puis-je vous aider? - Kenna

Time: About fifteen past four in the afternoon
Place: The Fjord
Weather: The sun is shining, not a single cloud in the sky. A light breeze of lukewarm air travels through the air from time to time.
Surroundings: A lot of people down at the waterfront, enjoying the nice summer weather
Outfit: Beige shorts that ends just above his knees. A white shirt with the sleeves folded up to the elbows and a couple of buttons undone at the chest. Trekking sandals.
@Kenna

The smell of water in the air made him smile, as he was strolling down the waterfront. For the past two weeks, he had been recovering from his brother’s idiotic idea regarding provoking some poor demon. Nathaniel would be their death someday, that’s for sure. Thankfully, it wasn’t really a problem, if Nathaniel knew his place and kept quiet when Ellery were out and about.
*Come on, E… Let me have some fun… Look at that girl - she would love to come home to play!*, Nathaniel’s voice echoed in Ellery’s head. ‘’That might be, but you’re not allowed visitors after last time.’’ Ellery answered, with a sweet and pleasant smile, in case that the woman Nathaniel just referred too turned around to look at Ellery. Yes, he was talking to himself, and most people in Gaia never seemed to mind.

The young woman was beautiful, with a light brown mane of long hair and a lightly toasted complexion. Ellery, who was about 850 years old, had not really dared to think about women since his last relationship ended in what most teenage-novels would describe as heartbreak. It was a somewhat tragic story of the siren and the human - a human that couldn’t reconcile with the fact that creatures besides animals and humans could exist in their world… The humans world. A pity, really. She was gorgeous. But that was decades ago - and Ellery couldn’t be bothered to remember the details all of the time.

*Go on! Ask her out! I’ll wait!* the twin’s laughter echoed in Ellery’s head, as Nathaniel mocked his thoughts. ‘’Nice one, Nate. I’ll remember that one.’’ The siren mumbled, as he discreetly let his gaze focus on the woman a few feet from him. He could even smell her - her scent combined with the air from the sea… A scent of summer, wilderness and… Warmth. Maybe, he had stood there for too long, with his eyes resting on the woman. Maybe not. Had she noticed? He hoped not, as he would be absolutely mortified if she were to discover his little indiscretion.

Outfit

Kenna was sitting on a bench near the water. She had always enjoyed water. She was not much of a swimmer, but being near it, listening to it, smelling it, always made her calm down. And at this moment, she needed to stay calm. Going to England had been a rash decision, mainly pushed on her by her sister. Erin was the only person who knew everything about her relationship with her ex. Saying it out loud made it real, so she hadn’t said much at first, but the injures became harder and harder to hide, even with her accelerated healing. She heard a voice nearby but didn’t pay much attention to it at first. It was probably just someone on the phone. Beside her on the bench laid her backpack with the few belongings she managed to get with her. She had no idea what she was going to do, but right now, she was just happy to feel safe and free.

Kenna had never had much of a life. She was still young, but most of her life had been about training to become her pack’s new beta and then there was the whole matter of being in an abusive relationship. She had never been able to be free, to make her own decisions. And now that she was, she had no idea what to do about it. She was so used to her time being planned out completely, it was strange for her to not have any structure at all. Strange and a little scary.

She heard the voice again. He might mumble, but her advanced senses allowed her to hear him clearly. She finally looked at him. Her first thought was that he was tall. Then she noticed he was good-looking, with his dark ruffled hair and eyes whose color she couldn’t quite place anywhere. But then there was the fact that he seemed to be talking to himself, which was maybe a bit of a deal-breaker. Her gaze turned away. Kenna continued to feel his eyes on her. She wondered why, but quickly came to the conclusion she would never know unless she asked. She grabbed her bag and walked closer to him. ”I’m sorry, were you talking to me?” She asked with the American accent rolling across her lips. She tried to keep an open attitude, although she found him curious.

Staring at the woman obviously was a wrong move, as she had heard him. He started to panic, as she got up and walked closer to him - backpack in hand - and asked directly if he was talking to her. His eyes flickered, as he fought bravely to present a calm and content answer; he failed.
‘’I-… Yes. I’m sorry, that was a bit rude of me.’’ He said, his French accent protruding every word. He sighed, with a smile, as a hand instinctively found way up to his head and he ran his long fingers through his hair and made it even more wild to look at - though, it seemed to match his aesthetic.

*Nice one, Casanova! Reel her in!* Nathaniel laughed, and Ellery had to fight with every fiber of his being to not answer that little pricks annoying and mocking comment.
‘’I was just…’’ His words fought him and made him look like a complete fool. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know what to do. That was the pain of being shy - he was used to dealing with the aquatic population - people on the other hand… That was his weak spot.

‘’I’m Ellery.’’ He said, as his hand flew from his hair down to shake hers, if she complied. ‘’Ellery D’Combe.’’ He said, and at the mentioning of his surname, his French accent grew even stronger. He didn’t really mind the accent per say, but it could make it difficult to talk to others, when all your words sounded like you were trying to seduce them - a thing he would never do.

Kenna was admittedly taken aback by his French accent. There was just something about the accent that screamed romance and seduction. His words were what made her think he was not trying to woe her. ”No, it’s fine. I was just a little confused,” she said with a smile that was supposed to be calming. She was not always good at that. She had learned to be tough rather than friendly and accommodating. The tough attitude seemed to be what she showed the most. She followed his movement with her gaze as he ran a hand through his hair, making it even more messy. She looked back into his eyes to be polite.

