Homecoming

[Guest]

How long had she been away? How much had happened since she set off for the Great Desert with Apos? Vivian Olivia Duchamp, Lieutenant Colonel, Royal Guard and Crown Alchemist, had finally returned home. But what in the world had she returned to? The White House was destroyed, the King had been kidnapped, and RIOTE had left another blemish upon her homeland. When she and Apos had heard news of the brewing war from a traveler they happened upon, her face had grown pale to hear what had occurred and how she had.... Her lips tightened as she sat there in front of her vanities mirror, staring at her much more tan reflection. She had failed in her primary duty to the King. She had not protected him when he needed it most. She had also failed Apos by leaving him behind on his journey so she could return home only to find that she was not needed. That she was too late to make any kind of difference. It was true Apos had understood, but she could not forget the sadness in his eyes to see her leave. And what sadness had stabbed her for having to be parted from him. She had grown quite fond of him during their travels, enough so that she could admit it to herself despite her... reservations. Though he certainly wasn't the cause of such reservations, it was events of her past that had left such a blemish upon her mind and soul.

A knock came at her door which drew her attention from her thoughts, taking a deep breath as she pushed herself up. "Come in." She called softly, her long dark hair flowing free about her shoulders and down her back. It was her elder brother, Tristan, who stepped into the room and closed the door quietly behind him. He didn't say anything at first and instead sat down on her bed, patting the space beside him for her to join him. She paused for a moment before her feet followed after him, her hands gathering her long skirt to smooth it out before she sat down. The pair were quiet for a moment, her sapphire eyes staring pointedly at the carpet since she had no words that she could say. "It's not your fault you know." He said quietly, placing a hand upon her leg as he stared at her with those doe brown eyes of his. Vivian had to close her eyes, wanting to shy away from his touch but she could not bring herself to do so. "But I should have been there. I shouldn't have been...." She sighed heavily and shook her head, now turning her head to meet her elder brothers gaze. "I was-" "-given permission to go. You submitted your reports as you said you would, and you went. He had plenty of Royal Guards to watch his back. What happened, happened and nothing can change that now. The war is over Olive, relax and let yourself live."

His words made her freeze up, staring at him dumbly as if she had not quite heard the words that had come out of his mouth. Was it what he had said, or the fact he used a nickname for her that he had not uttered for years? He was absolutely, positively right though. She had been given permission. She had submitted her reports. She had done everything that had been requested of her for her absence, and she had been given permission to go. Where was the logic in beating herself up so? The answer was: None. She felt his hand rub her thigh gently, the sensation making her lean forward so her forehead touched his shoulder. The pair embraced, his hug enveloping her being as she took a deep, cleansing breath. "You're right." An ironic scoff escaped her as she tightened her arms about him, pulling away slowly as a heavy sigh escaped her. "I've been a git for the past couple of days haven't I?"

It was his turn to laugh at that, running his hand along her back soothingly as he shook his head, pushing himself up from her bed. "Nah. Not so much a git as a dumb beaver. You seem to have snapped out of it a bit though so thats good. Now go downstairs and greet the rest of the family so they will stop pestering me to make sure you aren't dead." And with one last chuckle he left her alone once more, the door clicking shut softly behind him. Her gaze stared after him for a moment as his words washed over her one more time, slapping her thighs before rising and turning to her closet. The war was over, and she was still off duty at this point. She chose a soft, light blue button up long-sleeved shirt to go with a pair of navy dressy sort of pants that flared a bit at the bottom with black panty-hoes beneath. A black, v-neck buttoned sweater went on next, the neckline rather low to still reveal the shirt she was wearing beneath it. She tied her long hair back into a ponytail as she used to wear it, her bangs still stubbornly framing her face. White gloves hid the tattoos upon her hands, gold buttons following the wrist that extended a little bit up her arm. She chose simple black high heels for her feet, and a pair of gold and sapphire earrings to finish off the look. She paused to stare at herself in the mirror before adding a rather light lip treatment to her lips that brought a little more life to her face. God she had gotten rather tan on her trip.

