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]

We—!

[He has to brace himself when she suddenly uses that blast of wind, with the unfortunate side effect that it just made everything hotter.

With a small sigh, he wipes his brow and tugs on his shirt a bit, as if trying to air it out.]

We could always turn back. After all, we only have rumors rather than any concrete evidence.

[garudas]

[She's a bit distracted by his shirt for a moment, her own billowing again as she pulls down on the collar.]

As if anyone would say for certain what sorts of relics lie down here. Part of the whole reason they haven't been found is because no one knows its location.

[She half-sighs, half-groans.]

If it isn't here, then this will surely not be the last time we find ourselves searching through dangerous terrain.

[ramuhs]

[A small, rueful huff of laughter.]

True enough. But suppose we should press on then. Sooner we find something, the sooner we can leave.

Perhaps a nice cool bath after?

[Look, he's trying to lighten the mood somewhat, even if it's with silly jokes.]

[garudas]

[Silly joke or not, Benedikta makes a low, longing sound in the back of her throat, because yes, she would love nothing more.]

Make that an ice bath or shower and I will consider it.

[She turns her gaze to him.]

... You did mean that for the both of us, yes?

[ramuhs]

[Just a suggestive shift of his brows.]

Would I ever mean otherwise?

[garudas]

[And an equally suggestive smile from her, eyes flitting down to his collarbone when she sees the light glisten of sweat.]

I'd just like to be sure what I'm in for la—

[That's when she feels it. Something hot at her wrist, a tug of the bracelet that she's wearing, and then—

She lifts it to look.]

It's gone.

[And whirling around immediately, she hears a light cackling and spots something in the corner of her eye before it rounds the corner: a small flame that's darting away with it in its fiery little hands.]

[ramuhs]

What's gone...

[He looks at her wrist and it's only then that it registers right as she turns to look at—]

Damn little bugger—

[THAT'S HERS?? HE GAVE IT TO HER??? So he's already darting off after it.]

[garudas]

[She's still trying to sort out in her head what the fuck just happened. Did a flame just... run in and steal her bracelet, and then proceed to run off? And now Cid is chasing after it? Benedikta stares down at her empty wrist, the feeling a bit strange as her hand wraps around it. She's so used to having it on, and even with it being such a tiny little thing, she feels so naked now without it. Just like the pendant she's wearing.

But that moment of reflection only lasts for as long as that—a moment, before she's whipping around and running after them at a speed she can't recall ever running before. There's a wind that helps to carry her too, so she catches up with Cid in no time, her hand moving to the hilt of her sword.]

What the fuck is that thing!?

[And around another corner it goes, it's laughter echoing all throughout, as if taunting her.]

I'll snuff you out!

[ramuhs]

[He knew she could be fast, but she must be really pissed if she managed to catch up to him—]

Gonna try and corner it!

[And there's a surge of electricity as Cid tries to lightning flash past the flame to swerve in front of it.]

[garudas]

Ugh...!

[Her frustrated shriek is the last thing he hears before he's bolting forward. It's far too narrow in here for her to use her wings to their fullest, so she has to settle with riding the winds instead, her feet barely touching the ground as she follows after him.

His plan does work though, because he manages to get right in its tracks. When it spins around, she can see large eyes (???) and a mouth that opens wide in a gasp. It tries to take off away from Cid, but there she is, blocking it from the other direction.

It panics, turning this way and that, and Benedikta is eyeing the bracelet held between its little flaming fingers.]

Give it back.

[ramuhs]

[As the strange flame creature hesitates—]

I'd listen to her if I were you.

[garudas]

[Her feet finally touch the ground again, the winds all but dissipating. She moves towards it, fingers wrapping around the handle of her blade, the other swirling with green aether.]

You are lucky I cannot cut right through you.

[She can see its eyes widen in fear, and it looks at Cid, then back at her, cowering a little. Good. As it should.]

So drop the fucking bracelet and perhaps I won't put you out—

[And then...

?

It abruptly starts to wail. Like a baby.


??????]

[ramuhs]

[Cid is ready to.... Well he's not sure if his lightning would do much, but maybe stun it? He wasn't going to let it run off that easy at least. However, what he didn't expect was it to cry.

...Are those... Ember tears...?

Confused, he just looks up at Benedikta.

????????]

[garudas]

What...?

[It seems completely oblivious to the looks that they are exchanging, the sprite too busy wailing as it plops down (?? how?) on the ground.

And silently, Benedikta tries to speak to him with her eyes with a "why are you looking at me" sort of look.]

[ramuhs]

[And just going to exchange a silent answer back with a bit of a shrug and small gesture of his hand, "you're the one who scared it."

Like that would help—

But... Right...

....

