✿ Ninth Bud [strange scribbles/voice]

[seiriald]

Comments

1/2

[imatreenow]

[.....She's back. She's back to being herself, with her memories, and-- For the first time in a long while, something like relief pours into him, hiding all the ugly emotions underneath. For just a little.]

[voice - filtered of course]

[imatreenow]

[That question, though... It digs through him and leaves empty spaces all over again. He isn't going to answer, because he doesn't like what his says. Instead...] Kaori, I-

[words...what are those again?] ...Can I come see you? [with a very obvious please implied there]

voice - filtered~]

[seiriald]

[The same relief washes over Kaori when Mithos is the first to speak, even if he's not answering her question. For good reason, she remembers.]

... Please! [She misses him so much, and it's hard to try to hold back the amount of emotions she has about finally being able to be with him again, rather than as a little girl who has no idea of the pain they share.]

[voice - filtered~]

[imatreenow]

Building four, right? [in lieu of asking if she's home - because what does "home" even mean for those born to be despised? Such a place does not exist.] I'll be there soon.

[voice - filtered~]

[seiriald]

[She begins to nod, but then remembers that he needed more confirmation than that. So she makes a small noise to signify that she was still there, alone in an apartment that seemed so big now.]

[action time]

[imatreenow]

[And within ten minutes, there will be a knock on the door. He half ran here, desperate to see her and feel like he isn't alone in the world. He doesn't even remember how he lasted for 4000 years with nobody by his side but memories. Although, the simple answer is he didn't last: most of him withered away.]

[action time]

[seiriald]

[The door is pulled open immediately, since Kaori had been leaning right against it while waiting for Mithos to arrive. There's no preamble to her rushing forward to wrap her arms around him and hold him tightly, shivering from the amount of emotions she is experiencing now that he's actually with her.

They didn't have to be alone right now, with each other.]

[action time]

[imatreenow]

[The hug surprises him, but he doesn't hesitate to return it. He needs this right now.

And...it's one of the rare moments where he fully realizes just how selfish he is. Because as much as he cares about her, as much as he doesn't want to see her get hurt, he wouldn't undo everything that had been done to her throughout her life. If he had the choice to go back and somehow make her life better, he wouldn't. She wouldn't be her, the friend he needs.] I'm so happy you're here...

[action time]

[seiriald]

I am, too... [Though Mithos' selfish thoughts right now would bother her some, she wouldn't blame him one bit for them. They needed each other, after all, and they were the only ones who understood that.]

I'm sorry I was gone...!

[action time]

[imatreenow]

It isn't your fault... You didn't choose to be taken away. [The Malnosso can be blamed for that. The awful timing of it all, too (so much had happened...). He just...keeps holding on.]

[action time]

[seiriald]

[Kaori also continues to hold on in silence, trying not to cry. What else could she say, there wasn't anything that could make up for her not being there for him when he really needed it.]

[action time]

[imatreenow]

[Several more moments pass, then Mithos places his hands on her shoulders and pulls back slightly to look at her.]

...How are you? [softly, like they both might break otherwise. He's sure that after being held by the Malnosso for so long, and then reliving childhood (so carefree, so unacquainted with pain), she must be drained.]

[action time]

[seiriald]

[Her expression becomes visibly tired simply thinking about what has happened to her the past few months. While being able to experience that innocent state of mind that was her early childhood was relieving, a welcome break from the fear and hatred she often held, the sudden crash of waking up from that was beyond what words could communicate.

She brings up a hand to rub at her eyes, an old habit that still remains even though she's been blind so long.] I... I'm tired, Mithos... I'm really tired...

[action time]

[imatreenow]

.....Yeah. I am too. [Tired of the perpetual aching, tired of everything constantly shifting beneath him.

...Ah, they’re still in the hallway. They should go in, shouldn’t they? Weakness is to be guarded behind walls. He’ll try to nudge her through the doorway, still holding gently onto her shoulders.]

[action time]

[seiriald]

[Kaori will allow herself to be nudged in, trusting Mithos to help her avoid any obstacles that would otherwise make things harder for her. It was strange, having someone in here after so long; it had been obvious when she returned that nobody had lived here in quite a while.]

... Stay with me? For a while? [Even if she has nothing to offer him other than her presence, she knew she needed to have Mithos around right now.]

[action time]

[imatreenow]

[He glances behind to make sure the door has closed properly, then turns back to look at her. The answer forms immediately.] Of course.

[It doesn't matter how long 'a while' is. Where else does he have to be? What else does he have?]