You enter in full blown technicolor [Julian]

He laughed lightly at her backless shirt comment, “Now that’s what I call dedication.” Julian listened to her as he worked, using and mmhmm’s at the correct places as she talked about things she did as a child, “Shit...I didn’t know you were adopted.” He wasn’t sure what else to say about the matter. Julian didn’t want to pry or bring up any unpleasant subject so he stood away from asking questions all together.

"Sev-!" He quickly jerked his hand back from her skin. Her laughing fit almost put a wrench in the whole experience. He shook his head, "Woooo. You're so lucky..." If his hand didn't come up as fast as it did he probably would have actually ended up giving her a crooked tattoo, instead tho, the needle went a fraction outside of the outline, "Nothing a little shading can't fix. Now...stay still. And no funny stuff." He used a mock chiding tone as he tapped her shoulders so that she would lay flat on the table like intended, "I'll let you up for a break soon. Just let me finish this side first." Perhaps she was getting a little antsy but he didn't want her to walk out with a fudged tattoo design either. He would have to put his name on it, after all and he certainly didn't want someone he knew to be displeased with his work.

He picked up with the conversation. “Ah, I see. Oh?” He offered her a raised eyebrow at the mentioning of ladies, “I didn’t know you went that way. ...Nice.”  Julian shrugged; he had no qualms about people’s sexual preferences. It wasn’t in him to hate or judge someone based off of who they chose to love. No rush, “Right, right. I understand.” She asked him about his love life and he let out hard laugh, “No, no. Free man, here.” The wizard wasn’t about to go into detail of his predicaments. Don’t be shy..., “Ha, ha. I’m serious. Women aren’t in the cards for me right now. Not that I don’t want them to be but...I dunno...I just haven’t come across the right one, yet.” Or the feelings weren’t reciprocated. Or they were in love with someone else. Or they were fucking nuts. He had the worst of luck with women, honestly, it was maddening. The poor guy just could catch a break. As much as Julian was guarded and looked like a ‘bad ass’ the truth was that he was just a nice guy.  Somewhere deep inside of him, there was a longing to find a woman he could love but his problem was that he held onto his past too much when he actually did find a decent chick.

But he always found himself falling for the women that were beautiful, wild, and wrecked. Perhaps thinking he could change them for the better. Julian was always trying to save Amara from herself. Nooo. No. We’re not going there. Can't save someone who didn’t want to be saved. Period...He blinked a few times to get his mind off of where it was currently headed. Sometimes Julian hated the way his thoughts worked, they were too intense, too deep sometimes. It was almost impossible for him to experience, see, or hear something and not think in depth about it. The wizard just had an artist’s mind and he saw symbolism and meaning in everything around him, it was a blessing and a curse at times. But he was good at hiding his thoughts- or masking them rather, “Women make things complicated.” He smirked as he finished with the outline on her back.

"Break time, kid." He pulled off his gloves and threw them into the bin next to him, "You may sit up now." He got up from his chair and stretched his back a bit before reaching in his pocket for his ciarettes, "Do you smoke?"

“Uhmmm, yeah. I don’t talk about it a lot, but I feel like I can be open with you. Me mum, Eileen was my foster mother for the longest time and she formally adopted me when I was sixteen*. I only met me biological mam when I was fourteen. She’s a bloody bitch – we don’t talk…”

Seva wanted to shrug but kept her shoulders completely still, especially after he mock-chided her for laughing so hard earlier. Her mood was immediately brightened by his teasing manner and she laughed again, this time keeping her chest pressed into the table and her shoulders forward. At this point, the pain didn’t feel as intense and she was used to it and it was situational depending on where the needle was going and how long it was there. Suddenly, with his next statement, all laughter was set aside and she froze. In that moment it felt as if her whole body was turning a bright red and the heat of embarrassment rushed over her. Wait, what? Did I say that?.

