( if anyone had asked sae where he would see himself after saving the world — yet again — from certain peril, it never would've been in wedded bliss with ishgard's most eligible(?) bachelor.
well, the "wedded bliss" part is a little bit of a lie... it's not really anything remotely close to that.
when sae looked to the future to have someone at his side, he'd always imagined being madly in love — just like his parents, they were the blueprint for him for what love could truly be — and feeling complete with his fated other half. once, he had thought he'd found that, found someone to make his heart flutter and his stomach swoop, someone who saw past his sometimes biting remarks and his pretty face. but, life is often very cruel and teaches the worst lessons in the most unfair of ways.
but, he had soldiered on because that's what he was meant to do. is meant to do. what choice does he have? it's not like he can walk away when everything keeps falling to absolute shite. no matter how often he might think of doing just that.
so, when he's approached ( cornered, really ) by an assorted enclave of stately officials and friends alike, and offered a deal it seems that he's unable to refuse, he learns once again that life is so very, very cruel. an alignment, a bolstering of resources, an allyship of strength and encouragement. a something, something, something — after a while, sae had stopped listening and just heard a low ringing sound for the rest of the conversation. seems that even his own life is no longer actually his own.
that's not to say that he has any ill feelings toward aymeric or anything of the sort. far from it; he enjoyed the time they spent together and whether aymeric likes it or not, sae does consider him a friend. in fact, he's one of the few that sae still occasionally writes letters while out on his adventures. however, agreeing to marry so arbitrarily... it just seems so uncharacteristic of him. sae trusts him enough to believe there's nothing duplicitous about the arrangement, but...
well, he finds it a little bit disappointing.
where once he'd thought there'd be someone placing a ring on his finger ( pear-shape, modified brilliant cut stone, phrygian gold band — he's thought about it enough ), it winds up being tataru who drops by one afternoon with a box that has a very... basic looking ring inside and sae has to put it on by himself. he tries it on long after she leaves and he's so disappointed by it, he simply packs it away with the rest of his jewelry and doesn't think about it again. dramatic? perhaps a little. but, as he tells anyone who questions while they help move him to frigidly cold ishgard: he doesn't want to risk losing or damaging it in all the hubbub. it seems to satisfy some curious glances.
except, that's exactly what he is as he tucks into a huge bed by himself, alone, on his wedding night. and every night for the next handful of months.
it's an adjustment, to be sure, but it takes little time for sae to acclimate to life as aymeric's partner; he much prefers the day to day minutiae of political bantering than clamoring through the muck and underbrush. so, he's happy to lend an ear when he can tell aymeric has reached his limit with paperwork and requests.
tonight is one such occasion; sae makes an extra cup of tea and makes his way to the study, greeted by a warm, crackling fire and a pen nib scratching across paper. he pauses in the doorway for a moment, watching, before quietly crossing the room to set the cup and saucer on the desk. )
You'll ruin your eyes working this late in this light. ( he lifts his own cup to take a small drink from it. ) It cannot be that exciting.
Aymeric, for his part, had always assumed his life incompatible with love. For so many years he had focused on little else but proving himself and surviving the war, he had no time to dedicate to another person, not in that way. He'd come close, once, to thinking there may have been a chance - Estinien was even more focused than he was, but they still found time for one another, quiet moments that began as a way to pass the time on lonely nights and became something else, something more...
Or so he'd thought. Estinien cared about him, in his way, but that care had not been enough to hold him, and when the war ended and he was freed of his thirst for vengeance, what could Aymeric do but let him go?
It was easy, then, to throw himself back into his work. Rebuilding Ishgard without the Archbishop, without the war, it took so much of his time that he could remind himself, again, that love was probably better left to other people.
Maybe that's why he agreed to it. Or maybe it was just because the other Lords of the House would not shut up about it. Either way, he really could see the benefits of the proposal, and while he had received other offers they tended to come from power-hungry families looking to further their own goals, which Aymeric wouldn't countenance, or hopeless romantics with optimistic fantasies that Aymeric knew would never be a reality. Better the former be thwarted and the latter find somebody more suited to their dreamy ideals. This proposal, however, was for the good of Ishgard, and didn't Aymeric do everything he could for the good of Ishgard?
