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Inigo, please. This isn't even the talk yet.

H-How would Roland give him the talk?! Inigo probably had more experience in this field than he does! Is the talk the same if your kid liked guys?! No, he has to focus! Don't panic, Roland! Let that stoic face save you once more!

"Hm. Confidence. That's...Hm."

He isn't aware that his nonchalance about this awkward topic is making Inigo blush to the point of tears. Roland just takes the new phone, christened with the amount of shirtless single men that TikRok has zeroed in on, and hums again. Taps his fingers against the side of the phone case and rests his free hand under his chin.

"That makes sense. You have to be confident to post things like this for everyone to see." He nods, determined. Looks at Inigo, as if renewed in energy. "Okay. I've got it. Don't worry, pup. I won't let you down."

Does that sound ominous? Exciting? Inigo, is your Earth Dad just about ready to get you in the dating scene, modern world style?! Stay tuned! Because right now, it seems like a done deal, with Roland patting him on the shoulder twice and walking off, stood and headed back to the kitchen.

"Let's get pizza. Or wait, pasta? What do you want for dinner?"

HOT MEN???? Gosh, just tell him, son!

...

Roland won't let him down over what?

Roland won't let him down over what?!?

That statement is definitely omnious. Especially since Inigo has no idea what it means. Is Roland going to find him some shirtless guy to date or something?! But what if his personality sucks! Also, is it normal for your father to do that kind of thing for you? Is this some modern world custom that Inigo just has never learned about, or is it just a Roland thing? Is disaster about to strike?!

Inigo can only wish he knew. Will, why are you at summer camp, please come back and save your big brother....

Inigo shoots up, already moving after Roland, practically sticking to the older man's side. Partially because he's still internally - and partially externally, if that blush is to be believed - freaking out about all of this, but it's also just natural clinginess, not wanting to miss even a minute of Roland time now he's finally gotten some.

"U-Uh, the last time I had pizza it was pretty good.."

The hyping up of pizza people did back on the train certainly wasn't a lie, Inigo has found out that much.

But clearly he's not just following the other man to talk about food, okay. He has to just.. gently.. try and find out..

".. Father, is it alright for me to ask you something? I, um.. Is it.." Ugh. HOW IS HE SUBTLE ABOUT THIS. His gaze is darting around so nervously at this point. "Do you think there is a difference.. between courting someone in this world and in Ylisse..?"

Still not subtle enough, Inigo feels, but at least it's not a direct 'DAD ARE YOU TRYING TO SET ME UP WITH A RANDOM SHIRTLESS DUDE I'VE NEVER EVEN MET BEFORE', okay.

Good luck trying to communicate that without actually saying it, son!!!

He nods at the pizza suggestion and in true Roland-who-can't-cook fashion, opens the freezer and takes out two boxes, frozen and rock solid. He's not a five-star chef, but he'll never be caught unprepared without ready-to-cook meals, okay! They're set down by the counter before he bends to check on the oven, preheating as instructed. Roland talks over his shoulder when Inigo follows and asks him questions.

"Courtship between here and Ylisse...?" Roland parrots in slight confusion, standing upright now that the oven is set and all that's left is to wait a few minutes till the pizzas come out of their box to be cooked. He starts taking said items out of the cardboard, and places them on a sheet tray. (It's nice to know he's back to being familiar with his own house.)

"I...don't really know how to answer that, pup. I don't know what courtship in Ylisse was like to compare." And while this isn't necessarily a red flag question, he does find it in himself to ask - of which he does while the tray of pizzas is in one hand, his other resting against his hip. Coolest image ever.

"Why...?" Roland quirks one eyebrow up. SUS. VERY SUS. And may be the chance opening Inigo needs!

You can't call sus on him when you're standing there holding frozen pizzas, Roland! You're no president right now, you're just a non-cooking dad at home!

And maybe this is the most ridiculous way ever to have this conversation. The two of them standing in the kitchen, the oven starting to heat up in the background, the frozen pizzas. A topic that's way too serious for a setting like this.

And yet somehow the topic is ridiculous enough at the same time that maybe, just maybe, this is the only proper way to have this conversation.

(Although Inigo is still going to try and skirt his way around it, try to be subtle somehow, just watch him--!!)

"Well.. If Will wanted a girlfriend, what would you do?"

