The Portfolio ((G/T))

Chapter Five

Mark watched the tiny woman digging into the pancakes with an amused smirk. It was like she hadn't tasted anything like it before, but he knew she was enjoying it quite a lot. "I see they are to your liking then?" He murmured with a deep chuckle when she jumped looking startled.

Ellie had been enjoying the spongy and soft texture of the pancake when his voice boomed above her, and she almost squealed as her eyes darted up to his giant ones. How did she wish he'd warn her before he spoke, but how would he? He'd have to talk in order to warn her. With a small, simple nod she answered his question and continued to eat the sweet breakfast.

"That's good then. Once we're done, I'll have to find out what we're going to do on Monday for your pose and background. We'll work around your size, use it as an advantage. We will also have to find a decent pose and outfit. And of course by we I mean myself naturally. Hmm. So you've got brown hair and quite lovely blue eyes. Perhaps a yellow would be best. Oh, or a deep blue or violet. And then there's the problem with getting clothes in your size, although Rosemary is an excellent seamstress." Mostly talking to himself, Mark was trying to figure out what exactly he could work with that wouldn't look too awful. She's an amateur, after all, he didn't want to do anything where she could screw everything up for him.

Ellie ran colors through her mind as she chewed a large chunk of pancake, thinking about what she liked. After a moment of thinking, she swallowed the chunk with a gulp and hesitantly turned her baby blue eyes up to his chocolate brown ones. "M-Maybe red?" She mumbled, barely above a whisper but made sure he'd be able to hear it.

Upon hearing her tiny voice, Mark turned his attention back to the small woman with a small smile. "Red you say? Hmm. Yes actually, I can see it now. I'll give Rosemary a call and she'll come up with something using that color. Not too bad thief. Ah, I'm Mark by the way. Mark Edwards. Do tell me yours, for it will be vital for the portfolio."

After swallowing another bite of pancake, she looked back up to the human she now knows is Mark with a slightly confused look. Why would he need her name for the portfolio? But she doesn't want him to get mad again, so very quietly she opened her mouth and gave one word: "Ellie."

"Ellie? Quite nice. Now, do you have a last name?" He asked as he pulled a small notepad out of a kitchen drawer and scribbled down her name on a blank page. Glancing over one more time, he was able to catch her shaking her head and gave a frustrated sigh. "Then we'll just give you one. Ellie...Miller. That sounds nice. Ellie Miller it is." Scribbling that down, he tossed the notepad on the table which landed dangerously close to Ellie.

With a yelp, Ellie jumped back and looked at the human with a deep frown. He didn't even care if it hit her! Now she was able to tell he was only using her. Once the portfolio is done, he might just throw her out since he wouldn't need her anymore. But she also couldn't let him do things that could hurt her! Taing a deep breath, she worked up some courage. "That almost hit me!" She shouted as angrily as she could at him, immediately regretting it when his head snapped in her direction.

Storming back over, his figners wrapped around her and lifted her up to his eyes level with a scowl. "You best watch your tone with me if you know what's good for you!" His voice boomed angrily right back, Ellie cowering in fear as she tried to escape his grasp. 

"I-I'm sorry!" She cried out, fighting against him when she was suddenly lowered back to the table which made her stomach lurch and she almost lost the contents of her stomach. Having never eaten that much, she wasn't use to a lot of movement.

"You better be." Mark responded with a small growl in his tone as he sat down and took the plate, eating what was there of his breakfast. Luckily the tiny woman didn't eat a lot so it was like she hadn't eaten at all. "After I eat we'll go upstairs to my office and get you ready for Monday. Got it?" He spoke sternly, glancing over at her with a frown.

Ellie was trembling, hugging her knees tightly as she hid her face in her knees before simply nodding to give him an answer. Silent tears were streaming down her face as she tried to calm down. She let her guard down for only a moment because she thought maybe he would be nicer, but now she knew she couldn't do that again. She could never fully trust a human after all. They were horrible, greedy beings. She's lucky he's not selling her to a lab or torturing her.

Watching her shaking form, Mark began to stretch his hand out towards her before yanking it back and shook his head. Don't get attached, he hissed to himself. She's just for your work. Nodding, he continued to eat as he pushed any bit of guilt into the back of his mind.

Ellie looked up only a bit from her knees, and could have sworn she had seen him reaching out to her but when she looked he was only eating. It had to have been her imagination, right? Right. He was a human. And after all, as she's said, they're just horrible beings.