[There's the familiar heat in his cheeks and flutter in his chest as her voice and footsteps filter though the door, and it's a surprise to realize just how much he missed the sound of it. It had only been about two weeks since he had seen her in person last, but it felt so much longer than that, somehow...
The warmth and the tentative joy over seeing her again, however, gets quickly extinguished the moment his eyes fall upon her face when she greets him, like ice water on a small flame.
... something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.
Her smile seemed more contained, more for show, than the usual bright, cheerful beams she gave to others. He had only remembered her smiling like that a few times before-- during the time immediately after her father died, and when she was recounting her experience with the fog to him. It was a smile that was trying to pretend to be okay, when things really weren't, and it was enough to make his heart twist with worry. Just what exactly did she remember?
The urge was strong to ask right then and there, to find out immediately what was going on so he could try to help, but... no, she wanted Fai to hear it too, and so he was just going to have to be patient. And so, he quietly follows after her as she brings him over to the lounge, his own expression a little tight, humming in response to what she had been telling him about Fai. Although he can't help but flush a little, despite his concerns, when she remarks on his return.]
I'm, ah... I'm glad to be back, too. It was interesting over there, but there were a lot of things that I missed from here as well. [Like normal temperatures and no fire everywhere, and, most importantly, Sakura herself.] Thank you for that, though. I'm sure it must have been a lot, given how long it's been...
[As Sakura's taking note of the ice cream, though, Fai's voice rings out from the kitchen, and Xiaolang's head perks up automatically, turning towards the source of the sound.]
Yeah, it's me!
[At Sakura's offer to make the trip over to the freezer, however, he quickly agrees, hoping to also greet Fai in person and possibly be of assistance to her. Following closely behind as they head over to the kitchen, he sets the bag down near the refrigerator, fishing out a few pints to start putting away. His eyes fall upon Fai and what he was fixing together and he pauses, mid-way through his work.]
Oh, um-- Retrospec send my group back with a lot of ice cream when we returned, so I thought maybe you two wouldn't mind it? F-For now, or maybe some other time...
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The warmth and the tentative joy over seeing her again, however, gets quickly extinguished the moment his eyes fall upon her face when she greets him, like ice water on a small flame.
... something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.
Her smile seemed more contained, more for show, than the usual bright, cheerful beams she gave to others. He had only remembered her smiling like that a few times before-- during the time immediately after her father died, and when she was recounting her experience with the fog to him. It was a smile that was trying to pretend to be okay, when things really weren't, and it was enough to make his heart twist with worry. Just what exactly did she remember?
The urge was strong to ask right then and there, to find out immediately what was going on so he could try to help, but... no, she wanted Fai to hear it too, and so he was just going to have to be patient. And so, he quietly follows after her as she brings him over to the lounge, his own expression a little tight, humming in response to what she had been telling him about Fai. Although he can't help but flush a little, despite his concerns, when she remarks on his return.]
I'm, ah... I'm glad to be back, too. It was interesting over there, but there were a lot of things that I missed from here as well. [Like normal temperatures and no fire everywhere, and, most importantly, Sakura herself.] Thank you for that, though. I'm sure it must have been a lot, given how long it's been...
[As Sakura's taking note of the ice cream, though, Fai's voice rings out from the kitchen, and Xiaolang's head perks up automatically, turning towards the source of the sound.]
Yeah, it's me!
[At Sakura's offer to make the trip over to the freezer, however, he quickly agrees, hoping to also greet Fai in person and possibly be of assistance to her. Following closely behind as they head over to the kitchen, he sets the bag down near the refrigerator, fishing out a few pints to start putting away. His eyes fall upon Fai and what he was fixing together and he pauses, mid-way through his work.]
Oh, um-- Retrospec send my group back with a lot of ice cream when we returned, so I thought maybe you two wouldn't mind it? F-For now, or maybe some other time...
Did you need any help with that?