(OPEN) And Just Around the Corner...

[harleyknox]

It was just a usual night, with the usual people, at the usual spot. Selling her usual drugs. This was a simple weed and seed deal. Harley had her favorite blend (seed) on the market since a few months earlier. It was a treated blend of Marijuana and other natural plants. With her knowledge and feel for nature, it was one of the best she's ever made. And her personal favorite. It turned the depressant-leaning Marijuana into a hallucinogen. Of course, only to be used in closed quarters. It made your wildest dreams come true, right before your eyes. Anything you want, seed could give it to you. So, that made it extremely dangerous. You'd walk into the middle of a street thinking a car was your new pet Dinosaur. Bam, dead. Harley had yet to work out the flaws yet.

Around the corner from the dorms, she had some students, regulars, interested in buying. "I only got an ounce of seed today." She said smoothly, the words rolling off her tongue like a trickling stream. The two beatnik styled kids just nodded and offered up the dough. They took the rest of her supplies off her person, which she was glad. She hated carrying any substance. Too risky. She preferred to make deals in the closed quarters of her parents house. Safer. More relaxed.

Just how Harley liked it.

She was always chill and calm. No matter the situation. It took a lot to frighten her, and more than your usual dose of cocaine to get her jumpy. She waited until the two students had left before making her way back to the front of the dorm. The grass gave way to her light, and rather comfy, moccasins. The weather was warm enough to wear a black tank, with a paint splatter pattern, and a pair of white shorts. She actually straightened her hair for once, since the humidity wasn't too bad. She was planning on getting to bed early possibly, or hitting the bowl and relaxing. Either or sounded perfect. She didn't have any classes today, being it was a Saturday. Her favorite day of the week. She thought about calling Hunter up to join her. He always was fun to take a hit with. Plus she wondered how he was doing.

But she was too lazy. Harley had just reached the steps of the door, stretching her hand towards the handle to get inside.

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam had just completed a lecture at the university on criminology as a career choice. Normally he wouldn't have taken the time, but it was some extra money and he had nothing better to do that evening. The presentation was short and sweet, and Liam was out of there by nine o' clock. He could get back to his normal duties, perhaps stop by the precinct to see if there was any work for him to do there. There was also dinner to scrounge up. Liam didn't put much thought into what he ate. If it sustained him, he ate it, no other answers needed.

Headed to his car, he happened to glance over to a group of students gathered outside of one of the dormitories. A girl wearing too much make-up was passing something off to some kids who looked like they walked out of a 1960's coffee shop. Liam had to stop and wonder when that stupid fashion craze of wearing all black turtlenecks came back into circulation. He knew what she handed them wasn't wholesome. A green leafy substance in a couple of plastic ziplock bags? Yeah, that was marijuana. Liam never understood the appeal of drugs. Why would someone want to dull their senses to the point of incoherence? It was utterly useless.

He couldn't explain why he followed the girl. It didn't serve any purpose to his plans to the evening. Curiosity was his greatest asset, however, and he trailed her back to her dorm. The lack of security on campus was astounding to Liam. Didn't the idiots know what was going on in their dormitories? Really, there was no established system of punishment. Perhaps if drugs weren't traded on school grounds, these students would focus more on expanding what was between their ears rather than deplete it. And people like the girl he had observed were only perpetuating the cycle. He wondered at what point of deterioration she would quit her side business. His hand wrapped around the badge in his pocket. He was only part time, but he was still required to carry a seal to get into the squad room.

"Hey!" he called out, getting the girl's attention. She had been reaching for the handle, but she wasn't going anywhere. When he came up to her, his usual stern look was plastered on his face. "Come here," he requested in his quiet voice, waving her closer. Once she was close enough that she was in arm's reach, he pulled the badge from his pocket and showed it to her discretely, in case anyone came by. Before she could run, he said, "I'm not going to arrest you, but if you try to run away, I will. You have no hope of outrunning me, anyway, so come with me. Over there. I want to talk about what you gave those kids." He motioned to a bench under a lamp so she wouldn't think he had any ideas of him harming her. Strictly speaking, he couldn't arrest her, but he wouldn't tell her that. "Come on," he urged again, walking toward the bench and making sure she was following. Liam was a man of few words, but what he didn't communicate with his mouth, he communicated with his face. Right now, he was making it very clear she shouldn't try and run.

