[ Momo is just so... terribly positive. Guren is like that too, but with a meaner streak in him. They're both nonsensical. Sinistra fears, just a little, that he will fall into the same trap of believing deeply in the words of a person like this. It's what makes Minato and Estelle feel like threats in their own ways, too.
Right now, though, he's weak to it. To the idea that this person in front of him sees him as real. As capable of being something. As alive. He's wounded and Momo's encouragement is a salve.
He feels a little bad. Between the cold and his crying, his nose is running and his eyes are puffy. On his sickly pale face, he's sure it looks a mess. Losing composure in front of people feels wrong.
He's sniffling as he speaks. ]
Should I not ... be able to do more for him? Especially now?
[ It's worrying, yes, that Sinistra is so distressed, but beyond that— Momo is happy that he's not stewing in this alone, that he isn't sitting somewhere by himself, lonely and angry with his knees drawn up and his back to the wall.
Momo wipes Sinistra's face with his sleeve, then uses both hands to cup his face and bring their foreheads together. His lips never fall from their arch. ]
You can stay close to him, sure. But in the end, Dextera's the one that's gonna decide whether he wants you to do something for him or not, you know?
You can be there for him, but you need to take care of yourself, too. Okay?
[ Being forced to look at someone makes it harder to rail against them. It was selfish enough to call him out here. It would be even more selfish to try and argue.
He breathes again, the way Momo had showed him before, and lets their foreheads rest together. ]
I have told him that we need to be two people now. That I want to be my own self but... when something like this happens, I think it would be easier if we were one again.
Still, you are ... you are right, Momo. You are. I can't force him, can I?
Ahh, I think it's natural to have a hard time with stuff like that. I know what it feels like to be scared of not being around someone all the time, too.
But, yeah— you can't force him. So you have to treat yourself as kindly as you want to treat Dextera, for now. Things might not be 100% right now, but let yourself hurt about it before you get back up.
[ He shutters his eyes closed for a fraction of a second, contemplative and searching. ]
I'm sorry you guys got into a fight, but it's normal to do that. Trust me.
Is there someone you were torn away from too, Momo?
[ it's invasive but he can't help but ask after that. He'll accept a non-answer if that's what's given.
He lets out a soft sigh, swallowing against a small hiccup. ]
When... when I arrived here... That was the first time we ever spoke. When we were young and I was alive, we never could even though we were side by side. I think we both hoped we could pour out hearts out easily but we have only had trouble since that day.
[ The question dims Momo's smile for a whipcrack of a second. Big eyes open, and his brows furrow. Mildly troubled, but mostly honest. ]
It's a little different, for me. It's just that I miss someone that's not here right now.
[ It's not the same as dying, and it's not the same as being half of a whole. Momo's never going to be audacious enough to put himself on the same level as his duo partner; Yuki is almost like a deity to him, of sorts.
He thumbs along Sinistra's eye again, getting at the rest of those residual tears. ]
...You guys never got to talk, before? [ Man, that's rough; life was really unkind to these twins. ] Aah, of course there's a learning curve, then. Me and my big sis used to bicker about a ton of things, and I saw her almost every day for years.
[ That makes sense. Most people here probably feel that way. Why does Sinistra feel like this when the only person he could possibly miss is in the house behind them? How unfair.
He shuts his eyes as Momo wipes away the last remnants of his tears. He feels so much calmer now. It may have been a self-centered decision to ask him to come here, but it was probably a good one. ]
No. Because I was born without a heart, we could not be awake at the same time. The nurses said we would get very sick if we did. So... we only spoke in notes to each other.
[ 'A learning curve'. Right. He's still learning, isn't he? He only recently got his senses about him again. ]
[ Ah. No wonder they care for each other like this, then— they were born missing each other.
Momo was fortunate enough to have a steady stream of both wanted and unwanted communication with his blood relative, but it was a luxury for Sinistra and Dextera to exchange words; no wonder they're so careful around each other, fearful of ruining what they have.
A low exhale, and Momo pulls Sinistra into a hug again. ]
...My big sis would tell everyone that I was being stupid and unreasonable for being pushy with her, and that I should keep my big mouth shut. [ She would— he misses her, too. ] ...But once she cools off, she'd come apologize to me and bring me food.
