hugtopia_logs | [closed] i was hanging with you

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[closed] i was hanging with you

♥ Who: Noctis and Pyra
♥ Where: VR cafe, King's Knight
♥ When: early may
♥ What: cute surprises
♥ Rating: PG

[ Over the past couple of weeks they had resumed some of their usual routine. At his leisure they've trained together, this time both with his magic and her own fire, and they've also found time to play King's Knight. Already they've climbed the dungeons together to the point they've almost reached the end of the game.

It's towards the early afternoon where she leaves her work at the labs, and she sends him a text to meet her at the VR cafe-- today is the day where they finally beat the game. Their last joined saved point had been just as the final dungeon leading up to Ophion. Greeting him with a warm smile, her hand finds his as soon as he arrives. They take their usual spots in the cafe and, donning their helmets, enter the game.

Her hand is still in his as she blinks them open once the virtual reality assembles. Before them is the beginning of the dungeon: a series of crystalline staircases ascending a mountain, punctuated with levels of plateaus and terraces where more treasures and enemies await heroes on their gauntlet; behind them, their last chance to stock up on healing items and equipment before proceeding. The cooler wind-effect of this level gives away that they're already somewhere high-up, and her longer hair within the game flows behind her like ribbons upon a flag.

She turns to him, her head tilting. ]

Oh... New class?

[ And a new level, she sees. It seems he's been playing this on his own time, too! While it does make her question why the sudden change for the final area, perhaps he believes being a Dragoon may help them more against the superboss. ]

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Oh ouch, you let me self-burn. Is that part of my present too? Humbleness?

[His tone is pretty obviously in jest. He knows better with her.]

[ She look over at him with a smile, turning partway upon her side, casual and comfortable. ]

Next think we know, he'll be hiding a thousand eggplants inside of his own crystal.

You call that a bad influence? If I had it my way I'd hide all vegetables I came across in there.

[Though it would be pretty unfortunate if he accidentally summoned a daikon from the armory mid-battle or something.

He glances sidelong at her.]

What about you? Hiding stuff in yours?

[ She giggles softly, then turns to rest upon her back once more. ]

Aaah, I'm happy to report a zero-track record of smuggling vegetables!

[ --But in that brief moment in which he had glanced at her and before she had responded, he would have seen a flicker of guilt in her expression. ]

[He doesn't miss that; to an extent he'd been looking for it, though his comment hadn't been meant to antagonize so much as gently poke. She's allowed to hide whatever she wants, she's allowed to drip-feed that information or tell him nothing at all. She knows that- he'd told her so already. Then again... she's not paused in repeating the same encouragements that he's heard before, if she feels he needs to hear it.

He exhales a quiet breath, looking up towards the constellation again. She'd made this for him, as he'd made this outcome for her. This room is theirs.]

It'd be fine either way... I won't judge.

[ Whether or not he will, her doubt and guilt eclipses his words-- but just barely, because his encouragement is wearing those walls down, albeit slowly. However, if he knew the truth she believes he absolutely should judge her... She won't defend herself, either.

It had been her misstep in mentioning the crystal upon Ophion, bringing them to this topic. She makes to correct that with a more enthusiastic tone, quickly turning her head to face. ]

....O-oh. I've just thought of something. [ She scoots closer... but not too close. That sure is thick armor he's wearing. Hello, there, him and his blue eyes. ] Do you think we're allowed to fly Ophion using the Fetter? [ This rendition of the Artifice isn't big enough to house a cockpit of sorts, but they could fly upon his back if the programmers he commissioned thought to include the option. ]

[He's not surprised by the distraction, nor does he question it. She's already shared a secret with him, and he's grateful for that; he's not going to make her miserable by pushing again. A ride on a dragon could do them both some good rather than that.]

Uh... maybe?

[He glances over at Ophion, eyes shifting down to the chain still bound around its neck. It'll last until they log out, and then the item will be lost and the level reset, but as for what they can do until then...]