He started to say something but seemed to trail off. She awaited more, but nothing came. He seemed shy, which she found endearing. She was used to people who nearly had fights over who was the most confident. It was tiring to be around those kinds of people. Everything was a competition, and she always seemed to be caught in the middle of it. As she exited the plane, she had left her comfort zone completely. She was away from her pack for the first time ever.

Her gaze flew to his hand. She reluctantly took it and gave it a quick shake. ”Kenna Warrick,” she introduced herself and let go of his hand. His accent saying his name, had more an effect on her than she cared to admit. She stood her ground, doing her best to keep her composure. ”Are you new in town?” She asked. It was clear from their accent that neither of them were raised here.

It was somewhat nice, not to be judged on the fact that he had been talking randomly. Her smile - though a bit forced - seemed to be for his comfort more than her own. He couldn't blame her, he would have done the same, had it not been because he was already smiling by the fact that a gorgeous woman was talking to him.
He did notice how her eyes followed his hand, and he messed with his hair. A nervous tick, or maybe just a comfort-seeking aspect of his person? Who were to tell...

The quick and quite reluctant handshake confirmed his thoughts - she was uncomfortable too. Was she scared of him? - No, it couldn't be that. He was the closest thing anyone could get to a living teddy bear!
As he heard her name, his smile grew wider. ''American?'' He guessed, before letting his hand slide down to his hip, where it rested with a finger in the belt loop. Of course, his accent made him roll on the words, making it sound like he was about to lean in and kiss her without permission. It was a gift, as well as a curse. It didn't help that he by nature seemed to be enticing and seductive. He didn't even try to...

She asked him the most perfect question! The so-called ice-breaker - great! He laughed for a short second, before he nodded a tiny bit. ''We just moved here from France. But you might have already guessed that?'' he answered, with a warm laughter in his voice. *We? You were the one that forced us here, you moron!* Nathaniel yelled with a voice that made Ellery's ears ring. He flinched for a second, but struck right back to normal again.

Kenna was a little wary of new people. She was expecting the worst, although he had not given her any reason to distrust him, she did. It was like that with everyone new she had met over the last few years. It took time to earn her trust, but when you did, she was one of the most loyal friends you could wish for. She nodded to his question. ”That obvious?” She said in a questioning tone. A more natural smile on her lips now. She put her back on in a swift movement, as she was tired of carrying it in her hand. He had an enticing attitude. Part of it was because of his accent, but there was something else. She couldn’t put her finger on what it was.

His laugh caused her smile to grow larger. It was nice to be with someone easy. Although her trust in him was not there, she didn’t expect him to have any hidden intentions. He seemed pretty straight forward, which was what she needed. She needed to know where she stood with a person, rather than be surprised time and time again. She was sick of surprises. ”The accent kind of gave it away,” she said joining in on the laughter with a weak chuckle. ”Who is we?” We could include many people. Maybe a small bit of her wanted to know if we included a girlfriend. He was cute and seemed like a nice person, so it only seemed natural to have some interest. It was unlikely it would develop to more than that. She was far from ready to jump into something new, yet she knew herself well enough to know, that she might do exactly dad. She wanted to feel safe, and right now she only felt that with other people.

‘’Really obvious,’’ he said with a warm tone in his voice, and a kind nod at her to signal that he agreed with her. Just as obvious as he was French, of course. They couldn’t hide their upbringing when it came to their language - and luckily, no one asked them to. As she in a swift motion placed the backpack over her shoulder, a small and unwelcome feeling of disappointment struck him. Was she about to leave?... He surely didn’t hope so.

When she joined him in his warm laughter with her feminine and gentle chuckle, he tilted his head a bit to the side - as a loyal dog that found what he was looking at interesting. Something about her just seemed to interesting to deny. He couldn’t point out what it was though.
‘’Of course, it was the accent.’’ He said, as he winked at her. No, he wasn’t trying to be flirty - but he couldn’t escape it. He was a siren; it was what they did. They lured victims into the water and… He shook the feeling in an instance, as he didn’t want to remember the fact that a huge part of him was screeching to get back into the water and hunt for prey. It was his nature.

She asked, as Nathaniel might have predicted when he yelled at his brother moments before, who ‘we’ were. Of course, he could tell the truth. Not that he wanted to, seeing that Nathaniel wasn’t really a nice person to talk to - or talk about. Therefor, with a gentle and warm smile, he answered; ‘’My brother and I.’’. What could he say? In reality it was only him. Nathaniel didn’t exist outside this body and this head. But denying his existence would be cruel, even though he might deserve it sometimes. ''What about you, miss Warrick? Did you move here with someone, or are you out here to taste the sweet freedom, as so many young souls do?'' he asked, and by default, he wanted to hit himself. Could he sound more pretendous? More like he was trying to quote Shakespeare?!

Kenna shrugged as he confirmed she was an obvious American. She was no expert in geometry, but she did know a little about accents. Mostly it was from movies, so it was far from accurate most of the time, but the French accent had always been easy for her to pick up on. She didn’t want to leave, but she had only planned to come here a little while and then find a place to sleep. Although she had no rush. The sun was still out. As a result, from her thoughts, she looked to the sky, shortly being blinded by the sharp sun. She looked back down, blinking excessively to get the spots to stop dance on her inner eye.

She looked back at him. How he titled his head was incredibly adorable, and she couldn’t help but let a short giggle flow past her lips. She nodded when he agreed to it being the accent. She felt a warmth spreading in her cheek as he winked at her. She wiped some hair behind her ear. She was normally not shy, but she became that when people flirted with her. She didn’t even know if that what his intention, but just the possibility made her shy side step forward.

