Work Text:
Beam - ‘to smile radiantly or happily’
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The ballroom of the Fortemps manor was filled with excited chatter, members of every high house, and some of the people of the Brume all happily talking and laughing together as one. Never in the long history of Ishgard had so many people of so many different factions been gathered together in harmony enjoying themselves, and now thanks to the end of the Dragonsong War, not only were man and dragon in harmony once more, but high born and low born too shared a peace as one nation. It warmed Katsum’s heart to see everyone laughing and smiling, with no harsh words of judgment or discrimination being passed between others. How it reminded her of how her home kingdom once was, how joyous the festivals and parties would be, and it made her happy to see that Ishgard was growing to be just the same.
“You seem especially happy this evening, Katsum,” The blonde Miqo’te’s ears perked up as she heard Y’shtola speak, looking over to see the white mage gently sipping at her glass of wine, “And don’t make the same joke that Thancred did of ‘Are you sure you aren’t seeing things’. Your aether tells me all I need to know.”
“Come now, you knew I had to,” Thancred grinned from beside her, though it became sheepish when Y’shtola gave him a look, so he looked to Katsum before he could get himself in more trouble, “Anyway, we’ve been noticing you smiling at him all evening.”
Katsum’s eyes widened, “Him?”
“You haven’t noticed?” Thancred chuckled, “I suppose I should have guessed that.”
The Warrior of Light’s ears twitched as she narrowed her eyes, “Looking at who exactly? I’ve been looking at everyone.”
“Yes, but your eyes linger on Ser Aymeric a whole lot more than they do anyone else,” Y’shtola’s lips quirked up into a grin, “But don’t worry, he’s been stealing glances too. In fact, he’s looking this way now.”
Katsum nearly spun around to look over and sure enough, from across the room, her eyes met with his. Ser Aymeric was surrounded by the heads of the house of lords and the house of commons both, all happily chatting and discussing small topics to bring up at the next gathering. While he was at the center of their conversations, when they would speak amongst themselves, Aymeric’s eyes turned to her, just as hers had been whenever she’d scanned that side of the room. Now that their gazes met, he beamed at her, the most radiant smile she’d ever seen directed at her before. It made her fur stand on end and a dusting of red heated up her cheeks. She tried to smile back, yet her embarrassment at being caught by not only Y’shtola and Thancred, but Aymeric himself made her feel shy as she instead smiled softly and fiddled with the skirt of her dress with one hand while she waved lightly at him. He chuckled at her, she assumed, though he did it in time with the others to not draw attention to what he was looking at, waving back as his gaze returned to the men and women around him.
Katsum sighed with relief as she composed herself to turn back to Y’shtola and Thancred, finding them leaning closer to her and eyeing her carefully. She blinked and narrowed her eyes, her stoic expression resurfacing as it always did, “Can I help you?”
Thancred scoffed, “You’ve got that expression change down to perfection as always. Impossible to see what you are thinking…if we didn’t know you that is,” He lifted his glass of wine and downed the rest of it with a smirk.
Y’shtola nodded with him, “Tell me when are you two going to start seeing each other? That is if you aren’t already,” She leaned closer to Katsum and whispered, “Are you…?”
The paladin’s heart jumped, yet she disciplined her expression to remain unreadable as it was now, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Mmhmm,” Y’shtola sat back again, taking a long sip of her wine again, “Of course you don’t.”
In truth, Katsum and Aymeric had been seeing each other for a few months now, ever since that day the True Brothers attacked the refugees of the Brume fires; the same day she’d leaped from the top of the Vault to catch that girl midair, and Vidolfnir saved the both of them. That night, Aymeric had called her to his office in the Congregation, and what started as him angrily scolding her for risking her life so much ended in the two of them confessing their feelings towards one another. They had also promised to keep their relationship a secret until a better time to announce it came along as they had been in the middle of ending the bloody war at that point. Now, the war was over, and new developments were beginning to draw the Scions back to their home in Mor Dhona, and they still had not told everyone of their secret. Though at this rate, they might not have to as it seemed Thancred and Y’shtola were already on to them.
“Katsum? Come back to us,” The warrior blinked as Y’shtola waved her hand in front of her face, “You must have been in quite some deep thought just now. What were you thinking about?”
Katsum blinked and turned her eyes to the crowd around them again, watching Tataru snatch a wine glass out of Alphinaud’s hand before he could take a drink, “Nothing for you to worry about.”
