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Post by nagana on Apr 27, 2018 10:03:30 GMT -5
Galen Herrara
At Poppy’s smile, Galen felt a warm rush of appreciation and satisfaction. She definitely seemed to be warming up to him and feeling slightly more comfortable at this point which made him feel both grateful and somewhat proud of his abilities. He also noticed that her words were coming far easier than they had been before—teary-eyed stares had turned to blushes and grins, and her energy was far less frantic and overwhelmed.
Galen nodded to display his understanding of her desire to not go back to the Shoppe. He understood the need to separate oneself from additional discomforts after an anxiety attack and felt that her explanation was a perfectly reasonable basis for not returning to the place of the attack. His logical mind did flit for a moment to think about the fact that he would need to go somewhere to get something to eat before returning to work, but he returned to the present situation swiftly—if nothing else, he could scarf down his corned beef sandwich hastily before his afternoon shift.
When she expressed that she would prefer for him to stay with her, Galen felt a flutter of exhilaration he was fairly unfamiliar with. He shoved it off as just an enhanced version of the thrill he got from being needed, but it was definitely something more exciting than that. He glanced around the still-busy Mall, wondering if there was a calmer place for them to move to in order to maintain the reduced anxiety Poppy had been able to achieve.
“Would you possibly like to take a walk?” he asked politely. “It might be nice to get some fresh air and get your body moving after that,” he added encouragingly. He offered her his hand to provide some steadiness if she chose to rise from the chair, unsure how stable she would be on her feet after that experience.
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Post by Skatie on Apr 27, 2018 11:47:20 GMT -5
Poppy hesitated only for a fraction of a moment before giving him her hand. She didn't think she needed any help standing, but there was something terribly tempting about his offer. She stood to her feet without any wobbling, though she was acutely away of the fact that her skin refused to stop being flushed with the heat of an undying blush.
"I hope I'm not keeping you from something important," she said softly now, realizing that a Healer must have a very busy day. She was probably ruining the small break he'd had to recover from whatever traumas he was sorting out as a part of his actual job.
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Post by nagana on Apr 30, 2018 7:58:03 GMT -5
Galen Herrera
Galen accepted Poppy's small hand in his own to help bring her to her feet. Though she seemed quite alright in terms of her ability to stand up and be steady on her feet, he was perfectly happy providing this service nonetheless. When she had risen from the chair, he gave her hand a small squeeze accompanied by a genuine smile. He released it gently and picked up the chair again.
"I'll just run this back," he said quickly and whisked the chair away to replace it before it was missed. He swiftly returned the chair to its position at the empty table and was back at Poppy's side in a matter of moments.
"No worries whatsoever, love," he said, and took a peek at his wristwatch. He still had just over a half-hour of his break. "I am due back at the hospital in a little while, but I am happy to spend the time with you. Actually," he winked, "I quite need your help. I'm a bit of a shut-in, you see, and could use a suggestion of where else besides your Shoppe to purchase myself a treat." He offered Poppy his arm politely, gesturing toward the entrance to the Mall.
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Post by Skatie on Apr 30, 2018 10:47:47 GMT -5
Poppy watched as Galen returned the chair, unable to not admire the way he moved so lithely and with such ease. He was back with her before she really felt the loss of him at all. She crossed one arm over her middle, fingers curling around her own waist protectively. It was a habitual stance - not brought on by her feeling uneasy with him at all. If anything, she was uneasy due to not feeling at all uneasy with him.
"Would that be wise?" she asked him with a tiny smile. "I think I'd like to keep you as my customer, rather than to tip you off to some other place..." Poppy didn't want to be selfish, but she'd be lying if she said that she didn't get hurt feelings that her regulars strayed from her shop. Then again, that was silly. She didn't even sell sandwiches or soups - perhaps she could take him somewhere with lunch items.
And, honestly, she would do damn near anything if he was going to wink at her that way.
