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After a long night filled with tall glasses of all manner of spirits and wine, Thancred rolled out of bed well after noon, looking less than put together. For a moment, he didn't realize where he was, until he remembered that he'd been at the Quicksand, and the nearest familiar place to that was Melusina's apartment. He also recalled now that getting back here wasn't the most graceful of trips, and he'd collapsed on the pull-out couch for the night. That was the end of the memories, so now he was wondering if Melusina was around. Since it was so late in the day, it wouldn't have been a surprise if she was out and about.
No, no... now that his headache was subsiding, he could hear her dainty little high pitched voice, humming happily in the kitchen. With a smile of his own, he began to head in that direction.
No amount of mental preparation would have braced him for the amount of red, pink, and white he'd see upon entering the (usually, relatively plain) kitchen. There were plentiful amounts of bouquets placed upon the countertops, of roses, tulips, carnations, and more; so too were they displayed on the table, which is where Melusina currently sat. Her curly blue hair messy, she was wearing a set of pink pajamas with red hearts scattered about, the shirt's first two buttons undone and the pants legs being slightly too long. Her eyes were currently closed, as she hummed happily, and Thancred soon noticed why: she was eating a very expensive-looking chocolate.
Her eyes opened as she finished chewing, the round pools of pale green reflecting Thancred's confused countenance. "Oh, Thancred! Good morning! Or afternoon, I suppose... aren't all these bouquets lovely?"
Truly, many of them were very well-done; this he couldn't deny. "Yes, but where did they all come from?" he asked, his visible confusion coming through in his voice as well.
"They are all gifts from lovely people around Eorzea!" Melusina replied cheerfully. "Before you worry about this many people knowing my address- as I certainly would, if the roles were reversed- most of them were delivered to the Rising Stones, with the exception of a few that were gifts from former classmates in the Thaumaturges' Guild. Tataru was kind enough to help me deliver most of those here, so I could be surrounded by them all day! I do not believe I've ever felt so loved."
When Melusina said "loved," Thancred suddenly realized what day it was.
Damn Valentione.
His feelings of dread were soon accompanied by the threads of envy, slowly taking root inside his mind. Why was this the most love Melusina had ever felt? She didn't even know most of these people, nor did they know her. Not the way he did, at least. But that was the point; that these people only knew Melusina's beauty, or the tasks she had completed for them. They didn't know her sweet giggles, her warm hugs, the adorably voracious grin when you sat appetizing food in front of her...
"Of course, I haven't gotten dressed yet because I needed to know how to prepare for the most important gift." Melusina smiled again before hopping out of her chair, swiftly scurrying to throw her arms around her beloved Thancred. "How shall I dress myself for the day? Warm? Cute? A combination of the two?"
"Uh... Melusina, I..." Thancred gently nudged her forehead, as if he were pushing the rostral scale of one of her beloved hognose snakes back after they'd mistaken him for a snack. (This had only happened once, but suffice it to say, the memory was now burned into Thancred's mind.)
"Is something wrong?" Melusina asked then, noticing Thancred's silence.
"No! Nothing at all. It's just... when you think about it, do we really need to celebrate a day about love, when we shower each other in love all the time already? As the days of the year have passed, we've cooked for each other, shared one another's beds, given so many gifts... surely that means this holiday isn't important, right?"
"No." Melusina's face was flat.
"Uh, well, I-"
"Did you forget to get me a gift, Thancred?" she asked then, her tone as neutral as her face.
"No! No, it's not that at all. I just... I... don't know that I can compete with," he gestured around the kitchen. "I wanted you to set your expectations low, that's all."
With this, Melusina's expression softened. "Oh... I suppose I didn't think about how this would all affect you, and that was careless of me. Wasn't it? I'm sorry. But don't worry. Out of everything I receive for this holiday, I'll love whatever you get me the most, because it's from you!"
"Then you go on and make yourself nice and cute," Thancred said then. "Your gift... er, requires a bit more preparation, so I'll need to disappear for a time more. Why don't we meet outside the Quicksand in a couple hours?"
"Okay!" Melusina nodded eagerly. "Go on! I have to make myself presentable... after a few more of these chocolates."
"...and now I have no idea what to do! Ah, I haven't been in this much of a tight spot since... since... at least a week ago!" Thancred despaired, hoping that Momodi would take pity on him in the form of an idea for a suitable Valentione gift.
"You forgot to get Melusina a gift again?" Thancred turned to see that Yda, Papalymo, and Alphinaud were approaching the counter.
"Don't say again as if I make this a terrible habit," Thancred replied, clearly offended. "What are you two doing here, anyway? Rare to see you outside of the wood."
