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

[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.]