[ There's nothing else to be said about that now. Ayaka smiles before she covers half of her face with her open fan. ]
I'm very excited for our date tonight.
[ Bats her eyelashes like a fair maiden would. She likes you, Cloud. Far too much. And she would like it if you stayed, but... alas. That's not part of today's schedule. ]
[ He can't help but softly sigh and shake her head, finding it hard to keep eye contact without feeling shy all over again. Especially when she'd bat her lashes at him like that from behind an open fan. Ever so elegant... Remembering the gift in his hands and the letter he would hold precious furthermore, Cloud nods as his smile wanes a little. Not because anything was wrong, but because they'd already spent the better part of the morning together now.
She'd received her gifts, the power to protect her family and loved ones, and he had another memory to harbor in his heart for it. And more importantly, the day wasn't even done. He'd go home, relax and let her enjoy her birthday, and get things ready for tonight. They didn't have any extravagant plans, nor did he plan on making any bigger ones after their dinner reservation. He'd deliberated between the teahouse back towards Gion or something a little more fancy. His only stipulation? Was that the restaurant served quality unagi.
Chazuke may be a favorite of hers, but...well. There's a reason he still has day-old rice left in his fridge. ]
Right. I'm gonna get going.
[ Before, it used to be with great reluctance that he'd ever dare to leave... But this time? He was two blocks down. Just that thought alone fills his heart and leaves him brimming with contentment. ]
[ Ayaka can't help but laugh at that! "Good", huh? The assurance that this date tonight is going to be amazing sends her heart aflutter. She is so very lucky to have him.
She gets up from her seat and waits for Cloud to follow suit, taking his hand so she can properly escort him to the door. Away from prying eyes and the overall presence of her family... On the tips of her toes now, she grabs him by the collar and gives him a kiss. ]
[ Just when Cloud is about to take his leave, she surprises him the moment he turns around to say goodbye. Uncharacteristically taken off balance, she pulls him by the collar for a kiss, and he's quick to comply. Feeling her soft lips against his, he can dish it out...but taking it? It flusters him despite the way it makes his heart skip. She was so beautiful...
She's making it very damn hard to want to leave. Especially when she so confidently takes hold of him. He belongs to her. Just the same way he's kept her soul and every part of her in kind. And...something about this side of her was nothing short of exciting to him. ]
Miss you more.
[ Saying that, he brushes his hand through her bangs, lending to it gliding down the side of her head affectionately before he finally nods and lets go. And so, with present in hand and a little extra bound in his step if one were to pay close enough attention, Cloud takes his leave of the Kamisato Estate once more. There's an entire afternoon ahead of him before he's to return here tonight. Yet even with all that time between now and then, as he sets foot inside his home, leaning against the sliding door frame with no one's eyes on him... ]
...
[ He sighs. More wistful than anything as he grips the box tighter. He can't believe it. He still hasn't woken up from this dream yet. ]
πππ
[ After spending the majority of his day between perusing the nearby marketplace to restock his fridge, training in his backyard, and fussing over the minute placings in his house for shelving and the knickknacks that gradually continue to accrue in his home, he eventually returns to the Kamisato Estate as the sun begins its slow descent beneath the horizon. A soft, warm, orange glow sets the scene for the sky above as he texts Ayaka five minutes before arriving, ]
Be there in 5.
[ It's still relatively warm out, which means that the dark-colored yukata set he received in Nara was his choice of attire for tonight's outing. If there's one thing he's thankful for in learning to wield a new weapon, it's that he no longer has to carry the Buster Sword everywhere he goes when wanting a less eye-drawing night out. The odachi sheathed at his side was far more suitable, Tsubaki becoming a familiar and reliable weight to him as he quickly approaches on her household. He decides to wait for her at the front gate this time, in case she was still visiting with her brother inside. Their time together was important, after all.
Family...
She helped him fill even that void with the gift that sits in his living room. A thought that brings his hand to his heart, smiling to himself as he awaits Ayaka's arrival, leaning against the inside of the gate's entryway as he observes the front door. ]
[ Cloud said he'd like to see her in more sleeveless dresses... It's not like she had toβ Ayaka knows this!β but she feels the need to be even more presentable to her beau. She would like to make an effort so that when he keeps his eyes on her? He'd have a good reason for it and he would be rewarded for it.
