#harrowinghatter

🎁 thunder brother demands an offering >:(

❛ wh — huh ?? ❜

behind their glasses ( they still had their glasses on !! ) , adrian's eyes open slowly , blinking to shake the sleep off. they're bundled in a deliberately oversized cardigan ( it's an aesthetic choice , rock. ) , & the sun has long since set. this isn't unusual for them , not really , not when work is taking so much of their energy lately.

it's hard for it not to , they think , when every day is one step closer to sending their beloved to his grave. rocky shouldn't be surprised that most of what they do in their off-time anymore is sleep.

despite their rather morbid internal monologue , adrian smiles tiredly at the sound of rocky's voice. they blink once more before sitting up , stretching out an ache in their back that's relieved with a small pop & a slight wince. this is the price they pay for spending hours hunched over rather than sit properly. but any discomfort is dismissed with a shake of their head , turning aquamarine eyes on their partner instead.

❛ mm , sorry. stratt's been working me like a dog lately. you know how she gets. ❜

it's a palatable lie , they both know that. but still , adrian stands , righting their glasses on their face & taking one of rocky's hands in their own.

@harrowing-hatter said : " we don’t need to talk unless you want to. i’m happy to just sit with you for a while. "

the young elric hums , half in thought & half just for the sound. it's still strange , to hear his voice without the metallic echo that it carried for years. it almost doesn't sound like him without it. golden eyes fall shut for a moment before opening slowly , turning to his father with a soft smile.

❛ well , i'm pretty used to sitting in silence , you know. i have spent a good chunk of time just watching ed sleep. ❜

alphonse laughs quietly , shaking his head. it's only half in jest , but he doesn't mind the silence. that said , al had been hoping to catch a moment alone with his father , & his expression is sincere when he speaks.

❛ i ... really want to thank you , dad. for everything. brother certainly won't say it , as usual , so i will , for both of us. you did what you thought was best. & ... i'm really glad to see you again. ❜

a beat of pause.

@harrowing-hatter ❤'d for a starter! (TAI!!!!)

STARTER!!!

❝ Ha, ha. Very funny, Tai. ❞ The warrior teased, checking Tai's shoulder with her own as they sat next to each other. She was certainly too tired to find most of Tai's jokes as funny as she usually did, but she appreciated the regaling of tales from a side she hadn't been a part of.

The four of them were out on a reconnaissance mission-because as much as Raven and Qrow had wanted to go alone, the other half of the team had refused to let them. It had been way too many missions without the four of them, and it was certainly about time Tai and Summer had met up again as well.

All had been going smoothly, albeit a little boring to say the least. The keeping watch in sections of two was good for company, and to not fall asleep. Tai, on the other hand, seemed to have boundless energy at the moment.

“Drink more water,” he says, holding two large cans of white Monster

@harrowing-hatter said : ❝ no one can know about this—it’s just between us okay? ❞

grace blinks when ilyukhina speaks. once , twice , three times. it wasn't as though he didn't like her , but ... they were practically strangers. why on earth she would choose him to confide in of all people isn't clear , but ... if she trusts him , grace owes her his undivided attention.

( though he does speculate that her trusting him is fueled by the amount of alcohol she's had to drink , but he won't say that. )

❛ uh — yeah , sure. i won't tell anyone , pinkie promise. ❜

did she know what a pinkie promise is ?? that's a stupid question , & a thought grace keeps to himself. in this moment , she reminds him of some of his students who would catch sight of the flag on his desk & want to talk. they trusted him , just like ilyukhina trusted him now , & grace offers a kind smile.