rainy days

nesta sighed, closing the book she'd been trying to read. she had too much on her mind to actually focus on the words. cassian didnt know who she was and now elain didn't either. "I'm beginning to wish I was back home right about now," she muttered.

“this city does seem to have that effect on people.” hunt hadn’t intentionally been listening in. he'd just been sitting close enough, only a chair over in the cafe. guess it shouldn’t surprise him that nesta is here, given the connection to all their worlds. “i’d ask how you’ve been but sounds like it’s been better.”

"like real magic?" she questioned with a head tilt. but that wasn't real! that was only in the stories aerith would read with glee. "i will. but you have helped so much as it is. thank you!" she would be forever grateful for the help. it was more than she ever could have done. "i am! i guess you could say flowers are my passion."

questions like these are part of what makes it obvious he’s in grey london, a world where magic has been forgotten. although here, in d.c. he’s learned magic is far from lost but instead memories. he nods. “yes. it exists all around.” suppose he might sound crazy to those more mundane. “it shows. it’s a lovely shop. perhaps you could spare a rose?”

"you'd be surprised how difficult you are to poison." really, he doesn't think he could slip her anything they didn't already have an immunity to, with how much she'd tried to keep herself useful for his idiot brother. the only other person in elfhame who'd realized how intelligent and deadly she was, and he'd still fumbled it somehow. he drains his own glass, immediately gesturing for another one before having this conversation with his wife. "no, i'm still claiming you're my wife. i'm just not repeating myself over and over. i know how stubborn you are. and that is my name. cardan greenbriar, high king of elfhame, husband to high queen jude duarte."

“damn, isn’t that a mouthful of a name. that’s gotta suck when you have to fill out government documents,” she teases, cause apparently she’s doing that now. they blame the liquor. jude’s in no way a lightweight, but it does loosen up conversation more. especially one so ridiculous as a man claiming to be their husband. “pretty sure i’d remember marrying someone so…” she waves one hand up and down at cardan. “…eccentric.” she sips the wine and can already tell it’s more expensive than anything she usually buys. “you can’t just go around saying shit like that. it'll be awkward to explain to my partner.” a lie, if they've ever told one. jude's longest committed relationship has always been to their work.

"people love you in spite of them, kid. your scars don't define you, they just happen to be a part of you, you can't let it change how you view yourself too." though, there is a moment that she watches his hands, something.. off about the way he's holding his glass, but she's so sure it's just a trick of the light. her focus is brought back to his words as he puts the pieces together, all thoughts of the cup abandoned as she grinned at the younger holstrom. "surprise, figured you all were bored without me around."

a smile breaks out and he sets the glass down quickly. ithan pulls danika into a long overdue hug. a sigh of relief slipping out because now he doesn’t have to hide all the wolf stuff again. “i’m so glad you’re back. or well, that you remember everything.” he lets them go to plop back down on the couch. “i think people were more bummed than bored. semi-losing you again y’know?” he’d have to unpack whatever that does to his psyche later. “for urds sake, are we all doomed to just never have memories together?” he doesn’t know if he’s lucky or not to be one of the few who’s been left unaffected. don’t they call truth a burden or something. “oh fuck, wait. hunt’s aware and so are you. we could get you a cure now.”

"good, i doubt anyone your age would pull a prank like that. maybe in high school, but now?" it seems far too juvenile for kids in college, shaking his head in amusement at his son's immediate attempts at getting answers after judging him for being nosey, odysseus grins. "i've only met her once, don't give me that look. she's just... kind of stuck with me."

charlie shrugs. “what look?” he’s definitely giving his dad a look. “this is the first woman i hear about … like ever and that’s all you’re going to give me?” his brows furrow at the choice of words. “what do you mean stuck? well, for whatever it’s worth … once she gets to know you, i’m sure she’ll really like you, dad.”

"it's always a good time to talk about pizza toppings," charlie insists as they scroll through the options before them. "pepperoni, check," they agree as they add it to their virtual pizza. "black olives? please tell me you like those and aren't a comlete weirdo."

“i guess it’s good way to make sure you’re not a freak,” she jokes, “it could be an end to a friendship.” not that they’d ever put the weight of a friend on pizza toppings. “yeah, i’m good with black olives. or green peppers. safe to say we might be able to split a pizza after all.”

