Letting Down Walls [Tatiana]

[Bishop Santos]

It was late afternoon when Bishop found his way to where Tati had said her home was. He'd asked her if he could take her somewhere during the break, wanting to be able to spend some time with her away from this place. He'd even gotten them a reservation somewhere. It was a restaurant he'd learned of that some of the other Ministry members had visited, as it was a rather nice fine dining establishment. He'd reached out to those members, one of whom helped him set up the reservation.

He was dressed in something he hoped wasn't over the top, but wanted to show the effort he was willing to put in to take her somewhere nice. He didn't know why he was nervous about it, but he wanted to do something nice for her.

He took a deep breath as he reached the door, straightened out his suit jacket once more, and looked up. It seemed like an interesting situation with the doors, but whoever did wizarding construction rarely cared about making things entirely normal. He looked around a bit more, taking in the area around where she lived, before knocking on the door, "Beau?" he called out. He'd told her he'd pick her up around this time, so as not to spook her by just randomly showing up and giving her a chance to dress how she liked for this little outing.

[Tatiana Beautero]

Tati had been pacing her small apartment for the better part of an hour, second-guessing every choice she'd made. The dress, was it too much? Not enough? The simple black number hugged her curves in a way that made her feel both elegant and exposed, the fabric falling to just above her knee in soft folds. She'd paired it with black flats, she'd long lost any desire to wear heels.Her fingers went to the necklace at her throat for what had to be the hundredth time, the blue gem resting perfectly against her collarbone. She hadn't taken it off since the Yule Ball, couldn't bring herself to. The gentle grounding effect it provided had become something she relied on, especially in moments like this when her nerves threatened to overwhelm her.

The apartment around her was... sparse. Functional. A bed, a small table with two chairs, a handful of books stacked on a makeshift shelf. No photographs on the walls, no personal touches that would make it feel like a home rather than just a place to sleep. TJ's bed and toys were conspicuously absent; already at Derek's for the evening, leaving the space feeling even more hollow than usual. She'd been existing here, not living. The thought had struck her earlier as she'd tried and failed to find anything decorative to make the place look more welcoming. But there was nothing. Just bare walls and the minimum required furniture.

When the knock came, followed by Bishop's voice calling her name Beau, that nickname that still made her heart flutter; Tati nearly jumped. She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heartbeat racing beneath her palm, and took a steadying breath. "Coming!" she called back, her voice only trembling slightly. She grabbed her coat from where it hung by the door, then paused. Did she need it? Would Bishop think she looked better with or without it? God, when had she become so uncertain about everything?

Finally, she just opened the door.

The sight of him nearly stole her breath. He looked... stunning. The suit fit him perfectly, accentuating his athletic build while maintaining an air of effortless sophistication. His dark hair was styled just so, and the way he stood there; straightening his jacket one more time like he was just as nervous as she was—made her want to reach out and pull him inside immediately. Instead, she just smiled, soft and genuine, her crystal blue eyes taking him in with barely concealed appreciation.

"Hi," she breathed, then immediately felt ridiculous for such a simple greeting. She cleared her throat, trying again. "You look... Bishop, you look incredible." Her cheeks flushed pink as she stepped aside slightly, though there wasn't much to see in her tiny apartment. "I'm sorry about the mess, I wasn't well, I don't really..." She trailed off, realizing she was rambling. "I'm ready whenever you are…" The necklace glinted in the dim light, the blue gem seeming to glow softly. She touched it once more, drawing strength from the grounding effect.

"Where are we going?" she asked, unable to keep the excitement from creeping into her voice despite her nerves. "You've been so mysterious about it." As she looked at him, really looked at him; standing in her doorway in that impeccable suit, looking at her like she was something precious, Tati felt her heart squeeze with affection so intense it almost hurt. This was Bishop. Her Bishop. And he'd planned something special for them.

"Though honestly," she added softly, stepping closer to him with a gentle smile, "I don't think I'd care if we were just going to sit in the Three Broomsticks. I'm just happy to spend time with you."

[Bishop Santos]

Bishop was looking around while he waited for her, calling back "Take your time" to keep her from worrying too much about it, especially as he heard the tremble. He felt kind of bad for making her so nervous, but he hoped that this would go so well that she wouldn't be so nervous the next time. When she opened the door, his attention went back to her; he also seemed rather dumbstruck.

