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sweetpinkpixie · #1 (**permalink**) 06-05-2021, 12:00 AM

This secret coffee niche, tucked into a caved-in passage behind a tapestry was nearly empty when it was first spotted. Over time, employees had dragged in seating they've either scavenged or donated. During the war, all these pieces had been thrown out or simply Bombarda'd into oblivion, but in had now been restore by new pieces - all of which purposefully did not match.

Take a seat on a crooked, squishy sofa, or pull up one of the kitchen chairs or stools that line one stone wall amidst the lamps and endless strings of Christmas lights. Festive and homey.

*PhoenixRising* · 07-09-2021, 02:03 AM

Settling into her new department and role, Chloe had some extra time today which meant exploring concealed areas and looking for more evidence of the neo alliance to destroy. They really did get everywhere, didn't they?

That was when she'd reached the underground Coffee Club where she'd found Kevin stashed not too long ago. Was he okay? Was he still recovering in St Mungo's? She hadn't recalled seeing him at the brunch, but there was a lot of new faces. Password... She muttered acceptance finding it ironic given all they'd been through and slipped inside. Mostly unchanged except there had been at least one person there since she'd last been here. The redhead just sat on the squishy sofa and closed her eyes to savor the quiet of the room.

sweetpinkpixie · 11-05-2021, 01:56 PM

A man well refined in years, that was the term Charles preferred to use when he reflected upon the fact that in the beginning of February he has turned 80, he had a quaint fondness for this area of the Ministry. It was a particular treat to have the time to come all the way down here with his busy schedule and the tight leash Genevieve kept him on, which were all things he needed, and today was particularly sweet in that he would be meeting with his grandson's girlfriend for a spot of tea (or coffee, if she preferred) and another round of congratulatory message. He had, of course, paid due respects and praises at his annual holiday party when he had seen her (though, if he recalled, she and his grandson had left early that night without notice) but he had not been able to do so more privately and personally.

Arriving a bit before her, so it seemed, Charles walked slowly around the mismatched seating and felt a certain swelling of pride in his chest for the rehabilitation he and his team had given this area. Restoring it to a time before the Neo-Alliance and breathing new life into it.

Though, at the moment, Charles was noting that one string of the fairy lights was half out and half lit, meaning that one of the lights was in need of repair. Setting his personal mug on the counter, Charles began rummaging through the drawers for replacement bulbs. He could just fix this himself.

sweetpinkpixie · 06-17-2024, 02:37 PM

It wasn't in her nature to not go exploring, so there really was no tangible reason for Joana not venturing down to the infamous underground coffee club during her years of part-time work at the Ministry. She had even been asked to deliver some paperwork to the courtrooms on this level once or twice and yet the itch had never formed and thus never the urge to scratch. Today was another story, however, and her spirits were emboldened by her full time employee status - or at least that was the narrative she told herself as she slipped through the entrance. Transcripts of some recently conducted interviews to proofread and review tucked into a folder along with some itinerary to double and triple check for newly transferred employees from other Ministries, Joana danced and sashayed her way over towards a particularly patchworky plush couch and flopped down in it. It may have just been her imagination but she could have sworn that the moment she sat down a cloud of dust lifted itself off the tattered material. "That was....festive," she coughed and pushed the air around the front of her face with her hand. "You know...with a little elbow grease and some fresh paint...this place could really be something amazing," she noted to herself. New artistic endeavour unlocked? Certainly seemed that way and it had been so long since she had done any sort of mural work.

Joana took a moment to set her things down on a nearby coffee table and reached for her nonexistent mug beside it. "Oh, silly thing, you've got to make it before you can drink it."

*Lottiepot* · 06-17-2024, 03:47 PM

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that someone who loved space as much as Mikkel did and whose job it was to literally observe celestial movements would keep to some rather unsociable hours. The result of late night sessions with his telescope was when he WAS expected to arrive at work during daylight hours, the man relied on an awful quantity of coffee to keep his eyes open.

