So what now? (Katydid50 x 5Bulletproof-Marshmellows)

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Daniel went back to being asleep, or at least it seemed like it. Was he tired? She didn't want to be a pest or anything so she didn't bother him, letting him rest if that was what he was intentionally doing. Looking back over at Michael after she had explained her children to him. The three were wonderful kids and she would never give them no matter what but she knew that they could improve on a few things. Closing her own eyes briefly, she then looked back at the wall that was across from her.

Michael brought Daniel up, even though he was right there, and spoke about how two of her children were like him. She already knew he was stubborn, though she had never seen him fight and she didn't think she wanted to since fights broke out when there was a disagreement or something bad was going on. Besides.. she didn't want Daniel getting hurt. Friends felt that way.. so that was her excuse for feeling that way about him.

She smiled softly. She knew that Deserai was happy about Daniel, but that was only because she wanted a father figure.. Nicholas, she didn't think he cared too much about Daniel but then again she hadn't really brought up him in their conversations. Grace on the other hand.. she didn't like it. She could sense that much. Why though? Daniel hadn't done anything to her. Perhaps she felt jealously.. she didn't know. Running her fingers through her red hair, she stayed silent for a few more moments before finally speaking. "I wouldn't know about the fighting, but I've encountered the other two personality traits of his." she smiled once more. Elenore knew that she was stubborn as well, so it didn't bother her most of the time when other people were.

"Besides, I'm positive that there's more to him than just that." she looked over at Daniel now, would he say anything? Most of the dialogue was either between her and Michael or Michael and Daniel. Why was that? She didn't know the answer but she was sure that there was one, she just had to dig deeper for it.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel could feel Elenore looking him over. No doubt she thought he was tired. He wasn't, thanks to all the work he'd done earlier. Nothing woke him up better than movement and work. Plus a wrestle couldn't hurt. It still amazed him how strong Michael was, especially considering he was old enough to be Daniel's father and was several inches shorter than him. For a moment, a ghost of a smile flickered across his face before vanishing again. He would have loved to know what Elenore had thought when she'd first seen Michael. She probably thought she'd stopped at the wrong house. He couldn't blame her. Michael was certainly... Michael.

Daniel cracked open an eye to try and read Elenore's expression as she listened to Michael talk about him. He considered her smile before closing his eye again. He could only assume that was a good thing. Perhaps she didn't quite believe he was a good fighter and found the idea amusing, though he couldn't really understand why that would be. He wasn't small by any means and he wasn't a coward, something she knew first-hand. If he ever happened to lose his job, Ruggles had better watch his back. Daniel never forgot an insult and he planned to pay that man back for everything he'd ever done to Elenore.

When Elenore spoke, he opened his eye again, watching her. He smiled weakly at her words. Thoughtful and near mute. Well, she got him there. She knew better than all the people at their workplace what he was like. Even in private company he was still quiet and thoughtful, except when he got annoyed or directly spoken to. Though, as for his fighting ability, he just hoped she would never have to see him use it. He could fight alright and he could fight clean, but it wasn't pretty.

As Elenore said that she was sure there was more to him than that, he glanced over at her. He could see that she was waiting for him to say something but there wasn't really much to say except, "Not really." At the snort from Michael, he looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. "You got something to say?"

"Daniel, you've got to stop sellin' yourself short," Michael told him. "There is more to you than that and you know it."

Daniel watched him for several seconds before getting to his feet and walking over to the electric water jug and flipping it on. "Elenore, you want something to drink?" He didn't even bother asking Michael because he knew the old man would just help himself. Glancing back over his shoulder, he could see that Michael knew he was trying to avoid the subject but, the fact was, there wasn't much else to him. His history was the compiled results of his fighting ability, stubbornness -or determination, depending on how someone looked at it- and his brainpower. There wasn't anything else to him.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Looking back at the wall for a moment that was in front of her, she then lowered her head, catching Daniel's weak smile from the corner of her eye. Placing her hands back onto her lap, she folded them, not really knowing what else to do before she finally heard Daniel speak. Of course he would say something like that but she didn't comment on it, though Michael did and shortly after that they were discussing it.

How did you convince something that they were more than just a few personality traits as well as abilities? She didn't know how to and that was why she stayed silent. Even if she did, she didn't think now would be the time to put it all out there into the open. Her eyes closed briefly before she raised her chin slightly, glancing at Michael and then at Daniel. She agreed with Michael and nodded a little bit but she didn't want to turn this into an argument so she stayed silent.. though that silence spread out to the others as well up until Daniel got up.

