I Knew You Were Trouble

LOCATION | the pedestrian street
DATE | 28th of February 2022
TIME | Afternoon
ATTIRE | Link
TOPIC FOR | @Bentley x
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Many months had gone by now, since the village had burned down, since so many friends had died, since her aunt and uncle had died whom she had thought were her parents since Hope had told her something different. It didn't change the hurt she felt over having lost them, even if she could mend the broken heart with the fact she had finally found her sisters, she had found her biological mother, and well there was Reginald who pretty much had just accepted everyone came as a package deal. And she loved spending time with them, rediscovering her family. Even if Ayah had had her apartment back in Aston, she had chosen to move closer to her mother. Get an apartment here in Grounds of Lily where she could come on visit sooner. Now that Sariel lived at Jamie's place. Now she knew there was another ghost from her past living not far away, and she had no intention on going knocking on Leigh's door.

It didn't take her long as she walked down the street to pick up on a strong aura in the area, a warlock no doubt. She could feel the powerful magic further down the street, and it forced her to look up from the cup of coffee she had just gotten from the little shop around the corner. Her eyes couldn't help but search for the beholder of the power, till she felt like her eyes found him. Ayah gave him a small polite smile from afar.

Now, it wasn’t like Bentley was like any of his younger brothers, desperately seeking their mother’s attention and confirmations. Bentley simply just acted when he saw it relevant, and for once, it hadn’t been the best idea for his mother to check up on Grounds of Lily – so he had gone, not that he was ‘in town’ or what one would call it. He kept an eye out for any odd werewolves or simply just anyone who acted oddly. As of right now he walked down the pedestrian street, scouting. Now, he had already sent a couple of homeless clingy homeless people into the middle of the ocean for a quick swim, and whenever someone looked a little too oddly at him, he made sure that they turned blind with a wink with his eye.
Something that did catch his eye was someone down the street who looked at him and smiled. Almost as if she wanted to talk to him. He was used to having attention, but just to underline that she couldn’t just point someone out from that far of a distance he looked over both of his shoulders, with no one who seemed to be reacting at her smile. He pointed towards himself, acting like he was confused. Shortly after he rubbed his hands against each other and spoke into them. The words he spoke into his hands would appear to her as if he was right behind her. “Do you always smile at strangers?”

She narrowed her eyes a little bit as he pointed towards himself, well it wasn't often that strangers pointed at themselves to know if they were the one getting a smile. Most people just took a smile or left it, not giving one back, but nothing the less she nodded a little bit, because Ayah had smiled at him, was still smiling at him. It seemed like he moved his hands closer to his face, which made her tilt her head a little towards the left, narrowing her eyes just by an inch. Then she heard the voice from behind her, spooked her for a second as she looked back realizing he had to be performing a spell be able to transfer the sound closer to her. Ayah chuckled a little bit before looking at him again, then she clicked her tongue a little bit, before walking closer towards him. "You not used to strangers smiling back at ya, or just flashing your party tricks to strike a conversation or two?" Ayah wondered with a little chuckle taking a sip of her coffee. "But yeah, I would rather smile at strangers. You know its proven to be able to perhaps help lifting someone's mood," Ayah then added as a statement to defend her choice of action, with a soft nod.

It satisfied him a little to see her get spooked from such a small spell, but of course, some might not be able to keep up with his energy and thinking. At least that was what he told himself. He noticed how she seemed to chuckle before she started to walk closer to him. Dang. He had already lost the game with his one. What would she be offering?
“Uhm,” he said as if he was thinking about his reply, even though he knew it already. With a clap of his hands a parchment paper and an ink pen appeared when he split his hands again. Levitating for him to pick up. He took the pen and put a couple of check marks in some boxes before he turned his eyes towards her and pointed towards the boxes. “Clearly all of the above,” he said before he clapped his hands together and the paper and pen disappeared between his hands. “As in, I am clearly showing off and no, I’m not used to strangers daring to smile at me,” She informed him that she would rather smile at strangers. He found it so odd. Not as odd as the other odds. But odd. “Well, pumpkin… If it’s not going to be bettering my day, I see no purpose of using the extra muscles for a stranger,” he said, as if smiling would decrease his power.

