Ankylosaurs and Apexes [NSFW, Closed]

The story of a professor of paleontology and a nail tech. What shenanigans will ensue? @Ell (Tav: Rosie and Co.) -# [Thread open to readers so you lot can screech about how soft Adriel is with Rosie lol. We love a good AU]

1

Toffee (Rhiannon/Mathias)

toffeenuttardis

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“You cannot sit at home for another night in a row” Morgana scolds, “You need to be out, partying. Drinking. Scoping out the dating pool.”

“Morgs…I don’t-“

“It’s quiet! I wouldn’t take you anywhere that would overload your senses. And, the snacks are Rosie safe. And, all the guys there tend to be respectful”

Six months. A quarter of the time her and Vax spent together. It wasn’t anybody’s fault they split. They just…grew apart. At different points. And he saw the way he looked at Keyleth. Water under the bridge. She supposes. “Okay! Okay…I’ll…go…”

“Atta girl!” She grins

~ . . . . . ~

Morgs was right. For a bar, this place was pleasantly quiet. The music didn’t thump, the people were nice, and her piña colada was going down almost too easily. However, watching Morgana and Elijah tear up the dance floor with an overly-touchy bachata wasn’t helping her. She just scrolls through Pinterest, awaiting for some nail inspiration to strike. She’d gone too long without posting on Instagram.

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

He had come out on Morg's request, making himself look at least somewhat presentable (aka relaxed) and less like a professor who spends his entire day hunched over a desk. Something about her wanting him to meet someone?... He smirks a bit when he enters and sees his friend with Elijah, dancing a far more handsy than usual *bachata*. The pair were definitely adorable together, but he hopes she sees him soon. He has no idea who the hell he's supposed to be meeting here, other than her and Elijah.

The song ends and melds into the next one. Elijah gives her a quick kiss before alerting her to Adriel’s presence. She turns to face the professor with one of her wide grins. “Estareh!” She beams, strutting over to envelope him in a hug “How the hell are you, dude? I missed you”

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

He chuckles and hugs her back, squeezing her slightly. "Been pretty good, all things considered. Alexi's as much of a pain in the ass as usual...you said there was someone you wanted me to meet?"

“Yeah!” Her grin turns a cheeky kinda wicked. “Cmon. She’s at our booth” The stars have aligned~ She links her arm with his and walks him over to their table, pride oozing from the singer’s body. Sat there is Elijah. And a girl unknown to Adriel, covered in tattoos. Long raven hair just brushes the seat and her hands are busy with a half-drunk piña colada. “Rosie” The elf’s head snaps up to meet Morgs’ eyes. Icy irises focussed on emerald ones. “This is Adriel Estareh. My talent manager’s son. Adriel, this is Rosemary Drake. I’ve mentioned her a couple times. But, now, you get to meet the real girl.”

Her eyes find Morgs. And then they find Adriel. Fuck he’s handsome. Blue eyes, but more of an ocean blue. Dark chocolatey hair. Smartly dressed. Wow… “Hi…” she begins rather softly. She puts drink down and her hand out for him to shake, medium length almond acrylics pointing at him. “Just Rosie is fine”

Oh dear, she's *gorgeous*. His cheeks flush a light pink as he reaches out and shakes her hand, smiling. "It's a pleasure to meet you, finally. Morgs is quite the yapper when she gets going~" He slides into the booth with a grin, then, not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to catch up with his friends. "So, how have things been overall? It's been a couple months since I've had any proper time off, I've been bouncing between a few significant digs that were uncovered earlier this year."

“Isn’t she?” She giggles “It’s lovely to meet you too.”

Her eyes flick between the two, very pleasantly satisfied. Perfect. She slides in next to Elijah, drapes his arm around her and takes a sip of her whiskey. “Quitting boxing is the best thing I’ve done. Honest to god. I feel so much freer. And I missed my guitar and my drums. Your mom is an * angel*.”

"Yeah, mum is definitely a different breed...I think at this point she's revolutionized the entertainment industry from a management perspective," he says, chuckling. "Kind of hard to keep treating your talent like shit if they're gonna jump ship and flee to a company where they know they'll be appreciated~"

“You’re so right. I’m just glad she has faith, y’know?” She smiles. “And what’ve you been up to? Boring your students to death about old bones again?”

“…come again?” She asks, finishing her sip of cocktail

“Adriel teaches palaeontology at a local uni”

"Hey, if I was boring my students to death, they'd never show up!" he says, elbowing Morgs playfully. "Besides, I've been on leave for the past few months. We had a new dig that just got started in South America, and it's looking like it's a pretty large deposit of Jurassic and Cretaceous fossils. Though they've found an exposed section of rock that dates all the way back to the Devonian, so we're hoping to possibly find some fantastic fossils. Maybe even some new species."

“Holy shit! That’s awesome! As if you needed to be richer.” She laughs

She’s not exactly sure what she’s supposed to be doing here. But…it feels nice to be around laughter, banter and friendly smiles. Her eyes just bounce between Morgana and Adriel as they talk, her own smile taking its place on her face, dimples beginning to cave in her cheeks

He laughs at her comment of being richer and shakes his head. "Bah, anything I'd make off of a find like that would go right back into the lab and research department," he says, waving his hand a bit. His attention turns back to Rosie then, still smiling. "So, what about you, Rosie? I don't want to hog the conversation all night with my yapping about fossil finds."

“I’m…a self employed beautician and hairdresser. I own a shop that I live above. It…earns me a decent way of life” The salon does incredibly well. Booked six months out in all departments. She, herself, booked out 14 months. Business is *raging*. But, sometimes you gotta stay humble. Things have slipped since The Vax Thing. But they’re getting back on track.

"Oh, that sounds lovely, actually," he says, smiling. "And here I am, a nerdy professor who barely remembers his skincare half the time~" He takes the opportunity to look Rosie over appreciatively, taking in the details of her visible tattoos and piercings. Damn, she really is gorgeous.

Rosie’s too modest. In every way. Especially since she’s become a full-time hermit. But, Adriel didn’t need to know that. “Rosie would be more than happy to help with that. You might need to make an appointment quick, though. She only works three days of the week and is booked out over a year in advance” she brags

“…it’s been a long time coming! I love that I can do what I love for a living” Rosemary rubs the back of her neck sheepishly

He lets out a low whistle at that, looking impressed. "That's fantastic, actually! And you're booked out over a year? You must be damn good at what you do, to be booked out that far." He reclines in the booth a bit, obviously feeling a fair bit relaxed. "And here I am, bouncing between teaching classes and being out in the field on a dig~"

“I’d argue that’s cooler! You get to travel around the *world*. And, I like dinosaurs. I’ve never had time to properly study them. My favourite is a triceratops! I like their horns and their frill” she smiles

Oh dear, she's about to open a floodgate. "Triceratops are rather fascinating, as with most terrestrial prehistoric species. But I think my all time favorite is an early fish from the Devonian period. Dunkleosteus. Absolutely fascinating creatures, and one of the first species of vertebrate to have developed a functioning jaw!"