Hearing his question, she blinked, not expecting that. "Yeah, that would be nice." she smiled slightly. The sound of the water running reached her ears, she couldn't help remember now she had fallen into the lake. It had been fun but it had been a stupid move. It had been raining and they were both just having a bit of fun.. she wouldn't mind going back there some time. To be honest, she didn't want to go back into the city after being out here for a little while. It was peaceful here.. Sure, the house wasn't new and the place was in the middle of a field with tall grass but she liked it here. Biting her lip, she dismissed those thoughts, there was no way that she could stay here and she might as well not think about it either.

With those thoughts aside, she decided to visit her kids after this and spend some time at Aunt Rose's house. It was out in the country and it wasn't too far from here, perhaps a mile away or two. Spending a night there would be nice.. just sleeping in the hammock that was outside. She felt bad for crashing at her place, but she did help around the house whenever that happened.

((I'll post in the other roleplay before the next two days are up >.< I'm really glad that you haven't quit on me even though I've been bad with replying because I have exams coming up. Thanks ^^ ))  

[Katydid50]

When Elenore replied, Daniel asked, "What would you like? Got coffee, tea, water... milk." Personally, he was going to have coffee. Reaching into one of the cupboards, he pulled down two mugs, because that was all he had in way of glasses. He grabbed a glass jar, pulled off the lid and spooned some coffee into one of the mugs before replacing it, doing the same with another glass jar that held raw sugar.

Turning, he leaned back against the counter and waited for the water to boil. As he did, his mind started to wander, blocking out Michael just as the man asked Elenore about her children's father. Michael was just the type of person who asked the questions that everyone was wondering but were too polite to ask. In fact, Daniel himself had been the subject to more than one of Michael's too-personal questions, mostly questions involving his sex life, or lack thereof. Michael was always getting on his case about how he needed to settle down, or at least get a girlfriend. Even though Michael was supposedly on the straight and narrow now, and getting up there in years, that didn't stop him from sleeping around. Since he'd left his life of crime, he had several girlfriends and he'd slept with all of them. The only reason Daniel knew that was because he'd spent the night at Michael's a few times and, frankly, Michael was not quiet. The corner of his mouth twitched at one particular memory. Oh how he wished he could erase that, and the image that came with it, from his memory.

Suddenly, he was pulled from his thoughts as something hit him in the chest. Blinking, he looked down to see a fork clatter to the ground. Dumbfounded, he looked back up to see Michael looking at him. Michael raised an eyebrow before saying, "You are far too easy to read." When Daniel just continued to stare at him, Michael shrugged and said, "You were thinking about something that you are in contempt of, or that grossed you out. So what were you thinking about?"

Daniel snorted at that. "You." At the stunned, and slightly hurt, look on the man's face, he explained, "The fact that you couldn't keep it in your pants for one night, even though you knew it would probably traumatize me."

It took Michael a few seconds to realize what it was Daniel was talking about before he burst out laughing. "Yeah, well, that's what you get for spending the night when I have a lady friend over."

((Alright.
You kidding? This roleplay, and the plot I have in store for it, is too awesome to quit on))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

When he mentioned tea, she smiled. It was one of her favorite drinks along with coffee though she would rather have tea for the moment. "Tea would be good." she responded before watching him fix himself a cup of coffee. Returning her attention to Michael, she blinked when he asked about the father of the children. Her expression changed slightly, she didn't want to talk about this. Not that it mattered a whole lot to Michael but she wasn't going to go into any detail at all. If he asked for more, it all just depended on what the questions were exactly and then she would decide if she wanted to answer them.

"I divorced him." she stated. There was nothing more to it. Tapping her fingers against the table for a few moments, she glanced over at him. Was he going to ask why? She didn't know, she didn't know what to expect from him by now. Of course he was asking a lot about her current family, so she guessed his next question would be about that to. Her fingers interlaced with each other, she still had then on the table and for the moment she stayed silent. Hearing a fork clatter against the ground, she looked in that direction to see Daniel looking over at Michael. When Michael said that he was far too easy to read, she wished she could do that.. but then again she liked mysteries.

As the two spoke, she rubbed the back of her neck for a second. It wasn't that hard to figure out what they were talking about. It seemed like the two really were close friends. She wished she could have someone like that now but it seemed like that wasn't possible with her busy schedule. Again she stayed out of it, after all it wasn't her memory and she didn't really have that much background knowledge on Michael as well as his relationship with Daniel.

