InsaneJournal

There is a boy, hello, Mr. Ambiguous
Who: Aurora and Percy.
What: Lady Love sees fit to help your friendly neighborhood WingDings.
Where: Uptown, at The Meanest Bean Around Coffeeshop
When: February 9th



The fresh smell of coffee beans and unhealthy, but absolutely delicious fresh-baked pastries filled the air. Percy was currently occupying a two-seat table, tucked away from the front door of The Meanest Bean Around, digging into the gritty, underground details surrounding the likes of one Francine Paulson--she was a local femme fatale that had a habit of leaving a trail of not only broken hearts, but empty wallets as well. Normally, it appeared that she managed to stay off the radar, but she had recently been caught while loosening the purse strings of her most current boytoy. Unfortunately for Francine, this particular boytoy wielded CEO-level legal power within the tight-knit white collar community of SoCal, and she was currently under constant fire from the press.

Percy aimed to position himself as yet another one of the gadflies circling around Paulson, but for his article, he wanted to expose any potential theft of the white collar superstar, too, not just that of the ambitious young lady. After all, considering the other articles circulating, it only seemed fair.

Yet he kept hitting the metaphorical research wall, over and over again. He’d spent the last week trying to dig up dirt on the CEO, and attempting to arrange a meeting, but to no avail. Usually, he was able to pull a few strings here, and push a few buttons there. Not this time.

He took a drink of his coffee--black, lightly sweetened with honey--and directed a frown at his laptop’s glowing screen. One hand swept back an unruly bunch of curls from his forehead. His gaze shifted to the ever-growing crowd in the coffee shop, well-to-do individuals pouring in from their lucrative jobs, looking for a quick hit of caffeine before the sun began the start of its routine descent.

Aurora didn’t like to be rushed, as a general rule. Petulant and stubborn until the end of her days, she would dig her heels in not unlike a child and would not be budged from whatever decision she had made that surely seemed very important at the time. It was a habit that had endeared her to some directors and coaches while earning her on a blacklist with a few others, eaten through two agents while also winning the faith of a lot of school administrators that had given up and asshole senators.

All that being said; she was pretty stuck on her hour lunch. With only some exceptions to the rule she really preferred not to have a working lunch, or a half hour rushed one that involved eating while her heels clicked down the sidewalk and she judged people in boring suits. Therefore she usually elected to take her’s after the rush, around one or even two and go to less popular more out of the way places to avoid crowds, but instead she had spent the morning putting out fires from the recent political climate and was apparently going to spend the afternoon doing the same.

So, her secretary(an equally stubborn and organized woman) informed her that somehow this left the normal 12-1PM slot for lunch. Which left her dodging through crowds of busy lunch eaters looking for a free table, sandwich and italian caramel cream soda in hand.

As Percy took a break to people watch (always an enjoyable habit), he caught sight of a particularly pretty woman making her way through the crowd. She looked effortlessly sophisticated and filled with purpose, although she, quite sadly, lacked an empty seat upon which to rest her shapely figure. Of course, he only noticed her figure because of the well-fitting outfit she wore, the dangerously short skirt hugging her curves and highlighting a pair of ridiculously nice legs.

It would likely be a crime if he didn’t invite her to sit at the empty seat opposite him, especially in a crowd such as this one. She deserved to rest and enjoy whatever delectables she’d purchased. Percy made up his mind in an instant; it wasn’t as if he was getting anywhere on this lead, was it?

“Hey, you looking for somewhere to sit?” He called over the hustle and bustle which filled the air, raising one hand in a friendly wave. “I’ve got a seat right here, if you don’t mind me working.”

Just as she was beginning to think that perhaps maybe she should get her sandwich wrapped up and take it back to her office to sulk and end up working there was a friendly male voice from off to her side that broke through the crowd. Ah chivalry was not dead, or at least people with some common courtesy and at this point she would take either. Not that her feet were hurting of course, she could do laps in stilettos--she’s seen herself do it.

“Only in that I am an advocate of taking breaks and the merits of conversations with strangers.” Aurora flashed one of her winning smiles, smoothing out her skirt and taking a seat, crossing her ankles under her chair and off to the side properly as she did so. She probably shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and start out by arguing--debating?--with the person kind enough to offer her a chair, but her opinion was always at the tip of her tongue.

