[M] Hidden in Plain Sight [lobo & Ashen]

[Ashen]

[This roleplay is rated Mature for any of the following reasons, in moderation or excess: swearing, violence, sexual themes, alcohol or drug use or abuse, and things that do not fit these limitations. Reader discretion is advised.]

Hidden in Plain Sight

After a long night getting absolutely pissed with his best friend Daniel, Ari was starved. He hadn't a thing in his stomach thanks to his bad decisions in drinks from the night before, and he was ready to eat everything on the menu at McDonald's. He stared down the menu before deciding on getting more chicken nuggets than he'd admit to eating alone. As he ate them, he counted the bills in his wallet and sighed. That was his last twenty. He wondered when his mother would finally kick him out.

Boxes of nuggets in hand, Ari made his way away from the fast food restaurant. He headed for the river that split his hometown of Limerick in two. It was a warm day, and the August sun felt nice on his pale skin. As he stared at it absently, he wondered how out of place he looked. It was summer, and maybe Irish summers would never be as hot as Ari liked. That was why he was dressed as he was, in a long-sleeved T-shirt, a leather jacket, and a stylish scarf that almost made it seem like the man cared about his appearance.

Ari was content just watching the River Shannon for hours. However, he knew his mother would begin to worry about him, and he had wandered farther from home than he'd realized. Checking the time on his smartphone, he got up from his spot by the edge of the river, and he started his way home.

It was warm, but not warm enough. He had to stop completely when a cold breeze blew past him. The man hated the cold for a lot of reasons. He had to enjoy his summer while he could, because he would not be around come winter. Once the breeze passed, he started jogging, not wanting to be caught in the chills of the night.

Perhaps it was selfish of him, but Ari couldn't help but want to find someone. He knew his days were numbered, but he just wished he could do something. Maybe, if he'd had an education, or a job, or even a girlfriend, maybe then he could feel more accomplished. Maybe his days would be filled with more than fast food and trips to the river. He glanced over at the people walking by, none noticing him. Maybe, he thought, it was time to change. Maybe it was time to meet someone, to change their life, while he still could.

Burying his chin in his scarf, Ari shivered at another breeze and sped back to his mother's house.

[lobo]

The footsteps behind her were loud, echoing off the walls that seemed to be closing in on her. Among the footsteps were soft clatters of other objects dropping, preventing an easy path for those trailing behind. If they couldn't catch up to her, she could find an easy escape. This wasn't an unusual occurrence, and yet it still had her heart thudding with.. maybe fear, or maybe excitement. She had experienced many close calls throughout her short lifetime, but none could really compare to the one she was dealing with at the moment.

She was a small girl, barely reaching 5'2" if she stood up straight enough. What she lacked in height was made up for by speed, and silence. Her own feet barely made a sound in the narrow alleyway, but the men behind her stomped like bulls. She knew they were a safe distance behind, but that didn't give her the confidence to take a peek over her shoulder. You never look back. Especially when you were so close to an exit. An escape.

The darkness of the night also helped, camouflaging her hair and dark shaded clothes. They couldn't see her from where they were, and the only reason they knew she was in the alley was because they had followed her in. On any other night, she would've preferred to enjoy the nice breeze that rarely came during the summer months. And maybe she could get the chance..once she got these people off her back.

She finally reached it, the end of the alley. She had been worried, only at first, that she was going to get caught before she got out. Luck was on her side this time, and she darted out of the narrow gap as quick as she could manage. As she turned the corner, however, she knocked straight into a solid body, nearly knocking her back with the force of it. She somehow managed to stay standing, and panic was quick to spark in her chest.

One quick glance up was enough to realize that the body did not belong to whom she had originally thought, and relief washed through her almost immediately. She was still short on time, however, and a good hiding spot was still a necessity. She instinctively grabbed onto the wrist of the male she had ran into, dragging him with her into a small gap between two different buildings.

She usually wouldn't have bothered, but she didn't want this stranger to happen to give away her hiding spot to those that were after her. "Shh... Please," she hissed quietly now, lifting a finger to her lips to warn the man to stay silent. As she lifted her nearly silver eyes, she took a quick, mental note of the scarf around the male's neck. A scarf in summer..? That seemed odd to the girl.

