[closed] March Catch All

[nastyboy]

Who: Team Femblemtroika (Grant, Chip, Dimitri, Sylvain, Claude, Felix, Jinx, Razor, Ashe, Annette, Lysithea - with people going in and out as they please)
What: Please let this group just fall asleep in Olivine for a while with nothing exploding, they beg you
When: March
Where: The Olivine City general area
Rating: T

Comments

[woofdad]

[Grant certainly can't judge Sylvain for getting distracted by Hara's nonsense - and he really, really can't blame him for wanting to get away from the subject of war as fast as possible.

Instead:] I don't think that's silly at all. Lots of people associate the ocean with freedom, with good reason... or, I guess, a few good reasons.

[gautsome]

Mm. Then freeing it is. [He nods to himself.]

I've been thinking about staying here for awhile. I know Chip won't want to linger long, and I know that means you won't either. But I think some time to myself would be good, too. Not too much time -- I don't want to get stuck in my own head but... You know.

[He shrugs loosely. It's a fine line between self-destructive independence and a need to recover privately. Sylvain isn't sure if he knows how to walk that line properly, but... at least he feels better equipped than ever.]

[woofdad]

That sounds like a good plan. You could use some time to rest. [He means that. After what Sylvain has been through recently, and having to get on the road right after that... Grant's smile wavers, his expression going apologetic for a moment.]

...Sorry again that we had to rush out so fast.

[gautsome]

Hey. Quit it. [Where Grant is apologetic, Sylvain is firm. He even turns and looks Grant directly in the eyes, all squared shoulders and full height. He's small compared to Grant, but the effect should still be there all the same.]

Chip is important to all of us -- so was finding them. That's... I don't want to rank priorities here or try to downplay any of this but... What I was going through wasn't nearly as urgent as finding a lost kid. Especially my little chubby bunny buddy.

Besides wallowing wouldn't have done me any good.

[woofdad]

[You'd think Grant would be pretty much used to being told not to apologize by now? He's not. Or maybe he just wasn't prepared for it right now, with Sylvain in the state he's been in. Either way, he startles a little bit when Sylvain turns to him.

And then... well, what he says does make perfect sense.]

Oh-- y-yeah. Of course. S-- [He glances away, pressing the back of his hand over his mouth for a moment. Probably shouldn't apologize again.

...And then it's at that moment that the term of endearment, just that brief little comment, hits him. Feels ridiculous that that little detail, that flicker of fondness among all the recent evidence of the others' care toward Chip, out of everything hanging over this conversation, hits him like that, but...

Ah. He can already feel the familiar burn of tears welling behind his eyes, and hurries to just... shift his hand a little to wipe them away pre-emptively.]

[gautsome]

[Sylvain starts to smile at Grant's bitten off apology. The corner of his mouth just starts to quirk up when he sees the tears beginning to well up. They're only visible for a moment, before Grant hides them away. But it's long enough to catch Sylvain's attention, at least.]

Hey, hey... [His voice softens. He lays a hand on Grant's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.] It was pretty scary, wasn't it? I can't even imagine what that would be like. But you don't have to worry. They're okay, and we're going to keep making sure they're okay.

[woofdad]

[Grant startles slightly - just out of surprise, he doesn't pull away - and laughs shakily.] Oh-- th-thank you. But it's not... it's not that I'm worried, not anymore, it's... kinda the opposite?

[He takes a breath, trying to mentally sort things out before he continues:] I'm... I'm so grateful for all of you. That you're here, that you care for Chip so much. I can't... be all the support they need, or deserve, on my own-- but you've all been so good to them. Good for them.

[gautsome]

[At first, Sylvain is touched. Hell, even at the end of it all, he's still touched. But there's something that makes him ache when Grant speaks. He's always felt he had a great deal in common with the man, but hearing it out loud in a context like this?

His stomach twists.]

Whoa -- whoa, whoa. Grant, don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be here for the little rascal but -- [His brows furrow. There's concern written into every line on his face.] You're their father. I've seen you leap through flaming hoops to protect them. You're absolutely all the support they need. You wouldn't be their dad if not.

[He shakes his head.]

Don't get me wrong, Chip deserves all the love in the world. But don't put yourself down, either. I know terrible dads, alright? I've told you that before, I'm sure. But you? You're the exact opposite, okay?

[woofdad]

[Once again, he's faintly surprised, just for a moment, at Sylvain's reaction. It's... sort of nice, hearing how quick he is to reassure him - but there is a bit that Grant has to correct.

Once he gets through his own fluster at Sylvain's praise of his parenting, probably stumbling in the process over a couple premature efforts at a response, he ducks his head in a nod - and to hide another brief sniffle.] I... I'm really glad you think so. And I do generally think I'm doing pretty well, don't get me wrong, but... there's more to it than that.

No matter how much I can do for them as their dad, it wouldn’t be healthy for them to feel like there’s only one place they can turn for support. I don’t want them feeling like it’s just… us against the world, y’know? So, having other people who care about them, who... prove that my loving them isn't just a fluke or an anomaly... that's invaluable.

[gautsome]

[At that, Sylvain goes quiet.

Once, he'd spent a fair bit of time complimenting Grant's parenting ability, at least where it compared to his own experience with parents. Even then, knowing so little of the story, Sylvain had fully believed Grant to be the best damn father in the world.

That conclusion only seems to be solidified by Grant's speech. His own parents hadn't bothered with the concept of love, never mind multiple sources. And while there is still a great deal that Sylvain doesn't understand about either Grant or Chip, he can still respect the hell out of that conclusion.]

Guess that means it's my job to love the shit out of them, huh?

[woofdad]

[Grant laughs softly, and his voice is mostly steady again when he answers, though still filled with audible relief and gratitude.]

Exactly. Good thing they're so ridiculously lovable to begin with, huh?