[harleyknox]

"Hey!"

Harley smoothly pulled her hand away from the handle and glanced over with no particular interest in the sudden shout. She knew it was for her, she was the only one in the area. Some guy was walking towards her, he looked like he strutted with purpose, but unknowingly. Like he didn't even have to try for his white boy swag to flaunt. Harley liked that. But her expression remained unchanged as he approached her. Her hands slid into her back pockets respectively as he demanded that she approached him. Why didn't he just walk over...? Harley had an eyebrow cocked but shrugged and nonchalantly skipped down the steps to the guy. He seemed unkempt. Normally how Harley preferred her style, but he pulled it off well too.

She saw the badge but it didn't phase her. She simply glanced down at it then back at his face. Harley had dealt with plenty of cops in her past. This guy couldn't bust her on squat. She didn't have any substances on her, he could search if he wanted. He probably would. Most pigs would, just to feel up some barely-legal college girl. Her face twisted into a grimace as that thought crossed her mind. She had accidentally blocked out most of his words, catching "running away," and "talk about those kids."

Run? Pffft like hell. She would probably rather take a ride to the station over running... It was incredible she was still thin and had enough muscle to fight through a crowd. Was there a steroid she could make that wouldn't turn her into a man? Harley was thinking about that as he started walking. So she didn't follow right away. It might seem to him as hesitation, but it was purely due to distracted thoughts. She took her time as she walked towards the bench and sat lightly on it. Who did this guy think he was? "I think they're heading towards the Silent Stone if you really want to bust someone tonight." Her cool, almost sly, smile pulled across her lips as she brushed her bangs from her eyes. He thought he was in charge. But in (Harley's) reality, she had it all under control.

"I don't know why you're here, but it's pretty late... Why would you want to spend the rest of your evening questioning some college kid who clearly has nothing on her." Her words were not cocky or arrogant. They were smooth, convincing. As if she was agreeing with him, even though he has really said nothing yet. She crossed her legs and waited for him to start scolding her. She always got the same shit story. Harley was about to tune the guy out. She would have a lot earlier but he piqued her interest enough to pull her back to reality. She preferred the imagination in most cases. She started gazing off towards the dark, almost starless sky.

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam took a seat next to the girl on the bench. "I think they're heading towards the Silent Stone if you really want to bust someone tonight." He turned his bright blue eyes to her, narrowed lightly at that smirk on her face. Of course she knew her way around the law, but she didn't have a clue as to why he was actually here. "I'm not looking to bust anyone," he replied firmly, holding her hazel-eyed gaze. It was true. He didn't need that trouble, and neither did he have that authority. But he had a question to ask her.

"I don't know why you're here, but it's pretty late... Why would you want to spend the rest of your evening questioning some college kid who clearly has nothing on her?" Liam couldn't say she was cocky. No, it was more that she was matter-of-fact; like she knew something he didn't. It was almost laughable. Instead, Liam actually considered her question. Why did he want to question her? Mostly because the thought of drugs being passed around bothered him to no end. He didn't want to lecture, as he'd just gotten out of one, and they were so boring.

He sat in silence for a moment, inspecting her. No, he wasn't going to search her for drugs. The Gargoyle was confident there were no more drugs on her. She seemed smart enough to at least not carry more than was necessary on her person. Most drug dealers were at least that smart, at least in small towns like this one where it was easy to get caught. He sat back on the bench, never taking his stony eyes off of her. His whole life was about gathering knowledge, knowing everything he possibly could. Drugs had never been one of those things he understood the appeal of. A brain was a terrible thing to waste, and yet that's exactly what drugs did: they wasted the brain. He was certain why she sold it, since it was good money, but dealers had to sample their own product to know what it was worth. This girl no doubt took drugs, but he couldn't understand why. "I'm certain you know how many brain cells that shit kills. So why take it?" he asked, his mouth a thin line. Perhaps she could answer his curiosity.

