Excuse Me? (Closed, PG-13.)

[Lisa]

Tristen Delano: Roughly 36 or 37 years of age, played by Hiss.
Tegan Bane-Simon: 36 or 37, played by Lisa.
Setting: Catania, Italy. Delano and Boil residence. Kitchen.

Rated PG-13 for flirtatiousness and swearing.
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Taking a sip of the tea that Tristen had set out for the two of them, Tegan was glad for their little get together. With three kids and a husband, it wasn't very often that she got to spend time with her friends. Mercutio, Annalise, and Cole were with her younger sister, though, and Jaron was on another of his business trips for the bar. So it was perfect that she'd been asked to come over to chat for a while. It was just too bad that Stanton was out of the house.

"So, are you feeling alright? No side effects or anything, yet?" Hopefully he'd say yes. Then again, it was the right time for the odd behavior that the doctors had predicted. He didn't seem to be doing all that terribly, though. So perhaps they'd been wrong? It certainly seemed so, for the moment.

And hopefully things would stay that way. She didn't quite remember all of the things that the doctors had mentioned, but she remembered a few things. They didn't sound pleasant. But, then again, it was Tristen, one of her best friends in the entire world since she was about thirteen. And he was with Stanton. What did she have to be afraid of?

[Hiss]

Hi, I'm a Gary Stu.

---

"Side effects?" Tristen sat down at the other end of the table. His bare elbows rested on the table top and he was currently staring intently at his tea. Stanton was currently out. Michael was staying over a nice muggle boy's house. (His mother worked at the bakery. Tristen knew her well enough.) Adrina was upstairs probably doing homework of some kind. It was only Tegan and he, conversing over some tea. Tegan, now married with children and currently holding a stable job at the Ministry. She was helping him. She was his friend and as a friend should, she was helping him in his situation. Tristen figured, that as a friend, it would be good of him to accept this help. If only he trusted himself.

Only a couple of months previously, during the winter season, Tristen had set off for Bulgaria after reading an article in the Daily Prophet's Wizard World's section concerning a town being plagued by two werewolves. He knew he should not try murdering werewolves again. He already almost got hauled off to Azkaban for killing that one nasty bugger in France. Thankfully, he was given only a few month sentence through miraculous means. They must have not heard about his other victims. After the Ministry incident, after getting married to Tabitha and the divorce, Tristen went down to travelling again. He pondered on picking up where his more than illegal career stopped on. He ceased to kill the werewolves, but he would injure them. Make sure that they were stabilized until morning. It made him smaller amounts of money and he 'retired' from the job. He needed a break and he needed his friend. Back to Italy, Tristen went. He was living well. He even started writing a book on what he faced when fighting werewolves, until he read that article.

It was a stupid decision. The fire in him was born again and he just wanted to apparate to Bulgaria right away. He wanted to fight the monsters killing those children. What if they were working for darker forces? He could be doing the wizarding world a great favour. He convinced himself and Stanton. Tristen packed his bags and he went to Bulgaria. He stayed in the recently attacked town's inn. Everything ran smoothly as it use to. On the expected full moon night, Tristen set out. He was only going to injure them and make sure they would go no where until morning. Then they would be found by the town and would be dealt with by the town's peoples' hands. If only it could be easier done than said.

Bitten. Miraculous survival. The Ministry of Bulgaria sent him to the United Kingdome to be dealt with in St. Mungo's hospital. How ironic it was. The hunter was now the hunted and it was only this year. Tristen's son, Michael, still does not know what exactly happens to his father every month. Tristen can hardly believe it himself and due to this, it was tough. That was the main reason why he invited Tegan that day for tea. They needed to discuss this problem. She was helping him through it just like the friend she was. Friends since thirteen. It was a miracle they had managed to stay in contact that long.

"Side effects include...well, I really crave a steak right now." Tristen said, rubbing his eyes fiercely with his palms. In five days, there would be another one. He was dreading it so much. He managed to lift his mood at some points though. (So this is how women feel when that week comes.) He tried remaining positive. However, Tristen remaining positive about mostly anything was hard to achieve. "I...am feeling rather - nevermind." Too personal. Not worth mentioning. "I'm depressed...that's not a surprise. What else did that healer list for side effects?"

