EV SF - Meet the In Laws

It had been a late evening in Wintervale, during the spring period. While the weather was only slightly warming up, the thing that most people came for was the Rite of the Sun- and despite not being locals, Diana Laine and Raelynn Morais had met up and travelled to Wintervale together, to visit Micah and celebrate the Rite of the Sun. In the time when the bonfires weren't starting yet, they would go out and gather some lanterns to paint instead and then once the bonfire was lit they would release them. So here they were, in a hotel room - sat in chairs in a circle with paints and a mug of water on the table in between them.

"Okay, so- how about this. Eighty, Twenty."

"Honey, if you're asking me to invest that much I want at least fourty percent."

"Oh- but that's so much! Make an exception-- pleaaaaaase?"

The two women sat opposite each other, not even looking across as they were painting the lanterns. Micah watched them with a frown, rolling his eyes at the business talk, and went back to work on his own. He and Diana were artists, and while Raelynn was more blessed with the audible art- she had been intent on visiting and joining the two of them. But now, ofcourse, the real reason for her insistence revealed itself.

"Can this wait?"

"When do I get to meet Diana again, though? You like- hide her away from me."

"I do not."

"Yes you do! The last and only time we met before was when you came to watch me in Grovehart."

"And what's stopping you from finding her, yourself? I don't live in Grovehart anymore. I can't exactly stop you."

"Well, my armed security would, for a start."

Diana interjected, laughing quietly. The paint on her brush applied itself easily to the paper canvas of the lantern- though she had no doubts it was partly because they were of good quality. Raelynn was none the wiser, really. 

"Okay. Fair. Well-- in any case-- okay. Thirty."

"Thirty-five."

"Nghhh-- Deal!"

The younger woman fistpumped high into the air, almost dropping the lantern and knocking over several paints. Micah had to reach out and keep the table between the three of them stable, shooting Raelynn a disapproving look and getting an apologetic one in return. Diana couldn't stop from laughing louder, now, crossing her legs and putting her lantern to the side.

"We'll go over the details later. Your brother, I think, would like us to concentrate on the lanterns."

"I can't even paint- I've just been doing squiggles."

"I can see that."

Micah rolled his eyes, moving his own aside and standing up. He leaned on the side of the chair, grabbing a good hold of the lantern in one hand and reached for Raelynn's hand with the brush with his other.

"What do you want to put on it?"

"Uhh... What do you normally put on it."

"A Pokemon, Arceus, one of the Guardians, something meaningful to yourself-- that sort."

"Oh!! Could I do my logo?"

The man grimaced a little, though he supposed it was meaningful to her. He paused as he thought about it before giving her a nod, accompanied by a sigh, for the go ahead.

"Brilliant!"

"Apply the paint a bit thinner, though. Like this-"

Diana watched the two of them with a smile on her face, leaning her head into her hand and having the other rest in her lap. To others, the two looked the farthest apart from any normal sibling connections. Ofcourse, they weren't biologically so- and Raelynn had been taken in after Micah moved out of their home- but despite that and the age gap they definitely still acted as any other family. It was touching to see Micah take the time to teach Raelynn to paint the lanterns- and Raelynn meanwhile learning him to have some patience, she supposed.

"I'll go and grab us some food from the stands out in town."

"Will you be alright?"

Micah looked up from where he held Raelynn's hand, and the young woman trying to worm herself free from his grip.

"Yes, ofcourse. Besides, I need to make a few calls now for my new business partner, don't I?"

It was a silly little investment on her part, probably wouldn't make her any money, but the younger woman wanted to go into a venue she couldn't quite afford on her own and had asked for a loan. Diana admired the guts to do so, so she eventually conceded to the offer. Even she seemed to have gotten softer around Micah, she found.