Closed A People's Person

Stewart Maybank

stewie | stressed tm
 
Messages
45
Blood Status
Mixed Blood
Relationship Status
Single
Sexual Orientation
Hetrosexual
Wand
Knotted 12 Inch Sturdy Ebony Wand with Essence of Belladonna Core
Age
09/2024 (27)
Stewie had had this store front for a couple of months now, it was new, and it wasn't going entirely to plan, but it was fine. His brother didn't want him to work with him, he didn't need that. Stewie was a good potioneer, had exceeded all expectations of him when he'd started after most of his school grades hadn't been the best. Potions were easy though, he could do potions. The shop had always been the plan, his brother had one back in Australia, and after shutting Stewie out of it, he'd broken off, trained harder, gotten more qualifications, and now he had his own store. It just…wasn't really going to plan. He was only one person, and with a store front he had to serve customers occasionally. This ate him his time and left less time for experimentation, which was what he preferred to do. It didn't help that with the store barely getting by, he was literally sleeping in the back room because he didn't have money to also rent a flat. So he'd handwritten a sign and popped it in the window as he tried to manage three potions going, and chopping the next ingredient. God, he needed someone to help him out. He didn't really have much money to pay the person with, but if he had help he could balance his time better and then things would be fine. They'd be fine. He just needed someone else.
 
Ever since Evan and Charlie had broken up, Evan had been reconsidering her life. Charlie was a good man, kind and sweet, but neither of them had been ready for a relationship. He'd taken a job teaching, and after several long hours, they'd decided it would be for the best to stop dating. They were still friends, of course, but neither of them had been ready for a long distance relationship.

Evan had decided that it was a sign to move, and so she'd decided to relocate again- this time to New Zealand. She had a month or two left on the lease for her old apartment, but that would give her time to find work and a new place to live. She was considering this as she walked down the street, when she happened to see a shop with a help wanted sign. Intrigued, she stepped inside, looking around. "Hello?" She called, one hand still on the open door.
 
Stewie barely heard the voice at the door, he'd been so caught up in just.....something else. But he heard it faintly and curious enough about the faint noise he had heard, Stewie wandered out of the back of house and to the main area of the store, spotting a woman who wasn't even fully in. ”Hi, what can I get you?” he asked straight to the point, with a sigh at the end, not necessarily because he was bored but just as if the stress was trying to escape all in one little sigh.
 
Evan smiled shyly at the man appeared. "Hello, do you own this store?" she asked, stepping inside. "I was wondering about the sign in the window?' She asked him, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I'm rather good with potions..."
 
Stewie looked at the young woman who upon not answering his question came further into the store. He glanced at the sign in the window that hadn't been up long and then glanced back to the woman who was clearly asking about it. ”I rent the store front area,” he said, not wanting her to think the place was his entirely, he did not have that kind of money currently. Though he wanted to. ”I'll be honest with you....,” he paused for a moment, largely because he'd expected her to use her name which he didn't know. ”I'm mostly looking for someone to deal with customers and maybe occasionally help out with potions..,” he didn't want to give someone too much hope for whatever career they were pushing forward. ”And I won't be able to pay you much..,” Stewie absolutely expected this woman to now leave.
 
Evan considered his question, studying him. The man... looked tired. She nodded slowly. "Alright... if it's alright with you, we could try it out for a week or two?" She offered gently. "My name is Evan Whittaker... I'm looking to relocate here, I have enough money for about six months right now... Four once I get an apartment." She bit her lip, stepping a little closer to him. "I'd like to give this a try..." She tried to sound confident.
 
Stewie wasn't sure if he should agree to a possible two-week trial, but he could use the initial help, and this was enough to make him really consider it. The woman's name was Evan, and she gave more information that he was really interested in, but he did still nod. He nodded a few times, as if nodding to physically absorb all the information she gave to him. ”Okay, I'd like to give this a try too. Follow me,” he said, motioning with his arm for her to follow. Mostly he was leading her to the back of the shop where he had a desk, currently devoid of a cauldron, and conjured up two chairs for them to sit in.

The back was a bit of a mess, where the front was bare and more organize, the back was disorganized, there were cups of half drunk coffee from various days, left in a location and clearly forgotten about. There was no organization to the papers he had, documents about the place, orders, potion ingredients, and an old worn notebook which had more pages stuff into it than it had ever had pages to begin with. The place held little warmth, there were unopened boxes, no person effects apart from the odd certificate or award. ”I'm Stewie,” he introduced as he sat down, grabbing a quill. ”You're Evan Whittaker, is that with one t or two t's?”
 
