A few days before Solstice

James was looking forward to this. It had felt like ages since he had seen Elora, and frankly it was about time - and just in time before Solstice. He knew that her family didn't really celebrate, but he had bought her a gift regardless, one he had wrapped late last night after finally getting Mars to sleep. Today Mars was at kindergarten, but he would have to pick him up later.
He spotted her quite easily, chuckling as he saw how she was practically clinging to her coffee cup. "Hi there beautiful," he greeted her with a warm smile, wrapping an arm around her, being careful not to squish the cup in her hands. "Ready for a little walk?" he asked, holding out his arm for her, knowing he was probably way warmer than the coffee she was holding.

"As if I would be that cruel," he scoffed at her remark, taking the coffee, lifting it to his lips to take a semi big gulp. He liked coffee, and there was also something about her buying a coffee for him that made him warm inside. Of course she had used it to keep warm, but the thought was there, right? "He's doing great, actually started gaining some more friends recently, which is very good - he's also started asking more questions about Solstice, so I've tried to show him some of my family's traditions, but he hasn't really fully understood it yet," he chuckled, shaking his head a little. His long hair was slicked back in a bun, his ears a little red from the cold, but he wasn't feeling it. "And me?" blowing air out in a soft whistle, shrugging lightly, "I don't know, things are fine right now, it's just the holidays that are a little rough I guess," he admitted. Him and Cecilia hadn't even gotten to spend their first Solstice together with Mars before she passed. "Actually got you a present tho," lifting up the bag holding the present with a small smile on his lips, "but how about you?"

Mars loved it when Elora came around, always running back and forth between his toys and her to show her something new or maybe a toy he was playing with a lot that week. James shook his head at her apology, putting on a smile to show her it was alright. It would always be like this, at least in his mind. "Me? Weird? Nah nah nah, miss Aelius, I think you mean thoughtful and awfully charming," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her before a low toned laughter escaped his chest.
However as she mentioned a gift for him and Mars he frowned slightly. "I thought you said you didn't celebrate Solstice?" he remarked, but he was curious despite it all. He leaned down, closer to her ear, his breath warm against her skin as he spoke. "Tell me what it is," he beckoned her, his blue eyes turning soft like a proper puppy dog look. The park wasn't too filled with people, so it was nice just walking around, despite the cold.

Scoffing softly at her question he chuckled and looked away from her and out on the park instead. "Easy breezy," he replied rather confidently, before rolling his neck back to look at her, "but you have to keep in mind I have a very curious child at home." That was a nice thing about having kids, you got to use them as an excuse to some extend. He shook his head, looking more serious. "Alright, I won't peak - But then you'll have to stay over for Solstice," he remarked. He loved spending time with her, and when they were alone she didn't have to wear that getup she always wore. Sure they had to be mindful of Mars, but the kid's eyes always moved around to look at new things, barely wanting to have any sort of eye contact if it meant he could move quickly on to the next thing on his agenda.
"C'mon, my parents can't make it to Churchill this year, and my brother is stuck working overseas in Korinthia until New Years," pouting slightly. James was very family oriented, but he did understand that his family could be busy, especially this time of year. "Whaddaya say, huh?"

James lips pulled up in a shit-eating grin, showing off his white teeth that were almost perfectly straight. "The only thing you have to do is show up," it was more of a promise than anything. He liked how she always returned with a gaze like that, how her eyes squinted at him in such a familiar matter. When she finally gave in he couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head at her words about not being knowledgeable about the holidays. "I'll teach you everything you need to know," he assured her, wrapping his arm around her pulling her close to his side as they walked.
It was rather cold out, so instead of walking much further, he suggested that they could go to his apartment not far from here. He led the way, even though she knew well were he lived, and getting in to the hallway must've been good for the freezing daemon. Opening the door to his apartment they were met with the scent of citrus fruits, in the hallway there was a few different shoes, but the difference was clearly in shoe size. "I haven't really gotten to clean up the living room," he said a little apologetic, chuckling as he stepped over some toys. Of course he tried to keep it tidy, but a kid with Mars' energy was bound to leave a mess after a few hours. On the walls pictures where hanging of kid drawings alongside images of James' family.