Now satisfied with her appearance, she did wander down the stairs to the living room where her family had gathered for their various tasks. Her father was sitting at the dining room table reading a newspaper, her mother was in one of the wing chairs doing paperwork, her younger brother was reading a comic book, and her two youngest siblings were playing a video game on the TV. Her older brother had settled himself into the other end of the long couch to do some work of his own. Amelie and Mikhael were the first to look up from their game, both completely disregarding it to come running to her to hug her legs. "Yay you came out!" "Hey sis, do you want to join our game? Please please?" "We promise to go easy on you!" Amelie giggled, the two staring up at her hopefully. "Come now children, let her breathe. I'm sure she'll play another time." Her father called from the table, Julian only glancing over his comic to nod to her.

Vivian smiled softly to her youngest siblings and crouched down to kiss them both on the forehead, "Father's right, another time perhaps." They pouted, but returned without a fuss to their entertainment. "Good to see you out of your room sweetheart." Her mother called, glancing up for a moment to smile at her daughter before returning to her work. "Thanks mom." She murmured quietly, taking a moment to stare over her family. These were the noble Duchamp's, one of the remaining prestigious families in Creta. And she was their second eldest child. "I know I just came down, but I think I'll go for a walk. I should be back in a few hours." It was her fathers turn to look away from his paper to gaze upon his daughter, smirking as he nodded once. "Ok Vivian. We'll be here." She almost felt guilty for being a bit selfish and wandering off on her own, but right now? It was what she needed most.

So she checked to be sure she had her cell phone, keys, and wallet before heading out the door, locking it quietly behind her. The descending dusk was rather welcome as a cool breeze fluttered against her skin. Mmmm..... a lovely evening that wasn't as harsh and cold as the desert could be. So without real thought for direction, the young Lt Colonel began to wander the streets of London, her hands in her pockets and her eyes distant. It was hard being home at this awkward point in time.

[Guest]

{I hope you don't mind this. Apos... saw the post and reacted. ^^; Also, I just assumed for time, since you never really specified much. If I have anything wrong, lemme know. <3}

Ohhh. So THIS was the great house of the Duchamp family. You know, he'd seen it from the outside, sure, but not from this close. The last time he'd brought Vivian here, he'd waited a little while away--he hadn't been sure if they'd be happy enough to see the man who was taking their daughter far away on a lovely trip through the desert. A fucking trip that had been cut half short, by none other than bloody war, of course. Sitting, arse against the motorbike and slowly looking up into the sky, the man took in the Cretan sun with a soft smile. They'd been back for a while. She didn't know that he was here, though that was a given. When they'd parted, it had been an interesting few days. Apos had tried to continue at the same gusto that he had with Vivian at his side, but it would never work. He only made a league a day, not even that. His bike felt too light--his back missed the familiar weight of another human touching upon it. Strange, how these things worked. Apos, the man who had always accustomed himself to being alone at the side, under the shadow, away from the real spotlight... he was finally understanding what it felt like to be lonely. The man who's only thoughts were originally of the women that he could get for easy and cheap--they were completely different to everything else.

So he turned around. He was halfway through that damn desert. He could've continued on, he would've made Xerxes in another three days with her there. He barely made it halfway. "All this fer a damn broad," he muttered to himself, shaking his head with a soft sigh. The hair upon the top of his head, though still a blonde shade, had turned even brighter, bleached by the constant exposure to sunlight. It was almost reaching a white color. His skin had tanned nicely, leaving him almost reminiscent of an Ishvallan in his appearance. Unfortunately, that had garnered him a few 'nice' looks as he'd passed by Central. He wanted to help. But he was no longer a Military man, at least not for now. He'd left his tags behind, put away the uniform. Vivian, on the other hand, was still a woman loyal to her country. It made for a strange pairing--the loose and relaxed man on a quest, and the stoic one he'd brought along with him for company. Sighing softly, he reached into his pocket, reflexively going for where his pack of cigarettes would normally be, before closing his deep brown eyes and laughing internally. "Right. I gave that up." An almost poetic chuckle escaped from his lips, the man's eyes dropping to the skyline of London. The sun was lowering, signalling the end of another day.