He was aware that there were plentiful resources to get his caffeinated fix around the ministry but they were often some of the most visited locations with a queue for the pot and workers primed for conversation. It wasn’t that he disliked other people but spending over a decade in one’s own company with polar bears for neighbours on a remote Arctic certainly had its way with his comfortability among crowds and with his skills as a conversationalist. He’d found the underground coffee club by accident one day whilst searching for a quiet spot to consume his beverage and it had remained his spot ever since.

He’d helped himself to a black coffee in his galaxy themed mug from the thankfully already filled pot on the cauldron and was nestled into a dark corner on a pleather couch concentrating on keeping his mind awake when a voice cut through the silence. It took him a few seconds to establish whether the words were directed at him resulting in a perplexed expression as he glanced over at her. “Apologies but.. are you talking to me?” he asked hesitantly.

sweetpinkpixie · 06-18-2024, 03:42 PM

It really was quite unfortunate that she had found the sweet spot on this particular couch on her first sit only to need to get up so she could treat herself to cup of something. That cup of something was going to be a cup of coffee, of course, but maybe today she would be a bit adventurous and instead of taking it black she could add a bit of cream into it. Never a sugar cube though. Never.

Slapping her thighs, Joana was just about to roll herself up to stand when she realized she was no longer alone. His question required a moment to process and soon the Thunderbird was laughing and squishing her cheeks together with the palms of her hand as she shook her head. "Oh, no. Oh meu Deus. I was talking to myself. It helps to hear my thoughts aloud and keep me focused." As well as a habit that had amplified itself during her capture in Atlantis. "Hey, is that Messier 64 on your mug? The Black Eye Galaxy?" she asked, her curiosity now being just enough of a final push to get herself up and out of the couch's sweet spot. Joana was soon sauntering over towards her fellow coffee club dweller, putting her own coffee retrieval on a temporary pause. Why was he all the way over here in the corner when there was plenty of seating out in the open where there was much better lighting. Right up alongside his chair now, Joana was able to get a better look at his mug and was still feeling confident with her first instinct but now that she could see things more clearly she thought she may see something else. "And...Butterfly Galaxies?"

In case it was not obvious by her smile and the twinkle in her eye, she was quite the fan of his mug.

*Lottiepot* · 06-18-2024, 08:18 PM

There was likely a reason that she hadn’t seen him in the corner, mostly because he had chosen said position to be as inconspicuous as possible. His ridiculous height didn’t help much with blending into the background hence why he had thought that her words had been directed towards him. “I do that too” He admitted in the hopes to reassure her that it was completely normal. It was either himself, the stars or the polar bears, he felt the former was the least weird in those circumstances.

Mikkel might not have been a great conversationalist but the second that the woman recognised a galaxy portrayed on his mug, the awkward demeanour dissipated and his face instantly lit up at the thought of being able to have an interesting conversation with another. It was helping that the caffeine was presently running through his veins and he was starting to wake himself up and perhaps was why he hadn’t shied away when she approached him breaking his comfortability bubble. “Yes, there are a few on here” he answered, twisting the mug around in his hand to show her the various pictures. “There is also the Cartwheel Galaxy and the Tadpole” he continued turning it around until he was back where he started. “It was a gift from my parents when I joined the Ministry. You are interested in space too?” Or perhaps she was just good at Astronomy at school? Either way he was pleased to have a conversation partner who shared his own interests.

He was sure he bored most people whenever he opened his mouth.

sweetpinkpixie · 06-20-2024, 03:11 AM

Usually she was much more aware of her surroundings and who else was occupying the space. Perhaps she was growing a bit soft and too comfortable since her return from Atlantis. It had been several years now and once she feel into routine she ran the risk of becoming complacent and plateauing in her personal development. This was why she was always on the move and seeking out new adventures to push herself and ensure that she stepped out of her comfort zone. Which was also why certain aspects of her life had her horrendously on edge and not the sort of edge that she enjoyed climbing.