“Oh! That’s amazing! I wonder how much we humanoids and such get from dinosaurs. Y’know, in terms of evolution. Probably, not much. But” she shrugs “I think it’s cool to think about”

"We ourselves don't get much from dinosaurs, unfortunately. Birds are their closest living relatives today," he says, chuckling a bit. "Mammals were pretty much in the margins of evolutionary history while dinosaurs had run of the land, seeing as the earliest record of a confirmed mammalian-like species is from the late Triassic period, when reptiles truly started taking off and becoming the dominant terrestrial group."

"Ahhhh," she says, thoughtfully taking a sip of her pina colada. "Are your digs a part of your professorial duties?"

"Yes and no. They're not part of what I do at the university...it's a seperate research group that I provide most of the funding for. Perks of having a tech giant father, we have an ungodly amount of money. Most of my earnings from the university get funneled back into it." He smiles and looks over the menu for a moment, deciding what he wants to drink. "I'll be right back, I'm gonna go get myself an Angry Orchard.~" He quickly makes a beeline for the bar, returning a few moments later with a chilled bottle of hard cider in hand.

When Adriel goes to the bar, Morgana turns to her friend “Sooooo?”

“So? What?”

“What do you think of Adriel?”

“He’s nice.”

“And?”

“And what?“

“You’ve gotta have more of an opinion than *that*” she prompts.

“I’ve had a five minute conversation with him. I will let you know tomorrow. When I’m not in his presence and I’ve not had anything to drink.” A set up. Of course it was. But she couldn’t be mad. It could be worse! And Morgs is only doing it because she cares, she supposes. So, she lets it go. And allows herself to smile when she sees Adriel come back over to the table. “What do you like to drink? Besides cider. Or is that all you drink?” She asks Adriel, finishing her piña colada.

"If we're talking alcoholic, I'm partial to wines, particularly a good Pinot Grigio," he says, smiling and taking a swig of his drink. "I do enjoy a nice sweet red, though. What about you? What do you like to drink?"

“I like a multitude of things” she giggles “I like pink gin and lemonade, I’m partial to a Chardonnay. I’m a big cocktail drinker. And I don’t mind some Malibu in Coke or Pepsi” she explains, a blush reddening the ivory that lies underneath her nebulae of freckles. Though the blush deepens, face already flushed from her alcohol intake. She hated how much her face reddened when she drank.

He can't help but grin as he listens to her, taking in her features - especially the constellation of freckles decorating her skin. "Well, you're in luck, as I have all the necessary ingredients for those. Though, I'll definitely need some practice with making fancy cocktails.~"

“I make the best frozen piña colada. And a good old fashioned blue lagoon. There’s a news agents right by my salon that I get the slush from to make it” she returns Adriel’s grin with enthusiasm “Maybe I’ll make one for you one day”

"That sounds lovely, actually. I'd like that," he says, still smiling as he takes another swig of his cider. "Actually, here-" He pulls out a business card and his pen, writing his phone number on the blank back before sliding it to Rosie. "In case you'd like to meet up for drinks again at some point. I...I know I'd like to see you again, after this. And I'm not planning on leaving yet, it's just...I'd likely get sidetracked and forget, otherwise."

She cannot hide her grin from behind the nail technician. It’s Chesire Cat-like smile. It looks like she just won the lottery.

… This never *happens*. You’re too strange for this to just happen *to you*. Is he feeling alright? Or is he mad? “The feeling is mutual” she giggles, “I’ll keep this on hand. Thank you, Adriel” And thank you Morgs “I look forward to it.” Her smile turns bashful as she tucks the card away into her clutch, blush still lighting up freckled cheeks.

The music switches to something a little more upbeat and jazzy, then, and he perks up a bit. "Do you dance at all?"

“Does around my bedroom count?” She laughs

“She’s been in all our high school’s major productions. Shes good at singing and she can pick up on a rhythm pretty fast. Take her for a spin, my friend” Morgana suggests, still grinning like an idiot.

“I-…never had to dance much. The most dancing I do is tour choreography in my bedroom mirror. Morgs is trying to make me look good” she rambles

He grins and stands up, offering his hand to her. "Just follow my lead, I'll guide you.~" He nods slightly in Morg's direction, making a mental note to thank her later. This is the most fun he's had in months, and with a drop dead gorgeous girl to boot!

She winks at him when Rosemary can’t see her. Wiggling her eyebrows as her lip catches between her teeth.

Still apprehensive, Rosemary takes his hand; her insides warming at the contact. Fuck “I can’t promise I’ll be any good, Adriel”

"Rosie, I don't need you to be an expert, the point is to have fun." Fucking hell, she's even more gorgeous now that he's able to get a full look at her. "Just let my movements and the rhythm guide you, you'll be okay."

“Okay. Okay” she smiles, using her free hand to smooth down her dress He’s tall, too. And gentle with her. Good at putting her at ease with few words. Where on Earth does Morgana find these men?

He smiles and pulls her close, his arm slipping around her waist as he leads her in a simple version of a foxtrot, spinning around the dance floor with the practiced ease of someone who has a fair bit of experience with ballroom dancing.

She holds back a squeak of surprise, face going all hot as she places her hands. He’s so close. So close. And he’s got my waist. Fuck. Uh- relax! Trust him. He very clearly knows what he’s doing. It’s a little quick, but; as she relaxes and lets Adriel lead her, she’s fine. Having fun, even! Dancing with a very dashing, very handsome man. Charming, beautiful and tall. “You must do this a lot if you’re this good”

"I picked up ballroom dancing as a hobby in university," he says, chuckling a bit. "It was one of the few things that allowed me to clear my head and just exist for a little while when I needed to just...exist. No expectations, no classes, just existing in the moment." God, she's beautiful, and she's keeping up well too? Fuck, I'm so screwed. Morgs is gonna be preening about this one for a while.

"I get that. Maybe I could've done with some ballroom dancing some five years ago," she returns, also having a little chuckle of her own. "My crafting is your ballroom dancing. And the medium I use tends to depend on my mood."

"You do crafts as well? What sort of stuff do you make?" He's genuinely curious, always wanting to learn something new.

“How much time do you have?” She laughs. A light, musical sound that carves out the dimples in her cheeks “I scrapbook. I sew, crochet and embroider. I make beaded and chain link bracelets. With and without charms. Sometimes I make earrings And I model with polymer clay. That ties into the jewellery though” she lists “I have an Etsy. I make the odd bookmark too”

Yep, he's screwed. She's absolutely delightful and he knows he's going to fall head over heels for this woman. "I'll have to check it out sometime, then. I'd love to see the things you've made." With that, the song ends, and he can't help but grin. "You're a pretty damn good dancer, for not having taken any classes."

Can he not? With all this flattery, he may as well whisk her away now “Thank you. I-…” Take. The compliment. For once. “Thank you” she smiles a warm and genuine smile, dimples reappears and cheeks re-reddening. “I loved danced with you.” Liked! You liked it!