He'd been here for a week, or something like that. He'd stopped caring. The days didn't matter. He'd lost a large amount of days simply to that sun in the sky, why should he care now? The little lingering pieces of Cretan that he'd gathered from Vivian had helped him out. They'd managed to get him a nice place--even his money (or at least a small chunk of it) was converted into something he could use. Seeing the smiles on the faces of those people here in Creta, even with such a deadly war raging on... it couldn't do anything but warm Apos' heart. There was something different about Creta. Something old, warm and yet well-remembered by the heart of the man who'd resigned himself to being nothing. Anyways. He had stayed here, gathering up the courage to finally approach this residence. Every day he'd tried, but shied away. He got closer and closer each day. Today, he was actually right outside--judging from knowledge of the place, they probably thought him some stalker. Again, it was unlikely that they knew exactly who this tanned stranger was, but they would eventually need to call the police on him. A muscular frame rippled beneath the white cloth that covered his chest, and he sighed. It was... probably about time to leave.

A door slammed. Well, a door 'slammed'. More just closed, and he heard it, turning his head sharply to see who was coming outside. Ready to run away, just in case there was a person wanting to get him out of here, Apos' body almost moved into that of a crouching tiger's. However, that tension--that stress--that completely and total build up of mental self-destruction... dropped. The long locks of black hair, that familiar height and figure, the body shape, everything that had been completely committed to the memory of Apos Rajan... "Heh, yo, Vi." The words of greeting were completely internalized, not spoken out loud at all. He could've simply driven away, knowing that she were here. It was as easy as another day. But he knew that another day would be the last of it. That insecurity that once defined Apos was slowly fading away, because of her. Sitting the bike against the fence, large and rough hands would quickly tie the bike up against it, Apos looking up and making the most apologetic face he possibly could to the residents of the house. If anything, he could explain when he came to take it back. If it hadn't been stolen or impounded, that is. And instead, he would start to walk, feeling a chill against his bared arms.

He wouldn't do much yet, simply ambling behind her and admiring her with a soft smile across his lips. This wasn't usual for Apos. Sure, he could do the whole tough-guy thing for a while. But that was just on the outside. It was what was inside that counted, usually, and that was what Apos needed to work at. So, for a while, he simply ambled, taking in sights that he'd never had a chance to take in before. However, it would then become clear that something was coming into his vision--a fountain. He didn't think she was going for it, but... for some reason, he decided that this was the right time. With the stealthy silence of the Aerugese, Apos began to increase his speed, approaching until he was within earshot of the woman. Sucking in air and pushing out the powerful nervousness that he felt racking throughout his entire body, Apos tried to switch his mind to the first language he wanted to try out. "Vivian! My Cretan. Is it getting better yet?" He didn't see a reaction, nor did he know if she'd turn around or not. Of course, his Cretan may just have been wrong.

So instead, he would stop and shout. He would shout in the language he'd known for all of his life. He would shout out words of affirmation, telling this woman exactly who was standing behind her. There would be no second-guessing the intention of these words, the will to make one's presence known completely. "Oi, Vivian!" They were harsh words, but Apos' dialect itself was harsh. Only one who had gotten to know him through simply being alone would realize that there was also kindness in those words, "I ain't an apparition! Ignorin' me ain't gonna make my voice disappear, and you ain't gonna get rid'o'me so easily! We started that journey into the desert together, and I'll be damn fucking sure that we cross the border into Xing together, at the same time!" Breathing slightly heavier from the exhalation of air, Apos took a few more steps forwards, eyes completely fixated upon Vivian. His look was harsh and angry, but only because it was natural. The shine in those eyes, accentuated by the lowering sun in the sky, was different. It was... Apos.

[Guest]

The troops had already left to retrieve the king, and she was here at home lost and without a purpose. Her family took her mind off of such matters a little bit for a time, but she couldn't just let it go. It was a rather odd sensation to be honest for she felt responsible as both a royal guard, but also as a person of noble birth from Creta for the lack of security that had allowed for RIOTE to come in and take Dietrich away. Heh, was the Governess of New York fretting over her boy toy right now? Or was she more concerned about her own skin? Vivian's eyes closed as she shook her head slightly, amused at how her mind had jumped to those old memories now of all times. Who cared anymore about such things? She was here and she could only make ready while she waited for them to come back successful or... The smile vanished as quickly as it had come, her eyes opening to stare hard at the setting sun on the horizon. They would not fail. They would bring back Lord Dietrich in good health. She could not afford to doubt her fellow Royal Guards or the other members that had run off to join the rescue effort. To do so would be to lose faith in one of the things she believed in the strongest, that defined a portion of her being.

