Day 3 Prompt: "We're going to die, we're going to die and it's all your fault."
Burning.
Date night.
@draucorweek!!!
Title: Fire and Alcohol: What Could Go Wrong?
Rating: General
Summary: A Captain and a Marshal...go on date. Maybe?
“Shiva’s tits, Nyx!” Pelna panics. “We’re going to die! We’re going to die and it’s all going to be your fault, you know that right?!”
Nyx shrugs nonchalantly as if his two notes to both the Marshal and Captain from the ‘Marshal’ and the ‘Captain’ was nothing to be worried about. Honestly, Nyx didn’t think it was but Pelna was definitely not keeping his cool.
“Why did you come with me if you’re going to react like we committed a crime.” Nyx huffs as he continues walking down the hall towards the training grounds.
“Because as much as your dumb ass can’t believe it, I would rather you didn’t die at the hands of two people who could turn you inside out and are supposed to keep us safe. Well, as safe as they can considering the circumstances.” Pelna grumbles.
Nyx laughs softly at his friend and he sidesteps so he can get close to the man, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, and grinning diabolically. “Look Pelna, those two are clearly boning, like there’s clearly something there, but both of them are also emotionally constipated. Let me be the hand of fate and give them a chance to act like proper adults who clearly need to go on a date.”
Pelna seems to curl into himself as he lets out a groan of serious worry. “What did the note say?”
Nyx’s lips curve even further up. “So every year I found out that in Somnus Park, they put up a fire garden. Cool stuff. Also beer, cocktails and wine. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with fire and alcohol.”
That seems to earn Nyx another groan from Pelna which has him laughing a little louder.
“Don’t worry Peln, it’ll be great.”
----
And, that’s how Titus found himself in a park dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a white t-shirt, and a worn leather jacket. Things that he rarely wore since realistically he was working all the time.
There’s a particular candle ornament that has Titus making quite a face at it. He swears if Ramuh decided to have a sense of humour, one gust of wind from the Astral would set this entire park on fire. Symbolic, really.
He’s not sure who thought fire in a park was a good idea but if he’d been the person in charge of sanctioning this event, it would have never made it off his office desk. Granted, he would admit that it looked nice and he could see why Cor would invite him to something as odd as this.
Titus can’t help but take in the sight of how each metal candle holders curved in different artistic ways. Then taking into account the different size, height, width and colour of each candle and how they were meticulously picked to mimic different flower species of Eos. It really did look like a giant metal fire garden.
It was perhaps a little too romantic for Titus’ taste... Which begged the question of why Cor would have even thought about asking to meet him in a place like this: they had both agreed no emotions. They weren’t going to step over those boundaries no matter how breathtaking this event is.
Titus thoughts are put on pause when he spots Cor entering the park. The man looked far less concerned about the sanctity of the vegetation than he did when he’d first stepped foot through the parks’ archways.
The Marshal spots him quickly enough and makes a beeline towards him. Titus doesn’t bother waiting as he moves to meet Cor halfway. “Interesting place to meet,” Titus comments immediately.
This earns an arched brow from the Immortal. “I could say the same thing.”
Titus’ brows knit together and alarms go off in his head, really they had gone off when he first walked into the death trap of a park.
“Interesting ” Titus replies with a forced smile as Cor shoves his hands into his pocket looking almost awkward.
They were here. They might as well enjoy Ifrit’s paradise for a little bit before parting ways and never speaking of this again.
“Why don’t we get a drink and walk around. I’m surprised none of this worries you.” Titus motions towards a lavishly decorated bar with engravings in the wood that shone in the same colour pattern as lava. It was clear that the organizers of this event were detailed oriented.
Cor snorts. “This is a yearly event, Titus. It’s been going on since I was thirteen at least.”
Titus eyes another candle formation with suspicion. “Then I’m surprised this park hasn’t met its untimely doom sooner.”
This has Cor chuckling softly which pulls a small smile from Titus. “It might with the two of us here. We’re hardly the type to keep out of trouble and much less with a beer or two in our system.”
It was Titus’ turn to laugh. “Speaking of beer, what’ll you have?” He’s already pulling his wallet out of his jacket pocket.
