Piece of my heart

LOCATION Aston park
DATE 18th of September 2021
TIME 17 ish
WEATHER surprisingly warm and bright
OUTFIT Link
TOPIC FOR @Fenris xx
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It was so weird, ever since she had gotten back here, it was like everywhere she went in town, she found herself close to something familiar. Not that she walked straight up to people and was like 'hey I'm your family', but she liked to observe and protect, whenever and where ever she could - no matter how far out the bloodline went. She had started seeing Clay again, for the first time in years, but he was a busy man, so she let him do what he seemed to be doing best - save lives. And with Damian in town too, it felt like so much of the family were together, yet not at all, but she had means to change that. She wanted to change that. Melanie did her best thinking outside in nature, which was why she sat here on the bench looking around. The leaves were already starting to turn yellow and orange, despite the weather that wanted to treat everyone as if summer never had left us.

The chatter and laughter from the park made a soft smile strike over her lips. The fresh breeze trying to cool everything down, but it was also this breeze that brought a scent along with it that she hadn't been near for years, many years actually. But for the moment it hit her nostrils it was just like as it had been the day before. With her brows slightly pressed together she turned her head to the sides searching around for him. It was enough to get her up from her seat on the bench and start walking around, till she finally saw him.

Normally when Fenris moved around in the fresh air and outside, it was to test his abilities. Now, time hadn’t made the soul demon a kind man. On the contrary. He had become the very Essen’s of what people would think when looking at the kind of species he was. Ruthless. Arrogant and slight tendency to being a sociopath. He had kept taps on most of who had been important in his life. He had lost his human mother, and the father that had given him the bloodline he carried was still a puzzle the very intelligent man had never solved. His first great love was also very much dead, but his wife. That was another story. He had found out that she had survived after being killed. It had taken him a few years before he had found out, but having the kind of contacts he had, he had found her in Paris. Already with another man. So, he had left her alone, which had slowly blackened his heart even further. His, or their son had become a rouge. A disappointment really, mostly because he hadn’t really amount to anything. Letting the rejection from the pack rule his life and his anger, he had always thought that any child of his would be able to stand on their own two feet. Maybe he was mistaken, and maybe he should seek his son out, and find out if there was something he could do. He already knew that he was coming to Gaia informed by the entail he had in Russia.

Fenris moved the small chess piece on the board. He was playing with himself and reading a book simultaneously. It was then her aura hit her, like a ton of bricks. It was a mixture of anger, sorrow, and worst of all that small bright flame in her heart that still bloomed for her. What a horrible feeling to still carry something for someone that had moved on. With him first believing she was dead.

“Melanie” he spoke softly as he looked up and moved a chess piece again. He closed his book taken a deep breath in and looked up at the gorgeous blond woman. The smile was just a shiver on his lips before it disappeared. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

He wasn't the first and he for sure wasn't the last person who had found out she had died, where she felt like she needed to explain. It wasn't really like she enjoyed it, getting killed as if she was a stupid fly on the wall, just in the way, but boy she had learned to accept that by now. Time had past, time had changed things and none of them were the same people they were back then, she wasn't blind to that - far from. However, the moment he said her name, it was like her heart stopped beating for a second and she forgot how to breath. It was first when he closed his book, that she remembered to catch her breath. The smile stayed on her lips, sweet and delightful, just like the sun shinning on the blue sky. The next question had her chuckle a little, as she licked her lips. "You tell me, I didn't expect to find you in this town," she confessed before her head tilted a bit to the left, observing him rather curiously. "Not that I mind."

Melanie didn't know what had brought her to town, to this country really, not in the beginning either way, but the closer she got around. The family had been written so clearly in the sand. So, now she couldn't just walk away again. Melanie held onto people, even if they were done with her, she always cherished the memories made on the road. And she could have tried to find him after Alicia had killed her, after she had woken up in the ocean and gotten dragged onto that ship. She could have tried to find a way back. One thing that therefor caught her attention, was the fact he wasn't surprised to see she was alive. "What were you reading?" she asked on her next exhale, clearing her throat a bit. She could feel her heart skip a few beats a head, and how she hated her heart for never forgetting a person she loved.

