from eden

There was something about Scotland.

It wasn't home for Harlan, not by any stretch of the imagination, but sometimes it felt like it was. At one point in time, a time that he rarely looked back on now, he thought that it could have been.

Upon arrival, portkey tossed aside, Harlan breathed in the smell of the land, the rugged landscape of Skye expanding around him— he really was in the middle of fucking nowhere. Steely eyes scanned the front of the familiar distillery in front of him and he couldn't help but grin. He'd been coming here since his time with Mapgies, an accidental discovery that had afforded him his now tried and true favorite whisky. He was certain that he'd singlehandedly kept them afloat all of those seven years.

It was Summer, but in Scotland, the atmosphere was dreary, ominous clouds overhead threatening to drop at any moment. Wiping the drop of mud from the black of his jeans, Harlan glancing at the deep green of his linen button-down, assessing any damage from his arrival— thankfully, none— before taking the steps up the path to the entrance.

Pulling the heavy wooden door open, he was greeted by a modest crowd, most strangers aside from a few people from the Prophet that he trusted to drum up some press. Grant and Glenn, of course, he knew, the owners of the spot. After all this time, and the various drunken nights here, he'd like to think that they were friends. And because of that, he wanted to do what he could to help build the business, even if just as an 'unofficial' sponsor. The Griffins, unsurprisingly, had turned down his proposal for something more concrete.

The duo was busy in conversation, though, and Harlan ran a hand through his now grown out hair between seasons, sidestepping a group of people toward the tables, bottles on display. How he could be so uncomfortable in a social setting after all this time in the public was beyond him. "Thanks, mate," He took the proferred half-shot of the new blend and had more than sip. Waywardly, he turned back to the crowd, accidentally against someone in the process.

"Shit— sorry," He turned to make sure he hadn't spilled their drink.

@Jade Carroll

For the Carroll family today was an important day. Jade did not appreciate the impact of today's event quite as much as her father and her older brother but she understood that she had to make an appearance. These obligations were not always what she was looking forward to but she was used to attend gatherings such as this one at the distillery by now. Truth be told, for a pureblood family with strong traditions, at least on her father's side of the family, she still had a lot of freedom.

Knowing that photographers and reporters would be present, Jade had spent some time in the bathroom and in front of her wardrobe. First of all, she had to wash off the distinct smell of her horse and her sheep she had tended to earlier, then she had styled her hair so that it didn't look messy and wind swept anymore. While she had not tied it up like her mother would probably wear her hair, she had still put some effort into the curls that were now looking quite neat and regular. The make up was more than just the usual eye liner and mascara – Jade had used powder, eyeshadow and a pale red lip stick. The choice of her outfit had been a difficult one – but in the end she had chosen a green dress the colour of which might please her father even if its length and cleavage would probably earn her some angry looks. Since her favourite hiking boots were no option she had picked simple black high heels that she usually wore on occasions like that.

She had apparated the short way to the distillery simply because she was not too eager to walk more than necessary in her shoes. She arrived early, way before the official start of the event but she was surprised to see some reporters already lingering in front of the distillery. Her family was also almost complete – only her younger brother hadn't turned up yet – and everything looked perfectly inviting.

Usually she liked to stay in the background at such events, not making clear that she belonged to the Carroll family, because it was easier to chat up people and get an honest feedback that way but she was not entirely sure if her father appreciated this very much. Apparently he had even intended to get pictures taken of the entire family – her outfit made him rethink this plan though. Jade couldn't hide an amused smile when she heard him complain. Her father was so old fashioned sometimes. To almost everybody else, so she assumed at least, her dress was absolutely normal.

The pressure her father seemed to feel was a bit more pronounced than she had expected. He was doing last minute changes in the room that seemed to make no real difference to anyone but him and he was irritable whenever someone asked him a question. Jade organised herself a drink and observed as the guests came in, some in pairs, some in little groups, some entirely alone. The new blend had a smokier taste than the one that they had brought onto the market in the year before. It was intense and delicious.

Watching her father and her brother in conversation for a bit, Jade didn't pay much attention to any guests until one of them turned around and brushed against her in the course of that. A little bit of her whisky ran over her hand and she almost lost her balance on the thin heels.

“No worries,” Jade was quick to say before even looking at who had bumped into her. “Nothing much happened.” She put her glass away and dried her hand, in what she hoped was an inconspicuous way, with a corner of the table cloth of a bar table. Then she turned to look at him properly. Upon noticing who he was she smiled. “It's great you could make it! My father mentioned you might come. He'll be delighted. Always nice to have a celebrity at such an event. I'm Jade by the way.”

