#goldfinchfreehold

"And that's what's going on in Rivervale, Sylvi" Siv fills her in while they talk in a private room. "And avoid that shelter"

"Geez. But you're sure you're okay?"

"BOTH my parents dosed me with glamour and I had a full night by the bale..>" A pause" Swear that flame doped me on top of it. Rivervale has plenty of juice. I'm not tops, but I'm wiling and able to walk the autumn streets again"

"Okayy..." Sylvi tries not to sound too dubious...but she remembers being there the first time that Siv almost winked out at the mall. Scary.

Then she lets out a low whistle. "Adam, huh? That's just....weird."

"THAT Is why I made sure we were alone" She says

"Yeah, totally. Does Dagmar know yet?"

"Not that I know of" She admits "And frankly I'm not sure how to tell her when I see her. She still grinds her fangs when his name is mentioned"

"I can't really blame her," she admits.

"Adam was a judgmental son of a bitch who made it all about him. If you went along with him, you were cool in his eyes. If you disagreed with him, he played the victim. I hear he got better at Earth Runes a bit, but frankly... I didn't like him."

"Honestly, not sure how Zane considered him afriend, but then, Zane claimed to know him better than most and possibly did. Maybe I'm too harsh"

"Well, you have spent most of your life surrounded by more fae than mortals. For a mortal guy?" Sylvi wavers her hand. "He was kinda normal. I think he got a little better when he became fae, but...." A shrug.

"Mmmm not sure most of the folks at school were changelings and I did my daily six plus hours there too for a few years. But I was closer to the kithain, than daughters of eve true"

"That's what I mean. I might live the fae life, but I also had plenty of time surrounded by cheerleaders and..." she rolls her eyes "...jocks. There's a reason I manage to avoid bedlam."

"Well, if you say I was too hard on him then maybe it's so. I yield to you knowing more sons of adam than I did, or knowign them better" She smirks "You DO realize Colton is a bit jock like himself right?"

"Oh, I'm not saying you're too hard on him, not at all. Just that there's plenty of other guys to be just that hard with."

"And Colton's different."

A wolf grin "Because you love him. Victory for Fiona's viewpoint"

"It's not just that. I mean, come on, the guy has suffered for real. He's not one of these over-privileged I-like-BEER guys."

"So he's a jock with a tragic back story. No WONDER you went goey" Playful grin "Put him in a leather jacket and have him brood and you puddle huh?"

"Yeah, I'm shallow like that," she says with a bit of a frown.

"Oh hey" SIv stops at the frown "Okay, let me back up and apologize. I was teasing is all. Colton's more than a Jock, and a good man. I don't want to duel a cousin over insulting her or her fellow. Particularly since I WOULD be in the wrong. Meant it playfully. But I apologize if it cut"

She sighs. "No, I know you didn't mean it that way. Sorry. Just...I'm a little stress-y."

"I see that, and I'm thinking I've been neglectful of a friend, what's up?" She moves to her side

"Well, you've been kinda busy too, Miss-I'm-Gonna-Face-An-Autumn-Person-Alone. Anyway..." a shrug "...college, right? And...stuff."

"In my defense I didn't know the shelter had an autumn person running it or Fiona or not I would have chickened out and not gone in" She looks sheepsih, then a tilt of her head "College I knew about. Even envy you a bit. But I'm guessing the grass is greener on whatever path you don't take? What's the ... 'stuff'?"

"Oh, geez, you're not wrong. Maybe that should be my personal insignia...green grass on the OTHER side of a fence." A sigh.

She hesitates, then says, "Colton said something, and it's kind of got me a little...shook."

"Uh oh" She says "Go ahead. What did he blurt?"

"Welllll....he was trying to figure out which arm to choose in that contest at DarkGate, and he asked me what I thought, and I said that maybe he could figure out if he thought about how it would figure in the future, and I suggested he do the where-do-I-want-to-be-in-five-years thing. And he gave me this look. And then he said 'you ask very dangerous questions.' But he wouldn't tell me what he meant."

Siv gives off a low whistle "Okay, jokes about him aside, I like and Admire Storm Colton. I do. But that was a rotten thing to state and leave unexplained. I mean, MY Mind would go anywhere if Jonas or Piper pulled some thing like that. I mean, did you think he was visualizing you in a bridal dress, or ruling a lodge by his side? did he think of you in a harem outfit with you being the troll rep of his multi kith harem? You don't know. And now it's gonna be bouncing in your noggin for days"

Sylvi looks relieved that Siv GETS it. "It HAS been!!!"

"Why do guys THINK We ask 'what you thinking about?' ...for entertainment? It's a reasonable question darn it"

Clearly Jonas has pulled the 'nothing' and shrug on her

"And now I can't figure out how to ask it at a good moment, because as soon as I ask it, it's probably going to ruin whatever it is we're doing."

"Well, you could text him 'We need to talk' this will cause him to ask about what or the like. Then you have to respond 'in person' if need be. You'll agree on when and where. Now, then he won't be thinking positive stuff, you won't be ruining a good mood. Because he'll be super alarmed. Now, I'm not saying 'enjoy the payback' of putting stuff in HIS noggin while he waits, but it might let him get a glimpse when you start up the talk"

Her brow furrows. "I kind of hate that, but I also kind of think you're right."

"Fiona training is both loving and cut throat" She nods "Though I dare say your mom would give as good or better advice but... come on, going to your mom for romantic advice is always.. .awkward"

"Mine squirms " a mutter

"Mom's great about it, but she's been away questing, and she's always crazy busy when she gets back from something like that, and like I said, there's college, and...." She makes an on-and-on-and-on gesture with one hand. "Like that."

"You were already juggling four or five balls, and then your boyfriend lobbed an orange in the mix and told you to catch" Sympathetic "Look. You're gonna be great at college. And Goldfinch is well provided for and you will not be the stranger you think you will. But your concerns are real and I won't scoff at them. You feel what you feel, you know? But you have every right to drag Storm colton here to explain himself. You are the bashful beloved, and he the ardent Admirer. Sides, lack of communication hurts more couples than anything. THAT you can do something about"

She bites her lip and nods reluctantly.

Siv gives her a hug "Easy, he probably DOES want to go faster and further than you want in his imaginings, but that doesn't mean that's all he'll accept. And it doesn't mean you're locked in shackles of 'what must be'. Your heart is your heart and he knows that. You're going to get a scare, I suspect, Cousin, but you're fierce. And no matter that he might have hopes, and flattering hopes in their way, or doesn't... YOUR Dream is YOURS to shape. The journey will be amazing" a smile "And I bet full of surprises for all"

"Don't feel very fierce at the moment. And..." she sighs "...I wish my heart would just decide on what it wants that Dream to look like."

Siv just holds her gently and sits quietly with her cousin. "Then next shooting star? Make that wish. One WILL come" A smile and.. some quiet

(End scene)