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“We should do this more often.”
The bitter chill of Coerthas was easily broken by the fire warming Borel Manor’s den, much to the delight of its two denizens (and a cat). Aymeric de Borel and Ren Hawke, not unlike every other time they were together, lay together on the couch, her resting her head on his chest, gaze in his direction, and him wrapping his arms around her back loosely, a blanket draped over them. He smiles back at her, tilting his head slightly.
“Do what?”
“This,” she gestures at the fire and back at their position. “Just... you know, lounging around in front of a fire, talking, doing couple things.”
He lets out a soft chuckle, running his fingers through her hair and closing his eyes. “I agree. I am quite fond of this, actually.”
The two had danced around the state of their relationship for a long while. Over her time in Ishgard, the xaelan woman had grown to care for the elezen deeply, as did he for her, but there was always something else to be done, some matter that needed attending to. Indeed, even the moment they had over a candlelit dinner where he had opened a door for her to express her feelings, she was interrupted by yet another pressing issue.
The question did not leave her mind, however. “What do you want for yourself?”
“You,” she finally answered, some months later, atop the Royal Menagerie in Ala Mhigo, followed by a kiss.
Though little time did they have, between her work as the Warrior of Light and a Scion of the Seventh Dawn, and his as head of the House of Lords of Ishgard, they spent every moment they could together. Passionate nights, followed by lazy mornings, were the norm for their free time. Deeper and deeper still did their bond grow until it was clear.
This was love.
Several months ago, he, though honored to meet her, saw her as a stranger who might possibly be able to help in his nation’s time of need.
Now she lay in his arms, the most trusted person in his life. His true confidant.
His eyes open, and as he stares at the ceiling, something bothers him. She knows so much of his life... and yet her history is a blank to him. It was a gnawing curiosity, nothing more, but as the subject never really came up naturally, he had not thought to pursue it. But now...
He gently taps her shoulder to get her attention, and when she looks up at him with her teal eyes, he parts his lips to speak.
“... May I ask a personal question, Ren?”
“Mm... I’m getting deja vu...” She presses a kiss through the fabric of his shirt before returning to her resting position. “I’m listening.”
“If... this is uncomfortable at all, pray, do not feel obligated to answer, I am simply curious...” He looks up for a moment to gather his thoughts before focusing on her again. “You have never shared with me where you are from. I would like to know more... about you.”
Her smile falters, and he feels his heart start to race. Mayhap this brought with it bad memories, old wounds reopened. His immediate regret was only worsened when she looked into the fire for what felt like an eternity, though in reality was perhaps 15 seconds.
“I-I... I apologize, I should not pry, pray, forget I said—“
“It’s only fair, right? I’ve seen some of your past without even getting your consent...”
The Echo still fascinated him, but it took a long time for him to even get used to it. She saw—nay, relived his best and worst moments, and it was totally out of her control. A part of him wishes he could do the same with her, but...
“I never blamed you for that, and, it was... at times, comforting to know that you could empathize...”
She reaches for one his hands and loosely laces her fingers between them, giving him a gentle squeeze.
“It’s okay. I trust you.”
He heaves a sigh of relief, squeezing her hand back. She chuckles briefly before clearing her throat.
“I was born in the frigid mountains of the northern Azim Steppe. My real name... is Saeren, of the Angura tribe. I was the daughter of hunters who perished when I was young.”
She tilts her head to look at Aymeric, who is watching her intently, before returning her gaze to the fire.
“If that wasn’t enough, I had a strange ability wherein I could experience people’s memories, and I manipulated aether like it was nothing. My tribe feared me. I felt so alone.”
Her body stiffens.
“And then, it happened. I was out hunting with two others, and I had a vision. A beast would gore the two of them if they proceeded. And they wouldn’t listen... they wouldn’t listen...”
Brows furrowed, he strokes her hair, running the tips of his fingers through the locks of black and gold, and hummed a soothing note. For a few moments, she closes her eyes and breathes deeply, then promptly returns to her story.
“So... I ran. I ran, and I ran, and I ran. Somehow or another I made it from the Steppe to Kugane and, finally, Limsa Lominsa. I was so tired and scared, I just wanted to leave Othard, everything was a blur... I was only 16, I think? And I ended up changing my name, because the tail and the scales were already enough to freak out the sailors there, I didn’t need my name to be another issue. And... now I’m here. 10 years later, it seems.”
The two lay there in silence for a few moments, Aymeric stroking her hair, thinking of how to proceed. Ren, waiting for a response, turns her head to look at him expectantly as he gives his reaction.
“... It is a shame you had to suffer for so long... Thank you for sharing, and I apologize for bringing up any bad memories.”
She laughs softly, squeezing his hand again. “It helps to talk about it. Now we’re even.”
“Indeed... I love you... Saeren. You are... an incredible individual.”
Her eyes widen, not quite sure of the feeling dwelling inside of her. All she knew is her cheeks were heating up.
“Ah... that’s...”
He pauses his stroking, frowning. “Ah, I’m... I apologize, you changed your name for a reason, I should respect that—“
“No,” she replies quickly, her face a deeper red than the rest of her skin. “No, it’s... I would prefer it if... In public, you refer to me as Ren... but... I...”
She trails off, gaze shifting to the fire again as a shy smile spreads on her lips.
“I... don’t mind if you... call me that... while we’re alone, Aymeric.”
It takes him a moment for him to grasp the depth of this permission she had granted him. No one else must have known this about her, and yet she trusted him so much that she was allowing him to call her by her true name. And, by the looks of it... she enjoyed it?
His heart flutters, and without another word, he pulls her into a kiss, lingering for quite some time before pulling away.
“I am honored you trust me so much... Saeren.”
She laughs sheepishly, resting her head against his chest once more. “Yeah, well, don’t go too crazy with it, or I’m going to start calling you something like Aymy.”
He raises an eyebrow at her, grinning. “You already call me that, I recall you doing so just last week, after that bottle of La Noscean red.”
“... More than usual then.”
He laughs, messing her hair up for a moment before combing through it with his fingers. With a pleased sigh, he leans his head against the arm of the couch and closes his eyes.
“You are right, we should do this more often...”