shadow moon.

ind / priv. noah ebalon from elsword

[umbreance]

hikkanade​:

“It’s nothing new? Do you… collapse like this regularly?” Was he perhaps terminally ill? Kanade knew by now, that he most likely wouldn’t like to reveal as much about himself, but she couldn’t help but voice the questions that came up inside her mind anyway.

“Go… where? H-hey, this is my room, s-so… I don’t really have anywhere else to go…” 

Her cheeks started to flush with the following silence. Wait! Was that why he refused to stay the night when she asked him before? Thinking of it like that, sharing her room with a boy her age probably was an idea she shouldn’t have proposed at their first meeting. But this was different now! Noah needed a place to rest and she didn’t mind lending him her bed.

With a last gentle touch, Kanade adjusted the blanket around him one more time so he’d at least stay warm. 

“I noticed you don’t like talking about yourself, and that’s okay. In a way, I think we’re really similar regarding that… so I don’t mind it. But please tell me if there is anything I can do to help you. I could call a doctor if you think that would be necessary. But if you just need some rest, I um… I suppose I could go do my own stuff and leave you be for a while then. You just have to talk to me, so I can know.”

“That … That isn’t necessary.  I’ll be better with some rest,”   he mumbles out, hoping these words will appease her.  Maybe they won’t, ever;  he has a terrible habit of pushing others away.  Yet when Kanade finally leaves his side, Noah shrinks further into the covers, squeezing his eyes shut with a pang of guilt.  

In the darkness, he contemplates his thoughts and counts his faults until a wave of drowsiness takes him unawares.  When he wakes again hours later, it is with a start.

At first, Noah thinks of himself at the altar of a forgotten temple again but then feels the plush blanket at his feet and sees the girl sleeping at a desk haloed by blue light.  He is not at Lanox or Elrios, for that matter.  No, he is still in the bed of someone who is practically a stranger.

He needs to leave.

In swift and soundless motions, Noah gathers himself and his belongings——thankful Kanade had the mind to bring them to her room——and plans his departure.  He thinks of trying for the door but fears it might wake her.  And there’s no telling if Add is home or awake, too.  Neither would be a preferred encounter at this hour, so he turns toward his next and only option.

As he stealthily pads toward the windows, his gaze falls upon Kanade.  She’s still fast asleep, and the boy watches the slow rise and fall of her shoulders for a moment too long.  He catches himself blushing at her peace and chides himself for doing so.  But it also blooms an idea in his mind.

Careful not to rouse Kanade, he pulls the blanket from the bed and drapes it around her, assuring she stays warm.  It’s a final ‘thank you’ before Noah retreats through the space made in a window and into the night.

[umbreance]

What Color Character Are You?

DARK BLUE CHARACTER

Dark Blue characters are kindhearted and responsible, driven to care for others around them. They are good at strategizing in the heat of the moment, but are also quite impulsive and rush into things without a plan when they are fired up. While calm people and patient teachers, they are quite hotheaded and not afraid to stand up for what they believe in. Their sense of morality guides them, both into battle, and into healing. They get along with a wide range of people, but do have a temper that causes them to get into short-lived disagreements. They don’t like to be seen as inferior, as much of their strength comes from the softness inside of them. They like being needed and helpful, and want people to agree that they know what’s best for them, although others can get annoyed at what they perceive as nagging. They take turns being the voice of reason and the reason for the voice. They can hold their own, and believe in respecting everyone as long as everyone is respectful in turn.

 They often had to grow up fast and mature early, which they both take pride in and resent. They are likely to join a just cause on a whim, and do what it takes to develop the skillset they need to best help the cause, although they prefer to be at the center of the action. If they feel no one is doing anything and it needs to be done, they’ll step in. They are often close to prodigies, having some sort of incredible skill that they can expertly hone. They are inspirational and have a lot of emotional maturity. They can both maneuver people through their hardships and inspire them to rise up. They can often ignore their own feelings and needs in the process of being a sort of martyr for others, however, and can grow resentful when no one pays attention to them like they do for others. 

Dark blue characters need people in their lives who will encourage and uplift them in whatever cause they choose to support, as well as give them space to talk out their feelings. They also need others who will recognize when they are taking too much responsibility on, and take some time to give them care and support and affirm their willingness to care.

tagged by: @kazimehz​ ty! tagging: @overheatedcrow​ if ur still around!

[umbreance]

hikkanade​:

“Y-yeah… I’m fine. Thank you.” While looking up at him with an appreciative smile, she took the hand he offered to help her up. 

