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It was easy to feel stuck when it's all someone has ever known. He was fortunate to be thrown in a mix of things through out his life. Significant changes gave him the ability to adapt quickly. Part of why he so easily moved to the States in the first place.
When she apologized, Broadie raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had no qualms with the heavy subject, even if it was a total stranger. "It's perfectly okay." He reassured with a nod, giving a friendly smile. "It sounds like you've needed to get this off your chest."
Family could do a lot to make a person stay in a place. He recalled telling his family that he would be moving, and it was his own stubbornness that made him stick with that decision. The heartbreak of his parents was almost enough to make him reconsider.
"My brother came here with me." He admitted, smiling at the memory of his brother announcing his move as well. "I'm fortunate to have him."
"Would you stay here if it weren't for them?" He asked, curious. It was a method he used to help make his own decision.
It was admirable that the girl could recognize something about herself that she wanted improvement on, and worked to achieve that. Were it not for the conversation they were having, he would have never guessed that she was shy, especially given that she invited a stranger in to her place of work after hours and offered to share a meal with. His forearms pressed to the table, pivoting his chair to better look at her.
"Settling down?" He laughed a little, because really, he hadn't thought much about it. "I'm not sure. I'm willing to go where my career takes me." If it meant leaving Stagfort, then so be it. But at the rate of things, he could very well be there for years. "How about you? Does this place feel like enough of a home for you?"
The word arrangement stuck out in his mind; she'd already used it before, but it's continued use made him wonder just what she meant by that. Already, the girl had stated that it wasn't bad to have been sheltered growing up, but as the conversation took a little more serious turn he questioned whether it really worked out for her and her brother. Still, he smiled - a little more genuinely than the one she attempted.
"You seem highly aware that this might not be ideal for either of you," he pointed out. "Have you considered changing this arrangement you have at all?"
What seemed to be a fond recollection of their siblings quickly turned to something more serious, and Brodie was quick to pick up the girl's change in mannerisms. He straightened his back, head cocking a little to the side as he watched this unfold in front of him. She had only just explained how close they were, yet she seemed so sure that he didn't appreciate that closeness. It was something the German struggled to relate to, but he could certainly try to understand.
"Why do you believe that?" He asked with a straightforward approach.
It was about as simple of an explanation as Brodie could ask for. Straightforward with a very specific goal. It was absolutely true, bartenders needed a certain charisma to aid in their field, and he had to wonder what she was like before taking on a job like that. He took the last bite of his food, having an appetite to clear a plate quickly. He touched the napkin to his lips.
"It's seemed to do well for you, if this conversation is any indicator."
Given the fact that she had said that she wasn't good with social interactions, she seemed to be doing well. He smiled when they found a similarity, especially in one that seemed to put the girl at ease. Talking about family could do that to a person. "He's a little older than me, though only by a few months." Given the fact that they hadn't met until they were both young teenagers, it didn't hold too much over their relationship. "I'll still say I'm the more mature one, though." He laughed a little at the idea of how Eli would respond to the idea of that.
"I'm sure he appreciates what you do for him." Brodie continued. "I know that even though I didn't always show it, I knew he had my back. It's a comfort."
He continued to eat as he let the woman think out her thought process of his question. It was exactly what he meant by getting to know people; his notepad didn't have to be open, nor his camera on for him to know what questions to ask. Because it was always so much more than the verbal response given to find the answer. She immediately contradicted herself, and he had to wonder why. To say a job was alright, but try to cement the idea that she enjoyed it lead him to believe there was more to it, but he let her continue.
"And what is the exact skill you're hoping to gain from it?" He asked when she finished, genuinely curious. He had no ill opinion towards bartenders, but he wondered what benefits it provided someone who seemed to seek something specific.
It felt like the best outcome based off of a first impression. Brodie had to be thankful that someone so adept was working in Stagfort. Not only for his own reasons, but for those clients she chose to protect. He could see the beginnings of a great professional relationship, and that was worth not taking lightly, especially given the reputation Theodora James brought with her name. Her card was placed carefully into his wallet. "I'll be sure to reach out to you if I find anything worthwhile," he promised.
