[ 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. Ah— 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.
[ Ayaka shakes her head in response, but there is a smile on her face. Despite not knowing much about the stars here? It's all still very interesting to her. ]
While Nippon shares many similarities with Inazuma, the sky is different after all.
There is a legend... that the moons in Teyvat were three. Now, though, we just have one moon.
Mm... I suppose it is a little confusing without knowing the whole story, but there used to be three sisters who served as the moon we would see up in the sky. They passed away, and now, it is only one corpse we see as the moon.
[ It's a little messed up and sad. ]
Are there any stories like that where you are from?
[ It's a little confusing. She's right. But she'll also find his eyes trained solely on her, no longer on the stars for the moment. Ayaka has his undivided attention, the gears in his head turning and working to try and make heads or tails of what she means. He imagines that the three sisters weren't literally people...or if they were, they became the shape of the moon in a mythological sense. ]
Wonder how they died...
[ It was a little messed and sad. But he asks less out of pensiveness, and more a sense of calm wonder. Though when Ayaka turns the question back on him, he blinks, canting his head in thought before ducking to think. Stories like the ones she's told him... It feels like there's so much he still has to learn. He could tell her stories about the summons! But maybe... ]
Not too much about the stars... Shinra was working on a developmental space project, but...last I heard, it didn't really get far off the ground.
[ No pun intended. But also hahah. His eyes return to Ayaka then. ]
They say that a meteorite crashed into the Planet over 2000 years ago...and because of that, a race known as the Ancients were wiped out.
[ That's when Cloud's gaze begins to return to the night sky, watching the stars, and searching for constellations that maybe... Maybe he might recognize. ]
Don't think I could ever forget... [ Oh. But to clear the air. So she won't worry! He shakes his head. ] Haven't had any bad nightmares like that ever since, by the way.
In the dream... Sephiroth told me there was only "seven seconds till the end". That's when the meteor came and he started counting down.
[ He's over it now. Ayaka made good work of that. Which is why it's become so much easier to discuss with his girlfriend now. ]
[ She was only reminded of his dream because he mentioned the meteorite. If something were to fall into his planet like in his dream, it could have only been that, right?
How odd, though... She can't make a proper connection. Still, it was worth mentioning. Because now she's relieved to know he hasn't had any bad dreams since. ]
I worry about that sometimes. [ She nuzzles her cheek against his arm as she sighs. ] You never said anything, so I opted not to ask, but... I'm glad.
If there is anything that is weighing your heart down, I wish to know about it so that I can help.
[ He instinctively scooches in against her when she nuzzles her cheek against his arm, heaving a sigh as he relaxes... Whether it weighs on his heart in this moment or not, Ayaka is asking him about it now. He'd be just lying to her if he said that everything was okay. In the grand scheme of things, here in this world, with Ayaka, things were okay. He was happy living the life that he's come to embrace here, blending what he knew and who he was with, with the new companions he's come to know.
But back home... ]
Can I tell you later? [ A beat. ] When I can put my thoughts together better.
[ As he says that, he squeezes her hand, smile building. Not to put up a front, but because this is what Cloud of the present really wanted to do. ]
[ Oh! So he has something that's troubling him. Ayaka deflates, already thinking about possible things he's worried about. But he says he won't tell her now. :( ]
I'll wait for you, then.
[ There's no point in asking more about it now. Just as she said, she'll wait until he's ready to talk, or if it's the right time. ]
... please know, you can tell me anything. I will always listen to you.
[ She won't have to wait very long, whether they decide to head back inside to his place through his balcony, or taking her back home to the Kamisato Estate. Here and now, as he places a kiss to the top of her head, he shifts a little to get more comfy. ]
Thank you.
[ Now then! ]
Here. Lay back on the roof with me.
[ Sitting up and looking at the stars was nice and all. But this was a little trick he picked up as a kid. To show her, he even starts carefully leaning back on his hand, bit by bit as he shifts to start lying down flat on the roof. ]
Just look up.
