Turtle & Canary; Monday [10/03].

[somethingwithturquoise]

After portaling her students and her co-teacher around her dimension's space for a little bit that morning, Summer headed into the store to find that the place was absolutely filled with butterflies and hummingbird, which, yes, okay, very pretty, but for someone who had been dealing with a screaming sun and a planet made of dessert-like snacks, she found herself weirdly focused on logistics.

"Look," she eventually said, shaking her head and holding up a hand to stop Apu from continuing to try to explain, "I don't think I really want to know exactly how you managed to get all these butterflies and hummingbirds in here. I don't think I even want to know what you plan on doing with them all after today. All I know is that cleaning up after them is definitely all on you, man."

She had work to do.

And, apparently, a lot of texting, because apparently what chocobros did when they got back was bug her about shit, whether it be a job or camping gear, but at least she knew why she needed to order way more Cup Noodles than usual this week.

Today's Squishy Flavors
Caramel Custard
Berry Smoothie
Red

Turtle & Canary is open!

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[notagoose]

Goose had heard that Gladio was back but there was no sign of Ignis and he was starting to think that maybe Ignis was just not coming back and he wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

So he had been moping moping in the apartment all weekend and now had finally left his apartment and decided to stop by the store.

“Hey,” he said softly and just looked really dejected.

[somethingwithturquoise]

Summer winced a little in sympathy when Goose came in; that look on his face was pretty much what she'd expected, once the word of Gladio's return and Ignis' lack thereof started to get around, but she was kind of hoping that the next time she saw Goose, she'd just be able to ply him with alcohol.

Well, she still could, here, but it wasn't quite the same as at the bar.

"Hey," she said said, giving him a soft smile to match that tone. "How're you doing, Goose?"

No point in dancing around it, right?

[notagoose]

Goose’s shoulders slumped, “I’ve been better,” he admitted, “I … um … I heard Gladio is back,” he said softly, he fidgeted awkwardly.

He hadn't been able to focus on anything else all weekend, he had even played back the radio reports to make sure he hadn’t missed Ignis’ name but the only names he heard where Gladio and Prompto’s.

“Ignis isn’t coming back is he?” It was something that he had started to think about the last couple of weeks but he hadn’t wanted to believe it.

[somethingwithturquoise]

"We don't know that," said Summer. "We didn't think Prompto or Gladio would came back, either,"...well, she was starting to think they weren't coming back, even if she wasn't saying as much, especially not to Liz, but that was beside the point, "and they did. Besides, I at least we know he's still even alive, I asked Gladio to confirm it, and while Gladio has also confirmed that communication and portals to Eos are still blocked and he can't get through, the fact that both of them have shown up within a few weeks of each other is a good sign, right? In fact, it was exactly two weeks between when Prompto showed up and when Gladio did. On a Thursday. Maybe it's a pattern? And if it follows the pattern, then that means Ignis shows up before we even get back from the school trip."

There was a pause.

"It doesn't sound voluntary," she offered, "if that helps. Neither of them expected to show up here when they did."

[notagoose]

“Oh,” Goose hadn’t thought of that possibility, “I didn’t realise that it was two weeks between Prompto and Gladio,” he did started to feel a bit better at the idea that Ignis could follow that same pattern.

He was definitely relieved to hear that Ignis was alive, “I hadn’t had a chance to speak to Gladio yet,” he admitted, since he hadn’t left the apartment for several days.

"Oh, the trip is next week, isn't it?" Goose hadn't realised how soon it was, "maybe I should stay behind in case Ignis turns up?"

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Do not stay behind and miss the trip," Summer said, immediately, and firmly, almost like she was expecting Goose to say something like that, because....well, she kind of had. "The trip will be good for you, I will drag you on it myself if I have to."

Well, she'd probably get Sidon to drag him on the trip for her, logistically speaking, but spiritually speaking....

"But definitely talk to Gladio, too," she added, "if you get the chance, before he goes feral out there in the woods. He's probably going to know way more about it, and he was definitely the last person to actually see the guy, too..."

[notagoose]

Goose was very tempted by the idea of just staying behind, but after a moment’s hesitation, he finally nodded, “I’ll go on the trip,” he told her, even if he didn’t sound very reassuring that he would go.

“I’ll talk to Gladio though, Prompto didn’t know if Ignis was okay when I spoke to him at Parents Weekend but if Gladio knows more … at least it’s more news than I had before,” he admitted.

[somethingwithturquoise]

Oh, you thought Summer was joking about dragging you along, Goose? You thought she was being facicious? She will find a trunk large enough to stuff you in. For your own good!

She nodded, eying him firmly at the wishy-washiness of his agreement to go. "A lot can happen in two weeks," she allowed. "And it sounds like they've been through some weird shit, so who knows? Doesn't hurt to ask, right?"

Well, it might. Emotionally. But wasn't that still better than not knowing?

[notagoose]

Goose shifted a bit awkwardly at the way Summer was eying him at that, he was very much being reminded of Niko right then, he didn’t doubt Summer for a second that she would physically drag him to the school trip if he didn’t go, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt,” he agreed, “it would be nice to know more news about Ignis,” he said softly.