He ever so slightly lifted his brow as she returned the question towards him. Well, it was fair he had been in D.C last, she had known about him. Unless she like him, had kept taps on his whereabouts. But how she looked at him, it was clear that she didn’t. “I started a new business up with Edward Angelos” he knew very well that the name had meaning to her. And knew he could have just told the name that he was using right now. Leigh Duncan. But it would set in stone just what Fenris was doing these days. Building a business with Ilene Angelos’ kid. “Or it isn’t really new, it has been thriving for a couple of years now” he said with a slight disheartened sigh. As if he didn’t really care what she would think of what he had become. A former founder of the FBI. Now a scientist. “Time hasn’t been kind, so I’m not sure you will find that the Fenris you left is the same sitting in front of you right now” he gestured to the chair in front of him, as he moved another chess piece.

His brown eyes gliding up and catching hers. “I was reading Blood Meridian” he licked his lips as he leaned back in the small chair he was sitting in, putting the leg over the other and folding his hand in his lip. His eyes slightly narrowed.

“Have you found your way here because of Neil? Or are there other members of your family that has you coming to these parts of the world?” he asked quite direct, not feeling like he should tread carefully around her feelings. Why should he? Even though he knew that his heart couldn’t lie for how it was beating in his chest while looking at her.

She raised her brow a bit by his mention of having started a business with Edward Angelos. Now, Melanie wasn't overly sensitive, you didn't get pulled apart the amount of times she had been, and pierced back together just to stay soft. Her skin wasn't soft anymore, it hadn't been for thousand of years, yet there was always one spot, one soft spot where people kept finding their ways into her heart - and she never learned to stop them. She didn't comment on it, he could do whatever he wanted with his life. "Is time ever kind to anyone?" She spoke first, narrowing her eyes a little bit. He hadn't seen her in her youth, and yes, she was still delightful and many people would perhaps find her like a ray of sunshine - but she wasn't, not always, she didn't really care anymore. She didn't care if she died, because she knew she would come back. What she did care about, was her family. "You can't trade the same water twice," Melanie added as she breathed out.

Because of Neil. Well Fenris knew very well what family meant to Melanie, and her intuition to track them down, without always realizing she was doing so. But it did surprise her that he said that Neil was here, that was very clear. It wasn't like she hadn't tried to find him again after they got separated, but she couldn't. "Neil is here?" She asked. Melanie didn't mind him being blunt about it, she didn't need sugarcoating with anything. All the previous things he had said didn't matter right now, she didn't care about the mention of Edward or what ever the hell he worked on. One thing that never got easier with the years, was getting split with the people you loved, not being able to find them again, or know what had been going on in their lives. So, of course it stung in her heart that she had somewhat neglected her son. Their son.

Melanie pressed her brows a bit together again, what did he mean with not yet? Then remembering the fact that people could be out travelling or have their own lives, but given the whole 'being alive' thing it also meant Neil was cursed and blessed with the family's entire curse. People could argue with her that it was a shame to put children in this world who didn't have a say in if they wanted the immortal life or not. She had thought the same thought a few times beforehand. In Russia. Melanie wasn't sure if she could press her brows further together at this point, she had been in Russia around ten years ago, for a good amount of time - due her intuition, and because she wanted to look after family, even if they didn't know it was family. Now that Zoe had wished for her children and grandchildren to live mundane lives, Melanie had showed up - at least to get a glimpse of these normal lives. Of course she didn't know, if it was the same time Neil had been there.

Rogue, a son of hers, a rouge. "I should never had let him stay with them," she mumbled a bit to herself, touching her throat for a moment as the thoughts on the matter processed. Melanie rubbed her left arm a little with her right hand. If it hadn't been for the fact that she had had a life there, with Neil and Fenris - she would have taken Neil back home, letting him have been a part of a real pack - and not just the small wanna be packs around the world that thought they had the right thing going. This was where she perhaps had failed the most. But perhaps she could fix that. It sole depended on what it had done to her son, what had become of him in the madness. Being a rouge wasn't easy, not that she would know, but she had seen it first hand. Hell, she had been experiencing the werewolf hierarchy first hand, given who she was. "I tried to get back you know. I did try to find the two of you," she breathed out. It had been too late, but it wasn't like her journey had been easy. Bloody Blackwoods.

