If You Can't Hang.

[Cassie Ball]

With a sigh, Cassie sunk into the chair in her office. It had been a day full of meetings with her team and she was honestly quite grateful for the quiet time in her office. Thumbing through the photos for the upcoming issue's fashion article, she couldn't help but raise a brow and laugh. Dress robes certainly had taken a turn lately.

But there was a lot to sort through. Dress robes...a selection of recipes for the holiday season coming up...an article they planned to run on Puddlemere's open recruitment of a werewolf. Honestly, Cassie was all for it. That girl could play with the best of them...so why hold her back just because once a month she grew fur and sharp teeth?

Last week's magazine was sitting on the corner of her desk...a collection of faces across the cover as they had ran the story of the Arrows and all the retirements they had had after last season. Honestly, it seemed like most of the team had retired at the same exact time.

But who was she to judge? Those guys made their money quick and retired young most of the time. Good for them!

But as she turned her attention back to a recipe for a roast duck, Cassie jumped slightly as her door flew open...an unusually attractive man sweeping in and closing the door behind him. Cass felt her hand twitch toward the drawer where she kept her wand...just in case.

This guy was cute...but he didn't look happy.

"Can I help you?" she asked, slicking her smile over her features.

[Avi Park]

Avi was many things…a charmer, a leader, a brother, a romantic. But one of those things that he wasn't was someone who gave up. When players retire at the ripe ages of late twenties, it is considered giving up. At least to Avi. He wasn't surprised to see an article following the retirement of Pickles, Turner, Neutron, and DeVil…three of which were retirement age and one who made his money and decided to move to Iceland. But what Avi didn't expect to see was his own name on that list…you'd think you'd have an editor to oversee these pieces, wouldn't you?

Avi had discussed it with Koda and…well it was pretty much a one sided decision as he chose to go to the Witch Weekly offices and talk to the editor face to face rather than write her a strongly worded owl. Besides…people tended to pay more attention when a celebrity face like Avi’s showed up, not the manager or a pr.

Outside the office he had to pose for a few pictures, but he was able to excuse himself to get out of there and into the office. The girl at the desk must have been a fan, and normally Avi would have stopped to flirt, but right now he was on a mission. She led him to the editor’s office, and let him in, not giving him a chance to be announced in case the editor was busy. This was important.

“Can I help you?”

The editor was smiling, but Avi was not. ”Sure hope so,” hentook the rolled up copy of witch weekly from his pocket and set it down on the desk. He pointed at his own picture…a terrible one from the previous season. ”First of all, bad mojo to use an old picture, second..do you ever fact check this bullshit?” Avi didn't generally come off so aggressively but…people were believing the articles and he was sick of it. ”I may be halfway to fifty-two but I'm nowhere near retiring.”

[Cassie Ball]

Cassie watched as the man pulled a copy of her magazine out of his pocket and she raised a brow curiously as he set it down on her desk. She watched as he pointed to his own photograph and then flicked her eyes up to his face as he spoke.

When he had finished, she breathed a breath out of her nose…a little sharper than she had intended. Without a word, she reached out to pick up the magazine and her eyes danced over the article and photograph. She knew the story but she didn’t recognize the article.

Her nimble fingers flipped to the cover of the magazine and she saw her answer there.

”I didn’t edit this magazine,” she said finally. Her finger tapped over the publication date before her gaze moved back up to Avi Park’s face. ”Was out ill…Bowtruckle Flu.”

Setting the magazine down, she stood from her chair…almost immediately wishing she hadn’t. She was a good eight inches shorter than Avi and while she had wanted to sort of even the playing field over him towering over her…this almost felt worse than when she was seated.

”That said…I’ll be having a conversation with Miss Lang about verification before publication.”

She paused…her eyes dancing over his sharp yet elegant features. How was he so bloody pretty? Cassie pulled herself back to reality and shook the thoughts off before continuing.

