[ Which means, yes, she can come over. After a moment of fumbling with the communication device, he happens to send his address. ] And... no, nothing else is necessary.
[She texts him exactly one ':)' before she sets out with one small porcelain planter decorated in paisley flourishing details in lavender packaged carefully. One rattan basket later and she's out the door, quick on her heels to steal through the cold until she arrives at his address.
There's a polite knock on the door.
She waits patiently, taking the time she waits to straighten herself out. Fixes the jacket that she never seems to be without and the way her hair settles. She's wearing the hair piece he bought for her, right with her ribbon. As if it belongs there, now.]
[ Somnus doesn't know what a colon and a closed parentheses means... and so he waits for her to arrive.
When she knocks, he opens the door to her, his gaze lifting to just above her head for a few scant moments.
Beyond his shoulder-- inside his flat, there's nothing but the bare minimum of what could be considered living quarters. The walls remain bare, the windows remain with their shutters closed, and... there's no furniture or decorations at all. It seems that this place has only been used as a means for rest. Forgive him, he's been within the void of the Ring for over two thousand years. He knows nothing else by now, and he's since been much less accustomed to the ornate furnishing of the palace he once inhabited eras ago.
As for himself, Somnus is dressed in a white, loose tunic and a blue chlamys. His typical dark overcoat and cloak remain hanging on a nearby wall.
His eyes drop to the planter she carries... And then he steps aside, allowing her to enter. Of course, it is time he made good on the promise from two weeks ago. ] You have come to instruct.
[She is all smiles when he answers. A sweeping wave later, and Aerith finds her voice.]
Hello!
[There is a moment, a few perhaps, that she examines him. He looks nice. He usually does. Maybe he could use a pick-me-up.] Oh, you look cute today. [Or all the time. They're close enough by this point that she's willing to say it.]
[When he allows her in, Aerith wastes no time in looking around at everything. Eyes only. No hands yet. He doesn't have very much, does he? Maybe she should take him shopping... Not that she can say much. She hasn't gotten a lot of additions to her place yet either.
Mostly just plants.
When he speaks, she pauses in the middle of eyeing his shutters.]
Unless you already know how to take care of a primrose.
[ Him, cute? She's going to have to get used to seeing him like this because he only ever wears togas or tunics. Modern day clothes, or even those of the medieval sort, are not to his tastes.
Somnus closes the door behind her, making his way to stand beside one of the walls, trailing her with his gaze.
[Her head tilts as she leaves her gaze fastened upon his and then she offers a nod. Ah. Sounds like he doesn't know much. Good thing she's here, then. Not that Aerith knows everything about every single plant (because she doesn't). She at least did the research on the primrose.]
Well, primroses aren't very tricky. I didn't want to give you anything too complicated.
[She gestures to his shutters with one hand before reaching for the small pot she's got for him.]
They don't really need direct sunlight. You should give them something indirect. So a window that doesn't face the sun as it rises or sets should be just fine. This one is still very young, so you'll need to take good care of it and don't over-water, okay?
[She looks brighter when he approaches and she offers the pot and its accompanied sprout to him.]
Primroses are signs of springtime and they can adapt pretty well to the environment. They're hardy, too, so unless you're deliberately drowning it in the snow outside, it shouldn't be a problem. It's a really good plant for someone who's not very familiar with flowers or how to take care of them.
[After a pause, she continues thoughtfully.] When you came with me while I got the seeds, you didn't seem very familiar with how to tend to them, so I thought these might be especially perfect for you. The seeds I got have various colours, so I don't know what kind you'll get, but they come in a variety of colours.
[Aerith laughs a little as she moves near to him to let him get a better look. Although she'd almost swear he's afraid of being close to it. Maybe he thinks he'll kill it by simply breathing on it.]
I'll make sure to come by on a regular basis to check on it. And if you ever need help or don't know what to do, I can always help you. You're not in things alone, okay? You shouldn't be thinking you have to do it all yourself.
"You're not in things alone, okay? You shouldn't be thinking you have to do it all yourself."
--and then his head raises, angling to look at her, the corners of his lips turning down. ]
Forget not: this is meant to aid your endeavor.
[ Him taking on these extra plants had been for her sake, not his, to relieve some of the burden of flower-tending. It would be counter productive to have her help him so thoroughly, when she has much to attend to on her own for the King. ]
Well... this plant has nothing to do with that. I brought this for you. We're not selling this one. It's a gift.
