With the capture of Verandi Farley and several high-ranking Trossach members, the British wizarding world has finally caught a break. The rate of rogue werewolf attacks have started dropping at a steady rate and, hopefully, things will stay that way. The Ministry is starting to loosen some restrictions, like not arresting werewolves standing on the street for loitering, however there’s still an obvious power imbalance between wizardfolk and werewolves.
The Cotswolds pack are continuing to advocate for the rights of werewolves and petitioning to change the legislation that has been set in motion by the current Minister for Magic, whilst the remaining Trossachs members are trying to stay out of the spotlight and keep a low profile… for now.
Whilst the British wizarding world seems to have calmed down, the same cannot be said for over in Northern Europe where a rebellion of magical creatures has risen. The state of things has gotten so bad that the European Ministry has enacted protocols to protect those under eighteen whilst their adult witches and wizards fight to keep control of their countries.
Students from Durmstrang have been sent to Hogwarts to keep them safe and those not old enough to attend school have been sent to live with relatives or designated British Ministry officials outside of Europe for the time being.
Will the low rates of werewolf attacks in Britain continue? How long will Durmstrang students stay at Hogwarts? Will the creatures usurp the wizardfolk in Northern Europe? Only time will tell.
SEPTEMBER 2019 It's been a very long, eventful summer in the wizarding world. A baby was stolen, several high ranking Trossach members were imprisoned, and werewolf attacks have drastically dropped as a result. What will happen now school has returned?
MAY 2019 An attempt to capture the beta of the Trossachs has been launched. Were the Aurors successful in their mission? Go read more here!
Post by DEREK VAN LEEUWEN on Apr 29, 2020 18:59:40 GMT
Now the school year was over and Mr. Professor finally had more free time on his hands, the two middle aged men dared to plan something casual. Derek had worked till late so he had a simple set of oven pizza’s and a basic salad. The auror would’ve made something better if he didn’t have to work but it would do. The bottles of wine would have to make up for the lack of handmade dinner. It actually reminded him of the old days. When they were still dating and neither of them had time to cook.
Derek was barely done with his shower when the bell rang. He quickly put on a bathrobe but didn’t bother to get fully dressed. It was not like Jack had never seen him half naked. Why would he pretend? He opened the door and leaned against the opening with crossed arms and an amused grin on his face. “Well, well. Look who is here. I’ve got to be honest, I wasn't sure if you were going to show up,” he teased the man, albeit it being a bit of a jab to the past. But the look on his face told Jack he meant no harm.
“Come here, you old man,” he chuckled and wrapped Jack in a hug. As they were close, he got to take a good look. “Man, you’re really getting grey hairs, huh? I wonder how long it takes before those bald spots come alone,” he grinned devilishly because nobody liked to be reminded they were getting old. “Dinner is almost ready, would you like some wine before?.”
Running his fingers through his short-kept hair, Jack wore a smile as he approached Derek's front door, having apparated just outside the building. He was looking forward to dinner tonight especially since it had been a while since he'd gotten to spend time with Derek. They typically had conflicting schedules with both their jobs keeping them busy, but with it being school holidays... things were easier to line up, at least until he returned to work.
As the door swung open seconds after he'd rang the doorbell, Jack's brows almost climbed to his hairline and his smile transformed into a grin as he took in what Derek was wearing... or, to be exact, what he wasn't wearing. "I hope you don't greet all your guests like this. What if my mam decides to pay you a visit one day? She'd get a fright," he joked, before his eyes rolled ever so slightly at the friendly jab towards his propensity to cancel last minute. "Here I thought you'd be grateful I decided to go through with it. Maybe I should leave."
With a chuckle, Jack returned the warm hug Derek enveloped him in, patting the other man on the back. "I don't know long it takes for the bald spots to arrive - how long did it take yours to show up," Jack said, giving Derek's hair a pointed look before laughing warmly. Two could play the fake insult game. "Wine's good. I brought desert too - it's in my bag." Jack waved the box in his left hand. "Hope you like brownies."
