THE PANTS OF THE HOT

[disestablishment]

i don't know what i'm looking at

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WEEK 6 FRIDAY

[fleshedout]

[Yeah, she's seeking him out. After that sort of news...she's not going to leave him alone.]

Hey. Aymeric. What do you want, right now? I'll do it.

[Tea? Snacks? A hug?]

[disestablishment]

[ God, Hot Pants, stalking him down into the mountain. This is where he is, in his usual armor with his arms crossed.

He's surprised to see her just COME AT HIM? ]

Mistress Hot Pants—[ While he understands why, he's still surprised. ] 'Tis... 'Tis all right, my friend.

[fleshedout]

...Is it? Is it all right?

[She's folding her arms and staring him down. JIIII]

[disestablishment]

[ And he crosses his arms while staring down at her? ]

Of course I am grieving, but... [ A sigh. ] I worry if I were to succumb, I'll become a mess.

[fleshedout]

...So let others support you, then. I won't have you running off to let your own emotions eventually get the better of you.

[disestablishment]

Very well... I believe mine own emotions are rather calm because at this point we know the dead are in another area of the Prism.

[ ... ]

I had been prepared for Estinien's death for some time—I thought I would be ready and that it wouldn't hurt me so when I know his fate on our star.

[fleshedout]

....His...fate?

[She stares at him.]

Did he die, Aymeric?

[disestablishment]

I saw him unmade, turned into naught—during the week where we suffered those bubbles.

[ And he would stare at the snow, thinking deeply. Maybe too deeply now. ]

It may be worse than death itself. I know not if he would return to our star, to the aetherial sea.

[fleshedout]

....Oh, Aymeric.

[She coughs up a few blue petals, before reaching for his shoulder.]

There really is no way...to prevent that?

[disestablishment]

[ When she reaches out to him, he places a hand over hers.

He cough a petal, but it’s covered with his other hand. ]

… I do not know. [ So many things happen in ff14. ] But he promised to return. Here and home.

I have to believe in him, even if ‘tis foolish. Who would we be without our faith.

[fleshedout]

...

[She coughs more, letting out a sigh.]

Would you mind if I...offered a hug?

[disestablishment]

[ Sometimes, despite how much you know better than to believe the dead will come back, at least back at a home, you would rather be a fool.

There's a soft chuckle, though it doesn't sound much like his usual. ]

Why would I ever mind, Mistress Hot Pants?

[fleshedout]

Hmmph.

[A little pursing of the lips, but she's coming in.]

[Aymeric gets the rare Hot Pants hug privileges.]

[disestablishment]

[ And he hugs her back, not too tightly, but not too loosely. Maybe in this hug she can tell that despite putting up a front of having it together, the energy and vibe he gives off is... Small. For being a tall man, he is small in this very moment.

It's quiet, muffled, and it is filled with so much hurt: ]

Thank you.

[ In the end, Aymeric is more emotional than he is rational. ]

[fleshedout]

...You're welcome.

[Yeah, she can tell that. That's the problem with all Verdants. They sort of lock away all their problems and throw away the key.]

I hope we get to see him soon.