He didn't deserve her in any way. "Me? You looking stunning, but me?" he put his hand to his chest before straightening out his jacket, "I figured I'd air this old thing out," he said before she drew attention to her apartment. She was apologizing for a mess, but Bishop felt something inside him... crack a little, seeing how sparse it was. That was all she had? All she'd let herself have? He didn't draw attention to it, though, not wanting to make her feel any more self-conscious about it. "Trust me, you should have seen my office back at the Ministry. I got threatened with a health code violation at one point, though it was a dramatic way to get me to clean," he chuckled a bit.

Seeing her reach for the necklace made him that much more glad he figured that out for her. That she was already getting use from it. "If I told you now, that would ruin all the mystery, wouldn't it?" he smirked lightly before gently taking her hand as she stepped closer, "And I'll keep that in mind for future dates," the smirk was a bit more pronounced, "But let me treat you to something a bit nicer than that," he chuckled a little before starting to walk with her towards the train. They could certainly use faster methods to get there, but he didn't want to rush it. He wanted to soak up every moment of just the two of them that he could.

"I hope you don't mind some old-fashioned methods of travel, but I'm in no hurry to be removed from your company," he added as he intertwined their fingers.

[Tatiana Beautero]

Tati felt the now-familiar flutter in her chest as Bishop took her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers like it was the most natural thing in the world. The gesture was simple, but it grounded her in a way that even the necklace couldn't quite manage because this was him, solid and real and choosing to be here with her. "Future dates," she echoed softly, a smile playing at her lips as they began walking. The promise implicit in those two words made her heart soar. This wasn't just tonight. This was something ongoing, something real.

She pulled on her jacket with her free hand as they stepped out into the crisp winter air, careful not to let go of him even for a moment. The cold bit at her cheeks immediately, but she didn't mind. Not when Bishop was right there beside her, warm and steady. "I don't mind at all," she said, glancing up at him with affection clear in her crystal blue eyes. "Honestly, I prefer it. Gives us more time together." She paused, then added with a slightly sheepish smile, "Though I have to admit, I'm a little nervous. This is... this is my first time out without TJ in a while."

Her thumb brushed against his knuckles; an unconscious seeking of comfort. "I know he's having a wonderful time with Derek and his daughter. They were so excited when I dropped him off earlier. But it feels strange not having him with me." She bit her lip, then looked up at Bishop again. "I'm glad you're here, though. Makes it easier." As they walked toward the train station, Tati found herself hyper-aware of everything; the way their hands fit together, the rhythm of their footsteps falling into sync, the occasional brush of his arm against hers. It was intimate in a way that made her both giddy and terrified.

"You know," she said after a moment, her voice soft but teasing, "you're being awfully mysterious about all this. Should I be worried? Are you taking me somewhere completely outrageous?" Her eyes sparkled with playful curiosity. "Because I have to say, the suit alone suggests this is going to be fancier than anything I'm used to." She glanced down at her own dress, suddenly second-guessing herself again. "I'm not... under-dressed, am I? Because if this is somewhere really formal, you should probably warn me now so I can mentally prepare for feeling completely out of my depth."

Despite her words, there was no real anxiety in her tone; just gentle teasing mixed with genuine curiosity. The grounding effect of the necklace combined with Bishop's presence was keeping her nerves manageable, turning what might have been overwhelming into something almost... exciting. "Though honestly," she added, squeezing his hand gently, "I meant what I said earlier. I don't really care where we're going. I'm just happy to be with you. Everything else is just... bonus."

[Bishop Santos]

Bishop let go of her hand long enough for her to get her jacket on properly before reclaiming it, kissing her knuckles once more. It seemed to be his favorite little act of affection. Seeing her own affection reflected in her eyes left him unable to do anything but smile in response. Hearing, though, that she was a bit nervous without TJ, "I forget he's got a daughter sometimes," he admitted, "But I'm glad I can provide some comfort. We can start picking places he can come in the future." He offered, wanting to make sure she could enjoy herself to the fullest.

He chuckled at her teasing, "No, I would never try and force you into a situation like that," he shook his head, "I just wanted to look nice for you, I promise you're not under-dressed," he assured her, "I thought it was a nice blend between something a bit nicer than the Broomsticks, but not so nice we need to know which fork is for what," he chuckled a little.

