𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤

𝙉𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩,
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 𝙙𝙖𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚.

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

⠀ ⠀ ❅ ── 『 𝐉𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 』 ── ❅

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐚

⠀ ⠀ #FFRP | #FFXVIRP | #MVRP

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

Making their way into the building was like setting foot into a new world, one where she wouldn’t die of heatstroke and no longer had to squint every few seconds to see in front of her.

Despite the respite of being in a more comfortable environment, she remained vigilant. While Clive handled matters concerning their lodging, she stood just a few feet away, scanning their surroundings for anything of note.

One ear remained tuned into his conversation with the man behind the desk, while the other attempted to discern anything meaningful from the discordant babble of the other customers.

It was a force of habit–a good one, she’d say. There was always a chance she could stumble upon useful intel that would help their cause or simply notice something for them to be mindful of. There were benefits to a healthy case of paranoia.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there didn’t seem to be anyone of interest among the tavern-goers for the time being. Her attention was redirected back to Clive, noticing his tentative gaze as if asking for confirmation.

“One room,” she corrected without much thought. “One or two beds. It doesn’t matter.”

The financially correct choice and the safest one. She’d slept by his side in worse conditions. Besides, she preferred having him close in the event of an emergency.

But…

Sharing a bed with Clive was a bit…

No, it was best not to think of it more than necessary lest she make the situation more embarrassing than it needed to be.

[‍‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ℭL͟I͟V͟𝘌 . @mythoism]

ㅤ

he let her tug him along, his own feet moving in rhythm to her pace. once they made it to the building, clive would push the large door open. allowing jill to slip in ahead of him, then he quickly followed.

the heavy wooden door of the inn groaned shut behind them, cutting off the oppressive heat and noise of the street.

the air inside was cool and thick with the smell of spilled ale, woodsmoke, and roasting meat. it was a welcome relief ㅡ a dim, hazy sanctuary filled with the low murmur of conversations and the clinking of tankards.

he felt jill’s hand slipped from his as she moved to find a quiet corner, and clive’s gaze followed her for a moment before he turned toward the front desk. a burly, bald man with a formidable mustache was polishing a wooden mug, his eyes flicking up to assess the new arrivals.

clive approached, the hood of his cloak still casting his face in shadow. he cleared his throat, a 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘵 of hesitance in his voice.

❝ 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝔯ooms , ❞

he said, his voice a rough murmur as he placed a few coins on the scarred counter.

the words were out before he’d truly considered them. a beat of silence passed. he risked a glance over his shoulder at jill, his eyes searching hers from the shadow of his hood.

a flicker of uncertainty crossed his features. was it the right choice ㅡ .ᐣ would she think he was being 𝐝istant, or was it presumptuous to 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 she’d want to share 𝖔ne ㅡ .ᐣ he’d never been good at this.

the look he gave her was a quiet, clumsy question, silently asking for her approval before he committed to the arrangement.
ㅤ

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

A soft smile replaced what would have been a giggle when he fixed her hair, her heartbeat suddenly becoming more audible in her ears.

No matter how fleeting the moment, brief the touch, or chaotic the circumstance, Clive always managed to bring warmth to her frigid world.

But then he said it…

Monster…

The mere thought of that word left a bitter taste in her mouth.

There was a subtle shift in her countenance–reticence claiming the place of serenity.

It was strange, really. The idea of the kindest man she knew being considered a monster by anyone perturbed her in ways she could hardly vocalize. If anyone was a monster, it was…

“Clive…”

Her lips parted, words desperately seeking freedom only to die in her throat when she nodded and chuckled.

“Yes, let’s go. We’re long overdue for a cool room and a warm meal!”

She didn’t linger for much longer after that. Her hand found his, gently tugging him along as she headed toward the entrance of the inn.

[‍‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ℭL͟I͟V͟𝘌 . @mythoism]

ㅤ
he watched the child disappear into the alley, the tension in his shoulders finally beginning to uncoil. the crowd’s grumbling faded back into the market’s normal din, the momentary crisis dissolving into memory. only then did he turn to face her, his expression unreadable beneath the shadow of his hood.

a humorless chuckle rumbled in his chest as he looked down at her.

❝ a . . . 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦 .ᐣ
i was 𝖌oing to
make a 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 , ❞

clive grumbled, though there was no real heat in his voice. the swordsman knew she was right, and clive was thankful to have her keep his temper under control.

he reached up, his gloved fingers gently brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek, a rare, 𝖙ender gesture in the middle of so much chaos.

❝ what 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 i do
without you . . . ? ❞

he echoed her words, his voice dropping to a low murmur. he let his hand linger for a moment before letting it fall.

