Out with the old. In with the new. (zeebs)

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia stretched her arms over her head as she walked. Her back ached and her eye were sleepy with exhaustion, but she had put a full days worth of work behind her and earned herself a pretty penny in her bank account as the result. She smiled sleepily and took off her newsboy cap. She used the cap to hold her hair back at work, and wore her blue over-alls, which were  disgusting even by her standards, as her mandatory uniform. They were meant for safety at the factory, but they were too long for her.  The bottoms were too wide, despite the fact that they were rolled up so she wouldn't trip over them. She used a black bandana to wipe the sweat from her forehead and hairline, practically panting with rose coloured cheeks in the wet heat. She was roasting underneath her button down shirt, and she hadn't eaten since her lunch break eight hours ago. Her hours spent repairing computers were long and involved very tedious work. If she wasn't careful, she could mess up the whole mainframe of the computer. That day had been especially tedious because the apprentice that had been shadowing her lately accidently dropped water onto the piece of circuit board Sophia had been attempting to solder. This led to a short, which caused a spark, which lead to a fire that had engulfed the entire repair room. It was put out, but not before a lot of further damage had been done to the already damaged computers.  Her boss was too lazy to buy new ones, despite the more economic advantages to buying new ones.

Now, Sophia had a huge task ahead of her to fix her apprentice's mistake. She was given orders, in between a lot of yelling, to basically rebuild all the computers from the ground up. If she did good on this assignment that maybe she would be able to impress her boss and get promoted. She had been working her way up the ladder from the assembly lines, and now she was head engineer for the repair department. She was moving up in the world, but she hadn't moved up enough. What Sophia really wanted to do was to design computers for the Capital City. The thought of getting that far made her smile to herself as she walked.

She shook the soot out of her cap and raked a hand through her wavy blonde hair. It was getting ridiculously long, dangerously long, as it fell down to the bottom of her ass. She knew she needed a hair cut desperately, but so far her boss hadn't said anything. Then again, she kept it up in her cap most of the time to keep it out of the way. 

A drop of sweat slid down her right temple, which she hastily wiped away. Sophia frowned as noticed that her fingers were covered in dark sweat, blackened by what must have been the soot and ash on her face. Her blue eyes flashed to the store window and saw that her reflection was one that made her look like those miners down in District 12. She blinked slowly and shrugged. After a moments pause, she wiped her forehead off on her shirt and sat on the bench located outside of the store. 

Her head began to swam and the world tilted dangerously around her. Her tongue felt as if it had turned into sand paper and her bones seemed to collapse inside of her body. A heavy sigh escaped Sophia's clamped jaw as she closed her eyes and tried to fight off her sickness. She needed water. She needed a shower. She needed to get out of her work clothes before she truly collapsed in the street. She lived only a few more blocks away but even the night sky couldn't help distract her from the balmy summer night. She exhaled slowly through her nose and closed her eyes, trying to find her bearings again without vomiting. 

[zeebzies]

"Do you mind closing tonight?"

Braxton lifted his head toward the voice of his coworker, raising an eyebrow. "Closing is half an hour away."

"Yeah, I know."

"I was supposed to get off fifteen minutes ago," Braxton said slowly, "but instead, I had to stay and work the register while you went to the back to smoke."

"I had to," the other man drawled back, one side of his mouth beginning to lift in a smile.

Braxton rolled his eyes. "No, you didn't."

"Okay, I didn't. So, what?"

"So, I'm not closing just because you're too damn lazy to do it yourself, Zach."

With a loud, dramatic groan, Zach walked over to lean on the counter in front of Braxton. He was grinning, although Braxton could sense a slight annoyance in the undertone of his voice. "Oh, come on, Braxton. Like you said, it's only half an hour away, right? That means a bigger paycheck for you."

"Barely," Braxton grumbled.

"At least barely is something, right?"

"I was supposed to get off fifteen - no, wait, now eighteen minutes ago." He rolled his eyes again and walked out from behind the counter, passing up the careless associate and taking off his badge. "That's almost twenty minutes that I could have been at home, doing something that actually matters."

"Got another girl back home?"

Braxton grumbled. "No, I don't. Shut the hell up."

"Well, alright, but consider this-"

"What part of shut the hell up do you not understa-"

"I have a date to go to. With a girl. A really hot girl. Cut me some slack, man."

"Tough luck," Braxton said, laughing lightly.

"Is that a yes?"

"Did it sound like a yes to you-"

"It did. I think it did."

