[prp] news of the late musical idol charlotte (saya x gale)

[revenant aria]

It was luck or hope that made Saya eager to see Gale. She was waiting on the road to his house, as close to Deus as she could be yet situated on the path to the houses. Gale couldn't pass Saya so he would see the blond girl waiting in the middle of the road, with a trenchcoat wrapped around her.

She knew the hour was late and that Gale was probably not in the mood-- that was an unstatement, for the trauma the others went through. Saya couldn't even imagine because she hadn't been there--

but one very important person had been. And Saya didn't see that person when checking in her room so she hoped for good news from Gale. She was frantic, desperate to hear good news. So much so, that her nerves have had trembling all over as she imagined the worst results.

But no, imagining the worst always made it come true. She pinched her cheeks, pulling them painfully far apart, to force herself from thinking.

kurotomato

 

[kuropeco]

He was exhausted.

Considering the events of the day, it was surprising he was even vertical, currently, but Gale forced himself to stay awake for the time being, at least long enough to make it back to his own house. He dragged his feet along with him, twice as slow as he normally would when taking the path into town, and his head felt as though it were spinning in circles.

Surprisingly, however, there was a figure ahead, small and windswept, and Gale slowed even further, his brow furrowing as recognition dawned across his face.

"Saya?" he said, slightly confused, and made his way towards her. "Hey. You okay? What are you doing all the way out here alone?" He slid a sideways glance towards the town. "It's not exactly the safest place to be, you know, especially when you're by yourself."

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[revenant aria]

"I'm fine! It's ok, I was only out here a little while!" Saya tried to reassure him but the sand gathering around her white boots said otherwise. It was a relief to see Gale, her insides unknotting a little bit with relief. If Gale, a full hunter, made it back, a division assistant could make it back, no problem, right?

"I realize that right after the events isn't a good time, nothing is really a good time but.." Saya's fingers burrowed into her jacket, forcing a pleasant smile on her face. ".. I went to go visit Charlotte's room but she's not back yet. Would you happen to know where she is?"

Saya's desperation lined her voice, tinted with worry. She linked and unlinked her hands, over and over, rubbing at her wrists worriedly.

"Maybe as a division meeting? Or is she making a report?" Saya tried to guess nervously, looking up at Gale hopefully.

kurotomato

 

[kuropeco]

He gave her a slightly scrutinizing look, as though attempting to read right through her, but she seemed well enough on her own. Which, unfortunately, meant that she had either not been a part of the little hell they'd all just been through, or that she hadn't known about it at all, neither of which were good options.

Gale shrugged his coat a bit further around him, trying to ignore the fact that the bottom of it was stained with blood. Saya's hopeful face, her clear need to hear not the truth, but a truth she craved, made his insides turn to ice, Gale staring at her.

"Saya..." he said, after a long moment, shifting his feet uncomfortably. "I..."

How was he going to tell her? How was he supposed to explain this? He had never been good at sentimentality, or anything involving telling another person that someone they knew was dead. All he'd ever been was on the receiving end of things, which meant that he knew what it felt like.

"Here," he said, and reached out, gently grasping her elbow, leading her towards his house, which was visible just up the way. "Let's go inside to talk, it's warmer in there - and safer."

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[revenant aria]

"N-no, that's okay, I-I didn't plan to stay.." She gently put Gale's hand down, her whole body, elbows and all retreating into a defensive position as she tried to physically hold herself together. Her arms were wrapped tight to her chest, her knees bent inwards, as she tried to hold onto a nonexistent source of stability. It was uncharacteristic of her to refuse Gale anything, especially because he was one of the kindest people in Saya's book and given tremendous seniority. He had taught her many things from the very beginning. In fact, Gale was one of the first hunters she had met and on her top ten of most trustworthy.

However, it wasn't that she wasn't moving because she didn't want to. She simply couldn't, fear pinning her in her tracks. If Gale wanted to move her, he would have to push a little harder. Fear made her rigid, her wide eyes suspiciously shining. Why did Gale want to go inside to talk?

A knot welled up in her throat, her lips tightening as she swallowed. She looked down at the ground in silence, not wanting to ask the question. All of a sudden, she felt far colder than the weather warranted. It was like a chill that would never go away, the way her hands kept rubbing at her arms as if she was cold.

kurotomato

 

[kuropeco]

She was resisting, which made it worse, because he knew she knew, knew that her panicked face, the desperate note to her voice meant that Saya already suspected what had happened. She was not looking for an answer, not really; she was looking for confirmation that it had not happened, or denial that it had.

He could give her neither, and that was what made it the hardest.

"Saya," said Gale quietly, and he stopped trying to pull her towards his house, instead standing in front of her with both hands resting gently on her arms. "Saya, listen, I'm...I'm sorry, but..."

He took a deep breath. "Charlotte, she...didn't make it."

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[revenant aria]

"I-I.." Saya seemed physically on the verge of sinking into despair, grasping Gale's supportive hands, She clutched them too tightly, without realizing it. She did, a moment later, releasing them hastily. Her fingers pressed into her palm, in a sort of nervous rhythmic massage as she tried to take in Gale's clear statement. Her eyes darted to the ground, her vision focusing on everything but Gale.

"Ah-- I-I'm gonna.. go..--"

Her manner was uncharacteristically disjointed, her shoulders lowering. It was as if she was running through a infinite wheel of memories and she was hopelessly caught up within it.

"-- I have to.. see..Um, thank you Gale.. for.. telling me.." Saya mumbled, giving Gale a shaky smile. He was honest with her and that was what it counted.

kurotomato

 

[kuropeco]

He reached for her hands again, wanting to make sure that she was not about to collapse, her eyes wide and her face pale. "Saya," Gale said, "Saya, I'm sorry, there was nothing I could do. The Circles caught us and she fought against them, and they..."

He trailed off, took a breath, and continued. "She fought until the end," said Gale. "She was strong; she did her best, but in the end they were just too overpowering. They shot her, I'm sorry."

He squeezed her fingers worriedly. "Are you going to be all right? Do you need anything?"

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