| Details for Gentlemen and Boyfriends |
| Summary: | Nathan and Rena meet by chance in Diagon Alley. Words are exchanged and Nathan convinces Rena to let him buy her a drink. Then her boyfriend shows up at the Leaky Cauldron…. |
| Date: | Mon Nov 25, 1938 |
| Location: | Northeast Diagon Alley and The Leaky Cauldron |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Its fairly late in the eveing as the tall figure of Nathan strides down the street black robes catching the wind and blowing behind him as she walks. The tall muscular man is left alone by those few who are out on the street as she strolls along at an easy pace. If one could catche glimpse of his face they would see he wears a thoughtful look and also appears much more sober than several other occupants of the same street. He walks along the street his hands in the pockets of his long robes.
It would seem that Rena is the last person to leave the owl post office tonight. As soon as the young woman is out on the doorstep, the door clicks behind her, and she waves a cheery little farewell to the person inside as they turn out the lights.
Pulling up her coat collar against the chilly air, the redhead appears to be preoccupied by an unopened letter in her gloved hand as she steps onto the street. Not paying particular attention, she very nearly collides with Nathan as he passes through. Jumping back with a start, she fumbles for an apology: "B-beg pardon, sir!"
Nathan's hands quickly come out of his pockets to steady the young woman as she almost crashes into him. Once he is sure she won't fall over or stumble further he smiles warmly and steps back to a polite distance tucking his hands back into his robes. "Its quite alright, there is no need to apologize ma'am. Are you alright? I did not mean to startle you…" He studies her carefully his eyes a deep shade of blue and warm with concern.
"Y-yes, quite alright, thank you," Rena says with a confident - if slightly shaken - smile. Tugging her coat straight, she remembers the letter in hand when she crumples it slightly. Looking slightly sheepish, she waves the envelope with a sheepish smirk: "Afraid I weren't watching where I was going, but there's no 'arm done, yea?"
Tucking the problematic and distracting letter into her coat pocket, the young woman finally seems to realize just what an imposing presence the man before her happens to be. Her dark eyes travel upward along his height until she reaches his face (or what she can make out of it in the shadows) and she is forced to lean back slightly to take him in. Her mouth drops open, and her hand goes back to steady her hat so that it doesn't fall off: "Coo lumme…" she breathes, without meaning to say it out loud.
Nathan smiles kindly looking down at her. "No harm done at all no. We all get distracted at one point or another yes?" He watches her as she studies him and the open mouthed expression recieves a chuckle and a raised eyebrow. "I hope that look is a result of my dashing good looks and not fear. I will not harm you ma'am. It is poor form to frighten or harm such a lovely lady." The first part is said in a joking manner but that last two sentaces is quite serious and sincere as she studies her carefully.
It is far, far too easy to make this woman blush…
Still holding onto her hat, Rena smiles at length and can't help but laugh at her own silliness. Shaking her head, she steps back a little and remarks: "Beg pardon, I'm sure - it's just, I think you may possibly be the tallest fellow I've run across in a very long time." She pauses momentarily, perhaps hesitating a little. But - in for a penny, in for a pound. She might as well be friendly all 'round; and so, she extends her hand. "But, if I may say so, you do cut quite a dash, sir. The name's Lee. Irene Lee."
Nathan grins and laughs softly his expression still quite warm as he accept the hand and gives it a firm shake. "Thank you for the compliment. I am Nathan Eldritch Miss Lee and it is a pleasure." He holds her hand just a breif moment longer than nesscary and then releases it with a tilt of his head. "I don't suppose I could buy you a drink as an apology for startling you and possibly spend sometime getting to know you as well? That is if you don't have somewhere else you need to be?"
With the handshake and introduction, the young woman says: "Pleasure's all mine, I'm sure." And she does seem to mean it, genuinely.
Rena takes a moment to consider the offer and weigh something in her mind carefully before replying. What harm could it cause, though?
