It's Not a Date (No, Really) {Cas}

[fo]

It wasn't a date. There were quite a few factors pointing towards that conclusion, and still Fo found herself looking suspiciously back at herself in the mirror, wondering (for at least the twentieth time) why she was doing this. She had known Cas since she was eleven, been around him during Hogwarts, and then later became his boss in EMCC. He was a flirt who loved joking around, and as they got older and he somehow grew a 'thing' for her, she learned that he could take anything and twist it into some innuendo or invitation for a date. It was why she had been so confused, and so suspicious, when she found the note about the Snidget Conference on her desk. It had just the one ticket, which meant that Caspian had the other--she didn't have to go to this, and he would still be there. He wasn't picking her up, hadn't mentioned the word date...and it was this that had her internal alarms going off.

"You are being quite paranoid," Fo said to her reflection, turning from side to side to look at the clothes she had picked out. It wasn't a date. She kept repeating that to herself in her head, as she felt paranoid that Cas was going to try pulling moves on her. It wasn't a date, she had said to herself, when she picked up a dress in her closet. She didn't need to get dressed up just to go sit next to Caspian and learn about the endangered Snidget--which was why she was going, after all. It was for Caily, sitting in the cage in the living room, and not to be with Caspian. Yet, even as she repeated all of these things to herself, she could still hear Vic lecturing in her ear about dressing properly and always looking her best, and all the other typical things you'd expect somebody who was naturally beautiful to say.

So now Fo was looking at herself in a warm, decently long navy blue dress, with her hair brushed and left to curl around her shoulders, and the bare minimum for the make-up. Sighing, she shook her head at herself, glancing down at her legs, covered in leggings. At least she hadn't lost her mind so much that she was going out in some primped up outfit that froze her as soon as she stepped a foot outside. Speaking of feet....Thinking for a moment, she sighed again, with a bit more force this time, before walking over and slipping on shoes with a slight heel, knowing that if Vic found out about this and she didn't wear heels she'd never hear the end of it. Then again, why should Vic hear about this? It wasn't a date. She was going to a Snidget conference, and Cas would just happen to be there...sitting right next to her. Not a date, just a casual meeting place.

Scowling at her inner thoughts, Fo grabbed her purse, which had the ticket inside, and slipped out of her bedroom into the sitting room of her flat. Grabbing a jacket off the hook by the door, she zipped it on over the dress. It wasn't exactly matching--a navy dress and a gray hoodie that had a large snidget on it in blaring yellow weren't meant to go together--but the thing was bloody warm and be damned if she was going to end up freezing. She took a split second to say goodbye to all the various pets in the room, making sure they had what they needed, before she turned on the spot, reappearing with a sharp crack in a dark alleyway of London.

The cold winter air hit her, taking away Fo's breath for a moment before she got accustomed to her surroundings. Quickly, with her hand clutched around her wand, which was in her purse, she moved out of the alley and along the busy London street, moving fast to both get to her destination on time and keep herself warm. After a few minutes of walking and turning onto different streets, she left some of the crowd behind as she hit a more industrial looking area, big warehouses beginning to come into view. Pulling the ticket from her purse, she checked the address and then matched it with a rather large building, which most of the muggles around her passed up without a glancing. Moving over to the door, she knocked on it once before letting herself in, and moving along the hallway there. She came to another door, this one manned by a wizard, decked out in full robes and a large grin. Handing over the ticket, she was allowed in, and was met with a rather hectic sight.

A huge atrium, filled with people and chairs and a large stage with a set-up for what she could only imagine would be speakers on the topic of the endangered Snidget. Glancing back at the man who had taken her ticket and let her in, Fo was pointed to the row that her seat was in, and she set off, feeling just a little nervous as she neared the unmistakable figure of Caspian. Which was ridiculous, of course; this wasn't a date, and she didn't want it to be. This was just a conference for Snidgets, which Cas knew she loved. She would enjoy the night, and she would enjoy it with a very close friend. But it wasn't a date.

"Hey Cas," she greeted with a large smile, looking around her as she slipped into the empty seat next to him. "This is brilliant. Thanks for getting me a ticket, yeah?"

[cas]

Cas stepped from the shower rubbing a towel vigorously over his hair, currently a jet black in its wet state and tousled in stringy damp waves about his head. Another was wrapped about his waist as he headed out into his room..and eyed the scattering of randomly strewn tee shirts and jeans thrown about. Right.. it wasn't a date. Because Merlin forbid if he so much as thought the idea, Fo's 'interested guy' senses would go to tingling and his plans for the evening would be screwed before they'd even begun. No, this conference was a friend thing.. if she even showed that is.

Despite his seeming confidence in the note he'd left on her desk. He knew it was a toss up whether she would or not, some days Fo had only a sharp tongue and quick hand where he was concerned.. yeah ok, so he usually asked for it.. but then there were the rare times when one of his playful comments would actually manage to come off as sweet rather than cad like. It was during those times he thought he could pick up on something more from her, a returned interest that for some reason she wouldn't allow to grow, and in the next second it would be gone again..or hell, maybe he was only imagining it in the first place right?

