[ Her lips purse in thought as she lowers her utensil to her plate, watching his expression.
Then, she reaches over to place her free hand over his, smiling. She does her best to be reassuring. ] If you're doing what you want... isn't it hard to say that you're taking things for granted?
[ It's he who said something to the effect of getting to choose with whom he spend his time or doing what he wants, in this world. Supporting that-- she has to support that more for him, she reminds herself. ]
...Although, it's never to late to try something new.
Mmm... true. [She's usually right about these sorts of things. His fingers curl against hers, squeezing lightly, his thumb rubbing over the back of her hand, subtly affectionate.] Got any suggestions?
[Something new could mean a lot of things, and it could very well be something he needs to find for himself, but her input matters, too. He can't let himself forget that.]
[ She looks down to their hands. Even just a subtle gesture of his thumb brushing over her skin, a sign of care, means a lot right now. A soft 'hm', thoughtful, escapes her. ]
You always ask the difficult follow-up questions, you know that?
[ She can't decide for him! ...And there's so much he's chosen to do with his time that he wouldn't be able to do in his own world. From painting, to VR game making and design, and, yes, to battling things he's never battled.
... ]
How about I teach you how to fly the Regalia? On your own.
[ Not that she hasn't tried to explain things here and there to him, but she should give him proper lessons on flight. That way-- he can do it on his own. He won't need her, if she's gone. And as much as that's a sad thought, she wants him to thrive. Him learning how to fly won't be that difficult for him, she's sure, but the Regalia is a vehicle in which he can take to discover more things for himself. ] So... you can find the 'something new' in a wider radius.
Oh, man. Talk about inviting chaos into the city. [Despite his words, his tone belies obvious delight at the idea of getting to fly more, hopefully without crashing through anyone's roof.
He isn't thinking about this as a way of thriving without her - the thought would never occur to him, at this point, as thriving is not a thing he'd be doing by any means - so he tilts his head curiously at her wording.]
You'd still come up with me sometimes though, right? If I could fly it myself.
[The flying part is exciting. The "on your own", not so much. He's not sure if most of his friends would be so eager with him behind the wheel either...]
[ So long as he wants her in the passenger seat, she’ll be there. ] I’m sure you’d be an excellent pilot, actually.
[ And she truly believes that. Surely, since he’s so good at warping and zipping around in the air anyways at high speeds, flying a car won’t be that difficult for him to master, right….? ]
It involves a lot of spatial awareness and quick thinking, which I know you’re great at.
[Nevermind the opinion of anyone else who's been in a car with him behind the wheel before. Driving in a big city is different, okay. And he definitely hasn't almost driven into many trees.
The subject of spatial awareness and flying independently makes him pause for a moment, hesitant, until he opts to add,]
Next time, I'll show you the Armiger.
[Next time he's in a fight where it might be needed, he'll bring her along.]
[ She looks at him, her brow raised slightly in surprise. If she understands his abilities correctly, using the Armiger isn’t something he uses for showcase.
The time she had seen a glimpse of it— or what she believes to be it— was when he had taken in the Fetter to his armory. A whirl of phantom blades danced around him like lightening in a bottle. It was beautiful, but also, she’s certain that it’s taken a toll on him much like any of his other abilities. ]
Ah… kind of, but nothing that powerful should be easy. It's still something I should practice more than I actually do.
[He had used it during the Hades fight because Ardyn had- and it had felt appropriate, since you save your trump cards for boss fights anyway, right? But using it had reminded him just how out of practice he was even with the souls of the other kings to guide him along, and seeing Ardyn's experienced finesse with it had made that fact sink in all the deeper.]
I mean, I can't let the older generation show me up all the time. Ardyn can make his look like wings.
[ She replies, quietly awed. She wagers that it probably was incredible to see, too.
She doesn’t want to say she wants to see it, because she knows it takes a lot of out him, and she’d rather avoid putting undue pressure on him. But if it’s up to him, she won’t say no to witnessing when he unleashes that ability if he invites her… although, she wonders if there’s truly many things he can practice with using it.
Pyra looks down at her hand in his and takes it back. Right. Curry. She had almost forgotten about it. ]
Would you have them as wings too, if you could? Or something else?
