[ Naturally, Cid and Ardbert had exchanged contact details after all they want through in the blackout. The information they'd learned, the talk of a future investigation of the power plants, all of that.
Seeing a message from Cid isn't that strange. The contents, however... ]
I haven't felt this lovelorn since I was a boy, and I don't think it's got anything to do with the car I've been working on for the last hour. I'd wager that it's from you... however that works.
You've noticed it, haven't you? There's something odd about us.
You think this is that bond thing? I did feel some seemingly random emotions, similar to when those meteors fell. Oh, but you weren't here for that, were you?
Either way, I wasn't feeling lovelorn. Are you sure it's from me? What came through, exactly?
I don't know how much you've heard about the bonds, but that's when it started. It was following a meteor shower that caused people to start feeling each other's emotions. I suppose these bonds are the remnants of that.
[ Why the two of them, though? How odd...
An hour ago, though. Well. ]
I had just received some news from a friend of mine. Nothing to do with a love confession, though. But as you said, emotions can be difficult to label.
Just some murmurings on the forum. Couldn't be sure how real they were, but that answers it, I suppose. Is that all it is? Emotions? Any way to stop it that you know of?
[ That's all it's seemed like to Cid so far. Which, sure, is a bit of an odd inconvenience... but it's little more than that, really. It's not like he minds Ardbert. ]
Well, let me know if you want to sit down for a pint. I won't pry into your business if you're not keen to share it, but it didn't feel like this news was the good sort.
'The grumpy sort?' Depends on who you ask. Is that what you've been getting?
This is the first time I've experienced one of these bonds, so I don't have as many answers for you as I'd like. I can ask around, though.
[ Even if it might be awkward to do so, friends of his might be able to share some insights. For now, though, it seems to just be the emotions. ]
It wasn't bad news, exactly. It only took me by surprise. She somehow went home... Or rather, she received memories from home, as if she'd returned.
I think that's what I've been getting from you, yes. Not that I'm trying to accuse you of anything. Either way, I think I would take you up on that pint.
[ Little do they know the emotion sharing is a lot more acute when in close proximity. ]
More than I've got. What I can see on the Forums is... conflicting. Seems like the only consensus is that it isn't dangerous.
[ Mostly. There's not really a consensus on anything when it comes to the Forums, so it's hard to say. ]
That's interesting... It sounds like you know for sure that they're memories and not just some diffusion zone nonsense. You can tell me about it when we get that drink, then. Meet me here.
[ He adds the address of a dive bar that he's taken a liking to.
He rolls his eyes at the grumpy comment, but he neither addresses nor denies it. He hasn't been able to track down a pack of cigars as of late, so he's admittedly a bit more testy than usual... but Ardbert doesn't really need to know that.
Can't have him picking up smoking. It's bad for his health. ]
If you're curious I'd be glad to tell you more. I'll see you soon.
[ Somehow, it doesn't quite surprise Ardbert when he shows up at the address and it's a tavern like this. Or a bar, rather. That's the term most people seem to use here.
The place where they had drinks with Brunswick had been quite a bit nicer, given that it had been in the Sanctum near the hospital, but this spot is far more fitting of Panorama. And, perhaps, of Cid himself.
Ardbert finds him seated in one of the corners, somehow sprawled out in his seat and casually sipping at a pint as promised.
He makes his way over, settling across from Cid with little fanfare. He has his axe with him, even though he probably doesn't need it, but after the blackouts he's wanted to bring it along a bit more. He draws it from his back to lean up against the wall, out of the way. ]
[ Cid raises his glass when Ardbert makes his appearance.
Cid quite likes this bar, and he'd had a feeling that Ardbert would feel much the same. ]
Hope you don't mind that I got started without you.
[ Not that he'd had much choice. He'd have been kicked out without a drink in-hand. The proprietress is an old sailor herself; a good two heads taller than Cid, silver-haired and thickly built, with a warm-but-weary air about her. She'd disliked him on sight. (Cid isn't sure that she's keen on him even now, but he'd started off on the wrong foot with Martha as well, and that had turned out alright.)
The bar is mostly ordinary working folks, with a scattering of the rougher kind of company. It smells almost as heavily of tobacco smoke as it does liquor. Ardbert isn't the only one who's brought a weapon with him, so the axe earns him no more than a few curious glances, though it's a few more than Cid, with just his sword hanging from his belt.
It's the first time he's seen Ardbert since everything that happened with poor Boris, but he finds himself... oddly aware of the time they've been apart since then. Cid could try to unpack that, but he decides that it's entirely the fault of the bond. As a result, he takes the feeling and puts it in a box where it belongs, then throws away the key.
They're here to talk about whatever the hell is going on with Ardbert and his not-love-affair. ]
First round's on me, so order something strong. Seems like you need it.
[ There's an odd sort of weight that's lifted from Ardbert's chest when he settles down across from Cid. Which is strange, because he definitely hadn't realized it was there in the first place. Now that it's cleared, he can recognize it had been little more than a nagging sense of feeling like he was missing something.
Who would have thought that something would be Cid of all people. Is this because of what happened with Boris? There had been some strong emotions floating around in that moment, so maybe...
Well, who knows. It's not like he really understands how any of it works.
