Life is Good [ Jon ]

Outside the mall was the sunspot none other than Alessandra Barrial, her smile flashing, her laughter just as quick. Camera in hand, she'd taken to the streets for her mid-morning walk. The busy, fairly bustling streets.

And it was a gorgeous day!

That made it even better! She snapped pictures here and there, needing to get out and work; scenery, people, pets, everything that translated what her intent was. Concordia was gorgeous, and she wanted to remind the people - especially after the attack - that there was beauty, and life was good, and sweet, and entirely worth it. In any way she could, be it by photographs she would print to canvas, or even just a good conversation on the streets.

She loved watching people light up.

Seizing an opportunity, the red-head dropped to a knee, capturing the image of a dog as it lapped the cheek of a girl about five years old. With the click of the shutter, the girl and dog were immortalized, the girl forever laughing, the bond between the two captured impeccably. She rose to her feet and skipped forward, turning with a slightly apologetic grin to the woman who was coming up behind her.

"Hey! Lovely day, the light's gorgeous~! How're you?"

Her good mood apparent, Aless rode the rush of the intoxicating feeling, and she and the female chatted a few moments before Aless offered a slight wave. An exchange of names, A promise to have tea, and the freelance photographer carried on, the spring in her stride very much apparent as she picked up her camera again, beginning to snap a few more pictures before letting a peal of laughter out, the dog she'd captured before bouncing around the child. Her focus taken by the duo again, she moved out of the way of majority of the traffic and crouched, the shutter clacking again. The lighting and the people watching and walking, it was all perfect. Aless felt her heart swell, her smile vibrant and untamed as she sank into her work and her passion.

@jon

Hands in pockets. Head kept down. Hood up and over.

This was how Jonathon was walking through the mall. He didn't make eye contact with anyone and didn't bother to enjoy the sunlight. With his luck, it would start raining if he looked up at the sky. Clearly people were enjoying the nice day, and he really didn't want to ruin that.

He couldn't help but notice a girl though. A cheery, upbeat creature with red hair and a smile of the gods. Well, literally her smile could have come from her godly parent... but that wasn't the point. He was intrigued by the way she took pictures and seemed to glide happily around the mall. He didn't notice he was following her right away, but suddenly he caught himself approaching her.

Too late to stop now.

"They're cute, right? The dog and kid, I mean," he said, lowering his hood.

So absorbed in capturing all the moments she could, Aless hadn't realized someone was approaching until they spoke.

"...oh!"

Wait, it was a he! The voice was a male's.

Twisting a little, she turned and tipped her head to look up with a grin, brown eyes making a quick study of his features as he started to pull down his hood.

"Oh, wait, wait!. Hold still for a moment! Just like that~!" She flashed another smile, to disarm and get him to pause. It worked with most other people!

The light was to his back. He had nice features, and eyes, and she wanted to capture his expression. She twisted the rest of the way, quickly, and quickly snapped a few shots off. If he held still, just long enough, she could capture the look and subtle movement. Someone brightening a little, looking down at her? Even if he was looking away to the child and dog, it was perfect.

"...yes, though! They really are cute~"

She was just as incredible up close. The upbeat attitude, the big smile. He froze when she asked him to hold still for a moment, but his eyes did widen a little. He didn't look at her or the camera, no way, he just kept his eye on the dog.

After she snapped a few shots and addressed what he had brought up, he turned to face her with a bit of a sideways smile. "I'm worried for that role of film you've got there..." he said slowly, "I'm pretty unlucky and it might not develop now." He knew how stupid that sounded, but he really had seen some pretty dumb things happen because of his abilities and his nature as a child of chaos. He really hoped that wasn't going to be the case this time.

"Do you just take them for fun? The pictures?" obviously she had fun doing it, there was no doubt about that, but maybe she had a stronger motivation somewhere too. Like a job.

She didn't immediately check her camera - in fact, Jon probably would have been watching her long enough to note she had yet to, for all the pictures she'd taken - but stood instead. She was an impressive five-feet-ten-inches, with a willowy frame to match. And she was still smiling.

