For Better Or Worse.

The quiet clatter of pans upstairs sounds out from the Fellfrost home, as Eir; dusted in a fine film of flour, prepares breakfast. He'd risen early for a change, long before the sun had properly illuminated the window, the scent of sweet spices drifting through the house.

Sayuri's gaze found itself locked upon the ceiling, as she laid in their bed. She was no longer shrouded in the darkness that had plagued her, and had it not been for her eyesight now being incredibly blurry, she might've assumed that it had just been a dream, despite the telltale sign of an ache that pounded in her head from her previous crying last time she awoke. She draws a deep breath and briefly closes her eyes, beginning to heave herself out of the pillow pile - having decided to brace the blurry world in favour of attempting to join Eir upstairs.

Pyjama-clad and hard at work over the stove where small, palm-sized pancakes simmered away, golden from the spices he'd opted to use. Her arrival brings a bright smile to his features, briefly abandoning his cookery to greet her. "Good morning, my Moon…" He leans down to press his lips to her own, looking over her all the while. "How are you feeling?"

She offers a weary little smile, leaning herself back towards him to meet his lips with her own. ".. Well, I'm not.. completely blind anymore, so I will take it.. Everything is very.. blurry, though."

The First Dose Of Many.

Sayuri stirred in her sleep, head lazily nudging itself against Eir's body as a quiet sigh left her. Her eyes stayed shut for a while, a lack of energy trying to coax her back to sleep to little avail. With the failed attempt, she opted to finally open her eyes - only to be met with the selfsame darkness as when her eyes had been shut, not even the dim light of the lantern piercing the abyss. Unease clung to her, making her grasp of the Viera next to her tighten significantly. "..E-Eir..?" Her voice was little more than a whisper choked by a rising anxiety.

Eir stirs in the dark; by all accounts they'd both been sleeping for some bells, now. That grasp is barely enough to pull him from the depths of his slumber, but his name in such a tone is enough for him to battle himself awake. "Sayuri? I am here--- I am right here…" He tucks her closer, unknowing what had awoken her in such a state, though could make his assumptions.

His voice is enough to make her pull herself closer to him, a faint tremble beginning to take to her as she lingered in some quiet hesitation before whispering once more. "..D-did-.. did you.. t-turn off the l-lantern..?" Her eyes shifted around in search for the smallest hint of light or a silhouette - finding absolutely nothing.

"No--- No. It is above us, still lit." A pause them, as realisation slowly begins to creep in to Eir's thoughts. "…Sayuri?" Even his voice is tinged with worry, pulling back to see her in the dim glow. "Can… Can you not see it…?"

Her ears flatten wholly, tears swiftly beginning to well up in her eyes. "..N-..no-.." Gaze flickering back and forth more rapidly, her distress notably grows. "..I-.. I c-can't-.."

Cure And Caution.

Each footfall that descended the stairs was taken with some quiet trepidation, ears high on her head to listen. Of course, Q'kura hadn't moved from his cell since his capture; even if he had occasionally begged to see the sunlight, much to his futility. Bexy turns her head to Sayuri as she reaches the bottom of the staircase, some steely look knit with concern as she throws a glance over her shoulder. "…He says he's certain it will work." Bexy begins, though it's clear she's hesitant. "Are you… Ready, Sayuri?"

A long, drawn-out exhale left Sayuri while she tugged at her sleeve, gaze low and ears flat - her anxiety about the situation clear as the sun Q'kura had been refused. ".. Do I have a choice, if I want to be cured..?" A small frown settled atop her features, clearly not fond of the situation she found herself in.

"…You do. We… Can find another way." Bexy agrees, though only half-so. She offers a small shake of her head. "…Though how long it will take, i do not know. You know as well as i do they won't give up their chase. The sooner you have your aether back… The sooner you will be able to defend yourself." A glance then, to the room in which her captive was held. "I'll make him suffer if he fails. For that, you have my word."

Shadowed Thoughts.

She doesn't knock. Only the small rattle of keys as it's set into the lock, turned once until it clicks, keys withdrawn to her pocket as she crosses the threshold with ease. Her eyes search for him, and soften in an instant. "Laurent. My love." She takes him in for a moment, an almost relieved sigh leaving her in the quiet between her words. "…It is so good to see you."