"No, you dipshit, I'm not covering for-"

But before Braxton could finish his sentence, the ding of the bell announced that the door had opened. Zach had left, yet again. And Braxton was stuck at work. Sure, he thought, leaving early was always a choice he had, but it wasn't a very smart choice. And even though Zach was right in saying that "barely is something..."

"....Damn it, Zach."

With a heavy sigh, Braxton hoisted himself up onto the front counter, looking out at the empty store. It was empty about 70% of the time, anyway, which was a relief - it meant less people for him to have to deal with - but not only did the lack of people make things less interesting, it also made for a longer work day. Nothing went by fast enough. Which made for boring, empty days with a few boring, empty people who probably went home to their boring, empty lives.

As his eyes scanned the various clothing items that barely anyone seemed to touch, he glanced out the window and...didn't think of anything, other than going home. There was nothing for him to wonder about, and no one for him to think about. Unless his puppy, Bitsy, counted as a "someone." Damn, I really need to feed her when I get home... Do I even have any dog food left? Maybe I should stop on the way to pick some up, just to be safe?...

Blocking the view of a particular spot Braxton was staring at, suddenly, was...a terrible pair of overalls. Who still wore overalls? Who still sold overalls? As his eyes lifted to study the face attached to the overalls, he found striking blue eyes staring through the window. Staring at...him? A girl, he thought. Nice distraction before I go home. The girl's blue eyes grew a bit, then blinked once, slowly. Her hair was long, and dirty, and was long enough to cover her ass, much to Braxton's disappointment. Even if her hair had been shorter, he wouldn't have been able to really see how her body was, as the overalls were much too baggy and didn't compliment the girl at all. As his eyes moved back up to study her face once more, he smirked. She's cute. And besides, the body doesn't make the girl...although it's definitely a nice bonus. With a grin, Braxton removed and readjusted his beanie, shaking his hair out and standing from the counter. But, as he looked up, the girl had vanished.


Braxton sighed one more time, removing his name tag and shoving it in his pocket. You snooze, you lose, I guess? He lazily flipped the sign on the window to Closed and walked out the door, fishing the store key's out of his pocket and locking up tightly.

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia felt her heart jump into her throat as she heard the chime of a bell. She jolted upright and shot up to her feet quickly, searching for the source of the noise. She had almost lost consciousness sitting on the bench. She was so thirsty, but it could wait until she got home. She was so close, she just needed a final push and now that she'd been startled to her feet, she found her motivation. Her eyes found the source of the noise. A man that practically towered over her had walked out of the store she had seen her reflection in. He was jiggling a pair of keys into the lock. 

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to loiter in front of her store or anything..."

Sophia cursed herself immediately, feeling dirty and grungy while a very nice looking guy had just encroached on her vicinity. If her face could have been redder it probably would have. She swallowed hard and gave him a nod before spinning on her heel. Her boots carried her down the street while her the metaphorical shit hit the fan in her mind. 

She should have known better than to sit in front of someones store. It was illegal right? Or maybe she had just made herself look like a complete idiot. She bit her lip and took hold of a lock of her hair. She fiddled with the hair as she walked, trying to make sense of what she'd just done. Hot guy comes out of store. Doofus freaks out and makes herself look stupid. Great job, no wonder her mother always said she wouldn't be able to get a date. She'd been on a few since she'd moved out, but they had been duds that had made her practically bolt for the door. Honestly, she preferred to focus on work. Work was important. Work meant a steady income and a nice place to stay. Not everyone could afford the high rise apartments in the heart of the district, fewer still could live in the penthouse suites. She didn't though, having lived on the fourth floor since she could afford it. 

She liked living downtown. It was close to work, only a twenty minute walk. With the sweltering heat, the walk was almost unbearable. Sophia needed some clothes for the summer, but just couldn't find the time and now she was paying for it. Her bones were tired and her eyes were sleepy. She really just wanted to get home, make sure her cat was doing okay, read some of her novel she'd just bought and relax for the night. Tomorrow was her day off and she wanted to be energized for it.

Sophia stiffled a yawn and continued her drudge home.

[zeebzies]

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to loiter in front of your store or anything..."

Just as the lock clicked, a voice rose up beside of Braxton, and as he turned, he realized the blue eyes he had seen moments before. So she didn't leave, then. Nice. Now that he saw her closer, he saw how flushed her cheeks were, and how she looked like she had been rolling around in ash for God knows how long. Sweat was painted dark on her face and neck, which was the only part of her that he could actually see. She wore a long sleeved shirt under her overalls that came up to her neck, which was odd, since it was summer time.

