[ And there it is, indeed! He doesn't respond to that immediately, and at first he only takes a long sip of his drink. He has a feeling they'll both need more of this if this conversation is headed in the way he thinks it might be. ]
Yeah, I know he is, he's my dad. [ He teases, of course, knowing what she's trying to say. ]
So ya met him, huh? Guess that saves me the time of havin' to introduce you.
[ Although, it does beg the question why he hasn't done so up until now. It's been a week, after all. Having a girlfriend meet the family seems to be a big deal even for him... ]
[She's done a decent job at avoiding the Eos house up until today, so it's been at least a week since she last (and first) saw Clarus, but she's not sure how much longer she can keep this up. There are only so many days she can go without a visit or seeing Gladio, and as nice as being out together is, sometimes she enjoys a night in, too, and it's been a while since they've had one of those.
She lifts her bottle to her lips but pauses to answer his question first.]
Yeah, I did.
[There's a blueberry in the bowl that she's been eyeing for some time now – it looks so perfect, with its blue skin so evenly coloured across all sides of its impeccable shape. It's plump and probably juicy... a dream blueberry for eating, surely. Lightning picks it up from the bowl between delicate fingers...
... and flings it right at the side of Gladio's head. Boom, headshot!]
You didn't warn me that he was here.
[She could have at least had time to prepare herself for the inevitable meeting if she knew it was coming!!! ... It's not his job; she's just embarrassed, and it's especially clear in the way the lights over their heads illuminates the pink powdering her cheeks.]
[ The blueberry bounces off the side of his head, and Gladio knows he deserves it a little. Still, he can't help but laugh as he swivels on the stool enough so that he's facing her. ]
Yeah? How do ya think you would've reacted if I said "I want you to meet my dad"?
[ Although, that isn't entirely the reason why he didn't warn her. She's actually right, he should have warned her, but maybe a part of him wanted to see if Clarus would stick around. His father would never leave them, of course, but this place has a way of taking everyone away at the worst of times... ]
[She's not mad or upset at anyone for not telling her, Gladio least of all, and she tries to make that much clear with a hand on his leg, and her finger takes to tracing idle circles across it instead. Her brows furrow like she's lost in thought and concentrating, but it just gives her something else to focus on when she's feeling flustered.]
Probably would've wanted to meet him.
[To be fair, she would have been just as tense with a warning or with Gladio at her side through the whole thing. Not that she didn't want to meet him at the time, but now that the initial awkward encounter is over, she's glad that she has the chance to get to know the man who raised the one she's... well, that last part's not important.
Lightning snorts under her breath, managing a smile again.]
And maybe not buy two trays of coffee the same day. You'd think we'd know better now.
[ First, that's one tray too many to bring over to somebody's house, and secondly… ]
Wait... you didn't... d-don't tell me...
[ He's on the verge of laughing harder than he has ever laughed in his entire life, and it's taking up all the willpower he can muster not to crack a smile. Still, his lips twitch. Did she drop her tray in front of his father?! HNNNGH ]
[In her defense, there are a lot of people in that house – it's like a goddamn zoo that does indeed need two trays of drinks!!! Whether it's all coffees or not is irrelevant because surely, there must be at least one person who doesn't want a coffee every time she picks them up, but she makes sure to never leave anyone out if she can help it.
In fact, if she's counting right, there were exactly eight people living under the roof at the time, and while one just so happened to have temporarily turned to crystal, another came in and took his place in the headcount. What's she going to do when Regis wakes up...? That is two trays plus one drink... Oh boy.
She can read Gladio well enough by now to know when he's trying to stifle a laugh, and this one looks like it'll be a doozy if he belts it out. Pausing her absentminded circles, she rolls her eyes at him through her hair, but his lip twitching makes hers do the same.]
I know what you're thinking...
[Lightning picks out a remarkably plump strawberry from the bowl and holds it up near his mouth. She's just going to wait for him to take it before she gives an answer. Can't laugh if his mouth is full of fruit!!! 🍓]
[ There's something hilarious enough about the fact that she knows what he's thinking; it means they're both quite self-aware about their coffee misfortunes. Not a bad thing by any means, because that's one of the few things he's sentimental about, believe it or not. Still, she's neither confirming nor denying, and the offer of fruit is certainly helping him find his ground again. At least for the time being. ]
Well, are ya gonna keep me in suspense?
