I acknowledge this is way too long.
One Cup Of Alternate Dimension
Chapter 4: In Over My Head This Time
It turned out that the holy house on the flier was within walking distance from the coffee shop, and the journey to it was so unremarkable that it wouldn't be told in future accounts. The church was a rather sizable grey building with fancy windows that looked like they might be from her world. There was no doubt that Naga's glory could shine through during most prayer sessions. Morgan was willing to be open-minded, but speaking of mind she couldn't remember if Robin ever thought much of the totally real gods he was unfortunately wrapped up in the drama of.
All of the anxiety Morgan felt since her questionable dreams built up as she opened the double doors. Her first glimpse of the interior was darker shades that were only bright by candle and natural light form the windows. There was just a huge worship room when walking in, rows of empty seats overlooking a stage that was probably two to three inches off the floor. But at least the stage was impressive with lots of candles and a shockingly huge painting of a human Naga clothed with the world's thinnest blue dress that left much exposed leg.
Not that Morgan was distracted by the painting, but as Morgan wandered farther in she made a terrible collision with someone. She didn't know until her elbow was in their stomach, and they struggled to gasp from the wind knocked out of them just in time to fall limp over one of the seats.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Morgan pathetically cried, realizing what happened. She quickly grabbed their arm, hurrying to pull them to their feet despite the fact their hair fell over hazy eyes and it seemed like Naga just ripped their soul out.
Morgan... Struggled with what to say next. That was Libra she nearly critically injured. She couldn't say that she was very familiar with him, but at least enough to see the slightly more masculine face and shoulders no one else noticed apparently. Libra was a beast in combat, and don't let anyone argue. To see him so easily taken out by her bare elbow would prove to scar Morgan for life, but not enough she didn't apologize and awkwardly pull him to his feet.
When Libra recovered, he put on a gentle smile like nothing happened. "Welcome to Naga's house of peace and worship. Are you seeking divine help?" Crap, it was a generic introduction given to all lost souls.
"I'm here because I think you can give me intel." Morgan said simply.
"Intel...?"
"Do you perform marriage ceremonies here?"
Libra's confusion hastily melted, replaced with his gentle smile again. "Marriage ceremonies are just one of our services. We seem to have a great record of those; I believe it's because the garden offers the best scenery for bragging rights pictures."
"Do you have people named Virion and Sully on record?"
At that question, Libra bristled. Morgan could understand; back in her world, Virion's accidental delusions about Libra weren't so secret. Libra made it clear to him he was neither female nor attracted to men, to which Virion hopelessly tried to claw his way out of the pile of misunderstandings. Of course Sully would feel pissed about finally letting herself admit romantic feelings, only to have the person she opened up to have a preoccupation with someone else. Never mind the implications Sully wasn't traditionally "womanly" enough.
Before Morgan or Libra could pursue this topic farther, another person entered from the door that probably led to that garden. She stood with perfect posture, practically glowing with her long blonde hair framing her face and needlessly elegant robe. Robes aren't supposed to be visually pleasing. She reminded Morgan of someone she'd never met, but swore the name was-
"Emmeryn, can you help this one?" Libra called out with an aura of distress.
The legendary Emmeryn was alive and well... And working in Naga's house. Did that count as a downgrade? Anyhow, Emmeryn smiled and told Libra she would take over. This worried Morgan; she knew Libra knew stuff. She had to get him to talk. But before she could stop him, he bolted with as much grace as he could through a curtain-covered doorway.
When Morgan turned her head again, it seemed like Emmeryn magically appeared in front of her. She couldn't help but shriek accidentally, especially when one of her weirdly icy palms pressed to her forehead. All she could think was that praise Naga she remembered to clean it.
"Well, I understand why Libra was so overwhelmed by your presence." Could be a stealthily insult, but not with the concerned tone Emmeryn used.
"Listen, I only came because I want your list of weddings-"
"I sense so much distress inside you, lost soul." Emmeryn looked right in her eyes, no, so far that it was like she made contact with every negative feeling in her. "Naga gives me insight, and she's showing me the fear and worry."
Morgan chewed her lip, wanting to protest but she realized that was true. She didn't belong in this world, technically. She constantly reminded herself of the differences which made her feel...
"You feel somewhat homesick."
That was true. Morgan couldn't exactly forget the people she cared about back in her world, and wonder what they might be doing... If they had a counterpart from this world or if they carried on without her...