Laurent Mercier had been quietly working his way through a book when he heard the jangle of keys in the door. Strange, considering he hadn't heard an approach, but he then realized who it was just as she opened the door. The sight of his wife immediately brought a likewise soft smile to his own features, as he closed the tome and set it beside him, forgotten as he stood and made his way towards her, a hand reaching for her. Obviously, this was unusual, but he had no real reason to be alarmed as of yet. "Light of my life, what brings you around, Bexy? Is all going well? You seemed.. distressed, for a moment. Should I be concerned? Sleep with my sword tonight?" He was gently trying to disarm her tension with his good natured humor.

Bexy Amalaryssia: "Gods, no. Don't be silly. I planned to stay, if you'd have me?" She steps in to him, gloved hand in hand, and a small satchel at her hip. "I apologise for the lack of notice. I was just…" She doesn't elaborate as intended, simply offering a small roll of her shoulders. "…You don't mind, i hope?"

Joining The Cause.

S'vexrha Tchuma quietly eyes the door ahead of her, contemplating whether to knock or to just enter before.. opting to do both. Her knuckles tap against the door’s surface just before she begins to push it open enough to slip through the crack. “.. Hi.”

Mistienne Aurloix: "Hello." Mist replies in kind as she eyes Vex through the door. There's some small pause, Mist taking in the woman's features before her head inclines. "Vex. Yes?"

S'vexrha Tchuma: "Yup." Vex steps closer, hands shoving into her pockets. "You must be Mist." A brief pause lingers, her lips pulling into a thin line. ".. Well, you don't -have- to be. But I'm guessing that's you."

Mistienne Aurloix: "That's certainly me." There's a half-smile, then. "I can't imagine everything Bexy has told you about me, but… That doesn't matter. I've heard plenty about you." She gestures to the seat in front of her, "Please, sit. Bexy told me you wanted to talk about a contract?"

S'vexrha Tchuma: “Only things that make it clear she respects you.” She continues to the seat, plopping herself down onto it. “Not sure if you hearing about me is a good or a bad thing but..” Her shoulders roll into a small shrug, lips curling into a faint grin. “.. Yeah. Uh. I don’t really have a direction to go in anymore, and some folks seem to want me around here so.. Figured I’d give it a shot. If you’d even have me, considering.” A hand gestures up to the red mark that taints her cheek.

Confide.

The small rap of gloved knuckles on wood rings out through the apartment. Bexy, waiting patiently on the other side of the door, holds a basket in the crook of her arm, no doubt holding something pleasant within.

The door parted through sweet smoke, spice, wood, and leather clung tight to the air. Regardless of how wide the window swung, it did not seem to help the potent fragrance from escaping though the scar torn Elezen had little care or notice. “Oh, Bexy.” While his letter called for her, he seemed almost surprised though he opened it wide for her and leafed a hand as invitation.

Mattisaux Baschet: “Would you like anything to drink or some random bit of snack?” A stubbed cigar lie in its tray smoldering beside a few bottles, a variety of the same mind-numbing sort.

Bexy Amalaryssia steps in at the offer, giving a warm smile as Mattisaux pulled into view. "After a letter like that, you wouldn't think to expect me?" She questions in that usual playful tone of her own, raising the basket. "So kind of you to offer, though i've brought my own offerings. I wouldn't want to look like a poor guest, hm?"

Her smile lead him to do much of the same though in a far lesser magnitude. “You ought to know I am not the type of person to care. Though I am the type to not want to be a terrible host, not unless to my enemies, of course. You can place that anywhere over the table to free yourself.” As he mentioned it, he stepped over to clear a space for her basket, his arm merely sliding the bottle aside. “And I expected you, I have just grown lazy and forgotten the time.”

Taking a few measured paces to the table, the basket is settled in the cleared spot, a few steps backwards as she took in the general appearance of the room. "I care. And besides. Your words were…" She doesn't quite say what she thought, but the way she looked over him in that concerned sort of way spoke enough. "Are… You well?"

Reassurance.

