Can We Talk About Something Else?

[Chad Stevens]

Chad had become busy eating the stew and drinking his whiskey.  The loud music and chatter that filtered around the room made it nearly impossible to catch what actual conversations were saying.  And honestly he just didn't care about the other conversations anyways.  Eyes took in and surveyed the many patrons in the bar this evening.  Young couples, older couples, and men sat around and a variety of tables.  Many tables were becoming packed just to add in people to the nearly empty tables.  Chad and Liam's table had remained untouched, and that too did not bother Chad.  He didn't mind a bit of time alone, even if you couldn't really count yourself as ever being alone in Cat's Claw.  Everyone knew you, or at least knew someone that knew you.  This town wasn't so large that people became faceless, but it was large enough that you just couldn't know everyone.  But with the same people coming and going into the bar, you tended to know the people within the walls you frequented.

Chad looked to Hazel, catching her eye as she looked in his direction, grinning over to her as she talked to a scruffy haired man.  Sure, Chad had taken a most recent 'bald look'.  Chad had gotten so fed up by the Royalist and Carrick Guard bullshit that as a silent protest he had shaved his head down.  All his hair was gone.  Of course so far, it had only been Aggie that had taken it as a major blow.  Growling, and wanting to know how he was ever going to find a girl now that he had gone and shaved his head to look like an old man.  Chad only chuckled and told Aggie things would be alright.  His protest certainly had turned many heads and many more that were interested in the silent and angry protest that Chad had taken up.  Guts.  That was what most had said to him.  That it had taken guts to do something as bold as shaving off all your hair.  But Chad didn't mind, in his eyes it would grow back and there was nothing to worry about. 

Chad finished off the glass of the amber liquid and slid the clear glass to the other side of the circular table so she could pick it up on her way around.  Chad wasn't an idiot.  The place was packed, you take up too much time and she was losing money to other customers.  When she came by he made an effort to flirt, and if she stayed around he'd compliment her but would, and has always sent her on her way to get more tips.  He did not know her income but had remembered how Rose had scrounged for tips all of the time to just stay above water.  He did not want to try and save Hazel, especially if she too didn't want saving.  He believed he had learned his mistake from last time.  Of course not all of it had been his fault, she had believed the blasted gossip, that never went over well.

Taking in the stew, Chad lifted his gaze to the redhead across the room, completely disregarding the fact that she was talking to someone else, and hell did not care what they were talking about.  He was just simply trying to get her attention so he could get another drink, and perhaps another chance at the redhead.

[Hazel Logan]

Hazel's face faultered a moment as she realized she'd lit a fire under the current customer by identifying Chad Stevens. How could she have been so stupid? Of couse this man would not like him.

"Oh, come on now. That was years ago. Water under the bridge. We aren't kids anymore." She was attempting to make light of it all, trying to bring the lightness back to the conversation. Brawls in Rory's never went well and Rory Fallon would see both men tossed out readily if the customers weren't blocking the bouncers and cheering the fight on.

School ties, school loves and school rivalries clung to people like lint on wool. Years didn't sever bonds or wounds.

She glanced back at Chad and offered a bit of a nervous smile now and nodded at his drink request, putting up a single finger to let him know she'd be just a minute. She'd noted his shaved head but it had not registered entirely until this moment. He was an auror in a government run by the Magical Royalist Party. This was a traditionalist party and long hair on men was a trademark of that loyalty. Many men were growing their hair long these days, especially those in governement service. Chad's shaved head was a blantant rebellion and it made Hazel very curious, but she turned to calm her current customer.

"Look at you. You are a writer now. I bet you a working on an important project. You don't need to worry about anything but relaxing and having a good meal so you can focus. I'll just go refill a few drinks and I'll come back and see if you've made a choice."

She offered another smile and then turned from him and weaved back throught the tables.

