Ministry of Magic
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Trish
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Flirt
Jun 19, 2017 18:55:22 GMT
Post by Gabriel Bishop on Jun 19, 2017 18:55:22 GMT
A damsel was in distress and Gabriel was an auror, naturally he had to rescue her. Meg Ashland was an unfortunate young woman who had been viciously attacked by a lycanthropic individual and it left behind gruesome scars. According to her brother, Meg used to be a lively, outgoing woman but she lost a little bit of herself in the attack and closed off. Theo theorized that it was due to self consciousness over her scars and the two of them had come up with a(n incredibly sexist) plan to try and make her feel better. It wasn't his normal brand of distress but he was a good man for the job, having experience with facial scars thanks to Remus. Gabriel didn't ignore scars but he was able to look past them and see the person underneath and how those scars became a part of their story. Remus' scars spoke to the fact that he was a survivor and so did Meg's.
He had sauntered confidently into the pub and up to the bar not long after he left work. Gabriel exuded sex and testosterone. The wizard's dirty blonde hair was down and painstakingly styled into a handsomely windblown and carelessly tousled. He wore tight denim jeans and a dark coloured shirt that fit snugly around his muscles and brought out the blue in his eyes. He spent the first bit of the visit downing fire whiskey and observing his 'target'. Meg was a good bartender but her personality seemed dampened, in a way. There was a smile that could light up the whole pub hidden under the closed off frown and standoffish demeanor and it was his mission to coax it out. Not just as a favor to a friend but because he got the impression that he was looking at a wilted flower that only needed a little bit of effort to return to it's former glory. Maybe Gabriel was overestimating his influence or the importance but it would be a crime not to try and use his good looks for something positive.
The wizard made his move when the woman returned for his third round of the stuff. "So, I've heard that bartenders are usually good with advice. Care to try your hand?" He leaned his elbows on the bar, closing the distance between them so he could fully appreciate just how pretty she really was and vice versa. Gabriel knew he was good looking, damn it. "I usually drink at The Hog's Head but I think I've got to break up with them and I'm not sure how to go about it. Their regular bartender, Tom.. He'll be crushed that I've got to leave him. I mean, I like Tom. He's alright, handsome in the right light... If you squint. But I much prefer my scenery to be a bit..." He reached out and tucked a few strands of Meg's hair back behind her ear while trying to woo her with a handsome half smile. "fairer."
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Shop Staff
Bartender at the Three Broomsticks
Lab Assistant
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24 years old
Hufflepuff Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mego
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Flirt
Jun 21, 2017 2:42:37 GMT
Post by Meg Ashland on Jun 21, 2017 2:42:37 GMT
Bah. Let all the cute boys, cute girls...hell, even cute puppies...in the world come into her bar, for all she cared - none of it was making Meg feel any better. Before, she would have jumped at the opportunity to make nice with any mildly attractive being that so much as glanced her way. Now, it was different. Meg didn't want anyone to glance at her, or look at her, or talk to her and see her face and the mess it had become. These were nearly impossible desires to have as a bartender, but Meg just couldn't let go of the job. Despite how painful it was to be stared at all day and leave herself on display for said staring, this job still brought her the little joy she could feel anymore. It was familiar and she was good at it, and it was admittedly pretty nice to get out sometimes, when she thought she might suffocate under the sincere but misguided concerns and sympathies of her brothers and father.
The mildly attractive being - okay, no use in pretending, wildly attractive - giving her so much trouble today was doing a lot more than glancing, though. He was watching her. Meg caught his gaze several times as he worked his way through her firewhiskey - and jeez Louise, was he handsome. Meg was tempted to shoo him away to the farthest corner booth of the pub, because his presence so close at the bar was uncomfortable. All her old instincts were still there, hiding under nasty scars. Meg thought maybe they were going a bit haywire from disuse, because there was no way that guy was interested in her, not with the way she looked now. Or the way she was acting, honestly. Meg had changed for the worse and she knew it, and that made it all the more terrible, because she couldn't stop it. She felt trapped.
