Johann Storm had been scarce for the past month, sickly when he saw him, and then absent when he needed to drill him about Hannah. So, when he finally heard the German had returned to work and was actually immobile, for a moment, he decided to grab some coffee and catch up with him.

"Johann! You look to be in better spirits since I've last seen you," Azize's greeted in with his deep voice while placing a drink down in front of Johann storm as he seated himself across the table from him, "You don't know how ubearable Hamilton has been without your mischief," the African's eyes settled on the man in question throwing a fit about something down in the hall, "and I'm lost with no immediate scapegoat since my last..." then Hamilton fervently exited into the lifts for whatever obnoxious reason. Then he removed the cup from his lips and beamed at the linguist, "slight."

And by slight he meant a pair of antlers. It really had been a while.

After a week and a day away, it felt oddly like he'd been gone from the Department for a month. At least it looked like it from the pile of work that had accumulated in Johann's in tray and the post that had stacked up. For someone who worked part time he was almost worried at the popularity his desk alluded he had.

Hamilton of course had left him the most beautifully produced and immaculate trade descriptions to translate, how kind of the idiot. Johann had rolled his eyes as the dog-eared parchments which looked like they'd been rained on. Undoubtedly when Johann translated them from their authors who wanted to import into Britain, Hamilton would want to deny all of them.

With the memory that the Friday before he had left, Johann and Hamilton had been summoned to Gabrielle's office to explain themselves, he ploughed on without a word, quill in hand, silent as a mouse.

"Johann! You look to be in better spirits since I've last seen you," Azize greeted him. Johann looked up in surprise at his colleague who seated himself opposite after landing a cup of coffee on Johann's side.
"Azize!" Johann greeted, "Thank you for the coffee." he lowered his quill, and placed it aside, giving Mulogo a calm smile. Despite having spent a night in Hannah's flat, sharing it with a snake, he'd managed to induce a fairly normal few hours of sleep with the potions acquired in France.

"You don't know how ubearable Hamilton has been without your mischief," Johann followed his colleague's gaze and shook his head at the scene. "and I'm lost with no immediate scapegoat since my last..." Johann turned back as Hamilton vanished, "slight."

"Slight?" Johann echoed, curious. He raised his coffee to an inch from his lips, paused, looked down at it and lowered it away a bit, inspecting it.
"You wouldn't know anything about a certain coffee related incident a few weeks ago which led to the impromptu visit to St Mungo's for a certain member of Trading Standards, would you?" He asked Azize, "You wouldn't happen to know who was standing uncongratulated on their achievement while the rest of the office patted me on the back for doing nothing than casting engorgio on them after?"

He peered down at the coffee.
"You wouldn't give a friend antlers would you?" Johann asked, snapping his eyes immediately back to Azize accusingly.

If there was one thing Azize loved more than passively running Hamilton out of the office it was watching Johann to react to things; he never failed to amuse the African, "Yes," he began firmly with a smile, "Yes, and of course not,"his mouth twisted into a lopsided smile as he bowed his head to the side, "Unless he was being an insufferable idiot who can't shut his mouth."

Azize raised his cup to Johann as he leaned up, "but you're an insufferable smart-aleck who can't shut his mouth--completely different, unless you've fallen out of practice," the burly wizard then guided the cup to his lips an waited, eyes studying Johann for a moment before he pulled the cup away.

Pointing in it, he lightheartedly asked, "Would you feel better with switching drinks?"

"Ooh, excellent." Johann responded as Azize continued to describe him. "You were almost channelling him, only so much more eloquent." He gave one of his boyish grins.

"Swap, no. Because I heard that a certain member of this department, who gave our Trading Standards friend his headgear also had an audience with my dear friend Healer Bombay." Johann's eyes twinkled. "That's right, wait until I'm out of the country and swoop in." He gesticulated the swoop with his arm comically before scratching the back of his head where he was still getting used to having short hair again.

"I heard, that it wasn't just an audience, it was an audience over a restaurant table. Wow, and I've only been in the Ministry, what... an hour and a half and I could tell you the colour of the tablecloth." Johann cocked his head. "No, I trust you Azize. You were genuine enough to check if there was truth in the rumour Hannah and I were more than just friends." He raised the coffee. "Besides, anything to get out of Hamilton's awful scripts." Johann brushed the pile of ragged paper and sipped the coffee, before raising his gaze upwards as if checking for antlers sprouting.

"Ah!" he jerked a finger at Johann, "I speak too soon. Perhaps you are doing better even," he clasped his hands together with a raise of his eyebrows.

"And now I know," he smirked guiltily. "Couldn't get you sooner, and never actually got around to asking Hannah," he shrugged helplessly as he took another sip of his coffee.

"We ran into each other at the apothecary, and she asked me out. I do fancy myself a charmer but she struck me as more reserved, when we first met, didn't see it coming--not like I was going to say no though," he really couldn't turn down any beautiful women, in general, much less one he was still chasing. "Conquered that rumor with luck, sorry Jo."

His eyebrows pushed against each other in confused curiosity, "You'll have to tell me what put up that Three Broomsticks tale, though."

"What?" Johann hooted and then lowered his voice.