[harleyknox]

"I'm certain you know how many brain cells that shit kills. So why take it?"

His words were surprising enough to catch her attention. She slowly met his gaze, eyes wide with her own curiosity. She knew the answer, and let it roll off of her tongue, "Because sometimes there are better places to be than reality." She almost sighed. Harley was surrounded by drugs her entire life. Her parents could hardly be considered parents. They did nothing to keep her safe. It was a lucky thing that she wasn't messed up because of it. Well, messed up physically. It was natural to be in a haze of her imagination. "Also, eventually, you just don't care." The sad emotion that had found it's way as her expression was wiped clean by her shrug. Her cool expression returned as she found his blue eyes again.

No authority figure ever asked her that. They always assumed things about abusers like herself. Never took time in questioning their actions. For some, drugs were a get away. Of course, for others, drugs were just for fun. Harley didn't see the harm in either. People deserved to escape their lives once in awhile. This was her motto. The only thing that kept her spirits high. That, and the occasional laugh from her friends. "Why do you care what I think?" Her brows furrowed in confusion. She really wanted to know.

She was also surprised that this guy caught her attention for more than a few minutes. She took her time in studying him now. Like she initially saw, he was messy. But not in a slob way. His hair she particularly liked. She wondered what made him become a cop. He looked like the kind of guy who wouldn't care about the law. Looks are deceiving, she reminded herself. But what she seemed to like the most was his blue eyes. Strange, she thought, how blue they were.

Harley shook her head and glanced towards the darkened campus. What was she doing?! This was not a guy to be friends with or to... look at. She couldn't know when she'd be turned in. She became slightly paranoid by this thought, and uncrossed her legs. She began playing with her fingers in her lap. A strange mood for the usually calm and relaxed girl. It was very uncommon for her to have any sort of breakdown. A thought danced across her brain, then. "Have you ever tried it before?" Her question was innocent, not pressuring or snarky. She was genuinely curious, maybe the guy had some bad experience with drugs.

[LIAM AVERY]

"Because sometimes there are better places to be than reality."

Liam was mildly surprised by this answer, and considered it for a long moment. He watched an almost sad face cross the young woman's features, and it briefly made him wonder why. Of course, he didn't pry. Life was suffering, that was one truth he had discovered in his years of observation from the rooftops. The training he endured to become a Guardian reinforced this truth to an extreme. Liam found himself satisfied with that answer, though he couldn't reconcile it with the stupidity drugs instilled in users. But was it better to go through life oblivious of the pain, of the world, or was it better to go through knowing too much, as he did? He pondered this as she said, "Also, eventually you just don't care." Liam scoffed. "How can you care when you're lost in a stupor?" he muttered scornfully. It was a rhetorical question. Her eyes came back to his, and he half expected her to reply, but she moved on.

"Why do you care what I think?" Liam found the answer simply enough. "It's not often I get to question drug dealers and users. I was curious to know what the hype was about from a user's perspective," he replied. After a moment of consideration he added, "I don't care if you use drugs or even make them for yourself. I only care if you sell them. This is a college; students should be trying to expand their minds, not shrink them, and the perpetuation of the lowering IQ's on college campuses irks me." Liam even found it annoying that students got into college with a full rides for sports, even if they had a D average in high school.

He could see the girl look around nervously and the way she was wringing her hands. His own eyes looked around curiously, wondering if there was something specific she was looking at. No, she must have been nervous because he was a cop. He was going to tell her to relax when she asked him a question. "Have you ever tried it before?" His eyebrows arched and his eyes briefly grew wider. What a strange question for her to ask..."No," he replied. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." He wasn't even tempted to try it. Liam firmly believed that even one killed brain cell would be enough to ruin his mind forever. Perhaps it was irrational, but he would not risk it.

