"No, Balthier," she shakes her head, still thankful to be spared the weight of his stare right now. His words wound her, the pain he's in hurts her.
"How can you apologize? I should be the one apologizing." Aerith stops herself long enough to finish the important work of cleaning him up before she goes on. Aware he might turn her out for what she has to tell him.
"I started to believe him, and I'm so sorry. He knew so much about you, so much about us, and then, sitting in that cell day after day I–" Aerith stops herself and comes around to face him, kneeling beside him. "I'm sorry. I should have never doubted you, or how I feel about you."
There’s no denying that it hurts to hear she believed Piaget about him. Even addled, he can assume how nasty those lies were. And some part of him feels resigned to it, that someone like Aerith was never going to care for someone like him. That no one ever sees past the surface, doesn’t want to.
Except he’s still too fresh off the terror of losing her.
“Piaget manipulates, and he does it well.” He can hear the tightness in his voice though.
Then she’s in front of him, filling his vision with her beautiful face, and it’s not the apology that has his heart stuttering.
He’s still dizzy, still slow, but he gingerly reaches out his clean hand to touch her hair. “I should have been clearer about how I felt, so you didn’t have to guess. I was so worried about overstepping, I didn’t think…”
"Balthier, please don't." Her hand reaches up to cover his, the sight of his face making her squeeze her eyes closed with a sob. "You came for me, that's what matters. That's all that matters."
Her fingers lace with his before she makes herself open her eyes again, giving him a sad shake of her head.
"I hope you can forgive me for giving up on you. I was scared. Thinking that I would never see you, or the Strahl again broke my heart. I never want to be without either, ever again."
His face twists, confused by the intensity of her reaction. "What did he say to you?"
But his stomach is tight, because he can guess. Piaget knows his wounds, knows how best to twist a knife, and what worse than trying to break a relationship that matters to him, crack foundations and trust beyond repair.
He squeezes the fingers interlaced in his. "I was so scared I'd lost you." He gives her a watery smile, hating how upset she is but speechlessly happy that she wants to be here, to see him.
"Come sit on your bed. I want to bandage your side, but I want you close to where you can lay down first."
Aerith keeps hold of his hand as she stands back up, releasing it so that she can offer a steadying arm instead while he rises.
"He knew so much about you and us. The places we've gone to together, the gardens, the wedding." She begins only once they're on their way. It's an upsetting conversation to have. Aerith didn't want to start it until he was close enough to his bed that if he decides to kick her out she won't leave him in a precarious position.
"He said I wasn't the first woman you used this con on. That you were just passing the time until I got handed off to him for the big payout. That you wanted me to think you cared about me because it was amusing to you."
Kicking her out couldn't be farther from his mind. He almost protests when she takes her hand away, but feels ashamed for it -- that and he's grunting through the pain in his side. He reaches out for her, steadying himself, and feels foolish for thinking she was pulling away. Had she not just expressed she didn't want to be away from the Strahl? From him?
The thought makes him feel oddly ashamed, like he's being a fool for believing it. Couldn't have heard her right.
And as she starts to speak, his heart drops. He turns his face away, however briefly, so she won't see the shame and hurt there. Hasn't she already told him she doesn't really think that? And even if she does -- he knows he isn't going to push her away. That just doesn't make it hurt less that she thought him capable of that.
"You wouldn't be the first to think that," he says, as much for her as for him. "Piaget knows how to make people doubt themselves, see the worst in a situation, and my reputation doesn't help." A reputation Piaget had started. Maybe Aerith deserved to know that.
He grimaces as she helps steer him onto the bed. With her standing, she's taller than he is, and he wants to just put his hands on her hips and lean into her. Instead he balls his hands in his lap, trying to keep his voice even.
"Llogo was his informant; paid him off to tell him everything. I -- Piaget knows I've struggled romantically. We were close for a very long time. He sabotaged my reputation, convinced someone I cared about that I'd done some terrible things, started this reputation of mine, nearly compromised the Strahl. The man you were supposed to marry, they're old friends. I'd wondered, when I decided to intercept you, if the two of them were up to something, and then when nothing came -- I got complacent."
