July 28th, 1888 - Aberdeen, Scotland
Leo Lupin

Leon had heard her voice reaching that level only once or twice before, but he knew that Nanny was going to lose it soon without intervention. The last thing Leon needed was for another one to quit. He'd been attempting to balance the register for a side deal, to make sure he wasn't losing any money on it, when he'd heard the commotion start.

On a sigh, Leon stood from behind his desk and closed his book slowly. Whatever it was Elsbeth let the kid get away with at home was really becoming a pain. Since Leon was already paying this Nanny enough and he'd be loath to have to find another on short notice, he pulled his jacket from the back of his chair and swung it over his shoulders.

Making his way down the hall he stuck his head into the small bedroom that served as Leo's when the tyke happened to be in the Aberdeen townhouse. "Come on chap, let's take a walk, give Nan a break." The woman looked so relieved, Leon could only wonder what the kid had been up to this time.

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“Like ships in a squall,
we rise and we fall.”

deep quote code by Soph ♥

Leo wasn't exactly sure what he'd done this time. It was only a little spider. Well, five spiders, actually. In her hair. It's not like he had dropped one into her teacup, and she'd nearly swallowed it. Today. Either way, the boy thought she was entirely overreacting.

While Nanny's decibel level started to reach its max, the small boy stood there with his arms folded across his chest, a vaguely proud, yet passive, look on his face. It had been quite a while since he'd elicited such a strong reaction from her. The fog had relocated them to Aberdeen, and he had become distracted exploring the new environment for a time. However, idleness and impatience to return home had reached a dangerous level, and he had returned to his old tricks.

When his father appeared, Leo's expression turned to one of wide-eyed innocence, and he sweetly responded, "Okay, Papa!" As if nothing at all had happened, he skipped over to grab his cap, and then out the door after Leon. He shot Nanny the ghost of a smirk on his way past her, but he was all happy smiles again once he had exited the room. "Where we going?"

  

Leon's own mother swore the kid took after him as child, but considering Leon hadn't actually donated any genetic material (not that she knew that), he liked to think he hadn't been that bad. Plus his mum spoiled Leo rotten, so he probably behaved around her. Poor Nan, she got the worst of it.

Waiting for the little one to catch up, Leon checked his pocket watch by the front door before stepping out. "You choose, where shall we wander, the docks or down into town?" Either was amusing, though they lived nearer to the water, the docks would be closer, downtown would likely have more things of interest to Leo. "What'd you do to Nan this time?" He inquired as he started down the street at a leisurely pace. Both options were in the same general direction, so they had until the end of their avenue for him to make a decision.

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“Like ships in a squall,
we rise and we fall.”

deep quote code by Soph ♥

Leo scrunched up his little face in thought, trying to decide which place they should venture to. While he enjoyed splashing about in the water and peeking at the boats, he had been there so many times since they'd ended up in Aberdeen. With a cheerful shrug of his shoulders, he decided, "Town, please!"

He scurried along to keep up with Leon's larger strides and shot him a much too innocent smile. "Just showed her my spider c'lection!" By showed, he meant dumped the entire container over her poor head, but he didn't mention as much to his father. It had been amusing watching her flail about and scream in utter terror.

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   Prudence Browne

Leon barely contained the snicker that threatened to escape when Leo admitted to the spiders. Laughing at his antics was only encouragement to continue with them. Leon needed this nanny to stick around longer than a couple months. "I don't think Nan enjoyed that very much," Hence the screeching. "Might want to ask first next time."

Continuing down the lane toward town, Leon glanced down the alley that led to the docks. He was expecting a shipment later this evening, so he supposed it was good that Leo had chosen to go downtown. Sometimes he wondered if his employees took him more or less seriously when seeing him with Leo. "Anywhere you'd like to visit downtown?" Leon rather thought as long as he kept giving choices, the kid might behave. Then again, he rarely had issues, but that was probably proportionate to the amount of time they actually spent together. Then again, considering the kid wasn't even his, Leon thought he was putting in a decent amount of effort. Damn August.

"I hear there's a relatively new ice cream shop near the park." Leon could go for some himself, if he were being honest. One was never too old or too austere for ice cream.

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“Like ships in a squall,
we rise and we fall.”

deep quote code by Soph ♥

At his father's suggestion that he ask about the spiders first, Leo only acknowledged the advice with a scrunch of his nose. Ask first? Where was the fun in that? Nan was very likely to say no, and it took away the joy of seeing the sheer shock on her face. Ask first. Only old people suggested things like that.