”I can…” she hummed in thought before an idea came to her. ”I can run a new article. Make you the face of it.”

She grinned a small smile that her staff was used to seeing on her face when inspiration hit. She moved around her desk, brushing past him to her idea board and began to write.

Avi Park: Veteran Captain’s Take On Efforts To Lead Rookie Team To Victory.

She stepped back. The possibilities were endless. It was a story that wouldn’t write itself. If Avi agreed…she would need an interview. So…taking a breath, she turned back to him.

”Thoughts?”

[Avi Park]

”Well I'm sorry for that. I heard Bowtruckle Flu is terrible this year.” lol ”But I feel like whoever exited it should have checked their sources -”

“That said…I'll be having a conversation with Miss Lang about verification before publication.”

Avi opened his mouth to speak but she'd…cut him off. He stkod there silent for a moment before she spoke again.

“I can run a new article. Make you the face of it.”

”No,” he started, watching her as she brushed around her desk and started scribbling on her white board. ”That's not necessary -” he read the board and shook his head. Really his goal was to make sure the mag got the story straight. The narcissist in him was intrigued. The humble man wanted to just get out of there, feeling sorry for taking her time. And when she turned, Avi actually got a good look at her. whether it was the fact she stood still enough or that she was looking right at him…

“Thoughts?”

Her hair was blonde, almost white. Her blue eyes were striking, and he was having a hard time looking away. She clearly cared about her job, and enjoyed doing it. And…she wasn't phased by the captain of a professional quidditch squad storming into her office. She handled it like it happened every day. ”It wasn't my intention to upend a schedule of articles Miss…” ah, in his frenzy he hadn't asked or thought to check for her name. Fortunately, it was on her desk. ”Ball. But…I wouldn't mind talking about the raw talent the Arrows acquired this year…” Avi was going back and forth in his head, a la Rapunzel when she decided to leave her tower. ”I really didn't want to cause any trouble. I just wanted you to be aware that that” he pointed at the incorrect magazine, ”is bad press. For you and for me.”

[Cassie Ball]

Cassie watched as Avi sympathized with her illness...but then he tried to jump right back into harping on the publication. It hadn't been her intention to just cut him off but she really didn't want to dance around the same bush and hash out the same thing over and over again. So she had jumped to her idea about the new story.

Set the record straight with a captivating story about the man in question and his band of baby professionals.

Turning from her white board to look at him, Cassie was smiling up at him...the high of a brilliant idea and a chance to really write again elevating her spirits. Avi stared at her a moment and Cassie just assumed it was him taking in her wild and crazy way of working. He began to apologize and Cassie grinned a bit cheekier as she watched his eyes flip to her desk for her name.

"Please...just call me Cassie," she offered. But as he somewhat agreed to the interview, she beamed happily up at him. It had been ages since she had actually written an article.

"Do you have time now?" she glanced to her watch. It was lunch time. "I can call Huey down at the Cauldron and have him bring over some sandwiches if you'd like to do the interview over lunch. My office is about as private as it gets once that door is closed."

That much was true. Her staff knew if her door was closed, she wasn't taking visitors. And they respected that.

[Avi Park]

”Please…just call me Cassie.”

Cassie. He offered her a small smile and nodded his head once to note that he understood. Avi did think her excitement and accent were both very endearing. She wanted to make it right, and he wanted her to know he appreciated it, but that he didn’t come storming in there demanding she write a new article about him. Although, it was quite interesting that instead of trades, the organization had decided to pick up four new faces straight out of Hogwarts.

“Do you have time now?”

Avi…did have time now. The Arrows didn’t have practice until tomorrow, and Koda was meeting Evan and Ben for lunch. She continued on, talking about calling the Leaky for some food, willing and ready to make it right. Avi ran a hand through his long dark locks as he looked at her with a raised brow. ”I don’t think I’ve had food from the Leaky Cauldron in years,” he said, simply. ”My manager will probably have me strung for not coming to him first but why the hell not…” He offered her a small wink. He wouldn’t mind talking to her a little longer, either.