While he speaks she kneels and starts wrapping a roll of bandages around his middle, covering the area where the throwing stars clipped his sides. Everything Balthier says makes her eyes prick with tears, ashamed of herself all over again for letting her faith in him be damaged by those days isolated in that tiny cell and Piaget's lies.
Llogo. She remembers the man, and the thought of the times she's interacted with him is enough to turn her stomach. It takes focus not to let her rising anger channel itself into wrapping his bandages too tightly, securing them off with a steadying breath before she lets herself speak again.
"I don't care about your reputation," her voice is low but serious, shifting from where she's knelt to meet his eye again. "I wanted him to be wrong, but I was so scared. Scared of where I was going, of how you weren't coming, of what the rest of my life was going to be like without you in it."
As she speaks her voice gets thick with tears and she has to stop herself with another deep breath before she brings her hand up to rest against his injured side carefully, a faint green glow filling the space between them as she starts to heal him.
He's a good patient, staying mostly still but shifting to accommodate her. Honestly, it should feel nice, having her close and safe, but this is just another thing Piaget's tainted.
He'd hoped his explanation would help, but Aerith looks just as miserable, iterating again why she acted the way she did, her voice cracking and her eyes watery. As she places her hands to begin to heal him, he manages to get a hand on her face, thumb brushing a stray tear. It's terrible intimate, but -- isn't all of this? She already feared him a selfish fool; what else does he have to lose?
"I'm not upset with you," he says very gently, arching slightly as the magic starts to set in, uncomfortable but also taking some of the pain away. "Losing my freedom, being forced back to that life -- it's one of my biggest fears." If she wasn't concentrating so hard on his open wound, he'd pull her into his chest. As it is, his hand stays firm on her cheek, and he swallows before he manages to admit, "I wasn't eating, the first mate had to use a sleep spell on me -- I was so scared you were gone forever. That you were getting sent back to that life and going to be absolutely miserable. The idea that he would have soured your memory of all this, of me -- " It's his turn to get teary.
The light of the magic fades and she's finally able to look at him again, her chest aching from the force of his words and the way he delivers them. It's clear he means everything he says and it makes her want to kick herself.
"Balthier," Aerith moves again, this time to sit on the bed beside him, her hand covering the one he rests against her cheek as her eyes lock onto his.
"If I went back I would have remembered this, and you, every day." Even if Piaget had turned out to be right, it wouldn't have mattered in the long run. Even if it was traitorous to feel that way she would have treasured their time together, and the little sliver of real life she had been allowed to enjoy. She lets his hand go to touch his cheek instead, sniffling while she searches his face before giving in and leaning forward to kiss him.
His breath comes deeper in his chest, pain dulled, and he's grateful for it. Not just the healing, but for feeling like he has a piece of her with him.
Her hand slides over his, soft and warm, and he breathes out easier, like he's finally processing she isn't going anywhere, isn't rejecting what he's telling her. Wen she speaks again, it's his turn to get teary. Her hand strays to his cheek, and he sits rigid and frozen for a moment, mind convinced he's going to scare her off if he does the wrong thing.
It doesn't register immediately that she's kissing him, but when it does, he tightens his hold on her cheek, liquid escaping his eyes as he makes a low sound of -- apology, relief, affection.
"Yes you will," he says, but there's no negativity in it. His face stays close to hers, nose pressed into her cheek. "But you're willing to give me a chance, even when things look terrible, and that's more than I could have asked for." He presses his lips to hers again, choking back the sob he feels growing in his chest, and this time when he breaks the kiss he pulls her to him with his good arm, other one resting loosely around her and he just breathes in being here, being together.
"You should go get something hot to eat," he murmurs. "And a bath, if you want it, and then if you're so inclined, you should come rest with me." He can tell the magic is already taking hold, and his eyes are getting heavy.
"Only if you're willing to give me the chance to prove you wrong." Her stomach clenches at the thought of hurting him like this again, but when he doesn't reject her and even kisses her a second time, Aerith is too filled with relief to continue to argue. Actions speak louder than words, as Balthier has unwittingly proved, and if it takes forever to show him that her faith in him is ironclad, so be it. It's not like she wants to go anywhere now that they're back together again.
She has no intention of leaving this room until he's up and about again, but Aerith nods along with what Balthier says, one hand moving to the wound between his shoulder blades to heal him while he talks. He doesn't look like he'll be upright for much longer, and she doesn't want him aggravating the wound anymore than it is.
