Yet she starts in the middle of the night, fearful and tears already falling down her face. It’s hard to forget. The rushing water. The figure disappearing beneath the waves. The feeling of helplessness because again, she couldn’t do anything again.
They’d left the hellhole they’d been whisked off to but she hasn’t seen Leon yet.
It’s dark outside and it’s late and it’s nonsensical but her hands fly to her CereVice without warning. She just barely has the mind to keep from calling, so instead she texts.
Her voice would break if she called anyway.]
aree yuo okay?
[She doesn’t even notice the typos before she sends the text.]
[He has the same nightmares, so he's awake. Seeing Stahn throw himself in front of Leon out there in that place had added a new dimension to the nightmares--one where Stahn wasn't okay, and where Leon ended up getting Stahn killed instead of saving him, and that arguably bothers him even more--but he doesn't want to wake Stahn, either.
Holing himself up and avoiding people hasn't worked too well.
But he doesn't know what would work better at this rate.
So he's awake for the text message, and it surprises him--and in the end, all he can do is sigh, eventually reaching for the CereVice even as he remains flat on his bed. She did ask politely.]
I am already awake. Of course I am fine.
[Of course.
As if he could pretend that easily that he's never been in a situation where he wasn't.]
It occurs to her to ask why – but it’s hard to pretend that the reason isn’t obvious. They’d all been through the same hell. It surprises her to some extent to think that Leon could suffer from nightmares just as much, but he’s human as well, isn’t he?
But she finds herself rereading the text a few times. Of course he’s fine. Of course.
A breath and she sends her text back:]
I’m relieved.
[ . . . honestly.
She could leave it at that, she could go back to sleep but… she knows that she won’t. The images are still too clear behind closed eyes and she hates to think that she could spend the next few hours alone in this apartment.
[He's staring at the first text when the second one comes in. Because... why is she so relieved over something like that? He knows, in a way--but he still doesn't think she has any reason to care that much. The fact that she's taken him on as some sort of... cause she must save doesn't mean anything.
It doesn't mean anything.
Or at least, that's what he'll keep telling himself when the second text comes in, and then he's just puzzled.]
For now, yes. [He's also not ready to go back to sleep, but he doesn't know why she's asking.]
[Lili agonizes over her return text for minutes, putting her phone aside and covering her face with her hands. What can she say? That she's worried? That she wants to confirm for herself that he's alright, just as she had crawled over to Tetora's side after her nightmare when her protector had gotten stabbed? That she's still entirely, incredibly frightened of the idea of Leon not existing?
No, she can't say any of that.]
I am going to the Shopping District if you are doing nothing else.
He blinks at it for a long moment, trying to figure that out for himself. No matter how he looks at it, it's an invitation, isn't it? There are quite a lot of mixed feelings there--he's not sure if he's ready to see Lili again after everything they saw and said that day, and he's definitely not sure if he wants the company.
On the other hand... he's not going to fall back asleep here and now.
And...he doesn't want to sit here with his thoughts and stare at the ceiling for the next few hours. Stahn should still be asleep at this hour. It's fine. So he gets up, and gets ready, and grabs Chal to start heading towards the Shopping District--at least...if they meet up, it'll mostly be by accident, right? Totally not him responding to her invitation, he's just going for a stroll.
In the same place.
...And then it strikes him that he never sent a return text.
[The one saving grace is that if nothing else, Lili is absurdly prideful.
This prideful includes the fact that even though Leon doesn't text her for like five or ten minutes with a response, even though she's starting to think 'oh, he isn't interested in going with me', even though she honestly has no obligation to go to the Shopping District if she's just going to continue to be lonely-
She said she would.
So she does.
Even though she kind of wanted to see him.
