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It was a rare day at the Temple Knights’ Infirmary. Or at least it felt like that to Estinien. It was rare because it was quiet, which he didn’t mind in the least. He had visitors near daily, Alphinaud, the Warriors of Light, Aymeric, even his fellow former Azure Dragoons. It was admittedly nice to have the company, despite his gruff protestations, but it was also nice to just have a day of silence. After the weeks he’d had, it was welcome. The rage and despair constantly roaring within Nidhogg’s mind was a thing he feared he would never escape. Yet here he was, no longer surrounded by that tempest of hate, his body his own again… and the silence of the infirmary. Silence like this left him to his own thoughts, which he was glad to have again, difficult as some of the questions said thoughts brought about. Questions he much would have rather have asked himself outside of a gods damned room he was tired of being in. Such as… what now?
But by the time those thoughts had come around, there was a knock at his door. He recognized it immediately as belonging to the chirurgeon, a swift rap on the door that wasn’t asking for permission so much as it was letting him know someone was coming in. And sure enough, he had been correct, though he thought he saw movement from behind the chirurgeon that didn’t follow. The door closed behind the man, who proceeded on to doing the daily check-up. Basic questions were asked; how he was feeling, how was his appetite, how much movement was he able to do before tiring, had his bruising been feeling more painful than normal, etcetera. Estinien wasted no time in saying, as compared to most other days, he felt fine, which was perhaps an understatement. While he was still prone to exhaustion quicker than he’d liked, every day proved that he was well and truly on a road to recovery.
With the check-up finished, the chirurgeon jotted a few notes down, “It shan’t be long before you have free reign, Ser Estinien. Your recovery is going apace, which is a glad thing to see considering the ordeal you went through.” The former Azure Dragoon merely grunted in response. The other man chuckled, “I hope that means you’re willing to entertain a visitor. She seems like she’s prepared something for you, it would be a shame to turn her away.”
Estinien furrowed his brow, but before he could ask anything the chirurgeon left, leaving the door open behind him to allow his newest visitor entry. Said visitor glanced in first, her black and orange hair and ears the first thing he saw that immediately identified her as Rumi Kalycoh, fellow dragoon and also…
The Miqo’te’s gaze rested on him for a moment, looking a bit flustered. But she very quickly entered and softly closed the door behind her, and Estinien could now see that this was the first time he had seen her in anything even resembling casual clothing. Though in truth, this wasn’t quite so casual even for Rumi. The blue accented spring dress she chose to wear for her visit, after all, was mostly that she wanted to at least try and seem like she had a sense of fashion outside of battle. Dare she say it, she was trying to look pretty for the occasion. And in the crook of her right arm she carried a basket, with all sorts of things prepared by Sumire Iga, one of the Warriors of Light and self-proclaimed “lover of all things pertaining to romance.”
“Nyaa, I hope I didn’t arrive at a bad time,” Rumi began, inwardly hating that in her nervous state she’d let her hated vocal tic out again. “I had just thought… well, given your condition, I really can’t take you anywhere like I said I would in the Churning Mists… So I thought I would bring some of my favorite snacks from the Twelveswood to you! Even though Sumire made most of it…” She immediately put her left hand to her mouth, “She told me nyat to say that…”
For a brief moment, he drew a blank. And then he remembered their conversation in the Churning Mists. It seemed like an age ago at this point, how she had confessed to… having a romantic interest in him. Naturally he had remembered that part and its absurdity, she had even kissed him and the thought of it made his lips tingle. But he had completely forgotten he had given his consent for her to drag him all around the Twelveswood in some irrational attempt to get him a hobby. Some part of him still couldn’t believe he’d agreed to it. Yet here she was, willing to go through her part of it by bringing their outing straight to him. Something stirred in him. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it, but he felt his lips twitch upwards in bemusement at her skittishness.
Rumi recovered quickly enough from her embarrassment, however, and pulled a chair up by his bedside. She didn’t know why she was so nervous about this; it wasn’t as if she had never been alone with him before… Maybe it was because she was trying to… impress him? Why did she even- Those thoughts were pulled back by her rational brain telling her that she just wanted to have a nice time alone with Estinien. That’s all there was to it. And telling herself that over and over in her mind did seem to get her initial nerves out of her way.