A little bit before their appointed time, Ayaka is fixing her hair still, making sure the ribbons aren't out of place. She looks at herself in the mirror, then looks to the side, then the other. It feels so bare like this, and it is something she isn't used to! But just like their first date, she's put on a more Western-style of dress. Something that Cloud might be familiar with, even!
Rushing to her device when she hears it beep, she lets out a soft surprised sound when Cloud tells her that he'll be at home in five minutes. Is that enough time? Ahβ one last look in the mirror and she decides to ditch her cardigan. A deep breath. Show your shoulders and your arms, Ayaka!!
There's an audible swallow before Ayaka decides that she's ready. As if she's read Cloud's mind, she decides to wait for him outside, only rushing towards the gate when she's able to see him from afar.
The sun's about to set. ]
Cloud! [ ^_^!! She's so very excited to see him, even though they only met earlier. She normally wouldn't be so loud, but she couldn't help that burst of joy upon seeing him. Ayaka wasn't kidding when she said she would miss him.
[ Color him surprised when she comes out wearing a familiar western-style dress. Cloud had thought she would have come out either in her usual state of wear or even a kimono! But remembering the conversation they had earlier when he was giving her her presents and teaching her how to use Materia for the first time, he supposes he should have seen this coming after all. Like he was seeing her for the very first time, his moment of being stunned doesn't last very long by the time she's already rushing towards the gate and bounding up to him. The way her hair frames her face...bouncing and swaying like little bells with no chime, Ayaka never fails to lift his spirits.
Even when they were already at their highest. How did she do it?
β§ο½₯οΎ: *β§ο½₯οΎ:* ]
Yes ma'am.
[ Even though the sun would still be in their peripheral in the direction that they were walking, it only cast his girlfriend in an even warmer light in his eyes as he looks to her. Hand in hand. Public displays of affection like this were right up his alleyway now. Today, on her birthday especially, he really didn't want her to have to worry about a single thing. With a squeeze of her hand in his, he even moves to thread his fingers between hers. ]
How'd your day go with Ayato?
π π π
[ Her birthday dinner was a private and intimate affair this time around. Whilst they could have walked all the way down to the district of Gion for their usual teahouse, Cloud had found a locale closer to home this time. Thankfully? They had private rooms much like the ones found at the place Ayaka and Zack had taken him to for his birthday! Even though the table had room for a few more people, the two occupy their time and space here well! Drinking tea (that she still serves even on her birthday kahjfd), indulging in plenty of Unagi for the birthday girl as well as using the private room to their advantage as he swallows his nerves to...well, swallow any food she decides to feed to him.
The meal is entirely on Cloud, this time! It's surprisingly affordable while still maintaining a respectful quality of life. Though given how well-treated refugees were in this land, not to mention Miss Kamisato's connections with the government through her brother, their bill may have missed an item or three... On the house. Happy Birthday! With bellies full and a calm and relaxing night waiting for them as they decide to take the long way back home so that they can pass by his house first, the streets are well lit and the ambiance of the night is relaxing. It's beginning to get cooler at night.
Not enough to warrant sleeves yet, but enough to want to coax the couple to perhaps walk a touch closer down the street. ]
βanyway, Rufus was the one who gave me business blueprints for when I start up the delivery service.
[ For his birthday! Funny...he seemed to know an awful lot about this line of work. Not to mention giving him the name "Strife Delivery Service"? He has to wonder who really thought of all this... π€ ]
[ She's so very happy today, even moreso when she got to be with Cloud already. The moment they've got their hands joined, and they're about to leave the Kamisato Estate? Ayaka does it again. She pulls Cloud by the collar until she doesn't have to get on the tips of her toes. ]
I missed you so much. Hehe.
