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“Maybe one day we should retire somewhere nice. I’d like to try farming again, it was nice when I worked on one once.”
Aymeric paused, raising his eyes from his novel to look down at the top of E’mrys’ head. This was far from the conversation he had expected when the Miqo’te had all but forced him back into bed with demands of “this is a day to relax no arguing even Lucia’s agreed” . Truthfully he had expected to get another scolding for overworking himself. Or for there to be no conversation at all. But instead he’d been given his favorite book and practically pinned by E’mrys laying on top of him. And now this…
He hummed thoughtfully, hand resuming its motions of rubbing the base of his partner’s ears.
Retirement, huh?
“If it weren’t for the effects of the Calamity I would suggest a farm in the Western Highlands.” The comment was light, almost teasing, and yet judging by the way E’mrys’ ears perked up, it was the right thing to say.
“If only. But maybe we could build one somewhere else. I’m sure if we looked hard enough we could find the right place to retire.” He raised his head, craning his neck back to smile up at Aymeric. And, oh, it was hard to say no to that face. “A nice farm, nothing too big. And a house large enough for us. And the twins when they visit.”
“The twins?” Aymeric laughed, closing his book and setting it aside. No point in trying to focus on reading now. He was invested in this future scenario E’mrys was painting a picture of in his mind.
“Well, of course.” A small snort, followed by a light smack from his tail against his thigh. “They’re practically my kids now. And of course we’ll need a room for any of the Scions that might drop by too.”
Oh, he was serious. Aymeric swallowed, feeling his heart skip a beat. The ring he had purchased on impulse some time ago and then hidden away in his desk suddenly burned in his mind. E’mrys kept talking - insisting that while chocobos were fine, of course, he would like to raise some horses alongside them - not even pausing to do more than smile up at him again when Aymeric brought his hand to his lips and lightly kissed his knuckles.
Years ago, when he had first met the man in his arms, he never would have dreamed of planning a future together with him.
It was funny how times changed.
Aymeric always relished a chance to leave the confines of his office, something that felt increasingly rare as he grew more accustomed to his role as Lord Commander. As the Gates of Judgement closed behind him, he breathed deeply, taking in the frigid air. It smelled fresher here, beyond the city. The scent of ice mixed with the sharp smell of the fir trees that populated the Central Highlands. Privately he mourned the loss of the scent of fresh grass and wet earth that once filled these lands. Five years it might have been but the change of climate was still a source of sorrow for many in Ishgard.
Shaking his head, he motioned for Lucia to follow as he directed his chocobo to the south and east.
There was sadly no time to waste taking in the fresh air or the scenery. Camp Dragonhead awaited and it wouldn’t do to be late. Even if, he grimaced, tightening his grip on the bird’s reins, the answer he was to give to the representative of the Eorzean Alliance was unpleasant. Even now it filled his mouth with a bitter taste. At least the Warrior of Light was to be there. Aymeric couldn’t deny feeling a small spark of excitement at finally being able to meet the man whose exploits he had been following closely. The news of the man who had helped retake Stone Vigil being the one to lay the Black Wolf and his Allagan superweapon low had lit a fire in him. A need to meet someone so fearless.
It went beyond simple interest. As Lucia had commented in the days leading up to this meeting, it was more like he was fascinated by this “E’mrys Tia”.
Haurchefant’s glowing praise of the man certainly had not helped matters. Full well was he familiar with the man’s fondness of adventurers and yet the way he talked about this one… Well, could Aymeric be blamed for his fascination?
No, no he could not.
Camp Dragonhead was, as ever, welcoming.
The braziers burned bright, lighting the way through the blizzard that kicked up during the journey from the Gates. Aymeric shivered despite himself, thankful for the hood attached to his armor protecting his ears from the worst of the wind. Dismounting swiftly, he gently stroked his chocobo’s beak before setting sight on his destination. The room the meeting was to take place in was easy enough to spot with the two House Fortemps knights flanking the door.
Well, nothing else to be done.
The walk felt simultaneously short and agonizingly long but the burst of warm air once he entered the room was a relief. An involuntary sigh of relief left him as he stepped further into the room. Behind him, Lucia entered as well and closed the door as she did so, a nearly inaudible breath escaping her. Lowering his hood, Aymeric smiled at Haurchefant before casting a curious eye on the two other occupants of the room. An Elezen youth of what couldn’t be more than sixteen summers stood as tall as his stature would allow, his unusual garb eye catching certainly. With a terrible feeling of foreboding in his stomach, Aymeric realized that this was Commander Leveilleur. A boy who was little more than a child leading a small army. Something told him that there was more than a small chance of something going terribly wrong in the future.
But, well, there was always a chance it wouldn’t.
“I am Aymeric, Lord Commander of the Temple Knights,” he introduced himself, eyes inevitably being drawn towards the third and silent man in the room. He barely heard Commander Leveilleur’s introduction once the Miqo’te’s eyes met his.
There was no mistaking the way his heart skipped a beat.
Nor was there mistaking the second occurrence, when the man smiled at his stumbling admittance of fascination with his exploits.
And then…
“I’m honored to know that my deeds have drawn the attention of a man Lord Haurchefant speaks so highly of.” Aymeric took some pride in how he managed to keep how that voice, low and smooth and soft and the perfect match for the man it belonged to, made him feel. “My name is E’mrys, Ser Aymeric. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Oh, he was damned.
He was damned twice over for feeling such a sudden and powerful infatuation even once he saw how E’mrys and Haurchefant looked at each other. For there was no mistaking the love in their smiles. Aymeric privately cursed himself throughout the meeting for the way his heart skipped each time his eyes met with the adventurer’s own.
Damned in every way.
And here he had thought he was able to avoid something so silly as love at first sight.
“Aymeric?”
The gentle call of his name shook him from the grip of memories. Aymeric blinked, caught off guard by the sight of his partner’s face so close to his own. Had he really drifted off so much that he had missed something as noticeable as E’mrys moving in order to look directly at him? Perhaps he was more in need of this day of rest than he thought, if that was indeed the case. And it did seem to be the case.
“Forgive me, I was just…” Aymeric smiled, gently taking E’mrys’ hand in his and lacing their fingers together. “I was merely lost in memories of the day we first met. How long it has been since that time.”
“And yet despite the years you look virtually unchanged.” E’mrys teased, lightly bumping his nose against Aymeric’s own.
And that, well, all he could do was laugh.
“You say that as if you also look more or less the same!” Aside from having longer hair now. And no longer hiding his face behind said hair. Not that Aymeric minded. In fact, he rather liked helping E’mrys with his hair on days his partner asked him to.
E’mrys smiled, pressing a soft kiss to his mouth in response instead of saying anything more. And, with a soft hum, Aymeric returned the kiss, raising his free hand to tangle in the younger man’s hair. Soon enough he found himself being pushed back further into the mattress, tiny sounds escaping him as E’mrys broke the kiss to focus on his neck. A quiet whisper of “let me take charge today, you deserve it” was all he needed to let go.
It was fairly rare that E’mrys wanted to take the lead, after all.
Perhaps it was silly that he had been in love with the man ever since he’d first laid eyes on him all those years ago, but Aymeric didn’t care all that much. How could he, when he felt so much joy and love that his heart felt full to bursting when they had days like this? Days where they could just be two men in love, with plans for a future life ahead of them.
He’d give him the ring tomorrow, Aymeric decided as he tugged E’mrys up to kiss him again. And then… Who knows?
Maybe they could wreck his desk again afterwards.