Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Yes!" he blurted, then bit his lip as he realized the reaction was a little too enthusiastic (even considering current company). Instead of feeling ashamed of himself, he released the offending lip and offered Noah that same shy smile that he always seemed to wear for him. When he spoke next, it was breathy with a laugh. "I mean, yes, I like animals. I actually have a bunny at home."

His hands curled anxiously around the strap of his bag where it fell across his chest, twisting and turning, releasing, and beginning anew. It was a thoughtless nervous tick that he allowed himself to indulge because it meant, in the end, he could look Noah in his (very pretty green) eyes without being too bashful about it or overthinking himself (or said eyes) with every step he took after him. He was, however, mentally considering how much money he had in his wallet and how much would be left over the next three days left until pay day.

What was the going rate for a petting zoo?

"And I think talking is good, I'm cool with it," he shot his fingers back at Noah in an overdramatic, mocking finger gun motion, "even if you make me feel decidedly not cool."

But saying so at least made him laugh, light and airy and carefree. There was no way for Noah to know how rare that was for him these days but he wasn't going to make it awkward by saying so; that explanation came with more information than he felt was appropriate for a second date. First date? Was this a date? For no reason at all, Ellis felt his face flush a little.

Ellis probably shouldn't have been so excited about a petting zoo, but he was. For a creature made almost entirely of anxiety and awkward blushing, animals were a safe haven. He didn't know what he would do if he didn't have Poe to curl around when times were tough. Add the fact that Noah was here and, well, he was smiling a little bit like an idiot.

As Noah stepped up to the counter, Ellis flipped up the latch of his bag and began rummaging inside for his wallet. One eye closed as he bit his tongue, as if partially blinding himself would make him more capable of feeling the old worn leather when his fingertips brushed across it. Then that single blue eye saw Noah pull out too many bills for one ticket and he let his tongue go in an incredulous, silent gasp of parted lips.

"Wait, no-" but it was too late, the woman behind the counter was smiling as she ducked her head and began processing the cash. It was clear he had no say in this. He abandoned the search for his wallet and sprang at Noah's turned back playfully, throwing both arms over his shoulders and grabbing at Noah's wallet from his new vantage point instead - he was betting on the other boy not being able to both hold him up and swat his hands away. Maybe if he could grab it he could shove some cash back into it.

Despite his very real disgruntlement over the fact that Noah had paid for the ticket without even giving him a chance to be a responsible adult and pay for it himself, Ellis still found himself laughing.

"No," he protested even as Noah managed to grab his wrist and hold his wallet beyond his reach in the same motion. The redhead wiggled his fingers in vain, as if that might help him break free of Noah's grip, while his other arm held close to the boy in an effort not to get tossed to the ground in all his wiggling - it would be just his luck that he would roll up another small forest in his hair if that happened. "How am I supposed to pay you back? That's not fair!"

Of course, it was also about this time that he realized how warm Noah's back was as it pressed into his chest and how nice his hair smelled next to his cheek. It made a flutter of butterflies spawn low in his belly and beat wildly against his ribs; the smile on his face didn't falter an ounce but that typical telltale blush crept up to his cheekbones. He was sometimes impulsive, usually followed by a startling shock of self awareness, and today was no exception. The only difference was that he wanted to be a little selfish this time - Noah really did smell nice.

"Fine, fine," he sighed, dramatic, as he let his weight slip slowly back to the ground. "

"Oh, of course you can-" But Ellis never got to finish that sentence.

In fact, he forgot what he was going to say at all as suddenly, Noah was turning and leaning towards him. It sounded cheesy, but the redhead was positive he saw it happening in slow motion, just like the very chick flicks the two of them had been mocking in the park during their chance meeting. Every inch that he drew closer, Ellis' heart beat more wildly in a mix of pleasure and panic that was too manic for him to even think about sorting out.

By the time his words fanned out across his ear, Ellis' chest was aching with the breath that he was holding. He didn't know what he had expected him to say, or do, in that moment but he knew that his face had flushed so violently that he was surprised he wasn't just outright glowing by this point. It took Noah drawing back for him to find his breath at all and as he did, all Ellis could think of was how charming that shameless smile looked on his tanned face.

