melodiesoflife | New beginnings.

Entry tags:

New beginnings.

Who: Ace, OPEN
Where: Hero Training facility
When: The second half of September, but before visiting the Sage
What: Having taken up the position of an instructor of magic at Chrom's school, Ace takes his time adjusting to his new responsibilities. Anyone is welcome to join as either a student (Black Mage, Summoner, Chocobo Knight) or a sparring partner, whether it's before/during/after a practice, or maybe they're just having a lunch break together. Anything goes!
Warnings: None, so far.

Him, a teacher? Ace had never even come close to being a model student during his time at the academy. Most morning lectures had him slumped over his desk as he caught up on lost sleep, which, in hindsight, hadn't been the most... respectful way to go about his lack of interest.

( How he nonetheless managed to achieve near-perfect results on tests was always beyond his classmates' comprehension. )

Maybe he wasn't the most well-suited candidate for the job, but it didn't mean he wouldn't at least make a solid attempt. On top of his time spent in Crystallis, he'd been given the benefit of a thorough military training, so should his experience serve to ease another Hero's concerns, he was willing to do his best. If anything, it granted him an opportunity to keep a closer eye on what the others were up to.

More importantly, though, it helped him take his own mind off certain things.

The cadet’s specialty was magic, but since there was never a shortage of those eager to know more about the Chocobo Knight Job, he often brought Suzaku over for company. He had some doubts, initially - but as it turned out, the gold-feathered bird clearly enjoyed his newfound abilities, spending every moment of downtime on circling the skies over the facility.

On the slower days, he allowed himself a change of his routine. Swapping magical tomes for a training sword and robes for his ordinary uniform, he dedicated an hour or two to pursuing the often neglected - but no less important, now, that he had more offensive skills in his repetitoire - art of swordsmanship. Used to training alone, he usually didn't consider asking anyone for assistance. It was less than ideal without the familiar battle simulations at the ready, but imagination served well enough in filling in blanks. So long as he put his mind to it, he could still make the same leaps and lunge forward with the same ferocity as if the enemy was an actual creature rather than a lifeless mannequin.

And for what it was worth, footwork had always been his strongest suit. Handling heavier weapons, however… less so. While nothing could rival the flexibility of a card deck, it was high time he took upon himself to branch out a little, right?

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'Waaaaaark!'

From within the training academy's walls, Chrom stiffened at one of Suzaku's happy sounds and quickly cast his eyes about him. There was no telling when his chocobo Warken would appear to tackle Chrom and smother him with feathery attention. The bird behaved more like a rabid stalker than a trusted mount, but that did seem to follow the traditional quirky Shepherd pattern.

But if the sound wasn't coming from Warken, then who? Or...er...what chocobo?

Putting up his practice spear, Chrom took his cloak from where it hung on the wall and slung it over his shoulders as he walked briskly through the hallways. He glanced in each of the open rooms, satisfied that they were relatively chocobo free.

Then, at last, he arrived in the training room that Ace had selected for his magic lessons. Chrom stopped short when he saw the bird. He almost missed it, as gold was so similar in color to yellow, but he noticed there was a definite sheen to the bird's feathers that Warkin and all other chocobos he'd encountered thus far had lacked. "Are you training birds to fight alongside us now?" Chrom chuckled. "I'm not sure we have any helmets that will fit them."

The invitation had come as something of a surprise, a sentiment that had little to do with a lack of interest in Ace's new employment. In all likelihood she would have dropped by to visit him eventually even without it, if only to deliver the lunch she had forgotten to set out for him earlier.

However, the tension and uncertainty since their return from the Rift was a constant barrier between them ever since they had come back. The events they had witnessed seemed so long ago, no doubt helped along by the vague conversations and brief touches that was all that was exchanged between them since. On the surface neither had pushed the other away, but Tear knew well who was most at fault for the distance.

It had gone on long enough.