He could tell she was still nervous, so he sighed. "Look, I'm only a part-time cop. I can't arrest you or anything, so relax. It's just a few questions, you're not in trouble." To try and be friendlier, something he wasn't known for, he extended his hand to the girl. "William Avery. You can call me Liam," he introduced curtly, but he wasn't rude. It was just the man's way of speaking. He waited patiently for her response, his eyes fixed on her youthful face. It made him feel his age to sit next to a woman so young.

[harleyknox]

"William Avery. You can call me Liam,"

She shook his hand, shocked how rough it was. Like it was infused with... stone. She dwelled on this fact a bit longer than needed, and her answer was later than expected. "Harley Knox." She said smoothly. His words had successfully calmed her down. That was strange. Not many people could get her nerves so hiked up. Maybe there was a problem with a bend she smoked earlier? She'd have to look into that. But for now, she was pretty interested in this stone guy named Liam. She almost laughed. Stone guy who hated drugs.

She could understand his reasoning. Now, she realized. He must be some sort of scholar. Someone so interested in keeping the brain intact and at it's full power? Definitely smart. But why, she wondered, was he just a part-time cop? Surely he could go full time. Or maybe be a lawyer. It piqued her interest. He piqued her interest. She turned her body towards him, giving her full, undivided attention to his man. What made him tick? "What are you doing here so late anyways? Obviously not to bust me." Luckily. A smile finally found her face. She hoped she wasn't annoying the guy. She just wanted to know more about him.

Or did she? Maybe she just wanted to be around him. There was something different about Liam. Other than his hard skin. She felt like a little kid around him. That wasn't a good thing, of course, but it was interesting. He couldn't have been more than ten years older than her. Which, at this age, wasn't that big of a difference. What was it? He seemed too wise for his age. There had to be an explanation. His swag that she saw earlier was not actually swag... but grace. He walked with a purpose, she decided. Like even his steps were gaining knowledge. She normally never made revelations about people. They were as she saw them. But she knew this guy was deeper than he gave off.

She noticed she was staring at him and glanced away once more. That bench was getting too cold, suddenly, and she stood. She asked nonchalantly then, really uncaring if he agreed or not, she thought she'd give it a shot. "Would you like to go on a walk?" She did hope he would say yes, obviously, but wouldn't be offended if not. The night was young, and the best thing she had to do otherwise was toke it up in her room.

[LIAM AVERY]

The girl's hand was soft. Then again, all women's hands were soft compared to his. The name Harley suited the punk girl in front of him, even if it came after a pause. "Pleasure," he said politely. He was a cynical know-it-all, but Liam had learned from his mother a long time ago how to treat women. The man didn't do a lot of practicing in how to treat women, but he knew what to do. Even really young women who sold drugs deserved respect.

"What are you doing here so late anyways? Obviously not to bust me." He checked his watch. It was only 9:30. "I had a lecture about Criminology as a career path," he said distractedly before looking back at her. "A waste of time, if you ask me, but it's money." She was staring at him and he stared right back, not afraid to do so. To him, she was little more than a child. But the more he looked at her, the more he realized she really was a pretty girl with her large hazel green eyes. Even with all the make-up and piercings, she wasn't bad to look at. His appreciation, however, was no more than an artist's appreciation for a beautiful figure. Something to be admired, but not something to indulge in. Honestly, the girl had to be about seventy years his junior.

When she suddenly stood, his eyes followed her, slightly confused. If she wanted to leave, that was fine, but there was no warning. "Would you like to go for a walk?" The question surprised him and he raised his eyebrows. He felt compelled to accept the offer, not entirely sure why. Harley was interesting though, and she seemed a lot smarter than he initially thought. Perhaps he hadn't given her enough credit, though. After a moment he nodded. "All right," he agreed, getting to his feet. He had nothing better to do with his time, so why not get to know her a little. He could get a better feel for her reasons for doing what she did by talking to her.