Braxton opened his mouth to tell her that there was no need to be sorry when she nodded and turned, her hair whipping around as she walked away, leaving Braxton with his mouth still open as he stared after the girl.

So he decided to yell after her. He didn't want to miss any chance he might have. "Um...hey!"

Either she didn't hear him, or she decided to ignore him. Or, maybe, she was too embarrassed?

God, shy girls are so cute.

"Hey! Sweetheart!" This time, he started to jog toward her, flashing a grin. When she didn't answer, he picked up his pace, finally catching up to the blonde and stopping dead in front of her. "What are you, deaf?" he joked. "I've been yelling for you."

Carefully, he studied the girl's face, and wondered what it looked like clean. He brought a hand up to the back of his neck. "There's really nothing to be sorry about, by the way. I mean, you look tired...and hot. So I understand." He chuckled a bit to himself. "I meant hot as in sweaty but, I mean, that applies to your looks, too. Just so you know." He looked her over once, then realized that was probably rude. He also realized that he didn't really care, but he did want to try to get this girl home. He gestured to her overalls, to cover up for staring her over. "Why are you wearing...um...that? I mean, it's summer, for God's sake. You're wearing long sleeves." Braxton smiled at the girl and gestured behind her, in the direction of the store. He could get in trouble for doing this, but god, look at her... "That was a clothes shop, that you were in front of. Not sure if you noticed or not. I saw you looking in. You could get some cooler clothes, there, if you want. You don't have to pay, if you don't have the money. You can, uh...pay me back some other time. Some other way." He smirked. "It's whatever."

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia stopped when she noticed the guy from the store was trying to catch up with her. When she looked up at him she noted how he had very green eyes, like the leaves of a tree and his hair was very dark and shaggy under his beanie.She shifted uneasily from foot to foot as he looked her up and down, feeling as if she were being inspected underneath a microscope. He was rather tall as well, forcing her to tilt her head back to look up at him.

She looked down at herself when he mentioned her clothes, bringing a hand up to pick at a frayed hole in the denim over-alls. "They're... they're the uniform for the factory. Everyone that works there has to wear them."

Jeez, she thought everybody knew that. Most of the workers could be seen walking or driving home, or even taking the shuttles. But the uniform was pretty obvious. As for her shirt underneath... that was a different story entirely. "And thanks, but I wouldn't want to get you in trouble. I don't live too far from here."

Sophia wanted to slap herself. There she was telling a complete stranger that she lived close to his work. She didn't know anything about him. He could be a psychopath for all she knew. Then again, he could also be the complete opposite. That was the funny thing about talking to a stranger, you didn't know what to expect out of the person. She looked off to the side, down the street where she lived about three blocks away. She was so close, and the night was starting to cool off around her so it was somewhat bearable. She pushed her sleeves up her arms to get rid of the feeling of being cocooned in clothes. She ran a hand through her hair, leaving black smudges in the blonde. "If you don't mind, I've had a long day that involved quite the pyromania, and I'd like to get the evidence off my skin."

Right at that moment, Sophia's stomach growled loudly. "Not to mention hungry." Her eyes flashed back up to him, where he was standing in her way of getting back to her apartment. "I don't mean to be rude, I'd just like to get home..."

[zeebzies]

"You sure? No one really shops there, I'm sure it would be fine. My boss probably wouldn't even notice." Braxton shrugged. "If not, you can come by another time. I doubt I would get in any serious trouble."

The girl was rather short, which almost made Braxton want to crouch to her level. But, since anyone else he had previously done that to seemed to get angry, he decided against it immediately. Her blue eyes reminded him of the sea, and, god, he wanted to drown in her. The waves of her hair, the soft look of her skin. Everything about her was...god, how could he describe it? Goddess-like? Not that he hadn't seen pretty girls before; he had had plenty of gorgeous pieces in his bed before. There was, in particular, one redhead who was kinky as shit, not to mention extremely sexy, but she got too clingy, which led to a bad "breakup." However, there was this one time that she...

Braxton shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts. He needed to focus on the girl at hand, not some overly-attached BDSM bitch.

...God, why do girls have to be so pretty?

"I can, uh, walk you home, if you want. I mean, you don't live far from here, right? Or at least, that's what you said." He smiled gently at her and shoved his hands in his pockets, itching to wipe the sweat running down her temple. "I actually don't live far away, either," he lied, "so it's no big deal."