It is down, and it still has the bracelet, and it better not melt while it's there, so Cid will just glance at Benedikta again before sighing and stepping forward.]

....All right, all right, no need to cry now. We just want that bracelet you took. It's important, you see?

[Is it going to even understand him—]

[garudas]

[It took her bracelet!? That he gave her?!? And then ran away with it!?!?!? Of course she's going to scare it!!!

But now she's at a complete loss of what to do, or how to deal with a crying... fire sprite... child...? She doesn't even know anymore. It sniffles, little embers flying from its face and from what should be its nose, if it had one, and Benedikta just watches with all the confusion in the world as Cid tries to talk to it.

It blubbers a bit, sputtering and hiccuping before it turns to him.

"Scary lady..."]

[ramuhs]

[...Ah ha...

Just a quick, wry glance up at Benedikta before he crouches down in front of it.]

She might look that way, but only because she's upset you stole her bracelet. Bet you'd also be upset if someone stole something important to you, aye?

So if you give it back, promise she won't be as scary anymore.

[A very meaningful look at her as well as a quick gesture of his head.

Come on now. Try to be nice.]

[garudas]

[And he's going to get a very meaningful look right back, one that is offended and annoyed, and a gesture back at the sprite still wailing and sniffling on the ground. It stole her bracelet, seems to be the recurring message that she is trying to convey here, so why should she show this thing any mercy?

More hiccupping from the sprite, and it looks down at the trinket in its hand, and then to Cid.

"But shiny..."]

You little brat—

[Annnnd there it goes again, crying up a storm.]

[ramuhs]

[Just a slight look of exasperation as he tries again.]

You can have other shiny things.

[Mfmfmfmf really maybe he should just snatch it, but maybe it's his paternal instincts kicking in that he ends up trying to coax it like it's a child. Hm, let's see, how did he have to make Mid let go of something when she was a wee bairn—]

Look, how about this.

[He fishes out a silver coin, turning it this way and that to flash in the light.]

This would fit better in your hands and less likely to melt or be damaged.

[garudas]

[Benedikta watches him, wondering why he doesn't just zip in and grab it back. She has no patience for this!

But upon seeing the coin shimmering between his fingers, the sprite's eyes widen, and it reaches out its other hand and wiggles, as if trying to snatch through the air for it.]

Ah-ah. Bracelet first.

[The sprite stifles a sob, and whips back around to Cid, as if to ask if it will be okay, as Benedikta folds her arms with a roll of her eyes.]

[ramuhs]

[Benedikta PLEASE

Another look at her before he smiles at the strange little sprite.]

Afraid so. Can't have you nabbing both things now, can we? But promise I'll give the coin if you give me the bracelet.

[And he'll hold out his other hand for it.]

[garudas]

[LISTEN... SHE JUST WANTS IT BACK

And she continues to eye the sprite like a hawk awaiting the perfect moment to strike, wings twitching to move. It continues to stare at the coin with a big, pleading gaze, before it very slowly sets down the bracelet on the ground next to it.

And it takes every single ounce of control in her to not lunge at it and take it back, waiting for the rest of the trade to happen. Or for Cid to get to it first.]

[ramuhs]

[Patience.......Patience..........

Once the bracelet is on the ground, Cid will quickly reach out to grab it before something else happens, wincing only slightly when he feels how hot the chain has become, hot enough to almost burn through the leather. But a quick glance shows that it's otherwise unharmed, and despite the heat, he holds tight to it while also handing over the coin as promised.]

Thank you, kindly. And here is your coin, which I'm sure will be much better for you than this. Just don't throw it into the lava or it'll melt.

[At the very least it'll be more durable... Assuming it doesn't chuck it into lava as he warned.]

[garudas]

[She doesn't realize how much tension she'd been holding in her shoulders until Cid has the bracelet back in her hands and she lets it all loose with a frustrated sigh, and a hand comes up to swipe some of that sweat that's formed along her temple, dabbing it away with the back of it before she's crossing over to him. With the coin in its hand, the sprite only barely winces when Benedikta passes it, moving to Cid so she can take it back.

Not until it's on her wrist will she consider it safe, and she'll hold it out for him to hook it back around while she stares daggers down at the sprite.]

You have your shiny little trinket, so I suggest you scurry on back to where you came from.

[At that, it stops fiddling with it and stares up at them with, once again, large, pleading eyes, and it looks like it's about to cry. Again.]

[ramuhs]

[...Oh boy.

At least by now the bracelet has cooled a bit, if still warm. At least safe for her to wear, so he'll clasp it around her wrist without question.

Though he does find it a little amusing that she automatically made him do so.]

And not steal from anyone else. Next person might not be so kind.

[Oh, even the man is shooing him away?

MORE WIBBLES.]