Meeting With My Brother, Huh?

Work, work and more work. She was on the floor leaned over her coffee table which was more suited to being called a work desk with all the files on it. Equipment stores didn't really add up and while it was infrequent there was more resources lost in transit than she'd like to handwave it. Realistically she was the type that got incredibly frustrated when it occurred once, and with a minor hiccup, this was just icing for her.

Nursing her temples to try and massage some of the frustration from her mind, another sip of coffee and adjusting the nice comfy blanket she had wrapped around herself for the endeavour and back into work. She'd heard down the grapevine that her brother was in town and that might've been a reason contributing to why she had been doing more work at home than she usually did. That and it provided a lot more comfortable environment than needing to wear her uniform all the time.

"What a bother."

She complained to herself while going to take another sip and pouting at the empty cup. A bother into a pain in the butt with that revelation.

He hardly needed an excuse to go bother Sophie when she was working from home and had done so on several occasions to various responses from her, but when there was an actual reason then surely he was obligated to visit at the earliest point of convenience. In a way, it almost felt like cheating the system by using her own brother to get a little extra time in the calendar.

Thumbing the buzzer for her apartment, he waited patiently until there was the familiar note of indignation that indicated that his girlfriend wanted to know who was daring to bother her at whatever time it was. Unlike his earlier meeting, he wore what might be considered by him as a cheery smile.

"Evening, Sophie. Are you busy?"

She pouted at the door, not enthused at the matter of needing to let him in. Getting over it though she went and let him in, going back to sitting on the couch and try to hide the fact that she was exhausted, frustrated and wanting to throw something but not that it was directed at him at all. Instead she just grumbled from her spot.

"I'm getting you a key so I don't have to let you in anymore."

She whined, little trivial things like that annoyed her. It was easier to just solve the issue and let him come and go as he pleased.

"I suppose I am busy... not too busy for you and sorely in need of a break."

Sophie said while looking at him expectantly. There was a plain look of relief that he was providing a distraction however she wasn't stupid, she had a feeling that he came here with something to tell her and usually when someone came to you and asked if you were busy they wanted to give you something they deemed needing your attention.

The thought of having a key to her apartment immediately set Alastair a little of kilter. It was the first step to moving in together and she was suggesting it in such a casual manner, clearly she had bigger things on her mind tonight. Or maybe they were actually at that stage in a relationship when young couples tested the waters with the barest amount of cohabitation.

"If you do not mind then it would at least expedite this whole process, and save you a potential hassle."

Studying her from a distance, it was clear that she had already been through a rather long day and he was not about to make it any more straightforward but perhaps it was in some small way relieving. A distraction of any sort might take her mind off whatever woe she had, though this might be one of those rare exceptions that only served to complicate things.

"Perhaps I can take your mind off things for a moment, oh, and your brother sends his regards."

He laughed briefly into the receiver before turning towards the entranceway to begin his ascent up the building. Content that he had said all that would be needed to gain him passage into her quarters once more.

"My brother..."

Now she did want to go find that stupid doofus just to punch his teeth in, her stupid brother doing the same things that annoyed her growing up. Babying her like she couldn't make her own decisions or take care of herself despite the fact she had gotten to the rank of Administrator and worked her way with effort to where she was. Stupid older brother!

By the time that Alastair got up he'd find her simmering on her couch and looking ready to pop. The cool demeanour falling prey to her hereditary hotheadedness at the antagonism into her life. A couple of seconds and deep breathes later though and she was looking a lot more calmer. Less fratricidal.

"What'd my brother say? Did you punch him in the face?"

She prodded, fixating on it more than she probably should given it'd only feed that temper of her's but how else was she supposed to scold and yell at him if she didn't know what he'd done? It was a little unfortunate that her focused state of mind on the situation made her forget the basic things she did like say hello or ask her boyfriend how he was.

