When Theophilus had things to do, he found it hard to sit at a desk and work through the hassle of it...so finding new places to explore at work was always on his agenda. And by new places...he really just frequented the same places over and over with a different set of work to be avoiding. Still different. Today he was trying to find a game that had kept his occupied a few weeks ago...but was struggling to locate it. Someone else had played it! Someone else had been occupied by it and had moved it from the upper left-hand corner.

TRAITOR.

Breaking up a Darcy and his football game. PSH. He'd already made a pile of game boxes without actual games in. A pile that had the WRONG games in. AND NOW HE HAD FOUND A DARN BOOK. So he tossed that over his shoulder with a groan.

Where were the womens swim team to help him out here? Concentration was at an all time high when occupied.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanners

When Theophilus had things to do, he found it hard to sit at a desk and work through the hassle of it...so finding new places to explore at work was always on his agenda. And by new places...he really just frequented the same places over and over with a different set of work to be avoiding. Still different. Today he was trying to find a game that had kept his occupied a few weeks ago...but was struggling to locate it. Someone else had played it! Someone else had been occupied by it and had moved it from the upper left-hand corner.

TRAITOR.

Breaking up a Darcy and his football game. PSH. He'd already made a pile of game boxes without actual games in. A pile that had the WRONG games in. AND NOW HE HAD FOUND A DARN BOOK. So he tossed that over his shoulder with a groan.

Where were the womens swim team to help him out here? Concentration was at an all time high when occupied.

Unfortunately for her, and every one who had to put up with her when she stumbled over asking for directions, Kiera still did not know her way around the Ministry very well. She could navigate the forests and natural habitats of unicorns just fine, but throw her into a maze of lifts and cubicles and there was absolutely no hope for her. None.

Now...had that been a left at the end of the corridor or a right or a...

Biting her lip and pressing her finger to the spot, Kiera stepped into the room that she hoped would be the food court - because yes, she was indeed THAT lost - the blonde was met instead with a book. Right to the face. Between the eyes.

And down she went with a prominent red right smack in the middle of her forehead.

He heard it before he thought it was possible, and it took a few seconds for him to be brave enough to peer over his shoulder and check out the thuddunk that had followed his throwing of the book. Knowing his luck, it would have been his boss and he would have been the one person in history to rile up that bundle of good energy and have her cast a very, very dark curse. Possibly an unforgivable. More so at his treatment of the book and not the fact he had whacked her, of course.

LUCKILY it wasn't the woman in charge of him, but it was still a woman and she had still been thwacked out with that book. Hell, it had been a light throw, but if he could aim like that without looking, maybe he was in the wrong career. He HAD always wanted to work in sports. But left that up to his cousins. Creatures were his calling. And apparently knocking people down with books. ........ "Yikes." Yes, he was gREAT at this dealing thing.

Theophilus forced a chuckle and closed the gap between him and...book!girl (????) (was that something he could call her???) (it was going to stick) and peeeered right up close at that red mark on her head. "Looks worse than it feels, I bet..." Nah, he'd check she was responsive AFTER she responded. First aid with a Darcy was pretty lazy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanners

He heard it before he thought it was possible, and it took a few seconds for him to be brave enough to peer over his shoulder and check out the thuddunk that had followed his throwing of the book. Knowing his luck, it would have been his boss and he would have been the one person in history to rile up that bundle of good energy and have her cast a very, very dark curse. Possibly an unforgivable. More so at his treatment of the book and not the fact he had whacked her, of course.

LUCKILY it wasn't the woman in charge of him, but it was still a woman and she had still been thwacked out with that book. Hell, it had been a light throw, but if he could aim like that without looking, maybe he was in the wrong career. He HAD always wanted to work in sports. But left that up to his cousins. Creatures were his calling. And apparently knocking people down with books. ........ "Yikes." Yes, he was gREAT at this dealing thing.

Theophilus forced a chuckle and closed the gap between him and...book!girl (????) (was that something he could call her???) (it was going to stick) and peeeered right up close at that red mark on her head. "Looks worse than it feels, I bet..." Nah, he'd check she was responsive AFTER she responded. First aid with a Darcy was pretty lazy.

This was no the first time that Kiera had found herself in the crossfires of...whatever it was that had just struck her face. Airey and Daphne had never been the closest of siblings and when paired with her sister's intolerance for all things loud and boisterous...well...she was thankful that their sibling rivalry never had the chance to manifest itself at Hogwarts. Daphne's protective streak over Kiera had been more than enough to witness.

But, as it turned out, it had not been a hex that had smacked her right between the eyes and her vision only really refocused a little after a gentleman had quite suddenly appeared in front of her. Literally inches from her face.

Eyes widening and completely stunned silent, Kiera's cheeks flushed and for the briefest of moments she entirely forgot about the throbbing sensation on her forehead.

Just...going to stand here gawking at the gentleman - who she DID recognize as being from her own department so that made things a little less horrifyingly awkward - and blink.