"Alright, I know a place," she admitted with a bashful smile. Poppy pointed just down the street to a hanging sign that read 'Rieux Bistro' in fancy lettering. "Sandwiches, quick service...we'll get you back on time," she promised him.
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Post by nagana on May 6, 2018 9:20:41 GMT -5
Galen let out a laugh at Poppy's statement. There was no doubt that she put a lot of time and effort into thinking about how to promote the success of her business, and he had to admire it. With a smile still etched on his face, he reassured her.
"Absolutely no worries there, love. I promise I'll be back to try those cookies. And to check on up on you, of course.” He hoped his words came off more caring and thoughtful rather than overprotective and overbearing. If he had received any constructive criticism during his time as a Healer, it was that he could sometimes get too invested and treated each case far too personally. His superiors always chided him about it, reminding him of the dangers of burnout and the importance of self-care in the professional world of helping. He listened, mostly. However, he struggled to heed the words and more often than not found himself working overtime to make each patient feel important and heard. However, this girl was slightly different. He would be lying if he told himself that the only reason he wanted to return to the Shoppe was to try the cookies and check in on her health. He was drawn to Poppy in a much more personal way than that.
When Poppy pointed down the way toward the sandwich place, Galen nodded enthusiastically. His stomach gave a small grumble—he was definitely ready for some food. He waited patiently to see if Poppy would take his arm before they set off, unsure if the gesture might feel too forward having just met her. He was a man of tradition, however, and therefore did not mind that idea that it may be seen as a little over the top too much.
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Post by Skatie on May 7, 2018 6:34:26 GMT -5
If Poppy didn't immediately take his arm, it was only due to her not realizing he was offering it. She had little experience with men - and none that was good - so she wasn't the sort of girl who easily flirted or even identified flirtatious pursuits. When he paused, she did realize he was waiting for something and that was when, blushing, she took his arm with a little flutter in her mid-drift.
It was a short walk to Rieux Bistro and Poppy spent the jot feeling all tingly and warm, nervous that she was gripping his arm too tightly. She wasn't, of course. Her touch was so timid, he probably didn't even feel it. She wasn't prepared for this. Poppy rarely entertained crushes on anyone because she knew they'd never play out for her. But Galen seemed to have such a calming presence and that was magnetic to her. She didn't like the idea of this encounter ending and them going back to being strangers passing by now and then.
They entered the little bistro and Poppy was relieved to see that they were coming after the usual lunchtime rush. There were still customers inside, but not so many as to be overwhelming. They approached the counter and Poppy ordered a half of a sandwich for herself, then had to repeat herself twice because she was speaking too quietly (which, naturally, got her all flustered and flushed). Finally, the teenager working the counter took Galen's order and they were given a number and went to claim a little table. Poppy sat primly in her chair, still recovering from her embarrassment at not being heard, unable to meet Galen's gaze.
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Post by nagana on May 8, 2018 19:08:51 GMT -5
As they walked over to the Bistro, Galen was conscientious to shorten his strides to match Poppy's so as not to rush her. She was quite a bit shorter than him and he wanted to make sure she felt comfortable. Her touch was light but pleasant, and he felt quite pleased to have her arm linked in his. Despite his cool confidence, Galen wasn't really the type to go out with new people often. He couldn't help but feel a slight stroke of accomplishment in knowing that she was choosing to continue to spend time with him.
Galen waited patiently as the worker took Poppy's order, unaffected by the fact that it took slightly longer because she had to repeat it. He was reminded fondly of his sister and the time he spent helping her navigate her world as she regained confidence after her accident. He found the timidness quite endearing--he would much rather be around someone like Poppy than someone loud and overwhelming with their presence.
After Galen placed his order, he scanned the restaurant quickly to spotted a table off to the side where few people were sitting. He steered them over to that table, figuring it would be a more ideal location for them than out in the middle of everything. When they reached the table, he pulled a chair out for Poppy before taking a seat himself. He clasped his hands together on the tabletop, noticing that Poppy's gaze seemed to be drifting away from him. He wondered if she was regretting her decision to accompany him to the Bistro, and felt a small shock of guilt in his gut. Had he pressured her to stay with him? He certainly hoped not. He took a deep breath and decided to go back to the safety of playing Healer for her.
