[hr][hr] [center][h1][color=RosyBrown]Zoe Flores[/color] & [color=mediumorchid]Christoph Tanner[/color][/h1] [img]https://i.imgur.com/61iRm2J.gif[/img][img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/0d3fb449ed172a18f554dbfc37220f7c/tumblr_obblvh1Rrt1utakteo1_250.gif[/img] [b]Location:[/b] Rivera Family Home (West Vancouver; Canada). [sup][b]Interacting With:[/b] Each Other.[/sup][/center] [hr][hr] The sound of her bare feet over the floorboards barely audible, Zoe made her way through the house. Slowing only once she'd reached the kitchen. Her hands working on autopilot as she pulled open the dishwasher, slipping the dirty plate into place in the rack, she closed it again. Her body turning, resting back against the counter, her arms lifted. Hands rubbing at her face. By God, if only her mother could see her now- her sister. They'd both laugh. She'd gone from being a house pet to a mother herself in the space of a few hours, and if she was being honest, she wasn't exactly sure what to do. She'd only just started to get her life back on the right track; settling down..? Having kids..? She'd never really taken the time to sit down and actually think about it; about whether or not it was something that she wanted. Now though-... Pushing away from the bench, the sound of beeping catching her ear, Zoe followed it. Her hand reaching out once she was in the laundry to shut off the washing machine. When all this was said and done... well, she wasn't sure what she was going to do, but calling home was a good start. After making sure Aira was occupied for a bit, and patting her on the head for good measure, Chris got up to check on Zoe. She could certainly take care of herself, but she also seemed like the kind of person who would take on everything herself unless somebody intervened. Seeing her back as she entered what seemed to be a laundry room, he followed her, peeking his head around the door frame. [color=mediumorchid]"Did you need to get some sleep?"[/color] he asked her, watching with concern, [color=mediumorchid]"I can take care of chores around her if you do."[/color] [color=RosyBrown]"..it's just... overwhelming..."[/color] Hesitantly coming into the room behind her, he reached out to place his hands on her arms, not really sure if he was helping. [color=mediumorchid]"Well, I'm here for you now. If nothing else, you can try yelling at me until you feel better. I'm sort of new to this whole... whatever it is we're doing here."[/color] Closing her eyes at his touch, her own hands resting over the washing machine, she leant back. Her back pressing against his chest as she turned her head. Her dark gaze flicking up to meet with his once she'd opened her eyes again, [color=RosyBrown]"..I don't want to yell at you, Chris... but this is something we should talk about- all of this..."[/color] [color=mediumorchid]"I agree,"[/color] he said, moving his hands to wrap his arms around her, [color=mediumorchid]"Everything happened so suddenly, my minds are still trying to catch up. I'm happy, here with you and Aira, happier than I've been in a long time and it's only been a day, but I'm also afraid, afraid to act, that I'll ruin something before it has a chance to really begin. Like you said, it's... overwhelming."[/color] [color=RosyBrown]"..the problem is... this isn't a normal situation we're in. Can we afford to put it off..?"[/color] [color=mediumorchid]"Aren't we like super heroes now? I'm not planning on letting either of you go while I still have a say. Besides, as far as legality comes into play, I think there's a pretty serious case of child neglect here. We could report Aira as abandoned. She might spend some time in the system, but I can pull some strings to make sure she's taken care of, and once the case has been cleared, we can foster her."[/color] [color=RosyBrown]"Chris..."[/color] Twisting in his arms, Zoe's hands lifted to rest gently over his shoulders. Lingering there a moment before sliding up. Her fingers curling lightly around the back of his neck as her eyes met with his own, [color=RosyBrown]"..we can't afford to let her go into the system- even for a few weeks. What if she continues to have her little episodes..?"[/color] [color=mediumorchid]"She doesn't have any other family, does she?"[/color] Hesitating, she shook her head lightly, [color=RosyBrown]"..her grandfather passed away not long after he gave me to her..."[/color] ChukkleToday at 12:28 AM Tightening his arms gently, Chris gave his head a small shake. [color=mediumorchid]"Then there isn't much we can do. If we want to do this legally, she'll have to be kept separated while the court makes their decision. I can talk to some people, call in what favors I have, and put her in the care of somebody we can trust. I might even get us the right to visit her, but short of kidnapping her and running away, there's only so much we can do."[/color] Closing his eyes, he pressed his forehead to hers. [color=mediumorchid]"I know it's hard, but if we go through with it, then it's over. We would legally be her parents, and nobody would be able to fight us over that."[/color] Closing her eyes at the simple touch of their foreheads together, she hesitated, [color=RosyBrown]"..her parents..."[/color] [color=mediumorchid]"We'll have to talk to Aira about this..."[/color] [color=RosyBrown]"..God... this isn't what I signed on for- I haven't even thought about whether or not settling down and... and having a familia is what I want..."[/color] [color=mediumorchid]"Me either..."[/color] he drew back a bit to look at her, his conflicted emotions clear on his face. [color=mediumorchid]"Yesterday I was a hermit, trying my hardest not to be noticed. Now I don't know what I'm doing, everything is happening so fast I don't have the time to process it. The only thing I know right now is that I want both you and Aira to be happy. I want to spend time with you, I want to explore these feelings more, but most importantly I want you to be happy."[/color] Opening her eyes as she felt him pulling back from her, Zoe lifted her head. Her naturally pouted lips parting as she met his gaze, [color=RosyBrown]"..say we do this... would they even let us take custody..? I didn't exactly get here in the legal sense- no one knows I'm here. And plus... we're not married... that's not exactly the foundations of a stable household..."[/color] [color=mediumorchid]"None of this needs to be solved overnight,"[/color] he said softly, idly brushing a lock of hair from her forehead. [color=mediumorchid]"For now, nobody knows we're here, and we can take care of Aira together while we figure things out. I'll reach out to some people I know discretely for advice in the meantime, and we can hide away until we're ready. You made it this far, and now I can take some of that weight off your shoulders."[/color] She couldn't help it. She leant into his touch. Remaining there for what felt like a lifetime until she leant closer. Her body lifting slightly, raising up onto the balls of her feet in order to close the gap between them as her lips sought out his. Pressing against them in a gentle kiss. [color=RosyBrown]"..gracias... mi amor..."[/color] Chris, stunned for a moment, said the first thing that came to his mind, something he would have kept to himself in any other situation. [color=mediumorchid]"I love you."[/color]