In Paris? Melanie clicked her tongue a bit, "ouch," she breathed out but took the hit. There was more to it than just Paris. Once your past caught up with you the way that Oscar had a way of crawling underneath her skin - there had been no turning back till they had parted. Till she once again had let her child's faith rest in the hands of another alpha. Yeah, Melanie had done plenty of questioning her abilities of being a 'good mother', clearly she wasn't it. Even if she had done it for selfless reasons, her actions still had consequences. Melanie narrowed her eyes a little bit as he started packing his stuff, and walk off. She didn't tell him goodbye, or anything close to that. Melanie just watched him walk, and took a deeper breath in. Like her mind was racing if she should give him a piece of her mind, or let him go. But, it wasn't right to just let him go, was it? Because there was a part of him that still was entangled with her soul, love never died, she could testify to that being true.

"Fucking hell," she mumbled a bit to herself, before she started walking in the direction he was headed. Walking with him out of the park, catching up with him," hey, who said I was done talking to you?" Melanie walked beside him now. Lucky she always had been stubborn enough to push through, and not just let everything slip out of her hands. "Listen, I don't mind if you are angry at me, I can handle that, you have every right to. And I will explain everything, if you want me to," she took a sharper breath in. "But please, don't leave me hanging just yet," Melanie turned her head to the side looking to his face, she knew she could get a no, but then she would at least know she had tried.

Why do you deserve that? She made a small shrug. "I never said I did," she responded quite directly, looking at him while narrowing her eyes just slightly. She didn't know why she pushed for it, to not let the conversation go - she could just have left him alone. But they did have one thing left still that were theirs. They had their son, if they were close with him or not.

A small spark lighted up in her eyes as the word fine left his lips, and she followed him up the small stone stairs, letting her eyes wander for a moment around the houses. As he invited her inside she stepped inside to the entrance. The dark color of the walls made the room heavy, small. But she liked the smell, the smell of old books, she had always liked books, keeping journals over the years. It was always fun and kind of odd to see how people lived, especially when you haven't seen them for over a hundred years. Styles changed over time, so did people, they evolved.

"Yes please," she responded to his ask for tea, while keeping her curious eye out. She took off her shoes just like he did, taking the cardigan off hanging it over her arm as she followed him further into the house. "So, how long have you been here in town?" Melanie asked while keeping her eyes scanning the areas around her - but she had always been a curious soul.

He made a small hum and a nod, to let her know that he had heard her as he walked into the kitchen on his two-coloured socks. Funny how a man as rigid as him. Never wore matching socks. A superstition his mom had told him, granted she had been very sick. But, for a man that didn’t look like he was very nostalgic and took pride in people seeing him cold-hearted. He still had his small quirks, almost making him human.

Grabbing his trusted old kettle he filled it with water, before putting it on the gas stove. He then took some of his very best black tea down from one of the shelves and grabbed to odd looking cups. Fenris never really bought anything. And when he did, it was as cheap as it came by. Usually in second-hand stores. Except his clothes. That was something he liked being good quality.

“A couple of years now” he explained, looking towards her as she stepped into his kitchen, that was just as the rest of the house. Cosy, darker than many people would make it, but for him was it calming. “And you?” he asked giving her side smile before it disappeared as if it had never been there at all as he changed his focus back to the water.

