Just my Soul Responding

Vincent wasn't sure what to make of Maeve's tone, but considering they'd spent over ten years apart and only just recently reconciled, unless Maeve point blank insulted Rosalie, Vincent wasn't about to say anything that would start something. Eventually the conversation changed to one that quite honestly surprised the crap out of him. He'd never thought much about family before, especially since he and Maeve had been estranged for over ten years and his mother had died while he was busy being a grey warden.

His face went white, but also excited.

Wait, for real? I'm going to be an uncle?!?! Wow, that's not something I ever imagined. I mean not that you wouldn't have kids. I mean we didn't really talk for over ten years so I wasn't actually sure what your view on kids was. Wow, I'm going to be an uncle!!!! He was so excited he stood up and hugged his sister, then in his continued excitement he hugged Rosalie who he wanted to feel involved in the whole thing. He wasn't really making a ton of sense with his words, he was just so excited for Maeve. When he realised he was hugging Rosalie, he pulled back and blushed slightly with an impish grin.

Maeve looked down, realising for the first time in the evening that she was overdoing the bitch with Rosalie. While she did not acknowledge out loud that she had seen Lucien’s gestured she relaxed her stance and offered the first amicable smile of the night at Rosalie.

The brunette closed her eyes at her brother’s hug “Yes, I know that it’s unexpected but prepare to have a toddler demanding for cool warden stories” said the brunette, her eyes filling with tears for a moment.

“Lucien can you help me with the last details of the diner? We can leave them relax for a little bit while we do the boring guest stuff” said the brunette quietly as she rose. She needed to discuss what was running through her head with someone that would understand her, and that would be Lucien.

“Well if we don’t study history we are bound to repeat our mistakes so I’d say your area of study is quite necessary too Lucien” said Rosalie with a warm smile
Her cheeks reddened with her friend’s hug. “I am so glad for you, considering how sweet and kind you are I am sure of that your niece will love you” said the blonde with a smile as she sat down after the hug.

When the couple retreated Rosalie relaxed, she had appreciated Maeve’s only not tense smile but she still wondered why the woman was so tense towards her “You know if Maeve preferred to have here you alone tonight? I think that I have not fallen on her graces, is she mad for something? Have I done something wrong?” asked shyly the blonde. Because maybe she was the one messing it up or perhaps she was being too paranoid and Maeve was being perfectly normal.

Lucien breathed a small sigh of relief as Maeve seemed to relax a bit, he wasn't really sure what her problem was or why she'd been acting weird. He supposed it could be some sort of brotherly-sisterly thing, her afraid that Rosalie wasn't good enough for her brother or might hurt him. Though it seemed absurd, he figured it couldn't be ruled out. At least she seemed to have gotten his hints and toned herself down a bit.

As Maeve asked Lucien to join him, he stood and gave Maeve a light kiss on the cheek.

Of course my dear. He wasn't really that handy in the kitchen, but when it came to a request from Maeve, he'd rarely, if ever, say no. As they walked into the kitchen, Lucien couldn't help but wonder why Rosalie and Vincent weren't a couple, there seemed to be something there but perhaps he was imagining it.

Vincent watched as Lucien and Maeve went off into the kitchen, and then turned his attention back to Rosalie. First he was smiling, but then as she spoke his smile turned into a serious face. He didn't want to think there was anything there, that his sister had a problem with Rosalie, but she had seemed to be acting a bit weird before. He wasn't sure what to make of it, he wasn't sure if Rosalie was the problem or if he was. Then again, they had gone over ten years apart, perhaps he was just seeing something that wasn't there because he didn't know his sister as well as he used to before.

I mean, I'd asked ahead of time if it was OK to bring someone. I guess she did seem to be acting a bit weird, but I'm just not sure. I mean we spent over a decade apart, she's hardly the same person she was, as have I changed. Ya know, there's a lot of explanations. I mean, I can't think of any right now, but I'm absolutely positively sure there must be. Besides, her and I had our private catch up last week, so if she does have a problem with you, she's just going to have to get over it. Because I don't plan to stop se... er.. I mean stop being friends with you. The fact that he had almost said 'seeing you' like someone would reference a significant other, was totally not the point and he totally wasn't blushing.

Maeve took a deep breath in the solicitude of her kitchen before turning around to face her lover, she opened her mouth once and closed it again as she tried to find the best way to word what was going through her mind.

She stared at him before deciding to go for blatantly honest “I am being an asshole am I?” asked rhetorically the brunette

“It’s just…” there was an uncomfortable pause as Maeve figured out how to speak about her feelings “Being reunited again after so long with Vincent feels like something too good to be true and I am afraid that something will happen to him” she laughed at herself for a moment “Maker, I am treating that girl as if she was a major spy from the empress and her only flaw seems to be that she’s too sweet for her own good” maybe a bit too sweet for her own tastes, she had never got a thing for miss perfects, but she wasn’t the one in love here.

