You Got Time?

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha had been surprised when Mallory had sent him a rose. He knew professor sent roses, after all he’d sent a few in the past but he hadn’t exactly thought she would send him one. And he felt bad when he realised that she might be a little saddened that he hadn’t thought of her. But instead of lingering too long on it, he decided to just make it right and with an easy order via the prophet, Misha had want he’d wanted. He went to Mallory’s office and knocked on the door, ”Hey it’s me, you there?” he asked he was sure that he’d heard her pottering about in her office.​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory had been excited for the rose giving festival that year. She hadn't been sure if she could send one to anyone really, so she had decided to just send one to Misha. She'd tried to make herself available all day, excited for the holiday. But as time went on, her hopes had slowly fallen. She was in her office, trying to ignore how the day was going by. Had she really not gotten any roses? No students, or other Professors? Mallory had tried not to feel left out growing up, tucked away at home with her siblings. She sighed as the feeling came rushing back in today. She had resorted to needlessly organizing her books, trying to distract herself. She puased as she heard a voice, looking up automatically. "Come in, Misha," she called out, moving to sit down at her desk instead.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha walked in and smiled at Mallory before holding out a box to her. ”Sorry, it’s not a rose technically, but it is rose tea,” he said with a little sheepish expression. Misha was sure it was maybe a little disappointing to not get any roses. ”I only got a rose for my daughter, and I wasn’t expecting one from you, so to make up for it,” Misha had only wanted to give his daughter a rose because of what she was now going on to do. The woman she had become. He gave a little shrug and continued to hold the tea out to Mallory. At the very least though it was no fresh rose, it was loose leaf rose tea and he knew she liked tea.​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory raised a brow as Misha came in with a box. She sighed softly, giving him a gentle smile and standing again to take the box. "Thank you," she murmured, setting the box down on her desk. "I... probably shouldn't have sent it," she sighed, sitting again. "I'm sorry, Misha. I... haven't been involved in any school events before. I got a bit carried away," she gave him a bashful smile, before shaking her head and tucking a bit of dark hair behind her ear. "Thank you for the tea," she added, almost shyly.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha gave a little shrug, "The first few years it happened I always sent more roses," he said with a little smile. "I don't usually get any though so it was nice to get one," he said both to hopefully make her feel a little less bad about wanting to be pretty involved with things in the school. He gave her a little smile. "The good thing about these school events is they are cyclical, so next year you'll perhaps get more roses than you send," he assured her. He was really hopeful that all he was saying was actually helping her feel better. ​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory blushed a bit as Misha commented on how nice it was to get a rose. She gave him a shy smile, unsure if she should really send him another one. She actually laughed lightly as he talked about her getting more roses next year. "We'll see," she told him, before sighing. "I think... if I am being honest, I've just had a lot on my mind lately, and the rose giving wasn't as much of a distraction as I had hoped it was." She confided, propping her chin in her hand.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha gave a little smile nodded. His smiled faltered a little as she began saying that she'd had a lot on her mind. He didn't want to have the wrong energy in speaking to her and smiling too much if she was having issues. "What's on your mind?" he asked and he sat down in an available chair. He had a soft and interested tone, and his hand was already moving so that the tea would begin to be made. He hadn't know Mallory all that long but she wasn't too much older than his daughter that he felt a certain level of protectiveness over her and wanted to make sure she was okay.​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory let out a heavy sigh at the other mans question, silently appreciating it when she noticed the tea starting to brew. "I... it's a combination of things, really. I've gotten word on my estranged older brother. And I... am sort of having trouble with... a man," She admitted shyly, wincing a bit at the thought of Atkin. He always seemed to vary between kind and charming, and jealous and rude. She wasn't sure how to handle either things, really. And she still hadn't heard from Annika on how Dimitri was, if he was willing to take them back. She knew it was cowardly to just send her little sister in, but Dimitri and Annika had been inseparable growing up. It was only fair that Annika be the one to confront him.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha gave a nod and then gave a little knowing smile at the last part. "Well as I often tell my daughter, relationships are always trouble," which he said as a man who'd been in some though he hadn't been in very long relationships. He wasn't necessary good at them and tended to just not be able to make them last. "Well, if you need help with your brother, I do speak Russian," he wasn't sure how he could help but he knew a little about estranged family, since it had been years since he'd last really spoken to his. "And trouble with a man...Do you want to tell me what sort of trouble?" he asked because maybe he would be able to help or give advice but he didn't want to give advice for it to then be completely wrong. ​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

((Sorry, I sorta lost this lol))

Mallory sighed softly, giving him a gentle smile. "Thank you, but I don't think that will help with Dimitri," she brushed her hair back. She hesitated as she asked about a man, looking away a moment before glancing back to him. "I'm... not really sure what the problem is," she shook her head. "I'm not even sure if it is a problem..." Mallory grimaced. "I don't know, sometimes he's soft and gets me sweets, but other times... he gets jealous of you, I think. Sometimes... I think he might like me. But then, like today, there's just... nothing. No flowers or notes or anything, just... nothing."

