a spoonful of honey

“ well, maybe i’ll feel more inclined to, now i know i’ll suffer your wrath. but some part of me thinks it wouldn’t be so bad. ”

rab ran his fingers through his thorny locks, creases lining his features. vienna thought completely different to him and he found it both uncomfortable and refreshing. “ i suppose you’re right, but i was taught to not be nice to certain people. i don’t know, i’m just not used to people being nice to me, not without me having to earn it first. ”

❝If you don’t, you may even find yourself getting a Howler. It may not be completely terrifying compared to most people, but my wrath is still a pretty drastic change.❞ Despite the grin that was now plastered across her face, Vienna didn’t think she could ever send a Howler. They were far too loud, and far too cruel a thing for her to do - especially in a public setting. ❝You were also taught to not skip meals, but look at how that’s turned out.❞ It was an attempt at making light of a more serious subject, though she quickly changed her tone. ❝You’ve got to remember - not everyone is interested in making you earn their kindness and friendship. Some people may convey those things in different ways, but there are quite a number who genuinely would just like friends. Why wouldn’t you embrace that, regardless of who they are?❞

“ it’s no big matter, i’ve just never had a huge appetite. ” muttered the boy back, brushing it off in a blase manner, despite being touched at her words. his lips twitched slightly into a thankful smile.

“ —-you know i wasn’t exactly taught to be nice to them, so i just find it easier to avoid them. they’re so friendly that it makes me feel awkward. ”

❝Even so, you still have to take care of yourself. If you don’t, who’s going to willingly be roped into after-dinner kitchen visits with me?❞ Even she had to admit that not many would go as readily as he did, despite her best efforts. ❝You weren’t taught to be nice to anyone, if you think about it. It’s just... a thing that happens. Why should their being friendly be looked at as anything different than me being nice?❞

mxllymxd-blog

“She used to say hi to me sometimes in the corridors, but she graduated last year and we haven’t talked at all since then.”

❝That... doesn’t sound good.I’m curious, though. How long do you think she’ll hold a grudge for?❞

#( i: ted. )

“ i want to believe that, but i’ve never been on the receiving end of ‘nice’ from one of them. ” he said it as though he didn’t know why, but of course he did. the hatred of his blood fuelled his own personal impatience when it came to the snakes.

“ i think you’ll be too surprised by how spectacularly awful i am to worry about yourself. ” dirk shot her a small grin, retrieving a board from his bag to set on the table between them. he’d hoped by carrying it around with him, he could somehow get better. “ you wanna go first? ladies first an’ all that. ”

❝Fair enough. Remind me to introduce you to some of them later on. I promise you, they won’t be entirely rude.❞ She couldn’t promise they wouldn’t be rude entirely; they were people, too, each with their own lives and stressors. ❝I feel like this may result in more hours than you’d expect being put into a single game.❞ As she spoke, her eyes moved from piece to piece, trying to recall which was best to move where, and at one moment.❝Have you considered the Wizards Chess club if you’re wanting to learn it better?❞

#( i: dirk. )

“ who are you, my mother? ” rabastan suppressed the pit of laughter in his throat.

“ i don’t know about that… would you like it if someone constantly invaded your personal space? like this? ” he closed the gap between them, constantly brushing his arm against hers as they walked.

❝I may as well be if you’re going to skip meals. Someone has to make sure you take care of yourself,❞ she stated matter-of-factly. Truth be told, though, she didn’t mind it in the least. ❝That’s different. Have you ever spent time with them? They’re easy enough to befriend and generally kind as can be.❞

“ try telling that to the slytherins. i don’t think nice is in their vocabulary. ” he countered helplessly, offering a shrug too.

“ god, i don’t know. maybe a game of wizards chess, you up for it? i’m sure you’ll win too, i pretty much suck at every game that isn’t muggle. ”

❝They’re not all like that, you know.❞ Perhaps she was being a bit too defensive of a house she didn’t belong to. Could she really be blamed for that, though? Her sister was capable of being nice, as were Vance and Fortescue, though she didn’t have much experience with either of them. Even Rabastan was nowhere near awful. ❝I’m willing to give Wizard Chess a shot, but I’m not the best by any means. Are you sure you’ve got enough time to spare to watch me lose?❞

#( i: dirk. )

“ i guess i am a little hungry since i skipped dinner, but i try not to make a habit of going to the kitchens too much because i don’t want to piss off the house elves. ”

❝You really shouldn’t skip dinner if you’re not planning on visiting the kitchens. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen the house elves get upset with someone for stopping in. As long as you’re polite to them, they tend to be very welcoming.❞

mxllymxd-blog

“That’s what I said! So then she just left, anyway,” Ted shrugged one shoulder, “But oh well. That was two years ago.”

❝Two years? Have you two talked since then?❞

#( i: ted. )

“ i guess if i say no now, it makes me look like a mean person…

the kitchens then, is it? after you. ”

❝Only a little. But if you don’t want one, I’m sure there’s bound to be something else you’d like?❞

“ i don’t know about that… you could probably scare someone with how nice you are. you’re a rare specimen, vienna. ” dirk threw his shoulders into a careless shrug, lips jerking into a toothy grin.

“ well, i guess i do feel awesome, but maybe something better than that. there’s always room for improvement, right? ”

❝With so much bad in the world, isn’t it nice to have people who are... nice? I don’t know, I just don’t see a reason to not be this way.❞ Vienna shrugged, unsure of what else could be said on the matter. ❝Good -- you should feel awesome. Well, what could be better than feeling awesome?❞

#( i: dirk. )

“ was that a sly invite to get me to get a milkshake with you, macmillan? ”

❝Was that you agreeing to get a milkshake with me?❞

“ hey, who said you make me feel happiness?!

—you could make me feel sad, o-or envious or scared. what about awesome? maybeallofthematthesametime. ” he burst into a light fit of laughter.