victory_road | [closed] February Catch All

[Felix nods in agreement with Claude.] And I don't pretend. Besides, it sounds like you've been practicing that maneuver with her. I would think you'd be glad to get it right. At the beginning, my first cat was constantly stealing my things, so this is already an improvement over that.

[His smile doesn't go anywhere after that, either. She's laughing, and it isn't strained or done for anyone else's benefit, the way it usually is at home. She's just laughing because she's happy, and even that sounds like music to him. Goddess, he never realized just how badly war had beaten them all down until they got here and he was reminded of the difference.

Then he elbows Claude.]

What I do with my hair is my business. I don't want it getting in my way.

I think Felix's hair is fine the way it is. Though you know, back in Fhirdiad I remember a student trying to modify a Wind spell to keep their hair out of their face at all times, but I don't think they ever figured it out. Not that it would be much help here...

[It's probably just a trick of the light, but for a fraction of a second, it almost looks like her smile slips a degree. But no, it's already passed. She winks and continues in a confidential tone, pretending to cover the Igglybuff's ears, if she had any.]

We actually have been practicing the Bouncy-Tree Technique, so I don't have to run quite as long when she gets away...she's better at bouncing than I am at catching, but don't tell her that!

Oh, and this is Tritz. Tritz, this is Felix, and this is Claude.

[Pronounced "treats". Suddenly she hops a little in excitement, a motion that seems to please the pink pokemon in her arms.]

I can't believe it's really you, guys!

The Bouncy-Tree technique, huh? [Claude grins broadly. What a perfectly Annette name for something. Man, he really has missed her; the longer they talk, the more he appreciates it.] She seems to enjoy it, for all that she's slamming herself into bark...

[He reaches out to lightly pat Tritz's head. This is part friendliness, part curiosity; he's never actually touched an Igglybuff before and he's wondering about the texture now that he's seen just how bouncy Tritz is. In fact, he decides upon patting, she feels kind of like the marshmallows Chip introduced them all to...only springier. No wonder she bounces.] Nice to meet you, Tritz! As far as introductions go, let me introduce our rides today.

[He sweeps a hand back to indicate the nearby Corviknight and Noivern.] This here is Arbiter - he's kind of intimidating and huffy, but he's kind of like Felix in that most of it is just grumpiness. And the Noivern is Blitz! He's friendly enough, although he can be a little shy until he gets to know you. Both of them are mine; Felix doesn't actually have any flying pokémon ready to go yet. You'll have to double up with one of us on them - I'd personally suggest riding with me and Blitz since I'm a more experienced flier, but I'm kind of expecting Felix to argue with me about it.

[He grins at Annette.] Although I have to ask - why are you having such a hard time believing we're here? I know you haven't seen me for awhile, but it can't have been too long since you saw Felix last, right?

Tch. I'm not grumpy.

[Especially not now. Only when Claude suggests she fly with him does Felix's smile reverse into a stubborn frown.]

As if I would ever let Annette fall. I wouldn't and you know it. [Then, to her,] You can ride with me. I've practiced. It's fine. Oh--

[Felix reaches into his bag and pulls out a pokeball with his left hand, holding it out to Annette. If she's paying attention, she might catch the glint of sunlight reflecting from something in--no, on--his hand. On his finger, specifically.]

Here.

[His brows lift a little at Claude's question, and he turns to look at Annette too. She...can't just be that happy to see Felix...can she? No, that makes no sense. It's just the disorientation of being in a strange new world, that's all.]

[She gives a small head-bow to Blitz and Arbiter upon introduction. She doesn't seem especially flustered by Arbiter, though that might be because of who he was compared to.]

It hasn't been that long, no, I did just see Felix at dinner, but...the first few hours after waking up in this world, when I thought I was stranded here all by myself with no idea of how to get home? Before Felix talked to me on the...Gear, right?

Those were a very, very long few hours.

[Her expression barely dims though, since Felix and Claude are both right here! It also brightens further as Felix extends his hand to her. Her eyes widen. Was that--? She gently sets Tritz down at her feet, with a quiet appeal to remain still and behave.

She then gratefully accepts the proffered pokeball with one hand, then deftly snatches his wrist in the other, drawing it closer hopefully before he has time to react. She gasps.]

Felix Hugo Fraldarius! When were you planning on telling me you got married??

[She beams with unfettered glee, and her excited bouncing threatens to set off the Igglybuff, but to Tritz's credit she remains calm, though possibly a bit put out about the hypocrisy of it all.]

Tell me, tell me, tell me! Or I'll ask Claude, and believe everything he tells me!

Hey--

[Felix startles when she grabs him and instinctively tries to pull his hand back, but he quickly aborts the motion, not wanting to knock Annette over. When he registers what she's saying, his face ignites from zero to bright red so fast it rivals things she's set on fire in the kitchen. It takes him a few seconds to find his words--in fact, he's still searching for them right up until she mentions asking Claude.]

No! Stop shouting. I'm not--I didn't--it's not--ugh.

[He facepalms briefly with his free hand and then mumbles his response, looking anywhere but at her or Claude. He just knows the latter is probably laughing at his suffering.]

I'm not...married. ...yet. It's...

