the word of the week is anxiety.[break][break]

considering that she's only recently started to connect again with ana (albeit in the form of ana trying to take daphne out "shopping") and.. it was nice, admittedly. it was nice enough to be able to spend time again with a sibling, and it brought a small smile to her lips throughout the day. well.. there was no use trying to dwell on it. [break][break]

he arrives just on time, which is good, because she's just finished the lasagna recipe from their mother (the woman is on the other line right now, and daphne's holding the phone against her ear with her shoulder trying to following directions for how many hours). it looks.. alright, close enough - edible - but.. certainly not attractive. but it should.. taste ealright, right? she can test it out with leonidas when he arrives. [break][break]

and speak of the devil, he rings the doorbell and she's hanging up the phone. "one moment..!" she calls out from the kitchen, removing the apron and setting the lasagna to cool at the side. then she walks to the front door, opening it up to see the familiar man standing in front of her. "ah.. leonidas" she blinks a few times, and tries to wear a small smile "come in, come in~.."

Leonidas Stone

☉

He perked up immediately at the sound of locks and knobs being undone, a smile of his own swiftly tugging upon his lips as he turned back around. A brief spark of both recognition and pleasantries flickered within his eyes as his arms unfolded, and as he allowed the one harboring the bag to remain by his side, the remaining lifted and opened as he began to walk over.[break][break]

With a soft chuckle, he shifted slightly in order to briefly hook his arm around her in a side hug.[break][break]

”Sister! It’s been a while!” he chimed, whatever remnants of nerves and uncertainty departing from him as the words left his lips. He pulled back, glancing briefly past the door in curiosity, about to go on before he caught wind of a scent.[break][break]

It took a fair amount of willpower not to let his smile crack as the realization hit him.[break][break]

”Ahhhh. You’re…cooking, I assume~?”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: slumber party

☉

his energy was always welcomed, and it reminds her of her other siblings (they were always a lot more chatty than she was, always a lot more open and cheery than she was). daphne smiles as she's pulled into a side hug, moving her arm to return the gesture gently before she pulls back, and gives him room into her little (read as, quite large) abode. [break][break]

"it's been too long, is what it's been~" the blond woman chuckles, raising a hand to usher him into her home before closing and locking the door behind him. she perks up, slightly, at his (hesitantly) asked question. her smile only brightens, slightly, amidst the generally stoic face of hers "mmn~.. i called mother to help guide me through her recipe, and i wanted to try making it for your visit, today~" she chimes, walking further down the hall towards the kitchen. "come, come, it should be cool enough~"

Leonidas Stone

☉

”Ahhh, that’s very thoughtful of you~!”[break][break]

The resolve needed to maintain the smile further wavered faintly, but despite that, he found himself thankful to follow in tow—specifically behind her—as she led the way in. For a moment, he shifted his gaze swiftly throughout the expanse of the opened room as he stepped in, almost desperate to find his quarry before ultimately broadening his smile in relief at the sight of a familiar dragon. With a spared glance towards his kin, he made a hastened stride towards the azure scaled beast before tapping him a couple of times.[break][break]

”It’s good to see you again, Cinnabar…!” he spoke with a hushed tone, offering the Pokemon a nod and another grin. He glanced back towards the blonde as she strode off towards the kitchen before looking back up, gently pulling one of the Garchomp’s clawed arms down and hooking the bags he’d brought along onto it. ”Uh. Do me a favor and make sure this stays out of sight, yes? You can eat it with your friends— just make sure it stays out of sight.”[break][break]

He gave his arm another, grateful pat before immediately turning heel to walk towards the kitchen.[break][break]

With a deep breath and a brisk pace, he clasped his hands loosely against one another, pushing himself a jog for the remaining few paces prior to joining her side. He glanced over her shoulder and towards the dish in the process of doing so.[break][break]

Didn’t look too bad.[break]
Maybe Arceus granted him a mercy that day.[break][break]

”Mother’s, you said?” he hummed, glancing back towards her with a seemingly curious and excited glint within his eye. ”Not gonna lie, I’m looking forward to it~. Even if it wasn’t cooked by her, it’s been years since I’ve had one of Mother’s recipes…”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: slumber party

☉

the garchomp sits idly, only to huff softly at a man when he's tugged over. the poor man probably remembers what daphne's cooking was like, but if this garchomp is going to be subjected to it (when daphne does decide to cook something for herself and her pokemon), then he was going to need a taste of it too. imagine his surprise when he isn't being pulled for that, and instead just to hide some.. bags and presents. the dragon eyes the bags before nodding his head, and stomping his merry way into another room. [break][break]

all as daphne moves to the kitchen, oven mitts on hand as she lifts the tray up to bring to the countertop. the smile reaches her eyes when her cheeks raise, and the woman hums softly as she starts to gently wave the steam from the lasagna away "mhm, her food was always delicious~" she tugs the mitts off her hands "on another note.. i was surprised when i heard that you returned to hoenn." she tugs one drawers under the counter, plucking forks and knives from their containers "did unova treat you well?"