While they were on that subject she couldn't help but remember when she had walked in on her husband.. finding him with another woman in their bedroom. Her eyes closed for a moment and the image came back, vivid. It didn't bring up rage this time like it had so many others. She simply didn't care what her ex did with his life as long as it didn't involve her or her kids. Looking at the table cloth, she stayed silent, not really bothered by Daniel's and Michael's conversation this time.
((Just making sure >.< I love this roleplay and the other one as well ^^ ))  

[Katydid50]

Daniel nodded when she said she wanted tea. He grabbed another glass jar down and a mini-strainer from one of the drawers. From the jar, he poured two spoonfuls of chopped up and dried leaves into the strainer before placing it over the other mug. After replacing the jar, he turned and leaned back against the counter, losing himself in his thoughts. The smell of mixed coffee and tea filled the room, swirling around the scents coming from the cake. It was an interesting smell, one that reminded him of a coffee shop he'd visited once.

After he'd been pulled from his thoughts via a flying fork, he glanced at Elenore before looking back to Michael, narrowing his eyes at the man when he asked another question. "Why is that?"

"Oh, for f**k's sake, Michael," he said. "Leave her be. It's none of your business."

Michael's own face hardened and his eyes narrowed. "Daniel, don't swear in front of ladies." It took all of his self-control not to roll his eyes. What did it matter if he swore in front of Elenore or not? He wasn't going to change how he acted or spoke for someone, even if that someone was beautiful and funny and smart and... He was so pathetic. It would never work out between them so he might as well just let it go. The best he could hope for was a friendship. That was best for everyone.

When he heard the water jug click off behind him, he turned around and poured the water into the two mugs before returning it to its stand. He mixed his own mug with a spoon. Elenore's mug, he removed the strainer from first before stirring it too. "Did you want anything in it? Milk? Honey?" When he got her answer and put in what she wanted, he picked up both mugs and carried them over to the table. Taking his seat, he took a drink from the mug before sighing contently and setting it on the table.

Despite all the things that could go wrong and all the problems in the world, he was happy. His stomach was full, he was warm and he was in good -albeit, sometimes annoying- company. As he looked from Elenore to Michael, he noted the slightly annoyed look on the old man's face. It was then that he realized he had ignored Michael's comment on not swearing. He shrugged weakly. "I've always sworn in front of women," he pointed out. "I'm not going to change that just because my taste in female company has changed."

"I didn't say anything about swearing in front of women," Michael pointed out. "Swearing in front of ladies. There's a difference between a right, up-standing lady and a 'ore on some midnight corner." Well, he had a point there. Daniel considered it for a moment before shrugging again and taking another sip of his coffee. He still wasn't going to change.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She lowered her head briefly when Michael asked her yet another question. Her fingers tapped the table lightly and she looked ahead, not really looking at anything in particular but she didn't exactly want to bring up the past. It was done. Gone. There was no point in talking about it again. Why did this man want to know anyway? What was he going to do with information like that? Closing her eyes briefly she then heard Daniel still in a moment later. She was secretly grateful for that but she kept her mouth shut for the time being, she wasn't going to step in at the moment.

Why did they have to start an argument over her? Opening her eyes she looked at the two for a second before looking back at the table. She didn't want to the root of an argument but it seemed to have died down when he asked her what she wanted in it. "Just sugar would be fine." she said softly. For a moment she wondered what it would be like.. to have someone make her tea every once in a while.. have someone to talk to.. to love like a man. She closed her eyes. She was only getting her hopes up. Sure she had decided to give it a chance but she still felt bad. What if she destroyed Daniel's chance of finding a woman that would be perfect for him.. without any kids that way he could start his own family from the beginning. Frowning slightly she then crossed her arms.

Hearing Michael speak up again after Daniel had started talking about his habit of swearing, she then shook her head and laughed slightly. He was calling her a lady. A lady of all things. When was the last time she had been called that? She couldn't even remember if she ever had been called one. Tilting her head from side to side to loosen up her neck a bit since it was tense, just like her back was from all the stress, she then smiled softly. Michael really wasn't that bad of a person. In fact she rather liked him as a friend. Sure he could be nosy but other than that he was completely fine.

