A Return from Hiatus

Neffydd felt the chill from outside settle in around her body. She pulled the blanket closer about her, snuggling down into the warmth and thought about the past few months.
Over the winter Neffydd had been sick. Very sick. The illness had come on strong in the middle of the winter and finally depleted her strength enough that she couldn't work, play, sleep, even walking had become next to impossible. Between the pain, fatigue and medications she had lost the will to do much of anything.

In the early spring, after Neffydd had begun to heal, Shael took her around the corner to a small pub where they proceeded to drink and pour their hearts out about recent happenings. Neffydd told Shael about the Leprechaun she had been too shy to ask out and even showed her the message she had written out on her mobile com but hadn't had the guts to send. After a few more drinks they took turns in the latrine and when Neffydd returned from her spin Shael handed her the com back.
"I checked it over." She said and Neffydd's stomach flopped at her next words. "It looked pretty good, so I went ahead and sent it... Is that OK?"

"Well, yeah..." She affirmed after a moment. "Even if it weren't, it's too late now."

"You two need another round?" The tree sprite behind the bar asked them.

"Oh..." Neffydd turned to her and smiled, "Dear GODS, yes!"

~:}Y{:~

Over the next few months Neffydd got to know the tall Leprechaun, Shay O'Dell, much better. She made sure to cut out enough time for him and making a few general changes around the lair to accommodate his excessive height. She and Warder Sullens changed out their furniture, being sure to pick items that would hold the lanky Fae comfortably.

The summertime brought entertaining things and the search for a permanent lair. Sullens had finally been paid the money he was owed and they were determined to procure a place that would fit the needs of their clan.

Mostly mundane things that kept the family busy viewing homes and signing paperwork. Then there was the moving and the settling in and the parties... So much to do so little summer to do it in.

The Fair came and went and the children returned to school. The Leprechaun had a death in his family and decided to have some space, away from the clan to gather himself back together. His choices made Neffydd sad, but she knew he had his own life to live. He wanted to still meet, casually, but hadn't decided what he wanted for their future.

Soon, Autumn had thrown her beautiful blanket of russet leaves, bright gourds, crisp fruits and sparkling frost over the country side.

A group of her friends got together at a local restaurant for the season premier of The Walking Dead. Shay brought Neffydd, Tomoe and the minion Zennaton to the show for a couple drinks and some snacks. Before the show even started Shay had left for home and the trio from chanMaelgwyn were happily munching away on half-priced appetizers.

"Can I get ya anything else?" Neffydd shook her head but didn't speak. She was trying not to look at the waiter. It was the only defense she had against the sheer beauty of him. She was acutely aware of his person, any time he came within twenty paces of her.

[That waiter is a cutie ^_^] Neffydd typed the message to her friend, a water sprite named Babbling Brook, (or 'Babbles' for short,) who was sitting not five paces from her.

[His name is Jedi :)] Came the quick reply. [He's a really good friend of mine. I adore him... You should give him your contact number!]

[How is it that you know EVERYONE??]

Throughout the rest of the night Neffydd worked up the courage to talk to the guy who walked about the place, cleaning and checking on customers, as if he expected to be ignored. Several times she walked by him, hoping to catch his eye and talk to him. When she finally was able to meet his gaze she was too tongue-tied to do anything but give him a faint smile and head up to the bar where she admitted defeat to her friend.

"I'm sure I have something you can write your number on..." Babbles said and began to rummage around in her bag. "That way you can just give him your number, then run away." This seemed like the best plan ever, so Neffydd nodded.

Neffydd's heart was beating so hard that she could barely swallow. The perky sprite fished a blank business card out of her purse and the bar tender just happened to have a pen handy (and a smile, fancy that...). Neffydd's script was sweeping and lilted in that way she had developed to cover the nervous shaking.
 
As they walked out the door, Jedi placed himself by the exit so he could wish them well-part and Neffydd saw her chance. She strode to the exit, gave the server the best smile she could without looking like a freak and handed him the small paper card with her mobile com number on it. He looked at her in confusion.

"You should call me... or solid message. We can have drinks soon." She smiled again.

"Uh..." The poor guy looked stunned silly. "Yeah...?" She nodded at him and walked away.

As Babbles drove them home, Neffydd realized that she had been so flustered that she had never paid the fracking bill! Her friend turned the vehicle around while Neffydd fought her anxiety over the direction her food was going to travel.

"I can run in and pay, for you." Babbles offered after witnessing the extent of the anxiety. Neffydd agreed that this might be the best plan so her friend took her card and paid the bill. When she returned, the water sprite's bouncy laugh preceded her.

"You know, I got in there and he didn't even know you had skipped out!" It seems Jedi had been just as distracted by her forwardness as Neffydd had...

Neffydd walked through the portal of her new lair in a daze. Had she really just given the hot guy her contact?

Hoo, boy... This should be interesting.