pullmeoutalive | Ramey

[ Again, it takes her a second to realize just why he says that, and she shakes her head a little ]

How much do you know about how this club works?

[ Is— is that a rhetorical question, he wonders, or...

He frowns a little, unsure of what kind of answer she's looking from him, exactly, or even if she wants an answer at all, but he shrugs a shoulder and gives it a shot. ]

I dunno. People come in, get some drinks, have some fun? They get too handsy, the wards kick their ass. Long as they're inside, anyway.

That's about the long and short of it, isn't it?

Well, yes, but it operates with the support of the wizarding community as a whole. Hell, some of my employees are the daughters of very, very influential people. It's a safe, controlled environment for girls who posses the closest thing to healing magic wizards have had in generations. Here they can train and offer their services to the whole community. There is no other place like it on Earth.

This is more than just a place where people can come to have fun. It's essentially holy ground. Your old buddies may seem big and scary, but if they come after you, I'll tell every client I have that they've essentially declared war on the Griffonix. They'll never work again.

So I really hope their boss is smart enough not to go there.

[ For a second or two, Peter does his best impression of a fish out of water, lips parting with several false starts. Then, slowly, ]

... Oh.

[ Evidently, someone didn't brush up on the history of the Griffonix before accepting board here. Whoops. ]

So... [ A pause, as he tries to gather his frayed thoughts. ] So— when you say "ban," you don't just mean "from the premises," do you? Like, we're not just talkin' getting a couple mugshots and pinning them onto a wall under a plaque that says, "Do Not Serve"?

Edited 2016-09-25 04:21 (UTC)

[ She giggles ] No, when I say "ban", I do mean from the premises. Most people don't push much further than that. If they do, then I'll get nasty.

[ Her giggle earns a sort of half-hearted look, like he's offended she's laughed at him, but it's gone as soon as it arrives. ]

Okay. Good. I was about to say, that seemed an awful lot like calling in the nukes after a guy gets punched.

[ In response to both his look and his comment, she actually pouts a little ]

But what if that guy who got punched is my favorite guy?

[ When she says "favorite guy," his mouth twists a little to one side as he casts her a slightly doubtful look. ]

Pretty sure it's still an overreaction, no matter how you dress it up.

But you are my favorite. I like watching you lift heavy things for me.

[ He breathes out a flat little laugh, pulling his hand through his hair. ]

I'm probably only your "favorite" because I lift heavy things for you.

To-may-to, to-mah-to.

[ She gives his leg a pat before hauling herself off the couch ] By the way, I've got something for you if you want to follow me upstairs. I might even be persuaded to share some dinner if you wanted.

[ He hesitates again, if only because he needs to recover from being blindsided twice in one evening. He hadn't expected the old gang to show up, sure, but he never would have expected Madigan to be so understanding about it all. There are days when he thinks turning back on that deal with Eyeliner might've been the stupidest, most insane decision he's ever made in his life, but some days? He thinks it might very well have been the best. ]

Who am I to say no to the possibility of free food?

[ He gets to his feet, both hands in his pockets, and nods to the door. ]

I'm right behind you, then.

I hope you really like Hamburger Helper, because that's totally what we're having.

[ Madigan is many things, but she's not exactly an expert chef. Still, she guides them up to her own apartment above the club and everything therein. Madiga tries her very best to keep the place neat, since now she has a nephew who pops in and out whenever he pleases, but she's fallen a little behind lately. The mess may not be as extensive as Peter's place, but the apartment is hardly pristine. ]

Sorry about the mess.

[ Peter falls in step a pace behind her, still trying to sort out the mess in his head. Given the life he led before this, he hardly notices anything out of place when Madigan lets him in until she offers her apologies.

He shrugs in response. ]

It's fine. It's not like I would've said anything, anyway, considering you're the one signin' off on my paychecks.

Aw. I appreciate your consideration for the fact that I pay you.

[ She motions for him to wait in the living room as she ducks into the bedroom to retrieve her whatever she had for him. She emerges with a flat white box, which means it's totally clothes because only clothes come in flat white boxes, but when she hands it to him, it's got a little weight to it. Not a lot, but more than just cloth would have. ]

You don't have to open it now if you don't want, but I wanted you to go ahead and have it.

[ He takes the box gingerly, blinking when the box ends up heavier than he expects. ]

What's the occasion?

In part, it's a thank you. From me and from all the girls.

[ She shrugs a little, taking a seat on the edge of the coffee table. ] It seems kind of a appropriate to give it to you now, considering what happened tonight.

... Okay, well, now I'm curious.

[ He steps forward, placing the box on the table beside her and kneels in front of it. Carefully, he lifts the lid. ]

[ OH GOD IT'S A HORRIBLE MONSTER WHAT HAVE YOU DONE-- okay, no, Peter has no actually opened Pandora's Flat White Box. What he finds when he lifts the lid is... a coat. Leather, which explains the weight, in a deep red. Emblazoned in gold on the shoulder is the outline of a griffon- the Griffonix's logo. ]

Some of the girls mentioned it was about time we got you a uniform.

[ He lifts it out of the box slowly, stunned into silence, and runs his fingers over the emblem on the upper arm. Even now, he's still wearing his old jacket with its flame symbol – almost like its a bad habit. It's one of the few things he had on him the day he left, and, you know, it's comfortable.

So, yeah, he's long overdue for a change. ]

I—

[ He looks up at Madigan, expression still slack. ]

I don't know what to say.

You don't have to say anything. [ The rough night he's already had aside, she already got one thank you out of him this evening. She knows from experience that Peter has a hard time expressing gratitude, so any more than that is going to be difficult. ]

Go ahead and try it on.

[ He shrugs out of his coat, folding it and setting it on the floor beside him. He pulls the jacket out of the box and slips it on. Surprisingly, it fits pretty well. ]

I— This is awesome. Seriously. I don't— [ He cuts himself off, because he can sense he's about to spiral into a babbling mess. He smiles a little, something small and genuine. ]

Thank you. I can't believe you guys did this.

[ Oh, well. It seems she stands corrected- she did get another thank you out of him after all. More than the expression of gratitude, it's that smile that catches her off-guard. Something flutters in her chest, and she has to look away for a second to tamp that feeling down. ]

Some of those girls owe you their lives. It's the very least we could do.

[ Once she's sure she won't be caught again by the look on his face, she glaces back, leaning over to adjust the jacket a little, flashing him a flirty little grin, Because that's how she deals with things, apparently. ] And I do love a man in uniform.

[ Another little laugh, but it's a touch more heartfelt this time. ]

I'm gonna have to start wearing a sign to remind you I'm more than just eye candy, aren't I?

[ Once she's finished fiddling with his jacket, he gets to his feet, arms slightly outstretched. ]

So? How's it look?

It might help to have a reminder.

[ As he stands, she leans back, supporting her weight on her hands, and gives him a once-over. ]

I'd say you look pretty amazing.

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