[Voice Call - Private to Lelouch | Week 5, Day 1 - Night]
[ Footfalls are the first thing that can be heard. Weighted, antsy things that reflect upon the person responsible for their make and model. Hesitation is the hammer over the butt of the nail. It is a wonder Valeria doesn't clear her itching throat before she speaks. When the hammer falls, she manages. ]
Lelouch, hey.
[ Weak. That sounded so pathetically weak to her ears, but after everything that's happened tonight, it's a wonder she's still speaking, that she's headed back to the Strahl from Hisato even if she is walking at a snail's pace. (It's almost been two hours since and...) ]
I just... wanted to call and make sure you're okay.
[ Pause.
She's still embarrassed. She's awkward. She's obvious in all the wrong ways and her voice keeps slipping. It keeps slipping and she still can't quite manage to draw the curtain and pretend like everything's okay. It isn't. She exhales deeply now, as though she had been holding her breath, and speaks quickly, before Lelouch can get a word in. ]
I'm sorry. You weren't supposed t--I mean, you shouldn't have...
[ She makes a light, exasperated sound. (Gaia have mercy, that wasn't supposed to happen! I--) Her cheeks are burning and it's quite audible. Her voice softens, quiets, sobers. ]
I'm really sorry, Lelouch.
Lelouch, hey.
[ Weak. That sounded so pathetically weak to her ears, but after everything that's happened tonight, it's a wonder she's still speaking, that she's headed back to the Strahl from Hisato even if she is walking at a snail's pace. (It's almost been two hours since and...) ]
I just... wanted to call and make sure you're okay.
[ Pause.
She's still embarrassed. She's awkward. She's obvious in all the wrong ways and her voice keeps slipping. It keeps slipping and she still can't quite manage to draw the curtain and pretend like everything's okay. It isn't. She exhales deeply now, as though she had been holding her breath, and speaks quickly, before Lelouch can get a word in. ]
I'm sorry. You weren't supposed t--I mean, you shouldn't have...
[ She makes a light, exasperated sound. (Gaia have mercy, that wasn't supposed to happen! I--) Her cheeks are burning and it's quite audible. Her voice softens, quiets, sobers. ]
I'm really sorry, Lelouch.