Instinctively, Harlan took a step, freehand outstretched in an attempt to catch anything he may have knocked from her grasp. It seemed the damage had been minimal, though, a little spill was all that he could ascertain. Even while admittedly flustered, the wizard's movements were fluid and calculated— years in the pitch and genetics, he figured. "Sorry," He repeated as the brunette wiped the back of her hand on the tablecloth. Was she trying to be discrete? Smiling to himself, Harlan averted his eyes before she turned back. He would play along.

"Here... for your trouble," He traded the woman's now almost empty glass with one at the ready from the member of staff just on the other side of the setup. He must have seen what had happened too. Harlan nodded a thank you before turning again to the person who he'd quite literally just bumped into.

Her father? For a brief moment, he raised an eyebrow, but then realized— she was a Carroll. Her father and brother spoke of the family often, and Harlan thought he recalled meeting her a few times all those years ago, but he couldn't be sure. Somehow, even when he was coming to just pick up a few things, Grant and Glenn had a way of convincing him to stay and sample just a bit too much of their selection. And he never said no.

"Ah, Jade... I've heard quite a bit," He mused, not unkindly. Surely she knew that her father and brother thought the world of her, it was clear to him at least that they were protective. In fact, he wondered what they might think when they noticed she and him in conversation, alone. His gaze shifted for a moment— they were still deep in their own conversation with a small group of people.

Harlan shook his head, opening his mouth to correct his celebrity status, but instead let her finish. "Happy to support," He said, earnestly with a half-shrug. "Think I've singlehandedly strong-armed half the bars in London to carry the range at this point..." He grinned now. "If only for my own benefit, really," He joked. He was just as happy having his own bar at home stocked with their product. Fewer people to deal with.

"Harlan, by the way," While it was clear she already knew of him, they hadn't been properly introduced so he extended his hand in greeting. "Place looks great..." He commented, trying to avoid the inevitable freefall into small talk that was the only reason he had dreaded making his way out here tonight. The schmoozing wasn't for him. "Don't think I've ever seen Grant so dressed up," He let out a laugh. For once, Harlan was the one underdressed.

“For my trouble,” Jade echoed, smiling at the man. “You seem to be more of a gentleman than a troublemaker.” Taking the new glass he had organised, the young witch glanced in the direction of her father who had hopefully not watched her. He would totally blame her for any disruption that this tiny little incident might cause.

It seemed to take Harlan a moment until he knew who she was and Jade didn't mind that at all. They weren't acquainted and as a professional Quidditch player the wizard probably met too many people to remember them all. It was not like she deemed herself a very important person either. She was just Jade, even if her family might have a bit of name in among witches and wizards in Scotland due to the distillery.

“You've heard quite a bit about me?” Jade enquired curiously. “Only good things, I hope.” She let out a soft laugh. “That's what all people say in such cases, right?! Actually the bad things might be far more entertaining to know, don't you agree?”

Jade picked up on the brief motion that indicated that Harlan might have wanted to interrupt her when she mentioned him being famous. However, he apparently rethought this and instead mentioned that he was happy to support them. “I'm glad you are,” Jade said approvingly. “My father and brother always speak highly of you. They say your support means a lot to them.” She paused looking at him and wondering what these words meant to him. Did he feel flattered? Did he believe they owed him because of his support?

The young witch smiled and tried not to comment that she knew who he was. It was common courtesy that he officially introduced himself and yet it was strange. How did he feel about it, she wondered. How was it to meet new people who already knew quite a bit about you? She made a mental note to ask him if she got a chance. She didn't want to be impolite and burst out with such a question right now. If her father knew it, he'd feel embarrassed for sure.

“Yeah,” Jade was quick to agree, “it does look great. I can't remember when they last put in such an effort. It's totally worth it, especially considering all the photographers around. This will be great advertisement.” She looked at her father when Harlan mentioned his attire and nodded. “Indeed,” she chuckled softly, “I guess he went to a tailor to get this custom made specially for this event. He seemed a little disappointed that not the whole family chose a traditional outfit though. Apparently that's not good for photos.” She only hinted at the fact that her father had disliked her outfit but, as Glenn was dressed up formally and her mother was wearing classic elegant robes as well, it was obvious who the mentioned disappointment was. Her younger brother Barclay hadn't shown up yet and Jade secretly hoped that he would not wear a perfect outfit either. However, Barclay liked his dress robes far too much to miss this opportunity to wear them.