"All you desire are good bonds. But for some reason or another, people around you are struggling with theirs. It affects you deeper than the average person. It makes you wonder if it will happen to those close to you." Emmeryn took a breath after all that, soon letting a much gentler smile appear. "Naga must have blessed you with empathy; one of the best traits."
Morgan could count the number of people who would call her empathetic on no fingers. But that didn't stop her head from snapping up, speechless and gawking. Even Libra, who she could see from the corner of her eye peeking into the room looked like he was questioning Naga's intentions for the first time.
"It would be lovely to have guidance sessions with you." Emmeryn said way too sincerely as she reeled her hands back in, stepping away at a reasonable distance. "You have stories to tell, and I would listen. All you need is a willing ear, and all your negative feelings can be washed away."
"But I just wanted to know if you've married two couples here in the past." Morgan pointed out, not to be caught up in a converting scheme unless she set it up.
Emmeryn took it shockingly well, shrugging off the rejection and excusing herself to yet another door that probably didn't lead to the famous garden. Morgan was left awkwardly standing there, worried she'd have to be alone with the feelings uncovered in her head.
Her phone buzzed, throwing that thought out the window. Gerome's name appeared on the screen, meaning if she ignored it he'd totally explode later. Hey, she was just looking out for her brother like the kind and empathetic soul she realized she was. What ego?
"Hello, Ge-" She was cut off by a burdened groan.
"This is purely a business call." Gerome said as if to convince himself more than anyone. "I decided to move things along with Robin and Cherche's anniversary tonight because... I'm sure you were over-thinking how to do it, and it's not healthy to obsess like that. I happened to bump into Inigo; he mentioned you spoke about booking a nice restaurant, so I'm doing all the work for you."
"Now, that's just too much emphasis." Morgan scolded him. "You should only contribute like that if you really care about making sure our parents stay in love. If you're just trying to spark a sibling rivalry when you're twenty, that's sad."
The other line went so silent that Morgan was almost convinced the device was broken. She ripped it away from her ear, about to pull the cover off the battery when the quietest sigh she'd ever somehow picked up happened.
"Humph, thought you'd give a damn."
"I give so many that you'd never be able to count them all!"
"Then the least you can do is hear me out: the restaurant is called..." Gerome grudgingly said, the name censored because it was an expected punchline.
For the moment, it seemed like Robin and Cherche were taken care of. Morgan felt the relief travel out with her sigh, and she didn't know about Gerome on the other side but hoped he wasn't fuming. She gave him a moment or so to work out his emotions.
"Gerome?" Morgan couldn't help if she sounded a bit sheepish. "Give me a little more time, and make sure Mother and Father can get a table at that restaurant. Thank you for helping after all." The thanks may have come across as tacked on, but she meant it.
"Don't get sentimental on me." Gerome grumbled so powerfully that the audio took a hit. "You just sounded so pathetic this morning, it compelled me. But it's not a victory; even if the reservation comes through, you have to ensure they don't treat it too casually. They're already casual enough."
"I wasn't planning on, you know, watching them have their romantic moments? That's kinda weird."
"Why attempt normality now? I have intel of my own; Inigo says you want to do the same for Virion and Sully."
"I mean, if we could do it at the same restaurant..."
"Hell no. It's bad enough this restaurant insists on four bucks for breadsticks."
"Maybe they're just good breadsticks."
"Do you know the definition of highway robbery?"
Before Morgan could give a fake intellectual response, a door nearby creaked open and Emmeryn emerged. She hurriedly ended the call to Gerome's frustrated noises and dashed to her.
Emmeryn's composure somehow wasn't broken at Morgan's approach, and soon her perfectly polished smile was on her face. "We have records, even a stray photo of the event itself."
Morgan was sure her face lit up, because Emmeryn raised her hands almost defensively.
"Photos are not normally stored in the records, so I don't know why it was there. But if it helps you somehow..." Emmeryn handed her said photo with as much grace as she could, to which Morrgan practically ripped it out of her hand fast enough to make it smoke.
Someone had to go through the trouble of making this photo physical in a digital age. Morgan was so overcome with thought about that, asking if she saw records for her parents slipped her mind. But if Gerome was going to assist, she could try another method.
Gods, this was a test of juggling. Never mind the fact she couldn't juggle items, nearly taking a toe off because she dropped a knife during practice.
