Hanaki

[threevirtues]

"What."

Regis is doing that thing he does, were most of his expression is stately and calm - befitting a King of Lucis - but there's a sort of amused shine to his eye which never escapes Cor's gaze. "Gladiolus and Ignis are handling the security measures for this year's royal flower viewing celebrations. I had thought you'd been made aware; certainly I made sure to send a message down to you."

Oh, he bets Regis sent a message. It must have so conveniently run into all manner of obstacles, and it is probably sitting at the bottom of a whole pile of much more worthless papers. Cor's lips thin in the most minute of ways, although, just as easily as he reads Regis, Regis can no doubt read him.

"Are they properly prepared for this level of responsibility?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" Regis responds with just a little too much cheer. "The flower viewing celebration is relatively low stakes, with an easily controlled area within the city, and especially within city grounds on royal family property. This will be a good chance for them to show what they have learned, and let us know of their progress."

When said like that, it makes perfect sense. Any other day would have had Cor agree.

However, most other days would not mean he is clearly being given the run-around and forced to hear the words, "So, you can take half of the day off while the flower viewing is happening, all right?"

Regis may be the one delivering the news, but Cor knows where to really narrow his eyes. Over to the side, in fact. Right where Gladio is giving directions to a small group of Crownsguard, every bit the commander he was trained to be with broad shoulders set confidently and his back straight. Completely serious, garnering respect just by standing there. Not too far off is Ignis, a phone to his ear and papers in his hands - an indepth map of the surrounding area for the park the royal family uses no doubt. As with everything he does, he's laser focused, a beacon of dependability.

The Crownsguard uniforms look good on them. Cor would be more proud if not for everything else about this.

"They'll need someone to stand over their shoulders to evaluate everything they do for an indepth review later," Cor says, although he knows his king. Knows just how damnably stubborn he can be over nonsense like this.

"Oh, they agreed," Regis says, still cheerful because he knows he'll get his way in the end. "That's why Ignis is keeping detailed records of what they're doing on the hour, by the hour. And of course I have no doubt that there will be the security footage for you to go over later. So you'll be able to enjoy some hours off, hm?"

Is that what this is? A plot to give him a day off? As though it will be that easy. Jaw set, Cor looks his beloved king in the eyes and says, "Perhaps I'll enjoy it by watching the flowers."

Regis sighs. "As you could."

It's not as though anyone would truly deny him entry; he's been a facet of His Majesty's retinue for decades by this point. Probably no one would even think to deny him. However, well. Considering the fact that it is apparently well known to everyone else that Ignis and Gladio are in charge, it wouldn't look good if he flaunted their temporary authority. It would cast doubt on their abilities if he just ignored the stations they have.... and while he's annoyed, Cor doesn't want to do anything that bad to them.

So instead of bulldozing his way into accompanying the Crownsguard or the Glaives, or taking an official vehicle, Cor just follows behind in his own. He'll oblige this whole farce by parking in the appropriate spot, but the second they're all on park grounds, he's-

"Marshal?"

It's as he's striding away from the parking lot that he hears that familiar voice, and he glances back at what is quickly becoming a familiar face in his life. "Counsellor Scientia."

Although he's dressed a bit differently than how he's normally seen him. No tie today, although there's still a white button up and slacks. Rather than a suit jacket, Tan is actually wearing a deep maroon haori with lighter pink stripes fractured through it in a broad artistic pattern. In his arms, he's holding close a rather hefty tiered bento. "I thought you would be right by His Majesty's side during all of this," Tan muses, stepping closer. "Taking a day off for the flowers?"

"Something like that," Cor says dryly.

Before he can excuse himself, however, Tan looks over him in that analytical way of his, and says, "Then, would you care to sit with me for the viewing?"

Obviously he has other things to do. As it turns out, however, Tan was expecting his nephew to be free for all of this, and packed various picnic items appropriately. Cor isn't in such a state that he'll neglect to help a bit, of course. Just as much as a matter of course is that Tan invites him to sit down for a moment, to pay him back for the help.

On any other day, he'd refuse. However... It has to be said that looking at things from the inside out is surprisingly helpful from a security point of view. Just the walk to Tan's spot has been enlightening.

"Now just imagine what you could learn by sitting down a spell," Tan points out, when Cor makes the briefest of comments hinting at his thoughts.

As much as Regis, Tan is also annoyingly stubborn when he cares to be. In this case, however, he has a suspicion that it has nothing to do with being a part of Ignis's plan, and simply because he's just a Scientia.

