You change when you get in that van.
Dec. 22nd, 2023 11:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
style_bringer[Fortuna was off-limits as far as vacations went. Aside from it being the source of some of Nero's worst memories, it was in utter disrepair, only accessible through small boats. London? Still intact, even aside from the catastrophes he and Lucina averted. There were plenty of boroughs that hadn't fallen prey to demons but he doubted small family parks wouldn't be interesting enough when it came to people that spent a great deal of their time in a breathtaking, gorgeous country-side and idyllic ivory castle.
Their introduction to his garage was anything but impressive, greeted by Nico who had thrown a demon's corpse on a tarp only to be caught hacking through it when everyone made their way through the portal. So, Lucina's family had been seated in various parts of the living room while Nero set about to making several pots of coffee. Coffee, breakfast, then plans for the day. That was what they agreed on.
Nico, washing her hands in the sink he used to wash vegetables, grinned at him cruelly as he set aside a lot of mugs and started ripping open packs of coffee grounds. He kept reminding himself that it was going to be one of the happiest days of his life just to know he had everything he needed to keep Ylisse and Earth connected on his own, guaranteeing he and Lucina would never lose one another that same way--but it fell short when Nico bumped his shoulder and chuckled to get him riled up.]
Good thing you got nothing but mugs instead of glassware like a normal fella.
Can it.
Pretty handy that you're gettin' paid in groceries too, huh?
Go to hell, Nico!
Their introduction to his garage was anything but impressive, greeted by Nico who had thrown a demon's corpse on a tarp only to be caught hacking through it when everyone made their way through the portal. So, Lucina's family had been seated in various parts of the living room while Nero set about to making several pots of coffee. Coffee, breakfast, then plans for the day. That was what they agreed on.
Nico, washing her hands in the sink he used to wash vegetables, grinned at him cruelly as he set aside a lot of mugs and started ripping open packs of coffee grounds. He kept reminding himself that it was going to be one of the happiest days of his life just to know he had everything he needed to keep Ylisse and Earth connected on his own, guaranteeing he and Lucina would never lose one another that same way--but it fell short when Nico bumped his shoulder and chuckled to get him riled up.]
Good thing you got nothing but mugs instead of glassware like a normal fella.
Can it.
Pretty handy that you're gettin' paid in groceries too, huh?
Go to hell, Nico!
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Date: 2023-12-23 06:17 pm (UTC)in Lucina's defense, she had a lot more on her mind than trying to describe all the modern marvels of London when it came to bringing them here. for one thing, there had to be absolute certainty there'd be no getting stranded. they're the monarchs of a whole country! they have a three-year old daughter waiting for them!
that's why, amidst their toned-down attire (well, toned down for warrior monarchs), they have small crystals affixed to their belts that glow faintly. Miriel and Laurent did some quick tests, making Nero go back and forth through a portal on his own, to ensure they could maintain some kind of connection through magic that would at least let Ylisse know that their exalt was safe. like a beeper, but one-way.
"And it shows both current events and story entertainment," Chrom repeats, remembering Lucina sputtering it out first before getting lost in her tangle of explanations.]
Yes, exactly.
["How do you know which is which?"]
Ah, well...it...it's... [a little hard. Nero's had to affirm that there was no zombie outbreak more than once.
Nero's snapping at Nico startles her a little, prompting her to glance over to where they're working before quickly focusing back on her parents.]
It's all in the context. I think, were we native to this land and culture, it would make a lot more sense. Just the same as the things we're used to are.
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Date: 2023-12-24 06:17 am (UTC)Nico had to make him practice a few times to remember how to cook before he hopped in that portal for the first time, reminding him that Lucina was a princess who deserved to be waited upon.
When he turned past the kitchen island to move dishes to the table, he blanched at the sight of world news up on the screen. Lucina? She was trying her her best but the deluge of information being hurled at them was likely to be undercut and annihilated in the wake of a strange toothpaste commercial or an ad for a crime drama.]
Lucy, we might wanna stick to just watching movies. There's even more free channels added cause they sent me a new box and now there's nearly five hundred of 'em.
[A moment passed.] But, there's a whole channel that's pretty much just martial arts movies.
[Nico, humming, set up her laptop on the kitchen counter and went about making a few minor updates to sent to Mirial and Laurent with little offers to make them keyboards with text-to-speech options for ease of use. When Nero called over everyone to sit down, Nico nearly choked on her coffee when she saw Lucina's plate had been arranged painstakingly more than everyone else's--her eggs cooked in heart-shapes after he'd silently, diligently practiced it over and over.
Nero said nothing about it and did absolutely nothing to draw attention his way other than to give Chrom and Sully a polite nod. The man was bottling everything in.]
Milk and sugar in your coffee?
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Date: 2023-12-25 02:34 am (UTC)to Nero's good fortune, Chrom ("Milk's fine, thank you.") doesn't notice the corny-yet-earnest fixings on his daughter's place.
to his misfortune, Sully ("Nah, I'm good.") does. she squints, quietly marking that down. This guy is so corny...]
Are you okay, Nico? [Lucina frowns in her direction upon seeing her little bit of distress.]
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Date: 2024-01-02 12:29 am (UTC)Seriously, Nico? You got no table manners. [He had a lot of nerve saying that after that one balcony dinner--]
Can it, ya' danged sap. Just got the pipes mixed up.
[Sitting down, Nero couldn't help but notice Sully's scrutiny and Chrom's ideal, guest-like behavior. The real surprise of the evening would be the last mention of an important channel--something he knew would clinch everything in his favor.
A whole channel, just for wrestling.]
Somethin' the matter, mother? [For the life of him, he was trying. The amount that they clashed, he had to ask for advice from a few of the wandering attendants in the castle on how to refer to his future mother-in-law to avoid fights and that word was one he was still chewing on, suffice to say.
He even briefly stole a glance at Lucina, trepidation in his eyes, as if he were letting her know it was coming first. Nico coughed... choked into her napkin.]
I also got hashed potatoes if you want.
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Date: 2024-01-02 01:25 am (UTC)"Watch it, bright eyes," she drawls blandly. "Until I see a proper ring on her finger, I'm nothing but 'ma'am' to you."
Lucina's mouth twitches as she tries to maintain an optimistic air.]
