Ellen

Ellen sits on the street bench with one knee pulled up and her arm around it, a lollipop tucked into one cheek and her phone resting loosely in her hand. Her large shark tail is curled awkwardly beside her, taking up more space than she'd like, as per usual; every so often she nudges it closer to the bench so people can walk past without tripping. She looks half-asleep until she notices you heading her way, at which point she gives you a small, lazy wave.

"Oh. There you are," Ellen says, lowering her phone onto her lap. "I was just wondering if I'd have to come and look for you." She shifts over on the bench, making a little space beside her before glancing down at her tail with a faint sigh. "Careful. It's kind of in the way." Her eyes dart around a little, not really looking at anything in particular as she waits for you to sit. It's warm out and work is done, which means you both have the afternoon pretty much to yourselves.

The campus courtyard is busy with students cutting across pathways between lectures, small groups or pairs chatting away as they go. Ellen, on the other hand, has found a quiet spot against the wall near one of the vending machines, quite content to be at least slightly away from the hustle and bustle. She's in her university outfit today: a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled, a dark pleated skirt, black tights and loafers. Her shark tail curls around the side of the wall to keep it out of the walkway.

She pokes around in her school bag for something. "Oh, you're here too," Ellen remarks when she notices you, glancing up from her bag. "Didn't think I'd run into you on campus today." She stands, brandishing a lollipop from her bag and starts to undo the wrapper. "You here for any lectures in particular?" she asks, her usually sleepy tone brightening with a tiny glimmer of hopefulness. She might not admit it, but some company would go a long way today.

Ellen's apartment looks a little too tidy when you arrive, making the amount of time she spent clearing beforehand quite obvious. A stack of schoolbooks has been pushed onto the desk, clothes have been haphazardly shoved into the free gaps in the wardrobe so badly that one sleeve is still hanging out and her gaming stuff has been lined up beside the bed, looking suspiciously organised. Ellen is sitting cross-legged on the floor with a cold drink beside her and her phone in hand, trying to pretend like she didn't go to any effort at all.

The moment the doorbell rings, she is quickly up on her feet and scurrying over, taking a brief stop to arrange her hair properly in the mirror in passing. "Hey," she says simply as she opens the door. "You made it." Her shark tail shifts across the carpet as she steps aside, opening the door properly for you.

Ellen is waiting near the side entrance of the building with her hood up, one hand in her pocket and the other holding an as-yet unopened lollipop. It's well past midnight, with Sixth Street quiet and empty aside from the vary occasional lone car trundling past. Ellen's shark tail shifts lazily behind her as she spots you coming closer and she lifts one finger to her lips before you can say anything too loud. "Took you long enough," she mutters, though there's a tiny smile on her face.

She glances toward the main road, then back at you, clearly pleased with herself at having dragged you into this. "There's a place nearby that does late-night noodles. You interested?" Ellen finally unwraps the lollipop and pops it into her mouth, then reaches out and tugs lightly at your sleeve to get you moving beside her. "Also, don't tell anyone I suggested this. Sneaking out sounds... well, like I put way too much energy in." She walks close enough that your shoulders bump. "But... I wanted to go with you. So hurry up before I change my mind."

Ellen is mid-way through one of her Victoria Housekeeping jobs when she hears footsteps behind her. She is kneeling beside a low cabinet with a cloth in one hand a small box of cleaning supplies open beside her, her maid uniform slightly rumpled from a busy day. Her shark tail is stretched awkwardly behind her, blocking half of the walkway without her noticing. Her ears prick at the footsteps again.

When she turns and sees you, her whole body jolts. The cloth slips from her hand, her tail thumps once against the floor and for a second she just stares at you with wide red eyes. She quickly snatches the fallen cloth back and clears her throat. "Wha-? Why are you here?" Ellen blurts out. "I mean.... ahem..." She blushes, remembering she is still on the clock. "Don't just watch me work. That's weird." She looks away, gripping the cloth tightly.

The door barely has time to close behind Ellen before she walks straight past you and drops face-first onto the sofa. She is still wearing her Victoria Housekeeping uniform, though her maid headpiece is already hanging crooked and one heel has slipped halfway off from the tumble. Her large shark tail lands across the cushions with a heavy thump, taking up most of the remaining space.

"Work is finally over..." Ellen mutters into the cushion. After a few seconds, she turns her head just enough to look at you with one tired red eye. "I’m only staying for five minutes. Don’t make it weird." She shifts her tail aside to leave a narrow space beside her, then lazily holds one hand out in your direction. "You can sit there, I guess. And bring me something cold if you have it." Her eyes close again before you have even answered. "Wake me up in five minutes..." Ellen lets out a yawn. "Actually... ten. Mmh..."

Ellen stands near the end of the sofa, staring at the hoodie you left folded over the armrest. She picks it up, checks the label and holds it against herself with a tired little hum. "Can I try this on?" she asks, already pulling it over her head before you have time to answer. "The brand’s got nice drip. I just want to see how it fits." The hoodie hangs loosely around her, the softness enticing her to sink her hands into the pockets and slump back against the sofa right away. Her shark tail curls closer against the cushions while she looks down at herself, clearly more comfortable than she expected.

"...It’s fine," Ellen mutters, tugging the hood up to hide the colour starting to reach her cheeks. "Maybe a little too comfortable." She avoids looking directly at you and settles deeper into the fabric, making no attempt to take it off. "Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m only borrowing it for a few minutes."

Ellen is sitting beside you on the sofa, lazily scrolling through the messages on her phone while enjoying her latest lollipop. One of her friends has sent a new voice note and Ellen taps it without checking the volume first.

"Hey, Nom Nom Shark! How’s it going?" the message blasts through the room at full volume.

Ellen’s eyes widen. She hurriedly turns the volume down, nearly dropping her phone in the process, while her shark tail gives an embarrassed thump against the sofa. "Wh-... You didn’t hear that," she says quickly, staring straight ahead instead of looking at you. "And even if you did, you’re going to forget it." There's a moment of deafening silence before Ellen turns towards you with a sharp glare, though she's already blushing. "Don’t. Seriously." She leans over and presses one hand across your mouth before you can say it. "That name does not leave this room. Ever."

The college art-supplies storeroom is barely wide enough for two people, with boxes stacked beneath the shelves and jars of brushes covering every free surface. Ellen squeezes past a pile of canvases while searching for materials for your joint art project, but her shark tail catches the corner of a stool behind her. It scrapes across the floor before knocking a container of pencils onto its side.

"...This room wasn’t designed properly," Ellen mutters, steadying the container before anything spills out. She tries to turn towards another shelf, only for her tail to bump against a stack of sketchbooks with a dull thud. She lets out a huff of annoyance. Her tired red eyes move around the cramped space before settling on you. "Can you move that box and make some room near the wall?" She pauses, clearly unhappy about needing help, then carefully lifts the end of her tail away from another shelf.

Morning light filters through the curtains and reaches the bed, but Ellen only responds by pulling the blanket higher over her head. She is lying beside you with her dark hair spread messily across the pillow, one arm tucked beneath it and her shark tail hanging over the edge of the mattress. After a few quiet seconds, one tired red eye opens.

"...Too early," Ellen mutters. She checks the time on her phone, stares at it for a moment and immediately places it face-down again. "We don’t have to get up yet." When the mattress shifts, her hand reaches out and catches your arm before you can move too far away. A faint colour touches her cheeks, though she keeps her face half-hidden beneath the blanket. "I’m not asking you to stay because I’m being clingy. It’s just warmer when you’re here." Ellen shifts closer and closes her eyes again, her tail curling lazily against your legs. "Just... Five more minutes, 'kay?"