[She smiles. Was that not obvious? For him, maybe it's easier to put everything under the guise of something professional. Soldiers sometimes work the same way. And if not soldiers, then at least mercenaries.
Aerith looks pleased, as if she's caught him by surprise.]
So... no. This one has nothing to do with the flower shop. I wanted you to have something that you might think of me. That you might understand I appreciated your help. Your company. When I arrived. That day in the market. You gave me something that I treasure. I wanted to give you something in hopes that you'd treasure it, too. Kind of like... a promise.
[Aerith thinks. She has to be careful about how she says it. Somnus is probably a prideful person and she doesn't want to damage that outright. She also doesn't want to offend if she can help it.]
I was thinking that it can be a reminder to you that even in moments when you feel like you're alone, you aren't. Because you have me here in one way or another. [The plant, a reminder of her presence in Camelot, it seems.] I don't really think you're the type to rely on someone, but if there comes a time when you need help, I promise that you can come to me and I will try to help if you want it. Or I will simply listen. Whatever you might need from me, I'll try to give.
[She doesn't say it, but there's caveats to that. Aerith can't fix everything. And she can't give everything. At least, not without some regret attached, but she doubts very much he'd ever ask anything of her like that.]
So a promise that even if you feel you have nothing, you have me. And maybe... one day I'll be able to come to you if I feel like I have nothing, too.
[ He regards her, expression mild, and then he takes both pot and seeds from her hands, so that she needn't carry them any longer. Perhaps this should be a moment of self-reflection for him, that someone he hardly knows is thinking that he seems lonely or alone, that he gives off an impression that he may feel as if he has nothing...
Regardless of his thoughts, he can acknowledge that her offer is, once again, testament to her benevolent kindness. At the very least, he manages to look a touch more acknowledging and grateful as he nods, giving a noncommittal, ] Hm.
[ ...But it's unnecessary. Saying that it is unnecessary would only invite further pushback. Furthermore, she gives too much to someone like him.
...Ah.
Setting the plant down upon the only countertop in the suite, he then turns to her again. His question is delayed by a solid beat. ] Do you feel as if you have nothing?
[When he takes from her the plant and seeds, it leaves her with nothing to hold and normally she doesn't mind. His question, however, inspires her to a slight fidgeting. That's a weighted question if ever there was one.
Her hands lift and she finds herself adjusting the bolero jacket she's donning and then the way her simple dress sits beneath it.]
No. That's not what I was implying.
[She has Tifa in Camelot, after all. Aerith isn't alone. She has come here with very little aside from memories. In a way, the foreshadowing she has been able to express (even if not overtly) remind her of what she has to look forward to. She knows that she must make the most of every moment. She owes that to herself.]
I just thought it might be nice if we could be present for each other. If one of us needed it, anyway.
[ Their lives here are temporary at best-- and he has no intention to stay, so long as his world and its future remains at stake. For that he would sacrifice anything, both of his life and the life of all the kings. Preserving the future remains paramount, the Light cried for most of all, yet she speaks of being present.
He appears to consider her words, his lips pressing together before they part to speak. ]
You wish for an arrangement of... [ He seems to search for a word. ] protection.
Is that what you think of me? I know I might look a little soft, but you'd be surprised at what I can handle. There's no reason for you to worry about me.
[Aerith relaxes a bit and then she continues.]
'Arrangement' makes it sound so professional. I was thinking more that if you felt like you couldn't go to anyone else, you could always come to me. [But it sounds more like that might just complicate things for him.]
[ ....Under what circumstance would he feel as if he couldn't go to anyone else?
Many circumstances, truthfully. He's never been forthwith of his concerns. A king marches onward, after all, accepting the consequences and never looking back. To do no less would be to spit on everything that has come before. While there is truth in that seeking a stranger might be easier to share concerns with, they are outsiders to his affairs. Any weight he has upon him is his to bear.
However, there is no harm in simply accepting the offer. She has been gracious. Therefore, he will be in turn, even if he has no intention of using it for his own concerns.
[She hears him plainly, but Aerith suspects that... he is placating her. That might be better than nothing when it comes to him, after all. She has no way of knowing what's going on in his head at all. She can only guess. In his case, perhaps... Well. She had best not push him overmuch. Or at all.
This is not like Midgar. She can't think of it as if it is.]
Sounds good to me!
[And maybe one day, he might not be so cold. He has time. They both do. Aerith has nothing but patience for him.]
[A counter wouldn't be terrible, but... There's a difference between no sunlight and direct sunlight. It's possible to have a balance between the two.]