For some reason, Noah seemed very flustered about her invitation. He must come from a very strict household to be so shy about accepting a simple offer like that. Or at least that was her assumption for why he was being so overly polite this whole time already.

Just when she wanted to reassure him though, the meek boy suddenly collapsed to the floor. 

“Noah?!” Kanade gasped while carefully kneeling down to his level again. 

“Um… are you okay?” As expected he insisted he was fine and that it will pass. Whatever it was supposed to be. And even if it would, there was no way she would leave him on the cold bathroom floor like this!

“Hey, Noah… can you hold onto me? I’m gonna move you to my room next… So… don’t worry, alright? You’re gonna be okay!”

Full of ambition to get her new friend to a more comfortable place to rest, she put his arm around her shoulder. Somehow, even with a lot of struggling, she managed to drag him along until she reached her room as promised.

After she shoved him gently on top of her bed, she made sure his head landed comfortably on one of her pillows. Next, she carelessly shoved some papers and other junk she still had on her blanket to the ground so she could use it to cover him up. 

What now though? Not like she had any idea what his condition was about. Perhaps she should seek help from doctor Asclepius?! For now, she decided to reach for his forehead once again to feel his temperature:

“Do you need some water? Or should I give you some of my painkillers? I also have some energy drinks in the fridge if that could help you out…”

Noah reflexively reaches for her assistance, ignoring how the world sways in motion as he waits for the dizzy waves to crest.  But his eyes snap open as he feels the sudden plush cushion of a bed beneath him——the one situation he was entirely against, too!  This really can’t be happening.

Kanade’s questions float down to him as the symptoms begin to wane, and he weakly shakes his head. 

“It’s, it’s fine … It’s nothing new,”   Noah croaks out through his dried throat, throwing an arm over his face to hide an irrational heat filling his cheeks.  And it isn’t new;  there are times when his body gives in to illness.  But all of this, in front of a stranger, no less?   “Ugh, this is so embarrassing ….”

He truly spins on a wheel of misfortune, this time set in motion from the moment he found himself in this unusual world.  The futility of it all somehow weighs down upon him again.  Well, at least he’s not dead and repeating a cycle.  Yet, despite the dizziness and exhaustion having ceded, he makes no effort to rise from his position.

Instead, Noah looks through the gap in his elbow to peek at Kanade’s worried expression.  No words could properly express his gratitude for her help, so he quietly gives his thanks and then flips over, giving his back to her.

“I’ll stay here, just like you said.  Happy?”   He says, slightly muffled from the folds of her pillow.   “I don’t need anything else.  So … you can go now.”

[umbreance]

reipasento​:

With a raised eyebrow, Sou listened quietly to what Noah had to say.

… All of this sounded way more embarrassing than just admitting to owning a decent figure collection at home. Was he talking about an imaginary friend?! And not just any, he thought his weapon was his friend?

— Maybe Noah was lonelier than it seemed. Perhaps even lonelier than he was! Thinking of it like that, it almost made him feel sorry for the teen-boy. For him to go even as far as calling this thing his partner… It really was sad.

It only got more concerning when Noah offered him to talk to his so called close friend as well. Should he play along a little longer or burst out laughing and make him realize what absolute nonsense he was babbling about here?

Before he would brutally burst this nice boy’s bubble though, he decided to at least try it first. Not that he had any expectations of being able to talk to a fancy sword. But it would help his argumentation later on! 

“Yeah, yeah, sure. I just have to put my hand here, right? Well, hello, Clamor. So… What’s it like to live inside a rusty weapon like this?”

Noah heaves a sigh of relief. 

It seems that Sou believes him enough to talk to the living weapon without much verbal judgment.  However, despite the attempt, there is only silence that follows.  Of course Clamor would play this trick, again.  Considering the El Search Party still doesn’t know about his existence, it would be no different here.  And yet, cold sweat runs down Noah’s back, fearing Sou might suddenly change his mind about the situation.

He tightens his grip upon the scythe’s handle, threatening to give it a vigorous shake.  It’s been more than enough times now;  this joke is getting too old!   “Stop doing this, Clamor!  This isn’t funny anymore!  I’ll leave you behind if you don’t speak.”

At once, a frantic voice echoes telepathically,  “Wah!  Okay, okay!  Sheesh——Hmm … Sou, was it?  A-Am I really getting rusty?  I can’t feel a thing!”

See, the boy isn’t lonely or talking to an imaginary friend!

[elsgraphics]

⋆ noah ebalon icons 1st line

500 x 500.

likes / reblogs appreciated!

request here.