She lifted her glass, wanting to take a sip but hesitated. “Cheers,” she said, “I hope you like the new blend.”

While he wasn't sure how accurate a first impression truly was, Harlan liked to think that he was both a gentleman and a troublemaker. His face gave as much away as it pulled into a smug grin. In truth, the troublemaking days were well behind him, but there was that damn streak of mischief that he couldn't quit, even in his thirties.

Trouble, it seemed, had a way of finding him.

Harlan probably should have led with that— that her father and brother only ever spoke highly of her, but this was more fun. "Actually..." He teased, eyes widening, dropping to the floor. He couldn't help himself. "Ahh, nothing but nice things," The wizard finally confirmed. He had a feeling neither Grant nor Glenn would approve of any of the immediate thoughts that popped into his head at Jade's next comment, though. "I agree," He managed with a quick exhale of breath, shaking his head through a smile.

He should have been used to it by now— the attention, the praise, whatever the fuck it was— but he still wanted nothing more than to slink away. What a dream to just be another person here, nameless, supporting friends for the sake of it. But he knew he could leverage his 'position' (Merlin, he hated himself for thinking it) to help them. So he would.

As the conversation turned to the room, grey eyes scanned again. The place was always nice, it was warm, welcoming, comfortable. It was the kind of place that you could really leave yourself in. That was the draw. Even now, all ponced up, the foundation was there and Harlan was happy to see it. "A tailor?" He let out a bark of a laugh at the idea, but then his heart swelled with a bit of sentimentality. This meant a lot to her father, to their whole family he imagined.

When Jade mentioned her attire, Harlan allowed himself to give her a once over. Fuck– her father and brother would definitely not approve of that. "Somebody's got to be the black sheep, I suppose?" He quirked an eyebrow with a shrug. From what he knew of the family, he doubted the fact that she wasn't wearing traditional robes meant that they would disown her, but then again... if his family were any indication.

"I think it looks nice," He hadn't meant to say that aloud, but thankfully they turned into a cheers. Maybe Jade hadn't caught it? He was going to have to be a lot more careful here. "Erm," The wizard cleared his throat to move beyond the faux-pas, into a new topic of conversation that didn't involve him checking her out. "It's great," He confirmed, honestly.

"You help with this one?" He asked, unsure what role she played in the business if any. If he recalled, she was more active in other areas of their various family business'. That had always impressed Harlan, the different avenues they were all in— The Bellamy's, on the contrary, were Ministry through and through.
 

A laugh escaped her when Harlan teased her about what her father and brother had told him about her. She was bit disappointed that he didn't really mention any 'bad' things her family had said but she assumed that she hadn't actually been much of a topic to discuss anyway.

“I'm glad you do,” Jade responded with a slight hint of a grin, “I think if there are only positive things to say about a person it probably means that they are mostly aiming to please others than to live their own life. Then again, some people probably only share the good things and keep all the dark secrets well hidden.” She shrugged, wondering what Grant and Glenn would say about her if they were not mincing their words. However, knowing her family, especially the Carroll side of it, she could be certain that they'd keep any negative aspects about her well concealed. It was important to them to appear as though they were a perfect family where nobody ever stepped out of line.

“Yeah,” she nodded, “honestly, I'm pretty sure he that's something custom made.” Jade couldn't be entirely certain but the way her father's robes fit so perfectly and clearly reflected his taste made her feel almost one hundred percent sure that she was right. She'd make sure to ask her mother about this later.

Jade heard his comment on her outfit even though she had just lifted her glass and spoken herself. She decided not to comment on it but an amused little smile spread across her face nonetheless. Naturally the young witch felt a little flattered – who wouldn't like to hear a compliment from a famous Quidditch player who had probably seen more beautiful women in his life than most other men.

“I think my father believes that this is the best blend yet.” Jade offered with a shrug. Truth be told, she thought that it was a tasty whisky for sure, but she did not see it as so much superior to previous blends.

Harlan's next question caught her by surprise. Her expression probably revealed it although she tried not to let it show that she had not expected to be asked if she helped with the new blend. “Well,” Jade began, “I did not help with the actual whisky. That's my father's and brother's business and they don't need any help there. I did, however, design the label. I have been doing that for the last few years.” She smiled but didn't feel like meeting Harlan's gaze just now. She wasn't sure if he had ever paid attention to the labels on the whisky bottles. They were always showing sceneries of Skye and each blend had its own colour scheme. The current one showed the Old Man of Storr and was painted in a combination of warm shades of brown and deep green.

