[ Though she doesn’t suspect that two boyfriends will become the topic of this conversation (at least, for now), somewhere in the back of her mind, she’s thankful that Aerith doesn’t pick that particular detail to hone in on. Instead, she asks a question that has Ori glancing over at her as she hums contemplatively for a few moments. ]

… I’m not sure. I can’t help but wonder about those flowers that Susato brought with her… If they would be effective over time. Maybe there’s something there. But otherwise…

[ Her gaze drifts downward and finds Thoma’s omamori at her hip again, as she looks back on what led them to Diluc’s own near-noctaere experience, and what little she knows of what led up to Eustace’s turning. ]

We have to be more open with each other. There’s so many of us here who do things like lock things up inside, never talk about our feelings, until it becomes a burden that’s too great and too large for any one, or even two people to bear by themselves. We’re all in this together, so why not rely on each other a little more…?

[ It’s not a concrete idea, by any means, but the sentiment is there. And as she looks at Aerith, she thinks with a small smile about how they’ll all be okay, in time, because of people like Aerith who show up with little gestures of kindness, who sits at the table of a near-stranger and listens to her talk on end. ]