[A thoughtful noise as he scoops up a fresh mouthful of curry. He doesn't chase the issue of whether or not she wants it, or what reason he has for bringing it up- he doesn't have any desire to reopen the argument's leftover wounds. Still, he hopes that discussing combat won't feel like taboo for very long. It's such a big part of his life, and hers in many ways, though she prefers to avoid it. And this is... harmless, in theory.]
Dunno. I've tried, but I don't have that much control over it. I can make swords attack in different ways independently from me, but it's more like… patterns, than shapes. If that makes any sense.
[ The only image she has to go by is when he had been almost killed by the Fetter, and how the weapons had seemed to automatically align themselves to protect him… ]
I’m not sure if this is right or not but, is it also partly instinct? As in, when you’re in danger…. [ Definitely more difficult to control, then. But hence the need for practice. ]
I suppose… [ She continues, after a moment of thoughtful silence, her voice tentative. ] If you’d like my help, we can try something similar to when we first warped together? Such as enhancing your focus, or lending you power…
[Though tentative she may be, he jumps on it. He's not sure if she's hesitant for him or herself, but he has no qualms if it's the former.]
Hey, sure. New project.
[He has no idea how it might translate from energy sharing into Armiger control, but anything is worth trying. They sure as hell have a stellar track record in collaboration, on multiple levels.]
Only thing is, you'd have to keep your distance, and we'd have to find a place to practice with no one else around, or clear the arena maybe. It gets pretty dangerous with all those blades flying around- even the guys know to clear out when I start using it.
[ Even if she believes she’ll be perfectly fine— does he not remember when she had been completely impaled and walked away— she respects his concern for her and doesn’t push the issue of keeping some distance. It’s sweet of him to be so concerned, not something to take personally.
She prepares another bite of curry. ]
I think that’s still doable… I can still make a connection to you at a distance with my own abilities. [ Not as effective, of course, but still good. ]
A sword doesn't need that much power to stab someone, to be fair.
[And also to be fair, there's a big difference between knowing she'll be fine, and being okay with watching his own blades slice her to ribbons. Earlier today he watched a friend stab herself near to death and despite knowing she'd be healed in the aftermath, it wasn't a pleasant experience, and he won't be forgetting the visual any time soon. He doesn't want that again with Pyra, no matter how invincible she might seem.]
[ He has a point… with both things he says, and to which she manages a small smile for him. ]
Oh, no, I don’t mind, if you don’t. [ Anything for him, from car flying lessons to assisting with armiger practice. She want to support him. ] I was just thinking that you’re very kind to be concerned about safety… [ Even when it’s not necessary, which, perhaps, makes that concern even kinder in practice. ]
[He pauses at that, suddenly hesitant again. There's something strange about her pointing that out. Is- he usually not? Or is this more about her?]
I... sure. [...] Is there something weird about that?
[Worrying about safety is kind of like caring about the people around him, and considering how she always tells him how nice he is, wouldn't that go without saying?]
No, just... [ She's not used to it-- in her past, anyway, as always being the sturdiest and hardest-hitting of the bunch. The one who dives into battle first because she knows she can endure. There were unexpected parts of battles and surprises, sure, there was never any doubt she could take her opponents. She was the aegis. Addam had to be the one to reign her in, even one time by another Blade's limiting powers, for others' safety, not her own. ]
...It's not really necessary, for me, and I'm still getting used to it. But that you still do-- it's... nice. [ She says, trying to keep her explanation simple. ] Just another thing I appreciate about you. [ She surmises: ] What I mean to say is "thank you".
[He purses his lips tightly, taking in those words and mulling them over. After a bit he reaches out to take her hand again, weaving their fingers together and looking at her intently.]
I don't care if you're immortal, or can't be killed like most people, or don't bleed or whatever... I don't want to ever see you get hurt if I can help it. And that definitely includes any blade of mine.
[He can't remember it too well, but she'd been hurt, when he woke up still dazed and out of it after the Fetter incident. Nothing had been around them to hurt her except him, so... it probably was him. Her form being damaged meant she'd had to reveal the truth of herself, maybe before she was ready. Knowing how uncomfortable she is with that... he really doesn't want to be the cause of that. Not again.]
You're welcome, but also... I'll keep reminding you, if you've gotta hear it.
[ Her hand welcomes his, and after a few moments of appreciating his words and the intent behind them, she can't help but say the same: ] You, too, you know.
Your abilities are incredible and breathtakingly powerful. [ Not that she's seen the full extent of them, either, but just the little amount she has seen, and the power she feels from him, she's under the impression that he's holding back a lot. ] But I still don't want to see you hurt. [ By others, or by her own power.
