[Vireo Archambeau]

"That is true." It was so much easier to connect with people when there was a language in common, even if that language was not their native one. It gave them both the opportunity to learn new things which he was a very big fan of. Besides the more they got to talk the better he could know him. In the grand scheme of things, Vireo liked making new friends, and sharing new hobbies, not to mention the other was cute.

"Potions is quite fun, I am not very good at them mind you, but I do find it fascinating." The subject was something he did get by in but he was far from perfect by any means. All he had to do was pass his NEWT for it, eventually, and he'd be an Auror where he did not have to worry so much about making them. Truthfully he didn't understand why Potions was necessary for an Auror position, it's not like one could brew a potion on the fly out in the field. "It is like chemistry almost."

He was so close to him that whatever intelligence he might boast felt as though it had evaporated. Cute guy, very close, that was all his brain was processing. His eyes trailed to him again as he said they could mix them together now. Right! The ingredients, yes, those. "Oui? If you think they are ready I bow to your superior knowledge on cooking." A warm smile where he tried to hide the rising blush from the sheer silliness of those words.

Joseph Maverick

[Joseph Maverick]

There is another of those strange sort of silences between them. A silence that speaks volumes and Joey does not feel the need to break it. It's like a message is being transmitted between them without words and that very message has left young Joseph Maverick speechless. He doesn't even fully understand what he's receiving but he knows it's something he should not fight. It's meant to be, whatever it is. And then the moment passes and they are discussing Potions. This topic is easier for him. He smiles into the mix matches blue-green eyes of the older lad. "Like experimenting to see what happens and what will explode." Or what might arouse the senses. His smile turns to a grin. He understood the appeal of muggle chemistry to most students. He also might understand the appeal of the man standing beside him. He's feeling rather warm right now and should back away from the other but he feels rooted to the spot. "Well, I umm...wouldn't call it uh...superior but..." He stammers a bit as he finds his gaze drawn from the other's eyes to his lips and finally forcing them to the bowl of ingredients. Foolish. Foolish boy, Joey mentally scolds himself. This is all wrong. All wrong and yet he wants...something. "Just tip the dry ingredients into this one, okay, slowly, and I'll mix as you pour." If he focused on the task at hand he might not think about the inappropriate wants surfacing inside of him. tagged; Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

That smile made his chest feel all fluttery and warm, a familiar sensation that he was starting to recognise. It was not unknown to him that he was attracted to other guys. In his year all the talk was about girls and how hot they were and even some inappropriate gestures about their figures that he always told them were highly disrespectful. At first, he had thought it was his upbringing that made him different, thank Merlin he had gotten past that point to the realization it was not about that wholly. "Oui, the exploding is the best part. Chemical reactions and how interesting they are is much fun."

As soon as the smile turned to a grin he found his face feeling hot and those butterflies making a nuisance of themselves. It lit up his whole face and he was very aware that he was being very obvious right now. Had he noticed? The way Joey looked at him, down, and then away...had he noticed Vireo being weird? Or was it something else? face heating further he tried to hide the blush by focusing on the ingredients. If he said something to the other and was wrong he could bring trouble for himself. Maybe he could try subtle hints, would that work?

"Ah oui, yes okay." Vireo caves under uncertainty and instead lifts the dry ingredients bowl up. As he tipped it he became acutely aware that his hand placement on the bowl made it all too easy for his knuckles to brush Joey's hand, especially if the other was brushing out the dry ingredients with a spatula instead of paying attention. All the willpower in the world couldn't stop the urge to just blurt out he was a homosexual, but it was able to curb that statement into a more discreet question. One he had heard used and once he knew what it was he had found relief in knowing others were out there. "I...hope it's not rude to ask but, er...are you perhaps a friend of Dorothy?" And now that he'd asked he had to wait in tense uncertainty until the other replied.

