... [ One second. ] .... [ Two seconds. ] ..... [ Three seconds. ] ...... [ Four seconds um is he supposed to put his "lost love" down now and get up or— ]
[ "End scene." ]
Ah—
[ Like somebody just snapped their fingers in front of his eyes, the mood shifts in an instant. He blinks, and Cloud is already loosening his hold on the Director as the man rights himself. Another shrug of his shoulders as the tension leaves his body, taking a couple extra breathes to calm himself and come back to reality. It wasn't until he reflected back on this later that it was going to hit him that he...really gets into his roles— that he really steps up to the plate whenever the time called for it. If he was uncomfortable, he didn't show it. And even if he did show it? He worked it harder than most would on the fly.
At this stage, if all the hard work he put into impressing Andrea Rhodea didn't do anything for this new olive branch of skills, nothing would.
He only offers a light bow of his head to the people auditioning that applaud and start murmuring about the blond hero before he's back to following the Director when he suddenly retrieves a familiar envelope from his breast pocket. It nets a blink and widened gaze from the semi-retired actor as he reaches out for the letter. Since the Director was in on this and the name of the game was Valentine's Day? Before Cloud can even read the letter, of how Ayaka did not wish to hide her displays of affection for him in public: ]
That's right. [ It's very likely he wouldn't take up acting like this if she wasn't involved. And that's because... ] She's my motivation.
[ "Do come and watch us when our production is on stage. I'll send tickets your way."
To that? Cloud nods. ]
We will.
[ Armed with his second letter, and liberated of the bags of food he's given her, he can only imagine that it was time to return to the teahouse. He's spent long enough out that their shifts would be ending soon enough. But if he hurries back quick enough... ]
— — —
...
[ After reading her letter, an echo of her voice trailing off his lips as they reminisce over sashimi and tea, it's starting to become clearer and clearer what this was all about. Absence made the heart grow fonder. And so Cloud finds himself unable to help but smile as he folds the letter upon finishing it. She's making him feel everything that she did in setting all of this up. As to where this was all going to lead and end?
Well... ]
Okay. What do you got for me, Thoma?
[ Cloud was willing to defy fate itself a hundred times over if it meant being with her again— crossing his way to Teyvat by any means necessary if it meant fulfilling that wish to stay with her. If he was willing to go that far, what was a few more stops down memory lane if it meant he had her waiting for him at the end of it all?
Right. Time to procure a gift before he contacts his fellow blond. With Task #3 soon to be under his belt, following these breadcrumbs was eventually going to take him farther and farther away from the teahouse. Farther and farther away from Sunwaning. But at this stage? Cloud was prepared. He had every letter she wrote him to keep him warm and guide him; he had every memory etched within her words to keep him going. ]
[ It may have been a trip down memory lane for most of the afternoon, but what Cloud has to do for his task with Thoma is a little different. Likely more challenging.
If Cloud has been keeping his eyes on Ayaka, like she asked him to when he witnessed her do her fan dance for the first time, though, then perhaps it might not be too difficult in the end.
The art of tea ceremony has so much history behind it all, and proper etiquette is such a big part of it. Learning tea ceremony and being a master of it is something Ayaka prides herself in, because of her interest in tea in general, and because it has helped her become who she is today. While she does not expect Cloud to follow all rules of tea ceremony, and merely just prepare matcha, she does believe in his capabilities of being able to mix a good version of it.
If Cloud and Thoma (and Ayato) become closer because of it, then that's a bonus!
By the end of it all, Ayaka hopes that it'll be close to sunset. It would give enough time for Cloud to prepare for his date and zoom on over to meet Ayaka. It is why she does not let him dawdle any longer. The letter Thoma (or Ayato...) would be giving him simply says:
A string of stars bright Wishes and promises made Winter moves to spring
He can figure it out, right? Right?????
By which Ayaka means, "please come to the observatory in Coldreach. I will be waiting for you."
Compared to their anniversary date, though? Cloud won't be finding the observatory with lots of people. The entrance will have a couple of sakura petals, indicating that he's in the right place, though. Meanwhile, the walk up there and once he reaches the top where the telescope is will be completely deserted. Not even the staff are around.
Did Ayaka rent out the entire observatory? Surely not, right? Haha.... ha................
Where's Ayaka? He might have some difficulty looking for her as he roams around. . . But if he does go outside to the open area that overlooks the rest of Coldreach, he might spot a picnic mat already set up. There's no food set up just yet, but there is a rather large basket and a rather large box which obviously looks like his present resting in the middle of it. She's hiding behind one of the pillars so she can surprise him ]
[ If he were being evaluated by a true master in the art of tea ceremony with no bias, there's a good chance that Cloud would have failed. Whether he didn't take enough time, or rushed particular steps by seconds; in the end, through his errors he passed his trial. If only because he did just that— kept his eyes on her. The teahouse in Gion that was now like an old haunt of their memories, was where he first witnessed her performing an abridged summation of the tea ceremony. At the time, despite his attempts at paying attention, he was watching the wrong parts... Her words, gentle as they flow from her lips as she explained, the way her lashes accentuated her silvery blue hues, only barely registering "wagashi" as she left him dazed with a sense of wonder before he could snap out of it. Yet it's because of this memory that he drives himself forward. And in the end? Whether it was truly up to standard or not when he finished preparing the matcha... ]
❄️🌸
[ He made it. Having the wherewithal to heed the final(?) letter's advice, it only took him ten minutes of mulling the poem over before he made his way back to their home in Sunwaning. Somehow, the closer he got on his scooter, the more his heart started racing and the hairs on his arms raised. As if he needed to get in and get out as fast as he possibly could. He was on a mission this time, and it's all thanks to a Haiku that might as well have been his map. His phone, warmer clothes better suited for the wintery segments of this realm (a navy scarf, black winter trenchcoat...), and the only thing he actively elects leaving behind are both his weapons. Although for this run...he was tempted to take Nagareboshi Tsubaki with him— a blade that symbolized his binds with the Kamisato Clan.
But for this special day, he won't need it. He's not worried about running into trouble when Ayaka has never lead him astray before. Not once on this entire scavenger hunt did he ever feel lost. He had a path. And he continues to follow it even now as snow gently falls upon a twilit Coldreach, snowflakes dotting his black coat like pure white dust. He can see it from here, the tallest point in the region; and he runs a gloved hand through his hair, brushing the snow that wets his spikes back before reaching into deep coat pocket for the Haiku. Or more specifically... ]
A string of stars bright...
[ His map. And what he can feel in his heart is the final destination. It's the only memory she's taken him down that wasn't from Nippon. It's of Ellipsa. It's this world. It's here. And as Cloud puts the Haiku away, he starts to run and slide his way down the gently powdered hilltop he once took Ayaka to, witnessing the quaint town that awaits them. No text messages. No calls. She hasn't read or seen anything from him, and every time he checks back, there's been no sign of activity on the other side. There, at the top of the observatory, he's looking for the brightest star he knows.
And it won't be in the sky either.
There's no one here, only sakura petals preluding and causing his breath to clip as he enters the emptied Observatory. With no one else's voice but his own to carry and echo when he finally...
Finally— ]
Ayaka?
[ —calls her name. There's no answer. But he doesn't stop for very long. It almost feels like he's in a dream. She didn't rent out the entire Observatory for them, did she? Was he getting ahead of himself? Was this even the final stop? Did she have anything else in mind to make his heart weigh that much more from not seeing her? From the day they first met, to catching stars in the sky a year ago...it feels like he's had to endure all of it again. All of that space of time, compressed into one single day. And for the first time since he began this series of trials on Valentine's Day?
He sounds slightly out of breath. Panting, gently huffing as he runs up the spiraling stairs, to the next floor...and the floor after that... ]
[ "So if we're making wishes... We don't hafta make them come true on our own." ]
[ Come on, Cloud. You're almost there. ]
[ "I will protect you, too. All your wishes." ]
[ And when Cloud finally reaches the top, swallowing for air as he calls her name one more time, ]
Ayaka...?
[ "I will make your wishes come true." ]
[ He roams, searches high, looks to the starry ceiling, searches low, sighs alone at the very top when he pulls out his phone one more time. Cloud taps her name, opening up her contact page... ]
[ "So... please," ]
[ He's about to call her. So close to the end— before Cloud can press the button, he hesitates. His saving grace in keeping him from giving up dangles from the end of his phone. Kamisato Ayaka's camelia, the one that she entrusted to him as he gave her his cherry blossom. He said it himself, didn't he? That he'd never fall. ]
[ "Continue to keep your eyes on me." ]
.....
[ Cloud puts the phone away, the camelia telling him to look outside. To retrace one final memory that further committed a girl from beyond the stars into his heart forever. So he finally steps outside, cocking a brow at the picnic mat with a large basket and equally big box settled in the center of it. Slowly, he approaches the mat, only sparing fleeting glances around just in case. But there's no one.
Just echoes of memories that have guided him back here all over again. None the wiser to what was about to happen despite the anxiousness that builds in his chest the closer he gets to the goodies, only to stop and take a deep breath as he closes his eyes. ]
[ With Ayaka being alone in preparing for this, she really did need all that time to get ready. She, too, went back home to get dressed. Perhaps to add to the surprise of it all, she put on a kimono instead of something less traditional. It is a date, after all, so she must look her best! And no doubt she knows that Cloud would want to look his best for tonight, too.