She listened dutifully, still nodding as she got redder and redder and cursing the times when he fell silent, probably concentrating on his work. She was getting antsy by now and wanted to get up desperately and some part of her wanted to leave entirely. He had struck a nerve with his comment, if only because of Cassia and the way the younger girl made her feel. They were new feelings and completely alien to her, she hadn’t felt affection for anyone in some time, let alone toward a girl, so she was in a tizzy at the moment. Her thoughts were racing and were so scattered that she almost felt dizzy. Her blush was deepening as he spoke and as soon as he said break time, she sprang up into a sitting position.

“Ummm, Julian, I th-think I said laddy...” She said, after wracking her brain for what she said that he could have misconstrued. “…definitely not lady.” Although funny you should mention She thought and so badly wanted to mention, but she kept her mouth shut about that topic for the time being. “Smoke? I guess I do now.”

Seva had never smoked before in her life, ever. She had heard, though, that it was a great stress reliever and at the moment she desperately needed to relax. Her back was up and her “alarm bells”, so to speak, were just ringing so loud that her ears practically buzzed. She slid down from the table, holding on tight to the cloth so that it didn’t slip down; she was suddenly modest for a change. She smiled at him meekly then and stood there awkwardly, not sure whether she could put her clothes on or not, afraid she would goof and mess up the tattoo again. She leaned up against the table,  her elbows resting on the edge, feet crossed in front of her.

“Sorry for the way I reacted, I was just really embarrassed. It’s been a while for me, so long that sometimes I do actually think about going off with anything that moves – within reason of course. You know, people within my age range, no one older or younger. It’s depressing. Sorry you haven’t found anyone, mate, isn’t the opposite sex always a pain, though?”

The tattooed man shook his head. He wasn’t a stranger to mummy issues. He didn’t speak to his mum about much besides when he went over to visit his sister. That was his only concern when it came to his family. He was glad that Seva had someone that cared about her though, life was hard enough to deal with normally and especially when someone felt abandoned, “Awesome. The bit with your foster mom, I mean. Sometimes family isn’t always blood related...so I'm glad she stepped up to the plate for you.” He offered as understanding. Julian was a man of few words depending on the situation but inside he wholeheartedly understood her predicament.

Julian's eyebrows raised and his eyes widened a bit as the witch shot up into a sitting position suddenly. His face remained the same as she talked, just a hint of curiosity played into his features now. "Oh," He laughed when she finished, making a quick 'I'm sorry' face, “Shit, sorry love. I dunno what I was thinking. I could have sworn that’s what you said…” The ex snake shook his head playfully at himself, “Honest mistake, I assure you.” The wizard couldn’t help but to note that she seemed a little put off by this. Hmm…he didn’t want that.

I guess I do now…he grinned mischievously, “Well I don’t want to be a bad influence...” He grabbed his leather jacket hanging from the back of his chair and flipped it around her. “We’re going out for some fresh air…smoking or not smoking…you look like you need it…” He offered a look of mild concern as bent down to zip up the jacket for her. It was too big for her so her figure drowned in it, this made him smile, “Looks good, kid.” He stood up again as he motioned for her to follow him to the back of the store. Julian wouldn’t have done this with a regular client but…Seva was an old classmate that he felt comfortable around and surely it would be alright.

Seva began to speak as Julian held the door open for her. He propped it open with a crate before putting the cigarette to his lips and fetching his lighter. “It’s alright, you’re fine.” Julian brushed her apologies to the side like they were wasted on him. She didn’t do anything wrong here. The wizard lit his cigarette, taking a long drag before peering down at her and letting out a bit of smoke from his nose and mouth as he laughed hard towards her next comment, "Of course, within reason." He nodded, “Definitely…frustrating,” In more ways than one, he might add. He shrugged his shoulders as she apologized for his horrible luck with women. Again, it wasn’t her fault things didn’t work out in his favor. He nodded once, chuckling softly as he agreed with her, "Women are a mystery to me.” His eyes drifted around the area before settling upon Seva again. He pointed to her with his cigarette, “You lot are a huge pain in the ass, indeed. You never know what you want.” He was directing his statement towards women jokingly, as he flicked his ashes to the floor, “But women are a necessary evil…like money. Can’t do much without it, you know?” He winked, sure, he was a bit jaded by his past relationships, but it was obvious that he was just making light of their conversation.

