Bloom in the dark (Ella)

[Deleted]

Milan had no idea why he felt nervous. Or, well, he did… Ella had agreed to let him make it up to her and he was afraid that his plans would not live up to the expectations. The young woman was beautiful and it only made sense to him that she most probably had enough experience with going out that it would be easy for her to compare. If it had not been for the nosebleed, the recruiter might not even have found the perfect timing to ask her to spend some time with him. Then again, he had not really considered it before since he had not expected her to agree on it, assuming she had much more interesting things to do.

Nevertheless, Ella had approved and Milan was now stepping out of his vehicle after he had pulled up in a parking lot. The young man was wearing a casual outfit: a pair of black jeans and a dark blue shirt on top. It was still warm out, so he could easily get away with the short sleeves. Plus, he did have a hoodie in the back of his car. Perhaps he should have informed Ella that nothing special had to be worn, but he hadn’t exactly had any spare minute during that day. Soon Milan moved through the corridors of Hammel, ending up at the sleeping quarters of the dorm monitors. Basing himself on name plates, his fist soon hit the door with a couple of knocks.

Tucking hands in the pockets of his jeans, the man took a small step back and patiently waited for his date to open up.

[Ella Robbinson]

Ella was definitely nervous for her date with Milan. Was she even supposed to call it a date? She was pretty sure she should. Wow, that was definitely what was making her nervous. Ella spent a long time wondering what she was supposed to wear. Dates were not really her thing, especially dates with people who looked as stunning as Milan did. But eventually she settled on something comfortable enough - a simple short dress in a light coloured print and a deep purple cardigan. The weather was warm now, but she wasn't exactly sure how it was going to turn and she wanted to be prepared.

As soon as she heard a knock at the door, Ella jumped for a moment and quickly worked her magic to calm the rush of blood she was feeling flush her cheeks out. She checked herself in the mirror, running her fingers through her long curly hair, ensuring it looked presentable enough.

But sure enough, she finally made her way towards the door and opened it, greeting the impeccably looking Milan with a bright, broad smile. She was definitely counting herself lucky already. "Look at you, right on time!" She said, hooking a finger around her keys before opting to close the door behind her. She made a point of locking it too, considering she was never sure it leaving it unlocked was a safe call. Some students were attuned to pranks and all that. "So, what's the plan? Is it still a surprise?"

[Deleted]

Milan was standing far enough from the door to take in Ella’s full appearance as she stepped out of the room. He did not let his eyes linger too long though, finding it incredibly rude otherwise, and instead met the young woman’s eyes. His smile was as bright as hers, if not more so. “Right on time,” the recruiter repeated with a soft laugh. “And look at you… You look amazing.” He complimented. The second that she took to lock the door was his moment to, yes, check her out without it being too awkward and uncomfortable. Milan definitely considered this as a chance that he might only get once. Surely this beauty had experienced enough dates to be able to compare him to those.

For a second he was going to offer her his arm, but perhaps that was out of place. Instead hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans, as nonchalantly as possible, even though it did not help settle his nerves. He also hoped that didn’t come across as rude. “Still a surprise.” Milan loved to keep dates original. It had been a while since he had last been on one though, so hopefully Ella would be okay with his different approach. Still, she would be given the option on one aspect of the date. Dinner. “Would you like to eat at a restaurant or are you willing to take the risk of following my plan?” Perhaps she would be more comfortable knowing it was prepared professionally.

Stepping outside, Milan led her to his F100 truck which dated from 1970. It was quite a huge part of his pride, having restored most of it himself. Instead of moving to his door, he moved to the passenger’s side and opened the dark blue door for the dark-haired woman. A hand gestured towards her seat in a gentleman motion. And with her seated, the recruiter got behind the steering wheel and started the engine before pulling out of the parking spot and driving off and a little out of Pilot Ridge.

“Just so you know, I am not abducting you.” The man smiled as he cast a brief glance at Ella. Perhaps their current location, especially as he turned into a sandy road, might create some concerns. Soon, however, they did reach what seemed to be a clearing and a lake smaller than the one at Pilot Ridge. He could have taken her to the bigger one, but his surprise would be weird with lots of people possibly hanging around.

“Do you like to barbeque?” Despite there not being a bbq around… Ella might question that.

(((The truck)))

[Ella Robbinson]

If Ella had the capacity to blush, she probably would have when he complimented her. It was always thrilling to get genuine compliments, and she already knew that Milan was one of the most genuine people she'd ever met. "Thanks," She said back as quickly as she could, "And hey, you look good too." Because it was always good to return the compliment. She tried to sound nonchalant but it was difficult - he was gorgeous.