By the time he drifts off, she's spent her power and is dead on her feet. He's not mended all the way, but in another day or so, as long as he allows her to be as diligent as she intends to be, Aerith feels good about the shape he'll be in.
With all the energy she's got left, Aerith gets a chair across the room and sets it by his bedside without making too much noise, asleep before she's fully sat down.
If he were in better shape, he'd argue further too, but as it is, he's fading. "Help me get my shoes off?" he asks, and barely remembers getting his feet out and rolling onto the bed before sleep takes him.
When he rouses, he has no idea how much time it's been, and for a panicked moment all he can think is that he shouldn't be sleeping; Aerith's out there getting farther from them every minute he wastes. "Aerith," he rasps, throat dry.
Except his back is sore and restricted, and in another moment and his eyes fall on her, and the memory of what happened comes groggily seeping back in.
As tired as she is, Aerith doesn't sleep deeply, snapping awake when he rasps her name before bursting into motion. A glass of water is filled and brought to him before she sits on the edge of the bed, reaching out to feel his forehead for a fever.
"Drink this and go back to sleep," she murmurs gently. "I can heal you a little more now, it'll help you rest comfortably."
Her power has returned, but not as much as she would like, her weariness evident in her face, even the limp way her hair hangs around it a reflection of how tired and on edge she is.
He downs the glass of water, closing his eyes at the touch on his forehead. But her voice sounds ragged and she shakes his head, opening his eyes to look at her.
"You look awful," he says. "No more healing until you've slept. I'm well on my way." To prove it, he rolls his injured shoulder. And then he frowns. "You didn't eat, did you?"
"I was sleeping, and no telling the healer what to do. Your back needs healing now not later." Aerith frowns at him, her hand lifting away from his forehead so she can comb her fingers through his hair and push it back off his face.
"I'll eat soon. I'm not very hungry. Are you? Should I send for soup?"
He doesn't see why that's mutually exclusive with her resting, and is about to say as much when she offers to get food for him.
"Yes, for two," he says, catching the hand in his hair and tugging it down, just enough to turn and kiss her palm. "I'm going to use the restroom, and then you can fret over me as much as you like, and I even promise to listen." He gives her a tired smile. "It's been a long time since anyone tended me."
It's not as hard to get up as he expected; she really is a gifted healer. And when he returns, something in his chest catches at seeing her sitting on his bed, like he can't quite believe that any of this is real.
While he's gone she rushes to the door of his quarters, waving down the first crew member she sees to fetch food and tea for the captain before returning to his room to wait.
The woman she ran into looked stunned by her appearance, enough to make Aerith realize Balthier wasn't kidding about how awful she looked. By the time he returns, she's pinned her hair up in a large coiled bun, the sound of his privy door making her look up quickly.
"Are you alright? Come lay down." Aerith shifts on the edge of his bed, reaching up to fluff his pillows before she frowns at him expectantly.
"The galley has been waiting to hear from me, they'll send up food very soon."
It's...jarring, seeing her so worried and doting. Some part of him is touched, but a larger part of him is concerned. She hasn't been tended to after her ordeal, and she's shutting out support.
So when he walks back to her, he just wraps his arms around her -- even through the discomfort of his wounds -- and holds her tight, nestling his nose in her hair.
"I'm alright," he promises, low and gentle. "The magic is taking. But I'll sleep better knowing you're taken care of too, hmm?"
She wants to chide him, and remind him that he shouldn't be moving around like this with his injuries, but his arms come up around her and takes the argument right out of.
With a sigh Aerith leans into the embrace, closing her eyes tightly while he hugs her, one hand resting on his uninjured side.
"They're bringing food for me too. I'll eat with you." She still feels too rattled to be sincerely hungry, but when a sharp series of on knocks at his door begins, the first pangs of needing to eat finally set in.
After stealing a glance up at his face she tries another smile before going to the door to retrieve the massive tray of food the galley send up, complete with two pots of strong tea.
"See? There's no way you can eat this all." Aerith continues as she turns back, heading to a table by his bedside to set it all down.
He's happy when she doesn't protest and instead just lets him hold her. She probably needs to be held a good deal longer, what with all she's been through.