6'0". IRISH. BIG HEART. LOYAL. BRAVE. WORKAHOLIC. BISEXUAL. SINGLE. distinguishing features: a big scar runs across jack's left cheek credit for award goes to ollie! <3
Post by DEREK VAN LEEUWEN on May 1, 2020 19:28:13 GMT
Derek chuckled at Jack’s joke and shook his head. “I wouldn’t want to be responsible for that, I’d never dare to show my face again,” he grinned back. “But I figured you wouldn’t mind. If you give me a minute, I’ll put something on. Work ran a little tight. Such a bummer when those thieves decide not to cooperate and have you run late,” the auror pouted. Every fricking time, missions had the worst timing. Luckily Jack would know that already.
He loved Jack’s sense of humor, the Professor had him laughing. “I wouldn’t know, I can still go full seventies if I wished. A bit inconvenient though. You should probably check with your parents. Usually they’re a good indicator. I truly wonder how you’d look fully bald, I think you’d rock it. Wanna try? I can whip out that trimmer just like that,” he joked, of course he’d never want to remove Jack’s wonderful hairdo.
“Look at you, bringing desert and all, what a gentleman!” Derek smiled with grand entausiasm as he pressed a glass of wine in the other man’s hand. “Self made?
"She'd probably love you all the same and tell me what a 'sweet man' you are," Jack remarked. Merlin knew she'd said those exact words so many time since they'd broken up so many years ago. They were usually accompanied by, 'I don't know why it didn't work out' and Jack giving a patented sigh because he'd told his mam repeatedly that he'd been too focused on work. "Yes, Merlin knows why the bad guys don't just listen when they get caught. It's almost as if they want to evade arrest." The corner of Jack's mouth twitched as he continued, "At least you didn't end up in St. Mungo's this time. I'm sure Padma's sick of seeing your mug by now."
"I'll give you a hair growth potion if you want to go 'full seventies.' I think you're a bit overly confident in your abilities there," Jack teased, playfully nudging Derek's side as he stepped into the apartment further, shrugging off his long navy blue coat to hang it up on the rack. "You forget I've seen you shave in the mornings before, Derek. I don't trust you enough with a trimmer not to leave my head all covered it cuts. I'll have to pass."
If he was being honest, wine wasn't usually his drink of choice, but he smiled at Derek all the same as it was handed to him. It wouldn't get him drunk like whiskey would, so he supposed it was a blessing in disguise - he didn't want to get plastered with his ex, after all. Who knew what poor decisions he'd end up making inebriated? "We both know I'm shit at baking, Derek. I picked them up from the shops," Jack laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling. He was a very good cook when he got the chance, but baking? Not his forte.
6'0". IRISH. BIG HEART. LOYAL. BRAVE. WORKAHOLIC. BISEXUAL. SINGLE. distinguishing features: a big scar runs across jack's left cheek credit for award goes to ollie! <3
Post by DEREK VAN LEEUWEN on May 4, 2020 20:36:09 GMT
Derek couldn’t help but smile softly at the remark. “Daww, too forgiving for her own sake. You’ve truly been blessed with a wonderful family, Jack. Please keep them safe,” he told his ex with a kind smile. Derek had lost all sense of family love for a long time until Jack introduced him in the family. It was nice to think of family and see kind smiling people instead of dead bodies. Derek threw his arms in the air as if he was having a fit with said criminal. “I know right?! Like, ehh, hello? Could you please not rob that store, sir? I have a tight schedule tonight,” he shook his head and grinned at the little play. The auror chuckled when Padma was brought up. “Padma is a dear, bless her soul. I probably should apologize but man. I can’t help it, hospitals give me the creeps,” he shuddered. “You’d definitely come to visit me, right? Hold my hand and cry while I thank you for the flowers?”
“Yeah…. I don’t trust DIY potions. Nope, count me out. Imagine spilling a drop somewhere and growing insanely long eyebrows. I think I’ll stay with my low maintenance cut,” he pulled a face and swatted at Jack’s nudging arm. “Fine. If you’ll keep creepy potions away from me, I promise I won’t get any trimmer near your head.”
