Concrete Jungle - Part 2 (Kevin and the Clement Girl)

While most people would have felt compelled to fill the quiet night with conversation, clearly Tuesday had no such reservations. For the first quarter of their journey, the man was left to his own devices, his feet making quick work of the asphalt as his gaze searched the skies. Forget a yellow moon, Kevin couldn't even find a moon amidst all the distracting city glares. Of course, this was in part because he was taking care to use a route that was both well lit and didn't pass by any parks where Tuesday might run into the homeless population of the city sleeping rough on a cold night like tonight. She had probably seen enough of the city to last her the week.

Still, as a dark alley loomed into view, he knew he would have little choice but to guide her through it. For a moment, he considered a bit of subtle magic, a random street lamp lighting up as they approached. but decided not to risk it. He could detect any threat without the presence of light and the display of wizardry for her benefit would cause more trouble than it was worth.

Perhaps Tuesday senses something dangerous coming, perhaps she was simply tired of being quiet. Whatever the case, her soft voice drew at his attention again as they entered the alley, only their profiles visible in the shrinking light.

"Do you like New York?"

"I did when I first came here," he admitted thoughtfully, glad of the sound of her voice and their combined footsteps on the uneven, breaking street. Hopefully their conversation would also send any rats and other vermin scurrying back into the gutters. "But that was a long time ago. Now it's just a means to an end."

His honesty surprised even him as they walked. He hand't meant to tell the kid that, and yet here he was. Perhaps the darkness helped, when he was unable to see her reaction to his words, it was easier to say what he wanted to.

"I don't like New York."

"No way!" he threw back with a soft chuckle. If Tuesday thought sh as some kind of mystery, he had some bad news for ehr. her dislike of the city, of its people and even of himself showed quite plainly sometimes. Which begged the question, why was she here. And perhaps it was the dark but he figured he might as well ask now.

"So... do they not have music schools where you're from..? Or did someone misrepresent the States to you?"

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Concrete Jungle - Part 2 (Kevin and the Clement Girl) - Page 2 Rsz_rs12

The answer Kevin gave as they moved in to a darker street was not one that really helped Elenore to understand her companion. It was much too vague to give a clear view of why he was here, but he had admitted that he didn't like it as much as he used to. And yet... he was still here. The notion was somewhat confusing, but Elenore supposed they had that in common.

Not that she wanted to have anything in common with Kevin, he wasn't... proper.

She could have asked, of course, but prying was not in Elenore's nature, so she simply accepted the answer to her question quietly, tucking away the information she'd been given for another time.

It was the way Kevin laughed when she admitted to not liking the city that brought the door she had marginally opened to the red head back to being firmly closed once more. Being laughed at was never pleasant, but being laughed at when you were trying to be honest with both yourself and your companion did not make it easy. So, the defences came out, without question, barricading the young witch back inside the safety of the prickly exterior she had become so accustomed to having around her.

"So... do they not have music schools where you're from..? Or did someone misrepresent the States to you?"

The question was one many would have expected, but Elenore simply found it to be impertinent of the man beside her to question her choices after he'd just laughed at her. Even more so because he knew nothing about her, and didn't wish to remember her name. No, the witch refused to answer that question at all.

"I don't wish to speak about it," Elenore replied, cutting off the conversation in that moment and falling back in to the silence that was much, much more safe than discussing life at the Palace with a stranger.

Besides, it couldn't be long now before she would be home, and then, then Elenore doubted Kevin would give her two thoughts, so why should she answer his questions. The French witch decided to stick to her choice of not allowing anyone in, it had always worked before, it wouldn't fail her now.

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"I don't wish to speak about it,"

The way Tuesday closed up at his question would have put any deep sea clam to shame. It was almost comical really that the more she tried to hide her emotions, the more blatant they became. He couldn't blame her though, she was still young. Probably more inexperienced than she cared to admit even to herself. If the female thought not talking about her problems made them a mystery, well, she had a lot to learn. And for her sake, he truly hoped she would never have to learn how to actually conceal matters of the heart.

"I've learned that people who use that excuse often have nothing justifiable to say," he remarked easily, not judging her but letting her know her bullshit would probably never fly with him. She had every right to be closed off, and she could. Just as she had a right to all her stupid decisions, even if they needed up costing him. "Stop!"

The man did the same, sensing the large mammal ahead. If Tuesday had listened to him and stopped too, she would only be a foot or so behind him but if she hadn't, the witch would bump into him in the dark, her feet forced to stop as he stood unmoving in front of her.

Kevin had heard it almost immediately, but if his companion strained her ears, she would hear the scratch scratch too, one loud enough to move a partially uncovered manhole plate. Rats in the underground could grow to the size of human newborns, and the magical ones could easily mate with cats, producing an even larger and a more venomous species.