And speaking of climbing, she had a mug still to be retrieved. But first was the hankering to get to know one of her colleagues. Well, not a direct colleague since he obviously wasn't from the same department - she would have known if he were before she had essentially memorized the filing cabinet and was working her way through the rest of the Ministry one transfer at a time. Just a little perk as an Immigration Officer required to perform background checks and yada yada. "Oh sim sim sim," she nodded, her tone akin to a round of applause on its own as she approached him further and officially invaded his personal bubble to the point that she was sitting on the arm of his seat. "That was sweet of them." His parents getting him such a functional and convenient gift, those were the best kind in her opinion. Decorative and all the pomp and circumstance were just so unnecessary, usually. "Yes, fascinated really but more as a casual stargazer...though I would say I fluctuate between that and amateaur astronomer. Ei, so obviously visually I understand why it is named the Tadpole Galaxy but...why does it look like a tadpole? Something to do with gravity, right?"

Anticipating a thorough explanation, because who else would have a mug with galaxies on them if not someone who was an Astronomer themselves, Joana slipped off the arm and moved back to her bag to grab her own mug and then over to the coffee pot to fill up.

"And...what about yourself? Astronomy as a hobby ooooor ... is that what you do around here?"

*Lottiepot* · 06-20-2024, 08:51 PM

His parents had always encouraged him to pursue his interests and it had so happened that he continued in his father’s footsteps. With that being said, he hadn’t been overly close to them to the point that moving away had been difficult. He’d spent all those years in an Arctic archipelago anyway. The mug had just been their attempt at telling him that they were proud of him. “Yes” he replied, not sure whether her statement had required any further response.

Now she was talking HIS language. What Mikkel lacked in normal conversational skills, he more than made up for in droning on about his favourite things. He struggled in knowing when to stop though, or the level of comprehension of his companion, or when others were just being polite by trying to engage him and didn’t actually care for what he had to say. “Yes. My cup isn’t the best visual representation but if you look at the original photograph from the Hubble Telescope you’ll be able to see a smaller blue galaxy in the ‘tadpole’s’ head. That is an interloper and its interaction with UGC 10214 resulted in strong gravitational forces creating the ‘tail’ of debris we see today.” He paused, thinking he had probably said enough even if it was she who had started the conversation. “Space is incredible. She holds the answers to the past, present and future of our existence.” He understood that Astronomy wasn’t for everyone but it was worth a little investment of everyone’s time.

“I studied Astronomy and Cosmology in Reykjavik and then spent twelve years at the Kjell Henriksen Observatory on Svalbard.” And now? Well now he was an Unspeakable.

The discussion had meant Mik hadn’t even flinched when that personal space boundary was invaded even more and the woman had planted herself on the arm of the sofa. It wasn’t until she had moved off to fill up her rather unique mug choice, that he had noticed her proximity. “That handle looks like an accident waiting to happen” He attempted a little chuckle. “You must have a great grip.” Was that a strange thing to say? Probably.

sweetpinkpixie · 06-23-2024, 05:54 AM

Her observation had not required any sort of response, but she found it very endearing that he also was not shy about his parents' affections. Or at least that was what she read into his simple 'yes' answer.

There had been a time when Joana had seriously considered a career in astronomy, somewhere around her fourth and fifth year, and the majority of her art pieces were recreations of the heavens or her own interpretations of galaxies and nebulae. There were a Viega originals tucked away in her closet back at the flat that she had been meaning to get framed for years now. Maybe this was a divine signed that she should finally do that? She had eventually let go of her starstruck ambitions due to a desire for a career that was more sociable and demanded interactions with people, hence her interest in international relations, but sometimes she did wonder how everything would have panned out had she become a scientist who built their entire career on utilizing broadband filters to separate the brightness of the light into long, medium, and short wavelengths and assigning color based upon those wavelengths. Rare occasions, but they still graced her thoughts - mostly the times she was cooped up doing paperwork. "Oh, that makes sense..." she nodded with a smile. Such beauty to come out of the most violent type of galaxy interactions. "It really is, and beautiful as well." She hesitated a moment to mull over his words. "You said she" she pointed out while filing up her mug and turning back towards him. "As in...Mother Space...like Mother Earth?"

