Jaxon remembered nothing of Oriel's blood status, if he had ever known it back it school. Early on in those first year, muggleborns had a way of sticking out at Hogwarts. So, Jaxon's suggestion of a muggle destination not only saved them from potential awkward fan encounters--but ensured that the photographer did not hold some prejudice against the non-magical, which even for a hook-up wasn't something Jaxon would tolerate.

"Cool-" was his simple reply when Oriel confirmed a nonmagical destination would be fine. Jaxon was not disappointed when the photographer declined the suggestion of billiards. Jax was good at it--saw the angles on the table, but had no real passion for it. It was just something to do in a bar besides just drink. But he didn't think they needed the crutch of a planned activity to have a good time.

"I'm sure you are right about that," the seeker drawled, his canine assaulting his bottom lip in just the way he was imagining he might do to the photographer's tempting pout. "You good with side-along? I know some people aren't all about that sort of thang..." Jaxon was polite enough to ask before he dematerialized someone. A degree of trust was required to let someone transport your person--never knew when they'd muck it up and you'd end up splinched.

Oriel chuckled. "I'm fine with it, but thanks for asking."

To be honest, he'd never really been asked his preference or permission for much in his life. Not even by previous partners. He knew it was something that should happen, but he'd known better than to expect it after the first couple of times. Not that anything bad had actually happened that way, his partners just usually tended to make his decisions for him because he wasn't very vocal about his opinions. So this was a nice change, he'd admit it, and it made Jaxon all the more attractive in his eyes. Even if it was a one time thing, he'd already been shown more respect than he usually was.

He came closer until their knees were almost touching. "Whenever you're ready."

Oriel knew where this whole thing was headed, at least for tonight, and had no illusions for future meetings with the seeker. Jaxon was known for sleeping around, for having fun, and not being tied down. Besides, they had little in common. This was just an attraction and Oriel knew better than to get too close to someone like that. It'd happened before, multiple times, and it had gotten him worn out, used, ad abandoned. So tonight was just about some harmless, stringless, fun.

"Not even gonna ask if I've ever splinched somebody?" Jaxon teased, before his own laughter--along with his other arm--wrapped itself around Oriel. Leaning in near the photographer's ear, the seeker breathed out the promise: "I haven't, by the way," just as he closed his eyes and visualized the spot back behind the pub where he had apparated himself home a couple of times. The distinct pop announced their disappearance to those that still lingered around the set. The couple was gone, but their leaving was still on the mind and lips of those they'd left behind.

Jaxon landed steady on his feet in the midst of some trees just off a half gravel, half paved road. He had brought Oriel to Devon--far from the city, but apparation made that distance nothing. Before he let his arms fall away from the artist, Jax made sure his companion was steady on his feet. Long, slender fingers slipped down Oriel's arm and took his hand as Jaxon said, "this way," tilting his head towards their left and taking a step that direction.

"It's not much, but I like it." The seeker prefaced as they made a very short journey up the gravel path to a small building that looked as if it had seen better days. Jaxon, being the gentleman that he had been raised to be, opened the door for Oriel, letting the other man enter first.

Once inside, Jaxon threw up his hand in response to the barkeep speaking out his name in greeting. "How you doin', old man?" Jaxon drawled, grinning at the gentleman behind the bar. "We'll take two of whatever you are servin'."

His attention returned to Oriel, to explain why he had taken the liberty of ordering for the other man. "You never really know what you'll get when you come in 'ere, but tellin' Joe what you want ain't gonna impact what he serves you none. He's a bit orny that way. But always seems to know just the drink for the occasion."

Oriel was about to comment when Jaxon's arms suddenly were around him, and his breath was tickling his ear. A pleased shiver ran down his spine, one hand finding the belt loops of the seeker's pants just as they disappeared. He wasn't at all bothered with what his coworkers might be saying. It was none of their business, and the job was already done.

The familiar sensation of not being able to breath subsided quickly and he let go of Jaxon as soon as he could stand properly. He recovered as well as the next bloke, but he had a suspicion that spending hours on a high speed broom made it so that Jaxon landed better and more easily than most. As soon Jaxon stepped backwards, letting go of Oriel but leaving a slight tingling on the skin he'd just grazed and held, he looked around.

