[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]"hey," she echoes. it's soft, delicate in a way that's almost tentative.

there's more between them now than just creation research and childhood memories.

and she's not sure if she should simply... be the same or if it's supposed to be different.

he settles beside her with minimal effort and her golurk rises to leave the pair by themselves. the automaton perches itself as a guard, its back to them as it takes in the entrance to the harbor.

"thank you for coming."

she forgets if this was her idea or his. either way, his presence is a welcome highlight compared to tension filled halls in the science wing of the league's headquarters. here, with the warm sea breeze running fingers through the ends of her hair, she feels lighter somehow. better, perhaps.

her head turns to steal a glance at him, even if eyes linger on the lower half of his face. it takes a moment before they meet his, bright and anxious.

"are you, um, hungry?"

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]in the end, she leans into his presence with a soft warmth to his side.

it's silly to let her anxieties run wild, isn't it? people always speak of living in the here and now... maybe it's time she tried it out for herself.

"oh, it's okay!"

her smile widens. it softens into the curves of her cheeks as his gallade all but shoves a tray of food into his arms. the action, alone, earns a laugh and a nod of appreciation toward the psychic type. surprisingly, it doesn't hurt much anymore to look at it, either.

"it works perfectly, i promise."

she shifts, then, to reach over his lap for the basket next to him. from it, she pulls a bottle of wine, glasses, cheese, crackers, and those stupid little finger cakes she can't ever stop eating.

once everything is spread out, she has to stop herself from staring longingly at the bottle of wine. not yet, food first...

"okay," she murmurs, turning to felix with a satisfied look. "i think that's everything?"

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]a proud smile is quick to overtake her face.

a perfect picnic. who knew they'd be able to pull it off? truth be told, she spent hours in a single aisle of the store trying to pick out a good type of cheese...

he shifts, then, and the sound of plastic popping off a container draws her attention. a cube of cheese is plucked up and offered to her. the action catches her a little off guard, eyes darting up to his with hesitation.

is he... trying to feed her?

she flushes pink at the thought but leans in and, well, eats the cheese from his fingers. the flush grows when she pulls away, a small smile tugging her lips up.

"you next."

overhead, a gaggle of seagulls squawk at the sight of food. they circle like vultures, waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in...

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]truthfully, he could do whatever he'd like, act however he deems fit... she would still gravitate toward him regardless like a moon orbiting around a planet. what's stopping her from being the rings to his saturn?

the question makes her pause, eyes slightly widening. despite herself, she's still caught off guard by the concept. perhaps it's merely because she hasn't quite stopped long enough to consider how she's actually doing.

she reaches over after a moment and grabs a wine glass before opening the bottle.

something about peeling back layers of her composure demands a drink, it seems...

she speaks as she pours, eyes focused more on the wine than the words.

"i've been better, honestly."

the bottle shakes slightly. she ignores it to top off the glass before extending it over to him in the form of an offer.

"i managed to alienate half of my colleagues and demote myself in rank so it's, uh, fine i guess?"

the little laugh that follows sounds slightly hollow. she shuffles on to turn the question back over to him.

"anyway, how're you handling everything with our impending doom and all?"

the wingulls only half drown her out, circling closer toward them than before.

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]the concept of bouncing back rolls off her shoulders with a light shrug. whether it's out of defeat or bitterness, she isn't sure.

and in the recesses of the mind, she mulls over a silent question: does she even want to bounce back?

she pours wine into the glass with a quick, short motion. it stops when the glass is half full. or, perhaps, half empty...

"has he?"

it's a gentle question, not quite prying but curious enough to tread water in the same territory.

after a moment, she glances toward him and her eyes soften subconsciously.

"sometimes words aren't the best way of comforting someone. your presence might be a better option or, um, a distraction away from the situation could help."

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she flashes a small smile over the rim of her wine glass.

"i hope it helps a bit."

and really, she does. the sense of unnerving anxiety that comes with thoughts of the apocalypse is something she wouldn't wish on anyone, least of all August Gallagher.

the question makes her turn more contemplative than she'd prefer.

it should, realistically, be an easy question to answer. her favorite things, activities, people...

and yet, she finds it difficult to pinpoint exactly what she'd do. what's a good distraction in the face of a meteor, anyway?

a long sip of wine is taken first before she answers.

"spend time with the people i love, maybe?"

a romantic concept but truthful. her shoulders shrug eventually, as if she isn't quite sold on the idea.

"or... perhaps work as i always do."

there's a mindlessness she appreciates that can only be found in the lab sometimes. either way, she turns a curious eye to him.

"what would you do?"

Felix Gallagher