Fortunately Unfortunate

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi was on the way to her sister's when the snow started. Two hours to go, and she could hardly see the road. She grumbled to herself as she pulled into the gas station to fill up her tank.

"Better be careful," the clerk said. "This one's s'posed to be bad. S'posed to be at leas' a foot 'fore mornin'."

Kodi thanked the clerk for the news, paid for her gas, and left. She looked up at the sky before climbing into her car. It didn't look all that bad. Maybe the weather man had it all wrong. Kodi sighed. She could only hope. She climbed back behind the wheel and was about to shut her door when she heard the man at the next pump.

"Interstate's going down," she heard him say into his cellphone. "Snow's been falling thick and fast a few miles up. I'll be a little late getting home."

Kodi got back out of the car and walked up to the man, avoiding the ice on the ground as she went. The last thing she needed was to fall again.

"Did you say the interstate's being shut down??"

"Yeah, there was an accident just up the road. Luckily my road's just right there," he said and pointed behind the station. "You headed east??"

Kodi nodded her head, her brow furrowed. How was she going to get to Amanda's now?? She didn't know the county highways out here. She barely knew the ones back home.

"There's a highway there that bypasses that section," the man said. "If you don't mind backtracking through a little town, you can be back on the interstate in about fifteen minutes."

Kodi heaved a sigh of relief and thanked the man, then rummaged through her car for a pen and paper to write down the name of the highway. She hoped the highway wasn't too snowed over for her car. Kodi wasn't fond of the little Taurus, but it had taken her where she needed to go. She left the gas station and re-entered the highway carefully. The snow had already begun to accumulate quickly, hiding the ice left over from some previous storm.
Kodi watched for the highway and was relieved when she finally saw her exit. She could see the flashing lights just ahead where the accident had been. I hope everyone's okay, she thought. Kodi turned off on the highway, grateful that there was only about an inch of snow. It was even in good repair. Kodi thought maybe, just maybe, this trip would go smoothly. Then she hit the mailbox.

Well, to be more precise, she hit a patch of ice. She tried to steer out of it, but she couldn't seem to get the car to do what she wanted. She saw the mailbox coming at her rather quickly and covered her face. The car came to a crashing halt, and it was much louder than Kodi expected. She climbed out of her car shakily to observe the damage.
The mailbox post had gone through her radiator; there was no driving out of this. Kodi kicked the car and went to turn it off, cursing under her breath. Wait, she thought. Mailbox means house. House means people. People mean telephone. She looked around then, and saw a quaint little house with an attached garage. It was smallish. The kind you live in when you don't have kids. Then the door opened.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen flashed on the front lights of his house when just a minute before he heard a loud crash. He was sure someone had had an accident right outside his home and stumbled downstairs in a robe to see what happened. He stopped at the door, and ran to the laundry room for real clothes. As he hobbled back to the door, forcing on a pair of jeans and a sweater -- both black -- he grabbed his leather coat off the coat rack and opened the door to his house. Much to his surprise, a woman was emerging from a battered Taurus to frown at her damaged vehicle, and Arlen's misplaced mailbox inside the radiator. It was only good; he'd meant to get the old thing replaced. He got his boots on and was glad they had Velcro straps instead of lace ties, and carefully made his way through the snow to see what happened. He didn't look at all angry, just surprised, and nearing the woman even more, he was able to make out some of her concealed beauty; he could see only her face through her snow gear.

"Hey, is everything alright here? Are you hurt?" He called out, wading through the knee-high snow towards her.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi watched the man stride across his lawn. A handsome man, if she ever saw one. He was dressed all in black with and looked quite dashing, though rumpled. Had she woken him up?? Oh, I hope not. He called out to ask if she was alright and Kodi began to walk toward him with one last look of dismay at the wrecked car. She met him halfway across the lawn and held out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Dakoda. Sorry about your mailbox, the road's icy. I lost control." She shook his hand as she continued, unable to stand the silence as he stared at her. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. I just slid in nice and smooth and I wasn't going very fast anyway. The car isn't driveable though, it's been skewered. I'm not hurt though, just a bit shaken, that's all. Not the first time I've ended up in a ditch."

Kodi frowned, mentally kicking herself. Why didn't she just shut up?? Why did she tell him she had wrecked before?? That was a stupid thing to say. Kodi realized she was still holding the man's hand and let go with a nervous giggle. She smoothed her coat and readjusted her scarf, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen couldn't help but smile at the girl. "Hey, let's get you inside before you freeze. You can use my phone to call someone if you need to, but I don't think you'll be able to leave. This weather's supposed to keep up for a few days." He nodded his head towards his house, waiting for her to walk on ahead of him before following after her. As they got up to his door, he rushed ahead of her and opened it for her, holding it open until she entered first, and then him. He couldn't help that his mom taught him well to be nice. Closing the door, he walked into his living room that connected to the front door and knelt by the empty fireplace. He tossed a few logs in and lit the fire easily enough, walking back over and hanging up his coat, even offering to take Kodi's. "Oh, I'm Arlen by the way. Pleasure to meet you Dakoda. And sorry about your car."

[Sinna Mystika]

As Kodi was walking through the door, she couldn't help noticing that he was a gentleman. She watched as he lit the fire, impressed with his efficiency. She would have managed to catch something on fire, but it wouldn't have been the log. She shoved her mittens into a pocket of her coat and unwound her scarf. The man hung his coat, then offered to take hers. Kodi suddenly noticed just how tall he was as she looked up at him. She handed him her coat and walked over to stand by the fire. A gentleman indeed, she thought as she smoothed her sweater over her short, slender frame. The man introduced himself and apologized about her car. Kodi smiled.

"It's just a car. There are more to be had." She beamed at him, her face lighting up as she pushed her shoulder-length auburn hair behind her ears. "Call me Kodi." Suddenly what he had said as they walked inside registered, and her face fell.