A sly smirk crept on his face when Jack told him the cake was bought. “That’s why I asked. I’d like to know before I put things in my mouth if they can potentially kill me or not,” he winked teasingly. Ding. “Ah, dinner is ready! Voila chef’s special deep fried pizza.” Derek brought the plates to the couch because honestly, when was the last time he used the dining table? With the wave of a wand, some chill background music started playing. “Sorry I didn’t have time to make something special. Next time I’ll make sure to leave a little earlier so we can cook together.”
Please keep them safe. "I'll try," Jack said sincerely, though his lips drew into a small frown. He hadn't succeeded in keeping Maggie safe, not when she was bitten, but thinking about that period of life, especially in front of Derek, was... depressing because not long after the attack was when they'd split. Jack had thrown himself into work to help assuage the guilt that plagued him from not being able to protect his poor little sister from her attacker, and in the process, he'd neglected his relationship with Derek.
Clearing his throat, not letting himself go down too far down that track of thought, Jack focused on other parts of the conversation instead. Like Derek's impersonation of asking someone to please not rob a store which pulled a grin from him. "Manners always help, I'm sure. If you ask politely, they're less likely to rob a store because they don't want you to think they're rude," he joked back.
"Hmm, tough question," Jack said, eyes shining in amusement. It was the opposite of that - if Derek ever ended up in the hospital, seriously injured, Jack would likely be the first one to apparate in the room. They may not have been together for... what, 9 years now, but he still very much cared for the man. "I suppose I could shed some very manly tears for your sake while handing you some purple petunias. I'd even make you a get well soon card - one that would be so perfectly crafted that it would bring even you to tears."
"It sounds like somebody had a traumatic run-in with a DIY hair potion as a teenager. What happened, did you visit Madam Pomfrey with a four foot beard?" Jack asked, his lips twitching once more as he leaned over to brush his thumb across the stubble that decorated Derek's jawline without thinking. But it only lingered there for a moment before his hand dropped by his side, and he swallowed. "Sorry, that was... I should have asked before touching you like that. It's not my place." Anymore.
"What, worried you'd choke?" Jack shot back, returning Derek's wink with one of his own. Two could play at the innuendo game Derek was apparently staring. At the sound of the ding, Jack watched Derek disappear to go and grab the pizza, his eyes definitely staying strictly above the waist... not. He chalked that up to old habits and the fact that Derek was still in just as good shape as he'd been nearly a decade ago - how was that even possible? Maneuvering his way over to the couch, Jack took a seat and then the plate gratefully. "Deep fried pizza, hey? I didn't realise your intent was to try and kill me with grease."
Raising a slice of the pizza to his lips, Jack took a bite and let out a moan of pleasure because okay, he took his complaining back. "Nevermind, I'll happily die from grease," he said before swallowing, his eyes lighting up as Derek mentioned them cooking together when he came over again. "Next time, hey?"
6'0". IRISH. BIG HEART. LOYAL. BRAVE. WORKAHOLIC. BISEXUAL. SINGLE. distinguishing features: a big scar runs across jack's left cheek credit for award goes to ollie! <3
Post by DEREK VAN LEEUWEN on May 7, 2020 20:51:15 GMT
Derek wished he hadn’t brought the topic of family to a plea of protecting them. Jack did his best but he was only one man. His thoughts were with Maggie whose entire life collapsed that once day, sweet mum and dad O’Connor who had to watch their daughter slowly lose hope. Then there was Jack who blamed himself for everything. Sometimes Derek felt guilty for not being there enough for them. During that time, Derek saw Maggie more than he saw Jack. Now after years, they’d finally captured the woman who did it to her but it felt like an empty accomplishment. Maggie didn’t get her old life back and she wasn’t suddenly cured. Derek bit his lip and squeezed Jack’s arm in support. It was better for both of them to leave that topic for another day.
"Hmm… You've got a point. I might test that theory next mission," he joked, thinking how such interaction would go. Well the criminal would probably be thrown off guard and be confused. So as strange as it sounded it might actually work.