And by 'subtle' I of course mean that Inigo flips the question around in the worst way possible to try and hide his own true question.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH FROZEN PIZZA AND TV DINNERS, SON

The oven's yet to reach its intended temperature, so he has time to focus on such weird questions. Seriously, is Inigo trying to tell him something here? Was this a modern dad test he's about to fail? Roland doesn't mean to pause and linger, but he has to be careful -

- though darting around the issue of whether or not Roland was about to hook his son up with some foreign ambassador's hot boy might not have received Inigo's expected result. Immediately upon hearing that question, Roland's expression falls dry, suddenly straight-faced. This could make for a funny picture, in retrospect.

"...Did he meet someone in summer camp already?"

Gosh, how young did people start dating these days!! He doesn't know how to feel about this!! Where's his kid raising manual!!

Edited 2020-12-07 14:03 (UTC)

"What? No!"

At least Inigo is quick to shut that one down, rather than run with it and use it as an excuse for his line of inquiry. It'd sure make things easier, but there is one thing Inigo would never do, and it's never ever throw his new precious baby brother under the bus for anything. Will is so sweet, he doesn't deserve that. He should only have good things, always.

Please know your big brother is out here protecting you, even if it crushes his own dignity, Will... He doesn't want dad to think you suddenly have some major interest in girls when you come home!

"O-Of course not, it's.. a hypothetical!" Granted, with how weird and shifty Inigo seems to be acting about it right now, it's easy to believe he is trying to cover something up for Will.

Except all he's trying to cover up here is his own nervousness about this topic and not wanting to be too direct about the specific question he wants to ask Roland.

"A what if! Come on, father, don't dodge the question!" WE WON'T HAVE THIS FROZEN PIZZA UNTIL YOU ANSWER. DON'T MAKE HIM TURN THIS KITCHEN AROUND.

WOW, JUST AS HE'S ABOUT TO PUT THESE PIZZAS IN THE OVEN!! There's a distinct pause he takes where one foot is ready to pivot back to the hot oven, but he's staring at Inigo like he's trying to suddenly process these questions.

"Hypothetical...?" He quirks an eyebrow up, and taps a finger against the side of the tray he's holding up. Was there something he missed...? There's seriously something he's not understanding here, but there's no figuring it out this way. He might as well just indulge the question.

"All right." He says, though he sounds a bit unsure of his words. "I mean, he's not dating in this household until he turns forty but..." That's a joke. Or is it. Roland shakes his head, a misplaced jab at the wrong time, but he's trying to avoid his own fluster, never having a moment to even think about his sons bringing home partners. Introducing him to lovers!!! It's making Roland blush as he scrambles for something logical.

Instead, what comes out is -

"Err. If he wanted to date, I'd...I'd ask him why? Does...he like her? Enough to date her? And what about her does he...enjoy spending time with - gah. Okay. Wait. Redo."

He's thinking. HE'S THINKING!!!

Until he's forty?! Please, Roland, Inigo isn't even sure if he himself is going to turn forty in the first place! That's a pretty tall life expectancy for someone from his world and time, okay, and Inigo isn't too sure if living in this world is going to make it miraculously go up for him? Do you expect him to be a spinster for the rest of his life?

But before he even has the chance to whine about that in the slightest, there's that other weird near non-answer from Roland taking up all of his attention.

"Wait, redo?!"

Come on, dad! You can't give him a weird answer and then say you're going to give a different one! (It's hard to tell if Inigo even catches onto just how flustered Roland is right now - probably not.)

"Father, you need to have some sort of idea about this! Especially since you implied you were going to try and set someone up with me only a few moments ago!" Ah, there the true matter behind all of this rears its head.

"I-I do have an idea! I just need to - wait a minute, hold on now!"

Delicious chaos is for dinner, not pizza.

He finally sees a chance to put the pies in the oven, but before he can truly escape Inigo's wrath, the gentle close of the oven door coincides with the thought connecting at last. This wasn't about Will getting a girlfriend at all! He should have known! But then again, Roland's always been slow on the uptake when it came to decoding the Teen formula - he has no clue that his secret plan to help Inigo grow his social circle (and maybe get a boyfriend along the way, sue a dad!) was something Inigo already sniffed out from the start.

As soon as the pizzas go in, Roland turns around, still flushed, now both hands on his hips.

