If we could sit together a moment

[thisdesertrose.livejournal.com]

Who: Squall Leonhart and Firion
Where: The Dark Cave
When: Wednesday
Summary: Firion finally finds Squall in the Dark Cave and they have a chat.
Rating: PG to be safe?
Log:
After talking to Zidane, Firion approached the Dark Cave and, true its name, it was very dark inside. He reached into his pack and pulled out a flashlight, turning it on and going inside. This world's technology still made him gawk sometimes. It had taken him awhile to figure out how a flashlight even works. A torch without a flame? He didn't get it and in the end, never did. He just new he needed those battery things whenever the light wouldn't turn back on.

He was lucky to have Wild Rose with him as she was the most effective against all these rock Pokemon, but still, he didn't find Squall. Worse still, he got lost. It had been a long time since he had been in this cave and the last time he had another companion. Firion sighed dejectedly, where could Squall have gone? And why did he leave his Pokemon?! It was almost suicidal! No, it was suicidal. He knew Squall liked to be alone but they had all been effected by those nightmares and they all knew Squall had gotten the worst of it all.

"Damn it, Squall," He murmured, crossing his arms, flashlight still in hand. He didn't pay attention during that split second of no light and luck was not on his side. The ground abruptly dropped off. With a startled yelp, Firion felt down the ledge. He was lucky it was hardly more than a five feet, but the staggered way he had fallen meant he found himself sprawled on the ground, knees skinned and scraps on his hand from trying to catch himself. But, it could have been worse and that was the good. "Ow..."

Well, his flashlight had survived, at least. Firion stood up and went to grab it.

Comments

[solidbarrels.livejournal.com]

"Are you always like this?" He stared at the offered hand before slowly, deliberately reaching out to grab it. Holding Firion's hand for a heart beat, Squall sighed, then pushed himself off the cave floor.

[thisdesertrose.livejournal.com]

Even if he didn't really need to, he still pulled Squall up (barely) and smiled sheepishly. "So I have been told."

It came from always wanting to help everyone and give the best for everyone, usually at his own expense. But he wasn't going to say that out loud. Just as long as everyone else was happy (or on that path).

[solidbarrels.livejournal.com]

"That doesn't surprise me." Squall glanced over at his ghosts, not yet letting go of Firion's hand. It felt comfortable to have another person's hand in his. It was like another reminder that this was real and actually happening. Not some weird delusion conjured up by magic, Time manipulation or Pokemon.

"We probably should... Head back." Letting go of Firion, Squall walked over to his bag before absently removing the wrapped scarves on his shoulders, intent on putting on his jacket without too much hindrance. "They're probably getting more worried by the minute.

"Aren't they?" He muttered that last sentence under his breath.

[thisdesertrose.livejournal.com]

Firion just chuckled before waiting for Squall to let go of his hand, he didn't mind the hold so he was patient. It was comforting to know that Squall didn't simply pull his hand away once he stood up. He nodded at the suggestion and waiting Squall to get ready, even if it meant watching him remove the make-shift bandages. "Yes, they are. I let them know I was going into the cave to look for you before I went inside."

Squall was going to put on his jacket to cover up the marks, Firion thought but didn't say much at first. Then, "I have an actual first aid kit at the inn, I can come visit you later to treat your wounds if you like."

Without the others knowing was the silent extra sentence that he didn't say, but implied just as much.

[solidbarrels.livejournal.com]

Squall shook his head, pulling his jacket on with a little wince of pain. The leather rubbed at his wounds and probably would continue to do so until he took it off. "I'll take care of it." They're my injuries. I've done this to myself. Asking for help wasn't something Squall was used to, for anything. He only had himself to rely on for so long.

"They'll probably want an explanation," He was muttering to himself, throwing his pack over his shoulder, managing to completely hide the flinch of pain from another wound Firion didn't know about. It was the first thing he did once he entered the cave, to reopen the damn wound the Sorceress gave him from his world.

The throbbing pain was mostly gone, if not completely unless aggravated. As long as Firion thought only the wounds on his arms were his only self-inflicted injuries, then Squall didn't see a point of mentioning he had another.

Raising his arm, he called out, "Diablos. Pandemonium. Return."

[thisdesertrose.livejournal.com]

Firion nodded, though still a little concerned. "They will, but you are free to refuse one. Or simply don't show them your wounds until they've healed."

He wasn't fond of anyone lying or hiding their injuries, but he already knew that Squall's injuries were hardly life threatening and the young man probably didn't need anyone else nagging him like he had just done earlier. He did, however, raise an eyebrow and frown slightly at the choice of names Squall had given his Pokemon. "Pandemonium?"

[solidbarrels.livejournal.com]

"I owe it to them." And you guys need to know... how to snap me out of a hallucination if I'm ever caught up in it again. He had been thinking about it, what really drew him out of the nightmares. It was the fire his starter emitted but it was more than that. "And you. Especially if--no when--something like those nightmares occurs again.

"Cecil called his ghost, Avenger didn't he? What's wrong with Pandemonium?" Squall lifted an eyebrow at Firion.

[thisdesertrose.livejournal.com]

That was a better answer than what Firion had anticipated it and he felt oddly pleased about it. "I don't think those nightmares will return," He murmured.

"Pandemonium was name of the Emperor's domain during the Conflict," He explained.

[solidbarrels.livejournal.com]

"Nothing goes as expected." Squall turned, already starting to walk toward the exit of the cave. "They never do. Doesn't matter what world you're in." That was a truth Squall found out the hard way. Both during the War and in the Conflict, even here in this world.

"Hn. Was it?" Squall never bothered to find out the names of the battlefields he fought. They were just arenas that he needed to fight in. "Names differ. Depends mostly on what the person's perspective." He tossed his Drifloon's ball into the air before catching it. "Demon's name came from my world. Diablos's, too."

He paused in his stride, glancing back at Firion over his shoulder. The SeeD jerked his head, "Coming?"

[thisdesertrose.livejournal.com]

Firion nodded before following Squall. "I am."

He wasn't going to question the name anymore, there was simply no point. Besides, they were leaving the Dark Cave and that was enough to derail the conversation.