At least it's what gets them to cross paths on accident, though admittedly she's stepping out of a store that was still open and she was mindlessly perusing and was honestly considering going back to her apartment now that she sufficiently wasted them and-
He wasn't really expecting her to come once he realized that he failed to send her a return text confirming his intentions. He'd been trying to figure out if it was worth...trying to get in touch with her again, or if he should just call this a lost cause due to his own incapability in talking to people, when--
That said Lili definitely hadn't really been expecting to see him again and so she fusses for a moment, trying to figure out what to say?! Why didn't she plan out anything to say. (Normal people don't need to plan out what they're going to say, Lili....)
So instead she just glances over him to make sure that he's fine, he's safe, he's not injured and-
Uh.
"It's good to see you"???]
... I hadn't expected you.
[no, apparently the truth felt like coming out instead]
[Look... even if it's shit o'clock in the morning, you don't turn down food after almost starving in an awful shithole. So honestly, even though it's totally going to throw off his entire eating schedule, he's not going to argue with that.
He's a stick, he could afford to eat more anyway.]
Fine. We may as well make this outing less of a waste of time.
[Rude.
But also like, try not to make it so obvious that you literally came here because she asked you to, Leon.]
That's...a surprising response, actually, and he's thrown off completely by it. He's not sure how to respond for a moment, and he just blinks at her--and then he clears his throat awkwardly and looks away.
... Why does she care about his own opinion that much, anyway?]
... Yes, of course. [???] Regardless, I am here now. Where are we going? [What are they getting to eat......]
[ . . . . why are you thrown off, Leon. Lili blinks as she watches his reaction and manages to completely ignore that she pulls almost the exact same move sometimes? Well, at least he's still asking a question and she glances around.]
A tea place - I'm sure there's still one open. Help me look, would you?
He'll even actually do it, keeping his eyes peeled for...something. Anything? A place.......... that would serve as a peaceful place to get tea... which is when his eyes fall on one, a small tea cafe tucked away, and he tilts his head in that direction.]
[That answer comes surprisingly easily... but he likes tea, especially with cream and sugar, so yeah, tea's to his liking. Even as they wander their way that way.]
It is familiar enough to me from my world as well.
[Even if it reminds him of Marian too, he's been slowly able to shake the connection a little bit, day by day, though it's definitely a slow process.]
So at least some things are consistent through the worlds.
[There's... really no denying her relief at that though. It's nice. After all the different things that she's encountered, it's better for some things to be familiar, isn't it?
But she'll hold the door open for him after she enters the tea shop - giving a nod of acknowledgement when the owners welcome them and tell them that they can sit where they please.
Despite the fact that it's dark outside, she still picks a spot near a window.]
[Strange that it would be things like tea, but hey, he won't be picky about it. He takes the seat that she leads them to, sitting across from her, and for a moment he just glances out. It's dark, but... it's never truly dark in Cerealia; even tucked away in a corner like this, the lights outside are bright enough to glare.
Leon doesn't linger long in looking out, instead turning his attention to the shop.
I agree. Perhaps we can come back again in the day.
[is this a date
Still though, while Leon looks outside, Lili's focus is on the inside. It is quaint - it's quiet and simple and it doesn't have the same eerie glow of everything outside. The menus are handed to them and Lili looks over them easily, handing one to Leon as she zeroes in on which tea she wants to order.
And because she's starting to feel a little tired already-]
Would you be opposed to ordering a few items with sugar?
[this is absolutely not a date, go otome with the swords.
But Leon just... pauses at that. Thank...god.... thank god, he doesn't have to finagle an excuse or just go without sugar if she's already going to order it for herself!!!
... Life is not completely terrible.]
I... am not particularly fond of overly sweet things, but it is fine. Order what you want.
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text; post-event
Yet she starts in the middle of the night, fearful and tears already falling down her face. It’s hard to forget. The rushing water. The figure disappearing beneath the waves. The feeling of helplessness because again, she couldn’t do anything again.
They’d left the hellhole they’d been whisked off to but she hasn’t seen Leon yet.
It’s dark outside and it’s late and it’s nonsensical but her hands fly to her CereVice without warning. She just barely has the mind to keep from calling, so instead she texts.
Her voice would break if she called anyway.]
aree yuo okay?