[umbreance]

reipasento​:

“Huh?!” Sou let out an almost offended sound when Noah suddenly said to ‘shut it’. Though weirdly he wasn’t looking at him when he said it? That boy sure was an oddball… 

“Ah, is that so? Haha sorry, that’s my bad then!”

It sure was amusing to watch how red Noah got when denying his assumption. He must at the very least like her! Well, Kanade was a very… unique girl herself, so the two of them would make a good couple. Not like Sou would meddle any more than this though. He probably caused already enough harm by helping him pick this creepy gift for her. The internet wasn’t a big help this time, but as long as Noah seemed happy with his choice, that was all that mattered. (For now at least)

“No need to thank me, really… it’s nothing.” He shouldn’t thank him, not before he has seen Kanade’s reaction to that most likely cursed doll. “I could see this was important to you and as the older and er… more experienced one, it’s only normal to help, r-right?” Hopefully, she was strange enough to enjoy the present after all. That way his lie would never be uncovered!

“By the way, Noah… There’s something I’m curious about. Earlier in the store, you mentioned the talking doll reminds you of something. I think the name you used was ‘Clamor’. Is that another toy? Ahaha, don’t tell me, are you someone that is collecting action figures as a hobby or something like that?”

“Um, no … I’ve never had that sort of hobby.  And Clamor isn’t a toy.”

He didn’t expect something like this would catch Sou’s interest.  Though, in all verity, it would be surprising for someone outside of Elrios not to be.  However, presented like this, and at this moment, Noah isn’t sure how to approach the subject without seeming strange——abnormal.  

His lips thin into a line as he looks down at his weaponized partner, silently questioning for approval.  The eye embedded on the scythe flits between boy and man a few times before Clamor gives a large sigh in resignation.  Noah subsequently nods in agreement, a brief smile on his face.

“This might sound crazy, but I need you to believe me, Mr. Sou,”   he says, setting his gift bag aside to raise the weapon forward in demonstration.   “This is Clamor——he is my … partner.  Even though he is a pretty useless weapon, only I can hear him talk.”

‘Friend’ seems too large of a word to use in front of someone admirable, despite Clamor’s protests about being useless.  But what if Sou finds him weird for talking to a seemingly inanimate object?

“Um ... but you can talk to him, too!  You just need to place your hand here.”   Noah gestures to the blade expectantly.

[umbreance]

hikkanade​:

“Bad luck? Hmhm…That’s a funny coincidence. One of my friends already told me I was eternally cursed as well. I don’t think your bad luck can have any affect on me then, Noah. Perhaps we’re even two sides of the same coin after all. “ She gave him another gentle smile before shaking her head: 

“I don’t think so at all. And as you said before, I’m doing this for myself too, remember? I enjoy your company… There’s no need to repay me because of that reason either.”

Even if Noah talked like he didn’t intend to see her again, Kanade could tell that this came from a self-loathing place rather than him not wanting to. She genuinely didn’t believe that someone like him could bring bad luck with him. After all, he made her day already so much more special than she expected it to be.

“Ah…”  After they finished their noodles in silence, Kanade looked at the clock inside the kitchen. It was already quite late to have visitors over, wasn’t it? Not that she did mind in particular, but Noah already mentioned before dinner that he wanted to head back home.

“You want to go home, right? Before that, let’s get your clothes so you can take them with you. This apartment is really warm so I’m sure they should be dry enough by now.”

Oh, how wrong she was about her household instincts, as usual. As soon as they arrived to the bathroom where she did leave their clothes to dry, she grabbed for his top. Unfortunately, it still was dripping wet. Just when she wanted to convey him those bad news, she suddenly lost her balance because of a puddle on the ground. (That’s what happens if you don’t wring the wet fabric out before hanging them up and don’t even clean the floor afterwards.)

A surprised sound left her while slipping not so gracefully on the hard floor. “O-ouch…!” It hurt, but not like she wanted to whine too much about it in front of someone she only just met today.

Ugh, this was embarrassing… Hiding how ashamed she was with a flustered smile she did sit up and face her newly found friend again:

“Haha… looks like they’re not dry at all yet. Hm… In that case, do you want to spend the night here? I rarely use my bed anyway, so it wouldn’t be a bother at all!”

There are some doubts about the state of his clothing as Kanade leads him toward the bathroom area—— doubts that swiftly become realized as she slips and falls onto the tiled floor.  Noah had lunged forward to try and catch her but was too late, too slow.  His brows swiftly knit together with guilt and concern as he looks over Kanade.

“Are you okay?”   He asks, offering a hand to help her while also being careful not to slip on the pooled water.  Maybe he should’ve brought the ice pack with him;  that was a dangerous fall.  Still, Noah remains hovering nearby to ascertain her wellbeing, though the words Kanade speaks causes that will to falter. 

