In Good Company (Elenore)

Subject: In Good Company (Elenore) Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:38 pm

Kevin Harrington

This was a bad idea, Kevin reflected underneath the still dark sky. New York's winters were hardy forgiving but this was probably his own fault for being stupid. Of course he had taken precautions, he had worn an extra jumper underneath his thick coat, he had piping hot cocoa in his flask for once rather than its usual tincture and even the crate he carried had been enchanted with a warming spell to keep the contents safe.

And yet the stupidity of what he was doing was not lost on the redhead. Ever since August and his first (and hopefully last) D&D game, he'd found himself hanging out with Tuesday more and more. If he had been trying to wean himself off of the French witch before, his resolve had completely vanished when she had fallen asleep at the Starbucks in front of him. He'd let her sleep it off, scrolling through the internet to find more images that would cause the brunette a great deal of distress. Indeed he had no idea she kept such a low profile since more public pictures of House Clement included their young ward than their actual daughter. Kevin had come across a column defending the family in such regards saying Elenore Lissette was a Hufflepuff and therefore away most of the year while Mimosa Harrington...

Slowly, the pieces came together in his mind while the young witch slept, oblivious to someone else learning of the world she saw through her eyes. A year of knowing her and Kevin hadn't managed to figure out that she wasn't here on a rich people vacation. Nor was Tuesday here finding herself like most people her age with enough resources were want to do.

She was in New York because she didn't have a home to go back to. Not in her eyes anyway.

And that would just not do.

So after she had woken up, drunk another cup of coffee to lose the initial drowsiness and came back looking whiter than a ghost from a public restroom, he had escorted her home. The man had made sure she arrived safely and in respectable fashions so as not to arouse the suspicion of any of her employees before he had returned to his own much more humble abode for the night that was slowly turning into dawn.

And from then on, they had become almost inseparable. over the next few weeks, Kevin had ensured all their classes were together, even justifying he needed Music Theory 3 for his stage direction art. Luckily his family name and charming smile had raised few questions. Every morning he would wait for Tuesday at the campus entrance where her big conspicuous car would pull up and walk ehr to their classes. They would flip a coin at lunch (heads she got to pick the food, tails he did and they had an adventure) and at the end of the day, he would walk ehr back to ehr car. Sometimes they would both get into the vehicle and he would stop at the cafe opposite her home while she ran upstairs to dump her stuff an they could meet again and resume an interesting conversation.

It was during one of those discussions that her birthday had come up. A throwaway comment about her birthday never being properly celebrated because it was so close to the Christmas Ball back home had made Kevin decide that this year would be different. And here he was, trying to make it different.

He had no clue what time Tuesday actually woke up without the an alarm, and he doubted the witch would have an alarm on Christmas break. Their semester had let out last Friday and while most people were planning on catching some Zs, the redhead had other ideas. Which was why he was here, still technically in the dead of night, on a cold New York street lugging a hefty crate in both arms. His grunts of effort turned to mist in the cold as he set the crate down, then decided to take a seat on the closed container. Fortunately for him, anyone who saw a man siting on the street (even if atop a platform) was simply assumed homeless and left alone.

From his earlier observing of her apartment, he knew he was in her vintage point, sort of, should she choose to look outside her balcony. Of course, he might appear a pinprick from that height but maybe she would notice him anyway? Only time would tell. Bringing the hot cocoa to his lips and sighing as it burned its path down the wizard's throat, Kevin prepared himself for a long wait.

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Subject: Re: In Good Company (Elenore) Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:38 pm

The day after the night Elenore had spent playing Dungeons and Dragons with the boys had been... difficult to piece together on reflection. She'd woken up in the early hours of the morning in a place that was not her home, feeling very under the weather, to find Kevin sat opposite her, waiting. Her head throbbed considerably as she excused herself from the booth shortly after waking, leaving Kevin waiting for her for a good fifteen minutes before she reappeared, a fresh cup of coffee waiting for her when she did.

The headache didn't wane in the journey back to her apartment, and yet... Elenore couldn't help but feel lighter because of it.

Kevin had kindly seen her back inside the building at an unspeakable hour, and the witch had brushed away all of the help's offers, closing the door to her bedroom behind her firmly before sinking in the soft depths of the four poster bed without another thought. Sleep had taken the witch easily that morning, but it had not rid her of the headache that loomed when she awoke, nor had it been kind enough to allow the crick in her neck to ease.

But the witch had found a new balance in the dynamic between Kevin and herself which had led to them spending much more time together than before. There had been times where the witch had found herself relaxing around the man, enjoying his company, and discussing topics of mutual interest without worrying about what the man might think if she did. There was still a long way to go before they could truly be known as friends, such as where the man lived, and how he'd ended up in America, but they were growing slowly closer to such terms with each passing month.

