Lumina’s home was… Well, while it wasn't completely a mansion, it was definitely bigger than his own childhood home -- even with their parents trying to raise three children. Probably the biggest home he’d been to that didn’t either belong to a King, was haunted, or involved a murder mystery. Caius was always more used to the simpler things, so he couldn't see the appeal. But considering Lumina was trying to take care of Claire, Serah and Mog, and potentially any children the group of them might have, he would have assumed it made practical sense in that respect.

Lumina thought his comments about the postal service were funny, which he rolled his eyes at playfully. Damn capitalists. She also talked about the life experience she gained on Zephon. “Zephon tends to do that” came a short but accurate answer. Then she got to offering to record more for Celes, to which Caius nodded in thanks. “We definitely appreciate it. Whatever can lead to arresting the culprits and stopping them as soon as possible before the worst happens” Caius spoke up with a calm, but grateful tone. “Maybe you’ll get your own statue after all this” then came a bit of humor, balancing out the tensions that formed whenever the manor incident was brought up. But when he then brought up that he was a vigilante, Lumina did not, in fact, seem thrilled at his revelation. Even pouted adorably when he contradicted her. But she did hear him out. And tried her best to separate him from Snow based off circumstances and background. Caius didn’t know if she would quite like his answer.

“Perhaps. But there’s something to admire about someone who chooses to fight just because it’s right too" Caius pointed out. "Acting because you don’t want to see people suffer, even when you haven’t suffered yourself, after all the selfishness I’ve seen… I’d have called that sense of idealism a blessing in how selfless it is.”

He smiled slightly then, with the slightest hint of cheek as he tried to push away the bad thoughts “Of course, I also understand that you and I had very different experiences as law enforcement” the once-Kingsglaive brought up at that, reminding her that he did in fact come from a law enforcement background himself. “We just… Didn’t have the opportunity to pick and choose what help we get, because we needed it. NORA would have been welcomed." Caius turned his eyes back to the noodles a moment, ensuring he was on track with them, but the smile didn't wane even as he spoke of memories he wasn't too fond of. "And it's not like I had any idea what I was doing at first either. My whole life's been picking things up as I go along, barely coming out of it alive until one day I just... Got better at it."

He did appreciate her calling him reliable, though, and his smile became a bit sheepish at that. But then came the bigger reveals. About her fears. About being scared. About how Serah would miss one or the other. It was there that it truly hit Caius that Lumina really hadn't made it clear to Serah that she and Lightning were the same. She really thought that Lightning herself, even with the younger Claire here, could show up at anytime. And they'd be this big happy family of four sisters. Or that's how it seemed, anyway. And then came Sonora. Even with all her fears, she was acting as a freedom fighter from the shadows over there. Caius was, honestly, quite taken aback. But deep down, he wasn't too surprised he supposed. That look of hers, that resolve. He didn't know Lightning. But he did know people like her. He knew that resolve.

“It sounds like Lightning never went anywhere.”

A short statement, but hopefully an effective one. "It's like I told you. You're Lumina. And Lightning. Neither went anywhere. You're both still here. And..."

He took a deep breath, trying to consider his words carefully. “I think... It’s ok to be afraid of that. But I think the answer’s already right in front you, if you’re already fighting and balancing that with what you do here” Caius admitted as he finished setting up the noodles as requested, then turned to look to Lumina. He placed a hand on her arm, remembering that sort of thing reassured people. Unlike with others, there wasn't any hesitation. They'd already held hands at this point. “Until recently, my life here hasn’t actually been all that different from the one you lived as Lightning. I moved from place to place as a traveler, never settling down, never staying in one place for too long. Meeting plenty of people, making lots of connections… But never having the sort of long, intimate time that I’ve been spending here with you, and your family. My mission was my only objective. I never really thought too much about what I would ever do if I finished every mission there was to finish. Never had any thought towards settling down, starting a family, any of it. My life has always been combat, one mission after another, with no end in sight until the day I’m killed in action. And if it’s not obvious, being killed in action once didn’t stop me from jumping right back into the fray the moment I realized Zephon gave me another chance to step up to the plate” Caius began to recall to Lumina, treading old ground but with a new twist and reasoning. “Then Celes went on vacation… And started working more permanently out of Provo because she can’t stay away from work just as much as I can’t. And it was up to me to run operations here, while before she had been doing so.”