He wouldn't hold it against Leon, though! Leo was just simply delighted to be spending time with him. That's all he ever wanted these days was to gain the attention of his Mama and Papa. Through any means necessary. Unfortunately, Nan was collateral. Poor woman.

"Ice cream!" He practically shouted, not old enough yet to fully grasp proper volume control. Then again, he didn't really try, either. "Yes, please, Papa! That's what we should have for supper, too."

The following 1 user Likes Leo Lupin's post:1 user Likes Leo Lupin's post
   Prudence Browne

Chuckling at Leo's obvious enthusiasm for the subject, Leon was pleased to see that he was easily entertained. "Ice cream it is then," Leon agreed as he paused at the corner of a busier street, a hand on Leo's shoulder to get him to do the same, before moving on.

"What flavor will you get?" In terrible parent fashion, Leon didn't know much of what the kid liked, but he was clearly about to find out. Though he was clearly not parent of the year, Leon rather thought he did okay for someone who was currently skipping through town with a child that was not actually his. That had to count for something.

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“Like ships in a squall,
we rise and we fall.”

deep quote code by Soph ♥

Leo strode along with quite a bit of self-importance for someone of his age. Then again, he liked things his way, so it wasn't all that surprising he had developed his own sort of strut. When his father laid a hand on his shoulder to get him to pause, however, he huffed ever so slightly.

At the question of what flavor he would prefer, the small boy didn't have to think. "All of them," he decided immediately, in a tone that suggested it would be rather difficult to change his mind on the subject. His stubby, little legs hurried along next to his father, attention drifting a moment to peer in the window of a shop they passed. "What you getting?"

  

Leon couldn't help but to chuckle at Leo's unfaltering assurance that he would indeed get whatever he wanted, when he wanted it. In a child it was mildly obnoxious, but Leon supposed he wasn't entirely unlike that himself, even as an adult. Then again when one could get what they wanted for themselves, it was a different story altogether.

"Won't know until I see what they have. I like going into a decision knowing all of my options." Though ice cream was certainly not a business deal by any means, he supposed he was like that in any situation. Leon was very much a man who liked to know exactly how many ways he could profit, if there were any loopholes and if he could make it really worth his while. He slowed his pace as the lad did to look at something in a shop window, but motioned for them to keep moving as he resumed their jaunt down the street.

Around a turn and down the block a little ways, they neared the ice cream shop, Leon could see the sign hanging from the brick facade of the building. Holding the door open for Leo to scamper in, he let it swing closed behind him, the little bell above signaling their arrival. He looked at the options himself as he moved toward the counter. There were quite a few. "Still getting them all?" He chuckled as he eyed Leo knowingly.

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.___. homg I am so sorry for the wait!

  

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“Like ships in a squall,
we rise and we fall.”

deep quote code by Soph ♥

Leo considered his father's words rather careful. It did make sense to want to know all of one's options before proceeding into something. He filed that tidbit away for other, more important decisions than ice cream. He had already made up his mind. He would get every flavor.

As they neared the ice cream shop, his little legs started to move even faster, but he did slow down when he actually entered. He didn't want to seem like every other child who entered the shop. He wanted to be taken seriously. Though, it was difficult to take a very small boy seriously when they were practically buzzing with excitement.

Thankfully, the options had pictures since he was still learning to read. They all looked delicious. Well, almost all of them. The ones with the nuts in them, he could do without.

Looking up to his father, he frowned and then shook his head. "Maybe not all, but...but all the ones with chocolate and no nuts in them, okay?" He could never eat them all, but, maybe if he just had a little taste of each, he could manage that.

  

Leon could see Leo's wheels turning, which was a good thing. Though Leon had never envisioned himself to be a parent, he liked to think he wasn't terrible at it either. The kid was smart, probably a little too smart for his own good sometimes; he must have gotten that from his actual father, or taken after August, but Merlin knew it wasn't Elsbeth. Maybe it was a nurture over nature in this respect. Who knew?

"Chocolate it is, you tell the lass, politely." Leon winked at the girl behind the counter and watched the interaction with a bemused sort of smirk. After that was settled, Leon got himself a little something, flirting with the lass for a minute and then moved to  sit down in the shop. Hopefully this served for enough of a break for Nan, because Leon really  ought to get back to work.

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“Like ships in a squall,
we rise and we fall.”

deep quote code by Soph ♥