She enjoyed being here though she now realized she didn't know when she should leave since she hadn't asked Daniel if he had any plans later on. Michael as well. What if he just up and left? It would just be her and Daniel then.. and it wasn't like they hadn't been alone before but now they were in his house. Eh. It should be fine. After all they had been stuck in an elevator before and that had turned out fine though she hoped the conversation didn't turn out to be gloomy.. she wanted him to be happy.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel looked over at Elenore when she laughed and raised an eyebrow, confused. He couldn't see what she found so funny. Perhaps it had something to do with something she'd experienced in the past, something out of context to him. Sighing quietly, he took another drink of coffee before lowering the mug back to the table. It was good to have Michael and Elenore for company. Michael was annoying but he was still a good friend and there was no other woman in the world he'd rather have by him than Elenore.

A small, contented smile worked its way onto his face as he closed his eyes. He slid down slightly in his chair, leaning his head forward so his chin rested on his chest and draping his arms over his stomach. He was not one for idle chatter and neither was Michael so, for the moment, silence fell over them. It wouldn't have been hard for him to go to sleep then. His stomach was full, he was warm and he felt safe in his current company. In fact, after his work-filled morning, the inactivity was making him drowsy.

As he drifted between the waking world and sleep, his mind drifted lazily. He truly was happy to have Elenore there with them, and pleased that she seemed to like Michael. Not that it mattered, since they weren't going to have any kind of relationship beyond friendship, but it did make him feel better to know that she wasn't uncomfortable around Michael or insulted by him or, God forbid, contemptuous of him. He didn't know how he would have handled that but he was glad he didn't have to. Besides, Elenore wasn't that kind of person so he had never really been worried about it in the first place. Michael seemed to like her too. In the past, when various women had tried to gain Daniel's attentions, Michael would often give his opinions of them, sometimes in front of the woman herself. There were many times when Michael had pointed out the woman's faults, not that Daniel had ever been interested in the first place. But he didn't do that with Elenore which must have meant he approved, or at least didn't disapprove.

But, he reminded himself, it didn't really matter all that much. They would only ever be just friends, no matter how much the thought of spending the rest of his life with her appealed to him. Anyway, there were more things to consider and more reasons to keep his distance. Those kids of Elenore's needed a father figure, and a good one, which he most certainly was not. While he wasn't as bad as he used to be, he still wasn't very good and, at any time, old habits and instincts could come rushing back, such things that children, or anyone for that matter, should never be witness to.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

((Blah! I was halfway done with a good post and it just closed on me sad ))
Bringing the cup of tea into her hands, she let the warmth of it seep into her skin as she smiled softly. It was a pleasant feeling.. even though she wasn't exactly hold. The only thing that she could really compare it to was a hug from a loved one. It was a simple affectionate gesture that perhaps neither physically needed but it made one happy.. and it was welcomed most of the time.

The image of cats basking in a patch of sunlight on a warm spring day entered her mind. They were stretched out in a patch of green grass, yawning every once in a while with their eyes closed before they slowly fell asleep. Imagining Daniel or Michael as a cat looked a bit interesting and hilarious at the same time. Taking another drink of her tea, she closed her eyes slowly, holding back a small yawn that was threatening to escape her. Realizing that she was almost falling asleep, she took another drink of the tea. When she set it down, half of the liquid that had been in the cup was gone. His home was too comfortable.. or perhaps it was the atmosphere. Sitting up now, she placed her hands on the table, not wanting to accidentally fall asleep since that would make her only a burden in this house. She was too comfortable to leave.. and the silence was pleasant, she didn't want to break it.

Trying to stay away, she stared into the cup of her tea but again she found her eyes closing. Why was she suddenly so tired? It didn't make any sense. Frowning, she kept her head up with her hands, her elbows digging into one her knees as she looked over the rim of her cup. "Do either of you know Rose Evergreen?" she asked them, she hadn't meant for the question to slip past her lips but in this state her thoughts just came pouring out and now she had broken the silence. Wonderful. Taking another sip of her drink, she smiled slightly. It would be quite interesting if Daniel knew her Aunt Rose.. or even Michael. Perhaps they were good friend already. She didn't live too far from here after all.  

[Katydid50]

Michael looked between the two drowsy, young people he had for company, successfully holding back an amused smirk. He wasn't all that surprised that Daniel was on the verge of falling asleep. Daniel was an active person. He always had been and would be until the day they buried him. Elenore, on the other hand, she was an office person. He had seen that right from the word 'go'. He found it odd that she was falling asleep from sitting still. Wasn't that what she did all day? Sat at a desk at a computer of some kind? Then again, she'd said she was a designer. Perhaps she was up and doing stuff all day. He hoped not, for the sake of her feet. Women had to wear heels to the office, didn't they?