By the time the skies start growing dark and the sun goes down, Ayaka's picnic set up is all ready. All that's left to do is to wait for Cloud. Every now and then, she checks her phone to see if there are any updates from the people she's asked help from, and much as she appreciates it all, she cannot wait to see Cloud again and for him to tell her his side of the story.
No, scratch that. She cannot wait to see Cloud again. Period.
Every so often, she peeks from the top of the observatory to see if there is anyone walking towards the building. Once she spots her, she immediately goes into hiding.
She didn't even plan it initially! But in her giddiness and excitement, she thought it best to hide behind one of the doors leading to the open area of the observatory. She isn't even sure if Cloud would realise where she is, but she thinks her own heartbeat might reveal her hiding place because of how loud it was. It feels even louder than his footsteps!
When he passes by the door where she's hiding behind, she stops breathing for a bit until she sees him pass. Slowly, she takes a few steps to the side until she isn't concealed anymore. It's just a few more steps to take, and she can wrap her arms around her beau and greet him proper. A true surprise! ]
My love? [ Even her own excitement gets the better of her, because she calls him and beckons him to turn around, unable to keep it to herself anymore. So much for surprising him... But when he does turn to face her, he'd better be ready because he has to catch her all over again. ] Happy Valentine's Day!
[ Cloud barely has time to register her voice, almost lost between wondering if it was still a dream or if he was imagining things like he did before. Yet every fiber of his being was telling him to just turn around. Quickly. There's not much time left. And just as he does, pivoting on his heel with hopeful, baby blue eyes, his heart leaps in his chest— out of surprise and also knowing that he finally made it to the end. Her stunning kimono, the articles in her hair, soft white silk and her arms thrown around him as he does just that.
He catches her again. Like their audition. Like at the end of racing to make the last train. Like he did when they were climbing down from their tree. Just like he would continue to do for the rest of his life as his arms envelop her tight and his breath shakes upon the chilled night air, laughing softly as emotions overwhelm him.
He braces himself for her, only stepping around on his feet to carry her momentum into one little spin before she's safe and sound in his hold.
But instead of saying it right back, Cloud has other ideas— one of which was something he'd missed doing far too much for his own good as he takes what little breath was granted them away with a kiss. He did this too, when she finished her fan dance for him and the only answer he could find was something words couldn't portray. And just like that, it feels like he's being released. He's set free, like his white heron who could fit through the opening of that opened cage.
[ They laugh at the same time, and there's something about hearing Cloud laugh that makes her heart swell.
He's happy. He's not one to be as emotional as she is, but any sign of his happiness is something that delights her, makes her feel even happier, like she was on top of the world.
Before she can ask him about his day, he kisses her, and this time? She's ready! Not because she was expecting it from him, but because she's wanted to kiss him from the moment they went their separate ways. She smiles when their lips touch, pressing herself against him even more, as if the distance between them was far too much despite being held by him now.
When he pulls away, Ayaka cannot help but let out a deep breath. ]
I'm so glad you're here... [ Somehow a little later than what she was expecting. Did he experience any hitches along the way? Ah, well. He'll tell her later. ] I missed you so much today.
[ His emotions come in bursts, steeled beneath the surface on most occasions; they were before he met Ayaka. Even in Midgar, while his guard was lowered and chinks in his armor were found, Cloud hadn't truly opened his heart until he set foot on Nippon soil. And now that he's let himself be this way, through every up and down on this rollercoaster of a journey they've embarked on across worlds together, he didn't want to have a single regret— knowing that he didn't have the chance to tell her and show her how happy she's made him.
It's like he told the Director. She was his motivation. On and off the stage. And kissing her like this felt like a punctuation on the fact that she was everything. This whole trial was worth it to make it to this point. And now that they were here, prepared to enjoy their date beneath the waking stars as night falls, Cloud was still figuring out if there was a way to make this never end. ]
The Haiku was beautiful, [ the one that guided him here in the end. But as he says this, he softly shakes his head as he tenderly cups the side of her face in his gloved hand. There's no one else up here but the two of them. Just like their walk home from Frostreign, on a day like today? He can remember to be a little extra affectionate. Consider it practice for how much more she deserved and would receive in the coming days. Because he wants more of this for her. For them both. ] Mn. Every letter was.
[ He sighs into kissing her again, shorter and sweeter this time before he breathes, ]
I missed you too.
[ ... .... ..... one more? One for every task? They can date soon he promises. ]
[ It makes her happy that he liked the letters. She's always liked writing, whether it was poetry, stories, or even letters to people at work or for people she loves. She loves receiving letters as well, and it's why each and every letter Cloud has written for her, no matter how short or how simple, are all kept in a nice box with all other trinkets she's gotten from her beau.
Before she can say anything though, he kisses her again. In an instant, she melts. She would kiss him again now, after hearing him say that he missed her too, but she has some restraint... Some. ]
I would kiss you again, but I'm afraid our food would get cold.
[ The basket should keep the warm food warm and the cold food cold, but she doesn't want to take any chances! ]
[ Frankly? It's because of her that he even started taking up writing more in his spare time. Poems, letters for her birthday...and no doubt what was to come when White Day rolls around. But he cherishes each and every single one. Every note she's gifted him is kept safe and sound in kind. If Cloud needed motivation on those longer treks into the various seasonal regions, then he would on occasion slip one of those envelopes into his pocket, a reminder on lonelier nights if he hadn't already texted or called her (reception notwithstanding.) ]
... [ He agrees. But, consider— One last peck. ] One for the road.
[ And he finally steps back, only to take her hand in his with a loving squeeze. He'll take off his gloves shortly so that he can get to lacing their fingers proper, but she's right. They have a dinner to enjoy! He's excited, but he tempers it on the surface well for her, taking her over the rest of the way to their seating arrangement, a private picnic with a cushy picnic mat beneath the night sky. He's learned enough; she's getting the royal treatment she deserves, too. So as they walk and talk and prepare to sit down, Ayaka's beau will kneel alongside her, holding her hand on the way down so that she can get comfortable. ]
How long were you planning this?
[ Because he had. No. Clue. Just his own imagination of what would happen after work running wild in his head. ]
Hmm... I believe it was about three weeks? [ On and off, anyway. Ayaka's assisted as she sits down, and she appreciates her beau for all of it. Though if he thinks the surprises are over, there is still one more. ] I also booked us a room at one of the resorts in Frostreign. But since this all had to be a surprise, it's for tomorrow.
[ Considering they don't have any other stuff with them now!! ]
I was so nervous that you might find out before today... [ That gets an airy laugh out of her as she settles down and brings out various bento boxes for their dinner from the basket.
The first one she brings out is a stack of wooden boxes which has been kept cold by her Vision. Two stacks of sashimi platters, because these two do love their sashimi. Taking the lid off and pouring soy sauce into a small plastic sauce dish, she offers it to Cloud, finally. There are chopsticks which he can get from inside the basket!
Once that's served, she pulls out another bento box with some pan de mie sandwiches. ] You must be hungry from everything you had to do today. I'll prepare the tea shortly, as well.
[ No sushi for Cloud today, but she does have another bento that's been keeping warm! Chicken with pumpkin and curry sauce, tamago, and some veggies. There's another set for her as well, which Cloud is more than welcome to have some of if he wants more. ]
I wanted to make the food for our dinner tonight. I hope you don't mind that I didn't order from a restaurant, even though we agreed to have dinner at one. I just... thought it would be more special.
[ Except for the sashimi, anyway. But she does hope Cloud would not mind. She wanted everything to be personal for him, and it is a wife's duty to prepare meals for her husband, right? She does love taking care of him, and she knows she does that everyday for as much as he'd let her. Working in the kitchen has been difficult, because she isn't an expert like Thoma when it comes to cooking, but... she wants to think that she's gotten better. He's her motivation when it comes to these things. ]
Three—? [ Cloud realizes the shift in his pitch, blinking surprisingly at her. It wasn't a bad thing! Far from it! It just lends to Ayaka's ability to keep a surprise. To keep a secret. Even from somebody as perceptive as her beau. Once he's settled her down, he takes his own position by her side, for now opting to exercise his own seiza posture. It just...grew to become a natural thing for him. He takes up less space like this. His legs aren't kicking out! ... he'll do that later, but, nonetheless— ] Well, there's our extended plans after all.
[ He'd genuinely thought that the two of them were going to be resigning themselves to a closed off, intimate time back at the estate for Valentine's Day. And that was hardly a complaint from him. Every day, every birthday, every anniversary, every milestone they can share— it's everything he cherishes as it drives him forward.
Keeping his hands neatly settled in his lap, he hums his approval upon her airy laugh. ]
You did good. I didn't suspect a thing till I got that letter from Chinatsu.
[ If there was one constant when it came to her blond prince from another world, it's that he expressed his emotions best with his eyes. Such as when Ayaka prepares the two stacks of sashimi— a breathtaking assortment with what looks like...toro?! How much did she spend? He's not worried, but more touched that this was just a piece of the extent she was willing to go for Valentine's Day. And yet, as they indulge and he breaks his chopsticks to enjoy clipping a slice of salmon sashimi and dipping it into the little soy sauce container, he remembers everything else that lead up to this point. From her letters to even— ]
Speaking of hungry, the Takoyaki and Boba for HQ? [ He knows. ] Was that on purpose?
