(And wasn't it weird, she thought, that when she thought of someone who was to her what Ally had been to Serenade, she immediately thought of Grayson. It wasn't exactly a brother-sister relationship her Princess had had for the Prince. It was definitely a romantic relationship. And she didn't want that with Grayson, did she?
Did she?)
She pushed such troubling thoughts out of her mind, and tied her pretty red bandanna into a neat knot behind one ear. It was almost lunchtime; almost, of course, being the key word. She didn't know what the plans were, going out or staying in or anything, she just knew that it was almost time to eat and she was kind of nervous about going downstairs. Was it tremendously different, being sixteen as compared to fifteen? She had been fifteen for an awfully long time--well, okay, seven months less than otherwise, but. And Grayson had not been very helpful on that matter, he'd just come back with an "mmmwhaaat" which she took as a 'let me sleep', so she did.
Elke siiighed and reached up to run her hands through her hair. Remembering the headband, she ended up just setting her palms down on top of the fabric and sighing again. "Nervous," she grumbled.
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Grayson would probably always sleep in. It was one of his defining qualities, his apparent ability to sleep anywhere at any time, for just about as long as he was allowed. Sometimes he got a little annoyed when he missed things, but people were generally pretty good about waking him up. Elke tried that morning, but she didn't try quite hard enough to actually wake him up; he had a fleeting memory of grunting something at her and then slipping back into the warm, comfortable haze of sleep, so he was definitely irritated by the time he finally woke up.
It was Elke's birthday. He wasn't supposed to sleep in on Elke's birthday. It was with this in mind that he stumbled into the bathroom, stubbed his toe on a sharp corner and swore loudly. Normally, he would have given himself time to wake up before he slouched into the shower, but he figured he'd already wasted enough time for the day. He was halfway through his shower when he remembered that he needed clean clothes, and he groaned, thumping his forehead against the stall wall.
Luckily there were towels in the bathroom cupboard; he wrapped one around his hips, hair heavy despite being so short, disheveled curls falling in his eyes and irritating him as he eased open the bathroom door and glanced from side to side. Toothbrush hanging out of his mouth, he kept one hand firmly anchored on the tie of his towel, multitasking with the other so that he wouldn't have to waste any more time than necessary when he got back into the bathroom.
The coast was clear, so he left large, watery footprints in the carpet as he headed down the hall, thankful that it was a short trip. Pop would be annoyed if he saw them, but Grayson was kind of hoping they would dry up before anyone else came upstairs; it was Elke's birthday, right? They'd all be downstairs anyway.
Comforted by this, he swung the door open to his room, stopping short when he realized that the shrieking from the general direction of his dresser meant that he was not, in fact, alone.
Whoops. At least he still had the towel on.
It was Elke's birthday. He wasn't supposed to sleep in on Elke's birthday. It was with this in mind that he stumbled into the bathroom, stubbed his toe on a sharp corner and swore loudly. Normally, he would have given himself time to wake up before he slouched into the shower, but he figured he'd already wasted enough time for the day. He was halfway through his shower when he remembered that he needed clean clothes, and he groaned, thumping his forehead against the stall wall.
Luckily there were towels in the bathroom cupboard; he wrapped one around his hips, hair heavy despite being so short, disheveled curls falling in his eyes and irritating him as he eased open the bathroom door and glanced from side to side. Toothbrush hanging out of his mouth, he kept one hand firmly anchored on the tie of his towel, multitasking with the other so that he wouldn't have to waste any more time than necessary when he got back into the bathroom.
The coast was clear, so he left large, watery footprints in the carpet as he headed down the hall, thankful that it was a short trip. Pop would be annoyed if he saw them, but Grayson was kind of hoping they would dry up before anyone else came upstairs; it was Elke's birthday, right? They'd all be downstairs anyway.
Comforted by this, he swung the door open to his room, stopping short when he realized that the shrieking from the general direction of his dresser meant that he was not, in fact, alone.
Whoops. At least he still had the towel on.
She should have gone out and downstairs to throw herself on one or the other of her male not-showering relatives; it was her duty and her right, since it was her birthday. Probably she should not have shifted herself to sprawl across the bed and huff at precisely nothing. It would have been a smarter idea to go wait for her favorite brother-teammate-awkward love interest? downstairs, since she had noticed he'd gone to shower without clothes to change into. This was understandable, since she hated changing in the bathroom after showering. It made her feel gross, all wet and drippy even though she knew she was dry. However, Elke was not as mature as Grayson--and so, when he came in with only a towel on, she very obligingly let out a shriek that just resonated disturbed innocence.
