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[So in the end...he does owe Kashuu, a little.

And he owes Stahn as well.

What a strange, disconcerting feeling. He doesn't really like feeling like he owes people, even if he appreciates the gift at the same time.

(It's complicated, receiving gifts when you're Leon Magnus.)]

...As I said, it isn't perfect. [Leon will never be able to be gracious in his entire life (oh wait)] But It is close enough for something like this.

[It isn't as though anyone around would know it's not perfect.]

It's not perfect but... I think it's pretty good.

[let him be proud of what he did, okay!] If you can use it, then it's not a waste. That's all that matters.

[he's not going to try and push leon into being verbally appreciative or thanking him. he doesn't need any of that.]

[It is pretty good... but Leon isn't going to admit that out loud.]

Obviously, I am getting some use out of it.

[Seeing as how he's, you know, wearing it.

...and his uniform feels more complete this way, at least.]

I see that!

[he's just happy about it, okay!]

Now we're even. [so leon doesn't have to feel like he owes anything to stahn for his gesture.]

[.... Even, huh. He supposes.....]

... Very well then. We are even.

[Some...how.

But accepting that makes him feel better, so...he'll accept that.

Cue...awkward silence. Thanks is hard.]

[fortunately, stahn isn't feeling awkward at all. with his worries aside about how poorly leon would take all of this (really, it wasn't so bad), he's feeling pretty relieved and quite satisfied.

there's no tension for him now that the worst has passed, so it's easy for stahn to smile brightly and move things along.]

Have you eaten yet?

[And now Stahn is moving right along. Oh....... huh.

Leon blinks, but--this is for the better, he thinks. It's time to move on, and call it good with that.

He can handle that.]

No, I haven't. [He supposes they do have to eat dinner...at some point...] What do you intend to get for dinner? [Did Stahn already have ideas....]

I didn't really think about it. I was reading, so I didn't think about how hungry I was!

[oops. reading is probably being generous, he did start to doze because he had to wake up relatively early for work and it caught up with him. minor details.]

Are you in the mood for something?

[He just crosses his arms at that, because he's going to be difficult as per Leon norm--]

Do not order in anything even remotely spicy ever again.

[Last time they got take out it was a bit too much for Leon's tastebuds.]

I know, I know! I didn't know it would be spicy last time, honestly!

[it's not like he was trying to sear leon's tastebuds. he had no way of knowing it would be spicy.]

Why don't we just look at a menu and you can pick out what you want instead... [then it can't be his fault if things go wrong.]

[It's the woes and struggles of not being familiar with all of these weird foods...alas.

But Leon just huffs faintly at that.]

Fine. I will.

[Now it'll be Leon's fault when things go wrong, but he accepts that.

It's just dinner, guys, chill.]

[they can probably just find something familiar. stahn gives an affirmative hum before pulling the cerevice out of his pocket and fiddling with it for a moment.

there may be a lot he's still not great with when it comes to cerealia tech, ordering food is something he's got down. so he'll pull up the extensive touchscreen menu and hold it out for leon to take with a smile.]

Pick whatever you want, and then I'll choose mine.

[Of course ordering food would be the first order of business Stahn gets down on his CereVice...........

But Leon's just going to roll with it, scrolling through the GAZILLION different types of food. (Definitely not the alien foods, those look disgusting.)

He'll finally settle on something that looks benign enough, for take out.

Broccoli is tolerable.]

Fine. This, then.

[YOUR MOVE, STAHN.]

Oh, that looks good...

[it's not what he's going to get, but that's fine. if it's something leon things he'll be comfortable eating, then it works for stahn.]

Let's see... [he takes some time to scroll as well until something exciting looking eventually catches his eye.

stahn's not that stingy though, so he orders dessert for after the meal before submitting it all and looking to leon with a satisfied grin.]

It says it'll be here in about 20 minutes. That's not too bad at all!

[So satisfied..... admittedly it is kind of weird to have such convenient quick delivery of meals??? What a strange concept. He just clears his throat at that, crossing his arms.]

Very well then.

[....CUE AWKWARD SILENCE come on, you couldn't have really expected anything else.]

[he didn't expect anything else, which is why he's quick enough on his feet to keep the conversation going once they've cleared up that much.]

Oh, Leon... are you busy tonight? After dinner, I mean—were you going to do anything important before going to sleep?

... Not as such, no.

