good for nothing | calli

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

summer, 2026

THE INCESSANT RINGING OF THE DOORBELL shocked Elijah out of a dead sleep. His eyes pinging open against his will, a great panic seizing him as he rolled out of his rumpled sheets and landed on the ground with a hard thump. Something about the sound of the doorbell had frightened him out of his sleep, awareness just hanging out of his reach as he stood on jellied legs. His eyes sticky with sleep as he rubbed at them roughly. The cracked face of a clock on his bedside read '14:38' and he blinked, as if he'd misread it.

Of course, Eli couldn't wander in disorientated sleep forever. The bell was still ringing - over, and over, and over again. He shook himself, realising that it was a Wednesday, and not a single soul was in the house bar him. There was a reason for that, he realised sleepily, clearing sleepy phlegm from his throat as he scratched his stomach and shook the sleep from his rumpled hair. Shit! He seized up, remembering all at once - and without mercy - that he had invited Calli over to his 'flat'. And of course, he had slept in, she was late, and he still hadn't answered the door.

Skidding on the wooden floor, Eli nearly tripped over a rug as he scattered out of his room at great speed. Arms wheeling and knees knocking, he ambled up the hallway and slid just a foot from the incessant ringing doorway. His ankles knocked together painfully as he collided at full force with the hard wood. Felt the bell ringing stubbornly as he groaned in tired pain. He'd knocked every hard bone he owned against the unrelenting surface, and it felt like it.

Pushing himself off it, Eli undid the lock and slid off the chain with a squinting, grumbling huff. "Calli! Okay, the bell works!" He half-laughed, pulling the door open to glare at his sister haughtily. "In my defence, I slept in, but you're late." He muttered sheepishly, stepping out of the way to allow her access. For a moment, once the disorientation had lifted, he'd thought Calli would simply knock her way through the nearest wall if he hadn't answered. It was quite plausible. 

calliope ivory fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

FUCK, FREEDOM FELT GOOD. IT had only been a few months since Calliope moved out of her family home for good as well as the start of her Magizoologist apprenticeship all over again. She didn't mind starting from scratch, especially since things had changed from when she first initially started. Along with all the recent events, which affected her siblings and seemingly everyone across the UK, Calliope's life was pretty much...Good. She even...Even had a girlfriend. Girlfriend? Person she consistently went on dates with? Even the middle Fleming remained unsure of what to call her relationship with Cara ever since her dinner date with the Bainbridge in her new apartment.

Calliope had stopped by to see Cara at work before her arranged plans with her younger brother Eli. It was the first time she would see her brother's flat alongside whatever friends he had. But with the complete wet-wipe that the Metamorphmagus was - head over heels for this girl - made her extremely late when arriving at her brother's home. In fairness, she hadn't heard any call or text from the younger Fleming, so it was safe to say he had either slept in, or had completely forgotten about the day. Regardless, when the Fleming apparated nearby, yellow streaks took over Calliope's hair as she was suddenly fuelled with excitement.

Walking up to the address she had scribbled on crumpled paper just days before, Calliope began pushing at the bell over and over again, knowing it would catch Eli's attention and probably every other neighbour that had wandering ears and eyes. The more she pushed the button however, the more different shades and colours took over her features, going from excitement to anxiety that her brother wasn't home, sudden sadness that he had forgotten and right back to warmth and excitement because of her time with Cara. Merlin, she was a lovesick fool.

Hearing some tumbling noises from within the home, Calliope continued to aggressively push the bell until the door swung open and there stood her brother. Her lips grew into a wide grin there and as she ignored his words, stepping in once she was granted access, the Fleming waited for Eli to close the door before hugging him tightly - a giggle leaving her lips. "Eli. Please tell me today isn't a dream." She quickly released Eli from her tight embrace, not wanting to hear his squabbles or complaints that she was too rough and instead decided to ruffle his bed-head. Before swatting his arm shortly after of course. "Idiot. You should've called me anyway. Cara had to literally throw me out of the store because I was late."

