Getting Out & Moving On (Eli/Open)

[Elijah Graham]

"Oh sure, no problem, don't worry about it! Whatever is best for you and Ruth is fine with me, I don't want to mess her schedule up or anything, you don't sound forward, I don't mind, really."

Elijah deliberately turning his attention back to Ruth, mostly to get over his own bit of embarrassment, he'd look back over at Kazumi after the blush had faded from his cheeks, his blue eyes looking into her own blue eyes, and looked down at Ruth, gently poking her in the tummy, to illicit a giggle from her.

"Well aren't you the most amazing baby I've ever met. You're not just cute, you also have a special kind of sense for people. Really? I never thought someone as incredibly pretty as you would be lonely... Uh... I should not have said that out loud... I'd offer to spend time with you when Ruth is at your two mother's house so you wouldn't be lonely, but you don't really know me and I'll shut up now..."

Gently tickling Ruth with his index finger in her tummy, it was a little hard to stay serious around such a sweet and happy baby as Ruth, especially when she clapped her hands happily while he made various funny faces at her. Looking over at Kazumi, he'd idly tickle Ruth in her tummy, a slight smile slowly appearing on his face.

"I've been trying to find a job, but thanks to the economy, no one has really been hiring lately. I hope I will be... I know you're a good mother, from what I've seen so far. Should we get going? I don't know when Ruth's nap time is, and I wouldn't want her to miss it."

Carefully climbing to his feet and stepping off the blanket, continuing to cradle Ruth in his arm, he'd help Kazumi with folding the blanket up and whatever else she needed done, and would let her lead the way through the park and in the direction her house was.

"So tell me about yourself, Kazumi. Besides the fact you're about my age, you're in high school, and you can cook, and single?" The last bit was tacked on as a joke... maybe >.>

[Kazumi O'Connor]

Kazumi would blink just a bit, taken back by how bubbly he seemed. In all honesty, he seemed like a really nice guy, perhaps a bit too energetic or whatever, but she was chalking that up to nervousness...though what he could possibly have to be nervous about, she had no clue. She really didn't see herself as something to get nervous about, not in the slightest.

As he turned his head away, she would arch her brow slightly, hand moving to fidget with her hair thinking perhaps it was out of place or something. She would have checked her breath too had she had time, but as it stood she only got a few seconds before he was back facing her, that same soft smile curling onto her lips as her blue eyes met his own. "I..." About to say something, though as soon as the words about how pretty she was left his mouth, all train of thought got derailed and she found herself once more blushing and averting her eyes.

It wasn't like he was the first boy to tell her she was pretty, but there was something in the way which it was said that managed to make her blush every damn time. "Well...my life has not exactly been going all that well lately...has left me a lot of time to myself." Nodding slightly. Though when he spoke about perhaps keeping her company whenever Ruth was at her Mother's that nervous part of her wanted to jump up and protest. But despite herself, she would swallow down past the lump in her throat and speak up almost timidly....clearly rather shy....in fact, very shy. "I..I would like that actually."

Again, big difference between Kazumi and Nyx...Kaz tried to trust people, to at least give them the benefit of the doubt and to get to know them. Nyx, would not have cared one damn bit. Though even as Kaz said this, she felt her cheeks heating up once more and was quick to agree to heading out, turning away rather quickly so that she could busy herself with gathering up Ruth's things that had been spilled out and then folding the blanket. Anything to keep her eyes averted and to keep him from seeing that she was blushing like a stupid school girl....

Once she had everything gathered up, she would slide the diaper bag back up onto her shoulder, stopping as they made their way to the car only to throw her coffee into the trash, and then taking up a spot along side him, keeping her attention on him and especially on her daughter. Ruth, who was finally starting to settle down, gave a little yawn and popped her thumb into her mouth, curling up into his chest as he held her and using her other hand to toy with a lock of her hair. Clearly it was getting close to nap time, seeing as how she was already trying to fall asleep in his arms.

