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"Well, I was raised in a carnival, after all," Faolan laughed, taking Ellandra's hand gently in his own again and leading her through the fair grounds to the exit. "I honestly don't know who got the better end of the deal, though. I mean, I got a dad and a chance to actually know life, but the old man got someone to call family. Remind me to have him tell you about his whole mother-of-the-month club and how well that went before he decided to just raise me, such as it was, on his own." The young man grinned at her, relaxing a bit more now that he wasn't subjecting the poor girl to his dad's special brand of humor.

"Guess we're not too different, then. My dad's never married, but he's not my birth father, either. I don't know who my parents are, honestly. One of the carnival workers found me on the steps of an abandoned church during a storm and Da took me in. He thought about settling down so I'd have a mother in my life, but . . . he's just not good with the ladies," Faolan chuckled, expression soft from memories of a rather fond childhood of watching his adopted father screw up relationship after relationship. He glanced sidelong at Ellandra. "I probably get that from him."

Foalan shrugged a bit, guiding Ellandra around some mud and puddles. "Perhaps, love. As for Zia, well . . . I'm sure it worries on me some out of not wanting to see its owner end up all crotchety and alone." He smiled at the girl, humor showing in his eyes now that he'd relaxed again around her. Looking over, he spotted one of the midway stands. "Come over here with me, Ellandra. I'll get you something to remember your first visit by."

He led her to the stand and waved the barker over and pointed up at a pink, soft-looking teddy bear, explaining about wanting a present for his friend. The barker looked at Ellandra and smirked, figuring the rumors he'd heard about the boy were true enough. He got the bear for Faolan, though, and set it on the counter. "Should I be expecting some compensation for it?"

"No," Faolan said, frowning a bit at the man, picking up well enough on what the man thought of Ellandra. "Think of it as my rearranging inventory. My dad won't begrudge a gift to a friend of mine." He led Ellandra away gently by the hand, the bear tucked under his other arm. Quiet for a good ways though the grounds, he finally looked over at her, expression apologetic, and held the bear out to her. "Don't listen to them here, please. I'm not like they say . . . or anything like what they want to think of me. I don't even know how the reputation I have got around."

Faolan smiled, actually touched by that. "Thank you. Most people just go by what they hear and assume things are true when they're not. I'll be honest, I've had lovers, but nowhere near as great a number as half the carnival seems to think. It's a really small number. Tiny, in fact. And I probably shouldn't be talking to you about that. Sorry." He looked down, cheeks coloring a bit, and watched his feet as he led her out the entrance of the fair grounds. Chiding himself internally for his inability to not blurt out stupid stuff, he remained silent as he walked alongside the girl.

Faolan looked at her, not sure what to say really. "You ain't really bothered on it? I mean, it never bothered me before if someone knows I've slept around, but with you . . . I feel like everything I say might be the wrong thing. I never cared what people thought of me till you fainted on the floor of my booth. Now I feel like I'm walking on eggshells because I want you to see who I am, but . . . I'm also worried you won't like what you see. I know I'm a rogue and a thief and a liar, but only when I work."

He looked back at the ground again, walking beside her quietly, chewing his lip in thought. Fao felt like he was making it worse rather than better, but he couldn't help wanting to tell her what he felt. It was part of his impulsive nature most likely, but he also had become very fond of the girl in the short time he'd known her and wanted to see more of her and get to know her better. He'd never cared much about pursuing people he fancied because it was usually fleeting emotions, but this girl who was so obviously out of his league had him captivated.

"I never lied to you, Ellandra. Not even when I asked you to come to the booth before Zia showed itself. I won't lie to you, either. I'm not a bad person, but . . . I'm not very good, either, and I'm sorry for that. I don't even know why I'm apologizing, but it feels like the right thing to do," Faolan said softly, keeping his gaze on the ground, unsure he wanted to see her reaction to what he told her.

Faolan stopped to keep from walking on top of the girl and smiled, some of his casual charm showing through. "I do value your opinion. I never met anyone before that made me think about stuff the way you do."

He reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately. "You look cute without the hat, too, you know. Where is your hat, anyway?"

The young man laughed, and leaned down to hug her, but stopped himself, not wanting to upset her. "Clever girl. I'd have been looking for you anyway." He licked his lips, looking off at the people bustling about them, some of them giving him odd looks or trying too hard to avert their eyes.

Shrugging a bit, he looked back down at Elladnra. "You could visit everyday if you can. You know, to help with your social anxiety. Can't stay shy in a carnival. You say I've lived life and all, but sometimes I wished thing had been more normal or that I didn't have demon blood. What I wouldn't give for a run of the mill day where strange things don't happen. He grinned at her in that way that made it hard to tell if he was teasing her with a story or actually recounting some past incident. "I mean, honestly . . . try waking up to a baboon drinking all your coffee. You ever see a caffeinated ape?"

Faolan let her pull him along through the crowds, trusting that she knew this area better than he did. "I've never been to a coffee shop. I mean, why pay so much for a cup of joe that I can get at the carnival for free and in better company, too?" He moved his hand a bit in hers so their fingers were interlaced, looking down at the contrast of their skin tones, the way her small hand looked so soft and delicate against his larger, more sinewy hand.

"Ellandra, you never said what you do for a living. I know you're creative and successful at what you do, I can read that in you, but I find I don't know much about you other than that," Faolan said, moving so he was more in step with her, walking alongside the girl.