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31_days2018-11-04 07:50 pm
samuraiter) wrote in 31_days2018-11-04 07:50 pm
Entry tags:
[November 4] [Danmachi] Settle Mentality
Title: Settle Mentality
Day / Prompt: 04 / And all your dreams are still as new
Fandom: Danmachi
Character(s) / Pairing(s): Finn Deimne / Liliruca Arde
Rating / Warning(s): All Ages
Word Count: 1,340
Despite having one of the walls of the restaurant at her back, Lili could not make herself feel at ease. She half-expected the staff to pick her up by the scruff of her neck and throw her back into the street. Granted, she no longer had anything to fear of that, thanks to the achievements of the Hestia Familia and the respectability they brought, but she had difficulty shaking a lifetime of habit.
"I thought it might be best if you and I met in a neutral place, Liliruca," Finn said from across the table, resting his palms flat on the smooth wood. "Order anything you like. Money is no object." He shook his head. "Not that I'm here to flaunt my wealth. Nothing like that. I just wanted the two of us to sit and have a conversation."
"I don't know what there is to discuss, Lord Finn," Lili replied, reaching for her tankard, but not picking it up. "I mean, we've been on enough adventures together now to know ... pretty much everything we need to know about each other." She sighed. "I don't mean to be rude, but what else is there to say, at this point? It's a no-win situation for both of us, and I don't see it changing any time soon."
"You're not wrong," Finn admitted, a hint of sadness showing in his face, "and we're very different people, you and I, with very different values. You wouldn't be wrong if you mentioned that, either. But that doesn't solve either of our problems." He paused as a long-eared Elf waiter came up to their table and asked for their orders. "And what you said before has stayed with me: I can't always be right to put my people –" He leaned forward, looking intently into her face. "– our people ... first. I have to listen to my heart, too, just like you listen to yours." He leaned back. "I'm still learning that."
"You ... don't have to apologize to me, Finn," Lili said softly, looking down at the table, rather than at him. "I'm not judging you. I understand why you asked me what you did. It's just that ... I can't give up on Bell." She made herself look up at him again. "Just like Tione can't give up on you. And each one of us knows that we don't have a chance, that we're not even in the running, but we still can't help feeling the way we feel." She sighed. "It's small, it's petty, and it makes me feel horrible, but that's the way things are."
"It is." Another pause as the waiter returned to top off their drinks. "Which is why I'm going to change my question." He took a deep breath. "Asking you to marry me was rash, and it was inconsiderate. I shouldn't have asked you to give up on your dreams in order to make mine reality. What I should have asked –" A self-deprecating smile blossomed on his face. "– is if you would like to at least ... see me, be with me. Asking you to be my girlfriend, in essence, but it sounds so childish to put it that way." Another sigh. "Honestly, that's how I should have phrased it from the beginning, but romantic overtures were never really my forte, you know. I'm more of a leader than a lover."
"I can think of a lot of young women who would laugh to hear you say that," Lili rejoined, "but it's not like I know a whole lot about that, either. I've spent most of my life in the Dungeon, and the time I've spent not being in the Dungeon has been spent running for my life and scraping for what I need to live." She shivered. "I mean, it's only recently that I've felt safe, and I still lay awake at night listening for noises I know I'm not supposed to fear any more."
"That's how it is for our kind, Lili," Finn said. "I've had more nights like that than I can remember, especially when I was still new to adventuring." His face warmed up. "I've been where you've been, and I fought my way up from it. What I'm saying now is ... you don't have to do that. You know I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."
Lili narrowed her eyes at him. "Quit making that face. I know there are plenty of girls who fall for it, but I'm not one of them." She grimaced. "Which is exactly why you're asking me to be your girlfriend. Well, fine. It's not a long-term solution, and I doubt it'll get either of us anywhere, but I'll agree to it." As she noticed the waiter returning with their food, she added, "If nothing else, it's a free meal, right? That's one good thing I'll take from it."
"Hopefully not the only thing, Lili," Finn said softly as the waiter distributed their dishes across the table, steam rising up from them.
* * * *
Night had descended during the meal, leaving the streets of Orario to be lit up by lanterns, torches, and the rare magic-powered light. Finn and Lili paused in front of the right turn that led down to the Hearth Mansion, the street all but empty, save for the two of them.