The photo showed a small garden, just enough room for a crowd to gather. There were white and red decorations everywhere, confetti in the trees and bushes and a large arch set up where a priest tried not to look envious of Virion being dipped for a big smooch by Sully. It should be mentioned that Sully wasn't wearing your typical fairytale wedding dress, no, she opted for a very simple one that was knee length and the sleeves went halfway down her arm. But it was impressive how it managed to also show off her muscles. Now Morgan idly massaged her much more flabby arm in comparison, totally not envious or anything. Ahem. She concentrated on this image, but couldn't see a flashback. This wasn't it. There was more to be done, and it wasn't close to sunset.
Just as Morgan pocketed the photo, she heard a weary sigh across the room. Then a voice spoke quietly. She looked over her shoulder, and there was Libra poking his head out through one of the doorways she couldn't keep up with.
"Libra..." Emmeryn scolded lightly. "Hiding in the background doesn't suit you. If you have something to say, you know Naga will tolerate negative feelings being worked through."
Libra didn't have a hint of shame in his eyes, just acceptance as he stepped back into the main room. "You should know I have some history: Virion and Sully used to be visitors to this church before they got to know each other positively."
"Were they visitors while you were- Whatever you do here?"
Libra tensed again, but didn't flee this time. "Sully and I briefly dated. It wasn't a very successful relationship; I couldn't balance time between her and my duties here, and in the end I chose faith."
Emmeryn smiled encouragingly at that... While Morgan slammed her palms to her mouth, trying to conceal a horrified expression best she could. It wasn't that she had a problem with religion, after all it's kinda hard not to believe in something when the gods pick members of some family to chat with and casually appear as mortals on the battlefield like it's another boring Monday. Morgan had been exposed to so many successful relationships that it was difficult to accept some people chose to be single.
Okay, she had to act natural. Morgan inwardly psyched herself up before she spoke again. "Are you happier alone?" She was killing it, wasn't she?
To her surprise, Libra actually smiled. She couldn't remember ever seeing him happy.
"Some people find value in romance, others in friendship. But I have been 'alone' for so long... I still have a long way to go before I'm truly comfortable being close to others at all. I have Naga, and Emmeryn is kind to me. I'm content." He said it so sincerely that Morgan's world shook.
The idea of people having different lifestyles wasn't, you know, foreign to Morgan. She pulled out the photo again, wondering how to put it to use but also trying to figure out what was the difference between the positive feelings those two must have had that day versus Libra in the present. She was exposed to many successful relationships despite times of war and the general apocalypse... It hadn't occurred to her there were alternatives. Did she obsess over that too much? She had been rather vocal about them.
"I should also mention..." Oh, Libra was still talking. "Speaking as someone who used to be around Virion, I know he has flirting habits. It's led to... Awkward situations between us, but I saw the love in his eyes during that wedding. I believe there's only one person he can be devoted to at a time."
"You know all about that, don't you?" Emmeryn suddenly spoke up, gasp, slightly impishly. Morgan couldn't help if she whipped her head to her, seeing nothing but her dignified presence. But for just a moment, she used a tone Lissa might.
The implications probably wouldn't be clear to anyone else, but this is Morgan we're talking about. She couldn't help wringing her hands, eyes going downcast. "You can't be referring to him, can you? Sorry to be vague, but I don't remember ever being anything more than ambiguity. Not that being something more would be bad. I'd consider it, at least..."
She was mercifully interrupted by Emmeryn. "You and Inigo aren't together yet?" Wait, never mind about the mercy part.
Morgan was supposed to be the one pointing out relationship status to others, if you don't mind. Even if you do, that was what she'd done since leaving the temple and would like to continue. Gerome only had a pass because he's just that nosy in secret. Probably. Not that she understood why she was nervous now, not in direct interaction with Inigo. So she was stunned that Emmeryn had the AUDACITY to be speaking her language, honestly...
"Just between you and I, then..." Morgan looked at horribly confused Libra before walking up to Emmeryn and lowering her voice. "I can swing by this place sometime, dust a few holy relics and water the garden in exchange for intel on Inigo. That's a fair deal in my mind, what about yours?"
"I don't think any deal with you can be fair." Emmeryn admitted, holding back nothing with her perfect composure. "However, we can come to an agreement if you help me: Chrom has been fooling himself over a self-proclaimed 'rivalry' with Robin for years now, and I want to end it. It's tragically unnecessary."
