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[Ava has kept a low profile since arriving, but the meager amount of money she'd had was pretty much gone. pulling her arms tight around her, she stepped through the snow, her clothes very much not suited for the weather. She was wearing a knee length red dress and heels, her arms and legs bare save for the thin shawl around her shoulders.

Pausing in front of a store window, her eyes lingered on the jackets in the window. It would be so easy.]

Bring us here and don't even give us enough to get on our feet...

[She'd tried to find a job, but so far, she hasn't found anything suited to her skills. All she needs is bar and maybe a loan, too bad she hasn't found either one yet.]

Comments

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Kentucky. It wasn't even close to bein' cold weather though.

[At most she'd just needed a light sweater. To go from that to this was...a big change.]

That's sweet, but you don't need to do that. I have cash, but...I'm tryin' to save it as long as I can. [She's struggled before and that was with having a job. She'd rather not blow through everything she has in her first month.]

[no_love_potions]

[Huh, got it in one. Not bad.]

How about we call it a loan, then? You can pay me back whenever you get settled and on your feet. [In his younger years, he might have succumbed to bullheaded chivalry and insisted on springing for her winter clothes. But, contrary to popular opinion, Harry Dresden did actually learn and he at least knew that to some people, a loan was better than charity.] Come on, I wouldn't feel right knowing you were out here every day freezing. And I don't think you'll have much luck with the job hunt with frostbite.

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[She had to think about that one for a minute. A loan would probably be okay, it would be something she could pay back.]

Alright...but after I can pay you back, how about I treat you to dinner? Somethin' to say thank you for doin' somethin' so sweet for me.

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[He takes a second to mull that offer over. Things were... complicated right at the moment and he wasn't sure--

and suddenly it was as the voice of everybody he knew shouted, as one, in his head: It's just dinner, Harry.]

Sure, that sounds fair.

[And with complete disregard for basic traffic laws (hey, City Guardian privilege) he pulls a u-turn and heads back to the store she'd been looking at.]

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[She was pleased to hear him accept so easily. She certainly didn't mean anything by it...she may be in another place, but she still belonged with her Boyd.

Sitting straighter as he pulled a sudden u-turn, her face was clearly a little stunned as she looked up at him. She hadn't been anticipating him deciding to go so soon, but she wasn't about to complain.]

Now? ...You don't waste no time, do you?

But that means you got a girl somewhere who'd be a little jealous 'bout you dotin' on me like this.

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[He shakes his head.]

It's too damn cold out to waste time.

[And then she goes and mentions having a girl somewhere and the grin drops from his face, and he looks forward again.]

No, there... there might have been but--

[He blinks and swallows, clearing his throat and pasting that pleasant expression back on his face]

I'm a pretty lousy chauffeur, so it's probably better to get you something warm before we start anything else.

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[She can tell real quick she said too much.]

...I'm sorry. Sometimes my mouth can get away from me.

[Here he was, being sweet as anything and she starts saying things she should know better than to say.]

It's appreciated. My apartment's warm, but that's about all.

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[Harry grunts, shaking his head.]

It's fine. It's a long... bad story.

[One that he doesn't want to tell, especially not to someone he just met.

So, he'll move on when they get back to the store and dig around in his pocket for a stack of those oddly-colored bills.]

So, uh, I don't want to seem like I'm looking over your shoulder or anything. I can wait while you get what you need.

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[She's a little appreciative he doesn't want to hover. She feels bad enough accepting the loan, she'd hate for him to see her spend it.]

I won't be long.

[Taking the bills, she gives him back his coat and wanders inside.

After a little over half an hour, she comes back out, more appropriately dressed in black and red. Her other clothes in one of her shopping bags.

Sliding back into the truck, she sets her bags under her feet and hands him what's left and her receipt.]

This is a lot better. Thank you, Harry. ...How does it look?

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[If there's one thing Harry can be, it's considerate. Plus, it means he gets to spend the time she's in the store checking his messages which, believe it or not, is a novel new experience for him. He'd used an answering service back home but having them right here? On a phone? For free?

The future is here, man.]

Looks great. [He says when she gets back into the truck, cutting off a message about a possibly haunted hedge maze and gives her a grin.] Stylish and practical.

[He takes the leftover money and the receipt, pocketing them without paying any attention to the amount. Even outside his sector, he was a City Guardian, which meant he made enough not to worry about it and that making sure people were okay was his responsibility.]

Where to?

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Honestly, darlin' so long as you're drivin' I think I'll be okay...so really anywhere is good.

[Letting someone new have a decision like that is a new experience for her. She's normally not that trusting, but considering what he just spent on making sure she didn't freeze to death, she didn't think he'd hurt her.

I'm tired of havin' to walk everywhere. This is nice...reminds me of home a little.