Outfit
4:00 PM

Devlin considered himself a man of the world, and along with that assumption, he also considered himself a music connoisseur. Many genres of both muggle and wizarding music was in his repertory, and he could name a great number of songs from the first couple notes as well as wax on needlessly for hours about the virtues of each genre. Classical, or so he claimed, was not a genre he enjoyed ever since his mother forced him to take piano lessons as a child. While this was not entirely true, he would deny any affection for classical piano to his grave.

But then, one might ask, why was he about to enter Reducto Records with the intention of taking a classical piano class if he both hated classical music and already knew how to play piano? The answer was in a feminine form, Fauna Blake. She thought he had been joking when he offered in her yearbook to let her teach him how to play. Not because she knew he already played, since no one in Hogwarts was aware of this fact, but that he would be the type to take such an endeavor. He wasn't, but he knew that doing something she loved would make his slow moving seduction of her take a leap forward. Also, he didn't have to worry about Waker interrupting them this time. He had asked for Private lessons for that exact reason.

Entering the store, a bell jingling a light melody to announce his arrival, Devlin gave the clerk behind the counter a smile in greeting before heading back to the room the lessons would take place in. When he arrived at the door, he could hear strains of Joy to the World being hammered out haphazardly by what he assumed was a little kid. Probably one forced into the situation no less, if the anger evident in each pounded chord was any clue. He waited by the door, glancing now and then at his watch, until the racket (because there was no way in hell that was music) abruptly stopped and the door opened to reveal a rather relieved looking preteen. As the kid bolted past to freedom, Devlin straightened his clothes and put on the most charming and attractive smile his stubble covered cheeks could manage.

"Ah kids... Can't live with them... Can't legally toss them into a werewolf cage wrapped in bacon..." He said with a playful smirk, leaning against the door into the small practice room lazily "... How's it going Teach? Ready for our lesson?"

Sundress


When the kid jumped up to leave, grabbing the music sheets and stuffing them roughly into his bag, Fauna kept a polite smile on her face until he was out the door. She needn’t have worried, because he didn’t even glance at her, so intent he was on escape.

“Um, nice work!” She called after him as the door slammed. Fauna then slouched, put her chin in her hands and let out a long-suffering sigh.

“Merlin’s unwaxed eyebrows,” she muttered, rubbing at the weariness in her eyes. It had been a long afternoon and her last lesson was right around the corner. Suddenly the door swung open again and her head popped up. The figure in the doorway made Fauna’s eyes widen, now awake and alert. It was Devlin Matthews. In Reducto Records. Waiting for his first piano lesson. Fauna gulped and stared at him blankly, realizing he hadn't been joking after all.

Devlin said something about kids trapped in a werewolf cage and she nodded, agreeing without really listening.

"... How's it going Teach? Ready for our lesson?"

“Uhhh…” No. She was most definitely not ready for the lesson. Fauna shook her head in wonderment and stood up to gesture him inside. If she’d felt more comfortable around him, she would have grabbed his hat and plopped it on her own head, but instead she only thought about it. That, and she noticed how nice he looked in his striped hoodie.

“You’re here,” she stated the obvious with a silly smile on her face. “Anyway, um, hi. How’s your summer… well, few days of freedom, going?”

Fauna sat back down on the bench and crossed her legs, reaching up to brush her hair out of her face. She wore a yellow, lightweight summer dress, perfect for the stuffy practice room she spent most of her weekends in.

She glanced at the messy stack of music sheets on top of the piano, in a box in the corner, and… stuck on the bench. Fauna pulled out the music sheets she’d accidentally sat on and gave Devlin a sheepish smile. Where to start? Fauna didn’t even know what kind of music he liked, or that he liked music at all!

“What made you interested… in playing the piano? Have you, um, played it before, or other instruments?” she wondered out loud, studying his face. For a second she thought maybe he was here because of her, but that was silly. Devlin was with Jordyn, and Fauna knew very well that she should not be entertaining thoughts of Devlin liking her as more than a friend or any such thing. He was just a flirt by nature. Also, she needed to keep things neutral and friends-only between them.