[ :)! Now, as for his question? Ayaka talks about it on their way to the restaurant! Ayato bought flowers for her, which she'll show so excitedly to him even as they walk! They're so pretty, and she placed them in a pot and by their parents' shrine. She then talks about the kinds of flowers she's received, their meanings and how she likes them very much. Ayato took a day off from work, and it was such a pleasant surprise!
Nothing went wrong today at all, and Ayaka is overjoyed at the fact that her birthday was spent with people whom she loves very much.
Her dinner with Cloud goes off without a hitch, too. The evening air after they leave the restaurant is crisp and cool, and she's got her arm around Cloud's while her hand that's farthest from him rests on his arm. Resting her head on him as they walk, she listens to Cloud's story this time around. His business! She's still so very excited about that, and she wishes for nothing more but his success.
If she could work for him too... she would like that very much. ]
Do you agree with it? The help is nice, but it should be something you like, too.
Seems to make sense to me. [ A beat. ] Sans the bike. I'll iron the kinks out with that later.
According to the plans, they project that I'll eventually be doing work across Nippon. Between Kingdoms...
[ It's not a bad thing! It just...sounds like a lot of work. How was he going to keep things affordable while also making a profit? That was also up for time to tell. But speaking of time, he pauses as they wait their turn to cross the street. A thoughtful hum leaves his lips... This is something he's never told anyone before. Let alone suspected of Rufus himself. ]
You think...this is something I ended up doing in the future?
I suppose... This Rufus fellow is someone supposedly from your future, isn't he? So he may have taken the idea from events in real life.
[ But... then she worries, because she doesn't know if the Cloud she's with likes the idea of something like that completely. Even though it seems to make sense and something Cloud is willing to do... knowing that someone, somewhere out there wrote this path for him feels a little... strange. There is destiny, and there is something that is foreordained.
[ But at the very least, he doesn't seem to be downtrodden about the idea. If only because... ]
Been making my own way here so far. If it's something a future version of myself ends up doing, doesn't mean I gotta follow everything to a T.
[ ... he hadn't meant to read her mind. Honest. But the thought that crosses his does leave him with a little smile on his face. ]
Like having a princess for an assistant.
[ Bet his future version of himself doesn't have that. ...he also bets the future version of himself didn't get whisked away to a different world that ran on ancient magic steampunk and sex so there's that. ]
Edited (WITH FEELING THIS TIME) 2022-10-19 03:57 (UTC)
[ That gets a soft laugh out of the white heron. It's a relatively serious topic, but because of everything they've done today and talked about today, her heart is lighter than ever. And because of this, she believes she can afford to be a little bit silly. ]
Perhaps the future version of you isn't a Prince.
[ That's enough of that, though. Hugging his arm a little tighter, she goes back to the topic at hand. ]
I agree. What you should do is something that the present you wants to do. Just Cloud of right now.
I think... that that version of Cloud is the most important one.
[ He laughs, short as it is to her little retort back. ]
Maybe not.
[ It's silly. He would have sighed and drooped his shoulders at being called someone's prince. Or being asked if his girlfriend was a princess. But, then...he didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore, did he. A lot has changed in half a year, and yet there were still some things that would remain the same. Even if...it's felt good to explore these changes. Embrace these changes. Keep on following down this path, just like they take this pathway home together as the streetlamps light their way. ]
'Something the present me wants to do...'
[ They're fast approaching his house on the corner of the street, as his eyes follow the listless sea of stars that hang so bright here in the Western Kingdom... ]
[ The original plan was to stop at the park between their places, find an open field to lay down in and watch the stars. The bugs this time of year were scarce, and the weather wasn't so cold that it was unpleasant to be outside for this long. Perhaps it was the last breath of summer gracing them, but...
She did say he should focus on what he wants to do in the present. Right? So with little fanfare, Cloud suddenly crouches down and effortlessly sweeps the Shirasagi Himegimi off her feet, holding her firmly in his arms. The look on his face says that he's serious about this. And for the moment, he wasn't smiling, either. Just making sure that he follows through before he's called out or embarrassed. He imagines that in Kamisato Ayaka's line of etiquette, that this would be highly inappropriate.