"Um, well I go to Public High School 8011...I am the Varsity Captain there. My Mother Kevala Badoer is the Superintendent and my other Mother Mischa Badoer was the Head of Security. Like I said, life's been pretty hectic for me lately...lot of bad things happening, to both me and Ruth...So its usually just me and her these days, unless of course I let her go stay with my parents." She shrugged, reaching into the diaper bag to try and pull out her keys as they neared the parking lot. A little sigh passing her lips as she pushed her fingers into her hair, brushing it back over her shoulder and out of her face, eyes glancing back toward him and that little smile once again offered.

[Elijah Graham]

"O...oh... I see, that kind of sucks... R...really? Then I'll give you my cellphone number, and just give me a call when you want me to come over..."

After he had exchanged numbers with her, well, more like he gave her his number, he'd quickly busy himself with gathering everything up, though with Ruth still firmly cradled in his arm, he was pretty limited to just picking up her toys and whatnot. After everything was packed away, he'd walk with Kazumi towards her car, stopping briefly as Kazumi threw the coffee cup away, the two of them walking side by side with each other.

Eli chuckling quietly seeing Ruth let out a little yawn and pop her thumb into her mouth, feeling her curl up into his chest while he continued to rock her back and forth gently, looks like it was definitely someone's nap time soon.

"The Varsity Captain huh? I might consider joining either the swim team, or the basketball team, I honestly haven't decided yet. And like I said before, if you ever want some company, or just want someone to talk to, just call me, and if I don't have the time, well I'll just make the time for you."

Offering a comforting smile back, making their way through the parking lot, soon after, they'd reach her car, Eli waiting patiently for the doors to be unlocked, and would take the diaper bag from Kazumi, leaving her arms free, and slung it over his shoulder. He looked quite the manly man, with a nodding off baby in one arm and a diaper bag over the other shoulder, wouldn't you say?

"If you need anything, and I mean anything at all, just call me, okay? And I'll come running..."

[Kazumi O'Connor]

Kazumi wasn't sure what to make of this guy. He seemed like a genuine good guy, which typically was not a good match for being friends with her. Typically, they learned about how odd she was and ran for the hills. However, she could not deny that she really did need a friend, and that it would be nice to have somebody to talk to. Perhaps she could just hide the more freakish things about her, such as her Qi and anything else associated with it. Nyx, her anger issues, and anything else that set her apart from the normal girls in school. "I will just have to take you up on that offer. I don't have many friends. It would be nice to have somebody to just...hang out with and talk to. Though I will try to avoid bothering you too much."

It would be hard to pretend and hide stuff, but if it meant keeping a friend, at least for a little while, then she would do it. A little smile given to him as she made up her mind to do such, continuing with him toward the parking lot. Though as he offered her his phone number, she would pause to take it and then reach into her bag and grab out a black business card with pink lettering on it which contained all her contact information on it.

Kazumi Akela O'Connor
555 - 3213
[e-mail]
2315 Ridgeway Park, New York, NY 10032

"Here, that's all my information, just in case you need to get a hold of me." A little smile given as she handed him the card, waiting until he took it before she would continue her way toward the parking lot, not stopping again until she reached her car.

Hitting the button on the key remote, there would be a small clicking sound as the doors unlocked, glancing at him with a bit of surprise as he reached out and took the diaper bag from her. Though once the initial surprise had worn off, she would give a little bow of her head to say thank you and then move to open the passenger side, rear door, leaning in and moving the straps of the carseat out of the way. Only then, would she turn back to him, stepping up close to him so that she could slide her arms between his own and Ruth, trying to ignore how close she was to him (close enough that the scent of her lilac perfume filled the space between them) or how her arms were currently pressing against his own. Instead focusing on the baby that now was nestled between them and how innocent and beautiful she looked when she was sleeping. "Sorry, I am not trying to cop a fee or anything. I just don't want to wake her."