He's just being considerate... [in...in his way. Sully cocks an eyebrow, humming a bland 'mm-hmm' to that before taking the coffee served her. surly though she already is, she's also not the sunniest daisy in the morning...and the change of setting seems to only add onto that.
"We appreciate all the extra effort," Chrom adds on, nodding at Nero, a slight note of sympathy in his smile. he knows his bride, after all. "If we can pay it forward in some way appropriate for this land, please let us know."]
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Date: 2024-01-02 05:42 am (UTC)Nico leaned back in her seat, taking a more cautious sip of coffee and waited for Nero to talk before she finished it. Nero, slicing apart his eggs, glanced at Chrom a moment before sheepishly returning to them.
The ring. He'd been thinking about it since they left. The embarrassing box of things he wanted to send Lucina had a new tenant. He had a plan for that box... or rather, a loose template with vague ideas and possibilities. There were mostly nightmares where he was worried Sully would find it first... which was what the lock was for.]
You don't gotta worry about it. Since Dante is... kinda retired, I'm getting more work... And, Nico's just exaggerating when she talks about the pay. Speaking, of which, Nico-- [Time to bring up an old argument while he was at it. He made it a solid minute without getting ticked off at breakfast.]
I don't sell Devil Arms like Dante does, so it's all legit income too!
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Date: 2024-01-04 01:11 am (UTC)["That's why you looked the way you did blastin' in our castle?" Sully asks.]
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Date: 2024-01-07 08:15 pm (UTC)He was too busy frowning over her choice of words, more so, unfortunately. Something in him blanched at something she said:] 'Peers' is putting it a little too respectfully.
[Nico picked at her eggs, scrunching up her nose at the thought as well. Sully's question earned a little snicker from her and Nero slowly wheeled on her before touching a finger to his chin.]
...Y'know, I was excited.
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Date: 2024-01-09 02:38 am (UTC)...
except you don't call a parent a peer. hm. well. she can reflect on that one later, when she's not operating at 110% for her parents (parents, not peers. shoot...).
Sully watches the physical banter with a cloudy expression, diligently eating what was prepared for her (she's no ingrate!). Chrom looks similarly contemplative, but shades more transparent about it.
"Demons are that frequent...? Will your Falchion be enough?" he looks to Lucina, who perks up and nods quickly.]
Naga's power is a boon here, Father. I may not be fully experienced in the nature of them, but a holy blade will protect me just as much as Nero can.
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Date: 2024-01-15 12:10 am (UTC)Thankfully, it was just subtle enough that it hadn't caught Nico's attention as she went back to absolutely annihilating her breakfast. ]
Yeah, holy swords don't really exist here, so the Falchion... Well, nothin' can really stand up to it, y'know?
[His eyes lit up at a sudden realization. Generally, phones weren't allowed at the dinner table but he was pulling his out to pull up a video from Lucina's channel--the one with so many fans that they could have retired on viewership alone.]
Oh, check this out! Now that I got a charge, you can see that video I was talking about! Y'know, the one where Lucina took out that Angelo by jumping off the van and doing this flip--
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Date: 2024-01-15 02:04 am (UTC)[honestly, the novelty of being able to watch a past moment with such chaotic clarity (and none of the tactile mess) is more on her parents' minds than property damage.
"Sages can't even relay visions out of their crystals this clear," Chrom remarks.]
No, but...most people here can't use magic, so it's...something of a give-and-take.
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Date: 2024-01-15 04:03 am (UTC)Nico, peeking over her plate, commented offhandedly: 'You sure got your phone out fast for that one.'
Chrom and Lucina had their little aside and Nero started moving to more videos of Lucina thrashing demons... pointedly skipping over the one where he was really going at the air guitar next to a stupefied monster with with a goat's head.]
Well, yeah, I was pretty busy with my own guy at first but I saw her somersault on the roof and just knew what she was gonna do, though, so I was in a real rush to record...
Oh, ignore that last one, I was just tuning one of Nico's new arms.
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Date: 2024-01-16 09:33 pm (UTC)"So this is the kinda stuff you wanna do now...?" she mumbles aloud, her fork gently tapping on the cleaned-up plate before her. Lucina picks up on the pensiveness, her expression sobering a bit in light of it. she seems to retreat a little into herself, folding her hands under the table, and just quietly taking stock while Nero's still in show-and-tell mode.
there's things to be said about it, but she can't conjure up the proper words so quickly, though she's trying her best to string it together to speak to it.]
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Date: 2024-02-02 01:25 am (UTC)[Out of habit, he let Lucina answer for him when it came to the authorities. There were times when a brusque attitude and over hostility weren't appreciated and her more level-headed temperament saved the both of them from having to throw hands with the same people they saved. They could both impress just about anyone but she knew how to wind everyone down. Gently, he laid down his phone and picked up his fork to jab into a hot cake.]
She's good at it too. Most devil hunters I've worked with just make messes and don't care about what those messes do to the people caught up in it. She tries to fix it every time. [Though he wouldn't speak a word of it to Lucina, he was resentful of Dante in many ways for not doing more to help Fortuna despite that irritation and hostility stemming side-by-side with his own regret of being weak. That resentment was tamped down in favor of giving Lucina her well-deserved praise the moment he sensed her retreating out of worry.
He was beyond confident in her and it showed in how firmly he laid the rest of it down--]
You both taught her how to be a hero and now she's lettin' everybody see the end results. Not too shabby, right?
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Date: 2024-02-09 02:00 am (UTC)it's appreciated, Nero's adored...and Lucina has a chance to fit her own words into place in her head with less pressure to sputter out just on feeling alone. when there's a comfortable break after his remark, she nods a little, sitting up a little straighter.]
Before...I didn't have a say in the way my journey played out. War and calamity dictated my path. But, but that's not the case now. I always wanted to see Nero's world for myself, and...somehow, I can. And...I still want that. And thank goodness I have the skills to help the people here! They deserve the peace we fought so hard to get for Ylisse...
[Sully's expression remains rather unchanged, save for the way her eyes flit down to her plate in a display of contemplation. Chrom, though, smiles ruefully. Lucina recognizes the expression and feels compelled to press on:] I want to find my future this way, Father. Mother... [Sully glances back up at her prompting.] And...it's only easier to want, knowing I won't have to give either of you up to have it. And your trueborn daughter won't have to want for any of your attention.
