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Please? ((Can he drape over you now? He's going to drape.)) Please? The weather's finally getting warm and you can't go to the beach without a bikini.

((Ugh. Whatever made her think this little farce was a good idea?))

I have a perfectly serviceable swimsuit. You saw it. On Santorini. ((Yes. A stealthy step to one side and with luck, drape averted.))

... I can't see Aunt Danielle? [Margaret tries to keep the petulant tone out of her voice but still. Her aunt promised her they'll spend time today.] Is she that busy with work right now?

[Maybe he's been in the Deck too long. Maybe he's gotten to the point of forgetting to think of children as children.

Because both brows are absolutely shooting up at that incredibly firm refusal. There's absolutely a question in his features.

Why can't he teach Sitara to strip and clean a service pistol, exactly?]

Do not be silly. Your aunt is at work and would not thank us for interrupting her. [And might possibly miss their agreed upon dinner hour. Sophie would need to text her a reminder.]

So, I'm afraid you're stuck with me until Sitara meets us later.

/You can't make an end run around Adrien and leave me holding the bag./

[That's what he's trying to do isn't it? Adrien hyperventilates when he thinks of his little girl with a pocket knife, much less anything more lethal. Baby steps, brawd. Finally a sigh and a resigned frown.]

I should have realized. All those BSL lessons. You've had her out to Maggie's for gun safety, haven't you?

[His lips twist briefly, eyes flicking away from her once she shifts from fingers to words. It is what he's doing, after all--and it's not a particularly noble thing.

There's not quite apology in his shoulders, despite the minor flick of discomfort in his lips.]

/I want to take her to Remembrance Day this year./

[Which would mean being around a lot of guns. It seemed important to normalize them, at least a bit, before bringing her to a place she'd be surrounded by them.

Right?]

/She'll like that./

[Sophie presses her lips together. The Deck sharpened its children like new blades. She doesn't want this for her little girl, yet can see no way to prevent it. Sitara had to learn. They'd be doing her a disfavor if they didn't teach her. Guns, though.... Sophie heaves another sigh before favoring him with a wry smile.]

/Is this how you felt when I asked you to teach me?/

[It's not a practicality he wants to feel compelled to make, but it's also not one he knows how not to make. Sitara will need to learn about guns. She'll have to learn how to break a man's nose while in the height of panic. She'll have to learn to make the objects around her into weapons without a second's hesitation.

It's something he knows Sophie understands, unhappy about it as she clearly is. There's the flick of what's meant to be a smile on his lips as he bobs his head.

It's very much the same sense of restrained panic and understanding he'd felt, Sophie. Very much.]

Can you love a place and hate it at the same time?

[Carefully, oh so carefully even after all this time, she leans her forehead against him. Between one mama, a papa, a daddy and a Nain, their girl wouldn't fall victim to the Deck's skewed perception of success. More importantly, she'd stay whole and sweet and happy. Sophie smiles a little. They didn't need a village; they only needed each other. That doesn't mean she approves of Cadogan sneaking in lessons. She thumps him softly--exasperated love tap more than blow--with her fist.]

/You still need to ask Adrien. It will be worse if he finds out later. You know it will. I suppose Sitara got you to promise to clear the trips to Maggie's with us once we found out? Of course she did. She's too smart by half./

[Now she does smile. She knows their daughter well. Good lord, had she been the one to laughingly explain the difference between begging forgiveness and seeking permission and the timing of each? Yes. Yes, she had. Well done, Sitara.]

[Resting their foreheads together for a moment is reassuring. Having her smile is even more so. He can't quite smile back, but at least some of the tension in his brow begins to fade away.]

/I haven't taken her to the range yet. I need your help asking Adrien./

[Have a Look, Brawd. Have two.]

/Then where and when did you cover gun safety or were you going to do them together?/ [Because no way would he allow Sitara to touch a firearm without first instilling proper respect into her.]

/Nope. You ask. I promise to be there. But you ask./ [For shame, trying to get your poor little sister to do your dirty work for you.]

/First visit would just be to look. Talk about safety./

[The twist of his fingers is brief, not more than a blip, but very much the nervous sort of twitch of someone still trying to squirm out of something.]