At least the blanket is tasteful and comfortable. The view is right there beneath the flowers, with just the right amount of shade. Everything in the bento is perfect for a light meal, and as traditionally Lucian as he prefers it. Tan even has a small surface for tea ceremony. "It felt like the right time to bring out my grandfather's old things," he says mildly as he demonstrates passable enough form. "It's been a while, but I'm not too terrible, I like to think."

Riceballs, some light seaweed salad, dango, tea... All that and others, plus them a decent distance away from anyone else that might be allowed to set foot on these grounds, makes it... something of a pleasant experience.

Cor doesn't let himself get distracted, but it's pleasant enough.

"There's another haori in the bag, if you'd like to wear it," Tan says after a while of some casual conversation, but mostly comfortable silence. "The size might be a touch off, but I imagine not too much so."

Presumably, it would have been for his nephew to wear, to get into the sort of mood that flower viewing brings. At least with haori, them being a little bit loose isn't too much of a bother. It's plenty warm as it is. Just the right comfort as he accepts another cup of tea and watches to see just how obvious some of the Crownsguard are, and who is.

That's not the only thing he's watching, however, and he finally sighs. "He's doing well enough from what I can tell," he informs Tan bluntly.

The response is near instantaneous. Tan lights up in a way that's hard to describe, but is undeniably pleased, all raised brows and a bright smile and the dango in his hand completely forgotten. "Last I saw him, he was absolutely pouring over past flower viewings," he says, proud. That, Cor has no doubt. "Thinking of having him and Gladio take over little events like this in the future?"

"That is a bit much," Cor says dryly. Still, he's not particularly inclined to tell the truth on this. He knows how Scientias work; give them an inch of information and they'll have a whole map by the days end. Instead, Regis's excuse works well enough. "This is simply a test to see how they're coming along. "

"I assume they're passing with flying colors, then? After all, they were trained by you." Tan smiles just slightly past the sweets he has raised up. "And the results, in my admittedly untrained eyes, have always spoken for themselves."

For all his annoyance, there's still that spark of pride in his chest at the words. At knowing how far Gladio and Ignis have come since they first looked up at him as children.

At knowing they've filled out into the Crownsguard uniform so perfectly, a hint of their futures by Noctis's side.

He's going to put them through the gods damned ringer after today.

Looking back to the security retinue he can see by the area Regis is at in the far distance, Cor says, "We'll see after I go over the security footage."

No argument on Tan's end. All he does is hum quietly and finish off bot snack and tea. Then... He reaches into the bag he'd brought to pull out a pillow. "Don't feel obligated to stick around if you mustn't," he says casually, carefully stretching out on his blanket, and his shoes resting on the grass. "I'm just going to nap, after all."

Cor raises a brow. "Doesn't that defeat the purpose of flower *viewing*?"

"Maybe the flowers are viewing me," Tan counters cheekily, tugging his haori a bit over himself for comfort before closing his eyes. "Ah, but before I forget... You can take some of the food along with you to wherever you're going. Made a bit too much because I thought I'd join some of the boys... but they're clearly having more fun together."

"You don't have to return to work?"

"Mm, promised my office that they could have half a day off if they did some vital matters first, so of course they all delivered excellently." Even with his eyes closed, Tan still smiles. "I'm not a terrible boss, you know."

More as though he's a lenient boss. Still, Cor doesn't say that. After all their time together, he knows that this sort of nonsense could get dragged out for quite a while. Instead, he merely huffs, and looks away from where Tan rests. "...I'll have some more tea."

"By all means, please help yourself."

It's good tea. Pleasant to sip on slowly as he looks up into where pink petals gently sway in the light spring breeze. A pleasant calming sight. A reprieve from the war waged outside the city. Perhaps in this, he can almost understand Tan's choice to lay down asleep beneath it all.

When he looks over to the man next, his breathing has slow comfortably, and his shoulders have gone completely lax. During some stray breeze, one of the flowers has fallen down and rests there in his hair.

Honestly... He hasn't even removed his glasses. Cor watches him for just a second longer, only that, before he reaches over. Carefully, of course. Just enough to remove his glasses... and then, again, to take the cherry blossom from his hair.

Slow and careful. Purely to keep from waking him, of course.

He'll go to find Prompto. Probably he's not officially a part of the royal retinue, but Cor has no doubt that if he finds him and simply directs him to Tan, then the princes will follow right behind.

"So how's it looking?"

"Perimeter check is clear. I'm sending out the next dummy squad out just in case. Also, my uncle just had a flower removed from his hair and Cor is having another cup of tea, so that's nice."

Gladio grins, and claps his hand to Iggy's shoulder as he passes on by. "Then it's looking like mission accomplished for the day, huh?"

"Oh, we'll be able to say THAT when the picnic is over and the security footage comes through clear."