"I'm glad, I loved dancing with you too," he says, smiling softly. His own cheeks are flushed pink, and he leads her back to the table, knowing without even looking that Morgs was probably grinning at the both of them.

She is, indeed, grinning like a maniac “Smooth moves, Estareh”

"Ah, thank you," he says, chuckling sheepishly. His cheeks go a little more pink as he gestures for Rosie to go ahead and sit back down. "Do you want anything to drink, while I'm up?"

She does sit, inspecting the last dribble of piña colada. “No, I’m okay, thanks Adriel” she smiles

"You sure? My offer extends to more than just the alcohol," he says, the soft smile back on his face. Fuck, he feels like he hasn't stopped smiling since they started talking a little bit ago. It's been a while since that's happened to him...

Did he have to fucking smile like that? Her insides are surely mush by now. Her stomach is hot, fluttering with butterflies. What the fuck is this? “A Pepsi will do. Max. Thank you.” Her blush cannot stop raging across her cheeks. She’s afraid her freckles will burn right off cheeks. Gods be damned. He was *perfect*.

"Your wish is my command~" he says, bowing with a mischievous grin. He's feeling a little bit silly at the moment. He then disappears off towards the bar again, leaving the trio by themselves for the time being once more.

“You sly dog. Look at you!” Morgana teases, playfully punching Rosemarys arm “Good for you, *mi amor*.”

“Okay- that was surprisingly freeing. It was…so good to just let go. Relax and let loose like that,” she giggles “I cannot believe I just did that. And he’s so good at it”

“Duh” she laughs with a roll of her eyes “How are you feeling though? You okay?”

“I’m feeling grateful I let you drag me out the house.” Her voice is sincere. Her smile genuine. How could she be anything but, on a night like this?

He returns a few moments later with the drinks in hand, setting them down carefully. "Alright, Pepsi Max for Rosie, Mountain Dew for me, and I also grabbed a couple of waters in case you and Elijah wanted one," he says, grinning at Morgs. He sits down again and sighs happily, feeling a lot less stressed than he had been before he came out to see his friends - and meet Rosie. God, she's perfect, he thinks to himself, his expression settling into a soft smile.

“Thanks again, Adriel” the nail technician smiles.

“You angel” morgs grins. Elijah also thanks him, taking a hearty sip from the glass

"You're welcome~" He settles in with his drink, sipping at it and feeling more than content to watch the other patrons of the bar mingle for a few moments. This...this was nice. He's needed this for a while, and he's glad his schedule opened up enough to allow for it.

She takes a sip of her drink, eyes wandering to a peaceful Adriel. He’s so beautiful. Something out of a magazine. A sexy Indiana Jones. Or Nathan Drake. How was she worthy of such attention? From such a guy? Maybe she should’ve allowed Morgs to pair her off a long time ago.

Unfortunately for him, his phone goes off, and he checks the text with a sigh. His expression quickly goes from relaxed to annoyed, and he runs a hand over his face with a groan. "For fuck's sake, can these people not survive without me for more than a day?" He rolls his eyes and quickly types out a response, shaking his head. "Talk about shit timing...I unfortunately have to go, apparently one of the interns is freaking out at the lab about something and is insisting that I need to be there to handle it. I'm glad we got to do this, though, it's been far too long since I've had a nice night out with friends." He stands and smiles at Rosie, his expression softening again. "And I would really like to go dancing again sometime, or maybe go for a picnic...if you'd like to, that is."

So soon? Gods be fucking damned. …but he wants to see get again. That fact makes her heart leap. “Good luck! It was lovely to meet you. Dancing or a picnic sounds great. I’ll drop you a message later”

“Don’t get into too much trouble now, Adriel” Morgana smirks, jumping up and giving him a hug “Be safe”

"I look forward to it.~" He hugs Morgs back with a chuckle, shaking his head a bit. "Bah, you know me, Morgs. I haven't been that wild since my college days. But I'll be safe, you don't need to worry about me."

“You’re family. I always worry about you” her smirk softens to a smile “Drive safe. I’ll see you soon”

"I will. You be safe too, ya menace~" His tone is teasing as he fishes his keys from his pocket, the logo for a Maserati on the fob. "I'll see you guys, gotta run!"

Oh. Fuck. Maserati? Those cars were *nice*. Very nice. With a steep ass price tag to match the luxury. Morgs loved keeping up with cars, so Rose knew a thing or two. Like how much the soft teal Porsche of her dreams would cost. On its own and if she were to reupholster with cream instead of black. Wow. “Bye!”

“See ya!” She waves, mischievous green eyes finding her friend once she sees him disappear. “Now. Spill.”

He's grinning like a loon when he gets to his car, sinking into his seat and just letting himself be for a moment. "God, she's fucking perfect," he says, finally voicing the thought out loud now that he's alone. He hopes Rosie messsges him soon; it hasn't even been five minutes and he already misses her. He knows that if he stays any longer he'll end up going back inside, however, so he fires up the car and head for the lab to go handle whatever nonsense the intern is on about.

🌙✨🌙✨🌙

Text Message Unknown Number Hey, Adriel! It’s Rosie! You wanna set a date for that picnic? I’ll make/bring the food. Hope everything got sorted with that intern. Wishing you well x

🌙✨🌙✨🌙

He smiles when he sees the message, leaning against the table before typing out a reply. To: Rosie > Yeah, managed to get everything sorted, though it wasn't without a headache and a half. How does Saturday at noon sound for the picnic? You bring the food, I bring the drinks? He grins as he sends the message, heading for his car to go home for the evening. Looks like he's got something to look forward to this weekend~

She squeaks when she sees Adriel has sent her a message back. Saturday. Saturdays good. Yes! With a smile, she shoots a reply right back to him

To: Adriel Saturday sounds good! Let me know what you want me to bring/make x

He smiles when he sees the text, replying once he gets out of his car again, making his way to the garage elevator. To: Rosie > I was thinking sandwiches? Something simple, we don't need a five course meal at a picnic 🤣 I'm good with pretty much anything, though, so you can make whatever you want. Surprise me! Is there a particular wine you'd like me to bring?

To: Adriel Nothing that I can think of! Do you mind if my dog comes along? She loves the park

To: Rosie > Of course! I love dogs!

He grins and starts looking through his wine collection, humming to himself. He soon finds what he's looking for, a lovely Chardonnay that he'd gotten recently, Rosie's earlier comment about being partial to that particular wine coming to the forefront. "Perfect. And I can get some Pepsi easily enough and bring the Malibu as well..." To: Rosie > Pepsi Max, right?

She grins. She can’t help it. “What a gent…oh- gods I can’t sleep now. Not now” She wanders out to the kitchen and looks through her fridge. “…I’m gonna have to go shopping. Grocery and probably otherwise”

To: Adriel Yeah! Perfect!

Blondie, the little pale dachshund of hers, comes scuttling out of her bed. She makes a circle around Rosemary’s feet as she replies to Adriel before coming to sit in front of her; in the open fridge. She lifts a paw and barks.

