Sleeping Arrangements

With a sweep of his arm, Haurchefant gestured to the doorways in front of him, "these two are both empty, so you can pick which suits your needs, Tataru, Alphinaud," he informed the two stood beside him.

Tataru let out a small gasp, unable to hold it in as she glanced into the closest of the large rooms while Alphinaud merely gave an approving nod.

Haurchefant took a few more steps down the hall, past more doors before pointing one out and smiling to the Miqo'te close to his side, "and you may have this room, Miyhu."

Miyhu instantly opened the door, their tail twitching as they looked around the room with wide eyes. It was far more elaborate than he was used to, and his fingers itched to go and touch the gaudy decorations hanging around the room.

After a moment longer than strictly necessary of watching Miyhu examine his new sleeping quarters, Haurchefant turned back to face the other two as well, "my room is the one next to this," he pointed it out as he spoke, "so if you have any need of me, feel free to enter regardless of the time."

Alphinaud tilted his head slightly, confusion on his face, "why is Miyhu set so far from us two?" He asked, glancing at Miyhu as he stepped further into their room.

Tataru groaned silently at the boy's obliviousness, but Haurchefant only smiled back at him, no trace of the embarrassment usually on his face when he was caught swooning over the Warrior of Light, "they prefer smaller quarters, and that room is the smallest we have that's currently empty," he let out a little laugh, "bar housing him in the servant's quarters, that is!"

Alphinaud and Tataru gave the statement some polite laughter whilst Miyhu just looked between them, his head poking out of the doorway, they would actually prefer to sleep in the servants quarters, small environments bustling with people were their preferred places to be but they had learnt the hard way that the higher in the food chain you are, the less 'appropriate' something like that is, and with his position, he was glad to at least be granted the smaller room.

"Now!" Haurchefant clapped his hands once, "it is late, and you must all be tired from your journey and tour! Pick a room, bed down, and we'll see each other in the morn," he smiled warmly.

Instead of turning in instantly, Tataru and Alphinaud instead turned towards Miyhu, who bounded back out of the room. 

Haurchefant watched on with mild surprise as with a quick squat, they pulled Tataru into his arms, lifting her from the ground and hugging her tightly before giving her a kiss on the forehead and speaking brightly, "goodnight! Sleep well Ta!" 

He released her, and she stepped back with a giggle, "sleep well yourself, Mimi!"

Alphinaud stepped forward for his turn, a bemused expression on his face. Miyhu grabbed his face, pulling him into place so that they could kiss his forehead as well, "sleep well Alphy!" He spoke in his usual bright way, before tilting their head towards their door and adding much quieter for only the boy to hear, "if you need me."

Alphinaud nodded softly, and smiled, "sleep well, Miyhu," he said before nodding to Haurchefant, "goodnight."

Tataru gave a little wave to both Miyhu and Haurchefant before stepping sprightly towards the other rooms, already bargaining lightly with Alphinaud for the room she desired as he followed.

Miyhu waved back before turning to Haurchefant, who was wondering if it would be too presumptuous of him to bend down for a forehead kiss too. Before he could decide though, a sudden thought struck him, and with a muttered apology he stepped quickly towards Tataru and Alphinaud.

"I almost forgot, a maid will be by in the morn with spare clothing more appropriate for you," he informed them, "for tonight though I'm afraid you will have to make do with that which you already have."

Alphinaud nodded his thanks while Tataru waved him off.

"You and your family are truly too kind," Alphinaud said.

"I've worn worse!" Tataru assured him.

Haurchefant smiled, "I wish the both of you a good night," he said before leaving them to enter their respective rooms, and turning back towards his own.

Miyhu was no longer in the hallway, but their door was still open and so Haurchefant knocked gently on the wood as he let himself in.

Miyhu gave him a glance before turning back to examining the view from their window, and Haurchefant leant against the wall, allowing himself a long moment to gaze over his back, taking in the way their tail flicked and his fluffy ears twitched in response to things he saw outside. They had already removed their shoes and gloves, the items thrown haphazardly on a chair.

"I did argue that you would feel more at home with the staff," Haurchefant said softly, watching one of Miyhu's ears twitching towards him as they listened, "but father wouldn't have it, he was so very vehemently against allowing a ward of his to sleep down there, despite it being better suited for your comforts."

Miyhu smiled at him over his shoulder, "thank you," before moving towards their small bag that they had thrown on the large bed. 

Haurchefant watched as they started removing the leather harness they wore regardless of the cold, and realised they intended to change into his night clothes even with him in the room. The tips of Haurchefant's ears heated up as he watched the scars rippling along their pale back, but even as he told himself he should leave, he stayed rooted to the spot, glad no one else was there to see him so openly oogling his friend.

And then the skirt he wore dropped along with their smallclothes, and Haurchefant's whole face went bright red. He closed his eyes, needing a moment to compose himself before he would excuse himself to allow the much smaller man their privacy, but when he opened his eyes again he saw them holding out a black tunic that was far too large for themself, and annoyingly familiar. 

With brows furrowed he watched as they hugged it to their chest, burying his face in it momentarily. It was only as he pulled it over his head that the realisation hit him.

Thancred.

His face softened to a sorrowful gaze as Miyhu picked their discarded clothes up to place with his other items.

"You really miss him," Haurchefant stated softly.

He felt as though his heart seized as they turned to look at him with a face so sad he was surprised they weren't yet crying, "yeah…"

Haurchefant had never seen him like this before, no matter what they had managed to keep an upbeat air even as the others around him broke. He remembered when Alphinaud and they had first turned up before him as fugitives of Ul'dah, how broken the young boy had been and how quick Miyhu had been to comfort him, and then Tataru once she had learnt of the disappearance of the other Scions and almost jolted with the realisation that the brave, strong Warrior of Light before him, dwarfed in the clothes of a man they had no idea if he was even alive anymore, had no pillar of strength for themself, no one to share their burden with as he was too busy keeping everyone else afloat.

It was a snap decision that pushed him from his place at the wall, walking purposefully towards the bed and Miyhu. This was his friend, someone he loved dearly, and if they needed comfort he knew exactly how to help him, he just hoped what he could offer would be enough for now.

Miyhu watched him with his head tilted as Haurchefant started removing his clothing, folding them neatly upon the bedside table, until he was in his underclothes. 

Once suitably undressed, he pulled the covers of the bed down, and settled himself against the many pillows, glad for his foresight to request extras for this room. He looked to Miyhu and opened his arms in an unmistakable invitation.

It only took Miyhu a moment to perk up their ears before they all but pounced on the man, burying his face in his chest and gripping him tightly, his tail wrapping around the Elezen's leg. Haurchefant maneuvered them to pull the covers back up, covering the two of them from the night's chill, and then wrapped his arms around their waist, running gentle fingers soothingly up their back.

They didn't cry, although their body shuddered as though in tears, so Haurchefant ran the fingers of his other hand through their hair, pulling the hair tie from it to release it from it's ponytail, occasionally scratching at the base of his ears as he hummed an old lullaby he could barely remember.

It didn't take long for the emotionally exhausted Miqo'te to fall asleep, safe in his arms, and Haurchefant felt his heart ache for the fact he may never truly be able to have this, that their heart belonged to someone else, so he buried his face in the soft hair, between their fluffy ears and placed a gentle kiss there, along with the words he could never utter to him were he awake.

"I love you."