This is nice. Neph says, taking a nervous sip of his drink through the straw. The ice rattles around pleasantly in his cup. It is nice, it really is, but.... the whole thing has him full of nervous energy. It's the first date he and Larkin have ever been on as a couple, and it was meticulously planned out by the both of them beforehand.

Larkin had asked him earlier in the week if he'd like to spend a day together doing some fun things, and the conversation had quickly turned into an hour long planning session, bouncing ideas around for what they could do.

Now, they were at their first destination. A little diner that was further away than either of them would go for an everyday meal, but not a fancy reservation type of place. Just a restaurant that Neph had been wanting to try for ages despite hardly ever going more than 10 miles from his house.

A waitress had brought them drinks a few minutes before and Neph had been anxiously sipping at his ever since.

He tuned back in as Larkin responded to his comment.

After all, no matter how anxious new places make him, it's nothing in comparison to the fear of fucking up his first date with the man he'd been harboring a crush on for years before, against all odds, entering a relationship with him.

Snow, a brilliant white in the evening sun, hard to look at even though there wasn't anything else to focus on except for sparse trees, twisting up out of the buried dirt.

Neph was fatigued, climing the hungry hills and getting closer to giving up with every painful slip. It was so, so cold and he was so, so alone. His companions were all in their pokeballs, he wouldn't dare subject them to this trek, and he fearfully shied away from any wild pokemon he saw. He'd heard tales of creatures who lured lost travelers to their demise in these mountains, and they'd been playing in the back of his mind since he'd left Zapapico.

Suddenly, he hears rumbling up ahead, a horrifying sound...and he has no time to get out of the way before snow, heavy...crushing, is barrelling towards him. He tries to shuffle to the side, desperate and afraid but then-

Hey...Neph?

Neph startles awake at the sound of the bedroom door opening, someone rousing him up.

Hmm? He responds, groggily, trying to chase the wisps of his dream away from the corners of his mind. Only a dream....yes, of course. He has similar ones a lot these days.

Can I take you're mabosstiff and maschiffs with me? I think it'd be nice for them to...you know. Get to know my mabosstiff.

Arven.

Neph sits up, rubbing at his eyes, and feels around on the bedside table for his glasses. Once they're on he looks at Arven and immediately feels warmer than his dream...all that snow, had left him in it's wake.

Of course. He says, giving him a gentle smile. It makes his chest feel tight, in a good way, that Arven wants to do something like this...to merge their families, in a way.

Awesome! Arven exclaims, and Neph would've ruffled his hair if he'd been within arms reach. Thank you!! And then he's gone, closing the door behind him, off to spend time with the dogs.

Neph, excited to recount this to Turo, who's likely doing something or other in another room since he doesn't sleep regularly like a human, hurries off to find him, leaving the cold, cold dream behind.

As he looks down at his lover, whose beautiful white hair pools in his lap...reminiscent of gossamer webs catching light, all Neph can think of is how immensely lucky he must be in order for this situation to be something he gets to experience.

He had offered his lap to Hypnos and the other man was only too happy to take him up on it, falling into a slumber nearly as soon as head greeted thigh. It was adorable, mesmerizing, and all Neph could do was watch him fondly and card his fingers (not shaking, as they might have been when he and his dearest divine had first gotten together) through ivory hair.

It just! Ugh! Neph exclaimed in frustration, flopping down on the couch roughly. They shouldn't get to treat you that way, it's bullshit!

Ohh, because only you can treat me badly, dear? Atticus said, a mediocre comeback at best and he clearly knew it...but he was tired from the happenings of the day.

We both know I don't treat you badly, dear. Neph responded, rolling his eyes. But they! He shook his head emphatically. They treat you like shit. And they always have, even when we were kids!

Atticus sighed, dropping on the couch beside of him. Neph felt a pang in his chest at how defeated he looked about it all.

Yea, well. He said, waving a hand in the air. I appreciate the concern... He threw a halfhearted grin towards Neph as he let the syllables fall from his mouth in the annoying way he knew his boyfriend hated. But it's just our family dynamic. They get to be successful and happy and talented and rub it in my face, as I'm the designated freak of the bunch.

Ugh!!!! Neph threw his head back against the cushion. What if I just beat them up? That might solve all of this...and you know I could take them.

It was a joke but he really could take them if he wanted...especially when he was this full of rage.

Atticus laughed, and Neph was glad to hear the sound.

Maybe someday.

Hm? Neph responded, quickly turning the screen off on his phone to give his boyfriend his attention. Emery was so very rarely nervous like this, and it sent pinpricks of worry through Neph's chest.

So....I know that the day we got together was like. Also the day that you...uh. were in the loop. And that you escaped. At the mention Neph remembered suddenly that the anniversary of The Day was, in fact, coming up. He'd...totally forgotten.

Would you....still wanna celebrate it? As our anniversary and as the day you made it out? Or, uh. Is it more like....something you don't wanna be reminded of? Because! That's totally fine, too!

Neph blinked at him, surprised. While he understood that it would indeed make sense for him to be offput by that date, to think of it as maybe....something he didn't want to put too much emphasis on, lest it bring up unpleasant memories...it had never ocurred to him to see it that way. He'd....pretty much dissociated from it as soon as it was over.

Oh! No, I think it would be nice to celebrate it! He said, because he did think that when he stopped to consider it. And....a celebration of some sort would probably make it so that I can like. Recontexualize that day to be...about us, and only us, you know? Not about any of the failed loops.

Emery's face lit up at that, bright and happy like he should always be, none of the anxiety that had been present a moment before.

Oh, I'm SO glad!! He said, enthusiastically. Because I kind of planned out this whole thing already and forgot to ask beforehand if it was okay....

Neph giggled, as that was /such/ an Emery thing to do. He was grateful for how much he did for him, how willing he was to be accomodating....

It was times like these that he realized the universe really did know what it was talking about, when it came to soulmates.