miscreantites

There's a clatter of steel next to Eltanin, and he gets merely a moment's warning before the thump of a sword and shield into the grass is followed by I'muir throwing himself face-first into the pile of weaponry. Eltanin winces, the crash of noise grating on his ears.

 

"Eltanin," I'muir whines, "I think I'm gonna die."

 

From the impact of poor life choices, Eltanin wonders, or something else? He does a cursory once-over of the paladin and concludes that the white-haired Miqo'te appears to be relatively hale and hearty. Something else, then.

 

"...Should I get Limia?"

 

"No!" 

 

I'muir bolts upright with yet another clatter, hands waving with vehement denial of his need for their healer's help. From across the clearing where they've made camp, Limia shoots him a glance that spells imminent murder should the racket continue, and he ducks his head in apology before turning back. "I mean. I think--no, I just know she's gonna laugh at me. And then sit on me while she tells me to work it off with push-ups. While laughing. You have to help me."

 

The oddly-specific example has Eltanin wondering, briefly, if that exact scenario has happened before. Deciding to humour the younger man, he asks, "Is it life-threatening?"

 

"I just said I was gonna die!"

 

Whatever it is, it's definitely not life-threatening. Eltanin gestures with a hand, "Go on..."

 

For someone facedown atop what is definitely an uncomfortable metal nest, I'muir sure intends on taking his time. "Well..."

 

Eltanin lets out an exasperated sigh. "Out with it, I'muir. What ails you?"

 

"Okay, well," he says reluctantly, dragging his words out, "I don't really know how to say it. But sometimes it feels like my heart's about to jump out of my chest for how fast it's beating. And I get dizzy because it gets really hard to breathe around him."

 

"...That does sound alarming."

 

I'muir bolts upright with another clatter, hands waving in denial. "Is it? It doesn't happen all the time! Just...some of the time."

 

With the grace and silent footsteps of one well-used to going unseen and unheard, Limia's hands come down heavy upon I'muir's shoulders, drawing out an undignified shriek from the paladin. Eltainin, for his part, startles from the sudden but not unwelcome appearance.

 

"Ooh," she drawls sing-song, rocking the paladin and herself from side to side, " I'muir has a crush. Who is it?"

 

Another shriek, and I'muir's voice goes up several tones in indignation. "I do not have a...a crush!"

 

"She does bring up a good point," Eltanin says thoughtfully, tapping a finger to his cheek. "Now that you mention it, these are all signs."

 

 

"Do you smile a lot around him? Find yourself staring a lot? Are you happy to just spend time with him? Do think about him all the time?"

 

I'muir fires his responses back with no small amount of confusion, "I don't know, yes, I guess, and-- hey! What kind of a question is that?"

 

"Give up, Eltanin. He's a lost cause."

 

"Limia, please." Eltanin is very serious and asks if they're good to I'muir. "I need to know if he'll treat I'muir right and be a good life partner."

 

The young man in question stares dazedly back at Eltanin, and from recent memory, he recalls a similar expression appearing on I'muir's face when he'd been struck by a particularly nasty bolt of lightning during encounter with Ramuh. Oh, youthful love.

 

"...life partner," I'muir repeats, in equal parts horror and fascination.

 

Limia makes a low growl in her throat, halfway between a chuckle and a sigh. "Oh, by the Twelve, Eltanin. You broke a perfectly good Miqo'te. Look at him, he's got fantasies now."

 

Oh. Oh. 

 

Limia, for her part, merely collapses onto I'muir with wild abandon, barking with laughter as the paladin flushes all the way to his white-tipped ears and yells back. Eltanin nods sagely, surveying the noisy pile at his feet, "Good choice, now I'll just have a conversation with Ser Aymeric..."

 

He can't bring himself to feel bad at all when I'muir groans and covers his face. "I think I really am gonna die."