It's only with a small feeling of nervousness that she approached the area where she was told he would be training, Sein floating behind her with a thinly veiled expression of hope. It was q good thing he couldn't see the faint frown that came over his Hero's expression when she saw her partner.

Sighing softly, she handed the small bundle to him without a word before approaching quietly with voice detached. "Your stance is too wide..."

It had completely slipped Ace's mind to make his intentions known before walking into the facility with his feathery companion by his side, so the surprise in Chrom's eyes was met by his own, slightly flustered expression as the boy lowered his weapon. Chocobos weren't exactly considered to be the most suitable indoor pets for reasons nobody had to explain, but this partnership went way back. He trusted the bird to behave accordingly, and was ready to vouch for him if needed-....

Thankfully, that didn't seem to be the case. Encouraged by the sound of laughter, he relaxed his shoulders as he motioned for Suzaku to take his well-deserved break. The Chocobo in question had been busy tackling a rather worn-out dummy with his beak before his movements came to a complete halt.

"... I dare you to convince him to wear one." Truth be told, it hadn't at all been uncommon for the Chocobos of Orience to surpass their riders in terms of heavy gear equipped. It just wasn't a practice the cadet saw fit to continue, given the limitations it imposed upon the animal's skills, not to mention the discomfort. A simple harness usually did the trick just fine.

"Since we haven't been graced with the kindest weather, I've decided to stay indoors. Somehow, Suzaku... ended up tagging along." Unspoken was his weakness for the pleading warks the creature responded with each time they parted, but it was exactly how the Chocobo had wormed his way into today's practice. Since the hall didn't provide enough room for riding, much less flying, he'd settled for a simple synchronisation exercise.

"Of course, I could send him back if it's too much of an issue."

He hadn't given up on trying to reach her across the layers of misunderstanding obscuring their daily relations, but granting Tear enough space was the least he could do in hopes of regaining her trust. Pouring his energy into teaching and practice, he scarcely spent time at home anymore, but never without first letting her know where he was. More often than ever before, he made a point of leaving behind little notes around the house, in places where he knew she would see them.

Today, he just had the courage to ask her out. A simple, written request that had taken him longer to write than it should have, etched inconspicuously onto a sheet of paper and left atop the bedside table.

He also hadn't thought to specify the time, the matter of which was left in Tear's hands… that is, assuming she would make an appearance at all. She had just enough reasons not to comply, a busy schedule being one of them. He wouldn't blame her.

Neither could he bring himself to question her advice, as much as he was taken aback by the suddenness of it when it broke the silence. Resisting the desire to turn his head in the direction of the visitor, Ace instead made a priority of fixing the errors in his posture, bringing his feet a little closer together and straightening his back. Naturally, he wasn't a stranger to being put under scrutiny, but falling from her lips, any kind critique gained a whole different meaning altogether.

"How about now?"

Not without a certain dose of uncertainty, he glanced up at where she stood, as though he was a trainee awaiting further instruction. Maybe he'd never stopped being her student.

"Better..." But not quite there yet, and to show him she would have to be closer than she already was. Stepping up, the melodist reached out to adjust the position of the arm holding the sword, followed by another small adjustment in posture when she placed a hand on the small of his back and lightly pushed his chin upward.

"When fighting with the sword, you need confidence not only in your mind but in your body. The blows exchanged are brief, but each one has the potential to be fatal. Stance is of utmost importance."

Except she had perhaps lingered in her touch too long, and her reluctance showed in how slowly she pulled back. But she couldn't be in the way when he lunged forward.

"Try again, then return to this fighting stance. Your body will know where it would need to adjust."

"No, not at all," Chrom said, though admittedly, his focus was more fixed on the chocobo at the moment. Such ferocity! He hadn't known they could be trained like that. A pity his was more like a ninja than a fighter -- great at stalking and pouncing Chrom, not so much at zeroing in on an enemy. But perhaps Chrom was to blame for that. He hadn't spent much time training the bird since he managed to catch it.