Jack's shining eyes were such a wonderful sight. Derek greatly appreciated this small moment of joy after lots of dark days. Jack had aged well and was possibly more handsome than ever. He was a good man and Derek sometimes wished they'd have communicated better. "I'll probably cry because it'd look so bloody cheesy," he joked and grinned. Truth be he'd probably cry as soon as Jack started to shed tears. "If I happen to get hospitalized and don't get any purple flowers I'm gonna be utterly disappointed," he chuckled up another joke as he nudged Jack's waist.
Derek cringed because Jack didn't know how close he came to the truth. His eyes widened in shock and he jerked at Jack's shirt to get an answer." No way, I thought that story got lost overtime. Where did you hear that?" Derek was sure it had stayed between his group of friends and madam Pomfrey. His past trauma was overshadowed when he felt Jack's fingers brushing over his stubbled chin. In an automatic response he gazed down into Jack's eyes. He blinked because his brain couldn't quite progress what to make of this. "It's okay," he mumbled to his own surprise. His fingers reached out to Jack's hand which had touched him. But he once he felt them brush against Jack's he pulled back. Four years ago he would've been livid if Jack touched him like that. Now he would dare to say he actually liked the gentle and familiar warm feeling that came with it. Despite all, he still trusted Jack and in his field of work you could hardly trust anyone.
"I'd rather choke on something else instead of your ruined brownies," he teased as his eyes shot down to Jack's less safe for work area without meaning to. Derek didn't even catch himself doing it. While working in the kitchen he could've sworn to have caught some glimpses in his direction. He didn't mind it as much as he thought he would, quite the contrary.
After taking out the pizza, the auror quickly changed in something more suitable. A clean pair of jeans and a rather well fitted plain white tee that definitely showed off his progress. He jumped on the couch next to Jack and started to dig into the pizza. "We're all gonna die someday. Death by food sounds like a rather pleasant way to go if you ask me." Derek's other options would likely be mauled by werewolves or cursed to death by some psychopath. Yeah he'd go for the food.
"See it ain't that bad. I could've sworn that pizza made your pants wet and hot," he teased when he heard the foodgasmn. After casually refilling their wine glasses, he lifted it to toast. "To the mighty pizza lord. Bless us with your delightful carbs," he said before chucking down the wine like lemonade. "Ooh you bet we're gonna cook. We've got the entire summer to have another matching date. It can't be that impossible to plan."
It felt nice, laughing with Derek. Like the good old days, back before everything started falling apart. Back when Jack was... well, as happy as he could be after the war. "Sure, because it's 'cheesy.' Not because it's heartwarming and sweet," Jack teased back, nudging Derek straight back. "Don't lie though - you'd take whatever flowers I'd give you. Even if they were pink and half-wilted, you'd appreciate the gesture." And to be honest... that probably would be the state of them if Jack were to rush to the hospital last minute.
Jack let out a surprised chuckle as Derek asked how he heard about that, jogging his memory because right. That had actually happened. It was a faint memory now but when he thought back hard enough... he could still remember being hunched over a desk, trying to cram for some blasted potions essay in the dormitories, whilst his roommates hooted with laughter at what Derek had done this time. "You're already losing your memory, are you? We shared a dorm for years, Derek. Nothing you did ever escaped me," he said, voice teasing.
It's okay. Of all the responses Jack had been anticipating, it hadn't been Derek being alright with him touching him so intimately and so casually... but it was certainly a relief. For a split second when he'd felt the presence of Derek's fingers resting on top of his own, he'd worried that they were about to curl around his hand and pry it away - but instead they had gently lingered, light and warm, before Jack had pulled away of his own accord.
"Here I was thinking you'd learned how not to choke on somethings by now. Shame," Jack said, his head tilting back as he let out a peel of laughter because Derek was nowhere near as smooth or as subtle as he thought. If Jack was being honest, he kind of liked that though.
