Ignite the fire

LOCATION | First at the streets in the center of Grounds of Lily
DATE | 27th of March 2022
TIME | Late afternoon, the sun is setting
WEATHER | Clear sky, its not warm but not cold either
TOPIC FOR | @Leon x
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She had just been on her way really to visit Ayah, after having dropped Katelyn and Maya off at Daisy's. After Leon and his family had taken control over the situation with the pack, as everything had been falling down - having heard the thing with Angel and everything, she knew there had been a lot that needed to be taken care of. Which wasn't an issue, Leon knew she was just a phone call or a door away really if needed. Besides it wasn't like she hadn't been spiraling a bit herself, needed to get her head clear regarding everything. Still figuring out how to handle this whole situation with her biological family, which seemed to be taken up most space. That was when she felt her fire acting up, and she stopped down the street and looked over her shoulder for a second, and saw him. Her so called father. Mariella hurried to look away and started walking again, but she didn't lose him in the crowd, so she started to speed up, which only ended with a wall of fire in front of her making her stop and turn around as it died out. Both of them knowing rather well she could just kill the flames herself. "What do you want?" She lashed her arms a little bit out, feeling her head speed up for just a second. Everything about him had her alert and Mariella had no real idea how to deal or be around this guy. The way he just chuckled a bit by her question, making a small shrug.

Francis was rather interested perhaps because of the fire, but also the thing he could feel was repressed. And it made him wonder. Which was a very dangerous thing. Because he also knew that he perhaps wouldn't get that may chances. It had taken him some days to even return to Athena after that Thunderbird had teleported him to Portugal less than a week ago. He took a few steps closer, which made Mariella step back and did so till her back finally met with a wall and he stood just a step away from her. Mariella still tried to think and figure out how she was feeling about this entire situation, while trying to figure him out, a quest she couldn't split her mind about. "You know I was about your age I reckon when I first really learned to understand how far my powers could grow," he clicked his tongue a little bit. "It's terrifying isn't it? And yet, so magnificent once you just let go - tell me my dear, how does it feel to know you have taught yourself that the flames will burn you?" He shook his head a little bit, "sometimes, all is required is a little push and you will thank me later," Mariella shook her head not taking her eyes off him. Because in her core she feared what he meant, feeling the fear kicking in. Her fingers already starting to catch fire on their own caused only by her own fear. "Let it burn," he reached his hand out letting it touch her shoulder letting the fire spread.

It didn't take seconds before Mariella tried to manage the flames, but she couldn't control them. He controlled them, and they were spreading like a wildfire all over her, unable to be killed which dialed up the panic and her emotion and she pushed him aside to get to a more open field, spinning around herself mostly to make sure there wasn't anyone around - the last thing she wanted to do was hurt anyone. She couldn't recall the last time where she hadn't been able to at least get some hold on the fire, or someone had been in luck of being there to settle her. But right now, everything just went so far out she barely noticed anything other than the thrill of the warmth. Not even taking notice as she turned to the form of the fire like bird, and flew up in the air away from the scene, leaving Francis to stand there in awe and witness it. But then it hit him, making him fall to his knees as memories started to flicker from his eyes. Remembering something, but the memory didn't make sense.  He then got up took another step yet the same thing happened again.


It was the feeling of home that brought her closer, and luckily she hadn't been that far. Not that she actively was using her mind, it was instinct a thought that made the phoenix land not by the mansion, but around a minute or two from there, which was to be seen as it looked like a  shooting star falling to the ground, then smoke from the trees, grass and bushes around as she transformed back, looking around herself for a second, blinking a little. Mariella lost her balance and tumbled back to the ground. Parts of her body still on fire, leaving most of the clothing from before burned, sparks as the remain of what just had happened. It took her a moment to realize where she was, but not long, she recognized the garden making her close her eyes, as she started to remember what had happened just before. But at least she couldn't see or hear her so called father anywhere. She knew she would be okay here, but she just needed a second to collect herself, or perhaps a few.