Braxton's smile grew into a grin when he heard a growl come from the girl's stomach."Would you maybe want to grab dinner after? Or before. Whenever." He laughed and raised his eyebrows in question. "I'll pay. In my opinion, a girl shouldn't have to pay her way on a date- I mean, if you're comfortable with calling it that." Slowly, Braxton reached his hand out, as if to caress her cheek - perhaps it was a force of habit? - then stopped halfway and sighed, lowering it once again and scratching the back of his head. "You're very beautiful, by the way," he said, searching her nervous eyes for any sign of accepting his offer.

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia shook her head.She really was't one to steal, it was petty and she had no need to. Why would she steal when she had the money to pay for it. "Maybe I can steal clothes another night." She laughed awkwardly before she nodded at the notion of being walked home. "You can if you want. I only live three blocks away." She wiped away the sweat that itched down her temple and smiled. "And how about we discuss dinner after the walk?"


Sophia felt her nervous smile waver. It was almost unsettling how this guy looked. He was just.... incredibly hot. She wanted to rake her nails through his unkept dark hair and his eyes really were very very green. They reminded her of the glow of an active circuit board. What she didn't understand was how someone who looked like... that and ask her out on a date, especially when she looked like a Dust Jockey down in twelve.

Her mind immediately blanked when he called her beautiful. No... no she couldn't be beautiful. If he knew about her, he wouldn't call her that. No one would call her that when she had to cover up so much. Sophia blinked slowly, feeling like she'd just fallen through the rabbit hole. "I..." She cleared her throat. "We should probably get going then?"

[zeebzies]

With a step to the side and an outstretched arm, Braxton nodded to the girl. "After you, then?"

As they walked, Braxton nearly couldn't stop himself from staring at her. Every wisp of wind would cause her hair to fly back in an almost elegant way. The air she carried about her was nervous and unsure, but not unfriendly. She trusted him enough to let him walk her home, and possibly to let him take her out to dinner, despite the fact that they had only met minutes before. He wondered if she were naive. He wondered if she drank, or approved of drinking.

He wondered, above all this, how much effort it would take to convince her to come home with him for the night.

He normally stuck with the same girl for a few weeks, or maybe even a few months if they were lucky, but seemed to always get tired of them. He knew all their tricks, all their moves, and could predict what they would say before they said it. He saw how they looked at him, and always wished that he could still look at them in that same way. But, nothing seemed to last. Nothing that seems perfect ever pulls through. For Braxton, promises had never been kept, secrets never left untold, and faithfulness was never something he had experienced while "in a relationship." He got tired of looking at one, got tired of their bodies and faces and routines, and switched them out for a new one, like a used up rag.

So far, he hadn't gotten tired of looking at the blonde next to him. He had yet to feel even a fraction of boredom while watching her walk, watching her eyes as she looked around, watching her lips as she spoke to him. The shape of her cheekbones, the curve of her cupid's bow, how her lashes fluttered when she blinked, how her hair fell in perfect waves down her back.

She was gorgeous.

"So, I noticed we haven't properly introduced ourselves yet." Braxton smiled confidently at the girl. "A girl as stunning as you must have a beautiful name. Or am I wrong? Your name isn't something like Bertha or Peggy, is it?" Laughing, he shook his head, raising his hands a bit in faux-defense. "I'm kidding, of course. Anyway, my name is Braxton. Where have you been all my life?"

[Draco Malfoy]

As they walked, the air seemed somewhat cooler, but there was something about him that was... off. It was actually kinda creepy the way he was leering, but she didn't feel like anything he was doing was menacing, but more of a brutal honesty. She didn't know what he was expecting tonight but in her mind this was going to be a Dinner Dammit. Well, every date was a Dinner Dammit, but she didn't want to scare him off with what was off about her. She'd always closed herself off and had never gotten past first base really. Maybe... just maybe that was her problem. She was too closed off.

Chewing her lip thoughtfully, Sophia decided that she was going to be a little more open to try new things this time around. Who knows? Maybe she might enjoy some of it. She'd always been curious about being blindfolded, but she wasn't sure if she would actually enjoy it. In reality though, she would probably need to get past actually getting laid for once before making the scene more complicated.

"Nice to meet you Braxton, my name's Sophia." She stopped walking at the compliments, they made her uneasy but maybe if he noticed her discomfort he'd stop. She never really got compliments, and didn't quite know how to take them. Also, she knew they were blatant lies. She was covered in soot and grossness, maybe she could get him to let her shower alone before taking her out to dinner. That wasn't too much to ask... right?

"So.. you work in retail?"

[zeebzies]

"Yep. I've worked in the same store for five years." Braxton shrugged. "I've just never got around to getting another job," he lied. He didn't really care to have another job. The job he had now, at the shop, payed enough money for him to live off of, and to him that was more than enough. He usually had some left over, too, which was a plus. He never bought expensive products.