Joseph Maverick

[Joseph Maverick]

Joey does like Potions exploding and seeing the reactions. He enjoys the experiments. It's similar to his cooking, only more acceptable at Hogwarts to experiment with potions and see what he can create than it is to experiment in the kitchen. There's still a stigma about men working in the kitchen where the woman should be. Joey is surprised his present company hasn't taken note of it or said anything - he's too nice. Joey has already figured out that Vireo is a nice fella, as much as he is a nice looking fella. He's trying to ignore the situation he's found himself in but it feels next to impossible. He feels as if his entire body wishes to be closer, to be touching, and he knows, logically, it's in poor taste. His father always scoffed at a certain location back in Portree and Joey has only recently learned of the reason why. Something that is never discussed in public. He swallows nervously and focuses on brushing the ingredients in until the last of the crumbs fall into place. "Dorothy Sprottle, the potioneer?" Joey initially asks, not quite following the question. He realizes almost as soon as he questions it, that his answer makes no sense. Why would he be friends with a potioneer who is like fifty or sixty years old? "Umm..." tagged; Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

"Non, non, ah, don't be minding me!" The response confirmed the other at least had no idea what he meant, though it didn't fully clear up if the other might be like himself. He was forever reminding himself that this was the magical world, not Muggle, and that most people didn't understand what he was on about. Especially so if he himself had forgotten the English phrase for what he wanted. This situation was a bit more awkward than that though, as he had used a Muggle term that he'd been told that obviously was not one the magical community would. Perhaps there was someone he could ask how one asked to be sure? A club or some sort of gathering might be nice for all those a bit different.

"So what is next, with the cookies that is." The quicker they got back on track the better for him. Truthfully he was a bit embarrassed to have asked in the first place since he had only just met the other boy. It was difficult to find people to talk to that were like him though, so maybe it had been worth the try even if the other didn't know what it meant. Likely for the best. Continuing his new campaign to avoid the awkwardness of his questions by focusing on the cookie mix and hoping that it would be enough of a distraction. "We are just needing to blend them together and...onto a baking sheet oui?"

Joseph Maverick

[Joseph Maverick]

Joey suspects he has missed something completely important here in the conversation. His lack of understanding requires a translator to determine what the two of them are trying to talk about. He’s not certain and the other fella seems flustered. Perhaps Joey needs to write to Nanny June and ask her what this question means. He won’t get answers otherwise. “Um...we have to mix...and then roll and cut out the shapes...” He offers the other the bowl. Surely, he can mix the batter together while Joey adds flour to the table and locates the rolling pin and cookie cutters. “Blend that, yes,” Joey offers encouragement to the other. Keep him busy so Joey can focus on spreading out the flour he has scooped up with a spoon and dumped on the table. “And then make a ball of it and roll it in the flour.” He steps away, regrettably. He likes being near this guy. There’s a warm, fluttering feeling inside of him when they are close. Joey doesn’t mind it. He already has the baking sheet out but he needs the rolling pin and knows it’s in a drawer somewhere. He starts to open and close the drawers until he finds it. tagged; Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

"Mix, oui, I can be mixing, that sounds like a simple task." Making these cookies seemed simple enough and he wondered if it was something he could do on his own sometime. A surprise for his new friend? Acquaintance at the very least until the two of the got to know each other better. Not a problem on his end as he very much wanted to get to know him, he just hoped the other was equally as interested in getting closer.

"Are you cutting them by hand or do you have those emporte-pièce?" He made a gesture with his hands to vaguely try to show him what he meant. Another word he had forgotten the English equivalent to, cookie cutters. He couldn't see them on the counter but that could just be because they weren't here in front of him too so always best to ask! His grandmother had always cut them by hand, but hers were also hard to recognize as to what they were supposed to be.

Vireo's mismatched eyes go to the Slytherin as he moves to look for something, distracted for a little before making his eyes come back. Get to know him first, agonize about how to ask him discretely but in a way they understood, and then worry about anything else later! "A ball." He had mixed the ingredients to the point where it looked okay to him, oblivious to the lumps of dry ingredients still in it. "Is this looking right?"

Joseph Maverick

[Joseph Maverick]

He trusts the handsome blonde man to mix the dough and knows he will be checking if after to ensure it's done to his satisfaction. Joey is immensely critical of other people's skills when working in the kitchen with them. He's this way because its the one place where he knows he is more skilled than most. It's the one place where his confidence peaks. And he doesn't mean to seem egotistical about it. He's a fantastic cook. "I'm hoping there are some cookie cutters around here. The elves make these cookies and they always have unique shapes like last week's dinner when they served cookies shaped like dragons, remember?" Joey is rambling while his head is down below the counter they are working on and he is searching through stuff under it. "Aha! Ow!" He finds the cookie cutters but bangs his head on the counter as he crawls back out. He's got cookie cutters in one hand and the other rubbing the top of his head. "Found them," he offers sheepishly. Vireo has the dough mixed into a ball and asks Joey if it looks right. He moves closer and peers into the bowl. Without thinking, he reaches in and squeezes the dough. A dust of flour pops out of the center. He laughs. "Not quite...needs a bit more mixing. I can do it if you want." Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