[ And if she somehow didn't?? It was a beautiful coincidence. Yet another reason stacked upon the pile of many more as to why he fell so hard for her in the first place. So much for characters needing time to develop their feelings over a long period. He broke that rule in record time and has never looked back, across two worlds and all. ]
You kidding? [ A beat. ] You give restaurants a run for their money.
[ He goes for one of the pan de mie sandwiches after he's had a couple slices of sashimi, setting his chopsticks at his side for now as the corner of his mouth lifts with a smirk. ]
Since my plans involved others, I had to make sure their schedule was free for what I would ask of them.
[ Especially Thoma and Ayato! She'd disturbed them from celebrating Valentine's Day together, after all, even if it was just for an hour or so. Ayato's time is very precious, and Ayaka does not dare to take too much of it, unless he is willing to give it to her.
With the food spread out, Ayaka prepares the tea! Sadly, it's not matcha for tonight, as they do have a lot to eat already. Matcha might be too heavy for this meal, so she's decided to bring sencha in a thermos again. One cup for Cloud, before she serves a cup for herself! ]
Well... What I had in mind initially was Chinatsu seeking your help after learning about you from the guild, but when she decided to order some takoyaki for her class as well, I thought it was perfect to change the plan to what you had to do. The milk tea was something that I had to upsell to her.
[ And it worked! It really felt like fate, in a way. And if he's curious about the Director... ]
As for the Director, we met during the Arts Festival last year. Since we don't serve sashimi, I thought the closest would be some sushi rolls, which is perfect, since he does order it often whenever he gives presents to people.
[ Cloud's set his chopsticks down now, but Ayaka takes one of the salmon sashimi pieces, dips it in soy sauce, and offers it to him with a smile. He can have all the salmon pieces if he likes, Ayaka isn't going to steal any of them when she knows he likes those. ]
Then... at my restaurant, which only operates in Planet Cloud, customers must allow themselves to be fed like this.
Looking back, I'm... [ Chinatsu and the students were one thing. As was the Director. But there was, of course, something even more special about the trust she'd placed in Ayato and Thoma. And when Ayaka mentions making sure schedules were free... Not only was Cloud racing against the clock in his own mind to not keep Ayaka waiting at the end of these letters, but it was also for her brother and boyfriend's sake. They deserved this day just as much as Cloud did with her. ] I'll go thank Ayato and Thoma again.
[ Not now, of course! But after they've finished this date and completed their little Frostreign getaway, Cloud was going to make the effort in taking both of them to heart further. Hopefully, wherever they were right now, they were making it a day to remember now that they've seen the white heron and her prince off. ]
Ohhh, [ Cupping his sencha tea between his hands, he can feel the warmth spread through his gloves. Although, up here, it still wasn't so cold. After he takes a drink and sets his cup down safely, he'll probably take them off. ] Your little Slime Toad challenge, by the way?
The students liked the Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu demonstration.
[ He sounds proud. In a way, his choice too, was a callback to how he felt Ayaka was the one who claimed decisive victory against the Salamander.
And the Director? ]
He's gonna send us tickets for when their production goes live.
[ When she greets him once more with a glistening slice of salmon sashimi, dipped in soy sauce as it was, if it weren't for the fact it'd start dripping soon if he didn't act quickly, he'd be caught looking into her eyes for too long. Which is all the more reason for her beau to lean in, graciously accepting the slice as his lips gently close around the tips of the chopsticks. A gentle hum of approval before he leans back once he's finished savoring and swallowing it. ]
You made the idea of Planet Cloud cute. [ Of all things. And she pulls it off with flying colors. Funny how "beautiful" was more common in his vocabulary than "cute", but it feels right here. With no one to perceive them up here, the observatory fully reserved for the two of them, it's like being behind closed doors once more. Where he can let his hair down, and trust her with more words and displays of affection. Nearing two years... She's made him this comfortable over that time that he can trust her with being a little braver.
He hopes she's prepared for Frostreign. ] Lucky us, we get the universe's best host.
[ So adorable that a part of him wants to enjoy her meal quicker. ]
Chinatsu said you were quite flashy! Though, she did not get to take any photos. I would have loved to see you in action.
[ A pity! But it is what it is. And she's glad he was successful with the task! Her beau has a lot of talents, and fighting is one of them. He's developed his own style even though he follows the Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu, furthering the art itself by creating his own sub-branch of sorts. She can only imagine how Cloud would be like on the battlefield, were he a master of the art years from now.
And then he talks about the Director and how they're going to get some tickets in the future. Haha! She thought he'd have more to say about him... but that's alright. Maybe it is for the best that he doesn't, considering the Director's personality. ]
Then... it is another date night. [ They'll watch a play, have dinner, and just enjoy the rest of the night together! They spend so much time with the other that it might not feel like it's anything new, but whenever they go out and use the word "date"? It just makes her feel so giddy and excited. Almost two years of dating, and Ayaka still can't help but feel so elated whenever they're doing "boyfriend-girlfriend" stuff.
Once Cloud's had his own sashimi, Ayaka takes a piece of tuna to eat! She's so excited... She's been wanting to eat these even before Cloud arrived. ]
Maybe I should not have given you chopsticks... [ Hahah, don't spoil her, Cloud. She might actually pull something like that one day! ] Then I could feed you the entire meal.
[ And this time, he's determined to win! Their track record when sparring in just Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu was heavily skewed in his girlfriend's favor. Understandably so. Because while he still continues to practice at home with her from time to time, he's also taken his training on the road, between their time spent in Nippon and now here in Ellipsa. And Cloud would like to think that he's improved despite having a long ways to go on the road to mastery. ]
Can't say I was expecting him to be my "dying love" on stage, but...guess I did good enough for those tickets.
[ He's of the same mind! They may spend practically every day together, but even her beau's come around to letting excitement fill him at the prospect of proper "dates". Going out to shop together, or bring home groceries or restock the teahouse didn't count as outings to him. So long as their dates didn't take them anywhere overly crowded, he was comfortable. Comfortable enough that sitting in a packed theatre, despite himself, actually wasn't such a bad thought either. It came with the territory of becoming an impromptu actor with her.
Cloud fixes Ayaka with a stare, canting his head with a tug of a smirk on his lips. ]
Really now.
[ Glancing back to the side of his lap, he grabs his chopsticks. Sigh. He's really gonna try this up here, huh. Plucking a tender piece of tuna, mindful not to pinch too hard that it falls apart, he lightly dips the end of it in soy sauce. ]
Then...
[ If Ayaka was too busy feeding him everything, then... ]
Whose got you?
[ He asks, the fatty piece on the end of his chopsticks offered to her. ]
[ It was rather bold of Ayaka to practically declare that she would feed him in every opportune moment. All the time, if she could! Her love for Cloud just goes beyond giving him presents and physical contact— though she does love it when his hand is in hers... Her love transcends beyond those ideas, and in every possible way, she wishes to show him that she loves him.
That includes serving him! Whether it's packing him lunch, preparing him tea (making tea for Cloud versus her making tea for anyone else is yet another different feeling for her), or in this case, feeding him. She knows he is a mature adult, a respectable and chivalrous prince, but his princess only wishes for him to get spoiled from all the affection that she can give.
And tonight, on Valentine's Day, she hopes to erase any and all inconveniences for him.
So when he takes his chopsticks to turn the tables on her? The more playful side of Ayaka surfaceds, and she covers her mouth with both hands. She's guarding it as she shakes her head, the way her eyes squint showing that she's smiling so happily behind those hands of hers. ]
It is Valentine's Day, my love. Today is all about you.
[ No feeding her, Cloud!!! Unless it's with your dick. ]
[ Even in the early stages of their relationship, if Ayaka had offered to do something as bold as this all the time? He would have shrunk away; if he did accept it, it would have been with a far grander fluster to his face and little hitches breathes of embarrassment. And yet, the passage of time has granted him the opportunity to grow and learn in a way that he never would have imagined. While the core of the boy from a sleepy mountain village, Cloud from Nibelheim, wouldn't change... The man that he's become today? Was a farcry from who he could very well be at the end of his journey across the Planet.
He can say that he knew love. That he embraced love. That he had all the more motivation to keep fighting for what he loves. Nearing two years of his life since he first woke up a mind-broken mess of a man at the train station, and the person he's become no the other side of it all was practically night and day. And for Cloud, whether it was accepting Ayaka's affections, lips parting for her to feed him the most savory or sweet treats, giving twice the affection back, staying a pillar through her highest and lowest points because he wants to be the one she can lean on...
He'd told Yoimiya something on the first day they met, texting through a game of 'Hot or Not'. She was supposed to be the subject of a rating, yet it was Ayaka who became the center of their attention. And to this day...he knew that he was just a guy that came from a small town with big dreams. But Ayaka made him want to dream bigger now. Ayaka was his motivation — his reason for being that prince from afar who was ready to sweep a nation's princess off her feet. It's...less embarrassing to think of something so romanticized when he was with her like this.
As if they were the deepest of feelings that only Ayaka would know. ]
Good thing I got a month to figure out White Day.