"All right, I wasn't the most subtle about that, but listen! I have a very nice guy in mind. A-And you both could just be nice friends! If needed, I can always chaperone - err, wait. You're too old for that..."

Flustered is one word for it. He's got a finger to his chin as he walks closer to Inigo, but he's more pacing than he is trying to get by. The logical part of him knows Inigo is absolutely correct: he needs to know how to handle this especially since neither of his boys are going to grow any younger, and will be exploring more and more of the world around them. But the Roland of now is a bit overheated, between accidentally showing his new son potential pornography on his phone, to now proving incompetent with regards to his children's dating lives.

"What...what was your question again?" PERFECT. Smooth! A great way to get back on track! Or for Roland to, because he can't believe Inigo found him out so easily! Where is his iconic poker face now!!

Wow, Roland. Do you think that's enough to fool Inigo? To pull the wool over his eyes?

Okay, it might have been in some situations, let's be real. But Inigo is so hyper-focused on this topic right now that it's a lot harder to distract him from it, especially with what Roland just said!

"That's the strange part, father!" Inigo whines. Or at least, he thinks it's the strange part? That's the whole problem here in the first place, after all - having no idea if this is just normal in this world, or if it's a case of Roland being Roland. It's not exactly like Inigo has spoken to any other fathers in this new world he's found himself in, after all, and his own experience with fathers aside from Roland is pretty much non-existent.

"Is that how it usually happens? Do fathers pick matches for their children here?" You'd think it would be less odd to Inigo, with him being a prince and all, but matches being made for royalty is one of the royalty cliches that doesn't apply back in Ylisse. "W-What if I don't like the guy? Or, um.. I mean, what if I don't like him romantically! It will be awkward! I don't want to break his heart!"

(Though, honestly, he thinks it's more likely that the guy might not like him rather than the other way around, but he's not speaking that fear out loud right now.)

This would be the part where Roland sets the timer for fifteen minutes, but obviously there are more important things to handle than pizza's in the oven okay!

He leans a hand back against the edge of the counter, with his other arm resting on his hip. If anyone else had been witness to his stony expression, they might think he was actually angry. But no, Roland is suddenly thrust into a situation where he is clinging to every word Inigo is saying, to every explanation that falls from his lips; and he's certain Inigo knows that too. Dad is concentrating! Because there's something about his good intentions that set Inigo off and he has to understand it wholly!

Until he finally does and it clicks. With wide eyes, he suddenly drops his focus and turns extremely apologetic. He shakes his head in protest.

"N-No, you've got it all wrong! Gah, I'm sorry, I - " Roland looks around for a minute, runs his fingers through his hair. Shorter now, easier to maintain. Less strands to fixate at though, especially when he's racing to say the right thing. "In this country, nobody can really pick a match for you. But you can introduce someone to another person if you think they might get along."

Did that make sense? Oh he is praying to the skies above that he is making sense. Inigo was already adjusting to so much. Roland shouldn't be overcomplicating this.

"In fact, you could just end up as good friends! This is, uh. This is mostly what dating is in this world, Inigo, but I really only wanted to introduce you to the ambassador's son to help grow your circle! Y-You didn't have to date, I promise!"

He has now reverted to explaining with his hand gestures, inching closer and closer to Inigo in the hopes that he's not messing up his perception of modern-day dating. The thought does occur to him that it might be too soon for his pup to even think about these things, so fresh and new on earth still, learning and adapting to even the smallest details...

Meanwhile, the pizza is cooking nicely behind them, crust browning gently.

Those pizzas are going to burn at this rate.

Inigo sure isn't paying much attention to them, for one. Sure, he was pretty okay with the idea of having dinner, but he's very much distracted by something else right now. Those pizzas are only one dinner, after all, but meeting someone and dating them could be for the rest of his life! It's a big, life-changing sort of thing!

Even as Roland reassures him it's not about dating necessarily.

But it still kind of feels like it is to Inigo. Or maybe it's just that he really wants to make his dad proud, and he's trying to figure out what Roland is thinking here. Would Roland want him to date someone? It'd probably look good for the son of the president to be dating someone else within diplomatic circles, huh..

He's quiet for a moment, thoughtful, but when he speaks up he sounds a lot less flustered.

And more.. vulnerable, maybe? It's harder to tell from his tone, but it's very much visible in Inigo's eyes - the familiar insecurity.

