notagoose | MHA #10 - Monday Afternoon

"I apologize for coming by unannounced," said Ignis, because of course he would, "and I won't stay for long if you're otherwise engaged, but...it seems I may have been a little overzealous in my own attempts at recreating the traditional Thanksgiving fare. As bottomless of a pit as Gladio may be, I fear we might not manage to work through it quickly enough, and thought perhaps to spread the wealth a little. I don't suppose you'd be interested?"

With that, he lifted the bag filled with containers and carefully wrapped food, as if to provide the evidence for this particular excursion.

“No I don't mind, please, stay as long as you need,” Goose told him, “I just got back from my assignment, Thanksgiving food sounds amazing right now, much better than having to deal with a bunch of senators” and right on cue his stomach grumbled, “uh … I haven’t had much chance to fill up my fridge,” he admitted.

Color Ignis shocked. And a small smile surfaced, pleased to find that his assumptions had, once again, smartly hit the mark.

"Then it sounds like I have arrived just in the nick of time," he observed, with a note of triumph in his voice. "Let's perhaps get some of this warmed up, and you can tell me more about how things went."

He did rather miss a bit of political intrigue every now and again, although he knew there was a good chance the political intrigue of Shane's world, in particular, usually only served to make him rather angry or annoyed.

Goose smiled at that, “it was very good timing,” he agreed, blushing a bit at the sound of his stomach rumbling, “I tried to get out of going but both dad and Captain Foxx insisted I go, honestly doing a tour of Pluto would have been better than having to spend a few days guarding Senator Wheiner and his crowd,” he grimaced a bit.

"Did anything happen," Ignis wondered, "that necessitated such a precaution?"

“No, it was your typical political fundraiser, elections are coming up next year, a lot of them are up for reeelection, Wheiner just likes to make a big deal about having the Series 5 team for protection,” Goose sighed, “and as much as I hate to admit it, he can make our lives very difficult, especially with what he knows about me and Walsh,”

Ignis made a less-than-subtle hum of dissatisfaction at that. "Throwing around one's weight," he shook his head, "for the mere sake of inflating one's own ego. Unfortunately, something inflated too far beyond its capacity is only liable to pop. I'm glad it's over for you now; I can only imagine how patently...arduous something like that must be for you."

“Well I did get through it without causing any major incident,” Goose actually sounded rather proud about that, considering that these political events were not his favourite assignments, “hopefully it will be a while before he decides to make arrangements for us to provide security for the next one,” he shook his head, “I mean I don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving, only the American Rangers on base do since we’re in Australia but it wasn’t how I was planning on spending the holiday, I would have much rather be here,”

There was another soft smile for the pride that was evident in Shane's voice, and the smallest of somewhat wistful sighs for the fact that he couldn't better appreciate other telltale signs that went with it: the look on his face, the carriage of his posture, a certain light in his eyes. He'd have to make due with memories, and ones that were far more faded than he would have liked, and therein, that odd sort of...doubt started to creep back up on him again, which he tried to put aside.

"I don't exactly celebrate it, either," he pointed out, "but I also couldn't turn down a convenient excuse to put it to good use in the kitchen."

“I’m looking forward to trying it,” Goose smiled, “I know we haven’t had much chance to just hang out recently, I mean when I wasn’t being a goose and all and then a child,” he added since those first couple of weeks had definitely been a bit hard to spend as much time with Ignis as he would have liked.

And then coming back from being a child and being reminded of the great depths of all that he'd lost and all that had transpired, and Ignis felt himself starting to distance himself. In his own subtle ways.

"It has been a bit of a rough start to it," he allowed, "hasn't it?"

“It has been, I’ve missed this, just us being together,” Goose said softly, “and getting called back home unexpectedly didn’t help with that, I suppose that’s something I’m going to have to get used to since I’m still technically an active Galaxy Ranger,” he admitted.

One of these days, maybe words like that first part, especially spoken so softly, wouldn't painfully stir up things in Ignis' chest that he had dedicated himself to not feel again, but today was not that day.

Which is what he would claim was the reason for the wryness of his response.

"So long as you're able to make it back," he said.

Some people had some real issues with that part, it would seem.

Goose grimaced at that, “I hope that doesn’t happen,” he said softly, “I’d hate for us to have to go through that, especially after well…” he shifted awkwardly, “after everything,” he finally settled on.

Not to mention that then he’d be stuck dealing with people like Senator Wheiner all the more frequently.

"After we've already had to deal with it once already," Ignis added, with a small, tired sort of sigh. "And once is already one time too many."

And then he took a moment, to try and get out the thing he needed to say, the thing he hadn't yet been able to.

"It's not easy, Shane. I'm not the person I was when I left..."

Goose knew it would eventually have to come up, that it wouldn’t be the same as it was before Ignis left, “I understand,” he said softly, “if … I can still give you more space, more time … if you would like, if it would help,” he remembered Gladio’s conversation, “I don’t want …I can take things as slow as you like, if you want to well …” his voice trailed awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

"It isn't that," Ignis assured him, smiling faintly, to make it easier to spread more warmth into his tone...something he'd never been particularly good at. "It's just been...a lot longer for me. In more than a few ways, a lot of this feels quite a bit like...starting over. I've lost...a lot more than just my vision, these last few years..."

Including what little ability he had to connect with people, especially since those people could just become more to lose.

But that was much more difficult to put into words.

Goose listened carefully to Ignis talk, he tilted his head thoughtfully, even though he did feel a bit relieved when Ignis assured him it wasn’t about taking time and space, “I can’t imagine what that must be like,” he admitted, “I, I’m not going anywhere though … I’ll be here as long as you want me around,” which he did hope was for at least a while, he tried not to think about that possible alternate future where their relationship had just drifted apart, “especially if you do want to … you know, just sit and talk,” he added.