As Derek joined Jack on the couch, Jack's eyes skimmed over his body perhaps a bit too attentively. But that was somewhat of Derek's fault, wasn't it? His crisp white shirt was clinging to every single muscle he'd so finely developed and if Jack's mouth wasn't too busy being stuffed with pizza, he probably wouldn't have been able to catch it from falling open slightly because... shit, he looked good. Swallowing a mouthful of his food, Jack asked nonchalantly, "Are you angling to end up with stains on that shirt? Pizza and the colour white... not always a good combination."
Jack nearly choked at what words flew out of Derek's mouth next, and he snorted loudly. "Your memory must be getting bad if you recall that being the noise I make when that happens," he said, shaking his head. 'I could remind you though,' went unsaid... and perhaps that was for the best. Grabbing his glass, Jack clinked it against Derek's. "Here, here!" A second later, Jack took a sip, one a lot less generous than Derek had.
Turning to face Derek at the words 'another matching date,' he wondered... is that what this is? He didn't want Derek to get the wrong impression, nor did he want to interpret Derek's words the wrong way, and so instead of gently saying, 'Derek, I don't think us going on dates is going to end well,' he settled for a light, joking tone instead as he said, "Is this what this is, Derek? A date? I seem to remember us agreeing to have dinner as just friends."
6'0". IRISH. BIG HEART. LOYAL. BRAVE. WORKAHOLIC. BISEXUAL. SINGLE. distinguishing features: a big scar runs across jack's left cheek credit for award goes to ollie! <3
Post by DEREK VAN LEEUWEN on May 11, 2020 14:39:07 GMT
The two of them could turn in kiddy teenagers if left alone too long. The saying ‘men never really grow up’ might apply in moments of these. Derek chuckled when teased back and instead of nudging back, he started to poke at Jack’s waist. “Nah, definitely because it’s cheesy. I just can’t help it. I love cheese so much just the thought of it makes me cry,” he said dramatically, joking about the Dutch stereotype. Only at certain times, Derek was reminded he wasn’t born in this country. But he had lived most of his life here, so it was easy to forget. Jack’s comment had him grinning. “Truth be told, you could probably give me a baked turd and I’d still appreciate the thought.” Derek was a lonely man. He’d lost a lot of friends in the past years. Either they fell victim to werewolves or broke their contact because Derek worked for the Ministry. Sometimes being reminded people still thought of you could safe a person.
The auror scratched himself behind the head and groaned. “Eh, lots of Hogwarts memories got overshadowed by what happened after it. Or perhaps I just hoped you’d have forgotten about it,” he chuckled and smirked in a sly and almost evil way. “Hmmm? Nothing I did escaped you, my, my. Never thought of you as a stalker.” Bad choice of words, son. Here you’ll have it. The good times at Hogwarts seemed like ages ago. It was a shame it directly linked to the war and the death of his family. Even today it still got his blood boiling. No matter how many purists he put in Azkaban, he would never get his family back
There was a small and dangerous moment even if it didn’t last for very long. Derek passed it off as nothing but sentimental nostalgia. That way he quickly found peace with the strange happening of touches. Better not think of it too much. It had been years, they had both moved on.
Oh no he didn’t just go there. With a loud laugh, Derek shook his head and crossed his arms. “I have, I’m just not sure about that one. It has been years after all. Too bad we won’t find out,” he joked but made it clear it was just a joke, not an invitation. He wasn’t drunk enough for that.
Derek noticed Jack checking him out and honestly let him have his moment. It never hurt to have people ogle at you, even if it was your ex. “Jealous that your job isn’t half as good for your physique than mine?” He teased and took a bite of the greasy pizza. “Then again you might prefer not risking your life every day. Although… Sometimes I think those kids could murder you in your sleep. How bad are they? Is it true that they get worse with the year?” Perhaps he was a bit too overconfident in his dining skills with wearing a white shirt. “Tomato stains are easier to wash out than blood stains, let me tell you that.” After years of auror service, Derek managed to have perfected that craft as well.
“Nah I definitely do remember. You sound exactly like a drowning goat,” he grinned from ear to hear, having way too much fun with this endless back and front teasing. To salute himself on the master comment, he rewarded himself with a sip of wine.