“You? A bad influence? Never”

Seva jerked her head at him, gesturing at his towering tattooed form and crinkling her nose in amusement. She was teasing of course, he seemed like a genuinely good guy, a lot nicer than she remember him being at Hogwarts. People change as time passes, she reminded herself, never counting herself among the people she knew that had in fact matured with age. Seva was reminded more than once in recent weeks that she should, that she needed to change or else she was going to get quite a shock. But Julian? He seemed as if he had really come into his own and in a way Seva as jealous. Her expression seemed crestfallen for a moment but as she looked up at him and watched as he swept his jacket up and then draped it over her shoulders, she couldn’t help but show him a glowing smile. Then, her heart melted as he zipped up the jacket for her, blown away by the tender gesture.

“And look, how chivalrous? How could you ever be a bad influence?” She slipped her arms through the sleeves, which was easy because of how much room she had and laughed at how floppy the sleeves were on her. The material went on for what seemed like a meter after her arms ended. She giggled and pointed at him, trying not to laugh harder at how the sleeve flopped about. “You sir, are a gentleman of the highest order. And doesn’t it?” She said, looking herself up and down and spinning around. “I may steal it from you…with some alterations, of course.”

She followed him outside into the cool late summer air and watched as he lit up, pondering over whether or not she wanted to ask for a drag, or go for the more rebellious move of asking for one of her own. She smiled as he laughed at her, her eyes following the plumes of smoke that erupted out of his nose and his mouth as he forced out laugh after laugh. His laugh was hearty and she appreciated that he found what she’d said so funny, especially considering she was only half kidding. She really was serious, if it weren’t for the fact that felt like such an old friend, she might be flirting with him right now. With that thought in mind, she really watched him for a minute or two and shook her head, her lips curling into a smile. Nah, at least not now.

“If relationships were meant to be easy, there wouldn’t be any game to it, you know? I think the different dynamics makes it so much more interesting – no two people are alike.”

Seva looked around the back alley of the shop for another crate and finding one, took a seat on it and let the jacket billow and crumple around her, settling into it as if it were a swaddling cloth. It was warm and comfortable and smelled like him, cigarette smoke being the strongest scent she could pick up. She found that strangely comforting though and let her eyes fall closed for a minute, taking it in. Smiling, she opened her eyes again and looked up at him, cocking her head to the side. A thought occurred to her and she had to chuckle, it was so farfetched. That and she doubted there’d be an affirmative answer to her question, but she figured she would ask it anyway.

“Hey Julian,” she paused, weighing whether or not she should actually go through with this, being that it was a sore subject for her. “Do you remember Theron Rousseau at all? He was in my year, a Ravenclaw. Tall, brooding, possibly a sociopath?”

And look how chivalrous…a gentleman of the highest order…Julian placed a hand on his stomach and bowed slightly in mock chivalry before straighten up again. The wizard’s eyes followed her frame as she twirled about, “Fits like a glove…” He replied, playfully sarcastic as he watched his jacket practically swallow her up. Seva mentioned alterations and Julian's face became darkly serious, though he was feeling quite the opposite, “You mess with my jacket, love,” He pointed between himself and Seva once, “we’re going to have some serious issues…” He couldn’t help himself when he sent a small wink in her direction.

They walked outside to the cool damp London air. Julian took regular pulls of his cigarette as he engaged in conversation with the witch. Seva had a very light and amusing way about her that Julian found quite refreshing. There was no pressure to please or really go out of his way to impress, the playfulness between the pair was very easy. As Julian looked to her, he tried to think of reasons why they hadn’t been closer during their Hogwarts years. Perhaps the difference in years…or maybe it the way he was during his first years that kept them apart. Either way, he was glad to have run into his school acquaintance; it wasn’t very often that he found someone that was so relaxed to be around. Julian was in a good lighthearted mood and he agreed, “Yes of course, no challenge, no inspiration.” He nodded, understanding this idea completely as he leaned his back on the building as Seva settled herself on a crate.