He started a slow pace along the path they were on, meandering past the buildings. It didn't really bother him that people might look at him strange for hanging out with a girl so much younger than him, but he could only appear about ten years older. His blue eyes looked down to her as they walked. "What are you majoring in?" he asked. If she said Botany, he would laugh.

[harleyknox]

The night was young and the air hung low, almost foggy in the streets. The humidity had risen as night fully set in. The weather was just how she liked it. Mild, not too hot and not too cold. The moon, a little past half, reminded her of a cat's eye. She should get a cat. She smiled as he asked what her major was, she slid her hands into her back pockets and said, "You're gonna like this. Chemistry." She nodded and did a little skip over some litter. She thought that since she knew most about the natural herbs and plants already that she could get to know her elements etc. It wouldn't hurt in the long run. Her parents didn't go anywhere in life, and, even if Harely wasn't going to take a legal job, graduating college was still one step ahead of them.

That is if she graduated.

"You know some drugs don't kill those important brain cells of yours." She knew, of course, that these drugs were only special ones that she made with her chants and magic. He didn't have to know that. "And are completely legal... Since they haven't been banned yet." She pointed at him, with her finger sticking out like a gun, and winked. She was teasing his police occupation. Every new drug, even if it's just an offspring of another, had to be outlawed. One of the great things about the United States of America of course.

She noticed how strange they probably looked. Harley, just out of adolescence and a druggie, with this cop who had to be ten years older than her. An unlikely duo. She didn't mind, for once. Stranger things had happened to her before. Talking with a cop was actually normal. It was just the friendly part that was new.

They passed a frat house on their left, the lyrics could be made out even from outside. It was loud and there were tons of people there. Harley rarely attended those parties, but she had her fair share. They were fun, but not every weekend. She didn't know how people could live at some of these places. She then looked up at Liam, amusement on her face as she asked, "Did you go to college? Were you a frat boy?". All of her emotions were smooth, though. Nothing was too dramatic on Harley. She kept it all chill. Even her voice was relaxed, almost soothing. Her small wry smile was faint, but there.

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam actually laughed when Harley revealed she was a Chemistry major. He didn't laugh often, but when he did it was quiet and genuine. Of course she was a Chemistry major. It did intrigue him though. She had to be smart to be a Chemistry major with any hope. From what he could tell so far, she certainly wasn't stupid. Liam was even more willing to let her off the hook if she could carry on a decent conversation.

"You know some drugs don't kill those important brain cells of yours. And are completely legal...Since they haven't been banned yet." Liam looked down at her with a raised brow. Her hand gesture was kind of cute and he couldn't help but give a small smile. Even so, his tone was serious. "If they aren't banned, then they haven't become public knowledge yet. And I don't trust anything that hasn't been through multiple tests for possible side effects," he replied. His look was slightly amused when he considered maybe she was actually more knowledgeable on the subject than he was. That was a rare thing for him to admit. "I haven't done much studying on the subject, though. It just seems that all of the most popular drugs, perhaps the, 'best,' drugs are the ones that kill your brain. In which case, I wouldn't want the safe ones anyway." He was kidding, of course. He didn't want anything to do with drugs. But Liam was lightening up around this youthful drug dealer. Even the fact that they were having a friendly conversation was humorous to him. Sometimes the possible was stranger than the impossible.

He scowled as they passed the frat house, seeing a couple students literally passed out on the lawn, one couple making out on the porch, and a dress hanging out of an upper story window. All the music and hooping and hollering was ridiculous. Didn't they have anything better to do with their time? He scowling a little when Harley addressed him again. "Did you go to college? Were you a frat boy?" He gave a quick chuckle. "Yeah I went to college, but the idea of underage drinking and taking illegal drugs in the same house I lived in didn't really sit well with me as a Criminal Justice minor. My major was Psychology. Plus, I'm not big on the whole brotherhood thing. I liked being an only child." It was a joke. He was a loner, though, more so than anybody he knew. Liam was content to spend time with himself and usually preferred his own company to the company of others. Right now, though, he found himself enjoying Harley's company. It wasn't just surprising on a lawlessness scale but on an age scale. His eyes turned back to the hazel of her own. She had an almost cocky look to her, but her smooth voice set off that impression, making her seem very cool and laid back. It put him strangely at ease. "What about you? Are you part of a sorority?" he joked mildly. He could hardly imagine Harley in a prim and proper sorority.

