[ They're making a scene. Her focus has narrowed so utterly to Aqua and nothing else that she can't even see any of the others who've gathered here but she knows instinctively that they've all turned to stare. If this was any other time or place, maybe she'd snap to attention and do what she could to smooth things over and try and salvage this first impression. But when Aqua's here, when Aqua's looking at her like that, what else can she even think of doing?
Even in the moment that his knees unhinge, Ai's moving. By the time they hit the floor so do Ai's, right in front of him so she can fold him into a hug at once, feeling dizzy and disbelieving and ill down to the very marrow of her bones. ]
I'm here. It's me, Aqua, really-
[ He's not a child anymore. Not the sweetly precocious boy she was holding in her arms not even an hour ago. For him to have grown this much and to be looking at her like he's seeing a ghost or something worse, just how much time must have passed for him?
Just how long ago did she...? ]
I'm sorry. [ Her voice catches. She's fighting with everything she has to keep herself steady but even she can feel herself trembling and hear the wobble in her words no matter how firm she tries to make them. ] I... you and Ruby, both of you must've been...
no subject
Even in the moment that his knees unhinge, Ai's moving. By the time they hit the floor so do Ai's, right in front of him so she can fold him into a hug at once, feeling dizzy and disbelieving and ill down to the very marrow of her bones. ]
I'm here. It's me, Aqua, really-
[ He's not a child anymore. Not the sweetly precocious boy she was holding in her arms not even an hour ago. For him to have grown this much and to be looking at her like he's seeing a ghost or something worse, just how much time must have passed for him?
Just how long ago did she...? ]
I'm sorry. [ Her voice catches. She's fighting with everything she has to keep herself steady but even she can feel herself trembling and hear the wobble in her words no matter how firm she tries to make them. ] I... you and Ruby, both of you must've been...