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"Hey, sooooo....You wouldn't mind if I took Aqua out to dinner, right?" the words said casual as could be, drawn out and drawled all smooth-like. As though he weren't a half-nervous mess with ten-million other questions on his mind! This was the one to start with though, here, with Jet. Basking in the sovereigns Aura, bearing an impressive bouquet of a 'Thank you for saving my friends!' basket that was filled to the brim with fruits on sticks on fruits on chocolate sticks on fruits!

Ribboned, glittered, full of star-festival flare and bedazzled filigree. Albite was very, very, extraordinarily careful with how he set the thing down on Jets vast desk. Fluffing the overly canary-yellow, gold-glitter bow, fidgeting with bullshit for the time it took him to gather up enough nerves to meet Jets eyes.

"For business---" he hedged even more carefully, finally finding Jet beyond the star-fruits, glazed grapes, blaccurant twists. "Mostly just business? Cause it feels rude that m'always only ever coming to you two for business, or bullshit, or the world blowing up! Ahhhmm...sometimes? Sometimes it definitely feels like it's just that..." he puffed out a sigh, lacked the words to explain how he wasn't just like that and this wasn't him trying to be manipulative!

Sure, there was in fact business to discuss! Small time, small fries, itty-bitty goals he actually wanted to achieve for himself -- for them all -- and maybe some materials that he needed to ensure were acquired? He knew he could get Magnus n his new Midas-touched-paws on board, might hunt Almadel out for some discarded koso-shells. Getting his hands on crystals for his Haybaby though?

"You two do have lives beyond this, yeah? Right? OH! I got other people on the team to sign the card. S'ah thanks for saving Helio like that, magical dome or no magical dome? It would've sucked if he got shot into space n ******** floated away," he made the sound effects to go along with the prolonged wooossshhh noise, the vacuous sucking, the lost-ish look in his wide eyes for how inexplicably terrifying that particular sci-fy side of space had seemed to him in those moments before he shook it all off and got his head back on straight.

"Like...ugh..I'm the last one people want doing funerals around here, leme tell you."

‘H a r e m…’ the word mouthed slowly, silently, like the sound from out of Jet’s mouth did not quite compute. As though Waru had never considered it before, and in doing so now he was the one who now needed time to process *that* while under the leaned back scrutiny of Jet’s narrow gaze.

Cause surely Jet hadn’t said…

But no, no, Albite had heard Jet correctly, he was sure! And if he stared for a moment longer than was strictly necessary? He thought maybe he’d be forgiven this once! Because the staring was necessary while he processed—

So, so, so much—

Because none of that sounded like an invitation and alllll of it sounded like the hinge of trapped jaws opening around his big, fat, ego-swollen head. He was absolutely not blushing out of some confused mix of pride and ********! Because on the one hand? The fact that Jet thought he had the balls on him to try n sway Aqua of all people. The charm to maybe succeed at it! Just, compliments of the highest order to Albites ears, n on the other, larger, more important hand….

He couldn’t see where he’d ever have the gall to try.

Not with how he looked at Aqua the same as he looked at Kamacite, or Mizuki, or – <******** – Haymitch even! Bosom buddies, and gossip pals, and people to check in on and annoy gently – with teeth – and all while knowing the dangers inherent in doing so at the wrong time. The thrill that came with having friends exactly like that! Who he could talk to honestly, who would tell him their opinions bluntly, who never pulled their punches. N’there had always been something about Aqua’s piercing stare—

The way he could’ve sworn he remembered there being a sizable bed in Aquas office the last time he’d been there, or maybe the time before that?

‘For him and his sizeable husband—’ and he was grinning for another reason entirely now. Letting Jet’s brief burst of quiet laughter sooth his nerves. All the ways he’d never quite paid close attention to all those office accouterments before, to Aqua n Jets heights, either, but now? He thought maybe Jet was the taller of the two, had to be. Which meant they probably barely fit together in those closest of nappable quarters, and ******** if it wasn’t the cutest, most romantic thing he could think of just then.

“Fr’one? I won’t take back the gift or the card, so you’re stuck with those. Necessary or not? My thank-you’s are all non-refundable. N’for another— Oh! What do I need him for? Like, specifically….” the y dragged out and trailed on, the heart of the matter was that he needed Aqua for nothing at all, and everything all at once. He wanted the man's opinion the same as he wanted Jets. Opposite sides of the same harsh, glinting coin. Familiar edges worn rough by the same world they all together lived in. He craved the blonds bluntness, his sharp wit, his every bitchy sneer n eye-roll.

Aqua was always so ******** -- human? Tangible n harsh as a rock wall slammed by waves...

What didn’t he need him for?!

“Y’r kidding right? I mean, what wouldn’t I need him for! His opinion, for one, cause it's just – and like – ohkay – “ And Emmy had told him to keep things on track! Prioritize n itemize n have all the words ready — Waru felt himself failing, a half-wince gracing his features while he tried to walk both of his own feet right back out of his big mouth. “Aqua’s a friend," and he couldn't let the silence stand for long, couldn't let the pause that came after that sit and be still. “Just a friend! Just— not that he’s not, like, diamonds for days levels of gorgeous, right? Cause, yeh, obviously, and you know that. But, m’not – it’s not –”

'Oh, s**t, this is going poorly—' he told himself to breathe, wished he could take the bodice off -- or stand before Jet as just a man, all human bones n easily carved flesh. But he'd come as a Senshi, with a plan! He had materials he needed, and items to help his darling Mau's craft and if he could just get through this bit here --- and Albite sighed his way into his next bit of rough run-on wordiness.

“Aqua’s the happiest with you I’ve ever seen anyone be with another person, yeah? Let’s–ah–let's just put it that way. N’the idea of pissing-up something like that when you two’re so obviously-—” he didn’t know how to finish that particular sentence, pressed his fingers together pointedly while looking at Jet like he was daring the man to deny ‘it’ (whatever ‘it’ was). As if he hadn’t witnessed just enough times that he could count ‘em on both his hands the way those two were inexorably paired. Always one following the other into hell n back, and ******** if he didn’t get the sentiment himself! As if he didn’t know firsthand *that* particular feeling.

All the things a person would do for their King.

“I’ve got just the two rings yeah? 'N I don’t intend on adding a third – or fifth – or other’ith. My hands 'n fingers are full for now, n' so’s the – uhm – th’harem?” He couldn’t say his heart would ever be, no more than his head was; the spaces cavernous and the rooms within those spaces Mc. Escher levels of endlessly sprawling and howling wildness. Open doors in all directions! Enough room for all who wanted a room with more to spare! But he had a feeling that Aqua’s heart was, just, the absolute fullest. Mostly of knives n daggers? But definitely also Jet! He would’ve bet his soul on it right here n right now.

"Chances are we'll just -- like -- chill? N' eat, n'maybe I'll run my ideas by him too, same as with you. Though--uh--with ******** allocation' questions? M'not sure that kinda talk pairs well with drinks..." and he would absolutely check his notes to make sure he'd said any of that right. Getting a list outta a Mau was like pulling a**-hairs off a tiger, bad-business-end levels of dangerous s**t. He'd done it though! Between J'bird, n Ilmari, n Hayby, n Magnus! He'd certainly done something.