"...That was supposed to be my meal anyways." Frances pointed out, though he still accepted it out of habitual politeness.

"No thanks." He replied sharply. Watching Elaine closely, Frances seemed to be thinking about something, "...you said you think she's happy so what exactly is she even daydreaming about?"

Elaine doesn't remember the last time she even had this much fun, it's nice to get sit back and watch the story unfold without having to do much. Most of it was very cliche, yes, but it was fun and that's what mattered. Cliches only get boring because they're overused but for someone like Elaine who sorely lacked experience in the real world, cliches were something she'd always wanted to experience. She reads a lot, mostly fiction and fantasy.. ok only fiction and fantasy, and it was a way to fill that void in her life, the need to want more. More stories, more adventure, more action, all the things she wished to experience but never could due to her crown. She lived through these stories, these cliches, and this daydream was like walking into one of those tales. To outsiders it might seem like a pretty generic and perhaps even boring daydream but to Elli, it's really everything she's ever wanted. She never wanted to leave, she couldn't even remember the last time she actually took a break from reality like this, she really really didn't want to leave.

(not me lowkey projecting onto Elaine... but who doesn't project onto their ocs from time to time..)

"Daydreams are what we wish were reality..." Frances repeats, "Wait, she's not gonna get addicted to it right? I know her and when she likes something she likes something and she'll do anything she can to get that thing."


(Elaine is definitely addicted)

Frances cursed under his breath, "Is there any way to pull her out before she decides she likes the daydream so much more than reality and just stubbornly stays there? Because if I know her, and I do, then that's exactly what she's going to try to do. Is there any way we can just get her outta there before an obsession develops?"

"Ok, great, then um can you try?" He seemed worried, perhaps a little too worried. He paused for a few moments before deciding to add "..but if it hurts you then stop, don't wanna have to explain why there's deity blood all over the floors once she gets out of the daydream."

Despite wishing to stay, Elaine's instinct told her not to and she always, always trusted her instincts. It's never let her down before and was the secret to her good luck, so she just trusted it and let Apollo pull her out of the daydream. She blinked a few times before focusing at the figures around her, and when she noticed Frances, her eyes immediately lit up as she proceeded to go on a long rant about her daydream and how amazing it was.

Frances looks so much more comfortable now and had this soft smile on his face as he listened to her attentively, affection in his eyes. This boy is so whipped it's kinda unbelievable.

(...I will not ship Frances and Elaine, I will not ship Frances and Elaine, I will not ship Frances and Elaine, that would be out of Elaine's character, that would be out of Elaine's character, that would be out of Elaine's character...)

Elaine suddenly turned to Apollo, "You!" She exclaimed, pointing at him "Do that again!!" She's bouncing up and down in her seat with excitement, a big dopy grin on her face.

Frances tried to protest but Elaine just ignored him. He sent Apollo a cod-dam-it-I-told-you-this-would-happen look.

(kjsdhsjshgjd drama...I mean like, Elli won't like Frances that way bc she sees him as like a younger brother, in her eyes Frances might as well be her family so her dating Frances for any reason seemed out of character...)

"Oh so you think I can't handle it huh??" Elaine asked, taking what Apollo said in a completely wrong way.

"Elli-" Frances lightly tugged on her sleeve, "he's right you know, maybe you should take a break-"
 
Elaine ignored him, staring at Apollo expectantly.


(One day Elli will realize her good luck doesn't make her invincible...)

Elaine opened her mouth to protest and argue but Frances just tugged on her sleeve again and she froze. After a few stubborn seconds she huffs and slumps back in her seat, pouting. She eyes Apollo with an unreadable expression.

"Elli..." Frances whispered sharply, almost like a warning.

"What?!" She snapped.

He just gave her a look that said he knew exactly what she was planning to do and he really didn't approve of it. Elaine just pouts and slumps down even further.

Elaine perks up at that, the excitement back in her eyes "Pinky promise?" She asked, holding her pinky up with a huge grin on her face.

Frances sighed, giving up on stopping Elaine at this point. He just hopes this daydream obsession doesn't get out of hand, though if it's anything like Elli's obsession with books then...sigh.

She smiled even wider "No going back then! You know what they say, break a pinky promise and you lose your pinky!!" The thing is, Elaine seemed like the type who would actually go through with that, chop someone's pinky off for breaking a promise.

Frances sighed again, in the end he's the one who has to deal with her obsessions 24/7.


(A moment of silence for Frances' eardrums as he will have to listen to Elaine ramble about her daydreams for at least the next week, ma poor boi)

Elaine glanced over at Frances before returning her attention back to Apollo. "...I um, have a lot of guest rooms so would you like to stay for a few days?" She asked sweetly, grabbing his hand with both of hers.

Frances facepalmed and sighed "Elli," He started, exasperated "..you can't just, put people under soft house arrest just because you don't want them to leave-"

Elaine blew a raspberry at him "I knew letting you hang out with Marsh was a bad idea, now you're talking back at me!"

"Great! Uh every guest room here is open, I don't have any visitors right now, so feel free to use any one you find suitable! I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay very very much!" Elaine exclaimed.

Frances groaned in defeat, making a silent prayer to whatever being up there that Elaine isn't seriously considering not letting Apollo leave.


(Elaine is definitely considering it but I don't think she can force Apollo to stay anyways, she's not powerful enough)
(Also Elli is definitely gonna treat Apollo like a pet, at this point she doesn't even think of Apollo as a god, she just thinks of him as her gateway to escaping reality)

"Oh right, yeah of course I can!" Elaine said, standing up and walking over to the huge double doors. It's almost as if it slipped her mind that she needed to make sure newcomers didn't get lost, when was the last time she even had a visitor?

She eyed his wings, thinking. "Right, ok um... let's see, well first floor rooms are all pretty small and standard so that's probably not gonna be good, second floor is...library... uh hm third floor it is." She seemed to be talking to herself as she walked though the halls, making her way to the nearest set of stairs. "Oh and to be honest, I don't actually know what every room in the palace looks like, most of the rooms I just made to make this place look bigger, so I suppose some of these will be as much a surprise to me as it is to you."