reunions

[espio]

Character(s): Espio, Tobias, Marco, Grell
Location: Balamb
Rating: PG - PG-13 for language and things.
Open/Closed/Finished: Closed
Summary: IT'S A FAMILY AGAIN.

To say that Espio was at a loss as to what to do regarding one Tobias Hayes and his sudden reappearance in Garden would be a bit of an understatement. Not only did he have no idea what to do, he didn't really want to do much of anything - the very thought of finding out that his closest friend in the Garden might not even remember him at all was far too unsettling. But the thing was, it was clearly a different Toby, and he could tell that by looking at him.

He just needed to get his head around it. But for the time being, he was just going to hide. In Balamb. As a human.

Just for the time being, obviously. He might spend the night out here, but he knew full well he couldn't avoid things all week.

He stood and watched the sea from the harbour, wondering if he should at least have given Grell and Marco a heads up before he left. Have they even encountered the kid yet?

Hmm.

Comments

[redcinemareel]

Grell had no issue with finding Espio with her instantaneous transporting ability, so she appeared behind him silently, crossing her arms in an attempt to not push him into the sea.

But it was so bloody tempting.

"Espio." Her tone was not amused at all.

[espio]

Oh, what now? What could Grell want with him right at this minute? Espio just took one quick glance back at her, before looking straight back at the ocean.

"Go away."

[redcinemareel]

Okay, that deserved a shove. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't light either.

[espio]

"What the -"

At the feel of her trying to shove him, no matter how lightly, Espio couldn't help but retaliate somewhat - namely, shoving her right back.

"I came here to get some peace for once!"

[redcinemareel]

What was that? A mosquito bite?

"How could you possibly have peace with a BROKEN HEART LAYING AT YOUR FEET?!"

[fierybluebird]

And Marco lands between the two of them -- well, okay, not exactly, more like next to them and then wedges himself between them -- and sets Toby on Grell's side because Toby is a Grell pacifier. This is fact. He's got his back to Espio, but that's not so much because he's turned his back on him as that he literally trusts Espio even with his back.

"Kitten, calm down, eh? He probably didn't know that Toby remembers us! Espio, Toby's still Toby, he remembers."

[espio]

At the yelling, Espio instinctively and quickly covered his ears - these human ears were so much more sensitive than what he was used to, it felt like each word Grell had to say reverberated through his skull!

And she meant his heart, right? He bloody well hoped so. It's not as though she could be talking about -

As Marco and Toby appeared on the scene, his expression shifted into one of confusion and what Marco had to say just prompted a blank stare.

"Huh?"

[redcinemareel]

Where the hell...what was this intervention?! Grell didn't like being interrupted, and certainly did not like being limited in her actions.

"Idiot!" That was directed to Espio. Now, her gaze shifted to Marco. "Move."

[fierybluebird]

"No, Kitten, come on. Give them time to meet for real this time, eh?"

Marco held up a hand of blue flames and offered it to her to take.

"Toby, Espio drank a potion to make him human. Espio, Toby still remembers. Though he thinks you're mad at him." The blond carefully moved to all the two teenagers to see each other, but not to let Grell kick Espio or something else.

[corruptedsouls]

"...."

Tobias was clearly, if nothing else, nervous as all hell. Even so, he listened quietly, nodding a little when Marco finished. Potion, huh. He wouldn't have guessed that.

Well, there was only one thing he could say.

"...Hi, Espio. Do you still have my stuffed animals?"

[espio]

It felt wrong. Almost like it had been scripted. Espio was half inclined to accuse Marco or Grell of feeding him lines to come out with, and he wasn't completely convinced even though he knew full well that Marco, at least, wouldn't lie about this.

The question, though, was answered with a nod.

"Yeah. 'course."

[redcinemareel]

FINE But she's not gonna like it!

...okay maybe a little.

She took his hand, not afraid of the flames and let them have their...whatever they needed to have. And so far, it was pretty darn cute.