"I 'aven't anyplace to be that's pressing, Mister Eldritch; I would like that just fine." She replies with a brighter, far less nervous smile this time. "It's quite nippy out 'ere to be talking on the street, after all. What's your pleasure?"
Nathan nods with a warm smile. "Very well. As I am trying to be a gentleman this evening I will allow the lady to pick the place." His smile turns playful once again and he glance around and nods at that last statement. "It is rather cold this evening yes. Hopefully we will warm up after a drink or two." He smiles and gestures for her to lead the way to wherever she would like to go for a drink. "You pick the place I buy the drinks. Does that sound satisfactory?"
Somewhere deep inside, Rena has a strange niggling feeling that she probably ought not to be so friendly with a complete stranger. But, despite his imposing size, the gentleman is… well, a gentleman.
"Alright then!" Rena laughs charmingly as she steps over to walk beside Nathan: "We'll make it the Leaky Cauldron, then. And I'll 'ave to trust you not to pick a drink that's too strong for me. I'm nowhere near as big as you. So don't forget to be fair." She jokes, knowing full well that by comparison, she'd be a total light-weight.
With a laugh of his own Nathan walks beside Rena in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. "I will be sure to keep that in mind though I'm not a truly heavy drinker myself. I prefer beer or scotch to firewhiskey myself and I never get very drunk. Having a clear head is a good thing after all." He grins and they make thier way down the streets. He doesn't seem to have any ill intentions and yet his size alone keeps those who might otherwise disturb the woman away from her.
It is fortunate for Rena that Nathan does pose such a striking and imposing figure beside her as they walk. It may perplex the man to find that even though many keep their distance as they walk to the pub, a small number call out derisive slurs that are obviously targeting the young woman. Occasionally, her dark eyes dart toward the offensive person, but she says nothing, and she keeps her chin stubbornly held high.
Upon reaching the pub, Rena casts a sidelong glance at the alley behind them. At least the good old Leaky C. remains neutral ground for the time being.
Nathan will glare at those who he sees call out insults to his companion. One particularly rude man gets return yell. "Save the blasted political fights for the ministry and let the rest of us have our peace!" He looks to Rena with a apologetic look as they enter the pub. He allows her to pick a table and pulls out a chair for her before settling across from her. "I gather based on those rather crude idiots and thier tasteless comments that you are muggleborn? It doesn't bother me at all…I'm pureblood myself but my family has practically disowned me in all but name. I don't care for politics at all." He frowns slightly at that word as if it leaves a bad taste in his mouth.
Rena smiles, but the smile is somewhat saddened and subdued as she takes the seat and quietly murmurs her thanks to Nathan for being so gentlemanly. Settling in with a small sigh, she hesitates momentarily before saying: "I am muggleborn - and I'm not ashamed of it. But it's been 'ard lately - only likely to get 'arder as time goes by, the way things are going. I'd prefer to stay out of politics, but I've felt compelled to make a stand 'ere and there of late… a lot of good it does."
Shifting in her seat a little, Rena looks up at Nathan and smiles more brightly: "But that's not what we came for. Don't let me bring the evening down with gloomy thoughts. What are we 'aving to drink after all?"
"Do what you want. If you feel like taking a stand then do so but don't let these fools bring you down with thier prejudice okay? You are much too lovely to develop grey hairs worrying about what people think of you." He smiles playfully and winks at her. "Now I said I was paying and I am, so you order something to drink or eat and I will have a scotch for myself." He smiles warmly at her and waves over a serving wench giving the woman his order and waiting for Rena to give hers as well.
Nathan really does have a way about him. He can be quite the charmer, in fact.
Rena tilts her head slightly and smirks at the man sitting across from her. Her quizzical expression is a little like a curious bird watching a much bigger person with eager interest. However, for the moment, she says nothing but: "I'll accept - this once."
With that said, Rena orders her usual Leaky Cauldron meal of fish and chips accompanied by a mug of warm cider. Once she has done so, the young woman leans in and asks a little playfully: "Alright then, Mister Mysterious - you wanted us to get to know each other. Where do two total strangers begin?"