/He listens better to you./

[About their child, at least.]

I don't mind that I'm with you, Ms. Sophie. [Now Margaret feels a little bad for implying she didn't want her company.

That isn't true!]

It's just-- You know how she is, right? She says she'll be there in half-an-hour and then it's another half-an-hour and another half-an-hour… [She wrinkles her nose at the (many) recollections of a certain Danielle Tung doing that to her.]

/Not on your life. It was bad enough when I gave her the practice swords. Besides, you understand firearms and can counter his worries better than I ever could./

[Sophie firms her jaw and refuses to be swayed. Look at her. See her heart of stone, brawd? You can't hold a candle to Adrien's kicked puppy look. She's not braving that again, especially for an idea she's not entirely sold on. Down the road, maybe, once Sitara was older.]

/Do Outsiders really teach their children to handle guns when they're this young?/

She won't tonight. I happen to know she's looking forward to it. [Besides, Sophie could always play the Ace or Jack card if Danielle succumbed to the siren call of work. Well, maybe not Cadogan. It might be better not to sick a fellow workaholic on Margaret's aunt.]

And the best way to ensure she finishes on time is not to bother her during regular working hours. Besides, I thought we might walk into town and ask Dillon if the music store has anything new for cellos. I bet she'd like a surprise like that.

[Trusting Ms. Sophie's words, her sour expression ebbs away and then curiosity completely takes over at the mention of seeing Dillion and the music shop.

Going to Town was always an adventure for her, no matter how young or old she was, and the music shop was a place she never got to see a lot of. It'll be fun to go there with her aunt, Sitara, and Aunt Danielle later after their first outing.] Cellos?

[Her aunt played one, didn't she? Mom mentioned in the past having to do a recital with her for the family. Thinking about it for a second, one could literally see the lightbulb flicker in her head as she claps her hands together.] Yeah! I think she'll like that! Ummm-- She has been muttering something about, ooh, the bow of hers?

[The duck of his head can only be brief, attention having to stay on her hands. The quiet in his features absolutely stays in place.]

/Not everywhere. It isn't like I want to teach her to fire one./

[Score! For once her habit of noting and remembering details about fellow Cards pays off in a good way.]

Then we'll ask Dillon. I'm sure he'll know exactly what she needs. You could surprise her.

[Drat, drat and double-drat. How did she manage to surround herself by men who could tug on her ~~sympathies~~ heart strings with only one look? Unfair.]

I never said I wouldn't help. But I won't be the one arguing in its favor. [She taps her chin with her index finger.] Had you, um, mentioned the Outside trip yet?

[Because that was an entirely different can of worms.]

/Not yet./

[It was going to have to be a conversation, after all, more than a proposal. It was going to, likely, have to involve him coming to peace with having Sophie and Adrien come with him. Meet the remaining men he had once served with.

Which he wanted, but which terrified him beyond belief. Much more than the idea of bringing Sitara along.]

Why not come to dinner? You could invite your mother. [Her lips purse as she adds with studied innocence.] Or anyone else you'd care to ask.

Adrien will cook, of course. I like you too much to subject you to my efforts.

[She'll understand, likely, the quiet critical arch of his brow for what it really is.

What if Adrien decides it's a terrible idea? What if having ~~their~~ his mother there doesn't stop there from being a bit of a scene?

Why risk ruining dinner?]

/If Ma--your mother--says she quite likes the idea, he'll accept it easier./

[Why raise one brow when you can raise two? Adrien adores Mrs. Thomas. He'd never cause a scene around her--or so she's hoping.]

[His head tilts briefly side to side in consideration.]

/Will start working on her, then./

[Sophie, all unknowing, tilts her head opposite of his, rise and fall, ebb and flow, mirrored reflection.]

Start working...?

/Why would she--? Is there something else worrying you?/

[His exhale is mostly amused as he shakes his head.]

/Everything worries me./

[Even his mother's unconditional love and support. It was still new--at least, he was still new to having it expressed.]

[Margie perks up at that.] Think we can keep this a secret long enough to surprise her? She seems to know everything if it involves surprises.