Well, a little natural light is good for it, so you could pick a window. You just shouldn't pick one that faces the sun as it rises or sets. I'd worry that leaving it on the counter wouldn't give it enough natural light.
[Thumbing her chin before she continues, she perks up a bit.] Magic might work, too, though that defeats the purpose of cultivating it. It's not exactly the same. I bet it'd be possible to take some of the magic here or maybe a magical item and provide it the perfect balance of light without it being direct.
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[Although that's exactly what she would do.]
Do you want me to bring anything else?
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[ Which means, yes, she can come over. After a moment of fumbling with the communication device, he happens to send his address. ] And... no, nothing else is necessary.
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[She texts him exactly one ':)' before she sets out with one small porcelain planter decorated in paisley flourishing details in lavender packaged carefully. One rattan basket later and she's out the door, quick on her heels to steal through the cold until she arrives at his address.
There's a polite knock on the door.
She waits patiently, taking the time she waits to straighten herself out. Fixes the jacket that she never seems to be without and the way her hair settles. She's wearing the hair piece he bought for her, right with her ribbon. As if it belongs there, now.]
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When she knocks, he opens the door to her, his gaze lifting to just above her head for a few scant moments.
Beyond his shoulder-- inside his flat, there's nothing but the bare minimum of what could be considered living quarters. The walls remain bare, the windows remain with their shutters closed, and... there's no furniture or decorations at all. It seems that this place has only been used as a means for rest. Forgive him, he's been within the void of the Ring for over two thousand years. He knows nothing else by now, and he's since been much less accustomed to the ornate furnishing of the palace he once inhabited eras ago.
As for himself, Somnus is dressed in a white, loose tunic and a blue chlamys. His typical dark overcoat and cloak remain hanging on a nearby wall.
His eyes drop to the planter she carries... And then he steps aside, allowing her to enter. Of course, it is time he made good on the promise from two weeks ago. ] You have come to instruct.
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Hello!
[There is a moment, a few perhaps, that she examines him. He looks nice. He usually does. Maybe he could use a pick-me-up.] Oh, you look cute today. [Or all the time. They're close enough by this point that she's willing to say it.]
[When he allows her in, Aerith wastes no time in looking around at everything. Eyes only. No hands yet. He doesn't have very much, does he? Maybe she should take him shopping... Not that she can say much. She hasn't gotten a lot of additions to her place yet either.
Mostly just plants.
When he speaks, she pauses in the middle of eyeing his shutters.]
Unless you already know how to take care of a primrose.
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Somnus closes the door behind her, making his way to stand beside one of the walls, trailing her with his gaze.
His arms cross over his chest. ]
I've yet to be educated.
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Well, primroses aren't very tricky. I didn't want to give you anything too complicated.
[She gestures to his shutters with one hand before reaching for the small pot she's got for him.]
They don't really need direct sunlight. You should give them something indirect. So a window that doesn't face the sun as it rises or sets should be just fine. This one is still very young, so you'll need to take good care of it and don't over-water, okay?
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The window... won't be a problem, so long as he places the plant a small ways away from it. Perhaps he'll have to purchase a table after all. ]
Is it fragile to the elements?
[ Not too much sunlight, not too much water.. ]
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Primroses are signs of springtime and they can adapt pretty well to the environment. They're hardy, too, so unless you're deliberately drowning it in the snow outside, it shouldn't be a problem. It's a really good plant for someone who's not very familiar with flowers or how to take care of them.
[After a pause, she continues thoughtfully.] When you came with me while I got the seeds, you didn't seem very familiar with how to tend to them, so I thought these might be especially perfect for you. The seeds I got have various colours, so I don't know what kind you'll get, but they come in a variety of colours.
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To all of that, he can only say this: ]
To your standards, I shall cultivate them.
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[Aerith laughs a little as she moves near to him to let him get a better look. Although she'd almost swear he's afraid of being close to it. Maybe he thinks he'll kill it by simply breathing on it.]
I'll make sure to come by on a regular basis to check on it. And if you ever need help or don't know what to do, I can always help you. You're not in things alone, okay? You shouldn't be thinking you have to do it all yourself.
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"You're not in things alone, okay? You shouldn't be thinking you have to do it all yourself."
--and then his head raises, angling to look at her, the corners of his lips turning down. ]
Forget not: this is meant to aid your endeavor.
