Sweets to the Sweet Tooth {Sunny&&Julian}

[MARLENA CARTWRIGHT]

Marlena had a sweet tooth on this particular sunny day. Her next class wasn't for another two hours, so she had time to go get something. She would have invited Cleo, since she was so nice and took care of her when she had tumbled down the stairs, but she had left her phone at home and didn't know how to navigate the dorms ar Barrie. She had tried before, and gotten herself terribly lost. It wasn't her fault that nearly every door looked the same! But she didn't need to go to the dorms. She needed to get something delicious and sweet and maybe cold since it was bit of a warm day. Though there was a slight breeze, so she pulled her cardigan closer as she made her way to the bakery nearby.

It was impossible to have Cleo as a close friend and not been to Gingey's. Everyone and thier mother had to know that that was her favorite sweet shop. And it was slowly becoming Marlena's. She didn't eat sweets as often as it one would think a girl like her would, though that was only by personality. She was definitely skinny enough for one to say that she didn't eat at all, but she really did. She just couldn't gain any weight. Eternally thin wasn't as nice as it sounded, though she was sure any model would kill for her build. Though, no model would eat what she was about to order, she was sure.

"May I please get an ice cream cone with one scoop of vanilla, one of strawberry, and sprinkles please?" Even though her voice was rather quiet, as it was when talking to any stranger, the worker seemed to hear her. Marlena didn't really enjoy repeating herself all that much. While her order was being prepared, she turned around and looked at the other customers to relieve some boredom. As usual, most of them were taller than her, and it didn't help that she was wearing flats. She brushed a stray piece of hair away from her face and scanned the faces, almost expecting someone in particular to be in one of them.

He wasn't.

Julian wouldn't be here. That's silly.

That small part of her mind mad he slump, upset at the logic it had. No, that would be too much of a coincidence, and coincidences didn't happen much in real life. Everything in real life happened for a reason, and because of people's choices, right? Fate was just a way that people rationalized things. That's what her brother said sometimes, anyways. When she saw him, at least. He wasn't around much anymore, but that was okay. She liked being alone. Or, at least, she used to, before she met Julian Sorensen.

Honestly, she didn't know how she felt about him. It was a mixture between confusing and unknown, and she almost hated it. The odd thing was that she couldn't hate it, because it had to do with Julian. And she found herself not even hating the frustration he caused her, and it frustrated her further. It was so new and confusing and... and...

"Miss, your order's ready."

She turned back around, handed the cashier her money, and took the ice cream. The only empty table was in the center of the bakery. Oh, she disliked being caught in the middle of things... Wait, maybe it was a metaphor from a higher power? No, that didn't make sense. Nothing about this made sense, and now all her thoughts were jumbled again.

Another weird thing. Usually her thoughts were only jumbled when the subjects of death or her father were brought up. Now, anything remotely related to Julian sent her mind into a spiral. Which was highly unpleaseant because everything reminded her of Julian, it seemed.

Okay, Marlena, just don't think about anything until you finish your ice cream. It's melting.

The reasonable part of her brain's plan would have worked in theory, but now she couldn't begin to eat her ice cream. This was all so much more important.

[/justify]

OUTFIT!

[CECILIE 'SUNNY' SORENSEN]

Tøj af en lille kæreste!

Cecilie had one of those faces. One of those faces that would break your heart quicker than a Sarah McLachlan commercial. She had round, brown, eyes that worked magic, cute little dimples, and a constant expression of hapless innocence. In a way she understood this natural born power, and she used it in very 'Can't we all just get along' type ways. It was a rare moment when Cecilie did not get exactly what she wanted. Yet, in other ways, she was just as innocent and hapless as her face expressed. She was a people pleaser, through and through, and just wanted to make those she loved happy. That was why she dressed like an over sized porcelain doll, as she was today. It pleased her Dad, to dress like a little lady, instead of in... trousers.

Today she wore a yellow dress with white little polka dots. It reached her knees, and was given more body by a white crinoline beneath. Though it was halter cut, it left no cleavage exposed, and she still wore a white cardigan over it. Her yellow head band and little flower ring matched perfect, though both were covered by her winter gear. As she walked down the street, she had dawned a double breasted coat that was made of heather gray wool. It left a solid three inches of her dress exposed at the hem, but otherwise covered the dress effectively, shielding her from cold. On her hands were dainty winter gloves, with gray bows , and on her head a black beret that served no purpose beyond matching the rest of her attire. Though snow shoes would have been better, she wore black mary janes with nary a scuff, and little white ankle socks that were trimmed with lace typical for a four year old. Her bag clung to her back, baring all of her school work, and her charm bracelet jingled as she skipped to the Sweets Shop.

