bewrightback | IC Inbox [Cerealia]

[He definitely looks alarmed as she says that.]

Y-you know about that? [He quickly shakes his head.] Nevermind, that's not the important part.

Iris, I... [He falters for a moment, afraid of letting his foot into his mouth, but then he presses onwards.] I'm sorry! I didn't mean for it to be like that. I just... I wanted to make sure you weren't interested in someone else, and... I guess I picked the stupidest way to go about it. I'm so sorry.

[He didn't think it was important, but it was just another part of her point. Because of the way she found out.]

I'd asked Mr. Mosley about the messages. Not only did he not have any idea what I was talking about at the time...but because he found out and wasn't happy about it, he...punished Athena. [Rather, her bank account. RIP savings.] I tried to call her to apologize...and she told me.

[She wasn't mad at Athena, and though at first she'd still been too upset about the Mosley situation, even after meditating over everything, she still wasn't. Because it wasn't about the lie itself. Or the fact that they tricked her. What upset her most...was that he seemed to think it was the better option. Rather than just ask her himself.]

You really didn't know? [Her heart sank even further at his words.] You still thought, after all this time...all we've been through...

[That she could have ever possibly wanted to be with anyone else?]

Was it me? Did I...do something to make you feel that way?

[Athena...]

No! It wasn't anything you did, I swear. I just... Athena was talking to me about making a move, but I had cold feet. I kept being afraid that things were too good to be true, so... so I got paranoid and... [He shakes his head.] It was all me, Iris. It was all me.

[Too good to be true. A sentiment she could actually relate to.]

[Things were...starting to make a little more sense now, and while her eyes still stung a little, she no longer felt like crying.]

...I still don't like the fact that you didn't just come to me.

[But she seemed calmer now.]

I don't like it either. Honestly. I shouldn't have told Athena to make Simon Sunshinequill, I shouldn't have sneaked around like that at all. And I should have come clean before now.

I promise I'll only be honest with you from now on. Is... Is that alright?

[That was all she needed to hear; the promise of total honesty. For better or worse.]

Yes. I'd...like that very much.

[Ironically, it was only then that a single tear made it down her cheek. One she quickly wiped away as she smiled up at him. Relieved that had all been settled...]

[...only frown again, this time in a confused contemplation.]

Simon...Sunshinequill? Is that the person whose picture she sent me?

[Phoenix is flooded with relief and smiles warmly at her acceptance. Of course his srnse effect will help him be honest on top of the promise.

But his smile turns sheepish when she brings up Sunshinequill.]

Er... Something like that! It's actually a brightened up picture of Prosecuter Simon Blackquill...

[She echoed the name on her lips. Prosecutor...Simon Blackquill. Not Sunshinequill? But...wait...]

If he's a Prosecutor...does that mean he's somebody from the same world as us?

[Iris, yours isn't the only world with Prosecutors in it.]

That's right! And from the same time as me, to boot. He was the latest prosecutor I was facing for my last string of trials. He worships the samurai code and has a hawk with him whenever he goes into the courtroom.

[Why does my life sound like a comic book? What did I do to deserve my own rogues gallery?!]

Edited 2016-04-15 02:35 (UTC)

[...~~or maybe it is~~.]

He sounds...interesting.

[Samurai and Hawks and Courtrooms, oh my.]

Is he here? ...is that why Athena had his picture?

He was here, but he's not anymore. [A pause.] He's also an important person from Athena's past. So I'm not surprised she had a picture on hand.

[...]

[. . .]

[An important person...]

[...]

[Phoenix would actually be able to see the moment a little light in her head turned on. Eyes widening, her lips parted as a near-inaudible 'oh' of realization escaped her.]

Then he's--!

[She'd mentioned someone. Before. Someone she...cared about very much.]

[His eyes widen in bewilderment. He has no idea what she could have heard about him before, or maybe they somehow met years ago back home?? Phoenix just stares as he awaits the elaboration.]

He's...?

[...she had cut herself off, but not soon enough; only after the fact--combined with the look on Phoenix' face--did Iris realize...this was...probably not something she should speculate on. Not without talking more to Athena about it.]

[After all, she wasn't a gossip.]

Ah, we...had a conversation a little while back about...people that we liked.

She never mentioned his name, but...I suppose, if she cared enough about Mr. Blackquill to keep his picture with her, then he must have been that person for her.

[There. She maintained her promise of being honest, while also not betraying anything Athena hadn't already hinted at on her own, publicly.]

[Phoenix just gives a simple nod at that.]

Oh yeah, they dated when he was here. [He strokes at his chin.] You're right on the money there, Iris.

[!!!]

[Athena...hadn't actually mentioned the dating part. Not in any way Iris could recall. Although...now she felt a little better, knowing Phoenix knew about Athena's feelings as well.]

...poor Athena.

[Because she knew what happened to people who were no longer "here"]

To care for someone like that and then...lose them all over again.

[Phoenix gives a sad nod.]

Yeah... I know, it hasn't been easy on Athena. [I can't imagine... and don't know what it's like.] That's why I'm glad she's found someone else, as odd as he may be.

But at least Athena will get to see him again back home, whenever all of this mess is over. They won't be apart forever.

I don't think he's so odd.

[Because of course she knew who he was. ~~Even if she won't mention him by name because timelines yay.~~ She'd not only seen them together, but heard both sides of their story. To a degree. Seen how happy being with one another made them feel.]

[Which is...or could be...a potential complication in the future, if Athena's previous precious person were to ever return. So complicated that...Iris was going to focus more on the here and now. And Phoenix' comment about Merlin being odd.]

In fact, I think he's very sweet.

Y-you think so, huh? [A nervous laugh.] Well, I'll know for sure when I meet him.

[The thought brought a momentary smile to her face--before she considered something.]

Oh! I should...probably let you get back to your evening, then, Feenie.

[Given how abruptly she had sprung her presence and questions on him. And also the fact that they were still standing in his apartment door.]

I won't take up any more of your time.

There's not that much to this evening, to be honest. And... And you can take up as much of my time as you like.

[Thinking about what ge just told her, about how Blackquill ended up leaving... It makes him want to treasure each moment with Iris all the more.

So, he delicately holds onto each of her hands and leans forward to softly kiss her cheek. Phoenix then leans back with his face burning.]

...Because I love every last minute.

[She saw what he was doing the moment he took her hands, and her eyes reflexively closed until the gentle touch of his lips brushed against her cheek. Her lips parted, a soft sigh escaping her. For once, his face was redder than hers when she eventually opened her eyes again and looked up at him.]

Then...would you like to, perhaps, go for a walk?

[Phoenix responds with a soft and simple nod, keeping one hand held onto hers.]

...Yes. I'd love to.

[She took a step back, keeping their grip loose, in case he needed to part for a moment. To...get something or change or whatever before they officially headed off.]

[Of course, if he needed only to close the door behind him, then that would work as well.]

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