A small laugh given, however quiet it was due to the baby sleeping. Yet as she laughed, her blue eyes seemed to shimmer with a light that only added to her natural, radiant beauty. Standing there, her arms beneath Ruth and pressed against his own, and looking up at him, her eyes would meet his for a brief moment. A look of kindness and slight innocence held within her gaze, though behind that there was still that clear look of sadness which she tried so desperately to hide. Regardless though, it did not distract from the sheer beauty of her in that moment.

Strange how a regular moment such as this could lend itself to being one of those fleeting instances where her true beauty shone through. Not that Kazumi knew that, in fact she was unaware that she really was as strikingly beautiful as she really was. However, just as suddenly as that moment came, it would end...Kazumi realizing that she had been looking into his eyes a moment too long, would blush and quickly turn her eye away, back down toward the baby, lowering her head in the process.

Very slowly she would peel the little girl from his arms, cradling her against her chest protectively. "Thanks.." Speaking up softly as she would smile up at him and then move to strap Ruth into the carseat in the back. The little girl stirring awake for a moment, starting to cry from being woken up...though after a moment and a few soft shushing noises from Kazumi, along with a soft brush of her fingers to her daughter's cheek, Ruth would doze back off, her head drooping to the side and down, an awkward angle that only a baby could find comfortable.

With Ruth settled in, Kaz would shut the door and then turn back toward Elijah, that smile once more in place. "So, you ready to go eat? Start thinking about what you would like to have, because I can cook pretty much anything and I insist that you pick. You are my guest after all." Stepping forward once more to take the diaper bag so that she could place it in the backseat on the drivers side before climbing in and turning over the engine. She would wait then until he was in the car before placing it in reverse and backing out of the parking lot.

Next stop....home...

[Elijah Graham]

"Hey, don't worry about you, you can bother me as much as you need to... That came out wrong... Just give me a call whenever you want me to come over or just want to talk."

Taking the black contact card handed to him, he'd give it the once over, oooh, fancy. And in pink lettering no less. That was pretty nice, he had to admit. It kind of made him feel like he knew somebody important. Tucking the card into his wallet while following after Kazumi to her car, as soon as the doors were unlocked, he'd take the diaper bag from her, nodding back at her little bow of thanks.

Continuing to gently rock Ruth back and forth, he would look up as he saw Kazumi turn back around and step up close to him after moving the straps of the baby seat away, feeling her arms slide between his arm and Ruth, Elijah trying to pay no heed to how close in proximity she was to him, though the scent of her lilac perfume and her arms pressed against his was making it very difficult to.

"Hm...? Oh... Don't be sorry, it's alright. I wasn't thinking you were, there isn't really anything to feel anyways..."

Eli letting out a just as small but quiet laugh, that wasn't exactly true. His muscles covering his entire body, including his pectoral muscles, were toned and defined, and he had a developed six pack. Eli just didn't too much of himself, he didn't think he was anything special, at all.

His piercing blue eyes meeting her hypnotic blue eyes for a brief moment, seeing the kindness and slight innocence... and sadness within, caused his own eyes to soften and become kind... but also sad, it did not detract any of Kazumi's beauty, not at all. Realizing just as she had been staring into his eyes for too long, so too, did he realize he had been looking into her eyes for far too long, and would turn his head the other way at the same time she had.

Letting her peel Ruth from his arm with no resistance whatsoever, he'd look back down after his blush had faded, smiling slightly back down at her seeing her cradle Ruth protectively and smile up at him, moving to strap Ruth in, the little baby girl stirring awake and crying momentarily, but the crisis quickly averted thanks to a mother's touch and voice.

A look of deep thought appearing on Eli's face, Ruth now settled in, he'd hand over the diaper bag while actually wondering what he would like for breakfast err... brunch, he supposed. Climbing into the car, closing the door quietly but fully, resting his right elbow on the window edge, he'd stare out the window quietly, the streets rushing by, while his left hand rested idly on the side, unaware it was close to Kazumi's thigh.