He had lived here for a couple of years, and she pressed her brows together just a little bit, mostly because she caught herself in wondering what if she had made it here earlier? She had been living with her brother the last couple of years, but now they were both back in town or at least the country. She could easily had made a trip here last year or the year before. She breathed out returning to reality when he asked her. Melanie lifted her arms up, crossing them as her fingers caressed her elbows a little bit. "Well I got here in the back in July, mostly stayed close to Grounds of Lily, but found a little house down one of the smaller streets back in August," she replied with a small shrug. Now she still had that house to stay close to the relatives she had in Aston, even if they didn't knew about her yet, she liked staying close. There was so much family to stay close to. "But I'm planning on staying for a while," she breathed out not knowing why she wanted him to know that, and yet, she knew why. The emotions were stirring up on her, slowly, but she knew they were there starting to blossom. Even though there was something different about him, perhaps there was something entirely different about both of them. Time had changed things, they were not the same people they were back then.

"What happened after I didn't come back?" She asked while holding her breath, fearing the answer she knew to that question. Melanie didn't like what had happened after her death, the months she had tried to come back before giving up. She had accepted her fate of being terrible in that sense, she hadn't been able to find them, and her powers had been useless in that sense not always able to pinpoint the given person she wanted to find.

He knitted his brows together as she told him that she stayed around grounds of lily since July. “I work there, or rather my lap is in grounds of lily” he announced rather unfaced, even though the tumult of feelings was still forming in his chest making it feel heavy and aching. He didn’t like neither very much. Planning on staying a while, great. He sighed, not really enjoying the idea of her turning up again. Because, and he knew this with quite the certainty that she would drop by. Probably more than once, making it very hard for him to forget what they had once had. So many years of perfecting the empty demon that she was portraying now. Only to have it ripped apart, like his demons forms many masks.

He drew a sharp breath through his nose as she asked what happened when she didn’t come back. It was a time he would rather forget, and if he could, would have done it all over. He knew what he had done hadn’t been the right thing, but at the time he had no idea what he could do.

“I tried to be there, but I couldn’t help with his transformation and anger issues coming with being a young werewolf, I had obligations at work, and when the pack offered to take him and train him, I didn’t see any reason why not to accept” he told without really trying to make it sound like anything it wasn’t. “I wasn’t strong enough to continue the life we had made without you, and for that Neil paid the ultimate price” he turned his attention towards the kettle as it let him know that the water was done and took it of the heat and shut off the gas.

She couldn't help but take the credit for the holes that had been made in his soul, it didn't take a fool to see, even through she tried living with the image of how she last had seen him. No, she hadn't experienced the same sense of loss, not having been forced the same way to move on. But it hadn't been easy on her either, how many times had she died trying to get back to them? Enough for her to almost lose her mind. She blindly ignored what he had mentioned about having a lab there earlier, because now her main focus was on this conversation. What had happened. Melanie didn't blame him for having the pack take him, she would have seen it as fair if any member of Damian and hers pack came with trouble to help and guide them. It was about loyalty and provide the needed care - care that for some reason had been to low standard for that pack. "You didn't make the wrong call," she breathed out and kept her eyes on him. Melanie knew young wolves could have a harder time controlling themselves, it took at least a handful of tries with the right structure and help. It was like a knife was plugged into her heart and twisted just a little bit, enough for the burning pain started to spread through her body, as he mentioned that he hadn't been strong enough to keep on living that life.

"You thought they would provide him with what he needed, there was no way to know that they would end up being a bunch of incompetent morons," she breathed out as she clicked her tongue a little bit. Well, in that pack's favor it was a good thing she first had found out about this now, otherwise she wouldn't have wasted a second finding them and tear them apart for how they had behaved. "When I died, I was thrown in the ocean after, I woke up on a boat heading to Canada - and I really did try to get back to you. Both you,"she confessed looking down for a second while taking a deeper breath in through her nose. There were so many emotions that wasn't given enough space to come through, but she had always taken effort in being honest about how she felt, and saying what was on her mind. "I know it's no excuse in the long run, but I'm still sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

He listened to what she said, even though he didn’t really react or comment on it. Because what could he say? Things couldn’t be changed anymore; their son was so far out that it would take a lot of hard work to make him what he could have been. And even then, there was no guaranty that it would even do any good. There was a very high percentage of addicts going back to how it had been before the help, and those people where typical based on humans, so a much shorter life span than a kid like Neil. That to Fenris surprise was still alive. Which had also been one of the reasons why there had been such a long time where he hadn’t been able to find Neil, for the sole reason that he had thought his son was dead. It had been when he had seen Melanie in Paris, he had thought something was off, and then after a long time when he had finally found Neil it had been too late.