"So, Sophia," he started, mostly just to try her name out, "how long have you worked at the factory?" He began walking again, trying to coax her back into leading him, and decided maybe he should hold off on the compliments, if only for a little while. She looked as if she were feeling uneasy, the more he complimented her, which was...odd. Normally, girls would love to be told they're pretty. Maybe she wasn't comfortable because she was dirty? She did mention wanting to get home and clean off. Something about pyromania?

"If you don't mind me asking...why are you covered in, uh," he gestured to her face and her clothes, "black...stuff." Braxton laughed lightly. "You look like you came here straight from Twelve."

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia listen to him talk as they walked towards her apartment. They were probably only one block away now, but she was starting to enjoy the conversation now hat he wasn't trying to hit on her. He seemed kinda nice, but only time could tell. She kind of intrigued him. The lack of motivation probably wasn't the best thing, but if he was content on where he was in life then she shouldn't judge. Not every one strived to be the best.

Sophia grinned when Braxton asked about her job at the factory. She really did enjoy her work, but she wanted to be so much more. "Yes, I've been there since I was 18. I worked in the assembly line when I started, now I'm the head engineer for the repair team. I've been with the factory for about five years as well. Today my apprentice decided to set fire to the repair room. Burned a lot of equipment. It'll take some time to rebuild the computers but I'm hoping that I can put my own designs into them... I want to design computers, you see..."

Sophia stopped talking for a moment, feeling as though she were blabbing. She slid her hands into her pockets as she walked, seriously wanting to get out of her dirty work uniform. When she looked up again, they were at the front door to her apartment building. "Well.. this is my stop.."

Sophia looked up at him and bit her lip, trying to decide on what to do. She was crazy to think this, but she kinda wanted to take him up on his offer for dinner. She was rather hungry, and free food was great. Also, if this date went well, where she wasn't bolting for the door by the end of it, then maybe she can get her unrelenting mother off of her back. The woman was constantly hounding her for her lack of a social life, let alone a romantic life. Besides, work was very important to Sophia, did she really want to be dating someone? The thought itself seemed a little far fetched. Then again... so did designing computers, coding, hardware and all. She ran her hand through her hair and said, "Do you... do you want to come inside for a minute so i can clean up a little it...? That is, if your offer for dinner is still available?"

[zeebzies]

Braxton smiled thoughtfully as Sophia talked about her job. He loved watching people talk about things they loved doing. It was something about the way their eyes lit up, and how they couldn't help but smile. They always seemed to talk more when it was about something they enjoyed. But, she stopped suddenly, and slid her hands in her pockets. As they walked in silence, Braxton sighed to himself. Shy? Or annoyed? Maybe she wishes I hadn't walked her home. Or maybe she's getting tired of talking.

Moments later, they arrived at the apartment complex - which, Braxton thought thought, was really damn nice, even from the outside. He bit the inside of his cheek as Sophia bit her lip, wishing he could just lean in and kiss her. It wasn't uncommon for a guy to kiss a girl when he walked her home, right? But, before he could move, Sophia spoke up, asking if he was still up for dinner.

Braxton decided that Bitsy could wait.

This girl just accepted his offer of dinner, so, how could he pass that up? Besides, he had put some food and water out before he left for work. She should be fine, until he got home.

"Yeah, of course," he said quickly, grinning widely at the blonde. "I assume what I'm wearing will be alright?" He opened the door for Sophia, gesturing for her to go in first. "You can pick where we go to eat," he chuckled. "You're probably more hungry than I am. I'm pretty sure that working in the factory takes more out of you than working in a clothes shop does for me."

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia was looking into those eyes. They were just... so green. She could see desire lit behind them, which mirrored her own. She felt as i she were standing impossibly still, that the earth had halted it's spinning and that time had frozen completely. She felt lost, but whole at the same time. She could almost feel that everything in the universe was connected and that even the smallest of choices could drastically change the outcome of a major event. She felt the almost irresistible urge to grab Braxton, sink her fingers into his dark hair and just smash faces with him.

Then he spoke... and the feeling disappeared completely. The air around her seemed to cool drastically and she came back to reality. It was almost as if she'd been drowning and she had just came up for air. A small smile tilted the corners of her mouth upward followed by a short, simple nod. "What your wearing is fine."

Together, they stepped into the apartment building. She lead him into the elevator and pressed the number four, which caused the elevator to fly up at an incredible speed. "Sorry, this thing is kinda jerky sometimes," she said as the lift stopped abruptly. "You would think with all this technology, we would be able to build better elevator systems."

