#{touya.}

          "I think so,"

     It is a breathless response, swept away by the wind and buries itself in the swell of clouds and mist that waits just over the edge of Celestial Tower. Something that perhaps either trainer could argue she had spoken nothing at all, and they just so happen to be imagining the same thing. They are, to one another, strangers. A coincidence in the crossing of their paths, and yet Serena does not believe his question to be unjustified or a push too far into familiarity. She stands, frozen before a monument, and has been for some time. Free at all sides, free to turn on her heels and hurry down those spiralling flights of stairs, yet trapped by the workings of her own mind. A self-imposed confinement broken only with the turning of her head at his first words, and again, to answer another gentle pry.

     Slate grey eyes flicker to the corner of her vision— a cursory glance back to what had drawn her here in the first place. That great bell, that Serena swears, despite its inanimacy, looks right through her. And the ghost of a crease forms at her brow.

          "It's just... a little more confronting than I thought it would be. I did not think this, of all things, would be so..."

     Horrifying. Though she has heard no way to decipher the chimes given off by it, what if her own is not what she would expect? Some cacophonous and dire sound that would disturb all of those at rest? Could it look that far into one's heart, and feed off of fears and worries in the deepest parts of a person's mind, or would it take every part of herself into account? Arms move, crossing themselves over the heroine's ribs, fingertips tracing the outlines of bones at its sides. And, finally, she finds the will to step to the side, out of the bell's focus.

Send me 📏 and I'll compare our muses' heights || Accepting

--

          "...And now you know why ballerinas can be classified as being 'too tall' even if they aren't all that tall. It's a bit silly and outdated, but they prefer us to be shorter than our partners while en pointe, or at the very least the same height."

          "I'm grateful for you, too. For being lucky enough to be part of your life. More than anything else,"

     Without wasting a beat, her hand moves to tuck the stem of the Gracidea flower behind his ear. And then, in a fashion clearly just to be humorous, features fall into a horrifically serious sort, quivering as it tries to stay in place against an earlier grin and heat still pooling in cheeks.

          "...Come to think of it... You're right,

     She looks up from the book resting atop a stomach and against bent legs and sheets, eyes detaching from words to glance over his direction. Her words are soft, almost a whisper as though the dead of night might whisk them away to unsuspecting ears. Fingers move— first to bring a narrow line of ribbon amongst pages, then to close the book. And she sits up proper, back straight against the headboard. Her attention all Touya's in his moment of introspection.

          "But... I remember when we first met... Любовь моя, you were holding onto so much— completely understandable and warranted anger, feeling like the world was unfairly placed on your shoulders, all of that stress... with very few who had similar experiences. And so was I. We were both suffering in self-imposed silence, and we thought we were alone in it, because the cause was... so rare. Unheard of."

     The Hero of Truth. The Hero of Kalos. She remembers it well, the moment they had first spoke and realised, perhaps, their worlds were not separate, but close enough to share a forgotten and blurred border. The first time she, at least, had not felt on her own in her frustration and woes.

          "Maybe... deep down, you needed someone who could listen, yes... but who knew what it felt like, and let you speak your mind— completely unrestrained. Someone to just... support you, let you explore parts of yourself that maybe you were scared to confront. Instead of bottling it all up until it boiled over."

     She pauses. Lips drawing into a thin line, eyes flittering off to the side. And when they return to the brunette's features, a smile takes its place upon her own. Warm and soft and inviting, like the glow of the lamp beside her.

Send me 💡 and my muse will tell yours what ability they think fits yours || Accepting

          "Cute charm, of course. The first time you called me, what was it... 'drop-dead gorgeous'? That was it. I was head over heels. Or Illuminate, since you have brought light to my life,"

          "...I'll stop now. If you had to have an ability... Vital spirit. Even when we had just met, you were always so full of life and emotion— you could have told me that didn't need to sleep, and I would've believed you. It's infectious, and both now and back then... it vitalised me, too. I also don't think that, in a fight, you'd let something like sleep stop you."

          "...And I've seen how you fight off sleep. When we can be together. When we call. That is always something... impressive, I will say. It... makes me wish we could live together all of the time. So... So you wouldn't have to anymore..."

          "..."

"Hmph..." He's going to be grumpy about not getting it perfectly for awhile.

          Oh no. Not that pout. Not over this. She is quick to move, standing on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to his forehead. And with a laugh-laced coo, hands move to cup his features and coax him into looking over at her own— gently, as though his partially shattered mood might spread to the rest of him.

     "Aw, mon grand. L'amour de ma vie... You look so sad. But you remembered enough about my bond with Xerneas, to me. You were technically correct,"

     Another short giggle, thumbs brushing over skin before, in the lightest movement and for a split second, attempting to push corners of lips upwards.

          "Oh, my poor, sweet love,"

     She did not know a spine could even make a cacophony of sounds like that. Had her own back been turned, Serena might have thought him to be playing some harmless prank, popping a sheet of bubble wrap and stashing it away from sight before claiming its source. Yet, no. A simple movement, and the heroine bore witness to dull cracking in of itself a horror story to the athletic and active. Her steps are slow, and in her arms rests the wriggling form of a Whimsicott, captured in her embrace from aimless floating but moments before.

          "In your twenties, and already your bones are turning to dust... I'll buy another broom. Or one of those, uh—..."

     A wrist rolls, fingers parting in search of words as though they already sit in the air.

          "—robot vacuums."

     She will admit, holding her features in such a blank, unamused expression proves to be a far more difficult task than first anticipated. How the corners of downturned lips twitch, and brows fight to stay in that line. Another joyful escape attempt from the fairy-type, and arms shift, fingers combing through cotton in a vain attempt to contain the rascal who she is sure would love nothing more than to set her mischievous sights on the brunette before them.

Pokemon vibes || Selectively accepting

          «I won't lie to you. Your hasty nature concerns me. You're unpredictable at your worst, and I don't like unpredictability. I don't know how Serena deals with it... but it doesn't seem to cause her any stress. She trusts you a great deal, you know. More than she can tell you. But I guess that just goes without saying when it comes to whoever someone loves,»

          «...This stays between you and me. Your... more troublesome behaviours, while they have toned down significantly since you became involved with Serena... it did make me look into the future. Your future, or yours and hers. Serena's safety is my priority, after all. Above all else. She's been tricked and hurt. I didn't want you to hurt her.»

          «Perhaps it comes as a shock to you. We Delphox are capable of peering into the future, albeit... seeing the outcomes of multiple timelines all at once. None of which we can say for certainty is ours. You could imagine my shock, then... when I saw none where you break her heart. All I saw were many different instances of a happy, loving life together. Something I know she's wanted for a long time. A family.»