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".... She loved me once." Clive whispers under his breath, so that only Joshua can hear him. "Perhaps there was a small hope, that the mother who loved me would return."

But he knew well. He knew she would never come back.

"You reached your hand out. I would have accepted it if she decided to accept it, even if I felt the idea was..." Bad. He shakes his head. "You're right. She won't hurt anyone else again. She won't hurt us again, not while I still draw breath to protect you."

"But we do," More than he'd like to admit. When he thinks of everything she did, it's obvious why it's wrong. But it's not that simple, even when he hears the resentment in his brother's voice when they speak of her.

"I wouldn't blame you even if you did. She wasn't kind." Still, he doesn't want to spend more time than they needed to when talking about her. "But we can both agree that she is better off gone. Helps us, I think. In an odd way."

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.... He's insanely confused now.

"Gross... ice cream?" He tilts his head to the side. "What is that supposed to mean?" Unfortunately, he would enjoy the most boring ice cream ever... probably vanilla.

Sephiroth stared up at Clive. His face looked really familiar. He tilted his head in curiosity.

"You look like you enjoy gross ice cream," He said and went back to looking a the TV. his attention was immediately grabbed by a catchy soda commercial.

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Final Fantasy XVI - PC • Reunited at last.

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"There are other ways to make people happy." The outlaw was in the same boat as well - the music was nice, but there was no way he would ever make anyone happy like that.

"Still, I admire them." Clive looks back at the television. "The fact they give it their all to make people happy... It's certainly not an easy task."

Sephiroth looked up at Clive and then back at the TV. He made a soft humming sound in thought. Sephiroth did like how the music sounded, but he wasn't sure if it actually made him happy.

"I don't think I could make anyone happy like that." He moved away from the shop window.

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"From what I've gathered, it has something to do with performing." Clive gazes at the TV as well, seeing whatever idol group sing their hearts out.

"I presume if you enjoy singing and making people happy, then being an idol would be fun. But I also suspect they have their own challenges to overcome..."

"What's it like to be an idol? Is it fun?" Sephiroth realized he can watch tv whenever he wants! even while standing in front of a shop!

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"I shouldn't miss her. We shouldn't miss her." It's such a complicated feeling. He doesn't miss her, but at the same time... he wonders what would have happened if she took Joshua's hand. He can't ever forgive her for the pain she caused - for the hatred she had towards Bearers. But he never truly wanted her to die, either.

"She made her own downfall. Yet... I never wanted her to die in such a way. Or... truthfully, at all."

"It feels strange to miss her, doesn't it?" Especially after everything she had put them through, both of them, but her hatred had always been especially pointed toward Clive. "Even mourning her leaves a bit of a bitter taste. A complicated one."

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He's used to them being this close, and yet she still manages to take his breath away.

How did he get so lucky, to have a woman so wonderful and beautiful like Jill love him? Clive purrs at the brush of fingers in his hair, leaning into her touch. If he had a tail, it would be wagging like a dog's right about now.

"Then I'll give you a world with myself in it." Because he wants to live, more than anything now. He wants to live for himself, and he wants to live for her. To wake up at her side once more, like he does every day now.

The kiss is returned, several times. He can't stop kissing her, even if he wanted to.

"As do I, with you." Another peck to her lips, a teasing smile on his face. "Which means... it's about time we start planning for a family, for when we return home."

Her fingers gently brush in his hair, now, a gesture just as much for her as it was for him. From this close, he can likely hear the breath she sucks in through her nose and releases in a sigh, purely content -- With him, with this space they share, with everything.

"I only want the world if you're in it," she responds. "It wouldn't be any good to me otherwise." A little bit of an exaggeration, maybe. But she's already shown off her clinginess once already today, so what's the harm in doing it again?

When he finishes his pledge, her face is even closer than before. She presses her lips to his, an immediate acceptance.

"That's perfect, Clive. I truly couldn't ask for anything more... I don't want anything more. It's exactly what I need, and I want to share it with you."

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Final Fantasy XVI | ▶ dev. Square Enix

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"... The years go by, and yet I still think about her on this day." He shouldn't think about Anabella, and yet he can't help it. Even after all of that, there is still that childish part of him that wished she loved him.

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The girl before him was young. Perhaps around the same age he was when he first became First Shield. He should be used to children being soldiers, but... he doesn't think he'll ever be used to it, not after all he's seen and witnessed with his own eyes.

"You don't need to apologize." Clive says with a soft smile. Torgal barks in agreement. "Though, we should start moving - we can speak while we walk." With that, the outlaw starts to walk, moving slow so that the young girl can keep up.

"Despite your age, you carry a blade with you." His voice is distant, like he's thinking of his own memories.

Lily had only heard about the calamity in the Babylonian Singularity, but spared the horrors of experiencing such a landscape first-hand. It would be a tragic inevitability that the same could not be a universal mercy. in spite of that, he stood strong and resolute in defiance of that pain. Truly it was admirable.

After all the pandemonium, the silence was... a little eerie, eyes wandering as if expecting movement to disrupt their departure. But perceived none and nodded once upon the man her sights returned. "You're right. I shouldn't have been reckless heading out into areas that have seen trouble pass through. My apologies to trouble you all the way out here".

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Final Fantasy XVI | ▶ dev. Square Enix

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Final Fantasy XVI | ▶ dev. Square Enix

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"-- Somehow, this is even worse than the Akashic back home." At least he knew how to deal with them. And it didn't feel like he was being drained of his abilities when he used them back home. He turned towards the person nearby, sheathing his blade for the time being.