[because whether they want to accept it or not, Lucina sees it as a sticking point. their timeline has their Lucina: she's nearing three years old, bears the same brand and color of hair, and...as she grows, the similarities will only grow...if Lucina stays.]
With the gateways between our worlds, I'll never be too far away...I'd never abandon you.
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Date: 2024-02-11 10:55 pm (UTC)It was a wonder that she ever needed help, as far as he was concerned, given how well she spoke. He knew orators were terribly dangerous people. Sanctus could encourage his followers through the worst means and to the worst ends but, put in front a crowd like that, he could see Lucina making anywhere she went better for it.
But, something in his heart squeezed when she mentioned her counterpart. Nero, touching his fingers to the handle of his mug, glancing to her when she brought it up--his smile falling just somewhat not because it made him feel particularly morose but because he didn't like to say certain things aloud. To Sully and Chrom, it might have needed a different atmosphere and one in which Nico wouldn't take mental note to abuse him with his own words later.]
I'll make sure Lucina's fine. I'm not clever but I'm tough and stubborn. I'll make sure she can visit whenever she wants.
[Nico cleared her throat.] ... With Nico's help, too.
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Date: 2024-02-19 11:59 am (UTC)like they've known each other for a long time. understand each other. so despite the confusion that comes with Nero just seemingly coming out of nowhere from their perspectives, the proof is in the pudding, isn't it? pretending it's not at this point is just stubbornness.
"I believe you," Chrom assures, his smile gentle, one that turns a little sad when he looks to his daughter. "And if this is what your heart is telling you to do, I think you're right to do it."
"Better make that visiting a regular thing," Sully points out, still frowning, though there's a softness around her eyes. She doesn't like the very suggestion that Lucina may see herself as lesser, as excess baggage...and she's not a fan of having to share her with someone outside of her family. but this is part of growing up, isn't it? she had to do the same for her own family, to find her way to Chrom.
shoe's on the other foot. weird fit. but Sully isn't the sort to let that keep her from walking.
Lucina, for her part, looks heartened and relieved, shoulders rising with her breath. she nods, smiling over to Nero before focusing back on her parents.]
Naturally! There's so much I want to share - more than we can show you in one visit here!
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Date: 2024-02-20 02:06 am (UTC)The way Chrom looked at her seemed right. Nero finished his eggs, knowing just at a glance that it was the way a father should have acted.
When Sully let a bit more of herself show, he thought she looked like a sap. Where'd she get off looking at him like he was cheesy!? He kept a lid on that complaint well enough, moving to his coffee while trying not to seem overly sappy himself the moment Lucina turned that smile back on him.
He was crushed in less than a heartbeat. Clearing his throat--]
I got something planned for this afternoon before dinner, so we gotta make sure to get to the mall quick. I think you guys are gonna like it.
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Date: 2024-02-23 10:46 pm (UTC)[the question comes when Lucina joins Nero at his sink, bringing cleared plates to rinse; her parents are still at table with Nico, who is receiving some regard and curiosity for her tattoos.]
If it's at the mall, is it one of the clothing stores you had in mind?
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Date: 2024-02-25 08:30 pm (UTC)Um? Plan...?
[After a moment, he seemed to wake up and remember.] Oh.
[Crap. She was, physically speaking, close to the answer. The little family photo center he was thinking of was only a few doors down from the last store they'd gone to together. He tried to keep that surprise off his face, playing it cool with... a pout.]
Lucy, you know it ain't fair to guess on surprises.
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Date: 2024-02-29 03:34 pm (UTC)So I don't get to help at all? That's not fair, either, you know.
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Date: 2024-03-05 10:05 pm (UTC)[Normally, he would be crushed under that pout. He wouldn't be able to withstand it even for a moment--]
It's a surprise for you too, okay? C'mon, I wanna be able to say I did one totally not weird thing for everybody.
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Date: 2024-03-07 09:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-03-14 12:12 am (UTC)[He wasn't even sure where to begin with his insecurities when it came to her parents. Chrom and Sully were used to seeing magic but he wasn't. Maybe it was just weird that he called Sully 'mother in law' when he let her through?
He was starting to overthink things again, frowning deeply and emptying his half-drunk cup of coffee in the sink so he could wash it.]
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Date: 2024-03-15 12:10 am (UTC)You held it open very gallantly. [she's adamant about that, perhaps to a fault in her effort to reassure him.] As...gallantly as a portal can be held open? [squint.]
don't worry i've called the police and told everyone
Date: 2024-03-15 12:45 am (UTC)Gallant? Really?]
...Think I look gallant when I do air-guitar after hitting a max-act? [She'd done nothing at all to earn this teasing...]
aaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaa
Date: 2024-03-15 01:05 am (UTC)well, it's something with arm-flapping, so she can just assume:] I think the word you use here is cool, right?
uu
Date: 2024-03-19 11:08 pm (UTC)Every single time, she hit him with a 10/10. Passing her a plate, he whistled low.]
That's right. I'm cool.
Who's cool? It ain't you, loverboy.
[Without even breaking his smile--]
Shut the HEeee...ck up, Nico.
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Date: 2024-03-25 12:03 pm (UTC)...Very well. [she looks back up at Nero once she's done wiping down the dish.] I'll let it be a surprise, then.
[once dishes are clean and put away, she meets her parents at the table, cheerful.]
There's still a lot about this world that's new and surprising for me, but Nero's very good at finding the nice and fascinating things... I'm a little more excited now...!
[no pressure or anything, Nero.]
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Date: 2024-03-25 07:47 pm (UTC)Alright, Nico, I'm on 'Do Not Disturb' except for your number.
Roger. I'll hold down the fort, for what it's worth... and take my babysitting fee in pudding.
[Knowing full well the place would smell like cigarettes once they got back--he put it on his mental list to grab a couple more air fresheners on the way back.]
Well, y'know, we're taking it easy for the first couple days. We'll be in time for the portal check but Nico can handle taking notes if anything comes in early.
[Pulling on his coat, he circled over to the side door and found his keys in the little clay bowl the kids in Fortuna made for him. It was shaped like a frog's mouth.]
Everybody ready? The van's gonna be a treat to get used to.
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Date: 2024-03-28 07:36 pm (UTC)All closed-in like a carriage, huh, Sully remarks, tilting her head at it.]
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Date: 2024-04-01 07:14 pm (UTC)[A beat.] In places, I guess.