"So you think, as Robin's daughter, I'm more capable than anyone to fix a friendship... Instead of a romance?"
"I thought you might be complimented."
"Um... Yes! Naga must've shown you my greatest weakness, but I don't care! Flattery is the best!"
Libra was absolutely baffled in the background... In the end, he was just another to throw hands up in defeat. Emmeryn was supposed to be a light in the dark for him, but now she lowered herself to Morgan's level. You can't return once you're there, get used to it.
When Morgan left Naga's earthly vacation house, she felt oddly peaceful. She didn't know if some spiritual energy had gotten into her, but she had intel and she even had her inner struggles brought to her attention. When she first entered this world she was baffled by its differences, but she told herself she'd make the most of this place even if she never got back home. Still, she couldn't forget everyone back home were very much alive. Maybe she was more homesick than she allowed herself to realize.
Deep thoughts were immediately crushed by her phone ringing again just as she crossed the street. She'd pick them up again never, probably.
The caller turned out to be Inigo, so of course Morgan could only focus on his voice being so close to her ear. Oh, and he said things too: he said that the restaurant Gerome targeted was strangely allowing reservations so late in the day. While Gerome got Robin and Cherche to take the bait, Inigo worked with Virion and Sully. He also claimed that Lucina did not talk to Sully for him, but Morgan failed her perception check. She silently basked in how well things were going before rushing to the restaurant.
The parking lot for the restaurant had cars, but not overcrowded. The outside of it, at least provided a fountain area and outdoor tables presumably to admire the stars and inhale the evening pollution. Morgan was a bit intimidated by the fact this building was much bigger than the coffee shop, but puffed out her chest with all the fake confidence she could muster and entered. Never mind the fact she was still dressed in her casual clothing, apron on top. One might assume she forgot to change into something fitting for the higher class, but she was really advertising the shop. Cherche would have to notice her thinking ahead for the business and praise her. She must.
The interior even had a totally different feeling. She was trash on the side of the road compared to the regulars of this establishment oozing wealth and importance. Customers clothed in suits, but rarely ties. That was just the guys. The ladies had long, leg-confining dresses and somehow didn't stumble over those heels that could poke an eye out. Morgan made a note to look into heels like that. Gods, they could give her three extra inches. She was so distracted by the daydreams of at being at least average height that things like the branch-patterned wallpaper, carpeted floor, dim lighting and vivid colors didn't seem important but there you go.
"Morgan!" A cry snapped her out of her own wishful thinking.
Morgan looked up to see an approaching Inigo and Lucina. So it was true – Lucina listened this morning when she gave her justification for being... Herself. Either that or Inigo was so fearful about being alone with Sully that Lucina's big sister senses kicked in, protection mode engaged. They hadn't bothered to change into formal wear either, which Morgan found herself disappointed by looking at Inigo.
"We've managed to talk Virion and Sully into meeting each other here." Lucina said, snapping Morgan out of her barrage of daydreams. "So far so good... Except they're pretending to not know the other will show up. I can't begin to wonder how that works. Anyway, it would seem they'd rather be together if they could just clear up this 'cheating' business."
Morgan peered around Lucina as she heard a loathing sigh across the room that she'd recognize anywhere. Indeed, there was a black-clothed figure stuffed against a wall visibly distressing placeholders who passed by.
Lucina followed her gaze, gesturing to them. "Gerome has to keep his distance, try to soothe his stomach after convincing your parents to show up. But he's trying; give him credit." She slipped up, smiling fondly as her eyes met the depths of his dark soul or some edgy crap like that.
Morgan pondered their next course of action. She felt like her parents could be trusted to be alone for a little bit, but if she got even a whiff of trouble then she was going to assist like not only her life depended on it but theirs as well. The main priority was Virion and Sully, besides they needed more context as to why Sully was convinced of his infertility? Infidelity? Something with I and a lot of Y.
Morgan asked them to take her to the struggling couple's table, and so Lucina and Inigo delivered. Let's pretend the walk was exciting. Some of the staff gave them weird looks for sneaking behind a corner that led into one of the two dining areas. It had dim lighting and occupied tables glowed with the help of candles. It took a moment for Morgan to spot two heads of blue and crimson hair respectively, but when she did was taken aback.