He let out a long sigh as a thought came to him. “She also dropped that whole statue thing on my lap right before leaving. Verrrrry awkward, to say the least. As well as setting up the process of hiring new staff for the paperwork and… Well, let’s just say she unintentionally… Maybe… Put me in a position where I needed to stay put for awhile. Around that time I met Claire, and half the time since I’ve been seeing your sisters more than just about anyone else. But while today I'll be here with you, tomorrow I could be off on another job, risking my life to fight monsters, or bandits, or whatever else. I may not be traveling all the time anymore, but that life of mine isn't over just because I have other priorities now. And while the old me might have thought I was wasting time I could be spending working and making things better for people... I'm ok with this. It was an adjustment at first, but lately I've felt like I've been fighting better. It's a good reminder of what I am fight for in the first place, and it keeps my senses sharp."

And not fighting 24/7 let his body rest, at least a little. But Caius wouldn't have thought of that. "So I think you should embrace both sides of yourself. Tell Serah the truth, and just... Be Lumina. Be Claire. Neither of them are gone, right? You're both there, just a complete version of the two, who can live the life that both wanted. So there's nobody for her to miss."

He had thoughts about the whole Sonora thing, but... He would get to that later.

"Oh, they just show up at your door one day and then you have a living reminder that everyone knows who you are sitting in the middle of the city. You get used to it being embarrassing" Caius joked at that, clearly a bit flustered himself at mentioning the damned thing in the square. Those statues were from ages old heroes, people who were legends in Torensten whom had gone above and beyond many, many years ago. He never expected to see anything of that for him at all... Much less in his own lifetime. Though Lumina also wasn't done with ribbing him about yesterday's little freakout. Caius turned to squint at her for that, clearly not impressed by the comment, before returning to his work.

Lumina began to go off about Snow and NORA, talking about how they didn't know what they were doing, and endangered people as a result. That, Caius could understand. But he also knew that people like that just needed a bit of guidance and help. But he was starting to get the impression by the end of it that she wasn't so concerned about his attitude... More than the fact he'd stolen Serah from her. So jealousy had reared its ugly head, had it? Even now, he was starting to get the impression in those few moments that he was seeing Lightning come out. It was a far cry from the Lumina he knew, her calm starting to unravel.

Though at the end of it, she seemed to remember he was still standing there. "Don't worry about it" Caius reassured her, though then she began laying on the praise. And laying it on thick, at that. Caius chewed his lip as he averted her eyes sheepishly, never sure how to take praise of that kind. "You helped save my kid" was fine, those were things he did. But these? They were subjective, and talked of Caius himself, and not something he'd done. He never knew how to respond to that. "You're fine. But those things have to start somewhere. You probably know that just as well as I do, being former law enforcement. It takes time and work to build those things."

He smiled with a hint of mischief then. "Try not to get on Snow too hard for still having to build those things. Not everyone has the discipline to start killing gods right away. Though Snow must have quite a bit if he can handle how terrifying Serah can be."

This really had become a bit of a hard therapy session, hadn't it? He had done his best to help Lumina yesterday, and it had yielded her regaining her power. Now however, today seemed to be about her coming to terms with what exactly that entailed. Of course, he was happy to help her. It just wasn't quite what he had expected out of a pair of dates. But with the family Farron, how did he expect any different?

The best thing for her though, Caius knew, was to learn to find balance in who she was. There was no need to hide who she was, and he was sure that Serah would understand in time. He nodded along with her musings, agreeing with the plan to sit down with Serah and explain things. She also confirmed a theory of his -- For Serah, the Claire he knew wasn't the one she knew. So she really was still waiting for her Claire to return. But she had always been here, just... Not in the way she had expected. Mog even jumped in to reassure her as well, which he appreciated the moogle doing. She then asked them to keep it a secret for now, to which Caius nodded once more. "It's your story to tell, Lumey. I wouldn't take that from you if I can help it."

