 Kath / Calliope Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Moy Pomidor | Seneca's Beard | That Is So Fetch!
Ariel had made some questionable choices in her seventeen years of life. Walking willingly to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop might have ranked among the worst.
She stopped just outside the entrance, one hand still resting on the door handle as she stared through the window to catch a glimpse of the scene awaiting them inside. Lace. Bows. Tiny tables pushed unnecessarily close together. There was something almost eldritch about the sheer amount of romance crammed into one tiny establishment.
"Sure you want to see what kind of people voluntarily spend their Hogsmeade weekends in there?"
That had been the challenge they had agreed on, anyway. They would go inside, find somewhere sufficiently out of the way, order something warm, and people-watch. If they survived, then they could leave and do something they would actually enjoy.
Ariel pulled the door open and stopped barely two steps inside. There were couples everywhere. One pair had their hands clasped across the table between them. Another were sitting on the same side of a table despite there being a perfectly usable chair opposite. Somewhere toward the back, a boy appeared to be feeding his girlfriend a piece of cake.
"If you ever try to feed me cake in public..." The thought trailed off.
Without waiting to see what Calliope made of that, Ariel continued deeper into the shop and claimed one of the few available tables that afforded them an excellent view of the room while remaining a safe distance from the worst offenders. She dropped into a chair and picked up the menu.
"How long before this place does us permanent psychological damage?" she asked, a grin playing at the corners of her lips.
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Last edited by Zoe; 10-04-2026 at 01:15 AM.
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