Cas knew women.. he knew them as well as as he knew any of the creatures he dealt with on a daily bases. He knew what they liked.. how they liked to be treated.. what 'worked' depending on the personality in question. But every species has its exception to the rule. He'd know Fosetta Spader for around ten years now. Mind you he'd never call her that to her face, he rather like the idea of staying hex free thanks. She wasn't in the least like 'other' girls.. in a way that Cas found strangely drawing. Sure she dawned dresses and looked the part, a damn attractive part at that, but it was fairly easy to see that her fondest wish lie in a daily one on one round with a Chimaera or some other highly dangerous creature as opposed to what most girls dream about. Such as a lovingly overprotective boyfriend coddling them and shielding them from every little exciteme...err threat. He fancied that about her, respected her views and thrilled at her nerve. She was bloody brilliant is what she was... and also one of the hardest women Cas had ever given a go at reading.. what worked on the others? Right..from her it usually earned him a verbal wand dicing or a sound smack or arm slugging... and by the way.. she was NOT weak... the girl could leave bloody bruises in her wake.. turn on? .. cough..anyway..

So as he was thinking before taking off on 'that' mind boggling Jarvey trail. Not a date, he didn't want to screw things up... still the tees and jeans scattered about? .. Yeahh.. they'd all been worn a few times. He was fairly sure of that.. Seeing as, 'if' she showed at all, she'd be stuck sitting right next to him for a few hours, it might be smart to go with something that hadn't yet moved to the 'sniff and tell' system of cleanliness. Heading over to his closet he pulled open the door and rifled through the garments hanging there. Nice pair of black jeans that looked as if by some freak chance they'd managed not to get singed, or ripped.. or even eaten in the least by some form of acid spittle.. squinting he rubbed as a frayed spot.. ok, so maybe rule out the singeing.. but at least as they were black it was hard to tell as much.. and they were clean. He also pulled a long sleeved light brown button up complete with collar from a hanger with a surprised raising of his brow.. had actually forgotten he owned that one. Heading over to a drawer he pulled out a simple dark blue tee and then headed back for the bathroom for a charmed shave, to make use of his cologne and tackle his wet locks with a comb and drying spell before getting dressed.
______
An twist and a pop later found him across London and heading into the building in which the Snidget conference was being held. He'd promptly made his way inside. Grinned at the wizard taking tickets and handed his over.. and then made his way down to the isle.. to the two empty seats. Yeah.. that really sucked.. but it was early right? She might just not be here yet. The staff for the event were milling about on stage as he settled into his chair and lounged comfortably back. Glancing to the side his eye caught on a small blond boy who was bubbling over with energy, twisting and carrying on in his seat with a toy model broom.. dipping and diving it here and there..and right into his cup which flipped out of its holder and splashed all over his sisters obviously brand new stuffed snidget doll. The girls face puckered, and with a glance at the impending tantrum and one for the boys horror filled face as it jerked from his sister to his parents on her other side, Cas pulled his wand and gave it a wave. The liquid was banished from the toy.. the little girl squealing in delight, and Cas smirked at the grin the boy threw him and put a finger to his lips.. why should the kid catch hell for something that was now fixed right?

Sighing he settled back into his chair again and began toying with his wand between his fingers. Hey Cas A broad grin lit up his face as he glanced up and watched Fo settle herself in beside him. Her thank you for the ticket received a shrug that totally didn't do the elation in his heart justice.. " I was coming anyway, and their cheaper by the set right? Thought you might fancy going... glad you could make it. " The room began to quite as a speaker came to the front of the stage, what he had to say was educational, and interesting.. and said in a monotone voice over the course of the next thirty minutes that had Cas's head nodding in jerks and starts to his chest and a hand rubbing over his face in a sigh, Merlin.. they had to switch to music, a video.. something soon right? ..Shifting in his seat, weary eyes still on the speaker he brought his hand down from his face and placed it on the shared arm rest..his hand settling right over Fo's. Sluggish from the monotone lecture he glanced dumbly at it for a moment..then to her face rather blankly, before managing to get his wits about him and grin lazily. He let it linger a moment more before murmuring a barley meant apology and pulling it back to rest one his own lap again, refocusing his attention back on the speaker.

(Cas dressed for the conference XD www.mtv.com/news/photos/v/vma06_style_villa/jelen.jpg )

[fo]

She had to admit that when she thanked Cas for the ticket to the conference, she was surprised by his response. He was being very different today, a part of her brain kept noting (suspiciously, of course). First, he had set this whole thing up with the conference, giving her the choice to not show up, meaning that he wasn't viewing this as a date. Yet, her mind insisted on thinking that it was all some elaborate plan, so when she thanked him, she expected some smart-arse retort, maybe an innuendo, and have him link it all back to how she could repay him with a date. Or something along those lines.

So she might have been feeling a bit paranoid tonight.