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

hopefully this works!!

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

summer, 2026

THE DOOR WRENCHED OPEN, ELI HAD JUST A moment to register Calli's riot of colour as it rippled like a blistering sunset. The next thing he was tackled as she wrapped skinny, but sinisterly strong, arms around him in a crushing hug. He hugged her back with the same enthusiasm, cinching her ribs until it hurt a little bit and smacking her back as he let go with a joyous laugh. Calli had a way of brightening every room she entered, Eli had always envied her for it. "How can I call when I'm sleeping?" He croaked through a sleepy throat. 

Swatting Calli's ruffling hand from his sleep tangled hair, Eli whined like a disgruntled cat as he pawed it back into submission. "How is the love of your life?" He quirked his brows at her playfully, giving her a gentle shove into the console table in the hallway as he passed her on his way to the kitchen. She had that sunny yellow look about her, features shifting to fit her riotous mood. "Tea?" He offered merrily, flicking the kettle on in the cluttered kitchen. He tipped a couple of scattered, nearby dishes into the sink with a casual busyness. Nothing was every tidy for long in a house full of young adults of varying competence.

Eli's tea was a bit of a disaster, and he squinted into the row of cannisters in mild confusion before he looked up at Calli. "Actually..." His smile was almost bashful, curling his chin into his rumpled t-shirt as he chanced his luck. "Maybe you should make it," He turned against the counter and gestured towards the kettle and containers hopefully. "I am, after all, your baby brother." He pressed a hand against his chest with a pouted bottom lip. 

calliope ivory fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

AS CALLIOPE RELEASED HER BROTHER from the tight hug they shared and stepped inside without hesitation, Cal tutted at her brothers response. "Excuses, excuses! At this point you should know I'll always be on time." The Metamorphmagus was...somewhat infamously known for her terrible punctuality but it was something she was working on, especially now she had someone she couldn't imagine standing up. At the question of Cara as well as a playful shove from Eli, Cal's lips parted, ready to insult him before her cheeks flushed red instead. Cara was always on Calliope's mind, no matter how much the Fleming denied it. She simply couldn't stop thinking about her.

"She's...Good actually. Working still but its nice seeing her smile get all big when I visit her...Or when her cheeks go this pink colour.." Cal trailed off a bit, happy with the thoughts in her mind until Eli's request brought her back to reality. Every time her younger brother would offer the drink, the request was always followed by 'maybe you should make it'.

And that's how the middle Fleming became the designated tea-maker of the family. Walking towards the mess of the kitchen as her brother spoke, Cal raised her hand to hit the back of Eli's head, shooing him out of the way to prep the tea, waiting for the kettle to finish boiling. "You may be my baby brother but you're also a pain in the ass." Cal grinned, popping open the containers.

"How many of you even live here?..And did you all just magically forget how to clean up after yourselves?.." Cal knew she sounded like their older sister, especially since Temp always had an issue with even a speck of dirt. At least, that's how it felt. "Don't ever bring Temp here." The Metamorphmagus stated, lips turning upwards into a smirk while her hands got to work, making tea.

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

sorry for the wait!

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

summer, 2026

ELI SNORTED HIS REPLY TO CALLI AS HE PADDED down the hallway towards the kitchen. If there was one thing acutely reliable about his big sister, it was that she was going to be late. He'd never minded, Eli barely understood time as a concept as it was. They were well matched in that respect. As the kitchen provided new light, Eli cast Calli a look over his shoulder and saw the pink fading from her cheeks and the tips of her hair. He lifted his brows and flashes a toothy, teasing grin.

"That's... disgusting." Eli muttered, still grinning as he smacked her on the shoulder and turned toward the haphazard stacks of tea boxes and tins. An array of flavours and brands. "I'm happy for you, I think," He added distractedly, opening a box with berries on the front to sniff experimentally. "You told dad yet?" He knew the answer before he'd even said so, nobody told dad anything. He had an offhand, negative opinion about everything most days. Pets, cooking, life. Anything their father learned was entirely against their will.