(It didn't hurt that Sae was a friend, and a friend with enough of his own life that Aymeric wouldn't feel too bad about being so caught up in his. Once the marriage was settled, he'd tell the adventurer he could go off and continue to save the world, as long as he came back regularly enough to satisfy the House, then they could both just get on with their lives)
Mostly, though, he'd agreed to it because he didn't think his agreement would actually change anything - he'd considered how it would go, the best case scenario, but ultimately he assumed it would never go ahead because Sae would never agree to it. And then he did, and Aymeric was frankly baffled who managed to talk him into it.
Suddenly Aymeric was swept up in a flurry of wedding planning and negotiations that mostly consisted of people telling him what was going to happen. It was the strangest feeling, suddenly being surrounded by people who could get things done without his every input, and yet for once he really wished they wouldn't. At one point he completely escaped and the planning continued without him, he wasn't sure they'd even noticed him gone. That was the day he'd gone wandering the Crozier and found the most beautiful ring. He'd bought it on a whim, thinking that Sae deserved some part of this to be done properly, and he could insist upon delivering it himself, and perhaps take the chance to actually talk to his betrothed about the whole thing.
Then he'd been told that a ring had already been sent, and anyway he couldn't go anywhere because there was some issue with grain delivery that he had to untangle and the ring he bought was tucked away in his desk drawer, waiting for an opportunity that still hadn't come.
The wedding was lavish and beautiful and not at all what he would have chosen for himself, and there was something inescapably awkward about it, he barely got to speak to his husband and spent most of the time politely accepting congratulations and well wishes as though either of them had really chosen this. It felt like being in a play.
He'd arranged for Sae to have his own room at the De Borel manor, this was a political match and Aymeric wouldn't force the adventurer to pretend otherwise, he thought perhaps Sae would be more comfortable having his own space. He'd had it decorated, ready to move in, but he'd been quick to tell Sae he could change anything about it if he wanted, that he should do whatever he needed to make the room, the whole manor even, feel like his home.
It's more comfortable than he thought it would be, having someone else in his house, somebody to join him for dinner and help him talk through a difficult decision or work out a problem with policy, someone to listen when he was ready to throw one of the other lords out the window. It still has its awkward moments, of course it does, even after a few months they're still working out how they fit together as a couple, or something like it, but Aymeric can't deny that it's nice, too.
He's vaguely aware of Sae's presence in the doorway, but he just needs to get one last paragraph finished and he's almost done. He does set his pen down when the tea appears in his peripheral vision, and he looks up with a grateful smile.
"It's not exciting at all." He replies dryly "Unfortunately it needs doing."
To be certain, there are going to be some changes around the manor. Little things here and there are already happening; Sae isn't going to turn the entire place upside down and change everything in Aymeric's life all at once. But, one of the things that Sae doesn't like about Ishgard is how utterly and completely drab it is. Dark colors, dark woods, blah blah blah. He can't live like this. It's bad enough he must suffer the infernal cold while he's here, he can't look at baroque wallpaper another second.
But, that will all come in due time. Probably to Aymeric's chagrin, but it'll be fine. Probably.
He rests against the edge of the desk where it appears a done stack of is resting. The unruly part of him wants to toss them all in the fire because Aymeric works too much on silly things, but he wouldn't do that. ( Probably. )
His thumb rubs against the handle of the teacup as his attention shifts to some papers sitting nearby. A moment passes and he moves to rifle the papers sitting there with a soft hum. "While we may only be husbands in name only, you are still a dear friend. And, as your friend it is my duty to see you not overwork yourself." He taps the papers back into alignment. "I think it's time to find you some sort of assistant."
Aymeric only just keeps himself from wincing. It's not like he disagrees, but there's something about Sae bringing it up that feels... awkward, somehow. He can't quite put his finger on what bothers him about it, but there's something.
