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xxxxx『 〄 And the Rain Hammered Down 』
xxxxxxxxx〆 ┊ Siren's shore, Eli & Kieran's cottage near the sea
xxxxxxxxx〆 ┊ Thursday afternoon. A lazy kind of day.
xxxxxxxxx〆 ┊ dim, grey, and raining a bit heavily.

The day had started dim and gray; the pale fingers of the winter sun could not chase away the oppressive clouds. It was, in a word, dreary. As such, the rain, while sudden, was no real surprise. The droplets, spurred on a ferocious wind, thrashed the brittle grass and made even the trees sway and submit. The roof creaked and groaned with the sound of water. It was frightening and fascinating to Kieran. The lightning, the thunder did not frighten her, but there was something disturbing about water mixing in with the air. She never went outside during storms if she could help it; she was small and it felt like if she was going to drown, it would take a lot less water than for a normal person. And so she remained, drooping slightly on the window seat, watching the yard turn into sludge.

"Hey, want some tea?" Eli poked her lightly in the arm. Slowly, but surely, Eli was settling into his odd role of guardian for the little smoke girl. There were times, when the firelight caught her golden eyes, when her hair drifted as she moved, that Kieran startled him with her otherworldiness. He shook his head and popped into the kitchen just as a clear, decisive knock sounded on the door. Hands full of teapot, he groaned. "Can you grab that, kiddo?"

Kieran hopped down lightly from the window seat. "Ok~" she lilted. Kieran was light-footed and moved wispily towards the door, grey dress swirling around thin legs. "Do you think it could be your books?"

"In this weather? Hardly."

Kieran pulled open the heavy door and was hit by an errant spray of cold rain. HEr Smokey hair flowed out behind her, a banner buffeted by wind. She squeaked in dismay and hid against the door. Fiery eyes squinted. The storm had her nerves frayed and she was meeting someone new and she really hadn't met many people and what if he didn't like her? She stood frozen, a mouse caught in a hawk glare.

"Kieran, let the man in! It's pouring." Eli popped his head out of the kitchen. His long legs ate up the ground to the door. A lopsided grin worked its way across his lips and he shut the door. " Hi, I'm Eli. Eli Haddock. Please come in, it's wretched out there, especially for a diligent delivery man. I'll make tea." His whiskey-eyes glanced down at the package in the other man's arms. Eli leaned down and down and one large hand landed on the slight girl's shoulder. "You're my hostess, little one," he whispered conspiratorily. Smiling once more, he straightened and loped back into the kitchen.

Kieran looked up at the man with eyes wide. "I-I'm Kieran." She walked backwards into the living room, not taking her eyes off the athletic young man. Kieran bumped into a chair and stumbled, her hair wafting past her eyes.

"Um... please have a seat." She smiled, a small, unsure smile. "What's your name?"

What did a smirk mean? Was it good or bad or somewhere in the fuzzy grey of emotion and expressions Kieran didn't understand? She would have preferred it if Eli had taken over and let her watch from afar. She was an observer, waiting until she understood the situation before acting. What if she said the wrong thing, did something awkward and he hated her? Jasper Powell's personality was an unknown. Nothing was more frightening than the unknown.

"Ah... um... should I?" Her soot-streaked hands touched the package; the smears from her fingers marred the brown paper briefly before disappearing. Kieran hated how awkward and nervous she felt. Her fingers trembled with it, though she didn't know why. Should it matter that someone like her? Regardless, her lips curved into a delighted smile as she wiggled her fingers into the package to tear paper.

Eli breather a sigh of relief. Kieran was often so skittish, near wild; he had expected her to run away. She was odd-looking, tiny and small, grey-skinned, with that wealthy of smoky hair. Maybe he should take her to socialize with some of the others that had children like her. Parents, he supposed. That made him a dad. It felt strange and startling, like a heavy cloak dropped on bare shoulders. He hated this sudden weight of responsibility.

FWEEEEEEEEEE

The kettle sang and Eli dropped out of his thoughts and back into the kitchen, warm and cozy. His tea service stared up at him, the mismatched cups and pot a testament to his bachelorhood. As water sunk into the tea leaves, the fruity aroma of peaches and ginger floated in the air. Sighing, he picked up the tray and headed into the library c** living room.

Kieran looked up, eyes alit with excitement. "Look! He said it was OK to open it." Her thin arms held books - the ones he'd requested from Angharad, no doubt. With a noncommittal grunt, he set the tea service down and plopped into the sofa. The pillows sank under him as he stretched out stupidly long legs. He turned a friendly gaze onto the delivery man. "So, do you always deliver, even when it pours? I do thank you for the delivery, though. They are books from sister about myths and legends, for my research." Eli smiled charmingly and leaned forward to pour the tea. "Cream or sugar?"