[Cont'd from here. It's probably evening now, all things considered.
It's been nice, seeing everyone again - except this was really seeing them again. There were a few people that Sinclair had been hoping to see but maybe couldn't have made it which was slightly disappointing, but that was fine. Those were people he had held onto through Mutter anyway.
So Sinclair drifts from the main party once he's done catching up, poking through the ridiculously big mansion. How is it so big in the inside??]
Oria is finally done and catches Sinclair after he's completely done with his tasks, emergencies not withstanding. He jumps to hug Sinclair from the back once he finds him though. ]
[ You bet there's a recreation room. It has a billiard table and a composite piano with tables and chairs everywhere. There are some pink bunny decorations lining the shelves along with a very familiar reading chair and beanbag chairs. ]
It's the hug that he really missed even though his situation on hugs hasn't changed. In fact, real world circumstances make him much more aware, but if it's Sinclair, it's okay. It'll be okay. ]
[ He presses his face into the crook of Oria's neck, returning that squeeze. It's one of those comforting things, knowing Oria was still okay with this, that things hadn't changed that much in their time spent apart. His scent is so familiar now, warm and good]
Mm. I'm glad you're here now.
[ He had been worried about a lot of things, Oria's situation near the top but...]
[ He wonders how much Sinclair learned during the break, but then he's asked a question about what he's been doing. ]
Well, the guy they found who's supposed to be my brother... he didn't want to return to a family who gave him away in the first place. It was just dad who did it, but mom wanted him back, so I guess by "family", he just meant my dad. Sora, the guy, had no intention of taking the Severine name or be connected with any of the riches. He also broke up with Iria and it's been rough for her too.
[ Though he knows that she's the kind of person who'll just go forward when needed and take things in when she's alone. Oria sighs. ]
But mom still wants him, so it's not completely over, I guess.
[ Sinclair lifts his head a little to study Oria's expression. He lifts one hand to cup Oria's cheek, his expression a little pensive. It's the latter he knows that would bother Oria. Even though...]
Did you ever get to talk through anything with your family?
We talked about a lot of things... Mom still thinks that way in the end. Dad is definitely taking up some sort of penance away from the public eye. Iri is...
[ His voice trails off. Maybe it's not best to get to that yet. ]
Anyway, Aria is fine. She was the least affected out of all of us.
[ He closes his eyes for a moment with the hand on his cheek. ]
[Sinclair frowns a little, stroking his thumb over Oria's cheek. Of course. It was painful for all of them.]
...and you?
[ The things Oria had been worried about, the things he had been scared about...sure, Sora hadn't wanted anything to do with the Severines. But with Oria's mother...]
I was too busy with strict deadlines. Time wouldn't be so kind to wait for me in the midst of all this. When I can rest alone... I'll let it catch up to me.
[ The last part is said with great hesitancy. He doesn't want it to catch up with him, but he knows he still needs to learn how to process and deal with things. ]
[Kicking the can down the road. Sinclair knows the method very well now. But he nods, drawing Oria down a little in the hug so Oria can rest against him. If the bean bag chairs are in each and aren't too low, they're sinking down into them]
You can rest a bit here. Everyone else is pretty self-sufficient when it comes to partying.
It's a shame... I don't know when I can see you again like this.
[ There's a small, wistful sigh that comes out of him. He already did enough to bring Sinclair here, so he knows that he can't extend the break. As Sinclair knows, he's missed too many days already. ]
My uni scheduling moved to the fall, but I won't have free time like I did before while I was gaming. I still need to make up for the lost time by fixing what failed when I wasn't around.
[ Truth be told, as much as Sinclair had suppressed it, his longing to see Oria again had been intense. So he's thankful for this much, that they had this much. Even if knowing it'll be another long stretch after this makes him wistful too.
He nods, and doesn't ask what failed. Instead]
You're always pushing yourself go the limit. [ A soft fond sigh; he presses a kiss to Oria's cheek again. He'll hold back his worry for Oria. It's fine, he's happy to worry for Oria for as long as he needs to ]
...you know, I might be staying near the valley for awhile. Work has some contracts drawn up with Kayser Corp - the one at that CES tech event - but it'll be more long term than our others...
[ Sinclair knows he'll be used as their secret language specialist now; and...for other things but...
It wont be a lot of time, but they could make something work]
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