Just Outside the Apartment Above Groovy Tunes, Late Friday Night

[angelo_wings]

You would think that after an entire freaking year of not working at all, the portals at least would have the good sense to behave themselves. At least, Rinoa would think that, and Rinoa would be entirely wrong about it, because they'd been delayed six or seven times and stranded in some weird desert area for a good forty-five minutes for no real

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[whateverknight]

"No, you're not," Squall told her. "If we have to fight off alternate-universe Fandomites because of some misdirected arson, I will be very upset."

Sure, Jono had asked them to text, and Rinoa had just done that, but Squall knocked on the door anyway. Because they had arrived, and he was tired.

[angelo_wings]

"You're no fun any more," Rinoa said, sticking her tongue out at Squall.

And then she slumped dramatically against the door frame. "Okay, fine. I won't burn the place down. I will sulk and throw a gigantic hissy fit about how we're stranded in the wrong Fandom and it's late and my feet hurt."

This was clearly going to be shocking news to Squall.

[furnaceface]

And, likewise, to Jono, who opened the door looking a little rumpled. It was late. He'd been attempting - and failing, as usual - to sleep. He'd given up on the shredded Hawaiian shirt bandages entirely and had resorted to digging out an old green turtleneck he'd had since who-knew-when, and he was running a hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it as he took a look at the two people on his doorstep, and then gave them both a smile.

//Good lord, you two are a sight for sore eyes. Though if anyone will be doing any burning around here, it'll be me. I'm qualified for that sort of thing.//

Yes, Rinoa's complaining was audible through doors.

[angelo_wings]

Oh, hey, there was now a Rinoa squeezing the life out of Jono's midsection. It was a divebomb attack sort of hug. And maybe she was clinging so she wouldn't have to stand up. Details.

"Don't you ever do that again," she said, in a very shaky voice.

... Never mind that they'd been the ones who, technically, disappeared. Logic was stupid and she was very tired, okay?

[whateverknight]

Squall reached out a hand and clasped Jono's shoulder. It was almost a cuddle pile! "Good to see you again. I missed you."

[furnaceface]

//I missed you both, too,// Jono replied, thankful that he didn't need to breathe, because wow, iron grip, Rinoa. He lifted one arm to sort of half-hug her back, and another to clasp Squall by the elbow.

Totally a cuddle pile. Some more of Jono's family had come back home, damn it.

//And I'll think twice the next time Portalocity cuts service to your reality, if you think that'll help.//

[angelo_wings]

Wow, that was practically mushy, for Squall.

"Apology accepted," Rinoa announced, because she was a princess, that was why. She could willfully misinterpret things if she felt like it. "We got stranded six times today and I hate everything and I missed you so much. You have to tell us everything."

[whateverknight]

"After we carry everything inside," Squall suggested. Because they'd brought an awful lot of "everything". And Squall had done most of the carrying.

[furnaceface]

//Here, I'll take some of that,// Jono offered, holding out the hand that he'd been hugging Rinoa with in an offer to do just that.

He wasn't going to try to wriggle away otherwise, because he enjoyed a certain level of 'not being broken,' and Rinoa was not unlike a human vice at the moment.

//You'll have to catch me up, too. I've missed out on what you've been up to every bit as much as you've been out of the loop here, after all.//

[angelo_wings]

"None of it's nearly as interesting," Rinoa sighed, letting go just enough that the two of them could attempt to drag the luggage into the living room. (No, she wasn't helping with that. Princess.) "I'm trying to renovate the library. Squall gets to go on SeeD missions, and I have to be a diplomat. Do you know how boring it is listening to people talk when you just want to strangle them instead?"

[whateverknight]

"You don't have to be a diplomat, you want to," Squall pointed out. "And that means not being able to be rude to idiots."

[furnaceface]

//Which is a shame, really, because idiots are often the ones who are screaming for a little rudeness,// Jono noted. //Lord knows I want to strangle a few now and again, myself.//