It was because this area of Hogsmeade was dark, dank, and discouraged that Aspen chose it. She hadn't exactly been the most accessible or popular student at Hogwarts this year, her final year, and she wished to remain in the dark to most.

Plus, she had waited a very, very long time for this meeting and didn't want to be interrupted.

Aspen let Egbert, her fruit bat, loose to fly around the dark alley. Just in case, she didn't want him in her pocket when Joao arrived. If he arrived. She lowered the hood of her cloak and waited patiently with her hands tucked inside her pockets.

Aspen, and her riddles; her riddles and Aspen.

Although he arrived in England a day before, João still looked a little worn-out as he hurried past Hogsmeade, trying to locate the street Aspen wanted to meet. He was amazed by how quickly he'd forgotten this small town. He was late, and it stressed him out. It never did good to stress out around Aspen.

Finally, after touring the town for the millionth time, he just followed the stink and he found her with Egbert on a deserted street, about twenty metres ahead of him. Although he was angry at her for her location choice, he couldn't help but smile wryly as he slowed down not to scare her or look too enthusiastic.

"Awfully nice smell here," he commented as he approached, his smirk getting bigger. Somehow, he looked more Brazilian than ever, and his accent'd got heavier in the few months they didn't seen each other. His hands were also inside his heavy coat's pockets, probably grabbing his wand. He trusted her by now, but he had learnt some heavy lessons. He stopped one metre ahead of her and studied her face, ignoring the urge to check Egbert.

Aspen hadn't even noticed he was late. She'd been more concerned on him coming at all and less about his punctuality.

She couldn't help but smile. She couldn't exactly say he was disheveled upon arrival, but... he seemed a little worn already. Stressed maybe? Over this visit?

Amusing.

And smart,perhaps. Aspen also, of course, noted his hands. He was ready for her. Smart. Though, she didn't plan on hexing him today. But when did she ever plan to hex Joao? It just happened naturally, like breathing.

"It can hardly be both awful and nice," was all she said for a long time. Instead, she studied him right back. She hadn't changed much. Her hair was a little longer, but she had it tied back so he wouldn't see that. She probably was paler, since she hardly took to being outside during the day.

"Let me see your hands."

"Exactly," said João as he nodded shortly. She didn't look any different than the last time, and after studying her for a while, he deemed it wasn't rude to look away at Egbert. The brown eyes followed the animal curiously. Had it got bigger? He couldn't tell. Before he could tell anything at all, she talked, startling him a little.

His eyes flickered back at her and he wondered the motivation behind this demand. He also wondered what she would do if he refused. But wasn't that his main reason to come here, today--running away from frictions? He couldn't tell anything when it came to Aspen, so he didn't have a clue about her reaction as well.

"Only if I see yours too." His voice was far from any negative emotion--if anything, he was on the playful side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

"Exactly," said João as he nodded shortly. She didn't look any different than the last time, and after studying her for a while, he deemed it wasn't rude to look away at Egbert. The brown eyes followed the animal curiously. Had it got bigger? He couldn't tell. Before he could tell anything at all, she talked, startling him a little.

His eyes flickered back at her and he wondered the motivation behind this demand. He also wondered what she would do if he refused. But wasn't that his main reason to come here, today--running away from frictions? He couldn't tell anything when it came to Aspen, so he didn't have a clue about her reaction as well.

"Only if I see yours too." His voice was far from any negative emotion--if anything, he was on the playful side.

Joao was worried about Egbert?

Hm.

She'd honestly never thought of using Egbert before, but now that he unintentionally brought it to her attention, Egbert could be dead useful in ... her schemes. Her eyes followed her little bat, too, but she didn't comment on him. He was happily entertaining himself by chasing insects in the spring air.

Aspen laughed at this conditions. Touche, touche. He was learning, too, no? THIS - this was what kept drawing Aspen to him. The very fact that they could not, had not ever met, without a heightened sense of defense was just all too alluring to Aspen.

"Fair enough." Aspen approached him, slowly, and stopped just short of touching him. Almost nose to nose. Then she drew out ONE hand and laid it lightly on his chest. She wasn't going to hex him.