“I know” he settled on saying as he poured the water over the tealeaves after checking it was the right temperature. Even though not British, he still spent a whole lot of time making sure to brew the best tea he could. “We survive the ways we know best, and we both moved on” he turned and gave her the tea when he was satisfied with it being done. He then walked from the kitchen into his study where he placed the cup on an old oak desk, there was no computer in sight. Almost making one believe that he might be hanging on to the old ways. He gestured to the two dark green armchairs standing by the window and placed himself in the other after taking some of the books away from the small tea table so they could both place their cup there instead.

It was the words he spoke, as if it was rehearsed and easy to put on a loop if anyone said something similar. But it didn't change that she believed something else entirely. "There is no such thing as moving on -It's a lie," she took a deeper breath in and looked towards the nearest window for a moment. "We just learn to push things so far back in our heads that we simply forget because our memory isn't built to recall so many elements at once - it's a safety mechanism" she clicked her tongue a little bit, knowing it was just pointless adding to a case closed conversation, but just like him she had certain facts she liked pointing out time to time. She moved her eyes to him as he handed her the cup of tea, holding around the warm cup with both hands for a second and took a deeper breath in. Melanie took another and deeper breath in for a little second as he walked back to the study, and it took her a few seconds before she followed him.

Melanie sat down in one of the armchairs as she was gestured to do, leaning over to reach out and place the cup on the tea table. Melanie leaned back into the chair, letting it catch her back as she placed one leg over the other. Her elbows rested on the armrest as her hands folded in front of her. The beta's eyes looked towards the demon she once had been married to, once had loved, but as far as she believed; no, you didn't just simply move on when you had loved someone. Sure you learned to live without, but she didn't believe a feeling like that could just be gone with the wind. Because to her it never was. Her heart had always been to big for her body. Her body ached to let her hand rest on his arm, just to touch him for a second, but she didn't even try because she shouldn't overstep.

"You never quite left my mind you know, I've always wondered what you might be doing," she confessed moving her eyes away from him towards the cups with tea which scent started to spread out the room. Melanie licked her lips a little bit.

He didn’t really comment on how she viewed the whole, moving on theory. Not that it could be explained as a theory. When you didn’t have enough memory space left to keep the things that had once been in your mind, then that would be ‘moving on’. Now, a man like Fenris, with a perfect identical memory, a very high IQ, and an ability to read books faster than normal individuals. It was hard doing just that because he could recall their time together in perfect detail. Which was his real curse, especially trying to be something other than what he had once been. Changing the mask of his personality so many times at this point, that it was just easier not to feel anything at all. Like the fact that he still hadn’t confronted Leigh with what they had done to his sister, because why should he?

His eyes glided towards her as she told him, that he had never left her mind. Why was that prudent for him to know? “Right” he whispered, looking down at his cup and then back at her, his brows pressing together “what do you want Mel?” he didn’t even notice that he used her nickname rather than her full name. Emotions was clearly getting the better of him, and this was starting to get very confusing. Because what was it that she wanted from him? Why did she even care, now that so much time had gone by since they had last been together as man and wife.

What do you want Mel? She didn't know why, but she held her breath after those words had left him and she became aware of just how her jaw seemed to tense up a little bit. The last thing she had expected was him calling her by her nickname, but it wasn't that which took her breath away, at least not enough to take the full credit. Because Melanie didn't know what she wanted, not really, and she couldn't really recall when she last had been confronted with that question. It was the curse of immortality, the ultimative price, sometimes you just ended up in circles, being a ghost in a reality where you were very much alive. Melanie pushed that aside as she remembered he perhaps just meant what she wanted regarding him, not that it made the question any easier to reply to. She had no secret agenda nor plan, she just let her heart guide her in times of this, and that was the reason why she was sitting here and hadn't just let him walk away. "Oh come on, since when have I been in need of wanting something regarding spending time with you?" She felt her jaw lose the tension a bit as she replied. Yes, time past, people walked in and out your life, no matter if you were mortal or immortal. It didn't mean you never stopped being curious. "I'm just curious," she added as she breathed out again.

