originallutece | (no subject)

[She snorts, because it's late and she's tired and that was pretty funny, okay.]

You need to meet my assistant, if for no other reason than so you can all compare ridiculous hairstyles.

[b/c she loves fawkes but what is your hair doing, boyo]

[ Noctis huffs. ]

My hairstyle isn't ridiculous.

[She gives him a little look. Is this what you wanna focus on, buddy? Is this really an argument you want to start?]

[ D:!!!!!!! ]

It's not.

[ DON'T LOOK AT HIM LIKE THAT. ]

Because I'm very fond of you, Noctis, I'll grant you that tonight.

[ He wrinkles his nose. ]

You're patronizing me.

I'm very politely avoiding an argument. Patronizing you would be telling you that you'd look so very grown up if only you'd smooth it back.

[ SCOWL. ]

You're starting to sound like my dad.

[ Now he's fussing with his bangs!!! ]

My little Noctis, all grown up--

[Now she's definitely taking the piss out of him.]

[ HE JUST TURNED RED. ]

Gross, that's totally unnecessary.

I don't know what you expected, if not my fondly mocking you now and then. The only reason you were spared it a decade ago is that it's no fun to mock children.

It wasn't because you didn't think I was that adorable?

[ He smirks. ]

Bummer.

If I made you wail, you would have impeded my work further.

[She nudges him with one foot, still smiling.]

More than you already did by asking me to play with you.

I didn't wail when I asked you to play with me.

[ NUDGES BACK ]

No, but you did impede my work. Your father ended up paying me to play board games with you.

[Not that she sounds a bit displeased by it.]

At least the teaching was practical-- do you remember our first lesson? I taught you the solar system using my lunch.

[Now pay attention, she'd said, holding up her bottle of water. Imagine this as the sun-- it's the center of our system. All the planets revolve around it, there's nine in all, we'll use my sandwich as earth--]

[ Noctis softly smiles. It's been a long, long time since the day his father had dropped him off at Rosalind's desk. He remembers it very well. ]

You were late from your lunch break. Yeah, I remember.

Think Dad got me a book on the solar system on the way home that day.

Did he?

[Yes, that seems about right. Rosalind glances down at her lap, smiling faintly.]

I still have your drawing, you know. Tucked away somewhere back in England.

[ He tilts his head, looking a bit surprised. ]

You kept it?

Of course I kept it. It was the first time anyone had given me such a gift.

[ Noctis exhales a weak chuckle, looking down at his lap as he reaches to rub behind his neck. He remembers her pretty fondly, even if it's a faraway memory and he was so young.

He's kind of regretting they hadn't kept in touch after he turned 10. ]

Had no idea you were the sentimental type.

Hardly.

[She pulls a face.]

But it was sweet, and I wasn't about to throw it out. It clearly meant a lot to you.

[ Noctis snorts. ]

I do remember it taking me a long time.

All the planets, the sun, and even a fair few moons. And, if I recall correctly, an astronaut, which you were very eager to make sure I saw.

[There's a bit of silence, then. Rosalind glances away, a little embarrassed to say this, but--]

. . . I'm glad you came here. Not just tonight, I mean; I'm glad we both ended up here.

Albert II. First monkey in space.

[ He nods as he remembers, very fondly. Noctis falls into silence in tandem with Rosalind. Noctis very much recalls his time with Rosalind, and it's sad that he hasn't thought much about her until they crossed paths again. All of those memories are some of the best ones he's had. There were few women in his life, given that he'd lost his mother when he was born. Noctis never knew her, was an only child, and so while he couldn't be around other children much? Rosalind was a friend. And a source of inspiration. He'd looked up to her greatly. ]

Yeah.

[ Noctis finally looks up to Rosalind, though it's directly at the same time she looks away. ]

Me too.

[She only glances away for a few more seconds; then it's back to familiar briskness, friendly and fond but not quite so laden with emotion.]

Do you want me to make up the couch for you, or stick with blankets and a pillow?