"That's..." Despite himself, Ignis let out a small breath, almost a laugh, though there was a bit more....frustration in it than humor. Not frustration at Shane, though, just the situation. For Shane, there was just an undeniable fondness, and a marveling bewilderment that he would think that was the issue. "...not exactly what I'm worried about..."

He was the one who had changed, after all, not Shane. Ignis was the one who was older now, more closed off and guarded than ever before. More aimless than he'd ever been in a life that had always been defined by clear, rigid direction...

"I just..." he tried, "...don't really know how to do this anymore. Truth be told, I don't think I was particularly good at it before, either, though."

Goose was silent for a few moments, unsure at first of what to say, “I ..." he started to say and then stopped, not really sure what to say, how he could help, "would ...um ...how can I help?" he said softy, maybe he could see if there was something that he could do for Ignis, to help him.

Ignis breathed out, a sound of relief, of a little tension melting out of his shoulders. And a small, grateful smile.

"Patience," he said. "Just be patient with me. And please," the smile was a little more sincerely joking now, "eat some of this food and don't let it go to waste.

Goose gave a soft smile at that, "I can do both those things," he assured him and then his stomach decided to rumble again, "I think it's safe to say I can also definitely eat the food, it won't go to waste" he added.

Edited 2022-11-29 02:29 (UTC)

"That," Ignis noted, "was precisely what I was counting on."

Especially since caring for and feeding and anticipating a person's needs before even they themselves knew they needed it had always been a point of pride, even when just that was clearly not nearly enough.

Goose grinned at that, “then I suppose I should start eating then?” he added shyly as he looked up at Ignis, “get a head start on the food, it looks really good," he added.

"I'll have to take your word for it," said Ignis wryly, because, really, he just couldn't help himself. But he was smiling, faintly, because if you couldn't make light of it, well, then, it just became tragedy, didn't it? "But, yes, let's eat, and you can also tell me about why a tour on Pluto may have actually have been preferable to political fundraising and peacocking..."

Goose did smile softly at that, “it’s mostly because Pluto is so far out the way and is fairly remote, so when a Ranger gets in trouble and isn’t court martialled, they end up being assigned there instead … nothing ever happens out there as well, so it’s considered one of the worst punishments,” he paused, “honestly anywhere I don’t have to deal with Wheiner and the other senators is mostly a bonus, even somewhere there isn’t a lot of action,” he admitted.

"And somehow," Ignis noted, with his own soft smile, "I feel that even if you were to be stationed there, the action would still manage to find you regardless. Not that I'd want this theory to be tested, of course. I much prefer you not being stationed on Pluto."

“Honestly with my track record it probably would,” Goose agreed and gave a laugh at that, “there would probably be a lot more explosions than Pluto is used to seeing,” he added, pausing for a moment, “and I am glad to not be stationed on Pluto, as much as I’m sure there are others back home who’d love to see me put away,’ he shook his head, “did I ever tell you about the time that Wheiner wanted me arrested when Killbane impersonated me and broke into Longshot? Even though I was at BETA at the time of the break in,”

"If you have," said Ignis, finally setting to moving toward and about the kitchen to see to dishing out and reheating a few plates of the food for them, neatly and orderly and with only a few minor missteps on the location and distance of things, "it will have been a while, and I could doubtless use a refresher..."

And even if he did recall, perhaps he just wanted to enjoy listening to the sound of Shane's voice for a bit.

“It was still in the early weeks of the Series 5 program,” Goose explained as he followed Ignis to the kitchen, “Killbane was after this device called Mindnet, it was a telepathic device that in the wrong hands could be dangerous, he impersonated me to get access to Longshot but it was Icarus and Winter who noticed that something was wrong and that tipped off security but Killbane got away before they could stop him,” he shook his head at that, “naturally Wheiner did everything he could to make it like I’d betrayed the Galaxy Rangers, even though I’d taken the oath, I wouldn’t have betrayed that … thankfully Captain Foxx stood up for me, Wheiner even wanted Zackery to be the one to arrest me,” Goose scoffed at that.

Edited 2022-11-29 11:28 (UTC)

"It seems to me," Ignis noted, dredging up that wry tone again, "that this Wheiner character could stand to get himself a few hobbies, perhaps find a more productive use of his time than seemingly finding ways to paint targets on your back. Is he like this with any of the other Galaxy Rangers? Or do you have the distinct honor of being a singular focus for his misplaced ire? Perhaps something to do with your position as a supersoldier, or your past with the Wolf Den?"

There was, then, a hesitant pause as Ignis seemed to consider something, and then he asked, "What have you got for beverages?"

The hesitation, in truth, was him thinking of just rooting around the fridge to find out for himself, but he thought much better of it, his appreciation for efficiency managing to eke out a spot in front of his now endless drive to prove himself just as capable as ever.

“Niko is sometimes his target, she’s a psychic and there’s a lot of distrust about them as well outside the Galaxy Rangers but it’s not anywhere like it with me,” Goose explained softly, “I think it’s because I’m the reminder of how Wolf Den failed and Wheiner wants to try and bury his involvement,”

Goose paused as went over to the fridge, he wasn’t entirely sure what he had beverages, “I’m not entirely sure,” he admitted as he V opened it to have a look, “I have some juice?”

He did really need to go shopping for food.

Ignis had a very important follow-up question:

"And how long," he asked, "do you suppose that juice has been there?"

Goose started to look very sheepish, “um I’m not entirely sure,” he admitted, “I think it might have been there for a while?”

MHA #10 - Monday Afternoon

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