her hand in his grounds him, holding him back as he blinks tears away. he turns to look at her, reminding himself that this isn't real, that this is just a nightmare, as hers had been.

it's without a word that he allows himself to be pulled away as the two of them attempt to leave the mist.

@sol

☉

"i know..."

but it isn't as easy to look away as he had thought. his gaze remains fixed on his parents, watching them interact before the gorilla starts yelling.

he blinks, and the next thing he knows, his mom's bleeding on the ground.

@sol

☉

no, he doesn't know that, but he knows it'd only be painful to hope.

but then again, isn't he all about hoping?

"yeah..."

fuck this mist.

the moment she tugs him, something materializes ahead of them — a gorilla out of its enclosure, GABRIEL BLACK. stood next to him is a woman who looks up at him with fear in her eyes.

"...mom?"

@sol

☉

hope can be such a fickle thing at times.

the smile he offers is nothing short of compassionate.

"...but he isn't."

@sol

☉

fuck these illusions.

fuck this mist.

"he's not alive, sol."

he tugs her once again, attempting to ground her in reality. he looks at her, willing her gaze towards him.

"it's all fake."

@sol

☉

are those...eyes?

he blinks, unsure what he's seeing exactly. sol's words pull him away for the moment, and it's over his shoulder that he hears a voice he doesn't recognize.

solveig.

"sol..."

he turns, not needing to see who it is before he's tugging her back.

"we need to get out of here."

@sol

☉

he definitely doesn't realize it's actually the other way around.

smiling, he returns the kiss, pulling away moments later to catch his breath.

"me too."

in the background, the mist swirls and changes once again, and uri's dreams flicker in the distance, soon to be corrupted.

what about sol's?

@sol

☉

i love you too.

that's all the reassurance he'll ever need from her. it means the world to him, and he'll make sure to let her know how much she means to him every single day.

the kiss is returned, and even after he pulls away, he stays close.

"you're stuck with me, sol."

@sol

☉

uri knows her well enough to know the weight of her words. she doesn't need to say it. he knows.

and he's eternally grateful for them.

"i love you."

@sol

☉

it's hard not to reminisce at the sight of canalave. he smiles, reminded of pleasant memories.

"i should be the one thanking you."

he smiles, looking into her eyes after her kiss.

"you're all i've ever wanted, sol."

@sol

☉

he blinks, trying to understand what he sees before him.

"sol..."

is this what he most desires?

"sol, look."

it's them, only much older. they're walking along streets made of cobblestone that run parallel to the docks. wingulls call out in the distance as they glide across crystal blue waters.

"it's us."

their future.

their life.

@sol

☉

it's concerning, to say the least, and he finds himself at a loss. not knowing what else to do, his fingers brushed away tears before he shifts closer, pulling her into an embrace.

"it's okay, sol."

but it's not okay.

he blinks, sighing, and when he looks back up, he sees his vision.

@sol

☉

i hate this.

"i know..."

he would, too.

taking a step forward, he puts himself between her and her visions, then reaches up to cup her cheeks.

"just focus on me, yeah?"

@sol

☉