[ Hermione reaches out, quickly, her fingers sliding through Korra's and holding them gently, squeezing her palm with a gentle tenderness, with everything she can muster. ]
I'm sorry, I had no idea, I never thought...
[ Something comes over her and she blinks back her tears, shifting closer and nudging at Rizhao so she can lean against Korra, holding her a little tighter.
She doesn't know what to say, the tight feeling in her throat almost too much, but even now... ]
It's like Leathann. They know the Void is getting closer, the end is coming. They're afraid and they believed we might be able to fix it, but all that faith is starting to go thin.
[ that's all it takes — korra's hand tightens in hermione's, and other other arm reaches forward to wrap around hermione's shoulders, tugging her close in a hug. they both need it, she decides. they both need the comfort and support as they try and digest what's happening to this world.
she doesn't know what to do. her instinct as a human being tells her she needs to fight tooth and nail to make sure people here are safe, that none of them die, and it's in direct conflict with her instinct as the avatar. it's the part of her that tells her she needs to right relentlessly to protect the future and anyone who could come from the new worlds that crop up.
but coming face to face with the literal end is terrifying, and korra tightens her hold on hermione. ]
[ Hermione wraps herself around Korra just as tight, drawing her close and leaning into her, offering her an embrace, comfort, friendship, sisterhood - all of it. It's easy, to sit like this, to pretend the world isn't literally destroying itself outside, and Hermione wishes it could be like this forever.
For the first time in a very long time Hermione doesn't have the answers and that terrifies her. She stands and feels the weight of it, the pain and the way that it tightens around her chest, and her eyes squeeze shut. The sense of failure claims her for a long moment and it feels like breathing is too hard, like her throat is tight -
but then she's shaking her head, squeezing, forcing herself to calm down. ]
We make sure we don't give up. We fight, Korra, for our friends and the people we love. We remember that we're not alone and, no matter what happens, we can keep hold of them and stand at their side, remembering to be brave.
[ something about those words gives korra leave to laugh between her frightened tears, drawing in a short sniffle and rubbing the heel of her hand against her eyes ]
've you ever thought of giving speeches? [ she grins, though the action is wet, and rizhao takes to licking both girls' faces to dry their tears. ] I think you'd be good at it.
[ She shakes her head, drawing Korra closer and feeling something warm spread across her. Harry was always the one who gave the speeches, even if he hadn't really wanted to, and finding herself in that position... It's strange. She has to force herself to relax, to shrug away the way that something tight takes over her, her chest hurting, until she curls up a little closer to Korra.
At least she can give speeches - a point in her favour as a Marchioness. ]
[ sniffling slightly, korra pulls back just enough to rest her forehead against hermione's, her eyes closing. rizhao coos, a higher-pitched whalesong than it will be when she grows, but she remains alert, wanting to help the two girls she regards as family above all others. ]
[ Hermione does laugh then, a little thing, and she draws Korra closer and shakes her head. It's a fond thing and she finds herself relaxing a little as she leans against Korra, laughing a little as she reaches out to stroke along Rizhao's back, as gentle with her as she is her sister. ]
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[ Hermione reaches out, quickly, her fingers sliding through Korra's and holding them gently, squeezing her palm with a gentle tenderness, with everything she can muster. ]
I'm sorry, I had no idea, I never thought...
[ Something comes over her and she blinks back her tears, shifting closer and nudging at Rizhao so she can lean against Korra, holding her a little tighter.
She doesn't know what to say, the tight feeling in her throat almost too much, but even now... ]
It's like Leathann. They know the Void is getting closer, the end is coming. They're afraid and they believed we might be able to fix it, but all that faith is starting to go thin.
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she doesn't know what to do. her instinct as a human being tells her she needs to fight tooth and nail to make sure people here are safe, that none of them die, and it's in direct conflict with her instinct as the avatar. it's the part of her that tells her she needs to right relentlessly to protect the future and anyone who could come from the new worlds that crop up.
but coming face to face with the literal end is terrifying, and korra tightens her hold on hermione. ]
What are we supposed to do?
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For the first time in a very long time Hermione doesn't have the answers and that terrifies her. She stands and feels the weight of it, the pain and the way that it tightens around her chest, and her eyes squeeze shut. The sense of failure claims her for a long moment and it feels like breathing is too hard, like her throat is tight -
but then she's shaking her head, squeezing, forcing herself to calm down. ]
We make sure we don't give up. We fight, Korra, for our friends and the people we love. We remember that we're not alone and, no matter what happens, we can keep hold of them and stand at their side, remembering to be brave.
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've you ever thought of giving speeches? [ she grins, though the action is wet, and rizhao takes to licking both girls' faces to dry their tears. ] I think you'd be good at it.
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At least she can give speeches - a point in her favour as a Marchioness. ]
I hadn't, but I might give it a try one day.
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You might not even have to write them beforehand.
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I'd like to practise, at least.