𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 🗲 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sparkstrikes) wrote2023-01-01 12:11 pm
sparkstrikes) wrote2023-01-01 12:11 pm
empatheias IC contact. (archive)
Leave a message.
Leave a message.
Something like that.
[She can feel his eyes on her but Lightning doesn't look, choosing to keep her focus on her fingers curling and uncurling into a fist on the counter.]
You feel afraid... [Her voice drops, falling away into a murmur.] Afraid that someone or something is gonna mess it all up or take it away.
[The very potent fear is one that will never truly disappear.]
You feel it too?
[She can feel his eyes on her but Lightning doesn't look, choosing to keep her focus on her fingers curling and uncurling into a fist on the counter.]
You feel afraid... [Her voice drops, falling away into a murmur.] Afraid that someone or something is gonna mess it all up or take it away.
[The very potent fear is one that will never truly disappear.]
You feel it too?
[Noel lets out a small huff and nod.]
Yeah.
[And he doesn't really have an answer how to get rid of that feeling. It's just always as the back of his mind even if he's feeling happier than he has ... well- ever.
So he smiles at her lightly.]
I suppose the best thing to do is ... cherish it.
Yeah.
[And he doesn't really have an answer how to get rid of that feeling. It's just always as the back of his mind even if he's feeling happier than he has ... well- ever.
So he smiles at her lightly.]
I suppose the best thing to do is ... cherish it.
Make sure you do.
[Lightning pops the lid back onto the container of strawberries, pressing down on it firmly with her palm until it makes a click, filling the brief silence.]
We don't know what tomorrow's gonna be like.
[Lightning pops the lid back onto the container of strawberries, pressing down on it firmly with her palm until it makes a click, filling the brief silence.]
We don't know what tomorrow's gonna be like.
[That's very true for the both of them, isn't it. The whole household, really... It's always harrowing to hear.]
Right...
[He rolls his shoulders and crosses his arms next.]
So. You going to teach me to dance, or what?
Right...
[He rolls his shoulders and crosses his arms next.]
So. You going to teach me to dance, or what?
[Her brows raise at him. Is he being serious right now...]
You saying you don't know how?
[As if she's much of an expert on it, either. The most she remembers is what she was shown at the Masquerade.]
You wanna impress her with your dancing, you're on your own with that one.
You saying you don't know how?
[As if she's much of an expert on it, either. The most she remembers is what she was shown at the Masquerade.]
You wanna impress her with your dancing, you're on your own with that one.
There wasn't exactly annual galas on Gran Pulse.
[He says this with a shrug.]
Maybe I'll just avoid it then.
[He says this with a shrug.]
Maybe I'll just avoid it then.
You might've been able to avoid the last dance but I'm not so sure you'd get away with it at the wedding.
[She smiles, fond and warm.]
Not sure Serah would let you.
... Or Snow.
[She smiles, fond and warm.]
Not sure Serah would let you.
... Or Snow.
[Noel's expression grows immediately exasperated.]
Snow...
Maybe I'll just up and ask Penelo to teach me. She says she dances.
Snow...
Maybe I'll just up and ask Penelo to teach me. She says she dances.
[She nods, aware that they both know what she means by that. If either were caught not dancing, Snow would be the person who'd get them dancing.]
Could always ask Iggy or Gladio if you wanna surprise her. Even Noct. [She smiles wryly because the image of Noel dancing with any of them...] I'm sure the Crownsguard and his Highness have some tricks up their sleeves
Could always ask Iggy or Gladio if you wanna surprise her. Even Noct. [She smiles wryly because the image of Noel dancing with any of them...] I'm sure the Crownsguard and his Highness have some tricks up their sleeves
No thanks.
[He says this pretty quickly with a shrug of his shoulders.]
Those guys have enough dirt on me and I don't need to be adding to the pile.
[You know exactly what he's talking about, Lightning.]
[He says this pretty quickly with a shrug of his shoulders.]
Those guys have enough dirt on me and I don't need to be adding to the pile.
[You know exactly what he's talking about, Lightning.]
What, you worried Gladio'll accidentally toss you into a tree again?
[Lightning knows full well what he's talking about. She brings the fruit containers with her over to the fridge and organizes them neatly in little stacks on the shelf.]
Your loss. Guess we'll have to wait for the wedding to see if it'll pay off.
[Lightning knows full well what he's talking about. She brings the fruit containers with her over to the fridge and organizes them neatly in little stacks on the shelf.]
Your loss. Guess we'll have to wait for the wedding to see if it'll pay off.
No comment.
[He snorts with some quiet laughter and then turns to leave the kitchen.]
If I keep my dancing limited to Serah and Penelo only, maybe I can get away with my dignity.
[He waves.]
[He snorts with some quiet laughter and then turns to leave the kitchen.]
If I keep my dancing limited to Serah and Penelo only, maybe I can get away with my dignity.
[He waves.]
Lightning.
[Have Noel, sounding slightly concerned.]