It let us fly before, to get over here... [Sitting upright, he lets go of her hand just long enough to get himself on his feet, only to offer it out to pull her up.] It's worth a shot to try again.

[ Taking his hand, she brings herself upright to stand beside him, looking over to Ophion. Despite it being her own suggestion, it's... been a while since she's flow with her Artifice. The first step she takes towards the him is tentative, but the second is quicker, and soon she's walking head Noctis, tugging him along behind her towards the dragon again. ]

Then...

[ She angles her head, looking at him once she secures the chain in her hand. They can use it to climb back onto Ophion's neck, and it'll be Pyra this time to offer him a hand up. ] Step aboard, Sir Dragoon... [ She smiles. ] and hold tight.

[Noctis takes note of her hesitant step, but when she picks up the pace he follows with no hesitation, fingers entwined. He steps up beside her, grasping the other end of the chain, leaning in close to the dragon's neck and bracing his posture. He looks excited, shamelessly, and hopeful that her enthusiasm isn't just for his sake- a real, proper flight on a dragon! As real as VR can get, anyway. Still, how cool is that? It feels real enough to him in the moment.]

Ready when you are.

[ There's a sudden nervousness she can't quite place as he smiles at her in return, like she's hoping that she won't let his enthusiasm down.

Quickly turning to look in the direction the mech-dragon faces, she nods to herself in mental preparation. This isn't how she would control Ophion in reality, so she assumes she'll have to learn on-the-go if she wants this to proceed smoothly. ] Alright... launch!

[ With a tug of the Fetter, Ophion awakens and lifts with a jarring lurch upward. Already the wind whips at them both as the dragon takes flight, leaving a cloud of dust and grass behind upon the mountain. She braces against the accelerating climb and wind, planting her feet more firmly against the dragon's metallic scales and holding onto the leash with one hand. The rush of the ascent is familiar. They're going faster, faster, with whip-like wind and the cool sting of water scraping against them as they pass through a cloud, leaving the earth further and further behind, until, finally--

They break through the cloud and are met with the fake stars above, the silence atmosphere, ...and a weightlessness where scant few seconds may seem like centuries before a collapse. But within those moments, her gaze is above them; she look as if she's reaching for something beyond the limits that the virtual reality provides, or perhaps that she's searching for something among those stars, something besides a constellation of a Messenger.

It passes, whatever had been on her mind, and she glances over at him as her lips curl into a coy smile. Pyra reaches over to him to secure her arm around his shoulders, directing him to crouch and brace against the dragon with her. She meant what she said earlier-- ] Hold on.

[ That's all the warning he'll get as the zenith completes, and the ride truly begins in a downward tumble, all corkscrews and loops and more-- as if they're a weaver's edge sewing through the tapestry of the heavens. ]

Edited 2020-05-17 19:40 (UTC)

[He moves as she does, a bit clumsy due to inexperience but relying on the chain to keep him on board during missteps. He's thrilled at once, eyes wide and watching the world as it rushes by, the digital space blurring together and reforming after a turn, his hand against Ophion's body feeling for the way the plates twist together and gears turn. Prompto would probably love this, technophile that he is, for the way it moves and looks. But for Noctis, it's all about the rush.

When she guides him into a crouch, he follows her lead at first; with her so close she can easily catch the huge grin on his face, hear the wild and unreserved laughter over the sound of the wind. His eyes are bright and dancing from one point of interest to the next- the sky, how close the ground is getting, Ophion's shifting direction, and of course her as well. There's unbridled joy in every aspect of his being, forgetting all of his woes and worries, or the secrets that lie between them, or the world that waits outside or back home. He's happy, truly, in this moment.

By the time they reach the apex of Ophion's drop he can't hold himself in that position any longer. Instead he twists the chain once around his arm to strengthen his grip, and with the other he pushes himself up, leaning back with a hand in the air, setting free a whoop,]

This is awesome!!