[ But he concedes, popping the piece of tuna in his mouth with a gentle hum of approval. For now, he cradles the cup of sencha in his hands once more, still keeping his eyes on her. He knows it's not her birthday, and he is going to be rereading her letters of this day for quite a while; he won't stop until he's committed them to memory to. And that's why, softly, his breath upon the cool air subtle: ]
Pink petals dance free, A fleeting vision of love,
[ His hold on his cup tightens as his smile grows for her. ]
[ Ayaka would have given in and eaten the offered piece of sashimi if Cloud really wanted to feed her, but she cannot help but feel triumphant anyway when he gives up and eats the tuna piece instead. He really is so sweet, she thinks. It is one thing to accept food that is offered to you, and it took him a while to not feel too shy about it. Offering to feed someone requires a different kind of confidence and comfort, on the other hand. And she's glad that Cloud can do that for her.
She sets her hands back down, picking up her chopsticks so she can peck at one of the other sashimi pieces for now. Maybe the flounder, or baby scallop. Those are always so good! ]
For White Day... I don't suppose I can make a request?
[ How cheeky of you, Ayaka! Cloud won't have to worry, at least. It's a very simple request. ]
I want to hold your hand the entire day.
[ Barring restroom breaks and all that, anyway. But that really is all she wants— Cloud next to her, and him keeping her hand safe in his. There is no sweeter comfort. And just thinking about it now is making her cheeks turn very red. Even her heart has begun to beat faster than usual. ]
[ It's just like he told her the night they came back from the housewarming in Frostreign; there was a time and place. In this instance, he's conceded that the time and place to try and flip the script on her was for White Day itself. Which is why he doesn't at all feel disappointed knowing he couldn't feed her the slice of tuna. As generous and thoughtful as this entire feast was for them, at the end of the day? It's also just food. Cloud's far more interested in the one hiding her face from his chopsticks. ]
Yeah? What's that?
[ He's listening. He's open. He's...going to get really sweaty holding it the entire day, wasn't he. Not that it was a factor into whether he'd do it or not, but the sheer amount of touch energy they'd be accruing? His entire body was going to feel like it was thrumming nonstop quarter-way through their date. The real challenge was going to be if he could behave himself long enough to get through an entire day of holding her hand. From anybody else, the notion of holding somebody's hand literally all day would have been silly.
And...it still was. But when it came from someone as genuine as Ayaka, and the glow of red in her cheeks deepens from such a heart-racing request...
He sighs. Not out of exasperation, but with a low hum in the back of his throat. As if to ask her something he's repeated in his mind time and time again. Fondness in his thoughts. Kamisato Ayaka, what was he going to do with you? ]
Done. [ He lifts the cup to have a sip. The tea wasn't so hot anymore, but it still feels soothing and warm. ] On one condition.
[ Oh no. An obstacle in Ayaka's path for an eternity in handholding— ]
Can we switch hands from time to time? Feel like I'm gonna sweat holding you for that long.
[ That is...to say that his own heart was just going to be bumping in his chest all the louder with her. Unless she wants a sweaty beau in hand for her White Day. :) ]
[ He's allowing her to hold his hand the entire day!! Her breath shakes when she asks the question, absolutely in disbelief that her request would be granted. It might seem like a tiny and silly request, and for them to have been dating for almost two years now, it doesn't even need to be asked! But Ayaka does, because she doesn't ever like asking Cloud for anything... Only sometimes, on very special occasions! ]
That sounds fair to me. And you can even take breaks, if you like.
[ So really not the whole day, after all! But Ayaka would still want to be close, anyway. If he does decide to take a break, she will just have to hug him and cling to him until his hands are well-rested and can hold her again.
He's painted a very happy smile on her face, though. And as she takes a bite of the chicken, she hums a little tune to show her satisfaction. ]
I don't think I could ever grow tired of holding your hand. [ ///// ] When we held hands for the first time... it felt natural. At least, to me. We had sashimi and matcha, then.
[ She was feeling dizzy and they were full from tea and sushi. Cloud let her rest on him, and took her hand. And as she thinks about it now, they were in their own corner, the warm and cosy ambiance in the tea house, and everyone else just felt like they were background noise. It makes her want to move closer to Cloud now, inching so subtly until he notices or gives her attention. If he does so much as look at her, she takes it as approval and moves closer to him again until she can lean on him. ]
It is a pity... I wonder what your matcha tasted like.
[ Cloud wasn't anticipating such a palpable response from his girlfriend when she gets the signal for an all-day handholding party with her beau. It's a tiny, silly, unique request that only Kamisato Ayaka could have made. But more importantly, it was a tiny, silly, unique request that only Cloud Strife could have fulfilled. He laughs softly as he finishes off his cup of tea, going back for more from the pan de mie bento box. Smooth, creamy egg... He could eat every single one in here if he really wanted to; knowing that they all came from Ayaka? How could he not? But before he can take a bite, he answers her in kind, bite up to his mouth with a content smile as he looks back over to her. ]
We'll see. [ About taking breaks. ] I think I like the challenge of never letting go.
[ Om. So good! ]
[ Ayaka wanting to always be close to him worked perfectly fine by him. Even when he still housed the memories of an 'Ex-SOLDIER Gone Mercenary', bodyguard work just came with the territory. Especially where a particular flower girl was involved. He never really noticed it before— how often he would protectively take someone's hand or hold them close when danger was abound. But now that he's actively held Ayaka's hand through the best and worst of times, he's become all too aware. More importantly, when it came to the Shirasagi Himegimi, he's become all the more willing to give her exactly what she wants.
When she hums a little satisfactory tune, he blinks with a broader sense of wonder in his rich blue hues as he thinks he recognizes the gentle melody in her throat. ]
Didn't think I was so used to it back then either, but... [ If he was being honest? Well before the two of them even started to date, and they'd spent their late afternoon celebrating landing their impromptu (and successful) roles, the world around them practically faded into the ether. What was infused with naki weed was so subtle that instead of leaving their hearts burning and yearning, the two found solace in one another as they rested. They lost all sense of time until it was nearly time for the last train to leave the station. It was in the warmth of one another that they managed to stay true to themselves...
And Cloud had learned a new side of himself long before he found memories that were truly his own. He liked being close to her that way. Even if he wasn't the best at expressing it at the time, his body language spoke volumes for him.
Just as it was doing so now, his eyes catching hers as she shimmies oh-so-subtly towards him. There's his star's shining cue, her beau sitting more upright on the picnic mat as he slides his hand around her back when she rests against him. Reminisce of simpler times. Of a day that was forever engrained into his heart with many others— Ayaka at the core of everything. He half-hugs her against his side, looking down at her as he's content in taking a break from their snacks to just...let it all sink in.
And he takes another tempered, soft breath. Free. Lighter. The lightest he's felt in a very long time, and it's all due to the silken-dressed Kamisato he has the fortune of keeping safe and sound by his side. ]
Mine? [ If only he knew where the end of his scavenger hunt would take him... He might have just prepared a thermos of his own. Despite his missteps...he was still given his approval. His smile softens some more, his hold on her becoming firmer in the moment as his answer is a simple one. ] I'll make it again.
It was something I failed to neglect... I should have asked for you to bring me some tea, as well.
[ But despite how she encountered a flaw in her plan, she still thinks it went well! And she laughs about it now, considering she had Cloud make tea because she knew he was watching her whenever she prepared tea for him. ]
The art of tea ceremony was often performed by women of Inazuma, but of course, over time, tradition has opened its doors, and even some men have begun to learn it.
[ The few seconds of resting on him is done. She does not move away completely, but she does reach for her own cup to take a sip of it. The tea is warm, and adds to the comfort that he brings her by being at her side. It ignites her appetite now that she's finally had a sip, and she'll take a few more sashimi pieces and leave the rest for her beau. ]
It would take years to master the art of tea ceremony, but... you do not need to be one in order to make tea. It would be my honour to try a freshly made cup of your matcha, my love.
Guess that just means you get a fresh cup next time.
[ So despite her self-acclaimed misstep, in Cloud's eyes, this was still a win for them both. Her laughter sends a gentle, calming thrum through his chest. And if they weren't surrounded by delectable goodies she's lovingly prepared (not to mention the gift she has stowed on the mat with them), he'd have been tempted to draw her even closer against him. Draw her down to lie on her back with him, watch the stars and start checking off more constellations they recognized or created new ones to call their own. It wasn't one of the tasks, but being here at the observatory reminded him of the end of that cherished day— leaping straight up to the roof with ease with his white heron princess in tow, so that they had unabated access to the skies above. ]
I'm a quick learner. [ A beat. ] Even quicker with a good teacher.
[ And who, oh who, could he be referring to? Smiling knowingly, they share in the rest of their meal, while he provides idle comments about the quality of the food. The sandwiches were terrific, the chicken was succulent and juicy, and the quality of the sashimi was top notch. Though, while he spoke in jest about learning quickly about the art of tea ceremony, he still wants to make it clear as he polishes off his cup of tea.
She would be honoured to try freshly made matcha by her love. Then... ]
I'll have all the time in the world to get it right for you. [ In Inazuma, this world or the next...but at the end of his journey, where Cloud is determined to see everything end, ] However many years it takes.
[ And she'll get to try them all. ]
So... [ Because she's the most interesting thing at this picnic, but he has to finally ask, eyes flitting to the present, ] What's in that box?
