Holding My Breath...Waiting for the Toll

[forstner]

((Note: Diagon Alley is where the thread will end up which is why I'm starting it here though the beginning actually takes place in Wendelring))

Staring in the mirror, Rael couldn't believe what she was wearing. Honestly, she didn't think things like this really happened, sure her relationship with Charon had been pretty easy, which had only made it easier to leave in the scheme of things when she was forced to by her mother's reasoning. But this? Getting ready for a real life date? Not just going to the bar for a drink, or hanging out at a pick-up Quidditch game, but actually going to a sit down restaurant, free of children, one-on-one date. It was pretty amazing, even for Rael's say so.

Just the fact she had been asked was altogether almost overwhelming. In a way, she had been waiting for it to happen, for those words to escape his mouth, but she hadn't thought it would really take place. And when it did, well... what could she do other than smile and hold back all enthusiasm to say yes? Her mother had taught her to not answer right away, and as much as she hated her mother, she couldn't help but act as she was raised to and wait a second of hesitation before answering.

Obviously the answer she had given was "yes". Why else would she be standing in front of her mirror, staring at the girl looking back at her? The girl was wearing a slimming black halter dress, the hem reaching to just below her knees, and a pair of tall heels she hardly ever wore adorned her feet. The look was simple with her hair pulled back into an elegant twist. First date material if she did say so herself.

Now was the hard part, waiting for her date to arrive without looking too eager to see him when he arrived at her door, but not looking too bored waiting for him either. Make-up was applied and her hair was perfect so that was taken care of. Rael had decided on no jewelry being as it was a first date, and her clutch was just long enough to conceal her wand and a bit of money as well as her tube of lipstick in case she needed a retouch.

Sighing as she looked into her reflection, she hoped this would go over well. While she was eagerly looking forward to spending time alone with him, at the same time, she didn't want anything between them to change either. The once Gryffindor enjoyed his company and though she was highly attracted to him didn't want anything to be awkward in case this dating didn't work out for them.

((You Know Who You Are))

[Franco Masuoka]

Franco apparated just a block away from her apartment to give a last check at his outfit, his hair, the present, everything!. It was his first date since he first met his ex-wife, and even that was not a real date, not one they had wanted anyway.

He tried to throw away his thoughts about how Hikaru and Drew could be doing together while tried to remember Drew's advices about a date: dress nice, smell nice, bring a present, be on time.... what was the other one?

Franco checked on his silver blue robe once again, checking that the collar was straight, every button was in place, his shoes were shining clean. Then brushed his hair once more, which was not really necessary in a messy-look hair style like his. Then hopping he had not used too much cologne or whatever Drew called it, the man took a deep breath and walked the few distance left to reach her home. He did not want to look nervous or anything in case she could be looking from the window.

"Alright... almost there" he murmured to himself while entered the building and climbed the stairs up "Tell her she looks nice even if she does not..." he reminded Drew's words "don't forget the flowers... ermmm..." he looked down at the dozen of pearly white roses and wondered again how he suppose to hold them: up in front? behind his back, just on a side? "C**p!" he did not remembered.

Finally as he reached the door, he cleared his throat softly and then took a deep breath trying both to relax and gain some couragen, then knocked the door, his hand with the boucket still deciding if hold it on a side, or at front or behind his back.

[forstner]

The knock startled the young woman, and the reflection of her widened eyes showed as much. Stepping out of the room, she glanced up at the clock as she made her way toward the door, noticing he was perfectly on time. Whether he'd planned it as such or it was an honest mistake, her curiosity chipped at her. Reaching out for the doorknob, Rael heaved a heavy sigh and gulped. What if this didn't turn out well? What if the night ended dreadfully and left him to never speak with her again? She could, and would, live, she knew, but it would hurt. Or worse yet, what if he turned out to not enjoy himself, but she immensely and she was the one left to be hurt because she still liked his company more than she should but not he with her?

The knob turned in her hand, her breath caught, and she slowly pulled the door open, a smile set in place. If it didn't work out, at least they'd tried.

"Hello Franco," she greeted her date with a faint blush tinging her cheeks. Though her dark blue eyes were focused on his face, his reaction, she couldn't help but notice the small twitching of his hand. Back and forth. With the most beautiful bouquet she'd seen.

[Franco Masuoka]

Franco gasped slightly as saw the door opening in the middle of his little fight with the flowers and could not help to blush at the silly of the situation. But as soon as he looked up and realized how beautiful she was, the reason of his blush changed and got worst.

Speak! Tell her she looks beautiful!! He remembered under the shape of Drew's voice in his head.

"Hi" he said smiling nervously "Wow! You look beautiful" he said but then he ran out of words and felt rather stupid to be standing there wordessly.

The flowers!! Pst! Give her the flowers! Drew's voiced again.

"Oh! Oh!... This is for you!" he said still smiling nervously as held up the bouquet for her glad to have found another reason to speak and not look so idiot.

[forstner]

Watching as his face glowed over, Rael stifled a small laugh, knowing how rude it would be otherwise. It was just that he was so cute, his face beat red like it was, and his expression, the combination was tickling. But when he complimented her, her own face deepened in color, worse that it had been when she'd greeted her friend. Take it in stride and say thank you her mother's words echoed in her head. A lady was supposed to always smile and act as though a compliment was the dearest thing in her day...Rael wasn't giving in to those thoughts too easily.

"Thank you." But she did want to accept his compliment. Taking the flowers, she buried her nose in the heavenly scent briefly before stepping aside, beckoning Franco into her apartment for a few minutes.

"I'm just going to set these in water and we can go?" Rael had accepted his request, but she was letting him lead. She hadn't even asked for a hint of where they were going, what they were doing, nothing. Whatever he chose, she was sure she'd graciously accept. "So, are you going to tell me our plans, or is it all a surprise?" she asked from the kitchen, setting the flowers in a vase before returning to his side.

[Franco Masuoka]

Franco stepped in looking around the place as if there were something interested to see, as placed his hands into his pockets and started pacing around just to do something while waiting. Then he was not so sure how much he could wander around the living room so he just moved back near the door and tried to wait patiently just there.

"Uhmm, we will... have dinner" he said as turned his eyes to where he heard her voice coming from, chuckling slightly as he knew that what he said was not a big clue for her. It wasn't that he had made something really unique... a dinner was something most couples do anyway, but as she knew Diagon Alley better than him then he was not too open to give her a hint that could make her guess how the whole night would go.

[forstner]

Reentering the room where Franco was located, Rael couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't moved away from the door. There wasn't really much to look at in her apartment, so she supposed he'd nearly died of boredom while he stood there and waited for her. The coffee table and the sofa and chair weren't really anything to look at, but what about the book shelf that was nearly empty however contained a few things. No books, but there were a few little things upon it, one being a plant.

So what if she liked simple? It kept her mother from being able to track her if she didn't spend much of her inheritance.

"That's good," she answered with a bright smile, "I'm starving." Dinner was something she'd planned on, but had he planned on anything more? Curious, extremely so, she couldn't help but want to bother him about what was planned. There were a number of things to do in Diagon, and as she assumed that was where they were headed as he wasn't dressed for muggle interaction, she'd just have to satiate her curiosity by thinking of all the possibilities. "Ready?"