3 Mar 2025, 01:42
Doctor Dennis: Love Guru
Dennis started to daydream about all the wonderful French pastries and cuisines he had for the week. Croissants at big as his head. Macaroons and macrons so many delectable decadencies. Dennis loved food with the passion of a thousand suns. He almost forgot where he was until Ruth invited him to join her. “That sounds absolutely lovely, Ruth,” Dennis said with his boyish grin. “We should make a date out of it!”
Now, given the context, Dennis would never have used this word! However, all he cared about now was getting food in that belly of his and he meant a totally platonic date. Did he explain any of this? No. No, he did not. Instead he continued to listen to Ruth move from talking about France to still hearing some of his golden nuggets of wisdom. At this point, he stuffed his hand in his pockets, “Sure! If you want better stuff, I have it here somewhere!” He continued to rummage around until he found two folded up pieces of parchment in his left pocket. “Here it is!” He said as he unfolded his sheet of wisdom.
The other folded piece of paper fell to the ground, the title revealing it to be one of the recipes from the Hogwarts Headliner, the school’s publication. Dennis didn’t notice and cleared his voice. “If you are sitting with a person of the opposite gender, and you want to be just friends, you should always stay seated. Don’t take things without asking.” He scrunched his nose at the advice. “That’s strange I don’t remember that one!”
He read one more for good measure, “Baked goods are a boy’s best friend.” Dennis still didn’t know why he had wrote those. But he decided he agreed very much with that one, indeed. “Stuff like that.”
@Ruth Fairchild
Now, given the context, Dennis would never have used this word! However, all he cared about now was getting food in that belly of his and he meant a totally platonic date. Did he explain any of this? No. No, he did not. Instead he continued to listen to Ruth move from talking about France to still hearing some of his golden nuggets of wisdom. At this point, he stuffed his hand in his pockets, “Sure! If you want better stuff, I have it here somewhere!” He continued to rummage around until he found two folded up pieces of parchment in his left pocket. “Here it is!” He said as he unfolded his sheet of wisdom.
The other folded piece of paper fell to the ground, the title revealing it to be one of the recipes from the Hogwarts Headliner, the school’s publication. Dennis didn’t notice and cleared his voice. “If you are sitting with a person of the opposite gender, and you want to be just friends, you should always stay seated. Don’t take things without asking.” He scrunched his nose at the advice. “That’s strange I don’t remember that one!”
He read one more for good measure, “Baked goods are a boy’s best friend.” Dennis still didn’t know why he had wrote those. But he decided he agreed very much with that one, indeed. “Stuff like that.”
@Ruth Fairchild
Adult: Makaio Kāne | iNPC: Maria Leung de Almeida
3 Mar 2025, 19:14
Doctor Dennis: Love Guru
𝓐 date. Ruth put on a thoughtful expression, tapping her index finger lightly against her chin as she thought. "I have no idea what date we can agree to meet on...what days are you free?" It hadn't occurred to her that Dennis meant the other date at all. The thought of baking again had sent her dopamine sprawling, a wide grin on its face, its long arms wispy and spreading excitement. She could almost smell the fresh scent of a baked treat. That was how excited she was to bake, again.
And with someone else, too.
Ruth cleared her throat. “We can discuss this later,” she said in mock seriousness, as though ready to get down into business. She watched as the boy before her shuffled through his pockets for whatever it was that he had wanted to find. Ah, Hogwarts’ Robes and their fascinatingly deep pockets. She stifled a laugh at the sight of his struggle and lightly applauded as he brought out a piece of parchment gloriously. Another had slide right out along with it, but he didn’t seem to notice. Ruth, on the other hand, had caught mild movement from the bottom of her eye and had looked down to see it flitting to the floor, a bold “HOGWARTS HEADLINER” inked across the paper catching her eye. Curious, she reached down to pick it up, only for her breath to catch in shock. Oh darn, not again. Don’t tell me I missed the distribution of the recent copy, she thought to herself, grimacing internally. She looked at Dennis with hidden sympathy. Another lad she’d have to take a newspaper article from. The last time she tried that, the lad hadn’t minded, but he seemed bored out of his wits to be reading the Headliner. Dennis, on the other hand…
Before she could part her lips and ask, Dennis had begun. She found herself raising her eyebrows in amusement at the first wisdom. “Is that so?” She asked, almost to herself, slowly but unconsciously starting to rock on her chair. How ironic. She made a joking move as though about to stand, then laughed and nestled herself back on the seat, crossed legged. Well, Ruth was bound to have to stand eventually. Besides, standing opposite Dennis meant nothing, right?
Right?