"Do you.. Do you think he'd like to know me?" Even in a non-dating sort of way, but it's not as if Inigo could meet this boy now without constantly thinking of dating thanks to this whole conversation-- "He wouldn't think I'm odd? You know, since I'm.. I'm still trying to get used to all of this."

The modern world, that is, not the very specific niche of modern world dating.

T-minus ten minutes and they're goners. Will they be able to eat tonight? Will Inigo get together with a cutie from TikRok? Stay tuned on the next episode -

But Roland needed to see that shift, subtle as it might be to anyone else as a witness. He knows though; can tell with that hesitation in his voice whereas he was more spirited just moments before. And as Inigo shows him this vulnerability freely, so too does Roland take it willingly and changes with him, his own expression morphing into one of total reassurance. Ready to take on his worries as his own, something that comes naturally to Roland despite the front he presents to his peers, his constituents. He moves smoothly to cross the distance in two long steps, his hands already on Inigo's shoulders, his chin tilted in a way that he's looking for that gaze to meet. Roland's smile matches the mood, lifting it such that his intentions are made clear from hereon out. He never meant to make Inigo think about these things too soon. It's good that he reminded Roland there's a long way to go before he can even start to look for a partner.

"Hey," He says, both hands in a firm grip to ease whatever rising tension might build from Inigo's natural worries. "Everyone you've met in the office wanted to get to know you the moment I brought you up there. You're a natural with people, like I said a million times over. That's no less true here in my world."

Despite the changes to Roland's physical appearance, with no more magic to hide who he really is, the act of tenderness is remembered like perfect muscle memory, the closest of his hands to Inigo's cheek rising to pinch carefully, without any pain.

"Of course he'd want to get to know you. Anybody would. And if they passed up on the chance? They'd be missing out, big time." Nevermind the modern world learning curve. Though Roland supposes that's not something he can objectively tell Inigo not to worry about, so he chuckles and retracts his touch for a moment, just to rest his hands on his hips, addressing the whole thing with a bit more level-headedness than when Inigo suddenly sprung on him the idea of William seeing someone.

Both of his sons seeing people! He'll need more time for that!

"I'm sorry, pup. I guess I just got excited. I didn't mean to scare you. Or make you worry. You're right. There's a whole new world out here for you to explore and get used to first. There'll be plenty of time for casual dating later."

And just to add a touch of playfulness to something he might have messed up by jumping the gun, he does the unthinkable and actually winks - but the motion is so small that it could have been mistaken as an easy trick of the light; a bug flying into his eye that he tries to blink away. Was it a wink?! Who knows!

"Later...when you're forty. Heh."

The whole reassuring package does work. The words, the expression on Roland's face, the cadence of his voice. Sure, some of these things might have changed slightly between their time back on the train and now, with Roland being older. But nothing has changed enough for it to have much of an impact on the way Inigo experiences it. Even the touch is treated the same way as ever - just letting Roland do what he wants, with perhaps only a hint of pink cheeks.

If anything, Roland's ever-present attitude suits this look more than the one he had back on the train, when he and Inigo easily could have been mistaken for brothers instead with the way they acted so affectionately around each other.

"Thanks, father. Though forty may be a tad late.."

Inigo doesn't sound very upset, so that means he most likely realises it's just playfulness on the older man's part. Or he would have been freaking out more at this point.

Besides, the next remark Inigo makes has a hint of a similar - though perhaps more subdued - playfulness in it on his part.

"I mean, wouldn't you want to have some cute grandchild around?" Look, Inigo may like guys, but it's not like that completely erases that option, okay! If he gets used to this world, and actually manages to find a partner who's into him, Inigo thinks he'd very much like that. Having a child to call his own. "You'd probably act so adorable around them."

"G-Grandchildren...?!"

Way to not only remind him of his actual age - which, he still considers young given his actual occupation, populated by literal dinosaurs and politicians waving geriatric cards everywhere! - but also sputters his calm out of control, eyes growing wide and getting caught totally off-guard. This was the best way to get the revenge Inigo needed from Roland's slightly inconsiderate match-making, no matter how good the intentions to grow Inigo's modern, inner circle. And as one would have it, smoke begins to blanket the enclosed kitchen space in increments...

"Wait, the pizzas!"