Leonidas Stone

☉

Ah, so she was going to ask about it already.[break][break]

Though unseen initially (what with his stance behind her), the softened smile upon his lips seemed to fade the faintest bit upon noting the words and inquiries she’d offered to him; an idle look of not disdain, but rather pensiveness burning lightly within his eyes. He took the question to heart, humming softly while taking a step back to give her a bit more room.[break][break]

”Mmn. That’s a fair reaction, though~.” Hues of a darkened, hazel brilliance lingered upon his sibling for a little while longer prior to shifting to the side. His heels shifted beneath him as he began to move further away from the countertops and the like, instead reaching over to pull himself a seat by the edge and sitting down within a leisurely manner. ”If it isn’t obvious enough, Unova has absolutely treated me well~,” he added with a hum, resting his elbow against the surfaces by him. He cradled the angle of just jaw against the heel of his palm, raising a brow at her with an amused quirk of the lip. ”All things considered, it was…stressful. Things moving as quickly as they did in my life, that is.”[break][break]

He eyed an empty space along the granite for a couple of moments.[break][break]

”...When the dust settled, I guess I just realized I missed everyone~.”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: slumber party

☉

she can understand that; life moving quickly, that is. hell, she grew a few number of years just because she found her wonderful way into a pocket of space-time that.. aged her up. though it took some time for her to adjust to her new age, it.. thankfully wasn't anything too difficult to her. considering she went from her late twenties to her early thirties.. it should be alright. [break][break]

though with this change came a myriad of questions, and plenty of things she was honestly ready to explain.. [break][break]

holding the bundle of silverware in one hand as the other reaches to open a cupboard and grab two plates. when she rises back up, she's reaching over the counter to place the plate and utensils down for the two of them, respectively. then she hums, with a small smile maintained to her lips "it sounds like you had a good time there~" she chimes, moving over to hook the leg of a stool nearby to tug closer, then she lifts herself to be seated. [break][break]

"if not a little fast paced." she says with a chuckle, reaching over to grab the knife and to begin cutting a piece of the steaming lasagna. "... the feeling is mutual, too. if you didn't come to visit me in hoenn, i had half the mind to come see you in unova~" if she had the time, considering how she had her hands full with devon back then, and nowadays with her own brand.

Leonidas Stone

☉

”Extremely fast paced, Sister. Extremely fast paced~.” A chuckle found its way within his words, weaving through with an amused intent as he, himself, reached over to further help her upon arrival. As she, herself, began to nudge the seat back with a readied foot and leg, he took care to pull it back the remaining amount. ”I know people my age are already prone to white hairs and stuff, but when I realized I sprouted my firsts a while back? Devastated. Absolutely devastated for my youth~.”[break][break]

A chuckle escaped his lips as he leaned closer towards his own seat once more, eying the platter with a subtle degree of both curiosity and concern, alike, before immediately ridding his guise of the latter as she passed his share along. He nodded in thanks, humming and reaching over for one of the forks she’d taken care to fetch before eying the food before him a bit longer.[break][break]

Arceus, if you’re real, please protect me.[break][break]

With a soft, steeling sigh, he spun the bar of the utensil between his fingers for a moment prior to beginning to cut a smaller piece off. ”Honestly, though— the thought’s really appreciated~.” he mused, peering over from the edge of his peripheral once more, adding another, ”I understood either way, though— still do~. Life is busy. Life is hard. …Sometimes crossing region upon region is hard to do,” before taking his first bite.[break][break]

(this roll is to see how edible this shit is)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

O6hhqOtK

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: slumber party

☉

"ah, i see. so now you understand the stress that father had to go through~" daphne snickers, very softly, cutting the piece of lasagna out for him to put on the plate. the food.. should be alright, right? daphne is never one for presentation, but it doesn't look like something a gastly tried to puke up, right? it looks edible enough, right? if not, either mother has betrayed her or she's just as bad as she thought she'd be. fingers crossed. [break][break]

"so you say~.." she says with a smile, carving out a second piece of lasagna to put onto her plate, that time "but i'd try to make time. things have finally started to lighten up, that is.. around my own business." especially after the tragedy that was supply chains after what happened in hoenn, which is partially her reason for coming back. but enough business talk; he was here to spend some time with her, and she was more than happy to have some family around again. [break][break]

when placing her own slice of lasagna down onto the plate, she finds herself absentmindedly (and expectingly) watching a man as he takes a bite of the dinner she's prepared. she probably watches a little too intently. [break][break]

"how does it taste?"

