| Details for Awkward Questions |
| Summary: | Lucian meets Morgana's father for the first time, and he's got some awkward questions for the couple. |
| Date: | 18 July, 1941 |
| Location: | Morgana's Flat |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Dinner would have been interrupting the evening before with an Owl from Morgana's father. He was going to be in town for the next few days and was looking forward to spending time with her and Lucian. Which, of course, sent Morgana into a cleaning frenzy, even going as far as to scrub out spots that didn't meet her standards with basic cleaning charms. She even went out and bought a new sundress, it seems that even after knowing her father for a few years, she feels the need to impress him.
Now that the day has arrived, she has spent the morning going OCD on her flat. Books are rearranged on her shelves, only to be put back in the same order when she changes her mind a few minutes later. She'll sit down only to bounce back up again to fuss over something else. Now she's just pacing and chewing on her bottom lip, occasionally turning toward the door waiting for that knock to come to signal her father's arrival. The only sound other than her footfalls is the ticking clock that is over her mantle.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Lucian just does all he can to stay out of Morgana's way. Naturally, he'll help at her direction, but when she's in this state, he knows better than to make any assumptions about how she'll want things arranged. Better just to weather the storm and help her through it. He sits on the couch, watching her pace back and forth. "I'm sure he'll be here soon," he says finally, breaking the silence. "Maybe have a little nip of brandy to take the edge off?"
"Maybe, I could do that. It's not good to be all riled up right?" Morgana says thoughtfully before she walks over to her small wet bar. "But wait, what if he smells it on me and considers me to be a lush. Perhaps I should just wait until dinner." She picks up and sets the decanter down several times before she sighs. "I shouldn't be this nervous, he's just my father." But Lucian can feel it rolling off of her in waves. That need to prove she is more than what her mother ever could be. Finally when she decides to have just a tiny nip, there is a strong knock at the door. "Oh! He's here!" At least she hopes it's him and not her mother for a surprise visit. Either way, the brandy is forgotten and she only spares a quick glance in the mirror to assure herself that she is presentable. She checks the peephole before she opens the door and greets the tall man behind it. "Hullo Father." She says formally.
The man in the doorway is none other that Sevastyan Petrov. He is tall with dark hair and a clean shaven face. Although he is dressed casually in a pair of grey slacks, a button down shirt and vest, it is easy to see that it is all well tailored and expensive. He has the same cold eyes that Morgana has, but his smile seems to come far easier than hers. "Anya dear, so good to see you. I brought gifts of course." He says passing over a bag and turning toward Lucian. "Ah, you must be Mr. Pride."
Lucian is standing by the time the door is opened, just a few feet behind Morgana. He gives Sevastyan a friendly smile and offers a hand in greeting. "Please, call me Lucian. It's wonderful to meet you at last, Mr. Petrov." So far, Morgana's father seems a much easier pill to swallow than her mother. That might not be saying much, but Lucian seems rather at ease.
"Ah Lucian, I have heard a great deal about you." Sevastyn says as he shakes the younger mans hand. His grip is frim and strong but not overpowering. "Anya tells me you tutor others in… what is it called." He says waving his hand in the air, attempting to search for the proper word. "Animagom? Where you turn into animals. That is a very useful skill and at such a young age."
Morgana takes the gift and shakes her head. "You shouldn't have, you don't have to bring me gifts." Though she of course peers into the bag, taking it toward the sitting room and gesturing the men in that direction. "Please, have a seat, I'll get the tea ready."
Lucian nods. "Animagus training. I do, and thank you, sir. Well, I offer consultations on it to begin with. Not everyone has the temperament for it. It takes a certain ability to connect with one's deepest emotions." He gestures invitingly to the sitting area, allowing Sevastyan to choose his seat first. "So what brings you to Britain, sir?"
"Yes it is a challenging form of magic and it is not one I have ran into all that often." Sevastyan says as he choosing a chair to sit in. Funny enough it was the one that Morgana suspected he would sit in and fussed over it for several hours last night. "Oh I just have a few business deals to attend to and I try to group them all together at once to save on travel expenses. I deal in magical artifacts and I usually come in to appraise what has been found and usually aid in the selling off of said artifacts." He says formally. "I've come across many fascinating things in my travels, but I turn the most dangerous ones into… well we don't call it a Ministry in Russia, but it's the same thing."
Morgana is taking her time with the tea. He can feel that OCD part of her trying to fix something just right. Perhaps the pattern on the china isn't lining up with the saucer like it is supposed to. Either way, Lucian is alone with her father for the moment.
"That sounds exciting. I haven't done much traveling, myself. I've never even been off the isles." Lucian glances toward Morgana, trying for a moment to suss out if she needs help. "I suppose one day I'd like to take Morgana on a vacation. Somewhere relaxing."
"I enjoy going to strange places and learning of their cultures. I do hope you get the chance to travel. I know Anya wanted to after she finished Hogwarts but I fear that her drive to get in her Mysterious Department kept her from doing so." He'll shake his head and frown. "I worry that she works too much, but that is something she would get from my side of the family." She definitely didn't get it from her mother. "It's a very nice flat, have you moved in yet?" He asks oh so casually.
