He was just ten years old, and he was stupid. Fear had not yet paralysed his tongue and stiffened his spine into a rigid stand. If Feiron was the heart, what was Vangeld?
The brain, replied the shadow.
“Eventually, the Llanil’s body died, but the soul didn’t. Fifty generations of randomly possessed Hirekians later, and here I am.”
Vincent took a moment to process the new information. “And that’s why you’re a Vessel? Because you share a body with a thousand year old bird?”
Nakano had the decency to look embarrassed. “Sounds ridiculous when you put it that way.”
Every time I draw Lia, I’m always reminded that she is Vin’s sister through and through.
Nakano gave him an incredulous stare when he was presented with the vial.
"You're joking, right?" he asked, one corner of his mouth pulled into an uncertain frown. "You know, I haven't had much luck with things in vials."
Vincent did not appreciate the joke. "I made sure to double check its contents before purchasing it," he said.
Nakano's scepticism only grew. "Did you now." He shot the vial another cautious glance. "I don't know which part of that sentence to believe; the fact that you actually asked, or the fact that you bought it with money."
Vincent huffed. "I'm trying to do something nice."
"And that's what scares me."
He gritted his teeth and let out a low curse. "Fine," he spat. "What do you want to know?"
Vincent leaned back against the wall with a smug grin. "Good to see that you've retained your sense of reason," he all but sang. "Now tell me, who were those charming people in green?"
Vincent may have had the upper hand, but he'd be damned if he was going to make this easy for him. "Liisenya," Nakano said. He offered nothing more than that.
The satisfied grin on Vincent's face slipped into a frown.
Slowly, the fog clouding his thoughts began to lift. There had been fire, he recalled, and earthquakes and—
Nakano shot upright. Pain overwhelmed him and forced out a pitiful cry from his lips. He curled against his knees once more as he waited for the wave to subside. “C-Chlor,” Nakano said, lifting his head towards Vincent. “What happened to Chloris? Where is he?”
Vincent remained where he was, sitting ramrod straight with his hands resting in his lap. “Who?” he asked.
In a single word, the temperature of the room plummeted. A dread Nakano had long since forgotten began to knot in his stomach. Tread carefully, his instincts warned, he was at a disadvantage.
“Chloris,” Nakano repeated. “My best friend. The one you tried to kill.”
So much for treading carefully.
Do you ever make art decisions that you really regret.
Time was restored by the sound of a quiet huff. Nakano's silence had sealed his fate.
"So this is your answer, huh?" Chloris said. Disappointment and hurt pulled at his brow and weighed heavily on his words. He cast the moment of weakness away as he threw his hand to the side to summon his halberd. "Fine, let's do this the hard way then."
"W-why pretend?" he asked through tears. "You said pretend, why do you have to…"
Chloris's hand lifted between them, uncertainly hovering outside Nakano's personal space. In times like this, his friend was the type to crush him into a hug and laugh off the unpleasant situation with jokes. Not this time. This time, there was a tremulous distance between them, a strained trust and unspoken blame.
The hand pulled away to scratch at the familiar arming charm wrapped around his throat.
Vincent placed his hand to his chin. "Hmm, according to the sailor from our ferry, there should be a city called Atropadell around here. It was his home; quite quaint, from what he described." He paused when he saw Nakano's incredulous stare. "Yes?"
"I'm just surprised you were able to hold a conversation. You spent most of the ferry ride vomiting off the side of the rails."
Vincent soured at that. "I think I preferred it when you didn't speak your mind."
"Too late for that now," Nakano replied, moving to stand beside Vincent.
Today I was reminded that I draw really hecking slow so I'm gonna quit while I'm still coherent.
One good thing about writing on my phone is the fact that I can use emojis.
Let the screaming begin
"Are you even taking this seriously?"
Vincent faked a look of hurt. "Nakano, I am distraught that you would even think otherwise. Of course I am taking this seriously, with every fibre of my being." Nakano snorted. "What should I do to prove myself? Should I profess my undying love for you on top of—"
Nakano's hand was on his mouth as a mixture of embarrassment and disgust pulled at his brow and lips. The visible sliver of teeth revealed a strained grimace. "Please stop."
Vincent's smile against Nakano's palm only served to embarrass him further. Reaching up, he gently pulled Nakano's hand from his mouth and clasped it into his own. Nakano's gaze on their joined hands burned like a brand.
"A movie followed by shopping," Vincent said. Nakano's head lifted from their fingers. "Today's plan," he clarified.
That feel when your modern day chibi art looks way better than your serious art back in '13
So out of practice. Guh.