Hey worldwide web,
Chapter three is here and takes the focus away from Ophelia to feature Owain and Brady a bit more. To make up for it, the next chapter will have less of her fathers and more of her.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Being working parents kept Owain and Brady quite busy. Well, mostly working. Brady had a steady job as a nurse at the local children's hospital, but Owain was usually in and out of work depending on what director was working at the theater. When he wasn't working, he was keeping house or looking for more work. Down time was far and few, so they were both surprised when Brady's two days off came and Ophelia wasn't in the house. She was staying at Lissa's house, spending some much needed time with her rightful Nana. Maribelle would likely drop by, as the two women were friends, and they would definitely argue about the name. The bigger issue was figuring out how to spend this time without a child or work (Owain was going through another phase of unemployment).
The first solution was obvious, and took up most of the morning and neither of them saw the house outside of their bedroom until almost noon. Eventually supplies of certain things ran low however and they were forced to face the day.
"So what are we going to do?" Brady asked as Owain got dressed.
"Something grand befitting of a perfect day off," Owain replied, pulling on a shirt. "A day that's," he checked his phone, "over halfway over! Come on Brady, let's hit the town or something. Call up Severa and Inigo and see if we can go out for drinks."
"But," Brady began, but then stopped.
"But what?" Owain asked, sitting down on the bed next to him.
"It's just...whenever we're with them and it's just the four of us...I feel so left out," Brady admitted. "The three of you have all yer college stories and stuff, it's easy to feel like a fourth wheel. It's kinda selfish but-"
"No you're right," Owain reassured him. "How about this then? We have them bring their significant others as well. Inigo can bring Orochi and Severa can bring...ugh, Subaki."
"How do you know the others are goin' to be free?" Brady asked as Owain pulled out his phone.
"They love us," Owain said, pressing the phone to his ear. "They wouldn't miss out on a chance to spend some time with us. Hey Severa! What do you think about going out with me, Brady, Inigo, and Orochi tonight? Yeah bring Subaki. No I'm not going to punch him in the face. Probably. Yeah it'll be the place downtown. You know, the one downtown. With the fountain. No the other one. The one we went to before senior prom! Yes I remember that, don't call me a dork. Six sounds fine. Okay bye."
"So was that a yes?" Brady asked, leaning forward. Owain nodded and made a second call, which this time it didn't last for nearly as long. By the end they had a full group of six going to Papa Basilio's, an Italian-Mexican restaurant that had been around for decades.
"Well now that we know where and when," Owain said, "what are we going to wear? As charming as we looked, it's probably best if we don't wear the same outfit again."
"That was your idea," Brady grumbled. "And it didn't help that you wrestled me out of every other outfit I put on."
"Well I swear that I will not do that tonight my love," Owain declared. "We shall both be equally dashing, just in different outfits."
Said outfits were picked out and eventually the time came for them to depart to Papa Basilio's. The restaurant was located on one of the main streets of Ylisse, directly across from Mama Flavia's, an almost identical establishment that served the same type of food. The menu items were all different, and they even carried different brands of soda, but it was very easy to get confused about which restaurant one was in if the owner wasn't present. Owain and Brady had no true preference, but decided to go to Papa Basilio's out of nostalgia.
They pulled up on the side of the street at 6:05, much to Brady's chagrin. He had been fussing over timing the entire drive to the restaurant.
"Brady we're fine," Owain promised him. "Nobody's called us yet to ask where we are so it's okay. Let's just go inside." Brady sighed and nodded, getting out of the car and following Owain into the restaurant. They hostess had been expecting them and led them toward the back where a large round booth was already mostly filled.
"Took you long enough," Severa said, folding her arms over her chest. "Who's late to their own get together?"
"We're not just late," Owain corrected, "we're fashionably late." He slipped into the booth next to Brady, who was sitting next to a woman with long violet hair put up in a bun.
"It's nice to see you boys again," the woman said with a cheeky smile.
"Ah fair Orochi," Owain said. "The stage at the theater is lonely without a friend. I sure hope you'll consider auditioning for one of the future shows."
"As much as I enjoyed the community theater," Orochi said slyly, "I believe I told you that was a one time thing. Several times."
"But you were so good at it!" Owain exclaimed.
A waiter came to take drink orders, and after he left Orochi replied with, "Thank you, but acting just isn't for me. Give me a dance recital any day, however."
"Here here," Inigo added with a chuckle.