Finally she glanced at Harlan and lifted the glass to her lips, taking a sip of her drink. Her younger brother had arrived now too and she assumed that her father would soon give a little speech about the whisky and how important it was for a family to work together. She clearly hoped that she could stay in the background for that. Jade never liked being being summoned to stand next to her brothers just for the sake of demonstrating a strong family bond. It clearly should suffice that she had come here at all.

"Actual?" Harlan was less surprised by her capability (outright fucking talent) than he was the fact that hadn't pegged her as the creative type— the flighty artist kind— but he reminded himself that he didn't know anything about her. Not really, anyway. He'd probably spent too much time around her father and brother. They couldn't have been more the opposite which was no doubt a contributing factor in his bias.

The wizard glanced back at the row of bottles, collecting one his hand, tossing it to the other palm to study the design more closely. "I like it," He said, finally, after a moment of thought, his tone more serious than just before. He met her gaze and smiled, briefly. "Not that I know anything about branding..." The thought dawned on him that he was probably the last person that they would want to enlist for that kind of assistance. His name came generally with a negative connotation, even after Griffin's latest accomplishments. A bittersweet ending for him.

"Like to sit?" He asked, hushed at the start of her father's speech. There was an empty booth, small and wooden, to their left, and he led the way. Grant's words were kind, lofty, and prolonged for him, and Harlan could tell that he was really trying. The idea of it made his heart swell a bit. And he wasn't even family.

Applause encapsulated the room, various cheers in the midst, and Harlan turned to the Carroll before him. "Never heard the man talk so much..." It hadn't been a lot, but then again, they both knew him. Harlan sank back into his side of the booth and took a deep drink. "Sorry— shit," He straightened up. "Am I keeping you?" The thought struck him. If he could use his family as a gauge, he was keeping Jade from her duties.

“Well, yes,” Jade said, nodding. “I mean, the illustrations are tiny so they're easy to overlook,” she admitted, suddenly feeling a little awkward. Why had she even mentioned it? She could have simply said that she had not contributed to the creation of this whisky and it wouldn't have been a lie.

She smiled when he took one of the bottles to have a proper look at the label and then stated that he liked it. He might just be polite but it was still nice that he actually took the time to examine her work and felt like commenting. “Well, the font was chosen by my grandfather decades ago,” Jade confessed. “So it's basically just the colouring and background image that is different with every blend.” She shrugged. “My father wanted to have it a little more individualistic than just the writing. Now I usually use light shades of water colour and draw the outlines of the landscape in black ink.” She paused, feeling somewhat hesitant to speak so much of what she had done when the spotlight should be on her father's and brother's excellent work with the blend.

“We had the idea because I used to paint and draw similar things from places I saw during my journeys.” She did not feel like saying that she was publishing these in the travel guides she wrote, thinking that it would be a little too much information for now.

Jade nodded, “yes, I'd like to sit,” she said in a whisper, following his lead. Her father's speech felt awkward, especially in the company of a man who knew her father and brother better than he knew her. Upon sitting down, Jade realised that her dress was maybe a bit tight and short to sit down just like that and, therefore, she just sat on the edge of the bank. It was not too comfortable but far better than balancing much longer on the thin high heels.

“Believe me, I have,” Jade said, laughing, when Harlan said he had never heard Grant talk so much. She knew that her father wasn't the chatty type with others usually. However, he was not taciturn when it came to criticising her decisions.

“Oh, don't worry,” the young witch was quick to respond. “You're not keeping me from anything. It's my father's and Glenn's show, not mine. I'm certain they'll find me if they need me.” She paused and looked at him thoughtfully. “Did they ever ask you if you'd do an advertising campaign for them?” The question was maybe a bit too straight forward but Jade had heard her family talk about Harlan a lot and she couldn't help but wonder if it had ever been discussed. She assumed it had not because neither Grant nor Glenn wanted to risk losing Harlan as a friend and regular customer but she could well imagine the three men posing for a photo together tonight to give the journalists something to work with.

Harlan glanced back to Jade briefly mid-applause, celebrating her father and brother as they exited the makeshift stage in the distillery. The simmer of the crowd settled into pleasant, buzzing conversation. Somewhere he thought he heard the sound of strings of a band starting up. There was a palpability in the air.