Kenna could sense he was not fond of talking of his brother, so she didn’t ask anymore questions. He continued to ask her questions as well. ”Please, call me Kenna,” she insisted. ”Would you believe it if I said I was on run from the law?” She asked with a smirk. She could be very sarcastic if she got the chance to be. ”I’m here alone. It was an impulsive decision,” she explained touching the strap of her backpack to indicate it was all she had, in her own way. ”Although the freedom is very sweet,” she added with a smile. ”Do you maybe want to go for a walk with me? I was just about to go check in on a hotel,” she said with a hopeful look in her eyes.

As she looked at the sky and was momentarily blinded by the sun, he almost took a step forward, just in case she was to faint. He had seen it before, only back then women were the weaker sex. That hadn't been the case for over a hundred years... Had it?
He stood his ground, as he watched her regain her eyesight, and they returned to sharing smiles, laughter and giggles. How come she would be so easy to talk to? How come she was so pleasant? She wasn't like other Americans - they were abrupt, noisy and... Very, very... Unpleasant. Unlike them, her smile made him smile even more.

He nodded as she insisted on him calling her by her name. ''As you wish, Kenna.'' he said, but only to please her. They weren’t related or friends by family-means, so he had no right to call her by her name. yet again. He was old-fashioned, and that might be the biggest flaws of his at times. ‘’But then, you must call me Ellery.’’ He said and winked at her again. ‘’On the run from the law? Oh my, what did you steal? A heart, perhaps?’’ he asked, with a sly smile that underlined the fact that he was just teasing her. He would never ask like that, if she had been any less friendly towards him.

As she said she was in Gaia alone, he couldn’t place the feeling in his chest. A young woman, alone. That wasn’t freedom, it was fleeing. He had seen the same feeling when his mother left them - and he would never blame anyone for that. ‘’Freedom, once earned, is the sweetest. In moderation.’’ He said, before he bit his lip while she tapped on her strap of her backpack. Another indication that she really was on the run. Just not from the law. Barbwire clenched around his heart, as he realized that she really didn’t have anything but her backpack and the clothes she was wearing. The pain must have been visible, he thought, before he heard her ask if he wanted to take a walk with her. Those hopeful eyes, how could he say no?

‘’It would be my pleasure, my dear Kenna.’’ He said, with a warm smile, before he stretched his arm out like the gentleman he was, so she could place her hand on it, were she enticed to do so. ‘’I’ll let you lead the way then.’’ He said, again with a warm smile and a smooth voice. He was in no hurry - or… He did only have a couple of hours before he needed to get back into the water. But that was a worry for another time.

Kenna was surprised that the first person she met here, was one she wished to spend more time with. She had expected she would come here, maybe talk with a person or two, and then go each their way. But Ellery made her laugh, which was something not easily done lately. Especially not from a person who was practical still a stranger. She was feeling more comfortable by the second. But at the same time, she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. She was expecting something bad to happen. In was in preparation in case it did. She couldn’t let things catch her off guard anymore.

Kenna had sensed his race long ago, but she had not known his age. Now she was beginning to think he was born a while ago. He spoke in a matter than seemed out of this time. That only added to his charm in her opinion. ”If you insist,” she said with smile. Another wink, making her knees feel like jelly. ”Actually yes. I am a heart collector. What do you think the backpack’s for,” she leaned towards him, pretending to be telling him a secret. She liked him. He was a good mixture of respectful and joking. She wanted someone who could be both. In her previous relationship she had neither. Not towards the end. He was funny and nice at first, but then something changed. She never understood what.

Kenna nodded in agreement. Too much freedom could also be dangerous. She was not so sure she should be here alone, but none from her family could come. She just had to find some people who could become her new family. Perhaps a pack that needed a beta, although it seemed unlikely. For now, and maybe forever, she would be a lone wolf. Perhaps become a rogue if she couldn’t find a place in a pack. She spotted a shift of emotion in his eyes, but she couldn’t quite decipher it. She decided to let it go. They didn’t know each other well enough to ask such personal things. She liked his warm smiles. They did what they were supposed to – the made her feel warm. She put her hand on his arm. By his words, she started to guide them towards the nearest hotel. She had been by earlier just to make sure she knew where it was. She led him away from the water and towards the city. ”Who would have guessed I would run in to such a gentleman,” she thought out loud.

As they walked away from the water and back to the city, he started to feel like he might not be the right person to feel sorry for her. After all, he had just done the same thing; left everything behind and moved. But, did she move here, or was she just going to be visiting? Would she travel on, and that’s why she wanted to stay at a hotel? The only way to know, was to ask. But his thoughts were stopped in their tracks, as she thought out loud about him being a gentleman. He couldn’t hide the three most dominant things; him blushing ever so slightly, a nervous laughter to mask the fact that he indeed was flattered, and a sensation of warmth surging through him as she had placed her hand on his arm.

He couldn’t lie; and he didn’t want to. He was raised to be a gentleman, and that was an upbringing he treasured. ‘’My parents were quite keen on the thought of me marrying a woman of status one day. To do such, being a gentleman is a minimum requirement.’’ He said, with a crooked smile, as they walked. He felt like it was easy enough to talk about that - his upbringing. He had never felt trauma, or been unhappy… Until his brother betrayed him, that is. He looked directly at Kenna, with that same crooked smile; ‘’To my parents big disappointment, I have yet to marry.’’ He said, before his eyes fell to her lips for a mere second, before he heard Nathaniel soundly in his mind; *Oh, damn! Loverboy is out fishing, is he!? Come on, she’s way to pretty for you, ay!*.