Chrom folded his arms, momentarily silent as he gave the matter some thought. "...The Chocobo Knight is a job that's difficult for many to master, including myself. I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't take the time to properly study it or take proper care of my chocobo. If you'd be interested in teaching a few classes on the subject, I would willingly submit myself as one of your students."

After all, not every problem could be solved with a sword. The number of times he'd been set on fire was evidence enough of this.

Like an ironic twist of fate, the power resting beneath her fingertips provided a serious threat to the confidence he supposedly already lacked. Very much present, still, was the memory of exchanged kisses and subtle ways of expressing affection, compared to which the lecture seemed almost mechanical in nature.

But she still had it in her, didn't she? That warm spark of light no amount of negativity could extinguish, hiding beneath the melodist's harsh exterior. Given time, they would weather this storm, and hopefully, today would be the first step towards it.

For now, he didn't want to linger on the meaning of her gesture too much, trying to concentrate on the task at hand.

"Got it."

Tightening the grip on the wooden handle, he readied himself before slashing at the air with his practice sword. It was simple enough in theory, but without the boosts provided by physically inclined Jobs, he had to depend solely on the strength of his own limbs. All things considered, however, he couldn't have asked for a better motivation than the desire to prove himself in front of his partner.

It worked so well, in fact, that he couldn't stop himself from repeating the process... a couple more times before settling back into the original position. Breathless as it left him, the sense of satisfaction made the effort worth it. After all, being a rather quick learner, he knew it hadn't been the worst attempt.

"I... do hope it was up to your expectations." A soft, almost unnoticeable smile crossed his features as he spoke in a quieter voice. "I'm happy to see you."

Honestly, a part of her was surprised at how quickly Ace had picked up on her advice and corrections, watching his every movement carefully when he went beyond what she had asked for. Of course, that didn't mean she would let up in whatever instruction she could provide—to do so would be doing him a great disservice, and she never had any intention of giving him less than her best.

"It will be, given time. There's much room for improvement." Folding her arms, she continued. "Swordsmanship isn't my specialty, but it was required that we learn the fundamentals of wielding one during our officer training to enlist in the Order. Being here allowed me to train further on what I already knew."

More importantly, there was another aspect of his state that needed to be addressed right away.

"... Remember to breathe, just like we practiced with your singing. Those exercises will serve you well here, too." Only then did the melodist allow herself to relax, face softening into a wistful expression as she again returned to hugging herself. Acting on the desire to reach out and ease him into that stance... would be more than she could handle, in this moment.

"I forgot to set out lunch for you before you left, I figured I could at least bring it to you and see for myself." Before she could say anything more, Sein decided to come forward and balance the lunch box atop Ace's head. See? He was helping the cadet with his posture, too!

"Mystearica was very surprised by your note, that must have been why she forgot, kupo..." Satisfied with the position of the parcel, the Moogle floated back a little. "She was really worried, Mystearica thought you might think she wanted you to starve, kupo..."

"... That's not what I meant, why would I want him to starve?"

"Because you two kupoheads keep being so...! So...!" While Sein may be a normally calm and collected moogle, the bright red of his cheeks along with the way his paws balled into fists was anything but as he instead zoomed toward the opposite end of the room, lest he blurt something inappropriate in front of his Hero.

"Hello?"

Pyrrha peeks her head into the entrance to the facility. There's a telltale 'wark' behind her - she clearly has a chocobo companion along for the trip. But she's not sure if birds are allowed inside, so she's being polite.

It was something Ace could easily understand. Standing side by side with such majestic creatures, one could only marvel over their beauty and grace... that said, Suzaku was accustomed to such kind of treatment. Any attention thrown his way would be rewarded with a series of happy trills, and this was no exception.

There was even a little bow at the end, a sign of thanks from a bird who knew his manners in between chewing on people's hair. Thankfully, Chrom's was too short to bother. For now.