"Wait. A few days?? I was supposed to be at my sister's for my neice's birthday today. Oh, what am I going to do now?? It's still a two hour drive. Even if I could drive, I could never make it in this storm. What was I thinking, driving today, and without checking the weather no less," she chastised her self, then looked at him with a worried expression. "Are you sure you don't mind me using your phone?? I hate to be a bother." She was blabbering again and she frowned inwardly at herself, looking close to tears.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen took Kodi's coat and carefully hung it up, watching her take a seat by the fire. Part of him couldn't help but notice how the firelight lit off her skin, and her hair. It wasn't so different a color than his, granted much longer however. He walked over, picking up the phone on his way.

"Kodi? A nice nickname, it suits you nicely." He tried to smile reassuringly as she spoke of where she was headed, and patted her shoulder, holding the phone out. He also dug in his pocket for a tissue; he knew they'd pay off eventually. He handed one to her, smiling warmly. "Here, it's alright. You can use the phone, but I'm not sure you'll be able to get a call out. If the storm keeps up, the power might go out and I don't have any cell service here as it is. Dropped about an hour and a half ago."

He watched her take both the tissue and the phone timidly and got up, walking towards the kitchen. "I'll make something to drink, hang tight." And so he started on a pot of water, pulling out some teabags.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi managed to dial out, but she could hardly make out her sister's words. She had just enough time to explain that she wouldn't make it and hear her sister ask again if she okay before the phone went dead. She set it on a table and looked around. It was a nice little place. Kodi could smell tea from the kitchen, and decided to look around until he came back. She peered out of the window at the storm, and realized she couldn't even see her car. They should probably move it somehow. Oh well, it's not like anyone else is foolish enough to go out in this storm. She noticed the distinct lack of a feminine touch in the house. Did he not have a girlfriend??  The shock of the accident finally hit her, and she started shaking. Kodi walked over to the fireplace to warm herself, looking at the pictures on the mantle. There was one of young boy, presumably Arlen, sitting on a brick wall and smiling at the camera. Kodi smiled and chuckled. He looked like such a happy kid. She looked at the other pictures. Arlen with two girls that had his features, only softer. His sisters?? One that was obviously a family photo. He had his mother's eyes. She looked down into the fire and hoped that her sister wouldn't worry too much. She frowned a little, wondering how she could get the car off the road. Certainly they couldn't lift it. Arlen looked strong, but she would be of no help. She was five foot five and slender. She could barely scoot her furniture around the room. She sighed as she stared into the fire.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen eventually came back into the living room with two cups of some herbal tea, holding one out to Kodi. "Careful, it's hot. It'll help calm you down a bit, you still look shaken. Are you sure you're alright?" He eyed her respectfully at his question, hoping she was indeed alright. He grabbed a seat on the floor next to her, but let her have some distance. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable. "If there's anything I can do to help, let me know, but I can't do much about the car, or about helping you out to your sister's house. We'll have to wait the storm ou--" Before he could even finish, the storm had gotten worse.

The power went out in Arlen's house.

The only light was that of the fire, and even then Arlen was on his feet. "Dammit, I knew it'd happen eventually..." He sighed. "Stay here by the fire, I'm going to grab some candles and blankets." He walked off to the nearby staircase, making his way upstairs. He stopped part of the way, he knew she'd say something. "Don't be afraid, I won't be long. Just keep yourself warm, I'll be right back." He threw her a reassuring smile through the dark, hoping it'd reach her.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi accepted the tea, briefly wondering what kind it was. She hoped it was loose leaf, it tasted fresher. She frowned at herself. Stop criticizing and be grateful! He didn't have to offer you anything. She took a sip of the tea and felt the warmth spread to her toes as she watched Arlen sit down on the floor. He looked so much smaller that way. Less menacing. Though, if truth be told, she didn't find him that intimidating at all. She found him to be quite charming, in fact. The lights went out, cutting off what Arlen had been saying to her, and Kodi jumped. She didn't like the dark. She wasn't afraid of it, she just didn't like it. She scooted as close to the fire as she could while Arlen stood to go find candles. He stopped on his way to the stairs and smiled at her, and she returned. Something about his smile made her feel safe.

Kodi absent-mindedly swirled her tea in its cup, wondering what she could have possibly done to deserve all this bad luck. First the car, now the storm was forcing her to stay. Not that she minded Arlen's company. No, she thought as she smiled. I don't mind at all. Suddenly tea sloshed over the side of the glass and onto the carpet, and Kodi sat the tea aside and jumped up.

"Oh no!!" she cried in dismay. Not only had she torn down this man's mailbox, she had now spilled tea on the rug. She looked around frantically for something to wipe it up with and settled for pulling her scarf down to mop it up before it soaked in. She sat back and looked at the wet spot on the floor. It wasn't so bad. It wouldn't stain, in any case. Kodi tossed her scarf back over her coat and picked up her tea, this time sitting on the couch and holding it firmly in both hands, waiting for Arlen to return. Why did she have to be so clumsy??

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen returned soon enough with a box of candles and a bundle of blankets under one arm. He set the blankets on the couch, and started placing and lighting candles around the room, bringing some natural light to it. At the time, he had only bought scented candles. He couldn't find normal ones. As the scent in the room changed to something more homely, Arlen had noticed a small wet mark on his carpet, but didn't mind it. He smiled at Kodi and beckoned her to join him at the fire as he grabbed the blankets.

"My house doesn't take that long to get cold in a storm like this, so you should relax and come rest by the fire." He held a rather generous blanket out to her, thick and large to be able to keep her warm twice over. "Take this, you'll need it." He had another blanket for himself, not as thick but just as large. He seemed content with it as it was, and didn't mind at all in giving the larger more comfortable blanket to a complete stranger. Or well, not so complete a stranger. He knew her name at least. He settled down by the fire, waiting for Kodi to join him.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi took the blanket and sat beside him, grateful for the fire. She sighed contentedly and looked at Arlen, then pointed to the wet spot on the floor.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I spilled tea on the rug. I managed to mop it up with my scarf. There was nothing else readily available." A dazzling smile lit up her face. "Thank you again for welcoming me into your home. I really hope I'm not putting you to any troub--" Kodi gasped and stood up, hitting her head on the mantle. "Ow," she said, rubbing her head. "Um, I have to get my bag from my car before the doors freeze shut. Do you have a flashlight??"