Adellenne Hocoleux cracked the windows to let in light and fresh air, her attention flickering over the room. "How often has the infirmary been used while I was away?"

Bexy Amalaryssia: "You've seen me worse than this, Adelle…" Bexy moves over to the bath, pulling clothes from her shoulders, unclasping armour. "…You were worried when you were gone."

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I always am," she agreed. "One sun I will not be so fortunate to return to everyone alive and hale and whole. One sun there will have been a funeral in my absence, and I try to prepare myself for it." She peeled her gloves free, wrinkling her nose. "I need to clean my hands. Make yourself comfortable, my dear friend. How long have you had a 'guest'?"

Bexy Amalaryssia: "…You know i'll always bring everyone home. I have to." Disrobing, she slips into the bath with little issue; the pinkish mark of recently knit skin one of the only blemishes on her form. "Around a Moon. The actual capturing of him was a… Complicated affair."

Ulterior Motive.

"He said he needed samples. Samples of creatures afflicted with some kind of blight from overexposure to the aether on the Burning Wall. Blood, bones, organs... Anything i could get my hands on.

...Just so happened, there was a contract that entailed the slaying of such beasts, before they grew too ferocious to handle. Straightforward enough.

I was lucky enough to catch Adelle as she returned -- It has been moons! And to my delight, she opted to join us on our contract. Vex, Akhira'a and Dusk, too.

...He still follows my orders, which i appreciate.

We prevailed, of course, though not without scrapes. I was clipped by one of the larger beasts, and...

...That... Pain. It's so familiar, and so...

Unsettling. We got the samples where they needed to go - I sent them with Vex into Q'kura's hands.

As for myself, it was time for a swift visit to the infirmary."

Olive Branch.

"My intention was never to join him, only to descend into the kitchen for tea and a tart. We exist in the same spaces. Work for the same company. That we might run into eachother every now and then is unavoidable... Though i would much prefer it if we were at least on civil terms.

I don't plan to hurt him, even after all he's done. In a way, i'm glad that anger was directed at me... And not someone else. Had he harmed someone i cared for... I don't know if Neoma's words would have been able to stop me.

Regardless. I found him in the kitchen tending to a three-legged kitten. He seemed happy, at least until he noticed me... And that's when our discussion began.

I say discussion, it was fairly one sided to begin with. Usually i'd be content to ignore him back. But...

...When you're fighting side by side someone on the battlefield, there's this want to know them as well as possible. Every little thing that makes them tick. Their favourites. Their fears. Everything... Though even then, with Dusk, it was limited. Suppose that was to be expected.

But, i told him what i thought of him. That despite it all, i don't... Think he's a bad person. He has made mistakes... Who hasn't?

But in the end of it all, he acted in what his best interests were, with the information he had. Perhaps not in the best way, but... Can i honestly say i haven't done the same?

We had tea together. Even if he only did it for Neoma's sake.

...If nothing else, it will make her happy."

Unpacking.

Sayuri exhales a drawn-out sigh as she reaches the quiet part of the Lavender Beds, hands raising up to lightly rub at her temples - grateful for the newfound silence. Her mismatched gaze fall onto the house the moment it comes into view, lips curling into a soft smile at the sight. It didn't take long for her to reach the door, or to make entry into the house itself - shutting the door behind her.

The house is spotless upon entry; the dishes cleaned and put away, all surfaces wiped clean, even the dishcloths were neatly folded beside the sink. The broom too, had been moved; now propped up at an angle against the wall after the floors were swept. Eir himself was absent, however; though the faint sound of shuffling sounded from the lower floor at the sound of the front door. A pause, before a, "Welcome home, my Moon!" Calls from downstairs.

The call prompts her ears to perk, her smile growing a little wider. Her steps lead to the stairs, which she begins to descend - gaze curiously wandering the area in search of the Viera the moment she is able to view it. "Thank you." She hums.

The lower floor of the house is… Decidedly not quite as tidy as one might be led to believe, considering. Boxes of things are set here and there; and Eir is perched in the middle of them, offering a grin as he lofted his gaze to her. "…I took the opportunity to bring some of our things over, since we have scarcely had chance to do so. Though i have not had proper time to unpack the contents into their new homes just yet…"

Business Meeting.