The glass had barely touched his lips, or he choked on Jack’s comment. What was in his mouth spat out back in the glass. The auror coughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his palm. “Woah woah, mate. Don’t say that word. We don’t do that here,” he shuddered, just what was going on in this guy’s head. “Date as in day, Jack. Don’t go make things weird on me,” he kept the tone light for the sake of the vibe.
Jack let out a very manly squeak as suddenly Derek started prodding at his ticklish side, quickly catching the other man's wrist in an attempt to halt his movement because... tickling? Not on the agenda tonight, or any other nights to be truthful. "God forbid anyone ever gift you a cheese and wine platter. You'll start blubbering all over it," Jack quipped, taking a step back lest Derek started pocking at him again. He grimaced at the thought of a baked turd, however, because, "For some reason beyond both our comprehension, I have never and will never want to gift someone that."
Derek was absolutely right - a lot of the happier memories of Hogwarts got lost in the sadness and trauma of the war. When he ruminated on those times... his first thought wasn't normally, 'remember that time when Derek...' but instead, much darker thoughts like, 'remember that time when the Carrows...' "My, you've got me red-handed about being a stalker... over twenty years after the fact." An cheeky smile slid onto his face, the corners of his eyes crinkling once more with amusement as he joked, "Time to break out the handcuffs?" Wouldn't be the first time.
"Not really, no. I think I'd be rather disappointed if being a professor was 'good for your physique,'" Jack said with a laugh. In all honesty... he didn't work out very much at all and chasing after people, having to be in shape, wasn't exactly desirable. It didn't mean he wouldn't thoroughly appreciate other people who did so... like the man sitting beside him.
His eyebrows raised before he shrugged one shoulder at Derek's question, a small half-smile on his lips. "There probably are a few who could murder me but I like to hold faith that since I'm the defense against the dark arts professor, I'm well-armed enough to defend myself if a student attempted to murder me." He was joking... mostly, before becoming a bit more serious. "There's some kids who play up a bit more, but I wouldn't call them bad. Usually they're acting out because they need help and guidance with underlying issues like... problems at home or with other classmates. Unfortunately, some tend to forget that most of the time there's a reason behind their behaviour." Jack took yet another bite of his pizza, chewing thoughtfully before saying with a low chuckle, "I guess that's more than you really wanted to know, right?"
Derek's grin was as handsome as Jack remembered and yet again, he found himself mirroring it, a wide smile breaking out across his face. Merlin, he was having more fun than he'd had for a long time. "A lot can change in nearly ten years. Maybe I've lost the drowning goat noise in favour for others," he said, before bowing his head sheepishly as Derek all but choked and accused him of making things 'weird.' Evidently, he'd misinterpreted what the man had meant. "Uh, apologies. Won't happen again. I think I just... you said 'matching date,' I thought you meant as in a date date, not a day."
6'0". IRISH. BIG HEART. LOYAL. BRAVE. WORKAHOLIC. BISEXUAL. SINGLE. distinguishing features: a big scar runs across jack's left cheek credit for award goes to ollie! <3
Post by DEREK VAN LEEUWEN on May 20, 2020 13:19:49 GMT
The little squeak brought him back to the pillow fights in the Gryffindor dormitory. At some point people started cheating to win. Jack caught his hand to defend himself from further damage. If he wanted to, Derek could use his other hand to strike back but he called the battle a day. “I’d faint for sure. Kaas is liefde, kaas is leven,” he nodded in approval. The auror laughed in response. “Yeah it was a matter of speaking. Please for the future keep from turd gifting. The healers might take you straight to St. Janus ward if they see you do that.”
“I must have been the worst auror in history for not noticing,” he grinned back and then dramatically sighed. “I suppose after such a confession you leave me no choice. Bad guys must be punished.” With a sigh he summoned his handcuffs from the bathroom and wiggled his eyebrows. Back in the day this would’ve been the point things would start to get wild. Instead of sexy foreplay, Jack only got loud laughter from Derek this time. He threw the handcuffs on the table and shook his head.