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen stood as well, his smile fading as Kodi hit her head. He rushed over, grabbing her shoulder lightly in case she hit herself hard enough to become light-headed, and he shook his head. "No, let me get it for you. If the doors froze, I can get the open more easily, and I don't want you running out there alone in the storm. No offense, but, the wind might knock you down and you could get buried." He grinned playfully at his small joke, pointing out he did in fact know just how slim she was. He admitted to himself her figure was amazing for a woman of her size, but didn't speak it out loud.

He smiled again, letting go of her shoulder. He held a hand out for her keys. "May I? It's not that you have to worry, I can't steal a frozen, broken down car anyways." What he didn't say was that he could fix it, if he got it into his garrage.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi laughed and handed him her keys. He was right, with her luck she would turn to go back to the house and lose her way in all that snow. She'd had enough trouble crossing his lawn, and the wind hadn't been blowing as hard then. She noticed Arlen was watching her rub her head, so she dropped her hand and smiled.

"This is nothing. I do it all the time. I'm just a bit clumsy," she said with a chuckle, then her brow furrowed. "I need to try to move the car though. It's still sitting on the road. Even with a punctured radiator, I can move it into the driveway. If I can get it out of the ditch, I'm sure it can just go forward. If you don't mind me driving in your yard, I think I can get it into the garage." Kodi grinned. "I do know a little about cars. You pick up a few basic things when you have my kind of luck. I'll have to find a tow truck when the storm stops, though. I know how to order parts, but I can't tell them apart. Are you sure you don't mind going out in the cold??"

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen was already headed back to the front door and getting into his snow gear, extra pants included. He smiled and nodded. "Don't worry about getting the car into the garrage, I can do that on my own. There's room in there, so don't worry about that either. Just have a seat by the fire and relax, I'll be back soon, okay?" He smiled again, getting a winter hat on before walking out the front door and into the cold blizzard beyond. Closing the door firmly, he trudged towards Kodi's car.

The doors were indeed frozen and he had to kick the handle to unfreeze it before forcing it open without much effort. He turned the car on short enough to at least change gears, then killed the engine that barely turned over. Getting back out and using a shovel he had left out, he started digging the car out.

After some thirty minutes he managed to free the car from the snow and pushed it into the driveway slowly. After running over to open the garrage door he rushed back to the car to push it into the dark portion of the house. He went into the car to retrieve the keys and managed to fish out Kodi's bag. He walked back into his house, having to shove the door open with his shoulder. The garrage door was closed before, obviously, and inside his house he stripped out of his snow gear. After everything was off, he walked back over to the fire, enjoying the warmth as he set Kodi's bag down next to her. Overall, it had taken him a span of an hour and a half to do all the work.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting Kodi. Car's in the garrage, and I'll get to work on it in the morning." He smiles generously.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi wandered around the house, periodically returning to the window to watch him for several minutes, wishing there was some way she could help. She heaved a sigh, at least it was a small car. She wandered through the few rooms of the house, avoiding the one closed door. She assumed it was his bedroom. Kodi heard the garage door open and went to look out the window. How had he managed to get the car that far all by himself?? The garage door shut with a bang, and Kodi heard Arlen tromp onto the porch and open the door. She had reclaimed her seat by the fire, and had folded his blanket and sat it as close to the fireplace as she dared so it would be warm when he returned.

When Arlen handed her bag to her, she opened it to make sure nothing had been damaged in the wreck. Before she thought about it, Kodi had pulled out her coloring books and crayons and set them on the coffee table. She checked her neice's birthday present, a small picture frame with daisies on it, and replaced it into the bag, along with one of the coloring books. She opened the other book, one about fairies, to a half-finished page and opened her crayons. She colored when she was frustrated or excited, but she did it in a way that no child could possibly manage. She had taken an art class in high school, and was now quite good at blending the colors to get exactly what she was looking for. She had just pulled out the dark blue crayon, the one that matched her eyes, when she suddenly remembered Arlen.

Kodi dropped her crayon and blushed to the roots of her hair, stammering over an apology. "I-I-I w-wasn't trying t-to ignore you. I p-promise. I just c-color sometimes to r-relieve tension." She leaned over to grab the crayon, hitting her head again on the table. She picked up the crayon and sat it neatly in the center of the coloring book before she dared look up. What would he think of her now?? She knew that her coloring tended to make people quirk an eyebrow at the very least. Her mother would lecture her on it often. How would she ever find adult friends if she colored in children's books and watched children's shows?? It wasn't that she was childish, she just liked cartoons, and coloring helped her to give her mind a break. She looked now at Arlen and wished for the hundredth time that day that she was a normal person.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen watched with interest as Kodi pulled out a coloring book for herself and began to draw in it. At first he thought it was going to be something, well, childishly made, but as he watched he could see her true talent, and with a crayola no less. When she looked up and blushed, he simply smiled to her. He patted her shoulder at her stammered apology, chuckling lightly.

"Don't worry Kodi, it's alright. It's just your way of getting over stress, I understand that." He tugged the blanket around Kodi's shoulders a bit closer around her to keep her warm. "Don't worry about it, at least it's not like chewing your nails and leaving them lying about like some people." He returned his attention to the fire which reflected off his features in a rather remarkable way. For a man like him, it seemed to outline his features more and give them more character, as if his skin was actually made by fire, due to the skin tone. The fire reflecting in his eyes made it seem as though there was a fire IN his eyes, which was of course impossible.

He unfolded his blanket, feeling the chill starting to creap into his small house. Wrapping it about himself, he leaned back on his shoulders to gaze into the fire, thinking. He had a feeling this night would change his life a lot.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi smiled as he tucked the blanket closer, and watched for a moment as he sat staring at the fire. She finished her picture and put away her things, then scooted to sit beside him. The temperature was dropping in the house, and Kodi used it as an excuse to sit closer. She sat and watched the fire with him, occassionally stealing glances at his face. He was handsome in the firelight. His angular features made more prominent by the playing of the shadows across his face. His green eyes reflected the fire as though it came from withing. It was getting late, and Kodi yawned before leaning against him, nearly dozing off as she watched the fire. She started thinking about the fire, and spoke aloud without realizing.