The sandwich was unwrapped before she took a sip of her drink, “But thank you, this is exactly why I try and avoid crowds.” A look of distaste crossed her features but she didn’t let it linger, those were ugly things and she still had half a day to go and it wouldn’t do to let a sour mood set in before she could use wine to cushion it, “Who can I thank for being so considerate?”

Much to Percy’s delight, the beautiful stranger accepted his offer, depositing herself gracefully at his table. He felt himself sit up straighter, as if to make a better impression. With a nudge, Percy scooted his laptop towards the center of the table by an inch or two as well, in a silent answer to her proposition concerning conversation rather than the dregs of business duty.

“You’re welcome,” he replied with a grin, sneaking a glance at the heels she wore--sharp enough to cut a diamond, and he bet they cost her a pretty penny. She certainly didn’t have to take up Francine Paulson’s line of work, that was for sure.

His brows furrowed slightly at the consternation that briefly crossed his lunch partner’s face; it was always a shame to see a pretty woman unhappy, even for a moment. “My name’s Percy Chapman. I’m kind of new around here, just moved from Oregon a few weeks ago. And what do they call you?”

It was all too easy to think of a few things he would call her, but he’d wait for her reply. Being polite seemed to be the better route to take--for now.

Taking liberties as she was known to do she reached out to scoot his laptop to the side just a bit so his face was completely unblocked on the relatively small table, though it was still safe from the edge of course, “Ah, that is much better, a face like yours shouldn’t be hidden.” It was easy for her to dish out compliments, even when false, hell it was easy for her to flatter with insults. But it wasn’t a lie, he did have a charming and youthful face, the sort of person who smiles probably came easy to, and tiny wrinkles around his eyes and mouth that told her he took advantage of that.

What luck she had these days! She wasn’t shy about her appraising glance, he had a nice jawline and a sharp nose but what was the point if one wasn’t memorable? Aurora herself wasn’t dainty, blonde and blue eyed so if she only admired stereotypical beauty then that would make her a hypocrite, which she had never considered herself.

So she extended her hand that hadn’t touched her food yet--still clean, soft and well manicured--”Pleasure to meet you Percy and welcome to California, my name is Aurora Nasseri.” Luckily, she was past her early 20’s(and the brief stage after winning her Tony award) when she paused for drama after her name, though vanity was still her ultimate sin. Along with a few others.

Oh, so she wasn’t just easy on the eyes, but clever as well? Not to mention she disregarded the cultural norm of keeping one’s hands to themselves--Percy watched her move his laptop with barely suppressed amusement lighting up his face, noting the delicate shape of her hands, her wrists. Had he met anyone quite as lovely since he’d left Oregon behind? He couldn’t quite remember, but he felt pretty sure that he hadn’t. Couldn’t have.

And, as much as Percy prized his electronic gadgets, for once, he didn’t mind a stranger handling them--it--that laptop which she’d graced with her touch. He minded even less when she saw fit to reward him with open intrigue and compliments; this day might have begun as an unproductive work day, but it was most assuredly paying off in other ways.

Percy took her hand in his own, taking care to be gentle and yet firm in a quick handshake. “Aurora,” he let the syllables roll off his tongue, new and exciting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.” The hungry cacophony around them had lowered itself to a more reasonable conversational level, many of the fellow patrons having purchased their wares and either chosen a seat or left the coffee shop entirely. Despite the drop in volume, Percy leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, one hand cradling his coffee mug; his fingers tapped an unheard melody on the side of it, a side effect of restlessness rather than anxiety. “Did you grow up here? I can’t seem to get used to all of the noise. Must be the small town boy in me.”

The closeness was reciprocated and she leaned over the table as well, pulling her hand back in a way that had her fingers trailing along his wrist for a moment. Aurora still kept her posture as graceful as ever (she was going to look just as beautiful at 70 as she was now by god) and careful to not stick an elbow in her food which had suddenly fallen a bit on her priority list. The fact that he hadn’t been peeved at her insistence on talking instead of sitting in silence and touching his things pleased her, she liked a challenge yes but it was nice to know someone was dancing the same dance.