Reaching for his wand quietly, the redhead waited. Maybe the thing would sense larger bodies coming its way and retreat. Half a minute passed, a whole one then. The creature, way too comfortable in the dark, sniffed the air cautiously, sensing warm bodies.

The beady red eyes jumped from a meter ahead at the same time Kevin's wand flew from his pocket in a slashing motion. The rodent slit in two before it landed, spraying its blood and guts all over the path. It wouldn't be long now until the other rats sensed fresh meat and came hurrying to devour their fallen brethren.

"Tuesday, I need you to run, okay, as fast as you can. This place will be a rat buffet in two seconds." Without waiting for her response, without seeking permission, he grabbed her and and bolted, making sure she was close behind. They somehow cleared the alley just in time for a small streak of grey and black to rush into the darkness and the scritch scratching became more pronounced.

More sinister.

The bleak yellow of the streetlight and the neon blue spilling from a bar window were a welcome relief as they made it to the other side. Hopefully they had made it out before either of them would require a rabies shot.

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No response came to the statement Kevin gave of how her 'excuse' meant she had no reasons. She had plenty of them, but none of them would be shared with the boy she didn't know. It wasn't as if he would care, anyway, as he'd already pointed out, she was only his third favourite day of the week when he'd decided upon the stupid nickname he'd given her. The one he wouldn't give up no matter how many times she corrected him.

It was instead the abrupt change in Kevin's voice, the command to stop, and her inability to be clumsy that stopped Elenore from walking right in to the back of him, even if her eyes had not been upon the man that was currently escorting her home. His body had moved in front of her, almost protectively...

Elenore's senses were slow to pick up on what was going on, but as Kevin's arm moved with the slashing movement that was all too familiar from Defence Against the Dark Arts class, the witch froze behind the man. He... was a wizard? How had she not realised sooner? And why in Merlin's name if he was a wizard had he not told her so in the first place? Everyone in the wizarding world knew the Clements.

That matter wasn't important in that moment, though.

Or, at least, Kevin insisted upon it not being important in that moment as he decided to once again place his hands upon her person, all but dragging her along in the most unladylike of paces ever explained. Thankful for the shorter length dress, and not-too-high heels that made keeping up with the man just possible, the two emerged from the alleyway only coming to a stop when they were basked in the light of the street lamp at the end.

"What... was that?" Elenore asked, untangling herself from Kevin's grasp for the second time that evening. He was much too familiar, but Elenore's eyes moved down to the man's hand where his wand still remained out, even if he was about ready to tuck it away. Confirming the point. Looking back down the alleyway, Elenore wondered for a moment before she turned back to the man once more.

"Why didn't you tell me? That you're just like me?" She added, clearly not happy with the secrets the man was keeping right now. "And, don't grab hold of me like that, ever again. It's not appropriate."

With that, Elenore moved off, in the general direction she believed to be the way home, trying to get her head around everything that was happening because Merlin she'd had enough of today's escapades!

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"What... was that?"

Despite their sprint and the inevitable shock Tuesday must be in, Kevin noted the girl wasn't out of breath. Nor had she stumbled or fallen in any way. It was good to know the French brunette could at least subconsciously keep herself straight even if she was a mess otherwise.

"Mutated rat," he replied, tucking his wand back up his sleeve so swiftly, most might not have even noticed it was there. "They can grow pretty large in the undergrounds. this one ventured upwards tonight to welcome us to his city." Because when all was said and done, New York really did belong to the rodents of the world. Humans were just temporary guests here naive enough to think they owned the place.

"Why didn't you tell me? That you're just like me?"

"Because I'm not..?" the man replied, the shadow of a frown touching his face before he realized what Tuesday meant. Her indication had been towards his wand, something that made him look to the girl with amusement. "Just because we can both use a wand doesn't make us the same. Not by a long shot." It was true. He may not know much about Tuesday but he certainly knew they were not the same.

"Besides, this is America, we don't get worshiped for having magic, I'd advise you keep your paraphernalia hidden too. Both governments are cracking down on any exposure of the magical world to the Muggle thanks to your home country and its hippy policies of unity."

"And, don't grab hold of me like that, ever again. It's not appropriate."

"My apologies Your Ladyship," the redhead replied, his amused smirk still in place as he mock bowed to her. "Next time I shall do the appropriate thing and leave you to be eaten by the rats. Would that be better?"

The fact that she made no reply and instead chose to stalk off almost had him laughing out loud. The wizard really considered letting her get on a bit before informing her she was going in the completely wrong direction. But in the end, his conscience got the better of him. Rats were the least of her worries in New York even if Tuesday was too stupid to know that. Trying his best to school his expression into not quite as amused as he actually was, Kevin strode after her, catching the brunette easily on his long legs and quicker strides.

