Hey all! I told you I had one-shot ideas...here's another!
I actually had a scene from this written for a year, but it didn't go with anything else, and then today I just...wrote the rest. It just came to me!
Don't expect too much, the title is exactly what this is...random and pointless but hopefully still cute with family fun and lots of bickering.
And this one's for Mythweaver, who mentioned she'd love a E/Ry fic...and without whom this fandom would be dead(er) than it is right now!
So, enjoy!
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Rydia asked, leaning against the door in disbelief.
Edge paused, appearing to think about it. "Actually no, I don't. What time is it?"
"Late," she snapped, narrowing her eyes. "What are you doing here? I was about to go to sleep."
He held up his hands, "I was coming to see you, obviously."
"Now?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Because it's late!"
Edge frowned slightly, "Well, what difference does that make?"
Rydia groaned and rested her forehead against her hand still braced on the door, "It's too late to be having this kind of conversation with you. Come back tomorrow."
"Can't I come in now?"
"No!" she said, glaring at him. "Of course not."
Edge hesitated and pointed over his shoulder at another building. "Well…the innkeeper actually wouldn't let me stay there for some reason? She said it's all full?"
Rydia just stared at him, "And this is my problem, how?"
"Well, High Summoner, I figured that you would want to know the conditions of travelers coming through your fair village and somehow remedy the situation."
She raised an eyebrow, "By letting creepy people skulking around outside my house at night stay with me?"
"You have creepy people around your house?" he asked, suddenly concerned.
She rolled her eyes, "Goodnight Edge."
"But-"
"Tomorrow!"
She shut the door as loudly as she dared without waking Cuore but with still proving her point she wasn't talking to him anymore.
She sighed and made her way upstairs, tired and puzzled as to why he was here unannounced, and at such a late hour of night, too.
As soon as she stepped into her room, there was a loud 'clanging' sound that resonated against the glass pane of her window.
She jumped, gasped and spun around, fright turning to annoyance in a heartbeat when she saw what had caused the bang.
Edge waved from the window and gestured to the locking mechanism.
She threw the window open and glared at him, "How did you get there so fast?"
He gave her a flat look and used one hand to gesture to himself, "Ninja."
Rydia continued to scowl at him, "Maybe a better question is why you're up here,"
"You wouldn't let me through the door," Edge replied as if it was obvious.
She stared at him and then whispered sharply, "So you try the window?! What is wrong with you?"
"Plenty, apparently," he said, frowning at her. "But really, this ledge is not very large. Can you just scoot over so I can climb in?"
Rydia gave him a light shove, "No! What would people think?"
"If I can find one in a ten mile radius that isn't asleep yet, I'll ask." Edge said, starting to sound a little irritated with her.
She wanted so badly to use magic at that moment that she took three deep, calming breaths before speaking up again. "Go to the inn,"
"I already told you, the innkeeper wouldn't let me stay. She says they're filled up." he explained, sighing.
In his defense, he had already told her that but she was so flustered and annoyed she was having trouble understanding the situation.
"That's a lie, no one is staying there." she snapped.
He blinked, "You think I'm making it up? Well if I am, look how far that got me."
"Quiet!" Rydia hissed, glaring at him, "You'll wake Cuore up."
His expression was uncomprehending so she crossed her arms and elaborated, "You know how much trouble it is to get her into bed every night to begin with,"
"So, let her stay up." Edge said with a shrug.
Rydia frowned, not pleased with that bit of advice.
He shifted slightly and frowned at her again, "Seriously, balancing on this thin piece of wood is not as easy as I'm making it look right now,"
Rydia slid and latched the screen on her window in one fluid motion with a saucy smile on her face.
Edge stared at the latch for a long moment, frowning, and then mentioned, "That was really uncalled for,"
"You're the one stalking around outside my window in the middle of the night." she countered. "Be glad I didn't shut the entire window in your face."
"I can probably still get in,"
"Don't make me bother one of my Eidolons,"
He huffed, and she braced one hand on the frame of the window, scowling at him, "You still never told me why you were here."
Now he was the one who looked exasperated, "You canceled coming to see me so I had to come see you, instead."