It was true even though things with the Russian pack had calmed down, after they had defeated Stepan and the Russian pack dismantled, it hadn’t really eased on the workload. At least not for a man like Leon, that needed to be on top of everything making sure that this wouldn’t pose as a scandal for the family. Which the media always had a knack for twisting and turning things, so they sounded much worse than they were. So, there were the press conferences, politic meetings, members of the old pack that needed to be dealt with one way or another. Some needed to be prosecuted by the law, others got new homes in their other packs around the world. Time for the people that he wanted to spent time with, hadn’t really been something that he had a lot of, if any. Which, if it hadn’t been because he had been so exhausted every time he went to bed, be something that he would lose sleep over.
Because more than anything? He really missed spending time with Mariella. Even if it had seemed like she had her own things that she needed to take care off, especially after she had told him about the debts of her biological family’s roots.

Yet another late day, sitting in his office looking over some papers when something caught his mind. The brightness that shined over the garden, and for a moment he just sat there starring. Because it couldn’t be what he thought it was. Phoenixes were so rare, that, no.
He got up and walked over to open the door. That was when the smell hit him, and he knew instantly who it was. Quickly he ran out and caught her the second time she tried to take a step. “What the hell happened” he asked, not really minding that she was still somewhat on fire.

Everything around her was spinning and she wanted to take another step, yet didn't trust that her body was strong enough to follow through with the thought. But she tried, and luckily enough she was caught before she crashed down, blinking a little bit when asked what had happened, "I- " her mouth feeling a bit dry, trying to put words in her mouth which usually didn't take much effort. Mariella lifted her arm out a little bit looking at the sparkes as she tried to breath out. "I ran into Francis," she blinked a little bit more to return to reality and then looked at Leon. "He ... said some things," she folded her lips a little bit as she pressed her brows together, trying to force herself to recall the scene, "he lighted me on fire - and everything just black," Mariella took another and deeper breath in, letting the fire on her calm completely down, still leaving the area around her touched by the flames. She let her eyes wander from Leon around them seeing how the sparkes still ran over the branches on the trees. "I just wanted to find my way home," she mumbled a little bit before once again looking at Leon. "I did this?" She felt like she almost swallowed her tongue, and she knew the answer to the question she had asked. Within the distance she was the only person connected to fire, "how did I even get here -" she wondered mostly to herself, yet perhaps letting her mind wander she could get a few theories in, yet she had never been able to acesse something close enough to her fairy form for wings before.

”Hey, it’s okay, I got you, take your time” he assured her, squatting down so they could sit on the ground more comfortably. Maybe that was better for the time being, while she figured out what was happening around her. His brows lifted as she told him that she had run into Francis. Now, he hadn’t really had time to look into the whole matter about her figuring out who her birthfather was. There had been other things that had taken presence in the matter.
“Some things?” he repeated, then widened his eyes when she explained that Francis had lit her on fire. “What!?” he growled, feeling how the wolf pressed to the surface and for a moment his eyes lit up. But he quickly got the anger under control and tried to be there for her instead. Listening to what she was telling him, though it wasn’t really much that he could actually make sense of.
Leon slowly nodded, when she asked if she had done this, knowing she meant the trees. “Yes” he mumbled, then letting out a deep breath when she asked him how she had even gotten here. “I’m not sure” he started, knowing that it had to sound crazy. But then again, know knowing who her father was, maybe not so much. “You must have turned into a phoenix when he pressed you into the form using the fire” he explained what he thought might have happened. “It looked like Phoenix that came crashing down at least."