[Ashen]

He was almost home when he felt a great force hit him. Dazed, Ari looked to the body that had rammed into him. It belonged to a girl, a girl who looked scared and was running from something. "Are you--" he tried to ask, but before he could ask his question he was being led by the wrist like a child. He easily could have stopped her, could have pried his wrist free and pinned this girl to the wall behind him, but he didn't bother. Maybe this was the response to his selfish thoughts. Maybe this was his chance to be someone.

She led him to an alley. Red flags went up in Ari's mind, but he ignored them all. If this was where he was going to die, so be it. But there was something about the girl leading him, something about her pale eyes and panicked expression. He wanted to help her.

Ari obeyed her plea of silence. He could feel his adrenaline start pumping, as if he too were being chased. He had so many questions for this girl, but if he were to remain quiet, he had no way of asking them. So, he waited, and he peered out of the alley. No one was there, or no one who seemed suspicious. Ari turned back to the girl. She was a small thing. Ari had nearly a foot on her, so she must have been desperate to take him aside. Unless.

No, he told himself. There was no way this girl would have found out his secret. She would have no reason to seek him... right? He tried to study her further, but he could not deduce much. She just looked so... paranoid. There was no way she was here for him. Ari exhaled slowly, and he scratched at his head. She was looking at his scarf. He gave a lopsided smile. It was there for more than fashion, but she didn't have to know that.

The man nodded his head towards the direction they had come, indicating the alley she had ran out of. "You alright?" he whispered. His voice was soft, and held the accent of his native Ireland. His hazel eyes searched her for some answer to his question.

[lobo]

Despite the man's height, and general build for that matter, the girl was unafraid of him. She knew it was a bit careless, and probably a bit more suspicious that she was dragging him off into an abandoned alleyway..but she was also aware of the fact that she had no other choice. There were more risks in leaving him behind, even if it meant answering a ton of queations that may follow once things settled down. So long as she didn't threaten or attack the man first, she was usually safe to assume she wouldn't be harmed.

As of that moment, this male wasn't her biggest concern. She could only be grateful that he seemed to be obeying her simple plea of silence. She finally let her gaze tear away from the scarf, instead peeking out of the alley just enough to take a glance around. A scarf? For some reason the small observation continued to make a reappearance in her mind. It seemed so odd, but who was she to judge? Maybe the small breeze was enough to chill the man. Or, maybe he just chose fashion over random clothes to match the season. Either way, that didn't matter and wasting time mulling it over wouldn't help her situation.

The soft sound of the male's voice caught the girl's attention, and pulled her focus away from the outside of the alley. She stepped back to look at him again, up at him for that matter. She had a tendency to forget her size until faced by people taller and wider. Much like a chihuahua facing a rottweiler, she was realizing. "I will be in thirty seconds," she surprised herself by actually responding, her own voice low, just a tad above a whisper. Her own accent was American, sweet but also a bit sharp.

She held up a finger again then, tearing her gaze away from his hazel eyes to peek out of the alley again. She was quick to step back again, pressing her back to the wall as voices and shouts could finally be heard. She kept her eyes on the mouth of the alley, practically holding her breath as a group of three men raced past, each one swearing and cursing about some thing or another.

It wasn't until the footsteps had long died off that she spoke again, her gaze lifting to the male apologetically. "I'm sorry. That was...rude? Yes. I'm alright now," she spoke at more of a normal volume now, dipping her head as a sort of farewell. She then turned away from the hazel eyed male, planning to leave it at that and be on her merry way again. As long as she got to the other side of town by morning, she wouldn't run into the fools again.

[Ashen]

His question seemed to have scared her for only a moment. Ari watched as this girl looked him over again, as if just noticing his height stacked against hers. She did answer him, which surprised the man. Her voice... that was an American accent she had, wrapped in a soft singsong that he felt he could get used to. He could not tell her age, even as his eyes trailed her. She was just small, and in the darkness, nothing was giving him any clues. He turned his gaze to where she was looking, not moving from his spot. There was still nothing, until finally, Ari could hear from whom she was running.

