( inbox )

[laserhawk]

( audio | video | text )

Comments

[neighsaying]

[ Jean glances at the food he's had set up on the table, looking back to Dolph with a smile, though it's more bemused. ]

I did promise a nice dinner, didn't I? There'll definitely be leftovers, you can take them home.

[laserhawk]

You did.

[ softer. ]

This is really nice.

[neighsaying]

That's because I'm a really nice guy.

[ Okay he can't... quite say that with a straight face. ]

Food's one of the things I'm actually good at. I can't exactly offer to teach you how to kill monsters, and I get the feeling you're already set on that front. It's, you know - nice, to care for people like this.

[ It's what he does for his partners - who are actually his partners now. ]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph blinks, a bit perplexed. in his view, jean has been incredible nice. nicer than anyone dolph's ever met. and he hasn't asked anything from dolph. it's overwhelming and uncertain and he's not sure what he should be doing, what he should be giving back.

he swallows, his throat dry. it's nice to care. he wanted to care. he wanted to be nice. his eye contact breaks for a moment. ]

You are nice.

[neighsaying]

I am. I can be an asshole if the occasion calls for it, though.

[ He gives Dolph a little grin. ]

When I was younger - I was that 'tell it like it is' kind of kid, so I wasn't known as being very nice.

[laserhawk]

[ he parses this thoughtfully. ]

I don't know about that. I didn't really have a . . . childhood.

But it's who you are now that counts. That's all I care about.

[neighsaying]

[ Jean waves him over to the table. ]

Do you want to talk about it? I mean - I joined the military at twelve, but I know people who joined a lot younger than that.

[laserhawk]

[ dolph quietly pulls up a seat. ]

There isn't much to say. I don't remember a lot of it. Not my parents, not my life. Nothing before the military. Just . . . hazy parts. Living on the street. Drugs. That kind of stuff.

[neighsaying]

[ He frowns a little bit. Drugs aren't exactly a forbidden substance back home. They're just something you can abuse too much off, like alcohol, so he's not judging Dolph for them. ]

Do you think it was the drugs that make it hard to remember, or - did the military do something that made you repress it or forget?

I had - [ He corrects ] - have a friend who... did that for a while.

[laserhawk]

[ dolph shrugs. ]

It's possible. They . . . put a lot of work in me. And Eden lies to protect their interests.

[neighsaying]

Well. [ Here he smiles a little. ]

It's who you are now that counts. That's what I care about. And I wanted you to have a good birthday, instead of an okay or bad one.

[laserhawk]

[ he nods before saying hesitantly. ]

This . . . is the first time I've ever celebrated it.

[neighsaying]

That's a shame. I would have actually brought you a cake if I'd known that.

[ He laughs softly. ]

You'll just have to enjoy the meal to the fullest then.

[laserhawk]

You've done enough. And I haven't — [ he hasn't given anything back. jean hasn't asked for anything. dolph is at a loss, really. no one just gives him anything. ]

[neighsaying]

[ He tilts his head, for a moment, before he shakes his it. ]

It's a gift - not a transaction. I promise I'm not gonna lord it over you later.

[laserhawk]

No, but.

Is there nothing you want?

[neighsaying]

I'd say, be my friend, but I'm pretty sure we're already there.

[ He shrugs, giving him a small smile. ]

Don't think about what I want. Instead... if there's ever something you look at and go, 'I want to give that to Jean', feel free to.

[laserhawk]

[ that . . . seems reasonable. though fuck if dolph knows what jean would like. but it's something to consider. and learn. ]

You really want to be my friend? I have a shit track record with those.

[neighsaying]

Sometimes you take gambles not knowing if you win or not.

[ What's that, the echo of Erwin is abounding? ]

And I'm feeling lucky, I guess.

[laserhawk]

[ dolph huffs, but there's something akin to a smile on his face. ]

Let's hope it holds out. I'll trust your luck over mine.

[neighsaying]

I think it'll work out just fine.

[ He gives Dolph another grin before he insists he should have some of the food, a little of everything at least. It's as delicious as it smells, and he'll absolutely insist Dolph take some of it home. ]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph eats politely, doing his best to give compliments, though they're sparse and not very verbose. he lacks the vocabulary for them. once he's eaten his fill, he will take the remainders at jean's insistence.

he pauses. ]

That was lovely.

[neighsaying]

[ Jean's not fishing for compliments, so he appreciates them regardless. Lacking the vocabulary isn't something he'll make fun of, anymore.

Jean smiles again, the corners of his eyes crinkling. ]

I do my best. If you want to learn an easy food pairing, white wines work with heavy food like that - it cuts through the richness of the dairy.

[laserhawk]

[ he nods slowly. ]

I do like wine. I used to have it when I could.

[neighsaying]

Did you have a favorite, or was it just whatever was available?

[ No judgement! Jean literally drank moonshine at points, before he started appreciating wines. ]