* a promise.

   THE RAW EMOTIONS in the air were heavy. Lauriam could feel them press into his chest, into his mind, and his heart. It was intense how it nearly made him vibrate and overfill him, and he had to keep himself from succumbing. Of course he felt awful that Lauriam had been the one to send Ephemera into such a state, and even if he recognize he was not the one to wholly blame, he was partially at fault. 

   He sits silently next to him. Breathing a sigh of relief as he leaned onto his knees feeling the cool wind. Taking it in for a moment and letting it wash him away. The rock in his chest was still there, weighing him down, but at least the wind which gently brushed his face helped in collecting his thoughts. The air smelled sweet with spring. His soul felt a little lighter. It was a moment before he turned to look at Ephemera, smiling calmly at him with a fixed gaze. “You know… I’m not mad about the things you said back there.”

   This really was so hard to talk about. Even if he was hurt by Ephemera’s assumptions, the other didn’t know. He hadn’t a clue of what Lauriam was going through. But there was no use, no reason, to get upset over it. “I’m a little hurt from some of the things you said.” Yes. Hurt. Hurt because he was made so painfully aware of the emptiness that sat in him and how everyone thought he was fine. That he was ok. He wasn’t. “But, I probably shouldn’t have told you to stop worrying over things when you were hurting too.”

                ❝ i-i didn’t mean anything of what i said! — ❞ it rushes out so fast, before he can even comprehend it; the hastiness in his words, the regret and remorse all at once flooding inside his heart-broken eyes. then it begins to pour out slowly, tears flowing out as he comes to quickly wipe them. this had been hard for all of them.  ❝ honestly .... if i were you, i wouldn’t forgive me. but you’re here, talking with me so --- thank you. again, i’m sorry for the awful things i said.  ❞ ephemera beats himself up for the simple, human mistakes that everyone makes. for some reason he doesn’t allow himself to fall to such standards. being perfect was impossible, yet he wanted to attain it so badly, for the sake of everyone else, to protect them no matter what. humans are fragile creatures, aren’t they?

   IT WASN’T UNTIL NIGHTFALL that Lauriam made his way out of the clock tower to approach Ephemera. The initial shock of the snap had receded from Lauriam, scrubbed away from him after the other had ran off. It was not that he did not feel the words sink into him, sticking to him as if a honey, but Lauriam had no time to mull over such trifling matters, to tuck them into his memory and let hate burst. That was how the Foretellers broke apart. And the Union Leaders could not afford another war, another calamity, another heartbreaking end.

   Lauriam knew this. And he realized sitting in the chair of the table absently listening to Ventus, Skuld, and Blaine talk among each other, that his initial statement/observation might have been too harsh. Glancing towards the door which Ephemera ran out of, wondering how the other was fairing. Eating away at him, mind not quite connecting to the task at hand.

   He bit his lip as shaggy white hair came into sight. Reaching to touch his shoulder as he sat at the edge of the clock tower, then retracting quickly. It would be awful if the other jumped and fell. “Hey, Ephemera.” There was a pleasant smile on his face. Calming, sweet, an aroma of wonderful lavender. “May I join you tonight?” // @keyfade

                     he had been left alone with his thoughts for quite awhile, which at the moment, were like a double edged sword; he fears that lauriam hates him for his outlash from earlier and that their relationship was in shambles, nothing but a complete wreck now. friendships were something precious to him, and for whatever the bonds he had in numbers were decreasing, whether it be from himself or outside causes. the same causes that made him act so immaturely in the first place. sometimes ephemera forgets he’s still just a kid, left with an huge adult responsibility. such is the cruelness in the world they live in, huh?

                    perhaps master ava made a terrible mistake about choosing him,. maybe, his keyblade also made a mistake picking him as a wielder. what’s so good about an aversion to darkness, if you’re the one to cause it in other’s hearts? the wind from this height was meant to calm him, but it seemed the solitude was slowly killing him inside. an true extroverted soul, indeed. these overwhelming thoughts plague ephemera’s mind, make him hug onto his knees, and just when more pointless tears were about to fall, he hears a familiar voice ( so gentle and kind ) and touch that makes him turn around and freeze on the spot. ❝ lauriam --- ❞ 

@keyfade​ liked!

A sleepover!  A sleepover!  Hana’s never had one before, but when the night drug on and neither wanted to part, it had seemed natural that they ought to share a space for rest.  Her home is over - large for just one, anyway; father’s room left empty in his absence, a home built or bought for three housing merely one.  She is safe, there, and yet it hadn’t ever felt like a home until he stepped past the doorway.  Her bed is large enough for both, but with some blushing he’d insisted on the floor, and with some blushing she’d agreed.

But she is a different girl these days.  She didn’t have nightmares, before.  Yet tonight she wakes up screaming, keyblade appearing in her hand (  self - preservation!!  ) and the words “STOP IT!” on her lips.  The memory / nightmare is unforgiving and loud but fading quickly; in a few moments, she won’t remember the sensation of Ira’s blade tearing a new scar in her gut and sending her broken flying across the badlands and skidding against the earth.  As quickly as the memory fades she realizes where she is; her bedroom.  She realizes, too, that she’s woken Ephemer — he’s close, looking at her with an expression that she can identify as panicked even in the dim light of the moon.

“S - Sorry,” she gasps, voice trembling.  Hana wills the keyblade away, though body still screams to protect herself.  “Bad —— Bad dream.  I’m o - okay.”  Her hands won’t stop shaking.

                          sleepovers were a fun time for everyone! he had never experienced one personally, but has heard nothing but positive feedback. seems fitting for good friends like themselves, right? he had mad a little make-shift bed on the floor, since the idea of sleeping so close to hana flustered him pretty badly ( he’s a gentlemen with a weak heart ) but he managed. they talked fondly with each other, laughing and smiling, not a care in the world. then a few hours they both drifted in a sound sleep, faint traces of moonlight seep gently into the room, bathing both the young keyblade wielders in a soft, protective hue. all was well and peaceful, a great end to a wonderful night --- at least, it was before the storm came along. it was like getting waken up by a crash of lightning, how violently she tossed back fourth yelling in pure horror, it stirred him out of sleep almost immediately and he shoots up to instantly check up on, “ hana ! --- ”