closed ⚡🪶 and forevermore, i'll be chasing the storm we had.

[garudas]

Who: Benedikta Harman & Cidolfus Telamon.
Status: Closed.
Where: Cid's workshop, Avaleci.
What: Cid is sad about his daughter being gone and Benedikta is horrible at being comforting. Also adventures later!
Warnings: it's cid and benna 🙂 also ffxvi spoilers, if you can find them.

ice skating, hot springs ♨️
volcano, egis 🔥
the price of freedom 🧵

Comments

[ramuhs]

[There's something of a nostalgic flicker in his eyes before he gives a rueful laugh.]

Long, long time ago. Barely remember it, really.

[garudas]

[Well. That's news to her, and she can hardly mask her surprise.]

So, you'll be able to show me the ropes then.

[He's totally a pro, right?]

[ramuhs]

[A snort.]

Don't rely on me too much, love. Like I said, that was so long ago, I doubt I'll be able to do much myself.

[garudas]

[Her grin only grows.]

Well, this I ought to see for myself. Where can we do this?

[Read: where can he do this?]

[ramuhs]

[Oh he sees that and there's a slight roll of his eyes. Cheeky bird—]

Up ahead if we keep following this trail, I believe.

But you're trying it, too.

[garudas]

[The brow that she arches at him is as dubious as that little huff she gives, part laugh, part disbelieving scoff.]

Only if I see you do it first. Then I will decide whether I wish to or not.

[Nice try.

And, as he said, up ahead is the frozen over lake with people—quite a few—gliding over it. She can't quite make out what they're wearing on their feet to make it so, but...]

... They look as though they're moving on the wind.

[It's actually kind of... graceful and elegant...]

[ramuhs]

[A snort and just mutters under his breath before sipping his latte:]

Chicken.

[Yeah he did that.

But he just watches the scene with something like a nostalgic gaze. It really had been a very long time, and he just grins at her as he moves over to the small shack where people can rent skates.]

Still can try it with me.

[There were even railings for some part of the makeshift rink where those who are still trying cling to or where others lean against to just chat and idle around.]

[garudas]

[Excuse you, what—?

Benedikta turns to look at him, mildly offended and irritated, as he wanders over to the shack, allowing her arm slip out from his to let him go. But she doesn't take long to follow after him, feathers clearly ruffled by his name-calling and insinuating that she would be too scared to do it.]

I'm no chicken.

[She is a graceful harpy, thank you very much!!! And before he says anything, because he doesn't have to—]

Fine. Get me a pair of those things and I will show you that I'm not.

[ramuhs]

[Hook, line, and sinker—

There will definitely be a smirk that he hides thanks to his back being towards her.]

Understood.

[And holding back his quiet chuckle as he gets them both their pair of skates and carries them over to a nearby bench so they can put them on.]

Now they are a bit heavier to walk in, so don't rush into it.

[garudas]

[How does he know her so well—

Benedikta plops down beside him, simmering in her proud, defiant fury, as she laces them up rather easily. And when she's finished, she does the exact thing that he tried to warn her about, because she's fine.

Except when she tries to walk in them, it's anything but graceful, and she looks like a baby deer learning to walk for the first time. And when one of the blades tips under her—]

Shit!

[She manages to catch her balance by whirling around and setting her hands on his shoulders.]

[ramuhs]

[He's quick to lace his up as well...mostly because he has a feeling he needs to be by her before she tries something.

Which she does.

Fortunately he was already standing, taking a little bit more of his time to adjust to having to balance on thin blades, but when she grabs onto him—]

Whoa—!

[He totters a bit trying to keep his balance as he grabs onto her waist, one leg sticking back as he tries to keep them both balanced.

And then there is just a bit of a look at her.]

I told you not to rush.

[garudas]

I'm not rushing.

[She grumbles it under her breath, fingers fisting around his coat.]

These are just difficult to walk in.

[ramuhs]

And I warned you about that, too.

[Another pointed look before he chuckles and grins.]

Well, not that I will complain about this much.

[And then a grin as he straightens up to look down at her more properly.]

[garudas]

You said they were heavy, not difficult.

[But she's just going to avert her eyes when she catches him looking at her. One hand lets him go to search for his instead, grabbing hold of it when she finds it and squeezing, silently telling him that he's going to help her. And maybe a warning to not say another word about it.]

Well? Are you going to show me or not?

[Stop grinning at her.]

[ramuhs]

[But he can't help but grin at her. Because this is definitely becoming more like a d-a-t-e—]

Patience, my dear.