White Rabbit might have been mistaken for a ballerina with how she twirled into the estate, pushing her arse back against the door to close it shut. She leaned there a moment, smirking a small smirk. Slowly glancing around, she wondered if she should go up or down to find the woman she was looking for. Or if anyone else was here.

Bexy Amalaryssia: "---Yes, i know. You too, Mist. I will..." A roll of Bexy's eyes as the door further down the hallway is closed, and she makes way back to the lobby, painted lips curled into a smile. Though confident footfalls do however fall a little short, expression simmering into one of recognition as a certain rabbit-eared woman pulled into view. "White." Bexy greets, head inclined, and closing a little of the gap. "For what reason am i so -fortunate- to be graced with your presence?"

White Rabbit blinked her gaze on over to just who she was looking for! Lucky her. She pushed off the door into several bouncy steps that led her right on over in front of Bexy. Where she stopped a fulm or two away. "Hello! Hello~ Icepick." Maybe three. It didn't look like it. "I wanted to stop by. And say hi! To my /favorite/ ice queen." she lied, half-lyingly, but fully teasing.

Camaraderie And Comfort.

A long sigh, and the sound of turning paper were all that gave any clue Bexy would have been upstairs, had the house staff not noted her arrival. Bexy slowly thumbs through a book, icy gaze settled on the words between various pictures of crystals and other aetheric matter. A teacup sits abandoned next to a plate of crumbs on the table; Bexy had been here for some time, at least… And showed no sign of wishing to depart any time soon.

Timid, light steps made themselves known in the stairs that led up to the second level of the estate as Alari peeked into the sun room. At first glance she could not see anyone and ventured further in, only to be surprised at the sight of Bexy. She anxiously rubbed her arm before daring to approach. "U-uhm… Good day, Comman- I mean, Bexy." She managed to greet her with a shy smile. "I hope I am not.. disturbing?"

Alari Nelhah smiles weakly at you.

Bexy Amalaryssia: "Alari." Bexy's expression warms immediately upon seeing the Keeper, settling a small slip of paper between the pages of the book she idly closed. "A welcome interruption, you need not apologise, hm? There's only so long i can read before all the letters become just… Shapes." The book on… Aetherology, of all things, is settled on her hip, clearly not intended to be obscured. "How have you been?"

A First Of Many Mornings.

The distant clatter of cutlery sounds from upstairs from the home of the Fellfrosts, as Eir slowly settles plates into a pile beside the sink. A cursory glance given over the kitchen by the Viera, all he can do is huff quietly, burying the smirk behind a lock of hair as he continued his housework. He'd not been awake for long, though had hoped to finish the chores long before Sayuri would awaken…

He is, however, not that lucky. This time. Sayuri stirs amidst the pile of pillows she found herself in, sleepily nuzzling her face into them as she stretches. A hand slowly trails outwards as a content sigh leaves her, tapping along the mattress in search for the Viera she expected to be at her side; blue eye batting open surprisingly quickly as she was unable to find him, despite the drowsiness that clung to her. ".. Eir?" She mumbled against the pillow.

He could never have heard such a quiet murmur a floor above. Waiting for the sink to fill with water, Eir moves towards the opposite end of the kitchen to tend the leftovers; only an errant piece of clothing tangles one bare foot with the other, sending him tumbling to the floor with a thud. A small murmur of complaint quickly follows; whatever the cleaning-based carnage was, it would be clear it wasn't anything to worry about too much…

New Habits.

The door to the house is opened with an almost gentle, tender nudge, as Eir slips the beloved key into his pocket, and shoulders his way in with an armful of groceries. Even then, he stops for a moment to beam at the surroundings, before settling the paper bag on the counter. "…I still cannot believe it is ours. It is perfect, Sayuri. Did you choose the decorations?"

The door is pushed shut once Sayuri too had passed the threshold, steps following him to remain near. "I did." She beams. "..I did ask Bexy for a bit of help to set things up as well, I.. can't say I'm overly experienced in decorating. Most rooms I've had have been done before I moved into them, aside from the room I had before I moved into yours."

