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Despite already being at the airship landing, Aymeric nearly misses his chance to say goodbye to the group leaving for Azys Lla.
When he arrives before the airship, the rest of the seeing-off party trailing in his wake, only the Warrior remains on the dock, listening intently to Edmont's words of encouragement. Her attention moves to Aymeric as he walks up. There's a kind of anticipation in her eyes, maybe even relief, like she's been waiting for him. That look makes Aymeric feel the urge - the need - to say something, anything, to send her off, however well Edmont has done so already.
"Return to us - all of you!" he calls. Return to me, he wants to say, to the woman who has become so precious to him in such a short time, but something about it feels too personal for the Lord Commander sending the Warrior of Light to fight. Aymeric prays she will not give his father the chance to hurt her as he has so many others - that he will have the chance to learn how she might respond to him in a more personal setting.
Deya nods in response to his farewell before turning to board the ship - and hesitating, turning back around. She stares at Aymeric once more, and he sees some kind of conflict flicker through her eyes before she begins to walk back towards him. He tilts his head questioningly as she approaches, resolve clear in her movements.
"I will try my best to do so, but can make no promises," she says quietly. "As such, in case the worst happens... I would like to do one selfish thing." She's standing close enough she has to look up slightly to make eye contact, an almost pleading expression on her face. "Would you allow me this?"
Aymeric is helpless in the face of her expression, her closeness, the softness of her voice, all thoughts of formality and familiarity gone. He doesn't know what she wants, but he knows he will give it to her. "Anything," he says, just as soft.
Suddenly, she's kissing him.
After a few seconds, he realizes maybe he should kiss back - but she's already pulled away.
Aymeric blinks, stunned, as he watches Deya sprint away and onto the ship, ears bright red, yelling, "START THE SHIP, CID! GO, GO, GO!"
He absentmindedly brings his fingers to his lips as the ship lifts off, barely noticing what sounds like Hilda laughing behind him and excited noises coming from an altitude that can only be Tataru.
When Deya comes back - and he is certain she will, along with her companions - they will have a lot to talk about.
-
Once the ship is safely in the air, Deya feels every pair of eyes on deck turn to her.
"Shut up," she says, still blushing.
"That was quite the display," Estinien says. "It was nearly embarrassing just to watch."
Deya scrambles for a way to distract everyone else from her very public, impulsive decision. "Well, you're stuck with me now," she declares. "We're siblings, after all. I've decided."
"Do I get a say in this?"
"Nope!" Deya says cheerfully.
"Trust me, once she decides to adopt you, it's best to just go along with it," Alphinaud says.
Deya ruffles his hair. "Listen to my son. He's smart."
Deya inwardly congratulates herself as Alphinaud complains and fixes the hair she messed up while Estinien continues to grumble. Distraction successful and family expanded. Now I just need to figure out how to never talk to Aymeric again.
-
Deya is hiding.
She'd evaded Aymeric when he sought her out after finishing talking to Midgardsormr, taking to the rooftops in true dragoon fashion. She headed for the residential areas, figuring that even if he saw her from the ground, he wouldn't be able to get close to her without somehow getting up onto one of the balconies of the nearby houses. She chose a spot on a roof facing a small alley between two manors, the opposite one having a balcony but with the house's lord not appearing to be home. It is about as secluded a spot as one could get on the rooftops of a large city. She wonders if Estinien ever came here to brood.
Estinien.
Deya buries her face in her hands. Right there. I was right there, and I didn't save him. Aymeric must be devastated right now. He wouldn't want to see her anyway. She'd kissed him without warning, then gone off to kill his father and fail to save his best and oldest friend.
She called Estinien her brother, on the ship to Azys Lla - it may have been a distraction, but the sentiment was true.
Haurchefant was her brother, too.
My brothers keep leaving me...
"Deya?"
Aymeric's voice breaks her out of the spiral she's falling into. She snaps her head up to see him standing on the opposite balcony, looking at her with concern.
"How did you find me? And how did you get up there?" Deya was sure the house wasn't occupied... he wouldn't have broken in, would he...?
"You forget I have some experience with tracking down wayward Azure Dragoons." A faint amused look crosses Aymeric's face. "And this is my house."
... Godsdammit.
After giving Deya a moment to process that, Aymeric speaks again. "Could you come down to the balcony? I think we need to talk."
Deya hesitates, but jumps down to the balcony. Aymeric opens his mouth to speak, but apologies are already spilling forth from Deya's. "I am so, so, sorry."
Aymeric blinks, clearly derailed from what he was going to say. "What?"
"I'm sorry I couldn't save Esti," Deya continues, speaking quickly. She needs to get this out before he can reject her. She doesn't think she can do this if he rejects her. "And I killed your father, even if he did become a primal. And I kissed you with no warning at all and I'm sure you probably hate me - " he opens his mouth again, but she barrels on even faster - "and I can make sure you never see me again, but - "
Suddenly, he's kissing her.
After a few seconds, she realizes maybe she should kiss back - so she does.
Time passes. It could have been several seconds or several bells before they pull apart barely far enough to breathe, resting their foreheads against each other.
"You have nothing to apologize for," Aymeric says softly. "My father needed to be stopped. You destroyed a madman who would have put all of Ishgard in danger. And what happened to Estinien was not your fault."
"I was right there. I should have saved him," she says, voice breaking.
"I am sure that if you could have, you would have," Aymeric replies. "And you will. We will. Impossible things seem to happen around you with surprising frequency." He smiles, kissing her again, light, quick, too fast for her to respond. "As for the kiss, please know I have no objections to you doing that whenever you'd like."
Deya considers for a moment. "So... are we together now, then?"
Aymeric cups her face in his hands. "If that is what you want," he whispers, "there is nothing I would desire more."
Deya presses closer to him, still seeking comfort, and his hands drop to hold her close. "That's a yes, then."
The Dragonsong War still continues. Deya's brothers are still gone, at least one of them forever.
But standing on the balcony in Aymeric's arms, Deya starts to feel like maybe, by some miracle, everything will still turn out okay.
