[ Lightning might not be the best at interpersonal relations or even the best at keeping positive, yet if there's one thing that can be said about her, it's that the instant one of the people she's close to starts faltering, that's when her instinct to try and drag them back up at any cost suddenly kicks in the strongest.

She lets out a breath, blinking as she presses her lips together and casts about for what to say. But, while she can't promise it'll be okay... ]

... Do you remember why we agreed to move into this house?

[ Maybe, maybe not. That was... just a few days short of a full year ago now. Regardless, she presses on without waiting for an answer, determined to sound steadier despite the uneasiness still trying to well up in her throat- ]

It was because... we agreed that if anything happened, we needed to look out for each other.

[ And well, true, her reasons for that had been different back then, but still. Don't shut down completely on her now, man. She needs you. :( ]