a lot can happen in twenty seconds [ff15 au]

[pickheartwhetstone]

At some point during the night, Rox woke up and slid out of the bedroom to grab her discarded shirt and bra. She didn't know if Rinka and Aurene were home, and she didn't check. If they had come home maybe they had noticed, maybe they hadn't. Hopefully, they hadn't noticed yet. She knew when she'd passed out in Nyx's arms they hadn't been home, but at this point it was the wee hours of the morning.

She was surprised when she returned to see a handsome, disheveled, bleary eyed Nyx sitting up in bed. Her recovered clothes were discarded and she jumped him. She got him all hot and bothered again and more intimate catching up was had, though this time, Rox made an effort to keep down her volume.

~~~

Rox heard rummaging in the kitchen. She lay draped over a hot, hard, delicious male in her bed. Muscles she'd forgotten existed were sore from the hungry, relentless activity of the evening and night before, but she savored every ache. Because it was Nyx. She opened one eye and peered at the handsome bastard who still slept soundly. She had worn him out, she thought with a pleased smile, quite proud of herself.

But as much as she wanted to snuggle, whichever of her daughters was in the kitchen making food—probably Rinka in all honesty—had awakened her empty stomach. It growled quietly in protest to all the exercise and the lack of calories. Of course, that rumble woke up her bladder, and Rox had to grudgingly and sleepily force herself away from the ridiculously tempting heat of the stupidly gorgeous man in her bed.

She wobbled a bit on her way to the bathroom and after cleaning up, grabbed the first shirt on the floor and tugged it on. Rox realized with a small smile it was Nyx's shirt as it slipped off her shoulder and hung down to her thighs. Good enough. She winced a little as she headed to the kitchen.

Rox patted Rinka's head when she passed by, yawning. She hadn't looked at herself in the mirror. So Rox was unaware that her auburn hair was an utter disaster from sleep and Nyx's hands, and bruises littered her neck and exposed shoulder. "Good mornin', baby," she said, her voice hoarse. She blearily blinked at a cupboard for a mug.

Coffee, yes. And food. She grabbed one of the mugs and put it down before leaving it behind to open the fridge. She lounged drowsily against the open door and stared blankly inside.

She didn't want to cook. Leftovers?

Comments

[actualchild]

Aurene finally stopped laughing, or at least, the laughter had become more manageable and had dissolved into giggles. She took her phone back and smiled at the message Rinka had added to the group chat.

"Mom's right, he'd be lucky to get a kiss from you," Aurene added, resting her head on her hand and propping it up on her elbow.

"I'm sure he thinks so, too." They could all see just how much the two really liked each other, though it was really unfortunate that the situation around them meant they could likely not be together. Aurene shouldn't have been joking about it, but sometimes it was too easy.

Besides, Rinka was more than free to fire off some comments about her and Prompto in retaliation, if she wanted.

[pickheartwhetstone]

Rox's gaze went to Rinka and her heart ached for her daughter. She understood what Rinka suffered all too well. Certainly it was a different situation. Nyx was no prince. But circumstances stopped them from following their hearts, and in the end they'd grown apart never really recovering from their longing.

She didn't want that fate for Rinka. Either someone would come along that would mean more to her than the prince did now—after all, she was still young—or they'd have to find a way to be together.

Rox didn't know if she could help, but maybe she'd find a way. "I'm sure he does," Rox agreed with Aurene.

[voidblue]

If Rinka was actually bothered by all of it, she certainly had a damn stiff upper lip about the whole situation. She never talked about it. She still hung out with Noctis on a regular basis. They behaved as any friends would, though there were lingering stares when they thought no one was looking.

If she was being completely honest with her family, she'd shed her tears in private more times than she wanted to count. She always made sure she was put together after, though. Much like her mother, she refused to let anyone else see her pain.

A hold over from when she was little, teased for being different, for having one gray eye and faint streaks of white in her hair. When she reacted and cried, they got worse, meaner, pushed her more.

So she stopped crying, and got angry instead.

As far as she was concerned whatever she and Noctis had right then, that was going to have to be enough.

"Whatever! Keep it up and no one's getting cake!"

Aurene was the one making it, but Rinka felt she'd made her point.

"If I do the dishes for you, will I still get cake?" Nyx asked, even going so far as to dramatically bat his eyelashes at her. Rinka scowled.

"... yes."

[actualchild]

"Don't worry, you'll get cake anyway," Aurene said. Undermining her sister's authority, sister gonna sister. She did feel bad for her sister, but it wasn't like there was anything any of them could do about it.

"But doing the dishes is appreciated, Please do that." She added as an afterthought, not wanting Nyx to give up on that. If they could get someone else to do the dishes that would be even better.

She turned her attention back to the group chat.

aurene: got an idea of when you two will be here??

She was excited to see Prompto, okay. And Noctis. But obviously more Prompto.

[chosenkingoflucis]

Noctis, now dressed, finally flops down to check out his phone.

[503 UNREAD]