[ He leans forward and opens his mouth, accepting the strawberry as he looks into her eyes for an answer. Her eyes will surely betray her if she won't speak! Or perhaps his own eyes will coax the story out of her... winky-wink! ]
[Oh, he's doing that eye contact and winky thing again. Cheeky bastard knows what he's doing and how to get to her, because it makes her eyes dart away quick before they meet his again and gods, she loves hates that look. She tries to be cheeky too, and the corner of her lip twitches up into more of a smile, but all she ends up doing is tapping the end of his nose gently with a finger.]
Maybe... we could call it a night right here, but that'd be disappointing.
[But then she wouldn’t have to tell the story! Lightning figures he'll have no problems piecing it all together himself though, based on the little bit of detail he already knows. That being said, it's probably best that she starts from the beginning after she helps herself to a piece of strawberry too.
Her shoulders roll in a shrug. She's going to pretend that it's no biggie because it totally isn't.]
He was there when I stopped by with some coffees – the usual. Asked him who he was, so he told me.
[It was a pretty standard introduction, to say the least. It's the pause that comes after that's damning and to fill it and buy herself some extra time, she bites into her strawberry. This one tastes a bit sour...]
Wasn't expecting him to be your dad, and I might've almost dropped them on him then, but... [God, she's already regretting this. No turning back now, though! Her tone shifts to something a little more ruffled. Not at all directed at Gladio or his Pops, but at herself for what comes next.] It was like I was in the damn Guardian Corps all over again – almost saluted him like he was some kind of high ranking officer. I didn't. [Another beat and her cheeks flush a deeper red.] Ended up bowing instead.
[ He chews on his strawberry slowly as she captures his full attention. She was right in her assumption that having something in his mouth will prevent him from laughing, at least for the time being as he listens to her ridiculous recount of meeting his old man. The coffee spill alone, even if it didn't happen, it would've been cute and charming, and something that wouldn't surprise him at all given that it was his first impression of her, too (the one he remembers anyway).
But then mentions the near-salute, which ALSO would have been a funny story if she actually ended up doing it for real, but she didn't. She stopped herself! So far so good. She didn't mess up anything!
Annnd then she delivers the punchline, just as Gladio tries to swallow his strawberry, but he ends up HOWLING so hard that half of it comes out of his mouth and straight into her pretty face.
[As she recaps their meeting, Lightning is thankful for the strawberry. His mouth being full allows her to begin the tale uninterrupted and the strawberry has done its job well and has stopped his laugh from escaping at any given point, as she's been expecting. There's still more to the story and his silence while he chews would have encouraged her to press on and tell the rest, but it's a damn good thing that they have the restaurant to themselves because what happens next may be the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to her...
The timing of Lightning opening her mouth to continue couldn't have been worse – as soon as Gladio howls with laughter, she flinches at these new sensations and it's all so sudden that it takes her a moment to recognize what's unfolding. There's the splatter of something wet and warm on her face and... Etro's holy tits, are those pieces of strawberry that just flew into her open mouth on top of sticking to her cheeks and hair!?]
What—
[—is all she manages to sputter before reflex forces her to swallow and she falls into a coughing fit, choking not on the fruit, but on her dignity...]
Edited (don't say it.... I thought of a word I like better :D) 2018-06-23 07:02 (UTC)
[ Is all he manages to sputter once she falls into a coughing fit, and he immediately grabs a bar napkin and leans forward, cradling the back of her head with one hand as he tries to wipe her face. ]
Shit, sorr--
[ He coughs again, this time with no debris coming out of his mouth, but there are still some faint sounds of laughter in between those coughs. Apparently it's still funny??? ]
Edited (i didn't like the lighting...) 2018-06-24 05:39 (UTC)
[At first, he gets a stifled disgusted noise in response and she steals a moment in between his dabbing of the napkin to grab a sip of her drink. It's a bigger one than the previous servings she's helped herself to, and she ignores the burn against the back of her throat in favour of letting it wash down the food debris that's caught there.
Once she finally suppresses her coughs, Lightning somehow manages to find it in her to laugh about it along with him. How many more food-y misfortunes will Lady Luck bestow upon them before she finally gets tired of it?
She tilts her head to allow easier access to the spots on her face where she can feel something, leaning it back against his hand on her neck while she watches him.]
We gonna have to strike out strawberries now, too?
[Coffee, noodles, and now a fruit!? Soon, they'll have one of every food category on the Do Not Touch list.]
