Work Text:
When Ryoji finally convinced Minato and Minako to spend some time with him, he wasn’t expecting the time to be spent on an elevator. No, he really hadn’t, but halfway between two floors it’d gotten stuck. If it’d just been the three of them and Pharos maybe he would’ve been fine with it, but no. He wasn’t that lucky.
Besides them, there was the elevator attendant, the door man, and two women. He was pretty sure he’d met these women, and, well, had gotten into a bit of trouble with one over a silly little collar of all things, and that honestly scared him.
It didn’t help that the one who scared him, Metis, seemed to be staring him down when the elevator stopped moving. Was she thinking about hitting him again? He kind of hoped not, since he hadn’t done anything to her. No collar in his hands or anything like that!
“Oh dear!” The elevator attendant, the woman who’d actually caused a lot of his issues with Metis spoke. “There seems to be quite a bit of tension.”
“Elizabeth…” The door man bit his lip. “Please don’t start anything.”
“I agree with Theodore-san, Metis is already uncomfortable as is.” The other woman, Aigis maybe, nodded a bit as she looked at Elizabeth. “Put more aptly... Metis is scared as is.”
Pharos smiled and moved to stand next to his brother. “Is she scared of Ryoji?”
He heard Minako snort. “Who’d be afraid of him.”
“You were when we were younger.”
“Minato, shut up--”
“Actually, Aigis, I’m curious!” Elizabeth smiled. “What is your sister afraid of?”
Aigis smiled and opened her mouth. “It’s simple.”
“S-sister don’t tell her!”
“It’s almost cute, it’s been a fear of hers since we were young.”
“Sister, she doesn’t need to hear it!”
“She gets quite embarrassed when we talk about it, as you can see.”
Minako whistled. “Whoa, must be pretty bad.”
“Sounds like it for sure.” Ryoji glanced back at Minato as he nodded a bit.
“Is this a case of something being related to childhood trauma?” Theodore put a finger on his chin in thought. “Interesting…”
“It’s nothing like that!” Metis shook her head, a blush on her face. “I’m just…”
“It’s alright if it is, ma’am.” Pharos smiled at her and giggled. “We all have our dark secrets, don’t we?”
“I’m just claustrophobic okay?!”
Everyone in the elevator went quiet for a moment before Elizabeth let out a snort. “That is...very…”
“Cute!” Ryoji wasn’t sure why he said that, but he did. “Kinda like how Minako used to be afraid of the dark.”
As if in tune with each other, both Minako and Metis started to yell. “That’s not cute at all!”
Ryoji held up his hands and flinched away from Metis a bit. “Sorry, don’t hit me again, okay?”
“I--” Metis blushed a bit and looked away when Aigis gave a look. “Sister told me I need to work on my violence, so… I’m sorry about how I reacted when you came over to me with that...collar.”
He was about to say something when Metis glared at Elizabeth. “There was someone else who should’ve gotten that instead.”
Aigis sighed. “Metis, that’s not less violent…”
“Oh, uh, I-I promise I’ll get better with it!”
“I know you will, please just don’t threaten Elizabeth.” Aigis shook her head. “It won’t lead to anything good for you, anyway.”
“...Fine.” She sighed and looked at Ryoji, a pout on her face. “And you? Do you, uh…”
“Do I what?”
Minako sighed and moved to stand next to her cousin. “Are you that dense?”
He heard Minato sigh. “You know he can be, Minako.”
“But seriously! Come on Ryoji, what did she say to you before talking about getting violent with Elizabeth-san?”
Ryoji frowned. “Why does that matter?”
Minako rubbed her temples and sighed. “Anyone wanna take a crack at explaining to Ryoji what Metis-chan means?”
“Well, she just apologized to him!”
“Very good, Pharos!”
Theodore blinked a few times. “Is she asking if he accepts her apology, then?”
Minako clapped her hands together. “Wow, look at that! Theodore-san and your little brother are more intune with Metis than you are.”
Ryoji frowned at Minako. “It’s not like I’ve talked to her more than once!”
“...I’m starting to feel apologizing was useless.” Metis frowned. “Am I going to at least get a yes or no to my question?”
“Well, if you’d finished the question this wouldn’t be a problem, but…” Ryoji smiled at Metis. “Sure! I accept your apology.”
“Good, then I can put it behind me and forget about it. So can you, Sister!” Metis turned to look at Aigis. “So tell Labrys she can stop nagging me about it.”
“If I remember, I will.”
“Sister…!”
“So…” Minato moved next to Pharos and looked over at Ryoji. “Did you mean it when you said her fear was cute?”
Ryoji laughed a bit and scratched his cheek. “Maybe? Just a little, though.”
“Sounds like you’re not even sure of your answer.” Pharos laughed as he looked up at him.
“Is that new, Pharos?” Minako snorted and shook her head.
“Oh come on, Minako…”
“She’s got a point, you know.”
“Minato…!”