I would like to thank Yoshi-P and the FFXIV development team for creating content specifically aimed at me:
I am a librarian.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH BULLSHIT I DEAL WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS EVEN MORE SO WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF MY LIVELIHOOD I WILL BE BEATING PEOPLE WITH THE APPROPRIATE BOOKS DESIGNATED FOR WEAPONRY ON GODS
(real talk for a moment. Support your local public library. We are under heavy fire and the censorship bullshit that's happening in school libraries is starting to nibble around the edges at us. We just barely got a reprieve for federal funding but now we're fighting again for the next amount of federal funding and on the local level a lot of our budgets are getting slashed right down to the bone.)
Thalia's activity for the afternoon consisted of furiously pacing back and forth in her Free Company room. She was far too preoccupied with a certain issue rattling around in her brain.
Sebastian Astralyas was out of his damn mind.
Grilling her over Augustine like this was some sort of interrogation. And who was he to look so smug? As if any mention of this 'Brucie' of his didn't have him looking at either her or Klynt with murderous intent.
If he was allowed to keep his affairs close to vest, so was she.
And what was that about? Trying to find some correlation between their sparring session and Augustine finding himself at a brothel?
For all she knew, that could have been his plan for that day anyway, and he was simply sidetracked by their sparring match.
'Which to some Ishgardians can be considered foreplay.'
Thalia pinched her nose with a frustrated sigh as Sebastian's words pinged around in her head again. Maybe she should send a letter to Guydelot and Sanson, telling them that Sebastian would love to learn about the bardic arts under their tutelage after all. Just to spite him.
'At least I didn't make him break church vows', came more of his words to memory.
Thalia huffed.
Fine. So she liked Augustine. So she found him considerably attractive. It was hardly news. If what Klynt said was anything to go by, she wasn't the first. She wouldn't be the last. And there was no indication that the sentiment was shared, despite Sebastian's insistence to the contrary. And even if there was, so what? What would that even mean exactly?
It'd mean you'd have to do something about it, said a sing-song voice in her head that sounded suspiciously close to Klynt's.
Twelve damn them both. Assholes.
The idea that Augustine broke some sort of vow of celibacy simply because she had gotten him worked up from a single fight was ridiculous. Ludicrous. Absolutely unheard of.
Besides.....
The fact that she had even developed a crush on him based on his Bloodsands persona felt.....wrong. Especially now, having actually had the chance to know the man behind the shield.
How was she any better than the numerous onlookers who sought out the Bloodsands for entertainment? He had sought them out as a means to escape from his horrid family and life back in Ishgard.
Not to mention, spat a nastier voice in her mind that wasn't Klynt's, how would it look? He'd gotten away from nobility in Ishgard, and you'd burden him with your silly little crush? You, a daughter of nobles?
Running her hands over her face, Thalia turned on her heel and marched to her desk, pulling out a sheet of paper, an inkwell, and her quill.
This whole matter was going to be settled one way or another. She would meet with him again. They would get on like they usually did, and the whole thing would be put to rest.
And if it wasn't, well.....she'd cross that bridge when she'd get there.
Pen in hand, she scratched out a quick note, trying to keep her words as casual as possible.
.
.
.
Augustine,
I'm sorry to hear about your injury during your time in Coerthas. If you're up for it, we could have another friendly sparring session to work out any stiff muscles you gained from bedrest.
If you're stuck in the infirmary, I'm willing to wager you've gone a bit stir crazy. And if not, well, you owe me a rematch anyway.
When you're fully recovered of course. I'm in no hurry to get on your brother's bad side.
