Humming fills the confines of that small townhouse kitchen accompanied by the soft clanking of a frying pan being fished out of the cupboard where it was stored along with various other pots, pans, and cookware as the young woman busies herself with fixing breakfast. Eyes of early morning frost look to the digital clock on the stove as she shimmies over to the refrigerator, reading the time as 9:36am. Despite having only been awake for perhaps an hour or so, the huntress was already dancing and humming to a song she didn't even know the words to, showered with hair weaved into that usual French braid, having decided on wearing some white jean capris and baby blue tank top. Goodness, she'd nearly forgotten what it felt like to get a full eight hours of sleep, having been able to coerce her brother to stay home and watch a movie with her and their roommate, Donovan. Well, in all honesty, the honey-blonde had roped both of the men into spending the night in the comforts of the home they'd made some time ago within the city limits of Sacrosanct. Ever since they'd moved here, the were had been busy making himself scarce during most of the morning, day, and night. She remembers him mentioning that he'd acquired a job working for a woman, and though she had certainly been the first of the Daray siblings to bombard the man she more or less considered to be her brother as much as Lazarus, the cheetah had been equally as stubborn as the dark hunter in relinquishing much of any detail aside from the fact that he was a gatherer of information. What information needed to be gathered at all of the days? She had asked him this, and needless to say, his answer had been a vague one and so Ellie left it alone after that. As long as he was coming home in one piece, she supposed that she would need to be content knowing that much. Besides, the were didn't have the best history in the world, so she really was quite delighted that he was able to find someone or someplace that was willing to look past his troubled years before coming to this new world so alive with magic. Even Lazarus had eventually listened to the young woman and found himself a part-time job to keep himself busy. And, while Ellie was taking the summer off from college - hence why it was that she has been given the luxury of sleeping in which was something she gave up in the name of the career she pursued determinedly - even she was working part-time at the Beachside Bar and Bistro with some of the best people in the world.

With both of the men usually out of the house and Ellie left to entertain herself, which was hardly a task at all, when she'd found out that they would both be home last night around dinnertime, she'd leapt eagerly at the chance to coax them into spending time with her. After all, they were her family. The only family she had left. Despite Donovan not being related to herself or her brother by blood, he had been part of her life for a fair number of years and so as far as the honey-blonde was concerned, he was just as much a brother as Lazarus was. He was far less grumpy than Lazlo, too, which only ever made her wish that he was around as much as he used to be before the move. Now, that was not to say that both men had been exactly ecstatic about the idea of watching "Rampage" with the huntress, having groaned and asked she really would much rather to and spend time with Lani or Nicole, one of her friends from college, Ellie had insisted that she wanted to spend time as a family like they always used to do. While it wasn't often that Ellie displayed that stubbornness Lazarus so easily expressed in just about anything and everything he did, she was still very much her father's daughter and had made that much clear. Besides, even in their most foul of moods, Ellie was almost always able to convince them to muse her and whatever silly little thing she desired, neither of them ever willing to admit that deep down there wasn't anything they wouldn't do for the young woman. It wasn't like she ever asked for much, so when she did beg them with those puppy-dog eyes she could easily summon, they were easy to bend. And so, the threesome had spent the late hours of last night with popcorn, candy, and one another with the living room booming from the dramatic explosions and fearsome roars of the gargantuan beasts nearly destroying the city of Chicago. Lazarus had even seemed to enjoy it, his comment on how it was "better than he expected it to be" truly meaning he'd actuslly liked something that wasn't filled with vulgar language or naked women, and this had left the huntress immensely pleased and proud of her decision on what movie she'd chosen for the rare occasion she would only ever hope to have again with the werecheeta and her brother sooner rather than later.

Far from surprised to find Donovan gone once again when she came down the stairs to see his sleeping place on the couch in the living room empty, she'd decided to make breakfast for her and Lazarus. Keen senses had been able to pick up on the faint snoring of the sleeping dark hunter from behind his closed bedroom door, the man with a much more nocturnal lifestyle than the young woman who would much rather be up bright and early. It wasn't often that he was up before eleven o'clock in the morning, but he was going to be today whether he'd planned to or not. Ellie gathers the eggs, milk, and fresh veggies she'd picked up from her favorite market on 180th Avenue, making swift and easy work of preparing the ingredients for the scramble she had in mind. It was simple yet delicious, and something that she knew her brother would like, so as she wiggles and hums to the rhythm of her own song, she cooks up the scrambled eggs and veggies with a warm smile upon her lips. When it is finished, she sprinkles cheese on top and places a lid over the pan to keep it warm before padding across the kitchen and up those steps once more, Lazarus' door the first she comes to on the second floor. She knocks lightly, hearing the man turning in his sheets, a low and drowsy groan hardly going unnoticed."Wakey, wakey sleepyhead. Breakfast is ready", she says through the closed door, her sterling voice holding a teasing sing-song note that only earns her another grumpy growl from the man as he undoubtedly is pulled from his sleep and into consciousness."Give me a minute", the man mumbles almost inaudibly, but the young woman cannot help the amused laughter that slips from her then as she turns and pass back down to the kitchen to set the table. As was expected, by the time she has filled both plates with that scramble as well as two pieces of toast each, he finally hears the bedroom door creak open, followed by the sound of descending steps before finally the shirtless man appears in the kitchen wearing black sweat pants and caramel-colored locks in wild disarray. He gives a gaping yawn before shuffling over to the table and sitting down across the table from Ellie who only smiles brightly at her brother less than enthused to be up already."So, how did you sleep last night?", she asks the dark hunter before sticking her fork into the eggs and taking her first bites, icy blue eyes watching the man as he reaches for the cup of coffee she'd set for him as well. He takes a deep drink before turning groggy dark forest eyes to the young woman in that same unamused expression he always wore "this early" in the morning."Same as always. Shitty", he answers gruffly before he begins digging into his own meal.