"What is it about fires, that mesmerize a person so that they feel safe??" she asked with a small sigh. "Is it the way the flames dance?? Or maybe it's the colors." Kodi blushed and looked at the floor, leaning away from him. "Maybe it's just me. I like fires. Even campfires make me feel.....content with the world. I can sit and watch a fire for hours and not have a care in the world. Sometimes I light a fire in the summertime just to watch it dance." She continued to stare at the floor, obviously embarrassed, and fiddled with the hem of her sweater.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen had smiled when she leaned against him, and had resisted the urge to wrap an arm around her shoulders. When she wasn't paying much attention, almost falling asleep, he'd stolen a few glances himself, unable to get over how such a beautiful woman head ended up in his house.

He was about to give in and hold her gently against him when she pulled away, and instead found his hand resting against her own as she spoke. "Perhaps it is the promise of warmth, which brings two together making both feel safe with one another." He smiled, watching her expression closely.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi looked down at her hand, pressed against his, and waited for him to speak. When he answered her, she raised her eyes to his quickly, with a somewhat shocked expression on her face. She had spoken without meaning to and received a serious answer instead of a half-hearted joke?? Realizing her mouth was gaping open, she shut it and giggled nervously, nodding enthusiastically.

"Y-yes. That's exactly what I always thought." Kodi tilted her head to the side and looked at Arlen. There is much more to him than what's on the surface, she thought. She settled back against his shoulder and wiggled to get comfortable, grinning to herself and saying so softly he almost missed what she said. "You know what I think?? I think I just might be lucky after all."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen didn't hesitate this time to wrap an arm around Kodi's shoulder, opening his blanket to keep her ever warmer and safe in his embrace. He smiled, glad his blush didn't show on his face before replying.

"And here I though I was the lucky one..." He looked down, trying to catch her gaze with his own.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi snuggled against his side, grateful to have more than her own meager body heat. She felt his eyes on her and looked up at him. He looks so.....happy, she thought. Like he hasn't a doubt in his mind about having a strange woman waltz, well crash, into his life. She hadn't done anything as graceful as waltzing. She gazed into his eyes for a moment, then blushed and looked away, returning her attention to the fire. She didn't remember falling asleep. She jolted awake after only a few minutes when the log in the fire popped loudly. She hoped he hadn't noticed her sleeping and thought it was because she found him boring. She just felt so warm and comfortable there in his arms that she had dozed off. She just sat there with her eyes closed, feeling the heat in her face.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen returned her gaze when she finally looked up, seeing the smile of her face reaching those soft, beautiful eyes. He smiled to her and watched her blush and turn away, slowly dozing off and falling asleep. She awoke again and he was holding her still, and decided that she needed some rest. Watching her slowly slip off again, Arlen carefully shift to help lay her down on her side. It was good he was stealthy and strong to be able to do that without jarring her body any. Very silently, making sure her blanket was around her enough, he slipped down to lay behind her, resting an arm across her body to keep her close and help make her feel safe, and wrapped his blanket about them both, laying his head down behind hers.

The first thing he noticed was the smell of her hair. It was also the last thing as he, too, began to drift off to sleep slowly, glad she had entered his life...

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi only faintly noticed as he slipped his arm around her. She scooted to lay as close to him as possible, fitting her body to his, and drifted into a deep, untroubled sleep. She dreamed of the fire. She dreamed of looking into the fire and finding the answers to her troubles, but the dream faded away and Kodi slept soundly.

[ArlenIronison]

((How adorable. Wanna pick it up again tomorrow? You did wonderful by the way))

[Sinna Mystika]

((*blushes* Thank you. That means a lot to me, as this is indeed my very first roleplay. I can pick it up tomorrow if you wish to stop for the night. If, however, you wish to continue tonight, I just need a wee bit to eat. I forget sometimes. ^_^ Would it be easier to use the request thread for OOC?? It's already there and all. Just figured I'd ask.))

[ArlenIronison]

((Sure, you first? I forgot where to find it >.<))

[Sinna Mystika]

((It's alright. I've posted in the other one. The one in the request board. I hope you can find it.))

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen awoke in the middle of the night with a slight yawn to see that Kodi had shifted and was now facing him, curled against him and almost clinging to his chest. He couldn't help but smile at her, she looked so beautiful that way. He very carefully detached from her to take a candle that had burnt out on its own into the kitchen. Glad for the cold, his food wouldn't go bad. He walked into the garrage, ignoring the cold tearing at him, he walked to the power box and flipped the switches.

Nothing happened.

Frustrated, he tried each one in a different manner, with similar results. He walked back inside carrying a small generator, and place it in the kitchen. He'd turn it on in the morning to make them something to eat. At that, he returned to the living room, slipping back down to the floor with Kodi, enjoying the warmth of the blanket. He set the candle aside out of reach before settling completely, wrapping an arm around her once again, just watching her sleep for a moment. So beautiful...

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi awoke slowly as the sun rose, finding that she had rolled over in the night to curl against Arlen's chest. She lay there for a moment, enjoying the warmth of his body wrapped around hers. When she felt him stirring, she looked up into his eyes and blinked.

"Well, good morning," she said. She was a morning person. She had annoyed her mother as a child, bouncing around her room at six in the morning, then tearing around the house with her sister as soon as she woke up. Kodi continued looking up at Arlen with a dazzling smile as she leaned back so she could see him better.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen had woken up just moments before Kodi had, and was looking down at her. Seeing her stirring caused him to stir as well, trying to hide that he had been watching her sleep peacefully... beautifully. He smiled back to her, finding one of his hands intertwining with hers.

"Good morning, Kodi." For a moment, he'd forgotten he was going to offer breakfast. He simple couldn't help but enjoy the warmth of being close to someone for once in a long time, gazing down into her soft eyes. "How did you sleep?"

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi looked at their intertwined hands and blushed, but gripped his hand tighter. "I slept well, better than I have in a very long time." She gave a beatific smile and then pulled her hand from his reluctantly. She sat up, stretching and yawning, then turned to Arlen and giggled. "We should do this more often," she quipped.

