Room 308, Wednesday Midday

[the_merriest]

Rikku was in her room. Working on her mech droid thing for Invent-o-whatever class.

Which was, thus far, a miserable failure, and not helped much by Petey attempting to eat the outlying bits of it.

That was okay. It was a mech droid. Mech droids were safe. Not arguments or coats or anything else she wasn't thinking about. Because she wasn't. She was working on her mech droid.

She had a fruit basket on her desk - hers, from class, because she hadn't given it to anyone yet. Because that seemed mean and she was too tired and empty to be mean today. Because she had a feeling maybe she should keep it.

Her door was wide open. In case anybody wanted some fruit. Poke at the mech droid. Bother Petey. Talk. Something. Right?

Comments

[withoutverona]

"The exile deal," Romeo confirmed, a certain sorrow darkening his eyes. He'd been so certain, that night, that it was not the end it seemed but somehow a strange beginning; he'd been wrong.

"And it was our wedding night, so ..." He made a little hopeless gesture. "I am glad we didn't throw those hours away so she could chastise me. But you and Reno ... you have time, at least."

[the_merriest]

"Unless he gets a phone call from his boss. Hey, pack it in, go home." She shrugged. "I'm glad you didn't. I mean. Your wedding night, that's ... yelling and screaming at each other, that can wait, you can write letters about it later, just ... have the moment now, yeah?"

[withoutverona]

"But his boss hasn't done that yet," Romeo said, eyes still closed. "Do you think he will?"

"Sometimes I think all we ever have, anyhow, is a moment, and putting things off is asking for some disaster," he added.

[the_merriest]

"He almost did a month ago," Rikku said, putting her feet onto her bedframe so she could hug her knees against her chest. "I ... don't know. How long he's gonna be here. Maybe you're right. Maybe if I don't go down there now and talk to him, I'll miss the chance to do it. I ... just don't think I can, yet."

[withoutverona]

Romeo gave into an impulse to reach to hug her again. "He's not under sentence of death if he doesn't leave at dawn, at least. Take tonight, think and decide what you want to say."

"But can you do one thing for me?"

[the_merriest]

Romeos were much so better to hug than knees. She settled in against him and nodded. "Mmmkay," she said. "What should I do?"

[withoutverona]

Rikkus were excellent to hug. "Talk to him, if you can, before too much time has passed," he said. "Don't let it just fester until you're half-dead from the hurt."

[the_merriest]

"Okay," she said, nodding. And not letting go just yet. "That's ... yeah. A good idea. I'll ... try. Honest."

Weirdly, she felt like adding a 'zoto' in there.

"See, and you said you weren't helping," she smiled.

[withoutverona]

That got most of a smile out of Romeo, and he squeezed her once more. "If I helped, it was almost entirely by accident. So will you tell him who to blame, if you do end up yelling at him?" he asked.

[the_merriest]

She smiled, sitting up again. "You bet. I'll make sure I mention this is all your fault. Spell your name out properly, and maybe say that you said to kick him a few times for you."

At least she had the mischevious look going again.

[withoutverona]

He laughed, both in relief at her smile and because the mental image of Rikku kicking Reno was kind of amusing in itself. "And then he'll kick me, and I suppose I would have to run and tell my father," Romeo drawled. "This weekend reminded me what a brat I had been."

[the_merriest]

"This weekend reminded me that I was even more hyper when I was three," she laughed. "Pops used to yell at me, that --" she stopped to mimic her father's voice, deep and with a twang that, had he been from this country, might have passed for Texan. "'I tell you, girl, you're the reason I'm bald. I pulled all this hair out 'cause of you. You and that idiot brother of yours.'"

[withoutverona]

"My father would just sigh and go back to his office," Romeo said, shaking his head. "You've a brother? Is he -- what is he doing now?"

As an only child, he was always a little fascinated by siblings.

[the_merriest]

"I do," Rikku said, rolling her eyes. "He's older. And he is an idiot. Very good at taking the group and going out diving for ruins, and he didn't want me to go at first but I was good at it so he kinda couldn't let me. I think he might still be hanging out on the airship, arguing with Pops. They never get along."

She giggled. "He, uh, tried to send letters, in English, but his English is terrible. About the only thing he knew was NO BOYS, RIKKU."

[withoutverona]

"And of course you didn't listen," Romeo said, cheerfully enough. "Bad English, why should you?"

[the_merriest]

"I told him there weren't any boys at this school," she said, innocently. "I think he even bought it, for a while. He's a little dim."

[withoutverona]

"He sounds it," Romeo agreed. "Though if he turned up, I'd do my best to convince him his little sister's virtue was unthreatened."

[the_merriest]

She blushed. "He, uh. I think he threatened Jude. Reno's sort of ... not the type that looks all, 'oh, hey, I was totally just talking with your little sister, really.' Maybe they just ... shouldn't meet, yet."

Also, people tended to look at her funny after the met Brother. Not that she could blame them.

[withoutverona]

"Maybe not. We're hoping Yurika's father never finds out I exist, and I would hope the same if we hadn't called my father when we were small," Romeo said. "This is where the different dimensions thing is entirely helpful."

[the_merriest]

"It really is," she laughed. "I wish Spira had cell phones, because I'd be chatting with some people all of the time. But at least that means Pops never calls during bad moments."

"Did, uh." She gestured vaguely. "Is your dad upset about the whole ... Yurika thing?"

[withoutverona]

"He wanted to make sure I wasn't getting married again." Romeo frowned. "Beyond that, I think he's decided I'm a lost cause."

[the_merriest]

"Married again?" Rikku shook her head. "He really thinks you'd ... I mean, you two only just started going out."

Open mouth, insert foot. "Oh. Uh. Sorry. I mean ..." Annnnnnnnd flail.

[withoutverona]

Romeo actually looked amused at this, mostly at her flailing. "I know. Marry one person the day after you meet her, and be tarred with that brush forever."

He reached to touch her arm. "You'll be all right?"

[the_merriest]

She giggled, still blushing, but visibly relieved. "You know? That ... reminds me of a dirty joke I know. Um. You know the one? It starts with a guy who's built a lot of houses, but nobody calls him Blappa the Builder ..."

"I'm fine," she nodded. "Uh. Not fine? I'm okay, though. What's the word for it's all crazy but I'll deal, and you rock for bringing hugs?"

[withoutverona]

Romeo did know the joke, which was why he was turning red with laughter.

"I think the word for all of that is alive," he told her.