She continued on, just... Talking. And Caius was content to listen. He'd talked her ear off himself already anyway, so a chance to get his nerves back was appreciated. Caius wasn't exactly used to talking long, but sometimes it just... Came out, when necessary. Then he had been about to say she needed to forgive herself as well, but she seemed to know that already, as it came out just when Caius had opened his mouth to say the same. He stayed silent for that then, nodding along in agreement -- though he did smirk a moment when she said that being normal is hard.

"Yes. Yes it is" Caius agreed softly. "Fortunately, you'll hopefully have an easier time of it than I will. Once you come to terms with who you are in full, and start to look forwards the future you want to build here. For yourself, and for your family together."

Her last words though, were instead for him, not for herself. And it gave him pause. "For more than my strength?" Caius echoed, blinking a few times. He didn't know what others would need from him besides that. His strength and ability to bring the Dragonblades together had saved many people, and that was what people needed him to continue to bring to the table. She also claimed she wanted to help him as well, though he wasn't sure just what he could need help with. Serah was already aware of their enemies in the Original Sin, and had pledged her assistance. He couldn't ask for more than that from Lumina and her family.

"Serah already does plenty for me on your family's behalf by helping out the Dragonblades. And I know Tomoe enjoys Claire's company when she drops by the Rest" Caius reassured her. "But I appreciate it all the same."

“Torensten has always been welcoming. While there was some hesitation at first when an outlander released monsters into the city, it’s been outlanders who have stepped up and become the heroes that continue to feed Torensten’s culture” Caius brought up at the subject of the ‘losing vote’ so to speak. “Sonora will detain you if they know and I’ve heard horrible rumors of what they do within those confines. Provo is, as always, a mixed bag. They only care about their trade… Which outlander affairs have at times interrupted.”

Which is to say, as per usual. Sonora bad, Provo somewhere in the middle. Lumina then began to criticize Snow further, regarding his having had plenty of time to do so. “I’m still wrapping my head around the fact you’ve lived for centuries” Caius had to admit there. His gaze, when not busy, rotated between Lumina and the broth at times unconsciously. He’d skipped lunch and it was starting to show, the stronger the broth’s smell became.

“Challenged is right. Though I am honestly more intrigued by his ability to stay focused on Serah for centuries” Caius couldn’t help but bring up, despite knowing her misgivings about the relationship. Was it story time? “While I am not knowledgeable about the details of these romantic partnerships, I do see a lot of them unfold in my line of work. I have seen many relationships and marriages end on account of one or both growing tired of the other. While Serah hasn’t been alive for as long as Snow to consider their relationship tiring, Snow not only didn’t feel that way at all after centuries, but didn’t move on even after her death. As if deep down, he held out some vague hope he would be reunited with her again. Holding onto that for several centuries is… I know it may not look as such for you. But at my age, that is an incomprehensible amount of time to pass. I could never imagine living for over 300 years” Caius remarked, adding onto the point of just how bonkers this all sounded to him, compared to Lumina’s assessment. “And most people I have seen on my travels would not remain committed to their partners, especially a dead one, for anywhere even remotely that long.”

Caius made a face then, as a memory flashed in his mind. “I’ve even experienced people trying to hire out to kill their own partners. Which I’ve then been hired to stop, and to investigate. Happens more often in Sonora than elsewhere, actually.”

Why was it always Sonora? Though when Lumina talked about her being a devil, Caius just blinked a few times. Serah hadn’t exactly mentioned all the Lumina details and even Lumey had been pretty vague about her past self. Caius just didn’t have enough dots to connect here.

Speaking of dots, Lumina insisted he was more than just strength and resources, and that was why her sisters stuck around him. They appreciate him for who he is, she claimed. Caius mused to himself a few moments in thought. What was there to him to need besides those things? Those things were all anyone needed of him. At least until the Farrons.

He still didn’t understand. But he did at least know how to answer the “normal” thing.

