[FIN] One Step at a Time

[Blood_Goddess]

Blue eyes widening a little when she saw that Luke's father was there again, she went still in her posture almost afraid to move, before Luke got to his feet and offered a hand to her.
Looking up she took the offered hand, standing up beside him.

Vahy'n blinked once the Vaporeon slipping up beside Rosie as the girl got to her feet. It wasn't hard to tell who this man was, though it seemed Luke wasn't inclined to be around him.  

[Suudonym]

Rem wasn't ignorant of the tense atmosphere, though this was the first she had encountered the stranger at the end of the path, and she circled her trainer slowly, as if to guard him from any angle of attack.

It didn't seem that the Jolteon's protection would be needed, however. Every intention to leave without listening was put on hold as Luke recognized the use of his name - the name that had become his through years of use, and the only name of which he had any memories. He paused unsurely, his hand lingering at Rosie's as he half turned to look over his shoulder in impatient expectancy.

The nobleman, for his part, seemed to understand that his son didn't plan to afford him but so much courtesy. "I thought you had left," he said at length, his tone significantly milder compared to how it had been earlier that day. "I thought I'd driven you away again… I thought I'd driven you to hate me."

The words were startling, and it was evident in Luke's expression as he turned fully to regard his father as though the man had suddenly turned into a turnip.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie didn't say anything, not like she had anything to say anyway, She just got to her feet, and looked to Luke for what he wanted to do next.
His father was talking to him, but something about it caused Luke to pause and look over at him.

Rosie was so used to hearing 'Luke' so far accepted the fact that that was his name and nothing else, she didn't stop to think that his father calling him that would be of any significance, She probably didn't even realize that that was the cause for Luke's pause.
Again though, his father spoke, but this time with a much different tone then before, and in what he was saying it wasn't hard to guess that maybe he had regretted the way he treated Luke earlier?

Her eyes darted from the older red head to his son that Rosie was standing by. Obviously Luke was surprised by this.  

[Suudonym]

His father made a gruff sound, evidently uncomfortable, "Don't just stare. Respond."

Luke shook his head slowly in continuing disbelief, "I just… find it kind of unbelievable." His expression hardened. "Just a few hours ago you were standing here accusing me of hating this family and calling my behavior unacceptable and insulting my friend. So if you're trying to apologize - by continuing to imply that I hate this family - then it's falling a little flat."

The politician's expression grew abruptly stern, "Have you never stopped to think that perhaps I've regretted the things I've said and done? Why do you think I allow you to remain in Kodo? Why do you think I allowed that scoundrel to kidnap you from your home and take you back to that place that I can only assume is some sort of hellhole from the stories that come out of it?"

Anger was met with anger. "Oh, excuse me. Of course, I should be expressing my gratitude." He bowed in mocking deference, "Thank you so much, dear Father, for so graciously allowing me to live my own damned life the way I want to!"

"Now listen here!" The older man paused, drew in a breath, and exhaled a frustrated sigh. "Honestly, Lucien, you make this so difficult."

The younger frowned, his arms folded and his gaze falling aside. "Sure you're not talking about yourself?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Well... that fell apart rather quickly, they were back to arguing back and forth and throwing around pretty sassy comments.
She watched with some level of discomfort, but through the words she was starting to see that this was probably not meant to be in this kind of time.

"Luke..." Rosie said quietly so that only he could hear her, reaching out to put a hand on his arm before the two could start up against each other again. "I think that words are drowning out what he might be trying to say." She offered, not sounding to certain of that herself, but it was a suggestion anyway, sometimes politicians just didn't know how to communicate, as... odd as that concept was.
maybe she should have stayed out of it, but maybe a different perspective could do something to help...
She was starting to see that the two were more similar than maybe they wanted to admit.  

[Suudonym]

The reminder that Rosie was there, through her touch and words, cooled the heat from Luke's disposition, and he calmed enough to hear her out and consider what she said. "If that's the case, then I guess it's useless trying to talk it out," he responded, matching her volume before suddenly raising it so that his father would hear, "because if he has something to say, he sure isn't saying it."

The man glared in tense silence, eventually opening his mouth to speak, "Won't you reconsider living here in Grande Ile again?"

Luke's reaction was one of immediate distaste, and he shook his head disbelievingly, offering no response before turning back around, moving forward a few steps.

"Wait!" Again the interruption, desperation in its sound, successfully curtailed the younger noble's departure. "Wait. Lucien-- Luke. I understand too well how my actions appear to you. And I know I was… less than reasonable, the last time you were here. But there are things you need to understand as well, like that the name 'Luke' that you so prefer, for me, only reminds me of a lost son and a terrible mistake. I want you to understand how… absolutely frightening it is to think that the only family I have left in this world disappears to some remote island for months, years at a time, then returns tells stories of kidnappings and gunfire and wars. Wars! Is it so impossible to stay here, where you might actually be safe for longer than a few weeks at a time?"

Luke, still facing away, stood with his eyes on the ground, staring through the Jolteon that had seated itself through his feet. "I understand more than you think I do," he replied at length. "Or rather, that was the only way I could think to accept what you did the last time I was here - that you were doing it out of concern for my safety. I know you don't understand much of what's going on in Kodo apart from dangerous things, but I can fight there. Rosie and I, and a ton of other trainers, are doing our best to defend that island. It may not be safe, but I'm not giving it up. It's the first time in my life that I've been able to do something that actually means something, and I'm not just going to quit because I might get hurt."  