She could feel the anger, but then again she would be angry too if someone told her they had experienced it. She tried to recall the conversation she had been having with Francis, her father, still felt too odd calling him that, so she called him by his name. Like she called Juniper by her name whenever she wasn't around, to figure out where she herself was standing in the matter of it all. Turned into a phoenix, Mariella blinked a little bit. "So, that's why he wanted to push me, he said something about me holding myself back -" things didn't make much sense and she did feel like she just threw words out trying to make sense of everything herself. "I'm okay though," she spoke truthfully, "a little overwhelmed and slightly freaked out - but okay," Mariella took a longer and sharper breath in. "So, phoenix fairy just flying across the sky like a shooting star? Sounds like a rare sight," she then exhaled again. Then there was the part of her curious to know more about what just had happened to her, also knowing that unless she could dig up some information about it, the source to the information was the person she right now was the last person she wanted to see.

“There is no reason to why he did this” he mumbled, not one bit happy about it, but he tried to not let his emotions flare up too much, especially because he knew that Mariella was already overwhelmed as it was.  He nodded slowly, as he could feel that she wasn’t in any pain, but that still didn’t help nor that he felt that she was supposed to feel okay. Not after such a treatment. “Try never heard of before” he chuckled, as it wasn’t something that he had ever come across before now. “Now, let’s get you inside and in some comfy clothes, maybe a cup of tea to calm those nerves” he mumbled, helping her up standing and started walking with her inside of the mansion.
“Here, I’ll just grab a blanket before we go to my room” he explained as he let go of her, making sure that she had something to lean up against before he quickly walked over and took a blanket from one of the chairs. As he came back, he placed it around her shoulders and then started guiding her through the house. Luckily it seemed like most of the people that stayed here, had decided to be elsewhere. Something he hadn’t even noticed until know.

She nodded a little bit, when he suggested they should go inside, and get into something more comfy, first now realizing she wasn't really wearing anything but the sad remains of her former clothing. Blinking a little bit, but slowly got back up standing with Leon's support. Then walking towards the mansion, feeling a weird mix between completely high on the entire transformation like the fire had just energized her, and then there was how completely overwhelmed her entire body felt from all of it. Mariella leaned against the door frame as he let go of her, taking a deeper breath in for a moment just letting her eyes close for a second, taking it all in. Still having Francis words echo lowly in her head, then almost gasping for a second like her body remembered the small shock it had been exposed to from not knowing how to control the fire. Mariella opened her eyes and saw Leon walk closer to her with the blanket putting it around her shoulders, "thank you," she gave him a soft smile, before they could walk through the big house without actually meeting anyone on the way. Her mind still replaying everything that had happened, but finally let it sink in. Which was typical for her, first responding throughout the persons thoughts and feelings then her own, as it took time to connect with herself sometimes after having been so out of it. But she was settling quicker than usual back to her own thoughts. So, right now she sort of enjoyed that they could just walk down the halls without anyone stopping them or talking to them.

His eyes looked at her, it was clear to see the concern in the deep brown and how his expression folded around his eyes and mouth. But he didn’t say anything, knowing that she needed this time to ground herself and just be for a moment. Letting what ever happen resonate with her. Sink in, as you would say. Because if anything, Leon knew this feeling well. He would even go as far, that everyone in the family knew this feeling. Because it was what happened every time you took that first breath after you had died. The pain spreading through her body as the heart started to beat in a chest where it shouldn’t anymore.
They finally made it to his room, and he opened the door guiding her inside, then he walked towards the bathroom connected to his room and another. Going over to the door that connected to the other room and locked it, so they wouldn’t be disturbed. Even though he was sure that no one in his family would actually barge in. But you never knew when it came to people like Minerva and Elias. “How about a warm bath to take that tension out of your body?” he asked, turning towards her before he reached out his hand to turn on the faucet if her answer was yes.

