featherlike | Another cycle.

Considering she knew he had once gone into a fight into a Behemoth in a confused state of emotions, Tear sadly could not say he wasn't capable of doing such a thing. However, she absolutely believed in his will to survive now as they stood together, able to feel the warmth of his presence against her back—so much like those nights when sleep eluded her, and she would find solace in his arms.

It was hardly the time to be thinking of such things, but the memories granted a sense of peace and clarity that allowed her to consider their options even as the wounded Behemoth rampaged dangerously around them. Breathing in, she drew her sword; if she had to rush forward to strike it physically, she would.

"Make sure I don't have to." She then unleashed another Aero Blade toward the creature's tail, wanting to stall it from casting its own magic. The young woman was under no illusion that they were guaranteed victory over this foe on their own, but they could perhaps injure it enough to escape safely. "Be ready to Vanish away from here if you see an opening."

Except those weren't the words she actually wanted to say—stay, stay where she could see him and make sure he was okay, where she could reach back to hold his hand and not let go. Ultimately, however, Ace's survival was her priority as she began to sing Theme of the Crystals, hoping it would allow him to move forward with whatever his next action would be.

"Oh, I don't think so." Ace, too, had a pretty clear idea of where he wanted to be, scoffing at the very thought of leaving his partner behind. "I can't get teleporting to work, it's been like this ever since we woke up.”

Oh, wouldn't it make their lives so much easier to have this ability right now - surely, Tear couldn't have just assumed he hadn't at least made an attempt after getting separated from the group. He'd wanted nothing more but to see her again, except fate had its way of putting them both through the wringer before giving him this simple opportunity to express his feelings.

She did give him a chance to prove himself as she began to sing, however, and weakened as the cadet was, he could never see that effort go to waste. Not while their melody played, granting him that extra push he'd lacked strength for before.

He was sincerely hoping that Shiva's icy breath would serve to cool down their fiery opponent's attitude as well. Maybe even freeze the beast for a few seconds, if they were so lucky.

"So that's what it is..." She would have breathed out in relief and said more, were she not intent on continuing their melody for him. It made sense that he wouldn't have returned to their group right away, if he had literally been unable to—she had also assumed the Behemoth had kept him so occupied with survival that it hadn't been possible to properly focus on the skill. But now she was here to have his back, watching warily as Shiva froze their foe for them.

Precious seconds had just been granted to them, with barely enough time to think as Tear glanced at their surroundings again. They could try to pummel the Behemoth with as much damage as they could while it was immobile, but there was no telling if the ice would turn against them or how far its capacity to cast magic reached.

Not to even mention Ace's current state—if the beast had gotten close enough to actually make him bleed, there was no telling what other injuries may be within. An experience which Tear had been intimately familiar in what still felt like moments ago.

... Screw it, she wasn't going to risk it. Huffing in frustration, the melodist sheathed the sword and whirled around with barely a— "Hold on tight!"

Without waiting for Ace's response and practically kicking his legs out from underneath him, it seemed to take almost no effort at all for the woman to scoop her partner into her arms. If there was any strain on her part or if he was too heavy, she didn't dare to let it show as she prayed her agility was high enough to carry them a safer distance.

It wasn't the first time Tear took his breath away, but never before had she managed to get his heart racing this fast.

"You can't be serious...!"

The reply came out muffled against the melodist's shoulder as he struggled to regain any semblance of control over his movements without compromising her own. For the love of Crystal, she was quick and just as stubborn in her decisions as he remembered her being. There was no chance this could work out, but whether he wanted it or not, all he could do was to adhere to his partner's advice as his own body reminded him of the sustained wounds.

... Huh?

"... It's gone quiet." He realised after a while, urging her to stop by a large pile of rocks. It was a great opportunity to free himself from her grasp at last (not minding the fact he nearly lost his footing and tumbled onto the muddy ground), but most importantly, it didn't seem like the beast was actively chasing them. "Ice has probably messed with its senses... hide!"

It was his turn to pull her along as he took his spot behind one of the rocks and listened.

"Haven't I told you before? I'm always serious." The rest of his protests along the way she could ignore easily, holding him close up until he thought it okay to all but fall out of her arms—an action that did make her feel more than a little irked, but the importance of finding somewhere to hide was understandably higher on her list of priorities than scolding him again.

The problem, however, was that being pulled down so abruptly meant she practically landed on top of him. It may have been perfectly acceptable in any other situation—albeit with some blushing on her part—except she was all too aware of the injures upon him just from the blood now coating her shoulder.

Breathing in silently, she managed to still sit up properly to pull him back into her arms protectively, casting a quiet Curaga as she listened intently for any sign of their foe. "What do we do now? You don't think we can actually defeat it on our own?"

Truth be told, he couldn't deny feeling a little bit light-headed, especially after the unfortunate fall followed by being gathered into the safety of her arms. Slowly fading away was the adrenaline rush from moments ago, so he realised the importance of trying to keep himself awake for both their sakes. After all, he'd already caught her examining his wounds with the same worried expression she always wore when the situation was particularly dire.