Fo looked at Cas with slightly raised eyebrows as he grinned broadly and stated that he was glad she could make it; as he acted like it wasn't a big deal, that buying the ticket just saved him money. For the love of Merlin he was being modest. Maybe...he wasn't going to make this out into any kind of date? Maybe Caspian wouldn't start flirting with her heavily, maybe he would actually treat this as just a nice outing as friends, and let her go home at the end of the conference with a smile on her face and no annoyance. Taking a deep breath, Fo forced herself to relax into the chair, nodding her head a little.

"I'm glad I could too," she answered him, before falling silent and turning her head to face the stage. Now, she was determined. There would be no more worrying that this was all some ploy to lure her into a false sense of security and then try and pretend this was a date. There would be no thinking of when she might have to slap him for being a git. There would be no more paranoia--she would sit here, in this chair, listen to the man who was climbing onto the stage, be well informed on the snidget, and have fun. After all, wasn't Victoire telling her all the time that she needed to loosen up, especially around Cas, and have fun every once and a while? She was twenty-one, not eighty-one.

In her new determined mind set, Fo finally felt herself get relaxed, focusing on the speaker on the stage. What he had to say was rather interesting, but as much as she tried to keep entertained by what he was talking about, the tone of his voice was so...dull. Placing her arm on the armrest, she let out a soft sigh, finding herself drifting and her mind wandering every few minutes, before she'd jerk back to attention and then get bored all over again. A few times she glances over at Cas, snickering a little when she found him dozing off. It was like History of Magic with Professor Binns all over again, yet this guy was managing to make furry little creatures that she loved to death seem boring.

Just as Fo was wondering if she was going to start falling asleep as well, she felt a warm, dry hand move to rest over top of hers. Blinking in confusion, she straightened from her slumped position and looked down at her hand, then up at Cas, meeting his eyes with the same blank expression. It was as he began to grin and murmured an apology, ever so slowly pulling away his hand, that she realized what had just happened and felt her cheeks heat up a little. She wasn't daft, and knew that he had taken his time moving his hand away, and could have lifted his hand faster than he did. However, while it should have irritated her that he did actually flirt a little, she was for some unknown reason more embarrassed than anything, so she merely smiled and quickly turned back to the speaker.

Finally, after a few more minutes of the monotone speech, the man left the stage to applause, which Fo tried to join enthusiastically. Moving right along, there were more speeches, music, videos, and even skits about the snidget. Quite a few times Fo found herself laughing and leaning into Cas, just to feel her cheeks heat up and have to lean away again. What was wrong with her tonight? Still, she couldn't find herself getting too embarrassed for too long, or even irritated, because the conference kept distracting her. When it was brought to a closed a long while later, with the final music and a huge round of applause, she stood and clapped along, feeling disappointed that it was finally over.

Beaming wide, Fo turned to Cas and slipped her arms around him, giving him a quick hug before pulling back again. "Thanks so much for having me come along, Cas!" she called over the din of the leaving crowd. "I had so much fun! It was brilliant!"

[cas]

She'd blushed.. the hard arse.. tell it like it is, don't care a thing about you in that way Caspian Lewis you cad of a prat..Fo Spader had just blushed. Right then when he'd pulled his hand back.. she'd blushed 'for him' .. with no sharp comment or retaliation of any sort. A bit of a grin found its way to his lips and he lifted the hand farthest from Fo to 'itch' just under his nose successfully covering the pleased smirk that had formed there.

Several long drawn out minutes later.. or was it closer to an hour..' he couldn't really tell as his cheek had sunk into the palm of that hand he'd hid the smirk with and he'd begun to drift again'.. the man with the hypnotically boring voice left the stage. Did Cas clap?.. you bet your Phoenix feathers he did! But not out of politeness.. rather his vigorous slaps of the hands were in celebration that the bloke had finally shut it and this conference might stand some grain of a chance of getting interesting.

Music and videos came and went all far more entertaining than the speaker had been..whom by the grace of Merlin himself never appeared back on the stage. There were even a few skits, one of which particularly amused Cas. It involved a silver misty snidget, apparently someones patronus form.. that had decided it had had enough of being chased about the stage by a "seeker" ..some poor sod dressed in Quidditch robes and flying about the stage after it on a broom. The snidget had swooped down and curved up so sharply that unable to pull out of his dive, the bloke smacked full tilt into a conjured deep mud patch on the floor of the stage. Cas had laughed a loud at the humorously over exaggerated expression on the seekers face and given the man a well earned round of clapping when the skit came to a close.

More than once as they sat watching the show he was aware of Fo leaning in towards him, though he dared not pull the trade mark lifting of an arm to go across the back of her chair or any other such efforts. He'd gotten a blush earlier for simply being a friend and accidentally more or less taking her hand. So perhaps to impress Fo Spader it was going to take something that was a very foreign move for him. He was just going to have to be her friend.. nothing more.. see if he couldn't bite off the witty comments he thought rather clever but that Fo tended to glower at..and not jump on any and every chance to flirt.. Godric..what was he thinking? She'd be slapping him by the end of dinner no doubt.. speaking of which.

