Despite her repeated attempts to tell herself that she had absolutely no reason to be nervous about her mother and father meeting the man that she'd done her best to portray as only a fraction of who he was, what he meant to her, it was a struggle as she moves away from his touch, the taste of his lips on her tongue still having the desire all of her felt for the fae man to not allow for those uncertainties to overcome her in that moment as she reached for the door handle. She'd told her mother several times before, when she would bring up the subject of Andras, that they were nothing more than friends. It was not really a lie that she told the older woman, rather it was something that she couldn't help but be so certain of even in spite of those feelings that crashed down on her when she had no one's company but her own. She tries not to remember the knowing smile Dorian has given her when her dear friend had joined her for luncheon a shirt while ago from today, tries to forget the words that he'd said to her, tried to pretend that a part of her realizes now that just maybe the other fae man was right..."Andras fancies you, it is plainly clear, though whether he has stated his affections yet or not I can hardly say. I worry for his courting abilities frankly, but I have faith in him all the same. You are a lovely woman Beylani, I am not at all surprised you have captured his attentions"... At first, she's brushed away his words, that warm coloring fair-skinned cheeks as she had quickly changed the subject to the wedding just on that metaphorical horizon. She hadn't wanted to think of Andras that afternoon, having been hopeful as she waited for her companion in the busy little bistro on the southern side of Sacrosanct that the company would help in distracting her mind that seemed unrelenting in surrounding her forethought in those fantasies she couldn't help but revisit and wish to the point of desperation that they could be real one day. Ah, but leave it up to her mother for the older woman to draw her own conclusion on the nature of the relationship between Beylani and the fae man she secretly not-so-secretly loved with every beat of her heart. And gods only knew what it was that her mother would tell her husband when she hung up the phone with the young woman. She could only imagine the way she might tell him of the conversation shared between mother and daughter, and even now she could picture how her father would have lifted a single brow in silent question and unease at the idea of a man in his only child's life.

Knowing entirely too well that she would have little to no concern about her mother immediately approving of Andras since the older woman had made every rebuttal Beylani had given her against the idea that they were seeing one another seemed to be easily ignored or pushed aside with gentle laughter and a "okay I'll stop pestering you about your love life" or even a "whatever you say Lamb", it was truly her father that instilled in the blue-eyed that nervousness even Andras seemed to notice - which was little to no surprise to her, especially considering she was aware that he could probably pick up on that lingering desire she harbored for him even now - as she moved over to the door and open it only to be embraced by her mother and greeted by her father's loving smile before the very expression she'd been uneasy yet fully expectant to see fell over his grizzled features when those blue-gray eyes of his studied Andras. Thankfully though, after hellos were exchanged and she introduces the fae man to her parents, neither of them seem to have noticed his own singular feature that was most likely the biggest reason for her unease, doing her best to keep baby blue eyes away from those subtly yet still prominently pointed ears. Please let them ask anything and everything else except why his ears are like that... Then again, Beylani was swift in comforting herself that even if they did notice and inquire after that one attribute that could give him away entirely, Andras would find a way to explain it vaguely yet in a way that would satisfy the older man and woman now standing in her apartment. He was smooth - oh, so very smooth - and quite the charmer - to a fault almost really that he could make her practically melting with as little as a single devilish smile or fleeting touch - so she continued to tell herself that she had nothing to worry about, that dinner was going to be full of laughter and smiles with the three people that meant more than the world to her. Even as she looked away from that serious and unsure expression on her father's face to that reassuring smile the fae man gave her as if to try and soothe her, she feels herself settle just a little more when she moved away from her mother and father to stand beside Andras before he steps towards them to greet Ruth and Zameir.