He used magic with so little easy that she had to stand correct on her thought about him having been around for some time. Ayah looked at the paper, and then it vanished to his clap, she would have commented on the fact that he was indeed a show off when he pointed it out himself. At least he had some self-insight. Not used to strangers daring to smile at me, that statement had her raise her brow a little bit. Now, she didn't know his name, and by now she had met some powerful people, she knew a handful. It didn't make her careless or naive, she knew how cruel people could be. But choosing not to take it into your heart was something she did much in, forgiving not forgetting. Because forgiveness was for the sake of not letting the thing ruin her heart or darken her soul. "Oh," she licked her lips a little bit and raised both her brows a little bit further. "Well, how do you know it wouldn't make your day better if you don't give it a try?" She asked with a small shrug. "Besides, haven't you heard? You use more muscles on looking like a repressed teenager," she blinked a little innocently whilst knowing not everyone took sarcasme lightly.

Bentley kept his eyes at her as she mentioned how he knew it wouldn’t make his day better if he didn’t give it a try. Well, the reply was quite simple to that one. He had lived a good portion of his life being happy in his mother and fathers’ company, but when things turned, he was very clear with smiles weren’t needed. After all, he had arranged himself a necklace that he wore everywhere, every day. It was putting a lid on his emotions. “Repressed -” he said a little sternly, stopping himself. “Do you think I look like a repressed teenager?” he asked in an almost hush voice, as if they were telling secrets. Maybe, just maybe Bentley really didn’t want to look like repressed teenager, because that only reminded him of JJ, and God, he really didn’t want to be compared to him. That was almost the worst thing one could say.

It seemed so he took her little comment more to heart than she had meant for him to, but well, it wasn't really something she was going to comment on. He then asked her in a lower voice, which made Ayah narrow her eyes just a little bit. No, it wasn't because he thought he looked like a repressed teenager, maybe a repressed young-adult like most of the society. "Didn't take you as the person who would take such comments to heart mr. likes to show off?" she chuckled a little bit tilting her head to the side, well it did surprise her a little, but she also weren't going to dig further into it. "But no you don't, if it helps on the ego just by an inch," Ayah added and clicked her tongue a little, still keeping her eye on him. Well, standing here talking she felt like she might as well present herself,  "I'm Ayah by the way."

When the fairy replied, he couldn’t help but smile. He laughed a little, “Ha ha… You’re a funny one,” he said and straightened his back a little. She declined that he looked like a repressed teenager which made him nod a little, “It does,” he assured her. She presented herself. He took her hand, even though she hadn’t presented it to him. “Bentley,” he presented himself, turning her hand, so the back of it was up, kissing it shortly before he slowly let go. “Do you live here in Grounds of Lily?” he wondered furrowing his brows a little.

Her smile pulled a little bit wider when he actually smiled, now she would have commented on it, but why ruin the moment? Besides a small little smile looked good on him. "So, I've been told," she added with a little chuckle. Ayah was just about to lift her hand out to him when he took it, as she had presented herself. He presented himself, lifting her hand towards his lips and placed a soft kiss on top of it before letting it go. "I do, just moved here - more or less," well she was a wonderland fairy. Perhaps it was why she felt his energy so familiar, something that reminded her of that, even if she couldn't remember much of Wonderland, she remembered the magical energies. But no, there was only one witch born in Wonderland. Which could only mean one thing, he had to be a Sinclair, even that made sense now, connecting the dots. "But I used to live closer to Moonlight Falls, marvelous country," she added. Which was true. She had loved being there, whenever she didn't want to stay around the fairy village. Long before she had started exploring the world.

She did live in Grounds of Lily. She had just moved here. How interesting. Who the hell would have moved there with the fuzz? Did her and her … roommates have a death wish?  Interesting really. His brows raised interested as he mentioned Moonlight Falls. “I couldn’t agree less,” he said almost with a confident smile. Now, it wasn’t just because his mother was a queen and all, but he really, truly loved Moonlight Falls. It had much better nature than this place. He licked his lips a little. “Now, it’s not because that I care, since we just met and all… But isn’t it a little-” he licked his lips almost as if he was tasting the words. “Like a suicide mission to be here with all of those angry wolves?” he wondered keeping his eyes on her, looking for any sign of confusion or regret.

Ayah pressed her brows a little bit together and tilted her head slightly to the side as he mentioned if it wasn't more like a suicide mission to move here. Oh, the werewolf problem. Ayah almost mimicked the way he had licked his lips seconds ago when he had asked. No, she wasn't confused about the matter, everyone knew there were many werewolves in Grounds of Lily, in Athena really. The reason why Ayah knew much was for one, her younger sister was together with one of the Radclyffee's, Leon - so she knew a little bit about what happened all around. Second of all, Mariella was not the only one who were friends with a werewolf. "Who knows, maybe I'm a girl running with wolves, or just used to live close to a little bit of all the dangers," she made a small shrug. Living close to Moonlight Falls in the woods area, werewolves and witches were far from the biggest threat, yet they could become it rather easily as well. "You could have picked any of the cities and the risks would almost have been the same, wouldn't you agree?"