Accepting the swat to his shoulder, Eli flinched and replaced himself on the nearest counter. Shifting a few errant pieces of detritus before he turned and hopped on top of it. Close enough to examine Calli's careful tea composing, but far enough away that he wasn't in her way. The kettle rumbled as it was set to boil. "That's what I'm here for." He told her with a hand pressed to his chest, that was in no way anywhere near his heart.

"Uh..." Eli was momentarily stumped by her question, his eyes casting around the kitchen and thinking it didn't look that messy to him. "Four, five?" He screwed his face up and shrugged carelessly, thinking their flat looked more 'lived in' than anywhere he'd lived. He loved it with a ferocity that neared madness. "It kind of depends on the day." He lifted one leg up to catch his heel on the counters edge, wrapping an arm around it to keep it in place. "I think it looks great." But his nose scrunched at the thought of Temp crashing into the front hallway, commenting on the stacks of dirty shoes and unopened mail. The collection of take out menus pinned to an empty frame. He snorted at the chaos of the thought, she'd surely drop dead. "Why do you think I go home every week?" He joked, lifting his brows and leaning his chin against his knee lazily. 

calliope ivory fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

WHILE CALLIOPE DIDN'T EXPECT HER brother to pick up upon the flushed colour of her cheeks, she simply knew to expect some kind of teasing out of Eli. Any minor crush Calliope had on anyone in her younger days was always met with a quiet hum from Temp and a shit-ton of teasing words from Eli. No wonder why he was the shit-head of the Flemings. But he was just as loveable as the next sibling. The smack on her shoulder was met with a slight yelp and a jump out of Cal, resulting in the older Fleming swatting and hitting at Eli's back. "Shut up. We're not even..together-together..yet..I think?.." Cal sighed then, wondering exactly when she would get out of this confusing hump of a situation-ship?..relationship?..between herself and Cara.

At the mention of their father, Cal's hair soon stripped itself of all pink and light hues and instead turned fairly dark. "There's no need to." She bluntly answered. Cal didn't have the best relationship with their father, as all of the siblings knew, especially since the metamorphmagus felt like she was giving up the most in order to support the other members of the family. Of course, Temp would probably argue that statement, but when didn't Cal and Temp argue. As the kettle finished boiling, Calliope went ahead, lifting it up and pouring the water in a slight swirl. It always felt satisfying to do so. "True." She smiled, looking up and over at him. "Milk?" She questioned, wondering if there was any in the house before she went ahead to go check and only be left with disappointment.

As Eli trailed off, finding the answer to her question, Cal's eyes widened while she used her magic to steep the tea correctly, before turning to face her mess of a brother. "You don't know...How many people are living here?" She questioned, folding her arms while she laughed quietly at his addition of a response. "That's even worse than me couch hopping." Cal snorted then, looking over at the state of the hallway and then the kitchen once more before shaking her head.

It was sad to say, but the elder Fleming had actually seen worse. "You know she'd have a heart attack the moment she steps through the door right?" Turning back to their tea, Calliope rid the mugs of the tea-bags and reached out for the sugar. "No but really..How many people live here? Any cute girls?..Or guys? What are you into again?"

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

summer, 2026

DONNING HIS BEST SMARMY EXPRESSION OF manufactured belief, Eli nodded exaggeratedly and pinched his mouth so as not to laugh. He expected Calli would be fast in loose with her slapping hands if he did laugh as he wanted to. Her stuttered defence only proving his point all the more. "If you say so." He muttered after a moment, his grin pulled down at the corners in an effort to stave it off. Unable to help himself, he reached over and poked at her flushed cheek before scooting away for his own well being.

"I guess," He muttered, knowing he'd stepped on a land mine by mentioning their dad. He understood why Calli didn't care much for him, more than most. He never pushed her to visit, or take pity, like Temp. To find that elusive 'perspective' that was often mentioned. But, he still felt a well of guilt when she shrivelled under his name. He wondered if Calli felt it too, looking down at his knees with a frown. He hated the tension it shrouded them in, regretted mentioning it all when the visit was so welcome. When he was so at home in his own unkempt space.