There were men chasing her. It was a small group, and from the sounds of them, they, too, were very far from home. He could hear her holding her breath as they ran past, and he could hear their hard footfalls as they angrily stormed down the alley. Ari did not remove his eyes from the girl before him. Why was she running from a group of American men? And what were the four of them doing on Irish soil? He had so many questions, but he didn't dare speak until she finally thought she was safe.

"I'm glad you're al--" Ari started, but he then realized she was starting off. Ari watched her for a few seconds, her gall surprising even him. He jogged the short distance to her and grabbed her by the wrist. "Uh-uh," he said, shaking his head. "You're not getting away that easy. Look at me." Her eyes were the most beautiful silver, he realized, even in the dark lighting. Looking around, Ari suddenly remembered where they were. He was holding a girl by the wrist in an alleyway. Hesitating, he let go and motioned for her to follow him out into the natural light of the main roads. "Why don't you tell me who you are and why men are after you?" He watched her, waiting for her to come to him. If she made a run for it, he would follow, effortlessly. He would get his answers.

There was a curiosity in this man that needed to be satiated. But, beyond that, he had too good a heart to let her go. Even if she put on this calm façade now, this girl was still in trouble. She was still a fugitive. Ari didn't want to leave her to the police, but if he absolutely had to he would call them. He didn't want anything bad to happen to her, and he would not let her leave alone until he was sure she was safe.

[lobo]

She thought she was free. Actually, she expected to be free the moment she started to walk away from the man. That was that, and she hoped his curiosity wasn't going to get him involved. But of course, as usual, things didn't happen to go her away. She felt a hand on her wrist and whipped around, pale eyes a bit wide as she blinked at the male. This was a turn of event she hadn't expected, though she should have with all things considered. Her expectation that he was going to just let her waltz away after what he had witnessed was a bit ridiculous, and now she realized she was not going to get away without a good explanation.

Her gaze flickered between the male and the grip on her wrist, a small bubble of worry building up in her gut. She knew she could get away. But it would require something she didn't want to do, for a couple of reasons. The strongest being that she didn't want to hurt the man. The second, was that, even in an alleyway in the middle of the night, bystanders were almost always around. Or cameras. Taking that risk wasn't something she wanted to do, especially if the guy really did just want answers.

As the male finally dropped her wrist she let herself relax, tucking her hands away into the pockets of her hoodie to prevent that capture again. Though she remained where she was as he left the dimly lit alley, debating for a moment on whether she should turn tail and run, or just give in to the strangers kindness. Maybe.. just maybe, he'd be able to help her out. "I appreciate the concern, but I don't think you'd want to actually get involved," she finally spoke up again, letting her footsteps slowly bring her out after the man and into the lamp lights of the street. Though she began to realize that maybe he did want to get involved. She had expected that most people, from what she had experienced before, would just let her go. Let her run off to fend for herself and hope she didn't get caught.

But now here was a man, who was actually asking for answers, and genuinely curious of them. What he would do with these answers, she wasn't sure. By why continue the way she was without sharing her story? Maybe her reward would be discovering why he was wearing a scarf. The answer could be as simple as the breeze itself, or much more detailed.

She waited until she was a bit closer to the man, with a safe bit of distance between them, before she extended a small, slender hand towards him. "Mieli Virtanen," now there was an accent, just slight Finnish as the girl spoke. "Or Mi, because that seems easier on both the ears and the tongue," she added, back to American now as she offered the male a smile. She didn't feel as though she needed to be dishonest, not just yet anyway. It wouldn't do any harm to the man by knowing her story... with a few details out of place. Or, she was reading him completely wrong, and the moment she told would be the moment she would be captured.

[Ashen]

Ari waited for what felt like ages for the girl to follow him. He wondered if she would continued running from him. Perhaps he did appear somewhat daunting, he thought. Though, in the light, he assumed he looked like any normal man. His skin was a pale hue that always burned more easily than he had ever liked. His hazel eyes were, in his opinion, average and nothing special. His chestnut-colored hair was short, though much shorter on the sides than the waves he had on top--another sort of fashion statement, perhaps. He looked down at his outfit, at his jacket and jeans, his trainers and his scarf. There was nothing that would make this girl want to run. He hoped.