[With a wide swing of his arm, he'd pulled open the side door for Chrom and Sully with a sheepish smile. To anyone else in the world, his van was something of an embarrassing statement--that he was willing to live on the road if need be. Hopefully, neither of them would really piece together the context.]
You can sit just about anywhere. I'll be going pretty slow, but while we're moving you should pick the seats that face forward. Lucy, you got this? [He tapped the other passenger door.]
I just wanna do a quick oil check. [And take a moment to breathe again while she helped her parents get seated and situated.]
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Date: 2024-04-06 04:07 pm (UTC)Lucina. Chrom puts a hand on her shoulder, smiling. Why are you fretting?
Yeah, you think our heads are gonna pop off or something? Sully teases, crossing her leg once she's sat.]
Of...of course not. Forgive me, I only...I just hope you aren't overwhelmed...
[Sully tilts her head. You think this is more overwhelming than time traveling daughters or demon dragons?]
Right...
PSA: always wear a seatbelt
Date: 2024-04-09 01:29 am (UTC)So Lucina would feel just a bit better about convincing her parents that he knew what he was doing, he didn't mind sounding a little stern with the basics.]
We're safer than most people in this rig but it's still the law to put seatbelts on. [Though, really, he never wore one when he was working and there wasn't a single officer in those neighborhoods that would look in that van and feel the urge to ask any of them to put it on--Lucina, especially. They'd all seen her bisect a demon at that point, so it was a lost cause but... well, on a day out in town he preferred abiding by the rules a bit.]
Now... Remember how I warned you guys that music gets weird here? The stuff you heard on TV was just a preview.
[This was his idea of making Lucina's day easier.]
and maybe install airbags in the murdervan that can bunny hop off highway bridges
Date: 2024-04-22 12:07 am (UTC)once they're situated (how nice to have space specifically for swords in this vehicle!), Lucina climbs into the passenger seat and clicks in, smiling over at Nero with a ready nod, the smile twitching when Sully points out that there's no TV-box in here for sounds to come out of, so where would the music be?]
they've got a box full of airbag replacements somewhere in that garage
Date: 2024-04-24 01:45 pm (UTC)Sully's question sparked a little light in his eyes... which quickly diminished when he remembered a difficult evening trying to explain to Lucina why the mesh-encased box he fixed could play music. His understanding of radio waves, as a child, had only been a step above exaggerated stuff he'd seen in cartoons.
With a click, he hit the turn signal and tightly wound his mouth shut, narrowing his eyes to focus like a hawk on every car in front of him in traffic. In present? Sure, he understood the science behind it but... Hell, he knew it would be boring to talk about. More importantly, he was relieved that it had only taken him two quick adjustments to find a station playing a Beatles' song. Right about then? That was when traffic came to a halt.]
...'Kay. Looks like we're gonna be movin' slow for a bit. [Five minutes to make one turn at the intersection? He reached to Lucina, giving her arm a gentle, encouraging squeeze after giving her a brief, apologetic look. Yeah... Her nerves were sure to fire up at least a few times before they made it out.]
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Date: 2024-04-29 02:04 pm (UTC)at the touch, she lay her hand atop his and smiles, hoping to reassure. she notices his effort!
for her parents' sake:] It's a bit like festival traffic...only every day, it seems. But that means you can see what the shops look like! Instead of open-air markets and stalls, most businesses have their own buildings - just for selling wares, they have completely other buildings to live in elsewhere. That's how prosperous this city can be...
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Date: 2024-05-21 08:06 pm (UTC)See, it's not so bad with some music and the heat working.
[When he remembered the rear view, he whirled around to point out a little Turkish restaurant. Strange how he didn't point it out sooner--] S-See that one? The owner lets us eat free because Lucy saved her son.
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Date: 2024-06-09 08:12 pm (UTC)[Sully and Chrom exchange a look because this kind of thing sounds almost like...them? but it's weird to hear that externally. were they this wound up and ready to throw down for each other as younger people?
(yes.)
there's a lot to take in all at once on top of that: traffic, wild architecture, peculiar fashions and vendors and patterns...Sully briefly shudders to see some garish patterns on display in a department store window, having flashbacks to the polka-dot disaster Lucina so earnestly offered her.
one thing Chrom notices suddenly: There's no guards? No soldiers...]
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Date: 2024-06-12 05:34 pm (UTC)[Once they'd reached that more vibrant part of the city, he'd noticed that things in back became a lot more quiet. He could relate to that feeling, seeing a place so tremendously different that he needed time to take it in as, well, it had been his job. Usually, that sense of amazement had been tinged with disgust for the horrors of it but it had been quite the opposite when he'd seen the palace. Fortuna's castle and architecture were grand but it was burdened by age and wear. Ylisse was gorgeous and the people there were so invested in their work that even the bureaucracy attached couldn't wear down the romance of king and country.
London, meanwhile, he saw as a cement block lodged in the mud. Still, he didn't want to say it outright to his future in-laws. After sparing Lucina the occasional smile when there were breaks in traffic, he'd heard Chrom's voice come up and thought aloud. Curious.]
We've got officers. They usually hide away at their stations and only come out to answer calls but the army? There'd be riots in the streets if the army were patrolling residential areas.
[Not that he was reliable for a history lesson but some things were still common knowledge.] Last time London was attacked was over seventy years ago. There hasn't been a need to defend since and demons just aren't enough of a hassle here to defend the whole city.
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Date: 2024-06-13 12:42 pm (UTC)[a far cry from off-duty Shepherds, who are always kitted out for a surprise situation to step into.]
I think that's something special. They can...separate from a role, be someone different for a time, if they want.
[something of a stretch for a land where titles and roles are identity-critical.]
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Date: 2024-07-09 09:16 pm (UTC)[For someone who dressed roughly the same when he was both in and out of work--the thought never crossed him. When he was walking around on the street, it was sometimes difficult to tell if someone was military or an officer. Plenty of people could separate themselves from their work when they didn't have to protect each and every street at all times of the day.
With a little click, he hit the turn signal. The slow traffic was almost at an end.]
Yeah. Can't say I can tell the difference aside from some of the haircuts guys get when they're fresh. You can kinda tell by the crew cuts.