It was inevitable. Only in the presence of someone like his new son could Roland lose his dedicated, iconic composure, actually (accidentally) pushing Inigo so he can dash for the oven that's currently setting off loud beeps - the fire alarms going crazy. But he forgets his oven mitts, so it takes him even more time to open the oven door, the smoke slowly but surely turning black.

"Gah, where did I put those...?!" Roland exclaims, as they hang gently by the side of the counter on a row of hooks. Was he this flustered because of the grandchildren remark?

Yes. Yes he was.

Grandchildren? Him? A grandfather? Already???? How could Inigo break him so!

Roland.

It's so easy to notice just how thrown off he is by the remark - and Inigo didn't even anticipate it to this degree! Sure, he thought there was a fun teasing edge to it, but surely it isn't that weird for someone his age to start thinking about that kind of thing, is it?

(Maybe in your medieval times where the average lifespan is about half of these times, Inigo, but..)

Still, Inigo manages to remain a lot more calm under this sudden pressure than Roland, which is how he manages to grab the mitts easily. He momentarily considers passing them on to Roland, but figures the other may just drop the pizzas entirely in his current state, so instead Inigo quickly puts them on himself to pull the definitely blackened pizzas out of the oven, putting them on the counter.

There's a lot of that black smoke though, and Inigo can't help but cough once he's out of it, trying to wave some clean air into his face while still wearing the oven mitts.

"F-Father, I can't believe you're getting so worked up over grandchildren of all things!"

The beeping sounds almost rhythmic. The sharp clang! of metal against the ceramic of the kitchen counter breaks his distraction, and he's too late to salvage what lame dinner he could think of for his adopted son in the new world. He's not really earning a lot of dad points right now, is he?

In trying to address the said issue, he also inhales a lot of that smoke and coughs right back. He does, thankfully, have the right presence of mind at last to walk over to what looks like a metal panel next to the utility closet - not quite the circuit breakers, but it's irrelevant when just a few minutes later, the beeping stops and there is peaceful silence in the Crane household once more. Maybe.

Roland walks back and waves in front of his face too, gesturing first at the window closest to the sink. "Open that, would you?" And while Inigo does so, the failed pizzas are chucked in the garbage just outside the garden door. Guess they were having cereal for dinner.

"Listen," Roland says with a sigh resting close behind. He's walking around the space of the kitchen trying to wave the smoke out of the open window for better ventilation. It's, once again, a sight that he doesn't intend to look funny, but ends up becoming one anyway when he's trying to salvage his poor kitchen while explaining his actions to his totally unimpressed son. William would have been on the floor laughing his head off, if he were witness to this mess.

"I can't even wrap my head around the two of you boys starting to date, what more skipping ten other steps to get myself some grandkids." This, he says honestly, finally getting most of the smoke out and plopping himself down on the nearest chair he can find. It's candid, and it's revealing a lot of what Roland tries not to show too often these days; that even as he has made peace with his actions as an absent father, he is still highly insecure if he actually knows what he's doing to two growing kids - one preteen, the other an actual young adult who has seen more of life than what the modern world grants him.

"I mean, I'd love to grow the family. Don't get me wrong." Evident with how easily he integrates Inigo into their fold, how natural it is even if the Brand in Inigo's eye and the magic in his blood are proof enough that Roland is not his birth father. It never mattered then, it won't matter now. Not even with the talk of lineage; whoever Inigo will have as a child in the future won't be Roland's either. Except they absolutely will be and he'll fight for that right.

He rubs the back of his neck, avoiding Inigo's gaze for a moment.

"I'd...I'd like to spend more time with my sons while I can, is all." While he has the energy, the moments to cherish. It's definitely the meaning between the lines, but for all his public speaking charisma, Roland is not as good at saying exactly how he feels, even with his loved ones close by.

The moment Roland sits down and some sort of calm has been returned to the kitchen, Inigo walks over to the cupboards, staring to get out some bowls and cereal. He's grabbing the milk next, doing it all with a practiced sort of ease - like this isn't the first time a failed dinner attempt had to be salvaged like this. (Look, sometimes Inigo just likes making dinner for him and his little brother to eat together rather than Roland sending someone to cook for them, but it's not like every attempt goes absolutely perfect when Inigo has been doing his very best since the train to try and get used to all this modern kitchen technology..)