Although, she's sure that he's had others say that to him his whole life, and she hopes that her saying it one more time isn't so much of a burden to him. For her, though, this is relatively new. ]
Mm... lucky for you, I don't like getting hurt, turns out.
[Generally, as a rule, he tries to avoid it. It just sort of happens sometimes. He appreciates the sentiment nonetheless, giving her hand an appreciative squeeze.]
Let's just do our mutual best to not get each other or ourselves hurt then, okay? A couple of cool powerhouses like us should be able to manage that much.
[ Easier promised than done, probably. That's the problem with power, it only lends to an air of capability-- Addam's words always ring true. It's up to them to be careful, and not simply depend on prowess only. And, it's not as if she can't worry about him.
...But she can accept this. Promises carry hope, and she hopes he won't be hurt by her. (Hasn't she already promised this?) ]
Let's. [ She concludes with a small smile, echoing his gesture by giving a small squeeze in return, assured that she has two things to give him, going forward: lessons in car-flying, and assistance with his armiger. Two seems not enough, but for now, it is. ]
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no subject
Then, she reaches over to place her free hand over his, smiling. She does her best to be reassuring. ] If you're doing what you want... isn't it hard to say that you're taking things for granted?
[ It's he who said something to the effect of getting to choose with whom he spend his time or doing what he wants, in this world. Supporting that-- she has to support that more for him, she reminds herself. ]
...Although, it's never to late to try something new.
no subject
[Something new could mean a lot of things, and it could very well be something he needs to find for himself, but her input matters, too. He can't let himself forget that.]
no subject
You always ask the difficult follow-up questions, you know that?
[ She can't decide for him! ...And there's so much he's chosen to do with his time that he wouldn't be able to do in his own world. From painting, to VR game making and design, and, yes, to battling things he's never battled.
... ]
How about I teach you how to fly the Regalia? On your own.
[ Not that she hasn't tried to explain things here and there to him, but she should give him proper lessons on flight. That way-- he can do it on his own. He won't need her, if she's gone. And as much as that's a sad thought, she wants him to thrive. Him learning how to fly won't be that difficult for him, she's sure, but the Regalia is a vehicle in which he can take to discover more things for himself. ] So... you can find the 'something new' in a wider radius.
no subject
He isn't thinking about this as a way of thriving without her - the thought would never occur to him, at this point, as thriving is not a thing he'd be doing by any means - so he tilts his head curiously at her wording.]
You'd still come up with me sometimes though, right? If I could fly it myself.
[The flying part is exciting. The "on your own", not so much. He's not sure if most of his friends would be so eager with him behind the wheel either...]
no subject
[ So long as he wants her in the passenger seat, she’ll be there. ] I’m sure you’d be an excellent pilot, actually.
[ And she truly believes that. Surely, since he’s so good at warping and zipping around in the air anyways at high speeds, flying a car won’t be that difficult for him to master, right….? ]
It involves a lot of spatial awareness and quick thinking, which I know you’re great at.
no subject
[Nevermind the opinion of anyone else who's been in a car with him behind the wheel before. Driving in a big city is different, okay. And he definitely hasn't almost driven into
many trees.The subject of spatial awareness and flying independently makes him pause for a moment, hesitant, until he opts to add,]
Next time, I'll show you the Armiger.
[Next time he's in a fight where it might be needed, he'll bring her along.]
no subject
The time she had seen a glimpse of it— or what she believes to be it— was when he had taken in the Fetter to his armory. A whirl of phantom blades danced around him like lightening in a bottle. It was beautiful, but also, she’s certain that it’s taken a toll on him much like any of his other abilities. ]
But doesn’t that… It’s not easy to use, is it?
no subject
[He had used it during the Hades fight because Ardyn had- and it had felt appropriate, since you save your trump cards for boss fights anyway, right? But using it had reminded him just how out of practice he was even with the souls of the other kings to guide him along, and seeing Ardyn's experienced finesse with it had made that fact sink in all the deeper.]
I mean, I can't let the older generation show me up all the time. Ardyn can make his look like wings.
no subject
[ She replies, quietly awed. She wagers that it probably was incredible to see, too.