[Blood_Goddess]

It was hard to hear about her island like that, like her home was some kind of horrible dangerous place... was that what Grand Ile felt about Kodo? Where the only things they heard about it about how Team Rocket was turning it into their criminal playground?
clasping one hand against her other arm she fell quiet again, watching the two nobles.

When his father voiced his fears to Luke, she felt that at least they were finally saying the things he wanted to say, and honestly... she couldn't blame him for those fears, she couldn't exactly deny that.

It was in Luke's reply that she found her eyes on her friend again, hearing him stand up for Kodo like that, and sound so resolute in his decision.
Kodo was worth it, and it needed people like him there more than ever.  

[Suudonym]

"You're not a soldier," the man countered.

At this, Luke finally turned around, his expression firm. "That's true," he said. "I'm not. I'm just doing what I can for the place where I live. You do the same thing, and the other members of Parliament - trying to make this a better country through laws and policies. Kodo doesn't need politics, though. It needs people who are going to stand beside it, and that's why I won't, cannot come back as long as that place is being terrorized." He ducked his head down, frowning. "I wasn't raised to do things halfway, or to abandon my friends to fend for themselves."

Luke's father stood silent, an amalgam of displeasure and concern in his features. "I see." He looked to Rosie, the earlier hardness gone from his expression, "And so you're one of these friends he's speaking of, I assume."  

[Blood_Goddess]

She caught herself holding her breath while Luke spoke, only remembering to breath before, when the blond found that the older of the two was now looking back at her, asking her a question, and she was back to holding her breath again.

She paused, but answered anyway, truthfully "Yes, I am, Sir." she replied, a little more nervously than she would have liked.  

[Suudonym]

The politician regarded Rosie for a while, a slight resignation in his expression. When he at last spoke, it was with a sterner expression, a cool, though unnecessary, authority in his tone, "For the time being, I will entrust my son's safety to you."

Startled, Luke countered, "Father, you can't just force that on her--"

"He's quite a different person from when he ran off years ago, but he's as reckless as ever, I'm sure. You've been standing there a while, so you must know by now that this boy is all that I can call family. His well-being is important to me."

"I can take care of myself--"

"I won't hold you personally accountable if something happens, but you would have my gratitude."

"Ugh." Luke surrendered the effort to interrupt his father, placing a hand lightly on Rosie's shoulder to attract her attention, "You don't have to pay attention to this. He's just selfish."

The individual in question frowned. "Aren't you one to talk."  

[Blood_Goddess]

During the exchange of Luke and his Father, all the while his father giving her some instructions Rosie had the expression that resembled that of a Deerling in the headlights. Taken aback by what he saying mostly due to the fact that she had not exactly expected it.
Still, she listened to every word, even as Luke tried to get him to stop talking, and then get her attention.

It worked, her large blue eyes looked to him when he put his hands on her shoulder, staring for a couple of seconds in silence before she just lit up a smile. Unable to help it, the girl started giggling.
She had to laugh at this, at the fact that their back and forth with Luke trying to head it off.

Before she could even think about speaking she just laughed, relived and happy, and honestly ticked by the father's words, even if they might have come off as a little blunt, Rosie understood that at least Luke meant something to him.

"He's still the same person he's always been, he's just grown a lot." His outside just wasn't as rough as it used to be. He was always kind, and valiant.
the blonds giggles subsided but her smile remained, lighting up her eyes.
"And of course I'll look out for you." she spoke to Luke this time while indirectly answering his father. "I don't need someone to tell me to do that."  

[Suudonym]

Her laughter was unexpected - though not unappreciated, given how tense interactions with his father tended to be - and Luke watched her in a mild confusion. He breathed a quiet sigh in defeat as Rosie agreed to his father's request, though he honestly didn't know how he could have expected her to say anything else. "Fair enough," he said, "but you know I'll be doing the same for you."

Lord Fabre frown slightly at the exchange, an expression of mild disapproval in his features. He cleared his throat to speak, "So? Are you returning to Kodo this evening, or will you be staying here?"

The sudden question caught Luke mildly off guard, and his answer was voiced in a tone of uncertainty, "I think we were going to go back in the morning," he looked to Rosie for clarification, "right?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

She made a soft uplifting hum of agreement, nodding her head once and firmly. "You always have." she told him in a gentle and thankful tone.
She would not have made it as far as she has if it wasn't for him, she already knew that, and would never forget it,

She confirmed the plan with a nod when Luke looked over at her, "We looked at some tonight but it was a morning boat we decided on I think."  

[Suudonym]

He nodded in agreement, remembering the conclusion.

Luke's father turned, folding his hands behind his back. "Then come by the manor when you're finished," he said, the words slightly gruff. "No sense in reserving a room or what have you."  

[Blood_Goddess]

During the time they had spent trying to find their way through the city, they had reserved a room already to keep the bags they had brought, and things they bought. Even though it wasn't very much it was just more that they didn't need to be carrying around with them.

She opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, and again, closed it then looked over at Luke to see what he wanted to do. This was about him coming home, so she couldn't make the call.