CICONIA: WHEN THEY CRY

[insinning]

It's a holy night. Silent night.

All is calm.

Everything is b r i g h t.

Comments

[dissimulative]

I didn't! But luckily, I felt hungry that night, so I had no problems. It was her persistence that was crazy. She was sooooo much nicer to you than me!

[ He sounds jealous, but he really isn't. Oria doesn't like being doted upon, so that was perfectly fine with him. There's a solemn look in his eyes for a moment as he smiles a little. ]

... I know that it's not like me to bring up past experiences and memories, but someone once told me that it's better to remember Aria has someone you had positive experiences with instead of as a memory that hurts.

[ With how he still gets nightmares about the missile exploding on Aria, it's what he tells himself at the very least.

The hacker avatar disappears, crushed into nothing. Its presence has now disappeared from Sinclair, but for a moment--just a fleeting second, Sinclair will feel the emotions that he feels when Aria smiles warmly at him.

But it's a phantom, nothing more. ]

[insinning]

That's because you liked bullying her as her younger brother. [Automatic, amused but Sinclair takes those words to heart]

...yeah. Remember them as how they were, right?

[Sinclair hesitates for a moment, wishing he could hug Oria and help him feel better too.

But then, there's that strange odd warmth and Sinclair blinks. Oh. Huh? What? Oria might notice Sinclair's eyes are suddenly damp. Sinclair looks down hastily wiping at them. What was that? He's not sure if it's warm or painful]

[dissimulative]

Yeah--

[ Oria turns his head to look at Sinclair's face and his attention is tuned into Sinclair wiping his eyes. ]

... It's okay to cry about it, you know. I'm here.

[insinning]

...I should be saying that to you.

[He turns a little into Oria, quietly huffing. It feels wrong to be the one crying when Oria was the one who grew up with her, and was related to her and this whole time, wasn't even allowed to grieve properly. ]

[dissimulative]

[ Well, Oria isn't Aria and he doesn't think that he's good at comforting people. However, seeing Sinclair like this makes him sad too, so he uses the arm that he already has around Sinclair to pull him into a proper hug despite not liking hugs. It's a tight hug to help comfort Sinclair and make him feel secure. ]

I'm fine.

[insinning]

[Sinclair shakes his head but he wraps his arms around Oria in turn. He's warm and steady.

None of this was fair, but was anything ever?]

[dissimulative]

[ Nothing is ever fair, but they must accept how things are.

Then it will be easier to handle.

Hopefully.

Oria gives him time until he can get his bearings again. In the meantime, they can just hug it out in candyland here. The employee doesn't even say anything either. ]

[insinning]

[What was it someone had said to him so long ago?

Know your place.

Was it always going to be like this? Helpless children in the face of overwhelming power and might?

Sinclair takes a few moments to recover and he pulls away in embarrassment]

...sorry. I got your shirt wet.

[dissimulative]

Eh.

[ Oria merely shrugs it off. ]

You know how bad I am in trying to make other people feel better, so if what I did helped you, then it's worth it. C'mon. Let's go buy these.

[ Sinclair may have pulled away, but Oria links their arms together so that they can go purchase these! It's fine! Don't think about feelings.

I got nothing else going on... ]

[insinning]

Mm. [He tries to ignore the fluttering in his chest. Stupid.

And it's all good and well as they return back to the base, and put up with simulation training with that one knight they'd never accept as part of their kette.

It's fine, it's fine, it's fine.

Then Siblings Day rolls around]