It's about this time that Morgana finally comes in with the tea tray floating in front of her, and sets it down on the coffee table. Thankfully she has missed her father's final question and simply starts pouring a bit of tea into each glass. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
Lucian's brow lifts in surprise at Mr. Petrov's question. "Move in?" He glances to Morgana, then back to her father. "Well…no. I have my own flat, not far from here. I…don't feel that the time is right for us to be living together." He dances around the subject of marriage, trying not to cause any awkwardness for Morgana.
"What did I miss?" Morgana says with a wide-eyed look that goes between both of the men. Sevastyn attempts to look innocent and fails and the look of surprise on Lucian's face doesn't help ease her worry.
With a laugh Sevastyn shakes his head. "Forgive me. I only have sons so I cannot help but want to ask the important questions of the man my daughter is so interested in. Please, humor a father with my silly questions. Besides, it is best we get it out of the way and get the Dragon out of the room so we can get on more easy topics. However it does put me at ease that you sleep else where." He says with a knowing smirk.
Oh, thank the endless stars in the sky. Lucian breaths a sigh of relief, chuckling. "Glad to hear it, sir." He reaches up to Morgana, inviting her to come sit by him. "I hope I can put any concerns you have to rest. I love Anya with all my heart, and I do my best to take care of her. When she'll let me." He gives Morgana a playful smirk.
Morgana carefully sits down on her own sofa as if it were covered in knives. She always gets nervous with these sorts of questions, and had figured that her grandfather already did all the vetting needed for her boyfriend. However she slowly nods her head. "I suppose it's better than wondering if you're going to ask for these sorts of questions." She folds her hands in her lap and fixes her posture looking between the two men. She hopes that she doesn't regret this!
"Ah, well I am glad to hear that, though the last boy said something similar and obviously didn't mean it." Granted the only other boyfriend her father has met was Conall. "Though yes, she is a bit stubborn isn't she?" Morgana only responds by sipping her tea and trying to pretend that she isn't here. "So what is your plan Mr. Pride?"
"My plan?" Lucian again looks to Morgana for some kind of guidance. It's such a vague question. "Well…I've started my tutoring business. It's been steady work, which is good. I've always enjoyed teaching." He fishes one of his business cards from his pocket, presenting it to Sevastyan as if to really prove that he's legitimate. "So…you can see that I'm a hard worker. A business owner, even." That sounds respectable, right?
Sevastyn takes the card and looks it over before he slips it into his vest pocket. Perhaps there is someone he knows that could use some tutoring? "That's a good start, but I suppose I want to know what happens after you marry my daughter. Which I am assuming that is your hope. Do you plan to live in the city? Do you want children? Are there family members that are going to get in the way of anything that I should know about?"
Morgana looks paler than usual, though she swallows her tea and frowns slightly. "Father you are making some very big presumptions. Marriage is on the table but I think we both need to settle in more." She says in an unsure voice. Or perhaps it's just the fact that children have come up more than once in the last few weeks.
Lucian takes a slow breath. Sevastyan jumped right into the deep end. He squeezes Morgana's hand, and adds, "I very much want to marry your daughter, sir. But Anya is right. We can't rush it. We're both still early in our careers, and we want to be more stable before we start a family. You don't have to worry about my family. We're not close, and to be frank, I keep them as far away from my life as possible. My real family — the people I choose to think of as such — are good people, and they'll support us in any way they can."
"I'm not sure how more settled in she can be in the Mysterious department." Sev just can't seem to get the name straight, but Morgana doesn't seem keen to correct him. "Morgana informed me that they're a bit… I think the word she used for your father was arsehole?" Morgana chokes on her tea and has to clear her throat. "But I am glad to hear that they will not be a problem. They would be tied to my own family after all, and while I may not be a blood purist like some, it is still important to me that Anya is being joined with a good family. You make her happy, I have noticed a change in her lately. She is enjoying life more, but not sacrificing her work." He finally leans forward to grab his tea and takes a long sip from it. Finally he looks over his glass and raises a brow. "However I am not ignorant as to what happened in the second half of your seventh year. There isn't anyone who is going to come along and lay claim to your heart is there?"
"His family is the best, and we both fit in well there." Morgana says, giving the impression of people who are accepting of bastards like themselves. "Lucian is right, his family does not seem to care for what he does, he was not as lucky as I was. Still we both understand what it's like and want something different for our children." This is probably the first time Morgana has mentioned children as anything but hypothetical. Though the last question causes her to narrow her eyes, and spit out a line of Russian at her father.
Lucian frowns, taking on a stern countenance. "Sir," he says firmly. "With all due respect, I don't believe you fully understand what happened back then. It was a confusing time for everyone involved. But I have committed myself to Morgana. I love her, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I understand your need to protect your daughter. Any father should. But I ask you to tread lightly when it comes to matters of honour. I take them very seriously."