“Wait, what are you saying!?  I can’t sleep here——”    Noah exclaims in embarrassment, his face aflame again.  That would be embarrassing!   “Or on your bed!” 

And if these pants are anything to go by, Add must live in this space, and he fears an incoming berating at his stay.  Noah shakes his head, denying the possibility.   “No, no … It’s fine.  I’ll just take my clothes and dry them elsewhere.  You don’t need to do this for me.”

When he reaches for his hooded jacket, however, a dizzy spell washes over him and his breath shortens, the signs of malady taking hold.  He lets out a groan and folds to the ground, grasping at his chest as he tries to wait for relief to return.   “Ugh … It’ll pass …”

[umbreance]

reipasento​:

Even though Shin ended up doubting if following the advice of his little web search result was the right decision, in the end, Noah surprisingly seemed to be quite happy with that choice? Of course, as a self-proclaimed man of logic and numbers, Shin was well aware that ghosts, and with that haunted dolls didn’t exist! (Unless they have an AI installed inside of them but that was thankfully not the case here.) Yet, this one in particular still genuinely gave him the creeps.

“Eek!” He backed off immediately when Noah picked the doll up and its head hung backwards like it would suffer under a broken neck. But to distract from the embarrassing sound he just made he proceeded to clear his throat once again.

“N-no, no. I think it’s fine?” He proceeded to take the doll off Noah’s hands and placed it back in its original position to prove his point. “See, it’s like new again. Seems like it’s not made to be moved around a lot. Hm… perhaps it’s more a decoration or collectors thing rather than a toy to play with?” That or it was just incredibly old and close to falling apart…

Either way, it wasn’t like he had any better present idea to give the boy at hand. Not only that but staying in this store any longer with doll eyes staring at one from every corner of the room got more and more unpleasant as well. Yeah, it was about time to make a decision and be done with this shopping trip!

“Your girlfriend isn’t a kid anymore, right? So that shouldn’t be a problem at all. I could even imagine it being this rare makes it an even better present for her, wouldn’t you agree? I’d go for it in your place!”

With the doll’s fragile appearance, Sou has a point.  Noah watches him set it back in its place with relief and concern, hoping it stays that way on the trip to Kanade’s apartment.  It would be a shame if the head fell out before reaching its destination.  But did the other have to tack on that comment, too?

It holds no truth, yet he cannot help but dips his head into his coat, trying to hide the embarrassment as he hands over the doll for purchase.  It’s a test of endurance to ignore how the word looms over his head until the purchase is complete.  But to make matters worse, Clamor uses the opportunity to tease further, despite agreeing to remain silent for most of this venture. 

Hey, I agree with this guy!  Though I still think you could’ve found something else for your sweet girlfriend—“S-Shut it!”   Noah counters defensively to seemingly no one in particular. 

After paying a strangely dirt cheap price, he rushes out of the antique store with haste.  He finally turns to Sou, pleading with a blush over his cheeks.   “I’m sorry, Mr. Sou, but Kanade is not my girlfriend.  We’re—We’re not that close; she is only a friend.”  

There is a muffled giggling inside the paper bag, but Noah hasn’t noticed it.  Instead, the boy continues earnestly,   “Um, but I should thank you for your advice!  Without it, I would’ve bought that other toy.  It wouldn’t have made such a nice gift …”

[umbreance]

let me assign you a love language—      

A STORY THAT ENDS IN BLOOD

The world has always been unkind, and when you have turned to yourself for comfort you have come face to face with an empty pit which seems to be laughing.  You don’t care if it kills you but once you find someone whom you love and who loves you back, you will make sure nothing happens to them.  They are yours.  You will make a tear in this world and create a new place for you and your love if it comes to that.  Because it has always been about love, and it is how it always ends.

tagged by: @hikkanade​​

[umbreance]

hikkanade​:

Kanade’s blue hues were locked on Noah when he abruptly moved away from her. Oh no, if he’d stumble backward like this he would …“Noah, be care-” Her reaction was too slow though and the poor boy hit his head hard on the cabinet behind him.

“Not good… wait, I got this!” With haste, she moved towards the freezer. She often tripped and got bumps, so making an ice pack to cool an injury wasn’t anything she wasn’t familiar with. 

Once again she approached Noah closer and gently hold the ice that she wrapped up in a towel against the back of his head. 

“Are you okay? I hope this isn’t too cold…” With brisk steps, she lead him towards one of the chairs in the room and pointed towards it. 