James frowned at her words, looking around the apartment before he sighed, running a hand trough his hair to undo his pony tail. "Yeah, I guess I haven't really changed much here, huh?" he said, feeling that it hurt a bit to think about. Perhaps he had been living a bit delusional since Cecilia passed, but sometimes you just don't get closure and you need to move on regardless. Breathing out through his nose he placed the gift for Elora on the coffee table, shaking his head at his own thoughts before sitting down, still with the now empty coffee cup in hand.
It was just that he was afraid of letting go, as if it would mean he would dishonor what him at Cecilia had built together. "I'm sorry, I'm in my mind a lot," he said, getting up again as if he couldn't just sit still. Walking out to the kitchen he threw out the cup, leaning a bit against the counter. Was he going crazy? "My family has started asking if I'd consider dating again ... One of my friends from work even signed me up to some blind date event, but I don't think I want to go," he confessed if she had followed him.

There was definitely a change in tone the moment they got inside. Sure the cold was gone, but now a different cold was protruding, the one that made you feel cold in your heart. Elora at least felt it in herself. She looked at a picture of the happy little family that had once been while James sat down in his own thoughts. The notion that there was a long silence hadnt even occurred to her before he apologized for it. She shook her head and scoffed, "It's understandable," she said with a small nod. He went to the kitchen and she let her eyes linger on the picture for a few seconds before joining him. His confession made her frown, shrugging a little with a deep sigh. She had so many things to say, but only one came to mind. "Dont do anything you're not ready for yet," she said quite rationally, looking at a small cup on the drying rack. She guessed it was Mars' current favorite. "What's stopping you?" she asked.

James let out a deep sigh, shrugging lightly at her question. Nothing was physically holding him back from trying again, but it felt almost illegal. "I don't know, just ... Who wants a single father who can't even figure out how to change his life up?" he said, putting himself down. He was usually very confident, leaning in to himself with the knowledge he had, but this was a weakness for him. He couldn't just date, at least not like he had back before Cecilia; He had a kid he had to take care of, and what if Mars didn't like the one he eventually would bring home? That would be the worst of all, or maybe being asked if he hadn't moved on too fast? Like he hadn't been mourning her death ever since she stopped breathing?
Swallowing he shook his head. "Maybe I can when Mars is older, but by then who would then want a thirty or forty something year old lycan?" he scoffed, looking at the cup on the drying rack. He loved his son, and taking care of him would always be his first priority, but could another woman ever accept that? "I guess I'll just end up alone," it was a sad thought, but it was also something that he knew would just eventually be it for him.

She let him speak out, but she couldnt hide how ridiculous she found his words, giving him a long stare with a neutral face before she shook her head at him. "You're saying that like that's all you just are. A single father, not the James Wesley that used to be up for a pint as the first thing when the weekends came around or the guy who's always loaded with some lame dad joke you read on the back of a pack of cereal," she said before she scoffed and crossed her arms. "If you are happy with the way things are now, dont go look for someone?" she said, narrowing her eyes as she didnt feel that that was the case. She had always believed that James was the kind of lovable guy that was all for giving, so he would need someone who could handle all that love. "When it comes to Mars. Keep it separate. Like you're not out here trying to find a new mother for your kid, you're looking for a partner most foremost," she said, hoping she made sense. She wasnt exactly knowledgeable, but she did know a few things. Like how she wasnt allowed any of that.