With her nerves put away for the time being, she happily pulled out the snacks in the basket that Sumire had prepared. She was all too eager to point out her own favorites and how she saw Sumire make them, even explain which ones were Keeper Miqo’te specialty. Rumi had explained the dishes to her Warrior of Light friend during their adventures while Estinien had been in Nidhogg’s grasp, which had reminded the girl to ask him if he knew any of those details. The Elezen confessed that he knew bits and pieces, but no one had really told him the whole of everything that had happened. She was all too happy to be the one to tell him all about it, even though snacks had most certainly run out by the time she had finished.
“Without the help of Hraesvelgr, it’s difficult to say how far we all would have gotten,” Rumi had concluded. “Sometimes, I still find it hard to believe that the Warriors of Light even managed it. They really are something else!”
“Tis surprising he came to be so willing,” Estinien agreed. “Last I saw of him he wanted nothing to do with mankind, and for good reason. Ishgard’s treachery struck deeply.” He paused, again remembering the roiling torment that was Nidhogg’s mind. “I think I can say that dragons feel deeply, perhaps even more deeply, than we do… The Warriors of Light definitely seem to have a quality about them that draws even the most unlikely allies to them.”
“I think it certainly helps,” she nodded, “They do have a special way of making connections with people… Not unlike Ysayle did. In truth, even with the Warriors, I’m not entirely sure we could have convinced him to act if not for her.”
Both of the former Azure Dragoons took a moment to remember their fallen comrade and her self-sacrifice. Estinien could not claim to have agreed with her on everything, but they did agree on the most important one: that the fighting between man and dragon needed to stop, else it never would. Rumi always looked to her as stalwart ally, someone who truly believed the truth would lead to lasting peace. Both could agree that her methods probably weren’t the most ideal, but her final act in life revealed a glimpse to a past long forgotten, of dragons and mortals working together.
In a rare change, Estinien had been the one to break the silence. “Would that Iceheart could be here now to see the peace she so desperately wanted begin.” And he had meant it. In truth, he thought her far better a person than he was. Her intentions may have been born of a misguided belief in being a reborn Shiva, but she did long to see an end to the suffering of both men and dragons. While he also wanted to see an end to the fighting, the death of Nidhogg was still something he had been all too eager to pursue. Still, he hadn’t expected Rumi to remain so silent. Oftentimes, she had proven to be quite the chatty companion. And when he looked to her, he saw her staring at her own lap, her fists clenched in skirt. It was enough to cause him some measure of alarm, “Is something wrong?”
Nothing was wrong… was what she had wanted to say. Her mouth had even opened to voice it, but it ended up shutting and she bit her lip instead. In truth, the memory of Ysayle had stirred up a great deal of distress. It wasn’t to say that she didn’t mourn her fallen friend, she did. There were plenty of times where she wondered if there couldn’t have been another way, a way in which Ysayle didn’t have to make such a grand sacrifice. But right now, she could only think of how even in death, Ysyale had still been more useful than she was. Rumi’s vision was blurring as she stared at the balled-up fabric twixt her fingers, and she absolutely refused to let any single tear fall. But the words still spilled, even the tears didn’t. “Did you know that… when Alphinaud and the others were prying the Eyes off of you… they say that Haucherfaunt and Ysayle were there too.”
Alphinaud had mentioned something of the sort, but he’d no idea what to make of it. Despite all he’d been through with what could only be described as being miraculously rescued, Estinien wasn’t sure if he could believe in ghosts or if they even had the ability to offer such assistance.
With a shuddering breath, Rumi tilted her head up to look at the ceiling in a last-ditch effort to keep anything from falling from her eyes. “I felt useless. The moment they came back from Azys Lla and said what happened… I… I was devastated. I thought… the worst.” One of her fangs peeked out as she bit her lip harder, a tear managing to break free and slide down her cheek. “When Krile said that she could see the faintest light… that you were still there…” she rubbed the offending tear off of her cheek and shook her head, doing her best to regain some sort of composure before she looked back to the Elezen. Behind her green eyes a fiery determination burned. “I told myself that I would save you. But what could I do? Nyothing. The moment they put their hands on those Eyes I was blown away, and Colette held me back. And Aymeric was the one who took you back…” The flames in her gaze flickered and she gritted her teeth. Downward did her gaze fall again, unable to meet his, “All I could manage was crying like a foolish damsel… Even the dead were more useful than I.”
