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"Father." Inigo looks up at him, smiling thinly. It's a good thing Roland put that hand on his shoulder, really, because Inigo was way too caught up in his sewing to have noticed the man otherwise. Even by design, mostly, since he really wants to make sure to not have to think about too much right now. Platform days are always so hard, and even though he can't fully ignore the reality of people leaving, he at least wants to be able to somehow distract himself on the days themselves.

But for Roland? He has always time. "Of course."

Even though he's been working on this dress for quite some time today already, Inigo now finally puts it down on the booth's table so he can give his full attention to his dad. If Inigo is worried about anything at all at the moment, he's hiding it pretty well behind his smile.

"Something for me though..? You didn't buy me something, did you?"

"I sure did. No return, no exchange policy on both, I'm afraid. Heh."

Roland's learned to trust Inigo even more sincerely when it comes to expressing himself. So he doesn't pry or even bring up the day of the month, focusing on making the most out of this moment in a valiant attempt to get whatever is running through his mind as far away from Inigo as possible. When the dress is set aside, Roland remembers that it's there, smiling for a moment before he positions himself nicely. Regardless if this is a different dress, it's still as adorable as he remembers Inigo's handiwork to be. Slipping into the opposite booth with his hands hiding under the table, there's that tell-tale glow of a hammerspace being accessed.

This, he doesn't build up to, not really the main surprise but something he's glad to give all the sane. Roland reveals a relatively large box that opens by the front with a loose hinge. It's set down between them on the table, and inside is none other than a month's supply of Shooting Star Salt, almost iridescent pink as it glimmers and shines even in poor lighting.

"For Jumblie. Sorry I couldn't get it to you sooner. She must have been famished."

Inigo may be 17, but the way his eyes widen as he looks at the box is pretty reminiscent of a child getting a Christmas present all the same - that look of mixed joy and anticipation. And when the box opens and reveals its contents, it doesn't turn into disappointment, only more curiosity.

A curiosity that is rapidly answered when Roland speaks up again, and the knowledge of what it is just makes Inigo smile.

"Is this what she eats?"

He picks a bit of it up with his hand, staring at it. It looks so pretty. Like pink.. pink sand? Or crystals? Inigo isn't too sure, but as long as Jumblie likes it, he's happy with it.

And, as if on command, Jumblie does appear. With a glow of Inigo's chest, there she suddenly is, jumping onto the table. Starting to dance circles around the box, obviously very happy with this new gift - it pulls a chuckle out of Inigo.

"Thank you, father. Though I'm sorry that you had to use your points on it.. Perhaps I can try to get some myself next time." Jumblie is his responsibility now, after all.

He nods at the question, but his jovial smile is reserved for when Inigo plays around with it, an otherworldly thing that seems to beautiful to be used in anything other than food. Surprisingly, when the higgledy appears and expresses typical higgle-happiness, Roland dips his finger into an open container nestled inside with the rest and pokes his tongue out to taste. His smile is undeterred.

"It's called shooting star salt. It's part of the list of possible Secret Ingredients that Jumblie seems to like. Though I'm sure by now, she's had a sample of a lot of rare stuff, huh?" Is she going in for some too? She is definitely going in for some of that sweet, err, salty deliciousness, diving right in with a twirl, almost swimming in a pink sea.

Roland leans back and straightens his shoulders, casting a warm gaze over Inigo. "Don't apologize, pup. It's my pleasure. What else am I going to do with my points?" Apart from spending it for a couple of twin teens, or just one teen at a time even! "And speaking of points...You might wanna close your eyes for this second one." He shakes his head before a word is uttered from the younger. "It's not a prank."

You never know! He might be suspect!

He's very much distracted by the display Jumblie puts up here. Playing with the salt as if it's a swimming pool, holding up chunks of it high on her stubby little arms as if it's the most precious treasure ever. It's just so cute that Inigo can't pull his eyes off it. He'd gladly let her eat the whole thing right now if that's what she'd somehow desire, even if it may not be the most responsible thing to do. He's just much too weak for that little sunshine being.

But somehow Roland seems to manage to say the one thing that could snap Inigo out of it. Eyes turning towards the guy, a little wide--

"Wait, another one?!"

He thought this gift was already so much!

At least his surprise doesn't stem from him thinking it's a prank. But he's not closing his eyes just yet. No, he's still very much staring, because he has something important to say!

"You can't do that! I didn't even get you anything!"

Roland summons the second gift from under the table again, a tell-tale glow returning before the air around them returns to a normal thrum filled with the train's usual ambient nose as it travels the voidspace.