Kodi sat there for a moment, and studied his face. As handsome as he was by firelight, he looked even better by daylight, having just woken up. He was watching her with a grin on his face, and she suddenly felt self-conscious. She blushed and was about to speak when her belly rumbled, making her turn a deeper shade of red and murmer something about "embarrassing" and "food."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen couldn't help but grin at her as she spoke, a friendly smile. She pulled away to stretch, and hearing her belly, he nodded a bit. "Go on upstairs and in the bathroom, take a shower. I managed to keep the pipes from freezing and I got a generator up last night. The water will be nice. I'll get some breakfast ready for you."

He got up and stretched, himself, before heading into the kitchen to start cooking.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi thanked him, grabbed her bag, and went upstairs. She had found the bathroom the day before as she explored. As she undressed, it occurred to her that she had brought only one change of clothes. She kept several outfits at Amanda's, and hadn't needed to bring extras. She folded her sweater and jeans neatly and sat them on the counter of the sink before running water and climbing into the shower. He used a very masculine smelling shampoo, but she didn't care. She was just glad to have hot water. As she rinsed the soap from her hair, she wondered how she would ever repay him. Stepping out of the shower, she dried herself off and got dressed. She towel-dried her hair and tossed the towel over the rack before going back downstairs to the kitchen. The smells of a hot breakfast were heavenly and she sighed in pleasure as she sat in a chair to watch him cook.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen, it seemed, turned out to be an excellent chef. He had made a stack of pancakes, a plate of sausage and bacon strips, some syrup set off to the side with butter on a dish. He was still cooking, however, leaving whatever he was working on to fix Kodi a plate of food, guessing by her height and how light she felt against him how much she would eat, not to mention she may have not eaten any dinner. Two medium-sized pancakes, four strips of bacon, and three pieces of sausage. Everything else he left in the center of the table with a smile and a wink before he went back to cooking. "Enjoy, the rest is almost done."

With that said, the smell of french toast soon filled the air, not to mention blueberry muffins. The oven beeped and he pulled out the muffins, setting one on Kodi's plate as well as two pieces of french toast. Sitting down, he made himself a slightly larger plate, pouring them both a cup of orange juice and water for later. Smiling still, he began eating shortly after she had.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi looked at the mountain of food and realized just how hungry she was. She had planned on eating once she got to Amanda's, so she hadn't had any lunch or dinner. After eating one of the pancakes and a few strips of bacon, she looked up at Arlen.

"Thank you. This is definitely better than a bagel and a cup of cocoa," she said with a grin. "I don't really bother with breakfast. I was supposed to have lunch at my sister Amanda's yesterday, so I hadn't eaten yet. This is really good.

[ArlenIronison]

"Oh you know, I try." He smiled lightly, taking a bite of and chewing some pancake, swallowing before speaking again. "Enjoy your shower, I hope?" He eyed her lightly, just briefly so not to come off the wrong way; just a nice approving look and a light nod.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi blushed and nodded. "The hot water was just what I needed. The water in my apartment is lukewarm at best. It's been a while since I had a hot shower." She smiled shyly and continued to eat.

[ArlenIronison]

"That's good, that you enjoyed it I mean. Is your water heater broken or something? Or is it just too small to give you the kind of temperature you need? I can help with fixing it easily, but, building a larger one..." He shrugged, taking time to eat some more food, waiting until wiping his lips and swallowing to continue. "...building one takes time. I built my own from scratch, that's why it lasts so long. But it took... Hmm... About a month." He smiles a bit, eating some more, eventually finishing off the rest of the food on his plate. He eyes Kodi's plate a moment. "Still hungry?"

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi leaned back, her stomach full. "No, I couldn't eat another bite, thank you. As for the water," she shrugged. "It's an apartment complex. It's cheap, and it's shelter. I'm never home anyway. I work all day at a daycare center, and then I'm a volunteer teacher at the Adult Education Center in the evenings." She stood up to put her plate in the sink and turned back to him. "What do you do??"

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen smiled. "I do a lot of things. Engineer, Auto Mechanic, Carpenter, Architect. I dabble here and there, managed to get 7 degrees out of College. Took me 5 years." He shrugs, walking over to wrap the rest of the leftover food, rinse off the dishes and put them into a custom dishwasher; no doubt one of his makings. "You in College, or did you go?"

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi nodded. "I got a teaching degree and took a child development course. I've thought about opening my own center, but I can't do that on my salary." She smiled. "Start low, think big!! I'll save money for a few more years and buy a house. I almost have enough for a good-size downpayment. Then I can start a small preschool and daycare. What about you?? Do you run your own business??" Kodi blushed. "Sorry, I'm nosy."

[ArlenIronison]

"Well, it's online, but yea." He shrugs. "I know it doesn't really look like I do, living where I do in a house this size. I have money, but it doesn't mean I have to use it. I have all the space I need." He smiles, patting her hand before walking back into the living room and sitting on his couch. "I hope you slept alright, I know I don't have the most comfortable floor."

[Sinna Mystika]

"Actually I slept great," she said, sitting next to him. "I haven't slept on the floor since my sleepovers when I was a kid. I used to have these pajamas that looked like a tabby cat. I even had the paw-shaped slippers and the headband with the little ears." Kodi giggled. "Oh!! I just remembered!! Do you mind if I wash my clothes??" She suddenly looked embarrassed. "I usually only keep one exta set with me. I only take them in case I break down, but I guess they came in handy this time. I have a drawer at Amanda's, since we wear the same size."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen nodded, smiling still. "Of course, have at it. I don't mind one bit, it's not like I'd make you walk around in dirty clothes for a few days, or however long it takes until your car is fixed and the weather permits." He got up. "Actually, I'll get started on your car." He started for the garrage.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi grabbed her clothes and put them in the washer. She readjusted the settings and pushed the start button, then grabbed her coat. She walked out to the garage to see the extent of the damage on her car. How could he possibly fix it?? Had it not gone through the radiator like she thought?? It would be a relief. A new radiator would mean taking money out of her house fund. Kodi walked up to Arlen.

