Want Your Bad Romance

Marla smiled, letting one of her hands slip and travel to his shoulder, the palm resting on the upper part of his chest as she looked up at him. He was quick to point out he thought her to be younger, but then quick to clear up that he did not think by much. She smiled, knowing her innocent act was working almost too easily if he had caught on that she was younger. she usually acted a lot older than her age.

He said that he was some sort of detective and she raised hr eyebrows, allowing her lips to part in surprise even though little surprised her. She smiled up at him, saying, "Wow! Must be really dangerous. And exciting as well. You're a real hero!" She smiled. "You must be really smart to solve all of those mysteries." She noted that he did not come to nightclubs, knowing what he did and did not expect from the behavior of people there. "Do you like your job?" Someone walked past her and though they had not bumped her she acted as if they had and gently bumped into Hershal. She glanced up at him, biting her lip, "Sorry." Though she did not move away.

Hershel was suddenly aware something was up. Nobody had actually bumped her, and she was acting odd. She was acting almost childish...he shook the feeling off though. He was catching on to something, this woman was just strange. But he didn't mind too much, but he was always alert and he was a little worried now. He had just met a strange woman who wanted to get closer. And Layton knew he wasn't the best looking man in the room. Hell, there was a guy surrounded by women who kept grinding on him. But he stopped looking around and focused on the woman in front of him.

When she had spoken he had sensed an air of unwillingness to her words. Perhaps she was being put up to this by someone. He suddenly became aware of everyone and everything around him. His senses were working double time, and all the blood rushed to his brain to analyse the situation. There was a young woman dancing with him who was a very good actor. Someone had called him Deputy Minister today. He was tired and easy for the picking. People had even looked at him weird. He stopped moving and stood there still..he was thinking. He wasn't even thinking of how Marla would react.

It was something defined in Marla's personality that was just part of the way she worked. She rarely got surprised. But when he stopped, an actual expression of surprise came onto her face and she looked up at him, cocking her head questioningly and her eyebrows scrunched together. She loosened her grip on him and moved slightly away. "Hershal... What's wrong?"

Hmm, perhaps he was smarter than she had guessed, a little keener than the usual guys she had to trick into thinking she was harmless. Luckily, her surprised "act" had not been forced or faked. If he had caught onto some trace of her lies she would have to work her way back into his trust again. For now, she gave him a confused look, adding a little bit of hurt into it.

Many things were running through Hershel's mind right now. Trying his hardest to figure out why someone would act this way around him unwillingly. Hershel was a smart man, and his eyes were staring straight out into the open. He was visualizing different things in his brain, it was a traight of his. He couldn't hear the music anymore, or see Marla's look of shock. Why would....but what if? She couldn't be...but what if she is? Layton was for once in his life confused...he was smart. The only possible option was that she was...nah. That was a far too rash guess.

He returned the earth and took Marla by the hand. "Come on, let's get out of here." he told her as he pulled her off the dance floor. He quickly ordered a coffee to go and paied for his and Marla's drinks. He pulled her out the door and onto the streets of Diagon Alley. It wasn't cold, his jacket warmed him. But he wasn't sure about Marla. "Are you cold?" he asked her as he let go of her hand.

Marla watched him, trying to figure out what was going on in that brain of his. If he was catching onto her act, she either needed to take it in a different direction or get out of there. Very few people caught on when she was lying, though, so she was a little confused as to how she could handle the situation. She was not used to be being figured out.

Suddenly he took her hand and offered to leave. She carefully followed him, winding through the throng of dancing people. So she could not leave, but she needed to adjust. Hmm... Well the outright lies seemed to have gotten him on edge. Revert to halftruths. That could work. Rely on natural emotions and just mold them from there.

Out in the open air, she shivered. The leather cropped trench of hers was more fashionable than it was useful, really, and Hershal seemed to have picked up on this. He released her hand and she crossed her arms, nodding. "A little." She glanced down the street and then up at him, real curiosity on her face as she asked him, "Hershal, where are we going?"

Hershel was looking up and down the Alley. She was certainly a piece of work, but he knew she was using him somehow. He would play along, lies...fake emotion. They were his only ally now, his only way out of whatever he was getting into now. But then again he could also be wrong, but he could ALSO be right. He looked at her as she spoke, asking where they were going. He held her close, keep her close, trying to keep her warm but also to make sure she didn't get away. If she could pull this off she'd know he was catching on..somewhat.

"I have no clue..." he told her. "We can't go to my place." he muttered. Luke would be alseep, he didn't want to endager them. He had it, if he could last the night at her place he could trust her. Plus it was nice to have some company around, specifically company that seemed as smart as he was. "Why don't we..go to your place? Or someplace warm at any rate." he asked her.

Hershal pulled her close and she did not pull away but rather she looked up at him and stayed close to him. It actually was nice, seeing as it was pretty cold and she had forgotten her gloves at home. She looked up at him, watching him carefully, trying to figure out what had caused his unease, where she had managed not to cover her tracks.

He said that he was not sure where they were going but that his apartment was out. She did not ask why but took this as a cue to invite him to hers where she could take it in a different direction and see if that got her anywhere. Before she could ask, he suggested it and she looked up at him, giving him a small smile. "Um, sure. Here, I'll Apparate us there." She slipped her hands into his and turned on the spot.