Mallory sat back and sighed. "I suppose it's for the best," she shook her head, tucking her chin in her hands. "My life is here now. It's... probably silly of me to even bother thinking of this things." She gave him a shy smile.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha was a little curious when she said she wasn't sure what the issue was, that he got jealous of him. He thought if these were things that Mallory liked then he should do those things for her. "He does know that you're half my age, young enough to be my daughter?" he didn't understand why the man would be jealous of him of all people. "But my honest opinion, Mallory he doesn't sound good for you. Obviously you are the final decision maker on that, but you deserve to be treated right," he told her. He didn't think it was silly but maybe other were not on the same page with her. "Relationships are hard," he said in a knowing tone. He had a daughter but he wasn't married and his relationshup with his daughter and his ex were good but his relationship with his own family was not.​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory sighed, propping her chin in her hands. "I don't know, I told him we were only colleagues. I shouldn't have to hide things, I only mentioned that you made me feel more welcome when I got here," she shook her head. "My brother was never the jealous type. Not like this, anyway. He was always the type to pout and cuddle up in your side looking for attention."

Mallory pouted a bit herself. She could handle men like Dimitri, or at least she thought she could. She smiled as he said relationships were hard. "I'm not going to date him," she shook her head. "If I can't talk freely about my work then I don't want to be involved that way," she sighed. "I have enough on my mind as it is, worrying about my brother." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "It would be nice though, I think, to have someone really love you," she sighed.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha nodded, he was pleased that she was pretty determined to not date someone who was by the sounds of it not that supportive and not that nice. He gave a little shrug at her last statement. "Now, I'm not saying you should do this, there are several other ways to do it, but kids do also, provided you do right by them, people who really love you," he said, before laughing slightly, there were definitely easier ways of doing things. "But dating can do that too if right. Though I can't say I've had too much luck there," but then in the same vein he wasn't that interested in dating. It wasn't really for him. But it seemed it was for her. "I'm sure you'll meet someone eventually and they'll be right for you," he assured.​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory laughed lightly. "I'm still on a hit or miss basis with most of my students." she gave him a small smile. "Why don't I start with my brother?" her smile wavered and she sighed. "I sent my younger sister to go see him. I'm too afraid he'll reject us openly to go myself," she shook her head. "Besides, Nika was always closest with Dimitri. It hurt her the most when he left," she propped her chin in her hand, staring off sadly. "I only found him by accident, apparently he's started seeing a friend of mine. Small world, isn't it?" she laughed dryly.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha shrugged, "Most people are hit or miss with students, you are never going to manage to please all of them," he assured her. Some years he had more hits and than misses and others more misses than hits, it just depended. But it wasn't the worst thing if it was bad, so long as they were still learning. "I'm sure he won't reject you," he said, though of course he couldn't be certain of anything. "The magical world is not nearly as big as everyone thinkgs and as it turns out a whole lot of them come here to New Zealand," he said. He knew he'd come here for work, and his daughter had come to find him so he didn't know how it felt to randomly find someone but he could imagine. ​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled softly. She could see the point of what he was saying. She had noticed that a few students hadn't been as thrilled with her. Her smiled faltered as he tried to reassure her about Dimitri. "I hope so," she murmured, sighing. "It's just been so long..." she looked away, a sad look passing over her face. "We didn't come from a very... loving environment, I wouldn't blame him for just leaving us all behind," she grimaced.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha thought of his own family, the siblings he hadn't spoken to in a long while. They'd just never been close, it didn't matter the environment, there had been a good number of years between them too which hadn't helped matters. "All you can do is try right? If he says no, then that's his choice but better to try and know than to not try and never know. For all you know he is as keen to rekindle the relationship as you are, especially now that you are all adults," ​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled softly. "You're probably right," she let out a soft breath. Shaking her head, she brushed her hair back. "That's enough about me. How are you? Did you get any other roses?" She asked. She felt like she hadn't talked enough to Misha. She gave him a shy smile.