“The incident at the haunted attraction you were just ribbing me for says everything about where I am in struggling to be normal” the troubled mercenary brought up then, looking around a moment to see if there was anything left for him to do regarding the food, trying to keep busy to distract himself from what he was saying. “I am not properly acclimated to everyday society in Zephon. I don’t… Know things. Like understanding that those screams were simply part of an attraction. Or that you could make ramen that isn’t just cup noodles. Or how much paperwork goes into a mercenary guild. I didn’t know people liked to do business over dinner, didn’t know what a “ring finger” is, or that having certain pets is considered “wrong”. I had to have one of my co-workers explain what a “date” meant because I mistook the tone between two of my associates regarding it to be related to some sort of team-building exercise” Caius mused aloud as he rattled off the list, wincing at that last one. “An attempt to joke at that made my initial meetings with Celes… Awkward. She very much did not appreciate it and it’s a miracle the Dragonblades formed at all. I don’t know how to cook much beyond with just a fire. I barely remembered what sweets were when Claire started asking for them. I didn’t know words like “homewrecker” when they were thrown at me until Claire had to correct me, and I’m still learning to say words like “court-ship”. When Celes coaxed me to join her in the blind dating event last year, I had to read up to figure out date etiquette because I didn’t know it” he remarked, making a face at that. “The actual date was a disaster. I horribly fumbled the etiquette. Every line I memorized I instantly contradicted and messed up because I overthought everything. Like saying they look beautiful in that dress, wouldn’t that insinuate they don’t always look good and it’s the dress doing the work? It was made worse by the fact my date ended up being Celes herself. I don’t think she’s forgiven me for that yet.”

He shot Lumina an apologetic look. “Even how I responded to your… Feelings, has to do with my struggles to find normalcy. To be honest, I would be more than happy to be the person who could help make you happy in that way, you deserve that, especially after everything. But I want to do so knowing if I commit, it’s wholeheartedly… As you deserve. And I don’t know how to do that. Not yet.”

At the end of it, though, he darted his gaze as he realized he was overdoing it, and touching on something he shouldn’t have. “Right, sorry… I shouldn’t have brought that up. And sorry for oversharing.”

Finally they were almost done and could eat. The longer this went, the more Caius realized he was getting seriously hungry. Why had he skipped lunch like that? He was just working and then the day was gone. He did have questions regarding what Lumina was doing in Sonora, but he needed to figure out how to actually word those. She then explained that she had helped Snow with getting through the 300 years. In her own way. Constantly reminding him of Serah. She seemed far too gleeful about what she had done to accomplish that, "showing" him Serah who was... Dead, but not dead, and locked in her heart? Caius was still very confused, but he just nodded along with that.

"Well, reminders or not. You gotta give the guy credit for his dedication. Sounds like your sister chose well, flaws and all" Caius pointed out, managing a small smile. He knew that might vex her just a little, but he was flawed himself and Lumina seemed to have decided he was worth something. And who wasn't flawed, right? Now, whether Serah and Snow would work out well once Snow got here, was another matter. They would just have to figure that out when they got there.

Caius had talked... A lot. Without meaning to, it just... All kind of came out at once. The mercenary took a deep breath, both a bit sore in the throat and just really sheepish after laying that all bare for Lumina to see. He had never lain himself as such, not this deeply. He had talked to Celes and Yuna in the past, sure, but... This was different. This was truly getting down to the bottom of who he was and the flaws he had. Celes had once noted how open of a book he could be, but only now, with the floodgates open, did Caius realize just how much he had been closing off for so long. And now he was telling all to someone he'd only just met. Whom herself acted as though they had known one another for years.

She said she was going to set a timer, that was the first response. Caius didn't know what she meant at first, at first he thought she was giving him crap for how long he'd spoken. Judging, maybe put off by everything he'd said all at once. She was, in fact, speaking of the timer for the food. Caius let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, before nodding and following her to the table. To address it all in order, she claimed. What in the world did she have in mind if it required what seemed like something formal?

She decided to sit beside him, instead of across, he noted. So that was a sign that maybe she wasn't entirely put off. But he wasn't sure. Not until she spoke.

It was a lot, in of itself. A lot to take in was putting it mildly. She didn't hold any of it against him, in fact when he had acted out back in the haunted house, she had been more curious about if he was trying to protect her, or if he'd do it for anyone. Caius chewed his lip at that and averted his eyes a little. Betraying the fact that he had in fact been focused on her. Well, it was true that Caius was protective by nature. He'd have raced to protect any civilian in this case. But the pure urgency, despite the fact that he was himself having a panic moment and couldn't see the enemy, in the fact he went straight to protecting Lumina told much of the story. He had acted unconsciously, yet she had been his first priority.

