Closed Some Things Never Change

[Nikko Blackwood]

Nikko had been dying to visit Harper at work ever since he found out she had picked up a bartending job since graduation. But of course quidditch took up so much of his time he found it hard to get away when he wanted to. As much as he loved what he did and felt so lucky to be doing it, it just made it even harder to find a balance between work and his real life. He just never expected to have to work so hard to find it. But finally the stars seemed to align and after a big win with the Macaws he had a few days off and decided he needed to celebrate with a friend. He ducked into the bar and found it busier than expected but there was a spot at the bar and he spotted Harper and he waved in her direction. Nikko made sure to snag a seat and grinned when he saw his friend hard at work. "I'm quite thirsty over here." he called out before laughing as he tried to get her attention,

 

[Harper Alston]

In some ways, life after graduation was a lot easier. More low-key. Relaxed. Harper didn't have to worry about lessons or homework or exams. She showed up to her coaching and bartending jobs, did her work, and then was able to leave it all behind when she went home. It could be exhausting, sure. Hectic, definitely. But it was rarely difficult, and most days she enjoyed the work. Her social life was a different story. While Harper had managed to stay in touch with most of her magical friends, it was still an adjustment going from seeing them 24/7 to visiting every few days, if not weeks. Things weren't any easier with her muggle friends. She saw them a lot more, but she still felt as if there was an invisible wall separating herself from them even though she technically now lived in the same world as them.

It was easier to forget all about that when she was working. Busy nights were especially good for this. Her only concern was making sure her customers were happy. Tonight, things weren't as busy as Harper would've liked, but there was still a handful of people at the bar. She had just finished delivering drinks to a couple that was clearly on their first (and last) date when she heard a familiar voice. Harper turned, eyes lighting up when she saw who it was, and she hurried over to Nikko. "Hi, sorry, rude customers get served last," Harper said with a grin even as she slid a drink menu over to him. "Can't you see I'm busy?" she asked, gesturing grandly to the half-empty bar. It was pretty obvious that all of the patrons had been attended to, and no one needed her at the moment.

 

[Nikko Blackwood]

send me to reply jail. so sorry this took forever!

Nikko pretended to be offended when Harper called him rude. But he still took the menu and glanced around the mostly empty bar. "Well it looks like I'll be waiting all night then." he said and gestured to the vacant seats on both sides of him. He laughed. "Can you see something I cant?" he joked with faux concern. It felt good to joke around. He got along with everyone on the team just fine but he still felt like the new guy most of the time and was still finding his place even if it had already been a year since he joined the team. He wasn't confident the feeling would ever go away since he was pretty sure it was mostly in his head. Or maybe they just needed someone new on the team for him to finally shake it off. Either way he was glad to see his friend even if the location and circumstances felt extremely bizarre. "So what's good here?" he asked as he looked at the menu seriously. "Or would you rather surprise me?" Nikko asked and hoped he wouldn't regret it.

 

[Harper Alston]

((you're good!))

Harper laughed a little before widening her eyes in matching concern. "You mean you can't see the crowds of people vying for my attention?" Sometimes, on the busiest nights, it really felt that way. Thankfully everyone seemed to be satisfied for now, but if anyone needed her, she'd send Caden their way. She was pretty sure her coworker was around here somewhere. "If you like beer, we have a couple local brews on tap that are pretty popular." Personally, Harper couldn't tell the difference. She didn't have the most discerning palate, which was perhaps a little ironic considering her job. "But if you want a mixed drink, I can surprise you with something." Harper normally shied away from such requests since her knowledge of different drinks was pretty limited, and she didn't feel experienced enough to come up with new cocktails on the fly. But making something for a friend was a lot less pressure. She didn't need to worry about Nikko suddenly growing irate and demanding to speak with the owner. "What kind of flavours do you like?" she asked, hoping he would agree to be her guinea pig.

 

[Nikko Blackwood]

Nikko grinned. "Oh right of course." he said, playing along. He had never had a job like a bartender before. He had never had a real job before he got his spot on the Macaws. He had helped around at the inn growing up but they didn't have a bar and he had been too young to deal with alcohol anyways. Most of the time he was on maid duty or in the kitchen. "A surprise. Defiantly a surprise." he answered quickly once Harper had given him that option. When she asked about flavors he paused to think. He didn't do much drinking and wasn't sure what he liked. "Something sweet." he said. "But not too sweet." he added quickly. "Something that sounds cool."

 

[Harper Alston]

Harper was glad Nikko was up for a surprise. What kind of Gryffindor would he be otherwise? "So you don't want an alcoholic version of a chocolate chip cookie?" she asked with a grin. It had occurred to her that this exchange was a reversal of all their old hangouts in the Hogwarts kitchens. Now, instead of keeping him company while he baked, he was keeping her company while she mixed drinks. "Something that sounds cool," she repeated, already going through a mental list of cocktails to find one that fit the bill. "I can do that." Harper quickly set about pouring scotch, cherry liquor, sweet vermouth, blood orange juice, lemon juice, and ice into a shaker, adjusting the proportions so that it wouldn't be too sweet. After shaking the mixture and straining it into a glass, she cut an orange peel garnish and added it to the glass. "Tada!" she said, pushing the drink towards Nikko. "It's called a Blood and Sand. Is that cool enough for you?" she teased.