The jacket puffed up around her and the gesture alone made him want to laugh again but he instead turned his attention to her face as she called his name, “Yeah?” he replied, as she continued, “What’s that…Rousseau?” He went through his own personal files of names in his head and nothing really came to mind, “Hmm…it sounds familiar but I’m not sure.”  He offered Seva a look of surprised interest and another short laugh as she called him a sociopath, his reply was playful, “But a sociopath. How charming.” Julian put the cigarette up to his lips as he spoke, “Why do you ask?” he asked curiously as he took a long drag into his lungs.

Seva chuckled as he bowed like a true gentleman and surprised herself by letting out a little snort. Her eyes widened and she only laughed harder and until, of course, his expression darkened and she looked up at him quizzically. Once he winked, though, she giggled and slapped her knee emphatically. She enjoyed their repartee, she decided, they'd fallen into an easy exchange and Seva felt comfortable with him. She'd come to learn that people generally found her quite odd and it was welcoming to find someone who she could be silly with. She wiggled in her seeat after she'd sat down and she watched him as he leaned easily against the wall as if he were holding it up.

She mused over his remark on relationships, but wasn't sure how to answer. She didn't need to, really, he'd pretty much covered everything with those few wise words. Relationships were tricky and fickle things to be sure. Seva knew that better than anyone. Then again, she'd only had the one or two in her whole twenty years on this earth. That wasn't really enough to go on at all, was it? she offered a noncommittal shrug and a wry grin to his question and at first she couldn't find an answer. She'd made quite the statement after all, calling someone so strong a word as sociopath. Perhaps she shouldn't have used it so lightly, given its negative connotations. It wasn't as if the boy had committed any kind of heinous crime, as painful as it was for Seva to have experienced a broken heart. Seva raised an eyebrow at Julian's choice of the word charming and the same wry grin of earlier graced her lips again.

"Well..."

Seva paused for a moment or two, really considering why she had even asked. Theron had been her first and really only love interest, at least the only one she'd ever been close to serious about. He was an older Ravenclaw boy and she had met him one night out by the lake all those years ago. To this day, she could still remember the feeling of completeness that nestling so perfectly against someone else's form had brought to her. Moments like that had come sparingly in their brief relationship, however. More often than not, Theron was either lost in his own world while they were together or the pair fought constantly. He'd always known just what to say to hurt her. One day he just snapped and when off on her, coming frighteningly close to hitting her. After that they stopped seeing each other and he became masterful at avoiding her in the halls. Even so, perhaps sociopath was still too strong a word.

"Oh, I don't know... I only asked, really because he was in your year." She shrugged, her slight shoulders rising and falling quickly making the heavy leather whisper. "What word do you use for someone who hits girls?"

Seva shook her head as she finished an shrugged again, letting a sigh escape her lips. She was so adept at ruining good conversations that it was almost laughable. Hopefully Julian wouldn't mind too much and she was sure it was salvageable. Maybe she was just worrying too much having made herself feel out of sorts by reminiscing over something she'd tried so hard to forget. Oh well. She smield to herself and reached out a hand to twine a strand of hair around her finger. Seva watched him take a long drag and considered asking him again if he'd mind sharing. At the moment, she could kind of use something to take her mind off things, even if it was her fault she was in such a state. Suddenly, she looked up at him and really though about how funny that fate was. It was such a random thought, but it was entirely true. They were turning out to have quite the good rapport, despite not having really known each other in school and it was no accident that they had run into each other. She was sure of it.

"You know, Julian, I'm really glad I ran into you. Sometimes really batshit ideas turn into really good decisions." She chuckled, "I can't believe I just said that but it's so bloody true."