Private Finished Meeting Family

Meeting Stefan's family, or hers especially... was the one thing Zora sort of low-key dread. Not that she had had to meet that many significant other's families before, she just worried that they'd all think that they had moved too fast and either, offer unsolicited, but well-intended advice, quiet disapproval, or worse... point out that she was a wealthy woman, she didn't know Stefan all that well, and maybe she shouldn't be rushing into things... which was fairly insulting all around. It made her feel like they saw her as a desperate socialite who couldn't get a man without her checkbook attached to her forehead.

Deciding that... of all the family, maybe Celeste might be the best choice. Her aunt was naturally bubbly, warm and welcoming ... and very French. If anyone understood, just how someone might end up head over heels in the space of a week, it should be her aunt. She hoped.

"Celeste? Azure, Iesha? Anybody home?" Zora called out as she entered, along with Stefan, the Drakenhardt residence after knocking a few times and ringing the bell once. The front door had been left unlocked for them. Celeste had expected their arrival thanks to a text message earlier asking if Zora and a friend could come over to visit.

Besides, Celeste wasn't worried about somebody strange entering the house.. who would dare enter the home where a dragon who was a cop lived, plus Azure, who was what Zora often thought to be a "werewolf extraordinaire".

"In the kitchen, ma belle** my lovely one," Celeste called out as she took the bread out of the oven.

Looking at Stefan, Zora took a deep breath and gave his hand a light squeeze. "Ready?" she asked.


@Stefan

"Tante?" Zora said as Stefan and her wandered down the short hall to the warm, yet very modern, and sun-filled kitchen. The smell of fresh bread, butter, and other baking smells filled the house.

"Zori?! How are you, my love?" Celeste exclaimed as a warm smile light up the petite white-haired witch's face when she spied her niece.

"And, who's the handsome young man with you?" she asked brightly, her Parisian accent very noticeable now, having immediately zoomed in on the tall blond man that accompanied her... the fact that he was holding her niece's hand had not escaped her attention.

Glancing at Stefan first, Zora smiled as she answered her aunt. "Tante, this is Stefan Jogstad," she said as she introduced Stefan.

Celeste accepted Stefan's hand and gave it a shake and as she did so, she raised an eyebrow quizzically at her niece ... who could have easily been her sister and who was standing there, in Celeste's opinion, looking both nervous and happier than she'd seen her in months.... maybe even glowing.

"A pleasure to meet you, I'm Celeste, Zora's aunt... " she said as she introduced herself.

"Would you like some coffee, tea, maybe some wine?" she said looking first at Zora and them at Stefan with a smile.

"I also just made some bread. A piece, maybe? Oui?" she stated welcomely.

Celeste grinned at Stefan's comment about stealing her bread as she then gestured to some stools at the counter.

"Sit you two," she said as she busied herself cutting up a warm loaf, getting a thing of butter from the fridge along with a spinning tray of homemade jams and honey she kept handy for exactly this use. Her fresh bread was quite popular among her family.

"Tea, I think ..." she mused to herself as she poured water into a pot with some tea bags and then grabbed some plates, cups, and spoons.

Once she had set everything down in from of them, she took a seat across from them.

"So, is Stefan a new client of yours?" she asked her niece as she proceeded to pour the tea.

Having sat at the table, Zora smiled at Stefan before answering. "No, not a client... he's more like, a close friend," she began, not quite sure how to approach it yet.

"A close friend?" here Celeste looked at Stefan again - very used to weird magical auras and quirks and so she ignored the mirrored glasses - and quirked an eyebrow.

"Close as in the French idea of "close friend" or close as in ... we work closely together?" she asked pointedly, a hint of amusement in her question.

Blushing a little, Zora quite deliberately spooned sugar in her tea before answering... "The first..." she said, basically admitting that they were sleeping together as Celeste - who was quite adept at smelling who was involved with who - had already guessed.

"Stefan is my boyfriend, Celeste," Zora added a second later as she laid a hand on Stefan's thigh.

Celeste let out a small delighted laugh, very clearly amused by the whole thing, and how uncomfortable and awkward both of them seemed right now. Although she had to admit it was very nice to see Zoraida happy once again.

"C'est si bon!** That's so good," Celeste exclaimed as she looked at them both excitedly, clearly trying to get a feel for them together and liking what she was seeing.

"I'm glad. Happy for you both actually," she said as she placed a hand over her niece's and squeezed it lightly. "You deserve it," she added softly to Zora and in a way that was meaningful only to her and her niece.

After gushing a little bit longer over the news, Celeste calmed down and finished pouring the tea. She then sat down and took a sip.

"So, Stefan? What intentions do you have with my niece? Noble, I hope?" she asked, her tone serious as she hid a tiny smile behind her teacup.

"Celeste!" Zora groaned in embarrassment.

"Shush, let the man answer..." her aunt stated as she waved away her niece's words.