The conference was drawing to a close. He stood along with the rest of the audience and clapped along with everyone else..and suddenly felt warm arms slide around him and the next thing he knew Fo was griping him in a tight, if brief hug.. reflexively his arms pulled up to return the short hug and he caught the faint sent of some obscurely inciting and wholly feminine fragrance from her. Her shampoo maybe? Or perhaps she'd worn some form of perfume? Godric.. what ever it was was rather heavenly and he was almost glad as she pulled back from him. Allowing his head to clear and his troublesome tongue to be held in check from any cute comments that might be taken wrong and earn him a stinging slap to the cheek. Because that wouldn't do at all.. it would ruin the pleasant heady buzz still in place from the hug and the smell of her right?

Looking into Fo's beaming and excited face he cracked a grin and chuckled, shoving his hands in his pockets and shrugging his shoulders in way of a your welcome. He glanced around the chaos of people gathering their belongings and heading for the exits, a firm no apparating indoors policy was in effect for the event for fear a vast number of cracks and pops as people departed might lead concerned muggles in nearby buildings to misunderstand the noise for gunshot or an explosion and call the muggle police, an inconvenience both the auror and obliviators offices had warned they hadn't the time these days to be dealing with. Centering his gaze back on Fo after a moment, he cleared his throat and tried to order in his mind his request and how to best get it across without having Fo think it something he'd planned or set her up for. Raising his voice over the din of noise he spoke as nonchalantly as he could manage.. " Have you eaten yet? .. if not I know a good place..not far right? " He shrugged and smiled a bit as if to express that while he'd love the company, he completely understood if she'd just as soon not... Cas mate,.. when did you become such a liar?

[fo]

They were just friends. When they first met, they were more like acquaintances, her a first year when he was already a fourth. However, what with making friends with Victoire, who became romantically involved with Teddy, who was best friends with Caspian, Fo found herself around him more and more until they were basically friends. They had their rifts and what not, and there were spans of time when they didn't even see each other or see each other, but when Fo became the head of EMCC of England, she found herself around Cas and Teddy almost constantly. They were what she considered friends--close friends, even.

So it shouldn't have been weird to give him a quick hug and thank him. Fo shouldn't have felt her heart rate speed up as she had her face in his chest for a moment, nor should she have wanted to hold on longer than she did. She was just thanking Cas for bringing her—no, enabling her to come, not bringing her. After all, he hadn’t made the night seem like a date or anything, and she had had a blast, so of course he deserved the thanks. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to stop thinking so much as she continued to grin at him, watching as he gave a quick shrug as if to say it wasn’t a problem. Apparently, it wasn’t; not judging by the fact that he had only ever treated it as a pretty nice surprise that she was there at all, but in no way made it seem like a date.

When he looked away, Fo took the opportunity to close her eyes and compose herself, dispelling all thoughts of this being-or-not-being a date, and how Caspian smelled particularly good today, and how if Vic knew what she was doing right now, she'd be ecstatic and automatically assume that it was a date and that Fo had 'finally come to her senses'. No, she would not think about any of those things. Or at least, she wouldn't when Cas looked back from where he had been glancing around at all the people, and casually asked if she had eaten, because if she hadn't he knew a place. A close place.

Blinking, Fo stared up at him for a few moments, surprised. He hadn't asked her if she wanted to go to dinner with him, and even more than that, he hadn't made it sound like a date or anything. He wasn't flirting, he wasn't asking her out, he wasn't really being normal. It was the shock, it seemed, that had her speaking. It must obviously have been her surprise and her relief that he wasn't being arrogant and assuming that had Fo opening her mouth with the answer swirling in her head.

"No, actually, I haven't," she said, voice lowering in volume as more and more people left and the large hall became more quiet. "So...yeah, why not, right? We could just walk if it isn't far?" So, it was obviously just the surprise that was speaking. Not to mention, she hadn't eaten yet, and she was hungry, and if he knew a place why not just go? It was better than dinner alone, wasn't it? They were still just friends, going to grab a bite to eat after an exciting activity. There was nothing wrong with going with Cas to whatever food place he had in mind.

It most certainly wasn't because Fosetta Spader actually liked Caspian Lewis, and therefore wanted to have a dinner date with him. She didn't like him, couldn't like him, and most definitely would never date him. There were plenty of reasons for it, ones that she thought were quite justified, so it couldn't be that at all. No matter what her pounding heart and flustered brain were thinking. Say, when had she started grinning so widely?

"Erm, we should at least get out of the building, yeah?" Fo hurriedly added, feeling her cheeks heat up again as she looked down and then towards the doors, where the crowd was dwindling. She had been staring, she knew, but she wouldn't dwell on that. "I'm sure they probably want to start cleaning up and get the place locked down." And with those words, she glanced up at Cas again and gestured towards the exit, taking a few leading steps.