❝ 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 be 𝖗otting
in some imperial
dungeon , i imagine . ❞

clive would pause for a moment, his tone playful.

❝ or 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 . you're the
𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 thing keeping me
from becoming the
𝖒onster they all
𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 to think i am . ❞

he glanced back toward the inn, his expression sobering.

❝ come on , let's get
you that 𝔯oom .
you've 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 it . ❞
ㅤ

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

@OneWebSwingAway ❄️: What happened that has you rattled? 😭

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

@OneWebSwingAway ❄️: 😭🫂
I'll probably be around for a bit since someone rose me from the dead lol

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

It wasn’t until the man was fully out of sight that Jill managed to release a breath she had been subconsciously holding the entire time.

Oh, how she detested these sudden and frequent moments of conflict that seemed to follow in their wake. Alas, that was but the way of the world–more so now than ever.

The angry horde soon dispersed, passing them by as they resumed their day-to-day activities. The small child rose to their feet, the lone loaf of bread nestled closely to their chest. They smiled at the pair, giving a nod of thanks before scuttling away.

Indeed, it was the best ending they could ask for. Troublesome though it was, it served as a powerful reminder: one brave soul can inspire others to find the courage to stand up and take action.

“All’s well that ends well.”

A smile graced her lips as she looked up to Clive, chuckling softly.

“What would you do without me sometimes? You were one minute away from a spectacle.”

[‍‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ℭL͟I͟V͟𝘌 . @mythoism]

ㅤ
the crackle of magick at his fingertips died the moment her hand closed over his. it was like a bucket of 𝐢𝐜𝐞 water thrown over a raging 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞, her touch a grounding force he couldn't ignore.

clive wouldn't look at her, but he felt her there, a solid presence at his side, her voice a low, steady counterpoint to the roaring in his ears.

he let her speak, his jaw still clenched so tightly it ached. when the crowd behind them roared its support, a flicker of something — 𝑷𝑹𝑰𝑫𝑬, maybe, or just grim satisfaction — crossed his face. she had a way with words, a talent he could never hope to master.

he turned his head slightly, just enough for his hood to shift and his eyes to meet hers for a fraction of a second. the raw fury was still there, banked but not extinguished. he gave a short, sharp nod, a silent concession. then, he faced the guard again, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that cut through the noise.

❝ my companion
𝐬peaks for us 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 , ❞

the swordsman spoke, his grip on jill's hand tightening reassuringly.

❝ let the boy 𝘨𝘰 .
before this becomes
a mistake you 𝙬𝙤𝙣'𝙩
live to 𝖗egret . . . ❞

the gaurd taking in the change in tone of the surrounding crowd, would sheath his sword. a low groan escaping his throat before speaking.

ˋ` fine , just bug off .
yer' more of a
headache than
I get paid for . ˊˊ

and with that ㅡ the armored man scurried into the crowd, the conflict being resolved more peacefully than clive would have managed it.
ㅤ

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

@OneWebSwingAway

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

Stay here.

Easier said than done when surrounded by a cacophony of susurration and unrest. ‘Twas a sight she was more than familiar with–trouble was brewing.

The fatigue faded in an instant. Jill lowered the hood of her cloak just above her eyes, weaving through the crush in pursuit of Clive. It didn’t take long for her to reach the front and find the source of the commotion.

“Typical…” She spat under her breath.

Though her gaze lingered only for a moment on the boy before observing her fuming partner, clearly seconds away from doing something he likely wouldn’t regret. Yet another sight she was all too familiar with, and truthfully, she couldn’t blame him.

To say it was tempting to handle the situation would be an understatement. However, causing a stir now would only serve to draw unwanted attention to themselves and risk making the situation worse.

Quietly, she stood at his side, her hand meeting his in a firm grip.

“Calm down,” she whispered, before turning her attention back to the disheveled youth and the irate imperial guard, her gaze hardening.

“Is this truly necessary? Does the imperial guard have aught better to do than beat on starving children in the middle of a busy road? Can’t you see we’re all trying to get somewhere?”

Those words emboldened the others, an incoherent clamor of agreement and profanities roaring behind the pair, all echoing similar sentiments.

[‍‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ℭL͟I͟V͟𝘌 . @mythoism]

ㅤ
❝ right , ❞

he agreed, his arm tightening around her.

❝ lean on me .
i've got you . . .
we're almost there . ❞

but the crowd ahead thickened into an impenetrable wall, the flow of people grinding to a halt with shouts and murmurs. frustration flared 𝒉ot in his chest.