[ Who said they're never touching noodles again?!? ]
If we keep doing that, there'd be nothin' left.
[ In fact, he hasn't added any of those things to his Do Not Touch list, because the problem is never the food, or anything else. It's them. But they can't add each other to that list! Case in point, Gladio pretends he missed a few spots and cleans her face with a few soft smoochies. She really looks and tastes like strawberry now.
The last kiss is planted on her lips, just for good measure. ❤ ]
So ya embarrassed yourself in front of my pops, and now we can't see each other at home anymore. Does that sound about right?
[ He states it so simply, if only to tease her some more about it. ]
[If she's going by the rules of this dumb list she's established all on her own, then Lightning dropping an entire bowl of noodles all over herself on his birthday is what said so! She'll never say it aloud though, if only to save herself from facing a noodle wrath she's now convinced herself that he has...
But all of that is forgotten thanks to his kisses and whatever worries she had from earlier are pushed aside to make room for her returning them instead. She bends forward to press a few across his face in return; he's not covered in strawberry like she is, but damn it, she does what she wants!]
Sounds about right. [Her own final smoochie conveniently lands right on his lips, too.] We'll just have to get creative. Moonlight rendezvous in the park... we could get you a rope to sneak in through my window at night...
[That's what they do in all the cheesy romance novels, isn't it?]
Is that what ya really want? Or are you just hoping to avoid my old man for the rest of our affaire de Coeur?
[ Fancy words from a well-read man! And honestly, he doesn't mind any of her ideas, but he can't help but wonder if she's just being desperate to do anything but see Clarus in the eyes ever again. Dare he say, it's adorable, with how fearless she normally tries to sound.
After that smoochfest, which thankfully nobody witnessed, he slides his seat closer to hers as he sits back down again. Then, he takes another sip from his bottle as he waits for her answer.
[Whoa! That sends a tingle up her spine, but she looks confused all the same.]
... Our what? [A beat, then quickly:] Nevermind.
[It's not all that important, but she's pretty sure she gets the gist of what he's trying to say without knowing what the word means.
He isn't wrong about any of it – wanting to avoid his dad and the house altogether, if only to buy herself some time to reclaim some of the composure and poise she lost that day. Maybe it'll allow her to practice saying 'Clarus' instead of 'sir' in front of the bathroom mirror some more, too. (She doesn't do that. Her embarrassment hasn't gone that far! Not yet, anyway.)
Once Gladio's taken a mouthful of his drink, she waits for him to swallow it before continuing and even tilts her head to get a better look at him to be sure. She can't tell if he has, but the last thing she wants is to get sprayed with whatever it is they're drinking. It's one thing getting strawberry pieces to the face but another to be showered in alcohol, and if she can avoid one of the two tonight, it's the latter.
There's a bit of hesitancy in her voice, but Lightning powers through it anyway with the flattest tone.]
Would you wanna see him if you kept calling him 'sir' and then spilled coffee all over the damn place anyway?
[WELP. Lightning lifts her own bottle near her lips, but she doesn't take a sip. No, it's to shield herself in the event that he didn't swallow all of his drink down....]
[ He puts his bottle down now, but in turn he covers his own eyes as he stifles a laugh. To his credit, he remains silent, but there's a higher pitch than normal in his voice because he might as well be laughing out loud. He can't. He just can't. ]
Lightning watches him in silence for a while, straight-faced except for the single eyebrow that continues to hitch. She throws back another large sip of her drink and sets it down on the counter, only so that she can swat a hand against his chest. Ineffective as always, and she was barely trying, but it gets the point across! ... She hopes.]
Stop laughing.
[!!!
It was unfortunate and another few coffees that had gone to waste, and that alone is no laughing matter. Pile that on with the fact that it was with his dad and... well... you get the picture.]
We got to talking, and... [A disgruntled 'ugh' under her breath.] Can't tell what's worse – spilling them or telling you that I did.
[She caaaan't taaaake the heeeat... Girl, get outta the kitchen! She flings another fruit at him, this time a strawberry (how daring!), but her aim is off no thanks to this and it whizzes past his head instead and lands on the floor with a soft splat. :( ]
I reckon spilling takes the cake, but you tellin' me is just the icing on top.
[ He takes his bottle and taps the tip of it against her own bottle that's sitting on the counter. A playful cheers of sorts, as he takes another drink.
