Closed Assistants are the Worst Gossips

[Corvin Driscoll]

Life was going well, Corvin thought. He had a friend in Dreya, and he was really just waiting for her and Corentin to get together. He was close to his nephew, who'd just left for school, and he couldn't be happier to have his brother back as a steady presence in his life. His shop did well. As was the coffee shop next door, which was still owned by the intriguingly handsome Timothy. Of course, Corvin was harboring a massive crush, but he'd never admit to it. And with Timothy had come Daria, a sweet girl who liked to pop in and help him around the shop. She'd been by enough times now that he was comfortable with her. He was expecting her by soon. He was humming softly to himself, elbow deep in a new flowerbed he was prepping.

 

[Daria Bright-Root]

Adulthood. A vast ocean Daria had been cast into, and without a single landmark to guide her she had no choice but to float in place and let what happened happen. For now, floating in place meant staying with her brother, increasing her part-time job in his café to a full-time one and dedicating herself to early mornings and the smell of espresso burned into her nostrils. It wasn't bad of course, Timothy paid her well and let her convert the spare room she used to stay in into her official bedroom, moving in with him above the shop and saying goodbye to Thailand for now. It wasn't a bad life, it just wasn't one she had chosen.

One of the highlights of the shop had always been the neighbours though - as much as Timothy didn't know what to do with himself around Corvin, Daria had always gotten along with him well. It was especially nice now, having had to say goodbye to her garden in the Wild Patch when she left Hogwarts, having a place she could go and get in touch with nature again. She gave a small smile and wave as she spotted Corvin, approaching slowly. "Hey." She said, more at ease than she ever was at Timothy's. Corvin was like her - he was quiet, he was easily overlooked, there was something about him that seemed to shrink from the world. Just like Daria. She didn't need to say much, smiling slightly as she crouched down next to him and pulled on her gloves. "What are we doing today?"

 

[Corvin Driscoll]

Corvin smiled as Daria appeared. He kept working, content with his hands in the soil. "Am-am-" He sighed, and nodded to the small bag of seeds labelled amaryllis. He wasn't sure why he still stuttered so much, but at least he could manage it. Probably. Mostly. Unless Timothy showed up, but Corvin wasn't going to think about that. He took a breath, steadying, and focused... some of his attention back on Daria. "R-red, and ah... pink," He informed her. It had been a popular request lately.

 

[Daria Bright-Root]

Daria glanced down at the packet of seeds, nodding as she understood. She smiled slightly when he mentioned the colour combination, picking up one of the bulbs to look it over. "Sounds really pretty." She smiled, before setting it down and going to work helping with the soil. It was strange after years of Herbology and Wild Patch, re-learning to do things the muggle way. It was comforting though, almost like meditating as she began working to nourish the earth. "How has the shop been going?"