He ignored his brother, knowing that when they got home, he would have hell to pay. It had been decades since Ellery had had a girlfriend, mostly because Nathaniel didn’t like the rules. Only one person to kiss, to sleep with… And only women! - Ellery never thought of a man the way he thought about women. Just the thought of a woman in his arms, close together, made him weak. He blinked a couple of times in rapid succession, before scoffing with the same crooked smile as before. A private joke, maybe. Him, with a woman. It was more likely that death walked the earth and living visited Hell… He was too shy for that kind of relations. Always the friend, never the boyfriend.

Kenna was not a spontaneous person. Not usually, but she did feel that if she stayed much longer, she would have stayed forever. Leaving her alpha’s son was not ideal, and her parents were most likely very disappointed in her choice. But they didn’t know everything. If they did, hopefully they would understand. She watched him. She didn’t even try to hide it. He seemed to be affected by her words, as his cheek became colored. It was nice to just know. She had always had to second guess herself with her ex, because he could go from a 0 to a 100 in a matter of seconds. With Ellery she knew what to expect. At least she felt like that so far. She couldn’t truly tell yet, but for now she felt comfortable with him.

Kenna nodded to his words. If he was older, that only made sense. Today marriage was not like that. You weren’t dependent on another person to survive the same way you had been. She tried to understand, but her situation was not the same. In some aspects maybe, but she had been able to chose who she would love herself. That she had made a wrong choice, was a whole other story. ”We can be disappointments together,” she said and gave his arm a little squeeze. She was stronger than she looked, but she had been taught how to control her strength, especially when angry. ”I haven’t lived up to my parents expectations either,” she explained, although she left out the details. She thought them boring any way, so no need to flesh out all the details of her mostly uneventful life.

Kenna had noticed how he sometimes zoned out. She didn’t question why. He surely had his reasons, and she didn’t need to know them. She frowned shortly as he scoffed out of nowhere. Had she missed something funny? She chose to not ask questions, as they arrived at the hotel. ”Thank you for escorting me,” she said with a smile, releasing his arm. She didn’t want to leave like this. She wanted a friend here in England, someone she could go to if she needed company. ”Could we maybe exchange phone numbers. If you even have a phone?” Not everyone did.

It was like she already knew that he found her company pleasing, and by the way she squeezed his arm ever so slightly made him think that maybe she enjoyed his company too. Most people would find Ellery boring or strange, since he more often than not would zone out while listening to his brother. Over the years, most of the beings he had met simply thought of him as simple or maybe even a bit crazy. No one knew about Nathaniel and Ellery sharing bodies - and he preferred to keep it that way. ‘’I like to think of it as being unique in our choices, rather than actual disappointments.’’ He said, with a warm smile. Though his farther had been a fisherman and his mother a siren, Ellery was raised to marry one of the most high-ranking men’s daughters, so ensure a future for the bloodline. Unfortunately, he fell in love - a love that turned into a nightmare due to his brother’s actions.

As they arrived at the hotel, Ellery felt a pinch of disappointment himself. She thanked him for the escort, and he nodded as a way of acknowledging her thanks. With a crooked and soft smile, he pulled out his phone. Over half of the contacts were people Ellery didn’t even know, but that was due to the fact that the brothers shared a phone as well. He smiled, as he opened a note on the phone, containing his own number and address, and handed her the phone so she could copy the information if needed be. ‘’I’m never farther away than a text.’’ He said, with a caring smile, as he looked at her. ‘’Please, let me take you out for dinner.’’ He then said, quite out of the blue. It wasn’t intended to be a date, more a way of getting to know her a bit more. She was enticing, intriguing… And if she planned on leaving Gaia, he would at least know her for more than her name and her backpack.

His plead echoed in his head, as he again lifted his hand and ran it through his hair. Again, with that nervous tick of his, as he waited patiently for a reply. Mentally he prepared himself for the rejection, as his crooked smile stayed its course and reach all the way up to his eyes, and the glimmered in the afternoon sun. It was painstaking to stand there, in the sun, and feeling like he was about to burn up. His face was turning a ever so slightly reddish color, as the blushing from before seemed to take a hold of him again. Should he underline the fact that he asked her out as a friend? Or should he stay far away from the ‘friend-zone-stigma’ until they knew each other better? He didn’t know, and as he looked at her, his heart raced even faster in his chest.

Kenna did notice some attributes in Ellery that made him stand out, but in her eyes, it didn’t make him strange, it made him different. Who knew if they would have made contact if she hadn’t heard him talk out loud? She still didn’t know who he was taking to. The way he said it made it sound so philosophical, and the accent made it even more so. Romantic, even. Her heart skipped a beat. She had never known love. Not like it should be. She thought she had been in love, but could you really love someone who treated you badly? She hoped not, because then she might have a type, and she didn’t want that. She wanted someone who treated her kindly and loved her with passion, not aggression.

She grabbed the phone with a smile, and created a contact with his name, number and address, before handing the phone back to him. ”It works both ways,” she added with a smile. She was about to send him a text so he would have her number as well. She looked from the phone to his eyes when he offered to take her to dinner. Was it supposed to be a date, or just as friends? She couldn’t really tell, but it didn’t really matter did it? If she didn’t expect to much, she wouldn’t be disappointed. She looked back at the phone and finished the text before sending it to him. ‘I would love to’ it said. Kenna gave him a quick smile, before looking at the reception. ”Let me just check in first. I’ll be back in second.” She walked into the hotel and waited in line behind a man.

