daemonized | RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

He accompanied me part of the way home the day of the convention. Missy, I believe, was the term he used to catch my attention, and quite frankly, he's lucky there were monsters around us, or else that would have been the day I slapped your brother.

[She really would have, too. Which would have likely led to some screeching, and honestly, they're going to get into a terrible argument one day soon. But not that day!

She perks up a fair bit as he asks that, though.]

It's a Japanese dish Fawkes taught me to make. Fried rice and eggs.

He has a big mouth, one in which he cannot always control. You have my blessing to slap him across the face if he deserves it in less dire circumstances.

[Ardyn Izunia, a good Big Brother.]

Oh? [It smells appetizing at any rate. For now, he sips at his tea, looking over the brim of the mug at her.] Have you been spending time with him still, despite all the chaos of what's been happening around us?

I should say it's rather because of, not despite. I told you he has a tendency to worry.

[He has a tendency to pick her up and race away with her when he thinks the situation calls for it, actually, but there's things she'll say and things that might have to come out months later when they're both tipsy.]

With the understanding that this stays solely between the two of us . . .

[She hesitates. This isn't her secret to tell, but she's dying to tell someone, and there's few she trusts more than Ardyn. He shan't tell.]

. . . he has another form. He changes-- not like your nephews, it's sort of a . . . a situational change.

[A tendency to worry is hardly anything he can judge. He’s a bit like that himself.

At the notion of having to keep this a secret, Ardyn looks at her a bit more seriously. He nods, not having to be told twice, and looks surprised when she tells him that he has another form altogether.]

A situational change based upon… danger?

[What else would it be? If this is a new development, it falls in line with the monsters appearing; it doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together, and so he feels safe in assuming that.]

What kind of form?

Enormously tall. Taller than you, I should think he was about seven feet . . . white hair, far longer than he usually wears it. Golden eyes. Claws-- and I do mean claws, not just long nails, they were thicker, I could feel them no matter how gently he held me, and, ah--

Ears. Right--

[She holds her fingers up to the top of her head, the universal gesture for cat ears.]

Tall. Fox ears, actually, if you want specifics, just as white as his hair. And a tail.

[Ardyn is trying to imagine all of this as she describes it to him, and while it's rather straightforward, it's still difficult for him to apply all of this to Fawkes for some reason.]

I...

[He almost doesn't know what to say to that, honestly. There are too many question that fight for the top spot.]

Did anything else change? Personality? Temperament? And how long did this last?

His voice got lower. He was a little . . . I don't wish to say rougher, because he certainly wasn't with me. But he was far more prepared to kill those creatures than I'd thought he would have been.

But . . . overall, his personality was the same. He remained the same, though his appearance was so wildly changed. I recognized him the moment he started speaking, though I'd thought him a monster before then. Something about his eyes, or . . . well. Perhaps I'm simply so used to his personality that I would recognize him no matter what.

[A beat. She considers all this, then adds:]

He was far stronger. He's able to pick me up as it is, but he was carrying me about that day as if I weighed nothing at all. He could leap, too-- not simply jump, but leap about the place, spanning several feet as if it were nothing.

It lasted until we reached my apartment. He dropped me off, I went into the bathroom, and when I returned he was back to normal.

[At least he retained his personality, he thinks to himself. For a moment, he thought this might've been some werewolf-type transformation, where the one who changes loses all inhibitions and becomes needlessly violent. True, the only experience he had to base that in were old, fictional tropes, but what else was he supposed to expect, honestly?

Ardyn understandable still looks vaguely alarmed, though, as Rosalind explains all of this.]

It generally sounds like an advantage without any of the drawbacks. Especially if the physical changes are only temporary.

Does he have any memories of this happening to him?

Beyond the horrors of having your body change so radically. But yes, he recalls it. He remembers every bit of it.

[Rosalind, in contrast, looks almost calm. The change had shocked and intrigued her, yes, but she's had a fair few days to digest it. Which is why, after a few seconds, she's able to murmur:]

Seven feet tall, Ardyn.

Very intimidating, I'm sure.

[He watches her expression carefully, and it's reassuring to know that she seems rather calm about it. There are many ways that this could've gone much worse than it sounds like it did.]

Though I assume this hardly changes anything between the both of you.

Intimidating isn't quite the word I'd use . . .

[It's a murmur, and she glances up at him, meeting his eyes as she says it.]

But no. I think . . . truth be told, I think it helped. It was good to be in a situation that was entirely removed from academia.

[He has to laugh a little at that, leaning back in his seat.]

A silver lining to be found in our city crawling with monsters, hm? Well, as odd as it is for me to say, I'm glad that this development ended up helping. Bringing the two of you closer together -- utterly romantic, wouldn't you say?

[Teasing again? Sincere? Who knows.]

[She gives him a bit of a Look, just in case that was teasing, but . . .]

I'd prefer a waltz. But given I've his promise on that, I suppose this isn't so bad.

A waltz?

[Stop. You know he's a romantic at heart. He can't not follow up on this.]

He'll take you out for dinner and a dance?

He's going to.

[Hrhgh. It's not that she wants to keep this to herself, but also: there's something awful about facing that eager grin.]

He requested a particular dress. He's going to match it.

[That eager grin is going anywhere any time soon, sorry Rosalind.]

What does the dress look like?

[. . .]

Sleeveless. Lacy. Champagne colored. The color was his choice, and I suppose if nothing else, there's little chance of that color disappearing between now and then.

[Okay, he just has to say it. He can't not.]

How very romantic. Completely and utterly so. You must be delighted.

Eat your damn omurice. If you keep carrying on I won't tell you anything else.

Fine, fine.

[FINE HE'LL EAT]

But only because there's a promise of you saying more.

[GOOD.

But what else . . . hm.]

I don't think he quite realizes I've no intention of letting him leave until Sunday.

Oh, so you plan on keeping him hostage? Why Sunday?

[She gives him a look.]

I've waited three months, Ardyn.

[Buddy.]

I leave the task of keeping Noctis and Prompto occupied to you. They're getting used to coming by my apartment-- or, well, Noctis is, anyway, and I assume where one goes, the other will eventually follow.

[Listen, he just finds this all very amusing in a sweet way. Though if he says that much, he's sure that she'll stop this line of conversation with him immediately. HE WANTS DEETS OKAY

So he just laughs at her response.]

How you've managed to survive so far remains a mystery to me.

[At the mention of the children, tho]

Noctis told me he's known you since he was younger. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that he even visits occasionally.

He's getting used to me again, I think.

[She smiles faintly.]

I all but became his nanny, much to my irritation, when he was a child and I was twenty-two. I was working for his father at the time-- not precisely my line of work, but I needed the money. Regis asked me to watch him one day, and before I could protest, I was saddled with a ten year old. I answered a few science questions of his on a whim, thinking nothing of it, and yet the next day Regis had me entertaining him, because apparently that had endeared me to him.

[She says it fondly, though her words are irritated.]

So we began a routine. I'd teach him on my lunch break, and then I'd work while he came up with questions for me to answer. He was quite comfortable with me by the end.

And now, I suppose, we're relearning how to interact with one another. It's a bit easier now that he's grown, I must say.

RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

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