he looks to her ... expression revealing : he’s completely awestruck (perhaps it’s love, he’d think). though it was just her eyes he saw through a mask ; the time to be captivated most certainly not in the metaverse (and he’s obvious). still, he runs to her, a slight pant beside a smile. ‘ hey ! that was the coolest move i’ve ever seen !’
mutual captivation // @leadpipes
SHE’S STILL GETTING USED TO her powers as a phantom thief . however that doesn’t mean she’s ill equipped to fight . no , she’s as strong as ever despite her uncertainty & doubt . though at times she forgets she has the power of a persona & will take to physical fighting to defend herself from attackers . perhaps she’s too used to having defend herself in this manner at home . it doesn’t help that these shadow attackers share the same faces as the monsters she deals with in the real world .
BUT IT’S DIFFERENT NOW , she’s different now . she’s the one with the power this time . & unlike the ones who’ve tormented her , kairi won’t use her power to do wrong by others . she’ll strive to only do right & free not only herself but others who’ve been oppressed by them & others as well . she’s no longer the frightened damsel in distress clinging to anyone & everyone who could save her . she’s the hero who does the saving now .
THOUGH EVEN AT TIMES when she’s strong & powerful she seems to manage to get the wind knocked out of her in some way or another . this time it’s ryuji that does it . her eyes shift around the room as she’s battling against a horde of low level shadow creatures that she’s mostly finished off at this point . however when her gaze finds ryuji she almost stops dead in place when she sees the way he’s looking at her .
WHILE HE’S AT A BIT OF a distance & can’t exactly see his entire face through his mask his eyes are unmistakable . they’re partially in shadow due to the way his mask is but kairi can see the sort wonderstruck look in his eyes . perhaps it’s rubbed off on her a bit because she finds herself staring back , eyes wide & mouth slightly agape .
HAS HE ALWAYS looked so beautiful she wonders ? or is this moment of pure unadulterated awe has finally allowed ryuji’s features not to be marred by the weight of his pain & anger . kairi thinks that this is the softest yet rawly beautiful she’s ever seen him . & so it seems he looks that way because of her . she doesn’t quite understand why though . she’s not really anything to look at in any regard she thinks . but maybe he sees something in her that she & everyone else don’t seem to see .
SHE FINDS HERSELF CAPTIVATED by ryuji & his gaze just as he seems to be in hers , so much that she nearly takes a hit when she leaves herself open momentarily as she stops & stares at him . she whips her head , graced only by her sheer instinct to attack & defend as she throws a hit back at the shadow creature . it all happens so fast she hardly knows what’s happening as she finishes off the last foe . she’s breathless for a number of reasons as she stares at the empty space of floor where the shadows had been . though her gaze quickly shifts again when she hears him running toward her .
THE LIGHT OF WONDER from ryuji’s eyes has dimmed ever so slightly she thinks . though she still finds herself drawn to him as he beams down at her , a wide smile to match his stretching across her face . when he compliments her she finds a light blush rising to her cheeks unbidden . he thought what she did was cool ? she thought it was stupid getting caught up in him & getting distracted . she doesn’t even really know what she did at this point . but if he thinks she’s cool maybe she’s not doing so bad after all . ❛ thanks , ryuji . ❜