“No! You’ve had chicken today” she giggles, pocketing her phone and scooping up the dog. “I can’t spoil you too much, goldie, honey”

She places her paws on Rosie’s chest, licking a few stripes up her cheek.

“Yes. I love you too”

He smiles when he sees the message, pocketing his phone with a grin before he goes to settle in for the night. His dreams are filled with her, in various scenarios...some perhaps a bit more spicy than others, but could you blame him when she looks like that? Not that he has any intention of those dreams becoming reality at the moment, they've only just met, after all.

🌙✨🌙✨🌙

Saturday rolls around and Rosemarys up with a start. Her hours of sleep dwindled with every day that drew nearer to the picnic. Thursday was spent in a multitude of changing rooms, trying to find something that’s new, flattering and sure to make Adriel look at her like he did the last time. Friday was spent prepping the food. Now, here she sits, fighting with a wispy false lash. “Come *on*!”

“Woof!” She jumps out of her bed and sits at Rosie’s feet.

“It’s okay. It’s just a stupid false lash. They’re new, what did I expect” she sighs

She huffs, pawing at her shin.

“Ow! Please don’t scratch me”

Blondie curls up on her feet, part of her snout buried in the carpet.

Adriel had barely slept the night before, too full of excited energy and anticipation to properly sleep. He spends his morning taking quite a long and thorough shower, even going so far as to do an entire skincare routine before he fusses with his hair. "Slicked back? No, no, that's gonna be too formal, this is a picnic, Adriel. Just leave it down." He huffs at himself in the mirror before blow drying his hair, making sure to get some volume at the roots. The next issue was the outfit. Well, shirt wise it's either a button up, or a ten year old band tee that looks like it's been beat to shit, so...nice jeans and a soft green button up it is. Once he's dressed he takes a deep breath to calm his nerves a bit, grabbing one of his Versace colognes since they're a little less overwhelming on the scent than some of his other ones. There. That'll be just about perfect. He heads to the kitchen, then, packing a cooler with the bottle of Chardonnay, several Pepsi Max bottles, and a few bottles of Mountain Dew. A second bag holding a corkscrew for the wine, a bottle of Malibu, two wine glasses, and two cups also sits on the counter, ready to go. Soon. He'll be seeing her soon.

After she finishes wrestling with her lashes, she picks up the dachshund, turning her to the mirror with her. “What do you think, goldie?”

She sniffs the glass and tucks herself into Rosemary’s chest, her wet nose dipping beneath her shirt.

She laughs, “Thank you!” Freshly shaven and newly soft from her favourite body scrub and butter, hair wavy and washed, soft; subtle makeup. Fresh infill and a flowery French. Picnic basket and blanket on the kitchen counter. Steady heartbeat and butterflies in her stomach. He’ll be here soon enough. That fact made her insides mushy again.

He loads the cooler and bag into the trunk of his Bentley, heading for Rosie's place. It isn't long before he's knocking on the door, a small bouquet of flowers in hand, and a smile on his face. He's excited, perhaps more excited than he's been in a few years, especially where a date is concerned.

Her head shoots up, scattering her paws to the front door and yapping. Mom! Person! Person! She sniffs the door jam. A man. She growls and yaps again.

Shit “Okay! I’m coming! I have to put my earrings in! You know how many I have to change” Blondie growls as she’s scooped up into Rosie’s arms before the elf answers the door, smile immediately stretching across her lips “Hi, Adriel.”

“Woof!” She pants, tongue lolling out of her mouth and her tail wagging. New friend! He’s very clean

He smiles when he sees Rosie, his attention quickly taken by the little golden dachshund in her arms. "Oh, look at you! You must be Blondie!" He holds his hand out for the dog to sniff, his other hand still holding the bouquet as he chuckles. "She's absolutely adorable~"

She sniffs it carefully, before giving a happy woof and licking his fingers Hello! You’re nice! I like you. Mama! He’s friendly!

“Thank you! She’s very friendly really. Just cautious” she giggles “Come on in!”

He smiles and steps inside, shutting the door behind him. "I, uh...I brought you flowers, as well. I wasn't sure what your favorites were, so I got ones that reminded me of you." It's a combination of various blue and white flowers, ranging from hydrangeas to daises, with a few sprigs of baby's breath.

When Rosie puts her down, she runs around Adriel’s feet and pounces into a playful stance before she barks and fetches him a toy, dropping it at his feet. She sits, lifting up a paw Play! I have a toy. Please play

She gives a soft gasp when she sees the flowers. “Adriel…they’re *gorgeous*…how did you know…?” There’s a touched hand on her racing heart “Hydrangeas are my favourite”

He leans down and picks up the toy, shaking it a bit before tossing it off to the living room for her to chase. Nothing wrong with a little game of fetch. "I walked into the shop and went looking for blue and white flowers, because those are the colors that remind me of you," he says, smiling softly.

Yes! She yaps and runs off to get it, leaping on it and biting down on the toy with a squeak, growling and shaking it about in her mouth.

If it were possible, she’d be in a puddle. How sweet… She offers out her arm to show him her tattoo of a bouquet of flowers that mainly feature hydrangeas, daisies, roses and hibiscuses. “You chose the perfect ones. Thank you so much”

He can't help but grin at that. "I'm glad I chose well, then~ Are you ready to go?" he asks, looking for the picnic basket.

“Yes! But I have to arrange these beautiful flowers first. And leash up Blondie” she wanders over to the kitchen, getting out a vase and beginning to prepare it for the flowers to go into

He smiles and follows her to the kitchen, looking around curiously. It's quite cozy, and very fitting for her in his mind. He leans against the counter with a soft smile, enjoying watching her work. It doesn't take much for him to envision her within his own kitchen, the mental image making him smile even more.

She hums a tune under her breath as she cuts and arranges her flowers. -# [It’s something cheesy like Helpless from Hamilton] It’s been a while since she’s had to do this. Her dad stopped buying her flowers a long time ago. It was nice to have them again.

Blondie comes scuttling in with her toy, squeaking it at Rosie before dropping it at her feet; pawing at it and barking at her.

“We can take it to the park. Along with your ball” her voice is very maternal. Stern but caring. Eyes not moving from her flowers

Aww, Blondie is as adorable as can be. "C'mere, Blondie, you silly girl, let your mom work," he says with a chuckle, kneeling down so that she can be within petting and play distance a lot easier.

“Go to Adriel. He’ll play with you”

She picks her toy back up and trots over to Adriel, dropping the toy in front of him and woofing him Do it again! Do it again! She bows into her playful stance again, tail wagging

He chuckles and picks up the toy, squeaking it for a moment before throwing it again with a soft smile. "She really is precious," he says, glancing towards Rosie again as he waits for Blondie to bring the toy back. Yep, he's already smitten, there's no denying it.