I think we need to talk.
[Have Noel, sounding slightly concerned.]
I think we need to talk.
[Noel's sudden voice in her head startles her, and it takes her a while to respond back as she pauses to rub her temple with her fingers. She can already make a guess on what this could be about...]
Yeah, figured we would. [There's another pause.] Where are you?
Yeah, figured we would. [There's another pause.] Where are you?
[Well, at least that's a good sign, sort of. She knows something about what he wants to talk about.]
I'm coming back from the hospital area to the house. Meet you there.
I'm coming back from the hospital area to the house. Meet you there.
Sure.
[Lightning waits for him to return at the kitchen table, two glasses of ice water set out for the two of them already and one hand drumming her fingers against the surface while the other fidgets anxiously with the amulet around her neck.]
[Lightning waits for him to return at the kitchen table, two glasses of ice water set out for the two of them already and one hand drumming her fingers against the surface while the other fidgets anxiously with the amulet around her neck.]
[When he gets there Noel doesn't really look that upset but more a little wary and confused. He greets her with a small hello and then hops right to it.]
Alright. I'm sure you've seen ... The tiny Hope.
[He gets that one. Hope is from Snow's timeline. Okay.]
But ... The tiny ... Farron.
Alright. I'm sure you've seen ... The tiny Hope.
[He gets that one. Hope is from Snow's timeline. Okay.]
But ... The tiny ... Farron.
[Wasting no time getting straight to the point. Lightning doesn't answer straight away, instead swirling the water around in her glass before taking a long sip. The tiny Hope probably makes sense, and she knows that isn't why he's here.]
You've met Lumina, then. She's not a Farron, despite what I'm betting she told you.
You've met Lumina, then. She's not a Farron, despite what I'm betting she told you.
She was definitely insinuating that she was your sister but I had my doubts.
[Because he'd like to think they're close enough that Serah or Lightning would tell him something like that? Unless she was the problem child locked under the stairs all the time or something and that seems like a far stretch.]
She has the power of Chaos, Lightning. Or something similar to it.
[Please explain.]
[Because he'd like to think they're close enough that Serah or Lightning would tell him something like that? Unless she was the problem child locked under the stairs all the time or something and that seems like a far stretch.]
She has the power of Chaos, Lightning. Or something similar to it.
[Please explain.]
[Of course she tried to convince him of that. Lightning doesn't appear to be surprised in the least. She taps her nail against her glass, thinking for a while, trying to figure out how to explain who, or what, Lumina is.]
She's... different from the rest of us. Not really human... Lumina comes from my time. Five hundred years into the future when the world was coming to an end.
[All a part of the story Noel didn't want to hear... Lightning looks up at him cautiously through her lashes.]
She's... different from the rest of us. Not really human... Lumina comes from my time. Five hundred years into the future when the world was coming to an end.
[All a part of the story Noel didn't want to hear... Lightning looks up at him cautiously through her lashes.]
[He figured this part, put together with what Lumina had told him. He sighs. Noel is still unsure if he wants to hear more about this bleak future yet his curiosity seems to be growing each day.]
And why did she come around looking like you...? What's her deal?
And why did she come around looking like you...? What's her deal?
['What's her deal' is oddly broad, because even Lightning doesn't fully know what her 'deal' is. She knows what Lumina is and why she looks like her, but why she's such a little troublemaker? No idea. And having to explain it is proving to be just as difficult as she imagined it would be the moment she spotted her in Verens.]
She... I made her...
[Which sounds weirder than it actually is? She stares at Noel, watching for his reaction.]
Lumina is... a part of me.
She... I made her...
[Which sounds weirder than it actually is? She stares at Noel, watching for his reaction.]
Lumina is... a part of me.
[He just stares back, eyes a little confused.]
A part of you. [He repeats, displaying his confusion.]
She formed from what, the Chaos...?
A part of you. [He repeats, displaying his confusion.]
She formed from what, the Chaos...?
I'm... not really sure.
[There's a long, drawn out pause because as much as she wishes otherwise, there's no easy way to explain things without telling more.]
You sure you want the answers you're looking for?
[It isn't so much about protecting him as it is herself. It wasn't the Chaos that Lumina was created from. It was something Lightning found far more frightening....]
[There's a long, drawn out pause because as much as she wishes otherwise, there's no easy way to explain things without telling more.]
You sure you want the answers you're looking for?
[It isn't so much about protecting him as it is herself. It wasn't the Chaos that Lumina was created from. It was something Lightning found far more frightening....]
[He watches her face for a moment before he nods slowly.]
Yes. I think I'll find out eventually. Either from you or Lumina because she seems intent on letting little things slip to me wither I like it or not.
[So really, it's a matter of who should he hear it from more? Lightning or Lumina?]
Yes. I think I'll find out eventually. Either from you or Lumina because she seems intent on letting little things slip to me wither I like it or not.
[So really, it's a matter of who should he hear it from more? Lightning or Lumina?]
Page 2 of 22