Forgiving himself for not knowing about the haunted house, or many of the other things he didn't know however, would be harder. He had grown conscious of his blunders the more they happened, though he hadn't voiced his insecurities over this until now. He had always openly dismissed it as "haha whoops my bad" and moved on. But those things piled up. They had been piling up. He'd just been pushing it aside as per usual. Still, Lumina at least did try to comfort him by making sure he knew that this was just growing pains and that he was not at fault for his circumstances or how he had been left by them. He appreciated it, even if he didn't speak up right away when she paused. He was just... Trying to puzzle everything in his head.

"If you go so hard on yourself for experiences you didn't get to have, then how can you appreciate the opportunity to have them now?" That rang out in his head a few times. Including her reasoning that she had been in the same position in her own way, and Serah was better at social graces than her. It was hard to imagine, considering how well-spoken and responsible she was. She knew just what to say in these situations. Caius didn't. He'd just... Been going by his gut. Still, to know that he wasn't entirely alone. For what felt like the first time since he had arrived in Zephon. It helped a little, he supposed.

But what surprised him the most was that his reaction to her feelings had not in fact been a sore spot whatsoever. Actually, she was happy he reacted the way he did. Sure, she had mentioned she was happy that he was taking her seriously before, but he hadn't thought of it to this degree. Valuing her more than she valued herself? He was just showing her what was supposed to be basic courtesy, wasn't it? Everyone deserved to be in a happy relationship, to be taken seriously when it came to being a prospective partner. As far as Caius knew, this just seemed like basic stuff. And Lumina especially had suffered much. She deserved all the happiness in the world. He didn't know how that was impressive.

Then she asked if he knew how to dance. He made a face as a memory came to him. "Sort... Of? It was some time ago, at a ballroom. I... Was never taught. I don't remember all the details, but I recall Celes getting into it with a gentleman over a dance, and I recall offering to be her dance partner. In platonic fashion, I mean. Annnnd I stepped on Celes' feet a few times. And nearly toppled us over. Repeatedly" Caius regaled then, his expression only further contorting in its horror as he recalled the agonizing details of trying to learn on the spot. "I managed to... Find some matter of form, I guess. Celes suggested that dance is like combat, and I tried to apply that logic to my steps. I think we reached something remotely passable by the time it was over. I don't think either of us plan to do that again, however."

She had responded to something along the lines of "If you're happy that's what matters" by storming out, and they'd never spoken of it again. So definitely not on the cards. But he did listen as Lumina gave her own take on what dance was like, and how it equated to the issue at hand. He didn't know how to commit wholeheartedly, so she intended to lead him on this dance. Caius was admittedly a little confused. How could she lead him here? These were his feelings to figure out. This was something he had to do himself, didn't he? How she would lead was the... Cirric. Curricyou... What was that word? Oh gods, not again.

Ok so it sounded like she knew what she was doing, so the best he could do was nod in agreement. "I... Don't know how it will work, but the least I can do is trust you on this."

Hopefully it didn't go like the last time he took relationship advice. She also told him not to fret about oversharing, equating it to him saying he wanted to do things wholeheartedly. He wasn't sure if they equated, but... He would take her word for it. She was open about why she had confessed as well, so it seemed that was her way of saying she wanted him to be open and honest. Well.. Alright. But then she had a question herself. Caius scratched his head sheepishly as he considered this. He hadn't really considered it an option, to be frank. "I did wonder why, but... I figured it would be, I don't know. Too self-indulgent, kind of egotistical, asking a bit too much, to do that?" Caius admitted then. It was natural he'd be curious, nobody had said they felt this way for him before. But it just didn't seem like the right thing to do to ask. Social tact and all that. She had been laying her feelings bare, asking "why" on the spot just seemed wrong.

The timer dinged and Caius jumped a bit in surprise. He had never heard the Provo "ding" before and while he knew there was a timer, he just wasn't expecting that sound. And he'd gotten lost in what was being said, so it just kind of shook him back to reality fairly abruptly.