Thankfully, Noah didn't seem to be a dweller.

Their fingers wrapped around each other and he felt himself pulled into motion without so much as a heartbeat's moment to catch his breath. It was just as well - at least this way he could try to school his raging nerves back to calm while he all but stumbled in Noah's wake. Even for all his panic, there was an undeniable smile on his lips that only grew as he let himself grow accustomed to the feel of the darker hand holding his own. He wanted to remember every little detail of how he felt and what had just happened so he could write it down later; his journal had very little positivity in it these days he knew that meant that Noah was just the bright light he needed right now.

"There are zebras?" Ellis echoed him in awe, trying his damnedest not to dwell too much. "Really?"

He let his gaze flicker out as they began to pass pens and booths, spotting horses and llamas, great fat pigs and tiny lambs. There were so many!

"Do you think they have bunnies too?"

It was hard to focus on much else besides how warm and soft Noah's fingers were which left Ellis staring rather blankly at the people around them as they passed by. He was looking but not really seeing. The redhead already knew he was blushing again and had to guess that this would just be a constant theme of his life until he was more accustomed to Noah's presence in it. The thought struck him as it flitted through his thoughts and he sucked in a sharp breath; was he already considering seeing him more? The butterflies in his stomach lurched and his fingers squeezed, holding more tightly onto the playful man next to him.

"Hmm?"

He didn't realize what had been said at first. In fact, he didn't even realize what had happened in the last two minutes as they wound their way to a long red barn. Brilliant blue eyes glanced up at the START HERE sign, then fluttered side long to look at Noah instead. The smile he wore was sheepish and apologetic but he wasn't even sure that he'd noticed Ellis spacing out. Hopefully not.

"Well, that's," he sucked his lower lip between his teeth and worried at it for a moment. The topic was sobering, at least, and the flush on his face started to wither as he considered the best way to approach this without sounding like the world's most debbiest of downers.

"My dad got Poe for me the summer before he died. It was my first pet and one of the last things he ever gave me." He shrugged in an attempt to play off how much it really meant to him and how sentimental he always felt, but Ellis wore his emotions on his sleeve no matter the occasion. "I guess I just have a soft spot for them now. They are pretty cute and fluffy."

"It's okay," he said softly as he took his place in line next to Noah and offered him up a small smile that showed that he had sobered up from his glee but was not upset. He could not fault people forever for accidentally poking a finger at his sore spots and, though he did not know the other man well enough yet, he knew that it had not been his intention to make Ellis dwell on his heart aches. "He never wanted me to be sad about it so don't let me bring you down. I'll cheer up."

The line shifted forward and he found himself face to face with a young girl handing out cups of feed. He didn't want to let go of Noah's hand just yet so he just smiled and took it with his free one, letting his smile grow wider as he did.

"Besides, we're going to go feed all these adorable animals." When he turned halfway back to look at Noah, the smile on his face had widened a little. It was hard to stay too sad about things in a barn full of fluffy animals while he was holding hands with a handsome, green-eyed boy. He didn't know what he'd even done to deserve such a day but he sure as heck wasn't going to let a little old wound ruin it. He squeezed his fingers in Noah's again and walked forward, tugging him along playfully behind him.

"C'mon, let's go!"

The inside of the barn was thick and musty in a way that Ellis associated with animals kept in close quarters. He remembered a barn on his Uncle's farm had smelled the same way when he was a kid. It brought an unexpected pang of nostalgia coursing through him as they approached the first pen but he forgot it the moment his eyes connected with the gentle doe staring back at him.

"Yes," he murmured under his breath, as if keeping his voice low would help keep her calm even with the buzz of murmuring that drifted from every inch of the place around them. She must have been very used to people, he thought, as he reluctantly released Noah's hand and reached into his feed cup to produce a bit of the food he had been given. He held it out for her, palm up, and smiled nearly ear to ear as she dipped her graceful head and nibbled at it.

"It tickles," a chill ran up the length of his spine as her teeth ghosted across the inside of his palm, making him squeeze one eye shut and laugh beneath his breath. As she ate, he cast his one open eye at Noah with that same pleased smile.

"I think this is cheering me up already, so thanks."