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Y'shtola quirked an eyebrow as she heard Nyx's words. Taking a moment to process, she replied with a non-answer. "I had no idea you were interested in learning thaumaturgy, Rose."
Nyx shrugged, before pressing on. "I just think it would be good to learn offensive magic as well as protective magic, and you are likely to be a better teacher than Alisaie."
"Hmph. She'd probably get an ego about it, for certain."
From a nearby table in the Rising Stones, Alisaie scoffed before retorting. "Oh, like you wouldn't find the idea of training the Warrior of Light an interesting prospect at all. I'll bet she's just trying to get you into a private spot so she can kiss you, or...whatever it is that you two do."
A red-faced Alphinaud slammed his hands onto the table as he stood, and immediately began to chastise his sister. "Alisaie! You can't just accuse Nyx of such behaviors! Surely, she is a woman of naught but honest intention and we all can attest to that!"
As their bickering continued, Nyx found herself slowly putting her face into her gloved hands. This was meant to be a bit more casual of a discussion than her and Y'shtola's fellows had made it by butting in. A gentle tap on the shoulder roused her from her hands, and she looked to see Y'shtola offering a hand to her. "If it pleases you to learn thaumaturgy, then I will most assuredly oblige. If only to escape Alphinaud and Alisaie's current argument."
In unison, Alphinaud and Alisaie whipped their heads around and yelled, "We are NOT arguing!"
Nyx snorted as she took Y'shtola's hand, and allowed herself to be walked away. "Goodbye, children, make sure not to make too much of a mess!"
Alphinaud called back, with Alisaie following his lead, "You shan't need to worry, Nyx! I'll make absolutely certain that Alisaie behaves!"
"That I behave?! Oh that is rich coming from you, oh brother dearest!"
Their arguing faded into the distance as Y'shtola led Nyx by the hand out of the Rising Stones and into the cool air of Mor Dhona. "We'll need a place to practice away from anyone who might get hurt, of course. Do you have a staff?"
Nyx gestured to her backpack. "I actually carved it just this morning, but yes. It's a fine piece, as well, though a bit basic, as befits a novice."
Y'shtola stopped to look back at Nyx in surprise. "A carpenter as well? Are there any other disciplines I should know of? One would think that reviving Nymian magic as well as utilizing multiple forms of melee combat would be enough."
Nyx tried not to think of the many, many crafts she had 'casually picked up' in her time as the Warrior of Light. "Perhaps that question is best answered another time. Regardless, one more couldn't hurt now, could it?"
Y'shtola's face scrunched up as her arms crossed. "You know, most people are only able to take some small few disciplines under their belt before their aether begins to stretch too thin between them. Are you quite sure you want to do this?'
"I'm really quite sure. I can take anything thrown at me, I promise."
Y'shtola sighed and uncrossed her arms. "I suppose I can't really say no to you, now, can I?"
Nyx quickly took Y'shtola's hands in her and shook them up and down. "Oh, thank you, Shtola! You won't regret it, I promise!"
Nyx's frustrated groans carried far across the coerthan wastes. "Ugh, I don't get it! I've never had such trouble with magic before, why is this so hard for me?!"
Y'shtola looked at the rock that Nyx had yet failed to scorch even once with her magic. "It is rather odd. You don't seem to have any trouble forming the spells themselves, but aiming them seems to be a different matter entirely."
Immediately she turned her head to meet Nyx's gaze. "Rose, are you distracted by something?"
Nyx broke eye contact as she felt heat slowly work it's way into her cheeks. "N-No! Of course not. There's nothing to distract me for dozens of yalms!"
Y'shtola uncrossed one of her arms, lifting a hand to her chin. Humming in thought, she began to move behind Rose, before placing one hand on her shoulder, and the other on the hand holding her staff. "Focus your breathing alongside mine. I'll guide you through it."
Nyx's heart fluttered at her touch, and she felt her face grow warmer. Gently biting her lip, she moved herself ever so slightly back, gently pressing herself into Y'shtola. To make it easier for Y'shtola to guide her arm, of course. No other reason at all. None whatsoever. She certainly was not thinking about the Miqo'te's lips. Obviously not. She definitely was not losing focus on the incantation as Y'shtola's voice lulled her into calm, and she most certainly was not letting her grip on her aether slip.
"You did it!", Y'shtola's voice snapped Rose out of her stupor. She looked at the rock she had been aiming at and saw that indeed, a small bit of aetheric flame burned against it's surface. Y'shtola planted a kiss on Rose's cheek and moved to stand beside her.
"Now, let's try that again with ice."
Rose couldn't take it anymore. "Wait. I have to come clean."
Y'shtola's shoulders dropped as she sighed, before a wry smile grew on her face. "I had a feeling you'd say that. You have a tendency to avoid eye contact when you're hiding something. Well, go on then."
Rose wondered to herself if she was really that apparent about hiding things or if Y'shtola was really just that perceptive. Sighing, she confessed. "Alisaie was...Partially correct about my intentions. I didn't necessarily ask you to teach me thaumaturgy purely for the purposes of enhancing my strength, although that is still a part of it. The truth is that, well..."
Y'shtola leaned forward ever so slightly. "Well...?"
"Well...I wanted to spend more time with you. On a more regular basis. I know my duties often take me away but even then, I spend a lot of my off-time just learning crafts, so I thought perhaps if I asked you to teach me thaumaturgy, then it would give me an excuse to see you more often."
Y'shtola chuckled softly before moving closer and wrapping her arms around Rose's neck. "Rose, if that is truly all then you should have just said so from the beginning. If you wish to spend more time together, then I will try to oblige as best I can, considering both of our schedules."
Rose placed her hands on Y'shtola's waist, and looked into her eyes. "That would make me most happy, Shtola."
Shtola leaned forward and kissed her love gently.
"Now, with that said, no more stalling. That rock had best be frozen over before nightfall."
Rose laughed, and pulled Shtola into a hug, before murmuring into her ear. "Yes, ma'am!"