Why wasn't she saying anything? Did she understand that that was entirely unhelpful to his plan of waiting for her to respond before he apologised or asked if she was okay or got help if she really needed it. He was a creatures professional, he did not know how any healing spells efficiently. He knew the basics, but nothing for concussion. Was there even a spell for that? All he knew was that his Grandma liked to chat about not letting someone sleep after a head bump. Whether that was an old wives tale (something his Grandpa said to annoy his Grandma, because she "was an old wife" - cringe!) or whether it was true, Theophilus was sure that she wasn't going to be sleeping anyway.

Girl had work to do.

Girl had work to do on the fact she was walking into books and that she wasn't on the swim team he was trying to think about. Ayyyy. "Y'ight?" He guessed that now was the time to ask, given she was just STARING at him.

The staring was unnerving.

But slightly attractive...

Ayyyyyyyy.

instead of going to the food court to grab something to eat, Kevin entered the gaming area during his break. He had found this place on his third day at work and he had been here nearly every day. It was kind of ironic how he disliked Muggles at first but that had changed during University where he suddenly became fascinated by the games they played. And once he tried a game, he got hooked. It was so simple. Just sit there and move your thumbs to control the character on the screen.

The Law Enforcement employee walked to the shelf of games and picked out his favorite racing game. He then inserted the game inside of the console, grabbed a controller and walked backwards to the couch in front of the screen and sat down. Oh! He almost forgot! Placing the controller next to him, Kevin checked his watch and set a timer five minutes before his break was over. When he was done, he leaned back and pressed play.

Why, in the world Addison ended up in the gaming area during her break was unknown. It wasn't really her thing. At least not anymore. She hadn't really played a video game since she was much younger and even back then she hadn't been all that good at it. Alright, so maybe she still did play the occasional game here and there but that was either with her niece who was now married and had a child or with her own son when he was home from Hogwarts. So it was honestly strange for her to be stepping foot inside this room, yet here she was.

The blonde glanced around taking notice of the man sitting down on the couch playing one of the games. She offered him a light friendly smile. "Hello," she greeted loud enough to alert him of her presence but not enough so to startle anyone.

Kevin had raced two rounds out of the six when he saw from the corner of his eyes that a woman had entered the game room. He ha always been vigilant about his surroundings but he didn't say anything yet. His focus was back to the race as he had nearly crashed in to a board next to the road and he steered the race car back on track.

He passed a few cars, made a sharp turn to the right and then left and suddenly he was in third place. He checked the screen how many rounds he had left and saw that the next one was the final round. He could win first place!

"Hi" he greeted back, not keeping his eyes off of the game because this was important. He turn here, pass a car there all the way towards the finish line and.....FIRST PLACE! "YES!" Kevin jumped up and punched the air once in celebration. "Who's the best? I am the best!" he turned around and held out the controller to the woman. "Think you can beat me?" come on. Even as an adult one must not lose their inner child right?

Addison made her way over to stand near the couch to be able to see what it was the younger guy was playing. A small smile crossed her lips. A racing game. Simple enough really all you had to do was learn the controls. "Do you play often?" she asked curiously watching as the car he raced went from third place to first to win the race.

She laughed quietly as he celebrated his race car game victory. "Me? Probably not but I can give it a try... I haven't played one of these games in awhile.." she took the offered controller from him. Walking around he couch she sat herself down. "What is it I'm supposed to do, first? Choose a car, yes?" Oops. Yeah, could he tell she didn't play these games much anymore?

Kevin sat back on the couch. Leaning against it after the woman had taken the controller from him. No way was he leaving. He wanted to see this. She said she hadn't played these games in a long time but it was like riding a bike. You never forget it. Unless one never learned how to do that but that's a different story. "When I can" he said as he scooted over for her to sit down. "It's soothing you know? Playing these types of games gives my mind peace. Funny how it stresses most people out" he said with a snort.

"I'm Kevin by the way. I work down at Law Enforcement" he said without looking at her but kept his eyes fixed on the screen as she chose a car. No matter how many times he said that he worked for the law it was always strange as he was always someone who defied the law. But he had learned years ago that it was better to work with the law than against it. He did not like small spaces and azkaban cells were small. "You can also costumize a car" but that would take to long. He wanted to see her drive. "Press the play button, the one in the middle, FYI and control the car with the little stick on the left with your thumb. With your other hands fingers you can use the buttons to drive, reverse and break..." he frowned and looked at the controller. "Actually, I don't know which button is for which...try them and you'll see"

That didn't entirely make things clear to her. When I can could mean everyday or once a week, who knew. Addison was sure he was at least fairly decent seeing as to how he had come in first place. "I suppose it would depend on the game? Some of those games can be enough to make you want to give up playing. My oldest likes to play them sometimes when he's home from school." As for her, being home with three babies and she wasn't at work didn't leave very much time for things like video games.

"It's nice to meet you Kevin. I'm Addison. I work in the Department of Mysteries." As she spoke she got herself comfortable on the couch, working the buttons on the controller until she figured out how to select a car. Settling for a red one. She found herself listening as Kevin went over most of the controls and looked down at the controller in in her hands to see where each button was. "I think I got it. I'm sure I'll figure it out." With that she pressed the play button to start the race.