[Lisa]

Nodding, Tegan then tilted her head to the side as she listened to her friend speak. He looked different, though he had said that he felt a little depressed. Maybe that was all, then? She hoped so. Really, she had worried so much for him since his attack. And what friend wouldn't? It was hell seeing him like this. But at least he didn't have some of the more severe symptoms.

"No, it's not suprising." Her lips emitting a small sigh, the redhead went to remove her black tweed jacket. It was warm inside the house, unlike outside, and so there was no need for such things. Besides, she liked the dress she had on: a pink silk halter dress with hints of ivory on the top. Perfect for tea. Her clothing wasn't what was important right now, though. They had a much more serious matter to discuss.

"Well, I think he mentioned something about getting cranky or possibly aggressive." Tegan was sure that if Tristen had been feeling anything like that, though, then he wouldn't have invited her over. She liked to think that he cared for her a sight more than that, after all.

[Hiss]

Tristen finally took the opportunity to wrap his large hands around the small tea cup and bring it up to his mouth to sip. It was still hot even after letting it cool down for the few minutes Tristen had set it down. Maybe if he was within arm's reach of his wand, he could make the tea cooler. He couldn't bother getting up to retrieve it. He was tired. He was not okay. Besides, it would be rude to leave his guest who quite agreed that it was no surprise that he was depressed.

Tegan seemed quite relaxed. She took off her jacket, revealing the dress. Tristen raised an eyebrow. Perhaps Tegan was just a formal person. Tristen, himself, was only wearing an old, blue t-shirt and the same worn jeans. He just wanted to be comfourtable that day. Tegan seemed to want to be fashionable. He did not mind. She was a rather attractive woman and looked quite fit in that dre- Wait, no. I should not be thinking about that. It was as if something slapped him across his face and out of the beginnings of a daydream. This...stupid. He shook his head and took the tea cup in his hands again. He sipped the tea. It was still hot, but he let himself have a mouthful. Call it punishment for even fancying that Tegan was an attractive, extremely att-

"Aggressive you say!" Tristen called out suddenly. He tried to let his mind wander to other things. What was Stanton doing? Tristen forgot what Stanton said when he was leaving. It seemed hours ago. He remembered starting to feel a bit negative when Stanton left. "Cranky...yeah. Aggressive, well in more than one way." Should not have said that. You will not be another statistic proving that men only have a one-track mind, Tristen. "I'm good at keeping it in. I don't randomnly knock out pitiful bastards anymore, Tegan." He grinned. How many noses did he break in Hogwarts? He knew he did damage to Stanton quite a few times. "Stanton's safe, I'm sure." He uttered.

[Lisa]

Folding her hands in her lap, Tegan didn't notice her host's reaction to her apparel. To her, it was just a dress, and she had plenty of better ones. At least Jaron seemed to like them, not that he only loved her for her looks or anything. No, she was one of the lucky women who got a good husband with a good job, though he wasn't around as much as she'd of liked. What could you do, though, right? And at least she had her friends.

This particular friend had startled her a little, though, at his sudden exclaimation. So he was cranky, then? Fair enough. She grinned at what he said next, though. Aggressive in more than one way? Hmm. Probably wishing Stanton was home and she was gone, then. Of course, though, you couldn't really blame him. They were cute together. And at least they didn't beat up on each other anymore, as far as she knew.

"Glad to hear it." She let out a small laugh. Ah, yes, she remembered quite clearly of their days back in Hogwarts. Tristen had always had such a nasty temper back then. Even towards her, once or twice. Like when they'd broken up in their fifth year after he found out that Stanton had kissed her; completely by accident. Yeah. It was complicated. But they were past all that, now.

They'd grown up. Tristen had gotten married and divorced a couple times, while Stanton had been with a few women himself. And now they were together. Tegan really couldn't have been happier for them.