She looked a little frazzled as she returned to Chad's table. "Let me refill that for you. And what else will you be having this evening? Do you need some more bread?" She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear and glanced at the clock and sighed a little, knowing the minutes til her shift were growing closer.  She would dodge out of here and head back to her flat where she didn't have to smile anymore.

[Chad Stevens]

Chad had seen the single digit shoot up in his direction, showing him the sign that she was busy with another customer.  Chad nodded towards her and waited, watching as Hazel talked so passionately down to the man in the seat.  The bushy hair that looked a little wild, and his clothes that certainly weren't Merlin's Way worthy, made him wonder who this artist could be.  By the looks of the table some sort of writer, but who Chad could not remember or think of a name.  He could only wonder if the man was now trying to pick up the same buxom red head as himself.  Green eyes ignited with the sudden intensity and desire to take this beauty home for himself. 

It wasn't a contest, but Chad was tired of merely sitting on the side lines when it came to his own love life.  He had not been with a woman well over his alloted period of time, Ryan liked to point out rather often, and even himself had the desire to feel a warm body next to him beneath the sheets. 

Upon her return, Chad smiled up in her direction.  "Oh you are fine, love."  He added confidently and touched her hand gently.  "Yes a bit of bread would do wonders."  His eyes had followed hers, and caught that she was looking at the time.  "You know, I always worry about you going home so late at night."  His voice suddenly dropped.  "and these Carrick guards are sometimes worse then the real dangers."  He said with a slight wink.  "How about I just do the gentleman thing and walk you home?  Just a walk.  Nothing more or less, we can even walk in complete silence if you don't want to say another damn word because you have been out here all night long."  He rose his brows, keeping his face subtle and just looked at her, waiting for her response home.  Certainly a walk home was leading into the right direction, he just hoped she would go for it.

[Hazel Logan]

Hazel felt that Chad had no idea who the Gwyndion was. That was a relief. She just wanted to keep everyone calm. She didn't want a fight in her section. She just wanted everyone happy, watered with their choice of drink and fed if desired. She wanted to collect her tips and get the heck out of here.

Chad was laying it on thicker than usual and it was beginning to break down her defenses a little. She avoided it with her trademark smile, delivering the bread without an answer to him.

She returned to the Gwyndion's table who seemed uninterested in food. He'd grown quiet and distracted again, bent studiously over his notebooks. She refilled his drink and offered him the same smile as she made it to the end of her shift.

She'd have no tips from these boys tonight. It was nine o'clock and she was hanging her apron in the back and grabbing her sweater from the peg on the wall. She punched her card, loosed her hair and made her way out of the building without looking to see if the Gywdion or Chad saw her go.

The summer night held a slight damp chill and the smell of the sea air was strong tonight.  The Carrick Guard were patrolling across the street. People were flagging down cabs. Hazel walked. It was cheaper. She passed through a clot of people on the street who were talking about--what else--Hannah Winter. She had to stop herself from rolling her eyes as she shouldered between them and turned down another street.

[Chad Stevens]

((I know you PM'd Liam, so if he was going to reply still, please disregard this message))

Chad's eyes had followed the beauty as she whizzed around the pub.  He had taken notice that her apron was gone and she was heading out.  Scooping up the last of his meal into his mouth and downing the whiskey, he pulled out the appropriate money, tossing it onto the table as well as a little extra for the person who was going to clean it up.  He then pulled out her tip.

Running out after her, he watched others storm to the table that had just walked in, the place was starting to get packed.  As he stepped outside the winds of change had caught him, a little cooler, a little nicer.  His eyes turned left then right, squinting as he didn't want to lose her, but then she had walked under a post and that flaming red hair caught his eye.  Moving in the direction of Hazel he caught up to her quick enough and started to walk in step with her.

"You can't leave without your tip."  He said suddenly and pushed into her hand the money he would have given her for the tip.  "You are always a great waitress Hazel, and you deserve it."  He said honestly looking to her.  Now that he was walking with her, he wasn't going to leave now.  "And now that I'm here, I will just walk you home.  Don't worry."  He shoved his hands into his pockets.  "They will stay here unless we are attacked."  And with that he curled his fingers around his wand, but otherwise kept his hands shoved in his pockets, proving he could be a gentleman. 

