☈ strike # 20 (action / voice)

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning's actually not much of a morning person. Military girl or not, on most days it's usually the sun that beats her up- especially once the daylight hours start lengthening a little, and she has no real obligations except to get an early start on going out to run or something...

This time, though... something's been bothering her all night, and sleep in general hasn't come easy at all. It's still mostly dark when she tumbles out of her room, on edge because even if she doesn't yet recognize the source something is wrong--

It doesn't take her long to figure out why, that her current family in Luceti number has abruptly dropped, four total to three instead. After all, she's been around plenty long enough to know the signs that someone has left, even if she's never experienced it firsthand.

In this case, it's an empty bedroom- the only sign that it's ever been lived in at all the color of the walls and several of the dog's things left behind.

And to say that the woman's upset is like saying water is wet, or really, that Luceti is unfair. Rather than alerting anyone else, however, there's only a distinct SLAM of the front door as the pink-haired l'Cie flees the scene, taking Baldr with her - even now she's not cruel enough to make the animal think two of his people have left him.

Whether her housemates choose to go after her immediately or discuss amongst themselves first or whatever, regardless, eventually there's brief audio message that gets thrown out to the winds of the journals, delivered in a voice that's deceptively flat. Considering the general sentiment behind such a common type of report here, however, she's probably not fooling even those who don't know her personally. ]

Hope Estheim's gone home.

[ ... Someone just try and be smart with her about the teen's name right now. She's not in the mood. ]

Comments

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning doesn't want to cry. She freezes a little bit at first as if stunned, not sure what to make of the gesture, and plants her hands on Zack's chest to keep him from getting too close right away. His reaction reminds her of something- an old memory invoked that suddenly makes her feel younger than she is, a swirl of emotions that are both pleasant and unwanted at once...

And then she circles back around, to the thought that, oh right, her two best friends still here with confirmed death sentences hanging over their heads. It's only then, after the tears have mostly already stopped, that her grip finally tightens and she wraps her arms around him instead. She seems very serious about it, though. Like she's afraid he might evaporate at any second and is determined to not let her guard down.

Considering this morning just proved the unpredictability of disappearances, perhaps it's not unwarranted. She's not sure what would happen if she was left alone again; while she's better than she once was, even she knows that she's not really a woman who has ever handled loss very well. ]

[wingenvy]

[Once she finally relents and holds him back, he relaxes a little, just focusing on hugging her and being there for her as long as she needs (or wants) him to be. The strength of her grip isn't surprising, either; after everything she's been through, well... who wouldn't need something to hold on to?

She's always been so focused on being strong, being a pillar of stability... it must be so exhausting an image to maintain. At the very least, he can sympathize with her there.]

[thestormishere]

[ The support is strange, but not unpleasant. For a minute more Lightning is simply silent, busy soaking up the heat and scent of Zack's body contrasting with the ocean's crisp air, idly rubbing a gritty path over his back as she scoops her thoughts back together and tries to make sense of herself and situation.

When she pulls away finally, the circles of tiredness have darkened almost to the color of bruises under her eyes; she rubs her fingers over them too as if she can feel them there, sniffs as she tries to regain her composure. Barring her hysterics after being revived from being killed as a Cie'th, she can't remember the last time she broke down quite like this. Maybe she really did need it, though. ]

You're right.

[ And despite the coarseness to her voice, there's the stronger tone, the subtle straightening. She opens her mouth to say more, but then leaves it at that, staring down with a frown at her hands. ]

[wingenvy]

[He remains close even when she pulls back, keeping his hand on her shoulder. He's concerned, of course, but she's strong, and he trusts her enough to figure that she's hit her limit. He's just glad she finally let it out, so he smiles faintly.]

It happens sometimes. [...] You gonna be okay?

[thestormishere]

[ She thinks about that for a second or two- not because there's much doubt about what her answer will be, but because her sense of honesty really is that strong. She wants to be sure herself before she gives it, instead of just replying how she's 'supposed' to at a time like this. ]

... Yeah.

[ Breathing a long sigh, she glances over to study his face, before again dropping her gaze and... slowly taking his free hand. Hopefully, the sentiment there is clear enough without her having to say it aloud. ]

[wingenvy]

[He glances down briefly as she touches his hand, then leans in to brush his lips against the crown of her head, curling his fingers around hers and giving them a squeeze. It's cool, Light, he gets it.]

You want to stay here for a while?

[thestormishere]

Hm...

[ She keeps her eyes down, touches her cheek again before reaching out to distractedly brush sand off his shirt too. It just figures it's a day where the stuff seems to get everywhere, huh? ]

Should probably start back before I get tired of it...

[wingenvy]

[He chuckles faintly, returning the favour by flicking some sand off of her jacket. They'll probably have to shake out their clothes before Aerith even lets them inside the house, but at the moment he doesn't care much.]

You're the boss.

[thestormishere]

[ Of course she is.

She just barely manages to drag up a little bit of a smile from the depths of who knows where before shifting up onto her feet and standing, pulling him along with her. Not that champion squatsmaster man needs the help in any way, but whatever...

Chances are, she's still going to be quiet for a while yet, though. ]