[ When he turns to hold her, her arms welcome him, one going to his shoulder and the other to the back of his head. Long fingers sift through the locks of his dark hair, her thumb drawing circles into his scalp in a way she hopes soothes him. She keeps him in his embrace, like this, allowing him the time to develop his answer...
...And what an answer it is.
Aren't I alive, too? Don't I deserve a chance to live?
But I saw everyone on Eos... all of their lives. Everyone who died, who still lived. That's the price of my refusing.
I wasn't strong enough. The crystal could tell, so it... made sure I wouldn't back down.
There is not mysterious 'answer' he must find within these memories, no key to finding another part of the prophecy which he must fulfill. The memories by which he is overwhelmed are meant to do just that: overwhelm and oppress, to bring him down by guilt. ] As if.... [ Her voice trembles, and she stops herself to breathe-- something she needn't do, but somehow she finds herself doing so, because she needs to pause. To collect herself. Why does she need to collect herself? A quick reflection into this strange, new feeling answers her: because she's insulted on his behalf, because she's in disbelief, because it isn't fair to him. She realizes then that the tremble in her voice hadn't been due to sorrow, but a kind of anger. ] As if your selflessness wasn't enough?!
[ Because the gods or his crystal didn't trust him, so they needed more insurance that the way to save their world would come to pass. She can understand that-- she could even see herself doing something similar, not trusting someone on a subject in order to save her world. She can understand that the world is that important. But every time she steps back to analyze such a justification from her position in her world, she's brought back to here, to the man in her arms, to the individual that suffers because of it, to the trust between man and god or crystal that is now broken-- and all the repercussions and suffering that brings. Because... the gods could not do better. They may have a plan to save their world, but they failed him in this.
(And, Architect, if she is to be like that in her world-- to be some sort of deity that doesn't trust those who she wishes to save, if it means it simply causes them more suffering-- suffering like how she sees Noctis suffer-- or if it means that those she claims to love and want to protect are hurt because of her....
Suddenly, desperately, she wants to do better than that, because she sees now such pain can never be justified, not to those she loves.)
Pyra gives his shoulder a small squeeze, the only warning he'll receive before she brings him into a proper embrace, her arms around his back, careful as always with his scars, to bring him to her more tightly. ] Noct...
[ Her head remains alongside his. ] I-- I understand, wanting to save one's world. But they were wrong to do this. You don't deserve this treatment.
no subject
...And what an answer it is.
Aren't I alive, too? Don't I deserve a chance to live?
But I saw everyone on Eos... all of their lives. Everyone who died, who still lived. That's the price of my refusing.
I wasn't strong enough. The crystal could tell, so it... made sure I wouldn't back down.
There is not mysterious 'answer' he must find within these memories, no key to finding another part of the prophecy which he must fulfill. The memories by which he is overwhelmed are meant to do just that: overwhelm and oppress, to bring him down by guilt. ] As if.... [ Her voice trembles, and she stops herself to breathe-- something she needn't do, but somehow she finds herself doing so, because she needs to pause. To collect herself. Why does she need to collect herself? A quick reflection into this strange, new feeling answers her: because she's insulted on his behalf, because she's in disbelief, because it isn't fair to him. She realizes then that the tremble in her voice hadn't been due to sorrow, but a kind of anger. ] As if your selflessness wasn't enough?!
[ Because the gods or his crystal didn't trust him, so they needed more insurance that the way to save their world would come to pass. She can understand that-- she could even see herself doing something similar, not trusting someone on a subject in order to save her world. She can understand that the world is that important. But every time she steps back to analyze such a justification from her position in her world, she's brought back to here, to the man in her arms, to the individual that suffers because of it, to the trust between man and god or crystal that is now broken-- and all the repercussions and suffering that brings. Because... the gods could not do better. They may have a plan to save their world, but they failed him in this.
(And, Architect, if she is to be like that in her world-- to be some sort of deity that doesn't trust those who she wishes to save, if it means it simply causes them more suffering-- suffering like how she sees Noctis suffer-- or if it means that those she claims to love and want to protect are hurt because of her....
Suddenly, desperately, she wants to do better than that, because she sees now such pain can never be justified, not to those she loves.)
Pyra gives his shoulder a small squeeze, the only warning he'll receive before she brings him into a proper embrace, her arms around his back, careful as always with his scars, to bring him to her more tightly. ] Noct...
[ Her head remains alongside his. ] I-- I understand, wanting to save one's world. But they were wrong to do this. You don't deserve this treatment.