at the shrine of your lies

He glanced at the person sitting opposite him, hesitant, before speaking up for the first time in probably too many minutes of near complete silence. “I’m... thankful for your company. You’re - You seem to be fairly knowledgeable of those around, not that I’m using you for intel or anything of the sort, but...” A slightly shorter pause, lips pursed. “...a friend is a good thing to have. Even at my age.” Lips pressed again at the self-deprecating tone in the latter, eyes peering at the other cautiously. This much, friendship, even coffee, he could allow for. He thought.

…

“ Suits you. ” Emil wasn’t slow to back down when he noticed his prey getting defensive, smiling at the other while pointing towards the total. “ It’s probably not every parent that would indulge their children like this. Of course it’s not bad for my particular business. ” He smiled again, his fingers touching Robin’s palm as he gave the debit card back. His suspicions confirmed on the natural warmth they both seemed to share he took a step away, resuming the proper position for a store clerk. “ Don’t be a stranger. We thank you for shopping with us. ”

...

“I, uh -- yes. Thank you.” He hesitated, fumbling a little as he picked up his groceries and tried not to blush again after having made eye-contact. His priority, as he’d mentioned in the past, was Wren’s well-being above all, so... there really was no time to let himself be distracted by anyone else. No matter how much someone’s teenager might sometimes resent having all of that attention piled up on his own person. He’d almost jerked away as his hand was briefly brushed - which would’ve only brought upon further embarrassment - unaware at first of the similarity between their bodily temperatures. “Yes, I-- I’ll see you again. Thanks.” He was oddly aware of his own size - again - as he made his way out the store, only briefly pausing as he touched the door and its far-too-cold metal handle. Eyes flickering back to look upon the clerk, who was by now focused on his next customer, before he shuffled his way out of the store entirely.

…

“ Ah. I should concede to you then. ” A smile showed on Emil’s lips as he scanned the next few items, gaze flickering towards the man in front of him once again. Sure he could’ve let the moment pass on by but it was much more fun seeing another person blush in front of him. “ Does this mean that these aren’t your favorite brand? It could be useful knowledge. ”

...

Robin froze momentarily, his expression betraying his confusion. Truthfully, he didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about his own preferences - one way or the other - and being asked about them by the clerk at the shop he’d been visiting so frequently was... something he wasn’t sure he could put a name to. At the same time, it was something he was pretty definitely sure he wouldn’t want to make a fool out of himself for. “That’s -- Market research?” he managed to squeeze out, head tilting to one side. A large part of him longed for his past occupations, of looking after others whilst in a safe place of his own. “I’m more partial towards home-cooked meals,” he confessed, after a pause too long to be considered normal. “It can’t... hurt to have more frozen pizza or poptarts around the house, though.”

~~

“Is there a reason they’ve been lost?” Hagen wondered, his mind immediately coming up with a million different scenarios as to why. “Or are we just working with a mysterious disappearance that no one knows about or at least that no one talks about. Glossed over town histories never seem to turn out that great.” There hadn’t been any that he could think of. 

“Oh you don’t have to worry about that, I have plenty of time on my hand.” The money part not so much, but he already had said he wouldn’t if it involved an investment. “I don’t really do much. I just kind of exist. Float along like a thing that floats in life. What’s that song? Dust in the Wind? Yeah, that’s it. That’s me. Dust in the wind”

He listened as he spoke about the time coming in the future being enough, hopefully. Time was a thing Hagen wasn’t sure most people appreciated enough. Maybe it was because some people had all the time in the world that it no longer meant anything. “I think it is perfect evidence that it’s a possibility. Just don’t - don’t think you’ve failed if you mess up. People mess up. You’re going to mess up, but that just means you keep going and you keep trying.” He could still remember his dad telling him this. Of course he’d been told them as an eight year old who had accidentally scored on his own team’s goal during a soccer game, but it still seemed fitting. “It’s like Aaliyah said, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, you can dust it off and try again.’ “

“The fact that we can’t find them is just the tip of the iceberg, really. There have been many theories put forward - and we devote a fair amount of time to each and every one.” Robin’s smile returned slightly as he pointed it out, knowing that that was at least one topic that could catch other’s attention. At least a solid 20% of the time. “Of course, it could simply end up being a case of the archivists being less than proud of some parts of the town’s history, thus trying to erase them. Which is, at the same time, intriguing.”

Some concern showed in his eyes as he looked at the young man, who seemed to have described himself accurately - or was adapting himself to said description as time went on. “It’s a shame that you would consider yourself dust, really. I think you’ve got a lot of interesting thoughts to share with the world.” He smiled, again, hoping to express the sincerity of his words.

Feeling the boy stiffen next to him sent Edgar into a panic.  What did he say wrong?  Should he backtrack and try to make this better?  Or maybe just ask?  Biting his lip, the vampire desperately thought back to their brief conversation to figure out where he might have misstepped.  

Finally he just came out with it, “what’s wrong Wren?”  If he had messed up and upset Wren, he was determined to do anything he possibly could to right it.  

Edgar perked up as Robin returned, still the anxiety welling up in his chest.  He took the water bottle with a small thanks.  “I’d love to play some games,” he said, before glancing between the two Finches.  “But if you’d rather it just be the two of you I totally understand,” he added quickly.  Edgar wasn’t entirely sure if that was directed more to Robin or Wren specifically.

“I hadn’t seen my dad in half a year,” the boy commented, somewhat under his breath, not taking into account the fact that the other, being a vampire, would be able to hear him. Of course, as far as Finn was aware, supernatural beings altogether didn’t exist and, as such, everything had to have some mundane explanation - no matter how twisted. “Did they not want to see me?” He didn’t doubt Ava didn’t want him around, truth be told, but that was between the two of them, not their father’s boyfriend or whatever.

“Are any of the booths giving out video games?” he asked, not a beat too late, standing up with the balled up napkin in his hand, taking a small sip of his soda to help the snack go down. It was a long way down to travel, anyhow. “Actually, can I meet up with you guys later? Some of my friends are around, too, and they wanted to hang out.” His shoulders went up in a slightly defensive gesture as he looked from one man to the other, expression hopeful. “I don’t know what time your guys’ bedtime is and all.” What with their old, advanced age.

-

There seemed to be very little general quorum to his suggestion but, Robin wasn’t one to grow disheartened so quickly. He snorted slightly at the feeling of being somewhat lightly roasted by his own child, reaching up a hand to run it through Wren’s hair. “I promise, my bedtime is still later than your curfew.” How cheeky of him. “I -- That’s good, you being with your friends. Just... keep your phone on you at all times, yes? I’ll pick up, whatever you need.” Whatever he might come across. Some others... didn’t particularly seem to care about hiding their otherness.

He wasn’t blind, either, to the slightly hooded expression in his son’s eyes. Wren’s mouth twisted in a slight grimace before he nodded his acceptance on the very few conditions his father passed onto him, saying nothing but a muted ‘thanks’ as more money was put into his hands, then sparing a glance towards the vampire. “We’ll -- I’ll come find you. Later.” With very little decorum for public displays of affection, he leaned in to kiss the top of the teenager’s head, managing to make him blush and squeak out a ‘later’ and a nod in Edgar’s general direction before he was scurrying off.