But then again...she did say that she trusted him! He didn't show off his otherwise inhuman feats of athleticism often. Even back in Nara, he just climbed that tree with her like any other person would. ]
Going up.
[ Hugging her a little more tightly against his body, he takes a couple running steps towards the side of his home before suddenly springing up with a little, 'hup!' Higher. So high up that it feels as if they were about to take off flying. But just as quickly as it happens, it's already over, the landing as smooth as butter when they land on top of his roof.
Did...Cloud just leap to the top of his home in a single bound? Effortlessly? Not even hopping from one set of shingles to the next above? At least the rooftop itself is spacious enough! And not on such a steep incline. Staring down to Ayaka in his arms, that's when he finally softens up, arms giving a gentle shrug as he holds her until it feels like she's ready to get down. ]
[ Goodness! It's fortunate Ayaka's reflexes are quick, because she holds onto Cloud the moment she's lifted and her feet are off the ground.
Her eyes are wide when she looks at him, lips slightly parted in surprise, but there's no part of her that's against all this. She did say that she trusts him, after all! But she doesn't know what he's planning, or why he did this in the first place. It's what makes her heart race, a little confused sound escaping her.
Then he jumps, and the sound is no longer soft, and it is even more high in pitch.
She's breathless once they're up on the roof. When her eyes open, it's as if she can't believe what's been going on. And it's trueβ she's still clueless, but she does loosen her hold of him as she asks with her gaze what present Cloud wants.
[ Against the backdrop of the star-kissed sky, his expression is warm, and whilst his eyes haven't taken on her color yet, they also shine even brighter in the dark above the street. Flecks of emerald surrounding the center of his eye amongst the faint glow of mako in his blues, and whilst her hold does loosen of him, Cloud wasn't prepared to put her down just yet either.
Not when they were away from the rest of the world up here. Finally, he smiles, a little more apologetic as he holds her safe and sound. ]
... [ Hahah. Was this what he thought of just now? Is this what he wants? If it is, there is nothing else that she wants, too. ] I think so, too.
[ Because it is what he thinks!
But she looks up at the night sky, and then she leans on him some, still in his arms. There's a content smile on her face, and her heart steadies its pace. Relaxed, happy, fulfilled, all thanks to her prince. ]
[ Gentle, cool, free; the autumn winds catch them from on high, sweeping past his bangs of blond as she contently smiles. So too, does his own heart steady. No longer hammering wildly in his chest despite what he's about to do upon carefully setting her down on her own two feet. He lets her lean against him, the slant of the roof not too deep as he comfortably keeps his balance. With an arm settled around her waist, strong hand splaying against her back and a hand tracing the side of her cheek, he leans in, placing that bow atop the gift that is her birthday itself.
He kisses her so softly as he closes his eyes; the very same way as he would behind closed doors. Within the walls of the Kamisato Estate.
Or here, where no one but the stars could lay witness. ]
[ Once he's set her down, Ayaka kisses him back with a smile on her face. Actually, it hasn't left since she saw him again this evening. If they lay down, she can rest on him and she can just look into his eyes, completely distracted by them to even look at the stars up in the sky. It defeats the purpose of stargazing, but... it's her birthday.
She's allowed to do whatever she wants, right? ]
I love you, Cloud. Hehe. I think that sort of excitement is something I would be looking for more often after tonight.
[ Bright as those eyes of his were, he wouldn't want her to miss out on the view above, either. But...as they part, the back of his fingers trailing her jawline before his hand glides down to take hers, he gives it a gentle squeeze of support before carefully beginning to crouch down on the roof. If they lay down up here, she won't have to worry about her dress and trying to adjust it so much whilst sitting.
Hearing her say that she loves him... Ahah. He still has to remind himself that he actually said it first. And not in the confines of a script. But that's just the kind of woman that she was, bringing out the better parts of him. There's a lot he wished to still say to her, and tonight, they may very well still get to all that. ]
[ "I love you, Cloud." ]
I love you, too.
[ As for her reception to his little stunt back there, his smile briefly flashes more into a smirk. He won't apologize for what he did, then! But, for her sake, unless she wished to get surprised every time, ]
I'll give you more heads up next time.