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Date: 2024-07-09 11:29 pm (UTC)she squeezes at a couple of Nero's free fingers. as far as she can see, things are going well! she hopes it's enough to assuage his endless jitters for a while. if not...well... maybe she'll have to just step up more prominently! and surely that won't get weird or make things more harrowing for poor Nero out here in the big downtown.
glimpsing some of the more touristy parts of the area makes an idea strike, and she leans over to suggest:] Some of those guards are mounted on horseback, right? We could see those today, too. [surely Sully would be endeared to that amidst all the alienness.]
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Date: 2024-07-10 01:00 am (UTC)Really--it was just making his plan all the more worthwhile to keep a secret.
Once they were on an easier street to navigate, he stopped holding his breath. For a moment, he'd caught sight of Sully and Chrom in the one of the mirrors trying to make sense of a thing or two with Lucina's help and, just briefly, he seemed to relax a little more. Sometimes he realized they really weren't that far apart in age which, when it stopped being an existential question, was something of a relief. Those two had a lot to think about and maybe it was a break to be confused about something with low stakes rather than high stakes?
That aside, he focused just in time to brake without tossing everyone over and stop in a jumbo spot reserved for buses.]
Oh, holy--jackpot, this space ain't ever available!
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Date: 2024-07-10 01:27 am (UTC)[how nice! usually it's somewhere on a sidewalk or across multiple of those striped spaces...yards and yards away from anything.
or at the top of one of those cars-only buildings!
regardless, if Nero sees this as a win, so shall Lucina; she withdraws her hands to her belt before double-taking to be sure he's turning the whole machine off.]
Are we getting out here, then? [is it time to disentangle parents from their own safety restraints?]
behold my overabundance of confidence
Date: 2024-07-30 11:21 pm (UTC)Still, it was a heavy thing--so he grabbed a cinderblock from between the seats as he swung the door open.]
Yup, we're good to go. I'm gonna make sure this thing doesn't move an inch while we're out. [Without missing a beat, he gave pause and peeked above the seat at Lucina, hushing his voice just a little bit.]
Psst. Lucy-- Do they like spicy food?
imagine coming back to the van getting towed lmfao
Date: 2024-07-31 12:43 pm (UTC)[she's half-out the door when he flags for her, prompting Lucina to lean back in. it takes a second for the question to register.
spicy food?]
Oh--well... [...
...
hang on. do they? she realizes she can't recall right away; for as close to near a shadow as she'd been to Chrom during the war years, she can't say she recalls any asks for a kick to a stew or him doubling over from too much seasoning...]
I don't think either of them are that picky, honestly. I imagine it would be fine?
[unless she's accidentally setting them up for pain. but that doesn't seem likely to her - they're great warriors! iron wills...iron stomachs?
she nods.] Yes, I think spicy food is fine.
[and that's that! she hops out of the van and moves to pull open the rear door, finding seat belts unbuckled - just negotiating getting them free from being snagged on assorted belts or ornamentations. the trials of casually ornate styles of dress, truly.
with a laugh:] Mother, wait! Don't just tear the belt off! Here, I'll help--
[with a bit of patience and some grumbling, the Exalt and Queen are freed from the van, able to shade their eyes and peer around the area, exchanging curious looks with the curious passers-by. clearly this must be some media stunt or promotion for a new theater production of some sort, right? anything for some free social media engagement these days...]
they'll be spared what with the inevitable surprise demon attack in the script
Date: 2024-08-12 11:45 pm (UTC)[With a 'thunk', he dropped their makeshift 'extra brake' behind the rear wheel of the van and started walking around to the other side of the van while fishing through his pocket for his phone. He could hear the rattle of seatbelts and Lucina's voice coming. He'd paused at the door, hesitating if only because he wasn't quite sure if Sully was unhappy at first... slowly popping out from the side when he realized he'd heard some laughter.
Pressing with his foot, he unfolded the steps for everyone to step out and pushed them right back in once they were back on their own two feet. The door to the van shut, he'd turned on his phone to glance at the screen and confirm, for the 100th time that day, that the appointment was scheduled. When he'd looked up and seen there were people glancing among them--he took a deep breath and aired out an irritated sigh.] Your parents never taught you that it's rude to stare? C'mon.
[At the very least, it was enough to get foot traffic to continue alone with nary a threat and more than enough to bring a smile to his face for Lucina and his in-laws. Confidence. All he had to do was muster a bit of that demon-stabbing confidence he was so good at--] Alright, so...
Let's go check out some stores. You ever tell them about the sporting goods place we chased that Judecca through?
finally a force strong enough to level a target superstore
Date: 2024-08-14 02:40 pm (UTC)though thinking about that shop makes her think about the silly little fencing foils, which then makes her think about her and her parents' not-silly-at-all equipment...and it gives her a little startle and cause to ask in a whisper:] Will there be trouble going in places armed? Now that there's more of us?
[it could set a bad example!
...but also she'd die before asking her parents to relinquish their weapons just to walk into a department store.]
Re: finally a force strong enough to level a target superstore
Date: 2024-08-15 09:09 pm (UTC)[He could vividly remember trying his best to kick demons around it since she'd complimented the design... though, it wasn't as if they could express their appreciation to the guy who sculpted it since he was pretty sure the placard 'MAR CO PRODUCTION' on the side of it wasn't a person's name.]
The little fish sculptures even shoot water out of their mouths now. [He'd said that part with a hush and a smile, expecting a request for a detour to come right away. At that, he laughed a little low, trying not to draw too much attention.]
Hey, it's okay! They're probably gonna get compliments... and, I just get bugged about it 'cause I look like a bum.
[Leaning back, he raised a hand and gestured with a little wave to grab Chrom and Sully's attention.]
Re: finally a force strong enough to level a target superstore
Date: 2024-08-15 09:11 pm (UTC)[He could vividly remember trying his best to kick demons around it since she'd complimented the design... though, it wasn't as if they could express their appreciation to the guy who sculpted it since he was pretty sure the placard 'MAR CO PRODUCTION' on the side of it wasn't a person's name.]
The little fish sculptures even shoot water out of their mouths now. [He'd said that part with a hush and a smile, expecting a request for a detour to come right away. At that, he laughed a little low, trying not to draw too much attention.]
I think we're okay. They're probably gonna get compliments. I just get bugged about it 'cause I look like a bum. [He added, a little more humor injected in--] For now, let's just wander until they see something they think is cool. If nothing grabs 'em, I've got a hail mary I could toss up.