When she got forward in line, she requested a room with a single bed. The receptionist informed her they didn’t have anymore of those, and instead suggested a room with a double bed. She pulled her wallet from her back and looked into it to see how much she had. She only had enough to two nights, if she put away some money for food and other necessities. She needed to find a job quick. Kenna let her hand brush over her hair in a frustrated movement, before she nodded to the woman and paid her for the first night. She didn’t know what to do. Two days to find a job seemed to be too short a deadline, but what else could she do? She didn’t know anyone here. She took in a deep breath before joining Ellery outside again. ”Ready to go?” A smile graced her lips, her face barely showing how screwed she was.

Ellery smiled and nodded at her, as she exclaimed that it would work both ways. He saw some hesitation in her face, before he received a text from her, and he smiled even more as the brown-haired beauty disappeared into the hotel for check in. If he just could tell her that whatever she had been running from would be in the past, he might have been more comfortable with the whole situation - but the truth was that neither of them could run from their pasts. That was life in a nutshell. He placed the phone in his pocket, and looked at the hotel entrance with a smile.

As she joined him again, he noticed a change in her attitude. Living out of a backpack, she surely couldn’t have the finances to live at a hotel… But he didn’t ask, since they barely knew each other - yet. ‘’As ready as I can be, my dear Kenna.’’ He said, with a sly crooked smile, before handing her his arm again. Realistically, he had about three hours until he needed to get back to the water. Either, it was a short date, or a date where he showed her his more aquatic side. It all depended on the fact of if she liked him enough to be more than a acquaintance. Only friends and closer had ever seen him in his siren-form.

‘’Since I’m taking you out to eat, what do you fancy? I’m not picky.’’ He said, with a warmth in his voice. As long as he could get a portion of fish or red meat, he would be fine. He could, if need be, eat something fried, but he didn’t fancy the taste of it. He was the person with anchovies on his pizza and squid in his risotto. Yes, he was indeed that guy. *Oh damn, loverboy! You got a date!? I thought she would have bailed you and went straight to her room! She’s pretty… Do you think she’s tasty too!?* Nathaniel laughed in Ellery’s head, as they walked. Ignoring one voice and listening to the company he was is was hard enough, and he felt so incredibly rude for not introducing her to his brother - but Nathaniel was a real prick, and Kenna seemed so nice and sweet. She wouldn’t fancy Nathaniel, at all. He knew that.

‘’If I may ask - and of course, you don’t have to answer…’’ he said, a bit hesitating. He looked at her as they walked, with a little smile and a glimmer in his eye - not on purpose though. ‘’Are you here - in Gaya, I mean, to stay? Or are you just out travelling?’’ he asked, with a tilted head as they walked. Quickly, he maneuvered around a lamppost, which cause him to drag her with him to avoid her getting hit by the post too. ‘’They should put those things where people aren’t walking!’’ he laughed, with a warm and soft laughter, as he looked over his shoulder to ensure that they hadn’t dropped anything.

Kenna tried to face everything life had to throw her at her, but she had also learned that sometimes you had to remove yourself from a toxic situation in order to enjoy what else life had to offer. But she was also afraid her past would catch up with her. Nate had plenty of recourses and a strong will. If he wanted to find her, he would. It was one of the things keeping her up at night. She tried to avoid thinking too much about it, but it was easier said than done. She enjoyed it when he called her ‘dear’. I made her feel appreciated. It was probably just the way he spoke of people, but it still made her happy. The crooked smile had some charm. It made her pulse race. She took his arm again and started to walk with him. She didn’t know where this would go, but she was just not ready to give him up now. Maybe that was selfish of her, but she felt she had a reason to be. She was determined to surround herself with people who made her feel good. Ellery was one of them.

She looked thoughtful into air when he asked what she wanted to eat. What did she want? She had not thought much about it. She hard just considered ordering something, perhaps not room service as it was to expensive, but something cheap and probably not very nutritious. She looked back at him. ”I don’t know. Maybe just pizza or a burger or something easy like that.” She was prepared to pay for herself, so it shouldn’t be something too expensive. Kenna leaned closer to him without thinking about it. She just wanted to feel someone close.

Kenna listened to his proposal to ask a question. She gave a short nod to encourage him to move forward with the question. She didn’t know what to answer, and before she had a chance to, he quickly dragged her around a streetlamp. Her heart was beating faster from the sudden movement. When her heart was under control again, she felt she could answer. ”I am not just travelling. But I don’t know how long I can stay. I need to find a job,” she told him without the details. If she first began to open up, she would never stop, and he would know everything. She wasn’t ready for someone to know it all. ”Perhaps the lamps are placed strategically to allow people to save their date from a major headache,” she said. Kenna had not thought about her calling herself his date. It was what she hoped it could be, but if it wasn’t, he would have to correct her.

He could clearly feel her hesitating - maybe just thinking? - about what they should grab to eat. At first, he couldn’t quite put his finger on why it bothered him; since most women had a tendency to be indecisive on what to eat. Or at least, that was men were told to believe.
Pizza or burgers? - he couldn’t recall the last time he had eaten a burger, and with a gently and warm smile he just nodded in agreement. ‘’Takeout it is then!’’ he said, as he felt her leaning in closer. Was it safety she was seeking, or maybe just a sensation of another being close? He couldn’t know, and he wouldn’t ask. For her, right there, he wasn’t about to ruin anything.