[Kazumi O'Connor]

Kazumi would back out of the parking lot and pull onto the street, choosing to use the back ways to get to her house, wanting to avoid the morning/noon traffic and also wanting to avoid any situations that could lead to a car wreck, being a much more cautious driver with Ruth in the car. Her fingers lightly drumming against the steering wheel in time with the beat which was playing in her mind, that same blasted song that Earth would whistle each and every time she was near him the entire time she was locked away.

Her mind wandering, she would allow the silence to settle in between them, not wanting to come across as too talkative, to the point of being annoying. A little sigh passing her lips as she shifted within her seat, glancing down as she felt something brush against the side of her thigh. Noticing his hand, she would blush slightly and then slowly shift to sit upright once more, no longer slouching in her seat and averting her gaze back to the road ahead.

About twenty minutes later, they would pull into a newly developing suburban area, a few houses complete, a few others still in the process of being built. Down at the end of the drive, would be a rather nice looking house, well trimmed yard and two car garage..An old, somewhat beat up truck parked in the driveway. It was here that Kazumi would pull in, placing the car in park and turning off the ignition. A little smile curling onto her lips as she turned her head to face him, both hands still grasping the wheel. "Here we are." Nodding as she reached down and removed the keys from the ignition and then climbed out, moving around to the back, passenger door so that she could open it up and go about removing Ruth from the carseat.

Once more, the baby would begin to stir, whining and whimpering in protest to being woken up, though as soon as she was wrapped within Kazumi's arms, the soft shushing noise that came from her Mother would lull her back to sleep, allowing Kaz to nudge the door closed with her hip and head toward the front of the house, waiting on him to follow along behind her.

Reaching the door, she would reach out and flip open the security panel, her hand pressing to the scanner to allow it to read her print before the front door would spring open partially. Nudging it open the rest of the way she would step inside and then speak back over her shoulder toward him. "I am going to go ahead and go lay her down and change, then I will be right back. Go ahead and make yourself at home." Smiling once more before she would turn to head off, stopping only as she remembered something. "Oh, almost forgot, just push the door closed it will lock on its own." Another slight nod before she would turn and head down the hallway toward her room so that she could climb the stairs to the nursery to lay Ruth down in her bed, tucking her in and making sure to turn on her monitor, the other end down in her bedroom.

Once back in her room, she would move to shut the door that led to the hallway so that she could go about changing without worrying about accidentally being walked in upon. She may not have cared if she was not being herself right now and instead being Nyx, but even then she liked to think that she had some self esteem and dignity to.

[Elijah Graham]

Feeling something brush against his hand, looking over and down, he'd notice at the same time as Kazumi, his hand near her thigh. Blushing slightly, he'd slowly pull his hand back and away from her, as he resumed staring out the window, his blush fading by the time they reached her house and pulled into the driveway twenty minutes later. Smiling slightly back at Kazumi, he'd climb out of the car, taking care of the diaper bag while Kazumi worried about Ruth, managing to lull the baby girl back into sleep once again.

Following along behind after her, he'd head in after the security measurements had been cleared, nodding slightly. Stepping into the main foyer, he'd look over at Kazumi and nod back at her, turning around and pushed the door close, hearing a satisfying click as the door locked itself. He'd then wander over into the kitchen, depositing the diaper bag in the living room on his way over, and headed to the kitchen, his back facing the hallway, his hands casually shoved in his jeans pockets and taking a look around the kitchen while he waited for Kazumi to come downstairs.

[Kazumi O'Connor]

Kaz would change rather quickly, opting to throw on one of Patrick's old t-shirts and a tiny pair of cut off shorts that were pretty much hidden by the sheer length of the shirt. The shirt itself hanging off of one shoulder and stopping just above her knees...making her appear that much smaller and yet that much more appealing at the same time.

