aterat | [Open] Headache And A Half

Who; Nida, Open
What; A New Voice In His Head and Chocobo Wrangling
Where; Scientia Household, Markets, Near Chocobo Ranch
When; September
Warnings; Discussion and depictions of talking to voices in your head.

I. The Statue | Scientia Home

It arrives at the door of the house, and just looking at the small statue, Nida knows it's for him. No doubt another one of those little finds that Raimon is good at, something on a list of them that Nida had prepared but never gotten around to coming back for. But he knows it's for him, because he recognizes it from home. Not this little piece, smaller than either of their pets specifically, was exactly like the ones he'd seen at home in pictures, but it was still something of home.

"Now if only I could figure out why you're here," Nida says as he picks the thing up and heads to the kitchen for his morning coffee. He puts the statue on the table to consider where it was almost immediately met by Julia leaping up and nuzzling against it.

"No accounting for your taste, Jules," he tells the feline before sipping at his coffee. What could this be? What could it mean? Why did every bit of his magical senses gifted by Siren scream that it was important?

"Why do you seem so familiar?" he asks after a sip of coffee. Then he reaches out for the thing once more and...

The mug breaks on the floor when he falls. Not that Nida, currently passed out on the floor, really notices.

II. The Arguments | Markets

Nida was learning a lot recently. Like how even a simple walk through the markets on his patrol shift was going to be a headache if he didn't know how to make peace in his own mind.

Oh! Grapes! We should have grapes. You like Grapes!

YOU like Grapes. He doesn't like grapes. There should be no grapes. Raisins instead I think.

Raisins are just boring grapes with wrinkles. Oh, that's why you like them. They're wrinkly. Like you.

And you clearly prefer grapes because they are bloated and much better crushed and fermented like-

"Will you shut up? I'm getting apples and that's final," Nida hissed under his breath, hoping no one else heard him. Which, given his luck, seemed pretty unlikely.

III. The Chase | Near Chocobo Ranch

"Kweh."

"I don't think I can argue with that," Nida said in response to the vocalization of the red chocobo underneath him. The chocobo shied one way and then the other, as if distressed, and Nida of course reached forward to pat her neck gently.

"I know," he says, his voice soft. "I know it's scary. You can smell them too. But I promise, we're here to help the other chocobos. And I won't let any wolves get you. I just need you to do me a favor and help get the other chocobos safe, okay?"

If it gets dangerous, I can shield you!

"That's not a helpful observation, Carbuncle, because she doesn't even know you're here," Nida noted as he nudged the chocobo into motion toward a blur of yellow in the distance. "Maybe save your protectiveness for someone who can understand the words when I relay a message."

And from the looks of it, there might be someone up ahead, astride that other chocobo. Nida raises a hand in greeting to the distant form.

"Well met! You helping out here too?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"A mercenary training academy," Nida says with a shrug as if it means nothing to him. As if it isn't horrible to contemplate.

That was just how life was for him.

And that was where Nida met this 'other' him. Even after all of this time, it was still a strange thing to contemplate.

"Hopefully this..other version of me doesn't show up."

Even if it would be really weird.

"Hopefully. You two would just give each other icy looks and try and pretend it wasn't happening," Nida chuckles to himself.

And he'd have a hard time not obeying any orders from his Squall, which might only serve to irritate his husband.

Leon sighed. "Not even sure two of someone could exist in the same place. I don't think the Cloud or Aerith I know is going to show up here."

That would be quite interesting in theory but he hoped it was a thing that couldn't happen.

"Don't doubt how fucked up a place can be," Nida counters, smiling to himself. There were always the chance for the world to give you the middle finger and do whatever the hell it wanted.

That got a shake of the head. "I'm not even gonna challenge that. Hard enough with two of them that don't know me."

Two Aeriths would give him a right headache. And the one he knew would probably spill all of his secrets to the one he didn't know.

Maybe two Aeriths would be better for his mental health. Could teach him to open up.

"Then get to know them in a different way?"

Leon blinked and sighed.

"That's the thing, their personalities are similar even if the places we knew, they don't."

Of course that worked both ways.

Yes, that sounds about right from Nida's experience.

"That doesn't mean you can't be friends with them, does it?"

Leon shook his head. "Aerith is still Aerith, Cloud is still Cloud even if their memories and mine are different."

"Then I wish you all the friendship you can get with them. It sounds like a good plan."

LIke a connection the man deserves.

That had him do a small laugh.

"Thanks."

Although to the others, for all he knew it could be a curse.

"Hey," Nida says with a soft smile. "Don't isolate yourself, okay? That way is unhealthy. Trust me."

There was a smile threatening to come out, but so far Leon had it under control.

"I have a feeling you would come find me if I did."

And silently, he appreciated that.

"Oh you better believe I would," NIda laughs. "I know the danger of self isolation."

And he didn't want that for Leon.

Leon shook his head.

"Somehow you don't strike me as a loner."

"We do not always choose isolation," Nida counters. "Sometimes it is given to us."

That had him think a minute.

"I'm sure that sucked."

Nida didn't strike him as a loner but he could be wrong.

Yeah, it really had. Nida laughs at the comment because wow what an on point statement. Which of course just seemed right for him.

"Massively. But I felt like it was my fate for a while so I accepted it."

Leon was half surprised at the laugh but it was a good surprise. And so he nodded.

"Glad you don't have to have that here."

“Me too,” he agrees with a soft smile. Which left him happy. “I really did get lucky.”

He nodded.

"Then this place agrees with you."

Happiness looked good on people, and Nida was no exception.

"Or at least my husband keeps me on the level. He is a practical, sensible sort."

For which Nida was lucky.

"Finding peace in a terrible situation can be nice."

"Keeps you in line?" this was asked half jokingly.

But he recognized wisdom.

"Peace...that would be nice in general."

"Oh yes," Nida agrees with a smile, his eyes flashing with amusement. "Quite in line. It's very kind of him."

But then his expression falls again.

"Maybe... this is our chance for it. For peace."

[Open] Headache And A Half

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