“Please sit down and take it easy for now! I should pour the water into the cup noodles before it cools down again.”

After she could finally serve dinner as first intended, she did sit down on the chair across from him. And then… for a good while, silence dominated the room. While Kanade did have things she wanted to tell him, she prepared herself to articulate them the correct way. 

It did surprise her though. Even if she clearly was an introvert, usually her heart never jumped around like it did earlier. Was it because it has been a while since she was in an argument? Either way, after swallowing some noodles, she decided to finally show how grateful she was for this moment:

“You know… I’m glad you stayed… It’s been a while since a day was full of surprises like… that…” She blushed a little while admitting that. Even though some embarrassing things happened since she met him today, it was a nice pace of change and also… really inspiring. 

“Usually my life is way more monotone and… yeah. W-what I want to say is, thank you, Noah. Um… are you feeling any better by the way?” 

Noah stares at the steaming cup, feeling the warmth rise and tickle his nose.  It’s hard to look at Kanade without renewing the flush in his cheeks, especially when she shares such considerate words and has only given him everything thus far.  No one has ever welcomed his presence or said that it brought surprises, let alone the two spoken together.

This is new;  this is … nice.  And though it’s craved for, it’s wiser to remain cautious considering the state of affairs.

“Don’t get used to it.  I usually bring bad luck and …”  Death.  He frowns, forcing his mouth close to prevent himself from further souring the mood.  Although, it’s a fair warning he’s sure to have already mentioned.  Still, Noah lowers the packet from his head down to the table and reaches for a fork.  With it, he idly pokes at the soup and adds,   “I mean it when I say you’re being too kind to me.”

This time, he throws a shy look at Kanade, holding her blue gaze.  Come to think of it; her eyes are lovely …

“A-Anyway, I’m fine now!”   He blurts out, scoops up a heap of noodles, and shoves them into his mouth.  They’re still too hot, and it stings his tongue, springing tears to his eyes.  But it’s a welcomed distraction to the weird thoughts, and he manages to chew through the pain.  Simple but fulfilling!  

Noah exhales and offers a wary smile.

“Thank you.  I’ll be sure to help next time——”  Wait, there can’t be a next time like this.  He scrambles to fix his claim before there are any misunderstandings.  “I—I mean, I’ll be sure to repay you sometime … For all of your help.  I do, um … I do appreciate it.”

[umbreance]

sylvarantichosen​:

Colette laughed a little at being called weird. Maybe she was, but she didn’t see anything wrong with it. The boy seemed content to watch the sea for a while instead, and Colette turned to watch it with him. It was beautiful, she thought, the way the moonlight made it look like it sparkled. 

It was a comfortable silence, to Colette, at least. But she still worried that she might be making him uncomfortable by lingering at his side after he’d been a little dismissive of her. She was working up the resolve to tell him goodbye, but then he spoke to her again, and Colette perked up immediately.

“Noah,” she repeated, happy to have a name for him at last. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’m Colette!”

Running her thumb over the ridged edges of the small shell, Colette offered him another warm smile. “Hey, Noah, what do you do at the beach, normally? Do you wanna go down to the water?” The extra pretty shells might be gone, but that didn’t mean there’d be nothing at all.

What does he do at the beach?  There’s so little to say when he’s been homebound or asleep for most of his life. So what do people usually do here?  Besides having fun in the sun and dipping into the water, of course.  He knows that much, but Noah can’t find it in himself to lie about experiences he’s never had.

“To be honest, this is my first time seeing a beach in person,”   he openly admits.  And it’s a proper beach, with sand and waves, not one limited to illustrations and stories.  Although, this one seems nearly as mystical as those his brother used to weave.   “I’ve heard all about them in books from Harque but never had the chance to …”  

Well, there was never any time to visit, either.  But the thought vanishes as Noah finally realizes Colette’s second question.  The waves haven’t rolled back yet! 

“Wai—Wait a minute!”   Noah exclaims, a hand stretched forward.  He stumbles ahead to catch up to the blonde girl and hesitates before speaking up again.   “Um, don’t you need a towel or something first?  You’ll get wet.”

[umbreance]

reipasento​:

“Oh you’re right, let’s check it out.“ 

Once they approached the store in question closer, the display window on it’s own was already unsettling. Something about antique dolls like these just felt… unsettling. But it wasn’t like Sou was superstitious, thankfully.

To get a closer look, it was only logical to check the wares in more details inside the shop itself. There was a doll in particular that caught Sou’s attention. It looked the most harmless out of the bunch and also wasn’t too large to carry around.