"Difficult...?" He sounded almost surprised in his question, mostly because he'd never linked that particular Job with effort. Patience, perhaps - short-tempered individuals would have a difficult time adjusting themselves to an entirely different type of companionship - but never a struggle. Looping one arm around the chocobo's neck, as though wanting to learn his own opinion on the matter, the cadet thought on it some more. "I do remember you mentioning it in your letter. Perhaps now that you're back from your trip, you have a better idea of what kind of class could benefit you best."

Another wark.

"... Sure." The boy's lips curled into a smile. "On that note, Cloud at the farm can provide you with the basics, while I could focus on the technical part of the Chocobo Knight itself. I wouldn't want to deprive him of what is essentially his job." He snickered, knowing that his friend took satisfaction in what he did.

"If I may venture a guess, you've caught one of the less orderly ones."

"Given time." He repeated after Tear, acknowledging the somewhat subtle compliment that had fallen from her lips. There was always room for improvement, and she'd made it clear a long time ago over the course of their evening classes.

As it turned out, his mind wasn't the only one to return to wander back to that time, even if for slightly different reasons. "I should have had the foresight to get on this earlier," he muttered to himself, propping his sword against the weapon rack, "since I can't afford to be overly confident anymore. Nobody can." The sentiment was punctuated with a drawn out sigh that might as well have been his attempt to even out his breathing, as per advice he'd been given.

Closing his eyes, he stayed that way for a few seconds before opening them again. "Lunch?" The very mention of it drawn his attention to the emptiness in his stomach, but even more so the way she'd phrased it. Like a legitimate concern it truly wasn't; not when she must have had so many other things on her mind.

Whatever he'd been meaning to say next, too, descended into a quiet whimper when the package landed atop of his head, directing his gaze upwards. That could only be Sein, though he still hadn't expected a double intervention... nor being called a kupohead out of nowhere. Securing his grip around the package - impeccably wrapped, as always - he brought it down, looking rather unsure about what had just transpired right in front of him. Oddly enough, so did the two culprits.... Between Tear's puzzled glance and Sein's horrified expression, he found himself growing inexplicably nervous, himself.

"... I didn't think anything like that, for the record." Just to dash the doubts away. His tongue burnt with the desire to ask what it had truly been that Sein had so gravely misunderstood, except it didn't seem right to inquire about a private conversation. He'd already gotten the most important part. Deep inside, Tear was worried about him....

“The reason I called you here is exactly that - to avoid misunderstandings.” Ace explained, taking one step closer once the Moogle had flown off. “If we can be true to ourselves and each other, perhaps then-...”

Well, wasn't that a rather heavy-handed way to put it. As made evident by a flinch of his fingers, now curled even more tightly around the parcel, the realisation was quick to set in, at the very least.

"... You didn't have to. But since you're already here, I thought-..." He pursed his lips. "We could maybe eat together."

"... That's right. We can't afford to think that way anymore. Honestly, we never should have in the first place." Even as the melodist spoke and she stared after the retreating Moogle, her thin fingers began to dig into her arms. She had seen firsthand just how much that overconfidence could cost them, and it almost made her want to reach out to take the boy by the hand again, as if the seemingly childish act would be enough to keep the worst from happening. Closing her eyes briefly, Tear herself took a moment to breathe and push back the images such words had summoned—now wasn't the time to start focusing on that again.

What she could focus on instead were the words that followed. There was undeniably a sense of relief that her partner still understood her wish to watch over him, to ensure his well-being hadn't wavered. No matter what happened between them, nothing would ever change that truth. But even then, it didn't stop her from stiffening upon hearing that particular phrasing.

Resisting the very strong desire to lock gazes with him and make it clear just what she thought of the declaration to be 'true to each other,' the girl instead released the building frustration in the form of a quiet sigh. That particular conversation... could wait, a little while longer.

Besides, he had actually gone and extended the offer she had secretly been hoping he would, one she knew she couldn't turn down if they had any hope of reconciling soon. More than that, it was a part of their old routine she had come to miss dearly with the growing distance; a way to be close to each other and maybe have the chance to talk again, rather than just for the sake of eating.