But what of the other part? What of the other source of her.... discomfort? She had left Apos behind after swearing that she would accompany him. The sandstorm had separated them for a couple of days, but they had still managed to find each other afterwards by some miracle. That sad look in his eyes still haunted her, stabbed her right through the heart to the point that it made her breath shudder as she took a deep breath. She wanted to apologize to him, to Dietrich, to.... Oh for fucks sake. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared ahead at the trees with a grimace upon her lips, her fingertips digging into her legs within her pockets. She was being downright pathetic. She had to stop. She would face things when the time came, but for now she had to not worry about things that were out of her control. "Vivian!" Her name did not reach her ears even as he called it for she was deep in thought over how she should best handle herself at this point. She should return home and actually speak with her siblings as opposed to being a ghost within her own household. They were her family and they loved her dearly. She was being a git, a big dumb guilty git who needed-

"Oi, Vivian!"

.... No. She froze just as she was about to step off of her back foot, her head immediately shooting up to stare with disbelief ahead of her. She could not process that that voice was here. He.. couldn't have... He was supposed to still be in the desert at the Xerxes Ruins without her. She had left him in the land of the sun to chase after her selfish desires no matter how much it hurt both of them, so there was no way that he could be here. "I ain't an apparition! Ignorin' me ain't gonna make my voice disappear, and you ain't gonna get rid'o'me so easily! We started that journey into the desert together, and I'll be damn fucking sure that we cross the border into Xing together, at the same time!" The water from the fountain filled the void of silence in the air as her hands slid out of her pockets, her body slowly straightening into a standing position. There was absolutely no mistaking that voice for anyone else, it was Apos. Without a doubt. But, how? He hadn't left just because of her.... had he?

Her body was resistant to the motion, but she slowly began to turn to face him. First her hips, then her torso, and finally her head although it was her eyes that were the last thing to rest upon him. Shock, pain, happiness, and guilt washed over her features in a rapid cycle of succession before finally settling upon a weird mix that was her expression. Her sapphire depths gazed right back into the harsh look within his eyes completely transfixed to the spot by him. And it was a calm that settled over her then to see him there, standing so defiantly before her as the fountains water cascaded in a soft patter in the background. "Apos..." She had not found her voice yet and so his name came out in a whisper that betrayed both how happy she was to see him, and how much more guilty she felt to have him here. Another deep, shuddering breath wracked her body as she tried to calm those butterflies that had arisen with a vengeance inside her chest, forcing herself to take one step towards him. Then another, and another... Until she finally stood right before him with only a sad smile upon her lips and a tinge of moisture in those blue depths.

"I'm sorry for making you retrace your steps all the way back here. Especially because of a war that you no longer have a stake in. I told you I would travel with you and I broke my word." She began quietly, lowering her eyes for a brief moment to stare at her hands that were caught awkwardly in space. She reached toward him but had stopped herself, unsure whether or not she should touch him. She seriously doubted that he was actually angry at her considering he had actually let her go in the first place, but one could never be sure. But she committed and so took his hands in her own, exhaling a shaky breath before raising her gaze to meet his again. "But, I am happy to see you here. Can you find it in yourself to forgive me for failing to travel all the way with you?" She asked him, searching his face for his reaction, for what exactly he was feeling right now at this moment. This man who had chased her all the way back here when he didn't have to. This man whom had been so confident when they had first met, yet had left behind his previous plans to come back to her. She... did not deserve this.

[Guest]

She turned. He didn't expect it, but she turned her body towards him and looked with an expression that reminded Apos a lot of a hurt puppy. Unfortunately, he was weak against hurt puppies. Not changing his stance or expression, the male with the darkened skin and the paled hair took a couple of steps forwards. He wouldn't take his eyes off of Vivian, nor would he speak either. The sound of waters lapping over one another was the only thing that he could hear in the distance, standing there with a powerful gaze. He watched her lips move; wondering just what the woman could have whispered to herself under that sunlight. A whisper was a strange thing, it was much the same as speaking aloud your thoughts, yet it was also the most hidden way of saying things--a man could hide his intentions behind a whisper far better than he could upon his face. Apos was obvious proof of that, the look in his eyes, even if harsh, was reminiscent and almost slightly sad. He wasn't sad that they had been separated simply like that. That, he could quite easily get through. Instead, he was sad that it had to come to this. Sad that they had to split apart and then meet again in this way.