[ She almost stops Ophion soon as she feels him pull away from her, but as she catches his expression, seeing the joy and exhilaration within his eyes, she finds she doesn't have the heart to stop him. In fact, it's quite the opposite: she's encouraged by it, finding that she can't help but grin in response. With it being centuries since she's felt the wind in her hair like this, it's difficult not to indulge. She rises to her feet to join Noctis, pulling upon the chain for support.

Ophion dives through another cloud and emerges out the top, trailing wisps of white after its tail, looping backwards, forwards, then curling into another dip as if dancing. Another feeling of weightlessness precedes the next set of turns, and soon they're free-falling again, sometimes only holding onto the dragon by the chain alone. And Pyra--- finds herself smiling, grinning, and then laughing throughout many of these quick turns and spins and hurdles through the air.

The dragon slows, leveling out his altitude to cruise gently above the clouds, and Pyra, breathless, allows her grip to slacken upon the Omega Fetter. Her lips part as she looks down to see clouds, up to see stars, and then to the dragon, her lips parting but delivering no words, chest rising and falling as if she's just ran all the way up the mountain all over again. When she returns to her own world, she won't have this opportunity to board Ophion again, let alone share the experience with someone.

It is for that reason that makes this especially dear to her. ]

Noct... [ She speaks his name quietly, and that's all he'll hear before he'll feel her arms around him when she throws herself at him for an embrace, as if oblivious that they could still fall off. She's happy, she's sad, she's nostalgic but joyful, and she's-- gotten to share this with another, with him, all because of him, because he gave her this opportunity, and that same opportunity has made him smile as much as she is smiling right now. She's in disbelief, and it's all she can do to hold him and hug him and smile and laugh and repeat his name gratefully. ]

[That joy lasts well after the thrill ride ends, replaced seamlessly by his shy and surprised smile as she holds him; he catches her embrace with one hand at first while the other is still tangled in the chain until he can balance and unravel it, then both are around her. His laugh tapers off but the pleasure it brought with it lingers, digital heart still pounding (or perhaps he can feel it still in the real world? he can feel his hand tight around hers, distantly) and his body steeped in adrenaline. It's absurd but a part of him feels like could have done that for hours more, and even if he'd hated it, the look on her face would have banished even the smallest thought of regret.

He's glad, truly, that it worked out like this- that the system had programmed Ophion to accept commands, that the battle space was big enough, that the game didn't just end as soon as the taming sunk in. He's glad they could give each other this opportunity, this little adventure in a world of their own creation. It's... warm. This feeling, and her arms around him.

He finds himself murmuring her name in response, not for any reason but to call her as she'd called him. What more needs to be said? He gets it. He's pretty sure she will, too.]

[ He hadn't so much as budged from Ophion's back when she went to hug him. He's strong and sturdy as he holds her-- he's always been strong to her, and she's told him as much-- but now it's something that she finds herself appreciating more and more. Virtual reality or not, it feels very real to her in a way she cannot describe. Perhaps it's because how, in her world, she's connected to Ophion, to Siren, to Aion; by another degree-- her two brothers as well; she's tied to all the other core crystals, even those among the Titans. It's a constant influx of information all over Alrest, and more.

Here, those connections are more distant. She had been lonely when first appearing here. Yet perhaps it's because they are more distant that her attention may be focused fully upon him and this moment.... Him saying her name in response, without any other words to give, is as effective as a flowery "thank-you" or "you're welcome." It simply is; it simply is acknowledging her.

Pyra pulls away from him just enough so that she might look at him. ] Noct... I-- I can't stop smiling.
[ She says this as if it's a confession of sorts, barely above a whisper. ]

[Connections are easier with people who are right before your eyes, warm and tangible- he knows this, has come to understand it better over time, as he gathered more distant connections with the Astrals while at the same time lost true friends to separation or death. Here he can forge new threads between himself and others, not to replace those lost but to fill the void they'd left. He hopes it can be the same for her, that he can find new ways to bring that free and easy smile on her face to the light more often. She's done so much for him, and... it feels good, seeing her like this. Peaceful, soft. He can't name it yet, but the familiarity of it is soothing to a wounded heart.

His response is simple: a shrug, a relaxed smile, an unbroken connection between them as she pulls back.]