“Ah, looks like you can pull on that string to make her talk. Let’s try it, shall we?” 

The doll sounded somewhat old and scratchy. The voice box inside of her must have seen better days already.

Let’s play hide and seek!

”…” Okay, that sounded more creepy than expected. 

“Haha, that was somewhat lame. Toys like these usually have multiple voice-lines, yeah?” He pulled the string one more time but the doll only made an even creepier comment:

Tee-hee, no matter where you’ll hide, I will find you!

Yikes, this did remind him of some more uncomfortable memories from his past. But hey, the doll was girly and exciting, right? Despite that creepy eyes made out of plastic that seemed like they were staring directly into your soul, it looked okay. Yep, it’s all alright, the doll isn’t real. Haunted things don’t exist after all! And there was no way there was an AI programmed inside of it either.

“I mean… yeah! It’s… cute, right?” It wasn’t at all. But who knows. Girls often had weird tastes after all. Maybe Kanade would end up liking it! “Will you get it?”

"Oh, it talks?"   Noah leans in closer to the doll, intrigued by its mechanism.  Though it has an unmistakable vintage charm, the voice it emits sounds quite realistic—almost as if it houses an actual soul within its ceramic body.  Or perhaps it's a Nasod-like creation made to appear old as an artistic taste.

Noah touches the handle of the scythe at his hip absentmindedly.

"It kind of reminds me of my friend, Clamor. I wonder what else it says,"   he whispers, ignoring the protests of said friend, and pulls on the cord.  The antique doll gives a brief rattle as the string feeds into its body.  And, after an uncomfortable pause, it finally speaks again.

Tee-hee!  We'll be friends forever!

The boy instantly brightens and turns to Sou with figurative stars in his eyes,   "I-I think Kanade might like this!" —Noah, as your actual talking friend, I don't think that's a good idea.  This thing looks cursed!— "It doesn't seem cursed to me.  It's also girly ... and cool, which makes it a good gift.  Right, Mr. Sou?"

Noah carefully picks up the doll from the shelf to make a point, and its head suddenly lolls backward, eyes going white.   "Oh no, did I break it?"

[umbreance]

hikkanade​:

“N-no… you’re not. Don’t say that about yourself!” Determined she shook her head at him insulting himself. He was right about accusing her and asking her for her selfish reasons after all! But somehow he seemed to… understand her? It made her sigh out in relief!

“It’s okay, I don’t mind! You can ask me anything you want to know too.” Absentmindedly she brushed some still somewhat wet hair out of his face while he was still stammering. Not minding at all how he towered over her with the intention to intimidate her before. But then he suddenly stopped in the middle of his sentence and made a quick movement. Ack! What was happening, why was he suddenly so close?!

… Once Kanade tried to make sense of the situation again she gently moved her hand from his head to his chest now and leaned somewhat clumsily against him. She felt like she’d lose her balance else. Due to him turning the stove off behind her he was so close. Really, really close. She never heard her own heart beating in this kind of fast rhythm before. Yeah… even she was about to get nervous from their current position. 

“Um, Noah. I… I can’t turn around like this. I should, um… the cup noodles.”  

“——Huh?”   But the sound of confusion comes out too slowly, too late, before Noah becomes aware of the situation.  His heart begins to race in his chest, thudding rapidly against his ribcage—against her fingertips—a marching drum in his ears.  Kanade is super close!

“Waugh!  S-Sorry!!”   He exclaims, jerking backward and stumbling a few paces away.  In his haste, Noah accidentally hits his head against the upper cabinets.  He makes a pained noise and presses a hand against the wounded spot on his head.  But that doesn’t stop the blush that creeps up his neck as quick as a match, burning hot on his skin.  Unthinkingly, he pinches the collar of the hoodie with his free hand and pulls it up to his ears to hide but remembers this is Kanade’s and refrains.  

Oh, if only the shadows would really swallow him from sight right now!

“Um …”   Noah tries, searching for a swift change of topic to remedy the awkwardness.  Instead, his eyes stray from the floor to the cabinets to the pot, only to look away again, embarrassed.   “For the noodles, I’ll just … I’ll just have whatever you’re having.”

That should work, right?

[umbreance]

reipasento​:

Kanade? He knew that girl. She was Add’s roommate! Wasn’t she kind of gloomy though? He wondered what happened between her and Noah that resulted in him seeming to get interested in her. 

For a moment he considered if Kanade would have preferred something music or tech related… Add did mention in the past that she had a nice set up in her room after all. Then again, no girl wanted to receive a gift like that from a guy, right? Yeah… They were more complicated than boys! Everyone knew that.