When it came to emotions, Estinien could not claim to be intimately familiar with their intricacies. With his all-consuming rage towards Nidhogg and his thirst for vengeance, there were few people in his life that he could say managed to keep him down to earth. Alberic and Aymeric had been his longest and staunchest supporters, and towards the end of the Dragonsong War he made new allies. Even so, his anger had still defined most everything about him. Rumi’s confession of harboring affections for him had been dumbfounding to say the least, and it had left him a bit confused as to… his own feelings. In truth, he was still unsure, but he did know one thing.
Unconsciously, he reached his hand to his neck, the yellowing bruise in the shape of his own grip stinging under his own touch. “When I had wrested control of Nidhogg and requested the Warriors of Light to end my life… There was a fury from the wyrm so great that it deafened my senses. But through his roars I could still hear the voices of my comrades.” It was difficult enough to admit this. Perhaps months ago, he would have said something like that was nonsense and kept it to himself. Yet it still wasn’t the most difficult part. Something caught in his throat as he spoke, his words coming out hoarse, “Your voice was the loudest.”
Calico ears twitched, but they were the only sign of movement from Rumi. His statement had seemingly turned her body to stone. Estinien’s face burned in embarrassment. Had he broken her? Did he say the exact wrong thing? After what seemed like an eternity, however, her head tilted upwards. Her green eyes locked onto his blue, boring into him in search of something. And in Rumi’s mind flashed a phrase, a phrase she had spoken to her clueless best friend. Menphina helps those who help themselves.
Slowly, almost meticulously, the Miqo’te rose from her chair to sit herself right by Estinien’s side upon his sickbed. Reflex caused him to attempt to edge himself further from her, but Rumi seemed to have no intentions to let him do so. She simply scooched slightly closer to him and reached a hand out towards his face. Momentarily she paused, right before her fingers touched his skin, but she steeled her resolve. Her palm rested upon his gaunt cheek as the tips of her fingers caught in his snow-white hair. Instinctively his hand had risen to meet hers but stopped at her wrist. His fingers brushed lightly against her pale skin, as if he had been indecisive as to whether or not he wished to push her away. The air was heavy, yet she pulled herself closer to him, and he made no effort to try and move away.
The space between them closed, though with none of the quickness as the surprise kiss she had given him in the Churning Mists. It was soft, yet needy, and the moment he thought she was going to pull away he found his own hand tangled in her mottled black and orange hair, pulling her back in. Rumi gasped into his mouth, his reciprocity unexpected. Their kiss lasted moments more before they finally parted, their breaths coming out heavy. Their noses grazed against each other’s as their foreheads touched, and Rumi fully swung her leg out so that she was straddled atop him.
“Estinien…” she tilted his chin up so they finally looked each other in the eyes. Their hearts were beating quickly. The Elezen even found himself almost frightened of what she was about to say. The words hitched in her throat, but she forced the words out; she needed to say them. “I love you.”
Fury take him, he had no idea how to react to that. Did he even feel the same way as her? There was something there but-
The Keeper had no intentions of letting him think too hard about it. The mantra repeated in her mind, Menphina helps those who help themselves. She kissed him again. Not giving him the time to process the weight of her words was perhaps a selfish act on her part, but after almost losing him she refused to let him go, if only this once. Spur of the moment decision it may have been, but she would make him set aside any of his doubts. Evidently, it worked. For as she deepened her kiss, he responded in kind near automatically. He knew precisely her quick action had been to silence him, to drown out the heavy thoughts, and he could not bring himself to fight back. His near-death experience, the cabin fever from being cooped up in the infirmary, the conflicting feelings about the woman straddling him… she was willing, and he would happily take the distraction she offered.
Whereas the earlier kisses had been tender, now they were heavy and intense. The Miqo’te wasn’t sure when their tongues had gotten involved, but it only began to drive her to frenzy as her abdomen began to burn. One of her hands lowered to his shirt, hastily loosening the laces as best she could without looking and all too glad when her fingers felt the heat of his skin. Her touch elicited a sharp intake of breath from Estinien, who drew her closer to him suddenly in a hasty embrace. He was in the crook of her neck now, lips trailing along her neck before softly biting her. Rumi’s hand scrunched into his hair and a quiet moan escaped her as the sensation of pain and pleasure intermingled. It was a sound he never expected to hear from her, ever such an aggressive and strong personality. It made her sound… vulnerable, and by the Fury did he want to hear more of it.