"There was a mudslide!" she complained, still trying to keep her voice down to avoid waking the little girl in the room next door. "Did you want me to just leave everyone else to deal with it? I'm High Summoner, remember?."
Edge frowned at her in a disbelieving fashion, "You still went to Mysidia,"
"I'm not having this discussion with you in the middle of the night through the window," Rydia snapped, reaching up to flick the curtains closed on him.
"Then let me in so we aren't talking through a window," he was quick to counter.
She just stared at him, "Goodnight."
"Don't you close that," he warned.
She pursed her lips, slowly drawing the drapes closed, "Goodnight."
He looked ready to toss another comment her way, but before either of them could move, the door to her bedroom creaked open.
"Rydia?" Cuore's sleepy voice said. She was poking her head through the cracked door, looking around with a haunted expression.
Her eyes lit up instantaneously, "Edge!"
Rydia rolled her eyes and suppressed a groan. Now there would be no getting rid of him, and no getting Cuore back into bed, which naturally meant Rydia would have yet another sleepless night, which would in turn affect her daytime routine as well.
Cuore had already unlatched the window and was chattering, "I don't see why you would come in this way when Rydia has not taken your advice and still leaves our front door unlocked."
"Cuore," she warned, pinning the little girl with an annoyed look.
Cuore tipped her head to one side, confused, "Well, you don't…"
Rydia pinched the bridge of her nose, frustrated, and glared through her fingers at Edge, "Not a word."
"I wasn't going to say anything," he assured her with a grin.
Somehow, she didn't believe him.
Cuore was all smiles, "Why are you here?"
"Well, too see you of course." he replied.
Rydia rolled her eyes, stilling wondering if she could shove him back out the window. If she did it fast enough, she might catch him off guard enough to succeed…
Cuore made a face, "Unlikely. I suspect you are really here to see Rydia." The little girl's expression shifted to a different one and she glanced between the two of them for a moment before asking; "Is this one of those perplexing human mating rituals?"
"No!" Rydia said, hoping to cut her off.
It didn't work.
"-Because if it is, I can leave and go back to sleep." Cuore finished, completely serious.
Rydia messaged her temples when she heard Edge snicker behind her. "Not a word."
"I still wasn't going to say anything!" he insisted.
Cuore glanced between them again, still waiting for an answer.
The summoner sighed, "I have no idea what this is, Cuore, but regardless you need to go back to bed."
"Must I?" the little girl asked, starting to sound whiney.
"Yes."
Cuore looked disappointed, turning around and dragging her feet back to the door. She glanced over her shoulder, expression pleading. "Can…I have hot chocolate with you two and then go to bed?"
Rydia sighed long and hard. When Cuore started trying to bargain, they were in for a fight. Still, she knew full well that even sending her to bed wouldn't mean she'd actually go to sleep, so Rydia reluctantly nodded.
Cuore brightened and the summoner added quickly, "You should have already been in bed,"
"I was." Cuore replied, blinking up at her innocently. "I just wasn't asleep."
Rydia glanced at Edge, "She's picking up more and more bad habits from you."
"Hey!" he said, following them down the stairs. "Why am I getting blamed for this?"
Cuore giggled and hung back so she could walk only one step in front of him, letting Rydia take the lead.
"Why are you here and not at the inn?" she asked.
Edge shrugged, "The innkeeper is being weird and said she didn't have any rooms,"
Rydia glanced back in time to see Cuore's dubious expression. "Unlikely. No one ever comes here."
"That's what I said!" he complained. "Regardless, I was homeless so I came here,"
Rydia rolled her eyes, striding into the kitchen, "As usual, you are exaggerating the situation,"
"Well, it's either your place or the street,"
Cuore looked confused. "Mist doesn't have streets. We have pathways."
Both adults just stared at her for a moment. She glanced between the two of them and then wrinkled her nose. "What?"
Rydia sighed and went back to rooting through her cupboards.
"I finished the books you brought last time," she heard Cuore tell Edge.
He seemed surprised; "Wait, already?"
"Yes."
Rydia grinned over her shoulder as he gave the little girl an odd look, "You know Cuore, the world is going to run out of books if you keep reading this fast."