She must have been feeling so guilty. She had left him, after promising to accompany him as well. She would've been torn between a promise and the country she had sworn to defend. It must've hurt her so much. She had started to walk forwards, approaching him as he would as well, the pair meeting with the very center of the fountain to their side. "I'm sorry for making you retrace your steps all the way back here." That was no issue. That was never going to be an issue. Apos Rajan was a man who kept walking through whatever it took to get to what he wanted. Even if it cost him his limbs, his heart, his mind, his soul, he would make it, for it would be worth it in the end. "Especially because of a war that you no longer have a stake in. I told you I would travel with you and I broke my word." He didn't speak. There was no need to--she was being honest with him right now. Although it took a few tries and a look of non-confidence, he felt soft fingers interlock with his own. "But, I am happy to see you here. Can you find it in yourself to forgive me for failing to travel all the way with you?" Silly woman.

Sighing softly, Apos' hands slipped out of hers. Moving outwards, they trailed up and around her body; not touching and yet so very close, reaching up her back and pulling inwards, bringing her into his own body in a soft hug. "Exactly. You told me--you promised me--that you would travel with me." He closed his eyes and breathed out. Apos Rajan, despite everything, was a man who hid behind a mask. Daily, he would hide behind this mask and continue to live out his life. However, there was a woman who'd seen through his mask. Even Shovel, the man who was his best friend, had never seen through that mask. But this one. This one had broken his mask. This one had seen the real face of Apos. "You promised, so I came to make sure you follow through. That, and..." He swallowed back something that came up in his throat. He felt his heart increase in beats. His body began to shiver slightly, despite it not being cold enough to really bother him. Breathing out, the man's right hand slowly moved away from the back of the woman, reaching up to meet her cheek, a finger and thumb softly stroking against the flesh.

"I..." Do you know the meaning of a kiss, or why it was invented? It's a lovely trick, designed by nature for those moments when words become superfluous. As the sun finally fell behind the fountain and bathed the pair in a soft light that was slowly fading, Apos raised her face to meet with his eyes, and then moved in. It took barely half a second, but their lips touched once and only briefly, Apos pulling away to make sure that she was okay with it. However, it was at that moment that instinct took over. He gave no prior warning, his face moving in and crashing with hers; Apos not knowing exactly how to be truly gentle in such an embrace. His other hand moved back from her face and around her body, curving and pulling her in closer. He held the embrace for but fifteen, twenty seconds, but it was those seconds that seemed to pass by like hours. He would slowly pull away from the kiss once it was over, staring at her deep blue pools with a soft expression.

"I wasn't even angry. I knew that you would have no choice but to return, so I let it happen. Thought I'd be okay. Heh, for the first day, maybe. But come the third day, I felt lonelier than I ever have. You weren't just a companion, I realized at that point. You'd become a part of the trip, and I wouldn't ever be able to finish it without you." A slightly solemn smile crossed over his lips, "So I came back for ya. Because... well, I think I just explained." The usual confidence was gone. This was... more awkward than one could ever imaeine. But he liked it, so was that not enough?

[Guest]

She did not sense anger from him. Then again, she knew that his features could merely appear harsh and such without his mood necessarily matching it. Had such a thing caused him problems before? No, that was not what was the main issue here. The main issue was his response to her asking his forgiveness. If she could at least be forgiven by one of the two that she had let down.... Well, she would certainly feel a hell of a lot better. So when he began to remove his hands from hers, she couldn't help but feel a pinprick of worry. Had she overstepped her bounds? Was he not--And then his arms pulled her to him. Her eyes widened for a moment as she hung there against him, her mind processing this before her hands slid around him and up his back. He was so warm... But not a physical temperature sort of way, it was as if it cut through the boundaries of the world to fill her with an almost emotional sense. But even that did not seem to cover it quite right either. It was if his warmth had reached her very soul. That... was as close as she could describe it.

"Exactly. You told me--you promised me--that you would travel with me." The words stung, but the tone was not one to chastise her. Her eyes closed as her forehead rested against his shoulder, cursing herself for feeling the rising waters of her tears welling up into her eyes. She could not cry at this. She did not want him to see her tears. "You promised, so I came to make sure you follow through. That, and..." What? Her head rose so she could stare up at his face that was so close to her own, those sapphire depths sparkling with hints of her tears. She was forgiven. She was forgiven and even told she could continue on his journey with him. Relief washed over her as a smile rose to her lips, her heart beginning to beat in her throat as she tried to blink back the tears. Two still fell as his hand came up to touch her face, her skin growing warm to his touch as a rosy tinge colored her tan skin. His normally rough hand felt so smooth against her face, her head tilting into it as she closed her eyes to feel his fingers caress with such affection.