Leonidas Stone

☉

...Son of a bitch, this is a miracle.[break][break]

Though he’d heard and known the words that were being spoken to him, they seemed to simply travel into one ear and remain stuck within the halfway point as he, himself, stared idly upon the plate of food before him. As if an artist struggling with his next masterpiece, nothing more than a vast blank had drawn itself within his mind as he continuously gazed upon the platter.[break][break]

He moved his jaw, chewing.[break]
He stopped before long, furrowing his brows.[break][break]

And then he snapped back into reality after the words lingered for several moments longer—too long, he came to realize—as he perked up and turned his head, slightly, to find a certain someone gazing intently towards him. Before he could even catch himself, a soft, slightly huffing laugh escaped his lips as he tapped his work against the plate.[break][break]

”Ah. Uh. I just blanked—...” he started off, only to cut himself off with a pensive hum as the threads of his mind struggled to properly compose themselves once more. Before long, a defeated, yet amused smile stretched upon his lips as they pursed together gently.[break][break]

”It’s…good. …It’s actually pretty damn good~...” he chuckled, giving the fork one last tap before beginning to cut a second piece off. With a hum, he quickly nudged it atop the prongs and lifted it into his mouth, just as he’d done with the first. ”Sorry— uh. …What did you say, again? Before the whole, ‘How does it taste,’ thing~?”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: slumber party

☉

a miracle indeed, and even she was surprised at how it turned out. like.. it actually turned out half decent. it turned out pretty good, and edible, for arceus' sake. of course, she didn't know that until she took a small piece and bite of the lasagna herself, and you could practically feel the pride that radiated from hr body, along with the small glitter in her green eyes as she let the taste settle against her tongue. [break][break]

and her smile only broadens at his approval, after his short moment of.. realization? she chuckles softly after she finishes her bite, slicing off another piece of the food with her knife to take in her fork. "oh? it was so good that you missed what i said?" she jests, of course, even if the sound of that brings more of a smile to her lips. [break][break]

rather than repeating herself, though, she only shakes her head slightly and starts to cut off another piece. "nothing important, only business~" she takes another bite, humming with a broadening smile on her lips "i take it that the hard work has paid off? considering that your company's name has made it to my ears."

Leonidas Stone

☉

”Yes, actually~,” he chuckled, his eyes narrowing contently in tandem with an instinctive raise of the cheeks. Even as he still found himself enjoying the second bite, his fork had found its way back to the plate in favor of preparing a third. ”This is…honestly really, really pleasant surprise~.”[break][break]

A silent, Arceus really is real, followed the remark in his mind.[break]
She didn’t have to know.[break][break]

Rather than preparing another helping straightaway, however, he breathed a soft sigh and rested the utensil taken between his fingertips against the outer edge of the plate. He hummed, pressing a thumb against the corner of his lips to check for any excess sauce before ultimately holding his hand in place to cover his mouth for a small while longer.[break][break]

”Mmm— yes, though! Quite well, yes,” he chuckled, the words vaguely muffled between both gentle laughter and the food, alike. He took a brief moment to chew more before swallowing the food down, lowering his hand to reveal the same, idle grin upon his lips. ”Although, I’m a bit surprised it met your ears… Quick success aside, I always figured it wasn’t very much related or of interest to what the family always did…”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: slumber party

☉

it's nice (and a little odd) to see that he was enjoying her food. what, considering how her track record of cooking wasn't.. exactly clan, or the best, and consistently horrible. not that he would ever tell her. she does know to some extent, but it's cute how her little brother doesn't want to hurt her feelings. [break][break]

and so she hums, glancing to the side as she takes another small piece of lasagna in her fork. her eyes linger on it for a little while, before she carefully brings it up to her lips. "i like to periodically check in with the family~" her lips curl into a smile as she takes a bite, raising a hand up to cover her mouth as she chews. then swallows, and she brightens up a little more. who'd know that she was able to actually make something good? [break][break]

"if your venture wasn't much related or of interest, then what i've turned to is probably far from the mark." granted she's always been fickle, if only because it was so hard to find a purpose. "although between the two of us.." eyes fall down to the plate, and her smile falls somber "i think you'd have been the better one to take over devon in alex's absence."

Leonidas Stone

☉