[ It is so very exciting. Cloud is indulging her yet again, and now she is very excited to try his own version of matcha. She has a feeling it would taste so much better than any cup she could ever make— that any master of tea could ever make. Biased or not, she just knows what Cloud is capable of, and how talented he is when he puts his heart and mind into certain things.
For the rest of their dinner, they continue chatting about their day. Ayaka tells him of some of the other people she's spoken to just to make today happen, eventually confirming that she has rented the observatory for tonight. Fortunately, the observatory is closed on Wednesdays for some odd reason, so there wasn't any worry of people coming to the tower only to be disappointed that they can't enter in the end.
By the time they're done, in time for when Cloud would receive his chocolates for Valentine's day, he brings attention to the other box. The big black one with the golden ribbon on it. The one that does not, in fact, contain food. ]
Oh! Hehe... Are you eager to open it? [ That answers that. His present (1 out of the many ones she's given him today, anyway...) is inside! Much as she wants Cloud to don the Kamisato colours already, she kept it a bit subtle this time and asked the tailor for a fabric that had camellias or sakuras on it.
And since he asked, she does reach for the large box now, placing it in front of him. ] Then, please accept my present for you.
[ Cloud asked! It'd be strange of him if he queried the bigger black box, adorned in gold ribbon as it was, only to just tell himself he'll leave it be. If Ayaka had told him to wait, he would have done exactly that, too. But when she reaches for the large box and places it in front of him, he starts blushing again. Being on the receiving end of gifts like this...he's reminded of what she said to him the night that he confessed his full feelings for her.
Every day. Every birthday.
This was Valentine's Day, but the sentiment still resonates strongly with him all the same. It's no contest, but it only sparks his own determination furthermore for next month. Each day had to be special, but that? That was going to be where he hoped the real fireworks popped. So he gingerly tugs at the beautiful ribbon, mindful not to just go yanking it despite the anticipation welling in his chest. What could it be? It doesn't feel heavy, nor does it feel light either. Just right...
When he opens it, his eyes widen while his lips part unbeknownst to him. A silent breath as he just...pauses for a moment. Beneath the thin gift paper protecting it inside the box that he peels away, is the neatly folded layers of pristine fabrics that he instinctively takes by the shoulders first as he lifts the first article up and out. He won't pull out the entire thing up here.
Just the: ]
A Haori...
[ The cadence of his voice is reflective, holding it like it was the most fragile and delicate piece he'd ever had. And because it came from Ayaka...
Of course it deserved that care. ]
And Hakama too? [ He sounds more excited now, lowering the top he'd halfway unfolded to get a better look at to look back at Ayaka. ] It's a whole outfit in here?
[ For him? He's no stranger to wearing Nipponese and Inazuman-inspired garb, but it's been so long since he's had something this personal. Not when a lot of his old clothes were left behind in the past world. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-02-09 05:35 am (UTC)[ "End scene." ]
Ah—
[ Like somebody just snapped their fingers in front of his eyes, the mood shifts in an instant. He blinks, and Cloud is already loosening his hold on the Director as the man rights himself. Another shrug of his shoulders as the tension leaves his body, taking a couple extra breathes to calm himself and come back to reality. It wasn't until he reflected back on this later that it was going to hit him that he...really gets into his roles— that he really steps up to the plate whenever the time called for it. If he was uncomfortable, he didn't show it. And even if he did show it? He worked it harder than most would on the fly.
At this stage, if all the hard work he put into impressing Andrea Rhodea didn't do anything for this new olive branch of skills, nothing would.
He only offers a light bow of his head to the people auditioning that applaud and start murmuring about the blond hero before he's back to following the Director when he suddenly retrieves a familiar envelope from his breast pocket. It nets a blink and widened gaze from the
semi-retired actor as he reaches out for the letter. Since the Director was in on this and the name of the game was Valentine's Day? Before Cloud can even read the letter, of how Ayaka did not wish to hide her displays of affection for him in public: ]That's right. [ It's very likely he wouldn't take up acting like this if she wasn't involved. And that's because... ] She's my motivation.
[ "Do come and watch us when our production is on stage. I'll send tickets your way."
To that? Cloud nods. ]
We will.
[ Armed with his second letter, and liberated of the bags of food he's given her, he can only imagine that it was time to return to the teahouse. He's spent long enough out that their shifts would be ending soon enough. But if he hurries back quick enough... ]
...
[ After reading her letter, an echo of her voice trailing off his lips as they reminisce over sashimi and tea, it's starting to become clearer and clearer what this was all about. Absence made the heart grow fonder. And so Cloud finds himself unable to help but smile as he folds the letter upon finishing it. She's making him feel everything that she did in setting all of this up. As to where this was all going to lead and end?
Well... ]
Okay. What do you got for me, Thoma?
[ Cloud was willing to defy fate itself a hundred times over if it meant being with her again— crossing his way to Teyvat by any means necessary if it meant fulfilling that wish to stay with her. If he was willing to go that far, what was a few more stops down memory lane if it meant he had her waiting for him at the end of it all?
Right. Time to procure a gift before he contacts his fellow blond. With Task #3 soon to be under his belt, following these breadcrumbs was eventually going to take him farther and farther away from the teahouse. Farther and farther away from Sunwaning. But at this stage? Cloud was prepared. He had every letter she wrote him to keep him warm and guide him; he had every memory etched within her words to keep him going. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-09 09:23 am (UTC)If Cloud has been keeping his eyes on Ayaka, like she asked him to when he witnessed her do her fan dance for the first time, though, then perhaps it might not be too difficult in the end.
The art of tea ceremony has so much history behind it all, and proper etiquette is such a big part of it. Learning tea ceremony and being a master of it is something Ayaka prides herself in, because of her interest in tea in general, and because it has helped her become who she is today. While she does not expect Cloud to follow all rules of tea ceremony, and merely just prepare matcha, she does believe in his capabilities of being able to mix a good version of it.
If Cloud and Thoma (and Ayato) become closer because of it, then that's a bonus!
By the end of it all, Ayaka hopes that it'll be close to sunset. It would give enough time for Cloud to prepare for his date and zoom on over to meet Ayaka. It is why she does not let him dawdle any longer. The letter Thoma (or Ayato...) would be giving him simply says:
A string of stars bright
Wishes and promises made
Winter moves to spring
He can figure it out, right? Right?????
By which Ayaka means, "please come to the observatory in Coldreach. I will be waiting for you."
Compared to their anniversary date, though? Cloud won't be finding the observatory with lots of people. The entrance will have a couple of sakura petals, indicating that he's in the right place, though. Meanwhile, the walk up there and once he reaches the top where the telescope is will be completely deserted. Not even the staff are around.
Did Ayaka rent out the entire observatory? Surely not, right? Haha.... ha................
Where's Ayaka? He might have some difficulty looking for her as he roams around. . . But if he does go outside to the open area that overlooks the rest of Coldreach, he might spot a picnic mat already set up. There's no food set up just yet, but there is a rather large basket and a rather large box which obviously looks like his present resting in the middle of it.
She's hiding behind one of the pillars so she can surprise him]no subject
Date: 2024-02-09 11:07 am (UTC)[ He made it. Having the wherewithal to heed the final(?) letter's advice, it only took him ten minutes of mulling the poem over before he made his way back to their home in Sunwaning. Somehow, the closer he got on his scooter, the more his heart started racing and the hairs on his arms raised. As if he needed to get in and get out as fast as he possibly could. He was on a mission this time, and it's all thanks to a Haiku that might as well have been his map. His phone, warmer clothes better suited for the wintery segments of this realm (a navy scarf, black winter trenchcoat...), and the only thing he actively elects leaving behind are both his weapons. Although for this run...he was tempted to take Nagareboshi Tsubaki with him— a blade that symbolized his binds with the Kamisato Clan.
But for this special day, he won't need it. He's not worried about running into trouble when Ayaka has never lead him astray before. Not once on this entire scavenger hunt did he ever feel lost. He had a path. And he continues to follow it even now as snow gently falls upon a twilit Coldreach, snowflakes dotting his black coat like pure white dust. He can see it from here, the tallest point in the region; and he runs a gloved hand through his hair, brushing the snow that wets his spikes back before reaching into deep coat pocket for the Haiku. Or more specifically... ]
A string of stars bright...
[ His map. And what he can feel in his heart is the final destination. It's the only memory she's taken him down that wasn't from Nippon. It's of Ellipsa. It's this world. It's here. And as Cloud puts the Haiku away, he starts to run and slide his way down the gently powdered hilltop he once took Ayaka to, witnessing the quaint town that awaits them. No text messages. No calls. She hasn't read or seen anything from him, and every time he checks back, there's been no sign of activity on the other side. There, at the top of the observatory, he's looking for the brightest star he knows.
And it won't be in the sky either.
There's no one here, only sakura petals preluding and causing his breath to clip as he enters the emptied Observatory. With no one else's voice but his own to carry and echo when he finally...
Finally— ]
Ayaka?
[ —calls her name. There's no answer. But he doesn't stop for very long. It almost feels like he's in a dream. She didn't rent out the entire Observatory for them, did she? Was he getting ahead of himself? Was this even the final stop? Did she have anything else in mind to make his heart weigh that much more from not seeing her? From the day they first met, to catching stars in the sky a year ago...it feels like he's had to endure all of it again. All of that space of time, compressed into one single day. And for the first time since he began this series of trials on Valentine's Day?