"Yes, well, our research brings us here," replied Papalymo. "We first attempted to save ourselves the trip by consulting with our colleague in Ul'dah, but he was so busy that he couldn't answer."
"So busy he forgot to get his girlfriend a Valentione Day gift too!" pointed out Yda, in jest.
"I didn't completely forget!" Thancred frowned. "Yes, I forgot what day it was. But I hadn't had express plans to get anything in the first place. I love Melusina. She knows that, through my actions and words and all the things I do for her. I don't need a silly little day to profess my love for her. I told her as much, and if it had been any other time, I'd have stood my ground on it. But..."
"But?" asked Momodi, who'd been listening in this entire time.
"There was something about seeing her today, having been showered in gifts from other people, most she doesn't even know- I could hardly stand it."
"She's not just your adventurer girlfriend anymore." Momodi nodded wisely. "She's everyone's Warrior of Light, and with such a title comes a certain- large- level of admiration."
"And I know that a lot of those gifts don't have romantic intent behind them. But just knowing that some of them do... I'm frustrated. Mayhap envious, or affronted that they're so comfortable professing their love to someone who clearly loves me."
"Won't be too clear much longer if you keep forgetting her gifts," Alphinaud said under his breath.
"Are you even old enough to be in here?" Thancred said back, before sighing. "I don't know what to do. Everything I can think of pales in comparison to what's been done already. When she asked me if I forgot to get her something, that look she gave me... the feeling I felt was akin to a chill down my very spine."
"Well... mayhap we're not the best people to be speaking to about love," Yda admitted. "But regardless of what you decide on, I think you must needs talk to Melusina about this. She probably isn't meaning to make you feel like you have to do something. I mean, you saw how she kept downplaying what she wanted for Starlight."
"She made getting a gift for her hell. If I draw her name again this year, I refuse to participate!" added Papalymo.
"You have a point. But I'm unfortunately at a loss as to how to deal with it, especially considering not only did I not prepare anything for her, I've now lied to her as well." Thancred sighed. "Oh, to return to my simple roots as a bard."
"Don't be such a baby! You've got this!" With a swift punch to the back, Yda had gotten Thancred both out of his moping, and out of his seat.
"You know, Thancred..."
It was a quiet night... or at least it was quiet here, one of Thancred's favorite perches overlooking Ul'dah. From here, one could either indulge in a breathtaking view of the city, or be equally captivated by the stars above. No one else knew of this place (as far as he was aware), so he'd brought Melusina here for a simple romantic dinner. It had been mostly quiet until she'd spoken those words, so she easily commanded his attention.
"Yes, my dear?" Thancred asked. "Might I interest you in more wine? Your glass is low."
"Mm-mm." Melusina held a hand up, shaking her head. "I just want you to know something."
"Ah, really? What's that?"
"I already knew that you didn't have anything planned for me today." Melusina folded her hands in her lap. "Why weren't you just honest with me?"
"Well, I- you looked upset. I didn't want to hurt you," explained Thancred. Better for him that he leave out the parts about his own bruised ego, for now at least- he didn't want her to think he was making this be about himself. "I had been confident that we didn't need to celebrate such a silly holiday, until I saw your face and…"
"I understand, but Thancred, this isn't the first time you've been less than truthful with me because you didn't want to hurt me, and I..." Melusina pouted, making a soft, indistinguishable noise in frustration. "I just want you to start being honest with me. Even when honesty is harsh or hurtful. You don't have to keep protecting me like..."
Like I'm a child. They'd had this conversation before.
"Understood." Thancred nodded. "I don't ever intend to undermine you, Melusina. It's just that... I care for you so much, and I cannot contend with the idea of anything ever hurting you, much less being the cause."
"...I'm afraid you'll have to, considering the business we're both in," she pointed out. "Especially now. There will be times where it's like neither of us will get a moment's respite- not that I must tell you."
"Yes, you're right." Thancred nodded. "You've made nothing but good points. I'll just have to do better."
"You will. And I believe you will. I put my trust in you, because I love you." Melusina smiled.
Hearing her speak those three words released the claws of envy that had made Thancred's mind prisoner the entire day. They were replaced by a warmth, a satisfaction in knowing that however many Eorzeans professed their love to his blue-haired beauty, her eyes would continue to be set on himself. She loved him, and he almost felt as though it was an honor to love her back.
"May I have that wine now?" Melusina was holding her glass, only just now noticing that Thancred had been correct about there being barely anything left.
"Certainly." Thancred held up the bottle, as a signal to ready her glass. After refilling both their glasses, the couple shared a kiss before looking out at the grand expanse of Ul'dah beneath them.