Resting her hand against the top of his head, she brushes her fingers through his hair, letting him hide his face for as long as he needed to. "I'm sorry we had to do that, I'm sorry I told you to do those things." As much as it had to happen, the guilt still gnawed at her quietly, and seeing him so distraught pulled it to the surface, making an apology fall from her lips. Squeezing her eyes closed she exhales a broken breath and turns her head to rest her cheek against his hair.
"Let's clean up," she answers before brushing her lips against his temple. "Then we can go to bed. I don't have a lot of blankets yet, but, I want to hold you close. Maybe it will help us both sleep." Even if it didn't, having him near her would help her, whether she slept or sat up until dawn keeping watch over him while he rests. It would be better than the unmoored feeling she knows she would be left with if Balthier wasn't there.
When he pulls back to look at her opens her eyes again, her expression softening at the sight of him, giving him a sincere but tired smile as he searches her face. "Balthier," her hand comes up, touching the inside of his wrist while he cradles her cheek. "You, and all the things we have together are so precious to me."
She steals one more gentle kiss before he's pulling back to climb into the tub while she lingers on the edge, waiting for him to get comfortable before sliding into the hot water to join him.
Turning so that her back is facing the opposite end of the tub that he's settled at, Aerith scoots forward, slight enough in build that it's not difficult to lean towards him and turn to the side, finally going still once her arms are around him and her head is resting on his shoulder. "Thank you."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2022-11-11 03:58 am (UTC)"Let's clean up," she answers before brushing her lips against his temple. "Then we can go to bed. I don't have a lot of blankets yet, but, I want to hold you close. Maybe it will help us both sleep." Even if it didn't, having him near her would help her, whether she slept or sat up until dawn keeping watch over him while he rests. It would be better than the unmoored feeling she knows she would be left with if Balthier wasn't there.
When he pulls back to look at her opens her eyes again, her expression softening at the sight of him, giving him a sincere but tired smile as he searches her face. "Balthier," her hand comes up, touching the inside of his wrist while he cradles her cheek. "You, and all the things we have together are so precious to me."
She steals one more gentle kiss before he's pulling back to climb into the tub while she lingers on the edge, waiting for him to get comfortable before sliding into the hot water to join him.
Turning so that her back is facing the opposite end of the tub that he's settled at, Aerith scoots forward, slight enough in build that it's not difficult to lean towards him and turn to the side, finally going still once her arms are around him and her head is resting on his shoulder. "Thank you."