True to her nickname of Lille Solskin- or Sunny now that the Sorenson's were in the states where they were to integrate, so says her darling Farmand- she was in very good spirits today. She would be spending the afternoon with her darling cousin Julian! Though he was a surly youth, Sunny was drawn to him in ways she could not explain. He simply needed someone to take care of him. He was far too morose to do what was important, first and foremost in her mind was finding himself a wife! Oh! The pretty babies fætter Julian would make! With pretty flax hair and foxglove eyes! That would certainly help his constant gloomy state!

True to her nature, Sunny would help him.

En dame hjælper dem, der ikke vil hjælpe sig selv, på en måde, at de ikke ved, at hun gjorde noget.

Not that Sunny had yet discovered the power of discretion.

Entering the sweet shop- so picked because who could be glum around such rich delicacies?- Sunny pondered how best it would be to go about finding her dear Julian a wife. She would have to be beautiful, graceful, and kind. A true Lady-

And there she was! Purchasing ice cream, all by her lonesome. Sunny's brown eyes watched the woman move- oh she must have taken dance before, for she had such grace- before approaching the counter. A lemon danish with a cup of tea, while she waited for Julian. Looking over, her chiming bell voice ended the light silence that had overcome the dining area. "I would not have thought it ice cream weather, though it does look very good." Her smile grew a little, her voice carrying anaccent that was softened by four years in this country. "Are you alone? I should think you may like company perhaps?" Sentence order was so tricky in this country... "If you would find it pleasing of course. If only until your boyfriend comes..." Oh Sunny, you smooth operator you. Giving her sweetest smile, Cecilie Sorensen paid for her tea and treat.

[MARLENA CARTWRIGHT]

Marlena had eventually gotten started on her ice cream, realizing that she had totally been missing out while she was lost in thought and emotion. It was delicious, marvelous, absolutely the best ice cream she had ever tasted. Now, to everyone else, it was probably too cold for ice cream, and too cold for what she was wearing. But Marlena rarely got cold outside. As long as she didn't know it was 40° or less outside, and it wasn't snowing or raining, it could have very well been a late spring day.

Maybe that was just her. She was a little odd, in that sense.

Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she wished now that she had gotten a cup or a bowl of ice cream instead, because she couldn't set it down. Now she felt awkward holding the cone up while she recovered from the slight brain freeze she received. Ugh, she was so full, too! How could this make her full within a few bites? Marlena didn't know how she would be able to finish it. Hearing the question but still staring down the challenge, she replied, "Oh, it's warm outside to me. It's always ice cream weather in my opinion..."

Wait a second.

Marlena turned to look at the girl who had spoken, eyes wide in surprise. She hadn't expected anyone to speak to her, of course. She really hadn't expected anyone to speak to her in that familiar accent. Oh, yes, that accent. Though she hadn't heard anyone speak it before the day after her tumble down the stairs, she now knew it by heart. And it didn't help that the rather tall girl was holding a danish....

Thoughts of Julian flooded back into her consciousness, tearing right through the levy of ice cream she had built up. Julian's face and voice and hair and... Oh, the girl had asked something, hadn't she? "You can sit here, if you want." There weren't any other empty seats, it looked like, and Marlena was generally kind and wasn't like most New Yorkers, in that sense. Though she did rethink her decision a bit while turning a feint shade of pink. "Oh- I d-don't have a boyfriend." She wasn't really embarassed that the girl had asked, of course. It was mainly that she was still thinking of Julian when she said that, and was irrationally afraid someone would notice that.

Because if someone did notice that, then somehow Julian would find out, and then she didn't know what would happen. He probably just thought she was a silly girl anyways. Marlena was a bit of a handful when her thoughts got all jumbled. No, why was she even thinking about that? She wasn't allowed to have boyfriends, so her brother said. And she listened.

[CECILIE 'SUNNY' SORENSEN]

Bringing her pastry and tea to the table, Sunny took off her coat and hung it on the back of the chair, before sitting across from the pretty girl who she hope would become quite taken with her Julian. Daintily, she crossed her ankles and removed her gloves and hat, her innocent little dimpled smile glowing. Yes, Lille Solskin was a well applied nickname. But this girl could not be more perfect so far, Sunny decided, lifting the tea cup to her lips. Even her blush was quite pretty! And she did not have a boy friend! Glorious. "Oh, but surely you must. You are so pretty and kind. Why, you did not even consider if you were wanting me to be sitting with you, yes? Simply asked, very graciously." Beaming, Sunny took note of the girl's kind eyes and white teeth. That must mean she didn't smoke, which was good, as it was a nasty habit.

