[Right; back to littler Simon. This would take a few moments to adjust to, so Cloud very quietly barges in and moves to sit on the edge of Simon's bed, remembering when he was so big that he stretched from one end of the mattress to the next.]
[Cloud caught the gesture and his heart sunk as he reached out and took Simon's hand. So he was back to being blind again; it made sense, but he'd still hoped...]
[Simon's eyes flared wide for a moment, stunned, before he noticed - and remembered - that it did nothing for him anyway. He gawked at Cloud, trying to wrap his mind around sleeping for three weeks. How could he not be scared?]
Wh... what?! But I-- how?! Was I sick? D... did I die...? Papa...!
[Mmm. This indeed is difficult to explain. Cloud rubs Simon's back as he searches for the proper words to use.]
...During this experiment...some people got younger or older. I was set back at four years old for a little while, but you and Denzel both got...much older. That's why you don't remember what happened.
[Simon frowns, fidgeting in place, brows furrowing. He'd been older? But just for a little while? That didn't make much sense. But Cloud had told him it was true, so it must be...]
I don't know how they did it, Simon. [Cloud sighs and shakes his head, tugging Simon back against his side and returning to rubbing Simon's back soothingly.]
But there isn't anything that we can do about it now, and you're back and all right. That's the important thing, that you're safe.
[He chuckles; it was such a kid question to ask. Enjoying the closeness, Cloud leaned down to place a brief kiss to the crown of Simon's head. He'd missed this.]
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Or maybe it wasn't me after all...?
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Hey, Simon. You...you do feel all right, right?
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Mm, yeah! I feel like I slept for a really long time, though.
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Well...you did. It's been a while.
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Huh? How long, Papa? A whole day?
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[Cloud hesitated; he didn't want to scare Simon, but if he found out some other way, he knew Simon would be hurt that he wasn't truthful. So...]
...Simon, don't be scared, but it's been about...about three weeks.
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Wh... what?! But I-- how?! Was I sick? D... did I die...? Papa...!
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[Cloud reached out and tugged Simon to his side, stroking his hair.]
It's...hard to explain. But it was the experiment that just happened.
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[Simon slumped against Cloud's side, lost and confused, lifting a hand to cling a bit to his shirt.]
I don't get it...
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...During this experiment...some people got younger or older. I was set back at four years old for a little while, but you and Denzel both got...much older. That's why you don't remember what happened.
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[Simon frowns, fidgeting in place, brows furrowing. He'd been older? But just for a little while? That didn't make much sense. But Cloud had told him it was true, so it must be...]
How much older, Papa...?
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...you were twenty-eight.
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Whaaaaaat?!
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Simon, calm down. It's in the past, and you're all right now.
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But- but- but- Papa, twenty-eight! That's almost more than I can count! I can't stretch that much! How'd they do it?!
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But there isn't anything that we can do about it now, and you're back and all right. That's the important thing, that you're safe.
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[Simon reluctantly settles down, leaning his head on Cloud's chest.]
... What was I like when I was that big? Were you still my papa?
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Of course I was. I'll always be your papa.
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Good. I don't want anybody else for a papa!
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