You know what they say as long as you've got your suit and tie, and there was Virion rocking it. He could be seen attempting to be the gentleman, pull out Sully's chair. Of course, Sully gave him a glare of hellfire behind a surprisingly visible touch of makeup as she stood there like she could kill in her floor-length dress that she rocked too. Morgan was just about to intervene when Sully begrudgingly took the seat, and Virion smiled like a fool and was much less graceful seating himself as all he could do was admire her.
"There might be hope for them." Morgan commented. This earned an exasperated sigh on Lucina's part.
"I'm willing to bet we're just witnessing how they always are on dates." Lucina replied, visibly cringing. "I can't believe I've lived long enough to do this kind of thing."
"Better than dying young." Morgan told her, beaming.
"I really don't think that's what she-" Inigo was drowned out by the clatter of silverware.
Sully could be seen shifting through the unnecessary amounts of spoons and forks, before coming across a knife. For the sake of context: it was clearly for butter. But that didn't stop her from pointing it at Virion as her frown expanded somehow.
"Tell me what the HELL goes through your mind when you wake up next to me." Sully demanded a little too loud, knife suspended in the air.
Virion looked at the knife, then her face. Back to the knife. "Sully, isn't this topic best discussed in private?"
"Better to get it over with." Sully growled. "You think you're cute? All you have to do is flash a smile, brush your hair and get me lovesick? We're not damn teenagers. I want to know if our relationship's meant anything deep... If I've just been wasting my time, I better be the first to know."
In that moment a young man barely older than Morgan and Inigo stepped up to the table, notepad at the ready. "Love is in the air tonight, huh?" He asked sincerely, looking between the couple.
Virion hadn't lost every F about dignity, not yet, but he did slump. Sully continued to eye him while plunging the knife into the table. That knife did not look like it would be dislodged anytime soon, not that the server seemed to mind as he swerved into denial and offered menus.
"Do we have any advantage here?" Inigo asked Morgan, seemingly locked in cringing.
Morgan searched through mental records. "The best thing we can do is keep a watch on Sully; she won't hurt Virion. She said she still loves him, so it's all a matter of making her calm down long enough to just... Tell him that. Also, Virion needs to explain the 'cheating' thing."
"I wonder if we should split up." Lucina said thoughtfully. "If you truly want to help, either myself or Inigo can stay here while the other helps Gerome watch over your parents."
"You just want to be alone with him in an atmospheric place like this." Inigo cut in with just a hint of teasing in his voice, contrasting the annoyed look.
"Very well, I'll leave before the pot and kettle get into it." Lucina said, smoothly creeping away.
"Lucina..." Morgan croaked, before turning to Inigo and realizing just how intimate the removal of a third party could be. Made it a little more difficult to think clearly, what, with Inigo's eyes shimmering in the dark.
…Why were they in this restaurant?
A hurried, totally not befuddled look back to the couple's table showed Sully hadn't been swayed to dismember. Actually, they almost looked normal; Virion was sitting in the regal way expected of him and Sully was slumping over her empty glass and poking at a salad overloaded with meat.
"You can have some wine, Sully." Virion suggested, managing a smile as he grabbed the bottle. "Yes, a drink to soothe the nerves and-"
"And you think I'll buy some sob story if I'm a clumsy-ass drunk." Sully growled.
"The thought never crossed my mind." Virion said as soothingly as he could, smile shattered as concern overcame him. "You might not believe it, but I am worried... After all these years, you refuse to talk when something's wrong. You ask about me – what am I thinking, what would I do and how do I feel. It's unhealthy to be so one-sided."
"Cackling at random crap isn't going to help. I know what that stuff does to me."
"Then what else will help you open up? If you find anything, please let me know."
Morgan had to stifle a gasp, accidentally grabbing Inigo's arm way too rough as realization circled her brain and rammed with all its might into it. Of course she didn't have to worry about missing anything; Sully's grimace cracked to reveal shock before she was actually struggling to think of a reply.
"It's unfortunate how many of us can't communicate." Inigo murmured seemingly to himself, cringing when his eyes accidentally met Morgan's.
"I'm starting to wonder if Sully's made a very damaging assumption." Morgan announced to fill the void. She hurriedly dug through her traveling arsenal, or if you prefer the mundane, a bag to be slung over a shoulder. Morgan took the wedding photo.
"I'm about to do something rash." Morgan told Inigo with vague drama. "Let me know how terrible it looked at a random point in the future; it's the only way I'll learn."
"I don't know what that-" Inigo attempted to say before Morgan leaped into the battle zone.