Classes had been going well, the French witch's grades had remained in the top three students in their year, fluctuating only slightly when the more modern musics were required because the witch's ear was much more attuned to the classical pieces instead. The witch would not grumble, though, life was slowly getting better, and more of the students at Julliards wished to collaborate with her on projects, seek her advice on their work, or else just hang out with the witch in between classes. By no means a social butterfly yet, Elenore Clement was starting to make herself much more well known.

With every up note in the life of Elenore Clement came an opposing down side.

As the months passed, the witch's birthday came closer to being, the usual apprehension of the date growing more and more with each moment. Her twentieth birthday would, without a doubt, go as uncelebrated as it did every year in France. The Christmas Ball would overshadow the celebration yet again, and with her lack of interest of returning home, Elenore knew there would be no celebration at all. She had resigned herself to that much as well, only passing a comment on the upcoming birthday to Kevin because he had been discussing the holidays.

She hadn't thought anything more of it.

The morning of her birthday had come with little splendour. The cook had decorated every pastry set out that morning with a '20' upon it in one manner or another, showing off his culinary capabilities to the single occupant of the house. Elenore had barely touched any of the food that had been laid out, picking at the melon slices and then nibbling at the corner of a pastry before placing it aside. The finely roasted coffee had been her saviour as she moved to the window out of habit, to look down at the road below.

The traffic moved, a multitude of people moved along each side walk. There, in and amongst the hustle and bustle of it all sat a lone figure.

From here, the auburn hair was unmistakable.

Even though Kevin was only a small part of the big picture of New York, Elenore knew.

The witch had hurried back to her rooms to finish getting ready for the day, collecting her coat and gloves which staved off the bitterly cold winter of New York only thanks to the charms that had been worked in to the fabrics to help keep the slender witch warm. The elevator had been agonisingly slow to reach the ground, despite doing it in mere seconds, and as the Clement witch stepped out in to the cold air of the street, her face lit up upon seeing that it was definitely Kevin.

The street was much too busy that morning, earning a frustrated look from the witch as she looked from the crossing signals to Kevin with excitement. Forgotten was the fact her parents had not contacted her for her birthday, instead excitement sat in her stomach as she quickly crossed the street and moved towards the man who had been sat waiting for her.

"Kevin!" The witch greeted, taking him in and then the crate he was sat on. "What're you doing out here, it's freezing!"

It was true, too, New York was bitterly cold in the winter, and when the man could have called for her from the reception of her building, it was most silly of him to be sat out in the street on the off chance she would see him.

Elenore's Outfit

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Subject: Re: In Good Company (Elenore) Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:39 pm

Despite the fact that he was almost literally freezing his body parts off, Kevin was glad nonetheless of being able to see the winter sunrise. It was different here, when there actual sun wasn't around to distract from its effects. The man watched the sky as it turned from deep blue to slightly pink to a shade of orange only assured by the still glowing streetlamps. Sunrises, much like everything else in life, were all about perspective. And for the first time, the man found he appreciated a perspective from down here.

Of course, the charm wore of speedily with every hour he spent waiting outside in the cold, his jeans practically frosted to the wooden crate he sat atop. The man shivered and rattled his way through six and then seven a.m., no sigh of Tuesday appearing until he had to begin to contemplate that perhaps waiting outside her building like a homeless person was not the best idea. But it was too late to turn back now, he figured, settling himself roe firmly atop the crate.

It was around eight thirty that Kevin finally felt his efforts rewarded in the form of a bright greeting from across the street. Almost magically, the cold and the fatigue momentarily vanished as the French witch came into view, eyes bright and cheeks rosy from the cold. It was no surprise she was dressed for the occasion better than he was but then again, that was her things want's it.

"What're you doing out here, it's freezing!"

"Tell me about it," the redhead mock complained before breaking out into a grin. "Happy birthday by the way." He added, jumping of the crate and feeling his bones creak painfully from siting in the same position for so long. Kevin might have to find some kind of heating pack on his way back home to his apartment.

"So, how is it like being an almost adult? Feeling more responsible yet?" he teased. Truth be told one would have to look far and wide to find someone more responsible than Tuesday, if anything she needed to be more fun and let loose. "Though if you can find it in yourself to be a little more responsible, I can give you your present now."

Should the witch oblige him, the man would step to one side, revealing the plain wooden crate to its full glory. The word "FRAGILE" was stamped across the front of the container, creating the illusion that it contained something highly breakable. Making sure she saw the crate properly, he moved to open it, popping the lid easily through practiced fingers.

The first thing that would be evident from the box was that it was heated inside, the heat rising in swirls into the cold air once the contents were exposed. For a moment, the crate stood opened and unloving, until Kevin ushered the witch nearer to take a look inside. It might take a minute for the witch's eyes to adjust to the darkened insides of the crate but cone they did, she would see her surprise.