[The birthday fiasco is still fresh on her mind.]

[Fair enough. They both tend to fret over things they couldn't control. Her mouth lifts in a wry smile.]

/Then worry about real stuff, like how you won't be able to push the food around your plate if your mother is there./

[In case he thinks she doesn't notice.]

Naturally. You and I, my dear, are shopping. We'll hit the book store, maybe a few other shops-- [Her nose wrinkles. Sophie is not the shopping for shopping's sake type but everyone will believe that she's happy to escort Margaret around for the day.] --and wander into the music shop along our way we're I'll purchase some sheet music for Irene and you'll find something for yourself.

And Dillon will wrap and send round the bow to arrive during our meal. He loves this sort of stuff. He won't give us away.

[He's getting better about it. Mostly.

Mostly.]

/Not incentive to invite her./

/Then you'll need to decide which is worse: eating or not having her help with Adrien./

[What? Is that really a choice? Silly man.]

[He's got to sigh. He's also got to lean forward, briefly, and bump his forehead against hers.]

/We'll see you at dinner. Tell me what she can bring./

[Knowing, of course, that 'nothing' would still have the woman bringing a roast and a cake along.]

/~~Ice cream?~~ Dessert?/

[Enough of that. Sophie stands on tiptoe so she can buss his forehead like she used to do to Reenie back before Irene outgrew familial affection.] /Maybe whiskey? Adrien might not panic if he's well lubricated./

[Watch him not panic at all.]

/Bring both to be safe./

[Meaning his mother would make dessert and he'd grab a bottle of whiskey from the reserve, likely.]

[One could almost see how Margaret's ears perk up at the mention of other stores. Did that imply shopping? That apparently implied shopping! The book store she looked forward to too but shopping. She's been meaning to get new clothes for when she and dad are heading to Sweden next month.]

You're the best! Thank you so much. [She grins and claps her hands for a little bit. Looking forward to the outing more than ever now. Then a thought comes across her mind and she looks at Sophie, chewing on the bottom of her lip thoughtfully.] I hope I can find an appropriate way back to repay you for this soon. This means a lot to me and my parents. Really!

/We're probably making a mountain out of a molehill./

[Difficult not to smile when faced with such glee. Fortunately, Sophie's shadowed Zoe around often enough to have nailed this shopping phenomena down somewhat. At least she can fake it even if she doesn't know the words.]

Silly. You don't pay someone back for doing something they wanted to do. Where would you like to go first? We should probably slip the music shop in-between everything so it's not obvious.

Ummm--! That's a good question. [When she's older, much older, she'll learn to be decisive as her mother. Just not now. She bites on her lower lip, trying to think of a good place to start. It will determine the mood of their outing, after all.

After thinking it over for a few but crucial seconds, she makes her decision.] The bookstore! I would love to check it and see if they have any new books on Romanticism or poetry. After that we can go to wherever you want to go to next.

Serviceable? Yes. Stylish? ... Surprisingly not that bad. But sexy? Not at all.

Please? For me?

((Sophie quite likes her suit, thank you very much.))

I like it, and that's all that counts. Besides, Zoe helped me pick it out.

... and? ((He doesn't get what Zoe has anything to do with cute bikinis and Sophie wearing them.)) That doesn't mean that you can't have a suit and a bikini.

And she never would have approved a suit that wasn't attractive. ((That not sexy comment riled more than she cares to let on. She smiles deceptively sweet.))

Perhaps someone's imagination is lacking more than my bathing costume.

Darling, leaving something to the imagination is such a quaint idea. Especially when I don't have to imagine anything to know what's under this. ((Said cheerfully as he plucks at her outfit of choice today.))

((She smacks his hand away like it's an irritating mosquito buzzing around looking to bite.))

Then there's no need for that revealing bikini, is there? You already know what's underneath. ((He most certainly does not--not her, anyway. Naturally he can extrapolate from past experience just as she could imagine hi--Sophie derails that train of thought but it's too late. Her face is flaming. She so did not want to go there.

((It takes her a moment, but she manages to complete her thought.)) In theory.

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oh hey oh hey

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blast from the past!

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it reminds me of good times! o /

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