"And I, too, would be happy anywhere as long as it's with you, but allow me to try to spoil you a little," he smirked. As far as he was concerned, especially seeing her home, spoiling was long overdue. He'd been paid well by the Ministry, and what better purpose for all those galleons than treating her like she deserved. Like he should have been doing all along if he hadn't be such a prick in his late teens.

[Tatiana Beautero]

Tati's heart squeezed at the kiss to her knuckles; that gesture that was quickly becoming theirs, something she'd associate with Bishop for the rest of her life. Every time he did it, she felt like she was living in some kind of fairytale, except this was real. He was real. They were real. "I'd like that,"she said softly when he mentioned finding places TJ could come in the future. "He's good in public settings, but I know not everywhere allows animals, even service ones in the wizarding world." She paused, then added with a small smile, "Though honestly, tonight it's kind of nice. Just the two of us. No distractions."

When he assured her about her dress, relief washed over her features. "Good, because I have to admit, my knowledge of which fork is for what is severely limited. I'd probably mortify us both." She laughed, the sound light and genuine. "My parents weren't exactly the fine dining type. We were more... 'use whatever utensil is clean and available' people." Despite how well off they'd been, they had never let money become more important than character. But it was his last comment that really made her pause, her steps slowing slightly as she looked up at him with an expression that was equal parts touched and uncertain.

"Spoil me?" she repeated quietly. Her thumb brushed against his knuckles again—that unconscious gesture of seeking comfort. "Bishop, you don't have to do that. Just being with you is more than enough." Even as she said it, though, part of her; the part that had been existing rather than living for so long; whispered that maybe it would be nice to let someone take care of her for once. To not have to be the strong one, the responsible one, the one who put everyone else's needs before her own.

She squeezed his hand gently. "But if you want to treat me to something nice, I won't argue. Just... don't go overboard, okay? I'm not used to being spoiled, and I don't want you spending all your hard-earned galleons on me." Tati didn't even consider the fact of how much she'd put in that vault for him or the ones for his siblings either. Her crystal blue eyes searched his face, trying to read what he was thinking. "Besides, the best things you've given me lately haven't cost anything. The dance on the balcony, the time we've had together so far, just... you being here with me." Her voice dropped to something softer, more vulnerable. "That's what I treasure most."

As they continued toward the train station, Tati found herself leaning slightly into Bishop's side, drawn to his warmth both literally and figuratively. The winter air was biting, but with him beside her, with his hand in hers and the promise of an evening together ahead of them, she felt warmer than she had in years. "So this place," she said, curiosity creeping back into her tone, "is it somewhere you've been before? Or are we both going in blind?" A playful edge entered her voice. "Because if you've never been there either, this could be an adventure for both of us."

The admission was said lightly, but there was truth beneath it. After all the years of longing, of thinking she'd never have this chance, Tati would have followed Bishop just about anywhere tonight. The fact that he'd clearly put thought and effort into planning something special just made her fall even harder.

[Bishop Santos]

Bishop smiled at her saying it was nice that it was just the two of them, nodding in understanding. He didn't mind either way, because, similar to her statements, he'd be happy with her anywhere, even if they were just sitting together in the Great Hall, though that did mean they had to be a bit more mindful.

"I don't know if you'd call us fine dining either, usually not the type to break out more utensils than necessary," he nodded, trying to focus more on him and his siblings than his parents. When he'd learned of their roles in everything that occurred, well, he wrote them off completely, not that he even knew where they were or cared.

"I know I don't have to do it, but you'll find I'm entirely selfish and will likely do it anyway," he gave a cheeky smirk, "And I would never leave your side if it were truly feasible, but you deserve a bit of spoiling. I won't be over the top," he made an "x" over his heart, "But I truly do want to do what I can to treat you the way you deserve. Even if you have a hard time believing you deserve it," he gave her hand a squeeze. He'd give her the world if he could, but he'd settle for gifts and experiences for them both to explore the world and get out of the prisons they'd put themselves in.

"As for where we're going, I haven't been personally, but I remembered some of my colleagues at the Ministry talking about it. I remember them talking about it being historically looking, with some elegance and a bit of coziness, since it isn't a large space. I might have reached out to them when I started thinking about this, and they helped me set up the reservation," he explained, "But again, I've never been, so I suppose we are both going in blind." He smirked at her.