"Right, then," He almost smiled in return, unsure if he preferred the idea of keeping her from something more than anything else. Her next question, thankfully, distracted him from those thoughts. "Ha— " Harlan let out a dry laugh from deep in his chest as he leaned back against the booth, draping a hand over the back, running long fingers over the old wood. They'd discussed it, once upon a time, but Harlan's image then wouldn't have been great for business, not that the Griffins would have allowed it.

"I much prefer the allure of a being a quiet partner..." Harlan took a sip from the rocks glass and faced Jade, looking at her straight on for what felt like the first time in the night. Fuck. He could see why her father and brother had been so protective.

Wrapping a hand around his drink he shifted again. "They wouldn't want me as a spokesman," He declared his thoughts from moments before with a light, uncharacteristic smile. Being here made him feel like he could relax a little bit— maybe it was the offseason, or some other weight lifted— but his shoulders were relaxed, arms to his hands as he rested them in his lap.

Jade was glad not to be too involved in this event. It was not like she wanted this kind of spotlight. She loved her family and clearly liked the family's distillery as well as the toy shop. However, she was not eager to be a part of an official event that was somehow stiff although it was all about alcohol, about whisky.

Thinking about it, she took another sip of her drink, wondering if anyone would really get drunk here tonight and if that would be fun or rather embarrassing. Jade herself usually knew her limit quite well but sometimes she still drank a glass more than was sensible.

She eyed her companion suspiciously and thought that his reaction revealed a little bitterness. She barely knew Harlan at all – only from what her family had told her about him, what she had read about him in the paper and she got a little impression of how he ticked now during this so far brief encounter – but she felt that he wanted to be a friend rather than the famous person who was used to attract more people. She could not blame him. The young woman would clearly feel the same if she was in his position. People probably thought that they knew him when they only knew his public face rather than the real person behind it.

“I understand,” she simply stated and offered a small smile. It was strange to feel his gaze resting upon her – not in a bad way, really. However, it was as though he was checking her out. Did he like what he saw? Did it matter to her what he thought? Jade shifted in her position as much as was possible with the short dress. She took another sip to finish her drink and put the glass down. She felt how her cheeks warmed up and just hoped that she was not visibly blushing. Truth be told Jade wasn't sure if it was because of him looking at her or because of the whisky she had consumed. It was likely a mix of both.

“I wouldn't be so sure,” Jade responded with a soft chuckle. “They really like you, you know, and you are famous, after all. You can't deny that.” Jade waved at one of the temporary employees who were just here to serve at this event. Moments later they both had a fresh glass with whisky in front of them.

It felt like the air had shifted slightly— had she read his mind or something? Harlan cleared his throat, mirroring her action of shifting on his own side of the booth, keeping his eyes well about neck level in the opposite direction. That was the last thing that he needed, his personal penchant for being an idiot spilling over into this somewhat professional space.

Waving on hand noncommittally, Harlan took another gracious mouthful of whisky with the other. He winced. It was more of having to address his 'fame' than the drink that made him uncomfortable. Besides, The Carrolls' product was notoriously smooth, crisp, full. There was no way he'd turn his nose up at that "I'd like to help," He clarified, palm laid flat on the table as he leaned back in thought, tapping his fingers slowly over the wood.

"Not that you guys really need it these days," He nodded to the growing crowd, fighting the feeling of pride that he was sure he wasn't warranted to have. He'd been coming here since the place was much smaller, a bit more unknown than what it currently was.

"So," Harlan began, already, the creeping sensation of small talk loomed. "Do you, design for other brands?" He pulled an arm back over the booth and continued the quiet motion of his fingers to the sound of the music that had come into full swing, overwhelming the conversation around them. It provided what felt like a bit more privacy then had been there before and his shoulders relaxed.

A hint of an amused little smile spread across Jade's features. “I am not asking you to become the face of a campaign, don't get me wrong. I could just see my family to approve of that idea and while I do create the labels for the bottles, I'm not involved in their marketing otherwise.” She took a sip of her drink, observing Harlan as she did so. He was not only famous, he was also an attractive man and clearly struggled to be reduced to being a Quidditch player.

Jade appreciated that Harlan seemed genuinely happy for her family's success and nodded. “Yeah, it does look like tonight's event is a full success,” she admitted with a smile. “I'm sure they appreciate not only your mere presence as a public figure but also the fact that you are here for moral support as a friend.”

The distillery was a traditional business that was pretty old already but before her father had taken it over from his father it had been more or less a local business. Grant and Glenn were a lot more ambitious than previous generations and clearly hoped to expand more. It was nice to see what they had made out of the distillery. Today it looked particularly charming.

