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From:

some_hero

"Not really, no. I'm not sure what they are, but I hear a lot of talk about them. I gather they're from Earth. I hear there's a lot of versions of Earth represented by the people here. I'm from Cocoon. Our holidays are...Well, a little different. I mean, we have one celebration my town is famous for. It's an annual fireworks show, and local lore says that if you make a wish it'll come true. There's another one called the Pompa Sancta celebrating Cocoon's defeat of Pulse. It's kinda like a big parade. What is Valentine's Day, if you don't mind me asking?"

"And I'm glad it was fine. I mean...I don't know what happened but so long as nothing bad resulted from it. Magic can be pretty hard to handle."

Angeal has mentioned it several times, and he gathered it had something to do with couples but...he wasn't exactly sure.

Snow didn't appear to mind him handling his summoning crystal, as it wouldn't do any harm. The fact that it was a heart-shaped crystal could've been amusing in its own way. "Yeah. Shiva and Nix. They help me out when I need them to. Not sure why, but one day they just kinda showed up when I was in Lake Bresha fighting off PSICOM, nearly overwhelmed...Long story. I'll let you meet them, when we go train."

Edited Date: 2014-02-14 08:36 am (UTC)

From:

areasontohope

"Valentine's Day is..well back where I'm from it's where girls give guys that they like chocolates or gifts. In return men give gifts on what we call White Day exactly one month later. But some of the men here have told me that in their world mutual gifts are given on Valentine's Day and they don't have a White Day."

He paused and sipped his tea. "Christmas is in December, and that's a day that gifts are given, trees are put up and there's usually snow on the ground and someone named Santa Claus delivers them all in one night. Easter is about Spring coming and eggs are featured along with something about an easter bunny. Halloween is about a celebration of death and the dead and dressing up in costumes, which is where my red mage outfit came in." He shook his head. "The Animus have some sort of sense of humour..I guess."

But he brightened at the bit about meeting the sisters. "I would like to meet them..but what is PSiCom?"

From:

some_hero

"So it is kind of like a couples event day. I figured. It's not a bad idea." He said as he cupped his stubbled chin, being thoughtful about it. "I mean, Cocoon has couples' nights and sometimes events and things like that but we don't call it that. Valentine's Day, huh?"

As for the others, Yuki you mostly lost him there at the eggs but...Costume holidays sounded fun. And well, since he was here he didn't mind if they celebrated together.

"Santa..Claus? Wow, those are a lot of holidays. Dressing up, huh? Sounds kinda fun, but not the way they're doing it."

Snow looked thoughtful now as he scratched his head.

"Sure. No problem. PSICOM is a division of the Sanctum military known as the "Public Security and Intelligence Command". They're in charge of making sure we l'Cie are killed off or really, dealing with any threats on Cocoon from Pulse. So they're supposed to protect the people but then they ended up exterminating them in what is called a Purge instead, under a ruse of innocent civilians being thought of as enemies of Cocoon. They're not exactly what you'd call friendly."

From:

areasontohope

"Easter is..next month I think. Halloween is in October, christmas is in December." There were other holidays that Yuki celebrated but he didn't mention them except for one. "January is the new year..it's the first of the year. We usually watch the sun rise and make a wish on it for the coming year."

Yuki was sure he didn't get half of it about psicom, but at least Snow was safe..right? "Are..any of those people here?" He hoped against hope that Snow would say no, but he wanted to know if they were here.

From:

some_hero

"So...Looks like I missed a few, but if you remind me about those I'll see about us celebrating it. I mean, they sound like they could be fun, really." Snow loved to be the life of a party if he could help it.

"Well, no. Not as far as I know. And I'd rather keep it that way." Snow said with a hand going to his hip, and a determined look on his face. It would definitely mean the fal'Cie were involved if somehow out of the blue PSICOM showed up.

From:

areasontohope

He nodded, not bothering to question things. Snow seemed to love to celebrate things so he wouldn't breathe a word about it.