After the detour to avoid the lamppost, he finally heard her answer. What she said, and what he heard, were two very different things. She had moved here, but he didn’t have a place to stay, besides the hotel. And money was tight - he could tell. Barbwire fixated around his heart, as he thought about it. A couple of nights shelter and she would be on the streets. Her comment and her way of announcing that it really was a date-date made him smile, as he looked straight forward. His mind burning to decide if he should offer his help to her or not.

‘’Hey, Kenna,’’ he then said, a bit hesitant. Could he propose an arrangement that would make it easier for her, he would. He was like that - and Nathaniel was already screaming at his brother to not even dare asking the beautiful woman. ‘’We have a spare bedroom, if you need it.’’ He then said, with his eyes fixated on the path the were walking, to the nearest pizza-place. He knew that it would be a sudden proposal, and there was no hidden agenda. She needed a place to stay, and he had a spare room. Or, he had a spare bedroom, as he never slept in a bed. Or used to shower… he was a terrible roommate! - If you didn’t know that he was a siren. Of course, he would tell her, if she decided to accept his offer. But he would never even think about trying to force her.  

As they arrived at the pizza-place, he opened the door for her so she could enter. If she entered, he would follow her inside, where he would grab two menus for them and escort her to a booth where they could sit and talk without being disrupted too much.

Kenna was usually quite decisive, but she had just been on a flight for about nine hours earlier in the day. She didn’t know what it was about Ellery, but she just thought she could allow herself to relax with him. Maybe she was already trusting him. She wasn’t sure, all she knew was that she hadn’t felt so true to who she was in a long time. She was not forced to uphold a mask or pretend that she was feeling okay, even though she was falling apart. She appreciated him, appreciated that she could seek comfort in him without feeling judged about it.

Kenna was not good at taking help, even worse at asking for it. She worked on it, especially now when she was in a new country with no connections. She saw his smile after she suggested it was a date, and she began to think maybe it was actually a date, which she didn’t mind one bit. Her gaze turned forward again, her thoughts playing out what could happen through the night. She couldn’t decide if this was actually a good idea for her at the moment. But it felt okay, so for now she didn’t feel a need to stop it.

Kenna looked back at him, as he started a conversation, but hesitated to continue it. She waited patiently. He didn’t look at her, as he offered her a spare bedroom. She bit the inside of her bottom lip. ”That is very kind of you Ellery, I just don’t think I can accept it.” She wouldn’t want to feel like a burden. The worst thing for her be if she felt in the way. ”But let me think about it, yeah?” She suggested. She didn’t want to make him think she didn’t appreciate his offer, but it was unlikely she would take him up on the offer.

She entered as he held the door open for her and sat down in a private booth. She grabbed one of the menus and looked over the items. It was strange for her to be going on a date with someone she barely knew. She didn’t know what to order. She wanted to make a good impression, but how did you do that through a meal? As the waiter came, she ordered a vegetarian pizza with some vegetables on it. She was going for politically aware, but she really did want something with meat. Why was she so concerned with what he was thinking? If he couldn’t accept her, then he wasn’t worth it, right?

Her rejection to his offer didn’t really put him off. He was, after all, a stranger to her still. Why would she ever want to live at a stranger’s place? With a calm smile, he sat down at the other side of the table, knowingly that it would be easy enough to order. At least for him. As the waiter came to take their orders, he did, of course, let her order first. Vegetarian? For a werewolf? - it confused him a great deal, but he was not the one to ever point out what a lady was eating. Body shaming was a cruel thing.

He ordered his pizza, filled to the brim with seafood. Clams, mussels, squid, prawns… The waiter left with their order, and he looked directly at Kenna again. Was she feeling uncomfortable about the whole thing? He sure hoped not; it would be such a terrible dinner-date if she did.

‘’Just to be clear, Kenna,’’ he said, with the same warm and caring smile as before, ‘’We have a spare room, so you can drop by any time you want.’’ He said, before he adjusted himself to be more comfortable in his seat. ‘’But I do have to ask… Really, veggies?’’ he asked with a teasing chuckle as he leaned a bit against the table - closer to her, as if they were sharing a secret. His smile assured that he was just teasing her. With a raised brow he looked at her, as he was studying her face. Sure, she was gorgeous, but that wasn’t what he was searching for. To him, every little nick in her skin were a story to be told - every scare another novel.

‘’Am I on a date with a vegetarian?’’ he then asked with the same teasing look as before, as he straightened himself and winked at her. ‘’If so, I do hope that my dinner of choice isn’t too disturbing for you?’’ he then asked, a tad more serious. If she was a vegetarian, he was being extremely rude - and he was more than ready to apologize for it.

Kenna didn't know what she was thinking. Especially not after he ordered his seafood pizza. She let out a lowered sigh at herself. She had enjoyed that he didn't give her a list of demands and expectations she needed to reach. Had they not just talked about expectations not that long ago. And here she was, thinking that he did expect a lot from her. She could only guess that it was a matter of habits. It was still in here to live by a whole set of rules she didn't even know.

She was not uncomfortable with him. He had done nothing wrong. It came from within. It was all her. She wanted to express it to him, but it seemed sort of like a topic not suited for the first date. Then again, she had never been much for living by the rules. Before she had the chance to say anything, he spoke.