It wasn’t easy, especially the last time she’d seen him during the wizarding paintball game. Fauna had been alone with him in the tree, acting extremely awkward, while he had grinned and complimented and flung paintballs at the opposing team with her. She wanted to get to know him at least, to possibly become friends, because Merlin knew she needed a few more people to confide in. Devlin was certainly interesting and surprising. She felt like there was more to him than the well-liked boy who made jokes, always skipped class and hung out with the Snarks. However, the small, rational part in the corner of her mind worried that it wasn’t possible for them to be ‘just friends’ and nothing else. As she looked at Devlin’s smile and felt her heart beat a little faster, she knew she was walking a dangerous line.

Her problem was, she didn't care!

At first she didn't seem to hear him, nodding absentmindedly at his comment about children. But when it dawned on her who was standing there, she gave him such a look that Devlin couldn't help but simultaneously smile and chuckle at the mix of surprise and excitement on her face. Good, that meant that his appearance was happily anticipated. Grinning, he waited until she gathered her bearings and managed to speak.

“You’re here, Anyway, um, hi. How’s your summer… well, few days of freedom, going?”

"It's... going... Just been hanging out with the guys really... Same old, same old..." Devlin shrugged in a noncommittal way. It was a baldfaced lie though. He hadn't gotten to see either Alex or Gavin since Gavin moved in with Nicola. Too busy with the unpacking he presumed. And Dagan had moved away, leaving Devlin feeling rather naked and alone. He would have told her about his new job at the Black Chimeara, but not only did the thought of the blood tests results that Cin 'bestowed' on him make him a bit uncomfortable, he was also worried about what she might think of him if she knew where he was employed. That, and what if she wanted to visit? A sweet innocent little muggleborn in that yellow sundress in the Chimeara? She wouldn't make it out without some sort of trauma.

Speaking of the sundress, Devlin chose to focus on that instead of the more negative thoughts running through his head. That sundress... wow. He was used to dating girls who were always dressed to the nines in high class, high end fashion. The kind that would reduce them to tears if a smudge of dust got on the hem. But the dress adorning Fauna was a sight to behold in its low maintenance understated sexuality. It was one of those simple cotton numbers, probably homemade, that was both modest and loose. But the way the soft fabric dipped just low enough at her chest and brushed the tops of her knees made Devlins imagination run wild. The soft yellow made her skin glow, her messy dark locks appear more exotic and her already brilliant eyes pop even moreso then before. Devlin found himself picturing all sorts of scenarios involving her, that dress and him slowly removing it, and didn't realize she was talking to him again until she sat down next to him.

“What made you interested… in playing the piano? Have you, um, played it before, or other instruments?”

He realized he had to tread lightly here. He would have loved to impress her by playing some of the more complex numbers that he had learned, but knew that if he did, his cover would be blown. On the other hand, if he acted like he had no knowledge whatsoever, they would spend the whole time actually practicing. So he went for the middle ground "Ah.. well... I did as a kid a little... My mother was a piano teacher when she was alive... But I never got very far, I think Joy to the World was my last lesson..." He gave her an apologetic look "It's been a loong time. I am not even sure I can hold my fingers right anymore..."

Fauna smiled a little half-smile when Devlin told her he’d been spending time with the guys. She could imagine him doing just that, lounging around in the summer, drinking butterbeers, going swimming, or just girl watching. It was funny, because Fauna had a part-time job at Reducto during the weekends and an internship with one of the most respected women at the Ministry. It felt like summer was whizzing by as fast as a snitch. For him though, she imagined summer moved at a more appropriate crawl. Fun, but lazy.

For some reason, Devlin’s eyes kept straying and a smirk played on his mouth as he looked at her. She turned her head away for a moment, hiding a smile, and self-consciously adjusted the left strap of her dress. Her hand reached up to twist a piece of hair around her finger, but then she let it drop, glancing at his face again as he explained that he’d played the piano a little as a kid.

The expression on her face grew solemn when he mentioned his mother. Fauna was surprised she’d been a piano teacher. She never would have guessed it, but then again, Devlin didn’t talk very much about his family. She wondered what Devlin’s mum had been like, what she’d looked like, and how she’d handled Devlin’s mischievous streak. Fauna leaned forward a bit and looked into his eyes, smiling very slightly when he gave her an apologetic look.

"It's been a loong time. I am not even sure I can hold my fingers right anymore..."