[ Because, yes. Let your superpowered beau carry you more. ]
[ Ayaka follows him down to take a seat, folding her legs to the side, while her skirt covers up most of it. Despite the rather chilly night, even up here? It's not so bad. So long as she sticks close to him, she'll be okay. She just hopes he doesn't mind. ]
There's no need, [ She responds as she shakes her head. No need to tell her your plans, Cloud. She trusts you to fill her lonely days with exciting adventures. Let her experience more, make her world as big and colourful as it should be. ] It's alright.
[ Looking up at the stars now? She wonders where they should begin. Ahβ she knows... ]
[ Cloud doesn't see to laying on his back just yet, tucking up a leg with his arm resting atop his knee as he keeps a watchful eye on Ayaka by his side. This wasn't the first time he's been up here, and in all truths, it was actually quite relaxing up here. When he didn't want to be confined in his home by himself, or wasn't heading anywhere...coming up here, higher than even the little balcony to his backyard, lent itself to a better view. Now? He was looking down the street, instead of across the tracks, when the stars came out to play. And speaking of which... ]
Besides you?
[ Smooth. But he knows she's being serious, so he tilts his head back and scouts out the sky above, nary a cloud to be seen. And when he thinks long and hard about it... ]
Never really thought of that before. [ A favourite... ] Out in Nibelheim, there was no light pollution. So when you watched the stars at night, they were so big and bright.
[ As he says this, his hand reaches out, a look of calm on his face as he reminisces. ]
So close, like if you just reached out far enough...
[ She doesn't know what that's like. It was always stormy in Inazuma until recently, after all. Still, she smiles at Cloud's story, imagining in her head what Nibelheim's sky must be like. ]
It must have been easy to see all sorts of constellations, then.
[ Life up in the sky! That's very exciting to think about, and so romantic at the same time. ]
[ He knows that Inazuma nary had clear skies until late. But when she speaks of being a little envious...he's curious, his eyes no longer scouting the stars to glance down at her. ]
Do you recognize any? [ A beat. ] The constellations.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mistsplitter) wrote2022-04-20 09:38 pm
no subject
I'm very excited for our date tonight.
[ Bats her eyelashes like a fair maiden would. She likes you, Cloud. Far too much. And she would like it if you stayed, but... alas. That's not part of today's schedule. ]
no subject
[ He can't help but softly sigh and shake her head, finding it hard to keep eye contact without feeling shy all over again. Especially when she'd bat her lashes at him like that from behind an open fan. Ever so elegant... Remembering the gift in his hands and the letter he would hold precious furthermore, Cloud nods as his smile wanes a little. Not because anything was wrong, but because they'd already spent the better part of the morning together now.
She'd received her gifts, the power to protect her family and loved ones, and he had another memory to harbor in his heart for it. And more importantly, the day wasn't even done. He'd go home, relax and let her enjoy her birthday, and get things ready for tonight. They didn't have any extravagant plans, nor did he plan on making any bigger ones after their dinner reservation. He'd deliberated between the teahouse back towards Gion or something a little more fancy. His only stipulation? Was that the restaurant served quality unagi.
Chazuke may be a favorite of hers, but...well. There's a reason he still has day-old rice left in his fridge. ]
Right. I'm gonna get going.
[ Before, it used to be with great reluctance that he'd ever dare to leave... But this time? He was two blocks down. Just that thought alone fills his heart and leaves him brimming with contentment. ]
no subject
[ Ayaka can't help but laugh at that! "Good", huh? The assurance that this date tonight is going to be amazing sends her heart aflutter. She is so very lucky to have him.
She gets up from her seat and waits for Cloud to follow suit, taking his hand so she can properly escort him to the door. Away from prying eyes and the overall presence of her family... On the tips of her toes now, she grabs him by the collar and gives him a kiss. ]
I'll miss you.
no subject
She's making it very damn hard to want to leave. Especially when she so confidently takes hold of him. He belongs to her. Just the same way he's kept her soul and every part of her in kind. And...something about this side of her was nothing short of exciting to him. ]
Miss you more.