feesh: Why are there 500 messages on my phone? Did the Emperor lay an egg or somethin'? Someone give me the short n sweet version.

[voidblue]

spitfire: you'd know if you didn't sleep twenty three hours a day your royal bed lump

photog: be nice. or do you just not want to talk about why the rest of us were having a moment earlier ;)

spitfire: ugh fine

spitfire: that glaive guy is here

spitfire: as in he stayed over

spitfire: with our mom

spitfire: and was shirtless in our kitchen until about an hour ago

spitfire: like he's still hanging out

photog: she means ulric

spitfire: what

photog: there's a lotta glaives you gotta be specific

spitfire: yeah yeah point is we're making cake now get your scrawny asses over here

[actualchild]

aurene: we have to properly induct mr. ulric into the household with a "congrats on the sex" cake. what flavor of cake should we make?

Seriously, guys, these are important decisions. Aurene looked up at her mom and Nyx. That actually was a good question.

"What flavor of cake do you two want?"

[pickheartwhetstone]

Rox preferred chocolate. Yes, she was a basic bitch and she didn't care. She wasn't much of a cake person herself, she liked cheesecake better, so she stuck to what worked for her.

She looked over to Nyx. But... She didn't know what he liked. Sweets never came up. She'd made some food back in the day, but nothing sweet. Gods. Even after all this time, there was so much to learn. She really did know nothing about him did she? Well, maybe once upon a time she had. But so much time changed people.

"I like chocolate. I'm basic," Rox said. "What would you like?" she asked him softly.

[voidblue]

"Y'know, I don't have a huge preference either way? But chocolate is good to fall back on. Can't really go wrong with it, in my opinion," Nyx answered.

spitfire: adults say chocolate

That's like, thinking about his dad having sex! Oh wait...

[chosenkingoflucis]

feesh: A Glaive? Sounds worse than Gladio.

[There's a pause as the first couple texts sink in.]

feesh: What? Were they training or something? How bad was his ego bruised when you two didn't bat an eye?

[Another pause as he's typing without reading the whole thing.]

feesh: Hope he didn't stink up your kitchen

[A really long pause as it's clear he caught up, and it all sunk in. Then they get the following single word.]

feesh: Gross

[actualchild]

aurene: there we go, he finally got it

Aurene couldn't help but be so amused by Noctis's whole experience in getting to what actually happened.

aurene: honestly just happy my mom is happy. if mr. ulric makes her happy, then as long as he isn't hurting her he's okay in my book. congrats on the sex cake will probably make them even happier though.

[voidblue]

spitfire: welcome to the conversation, noct, glad you could join us

Even Prompto was laughing at how long that took.

spitfire: now are you two knuckleheads coming over or what?

photog: waiting for iggy to come pick us up. you think we'd miss out on cake?

spitfire: you wouldnt maybe but i think noct would miss his own graduation if it meant getting to sleep in for five more minutes

[pickheartwhetstone]

Rox watched her girls quietly chat on their phones to, what she imagined, were their boys, while Nyx cleaned up the table and began washing the dishes. It seemed... almost like was suddenly in another life. She had the love of her life and her daughters with her and they were all just a normal family.

Six. How easy was it for her to just let Nyx slide back into her life like he'd always belonged thee. It was ridiculous.

"So, what's the word, girls? Should we be expecting the boys soonish? Or later?"

[chosenkingoflucis]

feesh: Harr harr guys. Who needs graduation anyway.

[That's when the text comes in from Ignis himself saying he's arrived.]

feesh: Speaking of specks. Let's move.

[actualchild]

"They were waiting for Ignis, looks like he's just arrived. So we should be seeing them soon," Aurene mentioned to her mother as the most recent text from Noctis came in. She glanced towards the kitchen.

"We should go see if we have everything we need for cake."

She was a little concerned they were out of chocolate powder. That was necessary for a chocolate cake.

[voidblue]

spitfire: you apparently if your dad has anything to say about it

photog: woohoo on our way!!!

"Yeah, probably a good idea."

Rinka grabbed a notepad from the counter and a pen so she could give Rox a list if they were actually missing anything.

[pickheartwhetstone]

Once they had compiled the list, Rox nodded. "All right, girls. I'll go run to the store and get the ingredients." She looked over at Nyx. "You're coming with me." And then while the boys and girls were cooking she'd take a shower. Maybe Nyx would join her for that too.

[actualchild]

Aurene waved at the adults.

"Be safe out there. We'll see you soon. With bonus boys."

She did move to start getting some of the things they'd need for making cake out but didn't start on the actual cake. She didn't want to start on that until Mom and Nyx had returned from the store with what they were missing.

[voidblue]

"Bonus Boys sounds like the name of a boy band..." Rinka mused to herself as she went digging around in the cupboard with all the cooking and baking books in it. She tugged in a few spines, finally pulling down a well loved one with lots of sticky notes for makeshift tabs and bookmarks, the cover quite splattered in the made recipes of old.

She flipped pages and found what she was looking for before sliding it over to Aurene.

"That one?"

[chosenkingoflucis]

They would find that they don't have to spend long glancing over the recipe when the telltale engine of the Regalia can be heard pulling into the driveway. A few beats later, a knock sounds at the door where said 'Bonus Boys' wait impatiently.