<span style="color: #BF00BF">The progression of emotion and acknowledgement on his face was interesting, foreign to her. Her walk had been one of self-conscious hurry, partly because she didn't want to be looked at any longer than she needed to be...And the other for feeling out of place suddenly exposed.<br/><br/>Lily had heard the chair scraping back against the floor, her eyes having wandered over the little establishment, taking in the homey charms (or what she considered to be homey) before coming to rest on Tobias's frame. Starting from the floor, her eyes moved up his body in a leisurely pace, not even realizing she was doing it. Her eyes moving slower as it reached the opening in his jumper, she felt her chest constricting, heart pounding heavily. Ending on his eyes, the blue orbs pulling her in to the point that she felt she was drowning. Taking everything she had, she pulled her gray eyes away from his own, walking past him to sit back in her seat.<br/><br/>It was funny, the concept of time...What felt like an eternity of staring, the way her eyes had held onto his...the pace she <span style="font-style: italic">felt</span> she'd been walking...It was merely a matter of seconds.<br/><br/>The lasting effect tormented her.<br/><br/>In almost every way he was comparable to one of the heroes in her books, saving the damsel in distress. Taking her in under his wing and giving her care when no one else did. Not that she'd say she was a damsel, or that this was a book, but in her mind, the resemblance was uncanny. Even down to the minute details of his eyes, the way they appeared stormy, deep, had a way of drawing in anyone caught within their mysterious depths easily.<br/><br/>Just like the dreams she'd had.<br/><br/>Face flushing deeply at this, she let her head drop, focusing on a particular grain in the table as she willed the blush to go away. And, though she'd never seen herself blush, she had a feeling it would be quite the stark contrast against her cadaverous skin. Although she couldn't tell what Samuele and Angela were talking about meanwhile, the reaction from Tobias was noted, his smile resuming what it'd once been: simply friendly, with just a small hint of subtle change. Not a change she could quite place, but it was notable.<br/><br/>Eyes snapping to the tray in Samuele's hand, she stared, trying to figure out how she was supposed to eat the blasted thing. The feeling of idiocy reigned supreme in her mind as she continued to stare it down, the quip, along with Toby's blush completely missed. His sudden throat clearing though, had her looking at him with a slight frown, with overtones of concern.<br/><br/>As he handed her the plate, she looked down at it, only to return her eyes to his slice. A half-hearted laugh resounded through the place in quiet, melodic tones before attempting to lift her piece. Feeling the heat through her cotton gloves, she winced, the bitter memory of many a burned taste bud flooding her. Looking at it, the smell of it overwhelming her senses, Lily opened her mouth, and took her first dainty bite.<br/><br/>Heaven.<br/><br/>That was the first word she thought of when tasting that pizza.<br/><br/>...Followed by hot.<br/><br/>Very hot.<br/><br/>Putting the piece down, she reached for the bubbly concoction in front of her, guessing it was the Pepsi and took a sip. The carbonation tickled her nose, the bubbles almost burning the entire way down her throat, differently than the hot sauce...but still a burn. A small hiccup followed, and she was setting the glass back down to take in what she'd just tasted.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Pizza...is amazing,</span> she thought to herself happily. <span style="font-style: italic">Even if it hurt...And the Pepsi.........I can live without that.</span><br/><br/>Slanting a gaze his way, her tongue darted out over her lips, pulling in the lower to nibble on in thought before she finally got a firm grasp of the English language. "...So, how long have you known them?" Lily asked quietly, before her eyes widened. "If it's alright to ask," she hastily added, not wanting to overstep.</span><br/><br/>Tobias took a drink from his soda, to distract himself from watching her tongue, setting it down to answer her question, â€œUm...for about a year now..â€ he said rubbing the right side of his neck. â€œKind of stumbled on them when I came back from....from....work...â€ he said stumbling over a word to fill in for war.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF00BF">"Sounds like a lucky stumble," she replied, a slight smile pulling at her lips. Finally feeling slightly comfortable, she was confident she didn't sound like a bumbling moron, and felt her body in turn respond. She didn't sit quite so rigid in the chair, her smile reaching her eyes, adding a gleam beneath their gray surfaces. "They seem nice." <br/><br/>Not wanting to press the "work" issue, she instead turned her attention elsewhere. "And do you do anything for a hobby?" Another laugh followed, a little louder this time and spilling forth into her next words. "I realize I'm being a bit random...But I've a horrible habit of filling quiet, so I ask anything you don't want to answer, just tell me."</span><br/><br/>Tobias smiled in turn, the only thing that kept him from leaning a bit closer to her, was that Angela would get on him for his elbows being on the table. â€œNah, you are fine. There are only a few things that I won't talk about, but other than that I am an open bookâ€ he gave her a friendly smile to reassure her. â€œAs for a hobby...â€ his voice trailed off, while he thought, his fingers drawing circles in the table as he thought.<br/><br/>Chuckling and shaking his head, â€œUm, well does working out count? I mean aside from that and the occasional bit of singing that I do when I am alone.."<span style="color: #BF00BF"><span style="font-style: italic">He sings? Can he be anymore per-</span> The thought cut off as she forced herself to pay attention to what he was saying and not fantasize as nothing would come of it anyway.</span>"...I don't really do muchâ€ he said with a friendly smile. â€œWhat about you? You have hobbies? Save for playing hide and seek?â€ the last bit of a friendly tease, trying to see if she would laugh.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF00BF">Rather than feel her smile growing, it sort of teetered, falling the smallest bit before resuming the brilliance it'd once held, her eyes not quite as bright this time around. Tracing the rum of her cup, she shook her head with a slight laugh. <br/><br/>"If I played hide and seek, I'd be terrible, as you've seen," she quipped, a shrug accompanying her words. "You found me didn't you?" Pausing, she let out a a seemingly happy sigh. "I'm more of a reader than anything else. I tend to get lost in books rather easily."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">'Bout as easily as your eyes...</span> she added to herself.<br/><br/>"So you sing?" she asked, turning the conversation back to him, before adding playfully, "Are you any good?"</span>