"You're lucky I like surprises." She replied with a small laugh. At least, she liked the good kind. And she had a feeling this would be the good kind. "Oh no, I'm very willing to take the risk. I totally trust you."

The first thing she saw when they were outside was - of course - his car. It was beautifully immaculate. "Wow," The word practically fell out of her mouth, "Did you do all this work? Or did you buy it as is?" With a grateful smile she took the seat offered, feeling like she could swoon just from the small act itself. She didn't even know people like this still existed.

"Oh good." Ella replied, laughing at the joke at hand; "It's always more reassuring to be told you're not being abducted."

Where ever they were, she'd never been there before. She didn't even know the place existed. It was quiet. Secluded. It felt incredibly special, and she instantly decided to count herself lucky that Milan had decided to bring her there. "I do," She glanced at him curiously. Just as he'd thought; she was wondering what he was planning, "Is that a relevant question, or are you just curious?"

[Deleted]

Yes, Milan was lucky that she did like surprises. If not, he would easily have come up with something else or she would have been informed about the plans. Of course he was excited that he got to arrange this and that he would be able to see the look on her face, since those were always the genuine ones, but he definitely would have shared details with her if it had been needed, wanting the young woman to feel at ease and to have time off during which she did not have to worry about a thing. Her trusting him did mean a lot in this case.

As for the car, his face lit up when Ella seemed to like it. Milan definitely was not a materialistic guy, but this was one of the exceptions. “Most of it, yeah. I should have a picture of how it looked originally somewhere…” While continuing to reply, the man slid in the vehicle and momentarily leaned over to pluck the mentioned photo from the compartment in front of Ella’s knees. Then he handed it over to her and off they took. The truck definitely had made some progress and it was doubtful many would have been able to imagine it ending up this beautiful.

The recruiter chuckled and cast a brief glance at his date. “It is quite an important detail to know.” While Ella had indicated that she did trust him, he rather avoided any concerns on her part. Blue eyes focused on the scenery ahead of them again and he switched back a gear, slowing down some. The truck got parked with its back towards the lake. Then Milan shut down the engine. “It does look like a perfect spot to barbecue, huh?” It wasn’t exactly an answer to her question, but a hint was hidden in it nevertheless.

With that, he got out and did make an attempt to get to her side before she opened the door herself. Then he guided her to the rear of the truck where he removed the sheet from the cargo area. All that could be spotted in there were lounge cushions and a couple of smaller ones. It definitely was not his way of being suggestive though! Milan hoped she realized that. “How about you make yourself comfortable while I look for a barbecue somewhere?” That did not make sense though. Where would he find one. Still, he just helped Ella got on there and then indicated with a finger that he would be back in a second.

Milan had all of this planned. More than she might be aware of. A light had been left on at home to reassure a shadow of an open door was cast right where he wanted it. He also came to this place often enough to have a general idea on how the shadow walk without a problem. The man could not afford getting stuck in the blackness. So once he ended up at home, he could take some vegetables out of the fridge, along with some meat, placing it in a basket. Cutlery, plates and so on where put in it already. He took that, along with a small portable barbecue, with him, soon stepping out of the shadow of a tree again.

“Will you look at that,” he mused with his Irish accent. “I did find us a barbecue.” With a grin, he placed the basket near Ella. Milan first made sure to get the barbecue ready and as it began to heat up, he hopped onto the cargo area as well. There a wooden board got plucked from side. By balancing it on the edges, it could function as a table. And he actually did pluck a small cloth from the basket that could function as a table cloth. Then he looked over at the dorm monitor. He did want to speak… but he did not know what to say? Did she like it? Hopefully he hadn’t gone over the top here.

[Ella Robbinson]

Shifting slightly, Ella let him search the compartment nearby for the picture, and she took it from him when he offered. The change was... Well, to her it was almost unrecognisable. She had to maintain composure on her face as best she could, but it really surprised her. "That's actually amazing. Do you know that?" She asked, looking back at him with a smile. It showed serious commitment.

"It does." She replied with a simple nod. Of course she was beginning to catch on, but she loved playing along with whatever his plan was.

She hopped out of the car when he opened the door for her, following along to the back of the truck to see what he'd unveiled. It was becoming more and more evident just how much thought he'd put into this, and it was enough to make her heart beat a little faster. She just wasn't used to someone putting so much thought into something for her. She made herself comfortable with his help and watched as he seemed to wander away. Now she was confused, and passed the time by glancing up at the view of the stars. Milan Myles was definitely something special.

