Cameron relaxed onto the couch, humming softly after he had extinguished the fire. He loved the huge fireplace, even in the summer. Soon (it would be Autumn soon) he'd be able to use it. He was excited; he loved autumn.
"Thank you," He said softly, smiling at her and swishing his wine. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Ava taps her fingers lightly against the glass in her hand. It’s really nice to be able to just relax with someone else. She misses the simple things in life, like enjoying a home cooked meal and a glass of wine. “Thank you for having me over,” She tells him, returning the smile. She had been a little hesitant at first but she’s glad that she stayed.
Cameron hummed softly and curled his legs up into a criss-cross applesauce pose. He smiled warmly, nodding. "You're very welcome. I should really thank you, though," He said with a faint sigh. "I honestly would do anything for you to pay back how kuch money you gave me."
Ava lightly shakes her head. “You don’t have to pay me back for anything. The money was an investment, remember?” She says lightly. She really doesn’t care about any investment. As much as she hates to admit it, she’s gotten kind of attached to Cameron and would hate to see him loose the restaurant. “Besides, I was the one to got your island and oven all shot up.”
Cameron sighed softly and relaxed back into his couch. "I guess you're right, there. But still, thank you very much." He grinned sheepishly at her, sipping his wine for something to distract him from his crippling awkwardness.
Ava drinks about half of her wine, trying desperately to figure out what to say. This is a little awkward but she’s trying her best. She hums quietly to herself as she twists the rings on her fingers. “So….”
Cameron drained about half of his glass and carefully balanced it on his knee. He watched the wine wriggle in the cup, swallowing nervously.
"So, where are you living around here? I haven't seen you around." And you're supposed to be dead…
“I don’t actually live around here, I just walk Kreja in the area sometimes. I live in the less nice part of the city so it’s not surprising that you haven’t seen me around,” Ava tells him, not wanting to admit that she’s living in an abandoned building. It’s not something that she’s proud of.
"Really? Well… I'm sorry to hear that," He said sincerely, knowing from personal experience(s) how dangerous the other side of town could be. Without thinking, he blurted out, "You could live with me if you want. I have an extra room. You wouldn't have to pay rent or anything."
Ava blinks in surprise at his offer. She certainly hadn’t been expecting that. “You don’t have to do that. Where I’m living isn’t really all that bad.” She assures him with a small smile. Despite the high crime rates, she actually doesn’t mind the neighborhood. It keeps her alert and on her toes.
Cameron tilted his head a little. "Are you sure? If we're working together it'd be easier if we were closer. Plus… er… think of your dog," He said with another sheepish grin. There was really no other reason for her to move in with him, but he would rather her be safe than… not.
Wait, what the hell am I thinking? She's just someone who gave me money! Not w lover!
Ava chews on her lower lip, actually considering this when he brings up Kreja. “Are you sure about this?” She asks, not wanting him to come to regret this. The offer is great but she’s just not positive that this is what she should be doing. What if someone finds out that she’s alive and comes after her? That would put him in danger and she would never forgive herself.
"I'm certain," Cam said with a smile at her suddenly thoughtful expression. His previous thought was expelled into the trashcan of his mind as he grabbed his wine to turn towards her. "And I'll make sure you…. stay safe, here." He expressed his other quiet thoughts and knowledge about her to her.
Glancing down to her wine, she thinks this over. There are pros and cons for each option but she ultimately decides that it might be best to accept his offer. Ava looks up sharply when he makes the comment about making sure that she’s safe. How did he know exactly what she was thinking? “I really appreciate this,” She tells him with a small smile, downing the rest of her wine.
Cameron smiled a genuine smile, nodding. "Of course. It's the most I can do to help you out. And assure your safety, you know?" He finished his glass of wine, noticing she finished hers and rising to take it. "Let me get us more wine, okay? I'll let you think about it."
“Thank you,” Ava murmurs, handing over her glass. She hates that she’s even thinking about accepting his offer. Relying on him just isn’t fair. She glances over to him and sighs quietly. If he’s offering, there’s no harm in accepting, right?
Cameron turned his back on her and trotted across the house to the counter where the wine was sitting. He poured the thick red liquid into the cups, nervously inhaling and sighing before going back, a small genuine grin on his face.
When he returns, she accepts the wine from him with a smile. “If you’re positive that you don’t mind, I would love to stay in the extra bedroom,” Ava tells him after a moment of silence. Accepting help is really hard for her to do.
Cameron sat down, still smiling, though it grew at her words. "I'd absolutely love to have you here. I don't mind at all, trust me. Lily will be very happy, too." He sipped at his wine, sitting back into his original pose.
Ava visibly relaxes when he once again confirms that he won’t mind. “Lily is such a sweet girl,” She comments, a genuine smile tugging at her lips. After slightly readjusting her position, she takes a sip of the wine.
Cameron nodded frankly, smiling at the mention of his big teddy bear. "She really is. I'm glad I stumbled across her. She was such a mischievous puppy. It was really hard to train her as she is today," He reflected with a soft sigh.
“Tell me about how you got her,” Ava requests softly, always in the mood for stories involving dogs. She takes a few more sips of the wine before leaning forward and watching Cameron.
Cameron smiled warmly, being teleported back to that rainy day. "I remember the day being miserable. I woke up to cold and rain, and at the time I was going through a divorce. So it wasn't fun for me, and I was lonely. So I decided to go down to my restaurant and enjoy some cooking, and when I walked up the back door was open. I thought it was someone breaking in, so I just steeled myself up and got ready to fight. But I opened the door to find a muddy trail of footsteps– perhaps pawsteps– that led to a small puppy who just wanted shelter from the rain."
Ava listens intently, smiling as Cameron recalls how Lily came into his life. It seems as though the dog meet him when he needed her the most. “That’s sweet,” She hums quietly, unable to keep the smile off of her face.
Cameron chuckled softly. "It was. She came up and greeted me as if she knew me for her entire life. I checked her down and she was just skinny, with no collar. So I picked her up and took her to the vet 'round the corner… and yeah. That's about it. What about you and Kreja?"
Ava’s smile only grows. When he asks about her and Kreja, she pauses for a moment to think. “I was in Russia about a year ago and I had just escaped from the hospital. A couple of nurses were trying to bring me back so I hid in an alleyway. The nurses had gone back to the hospital and I was just about to leave when I heard the most pitiful whining. After looking around I discovered a scrawny ball of fur in the dumpster. Kreja leapt right into my arms and started to try and lick me to death. I couldn’t resist his sweet little face so I took him with me.”
Cameron "awww"ed softly, humming and setting his head back against the wall. He decided not to think about the fact that she had been in Russia. "Dogs are so sweet. Especially our dogs," He said with a laugh. "Oh, jeez… Speaking of them, I hope they're not getting into trouble.
“Dogs really are the best,” Ava agrees whole heartedly. She couldn’t live without her precious little Kreja. “Where are the dogs?” She asks with a quiet laugh as she sits up. The last time she had seen them was when they were begging for scraps. She can only hope that the two haven’t done anything bad.
"Hm, I think they went back outside to enjoy their dinner," Cameron reflected, rubbing his chin. "Well, at least I hope they are. I don't wanna run across town to fetch our dogs out of the ocean or anything."
"Should we go check on them?" Ava questions, glancing over in the direction of the backyard. Chasing after the dogs wouldn't be very fun so she'd like to make sure that they're both still here and safe.