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[ alisaie is not quite so familiar with ishgard's street and climes as her dear brother, of course, but that did not earn her pity points.
as far as the scions are concerned, prompto is her little project. oh they like him plenty, and he's certainly helpful to their cause - for all he seems quite soft and, to a word, useless, he can actually handle himself quite well in a fight, and he's smarter than he might seem at first glance. he might have been a burden in the beginning, but he has learned, adapted, and grown into this place enough that she does not feel as if she has to carry him around any longer. she can trust him to fight by her side when she needs it, and more importantly, to do the right thing.
he is a kind soul. kinder certainly than she is.
nevertheless, alisaie seems always to be relegated to oversee him anyway. she found him, after all, he is the pup that followed her home, so she has become his de facto caretaker. it is up to her to keep him safe, to teach him as best as she can, and she supposes that is all well and good, so long as it does not interfere with her duties, but so far it has not. he seems keen to help where he can, mayhaps because it is in his nature, mayhaps because it keeps his mind and hands busy, but nevertheless, she does not much mind his consistent company anymore. suffice it to say she has.. grown used to him, even if he is foolishly idealistic and far more bubbly than any one person should ever be.
so here they are, striding over the chilly cobblestones of the foundation, toward a squat building in the near distance, where smoke rises from a sturdy chimney. ]
Nearly there, now. I daresay you shall be far more comfortable in clothing with sleeves.
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ANYWAY, enough dwelling on that!! Even if his cheeks might be a touch redder now. He can just blame that on the cold. ]
You got it, Ali! [ He levels her with double fingerguns. ] I'll meet you at the Inn? I'll get some dindin ready for us, too!
[ Which isn't to say he'll be cooking, heaven forbid. He'll hit up the inn staff and see what they have on the menu, rather. ]
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[ he says such weird things.. what kind of weird world is eos???
whatever. she shakes her head. ]
Nevermind. Take care, we shall catch up soon.
[ FAREWELL ]
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But okay, BYE, the two of them go their separate ways and Prompto secures them a room for the night at the Forgotten Knight. He definitely blushed at her nightie and tried to hide up. He also slept under, like, six blankets, because it's freakin' cold here!
But anyway, moving right along because blanketfic is important, they depart for the Dravanian Forelands, to see dragons, sure, but mostly wild chocobos. A forest full of chocobos...it truly sounds like a dream come true. Of course, to realize that dream, they must cross through the Western Highlands of Coerthas, which is Prompto's least favorite local in Eorzea yet. And he thought Ishgard was bad...this is unreal.
But travel through it they must. It's not a terribly long trip, but it will take them a couple of days. Which means camping. In a frozen wasteland. Where monsters like to roam.
Good thing chocobos are worth it...and the company's not bad, either.
Prompto is just putting the finishing touches on the tent while Alisaie tends to the fire and the meal. The weather is calm enough for the moment, only the occasional flurry falling from the sky. Still, it's cold as hell, and Prompto is thankful his machinist gloves are as thick (thicc) as his boots. ]
How's the dindins comin' along?
[ Yes, he's using it again. ]
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for her part, alisaie does not seem to mind the cold. she does not love it, sure, but neither does she seem overly perturbed. they packed warm clothes, thick coats and gloves, and they shall make due, though she knows full well that this region is prone to cold snaps and sudden blizzards.
truth be told she has never navigated it herself - she has never before been here, ishgard proper is more or less the most of what she has seen on coerthas, so these lands are unfamiliar. but alisaie is quite used to trekking across unknown lands alone - she has a map, a compass, and plenty of confidence. they're making good time, and should like as not reach the forelands by tomorrow evening.
for now, she is leaned over the merrily cracking fire, stirring the contents of a small cast iron pan with a wooden spoon. it's a thick stew of sorts, and it might not be particularly pretty - alisaie would not consider herself an expert culinarian - but the smell is decent enough, and nothing has burned. ]
I have never in my life heard of such a silly sounding word.
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Never? Alisaie, you flatter me! You free to use it, bee-tee-dubs. Oh — that means "by the way". You can use that one, too!