"Honestly, you two...just kiss already!" Grell sighed and leaned against Marco, opting to hang back. For now. Better hurry up, kiddies, or she'll change her mind on being complacent.

[fierybluebird]

"Grell!" Marco protested, his shippy little springtime bubble nearly bursting from that. After all, Espio was his brother, and Toby was his son, and he could ship them forever, but seeing them kiss would be more embarrassing!

He led Grell back some more distance, not watching, just keeping an ear open just in case.

[corruptedsouls]

"Huh?"

Now it was Tobias' turn to seem utterly baffled, staring at Grell with an... actually somewhat flushed face. He scratched at his cheek a bit, looking incredibly uncomfortable now, though that was more because of being put on the spotlight rather than the actual idea of it.

"..."

Yeah, no reply to that.

[espio]

A reaction that was relatively mild compared to the way Espio snapped around to stare at Grell as though she'd grown another head. Apparently, his tendency to go pink rather easily had carried on over to his human form, too. "Not in front of you!"

[redcinemareel]

Grell ignored Marco, despite being dragged back..

"You're such a baby!" She was not missing this! NOT FOR THE WORLD.

[fierybluebird]

"Yes, yes," Marco deadpanned, "They're our babies. Let them talk first, eh?" And then he tries to distract her with a kiss to her hand. This will work, you'll see.

[corruptedsouls]

And all that makes Tobias even more awkward. He's not the type to just run up and kiss, Mom, god!!!

"...."

Of course, what is he supposed to say to Espio? He doesn't have a clue... so he fixed his gaze on his feet instead, fidgeting with his bracelet in that old habit.

[espio]

"You're terrible and I hate the pair of you!" said Espio, folding his arms and looking very much the petulant teenager he might have been five or six years ago, before turning back to Toby.

"Toby, I..." and he trailed off, noting his awkwardness. Sigh. He placed a hand on Toby's shoulder. "Oi. Toby. Look at me."

[redcinemareel]

"We love you too~!" Grell replied with a grin before grabbing Marco by the shirt. "YOU! Come with me." She dragged him off to who knows where.

Okay, it was just behind some bushes she she could watch quietly.

Ignore how scared Marco looks, it's the only hiding icon I have atm

[fierybluebird]

Well, okay, this he can live with. Since it's Toby and Espio and it's not like they'll do too much.

"You think they'll fix it?" he whispered very very quietly.

that's so cute XD

[redcinemareel]

Grell looked to Marco. "They bloody well better, or Fates help me..." She turned her attention back to him. "One of them will DIE."

XD I rarely have call to use it (just events)

[fierybluebird]

Marco turned his head to her at that. "Ah. No. No killing son or brother. Veto'ed eh?"

He's pretty sure she's kidding though, so he just wraps an arm around her shoulders to hold her tight. Just in case.

With his blankeeeeet! XD

[redcinemareel]

Grell sighed and looked to Marco, concerned. "I want Toby to be happy, Marco. Even if it's with Espio." She leaned against him, thinking quietly. "Should we officially adopt Toby, before he becomes an adult?"

Yes :D

[fierybluebird]

"Of course!" though Marco gave it a thought and shrugged. He was a pirate, he didn't really do official documents, just sort of purloined things...

"Will you kill me if I ask him to get a tattoo?"

Because that is how you clearly steal someone and adopt them. No one can erase that.

[redcinemareel]

A tattoo? Grell blinked and rose an eyebrow to Marco. "He's old enough to make his own decisions. I'd be a hypocrite to disallow one." She smirked softly and gave marco and Eskimo Kiss.

[fierybluebird]

Marco returns the kiss cheerfully. "I'll do that then. And put in paperwork for it in this world. If they have anything like that."

Happy tail swishes like a peacock, showing off because he's awesome and he knows it.

[redcinemareel]

Grell nodded and turned back to the scene and spotted Espio...smiling. Not just any smile, but a full on CHALLENGE THE SUN kind of smile! In her surprise, she covers her gaping mouth, astounded.