[Hazel Logan]

The closer she got to the port, the fewer "respectable" people filled the streets. Still, she didn't feel afraid. It wasn't truly the late hours where she'd be worried about who she'd run into. Many of the people who she passed now were simply the working class folks who didn't have money to waste in the pubs and merely sat about the stoops of their apartment buildings or along the curbs, smoking, talking and passing a shared bottle between them. Men, women and children hung about in the cool night, their small flats likely still hot from the summer day.  Hazel didn't fear these people, though some did. She had become part of them by living in this worn part of town.

She walked along the small groups of the working class people and sighed when she heard that even they were filled with the talk of Hannah Winter and the fire. A few paused to smile or wave at her as she passed. She smiled back, a more tired smile right now, but friendly all the same. She still had a few more blocks before she'd be on her street and her apartment over Harvey McMillen's Bait Shop.

She's felt her body relaxing at the thought of kicking off her shoes and flopping down on her sofa when she felt someone right next to her, shoving something in her hand. It made her stop in her tracks and jump a little until she realized who it was and picked up her step again.

He was persistent tonight.

She glanced at him with a little sparkle in her eyes. "I was a good waitress tonight.because no one pissed me off. Tomorrow could be a whole new story." She laughed a little and then said nothing for the first few minutes, but let him walk next to her. They passed a game of stickball in the street and dodged the people sitting on the sidewalk watching. He'd vowed to keep his hands in his pockets unless they were attacked. She smiled a little to herself and realized why Chad and Ryan were never without women. There was something about them that just made a woman want to laugh, even if you knew they were just feeding you a line of bull. They worked so hard at it, it seemed nearly an art.

Overhead, the summer sky was beginning to flash a bit with the beginnings of summer storm. It didn't look like it would amount to much. It would likely offer a short cooling downpour and be over in a matter of minutes. The sky tossed down a few fat raindrops and some of the children in the street squealed and looked up as they lifted open palms to the sky. One fat drop hit Hazel's cheek and she instinctively put a hand to her cheek, looked up and felt another hit her forehead.

Within a few moments, the sky seemed to tear open and dump all it had. People began to run for cover in the doorways and little side alleys. Mother's called to children who ignored their pleas and danced about in the downpour until dragged undercover.

Hazel took Chad's arm and pulled him in the direction of a narrow alley before they were entirely soaked. "See the trouble you've brought yourself. You could be nice and warm and dry at the pub or on your way to Merlin's Way in a nice cozy taxi. You are truly my most loyal customer." She looked up at him and laughed, then watched the rain and the scene in the street.

[Chad Stevens]

When Chad had someone in his sights, he became persistent.  And tonight, his eyes were only for Hazel.  He was not the type of guy who spent all night narrowing his choices while playing the entire field.  Nope, usually his eyes were on one girl, and just one girl.  He would put everything into that girl, and if she turned him down early on then he could try again, and if not then, well that was why he sometimes went home by himself.  He couldn't be lucky every night, nothing is ever fool proof.

Chad laughed at her reasoning behind the tip and why she had been a good waitress.  "Ah but lass, I think you are a good waitress every night you work my table.  I know how hard it is in there.  I know that sometimes people are little gits."  He chuckled looking at her.  "Come on, I work for the people as well.  And sometimes they just go on and piss you right off.  Doesn't mean I will stop thinking you a great waitress."  He wanted to add that she also did not spill a single thing.  But Hazel was graceful while in Rory's Pub.  He hadn't seen her drop anything even on the busiest of nights.