The suggestion earns a hum of acknowledgement as Aymeric leans back a little in his chair. He sips the tea with a faintly pleased expression - it's nice to have someone bring him tea just because he looked like he needed it. Oh, he could ring for a servant to bring him some any time he liked, but that's not the same.
"Unfortunately, a great deal of this requires personal attention." He says regretfully - if he could hand it off to someone else, he would.
(Except he probably wouldn't, he's so used to having a hand in everything going on it would feel strange to not need to)
Aymeric might not realize that relaxation looks good on him; he'd wear it well if he just allowed himself the time. It's been an idle thought before, but now that they're sharing a living space with one another, Sae can see much more of Aymeric's day-to-day and can tell he throws too much of himself into work he doesn't need to. He wonders if it's just to avoid idleness or intrusive thoughts or perhaps a mixture of both. Looking at him now in the soft warm glow of the flickering firelight and scattered candles with that gentle look upon his handsome features, Sae can't help but feel a bit guilty for depriving someone the opportunity of truly appreciating it the way it should be.
A lofty sigh follows the small, amused roll of his eyes. "If anyone knows the amount of nonsense that statement is, Aymeric, it's me."
Warrior of light, savior of blah blah, runner of fetch quests. "I've unwillingly saved Eorzea more times than I ever imagined and do you know how many times I've had to deliver vegetables?" He waves a hand almost dismissively over the papers. "It takes more than one person to keep a city running." He fixes a look on Aymeric, studying him quietly for a few moments. "It gets rather lonely shouldering everything alone."
Aymeric looks faintly offended at Sae's dismissing of the many demands on his time, though it softens into something more rueful as the warrior continues. Of course Sae would understand being the person everyone turns to, the one they expect to solve every problem. Thinking about it, this marriage might actually be a bit of a break for him, a chance to get that rest his friends were always trying to push on him.
If only Aymeric were so lucky...
"And what do you suggest?" he asks, soft and genuine "It is not as though there are many clamouring to help me shoulder it."
They all want to have the power, want their voices and ideas heard, but none of them want the responsibility of making those ideas work, of deciding between them. Of course, he knows he isn't actually doing everything himself... but sometimes it feels like it.
There's a glint to his eyes as he smiles behind the rim of his teacup, opting to take a sip of the tea rather than respond at first. The cup gets set down beside him on Aymeric's desk and he folds his hands together against his thigh. "Am I invisible? Is Lucia? I'm sure even you are aware of those here that do not simply want a title and truly wish to help."
He pushes up from his lean and steps a little closer to the fire. It's abysmally cold in Ishgard and he yearns for his oasis on the beach in Shirogane as he rubs his hands together then holds them out to leech the warmth. And it is that line of thinking that gives him an idea. Sae's lips around into an o-shape and he pauses for a moment before turning to face Aymeric again.
"When was the last time you left this dreary place for something other than business?" His brows lift as he taps a finger against his chin. "My guess is never."
"No, neither you nor Lucia are invisible." Aymeric agrees, soft amusement in his voice. Sae is right, of course, but Aymeric has convinced himself that everybody who would wish to help all have full plates themselves - being the warrior of light drags Sae the length and breadth of Eorzea and beyond, and Aymeric wouldn't wish to ask yet more of him when he's already done so much, and Lucia has mostly taken over command of the temple knights and he knows well how demanding that job can be.
Still, perhaps he should give greater consideration to the support he has around him.
He turns slightly in his chair, watches Sae as he warms himself and feels a flash of guilt. He's used to the cold winters of Ishgard, but Sae is not. He makes a mental note to ensure they order more wood for the fires, wonders if he ought to buy more warm clothing for his husband, if perhaps he should be the one bringing warm drinks. The musing is interrupted by the question and he glances up, opening his mouth to reply and then closing it again.
After a long, telling moment, his shoulders slump a little in defeat.
