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[week four - friday]
[ It's strange, having Percy carry her everywhere.
It's become familiar it's happened so much. He's strong, and doesn't seem to think much of picking her up and hauling her around. She's started to find it kind of ... weirdly comforting. Curling up in his arms and resting her head on his shoulder, curling up so she can tuck herself beneath his chin...
It makes her feel safe. A preciously rare feeling in this place.
She'll be quiet, leaning against him in just this way with her arms looped loosely around his neck, as he carries her away from the investigation. It's only once she's fairly assured they won't be overheard that she pipes up: ]
What did you want to talk about, Percy?
It's become familiar it's happened so much. He's strong, and doesn't seem to think much of picking her up and hauling her around. She's started to find it kind of ... weirdly comforting. Curling up in his arms and resting her head on his shoulder, curling up so she can tuck herself beneath his chin...
It makes her feel safe. A preciously rare feeling in this place.
She'll be quiet, leaning against him in just this way with her arms looped loosely around his neck, as he carries her away from the investigation. It's only once she's fairly assured they won't be overheard that she pipes up: ]
What did you want to talk about, Percy?
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She's secure in his arms and he doesn't mind carrying her, finding her impossibly light and easy to lug around. He doesn't exactly head back to the hotel at a quick pace, but he keeps his tone low.]
Riku, if that's okay. Is that okay?
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Given their relative positions, he likely won't be able to see her face. But her voice, while soft, is steady. ]
Yeah. It's okay. What's up?
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The week before...everything, I spoke with him. Back then, he suggested to me that someone would be very likely to hide a body at the lake. It was one of the first things he said to me when he found me and Mrs. O'Leary at the lake. [The only reason he tells her this is because he knows Xion's aware he was in their room all of Thursday night.]
I was wondering if maybe Riku's notes to you gave any hints of who else he might have spoken to.
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.... startles her, given the way she shifts in his arms. She also doesn't reply right away, instead taking the time to think it over. ]
I do know who else he spoke to. Not everyone, but a few people. But...
[ she trails off, uncertain. No one he named is anyone she'd ... think would dump a body in a lake.
But there isn't really a choice, is there? reminds a little, unhappy voice at the back of her mind. ]
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[ ... ]
He mentioned you, Harry, Tarvek.... and Noctis. According to his notes, Noctis is the only person he shared information with.
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So he must have really trusted Noctis then. [Which why wouldn't he? Noctis is a good bro. Noctis is one of his favorite people here.
...even so, Xion may feel Percy's grip tighten around her anyway.] It's not my business, but...Noctis and I have been talking, too. Can you tell me what kind of information Riku might have given him?
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She trusts him. She trusts Percy. He might be one of the only people here she can fully trust. She tells herself that over and over before she tarts to talk. ]
I told Noctis what would happen if you won the game, and he asked me how I found out. I didn't want to tell him at first, but ... he gave me a good reason to trust him. So I told him it was Riku.
[ Xion presses her head against his chest in a motion that is almost a nuzzle, but it's more like she's trying to hide from her own thoughts. ]
Riku's note said that he thought he and Noctis could be allies. That all three of us could work together. [ ... ] Aside from how to win the game, I think Riku probably told Noctis what he knew about the roles. Remember what I said last trial, about the bandits having a leader?
[ Incorrect, but still, that came from Riku. ]
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...Noctis is a very smart guy. I like to think I can trust him, too, and that we could work together. He mentioned what would happen if you won the game, but he never said how he found out. This makes a little more sense. [But there's still something that bugs him.] I remember. You think Noctis maybe knows more than what he's letting on to the rest of us?
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There's ... something that's been bothering me.
[ Her voice is low, and like she has to physically tug each word from her mouth she's so reluctant. ]
When I told Noctis about what Riku told me... when I told him about what happens when you win... at first, I wouldn't tell him how I knew. But he kept asking. He said keeping secrets wasn't going to help us. I agreed to tell him what I knew, but I told him that if anything happened to my friend...
[ She trails off. ]
And ... it was the week right after that that Riku died.
[ ........................... ]
I trust Noctis, [ she whispers. ] It's why I haven't told anyone about this. He's been ... really kind to me. He even went with me to the homestead, to find everything Riku left behind. I just ... I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.
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They can trust Noctis, can't they? They have to. He's been nothing but kind and helpful and sharp since Percy met him, a boy who knows the trouble with having the weight of the world on your shoulders. He knows that Noctis is just. But...this doesn't bode well at all.]
Noctis came to see me on Friday after we found Annabeth's body. We didn't talk about what happened, but he's been in the same situation I'm in. [Losing the one he loves, he means.] He's been very nice to me, too. Very smart. Very capable. But...like I said, he wouldn't exactly explain to us how he found out everything. Though I guess it's because you asked him not to.
[He can't shake the feeling off now.] It's...dangerous to start thinking what I know we're both thinking now. You know that, don't you? [That doesn't mean it's wrong to think it, but what if they fall into a spiral of what ifs?]
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[ An unhappy huff escapes her as she tries to organize her thoughts. Or ... maybe just banish them altogether. ]
I know. Percy, we ... we have to find out the truth.
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We will. Before this game's over, we're going to find the truth. But tomorrow we need to focus on the new trial. It's going to be hard, but this gives us something to focus on next week. The truth. We can do that. [They're finally at the hotel at least.]
...wanna come hang out in our room for a while? Harry'll probably be there soon, too.
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[ Xion snuggles against him, sighing as she finds the perfectly comfortable position in his arms. ]
I'd like that.
[ They need so many answers. The suspicion of Noctis that's now in both their hearts will eat away at her. But all they can do is trust each other, rely on each other's strength, and keep walking, no matter what. ]
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Cool. [And that's all he says as he begins to ascend the stairs. He doesn't know when and he doesn't know how, but things will be resolved. Things will be alright. They have to be...or perhaps he'll die trying. There's nothing more to say on the topic and he knows better than to press. All he can do for her now is keep her mind off of the awful suspicion and ease her into tomorrow.]