“Yeah, er… Of course, I do! Any guy in my age would have experience with those kind of things, yeah?” At least any ‘cool’ guy, that he unfortunately wasn’t. But why tell that someone that seemed to respect him?! No, he’d keep going with this lie!

“Girly and exciting? Ahaha, hold on a moment I just got a text…” Another lie, just to tap the two adjectives into the web-search on his phone. The results were… not exactly what he was looking for. Bikinis? Underwear? Even he knew that these presents were weird. Some more normal results from the search were dolls, that wasn’t too bad of an idea, right?

To make his acting less suspicious he forcefully cleared his throat: “S-sorry, ahaha… people can be so needy, can’t they?” Finally, he put his phone back into his jacket pocket. “Anyway, we can’t find what we’re looking for here, so let’s leave, alright?”

Shin gave the shopkeeper an uncouth grin and decided to simply part with a: “See ya!” Taking Noah with him. Served that guy right for wanting to sell his wares for ridiculous prices to innocent customers.

“Well, in my experience…” He had no experience, just web search results. “… Girls like dolls. You know, fancy frilly dresses, something they can put into their room. Perhaps we should head to an antique shop next?”

Is that so?  Noah angles his head and considers this new set of knowledge, wondering if he's missing out on something important again.  Lacking experience in factors of gifts, girls, and plenty else, it seems that time still races ahead of him with no hopes of ever stopping. 

Curiously, he glances at Sou, studying him while distracted by the text message to gauge his age.  And although Noah is no good at visual guesswork, the other doesn't seem much older, which makes this situation all the more bothersome. 

"Huh?"   However, the suggestion of an antique shop snaps the boy out of his thoughts.   "Frilly dolls?  I guess that's girly and exciting."   He nods in affirmation, not that he would really know either way.   "Is there even such a thing here, Mr. Sou?  I only see market stalls and pop-up shops."  

Noah raises a hand to shield his eyes from the harsh sunlight and scours over the many rows of goods.  The colorful items and baubles on display are endless, but he sees a rather quaint yet obscure booth in the distance with something vaguely human-shaped for sale. 

"Oh wait, I see some dolls over there!  Um, about five shops down … I think.  Do you see it too?" 

[umbreance]

sylvarantichosen​:

Colette was a bit taken aback at his strong reaction. “Huh? Why not? Why can’t it be that simple?” Maybe friendship was something that grew over time, but Colette didn’t see why it couldn’t be so simple to start it as declaring it so.

She turned the tiny shell over in her hands, letting the light catch it so it sparkled. “I don’t think it’s worthless at all,” Colette told him. “You thought it was nice enough to pick it up even though it’s so small, even if there were bigger or prettier ones out there. And then you gave it to me, when I didn’t get here in time to find any. I think all of that makes it worth something.”

Colette watched him for a moment. The boy seemed sad, and lonely, especially if he was brushing off her offer of friendship so quickly. Tapping the shell to her chin, she smiled. 

“Whether or not you think it’s worth anything, I’m going to keep it. And it’s going to have a nice little memory attached to it that I’ll remember whenever I look at it.”

Likewise, Noah finds himself taken aback by her reaction.  This sort of blind kindness feels strange— pressuring in its rarity— yet warming up to him nonetheless.  It almost reminds him of the verdant archer, Rena. 

“You’re weird to even think of it that way,”   he says in finality, turning his attention back to the sea.  The girl should be free to decide what to do with the shell, regardless of second meanings and shoddily built friendships.  It’s hers now, after all. 

And it should have been left at that — the boy going quiet and watching the waves roll onto the beach.  Yet something nags at the back of his mind to seek further conversation.  Well, maybe just one friend is okay. 

“But, um …”   Noah shifts his weight upon his feet, heels digging into the sand.  Talking to strangers has never been a strong suit, let alone toward those who actively try to befriend him.   “If that’s what you want, I guess I should tell you my name?”   Is that what he’s supposed to say?  “I’m Noah.  What’s … What’s yours?”

[umbreance]

hikkanade​:

“Hm?” Kanade made a confused sound to Noah’s question. Why did he seem suddenly so upset? She didn’t really understand. Was helping out someone for no big reason really that unrealistic to someone like him?

Even when Noah approached her closer and looked down at her, she didn’t waver, took no step back. Not like she could anyway since there was the pot with boiling water behind her. She wasn’t scared of him though, just a little surprised by the way he acted. 

He must have been hurt in the past. There was no other way for him to feel this insecure about her intentions. Trying her best to understand his pain, she looked up to him with a sad smile.

