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[tilfrosset]

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id: gruffier

[gruffier]

[ this may come as a bit of a surprise, but after his discussion with Cid he almost immediately took to his shellphone after some consideration to write her a message- ]

I [ Founder, where does he even begin? He would simply say what was on his mind. Nice and slowly, in true Clive fashion. ] was just thinking about you and thought to send you a message

[ Even though they had just seen one another the night before. But still. It's how he truly felt. ]

I hope that your day fares well

[tilfrosset]

[This is a surprise. Both because Jill has never actually gotten a message on her shellphone before today so the notification sound startles her and because she didn't expect the first message to be from Clive. But the shock quickly wears off as she reads the message and smiles to herself, slowly typing in a response.]

It is more likely to go well now that I've heard from you. And yours?

[gruffier]

[ It was already an odd thing to use this device, but to use it in this sort of manner? Messaging Jill out of the blue? He felt both silly for taking so long to finally do it, and for how he seemed to hold his breath while waiting for a reply...

Yet it did come, and he could hardly conceal the boyish grin from the other end of it. ]

That's good to hear. [ Or... see? Forgive him, he's trying- ]

A bit more exciting than anticipated, but nothing I can't handle.

[ He won't go into anything too specific, especially with his new reading material. ]

text.

[starshower]

[A couple of days after this exchange, Jill will receive a text as promised.]

Just made it to Eltrut safe and sound. I should be at the Dragon's Milk in an hour or so. Got a few things I wanna pick up on the way while I'm here. Is that enough time to meet you?

[tilfrosset]

Yes, that will be enough time for me. There is no rush.

[Which isn't quite true. She's anxious over how Tifa will see her after everything is said and done, so the longer Tifa takes the more time Jill has to imagine the worst. It's one thing to be willing to come out and admit she's a Dominant. It's another to confess to all her crimes that came along with that role.]

[starshower]

I'm going to grab some treats from Bluetooth on the way, too. I hope she likes them.

[She has to pick up some food for the cat anyway, so might as well do it while she's here. She is none the wiser to Jill's feelings, but she still won't keep her waiting for very long, appearing in the doorway of the Dragon's Milk and searching for her, if she's already there. She has several large bags in her arms, though, all skillfully balanced but still a hassle to peer over.]

< winterstide gift >

[ramuhs]

[HAPPY WINTERSTIDE JILL.

Jill find a small package in front of her door, and inside will be a new romance adventure novel (not erotica, it's a genuinely good book that she would enjoy and not want to toss into the fire—) and some scented candles that are said to help her relax.

Also, a bag of cat treats.

Included is a small card.]

Jill,

I am grateful that you've stuck with Clive through these past years, and I can only ask that you continue to stay by his side in the future — be it here or Valisthea. Just don't be afraid to smack him, he could use it.

But I also want you to be able to live a life of your own choosing and enjoy the things you weren't able to before. Regardless of what you may think, you deserve that much.

Hope the book is to your liking. If not, can exchange it for something else.

Cid

P.S. You actually have another gift, and that's in the form of a special cat tree for Bluetooth. Let me know when I can install it.

[ramuhs]

[No context, just a little something that Cid was gifted and is going to share with everyone. Thank Cloud for this.]

[tilfrosset]

[No, Cid. You don't just get to drop something like this in her shellphone inbox and expect her to not have questions. A lot of questions. Like what's a guh-nome to begin with?]

Cid?

[ramuhs]

Jill?

text;

[phoenixdominant]

Jill, are you busy? May I ask you a personal question?

text;

[tilfrosset]

I'm not. You can ask me anything you want. What is it?

[phoenixdominant]

Thank you. I apologize if this is forward.

When you and Clive confessed your feelings for one another, how did you feel? Was it something like a pinch in your chest?

text;

[gruffier]

[ IT'S COMING FULL CIRCLE now that Cid has reached out to complicate things. ]

Your "innocent" inquiry has made Cid grow suspicious. Worse still he's decided to dump a morbol-sized list onto my lap of food preferences.

text;

[tilfrosset]

All I asked him was a simple question to figure out what cake he would enjoy the most and he had to go and make an issue of it.

Turns out he doesn't care for cake as much as I thought.

[gruffier]

He never did make things easy. But Cid did mentioned a number of sweets to me. Cakes being among those.

... And pie, puddings, and cookies, as well.

[ Really. It was a whole lot. ]

Turns out he may have a bigger sweet tooth than he lead you to believe.

Backdated » Morning of Jill's birthday

[gruffier]

[ Clive had gone to the market well before the sun had risen, if only to be the first in line the moment the baker should open their doors for the day. Fresh baked bread in hand and an apple jam from their preferred vendor (one to best compliment the taste, he noted) was gathered and returned in the quiet of the morning.

Torgal had raised his head from his slumber as the man collected himself about the kitchen, tilting it to the side when the smell of food began to fill the air around them. He was preparing a dish- a simple one at that- no less lavish than the meals that were presented in the Duchy, but with every bit of love Clive could muster into his callused hands. An egg tart, or what it was suppose to be as it rather scrambled near the end, had been placed on a plate along with the previously acquired bread and jam. To top off the ensemble lied fresh fruit and a pitcher of water which the man had tucked under his arm for his departure towards his destination.