Geez, this stuff is really going for him now! She might have to take a drunk man home... or leave him here to pass out. ]
But he doesn't have to see us if you don't wanna. I get it. [ It's a bit of a big deal, isn't it? He hardly wants to put that kind of pressure on her, or himself even. Instead he reaches for her tiny hand and brings it up to his lips, giving her an affectionate kiss. ] Your little fantasy romance scenarios sound more fun anyway.
[ He laughs again, although not so much at her this time. ]
[She would have to take him home. If it weren't for the risk of Ignis finding out that she broke into the Hearth after hours for their date (not that she thinks he would be upset about it), she might have left him here to pass out, sprawled atop the bar with lewd things drawn on his face — kidding. Lightning would never (unless she had a bit too much to drink herself, maybe) and would risk a hundred awkward encounters with Clarus before she left Gladio here to fend for himself against the Hearth's surly bartenders in the morning. That might be fun to see, though...
She would even prepare the ice buckets for them.]
Sure as hell feels like some kind of fantasy romance scenario.
[She follows his laugh with one of her own, gentler this time as her expression softens. There are a lot of things that she still finds hard to believe about this – about them – and often finds herself thinking about it.
Once he's done with it, her hand slides through his until her warm palm is resting on his cheek, and she runs her thumb along the line of his stubble. She enjoys the bristly sensation. There's some worry behind the crinkle of her smile as she offers a calm verbal nudge at first, because between all the smooches and their banter, there's been another thing on her mind.]
Hey... [She's going to try to catch and hold his gaze.] How're you feeling about all this?
[Lightning heard about what happened back home and knows well enough what it's like to be reunited with a loved one who had been lost and grieved — it's never easy, and... well, she wonders if he's had the chance to talk about it. Before he left, he never did, minus what he shared at Selenium with her over a year ago, but she's very aware that seeing them through the flicker of a lit magic candle is not quite the same as having them here, tangible and real.
From what she knows about Gladio, however much or little, he always struck her as similar to her in a lot of ways... one of them being having to be strong for others around them, but she wants him to open up to her more, and to trust her with those feelings if he so chooses. This seems like a good place to start.
[ Oh, they're doing this, huh? Talking about feelings. We're going to experience some slight turbulence in this interaction. ]
Back home, I didn't give myself the time to grieve him, and he went out the way he wanted to go.
[ Gladio took comfort in knowing that much, at least. The Amicitias have a royal duty, even if it comes at the cost of abandoning your family. Gladio, too, would doom himself in a hopeless fight by Noctis' side, so in some ways he has to respect his father's decision. ]
And... Iris is happier than I've seen her in a long time.
[ That doesn't at all answer how he feels about it??? ]
[They're doing it. They're talking about feelings and "that emotion stuff", and whatever turbulence that comes out of it, let it. It isn't often they get this opportunity.
Lightning's eyes remain fixed on him, unmoving and intense as ever as they drill into his, while she holds on to every word he says. Few as they are, it doesn't make any one of them less important to her. The fact that he chooses to say so little about only serves to deepen her concern and in turn, her stare. At some point, her hand moves from his face to his shoulder where she gives it a light and reassuring squeeze – she may not be good at talking about these things, but she sure as hell can try to inspire.
She figured that that was the case – not grieving. Duty comes first, after all... but she knows now that the process is all a part of being human. Lightning had lost Serah twice and the first time, she gave into anger and the second, weakness. It was grieving, but not proper; it was done in all the wrong ways that she knew even at the time that it was the way Serah would have wanted.
For him, she can respect that he still had Noct to watch over, but that doesn't mean he isn't allowed to talk about it. Not that she's an expert on the subject of emotions, but she's learning too!
The mention of his sister puts a twitch in the corner of her lip.]
It's good that Iris is happy.
[That part is important and while she doesn't want to diminish that, if she wanted to know, she would have just asked Iris herself. Lightning's finger brushes against his jaw, and she shifts in her chair to move herself a little closer. Her voice drops low – not quite a whisper, but it's intimate.]
You lost your parents, yeah? How would you feel if one of 'em just came back after you already moved on?
[ She probably wouldn't know how, but he would be impressed if she did. As for Gladio, his answer is "I don't know". He's happy and worried at the same time, and this time it's genuinely for Iris. Whatever happens, he can handle it, but he's only hurting when Iris is...
--and then there's Clarus himself. ]
My dad, in a way, has come to terms with the end of his life. He knew what would happen on that day. I hope this isn't too hard on him, y'know? Adjusting to a new place.