He chuckles lightly.

"I can't? I don't know, pup. It kind of looks like I already did." Roland quips nicely. "Don't worry about it. I'm not giving gifts because I want something in exchange. I just thought about you."

The Mysterious Gift is grasped with just one hand before his other rises atop the table, lingering by the side of his face; waved, a gesture with limp fingers that signal down. "Eyes, please? It's not the most glamorous thing in the world, so I gotta build up the suspense."

Edited 2021-01-10 12:49 (UTC)

"F-Father..!" It may not exactly be a new look on him, but Inigo definitely looks very flustered in the face as he's staring across the table at the other. (While being good - he's not even vaguely trying to sneak a peek under the table to see what exactly Roland has.)

"You can't just say something like that and then move right on!"

The words would make one assume Roland said something awfully mean, but no, it's the opposite. Roland said something a little too awfully nice. I just thought about you. Words that are simple, but to someone as sentimental as Inigo, they mean the world. Someone thinking about him. His father thinking about him.

His eyes may even be growing a little glossy before he quickly moves to cover them up. Conveniently hiding his dumb near-tears state and following up on Roland's request at the same time.

"B-But.. okay, I'm not looking.."

Wow, that's really never going to get old. It's heartwarming how endearing Inigo can be when he's like this, when he's faced with Roland's earnest wish to gift him what he wants. When Inigo turns beet red actually for almost anything gifted, period, whether it be Roland or Tidus or someone totally new. Another sign that his heart is truly in the right place, a source of light and joy much like the higgledy hero he chose to represent his joyful purity.

Before he gets lost in this blatant display of cute Roland has come to expect of his pup, the said gift is placed gently on the table, encased in a transparent glass box that houses all the small materials.

"You can open your eyes now." Roland relaxes into his seat, while Jumblie continues her shooting star salt deep-dive.

Edited 2021-01-10 16:59 (UTC)

Inigo slowly pulls the hands off his eyes once more.

.. only to stare. Quietly. In fact, Jumblie playing rather noisily with the salt is the only thing keeping it from being totally silent here in the cabin. But Inigo is just thinking. It's hard to tell what it is at first, partially due to his lack of experience with this particular gift, but also since it's harder to identify in that box.

He ends up curiously pulling the box towards him, opening it, taking a few things out just to see what they are..

"Oh, there's needle and thread!" See, now that he recognizes. "Does this have to do with sewing..?"

"That's right. Here, grab the booklet at the bottom. Look." He takes initiative, a hand darting inside the box for the instructions folded up like an accordion per page. There, written in small text, guides to creating floral patterns using the spools of thread in different shades of reds, yellows, neutrals, greens...And more importantly, a picture of what they might look like when sewn correctly. Roland knows Inigo will shine, above and beyond such a task. He's seen him work on more delicate things than sewing patterns.

"I hope you enjoy the process, pup. I wanted to support your new hobby."

"Oh..!"

It's the pictures, apparently, that do it. The rest of what he's seeing is unfamiliar enough to Inigo that they don't immediately light a lightbulb in his head, but the pictures make the end result very clear.

And of course he loves it. This is Inigo we're talking about, after all. When has this boy ever not loved anything that had even remotely something to do with flowers?

"Father, it's so pretty!" Especially since now Inigo can kind of think beyond just the examples on the pictures. What if he could actually embroider a pattern like that on a cute dress for Jumblie? Or on some other gift for someone?

His gaze lifts from the booklet towards Roland's face. "Do you really think I could do this? It looks so.. intricate."

"I have no doubt, Inigo." Roland nods at him with an easy confidence, his gaze upon him encouraging as always. "If you like it, I'll get you more patterns to embroider. One day, I'm certain you'll be able to stitch without any sort of guidance whatsoever. You've already got talent by the spades. Now you just need to hone it with diligence and practice."

Jumblie remerges from the salt treasure trove and begins to glow. A brighter glow that she already emits, in fact, and Roland recognizes it for precisely what it is: "Heh. She's gotten stronger. Looks like the food worked." The two meet in the middle, Jumblie peering from the side of the open chest towards Roland, who smiles at her.

"Keep protecting my pup, okay?"

The higgledy laughs, high-pitched and happy, before jumping out of the shooting star salt and running back into Inigo's arms. Meanwhile, Roland's eye drifts to the discarded dress that Inigo leaves to the side, his head in a slight tilt. He may or may not be waiting for a chance to talk about it, since this is the second dress he's seen him sew for his sunny pal.