"I may not have had to, but I made that choice anyway." Now was when she could reach out and lightly touch the fingers holding the parcel, eyes still not lifting to meet his. "You know this facility and your schedule better than I do, I'll leave it to you to decide if it's better to stay here."

"Well, I can't complain that my chocobo lacks personality," he admitted with a short chuckle. "Riding them is quite a bit different than the mounts to which I am more accustomed in Ylisse."

Grinning at the chocobo's formal bow, Chrom returned the favor.

"Horses are not quite so intelligent as chocobos either, for that matter. Yours seems as if it knows precisely what we're saying. Nonetheless," he looked back to Ace, "that would be appreciated. I'm no stranger to mounted combat...just the mount." He touched his chin in thought. "I've also heard it told that those with the Santa Claus job may utilize some sort of flying sleigh should they harness four chocobos to it. But I'm not certain it would be prudent to obtain four until I know I can manage at least the one."

Ace, on the other hand, decided to take it one step further, letting his lips speak without the need for any words, pressing them softly against the girl’s cheek the moment she’d gotten close. Her skin felt colder than he remembered, but for that he wished to blame the autumn wind, knowing that the emotions stirring within his chest couldn't have been all that different from hers.

He also knew what he was walking into, fully expecting to be pierced by her questioning gaze when he pulled away - but no matter how much it made his confidence waver, he wished to meet those wistful eyes.

"Let me think about it." It wasn't even that he couldn't leave on such a short notice, since he was more than willing to make that one exception from the rule, and Suzaku's transformation had made it so much easier to travel. They could go anywhere, so making the decision was truly the hardest part....

It would also draw his attention away from he had originally set out to do. Holding the box with just one hand, he reached out to loosely curl his fingers around hers. Just for a short while - or as long as it would take him to reach the courtyard, where a row of benches were lined up against the wall; that's where he decided to lead her to, gently tugging the melodist along.

"Maybe I could show you around.... I guess that doesn't sound too exciting, though, does it?" A part of him simply wanted to involve her in his life - in his daily life again, as selfish as it felt to entertain that thought. "If you'd rather punch me, we could arrange that, too. There's no better place to do that, if you think about it."

If such are her worries, Pyrrha will soon enough find she's among her own. While there is no other animals in sight, the familiar scent can definitely be recognised by anyone who has spent some time around these birds, and if she looks carefully enough, she might even spot a feather or two lying freely on the ground. If it's ever been frowned upon to bring one's Chocobo along, it seems like it's no longer the case.

"Come in!" The voice comes from further down the hall, soft and inviting. "Both of you."

It's no secret that the Chocobos requires extra maintenance, and that's exactly what Ace can be seen doing - cleaning up the place from the inevitable layers of dust and dirt. In a somewhat unconventional manner, he appears to be depending on his Aero spells to do all the work for him, though.

The sensation of his lips against her skin brought with it a wave of conflicting emotions just as every other touch seemed to have recently, thoughts she had lived with constantly for the past month whether he acknowledged it or not. Among them was the strong desire to push him back and walk away again, in order to make clear that she was indeed still upset about the discovery she had uncovered during their time in the Rift, the longing to be able to so easily forgive and move on from it so they could still have a chance to make the most of their time left (and it seemed so much shorter now), and perhaps most selfishly, behind all the others, was the wish to return to how things had been before, to the peaceful ignorance he may have tried to protect her with before. A farce that was already shadowed by the fear of losing him again. Except the soldier knew well that it would never be possible to go back to that, and she wouldn't fool herself into believing so once more.

All of them together made her expression indecipherable when her eyes snap up to meet his, and prompted her to again turn away hardly a moment after as she tried to regather a semblance of composure. Regardless of the battle waging within Tear had every intention of at least spending this time with him and perhaps listening to whatever he might say, and for that to happen properly she couldn't allow him to see her like this. Still, when she found her hand in his she couldn't help but hold on more tightly. It was the greatest comfort she knew, and even now allowed her to put her thoughts back in order in time to appreciate the courtyard as they entered it.

