fandomtownies | Wonka's Sweets Shoppe

Tonks stood behind the counter, looking rather alert and cheerful as she sucked on the edge of a candy cane.

((OOC: And a word of silence for Ivanova-mun's poor deceased fish.))

Ivanova looked rather purposeful as she strode into the candy shop, a grin spreading across her face when she saw that Tonks was working. "Hey, Tonks! Did your boss tell you? I applied to work here. But he hasn't gotten back to me yet."

"Really?" Tonks asked, looking up with a grin. "That's bloody awesome. I hope he gets back to you soon." She's all but beaming.

"For all I know he has. Something's wonky with my uplink." She displayed the small square of metal on the back of her wrist. "There has to be. I'm getting some really weird messages."

"Weird messages?" Tonks repeated, studying the metal square. "And what's this?"

"Oh, it's what we call a link." Ivanova shrugs a little. "I didn't really feel like switching over to a cellphone. Too attached to this thing. Works pretty much the same. And how's this for weird?" She hit a button and Krycek's voice, low and tinny, came forth. "Not only is it a bit creepy, he isn't being too polite in the mothertongue."

"The mothertongue?" Tonks was still intrigued by the link. "This thing is pretty nifty," she commented.

"Russian is my first language," Ivanova explained, then carefully removed the link from the back of her hand, handing it to Tonks for further inspection. "It's still on. I can receive calls and if it's offline - which I do by pressing that little button, which I almost never do - calls are stored and uplinked to me when it's turned back on."

"Oh," Tonks flipped it over in her hand, studying it with obvious interest. "We don't have anything like this where I'm from."

"It's about two hundred years in the future of this timeline," Ivanova says with a grin. "Or else I'd offer to find you one. But!" With a flourish, she pulls a camera out of her pocket. "I came down because I was putting up pictures in my new room and realised that I didn't have one of you."

"You really want a picture of me?" She asked, her eyes rather bright.

Ivanova's brow furrowed a little before she grinned. "Of course! I don't have many friends in Fandom. Besides, everyone at home was asking for pictures, and I had none. So now I will."

Tonks grinned, "That'd be brilliant. Where you come from pictures stay still, right?"

"They do make a habit of it," Ivanova replied dryly. "Now videos, on the other hand, they have a tendency to act up. Very unruly, videos." She held up the camera and focused it on the other girl. "Say 'cheese'!"

Tonks quickly protested that she didn't say cheese, but flashed a contented grin all the same.

The camera flashed and Ivanova tucked it away, grinning. "Mission accomplished. Now I've got nothing else to do today. Maybe I'll go see a movie . . ."

"Congratulations on a successful mission. I'm taking one of you next time." Hearing the part about the movies, she laughed, "Can you believe that I've only seen about three in my entire life?"

"You should come with me!" Ivanova leaned forward so she was resting her hands on the counter. "I believe tonight's piece of cinematic brilliance is called 'You Got Served'. I doubt, however, that it has anything to do with either waitressing or the law. What time do you get off work?"

"At six," Tonks answered, grinning at Ivanova. "It sounds like it should be interesting."

"Great! There's a 6.30 show, or we can go to one of the later ones if that's too soon," Ivanova said, rolling her eyes up as she tried to remember the sign and plan her night.

Tonks pushed back the sleeve of her shockingly pink robes to check her watch. "6:30 sounds good to me." She smiled.

"I'll see you then. I just wanted to pick up a few groceries, but I'll meet you at the box office around twenty after." She tossed a wave over her shoulder as she headed for the door.

"Got it!" Tonks called, waving after her.

***

During a free and not too sunny moment, Angel stepped into the store. Never having been there before he was momentarily taken aback by the view.

Angel looked briefly startled when being spoken to jostled him out of his ~~not at all intimidated and terrified~~ thoughts. Then he saw who had spoken. "Hi. Hey! You're a girl!"

Tonks rose an eyebrow, studying the young man. A student up at the school, most likely, she reasoned. "Uh, yeah. I'm Tonks. And, yeah, I'm a girl." She drops the candy cane into the wastebasket, and studies him, tilting her head to the side to study him for a moment. "Did you have a biology test today or something?"

"Uhh... no?" Angel looked worried. "Is that a requirement for the candy? Nobody told me I needed a #2 pencil."

Tonks shook her head, "Hardly." She looked confused for a moment, "Or, well, if it was, then I've probably failed."

"Okay. Okay." Angel looked like he was trying to psych himself up for a task of momumental proportions. Then, addressing Tonks in a manner not unlike one that would be used for addressing a wise man on a mountaintop, he said, "I need help buying chocolate."