His expression softens while he pours the milk and cereal into the bowls, listening to the older guy's words. He can read the sentiment in it, already knows the last part of what Roland says before the man says it. It's open, maybe even a bit vulnerable, and it's why Inigo respects it and lets him finish speaking before walking over, putting the now full bowls down on the table.

Taking a seat on the other side of the table to face Roland, he smiles a bit.

"Don't worry so much, father."

Rather than grabbing a spoon and starting to eat the improvised 'meal', Inigo reaches out, both of his hands clasping one of Roland's hands. The skin underneath his own still feels much more aged than what Inigo got used to, but it doesn't matter. He doesn't let go.

"We're here. We're going to be here." Especially now Will's illness has been miraculously cured. Especially now Inigo has been in this world for long enough that he knows he won't just randomly get dragged off back to his own world or a different one. There's no uncertainty about it anymore, no sudden bombs dropping. This isn't finite. "You'll have plenty of chances for it. Maybe you'll be less busy once your term ends, you know? And the two of us are still going to be right here with you by then. You'll have all the time in the world to catch up on."

Inigo's touch is all Roland needs to look up, exposing what would be impossible to hide even with cool charisma and improvised words. He looks like he's scared, scared to lose time with them, scared that whatever feeble peace he's earned by working on the train and asking Naga to grant them their wishes would be taken away just like that. Or even worse - that there's no time at all, and he's missed out on a fatherhood he's always wanted to live out because he spent too much time working on keeping them all safe.

Both of them deserve the very best of a calm, beautiful life. Will was born into circumstances working against him, and Inigo had to fight for his own future. Had to shed a bit of his own humanity just to wake up to another day without his friends turning on him, his parents' shadow looming over a destroyed halidom. Roland has a lot riding on this, and it's a burden he'd gladly bear if it meant his family could be comfortable in the rest of their days. He's selfish too, about it all, wanting a part of that picture, wanting to be part of their lives for as long as they can let him.

It's nothing short of magic that Inigo almost reads his mind, says what he does to him when Roland needs to hear it the most. He grips his hands in recognition of the comfort provided, his smile small and meek. He didn't even notice the cereal's already been poured for him.

We're here. We're going to be here.

That's all he's ever wanted.

"...Yeah. Yeah, I suppose that's how it's going to be, huh?" And if they're exposing vulnerabilities now, maybe it's about time Roland says it out loud too, just so Inigo understands how much of that fear he's trying to abate by offering him dates, growing social circles, giving him a phone to play with and familiarize himself with. He rubs the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry. I just want to make sure I don't make the same mistakes. And that...that you don't regret being with us." Being with me. In the modern world that you're still trying to figure out too. His thumbs stroke Inigo's hands. "If it helps any, I'm getting close to announcing an early retirement. I think I'm ready to help my country in other ways apart from politics. While I have the energy, you know?"

Which meant energy to be with them, without the rules and restrictions of positions of power. Roland living the second half of his life on terms of his own. Would Inigo like that? Would Will?

Thankfully Inigo is a bit more used to seeing Roland more vulnerable by now. It still doesn't always come too easily, sharing his fears with Inigo, or more troublesome thoughts.. But the very nature of their journey on the train with all its twists and turns meant that Inigo was inevitably going to see some of it.

And although the stakes may be a bit lower here, less life or death, it's good to see that Roland still doesn't totally clam up. He's changed a lot from the guy Inigo first met on the train - the one who didn't even want to mention anything to Inigo about his injury that was giving him a hard time doing as much as walking.

.. and he's also changed a lot from the guy who did nothing but work, work, work, apparently. Judging by the next thing Roland says.

That does catch Inigo off guard a little - eyes growing a little bigger as he hears the words. Instinct almost makes him ask if Roland is sure, if he isn't just doing it for them rather than himself.. but no, Inigo realises very well that it's exactly because of the kind of guy Roland is that he wouldn't say that without being sure of it.

So instead he just smiles.

"I'd like that. I think it's a good idea." Not just for Inigo, though he's obviously glad at the prospect of spending more time with his father. But he's mostly thinking of Will. It's helped that he's healthy now, and that he has Inigo to spend a lot of time with while Inigo is still trying to find his footing like some newborn fawn in this modern world.. But Inigo knows Will could use having Roland around more. Like the final piece of the puzzle in making the boy's life better. ".. Though I suppose I do have a bit of a personal stake in it," he admits, jokingly, smiling.