Yuki noted the determined expression and nodded. "I hope they don't. Between the trouble makers and Animus and events, we're booked pretty solid."

From:

some_hero

"Got that right." He couldn't help at the way that was delivered it just made him laugh, and then he was beginning to feel the effects of having no shirt on. Snow wasn't the self-conscious type but it was getting a bit too chilly for his tastes.

"Uh...Be right back." He said as he crossed the hall and finally found his shirt hanging off the bed, slipping it on though he still completely forgot about his do-rag. When he came back to hang in Yuki's door, at least he's decent now.

"Still, you have to admire the way the Animus seem pretty determined to mess everything up. I have to wonder what their deal is."

From:

areasontohope

He didn't comment about the shirt, but the hair thing..no he'd better not say anything about that either. But Yuki liked that black hair thing being gone. And at Snow's guess he shrugged. "They must not have anything better to do than cause trouble, we just seem to be a form of entertainment."

Yuki didn't know what to do, but he felt nervous again so he started moving stuff around.

From:

some_hero

His hair was at least somewhat presentable for once given it dried naturally, with the exception of the defiant wispy ends that ended to stick in different directions. Without the do-rag though it could at least be seen that in the light his hair was definitely gold.

"Guess you're probably right. That's what it said, from what I remember. 'Entertain me'." Snow frowned a little into his tea again, sipping at the rest to make sure he drank it before it got cold.

"I've been meaning to ask, by the way. Maybe this is an odd question to ask out of the blue, but. Did you ever...have a girlfriend or something back home? Or here?"

From:

areasontohope

Yuki heard the question and did a double take at Snow. That really was a question out of the blue and his eyes widened. But the more he thought about it, it was a fair question. So he hid his red face by looking out the window and sighed. "Her name was Machi. She was..one of the ones I got a letter from."

It pained him to talk about it but he had to. "We'd just..started dating and I showed up here. so maybe she's..found someone way more experienced than me. I only ever kissed her." He hated to admit this but he was trying to work on being more open and it was really really hard on Yuki. As it was, his hand clenched at his side, trying not to feel ashamed since there were reasons he'd taken it so very slow with her, not that they were a factor now though, the curse was broken. He'd hesitated with being naturally shy and then the curse was something he would have had to explain. Except it broke the very same day that he decided to finally tell her about it.

From:

some_hero

Didn't want to waste a perfectly brewed cup of tea Yuki had taken such care to make him after all. Snow was still finishing it up before he noted the surprise and the way Yuki hid his face from view as he carefully set the now empty cup back down next to the teapot.

"Machi, huh. Well, I suspected as much. I bet the girls wouldn't leave you alone. You've definitely pretty striking for a guy." He grinned, but quickly turned sober again at the mention of the letter.

"I got a letter from Serah. So I guess that makes sense." Snow said softly with a nod of agreement. He was listening with rapt attention as the Prince spoke, careful not to interrupt lest Yuki lose his nerve. "So back home, huh? And, well. Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you have to take things slow. I don't think it has much to do with experience. It's not everything." Even if Yuki was a virgin that just meant he was devoted, and that was a good sign. Snow had had his fair share of relationships, but they didn't last since the girls were too shallow. Back home, Snow had been a pretty popular, attractive man, and they'd thought to see if he measured up to his size. He'd been guilty of having a few flings too just because he was lonely. Serah was the first one who ever really truly liked him for him.

He moved to sit and straddle one of Yuki's chairs, leaning his arms over the top of it as he looked at him.

"Serah was my wife-to-be. One day, I hoped to marry her before she got branded a l'Cie. I mean, it didn't change my mind but...She completed her Focus and gained eternal life, encased in crystal. Even if one day she might be able to come back, there's no telling when. So I understand. That's pretty rough."