[cas]

After his off hand question about dinner Fo had simply stared at him.. blinking for a few moments. Blinking in what? ..disbelief that he'd had the gall to add a very date like aspect to the night by suggesting dinner? .. was she on to his attempt at a subtle approach? .. hell of course she probably was.. utter rubbish at it he was certain he was. Here was where things turned normal right? Where Fo flipped out and told him off for trying to 'corner' her into a date... only she didn't.. she accepted.. huh.. how about that?.. Maybe there really was something to this whole subtle approach.. note to self, don't get cocky your still likely to screw it up somehow.

He listened as she asked about the possibility of walking if it really wasn't that far and gave a light nodded of a agreement that walking there wouldn't be a problem. And then she just stared at him.. a rather wide and pleased grin was spreading over her lips before she murmured about leaving and dropped her gaze. Though she failed to do so before he caught sight of of a pretty blush coating her cheeks again.. his mouth quirked up at one corner in an amused smile and he scratched lightly at his nose gazing after her as she headed for the exit. Fo Spader was doing an awful lot of blushing for him tonight. Fo Spader was proving to not be quite the hard ass she always put on the front of being.. and with each showing of her softer side Caspian's confidence in this mad effort of subtlety was growing.... double checking the knot on the short leash he'd placed his tongue on he set off after her out of the building.

Stepping out into the cool night air of London he gave a jerk of his head, hands still stuffed in his pockets, in way of letting Fo know what direction they should head in. He set off down the sidewalk, slowing his longer stride to accommodate Fo's shorter stature so she'd not have to rush to keep up. " I go to this place often enough right? They've a Slow English Roast dish that's unbeatable.. haven't tasted one to compare since our days at Hogwarts." Glancing down at the sidewalk he fell silent for a few moments. His mind taking a side tour back to their school years.

He and Ted had always found great amusement in taking the mickey out of Fo. Though Cas had also rather admired her..strictly on a friend level of course.. for the very same thing that encouraged them to pick in the first place. She always came back at them.. never simply took it. The girl had a back bone made of sterner stuff than most of her fellow witch counterparts and she proved as much when after school she'd left off with her father to tour the world and take part in the affairs that had lead to her becoming one of the youngest and highly respected division leaders in the EMCC.. aka his boss.. his attractive, young, fun loving boss who, as she walked at his side, was gusted by a breeze that carried over that enticing sent of hers again.

Merlin.. he closed his eyes a moment and glanced up..busying himself as if looking for street signs..being sure of the direction they were walking.."So did you have a favorite part to the conference? Thought it was a riot myself.. that one skit with the patronus Snidget?.. made it worth sitting through that speaker at any rate..swear that man made me have flashbacks of Binn's class back at school. " Glancing to the side at her he smirked as they turned a finale street corner. A short way up the road he turned towards the door of a two story building and ascended the steps. Reaching for the door he opened it for her with a wink and a grin..and whispered.." Tolerate it for a friend right? they'd think me a right bloody arse if I were to let a lady get it for herself... Staff hears a bit on the old fashioned side."

Once inside he glanced around at the familiar scenery.. the sixteenth century characteristics of the building, still present from the era of its birth cast in a low lighting. Candles reflecting off a chandelier above the ground floor bar which was backed with a set of old selves lined with old books and wine bottles. Everything about the placed screamed noverable words such as 'formal' and 'planned' and 'date' .. and Cas was quick to lead Fo up the narrow polished wood stairs and past a room set with romantic lighting..wine glasses and fine linens for napkins. Down a hall and out to another set of stairs..these winding down into a garden with upbeat and danceable music playing..as was being proven by a decent amount of people doing so in an open space before an outdoor bar. Heading past the greater part of the crowd he lead Fo to an out of the way though not exactly secluded white table with wrote iron white chairs to match. It was tucked away in the corner of the restraunt's 'garden' those tables closest to it vacant..small white lights twinkled in the bows of the trees hanging over head.

Cas smiled as he settled into one of the chairs. " Thought it might be best to sit bit away from the party goers right? ..Hard to enjoy a meal with people brushing against you every other mouth full. " Catching the eye of one of the roaming bar waiters he flagged the man down.. " Hey mate.. Blue Lagoon on ice if you don't mind.. " Looking to Fo he quirked a brow... " want a drink with dinner.. or sticking with the milder set?"

[fo]

The few steps she had on Caspian towards the exit gave Fo enough time to calm down her blush, her cheeks paling back to their original color. She made it out the doors right before him, and had a moment to close her eyes and take a deep breath, the fresh air helping to calm her completely, composure sliding back into place. Right, enough of this embarrassed, girly rubbish. She and Caspian were friends, just friends, and if he was going to be perfectly normal about it, like he should be, then she would follow his lead and not muck things up. Opening her eyes, Fo glanced up as Cas joined her and then nodded, following his lead down the street.

At his mention of the English Roast dish, which he couldn't possibly have known was one of her favorites (but it was), Fo found herself grinning a bit again, but just nodding and stuffing her hands into her hoodie pockets. She kept walking in companionable silence, shivering just a little as a gust of wind took away her breath in that annoying way. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, her hair dancing around her in the breeze, before she blinked them open again as Cas spoke once more. She turned her head to watch him as he stared up at the street signs (didn't he know where they were going?), and caught his little smirk at the joke.