[Come on, Fraldarius, just spit it out.]

I'm engaged.

[A pause.]

To Sylvain.

[Claude, for the record, is grinning so broadly that the sun couldn't outshine him. He couldn't look more pleased if he were the one Felix was engaged to.]

I helped them both pick out their engagement rings. [He declares this knowing Annette will be absolutely delighted right down to her toes and will demand all the details, and he fully intends to give them to her.]

[Annette's fists jump to her mouth, and her eyes start to shine with obviously joyful tears.]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! I knew it! I knew it!

[She totally didn't, but it IS obvious in hindsight.

She casts a hilariously terrible attempt at a dirty look towards Claude. It's mostly spoiled by the fact that she can't stop grinning.]

Claude, I have never been more jealous of a person in my life. Make it up to me and tell me everything!

Oh Felix, I'm so happy for you! And Sylvain! And I didn't miss the wedding! You know I have to hug you now, right?

You're still shouting. Or...squealing.

[He somehow manages to look more embarrassed now. Did all of Faerghus know about him and Sylvain before they did themselves? Ugh.

Still, it's hard to stay irritated when Annette Dominic is smiling like that over something he said. It's contagious, apparently, because he finds himself smiling back at her, even when his expression shifts to something in between mortification and resignation.]

If...if you must.

Edited 2021-03-29 07:55 (UTC)

[She needs no further permission and literally jumps to hug Felix with both arms...unfortunately forgetting about the Igglybuff at her feet, causing her to stumble into her intended target.]

Oop..oof!

[Felix was planning to sort of stand there awkwardly and get hugged, maybe pat her on the back a few times. Secretly like it, but tell no one. Instead--]

Wh - Annette!

[Instead, she's crashing into him with her full weight and he's flailing and falling backwards, and then throwing his arms around her tightly to protect her from the fall without thinking about it, and landing on his back with a thump.]

OOF. What - how did you -

[And then his face is flushing red, at the realization of where they ended up, here on...on the ground.]

...uh. Are you...you're not hurt, are you?

[Claude can't help the laughter he bursts into. For all the time he's spent with Dimitri and Felix and Sylvain, nothing's brought him back to their days at Garreg Mach - where everything was still okay, and all his friends between all three houses were still on friendly terms - quite as much as this moment does. It feels...wonderful. This is the kind of silliness he's missed so much since the war began, the kind of silliness that - for all his best efforts - has mostly been provided by him up until now.

This lighthearted atmosphere, and even more than that its happening naturally, without Claude having to generate it for his more depressed boyfriends...it lifts a weight off of him.

Also, he's pretty sure he's never seen Felix be as cute with anyone as he is with Annette. Not even Sylvain, despite the fact that no one could begin to argue that Felix doesn't love Sylvain with his whole heart. It's a very different dynamic there, and Claude's quick eyes could pick that up from a mile away - never mind observing it as up close as this.]

Don't worry, Annette, I'll give you all the details later. [In the meantime, he bends down to pat Tritz. Felix is checking on Annette, so Claude figures he should check on the pokémon that just got tripped on. (It doesn't even occur to him to check on Felix, both because you'd probably need to hit Felix with a Meteor spell to the face to seriously inconvenience him and because Felix would be offended if Claude asked.)] You okay there?

[Annette is mortified. She just tackled Felix! Felix! And in front of Claude! She's pretty sure she's been less embarrassed in nightmares where she had to give a class report in Hilda's clothing!

She lifts her weight off of Felix with her arms, and looks at him with absolute embarrassment and concern.]

"Felix! I'm so, so sorry, are you ok? I just landed on you! I'm such a klutz, I'm sorry! I--stop laughing Claude, don't be so mean! This isn't funny, I could've hurt him!"

[Her face suddenly burns even more red, if possible, as she suddenly realizes that there is no way that Felix of all people couldn't have nimbly sidestepped her fall. He only fell because he tried to catch her. Oh, Goddess.]

"Yes, Claude, shut up."

It's hard to look at anything but Annette, though, since she's...right there...

"...I'm fine. You seem fine. So that's. Good. It's fine."

If she were anyone else, he'd be shoving them off him by now. Instead, he lies there, red-faced and not looking her in the eye, with his hands sort of hovering until he just rests them on the ground at his sides.

This is fine.

"Careful, Annette, you're going to offend him making it sound like he's so delicate," Claude says with a laugh, stepping up and offering a hand to Annette to help her off of Felix. "C'mon, this man's been through a war! It'll take more than a pretty girl falling on him to do him in." He glances down at Felix's burning red face, then grins. "...probably."

Annette jumps to accept Claude's assistance in getting off Felix, finally starting to turn red herself as she pulls herself to her feet.

"I would never--!" She splutters in indignation. "You know I would never say that, Felix!"

Though come to think of it, Felix does look rather red in the face and uncomfortable. Just how hard did she land on him? She's thankful he's gentleman enough not to mention it, but that just makes her feel worse. What if she broke a rib, and he doesn't say anything?

"Claude, stop being mean or I'll hug you, too."

[closed] February Catch All

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@kae we decided to switch the posting order for this one lol

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FELIX IS DYING I hope you're happy

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