From:

areasontohope

Yuki's face immediately turned red at the compliment. But he tried to ignore it even if his face wouldn't let him do that exactly. "Boys too...but they saw me as..a girl." he managed after a moment. "I'm sure neither would leave..you alone either. Not..with your looks." He couldn't bring himself to say that he thought Snow was handsome. And he was practically tripping over himself to get words that were hard to say past his throat, but he was working on it.

But the way Snow worded things Yuki was not surprised that Snow had been experienced, after all, hearing the story about Serah now..that was proof right there. They would've been married and had children and lived happily ever after..maybe. But the knight deserved a happily ever after. Yuki was sure of that.

His eyes turned when Snow straddled the chair and he had to sit down himself after seeing that. And he shook his head. "You're..you're always so kind..thinking of me when you've had it far rougher than I have." Another shake of the head as he looked at the other. "You..that's amazing."

From:

some_hero

The blush was something he immediately picked up on, Snow unable to stifle his mirth with the obvious simper pulling his plush lips. "Well..." Snow leaned back a little to survey those soft features. "You look like a man to me. Like what a prince might look like, I think. Somehow...Well-groomed. Girls like that, I think." Soft like Hope maybe, but still a man.

"I won't treat you that way. Especially if you don't like it." He might be delicate with him, but that was another matter. What was more, he thought Yuki was pretty in a good way. It suited him. "'Sides, there's nothing wrong with that." He knew this was dangerous territory so he's being cautious.

"Heh. Thanks..." Snow would take the compliment. "You're right, but...Often that's all they look at." He seems a little sober at that. "I'd prefer if they didn't. Serah was the only one who never acted like she cared about that stuff as much."

"But I'm sure you've been on the bad end of that too, so. I don't need to tell you. Preaching to the choir, right?" He smoothed his hand over his damp hair, running bare fingers through it.

"Aha..I don't know what's really so amazing about doing what everyone ought to a little more often. Still I mean, everyone's got their own burdens and if I can make them easier, even if it's just by listening, I'd rather do that." Kindness, that is. And he's not exactly used to being admired over that, either but he's flattered that Yuki would look up to him like that. "And, you make it easy for me to fuss over you." Snow said a little jokingly, reaching out to ruffle Yuki's hair. He was so tall that extending his arm out across the space between them was pretty easy.

From:

areasontohope

His head turned away quickly when Snow called him a prince. And it took him awhile to find his voice. "That's what they called me in high school. I never fit it...and I'm glad to be..less sought after." And while Yuki could honestly say he hadn't been looking, there really weren't too many girls in Adstringendum anyhow and for that he felt fortunate.

He turned with a look at Snow about the way he worded that treating him that way. But he shook his head. No, Snow was just being as silly as Haru, that was all. "Nothing wrong...with what?" Now he was curious. Maybe too much for his own good here, but Yuki was curious.

He hadn't tried to be with girls because of the curse and the pain that it brought. And he was thinking on this when he noted Snow was combing his hair with his fingers. So he turned back to the window and listened to the rest of what the other had to say. And he couldn't keep the smile out of his tone now as he turned to look at the blonde. "You..really are a knight."

From:

some_hero

"Really? I mean. You just have a certain regal look or...Your manners give you that kind of air, I guess." Snow thought it had to be coincidence. It had just been what came to mind when he thought of Yuki and the way he spoke sometimes. His chin was propped over his crossed arms as he leaned down over the back of the chair.

"Nothing wrong with having softer looks. I think it's nice. I mean, I like it..." Okay that sounded awkward. "I mean uh, you look good to me." Snow cleared his throat a little and straightened. "Anyway." Silly he could be, especially with his phrasing at times.

"A knight, well. I can't say I mind being a knight." Snow chuckled, gazing after Yuki who'd moved towards the window. He hoped he hadn't embarrassed his friend too much, in any case.

Edited Date: 2014-02-17 07:17 am (UTC)

From:

areasontohope

His face turned redder the more Snow went on to the point of he wasn't sure what to say. He stayed quiet to the point he hid his face in his hands. He'd kept trying to look past the silly things Snow was saying and it was just making him shut down. "Thank you." he finally managed to whisper though he couldn't get much else past his throat.