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Kind of a dick move," Summer noted, "of the multiverse to send over Gladio instead of Ignis next. What the fuck is up with that, anyway?"

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now Gladio could be at Annie's wedding, but still!

There was a...slight pause, after that, looking at Goose a little worriedly, because they really hadn't been talking about this much, but some hard truths might come crashing down on them finally after months of mostly avoiding them.

"He's going to be older now, too," she noted quietly. "I mean, he already was practically an old man in spirit so there probably won't be that much difference there, but...something to keep in mind."

Yeah, Summer, the age difference was definitely going to be the biggest change.

[notagoose]

“Oh,” Goose said quietly, he didn’t know there had been a time gap or about any other changes, “how - how much older?”

Ignis had been a couple of years older than Goose so maybe it was only another couple of years?

[somethingwithturquoise]

Summer blinked a little bit at Goose, a little surprised that this hadn't come up yet, but, in her defense, she was sort of working with relaying information second hand here.

"It's been, like, ten years for them, dude," she said.

[notagoose]

Goose definitely hadn’t been expecting that, “oh,” he said quietly again, “that’s …that is a lot,”

That was an understatement there Goose.

Then another thought came to him, “would Ignis still even want to be with me after all that time?”

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer or not.

[flamesburned]

It was October and that meant it would be Prompto's birthday later that month, only Liz had no idea how to even go about planning a party or anything like that so while she was out running some errands that morning she decided to stop by to see Summer.

"Hi," she smiled when she saw her.

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Hey, Liz," said Summer, waving her hand in annoyance at a hummingbird that seemed to think her ponytail was worth investigating, making her really regret her floral scented shampoo right now. "How's it going?"

[flamesburned]

Liz blinked a bit at the hummingbird and then seemed to notice how many there actually were in the store, "it's going really well thank you ... what's with the hummingbirds?" she asked curiously.

[somethingwithturquoise]

"I don't know," said Summer, with a long suffering sigh and a shake of her head. "Some International Butterfly and Hummingbird Day, or something like that? Another made-up holiday that Apu ends up getting way too into. At least they're pretty, but they's also annoying."

[flamesburned]

"Oh I didn't realise that there was such a day," Liz admitted as she had another look around the store, "they are quite pretty," she nodded, "would you mind if I took a photo in here of them?"

She didn't know if there was some rule about not taking photos in the store so she thought she'd check before she got out her polaroid camera.

[somethingwithturquoise]

"There's apparently a day for fucking everything," Summer said with a massive roll of her eyes. "And, yeah, sure, take as many as you want. It's not every day you have a general store filled with butterflies and hummingbirds..."

Only October 3rd. Apparently.

[flamesburned]

Liz smiled as she got out her Polaroid and took a few shots of the hummingbirds and butterflies, “thank you,” she said when she put her camera and photos away, “I knew about some of the holidays,” Liz remembered that lesson from Jon’s class over the summer, “I never realised there were so many,” she admitted.

[somethingwithturquoise]

"I mean," said Summer, "if it exists, there's probably a holiday for it. I'd start naming some off, but I don't want to give the universe," or Apu, "any ideas."

[flamesburned]

Liz nodded thoughtfully with a tilt of her head, “I can see why you wouldn’t want that, I’m guessing you might find the store to be decorated according to the theme?”

[somethingwithturquoise]

"You'd guess right," said Summer, this time with a long suffering sigh. "That man really needs to find some hobbies."

But Summer could complain about Apu literally all day, but she was pretty sure that, even if Liz would probably listen to her do so, that probably wasn't the reason she stopped by.

"So," she said, "what brings you in today, Liz?"

[flamesburned]

Liz did give a small smile at that, “ I was actually hoping to ask for your help?” she hesitated as she realised she didn’t have the best track record with this and she wouldn’t have blamed Summer if she didn’t want to help her after everything, “it’s Prompto’s birthday at the end of the month and I wanted to organise something special for him …only I don’t ….we’ll I’ve never organised any kind of birthday celebration before,” she admitted, “I wouldn’t know where to start,”

[somethingwithturquoise]

See, now, the problem was never Liz asking for help. It was Liz actually listening when Summer tried to give it to her. Especially when she knew what she was talking about.

And a topic like this was definitely something Summer knew a lot about, and so she quirked her eyebrow with interest.

"I am good at parties," she admitted, oh-so-modestly, but, hey, she was coming off an insanely successful bachelorette shindig, she had the receipts to prove it. "And my track record with chocobro parties is pretty stellar, too."

Like, she was never going to top the apartment pool party for Ignis that one year, but the double-G Birthday Hunk Space party for Goose and Gladio was no slouch, either.

She then gave Liz a speculative look.

"Well," she ventured, as her brain shifted gears into party-planning mode, "a good place to start might be what kind of stuff does he like, and then go from there..."

Which, good lord, she hoped Liz could at least come up with something there, this was the man she was having a kid with. Summer could probably list of three things off the top of her head as possible angles for this thing and she barely knew him.

(Forget the fact that she'd been texting with him all day about this, that, and the other thing and knew him for longer than Liz had, but the point was, she wasn't dating him, now, was she?)