"A little." He told her, feeling the tension ease as tea preferences was exchanged. It was the perfect segue from the darker shades of their conversations, Eli took it eagerly, grinning with fresh abandon. "Not really," He shrugged, as if not knowing how many people lived in their flat was entirely normal. It was true, Eli didn't even remember if he was officially on the lease yet. He just paid his rent, almost always on time, and slipped into Cordie's room whenever he could get away with it. "Are you still... doing that?" He asked with a slight frown, his cheek lifting as his face screwed up. "I could ask Cord if there's a room?" Though he loved his sister, he offered this with great reluctance.

"I told her I moved out." He revealed in a rush, watching the way Calli's eyes scanned the various heaps of coats and unopened mail. "She'll probably turn up uninvited sometime." He shrugged again, somewhat unfazed by the prospect. That was Temp's problem, and he'd take the heat when the time came for it. He was just too content to worry about something that hadn't happened yet. "I mean..." Eli leaned against the cupboard behind him with a sigh. "There's Blair and Jacob was here for a while. And..." He cleared his throat, wringing his hands restlessly. "I mean, it was Cordie's mom who found the place." He averted his gaze guiltily. "She sort of got me the room..." 

calliope ivory fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

NOTICING HOW ELI WAS READY to burst into laughter, Calliope's eyes narrowed at her slightly taller, younger brother, taking into account how his lips pinched together as if he were holding it back. Just as Calliope was about to respond, she felt the poking against her cheek which only lead to her entire face flushing red and her hands raising in protest to slap at her brothers arm. "Oi!" She exclaimed as she managed to land a few hits, followed with a few giggles. It was true in..some sense at least, the two - being Cal and Cara - hadn't sat down to discuss...What it was they were. Well, they were truthfully dating one another.

"Hey." She began with a slight nudge, trying to relieve the tension that was brought around from the simple mention of their fathers name. "It's okay..You don't need to feel bad for anything. If you do feel bad that is." She added, trying to widen her smile simply to reassure him. Nodding as he replied, Calliope put down the sugar tin and went to the fridge to fetch the milk. With only one half-full pint bottle resting inside, Cal opened it up, giving it a quick smell for analysis. Staring down the small pouring hole, the metamorphmagus gave the bottle a small swirl and then lifted it in her brother's direction - not trusting her own judgement. "This smells okay right?" Oddly enough, smell wasn't one of Calliope's strong points.

With widened eyes and a quick colour change in the elder Fleming's eyes to signify her worry, Calliope cocked her head to the side slightly before repeating Eli's words. "Not really? Eli..What if you're living alongside a murderer?" She knew her brother was a lighthead in...certain cases, but Cal highly doubted her brother would overlook such an important factor. "I know you're...Slightly stupid but. Come on." Grinning cheekily, Cal continued to make her brothers tea, adding in a small fraction of milk before lifting up the tin she assumed had sugar inside. She then waved it his way with her eyebrows raised, silently asking if he wanted any.

Furrowing her brows as the discussion focused on Cal's couch hopping, the older Fleming let out a quiet laugh while her hair resembled her confusion mixed with amusement. "Didn't...I tell you I moved out? Winter just gone. Apartment in London..?" It clicked then, once Cal realised she hadn't actually invited any of her siblings over to visit. She had only brought Cara back and offered for her girlfriend-not-so-girlfriend to stay over. "I had a huge argument with Temp over it since she was working out bills and such..But I even managed to pick up my apprenticeship again."

"Oh?" She responded, nodding as she added some sugar to her own tea. "How..did she take it?" Cal could relate with being the bearer of bad news for her sister, especially since she moved out so quickly after finding the apartment. The elder Fleming liked to believe she was lucky, as during winter, things seemed to just..fall into place for her. Noticing how her brother cleared his throat and how his hands moved, Cal couldn't help but smile as Eli spoke about this 'Cordie' girl. "You like her, huh?" It was obvious, from the nickname Cal assumed Eli either made for her - or the girl requested to go by - and even the way he trailed off about her.