[Another smug look—though he knows he shouldn't act too smug because he may fall flat on his ass like anyone else.]

But all right, just one step at a time first. Let's aim for that railing over there—have a feeling we'll want to hold onto something instead of gliding off.

[garudas]

[Don't you dare say it, and don't you dare look at her like that, Cidolfus Telamon. He'd better hope he doesn't fall flat on his ass because she is coming for him and his pride and dignity if he does—

She makes a noise under her breath that sounds a lot like more grumbling before she follows his gaze to the railings.]

You first.

[Why do they look so far when they're only a few steps away?]

[ramuhs]

[The probability of it happening is very high, honestly, but unlike her he's fully expecting. Still, he'll at least manage to walk—slowly, and while guiding her with him. So with each step, feeling out the balance, they'll eventually make it to the railing.]

Well that's the hard part. Now for the harder.

[garudas]

[Well, that was as annoying as she thought it would be, but by the last step, she actually manages to not wobble too much before her other, free hand moves to the guardrails and she looks out to the ice and the people gliding seamlessly and effortlessly along it. There are a few people who still look like they don't know quite what they're doing, and a couple more falling on their asses...

...

Still doesn't make her pride any less wounded about nearly losing her balance back there.]

I said I would watch you first. Since you say you've done this before.

[And he is such an expert—]

[ramuhs]

[He never claimed he was an expert???]

And you know I said that was ages ago and I barely remember?

[Well he at least remembers the basics...

...

He was also like. A kid. This is a whole lot different as an adult.

But he also won't let that stop him, already ducking under the railing and twisting his body around so that he's facing it. And then a slow...step back—and then another—OKAY BOTH FEET ON THE ICE.]

You really want me to fall don't you.

[garudas]

[She knows all of that. That he was a kid, and he said he barely remembered...

And when he steps out onto the ice, she rests her elbow on the rail and perches her chin atop her hand, a dangerous smile forming, a low chuckle under her breath when he sets both his feet firmly on the ice.]

I never said I did. You said I wanted you to.

[She does. Maybe a little bit.]

[ramuhs]

[Just a withering look.]

Just know you're next.

[He's going to test the skates a little while holding the rail because he's not an idiot and won't try to just skate out there blindly. Keeping one hand on the rail he first "walks" just to get a feeling before he starts...]

Think it was... This motion...

[A mutter under his breath as he tries to recall, pushing his feet forward in slow motion, and once he gets some semblance of a rhythm going, he slowly let's go.

And he skates forward!

He manages!

Until he loses balances and, predictably, after a bit of wobbling and a shout, he falls over, landing on his ass and skidding and sliding over the ice towards the edge.

Ugh............]

1/2

[garudas]

[Well. He looks like he's doing it, managing to make it away from the rails so that he can skate forward, and to be honest, Benedikta is surprised he's even able to make it that far. She was expecting he would fall the moment he let go. Not that he makes it very far, of course, because within moments, he's wobbling, and she waits with bated breath to see if he'll right himself...

There is a loud bark of laughter from where she's leaning over the rails when he falls and slides back closer to her, and as she ducks under the rail, she's laughing. Laughing fuller and louder than she has in as long as she can remember. Not that she realizes it, she's far too amused by his blunder to even notice what comes so naturally in the moment.]

I take that back. I certainly did want to see tha—

2/2

[garudas]

[But even with her hands on the rails, the moment she tries to move right over him, she feels one foot slip out from under her and she's tumbling forward. She tries to catch herself with the other foot in front, but that doesn't work, and down she goes... falling right onto his lap and landing on top of him.]

[ramuhs]

[He's staring up at her a bit cross...

...

But dammit, he hasn't heard her laugh that much in a long time—even if it was at his expense. Which makes the feeling he has that much more complicated, because while he enjoys the sound of it, he also doesn't??? So in the end the scowl remains as he tries to push himself up into a sitting position—]

Oof—!

[Only to have her land right on top him, making his hands slip and his back hitting the ice again.

But even so—]

Hah!

[—it's his turn to laugh freely because wow.]

[garudas]

[Her fall was everything but graceful, and so was her landing when her face ends up buried against his chest, her arms around his shoulders, and her feet having slid and stretched out behind her.

And upon hearing his laugh, it's her turn to stare at him cross as she lifts her face, every inch of it a deep shade of red, and she swats him against the chest.]

Quit laughing!

[SAYS THE ONE WHO LAUGHED FIRST]