Tearing off a bite of her danish, Sunny's politely looked down, careful not to stare. How would Sunny best go about setting the two up? Julian was far too shy to simply take the initiative when he arrived. It was not in his nature to be too bold, which was both a good thing and a bad. Brown eyes looking back up, Sunny gasped. "Oh frue! You are dripping!" Quickly, she reached down to her back, pulling out a white handkerchief she had embroidered herself, pressing it to the dejlig blomst hand. "Perhaps it is plenty warm then, yes?" She giggled, smile glistening from mouth to eyes. Sunny never simply smiled with one or another, for that- in her opinion- was a waste of smile.

"My name is Cecilie. But everyone calls me Sunny. Isn't that a funny nickname. I thought I would lose it when I came to America, but it stuck even harder, because people have always pronounced my name wrong. What is your name? Oh, I bet it is most beautiful, isn't it?" With a little gasp, Sunny's eyes lowered shyly. "I am having apologies, Frue. I did not mean to go on."

Oh dear, she had gotten excited and blathered on! Now the pretty lady would not care to sit with her, and would never meet Julian and have pretty flax haired babies with him! Oh! Sunny had ruined everything.

But she stayed strong. Perhaps she was kind enough to forgive such rudeness. Oh, that would be such a kindness! And further proof that she was meant to be with Julian, who was quite well known for being so sour that- as they say- his foot got trapped in his mouth. A forgiving nature would be needed! Yes! It was all a rouse, a test! Certainly. "My cousin should be here very soon. Do you think it would be alright if he does sit here with us?" Sunny asked, hiding her intentions behind an angel's face, careful not to let on to her plans quite yet.

All in good time.

[MARLENA CARTWRIGHT]

Marlena looked up at the girl as she sat at the table, noticing how she was dressed. The dress was very pretty and something Marlena would probably wear herself. And the accessories! Oh, the girl was so adorable. Maybe they could be friends-

Turning pink again, she shook her head. "No, I just don't date. My brother doesn't allow it. He says it's a distraction from school." She hadn't felt the dripping of the ice cream until the girl pointed it out, though she did wonder what 'frue' meant. It couldn't be something insulting, of course, the girl didn't seem the type. It was probably Danish. Well, it had to be. "Oh, thank you!" she said as the girl cleaned off her hand. Then, she giggled a little along with the girl. "Yes, I suppose it is pretty warm."

Marlena listened to the girl as she introduced herself, barely noticing that she was going on. She tended to ramble on sometimes too, it was okay. "It's nice to meet you, Sunny. I think it's a perfect nickname." Oh, dear, now she was sad. Well, as sad as the girl could possibly be, it looked like. You didn't get the nickname 'Sunny' without good reason, right? The air around the girl seemed like rays of happiness. "It's okay! My name is Marlena," she replied, hoping it was as beautiful as the girl expected. Marlena thought it was okay. Uncommon? Yes. Beautiful? That was debatable, of course. Everyone had different opinions about such things.

Surprisingly, Marlena didn't even think about Julian when Sunny mentioned her cousin. She pictured her cousin to have the same darker coloring and height; though cousins didn't always look alike, it was always her first instinct to picture any family member to look like their relatives (except husband and wife, of course). Looking at the other chair at the table, she nodded. "Of course he can join us. There's room enough." Smiling, she looked at the girl again. Though a little interrogative, the girl was sweet enough. It wasn't like she was nosy and mean about it. Marlena doubted the girl had a mean bone in her.

[/justify]

[JULIAN SORENSEN]

Julian was slightly regretting his decision to take his cousin out today.

He'd agreed to this because he earnestly did like her company, even if he thought she was painfully naive, and because he knew he had to spend more time with her...but at the same time, he'd had to give up time he could have been spending with Pieter, and that made him a little unhappy. On top of that, it seemed like Sunny had been unusually fixated on finding him a wife lately. She was frighteningly focused. Julian had told her on at least fifteen separate occasions that he had no interest in getting married or having children, particularly now -- but, as usual, she didn't listen to him.

She only listened to her father...

Julian felt his teeth grit just at the thought of the man.

