R4 Viewing Party - no crying til the end (if you can help it)

[serrata]

I'm sure this is fine.

WELCOME TO THE R4 LIVEWATCH: AIRLOCKED REACH EDITION

Comments

[serrata]

[ As much as Yuuri likes her newly extended space family, she's eternally grateful that they'd turned up here with their own accommodation. Because she spent enough time on the Temerity to know that it's very hard to make yourself fond of someone when you spend nearly every waking moment of the day in each other's pockets. The only problem is that it almost feels like it's off limits -- none of them ever have or would say that but she still feels like they deserve that bit of privacy.

But when she sees Noctis make his way over to where the ships are kept, she can guess just why he might be going. She's made herself stop watching now, after that execution but she's been keeping up, second hand. Even if she wasn't, though... Prompto is in there. Lunafreya's in there. It'd been awful enough to watch Kurumi and Miki go through this but she can't even imagine what it'd be like to sit helplessly and watch this all happen to Junpei. She literally can't; her mind just jolts to a violent stop when she tries, like the idea itself is abhorrent enough.

So what must it be like for Noctis to actually have to sit back and watch it happen?

It's a little after he heads onto the ship that there's a knock. It's quiet, just quiet ignore if he needs to be alone -- the telltale sign of Yuuri Wakasa announcing her intent to fuss. ]

[nightcure]

[ It could, honestly, be anyone.

Any of his crew. Some of the others from previous seasons. He can't know for sure, but Noctis has never been one to stand being alone for a very long time. He'd had ten years of isolation and loneliness, and willingly secluding himself after that, it's... ]

Yeah?

[ His voice is a little cracked at the edges. ]

[serrata]

[ And there's her okay. She's got a worn threadbare smile on her face and a mug of tea in her hand when she finally comes in, looking a bit like she's not quite sure what to do with herself. ]

... I know a hot drink is a bit of a cliche, but it's just sort of what I ended up defaulting to. Or um, what I always end up going with whenever I think I'm going to have a talk with someone.

[ A beat. ]

Oh but-- well, that makes that sound a little terrifying and like I'm about to lecture you on something but I-- should I just give you the tea and stop talking now? Yes. Yes, I'll do that.

[ Handing over the tea it is. Smooth, Rii-san. ]

[nightcure]

Yuuri.

[ He shakes his head, and for her, he manages a small smile. He's so tired... but even if it's by just a little bit, seeing the others helps. And bless her, she has a cup of tea.

He wonders if Ardyn picked up that habit from her, or the other way around, or if it was always there for both of them. ]

Nah, I appreciate it. [ He takes the cup and a sip, and he nods in approval. It's good. ] If you wanna talk, we can do that. There's... a lot to talk about, huh.

comes back from the future to stab you in the liver

[serrata]

Mmhm. I don't want to... I mean, if you'd rather not, I'm not going to-- to force you. [ She came this close to saying 'hold you hostage' but given Current Events that might seem a bit tasteless. ] But I know it can help.

[ Look at all this character development. ]

Of course, if you want me to leave you alone, that's fine too. I just couldn't let myself pretend I hadn't seen you come in here.

ah, this is fine

[nightcure]

I don't mind.

[ He shrugs a little. ]

... Not much else I'm doing, anyway. Besides, I don't mind talking to you.

[serrata]

About Airlocked or about anything but Airlocked?

[ Ah, that was surprisingly direct. Her smile is gentle and a touch apologetic, at least. ]

I thought I might as well ask that first before I went in with the wrong question.