Ellie looks over to Lazarus, knowing that since her friend Vhal had vanished, the dark hunter had been acting rather unusual. However, she also knew better than to try and ask him if it had anything to do with the white-haired witch, knowing he would deny anything about the woman he was so adamant to tell the honey-blonde she shouldn't even be friends with in the first place."Well, maybe you should try running instead of just going to the gym and lifting weights?", she suggests idly as she continues to indulge in her scramble. Naturally, her brother rolls his eyes at such an idea."I doubt it", he answers doubtfully, though Ellie knows better than to believe the way he speaks. Something was bugging him lately, and even if he refused to tell her, that wouldn't stop the young woman from trying to help the man."I'm going to the park after breakfast. You should come with me. Getting some sunlight might be good for you", she says casually after a pause, finishing the rest of her scramble before picking up her own coffee mug to polish off the warm drink, noticing that as usual, Lazarus has already cleared his plate."I'll pass. Vitani wants me to be at her place in a couple hours anyway", he replies dismissively, pushing out of his chair and taking his dirty dishes to the sink where he leaves them."I'll see you when I get home tonight", he adds then before disappearing back up the stairs, the sound of his door closing having the huntress sigh as she finishes the last piece of her toast and moves to take her own dishes to the sink. She expected as much from Lazarus, and yet still she had hoped that maybe after last night he would have been at least a little more receptive to her attempt at getting him out more, in a more positive way. Can't blame a girl for trying, she thinks to herself as she washing the dirty plates, cups, and forks. Once they've been cleaned, dried, and put away, she collects her wallet and keys before exiting the townhouse into the clear summer afternoon. She strolls through the streets, glacier blue eyes glancing around her as they always did even though by now she knew where most of the stores and markets were. Her pace is leisurely as she eventually finds herself on the southern side of Sacrosanct, the air here already so much fresher and the buildings significantly smaller and much more homely than the tall and cold skyscrapers that riddled the heart of the city. Sighing contentedly to herself, it isn't long before the honey-blonde is making her way along one of the many paved pathways that wrapped around the grassy hills of Hyde Park, a favored place of hers.

Many of the city's residents occupy the wide-open space here, but it was too beautiful of an afternoon to just stay holed up indoors. She smiles warmly as she watches children playing in the structures, some swinging on the swingset while others played imaginary games on the jungle gym. Parents occupied the benches surrounding the playground, either talking amongst themselves or relaxing in the sunshine. Others were flying kites with their little ones, joggers were moving along the trails with headphones wedged securely in their ears to block out the sounds around them, everyone here seemed happy and absorbed in their own way that Ellie's presence easily goes unnoticed as she walks on. She hadn't really brought a book or anything with her like she usually did, but it was nice to just stroll through the large park and watch as the world seemed to slow down for at least a little while. It was so easy to get swept away in the rush of things, that it was all too easy to remember that the little things mattered just as much. There was no going back in time to stop and smell the roses, no rewind button so that one could go back and take their time rather than hurry through their days in pursuit of their careers or making a name for themselves somehow. Ellie wasn't about to let big city living turn her into one of those people that forgot the beauty there was in how the flowers bloomed at this time of the year, or how wonderful the sun felt on her face. Life was far too short to take such moments like this afternoon for granted, and even though her days had the potential to go on for so much longer than what was considered human, that didn't mean she would make the mistake of enjoying today when truthfully tomorrow was never a promised thing. Anything could happen to anyone, this was something that she'd learned from her past. So, she loved with all her heart and smiled to any that might meet her gaze. There was no telling if that would be all it took to change someone's entire day, maybe even their entire life. The smallest ripples could turn into the biggest waves, after all. There was no telling when someone so little and seemingly insignificant might make all the difference in the world to someone in one way or another, and if Ellie could make someone even just a little happier than they'd been moments ago, she would be all the happier for it.