"It doesn't need to mean anything. It's from my culture and isn't common here. I'm, or I was a Prince back home. Even the royalty does it as a sign of respect." He explains before attempting to shrug it off. Fili knew that was no longer his life and in a way, he was happy to be a blacksmith instead of a Prince. "I've never tried wine before, I'll join you in a glass." The man responds with a nod and light smile. "I would like for you to join." Fili joins the other in the small talk until Brennan addresses it. "Now I do. I was unaware of who I really was for a while and that, I have regrets about it. I am from a place called Middle Earth. It is, very different from here. Although the Renaissance spell came close to it...How about you?"

“Oh, I had no idea I was in good company of a prince. Here I am being far too casual than you must be used to.” He’d only grown more casual thanks to his time here. Back in his realm, he’d have bowed at the sight of their royalty. “Ah, you too? I was also without memories of my life for a while. Thought I had a whole life here. I guess I still sort of do. It’s conflicting at times.” Brennan thanks the bartender for the glasses of wine. He hands a glass to Fili. “Actually, yeah, the Renaissance spell was somewhat similar to where I’m from. It’s a kingdom called Navarre. Unfortunately, we were at war ... I was a dragon rider, as crazy as it might sound.” The memories, although fresh, seem also distant to the false life he’d been living in D.C.

lila doesn't initially say anything , because doing so would mean admitting that she even has the box , but she raises a brow at the offer. the other's assumption regarding her inability to get the box open is a correct one , but she wonders why they would be willing to share that information. it's a trap , most likely , but they'd be lying if they said that they weren't intrigued. so after a moment , she decides that she'll meet him. she'll have to swing by home to grab the damned thing , but it shouldn't take her too long. " okay , " they agree. " tonight then. at the park nearby. but this better not be you trying to pull anything. "

kell can breathe a bit easier after escaping the ball. too many people spewing nonsense, running around, seemed like the time to exit and head toward the park. he settles on an open bench, which are in plethora at this hour. suppose he looks a bit questionable in his ball attire sitting on dimly lit park bench. they turn at the sound of footsteps, as quiet as they might be. “wasn’t sure if you’d come.” true to his lila from before. she was a spontaneous one, debatably landing them in dangerous situations. he nods to the space next to him. “care to sit? i can show you how the box opens if you’re curious.”

"i'm not upset you killed her, but you were so lame about it!" bryce takes a long sip from the glass as she continues lining up complaints, simply because she knows it'll drive hunt absolutely up the wall when she starts firing them off. "you're like... known for being an assassin and you snap her neck? boring as hel, hunt."

he holds back an eye roll. really, he’s not surprised at bryce’s reaction which is almost a mirror to danika’s. “i was known for being an assassin. sorry for wanting it to be quick and painless for them.” he guides them both to a comfier spot in their apartment to unwind. “next time, i’ll use helfire. not that any of us want a next time.” he presses a light kiss to her temple. as crazy as plotting a cool death sounds, he loves the woman to no ends.

fuck, she's gorgeous, even when she's staring him down like he's a madman. no wonder he'd been entirely incapable of resisting his attraction to her, before they'd made things official. "when you're not around to keep me in check? absolutely." and he's sure that a jude with all her wits about her would agree wholeheartedly with that statement. "gladly." gesturing for the bartender to pour him another glass of wine, he hands it over to jude, raising it in their direction with a smirk.

once again, jude starts to question her own sanity. why is she even thinking of talking to him again? he had a fucking tail. although that could've been the adrenaline making her see things. their eyes never leaves the glass from the time it’s poured to the time it takes to step to his side of the bar. “if you poisoned this, i’ll end you.” she accepts the drink with a venomous smile. as an agent, she probably shouldn’t be openly threatening strangers, but something about him sets them on edge. she takes a small sip and sets it down on the counter. “so what’s your deal? none of that marriage bullshit this time. is your name actually cardan?”

the glass of water was much needed. leave it for her roommate to know exactly what was needed. "thanks." quickly aellyn took the glass in to her hands. the cold feeling of the ice cold water against her skin was actually calming somehow. "oh it's absolutely a take out kind of night. screw any kind of cooking. it's my treat---i got a bit of overtime money this week anyways."

“would it make me an ass if i let you pay?” they shoot their roommate a smirk. and maybe if aellyn wasn't her friend she'd have agreed. “okay, no, i won’t. you’ve had a rough day. i’ll send you half.” jude sinks down on the couch next to aellyn. “what should we get? my vote is pizza or sushi. or both, i will not judge.”