"I suppose the crowds we drew in will just have to delight in knowing they were the only ones to see the beauty of Odin Dark and the great Orochi in action," Owain sighed.
Subaki snorted. "Odin Dark?" He said. "Is that like, a stage name or something?"
"Oh don't get him started," Severa muttered.
"Odin Dark is more than just a mere stage name!" Owain declared. "It is the moniker I took up upon first gracing the stage with my footsteps way back in our junior high production of Starlight Express. Since then, every playbill has been printed and pressed with my role preceded by the name Owain dash Odin Dark. The name has seen me in my darkest moments, as well as my happiest. The name shall forever be immortalized in the print of those playbills as a testament to all the performances we've seen together."
Owain stared up at the ceiling, as if consulting a higher power, his eyes watering with emotion. Across from him, Severa had her face buried in her hands. Inigo awkwardly refused to look at Owain, while Orochi sat next to him giggling to herself. Brady's eyes stared up at the thespian in wonder, a dull blush across his face. He loved seeing Owain get excited about something that others would mostly roll their eyes at.
"But wouldn't people get confused that it was your actual name?" Subaki said, proving Brady's point by rolling his eyes.
Owain frowned. "I don't know," he said, "do people get confused when they see your name isn't spelled-"
"Suckbaki?" Subaki guessed. "You've used that one before."
"No," Owain huffed, "I was gonna say-"
"Are we interested in any appetizers?" The waiter asked, setting down drinks for the group. Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to the giant margarita glass that had been set down in front of Severa.
"What?!" She asked defensively. "I'm not driving home! And he's the one paying for it." She jerked her thumb at Subaki, who had opted for a simple glass of water with a lemon wedge. "Jerks," she mumbled, tilting to giant glass to her lips and muffling out anything else she was mumbling.
"We'll take some garlic knots," Subaki told the waiter.
"Anyways," Orochi said, "speaking of names, Inigo dear do you remember when we first met in that bar?"
"How could I forget?" Inigo asked, flashing a smile. "Best day of my life."
"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight," Orochi said with a wink. "Do you remember how you introduced yourself to me?"
Inigo's cheeks began to flush as he realized that all eyes were now on him. "I uh...don't recall exactly," he said with an awkward cough.
"You told me you were a dancer," Orochi explained, "and that you were looking for a girl to do a dance with and thought I'd be perfect for it. What were the words you used? Dancing 'cheek to cheek'?" Everyone at the table, save for Inigo, laughed. "That's not all," Orochi added.
"Oh but isn't it?" Inigo asked desperately. "After you turned down my offer to dance there wasn't much more to that night that I recall."
"You didn't introduce yourself to me as Inigo though," Orochi said. "You called yourself...Laslow."
The entire table was silent, until Severa burst out laughing. "Laslow?!" She repeated, absolutely shaking in fits of laughter. Subaki subtly slid her almost empty glass away from her. "Of all the names, you chose Laslow?!"
"Well in my defense I had to come up with it on the fly," Inigo stammered. "I told her my real name the next time we met up. I would never lead someone so dear to me astray like that."
"Still that's sooooooo lame," Severa taunted. "Like, really lame."
"Now, now," Subaki said, "you've used a fake name before. You told me your name was Selena and let me believe that for our first three dates."
"I wasn't sure if I liked you enough or not," Severa grumbled. "I wasn't too impressed until the fourth date anyways."
"I found you quite remarkable even before the first one," Subaki said honestly.
"Why do you have to go and say stuff like that?" Severa sighed. "Making me all sentimental in front of my friends. Dummy."
The garlic knots arrived at the table and the waiter took everyone's orders. Severa made it a point to order the most expensive thing on the menu, something in Spanish she probably didn't even like. Owain ordered a huge bowl of spaghetti while the rest of the table ordered lighter, healthier options.
"So how were you all able to get out of the house?" Subaki asked in an attempt to make conversation.
"We walked out the front door," Owain muttered, making Inigo choke on his drink. Brady elbowed him.
"Ophelia's at her grandma's house," Brady answered. "She's spending the whole weekend with her."
"Lucky," Severa said, "we had to call a sitter. It's stupid we can't just leave Caeldori home by herself, she'd be fine."
"That's the law dear," Subaki reminded her.
"Well it's a stupid law."
"My friend Reina is watching Soleil for the night," Orochi explained. "I'm sure the two are playing age inappropriate video games right now." Inigo gave her a look. "What? It's just a prediction. I'm not going to call and find out."
