Thursday

It’s been exactly six months, three weeks, two days and thirteen hours since I left what I once considered my home. I had a routine, a set schedule I had to abide by or else, or else, or else all would be lost. Or so I thought. I was one to stick to protocol, follow the rules, but more importantly and most unfortunately, I stuck to the majority.

In exactly thirty seconds my door would be knocked upon and a girl would be there, holding the food I always order on Thursday and she would walk it to my kitchenette and place it on the counter. I would pull out my muggle money and pay her what I owe—there’s the knock.

“Good evening Mr. Weasley, how are you today?”

She was not the girl I usually got. She actually expected an answer from me—the other one knew I wouldn’t respond so she never bothered to ask. She just bustled in and crossed the room and slung the bag of food onto my counter. I merely stared.

“Jenny said you don’t talk much, but this, this is too much. If you don’t mind, permission to speak freely, you’re no better than anyone in this building, even if you look it. That’ll be twelve-eighty, please.”

“What’s your name and why isn’t Jenny delivering my food?”

She just laughed—right in my face!

“I’m Addie. Jenny’s no longer working for the Chang’s, she’s off to school. It’s me you’ll be dealing with, unless that’s a problem, I could always send you Liam…but he might fancy you, he does like the poncy ones. You’ve good form, he’d like it, I could send him by next week.”

Her hand still outstretched for the money I owe.

“Are you implying that I like men?”

She just laughed again. I did not find this funny, if it wouldn’t add to her abstract ego I’d tell her she was quite pretty.

“You do a decent job of that all by yourself. I mean look at this place, it’s clean, almost military clean and that, that’s clean. And look at you, it’s after work hours and you’re still suited up, tie still tied. The only people I know who dress like that are poofs and let’s face it, you’re not exactly winning this battle here.”

I thrust the money into her hand and huffed—not helping I just realized. If she knew the environment I grew up in, the, the things I had to, I was not having this conversation.

“It is not your business, the matters of my personal life, but if you knew those particular details you would understand why I keep things in order, why I dress the way I do. For one, my job requires professional attire and I cannot believe I’m having this conversation with a delivery girl.”

There was a knock on the door and my eyes widened. No one ever came after my dinner was delivered—no one. No one but the delivery people came to my door and knocked on it. I sent a slight glare her way, she just smirked and I slowly walked towards the door. I opened it and my mother stood there.

“Percy please, you don’t know what this is doing to the family, I want you to co—“

I shut the door and turned around to the amused face of, what was her name—Addie—and sighed.

“That wasn’t very nice.”

I stomped over to my counter, roughly taking things out of the bag. I did not need this, this was supposed to be like every other Thursday. I woke up, made my med, showered, got dressed, cleaned my teeth, had breakfast with apple juice and then I read the paper. I went to work and when I came home I called in my order, the same as the always—Jenny drops it off, she takes the money and she leaves. After dinner I would listen to classical music by some composer muggles adore and unwind with a small bit of firewhiskey. I would clean my teeth and put on my pajamas and go to bed. In no order was there to be this Addie, and certainly not my mother.

“What are you still doing here? I paid you, you’re supposed to leave.”

She just stared at me, almost as if she was trying to read me. It bothered me that some people could—rather easily too.

“You do this every week don’t you?”

I nodded as I took a bite of my lo mein. She took the seat next to me and stared some more. This was not happening. It simply wasn’t. I had a routine, I had order, I simply didn’t deter from the norm of my life.

“Do you have OCD?”

I raised an eyebrow at her. What is that?

“You know, obsessive compulsive disorder?”

A disorder—Merlin no! There’s nothing wrong with me.

“Erm, no; again, why are you still here? I told you already, my personal life is none of your business. You’re paid to bring my food and leave, not pester me.”

She laughed again and reached over with her fingers and took a few of my noodles and ate them. I was not as affronted as I should be.

“So then is all of this, is this your way of making you feel better? Does it make up for your loneliness?”

I dropped my chopsticks and deadpanned looked at her. She looked in thought till she met my eyes and then she gave a small smile.

“Get out! You have no right, no right to speak to me like this, let alone about things you do not know anything about!”

She climbed to her feet and walked towards the door. Really?

“That’s it? You’re just going to let me tell you to leave after all you’ve said tonight, you offend me and that’s what it takes for you to leave?”

She stopped and turned to face me.

“Taking offense is a choice Mr. Weasley. Forgive me. Have a good evening.”

She turned and opened the door and left. For the first time in over six months I found myself lost.

-x-

It’s been exactly six months, four weeks, two days and sixteen hours since I left what I once considered my home. I had a routine, a set schedule I had to abide by or else, or else, or else all would be lost—I was wrong. However, in exactly thirty seconds my door would be knocked upon and a girl would be there, holding the food I always order on Thursday and she would walk it to my kitchenette and place it on the counter. I would pull out my muggle money and pay her what I owe—there’s the knock. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Good evening Mr. Weasley, how are you today?”

I smiled, the first one I think in a long while.

“You still came?”

She raised and eyebrow at me and shoved inside past me.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

She placed the bags on the counter, pulled them out and opened them up for me. She placed herself on one of the stools and opened the second pair of chopsticks and stared at me.

“Am I going to eat all of this alone? I don’t suppose you have some hidden lover; you don’t do you because this would be so awkward right now.”

I laughed—something I think I had forgotten how to do. She looked embarrassed.

“No, no hidden lover, no lover at all matter of fact. You’re right though, I did order for two, thinking it might be best instead of sharing…I did that far too much as a child.”

She took a bite of rice and smile around it as I took my seat next to her.

“I’m Addie Jefferson, nice to meet you Percy Weasley, thank you for buying me dinner.”

I smiled at her and started to eat.

“You’re still not much of a talker are you?”

She was staring at me again, trying to figure me out I suppose.

“On the contrary, my family used to never shut me up. Two of my brothers would threaten me with pranks if I didn’t shut up.”

“You should smile more, makes you seem less like a ponce. Which I’ve figured out you only do because of habit. You are a man of habit Mr. Weasley and I think that’s horrible.”

I laughed again.

“I was a man of habit.”

She scoffed.

“Really? From where I’m sitting you’re still dressed up in your work suit, tie still knotted, you’re still eating the same dish you’ve ordered since I’m guessing you first arrived to this place, at the same time no less—so tell me, how is that not habit?”

I swallowed another bite.

“Well Addie, for one, you’re sitting next to me, I ordered double, and ever since you walked out of my door last Thursday I haven’t known what to do about today. Monday through Wednesday I’m back to normal, and the same with Friday through Sunday. But this morning I didn’t know what to expect, well I did, I expected to go through work stressing over who was going to deliver my food—I really didn’t want Liam to deliver my food because what if he did fancy me? I don’t like men, I really don’t. Then I thought that you hated me because I act like I’m better than most—which I’ve earned through hard work everything I have here, even my job—and you, you just waltzed right into my apartment and you’ve left me frazzled. I’m usually very on task, never straying or disobeying rules…well one time, but I can’t really sa—“

I felt her hand cover my mouth.

“You really do talk too much, sorry I asked.”

She was smiling at me so I knew it wasn’t done in hostility. I smiled against her hand.

“You don’t need to tell me your whole life story tonight. I’m sure we’ll have other Thursdays to entertain that train of thought.”

I could only nod.