"Oh, you're not lucky? I don't believe that! It shouldn't be something I should have to worry about: my baby is digital~ But man...I would love to get a camera that has actual negatives I could develop in a dark room..~" Her eyes softened, the teen giving a dreamy look at the camera before lowering it to free her hands. "But for fun? Certainly~! I'm, ah, actually thinking of opening a shop, though! I've been working out of my place so far. I love it! It's hard to decide if I should or not; working from my place is cool. Homey. Comfortable~"

Oop, she had rambled!

The red-head perked despite that.

"I got a bit carried away. But you don't take photographs, then, huh? What do you do, for a living?"

She was forgetting a certain something else, too, but couldn't be blamed for being so enthusiastic over talking to another new person.

The corner of his mouth started to form a little half smile as she went on to say that the camera would be just fine. This was definitely a relief, as was her disbelief in his unlucky nature. She'd probably find out about it soon enough, but it was nice to pretend for a moment that it wasn't that bad. She went off for a bit about her love for the photos, and how she wanted a shop and all sort of things until she caught herself. He moment when she said she had gotten carried away caused Jonathon to shake his head. "No, I don't mind. I asked you, I liked the answer," he explained.

He gently shoved his hands into his pockets as she asked about what he did for a living and he chuckled a little. "No, I don't really take photos... I'm a teacher," he explained. Sure they hadn't exchanged names yet... but maybe it was better than way anyway. "Criminal Psychology," he added.

It was nice he didn't mind! Most people didn't, but she still got the occasional few that didn't quite "get" her enthusiasm. So she dipped her head in an appreciative nod, still smiling. Weren't her cheeks hurting? Nope! She smiled so often it was weird when she didn't!

Oh! A teacher!

Her smile widened, and she held back from immediately questioning him on what, though it took effort. He seemed willing to reciprocate in conversation, so she wanted to see how much he divulged. And he didn't disappoint in answering what her first question would be!

"Oh, that's interesting." And it was! Just maybe not entirely her own interest, for sure. Her brow furrowed a little bit. It was interesting, still, just maybe...not learning of it? She would rather know what made him like it! "So, have you...studied criminals themselves, or are you just going off written material..?"

She thought that those two would probably be right. Maybe even in combination. But she was swimming in unfamiliar territory.

SPOILER: Click to show

@jon

Most people chose the word 'interesting' when it came to his vocation. It was a strange thing to teach on an island where everyone was supposed to be on the same team... still, it could help if someone on the island went mad and started killing people, right? They wouldn't get far though. Not with all the new security happening around here...

"I've... seen enough and read enough to collect the knowledge. I dunno," he started to veer off a little with his gaze, knowing that something bad could happen any second. Had he been standing in one place for too long? "I should probably..." he started, gesturing behind him as if he were to leave.

He'd seen things? Poor guy; maybe that's why he thought himself so unlucky? Aless blinked a little, and then some more as he gestured he should get going.

"You don't...like talking about it, then?" She seemed to frown just a little, like she didn't know if it was just a job for him and if he wasn't passionate about it. But she perked up a little with a strange sense of...offness, a sort of oddness, with his words and shift in openness; he was withdrawing and she didn't understand why. Maybe he thought she was judging him? She wasn't! so she would have to be more friendly to make him feel more at ease! "Oh, well hey~ I can walk with you! If that's alright~?"

Aless gave another smile. Maybe he was busy and had somewhere else to be, and if that was the case he had the perfect opportunity to tell her so.

@jon

She asked if he liked talking about it. It was a delicate question, really. He liked talking about the science of it, not necessarily the experience. He nodded once though as she said she could walk with him. "Yeah, yeah sure," he said softly, his confidence in spending time with someone for so long wavering. With his luck, she'd trip and fall in a giant manhole. Oh Gods, don't let that happen.

