IC Inbox for Empath

[innermonologues]

Messenger Bird/Voice/Image/Action

Comments

[innermonologues]

[ Squall stands there watching as Terra leaves so quickly. His eyes seem to look amazed as he zooms off. It's crazy how impressive that is, and while... he still doesn't think anything keyblade note worthy will come from this experiment, being able to train with Terra might be fun...

Squall moves to sit down in front of the house, figuring it'd be easier for Terra when he got back. ]

[darkearth]

[The gift isn't heavy or huge, so Terra returns not very long after leaving. Being able to use the glider helped. He gets off the glider much the same way he got on: fluidly and stepping off at the very end as it breaks apart in a swarm of soft light.]

You didn't have to wait outside. [It is small. What Terra pulls out of his pocket is a flat, thin cloth with a stringed band attached. It's definitely a sleep mask.] I've worn it a few times.

I didn't have bad dreams that woke me up.

[innermonologues]

A sleeping mask...?

[ Squall tilts his head a little, looking from Terra to the mask a few times.]

[darkearth]

Yep. [He said it wasn't anything special!! The mask if offered out to Squall on his palm when he walks over.] You don't have to take it if you don't want. I know... it seems silly.

But I believe... it helps somehow. Maybe it'll help with you, too.

[innermonologues]

Are you sure... you want me to take this? It sounds like you might need it as well...?

[darkearth]

I'm okay. I don't have them often. [He nods his head, an indication Squall can take it.] Try it.

If it doesn't work, you can give it back. I won't mind.

[innermonologues]

I'll give it a try... I shouldn't rely on Sora to always make them go away, but if you start... sleeping badly for even a little, you're taking it back.

[darkearth]

[Terra smiles a bit, nods again.] Alright. That's fair. [He won't be taking it back because Squall will never know! HA.]

Sora's been helping you? How does he do it?

[innermonologues]

[ Don't make him come over there, young man..! ]

Usually when we sleep together, it's like all the bad thoughts just kind of poof away.

[darkearth]

[By now, Terra knows Riku and Sora are an item. He knows Ven sleeps with Sora sometimes. Here, he's being told Squall sleeps with Sora also.

What the hell is Sora?

Terra has all the pieces to understanding the threesome situation without the brain to put them together like he should.]

Oh. [This is fine? He kind of gets it. Aqua and Ven would occasionally take turns sleeping with him when dreams were bad.] Friends do make bad thoughts go away, don't they?

[innermonologues]

[ It’s okay, Terra. Most people probably wouldn’t think that Sora would be dating two people. There was a light breeze swirling around the two of them with a strong scent of a spring rain without the rain. Talking about Sora always seemed to put him in a good mood and when he was in a good mood this usually happened. He rubbed the back of his neck, a flustered look forming on his face.]

I wouldn’t really say any friend could make me feel better while sleeping. It’s only Sora. He’s always made me feel...this way. Even when I couldn’t recognize just what this feeling was.

[ The breeze gives off a strange spark of warmth and happiness as it swirls around them still. ]

[darkearth]

[While he may not understand, yet, the depth of this feeling, Terra understands the feeling behind what's happening around them, maybe even unknowingly.]

It's good you have someone like Sora. [In the end, it didn't matter if Sora was a friend or a boyfriend. Sora meant something to Squall, and that's what's important.] I'm sure he feels the same about you.

Maybe you don't need the mask after all. You just needed someone with a heart full of light.

[innermonologues]

[ That gets a soft laughter out of Squall. It seemed warm and light. Maybe all this do what your heart tells you to do stuff isn’t as silly as Squall said it was. Maybe it was actually pretty nice...]

Do you have someone like that, Terra? Someone you... you know love?

[ It’s kind of a sappy subject but Terra put him in a sappy mood, and honestly he thought he might have to scold Terra if he said no, because he feels like if Terra puts himself down about not being bright, he might do the same about not hving a special someone.]

[darkearth]

[Oh. Oh no. YIKES. The tables have been turned.

Terra is quick to look both mildly surprised and mildly embarrassed.] Uh... [He glances away to the side while reaching back to rub his neck. Squall's feelings of love aren't helping him keep his own in check.

Thinking about Aqua doesn't bring the smell of rain necessarily, but it does bring the subtle brine of the sea. The windy sway of waves rushing in and then dragging back out.]

I guess... I do have someone like that. [For a few seconds he's quiet. Then, softly:] Aqua.