It would have been much more convincing had it not faded into peals of bell-like laughter, her hands coming down from her eyes to clutch at her sides.
"Sorry, Graysonnnn," she crooned, cracking one eyelid open enough to peer up at his face. "I had to." It was practically tradition, and hopefully their parents downstairs knew or could assume it. (Knowing them, they did.) "I'm glad you're awake, I thought you were gonna be asleep all day. Maman and Papa said to say hi to you, so I did."
Today was not a day to be sad over anything, she decided.
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The laughter was infinitely preferable to the shrieking, and once that order of business was done, Grayson rolled his eyes and smiled. Because he still had his toothbrush in his mouth, his good morning was garbled when he waved a hand at her to shoo her off the dresser. Though it was just Elke, his face heated a little bit in embarrassment at being caught in only a towel, though not for the reasons one might have expected; it was his vanity that was hurting, not any sense of modesty. Still, there was no taking back when she'd already seen, so he simply leaned over a bit and started pulling random articles of clothing out of the dresser until he found the ones he water.
He used his tongue to move the toothbrush from one side of his mouth to the other, finally unearthing a black and gray long-sleeved shirt that should have been hanging in the closet. Why it was in his dresser was beyond him, though the most likely reason was that he'd gotten tired of sorting his clothes and had just started jamming things where they didn't belong.
Offering Elke a brief nod, he awkwardly filled the crook of one arm with all the clothes he needed and did his best to keep the towel in place with his other hand. He was well aware that she hadn't actually been horrified to see him in just a towel as it had happened before, but he could remember very clearly the last time she'd seen him completely naked. Traumatizing for everyone, he was sure.
At the time, anyway. He frowned a little, mind meandering into a direction that he wasn't quite prepared to acknowledge, and shook his head, sending droplets of water everywhere. He was not going there, he told himself, not there there anyway, not with Elke and on her birthday and when he'd always looked at her as a sister, anyway.
The protests seemed feeble even inside his own head, so he simply scowled and shut the bathroom door, dumping his clothes on top of the toilet so he could finish getting ready. It was a much-more put together Grayson who met Elke in the hallway, an easy smile on his lips when he leaned over to kiss each of her cheeks.
"Happy birthday, sweetie," he said, breath minty and still smelling strongly of his soap and shampoo. "Sorry I slept in. You know you could have just shaken me until I got up, right?"
He used his tongue to move the toothbrush from one side of his mouth to the other, finally unearthing a black and gray long-sleeved shirt that should have been hanging in the closet. Why it was in his dresser was beyond him, though the most likely reason was that he'd gotten tired of sorting his clothes and had just started jamming things where they didn't belong.
Offering Elke a brief nod, he awkwardly filled the crook of one arm with all the clothes he needed and did his best to keep the towel in place with his other hand. He was well aware that she hadn't actually been horrified to see him in just a towel as it had happened before, but he could remember very clearly the last time she'd seen him completely naked. Traumatizing for everyone, he was sure.
At the time, anyway. He frowned a little, mind meandering into a direction that he wasn't quite prepared to acknowledge, and shook his head, sending droplets of water everywhere. He was not going there, he told himself, not there there anyway, not with Elke and on her birthday and when he'd always looked at her as a sister, anyway.
The protests seemed feeble even inside his own head, so he simply scowled and shut the bathroom door, dumping his clothes on top of the toilet so he could finish getting ready. It was a much-more put together Grayson who met Elke in the hallway, an easy smile on his lips when he leaned over to kiss each of her cheeks.
"Happy birthday, sweetie," he said, breath minty and still smelling strongly of his soap and shampoo. "Sorry I slept in. You know you could have just shaken me until I got up, right?"
She curled up on the bed, buried her face in the comforter and watched her brother. When he had come back from the grave--from the hospital, she corrected herself, the hospital--when he had come back from the hospital, he looked different. He was scarred, yes; she wanted to ask if they still hurt, but the injuries looked old and she knew he was sensitive about it, and that wasn't all of it anyway. She thought, maybe, the big difference was in the eyes looking at him. At first, she had investigated this, looking at other men and boys to see if they made her stomach hop in quite that way. They didn't, so she looked at girls, because the unscarred side of Grayson's face was almost girlishly pretty. And some of them had interesting faces, but she still didn't feel that little pop-hop! that she was coming to associate with her brother.
