Who said life was easy?

[Tobias Barnett]

Tobias walked through the deserted alley way of bleak street. A place he knew only the bravest and most worthy would dare to enter. These areas where full of the most catastrophic "accidents", and Tobias felt right at home. He used to be kind, loyal, but times had changed, and he knew this was the place to be tonight.
He leant against a damp wall, standing behind a stranger. It was in his nature to creep people out, make them afraid. He found it fun, amusing. He gave a small sigh so the person could final tell he was behind them.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene turned back to face her brother's closed door one more time. She wanted to go back inside and yell and scream at her brother some more, but knew that he wouldn't let her in again. At first, Ioan had simply laughed at her as she had argued with him, but quickly enough, his own temper had risen and she had eventually left his house, slamming the door shut behind her.

Although it would have been much easier to just apparate back to her own home, Irene needed the walk to help calm her down. Bleak Street was one of those places where someone who was angry or filled with darkness could easily blend in. Right now, Irene was grateful for the cover that the dark streets gave her. Her brother always ruined everything for her. It was almost as if he hated seeing her happy, especially if it had to do with a guy. I'll show him, she thought to herself.

A beggar held out his hand in front of Irene as she walked past. She gave him a look of disgust and hurried along turning a corner quickly. Continuing to walk, she got the feeling that someone was behind her. Ignoring that feeling, Irene continued on until she heard a sigh behind her. She thought that it was the beggar again, so Irene spun around quickly ready to give him a piece of her mind. "Look you! Back..." she began and stopped abruptly when she saw someone who was clearly not the beggar she had seen. The area was dark so it was difficult to make him out, but there was nothing beggarish about this guy. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else" she said, rolling her eyes at her mistake. It was easy to be jumpy in an area like this.

 

[Tobias Barnett]

Tobias gave half a smile, almost sly to the girl who'd just expected him to be someone else. "No matter" he said quietly through the shadows. He wondered what a girl like her would be doing around this place. She didn't look at though she was the type to look for trouble.
"So," he began, trying to get her to stay. "Granger. Tobias Granger. And who may have i had the pleasure of meeting?" he asked, leaning against the damp wall, still not abou to show his face. It would when the time was right. He prefered to skulk in shadows, hide and make himself mysterious.
"I take it i didn't dissapoint." he added. Surely this girl wasn't going to begin "Look you." to someone she liked, so Tobias guessed she was filled with a little frustration more than anything else at the moment. Dispite the darkness he continued to give her a smile.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene crossed her arms across her chest as the guy introduced himself, still maintaining a safe distance away from him so she could run if she had to. Bleak Street wasn't the kind of place where people usually stopped to chat, and she knew that talking to someone you met on Bleak Street was a very bad idea, but this guy didn't seem very dangerous even though he still was cloaked in shadows.

"I'm Irene" she said after a moment, pointedly not revealing her last name to him. A smirk crossed her face as he continued to speak. His words were slightly arrogant, a quality that had always drawn Irene in. "Well, I suppose that is still left to be determined Tobias" she added after a pause. Her blue eyes struggled to catch a glimpse of any of his features, but so far all she could tell was that he was smiling. What his smile meant was anyone's guess and Irene warily asked, "What brings you here? Not many people dare to come into Bleak Street."

 

[Tobias Barnett]

He paused for a moment before replying, "Of course". Tobias scanned the girl up and down, "I come here a lot. Daily basis sort of thing" he began, moving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. "Who wants to be stuck, in the light, with a crowd of people who would look better in nursery school." he said, finally lifting himself off the wall, walking out of the shadows and round the opposite side of Irene, taking a glance into a near-by shop window before settling himself on the wall again.
He was dressed in dark blue jeans that were slightly fraying at the ends, black boots, his black leather jacket and dark green shirt. He wasn't fussy about his appearance, as long as it was dark. His reasonably short brown hair was stuck up with gel, that glistened in the moon's light. His blue eyes full of secrets as he continued to smile.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene listened to his answer, her eyebrow arching as he told her that he came to Bleak Street everyday. She wasn't sure if he was trying to impress her or if he was being honest about it. She hadn't seen him before and though she didn't come to Bleak Street everyday, she was around often enough. His next words caused her to let out a small laugh which quickly dropped off, though the smile remained as she finally caught a glimpse of Tobias.

Her blue eyes couldn't help but follow him as he walked around her to eventually lean against the other wall. It was enough though. Irene had gotten a glimpse of a guy that was nothing short of handsome, and he was a great dresser on top of it all. There was also something slightly dark about him. She couldn't quite put her finger on it yet but knew that most normal people never would be caught standing around this part of town. "You're right about one thing. The people on Bleak Street are definitely much more interesting than the ones over there" she said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder even though the harbor was not directly back there. And you definitely are, she silently added.

 

[Tobias Barnett]

Tobias continued to smile, knowing very well at the back of her mind what she would probably be thinking, but not big-headed enough to announce it. Tobias had often kept himself low around others, not bothering them unless he wanted something from them, in this case it was almost more company than anything else.
"And what about you?" he asked, his eyes fixing on hers. "Why are you here?" he finished. He couldn't say he recognised her, but then he hadn't been looking. "Danger lurks round every corner. I can't imagine you would want to risk something so beautiful." he added, complimenting her on her looks, an easy way to get in a girls good books.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene smirked at Tobias' comment, which was obviously flirty. She enjoyed the compliments from men that she often got, and getting them from someone she was interested in was always a plus. "Visiting my brother Ioan" she said, her mouth twisting in disgust as she rolled her eyes when she mentioned Ioan. The argument they had just had was still fresh on her mind and it was difficult to hide her annoyance.

