Sure! Tea goes great with croissants. [Aron will get a wave from Nora and if she draws closer, a pat on the head. Nora slides into a chair in order to wait for the tea.
[ hell yesssss, head pats! aron will gladly take those before rubbing herself at steven's ankles, knowing very well taht her trainer is feeling down. he crouches down to give her half of a croissant before taking the seat next to nora with another cup for her. ]
I'm sure you can tell that something is on my mind.
[ which might explain why he was hesitant in telling nora about it right away. there's an apologetic look in his eyes - it isn't that he doesn't trust her, but this isn't something he'd normally speak about with anyone. ]
[She would be lying if she said she wasn't the least bit curious about what was bothering Steven. But more importantly, she knew that it would do him some good to talk instead of keeping it to himself.
And most importantly, even if that were the case, it would do little good to force him to talk about something he didn't want to.]
Whatever you're going through...you know I want to help you. Somehow. [Her voice is soft, and her expression concerned, but there is a touch of firmness in her eyes. Nora won't leave until she is confident that she has eased Steven's burden in some way.]
I'm afraid this isn't something that can be easily resolved.
[ it isn't as if nora can wind back a clock or heal injuries, though he finds it difficult to be pessimistic with her offer of support. he doesn't want her to worry... and so he sighs, considering how to word his troubles. ]
Someone very close to me left Verens. Though it was temporary, what they experienced there has left them permanently changed.
[The corners of her mouth turn down. She reaches out to take her cup and sip her tea. It's too late if Steven doesn't want Nora to worry; she's already sufficiently worried. And it's something, considering that it takes a lot to make her worry.
"Very close to him". Nora had a hunch who this could be, but her hunch could be wrong.]
Permanently changed...on the outside, the inside, or both?
The outside is what’s most prominent. His core personality hasn’t quite changed... Though it’s going to be quite some time before he returns to normalcy.
[ it sounds a bit shallow when he says it out loud without detail, but there was emotional pain that came with ignis’ physical scarring, not to mention the anxiety that came before it...
he holds his cup, eyes downcast and reserved as he thinks. ]
I understand that. [The same had happened to Yang, after all; she lost an arm, and Nora could imagine the time it took for Yang to become sufficiently cheerful again. She holds her cup almost the same way Steven does, but her eyes are focused on him.]
But you can be there for him until he recovers. Whenever he needs someone.
[ his lips quirk into a small smile, though somewhat wry. ]
You do. He was actually quite fond of you.
[ ignis had told him about what they got up to on the airship to briarlan. it made him happy to know that two important people to him had met and gotten along. ]
He has plenty of support - I'm not worried about that much. It's the longevity of the process that is most frustrating... Despite our best efforts to prepare.
[If Steven's hand is close by, Nora will try to reach out and touch it gently.
Someone who got along well enough with her...someone who would affect Steven this much...Nora mentally goes through the list of people she knew that Steven knew.]
Sometimes, even though we try to prepare, things like this happen. There's things we can't control...so the least we can do, is focus on the things we can.
[ though he doesn't expect nora to know just from just the description he gave, talking about it does help somehow. he flinches slightly when nora touches his hand, but doesn't move away from it. ]
Nothing that I don't already know...
[ he sighs, managing something of a more genuine smile as he turns his hand in her touch. he doesn't dare impose to hold it, but it's a response that says that her gesture isn't unwanted. ]
But somehow, hearing it from someone other than myself is more reassuring.
[His reaction to her hand on his isn't negative, so Nora keeps it where it is, in reassurance. She gives his hand a pat before moving her own away again - but close enough if he needs it again.]
So you needed a second opinion, huh?
...
I want to help, too...do what I can for this person.
[She wasn't going to press for details, but this technically wasn't pressing. But if Steven would confirm her hunch, that would be peachy.]
[ he hadn’t thought about it that way, but reassurance from an uninvolved party does somehow make things feel a little brighter. it’s confirmation that they’re doing all that they can - now, the key is patience.
he thinks for a moment. it isn’t as if his relationship with ignis is a secret, nor would telling nora be an equivalent of drawing unwanted attention to themselves. he trusts her, along with her genuine desire to help. ]
I think the best thing for him is to not treat him differently. You likely haven’t seen it, but Ignis can be quite stubborn.
