CICONIA: WHEN THEY CRY

[insinning]

It's a holy night. Silent night.

All is calm.

Everything is b r i g h t.

Comments

[insinning]

[Bright side, Sinclair gets returned the next day. Bad side...

Sinclair isn't leaving his room today. If Oria wants to let himself into Sinclair's dorm room, he'll find him curled up beneath the duvet, unmoving, even for training]

[dissimulative]

[ Since Sinclair didn't show up for training, Oria is tasked to look for him while their hopeful new recruit for the third member practices alone. Oria is pretty sure this will get Sinclair riled up again. Anyway, he will allow himself in whether it's locked or not. ]

Hey, it's practice time... you're still sleeping in?

[insinning]

[...Sinclair doesn't stir from his blanket mess]

...I'm not. And my door was locked. [Oria, please]

[dissimulative]

Just like how you're not sleeping, your door is also [ whips a keyring around with a key in it ] not locked.

[ The keyring is pocketed. ]

Is this about what happened yesterday? You should have given some sort of lousy excuse for not showing up instead of ghosting us. By the way, coach brought in a potential third again.

[insinning]

[Sinclair is quiet for a moment, but after a moment, he sticks his head from out under the blankets. He's paler than usual]

...I wasn't ghosting on purpose. I'm just...tired.

[He sits up, obligation compelling him to get ready, even when his expression twists a little]

They really want us to be a 'kette', huh.

[dissimulative]

... Yeah. Government assigned or something.

[ Oria studies Sinclair's expression for a moment and puts a hand on his shoulder to push him back on the duvet? Bed? Futon... thing idk ]

I'll make up an excuse, so you just stay here and rest. Sorry for waking you.

[insinning]

[Sinclair curls up a little and he reaches up to grab Oria's hand]

...no, it's fine.

[He draws out a shaky breath and pulls his sleeves down to hide the needle marks along his arm, the still healing scars]

I'm not sick. I should go so we don't...[Get into more trouble? Could they get into more trouble?]

[dissimulative]

You look like you could be casted into Twilight with how pale you are.

[ But if Sinclair wants to go, he probably won't stop him. Maybe. ]

[insinning]

Gross. You're lying.

[ He does take a nervous look at himself in the mirror as he slides out of bed though. Aaah]

[dissimulative]

100% free of falsehoods. Here.

[ It's a protein drink. Drink it. Oria had a feeling this would happen from what he managed to uncover yesterday, which was not a whole lot, but it's easy to piece it together. ]

At least drink that for training.

[insinning]

[ Sinclair pulls a face but quickly drinks it. It seems like he had attempted to get ready at least. He's in his training clothes, but after a moment...he hadn't wanted to leave his bed]

Thanks. [ He'll try to organise his fluffy hair ] Okay. Ready.

[dissimulative]

Your clothes are so messed up.

[ Wrinkles... Oria tries to straighten some out, but it doesn't really work. ]

Let's go.

[insinning]

Ah...

[ Urk. Sinclair tries to fix it as they walk to the training room but it really doesn't work.]

How mad was Coach...?

[dissimulative]

Very. I could practically see steam coming out of his ears.

[ Exaggeration, but not totally invalid. ]

[insinning]

... maybe I should start wearing a helmet.

[ Not that he would get hit directly but he's seen those fists cave in a couple of skulls (metaphorically)]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria laughs a little. ]

Well! He's probably extra pissed today because he brought the third member but you weren't there to greet nor practice with them. They looked so hopeful too.

[ He sighs in a dramatic way while shrugging his arms outward. ]

It's like working up to deliver the rejection allll over again.

[insinning]

[Sinclair rubs the back of his neck, looking anxious]

Ah...they weren't feeling too badly, right?

[ It wasn't anything personal, except it was. And...with that 'control' in someone else's hands, he wasn't sure he could rest easy]

[dissimulative]

I dunno.

[ He shrugs again. ]

But that probably won't matter anyway, huh?

[insinning]

[ Sinclair shakes his head. They'll never be a three person kette again. ]

No. Not at all.

[ So he just needs to make himself colder]

[dissimulative]

I'll hold you back if you overdo it.

[ He says this every time, but he never really does it. Despite talking about leaving the excited newcomer, he feels nothing about them. ]

[insinning]

I'd appreciate that.

[ Even so, he's glad to know someone is watching his back. He exhales slowly when they reach the training rooms. He's ready. Maybe.]

[dissimulative]

[ He's with you, Sinclair. It's okay.

Oria opens the door to the training rooms and the newcomer looks really friendly, even waving at the two when they come in. In stark contrast, their managing coach looks like he's about to blow his own head off from anger.

"What did I say about uninformed absences?? More importantly, you have a member of the kette joining you!" ]

Hey, chill. Your blood pressure is gonna go off the charts again.

[ "Severine, shut up." ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair's expression tightens briefly, and he lowers his head in acknowledgement]

...sorry. I had a hard time getting up after yesterday.

[Was that passive aggressive? Maybe. He never quite knew what the coach knew - he was the 'tool' after all. A loan from a laboratory. He glances over at the too friendly looking newcomer and feels guilt competing with resentment]

[dissimulative]

[ The coach looks like he needs a smoke.

"I don't need to know your private life. Just tell me if you can't make it. That's all."

The new member laughs a little nervously while their face reddens a little. Oria catches onto this and almost snorts. ]

[insinning]

[...? Sinclair looks around in confusion]

...it's not private though? I was having my check ups. I thought they would have told you.

[What???]