Trees, of course, since they had to land somewhere with at least half decent coverage, and a little ways away was a small pub. It was a bit run down but it seemed pleasant enough. Oriel wasn't picky, as long as the company was good. And it was.

"You come here often, I take it?" He laughed good-naturedly as he stepped inside first. "You don't strike me as the type that needs rest from the fans."

As he looked around, a pang of familiarity surged when he heard Jaxon order for him. The pub seemed nice, cozy, if a bit old. But being ordered for was... overly familiar. But he smiled in understanding when the seeker explained. It was reasonable. Not at all because he didn't think Oriel should order for himself, rather because ordering anything specific was no good.

He chuckled in amusement. "I'll trust your judgement. Does he have an opinion on the seats too, or can we take that booth over there?" Oriel pointed a thumb over his shoulder. The booth in question wasn't at the far back, but it was enough to a side that they'd have some privacy while still overlooking the whole pub.

"I do," the seeker confirmed both verbally and by action, giving a nod as he spoke. Oriel seemed to believe Jaxon would always welcome the attention of those who liked what he had to offer them or how he looked, but sometimes--especially near the full moon, he just couldn't deal with all that. He grinned a bit, shaking his head. "I just might surprise you, Oriel," Jaxon countered, enjoying the feel of the other man's name on his lips. "Sometimes its real nice to go somewhere where I'm nothin' more than a good ole country boy and not whatever everybody thanks I am." This place made him feel at ease--laidback, comfortable, and wasn't someplace he brought people often. He couldn't even pinpoint why he'd been willing to show Oriel his little hideaway. It just was where he wanted to be.

"Hell, he might," Jaxon responded with a laugh about the booth, "but we can go on over there anyway." He strut over to the table; his confidence readily apparent without making him seem cocky. Somehow Jaxon pulled off a juxtaposition of arrogant and approachable to seem very friendly. The seeker slid into the booth, reclining against the wall as Joe brought their drinks over.

"Now, you boys are in for a treat today, Jaxy," the old man said as he set two glasses down on the table. The cups were nearly full of amber liquid; each with a large chunk of perfectly clear ice floating in the middle, topped with a twist of orange peel. "Old fashioneds made with an apple-cinnamon brandy I infused myself with some of them apples Jules has been growing... You sure I can't get you to take a bushel, boy?" Jaxon shook his head no, but thanked the man anyway. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend here?" The barkeep asked pointedly, looking from Jaxon to Oriel.

"Sorry, Joe, this is Oriel--he and I have been doing some work together." Jaxon said, giving Oriel a warm smile as Joe extended his hand to the photographer. "Well, nice to meet you, Oriel. You look after this one, he needs it." Jaxon rolled his eyes, that boyish grin taking over as the barkeep left them to enjoy their drinks.

"Sorry," Jax said a bit sheepishly. "I shoulda realized he'd give me a hard time, if we came here--I hope you don't mind."

Oriel followed after Jaxon to the booth, shaking his head slightly in mirth. Somehow, it was hard for him to imagine the seeker as 'just a country boy'. It was hard to imagine him as just anything. Jaxon seemed to be energy and confidence and life, never calm but maybe peaceful, burning but not harming. Well, that's the impression Oriel got so far.

"Nothing wrong with a country boy." Oriel agreed with a smile as he took a seat. "And what people think of you seems to be only positive as far as I've heard. But I imagine anyone can get worn out every once in a while."

He watched with amused interest as Joe came forwards, babbling about his drinks. They looked great, he supposed, though he was more interested in the amount of thought the man had put into the drinks than the drinks themselves. His own apples, and offering them to Jaxon so readily. It made him smile, that the seeker would apparently be so familiar with the barkeep. Somehow it was nice to know the big shot, flirty seeker had a tiny muggle pub he frequented enough to get along with the owner like that.

He smiled and shook Joe's hand, stating the feeling was mutual, and looked back at Jaxon. He was looking at Oriel with a smile that made him want to return it. So he did. At Joe's request he laughed and watched the man leave with twinkling eyes. Then he turned back to Jaxon, already reaching for his drink. "It's nice. He seems fond of you."

He sipped his drink, tasting the sweet and strong taste of the alcohol. "And he's darn good at his job, too."

The place seemed to be very private to Jaxon. He wondered why he'd been brought here. Although, it was probably just that Jaxon felt like coming here. He didn't strike Oriel as the type to think out every move in a date.