"We wait." In a moment, he would attempt to teleport them again, but for now... they could take their time, he guessed as the rejuvenating spell began to take hold. "The area is vast, and running away like this, I'd only be placing a target on your back."

At the tip of his tongue was a well-deserved apology, but before it could come to light he suddenly changed his mind. Not because his guilt wasn't genuine; there was just a lot of unanswered questions occupying the cadet's head, still.

"... Serious or not, don't ever do that again." Frowning, he turned his head to look straight into her eyes, as if expecting the answer to be reflected in them - maybe because he wasn't going to give her any opportunity to respond. Keeping him so close to herself, Tear already made it fairly easy for him to lean in and claim her lips in a kiss, because there was no better way to express his disappointment, gratitude, fear, and love, all at once.

Tear was—as always—ready to respond, eyes fierce with defiance and an argument ready at the tip of her tongue, except Ace had acted too quickly for her to do anything than form a squeak of surprise, nearly jumping back with how badly he had caught her off-guard. Not necessarily with his action, even if that on its own would have evoked a powerful reaction, but with the sheer emotion carried in the kiss. Emotions so powerful she felt as if they would overwhelm her, the softest of whimpers escaping.

A shiver ran through her whole being as she brought him closer still, timidly reciprocating the gesture. Her hands threaded through strands of his hair gently before she pulled back, once again seeking his eyes before she leaned into carefully nuzzle against the gash. She hardly cared for the blood possibly smearing onto her own face or hands as her fingertips ghosted across it, trying to focus healing energy into at least lessening the bleeding.

"Then... don't leave me behind." Sighing, she closed her eyes. "Don't. Unless you someday decide you don't want this anymore, or just decide to be stupid and think it's what is better for me, in which case I'll still follow—..."

Shaking her head, growing anger kept the melodist from continuing further. Burying her face in his shoulder, she stayed silent to collect her thoughts, minus one question.

"Why didn't you at least contact me? I know you are perfectly capable of calling out my name."

Edited (sneaky work tags) 2017-07-06 03:41 (UTC)

Even the tenderness of her touch couldn't stop him from wincing a little bit when she inspected the wound. That side of his face must have looked a bloody mess, he realised upon seeing her red-stained hands at work.

He had to bite his tongue not to say anything just yet, to let her finish speaking before he let his own emotions run ahead - even if it meant dealing with a string of painful accusations. She felt so small huddled against his side, becoming even more so when she hid her face against his shoulder.

Carefully lifting his less battered arm, he went to wrap it around her. “Mystearica, I've tried. I've tried to reach you so many times I've lost count.”

Would she believe him when he said it, or would she regard him with the same doubt? If those were her real feelings, then he couldn't risk to invalidate them by being careless in his choice of words, but….

“Why would you ever think I could abandon you like this?” Even as he was whispering, for the monsters could still be roaming around, his voice was ringing with disbelief.

"Turn around and flee, after everything we've gone through... Only a fool would cast this away."

Tear lifted her head off his shoulder at once when he declared his accusation wrong, eyes filled with confusion and disbelief of her own. Hands reaching out to direct healing energy into his wounds again, her brow still furrowed while she considered the implications and emotions of his words. His first words alone had been enough to shatter her thoughts into disarray.

"That..." What had happened to him, that she couldn't hear his calls? Or was there something wrong with their connection, meaning it wasn't as strong as they thought it was? No... she had to—did believe in its power to bring them together, no matter the obstacles in their way. She might not have heard his voice, but the wish to be by his side had grown with such intensity that she disregarded all propriety in setting forth to find him, perhaps a bit carelessly.

"I'm sorry. For not hearing you, and..." It was unfair to project all those other times she had been left behind or cast away upon him. Though it was true Ace had also done it before, what Tear knew was that never had he done so willingly. That made all the difference. "You're right, I shouldn't have said that. I'm not thinking as clearly as I should be, and I shouldn't take the past out on you. You're..."

While the anger flowing through her veins was muted compared to moments before, it was nonetheless still present as it began to direct toward not only Ace, but herself for failing him. Pulling her hands back and ducking her head, her voice was so quiet it was barely a harsh whisper.

"You're still an idiot for coming out this far on your own."

“I am. I'm an idiot who doesn't deserve your apology. All I wanted…” Suppressing a groan, he decided to rest his head against the stone’s smooth surface while he waited for the pain to pass. Tear’s spells were already doing their part in keeping his consciousness from fading, so he couldn’t afford to let her efforts go to waste. “All I wanted was for you to…,” here, he cracked a tiny smile, “... understand.”

“As to what has happened, I’m really not sure. I’ve been on a run ever since we got separated… and though I’ve once known my way around these parts… I just haven’t been able to track your footsteps.”

“But you found mine, I don’t know how. You’ve found me and you’ve saved my life by risking your own.” Although that was clearly an expression of disapproval on his face, he still quested for her hand with his bruised one and then held it firmly. Just because he did not agree with all her methods didn’t mean he wasn’t capable of showing his appreciation at the same time.

"I think we could both be a little wiser."

"I do." Breathing out quietly, she moved carefully into what would hopefully be a more comfortable position for him, while also ready to shield him again if it was necessary. Once more her fingers wove together with his, keeping up the pattern of sending healing energy into him to mend the injuries as best she could through that connection.

