February 20th, 1894 - 3BS

Greer still wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but the house was a bit of a mess and she needed out. The engagement announcement came as a bit of a surprise, obviously, because the rumors floating about town were uncharacteristically salacious. Fortitude was about as predictable as they came and Greer still thought something was off about the whole thing. The story being painted just didn't fit. She'd kept her mouth shut thought, offering to help in any way that she could, but there really wasn't much she could do. Greer thought about reaching out to Miss Farley to ask if she could make the wedding dress, but she wasn't sure if that would be overstepping? All Greer could do was make sure everyone looked good on the special day at this point.

The noise of the pub was a welcome buzz compared to that of the house. Here she felt like she could breathe a little easier and like she wasn't in the way tucked into the corner on the last stool of the bar by the wall. She was nursing a generous pour of gin, waiting on something to eat, trying not to get too lost in her thoughts. The agreement to move out at some point had already been made between her and Lorelei, but Greer was starting to think that would have to be sooner rather than later. They would have to check their finances, which given their continued employment and the savings from selling everything back home, should be plenty to let a small flat. The Greengrass household was already set to burst, though Greer assumed that the newlyweds would buy a place of their own. Greer still thought it would be best if she and Lorelei got out of dodge beforehand.

With a small sketchpad atop the bar, Greer was loosely sketching a silhouette, minding her own business when a snippet of a conversation nearby caught her ear. She heard the name Greengrass mentioned and she cued into the tone. Three sentences later, she turned her body from the bar itself and said, "Oy, why don't yeh mind yer own business and shut yer gob." Gossips. Her absolute least favorite. She heard so much of it in the shop that sometimes it took all of her willpower not to say something. But she wasn't at work and she had no filter outside of that.

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Open to 1-2 others! Are you the gossips? Backing Greer up? I'm game for anything!

The following 1 user Likes Greer Owens's post:1 user Likes Greer Owens's post
   Fortitude Greengrass

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Avery's appearance

Fuck, she hated this type of customer. He'd already called most of the shots for the night; all she had to do was grin and bear it, smile and fawn over him while he boasted about his influence around the town — as if a town called Hogsmeade was ever something to write home about — so he dealt in all the juiciest gossip there was. Of course that meant that Avery had to fluff him up as much as she could without puking all over the dress she’d been given to wear. She’d primed herself as much as she could before she met up with him in the Three Broomsticks; in doing so, she learned far too much information. Some man named Greengrass was caught by the Minister’s wife with a girl ‘in a state of disgrace’ so apparently they had to get engaged, which was the key piece of gossip she was meant to be attuned to. However she also had learned the new constable’s wife (or was it the constable’s new wife?) had gotten herself pregnant far too soon — the scandal! — plus someone named Bixby had gotten himself disfigured, a professor at Hogwarts was betrothed to a student, and a bunch of other facts that Avery honestly could have gone her entire life without hearing.

Someone had to pay the bills but if it cost in the form of her time in company of imbeciles like the one next to her, Avery might not make it past the first year in this place without a homicide charge on her record. So she shook her of platinum blonde curls and continued on in the accent she’d chosen for tonight: a posh British accent that Sarah had taught her back in California. “I shouldn’t worry yourself with the likes of Greengrasses, dah-ling Mr. Pierce,” She fluttered her lashes, directing her now-blue gaze towards her patron. “From what you’ve told me, they sound too insignificant for you to worry yourself about, hmm?”

Of course that’s when someone’s voice barked over her shoulder. Avery almost snorted into her drink. Shit, the last time she'd heard an accent like that was back at the Madam’s. From the look of Mr. Pierce’s face, it wasn’t anyone she needed to be concerned about, but she threw a glance over her shoulder anyways, eyebrow arched as she surveyed the girl behind her. “I beg your pardon, were you talking to me? I was trying to mind my own business and not listen into someone else’s conversation.” Avery took another sip of her drink before remembering Pierce hadn’t even ordered her the drink she wanted, and fought the urge to spit it back into the glass again.

