another brick in the wall

[Eilis Hooligan]

@Oliver Trask
@Malachi Belkin

After having parted ways with Yaz the other day, Eilis had found that she was still a bit sore from their shenanigans. It was in a delightful way but still achy. She had not relished getting on the Knight Bus which was always a bumpy ride and it wasn't like she knew how to apparate yet. That was still something she was currently learning though it was coming along poorly without someone who actually knew how to properly teach her. So she was sort of stuck in Hogsmeade again though thankfully it was of her own accord this time instead of a stupid invisible barrier wall.

After having fulfilled the task that had been her reason for having been in Gladrags in the first place, Eilis decided to go see a person she sometimes thought of in friendly terms. Last she had heard, he was now working in a respectable occupation at the Apothecary. Eilis didn't begrudge him it since it wasn't her business what other people did with their lives.

Still, the idea of Malachi being all respectable was enough to give her mild amusement since he was the source of most of the potions she utilized for some of the things she had to do. The tiny woman entered the Apothecary and sought out Malachis slender, lanky build, wondering if he was even in today. Thankfully, he seemed to be as she spotted him.

"Hello Malachi! I was in town so I thought I would come see you being all respectable," she couldn't resist teasing as she made her presence known to him.

  

[Malachi Belkin]

Malachi had found himself settling in nicely at the apothecary. The job paid well enough, and much more reliably than his status as errand boy had afforded him. It was certainly less dangerous than some jobs he had done, plus it was respectable enough to make his father happy. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little cagey, going to the same place every day and performing the same tasks. There wasn't much room for creativity in taking inventory and servicing customers, but at least the environment provided some inspiration for his potion-making. He had decided to leave out that bit when he told his father he'd gotten the job.

Today, he had been relegated to restocking shelves. With the cold weather fast approaching the shop was a bit less busy than usual, but he was sure there wouldn't be too many slow days on High Street with the holiday approaching. Not that the apothecary was a terribly popular place for Christmas shopping. Unless you wanted to brew some Amortentia to give a suitor a little encouragement for a kiss under the mistletoe... Perhaps he should stock up on supplies for those.

As he set down the heavy crate filled with vials of salamander blood, his mind began to wander to the most recent request he had received. Blood-Replenishing Potions weren't necessarily difficult to make; it was mostly just that the ingredients they required were pricey. The salamander's blood he was stocking was one of the primary ingredients, but it would easily cost him a week's salary to buy enough to make more than one batch. He supposed he could just pocket a few of them, but he wasn't about to betray Mr. Fairclough's trust just yet.

A familiar voice derailed his train of thought. Malachi jerked back to the present, accidentally rattling the vials on the shelves, but thankfully none of them were sent falling to the floor.

"Eilis!" he said, setting the vials he was holding on the shelf and trying to rearrange the mess he'd made. "I didn't think I'd see you in these parts again so soon." The girl hadn't made it a secret that she had been itching to get back to London after the quarantine was lifted. That had been the last time he'd seen her, not long before he got the job at the shop. "What brings you back to the village?"

  

[Eilis Hooligan]

Eilis somewhat enjoyed her job, mostly due to the danger and adrenaline inducing tasks that she often had. There were some things she could do without but it paid moderately well. She could never survive being a shopkeep or having other routine like jobs. Eilis' temperament was a bit too impulsive for those sorts of jobs even if they would make her seem more respectable. Besides, her family name alone ruined any good job prospects.

Eilis couldn't deny that she had been thinking of nicking a few items but she decided against it for now. Malachis position was too new and she didn't want to risk the Fairclough man blaming her friend for her theft.

The woman was overly pleased about having seemingly startled Malachi. She even cackled a little bit before making herself comfortable on a nearby chair as she watched Malachi do his shop employee thing. Eilis thought a moment on how much she should tell him. Yaz kind of had her on a honesty kick. "I was here for an errand, met a new friend then decided to stay around for a bit," there. That was honest without going into the whole 'had sex for the first time ever and it was glorious' thing.