CLEMENTINE ✬

[reconnective]

Comments

[stillnot]

[ it's not like she minds. they get to talk without him seeing her expression, so it's nice, in its own way. ]

... Yeah. We'll see.

[ she hugs him a little tighter. tomorrow is not something she's looking forward to. ]

[reconnective]

[this time he'll loop an around around her to return the gesture.]

Yup. We'll see. [it's...not great to think about, if he's honest. of course it's important to go home. it's important to go back and to wait for someone to come find him.

...but there are a lot of important people here, too. leaving them behind seems worse now that it's so close.

it's why he goes quiet before speaking up again.]

Hey. I've got something for you.

[stillnot]

[ hmm. she hesitates to respond, and when she does it's quiet. ]

You already gave me something, though.

[reconnective]

Something different. It's not a big deal and it's probably a joke at this point, but if you have a place at that school then you should keep it anyway.

[which is to say he's reaching into his pocket and pulling out what looks like a shiny blue fantasy rock? nobody specified what color blue it is so for my own amusement it probably almost matches his eyes.

why does he keep giving her rocks. stop.]

[stillnot]

[ she has to draw back to be able to look at it. and if she weren't fucking miserable right now, she would genuinely be delighted by this stupid fantasy rock. she likes collectibles! but she is miserable, so. she takes it and just... looks at it. ]

Thanks, Sora. It's great. [ she means this! even though it really doesn't sound like she does. ]

... I didn't - I don't have anything for you.

[reconnective]

[congrats on your rock that he was going to give her a few days ago and then. stalled. because things happened. it's fine. there's an affirmative noise with the thanks, but then he goes quiet again.]

What's that matter? I'm not giving it to you because I want something in exchange.

[stillnot]

[ yeah, she put that together. it's fine. she's just kind of turning the rock over in her hand idly. ]

I know, but... Still.

[ it's a goodbye gift. she doesn't like that it's unbalanced right now. ]

[reconnective]

[well. he has memories right now, so it doesn't take long for him to continue.]

...did I ever tell you about Kairi's good luck charm?

[stillnot]

[ you can't distract her from being sad! (yes you can) ]

Mm... The ones for safe travels?

[reconnective]

Yup. She gave it to me during our first trip and made me promise to give it back to her someday. It's made out of those thalassa shells I told you about and it's shaped like a star.

...on our island, there's this fruit that's also shaped like a star. It's called a paopu, and the legends say that if you share one with somebody, your destinies become intertwined.

[it's dark, but if she looks enough she will find what looks like an outline drawing of a star-shaped fruit on the rock.]

It's not the same, but...[he wants her to have it for a reason. for luck, protection, and some kind of a bind to find each other again someday.]

[stillnot]

[ clementine stops turning the rock over in her hand when she notices the drawing on it. she runs her thumb over it, quiet for a long moment. she's not sure what to say to that.

she's spent all day half-conscious that they're splitting up, after this. and she's pretty convinced they'll never see each other again, because good things don't tend to last for clementine. people who leave you don't come back. she's seen enough magic to really comprehend that it exists in other worlds, but there's still a lot of uncertainty.

so this is... a nice thought. it taps into what she's worried about, and that means a lot. she holds the rock up to her chest. ]

... Think it'll work?

[reconnective]

It's definitely worth trying. Even if it doesn't work the exact way it's supposed to? It'll be a reminder for both of us and it'll help me find you again.

[if his heart really is his guiding key, having something to focus on will help him seek her out again when they're both ready.]

Trust me.

[stillnot]

[ she hates that he says that?

because she does trust him. but trusting someone and believing in miracles are two very separate things. and all her 'believing in miracles' energy right now is going towards thinking about that wish, and even that is still a very cautious thing.

it's not like she can just tell him no. (well. she could?) ]

... I trust you.

[ there are a lot of 'but' statements that could follow, but she holds them back. ]

[reconnective]

...thank you. [normally he would say "good" or something to that effect but also sometimes you're very well aware time's running out so you take what you can get, which is the other reason he tilts his head up to kiss her cheek in gratitude.]

Everything's going to be fine.

[stillnot]

[ that part she believes - to the extent that she can believe in anything good. maybe not all the details and things she wants to happen will happen, but...

she exhales. after the kiss, this time she's leaning her face into the crook of his neck.

sora makes her feel better. ]

Well. As long as you say so.

[ she's trying to sound teasing. ]

[reconnective]

[it's fine, they can just hang out down here and he'll keep holding onto her while she stays there.]

I do. I don't know what the future looks like yet, but we earned a happy ending. Everything will be better. [so even if she's teasing he's just being grossly sincere.]

[stillnot]

[ she doesn't want to cry, so she's not. that's taking a lot of willpower though. ]

I've told you, I don't really believe in happy endings.

[reconnective]

And I told you from the very beginning that I'd believe enough for both of us. I still do.

[stillnot]

[ still just. hanging her head against him. quietly: ]

That just means this is an ending, though?

[reconnective]

...not a permanent one. So it's more like a pause, I guess?

[stillnot]

... Loophole.

[ woo... ]

[reconnective]

We've been pretty good at finding those lately, haven't we? Figured it made sense to keep it up.

[stillnot]

[ after another moment just lingering - clem sits back up straight. alright. okay. she's ready to steel herself for this because she had her moment. and she went into this knowing this was how it would be. ]

Yep. We're experts now, so... Better keep it up.

[reconnective]

Hah...you worried? I'm not gonna let either of us fall behind.

[stillnot]

Of course I'm worried.

[ literally you're leaving her to go die. she can keep her voice even, but she can't just pretend everything is completely fine and laugh it off. ]