Sophia lead him down the hall to the 13th door on the right and knelt down, digging into a whole in the door jam where she kept her key. After she jiggled the key into the lock, the door swung open to reveal a small black cat with stunningly green eyes. Her fur was long, but well kept. Sophia knelt down and picked her up, "This is Gypsum, but she responds to Gypsy as well."

She kissed to top of the cats head before letting her jump down and chase after something unseen. She lead him further into her home. Separating the bedroom and the living room was a massive wall of fish tank. Floor to ceiling glass stretched across the apartment, housing multiple fish. Each one was brightly colored, even the tiny sea horses and the small octopus that crawled along the coral at the bottom. "This.. this is my home. Make yourself comfortable, it might take me about ten to fifteen minutes to clean up?"

She left Braxton in the living room and locked herself in her bathroom. The bathroom itself had black marble flooring and counter tops, the walls a soft cream color and a massive walk in shower. She made her way into her closet at the other end, pulling out a high neck blouse that was also sleeveless. The blouse was black, and she picked out a skirt to match and a pair of black boots. After wards, she stepped into the shower, scrubbing out all of the dust from her skin and hair, then shaved her legs so they'd be smooth in her skirt. Afterward, she stepped into her outfit and combed her hair into a braid the fell over her left shoulder and stopped at her left hip. In the mirror, she could see one of the pink ends to the scar on her chest, it was small but it was still noticeable in the bathroom light. It would be dark out on the street and in the restaurant though.. right?

Sophia deemed herself ready and walked out of her bathroom to met Braxton in the living room.

[zeebzies]

Braxton smiled into the green eyes of the cat, reaching a hand forward and scratching between its ears before Sophia let her down. She bolted into the apartment to places unknown. Entering the house, Sophia wasted no time in getting ready. "It might take me about ten to fifteen minutes to clean up?"

"Yeah, sure. No problem." He nodded, smiling reassuringly. "I'm not in any rush. Take your time, it's your house."

As Sophia walked into the bathroom, Braxton couldn't help but to observe his surroundings. This girl had to be rich as shit to be able to afford a place like this. She had a bigass fishtank separating her living room and bedroom, for God's sake. Everything looked so...elegant. Braxton pushed down the kid inside of him that wanted nothing but to run around and touch everything.

He walked slowly toward the tank, watching the different colored fish swim this way and that, and marveling at the octopus crawling slowly over the coral. Not wanting to touch her possessions in fear of breaking something, he eventually decided to sit on the couch and wait. The cat was, oddly, no where to be seen. Maybe she just doesn't like strangers?

Briefly, he wondered how Bitsy was. She wasn't used to him going home late. The pup already had a set time in her head, for when Braxton was normally home. He hoped she wasn't crying. The neighbors always complained about that.

Scanning in the room, he gladly spotted a mirror in a nearby hall and walked to it in relief. Removing his beanie, he ran a hand lazily through his hair and placed the hat carefully back in it's place. He looked over his clothes, made sure nothing was out of place, and headed back to his place on the couch, putting his arms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.

As Sophia walked into the living room, Braxton lifted his head and had to stop his mouth from hanging open.

She looked nice earlier but...damn. She cleans up well.

"I, uh..." He cleared his throat and stood, grinning at her. "You look...gorgeous."

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia found herself blushing when Braxton complimented her this time. It felt as if he was making an honest statement that time when before the situation felt as if he was just trying to hit on her. His comment felt truthful, as if he actually found her beautiful. Despite this, she still wasn't quite able to accept the compliment, so she distracted herself with her cat, who had been pawing at her ankles after she had darted from beneath the bed. She picked up Gypsy and held her like a baby is cradled in the crook of her arm. The cat pawed at her fingers as Sophia tried to pet her tummy.

Her blue eyes drifted back up to Braxton, who was still looking at her like he was about to start drooling. It was a new sensation. She wasn't used to feeling desired, and now she was thrown head first into the feeling. It was odd, but nice.

"There's a small cafe around the corner from here. It's not very crowded this time of night and the food is good."

In fact, it was Sophia's favorite place to eat. Maybe some familiar ground would be good on this date, and she wanted things to go well.