[ Saying that, he brushes his hand through her bangs, lending to it gliding down the side of her head affectionately before he finally nods and lets go. And so, with present in hand and a little extra bound in his step if one were to pay close enough attention, Cloud takes his leave of the Kamisato Estate once more. There's an entire afternoon ahead of him before he's to return here tonight. Yet even with all that time between now and then, as he sets foot inside his home, leaning against the sliding door frame with no one's eyes on him... ]
...
[ He sighs. More wistful than anything as he grips the box tighter. He can't believe it. He still hasn't woken up from this dream yet. ]
[ After spending the majority of his day between perusing the nearby marketplace to restock his fridge, training in his backyard, and fussing over the minute placings in his house for shelving and the knickknacks that gradually continue to accrue in his home, he eventually returns to the Kamisato Estate as the sun begins its slow descent beneath the horizon. A soft, warm, orange glow sets the scene for the sky above as he texts Ayaka five minutes before arriving, ]
Be there in 5.
[ It's still relatively warm out, which means that the dark-colored yukata set he received in Nara was his choice of attire for tonight's outing. If there's one thing he's thankful for in learning to wield a new weapon, it's that he no longer has to carry the Buster Sword everywhere he goes when wanting a less eye-drawing night out. The odachi sheathed at his side was far more suitable, Tsubaki becoming a familiar and reliable weight to him as he quickly approaches on her household. He decides to wait for her at the front gate this time, in case she was still visiting with her brother inside. Their time together was important, after all.
Family...
She helped him fill even that void with the gift that sits in his living room. A thought that brings his hand to his heart, smiling to himself as he awaits Ayaka's arrival, leaning against the inside of the gate's entryway as he observes the front door. ]
no subject
A little bit before their appointed time, Ayaka is fixing her hair still, making sure the ribbons aren't out of place. She looks at herself in the mirror, then looks to the side, then the other. It feels so bare like this, and it is something she isn't used to! But just like their first date, she's put on a more Western-style of dress. Something that Cloud might be familiar with, even!
Rushing to her device when she hears it beep, she lets out a soft surprised sound when Cloud tells her that he'll be at home in five minutes. Is that enough time? Ahβ one last look in the mirror and she decides to ditch her cardigan. A deep breath. Show your shoulders and your arms, Ayaka!!
There's an audible swallow before Ayaka decides that she's ready. As if she's read Cloud's mind, she decides to wait for him outside, only rushing towards the gate when she's able to see him from afar.
The sun's about to set. ]
Cloud! [ ^_^!! She's so very excited to see him, even though they only met earlier. She normally wouldn't be so loud, but she couldn't help that burst of joy upon seeing him. Ayaka wasn't kidding when she said she would miss him.
Now by his side, ] Shall we go?
no subject
Even when they were already at their highest. How did she do it?
β§ο½₯οΎ: *β§ο½₯οΎ:* ]
Yes ma'am.
[ Even though the sun would still be in their peripheral in the direction that they were walking, it only cast his girlfriend in an even warmer light in his eyes as he looks to her. Hand in hand. Public displays of affection like this were right up his alleyway now. Today, on her birthday especially, he really didn't want her to have to worry about a single thing. With a squeeze of her hand in his, he even moves to thread his fingers between hers. ]
How'd your day go with Ayato?
[ Her birthday dinner was a private and intimate affair this time around. Whilst they could have walked all the way down to the district of Gion for their usual teahouse, Cloud had found a locale closer to home this time. Thankfully? They had private rooms much like the ones found at the place Ayaka and Zack had taken him to for his birthday! Even though the table had room for a few more people, the two occupy their time and space here well! Drinking tea (that she still serves even on her birthday kahjfd), indulging in plenty of Unagi for the birthday girl as well as using the private room to their advantage as he swallows his nerves to...well, swallow any food she decides to feed to him.