But finally, she did follow him, and she spoke again. Ari was sure of it now, she was an American girl, or at least had been there long enough to pick up the accent. She came off as a bit rude, but Ari was unfazed. Maybe he didn't want to get involved. After all, he didn't know who or what this girl was, or why she had people chasing her down. For all he knew, she could have been some type of monster sent to assassinate him. He chuckled a bit at that. If only he would be so lucky. Pausing, Ari wondered if she had caught him chuckling to himself, but shook it off. She was coming into the light too now, so he looked her over again before concentrating on those beautiful eyes.

The man took the girl's outstretched hand, giving her a firm handshake. "Mieli, eh?" he said, trying the name out. It was a weird name, but then, he didn't have much room to talk. "I suppose I ought introduce myself then. Aristotle O'Haegan, at your service. But please call me Ari." His emphasis on his plea told of how much he hated his name. He tipped an imaginary hat to her before straightening again. "But, Mi, you only answered half my question. You can't expect to evade it with a pretty name and a cute little accent. Come then, out with it."

Ari turned to look down the street, where he had heard the men running only moments before. He squinted in the distance, but they were long gone. He looked back to her. "Why are they chasing you?" he asked again. "I understand if you don't feel comfortable telling me your whole life story, but I'm not letting you out of my sight until I know you're safe, so you're best off telling me what's going on, aye?"

[lobo]

Out in the light, Mieli was able to see the male far better than when they had been standing inside the alleyway. She realized now that if the male had wanted to do something to harm her, he probably would have done so while they were in the darkness and the cover of the alley, and not near the streets where any nighttime walkers could see. The realization was quite calming, and it alone was enough to have her stiff muscles relaxing. From what she could see now, he looked just like any ordinary man.. Not that she had been expecting him to look like anything else. The only thing that still had her curious, and a touch suspicious, was the scarf hanging neatly around his neck. Otherwise he looked normal, and rather harmless. But looks could be deceiving, and Mieli knew that was the perfect example of that.

In the light her own appearance was more visible, revealing the dark clothes hanging onto her body. She had on a black hoodie and a pair of ripped up faded, but still black, jeans. The color of her clothes also matched perfectly with her hair, which was also a bit wavy where it hung over each shoulder. Her skin was quite pale, but after looking at the male ahead of her, even she wasn't nearly as light as he was. Though her eyes stood out the most, the silver color a striking contrast against the rest of her appearance. Even she just looked like an ordinary girl. Maybe, if she really wanted to, she could convince the man that she didn't know what the men wanted. Lie, and say they had just chased her down for no reason.

But for some reason, she knew that wouldn't work.

Mieli nodded her head as the male repeated her name back, surprised at how well he had said the foreign name. Though he looked a bit puzzled afterwards, and the girl almost instantly understood why. The name even sounded odd to her, seeing as she hadn't given it out to anyone in such a long time. "Ah.. It means 'mind.' My father thought he was creative," she explained now, lifting her shoulders to offer a small shrug. At least that would explain the weirdness behind her name. At least, she hoped that it would.

The girl fell quiet then as the other returned the introduction, her head tilting to the side curiously at the man's plea to be called by a shorter version of his name. She wondered why, for a moment, because she thought Aristotle was a fine name. Strong. "Like the philosopher?" she chirped softly then, but pursed her lips together as soon as she had spoke. It seemed like an odd comment now that it had left her lips. "Aristotle is nothing to be ashamed of. I've heard of names that are much worse. But, if you like Ari, then Ari it is," she added now, voice softening just a bit from her earlier snippiness. The other men were gone, and Aristotle was only a curious bystander.

The next comment had Mieli smiling, the slight indent of a dimple poking into one of her cheeks. "Oh, but accents are fun. Especially when you're good at them," the short girl chuckled, one of her hands lifting fidget with the small locket that dangled around her neck. She was still trying to decide if it was worth telling the male, or if she was better off to avoid the topic until she found a way to escape. If she told, there was a chance that the man would be willing to help her. On the other hand, if she chose not to tell, she would be running around on her own again. Maybe the company wouldn't be as bad as she was expecting it to be.

