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Cherry gazed in the mirror as she tied a ribbon in her hair with trembling, sweaty palms. Her heart hammered away in her chest. She took a deep breath.
“Come on, Cherry,” she coached herself. “It’s just Aymeric. It’s just like normal.”
Her mind flashed to the Commander, asking her to meet him at the cafe, a coy smile on his face. That smile— that wretched, annoying smile. All it took was one of his smiles to make the typically composed Miqo’te forget her words and even her name. When he said that he wanted to discuss strategy with her and asked to meet at the cafe, her ears twitched stupidly. She stared at him with wide eyes and nodded, forgetting every word in her vocabulary for “yes.”
Cherry let out a low sigh, staring at her appearance. She wasn’t satisfied with her outfit, but she had already changed clothes three times, and she was running late. Maybe it was good to be a little late. After all, she didn’t want to look too invested, right?
She huffed at her reflection for the last time and forced herself to leave her house and make her way to the cafe. The chill of the Ishgard wind hit her with a punch as she walked along the cement path. Cherry’s eyes landed on a tall figure standing outside of the cafe. As she took him in, warmth flooded through her. She hated how handsome he was, how completely unfair that someone could just look like that. He wore a dark blue long-sleeved button-down adorned with a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Her eyes landed on his face, noticing the tips of his ears had gone pink from the cold.
“Ah, Cherry,” Aymeric spoke. His gaze lit up as she approached him.
“Aymeric,” she said, an awkward curt nod to hide how giddy she was to be standing next to him right now. Good one, Cherry. Off to a great start.
“Shall we?” Aymeric grabbed the door, opening for it Cherry. Her tail flicked in embarrassment from the gesture.
Cherry stepped into the cafe and headed to a table. She picked one off in the corner, away from everyone else, and sat down. One-on-one time with Aymeric was a rarity, especially when you’re the Warrior of Light. He took a seat across from her. She felt warmth spreading through her face at the realization that she was sitting across from Aymeric at the table. She needed to be careful, or else she would swallow her tongue and make a complete and utter fool out of herself.
“So, what’s the occasion?” Cherry asked him. It was best to keep this meeting as strictly business as she possibly could. Any deviations would throw her brain into overdrive.
“Well, you do know how much I value your insight,” Aymeric began. “I hate to trouble you, but I wanted your thoughts on a matter. We’ve recently gotten bandits on one of our supply routes. They’ve posted up camp and have been raiding our supply transport as they go by.”
Cherry’s brow furrowed. “Sounds problematic.”
Before she could continue, a waiter approached them. “Ah, Lord Commander. And the Warrior of Light, too. What can I get for you today?”
“I’ll take a chamomile tea, please. Oh, and could you bring the birch sap to the table?”
“Of course, sir. And the lady?”
“Coffee for me, thank you,” said Cherry.
The waiter headed back in the direction of the kitchen.
“Now, where were we…” Aymeric mused. “Ah, yes. The bandits.”
Cherry considered the predicament. “Could you ambush them somehow?”
“What would you advise?”
“You could always transport a guard or two along with the supplies. Have them lay low. When the bandits go to strike, you would have the element of surprise.”
“Like a stowaway?”
“Precisely.” Cherry realized that this strategy was easily something he could have come up with on his own. “Lord Commander,” Cherry teased. “I have a hard time believing you hadn’t thought of this yourself yet.”
As if to save Aymeric from Cherry’s scrutiny, the waiter arrived with their drinks, setting them down delicately at the table. He placed a pot of birch sap next to Aymeric.
“Thank you very much,” Aymeric said, ever polite.
When the waiter left, Aymeric immediately began to drown his tea in birch sap. Cherry reached for the sugar and proceeded to scoop copious amounts into her black coffee. A chaotic pair, they were. They both noticed the other overly sweetening their drinks and shy smiles formed on their lips.
“I see we have something in common,” Aymeric acknowledged.
“That we do,” Cherry averted her gaze. Her face was burning and her heart had begun to race once again.
“I’m curious what else we have in common,” said Aymeric.
“Isn’t this a strategy meeting?” asked Cherry. Her heart thudded away and she wished she could dissipate at the table.
“It doesn’t have to be,” he said quietly.
Cherry’s eyes widened as she looked at him. This time, it was his turn for his face to flush and look away from Cherry. She watched his ears as they turned that adorable shade of pink once again. They were so cute. Were they as smooth as they looked? She wanted to reach her hand out, just to feel her skin graze his just once.