"I must confess, you have the right of it." He admits "Though I do object to my beautiful city being termed dreary, 'tis true I have only had occasion to leave it when necessity demanded."
He's travelled as a knight, as lord commander, as lord speaker... but never as Aymeric.
Yes, he absolutely should. Sae has the fortune of calling upon the Scions whenever he needs a little extra help, but he wonders if Aymeric has such a thing. Certainly, there must be someone besides Lucia. And as dear as Sae holds Estinien, well. Now that he knows the man far better than he had when he first began his travels around Coerthas, he certainly wouldn't trust him with anything more... economically focused. But, he makes a note to seek his council anyway. If anyone ( besides himself, of course ) deserve to have their plate cleared more, it's Aymeric.
This is why a little, almost secretive sort of smile begins to pull up his lips when he sees the opening and closing of his mouth and that air of defeat curling his broad, proud shoulders. And, okay, it isn't that he despises Ishgard or anything, but the weather leaves something to be desired. It's cold. All the time! And, truthfully, Sae's wardrobe isn't really suited for colder climes. ( Not that he's opposed to getting a new one, but that's beside the point!! He shouldn't have to keep a fire burning in his hearth year-round!! )
"As I thought." He holds up two fingers to make a point. "You've two days to get your affairs in order, then we're going on a short vacation." Somewhere much, much warmer; he folds his arms low over his torso. "I won't take no for an answer."
After all, it's not like they had a honeymoon or anything. They deserve this.
Aymeric once again opens his mouth to protest only to find that the words won't quite come. He closes it again with a frown, actually considering the offer - the demand, really.
That's the sort of thing one is supposed to do with husbands, isn't it? That's the entire reason he always thought it wasn't fair of him to have one, he wouldn't be able to give them the time, the attention they deserved. He thought it would be different with Sae, and perhaps it is, but that doesn't mean it's entirely fair to expect him to just hover round the house all day until he can go back to adventuring without it causing some kind of diplomatic bother. Rest is one thing, but so used to travelling as he is the De Borel manor must be stifling, restrictive.
All the people who insisted upon the marriage must understand, Aymeric reasons to himself, that it's a partnership, however political it might have been, and they aren't going to get all the benefits they've been hoping for if the warrior of light is unhappy. Ergo, it's perfectly reasonable for Aymeric to take a trip at his husband's insistence.
He is quiet for a long moment, but eventually he nods.
"Since there is only one answer to give, I shall give it. Very well."
Well, if Aymeric truly did not wish to go, Sae would have dropped the idea. Or, well, for them both; he likely would've gone by himself. If only for a change of scenery and some warmth and sun. He can only enjoy the Snowsoak Springs but so much as it's no real replacement for the beach. And while he doesn't mind, necessarily, spending time puttering around the manor and putting his redecorating skill to good use, he wants to enjoy himself in places that he merely saw in passing due to constant war on the horizon.
And to be able to enjoy it with a friend...
Still, when Aymeric gives in, he smiles rather brightly and rubs his hands together ( because he's pleased, not just because he's still cold ). "I thought you'd see things my way."
He returns to the desk just long enough to gather his cup and saucer before shifting closer and resting a hand against Aymeric's shoulder. "Though, I meant what I intended before; if you're in need of help," and he gives a small, affectionate squeeze, "simply ask."
Americ huffs a soft laugh, amused and unexpectedly fond. Adjusting to married life has been difficult, a little complicated, but he can't forget that Sae is a friend, and it really doesn't seem as though their union is going to get in the way of that. If anything, it has made it much less difficult and complicated than it could have been.
(It's just friendship, that glow of warmth he feels, he's just happy that someone cares about him, that's all)
He smiles a little at the offer, nodding.
"I will endeavour to do so." He promises, because it's clear that worrying he's asking too much of Sae is his problem, although... "As long as you promise you will feel free to tell me know if you wish to. Any aid I ask of you is a request, not a demand."