"Is there any way I can help?? I don't know much about fixing cars, but I could hand you the tools you need or something. I just hate to sit around and do nothing, and I feel like I should do something to repay your kindness. I can't thank you enough."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen had a cart of tools nearby, picking one up and forcing the hood of the car open. The extent of the damage was worse than Kodi had thought, but Arlen didn't seem that worried by it. "Well, radiator's trashed, you need a new belt, I think a piston might need to be replaced, and..." He ducked his head under, pulling loose two parts that were shattered. "..two spark caps. Altogether, it'll cost a lot. You're lucky you crashed into my mailbox; it's free now." He smiles, moving around to remove the hood of the car altogether and get a lift to pull the engine free so it'd be easier to work on.

[Sinna Mystika]

"F-f-free??" Kodi squeaked. "I can't let you do that!! That's way too much money spent on me. You don't even know me!!" Kodi fought back tears as she stood there. Why was he being so nice to her?? She barely knew him and here he was fixing her car. "I.... umm...." Kodi hung her head, trying not to cry. "I can't possibly thank you enough for this. You don't have to, really. At least let me pay you back for the parts, please!!"

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen shook his head, carefully taking apart the engine to get to the shattered piston and remove it with a surmountable amount of effort. "Nope, no need to pay me." He grunts as he pulls the part free, putting it aside as he walks over to a cabinet to pull out a new one. "I don't mind helping at all."

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi sat and watched Arlen as he worked, asking a question here and there, until she got cold. She went inside and pulled out one of her coloring books, the one with teddy bears, and her crayons. She flipped through the book until she found a picture she liked, then started coloring. She got up to get a glass of water after a little while, then returned to her picture.

[ArlenIronison]

It took Arlen several hours to finish fixing the car, but the one thing that was the hardest was the radiator. The one he had wasn't the right size and he had to pull out several tools to adjust it to get it to fit and work properly. After he'd finished, it was at least 6 in the afternoon. He walked back inside while rubbing the grease and oil from his hands. Walking into the living room he smiled. "You gonna be alright? I need a shower, just don't want you to feel too alone." He started for the stairs, leaning on the railing and waiting for her response.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi looked up from her book and smiled. "Go ahead, I'll be alright. I hope you didn't have too much trouble with the car. I used to have a better one, but I wrecked it." Kodi laughed. "That one wasn't my fault. Never go out driving during halftime on the day of the Superbowl."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen chuckled lightly and shook his head. "It wasn't any trouble to work on, actually rather easy. I'll be down in about ten minutes, alright?" He wandered upstairs to go take his shower, glad to have one after fixing the car.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi nodded, but she had already returned to her coloring. She didn't know what else she had to do. Besides. It was only ten minutes. She hummed to herself as she worked, a song her father had sung to her as a child. A somewhat haunting melody, but beautiful. She finished another page in her book, then put it into her bag, along with her crayons. Kodi curled up in front of the fire while she waited. It wouldn't hurt to close her eyes for a few minutes.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen got out of the shower in pretty much ten minutes, but it took him a few more to actually dry off and dress. Once he was done he shook his hair out, towel dried it, then went downstairs. He saw Kodi curled up by the fire, asleep. Smiling, he walks over and grabs a blanket off the couch, sitting down next to her before covering her with the blanket. He wasn't really tired enough to sleep yet, so he just stood there, watching her sleep. She still looked rather beautiful while she slept, and he couldn't help but reach over to brush the hair out of her face.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi startled awake at the feel of a touch against her face, nearly jumping into the fireplace, but catching herself just in time. She blushed and looked at Arlen.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep. It was just so warm and comfy. I wasn't going to sleep, just rest for a moment." She looked at the floor, blushing furiously. She couldn't believe she had done that!! And almost caught herself on fire too!! Could she be any clumsier than she was??

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen had grasped her shoulder when she nearly jumped into the fire, making sure she didn't hurt herself anymore than she needed to. He smiled a bit. "It's alright, you're just tired. I'm sorry it's boring here, but at least your car is fixed, right? Just a matter of snow, now. I checked the weather, looks like we're getting another storm tonight. I hope you don't mind staying longer." He smiled a little, letting go of her shoulder finally as she wasn't endangering herself anymore.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi smiled. She didn't mind staying. She was trying not to sound to eager, but truth be told, she enjoyed his company, and she told him so, promptly turning a deep shade of red. She hated that she embarrassed so easily.

"I just hope I'm no bother to you. I mean, you went to all the trouble of digging my car out and fixing it. Making me breakfast too!! I just feel awful because I can't really help you in anyway to thank you." She looked upset, but tried to smile. She really was grateful.

[ArlenIronison]

"Look, it's alright, Kodi, I don't mind at all. I have all this money and I don't really do anything with it, so it's no big deal fixing your car." He winks lightly, tugging the blanket around her shoulders a little more. "Come on, you look tired. Go ahead and go back to sleep, I'll see you again in the morning, alright?" He smiles warmly, walking over to add some more wood to the fire.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi nodded, already yawning, and went to climb on the couch. No point in risking falling into the fireplace again. It was a nice-sized couch. Roomy enough for her to stretch her legs out if she wanted to, but she curled up in a tiny ball, all but invisible in the blanket. She was asleep before she was even able to say "Good night," though she had intended to.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen smiles at Kodi curling up on the couch, and had the feeling she wouldn't want to be left alone at night. He somewhat childish antics gave him the feeling that if she woke up, she'd like to know someone else was nearby, especially considering she was in some stranger's house no less. So, walking over to his recliner, he grabs his blanket and props the seat open, relaxing and lying back. Before he knew it, he too was asleep.