As if his gender assigning of space hadn't already captured her attention, the little tidbits into his backstory certainly had. "Reykjavik, as in the capital of Iceland and Svalbard...as in Artic archipelago? You certainly as a fascinating fellow," she praised. She had briefly tripped over her words since she realized now that they had not performed any proper introductions - she would get to that shortly. "I'd love to hear more about your time in Svalbard if you'd be willing to share. Suppose it goes without even needing to ask that you have seen your share of the Northern Lights," she laughed - something that was still on her bucket list of items. A list that maybe she could finally start ticking off now that she was settled into a fulltime career and not focusing almost exclusively on her studies. He didn't need to tell her that he was an Unspeakable or that he was employed in the Department of Mysteries - no other department in the Ministry had positions rooted in astronomy and cosmology. She knew, she had done her research.

Joana took another sip of her coffee before heading back over to the sofa and, this time, planted herself on the vacant cushion next to him rather than the arm of it. "Oh sim," she nodded while lifting her mug up for emphasis. "I'm a rock climber - free soloing, free climbing, aid climbing, bouldering, deep water soloing...I do and love it all. This was a gift from the gym I work at as an instructor. Helps keep my fingers dexterous and focused." Plus it amused her to no end and the faces people made when they saw her with it, a humble form of self flattery, likewise priceless. "I'm Joana, but you call call me Jo if you'd like," she finally introduced herself and offered a handshake with her free hand.

*Lottiepot* · 07-02-2024, 11:10 PM

The reasons why she had chosen a public facing career were the opposite to his reasons for becoming an Astronomer. Not that his opinions of people were negative, he just lacked the necessary skills to form these relationships. There was only so much talking to a telescope one could do before forgetting how exactly to communicate. Yes he had colleagues at the observatory but their conversations were majorly skewed towards a common subject in which they all could share. It was different but he was working on it.

Assigning a gender to ‘space’ hadn’t been decided on purpose, nor did he have a particular reason as to why space was a she other than because it felt like the right thing to say. “Did I?” he looked momentarily alarmed that his slip of the tongue might be construed as offensive somehow although her lack of negative expression should have reassured him otherwise. He pondered over his choice a moment longer before coming up with a reasonable explanation. “The Universe creates life so I suppose it is a she.” If that made any sense?

An overwhelming number of questions came and Mikkel was left resembling a Plimpy out of water as he opened and closed his mouth ready to say something before the next one came along. He’d never consider himself fascinating to another human being, solely because most of his life he had spent very much alone but he supposed that the adventures he’d had by himself were marginally interesting if you were into that sort of thing. “Correct,” he briefly interjected as she fact-checked his previous two places of residence. “It’s not infrequent to see the Borealis. It is better in the winter months though, the sun doesn’t set between the end of April until the end of August. But in winter it never rises, it is still dark at 12pm.” It took some getting used to, the concept of time could be completely thrown off by Svalbard’s tilt but it had never bothered the Astronomer. “It’s easier to spot Polar Bears in the summer.” He’d always made the assumption that most were interested in the wildlife more than his fascination with the crystal clear night skies. Has he ever seen one for himself? Of course. But he was wise enough to leave them well alone.

Mikkel didn’t mind that she had chosen to occupy the empty space next to him although there was a brief moment of surprise at her boldness which quickly dissipated as he reminded himself that this was what colleagues ‘did’. He shifted in his seat, pressing himself against the arm of the chair to create a comfortable distance without the risk of looking rude, which was never his intention. “People love to buy mugs as gifts” he offered a mildly amused smile. “I have climbed many mountains but usually on a path. I have tall person noodle arms” he actually chuckled lightly at his self deprecation.