He pushed those thoughts away, something to consider at a later time. Right now, he had bigger things to think on. Like how these two seemed convinced that they were only just friends when anyone with half a brain could see what they were trying to deny. There was some sort of chemistry between them and he found it equally amusing and annoying that they were trying to fight it. Daniel had finally found someone that was good for him and he was trying to keep her at arm's length. It was all Michael could do not to smack him upside the head. Elenore, for whatever reason, seemed to be trying the same thing. He wasn't sure why but he did know that, with time, her reasoning would become clear. Though it probably wouldn't be any better than Daniel's excuses.

When Elenore spoke, he was pulled from his thoughts. Looking over at her, his brow furrowed from curiosity. Before he could ask Elenore how she knew the woman, Daniel straightened up in his seat, now seemingly awake.

"Isn't that the woman you're constantly flirting with?" Daniel asked Michael, making the older man frown.

"I am not constantly flirting with her," he said. When Daniel simply blinked, he sighed and said, "Yes." He was the first to admit that he was a shameless flirt but he did not do it constantly, at least not intentionally. Looking back to Elenore, he said, "Yeah, we know her. She lives just a few properties over from us. Why? How do you know her?" It seemed it was a small world indeed.
((Aw! That's no good!))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She smiled when she heard Daniel's question. So they did know her. The image of Michael flirting with her Aunt made her smirk slightly. It would definitely be something to watch. Why had Aunt Rose never mentioned him? Sure there had been times when she had asked Aunt Rose if she had someone in her life and a small blush would appear on the woman's cheeks before she avoided the question. How long had this been going on? Sitting up, she decided to ask Aunt Rose when she came over later today or tomorrow.

Hearing a question directed towards her, she smiled softly. "She's a relative of mine, my Aunt to be exact." she told him. Well perhaps they already drank lemonade during the hot summer afternoons and she had simply never known about it. She didn't answer the why question, since the answer should have been a bit obvious. They didn't live too far away from her and she was simply curious since it seemed like Aunt Rose would get along with them. She was a bit curious as to how Aunt Rose and Micheal had met.

"Mind if I ask how you two met her?" she looked at Daniel and then at Michael, wondering how long ago it had been. It could possibly be none of her business but she figured if they openly talked about their sex lives, why not this? Biting her lower lip briefly out of habit, she then ran her finger along the rim of the cup that the tea had been in. It was empty now and the warmth had disappeared along with the tea.

For a moment she saw Michael interrogating her Aunt Rose about her, but then she didn't think he would do that.. After all it seemed like the two got along quite well.. but then again she had no idea what to expect from Michael. Well, she didn't regret bringing her up now, it had brought up some interesting facts, she was glad her aunt had someone that could possibly be interested in her. She didn't think it was too late for her aunt to get married.
 

[Katydid50]

Daniel scanned Elenore's face as she took in the fact that they did, in fact, know Rose. The slight smirk on her face made him curious but he was a patient man and knew his curiosity would be sated soon enough. As it turned out, he was right. Her aunt huh? he thought. "Small world." It couldn't be pure coincidence that they knew Elenore's Aunt Rose, could it? Or perhaps it was. Just a lucky choice of company.

Yet he sincerely doubted it.

Karma was a funny thing and he had always been a strong believer in fate and destiny, though he was still in debate with himself over whether it was predestined or one made their own destiny. He had a feeling it was a mixture of both. Was it purely by chance that he would meet Elenore or had he had it coming? All the what-ifs and possibilities of what would have happened if he had or hadn't done this or that floated through his mind until she spoke again.

At Elenore's question, he snorted aloud. He couldn't even count the times that he had asked Michael the very same question, and every single time Micheal had merely smiled secretively and blatantly changed the subject. "Good luck with that one," he told her. "I've been asking him that question for years."

Michael frowned in Daniel's direction before shrugging and looking back to Elenore. Daniel wondered for a moment if he would finally find out how it was that Michael had met Rose, but he wasn't overly surprised when he didn't.

"You know, I'm sure Rose wouldn't mind you and the little ones moving in with her until you could find a place out here in the country," Michael said. "The city is no place to raised children."

Sighing quietly, Daniel got up from the table and walked over to the electric water jug. There was still some hot water in it and he felt like having another coffee. "You guys want anything to drink?" he asked over his shoulder, not surprised when Michael declined. The older man would get something if he wanted it, so Daniel wasn't really sure why he'd asked.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She smiled softly when Daniel said it was a small world. In a way it was.. Perhaps she would have talked to Daniel some other time if he hadn't saved her from Ruggles that day. Talk about damsel in distress. Not that she really was a damsel though. Michael considered her a lady but she considered herself a mother of three kids. What did Daniel consider her to be? It only now hit her that she didn't know exactly how he saw her.

