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[twin_blade]

Um, right.

*BEEP*

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[oblige]

I shall let you know, particularly if it involves knives.

[ That would be Vax's domain, after all. Dion doesn't mind the man having a look around, particularly seeing as it's his first time seeing the apartment.

When he spots Vax looking at the flowers, he pauses. ]

Those should pose no danger where they are.

[ The flowers won't go spreading all over the place, and unless someone went after their roots with intent, they shouldn't harm anyone. ]

[twin_blade]

[ There's the faintest of chuckles under his breath at the mention of knives, then he glances over at Dion when he notes the flowers. ]

Just the roots, right? But I thought they were white.

[ Or maybe this flower comes in different colors. ]

[oblige]

What you saw before were the domesticated variety, which are grown in Sanbreque.

[ And also one of its symbols, for that matter, but Dion thinks this unimportant in the moment. ]

The purple blossoms are its wild counterpart. Someone once tried to gift me one. He told me its roots do not define it, just as my own did not.

[ But it was a kindness he could not accept at the time. ]

[twin_blade]

[ Vax lifts a brow with interest, wondering who that person was. He wonders if Dion took those words to heart. He obviously tried very hard to aid the people of his country, even if his father deemed them unimportant compared to his own legacy. ]

They were right.

[ The same might be said for Vax, though he never had to deal with Dion's responsibilities. ]

[oblige]

He is a wise and learned man, yet I felt unworthy of the gesture.

[ And it clearly pained Harpocrates that this was so. His old tutor had vowed to await his return, yet his glassy eyes bespoke the truth they both knew.

Dion had no expectation of coming back from the battle with Ultima. ]

Somehow it followed me here, even so.

[twin_blade]

[ After all the good Dion tried to do, he felt unworthy. If that was after the death of his father, Vax can understand how devastated he must have been at the time.

Curious, he wanders into the kitchen with silent footsteps. Perhaps the smells from the cooking are luring him in. ]

Then you must be pretty worthy if it crossed worlds to find you.

[ Somehow, it's here and growing under his care outside his balcony door. ]

[oblige]

[ True to his word, the last of his preparations aren't taking long. The time is mostly occupied with cooking vegetables to the correct degree.

It's a stir fry, so nothing terribly fancy, but it smells good. ]

I wonder...

[ Regardless of his mixed feelings about it, it seemed wrong to spurn the gift twice over. The flower ultimately wilted, but its seeds had filled that flower bed. ]

They were very particular. I've not tended flowers before, but I should hope they aren't all so difficult.

[twin_blade]

[ Vax peers around Dion's shoulder to watch him work. It does smell good. He hadn't realized he was hungry until now. ]

I can't help you there. I don't know a thing about flowers, but I'm sure you'll manage.

[ His hand delivers a gentle pat atop Dion's shoulder. Vax would wager that Dion has already found a few books on the subject. ]

[oblige]

I seem to have appeased them, after much trial and error.

[ He absolutely picked up some books on the subject while on Earth. There was such ready access to so many resources.

If only every other gadget didn't eavesdrop. ]

What were your passtimes, aside from bar fights?

[twin_blade]

Hmm.

[ Vax wishes he could give Dion a good answer to his question. He steps to the side, resting his hand on the countertop. ]

I didn't have many. I took an interest in lockpicking and sleight of hand when I was young. Father put us in school to learn blades, fighting, survival, assassination... and other lessons on culture and languages. Kept us pretty busy. Or out of his way.

[ Vax wouldn't say he had any real hobbies. ]

Once we were on our own, we were always moving and picking up jobs wherever we could make some coin. I've played a lot of dice in back alleys.

[ A helpless shrug. ]

Can't grow flowers when you've got no roots, I suppose.

[oblige]

[ Dion considers those words as he keeps his eyes on his cooking. He's done enough by now that he has a good sense of what to watch for, in terms of when ingredients have cooked enough.

He integrates the meat with the vegetables, stirring them together. Not long to go now. ]

He should have appreciated you both.

[ While he can do naught to alter the past in any world, it doesn't change how it rankles him to think of the man's rejection of his children. ]

But for now, you've ample time, so perhaps you should consider what might interest you.

[twin_blade]

Hmf. If he were at least kind to Vex, I could have suffered the rest.

[ Nothing his father said mattered to Vax except to stir his hatred of the man. But Vex wanted her father's love so much.

There's a mischievous look on Vax's face at the mention of interests. ]

I could take up the lute and work on my singing. That song of yours is pretty catchy.

[oblige]

[ Dion stills for a moment, only to shake his head as he resumes stirring the meat and vegetables.

If Vax will never let his ballad rest, well, Dion is not above return fire. ]

You have spoken of your skilled hands, so surely you could. I suppose you could also play that song about your group as well.

[ Only the greatest of hits for minstrel Vax. ]

[twin_blade]

[ At least Dion is not going to punish him without dinner for teasing him. That would be too cruel. ]

That rubbish? I prefer to only sing worthy ballads, Lord Dion.