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

summer, 2026

FOLDING HIMSELF INTO THE SMALLEST OF targets, Eli laughed raucously through his arms as he was slapped more than once. Calli had defaulted to defence mode, but it was all in good fun. When she ceased, he waited a moment before lowering his arms and snickering as he rubbed the red from his skin. "I didn't say anything..." He snorted, eyes wide with a weak innocence. It wasn't like Calli to consider anything serious. She was a great believer in Ultimate Independence. Which Eli was pretty sure was just code for 'commitment-phobic'.

The nudge came in the ensuing bitter silence, Eli's face a little tight around the edges. Calli could cut a scene like a golden actress, but she could also sense Eli's hesitation like a Grindylow sensed blood in the water. He sniffed once, forcing an easy smile and only failing a little bit. "I know." He reassured her. "I know." He repeated, a little quieter, but also a little easier. They didn't fight about dad, that was more Calli and Temp's speed.

As she retrieved the milk with the ease of a tenant, Eli grinned as he leaned back against the counters. His smile only growing as she looked on suspiciously, before offering him the spout. He leaned forward without hesitation, getting a great big whiff before nodding his head once. "Smells like milk." He told her, leaning back with a little laugh. It was like old times, crowded around the kitchen table while they made Frankenstein's Cereal. Which was just a bowl full of every box they had at hand. He was the lab rat to every experiment Calli could think of.

Watching Calli's appearance change almost against her will, Eli frowned with good humour. She seemed genuinely concerned for a beat, but he didn't as he pulled himself up onto the counter with a sigh. "I haven't died yet, have I?" He asked her, hands held wide as if to double check he was in fact a corporeal being. "It's all pretty above board." He shrugged loosely, turning a head to yawn into his shoulder lazily. "I mean, I think so..." He drawled, almost as if to test Calli's patience even more. After a beat, he let out a bark of laughter and kicked out his socked foot to knock against her thigh. "I'm fine." He promised her. "Cordie is very reliable."

Eli watched Calli's appearance shift as her rapid thoughts did. From a dull concern, to a bright confusion as her mind whirled at top speed. He missed that, the way he could tell exactly how she was feeling just by the colour of her hair and eyes. The sharp shape of her mouth. It was so unbelievably comforting that he felt it ache in his chest. "Hm...." Eli tilted his head, leaning it back against the cupboard behind him. "Nope." He popped the p without worry, knowing that neither of them were in any way reliable at relaying important milestones. "Is it nice?" He asked her with a happy lift of his brows. "Can I come stay sometime?" His smile only dimmed as he recalled his own conversation with Temp, not quite so explosive, but equally distressing. Birds fleeing a crumbling nest.

"She... took it." He replied, picking a the vinyl on the counters with a blunt thumb nail, chin to chest. Temp hadn't appeared impressed by his hasty lodgings, but she hadn't come around to check it yet, which he supposed was a bonus. It was only a matter of time, though. "Sometimes..." Eli cleared his throat, lifting his gaze, but not his head. Looking at Calli through a canopy of shaggy dark hair. "I think she thinks we're running away." He licked his lips, scrunching his nose before scoffing. "Stupid." He mumbled, unsure if he was calling himself or the idea stupid.

Lifting his knees to his chest, he settled his socked feet on the edge of the counter and his chin on his knee caps. Arms holding him steady as he watched Calli from over the top. It was comfortable, but also an effort to hide the flush rushing up his chest and neck as she caught him in a trap. He pressed his lips together, almost refusing to answer before he drew in a breath of confidence. "Yeah," He confessed, trying to be casual as he turned his cheek onto his knee and rubbed the skin until it stretched. "Yeah, I suppose I do." 

calliope ivory fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

SNORTING ALONG WITH HER BROTHER, Calliope's lips grew into a wide grin. Like herself, her brother was mischievous, an absolute shit-stirrer when it was necessary, but it was one of the reasons as to why they bonded so well. Although Calliope loved all her siblings in their respective areas, she felt she could turn to and discuss even the most random topics with Eli. "Your smile and eyes say otherwise!" She countered, ready to attack again if necessary. While his reassurance regarding their father felt weak, Calliope knew it was better to let it pass rather than press on about it. Telling their father almost anything was like treading across enemy territory, it was difficult to do.