A very special meal for a very special day. Jill's Name Day.

Clive had bid the wolfhound farewell with a nod, his arms rightfully preoccupied, and left to travel towards the room where he had hoped the guest of honor had not yet made a meal of her own. He had calculated this time with the sun- perhaps she was not awake yet?

There was only one way to tell as with his elbow extended he tapped against the wood two or three times. ]

A delivery, My Lady. [ Clive calls out. Loud enough to be heard from the other side of the door, but not loud enough to wake the other patrons of the roost. ]

[tilfrosset]

[It's been so long, so many years, since she last had a proper celebration of her nameday that Jill is expecting of nothing. Not even a verbal acknowledgement of the event, really, and to be honest, it's all right by her. She's just happy to mark another year of surviving in better days than marking off another summer in a living nightmare.

But there are no nightmares today, just a light and lazy snooze as Jill takes a little more time in bed to mark the occasion. Usually she's up with the sun, doing her usual daily chores before heading out to check in on Clive and the Manta Board. However, dawn catches her still under her blankets, hair mussed from sleep, face unwashed.

It's exactly the same condition Clive's greeting finds her, as she sleepily drags herself out of the bed to answer it, quickly pulling on a robe over her nightgown. A bit silly, since Clive has seen her in much less, but this is more for any stragglers behind him in the hallway than his eyes anyway.]

Clive? [She ends his name with a yawn, politely covered with the palm of her hand.] What are you doing here at this hour?

Christmas Gift

[lucky_e]

To Jill,

Greetings! Hopefully this winter has been treating you well! The cold can be terribly merciless, even for me and my old bones! So it's quite nice to see that others have been celebrating the holiday season in their own way! Helps to keep the body warm with song, wine, and love! Anyway, I hope this letter has found you well and that you this gift helps to keep you warm in the coming months!

Happy Holidays,

Santa Claus

[Inside of Jill's Christmas gift is a tin can of delicious, hot cocoa mix, and the latest mystery novel to go with it!

The Roost; early morning

[gruffier]

[ Despite being back in his lover's arms in a world so familiar to him, Clive had found difficulty sleeping. He feared that the moment he closed his eyes, all would disappear again. That he would again lose his love ones, and the place he finally felt at peace with.

It had only been a few days since his arrival, but often times when he would feel the call of sleep, the man would shake himself awake. Either by the fears creeping in the back of his mind, or the thought of the rifts taking him in his sleep the same way they had done before.

When he did sleep however, it was in tiny increments, as this particular night was no exception. He had lied awake for most of the night, arms curled securely around Jill's form. He would occasionally run his hands through her hair as a sense of calm would drift over him. The more he realized how close she was, the more at peace he became. She was truly a beacon of light for him, as he hoped to forever be her warmth.

The sun was slowly beginning to peak through their window, but Clive dared not wake her. She deserved as much sleep as she could, considering all that she had been through.]

[tilfrosset]

[Sleep has eluded her too. Sometimes it's nightmares of the past, the more recent present, but these last few nights it has been fears of waking up and realizing not only is his side of the bed empty again, but cold. A sign that the unusually warm man wasn't just gone, but had left longer than she realized. Too late to stop him, too late to say goodbye.

Jill had never feared chilly sheets before, not until then. Now she finds herself checking to make sure they keep Clive's body heat contained in them and keeping him on them at all points during the night.

So he needs not wake her for she hasn't slept much this night. She felt his hands in her hair, all the times he shifted positions, how he tossed and turned yet never letting go of her. Letting him find his comfort in her meant she stayed still and quiet, not allowing him to worry about her as much as she worries about him. But with the sun coming up, Jill might as well call any attempts at getting rest off and greet the man next to her with some concern.]

You slept poorly.

[Probably the world's greatest understatement.]

[gruffier]

[ His eyes will flutter open when he hears her voice, and there's a low exhale that escapes. A sigh of relief, perhaps? Yet as grateful as he was to still have Jill in his arms, the sight of her alone reverberates a low ache in the pit of his stomach. ]

And you no worse for wear.

[ But he's grateful. Grateful that she was very first thing he fell "asleep" to, and the first thing he sees when "waking" up.

He'll arch his neck down to gently place a kiss upon her lips. Perhaps the only "good" thing about this morning. ]

Are you certain you don't wish to rest a bit more?

action | at the roost, sometime after lyney's post

[empyrean_mirror]

[Well. Something Jill said pinged Kaveh. And if he's honest, this might be something that benefits them both, but he does need to ask her...

So his next trip to the Roost, Kaveh's asking Torgall to help him find Jill. Hello, ma'am.]

Miss Jill? Do you have a moment?

[tilfrosset]

[Torgal does lead Kaveh to her and Clive's cabin and straight into to the kitchen where she's punching a ball of dough on the counter with a bit more ferocity than one would expect from a composed lady such as her.]

Kaveh!

[She glances around for something to wipe her floury hands on, only to come up short, settling for the front of the apron tied around her waist.]

I wasn't expecting you. Is something the matter?

[empyrean_mirror]

[Hm. Stressed already? Maybe this is a bad time.]

Oh--no, nothing's wrong at all. But I wanted to ask a couple things, and I might have an idea for you, if you're willing to hear it...and not too busy right now.