He began walking, trying not to notice the people around him much. "Anyway, it's not that I don't like talking about it. It's just better in the right setting... you know? It's... can we just not?" the last part may have sounded a little snappy, but he didn't correct himself. He didn't know how!

Alessandra's face broke out in a giant grin as he allowed her company, and she easily fell into step with him, her hands fiddling with her camera as an outlet for her energy.

Oh, so he liked talking about it~! Just in a different setting? Totally understa—

Thrown off by the rather abrupt shift, the redhead's stride stuttered a little, causing her to stumble. But she didn't fall! She just...slowed to a stop.

"I— What— I wasn't going to continue— I'm sorry, if I said anything to upset you..!" She didn't mean to, honest! Her brow creased a little in confusion and dismay. The redhead took a deep breath to gather herself. "Sorry. What I mean is...is you just said you're more comfortable talking about it in a different setting. And that's okay! I wouldn't have...continued asking. Sorry."

Sorry sorry sorry!

She didn't know what to do.

"Oh. Oh. And I've been rude, too!" Terribly rude! "My name is Alessandra. Alessandra Barrial. Sorry for not introducing myself, sooner!"

She tried for a smile, hoping to smooth things over! But she was kind of worried. Not about him, no, but that she was somehow mucking things up!

As she stumbled, Jon rolled his eyes at himself. That was his fault. His bad luck and his bad attitude. Gods, this poor girl. He stopped too, looking at her with an awkward guilty face until she started to apologize. He started to raise his hands in protest but before he could tell her that sorry wasn't necessary, she gave him her name.

Alessandra Barrial. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"That's beautiful," he said, his voice soft. He shook his head, snapping out of it. "No, no. I just have... issues. Like I said, bad luck. It makes me grouchy. All the time. Gods, don't even be a little bit sorry please-" her smile was contagious and his mouth started to twitch into one as well. "I'm Jon. Davenport. Jonathon Davenport," he continued, the left side of his mouth forming upward into a half smile.

Aless thought nothing of her stumble. Not that she was without grace and poise, but she did stumble now and again. And his words on her name drew an instant flush to her cheeks, a little flustered, but entirely in good spirits. The cracking of his smile made hers come to life, fully.

Jon? Jonathon Davenport. It sounded old, distinguished, and utterly fantastic. Those brown eyes of hers danced with enthusiasm.

Oh! Handshake! Right!

The teen held out her right hand.

"You have a wonderful name, it sounds very old-world! It's my pleasure to meet you, Jonathon~ Or, oh, do you prefer Jon? I'm okay with my full name, but I also go by Aless."

All of the good vibes! She was glad she hadn't actually upset him, and her vibrant energy jumped right back up to where it had been!

@jon

As she held out her hand, Jon's eyes widened, "erh..." he slowly reached his right hand forward, trying to not show how nervous this made him. "Jon is fine," Aless, he'd called her that. His hand reached forward and the second it touched hers, rain started to pour from the sky suddenly.

He looked down, sighing as he gave her a short shake before pulling his hand away. At least it was just rain, right?

He was nervous, she could tell. But he reached out to shake, anyway, and though she was curious as to if it was because he thought himself bad luck, or he found himself attracted to her, it didn't matter. Her smile full-on blasted him at the same time the rain started pouring.

From nowhere!

Or maybe she just hadn't been paying attention.

Either way, a bit of a shriek escaped her lips as the cool water hit her skin - pure surprise - before she started to laugh! Of course, she scrambled to hide her camera in her shirt, but then was left to do a bit of a small dance, her laughter continuing.

Raining on a parade didn't count with Aless.

—and Jon would find his hand lightly taken up so she could take a spin beneath his arm. She was heedless of both the fact her hair and clothes would soon be soaked (though they mostly were)...and apparently niceties and personal space went out the window, too.

"Oh wow, hahaha, who would have thought Zeus was such a prankster~! C'mon, Jon!"

A tiny bit breathless from the exhilaration and surprise and laughter, Aless turned and pulled her companion over beneath an awning so they could stand without water being dumped on their heads.

@jon