[She doesn’t even notice the typos before she sends the text.]
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i’m sorry. It’s late. Disregard.
[Another text, mere seconds after that one:]
But if you’re already awake, please respond.
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Holing himself up and avoiding people hasn't worked too well.
But he doesn't know what would work better at this rate.
So he's awake for the text message, and it surprises him--and in the end, all he can do is sigh, eventually reaching for the CereVice even as he remains flat on his bed. She did ask politely.]
I am already awake. Of course I am fine.
[Of course.
As if he could pretend that easily that he's never been in a situation where he wasn't.]
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It occurs to her to ask why – but it’s hard to pretend that the reason isn’t obvious. They’d all been through the same hell. It surprises her to some extent to think that Leon could suffer from nightmares just as much, but he’s human as well, isn’t he?
But she finds herself rereading the text a few times. Of course he’s fine. Of course.
A breath and she sends her text back:]
I’m relieved.
[ . . . honestly.
She could leave it at that, she could go back to sleep but… she knows that she won’t. The images are still too clear behind closed eyes and she hates to think that she could spend the next few hours alone in this apartment.
And so—]
Will you continue to be awake?
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It doesn't mean anything.
Or at least, that's what he'll keep telling himself when the second text comes in, and then he's just puzzled.]
For now, yes. [He's also not ready to go back to sleep, but he doesn't know why she's asking.]
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[ . . . nah.]
I'm interested in your compan|
[ . . . nope.]
[Lili agonizes over her return text for minutes, putting her phone aside and covering her face with her hands. What can she say? That she's worried? That she wants to confirm for herself that he's alright, just as she had crawled over to Tetora's side after her nightmare when her protector had gotten stabbed? That she's still entirely, incredibly frightened of the idea of Leon not existing?
No, she can't say any of that.]
I am going to the Shopping District if you are doing nothing else.
[ . . . yeah.
If he wants to join her.]
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He blinks at it for a long moment, trying to figure that out for himself. No matter how he looks at it, it's an invitation, isn't it? There are quite a lot of mixed feelings there--he's not sure if he's ready to see Lili again after everything they saw and said that day, and he's definitely not sure if he wants the company.
On the other hand... he's not going to fall back asleep here and now.
And...he doesn't want to sit here with his thoughts and stare at the ceiling for the next few hours. Stahn should still be asleep at this hour. It's fine. So he gets up, and gets ready, and grabs Chal to start heading towards the Shopping District--at least...if they meet up, it'll mostly be by accident, right? Totally not him responding to her invitation, he's just going for a stroll.
In the same place.
...And then it strikes him that he never sent a return text.
Oh.
...Oops.]
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This prideful includes the fact that even though Leon doesn't text her for like five or ten minutes with a response, even though she's starting to think 'oh, he isn't interested in going with me', even though she honestly has no obligation to go to the Shopping District if she's just going to continue to be lonely-
She said she would.
So she does.
Even though she kind of wanted to see him.
At least it's what gets them to cross paths on accident, though admittedly she's stepping out of a store that was still open and she was mindlessly perusing and was honestly considering going back to her apartment now that she sufficiently wasted them and-
Lo and behold, one (1) Leon Magnus.]
.... Oh.
[Hi.]
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He wasn't really expecting her to come once he realized that he failed to send her a return text confirming his intentions. He'd been trying to figure out if it was worth...trying to get in touch with her again, or if he should just call this a lost cause due to his own incapability in talking to people, when--
Well.
There she is.
Uh.]
... Good morning.
[YEAH. NAILED IT.]
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[ALSO NAILED IT.
That said Lili definitely hadn't really been expecting to see him again and so she fusses for a moment, trying to figure out what to say?! Why didn't she plan out anything to say. (Normal people don't need to plan out what they're going to say, Lili....)
So instead she just glances over him to make sure that he's fine, he's safe, he's not injured and-
Uh.
"It's good to see you"???]
... I hadn't expected you.
[no, apparently the truth felt like coming out instead]
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Yeah.