The meal is entirely on Cloud, this time! It's surprisingly affordable while still maintaining a respectful quality of life. Though given how well-treated refugees were in this land, not to mention Miss Kamisato's connections with the government through her brother, their bill may have missed an item or three... On the house. Happy Birthday! With bellies full and a calm and relaxing night waiting for them as they decide to take the long way back home so that they can pass by his house first, the streets are well lit and the ambiance of the night is relaxing. It's beginning to get cooler at night.
Not enough to warrant sleeves yet, but enough to want to coax the couple to perhaps walk a touch closer down the street. ]
βanyway, Rufus was the one who gave me business blueprints for when I start up the delivery service.
[ For his birthday! Funny...he seemed to know an awful lot about this line of work. Not to mention giving him the name "Strife Delivery Service"? He has to wonder who really thought of all this... π€ ]
no subject
I missed you so much. Hehe.
[ :)! Now, as for his question? Ayaka talks about it on their way to the restaurant! Ayato bought flowers for her, which she'll show so excitedly to him even as they walk! They're so pretty, and she placed them in a pot and by their parents' shrine. She then talks about the kinds of flowers she's received, their meanings and how she likes them very much. Ayato took a day off from work, and it was such a pleasant surprise!
Nothing went wrong today at all, and Ayaka is overjoyed at the fact that her birthday was spent with people whom she loves very much.
Her dinner with Cloud goes off without a hitch, too. The evening air after they leave the restaurant is crisp and cool, and she's got her arm around Cloud's while her hand that's farthest from him rests on his arm. Resting her head on him as they walk, she listens to Cloud's story this time around. His business! She's still so very excited about that, and she wishes for nothing more but his success.
If she could work for him too... she would like that very much. ]
Do you agree with it? The help is nice, but it should be something you like, too.
no subject
According to the plans, they project that I'll eventually be doing work across Nippon. Between Kingdoms...
[ It's not a bad thing! It just...sounds like a lot of work. How was he going to keep things affordable while also making a profit? That was also up for time to tell. But speaking of time, he pauses as they wait their turn to cross the street. A thoughtful hum leaves his lips... This is something he's never told anyone before. Let alone suspected of Rufus himself. ]
You think...this is something I ended up doing in the future?
no subject
[ But... then she worries, because she doesn't know if the Cloud she's with likes the idea of something like that completely. Even though it seems to make sense and something Cloud is willing to do... knowing that someone, somewhere out there wrote this path for him feels a little... strange. There is destiny, and there is something that is foreordained.
It doesn't seem like the former. ]
What do you think?
no subject
[ But at the very least, he doesn't seem to be downtrodden about the idea. If only because... ]
Been making my own way here so far. If it's something a future version of myself ends up doing, doesn't mean I gotta follow everything to a T.
[ ... he hadn't meant to read her mind. Honest. But the thought that crosses his does leave him with a little smile on his face. ]
Like having a princess for an assistant.
[ Bet his future version of himself doesn't have that. ...he also bets the future version of himself didn't get whisked away to a different world that ran on ancient magic steampunk
and sexso there's that. ]no subject
Perhaps the future version of you isn't a Prince.
[ That's enough of that, though. Hugging his arm a little tighter, she goes back to the topic at hand. ]
I agree. What you should do is something that the present you wants to do. Just Cloud of right now.
I think... that that version of Cloud is the most important one.
1/2
Maybe not.
[ It's silly. He would have sighed and drooped his shoulders at being called someone's prince. Or being asked if his girlfriend was a princess. But, then...he didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore, did he. A lot has changed in half a year, and yet there were still some things that would remain the same. Even if...it's felt good to explore these changes. Embrace these changes. Keep on following down this path, just like they take this pathway home together as the streetlamps light their way. ]
'Something the present me wants to do...'
[ They're fast approaching his house on the corner of the street, as his eyes follow the listless sea of stars that hang so bright here in the Western Kingdom... ]
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[ No reason. :) ]
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[ It does come off as a surprise when he asks that, so the look of confusion is there, but only for a second. ]
Of course. Why do you ask?