[Sinna Mystika]

As Kodi awoke, she stretched and yawned. She sat up to look around and noticed that Arlen had slept out here with her. How sweet of him, she thought as she watched him sleep. Kodi quietly got up and walked to the window to look outside. At least it isn't snowing. There's more than enough on the ground now. If it keeps coming down, I may never get to leave. Kodi looked back at Arlen's sleeping form. Though that might not exactly be something I'm objecting to, she thought as she smiled.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen awoke to the feeling that someone was looking at him. Stretching in his seat, he opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep from them to see Kodi standing across the room, at the window. He couldn't help but smile a little at the picture; a young woman as beautiful as she was standing by a window that opened out to a sea of snow beyond. It brought out a lot of Kodi's features that Arlen had noticed before, but he hadn't quite seen them this way before. Still smiling, he pushed the blanket off and kicked the recliner closed, stretched again with a stiffled yawn. He covered his mouth out of habit and manners, sitting up and checking the time. It was still rather early, just before noon. He looked over at Kodi.

"Hey there, Kodi. Sleep well?"

[Sinna Mystika]

"Oh, yes. I slept wonderfully. It has been quite some time since I slept well. I live in the city, you see, and the traffic keeps me very much awake at night."

Kodi smiled at Arlen and then turned back to look at the snow.

"You know," Kodi said. "I love everything about snow except the cold. If it were just warm but somehow frozen it would be perfect."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen smiled, getting out of his chair and stretching on his way over to her. "You know, I've had the same thought before, in the past. It would be nice, but it'd sort of defeat the purpose of snow." He chuckles lightly, winking to her.  Walking up next to her, he looks out at the snow falling lazily about. "At this rate, you could be here for a while... it's already been a couple of days, I'm sorry about that. I hope you're not getting bored out of your mind or anything."

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi laughed. She couldn't help it. She was having the most fun she had had in a while. How often did she get to make new friends with work consuming her time??

"Are you kidding?? I couldn't get bored here. You are an interesting person to talk to. Besides, you don't find my.....habits.....odd. Not many people out there that don't find it odd that a full-grown woman colors in a color book."

[ArlenIronison]

"Well, Art is Art, there's no doubting that. If it's just a line on a piece of paper and in a frame, and someone says it's art, then that's what it is." He smiles, patting her shoulder as he walks towards the kitchen. "Hungry? I'm about to make something really quick." He stretches on his way over, his shirt growing tight over his back to show a hint of muscle under the cloth.

[Sinna Mystika]

"Sure, I'm hungry," Kodi said as he turned toward the kitchen.

As he walked from the room, Kodi couldn't help noticing how well he was built. She stared for a moment, then shook herself.

Kodi, how could you?? He lets you stay here and you ogle him as soon as his back is turned!! She had to admit to herself though, he was quite attractive.

Kodi followed him to the kitchen, hoping to strike up a conversation, but she could think of nothing to say. She just sat and watched him cook. A magnificent sight if she said so herself, and she did. At least to herself.....

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen stood there in his kitchen, moving about constantly and focussing on several different dishes at a time, moving with a sort of expertise. He was able to multi-task on cooking three different things at once - sausage, pancakes, eggs - as well as putting toast in the toaster, and preparing coffee while getting cups, plates, and eating utensils out. "There's not much I can do about making sure the snow is cleared, seeing as I don't really have any room to work with here.  We're buried in pretty bad." He looks over his shoulder, raising a brow at a rather unfamiliar look Kodi was giving him. "What?"

[Sinna Mystika]

"N-nothing," she stammered. "I was, uh, I was just watching you cook is all." Kodi began to reply to what he had said, then realized she didn't remember. "Um, what did you say?? I can't remember."

[ArlenIronison]

"No room to work with? Snow buried us in? We're going to be stuck here for quite a while. Good thing I went to Costco a few days before the storm, huh? We'll be stocked up on food and all that for a couple of weeks, at least." He was still cooking with his back turned to her while he spoke, and he caught that look briefly as he turned, serving her some breakfast. "I'll see what I can do about the phones, at least, so you can contact someone and let them know you're not dead or anything." Arlen smiles warmly, stretching for a moment before seating himself with a plate of food before him.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi ate slowly, not really tasting her food. Why am I so distracted?? I mean he's good looking, yes, but I've seen good looking men before. I just don't understand. It must be the close quarters. She tried to justify her thoughts, but she just couldn't quite believe them. Kodi looked up from her plate. His smile was quite warm, and quite distracting.

"I do need to call my sister. I'm sure she has called every hospital in a fifty-mile radius looking for me. She worries too much sometimes."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen couldn't help but chuckle a little bit at that. "I have a sattelite in the garage somewhere I could hook up and rig it with a phone jack. It'll probably work a bit like radio or something, I'm not sure, but at least it'll let someone know we're not dead." He could tell something was on her mind, she had a distracted look about her. "Something wrong? You look a bit distant there."

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi looked up from her food and smiled. She couldn't tell him all of it, but she could share a little.

"I'm alright, I'm just worried. My sister can get a little crazy sometimes. She is a little overprotective of me. Ever since I was little, he has obsessed over me."

Kodi shrugged.

[ArlenIronison]

"Well," Arlen started, wiping his mouth and getting up, "I should probably get started on that soon. It's already been a couple of days and no doubt she's heard of the storm by now. There's a police station a few miles out, they should pick up a signal I send out with the radio."

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi smiled. He really was quite helpful. She just wished there was a way to pay him back.

"Thank you so much, Arlen. I can't even thank you enough. I feel so useless here. I feel like a burden."

Kodi got up and took the dishes to the sink. It was the least she could do. She started washing as Arlen headed out to the garage.

The dishes were done quickly, and Kodi found herself still in a cleaning mood. Well, there isn't much to clean, but I suppose I could clear the clutter and scrub things up. I'm sure he'll be a while.

Kodi tied her hair back and began looking for a bucket. In no time at all, she had a bucket filled with hot water, bleach, and soap, and had a sponge in hand. She started in the kitchen and worked her way through the house. The only room she didnt clean was Arlen's bedroom. It was his personal space, and she felt it would be rude to invade it.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen smiled and shook his head at Kodi's comment. "You're hardly a burden, don't trouble yourself with it. Make yourself at home, I should be done in a while." He nods to her, walking out into the garage to work on getting the radio to work.

The only problem with that was that the thing was ancient. He'd had it for a really long time, since he liked old technology for some reason. Looking at it, he frowned, having to connect a direct line to the generator, and craft himself a custom phone jack for it to even get some kind of signal.