“I see. Ah, Ser Aymeric, hello!” Y’shtola looked over Katsum’s shoulder, and the warrior whirled around with her tail lifting, only to find no one standing behind her and hearing a giggle of laughter from the two behind her.
Katsum’s tail lashed about as she turned back again, “That was rather naughty of you Y’shto-” Katsum froze as her eyes did not meet with the white, empty eyes of the other Miqo’te woman, but rather the suited chest of a much taller gentleman. Her gaze moved up slowly to meet Ser Aymeric’s smiling face and Katsum’s blush returned. Her ears fell a little as her shyness returned, “Oh, Ser Aymeric, hello.”
The raven-haired Elezen chuckled, bowing lightly to her, “Forgive me, I could not resist.” He straightened again and looked her over, “You look beautiful tonight, my friend.”
Katsum glanced down at the deep red dress she wore, one styled like those worn in Thavnair in autumn, the long sleeves, bodice, and skirt all lined with thick wool that could keep anyone warm in the frigid air of Coerthas. At first, it had felt so odd to wear a dress and corset again after spending her days exploring Eorzea and beyond in her various suits of armor, yet after a few moments, she had forgotten how much she had missed wearing her dresses. Now that she was looking at her so warmly, taking in her every detail, she almost felt exposed. Her gaze fell to the floor as she clasped her hands in front of her with a shy smile, her tail swishing around her skirt, “Thank you,” Suddenly realizing she should compliment him as well, she glanced back over to look him up and down, the sight of his dashing black suit and tie with a white shirt and the addition of his royal blue sash hanging down from his shoulder to his hip like always only making her blush darken, “You look very handsome yourself. “‘Tis good to see you out of your regalia for once.”
She heard him chuckle, then felt him take her hand as her ears perked and she watched him stare straight into her eyes and gently kiss the back of her hand, “I can say the same of you, my lady.”
Oh, Heavens, take me…She thought to herself, somehow biting back the words from being spoken out loud. She managed to steel herself enough to give him a smile that slowly grew the longer they stared at one another. Someone behind Aymeric cleared their throat, however, and Katsum’s trance was broken as her blush faded. Aymeric moved to the side as a smirking Y’shtola and Thancred came into view again.
“Master Thancred, and Mistress Y’shtola, I hope you both are having a pleasant evening as well?” Aymeric replied, and Katsum couldn’t help but envy his ability to shift back into his nobleman’s voice just like that.
The midlander had found another glass of wine to drink as he swirled it around and nodded, “Oh yes, indeed. It is always a good time watching the crowds.” He winked at Katsum when he said that, or she assumed he did as the cloth over his other eye kept one hidden from her. Still, the blonde Miqo’te’s tail lashed about as she narrowed her eyes.
“Full glad am I to hear it,” Aymeric nodded, “I will ask, would you two mind if I borrowed Lady Katsum for a bit?” Katsum’s fur stood on end, yet she bit her tongue to keep her composure.
“Of course, please,” Y’shtola smirked, “She’s been standing here all evening waiting for someone to ask her to dance too.” She winked.
“I see. Well then,” Aymeric turned to her and held out his hand, “My lady, would you care to dance?” Why did he have to be so suave about it? And so graceful and princely in his movements. Katsum could have melted right in her spot there and she would have accepted her fate entirely.
With a deep breath, she forced herself to move, taking his hand as she lifted her skirt slightly with the other and curtsied, “I would be honored to dance with you, Ser Aymeric.”
He smiled and gently pulled her closer to him, holding out his arm for her to take which she did. Katsum ignored Y’shtola and Thancred’s cooing as they stepped away from them, hiding her face behind Aymeric’s arm as he led her to the dance floor.
He glanced down at her and beamed again happily as he whispered, “So much for keeping our interest for one another in a low profile.”
Katsum gasped and whispered back, “Says the man who’s been watching me all night as well!” He laughed again and Katsum turned her eyes to the dancing couples they were heading towards, “Aymeric, it’s been years since I danced…”
“Not to worry,” He placed a hand on hers where she held his arm to draw her sapphire eyes back to his icy blue ones, “Just follow my lead, I’ve got you.”
Oh, Heavens, AGAIN?!
“O-ok,” She nodded nervously, taking a deep breath to compose herself and try and find her confidence again, “I trust you.”
He smiled and patted her hand, pulling them out amongst the other couples as she followed his movements to prepare for their dance.
Yes, Katsum was sure they would not need to tell a soul themselves about their relationship, because everyone in the room could surely, surely, already see. And if they couldn’t, they were truly blind.