For inside the crate, resting among warm straw and soft linen and curled into each other for additional warmth, were three tiny puppies. The newborn Labrador was the most aware of the trio, looking up at Kevin and the witch with jewel tone eyes while the golden retriever lay curled to her side, her snout buried in the straw. The white and brown basset hound used its own large ears as a blanket against the cold. Around each puppy's neck hung a small sigh that, when read together formed the phrase "Happy Birthday Elenore".

"Think you can look after these bad boys for a bit?" Kevin asked with half a chuckle as the brunette looked on at her birthday present.

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Subject: Re: In Good Company (Elenore) Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:39 pm

The smile upon Kevin's lips only made Elenore's grow in that moment, all the tension in her body easily flowing away, forgotten. The man had that quality about him, Elenore had found in the last few months, and when she didn't have the redhead around, Elenore truly felt the difference.

She'd never voiced that, though, that fact was best kept to herself.

"Merci beaucoup," the witch replied to his birthday wishes. The words were truly meant, too, though whether Kevin would spot the soft affliction in her words in that moment would remain unseen. Her chef may have made each pastry of her morning to denote her birthday, but her staff meant nothing to her. A real happy birthday wish from someone who wasn't employed by her Maman and Papa was truly welcome. "You're the first to wish me a happy birthday."

"So, how is it like being an almost adult? Feeling more responsible yet?"

The witch's lips twitched with amusement before she shook her head at the wizard before her. "I've been a legal adult for a number of years, America is not my home, and therefore not the governing body on me being an adult!" Elenore replied, trying to stay stern with the man, but not really managing to do so. "But nothing has changed over night, I still feel the same as yesterday."

Which was the truth. There was still the underlying feeling of not being wanted by her family, there was the second no show from her parents for her birthday, instead excused by the arrival of a miriad of presents from the Palace labelled as if they'd been picked by her parents and Jacques. No, just because it was her birthday didn't mean she'd somehow found a way of making her family love her. The only respite had been the letter from Grandmere, which, as always, denoted the truth about the goings on at the Palace and how America was the best place for her to be.

"Though if you can find it in yourself to be a little more responsible, I can give you your present now."

The knowledge made Elenore freeze in place, as if the New York winter had finally made her succumb to the icy blasts it dealt. The witch didn't move to reply to Kevin in that moment, only her eyes moving to see what Kevin really meant. He... couldn't have really spent time trying to find her a gift, could he..?

But the man was busy working the latches on the box that was denoted as fragile, and Elenore couldn't help but begin to believe that he had tried to gift her something. Wanted to gift her something.

A small spiral of steam extricated itself from the box, lifting only slightly from the box before the cold air consumed it. Elenore remained stood where she was, watching until Kevin would produce the present for her to see. But the redhead did no such thing, instead motioning for her to come closer to see. Briefly hesitating, Elenore moved to the man's side and carefully crouched down beside him.

What Elenore might have expected from Kevin, the witch could not have said. The fragility of the item announced on the box had pointed her towards items of artwork, or perhaps an instrument he'd picked for her. The rising steam had banished all such ideas in a single moment, because such items didn't do that.

What Elenore had not expected was exactly what lay in a bed of straw and blankets below.

Puppies.

The tears had prickled at the corner of the witch's eyes as she read the message carefully put together by Kevin on each of the pups. Tears which only came more pronounced as the small frame of the black Labrador moved to look up at them, opening his tiny mouth to let out a yawn before he snuggled back in to the other two puppies. The fluffier coat of the golden retriever was beaitifully shiny even in the dull Winter night, and the Bassett Hound...

"Le Bassett Hound utilise ses oreilles comme une couverture!" The witch exclaimed, her excitement, as always, getting the better of her as she forgot to speak to the man beside her in a language he could understand.

"Think you can look after these bad boys for a bit?"

"I get to keep them?" Elenore asked, eyes sparkling with tears as she looked across to Kevin reluctantly to gain her confirmation not just with words, but also to see he was not lying to her. Upon finding exactly that, the tears would fall happily from her eyes as she turned back to the small nestling puppies.

"Vous ne saurez jamais à quel point cela signifie pour moi... Lets get them upstairs, its far too cold out here for them, and us. You can have some breakfast, and coffee to warm up, too." Elenore would explain as she rose to her feet, waiting for Kevin to follow suit.

The man had proved once again, America had always been the right choice.

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~ Diary ~ Profile ~ Kelenore Playlist ~
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Subject: Re: In Good Company (Elenore) Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:39 pm

The wizard tried his best not to smile at her statement of having been an adult all this time. If he saw what she did, Tuesday would no doubt reconsider. But today was not the day to tangle with her ire and see who won. No, today was a day to make her see that her birthday mattered.