His curly hair was endearing, the sort that was in a perpetual mess bordering on boyish. It reminded her a bit of James Potter actually (from the books, and not the movies of course) and she stilled her hand from reaching out to touch it. She could move to a different table now, there was room and space for her to stretch out, but the thought flitted through her mind without lingering--though she did stretch out her legs, quietly and unobtrusively beside his chair and just a lean-to-the-side away from his own. This was better than coffee, and the way her eyes lit up and her smile changed from winning but professional to something all the more crafty it showed that.
How a person started out an acquaintance, the questions they asked and the way the reacted showed a great deal about them. Asking about childhood, about the other person’s history and knowledge was a much better opener than their profession (or worse, ethnicity, which she had received before), “New Mexico actually, but I attended University here.” University instead of college, her mother’s European roots showing in her daughter’s speech, “Oregon? I haven’t met anyone from there in a minute, I’m sure we can find a place or two around here to ease you in a bit smoother,” So many innuendos, so little time, but she had more than just that to her, “I’ve been told it’s beautiful, I’m sure you can see the stars better than here.”

It was possible that he almost had goosebumps when she withdrew the soft touch of her hand; had he not been so entranced with his new acquaintance, Percy may have questioned why he felt so inexplicably attracted to Aurora. Only later would he realize that his reactions felt like a schoolboy crush--giddy, enamored, and willing to place his favorite coat over a puddle of water so that Aurora could step over it without a single drop of it clinging to her warm, smooth skin.

He sat back as well when he noticed Aurora had closed the distance between the two of them, her bare legs a hairsbreadth from his faded Levi’s. She was not the tallest of women, but for the oddest reason (oh, the skirt, of course it’s the skirt) her legs seemed to stretch out forever--he relaxed his own, letting his pants leg rest against her calf.

Right, they were having a conversation, weren’t they? Percy met her dark brown eyes with his own sky blue, forcing himself back into the fray. It was not that he was ashamed to be openly admiring her form, but that he felt a tinge of guilt for not acting like a proper host--even if he was only hosting a public coffee table.

“I gathered you were one of those educated women that seems to be running the world these days,” he said breezily, no ill humor in his tone. “Haven’t been down to New Mexico, myself, but I ought to go one day.” Percy raised a brow at Aurora’s double entendre, the corners of his lips curving upwards in a roguish smile. He chose not to comment further on the unspoken suggestion, however, instead reminding himself of the other tasks at hand--namely, acting the polite stranger. Except they weren’t entirely strangers anymore, were they?

“You can see for miles,” Percy admitted with a nod, focusing on memories of nights spent camping beneath the open sky, either with his family and friends or his local boy scout troop. “Beautiful isn’t a strong enough word for it. I used to feel like if I stared at the night sky long enough, I’d eventually be able to walk among the stars.” He was uncustomarily silent for a pause, drinking in both his memories and the fullness of Aurora’s lips. There was no hint of bitterness in his voice when he next spoke, though his statement otherwise could have be construed as such. “...And then I grew up, and found myself working towards a dead end for a work assignment.”

It wasn’t necessarily preening at being called educated instead of many things people referred to as upon first meeting (or even knowing her well truthfully) like flighty, for instance. But maybe she preened a little. It was nice to be noticed, even if he was just trying to butter her up, she liked having her ego stroked and it wasn’t something that she had ever thought to be ashamed of.

Oh, what a nice grin, the boy could play Danny Zuko and lure all the good little girls in poodle skirts over to the side of hot rods and leather with a grin like that. A cat’s delighted smile tugged on her own features to match his when she felt his leg rest against her’s, and she let him see it before finally taking a sip of her drink before the ice could finish melting and she could listen to him without trying to distract him.

If Aurora were richer, and society a bit different perhaps, she would keep a harem of artists in her apartment. Well fed and well maintained to speak such lovely things as he did, because there was a spirit there and a life that could be found on the stage and in the pages of worn poetry books in her bedside. This was why she didn’t consider herself shallow; someone who spoke about disappearing into the stars could lure away easier than a beautiful face with nothing behind the smile.

“It’s never too late to get lost in the sky,” She cleared her throat, because even that little sentence of his combined with his grin raised goosebumps on her skin which was just ridiculous, alright? Silly, in fact, “What kind of assignment? Perhaps I can help, to thank you for your courtesy of course.” Truthfully, she half expected this to be where his flattery proved to be just that, and for him to assume her expensive clothes and jewelry were to compensate for, or to hide a lack of a mind and drive. Sometimes she used that image to her advantage to be underestimated, though this time she was not.