Deciding to brush that bubbling prompt of overthinking aside, she said, "Don't see how the last two are romance related. Oh! But I didn't know the third was a thing." Then again, she had caught Ace and Aaron sneaking more than their portion of baked goods into their mouths, and her father's own stash of pastries just for himself in the fridge..."Okay, maybe I did." However, Ruth hadn't been expecting information like that. Most of it was how not to find a romantic partner, rather than how to keep one. She didn't point this out, of course. After all, should Ruth ever want someone one day (can't see that happening for a long time) she just had to do the exact opposite. Simple enough.
@Dennis Tumberton
ALMOST EVERYTHING 𝐓he sun rises for everyone, not just those who chase it. |
5 Mar 2025, 01:39
Doctor Dennis: Love Guru
Dennis looked dumbfounded as she asked him what dates was he free. Was she asking him out on a date date!? Dennis choked on his tea and cleared his throat. How should he answer that? She seemed nice enough and their little chat was entertaining enough as well. He mentally snapped himself out of the consideration. HE was the love guru. Of course he was too busy to meet people, there were a ton of people who always needed his attention after all! “I’m sure we can arrange something for the date.” He said, again not bothering or perhaps not recognizing what he was actually saying.
She got very serious though when she wanted to change the topic. It caused Dennis to sit up a little straighter too. He was too busy however, reading the notes he prepared for his seminar to notice either the paper that was now on the tiled courtyard floor or the fact that Ruth seemed to be transfixed on it. By the time he looked back over to her, she seemed normal enough, having recomposed herself before Dennis ever had an inkling that something was amiss.
After he had given his last pieces of advice, it seemed Ruth didn’t quite believe him. Before he could argue the point however, she seemed to think of something that made her concede he might have the right idea. Dennis nodded and went back to his paper. “The next point we must consider is that only true love lasts forever. Sometimes things are only for the season and that’s ok. Enjoy it while you can.” Dennis scrunched up his nose at that. He looked at it again, flipped it over and looked at the back. Was someone playing a prank on him? That didn’t seem like real advice at all! “Let me refresh the tea,” he said. Certainly it was the tea’s fault! Dennis turned his back to his new friend as he reached behind him for the tin of tea he brought back from France and started to prepare to steep fresh tea leaves.
@Ruth Fairchild
She got very serious though when she wanted to change the topic. It caused Dennis to sit up a little straighter too. He was too busy however, reading the notes he prepared for his seminar to notice either the paper that was now on the tiled courtyard floor or the fact that Ruth seemed to be transfixed on it. By the time he looked back over to her, she seemed normal enough, having recomposed herself before Dennis ever had an inkling that something was amiss.
After he had given his last pieces of advice, it seemed Ruth didn’t quite believe him. Before he could argue the point however, she seemed to think of something that made her concede he might have the right idea. Dennis nodded and went back to his paper. “The next point we must consider is that only true love lasts forever. Sometimes things are only for the season and that’s ok. Enjoy it while you can.” Dennis scrunched up his nose at that. He looked at it again, flipped it over and looked at the back. Was someone playing a prank on him? That didn’t seem like real advice at all! “Let me refresh the tea,” he said. Certainly it was the tea’s fault! Dennis turned his back to his new friend as he reached behind him for the tin of tea he brought back from France and started to prepare to steep fresh tea leaves.
@Ruth Fairchild
Adult: Makaio Kāne | iNPC: Maria Leung de Almeida
7 Mar 2025, 02:59
Doctor Dennis: Love Guru
@Dennis Tumberton𝕽uth froze, wide-eyed as she processed what Dennis said. She let out a sharp bark of laughter, then looked back at him, then realised he was serious. Her grin slipped off her face in a fit of panic, "Wait--no, you--I--" She stammered, waving her hands at him in an attempt to clear up the misunderstanding. She sighed, rubbing at her burning cheeks. "I didn't mean a date date..." she mumbled, then brought herself to look up at him from the corner of her eye "Did you?" She recalled what he had said before, then flushed. Bollocks, he had. Well this is awkward.
Okay, now all she wanted to do was bolt in embarrassment. How had she not understood? Oh, stop it, you.She chided to herself mentally, then took a breather. "...Well, sure." She replied levelly, shrugging. It wasn't a big deal. Just another hang out. It wasn't a date, even if he called it one. Yeah, it can't possibly be a date. They had just met. But he seemed nice enough. Well, he has been nice to her so far, so what could possibly go wrong?
Ah, overthinking, Ruth's best friend. But honestly, enough of that. They moved on quickly enough, fortunately for the both of them, as Dennis went on with his little nuggets of advice. Ruth smirked at him, her fingers still fiddling with the piece of paper containing the recipe article. “Getting sombre yet sappy, are we?” she teased, nodding carefully as though processing what he had said. She wasn’t sure true love was the only thing that could last forever. Ruth, however, didn’t get to point this out as Dennis turned away from her to mess with the tea. She leaned against the chair, peering over his shoulder unsuccessfully. Admitting defeat, Ruth leaned back in her seat, examining the paper in her hands closer as she waited for Dennis. Pursing her lips, she realised it was burn-healing pasta. Potion turned Food? Ruth thought to herself, reading the description. How creative! Her stomach grumbled at the thought of pasta. It had been a while since she got a taste of them. Muggle version, Magical Version, both sounded awfully delicious.