"I hope I haven't wasted too much of your time, Liliruca," Finn said, holding both of her hands, "but I doubt I did, since you look like you're so full that you wouldn't be able to get up if you fell over."
"Don't make fun of me. I don't get to eat like that. Ever." In spite of herself, Lili smiled. "So I guess I'm sorry for taking advantage of you, but that's sort of what a girlfriend does, isn't it?" She turned to face him. "Or is that just a little too cynical for you, Finn?"
"You think I'm a lot lighter and cheerier than I actually am," Finn scolded. "But ... thank you for hearing me out, nonetheless. We'll try this, and, if it really doesn't do anything for you, we can call it off." He reached out one hand, stopping just shy of brushing a little of her hair behind one ear. "I won't try to force anything, I promise."
"The funny thing –" Lili caught his hand. "– is that I know you're not lying, and I'm kind of disgusted with myself that I'm able to believe that." She shook her head. "You're a genuinely good person, and that's ... kind of disgusting in and of itself, really. I'll trust you. Just get used to me commenting on it." She glanced at his hand, releasing it. "That being said, you don't have to hold back all the time."
"Sorry," Finn said, lowering his hand. "We're still kind of ... drawing lines. Have to know where they are before we toe them." A brief silence. "Then ... this is probably where I tell you good night."
"If you're serious, Finn –" Her turn to gaze, unblinking, into his eyes. "– then I think there's one thing you need to do to show me that you're as committed to this as you need me to be. So –" She moved one step closer to him, their faces separated by inches. "Come on, then."
"I'd be honored," Finn said, and he barely had to lean forward to kiss her on the lips, reaching up again to brush that same stray lock of hair behind her ear. She did not stop him, and the kiss lingered for a long moment before they separated. "Isn't it nice to be kissed by someone who doesn't have to bend down at all to do it, Lili?"
"It ... is. It really is," Lili admitted, her face as red as her scarf, her voice barely above a whisper. "Good night, Finn."
She disappeared around the turn leading to the Hearth Mansion before Finn said, mostly to himself, "Suddenly, it is, Lili."
END.
Day / Prompt: 04 / And all your dreams are still as new
Fandom: Danmachi
Character(s) / Pairing(s): Finn Deimne / Liliruca Arde
Rating / Warning(s): All Ages
Word Count: 1,340
Despite having one of the walls of the restaurant at her back, Lili could not make herself feel at ease. She half-expected the staff to pick her up by the scruff of her neck and throw her back into the street. Granted, she no longer had anything to fear of that, thanks to the achievements of the Hestia Familia and the respectability they brought, but she had difficulty shaking a lifetime of habit.
"I thought it might be best if you and I met in a neutral place, Liliruca," Finn said from across the table, resting his palms flat on the smooth wood. "Order anything you like. Money is no object." He shook his head. "Not that I'm here to flaunt my wealth. Nothing like that. I just wanted the two of us to sit and have a conversation."
"I don't know what there is to discuss, Lord Finn," Lili replied, reaching for her tankard, but not picking it up. "I mean, we've been on enough adventures together now to know ... pretty much everything we need to know about each other." She sighed. "I don't mean to be rude, but what else is there to say, at this point? It's a no-win situation for both of us, and I don't see it changing any time soon."
"You're not wrong," Finn admitted, a hint of sadness showing in his face, "and we're very different people, you and I, with very different values. You wouldn't be wrong if you mentioned that, either. But that doesn't solve either of our problems." He paused as a long-eared Elf waiter came up to their table and asked for their orders. "And what you said before has stayed with me: I can't always be right to put my people –" He leaned forward, looking intently into her face. "– our people ... first. I have to listen to my heart, too, just like you listen to yours." He leaned back. "I'm still learning that."
"You ... don't have to apologize to me, Finn," Lili said softly, looking down at the table, rather than at him. "I'm not judging you. I understand why you asked me what you did. It's just that ... I can't give up on Bell." She made herself look up at him again. "Just like Tione can't give up on you. And each one of us knows that we don't have a chance, that we're not even in the running, but we still can't help feeling the way we feel." She sighed. "It's small, it's petty, and it makes me feel horrible, but that's the way things are."