Rolling her eyes at his response, Calliope went ahead away and made their drinks. There were times that the Fleming realised, for an American, she loved drinking tea. She finally saw the appeal in it despite having lived in England for a few years now. "Thanks Sherlock." She decided to add, using the spoons to give their drinks a stir. Adding in the remainder, including a few extra sugars for herself, the older Fleming turned to Eli, her expression still sour at his lack of judgement. "Alive or not, you still have no idea what most of these people get up to in their daily lives.." Calliope's eyes flickered around her for a moment as she lowered her voice. "Especially if they're doing shady business.."

Clearing her throat, Calliope rose her hand anyway to flick at her brother's forehead, a punishment of some sorts for his terrible choices. "I'd love to meet this..Cordie..See if I get the same vibe you're getting." Cal added as she grinned, handing over his tea. As her hair shifted once more, somewhat relieved that Eli wasn't upset for letting an important detail - like moving out of your family home - slip away from their monthly or bi-monthly updates, the metamorphmagus grinned. Eyes shifting through colour hues as they lit up while her hair lightened also. "Yep and of course..I'll pull out the best air mattress that London has to offer" Like herself, Cal knew Eli was fine sleeping anywhere with a roof over their heads.

"Hm." She muttered quietly, sipping on her tea as she recalled her own argument with Temp. Explosive and loud were the first words that came to mind alongside various other pieces of vocabulary...As Eli lifted his gaze, Calliope felt herself frown as Eli spoke. "No..It's not stupid.." She began, leaning against the side of the counter. "And you're not far off either..That was the whole gist of our argument..Holding onto a broken family when we're already piecing apart..No one wanted to be there after Mom left..And we all know it." It was something Temp couldn't understand, nor did she want to understand. Or at least that's what Calliope thought so.

Ruffling her brothers hair while she sipped on her tea some more, the older Fleming smiled down at her brother as she waited for his response. "Eli's got a cruuuush" She teased, grinning from ear to ear. "Is she pretty? Quiet? Talkative? Can I meet her? Blonde? Brunette? Short? Tall? Can I meet her?" Bombarding Eli with questions and requests only felt fair, considering he had done it regarding Cara.

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

summer, 2026

AS MUCH AS IT WAS AN INTRUSION OF THE highest degree, it was nice, Eli thought. Unable to hide his raucous smile as Calli waltzed around his kitchen as if she owned the place. Eli shrugging her off like old times, making no effort to hide his knowing grin as he let her make their tea and tell him off like she was any better.

He crossed his arms, giving her a long and humorous look over the top. She could say all she wanted, but Calli wasn't really the type of sibling he took criticism from. He wasn't even offended by her accusations, scoffing as he shook his head. "Calli, you've seen more hostels than I've seen 'shady business'." He crooked his fingers in air quotes over the phrase, finishing it with a bark of laughter. "I mean, didn't you sofa surf for like a year?"

Pulling himself onto the counter, he got comfortable as Calli squinted at him. She was almost worse than he was when she got an idea. The tips of her hair changed to reflect her suspicion and he snorted. "You'll meet her." He placated, batting her flicking finger away from his face with a wrinkle in his nose. It was sweet, he reasoned deep down. How keen she was to meet someone he considered pretty important. Alas, Calli was a fizzed up bottle of pop and Eli knew it would take military precision to introduce the two without the whole thing scarring Cordie for years to come.

