The Magpie Emporium; Friday [02/14].

[pun_king]

Graham's....we'll call it anxiousness...for the week was manifesting itself that day at the Empooooor~rium in the form of him rearranging and reorganizing a lot of things and also personally testing out the roll quality of so many sets of dice just so he would have something to sort of do with his hand and distract him, and then he decided that he would distract himself by rolling a variety of dice combinations and seeing how long it took him to get to certain numbers, especially when he started adding several dice into the mix.

....the two giant pink chocolatey mocha drinks he'd had before even coming in that morning probably weren't helping with that restlessness, either, but they sure were delicious! He regretted nothing! He might have to get another one on the way home again, for that matter! Surely nothing could go wrong with that!

The Magpie Emporium is open!

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[noonedecidesmyfate]

Belle had, rather tragically, gone home alone last night rather than with any of the older gentlemen she'd been ogling conversing with.

That was all right. She was fine. Just rather... twitchy? Restless? Eager for companionship?

"Sir Knight!" she called out as she entered the shop. "I've been missing your company."

[pun_king]

"Belle!" Graham was always happy to see her, of course, but he lit up even brighter than usual to see her today. "Hi! Erm. I mean..."

He stepped out from behind the counter, lifted his cap, and swept into a deep and proper bow.

"Most felicitous salutations, my good lady!" he declared, and, straightening hid cap back on his head, practically grinned at her from one big ear to the next. "I, too, have been missing some of your company, too."

And now a blush as red as his feather was spreading from ear to ears, as well.

(The ears themselves were even redder).

Graham cleared his throat.

"It sounded like there was good company at the Supper Club last night at least!" he noted. "Did you have a good time?"

[noonedecidesmyfate]

Those crimson ears were so endearing. Belle just wanted to touch them.

"The company was pleasant enough," she said. "And I had some nice tea. But I left feeling thirsty and in want of further companionship. How are you faring, Sir Knight?"

[pun_king]

"Well," Graham offered, "I haven't had any tea, but I did have two of the fancy coffee drinks that the squirrels mentioned that Percy fellow having. One after radio on the way to class, and then one after class on the way to here! And I don't know what he was talking about, I thought they were great! Did you get a chance to try one? Maybe we could go get some later? And then, if you're still thirsty after that--"

His brain seemed to finally catch up with his mouth, and his face found a deeper hue as he lifted an arm to rub the back of his neck a little awkwardly.

"Erm, then we can just....try something else?"

There was almost a hopeful lift there at the end, in both the question and his eyebrows.

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"I would love to have a drink with you," Belle said. "A fancy coffee sounds lovely!"

"Although I was thinking perhaps we could play a game while I'm here? If you wouldn't mind my company while you're at work, of course. I'm sure there's something we could amuse ourselves with. Or some way to spend our time, at least?"

Did you have any inappropriate games, Graham? Or ones that could be made inappropriate?

"And I'm sure we could find an activity we would both enjoy after our drinks."

[pun_king]

"Between the two of us," said Graham with the same kind of enthusiasm he approached most things with, "I'm sure we can think of all kinds of things to do! And I'd never say no to your company,Belle! A game to pass the time sounds great! And we've got plenty of options, to suit whatever kind of mood we're in!"

[noonedecidesmyfate]

Belle smiled widely (and a little wickedly, it must be said) at him and stepped closer.

"Hmmm, what are you in the mood for, Graham? Something exciting? Perhaps something cooperative? We do work well together, don't we?"

[pun_king]

"Oh, well," said Graham, matching Belle's grin with a lopsided one of his own and a brightness in his eyes because he was preeetty sure he could see where this was going! He stepped forward, too, puffing out his chest importantly, "as a Knight of Daventrt, you know I am always in the mood for something exciting. Something collaborative. Something....dare I even say it?"

His smouldering look was clearly still a work in progress but that eyebrow lift was pretty good!

"Epic?"

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"Oh, an epic effort would be excellent," Belle said. "I am feeling quite energetic, in case it takes an extended time to finish."

Belle. It would not take an extended time to finish, let's be real girl. But perhaps this game had multiple rounds.

"Something thrilling and fulfilling, perhaps?"

[pun_king]

Hey, if you just remembered to save often, you could always just restore and be right back on your feet again!

Graham leaned forward a little eith his building excitement.

"With plenty of action," he proposed eagerly, "traction, and satisfaction?"

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"As much action as we can handle," Belle promised, reaching for Graham's hand and placing her free hand against his chest as she stepped in closer. "The satisfaction, I hope, will be truly epic."

"I've done some interesting reading about...cooperative games. I'm sure we could put some of that knowledge to the test"

[pun_king]

With that hand on his chest, Graham felt that little flutter of nervousness return, but also, it swelled out again with some of that confidence he'd been slowly, steadily, assuredly building. After all, this was Belle. So any hesitation he had drifted off as his own hand found her hip and slid around to her back as he stepped in close and smiled down at her.

"You always do find some of the best stories," he said. "So tell me, my lady, where should we start this next great adventure?"

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"Right here would be fine," Belle told him, standing up on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Although a more secluded location would be more fitting, don't you think?"

That wicked little smile had returned to her face.

"Somewhere with fewer distractions where we can truly focus on our game, Sir Knight."

The next kiss landed on his lips and lingered there.

[pun_king]

Graham leaned into that kiss as it lingered, his hand moving up Belle's back as he leaned in to lengthen and dependent it with his own contributions, practically melting into it with the relief that came from a particular persistent itch starting to get scratched. And he could probably go on kissing her like that for a good, long while, too, but she'd made excellent points worth exploring.

"Hold on a minite," he said, smiling when he pulled back with great reluctance, "let me just get my 'Closed for Adventuring' sign."

Did he actually have a Closed for Adventuring sign?

Have you met the guy??

[noonedecidesmyfate]

Belle let out a soft noise of disappointment as Graham stepped away.

"And where shall we adventure to, Sir Knight? A secluded forest getaway? A castle retreat?"

The lady's chamber was just waiting to be occupied!

[pun_king]

Don't worry, Belle! He didn't have to go far, the sign was right here in one of his pockets!

It was just a matter of remembering which one, but he found it on the second try, pulling it out and brandishing it proudly.

And he was going to lean in to snag a kiss as if to make up for the interruption before taking up Belle's hand again and leading her toward the door.

"I'd say that castle over yonder looks pretty promising," he mused, "don't you agree?"

[noonedecidesmyfate]

Only the second try was impressive considering the sheer number of things Graham had in his pockets.

"Mm, very promising," Belle agreed. "I do love an adventure in a castle. Some of my favorite stories take place in castles. I read a new one yesterday, in the library. Perhaps I'll share my favorite passage with you?"