Heading for the door, Brodie raised a hand up to say goodbye. "Thank you again for your time, Miss James." He then reached for the door, letting her return to her business as he planned the route to take with the mechanic.
This girl still had a lot of information to get out, and Brodie continued to listen, sure to give every sign of his interest. She seemed to be self-conscious of the fact, and he had no desire to make her feel uncomfortable over what he felt like was a normal conversation. Perhaps it was because he was far more used to listening than talking in the first place. "You seem to be doing fine to me," he reassured as she stated she couldn't socialize.
At the mention of Sam - who he assumed was the aforementioned brother - he smiled. "I imagine you two are very close then. My brother is protective of me as well, and we're not even twins." They didn't even share the same blood, but that hardly mattered to him. "He kept bullies off of me when I was a student."
It was surprisingly easy to get the girl to talk, and Brodie's eyebrows shot up as she started off on what seemed like a tangent. This was completely off the record, but he was sure to keep up and listen carefully. It was still important information to hold onto, and he was genuinely curious about a student's perspective of the US institute. His hands folded together on the table, letting her continue going until she came to a stop.
What stood out to him the most was that it seemed normal that a community couldn't be accepting of the bustling meta population. Still, he smiled. "It's quite alright. You'll find I'm an exceptional listener." It was part of his skill set, after all.
"Sheltered?" He wondered if it was the best approach, but did well to hide the thought from his tone. "That must have been hard growing up without much contact to the outside world."
It was refreshing to hear someone actually say they appreciate his work. Often with a description of his title, people dove into saying that it seemed important, but there was always a glaze over their eyes that proved they didn't quite understand the weight of it all. Here, as he sat across from someone with a similar desire to help, he truly believed those words. He lifted his chin a little with pride.
And there it was - a small break. It was often a dangerous game to try and get a quote from a victim on an open case first; it usually put him immediately on the wrong side of the lawyer representing. In the time he had spent poking around this particular case, he'd heard a great deal about the mechanic. At least now he could approach her without potential backlash from the clever woman sitting across from him. "I'll be reaching out to her," he confirmed.
It was incredibly important to get this first meeting right. There would be more cases past this in which he'd likely be turning to the lawyer about. Slowly, he pushed himself up to stand, not wanting to overstay his welcome. "I'm sure we'll be in touch." A hand dove into the inside pocket of his jacket, securing a business card and extending it out to her.
Admittedly, he hadn't expected to be recalled. "It's alright, I was a quiet child." The few that did notice him often were the ones to get him into some sort of trouble, though that was the past and he had little interest in reflecting back on it, especially as her interests turned. The conversation felt as if it had taken a lighter turn - a shared interest and concern.
"It's worse than I had imagined," Brodie agreed with a nod. "With the change of the the political tide, it's coming out in full force." His lips pressed together as he grimaced. "I came here specifically about the meta population, but I found myself witnessing so much more. It still baffles that the system ignores basic human rights."
It eased into what was more of a conversation, and Brodie smiled over the information offered, though vague. He smiled as he leaned back in his chair, nodding a little despite knowing all of the information that she was offering him. He cocked his head to the side, eyebrows quirking upwards a little. "I'm unsure if you're aware, but we attended school together. Briefly." She was older than him, but there was a small lapse in their time at St. Bethany.
"And I believe we have a shared interest. You came here to help the meta population. I've come to report how they're treated here. I'm sure you can agree it's different."
Ah, he should have expected this. People so often asked him that question; it was hard to have a genuine conversation with a person without them feeling at least a little guarded that they were talking to someone who could easily publish their words. He smiled, hands rising up to show the young woman her palms before letting them settle in his lap. "I had attended St. Bethany in England," he explained. "I was curious how Bellefonte differed; I've heard stories but never actually met anyone who has attended. I'm fairly new to town."
She was smart to be on the defense though. At least, in this country. Where he attended school, life was quite different. To help put the girl at ease, gestured for her to glance down at the table, and his pen started to gently lift off the table and float. "Gravity." He explained, before the object dropped back on the table.
