Nobody said it was easy, no one ever said it would be this hard [W7, Monday]

[hydrokinetics]

[The town is quiet and sullen, but time marches on. It's the afternoon by now when Percy finds himself in the kitchen staring at a boiling pot of water. He can't recall the last time he actually cooked something, but with so few of them left it seems he has to self-provide.

He's lost in thought as he stares at noodles boiling in water and suddenly hears footsteps. He looks up, a little alarmed but relaxing upon the sight of someone familiar.

(But then again...aren't they all familiar now?)]

You should join me for lunch. I had no idea how much I was supposed to add to the water.

Comments

[elemancy]

Maybe.

[probably. almost definitely.

...definitely.

there's really not much resolve to how he says that, so percy should probably just say what he wants to say.]

[hydrokinetics]

[He doesn't say anything again, but after a few moments he does shuffle away from the counter and over to Noctis's chair so that he's behind him. He looks down at him then, simply staring like he's trying to memorize everything about Noctis as he is now. He looks over his hair and his eyes, his cheek bones and the slope of his nose, the different way his features pull, the slight stubble that's there. He looks at his posture, he looks at his clothes and he looks at what makes Noctis...well, Noctis.

And after his time of looking, he bends slightly to partially drape over him and hugging his shoulders. He buries his face in Noctis's hair, knowing this isn't helping his case but needing the contact one last time.]

I'm so sorry. For everything that's happened and will happen. I'm not asking for forgiveness until the end, and even then...[Noctis may not want to give it.] I just wanted to say that because you needed to hear it.

[elemancy]

[it's a bit strange and startling to be sure, but... this is percy. even if it's a little uncomfortable thanks to just... how noct is, he doesn't move. he doesn't even stay tense.

this is how percy is, after all. he's more than learned that well enough over these last weeks.

but noct responds in kind by way of reaching up behind him to ruffle percy's hair a bit. he doesn't want to forget any of this either—

it's the end.

he knows whatever is going to happen is going to hurt them. kill them. but more than kill them, is going to hurt them—and he can already see it's probably going to hurt percy more than himself, as much as that's hard to admit.

so noct closes his eyes, drawing in a shaky breath.]

Idiot... [he mutters, and it's just has shaky as his breath. it's hard to keep his composure, because whatever's going to happen, they're not going to like it. he's positive of that now more than ever.]

Don't... go doing things you have to apologize for later.

[it's not angry now, though. it's... much more sad. because he knows; they both know.]

[hydrokinetics]

[Noctis ruffling his hair just forces Percy to faceplant further into Noctis's, embarrassing as it is. It's a comforting gesture and he has mixed feelings on if he deserves it or wants it. He won't say no though. This is the hardest part.]

...I wish I could fix everything. [Which isn't exactly a promise.] I wish we could be right at least once here. Why that's so much to ask I have no idea. But I'll try.

[elemancy]

...I know you will.

[he admits, quietly. he's got no doubts that percy will try.]

I still... trust you about that. [he says with some hesitation, but it's not because there's any doubt. it's just because...

well, he's upset. he's been upset, but everything is just hard on them both.]

Don't try to handle it all on your own.

[hydrokinetics]

I won't. I have people this time. I'm not doing any of this by myself. [He's just withholding explaining whose help he's receiving.] I trust you to be okay. That's the important part.

[elemancy]

[that part definitely still bothers him. he's going to put his trust in percy—

but it's not like noct it really going to be able to shake that bad feeling, because he knows that whatever percy's up to, it's going to hurt someone, in some way.]

I'll... be fine. I'm tougher than some of you want to give me credit for, you know.

[hydrokinetics]

Man, if you thought I didn't know that you're an idiot. [He's teasing just a little.] I've always known you were strong, Noctis. It was never a question about that. That's the problem. That's what makes everything harder.

[elemancy]

[still, it sucks. it sucks so much, but he just nods.]

Not like I have a choice anyway. Not if you're not going to tell me.

[hydrokinetics]

Blame me a little less okay? I'm doing what I can without making it even worse.

[elemancy]

Blame you as little as I can.

[which is still a lot. deal with it, punk.]

[hydrokinetics]

I'll take it. [He bonks his head into Noctis's one more time before letting go.]

...still not letting the game win in the end. It's just coming close.

[elemancy]

Yeah. I know.

[they're down to the wire, and from the sounds of it... he's going to have to put his faith in percy about it, to be sure.]

[hydrokinetics]

[He's moving now to start cleaning up the kitchen, a strange sort of melancholy in his steps.]

We'll talk more about it later if you want. I promise.

[elemancy]

...Yeah, I'll hold you to that.

[he notices, but this time... noct is moving to stand.]

I'm gonna go get some air, you got this?

[hydrokinetics]

Yeah. Yeah, it's cool. I'll catch you later. [He won't stop him. They both need time to process, he thinks.]