❝ stay here , ❞

he ordered, his voice firm as he gently pressed her back to move behind him.

he shoved through the throng ㅡ at the center, an imperial guard loomed over a small child clutching a stolen loaf of bread, his gauntlet raised to strike.

a cold fury washed away clive's exhaustion. his hand curled into a fist, 𝐦agick crackling at his fingertips, and a glare of PURE anger peeked out from underneath his hood.

❝ is there a
problem here .ᐣ ❞

of course, this would illicit a shocked reaction out of the gaurd. the armor clad male drawing his blade , and directing it towards clive.

`` this is imperial
business , fuck off . ˊˊ

the gaurd responded coldly, tension quickly rising in the crowded street.
ㅤ

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

A gentle smile took shape, headshake soon following.

“I’m fine, you needn’t worry about me.”

Words that only served to make light of her current state. In truth, trekking through the sand in the sweltering heat was beginning to take its toll. Her canteen had long dried, and her throat wasn’t too far behind. Shelter couldn’t come a moment sooner.

Sweat trickled down her brow, wiped away by her sleeve just as quickly as it appeared. The idea of using her magick was rather tempting given the current circumstances, but such a reckless act would only cause more harm than good.

For the time being, she’d be thankful for Clive’s guiding hand to keep her grounded as they navigated the crowd.

She sighed softly, motioning beyond the mass of people ahead of them.

“If I recall correctly, there should be an inn a bit further down this path. We should make haste.”

A subtle way of saying she was liable to collapse if she had to spend a minute longer outside.

[‍‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ℭL͟I͟V͟𝘌 . @mythoism]

ᅠ
ᅠ
ᅠ
ᅠ⠀⠀ ⠀𝓙 &*𝓒⠀ ⎯⎯⠀⠀ ⛃
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝒂 𝒎𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚗
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ゝ ᴛɪᴍᴇ⠀⠀ 𓈒𓍼
⠀⠀ ⸝⸝. @DevotedFrost ⠀╲⠀

he kept the hood of his cloak pulled low, a shadow against the blinding dhalmekian sun ㅡ his focus was

+*

[‍‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ℭL͟I͟V͟𝘌 . @mythoism]

ᅠ

ᅠ

ᅠ

𝐑 𝐎 𝐒 𝕱 𝐈 𝐄 𝐋 𝐃 .

𖥻 𓂃 ﹠ ༒︎ ིꪰ ╰─ ── ─ ─╮ ~ ᭡

⋯ ⋆ ⧽ ᝰ come to me ,
──◍─ 𝑰 𝙁 𝙍 𝙄 𝙏 .ᐟ ☄️*
𓄹 ─── ꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷ ◞ !ީ
ᅠ

ᅠ

ᅠ

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

❄️: Got a lot of errands to run today.
If I'm not here later, I'll be on tomorrow to revive this account properly. 💙

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

@OneWebSwingAway ❄️Well, now I'm obligated to come back so you're not hype for no reason lol

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

❄️: I'm thinking about coming back....
Next weekend?

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

@OneWebSwingAway ❄️: No need to stare me down lmao

[* （𝐂𝗅𝗂𝗏𝖾） @eikonlc]

⠀ ⠀

https://t.co/S9GK3PEkQS

❝ 𝗂𝗆 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 ．❞

#𝗆𝗏𝗋𝗉

⠀

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

@OneWebSwingAway ❄️: Your girl is no longer a one woman army at work lol

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

❄️: Jill revival soon. 💙🤍💙🤍

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

❄️: You guys might not see me for another month, to be honest. As much as I want to be here, real life is kicking my butt. So I hope when the time comes you'll still be willing to write with me. Tata for now.

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

❄️: Replies this weekend.
Sorry being radio silent. Work has been keeping me busy and tired.

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

@OneWebSwingAway The furniture pieces were a mix of familiar yet different, and she could imagine what awaited her outside this room.

⠀ “New York?” She repeated, looking toward him with an inquisitive gaze. “Is that the name of your realm?”

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

⠀ “Sometimes, I wonder if the world we live in will ever truly know peace. I suppose the inevitable answer is no. For where there is man, there will be avarice, bloodshed, and ruin. We can only strive to not let it consume the world whole.”

[𝓙 𝐢 𝐥 𝐥 ❅ 𝓦 𝐚 𝐫 𝐫 𝐢 𝐜 𝐤 @DevotedFrost]

@OneWebSwingAway It took a moment for her sight to properly acclimate, but when it did she looked around in awe. They were only indoors and she was already a little amazed by how different things looked.
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