Gazing around, another sigh pushed past her lips when she at last turned back to him, this time in no hurry to direct her attention away.

"I... want to be able to imagine where you are, wherever it is. Is that strange?" Whether it was exciting or not—that was her decision to make, though she couldn't negate the tiny curiosity that was always present in the back of her mind. "If you want to show me around now or some other time, I'll follow you."

Though he had to go and make that absolutely absurd suggestion, didn't he? Had the melodist had both hands free, she would have them placed on her hips to match the reproaching look on her face. As it was, she could only tug on his hand to communicate how ridiculous it was, maybe a little harder than she had intended. "And just what would I gain out of punching you for no good reason or outside of combat? Aside from an unnecessary trip to the hospital?"

Honestly, she didn't doubt that it was a remote possibility if she actually went through with the offer...

"Oh! Thank you. Come, Xanthus."

Pyrrha smiles, ushering her red chocobo in alongside her. It's wearing light barding - clearly outfitted for combat training - and walks in with its head held high. He's obviously a well-trained bird to begin with.

"I'd heard there was a new instructor here with experience with the Chocobo Knight job, so I thought I would come to see what we could learn."

"What about them?" Sure enough, any mention of mounts was bound to get Ace's attention, in case there was some magnificent creatures lurking in other universes that he hadn't yet been made privy of.

Except his face soon fell a little bit upon the sad realisation that the answer had been a quite ordinary one all along. Horses. It's always the horses. "I don't know much about horses, actually, but they do seem to be preferred by many." And then there were those partial to the mechanical means of transportation, whose lives were devoid of any thrill and appreciation for the finer things in life.

Trying to withdraw his arm, the cadet encountered some problems. "... Hey, don't get so comfortable." That one remark was targeted directly at Suzaku, who in response had taken it upon himself to plant his feathery head on top of Ace's without any regard for their weight difference. As playful and brief as it was, it should now become clear that the Chocobo could easily snap a human in half with the force of their affection alone.

"Right... you got really into it last year, didn't you?" He remembered it now, and Chrom's idea made him think for a moment. "Suzaku can already fly, but with the power of that Job, it's possible that any other Chocobo could be given the same ability. Why not give it a try?" He smiled. "If we start now, you'll have ample time to prepare."

It was a bird Ace could recognise even from far across the room, for he was there with Pyrrha when they had discovered the nest hidden within the mountains. Xanthus wasn't the only Chocobo rescued back then. The tiny red chick Ace picked up has since blossomed into a rather vigorous individual under his partner's care.

In fact, even now it might be easy for Pyrrha's companion to pick up a familiar scent - after all, they technically remain siblings. Although Rem might not be here at the moment, the cadet has been experiencing her crazy antics on a daily basis. If anything could be said for certain, it's that unlike Xanthus, she's never been able to let go of her wild roots.

"That would be...-" stepping closer, the boy allows himself a small pause before continuing, "-...me." Was she expecting somebody else? It's hard to tell. It's equally difficult to stop his gaze from straying in the direction of her feathered companion. So similar.

"It would help if you could describe your level of experience, for starters. I take it you're no beginner."

Chrom may not be the most perceptive man around, but even he can spot the disappointment that crosses Ace's face when he mentions horses. "True...riding lessons are rather common in Ylisse..." How can he salvage this? Horses definitely don't seem to hold Ace's interest, and he feels a little bad about that. "There are also pegasus knights," he offered. "They're beautiful animals with great feathered wings much like a bird's, and it takes a skilled hand to tame and train one for combat. I have also seen those adept at riding wyverns and gryphons on the battlefield."

