He opens his eyes again, resolve like steel, and decides that he will return the trust granted to him that day in Irivar today, on Tidus's bed, in the quiet of his room. No better place to say it out loud; in the company of someone like him, a friend, someone who's been through the pain.
For this, Roland removes his arm around Tidus's shoulders, resuming his hold with one over the other pressed firmly against his chest, crossed like a defense when really it's more for his own comfort. Gaze straight ahead, staring at the wall opposite the bunker bed.
"At the time that I was president, the world was close to a global war. One nation against the other, ready to invade each other's borders for power. I did my best, did all I could to protect our country from it. Drafted laws that put the people first, made sure we didn't look like we we wanted to be a part of that mess." Roland swallows thickly, the arms crossed growing tighter, ever so. Tongue like lead, unexpectedly feeling a memory as if he's still there. "But it wasn't really enough to stop the tides. When the waves come, you won't be able to swim away no matter how hard you try."
A pause, only for a breath and nothing more.
"I was on the way to an international summit for peace. We were going to propose to unite all countries under one banner before it was too late. That's when it came. The end." His voice lulls into a striking low melody, nostalgic but melancholic. Dulled pain, not as sharp as it used to be. "I saw it from the car, the missile. It happened fast. Short of stopping time itself, it was going to hit its mark. It did, and in seconds everything was leveled. Everyone. I was going to die with them...but when I came to..."
Roland unfolds his arms, stares at his hands as if seeing them again for the first time. Smooth, without wrinkles or marks. "...when I came to, I was saved, made young again. I was brought to the second world, Tidus, because someone was looking out for my soulmate. If I had died, they would have too."
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He opens his eyes again, resolve like steel, and decides that he will return the trust granted to him that day in Irivar today, on Tidus's bed, in the quiet of his room. No better place to say it out loud; in the company of someone like him, a friend, someone who's been through the pain.
For this, Roland removes his arm around Tidus's shoulders, resuming his hold with one over the other pressed firmly against his chest, crossed like a defense when really it's more for his own comfort. Gaze straight ahead, staring at the wall opposite the bunker bed.
"At the time that I was president, the world was close to a global war. One nation against the other, ready to invade each other's borders for power. I did my best, did all I could to protect our country from it. Drafted laws that put the people first, made sure we didn't look like we we wanted to be a part of that mess." Roland swallows thickly, the arms crossed growing tighter, ever so. Tongue like lead, unexpectedly feeling a memory as if he's still there. "But it wasn't really enough to stop the tides. When the waves come, you won't be able to swim away no matter how hard you try."
A pause, only for a breath and nothing more.
"I was on the way to an international summit for peace. We were going to propose to unite all countries under one banner before it was too late. That's when it came. The end." His voice lulls into a striking low melody, nostalgic but melancholic. Dulled pain, not as sharp as it used to be. "I saw it from the car, the missile. It happened fast. Short of stopping time itself, it was going to hit its mark. It did, and in seconds everything was leveled. Everyone. I was going to die with them...but when I came to..."
Roland unfolds his arms, stares at his hands as if seeing them again for the first time. Smooth, without wrinkles or marks. "...when I came to, I was saved, made young again. I was brought to the second world, Tidus, because someone was looking out for my soulmate. If I had died, they would have too."