Yeah, Sae is on the same page as that: it's just friendship. This isn't what he wanted out of married life, but he's doing the best with the hand he's been dealt and that's simply all he can do. All they can do. At least Sae knows and trusts Aymeric, and that isn't something he gives so freely. But, without a doubt, Sae knows he'll be treated well regardless of the lack of romance.
Without really meaning to or knowing what he's doing, Sae's finger curls through the hair at the nape of Aymeric's neck before he pulls back into his own space. A small, yet knife-edge sharp smile tugs at one side of his mouth. "I think you know me well enough to know I never do anything I don't want to."
Aymeric leans into the touch almost unconsciously, he doesn't even entirely register it until suddenly it's gone and he feels the loss more keenly than he probably should. He isn't sure what to do with that feeling, so he carefully ignores it.
He smiles slightly, tilting his head to acknowledge the statement.
"Aye, that's true enough." He agrees, amused and vaguely fond.
"Well, there's little that can be done by anyone to help with this," he waves a hand at the paperwork he'd been so recently hunched over "but the tea, and the company, have restored my spirits considerably, so perhaps that's help enough."
He has taken the words to heart, though, and he will consider ways to prevent quite so much of this sort of thing from crossing his desk.
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well, the "wedded bliss" part is a little bit of a lie... it's not really anything remotely close to that.
when sae looked to the future to have someone at his side, he'd always imagined being madly in love — just like his parents, they were the blueprint for him for what love could truly be — and feeling complete with his fated other half. once, he had thought he'd found that, found someone to make his heart flutter and his stomach swoop, someone who saw past his sometimes biting remarks and his pretty face. but, life is often very cruel and teaches the worst lessons in the most unfair of ways.
but, he had soldiered on because that's what he was meant to do. is meant to do. what choice does he have? it's not like he can walk away when everything keeps falling to absolute shite. no matter how often he might think of doing just that.
so, when he's approached ( cornered, really ) by an assorted enclave of stately officials and friends alike, and offered a deal it seems that he's unable to refuse, he learns once again that life is so very, very cruel. an alignment, a bolstering of resources, an allyship of strength and encouragement. a something, something, something — after a while, sae had stopped listening and just heard a low ringing sound for the rest of the conversation. seems that even his own life is no longer actually his own.
that's not to say that he has any ill feelings toward aymeric or anything of the sort. far from it; he enjoyed the time they spent together and whether aymeric likes it or not, sae does consider him a friend. in fact, he's one of the few that sae still occasionally writes letters while out on his adventures. however, agreeing to marry so arbitrarily... it just seems so uncharacteristic of him. sae trusts him enough to believe there's nothing duplicitous about the arrangement, but...
well, he finds it a little bit disappointing.
where once he'd thought there'd be someone placing a ring on his finger ( pear-shape, modified brilliant cut stone, phrygian gold band — he's thought about it enough ), it winds up being tataru who drops by one afternoon with a box that has a very... basic looking ring inside and sae has to put it on by himself. he tries it on long after she leaves and he's so disappointed by it, he simply packs it away with the rest of his jewelry and doesn't think about it again. dramatic? perhaps a little. but, as he tells anyone who questions while they help move him to frigidly cold ishgard: he doesn't want to risk losing or damaging it in all the hubbub. it seems to satisfy some curious glances.
the wedding itself is a grand affair befitting of the lord commander and the warrior of light/dark/et cetera. it's beautiful, if sae says so himself ( and he does, he's questioned enough about it, as if he or aymeric had any sort of choice in the dΓ©cor, food, location, even their finery. it's grand and opulent — things that sae likes and does enjoy — but it isn't him at all. and considering what he knows of aymeric, it isn't him, either. sae knows that there are worse people to be bound to, but he also can't help but feel guilt along with remorse over not being truly in love with his intended. he's no idea if aymeric feels the same, sae's never asked. likely because he just doesn't want to hear the answer, no matter how comforting it would be to know he wasn't alone.
except, that's exactly what he is as he tucks into a huge bed by himself, alone, on his wedding night. and every night for the next handful of months.