[The quiet hum is the only sound she makes at first. He has a point. She wouldn't know what to think or do if one of her parents showed up unannounced in a place like this, and it's been years... centuries since she's seen them that she can barely remember the warmth of her mother's smile or her father's laugh. It isn't herself that she'd be concerned about though, because like Gladio, Lightning has a sister she worries about instead.
Her eyes narrow, fingers loosening on his shoulder as she leans away. The deflecting of her question with one of his own hits her right where it hurts, and she can't help but doubt herself and whether she's overstepping any boundaries by asking.
As for Clarus...]
He seemed fine. Happy... even after I covered him in coffee before he could get through his first week. [She tries to laugh, but it's far from relaxed.] Talk about a warm welcome...
[Ha ha... get it... because coffee is warm... She tried. :/
Is that any consolation? She hopes so, but Lightning keeps thinking back to the first time Serah vanished. It's a reminder that she continues to live every day knowing that people could disappear from here at any given second, and she needs to live each and every one of these moments like it's their last. Would it be for her and Serah? Definitely not, but she has a feeling the Amicitias don't get the same chance she does...]
[ Maybe his deflection was a little too personal, he realizes in hindsight, but Lightning isn't overstepping anything with her line of questioning. They've shared more intimate things than this, there's no reason for him to be cagey about this topic now.
If anything, he appreciates her reaching out, even if he's bad at sorting it out in his own mind. He's not angry or sad about the situation, but something is keeping him from embracing it completely, too. Maybe it's the threat of losing their parent all over again if this place changes it's mind about Clarus belonging here. But that's true for everyone, isn't it? ]
If he seemed happy, even after all of that, then why're you so scared of him?
[ He leans forward, the tone in his question matches his expression - he's being playful again. ]
Think he won't approve of who I'm seeing?
[ As if that would even come in the way of anything. Gladio is his own man! ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Yeah, I know he is, he's my dad. [ He teases, of course, knowing what she's trying to say. ]
So ya met him, huh? Guess that saves me the time of havin' to introduce you.
[ Although, it does beg the question why he hasn't done so up until now. It's been a week, after all. Having a girlfriend meet the family seems to be a big deal even for him... ]
no subject
She lifts her bottle to her lips but pauses to answer his question first.]
Yeah, I did.
[There's a blueberry in the bowl that she's been eyeing for some time now – it looks so perfect, with its blue skin so evenly coloured across all sides of its impeccable shape. It's plump and probably juicy... a dream blueberry for eating, surely. Lightning picks it up from the bowl between delicate fingers...
... and flings it right at the side of Gladio's head. Boom, headshot!]
You didn't warn me that he was here.
[She could have at least had time to prepare herself for the inevitable meeting if she knew it was coming!!! ... It's not his job; she's just embarrassed, and it's especially clear in the way the lights over their heads illuminates the pink powdering her cheeks.]
no subject
Yeah? How do ya think you would've reacted if I said "I want you to meet my dad"?
[ Although, that isn't entirely the reason why he didn't warn her. She's actually right, he should have warned her, but maybe a part of him wanted to see if Clarus would stick around. His father would never leave them, of course, but this place has a way of taking everyone away at the worst of times... ]
no subject
Probably would've wanted to meet him.
[To be fair, she would have been just as tense with a warning or with Gladio at her side through the whole thing. Not that she didn't want to meet him at the time, but now that the initial awkward encounter is over, she's glad that she has the chance to get to know the man who raised the one she's... well, that last part's not important.
Lightning snorts under her breath, managing a smile again.]
And maybe not buy two trays of coffee the same day. You'd think we'd know better now.
no subject
[ First, that's one tray too many to bring over to somebody's house, and secondly… ]
Wait... you didn't... d-don't tell me...
[ He's on the verge of laughing harder than he has ever laughed in his entire life, and it's taking up all the willpower he can muster not to crack a smile. Still, his lips twitch. Did she drop her tray in front of his father?! HNNNGH ]
no subject
In fact, if she's counting right, there were exactly eight people living under the roof at the time, and while one just so happened to have temporarily turned to crystal, another came in and took his place in the headcount. What's she going to do when Regis wakes up...? That is two trays plus one drink... Oh boy.