At Aurora’s offer, Percy’s mind shifted back several gears to the initial reason he’d come to the coffee shop. Work was no longer the reason he was staying there, but he’d found a more enjoyable use of his time. Still, Aurora was offering help--albeit Percy wasn’t completely certain she’d be able to help him. She was certainly an accomplished woman, that much was obvious from the moment he’d set eyes on her, but even he wasn’t having much luck in digging up the particular details of this case.

He’d been raised to accept help if it was given, and to return the aid if he was able, as it was only fair. While he didn’t always adhere to the various teachings from his youth, in this circumstance, Percy felt that it couldn’t hurt to throw out a lifeline. Perhaps he’d end up pleasantly surprised.

“I write for The Orange County Register,” he admitted, the newspaper still a fairly new element in his life. “Mostly, I write crime editorials, sometimes I help out with the business section. Have you heard of Francine Paulson? She’s a low level thief, think of her as a less than clever Cat-Woman, so she’s stuck in legal battles right now.” Percy shrugged, as if Paulson’s problems were the least of his worries, and then he gave Aurora a conspiratorial grin. “What I’m here to find out is the extent of her most recent ex’s double dealings. I’ve heard he’s been making a few off-shore investments--if I can prove it, Paulson might get a better deal.”

Since the conversation was steering back to Work she felt less bad about turned away from him to take a bite of her sandwich, covering her mouth as she chewed and listened to him. It might have been arrogant of her to offer any sort of assistance, after all she didn’t know what he did for a living or what he needed but she liked a challenge and surprising people.

It also enabled her to be nosy, one of her hobbies that got her into more trouble than it was worth but also one she hadn’t been able to repress. At least if that did happen this time she’d be spending more time with Percy in the process, which she was finding had more perks than his smile and endearing hair. She casually glanced up at the bank clock across the street, they had about half an hour before she needed to make her way back up to her office for a meeting with--who again? Oh yes, one of the Deans at Columbia.

Oooh. A writer then? Her interest was peaked anew, she liked people who were good with words, for several reasons. Aurora was familiar with the paper, it wasn’t a bad one as far as reliability was though she was touch and go on keeping up with that sort of thing, “I have, vaguely. I think she’s tangled with a few people in this area if I’m not mistaken.” As a rule Aurora had nothing against gold diggers, although she felt herself a bit better than them, but she understood being used to a certain lifestyle and willing to toss people aside to get it. Though she preferred her own money to someone else’s, “Who is it? What are your avenues of research, I might know a different one, these are my people. Though I invest too wisely to fall into this kind of trap.” It wasn’t said with pride, she wasn’t bragging that she belonged to the same group as these suits, just saying that she knew how they worked, “Did anyone ever tell you that you look like young James Potter? From the books, not the films.”

While Aurora tended to her otherwise forgotten lunch, Percy took another swig of his coffee; during the course of their conversation, it had gone from steaming hot to mildly warm. Worth it.

His face lit up when Aurora spilled the beans, however vaguely. There was always the chance that she was bluffing, but then, there was always the chance that she wasn’t. Given the poor luck Percy was having with this assignment--quite unusual, truth be told--he was willing to give her a chance. Should nothing pan out, he would nonetheless have an excuse to talk to her again; Aurora’s glance at the clock, like some kind of modern, opposite Cinderella, was a quiet notification to Percy that their time together today was potentially nearing its end.

“His name is William Ledbetter; he’s invested a lot of money into solar power, but he’s no saint. I’ve been calling his office and just barely receiving an actual response. His secretary refuses to set up a meeting. No word from Paulson, either, I think she’s trying to go off the grid.” Percy halted, blinking at Aurora’s comment, as if in surprise. “You’re the first,” he confessed, though it was a simple lie; he’d once hooked up with a willowy blonde several years ago that had a keen interest in making magic ‘sexy.’ As it turned out, there were far more uses for a wand than he’d originally imagined.

“I had no idea I was conversing with a--what’s the term they use?--’Potterhead,’” he said with a chuckle, gently nudging Aurora’s leg with his own. The thought of this beautiful woman being not only business savvy but a secret bookworm as well was a charming notion, and one which Percy thought he might not mind further exploring. But they were evidently running out of time, and business had to take priority.

Mostly.