[harleyknox]

She wasn't surprised at his answer. It was almost expected. And even though she barely knew this stranger, she felt like she knew enough. Or she could be crazy. She liked him too much already. Harley took time in making friends, this was strange... All she could do is smile, like an idiot, at his answer. She found it amusing, and caught the joke. She was an only child though as well. She only had one true and legit friend her whole life, Hunter. Of course she made others, and knew of none that extremely hated her, but she was mostly alone. Not that she minded that. It was easier to relax when by oneself.

"What about you? Are you part of a sorority?"

Harley rarely laughed so loud. "Yeah right!" She allowed her voice to spike for that one moment, wrapped up in the moment. She knew he was joking, she was clearly not a sorority girl. "You're funny. Like they'd even let me in anyways." She shook her head and held that amused smile. "It's not for me. I'm the solo type, my friends are the few, the proud." She wondered if he would catch the Marines joke. Seeing that he was an officer of the law, he'd probably catch on. Of course... Harely's friends were no where near Marines. She wondered if she could beat Hunter in an arm wrestle... Nah. But she could beat Aly!

Her smile calmed into an almost innocent expression, she looked... Nice. It was the one she wore when she wanted to look open. When she wasn't feeling secluded or wary of people. She had to get his opinion, this question was bouncing off the walls of her brain, "Do you know how weird we look right now?" Her nose scrunched up when she said the word weird, like she was talking with her whole face. Although she was feeling very outgoing, her voice was still it's usual silky smooth. There wasn't a moment with Harley where it wasn't chill. Of course unless something unexpected happened.

Just then a frat boy came tumbling down the steps of the house, the chubby kid stopping right in front of them on the sidewalk. He bent over and started heaving and retching. Before the kid could blow chunks, she bent next to him and grabbed some dandelions. Without thinking she mumbled "prohibere corporis fluida a iecoris". It was second nature to use her magic. No pun intended. Dandelions were known to help with the liver and digestive problems. Of course maybe a detoxifying flower would be better, but she thought she'd give this a chance. And soon enough, the boy stopped heaving and simply rolled onto the grass. She almost forgot about the cop next to her. She simply glanced up with a shrug, speaking slowly. "False alarm...?"

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam actually gave a good smile to hear Harley laugh loudly at his joke. His teeth even showed, but it was a nice smile. "You're funny. Like they'd even let me in anyways." He gave a chuckle. "You look like you'd fit right in," he said sarcastically. "It's not for me. I'm the solo type, my friends are the few, the proud." Liam raised his eyebrows, expectantly. "The Marines?" he finished doubtfully with a smile. He was surprised how amusing he found her. Really, though, from her description of herself, they sounded a lot alike. He didn't know if he would say his friends were proud, but they were few. Perhaps if he ever saw Harley again after tonight...perhaps she might be a friend. It was a weird thought, being friends with a woman so much younger than him, but he couldn't deny he liked her. She made him laugh, which was unusual for him.

When he looked down at her again, he noticed how calm her smile was, nice. It was enough to make him shove his hands in his pockets, feeling content and yet strange that he was noticing she was actually not a bad looking girl. She was pretty, really. He was looking down at his feet when she spoke and he looked up. "Do you know how weird we look right now?" Liam couldn't help but smile, noticing the way her nose scrunched up when she said "weird." It was cute. Damn it. He played it off though, looking a little confused. "What, older cops don't walk around with young drug dealers all the time?" Liam was in rare form. He had a great sense of humor, to him, but he hardly ever showed it around other people. Maybe it was something in Harley's relaxed demeanor that relaxed him in turn. It helped that he actually enjoyed her company, though.