He sounds slightly out of breath. Panting, gently huffing as he runs up the spiraling stairs, to the next floor...and the floor after that... ]
[ "So if we're making wishes... We don't hafta make them come true on our own." ]
[ Come on, Cloud. You're almost there. ]
[ "I will protect you, too. All your wishes." ]
[ And when Cloud finally reaches the top, swallowing for air as he calls her name one more time, ]
Ayaka...?
[ "I will make your wishes come true." ]
[ He roams, searches high, looks to the starry ceiling, searches low, sighs alone at the very top when he pulls out his phone one more time. Cloud taps her name, opening up her contact page... ]
[ "So... please," ]
[ He's about to call her. So close to the end— before Cloud can press the button, he hesitates. His saving grace in keeping him from giving up dangles from the end of his phone. Kamisato Ayaka's camelia, the one that she entrusted to him as he gave her his cherry blossom. He said it himself, didn't he? That he'd never fall. ]
[ "Continue to keep your eyes on me." ]
.....
[ Cloud puts the phone away, the camelia telling him to look outside. To retrace one final memory that further committed a girl from beyond the stars into his heart forever. So he finally steps outside, cocking a brow at the picnic mat with a large basket and equally big box settled in the center of it. Slowly, he approaches the mat, only sparing fleeting glances around just in case. But there's no one.
Just echoes of memories that have guided him back here all over again. None the wiser to what was about to happen despite the anxiousness that builds in his chest the closer he gets to the goodies, only to stop and take a deep breath as he closes his eyes. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-09 09:34 pm (UTC)By the time the skies start growing dark and the sun goes down, Ayaka's picnic set up is all ready. All that's left to do is to wait for Cloud. Every now and then, she checks her phone to see if there are any updates from the people she's asked help from, and much as she appreciates it all, she cannot wait to see Cloud again and for him to tell her his side of the story.
No, scratch that. She cannot wait to see Cloud again. Period.
Every so often, she peeks from the top of the observatory to see if there is anyone walking towards the building. Once she spots her, she immediately goes into hiding.
She didn't even plan it initially! But in her giddiness and excitement, she thought it best to hide behind one of the doors leading to the open area of the observatory. She isn't even sure if Cloud would realise where she is, but she thinks her own heartbeat might reveal her hiding place because of how loud it was. It feels even louder than his footsteps!
When he passes by the door where she's hiding behind, she stops breathing for a bit until she sees him pass. Slowly, she takes a few steps to the side until she isn't concealed anymore. It's just a few more steps to take, and she can wrap her arms around her beau and greet him proper. A true surprise! ]
My love? [ Even her own excitement gets the better of her, because she calls him and beckons him to turn around, unable to keep it to herself anymore. So much for surprising him... But when he does turn to face her, he'd better be ready because he has to catch her all over again. ] Happy Valentine's Day!
no subject
Date: 2024-02-09 10:34 pm (UTC)He catches her again. Like their audition. Like at the end of racing to make the last train. Like he did when they were climbing down from their tree. Just like he would continue to do for the rest of his life as his arms envelop her tight and his breath shakes upon the chilled night air, laughing softly as emotions overwhelm him.
He braces himself for her, only stepping around on his feet to carry her momentum into one little spin before she's safe and sound in his hold.
But instead of saying it right back, Cloud has other ideas— one of which was something he'd missed doing far too much for his own good as he takes what little breath was granted them away with a kiss. He did this too, when she finished her fan dance for him and the only answer he could find was something words couldn't portray. And just like that, it feels like he's being released. He's set free, like his white heron who could fit through the opening of that opened cage.
They can finally fly together again. ]
Happy Valentine's, Ayaka.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-09 11:18 pm (UTC)He's happy. He's not one to be as emotional as she is, but any sign of his happiness is something that delights her, makes her feel even happier, like she was on top of the world.
Before she can ask him about his day, he kisses her, and this time? She's ready! Not because she was expecting it from him, but because she's wanted to kiss him from the moment they went their separate ways. She smiles when their lips touch, pressing herself against him even more, as if the distance between them was far too much despite being held by him now.
When he pulls away, Ayaka cannot help but let out a deep breath. ]
I'm so glad you're here... [ Somehow a little later than what she was expecting. Did he experience any hitches along the way? Ah, well. He'll tell her later. ] I missed you so much today.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-10 12:07 am (UTC)It's like he told the Director. She was his motivation. On and off the stage. And kissing her like this felt like a punctuation on the fact that she was everything. This whole trial was worth it to make it to this point. And now that they were here, prepared to enjoy their date beneath the waking stars as night falls, Cloud was still figuring out if there was a way to make this never end. ]
The Haiku was beautiful, [ the one that guided him here in the end. But as he says this, he softly shakes his head as he tenderly cups the side of her face in his gloved hand. There's no one else up here but the two of them. Just like their walk home from Frostreign, on a day like today? He can remember to be a little extra affectionate. Consider it practice for how much more she deserved and would receive in the coming days. Because he wants more of this for her. For them both. ] Mn. Every letter was.
[ He sighs into kissing her again, shorter and sweeter this time before he breathes, ]
I missed you too.
[ ... .... ..... one more? One for every task? They can date soon he promises. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-10 09:13 am (UTC)Before she can say anything though, he kisses her again. In an instant, she melts. She would kiss him again now, after hearing him say that he missed her too, but she has some restraint... Some. ]
I would kiss you again, but I'm afraid our food would get cold.
[ The basket should keep the warm food warm and the cold food cold, but she doesn't want to take any chances! ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-10 10:14 am (UTC)... [ He agrees. But, consider— One last peck. ] One for the road.
[ And he finally steps back, only to take her hand in his with a loving squeeze. He'll take off his gloves shortly so that he can get to lacing their fingers proper, but she's right. They have a dinner to enjoy! He's excited, but he tempers it on the surface well for her, taking her over the rest of the way to their seating arrangement, a private picnic with a cushy picnic mat beneath the night sky. He's learned enough; she's getting the royal treatment she deserves, too. So as they walk and talk and prepare to sit down, Ayaka's beau will kneel alongside her, holding her hand on the way down so that she can get comfortable. ]
How long were you planning this?
[ Because he had. No. Clue. Just his own imagination of what would happen after work running wild in his head. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-10 10:44 am (UTC)[ Considering they don't have any other stuff with them now!! ]
I was so nervous that you might find out before today... [ That gets an airy laugh out of her as she settles down and brings out various bento boxes for their dinner from the basket.
The first one she brings out is a stack of wooden boxes which has been kept cold by her Vision. Two stacks of sashimi platters, because these two do love their sashimi. Taking the lid off and pouring soy sauce into a small plastic sauce dish, she offers it to Cloud, finally. There are chopsticks which he can get from inside the basket!
Once that's served, she pulls out another bento box with some pan de mie sandwiches. ] You must be hungry from everything you had to do today. I'll prepare the tea shortly, as well.
[ No sushi for Cloud today, but she does have another bento that's been keeping warm! Chicken with pumpkin and curry sauce, tamago, and some veggies. There's another set for her as well, which Cloud is more than welcome to have some of if he wants more. ]
I wanted to make the food for our dinner tonight. I hope you don't mind that I didn't order from a restaurant, even though we agreed to have dinner at one. I just... thought it would be more special.
[ Except for the sashimi, anyway. But she does hope Cloud would not mind. She wanted everything to be personal for him, and it is a wife's duty to prepare meals for her husband, right? She does love taking care of him, and she knows she does that everyday for as much as he'd let her. Working in the kitchen has been difficult, because she isn't an expert like Thoma when it comes to cooking, but... she wants to think that she's gotten better. He's her motivation when it comes to these things. ]
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Date: 2024-02-11 11:12 am (UTC)[ He'd genuinely thought that the two of them were going to be resigning themselves to a closed off, intimate time back at the estate for Valentine's Day. And that was hardly a complaint from him. Every day, every birthday, every anniversary, every milestone they can share— it's everything he cherishes as it drives him forward.
Keeping his hands neatly settled in his lap, he hums his approval upon her airy laugh. ]
You did good. I didn't suspect a thing till I got that letter from Chinatsu.
[ If there was one constant when it came to her blond prince from another world, it's that he expressed his emotions best with his eyes. Such as when Ayaka prepares the two stacks of sashimi— a breathtaking assortment with what looks like...toro?! How much did she spend? He's not worried, but more touched that this was just a piece of the extent she was willing to go for Valentine's Day. And yet, as they indulge and he breaks his chopsticks to enjoy clipping a slice of salmon sashimi and dipping it into the little soy sauce container, he remembers everything else that lead up to this point. From her letters to even— ]
Speaking of hungry, the Takoyaki and Boba for HQ? [ He knows. ] Was that on purpose?
[ And if she somehow didn't?? It was a beautiful coincidence. Yet another reason stacked upon the pile of many more as to why he fell so hard for her in the first place. So much for characters needing time to develop their feelings over a long period. He broke that rule in record time and has never looked back, across two worlds and all. ]
You kidding? [ A beat. ] You give restaurants a run for their money.