[Cassie Ball]

He smiled when she gave him her name and she bit her lip slightly as she grinned. That smile was...really cute. But Avi Park had a reputation for being charming and quite captivating. So she kept her silly girl brain in check as they chatted.

He mentioned not having food from the Leaky Cauldron in a while and Cassie couldn't help but laugh a bit. Oh these celebrity fancy types. It was adorable really. He spoke a little more...mentioned his manager...but then agreed. He winked at her and Cassie bounced softly on the balls of her feet in excitement.

"Oh good," she exclaimed happily. Moving to her desk to grab a piece of parchment and a pen. She very rarely used a quill. Scratching down an order for a few different sandwiches, she folded it up, grabbed her wand, and enchanted it...watching it sail out the window and to the pub down the street. Pointing her wand at her door afterwards, she watched as the sign on it flipped to "Do Not Disturb" and the door closed, leaving the two alone and secluded.

Cassie moved to sit in her chair and motioned for Avi to sit in one of the two on the other side of it before grabbing her pen and another piece of paper. Looking to him again, she smiled.

"Sorry for the excitement...it's just been a while since I've really gotten my hands dirty."

[Avi Park]

Avi watched as the girl just seeped excitement. She sent off for the food, which Avi would have done the interview even if there wasnt food involved. But if it made her happy, he would go with the flow. Dark eyes moved to follow her as she closed the door and flipped the sign, and suddenly the world was quiet. Avi sat down in one of the chairs and rested an ankle on one of his knees as he leaned back.

”You probably don't do a lot of writing…too busy cleaning up other people's messes, yeah?” he teased, considering that was the exact reason they were there in that mess. ”Why did you become the editor then?”

[Cassie Ball]

Cassie grinned as Avi sat across from her. She was only twenty three...but in the moment, she felt so much older. She began reminiscing on her days as a reporter. Just a little over a year ago. She had loved getting out there and finding a good, interesting story. She had been good at it. But when the opportunity to take charge as the editor had come up?

She grinned, her nose scrunching playfully as she laughed at his quip about cleaning up messes. He was wildly charming...she was working diligently to keep her wits about her. Guys like that just weren't interested in girls like her.

Why did you become the editor then?

Cass grinned and sat back in her chair for a moment, just watching Avi with an amused grin.

"Who's interviewing who?" she teased playfully. But she didn't mind answering his question. "I love this magazine and this team...and I want to keep us in the right direction...and when I'm not here...stuff like this happens."

She picked up the magazine as she said her last bit before setting it aside again.

"I believe passion is important," she said finally with a shrug, leaning back onto her desk by her elbows, staring the quidditch star down playfully.

[Avi Park]

”Who’s interviewing who?”

Avi raised a brow and smirked. He knew what he was doing but he didn't think it was going to work this well. And her point about things going wrong when she's not there…accurate. ”I suppose. had you been here it wouldn't have happened and we wouldn't have had this chance to meet.” He offered her a smooth smile, nodding as she spoke again.

”Nothing worth doing is done without passion,” he agreed. In some things, Avi was too passionate. It brought up a lot of feelings he knew would render him weak or vulnerable. But thankfully, he could show all his emotion through quidditch…it had always been that way. He wasn't just passionate about the sport, but also for the ability to have this place where no one knew where the feelings came from.

[Cassie Ball]

Avi teased her a bit more, noting that if the error hadn't occurred...they wouldn't have had the chance to meet. His smooth smile caused a bit of heat to color her face and she cleared her throat, hoping he hadn't noticed.

Nothing worth doing is done without passion.