The waitress swings by their table and Ardbert orders himself a pint of some kind of ale. Not all that strong, despite a certain someone's bossiness. With a glance back to Cid, Ardbert raises one eyebrow for a beat and then huffs out a laugh. ]
I don't know what ideas you've been given because of our bond, but it truly isn't all that bad. [ And yes, some of that incredulous feeling will flow between them now. The bond's effects seem to be stronger when they're in close proximity.
He can feel Cid's avoidance too, the way he's trying to squirm away from some unwanted thought or feeling. So, with a small incline of his head: ]
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text; stormkiss bond stuff
no subject
Seeing a message from Cid isn't that strange. The contents, however... ]
What?
no subject
You've noticed it, haven't you? There's something odd about us.
no subject
You think this is that bond thing? I did feel some seemingly random emotions, similar to when those meteors fell. Oh, but you weren't here for that, were you?
Either way, I wasn't feeling lovelorn. Are you sure it's from me? What came through, exactly?
no subject
And it's not like it came through with a bloody label on it. It was about an hour ago now. You weren't doing anything interesting?
no subject
[ Why the two of them, though? How odd...
An hour ago, though. Well. ]
I had just received some news from a friend of mine. Nothing to do with a love confession, though. But as you said, emotions can be difficult to label.
[ ... ]
Relevant to that, are you the grumpy sort?
no subject
[ That's all it's seemed like to Cid so far. Which, sure, is a bit of an odd inconvenience... but it's little more than that, really. It's not like he minds Ardbert. ]
Well, let me know if you want to sit down for a pint. I won't pry into your business if you're not keen to share it, but it didn't feel like this news was the good sort.
'The grumpy sort?' Depends on who you ask. Is that what you've been getting?
no subject
[ Even if it might be awkward to do so, friends of his might be able to share some insights. For now, though, it seems to just be the emotions. ]
It wasn't bad news, exactly. It only took me by surprise. She somehow went home... Or rather, she received memories from home, as if she'd returned.
I think that's what I've been getting from you, yes. Not that I'm trying to accuse you of anything. Either way, I think I would take you up on that pint.
[ Little do they know the emotion sharing is a lot more acute when in close proximity. ]
no subject
[ Mostly. There's not really a consensus on anything when it comes to the Forums, so it's hard to say. ]
That's interesting... It sounds like you know for sure that they're memories and not just some diffusion zone nonsense. You can tell me about it when we get that drink, then. Meet me here.
[ He adds the address of a dive bar that he's taken a liking to.
He rolls his eyes at the grumpy comment, but he neither addresses nor denies it. He hasn't been able to track down a pack of cigars as of late, so he's admittedly a bit more testy than usual... but Ardbert doesn't really need to know that.
Can't have him picking up smoking. It's bad for his health. ]
no subject
[ Somehow, it doesn't quite surprise Ardbert when he shows up at the address and it's a tavern like this. Or a bar, rather. That's the term most people seem to use here.
The place where they had drinks with Brunswick had been quite a bit nicer, given that it had been in the Sanctum near the hospital, but this spot is far more fitting of Panorama. And, perhaps, of Cid himself.
Ardbert finds him seated in one of the corners, somehow sprawled out in his seat and casually sipping at a pint as promised.
He makes his way over, settling across from Cid with little fanfare. He has his axe with him, even though he probably doesn't need it, but after the blackouts he's wanted to bring it along a bit more. He draws it from his back to lean up against the wall, out of the way. ]
Nice spot.
[ He does, in fact, seem genuine about that. ]
no subject
Cid quite likes this bar, and he'd had a feeling that Ardbert would feel much the same. ]
Hope you don't mind that I got started without you.
[ Not that he'd had much choice. He'd have been kicked out without a drink in-hand. The proprietress is an old sailor herself; a good two heads taller than Cid, silver-haired and thickly built, with a warm-but-weary air about her. She'd disliked him on sight. (Cid isn't sure that she's keen on him even now, but he'd started off on the wrong foot with Martha as well, and that had turned out alright.)
The bar is mostly ordinary working folks, with a scattering of the rougher kind of company. It smells almost as heavily of tobacco smoke as it does liquor. Ardbert isn't the only one who's brought a weapon with him, so the axe earns him no more than a few curious glances, though it's a few more than Cid, with just his sword hanging from his belt.
It's the first time he's seen Ardbert since everything that happened with poor Boris, but he finds himself... oddly aware of the time they've been apart since then. Cid could try to unpack that, but he decides that it's entirely the fault of the bond. As a result, he takes the feeling and puts it in a box where it belongs, then throws away the key.
They're here to talk about whatever the hell is going on with Ardbert and his not-love-affair. ]
First round's on me, so order something strong. Seems like you need it.
[ The waitress is already making her way over. ]
no subject
Who would have thought that something would be Cid of all people. Is this because of what happened with Boris? There had been some strong emotions floating around in that moment, so maybe...
Well, who knows. It's not like he really understands how any of it works.
The waitress swings by their table and Ardbert orders himself a pint of some kind of ale. Not all that strong, despite a certain someone's bossiness. With a glance back to Cid, Ardbert raises one eyebrow for a beat and then huffs out a laugh. ]
I don't know what ideas you've been given because of our bond, but it truly isn't all that bad. [ And yes, some of that incredulous feeling will flow between them now. The bond's effects seem to be stronger when they're in close proximity.
He can feel Cid's avoidance too, the way he's trying to squirm away from some unwanted thought or feeling. So, with a small incline of his head: ]
And what of you? How have you been?