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Date: 2024-08-16 01:30 am (UTC)'We're gonna stick out like sore thumbs the whole time, huh?' Sully muses, hands on her hips as she looks around at the street.
'Unless we don the local style of attire,' Chrom says, gesturing toward some folks waiting at the crosswalk.
'I dunno...some of those shoes look impossible.'
Lucina stifles a want to laugh, hearing familiar tones to when she went shopping with her mother back in Ylisstol.]
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Date: 2024-08-20 09:08 pm (UTC)He'd listened to Sully and Chrom with a growing smile before crossing his arms and tilting his chin down the street.]
C'mon, at least you both look classy. I woulda worn a suit but I wasn't sure if my clothes woulda made it the first time the gate actually opened--
[Before he could dwell any longer on that, he stopped and lifted a hand to point at a store display. A floral scent carried out, numerous mannequins on display. Modern fashion and... a set of golf clubs. Table-top gaming sets. For the life of him, it was a regular outlet store and not a thrift store for once.]
I wanna pick up a pack of gum but it couldn't hurt to take a look and see if you like anything on display? [Strangely, he was making an effort to avoid glancing at a sign close to the door that read 'Family Portraits'. Just casually... he needed to make sure that appointment was still on.]
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Date: 2024-08-26 12:48 am (UTC)[she'll squeeze in-between them and take a hand each to pull them along, following Nero.]
You can get things tailored, but that's not how most people do it here. People work around it themselves in different ways, and it can be so creative! [or so heinous. but she loves both outcomes, so it's hardly a bother.]
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Date: 2024-09-25 02:47 am (UTC)[When he turned to glance back their way, he couldn't help but notice Lucina dragging Chrom and Sully along in their bewilderment with excited confidence and, admittedly, an intimidating sort of decisiveness he couldn't quite imagine anyone imitating.
To his soon-to-be father and mother-in-laws, Lucina was a compelling show of force. Maybe that would make the picture go more smoothly...?]
Oh, yeah. I'm not really into all those chic styles they dress mannequins up in but if it's in front of a window then it's pretty popular? [The question lingering on his voice drifted along as he murmured something to the cashier and slid over a pack of gum. Dante might have employed some smooth story to distract everyone smoothly but the best he could manage was a stern glare in that guy's direction before he muttered his name to him.]
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Date: 2024-09-29 02:48 am (UTC)"She's really taken to things here, hasn't she?" his tone is quiet, just for Nero's ears. "Delighting in it. Without treating herself like an imposition."
unlike back home, where that shadow of being a temporal stranger still looms behind her no matter how many times Chrom has tried to push it back, insistent on proving her worth and value in being there herself as she is.
"She's...happy, right?" and hopefully not apologetic about it, the way she sometimes was. she seems that way right now, a laugh in her voice as she reassures Sully that yes some of these come in just plain colors.]
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Date: 2024-10-02 12:26 am (UTC)It wasn't a forceful tone at all but something laced in concern that made him take it so much more seriously. At first, he'd opened his mouth to answer quickly.]
Oh, yeah, she's been... [It only took a moment for him to peek over his shoulder to Lucina right as he could see her putting her mother's love to good use in keeping her still for a stunningly jubilant test of patience and... the flexibility of color choice. He swallowed the next word that came out and answered simply. It wasn't likely the exact thing Chrom hoped to hear but it had to have been the most hopeful.]
...Excited. She likes talking about what we'll do tomorrow and the day after that. [Pulling open the tab to slide out a piece of gum, he offered Chrom one--right before unfolding one of his own. Right before he popped that piece in his mouth, he stopped himself. There was an important detail.] You don't eat it--just chew it.
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Date: 2024-10-02 11:56 am (UTC)that won't change how they've determined to see each other, though, and Chrom may still be raising a toddler in Ylisse, but he's linked that little life to the one he's watched scrape and salvage a future for herself in a time she wasn't born for.
hence part of his misgivings about losing her: she had worked so hard to save the echo of what she'd lost, but did she truly not feel like she belonged? was he not assuring enough? was he a bad father?
inklings of those troubles are interrupted by the offering, prompting a double-take before a mumbled thanks and acceptance. instead of eating it right away, Chrom just holds onto the piece, his eyes back on those girls he adores.
excited...for tomorrow. not dreading the next step in war or recovery. not skirting away from attention when the littler Lucina was up and attem.
"And she...knew about this place the whole time? Or at least back before Grima."
why could she not have fled here and spared herself the war in his own time?]
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Date: 2024-10-09 12:10 am (UTC)That was more than enough to help him think through an answer that he hoped would at least make him feel better about whatever was digging under his skin. From the depths of his chest, he sighed and offered something rather plain.]
Yeah, course... we talked about kids' stuff. I used to fantasize about finding a way to meet her and becoming a knight like Credo.
[Or so he'd promised to the broken shards of that mirror. Touching his chin, he'd scratched at his cheek and squinted a bit as he'd watched Lucina grab another item from the rack that gave Sully pause. Ah. It was more than enough to wrestle a grin from him just to see her that happy without any hope of complication.]
She liked me talking about the books I collected but... I was pretty awful about explaining what was going on in them. Not the strongest story-teller, as you can tell, but I think she was excited because I was.
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Date: 2024-10-09 11:16 pm (UTC)...it's confusing.
"I don't think I've seen her this excited in such a long time. Even with the reconstruction efforts and the joy of being able to rehome people..."
obviously this is different: it's personal! it's a happiness just for her, not shared with anyone else - even herself.
Chrom, still not having done a damn thing with that stick of gum, smiles lopsidedly down at Nero - giving very much pleasant dog energy.
"And I owe that to you, it seems." not that Sully would ever cough that up so soon, so of course it's up to Chrom.]
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Date: 2024-10-11 05:34 pm (UTC)He wanted to be irritated with Chrom's insistent kindness and act like he had something stuck in his craw after he'd been so direct and heartfelt with him but it was downright impossible. Nero's lips thinned unhappily in his failed efforts.]
Listen. You're family. [Though he wanted to tiptoe around Sully, Chrom was another story entirely. He could see in Lucina where those puppy dog eyes came from and he meant to make sure they'd always be bright and sunny and her suspiciously young father wasn't getting off lightly.
Evidently, it needed to be repeated almost hourly that Nero would bend over backwards for her.]