“So, Aurora, do you really think you can help me? I’d return the favor, of course.” A little double entendre of his own, though Percy’s words easily could have been read as an innocent offer of thanks.

Maybe.

In a sudden eagerness to talk she nearly made a fool of herself trying to swallow her bite quicker, waving her hand in frustration as she took a sip of her drink, “I know him!” Because of course she did, between her natural almost compulsive social behavior, nosiness and working for a non-profit Aurora had an odd network of contacts.

Now with Paulson she couldn’t do much, her ‘criminal’ contacts were usually more the white collar type and while she could probably stir enough activity through favors and pulling in old debts to find someone who doesn’t want to be found this really didn’t seem like that sort of situation. Save that for when someone who personally wronged her tried to hide, but at least with William she could probably help.

There was an earnestness to Percy she appreciated, maybe it was just a contrast to the people in suits she dealt with all day recently or just his nature but it was something that she appreciated. Although it was always possible it was just a very good act, and she had to admit that was just as fascinating to her as him being sincere would be. “Paulson picked a good target, I ‘accidentally’ spilled champagne on him at my own fundraiser, he thinks because he’s rich he can have anyone even when they are clearly out of his league. He wouldn’t have questioned her motivations.” She was digging into her purse now, “I love stories of all sorts, Percy. You should see my bookcases, eccentric might be the word for me some days, and you should take it as a compliment, James was my favorite marauder.”

Finally! She pulled a small notebook out of her purse to start flipping through it, “They’ll pull my pen and paper out of my cold dead hands you know,” It was muttered almost to herself, so used to the odd looks she received these days when she pulled out notebooks instead of a smartphone or tablet, “Now, what are you needing, exactly? A meeting with him as a journalist? Because if he knows who you are why would he tell you anything incriminating?”

There was genuine curiosity in her voice for how this worked, she felt like an older Nancy Drew even though this wasn’t exactly a murder mystery. It wasn’t normally her thing to play sidekick, but maybe he would make it worth it.She returned the nudge to her leg with a heel sliding along his calf, “Well if that’s not motivation I don’t know what is.” A slow cat like grin transformed her features before she took her eyes off him to flip through her book to a clear page.

Aurora was ridiculously cute when she was excited, Percy decided, watching with amusement as she practically leaped to tell him a few sordid details about Mr. Ledbetter. He nodded when she spoke, mentally filing away the information she was revealing, which preferably would be of ample use in the near future.

Equally of preferable use in the future was the information Aurora let slip about her bookcases. She had gone from a pseudo Cinderella to a Belle in an instant--these silly cartoon movie connections he was making, Percy figured, were the direct result of growing up as the only son among a gaggle of older sisters.

He leaned forward when she brought out the notebook, curious, drumming the fingers of one hand on the tabletop as he thought how to best answer her question; abruptly, his thoughts were interrupted by the feel of Aurora’s dainty high heel along his calf, sending a pleasant shiver down his spine. Percy returned her fiendish grin, the look in his eyes knowing, searching.

“Tell him I’m not a journalist. I’m just an old family friend, looking to get into the solar power business--a huge fan of what Tesla’s doing with clean energy. I’d love to discuss William’s perspective, because we all know there’s no better way of saving the planet.” He was pleased at how quickly the invented story came to life, rolling off his tongue like water off a duck’s back. There was no hesitation; merely self-assured confidence in the lie, trusting that Aurora would give it a little extra heart when talking to William. “I’ll meet with him, and later you can show me around your library,” Percy added, the comment thick with lewd suggestion.

There was a giddiness bubbling up in her like champagne bubbles, the likes of which she hadn’t felt in a good long while. Aurora was an actress and she enjoyed different roles; flirting with Daniel who could be vulgar and bold, with BB who was cute with a bit of spice, and they all had their perks, but Percy? Percy was fun, and he was already demonstrating an ability to keep her intrigued on several levels, and that was a hard thing to do when she could get bored easily--or maybe not bored. No that wasn’t right, what was it that her once fiance called her? Flighty?

Oh well. Hopefully this wouldn’t end in arson.

Her eyes lit up, excited even more as his ‘character’s’ backstory evolved before her eyes, this was definitely something she could get on board with. It was like improv class all over again, with a detective or espionage spin to it! Ah, it made her feel eighteen again, she took another sip of her drink as her mind worked, this new plan giving her more energy than the caramel suddenly.