He spent those precious few moments considering how exactly to broach the subject of dealing with Alastor, coming up with no real useful decisions as his mind was slowly overflowing with the thought of gushing over the potential of getting a key to her place made. It was a losing battle of pragmatic planning against optimism, and he burst into the flat proper with little more of an idea than when he had arrived. But hey, at least they had that other development to discuss too.

"Hello to you too, my dear."

Resuming that brief chuckle from earlier as he removed his jacket and shoes to leave them in the entranceway, before heading over to the couch to take his accustomed position at her side. Though he did prod a little fun at her, there was no real slight to his jab at a lack of formalities. They had been going out for long enough now that that was not a real issue. His approach was a little laboured though, as he mulled over the question before responding.

"Your brother is a most charming individual, but I did not think it wise to box with him as a first meeting. He did have your best interests at heart, I think, or rather wanted to know if I did."

"Hmphf."

She got a little huffy about that, for her it was a much bigger deal than it clearly was for him but she wasn't going to linger too much on it, at least no openly. Her brother had no right as far as she was concerned to get all nosey into her personal life! It wasn't like she was stalking him or anything!

"Well next time just punch him and say I send my regards."

Sophie needed more coffee but she just kept staring at the empty cup in her thoughts before finally caving and getting up to go make some coffee for the both of them.

"Alright, alright. I know we have not really scratched the surface on families, from both sides, but it was still unexpected for you two to come out swinging."

Hands raised somewhat defensively as if he half expected her to throw a punch his way, Alastair watched her fumble with the cup and fell in line behind her to follow into the kitchen as she got up. He could have waited on the couch, as he was wont to do when she made coffee, but he didn't want her to feel like he had just mentioned that as a passing comment. Besides, it was comforting to walk behind her. Not too close, of course, he certainly intended to remain ever the gentleman.

It was a personal topic that he had broached, and he could have dropped it there and then, but he wanted to push this just a little bit. To see where she felt they were at as a couple as much as to get an actual response. He understood they were in a good spot right now. A great spot even. But, if anything, his brief conversation with Alastor had just galvanised his desire to make this mean more.

"Is this just a thing with your brother, or should I be expecting the same from other members of your family? I just want to support you as best I can."

She sighed at the continued pursuit of information about her family. Taking another look at him for a bit, she bit her lip before finally saying what was on her mind.

"They'll probably call you an upstart. They're not really the most... articulated of people."

Maybe it was a little snobbish to refer to her family as country bumpkins but Sophie knew that was just how it was. They didn't really care for nobility beforehand and the very monarchist aligned structure of Shadow Fall didn't help their image of it. They were simple and liked to be seclusive. She could empathise with it but it wasn't a lifestyle that she greatly enjoyed which is why she left when she could and pursue her own interests like the big wide world.

"Anyway, have some coffee."

She said while handing him a cup and leaned in, rug and all to rest her head on his chest.

The response to her sigh was a meek smile from Alastair, studying her rather intently with amber eyes that had begun to soften in a way most unlike how he might look at anyone else. He felt a little guilty for causing her further irritation, but that was rather overshadowed by his other rather selfish motives.

"If that is all they will do then I do not mind. I would rather that than a more violent alternative, you know."

He took the coffee in one hand before moving it one side, whilst his other arm reached around Sophie as she drew close to pull her into a tighter embrace. He squeezed just a little more, a single moment of tension, before loosening his grip and enjoying the sensation of her head against his chest and hair against his face. Or rather, what he had initially assumed was her hair. It was only as he opened his eyes again, having closed them somewhat momentarily, that he noticed the hair he was feeling was in fact that of the rug she was all wrapped up in. Brushing away those strands with a soft chuckle, he tipped his head down to look at her

"But that is enough, I did not come here to make you more frustrated. Let us just stay like this for a little while."

His free hand moved upwards across her back, tracing a gentle pattern as his digits moved along the fabric until they found their way to the side of Sophie's face and began to caress her face.