Prince of Fire Emblem: Invitation

[volleygenius]

Showing up at work and his family's house unannounced after that huge going away event was the funniest thing Marui can remember in some time. Who'd have guessed all that partying was for only a week-long farewell? Naturally, they have to have another bash to celebrate their return. And there's one person in particular he wants to make sure will be there.

Now, where in the castle to find Lissa...

Comments

[volleygenius]

"Nnnngh... But you bake casseroles, too!"

He hasn't forgotten the point of his coming to find her. This just... this is fun. It's happy. She's having fun and so is he. Also that ice cream is going to start melting if he doesn't get to work. He gets a couple of big bowls from the cupboard, a few bananas, a jar of chopped walnuts, and some other toppings.

[didntaxyou]

Lissa starts looking for other potentially helpful ingredients, like jellies and sweet preserves. She isn't exactly worried about making a mess here.

"I hope this isn't bad news," she said, dropping a handful of spoons within Marui's reach. "Private sundaes seem a little too special."

[volleygenius]

"Who said you needed bad news to enjoy a sundae?" It was actually more because she'd seemed down on herself a minute ago, but they'll get to that. He peels a couple of the bananas and halves them lengthwise.

"The only thing I have for you is an invitation."

[didntaxyou]

"Not to St. Rudolph, I'm guessing...!"

She tried to laugh, but it didn't quite come out that way.

"Do you have one for Seiichi, too?"

[volleygenius]

"Of course I do," he assured her as he slices the bananas in half again and begins scooping the different flavors of ice cream into the bowls.

"I'm thinking about this Friday at sunset. How about it? Can you make that?"

[didntaxyou]

"Prooobably I could, if you tell me when and where."

She involuntarily glanced up, vaguely in the direction of Seiichi's tower. Can't call her his sunshine and expect her not to fret about leaving him by himself.

"Maybe help me drag him along," she said under her breath.

[volleygenius]

He notices.

"Don't worry, he won't miss this. You're the guest of honor, after all."

1/2

[didntaxyou]

"The what now?"

2/2

[didntaxyou]

"What did I do this time?"

[volleygenius]

"You make it sound like you're in trouble!"

[didntaxyou]

"That's not exactly out of the question, is it?"

She wrung her hands. "I can't believe I got you thrown in jail!"

[volleygenius]

Marui abandons his sundae assembly; he's laughing too hard.

After a few moments, he calms himself down enough to look her in the eyes and say with warm frankness: "Where did you get this idea? I got me thrown in jail, Princess."

And if his tone is any indication, he'd do it again, without hesitating.

[didntaxyou]

She looks for something soft to throw at him. A tea towel, maybe, or a sponge.

"So I was you excuse for punching that guy and you were gonna do it no matter what? C'mon."

[volleygenius]

Marui winks his nearer eye shut as he lets the tea towel hit the side of his forehead, still smiling.

Lissa's really beating herself up, isn't she? It's ironic, and it pains him a little to see. Reflection was a good thing after a mistake. Marui doesn't see the choices she made that ultimately led to Mizuki getting a taste of his fist in that way. Even if he did, reflection and self-abasement were two different things.

He tops off the sundae and slides it encouragingly towards her.

"Who knows. If he'd still needed one..."

[didntaxyou]

"You really aren't funny, you know that?"

But honestly...

"I mean, the whole set up... he was asking for it. I'm not the only one who was unhappy with it!"

[volleygenius]

Before Marui tries answering that, he picks up the spoon and holds it out for Lissa to take. C'mon, start eating. You'll feel better after some bites.

[didntaxyou]

Lissa huffs, taking the spoon with little grace and no delicacy, but her eyes light up when she actually gets in her mouth.

She grudgingly takes a second bite.

"We're still talking here! Giving me brain freeze is not the answer!"

[volleygenius]

There's nothing but fondness in Marui's expression as Lissa starts to dig in.

"Well, what matters is you helped make it possible for us to come back quickly. And you cared enough to try. Isn't that something to celebrate and be proud of?"

[didntaxyou]

"Feels dumb to celebrate making such a big mess of everything. Jackal did explain to me what was going on, and it could have been so much worse."

She shuddered. "I didn't tell Seiichi the details."

[volleygenius]

Not telling her brother the details was definitely for the best, both for Mizuki and for Yukimura's conscience.

He starts adding scoops and toppings to a second bowl, turning his attention more to it as they talk.

"I dunno what you're saying. There was no mess. And it was never gonna be worse, because I was there."

[didntaxyou]

"And it probably would have been better if I hadn't been."

She tapped the spoon against the counter-- not impatiently, just like she was fidgeting.

"Seiichi might not have been so... angry at him. So very angry, I mean, if he couldn't draw a line between what Mizuki did and what I did. Obviously, he was always going have a baseline anger, just for making the request."

[volleygenius]

"That so?"

He's trying to understand, really he is. This thinking is so outside the realm of his own approach, it's like trying to speak to someone in a foreign language. Is it the size of Yukimura's shadow?

Marui falls quiet for a few moments. He hurts for her, and the worst part is, this isn't the kind of problem he knows how to fix. If it was, maybe her brother wouldn't be locked up in his room right now caught in mental reruns over going vampire mode at Mizuki.

Huh.

"Princess... Why're you worried about your brother right now?"

[didntaxyou]

"Are you not?"

She twisted the spoon between her hands, wishing it was a staff that could turn back time.

"He's not usually... cruel."

She closed her eyes, hating even using that word to describe her brother.

[volleygenius]

She's right, of course. He's not. And now he's left to try to reconcile that against his recent actions. Was this a bad example for its layers? She does have a point. Well, not much he can do about it now.

"Did he make a big mess of everything? Would it've been better if he wasn't there?"

[didntaxyou]

"He wouldn't have been there if I wasn't there," she protested.