The shift in topic was jarring, but Eli couldn't blame Calli for her lingering resentments. He thought maybe it was the thing that bonded them most as adults. Unfortunately, Eli also felt sick with guilt. He wondered often if he understood Temp deep down, why she tried so hard to preserve something he and Calli considered lost. "It's not like we all had a choice though," He sniffed, eager to change the subject to lighter matters. "But it doesn't matter, we're not there anymore." He smiled, brighter than perhaps was necessary, but in a last ditch attempt to convey how much he didn't want to talk about it.

Knees to his chest, Eli unwrapped one arm to cradle his mug of tea. He took a tentative sip, preparing for the worst but finding himself pleasantly surprised. She made a better cup of tea than he could ever make. He licked his lips and tried not to blush as she prodded at him incessantly. "Would you leave off?" He swung an arm out at her in a quest to land home, but caught air. His eyes roved around the room, eyeing the doorway for fear of someone overhearing. "Stop it or I'll never let you meet her ever!" He scowled, embarrassed and red faced.

He abandoned his tea and hopped from the counter and snatched a tea towel from the counter, flicking it out to hit her with in retribution. "What does your crush look like, huh?" Eli's tongue caught between his teeth with mischief. "I mean, I already know that her cheeks go all pink when she smiles..." He crowed in an imitation of his sisters simpering voice as he pawed at his own cheeks dramatically. 

calliope ivory fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

KNOWING SHE WOULD HAVE TO prod and poke a little further for some juicy information out of her brother, Calliope couldn't help but laugh at how wide Eli's grin grew. She remembered the good old days of being in love (there was no good old days), how cool she played it off (by being incredibly red and shy), and how calm she remained around her crushes (she avoided all of them except Cara since it was easier to admire her while being with her). Stirring and fixing at their teas, Cal's brow rose at her brother's response, eyes rolling as his hands rose to form air quotes. "More like a year and a half.." She muttered before clearing her throat and turning to face him. "What matters is..I have a place to call home and so do you! So cheers to us."

As her brother moved, snorting at her suspicious response, Cal's hair returned to its usual colour while her eyes lit up. "That's more like it." She grinned, having another sip of her tea. Calliope herself couldn't recall if she had even introduced Cara to any of her family members, but given how each of them were all over the place - with their own kids of issues no less - the slightly older Fleming was in no rush to do so. Not meaning for the conversation to darken, the feeling of regret reflected upon Calliope's features - until Eli changed the topic, lightening the mood somehow.

"Right! Right. Onto bigger and better things no doubt." Despite the fact that Calliope was seemingly..avoiding their sister. But that was a different story for another day. Laughing as he swung an arm in her direction, Cal couldn't help but snort here or there. Although a loud gasp filled the room while she rose a hand to her chest - with a dramatic flair and of course another hair colour change. "You could never do that to me! You wouldn't!" Grinning to show she was joking, the metamorphmagus' hand rose, gently pinching at Eli's reddened cheek.

Squeaking as the tea towel was flicked her way, Cal took a few steps back to avoid the feeling. But like her brother, Calliope's cheeks flushed, her hair and eyes shifting through colours as she was just as embarrassed "Oi!" She began, reaching forward to grab the tea towel off of him. "I don't talk like that! Nor..nor have I ever said anything like that.." Yet the truth was, she absolutely had done.

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

summer, 2026

ELI TRIED TO REMEMBER IF CALLI HAD ALWAYS been like that. She was always smiling sure, but so was he. This was different, though, he mused internally. Like his sister had changed just enough to warrant a squint of the eye. Eli worried it was some kind of cover up, a patch on a wound that threatened to burst. He didn't worry much, though, it wasn't in his nature. Instead, he grinned openly at her deflection and gave a loose, reluctant nod. "'Suppose." He muttered, feeling like somehow she'd won another sparring session without hardly even trying. "Cheers." He shook his head, trying to dampen his urge to laugh and failing cheerfully.

Calli seemed shifty as she agreed with him. As if it went against her better nature to back off from Temp without biting down. Eli didn't want to fight with her about something he mostly agreed with her about. And he let it lie, like a little festering blister between them. Wondering if Calli thought he sided with Temp, or worse their father. And remembering quite abruptly that the notion was ridiculous, because he was often always on her side. Even when he shouldn't have been.