A friend? Yes that probably was it. He really did deserve a good partner though.. even if he said that he didn't. Frowning a little bit at the thought, she really wished that she could either tell him how she felt or just not feel it at all. Well even if she could tell him it wouldn't be right now, she would have to wait for the right time.. and so far that hadn't happened. Fiddling with the cup that was in her hands, she was pulled out of her thoughts when Daniel snorted. "Years?" looking up and over at Michael she now was curious as to how long he had known Aunt Rose. When she had lived with Aunt Rose she had never seen Michael but she had also been working a lot then or sleeping.. or taking care of her kids. That had been an extremely busy time for her.

When Michael changed the subject, she frowned slightly, wanting to know the answer. Well she could ask Aunt Rose next. Hearing what Michael said, she bit her lip and lowered her head once again. She knew that the city wasn't the best place to raise children but what could she do? She felt horrible for staying with her aunt and asking for her to look after her kids. Sure the woman had a big house but still. It wasn't that easy to take care of three kids. Not commenting on it since Daniel spoke, she looked over at him.

"Mind if I ask for coffee this time?" her cup had been empty for a while and she needed something to make her think more clearly. Not that her mind was clouded or anything. Getting up, she walked over, deciding she might as well help out since he was already over there.
 

[Katydid50]

Daniel could easily see Elenore's confusion at the revelation that they had known her aunt for years. The first time that he had met Rose was shortly after having moved out to the country. Michael had dragged him around the neighborhood and introduced him to the people who lived on the neighboring properties. They had been much more sympathetic to his want to be left alone, at least for the time being, than Michael had been. They had asked him a few questions before allowing him to leave, via poorly made excuses that they had to do this, that and the other and allowing him to make a quick escape.

Even now, Michael seemed absolutely oblivious to the fact that he just wasn't as outgoing as he was. Of course, he knew that Michael knew that but the older man seemed to willingly ignore it. He shouldn't have been surprised. Michael had been doing things or making him do things that he may not have enjoyed but were for his own good for as long as he'd known the man. He really was the father that Daniel never had and, really, wasn't that what parents did? They did the best for their kids regardless of whether the kid wants it or not.

When Elenore asked for coffee that time around, he nodded and watched as she got up and walked over to him. "I'm sorry about Michael," he said quietly, not wanting the man to overhear, as he got out the coffee and sugar. "He just doesn't know when to keep his opinions to himself." He scooped some coffee grounds and sugar into each of their mugs before pouring in the water.

"Aw! Aren't you two just the cutest couple," Michael cooed teasingly.

The corner of Daniel's mouth twitched at the comment. "Just like that," he murmured before turning to glare at Michael. "Shut up. We're not a couple and you know it." Shaking his head, he turned back to the mugs and gave each a couple of stirs before picking up his own. He raised his own mug and tasted the coffee before nodding to himself. After all the years he'd been drinking coffee, he knew how to make a good cup but he was still in a half-habit of testing the cup before he was content with it.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Setting her cup down on the counter, she wondered when they had met. Now that they mentioned it, Aunt Rose had said a thing or two about a new neighbor but that had been a while back. Perhaps that had been Daniel or Michael.. whoever had lived here first. It was probably Michael since Daniel probably wouldn't go around talking to all of his neighbors but she could see Michael doing that. How long had the two been friends anyway?

Hearing him apologize for Michael, she shrugged. "Don't worry about it." she replied, her voice barely above a whisper since Daniel had set the volume after all. She realized he probably didn't want Michael to hear them. "After all I would rather raise my kids in the country to begin with." Elenore added as she leaned against the counter sightly right before she heard Michael. A small smile found its' way to her lips and she lowered her head, her hair briefly framing her face.

She heard Daniel speak quietly before turning to speak to Michael. The idea of them being a couple was still in her mind though, she really did want to give it a shot.. perhaps when they got to know each other better.. or something. If they were a couple there would be three kids running around his house at the moment. She still needed to figure out what her kids thought of him.. even if she already had a pretty good idea. Gently reaching over she picked up the cup of coffee that he had made for her and brought it up to her face, taking in the sweet scent of coffee.

"Do you want three red headed kids running around this land?" she asked Michael with a small smile as she turned towards him. It seemed like he wanted them to be together so she might as well ask him. Maybe it was pushing it too far but she felt the need to ask that either way. Would Daniel say anything to that?