(OPEN) And Just Around the Corner...

[LIAM AVERY]

"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." Liam laughed, his shiny white teeth showing through his smile. "If you insist," he conceded. "I guess there's a lot I have to learn about drug dealing." Her eyes came back to his and he felt his laughter dying in his chest, replaced by a tight feeling there. It felt like a fist grabbed his lungs for a moment. It was such a strange feeling, one he didn't get often. She had such big, hazel eyes, though, big enough to swallow him whole. It felt like she felt his gaze captive for a long time before she looked away and ran a hand through her hair. He cleared his, throat, turning his blue eyes up to the sky. "It's money." He looked at her again briefly, and nodded. That was why most drug dealers did what they did. It was easy money and good money, and who wouldn't want that?

Liam for one. There was too much trouble involved in drug dealing. He was certain with the low profile he maintained that he could make go money and easily, but if he did get caught, it would be a ridiculous mess. But with her being a Geomancer, he could understand why she did it. She was an expert with plants and herbs, knowing what each one was used for, and she probably found awesome natural combinations for the drugs she created. If only such a good mind were put to a better use, she could make a fortune off of homeopathic cures for basic ailments. And she did have a good mind. He liked that about her. He liked a lot of things about her.

They fell into an easy silence, him watching the stars as he walked next to her. Sometimes he felt strange about falling into silences with people he hardly knew, but it wasn't strange with Harley. It just felt like the natural flow of their conversation. A breeze picked up and he heard her exhale slowly, drawing his eyes back to her. Her eyes were closed, and he noticed there were goosebumps on her skin. He was already looking at her when she spoke. "I'm glad you tried to arrest me tonight." He chuckled, a lopsided grin coming to his face, but the way she said it made his heart throb. It wasn't the first time he had felt like that for a woman before, but it was the first time in a long while. The smile remained as he looked down at her, still walking slowly. "I think that's the first time I've heard that," he commented, his hands relaxing just a little in his pockets before they clenched again. He was actually nervous to respond. "I'm glad I did too, though." It was surprising how soft his voice got when he said that. He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head nervously, so confused and not liking it. Why was he so attracted to this young woman? He couldn't figure it out. She broke the law every day! But she was so smart and funny and just...well...cool.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his card, handing it to her. "That's my contact information. In case you ever want to talk about something that won't provoke me to arrest you," he said, giving another unsure, lopsided smile. That didn't happen often. Liam preferred to be on his own with his own thoughts most of the time. But time spent with Harley seemed just as enjoyable. Despite her line of work, she was good company. He slipped off his suit jacket, noticing she was chilly, and he politely draped it around her shoulders, pausing his movements to do so. "I'm wearing long sleeves, so I don't need it," he explained a little nervously. For a moment he was caught up with admiring those big eyes of hers. They were unnerving, and the more time he spent with her, the more uncomfortable he felt with his feelings. With an awkward smile, he turned and headed back towards her dorm, reminding himself that not everyone was nocturnal.

"So, uh, why don't you make homeopathic cures? I bet with your knowledge of plants and magic, you could make a lot of money getting patents on your cures and selling them," he suggested, trying to turn around the mildly awkward cloud hanging over them at the moment. He was not going to give in to these confusing feelings for a college-aged woman.

[harleyknox]

"I'm glad I did too, though."

She couldn't contain the bright smile at those words. He liked me! It was not like Harley to worry about what people thought of her... She didn't care. Plain and simple, she would do whatever she wanted in front of whoever she wanted. As long as it wasn't something completely idiotic and could get her thrown in jail. She had been worrying though, this whole time, that she was too this or too that for him to like her. Of course he wouldn't like like her though. She was hoping for just friends, even though she wanted more. Harley knew she was way too far out of his league for him to even think about going out with her. She also knew she was just crushing. People got over crushes right? Harley was somewhat of a pessimist. Her mood dropped dramatically at the thoughts, her smile fading. He was a Gargoyle... how old exactly was he?

Harley was about to ask when he pulled out his card. She glanced at him, surprised and quiet, before taking the card. She noticed his little sideways smile and how it made him look like a child. Adorable, she thought and smiled lightly because of it. Her happiness escalated afterwards. Tonight wouldn't be the only time she would see him. By giving his card, he basically gave her permission to see him again. It was more than she could have hoped for. She blinked, stopping as well, confused as he started removing his jacket. She wasn't too bothered by the cold, but the action he made made her heart squeeze. Her eyes betrayed her, showing the admiration she had for the man. She said a quick, "Thank you," before turning her gaze away from him just as her cheeks blushed. Luckily it was dark, and the nearest light pole was far off. It'd be embarrassing if he caught a glance. That'd be a dead give away for her feelings. She'd look like a child, crushing over some stoic adult. But wasn't that what she was doing? Wasn't that what she was? She sighed and tugged the jacket closer. His scent surrounded her, musky and of his rich cologne. It only calmed her more, back to her usual chill mode.