[ Like watching your own ceiling...only it was the brightest celestial display staring back. It would feel a little warmer too, less wind to contend with also! As he lays there, free hand upon his midsection, he tilts his head over to her to check on her, and see how she's doing. To see what she thinks. ]
[ As always, Ayaka follows his lead, careful as she lowers herself so she doesn't slip or scratch herself or anything. She has to take care of her dress too, because she wouldn't want it to pucker. She looks up the entire time, and when her head's on the roof, resting against it? ]
Ah...
[ It's a different perspective, that's for sure! She can see the night sky from just about any angle, all the stars twinkling just for them. The time Cloud looks at her, she does the same. ]
[ But now that he has her here, hand in hers, he decides to start pointing up at the stars. ]
I found some constellations like ones I've seen back home.
[ His finger trails over towards her side a little, his bright eyes focusing as he makes out certain brilliant dots in the sky from the rest of the twinkling lights. ]
[ Looking back up at the sky, and listening to Cloud gives her an idea. A soft little happy laugh leaves her before she turns to face him, taking the hand that's pointing up at the stars with hers and leading it to another point in the sky, then another, and another.
[ She grabs his attention when she happily laughs, tilting his head towards her just in time for her to take his hand to go pointing it up at the stars. Guiding him along, and away from the Big Dipper he was about to demonstrate and point out. ]
What?
[ He asks with a trailed chuckle at the end of the word. Curiously, he takes this more seriously, brow fixed into a focused furrow and his expression returning to neutral as she points out dot...after dot...after dot... Up and down. Bit by bit, she creates her own pattern. Incohesive to anyone else but her when she declares the constellation looks like his hair. ]
Haha... [ He doesn't quite realize it. But right now there's a wide smile on his face as he etches the stars she's marked out by the glide of her hand into his mind. ... He can't unsee it now. It kind of looks like his hair. And for them? For her just "playing around"? That's all they need. ] So what are we gonna call it?
Constellations in Teyvat are named in an ancient language, one that is no longer spoken.
[ And so, she names this newfound constellation in another language far from Nipponese and Inazuman. She seems happy to do so, sharing a small part of her with Cloud due to this.
Heh, she's glad he's not mad for her little tease. ]
Princeps Venustus.. [ That's the name she would give his constellation. ] Prince Charming.
[ He learns something new every day here, it feels like. He also has a new name for his Story Quests now. KJDFASH ]
One sec. [ Not taking his eyes off the sky where their eyes watch this made-up constellation, he reaches into his pocket for his magi-comm. It takes a little bit of fiddling with the buttons, and it wasn't in color despite how gorgeous and vivid the night sky was, but...
'Click!'
It's partially grainy, sepia in tone of course, but still, ]
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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. Ah— 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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While Nippon shares many similarities with Inazuma, the sky is different after all.
There is a legend... that the moons in Teyvat were three. Now, though, we just have one moon.
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[ It's a little messed up and sad. ]
Are there any stories like that where you are from?
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Wonder how they died...
[ It was a little messed and sad. But he asks less out of pensiveness, and more a sense of calm wonder. Though when Ayaka turns the question back on him, he blinks, canting his head in thought before ducking to think. Stories like the ones she's told him... It feels like there's so much he still has to learn. He could tell her stories about the summons! But maybe... ]
Not too much about the stars... Shinra was working on a developmental space project, but...last I heard, it didn't really get far off the ground.
[ No pun intended. But also hahah. His eyes return to Ayaka then. ]
They say that a meteorite crashed into the Planet over 2000 years ago...and because of that, a race known as the Ancients were wiped out.
[ That's when Cloud's gaze begins to return to the night sky, watching the stars, and searching for constellations that maybe... Maybe he might recognize. ]
Aerith's the last one.