Roland, come on! What is he supposed to do in the face of such unwavering faith, huh? Inigo won't deny that he's doing his best, but to call it talent in spades.. Maybe some fathers really are just too biased about these kinds of things.

"W-Well, I figured that once I'd get better at this.."

Inigo is suddenly cut off by Jumblie when she jumps straight into his arms, but Inigo just embraces her like usually with a smile. The higgledy happily settles in, still gently glowing as her head rests against Inigo's chest.

The boy shakes his head, continuing. "What I was saying.. Once I get better at this, I could maybe make cute costumes for Bambosh and Gibbs too. You know, since they're always so nice to me too." Even though they literally left you and the other two for dead back during that jungle race, Inigo?!

But learning some embroidery to make said costumes even prettier sure couldn't hurt, he thinks. He'll have to make sure to practice!

Edited 2021-01-15 19:16 (UTC)

"That's quite a project. Go for it, Inigo. Is there anything I can do to help you out with that? Maybe I can get you more cloth. How's that sound?"

Guess who's all too eager about it? But then again, what else would Roland say to such budding talent? The dress that he's taken a shine to is still within his periphery, finally making a move to gently hold it in his hands. It's so small...

"Would you look at that." Roland remarks, visibly impressed, studying the cloth as carefully as possible. His eye for fashion can at least appreciate the stitching, the patchwork, all improved in the short time since he's seen Inigo actually make things with his own two hands. As expected, the teen was most talented in the arts, in things that had to do with creating and refining. Flowers, clothes, heck. Even his dancing...which he has yet to actually see for himself, yet believes in regardless.

At least Inigo can smile today, for just this moment that Roland grants him reprieve from whatever thoughts plague him on platform cycles.

Edited 2021-01-17 08:06 (UTC)

"Well, I could use some actual cloth.. I think the train really didn't interprete my request for enough fabric for a tiny person very well." Since it gave him those patches instead! And sure, he's doing his best to work with them, but it makes certain things for a beginner unnecessarily hard, and--

Hold on. No time to think about that. Inigo spots the way Roland is looking at the dress the moment he looks up from the embroidery gift, and his jaw drops open, his cheeks red.

He's flustered. So flustered by those words. At least it means he's not thinking of anything sad, but he's still very embarrassed!

Inigo reaches out with one hand as if to try and grab the dress, his cheeks entirely red.

"A-Ah, father! D-Don't look at it, it's not.. it's not done! Or, erm, well, I mean..! I haven't cut the bottom properly, and it still look all odd.."

Honestly, nothing about that dress looks very odd - not for a beginner, anyway. But Inigo may, just like with dancing, have trouble with fairly assessing his own work.

Roland chuckles, but relents to the request out of respect for the process, handing it back down and making sure he doesn't crease or wrinkle anything. More than reassuring Inigo that his work is just fine, which is something he's wont to do anyway regardless of what particular hobby he's found himself getting into, he wonders if he can quickly address one other issue that floats up to the surface.

One he can actually do for Inigo now that he's got some means. His love language has always been to serve or to give, and so this he does with ease, standing and pretending to wipe his clothes from imaginary dust.

"Let's go to a terminal," Roland says, already making his way out of the booth. "I want to get you the cloth you need. Another gift. Come on."

"Wha--"

Maybe it's easy for Inigo to keep going like this, with the stammering and blushing, when he's already so worked up to begin with. But the fact that Roland seems determined to shower him with even more gifts would be enough to get him there all by itself, really. How is Inigo even supposed to accept this much, even if it's coming from a person he sees as his father?

He gets up, near-stumbling in his rush to move after Roland.

"F-Father! You've already given me so much!" Inigo rushes past Roland, so he's right in front of him, as if to block the other's path. "Surely those points could be better spent on other things..!"

Inigo should know by now that such tactics are useless against the might of Supreme Dad Energy! Roland only smiles wider, both his hands resting against Inigo's shoulders, patting down twice.

"Nonsense. There's no better way to spend points than using them for family. Now then, the ICP..."

And off he goes, darting behind Inigo. Just a few more steps and he'll be planted right in front of the nearest, vacant screen. He's already reaching for his back pocket, where his ticket rests.

"Besides. I want to put a smile on your face today." Today of all days.

Roland is so determined. How is he this determined?! Even as Inigo momentarily tried to block his way, the other has already gone right around him again only a moment later, leaving Inigo to turn around and quickly follow him.

And he's so ready to start whining again. Because Roland really ought to buy some stuff for himself too for once, spoil himself a little with all the work he gets done on the train.