But she was a professional, dammit. Of all the things she'd seen as a bartender, certainly she could face down a cute boy when his glass turned up empty yet again. She made her way back down to his end of the bar, tucking her chin down, hiding her face behind her hair, and not meeting his eyes as she refilled his glass. Oh, gods - he was talking to her. And getting closer. His bulk fell across the bar in a strong shadow that made Meg gulp. "I charge extra for that," she joked dryly, daring to blink up at him. Hell, maybe that would make him stop - or maybe it wouldn't, but it was Meg's job to listen. And she didn't want him to stop, not really...she noticed something, his eyes. He wasn't looking at her the way most people did now. Kind of like he was looking between the scars, or maybe he just didn't see them.
And he was funny. Dammit. Meg bit on her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing as he talked about Tom, but her smile soaked through. "Us bartenders don't really mind sharing," she spoke coyly, and then every bit of cool and collected she thought she might have left was sapped up when the man reached up and brushed her hair behind her ear. Her scars were in the full light now, and standing out even more as the unmarked skin around them turned pink. "Um." She stared dumbly up at her fellow blonde and his exceptionally pretty smile. Very rarely did anyone take the words out of Meg's mouth, crooked as it might be now with the scar that snagged its corner. Crooked is as crooked does, she supposed, and the man hadn't run away from her in fear yet. She tried smiling again - Mali, of all people, popping into her head. "You just can't tell him you're leaving him for me, okay? I can't break his heart...again." This time she said it like it was nothing, dropping her gaze and setting to work on wiping out a mug. Mali told her she was just going to have to keep smiling, even if she wanted to scowl. Fake it til you make it. Meg was faking hard right now, her heart racing, and strangely enough she felt more like herself than she had in weeks.
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Ministry of Magic
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Trish
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Flirt
Jun 22, 2017 14:46:20 GMT
Post by Gabriel Bishop on Jun 22, 2017 14:46:20 GMT
Gabriel watched the blonde witch without shame. Whenever she caught him (not that he was trying to hide it) he offered no apologies, only a restrained smile and a quirked eyebrow as if he was daring her to take his bait. Meg was fairly stubborn, true to Ashland fashion. She played her part as bartender and not much else. The way she hid behind her hair just screamed defeat, but the fight wasn't over yet. Gabriel took a direct approach when she came around to refill his glass. Oh, she was funny. The auror grinned at the woman's joke. "I bet it's worth it but just in case..." he teased and motioned towards an inebriated wizard several stools down "Put it on his tab."
The closer he got the more Meg's true beauty peeked out from around the scars. It wasn't just physical beauty, either. Her personality shined just as brightly as her smile probably did, humor was one of his favorite personality traits in others. His profession was serious and arduous so he sought levity in his personal life. "That would never work." he said with a shake of his head, amusement playing at the corners of his lips. "I'm more of a one guy." That was true in a sense. When he found a spot he liked he tended to stay there when he wasn't on an alcoholic tour of the UK. Once he drank in all the important spots in wizarding Britain he would likely pick his regular spot and stick to it. He could definitely get comfortable at this one because Gabriel liked Meg almost instantly, and not just as a favor to her brother. He liked the way she responded so spectacularly to a bit of flirting, cheeks going pink. Blushing suited her very well, even with the scars.
"Ah, it looks like we've got Tom in common, then?" Gabriel propped his chin in his palm. "I should have known, he's got a thing for beautiful blondes." There was a small glimmer of what he had to guess was Meg's former self. She was smiling and it just like with Remus, it softened the wound's hard edges but Meg left him, looking down and busily cleaned a mug. "Or maybe his thing is pretty blue eyes." Gabriel wasn't going to be outdone by a cup and he boldly reached across the bar to steal away both the mug and her attention. He held the cup away and just out of her reach. After a moment he nodded in agreement with himself, determining. "It's definitely the eyes. A guy could get lost in yours if he's not careful." The wizard set the mug back down on the bar. "I swear I won't tell Tom who's won my heart but you'll have to give me something in return. I'd like your name."
