005 || {Action}

[contempsi]

[Hi, everyone. Remember that kid with a bit of a chip on his shoulder? The one who came through all that bereavement and strife to face his fears and confront his Fate head on and (insert ten-minute-long speech about coming up against the world and taking on Hell himself and... you know, stuffThe one who takes no nonsense (well, most of the time)

Comments

[poorneedyand]

[What do? Comfort the poor boy, surely. Kay can't just leave a child weeping on the street. She crouches down next to him, the very picture of concern.]

What's wrong, son?

[contempsi]

[The crying momentarily subsides, little ragged breaths as Hope brings a fist up to scrub at his eyes-]

Son...? Son?

[-and then it's promptly slammed against the ground, a dramatic little wail escaping him.] No!

I... I am no one's son. Not anymore. l'Cie don't have parents! [And then he goes right back to sobbing, occasionally beating the ground before him with his fists.]

[poorneedyand]

Oh--oh-- [She reaches out a tentative hand, as though trying to decide whether to try patting his shoulder. She meant "son" in a general sense! As opposed to kid! Oh, dear, the poor boy.

Eventually she decides to try the shoulder-patting thing.] I'm so sorry to hear that. Losing your mother and father at such a young age...

[contempsi]

[He jerks that arm back, but at least the crying's stopped... for now.]

You... you shouldn't be here. It isn't safe. It's never safe.

[heavenslament]

[Mama Bear!Terra so can't ignore this. She drops what she's doing and darts over, all concern.]

What happened?!?

[contempsi]

[Hope wipes one of his dampened cheeks with a sleeve and points at the ground before him. Several feet away, a little black spider can be seen scuttling away.]

That... that thing. It tried to kill me! It was really scary!

[heavenslament]

[Terra frowns at the spider, but seeing as how it's in retreat mode, she doesn't blast it.]

Well, at least it's going away. Why do I take you home? ...um, where do you live?

[contempsi]

No. [His voice is grave.] I can't go home. I'll never be able to go home again. People like me... we don't have homes.

[Even though it's just basically right around the corner. But no matter. Hope turns away, pressing a hand to his face.]

[mistyarc]

[It's hard not to hear that. The first sob he hears is more than enough to send Hubert whipping around and in Hope's direction. He feels and looks alarmed, because why is a boy wailing so prominently in the middle of the square?]

Are you all right . . . !?

[contempsi]

I... I am now! [Scrubbing blearily at his eyes, he snuffles loudly once before choking back another sob, attempting to speak more coherently.] No thanks to you... no thanks to anyone! I could have died, and no one would have cared!

[mistyarc]

[What a change. Hubert stares in shock for a second as the words sink in, after which he rests a hand on his glasses, mostly out of discomfort at the sudden accusation.]

What . . . what makes you say that?

[presumablyalone]

[Oh lord what. Seto notices the boy just sobbing in the middle of the plaza when he comes out of a store and runs over to him with a worried look on his face]

E-Excuse me?? A-Are you okay? Please don't cry!

[contempsi]

No! [It's half-shrieked out through gritted teeth, palms slapping the ground at his feet.] No, I'm not okay! But you wouldn't understand... you wouldn't understand what it's like to be on death's door every day. Every waking moment of your life.

[presumablyalone]

[Oh but you're wrong on that] No, I do understand what that's like...trust me...

[He kneels down in front of him with a frown]