to people who don't know and wonder why i constantly talk about my broken ankle arc, it's not just because my ankle broken but it was also broken while i lived with my two exes who were dating each other and who got engaged while i was stuck in the house unable to work or even think about moving out yet because my ankle was broken from a fucking rollerskate of all things
"I wonder what Rael‘s doing now…", A'viloh said twisting a straw of dry savannah grass in his hand.
Thancred, who was sitting beside him on the ground, pretended to feel hurt. "You know, you can tell me if you’d rather spent time with Rael instead of me!"
This had not been what A'viloh was trying to say, he gladly spent time with Thancred, especially if it meant that he didn’t have to work alone. The question had been more a desperate attempt to make conversation while they waited for their target.
It was weird how quickly A’viloh had grown accustomed to Rael and their… unique attitude. He couldn’t help but wonder what teamwork between them and Yda and Papalymo would look like. Minfilia had decided to send Rael back to Gridania together with the two Scions to keep an eye on the Ixal. Meanwhile she wanted A'viloh and Thancred to investigate several suspicious robberies and disappearances around Camp Drybone in Eastern Thanalan. After some investigations a trap had been planned and so now the two of them sat here waiting for something to happen…
A'viloh chuckled nervously feeling a little embarrassed by Thancred’s comment. "No, I think I like it better here than in Gridania. Thanalan‘s my home after all…"
"And the company is a lot more friendly, right?", Thancred suggested, self-confident as always.
A'viloh laughed and shook his head. "That’s not nice, Rael can be quite friendly as well when they want to…"
Thancred furrowed his brow. "Excuse me if I find that hard to believe. All they ever do when I‘m around is glower at me…"
A'viloh nodded with a grin on his face. "I know too well how you feel…"
"So… you’re from around here? Where exactly?", Thancred asked changing the subject.
"Oh, not really here.", A'viloh shook his head. "I lived at the Silver Bazaar before going to Ul'dah."
"The Silver Bazaar?", the Hyur asked in disbelief. "I don’t remember ever seeing a Miqo'te there, let alone one so striking."
A'viloh was a little too busy wondering if this had been a compliment or not to make a up a convincing lie, so he answered honestly instead. "I didn’t live there much longer than a year maybe..."
"Oh? Where did you come from then?", Thancred asked looking genuinely curious.
It wasn't exactly a topic A'viloh felt comfortable with but of course he'd never say that, so he tried to remain as vague as possible. "Further south..."
"South?", the Hyur asked and seemed surprised. "I don't know of any Miqo'te clans to the south except some in the desert. But these don't fit your name as far as I know.", Thancred wondered aloud and quite correctly so too.
A'viloh couldn’t help but feel a little interrogated. "I was not actually born there. It is complicated…", he said and looked to the ground hesitantly. Nothing from his gloomy past seemed exactly suitable to have a nice conversation about.
"Oh, I‘m sorry.", Thancred answered, apparently finally getting the hint. "I didn’t mean to pry. Force of habit, you know?"
For a while they just sat there silently waiting for their target. A'viloh slowly started to get impatient and the silence between them now even felt more awkward to him than before. Thancred however didn’t seem bothered at all by it and just attentively observed their surroundings.
After another moment he seemed to notice that the Miqo'te was getting a little antsy, so he cheerfully exclaimed. "I thought I looked a little stupid in this disguise.", he gestured at the ragged, old clothes both of them were wearing. "But I have to say, A'viloh, you look great even in that!"
Certainly not used to such compliments, or any compliments at all for that matter, A'viloh didn’t really know how to react. He felt his face heat up a little and hoped that he wasn’t visibly blushing. "Don’t worry, you don’t look that stupid either."
"That’s very kind of you!", the Hyur laughed and then added winking at A'viloh. "Somehow that outfit really brings out the pretty color of your eyes."
This time the Miqo'te was sure his face turned red as a Rolanberry. Why did Thancred say things like that? A‘viloh couldn’t help but feel teased and embarrassed. Maybe it wasn't even a weird compliment after all but a strange joke? "Now you‘re making fun of me!", he exclaimed.
"Just a little…", Thancred chuckled. "It‘s too funny how easily you get flustered."
"Haha yes, very funny indeed.", A'viloh replied but didn’t find it funny at all.
"I’m sorry!", Thancred said and then pointed towards the horizon. "Look! Maybe this will cheer you up. No place beats Thanalan's sunsets!"
A'viloh followed his gaze towards the horizon, where the bright warm sun of Thanalan started to paint the sky in different hues of orange, red and purple. It looked truly as beautiful as ever...
The Miqo'te sighed sadly as he remembered how in Little Ala Mhigo Laqa and him often had spent the afternoons under a gnarled, old tree outside of town and watched the sun set over the ruins of the ancient Belah‘dian temple nearby. In a town such as Little Ala Mhigo, where privacy was a luxurious good none could afford, it had been one of the few precious moments with just the two of them alone.
It felt forever ago and just like yesterday at the same time…
"Why so sad? Don't you find it pretty?", Thancred asked as he noticed the Miqo'te‘s face.
Quickly A'viloh tried to blink back the tears, which had started to form in his eyes, and put on a forced smile. "Oh yes, it’s very pretty.", he said but even to himself his voice did not sound very convincing.
Thancred eyed him skeptically for a moment but didn’t say anything and then returned his gaze to the horizon. A'viloh glanced at him wondering if he now had ruined their conversation entirely. He couldn't help but notice how the setting sun gave the Hyur‘s white hair a warm glow and made his tired face seem a lot healthier. Under other circumstances maybe this situation would be quite romantic but right now A‘viloh only felt horrible and treacherous for even noticing things like this.
Then he heard Thancred sigh and saw that he was looking at him again. "Don’t look at me so! I really didn’t mean to make fun of you earlier!", he said apologetically. "I honestly think you look-"
Abruptly he fell silent and listened carefully. A'viloh with his Miqo'te ears could easily hear it too. He knew that someone was approaching them by the sound of his footsteps alone, even before he turned to see the hooded man that walked towards them.