“Don’t worry,” Fauna straightened, smile more confident now. “It’s just like… hmmm.” She could have said it was just like riding a bike, but she’d never actually learned.

“Magic,” Fauna finally decided. Even if she got a little rusty, once she learned a spell she never really lost it.

She moved over on the bench so that he had room to sit, and then started to rummage through the mess of parchment on top of the piano, flipping through a few sheets without really seeing them at first. It was hard to concentrate with him around. He smelled good. She didn’t know if it was just laundry detergent or something else, but that mixed in with the summer air made her cheeks flush and her fingers more clumsy than usual.

“Well…” she began, glancing at him. “I think… I’ve heard Joy to the World enough for one lifetime.” Fauna shook her head and grinned, thinking about her last student. She kept flipping through the sheets until something caught her eye: Schumann’s Kinderszenen Träumerei in F-Major.  That would be perfect. She spread out the sheets on the piano stand and turned back to Devlin.

“We can try this one? I think you’ll like it,” Fauna tried to reassure him and herself. She pointed out a few things for him, like what major it was in, which notes were flat and sharp, and then she found the keys of the first chord on the piano. Fauna played the chord so they could hear what it sounded like and glanced at Devlin again.

“Ok, so…” she took a deep breath. This shouldn’t be so awkward, because she had to do the same thing with all her other students. Still, when Fauna gingerly took his hands and placed them on the piano keys, positioning his fingers on the right notes, she felt like time had stopped. She couldn’t help but smile a little as her fingers hovered over his and the chord sounded. The touch was brief, it shouldn’t have meant anything, she reasoned, worrying suddenly about her clammy palms.

She cleared her throat. “So that’s… that’s the first chord. Does this… all feel familiar to you? And then uh, the next chord…” Fauna squinted at the sheet music and told him the notes. Next, she hesitated, waiting to see if he needed help or if he’d just start playing.

Fauna kind of hoped he would need some help and she bit her lip, stifling a laugh.

Devlin stifled a chuckle as he watched her nervously shuffle for a song. If the blush on her cheeks were any indication, he was already making her weak at the knees. It was perfect. Why hadn't he thought of this earlier? No teachers to walk in on them... no Waker to ruin things with her glaring and razor wit... nothing but the two of them in a closed room and Fauna in a deliciously removable dress. He couldn't have planned it any better.

Fauna then sealed the deal by unexpectedly leaning towards him. It was not a lingering touch, but when she placed her hands on his to show him the chord, Devlin felt a shiver of pleasure run up his arm. For a moment, her chest pressed against his shoulder and her sweet smelling hair brushed his cheek, surrounding him with the warmth of her body and the sweetness of her perfume. Or maybe it was her soap or detergent? Either way, he didn't care... she smelled wonderful and he had just gotten prepared to bury his nose her in her hair when she pulled away. His eyes snapped open and he quickly focused on the music before she saw the look on his face.

“Ok, so… So that’s… that’s the first chord. Does this… all feel familiar to you? And then uh, the next chord…”

She was waiting for him to continue, but Devlin hesitated. He wasn't sure what the best path was. Did he amaze her with his ability to play the song beautifully and render her to putty in his able hands? Or was it better to play like he was an idiot and have her 'teach' him? Remembering the brief touch that she bestowed upon him when showing him the chord, and how the feel of her soft bosom against his shoulder and the sweet smell of her perfume made his head swim, Devlin readily chose the latter.

"I.. I think I have it..." He said with an uncharacteristic lack of confidence in his voice as he raised his hands in preparation to play. As he lifted them, he moved them one key to the left and when they came down, a bit too hard, the subsequent chord was anything but pretty. He winced at the noise and gave her a crooked smile "Wow that was.. not right. Uh... I think I need you to show me again..."

Fauna watched Devlin’s hands on the keys and glanced up at his face, surprised to see some hesitancy. He always seemed so confident, even when he walked into class late, that she didn’t expect him to act uncertain or nervous about anything. She noticed his finger slip down to the wrong key but she bit her lip and decided not to mention it, waiting to see if he’d correct it himself. However, when he played the chord and heard the odd clang of notes, he immediately turned to her and asked for help.