So, she had surmised, it was not just her eyes. She had asked her Maman, nervously, what it meant when someone's tummy felt weird looking at one specific person. Aysel had been of no help; she'd asked who, asked what kind of weird: Is it like butterflies, ma petite? Is it more like a heavy weight? Butterflies, hmm? And then she'd laughed. Her Maman had laughed at her. And all affronted dignity, she had hung up and said to the room at large that Mamas were such pains. When she was a mama, she was going to take the best care of her babies and not be a pain in the butt like Aysel.
(For some reason, people found this funny.)
But of course Elke forgave her Maman, and when Aysel called next it was to say that the funny feeling was a crush. Who gave Elke this funny feeling? Did Aysel know him?
This information perturbed Elke. Of course she didn't have a crush on Grayson. Grayson was her brother, that'd just be weird and gross and weird. Time passed, though, and it started seeming more and more likely--she spent so much time thinking about her brother. And not in childish innocent little-girl ways, either! In the context of her memories of Soldier Leo she was thinking of her brother and that just. That just wasn't right!
And seeing him half-undressed was so not helping, she decided, so she closed her eyes and sprawled out on the bed until she heard him leave. Then, siiiiighing, she rolled off the bed to her feel and padded out to wait for Grayson. (In the meantime, just in case Dad or Pop got curious, she mopped up some puddles with a towel from the hall closet. No one could get in trouble on her birthday. It was a rule.)
"Bise," she said, lifting her chin so Grayson could more easily kiss her cheeks. Her face flamed red, the pink tone creeping over olive skin. "Thank you, Grayson!" It meant a lot to have him there to wish her a good birthday; she couldn't imagine a day like this without her precious brother. "Are you coming to the sleepover tonight?" Of course he was. Why wouldn't he come to her and the Princess's birthday party? He loved them both.
(for a moment, selfishly, she hoped he loved her more)
She shrugged. "I didn't want to. You said to let you go back to sleep so I did. It was very warm and cozy, Grayson." And she smiled, stepping in closer to hug her brother properly.
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He scowled a little when she said that he'd told her to let him sleep, both because he knew that he probably had and also because he knew that he shouldn't have, but there wasn't a whole lot of feeling to it. Grayson had a hard time holding onto anger on a regular day, but on his sister's birthday, it was all but impossible; Elke deserved all the happiness in the world every day, but especially on her birthday. Even Tristan made a concentrated effort not to argue, generally went so far as to offer a hug rather than having to be bullied into it; she was the baby of the family, the only little girl, and so everyone spoiled her a bit. It was simply the way things were.
When she moved into the circle of his arms it was only natural for him to link his hands behind her, laced fingers resting at the small of her back. She turned her cheek against his chest, seemingly content to rest there for an undetermined amount of time; it was funny, because he was in no hurry to release her, either. Well, it wasn't so strange, because Grayson had always been a very physically affectionate person, but even he couldn't tell himself that the slow-spreading warmth everywhere their bodies aligned was something he felt for just anyone, either.
A little troubled by it, because this was his little sister and even though they weren't related by blood they were as much family as they were anything else, he kissed the top of her head, slowly skimming his thumbs a few inches up her back. Elke felt right in his arms -- she always had -- but she felt a little more right, a little more perfect, lately.
This annoyed him, because it was getting harder to determine if it was echoes of Soldier Leo's affection for his love or Grayson's own feelings. He'd staunchly believed it to be the former, and most of him still did, because if it wasn't -- if it wasn't -- was his heart really so fickle? Could he really go from caring about Benny, a boy whose face he could barely remember, to a deep affection for Jude, to realizing that perhaps, all along, there had been someone by his side that he was destined to love?
He didn't like the idea of destiny. He didn't. He had been born into this world as Grayson Graves, not Solider Leo; he had been raised by loving parents and told that he could choose who he gave his heart to, no matter who they ended up being. He could choose, couldn't he? There was no cosmic chart that determined which pieces fell together, no plan written in the night sky that said Leo and Virgo would always find each other and --
And it was getting awkward, standing there holding here, and he was a little bemused to find that even if this was predetermined, even if this slow-building affection was something that had been decided for him, the part of him that would choose it anyway was growing faster and faster every day. It was still a choice, then, a choice to be happy, except --
He pulled back a little, lips pursed, and looked down into her face. "Sorry," he said finally, and smiled. "Got lost. What were we talking about?"