[ He is awfully cheery for being out in the cold, but present company is...certainly nice. Camping with a cute girl is, uh, notably different than camping with his bros.
At last he determines his work with the tent complete and he plops down next to her in front of the fire. ]
Smells great!
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she's gotten used to it, really, that he says some.. real weird things, but she just chalks it up to him being from, you know, another planet. too bad that she doesn't realize that prompto is an idiot even by eos standards, that not everyone from eos talks like him. she'll travel there and assume dindins is just the usual term for dinner.. ]
I shall pass, thank you..
[ she's trying not to smile, but she can't quite smother it. giving the pot one last stir, alisaie reaches for the small wooden bowls in her canvas bag, so she can begin to fill them. ]
Do not expect a gourmet meal, but it shall suffice.
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But at least it is meal time, well-earned after a long day's trek and the preparation that it took to set up camp. She takes a bowl from her once she offers it to him, graciously thanking her before beginning to chow down. I godmodded all of this so we can get to snuggles sooner. ]
So, you said you've never been here before? Heh, wouldn't know it, with the way you're leadin' the brigade!
[ Their two-person brigade. Unless they are riding magical horsies and have minions. ]
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alisaie ladles herself a bowl full as well, sitting back cross-legged to tuck in. it isn't a culinary masterpiece, but it's tasty enough, and best of all, nice and warm, heating her up right to her core. ]
Well, I've some small experience meandering about the wilds. The terrain here is not too challenging, so long as we mind the map.
[ she's a master explorer, prompto!! ]
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Yeah, think I'll leave all the map-reading to you. I'm not so good with directions...
[ He chuckles through a mouthful of stew. There's a reason he wasn't the navigator in their group, and his tendency to get sidetracked didn't help. ]
You've done a lot of traveling, huh? Just...for Scion stuff? Or what?
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Mm, yes, sometimes.
[ traveling is sort of in the scion job description - at least when concerning the acrhons. and.. grandchildren of archons, as it were. tataru remains to hold down the fort, and there are a few others who keep post at the rising stones as well, but for many of them, work is on the road.
not that that is all there is to it.. ]
Some of it was for myself. Needless to say, I am in fact no stranger to the road.
[ her gaze flicks toward him. ]
For someone who claims a poor sense of direction, and complains any time you need sleep on any surface lesser than a feather bed, you seem accustomed to it as well.
[ which is.. weird. because he seems like such a soft boy. he hates bugs, can't navigate to save his own life, complains about sleeping on the ground, and yet he knows how to pitch a tent and maintain a fire and other little, myriad things that come along with traveling. she can't entirely make sense of it. ]
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What can I say? I'm a man of mystery.
[ Yes...he is clearly...very broody and mysterious. But his chuckle makes it clear that he's only joking. Even his he does have a tragic backstory...that's beside the point!! ]
Buuut you could say I got my fill of camping back home when I was traveling around with my friends. We couldn't always stay in a room, so camping was the next best thing.
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[ this soft boy has pitched a tent or two in his time. that's not what she said. alisaie leans to ladle more stew into both of their bowls; lots of food is key to keeping warm in the cold, after all, and anything left in the pot would otherwise go to waste anyway. ]
And you never got used to it? Why don't you like it?
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Guess I got used to it, but...I dunno, it's just never been my style. I like to be comfy! [ He shrugs around a mouthful of food. ] But the company was worth it.
[ Those nights brought them closer as friends than anything else, come to think of it. ]
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Mayhaps you simply need to reevaluate your conditions for "comfy."
[ it is a lot to ask of him, apparently..!! with her bowl scraped clean, however, alisaie leans back on her hands, lifting her eyes to the sky, where the setting sun bleeds streaks of crimson against the low, thin clouds. ]
I think it is well worth the trade for such.. freedom, and beauty.
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Finishing off the last of his stew, he sets his bowl aside, casting Alisaie a cursory glance before turning his attention back to the sky. ]
Can't argue with that. Maybe it's not comfy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.
[ He has to believe he's a better person now, for all he's struggled, for all he's experienced on the road. ]
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Neither would I.
[ she exhales, soft and slow. ]
I've spent a lot of time traveling Eorzea. It has not always been easy, but I am grateful for every moment of it.
