Ven keeps his focus on Aqua as she speaks, and for all that he can be maybe a little flighty and kind of unconcerned and chill about a lot of things, when something is important enough for him to devote his full attention to it's almost a little disconcerting. It's at those points he shows more of his patience and analytical mind, and it's almost as though a little old man is watching through his eyes, a little old man who's seen more of the worlds than anyone can guess.
"I know, Aqua," he says quietly. "I know you were there. You were trying to protect me, and you were trying to save Terra - we let you down." Bending a little, Chirithy jumps into his waiting arms with a squeak and without him needing to make any motion that he wants the spirit to do so, another example of the unconscious connection between the two. He takes another step forward, putting them into range to almost hug, and looks up at her with eyes that are more earnest than she's ever seen them. "But you're not there anymore, and you're not alone this time, okay? You protected me for twelve years - you don't have to do everything on your own anymore."
He knows she's used to being the one in charge, or at least one of the ones in charge. She and Terra had been neck in neck for their entire training, at least all that he'd been there to see - Master Eraqus wouldn't have tested both of them if he didn't think they both had the qualifications to be a master. And Aqua had passed. She was the one who made sure he stopped training to have some water when Ven himself would get caught up in practice and lose track of time. She made sure all of them got to bed at a more or less reasonable hour of the night. The bare handful of times anyone was sick, she helped take care of them. It's time and past for them to take care of her. If he got hurt doing so? So be it.
He'd already done that, after all. He'd gladly do it again.
Bumping her shoulder lightly with his, Ven gives her another smile, an offer of distraction from a heavy topic he knows she doesn't want to think about. "Why don't we go wherever you think we should go and you can explain what you know about this place. You said some of our powers? What's not working for you, so I know what to look out for?"
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"I know, Aqua," he says quietly. "I know you were there. You were trying to protect me, and you were trying to save Terra - we let you down." Bending a little, Chirithy jumps into his waiting arms with a squeak and without him needing to make any motion that he wants the spirit to do so, another example of the unconscious connection between the two. He takes another step forward, putting them into range to almost hug, and looks up at her with eyes that are more earnest than she's ever seen them. "But you're not there anymore, and you're not alone this time, okay? You protected me for twelve years - you don't have to do everything on your own anymore."
He knows she's used to being the one in charge, or at least one of the ones in charge. She and Terra had been neck in neck for their entire training, at least all that he'd been there to see - Master Eraqus wouldn't have tested both of them if he didn't think they both had the qualifications to be a master. And Aqua had passed. She was the one who made sure he stopped training to have some water when Ven himself would get caught up in practice and lose track of time. She made sure all of them got to bed at a more or less reasonable hour of the night. The bare handful of times anyone was sick, she helped take care of them. It's time and past for them to take care of her. If he got hurt doing so? So be it.
He'd already done that, after all. He'd gladly do it again.
Bumping her shoulder lightly with his, Ven gives her another smile, an offer of distraction from a heavy topic he knows she doesn't want to think about. "Why don't we go wherever you think we should go and you can explain what you know about this place. You said some of our powers? What's not working for you, so I know what to look out for?"