 astronomizzle ♧ gryffinDORK | & the rest is drag ♣ #badluckDerf
Things were different. Two sides of the same coin and yet Benjee felt like he hardly recognized himself some days - especially the times he was smiling and that smile reached his eyes. It was peculiar, sometimes, to think about how she had met him at his lowest point...had their first conversation when he felt like the most detached and foreign version of himself...and that, almost, had guaranteed that she got to know a more authentic Benjamin Aro Marchbanks. He probably should tell her, sooner than later, that the hourglass had a lot less sand left in it than she thought there was.
Maybe later. She seemed to be hiding a certain sadness behind her eyes already and there was no sense in adding to that.
"I'd need to bathe in Liquid Luck for a year to have a chance to compete with The Bott...but maybe at least add to their flavor list and reap the royalties from usage." Candy creation, being a confectioner, was more of a whimsy kind of hobby...something that utilized his talent for potions and alchemy in a way that made people smile. Hard not to smile when you taste something that reminds you of a specific memory or that is a particularly pleasing flavor. His thoughts were already prancing down memory lane...all the way back to first year where he had first learned about a certain Gryffindor blonde and her love of grass flavored Bertie Bott's and the serious lament for a lack of super sour lime flavored ones. "I..." he began, thoughts drifting to the at least half a dozen mason jars filled with grass flavored beans he had picked out from any packet he has purchased, previously stored under his bed...their absence, the reminder of everything, still a dull twist inside his chest. "...wanted to do something special...for someone...very .... very important to me..." He sighed, thinking about the second time he had done this...this time for a certain brunette Hufflepuff that a reminder of yet another painful twist. "...I found out I have a pretty superior palate and experimenting with flavors, the precision that the process of making confections requires, was well suited to my particular skill sets." Pauses and looked back at Victoria, a smile on his face that did not quite reach his eyes despite speaking with sincerity. "It is something I know I can do for others. Hard to be angry at someone who provides you with something delectable, right?" he teased, giving her a gentle jab with his elbow.
Grabbing something else off the shelf, this time with the intention of purchase, Benjee turned his whole body towards Victoria with an amused sideways smirk in place this time. "No? Curious...seeing as the first time I ever met you I was on my back in the Hospital Wing and you were trying to cheer me up while understanding my story." Sounded a lot like empathy to him...and he couldn't help but tease just a tiiiiiiny bit more. "Guess that means you must care about me then, am I right?"
Yes, there was a little added wink there for good measure.
Which was probably a bit of overkill considering how she was responding to him mentioning her smile. Oh well...he tended to lay it on thick when he fell into this side of his persona. The side most influenced and inspired by Uncle Milo. "I don't say things just for the sake of them," he chuckled with a light shake of the head. "Got something in your eye there?" Maybe an extra hair since she was just tucking it aside, which explained why he then waved a finger across her brow to brush aside any stray hairs that may be clinging to her brow and lashes. "And, bright smiles are also a sign of someone capable of empathy. For the record."
Glances back at the shelf again and feels the weight of his coin sack before glancing back to her. "Did you come in here for anything in particular? My treat."
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When you’re stuck in a moment and your spark has been stolen .................................................. ...........
this is our time to own it, so own it.....................................
baby we were born with fire and gold in our eyes |