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]

Y-yeah...I was really worried so I. Um. Kindofsnuckin.

[Sinclair had very little faith in scientists after all]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria thinks that explains why he doesn't remember Sinclair's visit nor the reason and how the texts were being sent to him, but then he sees his face.

... ]

What are you blushing for.

[ Was he naked or something??? ]

[insinning]

[No??? ]

It was kinda scary sneaking in? I got really worried about being caught.

[ He's blushing because he realises how weird it is to sneak into a hospital for a friend]

[dissimulative]

That's why?

[ Oria laughs a little. ]

That's what you gotta risk. Emil. If you liked the end result, then the gamble was worth it. Maybe you have a knack for being sneaky.

[ Oria laughs more, because that's not true. ]

[insinning]

You're so rude to me.

[pouting...despite everything Sinclair really didn't like getting into trouble. Oria gets a poke to the cheek for that]

[dissimulative]

That's because I l--

[ He corrects himself quickly and laughs. ]

--like teasing you! But thanks, for coming to visit me.

[insinning]

Sure. [ This is a little belated. Of course Oria likes teasing him. Nothing else ] I really felt like I had to.

[dissimulative]

Always with the sincerity~

[ Just then, the two will receive a notification on their Selcom regarding Current Events. The nations don't seem to be getting along due to resources and not wanting to take the blame for a catastrophic crop disaster. The tensions rise and the wars are inevitable. Oria is quiet about this. ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair falls silent as he pours over the information. Honestly, what Shion had said to him had been eating away at his conscience but without any clear memories, he couldn't atone, if it was even possible to atone.

And now this?]

... do you think they'll send us ou5?

[dissimulative]

Most likely. They won't let the chance go to show off what's "theirs", after all. Showing military might as a form of intimidation was always a thing, I think.

[ He sighs, letting Sinclair know what he thinks about that. ]

But government stuff takes forever, so we'll still have time.

[insinning]

[ Sinclair grimaces. He shares that thought ]

I hope so. I know everyone is talking about fooling the higher ups to avoid fighting for real, but...

[ Maybe it's because of what he's been through he can't hang onto that hope]

[dissimulative]

But?

[ Share those thoughts, Sinclair. Oria is here to listen. He's also pessimistic about the notion, but he's not here to drag the mood down. ]

[insinning]

... they're not stupid. They'll have strategists observing us.

[ Sinclair rubs his thumb over the back of Oria's hand]

They'll never let us get away with it.

[dissimulative]

You're right.

[ Oria simply responds as if it's a matter of fact and briefly squeezes his hand. ]

They'll find out pretty fast if the strategists are actually doing their jobs and relay it quick enough. Again, I don't have the faith of the government's speed unless they're losing resources, money, or face. But even then, it should buy us time for whatever Bath Order wants to really do. Our goal isn't to keep the stalemate going forever. There needs to a purpose in doing so. Why buy time for something that isn't being worked on?

[insinning]

Mm...we need everyone working towards a treaty.

[And then...hah]

But I don't think any union wants that. We're.. their show of power. They have to prove we can decimate the opposing military.

[dissimulative]

Yup... Seeing others improve makes them want to do better too, and it's a repeating cycle of who's the best. AOU has you too, after all, and supposedly had the highest P3 level holder.

[ Anyway. ]

So, the truth is, no one with the power to do so actually wants a treaty.

[insinning]

[Sinclair nods, squeezing Oria's hand again.]

If they did...then they wouldn't be sending us these messages. They'll keep trying to find someone to make a kette. And they'll keep finding excuses not to talk things out...

[dissimulative]

[ Oria squeezes his hand in return again, though his head is really killing him. He should take those meds or lie down to rest. ]

That's the part about being a realist, but not a jerk.

[ Don't have to put that in people's faces, etc. ]

Some people only learn the hard way, and, well, no matter who we're related to, it can't affect the governments as a whole. I heard about Lingji's plea to her grandfather, but that also didn't do anything and they're supposed to be some royalty or some shit. My connections won't mean jack shit either, despite my mom having cut military funding before.

[insinning]

There are people really determined to make a war happen.

[ Sinclair exhales softly. Demian's voice whispers in his head. There is no love or freedom for those tied down by their nations. We can only truly hang onto both if we move beyond them.

But where would they go? What could they do]

As long as they think it's beneficial...I wonder what LATO think.

[dissimulative]

They would probably be the most opposed to it on the surface, but only because it conflicts with their hidden selfish goals. Everyone's got a stake in this, and that's just how it is.

[ Oria gets quiet for a while. ]

Would be nice if we could just run away from all this, wouldn't it?

[insinning]

Yeah.

[ Sinclair nods, taking Oria's hand again. He remembers the little dents, the completely messed up room that was supposed to be Oria's]

If nothing else, I think we deserve a nice vacation where every adult is behaving themselves.

[dissimulative]

[ Oria thinks of something similar, but for Sinclair. He could be free from those experiments and be treated as a person without those things interrupting the thought process to feeling like a human. That's really all Oria wants for Sinclair at this point, but even that would prove to be too much. In this world, you leave those sentiments behind like B3W. ]

Adults behaving themselves, huh? A rare sight, if anything. I'd like to see it happen.

[ He laughs... ugh, okay he can no longer bear the headache and just feels around the side table for the medicine. Where is it. ]

[insinning]

Ah. Here.

[ Oh. Sinclair opens up the medicine bottle, placing to pills in Oria's hand and pushing the glass of water closer to him]

[dissimulative]

Thanks.

[ He takes the medicine and gulps it down with water. Phew. ]

Now I wait... This headache has been soooo bad. I won't refuse more rest.

[insinning]

[Guilt intensifies..]

I'll see if Mr. Dante will get us some peeps to make up for it.

[ He'll gently pat Oria's hair, avoiding the injury.]