Chad continued to walk with her passing young couples with families.  Passing the working group that just had enough money to survive.  He had spent time in these sort of areas.  When he had been with Rose, he would frequent this area, and now he hoped that he would be doing the same thing with Hazel.  Chad liked to keep girls around.  He was not always like Ryan in that aspect.  Chad liked to hold onto women, of course Ryan did as well, it just seemed the two went from girl to girl because sometimes it was the girl that didn't want to stay around, or sometimes the girl was just too annoying to be around.  However, he had high hopes with Hazel.

The sky above was starting to show signs of a summer rainfall.  The clouds were thick overhead and you could not see a single star.  Lightening danced up high in the clouds, not daring to strike on this sacred ground.  And then, like being dunked in a freezing lake, a single drop hit him on the middle of his head.  It was cold and invigorating all at once.  Feeling the soft touch of Hazel's hand, he ran with her into the direction she had been heading.  The two were wet, but not drenched.  As she started up about the trouble he only chuckled.  "I have brought no trouble.  It only means I get to spend just a little more time with you."  His eyes continued to watch her, even if she was looking in the street and watching the rain.  His hands were again in his pockets, only been taken out so he could run properly but, as promised he had shoved them back in.  His eyes looked down the narrow alley, making sure they were alone, just for safety precaution, and then looked back to Hazel.

"How much further is the apartment?"  He asked, speaking over the downpour that was coming in buckets now, and wondering if they could make a run for it, or if it would be smarter to wait it out.  "You think we could make a run for it?  You can go inside and change, so I know I won't have to worry about you getting sick, but standing here mildly wet, you are going to get cold, and I don't want you to get sick."  His green eyes stared at her, waiting to hear her final decision, he'd only go if she decided, otherwise he'd remain firmly planted next to her.

[Hazel Logan]

The downpour continued and people huddled about and watched from the shelter of the alleys and doorways. Hazel's hair was damp and her face held a few clinging raindrops. She could feel Chad staring and then his words, thick like honey.

"You are laying it on thick tonight." She rolled her eyes and laughed. "My mother would have herself a fit if she even knew I was standing here in the alley with you."

The rain thundered down and began to form large puddles that the children in this part of town would make good use of once their mothers let them go. She was telling the truth about her mother. On the other hand, there was something oddly intoxicating about doing what her family would not approve of. To the outside world, to this nosy community, she was a hardworking lass whose only fault was not being married. She didn't have the bad reputation that followed some in this town. She kept her love life quite out of sight. The small parade of boyfriends were of no consequence, no men of importance either good or bad. Obscurity always worked in her favor. Having one of Cat's Claw's notorious bad boys standing with her could cause a lot of flap and yet feeling the nearness of him was sparking a little something or other that she wanted to contain.

She had been looking into his eyes and she felt her resolve slip for a moment. When he began talking again about how far her apartment is and how he'd wait outside for her to change, she let out another laugh and shook her head. "Ah, I see, you are worried about me getting sick. You have become my mum now, I see." She laughed again. "Chad Stevens, what has gotten into you? You and Ryan must have some sort of bet going."

Her apartment was only up the next turn and down the end of that street. If they ran, they'd make it just a few minutes. They'd be soaked, but she almost wanted that right now, to see Chad Stevens drenched in the cool summer rain.

"Well come on then," she shouted over the rain. "Get me home safely."  She took off running and by the time she'd made it to the alley way by the baitshop, she was entirely and utterly soaked. Her dress clung to her and revealed details she'd normally wish to keep hidden. Her red hair had darkened with the water and matted to her cheeks and down her dress. She pressed up the stairs, digging in her pocket for her key and opening the door to the tiny flat with its neat and modest furnishings.

[Chad Stevens]

Chad only smiled shaking his head.  Chad supposed that several mothers would not be happy, he hung out with Ryan Avery.  The two were known bachelors and he had had himself several women.  It didn't mean he wasn't good to the women, he was very good with them.  Just, sometimes other problems arose. 