He appeared soon enough, his voice threatening to startle her as she glanced back towards him again. A small, genuine smile was evident on her lips as he spoke. When he came and sat beside her, she watched him move. She reveled in the silence, knowing she should say something but unsure as to what that something should be.

"You're... You're amazing." She settled finally. "You really are."

[Deleted]

Milan was quite a humble person. When the young woman spoke about the truck, however, lips curled and a nod was given. This vehicle increased his pride and he knew it had ended up looking amazing. Or, well, that’s what he thought. He just liked getting the confirmation. “A small project by the side”, he decided. Not having to catch up on paperwork gave him the chance to do this, especially since he was used to staying up late anyway. It had sort of been to fill the time he usually spent surrounded by files. The recruiter was the type of guy who hardly ever gave up. When determined to finish something, he would. Same could be said about the arrangements of this date. Something simple could have been planned, but he rather added a special touch to make it a different experience. He liked making an effort for those who were worth it… and Ella definitely was worth all of this. He cherished her personality, and the woman’s beauty was a nice addition as well.

He actually had been nervous about her reaction, but the smile on her lips diminished some tension. Milan easily mirrored it. And when Ella spoke up, it simply grew wider. Almost in a shy way. “ Thank you. That must mean you like it, mh?” He definitely was flattered. He simply didn’t make his reaction personal because he wished to avoid unintentionally making it all about him.

In the meanwhile he plucked the wine glasses from the basket, along with a bottle. Before opening it, the man got up again, hopped off the truck and checked the fire. Then he returned to sit across from Ella, mainly because it would be easier to check on the meat, as well as maintain a conversation. Soon a glass of wine was handed to the brunette.

“So, how far am I on the ladder of being forgiven for the nose bleed?” A little playful tone could be detected as he spoke. Hopefully the amount of effort put into this was not creepy.

[Ella Robbinson]

"It definitely does." Ella replied. She hadn't been sure what else to say about the whole thing; it was nice - it was wonderful - and it was a testament to the kind of person he was. He was amazing, and no one could ever doubt it. Least of all her.

She took the glass when it was offered to her before she mused over his question for a moment or two. She briefly pressed her lips into a line, trying not to chuckle at the amusement of his tone. "You're definitely working your way towards forgiveness." She grinned. He was completely forgiven already, but it was still fun to play off the banter he offered.

"This might be a weird question but," She started, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. She considered thinking of another question, but decided it was best to go with what she wanted to say; "Do you really think I'm worth all this? I mean, all this effort. It's... Special."

[Deleted]

Milan laughed. “Damn, I knew I should have ordered the firework as well. At least then I would have been forgiven by now.” Of course he wouldn’t have taken it that far, but since they had fallen into the lighthearted joking, the recruiter wouldn’t turn the conversation too serious again. Unless Ella felt at ease with that… As long as she was comfortable, he could live with anything.

Just like he was okay with the question being asked. The only thing Milan did not approve of was how it sounded as if she were breaking herself down. It brought a frown to his face. “Why wouldn’t you be?” The man placed the bottle of wine safely in the basket before blue eyes drifted over to his date again. “If it’s special, it must mean that you are as well.” He purposely did not make a question out of it.

With that, he moved to stand and check on the meat again. A gentle smile got offered. “You think it’s too much?”

[Ella Robbinson]

Ella simply laughed along with him. His humour was refreshing, and helped ease the pressure off her shoulders. Going on dates had never exactly been her forte, and even if he didn't know that, he was doing wonders for her confidence.

His question was one she didn't really want to answer. She very briefly locked her gaze with his before shrugging her shoulders lightly and glancing up at the stars instead. Though they were hardly as bright as his shining blue eyes. If she had the capacity to blush, she would have. Being told she was special was rarer than going on dates.

"No no, it's not that." She replied, finding the strength, or courage (or both) to watch him again. "It's just, I-" She paused, taking the spare moment to consider how to word what she wanted to say, "I mean, I don't even know what too much would be. Can I be honest with you?" Her eyebrows furrowed; she wasn't sure why she asked before saying anything, "I've never been seen as very special, that's all. I'm not trying to be negative about myself or anything. It's just the truth." And she shrugged again, as if she were at ease with the fact. She wasn't special.

