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]

—Is that what happened to you?

[ Of course Oria doesn't answer, but not for the sake of vulnerability cover, but his concern for Sinclair always comes first. ]

[insinning]

No...at least, I hope not. [Sinclair touches his chest with a small frown. It...could have happened, honestly and he had no idea of worrying. He's already resigned himself to knowing that his body is no longer his own.] But, what if...

[dissimulative]

[ Oria thinks Sinclair is facing a split personality problem pretty soon, but... he'll divulge. Because it's Sinclair. ]

One, terrible. Two, CPPs are aware of each personality so I would try to negotiate with them.

[insinning]

[But what if...Sinclair pauses for a second and rolls over a little to look up at Oria properly]

You would?

[dissimulative]

Yeah? Like what do they want, how much time do they want out there...

[ Oria is really quiet for a while before he speaks up again. ]

... I won't lie, I really hate the idea of someone other than me using my body, but it's not like I can just extract them either. I'd have to learn how to live with it.

[insinning]

...yeah. Humans aren't programs. [He puts his hands back on Oria's, closing his eyes as he tries to get some rest. He'll show Oria the note later. But he thinks...whatever they did, he would learn to fight through it and live with it]

We're just people that ended up like this.

[dissimulative]

[ He feels the warmth of Sinclair's hand as he quietly breathes out. He wants to call out his name, but it catches in his throat when it was so easy earlier. ]

Yeah. We're all people. Sometimes you're born with things you shouldn't have either, but we have to live with it... and adapt.

[ He gently brushes Sinclair's hair away from the face. ]

Rest well, okay?

[insinning]

Mm...okay. [He wants to ask Oria to stay. But that would be greedy. So he'll drift off as the painkillers kick in, giving him some reprieve]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria also wants to stay and look after Sinclair. It would be nice if he could. However, he leaves once to get microwavable dinners from the cafeteria and puts it in Sinclair's mini fridge so that he doesn't have to strain himself too much when he feels hungry. After that, he tucks Sinclair in properly and makes sure that he's comfortable.

Oria leaves again, locking Sinclair's door behind him. He finally returns to his dorm room for good. It's messy. He calls his mother. She starts the conversation by asking him if he cleaned his room like a good kid.

It goes on for a while. The rooms aren't completely soundproof, in which people passing by share uneasy glances when they hear yelling and shouting from Oria's room.

The next day, he goes to Sinclair's room, unlocking the door himself. He wants to see how he's doing... he brought some things too. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair had slept deeply but fitfully. He had woken up and found the dinner Oria had left him, and eaten it. But after that, he had returned to sleep, tormented by dreams and lost memories.

There's screaming in his dreams. Emil, run! Quickly! The soldiers are--. An agonising scream. Pleas for mercy. Mocking laughter.

Thank you for showing us the way, Emil. For your loyalty, you alone will be spared. But, for the rest of this town...

No. No. That wasn't what he wanted. He never wanted this. Why?

Emil, quickly, get out of here--run and don't look back.

No. He doesn't want to. He's scared. He doesn't want to go. He...

Then there's Aria. Lovely Aria, who laughed and made him feel human, her eyes wide with terror as her shields fell and--

The door creaks open and Sinclair's eyes snap open. His cheeks are damp and his eyes are hot. He turns over, blinking through the blurry haze of tearss]

...Oria? Is that you...?

[dissimulative]

Yeah, I'm back.

[ He has a tissue and lightly dabs his face because of the tears. Let him gently wipe them for you, Sinclair... ]

Had a bad dream?

[insinning]

Yeah. [There's no hiding it. He leans a little into Oria's hand] Just a bad dream.

[dissimulative]

Good thing I'm here to chase the bad dreams away~

[ He tries his best to cheer up Sinclair a little. ]

How's the headache?

[insinning]

[Sinclair can't help but laugh, rubbing at his eyes. He appreciated the thought at least]

Better. It doesn't hurt anymore.

[dissimulative]

That's good to hear. I'm glad it worked out!

[ He ruffles Sinclair's hair for good measure. ]

But just in case, take it easy.

[insinning]

I'll go crazy if I have to stay in bed for too long. [aaaah his hair] But those painkillers of yours really did the trick.

[dissimulative]

Pretty good, huh? They're reliable when needed.

[ Oria and his strong painkillers that he just happens to have... Anyway. ]

Let's get you slowly sitting up first.

[insinning]

I'm not that weak...

[But it feels nice, so he plays along]

[dissimulative]

Of course you're not. You're the most sturdy guy I've ever met!

[ He helps Sinclair sit up anyway with his hand on the center of his back. ]

The strongest defense in all of AOU.

[insinning]

[Pffft.]

That definitely can't be true.

[Or, actually...]

[dissimulative]

I bet that you're at least up there in top 3 at the very least. Ask Coach some time.

[ Oria grabs Sinclair's legs to slide his position like turning a clock hand so that his legs are dangling off the bed. Now they can sit side by side. ]

[insinning]

Yet you still grab me so casually-

[Oria, please. You could have just nudged him.]

[dissimulative]

Yeah.

[ You wanna go?? ]

1/2

[insinning]

[...]

2/2

[insinning]

[Incoming pillow!]

You could have just asked.