"But please, father. No matter what you do.. Know that I could never regret my choice to come here." That much Inigo knows for sure. No matter what may happen in this world from this point on, he couldn't regret it. No matter how bad things would get here. "I had no life left. No existence."

He erased that with his own hands, after all, through his choice to save his country and parents over himself.

"You're the one who gave me that once more. Then how could I regret it in the slightest..?"

Such a declaration is enough to stop him in his tracks, no more words left to say. The warmth that washes over him almost feels close to the touch, as if he could reach out, palpable and real. But Inigo's honesty grounds him from lifting too high up, expressing a gratitude they've long crossed. But no matter how much time passes, even outside of a magical void train, he knows just how much this second chance means to both of them.

For Roland's invitation, opening his home and his nation to Inigo, was not the only good thing to come about their adventure. So too did Inigo's wish upon Naga help Roland heal the rift of his land that his own hands could not mend. He credits Naga for William's miraculous healing, and now they were all here, together, with their memories intact and their family complete.

Such a stirring of emotion draws him to touch Inigo's cheek with a gentle hold, a thumb to stroke the bottom of his eye where his Brand remains; the final connection to a life he had left behind for this one. The smile on Roland's face crinkles the sides of his eyes in fondness, the cereal poured earlier forgotten for the moment.

"And you chose to live out the rest of your future here. You saved us too. That's why I want to make sure you're comfortable. And that you're happy. You and William both." He continues to stroke his cheek affectionately, the light hitting just the right angle that it casts a familiar vision upon him now, one Inigo might be more accustomed to seeing - like they were still onboard the train, arms around each other in embrace, the golden hour before peaceful sleep.

But Roland chuckles suddenly, low and deep and resounding. He glances at the bowls resting by the table.

"If there's anything to regret though, it's that I haven't gotten any better in the kitchen. My sons are going to starve at this rate. I'm sorry I'm a poor chef."

".. well, no one can be perfect in every way, father."

There's some teasing in his voice, but it's not too strong. It's not like Inigo really wants to make Roland feel bad about his lack of real cooking skills. Inigo genuinely doesn't mind, after all - they make do in their own ways. It's not like some burnt pizza or bowls of cereal are going to make his stay in this world any less pleasant.

He carefully nudges one of the bowls over to Roland, especially since he doesn't know when the other last ate today. If he came home early, he may just have worked extra by skipping lunch. It's one of those things Inigo can't be sure of, but he highly suspects.

In turn he will even grab his own bowl and start to eat some of the cereal, like he's setting a good example over here.

(And in the meantime, he can briefly contemplate just how easy it was for Roland to say that, to slot him right in next to Will as if he's known Inigo for his whole life rather than the odd half year or so on the train. Usually it may have been easy for the boy to get lost in insecurities about whether or not he fits in, if he deserves to be here, but.. it's hard to do so with Roland's constant reassurances, carefully slipped in all over the place.)

"Besides, if you're interested, it could be something to study once you have more time. Then we can eat here like this every evening - except with the three of us, all together."

Roland takes the bowl gratefully, and though he isn't particularly famished, dives right in as if half-crunchy cereal is the most delicious thing he's eaten. He knows it's not particularly the most filling thing for dinner either, but there's something about the mood that would have lifted his spirits regardless of what they shared together. These moments are no less precious to Roland even if it's been a while since their reunion, enough time passing that Inigo can now go out on his own, can navigate short commutes and can ask directions to go home.

Hearing himself think that - home - is still surreal. Roland tries, and at least for now, succeeds in hiding his fond little smile as he takes in another spoonful of cold milk and cereal bits. Mid-chew, he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket again, the ringing growing louder every second he keeps it unanswered. But for once, Roland isn't rushing to get it, he's not dropping absolutely everything present just to swipe a screen and speak to the other end of the line as if it was life and death.

Who knew working appropriately could feel...satisfying in its own right?

"You've explored the whole house, right?" Roland wipes the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, the other hand dipped in his pocket for the phone ringing again and again. He doesn't quite glance at it yet, his attention still on Inigo. "There's a small library next to my bedroom. It's hidden up in the attic. Pull on the ladder and go there any time. There are cookbooks there, I think...A lot, if memory serves right."

Which is code for he's never actually looked at them before, but someone once did, and whoever they were, they seemed to know a whole lot more than Roland if they collected as much as they did. But this was for another adventure in Inigo's modern world journey, for a different time! Finally, Roland looks down at the screen, his eyes in a squint, before he breaks out into a full on grin.