"How are you feeling now?" he asked, hoping he wasn't coming off as overbearing by asking that again, but feeling as though it would be too forward to take the conversation in any other direction if she was feeling uncomfortable.
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Post by Skatie on May 9, 2018 6:13:33 GMT -5
Poppy was only uncomfortable as a result of having never been in a situation like this before. She'd never been on a date and, though this wasn't a date, that meant that she'd never really been one on one with a guy for a meal. Galen was being absolutely wonderful and that was enough to make any girl a bit bashful, wasn't it? Especially given that this wasn't a date, so it was unlikely that he was even interested in her. She had to figure out how to not seem smitten by him, didn't she?
"Much better," she finally met his gaze, smiling a little. "Thank you. I hope you don't mind me joining you," she then offered. It occurred to her that he was just trying to take his break and she was thoroughly ruining it. It was times like these that Poppy got caught up in comparing herself to other girls - how other girls would be confident and flirtatious and work toward securing this as an actual date.
Poppy not only couldn't do that - she wouldn't have known how. She was prematurely mourning the fact that, after today, she'd likely have no reason to talk to Galen.
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Post by nagana on May 10, 2018 10:14:21 GMT -5
Galen returned Poppy's smile when her eyes eventually found his again. He took a moment to appreciate their blueness and marveled at the fact that they shared nearly the same shade of light-colored eyes. He always thought that shade of blue made him look too serious and cocky, but on her it somehow made her look so sweet and pure. He paused for a moment as he reflected on this, and then shook his head slightly in response to her words.
"Of course not. It's actually quite nice to share my break with someone outside of the hospital." He raised his eyebrows and his gaze drifted off to the side as he took a moment to think. "You know...I don't think I've ever really spoken to anyone except my coworkers during my breaks. This is definitely an improvement over them," he grinned, only halfway joking. While he enjoyed the people that he worked with, there was always a feeling of being rushed when he was around them. Poppy really brought out the more quiet, perceptive side of Galen, which he immensely appreciated. He didn't spend much time with this part of himself anymore since going full-time at St. Mungo's, and it was something he desperately needed.
Galen leaned back in his chair, stretching out a bit and making himself more comfortable. He hoped that in doing so, Poppy would know that he was indeed feeling at ease with her and that she was welcome to relax as well. She seemed quite tense, and Galen couldn't quite pinpoint why that would be besides the fact that she had just experienced such an overwhelming attack. In an attempt to create a more casual and comfortable environment, Galen chose to not bring it up again--she had said she was much better, and that was that.
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Post by Skatie on May 10, 2018 12:50:21 GMT -5
Poppy smiled when he joked that this was an improvement over being with his co-workers. She spent more time than she would have liked at St. Mungo's and could definitely understand his point. She'd always found the mediwitches to be abrasive and harried, the healers mostly too busy to be bothered for more than signing her chart after some nurse had told them what they thought of things. She always felt rushed, even as a patient. Galen was the first Healer who had actually made her feel better; who had taken time to help her recover rather than just tell her that she was having an attack and should relax.
Before she could think of a good response, their orders were delivered to them on quaint little plates. Poppy took a nibble of her triangle-cut sandwich, finding that her appetite was actually recovering, too. While she chewed, she cast around for something to say to him that didn't sound silly. By the time she had swallowed, she had come up with this gem: "You're really tall."
Nice job, Poppy.
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Post by nagana on May 13, 2018 17:59:00 GMT -5
When the food arrived, Galen sat forward eagerly and accepted his food from the waitress; he was very ready to eat something at this point, as well as to have a sandwich made with care by someone else rather than the ones he usually slapped together for himself. He ordered a club sub and it looked absolutely delicious, with bacon and turkey piled high on lettuce, tomato, and pickles. He took a large bite of it and let out a noise of contentment just as Poppy spoke again. His mouth full, he smiled at her words before swallowing and being able to respond.