Her expression turned sly, "Then the world can write more,"
"I'm sure they'll get right on that,"
It was interesting to see the mannerisms and traits that Cuore chose to copy from others into her growing personality. Mostly they were minor adjustments that came with familiarity on the planet she now called home.
But some were more obvious and intentional.
She was learning more and more of Edge's facial expressions or tone inflections, not to mention quick, sarcastic remarks. Her banter had become natural and Rydia wasn't sure to be happy or concerned about her growing acerbity.
Not that Edge was entirely to blame for that, but he sure wasn't helping.
Cuore was busy recounting the mudslide that had taken up much of their time over the past few weeks, and she let her mind wander to what still needed to be done. They were lucky it had been a ways off from the village, so no real damage had to be repaired.
She was also curious as to why the innkeeper was lying about having no rooms…she'd ask the woman that and make her explain herself.
Cuore hopped up suddenly, "Alright. I will go to bed now."
Rydia had to chuckle a little, amused how Cuore basically self-parented at times.
The teal haired little girl paused at the stairs and looked back. "Will you be here in the morning?"
Edge glanced at Rydia, "Will I be here in the morning?"
She rolled her eyes but muttered a begrudging; "Yes."
He turned back to Cuore. "Yes."
She grinned and waved to them before disappearing.
"Is it just me, or is she getting really sarcastic?" Edge asked.
Rydia frowned at him, "Gosh, I wonder who's influence that is,"
"Hey!" he complained, giving her a look. She grinned, glancing outside and trying to come to terms with the fact that her routine had been disrupted.
"Rydia?"
She glanced over at Edge, giving him her full attention despite how tired she was.
"This might sound weird, but are you okay with Cuore being influenced that much by me?"
She gave him a puzzled look, "It's going to be kind of hard to avoid,"
"That's not what I asked,"
She sighed and stared at the tabletop for a minute, trying to word what she wanted to say before finally shrugging, too sleepy to think.
"Edge, I can't think of anyone else who should influence her but you. She needs more positive outlooks in her life, and you know how much she's already attached to you. It just makes sense, with the three of us, that this would happen. I'm happy for it, too."
He stared at her for a long moment and then finally chuckled. "I should have conversations with you late at night more often, because you're a lot nicer."
Rydia glared at him and smacked his arm, "Shut up or I'm putting you outside again."
"Regardless, I was hoping you two would just come back with me for that visit…like…tomorrow?" he ventured carefully.
She hesitated, "Oh…but…that's so sudden, and what about all the things I still have to do with the mudslide?"
"It's a week,"
She grinned, "I see you're reaching for a more obtainable time frame of a week this time,"
"Well," Edge said, sounding devious. "I figured I would tell you that, and then just kidnap you once you're in Eblan for…you know, forever."
"Funny." she deadpanned, frowning at him. "I can't just up and leave tomorrow, that will upset Cuore to leave so suddenly, no matter how much she loves visiting you."
He sighed and leaned over to yell at the stairs; "Hey Cuore, are you okay with leaving tomorrow to come for a visit?"
Cuore peeked around the wall, a sheepish grin on her face, "Um…yes."
Rydia gaped at her, "How long have you been…never mind, go to bed!"
The little girl at least looked remorseful and dashed off, this time making noise up the stairs with a hurried; "Sorry! Goodnight!"
Rydia pointed at him menacingly. "Your influence."
"Your point?" he replied, looking smug.
She sighed. "Still, tomorrow is so sudden…"
"Come on," Edge said, drawing the word out. "The sooner you agree the sooner you can go to sleep tonight. It's a week, just a week."
She hesitated and then finally relented, deciding that at the very least, she owed him a visit since she canceled the last one.
Besides, she did enjoy her visits.
"Fine,"
"Finally." he muttered.
Rydia narrowed her eyes, "But you're staying downstairs tonight,"
"Sure,"
"And I'm still not convinced that the innkeeper really told you that," she added.
He shrugged, "Whatever."
Rydia glared at him for a moment, feeling tricked, as always, before she just tossed her hands up in defeat and stomped up the stairs.
At least nothing was ever dull in her life now.
Yay! Moonclaw wrote something pointless again! Woot!
Thanks for reading regardless!