Chapter Text
"My friend? Is aught amiss?" Aymeric's offer to see them returned to The Rising Stones was a much-needed breath of fresh air. The events of the First and the Telophoroi still sat heavy through to his bones but the first sight of the Elezen after the battle had filled his chest with warmth and a burgeoning determination. Ishgard would ever be a second home to him and the Ishgardians his family and he was grateful for their assistance. However, he could no longer deny that Aymeric fell into a different category. The sight of the Lord Commander standing on the air ship, one hand extended to help him aboard, had his heart swelling and near to bursting. Astrophel strode to meet the dark haired Elezen, taking his hand he ungracefully tucked into his space as the other made a surprised noise at the action.
Astrophel’s ears twitched when someone gasped behind them but his face stayed firmly hidden in broad shoulders. Conversation quickly picked back up, the few scions scattered on the deck around them granting them a brief privacy as they began catching up with a bemused Lucia. Alisaie and Alphinuad’s attention had to be coerced, Lucia clearing her throat to ask an arbitrary question about the Porxies and their continued distribution. Y’shtola eased the awkward conversation start and soon the four were reengaged with G’raha Tia chiming in occasionally. Estinien, looking entirely out of his element with the conversation leaned back against the railing beside the group and pointedly looked out to the sky as they began to rise.
Astrophel didn't care for the secrets anymore, the skulking and sneaking from room and hallways for hushed whispers or longing glances. The carefully restrained feelings he'd long carried since the days of the Dragonsong War were a raft that had kept him afloat during the darkness of the past months. Astrophel held tight and the tension he’d carried gently fell off his shoulders as Aymeric returned the hug. He felt Aymeric hesitate for only a moment before his cheek pressed to the side of his head and a hand smoothed over the silky fur of his flattened ears. "Welcome back," he breathed. His voice rumbled through the Warrior of Light and seemed to shake off the remaining darkness that still clung to his heavy limbs.
Astrophel's chest swelled with contentment and though he could have stayed tucked into Aymeric's arms for days longer he raised his head to catch his eye. Then much to the surprise of many aboard the ship, including Aymeric himself, he gripped the sides of the Elezen's face and kissed him squarely on the lips. He kissed him again, and again and he kissed him back again and again until it was all they could do to stand, pressed forehead to forehead and bask in the closeness of the other. Audience be damned.
The twins of course, were the first to react.
"Wha-When-!!” Alisaie reeled, "When did this happen!" She demanded and jabbed a finger at the pair at the pair accusingly. Alphinaud's jaw had dropped clear through the floor. Y'shtola shook her head with a short hum.
"It is about time one of you made your move I suppose." She mused with her ever present and all-knowing smirk. "And I'll be sure to inform Thancred he owes me more than a few gil upon he and Urianger’s return to the deck." Astrophel heard Estinien snort but he couldn't be bothered to move just yet. Beside her, Alphinaud attempted to recover quickly and cleared his throat.
"It-It was only a matter of time." He nodded sagely even as his sister rounded on him. "I had wondered when-" Alisaie gripped his shoulders.
"You knew?!" Alphinaud's head rattled as she shook him. The pair continued bickering as the other scions watched on in amusement.
Astrophel could only grin at his friend's antics and shook his head. A glance past the lord commander showed a nonplused Estinien passing a coin to a smug Y'shtola and an ecstatic G’raha Tia’s excited tail hitting the leg of a knowing Lucia. The Garlean met his eye and tipped her head in his direction, he suspected that she'd known the longest of their dance and though it may complicate some diplomatic issues, even she looked quietly pleased.
Aymeric's hand on his face drew his attention back to clear blue eyes. "While I welcome the surprise my fr-" his words tripped over themselves. Friend didn't feel quite right any longer. "-dear warrior,” Astrophel flushed. “I must confess that it was just that," his thumb brushed over the high point of Astrophel's cheek. His voice dropped low as he continued. "What brought this on?" He wondered.
There was much to say and nowhere to start. There had been a dozen missed opportunities in the last year, a thousand times that Astrophel had wished himself brave enough and wished situations calm enough for him to say something.
The days of hiding in Ishgard, of chance meetings between them and, his thoughts tripped over themselves, and Haurchefant that had melted away those cold and lonely months. They had tried shortly after The Vault and Azys Llaa, once, when Astrophel had come to him with pain still bleeding through his chest from the losses. Yet Aymeric was the perfect gentleman and, try as the drunk Viera might to convince him, he would not be persuaded. A night tangled in drunken and desperate distraction would have done them no favors and come sunrise there would still have been a friend and country to save and no time for matters of the heart.
In the aftermath it had been the Lord Commander who had brought up what Astrophel would consider his most embarrassing moment and haltingly asked for a chance. Only there had been no opportunity, between places that needed The Warrior of Light. From country to country to battle to war to another realm altogether, time had never been on their side. Then, Astrophel entered Elidibus's trap. Seeing everyone, all of them. Seeing Haurchefant. Fighting the cruel mimic wearing Aymeric’s face, he’d almost been unable to strike him. As brutal as the battle had been, time was short and precious and seeing them all reminded him of such.
The Warrior of Light had planned on bringing it up to Aymeric when next they saw each other at some meeting or other, that was the logical and rational thing to do, but Astrophel? The man behind the warrior? Astrophel couldn't bear to continue the dance.
His head turned just enough to press a gentle kiss to pale fingers. "I would live to see a thousand beautiful days with you Aymeric." He searched Aymeric's eyes with quiet hope and found only love and fondness returned but still he had to ask, "If you would have me?" The smile that spread across Aymeric's face burned away any doubt he could have had. For how could he doubt him when Aymeric looked at him like that? Like his world started and ended with him here in his arms. There was no surprise to either when their lips met this time, smiles bleeding through.
There was the scuff of a boot beyond them and Astrophel heard as Thancred chuckled upon his reappearance, “I owe Y’Shtola so much gil.”
A beat later Urianger sighed, “Verily. Our coffers will fell naught but scorn for us.” Astrophel tried to stop his laugh lest it ruin the kiss but then Aymeric was laughing as well and once they’d both started they couldn’t stop. The twins broke from the others to surround them, G’raha Tia hot on their tails as the three began to congratulate and demand answers in equal turn. Astrophel’s head fell back as the laughter fully escaped. The future still loomed but surrounded by his chosen family and wrapped in Aymeric’s arms he couldn’t care less.