She paused, staring at him for a moment. Could he be pretending? He hadn’t even looked at the keys! A smile tugged on her lips, but then Fauna shook her head and decided she was imagining things. No matter how cute his smile was, she couldn’t forget he was here for a lesson, not to be mooned over. Right?

To prove it, she cleared her throat and nodded at the keyboard. “Look at where your hands are. And now look at the sheet music. Do... you see anything that might not match up? I’ll give you a hint: it’s only one note,” Fauna smiled encouragingly at him, though it might have looked sappier than she’d intended.

She waited for him to answer, trying to concentrate on the music instead of how close together they were sitting on the bench.

“You know what always helps me?” Fauna told him, glancing into his eyes. “Whenever I’m learning a new piece, I always… well, think about how each chord feels. It sounds… silly, but if you play a measure really slowly and think about the shape your hands make and how your fingers feel on the keys, it gets easier to play. It’ll just… start to come naturally to you,” she shrugged, looking at his hands to avoid his gaze and being distracted.

“The thing is… you have to learn the song section by section. Go over a few measures until you know them really well, and then… move on to the next. You know? Just remember to go slow and… and relax!” She laughed a little, finding it ironic that she of all people was telling Devlin Matthews to relax. Fauna put her hands over his and lifted them off the keyboard, shaking them out like spirit fingers.

As soon as she realized their hands were touching, she paused with her fingers in mid-air and a mixed expression of delight and incredulity on her face. This could be awkward!

Normally when someone used that mothering, condescending but not quite, voice with him, Devlin got mad. He didn't like looking or being made to look like a fool. Especially, such was the case, when he actually knew he could do better. However, this was not the case with Fauna. Despite the fact that she seemed to be treating him like her younger students, Devlin couldn't look into those blue eyes without being reminded of his mother and how much Fauna looked and acted like her.  Her words were not patronizing, but gentle and motherly. When she leaned over to adjust his hands, he felt her warmth and wanted to snuggle into it.

However, the lingering touch of her soft hands on his turned his thoughts from her motherly aura to something completely different, yet still very tantalizing. Suddenly he could feel more then her warmth against him. He could feel her soft curves pressing into his side... the tickle of her dark hair against his cheek... the tingle of static that played between their hands. She must have felt the same, for she paused, the expression on her face mirroring his own.

It was then that Devlin knew he had to make his move, while she was stunned and unguarded. Instinctively, since he was still under the spell of her baby blues, the fingers on his far hand locked around hers, gently but firmly. This kept her in place as he wrapped his other arm around her waist, his hand resting on the bench so as not to be too confining. Leaning forward, he nudged her cheek with the tip of his nose, his breath brushing her skin lightly as he took in a soft whiff of her hair and murmured against her ear "You smell wonderful..."

Releasing her fingers, Devlin's hand was now free to run up her opposing arm, gently sliding the strap of her dress back into place before resting lightly at the base of her neck, his thumb running soft circles on the pale but warm flesh. Using his nose, he nudged her hair away from her cheek and pressed a nearly unsubstantial kiss against it, so lightly that it was barely there. "And you look..." He paused, running his fingertips up the side of her neck, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear before resting his hand against her jaw, slowly turning her face towards his. As their eyes met, he added in whisper "... so beautiful" before leaning in, his parted lips brushing hers as he went in for kill.


((Merlin I hope that wasn't horribly corny))

It became very clear that Devlin was not interested in the music! His eyes had started to glaze over when she was talking, and she had planned on being all professional and annoyed about it, until his hand clasped hers, lowering to rest on the bench. Fauna stared at their joined hands, too shocked to even worry about her palms being sweaty. His arm snaked around her waist and he leaned forward to… was he smelling her hair? Thank Merlin she’d washed it this morning!

It was a funny thought and she felt like giggling, but the giggle died in her throat as his nose nudged her cheek and she felt his breath in her ear.

“You smell wonderful…”

She smiled, a million questions buzzing in her head. Fauna wanted the questions and worries that sprang up to go away because it was ruining the moment, but she couldn’t seem to help it. There was no way she could pretend this was anything but flirtation, maybe even more than that. A part of her was giddy, making her heart beat fast and her cheeks pink- he was here for her. He wasn’t here for a piano lesson. She’d never been pursued by a boy, and certainly not a boy like Devlin Matthews.

Yet… and yet, there was Waker and Ollie, who were both still mad at her.