When the attention shifted back to her, Jade looked down, feeling somewhat awkward. She was not here to steal her family's spotlight. Well, according to what her father told her, she could not do that as she was not as ambitious as the males in her family. “I… No, I don't. I write travel guides though and illustrate them. It's no big thing though… and, probably my father told you about the shop my mother runs in Hogsmeade – I design items for that too.” She shrugged, feeling rather awkward talking about herself to someone who had so much more impact on others than she had.

Harlan watched Jade, a small grin pulling at his mouth as she spoke. It was interesting to hear her perspective, she seemed so formal when compared to her brother and father. Then again, usually, when Harlan was with them they were on the piss. As was he. They could probably do with her sense of business on that side of things, he imagined.

But who was he to say, really? Harlan was quick to remind himself that he had no real stake in the matter in the matter, at least not as their family had, and there were certainly nuances that he was not aware of. "That's very kind," The wizard sounded more sarcastic than intended, though he genuinely was trying to take the compliment. He was uncomfortable with the continued talk of how happy they were to have him there, at any capacity. What he would give to just be another faceless member of the crowd.

Then again— his gaze canvassed her, briefly.

Flashing to the ceiling in thought the question was evident in the blues of his eyes. Had they mentioned another shop? "No—" Harlan answered with a subtle shake of his head. "Though... usually when I'm here, I've been coaxed into one too many..." He tilted his head for a moment, assuming that she might know how that went, grin shifting to a smirk. "Sounds nice," He commented when Jade mentioned her day to day profession, and he meant it earnestly.

"Here with your, family, then?" Harlan cast a glance around the room young kids, or some doting husband, though the fact that his smirk had yet to subside said enough about how much he thought she might be a young mom. Then again, he couldn't ever really be sure.

Picking up on the sarcasm in his voice, Jade looked away. It seemed to her that Harlan did not like to be reminded of his celebrity status. However, she seriously wondered if her father was not secretly hoping to benefit from his friend's popularity. Although her words might be perceived differently, Jade was not really into marketing. She liked things simple. Advertisement and public events were not really her forte but she had an idea of how it worked.

Jade smiled as Harlan explained how meetings with her family usually went. She could well imagine how Grant and Glenn kept the bar open longer than the usual hours just to drink with their mate. She couldn't blame them. The Isle of Skye was a beautiful place but apart from tourists there were only a selected number of visitors at the distillery and some of those were rather not the company her family would want to chat to excessively.

It was a surprise though that neither her father nor her brother had mentioned the second line of work of the Carroll family or maybe it wasn't. The distillery was their baby, their whole pride. It had tradition, now existing for over a century. Her mother's shop was only around the age of her brother Glenn, a shop for magical toys and thus hardly as interesting for a group of men. Jade didn't feel affronted although she quite liked some of her creations at the shop. It was strange though that she still felt a little weird because of the fact that her father and brother had not mentioned the shop. Was there some sort of pride kicking in? A wish for recognition? Jade decided that she was being silly. Nothing of that had ever really mattered to her.

“My family?” Jade asked, being brought back from her musings to the present situation by the question Harlan asked. For a moment she wondered if the man was too trunk already and forgot that Grant and Glenn were her family. Then, however, it dawned on her – he thought she might be married and have children.

“Oh you mean… no, I'm not married, no kids either.” She looked at him again now, wondering why he had asked. “How come you're here on your own? Or aren't you and I'm keeping you from your date?”

"Sorry— " Harlan apologized but the sentiment didn't quite meet the smile he was incapable of wiping from his mouth. It had been a presumptuous question, to ask about her family, a leading one even, and was no doubt fueled by the whisky. Their blend seemed to always have that effect on him.

Planting his palms on the table before him, the wizard shook his head slightly when he caught the look in Jade's eye— as if she was asking why did he want to know. "I was just curious," He admitted more to himself than to her. Thankfully, though, she prompted the same question. "You aren't," He answered simply with a shrug of his broad shoulders. He could have made some witty remark but he wasn't really in the mood.

"Really, just wanted to stop by," Harlan began with his face pulled into thought. He hadn't even intended on staying as long as he had. "Pay my—" Respect? He let out an uncharacteristic laugh at the thought while he searched for the right word. "This stuff is trouble," He tapped the top of his glass with his pointer and middle fingers and met her gaze briefly.

"Just wanted to show my support," As if that meant anything. "Should probably get going soon, anyway..." Harlan cast his eyes over his shoulder to the door. That was a good idea, leave before he could get himself into any trouble.