“You’d probably have a hard time if you had to run around after hyper active first years. Perhaps it’s only a good thing you don’t have to resort to physical work out on the job,” he joked and chuckled at the imagination of Jack having to chase misbehaving first years. Derek poked Jack’s stomach. “For what I can feel it sure ain’t bad either,” he winked, giving credit when it was due. Jack might not be ripped but he aged well. Lots of men their age just fully let themselves go. At least Jack seemed to have a healthy diet. His skin looked very good, the starting wrinkles had their charms. If he didn’t know better, he’d say Jack looked very wise.
Derek nodded at the Professor. “You might actually be able to hold yourself against a battle with some of my aurors. I’ve dueled with you for fun, if you’re half as good as back then, you’ll be fine.” As Jack spoke about his students, Derek couldn’t help but listen with a soft smile on his face. The way this man handled his students was so sweet, Jack really cared about those kids. Jack was pure heart, which was why Derek fell from him hard back in the day. Lucky him, he was strong enough now to resist those sweet charms. He softly squeezed Jack’s arm with his greasy fingers. “You’re a good teacher, mate. All the staff members I talked to the other day were really found of you. Thought you should know.” Derek stretched out and cracked his neck joints. “Argh,” he groaned as they popped before turning his face in a smile. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I can listen all night to you being passionate about work.”
This was nice. Derek noticed he was relaxing which was rare after a work day. Especially considering he only had drank half a wine glass where usually he'd go straight to whiskey. "Who knows you might have evolved to dying whale noises," he teased, making dolphin movements with his pizza in the air.
The auror waves his hand, flopping his pizza back and forth. "No biggie," he shrugged off the dating topic. Honestly who even had time to date these days?
Even though they'd been together for three years, Jack had to admit - he didn't know a lick of Dutch, or at least... he didn't remember any of it. But... he could take a stab in the dark of what Derek was saying, based on what they'd been talking about. "Er, cheese something-something?" he suggested, before letting out a hearty laugh. "I'll try and contain myself from gifting you that. Don't want to end up in there - although, seeing Padma's always a perk."
As the handcuffs floated out of the bathroom, Jack blinked because, "Why do you keep your handcuffs there, Derek? Don't tell me you're chaining people up in the bathtub now." The thought was enough to have Jack's mouth twitching. "Are you to be trusted? Do I need to go check there's no hostages?" He made as if he were going to get up, before quickly sitting back down and leaning forward towards the coffee table. With his forefinger, he lifted the handcuffs up to expect them. He was almost tempted to tease Derek into using them but... later that wasn't on the menu tonight.
Jack was a talented dueler. It was something that was undeniable and he could recognise his strengths. But compared to an auror who practiced dueling on a regular basis as part of their job? He wasn't so sure that he could best them. It was nice as the compliments kept coming from Derek, moving onto his teaching skills and Jack smiled up at him, leaning against his shoulder for a moment. "Talking to my coworkers, hey? You know if you want to check up on me, you could just send me a letter," he joked lightly.
"From a goat to a whale. I'm not sure that's really that much of an evolution," he said with an amused snort, shaking his head as he drained his glass of wine. Leaning forward, he refilled it, this time swallowing half in a couple of gulps and Merlin, that kicked in fast, didn't it? It must have had a fairly high alcohol content because as Jack relaxed into the cushions, wiping his greasy pizza hands on a napkin, he was considerably more loose-limbed and pliant. Curiously tilting his head, he asked Derek outright, "So, are you seeing someone?"
6'0". IRISH. BIG HEART. LOYAL. BRAVE. WORKAHOLIC. BISEXUAL. SINGLE. distinguishing features: a big scar runs across jack's left cheek credit for award goes to ollie! <3
Post by DEREK VAN LEEUWEN on May 25, 2020 10:09:57 GMT
Derek rarely spoke Dutch. It reminded him of his family and nobody else really spoke it. Sometimes he forgot his mother language at all due to years without speaking the Dutch tongue. The language also wasn’t really considered charming so there was no use for flirting either. The last time he really spoke Dutch was when he referred to Jack as ‘schat’ that was a long time ago. “I said cheese is life, which is basically my mantra,” he said as if a wise guru had spoken these exact words. Derek laughed. “I’m sure there are other ways to visit Padma.”
