Lakeside
A soft roar sounds from crystalline water tumbling over rocks at the far side of the circular lake. Tiny fish, few in number, dart about beneath the mirror-like surface, jumping in and out of the frothy waves at the bottom of the fall. Large rocks, worn smooth by swimmers using them as jumping ledges, bracket the cooling waterfall, but taper into soft sand. To the left of the tumbling water, a few metres past the rocks, a jungle garden begins to grow with brightly coloured flowers, shading trees, and soft, lush grass. But it all halts abruptly to make room for a small stone building, the bathhouse.
It is an autumn midmorning.
Peering at the fish and reflections in the lake are Chereti, Net, Fury, and Ricochet.
You see Squoch and Daegi here.
Shanel is here.

Shanel is leaning against a tree with a some small hides in her hands. She facing the water and isn't paying attention to anyone.

Neliar walks Adoran to his favorite place by the lake. He pulls up short when he see Shanel standing there. For a second he's frozen not sure of how welcome he'll be. Then Adoran makes the decision for him by jumping into the lake. /SPLASH/

Shanel nearly hits a low branch as the lake is attacked. Blinking several times it takes a moment before exactly what creature landed in the water. See Adoran she gulps, where ever the pooch is the master isn't far behind. Slowly Nel turns, the hides forgotten are clenched in one hand. She just looks at him, afraid to make the first move. Wanting him closer but at the same time hoping he wont say anything.

Neliar smiles at Shanel and walks slowly forward. "Sorry about that." he begins, throwing his rather soggy mutt an evil look. "Did he get you wet." advancing a few more steps until he's an arms length away.

Shanel shakes her head gulping again. "It's okay." Softly said, nearly whispered. Shanel turns to look at the pup, cute as it is, it's safer then watching Neliar. Even if that's what she'd rather be doing. "How're you?"

Neliar turns away to watch him mutt approaching him. "No Adoran, no." is yelled before the naughty dog shakes himself dry covering both him and Shanel in cold water. "thank you very much." Adoran has just earned himself another evil glare as he wipes the water from his face. Suddenly he starts laughing, "we seem to spend a lot of time around each other wet." trying to find away to bring up the events of the other night.

Shanel raises one arm to protect her face from the cold shower being offered. "Adoran!" Great now, not only is she cold but she's wet as well. Shivering she takes a seat next to the tree. "Yeah."

Neliar moves to take a seat next to her and decides to sit opposite to her instead not wanting to crowd her. "here do you want my jacket. it's not very thick but it'll keep you warm." He shrugs out of his jacket and passes it to her not waiting for an answer.

Shanel takes the jacket with a little smile. Wraping it tightly around herself wishing it was someone instead of something keeping her warm. She knows she needs to figure a few things out and get some answers but she has no idea where to start. Instead Shanel points out, "you didn't answer my question."

Neliar blinks and refocuses his eyes, he can't help himself from staring at her. She just /lovely/ "I'm fine." all the better for seeing you. "look I'm sorry about the other night at the lake. I mean I shouldn't have pushed you in." although he did have a lot of fun after, and would do it again if it got the same response. He finds himself moving closer to her, inch by inch.

Shanel's smile grows just a little bit wider at the memory. Dispite the confusion she has no regrests about what she did. "Don't worry about it. It's not as if it's the first time I've been pushed in you know." Just the first to end like that. Shanel is trying very hard not to look at him, though she doesn't know why. Her eyes are focused on the waterfall behind him so she doesn't really notice that he's moving closer.

Neliar keeps on moving closer to Shanel as she showing no sign of moving away from him. He stop as his legs just start to touch hers. "You know I had a really good time that night." and I would love it if you could do it again! He gently rests one hand on her leg for a second to see what her reaction will be.

Shanel blinks, abruptly bring her eyes from the water to the hand resting upon her leg. No she wont move away. She wont move at all. Nel simply freezes, she'd better ask before something else happens. "What about Laurel?" Barely audible, Shanel can't look up, afraid of the answer.

Neliar looks rather startled at the mention of Laurel. "Well nothing ever happened between me and her. Then I got to know you better and found that I /like/ you a whole lot more than I liked her." and he wants a relationship where his partner will be faithful he could not bear it if they cheated on him. He keeps his hand in place feeling her got ridged, he goes to move it.

Shanel blinks some more. So he really does like her as more than a friend. And she doesn't have to worry about Laurel or anything to that affect. Letting out a breath she wasn't aware of holding Shanel relaxes with Neliar's answer. Sencing the tensing in his arm she places a hand over it lacing her fingures through his. "I know you had a crush on her at one point and I had to know."

Neliar looks down stupidly at the fingers laced though his, it just feels /so/ right. He breaks into a smile when he realises what this means. H moves closer to her partly because he wants to be closer to her and partly because she looks cold. "you don't have to worry about any girls, it's /you/ that I want. With that he leans forward slowly and gently brushes his lips against hers.

Shanel takes a deep breath as Neliar moves closer. Her chest feels tight, and her stomach has butterflies flapping wildly through it. She leans in as he kisses her mouth opening slightly.