[Deleted]

Milan’s eyes rested on the side of her face as she gazed up at the stars. He acknowledged that Ella could not get herself to accept that, yes, she was special. And beautiful. The recruiter knew better than to throw that in as well though. That might be pushing it too far, especially if she struggled with her self-image.

A quick glance had been cast on the meat, positive it could be on there for a couple more minutes. In turn Milan moved closer to the truck with hands resting against the cold iron of the rear of the vehicle. With a nod, he indicated that he was all ears. When Ella want quiet again, he offered a soft smile. “Whoever took you on a date must have been blind then. Can you accept it when I claim that you’re special? Will you believe it? My truth?” He knew he was a charmer, but that did not make him a liar. Milan meant every word spoken.

With that, making sure she was okay while he slowly moved, he checked on the meat again and took the slices of bacon and a small steak off the fire, placing them on a plastic plate before returning his attention to the brunette. “You probably have gone on enough dates to compare this one with, huh?”

[Ella Robbinson]

Ella looked over him with curiosity for a moment or so. She didn't want to be so negative about herself - and even then, she knew she could have been worse. The last thing she wanted to do was bring him down. But at the same time, she couldn't really deny how good the attention from the handsome Milan felt. "I can accept it." She replied with a small nod. "I believe you." And she did.

For the most part.

"I guess." Ella mused on the subject, offering the guy an amused smile, "This is one of the best I've been on. Seriously."

It wasn't that dates weren't her thing. Ever since she'd moved to Hammel she'd been a much more outgoing person. She worked to make sure people didn't see her as the girl with the weird history. "What about you? I feel like I don't know enough about you. Where'd you... Grow up? What's your family like?"

[Deleted]

Milan was happy to hear that this date was one of the best she had been on. Perhaps it was the fact that he tried to keep it special. Either way, the recruiter was pleased to have her there with him. And he was willing to talk about himself since Ella did have a point. “Oh, well, I was born in Ireland. My parents moved to New York when I was two though, so other than my accent, I do not have many memories to my country of birth.”

At first he had considered moving there, until the knot had been cut of becoming a recruiter at Hammel. Poking his fork into a slice of bacon, Milan got it on his plate, cutting off a corner. “Both are lawyers, and I’m an only child. It’s a good thing though, for they already struggled to grant attention to one.” His chuckle was filled with some bitterness, but he soon shrugged it off. “Don’t get me wrong though. They are amazing parents. Just… hard workers.” He decided to keep it at that.

“You? Any siblings?” Dipping his head to the side, like usual when curious, the man dared to question something else. “How did your manifestation happen?” It always intrigued him, especially since none were alike.

[Ella Robbinson]

Ella listened intently - she always found herself incredibly interested in other people's stories. Particularly people she was growing to care about; scary as that thought might have been. She felt for him when he said his parents were busy during his childhood. She understood the feeling well, in a round about way. Even as he laughed

She knew the topic was going to switch back to her eventually. It always did when she asked things like that. The question for Ella then became whether or not she should bend the truth to make herself seem less... Dramatic.

"No siblings." Ella confirmed with a small nod. At least, none that she knew about. "I don't know much about my parents, honestly. I was adopted when I was seven."

The hemokinetic laughed a little nervously at the thought of her manifestation. Thankfully, there was always a way to shift a story in her favour. "Hemokinesis is pretty... Brutal." She admitted. But given his job, he probably knew that already. "I lost a lot of blood and ended up in the hospital. My mom thought I-" Ella paused, glancing up at him. "I didn't. It just happened." Shaking her head slightly, she offered a smile.

"Is this bad date conversation?"

[Deleted]

Milan was okay with not turning the topic back to Ella if she rather didn’t talk about it. And for a second did feel bad for having shot the same question back at her. Apologies were written all over his face and even more so as he worded his regrets for the conversation having led to it. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t really necessary… “I mean, you were lucky to get adopted, so that’s good and I’m not apologizing for that. Just… you know.” He probably should stop talking now before something offensive was being said.

Asking about the manifestation felt safer, yet the recruiter was not sure what to make of it when Ella offered a reply. With a nod, the man offered a symphatic smile. “I am glad nothing went wrong.” If it had, she would not be sitting there with him.

Then a chuckle broke free and Milan shook his head. “No. At least not to me.” Features softened and he sipped the wine. “If it helps, I ended up tumbling back into a shadow while hiding from my bullies. It wasn’t exactly the most pleasant manifestation either.” Not as bad as hers, but hopefully Ella would feel comfortable if he were to bring up his own to make it clear that he was okay with talking about this – unless she wasn’t.