Evan smiled and hurried after him, clutching at the strap of her handbag. She took the seat he offered her, looking around. "Two," She replied, turning her eyes back to him. "It's a bit of a mess back here... I could clean up if you'd like?" She offered. "I could help organize the shop while I wait for customers to come in. Do you have an inventory list, or a price list?" She asked, trying to be professional.
 
Stewie focused on writing her name and not so much on answering her question about tidying the room. ”How old are you, Evan?” he asked, it was clear he was filling out some employee details so that he would have them. ”There's a price list at the front of the shop under the desk, and an inventory list… I'm working on that,” he added, it hadn't been obvious that he'd heard or been listening to her, but Stewie had. There was equally a stress to his tone, that it wasn't the first time someone or even just he had told himself to work on the inventory list. ”Do you have NEWT in potions?” he added, if only to know what her base was for potions.
 
Evan smiled softly. "I'm 23. I can build an inventory list, if you'd like, while I straighten up the front of the shop, then I can continue on into the back." She offered again. "I do, an Outstanding, in Charms and Herbology as well, with an Exceeds Expectations in all the rest." She informed him. "I'm free today, I could start immediately if you'd like," She didn't need to tell him that he looked like he was stressed. Like he could use an extra hand.
 
Stewie took a note of her age and then a note of her grades. ”So an EE in potions?” he was confirming. His leg start bouncing under the table, he didn't seem to notice that it had. He thought it was pretty impressive that she'd managed to get that, by the end of his own school he'd only been taking potions and Herbology and sure he'd excelled at both, but he'd failed pretty much everything else. His professors had called him a disorganized mind. Stewie was surprised she could start that day, and he was thinking about it, he knew he could use the help immediately. Not tomorrow or next week. He let out a long breath, and inhaled again deeply. ”You said you were looking for an apartment? The guy who is renting this place out is looking for a renter for the flat above. The door to it is right next door. I can get you in touch with him?” Stewie didn't confirm whether he wanted her to start that day, he was still considering it.
 
Evan shook her head quickly. "Oh, no, it was an Outstanding in Potions, Charms, and Herbology. Exceeds Expectations in the rest of my classes," She told him. She was surprised when he suggested the apartment above the shop. "Oh, that sounds lovely..." She mused, thinking it over for a moment. "Perhaps if I take the position and it goes well?" She decided, smiling at him. "I don't need a place immediately, I'd like to see how this goes before making a solid decision."
 
Stewie scored out what he'd written about her grades and updated it per what she said. He thought the grades were great, and the O in potions would be useful. Of course, he didn't think there was much difference between O and EE when it came to potions, but for him, it was a note of where she was. Stewie nodded a number of times as she spoke. ”That's fair Evan, smart choice,” and he meant it. ”Like I said earlier, I can't pay much, but once the place starts picking up, I'll raise you to an appropriate wage,” Stewie said. His leg was still bouncing under the table, he barely held her gaze as he spoke, as if embarrassed that his brand-new store wasn't quite doing as well as he'd hoped. ”I'll need to see your skill level before we decide the appropriate wage, but if you are willing to learn, I'm willing to teach,” Stewie looked up and held her gaze for a moment, his hand twirling the quill. ”I can show you around and what I'm working on, and then we can get started?”
 
Evan smiled softly and nodded at his words. "Oh, it's alright. I have a little bit of a side business I can use to make ends meet," She told him. "I sell soaps and fragrances online, it's not exactly making me rich but I can still support myself if I'm careful," She brushed her hair back, swallowing nervously. She didn't know why, but suddenly she wanted to do well. This man... he looked so lost, and it was something Evan knew very, very well. "Of course! I'm free the rest of the day." She set her purse down on his desk and stood, brushing her hands over her bottoms and straightening her shirt. "That sounds lovely, shall we?" She asked, giving him a shy smile before hesitating. "Oh, is there a particular way I should address you? As my employer, Stewie seems rather... informal, if I may," She bit her lip.
 
Stewie was sort of surprised when it seemed that she had a side business. He wasn't sure why she wanted this job if she already had a business that made money. He glanced around, shifting his position in the chair, which for a moment his leg stopped bouncing until it started up again under the chair. ”If you don't mind my asking, then....why do you want this job if you have a business?” he said. He could understand waiting to gain enough money to open something up, but he wasn't sure why she needed this if she could support herself. Stewie watched her stand and hesitated for a moment before he stood up, doing it in such a way that caused the chair he was sitting on to fall over. ”Sorry,” he said moving to pick it up. ”Stewie is fine, please. This is not a formal place...,” he motioned with his hand to the general place.
 