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Shop Staff
Bartender at the Three Broomsticks
Lab Assistant
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24 years old
Hufflepuff Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mego
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Flirt
Jun 27, 2017 19:00:52 GMT
Post by Meg Ashland on Jun 27, 2017 19:00:52 GMT
He was almost over-the-top charming, but that was exactly the type of thing Meg always played into. She liked her pretty boys and girls to also be nice and funny. Yeah, she'd tried the bad boy thing out...when she was, like, fourteen. So over it. Don't get her wrong, she endlessly enjoyed snark and the occasional viciousness where it was needed...but Meg didn't like the needlessly cruel. The need to be cool accomplished by putting people down. Honestly - and Meg was the first to admit that she was sorry, judgmental soul - this guy had been kind of giving her that vibe before he spoke to her. He was the type that was handsome enough to get away with it. But as soon as he started talking, Meg knew he was the exact type of person she liked so much. And it made her sad. Because she couldn't be more than a case of pity for him. Even if he was looking at her like she was normal and not some horrifically scarred monster. She tried to shut him down as gently as she could, but he pressed on. She glanced at the man down the bar he was pointing at, wincing when she recognized who he was pointing at - a sorry regular feeling especially sorry for himself this evening - but unable to completely cover a small smile. "That one's already in heavy advice debt. You really don't want to get him blubbering again."
This new, handsome face wasn't just looking for advice; he was apparently looking for a new drinking home altogether. His One. Meg was all but ready to let him move into the Broomsticks, live behind the bar, when he sent her head spinning with a little touch and some sweet words. "I suppose I can get a bit jealous," she mumbled, because it was all she could think to say. She tried very hard to keep it together, to fake it, but this guy knew what he was doing. And Meg knew he knew what he was doing, and again, it was the kind of thing that she played right into. He was all confidence and charm, something Meg once valued in herself but now felt so utterly devoid of that it was almost alien to her - the man's every little flirtation making her feel like she was fourteen again. She just grinned at her mug as she cleaned it and the man complimented her, but then he took the mug right out of her hands. A challenge. Something hot and bright shot across Meg's length like lightning, and she looked up to meet the man's eyes. His very pretty blue eyes. This was a different sort of game he was playing now, not just pure flattery. A challenge. It felt as much about him as it was about her, and with that, Meg could relax. She made a show of looking him over, the beautiful blonde with pretty blue eyes, and said, "Well now, you can't really blame a man for his good taste."
Meg got her mug back. She pulled it back slowly toward her, blinking at the man even more slowly. "Careful," she murmured, as cheekily as a murmur could be. She also settled herself in place, leaning her forearms on her side of the bar. "I think that's fair. I'm Meg. And you are?"
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Ministry of Magic
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Trish
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Flirt
Jun 28, 2017 1:21:54 GMT
Post by Gabriel Bishop on Jun 28, 2017 1:21:54 GMT
Gabriel was already regretting the conversation he had with Theo. It took something away, made the whole interaction feel a little contrived when he was genuinely enjoying his time at the three broomsticks. Meg was charming and witty and someone that Gabriel would have likely found very attractive without his knight in shining armor complex giving him an extra nudge.. "It's hard to pity someone like that, " the auror remarked as he looked down the stretch of bar at the wizard in question. "Getting so much advice from a pretty girl. Of course, maybe he seeks out so much advice so he can have your attention. It could all be a ploy to win your heart." He looked back at the woman, a casual half grin complimenting his high cheekbones and angled jaw. "I can't say I blame the poor bastard, unless your heart's already spoken for?" His was. Gabriel was devoted to Remus even during times of space but did all the Ashlands have to so god damn attractive?
