 Constant Vigilance! O_O AWAKE!
To say Gabriel was unprepared to encounter someone from work would have been an understatement. Not to mention, an actual Auror. He paused halfway down the aisle when he was addressed, taking a long moment to process what was happening. Mr. Upstead, the Auror, was here shopping...with little children...and talking to him.
"Uhhhh...." Gabriel blanked. What were words? He was pretty sure Melo was him. His name. Yes, he was Gabriel Melo. He gulped, then nodded. Say something, Gabe...something coherent. "Mister Upstead, hello, yes."
Good going, Gabe.
Gabriel wanted nothing more than to walk away from this unnecessarily uncomfortable encounter, but...Mr. Upstead the Auror was standing right in front of the candles he needed. Gabriel did not move his feet. He looked at the candles, then the two children, then the older man. Was he supposed to say hi to the children? Ignore them? Gabriel, normally able to get himself into or out of any conversation he wanted, was at a loss. Worlds were colliding, and he did. not. like it. |