❛ don’t ask if i’m a ghost ❜ for aeron!!!!!!!
"... Mmn."
They opt to say nothing, for now. Words carry so much weight, and Aeron knows what he is dealing with. A blurred shade of self, a man who is so much more comfortable wearing a mask. Wearing the body of another, as to not perceive his own. It is a moment that can only be considered as strange; there is no animosity, no threat of blades against throats. There is simply peace, as odd as it is. He knows what the man by his side would consider this: a gap in his memory, an anomaly. A moment of brutal weakness where each Warrior should simply do what they are supposed to. But they do not. Aeron does not. Elidibus does not move, either.
"Is it difficult to feel real?"
The question escapes him, but it is promptly followed by a touch that could only be seen as reassuring. Aeron lifts his hand, touching a body that by any means should be cold. It is a question that can be applied to both of them, he thinks. A question neither had an answer for. Strangers in a strange land. The tip of Aeron's fingers touch his face gently, keeping the focus on him. It is a grounding gesture, affectionate. The smile he lets out is an awkward one, almost.
"You are here, are you not? This is proof enough. That we are both alive in this moment."
Hand slides down, and it meets an armored one. Again, there is no fear. No hostility. A genuine display of trust, for this single moment. Aeron grasps it so gently, and raises it up. Until it touches skin and bones over an ever-beating heart.
"If you can feel us right here, you are yourself. Would a ghost share this night sky with us?"
There is never an answer offered along with his questions. Elidibus must find his own, to reassure himself simply of being. Aeron serves as a guide, willingly. With his free hand, he points upwards. The darkness falls upon them, illuminated by the myriad of stars. It is always a breathtaking sight. And now it is shared between them, a memory etching itself into two souls simultaneously.
There is closeness, and the Xaela is responsible for closing the gap. A few steps and then the abyss between almost ceases to exist, curiosity palpable behind black eyes.
"We all carry fragments of our past. You, too. They are responsible for the now. We are like this because of what we suffered. You, too.
You are here, and you feel. If you did not feel, you wouldn't be worried about this. This we know."
The way his limbal rings almost gleam in the dark, giving it a sharpness that you would not expect from such a man. Words are heavy, and the weight would crush a soul unprepared for them. Much like some time ago, Aeron intertwines their fingers, gently pushing Elidibus towards him.
"A ghost would not play such a dangerous game."
And their tone is different. Teasing, brutally honest. The smile is now one of a man who has been entertaining a certain thought for a while. The difference between them is now glaring, with Aeron having to lower his head to see him eye to eye. And in the following second he lowers his body even more, foreheads touching in pressing silence. At no moment they speak, but eye contact is maintained. There is no need for words, not right now. Not with the way his smile widens, keeping their bodies close like a promise.
He still keeps their hands close together. A moment of stillness, as if the whole world had stopped. Aeron blinks once before deciding to simply embrace the moment. It is a chaste kiss; lips brushing and sealing together for what felt like an eternity. And he stays. They stay. He grips strong hand tighter, a plea. And reassurance. Such a simple, innocent act that weighs more than anything else.
Perhaps not so innocent. There was purpose in Aeron's actions, deliberate thought before the act. It feels like forever before he pulls back, their voice barely above a whisper.
"As much as we understand the necessity for a mask and a disguise, we would much prefer that the next time is done as yourself."
There will be a next time, is what they want to say. It is what is implied. The smile is not there to offend, but it is the beast inside that teases the ascian. It is a joint effort, it seems. But they strive to prove a point: if Elidibus was capable of feeling this, remembering this - then it was enough. Proof of existing, proof of being.
"We do not need to ask if you are a ghost: you are here, and that is enough."
A moment of hesitation before he lets go of the hand he has held for so long. These are unknown waters for both of them. One wrong step and they would both disappear. The fact that Aeron made the decision to take such a leap of faith speaks wonders about both his courage and recklessness alike. Instead of swords, quiet promises. Instead of bloodshed, compromise. Not a situation either of them really know how to deal with, but as always he speaks. No matter how confident he sounds, it is almost impossible not to notice how it almost wavers at the end of it. A genuine offer, one that comes from the depths of their soul.
"Stay. Even if it is just for tonight."
Aeron looks upwards, as if asking for a blessing before continuing. At which point it becomes too much? They almost feel like this all sounds ridiculous, and perhaps it is. Two souls yearning. For each other and for peace, whatever their concept of it may be.
"Even if it is for one night, you should try to remember how it feels. To have the moon sing you to sleep, and to bask in the warmth of the early sun.
A way to shout to the world that you are here, and you are alive. Alive with us, right at this moment. So, stay. For tonight. For a while. For as long as you want."
