when the storm calls [adell]

Being raised in a city did not do wonders for Adell's ability to detect shifts in weather, but even this seemed like something beyond a simple storm rolling in. What on earth could cause the moon to glow that colour...?

Not having any way of finding out the answer, Adell darted for cover, abandoning his objective of acclimating to Ilusia in favour of avoiding becoming soaked utterly. Despite his haste, he was met with mixed results, and he was keenly aware of his clothes clinging to him. It was far from comfortable, and the combination of the eerily green moonlight and the blinding flashes of lightning wasn't doing much for his mood. But there was naught he could do about that. All he could do was try to wait it out. Failing that... he would just have to make another mad dash, this time for the inn.

There must be some form a shelter around here; a large tree, a building or... a gazebo. Not the best with the howling wind driving rain into his face and eyes, but better than nothing. Adell changed direction, arriving at the gazebo at a dead sprint, before sliding to a stop. A moment was taken to catch his breath, and push rain and water-logged hair off of his face.
"Damn. Some storm," Adell muttered to himself, trying to shake free some of the rain that had penetrated his jacket. No good; it was utterly drenched. He was far from warm, and he ran a very real risk of catching cold if he remained in these clothes, or without a warm hearth or fire. Still, what was he going to do? Set fire to the gazebo? Strip down in public?

Not the best thought to have, even in jest, as he finally took stock of his surroundings, and finding that he was not, in fact, alone. After a moment of dumbly staring at the beastwoman, Adell attempted to recover his composure, standing up straighter, though his gaze did wander. It seemed impossible that she would not have noticed his thunderous approach; even without the distraction of thunder, he knew that a beastman's ears put any human's to shame. A breath was taken, and he hesitated. He felt the need to offer her something, considering the circumstances, but what did he have? If he had an umbrella or a dry coat, he wouldn't have been huddling beneath the gazebo in the first place.

"Er. Good evening, miss." Okay, not the best performance. But Adell had done worse. A breath was taken, Adell using the opportunity to take a breath and sort out his thoughts. "Do you mind if I take shelter here as well? This storm caught me completely off-guard." He offered a self-depreciative smile, though he wasn't sure why he was asking permission. It was a public area, and he almost certainly was her social superior.

But what was said was said, and the mouth tended to run faster than the brain.

It wasn't really the response Adell was expecting. It wasn't as though the beastwoman was being outwardly hostile or verbally abusive, but he was getting the feeling that he may be being teased. It may have simply been his imagination though, so he chose to try and ignore it. Still, he was hardly suave enough to take it in stride, and he found himself running his fingers through his soaked hair.
"I just didn't want to intrude." It was a lame and wholly unnecessary explanation, and Adell almost kicked himself for saying it.

What he could not choose to ignore, however, was the cold creeping into his body. With high winds and wet clothes, it wouldn't be long until his body temperature started to drop. He wasn't keen on the idea of running around on the rain-slick and unfamiliar streets in search of the inn, or another place that would lend them shelter, but he may not have much of a choice. The gazebo was hardly ideal.

A sigh was suppressed, and he took a step towards the woman, so he would not have to raise his voice so much to be heard over the din surrounding them. "You're likely to catch cold if you remain out here. Do you know of anyplace nearby that could offer better shelter, miss..." Adell hesitated, knowing that he should not be making even implicit requests for her name. He hesitated, and hoped the brief stammering would be misinterpreted as a shiver from the cold. "Er. I'm Adell, by the way. Adell Windsor." Leaving off the 'lord' still seemed prudent.

She was hardly a meek person, and it took Adell a moment to actually react. He had no real reason to refuse, and being incapacitated by simple illness would be both embarrassing and potentially dangerous.
"Ah. Right." Maybe it was a little odd to follow the woman's lead so readily, but it wasn't as though he had any reason to refuse, or a better idea in mind. Something with walls and a proper roof would be better than the gazebo that offered next to no shelter from the driving wind.

He drew a breath before stepping into the driving rain, bracing himself against the surge of cold it brought with it. Not quite enough to suck the breath away, but this was no pleasant summer shower, to say the least. Haste was of the essence, but Adell would have to keep step behind Briar, not knowing where she was headed. With the wind, rain, and thunder, conversation wasn't exactly forthcoming. Better to just keep their heads down and get to a more stable and complete shelter.

The building they eventually arrived at was not familiar to Adell, but, if he had to guess, he would say it was a school. He raised an eyebrow at that, but did not comment. If Briar knew this to be a good place to take shelter, he wasn't about to raise an objection. She didn't really look like a student, but Adell was no expert when it came to guessing ages, especially with people who ere not human.

"Is the door locked, or...?" Adell didn't feel right about kicking in the door or forcing the lock, and continued to allow Briar to take the lead.

He supposed it made sense for doors to be left unlocked - or simply without locks - in a place like Ilusia. It didn't really seem like the best place to be a thief or burglar. He really was too much of a Heimite, too used to locked doors, padlocked gates, and patrolling guards.

As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Adell averted his eyes from Briar, her state of dress not helping him reach a comfortable state of mind. In all honesty, Adell wasn't sure what to make of Briar. He could sense a little condescension, but it wasn't grating or annoying.

If nothing else, the warmth of the fire was a definite reprieve. It would probably be a good idea to try and dry out his clothing, but that idea died swiftly with Briar in the state she was in.Thankfully, Briar managed to offer an easy out and change of subject.

Adell positioned himself near the fire, but kept a respectable distance from Briar.
"So, um, you went to school here?" A boring topic? Arguably. But it was a safe one, and there was no harm in making some small talk to pass the time until the storm blew over. Hopefully they wouldn't end up staying the night at the school, but it was entirely possible.

That was... well. Modesty and propriety caused Adell to turn his back quickly, but it was still something of a shock. Sure, he knew that staying in these clothes was a bad idea, even a dangerous one. But to not even give a warning or to go to a different room, or, well, something was a surprise. Was it merely a cultural thing, or was Briar just that comfortable around other people, even men? There was also the possibility that he was simply too touchy on the subject, but that hardly seemed likely.

If nothing else, at least his face didn't feel cold anymore.

At least when he was addressed again, Briar was slightly more dressed, but it wasn't helping matters much. Adell could feel that his face was flushed. The clothes were taken a little reluctantly, and Adell did not relish the prospect of getting changed in front of her. Still, calling attention to it may be just as bad. A deep breath was taken, and Adell positioned himself as best he could out of Briar's direct line of sight.

Getting changed quickly was the definite priority, and feeling how heavy his clothing was proved a good reminder as to why he was even doing this in the first place. Hypothermia was no laughing matter.

Eventually, Adell took a seat closer to the fire, shifting in the unfamiliar but dry clothing. At least the shifting flames were an easier thing to stare at, as Adell couldn't help but feel the matter was turning into something somehow scandalous. He was instantly grateful that his family would likely never hear of this, and Lycoris and Xara were elsewhere.

Adell opened his mouth to say something, then reconsidered. He had thought he had an out to avoid these awkward silences, but his mind was not forming much in the way of coherent thoughts. Another breath was taken to try and settle his nerves, and he tried again.
"S-So, um..." It was as though he had never been taught diction or oration. Adell cursed his sudden inability to form coherent sentences. "You've lived in Ilusia your whole life?" It was boring, repetitive and predictable. But Adell honestly couldn't think of anything better to say.