"Are you alright?" A pause, Torgal on high alert next to him. "We should probably leave the area. Something tells me we won't be alone for long."

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'How do you get used to stuff like this' is a fairly fair question to ask. Truthfully, even not counting the things he would be far used to, Clive has just seen so much insanity from back home that nothing seems to faze him these days. Brothers coming back from the dead, gods turning the skies a different colour, beasts born from aether flows - he's seen it all.

And that's not even counting that Clive himself can turn into a giant lizard.

"A fairytale?" The outlaw raises a brow. "Not exactly. Magical creatures simply tend to exist where I am from. There's a little fluffy creature with small wings called Moogle back in my world, once thought to be a simple myth, but I'm friends with one."

"I take it you come from a more modern time like most people here."

"Not even a little bit," Peter says with a laugh, letting out a breath and raising his hands to run through his hair before they come to rest at his hips.

He was beginning to gather that people here were from all sorts of places, and things that existed in his world didn't exist in others and vice versa. Little by little, he was learning about these people and the other worlds they came from. It was kind of exciting and interesting, but he wouldn't let it show.

"How do you get used to stuff like this?" He says with a laugh.

"Seeing things you're only used to hearing about in fairy tales. It's crazy. Though I guess...wait, are these normal for you? Are you from a fairy tale?"

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Ah, that was always an expected reaction someone new would have here.

Truthfully, since Clive is rather used to things like fantastical creatures roaming around Valisthea, he hardly batted an eye at that. What always got to him was the more modern technology here - though, with the Fallen back home, he got fairly used to the technology here.

"You get used to it here. But aye, they're normal." Clive answered nonchalantly, gesturing to unicorn and the fairies giving him the stink eye ( they still seemed upset at him and jill getting a little handsy their first year here, clearly ).

"I take it these things are not common in your world?"

This place was starting to wear on him.

Sure, it wasn't like, terribly insane compared to like, space - well, he'd thought that at least, until he'd found himself in some weird The Last Unicorn shit, right down to fairies and the actual goddamn unicorns walking around.

Maybe this was all some kind of beer induced lucid dream. Maybe he was going crazy. He needed help.

"Man...please tell me you see that too..." He approaches the nearest figure, a tall man clad in red and black.

"Please tell me I'm not completely losin' it and that's just normal here," He says, pointing to the unicorn.

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The way that Jill loves him will never not amaze him.

A woman like herself, who would catch the eye of anyone who had eyes, choosing to love someone like him? He wasn't worthy - not at all, in his mind. He considered himself to be blessed and lucky to be even able to gaze upon her. Jill was far beyond his reach, among the stars and hanging onto the moon like Metia herself.

And yet, she chose him. She chooses him every single time.

Clive presses himself close to her, taking in the warmth and coolness she gives off. He's home, he knows this. He's home with her, and it makes him happy. Should they decide to leave the Hideaway in Gav's hands after everything is said and done, he won't have to worry about being homesick.

"You deserve the world, Jill. If I had the power to give it to you, I would." The outlaw laughs breathlessly. "I can only hope you're fine with what I can give you. I'll give you the life you deserved to have - one of peace, of quietness, and of love."

Feeling so seen and known does things to her heart that are hard to explain. For years and years, she had tried to make herself invisible -- Tried to be a person not worth being interested in, a cold girl just like Shiva. It never truly worked, of course. Marleigh had made sure of that.

But there's something different about it coming from Clive. He's seen her at her lowest of lows and highest of highs. He remembers and loves her through it all. It's impossible not to feel like she's living on cloud nine almost every day.

She leans into his hand, covering it with one of her own and pressing her nose to his wrist. Her eyes close briefly, and when they open again to meet his, they're full of just as much joy.

"I feel the same about you, Clive." Her free hand reaches up to bury in his hair. "Thank you... For everything. I don't know what I did to deserve any of it."

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"Of course. Don't worry, I know how you like it." He really does. He pays attention to just about everything when it comes to Jill - the way her nose scrunches up with the more spicy smells, the way her eyes sparkle when she eats something good.

He's fascinated by her. He's in love with her. It's hard to look away from her, sometimes.

"Have you?" That eases Clive's mind a little. He's always so afraid of being... clingy, when it comes to her. She deserves to spread her wings, not be chained to him. If she is selfish, then so is he. He wants to keep her safe and happy.

The outlaw laughs, breathlessly. His hand cups her cheek, smiling so happily that it reaches his eyes - boyish in nature, free of burdens.

"Then I suppose I'll have to get started on finding us a place." It won't take long, not when he's motivated now. His forehead presses against hers, basking in all that she is. "I love you, Jill... more than anything in the world."

The mention of bread bowls perks her up almost immediately, embarrassingly so. Of course Clive has already noticed her rather frequent indulgences in this new treat.

"Just don't make it too hot. I can't handle spices quite like you do," she says fondly. She's learned early on that their tolerances are much different thanks to Ifrit.

His lips brushing against the back of her hand causes her smile to grow easily. This is undoubtedly something she doesn't mind feeling like she will melt over.

"Is that so?" Considering the conversation she had with Joshua not too long ago, the timing is rather funny. "I happen to have already put some thought into this, as well."

A special place to keep her treasure safe and warm. It's likely selfish of her to think this way, but it's also a desire that's been festering for months and months on end.

"A place just for us sounds wonderful. Perfect, even. I would love nothing more than to have that with you, Clive."