Closed RP: Stephen and Sarah - The Surprise

[nopower-overme.livejournal.com]

((This starts Friday morning. Good clean fun with appliances abounds!))


With minimal fuss, Sarah and Stephen had left the school by Floo to seek out a waiting cab in a nearby 'Muggle' village. Their destination, as far as Sarah knew, was Macduff Aquarium in Aberdeenshire, but this whole day just existing was already so incredible to her. They were leaving the castle - and with it she hoped the stress that had plagued them recently - and venturing out into the non-magic world which she had not been in since her arrival. To be fair, she had not gone beyond the castle and grounds except once to Hogsmeade with Stephen, so she was quite excited.

Settled against Stephen's side in the backseat of the cab, she was content to point out things that caught her attention on the drive - and even explain things that might have been interesting to a man from the 19th century - or simply just sit in companionable silence. The familiarity of being in a car after two months was refreshing because it was something distinctly non-magical and not connected to what they had left behind, and it was all that much better for having Stephen, who was already her new 'familiar', right next to her. They both needed this, in her opinion, so she had been ridiculously pleased when Stephen had mentioned the plans. Without knowing it (or so she assumed, as she had never mentioned her birthday), he had given her an early birthday present in this day trip out with him. There was no more she could ask for, and yet...

"Stephen, I think the cabbie's taken us to the wrong place," she said once she had gotten close to his ear to whisper without being overheard. Outside the window of the now stopped cab was a cottage, very lovely but not the aquarium she had been expecting to see. Too preoccupied with the view or with Stephen, she had not even noticed telling road signs that might have led to confusion much sooner.


((R-ish for quite a lot of smut in various places. xD))

Comments

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

At last, Stephen wandered into the kitchen, barefoot, apparently wearing only a pair of shorts, and rubbing at his hair with a towel. Belatedly he realised that there was actual cooking afoot, of a serious kind, and looked a bit abashed. "Should I have dressed for dinner, then?"

[nopower-overme.livejournal.com]

Turning from her spot at the stove with a warm smile, Sarah's stirring in the pot momentarily stopped at the sight. It was not as though she was unfamiliar with it, after all, but it was a bit surprising to see him in such a fashion in the kitchen. She recovered quickly and her smile widened, meant to be reassuring.

"Of course not, we're on vacation, you are allowed to come dressed however you want," she said, certainly not going to tell him to put more clothes on, and then pointed to the wines on the table. "Pick one to go with the lobster?" She shrugged slightly, as she knew he would know she had no experience picking wines. "I wasn't sure which one but those two seemed the best options out of what was here."

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

Stephen had expected cooking of the microwave-and-toaster variety, as demonstrated earlier. "No, no," he said, and disappeared. Maybe it would have been nice to have Killick around after all.

He returned dressed as he might for a lecture, save that he did not have the usual lancet or catling concealed in his jacket. "The lobster is an arthropod, did you know?" he said, looking at each bottle of wine in turn and selecting one of them. "Either of these would have been fine, really. We can drink the other one tomorrow."

[nopower-overme.livejournal.com]

Sarah disappointment was only noticeable after Stephen had left the room, as ridiculous as it was to be disappointed. How things were now she had no problems with, even if it did not always keep her from thoughts of her desires. Or the fact it would have been a very nice view indeed.

Sighing softly, she used the time required to peel and prepare the potatoes to recover, and was once again smiling softly when he returned. She moved away from the stove and took down two glasses as well as the corkscrew, which she handed to him while she held the glasses.

"I did know that about lobsters," she said and then looked down at her own clothes, more suited to lounging about then being out in the school, like what he was now wearing. "And you really didn't need to change."

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

Stephen uncorked the wine and poured, then took one of the glasses from Sarah's hand. "Shall we drink to all arthropods, or only to crustaceans?"

[nopower-overme.livejournal.com]

Sarah smiled at the question, considering for a moment. "Why not, let's drink to them all."

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"Then to all arthropods, edible and not." Stephen raised his glass to Sarah and then drank. "This is rather good," he commented, approving of the vintage.