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avery speaks with a mixed south appalachian drawl

I beg your pardon. Merlin's beard Greer hated that phrase. It was a poor excuse for calling out the fact that they either couldn't hear or wanted you to repeat what you said in case you didn't mean it. Greer didn't have patience for either; she never said anything she didn't mean. "You heard me, if yeh want to gossip like little old biddies go to the tea room with yer knitting." Her accent came out in full force with half a glass of gin and her anger leeching out.

The blonde she was looking at was far too prim for this sort of thing, and what was worse, most of the gossip was coming from the rich bloke, like he was some old society wife with nothing better to do with his time. Greer had to work her ass off to be taken seriously in a manual labor job and he got to sit there without a care in the world and comment on other people's misfortune. It grated her in a way she hadn't experienced in quite a while.

"Or Merlin forbid, use yeh time for something practical." The sneer was natural, not practiced at all.

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Avery's appearance

“And knit what?” Avery responded with a sigh as she turned to fully face the girl, her nose scrunching as she looked down it. She made a show of observing the girl’s dress. “A new outfit for you, perhaps?” Honestly it wasn’t a bad outfit, but the she could feel Pierce’s grip relaxing on her wrist as she verbally fought with the other girl. At least the woman looked like she could follow through with her threats.“I’m afraid no amount of knitting by the best team in the world Muggle or Magical, practical or otherwise can fix that poor excuse of a dress.”

She canted her chin even further, slipping into a silky purr: “Or perhaps that’s just the standard of dress you lot are known for, hmm?”

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avery speaks with a mixed south appalachian drawl

Greer was not easily insulted when it came to words hurled at her own person (her family was a different story) and the woman was far from getting any more of a rise out of her. "You must be nosy and stupid," she snickered. "Or clearly you don't know a uniform when you see one." It was a plain sort of dress, but purposefully so. The women that came into the shop didn't want to be shown up by the girls that worked there. The mannequins did the talking for the latest fashions and that's where the inspiration came from. Greer was meant to know everything, not show it.

These upper class ladies had absolutely zero idea how the real world worked; it was astounding to Greer sometimes.

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Avery's appearance

Brows furrowed in anger. Eyes wide. Mouth slightly open. Lip quivering. Flooding her cheeks with a red color as Avery absorbed the insult. This time Pierce leaned forwards, a scowl on his face. That was likely the most he would do, the bastard was all bravado and no steel.

“Oh my,” she said softly as her voice, her lower lip quivering before she put a hand to her mouth. Avery made a mental note to work on crying on cue too; that would have to take some practice, she hadn’t done that in years and people were suckers for a beautiful, pale woman when she started crying. “I’ve been insulted by someone with poor tastes from a loose family.” She sneered as her expression changed instantly, her lip curling. Then forced herself to laugh at her own words. As fun as this was, she had more work to do, and was frankly not going to be happy if her evening ended in a fight between the weak-willed man behind her and this random woman instead of a (poorly given) orgasm. She wouldn't get her money's worth if that happened, as hilarious as it would be.

“I’m afraid we must be going though, better things to do, you understand.” She chuckled inwardly at the double meaning. “This was very enlightening, though.” She breathed loftily, taking another sip of her drink before hopping down from her seat. But not before taking another look at the girl’s dress. “Gladrags Wizard Wear, was it? If I'm not mistaken, that's just down the street.” She noted the uniform with a smile. “I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t go around behaving so crassly if I were wearing a uniform from the place of my employment. I’m sure they’ll have something to say about the words coming from your mouth whilst representing their business.”

Scrunching her nose in another smile, Avery wiggled her fingers at the girl. Pity, this was kind of fun. At least she got some good entertainment in before having to entertain someone with the personality and prowess of a slack-jawed fish. Seizing Pierce’s hand, she dragged him behind her to leave.

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avery speaks with a mixed south appalachian drawl

Greer pinched the bridge of her nose. People really were infuriating sometimes. She highly doubted her boss would have any issues with her standing up for her family when people were being unnecessarily crass about a situation they knew nothing about. Greer certainly didn't and she would continue to do so without fear of the repercussions. In the wake of the scandal her mouth was the least of everyone's worries.

At least she'd made her point and the annoying couple were leaving.

It took all of her willpower not to jinx them on their way out of the pub. She waved at the woman with a grin, rolling her eyes and relieved to finally take her meal in peace.

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