She can read Gladio well enough by now to know when he's trying to stifle a laugh, and this one looks like it'll be a doozy if he belts it out. Pausing her absentminded circles, she rolls her eyes at him through her hair, but his lip twitching makes hers do the same.]
I know what you're thinking...
[Lightning picks out a remarkably plump strawberry from the bowl and holds it up near his mouth. She's just going to wait for him to take it before she gives an answer. Can't laugh if his mouth is full of fruit!!! 🍓]
no subject
Well, are ya gonna keep me in suspense?
[ He leans forward and opens his mouth, accepting the strawberry as he looks into her eyes for an answer. Her eyes will surely betray her if she won't speak! Or perhaps his own eyes will coax the story out of her... winky-wink! ]
no subject
loveshates that look. She tries to be cheeky too, and the corner of her lip twitches up into more of a smile, but all she ends up doing is tapping the end of his nose gently with a finger.]Maybe... we could call it a night right here, but that'd be disappointing.
[But then she wouldn’t have to tell the story! Lightning figures he'll have no problems piecing it all together himself though, based on the little bit of detail he already knows. That being said, it's probably best that she starts from the beginning after she helps herself to a piece of strawberry too.
Her shoulders roll in a shrug. She's going to pretend that it's no biggie because it totally isn't.]
He was there when I stopped by with some coffees – the usual. Asked him who he was, so he told me.
[It was a pretty standard introduction, to say the least. It's the pause that comes after that's damning and to fill it and buy herself some extra time, she bites into her strawberry. This one tastes a bit sour...]
Wasn't expecting him to be your dad, and I might've almost dropped them on him then, but... [God, she's already regretting this. No turning back now, though! Her tone shifts to something a little more ruffled. Not at all directed at Gladio or his Pops, but at herself for what comes next.] It was like I was in the damn Guardian Corps all over again – almost saluted him like he was some kind of high ranking officer. I didn't. [Another beat and her cheeks flush a deeper red.] Ended up bowing instead.
[Please help this woman.]
no subject
But then mentions the near-salute, which ALSO would have been a funny story if she actually ended up doing it for real, but she didn't. She stopped herself! So far so good. She didn't mess up anything!
Annnd then she delivers the punchline, just as Gladio tries to swallow his strawberry, but he ends up HOWLING so hard that half of it comes out of his mouth and straight into her pretty face.
This is not a gag tag. ]
no subject
The timing of Lightning opening her mouth to continue couldn't have been worse – as soon as Gladio howls with laughter, she flinches at these new sensations and it's all so sudden that it takes her a moment to recognize what's unfolding. There's the splatter of something wet and warm on her face and... Etro's holy tits, are those pieces of strawberry that just flew into her open mouth on top of sticking to her cheeks and hair!?]
What—
[—is all she manages to sputter before reflex forces her to swallow and she falls into a coughing fit, choking not on the fruit, but on her dignity...]
no subject
[ Is all he manages to sputter once she falls into a coughing fit, and he immediately grabs a bar napkin and leans forward, cradling the back of her head with one hand as he tries to wipe her face. ]
Shit, sorr--
[ He coughs again, this time with no debris coming out of his mouth, but there are still some faint sounds of laughter in between those coughs.
Apparently it's still funny???]no subject
Once she finally suppresses her coughs, Lightning somehow manages to find it in her to laugh about it along with him. How many more food-y misfortunes will Lady Luck bestow upon them before she finally gets tired of it?
She tilts her head to allow easier access to the spots on her face where she can feel something, leaning it back against his hand on her neck while she watches him.]
We gonna have to strike out strawberries now, too?
[Coffee, noodles, and now a fruit!? Soon, they'll have one of every food category on the Do Not Touch list.]
no subject
If we keep doing that, there'd be nothin' left.
[ In fact, he hasn't added any of those things to his Do Not Touch list, because the problem is never the food, or anything else. It's them. But they can't add each other to that list! Case in point, Gladio pretends he missed a few spots and cleans her face with a few soft smoochies. She really looks and tastes like strawberry now.
The last kiss is planted on her lips, just for good measure. ❤ ]
So ya embarrassed yourself in front of my pops, and now we can't see each other at home anymore. Does that sound about right?
[ He states it so simply, if only to tease her some more about it. ]
no subject
But all of that is forgotten thanks to his kisses and whatever worries she had from earlier are pushed aside to make room for her returning them instead. She bends forward to press a few across his face in return; he's not covered in strawberry like she is, but damn it, she does what she wants!]
