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]

[ ........................

Oria has to calm himself down real fast because he knows Sinclair didn't mean it in any debauched definition. What to think, what to think—he imagines people being killed by [redacted]

.... ]

Your bed is too small for both of us.

[insinning]

Maybe if I lie on my side and make myself small? [No, it would be a cramped fit, true]

[dissimulative]

Listen—

[ Oria is trying very hard not to imagine Sinclair lying down on the bed, looking vulnerable with a half open shirt.

...

Oria tells himself to come up with the worst corpse possible. ]

—it's fine. Thanks for the offer though.

[insinning]

[ ? Oria is making a strange expression]

Sure.

[ He wants to lean on Oria again but valiantly resists. He's neither sleepy or sick anymore stop this]

Oh, what did you bring with you?

[dissimulative]

[ He really feels like he's committing debauchery. Help. But then Sinclair asks the question, which is a very welcome change of topic as he gets his plastic bag. ]

I brought some tissues, a bag of peeps and another bottle of water with painkillers just in case. I also got in contact with my mom. She didn't answer any of our questions either. I'm thinking of trying again later...

[insinning]

Thanks. [he takes the water thankfully. He may not need the painkillers yet but it would he helpful for later. Peeps! He needs those now]

Did you argue with her? People kept asking me why there was yelling coming from your room.

[scary raised voices even ]

[dissimulative]

[ Peeps for Sinclair! Oria hands a pack over and sighs. ]

People should be minding their own business. But yeah, we got into several disagreements and I felt that I was at the end of the rope.

[ Oria rarely yells in anger, so that's quite something. ]

[insinning]

[They really should! Sinclair holds out a peep for Oria to take first]

That must have been frustrating.

[Sinclair was surprised to hear it himself and so he ignored all the messages. Besides, why did people think he'd answer if asked?]

[dissimulative]

It's always been like this.

[ He really didn't want to contact her, but look. He's gonna do it again later. ]

Oh, by the way... I managed to get in touch with Sungjin. He told me that Aria and Shion broke off because they were fighting over someone.

[ He sounds a little hesitant as he reaches the end of that sentence. If Sinclair thinks it's weird, that's because it is. ]

[insinning]

[That is weird]

They were fighting over someone?

[dissimulative]

That's how he described it and he didn't seem to be lying... Really would have been nice if he could talk straightforwardly instead of talking like some grandpa sage in a RPG.

[ Sungjin does not do that. Oria is just taking potshots at the guy because he's annoyed. ]

As to who it was they were fighting over, I have no idea and neither does he.

[insinning]

That's odd. It must have been someone really important to Aria, but...

[ Sinclair will just accept what Oria says until proven otherwise. Even if he doesn't quite understand the comparison either]

[dissimulative]

But?

[ Oria tilts his head. Tell him your thoughts, detective sinclair!! ]

[insinning]

It's hard to say for sure because we don't know what this Shion person is like.

[He's trying to think and put everything together]

Mm...if they fought over someone and neither you or Sungjin know who it was they were fighting about, it would have been someone Aria not only thought was important, but someone she had to help, right? But that person probably doesn't even know.

[dissimulative]

[ ... ... ...

Oria merely stares at Sinclair for a while, quiet. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair looks at Oria. Huh]

Or do you think that's a bit of a reach?

[dissimulative]

No, it's just...

[ How does he put this without feeling exasperated? Give him a moment. ]

... All those things you described sounds like you.

[insinning]

Me?

[Sinclair clearly has eliminated himself from the equation]

[dissimulative]

One, you're important to her.

Two, she definitely wanted to help you.

Three, you clearly didn't know about this.

Honestly, I can't think of anyone else who would fit. Anybody she's been seeing that I don't know of aren't probably that important to her either.

[ knox's first!!! take that!! ]

[insinning]

[Not Knox's first!!! ]

But...

[ What about you? Sinclair wants to say. But... despite Oria's problems with his mother, he wasn't in any danger, right?

He tries not to think about Oria's little dents, that awful voice that spoke through him...]

But why would she talk about me to this Shion person?

[dissimulative]

That's what we're gonna find out! I contacted him and we're meeting tomorrow. Do you wanna come too?

[ Emil Sinclair is confronted by a Visual Novel Branching Decision. ]

[insinning]

[ So a branching decision with only one real choice]

Mm. I'll go with you. We don't know what this Shion person is like, right?

[ Safety in numbers and all. He'll deal with the consequences as they come.

Do you need directions for your adventure?

no, no, no need.]

[dissimulative]

Based on a single conversation I had with him, it was difficult to actually talk to.

[ He shrugs and sighs. ]

Let's keep each other in check.

[insinning]

Yeah. [Sinclair smiles and holds Oria's hand] It's better that way.

[dissimulative]

Yeah!

[ Like how they've always been. Oria firmly grasps Sinclair's hand in his. ]

Not like we haven't talked to difficult people before.

[ ... but it usually ended in violence or one of them flouncing out of the conversation. ]