[ he hasn’t actually given detail to the nature of their relationship, but nora might know. the way steven looks when he says his name is similar to how she might look when she talks about ren. ]
[Nora continues sipping her tea while Steven carries on speaking. When her hunch proves to be correct, she doesn't react, although at the mention of Ignis' name she sets her teacup down with a gentle clink, and nods sagely.
She doesn't have to get any more details about Ignis and Steven's relationship; it's written all over Steven's face, and the degree of worry and care he shows for Ignis...besides, that wasn't their topic for today.]
That's right. We shouldn't treat him differently. Ignis...is still Ignis, no matter what happened to him. It doesn't change how we feel about him, either.
[ he manages a smile, hidden behind the rim of his teacup as he takes a sip of his own. speaking with ignis on the morning of his return hadn’t deferred him from their bond in the least - if anything, it had strengthened and solidified it. he loves every aspect of him, and his scars are now a part of that. ]
Though when you do see him... I’d like to ask a favour of you.
[ he's almost able to crack a proper smile at her words. leave it to nora to jump at an opportunity to help. ]
If you see him any time soon...
[ uncharacteristically, he pauses. it isn't that he wants to hover over ignis, nor does he want to use nora as some sort of spy while he's not around. it's more out of concern that ignis is hiding the extent of his pain from him - if he can, he wants to know if there's more that he can be doing. ]
I'd like to know if he seems fatigued. I have no doubt this ordeal will be taking a toll on him, but there's only so much I can see for myself.
[At first, Nora just stares at Steven. But it doesn't take long for her to nod sagely. Nora could usually figure these things out from people, and she could do it without being too invasive. She also understood how this was important to Steven.]
I'll let you know if I see him. [A pause, and Nora gently points a finger toward Steven's direction.] But you have to believe in him, too. I know he'll also do his best to keep moving forward.
[ he knows that it's something of an odd request, but the worry he holds for his partner is lately trumping his penchant for logic. he sighs, tiredly brushing his fringe to the side. ]
I do... But you're right. [ his smile is wry once more, but appreciative as well. ] Thank you, Nora.
[ he lets out a short chuckle. he's assumed the duty of a role model for so long that being on the receiving end of a pep talk almost feels foreign. he's spoken to nora like this before; clearly the tables have turned. ]
It's odd. Usually I'm the one giving this kind of reassurance.
That's okay. Everyone needs some assurance, sometimes. Even the ones who usually give it.
[Nora's smile brightens as though she has found a perfect solution to Ignis' problem. Then, she extends her arm a bit more, and if Steven doesn't avoid it in time, he is going to be on the receiving end of a gentle:]
[ though he doesn’t move, he’s incredibly confused as to what nora is doing when she extends her arm. he is indeed booped, and it leaves him with a bemused expression. ]
“Boop”...? [ weird, but silly. ] Should I know what that means?
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And for whatever's eating Steven.]
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I'm sure you can tell that something is on my mind.
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It's not hard.
[She could've made a joke, but it would be in poor taste.]
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[ which might explain why he was hesitant in telling nora about it right away. there's an apologetic look in his eyes - it isn't that he doesn't trust her, but this isn't something he'd normally speak about with anyone. ]
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And most importantly, even if that were the case, it would do little good to force him to talk about something he didn't want to.]
Whatever you're going through...you know I want to help you. Somehow. [Her voice is soft, and her expression concerned, but there is a touch of firmness in her eyes. Nora won't leave until she is confident that she has eased Steven's burden in some way.]
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[ it isn't as if nora can wind back a clock or heal injuries, though he finds it difficult to be pessimistic with her offer of support. he doesn't want her to worry... and so he sighs, considering how to word his troubles. ]
Someone very close to me left Verens. Though it was temporary, what they experienced there has left them permanently changed.
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"Very close to him". Nora had a hunch who this could be, but her hunch could be wrong.]
Permanently changed...on the outside, the inside, or both?