When she moves to go to the door, he squeezes her to him once more before he lets her go. And while she does that, he moves another chair over with his good arm, smiling at her teasing. "Alas, you've found me out, and it would be a shame to waste it." But he catches her arm after she sets the tray down, squeezing it once more. "Thank you." For eating. For taking care of him. For trusting him.
And he's tired, as he settles back into the chair, but his heart is so much lighter than it's been in days.
Turning to him when his hand rests on her arm, Aerith smiles warmly and shakes her head.
"Thank you for saving my life." In so many ways. Being kidnapped and thrown off course from a likely bland, loveless marriage had changed everything for the better. She still feels unsure about where they actually stand. The kisses they exchanged the night before had happened while they were both so keyed up and emotional that it was hard for her to tell if they same would be welcome now.
That doesn't stop her from bending low enough to kiss his forehead before she turns away to pour them both cups of tea and take the covers off the dishes.
"Do you think you feel well enough for something more than soup?" She passes his tea to him before stepping out of the way so he can survey what the galley sent up. Without thinking she reaches for a leg of duck, halfway finished before she realizes.
There's so much he wants to say, but his mind is still slow and he gets caught up in just looking at her, so unbelievably happy she's home and safe. When she steps forward to kiss him, he reacts a beat too late to wrap his arms around her again. He doesn't know where they stand either, but his feelings about her are clearer than they've ever been.
"Healer's know best, right?" he muses, taking the tea from her to sip. It feels good on his stomach, and he's glad she's eating too. "Give me a spread, I'll see what I can manage. And take anything you like for yourself. I know Piaget doesn't feed prisoners well." It hurts to say it, hurts to think about how miserable she must have been, and he hates that she isn't taking care of herself now. "And you're using a lot of magic."
The process of building him a plate of food is slowed by the frequent stops Aerith makes to nibble on things herself, not needing to be told she was free to take what she liked. She hands him the array she's arranged on his plate in between helping herself to about half a meal.
The food helps, but even though she's got a fuller belly than moments before, the urge to wrap her arms around him and keep him close isn't far from her thoughts. For now, she's content to watch him eat, feeding herself in between big sips of tea.
"I'm still going to heal your shoulder soon," she replies when he mentions her using magic, before eating a few more olives. "You fell asleep before I could bandage it."
Aerith dusts her fingers off with a decisive nod. "Then we can both rest, okay?" He asked her to lay down with him before, but she wasn't going to hold him to it unless he brought it up again.
Something in him eases watching her eat, and he lets himself just breathe, eyes resting on her like if he looks away she'll be spirited away.
She hands him a plate and he lifts his teacup to her in cheers, but for a few minutes they just enjoy companionable silence as they both pick at necessary sustenance.
"I'll allow it," he says, smiling weakly. They both know he's not going to be able to keep her from healing him if she insists. "But -- only if you lay down with me this time." His hand drifts to her knee, concern on his face. Maybe it's too bold, but he doesn't think she's going to agree to going to her own chambers, and she needs sleep too. "Or at the very least go take a bath once I've nodded off again. There are salts and lotions, and there's a dressing gown in there." With any luck, she'd doze off in there, or get sleepy enough to come lay down.
She looks up from the dish of olives she's been munching on and smiles at him, the hand on her knee making her heart beat faster.
"You still want me to?" The thought had struck her last night on her way to falling asleep in the chair, but she'd held off, too doubtful to take the plunge. She meant everything she said to him last night, but after the panic ebbed off it was hard to tell what was appropriate for her to do.
"After you're sleeping I'll go take a bath and come lay down." She tries not to sound too elated by the idea of sharing his bed and getting to be that close to him, but it's difficult.
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no subject
Date: 2023-02-21 04:31 am (UTC)"How can you apologize? I should be the one apologizing." Aerith stops herself long enough to finish the important work of cleaning him up before she goes on. Aware he might turn her out for what she has to tell him.
"I started to believe him, and I'm so sorry. He knew so much about you, so much about us, and then, sitting in that cell day after day I–" Aerith stops herself and comes around to face him, kneeling beside him. "I'm sorry. I should have never doubted you, or how I feel about you."
no subject
Date: 2023-02-21 04:51 am (UTC)Except he’s still too fresh off the terror of losing her.