You don't owe me anything, so... you need something? All you gotta do is ask.
not me losing this in my inbox ðŸ˜
Date: 2024-11-03 02:41 am (UTC)Nero just narrowly evades one of those chummy, dadlike shoulder-thumps thanks to the girls returning - Lucina still bright-eyed but with a tinge of apology in her smile, Sully still...Sully. but her daughter's delight naturally softens her edges, even if she'll still puff right back up and prickle if she were to catch anyone look even remotely endeared by it right now.]
It's a little like before - when you showed me this place first? What'd you call it? "Choice paralysis," or something?
[Sully points out that she's not paralyzed, just...not interested in having to go through that whole fitting-room dance that is apparently the norm with this system. this is why tailors matter, people!]
DX screams i was so confident the bs was done
Date: 2024-11-24 10:28 pm (UTC)Especially given her choice of words.]
Oh, yeah, that's normal. There's a lot to pick from, huh?
[There was strain in that smile of his, as if he were teetering right beside the open mouth of a chasm and Sully were the one poised behind him. It was a test. Would this be the first purchase of the day or...?] Did you... find anything you wanted to ring up?
nauuurrrrrrrr...i wish better days for u
Date: 2024-11-30 11:40 pm (UTC)[she hands over a scarf with a garish patterning and color combination while Sully licks her tongue against her teeth.]
It's simple enough and easy to carry along with you back to Ylisse! Maybe it'll inspire artisans there.
[Sully prays not, but she nods anyway, accepting her fate.]
It got better with the holiday, tyyyy... Less coughing uu
Date: 2024-12-01 05:56 am (UTC)Portability isn't a big issue since the gate is pretty wide now.
[Believe it or not, he'd been trying to temper things down as he was convinced there was a way to settle Sully's nerves and let Lucina do what she'd liked to treat her mother. As the cashier snapped the code on the scarf, Nero swiped his card and made it a deal.]
You can put together an outfit, right? Might take a couple of stores.
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Date: 2024-12-01 09:33 pm (UTC)Lucina takes the now-bagged scarf, keen to carry it along lest it somehow get lost along the way.]
Only if you like them. [like this scarf!! obviously.] Only if...if they'll make you remember this place fondly.
[because she'd like that. she'd like them to walk away from this city, this world, and feel like she's chosen well. that they can trust her to have made the right call. their disapproval wouldn't make her change her mind, but...but having their approval and being able to go back and know that their daughter is fine is...it means a lot.
Chrom smiles affably, offsetting his wife's natural reservations. "I think it's worth looking around. We're at your mercy, after all."]
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Date: 2024-12-03 10:39 pm (UTC)What he'd noticed, per the usual, had been that Chrom and Sully were truly and utterly held at the whim of their affection for their daughter. The thought alone made his throat tight.]
Hey, it's gotta be fun to be tourists once in a while. [Though, as they left the store and Nero shoved his mysterious wallet back in his pocket, he was quick to grin.]
Besides, you guys are gonna love the sporting goods store.
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Date: 2024-12-05 02:03 am (UTC)Chrom offers a lighthearted concession: "It's not often we get to travel somewhere when it's not for diplomacy or to clear out bandits...so I guess we're just rusty in this regard."
"Who's rusty?!" Sully scoffs, indignant, snatching the bagged item to carry herself, starting to stomp ahead to almost outpace Nero...before slowing so he can be first. she has no fucking idea where she's going, also she might walk into traffic if she does that.
Lucina smothers a laugh, having had to sidle up against Nero to get out of her mother's way, and is content to hang onto his arm for a bit longer while the pace is reset.]
A Shepherd's work is never done...except when they're suddenly on vacation? Or...or would it be better to call it a scouting mission? [her smile is a sheepish wince when Sully makes a face.] Right. Maybe that's patronizing...
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Date: 2024-12-18 02:27 am (UTC)He deflated the instant Lucina leaned up against him as if all his nerves had escaped at the same time, not at all hesitating to pull her in closer with a bleak look on his face.]
Maybe it is but... it's pretty jarring seeing it from somebody else. [Having no idea how much he'd mirrored Chrom in the moment, Nero hung his head and made every effort to spare the occasional glance to his future mother-in-law to be sure she wasn't going to stomp on any niche deco public art piece or something that looked deceptively like local infrastructure.]
I was new to this once too, y'know? Fortuna was big and lavish but there weren't any pubs or movie theaters. Didn't have a clue what to do with myself for weeks when I first got here.
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Date: 2024-12-18 11:00 pm (UTC)it's easier for her to think that now, having done so herself, naturally.
she's obliged to think on that only briefly because Sully remarking about all the "little blocks folks're touting" makes her double-take in confusion.]
Oh--the phones? It's like the one Nero has. Most people have them. [...] Ah...they're...probably taking pictures of us? Given your attire... [quickly:] But that's not strange! Even the local guards of this city get their pictures taken a lot! People like to do that. You needn't pay heed if you don't want to.
[speaking of pictures--]
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Date: 2025-01-23 03:26 am (UTC)Really. His brows scrunched together, almost annoyed that he even expected something else from them. Nico might have teased him if she'd gotten a whiff of it--that he was still thinking up reasons to explain why he loved Lucina so damned much. The teasing he wasn't even hearing out loud was making his brow twitch in frustration.
Realizing he'd been staring pretty intensely ahead, Nero straightened his back and cleared his throat. He mumbled a little closer to Lucina's ear.]
Oh, hey. Put any thought into getting them a phone? If they make that portal work, Nico said it might actually carry.
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Date: 2025-02-13 01:14 am (UTC)...Could it be charged by magic spells?
[queue up the montages of Laurent exploding phones and toasters with lightning spells.]
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Date: 2025-02-19 03:59 am (UTC)Except, the moment he opened his mouth to speak, he had to give pause. The mental image of him grabbing the Overture and pointing it at his phone made him reconsider.]
Y--!!
... Wait. Uh. We should probably have Laurent and Nico give that a shot, right? On second thought, it might take a delicate touch.
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Date: 2025-03-09 12:10 am (UTC)[from separation of worlds between glass long ago to little devices that can be carried beyond a single room... would they really be so lucky? would she? Lucina can't help but feel like she's been pressing her luck with all these good things, but then...then she doesn't mind being proven wrong.
she means to say something more, but is stopped suddenly by a hand on her shoulder and Sully pokes her head between them.
