Future
He wasn’t sure how long he had sat there, just looking at her, watching as her hands ran across pages as ink dragged along paper. In what little time they seemed to have to recover, Aymeric and Vetelle had found a degree of solace in one another. He couldn’t count how many years it had been since they had found a moment to just sit and think. To just remain in one another’s company, even if silently. It was a comforting feeling to have a friend so close once more after all these years. The circumstances surrounding that opportunity which allowed them to become such close friends once more was an unfortunate one indeed but… the result for their relationship? It wasn’t something either of them could complain about. Too many souls, both good and bad, had lost their lives so that others could run free once more. These two? They were not prepared to waste the opportunity.
Still, things hurt, in a way. This friendship they had re-forged was a grim reminder of what was never allowed to be, at least, not any time before. Yet, it was still not something he was prepared to push, this affection. He knew well that which Vetelle had suffered. The loss of a husband, even one with a reputation such as Vetelle’s, was still a loss. He was not a man she had loved in a romantic sense, but he had taken care of her, to a point. And now, here she was, left to bear the burden of all his dealings, alone. The grace and stride in which she took things, however, was admirable. Never once had she faltered. Straight back into the action she had run, despite the damage that had been done to her. Even these mental challenges were ones she had taken in full force. Her work, like his, never seemed to be finished. Yet, the emotional toll it had taken on her? She hid it well, but he knew she felt pain. He wished only to save her from it, to rectify their affections. Yet… No, he was still not prepared to confront her on what had happened what felt like so long ago. Months, years, he didn’t care. It could wait, for her sake, even if he scarcely could.
Yet this warm feeling had betrayed his thoughts, his heart knew better than whatever his mind told him. The feelings in that moment, that which had overcome him while simply sitting, looking at her. Honestly, he probably would have never known if a soft voice had not broken his train of thoughts as he continued to try and pretend everything was alright.
“Aymeric?” Once again Aymeric looked up towards Vetelle, her hands now motionless as she looked upon him, tears clouding her bright eyes. A concerned smile took to her lips as she stood to make her way towards where he sat, her steps hurried as she glanced upon his face. He couldn’t tell where her tears had come from as she sat beside him. But it was a sudden warm feeling along his own face that woke him to his own senses. His tears reflected her own, opening that which he thought he had hidden so well. Yet these tears, between them… not a one was a tear of sadness. Only relief.
A gentle hand found its way to Aymeric’s face, pushing his hair to get a better look at this new side of him, this vulnerability he had rarely ever shown. A cupped hand on his head, she brought his face closer to her own, her lips gently meeting with his cheek. Ever so slowly did she work up his face, one small peck after another clearing his face of the water which soaked it. She pressed lips to one eye, and then another, and repeated herself time and again until she was sure he knew, that he understood. Her hands were cold yet her lips felt like a furious fire, the passion she felt showing though. Pulling back, they looked at each other once more, red eyes between the both, though Vetelle being the one to maintain her composure, if just for his sake. A soft nod was all he needed to reaffirm. She knew what he felt. She felt the same. And he would wait. Until she was ready. Until he was ready. He would wait, as the future would soon be theirs to take.