She barks all the way to her toy, leaping on it and squeaking it as she growls playfully; still shaking it from side to side

“We’ve been a package deal for longer than I remember. My brother brought her home just after my birthday as a present. She’s…a big help to me” she smiles over her shoulder at him

He can't help but smile at that, watching her lovingly. "Good to know~ And I'm glad she likes me, in that case, I'd be disappointed if I didn't pass the doggy vibe check." He pats his legs to get Blondie's attention, still grinning. "Bring it here!"

She woofs, bowing again before scurrying over and dropping the toy for him Throw it! I’ll go get it! I love fetch!

She giggles “You’re really good with her!”

He happily throws the toy again before he settles back to look up at Rosie. God, she's gorgeous- how many times has that crossed his mind now? He doesn't know, he lost track after the third instance. But he won't complain, not when it's the truth. He does finally register what she said, though, and he chuckles a bit. "Ah, I had dogs growing up. A couple of German Shepherds, in fact. Giant babies. One of them was a little dumb sometimes and would run head first into the back door to tell us he was done being outside."

"Oh- Bless" she laughs. Good with dogs. What else is he good with? ...You haven't even gone on this blasted picnic yet, you horny bastard. "Dogs are brilliant creatures. I also have a chinchilla! But she's sleeping"

"A chinchilla? Can't say I've ever actually been able to pet one before...I had a friend in college who used to have one, said it was like petting a cloud." He stretches a bit before standing back up, the grin still on his face. "How's the bouquet looking?"

She steps back, allowing him to look “I think it looks pretty good!” Hydrangeas are the forefront, daises and baby’s breath dotted between and behind.

She chooses to come back now, once against dropping the toy at Adriel’s feet. This time, she paws his shoe

"It's gorgeous," he says softly, looking at it in awe for a moment. Yep, he definitely did well with the bouquet. He can't help but grin when he feels Blondie pawing at his shoe, however, and he bends down to pick her up. "Now now, I think we're about to get ready to go! We can play more fetch at the park, yeah?" He chuckles a bit, lightly booping her nose before grinning over at Rosie again. God, he really lucked out with Morgs setting them up, didn't he?

She yaps happily, licking Adriel’s cheek

Butterflies dance in her stomach as he smiles at her. And smiles so handsomely. Along with the butterflies comes a gnawing hunger that makes her stomach growl. “Yeah! I’m ready! Blondie needs her leash though.” She goes to fetch it. It matches her collar. A soft blue embroidered with small flowers.

"I'll grab the basket then," he says, shifting Blondie to one arm and grabbing the basket with the other. "Oh, it matches her collar! That's adorable."

“Thank you! I embroidered them all myself” she clips on the leash and Blondie woofs

Walkies!

She gathers up Blondie’s favourite toy and her ball “I can have Blondie if you want”

"Just so long as you let me get the basket and the door," he says, chuckling a bit and handing Blondie back to her mom. Yeah, he has every intention of making these two a permanent fixture in his life. The penthouse is meant for at least two people, and having Rosie and Blondie there to liven things up a bit...it would be nice, to say the least.

“C’mere baby” she smiles, cuddling the blonde dachshund. “Good girl” she clips her leash on

Her tail wags and wags faster when her leash is on. She yaps excitedly, beginning to pant Walk! Walk! Walk

“Are you sure? You’re carrying a lot already. I can get the basket when Blondie’s walking” Gentlemanly, handsome, good with Blondie. He’s checking a lot of boxes. Is six months too soon to fall in love again?

"I'm sure, the drink cooler is still in the trunk of the car," he says, pulling his keys out again and grabbing the basket of food and blanket. It's obviously a different set of keys than he had when they met, the Bentley logo on the fob this time.

…What? That’s a different- HOW MANY CARS DOES THIS GUY HAVE? “…is it me or have you got a new car?”

"Huh? Oh, I've got three cars, actually. Figured this one would be better to take to the park, less chance of people sitting on it to take pictures with it and pretending it's theirs. A Bentley isn't exactly a high end sports car that looks 'cool', unlike my Maserati." He does sarcastic air quotes as he opens the door, holding it for Rosie and Blondie

Blondie looks at her mom and Rosie looks back Car?

“You don’t mind cars, do you baby?” She smiles at the dog Morgana has some explaining to do Add that nice whiskey to the shopping list “Thank you” she grins as she walks through the door

He smiles and carefully shuts the door behind them, waiting for Rosie to lock up before heading towards the car. He opens the passenger door for them with a grin, bowing slightly. He knows he's being a dork, but he doesn't care. He's enjoying himself, dammit! "Your carriage, my lady~"

She laughs her wind chime-like laugh and curtsies, Blondie now stood beside her “Why thank you, my Lord. I am most grateful” Though playing along with the silliness, her gratitude is genuine.

Oh, he needs to make her laugh more often, he loves that sound. Is it too early to feel like I'm falling in love? he asks himself, gesturing for her to slide in and make herself comfortable. Once she's in, he carefully shuts the door, putting the basket and blanket in the trunk with the drinks before hopping in and firing up the car.

She settles in Rosie’s lap. Before she wants to sit on Adriel’s lap. She whines and tries to climb over the console to him.

“Hey- hey! No. Baby, Adriel’s driving. You can sit with him later”

But- Adriel She whines again, ears drooping as she sits back on Rosie’s lap.

"Don't worry, sweet girl, you'll be able to sit in my lap soon enough. We'll be at the park soon, I promise," he says, immediately heading for the park.

She gives him sad eyes while she settles I wanna cuddle…and play fetch…

“She has never taken to anyone so quickly” Rosemary notes, scratching behind Blondie’s ears “She loves you. You are a dog whisperer”

"She hasn't? She seems like an absolute sweetheart," he says, cocking his head to the side a bit before he glances at the both of them. "I'm glad she likes me, though. I would like to continue seeing you, and if Miss Blondie didn't approve, that would definitely make things difficult."

“She wants to be around you though. Like…badly. You saw her try to climb over to you” She lets herself smile. And lets her next words roll off her tongue “Maybe it’s a sign.”

He can't help but smile at that, glancing over at Rosie again. "Maybe it is. I, for one, am inclined to listen~" He pulls into the park, then, finding a spot and chuckling again. "Here we are!" He hops out and quickly moves to open Rosie's door, extending his hand for her to take. "My lady~"

She can’t help but giggle. And laugh harder when Blondie leaps at Adriel-

Woofing and circling his feet, leash trailing behind her. She jumps up, setting her paws on his thigh

“My Lord” she smiles, taking his hand and getting out of the car, taking Blondie’s leash back in her hand

He chuckles and leans down to pet her once Rosie is out of the car, shaking his head a bit. "You're a silly girl, aren't you Blondie? Such a cute, silly pup! Just the cutest!"

She barks at him Yes! Thank you!

“You definitely know how to make a girl happy, Adriel” she blushes, watching him fuss her dog. Morgana, you genius

"I certainly try my best to do so. I'm glad I'm succeeding~" Morgana, I owe you a bottle and then some, you brilliant and insane woman, he thinks to himself, straightening up and grabbing the supplies from the trunk. It's not all that much for him, considering how often he's in the gym, and he looks around the park for a spot for them to set up. "Anywhere in particular you want to sit?"