"I cannot say i have so much skill in it either. Our room at the company house was simply asked to be… Thavnairian style. But here… It is like a lovely blend of all things we love." Eir begins to sort the groceries; vegetables are set aside in a pile, and a hefty bag of rice pulled from the bottom of the paper bag. "There are hints of Thavnair and the East. And it is here, in Eorzea, where we both met." Looking to her, he smiles warmly over his shoulder. "…I look forward to making many memories here, with you."

"I'm glad you like it." Sayuri shuffles closer to Eir, leaning herself over to coil her arms around his waist to hold onto him, without keeping him from his task. She peers up at him, beaming a warm smile of her own his way in return. "As do I. And I'm glad the very first one is your Namesday."

Heart and Home.

One hand entwined with Sayuri's own, and the other raised to brush the hair from his face, Eir smiles faintly at the breeze, filling his lungs and exhaling a peaceful, contented sigh. "An early morning walk is perhaps one of the loveliest ways to start any sun, never mind my namesday. It is a vast change from rushing around, embroiled in errands…"

Sayuri squeezes his hand, lips curled into a soft smile while her gaze trails over to him, head canting ever so slightly. "Early?" She laughs, her smile growing a little wider. ".. I thought it'd be nice to, just the two of us."

"…Well." Eir half-pouts, glancing away. "Early for -me-, when i have no other place to be besides my bed, and your arms." Bringing the back of her hand to his lips, he settles a kiss there. "And it is, of course. Better i do not spend the -entire- sun in bed. Spending time and making memories is important to me, too."

Hope And Honesty.

The hiss and sizzle of frying meat simmers from deep within the kitchen, the rich, pungent aroma of spices lacing the air. Eir hovers at the stove, attention on the meal he was midway through preparing. An almost sly peek over his shoulder is given, turning away again as he begins to run a knife through a small bundle of herbs.

It was almost as effective as shaking a bag of treats for a dog to come over. Just moments after Eir looked over his shoulder, a pair of leather boots made their way down the stairs with steady yet lazy steps. Erjon crooked one eyebrow curiously when he noticed who was responsible for the enticing scent. "Ah, I shouldn't be surprised," he commented. "You're looking well, Angreir."

Eir Fellfrost: "Did you miss me?" Eir lofted a brow as he turned his head, barely concealing the smirk as his scheme had indeed had the desired effect. "Of course i am well. Newly married, recently returned from our honeymoon." A pause then, head tilted. "Yourself?"

Blame.

Lofty sighs drifted about him. Streaks of golds and pinks tinted the blues of the sky at evening’s approach while Mattisaux sprawled himself over one of the islands just offshore Costa del Sol. Legs spread wide in the lazy lapping of the sea, his head pressed back into the sand.

For possibly the first time, he sought cottons and fabric in the stead of leathers and metal; while his clothes were more breathable, his blackened blade still lounged right by his side, stabbed at a diagonal just in case.

Such peace is quickly chased away by the sound of an approaching boat, the cacophony of cheer and merry makers aboard the vessel undeniable to anyone that heard them. Pulling adjacent to the pier, the boat docks just long enough for a figure to leap from the deck, and after only the briefest of waves, tears across the wooden platform, bounding into the sand below. Chimes and coin herald his arrival, a now hefty coinpurse tucked away somewhere within the silks. Head turned, Eir stares at the boat, a little rigid and unsettled from his sudden departure. He'd barely noticed the figure in the sand, only a few fulms away…

The white noise of a boat in the distance became something that rolled his head for, gazing toward the wooden pier. The rest of him remained still and vaguely at ease, simply watching and waiting for the people to come. Then a dashing figure caught his squinting eye. As he watched, Mattisaux wondered. ‘Why are they running? Was there an issue on the boat? Everyone else seems fine. Why is that fool running toward me?’ The last thought clenched his stomach, sitting up in a hurry to avoid having his head stomped. However, when he looked back at the strange individual, opening his mouth to speak, he stopped for a decent stretch of time. “…You, Viera,” his tone was loud, abrasive, but not terribly hostile at the moment. “Just what are you running from?”