Or probably wasn't. She wasn't intending to anyway. "Your turn."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

"Exactly," said João as he nodded shortly. She didn't look any different than the last time, and after studying her for a while, he deemed it wasn't rude to look away at Egbert. The brown eyes followed the animal curiously. Had it got bigger? He couldn't tell. Before he could tell anything at all, she talked, startling him a little.

His eyes flickered back at her and he wondered the motivation behind this demand. He also wondered what she would do if he refused. But wasn't that his main reason to come here, today--running away from frictions? He couldn't tell anything when it came to Aspen, so he didn't have a clue about her reaction as well.

"Only if I see yours too." His voice was far from any negative emotion--if anything, he was on the playful side.

Joao was worried about Egbert?

Hm.

She'd honestly never thought of using Egbert before, but now that he unintentionally brought it to her attention, Egbert could be dead useful in ... her schemes. Her eyes followed her little bat, too, but she didn't comment on him. He was happily entertaining himself by chasing insects in the spring air.

Aspen laughed at this conditions. Touche, touche. He was learning, too, no? THIS - this was what kept drawing Aspen to him. The very fact that they could not, had not ever met, without a heightened sense of defense was just all too alluring to Aspen.

"Fair enough." Aspen approached him, slowly, and stopped just short of touching him. Almost nose to nose. Then she drew out ONE hand and laid it lightly on his chest. She wasn't going to hex him.

Or probably wasn't. She wasn't intending to anyway. "Your turn."

João's brain didn't know whether to be worried by her laugh, but he didn't feel nervous anymore. He could never be fully relaxed around her either, but at least she knew how to ease him.

'If you're trying to intimidate me, Aspen, you should try much harder.'

He eyed her hand on his chest and apparently deemed it alright, because the next moment his right arm was out on her shoulder. An eye for an eye, see? If she wanted both of his hands, he wanted both of her hands too.

"How is your...life going?" Better to start off the conversation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

João's brain didn't know whether to be worried by her laugh, but he didn't feel nervous anymore. He could never be fully relaxed around her either, but at least she knew how to ease him.

'If you're trying to intimidate me, Aspen, you should try much harder.'

He eyed her hand on his chest and apparently deemed it alright, because the next moment his right arm was out on her shoulder. An eye for an eye, see? If she wanted both of his hands, he wanted both of her hands too.

"How is your...life going?" Better to start off the conversation.

He could have her other hand - under her terms, of course. Aspen dropped her eyes from his briefly and reached for his other hand, the one he'd stowed away in his pocket, with her own recently freed one. This way, if Joao was planning on bringing out a wand, Aspen would at least have some control of where he pointed it.

See how well they got on? The whole cautionary meet and greet with him made her smile all over again.

"You couldn't possibly comprehend how bored I am." Pause. "With life. With this year." So she wouldn't bore him with that. "Things just got infinitely more interesting though." Meaning him. She'd wished him to be a year younger a million times this year so at the very least, she'd have a reason to feel uneasy or threatened occasionally while at school.

Aspen lightly held his wrist and let her eyes study the rest of him. Clothes. Robe. Hair. Tan. "This is going to sound stupid," really, it would, "but I miss you." Even now, when she was already super aware that the clock was ticking.

João smiled lightly as she was eyeing his other hand to bring it out. He let go of his wand before she held his wrist. He paused for a moment as he took her words in. "It's only two months left," he said softly, very well aware that it didn't make her year any more enjoyable. He looked troubled for a moment, before he focused back on her. Before his heart stopped for what felt like an eternity as she completed her sentence. Before she made him look like a stupid, although he was wise enough to mask his confusion. Then his heart started to beat too fast, and with her hand on his chest, there was nothing he could do about it.

"It isn't stupid," he said as his mind raced back to Brazil and the year he was passing. He then twisted his left hand and held her hand lightly as he moved to stand by her side.

"Let's do something we have never done before," he said, his mood getting lighter as he smiled to himself. Then he led the way towards the main road to just sit and talk.