it's an adjustment, to be sure, but it takes little time for sae to acclimate to life as aymeric's partner; he much prefers the day to day minutiae of political bantering than clamoring through the muck and underbrush. so, he's happy to lend an ear when he can tell aymeric has reached his limit with paperwork and requests.
tonight is one such occasion; sae makes an extra cup of tea and makes his way to the study, greeted by a warm, crackling fire and a pen nib scratching across paper. he pauses in the doorway for a moment, watching, before quietly crossing the room to set the cup and saucer on the desk. )
You'll ruin your eyes working this late in this light. ( he lifts his own cup to take a small drink from it. ) It cannot be that exciting.
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Or so he'd thought. Estinien cared about him, in his way, but that care had not been enough to hold him, and when the war ended and he was freed of his thirst for vengeance, what could Aymeric do but let him go?
It was easy, then, to throw himself back into his work. Rebuilding Ishgard without the Archbishop, without the war, it took so much of his time that he could remind himself, again, that love was probably better left to other people.
Maybe that's why he agreed to it. Or maybe it was just because the other Lords of the House would not shut up about it. Either way, he really could see the benefits of the proposal, and while he had received other offers they tended to come from power-hungry families looking to further their own goals, which Aymeric wouldn't countenance, or hopeless romantics with optimistic fantasies that Aymeric knew would never be a reality. Better the former be thwarted and the latter find somebody more suited to their dreamy ideals. This proposal, however, was for the good of Ishgard, and didn't Aymeric do everything he could for the good of Ishgard?
(It didn't hurt that Sae was a friend, and a friend with enough of his own life that Aymeric wouldn't feel too bad about being so caught up in his. Once the marriage was settled, he'd tell the adventurer he could go off and continue to save the world, as long as he came back regularly enough to satisfy the House, then they could both just get on with their lives)
Mostly, though, he'd agreed to it because he didn't think his agreement would actually change anything - he'd considered how it would go, the best case scenario, but ultimately he assumed it would never go ahead because Sae would never agree to it. And then he did, and Aymeric was frankly baffled who managed to talk him into it.
Suddenly Aymeric was swept up in a flurry of wedding planning and negotiations that mostly consisted of people telling him what was going to happen. It was the strangest feeling, suddenly being surrounded by people who could get things done without his every input, and yet for once he really wished they wouldn't. At one point he completely escaped and the planning continued without him, he wasn't sure they'd even noticed him gone. That was the day he'd gone wandering the Crozier and found the most beautiful ring. He'd bought it on a whim, thinking that Sae deserved some part of this to be done properly, and he could insist upon delivering it himself, and perhaps take the chance to actually talk to his betrothed about the whole thing.
Then he'd been told that a ring had already been sent, and anyway he couldn't go anywhere because there was some issue with grain delivery that he had to untangle and the ring he bought was tucked away in his desk drawer, waiting for an opportunity that still hadn't come.
The wedding was lavish and beautiful and not at all what he would have chosen for himself, and there was something inescapably awkward about it, he barely got to speak to his husband and spent most of the time politely accepting congratulations and well wishes as though either of them had really chosen this. It felt like being in a play.
He'd arranged for Sae to have his own room at the De Borel manor, this was a political match and Aymeric wouldn't force the adventurer to pretend otherwise, he thought perhaps Sae would be more comfortable having his own space. He'd had it decorated, ready to move in, but he'd been quick to tell Sae he could change anything about it if he wanted, that he should do whatever he needed to make the room, the whole manor even, feel like his home.
It's more comfortable than he thought it would be, having someone else in his house, somebody to join him for dinner and help him talk through a difficult decision or work out a problem with policy, someone to listen when he was ready to throw one of the other lords out the window. It still has its awkward moments, of course it does, even after a few months they're still working out how they fit together as a couple, or something like it, but Aymeric can't deny that it's nice, too.
He's vaguely aware of Sae's presence in the doorway, but he just needs to get one last paragraph finished and he's almost done. He does set his pen down when the tea appears in his peripheral vision, and he looks up with a grateful smile.