“I’m either worried or nervous… Why are you asking me that? Are you?” These words could be seen as a provocation but that wasn’t her intention at all. Kanade’s only goal was to understand him better. 

“I never said that you’re a crybaby, Noah. As I mentioned before, you seemed lonely and in pain. Perhaps a little hopeless? It’s not like I pity you, I understand the feeling too well.” 

Now even Kanade couldn’t keep eye contact because remembering how she put on a fake strong front most of the time herself, made her feel more vulnerable than she liked to be at this moment. She didn’t want to seem too sad when she was the one trying to cheer Noah up!

“Haha, but maybe you have a point. Perhaps I don’t help you out for any selfless reason like that. No, I have my selfish reasons too, I guess… I think I just didn’t want to be alone myself. Yeah, I craved to be next to someone who understands what it’s like to be hurt… I tried to find comfort in someone feeling similar like me… I’m sorry.”

Hesitantly she reached now for a part of his shirt and gently tugged on it. Almost like a desperate attempt to keep him here.

“It’s okay if you want to leave, I won’t force you to stay here. But… if you decide to stay, that is, if you still want to… I would appreciate your company as well…”

The confession was precisely what he wanted to hear. Noah should feel angry; he should storm away from Kanade and everything she’s offered for selfishly using him.  Yet the spark never comes; the fire that burned within moments ago has quieted down into useless ash.  Instead, he finds himself recoiling at the yawning pit of shame that cropped up from his behavior.

“Oh, I—I didn’t mean … S-Sorry,”   he blurts out and bows his head, lacking the better sense to do anything else at the moment.  What in the world was he thinking?  Noah asks himself amidst an internal plea for calm.  Deep breaths and focus.  But his mind has been kicked into a whirlwind after realizing Kanade’s situation—— she wanted someone who understands what it’s like to be hurt.

“Ugh, I’m such an idiot …”   Noah continues lamentably, looking at how her hand holds onto him.   “I didn’t consider how you really feel at all.  I only assumed that you would be like everyone else.  But—”

He then raises his head, intending to face the girl with a shred of resolve.  But his attention is wrested to the pot behind her as it gurgles aggressively with boiling water, threatening to bubble over and spill.  

Noah gasps and presses forward clumsily, reaching with his shadow-stained hand past the girl to turn the stove’s dial off.  The water simmers down, and a breath of relief follows.   “That was close …”  He sighs, yet to be aware of how awkwardly his body hangs over hers.  

[umbreance]

reipasento​:

“A-ah, what? It’s for a girl?!” Say what?! Noah seemed like a fragile bookworm kind of guy. Someone similar to him! Never would he have guessed he of all guys would have girl troubles. But seems like the younger generation grew up quite fast these days… (Faster than him, unfortunately.)

“A-anyway, if that’s the case, that makes this deal even worse!” He couldn’t tell by how much though, then how the heck was he supposed to know what a girl would like?!

Nonchalantly, as if it was totally unrelated to this situation, he typed something into his smartphone. Little did Noah and the shopkeeper know he searched the web for information on what kind of presents girls usually like. Unsurprisingly, the results were rather expensive. Jewelry, brand make-up, brand perfumes… Maybe he was lucky to not have Noah’s troubles after all!

Sou cleared his throat, almost feeling some pity for him now, he gave Noah’s shoulder a light pat.

“You know, boy… If you want to make a girl happy, you should get her something girly. Makes sense, no? For the same price as that pop-up toy, you could buy some uh, I don’t know, maybe some lipstick? Or nail polish? Boring girly things girls like these… This definitely won’t be as fun as when picking out a present for someone who shares the same interests as you… 

He took another look around the shop they were in. Did they even sell anything remotely related to those items he just mentioned? 

“We can check out another store too if you’d like. But trust me, this right here is a bad deal either way!”

Boy?  Noah feels somewhat offended at being called so, knowing that he has previously given Sou his name.  But his frown quickly turns, the slight forgotten, and he absorbs the following wisdom of gift-picking instead.  Lipstick, nail polish, girly things —— each one sounding more foreign than the last.  

Where does he even begin?

“You at least seem to know what you’re talking about,”  he notes, ambling in the direction of a random stall.  Noah can practically feel the hot glare of the shopkeeper boring into their backs, but it’s probably best to look elsewhere.   “So, does that mean you’ve done this before?”   And, if that’s the case, then perhaps scouring the entire market for the correct item with Sou’s guidance will be worth it.

Though Noah scratches at his cheek a little shyly.

“Um, actually, what I meant to ask is … is there something both girly and exciting?  I wouldn’t want to give Kanade a boring gift, after all.”