But any protest dies in his throat the moment the boy hears what Roland says. Using them for family. I want to put a smile on your face.

Inigo can't protest that. Not a sentiment that genuine, one that makes his heart flutter. It's sweet in a way he doesn't think he deserves, and so his steps slow until he slowly but surely turns up by Roland's side next to the ICP.

"You know even just your company puts a smile on my face already, right, father..?" The words are a little quiet. But they sound like Inigo means them very much all the same.

Roland can only chuckle at that, but it doesn't stop him from typing away as soon as his ticket is in place. "I know." He answers, the lilt a pleasant upwards tone as fingers meet the surface of the screen. The shop is displayed after a few seconds, to which he turns to Inigo, one hand on his hip.

"So, what shall we type? What kind of cloth do you need or want? Floral? Checkered? And I suppose we'll get it by the yard, if you need it a bit bigger...It never hurts to be prepared, y'know?"

By the yard? Guess who's Mr. Indulgent!

Roland truly is the ultimate sugar daddy.

"Ah, um-- floral would be cute.." It still sounds a little hesitant, since Inigo sure isn't used to getting this much generosity from other people. But at the very least he's no longer turning it down, very much softened up enough by Roland's earlier words to be like putty in the other guy's hands.

(And yes, of course Inigo would go for the floral option. It's Inigo. Floral is practically his middle name.)

"There's no need to buy too much though, she's so tiny! But I suppose I could see if anyone else needs fabric if there ends up being some left over.."

Sugar daddy business is hard yet fulfilling work, indeed.

Roland nods along and starts to input the said request. It doesn't take him long to show Inigo the successful purchase, though only time will tell as to what precisely he will receive.

"There. Done. I'll deliver it to you as soon as the next platform rolls in. So you don't have to worry about making more dresses or sewing outfits, all right? We'll get you just the right size."

He pats him on the shoulder once, his smile affectionate. That said, the ticket is removed from the slot and pocketed again afterwards. That's all he needed to do, really, so no use in keeping it there.

At least Inigo looks back at him, meeting that gaze.

His cheeks are still rosy though, and he looks a little unsure of what to do say in the face of all of this. How can he ever properly express all he feels for Roland, when it feels like a thing that defies any and all words? How does he explain how comforting his presence is to Inigo, that it finally feels like there's something he can allow himself to fall back on without feeling too overly guilty about it? Like he doesn't have to carry the whole world all by himself.

Even if it's just through little dumb things, like Roland buying him some fabric, just because he wants Inigo to not have to worry about it himself.

Inigo decides that maybe these things are best expressed in a way he's always been better with than with words - by latching onto Roland, his arms sneaking around the other, face pressed against Roland's shoulder.

"Thank you, father. I'll.. I will repay you some day. I promise." Just as soon as he figures out what to even give Roland, considering how cagey the other can be about every single desire he has in his life.

Inigo moves in for that hug rather smoothly, but even if Roland didn't see it coming, the outcome would have been the same. Arms that wrap around him are reciprocated in kind, one of Roland's arms holding him close and his head angled to the side to place a quick peck to the side of Inigo's head, though its mostly hair that touches his lips. Regardless.

"Hey now, enough of that." He answers, smiling. They've long passed the idea that getting caught in such a public display of paternal affection was embarrassing, so he doesn't even budge until Inigo's had his fill of this embrace. So willing to give him what he needs, the warmth that he draws strength from. The rest of the train could go pick out another terminal to use, the duo would be parked here until the end and that's that. "Unless you pay me back in stories about your new projects, your new hobbies. What makes you happy, what you're enjoying. That's the only currency I'm accepting."

"Well, I.. I suppose I can do that."

He easily agrees. Of course, because it's Roland. Because Inigo would do anything for the other, even if it means talking about things he easily gets embarrassed about. If it's what Roland wants out of him, he's at least got to try.

For a moment he lingers in the embrace, happy to just have it for a moment, but then the boy finally manages to pull himself back. Or at least enough to be able to look Roland in the eyes when he continues.

"If you want, you could help me fit the dress on Jumblie sometime.. I could use some help in making her sit still." Not that Jumblie isn't the kindest and sweetest thing he knows, but.. higgledies are so darn energetic! Please, even a teen like Inigo can't always keep up with it! "Then, um.. you can see it in action, I guess..?"

If that's something Roland would enjoy. Inigo thinks he might. And while it's still work, just holding Jumblie still shouldn't be bad enough. It'll give Roland a break from all the other kinds of work he throws himself into, anyway.

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adregem - 2021-02-06 08:38 (UTC) - Expand