Getting inside the room, she took a deeper breath in, just allowed herself to stand still for a moment while he locked the doors. She then breathed out once again, and blinked a little listening to his suggestion. "Yeah, yeah that might be nice," Mariella replied with a small nod and walked closer. Her head still feeling rather foggy, mostly just her trying to come to the fact that it had actually happened. But not just what Francis had done, but also everything after. Because while it was rather terrifying it was also a somewhat remarkable feeling she recalled having been running through her veins, maybe it was the flying. Mariella knew no one would be happy with the tale she now had to tell, but she also felt like she needed first of all to actually to let it sink in, then realizing what had happened and somewhat understand it before she explained it. Even if she did know that Nigel and Archie would pick up on something had happened rather quickly. A soft sigh left her and she shook her head a little bit from the entire situation, because it seemed so out of this world. It wasn't really because the father who had raised her really was a saint, but he at least had loved her growing up. She had no idea how her having chosen Nigel, Jamie and Archie in all of this had changed that. Not yet at least. But it still didn't mean she expected that when having thought about who her birth parents were, that she would lit on fire by her actual father. Even for a sake of her own good, whatever that meant by his language.

Mariella shook her head a little by her own thoughts going on a spiral again, just keeping herself close to Leon while her eyes more or less just kept stuck on the water. "Join me," she requested in an almost whisper, not really wanting him to leave her side either way.

He let her stand in her own thoughts as he made the shower ready for her to step into. Finding towels for her, noticing that she stayed rather close to him. Not that he didn’t understand that it was overwhelming what she had just been through, he would have been lost a little in his own thoughts if he had been in her shoes. Sometimes it was the best place to escape too, but sometimes it could also feel like a prison.
Leon turned towards her as she asked him to join her. Letting out a small sigh he gave her a small sigh and then nodded. “Of course,” his hand found her cheek and he titled his head as he caught her eyes. “But, well, I don’t know about you, but a I rather take off my clothes before we enter” he chuckled, seeing if he could ease some of the tension that was weighing them down at the moment.

The touch of his hand more or less made her blink, but also removed her eyes that were stuck on the running water over towards him instead. Marielle's lips pulled up into a small smile, followed by a lighter chuckle, "oh really is that a necessity?" she shook her head a little bit, pulling herself a little bit out of her own head, paying more notice to fabric from the soft blanket over her shoulders. To be fair she hadn't really been that present on the walk from the garden to being here, not till now at least. So, she exhaled a little bit then taking the blanket away from her shoulders that was pretty much just covered in the black powdery dirt that covered most of her skin. Not that she had any trace of wounds from the event. "I can't believe I was actually flying and I don't remember a single thing about it, what a bummer," she chuckled a little bit, at least lighting a little bit up. But if she had done it once, it meant she could do it again, she would just have to learn how to first. There was something about it as well of her having felt a bit like a default that she hadn't been able to find her wings or her fairy shape in the past, always really just blamed the fact of not having been raised close to other fairies on it, and just accepted it. To now just really understanding why. Mariella took a deeper breath in before placing the blanket on the closest surface, before she entered the shower. Letting the warm water just fall over her hair, down over her body, chasing the worst away.

He couldn’t really help himself and let out a small chuckle, as she teased him back. Now it was a good sign that she could actually do that, and he could feel how the small pressure against his heart of worry started to lift. They would get through this, one way or another. Besides, he knew that Mariella had a great network behind her of people that would be willing to help, no matter what was needed.
He pulled off his t-shirt and then started laughing, he couldn’t help himself. Who spoke like that, after being forced into turning? Well, of course, Mariella. She would be the only one to turn it around and find something that made it easier to deal with. Which was one of the things that he loved about her, no matter how dark it might seem, she found a silver lining somewhere in all of it. "Bummer indeed, but I'm sure that you'll get another chance to remember"
It didn’t take long before he joined her in the shower, his hands placing against her shoulders. He stood there for a while, before he let his thumbs glide over her sore muscles and started kneading out the tension that had been building.