"Speak of the devil."

He moves his chair closer to Inigo, and after he swipes to accept the call, rests the back of the phone against the nearest surface - in this case, the cereal box. Why he does this is made quite evident sooner rather than later when the screen shows, technically, the eldest of the Crane sons: William with his droopy eyes that sparkle with energy even through the fading resolution of a video call. Roland takes another bite of cereal, leaning an elbow against Inigo's shoulder. "Look who decided to call at last. Heh."

'Hi daddy! Hi big bro!' William's voice comes through clear at least, but he sighs in disappointment after he catches Roland's spoon and the crunch from his bite. 'Aww, cereal again? Did daddy try to make something new again?'

Edited 2020-12-31 10:40 (UTC)

A hidden library! Now this is starting to sound much more like a part of the modern world that's even vaguely similar to the world Inigo is used to.

.. although the library in the palace wasn't exactly hidden as much as Inigo just much prefered to spend his childhood all day outside in the flower fields on the castle grounds rather than inside with a bunch of stuffy books, but look, the details don't matter. It sounds all mysterious!

But before Inigo can contemplate the mystery - or even the more specific mystery of who put those cookbooks there when it obviously couldn't have been Roland with his level of cooking skills - there's the call. Roland accepting it, moving closer.

And those are all the hints Inigo needs to immediately know who's calling. There's no way Roland would accept anything else this quickly - or at the very least, this enthousiastically. This can't be work or business of any kind. It can only be one person trying to call Roland.

That person indeed appears on the screen a moment later, and if Roland hadn't scooted over, Inigo would have, eager to see the younger boy's face. As if he hasn't seen him in weeks, rather than literally just a bit earlier today.

"Come on, Will!" The smile on Inigo's face is so big that it almost threatens to burst. He raises his own bowl so it's visible in the frame of the camera. "This is.. what do you call it again? Haute cuisine, you know!"

Apparently Inigo either wants to defend at least the last few remaining shreds of Roland's potential coolness in the eyes of his biological son, or Inigo realises his part in the failure of the pizza's Roland was trying to make.. Either way, he says it with an ease.

"Besides, we have to save the real amazing meals until you're here to have them with us. We're not just going to leave you out!"

Roland tries not to make a face at the line of conversation, his profile turning to the side to hide the fact that he almost missed his bite of cereal. Will immediately makes a sound of disbelief, as if he's already gotten used to such a thing in the short time that he's spent with his new sibling. It's already something to behold that Inigo himself is the guy to take him to his first ever summer camp, and not Roland's secret service. In fact, insisting on it.

'Um...Hot cuisine...? Well, I dunno 'bout that!' He goes, the camera angle shifting from a bottom view to a frontal, showing a face that looks precisely like Roland's - except for the droop in the corners of his eyes, and a softness in his eyebrows and cheeks that is absent in his father's. But the hair, the color of his irises, oh yes there would be no mistake of whose kid this was. Though it seemed that the Brand in Inigo's pupil aside, the three of them did in fact, look similar.

'You can tell me later when daddy isn't around what he tried to make! It'll be our secret!' He giggles mischievously, pretending Roland isn't around at all. To which the older man only ignores, waiting for his turn to speak up around this youngsters embarrassing him vicariously. It's not his fault they were talking about girlfriends, all right! Will is probably trying his best to vlog things, the face cam dizzying the more he walks around his designated cabin. Strangely enough, he looks to be alone.

'Wait, wait! I have to tell you! They're gonna teach us how to make stuff here, big bro! Real stuff! Food you can cook in the great outdoors! Food you cook in a fire! Like in my stories!' The younger has finally plants himself nicely by his bedside, and his uniform is in plain view. It's clear that he hasn't had much time to socialize with the level of enthusiasm he's cramming into one video call, regardless of the age gape between him and Inigo. It's at the moment of his next breath that Roland finally chuckles, his head shaking in amusement.

"Okay, settle down. Tell Inigo about that first." He shares a knowing glance at said pup, his cereal bowl half empty by the time he turns fully to show himself to the limited space of the selfie cam on his phone. Nevermind his One Fear of having to watch out for two of them keeping secrets like some club...or that it's cute to imagine such a bond forming already.

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