[ Him taking on these extra plants had been for her sake, not his, to relieve some of the burden of flower-tending. It would be counter productive to have her help him so thoroughly, when she has much to attend to on her own for the King. ]
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[She smiles. Was that not obvious? For him, maybe it's easier to put everything under the guise of something professional. Soldiers sometimes work the same way. And if not soldiers, then at least mercenaries.
Aerith looks pleased, as if she's caught him by surprise.]
So... no. This one has nothing to do with the flower shop. I wanted you to have something that you might think of me. That you might understand I appreciated your help. Your company. When I arrived. That day in the market. You gave me something that I treasure. I wanted to give you something in hopes that you'd treasure it, too. Kind of like... a promise.
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A promise. [ He repeats, his voice low enough to be considered thoughtful.
The gift as a thanks, he can understand when she explains it, but the promise aspect to it? It seems he doesn't understand completely. ] Wherefore?
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I was thinking that it can be a reminder to you that even in moments when you feel like you're alone, you aren't. Because you have me here in one way or another. [The plant, a reminder of her presence in Camelot, it seems.] I don't really think you're the type to rely on someone, but if there comes a time when you need help, I promise that you can come to me and I will try to help if you want it. Or I will simply listen. Whatever you might need from me, I'll try to give.
[She doesn't say it, but there's caveats to that. Aerith can't fix everything. And she can't give everything. At least, not without some regret attached, but she doubts very much he'd ever ask anything of her like that.]
So a promise that even if you feel you have nothing, you have me. And maybe... one day I'll be able to come to you if I feel like I have nothing, too.
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Regardless of his thoughts, he can acknowledge that her offer is, once again, testament to her benevolent kindness. At the very least, he manages to look a touch more acknowledging and grateful as he nods, giving a noncommittal, ] Hm.
[ ...But it's unnecessary. Saying that it is unnecessary would only invite further pushback. Furthermore, she gives too much to someone like him.
...Ah.
Setting the plant down upon the only countertop in the suite, he then turns to her again. His question is delayed by a solid beat. ] Do you feel as if you have nothing?
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Her hands lift and she finds herself adjusting the bolero jacket she's donning and then the way her simple dress sits beneath it.]
No. That's not what I was implying.
[She has Tifa in Camelot, after all. Aerith isn't alone. She has come here with very little aside from memories. In a way, the foreshadowing she has been able to express (even if not overtly) remind her of what she has to look forward to. She knows that she must make the most of every moment. She owes that to herself.]
I just thought it might be nice if we could be present for each other. If one of us needed it, anyway.
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He appears to consider her words, his lips pressing together before they part to speak. ]
You wish for an arrangement of... [ He seems to search for a word. ] protection.
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Is that what you think of me? I know I might look a little soft, but you'd be surprised at what I can handle. There's no reason for you to worry about me.
[Aerith relaxes a bit and then she continues.]
'Arrangement' makes it sound so professional. I was thinking more that if you felt like you couldn't go to anyone else, you could always come to me. [But it sounds more like that might just complicate things for him.]
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Many circumstances, truthfully. He's never been forthwith of his concerns. A king marches onward, after all, accepting the consequences and never looking back. To do no less would be to spit on everything that has come before. While there is truth in that seeking a stranger might be easier to share concerns with, they are outsiders to his affairs. Any weight he has upon him is his to bear.
However, there is no harm in simply accepting the offer. She has been gracious. Therefore, he will be in turn, even if he has no intention of using it for his own concerns.
So he nods at her, as if satisfied, adding: ]
Yourself, then, as well.
[ He'll offer his ear to her. ]
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This is not like Midgar. She can't think of it as if it is.]
Sounds good to me!
[And maybe one day, he might not be so cold. He has time. They both do. Aerith has nothing but patience for him.]
Where were you thinking of putting your flowers?
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Here.
[ Where they are on the counter.
(He might be more helpless than she thought after all.) ]
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Aerith looks between the counter in question where he's left them and then back to him with the glimpse of a smile in her mouth.]
Are you afraid to put it in the window or something? Or do you think you'll forget about it if you don't have it somewhere that you can see it?
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[ She had mentioned not putting it in direct sunlight, and so he had moved it away from the window. ]
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Well, a little natural light is good for it, so you could pick a window. You just shouldn't pick one that faces the sun as it rises or sets. I'd worry that leaving it on the counter wouldn't give it enough natural light.
[Thumbing her chin before she continues, she perks up a bit.] Magic might work, too, though that defeats the purpose of cultivating it. It's not exactly the same. I bet it'd be possible to take some of the magic here or maybe a magical item and provide it the perfect balance of light without it being direct.
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