That she mattered.

Because her family, through what Kevin could only imagine was a series of blunderious events, had somehow manage to fuck up the one simple job they had. To make this witch feel like the center of the universe.

Like he refused to believe she was becoming the center of his.

The volley of French that fell upon his ears when Tuesday finally saw the puppies meant nothing to the redhead. Fortunately, some sentiments transcended language and the look in her eyes... it didn't need translation. As the brunette began to cry, Kevin backed off sightly, afraid he had messed it up. But no, she wasn't upset. She was doing the happy crying thing women were so fond of doing.

"I get to keep them?"

"Yes Ma'am," he confirmed, tipping an imaginary hat her way. "They're newborns, and all yours. Actually you're the first person they've seen so they might think you're their mother. So you have to take care of them really well." In fact, Kevin had gone to great pains to ensue that was the case. They puppies had been delivered in the dark by vets wearing cloaking charms that disguised their scent. Once birthed, all three puppies had been kept in a sleepy state to recover form the trauma as well as to keep them safe from outside sounds and smells until Tuesday got a chance to open the crate herself. Even the blanket that wrapped the puppies had come from one of her own scarves that she had left in the class and Kevin had... repurposed.

More French followed which he didn't understand, and then instructions which he definitely did. Had he not been more wise in the ways of females, the man would have unprepared. As it was, he stood awkwardly, letting her plan this to her heart's content. the redhead hadn't thought this far. He had only wanted to make her happy.

At the mention of bringing them upstairs, he nodded. "Yes, agreed, they need a warm place and a warm bath. They're all clean but if you want to bring them to a vet later, that's fine too."

"You can have some breakfast, and coffee to warm up, too."

"Actually Mademoiselle, I will be taking your leave," he corrected her, half bowing in the grand gesture of bidding a lady farewell. "I was just the messenger. I'll help you get them into the elevator and then I'll be of so you can enjoy your birthday however you like." She didn't need to know that he would only be gone for a short while, trying to thaw his body out under a steaming hot shower. After that, he would be back to the cafe across from her building,, observing her balcony in the hopes that she came out, perhaps with one of the puppies in her arm.

"Shall we?" he encouraged, picking up the crate and walking with her across the street to confines of her fancy prison.

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Come plot with me! <3

Subject: Re: In Good Company (Elenore) Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:39 pm

The information of the puppies being all hers and that she would have to take on the role of mother to the three beautiful small dogs did not worry the French witch as she smiled down at her present with all the hope in the world. She could manage that, animals were not a new prospect to the witch, and she would happily see to them getting the best care. What was better was the fact that they were hers, only hers, and she would be able to keep them however she wanted.

The thought brought forth so many possibilities, but they were not ones that would be discussed in her current company.

It was as the fun of all the puppy orientated information finished, though, that the bad news came. Kevin would not be staying with her for the day, apparently bringing her present was all the time he could afford her, and though she knew she couldn't impress upon him how much she wished he would stay, Elenore would understand. Her family didn't wish to spend her birthday with her, so why would Kevin be any different. A small nod of understanding was all the response that came from Elenore in that moment as she straightened herself up away from the crate.

The younger witch followed beside Kevin as they crossed the road once more and the doorman opened the doors for them to enter. As Kevin had agreed, he would place the crate inside the elevator shaft ready for Elenore to take them up to her apartment herself where she could get the staff to help her with the crate. Together, the duo moved back through the front doors, the witch wondering if she could say anything to get the redhead to stay with her for the day.

She couldn't find the right words, though, not without sounding too...

The thought was shook away as Kevin turned to say goodbye just outside the doors of her apartment.

"Thank you," the witch managed once more, before doing something she had not done since the evening she had not felt so well and ended up in a cheap coffee shop. Putting her arms around the man's waist, Elenore hugged the man to show how much she appreciated what he had done for her, because she did not know how to put it in to words.

The hug did not feel enough though...

So without a second thought, Elenore leaned up to place a kiss upon the man's cheek to seal the thank you with an action as old as time itself. If Kevin could hopefully understand just how much everything he'd done had meant, then this was the way of showing it. The French witch pulled back, then, a light tint of colour upon her cheeks which could most definitely be confused for the cold of the New York air against her skin.

"I won't keep you any longer," Elenore finalised, waiting for Kevin to turn off before she moved back in to her building, and to the elevator where the puppies were waiting for her to take them home.

At least now, Elenore mused to herself as the elevator operator pressed the button for her floor, there would be someone in her life, here in New York, that would love her as unconditionally as Grandmere did.

________________________________________________

~ Diary ~ Profile ~ Kelenore Playlist ~
~ Ambitious ~ 21 ~ Slim ~ 5'6" ~ Athletic ~

Thank you to the amazing Kiera for my signature <3

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