[ Maybe it wasn't fair to say "day"...but this was weighing on his thoughts for most of it, anyway. His heart's beating faster too, the cooler night air countering the softened warmth in his cheeks. If he were sitting, he'd be canting his head a little, relaxing into this conversation better than he would have thought. He wasn't about to turn into a chatterbox, but those nerves over accidentally dialing her late, especially with how he was feeling? They start going away.
Well. Until they're replaced with a completely different kind of nerve. And the image of her smile entering his thoughts as he finally starts feeling the sting in his face.
He can faintly hear Ayaka's voice, the softer cadence of her words doing things to his chest as he sighs through his nose as if that'd help steel his nerves. On the other hand...there's another kind of warmth he remembers. The same warmth that spread from his chest in a comforting manner when they laughed and escaped the palace together. ]
Count it, Ayaka.
[ Maybe it wouldn't be every time. But...now he's really contemplating whether he should just turn around and head to the train station— ]
[ At first, she's not really sure what to say, so she just laughs it off. It's... a nice feeling, to be needed and to know that she's helping someone. It is both the Shirasagi Himegimi and Ayaka's proudest moment, knowing that someone is having an easier time because of her efforts. ]
Are you well on your way back to your house? I hope the walk there is safe.
Then... I hope you'll get a good rest when you are back. If you have watermelons, I have heard that eating it with some salt makes a good and cooling dessert.
[ She's never tried it herself, but she heard some children say so! :) ]
[ At the mention of a festival, Cloud has to bite his tongue. Because while he's settled in a bit better when it came to the more...affectionate sways of this world, and he didn't regret a single thing of what happened, especially with the girl on the other end of the magicomm, ]
We'll check it out.
[ He hopes he can at least still be Cloud, the way he wants to be with her. ]
He wants to go to a festival together! At first, Ayaka's not quite sure how to react, because her heart is already racing a mile a minute. It's not that she would have said no if he asked. If anything, she would have initiated to ask him if the time came!
Now? She's just excited. And she hopes the festival to come, if any, would be a very fun one where she can share good memories with a friend. ]
I would like that very much.
[ For now, though? ]
Ah... I should wash the dishes and head back to my room. I'd been here in the dining area since you called.
[ That's when it hits him that, yeah. While it's not VERY late? He's still called her and held her up when he'd meant to start via texts. ...even if he was starting to feel like he's glad he did. ]
Oh. Right, you do that. I'll letcha go.
[ There's no disappointment in his voice in saying that either. If anything, he's slightly embarrassed that he kept her. ...oh well. He'll just shrug over it after. ]
I will still be awake for a while as I want to read some more chapters in my book. If you'd like to send a message when you've retired to bed, I will be able to respond quickly.
[ Just saying! Because she actually enjoys talking to him like this, or through text messages. This phone call has been nice, too, even though she wishes Cloud wasn't feeling weird about the events of tonight.
She lets out a soft laugh after saying that, finding some joy in sharing something about her. ]
Have a good evening, Cloud. I'm... very thankful we had this, ah, call.
Wha... [ It's faint, but it almost sounds like he was about to say "What—", to ask her something before he realizes that, he'd be the one keeping her again. Instead, her gentle laugh over the magicomm lifts him a little bit again. ]
Ah, you too, Ayaka. Thanks.
[ He was going to ask what book she was reading. ]
Cya.
[ With that, he hangs up for the night, his shoulders slumping slightly with relief. ]
[ He's not quite retiring to bed, but it comes some time after he's settled into his apartment, sitting at the table as he hits send. ]
Thank you, Ayaka. [ He hesitates, backspacing and typing and backspacing and typing before this time, he doesn't mess up or ring her, ] I'll listen if you ever need it too.
I know you will. You have always been so kind to me.
[ It actually takes some time for Ayaka to send that message because she wonders if there's anything more she can do for him. She can be very good with her words, but... she thinks she's made her point clear earlier. She will be there for him if he needs someone to listen to him. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 04:53 am (UTC)Well. Until they're replaced with a completely different kind of nerve. And the image of her smile entering his thoughts as he finally starts feeling the sting in his face.
He can faintly hear Ayaka's voice, the softer cadence of her words doing things to his chest as he sighs through his nose as if that'd help steel his nerves. On the other hand...there's another kind of warmth he remembers. The same warmth that spread from his chest in a comforting manner when they laughed and escaped the palace together. ]
Count it, Ayaka.
[ Maybe it wouldn't be every time. But...now he's really contemplating whether he should just turn around and head to the train station— ]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 05:14 am (UTC)Are you well on your way back to your house? I hope the walk there is safe.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 05:29 am (UTC)Yup. I don't actually live so far away from where I was. I'm about a block away now.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 05:40 am (UTC)[ She's never tried it herself, but she heard some children say so! :) ]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 05:59 am (UTC)[ It's clear he's never heard of it before either! ]
Guess I got a new item on my shopping list.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 06:27 am (UTC)[ They can even shop together! ]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 06:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 07:18 am (UTC)[ Ah, she sounds so wistful just thinking about it. ]
Perhaps there will be a nice festival soon.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 08:02 am (UTC)[ At the mention of a festival, Cloud has to bite his tongue. Because while he's settled in a bit better when it came to the more...affectionate sways of this world, and he didn't regret a single thing of what happened, especially with the girl on the other end of the magicomm, ]
We'll check it out.
[ He hopes he can at least still be Cloud, the way he wants to be with her. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 08:23 am (UTC)He wants to go to a festival together! At first, Ayaka's not quite sure how to react, because her heart is already racing a mile a minute. It's not that she would have said no if he asked. If anything, she would have initiated to ask him if the time came!
Now? She's just excited. And she hopes the festival to come, if any, would be a very fun one where she can share good memories with a friend. ]
I would like that very much.
[ For now, though? ]
Ah... I should wash the dishes and head back to my room. I'd been here in the dining area since you called.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 09:22 am (UTC)Oh. Right, you do that. I'll letcha go.
[ There's no disappointment in his voice in saying that either. If anything, he's slightly embarrassed that he kept her. ...oh well. He'll just shrug over it after. ]
Catcha later.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 10:50 am (UTC)[ Just saying! Because she actually enjoys talking to him like this, or through text messages. This phone call has been nice, too, even though she wishes Cloud wasn't feeling weird about the events of tonight.
She lets out a soft laugh after saying that, finding some joy in sharing something about her. ]
Have a good evening, Cloud. I'm... very thankful we had this, ah, call.
1/2
Date: 2022-06-06 02:52 am (UTC)Ah, you too, Ayaka. Thanks.
[ He was going to ask what book she was reading. ]
Cya.
[ With that, he hangs up for the night, his shoulders slumping slightly with relief. ]
2/2 text; un: exsoldierboy
Date: 2022-06-06 02:59 am (UTC)Thank you, Ayaka. [ He hesitates, backspacing and typing and backspacing and typing before this time, he doesn't mess up or ring her, ] I'll listen if you ever need it too.
Good night.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-06 04:07 am (UTC)[ It actually takes some time for Ayaka to send that message because she wonders if there's anything more she can do for him. She can be very good with her words, but... she thinks she's made her point clear earlier. She will be there for him if he needs someone to listen to him. ]
Good night, Cloud.