She nodded to his words. It was nice of her, but it made her a little shy. She was not used to be treated like that. She had been told she was worthless and that nobody cared about her so much, she was beginning to believe it. It helped that Ellery did something like this for her, offering her a place to stay, taking her to dinner. But it was only a temporary fix. She needed to work on herself some mere before she believed she was not everything Nate had told her she was. "I appreciate it," she moved some hair behind her ear again, a sign of her being shy or modest. "I have never been good at accepting help," she admitted and looked at him. She let a short chuckle leave her lips at his question.

"The truth?" She said in a questioning manner, but she continued before he could answer. "I was trying to impress you. I thought you might like me more if I didn't eat meet." She looked away, slightly embarresed of her stupid attempt to impress him. "It's stupid," she muttered. She was not as confident as she let on. Not really. She had been, but that confidence in herself had been grinded to dust. It was not easy to create something out of dust. She looked up to meet his eyes at his next question. "No. I'm not vegetarian," she assured him. "No, don't worry. I'm okay with you eating habits," she said with a trying smile. She put her hand on the table, letting her nails run across the edge of her fingers. She was not used to admitting things that might make her look vulnerable or weak, but right now she felt both, and it was not sitting well with her. She was overcompensating for these feelings with small acts that would distract her, such as running her nails across her fingers.

He was somewhat relieved by her answer, when she told him about the fact that she wasn’t good at accepting help. Therefore, he smiled at his thoughts, before saying them out loud; ‘’Well, if that’s the case, what about doing me a massive favor, and consider it? It tends to be quite lonely, to be honest. You know, being new in town and knowing no one.’’ He said, still with the warm smile. But the warm smile soon got replaced by a slightly confused look, as she explained that she wanted to impress him. By eating veggies… Well, to be fair, a lot of humans these days were hipster and vegetarians. Maybe she thought he was one of them? But still… impressing him shouldn’t be the top priority - enjoying dinner should!

‘’I’ll be right back,’’ he then said, as he shuffled out from the booth and went over to the waiter. You could tell that he was good with people, as the waiter smiled and nodded before grabbing a menu and hurrying down to Kenna again. ‘’Miss, I’m terribly sorry, but it seems like I might have confused your order. Would you like to repeat it?’ the waiter asked, with a patient and mild smile. At the same time, Ellery stood there, talking to the owner, as they were friends. Ellery and the owner then proceeded to talk, as Ellery fished out his wallet from his back-pocket and with a quick swipe he had payed for their meals. It wouldn’t be right to ask her out and then let her pay for her own food - especially since he now suspected her to be low on funds.

As the waiter made way back to the kitchen, Ellery made his way back to the booth. He smiled politely at her, as he sat down. His fingers ran through his hair, as he tilted his head a bit and looked straight at her. What could he say? Right now, he was a stranger with a French accent, and a way of making things work in his favor. He had a way of suggesting things to others, so that they almost couldn’t refuse. Explaining to the waiter, that Kenna preferred something else was nothing. It was simple and easy, even though normally he wouldn’t even think about doing that. Kenna was, most likely, able to handle herself - but as he had asked her out, he felt like it was the right thing to do. She shouldn’t feel obligated to eat something she wouldn’t enjoy. That would be a waste of a possibly good evening.
He smiled at her, as he slowly poured water into their glasses - careful not to spill it. To some, this was a waste of time, but to him it was a matter of avoiding turning into a man-mermaid any second. Great first date, stuck with the male version of the little mermaid!

*Come on, say something to her! She’s just begging for you to kiss her, ain’t she!? Loverboy~!* Nathaniel laughed mockingly, and surely, Ellery began blushing again. Quickly he put the pitcher down to avoid spilling, as his gaze turned away from Kenna. ‘’So, I… Eherm…’’ he said, trying to clear his throat. Yes, quite the little cute and shy guy - completely incompetent around women. ‘’Anyway!’’ he then said, quickly changing his mind about the fact that he wanted to explain why he had asked the waiter back to the table. ‘’Tell me, Kenna. Do you believe in magic?’’ - yes, he was playing that card. The magic-card. The do-you-think-there-is-more-to-things-card. He was indeed that guy. His smile assured that he was asking to se if she knew about Gaia being a magical city, with magical creatures. If she didn’t, he had to be careful. He wouldn’t want to scare her off.

Kenna was not what you would call classic intelligent. She didn't understand math and science or knew a lot of facts, but she did know people. Perhaps better than most. She saw straight through his reverse psychology, although she did think he meant what he said, he was still doing it to reverse the situation, to make her feel the power was hers. It didn't matter, because she appreciated his offer. "I'll consider it," she said with a smile. She didn't know if moving in with someone, anyone, was a good move for her, but she could see his points. She too felt new in a strange town and knew nobody besides him.

She was confused when he stood up and walked to the waiter and talked with him. She could hear what they say if she wanted to, but she decided to let whatever he was doing be a surprise. She smiled when the waiter asked for her order again. "A pepperoni pizza with olives, please," she said with a smile. She watched Ellery from afar, as he paid for their meals. She felt she needed to protest, but on the other hand, it was nice to be taken care of. Just this once. When she was back on her feet, she would not let other people pay for her food.

Ellery moved back to the booth, running his fingers through his hair again. It was beginning to look like a habit. Not that she minded. He looked cute with messy hair. She had trouble finding out what to think of him. He had been nothing but kind to her, but he seemed to have some contradicting personality traits. He was shy, but somehow charming and confident. She didn't understand it, but maybe that was had kept her interest. She didn't understand, but she wanted to.