“Piaget manipulates, and he does it well.” He can hear the tightness in his voice though.
Then she’s in front of him, filling his vision with her beautiful face, and it’s not the apology that has his heart stuttering.
He’s still dizzy, still slow, but he gingerly reaches out his clean hand to touch her hair. “I should have been clearer about how I felt, so you didn’t have to guess. I was so worried about overstepping, I didn’t think…”
Well didn’t think she’d be kidnapped.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-21 05:18 am (UTC)Her fingers lace with his before she makes herself open her eyes again, giving him a sad shake of her head.
"I hope you can forgive me for giving up on you. I was scared. Thinking that I would never see you, or the Strahl again broke my heart. I never want to be without either, ever again."
no subject
Date: 2023-02-21 09:02 pm (UTC)But his stomach is tight, because he can guess. Piaget knows his wounds, knows how best to twist a knife, and what worse than trying to break a relationship that matters to him, crack foundations and trust beyond repair.
He squeezes the fingers interlaced in his. "I was so scared I'd lost you." He gives her a watery smile, hating how upset she is but speechlessly happy that she wants to be here, to see him.
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Date: 2023-02-21 11:06 pm (UTC)Aerith keeps hold of his hand as she stands back up, releasing it so that she can offer a steadying arm instead while he rises.
"He knew so much about you and us. The places we've gone to together, the gardens, the wedding." She begins only once they're on their way. It's an upsetting conversation to have. Aerith didn't want to start it until he was close enough to his bed that if he decides to kick her out she won't leave him in a precarious position.
"He said I wasn't the first woman you used this con on. That you were just passing the time until I got handed off to him for the big payout. That you wanted me to think you cared about me because it was amusing to you."
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 02:44 am (UTC)The thought makes him feel oddly ashamed, like he's being a fool for believing it. Couldn't have heard her right.
And as she starts to speak, his heart drops. He turns his face away, however briefly, so she won't see the shame and hurt there. Hasn't she already told him she doesn't really think that? And even if she does -- he knows he isn't going to push her away. That just doesn't make it hurt less that she thought him capable of that.
"You wouldn't be the first to think that," he says, as much for her as for him. "Piaget knows how to make people doubt themselves, see the worst in a situation, and my reputation doesn't help." A reputation Piaget had started. Maybe Aerith deserved to know that.
He grimaces as she helps steer him onto the bed. With her standing, she's taller than he is, and he wants to just put his hands on her hips and lean into her. Instead he balls his hands in his lap, trying to keep his voice even.
"Llogo was his informant; paid him off to tell him everything. I -- Piaget knows I've struggled romantically. We were close for a very long time. He sabotaged my reputation, convinced someone I cared about that I'd done some terrible things, started this reputation of mine, nearly compromised the Strahl. The man you were supposed to marry, they're old friends. I'd wondered, when I decided to intercept you, if the two of them were up to something, and then when nothing came -- I got complacent."
And distracted.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 03:24 am (UTC)Llogo. She remembers the man, and the thought of the times she's interacted with him is enough to turn her stomach. It takes focus not to let her rising anger channel itself into wrapping his bandages too tightly, securing them off with a steadying breath before she lets herself speak again.
"I don't care about your reputation," her voice is low but serious, shifting from where she's knelt to meet his eye again. "I wanted him to be wrong, but I was so scared. Scared of where I was going, of how you weren't coming, of what the rest of my life was going to be like without you in it."
As she speaks her voice gets thick with tears and she has to stop herself with another deep breath before she brings her hand up to rest against his injured side carefully, a faint green glow filling the space between them as she starts to heal him.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 03:46 am (UTC)He'd hoped his explanation would help, but Aerith looks just as miserable, iterating again why she acted the way she did, her voice cracking and her eyes watery. As she places her hands to begin to heal him, he manages to get a hand on her face, thumb brushing a stray tear. It's terrible intimate, but -- isn't all of this? She already feared him a selfish fool; what else does he have to lose?