The probably expensive wine splashed across the tablecloth and floor when Virion and Sully both jumped at Morgan's sudden appearance. Apparently they had been trying to push it toward each other.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Sully asked first, shocked rather than angry.
"Parents' anniversary. First time in years they get to have fancy food. Nothing unusual; I have to make sure it's going PERFECTLY." Morgan replied, hoping they treat this like a normal occasion.
The couple did look to each other, silently pleading for the other to explain. Then they must have realized: you can only try to interpret Morgan, but you cannot understand unless seeing the world from her eyes. They gave up, returning to "normality" best they could with Virion pouring the rest of the wine in his glass and Sully tearing into a piece of bread.
"As far as I know, my parents are getting along... But I can't help noticing you two have issues." Morgan tried to catch their gazes as she spoke, especially Sully who seemed to take way too long chewing her food.
Virion gathered enough courage from the wine to speak up. "If privacy doesn't exist anymore, Sully, what makes you so certain I've cheated on you?" He braced himself for her yelling, but it didn't come.
Instead of being lost in a blind rage, Sully swallowed her food like a normal person and leaned back sighing heavily. She had to rub her temples, mentally prepare herself for what she clearly had on her mind a while. It was just that she never would have predicted a stubborn third party like Morgan to hijack the evening.
"I'd rather you tell me why I think-"
"Nope!" Morgan yelled for everyone else, briefly startling other customers. She didn't care about that, but she did slam that wedding photo on a piece of cloth not currently soaking in wine. "The only thing you two will explain is what changed from this scene to the present! And don't you dare think either of you have mind-reading abilities because you so obviously don't!"
Other customers began talking much louder, intentionally clinking silverware to pretend they weren't listening. Virion and Sully's server could be seen cowering in the doorway to the kitchen, forced to put his pay on the line to perfect his balancing act. Morgan actually felt somewhat awkward. But no one died; that was the most important part.
Sully was almost at a loss as she joined Virion in looking closer.
They didn't have to say anything, though. Morgan saw a white flash for a moment while the couple exchanged sheepish looks and then gazed at the photo. Then it was clear as day in flashback form.
"Jackass!" Sully screamed at the top of her lungs to the generic guy walking into the sunset. "You have fun with all your afterthought girls! Break enough girls' hearts and you'll get burned! Wait until you meet karma! Karma's the real bi-"
"Excuse me..." Another, ugh, male voice interrupted her.
Sully's hands flew to her head, nails digging in at the absolute AGONY that was yet another guy. She wasn't finished with the first SOB yet, but he was clearly heartless enough to stuff his hands in his pockets and whistle through his entire exit like break ups were nothing to him.
This new guy, however, stepped around her and revealed his concerned face. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but you were so loud... And... Are you okay?"
"Get out of my face!" Sully screamed again, stepping back with enough force she slammed against a shop's brick wall.
But he didn't leave from his original spot. Sully knew she probably looked like hell with her unfortunately watery eyes, scowl and insane movements. Meanwhile, this guy was dressed like he just came from a snobby private school and his face was too... She wanted to say punch-worthy as she'd seen types like him earlier in the school year – rich idiots who don't know credit cards have limitations – but he was honestly easy on the eyes. Enough that she noticed, ugh.
"There's nothing wrong!" Sully insisted anyway, furiously running her fists under her eyes because those 'tears' were really just droplets from a water bottle. Ever try to open a water bottle and get blasted? That's a totally valid thing, by the way. Look, tears and water are different-
"He did something to you." The guy said, voice going into horror.
"Look, it's not worth-"
The guy's face altered from horror to anger as he looked at the offending original guy who somehow hadn't made much distance yet. He rolled up his sleeves with all the attempted intimidation he could muster.
"What's this world coming to if you can upset a lady and walk away so heartless?" The guy asked to no one before charging at the prick.
"Lady?!" Sully growled in a complete 360. But pretty boy was already several steps ahead, radiating offended aura she honestly knew all too well.
"You there! I want to have a few words with you..."
Pretty boy turned out to have a name: Virion. Sully found it when she picked up his dropped phone after he was hoisted by the arm and thrown into a fountain. A friend of his texted right then mentioning his name, asking why he wasn't at some expensive-sounding restaurant. But looking at his limp body sprawled in the fountain, limbs hanging wherever they originally landed, this friend was going to be waiting a while. Ex asshole was long gone, so Sully crept up to this Virion and looked down. He definitely wasn't dead, and at least landed on his back. Somehow his head missed the fountain itself, so he was conscious and fully opened his eyes just as she crouched behind him and wrapped her arms around his frame.