Grinning widely, Fo tried for an innocent tone. "Oh, but Binn's class was my absolute favorite," she lied, barely able to hold down her laughter for a moment before it bubbled up. As they neared the corner, she calmed again and added, "I liked the skits a lot, but I loved the music. It's so catchy." To prove her point, Fo began to hum one of the songs as they moved down the new street. She only stopped humming when Cas opened the door for her, prompting her to raise one eyebrow at him. While she wasn't one usually opposed to manners, she was an independent sort of girl, especially when an outing wasn't supposed to be a date.

His explanation and grin only made her more suspicious, eyebrows going up further as she stepped inside. She got a good glance at the place, and immediately her eyes narrowed and a frown tugged on her lips. The fact that the staff was old fashioned made perfect sense now as she looked at the very formal setting, with the wine bottles, books, and linen tables and napkins. The lighting, the tables, the whole atmosphere; everything screamed 'date', which was exactly what this wasn't supposed to be. A voice in Fo's head said immediately that she should have known that it was too good to be true, all his casualness and strictly friendly manner.

Just as she turned to scowl at him, maybe yell a bit and give him a good slap, and then storm out furiously because he had tricked her this way, he moved straight past her up the stairs. Hesitantly, still frowning, Fo followed after him, not liking the scene up here any better than the scene downstairs. She was on the verge of just turning heal and going home, but curiosity (and hunger) forced her feet to follow Caspian as he kept going, out a door and down some steps--right into a little garden that was lit nicely, had an outdoor bar, and had very catchy music playing. In short, the kind of place Fo would prefer for a date any day, and certainly a good place for two friends to enjoy dinner together.

Following him along, she felt a small ball of guilt at doubting Caspian so easily. She didn't even comment, nor think about any ulterior motives, as he seated them away from most everyone else. His explanation made enough sense, and she nodded a little, the guilt still bubbling in her stomach. However, as Fo looked at Caspian, with the smile playing on his lips, she immediately forced herself to forget about the guilt. Yes, she had underestimated his ability to not turn everything into a date, but prior to this there wasn't any evidence that he should just want to take her to dinner as good friends. You couldn't blame her, really.

Smiling back, Fo glanced up as the waiter came over, and then looked at Cas again. She wasn't usually the one to drink (most of the time because somebody had to get whoever all was in the group home alright), but she could a bit tonight, couldn't she? Smiling a little wider, she glanced up at the waiter. "I'll have the same, please," she said, with a very confident nod, before turning her attention back to Cas. "Where did you even find this place, Caspian?" A swift glance around the place showed her more twinkling lights, and then looking up she found they were bathed in the glow of some more.

"It's really nice. But not too formal," she added, grinning a little as she glanced back towards the building. "I worried for a moment." Giving him a small shrug, as if asking him to deny she had any reason too, she hugged her hoodie around her more, hoping to keep warm in the chill of the winter night.

[cas]

Cas hadn't missed the frown on her face as they headed into the restaurant.. he'd tried hard to ignore it as they'd continued on down into the garden and gotten settled at their table. He'd know after all that she'd be less than thrilled with the formal setting inside. Thing was you couldn't reach the garden without the whole tour right? It was just the way they had the place set up.

Cas plucked a menu from a holder on the table after ordering his drink. Viewing the lists of food and prices with an absent mind as he'd been here often enough to know exactly what he planned to order. Reading it was more of a way to patiently occupy himself while the man jotted down her drink choice. Once Fo had ordered her drink and the waiter had departed he looked up with a grin at Fo's question. Though his smile twitched ever so lightly as she commented on being 'worried' for a moment.

Was even the 'idea' of going on a date with him really 'that bloody repulsive? .. You'd think from hearing her speak that was in fact exactly the case.. and yet all that blushing on her part at the conference had to come from some sort of feelings right? He'd been good..hadn't even made any embarrassing comments..directed at her or other wise.. if she only knew the control involved on his part to accomplish that.. Yet she'd still lit up like a school girl on the arm of a crush headed to Hogsmead in the snow right? All that cheek coloring..that had been Fo's doing not his. So why did she still seem so put off at the idea of dating him? .. Mixed signals.. damn.. if he ever learned to sort them it would be a bloody miracle..

Those thoughts took only a moment to run through his head and he didn't miss a beat as he tugged the smile firmly back into one full of truth and shrugged. " I'm a regular.. been coming here for awhile now.. and its Thursday.. being this close I couldn't bring myself to pass on their fondue night right? On Thursdays you get a free fondue plate with your meal that's got melted chocolate and cheese with fruits and vegetables to dip.. stomach would hate me if I denied it that." He flashed her a winning and playful grin before catching the eye of a waitress .. "speaking of stomachs".. when the girl reached their table she grinned at Cas.

