'Shiro' / Subject Y0XT39

It's an early morning.

Hiroki's already awake - if Ziggy's looked, he'll see he hasn't slept at all, tonight, actually, only pretended to sleep for a few hours, in a show of calm sleeping that probably could fool someone, but not everyone - and he's sitting at the edge of the bed.

He then stands up and paces the room nervously. Then leaves the room, and comes back a moment later.

Still nervous.

His thoughts and emotions are all jumbled up and mixed up, but don't worry, they're all his own. Just. So nervous. But determined about something, and hopeful.

Suddenly, he goes to Ziggy, looks Ziggy right into the eyes, and then, kneels.

"Ziggy Stardust," Hiroki Shirogane utters, solemnly, "I don't know the future, but, you're the one I want to share the future with. I know my own heart's desires, but, as for yours, I can only ask. Would you--?"

Suddenly, it's like it's hard to say anything even though he had it all planned, so instead, on the spur of the moment, Hiroki says,

"Ziggy, kimi wo aishiteru! That won't change, no matter what happens, from now on."

He then reaches for something and fumbles a bit, or rather, a whole lot more than a bit, so much so that whatever he's picking up from his pocket, he accidentally drops, and then it rolls under the bed.

Hiroki blushes furiously, thinks, that's not how I pictured this...I was trying to do this perfectly right now-- but I'm no good--what if Ziggy hates me now-

He's too emotional to realise that Ziggy can likely hear these thoughts, more or less.

He reaches under the bed, and, blushing all the while, pulls up a small box.

And then, holds it up for Ziggy, not looking at Ziggy anymore. And glowing tealish-purplish, because, yeah, emotions. Emotions in which there's a fear that this all went so horribley, there's no way, now.

A part of Hiroki wants to run away before hearing a possible 'no', and Ziggy might hear that, too, in Hiroki's mind. But stronger than that is the will to do anything to stay, that's another part, more prevalent, here.

No running away, no matter the answer.

"I... Either way, I won't ever leave your side."

Hiroki says, to make sure Ziggy knows that, first. He's utterly honest.

He holds up a small box, while looking squarely at the floor. What? The floor is safe to stare at.

Ziggy won't-- reject me--- right??? Or-- if Ziggy does, what should I do, when can I try again with Ziggy, how-- I'd try a billion times-- if-- Hiroki thinks, to himself, but Ziggy can likely hear it, still, even though Hiroki's way too emotional to realise that right now. Because Ziggy's worth a billion tries, forever if I must. Only Ziggy-

Hiroki's thoughts trail off as he suddenly realises that Ziggy might hear such thoughts, and the clone blushes and glows brightly.

Maybe he should've calmed himself first. Maybe. Maybe... well, what's done is done, now he can only hope that Ziggy would like a future together, too.

Inside the box, there's a ring.

His search for a way home brought him nothing at first, for hours, for days, but then, he desperately called out to the Black Lion. And whether his a bit weak Quintessence right now, his very frayed spirit, was heard or not, he knows this: he's found a way home, if just for a few moments.

And then he's back. He looks shaken, but differently than just days prior. He knows things now.

And he looks around, making sure he's in Nexus. He is. Possibly near a library, possibly near a hotel, or a bar, or a restaurant.

He bites his lip and plays with his hair with white tufts and with black, still there, and rubs at his eyes, as if to make sure everything's still there and his own, not lost to him. He is...

Well, he is, is here, let's leave it at that. He laughs a little, mirthlessly, then stops upon hearing himself. No, this is... he musn't have regrets. He has no rights to those, ever. He has no right, none, not after everything's he (gave in and) done (if he struggled more, and more, more, could he have helped-- he thought he struggled as much as he could've, but how could that be true, if he still gave in, even in front of-

Katie, Lance, Keith, everyone, and whoever that new Altean girl was, and, Lotor-

So, no, he has no rights to any going back, none-

He knows that, now. He thinks so. He's here because-- he promised, a few people. Can't just go away if he has swore.

"Am I dead?" he mutters, under his breath.

(He's very much alive as far as the Nexus is concerned.)

"I'm probably dead," he adds, still under his breath.

He shakes his head, as if checking that he can still do so, with his own head. The important thing was, is, that apart from the Castle, everyone and everything was safe, for, huh, his definition of safe. He should be celebrating that right now. He should. Maybe he will, soon. It did no one any good to get caught on petty, selfish details.

Yeah.

He stretches a bit. Since he still apparently has own muscles, here, might as well use those to get less tense. Accidentally, he yawns. Just, outright.

Er.