“Not really! Away from any play equipment, if we can. I love small kids. But in small doses. You know how they get when they see puppies. Well- Blondie isn’t a puppy. But- you get what I mean”

"Fair. I think I might know a spot, follow me." He grins and starts off in another direction, away from the main playground area. A nice flat area with a lovely, large oak tree.

Rosemary and Blondie follow in toe, Blondie happily panting as she trots along.

She looks around at the other dogs, sniffing the air but sticking close to Rosie.

She sighs with relief when she sees the oak tree “Ah, perfect. Don’t have to worry about the sun now”

He grins and sets the food stuff down before grabbing the blanket and spreading it out. "Yeah, it's why I picked this spot. I used to come over here if I wanted to be outside but away from people, especially during the summer. It's the perfect spot to people watch while still being able to relax with some privacy." He can't help but bite his lip ever so slightly as he looks her over, eyes trailing over her form appreciatively as he works on getting the food set up. Fucking hell, she's truly gorgeous. Gorgeous, and perfect, and he wants to run his hands over every- wait, no, vetoing that thought right now. Not the time for that.

“It’s perfect for us. I didn’t bring any suncream either so” she laughs, sitting on the blanket when he’s done.

She romps onto the blanket, getting comfy before sitting next to Rosie and watching Adriel carefully

She looks over him, eyes taking in every inch of him in his casual wear. She loves the way it drapes over him. Buttons begging to be undone. She wonders what lies below. Abs? Softer stomach? Maybe she’ll find out one day.

It isn't long before the food is set up, and he moves to the drinks. "Alright, I brought a few drink options. I've got a bottle of Chardonnay, a bottle of Malibu, and a few bottles of your Pepsi Max in case you wanted that on its own. So, which would you like?"

“Let’s be cheeky and have a glass of Chardonnay. I only really day drink on a brunch but…today is as good-a day as any” she grins, smoothing down her skirt and pulling it down slightly.

He grins and retrieves the glasses and corkscrew, the bottle being opened with practiced ease. He quickly pours them each a glass before handing one to Rosie, raising his own in a toast. "To the first of what I hope is many more dates~"

“So many more” she affirms, raising her glass to clink them together “Cheers!”

He grins and gently clinks his glass against hers, nodding a bit. "Cheers!" He takes a sip of his wine with a happy hum, nodding in approval. "Mmm, perfect."

“Beautiful wine. Thank you for bringing it”

Carefully, the small dog romps into Ariel’s lap; her back against his stomach.

He chuckles softly at Blondie landing in his lap, reaching down and giving her some belly rubs. "I'm glad you like it, it's one of my favorites, as far as Chardonnay goes~"

Her tongue lolls out, mouth in something of a smile. Oh you’re good. This is my dad now, mama

“It’s so smooth. Fresh. I love it” She smiles at Blondie “Someone’s having fun” she giggles

"You like the belly rubs?" he asks with a chuckle, taking another sip of his wine before glancing at Rosie again. *God, she really is gorgeous*, he thinks to himself, cheeks flushing slightly. It's impossible to ignore the way that her outfit hugs her, accentuating her curves. He has to resist, though. He wants to do this right, dammit. He finishes his wine instead, setting the empty glass off to the side so that he can fully focus on petting Blondie, the grin still on his face.

She yaps in agreement Yes! Your belly rubs are almost as good as mama’s! I like you very much. Mama did good with you

She can’t help but watch him play with Blondie as she sips her wine. She can’t help but watch *him*. She doesn’t know what stars have aligned that pulled them together. Well, she knows what star to pin it on. Morgs. And she’s thankful. And getting more used to thinking about them *together*. Taking care of Blondie, together. Picnicking and sharing meals, together. And what a pleasant image it is. “So…I know you ballroom dance. You know I craft. What else do you do for fun?”

"Well, I like to sing, sometimes. I'm not the greatest at it, but I'm not horrible either...and I also like to cook. I'm far better at that than I am at singing," he says with a chuckle. "What about you? What else do you do for fun?"

“Video games. A great way to unwind. I’m a nerd at heart, I used to have and dungeons and dragons group, one of my guilty pleasures is anime” she lists, giving Blondie’s belly a rub too. “I…also like to go around the apartment singing, dancing. It’s the theatre kid in me” she chuckles

Oh. Oh she is legitimately *perfect*- "Video games? Which ones do you like? I like to play, too, when I've got time."

“Cosy games, mostly. Minecraft, Animal Crossing, The Sims. I don’t mind a bit of Destiny. Anything that tickles my fancy. I like the Tomb Raider games too. And those Lego games. Like Lego Batman!”

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

"As far as cozy games go, I'm rather partial to Minecraft and Stardew Valley myself," he says, grinning wide. "Though, I do like things like Monster Hunter, and some first person shooters. I'm not big on ranked or competitive stuff, though...you might like one of the ones I play, actually, it's called Gunfire Reborn. You get to play as cute animals and clear out infestations of enemies infused with evil spirits."

She gasps “Sold! You must show me now* she grins “Cute animals are my *thing*. I must crochet you a dinosaur”

She woofs, going to go and fetch her toy and bringing it to Adriel. She drops it in his lap and woofs again. It’s play time!

He chuckles softly at Blondie's antics, picking up the toy and squeaking it a bit. "Is it playtime? You want me to throw it? Alright, go fetch!" He tosses it out into the grass a little bit, not too far away to make it easier on her short legs, but still far enough that she'll have to chase it down a bit.

She bows as she waits for him to throw it, tail wagging. And then she bolts after the toy, barking all the way there and leaping onto it as she sinks her teeth into it.

“You can never get five minutes peace with her. I’m sorry. That’s something you might have to get used to”

"Oh, I'm not too worried. She's small, unlike the German shepherds I had growing up. I'd rather have a 15 pound lap dog pouncing on me than two 70 pound walls of furry muscle," he says, chuckling again.

“She loves you, Adriel. You’ll have trouble getting her to leave you alone” she laughs

"I'd be far more upset if she didn't, darling," he says, smiling softly before patting his lap to have Blondie bring the toy back. "C'mere! Bring it here so I can throw it again!"

Darling? Darling? She should not enjoy being called that as much as she does. Especially if it leaves Adriel’s mouth. But maybe he calls everyone that. Like everyone back home calls everyone “bab”. But, she hopes it’s just her he calls darling. She wishes it was just her. Just her cheeks that burn red. Just her stomach that fills with butterflies. Just. Her. For once.

She woofs, sound muffled by the toy as she runs back, dropping it into Adriel’s lap again and pouncing back into a playful bow.

A bit of a giggle escapes him as he tosses the toy again, watching her take off after it again. He takes the opportunity to stretch out on the blanket a bit, more or less propping himself up on his elbows as he looks Rosie over once more, shirt becoming snug against his chest with the way he's laying. He can't help but memorize her curves, the feeling of her in his arms at the bar having already partially cemented them in his mind. He's pulled from his reverie by his stomach growling, however, the reminder of food bringing him back to himself. "Mmm, how about we go ahead and eat?"

