despite the fear that trickled out of his body through the lilt of his voice, despite the paranoia and anxiousness that knotted deeply in his mind with memories unknown, there was no denying the fact that noah gray was one of the most bravest humans the extraterrestrial princess had encountered thus far. choosing not to pay mind to the deathly grip he had on her hand, which was more or less similar to a firm handshake, aerith finally decided to slow her pace down when they managed to escape the ocean of people in favor of something less suffocating. “you are very welcome.” should he pay close attention, there were hints of pride and happiness in her voice as she offered him a warm yet encouraging smile, all in hopes of providing even a semblance of comfort in his heart. with a happy nod, the taller of the pair allowed a string of giggles to bubble out of her lips as she covered her mouth with her unoccupied hand. “ it is quite intoxicating, if i am to be true.. knowing their souls are content as well. ”
full rosy lips soon formed a tiny circle the moment he spoke, amber optics wide awake and sober with inquisitiveness as she furrowed her brows pensively. the beverage with bubbles made people feel strange? was the fizzy drink.. poison? her mind went on a full tangent on its own and her lack of comprehension towards the functions of alcohol was starting to become obvious the longer tried to make sense of it. the fact that robin chugged an entire flute of the champagne was enough to send her into a spiral of worry. perhaps she would ask him later if he was feeling any different than usual. perhaps she should warn him of the poison. perhaps noah shouldn’t.. “—huh?” her attention was quickly snagged by the mayor who was just about to start his speech when something rumbled angrily beneath their feet. that is when it began, the feeling of dread that noah was constantly feeling. “..something is wrong, noah.” aerith whined as she turned to noah, worries of poison gone with the wind and replaced with something far more serious.
before she could say anything else to her friend, it all happened. the flames came crawling up the walls with demonic speed, it devoured the mayor and the people that so vehemently supported his cause whole. peace for all. mutants and humans are the same. NO. they are not the same. they never will be, and the voice that echoed through the building as it came tumbling down like some frail house of cards made that impossibly clear to everyone as they screamed and burned from the chaos. without as much as a second thought, aerith roughly pulled noah into a hug and curled towards him, her own body becoming a shield to protect him from the flames that marched towards them like a legion of soldiers at the end of the crowd. use your legs, aer’i. run! protect the boy. leave! you hurt us! save us! run! “ the others.. t-they.. ” tears threatened to spill down her cheeks as she thought of robin, madi and bruce. “n-noah, w-we must to go —now!” she gasped loudly through the crackling and the screams, the blistering ailments on her skin all but forgotten and replaced with a desperate need for them to survive.
the longer he spent around aerith, the more could he feel his once tense shoulders relax. she radiated belief, belief in him. and if she believed in him, well, who was he not to maybe believe in himself a bit? “i feel like i’d be even more stressed if i could feel everyone’s souls,” noah muttered, awe seeping into his voice. his powers were usually dormant unless he decided to call on them. but aerith’s...aerith’s were a part of her. unable to be separated or isolated.
his eyes wandered around, finally locating where the alcohol was being served. he stowed the thought away as the mayor made his way up to the stage. after. head tilting, noah could feel the warmth of hope spread throughout the crowd. that, maybe, humans and mutants could live in peace. that the men and women who hurt him were outliers, and the doubts that had begun to creep into his mind were wrong. so many people were present in support of that very idea, it had to mean something, right? an odd frequency began to itch his mind as the mayor continued to speak. a vibration that hadn’t been there previously...or maybe he hadn’t noticed it until then. against his better judhement, he pushed the thought away. that is, until aerith echoed his very thought.
“there is a weird frequency in the air,” noah agreed, the hair on the back of his neck standing up as he stole a glance at aerith. the obvious concern plastered on his friend’s features was enough to send chills down his back. face paling, he whipped his head around the room in desperation. looking at the tranquil, hopeful faces watching the mayor with such trust, he wondered if this is what people meant by the calm before the storm.
and then everything went to hell.
as flames engulfed the room, noah FROZE. for the briefest of moments, he wondered if it was somehow his fault. if he had zeroed in on a frequency unknowingly. he felt his stagnant body become sheltered as a pressure surrounded his form. aerith??? the single thought snapped him back to reality as booming words reverberated against the walls.
somehow the adrenaline that pumped through his veins brought clarity. his heart raced, pupils dilated, and the room around him seemed clear for the first time that night, as if a HAZE previously occupying the room had been lifted. as if the anxiety that had been festering within him the entire night was finally coming to fruition, telling him see, there was a reason you were so nervous. three years of training came flying through his mind, nearly giving him whiplash. he knew what to do. the sound of screaming voices had been his life, after all. he stood, body suddenly on autopilot. a single nod was his only response to her words as he helped aerith get to her feet. the others. rubbing his eyes, noah attempted to look through the debris for their friends. zeroing in on a form he thought to be robin’s, he began to pull them in that direction, on alert.
