The Magpie Emporium; Friday, 09/23.

[pun_king]

Graham didn't have any guests coming this weekend--his mother couldn't make the journey, his sisters were all too busy, and his best friend was already here with him!--but he figured some of his players probably did (if not all of them!), so he figured he'd call off tonight's game so they could have more time with their friends and family. In the spirit of the weekend, though, he definitely brought Triumph with him to the shop that day, so they could hang out in the meantime, and he tried to get Saffron involved by sharing some stories with Triumph about all their various shop-related exploits, but she only seemed interested in Triumph when he was laying still on the floor enough that she could climb up on him and curl up and take a nap.

Triumph, of course, didn't mind, and Graham was tempted to join them by leaning on Triumph, which was one of his most favorite, most comfortable positions ever, but he was here to work, and so the Triumph-cushion would just have to wait. He was glad Saffron could get good use out of it in the meantime, though!

The Magpie Emporium is open!

[[ and no game = no ocd! ]]

Comments

[wildgalegirl]

"I know everyone always says that I'm a lot, but my Aunties..." She shook her head. "Anyway, I apoogize in advance and if they find you I probably oweyou pizza or something."

[pun_king]

"I do have a lot of sisters," Graham reminded Charlie, with a swing of his finger forward as if that would help emphasize the point. "I think I might be able to handle some aunties, too. What are sisters, but future aunties in the making? And I've got Triumph here today, too."

Upon hearing his name, Triumph lifted his head and chirruped.

"He can pull through if things get really rough, I'm sure."

And then, just because he did really like pizza:

"You....could still owe me pizza even if they don't find me! Although if I get pizza out of it, then I kind of hope they do find me. I'll put up a banner in front of the store and everything. 'Charlie's Aunties! Find Graham Here!'"

[wildgalegirl]

"Oh, you have no idea," Charlie said, "But you're remarkable anyway."

She turned and grinned. "Well hello, Triumph! Aren't you looking magnificent today!"

Then she turned back to Graham in horror. "No, no sign, good lord you have no idea what you'd be bringing down on your head. But yes, I'm happy to buy you pizza whether they show or not."

[pun_king]

Triumph lifted his chin proudly at the praise, letting out a trio of chirps to thank Charlie for her kind words and let her know that he knew, proving it with a little shake of his head, a little extra floof in his fur.

And Graham, for his part, in clear defiance of the doom that was apparently heading his way, could only grin. "So pizza," he said, quickly, because when free pizza was on the table, you had to seize it before it was too late, "aunties or no aunties. It's a date!"

[wildgalegirl]

"If you still want anything to do with me after the Aunties descend, yes," Charlie said. "It's a date. I'll even throw in some of whatever the Magnificent Triumph enjoys."

She sighed and shook her head. "And if you decide you'd rather I never darkened your doorstep again, I can just have Raiden send it here to you."

[pun_king]

"Charlie," Graham said, frowning a little as he realized that she was actually serious about this worry about her about her aunties, especially since he didn't think he'd ever really seen her like this before; she was always just so bright and cheerful, and now, she was so clearly...not. "I don't think there's anything that could happen with your aunties that would make me not want to have anything to do with you ever again. And I can share a pizza with Triumph any time. I..." He felt a little bit of heat rise up to his face, as if he had just realized what was just about to come out of his mouth, but there was definitely not stopping it now, "....I want to share that pizza with you."

[wildgalegirl]

Charlie stopped and looked at him. And smiled despite her worries. "You're pretty amazingly awesome, you know that, Graham? Then we'll have pizza together, one way or another. I'd like to share that pizza with you, too."

But this was Charlie after all and she couldn't resist throwing back a teasing, "But now it's going to be completely awkward when you're wishing you'd never met me and I show up with a pizza and show no signs of leaving till we've eaten the whole thing."

[pun_king]

The softly pleased grin on Graham's face at that first part went a little crooked with the last part, although that lovely shade of red that perfectly matched the ruddiness of his nose remained on his cheeks the whole time.

"I'll still get pizza out of it, though," he pointed out. "The awkwardness'll just be like a free extra topping!"

[wildgalegirl]

Charlie burst out in laughter. "I'm going to remind you of this later when you sit there miserably wishing you were on another continent, even without pizza!"

Her tone made it clear that she didn't suspect any such thing would come to pass.

[pun_king]

"Come on!" said Graham, who definitely never met a pushed metaphor he didn't like. "Who needs cheese or red pepper flakes when you could just sprinkle on reget? And remorse?"

[wildgalegirl]

"One large pizza with regret and remorse coming up," Charlie said with a grin. "Okay then. But don't say I didn't warn you."