“Yes! I thought you’d never ask. I’m starving” she brings the basket in the middle of them, and starts unloading her sandwiches and crisps and a large Costco sheet cake “I hope you like cake. Because I certainly do” she giggles She also has paper plates and napkins, along with plastic cutlery.

"Oh, I love cake," he says, grinning wide. He looks everything over with a soft hum, grabbing a sandwich and a slice of cake before digging in.

"Good! I like a guy with an appetite" She makes her way through a sandwich or two before taking her own slice of cake, picking up some on her fork and taking a bite. The sound of pleasure she makes when the sugar hits her tongue is...less than appropriate. But she hadn't treated herself like this in a long while. She's allowed the cake and she's allowed to enjoy it.

Oh. Oh, hearing that noise coming from her is a *problem*. He shifts a bit to surreptitiously conceal the front of his pants, and he takes a bite of cake to try and distract himself. Unfortunately, it only half works, a rather indecent moan escaping him - not that he could help it, the cake just tastes that *good*!

Oh dear lord, rest her soul. But he sounds so g- Don’t you even dare. Eat your cake. “Costco never misses. I haven’t had a sheet cake in forever”

His cheeks are tinged pink as his attention is pulled back to her, the sound of her soft moan replaying in his mind. Fuck, he's gonna have to take a cold shower when he gets home at this rate. "True, true, they never miss. It's been ages on my end since I had one, they're generally too large for me to eat by myself. I don't have quite enough of a sweet tooth to finish one on my own."

“You are more than welcome to ask me to help you out with that at any time” she winks, taking another bite. Why can she still hear him moan like that? Oh- god- why does she feel damp?

Well, that wink certainly isn't helping him any, his cheeks flushing further as he takes another bite. 'Just eat your cake, Estareh, just eat your fucking cake,' he thinks to himself, unable to stop his gaze from lingering on her curves as his mind replays the noise she'd made. Damn, he wants to be the cause of that noise at some point-

Rosemary can't tell if the silence they're in is comfortable and just because of their mutual enjoyment of the cake or something else entirely. Her optimism tells her that it's the former and to not ruin the one good thing she has going for her right now by overthinking it. So, instead, she hums a little song under her breath; pausing to take another bite of her cake and resuming as she mulls over the sweet, creaminess of the frosting and the softness of the sponge. One thing she can't help, is the place her mind keeps going to. Turning the tape of his moan over and over again, the very thought scorching her cheeks almost a wine red. She locks away the wishes to be under him and around him when he makes those kinda sounds. It's too soon for that kinda stuff. And she can't scare him off. Not when she's so hopeful to see where this goes.

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

If only she knew the predicament that Adriel's in himself, his cheeks still tinged pink. Thankfully, he manages to calm himself down a bit as he eats his cake, smiling at her soft humming. It's so easy to imagine her in his apartment, humming to herself as she works on one of her projects. He knows it's far too early on to say it out loud, but he's certain he's falling for her already.

“…so…do you have any other plans today?” Fucking small talk. But, some conversation is better than none. “I booked out my whole day so…I didn’t know if…there was anything else you wanted to do?”

"I didn't have anything else planned for today, no...we can go walk around for a little while, wear Blondie out a bit and then we can go see a movie or something?" He wants to spend more time with her, he's not ready to go home just yet.

She visibly brightens. “Yeah! I’d love that! So much” she grins

|| -# Gently poking @Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel) ||

He grins and finishes off his cake with a hum, looking around for a moment. It's still blissfully quiet in their little area, despite there being some kids at the park with their families at the moment. "I'm glad, I'll be the first to admit that I'd rather spend more time with you, even if we're just curled up on the couch or something."

Maybe we’re not so different “No- me too. That’s a relief. I…this feels good. I don’t want today to end just yet. I’m having…so much fun” She’s glad he enjoys her company. She wouldn’t like to be in anyone else’s.

She comes and settles back in Adriel’s lap, curling up against him. She licks his hand, nudging his palm with her nose Adriellllll. Daaaaaaad

He smiles and pets Blondie gently, giving her some ear rubs before moving on to pet her normally. He's glad that Rosie's enjoying this as much as he is, that she doesn't want the day to end just yet either. "Anything in particular you'd want to go see? I haven't looked at what's playing in theaters lately, other than that new Tolkien related film. But I also know that not everyone is as into Lord of the Rings as I am," he says, chuckling softly.

“I can’t promise I’ll keep up but if you want to go and see this Tolkien thing, I wouldn’t mind. I generally prefer a romcom but…I just…wanna spend time with you.” She smiles. Her selflessness will get her in trouble someday. That large, loving heart of hers will burst out of her chest the more she gives up for others. But, today isn’t that day. Today is for relaxing. Not thinking, just doing. Doing things with Adriel. Which is quickly becoming one of her favourite things. “It’d be nice to get you all to myself” Rosemary looks pointedly at the dachshund-

-Who looks far too happy to be in the palaeontologist’s lap, getting all the pets she could ever need. Her eyes are closed as she huffs out a delighted sigh. This is the life

He can't help but chuckle again at that. "It seems little Miss Blondie has other ideas, however~"

“I think she wants to keep you” she laughs

"Well, lucky for her, I'm hoping to be around for quite a while," he says, chuckling softly and giving the little dog some belly rubs.

She blushes, not bothering to suppress her delighted giggle I can’t believe he wants to stick around…

She barks, smiling once again. Tongue lolling out her mouth, panting. She stretches as he rubs her belly This is a good one. He’s mine now mama

He can't help but smile at the way Blondie stretches out in his lap, glancing over at Rosie again. Yeah, he's pretty sure he's in love with her already. "You about done eating? I can pack up the car, and then we can walk around for a bit before we drop Blondie off."

“Yeah! I’m ready when you are! I’ll cut you up some of this cake when we drop Blondie off. I shouldn’t have the rest of it to myself” she chuckles TW// Self-deprecation surrounding weight ||*I’m big enough as it is…*||

"Alright," he says with a soft smile, gently patting the dog's side. "C'mon Blondie, let me up, it's time to pack up the food so we can go explore!"

She wiggles out of Adriel’s lap, shaking herself from her ears down to her tail. She then turns back towards Adriel and bows, barking at him before she turns in a circle before bowing and barking again.

“Ohhhhh you’ve done it now. She loves exploring. That’s her second favourite thing.”

-# @Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

He chuckles and gives her a bit of a scratch before he starts packing things up, humming a bit. "I'm still quite glad she likes me, I'd be sad if I didn't have the Blondie seal of approval."

“You have nothing to worry about”

“Woof!” She spins again Explore!