Evie smiled a little shyly at his question, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Oh, I- I'm looking to start over," She told him gently. "I only make the soaps as a way to support myself. It's not... my real passion," She brushed her hand over her hair again, biting her lip. "I'm not sure what my passion is, honestly... I'm still looking," She folded her hands in front of her, jumping out of her skin when the chair hit the floor. She couldn't help but giggle softly, leaning forward a bit to make sure he was alright. "Erm, alright... Stewie," She agreed hesitantly. "Perhaps... I could be Evan, then?" She offered in turn.
 
Stewie thought it a little weird to start over, but he glanced back down at the information he had on her and she was younger, there was time for her to change wanted to do. He wasn't sure if this, potion ingredients and potion making was her passion but perhaps it too was just another way to change over. He didn't mind, he needed the help and she wasn't batting an eyelid at the fact he wasn't going to be giving much money. Stewie straightened up the chair he'd knocked over and then nodded. "Okay Evan," he replied, that was just her name, perhaps she'd been referred to a lot by her surname. "Let me show you around," he walked with a quick glance back at her to the front of the store. "Potion ingredient to buy there, some premade potions too, these ones are basic so not a big deal if they break or something," he told her before moving to the counter. "There's an order form for bespoke potions, with a price guide, here," he said. Showing them to her, speaking perhaps a bit too rapidly.
 
Evan smiled softly, following after Stewart and looking around at everything he showed her. He was going a bit fast, but with a bit of focus she was able to understand what he was saying. "Alright, I understand that," She told him, looking over everything. "Potion ingredients, simple potions, order form for bespoke potions, and price guide?" She repeated, motioning to each thing as he said it. "While I wait for the customers, am I allowed to clean up and organize the shop?" She asked. "I could take inventory while I'm at it." She offered him.
 
Stewie nodded lightly as she repeated a few of the things back to him. "If you get something wrong, just tell me, I'm not gonna be mad," he told her and though his tone was one filled with stress there was an honesty to it. Stewie was not going to be mad if she made mistakes. He might frustrated but it wouldn't be because of her. "If you want to," he answered her question with a shrug. "I do...have a bit of a system...so if you move something, tell me where its been moved to," Stewie was a little worried he'd not be able to find things if she touched a lot of it. It would necessary and he welcomed her doing it, but still.
 
Stewie was being pretty straight forward. She nodded easily, giving him a small smile. "Of course. Would you walk me through your system before I get started? I'd like to try and build on it, if I could," She offered, picking up the clipboard and taking out a pen. "I am just here to help, after all."
 
Stewie laughed at her question, though it was a little humourless. He just, having to explain his system would probably...well, it wasn't a good system. He took a little breath, "Okay but you can't laugh, I promise it makes sense in my head," he said before launching into the explanation of his system. He spoke quickly, barely taking a breathing, pointing to different things and turning away from her as he spoke. When he was done he turned back around to her and gave a little smile. "If that makes sense?"
 
Evan listened carefully as Stewie went on to describe his system to her. It took a bit of focusing, but with her hand flying to take notes, she thought she managed to get the general gist of his way of thinking. She read over her notes as he turned, tapping the end of her pencil gently against her lips. "I... think so," She replied, stepping a bit closer. She asked him a few questions, pointing at a few of her notes and clarifying his points on them.
 
Stewie was a little surprised at that she managed to get some of it. He answered the questions as best he could and then nodded. "Can I leave you to it?" he asked since she seemed to more or less have it and he had a few orders he was a little late on that he needed to get started with. "I'll just be in the back if you need anything. And note down the time, so you can keep track of how long you work," Stewie added. Though he knew he'd be under paying her, he did still want to pay her for the hours that she did do.
 
Evan nodded, smiling at him. "I can totally take care of this," She promised him, clutching her clipboard to her chest. "You get back to work, I've got this." She tucked her hair back. "I'll come to you if anything comes up," She nodded, but felt confident that she would be alright with this.
 
Stewie hesitated a moment before nodding. ”Okay, I'll just be in the back if you need anything,” he repeated without realizing that he had done and he walked away. He was able to focus, and finish the potions that he needed to, he didn't organize himself, but he did get started on the next one. Focusing on working away and let the time get away from him. Stewie had never been particularly good at time keeping, and he was rushing to stabilize the potion to pick it up later and he headed back through to where he had left Evan. ”Still here?” he asked, spotting her.
 

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