This was normal behavior for Grayson. The thoughtful looks, the long silences and accidental woolgathering, they were all normal. The only thing that was different was... well, everything that was going on inside his head, wasn't it?
It wasn't the sort of thing that you dealt with on someone's birthday, though. Especially not when that someone was the brightest-eyed, most innocent young woman you'd ever met, someone who looked at you like a brother and trusted you like a brother.
It was just his fault, again, that his stupid heart was trailing down a road it wasn't welcome to travel.
When she moved into the circle of his arms it was only natural for him to link his hands behind her, laced fingers resting at the small of her back. She turned her cheek against his chest, seemingly content to rest there for an undetermined amount of time; it was funny, because he was in no hurry to release her, either. Well, it wasn't so strange, because Grayson had always been a very physically affectionate person, but even he couldn't tell himself that the slow-spreading warmth everywhere their bodies aligned was something he felt for just anyone, either.
A little troubled by it, because this was his little sister and even though they weren't related by blood they were as much family as they were anything else, he kissed the top of her head, slowly skimming his thumbs a few inches up her back. Elke felt right in his arms -- she always had -- but she felt a little more right, a little more perfect, lately.
This annoyed him, because it was getting harder to determine if it was echoes of Soldier Leo's affection for his love or Grayson's own feelings. He'd staunchly believed it to be the former, and most of him still did, because if it wasn't -- if it wasn't -- was his heart really so fickle? Could he really go from caring about Benny, a boy whose face he could barely remember, to a deep affection for Jude, to realizing that perhaps, all along, there had been someone by his side that he was destined to love?
He didn't like the idea of destiny. He didn't. He had been born into this world as Grayson Graves, not Solider Leo; he had been raised by loving parents and told that he could choose who he gave his heart to, no matter who they ended up being. He could choose, couldn't he? There was no cosmic chart that determined which pieces fell together, no plan written in the night sky that said Leo and Virgo would always find each other and --
And it was getting awkward, standing there holding here, and he was a little bemused to find that even if this was predetermined, even if this slow-building affection was something that had been decided for him, the part of him that would choose it anyway was growing faster and faster every day. It was still a choice, then, a choice to be happy, except --
He pulled back a little, lips pursed, and looked down into her face. "Sorry," he said finally, and smiled. "Got lost. What were we talking about?"
This was normal behavior for Grayson. The thoughtful looks, the long silences and accidental woolgathering, they were all normal. The only thing that was different was... well, everything that was going on inside his head, wasn't it?
It wasn't the sort of thing that you dealt with on someone's birthday, though. Especially not when that someone was the brightest-eyed, most innocent young woman you'd ever met, someone who looked at you like a brother and trusted you like a brother.
It was just his fault, again, that his stupid heart was trailing down a road it wasn't welcome to travel.
It was never uncomfortable to hug Grayson. She didn't quite know how to explain it; she'd tried, a few times, to tell Maman why she hadn't gone back to the dorms after Grayson returned. It was more than just being close to him, spatially, because Crystal wasn't far. Every explanation seemed to fail, no matter how hard she tried to make it make sense.
Unlike Grayson, Elke had been raised to believe in fate. There was more to her life, Aysel had always said, than random chance; there was more to life than an endless string of coincidences. Edmund had tried to be more reasonable, to explain that not everything happens for a reason, but in the end the Armas had a romantic-minded daughter. Elke was sure that when the stars aligned right, she would find the person she was meant to spend her life with. Serenade and Alistair had proven it to her--proven it could be broken, too, that it wasn't the be-all end-all, that terrible things could happen, but that was fate, too. It was meant to be.
Fate, she knew, could be cruel.
From personal experience, she knew. Her first death, her second, the almost-third. The loss of her Grayson, those terrible two weeks. But Fate was kinder to her than it had ever been to Serenade; she had her closest companion back, and the Princess did not.
However! Birthdays were not times for such sad thoughts: She mustered her smile and leaned back a bit to smile at Grayson. He was so silly, sometimes. He wandered off mid-sentence and 'got lost' and that was all right.