He shifted his position on her neck and bit down again, slightly harder. She shuddered and moaned again, holding him yet tighter. More, he could get more from her. One of Estinien’s hands quickly traced down her back, throwing her skirt off to the side impatiently so he could grasp the meat of her buttock. An unexpected sound, a small squeal of surprise followed by the smallest laugh as she began to open his shirt further, sliding it over his shoulder. He could feel her tail batting back and forth excitedly against his arm. Unexpected, but not unwelcome despite the growing discomfort he was feeling in his pants. More. His tongue traveled up her neck along her jawline, and his free hand lowered the front hem of her dress to play with one of her breasts. Small it may have been, but the nipple was taut, and he was all too happy to tease it between his fingers.
The knot in the Miqo’te’s abdomen grew tighter, and she was now acutely aware of the dampness between her legs. As his mouth trailed her jaw and he played with her breast, she felt a half-formed cuss escape her. She held the Elezen close to her, scooting further into his lap and feeling a lump brush against her thigh. Some of the fog in her vision cleared at the realization, and her flushed complexion became a deeper shade of red. The thought if she should tell him or not crossed her mind. Would he stop if he knew? Twelve above, would he feel as if she was trying to trick him into some sort of commitment? But while this thought process tore through her mind, Rumi’s hips found themselves involuntarily grinding lightly so her dampness rubbed against lump, the friction of the fabric of her panties against the fabric of his pants ever making her feel as if she was under the blistering heat of the Sagolii Desert. And when she had heard his sharp intake of breath, felt his hot breath upon her jaw, her inhibition vanished.
With the impatience he had shown with her skirt, she shot a hand down to his pants, pulling the waistband down to free Estinien’s growing discomfort. Something guttural escaped from him as she softly grasped him, holding his length up against her panties. Rumi tilted his head towards hers own so she could take his mouth in hers, feeling his tongue upon hers, as she rubbed his length against her soaking underwear. She pushed him softly down upon the sickbed, taking her kisses now along his jaw, careful to avoid the bruising on his neck. He groaned as she continued to rub him against herself; and hearing such a sound from him only made her passion grow wilder. Any and all hesitations forgotten, she kissed his neck and moaned his name…
And then there no response.
“Estinien?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but there was concern. There were no more reactions from him, and he was softening in her grip. For a moment she was concerned; inexperienced as she was she had thought she was doing well. She raised her head and looked at him, and panic overtook her as sobered from the heady haze of their would-be liaison. His eyes were closed, absent of expression except maybe slightly slack jawed. “Estinien!” She patted his face only to get no response, and for a moment she had feared the worst. Until a soft snore escaped his lips, and she let out a breath she had no idea she was holding.
Rumi rested her head upon his chest in relief, glad to see that seemed fine… A pout came upon her, finding herself exceedingly disappointed that this… encounter… had to end so prematurely. She wasn’t upset however. What was she thinking, when he was still recovering from that harrowing ordeal?
Thinking… Then she realized what exactly just happened. She rose up quickly with a gasp, the flush returning to her pale skin. The Keeper had certainly not planned on taking things so far… and certainly not in the infirmary of all places! Halone above, what if the chirurgeon had walked in on them?! What if any one of their friends had come in on this?! All of a sudden feeling remarkably self-conscious, she rearranged herself and Estinien to presentability as best as was able… which was pretty able. He was as dead to the world asleep as Colette was all that time ago in the Churning Mists.
And she was…
Very okay with this. Now that panic had subsided and the threat of embarrassment was gone, everything was just fine. Because he was just fine.
As he slept away on the sickbed, she had considered that perhaps was the time for her to take her leave. But instead, Rumi returned to the bed and snugly set herself beside him and closed her eyes. As awkward as an encounter it was that just occurred, she had no desire to leave him. A smile formed upon her lips as she felt herself drifting off. Perhaps they weren’t a couple – after all, it was only she who had confessed love to him – but she felt the great need to stay near. After all, he wasn’t an Azure Dragoon any longer. Nor was she. For she and Colette this was simply another chapter in their lives. For Estinien it was his life’s work, now no longer applicable. She was sure he wouldn’t stay in Ishgard… but while she had him, she was going to monopolize whatever time she could with him.
And perhaps, if she was so lucky, they’d even get to finish what they started.