It took only a second or so to figure out how to get the car to drive forward only she promptly crashed into the side barrier. "Well... this isn't as easy as it seems," she laughed working the buttons to straighten her car back out and get it going in the proper direction once more.

There was so much truth in her words that he had no comment back. He agreed that it depended on the game and probably the person as well. Just because he thought that racing was relaxing didn't mean someone else was as zen about it as him.

"I'm thinking about getting a muggle driving license"he said absentmindedly as Addison chose a red car. He was terrible on a broom and wasn't a big fan of apparation. And floo powder didn't connect everywhere.

Department of Mysteries. Kevin looked sideways at her as she drove her car into the side barrier and frowned slightly. Not at her driving skills...ok that too... But mostly because she was an employee of a department who's Head he had been meaning to speak with for weeks now and he kept postponing it every day. "What do you do there?" he asked. "or is that a mystery?" he grinned at his own stupid joke.

"Is that so? I think that's a good thing, you never know when one of those will come in handy." Magical means of transportation weren't for everyone even those born into magic. She herself wasn't very found of apparation when she was younger, though now she was very much used to it.

Addison was to focused on trying to straighten out her red car and keep it on the track and not hitting into other cars or the barrier again. Both of which she was currently failing at. "Currently I'm back in the Love Chamber. I used to be Head of the Department for several years." She replied with a soft laugh at his joke. Which section she worked in wasn't a secret but all that she did within that chamber was.

She really had no idea but if driving a muggle car was anything like driving one of these race car game cars she would be in some serious trouble.

Kevin had half expected the woman to tell him he was crazy for getting a muggle drivings license just like his father had done. 'You're a ministry employee now. Get your apparition license' was what he was constantly told. He sighed softly and reached inside his jeans pocket to take out two mint flavoured candy inside of the wrapper. He didn't say anything as he held out one for her to take. If she didn't, no biggie.

He stayed quiet apart from the sound of his teeth breaking the candy in half as he listened to her speak about her work. Love chamber? He made a face. If there was one thing he knew nothing about it was love . And he hoped it stayed that way. All that mushy mushy stuff....blegh.

The information of her having been the Head of the Department got his interest though and he sat upright a little. "You were the Department Head?" he repeated. He knew fully well who the new Head was now. He had been planning to pay a visit for weeks now but he had never gotten closer than the corridor door. "Why did you stop?" he asked. "Did spaceman...i mean Profes..." he sighed before he found the correct term. "Mr.Flamsteed steal your posistion?"

Addison didn't see anything at all wrong with one wanting to get a muggle drivings license. What one did should not concern her unless it was something directed at her. This wasn't one of those things and she was always for whatever made someone most comfortable. The offer of what looked to her like a mint candy made her smile softly. "Thanks," she nodded taking one from him. She would open it in a few moments when she wasn't playing the game.

The look on Kevin's face went currently unnoticed. All of her attention was on this game and even so she was doing horrible. The last lap had approached and she was in sixth place.

"Yes, for three years." Addi cast him a quick sideways glance. Oh! So close. The race was nearly finished! And... fifth place! Not the worst but definitely not all that good either. "I'm no good at this," she laughed passing the controlled back to him. "Well I have one son at Hogwarts and I just had my fourth child. It was time for me to spend more time home with my little ones." There was no doubt laughter coming from the blonde now. "Airey? No, he didn't steal it from me. I willing stepped down on my own and he stepped up. You had him as a professor while in Hogwarts?" Yes, she most certainly heard that slip up.

Fifth place....

Kevin looked at the screen, to Adisson and back at the screen again. "WOW" he said as he slowly took the controller out of her hands. "That was...well" how was he supposed to say this politely? He had had training in politeness for a month! He could do this! "Sorry, but you suck" NAILED IT

Checking his watch, he noticed that he still had some time left before he had to get back to work but instead of doing another race he pressed a button and the console turned off.

"fourth child?! What are their names?" geez! He didn't even have a girlfriend let alone a child. Though he was still young and capable of raising a child just yet anyways. Cause that involved romance and again. Blegh. "Which House is he in?" He asked.

Of course she had noticed his slip up. Kevin sighed deeply as he leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. "He was my Head of House till my fourth year before i.." got expelled "Uhm quit school to ....help out my grandparents" total lie of course. "I got homeschooled after that"

Was she supposed to feel bad about her terrible race car driving gaming skills? If so she didn't. Not one bit. In fact she was now laughing. Not only at herself but at the look on Kevin's face and the way he 'tried' to tell her how bad she was. "I know," she laughed. "Clearly I'm horrible at the game. Mario is much more my style." That game she could play. Maybe. At least she could years ago when she had more time to do such things.

Why did that seem so surprising? She was a married women nearing her forties soon enough. Addison smiled. "Yes, four. I have Koen, Reagan, Ryder and Keighley." In that order. "He's in Slytherin just like his father was." And his uncle and cousin and everyone else in their family besides herself.

Quit, hm? Addison didn't think so. The way he had paused the way he had caught her attention for sure but she would let it slide. He was only someone she was just meeting for the first time. "That was nice of you... I'm sure they appreciated your help?" Yeah, see she could totally go along with whatever he wanted her to believe.