Allow Myself to Introduce... Myself [Tag: Darby]

[KEIKO WATANABE]

She needed information. She had heard whispers in Knockturn and even in the halls of Wizarding Congress (thanks Polyjuice potion!) about an old artifact. A powerful one. One that the bad guys or bad guys posing as the good ones wanted their hands on. Only there was no information readily available. Or even available. She had done her digging. Nothing mentioning a holy grail of magical artifacts. Strange that. Or not. It was entirely planned. The government didn't want anyone to know it existed. So of course there was one library that she knew of that would have that sort of info.

Late at night she arrived in a tornado of multicolored smoke and glitter spinning as she revealed herself in all of her costumed glory: an emerald green number this time. Like the witch in the Wizard of Oz: misunderstood. Just like Keiko. It was fitting.

Her heels clicked over the tile as she drew her hand over the spines of the books while she walked, pushing her furry green goggles up reading the titles. "Nope." Toss. "Nope." Toss. "Nope." Toss. That's when she saw him. The man from Down the Hatch. "You have got to be fucking kidding me." She tried to hide her surprise at his presence (one - that he worked here and two- because he was here so late at night - didn't he have a life?!). "This is the library you were talking about? Ugh!" She sighed loudly and stamped her foot like a petulant child. "Bloody figures." Her Irish brogue very evident in her voice when she was upset and sassy. "Just my luck ain't it?"

TAG: DARBY CUNNINGHAM

[DARBY CUNNINGHAM]

Darby hadn't precisely intended to stay late, though that was generally what happened most days. Time just had a way of slipping away from him. He wasn't particularly hurried though, the cats could eat a bit later and he had a rather interesting read in front of him. An old Potions manual several centuries old and absolutely fascinating. The amount of preservation charms he needed to apply before even opening it was impressive. Anything to preserve the history hidden in these books though.

It was why he had come to work here, after all.

It was also why when the soft thuds started he didn't startle (much) but instead carefully closed the book and hurriedly put it away before leaving the sealed room. And coming face to face with what had to be his living nightmare, someone tossing his books about all willy nilly!

"Excuse me, please desist!" He piped up, as much as he could manage, "Some of these are priceless relics and even if they aren't they deserve respect!" This was simply unacceptable, unimaginable even! How could someone ever do something so nefarious? "I can't allow you to continue this desecration!"

It was only when she started talking that a bell rung in his head and he recognized her as the woman from the bar, a blush slowly spreading from the top of his head to his toes. And he had just gone off! Oh no!

"Um, of course this was the library? There's only the one in the ministry." He stuttered out, glancing in concern at the fallen books, eyebrows pulling together.

"Just my luck." He sighed.

[KEIKO WATANABE]

Please desist? What? Was he too good to just say stop like a normal person? Despite his previous claims when they had run into one another a night or two at Down the Hatch where she spent most of the evenings flirting with him and scratching him behind the neck and ears like a feline, he most certainly was both fancy and schmancy. Only the one percenters said desist. Or someone who watched one too many muggle cop shows. Speaking of, she was behind on Law and Order SVU by a few seasons. Definitely should pick that up after tonight's debacle was over.

"Desist? Seriously?" To emphasize her annoyance and bafflement she pulled out another book and promptly chucked it over her shoulder. "These are things. Old things that old white men wrote and deemed important." Another book, another throw but this time over his head. "Respect my ass. They never respected me. You maybe." She eyed him up and down in all his... white breadedness. "You probably would have liked them which makes me not like you-" A grunt as with a wave of her wand she sent five books flying at him. "Anymore!" Keiko was a fantastic duelist and shot - she wouldn't have been an auror otherwise. But one noticeable thing about this attack was that she missed... all five times.

"Not... allow me?" She repeated and then cackled as if the very statement was absurd, mainly because it was. "It seems that you haven't caught up yet Darby Cunningham so allow me to provide you with some sparknotes." A wand wave and another book sailed his way, another, another, and another until she was standing right in front of him wand under his chin. "I do whatever I damn well please." Cracking her neck she nudged the wand tip under his chin lifting his head as she studied him before coming up with her declaration. "You're just a pawn. A man being used by men to protect the old way of doing things." With a flourish she pocketed her wand. "You're not worth my time nor my spell expenditure which is enviable I must say." With that she returned to searching the shelves not at all bothered.

"It's a shame really..." She noted softly, not even realizing she was sharing the sentiment aloud. "It was actually kind of nice at Hatch."

[DARBY CUNNINGHAM]

There were probably protocols for this type of thing, his colleagues probably even knew what those protocols were and would know just what to do in this type of situation. Darby, for all that he was excellent at his job had absolutely no recollection of any sort of presentation on what to do if someone decided to break into his library! Of course, most of them would probably be running screaming at this point, not trying to prevent any further harm to the books, as well but that was neither here nor there.