"It's not exciting at all." He replies dryly "Unfortunately it needs doing."
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But, that will all come in due time. Probably to Aymeric's chagrin, but it'll be fine. Probably.
He rests against the edge of the desk where it appears a done stack of is resting. The unruly part of him wants to toss them all in the fire because Aymeric works too much on silly things, but he wouldn't do that. ( Probably. )
His thumb rubs against the handle of the teacup as his attention shifts to some papers sitting nearby. A moment passes and he moves to rifle the papers sitting there with a soft hum. "While we may only be husbands in name only, you are still a dear friend. And, as your friend it is my duty to see you not overwork yourself." He taps the papers back into alignment. "I think it's time to find you some sort of assistant."
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Husbands in name only
Aymeric only just keeps himself from wincing. It's not like he disagrees, but there's something about Sae bringing it up that feels... awkward, somehow. He can't quite put his finger on what bothers him about it, but there's something.
The suggestion earns a hum of acknowledgement as Aymeric leans back a little in his chair. He sips the tea with a faintly pleased expression - it's nice to have someone bring him tea just because he looked like he needed it. Oh, he could ring for a servant to bring him some any time he liked, but that's not the same.
"Unfortunately, a great deal of this requires personal attention." He says regretfully - if he could hand it off to someone else, he would.
(Except he probably wouldn't, he's so used to having a hand in everything going on it would feel strange to not need to)
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A lofty sigh follows the small, amused roll of his eyes. "If anyone knows the amount of nonsense that statement is, Aymeric, it's me."
Warrior of light, savior of blah blah, runner of fetch quests. "I've unwillingly saved Eorzea more times than I ever imagined and do you know how many times I've had to deliver vegetables?" He waves a hand almost dismissively over the papers. "It takes more than one person to keep a city running." He fixes a look on Aymeric, studying him quietly for a few moments. "It gets rather lonely shouldering everything alone."
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Aymeric looks faintly offended at Sae's dismissing of the many demands on his time, though it softens into something more rueful as the warrior continues. Of course Sae would understand being the person everyone turns to, the one they expect to solve every problem. Thinking about it, this marriage might actually be a bit of a break for him, a chance to get that rest his friends were always trying to push on him.
If only Aymeric were so lucky...
"And what do you suggest?" he asks, soft and genuine "It is not as though there are many clamouring to help me shoulder it."
They all want to have the power, want their voices and ideas heard, but none of them want the responsibility of making those ideas work, of deciding between them. Of course, he knows he isn't actually doing everything himself... but sometimes it feels like it.
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He pushes up from his lean and steps a little closer to the fire. It's abysmally cold in Ishgard and he yearns for his oasis on the beach in Shirogane as he rubs his hands together then holds them out to leech the warmth. And it is that line of thinking that gives him an idea. Sae's lips around into an o-shape and he pauses for a moment before turning to face Aymeric again.
"When was the last time you left this dreary place for something other than business?" His brows lift as he taps a finger against his chin. "My guess is never."
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"No, neither you nor Lucia are invisible." Aymeric agrees, soft amusement in his voice. Sae is right, of course, but Aymeric has convinced himself that everybody who would wish to help all have full plates themselves - being the warrior of light drags Sae the length and breadth of Eorzea and beyond, and Aymeric wouldn't wish to ask yet more of him when he's already done so much, and Lucia has mostly taken over command of the temple knights and he knows well how demanding that job can be.
Still, perhaps he should give greater consideration to the support he has around him.
He turns slightly in his chair, watches Sae as he warms himself and feels a flash of guilt. He's used to the cold winters of Ishgard, but Sae is not. He makes a mental note to ensure they order more wood for the fires, wonders if he ought to buy more warm clothing for his husband, if perhaps he should be the one bringing warm drinks. The musing is interrupted by the question and he glances up, opening his mouth to reply and then closing it again.