Hello Cas love.. same as usual? Smiling at her he nodded and winked.. "know me to well you do Amy..", to which she blushed ever so slightly and nodded to Fo.. would your date like anything special for the fruit on your fondue plate? Cas was quick to correct her rather than inviting Fo's mixed signal wrath down on the girl.. " oh.. this isn't a date.. were just good friends right? That and co-workers.. just grabbing a bite."

The girl brightened even more and rose a playful brow.. Well in that case I'm on break in ten minutes.. promise me a dance and I'll see to it you've extra strawberries on you plate right? ..Know how you've a taste for them.. Smiling she looked over at Fo.. You won't mind me stealing just a few minutes of his time a little later will you? ..sure you two will have had time to talk over anything work related by then. Without waiting for a reply from either of them she returned to her notes.. so what would you like miss? .. the roast like Cas here is having is a favorite.. any questions on the menu? Be happy to answer them. She looked up over her note pad smiling pleasantly at Fo.

Cas turned over the offer as the girl turned to Fo to get her order. Well Fo certainly didn't want this to be a date right? ..And all the blushing? .. Well he'd read her wrong..simple as that right? .. if not then why the bloody 'worry' that he might be entertaining the idea of turning this into a date.. which he had been..sort of..but that wasn't the point.. and now it was definitely off right? Fo had no interest.. so where would the harm be? Of course they were still friends out to dinner.. it would be rude leaving her to sit eating alone, even if it was only a few minutes.. unless she made it clear she'd take no offense to it.. right, he'd leave it to her then. If she wouldn't be offended he might as well give the girl her dance.

[fo]

She wasn't oblivious to very much--you didn't work around huge creatures that could kill you, having the lives of others on your shoulders, and let things pass you by often. It was why, as Fo finished speaking and grabbed up a menu that Cas had already helped himself to, she saw his smile slip a little. It was at that moment that something seemed to...hit her. A sudden realization. Yeah, Cas was cocky a lot of the times, didn't seem to let things get him down, but he was still human and still had feelings, right? Even if this was only temporary, even if he only liked her right now because she was a challenge, he still...liked her, right?

Didn't he?

From the slip of the smile, she thought so. After all, any other day he would ask her out, try and get her to go out on dates. Here he was now, sitting there with her and seeming a bit agitated by her word choice (maybe she shouldn't have implied the way she did that a date with him would be a horrible thing), so that meant that he still harbored feelings for her, right? Then again...today wasn't a date day. He wasn't really flirting, he wasn't doing anything nearly as extreme as he usually did around her. Even as Cas immediately fixed his smile up again, almost as if it had never slipped, Fo found herself practically fretting. Which didn't make any sense; what did she care if Caspian liked her more than a friend or not? She didn't return the feelings! Hell, half the time she even wished he didn't like her! She still did! ...Didn't she?

Snapping out of it as Cas spoke up again, she found herself nodding distractedly, opening up the menu to look at it and only half paying attention. That was, until he mentioned chocolate and fruit, and immediately her eyes went up to his again, catching his grin and returning it enthusiastically. She was just about to point out how much she loved fondue, as long as there were chocolate covered strawberries in the mix, but before she got the chance there was another person approaching their table. A pretty waitress, who was grinning back at Cas as Fo had seen countless girls do before. Not that she cared.

However, it was only as she watched Cas wink at this 'Amy' girl, and watched the blood rush to her cheeks, that Fo felt a lurch in her stomach. Not a happy lurch. Swallowing hard, Fo blinked as she was addressed as Cas' date, and felt confusion mix with this weird stomach feeling when irritation didn't set in. Actually, it did--a moment later, when Cas didn't even skip a beat before assuring the waitress that they were dates. For the love of...Wasn't she supposed to be happy that he was still acting as just a friend? Shouldn't she be happy that he could put his flirty attentions somewhere else for the night? Why in the name of Godric Gryffindor was she feeling...angry and disappointed right now? Fo Spader, she thoguht to herself, you better get your act together.

During this quick internal debate, Fo had ducked her head on the pretense of skimming the menu (which she had barely even looked at), but she quickly lifted her gaze again as to not be rude. Just in time for this Amy waitress girl to ask Cas to save her a dance. Again, her stomach lurched, the emotions harsher this time, and Fo swallowed again, wondering what the heck was wrong with her. The question the happy, peppy girl asked--whether or not she minded--only made irritation take over Fo in a wave, but she didn't even have a chance to give a scathing remark or make a noise or anything. The girl was already moving on, as if the question was already answered.

Which now left Fo with the act of ordering, when she didn't know what was on the menu, and probably giving an answer of some sort as to whether she minded if they went off later and danced together, because Cas would surely want to know the answer to that. She didn't know what her answer to that was either. On the one hand, why shouldn't Cas be able to go dance with this Amy girl? She obviously liked him, he obviously wasn't opposed. In fact, it looked like he had lost interest in herself all together, didn't it? Well, fine! She didn't care, did she? She didn't like him. She had a whole mindful of reasons why she couldn't and shouldn't and wouldn't date him. What did it matter if Cas danced with another, pretty girl?