"If you keep going that way, you'll have to swim back home, just an FYI," he generously informed her. "And most rats here can swim too."

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There was only a stolen glance back towards the alleyway in which the 'mutated' rat had been. Elenore did not wish to think upon that any further, and she wouldn't, either. Whatever a mutated rat might look like, she was glad she had not seen it fully, and she did not need to see it fully, either.

Of course, Kevin would rebuke her question of not telling her he was of magical descent as well, and instead push towards a subject that broached itself much too close to home. Had the witch been in a better mood she might have commented against her parent's ideals, to correct him with who's hippy ideas he was referring to, but Elenore did not wish to go down that road. She was not talking to him, she was not in the slightest bit happy with his treatment of her, and thus he could converse on the policies of France and the rest of the world with himself that evening.

But the information on what was generally accepted in America was tucked away carefully.

She'd barely taken ten steps before Kevin's voice cut through the night once more, informing her that she was heading in the wrong direction. The Clement witch stopped in that moment, but she didn't turn back, instead counting slowly back from ten in her head. The ginger haired male was irritating her now, but he was a necessity to get home, it was clear she would not find her own way. Pushing a smile upon her features, Elenore turned back.

"Of course it is, I was just testing you," Elenore replied, walking back to her companion and waiting for him to lead the way, once more falling in to silence as she waited for this evening's ordeal to be over with. To be safely home.

And away from Kevin and the rest of New York.

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"Of course you were," the man replied, his twinkling eyes fooling no one. the pride came before the fall, as they said. And Tuesday still had a lot of pride left in her, which could only mean her fall would be far greater than others. Kevin sincerely considered leading her the wrong way. But adding an extra hour to her walk meant adding an extra hour to his own as well. An d despite his physique, the man had no wish to put his body through the additional test.

Besides, the sooner he got her home, the sooner he could try and find that yellow moon he was starting to realize he would not see tonight.

Most of the journey from then on was in silence, Kevin striking up conversation and meting a charming stone wall in response. Well at least she was learning to assert her wishes over being polite. But then again, rudeness and this city went hand in hand. If she stayed here a few months, she would be greeting people in the traditional NYC protocol of both middle fingers extended towards random passerbys.

They only stopped twice, both times while passing homeless men on their way. The stops could hardly be called that in fact when all they consisted of was Kevin slowing down just enough to crouch down towards a man sleeping under his coat and leaving a bill by his side. One homeless man acknowledged the gesture with a grunt while the other made no comment at all, letting the pair go on their way.

Finally, the tall tower of Tuesday's building lurked into view, the metal and glass building painting an impressive picture on the canvas that was the New York skyline. Kevin was both completely surprised and somehow not surprised at all that this was where the French witch was staying. The man let out a low whistle at the glittering structure. she probably rented one of the pent houses. Tuesday seemed that type.

"Well, here we are. Your wisdom and guidance has seen us safely through the mean streets and to your destination. You have my thanks." the sarcasm may have been a bit on the nose but he deserved it after his impromptu roles of rat killer turned tour guide turned walking buddy. "Will you be able to make it to the gate or would you like me to escort you all the way in Lady Tuesday?"

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Kevin had tried, of course he had, more than once for conversation to be struck up again, but Elenore had not offered a reply to each attempt, insisting upon the man the silence that she had set out for. It took a few attempts, but finally, finally Kevin took the hint and simply guided her without further comment back to her home.

The Clement witch's gaze had kept on Kevin each time he stooped to give a homeless person a token amount of currency as they walked. Somewhat curious as to the nature of the gesture from Kevin, but also curious to the reason why the person being gifted the money was out here in the cold. Of course, there were homeless people in France, but far fewer than here, if the two they'd found on the way home was a good measure of how many there were. The Clements had gifted to many a homeless charity, ensuring that those who were homeless didn't stay so for too long, but this... the people here looked dirty... almost repulsively so.

But the Clement witch didn't speak a word.

Only watched, until Kevin was done and their pace resumed.

How long it took them to reach her apartment building, Elenore could not say, but she was grateful to see the monstrosity of the building that she now called home. As they slowed at the bottom, Elenore gaining a clear view of the doorman she knew was now keeping an eye on her, and getting a good look at Kevin at the same time, Kevin spoke up once more.

"That won't be necessary, thank you." Elenore replied to the question, almost ready to step away from the man before she stopped herself and brought her eyes up to meet his once more. "Thank you, for walking me home. For keeping me safe. I shan't burden you any longer." The witch finalised, before leaving the red-headed male where he stood and entering her own building without a backwards glance to him.

She was thankful for what Kevin had done, but that did not mean she liked him.

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» Concrete Jungle Where Dreams are Made Of (Elenore & The Harrington Boy)
» ... There's No Need to Be Afraid (Kevin)
» Kevin Anderson
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» The Prized Fool (Kevin)