Sounds about right. [Her own final smoochie conveniently lands right on his lips, too.] We'll just have to get creative. Moonlight rendezvous in the park... we could get you a rope to sneak in through my window at night...
[That's what they do in all the cheesy romance novels, isn't it?]
no subject
[ Fancy words from a well-read man! And honestly, he doesn't mind any of her ideas, but he can't help but wonder if she's just being desperate to do anything but see Clarus in the eyes ever again. Dare he say, it's adorable, with how fearless she normally tries to sound.
After that smoochfest, which thankfully nobody witnessed, he slides his seat closer to hers as he sits back down again. Then, he takes another sip from his bottle as he waits for her answer.
Don't worry, he'll keep things in this time. ]
no subject
... Our what? [A beat, then quickly:] Nevermind.
[It's not all that important, but she's pretty sure she gets the gist of what he's trying to say without knowing what the word means.
He isn't wrong about any of it – wanting to avoid his dad and the house altogether, if only to buy herself some time to reclaim some of the composure and poise she lost that day. Maybe it'll allow her to practice saying 'Clarus' instead of 'sir' in front of the bathroom mirror some more, too. (She doesn't do that. Her embarrassment hasn't gone that far! Not yet, anyway.)
Once Gladio's taken a mouthful of his drink, she waits for him to swallow it before continuing and even tilts her head to get a better look at him to be sure. She can't tell if he has, but the last thing she wants is to get sprayed with whatever it is they're drinking. It's one thing getting strawberry pieces to the face but another to be showered in alcohol, and if she can avoid one of the two tonight, it's the latter.
There's a bit of hesitancy in her voice, but Lightning powers through it anyway with the flattest tone.]
Would you wanna see him if you kept calling him 'sir' and then spilled coffee all over the damn place anyway?
[WELP. Lightning lifts her own bottle near her lips, but she doesn't take a sip. No, it's to shield herself in the event that he didn't swallow all of his drink down....]
no subject
[ He puts his bottle down now, but in turn he covers his own eyes as he stifles a laugh. To his credit, he remains silent, but there's a higher pitch than normal in his voice because he might as well be laughing out loud. He can't. He just can't. ]
--y-you spilled coffee in front of him, too?
[ DEEP BREATHS. ]
no subject
Lightning watches him in silence for a while, straight-faced except for the single eyebrow that continues to hitch. She throws back another large sip of her drink and sets it down on the counter, only so that she can swat a hand against his chest. Ineffective as always, and she was barely trying, but it gets the point across! ... She hopes.]
Stop laughing.
[!!!
It was unfortunate and another few coffees that had gone to waste, and that alone is no laughing matter. Pile that on with the fact that it was with his dad and... well... you get the picture.]
We got to talking, and... [A disgruntled 'ugh' under her breath.] Can't tell what's worse – spilling them or telling you that I did.
[She caaaan't taaaake the heeeat... Girl, get outta the kitchen! She flings another fruit at him, this time a strawberry (how daring!), but her aim is off no thanks to this and it whizzes past his head instead and lands on the floor with a soft splat. :( ]
no subject
I reckon spilling takes the cake, but you tellin' me is just the icing on top.
[ He takes his bottle and taps the tip of it against her own bottle that's sitting on the counter. A playful cheers of sorts, as he takes another drink.
Geez, this stuff is really going for him now! She might have to take a drunk man home... or leave him here to pass out. ]
But he doesn't have to see us if you don't wanna. I get it. [ It's a bit of a big deal, isn't it? He hardly wants to put that kind of pressure on her, or himself even. Instead he reaches for her tiny hand and brings it up to his lips, giving her an affectionate kiss. ] Your little fantasy romance scenarios sound more fun anyway.
[ He laughs again, although not so much at her this time. ]
no subject
She would even prepare the ice buckets for them.]
Sure as hell feels like some kind of fantasy romance scenario.
[She follows his laugh with one of her own, gentler this time as her expression softens. There are a lot of things that she still finds hard to believe about this – about them – and often finds herself thinking about it.
Once he's done with it, her hand slides through his until her warm palm is resting on his cheek, and she runs her thumb along the line of his stubble. She enjoys the bristly sensation. There's some worry behind the crinkle of her smile as she offers a calm verbal nudge at first, because between all the smooches and their banter, there's been another thing on her mind.]
Hey... [She's going to try to catch and hold his gaze.] How're you feeling about all this?