“And maybe I am a bit jealous like of course, not in the romantic way ew; but more like I feel like when I was five years old and I found my favourite plushie which I thought lost but my brother wanted it also thus I had to share? If that makes sense at all?” asked Maeve to Lucien.

"Thank you for you "the fuck is up with you" glance, it helped me to realize that I was overdoing the protective bitch sister thing. You are really my better half" said Maeve with a fond smile.

Rosalie’s smile softened as Vincent words relaxed her “Well that’s amazing because I don’t plan to stop being friends with you either. I appreciate you too much for that” said Rosalie as she extended her hand to cover his affectionately.

“I actually have to admit that I talked with my brother about you too a couple of weeks ago, it embarrasses me a bit to admit that you were one of the factors that weighted towards remaining in Orlais instead of staying but I want you to know that you are very important for me too.”

Rosie retired her hand quickly realizing that her hand holding had been a bit too lengthy for it to be just friendly “And I am sure of that your sister is okay, maybe she’s stressed about becoming a mom, it would be quite reasonable”

Lucien just stayed silent and let Maeve get everything off her chest, which was a lot. He couldn't imagine how he'd feel if his sister, Alina, had brought someone home, especially if they'd been estranged as long as Maeve and Vincent had. Still he also imagined a lot of it was just general family stuff, her being protective of her brother. She'd been rather intense, but he felt optimistic that everything would turn out all right.

Eventually he found himself with a spot to speak up, once Maeve had finished speaking, he smiled warmly.

Look, did you get a little intense out there, sure, but he 'is' your brother and I imagine you feel a bit like you have a lot of time to make up for, which includes being a protective sister. At least you recognised what you were doing, you'll be fine!

Vincent was doing his best not to look like he was blushing still, especially when Rosalie put her hand on his. He was pretty sure he was probably grinning like the world's biggest idiot. He tried his best to focus on her words, but his head was swimming a bit. Grinning probably wasn't the best reaction to why his sister might be in an off mood. He cleared his throat and tried to compose himself.

You're probably right, and it's not like she's being outright hostile. His head was still swimming, a part of him wanted to go into the kitchen and ask his sister what the fuck was going on, another part of him wanted to profess feelings for Rosalie right there and then, but it hardly seemed like the appropriate time and place to make such a declaration.

Maeve smiled before taking a deep breath “Well time to make amends then” she said as she left the kitchen, going back to where Rosalie and Vincent awaited “Rosalie, I think that the cook has made two types of dishes for the second course, are you more of a fan of meat or fish?” said the brunette as she gestured to all of them to follow her to the dining room. She smiled shyly at the blonde, trying to make amends intensely and Rosalie, who was no bard but picked on it, smiled back as she followed the instructions.

“Vincent, same goes for you, what you prefer? I already chose for Lucien but I kind of know it already, benefits of enduring each other for so long” said the brunette as she winked at Lucien.

“I am more of a fish person, thank you” said Rosalie as she took a seat in the table and laughed at the comment about Lucien

“Seeing you two is kind of inspiring; when things are going as poorly as they are in this moment, is refreshing to see something as lovely as a couple that clearly is as steady as you two” said Rosalie blushing a bit, hoping that the compliment would not be taken as something too intrusive.

Lucien followed Maeve out of the kitchen, a warm smile on his face as they rejoined Vincent and Rosalie. He couldn't help but wonder if they were a couple, or at the very least if there was an interest on one of both of their parts. He opted not to say anything though, no point in embarrassing one or both of them, especially if it wasn't the case. He grinned as Maeve commented about how she knew what he preferred to eat. As there wasn't really anything for him to add, he remained silent for this part of the conversation, deferring to Vincent and Rosalie.

When Maeve and Lucien appeared, Vincent noticed that Maeve appeared to be in a lighter mood, he was a little curious as to what Lucien and Maeve had spoken about while they'd been in the kitchen, but he didn't think it would have been polite to ask about it. Whatever it was, he was just glad that Maeve appeared to be in lighter spirits. When she asked about his preferences, he tilted his head and grinned.

Same as they used to be, I'll eat about anything you set in front of me, no real preferences... He'd never really been a picky eater, though there were some foods he often craved more than other foods, at the end of the day, food was food, which was a good thing in his life, since as kids they'd been rather poor, and as a grey warden he often has to hunt his own food when out travelling. When Rosalie talked about the dynamics of Lucien and Maeve's relationship, he couldn't help but smile for a moment, wondering if he and Rosalie might ever be in that position, something he definitely liked to think about, though he hadn't had the nerve to say anything about those feelings yet.

Maeve smiled, and placed her hand gently on Rosalie's arm as she guided her towards her seat in the table, attempting to do small talk in order to make the situation more comfortable to the younger woman.

The diner wasn't the best, maybe the smoothest, but it was a beginning. To have her brother back, and to accept that someone else would join the family