THE WORLD: PSL LIFE

[insinning]

[Here be all the psl threads]

Comments

[insinning]

[Oria, please...Sinclair sinks a little more into the pool]

Huh? Oh, um. Honestly your entire house is still incredible to me but...I just like being here with you?

[dissimulative]

Because "the home is where the heart is", or something?

[ He sits straight up and gives Sinclair a small kiss on the cheek. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair flushes a little but nods with a smile]

Mm. Because of that.

[dissimulative]

[ This is incredibly sappy, but Oria finds himself a little moved by it. ]

I love you so much...

[ He squeezes his hand. ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair's smile brightens further, and he leans up to kiss Oria's cheek and squeeze his hand in turn]

I love you too.

[And he's so, so thankful Oria is here with him still. He presses closer, sighing softly in contentment ]

Are there are other exercises you need to do out here?

[dissimulative]

No, I'm just here to get used to moving my legs freely without gravity messing with it too much.

[ Which is already telling about his status. If his legs are in trouble, yet the doctor said that Oria should have been largely fine post-shock, then perhaps a part of it is a mental issue.

He leans on Sinclair, quietly breathing out as he relaxes. ]

I had this dream. Can't remember much of it, but it was full of connected apartment complexes in the strangest way. Nothing made sense structure-wise, but it was a really fun place to do parkour stuff. I could easily jump from place to place, and the view of the descending land was amazing.

[ ... ]

I got fined for it at the end, but still. I can't believe my dreams are so out of this world, yet so realistic.

[ He almost snorts. ]

[insinning]

[ It's worrying. But Sinclair doesn't do anything other than press closer, resting his head against Oria's shoulder as they kick the water slowly]

...it's a shame the realistic part had to intrude like that. [He exhales softly with a soft laugh] Is there a place around here you normally like to do parkour?

[dissimulative]

Hm, I usually skate over to San Francisco, since it's the closest urban-like environment here that isn't just houses and standalone company buildings.

[ Lots of city area to explore. It's always been fun, but there seems to be a certain wistfulness in the way his expression carries itself, especially as Oria looks ahead beyond the pool. Needless to say, he misses doing that a lot.

He won't be able to, now that he'll be entering university very soon and after attending his father's funeral after being released from the hospital, the reality that sunk in only pressed its burden onto his shoulders more. The funeral was extremely small, only open to the immediate family. Of course, his father had a will. The entire family does. The business is currently in Oria's mother's possession, but the situation of acquiring the business is still the same. That's the way it's always been. That's what Oria always fought for, sunk his nails into the position that he's worked all life to obtain.

The thoughts make him breathe out shakily, but quiet. Of course, Sinclair would be able to hear it--he's right next to him. Oria's thoughts wander. It's never "what do I do now", but rather "when will I ever be done". ]

Cramped cities are the best to do it in, but I have to pick a good spot. Otherwise, I'd be running into people all the time.

[insinning]

[ Sinclair hears that note in Oria's voice, that shaky exhale of exhaustion. He bites his lip and hugs Oria's arm a little, since they're already pressed close together,
shoulder to thigh.

He knows how much Oria is carrying. He twines their fingers together]

Mm. I can't imagine most people would be happy to have a teenager drop down on them from the sky.

[ a pause, thinking]

...I know this abandoned factory complex with a lot of old heavy machinery and structures that have been left behind. I used to get dragged there to get training. I'd have to run from paintball guns and people.

[Train reflexes and things. Thinking back...he collected so many bruises]

It was an interesting place now that I think about it. It's probably good for parkour too.

[dissimulative]

... That sounds like a secret training place.

[ Oria laughs a little, tightening the hold on his hand, enjoying their laced fingers. ]

That said, it sounds like the perfect place to play manhunt.

[insinning]

[Sinclair grins, rubbing his thumb over the back of Oria's hand]

When you're feeling up for it, do you want to go? It's actually here in California.

[dissimulative]

Is it? I don't want to feel like intruding in a place where you guys do that sort of thing.

[ It definitely feels like intrusion to Oria. Moreover... ]

I can't even do the thing I wanna do when I get there anyway. An abandoned warehouse-like place... what a dream.

[insinning]

What you want to do?

