Descendants of Arcana Base

Mana: *is unable to articulate anything coherent, so she continues to wail in sorrow into Whip's comforting embrace*

*Whip continues to rub her head, allowing her to release herself as much as she can*
Whip: ....She loves you, Mana.... They loved you....
*He takes a slight pause*
Whip: ...and I love you. Please don't forget....

Mana: *her sobbing makes a very rough hitching sound, as if she's catching her breath, and she's stiffened noticeably in Whip's arms, and after a moment, she shakes her head in his chest* N-No... N-No! *breaks away from the hug and her puffy red eyes are still going strong with tears* D-Don't Whip... don't say that... *

curls up into a ball, hiding her face in her knees and holds her ears down with her hands* (her voice is muffled from hiding) Everyone who says that leaves... They die and they leave. *despite her tight hold on herself, a noticeable quiver moves through her* I can't... I can't have you leave...

*Whip squats down to her level and places his hands on the sides of Mana's head*
Whip: ...Mana.... look at me.

Mana: *shakes her head, refusing to show her face*

*Whip sighs*
Whip: Mana... please, trust me. I swear, no matter what, I will never leave you. I will never die on you.
*He gets down further to his knees and places his hands on hers, gently guiding them away from her ears*
Whip: I'll always be here with you. Not just until the end. Always. I promise..

Mana: *her hands are shaking and she pulls her head up from her knees slightly to reveal she's crying again, but shakes her head before hiding it* But you're not invincible... I'm not invincible... What if I'm the one who leaves...?

Whip: Like Hell.
*Whip's grip on her hands slightly tightens, and he takes his turn hiding his face for a moment*
Whip: I won't... let anything hurt you. Not again. If I have to break every last head that fights against us myself, I swear.... We'll live through this. Together.

Mana: *quivers slightly again, as if the sobbing session would begin again, but she looks up at Whip* ...You're gonna get hurt doing that. And we'd sooner lay down our lives for each other than let the other die. How is this supposed to work out, Whip? If... If we're... *her cheeks flush even more from embarrassment* If we became a couple, do you think it'd really be worth the pain if something happened...?

*Whip meets her eyes with his. A warm-belaying-fiery expression burns in his eyes*
Whip: You're worth any pain... Mana. Besides....
*Whip places one hand on his heart*
Whip: It would... still hurt me... all the same... if something happened to you, no matter what. I couldn't....
*He has to break the lock on Mana's eyes that he held, thoughts too unbearable passing through his mind*

Mana: *moves in for a hug, a natural reflex to whenever her partner's emotionally troubled, but now it holds a need to be hugged in return* ...You can't let yourself die if I die. The same way you wouldn't want me to become an empty body with no soul. *tears drop onto Whip's shoulders but she's not shaking or sobbing anymore, but she still gives a watery laugh* You know, I think I preferred it when we had easy bantering without all this drama... You made me a crybaby again...

*He returns the hug in full, chuckling softly as well*
Whip: Don't blame me... No matter how strong you are, even you have a limit~
*He goes quiet for a little bit, and when he starts speaking again, his voice is light, but sincere*
Whip: We both do. So let's make a promise.... never to break them. When we go to save your sister... if the odds aren't in your favour... promise you won't get yourself killed, and I'll promise the same.

Mana: *seems to think about this and the reality of it all and lets out a breath* I can promise I can try my best. I don't... I don't want to give false hope.

*Whip stays silent for a few seconds in thought*
Whip: ....I can accept that.
*Whip slowly stands up and offers Mana assistance*
Whip: ...Can you stand?

Mana: *rolls her eyes at the implication but still smiles as she gets up* I'm not fragile, Whip. *moves to go back to the committee room, but pauses, her back to Whip* ...I'm... going to have to think about what I want. Happiness with a chance of despair or longing but with the promise of safety. *looks back to Whip* So... you can wait for me until then, right?

*Whip seems surprised by the question and seems kind of put off by it*
Whip: ...What kind of question is that?
*Whip starts walking back to the committee room as well*
Whip: Of course I can wait. We've got... more important things to focus on.
*He pauses just a few paces past Mana as well, and though his back is turned to her, his arms make an unmistakable movement towards his forehead*
Whip: Like what we're going to do about your bed hair~

Mana: Bed hair!? *starts pulling at her hair and combing through it* I don't have bed hair! And there would be nothing wrong with it if there was! *despite her words, she's still combing her hair*

*Whip turns to Mana and places his hand gingerly on her head*
Whip: But look, it's too uncontrollable.
*He proceeds to mess it up*
Whip: How is anybody going to take you seriously when your hair sticks up like that~?

Mana: *familiar sparks make their appearance as she goes into "tsun tsun" mode at Whip" WELL HOW DOES ANYONE TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY WITH YOURS!? *attempts to mess his up as well*

*Whip takes a few tosses of his bangs and steps back, out of range, before messing with them himself*
Whip: Because it's impossible to look bad with this kind of hair~

Mana: *huffs* You're full of it! You're practically bald in comparison to everyone else!

*An arrow pierces Whip through the head*
Whip: B-bald...?

Mana: *at Whip's sudden weakness, she can't help but laugh* Are you really that obsessed with your hair?

*Whip's head leans away from her with a pseudo-pained expression*
Whip: It's not fair to call me out for something I have no control over it would be the same if I made fun of your height....

Mana: *puffs out her cheeks and places her hands on her hips* What's wrong with my height? I'm only like two inches shorter than you.