Stopping by her dresser, she grabbed a pin and twisted her hair up at the back of her head, pinning it into place loosely so that a few strands fell about her face. She then removed her contacts, threw on a pair of pink rimmed glasses and peeled off her socks to toss them into the dirty clothes hamper along with the rest of her clothing she had just removed. A little groan as her bare feet buried into the carpet, little toes, perfectly manicured to match her nails, wiggling as they explored their new found freedom upon the carpeted floor.

Only then would she move to pull the door open and and bounce out of her room and into the hallway. A little sigh passing her lips as she slowly sauntered her way down the hall and toward the living room. Bright blue eyes looking about to try and spot him, finding him standing there in the doorway that led to the kitchen. "There you are.." A little smile once again curling onto her lips as she would move to nudge her way past him in order to get into the kitchen, softly brushing up against him as she did so.

A light blush formed on her cheeks from the contact, though she couldn't help but glance up at him as she did. She knew that she was shy, though a part of her wished that he wouldn't be so shy. She just wasn't used to it, so used to guys like Pat who, despite having moments of awkwardness, knew what they wanted in the long run...didn't make her constantly keep guessing. But, she supposed she would get used to it.

Finally making it into the kitchen, she would grab the back of the step ladder she had in the corner and start towing it toward the cabinets. "So what do you want to eat?" The words once more purred forth in that thick Italian accent...moving the little ladder/stool toward the counter and then climbing onto it. Still having to tip toe just slightly to try and reach the stuff on the top shelf as she pulled open the cabinet where she kept all her pasta and seasonings. "I am not sure why I put these up here...It was like I thought Patrick would cook or something." A small laugh given, finding that it hurt much less this time to talk about him that it had all the times before, though realizing soon after that Elijah had no clue who Pat was.

"Oh sorry...Pat is....was my husband. He got...taken...a few months ago...Nobody has heard from him or about him since." She nodded, giving Eli a quick glance before shrugging and turning back to what she was doing, a little sigh passing her lips as she tried not to focus on all the bad and instead allow herself to have at least a little bit of fun. "So, what did you want again?" Not sure if she had missed it or if he just hadn't said yet.

[Elijah Graham]

"... ? Hey..."

Turning his head slightly after hearing a voice pip up from behind him, he'd smile slightly seeing Kazumi coming towards him. Blushing slightly feeling her brush past him to get into the kitchen, his blush quickly faded by the time he looked back down at her, giving her another easygoing smile. He was slowly getting over his initial shyness, which was mainly because he wasn't used to hanging out with girls, especially one as incredibly pretty as Kazumi.

Following her into the kitchen, he'd look around the kitchen while continuing to keep his hands lightly shoved in his pockets, looking over at Kazumi and noticing even with the step ladder she had grabbed, she still had to stand slightly on her tiptoes to try and reach the top shelf, as he moved over to her and would stand behind her, though not close enough to illicit another blushing fit from her.

"Patrick...? Ah... I see. That's really terrible, I'm sorry about that. I hope you get him back soon."

Nodding slightly back at Kazumi after she glanced and shrugged at him, he'd look up at the pasta and seasonings located on the top shelf, and just as he lifted his arm up to grab the seasonings he knew that would be needed for what he wanted to eat, he would hear his ringtone of his cellphone go off, and lowering his arm, would pull his phone out, and see that he had a message. Reading through the message, a bit of a disappointed look would appear on his face.

"Sorry, I'll have to get a rain check on the brunch, something just came up. But if you ever want to hang out or anything, just shoot me a text message or something."

Quickly bustling out of the kitchen, he'd make his way to the front door and head out of the house, luckily, where he had to go wasn't too far away, but still, he was pretty disappointed that he didn't get a chance to cook for Kazumi. Fun fact, Elijah knew how to cook too, he just never really had a chance to put his skills to use until recently. Oh well, there was always next time he supposed.

(End)