"Yeah?" Mariella took a somewhat sharper breath in, well if anyone knew a thing or two about transformations it would be Leon. She exhaled a little bit, just letting the calmness settle over her as she felt his hands against her shoulders. Mariella let her mind wander a bit again, processing the things that had happened, the words that had been spoken. Still surprised by it, yet like she always did, she tried to find a meaning behind the actions. She had done the same thing after what Theo had done to Jamie, tried to find some little piece of thought or feeling just trying to understand. Not that it really was easy, but it wouldn't be her for not trying. A part of her was happy about that she felt like she had unlocked a part of herself that she had been searching for, but it was the act of finding it that still left small shivers of shock to rush through her. Mariella believed she could get through it, that she could learn to figure out what it was. On top of all the other dramas that had her on her toes, this one something else. At least somewhere down the line it didn't surprise her, not once she had found out Francis as well as his brother Linus were phoenixes. Mariella took a longer and deeper breath in knowing after she had settled a little bit she would gave to make a few phone calls. But for right now, she chose to just be here in the moment, letting the event be placed on a shelf for now and just be. "I will be okay," she whispered, to both of them really. "Seems like I have some transformation control I need to practice a bit in the further," she chuckled a little bit. Because well she didn't want a shock like this to happen again. 

He nodded, but knowing that she couldn’t see him at first, he exhaled and closed his eyes. Because he felt like he should say something, but luckily for him Ella managed to beat him to it.
“Of course, you’ll be okay” he whispered, truly believing that she would be able to beat anything and get back up every time someone knocked her down.
Then he let out a breathy chuckle shaking his head a little, feeling how water flowed down his naked body. “Well, seems like we’ll just have to spend more time together” he hummed, not really having anything against helping her getting this under control. “Or we can ask Iris, she should know a thing or two of transforming into something people aren’t all that familiar with” he mumbled, still in awe that he knew a kitsune. Not many knew that Elias’s and his mother had been one as well, which might be the reason that both brothers had been drawn to the energy that had surrounded the blond woman after she had stepped into their house. It felt like home, and when she hugged you, you could almost close your eyes and pretend that it was their mother hugging them.

Mariella let out a little chuckle," mmh," she licked her lips a little bit feeling the warm water rinsing away the troubles cruising in her head. Even if she knew Leon was right and perhaps Iris could help her, she at first hand trusted herself better in the hands of Leon. "I will keep her in mind if I need another perspective of things," Mariella exhaled a little. Now she knew Jamie had been out running with the kitsune a couple of times before, and she was with Nathaniel - from besides that friend of many people that she knew - it wasn't because she wouldn't trust Iris with a helping hand. Mariella let her head back leaning it against his chest, letting out a small sigh. As the shock settled on her nerves and allowed her to breath on her own again, Mariella could finally begin to feel the empowering energy pumping around her system, a dangerous fire so close to her heart. The hot water running over her skin, soothing and protecting it. Mariella also knew she needed to make a call to Nigel soon, letting him know why she hadn't returned home yet, before he went on one of his searches and would find a trail of just heavy fear and untraceable ashes. But right now her mind and body just needed for her to take one step at the time, and the current step was processing what the heck just had happened.

He nodded, not saying anything or was going to pressure her to talk to Iris. When it came down to it, he trusted that Mariella knew best what she needed in her life. One way or another they would figure things out, he was sure of it. They had each other after all, and he had if nothing else, a great deal of knowledge and a whole library back at his homestead where they could surely find something about these phoenix brothers, and what could be expected of Mariella to go through. But books were only half of it. It only gave you the facts, it told you nothing about feelings or how unexpected events. That you had to learn the hard way, but if anything, both of them were rather good at adapting.
“I’m sure everything will turn out fine” he mumbled, moving his hands from her shoulder and closed them around her instead, pulling her closer to his warm chest. Leon closed his eyes and just stood there. Feeling the water form around them, almost like a protective bobble where they were the only one that was able to be in. He felt so incredibly lucky that he had found her. That he had finally been able to let someone in, the way that he had let the fire fairy in his arms ind.

Mariella exhaled once again. But she believed it. That things would turn out alright. She was sure that no matter what she wouldn't go low on ressources, Mariella also knew she would have to find out how things worked and even with help there would be some parts that she would have to do on her own. It was times like this she was very grateful for all the people in her life that had her back, she knew she wasn't alone in any way. Mariella found both the strength and security from Leon's arms around her, and just staying there for a few moments longer.