She turned and walked with him back towards the dorms. Realizing just how tired she was, she yawned lightly. His voice startled him slightly, used to silence and unfazed by the awkwardness. She learned to accept situations and only react when needed. It's only awkward when you made it awkward. "So, uh, why don't you make homeopathic cures? I bet with your knowledge of plants and magic, you could make a lot of money getting patents on your cures and selling them," This made her think of Abby. She may not exactly cure everyone that walks through the doors, but her potions and remedies are helpful in that area. Harley had a different answer for him though, "I cure the mind of worries," she said amusingly, her sly little smile returning from earlier, "Really, though... I was born into the business." That was all she was saying. She couldn't talk about this, not with him. He was a cop. She couldn't go telling him that her parents were both useless drug users who have been doing them all their life. Liam was a nice guy but he had a job to do. Harley just met him and she doubted he would stick around if he knew about her lame parents. "Plus, can you see me doing anything else?" She laughed softly afterwards, it was not an amused laugh, just an unbelieving noise towards an impossible goal. Harley wouldn't be doing anything else in her life. She found her career. "It's a nice thought, though. Maybe the cure for cancer is up here," she said, gesturing to her head jokingly.

Her curiosity got the best of her, and she had to ask, "So if you're a Gargoyle... How old are you exactly?" This made him ten times out of her league. He had to be three times older than her, give or take a few years. She knew enough that Gargoyles age very slowly, just the amount they aged was a mystery to her. The real impressive thing was that she actually cared. She normally kept relationships with people to a minimum, less to cling to. But this guy was slowly befriending her, whether he liked it or not. She was loyal to her friends, and the closer people got to her the more she cared. In this way, she made the strangest friends.

She had the sudden urge to hold his hand. Of course she kept it at bay, but her eyes stayed on him. She allowed herself to study the specific features that made up Liam. She could see, now that his jacket was off, that his arms filled out his t-shirt well. Clearly he had that unnatural Gargoyle strength. From first look he did seem slim, she now knew that was an illusion. She remembered what she thought of his walk, how it held a sense of authority, and noticed it was more calm. He was slowing his pace to match hers, though. She noticed his hands stayed in his pockets, like he was keeping to himself. Harley was usually the same, preferring to be alone or with one or two close friends at the most. Eventually she found herself aching to see those crystal blue eyes again. They were slowly nearing the dorms as this happened.

[LIAM AVERY]

"I cure the mind of worries." Liam chuckled a little at Harley's answer, but he was being serious. She definitely seemed smart enough to pursue something legal like homeopathic cures if she put her mind to it. "Really, though...I was born into the business." He looked at her with curiosity, wondering if she would elaborate, but not surprised that she didn't. Gathering from that statement, someone else in her family was a drug dealer; could be a parent or a sibling, even a grandparent at her age, but he knew she wouldn't tell him, even if he asked. "Plus, can you see me doing anything else?" He gave a weak smile, but was convinced she wasn't giving herself enough credit. There were plenty of other Geomancers in this town that she could team up with if she seriously pursued something like what he suggested. "It's a nice thought, though. Maybe the cure for cancer is up here." Liam shrugged and smiled genuinely. "It could be," he said, no hint of doubt in his voice. He firmly believed everyone was capable of everything as long as they had a healthy brain and put their mind to it. Maybe that was cheesy, but he had always felt that way.

"So if you're a Gargoyle...How old are you exactly?" Liam actually laughed. Obviously she knew Gargoyles aged slowly. "I'm 89," he replied simply. "How old are you?" It was only fair that he ask. Once she answered, though, he almost regretted it. "I have never felt so old," he said with a laugh, shaking his head. Inside, he was reeling. A 19-year-old?! He was attracted to a 19-year-old?! He felt like a dirty old lecher, a cradle robber. She was just a child...a very pretty child, but a child nonetheless. Still...he couldn't help looking down at her and admiring her face, even the way she was wearing his jacket. If he didn't know better, he would say her cheeks were pink. Was that just the chill in the air, though?

The cold didn't even faze him. He was as solid as the stone he turned into, and rarely felt cold in temperatures above 50 degrees. To him, it actually felt nice. It was distracting anyway...distracting from her. Not enough, though, and he felt his eyes wandering back to her. There was something about her big hazel green eyes that kept drawing his own blue ones to look down at her. He figured part of his fascination was that he had never really seen eyes that big before. He also had an inexplicable urge to touch her hair. Touch her? He didn't like touching anybody really. He thought it was rude to touch people, so he kept his hands to himself. But her hair looked...really soft. What was wrong with him?! Did she cast some spell on him? He was a little suspicious, but figured it would be worse than this if she knew how to cast love spells. Love spells...that's not what this was. This was just infatuation. He'd gone too long without some kind of contact with a woman...right?

"Who knew I would end up spending a good hour walking and talking with a 19 year old?" he said in an amused voice. "You seem older than you are, though. I would have pegged you for a couple years older." It was the teen thing. She was still technically a teenager. Maybe if she were twenty he wouldn't feel so strange about being attracted to her, but she was nineteen. "At least you don't act like some of the people your age, though. I honestly worry where your generation is going with shows like...is it the Jersey Shore? And role models like the Real Housewives." He rolled his eyes and smiled down at her. "I can't stand to watch television anymore." Watching television these days just depressed him; the world was falling to pieces with no way to stop it, it seemed.