"Sometimes, it's hard to remember right away and it gets the better of me. I'll work on it." For us.

Allowing for silence to settle in for several moments, the melodist reflected on the pull that had driven her to search for an ultimately find him. Maybe a part of it had been sheer luck, or there had been clues of his passing through along the way, but whatever factors came together to allow them this time, she could only feel grateful.

"I don't want us to be separated again. Not like this, when we have the power to control it." After the last time he had crystallised and she had confronted her other self, she had made that vow. No more waiting, which cast more light on his choice of words.

"'Wiser'..." That brought with it another series of questions, prompting her to seek his gaze—a clear indicator that there had been changes since the Enterprise fell. "How much time do you think has passed? Unless it was the swamp—" The shadow of a smile touched her lips; however angry she had been, it had subsided enough to allow her to tease him the smallest bit.

"... you got taller."

Tear was right. They no longer needed to live in fear of the stasis, and could only be blamed for their own actions. None of this would have come to be had he just been more careful in his steps, and yet so far he'd acted like the responsibility wasn't his.

“And I won't allow myself to be so careless again,” he uttered quietly, as if not to disturb the flow of the healing magic she so graciously shared with him. That alone made him regret his defensiveness from moments earlier, but then she decided to change the subject.

“... I've been wondering for a while, too.” Dropping his gaze to their joined hands, he finally stopped to consider the changes, concealed underneath the layers of blood and dirt, but visible all the same. The strange sensation of being in control of a body that wasn’t quite his own, slowed down responses… it made sense why he wasn’t able to perform to the best of his abilities.

“It threw me off a little, at first, but then I thought—” the sheer ridiculousness of the situation brought a weak smile to his lips, “—whether it’s months or years, does anything change if we haven’t lived through them?” The only difference lay in how they could be perceived by others, which even before was hardly an issue.

Nonetheless, that was only his side of the story. "... Does that bother you?"

"Mm..." Running her unoccupied hand through his hair again, Tear was careful to be gentle whenever she came across a particularly stubborn tangle amidst the longer locks. Years of experience allowed her to fix them with ease, but there was still only so much she could do with their current situation. "I'll be sure to let you know if you are being careless, then."

Her own gaze turning to their hands, a thoughtful look overcame her as she considered his words. It did indeed feel strange to walk within these bodies that were still undoubtedly their own, but echoes of the familiar from before entering Pandæmonium were undoubtedly there in his features.

"That would... depend." Though his sentiment was appreciated, it was difficult to not default into the present and practical. "I'd hate to think we may have lost significant time together, or lost the opportunity to save this world."

"But for us... you're right, it doesn't change anything. You're still an idiot—" Yet, her quiet smile returned. "but the idiot whom I love and foolishly chase anyway, who back needs to be looked after as surely as my own sometimes does. You proved quite well that that hasn't changed in however much time may have passed."

To see her smiling like this again was a better cure than any spell she could ever hope to conjure, completed by a declaration that always made his heart beat a little faster. Although it wasn’t, for sure, the most suitable spot for confessions of any kind, Ace couldn’t care less, feeling right at home as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

Which also happened to be one of her ticklish spots, he remembered, before pulling back ever so slightly. “And you're still the most stubborn person I've ever known.” His siblings were noteworthy contenders for the title, but Tear had somehow managed to secure a category of her own during the time they had spent together. “... That's a relief,” he sighed contently, wishing there was still enough strength left in him to embrace her properly, as she was being his pillar of support even now. “I don't want you to hold back when you're with me. Imagine that, not being able to call me an idiot any longer… how odd would that be?”

Reflecting upon the point he was even trying to make, he squeezed the hand in his. “I love you, too, Mystearica, and that's how I know nothing has been lost. Nothing that can't be rebuilt eventually."

He had constructed a greenhouse, once. Surely, a new apartment couldn't be that more difficult.

"We're gonna save this world."

Even the softest of touches against her threat was enough to incite another delicate shiver from Tear, breath hitching reflexively before realising he had already pulled away. Allowing herself to breathe again, her arms wrapped around him more securely than before—Ace might not be able to embrace her to his full capacity, but she could make it up for him until he had recovered enough. However, the steady stream of healing slowly lessened before coming a stop, despite her desire to continue. It was a necessary measure if she wanted to conserve enough energy to still protect them both.

"I think that stubbornness helps in keeping up with you. Such a day... it's unimaginable." The smile returned to her lips, albeit softer than before with its trace of wistfulness. "If it were to ever come, then I'll have to acknowledge I've failed as your partner and call myself the idiot."

People changed, that much was true. But it wasn't that she genuinely thought Ace was dimwitted or incapable that she called him by such an insult. The idiocy was in his recklessness and desire in following others in their foolishness, most especially her own.

"Right now, calling you an idiot involves me ordering you to also rest." And may the stern look she was suddenly bestowing upon him emphasise that point. "In order to save this world, we have to oversee that its salvation is achieved. You have to be there."

Closing her eyes, she rested her cheek against his hair. "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you are."

Another cycle.

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