Dennis was taking a while. Ruth stood up then, leaning over the table to watch him work. It looked almost therapeutic, and made Ruth just relish the silence aside from the sounds of pouring water and the occasional distant birds. Sometimes Ruth felt like she never got to have those days of peace. Ever since stepping foot into Hogwarts her life had spiraled beyond solitude and order. Oh shoot. Dennis' advice came over her with a pang. She stood up when she wasn’t supposed to, didn't she? Dennis said something about staying seated if they only wanted to be friends. Ruth palmed her face. It's too late now. Besides, she desperately tried to find an excuse. He’s facing away. It’s fine. Right?
As quickly as she had made that statement in her head she pushed it out of her head, delirious to how she managed to break almost all the advice Dennis had gave her in one go. She rounded behind the table to wave the paper at Dennis’ face. “Hey, you don’t have to make more tea. I think I’ll be off now.” Before I break more rules and end up with someone I just met. She paused, as though she was trying to remember what was nagging in her head. Oh yeah. She couldn’t take things without asking, could she? In rapid succession, she said, “You don’t mind me keeping this do you? I really need it.” Without waiting for his answer, she grinned then patted his shoulder. “Nice meeting you!” Then bolted.
ALMOST EVERYTHING 𝐓he sun rises for everyone, not just those who chase it. |
7 Mar 2025, 21:10
Doctor Dennis: Love Guru
Dennis absentmindedly played with his “Doctor Dennis, Love Guru” sign as he watched Ruth squirm in her seat obviously also catching onto how awkward they had inadvertently made their little chat. He thought that out of his many clients, of which Ruth was the first, she was by far the most interesting. She was funny and even if slightly awkward seemed honest. Dennis appreciated that. She stammered about whether they were talking about a date date and Dennis paused. In the past, Dennis would have been repulsed by the very notion but this wasn’t normal Dennis this was Love Doctor Dennis. Instead of his normal shenanigans he just tapped his sign and said, cheekily, “It can be whatever you want it to be.”
Dennis held back his chortle at how ridiculous he sounded. He didn’t want to give up the pretense he knew what he was doing and he didn’t want to back down from the situation they found themselves in. After a lengthy pause to recollect themselves and Dennis read his last nugget of wisdom, Ruth seemed to agree that it was rubbish. Why would anyone want to cherish relationships no matter their length? Shorter was obviously better! You could have more that way and more was always better! No one wanted anything to last for forever, certainly that sounded dreadful. Not for his parents though, of course, they were going to be together forever. But not Dennis, he didn’t want to be a parent!
Their time drew to an end though as Dennis finished preparing the tea for the both of him. When he turned around Ruth seemed to be in the middle of sitting and standing as if she was uncertain as to whether or not she was a chicken and if chickens could fly. His look of bemusement vanished though when she waved his recipe in front of his face. “Hey!” Dennis exclaimed frantically checking his pockets. Before he could protest further, the girl named Ruth was gone in a flash. “G-g-get back here you…you scoundrel!” Dennis said comically. He hastily gathered his stuff into his bag and chasing after her, leaving only the table and his makeshift sign behind.
@Ruth Fairchild
Dennis held back his chortle at how ridiculous he sounded. He didn’t want to give up the pretense he knew what he was doing and he didn’t want to back down from the situation they found themselves in. After a lengthy pause to recollect themselves and Dennis read his last nugget of wisdom, Ruth seemed to agree that it was rubbish. Why would anyone want to cherish relationships no matter their length? Shorter was obviously better! You could have more that way and more was always better! No one wanted anything to last for forever, certainly that sounded dreadful. Not for his parents though, of course, they were going to be together forever. But not Dennis, he didn’t want to be a parent!
Their time drew to an end though as Dennis finished preparing the tea for the both of him. When he turned around Ruth seemed to be in the middle of sitting and standing as if she was uncertain as to whether or not she was a chicken and if chickens could fly. His look of bemusement vanished though when she waved his recipe in front of his face. “Hey!” Dennis exclaimed frantically checking his pockets. Before he could protest further, the girl named Ruth was gone in a flash. “G-g-get back here you…you scoundrel!” Dennis said comically. He hastily gathered his stuff into his bag and chasing after her, leaving only the table and his makeshift sign behind.
@Ruth Fairchild
END
Adult: Makaio Kāne | iNPC: Maria Leung de Almeida