Now Yuki really didn't know what to make of all of those things, surely Snow was just trying to make him feel better or something. And the smallest smile graced his lips as he heard the other say that he didn't mind being a knight.

From:

some_hero

He came off oddly when he was trying to compliment Yuki in a sincere way. He could sense the awkwardness in the room and out of reflex couldn't help but feel the burn of a blush himself. Still, he'd backpedal a little if he had to, even if he meant well by what he said. "You're...welcome." He managed to get out before long, clearing his throat.

When there was silence left to hang in the air Snow rolled his shoulders, moving both arms up in a solid stretch. He didn't mind just staying where he was if Yuki was more comfortable. "So..." He said, as if fishing for some topic of conversation, trying his best to at least make himself not come off as foolish. "Anything on your mind right now?" Was that really any better, Snow?

From:

areasontohope

"I'm thinking that you speak before you think about how your words can be perceived by others." This was said with something of a smile and realized Snow was feeling awkward. He hadn't even turned around or looked at the other but heard it clearly in the tone.

Snow was clumsy in a way that could be endearing so it was no wonder this woman named Serah had lost her heart to him. So he turned and faced Snow. If the other could dish it out, so could he. "It's not often that you don't know what to say to me...sir knight."

From:

some_hero

Snow realized that a little belatedly, but given he'd already said it it was a little too late to take back now. "So tell me what it sounds like." Snow said carefully, wondering exactly what it was he was giving off so he could better understand what his presentation of compliments were.

It wasn't so much that he was socially awkward as it was him trying to treat Yuki in a way he thought appropriate and gently too so that he didn't get scared off. Though in this case it was more that he had a tendency to speak his mind without thinking, just like Yuki said.

From:

areasontohope

A flood of reactions went through the silver haired man but he held his temper and kept his tone calm. "Why don't you tell me what it would sound like if I said all of those pretty things to you?" This was him refusing to take the blame for taking things out of context. He wanted Snow to think, that was all. Maybe the man didn't have to think normally but still.

"If you say such things to people so easy, one either has to question your sincerity or your ability to think things through before you say them." He refused to show anger but he was starting to get irritated.

From:

some_hero

Snow went quiet then, swallowing a little under the burn of Yuki's glare. "Can't be just pretty things when you really mean them." He said softly, after a moment. He realized how it sounded, and maybe to some degree he needed to admit some things to himself.

"I'm sorry."

He probably shouldn't have said those things, even if he thought he was being nice. It was more...leading others on in a way that wasn't what he should do, if he didn't mean it. But maybe the scary thing was that he did.

"You're right." Snow admitted in an apologetic tone, taking a breath. "I'm a little new at this. Sorry. Just that I'm not sure what it'll mean if I say this plainly but here goes...I like you."

From:

areasontohope

Yuki sighed. Maybe he'd put an end to it now and Snow would just stop with the sweet words and just stop with everything else too. So he turned away and shook his head and was about to just dismiss it when he heard Snow's apology.

Curious, he turned around and looked at the other which was a mistake. Because then Snow being Snow took it a step further with putting his foot in his mouth and Yuki stared at the pronouncement.

Amethyst eyes went wide and he shook his head. That..that wasn't right of him to say. Snow had no right. It was almost like the day Zack had found him in rat form under the dresser, something he wasn't supposed to have ever seen. But Snow took the rug away so to speak that Yuki had been hiding behind.

But he had one last defense and it was meant to slap himself back into reality, though he knew it would hurt both of them and lowered his head in a silent sort of apology. "But..how..how can you say that? What about Serah? Wouldn't..you want to be with her if she shows up?" And how could Snow say no to that? They were betrothed, that meant far more than..whatever was running through the other's head currently.

