#elira thread.

there was absolutely no chance elira could've seen the person she walks right into with her head down and arms full of groceries fumbling for her keys. the idea of inconveniencing anyone actually manages to spook her more than the face plant straight to the other's chest, a tiny op! escaping her startled little frame as her head snaps up to meet the eyes of her victim. "j-jack!" crap. she's managed to avoid him for weeks now — a great feat considering they live right down the hall from each other — and now he's literally in her face. "i'm so sorry! i wasn't watching where i was going. um, i should — i should get inside quickly, the milk..."

"your cookies... sort of didn't come out the way i think you were hoping..."

the rap she gives to a familiar neighbor's door is quickly answered, door swinging wide open whilst elira was in the midst of fiddling with the top of a food container. "hi! i knew you had evan this weekend and - oh." when she finally looks up, it's not jack who answers the door but a woman she's entirely unfamiliar with. as much as they've spoken about evan's mother, she doesn't actually have a face to a name so she can only assume... "i-i'm so sorry, hi. i'm elira, jack's neighbor."

"mmm well then i will just take it at face value and see where it goes," elira responds in kind, not wanting to put anymore stressors on what life was like together prior. no ill feelings or expectations, just clear intentions on moving forward despite still being linked together in some capacity. "she does tend to pick at it here and there but i don't notice awful behavior. what sorts of things do you feed her at home?" for the most part, whatever his daughter doesn't eat, she just tucks back in her lunchbox. it's curious that jae's not found it upon unpacking her things. a chuckle and she shakes her head, hands resuming to tidying up a few things on her desk. "parent-teacher confidentiality, i'm afraid!"

closed starter for @vvhimsicals

"there is no alternative, that's the point i'm making. it's not a reflection on you that nothing comes out of this." because, again, it's not really mallory's job to ensure that elira was good at all times. the poor girl would just lie to herself into believing that it was until seriously proven otherwise. eyes snap up from the orange she'd been peeling for what seems like ages, the piths of it now scattered all over. "it's not you making me uncomfortable." it was the guy who she effectively sat through a date with all night and had his grubby pawns on her when he shouldn't have. "you know it's not in my nature to be... that." hell, she can't even say it.

"the smell is half the battle! though i suppose even bad cookies can smell good... i hope that's not the case here though," which it very well still could be, not that elira is determined to put herself in a spiral over it. the olive branch has been extended and while there's no beef between them (or really any sort of interaction prior), it's nice to see the other willing to accept the offering. "ah, you don't have to give me anything in return, i promise. it's not like i can eat all of these anyway. i was thinking of giving them to my students for tomorrow but could use a second opinion?"

"i know you do but look at me. i'm fine, aren't i?" externally, sure. there was no chance of getting into any physical altercations; things just didn't go the way she expected. elira's determined never to be a downer for too long, however, though she can't really speak for heechul right now. lips purse and she lifts a gentle hand up to brush his arm. "what has you so riled up? i didn't even realize you were listening in."