"The sleepover," she prompted. "You're going to be there, right? Everyone is." Everyone meaning the Zodiac, everyone she could think of. Maman and Papa's present to her had been the reservations for her and Serenade's party, and it was just unthinkable he wouldn't be there. "…Where did you get lost to," she asked after a moment, "C'mon, it's safe to tell me! I won't laugh."
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"Oh, the sleepover," he said, expression clearing. He seemed to consider it a moment, lower lip sliding out thoughtfully, before he winked. "If everyone's going to be there, I guess I am, too."
Normally, he would have ruffled her hair, but it was her birthday and she'd done something really cute with it, besides, so he settled for running his hands up her back and patting her shoulders. Downstairs, he could hear people milling around, but no one had bothered to come check on them yet; normally this wouldn't have been a concern, but he felt a little guilty.
His parents surely would bother to come check on them if they were aware of the conflicting, confused feelings Grayson was trying to sort for their adoptive daughter. They loved and trusted him, of course, but there was a line that existed when there was romantic intent that simply wasn't there where it came to family, obviously. It felt a little dishonest to keep things to himself, but since he still wasn't even sure anyway, was there really any harm?
He pursed his lips, glided his palm down her arm so that he could take her hand. Touching Elke was normal, of course, because the two of them touched all the time -- it wouldn't be considered strange at all for them to hold hands. It was just a little strange that he didn't seem to want to keep his hands off her lately.
"I was... thinking about astrology club," he decided, falling into her code easily. "But it wasn't anything important."
Grayson rarely lied, and when he did, he didn't make eye contact. It was a good thing, then, that this wasn't completely a lie; he was able to hold her gaze, looking cheerful, and only felt a little bit bad for glossing over the truth. To compensate for it, he squeezed her hand and said, "We've got time before lunch. Want to go to the park or something?"
He'd been meaning to take Elke to the playground ever since he saw Ignacio there, and what better day than her birthday?
Normally, he would have ruffled her hair, but it was her birthday and she'd done something really cute with it, besides, so he settled for running his hands up her back and patting her shoulders. Downstairs, he could hear people milling around, but no one had bothered to come check on them yet; normally this wouldn't have been a concern, but he felt a little guilty.
His parents surely would bother to come check on them if they were aware of the conflicting, confused feelings Grayson was trying to sort for their adoptive daughter. They loved and trusted him, of course, but there was a line that existed when there was romantic intent that simply wasn't there where it came to family, obviously. It felt a little dishonest to keep things to himself, but since he still wasn't even sure anyway, was there really any harm?
He pursed his lips, glided his palm down her arm so that he could take her hand. Touching Elke was normal, of course, because the two of them touched all the time -- it wouldn't be considered strange at all for them to hold hands. It was just a little strange that he didn't seem to want to keep his hands off her lately.
"I was... thinking about astrology club," he decided, falling into her code easily. "But it wasn't anything important."
Grayson rarely lied, and when he did, he didn't make eye contact. It was a good thing, then, that this wasn't completely a lie; he was able to hold her gaze, looking cheerful, and only felt a little bit bad for glossing over the truth. To compensate for it, he squeezed her hand and said, "We've got time before lunch. Want to go to the park or something?"
He'd been meaning to take Elke to the playground ever since he saw Ignacio there, and what better day than her birthday?
She waited in suspense for him to say what she already knew. Of course Grayson would be at her party. It was her party, and he'd never let her down--but still, she should look at him, wide-eyed and innocent and waiting; she should pretend she didn't already know that he would, of course, come with her.
That aside, he was touching her hand and she kind of felt self-conscious over it. They held hands all the time; no one would think it was strange at all, especially not Dad and Pop, but was holding hands different with someone you had a crush on as compared to someone who was your brother? It had to be, or more people would hold hands with their brothers as compared to their boyfriends.
So he'd been thinking about the Zodiac?… well, she had sort of brought it up. "Everyone" was the Zodiac. The Zodiac was everyone, that was just how it worked. They held the line and kept the world safe and--
She decided to think about happier things. There was still the matter of her sudden boost in power to somehow share with Grayson.
After a moment of thought, Elke ran her free hand over her hair, over the headband, and then looked up with a smile. "Yeah, let's go to the park! I'm sure Dad and Pop won't mind. We can sit on the swings."
