33 - [Action]

[lunarianlegacy]

[Like the last time his number was pulled for the draft, Ceodore is a big bundle of energetic activity. It's not all just in preparation for the fighting to come. He's trying to stay busy to avoid thinking about things like the latest experiment and his father's departure. Getting ready for tomorrow is an excellent distraction. Mostly.

He's already

Comments

[eidolon_soul]

[Ceodore can find Rydia at home later in the afternoon. She actually spent a good deal of her morning in the battle dome as well, though had to cut it short for the sake of the Welcome Center. Just in case the draft was longer than she thought, the summoner wanted it well-stocked and organized.

At home she's all over the place, sorting out what they need and what they don't. The latter category is getting dumped in boxes to send to the item shop later.]

[lunarianlegacy]

What're you doing?

[If it's general cleaning, Ceodore's not going to object. He's just hoping it's not going to turn into a lecture about the chaotic mess his room happens to be.]

[eidolon_soul]

[Rydia avoids going into his room if at all possible, so he's safe from that lecture.]

Trying to tidy up, while I can. Did Selphie tell you about our idea?

[lunarianlegacy]

[Wise choice. It's like trying to navigate a mine field most of the time.]

No? What idea?

[eidolon_soul]

[She's silent for a moment.]

...we want to leave this house and move into a smaller one. Not right away, probably not until after the next New Feather cycle is done, but...we won't need this much space.

[And passing by all these empty rooms is too hard.]

[lunarianlegacy]

[Ceodore looks down and just nods. He can understand the unspoken reasons well enough, and to be honest, he'd been toying with the idea anyway. There's too many memories here and this new round of losing his family hit him even harder than the first time. Funny that all he ever wanted to get himself free of them to be himself and now he misses them so much it hurts.]

[eidolon_soul]

[Rydia pauses by him and drapes an arm around his shoulders.]

Hey...we'll always have a spare room for them. Just in case.

[lunarianlegacy]

[There's a small series of nods and then Ceodore lays his hand on top of Rydia's. He's not going to buckle under this. Not at all.]

I hope it never has to get used.

[eidolon_soul]

I know.

[She half-smiles.]

...but don't give up hope that you'll see them again. We will.

[lunarianlegacy]

Yeah.

[But in what condition? Hearing from the twins that things get worse rather than better is a constant weight on Ceodore's shoulders. One that he's been carrying around on his own for months.]

Guess I should pack when we get back.

[eidolon_soul]

Well...don't feel too rushed. Like I said, I'll need to deal with the New Feathers first. Still, it can't hurt to begin preparing.

[lunarianlegacy]

Alright.

[He sighs and moves to help her sort out the stuff without being asked, more or less falling silent while he stews for a bit.]

I don't think I could stand being forgotten again.

[eidolon_soul]

[Rydia darts a sympathetic look his way.]

I don't think I could stand it even once. You've handled it better than I would have, that's for certain.

[lunarianlegacy]

I don't know about that.

[Every moment of teen brattishness is haunting him right now. Particularly getting slapped by Cecil. Or being told off for his angsting over the deaths in the last draft.]

[eidolon_soul]

[She raises an eyebrow.]

Because...? Talk to me, Ceodore.

[lunarianlegacy]

I've made a lot of mistakes.