Melanie uncrossed her legs to reach to the table and grab the tea cup again, and leaned back again as she lifted the cup closer to her face, feeling the steam and the herbal scent dance across her skin. She took a deeper breath in, closing her eyes for a second, taking the calming scent in, it was clear she enjoyed the scent by how blissful she looked in that little moment. Then she opened her eyes and turned her face towards him, lowering her hands again, holding the cup on top of her lower belly. She didn't mind the heat on body. Melanie folded her lips briefly and took a deeper breath in, as if she was about to say something but chose to swallow her words, however it didn't stop the small smile forming on her lips, she clearly remembered something, a happy thought.

Curious. “Curiosity killed the cat, Mellie” he mumbled, letting his eyes glide away from her and looked straight into the room instead. He could feel how enjoyment formed in her chest, probably because a nice memory took form in her head. He envied that. Being able to look back and not let things being overshadow with the bad things. But his abilities didn’t allow much for his own feelings, as he always felt how people where around him. All the vices that were flowing through their bodies. Greed, envy, lust and he could continue with rest of the seven sins.

“So, putting me aside” he cleared his throat and leaned over and took his cup taking a small sip. “What are you planning on doing now? If I’m not mistaken you have a lot of family in Athena right now, is something happening with your brother?” he didn’t look at her as he kept his eyes straight forward. Normally, the demon was never scared of anything. But he was scared right now. Scared of his own heart betraying him as he sat this close to someone that had been his first, his only and his biggest heartbreak.

So, he did the only thing he could think of. Steer the conversation away from him, and them. Focus on why she was here, and how long he could expect her to come around. Because knowing Melanie, this wouldn’t be the last visit. Especially not now when she knew where he lived. What a hassle.

Curiosity killed the cat, Mellie - "but satisfaction brought it back," she replied looking over at him for a second. Curious she had always been that, wanting to know everything about everything, one of the greatest treasures about being immortal was that, she could keep on learning new things - see the world unfold. She raised her brow a little when he cleared his throat. Her plans for now, she took a deeper breath in, it wasn't anything to due with Damian, at least it hadn't been when she first got here. "I have a lot of family in these areas, more than I thought to be frank," she licked her lips a little bit taking a smaller sip of her tea, "but it's not anything to do with my brother, the only thing happening with him is him complaining out the lack of pathetic wannabe alphas around the region - and world in general," she made a small shrug, her brother wasn't wrong on that note.

Her heart skipped a small beat ahead as she licked a few drops of tea off her lips. It was difficult to figure out what to say, because no, she hadn't expected to sit here talking to him in this moment. Not that there was a handbook about talking to one of the biggest loves of your life, and yes she did have many former relationships - but there was few of them so deeply entangled with her soul that she knew she would always love them. The demon was placed very high on there. "But, I'm planning on just sticking around, see where ever it takes me being here. I've heard the region is quite interesting, whenever hunters aren't out trying to shoot you," she chuckled a little dry. Her first night out howling with the wolves had been nothing but waking up with hunters thinking they should hunt her down.

“Of course, you are” he breathed out and closed his eyes. It came out harsher than he wanted it to do, but what could you expect from him? He closed his eyes and let the scent of the tea roam around by his nose. But it wasn’t helping to calm him down. He let out a sigh, opened his eyes and put the cup away and got up from the seat. He put his hands down his pockets and turned his attention towards Melanie. “So, you going to find our son?” he asked, looking rather deprived from emotions “Need any help with that?” he took a deep breath in, he had connections that could help him track their son. Maybe be able to figure out where he would be staying after he would arrive from Russia.

He turned his back towards her and walked to the desk to place himself against that instead. He looked towards the bookshelf. It was rare for the demon to not know what to do with himself. Nor what to say, but she was really screwing with his head. Making him seem so much dumber than a man that was born with an excellent IQ. Right now, he felt like every average joe, that didn’t know how to express words nor form sentences. How he hated every second of it. So used to be in control and controlling others.