"It is." Another pause as the waiter returned to top off their drinks. "Which is why I'm going to change my question." He took a deep breath. "Asking you to marry me was rash, and it was inconsiderate. I shouldn't have asked you to give up on your dreams in order to make mine reality. What I should have asked –" A self-deprecating smile blossomed on his face. "– is if you would like to at least ... see me, be with me. Asking you to be my girlfriend, in essence, but it sounds so childish to put it that way." Another sigh. "Honestly, that's how I should have phrased it from the beginning, but romantic overtures were never really my forte, you know. I'm more of a leader than a lover."
"I can think of a lot of young women who would laugh to hear you say that," Lili rejoined, "but it's not like I know a whole lot about that, either. I've spent most of my life in the Dungeon, and the time I've spent not being in the Dungeon has been spent running for my life and scraping for what I need to live." She shivered. "I mean, it's only recently that I've felt safe, and I still lay awake at night listening for noises I know I'm not supposed to fear any more."
"That's how it is for our kind, Lili," Finn said. "I've had more nights like that than I can remember, especially when I was still new to adventuring." His face warmed up. "I've been where you've been, and I fought my way up from it. What I'm saying now is ... you don't have to do that. You know I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."
Lili narrowed her eyes at him. "Quit making that face. I know there are plenty of girls who fall for it, but I'm not one of them." She grimaced. "Which is exactly why you're asking me to be your girlfriend. Well, fine. It's not a long-term solution, and I doubt it'll get either of us anywhere, but I'll agree to it." As she noticed the waiter returning with their food, she added, "If nothing else, it's a free meal, right? That's one good thing I'll take from it."
"Hopefully not the only thing, Lili," Finn said softly as the waiter distributed their dishes across the table, steam rising up from them.
* * * *
Night had descended during the meal, leaving the streets of Orario to be lit up by lanterns, torches, and the rare magic-powered light. Finn and Lili paused in front of the right turn that led down to the Hearth Mansion, the street all but empty, save for the two of them.
"I hope I haven't wasted too much of your time, Liliruca," Finn said, holding both of her hands, "but I doubt I did, since you look like you're so full that you wouldn't be able to get up if you fell over."
"Don't make fun of me. I don't get to eat like that. Ever." In spite of herself, Lili smiled. "So I guess I'm sorry for taking advantage of you, but that's sort of what a girlfriend does, isn't it?" She turned to face him. "Or is that just a little too cynical for you, Finn?"
"You think I'm a lot lighter and cheerier than I actually am," Finn scolded. "But ... thank you for hearing me out, nonetheless. We'll try this, and, if it really doesn't do anything for you, we can call it off." He reached out one hand, stopping just shy of brushing a little of her hair behind one ear. "I won't try to force anything, I promise."
"The funny thing –" Lili caught his hand. "– is that I know you're not lying, and I'm kind of disgusted with myself that I'm able to believe that." She shook her head. "You're a genuinely good person, and that's ... kind of disgusting in and of itself, really. I'll trust you. Just get used to me commenting on it." She glanced at his hand, releasing it. "That being said, you don't have to hold back all the time."
"Sorry," Finn said, lowering his hand. "We're still kind of ... drawing lines. Have to know where they are before we toe them." A brief silence. "Then ... this is probably where I tell you good night."
"If you're serious, Finn –" Her turn to gaze, unblinking, into his eyes. "– then I think there's one thing you need to do to show me that you're as committed to this as you need me to be. So –" She moved one step closer to him, their faces separated by inches. "Come on, then."
"I'd be honored," Finn said, and he barely had to lean forward to kiss her on the lips, reaching up again to brush that same stray lock of hair behind her ear. She did not stop him, and the kiss lingered for a long moment before they separated. "Isn't it nice to be kissed by someone who doesn't have to bend down at all to do it, Lili?"
"It ... is. It really is," Lili admitted, her face as red as her scarf, her voice barely above a whisper. "Good night, Finn."
She disappeared around the turn leading to the Hearth Mansion before Finn said, mostly to himself, "Suddenly, it is, Lili."
END.