You're not Ruri, though! You'll find your own way of fighting and making up. Until then, it's okay to stumble a little.
[ Sinistra lets himself be embraced again easily. His arms tighten around Momo and he holds on. He's trying to keep steady on the shaky ground this whole ordeal has created. ]
She sounds a little.... tense but not unkind.
[ Maybe a little too intense for him or his brother. ]
I believe you. I would not know what is normal anyway.
[ he tried to literally murder Dextera so ... who is he to judge? ]
Momo...
[ he's genuinely touched. He finds me might just cry again from Momo's overwhelming kindness. He pushes his face against Momo's neck and gives him a soft squeeze. ]
Thank you... so much. You came all the way out here and... how do I repay this? I have no idea.
[ What a sweet sentiment. Momo really doesn't need much from Sinistra, who is so out of the scope of Momo's sometimes-necessary give-and-takes; he just laughs at the suggestion that he did anything more than show up and listen.
He squeezes back, rocking the both of them side to side. ]
Don't worry about it. You can repay me by making up with Dextera! Let me see both of you smiling soon, okay?
Ah, you might think it’s selfish… but I’m super glad for it.
[ A sigh-laugh, exasperated but endeared. Momo doesn’t stop Sinistra from pulling back, but he does rub Sinistra’s shoulders with his palms. Trying to warm him up. ]
I can stay out here if you want, no problem! But I probably won’t be able to do anything but stand outside your window, and that’d be kinda creepy.
[ He laughs about it, bright and exuberant. ]
I’ll have my laptop right next to my bed, so call me over if you need me, okay? No buts, no sorrys, no feeling bad.
[ It's hard to leave, after all of that. The wind feels cold against the wet patch on his shoulder from where Sinistra's tears have sunk into the fabric of his jacket; Momo's heart flutters with worry, even as he walks backwards along uneven cobblestone to make distance again.
If Sinistra felt small in his arms, he seems even more transient just standing there. A thin man with haunted eyes, bisected from a whole. His fingers were cold against Momo's cheek.
Still, Momo smiles. Even when he can barely make out Sinistra's expression in the dark, Momo grins with the entirety of his body, hands cupped around his mouth before they extend into the sky to wave. ]
—Sinistra!
I'm rooting for you!
[ You can do it, you can do it. With that mental exchange of karma, Momo turns on his heels and disappears around the corner. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Right now, though, he's weak to it. To the idea that this person in front of him sees him as real. As capable of being something. As alive. He's wounded and Momo's encouragement is a salve.
He feels a little bad. Between the cold and his crying, his nose is running and his eyes are puffy. On his sickly pale face, he's sure it looks a mess. Losing composure in front of people feels wrong.
He's sniffling as he speaks. ]
Should I not ... be able to do more for him? Especially now?
no subject
Momo wipes Sinistra's face with his sleeve, then uses both hands to cup his face and bring their foreheads together. His lips never fall from their arch. ]
You can stay close to him, sure. But in the end, Dextera's the one that's gonna decide whether he wants you to do something for him or not, you know?
You can be there for him, but you need to take care of yourself, too. Okay?
no subject
He breathes again, the way Momo had showed him before, and lets their foreheads rest together. ]
I have told him that we need to be two people now. That I want to be my own self but... when something like this happens, I think it would be easier if we were one again.
Still, you are ... you are right, Momo. You are. I can't force him, can I?
no subject
But, yeah— you can't force him. So you have to treat yourself as kindly as you want to treat Dextera, for now. Things might not be 100% right now, but let yourself hurt about it before you get back up.
[ He shutters his eyes closed for a fraction of a second, contemplative and searching. ]
I'm sorry you guys got into a fight, but it's normal to do that. Trust me.
no subject
[ He looks down between them for a moment. ]
Is there someone you were torn away from too, Momo?
[ it's invasive but he can't help but ask after that. He'll accept a non-answer if that's what's given.