Chad kept glancing at Hazel but then would also look out to the downpour in front of him.  Chad chuckled down to Hazel, still his hands firmly in his pockets making sure he did not do something that would push her away or make her skiddish.  "Really?  I have gone to mum status?  that was so fast, and here I was just perhaps a friend or a good samaraton."  He grinned, but that grin soon faded.

"There is no bet.  And Ryan would never know, he'd try to steal you from me."  He said honestly, not knowing why he had suddenly said that to her.  "He always steals the women I want."  Again his honesty got the better of him, but to his own liking.

Hazel had taken off at a run, and she was already out in the rain before he had even grasped what she was doing and took off after her.  His hands exited his pockets, but a wand was in his wand hand and he had them clenched shut as he caught up to her and ran by her side.  The rain hammered down upon them, the rain only became more fierce and mutinous as they continued in the direction of her apartment.

Not knowing where they were headed he followed her as she ran up the steps to her apartment.  Watching the perfect view in front of him, especially now that the clothes clung to her showing off that figure of hers.  His own buttoned down shirt clung to his body and his work pants felt soggy against his legs.  They felt heavy but he did not move.  He had stopped at the door and stood there, looking at her as she entered her apartment.  His hands shoved his hands back into his pockets and looked at her, not moving too far from the door, but had at least stepped over the threshold and shut the door.   Just admiring her beauty now that it was pronounced with the drenched clothes and the cool rain that brought out the pink in her cheeks and the dark redness of her hair. 

[Hazel Logan]

Chad was inside the door and Hazel had turned about to look at him. His last words were still rattling around in her mind about Ryan. She'd never thought of the two at odds. She figured they had planned bets about how many women they could bed in a week or something for that sort, but not any real serious competitions between the two. Still, Ryan was the more aggressive of the two when it came to the women. Hazel could see that easily. Ryan had been voted mostly likely to die by a jealous husband in the school yearbook.

Still, Chad was no angel. Everyone knew it. Hazel's mum knew it. Hazel's brothers knew it. Her father likely knew it even if he never said much about it. He didn't say much about anything really. Her aunts knew it. Her cousins knew it. The neighbor's knew it. Chad was bad news, a playboy, a perpetual bachelor. He'd play her like a fiddle and be gone.

The idea of him began spark that lonely want in her again. She'd been successfully pushing him away for as long as she'd been waitressing. She knew it was wrong on about a hundred and fifty levels. She knew what would happen if anyone should find out, but she was good at keeping her life looking quite normal on the outside. He'd not be using her. She knew full well just what he was, who he was. And that was exciting and so unlike the boring life she lived.

She walked behind him and shut the door, locking them both inside.  She took a few steps back and took a long look at him there in his wet things. "So you were worried about me being all wet and catching cold." Her voice was playful now, and a little sultry. "You wanted to be quite sure that I would change into dry things and keep my health." She began to walk into the living room, the rainwater rolling off her and leaving little puddles of water on the wood floors.

She walked toward her small bathroom and pulled the door open, taking a clean towel and her bathrobe off a hook.  She draped her bathrobe on the back of a small plaid sofa and handed Chad the towel. "You are so right. These clothes might make me catch cold."

Walking back to the livingroom, she used her wand to start a fire in the little hearth. Then she turned back and looked Chad straight in the eye and began to strip off her dress. She turned to lay it neatly by the fire and  then stood looking at him in her simple flowered bra and little matching panties. She was a curvy girl and quite confident with her body. She had little goosebumps along her flesh both from the cold and the boldness of stripping off her clothes in front of Chad and she suddenly felt the boldness pushing her furthur. She reached behind and unclasped her bra and let it fall to the floor and then slowly edged her panties down, stepping out of them. She watched him all the while, a faint smile on her lips. She let him look for a moment and then reached for her pink bathrobe, slipping it on slowly and tying it at the waist.

"Well, now you can rest assured I will remain in perfect health." She returned to the fire. "I am not sure you can say the same. You look quite miserable. Maybe you should come dry by the fire before you go back to your life of priviledge in Merlin's Way."