[He has no idea what Stahn's getting at here... it's a little puzzling. And he's curious.]

Why do you ask?

I saw an ad for a movie on CERESflix... I thought maybe it would be more fun to watch it with someone!

[besides, they're both home and they already have a tv...]

It looked cool! Like a mystery novel, only in moving pictures! [just in case leon's not up to speed on how movies work, stahn never knows what he gets up to with learning non-mission related cerealia things.]

[..... Stahn are you asking him to watch a movie with you....

It's hard to live in Cerealia for a few months without realizing what movies are, so he's got that one, thanks. Leon's always been quick to pick up on technology, what with the entire Oberon Corporation thing, so he knows what Stahn's talking about.

.... But on the other hand, he's Leon.]

I'm not interested. [Ruining things every day.] I don't have time to waste on childish things like that.

You just said you weren't busy.

[leon will need to come up with a better excuse than that.]

I don't think it's something for kids, anyway. It's about a guy who loses all his memories and has to find out who he is while being hunted by the CERES Police... [it sounds so cool, a guy trying to find out who he is all on his own while the world is out to get him!!]

[He doesn't need a better excuse, it's his tried and true excuse!!

...Even if it does sound kind of interesting... but he's never really indulged in anything like this...]

Don't make me repeat myself. I just told you that I'm not interested in something so childish. It is purposeless and thus must be for children.

[Whatever, Leon...]

That doesn't even make sense.

[yeah, he'll just call it out.]

Just because something is fun and entertaining doesn't mean it's for kids. There are lots of books, and plays, and things like the arena in Noischtat. Movies aren't any different than that! There are fun things for people of every age.

[what's childish here is leon's insistence that having fun is childish. pull your head out of your ass, for you are the actual child here, leon magnus.]

[Of course he's the actual child here.... he's a childish baby, especially when trying to be more of an Adult.

So he scoffs at that, crossing his arms defensively and looking away. Whatever!! Whatever!!!]

Hmph.

Believe what you will. [It'll take a bit more than Stahn beating him over the head with this concept to undermine what he's been taught all his life, but it's a Start.] It isn't as though it matters to me.

Maybe it should matter to you a little more...

[because maybe if it did, leon would do things for fun once in a while. stahn sighs a little, heading towards the couch because whatever, this movie is still getting watched regardless of whether or not leon is being a baby about it.]

It's okay not to turn your nose up at everything you're not used to, you know. [they're words that said by most people could be considered condescending and argumentative.

but from stahn? well, he's not in a bad mood, he just wants leon to open his mind a little. it comes from a place of genuine concern. leon never has fun. leon doesn't know how to have fun, and every thing that comes up that could potentially bring enjoyment, he stubbornly shuns it, scoffs and derides it.

it doesn't really bother stahn if leon doesn't like something, but he hates that leon won't even try and writes everything that isn't duty off. he knows it's how hugo raised him and likely on purpose but... shouldn't that make leon want to see the things that hugo kept from him? shouldn't he want to take times like this when they have peace and quiet to just... enjoy things?

...he wonders if there's even a way to make leon see how there is to enjoy?]

Maybe they don't matter to you, but... it matters to me. [he wants good things for leon, is that really so bad? even though stahn is sure it won't change leon's mind, he can't just sweep it under the rug—that's exactly why nothing has changed about this from the day they met. because stahn is always too willing to let leon get away with things just to maintain peace.]

[Patience, Stahn, patience. With each day, Leon changes a little more, though he'd hate to admit it and though it's something that even he doesn't always notice or realize. Change is a difficult and scary thing, especially for someone like Leon who has only known one single thing all his life.

He hates Hugo, and he hates Hugo's teachings, but it's not so easy to shake them when it comes down to it.

Still... he does frown at the words. They are argumentative words, though Stahn's tone is nothing of the sort, and the contrast is difficult for Leon to process. What is Stahn even going for here...?

(And why does it make him uncomfortable when Stahn says things like that? He should be over this.)]

... That is all the more reason to not do something. [But it's just muttered shortly, mostly under his breath. Remember, Stahn? He hates people like you!! Duh!!! Why should he care that it matters to you???

(He cares, it's frustrating.)

So he's just...going to stand there awkwardly, caught between a rock and a hard place. He doesn't feel like he should leave at this point--he doesn't feel like he can. But he doesn't want to go to the couch and give in and watch this movie, either. He's Struggling.]

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