The Space Between | Quinn

[Kai Knightlock]

Kai couldn't believe the amazing time he was having, it was something out of a dream, it was something more than he could have dreamed of. Quinn seemed to be deep in thought but at least she was still holding his hand. there was something deeply comforting about that, the warmth of her skin against his sent shivers down his spine. That's right, the logic had gown out the window. Kai thought to himself.

Yet, there was no way he was leaving that hand a second before it was absolutely necessary. Kai was also surprised by Quinns reaction, he would have thought that the beauty would have asked him to stop by now, but she seemed to like it too.

Kai saw her blushing, but agreeing, “Yeah… that sounds right…”

Barely catching his own voice he replied, "It is, isn't it." definitely nor referring to the whole moving thing. And just like that, they were walking again and he returned back to being in the garden (of love?).

Time seemed to have stopped and Kai was only brought back to his senses when he caught the site of a building that looked extremely familiar. They were now in front of the Spotted Owl.

A pit formed inside him, was this it? Would they have to go their own ways now? He did have to go the pub for his shift soon but he won't be holding hands anymore. Or could he? He was sure if she looked closely, Quinn could have seen fumes coming out of his head.

[Quinn McLaughlin]

Diagon Alley was extremely familiar to Quinn, however as they walked it seemed to be getting more and more familiar. Completely intoxicated by the hand she was holding, it didn’t dawn on her why until they came to a stop in front of her pub.

Quinn really did almost turn around and run in the opposite direction, pulling Kai along with her. Why would she want to return to the mundane when she could have this? She frowned and looked at the watch that was on her opposite wrist. They didn’t have much time until the pub opened.

She continued to frown as she looked over and up at Kai, her eyes scanning his face. They hadn’t actually spoken about this, but it was heavily implied. What did it mean? She was still his boss. Although he wasn’t getting money for working at The Spotted Owl. He got conversations. Did that make him a true employee of hers?

Surely not. Quinn sighed and looked at the gray doors. “You’ve walked me home…” she commented, looking back up at him. “But it’s not long until the doors open, and you’re working so…” she let her voice trail off.

What had to be done before opening? Making sure beer and liquor was fully stocked, ensure that everything had been wiped down and cleaned, and other boring things like that.

Much of the same that he had done before.

“It’s not really worth you going all the way back to Hogsmeade, right?” she asked, as if it wouldn’t take him literal seconds to get there. But she was hopeful. Please stay, she found herself thinking.

[Kai Knightlock]

It was already time? Kai sighed and looked at Quinn as she looked at the grey doors. Did it have to end? What had some how felt like an eternity earlier, suddenly seemed to have passed in milliseconds.

He had walked her home, he had gotten his wish of walking her for more than three steps. But this put a new dilemma across his mind. Traditionally, walks that lead to homes also led to goodbye kisses. Kai used his free hand to scratch the stubble on his face. This was easy and hard at the same time.

“But it’s not long until the doors open, and you’re working so…”

Kai looked at her and smiled, so she did want him to stay? Why couldn't she just say it?

“It’s not really worth you going all the way back to Hogsmeade, right?”

Another hint, Kai took a deep breath, "Right," he blinked at the girl who was still holding his hand. "Won't make sense to leave." he declared doubtfully. In his head he realized that would also mean no goodbye kiss and that pinched him.

Now that the man had committed to whatever this was, he decided to have some fun. He leaned in close, he got closer, his face merely inches away from hers, still holding hands, he looked into her eyes.

Click.

He'd opened the door with his free hand. Remaining close to the girl he grinned, "Well let's go in then?" he chuckled, "What do you want me to do?"

[Quinn McLaughlin]

"Right. Won't make sense to leave."

Quinn let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She knew there had been a possibility that he might disagree, maybe insist that he had to head back to his place or Speedy’s or – honestly, she didn’t know.

Logic had left her soon after they had begun their walk, focusing instead on the proximity of Kai and the growing feelings she had for him.

She’d been hooked from that first time she met him in her pub. It had only gotten worse (better?) since then. And now they were holding hands, staring at the building that they would spend the rest of the day at and – well, she was relieved he had already planned on being there.

Quinn watched as Kai leaned in until his face was so close she really could see the stubble that he had not shaved off yet. (She didn’t mind, though.) The eye contact had only intensified and the brunette bit her lip as she heard a soft click.

She looked beyond Kai to see him holding the door open with his free hand.

"Well let's go in then? What do you want me to do?"

Quinn nodded, attempting to get her mind back on the pub. The sound of Kai chuckling caused a blush to appear on her cheeks as she realized that she was now the one being awkward. “Yeah, um… we need to…” she said, her voice a bit softer than she had wanted. She stopped, cleared her throat, kept a grip on Kai’s hand, and then tried again. “Double check that everything is clean and stocked,” she responded.

[Kai Knightlock]

Ever since the day he had walked into the pub, for the first time Kai felt that he was on the less awkward side of things. His shenanigans were having the intended effect, Quinn was fumbling, blushing and biting her lip. This was another little thing that the now confident Kai had come to like about her. It was always the little things wasn’t it?

“…we need to….”

Kai watched with twinkling eyes as he saw her struggle with words. It wasn’t that he wanted to trouble and tease her, but she just looked gosh darn cute when like this. Quinn said something about cleaning and stocking, Kai wasn’t really paying attention, he was still focused on the hand that held his. This had to mean something, she was still holding his hand, there was no reason to, but she still was.

They hadn’t even stepped into the pub yet and Kai came up with an idea, a logical course of action that was polite and would definitely draw a prefered response from Quinn. May be, he hadn’t had a chance to kiss good bye but there was something else he could do. “Okay, clean and stock.” Kai stated. He then brought his hand up, the one that was holding hers. He figured that if he had to work he would need his hand and this was something that he was going to use to sweep the barkeep off her feet.

He continued raising their hands, till hers was close to his lips, “Yes Ma’am,” he whispered "I do need this to work, you know?", and planted a peck, no, a kiss on her hand, “Off to work it is.”

Kai stood there, grinning like an idiot.

[Quinn McLaughlin]

“Okay, clean and stock.”

Quinn nodded slightly, not looking away. She found comfort in his eyes, something that she hadn’t really experienced in a while. Despite her really bad meeting at the bank that morning, Kai had turned the entire day around.

She felt and watched as he lifted his hand (and therefore her hand) up. He continued until her hand was almost touching his lips. She felt her cheeks grow red, his whisper swirling around her.

“Yes Ma’am. I do need this to work, you know?"

Nodding again, Quinn’s heart raced when he kissed the top of her hand. His lips were soft and it was difficult, but she managed to not totally freak out. She bit her lip to keep the stupid smile at bay that wanted to plaster itself on her face.

“Off to work it is.”

Quinn nodded. Clearly her ability to speak had completely left her. Instead she was just staring up at him like someone who had forgotten what was happening around her.

“Okay…” she finally said, finding her voice. Still not letting go of his hand, Quinn pulled Kai into the pub behind her. She’d have to let go at some point, but for now she’d make it work.