Getting out of the shower and getting dressed. She could feel the aftermath the transformation had had on her body, it was tired, hungry. Finally she understood why everyone here always were so hungry after they had been running around. "Maybe we should grab something to eat - and I should call Nigel," because her brother had enough to look at the moment, all of her brothers had. "Can I borrow yours, I lost mine down town," she chuckled a little bit that, still finding the events rather insane. Even so, she wasn't sure if she wanted to tell Nigel what had happened over the phone, more just letting him know that she was staying here. Then she could tell him once the thoughts had settled a bit in her own mind and she could see him.

He couldn’t help the small laugh that left the back of his throat, warm and slightly entertained by the fact that she sounded much like any other werewolf that had been through a transformation. Not that it was as bad when it first happened, man had Cecilia just cleaned off the table. That day everyone had to be a little faster with getting some food on their plate, and even then, one couldn’t be sure it would stay there if you were fast enough to actually get it into your mouth. “We’ll get something to eat, this is after all a house of never-ending parade of food – and you’ll call Nigel” he hummed, and he knew that she should and maybe she should have done so the moment he had found her. But right now, he wanted to be selfish and just have her all to himself. “Of course,” he mumbled, letting his lips find the naked shoulder and placed a soft kiss against it. “But first, can we just enjoy the shower? I’ve missed you” he whispered and moved his lips towards the back of her ear and closed his eyes, as he pressed his warm lips against her delicate skin.

She hummed a little in agreement, she would call Nigel, they would eat. Her mind settled a little bit just getting it out of her head instead of letting it stay in her mind like a distant echo. Even if it was just small things. Mariella let out a small soft chuckle as he kissed his shoulder, listening to his request of just enjoying the shower, the moment, "since you ask so nicely," she replied back with a lower voice, taking in the feeling of his lips brushing against her skin. Okay the world could wait some more time. Hopefully the world wouldn't crash and burn.  "I've missed you too," she whispered turning her head a little towards his to be able to let her lips catch his in a soft kiss.

“Good” he chuckled at the fact that she would accept his request to just be in the moment, then hummed as she told him that she had missed him too. It wasn’t like it was because they both wanted to be as busy as they were, but with everything that happened all the time, they had to split their time between seeing each other and being there with the family. Especially now that  Mariella had two families, he understood how much energy it took for her, and that was not even taking her abilities into account.
He kissed her back and hummed against her lips, letting her hands find her hips and turned her around so she was facing him rather than having her back pressed against his chest. He let his arms fold around her waist and pulled her closer to him so he could deepen the kiss. He really had missed her, in a way where he wished that they never had to spend days apart, but that he could wake up with her next to him every single day. That would be the dream right now, but he would wait a little before he asked if it could be a reality, mostly because he needed to figure out if he was staying here in Athena or was going back to his home country. Everyone knew that Leon could work from anywhere, so maybe it was on high time that he found a small house and started to live his life as if it was his own.

Mariella's arms moved up Leon's arms and snaked around his neck, as he'd turned her around, keeping him close towards her. Feeling the fire ignite once again, as she melted into the touch of his lips, reminding her just how much she had missed being near him, the closeness, the feeling of being home spreading out her entire body - she wanted more of that. She knew she wanted to built a life with him, with everything they wanted it to be. Perhaps they had just always been so good at giving everyone else that the second it came down to wanting something for yourself you couldn't help but feel a bit selfish, but when it came down to it, Mariella didn't mind that, because she knew what she wanted and it was about time she moved towards it.