"What are you..."
"Returning the favor." Sully said, tone much softer than she was used to hearing. "Yeah, um, got your ass handed to you. But you know what? I'm not a fan of the 'lady' talk, but no one's ever been so quick to help me. They usually look at me and think I can solve everything..."
"It's the opposite for me." Virion said wistfully, now trying to move in a way to help her pull him out. "No one thinks I can solve problems. Unfortunately, I might have proven them right today."
"Well, screw 'em then. I'll give you... A is too generous, so how about B for the effort?"
"I'll take it."
It turned out Sully didn't need the extra help. She was able to extract him from the fountain, to which he seemed grateful as he stood and wrung out what did look to be a high quality blazer unfortunately. They gave each other a look over, thinking the other was seeing them in a terrible way for a first impression. At least this street was bizarrely empty.
Virion did manage to choke down his embarrassment to ask for her name. Ex asshole didn't have sparkly eyes like that when he looked at her; she didn't know what to make of this. But she was actually smiling as she gave a normal introduction, couldn't stop and didn't want to.
They must have been reminded how long they'd known each other. If the imagery was anything to go by, they were of high school age. How had they managed to stay together so long, and Sully still thought he was seeing other people? That was what Morgan asked seriously, leaning on the table like she'd flip the gods-forsaken thing if someone played dumb.
Sully looked around before leaning to Morgan's ear, so that she could quietly give her the answer. It was probably meant to be a secret, but Morgan gasped before she had any rational thought in her head.
"YOU THINK VIRION'S CHEATING BECAUSE HE HASN'T SHOOK SHEETS WITH YOU IN MONTHS?!"
Even a room away, Morgan sensed how awkward it was elsewhere.
Gerome and Lucina, leaning way too close in their hiding spot snapped back as the room seemed to quake by the volume of that shouting. Lucina looked to have acquired secondhand embarrassment and regret for her contribution and found comfort in Gerome's shoulder. He had zero complaints about that.
At the table they were supposed to be observing, Cherche gave Robin a rare shocked expression as he casually twirled noodles on his fork.
"She might be a little odd, but I have no regrets." Robin insisted, shrugging.
"Sully! You can't believe I only married you to do that kind of activity all the time!" Virion yelled out, just as red as she was.
"Men have drives; that's all I can say about that." Sully grumbled, looking down at the table again.
"Pretty sure you're doing research in the wrong places." Morgan murmured.
Virion leaped out of his chair and quickly approached Sully. He took her hand and did his best to meet her eyes as he spoke to her gently. "Sully, I will admit I get distracted by beauty. I have weaknesses; you've seen them yourself. But we've been together so long despite that... You must know why."
"Why is that?" Inigo burst, standing from the hiding spot as it was useless by that point. Morgan was surprised to see him not shrink away, and if he was feeling awkward at least he didn't show it.
Sully was still more awkward than anyone, attempting to look up at Virion and hurriedly averting her eyes as she stumbled over her words. Look, she could line up at least five people and headbutt them all into a coma. Emotions suck, though.
"I'm in it for the rest of my life." Virion told her, smiling near uncontrollably especially when she looked up at him absolutely floored.
"And you're going to need all the luck you can get!" Sully said much too enthusiastically. "You're going to have to show me stamina for the next week or so to make up for all this doubt!"
"I would expect nothing- What?"
The magic words had been uttered. In any case, Sully reached for his perfect collar and wrecked it by yanking him closer and slamming their lips together. Just then, it seemed like the air in the restaurant was a lot less toxic.
"Heeeere's your dinner at long last..." The waiter practically sang, just ignore the sweat and frantic pace he placed their probably chilled food.
Morgan smiled approvingly at the lip lock going on, but ultimately followed Inigo out of the scene to play innocent. Yeah, no holding hands for her until she'd been on at least three dates with someone. She thought while her hand was gladly clasping Inigo's wrist.
Somehow the evening ended with dinner actually being acquired, Robin and Cherche having their perfectly boring bonding time, Gerome and Lucina inching closer to romantic energy and Morgan joining Inigo across the street sharing a soda under the lustful light of a vending machine. All was well with the world if you don't think about it too hard.
TBC
