Dorset being as good as family only meant that there was another person here to impress that Elias hadn’t accounted for, on top of all Daffy’s sisters and parents, and the way to his good opinion was keeping him fed Elias silently damned Quin for having a surefire way to win anyone over. What was left for the rest of them?
And are you a colleague of Mr. Potts – Elias didn’t know what to do with that, and, a little sheepish, he pulled a lopsided smile and swiftly caught himself scratching the back of his neck. At least he had said colleague, and not peer or anything – at least he wasn’t that old! – but, while there was nothing terrible in the assumption, he was at rather a loss of how to actually explain his presence.
Thank Merlin for Daffy, who had gravitated to his side at exactly the right moment and illustrated the reason without needing words at all. “That’s right,” he agreed, shooting Dorset a smile and then casting it sidelong towards Daff; gratitude and affection and the slightest tinge of sheepishness, still. This was all... more nerve-wracking than he’d thought.
“Daff –” (Wincing internally, Elias caught himself there, and had a minor crisis: should he say Daffodil? But she had called him Mr. Grimstone, and they were in company, and he really should have still addressed her as Miss if he was going about this properly, shouldn’t he? But it was already too late to course-correct this time, so he left it there and ploughed onwards –) “has taught me a fair amount about flowers,” Elias added, with a grin and a wry laugh, “but I wouldn’t call myself a plant expert yet.” He could always admire other people’s expertise, of course, though doubted he’d be able to keep up with Mr. Potts in a conversation on herbology.
And are you a colleague of Mr. Potts – Elias didn’t know what to do with that, and, a little sheepish, he pulled a lopsided smile and swiftly caught himself scratching the back of his neck. At least he had said colleague, and not peer or anything – at least he wasn’t that old! – but, while there was nothing terrible in the assumption, he was at rather a loss of how to actually explain his presence.
Thank Merlin for Daffy, who had gravitated to his side at exactly the right moment and illustrated the reason without needing words at all. “That’s right,” he agreed, shooting Dorset a smile and then casting it sidelong towards Daff; gratitude and affection and the slightest tinge of sheepishness, still. This was all... more nerve-wracking than he’d thought.
“Daff –” (Wincing internally, Elias caught himself there, and had a minor crisis: should he say Daffodil? But she had called him Mr. Grimstone, and they were in company, and he really should have still addressed her as Miss if he was going about this properly, shouldn’t he? But it was already too late to course-correct this time, so he left it there and ploughed onwards –) “has taught me a fair amount about flowers,” Elias added, with a grin and a wry laugh, “but I wouldn’t call myself a plant expert yet.” He could always admire other people’s expertise, of course, though doubted he’d be able to keep up with Mr. Potts in a conversation on herbology.
look ANOTHER beautiful bee!set <3