There was just one problem to this. Fo slowly sat down the menu, returning the smile, although it seemed fake to her. She knew what that constant lurching and churning in her stomach was now. Jealousy. She did care. Even if she was trying to deny it to herself. Taking a deep breath, she gave a small shrug, glancing at Cas. "I'll erm...just have what he's having, yeah? Caspian said the roast was the best he'd tasted in years, so why not?" Closing the menu, Fo tried to make her smile seem more realistic, although she was afraid it looked more like a grimace.

"As for that dance...Sure, go ahead and take him!" Looking at Cas again, Fo tried ignoring the feelings crashing together inside of her, and arranged her face into a pleasant expression, maybe even an encouraging one. Why shouldn't she encourage her friend to get another girl, after all? "I don't mind, Cas. It'll be fun for you, right? Both of you...and as long as we get more strawberries..." Pausing, Fo felt the realization hit that Cas liked chocolate strawberries as well. Odd. "Well, I've got a real love for chocolate covered strawberries, so if I have to give up Cas for a few minutes, so be it, right?" She kept her tone joking, even gave Cas another grin, but all the while she was always conscious of the burning feeling of jealousy that was rising in her.

[cas]

Cas stared at Fo for a brief moment after she gave the waitress her order. He'd seen her grimace hadn't he? ..Just then when she'd smiled up at the girl. It was one of those expressions that looked as though its giver were going through a painful ordeal just by forcing the corners of their mouth to bend upward. So what was it she didn't like about the situation that she found it a chore to be pleasant? Some hopeful part of him smugly reared its head and reminded him that such a grimace was a good sign of jealousy.. that the wearer of it.. given circumstances such as the current, was decidedly less than pleased with the direction things had taken.

He was quick to shrug the thought off though as her features took on a more pleasant tone and she actually 'encouraged' him to dance with the girl. Right mate.. time to get over it yeah? When a girl starts trying to actually pawn you off on others its a fairly sure sign your coaxing a wingless dragon to take flight right? .. He'd tried his normal, what he and might as well be half the ladies of London found to be, playfully charming advances... she'd taken that as arrogance... so then he'd taken a stab in the dark tonight in being good.. starting slow as friends, testing the limits of the strain keeping his trap shut would place on his willpower... and that, contrary to a string of blushes he'd apparently misread earlier, had only lead to her thoroughly encouraging him to keep that friendship wall in place.. solidify it even by directing his attentions on another girl.

Well hell.. he was at a bloody loss then.. If she was honestly that opposed, then moving on was his best option right? .. Cas was no love struck teenager.. he might be use to having his way, might have always been willing to play the game for even the toughest of catches.. but he wasn't daft enough to toss his heart down at pair of feet already intent on kicking it away. Had she simply said she didn't mind, left it at that, he might have thought her just being polite..maybe fighting some bizarre inner turmoil as to why she wouldn't give in to her feelings. However the enthusiasm in which she'd just traded his company off for a plate of fruit? ...yeah, that clenched it. Fo wasn't playing hard to get.. Fo really 'must' think the idea of dating him a repulsive idea that needed to be squashed flat and ground beneath those heels she'd worn.

So then.. that was that right? In ten minutes he'd take her advice and step out on the dance floor with Amy. Though she couldn't compare with Fo in looks.. (not something he was planning to share with her) and she didn't bring about nearly the odd rush of desire to be near her the woman across from him did ( another tid bit he'd keep to himself) ..she at least 'wanted' to dance with him.. welcomed his efforts.

Fo of course hadn't been rude or hateful about it.. in fact she'd been rather good company all evening. So if she honestly wanted a friend in him and nothing more ..well, then that's was what she wanted, and he'd have to lose the game for once, being her friend, and fall into step with that. Flashing her the same warm and yet casual grin he'd give to Teddy, Vic or any other close friend he clasped his hands on the table as the waitress smiled at Fo.. Well aren't you a sweet friend, ..I'll see to it that the strawberries are doubled ok? .. Flashing a flirty grin at Cas she looked back to Fo and winked as she took their menus..I'll even have them add a choice of white or milk chocolate for your being so understanding right? .. Raising a brow she looked to Cas..See you in ten minutes then love? Cas looked up to grant her a smile and a wink of agreement before centering his attention on Fo again with that oh so friends only smile replacing the playfully flirty one he'd had for Amy. " You'll be glad you picked the Roast right? ..Melts on your tongue..swear it does.."

A moment later the waiter from the bar returned with their drinks.. tall glasses of nearly glowing blue liquid over ice with a lemon wedge barring a sprig of mint stuck on the lip. Nodding to the waiter and handing him a bill from his wallet in way of a tip, Cas plucked his lemon free and pulled the mint sprig lose..turning it to nibble at the stem, the tiny leafs poking from the corner of his mouth. It was a trick he'd picked up some time back.. when smoking wasn't an option.. the mint was a nice distraction from the craving for a cigarette. Holding out the lemon wedge to her he rose a brow..." Want an extra one? Never been much for them myself.."