He rewarded Oriel with a wink when the artist implied some fondness for someone who could appreciate the simple things in life. "Opinions shift all the time, but I try to leave a good impression. Give back to the community--all that."

The exchange between Joe and Oriel made Jaxon smile. He basically only ever came in here alone, more often than not left that way, as well. It allowed for this to be an escape from his usual playboy reputation. Oriel had already seen plenty of that side today, this was a little glimpse of who Jax chose to be when he could be anyone. Plus, he just truly enjoyed how being here made him feel.

"I like it," was his reply when Oriel called the little watering hole nice. "Joe is the real friendly sort--his wife, Julie is usually here; they're always there with a pick me up if it's been a hard one," Jaxon spoke fondly of the pub owners as he ran the tip of his index finger over the rim of the glass, causing it to sing briefly before he brought the drink to his lips.

A nod and a wide smile were his response to Oriel's praise of Joe's drink creating prowess. "Oh yeah, he's got mad skills. I'll take one of his drinks over some cocktail from one of those trendy places any day. They'll sneak up on ya, too. Don't let that sweet fool ya, everythang he makes is strong."

Jaxon leaned forward, resting his elbow on the table, letting himself get closer to Oriel and study the artist's features in the dim light of the bar. O was undeniably attractive--and made for enjoyable company, but even though they had just arrived, his mind was wandering to how long they would stay.

Oriel studied Jaxon when he talked about hard times. He didn't know the man, and while it seemed so ludicrous to ever think about Jaxon as upset, he was glad to hear he had someone there. Even if they were bar owners who didn't know the truth about his magic. Somehow hearing his old schoolmate had hard times made him feel bad. Jaxon seemed like the type that should always be glad, always be enjoying himself, anything else seemed to be unworthy of him.

But Oriel barely knew him, and he knew hurt could easily be hidden if one knew the tricks. So he didn't comment and kept drinking, letting Jaxon study him all he wanted. Oriel knew he was attractive. He didn't go around flaunting it but it was there, and in cases such as these it came in useful. He could practically feel the seeker's gaze digging into his skin, heated as it passed all over him. He could barely withhold a shiver so he contented himself with smirking.

He took another swig of his drink and it was half gone. Maybe if he drew this out, Jaxon would get worked up. Wouldn't that be a sight?

"Did you know we're both American? Didn't know that until I read it somewhere about you." He held the drink up pensively, his own eyes trailing from Jaxon's down his face to his adam's apple and then to his barely exposed collarbone. Nothing that was covered now was anything he hadn't seen before, literally. "But you're from the south, I'm from DC. At least, I think I am. Don't know exactly where I was born though. I've never been to the south, what's it like?"

Oriel brought up the States and Jax's was surprised by the conversation topic. He definitely had not been thinking about his heritage as he was drinking in the beauty of the man across from him. But it seemed that more physical activities weren't on his companion's mind--or that Oriel was making more of an effort to disguise them if they were...

Either way, Jax didn't mind to talk about where he was from--and something that he had in common with the academic artist.

"I didn't know that--" the seeker admitted, before taking another sip of the Old Fashioned. "I never went up North or West--or really anywhere outside of Alabama. But I liked it. I still call it home--got family there. Still go visit and such. My pa's family is American. Mountain people some of 'em--others just country folk. All lead real simple lives. Granddaddy had a farm back in the day--still does--but not the same. Used to have chickens and all that. But I'm ramblin'--Guess I don't get the chance to talk about it much; ain't too many people ask me about that part of life."

"Well, I guess I'm just different." He smiled. In all honesty, he envied Jaxon's knowledge of his origins. Oriel had been adopted, right off the reservation, and taken to live in DC with his parents. He had moved to London before he'd even started doing accidental magic. That was for the best, he supposed, for traveling by plane with random bursts of magic seemed dangerous to him. "I never paid much attention to anyone when we were at school. I guess I'm feeling guilty about that. Particularly when I end up going out for drinks with you."

With another swig his drink was empty. He held it limply in his hand, smiling at Jaxon. It was a challenge. Either pluck up the wits to drag him out of there, or buy him another drink. Oriel could go for both, though he'd be lying if he said his mouth didn't run dry at the thought of leaving with Jaxon. While he'd been completely professional during the shoot, the seeker's body was... well, enticing was a polite way of putting it.