"So are you still doing that fortune telling business?" Subaki asked in yet another attempt to start a conversation that didn't suck. Orochi had known Subaki from when they were younger, and didn't have anything against him.
"Just for close friends at a very reduced rate," she replied. "I work at a hair salon not too far from here now, although I'd love to be able to get my own place."
"We're working toward that," Inigo said. "It can be right next to the dance studio I'm going to have for myself. Then whenever you start to miss me you can just go through the connecting door and see me whenever you want."
"If I had a door that connected me to Inigo twenty-four-seven I'd invest in a padlock," Severa admitted. Orochi giggled at the remark.
The food arrived faster than they had been expecting, and soon everyone began to dig into their respective meals. Everyone except for Severa, who had discovered that what she had ordered was a massive plate of enchiladas drowned in several types of cheese and beans. She requested a carry-out box and placed an order for something new.
"Caeldori can have it," she said. "Saves me from having to make a lunch for her tomorrow."
"You can cook?" Orochi asked curiously.
"Of course I can cook," Severa said. "What sort of mother would I be if I didn't know how to provide my child with food? I make a killer stew. Nobody that's ever tried it has complained, except for one guy and er...my mother, but her opinion is hardly worth listening to."
"Here we go," Inigo sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Wow thanks for letting me know I can open up about personal issues," Severa snapped. "How about I just don't say anything for the rest of the night if that's what will make you happy?"
"Nobody's saying that," Subaki reassured her.
"I know that, gawds," Severa groaned. "It was all implied. Ugh I need to drink something that isn't mostly alcohol now. Waiter!" The waiter walked over to the table and took Severa's second drink order. He came back a few minutes later with a new drink and a bowl of noodles in Alfredo sauce. She picked at it as the others finished up their meals.
Orochi's phone buzzed and she casually opened it up to check the message. Her eyes bugged out as she read it and immediately showed it to Inigo, who once again choked on his drink.
"Is she serious?" He asked his wife worriedly.
"With Reina it's better to be safe than sorry," Orochi admitted sheepishly, before turning to the others. "Sorry everyone, but we have to go. Reina's...uh...misplaced Soleil and we need to go help her find her."
"How do ya misplace a kid?" Brady asked, confused.
"Reina's not the most responsible," Subaki commented in an understanding tone. He helped Severa slide out of the booth so Orochi and Inigo could exit.
"Way to choose a sucky babysitter," Severa said to Inigo, sticking her tongue out at him. Inigo ignored her and went with his wife went to go pay for their meal before leaving.
"Well that was unexpected," Subaki chuckled. "I've only met Reina a couple of times and she's a good person, but I wouldn't exactly trust her with my child. Although Caeldori's plenty responsible on her own, she gets kind of freaked out when she's by herself."
"We once lost Ophelia in a grocery store," Brady recalled, "that was a scary day. None of us stopped cryin' until we got home." Subaki smirked a little, resulting in a glare from Owain.
"Well-" Subaki began, but he was cut off by a loud snore from Severa, who was slumped against his shoulder, presumably asleep. He sighed. "Well that's probably a sign that we should get going too." He attempted to wake Severa up as gently as possible, which of course just resulted in her being even more crabby upon waking.
"Ugh why do we have to leave now?" Severa asked, not seeming to notice that she had fallen asleep literally seconds ago. "At least pay for the food or something."
"Again, that's the law," Subaki said, shaking his head and pulling out some money for a tip. "Gentlemen, it was nice catching up with you. Let's do this again sometime." Severa was already halfway out of the booth and pulling on Subaki's hand, so the two left, leaving Owain and Brady alone.
"That was...weird," Brady commented. Owain nodded in agreement. "But I guess it is kinda late. We should probably head back."
"Probably," Owain agreed, yawning. The two got out of the booth and went to pay for their meal. Owain glanced over his shoulder and noticed a large carry out box was still there. He rushed over and grabbed it, stuffing it under his shirt dramatically and running out of the restaurant after Brady.
"Are those Severa's enchiladas?" Brady asked, confused as they got into the car.
"Yeah," Owain said gleefully, "they forgot them at the table and I doubt they're coming back for them. So I thought we could take them."
"Do you even like enchiladas?" Brady asked.
"Not really," Owain shrugged, "but now I'll know, deep down, the best thing I got out of this night aside from spending it with the people I love...plus Subaki...is that that jerk paid for an entire meal for me." Brady just shook his head as he drove home, but eventually laughed at Owain taking delight in taking the food. It had been a good night.