Bentley raised a brow as she mentioned that she might be running with wolves. Interesting. “Sounds like an adrenaline junkie to me,” he said with a little huff. Now it wasn’t really because that he judged, or well, he always did, but being a fairy and with angry werewolves just seemed like a bad cocktail, but knew? He narrowed his eyes a little as she mentioned the risk would’ve been the same, “Honestly… Southside has always been quiet, you know,” he said furrowing his brows a little. “But as of right now, I believe that the risks are greater here than anywhere else,” he replied honestly, though he believed there were more hunters in Aston, more gang members in southside and usually Grounds of Lily and Oakheart was quite easy. Moonlight Falls was another category.

She was about to comment that it was just an expression but she also didn't, because she barely knew the guy. And it wasn't like she stepped into the forest with a megaphone and a shirt with a target symbol on the front. Aya had the deepest respect for werewolves but she also knew how to get around without getting into too much trouble - or at least it felt like it. Then mentioning Southside, making her press her brows a bit together, she didn't really go there. Never had a reason to do so.  "Right," she added. Oh course she knew of the other dangers as well, like hunters, vampires, just people really. "Is that why you are here? Being an adrenalin junkie seeking out risks or?" Turning his former words back at him while raising her left brow just by an inch.

Bentley couldn’t help but chuckle as she asked if that was why he was here. He had to look away while he laughed for a moment before he looked back at her. “I don’t think those puppies are going to give me any adrenaline,” he almost flattered himself with those words. “I’m actually here to see how bad things looks,” he said nodding a little while looking around. “And by the looks of it, I would have to go somewhere else to find something interesting,” He had wanted to see what these ridiculous werewolves were thinking, because clearly, they just believed they could come and do whatever they wanted. Almost like Vikings. Stupid, stupid werewolves.

Ayah chuckled a little bit, "interesting choice of words, weren't you just the one saying it was of high risk living here?" She pointed out, perhaps it should and was for her. Here to see how bad it looked. "Try the west part of the woods," she knew that was where the giant strange pack was gathering up. "But interesting things to find, depends on what you go for - its hard to define interesting these days after all, isn't it?" the fairy asked with a small chuckle. Ayah didn't know what part he played in the whole, werewolf saga, if he even played a part. She knew he was a powerful warlock, he didn't even have to say it for her to know. The wonderland aura always hit different, even if the person wasn't born in Wonderland, it wasn't hard to recognize the magic sorce, especially for a person whose magic came from the same source.

Bentley looked at her, blinking slowly as she reminded him of what he had just said. “Sweetheart, there’s a difference about ancient warlock and a… much younger fairy,” he said and looked up at her. At least, he believed there was a giant difference. He nodded approvingly as she mentioned that he should try the west part of the woods. He might just do that. He pulled a smug smile as she mentioned how it was hard to define interesting things these days. “Oh, well I agree,” he said, and took her in for a moment, “But, I got a friend who has a nose for that,” she said, licking his lips shortly before he bit a little in his lower lip. “Though, sometimes I find a lot of treasure by myself,” he said keeping his eyes on her. Now, he didn’t directly say it, but he was starting to think that she was interesting enough.

She chuckled a little bit, "there should be otherwise I would have suggested you went to use your magic to better your vision," knowing it wasn't what he had meant by his words, nothing the less it was her come back to it and he could take it however. A friends with a nose for that, once again a thing that could have various of meaning. There was the whole werewolves and their senses and then of course people with interest in seeking out stuff like that. Or both. Her eyes stayed locked with his, finding herself holding her breath for just a second longer, "you do huh?" She replied back with a lower voice, raising her left brow just by an inch. Well for sure he did seem like the kind of guy who would carefully pick the most delicate flower in the garden but not for the sake of standing and admiring it.

Bentley pulled on an unamused smile as she mentioned that he would need glasses to better his vision. Well, he had just pointed out exactly why he didn’t need glasses, but why he believed she needed them. “Well, then you know why it’s not a risk for me to walk around here,” he explained. A flock of werewolves would be no match for him.
He furrowed his brows, almost kindly, as she asked if he was sure that he sometimes did find treasures himself. “Indeed,” he didn’t break eye contact with her, “But I’m not really the one to get my hands dirty, but sometimes, the value will make me forget that,” The treasures therefore had to have a lot of value to make Bentley want to work for it and not just ask Artemis to get it – or someone else. He didn’t want to get her hands dirty either. He wasn’t the person to waste his time.