“Outside of slaying Primals and saving the world, what do you like to do for fun?”
“Huh?” Cherry’s voice broke at the question. She wasn’t used to being asked about her personal life, especially not by Aymeric.
“Hobbies? Interests?” He gave her that damned beautiful smile.
“U-uh,” she wanted to bury her face in her hands. “I like Triple Triad a normal amount.” Really, Cherry? “A normal amount?” That’s the best you could come up with? Please, Nald’Thal, smite me here and now.
“I, too, enjoy Triple Triad a normal amount,” Aymeric chuckled.
Cherry’s face was on fire. “Wow, look at us.”
They both laughed awkward laughs that trailed off. Any onlooker would shrivel up in secondhand embarrassment from the scene before them.
“Triple Triad and sweet drinks,” Aymeric said. “We’re two for two so far. What’s your favorite color?”
Don’t say blue. Don’t say blue. Don’t say bl- “Blue.” Fuck.
“It seems we have more in common than I realized,” observed Aymeric.
Butterflies fluttered in Cherry’s stomach. She was delighted to know that the two did have shared interests and tastes. “Does this mean I get to beat you down at Triple Triad sometime?” The words fell out of her mouth.
“The only way you could beat me down is if I let you win,” Aymeric’s grin turned into something more playful.
“Then I guess it’s a date,” Cherry, as always, spoke without thinking. When she realized what she said, her eyes widened in horror. “I mean- N-no. Not a date date.” This was why she didn’t allow herself to talk about anything besides strategy with Aymeric. This was precisely why. She knew it was a one-way ticket to making a complete and utter fool of herself.
“Oh, well, that’s too bad,” Aymeric looked down. “I thought this was a date.”
“Huh?!” Cherry sputtered.
“Though I do value your intellect and opinions, you’re right. A strategy meeting wasn’t why I invited you out today.” Aymeric’s blue eyes locked onto the ground.
“O-oh,” was all Cherry could say. Her tail wagged nervously. “I see.”
“I hope you aren’t upset with me for luring you here under false pretenses,” Aymeric spoke shyly, as though genuinely ashamed and embarrassed of his behavior. He reached a hand behind him and scratched his neck, still averting his gaze from Cherry.
“Idiot,” Cherry said. “You could’ve just asked.” She folded her arms, blushing so hard it made her face hurt.
The pair looked at everything in the cafe except each other. They sat in a bumbling silence together. After a few minutes, Aymeric broke the silence.
“I fear I’ve kept you too long,” he said. “Would you like me to walk you home?”
“Sure,” Cherry answered. The less she said, the lower chance she would completely botch this. She had to focus her entire being to still her flicking tail, to stop the blasted thing from revealing how delighted she felt.
Aymeric led the way for them to exit the cafe, holding the door for her once again. They snapped outside to a darkening sky and powdery snow, a breeze pushing the powder in their direction. He wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck as Cherry shivered and pulled her jacket around herself. Aymeric reached a hand out for Cherry. She froze, staring at his hand in confusion.
“Oh, my apologies,” Aymeric went to pull his hand away. Before he could, Cherry frantically grabbed it at full strength. “Ouch.”
“I’m sorry!” Cherry blurted out. She released his hand, realizing she had practically squeezed the life out of it.
“It’s okay,” he assured. He grabbed her hand once more, gently. The third time’s the charm.
The pair stood with entwined hands, frozen as their eyes met, snow falling gently around and on top of them. Without a word, Aymeric started to walk, practically pulling Cherry behind him.
“Cherry, it just dawned upon me that I don’t know which way your house is,” Aymeric’s ears were closer to red than pink this time.
Cherry couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at him. She tugged his hand along, heading in the direction of her home.
They reached Cherry’s house and he stopped in the driveway. She turned to face him, still not letting go of his hand. As their eyes met, Cherry lost the ability to feel the snow and world around her. His face was so close. Dangerously close. She gulped, trying to maintain eye contact.
“You owe me that Triple Triad match next time,” Aymeric spoke with a grin.
Cherry finally dropped his hand and stepped back from him. “You betcha,” she said. She made guns with her fingers and pointed at him. “Just don’t cry when I win.”
“See you soon, my friend,” Aymeric gave her a pleasant wave.
Cherry practically sprinted back into the safety and comfort of her own home, drowning in the crushing waves of embarrassment. The moment she shut the door, she slid to the floor and buried her face in her knees. She took a deep breath and released, closing her eyes.
“Guess that could’ve gone worse,” she mumbled to herself.