“Cmere, baby. You need your leash back on” she stands and picks up her little dachshund, cuddling her into her chest “Good girl” Rosemary coos, kissing the dogs head-

-Who licks her cheek right back

She laughs “Yes! I love you too!” She smiles at Adriel after she clips Blondie’s leash on “Thank you. For cleaning up. And driving and bringing the drinks. I really appreciate it. All of it”

-# @Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

"You're quite welcome, I'm glad you wanted to come on a date with me," he says with a soft smile. It isn't long before he has everything gathered and ready to go into the car once again, the grin still on his face. "Shall we?"

> Reply to: @Adriel Estareh (@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)) > "You're quite welcome, I'm glad you wanted to come on a date with me," he says with a soft smile. It isn't long before he has ... “I think I’d be a fool not to want to come on a date with you” She giggles, putting Blondie down. “Absolutely we shall” a grin of her own forms, the blush on her cheeks never disappearing.

The little dachshund pants, waiting patiently while her tail gently swishes from side to side.

He takes everything back to the car and loads it up, making sure it's locked back before he glances around and decides on one of the leisure trails. He holds his hand out for Rosie then, smiling softly. "I figure something light, that we can take at an easy pace. Don't want to wear ourselves out before we go to the movies, after all~"

“Yeah. That sounds good to me. Nice and easy for us all. And nice and quiet” she smiles, taking his hand with her free one and lacing their fingers together.

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

He smiles and blushes a bit as Rosie intertwines their fingers, leading her to the walking path. "This is one of my favorites, actually...it's one of the less popular walking trails, so it's usually a lot more peaceful, too. No random joggers coming up because they always want the longer loops."

“I’ll take all the peace I can get. Life can be…so hectic. My walks with Blondie are, like, the only times I can actually *breathe*. I’ll remember this trail for our next walk”

The dachshund trots along happily, collar jingling as they keep on the trail.

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

He smiles softly at that, happy that he's given her a new route to walk the little dachshund on. He's a bit taken aback about it being the only time she feels like she can breathe, however, blinking a bit in confusion. Morgs had said she was busy, but he hadn't really processed just how busy. "You don't get much in the way of days off, then, I take it?"

"Not...loads. I have allotted time off. But...my social battery drains so quick the time I do have, I don't do...anything. It's- a whole thing-" she dismisses, not wanting to get into the thick of it. It's too soon and too deep for a sunny day in the park, peacefully walking Blondie with what she's sure is the most handsome man she's ever laid her eyes on. And he wants her and her attention. She wants to keep it that way. "TL;DR is: I am a busy lady. And, this busy lady loves walking her dog where no one can bother her so she has space to think. And...she might also like the company of her very handsome date." She smiles sheepishly at him.

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

"Well, this very busy lady's very handsome date is more than happy to accompany her on as many walks as she would like," he says with a smile, squeezing her hand gently. "Not to mention, I think Blondie will agree~"

“You’re like her favourite person now. She’d have you move in” she giggles “I’d love you to come on more walks with us. They’re very peaceful. I’m sure you need a break sometimes too”

"That I do. There's something to be said for being able to get away from people and just breathe from time to time." A soft chuckle escapes him then, followed by a soft hum. "Working on the dogs doesn't feel like work to me, most of the time...even when we're working in the heat and sun, it still doesn't feel like work. Teaching, though? That definitely ends up feeling like work."

“Dogs are easier than people. They’re also a pain to teach. Blondie can just about roll over if I tell her. She can’t do any of the cool “play dead!”. But she’s a good girl.” She affirms, smiling at her little friend-

-Who trots along the path without a care in her little doggy world.

“I’m sure you enjoy what you do though. I think teachers can make a whole lot of difference in the world. I know I wouldn’t be where I am without my tutors”

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

Well, she has a point with that. "I mean, that's why I started teaching in the first place. There's something to be said for being able to foster knowledge among young minds."

“Absolutely! I…I might start…running classes. For beginner, aspiring nail techs. When I…get a product line running” It feels silly for her to say it out loud. She had just about enough motivation to keep her salon alive. How would she keep a brand running? It’s a pipe dream, but a dream nonetheless. Help others the way the market never helped her. The thought of finally having control over something like that satisfied something in her. It’s probably the people pleaser in her

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

"Hmm, that sounds like an interesting concept...but I know Morgs said you're usually busy as hell with the salon, would you be able to do both?" he asks, curious. He's all too familiar with attempting to push past limits and falling on his ass because of it.

“I was thinking about cutting down my salon hours anyway. Running it…I don’t need to be there for. I have a salon manager for that. I just like to be hands-on. I love what I do. That’s why I opened the salon in the first place. Morgs is always telling me off for working too hard” she chuckles nervously “I’d be able to do both! I just…need to prepare for the change. I don’t…exactly have too many people to lean on”

He hums, nodding in understanding. "Well, you've got me, Morgs and Elijah, at the very least," he says, squeezing her hand gently. "And while that may not be a lot of people, three is still more than zero."

“I know! I love my tiny circle. I’m very grateful to have you all. I feel…very lucky to have…you in my circle now” she smiles “And- we can’t forget Blondie”

She yaps in agreement

"Well of course we can't forget the cutest pup in the whole wide world, now can we?" He kneels down to give her some scritches, chuckling a bit at the fact that she's so adorable. Such a sweet pup.

She barks, leaping up to press her paws into his chest Adriel! Dad! There you are!

She giggles “I think we need to do these walks more often”

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)

"I agree," he says, rubbing at Blondie's ears with a grin. He can't help but smile up at Rosie from where he's kneeling, utterly enamored with the way the sunlight reflects off of her hair.

> Reply to: @Adriel Estareh (@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)) > "I agree," he says, rubbing at Blondie's ears with a grin. He can't help but smile up at Rosie from where he's kneeling, utterly... “Any excuse to see me, right?” She jests, joining Adriel on the ground but behind Blondie so he can still rub her ears, their knees just barely brushing against each other’s.

The dachshund doesn’t care though, immediately jumping at Rosie Mama! You’re here too!

“Hey~, honey” she giggles at the small dog, cradling her into her chest “I’m here” She allows her and Adriel’s gazes to meet, feeling her stomach turn over on itself. How is someone like him deeming me worthy of so much of his time? He should be on a magazine… Her cheeks go crimson and hot, Blondie’s tongue licking stripes up them not helping. But she couldn’t care any less than she already does.

Their walk isn’t much longer before they make their way back to the car. Blondie still tries to sit on Adriel’s lap as he drives, but she accepts the fact he’s busy and waits until they’re back at Rosie’s apartment to jump all over him. Of course, as they walk through the salon to get to her apartment, all the girls fawn over Adriel. Heart eyes and not-so subtle lip bites. Rosemary tells them to keep their tongues in their mouths with a single, cooling glare She gets blondie situated before disappearing to get into a more “cinema appropriate” attire. She cannot remember the last time she was this nervous. It was awful. With new clothes and a touch-up to her makeup, she’s ready to leave; hand in hand with the palaeontologist as they wander back to the car and head towards the movie theatre.

@Mairon✨ (Tav: Adriel)