Cor looks as if he’s about to protest but then he closes his mouth and thinks about it. “An IPA from Lestallum, if they have any. If not I’ll get whatever you’re getting.”
Titus nods and he steps away from the Marshal to retrieve them some well-needed drinks. It was difficult to hide that they both felt awkward. It was clear they were both out of their element. Usually, they only saw each other in Uniform, at Cor's place or the Citadel. They had had the occasional drink together... However, they had never really strayed far from the Citadel grounds and had never worn civilian attire. Not until now.
Titus returns with the exact drink Cor has asked for and a darker lager for himself.
Cor flashes Titus with a grateful smile at the same time Titus lifts his bottle up. “Cheers to this park’s good fortune in the face of fire.”
This earns him another amused chuckle from Cor who lifts his bottle and clinks it with Titus’. “Thank Bahamut for Shiva.” Is all he says and they both take a long drink from their beer, perhaps too long of a drink.
They both fall silent as they walk through the many winding paths of artistically placed metal winding fire flowers.: either of them looked at each other as if they were avoiding the fact that this had become a little too intimate for either of them even though they’d both seen each other naked, aroused and sated.
It’s Cor who breaks the silence first.
“You didn’t invite me here, did you?”
Titus doesn’t answer immediately as he slips his hand into his pant pocket to grasp the folded note he’d brought with him.
“No.”
Cor’s eyes fall shut and he exhales. He sounds exhausted and Titus isn’t sure why.
“You got the same note that I did, didn’t you?”
Titus sighs because things were slowly making sense. “I have a note, not sure if it’s exactly the same.” He answers as he pulls the aforementioned note from his pocket which was the same note just signed by Cor rather than him.
That was enough for Cor. He downs the rest of his beer and manages to place the empty bottle on the tray of a waiter passing by.
“I should go.”
Cor doesn’t really give Titus time to answer as the Marshal pivots on his heel in hopes of making an escape. The only thing Titus manages to do is reach out and grab Cor by the wrist pulling him back with a frown. Now that he’d done it, he would stick to his guns.
This entire fiery death garden had him thinking less logically and more with feelings he’d hoped would go away with time.
Cor is also frowning but it’s not as severe as the one on Titus’ features which was a good sign at least.
“I don’t want you to go.” Titus grunts trying to hide the fact that maybe this entire thing hadn’t been a bad idea. He already suspected a certain Glaive for all of this and he would deal with him accordingly. But, that could wait until tomorrow because right now they were here and Titus would admit he liked Cor's company.
He can see the Marshal’s expression soften a little and the exhaustion from earlier disappearing, not completely but a little.
“You don’t?”
Titus’ lips thin, he knows what Cor’s doing but he’ll humour him. “I don’t.”
There’s a moment of hesitancy but Cor steps closer to Titus and interlaces their pinkies. “Why don’t we do one more walk around of this flowery inferno and then head back to my place.”
Titus is surprised that he doesn’t mind that they’re practically holding hands. He shifts closer leaning a little against Cor so they can be a little more discreet. “I couldn’t think of a better plan.” He admits trying to meet Cor halfway. “Although, we’ll both need at least one more beer.”
Cor laughs.
And that seems to set the tempo for the rest of their evening.
----
“Ulric!”
Nyx makes a face and Pelna only shakes his head as he takes several steps away from his fellow glaive.
“Tell the Captain I called in sick, Pelna! Alright?” Nyx gets out but doesn’t wait for an answer as he starts jogging out of the training grounds, intending to make a break for the doors once he gets to the Citadel lobby.
“Khara! Don’t you let Ulric get away!” Titus bellows as he points at him.
Pelna turns a little pale and he glances from one side of the training ground to the other before taking many steps back as the Captain storms past him.
A commotion can be heard from outside of the training grounds and one lone voice from possibly a councilman screeches: “WE SAID NO WARPING IN THE CITADEL LOBBY!”
“ULRIC!”
And, all of this seems to pull an incredibly loud laugh from Libertus who nearly falls from his perch atop the tower.
Pelna can only sigh and shake his head at the entire ordeal. At least the Captain looked a lot more relaxed than he has in, well, ever.