When he heard someone stumbling toward them, Liam was forced to look away from Harley to see a chubby frat boy making his way toward them. Liam was mildly horrified when the boy sidled up to them and threatened to heave all over them. He took a quick step back, hardly showing his disgust when he noticed Harley snatch up a handful of dandelions. Was she just grabbing something pretty to smell so she wouldn't vomit? He didn't understand the logic until he heard her muttering. It was Latin. Over the course of his education, he had achieved a decent understanding of the dead language, but the way she muttered it, it sounded like an incantation. In fact, that's how it translated as well. When he saw the boy roll onto the grass, suddenly better, his eyes narrowed at Harley. She was much more than she let on. "False alarm...?" He let his suspicion show on his face. "Yeah, right," he said aloud.

He motioned with his head that they should keep walking, putting his hands back in his pockets. He wanted to put some distance between them and any possible eavesdroppers. When he was sure there wasn't anyone around, he looked down at her. "You're a witch," he said bluntly, holding her hazel gaze. "A Geomancer to be more specific. Am I right?" Liam made it his business to know everything. And when it came to Scriptor Bay, as a Guardian, he knew everything about everything. Geomancers were an interesting lot, and there weren't many within the city's confines. The same could be said for Elementalists. Still, it made Harley that much more interesting. "That explains your penchant for plants, even if they're illegal," he said softly, as though pondering aloud. He still didn't know whether she was aware of the truth of the legend of Scriptor Bay, though, so he would let his way of knowing remain a mystery until he knew more.

[harleyknox]

The banter they'd gotten into before her quick chant had her smiling like an idiot. Even after the kid rolled to the side and she jumped up to follow Liam, Harley was still smiling. She didn't really have a problem that he was so much older than her, or that they were clearly on completely opposite career paths. But it was funny to think about. She noticed he had loosened up around her, Harley enjoyed that. She loved when her relaxing attitude rubbed off on others. It made life better to be chill.

"You're a witch,"

Her jaw dropped a little. Harley had stopped in her tracks as well. She made a little jog to catch up to him. Her mind wrapping around his words like they held her life. He knew. Harley instantly knew he wasn't normal. There was no way some human could come to that conclusion. He must have heard me chanting. Harley didn't expect him to pick up so quickly... or at all. She noticed then how studious he actually was. He was smart to become a cop, he clearly had wit.

For some reason, she was blushing. She blinked away from his gaze and back to reply in a small voice, "Yeah... You're correct." It was strange, feeling almost embarrassed. He had brought out more emotions from her than the usual person could. Harley was never embarrassed or shocked. Weird. She could barely hear his final sentence, that put a halfhearted smile on her lips. "Then what are you?" her voice was barely a whisper, louder she said, "How do you know?"

It was obvious she was referring to the legend. Her parents had told her enough so she could connect the dots. Maybe he was human... What if he was against those with powers. She became wary of him suddenly, but it didn't show. She kept her emotions in check from now on. Harley couldn't let her guard down with him around. He was smart as a whip. Too keen on his surroundings.

The frat was disappearing behind them. The next couple rows of dorms were up ahead. Most had the lights out, clearly they were catching up on lost sleep. She sighed lightly. Who was this guy she was walking next to. Liam, a cop, and a possible threat to her life. No, she didn't really believe that. He wouldn't hurt her, there was another explanation. Of course that could be her heart speaking instead of her mind. She bit her bottom lip as the thought crossed her mind. Harley felt twelve again, she was crushing.

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam couldn't deny he was a little amused by the look of shock on Harley's face. She obviously didn't expect him to know what she was. His smile was still there, letting her know he didn't care what she was, but he was also silently daring her to deny it. He was baffled by the way her cheeks were turning pink, though, just barely noticeable in the dim light. Living only at night had a way of giving you excellent vision in the dark. Why was she blushing? The only outward sign of his confusion was a slight crease in his brow.