Hiding the relief that finds her in that moment when the two most important men in her life seemed to share a relative calm and cool greeting of clasped hands and a firm handshake, she can't help but give her mother and exasperated look as she smiles gently, the warmth trying fiercely to color her cheeks as the young woman fought against it. There is twinkle that flickers through those hazel eyes that shift over to her now as he gives Ruth that gentler handshake, midnight tenor tones doing nothing to help the softness which dances through her own gaze as she shares a fleeting look with the fae man. She clears her throat lightly then as she tries to still her heart that beats a little faster beneath the love that his words stirred in her. She hardly misses the slight arch of a single brow that Zameir gives the fae man only to cast a questioning look over to the young woman who moved to tuck an elegantly and loosely curled strand of blonde hair behind her ear. If that almost bashful smile didn't betray her, that single small gesture would speak volumes of what she was determined to hide, hardly daring to say anything although even in that fleeting glances she shared with Andras, there was barely a need for words. As he moves to stand beside her once again, looking at her almost thoughtfully as tenor tones usher a second string of words, she can no longer keep the blush from her cheeks as baby blue eyes soften, searching those dark hazels depths. Was that how he truly felt? He'd said things similar to that before, but she'd not expected for him to say such a thing in front of her parents and she is stricken into speechlessness. She can see a knowing look on her mother's face as if she now certainly didn't believe that Beylani and Andras were simply friends, and as soon as the fae man suggests the idea of drinks before dinner, she is quick to agree and move into the kitchen with her back to her parents so that she didn't have to see that questioning look her father was likely to give her. She was already sure that on her next phone call home, he would be asking her things she wasn't quite ready to answer.

Rummaging through her cupboards to retrieve the wine glasses she'd purchased not long ago, having found herself delighted by the fine glass embossed either ivy vines around the rims, she can feel herself tense almost instantaneously as her father wastes no time in probing Andras with those typical father questions that should be reserved for the man that would be considered her boyfriend. Did this mean that the older man had the same suspicions that her mother did? Did he assume the existence of such a relationship between his daughter and the fae man sitting with them at her table in her apartment as her mother was clearly convinced of?"Dad, I don't think that's really a necessary question", she says to the older man then as she looks only briefly over her shoulder. She knew what he was up to. He'd asked similar questions to Brayden when he'd been invited over to dinner at her parents' home in Willowhaven. Yet, despite her words, Andras is quick to answer Zameir in near flawlessly fashion that could have anyone believing him. Then again, his answer was far from a lie."I see... So then how long have you been here? Or is this just a temporary residence? It almost sounds like you must move around a lot", the older man asks in reply, his careful tone and steady gaze showing that he was trying to decide exactly how sound of a man Andras would be for Beylani, almost as though he were evaluating whether or not he was stable enough for the young woman as he tries to figure out where Beylani came in on the man's list of interests."Oh, will you stop with your interrogating already? I'm sure Andras didn't join us for dinner to be placed in the hot seat", came the almost scolding voice of Ruth as she swats Zameir's shoulder before giving her husband a warning look before it immediately softens as it turns back to Andras."You'll have to excuse him. Ever since that Brayden boy our Lamb was seeing before moving here, he seems to have appointed himself as some sort of detective", Ruth says brightly to Andras then, amusement and mirth in her voice as Beylani is sighing with a new wavd of embarrassment at the mention of Brayden."Can we not talk about him? That was years ago, mom", she says almost pleadingly. It wasn't as though she hadn't told Andras of the boy she "dated" in high school, but it was definitely another topic she didn't want to discuss. Why couldn't they just talk about the weather instead of her? It was a natural thing she supposed, her parents - father more specifically - wanting to know more about Andras, but still it felt more like an interview than dinner at this point.

Quickly and expertly diverting the conversation away from those more sensitive subjects and in turn allowing for Beylani to breathe a little easier, the fae man is now the one asking questions."I work as the local carpenter. Ruth is an accountant for a few small businesses in Willowhaven", her father answers nonchalantly as he also crosses an ankle over his knee. Her mother hardly gives Zameir a chance to say more, seemingly deciding that the older man's answer wasn't satiafactory, her blue eyes sparkling as she smiles warmly to Andras."Zameir happens to be the best carpenter in Willowhaven, actually. Many of his pieces have fetched quite the high price from the locals as well as people passing through or businesspeople looking for authentic and handmade things", she adds rather proudly as she gives the older man and loving look as Zameir gives a simple and small shrug of his broad shoulders. When her mother speaks up once again in regards to how well he was dressed, it was hard for Beylani not to smile as she decides between the three wines she had while keeping an ear on the conversations, remembering well how she'd remarked about his attire when he'd brought her back home after she'd sought him to thank him for the camera. Again, Andras answers casually and with ease despite the vagueness of his reply. It was clearly enough for Ruth a she nods along while Zameir simply continues to watch Andras, clearly taking every word in with solemn interest of the fae man though when those hazel eyes move over to where the young woman shuffled around in the kitchen, he lifts a brow as if to say "and by perks, you mean my daughter?" though he remains silent while the older woman's gaze simply can't help the knowing look that finds her features."I would have to agree, being close to so many things would prove to be invaluable. Not to mention the food culture here being a varied. Naturally, there's not much where we come from", Ruth replies in agreement, departed the undertones hidden in each syllable that she suspected he meant more than culture or conveniences.