[ He goes for one of the pan de mie sandwiches after he's had a couple slices of sashimi, setting his chopsticks at his side for now as the corner of his mouth lifts with a smirk. ]
And I get to sit at your table.
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Date: 2024-02-11 11:28 am (UTC)[ Especially Thoma and Ayato! She'd disturbed them from celebrating Valentine's Day together, after all, even if it was just for an hour or so. Ayato's time is very precious, and Ayaka does not dare to take too much of it, unless he is willing to give it to her.
With the food spread out, Ayaka prepares the tea! Sadly, it's not matcha for tonight, as they do have a lot to eat already. Matcha might be too heavy for this meal, so she's decided to bring sencha in a thermos again. One cup for Cloud, before she serves a cup for herself! ]
Well... What I had in mind initially was Chinatsu seeking your help after learning about you from the guild, but when she decided to order some takoyaki for her class as well, I thought it was perfect to change the plan to what you had to do. The milk tea was something that I had to upsell to her.
[ And it worked! It really felt like fate, in a way. And if he's curious about the Director... ]
As for the Director, we met during the Arts Festival last year. Since we don't serve sashimi, I thought the closest would be some sushi rolls, which is perfect, since he does order it often whenever he gives presents to people.
[ Cloud's set his chopsticks down now, but Ayaka takes one of the salmon sashimi pieces, dips it in soy sauce, and offers it to him with a smile. He can have all the salmon pieces if he likes, Ayaka isn't going to steal any of them when she knows he likes those. ]
Then... at my restaurant, which only operates in Planet Cloud, customers must allow themselves to be fed like this.
[ Isn't your girlfriend adorable, Cloud... :) ]
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Date: 2024-02-12 09:59 am (UTC)[ Not now, of course! But after they've finished this date and completed their little Frostreign getaway, Cloud was going to make the effort in taking both of them to heart further. Hopefully, wherever they were right now, they were making it a day to remember now that they've seen the white heron and her prince off. ]
Ohhh, [ Cupping his sencha tea between his hands, he can feel the warmth spread through his gloves. Although, up here, it still wasn't so cold. After he takes a drink and sets his cup down safely, he'll probably take them off. ] Your little Slime Toad challenge, by the way?
The students liked the Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu demonstration.
[ He sounds proud. In a way, his choice too, was a callback to how he felt Ayaka was the one who claimed decisive victory against the Salamander.
And the Director? ]
He's gonna send us tickets for when their production goes live.
[ When she greets him once more with a glistening slice of salmon sashimi, dipped in soy sauce as it was, if it weren't for the fact it'd start dripping soon if he didn't act quickly, he'd be caught looking into her eyes for too long. Which is all the more reason for her beau to lean in, graciously accepting the slice as his lips gently close around the tips of the chopsticks. A gentle hum of approval before he leans back once he's finished savoring and swallowing it. ]
You made the idea of Planet Cloud cute. [ Of all things. And she pulls it off with flying colors. Funny how "beautiful" was more common in his vocabulary than "cute", but it feels right here. With no one to perceive them up here, the observatory fully reserved for the two of them, it's like being behind closed doors once more. Where he can let his hair down, and trust her with more words and displays of affection. Nearing two years... She's made him this comfortable over that time that he can trust her with being a little braver.
He hopes she's prepared for Frostreign. ] Lucky us, we get the universe's best host.
[ So adorable that a part of him wants to enjoy her meal quicker. ]
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Date: 2024-02-12 12:46 pm (UTC)[ A pity! But it is what it is. And she's glad he was successful with the task! Her beau has a lot of talents, and fighting is one of them. He's developed his own style even though he follows the Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu, furthering the art itself by creating his own sub-branch of sorts. She can only imagine how Cloud would be like on the battlefield, were he a master of the art years from now.
And then he talks about the Director and how they're going to get some tickets in the future. Haha! She thought he'd have more to say about him... but that's alright. Maybe it is for the best that he doesn't, considering the Director's personality. ]
Then... it is another date night. [ They'll watch a play, have dinner, and just enjoy the rest of the night together! They spend so much time with the other that it might not feel like it's anything new, but whenever they go out and use the word "date"? It just makes her feel so giddy and excited. Almost two years of dating, and Ayaka still can't help but feel so elated whenever they're doing "boyfriend-girlfriend" stuff.
Once Cloud's had his own sashimi, Ayaka takes a piece of tuna to eat! She's so excited... She's been wanting to eat these even before Cloud arrived. ]
Maybe I should not have given you chopsticks... [ Hahah, don't spoil her, Cloud. She might actually pull something like that one day! ] Then I could feed you the entire meal.
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Date: 2024-02-13 12:45 am (UTC)[ And this time, he's determined to win! Their track record when sparring in just Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu was heavily skewed in his girlfriend's favor. Understandably so. Because while he still continues to practice at home with her from time to time, he's also taken his training on the road, between their time spent in Nippon and now here in Ellipsa. And Cloud would like to think that he's improved despite having a long ways to go on the road to mastery. ]
Can't say I was expecting him to be my "dying love" on stage, but...guess I did good enough for those tickets.
[ He's of the same mind! They may spend practically every day together, but even her beau's come around to letting excitement fill him at the prospect of proper "dates". Going out to shop together, or bring home groceries or restock the teahouse didn't count as outings to him. So long as their dates didn't take them anywhere overly crowded, he was comfortable. Comfortable enough that sitting in a packed theatre, despite himself, actually wasn't such a bad thought either. It came with the territory of becoming an impromptu actor with her.
Cloud fixes Ayaka with a stare, canting his head with a tug of a smirk on his lips. ]
Really now.
[ Glancing back to the side of his lap, he grabs his chopsticks. Sigh. He's really gonna try this up here, huh. Plucking a tender piece of tuna, mindful not to pinch too hard that it falls apart, he lightly dips the end of it in soy sauce. ]
Then...
[ If Ayaka was too busy feeding him everything, then... ]
Whose got you?
[ He asks, the fatty piece on the end of his chopsticks offered to her. ]
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Date: 2024-02-13 02:47 pm (UTC)That includes serving him! Whether it's packing him lunch, preparing him tea (making tea for Cloud versus her making tea for anyone else is yet another different feeling for her), or in this case, feeding him. She knows he is a mature adult, a respectable and chivalrous prince, but his princess only wishes for him to get spoiled from all the affection that she can give.
And tonight, on Valentine's Day, she hopes to erase any and all inconveniences for him.
So when he takes his chopsticks to turn the tables on her? The more playful side of Ayaka surfaceds, and she covers her mouth with both hands. She's guarding it as she shakes her head, the way her eyes squint showing that she's smiling so happily behind those hands of hers. ]
It is Valentine's Day, my love. Today is all about you.
[ No feeding her, Cloud!!! Unless it's with your dick. ]
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Date: 2024-02-14 07:15 am (UTC)He can say that he knew love. That he embraced love. That he had all the more motivation to keep fighting for what he loves. Nearing two years of his life since he first woke up a mind-broken mess of a man at the train station, and the person he's become no the other side of it all was practically night and day. And for Cloud, whether it was accepting Ayaka's affections, lips parting for her to feed him the most savory or sweet treats, giving twice the affection back, staying a pillar through her highest and lowest points because he wants to be the one she can lean on...
He'd told Yoimiya something on the first day they met, texting through a game of 'Hot or Not'. She was supposed to be the subject of a rating, yet it was Ayaka who became the center of their attention. And to this day...he knew that he was just a guy that came from a small town with big dreams. But Ayaka made him want to dream bigger now. Ayaka was his motivation — his reason for being that prince from afar who was ready to sweep a nation's princess off her feet. It's...less embarrassing to think of something so romanticized when he was with her like this.
As if they were the deepest of feelings that only Ayaka would know. ]
Good thing I got a month to figure out White Day.
[ But he concedes, popping the piece of tuna in his mouth with a gentle hum of approval. For now, he cradles the cup of sencha in his hands once more, still keeping his eyes on her. He knows it's not her birthday, and he is going to be rereading her letters of this day for quite a while; he won't stop until he's committed them to memory to. And that's why, softly, his breath upon the cool air subtle: ]
Pink petals dance free,
A fleeting vision of love,
[ His hold on his cup tightens as his smile grows for her. ]
Eternal in heart.
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Date: 2024-02-14 04:29 pm (UTC)She sets her hands back down, picking up her chopsticks so she can peck at one of the other sashimi pieces for now. Maybe the flounder, or baby scallop. Those are always so good! ]
For White Day... I don't suppose I can make a request?
[ How cheeky of you, Ayaka! Cloud won't have to worry, at least. It's a very simple request. ]
I want to hold your hand the entire day.
[ Barring restroom breaks and all that, anyway. But that really is all she wants— Cloud next to her, and him keeping her hand safe in his. There is no sweeter comfort. And just thinking about it now is making her cheeks turn very red. Even her heart has begun to beat faster than usual. ]
That- That won't be too much, will it?
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Date: 2024-02-15 04:04 am (UTC)Yeah? What's that?
[ He's listening. He's open. He's...going to get really sweaty holding it the entire day, wasn't he. Not that it was a factor into whether he'd do it or not, but the sheer amount of touch energy they'd be accruing? His entire body was going to feel like it was thrumming nonstop quarter-way through their date. The real challenge was going to be if he could behave himself long enough to get through an entire day of holding her hand. From anybody else, the notion of holding somebody's hand literally all day would have been silly.