Eli rolled his shoulder away from her after swiping out, laughing as she pleaded with him. "I would!" He promised, but his words were dripping with laughter and teasing. He couldn't avoid Calli if she tried, he reckoned if he did she'd camp out in his living room. Which would certainly scare Cordie off. But it was good, it was easy, to tease his sister like they were still hapless children.

The tea towel was soon gripped in a tug of war, Eli bracing his feet on the cupboard below his feet and Calli's hair doing a great circuit of the rainbow as she blushed a furious red. He felt himself slipping from the counter, and tugged once only to find himself yanked from the top and flailing on the floor with a hard thud. He was laughing uproariously, clutching as his stomach as he rolled onto his back and lay there on the tiles. "God, your face!" He was crowing, eyes cinched shut. "If I could send your girlriend a snapshot right now, I would!" He rattled on, a rolling mess on the communal kitchen floor. 

calliope ivory fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[calliope ivory fleming]

━ if you ain't busy take a walk with me ━

THERE WASN'T A THOUGHT IN Calliope's mind that would draw her to believe Eli would side or agree with their fathers or sister's ridiculous opinions. Temp was of course, not as bad as their father, but sometimes she drew the line and then stepped over it. It was one of the many reasons why the metamorphmagus had to escape in her own sense. That and..many..many other reasons.

As Eli continued to laugh, announcing that he would hide this potential crush from her, Cal laughed also, knowing he was already joking. "You love me too much to ever do that! Plus, I'm literally the best person to introduce someone to. With my many talents of course." Placing her tea down then, Calliope let her features fluctuate and change, as if her ability were some kind of party trick.

Despite being painfully red and brighter than a tomato, the older Fleming laughed even louder as Eli was met with the floor following their little tea-towel fight. Calliope's arms wrapped around herself as she felt her stomach contracting, the pain coming from her laughing incredibly hard. "Shut up!!" She managed, essentially whining through her laughs.

Breathing a little to prevent herself from laughing just as hard, Cal held onto the counter, her smile thinning just a little. "Not to be a downer here but..she really isn't my girlfriend..And I'm starting to think maybe I'm the problem.."

| Elijah Theron Fleming |

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

summer, 2026

THE CHILLED TILE NIPPED ELI'S SKIN THROUGH his paper thin cotton t-shirt, but he didn't mind. Knees bent and one arm slung over his face as he cackled happily. It was just like Calli to come bursting into his new flat and cheer him up. He had been pretty miserable, knee deep in creature manure with a mentor who thought he had rocks for a brain. And Cordie, the girl he couldn't even bear to invite for a coffee date, never mind tell her that he was miserably infatuated with her. It was all a bit of a mess, but at least he wasn't living at home.

Eli's laughter tapered out and he peeked from under his arm as Calli went from cheerful teasing to an almost sombre silence. He watched her face shift, the features seeming to shimmer with uncertainty and a deep set misery. Her eyes flickering from blue, to green, to brown. He pulled his arm away, his smile still pressed to his lips, but fading gently as he watched her settle on her words. He cleared his throat, frowning at the ceiling momentarily as he tried to think of something to say, something helpful. 

Instead, Eli reached up silently and tugged on her sleeve, pulling her down onto the tile beside him so that they could lay side by side. Splayed out on the cool tile, just their messy heads of hair touched at the crown as they lay like two points of a crooked star. After a moment, he hooked his arm with Calli's and set his palm flat on his belly.

"Cordie's not my girlfriend. I just... keep sleeping on her floor hoping she'll just... forget that we're not actually together." Eli whispered, coughing a bitter sort of laugh, it didn't suit him much. He rubbed at his nose restlessly with his free hand. "It's pretty pathetic actually, she's way too good for me." He turned his chin to see Calli's peripheral, to see what her morphing face would tell him before her mouth did. "Everybody already sort of knows it."

calliope ivory fleming

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!