“Mikkel.” He accepted the handshake with one of his own in his yeti sized hands.

sweetpinkpixie · 08-07-2024, 11:57 AM

No an ounce of negativity here but rather a continued fascination with how the world was perceived through the eyes of others, which was why his question was met with a pleasant hum and little nod. "Come to think of it," Joana mused before taking a pensive sip from her mug. "I don't think I've ever met a mountain that didn't give me a sense of feminine majesty." It, like his identification of the universe and space, was an unconscious decision and one that was perhaps based on that which you felt the most comfortable around - for her that was her relationship with her mother. She offered her new friend another smile and approving nod of the head - it didn't have to make complete sense to her (although it did in this case) since it was his relationship and understanding of the universe and she found herself a fan of his logic.

Perhaps she ought to tone down the enthusiasm just a bit before she had the man passing out from all the gulps. She certainly could try seeing as she was a diplomat. "Wow, England is the coldest place I've ever lived...the other two being San Diego, that's in California in America and Viana do Castelo in Portugal, though I only lived in Portugal until I was about two years old before we moved to America...and polar bears only an animal I've ever had the pleasure to see in zoos." To see one in its natural habitat would amazing. "I've rarely seen snow, as a matter of fact." The bottom of the Atlantic Ocean as a prisoner of Atlantis, yes, but snow was in short supply. "What made you leave all that behind and start a new chapter here?"

Joana drummed her nails along the side of her mug and warmed her palms against the porcelain for a moment. "They are quite the practical gift," she nodded in agreement. "My flat has a little mug rack to hang mugs off by the handle but...well," she laughed and looked down at her mug. "Most of my mugs are lacking in the handle region." At least this way there was no debate over which mug was who's. "I don't think they look so noodly," she mused, assuming that his deprecation was an invitation to look. "You probably get asked unnecessarily often to reach things in high places." She paused and glanced over at the cabinets and specifically the topmost regions were some employees were known to hide snacks. "Better than climbing the walls and counters to reach the things I need."

Her hand almost looked like a child's within in his and it made her laugh a little and she returned the shake. "Mikkel," she repeated, hoping her accent was sufficient.

*Lottiepot* · 08-19-2024, 05:24 PM

If he were not mistaken, Muggles made a habit of calling their transport vessels ‘she’ all the time. He’d never come across the alternative nor did it feel right to describe the universe as male but that was likely a him thing. Still he was relieved to hear that Joana did not disagree, he was sure that there were others who would but he had thankfully not met their presence at the Ministry yet. “I suppose it also depends on what you perceive as feminine traits. Nature is beautiful and the mind would automatically render that being female.” Not that males couldn’t be either but he was talking stereotypically and this was a conversation he didn’t really want to get into the depths of lest he accidentally and completely unintentionally insult someone.

There was a reason he was best friends with his telescope.

“It is not that cold here” he chuckled, wetting his mouth with his coffee. “It is minus 20 degrees on Svalbard in January.” He was absolutely fine with all his warming charms, how his muggle counterparts coped was beyond him. “There are only so many years of living and working mostly by yourself a human can take. My mother is British and I attended Hogwarts so it’s not a completely different place for myself to migrate to.” He’d achieved the top of the ladder so to speak, he’d seen everything he wanted to see and it was time for a new journey. “What made you come to Britain?” he asked, concluding that Joana liked to talk and he was happy to listen so offering the question back seemed like the right step to take.

Mugs without handles sounded awfully impractical but each to their own. How their conversation had migrated from pleasantries to unique mug design was beyond him considering most of his conversations consisted of a quick hello followed by silence as the Astronomer tried to remember how to behave socially. “Height comes with advantages,” he agreed. Thus far he had not been asked to be the official Mysteries top shelf grabber but he wouldn’t say no if someone did request it. “Perhaps you should put those hand holds in your walls, then you won’t need to climb the countertop.” Interior design wasn’t his forte but practicality was.

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