[ He gives Dion a gentle but playful nudge with his shoulder. Not too hard, though, since he wouldn't want any kitchen accidents. ]

[oblige]

[ Worthy ballads. He scoffs at the notion, but it's far from sharp. By now he thinks Vax just derives amusement from the simple existence of that silly song. ]

You may have to look further for worthy songs, then.

[ Doubtless there are a great many. ]

Fortunately, there is a whole multiverse to draw from.

[twin_blade]

[ Vax does, indeed, find amusement in it. More so because Dion seems embarrassed by it, which is not very good of him, but at least he won't tell everyone about it. ]

But that one's my favorite.

[ The food looks as if it's about ready. ]

Should I pour us something to drink?

[ Maybe he can lend a hand. ]

[oblige]

[ His favorite, he says. Dion would like to say, and rightly so, that there are far better songs to choose from. But he knows well enough he's being teased. ]

If it gives you reason to pick up a hobby, I suppose there's naught for it.

[ Said with an air of mock resign. Dion's not at all convincing, but the humor is there. ]

I've a small selection, but I'm confident it surpasses that bar's offerings.

[ Terrible swill, that was. He points out where he stores such drinks, then the cabinet above it. ]

Glasses are up there.

[twin_blade]

[ Dion is safe, since Vax doesn't really want to start playing the lute or singing. He might start reading some more books, though.

Vax had expected Dion to ask him to pour from a pitcher of water, but if he's offering to share his stash, how can Vax refuse? Besides, a good drink might go well with the homecooked stir fry dish.

He leans over Dion's shoulder from behind, his voice full of mischief, like a kid who was just given permission to reach into a bowl of candy. ]

Don't mind if I do.

[ And he's off to explore that cupboard. Of course, if it's really good stuff from San Francisco, Vax has no idea what any of it is, so he takes what looks like a nice bottle of red wine out, unless Dion suggests something else. ]

[oblige]

[ Dion's shoulders jump by the smallest of degrees, an involuntary twitch simply because he didn't expect Vax's voice to be just that much closer for a second. Mercifully, Vax can't see him look surprised while he's cooking.

What he has onhand is indeed from Earth. Etraya's pickings seemed terribly slim, and Dion had gotten far enough in his cookbooks to notice that a variety of recipes called for some form of alcohol or another, so it seemed prudent to return with some supplies.

But also, seeing as he's playing host, he wouldn't deny Vax his preference of drinks. ]

I should have this plated shortly.

[twin_blade]

[ Vax is having a terrible time living with his sentence and it's only the first night. Self-imposed sentence, but still, like he said earlier, fair's fair. ]

It smells great.

[ He can't wait to try it. In the meantime, he takes two glasses down and uncorks the bottle. The pours are probably a little too generous, but he's no expert. Both glasses are carried to the table where they'll have their meal. ]

I can't remember the last time someone cooked something for me. At home, I mean.

[ The diner doesn't count. ]

[oblige]

[ Still yet, Dion isn't counting the days...or hours. Particularly when Vax is dealing with such difficulties, he can hardly blame him for wanting a drink or several. ]

Truly? I suppose you've been here a good while longer than me...

[ And had Dion not taken to cooking for himself, he would have been in the same boat. He divides the stir fry between their plates and brings them to the table, setting Vax's down first before his own.

Then he's right back to the kitchen to get utensils. ]

I cook fairly routinely, our options being what they are.

[ Once he returns with silverware, he sets them out and takes his seat. ]

[twin_blade]

When did you arrive, exactly?

[ For a long time, he didn't take too much of an interest in other people in Etraya. No doubt, Vax was just being difficult and moody about being stuck here on his own. It was impossible to ignore Dion during the gift exchange, though. He still has that blue feather Dion found in its box in his apartment.

Vax takes his seat as his plate is set before him. Once Dion comes back with the utensils, he looks up with a smile, then down at his food. With a nod in thanks, he takes the first bite. ]

It's really good. Great, even.

[ He means it. That cookbook is a keeper. ]

[oblige]

[ Dion finishes his own bite of food before he responds. ]

I was brought in during the Aphaia mission.

[ There isn't any masking his distaste for that particular mission. A doomed world. Death games. Being told there was naught they could do didn't sit right with him, yet in the end it was indeed a world they could not save.

It was the memory of that mission that made both him and the Phoenix so determined to help Earth. ]

I believe you mentioned being here for a longer duration when we met.

[twin_blade]

Ah, that was a rough one to come in on. I guess you just came from a fight, too.

[ And being a strong fighter, Vax imagines Dion survived everything that went on in Aphaia. He can only imagine what Dion thought of a world like that, though. ]

Aphaia would have been.. six months, I think? We met after that. By now, a year in this world. It was a tough time, I'll admit. I wasn't used to being on my own.

[ Vax picks at his food, then remembers how good it is and takes another bite before reaching for his wine. ]

[oblige]

Aphaia was disorienting and ultimately frustrating. Why we could not save it eludes me still.

[ To not be able to do anything to aid a world given up for dead and not know the fate of his own was a difficult combination. Then of course there was the one friendly face from home simply vanishing.

By now at least he knows what he's dealing with. ]

You seemed independent enough that I'd not have guessed it at the time. But you're no longer alone.

[ Even if that comes with explosions... ]