location: esa divata's mothers home status: closed ( @venuslys ) time: 9am
teo had come over earlier, around 6 to help esa's mom with the rain gutters. he knew there was a possibility of him running into her but he didn't want to leave her mom without the help. over the last few years, he had been coming over to help with the home.
it was the least he could do. it was almost like he used the opportunity to ask her about esa and how she was was, since the two barely spoke anymore. it was one of the things teo regretted most in the world but saying that outloud wasn't an option.
he sighed as he pulled himself down the ladder and glanced around, making sure he wasn't about to slip and fall to his death. when he reached the ground, he rubbed his hands together and made his way back into the home. "alright, so it's all good here... you should be good to go for the winter, if you need anyth-" he stopped when he realized he wasn't speaking to esa's mother.
his eyes widened. he wasn't expecting her there, at least not this early. "esa... hey." he started. teo rubbed the back of his head out of awkwardness. "i'm sorry... is your mom? did she go to work?" he asked.
it wasn’t the creak of the front steps or the opening door that startled esa, she’d assumed it was her mother. what caught her off guard was the sudden, familiar voice. a sharp gasp escaped as her arms tightening around the grocery bags she’d just set on the counter. one nearly slipped from her grasp, apples threatening to tumble across the floor before she steadied it with her hip.
she turned sharply, ready to scold tadeo for frightening her. “ — jesus, teo. ” her tone was sharper than she meant, her heart still racing as she shifted the bag fully onto the counter. “ you can’t just walk in like that. some of us actually scare easy. ” her eyes swept over him, the ladder dust on his hands, the awkward way he rubbed the back of his neck. her brows knit, softer now. “ um, yeah. she left a little while ago. what are you even doing here? ” a pause is given, flickering over all of the evidence as her mind races to catch up. “ helping my mom again? she didn't mention she had free labour today ... ” there was a flicker of something unspoken in her voice. surprise, maybe a touch of something warmer; but she busied herself with unpacking the groceries, as if the rhythm of cans and cartons might hide it. “ you know she doesn’t actually expect you to play handyman forever, right? or is this your excuse to raid her cookie jar again? "
