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Well.

These videos.. are.. something, alright. Of course Inigo has absolutely zero idea of what's going on, but does that really matter? Even if he doesn't understand context whatsoever here, all he can do is stare all the same, because the concept of this is just so.. so hot. Oh Naga, what he wouldn't give to be pressed to the wall like that by one of these handsome, muscled guys. Naga, he's seen what you've done for others, can you now do this for him...

Except the problem is still that Inigo is hyper-aware of Roland's presence. Especially when the other speaks up like that, panicked and loud enough to almost make Inigo's ears ring at impact. And there's absolutely nothing worse than fantasizing about being pressed to a wall by a hot guy right in front of your father, biological or adoptive or otherwise.

It's especially the use of the word 'dirty' that has Inigo choking on his own spot, breaking out into a coughing fit. The phone slides off his lap, lying abandoned on the couch between his and Roland's legs as more and more of the videos keep playing. Not that Inigo can even see them, he's definitely doubled over into his coughing fit, his face still bright red.

Roland's in a tizzy.

Between the laughter howling from the other end of the phone line, to Inigo suddenly hacking up a lung all of a sudden, he's not quite sure what to address first. So in typical Roland fashion, he goes for Inigo first, patting his back with a firm hand to try and placate his coughs, though it may only have just made it worse since half his mind returns to the other phone between them. Good Lord, people were bored on the internet if all they had to do to get a following was to take their shirts off and dance to some overlaid, generic pop music...Maybe he'll just never understand it?

He's forgetting the point of this whole exercise though, and it's for Inigo to discover the new home he's made for himself. Roland doesn't even want to think about what it might mean if Inigo is too overwhelmed with all this and won't want anything to do with this new and improved Earth anymore! He takes a deep, calming breath before he multitasks, finally speaking into the phone where his group of interns finish cackling at the President. The absolute nerve of the youth.

Thankfully, it's still on speaker, for Inigo's delicious benefit.

'Sir, TikRok is just a video hosting app! It's not dirty or anything, but you can't control what people post on it, y'know?' She sounds like she's trying to hold herself back from laughing again. Before Roland can even interject though, Sadie the Intern very obviously directs her voice to Inigo, who she knows is on the other end with Roland by sheer context.

'Heeeeey, 'Nigo! I'm glad you got to see those, you have fun okay? You know you can message your favorite content creators any time on your phone, if you wanna...talk to them and stuff! Heehee! I'll teach you how, get my number from your dad!'

Whatever Inigo's reaction is to this blatant disregard for his father literally sitting right next to him as they attempt to set him up with hot strangers, Roland puts the phone up to his ear after removing it from speaker in a slight reprimand. Something about how he needs further instruction on how to use this part of the internet, for Inigo's well-being and safety being the son of the head of state, and that if any man was to attempt to even court him, it would have to go through Roland first and foremost.

"...Is that understood? And to begin with, I have connections to sons of diplomats! Inigo could have a much better chance with the son of the Espanyan ambassador than these...these...ridiculous looking internet stars!"

The phone call does eventually end, but Roland is still going to try to catch his breath. And his nerves. What just happened?!

This afternoon sure turned a lot wilder than Inigo could ever have expected from Roland coming back home early. Though maybe not in a bad way necessarily - especially since the coughing fit doesn't kill Inigo, thankfully. His face is still very red, sure, but he's finally sucking in some oxygen again now, the coughing stopping enough for him to be able to actually hear Sadie's voice over the phone.

.. though Inigo has no idea what to say back to that. His mind is still processing the fact that he could actually.. talk to these people. These hot guys. He could talk to them. And they may talk back to him. To him!

Thankfully - or maybe not? - Roland takes back control over the phone before Inigo can even say a thing, and then just has to add even more hot guys into the game here. The son of an ambassador? That sounds so fancy! What would they be like? Exotic? Handsome? Ugh, when he decided to come over to Roland's world, he didn't quite expect it to be filled with handsome guys! Not that his father isn't handsome for a guy his age too, but--!! Maybe Roland was just an outlier and shouldn't be counted!

It's Inigo who finally breaks the silence after the phone call is over.

"F-Father, I.. I don't think you have to worry about any guy courting me.." Why would they want to! He's just some weird otherworldly guy! Please, he doesn't even know how a blender works. Inigo is pretty sure blender-challenged guys aren't attractive to handsome guys!

He shakes his head, trying to get rid of the redness on his cheeks when he properly faces Roland again.

".. though I don't think these men are ridiculous looking, if anything they are quite handsome..." Yes, that's Inigo's voice slowly descending into a whisper, not wanting to lie, yet not wanting to offend his father's - apparent - delicate sensibilities either.

Before he even has chance to correct him - of course they would want to court you!, and if they had Words to say, then they would face the full wrath of the President of the United States! - Inigo already mutters something he didn't expect. Sat this close together on the couch, it's impossible not to hear him trail off, even if he mumbles his voice so that the words obscure under his breath. Roland looks at Inigo with wonder, eyes slightly wide. The phone in his hand is given a tertiary glance, before he blinks.

Roland might be back to his normal age and self, but he's by no means a complete and total prude! In fact, he would be the first to encourage Inigo to widen his social circle as soon as he's comfortable with the modern world. And if that meant going on a date or two with a guy he meets along the way...so be it! That's how you learn what you like and what you don't in life partners!

Inigo's into commitment, right?

Gah. Roland is thinking too far ahead in this parenting thing. (Was Will going to grow up this way too?! Did he want a girlfriend or - ?!) He shakes his head, then holds the phone up to Inigo so he can see its screen. The TikRok home page is there, but thankfully, has stopped playing videos for them to screech at. Or drool over, depending on who's watching and asking.

Roland points to it.

"You mean you like guys that come up in videos like this?" Just confirming. Just making sure. He wants to get to know Inigo in this new space! This new territory! Can't make mistakes! He asks again. "This is your type?" The dancing, macho, super muscled guys who seem to always know their angles even in selfie mode?

Huh. Maybe the son of the ambassador of Espanyan was the wrong pool to fish from. He can take Inigo with him to state dinners instead, the West Coast probably had his kind of guy...This is what Roland is thinking about now, okay. Don't stop him!

If Inigo's face wasn't already beet red a moment ago, then it surely is now. Who would have thought he'd ever end up in this situation, huh? A few years ago he was still fighting every single day, hardly having the time to eat or sleep, and now he's here sitting on the couch with his father asking him if he's into hot, shirtless guys.

It sure is a wild, wild, difference, but somehow this feels much more terrifying than facing down any single Risen.

"W-what?"

The word is squeaked out. What does he even say to that?! Is this something people usually talk about with their parents?! Sure, Inigo was never close to his biological father, but he was close with his mother and she never asked him about any guys or girls he liked! Was it since he was still young? Is Roland maybe the one being weird here?! Inigo has no idea!

All he knows is that he's stammering, cheeks red, gaze nervously darting around. What does he say!!

"I.. uh, well.. I-I don't know if I'd say it's my type.." He's trying to be honest, really, though said honesty is coming out in bits and pieces with how flustered he is right now. "I-I like all sorts of men, father! With these I just.. um, I like their.. their confidence..!"

And their hot six packs BUT HE IS SO NOT SAYING THAT. Nope. Nuh-uh. Can't make him.

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..?"

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