After a long, telling moment, his shoulders slump a little in defeat.
"I must confess, you have the right of it." He admits "Though I do object to my beautiful city being termed dreary, 'tis true I have only had occasion to leave it when necessity demanded."
He's travelled as a knight, as lord commander, as lord speaker... but never as Aymeric.
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This is why a little, almost secretive sort of smile begins to pull up his lips when he sees the opening and closing of his mouth and that air of defeat curling his broad, proud shoulders. And, okay, it isn't that he despises Ishgard or anything, but the weather leaves something to be desired. It's cold. All the time! And, truthfully, Sae's wardrobe isn't really suited for colder climes. ( Not that he's opposed to getting a new one, but that's beside the point!! He shouldn't have to keep a fire burning in his hearth year-round!! )
"As I thought." He holds up two fingers to make a point. "You've two days to get your affairs in order, then we're going on a short vacation." Somewhere much, much warmer; he folds his arms low over his torso. "I won't take no for an answer."
After all, it's not like they had a honeymoon or anything. They deserve this.
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Aymeric once again opens his mouth to protest only to find that the words won't quite come. He closes it again with a frown, actually considering the offer - the demand, really.
That's the sort of thing one is supposed to do with husbands, isn't it? That's the entire reason he always thought it wasn't fair of him to have one, he wouldn't be able to give them the time, the attention they deserved. He thought it would be different with Sae, and perhaps it is, but that doesn't mean it's entirely fair to expect him to just hover round the house all day until he can go back to adventuring without it causing some kind of diplomatic bother. Rest is one thing, but so used to travelling as he is the De Borel manor must be stifling, restrictive.
All the people who insisted upon the marriage must understand, Aymeric reasons to himself, that it's a partnership, however political it might have been, and they aren't going to get all the benefits they've been hoping for if the warrior of light is unhappy. Ergo, it's perfectly reasonable for Aymeric to take a trip at his husband's insistence.
He is quiet for a long moment, but eventually he nods.
"Since there is only one answer to give, I shall give it. Very well."
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And to be able to enjoy it with a friend...
Still, when Aymeric gives in, he smiles rather brightly and rubs his hands together ( because he's pleased, not just because he's still cold ). "I thought you'd see things my way."
He returns to the desk just long enough to gather his cup and saucer before shifting closer and resting a hand against Aymeric's shoulder. "Though, I meant what I intended before; if you're in need of help," and he gives a small, affectionate squeeze, "simply ask."
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Americ huffs a soft laugh, amused and unexpectedly fond. Adjusting to married life has been difficult, a little complicated, but he can't forget that Sae is a friend, and it really doesn't seem as though their union is going to get in the way of that. If anything, it has made it much less difficult and complicated than it could have been.
(It's just friendship, that glow of warmth he feels, he's just happy that someone cares about him, that's all)
He smiles a little at the offer, nodding.
"I will endeavour to do so." He promises, because it's clear that worrying he's asking too much of Sae is his problem, although... "As long as you promise you will feel free to tell me know if you wish to. Any aid I ask of you is a request, not a demand."
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Without really meaning to or knowing what he's doing, Sae's finger curls through the hair at the nape of Aymeric's neck before he pulls back into his own space. A small, yet knife-edge sharp smile tugs at one side of his mouth. "I think you know me well enough to know I never do anything I don't want to."
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Aymeric leans into the touch almost unconsciously, he doesn't even entirely register it until suddenly it's gone and he feels the loss more keenly than he probably should. He isn't sure what to do with that feeling, so he carefully ignores it.
He smiles slightly, tilting his head to acknowledge the statement.
"Aye, that's true enough." He agrees, amused and vaguely fond.
"Well, there's little that can be done by anyone to help with this," he waves a hand at the paperwork he'd been so recently hunched over "but the tea, and the company, have restored my spirits considerably, so perhaps that's help enough."
He has taken the words to heart, though, and he will consider ways to prevent quite so much of this sort of thing from crossing his desk.
"I don't have much more to do, at least."