Beylani makes her way back over to the table then with those glasses, Andras being the first to take his glass with a warm smile that has her baby blue eyes softening before she gives her father his glass and her mother's her own, nerves calmed enough to pour the red wine for each of them before setting the bottle down. Midnight tenor tones turn to her parents once again as Beylani settles into her chair, taking a drink of her wine. Naturally, it was her mother than happily answers."Oh there's hardly much to do at all. There's a few beautiful hiking trails and a couple beautiful campsites, so if you enjoy 'roughing it' without much for cell phone service and plenty of wildlife, you might just have to join us for a camping trip. Lamb always enjoyed those summertime trips to Silver Lake. Zameir's grandparents built a cozy little cabin there when Willowhaven was first established and it's been in the family ever since. If you care to visit, you should have her take you for the weekend when you might find some time off from work", she says brightly, as she seems more than willing to tell Andras about that favorite place of Beylani's. Why she hadn't thought to mention the cabin she didn't know, but as long as it kept her parents from going on about any embarrassing childhood stories, she was content to let her mother tell Andras anything she so desired. The fae man turns back to the watchful man once again, and in that moment the blue-eyed blonde knows that he'd nearly struck gold, her father taking a great deal of pride in the trophies he'd taken down, Zameir giving a small nod."Whenever I have some free time. I've claimed my fair share of large whitetail bucks and elk bulls. I enjoy the challenges it comes with as well as being able to provide for my family", the older man answers, a clear note of pride being the first glimmer of something other than uncertainty he offers the fae man, the slightest of casual grins finding Zameir's chiseled features that gives Beylani another sense of relief as her father seemed to be relaxing a little more.

Just then, the oven begins to get off as it announces that dinner is ready. Before the young woman can excuse herself to get up and get the casserole, Andras pushes up out of his chair and smiles down at her, tenor tones insisting that she stay where she was to visit with her parents."Thank you, Andras", she answers gently, trying to hide the affections in her gaze as she watched the man move into th4 kitchen. When she turns to look back over the her parents, her mother's smile only grows as she gives Beylani another knowing look."What a gentleman", she remarks simply despite those words clearly meant more than they sounded. Even her father gives an approving glance, seeming satisfied at whatever it was he found in the fae man's decision. While she'd known her father from day one, sometimes she couldn't help but wonder what it was that went on in his mind. She chats idly with her parents about how her aunt and uncle were doing, little things of the sort until Andras returns with the plates easily balanced on his strong arms, setting them down in what she could only guess was proper order before he settles back into his seat. It is then that he turns to Beylani, warmth filling his gaze as his murmurs quietly to her, the young woman unable to hide the gentle smile that finds blush-colored lips as thick lashes blink softly over her baby blue eyes, struggling for a moment to find the words amidst the stirrings in her heart."Thank you... And thank you for being here, Andras. It makes me happy that you could make it. I know how busy you can be", she says quietly in return. Her gaze lingers upon the fae man, perhaps for a moment too long when suddenly she is reminded of her mother and father who could very much see the soft exchange between them."This certainly looks delicious, Lamb. I'm glad you decided on using Aunt Letta's recipe", Ruth says brightly, the older woman's words having Beylani clearing her throat before finally looking away from Andras to see that clearly amused look on her mother's face, the warmth flushing over her cheeks yet again."It seemed like a good choice for tonight", she says calmly, despite the fact that she was anything but in the wake of that sheepish look she gave Ruth. Zameir eyes the young woman for a moment before looking back to Andras."So, what about you Andras? Have any room for hobbies in your busy life?", he asks casually, his tones the slightest touch easier than they had been previously, the man clearly finding no reason â€" just yet â€" not to be a little warmer towards the man who sat beside his daughter, though it was clear that he hadn't missed the way that Beylani had looked at Andras.