She doesn’t want to say she wants to see it, because she knows it takes a lot of out him, and she’d rather avoid putting undue pressure on him. But if it’s up to him, she won’t say no to witnessing when he unleashes that ability if he invites her… although, she wonders if there’s truly many things he can practice with using it.
Pyra looks down at her hand in his and takes it back. Right. Curry. She had almost forgotten about it. ]
Would you have them as wings too, if you could? Or something else?
no subject
Dunno. I've tried, but I don't have that much control over it. I can make swords attack in different ways independently from me, but it's more like… patterns, than shapes. If that makes any sense.
no subject
I’m not sure if this is right or not but, is it also partly instinct? As in, when you’re in danger…. [ Definitely more difficult to control, then. But hence the need for practice. ]
I suppose… [ She continues, after a moment of thoughtful silence, her voice tentative. ] If you’d like my help, we can try something similar to when we first warped together? Such as enhancing your focus, or lending you power…
no subject
Hey, sure. New project.
[He has no idea how it might translate from energy sharing into Armiger control, but anything is worth trying. They sure as hell have a stellar track record in collaboration, on multiple levels.]
Only thing is, you'd have to keep your distance, and we'd have to find a place to practice with no one else around, or clear the arena maybe. It gets pretty dangerous with all those blades flying around- even the guys know to clear out when I start using it.
no subject
[ Even if she believes she’ll be perfectly fine— does he not remember when she had been completely impaled and walked away— she respects his concern for her and doesn’t push the issue of keeping some distance. It’s sweet of him to be so concerned, not something to take personally.
She prepares another bite of curry. ]
I think that’s still doable… I can still make a connection to you at a distance with my own abilities. [ Not as effective, of course, but still good. ]
no subject
[And also to be fair, there's a big difference between knowing she'll be fine, and being okay with watching his own blades slice her to ribbons. Earlier today he watched a friend stab herself near to death and despite knowing she'd be healed in the aftermath, it wasn't a pleasant experience, and he won't be forgetting the visual any time soon. He doesn't want that again with Pyra, no matter how invincible she might seem.]
Are you sure, though? You don't mind?
no subject
Oh, no, I don’t mind, if you don’t. [ Anything for him, from car flying lessons to assisting with armiger practice. She want to support him. ] I was just thinking that you’re very kind to be concerned about safety… [ Even when it’s not necessary, which, perhaps, makes that concern even kinder in practice. ]
no subject
I... sure. [...] Is there something weird about that?
[Worrying about safety is kind of like caring about the people around him, and considering how she always tells him how nice he is, wouldn't that go without saying?]
no subject
...It's not really necessary, for me, and I'm still getting used to it. But that you still do-- it's... nice. [ She says, trying to keep her explanation simple. ] Just another thing I appreciate about you. [ She surmises: ] What I mean to say is "thank you".
no subject
I don't care if you're immortal, or can't be killed like most people, or don't bleed or whatever... I don't want to ever see you get hurt if I can help it. And that definitely includes any blade of mine.
[He can't remember it too well, but she'd been hurt, when he woke up still dazed and out of it after the Fetter incident. Nothing had been around them to hurt her except him, so... it probably was him. Her form being damaged meant she'd had to reveal the truth of herself, maybe before she was ready. Knowing how uncomfortable she is with that... he really doesn't want to be the cause of that. Not again.]
You're welcome, but also... I'll keep reminding you, if you've gotta hear it.
no subject
Your abilities are incredible and breathtakingly powerful. [ Not that she's seen the full extent of them, either, but just the little amount she has seen, and the power she feels from him, she's under the impression that he's holding back a lot. ] But I still don't want to see you hurt. [ By others, or by her own power.
Although, she's sure that he's had others say that to him his whole life, and she hopes that her saying it one more time isn't so much of a burden to him. For her, though, this is relatively new. ]
no subject
[Generally, as a rule, he tries to avoid it. It just sort of happens sometimes. He appreciates the sentiment nonetheless, giving her hand an appreciative squeeze.]
Let's just do our mutual best to not get each other or ourselves hurt then, okay? A couple of cool powerhouses like us should be able to manage that much.
no subject
...But she can accept this. Promises carry hope, and she hopes he won't be hurt by her. (Hasn't she already promised this?) ]
Let's. [ She concludes with a small smile, echoing his gesture by giving a small squeeze in return, assured that she has two things to give him, going forward: lessons in car-flying, and assistance with his armiger. Two seems not enough, but for now, it is. ]