"I'm not upset with you," he says very gently, arching slightly as the magic starts to set in, uncomfortable but also taking some of the pain away. "Losing my freedom, being forced back to that life -- it's one of my biggest fears." If she wasn't concentrating so hard on his open wound, he'd pull her into his chest. As it is, his hand stays firm on her cheek, and he swallows before he manages to admit, "I wasn't eating, the first mate had to use a sleep spell on me -- I was so scared you were gone forever. That you were getting sent back to that life and going to be absolutely miserable. The idea that he would have soured your memory of all this, of me -- " It's his turn to get teary.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 03:58 am (UTC)"Balthier," Aerith moves again, this time to sit on the bed beside him, her hand covering the one he rests against her cheek as her eyes lock onto his.
"If I went back I would have remembered this, and you, every day." Even if Piaget had turned out to be right, it wouldn't have mattered in the long run. Even if it was traitorous to feel that way she would have treasured their time together, and the little sliver of real life she had been allowed to enjoy. She lets his hand go to touch his cheek instead, sniffling while she searches his face before giving in and leaning forward to kiss him.
"I'll never doubt you again."
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 08:33 pm (UTC)Her hand slides over his, soft and warm, and he breathes out easier, like he's finally processing she isn't going anywhere, isn't rejecting what he's telling her. Wen she speaks again, it's his turn to get teary. Her hand strays to his cheek, and he sits rigid and frozen for a moment, mind convinced he's going to scare her off if he does the wrong thing.
It doesn't register immediately that she's kissing him, but when it does, he tightens his hold on her cheek, liquid escaping his eyes as he makes a low sound of -- apology, relief, affection.
"Yes you will," he says, but there's no negativity in it. His face stays close to hers, nose pressed into her cheek. "But you're willing to give me a chance, even when things look terrible, and that's more than I could have asked for." He presses his lips to hers again, choking back the sob he feels growing in his chest, and this time when he breaks the kiss he pulls her to him with his good arm, other one resting loosely around her and he just breathes in being here, being together.
"You should go get something hot to eat," he murmurs. "And a bath, if you want it, and then if you're so inclined, you should come rest with me." He can tell the magic is already taking hold, and his eyes are getting heavy.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 11:54 pm (UTC)She has no intention of leaving this room until he's up and about again, but Aerith nods along with what Balthier says, one hand moving to the wound between his shoulder blades to heal him while he talks. He doesn't look like he'll be upright for much longer, and she doesn't want him aggravating the wound anymore than it is.
By the time he drifts off, she's spent her power and is dead on her feet. He's not mended all the way, but in another day or so, as long as he allows her to be as diligent as she intends to be, Aerith feels good about the shape he'll be in.
With all the energy she's got left, Aerith gets a chair across the room and sets it by his bedside without making too much noise, asleep before she's fully sat down.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 01:16 am (UTC)When he rouses, he has no idea how much time it's been, and for a panicked moment all he can think is that he shouldn't be sleeping; Aerith's out there getting farther from them every minute he wastes. "Aerith," he rasps, throat dry.
Except his back is sore and restricted, and in another moment and his eyes fall on her, and the memory of what happened comes groggily seeping back in.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 01:38 am (UTC)"Drink this and go back to sleep," she murmurs gently. "I can heal you a little more now, it'll help you rest comfortably."
Her power has returned, but not as much as she would like, her weariness evident in her face, even the limp way her hair hangs around it a reflection of how tired and on edge she is.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 02:11 am (UTC)"You look awful," he says. "No more healing until you've slept. I'm well on my way." To prove it, he rolls his injured shoulder. And then he frowns. "You didn't eat, did you?"
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 02:27 am (UTC)"I'll eat soon. I'm not very hungry. Are you? Should I send for soup?"
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 02:50 am (UTC)"Yes, for two," he says, catching the hand in his hair and tugging it down, just enough to turn and kiss her palm. "I'm going to use the restroom, and then you can fret over me as much as you like, and I even promise to listen." He gives her a tired smile. "It's been a long time since anyone tended me."
It's not as hard to get up as he expected; she really is a gifted healer. And when he returns, something in his chest catches at seeing her sitting on his bed, like he can't quite believe that any of this is real.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 03:22 am (UTC)The woman she ran into looked stunned by her appearance, enough to make Aerith realize Balthier wasn't kidding about how awful she looked. By the time he returns, she's pinned her hair up in a large coiled bun, the sound of his privy door making her look up quickly.