About that.]
... It isn't as though I intended to meet up with you, but--
[But he totally came here to meet up with you and he totally forgot to text you to tell you.
What an embarrassment.]
--regardless. [AHEM.] We are here, so we may as well not waste our times. [...] What were you doing?
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????
(But he totally did, Lili, why are you so bad at understanding people.)
Yet she seems to find that agreeable enough that he's... willing to join her? Uh. Well she was considering going home since she was alone but--]
... Perhaps finding a place to eat?
[at
shit o'clock in the morning
yeah why not]
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He's a stick, he could afford to eat more anyway.]
Fine. We may as well make this outing less of a waste of time.
[Rude.
But also like, try not to make it so obvious that you literally came here because she asked you to, Leon.]
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[Like??? Obviously, Leon?
But she's just going to huff faintly because she's going to start walking forward to find a place to eat. Maybe somewhere nice with tea....
That sounds calming enough.]
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He's just going to follow along, but not!! Because he wants to!!!]
I "came along" for my own reasons. Do not read too far into it.
[He came along because.... he wanted to get out of the apartment too....so basically the same reasons.]
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[They're not so different but she's also not so presumptuous as to think she can read Leon's mind?!
.... read Leon a little bit, sometimes (and not well) but not enough to figure out his reasons for things, no.]
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That's...a surprising response, actually, and he's thrown off completely by it. He's not sure how to respond for a moment, and he just blinks at her--and then he clears his throat awkwardly and looks away.
... Why does she care about his own opinion that much, anyway?]
... Yes, of course. [???] Regardless, I am here now. Where are we going? [What are they getting to eat......]
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A tea place - I'm sure there's still one open. Help me look, would you?
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[He'll help... sort of.
Probably.
He'll even actually do it, keeping his eyes peeled for...something. Anything? A place.......... that would serve as a peaceful place to get tea... which is when his eyes fall on one, a small tea cafe tucked away, and he tilts his head in that direction.]
Over there.
[It looks...peaceful.]
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Is this truly what the future is like? Do aliens not need sleep?
Yet she glances over when he finds the tea shop and makes a small, affirming noise.]
Ah. Nicely done.
[And over to the peaceful place they go!!]
Tea is to your liking, isn't it?
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[That answer comes surprisingly easily... but he likes tea, especially with cream and sugar, so yeah, tea's to his liking. Even as they wander their way that way.]
It is familiar enough to me from my world as well.
[Even if it reminds him of Marian too, he's been slowly able to shake the connection a little bit, day by day, though it's definitely a slow process.]
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[There's... really no denying her relief at that though. It's nice. After all the different things that she's encountered, it's better for some things to be familiar, isn't it?
But she'll hold the door open for him after she enters the tea shop - giving a nod of acknowledgement when the owners welcome them and tell them that they can sit where they please.
Despite the fact that it's dark outside, she still picks a spot near a window.]
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[Strange that it would be things like tea, but hey, he won't be picky about it. He takes the seat that she leads them to, sitting across from her, and for a moment he just glances out. It's dark, but... it's never truly dark in Cerealia; even tucked away in a corner like this, the lights outside are bright enough to glare.
Leon doesn't linger long in looking out, instead turning his attention to the shop.
It's a cute little place--quaint, really.]
This seems... [nice] ...tolerable.
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[is this a date
Still though, while Leon looks outside, Lili's focus is on the inside. It is quaint - it's quiet and simple and it doesn't have the same eerie glow of everything outside. The menus are handed to them and Lili looks over them easily, handing one to Leon as she zeroes in on which tea she wants to order.
And because she's starting to feel a little tired already-]
Would you be opposed to ordering a few items with sugar?
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But Leon just... pauses at that. Thank...god.... thank god, he doesn't have to finagle an excuse or just go without sugar if she's already going to order it for herself!!!
... Life is not completely terrible.]
I... am not particularly fond of overly sweet things, but it is fine. Order what you want.
[Leon is full of lies.]
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i lied
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