He was definitely laying it on thicker than he normally would and he had to be careful not to cross into cornball territory. It was necessary, he could sense that Meg was still holding back with the mumbling and averted attention and he wanted to coax all of her out, into her full glory. He wasn't daft enough to think that one night of flirting with a handsome (really really handsome, thanks) guy would solve all of her problems and instantly cure her insecurity but it was a starting point, wasn't it? One had to start from somewhere to scale the tower and rescue Rapunzel from her scarred prison. She blinked an awful lot and murmured even more. He grinned and raised his eyebrows as she looked him over, as if asking her how she liked what she saw. "Not at all, he has excellent taste." The auror pointedly agreed with a nod, stroking his own ego along with hers.
"Sorry." he apologized for his mug thievery with a chuckle. "You were smiling at the mug and I got a little jealous." And then they were both leaning against the bar, his charm was winning her over. She didn't seem quite as restrained, he even won her name. Gabriel didn't miss a beat, the cheeky answer came as natural as breathing "An angel." The auror ran a hand through his blonde hair and tucked a few stray strands behind his ear before he grinned at his new bar friend. "A lucky one at that. Who could predict that I would find another angel on the other side of the bar tonight?" Oh, that was terrible and he visibly cringed and laughed at himself. "Ah, that didn't come out nearly as smooth as it did in my head." Gabriel was a peculiar mix of confidence, charm and goofiness. Occasionally those traits intermingled at the worst times, breaking apart the smooth persona he was projecting. "I'm Gabriel. But I have been very lucky tonight. It's a pleasure to meet you."
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Shop Staff
Bartender at the Three Broomsticks
Lab Assistant
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24 years old
Hufflepuff Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mego
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Flirt
Jul 16, 2017 8:28:04 GMT
Post by Meg Ashland on Jul 16, 2017 8:28:04 GMT
It was entirely possible that the regular sitting at the other end of the bar only blabbed to Meg so she'd stand nearer to him. Actually, more than possible...probable. That was sort of what bars were for, Meg found. If you were lonely and didn't have anyone else to talk to, your bartender would always listen. Sure, she had to because she was getting paid to do it...but Meg couldn't see herself doing anything else, ill intentions or not. She had a big heart with room enough in it for everybody, and enough attention to go around. "That's quite a creative tactic. One of your favorites?" She was just teasing him like she would anyone, everything was fine; but then he had to go and make it personal, flashing a downright devious grin at her. Meg's cheeks flushed, and she gave a small shake of her head as answer. She'd never been a relationship person before her attack, and she definitely didn't expect to be one now. Meg had friends, and then she had friends, but she'd never been at the point where she wanted to pick just one. And she did not think there was a one that would want her now. So it was okay to let this man make her feel a little bit like her old self, because she really had nothing to lose. It would make for a more interesting night, at least.
So she let herself flirt back, too. She checked him out, getting the eyeful that she wanted, and played happily along with his little games. He was jealous of the mug, so Meg stowed it beneath the counter and made sure to fix her smile fully on him as she leaned into the bar. Her eyebrows shot up in amusement and surprise when he responded to her question with a very interesting answer. She snorted, too, causing her to go red and slap a hand over her mouth. Meg, the great snorting, scarred beast...she was really trying to scare this bloke away, wasn't she? But he didn't go. He was busy stumbling through his own awkward, goofy flattery and Meg forgot all about her own embarrassment, laughing when he did. "You're adorable." He was. Not only was he confident and oozing over-the-top charm, he was downright goofy. Meg could have melted. She propped herself up on the bar, resting her chin in her palm and tapping her fingers on her lips. "The pleasure's all mine, Gabriel." Seriously. Meg was honestly a little unnerved by how drastically two minutes of conversation seemed to alter her, but it was exactly what she needed. She dropped her hand from her face to tap her fingers across the back of Gabriel's hand. "You've saved me from another night of having to listen to that. My angel." She smiled at him, nodding her head toward the poor sod at the other end of the bar. "Though, if we're going to get away with this...you've got to tell me about yourself. So I can rub it in Tom's face."
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