[PLOT - PRP] A Formal Invitation (Vanya and Cosworth)

[Teigra]

Vanya had just started to pull away when Pinkie made her re-appearance known. Either Pinkie had some particular skill in seeming to appear out of nowhere, or the Seer was just particularly off her game today. Either way, she took the moment to wipe her tears away while the pink whirlwind swept through the cottage, then was gone again.

Apparently, they were to move tea outside today.

In the silence following Pinkie's exit, Vanya finished wiping her face before turning back to Cosworth as if nothing had happened. Seemed she was getting used to Pinkie rather quickly. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable just now. It's just...I forget sometimes..." she trailed off, hands clasped in front of her. "Hard to believe now, but I never liked being touched when I was younger. It seems natural now, even necessary for a while at first before I adjusted to the change, and well...I forget sometimes how uncomfortable it can make others. And...now I'm rambling. I just...I'm sorry. Feel free to tell me to stop if it bothers you," she finished, turning back towards her chair.

Quietly, she continued after a moment. "Honestly, of course, I'd still love for you to be there. But on the other hand, I'd understand completely if it's too much. It's alright if you don't make it," she said, stifling her own disappointment for the sake of her friend. How could she expect him to be happy for her, when it dredged up so many horrible memories of his own?

Smiling kindly, she reached for his hand. She didn't want to dismiss what had just happened lightly, nor did she think it best to dwell either for too long, else they get weighed down by what they'd just seen, or in Cosworth's case, re-lived. "Pinkie will be waiting for us with the tea. I suppose we shouldn't keep her waiting long." She turned towards her friend, squeezing his hand lightly, a silent sign of her willingness to help with whatever he most needed right now. If not right now, if he ever wanted to speak more about what had happened, she'd be there. And if he wanted to leave it be for now, she'd understand as well.  

[Doof]

Pinkie's voice had come from the doorway completely unobserved and so suddenly that Cosworth almost knocked the Seer over in his haste to turn away his red eyes. "Pinkie Pie, for goodness sake!" He was about to berate his new friend for once more just barging in again, but bit his lip as he realized the pink fauny was either genuinely clueless about what had just happened, or was only doing her best to break the tension she saw. "Just remember to knock, all right?" He watched her gathering various things around the cottage, blanket (admittedly at the fringes of what could be considered 'clean'), cups, and an old vase that he hadn't seen used in many seasons.

"Don't worry about the punch, Pinkie. We have tea, I'll bring it out." His energetic friend wasn't taking her time- she darted outside, laying out the beginnings of a front-yard picnic. Her timing, as always, was impeccable.

The old faun then turned his attention back to Vanya. He welcomed the kind gesture, although he had to admit that at the time he was at a loss as to what an appropriate reaction on his part would have been. "It's fine." was all he said to allay her worries- he'd been happy to accept her hug because he needed it at the time, although under different circumstances he wasn't sure if he'd panic a little more or not. Then, just for a little more reassurance, "I'm no stranger to hugs, you know. I just... haven't had one in many years."

Cosworth walked over to the bench that had a full pot of still-warm tea on it, a heavy sigh escaping him as his guest expressed her understanding at his less than enthusiastic response to her invitation. "It may well be too much. But I've faced my memories before. After all, I enjoyed years of happiness from my marriage, as I'm sure you will, I- I just don't know." I could end up making a mess of myself, too. "I'll make a decision before long, I just need a little time." He picked up the pot and with his other hand, took Vanya's and began to escort her to the door. "I'll have Ede send my response. Your mellon might know it."

Before they stepped outside, Cosworth paused, eyeing a very worn and dirty flask at the corner of the table they'd just been sitting at. After a moment's hesitation, he told Vanya to wait, as he ducked over and stuffed the flask into one of his shorts pockets. "Well, let's get going then."

He led Vanya out into the hot sun, towards the shade tree that Pinkie Pie had picked out. For some reason, the scorching sun felt better on his shoulders than the cool shade did. "Pinkie Pie, please take care of the Lady Vanya for me. Here's the tea." He handed her the pot, then turned towards his steam engine. "I'm just going to go set up your cannon to be recharged." He wasted no time wheeling the small cannon to his air compressor, which sat on the ground beside his running engine. Before he geared it in, though, he snuck in a very long gulp of the liquor in his flask. The stuff was terrible, nowhere near as good as any of Mojo's spirits, but that was to be expected- The engineer had made it himself after all. After swallowing the rough liquid, Cosworth blinked back the watering in his eyes that resulted and pulled the clutch that engaged his air compressor, before bending down and locking its pipe into place at the rear of the cannon.