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You can sure learn a lot about yourself out on the road, huh?
[ It's been a powerful teacher in his life, and he would guess that the same is true for her as well. It definitely isn't easy, but it's sure been worth it. ]
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even sometimes still she feels that way, she feels safer when she is alone, but times like these.. she can remember how warm and comforting it is to have company on nights like these. ]
I suppose that you do.
[ she says, solemnly, following the trail of stars in the darkening sky for several more moments before turning her gaze to his profile. ]
And you learn when it is time to turn in to be well rested for a long day on your feet, as well. I think I shall turn in.
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Prompto can echo those sentiments, right down to his bones. It's been a long, exhausting day, and even with the fire and warm meal, he's still cold. He'd like nothing more than to curl right up in his bedroll, snug as a bug in a rug, as they say. ]
Well, you don't gotta tell me twice. I'll join you!
[ ...Then, repeating what he said again in his head, he turns bright red, turning to the put out the fire so she hopefully won't be able to notice his burning features as much.
He doesn't bother trying to offer up clarification. She knows what he meant!!! ]
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so she unfolds to her feet and helps to kick snow over the fire, gathering up their bowls and utensils to let them soak in the snow overnight while they sleep.
thankfully the tent is already pitched, and alisaie need only kick as much snow as she can from her boots before climbing in, and wrapping up tightly in her bedroll, fully clothes, lighting the lantern between them to provide a meager warmth to fill the tent.
if she's at all flustered by sharing a sleeping space with him, it does not show.. alisaie seems comfortable, and at ease. they are traveling together, they are comrades and companions, and by now they have spent a great deal of time on the road together. she is completely, entirely comfortable around him. ]
Sleep well, Prompto.
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And at least out here on the road, he doesn't have to worry about accidentally seeing her change into her nighty, or being around her when she's wearing something so sheer.... //// ]
Sleep tight, Ali...
[ He toes off his boots, slipping into his bedroll, and mere moments after he shuts his eyes, he's out like a light.
...But the night does not stay as calm and peaceful as they leave it when they fall asleep. The storm begins to swirl anew outside, the temperature dropping as wind buffets their small tent. Though it's soundly pitched, it still rattles and shakes around them, and even though Prompto doesn't full awaken, as he grows colder, his need for warm overtakes his half-asleep mind.
Reaching out, he grasps for Alisaie, worming his way towards her, and curling right up against her, shivering as his fingers curl in the fabric of her bedroll. ]
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but it only takes her a few moments to realize how cold she is, her hands and feet feel icy, the tips of her ears numb, and she is shivering deep in her core.
this is no time for demure uncertainty, a blizzard has set upon them, she can see the snow piled high against the walls of the tent, if they want to keep warm, they're going to need to be close. it would be quite ignominious to freeze to death en route to visit a bunch of chocobos. ]
Here.
[ she murmurs thickly, her voice heavy with sleep, but she's soon opening her bedroll to him so they can share its heat, curling in near to his body. ]
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He really doesn't want to die on the way to meet some chocobos, no. ]
Warm...
[ He murmurs, his eyelids heavy, thoughtless as he nuzzles against her neck and inhales the scent of her skin. He's never been this closer to her, or anyone before, really, and yet he doesn't even have the presence of mind to be flustered about it.
It is nice, though, and warm. It serves its purpose, as the storm continues to buffet the tent around them. ]
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it's difficult to navigate both of their bedrolls, but with some effort they're soon both wrapped up tightly in both of their bedrolls, curled up near, her legs drawn up and her arms tucked against his chest. her ears and nose feel like ice, so she buries her face against his hair as best she can, shivering hard, her teeth chattering beside his ear, though she can hardly hear it over the howling winds. alisaie is tough and strong, but she is also small and slim, she doesn't hold body heat very well. ]
G-give me.. your hands..
[ she asks, curling her fingers against his chest, her fingers stiff with cold. ]
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I-I got y-you...
[ He murmurs through his chattering teeth, exhaling a warm breath against her cold ears.
They'll make it through this. They have chocobos to see...! ]
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