[Sinclair shakes his head]

It's fine. It's for training, but kind of a place we get dropped off in whenever they think we're slacking off. Some of the structures are pretty tall too.

[If you took control if it, sniping was possible...]

[dissimulative]

If it's really a good of a place as you say it is, then I'd wanna try parkour around it.

[ ... ]

Also, Manhunt is boring with only two people.

[insinning]

[Sinclair laughs. He did bring it up for a reason after all]

Mm. We can do that then...at least, I could just watch you.

[A pause, thinking]

...I don't have many good experiences playing manhunt anyway.

[dissimulative]

I bet you got bullied.

[ Sinclair mentioned paintball, after all... ]

I can't really do that stuff as I am right now though.

[ He looks at his legs that are still submerged underwater. ]

[insinning]

Pretty much...[Ughhh. Sinclair looks at Oria's legs too, assessing them thoughtfully. It's not like the muscles atrophied that much within one week, but...he gets it. It took a long time before he wanted to get out of bed. For Oria...]

Mm. When you feel up to it again. Take it slow.

[dissimulative]

It feels nice to know that at least one person wants me to take it slow.

[ Oria laughs a little and nuzzles into the side of Sinclair's head. ]

But still... I want to get better as soon as possible.

[insinning]

I know. [Sinclair tilts his head to kiss Oria's cheek gently] But I think it's better sometimes to take it bit by bit, instead of trying to rush things, and getting more hurt.

[dissimulative]

That's starting to sound like a luxury even I can't afford...

[ Look, a joke. Still. Oria appreciates Sinclair so much. ]

I'm still grateful that you're here. You've always supported me in so many ways. When you keep saying things like that...

[ He's been at a loss of words more often than not lately, but with his free hand, he turns and holds onto Sinclair's shoulder to give him a kiss. ]

[insinning]

I want you to have it, everything--

[He thinks...Oria has more than enough people pushing him, demanding things out of him, including Oria himself. Sinclair kisses Oria back gently, slowly, reaching up with his free hand to cup Oria's cheek. If there's one thing he wants to give Oria, it's time]

[dissimulative]

[ In his life, Oria was given so many things. Sure, they weren't the things he needed, but he couldn't take them for granted. It feels even more pronounced now, when he feels like he lost something important, but can't figure out what it is. Regardless, the feeling of loss continues to haunt his thoughts. He's accepted that his father had passed away, but how he died still doesn't feel real. He feels like he can still feel the occasional shocks from the collar that doesn't exist and it becomes hard to breathe.

Sinclair's hand over his cheek is the only thing that keeps him grounded at the moment. ]

Everything, huh...

[ He could ask Sinclair of anything reasonable. Oria wants to stop thinking, because that, too, feels terrible. He can't just bury these feelings and have Sinclair help him do that. It's unfair to him, and Oria doesn't want to taint it with his own trauma. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair nods, and presses their foreheads together, eyes fluttering half shut. The pain Oria had gone through was unimaginable. His hand continues to cup Oria's cheek, rubbing his thumb over it slowly]

Love. Time...safety...everything.

[The pain Oria was going through was unimaginable. And destroying Sarabi wouldn't salve any wounds or provide justice. He knew that the moment he stood over Kromer's corpse and felt empty; it would have been the same for Oria. But still, Sinclair wanted to be here. It wasn't okay. And Oria deserved time, space to grieve with the people who loved him]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria can feel the love through Sinclair's actions. When their foreheads touch, he wants to believe that thr pain will stop. When he feels Sinclair's thumb over his cheek, he wants to believe that he will no longer be plagued by the memories of killing a member of his own precious family.

Sinclair will feel a wetness on his thumb that isn't from the pool. The mental pressure had become too much and finally breaks the focus of holding his tears back. He quietly cries, letting the occasional tear fall down his face and he doesn't make a sound. Sinclair's love and care felt so overwhelming in a positive way that he feels that he just has to cry. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair brushes Oria's tears away gently, and then pulls him into a proper hug, warm and firm, gently guiding Oria down to rest against his shoulder. He's here. He'll fight tooth and nail for the right to be by Oria's side, he thinks. There's nothing he can say. Nor does he want Oria to shut the dam on his grief again. So he holds Oria close without a word, rubbing a hand gently over Oria's hair. It was alright to cry]