[zeebzies]

Looking over Sophia, Braxton took in every detail he could. He memorized the way her hair fell and how, although it was in a braid, it seemed delicate and soft instead of being pulled so tight that he feared for the safety of her scalp. It fell to the side and stopped at her hip. He was almost amazed at how long her hair was. His mother had always kept her hair short - "to keep cool," she said. Braxton found long hair much more appealing on a woman. His fingers itched to just grab her by the hair, pin her against the wall and-

Taking in a breath to calm himself, he looked over her outfit. Boots, and a long look up her legs that stopped at a black skirt that hung almost gracefully from her hips. Her shirt wasn't tight, but as it was sleeveless, it complimented her shoulders quite nicely. Her skin was smooth and clean, and seemed to glow, almost calling Braxton to reach out a hand to caress every inch of her; it took him a moment to notice that the glow about her was not a hint that he was in the presence of an angel, but that it was merely the dim lights from around them. Her blue eyes shone at him, and her cheeks were tinted pink.

"Yeah, that sounds great." He shoved his hands in his pockets, clearing his throat slightly as he straightened up. "Anywhere is fine with me. But, er, would you mind leading me there?..." Braxton chuckled, almost nervously, and looked away, feeling stupid when he felt his face get warm. After all the girls he had been with, now he was going to be a babbling, blushing idiot? Are you kidding me right now? "I don't think I know where the place is. But maybe, if things go well," he laughed again, lighter this time, "and if I remember where the place is...we could go there another time?"

You haven't even been on the first date yet! You can't just ask her out before you actually go out! She's going to think you're desperate!

"Well, I mean...actually, just forget I said anything." He shook his head a bit, huffing in slight frustration but smiling at Sophia nonetheless, holding an arm out toward the door of the apartment. "After you?"

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia blushed as Braxton's eyes trailed up and down her body. It made her feel like she was being examined under a microscope, but at the same time it was almost exhilarating. She gave him a small smile as he agreed to go to the cafe. "I can show you how to get there, it's not far."

Her smile grew wider as he fumbled with his words. It was nice to know that he wasn't perfect, and he looked really cute when he was embarrassed. His cheeks darkened in a rather adorable way, mixed with a sheepish smile. He reminded her of a puppy almost, with his messy hair and the way he was laughing, trying to hide how awkward the situation had just become. It wasn't really a bad kind of awkward, but more of the fact that it was the first date and things were very new.

When he asked about meeting up again, Sophia was going to say that they should probably wait until after this date before thinking about the next one. However, when he dismissed what he said, she shrugged off the thought and slipped her arm through his. She lead him back downstairs and out onto the street. They were walking rather close to each other, their bodies brushing now and then as they made their was around the block. She wondered if he could feel the side of her chest pressed against his arm whenever she breathed inwardly.

As they walked, the crickets around them chirped and the air had cooled considerably, the streetlamps seemed to glow as they past them, and the night was very calm with a soft breeze. It was a beautiful night, unlike the sweltering day that it followed. Sophia was glad to enjoy the evening on a date, one that might actually lead to more dates if all went well. The cafe finally came into view. It was a small, quiet place made of dark wood and granite and sold food like sandwiches, soups, salads, light foods. The drinks and desserts were heavier like pies cheese cakes, beignets with coffees, teas, and regular fountain drinks. She went to the cafe quite a lot for lunch and it was a nice quiet place to get out of the house.

Sophia looked up at Braxton with a small smile. "Well, this is the place."

[zeebzies]

Braxton took in a deep breath, taking in the cool night air around him, as well as a slight hint of perfume from the girl at his side. The humidity level had finally dropped, quite significantly at that, making it not only easier to breathe, but for a quite pleasant night for a date as well. Humidity and romance did not mix. Especially when it was on a date where the main goal was to get the girl in bed. Which, although he would like to get there with Sophia, he wanted her to be comfortable with actually doing that. And with her, it seemed like taking things slow may have been the key.

Maybe I could sneak in a kiss, at the least, tonight.

Walking with the blonde at his side, Braxton felt somehow content at how things had went so far. Calm. Sweet. Slow, which was something he wasn't used to - but, it was a nice change. Braxton felt a soft brush at his arm every now and then as they walked and, with a quick glance down, realized that it was the side of her chest. Which was, now that he noticed, quite...sizable. He grinned, despite himself, and shook all of his thoughts from his head as he fixed his gaze in front of him once again. Nice.

As they arrived in front of the small cafe, Braxton glanced up, and then over to Sophia. Giving a small smile, he slipped his arm out of hers, running his fingers lightly over her own as he stepped toward the door. He pulled the handle, propped the door open with his foot, and gestured inside. "Ladies first, right?" he said, smiling at her again. 

