[video/action] [backdated to yesterday]

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[The camera is static, as the feed starts. Serah's sat at the living room table in the house, the flowers that Basch gave to Lightning just visible to her left. She looks tired, exhausted - and her eyes are red. It's not been long since she found out what happened the night before, after calling Basch, and why Lightning never came home. It's only taken her a few minutes to set up the feed, and she hasn't told any of her friends what's happened, yet. And even though she feels like her world is crashing, she has to let the people who cared about Lightning know before it does.

After a moment's quiet, she swallows, looking towards the camera, her eyes glassy.]

Some of you won't... know me. I'm Serah Farron... Lightning's sister.

Sis has- sorry, Lightning has-

[pause. every word that follows, her voice is on the edge of breaking.] Lightning's gone home.

[She's silent, before wiping at her eyes, and the feed ends.

A little while later, she can be found still in the living room of the house, arms folded across the table, her head buried into them. Next to her is a photoframe - of her and her sister, back in Bodhum - what she brought back from the world merger.]

Comments

[Action]

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[It's a few seconds before she moves, sniffing, and wiping away the tears on her face, before tilting her head sideways, to look up at him. She's a state: eyes still red and tears half forming there already.

There's little that can be done: she knows that. Lightning's gone. She may come back: she knows that too. But for now, she's gone. And that hurts. Especially more that, when she thought, finally, fleetingly thought, that maybe, Snow could be here as well as Lightning... she's gone.

After a moment, she manages a weak, albeit distant, smile. His presence has always been a comfort for her.] ... a hug would be... nice.

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[Snow nods once, putting one arm around her shoulders before encircling her with the other, giving her a tight squeeze and resting his chin atop her head.]

I've got an unlimited supply of those.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[She easily leans into him, calm for a moment, just listening to herself breathing in, out, in, out. ... she can't say how glad that he's here right now.

After a few minutes she speaks up.] ... she'll... do you think she'll come back? If she can?

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[He plants a kiss against her forehead before answering.]

If it's up to her, you know she will. She couldn't leave you, Serah.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[She nods ever so slightly: she knows that, has recited that, and... it's a reassurance that it's said back to her. But her eyes waver, looking away.]

... I'm... worried she's doing something reckless, y'know? Here she... she fought Lufene. I don't know what she did, but... she came back injured... quite badly.

... what if she's...

[Whatever thought she's leading to cuts off. She can't finish that sentence.]

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[He gently catches her by the chin with a crooked index finger, tilting her face upwards so he can wipe away the traces of tears with the pad of his opposite thumb.]

Light's smart. She'll make sure she stays in one piece, whatever it takes, just so she can get back to you. You mean more to her than anyone, anything.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[At that, she forces herself to look at him: before lifting up a hand and holding his that's wiping away her tears, tight.]

I hope she... remembers everyone else, too. Not just me.

[Like Tifa, Marlene... Basch. There's so many people who forget.]

... hey, Snow?

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[He furrows his brow, noticeable even beneath his bandana, squeezing her fingers before lacing his own through them.]

Yeah?

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

... it's... not selfish of me to wish everyone was here, right..? For a moment, I thought... I thought we could be. You, me, sis... I forgot what could happen, and now, this...

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's selfish. We should be together, and things are better for us here than back home. [He glances in the direction of his frozen brand. After Serah, no longer being in danger of becoming a Cie'th is way up there on the list of Gaia's perks.]

... it could still happen. Others came back. She could, too. And you know how stubborn Sis is.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Her eyes follow his to the frozen brand. Really, she's so glad that all of their brands were like that: how can you complete a Focus with no Cocoon to save?] They are, aren't they?

... mmm. Hopefully she's not... not going at it alone.

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[He settles for offering her another bear hug, this one even tighter than the last, though he does make sure to keep in mind just how much bigger he is. Feels like an effort not to crush her, sometimes.]

She's tough. She'll make it.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

Mm. She will.

[She readily accepts. Snow hugs are the best hugs; she takes the moment to bury her face into his shoulder, instead.]

Thank you.

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[He rests his head atop hers again, this time laying his cheek against her hair.]

Just wish I could do more for you.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

You have. You came after me, back in Bodhum. And now you're here.

[He always finds her when her world's breaking apart. He does. And then he stops the tears. Saves her.]

[Action] WIBBLE!!

[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

I'll always come for you. [He turns his head slightly to plant a chaste kiss against her hair.] No matter what happens, no matter where you are. I won't let anything stand in my way.

[She's started him on one of his heroic grandeur speeches, but they are genuine.]

[Action] i am a flailing/wibbling mess from these two threads

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[She softly nods into his shoulder. And your jacket might have a few tears on, Snow, as she blinks some more away, just so thankful that he's here and he's hers.] Always.

I promise, too.

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[He's pretty sure he feels those tears already. No complaints here, other than not having a way to bring a stop to them.]

What can I do to make you smile, huh? [Being sad is fine, mourning is normal, but he doesn't want her to dwell.] Anything at all.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

That's a good question... [Her voice is a little sad, but she does warrant it some thought. An honest smile? She's not sure. Serah thinks on that for a moment. Apart from Lightning being here, she's... not sure exactly what'll make her smile, properly.

After being quiet for several seconds, she pulls back, and looks up into his face.] ... maybe... stories.

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

Stories? [He sits up a bit and kisses her temple.] I can do stories. What kind?

[Stories of grand heroism, NORA stories, fairy tales... there were all sorts.]

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

Mm... surprise? [She's all ears. Heroes with their heroines, NORA, heroic tales of knights... she'll listen to anything. The distraction is part of it, the fact that she likes to read, and... just so she can listen to his voice. It's comforting.]

[Action]

[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

Alright. [Smiling, he leaned back against the sofa, making himself comfortable, keeping one arm around her shoulders as he did so.]

Let's see... [Might as well go for an oldie but goodie, something sweet and old-fashioned with a happy ending.]

Once upon a time, there was a prince who was anxious to marry a princess. [He punctuated this by placing a kiss against her temple.] Trouble is, she was gonna have to be a real princess. Genuine article. He traveled all across the world, looking for the princess of his dreams, but none of 'em seemed to measure up. There were plenty of princesses to be found, but none of them could be proven to be the real deal. There was always something about them that wasn't the way it was supposed to be, and eventually the prince gave up and went home. He was brokenhearted, because he had searched so long and so hard and had yet to find his princess -- his soulmate.

[Action]

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[As he speaks, she keeps her eyes trained up to his face, though her fingers trace undecipherable patterns across his jacket. Apart from that, she relaxes against him, listening, intent, and giving a soft smile at the kiss.]

The poor prince...

[a beat.] And when he went home? Did he ever find her?

[Action]

[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[He grins. Pausing for dramatic effect seems to have worked well.]

That would be spoiling the story, wouldn't it?

One night, back at his palace, a terrible storm came, with thunder and lightning and the rain coming down in torrents. There was a frantic knock at the front gate, and the prince's father, the king, went to answer it. [Apparently these royals didn't have many servants.]

There was a girl outside the gate, standing in the rain. She told the king that she was a lost princess, looking for a place to spend the night. "A princess?" he asked, disbelieving. She was soaked through, the rain had ruined her dress and was pouring out of the toes of her shoes, and her hair was messy and tangled. The king had his doubts, you know? But his wife, the queen, convinced him to let her in, and declared that she had a brilliant plan to find out if the girl was a real princess and called for the court magician to help her.

[Action]

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[wince.] It wasn't a bad plan, was it?