It happened again. Something was changing in him. She had thought he was maybe just a little shy in general and took time to open up to people. But he had. They had a good talk on their way to the hotel and then the restaurant. But now he seemed shy again. She didn't understand. There were a lot of things she didn't understand about him. She grabbed one of the glasses and took a sip. She furrowed her brows a short moment at his question, before her face turned back into its usual relaxed state. "Do you mean magic as in werewolves and sirens or as in card tricks and rabits in hats?" It was no coincidence she mentioned werewolves and sirens. It was her subtle way of telling she knew what he was, and that he most likely knew what she was as well. She did know Gaia and espcially Moonlight Falls were filled with magical creatures. She had come here for a reason. There was a bigger chance she could find a pack around here in a heavily human populated city.

As she asked what type of magic he referred to, he realized that she knew exactly what he was. It was truly a relief, seeing as he didn’t have to make up a terrible excuse for the fact that he might be forced to end their date quite abruptly, if he needed to get back to the water. The relief was visible on his face, and he smiled a grateful smile to her. ‘’Well, as long as you don’t think of me as a Disney princess just because of my tail - I’ll settle for the card-tricks and the rabbit in a hat.’’ He said, winking at her.

Of course, it made him feel more at ease. He didn’t have to hide the fact that he was not human, just as herself. It was nice - pleasant. Then there was the part about Nathaniel - but she didn’t have to know about him until need be. Hopefully, she never would meet him.
‘’So, calling you a lone wolf at this point wouldn’t be missing the mark?’’ he asked, with a crooked smile. Of course, he didn’t have to play shy and cute - but it was his nature, most of the time. When he was hungry, it was a different story - then he would be more or less like a hungry shark. He could be terrifying; he had been told.

‘’I’m glad that you’ll consider my offer. If not to live with me - which, I do understand - then as a place to stay whenever you need it.’’ He then said, calmly. He wasn’t going to act like he wasn’t interested in her well-being. She had been through a lot - and definitely more than him. It would be cruel to act like he didn’t care. He took a sip of his water, as he nodded at the kitchen. ‘’I hope you don’t mind, but I would feel absolutely terrible if you were forced to eat that pile of rabbit-food just in an effort to impress me.’’ He said, with a calm and soft voice. ‘’You impressed me the second I saw you.’’ He then thought out loud, and the second he realized what he had said, he put a hand against his neck, rubbing it softly. ‘’And know I sound cheesy too… Great.’’ He then said, with a understated chuckle to follow.

Kenna hadn't noticed how much it had affected him that she didn't know of his species. Not until now when she saw the relief fall in a wave across his face. A short chuckle left her lips as his comment. "There goes my dream of ever meeting a real life Disney princess," she said with a pretend pout. "If you're not Disney princess, are you a Disney prince then? Because honestly, it seemed very unlikely that man got what was it, 7, 8 daughters. He probably has a few bastard sons spread out across the sea." She leaned closer, about to share a secret with him. "Beast is actually my cousin twice removed. I'm 78th in line for the throne," she said with a smirk, before leaning away again.

She nodded at his assesment. "No, I suppose that's accurate," she said with a sigh. She didn't want to be lone anything. She was hoping to find some sort of place to belong. Kenna knew about being sweet, kind and cute most of the time, but being able to turn into something else. She did that every month.

"And I'm glad you would even offer it in the first place," she said with a soft smile. She laughed at his comment about rabbit-food. "I will remember that in the future," she responded, revealing that she wanted to see him again. She looked towards the waiter as he came closer with their food. She felt the warmth spreading in her cheeks by his words. She didn't get a chance to answer before he continued. The food was placed in front of them, and she looked after the waiter until he was out of range to overhear their conversation, most likely, if he didn't have enhanced hearing. "Well I for one love cheese," she said and took a slice of the pizza and began eating it.

He was about to continue their conversation as he saw the waiter approach them. He chose to stay quiet but smile charmingly to the waiter as the food was placed in front of them. He didn't do it purposely though. It as a trait from his mother.

The food arrived, and with a satisfied glimmer in his eyes, he picked up a slice of his pizza. It was loaded with seafood, and some of the toppings would drop right back to the plate. He looked at her, briefly, before he took a bite of his dinner. After he had chewed and swallowed - because he couldn't dream of talking with his mouth full! - he looked at her again with a sly smile.
''Oh, that's... Good, I guess.'' he said, referring to the fact that she liked cheese. ''Then I might be even more cheesy in the future - it's a specialty of mine!'' he laughed, softly.

''There goes my secret - Triton is my father!'' he laughed quietly. ''So, I guess you could call me a prince.'' he then said, with a smirk, before he took another bite. ''And do send your cousin my regards! It's been ages since I've seen Adam.'' he then said, winking at her. Did she recall Adam to be French? If so, she must have an idea that Ellery actually lived during that era - if the fairytale was real, that is.
''No, actually,'' he said, calmly, as they continued eating their dinner. ''My mother is a siren. My father, surprisingly, was a human - a mason.'' he said, with a shrug on his shoulder. He knew that it would be a small difference in words - is and was. His father died centuries ago - and left the masonry to him and his brother.

It had been centuries since he had worked with his hands. He didn't need the money, to be fair. He still had a pretty penny left from his time in the army - so that was no issue. ''Tell me, do you have an education, Kenna? - I've been told that in the US, it costs a fortune to be able to study?'' he then asked, before starting on his second slice of pizza. It might seem like an odd question, but he was the curious one of the brothers.