"Indeed I am," he said with a chuckle. "And while it does have it's perks, I can imagine being smaller could be fun too." His smile widened and a twinkle appeared in his eye. He was somewhat entertained by her choice of topic for conversation, but was mostly just feeling relief that she had decided to take the initiative and say something. It definitely made him feel as though she was striving to enjoy her time with him instead of looking forward to getting the encounter over with.
"So, how long have you been running The Flour Shoppe?" he asked conversationally. She looked quite young and he wondered how she had come to own such a successful business.
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Post by Skatie on May 13, 2018 19:24:07 GMT -5
What. An. Idiot.
Poppy inwardly cursed herself for saying something so daft. Friends often liked to say things to her like 'I don't know why you're single' and 'If I looked like you, I'd have blokes lined up around the block' - well, they hadn't just witnessed how blessedly rotten she was at talking to cute men. Her problem wasn't that she was unattractive or untalented - she was plain ridiculous! How Galen was dealing with her this long was a pure mystery.
"Oh," she said, glad when he actually presented a topic rather than carrying on with heights. "I've been working there since I was sixteen. The summer before my last year at Hogwarts, then when I graduated. When the owner decided to retire, she gave me the option to take it over." It was easily the most she had spoken since meeting him and with an ease that only came when she was saying things she knew without question. The one thing she took pride in was her baking and her shops, of which there were two. "I couldn't afford to buy from her, of course, but I make monthly installments."
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Post by nagana on May 23, 2018 19:36:58 GMT -5
Galen watched Poppy happily as she took the time to explain how she had come to own her Shoppe. He was glad to have opened up a door that seemed safe and easy for her to talk about, and felt he was able to get a real glimpse of the true Poppy for the first time since their initial meeting. She jumped from bashful and quiet to eloquent and focused; she seemed to feel actually comfortable with herself and her words instead of that hint of anxiety that had been hanging over her thus far. It continued to confirm for him that she actually wanted to be around him instead of simply tagging along politely: she cared enough to give him that honest glimpse and talk about this topic that was obviously important to her.
He put down his sandwich and reached for a glass of water that had been brought over with the food as Poppy finished speaking. After a nice gulp, he responded. "It sounds like that really worked out quite nicely, eh?" He again smiled, feeling pleased she had been able to slide into what seemed to be something she actually cared about. "The former owner must have thought quite highly of you!" He set the water back down and set in on his sandwich again. He could imagine that Poppy would be a dedicated and diligent worker. It was probably a no-brainer to have wanted her to take over the shop.
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Post by Skatie on May 24, 2018 9:52:50 GMT -5
Poppy smiled, a bit bashful but also more open than before. "Baking is...it's always been something I love to do." Baking was her safe place - something that not only provided her with self-confidence but an activity that eased all of her anxieties. "I started doing it when I was really young and I took every chance to learn new techniques and...and experiment." She realized at the end that she was sort of rambling, passionate, and flushed.
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Post by nagana on May 26, 2018 19:33:10 GMT -5
Galen listened eagerly as Poppy began to speak passionately about her love of baking. It sounded like she had truly found something that felt like home for her, and hearing this made him feel a bit more at ease with the fact that in a short amount of time, he would be leaving her. Usually, he had the comfort of knowing he would get to see the people he helped later on if they were staying at St. Mungo's and check in with them. Having assisted Poppy out in the real world meant that he did not have such a luxury, and it felt very comforting to know that she had something she would be able to go to in order to help herself when and if the anxiety symptoms returned.
"That sounds like a lovely hobby to have." He paused for a moment, eyes shifting down to the table as he considered his next words. He felt more confident in their blossoming relationship at this point but still felt hesitant about insinuating they would have continued contact after this. Here goes nothing, he told himself, and lifted his eyes back to hers. "Perhaps, if you'd like, you could show me some of these baking skills sometime?" He finished the question with a soft smile, curious to see her reaction to this suggestion.
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