He just felt like he had lost a part of his identity when he had become a single father, like he wasn't supposed to be happy, that even thinking about finding someone to spend his life with would be weird. But he did listen to her, hearing her say those nice things put a smile on his face, nodding as he thought it all through. "I am not happy right now, Ellie," a confession that took a lot of courage to say. He didn't want to seem ungrateful, but being a single parent and doing most things on his own was wearing on him. Of course he would not trade Mars for anything in this world, but he did catch himself thinking about the time before parenthood.
He walked closer to Elora, placing his big warm palm against her cheek, looking at her white contact lenses. He knew why she wore them, but he had never experienced what she had spoken about so scarcely. "But things will get better," mumbling a bit before he let his hand fall down by his side. "You can just take out those contacts if you want to," a remark that was rather relaxed from his part at least. He offered to make some tea to help her get warm.

It was like he didnt really have to confess, because she could tell. She had known him for quite some time and she held him so dear to her heart. It wasnt that hard to see that he wasnt as sprout-y and happy as he had been before Cecilia's tragic demise. She looked up at him as he came closer, feeling his warm hand on her cheek. She swtiched between his eyes, but she wasnt sure if his mumble was for her or just for the sake of the hope it brought saying it. The notion that she could take the lenses out made her shake her head. "I've felt a little out of control lately. It's easier to just keep them in than...." she paused for a moment before she looked down, folding her lips like she wasnt sure what to say. "...I feel more in control this way," she finally said, looking at the back of her hand, the tattoos across her fingers, before she turned into to look at the word inside of her palm. She made a deep sigh and looked up. "There's something bad in the air lately. I dont know how to explain it," she said, frowning a little to herself.

"We've known each other forever, and you've never hurt me once - I know how they make your eyes itch," mostly because he had seen the aftermath of her wearing the contacts in for too long. Her eyes had been bloodshot, and the skin around her eyes had been almost rubbed raw from how it had been itching. However he could understand that she felt more in control this way, as he had his own small oddities when handling himself around the different moon phases. It had just become second nature to him at this point. "Yeah, I read about that thing in the news about those shadow things," he said shaking his head as it sounded much more like a science fiction story than legitimate news. "Even the kindergarten has put up posters about it, informing the parents and all that," it was a weird time to be living in right now, that was for sure. "But it's not going to ruin Solstice."

It could have been bearable if he hadnt mentioned the itch. It was like she had forgotten how annoyed her eyes would get after a day of wearing the contacts, but now he reminded her of it. She tried to distract herself by mentioning the ongoing chaos lately. The general population didnt even know what was awaiting them. "It probably wont ruin Solstice. For now it's all just in the Southern district where the police wont patrol often. So there wont be anything happening close to you or Mars," she said, closing her eyes quite hard. The itch really wouldnt go away, she could feel it in her fingers. Carefully she reached up and peeled one lens out, but the other was far more stubborn, moving out of her grip in such a way that she was afraid of it disappearing under her lid. She had heard some bad stories about that. "Fuck... Sorry, uhm. Can you.. help?" she asked, gesturing to her eye with the stubborn lens.

It felt a little comforting to hear her assure him that it wouldn't reach them just yet, but he also felt a pit in his stomach just thinking about it. Maybe he was just too sensitive, but he could sense the oncoming storm. He stepped back, letting her remove her contacts in peace while he put the kettle on, however her words made him turn around in an instance.
A soft smile came upon his lips as he stepped closer after washing his hands. His finger moved up, carefully grabbing around the unruly contact and took it out with ease. "There ya go," he said in a soft murmur, holding out the contact for her on his index finger. Looking in to her real eyes he just couldn't help but get a little lost. They were so warm and inviting, and for a second he felt his breath halter as he just looked at her. There had always been some chemistry between them, or at least he felt so, but it had never escalated further than friendship. However standing here he couldn't help but open his mouth, breathing out silently. "It's nice to see you again," a small joke, but he meant it.