"Oui, I do remember. They were very good cookies too, do you think the house elves have recipes of their own?" After six years in the magical world there were still things he didn't know and likely that no one knew. House elves were generally beneath people's notice which he thought was sad, they were adorable and helpful creatures with big hearts. If they had recipes it was most likely that they'd also be willing to share them if asked.

Vireo winced as Joey banged his head on the counter, one hand going out in sympathy before he brought it back to himself. That had sounded rather solid. A smile is fitted on his face as the younger came up with cookie cutters and rubbed his head. He was incredibly adorable and it was very difficult to not just ask him plainly about who he liked. It was not something he would do in the Muggle world, however, let alone in the much more backward magical one.

"Oh!" As the flour puffed up from the center he laughed a little, embarrassed that he was so terrible at this. He supposed since he was an amateur that it wasn't so bad. "Non, non, I can do it, will give me much-needed practice." He begins to mix it again, mismatched eyes darting to him every now and again as he works harder to get the dough fully mixed before presenting it to the other once more. "Tada, I think that has done it this time."

Joseph Maverick,

[Joseph Maverick]

Joey considers this for a moment. “I wouldn’t be surprised. I wonder if they would share their recipes...” The pureblood side of his family would never go for him asking a house elf to share their recipes. That is a sign of weakness but then, it would be completely becoming of Joey, the half-blood stain on the family. He might ask them regardless, and then boast to his uncle about where he got such a delicious recipe when he sends the man a care package with the cookies. Yes. Joey feels quite smug about this idea. “Okay,” Joey responds to Vireo’s insistence. In turn, he dusts the table with flour and sets out the cookie cutters for them to cut the cookies into shape. He keeps busy to distract himself from the older boy beside him. Joey looks over, and into the bowl being offered to him. It looked better so he repeats his previous action of squeezing the dough. It’s perfect. “Great, we can roll it out onto the table now.” Joey dusts the rolling pin with more flour. “And once it’s flat we can cut out some shapes. Are you ready? We can make it a race – my sister and I used to do that, to see who could cut out the most shapes.” Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

"I am sure they would, they might be very surprised to find anyone asking." It was strange to him still to talk about the house elves while they were so close to them. Another thing that he found odd about the magical world was how humans treated magical creatures, even the ones that were more than intelligent enough to understand them. This thought had him looking to his left, away from Joey, to catch sight of the elves currently cleaning and likely prepping for tomorrow. It had to take a lot of effort to keep the castle going every day between students and staff. The amount of food consumed alone had to be so much work, even with magic.

The second time Joey checked the dough went a whole lot better and he beamed at the success of having gotten all the lumps of flour kneaded out thoroughly. He had never imagined he would be making cookies with a cute guy when he had stayed here for Christmas but he was increasingly grateful he had. "Fantastique!" The cookie dough on the counter now ready to be rolled out had him looking at the cookie cutters. Just in time for Joey's challenge which made him pick up three cutters to have different shapes. "Oui! I would very much like to try and make it a race. Though I am suspecting you will be much faster it will be fun to do so anyway. Shall we start at the counting of three?"

Joseph Maverick

[Joseph Maverick]

Joey has not considered the house elves beyond when they interact in the kitchens together. He doesn't have one at home but his relatives do. The uncle in charge of their finances has one he treats poorly but Joey is fond of the creature, and it of Joey. They often make rice crispy treats together - or they did when Joey was younger and his mother would force them to visit this particular uncle. He nods his agreement with Vireo. With Vireo agreeing that he would like to race, Joey's grin widens. "I'll give you a five second head start before I begin, how does that sound?" He would hate to have an advantage of the older boy because he has more experience making cookies. Joey begins the count down. "One... Two... Three... Four... Five..." He ticks off the seconds while he watches Vireo get started, and then he picks up the rolling pin to flatten out his own dough and being. He suspects he is still going to win. Vireo Archambeau

End of Thread.