"She asked you out?" He asked Azize, considering it incredible. "I mean - I'm not surprised you were asked out by a witch, I mean, Hannah. She's married to her job. She recoiled like a tortoise into her shell when I gave her a hug once. I think I had to promise not to do it again..." He pondered a moment,

"Then again, maybe that's just me - I don't get women asking me out, thank Merlin." He shrugged. "Well, congratulations to you - and you've lived to tell the tale?" Johann reached across the desk and patted Azize's shoulder with a wide grin on his face.

"As for the Three Broomsticks, it involved too much wine, and in fear of my life I won't be disclosing any more." He gave a little cough, "Other than the drinkers at the bar thought I was a very lucky man, which by default means that you are." He smirked, glancing down, spotting a mistake in the punctuation of his work he picked up his quill, added the edit and returned it to one side.

"Now, the real question is, if you survived the first date, will there be a second? Once bitten, twice shy?" Johann asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Azize echoed Johann, "Did I go on a blind date? You make her sound like a Veela lying in wait...," he slowed his speech before he sped up to catch himself, "not that I haven't done that before--but like a wolf in sheep's clothing--I can't wait until I've done something wrong with her," he breathed a chuckle with a twisted smile, and then picked up and finished off his drink.

"She told me to owl her, but she ran off before I could ask her where to owl it to," his hand reached up to scratch the back of his bald head, "There was an address listed in a directory here, but she hasn't answered, perhaps it's wrong? I don't see why someone would change their address so quickly," he lowered his arm back onto the table and leaned into a shurg with a helpless look towards his friend.

"Hmmmmm..." Johann replied, sitting back he tapped his finger to his lips thoughtfully.

"That sounds more like Hannah. She didn't speak to me for ages after that evening, but it was a complete misunderstanding. Perhaps she's done the same. Oh... and I do know her address," He smiled mischievously, "but I know better than to give it out."

In a swift movement he scooped his his quill, and looked back down at his paperwork,
"Well," He told Azize, a smirk still across his features, "Must get on with these incredibly important translations for Hamilton." Johann paused, smiled boyishly as was his usual way, and put the quill down.

"You are really asking the wrong person for woman advice." He assured Azize. "I cannot guarantee anything with Hannah. I think you're lucky she hasn't killed you yet..." Johann shrugged and sat back again.

"Ah! You're a devil," Azize swatted the air in front of him as Johann put his quill back down--as if he'd find anything Hamilton gave him 'incredibly important.' Hah

Then Johann proceeded to explain the situation to Azize in a startling strange perspective, "Damn," he admitted with a hush, "I must be desperate."

His hand grazed his chin before his face fell into stoic expression and his voice settled steadily and gently while he leaned into the table, "Thank you for putting it into perspective my friend, I don't know what I was thinking, trying to consult you for your wisdom with the fairer sex," his eyes rolled back as he closed them and shook his head, "Now I'm just utterly confused."

He smiled away his facade and deadpan tone as leaned back into his chair, "Maybe you could just tell me if I got the address right or not," he said lightheartedly, "If it is not correct, I will not push to compromise your life security for my curiosities," he loosened his shoulders with a diplomatic shrug, "If it is correct then should she wish to mount someone's head on a wall and drop their body in a dark alleyway, then I will face that fury..." his eyes wandered away from Johann thoughtfully before they landed on him again, "...and still be confused."

"Maybe you could just tell me if I got the address right or not. If it is not correct, I will not push to compromise your life security for my curiosities." Azize shrugged. "If it is correct, then should she wish to mount someone's head on a wall and drop their body in a dark alleyway, then i will face that fury… and still be confused."

Johann chuckled.
"I didn't notice any heads on her wall last night." Johann admitted, sipping his coffee. "Though she does have a snake - and now a large crate of French wine. Oh, sorry, Azize, I should have asked if you wanted anything - but that was more in apology for something else…" He stopped himself, knowing he wasn't making much sense, and gave a sigh.

"Sorry, long story. What was the address?"

"French wine?" Azize retracted his gaze to the surroundings before raising his eyebrows with a critical nod, "Now, I'm jealous."

Then he listened to the man go on about a strange story, and gave Storm a strange look,  "How often do you get on a woman's sour side Johann, or are you just making a habit of it lately?" the African's tone was more solemn than it was joking, finding it hard to believe the man would be so ignorant towards the other gender to be capable of digging himself such a deep grave.

Azize let the commit sit before he rattled off Hannah's muggle London address and then smiled as he latched onto another detail he dropped, "Not a fan of snakes?"

"I get there by being me. Some days I'm flavour of the month with female friends and then the next I'm ignored. Apparently its the same for all men though, so I'm no different. I don't actively go out to seek their romantic approval if that's what you mean?" Johann gave a little frown.

"Yes that's the one." He agreed to Azize's address. "And snakes, no, not my favourite by any means. I put the thing in a body bind as soon as Hannah went to bed. I don't want it trying to sleep under my blanket without me inviting it. Oh don't tell her that when you're treating her to dinners and whatever else you plan to do with her." Johann waved a hand to dismiss the details he'd rather not go into.

Azize cut a chuckle short as he regarded Johann with amusement, "Well you don't need to be romantically inclined to be in a woman's good favor, no?" he laid out his palms as he tilted his head towards his friend, "You never know what might happen if you don't try."

Then Johann confirmed his address and the big African man gave a hopeless sigh, "Well now, I'm positive she's ignoring me," he shifted in his seat as he furrowed his brows in contemplation, "Guess there's not much to do there."

Then he gave a smile as she shifted the subject with a twinge of curiosity in his voice, "So you spent a night at her apartment?"