[innermonologues]

Ah... your other friend, huh? It’s funny how friendship can bloom into more intense feelings. One day everything seems fine, you’re both just enjoying each other’s company, then the next minute your heart races every time you see them...

[ Squall stands up to pat Terra’s head. Much like Terra sometimes does to him.]

It’s hard not to fall in love with a pure heart I guess.

[darkearth]

[Friendship was definitely a mistake. Hearing Squall so accurately describe his fall from friendship into something more is a bigger mistake. He can't keep the heat out of his face, and he subconsciously rubs his jawline with his hand as it comes around his neck.]

Yeah. [Aqua is not entirely as pure as, say, Sora or Ven, but her heart is strong-willed and resilient. His faint smile slowly fades, though. Wait--] You--

You feel that way about Sora?

[innermonologues]

[ He didn’t even mean for his words to be as teasing as they were but it ended up happening. It was nice to see Terra look that happy though. Usually he seemed so close to fighting to stay happy. So seeing this side was definitely good... well it was good until Terra’s smile started to fade away.... Did he say something wrong..?]

Yeah. I have for years now...

[darkearth]

[Give him a minute, Squall.]

But... [Wait. Riku and Sora are together. Terra hadn't exactly been all that surprised about it. They've been friends for a long time. Squall and Sora sleep with each other. Squall, it's easy for Terra to tell, is in love with Sora. Years.] Have you... told Sora this? [Is that wrong to do, he wonders, knowing Riku and Sora are dating.]

Riku said... he and Sora were together.

[innermonologues]

I guess years is a little long. More like a year and a half...

[ He tilted his head a little when Terra's face seemed to scrunch up a little more. He looked pretty bothered to hear--oh. Squall shook his head with an amused smile. He thinks he understands now.]

They are. You're not wrong.

[ Squall scratches the back of his neck a little. ]

But so are we?

[darkearth]

[Why does no one tell him things! He's so confused, but sounds stupid. He's also relieved, in a way. He thought he was going to be strung between his protege and a friend, both of whom are important to Sora regardless.]

Oh... I... didn't realize. [There could be a threesome?] Riku didn't... [He guesses it's not exactly Riku's place to say, though, is it? Likewise, Terra rubs the back of his neck. This is awkward.] Nevermind.

Sora knows about this, right? That... you both...?

[innermonologues]

Does Sora know about...Oh..! [ Squall's face quickly changes from confusion to a mixture of embarrassment. ]

No, it's. [ Why is he stumbling over his words. ] I'm not with Riku. Riku and I are both dating Sora.

[darkearth]

[Finally, Terra manages to smile just barely at Squall's momentary fluster.] That's okay. [Cute.] You and Riku must be close, though. If you're both... together with Sora.

[And now he's starting to understand the similarities between Riku and Squall, and why Sora... has a "type" it seems.]

I never thought about... feeling that way about more than one person. But Sora is special, I guess.

[innermonologues]

[ Uuugh. Squall turns his head away, his face starting to show color, and if Terra looks up he'll notice a cloud forming above the both of them. It wasn't an ordinary cloud though, it looked soft and pail and... pink?? ]

Yeah... it was a strange thing to deal with. Honestly it's still kind of strange, but I think we're starting to find our flow or whatever. Neither of us wanted to make Sora choose. Sora... he's the kind of person who loves and he loves big... and telling him he can't love someone... seems like the cruelest thing of all.

[ he glanced back at Terra, with a faint smile on his lips. ]

Riku's... a good kid though. I was blinded but jealousy before, but I'm starting to... see him for him and he's... good.

[darkearth]

[Wow, that sure is a pink cloud. Squall pls. Terra won't ever be able to get over the fact emotions can be seen in real time. Often embarrassing, sometimes dangerous, but mostly cute.]

I love Ven, but... not the same way I love Aqua. [It's his turn to kind of glance away, an attempt to keep the color out of his face.] If Aqua loved someone else... I guess I would be jealous, too. I've made some mistakes, so... someone else could be better for her. [He looks back after a moment.]

Riku has been through a lot. I know he said he wasn't as nice as he could have been before. But... he's a good person. I now the light wouldn't lead me wrong. There was a reason we met. I think it was because... we wanted the same thing. To be strong enough to protect our friends.

[innermonologues]

[ Squall nods his head with a small smile. Little pink flakes of snow start to fall around them. ]

It's good... that verens brought you all together again. You and your friends... Riku. I'm glad. We all have our weird hangups but... having someone you care about close kind of makes those feelings seem dumb.