But her eyes opened to stare up at him with an understanding she did not necessarily possess. "I..." She felt her lips move to gently shush him but there was no need for her to as the sun descended past them just as their lips met. It was a perfectly picturesque scene as that golden light enveloped them in their joy as if to say that this was what the cosmos wanted. When he pulled back, her eyes opened to meet his gaze, her hands slowly sliding down his back just as he leaned in again. It was rough and hot, but she did not shy away from it. She kept up with his sudden fit of passion as her body pressed closer even as he drew her nearer. Maybe if she were another girl she would have paid attention to the toned body beneath his clothes but that was not what mattered in the least bit to her. What mattered was the man in his entirety. As they separated, she exhaled slowly, her eyes taking a couple of seconds before flicking up to stare into those chocolate eyes of his. She had not reacted. He had not triggered anything within her even when he was rough. He... had not... triggered it.... She had not smiled as she was now in many a year, and only he had called it forth again.

"I wasn't even angry. I knew that you would have no choice but to return, so I let it happen. Thought I'd be okay. Heh, for the first day, maybe. But come the third day, I felt lonelier than I ever have. You weren't just a companion, I realized at that point. You'd become a part of the trip, and I wouldn't ever be able to finish it without you." So he had also felt that pain that had stabbed her so as she had traveled ever farther from him to return to Creta. Her expression softened, her smile lessening a little as her hands came to rest upon his chest, one sliding up to rest on the back of his neck while the other took her turn to touch his cheek so gently. "So I came back for ya. Because... well, I think I just explained." Vivian rose up to place a brief kiss upon his lips, pulling back so she could stare at his features in their entirety. "Yes, you did." She spoke softly as her hand lowered to rest upon his shoulder now.

"And I will keep that promise to you, even if we are a bit delayed. We will cross that border into Xing together as you said before. There is no one else I'd rather cross it with." Oh lord, was she being cheesey? She was being so cheesey right now... But it was the truth and so there was nothing she could really do about how it may have sounded. "So what do we do now? Walk around a little more, take you back to meet my family..." She wondered if that option would terrify him at all, "Or something else?" She asked him with a sweet little smile, any sign of her tears gone from her face.

[Guest]

It happened. He didn't expect it to--it wasn't planned, it wasn't thought of, it just happened. It happened, and he no longer had any regrets for such a situation. Their lips met, they held each other for so long, and they pulled away. At that second, it felt as if they had been together in a dream for an eternity. His face looked down at her in that light, and he couldn't help but feel a little strange--as if it hadn't just happened. However, the light feeling that touched upon his lips was there. The feel of a soft touch, a body's remembrance, it was all there. Apos closed his eyes briefly, exhaling softly with her smile etched deeply into his vision. He'd never seen such a smile on the face of this black-haired woman, no matter how much time the two of them had spent together in that desert. It seemed almost perfect--fitting--it was one of the most beautiful smiles that Apos had ever had the chance to experience. He finished his own, rather hurried, explanation, before feeling the hands upon his body moving around and up. A soft kiss met with his lips, before pulling away just a mite. "Yes, you did."

Yes, he did. He did explain himself, and she'd accepted it. The words that he'd messed with over and over in his head were finally together and in places that they needed to be. Not only did the feeling of a great weight lift off of his chest, but his entire body felt lighter and far better for it. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, and he noticed the sun finally disappear out of the corner of his eye as the area began to grow dark. It would most likely grow cold soon. "And I will keep that promise to you, even if we are a bit delayed. We will cross that border into Xing together as you said before. There is no one else I'd rather cross it with." Good. He had hoped to hear those words--he had actually hoped that he wouldn't have to kiss her and make it slightly more complex, but that changed rather quickly now, didn't it? No, it was a good thing that he went with what his heart was telling him. She'd reciprocated his kiss. "So what do we do now? Walk around a little more, take you back to meet my family..." Oh dear god the family. That option terrified him more than anything, though it was probably best that he did meet them. Returning to their household may have been the smartest ide--"Or something else?" Something... else? The look on Apos' face was one of slight confusion as he attempted to process what she had said.

