A New Year's Miracle (Closed)

[forwantofahorse]

Who: Sayo (and a special guest) and the rest of Clockhouse.
What: Sayo finds a miracle when she sheds her skin.
When: Early to mid January!
Where: Clockhouse.

Content Warnings: Putting a blanket Umineko spoiler warning for everything in this log, will update as needed.

Comments

[be_a_miracle]

Ah...

[Lion stands there, wind tousling their hair as they stare out into the choppy ocean. Sayo had avoided returning to the beach because it reminded her of Rokkenjima when, despite everything else about Trench, she'd finally escaped, but for Lion...

Ange's right. It reminds them of home.

Startling, Lion realizes that a few tears are falling from their eye, and wipes them away quickly—hopefully before Ange can see. Smiling, they walk up to stand next to her, reflexively moving to sling their coat across their shoulder before realizing they're wearing a dress and letting out a small chortle.]

...the sea's a beautiful blue today, huh, Ange-chan?

Thank you for taking me here.

[happymeal]

[ Lion is in luck. Ange seems so excited about the situation that she indeed doesn't notice the tears before they're already wiped away. Instead she just smiles, especially when they get close to her, looking up at them with that smile.

Even if she sure doesn't know all the meaning contained behind such a simple statement about the sea, something about it feels nice to her all the same. ]

No.. [ She slowly shakes her head. ] Thank you! Because, um..

[ Slowly the smile drops a little, replaced with something a tad more thoughtful. ]

I think.. if you weren't here, I might be kinda lonely.. Because mom and dad and Battler onii-chan aren't here.. [ Even if this Ange hasn't had to miss them the way the older Ange has, it's almost as if something of the sentiment, of the pain, remains deep within her. ] .. but when we're both here, we don't have to be lonely.

[be_a_miracle]

...I think I'd be lonely without you too.

It's strange to say this, but... [Lion laughs, rubbing the back of their head and doing their best not to cry.] ...thank you for being here, Ange-chan. Thank you for staying here, no matter how hard it gets.

[Even if Ange forgets everything else eventually, they want her to remember that. They kneel down, scooping her up in a tight hug.]

You're very strong for being able to keep going without your mom or dad or brother, you know that? Even though I'm here, it must still be pretty hard.

But I'm so, so glad that I was able to make that a little easier for you.

[happymeal]

.. strong?

[ Ange softly repeats the word. Despite seeming a little surprised by the hug - and really, even moreso by the words coming out of their mouth - she does allow herself to be draw into the embrace, even though she's momentarily pretty passive in the hug as her tiny six year old brain is starting to think really hard.

Is she strong? She does guess she misses them, but it's hard for this younger Ange to understand the full extent of what the other is saying. ]

Then.. aren't you strong too..? Don't you miss your mom and dad and sister..?

[be_a_miracle]

...I do. Quite a lot.

[The Golden Land always being there for Lion doesn't dull the pain of never being able to see their own family again.

Every time that Jessica looked at them like a stranger felt like a stab in the heart, and every time that Natsuhi refused to look them in the eye as her shoulders sagged from guilt was just as painful.]

But I can always keep them in my heart, where my memories are. That way, it's almost like I can visit them whenever I want to.

[happymeal]

[ Ange slowly touches her chest. ]

In your.. heart..?

[ It's like she's pondering those words in this moment. She doesn't doubt that it's something Lion can do, since she does look up to the other - if not just by default, just by being an older cousin - but Ange seems a little bit doubtful of it when it comes to herself.

Especially since her expression drops little by little, the more she thinks about it. ]

That sounds a little sad though.. It sounds much nicer to have your family with you instead.

[ ... ]

I'd rather have you here than in my heart, Lion..!