In the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in the city, Aris doggedly walks through it. Reality checked his mind out as any ideas of paving his way in life smouldered away. Then he felt a tap at the back of his shoulder. he slowly looked behind and found a familiar face.

"Told you I'd be seeing you later." Elise greets. "After all, we are intertwined by fate," she said in a ghostly voice.

His face softens. "I guess you did," he says, even offering a chuckle. "Wasn't expecting same day delivery though."

Elise continued to ask about his days, but Aris kept the conversation brief, attending orientation, meeting the teacher, and then deciding to go to the market to find something to eat. However, Elise wasn't having it. "Seems like there's a bit more to the story. Is it something you want to talk over some drinks?"

"I don't drink." Aris wants the topic to end.

"Not even water?" Elise gives a trolling grin.

Aris scoffs, "You know what I mean." A humoured smile creases. "Y'know what, not even water."

"Well, aren't you quite the Tardigrade? Next, you're gonna tell me breathing is optional?"

"You're telling me it's not?"

The banter bounced between the two as they began to talk while walking, Aris's smoulder doused for the moment. Exploring the market, they found a stall of kites, an unexpected treat for Elise.

She knelt to admire the kites in an almost trance-like state. Aris hung back, watching her hands hover over the different designs. The grey-haired shopkeeper was itching to talk to her about kites, but seeing Aris positioned protectively behind her, he stepped back with a knowing smile.

"I didn't take you one for kites; any particular reason why?" he asks as if on behalf of the shopkeeper.

"I've loved kites since I was a kid. Dreamt about them even. They are so..." Elise is battling between the squeal of joy she's feeling and answering his question. "I can't believe how close I was to doing meteorology because of these things." She laughed in nostalgia.

Her eyes sparkled as she took in all the different things. Her hands gravitated to the blue monochrome solaris kite, but she pulled back and looked at the keeper with the same pleading eyes a kid would give their parents when asking for a toy. He obliged her.

She caressed the fabric of each wing cell, thick enough for that premium feel but felt light enough to be carried by the wind.

"You want it?" Aris offers her.

Elise looks at him in disbelief; there was something about his expression, patient, fond, like he'd watched her get excited about things time immemorial. The thought sent a spike of pain behind her eyes, sharp enough to make her wince.

"You okay?" he asked, concern immediately replacing his smile.

"I think something got in my eye," she lied, catching an unexpected tear in her eye.

Elise got up, still holding the kite. As she wiped her tears away, Aris gently took it from her hand and began purchasing the kite for her. She wanted to stop him, but at the same time, she really would love having the kite. Her indecision led to her being the owner of a new Solaris kite.

"You didn't have to do that," she said, clutching the kite.

"I wanted to." His voice was quiet, sincere. Elise rolled her eyes. "God forbid a man give a woman what she wants."

Elise clicks her tongue instinctively. "Thank you," she said softly, hesitantly, still processing how fast everything had happened and how swiftly he fulfilled her desire. The gesture warmed her chest, as if she had filled a void that had been missing from her life. "Want to see if it flies?" she asked, holding up the kite.

"Here? In the market?"

She looks at him, judging his intellect, "Yes, here in the market", she answers sarcastically. She flicks Aris in the forehead, "Later, you nitwit—"

Aris interrupts, "Nitwit? People still say that?"

"Yes nitwit, nitwit. Plus, we can fly after I at least buy you lunch? I know a place that does incredible, the best Hispanic food."

Aris gave her an uncertain look, as if to say, 'Are you sure about that?'

"Second only to actual Hispanics, of course, amigo", she says with a surprisingly natural Spanish accent.

"If you say so," Aris raises his hands in mock surrender. "I'm paying, though."

As they left the stall, Elise fell into step beside him, closer now than when they'd been wandering earlier. "I'm not getting the chance to show you the same courtesy," she complained, clutching the kite. Elise continued to complain, but Aris said nothing, letting her playful protests roll over him. Unlike his parents' complaints, these carried no sting.

As they made their way through the winding streets, Elise tucked the kite under her arm and fell into step beside him. "So what's the real story about orientation? You were pretty vague earlier."

Aris glanced at her sideways. Something about the way she asked, not pushy, just genuinely interested, made him want to actually answer. "My... professor turned out to be my godfather. Who I didn't know I had."

"Godfather, you never knew you had? How did that happen?" She bumped his shoulder with hers. "Family surprises," she nodded knowingly. "They have a way of complicating everything just when you think you've got things figured out."

Something about her tone suggested she spoke from experience, and Aris felt an unexpected urge to ask more, but didn't feel they were close enough to the potential weight of it. When was the last time someone had understood without judgment?

The casual contact sent warmth through his chest, but for Elise, it made her stumble slightly. His hand instinctively moved to steady her elbow.

The small restaurant tucked between a bookshop and a vintage clothing store, its windows fogged with steam from the kitchen. Entering the establishment, it was small and warm, filled with the scent of cumin and chillies. The staff looked more like family with their constant back-and-forth chatter.