Those worries started to slip away when he let go of her hand to trail his fingers up her arm, all the way up to the base of her neck, which he massaged gently. She sighed, relaxing a little. It was strange how she could feel so calm and so nervous all at once. He smelled wonderful too and his fingers felt warm. Fauna smiled, embarrassed and thrilled, when he nudged her hair out of the way and kissed her very lightly on the cheek. It surprised her that he was being so gentle, yet he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Her sister had warned her about boys with sloppy kisses and roaming hands, but Devlin really didn’t fit into that category!

Fauna thought about running a hand through his hair. However, both her arms danged awkwardly at her sides, worried about being too bold. It was ridiculous, but this didn’t seem real to her yet. He could change his mind and walk away at any moment.

But he didn’t.

“And you look…” he paused to look into her eyes, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear while lifting up her chin. “… so beautiful.”

And he kissed her. The compliment didn’t even register at first. She leaned into the kiss, heart hammering, feeling his lips against hers. His mouth was bigger than hers, but soft and warm, sending sparks through her. This felt… nice. Really nice. While she was hesitant, he was confident, capturing her mouth with skill and persistence. Her eyes drifted closed, and then open again as her hand reached up, paused, and stroked his cheek. His skin felt stubbly and slightly rough, but her mouth curved into a tiny smile against his lips.

After a few more moments she reluctantly pulled away, staring into his eyes. Time felt suspended and her mind had finally calmed, leaving no room for worries, just emotion and sensation. Fauna smiled a half-smile at him, feeling strangely serene while her stomach flip-flopped. He’d called her beautiful. Of course, he probably said it to all the girls he’d kissed, but she’d only ever heard it from her mum and grandma before. Family just didn’t count in that area.

She touched her mouth with the tip of her finger, as if surprised that this had all happened, and her smile grew wider. Fauna gave him a flirtatious look and reached up to pull her hair to one side, twisting it with her fingers.

All too suddenly, time started again, and she was back to being her shy and awkward self. Worries and doubts came rushing to the forefront and she bit her lip, glancing at the sheet music without really looking at it. She didn’t know what she’d tell Waker or Ollie, now. Fauna glanced at him guiltily, at a loss for words.

"Uh, Devlin..." she managed awkwardly. "Are you still...? Still dating... Jordyn?" The name did not roll off her tongue easily. Fauna realized that the question likely killed the mood, but she needed to know.

Devlin couldn't decide if he was surprised or not that this was her first kiss. It was, that much was obvious by the way she fumbled a little nervously, her lips hesitant. But only a second or two after his lips skillfully captured hers did she relent, leaning into the kiss almost hungrily as her fingers warily brushed at his cheek. He considered parting her lips and deepening the caress, but she pulled away before he could.

He stared down at her for a moment from under passionate half-lidded eyes, drinking in the soft beauty of her face. He didn't know why other guys didn't like her. Sure she wasn't typically pretty like Jordyn and Ava and some of the other 'popular' chicks. But she had a soft unassuming beauty about her, a down to earth and likable approachability that for some reason really appealed to him. When she bit her lip and looked away, all coy, Devlin smirked and brushed at her hair as he prepared to kiss her again. Unfortunately, Fauna broke the cardinal rule of snogging: She asked about his girlfriend.

"Uh, Devlin...Are you still...? Still dating... Jordyn?"

Devlin didn't want to think about Jordyn. Not that he didn't enjoy her company or think that she was attractive, but he and she both knew the relationship was for looks only. He had no regrets when it came to her. So, distracted by his thoughts about kissing her again, Devlin only shrugged "Don't worry about her..." He murmured, kissing her cheek "... She didn't mean anything. She was just a fling..." He leaned forward, planning on pulling her into another kiss.

Fauna frowned, slightly distracted by the kiss Devlin planted on her cheek, but even more distracted by what he’d just said. He hadn’t really answered her.

Hadn’t meant anything… just a fling… those words echoed in her mind. If he could say that about someone like Jordyn, who Fauna thought was gorgeous and sophisticated and everything she wasn’t, how did Devlin consider her? As he leaned in for another kiss, Fauna shook her head and pushed him away slightly, something nagging at her in the back of her mind. She suddenly felt foolish and embarrassed. She’d seen how Devlin went through girls like Neely went through pairs of shoes.