[Chad Stevens]

What too many people did not realize, including Hazel's entire family, was that yes bachelors they may be that prowled around having their fun, but once they found someone they liked they did stay with that person for some time.  In fact Chad had secretly been all ready to settle down with that crazy Rose, but she had gone off to believe the damned gossip, that was slander and lies and not a bit of truth.  She had been with Kevin, and she had been with Ryan.  True, Chad was no angel.  He had been with women, he had had fun with them but like Ryan, he did not promise them a future, he did not fill them with thoughts of love and then leave them to cry themselves to sleep.

Chad was making quite some puddle on the floor where he stood, but he wasn't going to move in any further without being invited.  He was close enough to the door that if she wanted him to leave he could, and yet he was inside, so that if she wanted him to stay, he would.  He was here to be with her ultimately, but he never pushed, he would never push a girl to the point that she wasn't choosing but being forced into a situation. 

Chad watched Hazel as she moved around, droplets of water landing in an orchestra upon the hardened floors while her hips swayed with her dress just sticking to her and showing off that curvy appeal he had been dying for.  Fingers curled and tightened in his pockets, pinching at a bit of skin at his thigh, a measure to keep himself grounded and not to overstep any boundaries.  He pinched harder as she got closer to him and reached past him locking the door.  She was close enough for him to smell the sweetness of her skin that was lathered with the rains that now plastered both their bodies.

And then she was gone.  Back towards the bathroom where she took a towel and a robe.  Here it was, a force of goodbye so she could change, and he'd bow out if it was what she wanted, of course not before one last attempt.  He had been thinking of something good as she spoke about changing and being healthy.  "Yes, I would hate to hear that you caught a cold.  I don't make very good soup."  He said looking to her, green eyes sparked as he watched every move she made. 

He could only nod at what she said next, watching intently.  She hadn't said goodbye.  And in fact her voice had turned from polite waitress to sultry vixen in a second.  He had caught it, he saw her bedroom eyes and that look she gave.  His nose flared out, breathing in the smells and aromas of the room as well as keeping himself under control when finally she removed the soggy dress and revealed her light Irish skin, and those curves.  Biting down on his tongue he watched as she continued to strip.  Her body right before him and still he rooted himself to the spot.  He was no longer a high schooler that had nothing but hormones.  He had enough class to control himself even if he wanted to go over there and kiss every inch of her and then commence to have sex.  But instead he watched, his feet pushing himself up and down watching as the flowered bra was removed to show her curved breasts and then she bent over removing the last article of wet clothing. 

He bit the inside of his cheek, not to draw blood but to keep himself aware.  He chuckled as the pink robe suddenly was put on and covered her up, only showing off bits of light skin at her chest and her legs.  He nodded at her words.  It was his turn to do the same.  "I am, very miserable."  He said looking at her as the fire warmed the apartment and he could feel the warmth even if he was wearing soggy clothes.  "Your right, I could catch a deathly cold.  Not be able to go into Rory's for weeks.  And what then?  I wouldn't get to tip or see my favorite waitress."

Rubbing the towel against his head he offered himself a simple drying off of the face and then proceeded to the fire where she stood.  His shirt was unbuttoned and removed to add to the clothe near the fire.  The belt was undone and his pants soon dropped to his ankles with a simple undo of the buttons.  His shoes had been kicked off and as he removed his pants he removed the socks as well, just standing there in a pair of boxers, black, like his pants.  Rubbing the towel over his chest to remove the access water, he finally finished by removing the boxers as well, stripping bare in front of her.  Drying off his back he allowed the soft towel to hit his backside and finally wrapped it around his waist. 

No longer was he just going to stand there.  No, she had tipped the good boy scale the moment she took off that dress.  Closing the gap between them he placed one hand on her arm and the other around that curved waist.  "There now, both out of wet clothes.  The only thing to do now is get warm."