She licked her lips a little bit and nodded a bit. Now she wasn't much of a treasure hunter, at least not anymore. But who in their right mind back in the day hadn't been a little eager to seek out some things that they shouldn't? After all if she hadn't left the forest back then and travelled, she would never had met Mateo. And even if a huge part of that story was covered with years of slavery, she was still so thankful for the fact that she had gotten to know him back then. And she still wondered what he was doing or if he was still alive. She hoped, and she hoped that one day she would see him again. "I guess some things is far more worth it if you get hands on, even if it requires a little dirt," she wasn't one to admit that she had done a little bit of theft time to time, mostly sometimes with her powers it was almost uncanny how natural it felt like. So collecting treasures was sure in her past, but it didn't mean she didn't understood the thrill of collecting them.

His smile widened a little as she mentioned that some things were more worth if you got your hands on it – even if it required some dirt. Well, that seemed very, very interesting, and he couldn’t help but think what kind of ‘dirt’ she was hiding, whether if it was firm boundaries, crazy family, or something completely different. “Without doubt,” he agreed. “Despite, most dirt is able to get rid of again,” he licked his lips a little. “I have very recently found a precious treasure,” he was of course talking about her, “But I don’t know where this treasure would be preferred to be taken to, while I make sure the treasure has all the right conditions,” see, now things got very interesting with his ‘riddle’. Was he inviting her out to eat, or was he asking her to find any hotel possible for something way more intimate? If Bentley had to be honest, it was definitely not the latest.

It was like the penny suddenly dropped, not that it was tellable but she noticed he was talking about her, which made her click her tongue a little bit. Because how was she going to handle this situation? It was never really to know, and she never really relied on your own sanity when it came to this, because it had a bad habit of fleeing and go into some sort of survival mode, where she just went with the flow of what was going on. "It depends, what are the options?" Ayah asked and tilted her head a little bit to the side, why did she always flirt with danger? Like a curse upon her to take risks that would get her heart to speed up just a little bit. Because who didn't need a little taste of danger? Just a little sip, to feel in your core that you were still alive. Ayah tilted her head to the other side, keeping her eyes on him still.

Now the riddle had been fun for the first round, but as he kept saying treasure she took a slightly deeper and somewhat unimpressed breath in. But also just gave him a somewhat moment to rethink his words. "Well, I'm far from tired and the day is wrong - you seem like the guy with all the answers to every question, so why don't you tell me where you reckon I would like to go?" She replied back adding to the mystery. Ayah knew she was stepping into danger, and she saw all the warning signs, as she past them on the way. However so, Ayah also knew just a little bit how to trade despite of it, so even if she was playing games with the devil disguised as an angel.

He could see how she seemed more and more unamused for each time he mentioned a treasure. Her words also made it quite visible. He put his hand out towards her for her to take. “Alright princess,” he said instead. “I’ll tell you soon enough,” he said with a smile and would pull her all the way close and wrap his arms around her, mostly for her own safety. Within a moment they stood right outside a city in Arabia. With a snap of his fingers their clothing changed to something more compatible for the culture, and of course, he made them look like a million dollars, so people wouldn’t dare to touch them. “’I’ll show you a whole new world’, that’s the line, isn’t it?” he wondered, hoping she was better with Disney than him. He had never really understood much about Disney, but had watched Aladin with James daughter once when she was way too young.

He held his hand out for her to take, and she used seconds debating in her own head to take it our not. How far would she go? Before she answered that question to herself, she had taken his hand - and then before she could even think about that he pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her, completely taking her breath away as he caught her by a surprise. But he also mentioned he wasn't going to tell her where they were going yet. Then they teleported, and she could feel the change of temperature. Letting her eyes wonder over herself as he had snapped his finger and their clothing had changed, looking around her, lost for words really. Then saying the phrase from Aladdin, she hadn't seen that much Disney - but she knew the sounds, "That's the one," she chuckled a little bit, turning her eyes back to him. She almost couldn't really believe that they were here, that was insane, not that she didn't believe in magic because she did. Sometimes she just forgot just how people could use it. "This is - very creative, bonus points for that," she chuckled a little bit with a brighter smile on her lips, as she once again looked around before letting her eyes fall on him again.