“Oh! What is your alias going to be?” Above the table she was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning but below it her ankle shifted to the inside of his leg, toeing off her heel with a practiced ease to resume the motion of her feet. There was an art to these sorts of things, hopefully she wouldn’t lose it now that her mind had gone off on this new venture like she had lost focus on her lunch. Percy was dangerously good at distracting her, a spark of mischief in his eyes when he made his just-shy-of-bold comment about looking at her books.

“We’ll have to see if you can keep up, I’ve heard I can be overwhelming in private.” A contrast again, a challenging look in her eyes with her cheeks still flush from the excitement of their plan, while her tone echoed with a sincere sort of apologeticness that only someone who lied for a living could muster. It also hid the oddest feeling of deja vu she had with the words, as if they had done this back and forth before.

“Brad Ericson,” Percy said with little delay, the makeshift name another piece of the puzzle needed to obtain information about Ledbetter. “I’d wager that I could pass for a Brad,” he said with a smirk, attempting to focus on the impromptu espionage plan, although Aurora’s actions beneath the table were making it slightly difficult for him. There was nothing left of his coffee that wasn’t cold as the February wind--not a great amount of trouble in California, admittedly--and so Percy no longer saw fit to use it as a means of distraction from his new friend’s affections.

“Keeping up has never been an issue for me,” Percy stated with a definite degree of self-importance, backed by more than his own experiences, although he wasn’t too sure what the extra proof could possibly be. This was just simply an innate fact which he felt solidly from within; there was, surprisingly, no lie to it whatsoever.

“Are you in this area often?” he asked, brows raising with his question. “If you’re not, we may have to meet elsewhere to exchange information about Ledbetter. Purely a matter of business amongst friends, of course,” Percy added, splaying his hands on the table between them, accentuating his point.

There was a pen snatched out of her bag with a quick darting gesture so she could write down his new name, “Careful what wagers you make Percy, some of us play high stakes games.” An offhand remark as she wrote, mind chewing on this situation like it was a script for a new play she was adding to for the first time. Her nails drummed against the metal table as her mind worked, and her ankle continued the motion under the table, almost an idle gesture now, innocent in the scale of the things she could be doing (but wouldn’t).

Aurora leaned to the side a little, letting her eyes rake over him appraisingly with unabashed curiosity, boldly taking his measure in a way that he couldn’t not see, “We shall see.” Was all she concluded but there was a smirk to her lips that belied how much she was looking forward to something that might not even happen. Shyness was not one of her faults, prideful, terrible about asking for directions, hogs the blankets, needs too much sleep, yes yes yes but shyness? Not at all.

Pushing her small plate aside she reached for his hand, raising it and manipulating his fingers gently with her soft wants to point to her office building, “My foundation is based out of that building there,” She held his hand there, a finger following the veins on his wrist though her eyes were on the skyline, “I don’t wander too far during the day or I’ll get lost. I wish I was joking.” There were unfortunate rules by her secretary about the distance Aurora could go during lunch because she had a tendency to get lost no matter how well she knew the area, “I’m here sporadically, depending on how often I’m needed.” His hand was lowered back to the table but she kept one of her’s on his wrist, tracing swirling designs on the thin skin there, taking liberties where she thought you could.

“How about this, on Monday I have some invitations that need to be delivered to Ledbetter for a scholarship award ceremony, he contributed to it so I am obligated to invite him though I know he won’t come because he can’t write it off on his taxes. You can hand deliver it, and I’ll have him forewarned you’re expecting a chat and he should oblige, as a personal favor to me.” That the skeevy guy would obviously use as an excuse to try and get up her skirts again at the next event, but she would deal with that bridge then.

An invitation for a place to sit amongst a busy crowd had turned quickly into a clever game of coquetry, followed by business matters. Mixing business with pleasure was not necessarily the worst way to spend a lunch hour. Percy, for one, would not complain; his day could only improve from here on forth. There was, however faintly, still the feeling he was unable to shake--that in some way their flirtations were strangely familiar. The notion increased when Aurora touched his hand, her delicate, nimble fingers tracing patterns onto his skin with the comfortable ease of an old lover.