His words were cold and could possibly cut her open if she wasn't aware of just how sharp they were. But she deserved it, that was what you got from being away, from never finding your way back - for giving up. She didn't deserve the kindness, and most of her was happy he didn't make it easy for her. Even if she wished, just a little part of her wished that he'd missed her too. He got up from his seat and her eyes followed his movements. He seemed uneasy, unable to find comfort with himself - Melanie was unsure if it was caused by her being here or something else, but she refused to ask. His eyes caught hers, when he asked if she was going to find their son. Their son, it was surprising how fast her heart started beating by those words, two small words, despite the lack of emotions displayed from him. But the next thing, made her narrow her eyes a little bit. Was he suggesting to help? "I would love to find him - my ressources only reaches so far," she breathed out again, still not taking her eyes from him. Melanie had a few warlocks up in her sleeve to help, but even with the greatest source of magic, it could be hard to track down one person in a bloodline that was so large as hers. Even her own powers made it difficult. They had been so much easier to use before her and her brothers had kids. "You think you can figure out his whereabouts?" Melanie asked with a very gentle voice.

He turned his back on her, not making her eyes turn away from him not at first at least. She took a sip of her tea before placing the cup one the table again, then she got up. Mostly just because she didn't know what to do with herself, and since always, she felt restless being the only one sitting down. She stepped closer to him, looking at the bookshelf, "quite the collection."  It was simple talk, because she wasn't here to create a storm, she just wanted to talk. And books. She had always loved books, reading them, writing them, collecting them. "It such a shame the youth these days reads most of their stuff on a screen instead of holding a book in their hands," she mumbled a little bit.

He nodded slowly as Melanie told him that her recourses only reached so far. “I have, a foot inside the darker sides of the web, it should be possible to get an ipp out on him, as soon as any video camera picks him up, we’ll now” it might sound brutal, and very invasive but giving the circumstances it seemed rather appropriate. Mostly if you knew what kind of trouble that Neil had put herself in, to gain money or a roof over his head.

Fenris, much against his better judgement, looked up at his former wife as she stood by his bookcase and complimented his collection. It was big, and this room was only a very small fraction of all the books he owned. “Well, we are digitized society, it makes sense that people would prioritize things on a screen when it doesn’t take up as much space” not that he disagreed with her, because having a real book in your hand was much better than at tablet. He sighed and stood up, walking towards her, putting a hand beside her towards the bookcase, almost cornering her between his body and the wall. “Mellie, please don’t do this to me” he mumbled, sighing “I don’t know what is it you want, nor want to accomplish from this? What do you want from me, knowing that I missed you, that I you being here, makes me all kinds of confused?” his eyes narrowed while he stared into hers. He hated it, and he hated how much he still liked it.

She chuckled a little, he had always been good at adapting to how things where   around him, finding the meaning to know people without actually knowing them by heart. Melanie was slightly old fashioned when it came to keeping some things more traditional, she liked some order - even though she wasn't scared to attempt fate or shake things up a little bit. Still keeping the eyes on the book covers scanning them, it didn't get unnoticed that he stood up and walked towards her. She didn't turn towards him at first, it was first as he placed his hand beside towards the bookshelf, making her turn towards him looking up into his eyes. Her heart skipped a few beats ahead, don't to this to me, she folded her lips a little bit together till she breathed out again slowly. He didn't know what she wanted, she didn't know what she wanted. Melanie took a deeper breath in to the confession of him being confused by her presence. His presence confused her as well, it stirred things up in a way she hadn't expected. If she had known how her stomach would turn, how her heart would start kicking finally letting her know it was still alive - would she had made a difference choice? Most likely not.

"Maybe your presence is confusing me, just as much as mine is confusing you," she breathed out, with a lower voice, before swallowing. Her eyes didn't flinch away from his, the pull was hard to resist, it made her heart beat increase. Melanie licked her lips a little bit, folding her lips for a short second after. She felt short for breath, mostly because keeping her eyes locked with his had her forget to breath.