[ She trusts him, and so she answers with full honesty. ]
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She did say he should focus on what he wants to do in the present. Right? So with little fanfare, Cloud suddenly crouches down and effortlessly sweeps the Shirasagi Himegimi off her feet, holding her firmly in his arms. The look on his face says that he's serious about this. And for the moment, he wasn't smiling, either. Just making sure that he follows through before he's called out or embarrassed. He imagines that in Kamisato Ayaka's line of etiquette, that this would be highly inappropriate.
But then again...she did say that she trusted him! He didn't show off his otherwise inhuman feats of athleticism often. Even back in Nara, he just climbed that tree with her like any other person would. ]
Going up.
[ Hugging her a little more tightly against his body, he takes a couple running steps towards the side of his home before suddenly springing up with a little, 'hup!' Higher. So high up that it feels as if they were about to take off flying. But just as quickly as it happens, it's already over, the landing as smooth as butter when they land on top of his roof.
Did...Cloud just leap to the top of his home in a single bound? Effortlessly? Not even hopping from one set of shingles to the next above? At least the rooftop itself is spacious enough! And not on such a steep incline. Staring down to Ayaka in his arms, that's when he finally softens up, arms giving a gentle shrug as he holds her until it feels like she's ready to get down. ]
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Her eyes are wide when she looks at him, lips slightly parted in surprise, but there's no part of her that's against all this. She did say that she trusts him, after all! But she doesn't know what he's planning, or why he did this in the first place. It's what makes her heart race, a little confused sound escaping her.
Then he jumps, and the sound is no longer soft, and it is even more high in pitch.
She's breathless once they're up on the roof. When her eyes open, it's as if she can't believe what's been going on. And it's trueβ she's still clueless, but she does loosen her hold of him as she asks with her gaze what present Cloud wants.
No, she doesn't want to be put down just yet. ]
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Not when they were away from the rest of the world up here. Finally, he smiles, a little more apologetic as he holds her safe and sound. ]
Turns out I've got a good view up here.
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[ Because it is what he thinks!
But she looks up at the night sky, and then she leans on him some, still in his arms. There's a content smile on her face, and her heart steadies its pace. Relaxed, happy, fulfilled, all thanks to her prince. ]
I like it better this way.
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He kisses her so softly as he closes his eyes; the very same way as he would behind closed doors. Within the walls of the Kamisato Estate.
Or here, where no one but the stars could lay witness. ]
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She's allowed to do whatever she wants, right? ]
I love you, Cloud. Hehe. I think that sort of excitement is something I would be looking for more often after tonight.
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Hearing her say that she loves him... Ahah. He still has to remind himself that he actually said it first. And not in the confines of a script. But that's just the kind of woman that she was, bringing out the better parts of him. There's a lot he wished to still say to her, and tonight, they may very well still get to all that. ]
[ "I love you, Cloud." ]
I love you, too.
[ As for her reception to his little stunt back there, his smile briefly flashes more into a smirk. He won't apologize for what he did, then! But, for her sake, unless she wished to get surprised every time, ]
I'll give you more heads up next time.
[ Because, yes. Let your superpowered beau carry you more. ]
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There's no need, [ She responds as she shakes her head. No need to tell her your plans, Cloud. She trusts you to fill her lonely days with exciting adventures. Let her experience more, make her world as big and colourful as it should be. ] It's alright.
[ Looking up at the stars now? She wonders where they should begin. Ahβ she knows... ]
Do you have a favourite star?
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Besides you?
[ Smooth. But he knows she's being serious, so he tilts his head back and scouts out the sky above, nary a cloud to be seen. And when he thinks long and hard about it... ]
Never really thought of that before. [ A favourite... ] Out in Nibelheim, there was no light pollution. So when you watched the stars at night, they were so big and bright.
[ As he says this, his hand reaches out, a look of calm on his face as he reminisces. ]
So close, like if you just reached out far enough...
[ You could touch them. ]
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It must have been easy to see all sorts of constellations, then.
[ Life up in the sky! That's very exciting to think about, and so romantic at the same time. ]
I'm a little envious.
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[ He knows that Inazuma nary had clear skies until late. But when she speaks of being a little envious...he's curious, his eyes no longer scouting the stars to glance down at her. ]
Do you recognize any? [ A beat. ] The constellations.
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