Closed We Can Live Like This

[Dominic Torres]

Dominic was a planner and always had things figured out well in advance. But he guessed he’d have to slip up eventually. He wasn’t sure how he had made the mistake but apparently there wasn’t a roommate waiting for him in Santa Barbara like he thought and now it was far too late to figure something out. Now he needed a roommate and fast. The semester was about to start and everyone who was smart was already settled and things were looking a bit dire. Dominic did the only thing he could and started hanging flyers everywhere around campus and the surrounding area. It had been days and he finally heard from someone asking about his apartment. They hadn't talked much on the phone but instead agreed to meet up to see if it would be a good fit. The girl's name was Amethyst and he hoped she wasn't some kind of new age "witch". Not that he minded rooming with a muggle but he would like it if he wasn't constantly wanting to correct her about magic. He had gotten to the coffee shop early and was already sitting down when he spotted a girl who fit the description he was looking for. He smiled warmly and waved her over, hoping it was actually her and not a stranger.

 

[Amethyst Michaels]

Amaya had been very excited for her move to America, though she had been extremely put out when her planned roommate had eloped with her boyfriend. Absolutely ridiculous, really, and it put her in a pickle. When she picked up the flyer, she'd originally been a little nervous to call, but she was really out of options. She came in, looking around for anyone that would look like a Dominic. She spotted someone motioning her over. Well, that could be him. She smiled and walked over, standing by the seat from across from him. "Dominic, I presume?" She asked, one hand on the strap of her backpack.

 

[Dominic Torres]

Dominic smiled warmly at her question. "You would be correct." he said and gestured to the seat across from him. "Please sit!" he said, wanting her to feel welcome. "I hope you found the place alright. I'm new to the area and don't know my way around quite yet." he laughed. "Where is your accent from?" he asked curiously after a moment. It sounded familiar but he couldn't seem to place it.

 

[Amethyst Michaels]

Amaya smiled, slipping into the seat across from him. "Thank you. I'm new here myself," she told him, flipping her hair back and crossing her legs. "I'm from New Zealand, actually. Though my folks are Irish, so my accents not really purely either," She told him with a slight smile. "Where did you come from if its not from around here?" She asked.

 

[Dominic Torres]

Dominic shifted in his seat and wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be doing with his hands and ended up folding them in his lap. “Oh wow. That’s so cool.” he said genuinely, now recognizing the Irish and Kiwi notes when she spoke. He laughed shyly when she asked where he was from. “No where that exciting.” he said a little self-deprecatingly. “I grew up in Arizona but went to a boarding school in Connecticut.” he explained truthfully. It was the story he had decided to give people, even if he was the farthest thing from the east coast boarding school type. Dominic considered adding some kind of lie about a sports scholarship to make it make sense, but he didn't want to push it. He didn't know a lot about sports besides quidditch at this point and didn't wand to get caught in the lie simply because he didn't know the rules of whatever sport he claimed to be good at. “So I’m assuming you’re a student too?” he asked, trying to get a better sense of her.

 

[Amethyst Michaels]

Amaya listened to Dominic, raising a brow. He was a bit soft, wasn't he? She nodded at his question. "A little. I'm studying dance and taking a few creative writing classes, but I'm teaching dance as well, I start next week." She told him. "What are you studying?" She asked. It could be interesting, but if he was a full time student she would try to take on more responsibilities at the apartment to help ease the load that came with a full student schedule.

 

[Dominic Torres]

"Oh wow, that's sounds very cool." Dominic said enthusiastically. He was an awful dancer but he thought it was such a cool skill. "I'm studying education." he answered simply. "My mom is a teacher." he added as if it explained everything. But this wasn't the reason they were meeting, and he had a good feeling about her. "So the apartment," he began. "It's got two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The kitchen is pretty nice all things considered." he explained, and tried to think of anything else he should mention. "Were you looking to move in right away?" he asked and tried to hide his desperation. If he didn't find someone soon he was going to be in trouble.

 

[Amethyst Michaels]

Amaya nodded. Teaching was a good profession, her suspicions about him being soft confirmed when he mentioned his mother was a teacher was well. She listened as he spoke about the apartment, nodding again. "Oh, absolutely. Tonight if possible. As soon as I can, really," She told him. She was staying at a hotel right now and the sooner she moved in the better. She needed to know one more thing, though, and she hadn't been entirely sure how to figure it out yet. Deciding to be subtle, she set her bag on the table, with her wand very carefully tucked to where you could just see it. If you knew what it was, it was easy to spot. If not, well, it was just an odd trinket.

 

[Dominic Torres]

Dominic wasn’t expecting that kind of answer but he would be lying if he wasn’t also relieved. “Tonight?” he asked a little too loudly but smiled. He was about mention something about the rent when Amethyst moved her bag on top of the table and the words died on his lips as he spotted a wand poking out of one of the pockets. "So yeah, rent is due on the first of the month." he finished after clearing his throat and he weighted a moment before nodding at her bag. “Where…did you get that?” he asked calmly and as neutrally as he could. He wanted to leave room for plausible deniability for both of them if it ended up being not what he thought it was.

 

[Amethyst Michaels]

Amaya nodded, smiling softly. "I can help with rent, I have a little already," she told him. She smirked lightly as he asked about her wand. "Oh, it's just a trinket," she replied easily, studying Dominic and attempting to be subtle. "I got it from a friend named Ollivander," she told him, looking for a reaction. It would be so much easier if the boy understood what she was getting at.

 

[Dominic Torres]

Dominic hardly registered what she was saying with his eyes fixed on the wand. There was really only one explanation for it but on the off chance it was just some kind of eccentric accessory he tried to play it cool. His was sure his hunch was true when she started to answer but when Amethyst mentioned Ollivander he relaxed. "Oh, I think I know him too." he said with a nervous laugh and ran his hand through his hair. "But I didn't bring mine with me." he said apologetically and shrugged. Dominic had thought it might be awkward if a total stranger spotted him with a wand. The last person he expected to be meeting with was an actual witch. "But that sure makes things a lot easier." he said cheerfully. more relieved then he expected to feel at the prospect of having a magical roommate. At least he didn't need to hide anything and it felt good.

 

[Amethyst Michaels]

Amaya chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Oh, it does. I hate washing dishes myself," she teased, pleased she could just set her usual retinue of cleaning charms. And of course the basic protection spells for their apartment. "So, when do I move in?" She asked, propping her chin on her hand and smiling coyly. "I bet if you get yours, we could gather all my things and I'll be in within an hour," She offered.

 

[Dominic Torres]

Dominic laughed at her comment about washing dishes. When his parents found out they learned a cleaning spell but weren’t allowed to use their wands or magic during their summer break they were furious. When Victor was finally of age to use magic outside of school they were always asking him to do things around the house. “Whenever you want.” he said with a disbelieving laugh, suddenly so relieved to have all of his problems seemingly sorted at once. "I can do that." he said with another laugh, glad to help if he could.

 

[Amethyst Michaels]

Amaya smiled. "Good! Sounds like a plan. Have you already moved in?" She asked, thinking ahead now. "I think we can move in, then discuss things like groceries and chores?" She mused. They could probably figure out a diet that worked for them both.

 

[Dominic Torres]

"I have just a few days ago." Dominic said with an enthusiastic nod and he couldn't help but laugh a bit at her next comment. He was already feeling fairly comfortable with her already but the fact that she was already asked about chores got rid of the last of his lingering apprehension. "Yeah I think that's something we can figure out as we go." he said with another laugh as he stood up from the table. "After you." he said with a smile, feeling relaxed for the first time since moving out here.