"Hrn, well. I do... need to get my bike back... and it would certainly be a nice walk if we diverted... and I guess I gotta finally meet ya family... and I doubt that certain events would allow me to leave so easily... So why don't we kill all three birds with one stone?" A grin crossed his lips as a hand slipped itself into one of hers. "Do you wish to lead th'way?" Moving back into his more casual way of talking, Apos finally let go of the embrace that they'd seemed to have held forever, turning his body back in the direction they'd both come from and taking a few steps forwards; beginning a slow walk to wherever Vivian felt it best to go. He would be happy to let her lead him--he felt that there may actually be a bit more to talk about, so he figured that he'd break the ice. It was in bad taste to talk about work at a time like this, but he needed to know. As a soldier of Amestris, he needed to hear this directly. "I know it's a bad time, but how're things 'ere in Creta? I 'aven't 'eard much from the papers, and nobody's been talking in the pub where I'm stayin'... If y'don't wanna say anything s'fine, I'm just worried." He laughed dryly, gripping her hand slightly tighter within his own...

[Guest]

Now that the moment had sunk in in its entirety, Vivian remained baffled at one simple fact. He had not triggered anything. No warning bells, no sudden pull backs, no fear..... None of it. She did not flash back to the memory that she kept locked away in the darkest corner of her mind, nor did she even see the mans face imprinted to replace Apos'. He would probably never know what exactly that meant for her in the grand scheme of things. Her expression reflected just how serene she felt, her lips soft in their smile as her sapphire eyes swirled like flowing water. She had to contain a giggle as she thought she saw him tense up at the mention of meeting her family. Was it really so terri--... No. It totally was. She had so many family members, and who knew what her parents might expect of her when it came to relationships? She was lucky that her parents didn't quite believe in arranged marriages, and so wouldn't implement them upon their daughters (once Amelie was old enough). It actually surprised her a bit how her parents hadn't pressured her into meeting anyone, not even trying to hook her up with any of the other noble houses sons. Sure there were plenty to choose from, but... well, long story short, she was relieved she hadn't had to.

Then he seemed confused. What was confusing? Had she said something off? Or... "Hrn, well. I do... need to get my bike back... and it would certainly be a nice walk if we diverted... and I guess I gotta finally meet ya family... and I doubt that certain events would allow me to leave so easily... So why don't we kill all three birds with one stone?" Her smile grew to hear his logic, her hand easily fitting within his own. "I like this plan." She said softly with a low chuckle, giving his hand a soft squeeze. "Do you wish to lead th'way?" She nodded once as her body slid away from him, her hair flying upwards as a gust of wind blew past them. There didn't seem to be that awkward period of seeing who went first, they both just... walked. It was easy, natural. Vivian had dated before but those had been YEARS ago, and certainly before the.. incident. After that, she hadn't been able to get to close to men in that way. Besides, she had also had the military to distract her from ever really thinking about relationships to begin with. So what now though?

She felt his hand tighten around her own which caused her to look up to him with some concern in her eyes. "I know it's a bad time, but how're things 'ere in Creta? I 'aven't 'eard much from the papers, and nobody's been talking in the pub where I'm stayin'... If y'don't wanna say anything s'fine, I'm just worried." Oh. The smile faltered and quickly lowered into a grimace, her lips tightening against each other. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, turning her eyes up towards the street lamps that were beginning to come on. "Honestly.... " Where did she even begin? "Lord Dietrich is in a coma. It seems that the government is electing the Astor twins to take his place until he wakes up." She paused for a second, the ground now seeming far more interesting to her. "If he wakes up." She added in almost a whisper, truly not wanting to think of that possibility. She had been one of his Royal Guards, and now her king was in limbo. A lot of people hadn't liked Dietrich very much, but she was not among them. She liked her king, she had found him pleasant usually. And now? He wasn't there anymore. The Astor twins would take his place and leave her... where? Was she primarily with the Crown Alchemists now? Or would the Royal Guards now guard their new leaders? "The country itself is dealing with the news. The White House was destroyed and all the files within it so there's a lot of information thats been lost. So we rebuild and endure as we always have." She managed a smile then, tearing her gaze away from the ground to look at him properly rather than avoiding him. Not that it had been particularly intentional, it was just how things went.

[Shula Brighton]

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