"Stop? Please?" Darby tried again, feeling a bit hopeless. This was going to be such a mess tomorrow but tomorrow wasn't his problem right now. No, he had to figure out how to deal with the right now. "They are things." He shoved down a wince at that admittance, now wasn't the time, "But they have important information in them, some of them anyway." They didn't tend to keep any romance books unless they were particularly relevant to history, for instance.

Lunging to the side to save them, Darby let the books hit him, breath huffing out of him as the few he cushioned thudded against his body and he staggered back. He coughed.

"I highly doubt many of the men who wrote these books would have much affection saved for me." He said with a dry chuckle, but that didn't mean that he wasn't going to do his damndest to protect the information in them. He held no particular love for the authors themselves.

He did his best to catch, or grab at, the books that sailed his way but he wasn't the most dexterous person. Most of them thudded to the ground as he winced. Darby's head craned as her wand pressed harshly into his chin.

Funny, he'd never been in a situation like this.

"You can do whatever you please." No matter that he would prefer that she not destroy the library, it wasn't like there was much that he could do to stop her past asking nicely. "Well." He paused, considering and in turn dreading her response, "Um, what are you looking for exactly that you can't come for during the day?" Darby couldn't imagine what would be worth breaking into the ministry, but that was just him. "There are some areas only staff can access." Darby offered rather nervously, maybe helping would bring this situation to an end more quickly.

"Ah, I would say the same."

[KEIKO WATANABE]

"Please?" She repeated his weak plead actually blown away by the attempt. Spinning on her high-heeled boot wide eyes greeted him. "Did you really say please? Like that would fucking stop me?" Except that it had. She stood there holding an open book in her left hand only the difference was she wasn't throwing it like earlier. He had actually caught the constantly on-guard vigilante... off guard. Oh man. He looked concerned. He was cute when concerned. Like a puppy startled by a loud sound. Did that make her the sound then? Wait. Did she seriously just think he was cute? Nope. Can't be. Won't be. Not on her watch.

Kicked back into high gear she snapped the book shut loudly and it echoed throughout the vast library. "Important to whom?" And more importantly... "Which ones?" It was silly to think that he would tell her, help limit her search. But hey, she had thought it was a silly idea to sit on his lap all night at a random bar and they had done that too. Approaching him like a cat toying with a mouse, the book still in hand her other reached out to land on his shoulder. "Why don't you point me in the right-" One lone finger traced shoulder to back to the back of his neck to his cheek until she was standing in front of him again her finger by his chin making him look at her. "-Direction." A coy yet seductive smile. There were many attempts to get to the same end and she was already on number three. It had worked before.

"How could someone not have any affection for you, you dear-" She stepped closer to him. "Sweet-" She leaned forward as if to kiss his cheek, like their little game at the bar but at the last minute (and on purpose) abstained, whispering against his ear. "Man..." Going back down on the flats of her feet she swayed back and forth awaiting his response which of course for the ever impatient Keiko never came quickly enough.

"If I came here during the day I would be dead. I'm a wanted woman don't you know... And not just by you." Keiko winked, teasing him. At his offer she smiled a bit. "Ah, so you're going to help the outlaw are you Mister Cunningham?" She tilted her head feigning demureness. "You're staff. Are you not?" It was when he spoke up about enjoying the time they spent together at the bar that once again had her surefire steadfast confidence trembling. "You would, would you?" Now that was interesting... and not in a bad way (which it should have been!). No. Get back on topic!

"What do you say to spending some more time with me?" Offering her hand for him to take. "Show me the way Darby Cunningham and I'll spare you."

[DARBY CUNNINGHAM]

"The goal wasn't to stop you." Darby wasn't capable of physically stopping her, and he doubted that he could simply persuade her no matter how hard he tried. "It was just, if you could listen? While I explain?" Even that wasn't particularly persuasive but hopefully, hopefully it was enough for her to pause, like she already had actually.

"Ah well, it really depends on what information you're looking for." He paused, "Of course all of them have information important to me." Darby chuckled lightly and a bit awkwardly under the pressure, funny considering that she had been sitting directly on his lap last night and that had stirred up very different feelings. "They're organized by category and are highly specialized, given it's the Ministry Library, lots of good information." He prattled on, swallowing as her finger traced along his neck and face. "It just really depends on what you're looking for." He managed, staring at her with wide eyes.

Darby gulped, mind scrambling. "Well, they had lots of ideas of what men should be which I very much am not." That was just one point, "And even if I was acceptable to them, which I assuredly am not, there's the typical rivalries and whatnot." Speak faster, that'd certainly solve the uncertainty and confusion that was swirling in his gut, "They weren't particularly fond of the Irish, nevermind any sort of sexuality, and um, probably other things." He finished in a huff, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. Probably not the thing you say to a would be robber but he was doing his best.

"Ah, you're wanted? Yes, yes, that would explain that wouldn't it?" Darby tended to not keep on the up and up regarding the Ministry's Most Wanted unless they included book burners or others of the like. "Oh, ah, yes." Though admitting, or even acknowledging that out loud had him blushing bright red, especially combined with the wink. "I mean, yes? Yes. I think I'm going to help the outlaw." More curiously, "Why are you even an outlaw?" She hadn't seemed much like one the other night but then, that might have more to do with the nature of Down the Hatch.

