[FIN] Coming of Age

[Suudonym]

"As well you should be!" Lord Fabre replied indignantly, looking as though he was dissatisfied but saying nothing further.

"Father, don't intimidate her just because you can," Luke scolded, unimpressed. "Don't worry, he can't actually do anything besides be rude. I'm sorry you have to put up with this." He lightly squeezed the hand in his; he was glad that Rosie was with him, and he was warmed by her words, but he hated subjecting her to his father's presence knowing that the man was not particularly fond of her.

To Luke's surprise, the next sound his father produced was a slight laugh, "I suppose I'm the villain to you, aren't I?"

"Not so much the villain," Luke replied carefully - that role was reserved for Team Rocket, "but I don't think 'antagonist' would be unsuitable…"

Lord Fabre shook his head mildly. "So what do you plan to do about Nicolette then?"

"I already spoke to her and to her parents. She's upset, her mother's disappointed, and her father is probably looking for you."

"I see." The older man folded his hands behind his back and sighed deeply. "Then I suppose this isn't the place you want to be right now. You're dismissed, if that's what you want. I'll handle the rest of this."

Luke's posture straightened in attention, his expression cautious. "You're saying you approve…?"

He was responded to with an indifferent grunt. "I'm not saying I disapprove."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Blue eyes widened a little, though she looked to Luke when he spoke to her. She shook her head lightly "No, its- its alright" she said softly, still a little bewildered.

In the end he seemed to be saying that they could go, Rosie wasn't sure if his absence of both approval and disapproval was a good thing of not, but at the very least it didn't seem like a bad thing either.  

[Suudonym]

"Then you approve," Luke pursued.

"It's not approval nor disapproval! Now go before I change my mind!"

It sounded as good as approval to Luke, or at the very least, it was allowance. It was a recognition of their engagement as legitimate and an absence of a threat of disowning. That was really about as much as he could ask for at this point. He shrugged lightly, speaking quietly to Rosie, "Let's go, I guess?"

"Wait," Lord Fabre said. "I rescheduled one of the appointments you missed for tomorrow. It's about your returning to Kodo, so it's in your best interest not to miss it this time. I expect to see you here in the morning."

Luke frowned in uncertainty but shook his head in dismissal of his suspicions, "Fine." If he wanted to say Luke wasn't allowed to return to Kodo, he would have himself a bitter laugh and go back anyway. Ah the joys legal adulthood. When he wasn't called to again, he turned to head back towards the main hall, waiting to be out of earshot of his father before discussing what had happened.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Well, that hadn't gone as terribly as it could have, Rosie was still hurt by some of the things the man had said about her, and she couldn't help but still feel like a piece of trash amidst the nobles here, but it was at least she was reassured that it was by bias. More importantly, its not what Luke thought, and in the end that's all Rosie cared about.

Still a little bewilder she took Luke's lead once his father was actually finished and following him back into the party, letting out a light breath.  

[Suudonym]

"Do you want to leave?" Luke asked, speaking nearly under his breath. "We can find Sera and Northern and go."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Whatever you want to do, I know you're not having a lot of fun here." She replied, looking over at him.  

[Suudonym]

"Things are probably going to get kind of awkward," he said, frowning lightly. "We've been given a free pass, so we might as well go."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Alright, lets go." Rosie said with a nod. then smiled at him "the three of us can find a better way to spend the rest of the evening for your birthday."