The auror raised an eyebrow, why did Jack sound like he was doing something weird. “Because that’s where I undress after a day of work? My smelly uniform is there too,” he said casually before a playful smirk crept on his face. “And you never know when to be ready. You never know when trouble comes. And must I say, trouble definitely came,” he winked and took another bite of his pizza. “I actually was just finished showering when you came in, so I didn’t have time to clean up.”
Holding up his hands in defense, Derek shook his head. “Oi, oi! I’m definitely the good guy. Well, I used to be. Not sure if aurors can be considered good anymore,” he sighed at the knowledge of what they were ordered to do.
“Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t checking up on you. It was just a regular inspection and they wouldn’t shut up about you, Mr. popular” he grinned teasingly. When Jack leaned against his shoulder, Derek felt a familiar warm feeling. Since the break up he had several flings, but he couldn’t trust any of those people like he had trusted Jack. It was nice. Derek automatically complied with wrapping one arm loosely around Jack’s shoulder, keeping it casual.
The auror laughed at his own joke. “Some people might think a whale is sexier. At least they’re louder than a goat, that must count for something,” he grinned like a teenager making a dirty joke. The wine was well picked, the fifteen percentage did more than he thought it would. He was feeling the delightful warmness. His head tilted at the question. “Not really, just simple flings now and then. Nothing serious since-” He shook his head and shrugged. “Don’t really have the time for that. How ‘bout you? Some sexy stuff going on in that castle?” JACK O'CONNOR,
|6'3 | functioning alcoholic | single | homoflexable
Oh. That made sense then, that Derek kept his handcuffs in the bathroom. Huffing out an easy-going, slightly self-deprecating laugh Jack tilted his glass of wine in Derek's direction, "I think this must be getting to my head. I didn't even think of that." But... it was definitely a nice thought, Derek in the shower. He looked even more in shape now, fitter than he did when they were together, and the image of rivulets of water tumbling down his muscled chest and towards his stomach had Jack's mouth dry. "I suppose if trouble's already come, then that means they won't come again later." He raised an almost daring eyebrow raise at Derek because he hadn't missed the flirtatious underlying of his previous words and two could play at that game.
Jack held his tongue over Derek's sighing of whether they were the good guys or not - he had strong opinions on the 'work' the Auror department was doing presently, and voicing it... would be a mood killer, and very possibly bring on an argument that he was simply too tired to have. Besides, he didn't want to end up apparating away from Derek's apartment on a bad note.
"Oh, so you weren't checking up on me then? Shame. Here I was, thinking you cared," Jack said lightly, returning the grin. As the warm weight of Derek's arm wrapped around his shoulder, Jack let himself relax into it, shuffling just a tiny bit closer so their sides brushed. This was perfectly normal, two exes all but cuddling, right? The grin not diminishing a little bit, he added teasingly, "I kind of feel like a teenager in a movie cinema - I think I definitely would have if you'd pulled the old 'yawn and stretch' move on me."
"If anyone thinks animal noises are sexy, please arrest them. It's your duty as an Auror," Jack said mock-seriously, giving Derek a solemn nod before cracking another smile and raising the glass of wine to his mouth once more to take a sip. Derek's response was, quite honestly, a little bit expected - but he was sure Derek felt similarly towards his answer. "I had a... fling, I suppose? With someone, but nothing serious came from it." Even if he'd wanted it to, but that was besides the point. "I don't think it'll happen again... shame, since it was a good way to blow off steam after a long, hard day."
6'0". IRISH. BIG HEART. LOYAL. BRAVE. WORKAHOLIC. BISEXUAL. SINGLE. distinguishing features: a big scar runs across jack's left cheek credit for award goes to ollie! <3