"What's amazing? What're we standing around for?"]
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Date: 2025-03-12 08:09 pm (UTC)It was even more than that, given how unprepared he was for a single question from Sully and just how she'd snuck right up on them.]
Uh. Nothing's amazing. I mean--[Clearing his throat, he just flat out gave up on trying to finish whatever thought he'd conjured up and darted behind Lucina and Sully so he could put his hands on their shoulders and start pushing them towards the center of the pavilion and towards a nice-looking antique store.]
--How bout here? We all... love antiques, right? How old and... useful they are??
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Date: 2025-04-03 06:27 pm (UTC)Chrom: "Heirlooms?"
Lucina's mouth twitches on one end, letting herself be conveyed inside, keeping her arm looped through her mother's so she can't outright flinch away from Nero's unsolicited touch. Chrom follows behind dutifully, albeit distractedly (there's no sparring grounds or anything anywhere in this realm, huh? that's a shame, he thinks).
some minutes in the meandering of old phones and jewelry and tchotchkes:
Chrom: "This city certainly seems quite wealthy, to have such surplus..."
Sully: "That's a very nice way to say 'there's an awful lot of junk here.'" she picks up an old wired phone receiver...and lets it plunk back unceremoniously back onto its base. after a beat, she offers: "But the people aren't wanting for much. Which is a good sign. It's the kind of thing you hope for."
it's just a little boring for a knight - a similar issue she has with peacetime in Ylisse...but at least there, she gets to chase down and beat up ruffians and bandits, you know? being a well-behaved tourist is hard.
while trying on an old sunhat:] The land isn't without it's troubles, but...yes. There are quite a lot of unique inventions and fashions, right? Imagine if our land's tailors and artisans had access to some of these wonderful patterns?
[Sully shudders.]
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Date: 2025-04-09 12:48 am (UTC)[A little noise slipped out when Sully and Lucina matched his pace, albeit one half of the equation seeming to be dragged along. Managing to get everyone in the shop, he'd retreated just a step to find his phone and check the time. For the most part, he kept to himself as the family went from item to item--only chiming in when they felt curious enough to ask what something was.
Though he'd gotten the immediate impression that the shop itself was a miss, he couldn't help but keep quiet and listen to them as he'd checked out a few older oil cans and tools kept in their own little section of the shop. He'd blanched when he realized there were items in there that were newer than some of the things he used in the garage.]
Look here! Trish said I could keep Dante's jukebox if I-- [A record held in hand, Nero found himself clutching it to his chest when he'd turned at a serendipitous time, just as Lucina turned to show off the hat she'd found. The hat was frayed at the edges just enough to let the morning sun slip through almost as much as it framed her in a dazzling display. Frozen in place, his jaw just a little agape, Nero tried to work out the words while she'd cast a spell that worked far too well on him.
He had too much coffee. Also, he was forgetting they were in public and with her parents.] --Hey.
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Date: 2025-04-09 10:18 pm (UTC)[Sully squints, leaning a bit into frame to diffuse some of that dokidoki magic happening. Lucina, oblivious, just tilts her head a little to keep Nero in her sights.]
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Date: 2025-04-14 05:36 pm (UTC)[The sound of a record-scratch found a new friend, his hands raised almost defensively as Sully seemed to suppress the idyllic paradise Lucina had created in the window of an antique shop.
Looking back and forth between them, he held up the vinyl as a sort of aegis.]
...His jukebox. Y'know, the skunky-looking thing he kept punching?
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Date: 2025-04-14 07:52 pm (UTC)honestly, she thought it was just some kind of...technological training dummy, given the treatment. she never bothered to ask for clarity, given how swept up by the undertow of everything else at the time. but now is time to know better, especially in the company of her parents, so she makes a mental note to try and remember this for future.
having sensed a somewhat successful dissolution of overly schmaltzy atmosphere, Sully straightens up and makes like minding her business while pointedly not minding her business. contrast this to Chrom, who is in fact, minding his business, because he's trying to figure out what a rubick's cube is for. what do the different colors mean.
Lucina, scooting a bit past Sully, peers at the vinyl, then at Nero.] Trish said you were keeping it? Or something else?
["Who's Trish?" Sully asks over her shoulder, suspicious. as if the number of women Nero knows by name is somehow evidence of foul play.]
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Date: 2025-05-05 11:01 pm (UTC)She's, uh. A devil clone of my grandmother? It's a long-- [Except, he couldn't handle two fires at the same time. He thought for a moment about the way Lucina phrased it only to realize when a problem was presenting itself well in advance, quickly searching the store for Chrom only to see him too distracted to save him from Sully. Why'd he have to center on the one thing in the place he had no real explanation for??]
Wait, Lucy, just so we're clear...
[The notion of her raising the Falchion in hand when she wanted to move to the next song became a prevalent image in mind and so he raised both his hands in gentle surrender. Sully's eyes.]
You're not supposed to hit it. I can fix it myself if it breaks.
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Date: 2025-05-05 11:58 pm (UTC)Oh--well, alright. [not a musical training dummy. got it. she nods, then does a little double-take when she spies the sour look on Sully's face.
"Everything devils with your world?"]
Well, well, no, but there's a lot of overlap, clearly...
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Date: 2025-05-06 11:04 pm (UTC)It's not like they're rare but most people just don't ever see demons around. Anything in the city gets cleaned up fast, so chances are? You're more likely to get attacked by a regular person than a demon.
[Pausing, Nero cleared his throat. Even as the words left his mouth, he exchanged a nervous smile with Lucina that almost felt like it was tempting fate. His worst fear? Trish knew how to target insecurities and went at it constantly. There was no way he'd survive the middle ground of Trish finding something to tease Sully about.] That said, Trish is a pretty nice lady but she's a also pretty weird... and I doubt you'll ever meet since she's usually busy.
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Date: 2025-05-06 11:35 pm (UTC)Sully stays squinting. not because she believes Nero's a philanderer, but because the idea that she thinks he's a philanderer ought to keep him on his toes and best behavior. let the kid squirm, you know?
Lucina picks up on that and tilts her head, giving Sully an entreating look. war is over, Mother! peace and love!
Sully grunts, rolls her eyes, and relents. the struggles of having a mother just a few years older than you...]
I, I've only spoken to her a couple times, myself. But she's not the surprise you had in mind, right?