[Lightning heard about what happened back home and knows well enough what it's like to be reunited with a loved one who had been lost and grieved — it's never easy, and... well, she wonders if he's had the chance to talk about it. Before he left, he never did, minus what he shared at Selenium with her over a year ago, but she's very aware that seeing them through the flicker of a lit magic candle is not quite the same as having them here, tangible and real.
From what she knows about Gladio, however much or little, he always struck her as similar to her in a lot of ways... one of them being having to be strong for others around them, but she wants him to open up to her more, and to trust her with those feelings if he so chooses. This seems like a good place to start.
... Also, her hands are NOT tiny!!!]
no subject
Back home, I didn't give myself the time to grieve him, and he went out the way he wanted to go.
[ Gladio took comfort in knowing that much, at least. The Amicitias have a royal duty, even if it comes at the cost of abandoning your family. Gladio, too, would doom himself in a hopeless fight by Noctis' side, so in some ways he has to respect his father's decision. ]
And... Iris is happier than I've seen her in a long time.
[ That doesn't at all answer how he feels about it??? ]
no subject
Lightning's eyes remain fixed on him, unmoving and intense as ever as they drill into his, while she holds on to every word he says. Few as they are, it doesn't make any one of them less important to her. The fact that he chooses to say so little about only serves to deepen her concern and in turn, her stare. At some point, her hand moves from his face to his shoulder where she gives it a light and reassuring squeeze – she may not be good at talking about these things, but she sure as hell can try to inspire.
She figured that that was the case – not grieving. Duty comes first, after all... but she knows now that the process is all a part of being human. Lightning had lost Serah twice and the first time, she gave into anger and the second, weakness. It was grieving, but not proper; it was done in all the wrong ways that she knew even at the time that it was the way Serah would have wanted.
For him, she can respect that he still had Noct to watch over, but that doesn't mean he isn't allowed to talk about it. Not that she's an expert on the subject of emotions, but she's learning too!
The mention of his sister puts a twitch in the corner of her lip.]
It's good that Iris is happy.
[That part is important and while she doesn't want to diminish that, if she wanted to know, she would have just asked Iris herself. Lightning's finger brushes against his jaw, and she shifts in her chair to move herself a little closer. Her voice drops low – not quite a whisper, but it's intimate.]
... But I didn't ask about her.
no subject
[ She probably wouldn't know how, but he would be impressed if she did. As for Gladio, his answer is "I don't know". He's happy and worried at the same time, and this time it's genuinely for Iris. Whatever happens, he can handle it, but he's only hurting when Iris is...
--and then there's Clarus himself. ]
My dad, in a way, has come to terms with the end of his life. He knew what would happen on that day. I hope this isn't too hard on him, y'know? Adjusting to a new place.
no subject
[The quiet hum is the only sound she makes at first. He has a point. She wouldn't know what to think or do if one of her parents showed up unannounced in a place like this, and it's been years... centuries since she's seen them that she can barely remember the warmth of her mother's smile or her father's laugh. It isn't herself that she'd be concerned about though, because like Gladio, Lightning has a sister she worries about instead.
Her eyes narrow, fingers loosening on his shoulder as she leans away. The deflecting of her question with one of his own hits her right where it hurts, and she can't help but doubt herself and whether she's overstepping any boundaries by asking.
As for Clarus...]
He seemed fine. Happy... even after I covered him in coffee before he could get through his first week. [She tries to laugh, but it's far from relaxed.] Talk about a warm welcome...
[
Ha ha... get it... because coffee is warm... She tried. :/Is that any consolation? She hopes so, but Lightning keeps thinking back to the first time Serah vanished. It's a reminder that she continues to live every day knowing that people could disappear from here at any given second, and she needs to live each and every one of these moments like it's their last. Would it be for her and Serah? Definitely not, but she has a feeling the Amicitias don't get the same chance she does...]
no subject
If anything, he appreciates her reaching out, even if he's bad at sorting it out in his own mind. He's not angry or sad about the situation, but something is keeping him from embracing it completely, too. Maybe it's the threat of losing their parent all over again if this place changes it's mind about Clarus belonging here. But that's true for everyone, isn't it? ]
If he seemed happy, even after all of that, then why're you so scared of him?
[ He leans forward, the tone in his question matches his expression - he's being playful again. ]
Think he won't approve of who I'm seeing?
[ As if that would even come in the way of anything. Gladio is his own man! ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)