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[ it sounds a bit shallow when he says it out loud without detail, but there was emotional pain that came with ignis’ physical scarring, not to mention the anxiety that came before it...
he holds his cup, eyes downcast and reserved as he thinks. ]
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But you can be there for him until he recovers. Whenever he needs someone.
...And me too. I-If I know this person.
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You do. He was actually quite fond of you.
[ ignis had told him about what they got up to on the airship to briarlan. it made him happy to know that two important people to him had met and gotten along. ]
He has plenty of support - I'm not worried about that much. It's the longevity of the process that is most frustrating... Despite our best efforts to prepare.
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Someone who got along well enough with her...someone who would affect Steven this much...Nora mentally goes through the list of people she knew that Steven knew.]
Sometimes, even though we try to prepare, things like this happen. There's things we can't control...so the least we can do, is focus on the things we can.
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Nothing that I don't already know...
[ he sighs, managing something of a more genuine smile as he turns his hand in her touch. he doesn't dare impose to hold it, but it's a response that says that her gesture isn't unwanted. ]
But somehow, hearing it from someone other than myself is more reassuring.
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So you needed a second opinion, huh?
...
I want to help, too...do what I can for this person.
[She wasn't going to press for details, but this technically wasn't pressing. But if Steven would confirm her hunch, that would be peachy.]
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[ he hadn’t thought about it that way, but reassurance from an uninvolved party does somehow make things feel a little brighter. it’s confirmation that they’re doing all that they can - now, the key is patience.
he thinks for a moment. it isn’t as if his relationship with ignis is a secret, nor would telling nora be an equivalent of drawing unwanted attention to themselves. he trusts her, along with her genuine desire to help. ]
I think the best thing for him is to not treat him differently. You likely haven’t seen it, but Ignis can be quite stubborn.
[ he hasn’t actually given detail to the nature of their relationship, but nora might know. the way steven looks when he says his name is similar to how she might look when she talks about ren. ]
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She doesn't have to get any more details about Ignis and Steven's relationship; it's written all over Steven's face, and the degree of worry and care he shows for Ignis...besides, that wasn't their topic for today.]
That's right. We shouldn't treat him differently. Ignis...is still Ignis, no matter what happened to him. It doesn't change how we feel about him, either.
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[ he manages a smile, hidden behind the rim of his teacup as he takes a sip of his own. speaking with ignis on the morning of his return hadn’t deferred him from their bond in the least - if anything, it had strengthened and solidified it. he loves every aspect of him, and his scars are now a part of that. ]
Though when you do see him... I’d like to ask a favour of you.
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What is it? Anything.
[That last word tumbles out before she could think. It's true though; Nora had come here to do whatever she could to ease Steven's pain.]
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If you see him any time soon...
[ uncharacteristically, he pauses. it isn't that he wants to hover over ignis, nor does he want to use nora as some sort of spy while he's not around. it's more out of concern that ignis is hiding the extent of his pain from him - if he can, he wants to know if there's more that he can be doing. ]
I'd like to know if he seems fatigued. I have no doubt this ordeal will be taking a toll on him, but there's only so much I can see for myself.
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I'll let you know if I see him. [A pause, and Nora gently points a finger toward Steven's direction.] But you have to believe in him, too. I know he'll also do his best to keep moving forward.
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I do... But you're right. [ his smile is wry once more, but appreciative as well. ] Thank you, Nora.
[ he lets out a short chuckle. he's assumed the duty of a role model for so long that being on the receiving end of a pep talk almost feels foreign. he's spoken to nora like this before; clearly the tables have turned. ]
It's odd. Usually I'm the one giving this kind of reassurance.
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[Nora's smile brightens as though she has found a perfect solution to Ignis' problem. Then, she extends her arm a bit more, and if Steven doesn't avoid it in time, he is going to be on the receiving end of a gentle:]
Boop.
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“Boop”...? [ weird, but silly. ] Should I know what that means?
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[She giggles softly. Yeah, it's weird and silly, but does the trick.]
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[ he just wants to make sure he understands the full context of a boop. it's very important, and he is treating it as such. ]
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[YES, A BOOP IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT. TREASURE IT.]
But besides them and Ren, there's no one else. [Nora shrugs.]
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