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Not that she was giving him less attention before that, but now she's looking at him intently rather than having her head on his arm.
Are the Ancients any different from him? It might be that way, if Cloud would make mention of it. ]
A meteorite... that's so scary if something like that happened! But—
[ O_O huh! This all sounds familiar. ]
Do you remember that dream of yours in Nara?
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In the dream... Sephiroth told me there was only "seven seconds till the end". That's when the meteor came and he started counting down.
[ He's over it now. Ayaka made good work of that. Which is why it's become so much easier to discuss with his girlfriend now. ]
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How odd, though... She can't make a proper connection. Still, it was worth mentioning. Because now she's relieved to know he hasn't had any bad dreams since. ]
I worry about that sometimes. [ She nuzzles her cheek against his arm as she sighs. ] You never said anything, so I opted not to ask, but... I'm glad.
If there is anything that is weighing your heart down, I wish to know about it so that I can help.
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But back home... ]
Can I tell you later? [ A beat. ] When I can put my thoughts together better.
[ As he says that, he squeezes her hand, smile building. Not to put up a front, but because this is what Cloud of the present really wanted to do. ]
Promise I will.
[ And when he makes a promise? He keeps it. ]
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I'll wait for you, then.
[ There's no point in asking more about it now. Just as she said, she'll wait until he's ready to talk, or if it's the right time. ]
... please know, you can tell me anything. I will always listen to you.
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Thank you.
[ Now then! ]
Here. Lay back on the roof with me.
[ Sitting up and looking at the stars was nice and all. But this was a little trick he picked up as a kid. To show her, he even starts carefully leaning back on his hand, bit by bit as he shifts to start lying down flat on the roof. ]
Just look up.
[ Like watching your own ceiling...only it was the brightest celestial display staring back. It would feel a little warmer too, less wind to contend with also! As he lays there, free hand upon his midsection, he tilts his head over to her to check on her, and see how she's doing. To see what she thinks. ]
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Ah...
[ It's a different perspective, that's for sure! She can see the night sky from just about any angle, all the stars twinkling just for them. The time Cloud looks at her, she does the same. ]
The sky is so vast.
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[ But now that he has her here, hand in hers, he decides to start pointing up at the stars. ]
I found some constellations like ones I've seen back home.
[ His finger trails over towards her side a little, his bright eyes focusing as he makes out certain brilliant dots in the sky from the rest of the twinkling lights. ]
You just gotta connect the dots.
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Pay close attention, Cloud. ]
This new constellation looks like your hair.
[ Hehe! She's just playing around 🥺 ]
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What?
[ He asks with a trailed chuckle at the end of the word. Curiously, he takes this more seriously, brow fixed into a focused furrow and his expression returning to neutral as she points out dot...after dot...after dot... Up and down. Bit by bit, she creates her own pattern. Incohesive to anyone else but her when she declares the constellation looks like his hair. ]
Haha... [ He doesn't quite realize it. But right now there's a wide smile on his face as he etches the stars she's marked out by the glide of her hand into his mind. ... He can't unsee it now. It kind of looks like his hair. And for them? For her just "playing around"? That's all they need. ] So what are we gonna call it?
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[ And so, she names this newfound constellation in another language far from Nipponese and Inazuman. She seems happy to do so, sharing a small part of her with Cloud due to this.
Heh, she's glad he's not mad for her little tease. ]
Princeps Venustus.. [ That's the name she would give his constellation. ]
Prince Charming.
[ ^_^! ]
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[ He learns something new every day here, it feels like.
He also has a new name for his Story Quests now. KJDFASH]One sec. [ Not taking his eyes off the sky where their eyes watch this made-up constellation, he reaches into his pocket for his magi-comm. It takes a little bit of fiddling with the buttons, and it wasn't in color despite how gorgeous and vivid the night sky was, but...
'Click!'
It's partially grainy, sepia in tone of course, but still, ]
Don't wanna lose track of it.
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