He wasn’t sure how long it took before they finally stepped out. Of the showers. It might have been taking longer than he first had expected, but not that he had minded it at all.
Drying his hair, he looked toward her with a soft smile on his lips before he hung the towel on the rack. “I’ll go down to make sure there is something for you to eat, is there anything you would like?” he asked, letting his hand rest against the doorframe while he looked at her with a small smile. There was still so much that they needed to talk about, but nothing that was prudent right now. All of that could wait till she was feeling better. “I’ll text Nigel, you just come down when you’re ready” he called as he let go of the doorframe and walked downstairs, seeing that there was already starting to be put something to eat down on the table. He laughed, these servants were truly godsent, they always knew when food was needed. He threw a couple of grapes in his mouth and walked over to pour himself a cup of coffee. Then he took out his phone and texted Nigel as he had promised.

She moved her hands through the damp hair, letting her fire powers dry the hair softly, something she was used to do that she never feared actually burning off her hair, but the red hair twirled into girls from the temperature, Mariella turned her head towards Leon when he asked what she would like, "anything really, just your first findings is completely fine with me," Mariella replied, not really craving anything specific, she was just hungry. Mariella nodded a little and then just watched him let go of the doorframe and walk downstairs. She didn't know what she had expected that it would be a breeze just accepting what had happened earlier, a part of her was hurt, another angry and then there was the part so confused about how she understood that perhaps he had been right about something. Something within her had been ignited in a way it hadn't been before, she felt warmer, more content within herself. Mariella took a sharper breath in and looked herself in the mirror, made a few small touch ups for her own sake, licking her lips a little bit. "This too shall pass, we got this," she mumbled to herself and nodded a little bit. She could do this, and she didn't even have to rip up the wound by explaining to Nigel right the second, she could do that later, now Nigel just knew where she was and he didn't have to worry the same as if he hadn't known.

It took longer than she expected or wanted it too, but she finally let go of the counter and headed out the door and downstairs. Not that it was that long it had taken her, she had just for a second felt trapped in her own mind and that could feel like hours even if it were just simple seconds. Maybe it was because  she always overanalyzed every single thing she felt, and she knew she needed to hit the breaks on that one. Just accept however she was feeling and let that emotion be without judgment or need to be understood. Mariella went towards the kitchen, letting out a small chuckle followed by an appreciative smile thanking the servants for what they had brought to the table already. "Oh yas, coffee," she teased and reached her hands out towards the cup he had made for himself, as if she wanted to take his cup, not that she did, instead she turned to find a cup for herself.

He couldn’t help but laugh as she stood there, reaching out her hands towards his cup. “Here”, he shook his head with a bright smile on his lips and then took another cup and started pouring coffee in that one as well.
“Remember to eat also” he nodded towards the feast laid upon the table before he walked over and sat down. He found a newspaper and started reading. If anything, this was also his job, keeping up with current events no matter how hard it could be. Not because of the masses of news that there was happening each day. But because it could be overwhelming with so much negativity and hardship that the world was facing right now. He grabbed an apple and started eating it as his eyes scanned the paper. Then he felt his phone buzz, and he picked it up to see who it was.  “Nigel just texted, telling me to tell you to call him when you get the chance,” he said with a soft smile as he looked toward her. Then he put away the phone again, and his eyes landed on the page that was before him.

"I will, thank you," she chuckled a little bit, taking a sip of the coffee not even finding a need to wait till the temperature fell down. Then she headed over to start putting things on a plate so she could eat, feeling her stomach like a void needing to be filled up before her energy levels would completely shut down from how much her pressure her entire body had been under earlier, and how tired her head felt from everything too. Because it sure was a lot. But she just sat down and started eating, zoning out for a second till the phone started to buzz, looking towards Leon while chewing the bite she just had taken. Taking a deeper breath in and nodded a bit, then exhaling a little bit, "thanks, I will," Mariella clicked her tongue, because she knew she would have to tell Nigel down to detail, "speaking of Nigel," she pressed her brows a bit together, taking a sip of her coffee, then looking towards Leon and leaned a little back in the chair she was sitting in. "I've been thinking for a while now about it being time I let him and Irina have their house to themselves." It was a long time she had twisted and turned it in her own head, and she had wanted to talk about it, but it had just seemed like life had been getting in the way till now - even if it wasn't the best time to perhaps talk about it, it was better than any.