"Oh!" Tonks straightened, brushing off her robes, somehow understanding the importance of the task to this valiant traveler. "Is there something in particular you wanted?" She resisted the urge to tack 'young grasshopper' onto that.

Angel was relieved that she understood how serious this was. "Yes. Absolutely. I - I need something for a girl. Who doesn't like flowers. But who likes me. Maybe. Do you... have that?" Angel looked around as though maybe "Chocolate for girls who don't like flowers but who might like souled vampires" was a catagory that was marked off on a sign somewhere. Which, for all he knew, it was.

"Hm," Tonks paused in thought for a moment. "I'm sure I can find something she'll like!" She declared proudly, as if she was making it her newest personal mission in life.

"Oh thank God," Angel said in a rush. "Everybody I talk to about this keeps saying it's easy and no problem and what am I worried about just because if I do something wrong somebody's likely to die? But I don't know chocolate!"

"It's not too difficult!" Tonks chirped, coming out from behind the counter and tucking her wand behind her ear. "Now, see, if you're not completely sure about the 'her liking you back' bit, you should probably go for something kinda simple." She crossed over to a shelf, surveying it thoughtfully. Her rose-colored eyebrows lowered in thought, "Something that says 'I like you, but I don't mean we have to jump into bed just yet'. Unless that's what you want right now?"

"No, no no no no no!" Angel said, enthusiastically. "I mean yes. That one. The not jumping into bed right away one. That's perfect. I can't do that. I do that, the world ends, there's no second date."

For a moment Angel briefly looked as though not having to deal with the intimidation of a second date might be worth ending the world for. But only a moment.

"Great!" She beamed, standing tip-toed to reach a small box on a high shelf.

"This'll be okay, right?" Angel asked. "Good for a first sort-of date with a hint of apology?"

"It should be," Tonks replied cheerfully, holding out a small box. "What do you think of this?"

"I like it," Angel said. "Classy. Simple. Elegant." A sudden look of worry crossed his face. "You don't think the heart shapes carry the wrong message, do you? Like - like stake me or something?"

"Hm," Tonks tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, looking thoughtful. "Probably not. But just so you're on the safe side, does this girlfriend enjoy screaming at the walls? Or writing stories about Itchy and Scratchy in a romantic relationship?"

There was a long pause.

"... I'm pretty sure she doesn't," Angel said, in a tone of voice that indicated that actually he wasn't certain of that answer at all.

"You should be fine. Just keep your wits about you, your chin up and be constantly vigilant." She advised, stessing the last bit a little.

"But, er, if you're that nervous, maybe you should wear an undershirt beneath your shirt? Well, I guess that was kinda redundant, but you know what I mean."

"I was thinking white wifebeater?" Angel said, gesturing to his chest. "Black silk shirt? Black Italian suit? Logan said I had to dress nice."

"I'd go with that." Tonks commented, after a moment of appraisal. "You never gave me a name, by the way."

"Oh. Gosh. Sorry. I'm bad with people." Angel held out his hand. "Angel. Nice to meet you."

She clasped his hand, laughing. "Like I said, I'm Tonks. And you're not bad with people. Just really uncertain of certain things. Am I right?"

"Yes," Angel said. "Like people. Or - dealing with people. In certain situations. Like the whole dating thing. I've never. Dated. Does it show?"

Tonks held her index finger an centimeter or so apart. "A little. Don't forget to use mouthwash and keep a pack of breath mints in your pocket. Trust me, you'll thank me. And I'm sure ~~you and Callisto will be omgcute together~~ things'll work out."

"Breathmints!" Angel pointed a finger at her as though she'd just reminded him of something important. "Yes. Thank you. I'll do that. Oh - what do I owe you?"

"$8.50," Tonks answered, smiling. "I hope I helped."

"You did, thank you," Angel said, handing her a ten. "Um - do you work here often? I could let you know how it went."

"Yeah." She responded with a nod, giving him his change.

"Great," Angel said. He held the change awkwardly. "Um - is this a tipping thing? I'm bad with money too."
Tonks shook her head in the negative. "Not at all." She smiled.

"Okay. Good. I mean, now that I know." Angel pocketed his change. "Thanks so much for your help. I mean it. Everybody else has been telling me not to worry about it. It's nice to get a little advice."
Tonks nodded, "I know what you mean. Good luck!"

"Thanks!" Angel said. He gave a wave as he left the store.

Wonka's Sweets Shoppe - OPEN