#bergen_county

"Hmmmm...." He looks them over, sniffing carefully.

She leans against the side of the desk, enjoying watching him peruse. A few flower scents too, rose and.. something sharp? Chive? A small wince. "That one is probably a loss."

Cinnamon from the baking drawer.

Fennel reminisces both of liquorice candy and Italian sausage...

"I got a little stir crazy." She says with a sheepish grin.

"I like more than one..... I mean, depends on what the occasion is, right?"

"Well, pick one for now? I'm gonna have to try to find people to give the rest of these to, but they're shelf stable so no rush... Oh, I used chamomile tea in this one. I thought Brenda - sorry, your mom, might like some for bath oil?"

"Or the rose, I like to soak and think about tunes sometimes, I figure she may do the same with her poetry."

"The internet told me that Bergamot inspires creativity, so I put some earl grey in one."

"If I could get jasmine... but we only have jasmine rice, and that, uh.... well, Zane is still laughing at me."

A sulky pout.

"I guess? She's been kinda out there recently." He finds one. "This one. Manly but not horse-sweat. Zane?"

He grins. "Did you try to make rice-oil?"

"Jasmine Rice sounds like a stripper name" From another room

"Ooooo!" He grins.

She sticks her tongue out at him! "Oh, the sandlewood! I used some aaaancient incence for that, I wasn't sure it would work. But it smells good, here... " She turns his hand over and lightly rubs a droplet into the skin, working it in with her fingertips.

"HUSH!" She barks back out the door! Then grins, letting her fingers warm the oil on Adam's skin.

And it hushes

He likes her touch. "Smells good." Softly.

"I learned how to make these from Merrie... she was a Selkie I met back in San Fran. I don't think that was her real name, but she was a blast. Discovered how much she loved hot baths, though it could never top the sea, there IS something about the warmth. She ran a massage shop, when she could be bothered to show up. Gave me some pointers...."

Her voice lower now as she lightly rubs his arm. "Oh, but it's getting late..." She draws her hands away. "We should run over before it gets too dark. " Taking a moment to fill him in on Huxley.

"She the one that let you get burned like that?" He grins, one arm circling her waist. He sighs. "Yeah, guess we should." A gentle kiss. "Good to see you."

She nestles in closer. "Burned? That's not a term people generally associate with Selkies..."

"You got sunburned, right?"

He holds her close, kisses on her hair and neck.

"Oh, no, that was Alon. There are a LOT of selkies along the coasts. It's like... New Jersey forests for trolls."

"Mmm. Ok."

"So you wanna check out that skate park and meet Hux? Mmm. I suppose we could go later..." Kissing back. "But I said I'd be back, and I don't want to be a fibber... and we DO have all night, right? I mean... no school in the morning..."

"Yeah." Softly. "All night."

"Uh, so let's go. See this guy?"

"This dreamer. Not just a guy." She gives him a little poke and a grin. "You jelly?"

Adam grins. "Nah! Dreamer. Maybe I can learn something from him!"

"Maybe!" She takes his HAND and leads downstairs. "Lets pack up some of the pasta bake Auntie M whipped up. It's vegetarian, but pasta eats up well cold as good as hot."

((WHICH HEAD????))

Adam follows.

Snacks and goodies are packed up, and she heads for the door. "Later Auntie - thanks again!"

"Thanks!" He'll carry things if allowed.

"Later!"

She lets him carry the food so that she can shoulder her guitar. Getting into the car, she asks curiously, "Did you ever think of taking up an instrument?"

"Uh. No? I mean.... I had basketball in school......"

A sigh. "As much as I like watching you boys in those shorts..." A grin, and she gives him directions.

They find themselves heading the same roads to the run down looking area that Aunt M showed Piper, natch

Adam looks around, interested.

"See, over here, these pools could be used for skating, but the acoustics are off the chart..."

This place was a dump.. but if you ease past the Dump-Ster you can find that door to what looks to be a desserted office building, or the half broken up pools that still carry a tune

Adam grins. "Ok. Safe enough?"

"I think so. But if not, that's why you're here, isn't it?" A fond grin.

"Do you have your flashlight? Or I can use my phone, but it's not great."

Eyeing the door the the building.

"Yeah, no, my parents make me carry a maglight....." He produces it and offers it over.

She flips it on, and steps into the office building. "Huxley? Helloo-ooo?" She calls softly.

The smell of weed and 'oh geez if I werent stoned you'd have scared me" The man says "Hey.. didn't know if you'd be really coming back"