“Devlin…” she said again, voice a little hurt. Fauna hesitated, knowing that most girls wouldn’t care, that they’d just enjoy snogging Devlin Matthews for a while and move on. “Am I just a fling too?” She asked, trying not to sound judgmental. “Because… I don’t want to be that. Or date- erm, be with someone who’s still dating someone else.”

It wasn’t entirely fair to tell him this. They were just snogging, really. Yet Fauna knew that if she kept meeting him like this, she’d be hurt if he went and did the same thing with other girls. For a moment she wondered who she thought she was, telling one of the most popular boys in school that it was basically her or his girlfriend. She didn’t stand a chance! Half-expecting him to laugh at her, she bit her lip nervously, already regretting what she’d said.

The sensation of a girl pulling away from him, actually refusing to kiss him, was a new one for Devlin. When Fauna, who he had assumed would be an easy target to get, did exactly that, he opened his eyes and stared at her in blank confusion. What? Was his breath bad? (Shouldn't be, he had taken great care to eat the right things and brush thoroughly before coming) Did he not live up to her expectations? (Nah couldn't be that, he never had that problem before!). Maybe he had said something wrong?

Apparently that was the case, though he couldn't imagine why, because she shied away from him and started muttering something about her being 'just a fling'. To his surprise, she mentioned dating him, which he had not expected. The point of him seducing her was to prove to Waker that he could, to get her goat if you will. The fact that he had succeeded enough to make Fauna want to be his girlfriend was, well, a bit disconcerting.

But to his surprise, and vexation, Devlin was lost for words. He had been so caught up in the act of seducing her, he had ignored his feelings on the matter and when she said that his heart had skipped a beat. Dating hadn't been in the picture, but the mention of it made him surprisingly nervous. For some reason, he couldn't just do what he always did and brush her off. But at the same time, he had no idea what to tell her. Devlin Matthews was, for once, not prepared to approach a girl.

So he did what he thought was best, that is, to completely brush the question off for later. He just needed some time to think about it and for the time being, he was enjoying just kissing her. "Don't worry about that right now... Just enjoy yourself..." He murmured, leaning in once again to kiss her.

Devlin looked genuinely confused and at a loss for words. She knew she shouldn’t have said anything! He probably thought she was crazy or arrogant or just plain silly. While she cursed herself for saying something so ridiculous, at the same time she held her breath, waiting to hear his answer. Even if he told her she was out of her mind, at least she would know what he thought. Fauna was curious- morbidly curious, it seemed.

What she did NOT expect was for him to lean forward again and brush off her questions. Fauna blinked at him. Telling her not to worry was like telling her not to breathe. Then there was the cincher:

“…Just enjoy yourself.”

“What?” Her voice took on an edge and she pulled away. The unpleasant emotions of hurt and anger pushed some of her usual hesitancy out of the way. His reaction spelled out the worst: he didn’t actually care about her and she’d been a fool to think he did. Fauna had lost two friends, perhaps permanently, because of her own delusions. She was mad at herself, but she was mad at him too, for flirting with and using girls like many typical teenage boys did.

Her chest tightened and she stood up from the bench, walking around to stand behind the piano, which acted like a barrier between the two of them. She ran a hand through her hair and glanced at him, then went to the door, reaching for the handle. Fauna paused, feeling like she should say something even though she couldn’t think straight right now.

“I… I’m… going to leave now. We just.. it doesn’t… I’m not like…” Fauna stopped trying to explain. She wasn’t like many of the girls he usually went for, and she couldn’t help it if she didn’t want to hold his interest for a few weeks just to be cast aside.

“Lesson's over,” It felt like someone else was speaking through her. She didn’t raise her voice and she couldn’t look at Devlin long enough to glare at him, but her voice was strained and rather stilted.

With that, she opened the door and walked through it, heading quickly down the stairs and through the store. Fauna supposed she could have asked Devlin directly to leave- it was her piano room after all, and she was technically in charge of lessons. Yet Fauna didn’t quite have the guts to stand there and point him out the door, giving him the opportunity to protest and offer excuses so she could fall under his spell again. So, she did what was most comfortable and familiar to her. She stepped out of Reducto Records and ran away from her problems.