But no, no, no, he had to put that out of his head for now. If he thought too much on Xenius, it would just put him in one of those bitter moods that made him ignore Sunny for most of the day out of sheer necessity, and he was supposed to be spending the entirety of that afternoon today with her. She would get sulky if he was too short with her, and not only did he hate her sulky moods, but should he put her in one, he would feel incredibly guilty.

He generally just felt guilty about Sunny. The way he treated her, the life she led. He felt, sometimes, that it was somehow all his fault.

That was ridiculous, of course, but he couldn't help it.

They'd agreed to meet at Gingey's that day. Cecilie would get something sweet to eat, Julian would get a cup of tea or something, they'd chat a bit, and then they'd head out to go to lunch and do some shopping. Of course, Julian didn't really like shopping, but Sunny loved it, and he liked to indulge her on days like today -- days when he'd consented, in good humor, to take her out.

Of course, every time he spent any quantity of the day with Sunny, he got a lecture from his uncle. He'd gotten one this morning and had spent the next few hours seething, but he'd collected himself now; he was only slightly brooding today. Julian wasn't one to force himself into good moods, but when it came to Sunny, he tried his best.

Running a hand through his blonde hair, he sighed, shifting his messenger bag on his shoulder. His uncle made him carry first aid materials when he was out with Sunny. Along with that, he had to bring a book for when Sunny was shopping, and his wallet, which was currently full of money his uncle had provided to pay for anything Sunny liked. He had also told Julian to use very strict judgment when buying Sunny clothes. It was the first time in a while, apparently, that she'd gone shopping without him.

Ha.

Shaking his head silently, Julian peered in the window of Gingey's as he approached the door, eyes falling immediately on his cousin's familiar dark head of hair. He sighed -- she'd started without him, as usual, and now she was talking with someone, someone who he couldn't quite see because of the glare on the window. He rolled his eyes and pushed open the door, striding up to his cousin immediately as he unbuttoned his jacket.

"Didn't I tell you to wait for me? I told you, I'm buying today. Your father gave me the money, anyway, might as well spend it. And what did I tell you about talking to strange--"

It was then that Julian's eyes drifted to the girl sitting across from Sunny.

Marlena.

Mouth still open, he found that he had been rendered temporarily unable to speak, his eyes riveted on the beautiful and familiar face.

ooc: outfit!

[CECILIE 'SUNNY' SORENSEN]

She was pretty, engaging, polite. She was perfect for Julian! And she'd be sure to play a good little cupid. Oh! It would be so romantic. They'd set eyes on one another, and it would be love! Like Romeo and Juliet! Eros and Psyche! Brad and Angelina! A timeless and beautiful love! Oh, it'd be like all the romance books Sunny had read under her blanket at night. "Oh, I am understanding. My Father is not a fan of me even being friends with boys, let alone date them. But you are being an adult, you can certainly do as you please, yes?" Marlena, Marlena. Marlena Sorensen. Oh, it had a lovely ring to it. It was perfect, and nothing bad would happen at all!

Sunny had a good feeling about this.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be most appreciative. Though, you might not know, so take my word, yes? He is very shy-" And speaking of Julian, there he was. Turning, she made sure to not have her head obscure Frue Marlena's line of sight. Gracefully, she stood after giving her new friend a few seconds to glance at him, before she applied a single kiss on each of Julian's cheeks. He was obviously speechless! A good sign! "Don't be sour, you were late. But, look, we have a table! And she is not a stranger. She is my new friend, Frue Marlena." Taking her seat, she patted the chair next to her. "Hun har været vidunderligt. Og meget smuk også, ja?"

Oh, she knew it was rude to speak in a language not everyone understood so blatantly, but she couldn't resist. She knew, also, that Julian grew wary of her constant interest in him getting married. But he was so ready to become surly and sour, that he really needed someone to take care of him. And for him to be able to take care of someone else. To experience that sort of feeling, that sort of commitment. To be tied at the soul with another person.

With an inner swoon, Sunny could only hope to one day have a love like that.

But, really, anyone who knew Julian had to realize why Sunny had to interfere! He was such a stubborn boy, brooding and enjoying his solitude. It wasn't as though he was going to be a hunter and seek out a foxy lady himself. So, in this metaphor, Sunny was acting as the faithful hound. Pointing him in the right direction.

Currently in Marlena's direction. Nibbling her danish with an innocent smile, she gave her dear cousin a grin. "The danishes here are quite good. You should get the lemon one, so that I can give it a try, yes?" Yes, a subtle hand was at work. Now, just go for it dear Julian. BECOME THE MIGHTY HUNTER YOU ARE!