Perhaps that would be exotic enough to lift Ace's spirits. If not, well...he tried. ~~omg does he try. he tries all the time.~~

At the mention of the Santa Claus job, there was a definite uptick in the red-to-peach ratio of color in Chrom's complexion. "The job did seem to affect me to an unusual degree," he admitted, a mix of chagrin and resentment in his voice. "I'd intended to replace it with another, but the skills attached to it proved strangely useful in that vision of the future, as well as in the evacuation of the inhabitants of Nabila. It was...a humbling lesson in the importance of diversifying my range of abilities, as not all battles can be fought with a blade."

Much to his disappointment.

Still, Ace seemed like he was prepared to lend his support and knowledge, and for that Chrom was grateful. It was enough to prompt a smile from the young lord, and he nodded once. "You're right. When you have the time, I'll fetch my chocobo at once."

Pyrrha recognizes Ace and his chocobo, of course, but she didn't want to be presumptuous in assuming that he was the instructor she'd come here looking for. The expression on her face is politely apologetic when he introduces himself, all the same, and she gives a small nod in response.

"Oh, good! I was hoping you were."

She smiles, looking over at Xanthus, who's proudly preening his feathers.

"I have a lot of combat training, but not as a mounted combatant. My primary weapon is a spear most of the time, though, so I was hoping you could give me some advice on the best way to take advantage of my chocobo's skills and how best to use them alongside my own talents."

The remnants of her internal struggles were very evident in the way the melodist carried herself, resulting in some mixed messages being thrown his way. He doubted it was a fully intentional on her part, but it hurt all the same to experience the taste of rejection when she turned away all too suddenly. If it was all meant to teach him a lesson, it definitely succeeded in all but one way - giving him an opportunity to mend what had been broken.

Deep in his heart, there was an unshakable sense of disappointment that flared through him every time she shut him out. They were better than that, weren’t they? They had come such a long way... which is also why there was something uplifting about the question she voiced, somewhat unexpectedly.

"It's not-," the cadet shook his head, tone getting slightly softer, "it's not at all strange to comfort yourself with such thoughts... I think." While he shared the sentiment, there were probably many who would call him out on sounding unreasonable. Did he care about it? Hardly. If there was anything that he had learnt over the course of the past year, it was that feelings did not always follow the patterns you expected them to.

For example, he hadn't anticipated nearly as much opposition when she scoffed at his suggestion. Admittedly, he had phrased it rather bluntly, and not entirely without spite, on the off-chance she would find it humorous, or... go ahead with it. At this point, it seemed as viable a solution as any other.

Following a short and wordless deliberation, he withdrew his hand from the grasp and placed the box on the surface of the bench, but didn't sit down just yet. Carefully lifting the lid, he couldn't help but smile at the edible arrangements of colours and shapes - little works of art - stored within before putting it back on.

"I don't know." He confessed with a sigh, turning back to her. Already gone were the traces of the smile from just seconds ago, replaced by a thin line of his lips. "If you can't answer that yourself, I certainly won't be able to."

"... I'm glad to hear that." It was one unexpected weight off her shoulders, knowing her partner thought the same. But before she could think on it further, they were already apart again. Instinct compelled her to reach out for his hand again the moment they parted, a soft gasp even escaping her lips when the warmth disappeared from her grasp. But rational thought returned quickly enough, and Tear instead pulled herself back before she actually carried through with fulfilling the subconscious wish, folding her hands securely over her stomach as and extra measure while he continued discussing the absurd offer he had extended to her.

"If it's practice you want, I might be willing to help you." That in itself seemed reasonable enough, and as a trained soldier there was little reason to doubt she would be able to keep her personal feelings in check, even with faced with such an opponent. That wasn't the issue at hand, however, and she needed to make that clear.

"Except you almost made it sound as if I would get personal satisfaction putting you in that sort of pain, Ace." Those words now out in the open, she couldn't keep her frown from deepening.

"Tell me, have I at any point made it seem like I want to see you that way?" Though even as she spoke, she berated herself mentally—was that not exactly what she had been doing, with the way she had behaved around him all these weeks? Looking at it objectively, one could almost call her methods childish for refusing to talk with him.

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New beginnings.

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