[fierybluebird]

"See? I told you he'd be happy that Toby's back."

As happy as Marco, even. At least Espio wasn't crying about it though. Manly little brother... chameleon.

[redcinemareel]

Grell just squealed at their kiss. IT WAS SO CUTE!

[corruptedsouls]

"..."

More silence (but with Toby, what did you expect?), though he exhaled slowly before looking up at Espio as ordered. Both eyes may be back, but... it was certainly the one and only Tobias Hayes in them.

"...What is it?"

[espio]

Espio's eyes followed Grell momentarily. He had a strong feeling she was still watching him from somewhere, and that was not a comfortable feeling.

When he glanced back at Toby to find him looking up at him - not the most familiar feeling, given that he was used to Toby having more than a two foot height advantage on him - he almost melted. Wow. He was an idiot to freak out and not even bother finding out if his reasons were even valid first.

"I'm sorry. Okay?"

[corruptedsouls]

And that... that got Espio a smile, relieved and happy and relaxed all in one. Tobias was certainly an easy one to relax when it came to it, after all.

"It's okay."

The height difference doesn't matter to Tobias -- he throws his arms around Espio in a tight hug, almost as clingy as the ones given to Marco and Grell earlier.

[espio]

"Sure?"

Espio looks momentarily startled by the hug, but he should have expected it, really. After a moment of stillness, not knowing how to react, he lifts his arms up to squeeze Toby back, lowering his head to rest on his shoulder. "Good to have you back."

[corruptedsouls]

"I'm sure."

And that smile isn't wavering. Yes... this is Espio, even if the form's changed.

"I'm... really happy to be back too. I'm... sorry I didn't remember you until I came back here."

[espio]

Espio didn't release Toby, but he did loosen his hold, pulling back just enough to see his face properly again. "You didn't?"

[corruptedsouls]

"No. When I was home, I didn't remember... coming here or anything. But when I woke up here, everything sort of came back."

Tobias paused, not really sure how to phrase it.

"It's like... a puzzle. I'm putting it back together, but just because it fell apart, it's still my puzzle."

That's... a surprisingly insightful metaphor coming from him... then again, if it really is him, it wouldn't so strange to think he's reabsorbing what he was when he was here the first time.

[espio]

After a moment of watching Toby's face, he nodded. Yeah, he understood - the memories were definitely there, and definitely his own. "Got it," he said, with a nod, before the impossible happened - one big, beaming, genuine smile, from Espio of all people, as he just practically scooped Toby back into a hug.

[corruptedsouls]

That... was certainly not what he had expected, true, but Tobias laughed at the smile, hugging back just as tightly.

"...I'm glad I'm back."

[espio]

Toby momentarily loses an eye again for the sake of this.

"Believe me, you were definitely missed," Espio said, before gently pressing the gentlest kiss on Toby's lips. "And sorry. I stole all your clothes."

[corruptedsouls]

Ah... Tobias' face goes red at the sudden kiss, though it earns a laugh and an even brighter smile as well. Yeah... definitely glad to be back.

"I know. But I won't go away again. I promise."

[espio]

"I'll hold you to it."

[redcinemareel]

[There's a squeal of delight coming from those bushes before there's some rustling too.]

[fierybluebird]

"Stop that," Marco quietly muttered.

"They'll hear."

But actually he's pretty happy too. As is evidenced by the tips of his tail.

[espio]

You know how Espio's hearing is just a bit more sensitive in this form? Hear, he most certainly did.

Releasing Toby, he turned to glare directly at the bushes in question. "We're not putting on a show here! Get lost already!"

[corruptedsouls]

Tobias laughs a little at that, pulling on his hair embarrassedly.

"Mom... Dad..."

[redcinemareel]

Meanwhile, Grell was stifling a giggle, not budging from their hidey spot.

"I think they'll be fine~!"

[fierybluebird]

"I'm sure," Marco grinned. "Come on, ready to leave them alone for a bit?"

[redcinemareel]

She sighed, nodding before offering her hand for his. "Sure."