He lets out a soft sigh, swallowing against a small hiccup. ]
When... when I arrived here... That was the first time we ever spoke. When we were young and I was alive, we never could even though we were side by side. I think we both hoped we could pour out hearts out easily but we have only had trouble since that day.
no subject
It's a little different, for me. It's just that I miss someone that's not here right now.
[ It's not the same as dying, and it's not the same as being half of a whole. Momo's never going to be audacious enough to put himself on the same level as his duo partner; Yuki is almost like a deity to him, of sorts.
He thumbs along Sinistra's eye again, getting at the rest of those residual tears. ]
...You guys never got to talk, before? [ Man, that's rough; life was really unkind to these twins. ] Aah, of course there's a learning curve, then. Me and my big sis used to bicker about a ton of things, and I saw her almost every day for years.
no subject
[ That makes sense. Most people here probably feel that way. Why does Sinistra feel like this when the only person he could possibly miss is in the house behind them? How unfair.
He shuts his eyes as Momo wipes away the last remnants of his tears. He feels so much calmer now. It may have been a self-centered decision to ask him to come here, but it was probably a good one. ]
No. Because I was born without a heart, we could not be awake at the same time. The nurses said we would get very sick if we did. So... we only spoke in notes to each other.
[ 'A learning curve'. Right. He's still learning, isn't he? He only recently got his senses about him again. ]
What do you think your sister would do right now?
no subject
Momo was fortunate enough to have a steady stream of both wanted and unwanted communication with his blood relative, but it was a luxury for Sinistra and Dextera to exchange words; no wonder they're so careful around each other, fearful of ruining what they have.
A low exhale, and Momo pulls Sinistra into a hug again. ]
...My big sis would tell everyone that I was being stupid and unreasonable for being pushy with her, and that I should keep my big mouth shut. [ She would— he misses her, too. ] ...But once she cools off, she'd come apologize to me and bring me food.
You're not Ruri, though! You'll find your own way of fighting and making up. Until then, it's okay to stumble a little.
no subject
She sounds a little.... tense but not unkind.
[ Maybe a little too intense for him or his brother. ]
I am afraid of falling.
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[ His expression wrinkles into a smile, and he rubs between Sinistra's shoulders. ]
And if you fall, we'll be here to pick you right up. I promise that, too.
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[ he tried to literally murder Dextera so ... who is he to judge? ]
Momo...
[ he's genuinely touched. He finds me might just cry again from Momo's overwhelming kindness. He pushes his face against Momo's neck and gives him a soft squeeze. ]
Thank you... so much. You came all the way out here and... how do I repay this? I have no idea.
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He squeezes back, rocking the both of them side to side. ]
Don't worry about it. You can repay me by making up with Dextera! Let me see both of you smiling soon, okay?
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He lets out a sigh and shifts in his arms. ]
I should let you return home but... I do not want to. It's selfish, I know.
[ But still, he has to be responsible, so he starts to peel himself back. ]
If I make you stay out in the cold longer, you will get sick. So, you should return now.
no subject
[ A sigh-laugh, exasperated but endeared. Momo doesn’t stop Sinistra from pulling back, but he does rub Sinistra’s shoulders with his palms. Trying to warm him up. ]
I can stay out here if you want, no problem! But I probably won’t be able to do anything but stand outside your window, and that’d be kinda creepy.
[ He laughs about it, bright and exuberant. ]
I’ll have my laptop right next to my bed, so call me over if you need me, okay? No buts, no sorrys, no feeling bad.
no subject
You will get sick. It is better to go home.
[ he nods this time and backs up a step before touching Momo's face with his cold palm. ]
I understand. Thank you, Momo. Rest well and good night.
no subject
If Sinistra felt small in his arms, he seems even more transient just standing there. A thin man with haunted eyes, bisected from a whole. His fingers were cold against Momo's cheek.
Still, Momo smiles. Even when he can barely make out Sinistra's expression in the dark, Momo grins with the entirety of his body, hands cupped around his mouth before they extend into the sky to wave. ]
—Sinistra!
I'm rooting for you!
[ You can do it, you can do it. With that mental exchange of karma, Momo turns on his heels and disappears around the corner. ]