Dazzle

Theo was having a no good, very bad day. Or week, really. Honestly, that probably applied to his whole life - but there were some good parts in there he couldn't completely forget about. And that was exactly the problem. He and Mali were...he had no idea what the hell they were, but things weren't so good right now. And he couldn't stop thinking about it. That kind of torture in and of itself was more than enough for a very bad day - and then he'd gotten to work, and walked right into a scene from his no-good past.

The place was absolutely crawling with aurors. No Death Eaters - yet, anyway - but Death Eaters weren't the only organization Theo feared these days. He'd faced as much trauma at the hands of aurors as he had at the hands of Death Eaters, he reckoned. It was a different sort of trauma, to be sure, but that difference didn't help him catch his breath back or stop the shaking in his hands every time he turned a corner in the hospital and came face to face with a badge and a prominently displayed wand. Theo felt like the worst days of his life were starting all over again.

He tried to go out as much as he could, escape the halls of the hospital for as long as possible, but having to come back and face them again every time almost made it worse than just staying. After so many calls, Theo was running low on supplies too, so he made a point halfway through the day to bury himself in a supply closet for a while and restock. The small space made him feel safe, if a bit cramped because of his giant stature. He was arms deep in bandages when a voice made him jump.

Theo really, really needed to start paying better attention to the people lurking around him in the hospital halls. The last time he'd failed to do that, he'd gotten himself in a quite a bit of trouble. Luckily, this time, it was just Gabriel. Gabriel! Theo was surprised to see him, even though his presence made complete sense. Maybe the man, today all dazzling smiles and windswept charm, just didn't quite fit with the image of auror that Theo had stuck in his head. "Hi," Theo greeted, some of his surprise leaking out into his voice. "Brother," he added, a grin of his own growing on his face. After such a terrible day, this relief of a friendly face was like cool water for a dying man.

He was still dying, though. Metaphorically of course, but the reminders were all around them and in Theo's head as well and not even Gabriel's face could distract him from all that. He made a face at the blonde's question, glancing around the hospital walls with a grimace. "It's only my favorite place." In all seriousness, if he did have to pick a spot in the hospital that didn't make him instantly sick, it was definitely the tea room. Theo smiled again at Gabriel's suggestion, untangling himself from miles of bandage and extricating himself from the closet. "Sounds pretty serious. I better come; medical support, and all." And honestly, though he said it in jest, sticking himself to Gabriel's side didn't sound like such a bad idea. One auror to protect him from all the others. "That's a tough promise to make. You look very...er, smiley today. Are you drunk?" He teased, looking away from Gabriel to head down the hallway.

Gabriel found Theo's jumpiness amusing, and Theo couldn't really blame him. Elephant afraid of the squeak of a mouse, and all that. Gabriel also found his closet - for all intents and purposes, his troll cave - amusing as well, causing Theo to duck his head and grin sheepishly. "Cozy, and quiet. The place is thick with your lot today, yeah?" He glanced up at Gabriel, his eyes revealing everything he felt about that. He hadn't known the auror bloke very long, but Theo found himself not minding being a little vulnerable with him. It was a pub mate thing, sure - you didn't stumble drunkenly down the streets of Hogsmeade with a lad and not trust him afterward - but he thought it might have a little to do with Gabriel's occupation as well. As much as Theo felt intimidated by most aurors, the same aspects in Gabriel gave off more of a protective, confident vibe in Gabriel that Theo felt at peace with.

He even felt safe enough to come out of his troll cave. He now had a mission - provide medical support to Gabriel's smiley face on the way to the tea room. "Smiley, and drunk," Theo confirmed, grinning. He laughed as Gabriel corrected him. "Ah, right. And handsome and charming. I forgot those two, silly me." He rolled his eyes at the tossing of Gabriel's admittedly fabulous mane, still laughing.

They couldn't stand there and talk about how pretty Gabriel was all day, though. They had to eat at some point. Theo kept pace with Gabriel as they walked, looking either at the floor or at Gabriel but not really anywhere else. Even the familiar faces of the hospital made him nervous, some days more than others - many people hadn't forgiven him for what he did, and he doubted anyone at all had forgotten. Gabriel was a gods-sent distraction, though - he knew just what Theo needed. He smiled proudly at his drinking buddy's proper wordage, nodding his approval. "If I ever say no to an invite to the pub, hit me, that always seems to work," he grinned over at the man. "I'm off soon, too. And not a minute too early." Theo relished in the image for a moment, of the two of them sitting back at the Hog's Head after work - but apparently, that was not where they were going. Theo raised his eyebrows, laughing again at Gabriel's story. "You're right, too dangerous. I'm only in this for the face, you know. I wouldn't buy you nearly as many drinks otherwise," he teased.