The Yellow Blur that signals Takeshi's arrival into the Leaky Cauldron appears, Takeshi coming through the door, his yellow robes flowing behind him in a hurry as he moves straight over to the bar, the Waitress sighing as Takeshi appears before her, his typical routine happening as he instantly starts to straighten out the stool, lining them up, but then he stops, his head tilting towards the table with Rena and the other person, his gaze moves slowly between the crooked stools, then back to Rena, then back to the stools, he takes one step towards Rena and the table, then turns and messes with a stool, then back to moving towards the pair, then back to the stools, this goes on for a few moments before the stools are finally straight. Moving again towards the pair, he stops and turns around, the waitress tilting her head at Takeshi as he places his order, then once again he is back enroute to the pair. "Rena." he says offering her a warm smile, before looking at Nathan, "Random person sitting at the table." he says with a nod.
Nathan nods and returns Rena smirk with one of his own. He leans in as well and stuides her with a tilt of his head. "Where would /you/ like to begin? There is conversation about jobs, hobbies and interests, viewpoints and many other topics to choose from. Ladies get to pick the first topic since I'm being a gentleman and all that tonight." He grins and thier drinks, his scotch and her cider are brought over. He takes a slow sip of his drink and studies her with an amused look in his eyes. Of course he notices the strange man in a blur of yellow. When the man comes over and address them a brow raises and he can't help but laugh. "Well thats certainly not the worst thing I've been called before. My name is Nathan Eldritch. Who might you be and how to you know my lovely soon to be friend here?" He grins and looks between the two of them curiously.
"I suppose we could begin at the beginning," Rena says, rather cutely: "Jobs - I'm an Auror Initiate. As I like to call myself, the greenest member on staff at the MLE just now"
Having been engrossed with her charming and somewhat enigmatic companion up until now, Rena does not notice Takeshi's arrival as soon as she probably ought to have. When he appears beside the table and greets Nathan in such an uncharacteristic, backhanded way, the redheaded woman seems to go a shade or two paler. In fact, she appears to stop breathing for a second as she freezes in place.
'Takeshi, I… I…" She falters, struggling to regain her composure. Fortunately, Nathan introduces himself for her, saving her that end of the conversation. However, she swallows and reaches out to touch Takeshi's hand with hers: "Nathan, this is Takeshi Odori. He's my, uh.. he's my boyfriend."
All paleness flees Rena's features, replaced by a hot blush. If ever she needed a stiff drink before, she could use one now.
Takeshi looks between the two for a moment, his face straight as if his mind was calculating things, when Nathan asks his question in the particular way he does, Takeshi's eyes move to Rena and listens to her response. Though it appears he wasn't expecting her response and more then she was use to giving it, he blinks and then blinks again, though with everything happening how it has between Rena and him, he never had stopped to consider that they were indeed an item.
takeshi lets out a louder then needed nervous laugh his hand coming up and rubbing the back of his head, "Oh… umm… Well… umm…" he says looking at Nathan, "Umm… well… yes… friends… are umm… well… good to… ummm make." he says nodding a few times a little faster then needed, his cheeks now also turning into a bright red flush, "I was… ummm… just… ummm… you know… umm… making sure… umm… Rena was… you know… umm okay." he says offering him a nod, "A please… umm… no… umm… pleasure… Mr. Eldritch." he says nodding.
Nathan looks between the pair with obvious amusement. Focusing on Takeshi first he inclines his head to him with a smile. "Indeed it is a pleasure Mr. Odori and might I say you are a lucky man to have found a such a treasure." He turns to Rena and smiles playfully. He takes a long drink of his scotch and considers them both. "I think I should take my leave now…I would not wish to intrude on you both if you wish to talk and spend time with each other." He downs the rest of the drink and rises heading for thr bar to pay for his drink and Rena's cider and meal which has just been delivered. With a final faint smile for her and an incline ofhis head he exits back out to the alley.
(This log is still not finished yet, this is just Nathan's part.)