And...it still was. But when it came from someone as genuine as Ayaka, and the glow of red in her cheeks deepens from such a heart-racing request...
He sighs. Not out of exasperation, but with a low hum in the back of his throat. As if to ask her something he's repeated in his mind time and time again. Fondness in his thoughts. Kamisato Ayaka, what was he going to do with you? ]
Done. [ He lifts the cup to have a sip. The tea wasn't so hot anymore, but it still feels soothing and warm. ] On one condition.
[ Oh no. An obstacle in Ayaka's path for an eternity in handholding— ]
Can we switch hands from time to time? Feel like I'm gonna sweat holding you for that long.
[ That is...to say that his own heart was just going to be bumping in his chest all the louder with her. Unless she wants a sweaty beau in hand for her White Day. :) ]
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Date: 2024-02-15 04:13 pm (UTC)[ He's allowing her to hold his hand the entire day!! Her breath shakes when she asks the question, absolutely in disbelief that her request would be granted. It might seem like a tiny and silly request, and for them to have been dating for almost two years now, it doesn't even need to be asked! But Ayaka does, because she doesn't ever like asking Cloud for anything... Only sometimes, on very special occasions! ]
That sounds fair to me. And you can even take breaks, if you like.
[ So really not the whole day, after all! But Ayaka would still want to be close, anyway. If he does decide to take a break, she will just have to hug him and cling to him until his hands are well-rested and can hold her again.
He's painted a very happy smile on her face, though. And as she takes a bite of the chicken, she hums a little tune to show her satisfaction. ]
I don't think I could ever grow tired of holding your hand. [ ///// ] When we held hands for the first time... it felt natural. At least, to me. We had sashimi and matcha, then.
[ She was feeling dizzy and they were full from tea and sushi. Cloud let her rest on him, and took her hand. And as she thinks about it now, they were in their own corner, the warm and cosy ambiance in the tea house, and everyone else just felt like they were background noise. It makes her want to move closer to Cloud now, inching so subtly until he notices or gives her attention. If he does so much as look at her, she takes it as approval and moves closer to him again until she can lean on him. ]
It is a pity... I wonder what your matcha tasted like.
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Date: 2024-02-16 04:57 am (UTC)We'll see. [ About taking breaks. ] I think I like the challenge of never letting go.
[ Om. So good! ]
[ Ayaka wanting to always be close to him worked perfectly fine by him. Even when he still housed the memories of an 'Ex-SOLDIER Gone Mercenary', bodyguard work just came with the territory. Especially where a particular flower girl was involved. He never really noticed it before— how often he would protectively take someone's hand or hold them close when danger was abound. But now that he's actively held Ayaka's hand through the best and worst of times, he's become all too aware. More importantly, when it came to the Shirasagi Himegimi, he's become all the more willing to give her exactly what she wants.
When she hums a little satisfactory tune, he blinks with a broader sense of wonder in his rich blue hues as he thinks he recognizes the gentle melody in her throat. ]
Didn't think I was so used to it back then either, but... [ If he was being honest? Well before the two of them even started to date, and they'd spent their late afternoon celebrating landing their impromptu (and successful) roles, the world around them practically faded into the ether. What was infused with naki weed was so subtle that instead of leaving their hearts burning and yearning, the two found solace in one another as they rested. They lost all sense of time until it was nearly time for the last train to leave the station. It was in the warmth of one another that they managed to stay true to themselves...
And Cloud had learned a new side of himself long before he found memories that were truly his own. He liked being close to her that way. Even if he wasn't the best at expressing it at the time, his body language spoke volumes for him.
Just as it was doing so now, his eyes catching hers as she shimmies oh-so-subtly towards him. There's his star's shining cue, her beau sitting more upright on the picnic mat as he slides his hand around her back when she rests against him. Reminisce of simpler times. Of a day that was forever engrained into his heart with many others— Ayaka at the core of everything. He half-hugs her against his side, looking down at her as he's content in taking a break from their snacks to just...let it all sink in.
And he takes another tempered, soft breath. Free. Lighter. The lightest he's felt in a very long time, and it's all due to the silken-dressed Kamisato he has the fortune of keeping safe and sound by his side. ]
Mine? [ If only he knew where the end of his scavenger hunt would take him... He might have just prepared a thermos of his own. Despite his missteps...he was still given his approval. His smile softens some more, his hold on her becoming firmer in the moment as his answer is a simple one. ] I'll make it again.
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Date: 2024-02-16 01:43 pm (UTC)[ But despite how she encountered a flaw in her plan, she still thinks it went well! And she laughs about it now, considering she had Cloud make tea because she knew he was watching her whenever she prepared tea for him. ]
The art of tea ceremony was often performed by women of Inazuma, but of course, over time, tradition has opened its doors, and even some men have begun to learn it.
[ The few seconds of resting on him is done. She does not move away completely, but she does reach for her own cup to take a sip of it. The tea is warm, and adds to the comfort that he brings her by being at her side. It ignites her appetite now that she's finally had a sip, and she'll take a few more sashimi pieces and leave the rest for her beau. ]
It would take years to master the art of tea ceremony, but... you do not need to be one in order to make tea. It would be my honour to try a freshly made cup of your matcha, my love.
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Date: 2024-02-17 11:41 am (UTC)[ So despite her self-acclaimed misstep, in Cloud's eyes, this was still a win for them both. Her laughter sends a gentle, calming thrum through his chest. And if they weren't surrounded by delectable goodies she's lovingly prepared (not to mention the gift she has stowed on the mat with them), he'd have been tempted to draw her even closer against him. Draw her down to lie on her back with him, watch the stars and start checking off more constellations they recognized or created new ones to call their own. It wasn't one of the tasks, but being here at the observatory reminded him of the end of that cherished day— leaping straight up to the roof with ease with his white heron princess in tow, so that they had unabated access to the skies above. ]
I'm a quick learner. [ A beat. ] Even quicker with a good teacher.
[ And who, oh who, could he be referring to? Smiling knowingly, they share in the rest of their meal, while he provides idle comments about the quality of the food. The sandwiches were terrific, the chicken was succulent and juicy, and the quality of the sashimi was top notch. Though, while he spoke in jest about learning quickly about the art of tea ceremony, he still wants to make it clear as he polishes off his cup of tea.
She would be honoured to try freshly made matcha by her love. Then... ]
I'll have all the time in the world to get it right for you. [ In Inazuma, this world or the next...but at the end of his journey, where Cloud is determined to see everything end, ] However many years it takes.
[ And she'll get to try them all. ]
So... [ Because she's the most interesting thing at this picnic, but he has to finally ask, eyes flitting to the present, ] What's in that box?
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Date: 2024-02-17 08:21 pm (UTC)For the rest of their dinner, they continue chatting about their day. Ayaka tells him of some of the other people she's spoken to just to make today happen, eventually confirming that she has rented the observatory for tonight. Fortunately, the observatory is closed on Wednesdays for some odd reason, so there wasn't any worry of people coming to the tower only to be disappointed that they can't enter in the end.
By the time they're done, in time for when Cloud would receive his chocolates for Valentine's day, he brings attention to the other box. The big black one with the golden ribbon on it. The one that does not, in fact, contain food. ]
Oh! Hehe... Are you eager to open it? [ That answers that. His present (1 out of the many ones she's given him today, anyway...) is inside! Much as she wants Cloud to don the Kamisato colours already, she kept it a bit subtle this time and asked the tailor for a fabric that had camellias or sakuras on it.
And since he asked, she does reach for the large box now, placing it in front of him. ] Then, please accept my present for you.
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Date: 2024-02-18 12:40 am (UTC)[ Cloud asked! It'd be strange of him if he queried the bigger black box, adorned in gold ribbon as it was, only to just tell himself he'll leave it be. If Ayaka had told him to wait, he would have done exactly that, too. But when she reaches for the large box and places it in front of him, he starts blushing again. Being on the receiving end of gifts like this...he's reminded of what she said to him the night that he confessed his full feelings for her.
Every day. Every birthday.
This was Valentine's Day, but the sentiment still resonates strongly with him all the same. It's no contest, but it only sparks his own determination furthermore for next month. Each day had to be special, but that? That was going to be where he hoped the real fireworks popped. So he gingerly tugs at the beautiful ribbon, mindful not to just go yanking it despite the anticipation welling in his chest. What could it be? It doesn't feel heavy, nor does it feel light either. Just right...
When he opens it, his eyes widen while his lips part unbeknownst to him. A silent breath as he just...pauses for a moment. Beneath the thin gift paper protecting it inside the box that he peels away, is the neatly folded layers of pristine fabrics that he instinctively takes by the shoulders first as he lifts the first article up and out. He won't pull out the entire thing up here.
Just the: ]
A Haori...
[ The cadence of his voice is reflective, holding it like it was the most fragile and delicate piece he'd ever had. And because it came from Ayaka...
Of course it deserved that care. ]
And Hakama too? [ He sounds more excited now, lowering the top he'd halfway unfolded to get a better look at to look back at Ayaka. ] It's a whole outfit in here?
[ For him? He's no stranger to wearing Nipponese and Inazuman-inspired garb, but it's been so long since he's had something this personal. Not when a lot of his old clothes were left behind in the past world. ]
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