Roland's throat bobs, his eyes catching every motion when Tidus's wrist twitches protectively. There is a look that crosses Tidus's face; one that tells Roland every thing he needs to know, even if no words have passed between them. Tidus doesn't want to go. Such a small movement that speaks volumes, that breaks Roland's heart further the more he watches the young man come back to himself when he reluctantly relents.
You may not think you deserve it, or that you shouldn't have it...But you want it, don't you?
You want to live.
He retracts his touch from Tidus, after lingering for a while. The nod registers, and Roland won't ask for more than that; it's already more than what Roland expects. And he would be a fool not to realize that the trust Tidus has shared with him is something special, something impossible to forget. A wave of affection comes over Roland; a feeling of wanting to do right by Tidus, to help him when he needs it, and even when he doesn't ask. As the stars of Irivar take their place in the late dusk, they also bear witness to Roland's silent vow to support Tidus now, more than ever.
"Thank you." He says to Tidus, tenderly. For everything. For this. Tidus may meet his eye, maybe he won't. But Roland smiles warmly at him regardless. "Take your time. Don't rush. It's okay. You're okay." The reassurances come easily. If the flask is offered back to him, Roland will take it and put it back into the space it came from. He dusts off Tidus's shoulders, the sides of his arms. The moment will eventually pass, but Roland will never forget.
Whatever silence falls naturally upon them is eventually broken with the president turning back to the scene they left behind, troll bodies littering the ground with only one club remaining on the ground. He nods his head at it with a jerk to the side, a well-meaning glance.
"...Still want to take that?" Roland offers softly. "Could buy you something nice."
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Roland's throat bobs, his eyes catching every motion when Tidus's wrist twitches protectively. There is a look that crosses Tidus's face; one that tells Roland every thing he needs to know, even if no words have passed between them. Tidus doesn't want to go. Such a small movement that speaks volumes, that breaks Roland's heart further the more he watches the young man come back to himself when he reluctantly relents.
You may not think you deserve it, or that you shouldn't have it...But you want it, don't you?
You want to live.
He retracts his touch from Tidus, after lingering for a while. The nod registers, and Roland won't ask for more than that; it's already more than what Roland expects. And he would be a fool not to realize that the trust Tidus has shared with him is something special, something impossible to forget. A wave of affection comes over Roland; a feeling of wanting to do right by Tidus, to help him when he needs it, and even when he doesn't ask. As the stars of Irivar take their place in the late dusk, they also bear witness to Roland's silent vow to support Tidus now, more than ever.
"Thank you." He says to Tidus, tenderly. For everything. For this. Tidus may meet his eye, maybe he won't. But Roland smiles warmly at him regardless. "Take your time. Don't rush. It's okay. You're okay." The reassurances come easily. If the flask is offered back to him, Roland will take it and put it back into the space it came from. He dusts off Tidus's shoulders, the sides of his arms. The moment will eventually pass, but Roland will never forget.
Whatever silence falls naturally upon them is eventually broken with the president turning back to the scene they left behind, troll bodies littering the ground with only one club remaining on the ground. He nods his head at it with a jerk to the side, a well-meaning glance.
"...Still want to take that?" Roland offers softly. "Could buy you something nice."