She was shook out of her thoughts when Ari voiced his question again, and those silver eyes were quick to glance from the man to the street ahead of them. "They were chasing me, because I took something of theirs," she finally spoke, tucking her hands away into the front pocket of her jacket. "But in all honesty, my safety isn't ever going to be a guarantee. You would have to hang around for along time if you wanted to have a chance of seeing me safe," she added, her eyes lowering to her torn up shoes. The fabric on the sides was starting to tear, and the soles were just barely hanging on. Quite a pathetic sight.

"I'm a robber. Poor career choice, I know. But it's not all that much of a choice, really," Mieli spoke again after a moment of silence, her eyes remaining cast down towards her shoes. She nudged the toe of her shoe against the concrete beneath them, wondering how much more she should share. She shook her head slightly, glancing up towards Ari again now. "Honestly, there's not much more to tell than that. I could tell you why, but that's useless information. Plus, it would probably put your life in danger, too. It's best left unknown," she decided now, dipping her head to the boy again before turning away. "Now that you know, I think I should go," she breathed, taking a few steps away from the male. Where she was going, even she didn't know. Anywhere that she could find that would offer her a place to get some shut eye.

[Ashen]

Ari listened to the way this girl tried to offer an explanation of her name. She seemed unsure of it, as if it might not even be her name. Ari didn't question it, though. He quite liked it, Mieli, and that it meant something made it even more special. Her question at his name made him smile. "Like the scientist," he said, as if he were used to saying the same thing every time someone asked. "Though he is perhaps better known for his philosophical advances than his scientific ones. I am not too fond of sharing a name with a man who died twenty-three hundred years before my birth. He's too tough an act for someone like me to follow." He shrugged his shoulders, that almost boyish grin still on his lips. "Thank you for abiding by Ari."

He liked the way her smile brought out her dimples. It lit up her whole face. It was a face that didn't smile enough, he could tell, and he wondered if he might be able to change that. But then, he was getting far too ahead of himself. Now in the light, he was able to see her dark hair, her dirtied skin, her torn clothes. Her age was tucked away under her hoodie, which Ari may have stared at a moment too long, only trying to guess. Then her hands went to a chain around her neck, one Ari wondered about. It probably held some significance, but it wasn't his place to pry. "Ya think accents are fun, do ya'? Well yeah I can see why ye'd think so, missy, they sure sound funny to meh." An Irishman's take on an American Southern accent was probably enough to bring laughter out of most. He cleared his throat, then paused. "Ah," he mumbled, his own voice returning, "that's not offensive, is it? I meant no offense of course, I just think trying on different accents can be amusing, especially accents that clash so disastrously with our native ones." He gave another casual shrug. "I think the voices of Ireland and the United States crash chaotically. T'is great fun, don't you think?"

Joking aside, Ari tilted his head a bit when she finally answered his question. The answer she gave was vague, which he had half been expecting. He was watching her eyes, watching the way they were glued to the ground in shame, or sadness, or something. He stood his ground, listening to her, falling in love with her voice. Ari shook his head when she started off. "What's with you Yankees always in a rush?" he said, hoping his joking tone was enough to let her know that he was not serious. "C'mere. I already told you I'm not letting you off so easy." He closed the distance she had made between them and watched her for a few moments. Her tone was hiding a hurt, and it pained Ari to hear it. He wanted to fix it.

"You keep raising more questions, Mi. What did you take from them? It must have been something really important if they're chasing you in a group like that, and so far. Why did you take it? Why are you a robber? And why would it endanger me knowing?" He smiled a sad smile and placed a slow, gentle hand on her shoulder. "Listen, Mimi. I've got my own biology racing against me. That'll endanger me far faster than whatever you tell me could. I am not afraid of you, nor whatever you're hiding." He looked up in the direction that she had started walking. "Something tells me you don't have anywhere to go, either."