"Are you alright? Come lay down." Aerith shifts on the edge of his bed, reaching up to fluff his pillows before she frowns at him expectantly.
"The galley has been waiting to hear from me, they'll send up food very soon."
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 04:09 am (UTC)So when he walks back to her, he just wraps his arms around her -- even through the discomfort of his wounds -- and holds her tight, nestling his nose in her hair.
"I'm alright," he promises, low and gentle. "The magic is taking. But I'll sleep better knowing you're taken care of too, hmm?"
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 08:23 pm (UTC)With a sigh Aerith leans into the embrace, closing her eyes tightly while he hugs her, one hand resting on his uninjured side.
"They're bringing food for me too. I'll eat with you." She still feels too rattled to be sincerely hungry, but when a sharp series of on knocks at his door begins, the first pangs of needing to eat finally set in.
After stealing a glance up at his face she tries another smile before going to the door to retrieve the massive tray of food the galley send up, complete with two pots of strong tea.
"See? There's no way you can eat this all." Aerith continues as she turns back, heading to a table by his bedside to set it all down.
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Date: 2023-02-23 08:56 pm (UTC)When she moves to go to the door, he squeezes her to him once more before he lets her go. And while she does that, he moves another chair over with his good arm, smiling at her teasing. "Alas, you've found me out, and it would be a shame to waste it." But he catches her arm after she sets the tray down, squeezing it once more. "Thank you." For eating. For taking care of him. For trusting him.
And he's tired, as he settles back into the chair, but his heart is so much lighter than it's been in days.
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Date: 2023-02-24 02:04 am (UTC)"Thank you for saving my life." In so many ways. Being kidnapped and thrown off course from a likely bland, loveless marriage had changed everything for the better. She still feels unsure about where they actually stand. The kisses they exchanged the night before had happened while they were both so keyed up and emotional that it was hard for her to tell if they same would be welcome now.
That doesn't stop her from bending low enough to kiss his forehead before she turns away to pour them both cups of tea and take the covers off the dishes.
"Do you think you feel well enough for something more than soup?" She passes his tea to him before stepping out of the way so he can survey what the galley sent up. Without thinking she reaches for a leg of duck, halfway finished before she realizes.
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Date: 2023-02-24 04:24 am (UTC)"Healer's know best, right?" he muses, taking the tea from her to sip. It feels good on his stomach, and he's glad she's eating too. "Give me a spread, I'll see what I can manage. And take anything you like for yourself. I know Piaget doesn't feed prisoners well." It hurts to say it, hurts to think about how miserable she must have been, and he hates that she isn't taking care of herself now. "And you're using a lot of magic."
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Date: 2023-02-24 05:39 am (UTC)The food helps, but even though she's got a fuller belly than moments before, the urge to wrap her arms around him and keep him close isn't far from her thoughts. For now, she's content to watch him eat, feeding herself in between big sips of tea.
"I'm still going to heal your shoulder soon," she replies when he mentions her using magic, before eating a few more olives. "You fell asleep before I could bandage it."
Aerith dusts her fingers off with a decisive nod. "Then we can both rest, okay?" He asked her to lay down with him before, but she wasn't going to hold him to it unless he brought it up again.
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Date: 2023-02-24 05:10 pm (UTC)She hands him a plate and he lifts his teacup to her in cheers, but for a few minutes they just enjoy companionable silence as they both pick at necessary sustenance.
"I'll allow it," he says, smiling weakly. They both know he's not going to be able to keep her from healing him if she insists. "But -- only if you lay down with me this time." His hand drifts to her knee, concern on his face. Maybe it's too bold, but he doesn't think she's going to agree to going to her own chambers, and she needs sleep too. "Or at the very least go take a bath once I've nodded off again. There are salts and lotions, and there's a dressing gown in there." With any luck, she'd doze off in there, or get sleepy enough to come lay down.
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Date: 2023-02-24 08:39 pm (UTC)"You still want me to?" The thought had struck her last night on her way to falling asleep in the chair, but she'd held off, too doubtful to take the plunge. She meant everything she said to him last night, but after the panic ebbed off it was hard to tell what was appropriate for her to do.
"After you're sleeping I'll go take a bath and come lay down." She tries not to sound too elated by the idea of sharing his bed and getting to be that close to him, but it's difficult.
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