Chapter Text
“Seems like this day is all about following Jullus around” — You think, trying not to ponder that much about what he just said, even though you keep going back to the topic. It’s almost impossible not to. He wants to show you his home…but why you? You have only known each other for a couple of days… even if those days were intense, Jullus doesn’t seem like he trusts you enough, or does he?
Your mind keeps spinning around Jullus while deviating from your previous path. Glad Jullus wanted to help you carry the ceruleum. Maybe he planned this before you went on your expedition and that’s why he offered to help. Whatever the reason was, it made you happy.
Finally, Jullus puts down the ceruleum tank on the ground and turns around to indicate to you to do the same. It seems like your destination is right in front of you. As expected, his home is a burned-down house almost completely covered in snow. A rush of emotions filled your body, a mix between anger and sadness invading your thoughts… there must be something you can do to help. You put the ceruleum down too, determined to say something, to explain you’re sorry, but he spoke first.
“This is my home. Our…home” — He says. You can sense the sorrow in his words. You let him continue speaking— “My family was here the night of the incident, they didn’t have a radio to know what was happening. I rushed to help them, to get them outside the city, but when I got here… “—His voice cracks, and he lowers his head down to his feet, standing just where the door of his home once was— “They weren’t them. And they wanted to… and I had to…”
You keep listening to his story from a distance, while looking at your surroundings and how the war destroyed all he knew and loved. But your eyes keep going back to Jullus, who is looking sadder as he speaks. As you see him turning his head from you, he tries to hide his tears, but this time seems like he can’t hold it anymore.
And you can’t hold it either, so you rush to him with all the speed you had inside you, going for a hug. You embrace him with all the care and love you’ve been growing since you first met him. You don’t care anymore if he is supposed to be your enemy, it’s clear to you it’s not, he just exposed his trauma and feelings to you in the most open and raw ways for you to understand his position. And you understood, and this embrace was the help he needed, a place to unleash his grief.
Jullus didn’t see that hug coming, but he didn't move away from you. Instead, he places his head on your chest, to try and hide the tears that are now flowing from his eyes. You keep the embrace while letting him cry it all out — “I am so sorry, Jullus” — You whisper while caressing his hair to try and keep him calm and safe with you.
After a short while, he embraces you back and rises his head from your chest. You see his eyes red from all the crying with that sad expression you saw on him when you went for a hug. You remove your gloves slowly and carefully, you don’t want him to think you want this moment to end.
You place the gloves inside your pockets and go to wipe those remaining tears from Jullus’ face, he is warm and soft despite this awful weather, and you seem mesmerized by him while you do it. He tries to avoid eye contact while his face was turning redder and redder, but this time was not because of crying.
“Do you feel better now?” —You say calmly, with your hands still in Jullus’ cheeks.
“Yes…” —He mumbles, finally turning his gaze to you— “Thank you” — He places his right hand on yours as a kind gesture to you, but you still need some reassurance.
“Do you want me to let go? I’ll give you some space if you want” —You draw a light smile on your face, but you don’t want to let go. This embrace feels like all the cold in Garlemald completely disappeared.
“No…it’s ok. I’m ok” —He said with his eyes still on you. He seems like he wants to do or say something but can’t bring his willpower to do it. Even if he is ok with it, you already overstepped some boundaries today… so maybe let’s just keep this embrace until he feels safe to continue back to Tertium.