Cassie smiled softly as she watched him. He most certainly wasn't what she had thought he would be. He seemed smart...insightful...She was intrigued by him. Picking up her notepad and pen, she stood before circling her desk and hopping onto it, perching herself on it's edge. It was a habit she had when having chats with her team. It made her feel closer...more involved. Like there wasn't a massive hunk of wood separating them.

Leaning her elbows onto her knees, she looked at Avi curiously.

"And what are you most passionate about, Mr. Park?"

[Avi Park]

The room was quiet for a moment as they both sort of sat, looking at one another. Avi was about to ask if this was how all the interviews went, but suddenly Cassie was up and coming around the desk, sitting on the edge of it. Her knees were so close to touching his and as she leaned forward, so did he. She looked at him. He looked at her, suddenly uninterested in an interview.

“And what are you most passionate about, Mr. Park?”

There were so many ways he could take the question, but he just pursed his lips slightly and raised a brow, pondering her question. ”Quidditch, isn't that why I'm here?” he teased. ”Right now it's been a passion of mine to make sure my team is a whole piece rather than assorted pieces…people tend to work better…together.” Avi leaned forward and plucked an imaginary hair off Cassie, his hand brushing against her shoulder, his eyes watching his own movement before looking into Cassie’s eyes.

”How frequently are you told how beautiful your eyes are?”

[Cassie Ball]

Cassie hadn't expected Avi to lean forward like she had. It caused them to be much closer together than she had anticipated and from here...she could see just how deep and endless his dark eyes were. They were like bottomless portals to a completely different world. Her heart fluttered from the depths of her stomach as she watched him.

He answered her question...and it was actually an answer she could use...so her hand moved, writing the answer down without her ever breaking eye contact.

His leaned in a little closer and his hand reached out and brushed her shoulder slightly as if he had removed something from it. When his eyes returned to her own, she was frozen. This...this type of moment didn't happen to girls like her. But here she was. Living the moment.

How frequently are you told how beautiful your eyes are?

Cassie shook her head slowly, not even realizing she had set her notepad and pen aside and leaned in a bit more.

"That never really comes up in conversation," she offered honestly. People didn't usually look twice at her...at least, not that she knew of. But here was a whole celebrity, just inches away from her own face.

And for once in her life...Cassie wondered what would happen if she just went with it.

[Avi Park]

Avi hadn't backed away when he complimented Cassie's eyes, not noticing she'd set down the notepad either. She mentioned that it didn't come up in conversation, but Avi wasn't sure why. She was so casual, so nonchalant about it, and he felt content with how confident she was with him being so close. This wasn't how he intended anything to go, but he wasn't…he wasn't upset about it.

His hand, which was still near her shoulder, tipped her jaw slightly so she was face to face with him. ”Well I think they're missing out,” he said, leaning in, his eyes flashing from hers to her lips as he closed the gap. He was half expecting her to push him away, slap him…it wouldn't be the first time. Pulling back he moved his hand, keeping himself positioned close to her yet. ”All your features, really….they all compliment one another so well.”

[Cassie Ball]

His hand moved from her shoulder…and his finger tipped her chin toward him. Was this really happening? She hardly registered his words, her focus on the way his eyes flicked from her own to her lips.

She knew this was a game deep down. She knew that Avi Park had a reputation for being smooth and getting whom ever he wanted. But right now, Cassie didn’t really care about just being another notch in his belt.

He leaned in, kissing her…and Cassie leaned into it, relishing how soft his lips were. He pulled back all too soon, complementing her again. Cassie paused for only a moment before her hands moved to the sides of Avi’s neck, pulling his in for another kiss. She just weirdly didn’t mind this despite not really being a hookup kind of girl.

But just as she was about to deepen the kiss, there was a soft knock at the window. Cassie pulled back, turning her gaze to see a floating parcel.

The food.

She chuckled softly before leaning back from Avi and standing, crossing to the window and opening it, watching as the parcel floated to her desk and settled there. She closed the window and pulled the curtain closed before crossing back to Avi, eyes watching him curiously.