"Ah, yes, I'm staff." Had trained for years to gain his position even, "It's why it's my duty to protect the books, of course." The Ministry and their policies could rot half the time, especially a certain number of years ago. Strengthening his spine he nodded as sharply as he could manage, "I would." And wasn't that something of a shock for him as well. Who knew that one night at a bar could have changed his life so much?

Darby's eyes widened at the mention of spending more time with her and he bobbed his head, accepting her hand and cautiously twining their fingers. "I say yes." He responded, stopping himself from saying more and further embarrassing himself.

"It's just this way."

Darby led the way back towards the direction he had emerged from earlier and entered the small room after dispelling the barrier and leading Keiko to the small library on the other side.

"There are … a lot of old books here. Ancient Spellbooks, Books of various Artifacts, Charmbooks, Diaries." Darby rattled off, gesturing to each section in the small area. He released her hand so she could explore and fidgeted slightly, "Please do be careful with them. If you're looking for anything in particular I've probably read it already, and if not I can certainly narrow the search." He really did hope she didn't take that too poorly it was just, these books were his babies and they were so old, he couldn't imagine anything happening to them.

"Whatever you need."

[KEIKO WATANABE]

"It wasn't? What was it then?" She asked, her back to him, busily working her way through the books pulling one after the other scanning the cover then tossing it carelessly over her shoulder. "You see, the thing is, I happen to be an excellent multitasker." Another book was tossed and she was unbothered. "I can listen and work at the same time." She informed him though, what kind of work was this? Oh well, what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him - and shockingly she didn't want to harm a hair on his head for laughs or revenge. Why? She couldn't put her finger on it but she certainly didn't want to think on it more out of fear of what she might discover.

"It all can't be important to you." She went on as she continued her act of destruction. "Important means worth more than others. If they're all important, none of them important." Keiko mused before shoving two books backwards roughly into his arms not caring if he caught them or dropped them.

Momentarily distracted she traced his features, feeling his warm skin... growing warmer by the minute. "So which one is the most important to you, hm?..." A sly smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. Very good. It was as if her touch itself was magic (and maybe it was) rendering the poor man boy under her spell. His rambles were adorable, and she was even more into them because she assumed that she had been the cause. It was then and there she swore to get a few more of those out of the man even if frequent visits were necessary.

"So are you telling me that you are Irish and sexual?" A smirk. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I'll be sure to pull it out on a rainy day." Lifting her wand toward the ceiling she uttered a spell that had it drizzling water on them. "Oh look." She stepped toward him, smiling mischievously as they were now toe to toe. "Hm... Now what to do with that information..." A beat and then the moment was lost. Water and books didn't mix and she didn't want to give the glorified librarian a heart attack. With another swish of her wand the rain ceased.

So he was going to help her? The plot thickens. "Even though you do not know what I am after?" She fluttered her eyelashes. "You continue to marvel, Darbs." Now walking alongside him, hand in hand she shrugged her shoulders with a bit of sigh. "Do you really want to hear about all of that? Fine. Stolen a few artefacts, murdered a few incels, take from the rich and give to that poor, that sort of thing. Real humdrum existence." She kind of glazed past all of it, particularly the killing part but it was for the best. "Have you not heard of The Ghost? I would think my reputation that I have worked very hard to build would proceed me." She stopped, turning to face him, still holding his hand. "I must really work harder then." She decided. But at what exactly?

The man entangled their fingers, she noticed him watching with wide eyes as they connected and, against her wishes, her chest fluttered a bit. It made her happy and miserable all at once. "Good choice." She commended him with a wry grin, giving his hand a squeeze as though it legally bound him to her (but also because she knew he might get a thrill out of the contact). "Though next time I must insist that you do not pause for so long before saying so. You really are much more adorable when you're agreeable." She added for good measure before walking along side him once more holding hands like a middle school couple in the hall on the way to class.

Keiko watched as he took down the defenses of one room with ease. "Well done Sir Cunningham. Nerdy as he was, there was some sexiness to it. Like he forgot he was total geek while at work. Not a lot of men could handle those type of disarming spells and he carried it out like a pro. Not even awaiting his explanation or description she approached one of the shelves and began to search, though she noticeably didn't chuck any books this time. "Do you have anything on the Devil's Lance?" An offputting question she asked as though she was asking how the weather was. Very few knew the item potentially existed and this was by design as it would be very dangerous when in the wrong hands (which ironically was exactly what she was trying to prevent).

"Whatever you need."

"Is that so?" She turned to look up at him, her back against the shelf, momentarily distracted. Nothing wrong with a bit of fun. "Whatever I need?" She waited a moment. "What about what I want?" She looked down at his appearance then back up. "Would you like to hold my hand again?" 

DARBY CUNNINGHAM