"Then what are you? How do you know?"

The cop took note of the way she phrased her question. What are you? That was a good enough indication for him that she knew the legend. Still, he was always hesitant to reveal himself. Being a creature of the night wasn't easy. Many who knew of the legend assumed this made Gargoyles darker beings by nature, but that wasn't necessarily true. He didn't think Harley would make any assumptions, though. She wasn't a presumptuous person, from what he could tell, and she seemed willing to accept anybody. Not that he cared whether she accepted him or not. If he scared her away, it might be a small disappointment because he enjoyed her company, but he would wave it off in time. There was only one way to find out what her reaction would be.

"I'm a Gargoyle," he said simply. "I turn to stone in the day and come back to this form at night." His voice was quiet so no one would overhear their conversation. "That's why my lecture was scheduled so late," he added with a hint of amusement. Liam had looked away from her while he spoke, but his eyes easily glided back to Harley. She was biting her lip, another action that left him curious and confused, but it also made him pause in his thoughts for a moment. Once again he was shoving his hands in his pockets, a nervous habit of his. He forced himself to look away, trying to ignore the word bouncing around his head. Cute. Normally he hated that word when it came to people. Puppies and kittens were cute, not people. And yet right now, with Harley biting her lip, that was exactly what she was: cute.

He cleared his throat, looking back down at his feet as they strolled along, his hands clenched deep in his pockets. "As a cop, I'd hate to think you were infusing your drugs with magic. Surely there's a drug dealers' code of ethics that says using magic is cheating," he joked, managing a smile half-smile down at her, his blue eyes venturing back to her face. He was going to force himself not to notice this young girl's charms.

[harleyknox]

"I'm a Gargoyle."

Harley knew the stereotypes set by other guardians. Gargoyles were dark, brooding creatures supposedly. The two she had met before fit the description exactly. Liam was not like August or Sebastian. They both held an air of ominous confidence. Harley knew Sebastian was on the edge of being clinically insane. August, she thought, was a prick. Liam was clearly a mystery, but not what she'd call dark. She knew the basics of Gargoyle nature but allowed him to explain it anyways without interruption. It was always better to listen than to be listened to, she thought.

She looked relieved, glad that he wasn't some Human killer. She watched him without break as he talked. It was amusing how his gaze kept drifting. Slowly, she relaxed once more, setting back into her chill zone. She smiled at the amusement in his voice, "That makes sense." She peeled her gaze away from him once to look at the stars. It was surprising how many could be seen, Scriptor Bay was usually pretty bright at night. Luckily this city wasn't too big. Harley enjoyed the stars as much as she enjoyed smoking a blunt or creating a new drug. Her arms crossed as she gazed up at the beautiful night sky.

His next statement caught her off guard. She giggled a little before laughing pretty loud (for her). "If there was a rule it'd be, 'Thee who makes the most, sells the most.' So technically, since using magic is easy and fast, I'm living up to the Dealer Ethics." She shook her head afterwards, still sort of laughing. Her gaze met his, a bright, full smile on her face. Those were rare when she was sober. Laughing was rare when she was sober. How did he do it? Harley shrugged then, breaking her gaze into his addicting blue eyes, running a hand through her hair, "It's money." Easy money. She was born to play with herbs and natural ingredients. She was set up to be this chill drug dealer even before birth, thanks to her parents.

She didn't mind, it was a suitable life for this 19 year old.

What was weird was talking to a cop about dealing... It was a bit unnerving, but didn't phase her this time. She was too relaxed to let anything bother her at the moment. Harley slipped back into her regular mood, the sly, soft grin falling over her lips. She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes for awhile and allowing the small breeze to be noticed. The feeling raised goosebumps over her skin, though she didn't mind. When she opened them, she found his rough, yet handsome, face again. Looking up she spoke gently, "I'm glad you tried to arrest me tonight," a faint smile ended the comment.