She didnt want to be the kind who was stomping her feet on the ground, but she might have to if that lens wasnt removed fast. Luckily he came to her aid and managed to pull out the lens. She looked at him with thankful eyes, though she did notice how he changed now that they were standing a little closer. He had always been unable to hide how he felt and as much as she liked it, it also at times felt like a curse. "Likewise," she mumbled before she realized she was losing her own composure a little and that couldnt do. "Now I can finally see how long that hair is getting!" she chuckled, moving his head to the side as to remove some of the sudden tension and shift the focus on something else. "Even though it does give off some Team Jacob vibes, it actually looks quite good on you this long, it reminds me of when we first met," she said, though in a tease there were genuine words there too, a soft small smile spreading on her lips.

Part of him felt a little grateful that she managed to think quickly, or perhaps she didn't even notice how he was acting. It was just hard for him to hide how much he cared for her. Even if it could never escalate, he appreciated that she had never scolded him for his gaze. A lycan reacted to instinct, and he was fighting it every time when moments like these came. On one part it was to respect her, because she was his friend, but on the other hand he was scared of jumping in to something so unknown.
Grinning as she moved his head, he chuckled at the remark. "Oh please," he scoffed. He could remember when they had first met, it seemed like such a long time ago, but she hadn't changed a day. She was a daemon, so it wasn't strange, but he had grown in the time they had known each other. He used to be a rather scrawny guy, but over the years he had gained quite the muscle. Partly it was from his work, and partly it was his lycan genes. "I hope I do look better than back then tho," he scoffed, hearing the kettle boiling. "Tea?"

"You look different. But I wouldnt say better," she said with her eyes narrowed a little. It wasnt that she insulted him, but she hadnt thought of him as ugly back then and even if he had changed a lot in mass and cut his hair, there were things that couldnt ever change. Such as the way he smiled, which was what she had focused the most on back then. Looking into eyes hadnt ever been her forté. "Yeah tea is good," she said, stepping away, lifting a hand to run through his hair, partly out of teasing and because she wanted to, as she moved past him to the cupboards where she plucked out two mugs. Of course she had to get him the one that said Best dad or something like that. "Andrew has been asking about you and Mars. I dont think I've ever seen Andrew go soft for any kids that he has met. Well except your son," she chuckled, turning one of the cup a little in an idle movement.

He couldn't help but close his eyes half way as she moved a hand through his hair. There was no better feeling in the world, but it also made him realize just how cold she still was. She moved away, grabbing some mugs and he found the tea above the stove, plopping a bag in each mug before filling them with the boiling water. The mention of Andrew made him smile. It was fun how the two of them were acting like long lost brothers sometimes. "Mars has been asking for both of you, so I think it goes both ways; But I know that you are busy people," he said with a slight shrug. Mars loved his uncle Andrew, mostly because the daemon wasn't afraid of picking him up and swinging him around the room which always filled the room with a childish laughter from both. "He can come for Solstice too, but I heard he's been seeing someone lately - A lycan if I'm not mistaken," chuckling softly as he eyed Elora. He wasn't sure how serious it was, but he was not one to ask questions regarding such matter. Opening the fridge he found some milk, adding it to his when the tea had finished steeping, adding in sugar as well. If Elora wanted anything added he would do that too.

"Well it's not like I'm really that busy. I've got my study going and my crazy family," she said with a shrug. She didnt bear the same burden as Andrew or any of her other siblings, but she thought that came from the fact that some daemons refused to see her as one of theirs due to the circumstances she had come to be in. "Uhhhh. Her name is Valerie. She's sweet," she said, grabbing her cup to take a small sip, as she didnt want anything in it at all. It was warm but even if she burned her tongue, it would heal in less than an hour. "I think he's feeling bolder than ever now that Simeon is gone," she said, though the mention of her older brother made her frown a little. She wasnt too sure how she felt about him potentially coming back, but she hoped it was just some sort of craze that Raziela had locked herself in rather than it being the truth. The hatred she bore for him was indescribable, but that probably came from the times he had used her as an asset or the fact that he hadnt ever seen her as much more than her dreaded ability. She turned and leaned a little against the counter, just staring into the wall as she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts for a bit.