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi was done cleaning. She hadn't rearranged anything, simply cleaned under it all and put it back. She had even scrubbed the bathroom and kitchen until they sparkled. The only thing she had left was the windows. Kodi looked around for window cleaner and managed to find a bottle that was half full.

She started on the windows, listening to Arlen in the garage. She wished she knew how to do handy things. She was pretty much useless when it came to things like that. Kodi shrugged. At least she could clean pretty well.

After she finished all the windows, Kodi looked around at her work. It looks pretty good if I do say so myself. She chuckled.

"And I do."

[ArlenIronison]

After about an hour of running around his garage looking for the things he needed, he finally managed to get the radio working, and pulled out a really old book looking for the right channels. After a while of searching, he managed to get a connection with the police station down the road.

"Uh, hello?" The chatter went silent after a moment until a man responded.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"This is Arlen Ironison, I live a few miles down from the station. My house is buried pretty bad from the storm that hit a few nights ago." Again there was silence.

"Good to know you're alive down there son. How'd you get this channel?"

"I had a really old radio and got it working again; didn't think I'd need it, but I've got a girl from out of town who I had to shelter since she was nearly buried."

"That doesn't sound good. We'll see if we can't get someone out to get you, but there's no promises. In the meantime, is there anything we can do?"

"Yea, she needs to get in touch with her sister who lives around the city. I'll go get her so you can get a name." Arlen put the radio mic down and went back into the house. "Kodi! I got the radio working, I'm talking with the police. Grab your coat and come on out here!"

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi jumped when she heard Arlen call her out. She had been thinking about nothing in particular, but had been deeply into it. She jumped up off of the couch and ran to grab her coat.

"You got through to someone?? I'm impressed!!" She went out to the garage and looked at the radio. It was.....well it didn't look like much, but it was there. She found it odd that this thing was her link to the outside world. It was a strange feeling. Kodi shook herself and walked over to the radio.

"H-hello??"

"Hello, ma'am?? Could we get your name??"

"Huxton. Dakoda Huxton." She spelled it out for them. "I live in Centralia about an hour west of here. 5749 West Forty-fifth Road. I need to get a message to my older sister, Amanda Renton, in Hendentown. Her number is 3327864453. I need her to know that I am safe, I just wrecked my car up a little bit. If I could get someone to tell her I'm not dead, dying, or freezing in the woods somewhere, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure she's worrying herself half to death."

The radio was silent. Kodi waited.

"Miss Huxton, we can certainly let your sister know that you're safe. Rest easy. Let me be sure I have your information down properly."

He read everything back to her, and with a few corrections, Kodi felt sure her message would get to the right place. She thanked the man and stepped back from the radio.

"Alright. If that's all Mr. Ironison....."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen smiled to Kodi, walking over to grab the mic again. "Ah, actually, do you know how long it'd take you to dig us out? What we have here will only last so long, you know." The other end was silent for a moment, but Arlen didn't panic; he figured the police were trying to give him a proper estimate. But the longer they took, the worse it looked for them.

"Do you think you can hold out for another week? We're still unfreezing the snowplows out here and we have other people to dig out over there." The man almost sounded hesitant in what he was saying, but so would Arlen. How do you ask someone to wait a week to be saved?

"I'm sure we can figure something out, officer. I'll try and keep in touch here." Arlen sighed, putting the mic down. He knew the man wasn't going to ask anything else or say anything important now. One week. Arlen took Kodi by the arm, leading her back inside.

"I'm sorry, Kodi; I bet you wanted to get out of here sooner, but there's nothing I can do. I don't think the police now how serious it is out here; with all the snow, it...." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It'll take longer than a week."

[Sinna Mystika]

Kodi sighed as he led her back inside.

"Well, at least we have somewhere warm to be. I wonder how many people were caught outside in that storm. How many people were trapped away from home." Kodi sighed again. "At least the house is clean. It took a while. I hope you don't mind. I needed something to do, so I did."

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen shrugs indifferently. "I don't mind, I usually don't clean because there's not much to clean. Well... when I clean I sort of get lazy and just organize. Don't clean unless it's noticable." He grins a bit, walking back into the living room and sitting on his couch, leaning back. "Didn't think I'd be so tired..."

[Sinna Mystika]

"Well, I find that when I have nothing much to do, I get tired a lot. It's boredom really. I'll either sleep all day or eat all day. That's why I try to find something to do." Kodi sat down on the other side of the couch so she could look out the window to the road.

The snow still fell softly sometimes, but it wasn't accumulating anymore. The snow in the street was actually starting to melt on top. It would still be a while before it was possible to drive in with anything smaller than a crane, but at least it wasn't getting any worse. That was something to be thankful for. Kodi sighed. At least it's pretty to look at.

Kodi grabbed a couple of her color books and her pencils, and began looking for another page to do. She wanted a springtime picture. Something that wasn't covered in snow. She found a picture she liked and sat on the floor, sitting the book on the coffee table. Kodi began coloring, a look of concentration on her face. This one would have lots of shading and colors. It was going to take a while.

[ArlenIronison]

Arlen was just lounging in a chair, watching her color with a smile on his face. It was sort of childish, especially since she used crayons, but at least the pictures turned out really well. She had a good touch of artistry to her he could tell, seeing as she drew so well with crayons, but the coloring books he just found amusing.

After a while, he felt himself drifting off, and decided to get some more sleep.

[Sinna Mystika]

After a while, Kodi looked up at Arlen. He was sleeping. He looked so.....peaceful when he slept. She smiled and stood up. He didn't look cold, but she figured it would be a nice gesture to get him a blanket. She grabbed one and carefully covered him, so as not to wake him. He stirred, but she didn't think he had woken up.

Kodi sat back down and resumed her coloring, but her concentration was diluted. She was thinking as she colored. Life and it's surprises have a way of hitting you like a ton of feathers. They don't seem significant, but they can hit you hard. She yawned, shook her head, and continued with her picture.

Before long, Kodi was asleep with her head resting on the table.