Which, all things considered, was a tad ridiculous. Clearly, the only truth was that Aurora was a woman who wasn’t afraid to put forward her intentions. There was something to be said for her boldness, how utterly unashamed she was to express affections. Percy enjoyed the song and dance as much as anyone, but Aurora’s forwardness was refreshing.

“I’ll deliver them,” Percy lightly intoned, “and I’ll find you if you somehow manage to get lost.” He was only half joking when it came to the second matter. “Do you have the invitations with you?” Percy shifted in his seat ever so much, due to Aurora continuing to be particularly distracting. “And if you let me see that pen, I’ll give you my number. I’ll let you know when the invitations arrive.”

Feeling ornery and a little silly Aurora waved the pen at him, “See it?” she stuck her tongue out at him briefly before laughing and handing it over, because she was certainly not going to let this be their last meeting. It was odd how relaxed she felt, sticking her tongue out and using terrible jokes wasn’t normally something she did on a first acquaintance--especially in public. But there was a sense of security there as she handed her notebook over, like she could trust him.

“You laugh, but I’m surprised my father never implanted a tracking device in my arm like a dog, I am the source of all his gray hair.” She dug into her purse and tried not to mentally list off the personal information she had dropped in this conversation. Her parents were by nature private people, and while Aurora had never really embraced that she had learned to do so(a bit at least) since a large portion of her career relied on her reputation. But she kept saying things to him like that.

Finally she pulled the neat, overpriced invitations out of her purse that were in a small bubbled manilla envelope to stop them from getting damaged and flipped through them until she found the correct addressee. She ran a hand through her curls, ruffling them before settling them back in place out of a nervous habit, “Don’t botch this, I may be small but I am quite wrathful I assure you.” The invitation slid across the table to him as she stowed the rest of them away.

Percy accepted her notebook, writing his phone number and signing his own name beneath it, his handwriting surprisingly tidy for a man who had spent most of his life in a hurry. It looked interesting juxtaposed next to his future alias, jotted down by Aurora. This was officially sealing the deal; Percy could only imagine what sort of stories Ledbetter would tell him, all while unknowingly being vetted for a masterfully written article. He smiled to himself, pleased as punch at how this situation was unfolding, and handed the notebook back to Aurora.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Percy assured his pleasant companion, one hand over his heart. He adopted a mock-solemn stare, nodded firmly--once--in determination. “He’ll get these invites, come hell or high water.” Dropping his false air of solemnity, Percy gathered the invitation to himself, then leaned over to deposit it within a side pocket of his messenger bag, nearly forgotten against the other side of his chair. He sat up again, and motioned to Aurora’s plate and sandwich wrapper. “Would you like me to toss these?” His mother’s dedication to ensuring her brood were well-mannered most of the time was slipping through, but Percy found that in this instance, he didn’t quite mind.

Aurora’s surprise showed on her face as she slipped her shoe back on and stood, blinking at his offer and finding no ulterior motives in his voice or face though she didn’t ever really suspect him of any. Which might be naive of her, he could be anyone couldn’t he? But she put her notebook away and found herself reaching back out to him, “I will text you so you have my number Percy,” A pause, because the sense of deja vu and familiarity was back again like a moody summer breeze, “I am glad to have met you, do you--” There was no flirty attempts at seduction in her voice, and she was not usually one at a loss for words, “I know just met, but could I hug you goodbye?” It felt like a habit, but she shook that off as work stress and the lovely chemistry they had.

Well, it wasn’t as if they hadn’t already been...overly friendly with one another. Not friendly enough, Percy told himself privately. Still--who knew what the future might bring, other than a fantastic article to write Monday evening?


“Sure,” he replied, biting back one last flirtatious comment, resisting the natural urge to eye her from head to toe now that she was standing. Something in Aurora’s demeanor had changed, and as their friendship was still so new--it was, Percy reminded himself, ignoring the nagging feeling at the back of his mind--it would only harm further relations if he ignored her body language. Pushing his chair back from the table, Percy stood to face Aurora, the difference between their heights an amusing attribute. He was easily nearly a full head taller than her, though the brevity of their time spent together had made him perfectly aware that despite her smaller stature, there would never be anyone standing in her way for too long. With practiced ease, Percy pulled her in for a quick hug, thinking of anything but how nice it felt to have her head resting against his chest.

“I’ll see you around some time soon. Thanks for your help, Aurora.”