Yuki didn't want to be a second choice or replaced should Snow's fiancee' show up to try and live happily ever after. And he'd grieved over losing Machi and her letter had been a bitter and angry one, Yuki didn't know what to believe on that.

From:

some_hero

Snow was now feeling the impact from both Yuki's words and the fact that what he'd said...His heart was too honest and he knew it was going to be harder to explain himself or to justify when Serah was...Serah was his whole world. But there was a hard truth he had to accept, and it might hurt but if he didn't hurt himself then he'd only end up hurting Yuki instead. If nothing else, Snow knew he could at least take the hurt even if it really lanced through the heart.

"I..." There's a definite hesitation as he mulled this over. No one said his life was easy, or that the way things were now that they weren't complicated, even if he put it into words for the other to understand Snow wasn't certain Yuki would. His feelings were never just for show.

"She was my wife-to-be. I promised to be hers. But...I can't count on what-if's. The thing is, I told you before. S-she's...gone." He said it at a near whisper, his fist clenching so hard the leather creaked. There were tears in his eyes which is a big part of the reason he couldn't face the other right then. "I didn't want to admit it to myself, that this crystal meant goodbye. Maybe she'll always be a part of me in a way. Giving me hope, in her own way. She would like to see me happy, I know that much. She was very important to me. But that doesn't mean that I'm saying things lightly, alright? I get how it sounds. I'd just...appreciate if you'd stop acting like I'm insincere."

"But I get that you don't think I'm serious. That's fine. I get it." He rose up from the chair, turning away from Yuki and towards the door. "I'm not sure what could happen. I don't know. No one does. I respect if you'd want to dismiss what I said even if I'd rather you didn't. I can't..fix things to be perfect or to give you a perfect answer. I'm not...that great." Snow's voice was thick now as he tried to keep from letting the tears fall. This was very hard on him. And the "proof" that Yuki wanted, Snow wasn't sure he could give.

"If she came back, I don't think I'd know what to do. I'd be more lost than I am now. I don't think...she's ever coming back. But I do know one thing: I'm not the type who would go and tell you something like this only so I could take it back later."

From:

areasontohope

He was quiet and Yuki mentally cursed himself. He had told himself he only wanted to see Snow smile and he'd used Serah selfishly as a shield to hide. And there he went, hurting the only one who'd been the soul of kindness itself to him. Damn him would he ever learn..

Yuki lowered his head and shook it after Snow got up. He wanted to reach out for the other but wasn't sure if he'd hurt Snow far too much. "No..I'm sorry. I'm bringing up a subject you..you couldn't possibly have an answer to. And I'm not dismissing anything you said."

Again he wasn't sure he was saying anything right because everything felt like it was coming out all wrong. "If..if I'm not allowed to run..I want.." And somehow Yuki took the steps to stand behind Snow and reached up to grab a fistful of the other's coat, while placing his head against Snow's back, and his voice dropped to a whisper. "Please..don't..leave..don't..don't go."

Edited Date: 2014-02-17 12:35 pm (UTC)

From:

some_hero

Somehow he felt like his lungs weren't working, or maybe it was just that his heart felt so heavy that it pained him. The pangs were more than what he thought he could bear, even if he could keep going. It didn't mean he couldn't feel the hurt from something like that. Snow was a wall, but not always an impenetrable one.

With his eyes burning he managed to struggle with his grief, and with the loneliness pulling him into an endless sea of dread he felt like he were drowning. His words just wouldn't come out now, and even if he didn't mean to be this way this overwhelming sense of despair had a way of putting a stranglehold on him.

He sucked in a breath at the pressure at his back, feeling that hand and those words and wanting so badly to just bask in the comfort but not knowing if he should. Against all better judgment or maybe towards a right one, Snow somehow grabbed him in his arms and held tight, his choked breathing quieted as he buried his face in Yuki's hair. The tears were flowing now, and he just so badly needed someone to hold onto...right here.

"...I...I'm not going." He managed to get out, just barely above a whisper on his own.