Ari stopped for a minute, thinking things over. He glanced down, then met her eye again. "Hey." His voice was softer now. "I don't know all that much about you. I don't know how much I believe in Fate, but I think it wasn't coincidence that you ran into me today. You look a mess--ah, no offence--and I think it might be easier to talk after a shower and a warm meal. It's nearly suppertime anyway. Why don't you come back with me? Don't worry. I live with my mum, and she'd kill me if a laid a finger on you. The decision is yours though, alright?" He turned around, though he did not start walking home yet. "I think I'm meant to help you," he mumbled, maybe more to himself. "Right. Are you coming? I live just down the way, a couple blocks."

[lobo]

Mieli felt a bit embarrassed by the reaction she received from bringing up the philosopher with an identical name as the male. Despite the man's smile, it seemed as if he had heard the comment many times before now. That shouldn't surprise her, though, considering the scientist was rather well known, and the name was quite unique. And as Ari explained further about his own feelings towards the name, it made a bit more sense to the girl. She still tutted a small sound in response, her shoulders lifting to shrug back at the man. "Then why follow? Make your own path, Ari O'Haegan. Give people another reason to remember the name, Aristotle," she suggested, blinking up at the male with her bright eyes. That was much easier said than done, of course.

As silence passed over the two, the girl just faintly caught on to the male looking her over. She would've been a bit offended, had she not just done the exact same thing to the man a moment earlier. Instead she remained silent, turning her gaze away to give the surrounding area a quick glance over. She shouldn't be bothered by him looking at her, considering she knew what a sight she was. It wasn't like people hadn't stared at her when she went walked by in the streets. This just seemed a bit more.. embarrassing, than when people gave her a quick glance on the way by. She was suddenly much more aware of her appearance, and even more self conscious of it. She wasn't able to dwell long on it, as Ari's voice pulled her attention back to him. Her head tilted a bit in curiosity at the sudden switch of his accent, but as she caught on, another smile was quick to tug at the corners of her lips. She let out a little laugh at the man, her land lifting away from the necklace to hover over her mouth as she did so. "I don't think it's very offensive. It's pretty funny to me," she assured the male, her eyes still full of amusement even after he had finished with his accent. "Irish surely is hard, 'specially fer Americans," she chirped now, doing her best impression of an Irish accent. It only left her blushing, another quiet laugh falling from her lips.

Her humor was only short lived, as the seriousness of her situation was brought back up. Though her trust in Aristotle was slowly beginning to form, just from his kindness alone. She didn't think he was going to be of any harm towards her. She just hoped she could figure out a way to get away from him before he got himself in too deep. "You sure are stubborn. What's so wrong with just letting me go?" she asked, genuinely curious as she stopped to let the man catch up to her again. She didn't understand why he wanted to get himself involved with her. Maybe it was just out of the kindness of his heart, but even then most people would have still let her go by now, seeing as she didn't want the help. He didn't seem to be so easily shook away though.

The girl's nose was quick to wrinkle up in displeasure as the man fired off new questions, even though she knew he wasn't expecting an immediate answer for them. It still wasn't pleasant to think over the answers to each of them, and it brought things to the surface of her mind that she was usually so good at pushing down. However, the new nickname had her pausing, her eyes lifting once again to meet those hazel ones. No one had called her that in years. Not since she was a child. "Ah, well, I don't really. And now you're starting to pique my curiosity. Maybe I should hang around and get my own answers," she murmured, deciding to brush off the nickname and focus on something that seemed a bit more interesting. What sort of biological issue did the man face? Did it have something to do with the scarf? She was beginning to form her own questions, and maybe it would be fair to ask and answer instead.

Silence settled over them again for a moment, and Mieli watched the man seem to consider something before he was looking down at her. She was embarrassed yet again to have been caught staring, but that didn't keep her from holding the other's gaze. It wasn't until he mentioned her appearance that she looked away, her eyes lowering to look over herself now. She truly was a mess, more so than he realized. "I just admitted to being a robber, and you're still offering to give me a place to go?" she spoke, but her voice was quieter this time. Maybe it truly was Fate, or luck, or just pure coincidence that she ran into this man, but she was beginning to feel glad that she had. As if to agree, her stomach gave a soft grumble, and that was all she needed to look up and nod to Ari. "Alright. It seems like it would be a bit foolish to object," she decided, turning to face the same direction and begin following him towards his home.