Then don't. Keep smiling, all you want.

[She doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to.]

[ She's blushing from delight, her cheeks tinting a rosy red. She pulls away one of her hands to tuck some of her wind-swept hair behind her ear.

These words she can repeat to him, keeping smiling-- how much he wants, what he wants, all he wants. It's funny, that, how they seemed to think of doing the same thing for each other with these surprise gifts. It's so natural to want to see his smile, whether it be in return or spontaneous. What more can she do, to ensure that he has more reasons or opportunities that might bring about more smiles? ]

It's because you're so wonderful. [ She's always honest with her compliments. Always. ] It... makes it easy to smile.

[Gods take him. She's going to destroy his cool. He'd halfway expected it, though - it's just her way - so even though his cheeks are beginning to share her blush, he holds on to the smile, ducking his head a little. It's always a bit too much, but still, it's nice to hear those words.]

Right back at you. This was your idea, remember?

[She'd been the one to take them into the sky like this, who guided Ophion to soar and twist and plummet. She's the one who made them both share that laughter in the air. That's pretty wonderful, too.]

[ Seeing him smile like this, him holding her like this— ”Whether I know or not, you're still the same person. I got to know you like this, so what's hearing your origin going to change?” —his actions reinforce his words. None of his touch or warmth is real save for his hand in hers as they sit beside each other in the cafe, but the comfort she feels from being with him is. Making this surprise for her is unbelievably humbling.

The wind tosses his hair wildly as Ophion soars. So rare is it that she’s able to see him without his thick bangs infringing upon the deep blue of his eyes, that she brings up her hand to his cheek. The touch is almost reverent, as if careful of the blush that begins to tint his own cheeks, mirroring hers. ]

This, coming from the one who made it possible in the first place. [ ”Right back at you,” indeed. She can go on forever, back and forth with him, not to diminish her own role but to give credit where credit is due— or in this case, that they did something together again without either of them realizing or planning for it. He’s ignorant of the extent of this gift that he’s given her: Noctis is the first to have ever been on her Artifice.... and even including the future, the only one who ever will.

These thoughts escape her in a murmur: ] The only one...

[ It almost threatens to break her smile, but she manages to stave off most of the bittersweetness by focusing upon the present pleasantness of this moment. ] You’re the only one who has ridden our Artifice with us. [ And not with terror, but with exhilaration and delight. She’s in awe. It’s overwhelming. ]

[There's something about those words that make him feel a little conflicted. He feels a warm rush of pleasure he can't stamp down at being the only one, like a place of honour few are allowed. At the same time, with how happy she looks, why would he want to keep this to himself? That's just selfish, and he's no more deserving than anyone else to experience this sort of thrill. There's no reason for conflict- he doesn't own this moment, or her, or Ophion. It's her right to share it as much as she desires, just as he can now share the Carbuncle constellation with others if he wants to point it out.

In the end, he figures it's better for her to choose. He's handed her the secret- she can do with it as she pleases.]

You know... it takes some work, but once we're out of here the whole thing resets. You can find the Omega Fetter again. And you can do this whenever you want- with anyone you want to.

[ She brings her hand down from her cheek, curling four of her fingers inward to press only the index finger to her lips. This can remain as a hidden feature between the developers, no need to advertise it.

She looks at him happily, blushing. She feels like something is fluttering within her making her weightless. ]

Then for the time being, ....can we keep it as another secret?

[ At least until someone else uncovers this on their own; in which case it might feel more rewarding. ]

[He lifts his hand up to her lips, lightly hooking his pinky around hers. A little childish, perhaps, but this moment is for them, so who cares? No one's watching to judge.]

I won't tell a soul.

[A handful of other people know that the Fetter exists - he'd needed help to find it, after all - but they don't have to know what it does.]

[ She twines her finger around his in return, bringing their linked fingers between them. She looks at the hold... then, in reality, she does the same for when they hold hands, making it that much more meaningful.

It's a promise. ]

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[closed] i was hanging with you

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