"Forgive me, I do not question your honor Lucian." Sev says with a nod of his head, watching as the demeanor changes in Lucian. "I do not doubt your commitment to her, and you are right I do feel a protectiveness toward her. I do not wish to see her in that state again. Her brothers and I worried for her, and yet we were too far away to help her." However he'll raise his hand. "But I will drop the subject as I see that it is not a happy one for either of you."
Morgana is seething, and doesn't dare speak at this moment. It's obvious that she's trying to calm herself, but she is glaring daggers at her father.
"I'll say this much, sir," Lucian maintains a respectful tone, though the emotions behind it are all too evident. "It isn't an experience I'd like to relive. If I could do it again, I'd definitely do things differently. But that's easy to say after the fact. Personally, I consider it a sign of how right for one another we are that Anya and I mended our relationship after that, and how far we've come since then."
Sev slowly nods his head and leans back in his chair as he looks the both of them over. "Indeed it does. I can see that you both want this, but I agree with you that some time still needs to pass. Either way, you have my blessing. Not that you were seeking it but you have it none the less." He says with a bright grin before he sets his tea aside. "I suppose it is only fair to ask if you have any questions of me."
Morgana is just a swath of emotions. They swirl about her as she tries to focus, however she shakes her head, signaling that she does not have any questions for her father.
"You're wrong, sir," Lucian says. "I do seek your blessing. I admit, Morgana's decision is what is most important to me. But I think your approval is important to her, so it matters to me, too. I suppose my only question is whether you have any other expectations of us. I intend to be your son-in-law someday, and I'd like to have a better relationship with you than I do with my father."
"As it should be." Sev replies when he mentions it is Morgana's decision. The question does cause him to think for a moment and he taps his finger on his lips. "From what I can tell about the both of you, I have little I need to expect from you. You are both self sufficient, with goals for the future. Neither of you are layabouts, and I doubt either of you would come to me asking for money. I suppose all I can ask for is a healthy bout of grandchildren to spoil." He says with a wink, which causes Morgana to shake her head and her cheeks to flush. "And to love and respect each other of course."
"That won't be a problem, sir," Lucian says with a chuckle. He pats Morgana's hand, offering her a reassuring smile. This is going far better than he could have ever hoped. The last father meeting he had was horrible. This one is heaven by comparison. "I think that all we can ask for right now is that you join us for dinner, and maybe tell us some stories about your travels."
"Lucian!" Morgana says as she swipes at his hand, frowning at his 'reassurance'. "I can't believe you would say something like that. Everything in it's own time!" She looks at her tea, than back to where the brandy is and sighs. These men are going to be the death of her!
Sev just laughs at his daughter's outburst. He's obviously trying to make up for lost time by teasing his daughter. "I can obviously join you for dinner and it will be my treat. I'm not sure of the best restaurant in the city, but I am up for suggestions. Than I can tell you about that in China where someone nearly trapped me in an urn."
Lucian cannot stifles his own laughter at Morgana. "Anya, I was talking about loving and respecting each other." He lifts her hand to place a kiss upon it. "Come on. I want to hear this story about China."
"Well… you implied it." Morgana says quietly before she clears her throat and sets her tea cup down. "I'm going to go fetch my purse and cloak." Mostly she needs to go be humiliated in private before they're about to go out in public.
"See, that is what I understood you to be saying. Nothing else." Sev says with a wink and he nods to his daughter as she walks away. He waits until she is out of earshot, leans forward a bit and lowers his voice. "You do make her happy you know. She's terrible at showing her feelings but… there is a lightness to her that wasn't there before. She doesn't feel as though she is alone in the world as she once was."
Lucian gives Sev a grateful nod. "Thank you for saying so. All I want is to make her happy. She makes me happy, too. If you knew me a few years ago, you'd probably think I was an obnoxious, dour little punk. I was. But…she makes me better. It's like you said, I don't feel as thought I'm alone any more."
Sev nods his head smirking as he hears of Lucian's past. "Oh I think we all had that phase. I know I was a handful when I was younger. I asked Morgana if she wanted me to legitimize her, allow her to take the Petrov name and become part of the family. Not that my wife would approve. She refused my offer of course, I think she enjoys her status."
Lucian nods. "In a strange way, it makes us special. It's part the reason we were first drawn together. These days, I'd like to think we both wear it like a badge of honour. We've been through the rough times, but we're stronger for it."
"Indeed you are. I know she can do anything she puts her mind to. My wife would talk ill of her in Russian, and Morgana got tired of the back talk and spent time learning Russian. The look on my wife's face when she spoke in response to one of her biting remarks was priceless. I had wished that I had a camera that day. I'm not worried about you two, I think you'll go far, but I only know what I've learned through her letters."
It's then that Morgana sneaks out of her room, ready to go. "Shall we? Or do the two of you need to talk about me more?"
"We could use another hour or two to talk about you." Lucian grins at his jest, then steps up to offer his arm to Morgana. "My Lady."