One of the very things that Irene had argued about with her brother was her choice in guys. Ioan seemed to think that he could have some kind of control over that but Irene was not going to have any of that. Not only was she way too old for her brother to be involved in her love life, but she was too stubborn to do anything he suggested. As she glanced at Tobias again, Irene realized that he fit the exact description of the kind of guy her brother had told her to stay away from. I'll show him she thought to herself before speaking again. "If you're so worried about the danger I'm in...you can always walk with me and keep me safe" she suggested with a shrug and a broad grin. Irene pushed back a strand of her hair as she waited to see whether Tobias would take the suggestion.

 

[Tobias Barnett]

Tobias gave a small nod, "Naturally. That would go without saying." he replied, thinking about how he possbly couldn't just leave her out in the open, in a place like this. "Were would you care to go?" he asked, being respectful of her until the time comes that it will no longer, matter. "Your brother must have a strange reason for letting you out in such dark times, unless of course, you have yet to visit him?" he added, but noting the look she had on her face after saying so, it was quite clear it was over and done with. He put out one of his arms, so she could link hers through his, "How about a nice drink eh? Don't want to catch a chill or anything out here now do we" he smiled.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene listened to Tobias speak and realized that it was an easy thing to do. Despite the fact that he was a complete stranger to her and had stopped her in the middle of Bleak Street, her guard remained down. Perhaps it was stupid of her. Irene didn't feel like explaining to Tobias that she had left her brother's home and slammed the door behind her, so she said nothing.

Stepping toward him, Irene linked her arm in his and looked up at his face. From this close, Irene could see that his eyes were an even more startling shade of blue than her own. "I am definitely done with my brother for tonight" she said quickly with another eye roll. As he suggested grabbing drinks, a smile reappeared on Irene's face. "You must be an occlumens...I was just about to suggest that. Should we go to the Poison Ater or did you have somewhere else in mind?" she asked as she glanced up into his face.

 

[Tobias Barnett]

Tobias grinned as she took his arm, and looking down to her he saw her beauty up close, and knew this one would be fun. "Excellent." he said, after she'd confirmed she wasn't about to be occupying herslf with anyone or anything else this evening. "Thhe Poison Ater sounds perfect." he said, began to walk down the stone path. It was dark and only the moon was shining, reflecting off the damp stones as they went. "So tell me, are you the type of girl who loves to have a nice hot soothing butterbeer next to the fireplace, or prehaps the sort that longs for something, much stronger, and with much, more, effect?" he asked, looking straight into her eyes as they walked.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene let out a laugh as he asked what kind of girl she was. "I guess it depends on the sort of mood I'm in. Sometimes it's nice to have something warm and calming, but most of the time I'm a firewhiskey kind of girl" she said with a smirk appearing on her face. "I want something that will make me feel like my insides are on fire." She allowed her blue eyes to stay fixed on his as she spoke, wanting him to know exactly what she was saying.

The street was quite busy with the usual sort of business that went on on Bleak Street and Irene saw several people stop mid-conversation as she and Tobias walked by. Irene glanced around quickly, relaxing when she realized that none of them were her brother, who was the last person she wanted to see at the moment. "So...Tobias. Are you a butterbeer or a firewhiskey kind of guy?" she asked, arching her eyebrow as she waited for his answer.

 

[Tobias Barnett]

Tobias grinned, so she was the fun type. He wondered why so many people were looking at them. Prehaps because they were just curious in other's businesses, or prehaps they were looking for something dangerous themselves. Tobias held onto Irene's arm, trying to make her feel more secure.

"Can you see me drinking a glass of butterbeer, standing by a warm fireplace with a small white froth moustosh(sp?)?" he asked her jokingly, "No, i go for something stronger myself too. Like to keep feeling alive, rather than half asleep" he added, approaching the door of the pub.

He opened it, and gestured for Irene, "Ladies first." he said, the smile on his face never leaving. He walked in after her and went straight up to the bar. "Two firewhiskies" he said simply, watching the barman head off, before turning back to her. "You seem on edge." he mentioned, after noticing how she'd been glancing around agitatedly at the crowd as they'd walked. He hoped backwards so he was sat on the barstool, one leg remaining on the floor.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene slipped into the Poison Ater and watched as Tobias headed straight for the bar. Following him, she smiled as he placed their order. Lifting herself up onto one of the stools, Irene pushed her hair behind her ear as she listened to Tobias' observation. She'd hoped he wouldn't notice, but he was much more observant than he looked. Biting her lip, Irene didn't know what to say at first. After all, she'd only just met Tobias and she was hardly the type of person to spill her heart out to a stranger. Finally, she decided that it would probably be best to give him an answer but not go into details.

"Kinda. I just don't want to run into Ioan. We got into a bad argument right before I met you" she explained as the bartender set their firewhiskies down in front of them and moved on to tend to other customers. Shaking her head, Irene added, "It just wouldn't be a good thing if I saw him now...but enough of that." Picking up her drink, Irene held it out so that they could clink glasses. "To good company" she said, her lips drawn in a grin that showed her interest. She lifted the drink to her lips and drank deeply, allowing the liquid to make its way down her throat where it created a comforting burn.