air and exercise?” Harper asked, “If it’s the latter I’d be happy to join you for a walk, if you have the time, of course”