[Draco Malfoy]

(BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBS)

Sophia walked into the Cafe after Braxton held out the door for her. The inside was dark, with slightly more lighting than the street outside, and had dark wood flooring, smooth stone table tops and a small bar to eat at, as well as tables and a wait staff. It was more of a restaurant than a cafe, but it was quaint and charming. They took their seats and ordered their food with red wine. After a few glasses though, she was probably a little bit more than tipsy. Normally she wouldn't have drank, but her nerves had been getting to her because he was really nice and she didn't want to mess anything up. He was just so... well hot. It made her nervous to be around him. Even so, she probably shouldn't have drank that third glass. Now they were on dessert, strawberry cheesecake, and her face was flushed from the alcohol and the room tilted around her.

Despite her drunkenness, Sophia's date with Braxton was going surprisingly well. She hadn't had to have a fake emergency and bolt for the door yet, which was a good sign. Every other date she'd been on had made her want to vomit. Things were going rather nicely, at a steady pace with the conversation. They talked about a lot of different things, like work and home life. They both kinda had family issues that neither of them really went into, just idle chit chat that was polite but also a little intimate. They talked about relationship goals and career goals and how she managed to keep up with all of her work and feed all the animals in her house. Cats and a fish tank were a little low maintenance to her though.

This situation was somewhat new to Sophia, she felt like she didn't know what she was doing most of the time. Whatever she was doing at the time seemed to be working. She tried to be honest and just herself really, but the lack of experience on her part made her uneasy. It made her wonder just how many girls Braxton had been with, no one looked like that and didn't get into some girls pants every now and again. She kinda felt like she was wasting his time but he was just so cute. She wanted to lean over the table and kiss him, but she had some sense of decency and self restraint.

"So, what do you like to do in your free time?"

[zeebzies]

Braxton lifted his fork into his mouth, smiling to himself as the taste of the cheesecake hit his taste buds. He couldn't remember the last time he had cheesecake, but no matter how long it had been, it still tasted just as amazing. His mother used to make him homemade cheesecake for his birthday every year. This stopped when Devon was old enough to complain about how much he "didn't like" it. Annoying little shit always got his way.

"I like to draw," Braxton replied, swallowing his bite and grinning at Sophia. "Mostly just sketching, though. I start drawing, and just let the pencil do all the work. Whatever comes out in the end is...well, the finished product." He took another bite from his cheesecake, nearly sighing in content. "I don't draw things directly very much. Sometimes I draw people, just anyone that sticks in my mind. I've drawn past memories. Landscape. So on, so forth." He felt some of the strawberry sauce from the top of the cheesecake start to run down his chin, and quickly brought up a hand to wipe it away, getting it on his finger and laughing a bit clumsily as he licked it off. He shrugged, and wiped his hand on his napkin. "At least it's sweet," he said, grinning. "I love when it's sweet.

"So, what about you?" he asked, leaning back in his chair and eyeing the girl a bit playfully. He winked, smirking as he asked, "What do you like to do in your free time?" He pushed his plates away and picked up his glass of wine - he was only on his second - letting his eyes wander for a moment over the girl. His eyes stopped at her neck, but only briefly. He saw a hint of pink, peeking out from the top of her shirt...a cat scratch, perhaps? He dismissed it as such, and downed the last of his glass, taking in the slightly glassy look of Sophia's eyes and the light pink tint of her cheeks as she talked.

[Draco Malfoy]

Sophia felt her smile slowly widen as she listened to Braxton speak. She'd always liked art, but never had the skill for it. When she would try to draw in school, things never turned out the way she wanted them to or she would never finish. Sophia's talents resided more with computers. She enjoyed tinkering with computers and coding. It wasn't the only thing she liked to do but it was what she had chosen for a career.

She laughed as he cleaned up a bit of strawberry syrup on his chin. "I take it you like sweet things?" She took a bite of her own cheesecake, her mind drifting off to a place that involved sweet things and drawing at the same time. The mental image almost left her breathless, but she tried to cover up her embarrassment with actually eating the cheesecake. She didn't want Braxton getting any ideas... yet. She liked him, but she wasn't quite sure she wanted anything physical. Well she didn't really know how to get things physical in the first place.

Sophia brought a hand up and subconsciously rubbed her scar from over her blouse. "I like to read. I have a whole bookshelf full at home. And I like to watch a lot of movies. Actually I probably spend most of my free time watching movies."

She watched as he polished off his second glass. She probably shouldn't have drank three. It wasn't that hard to get her drunk because of her size, so she was a bit of a light weight. She didn't think she was completely shit faced but she didn't want to be as drunk as she was. Sophia gave him a small smile. "My favorite thing to do is have a Die Hard marathon."