Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In hindsight, you should have realized things were going far too smoothly to be true to form. Not once during the course of any of your investigations with this motley crew had everything fallen into place like this. Something was bound to happen; the other shoe had to drop.

And so it did.

It dropped in the form of sudden inclement weather. Upon attempting to charter a way to the Western Highlands, you and your party were informed that all travel to and from Ishgard was suspended for the day or so due to an incoming blizzard, effective about five minutes before you arrived at the gate.

So much for simple.

Defeated for now, you slinked your way back to the gazebo. It was time to plan, and Idyllshire would have to wait.

“WhAt Do We Do NoW, pApA hIlDy?” Gigi asked, large inquisitive eyes turning to his ‘father’.

Hildibrand twisted his hips and pressed his fingers to his temples before seemingly coming up with a brilliant idea. “Ah! Is it not obvious? We merely wait out the storm here and continue on with our brilliant plans when the skies clear!”

Well, yes. That much was obvious. But wait-

“You… you aren’t seriously planning to sit out a blizzard out here, are you?” you asked, glancing around for any other voices of reason. Cyr and Julyan were nowhere to be seen; perhaps they’d made it out of the city before the lockdown.

Hildibrand raised a practically non-existent eyebrow in response. “Whyever not? This is a perfectly fine gazebo!”

“The inspector and I have been through way worse, back before Dalamud!” Nashu added from her perch on the bench. It seemed she’d already made herself comfortable.

“You’ll freeze!”

Gigi tilted his little head to the side as he looked up at you. “Is ThAt TrUe, AuNtIe? WiLl wE fReEzE oUt HeRe?”

That threw you for a loop. “W-well, maybe not you , Gigi...” Could mammets freeze? Logic said yes, but little Gigi had spent all that time buried in the snow and was perfectly fine after a little maintenance…

“It takes more than a little cold to knock a Manderville man down!” Hildibrand exclaimed, flexing.

“Besides, we have the kettle!”

You blinked incredulously. Surely, you should be used to the deficit of rational thought by now, and yet-

“The kettle won’t keep you safe from the wind!” You retorted. Before you could open your mouth to argue further, you heard footsteps coming towards the gazebo.

“Is everything alright out here? I am hearing quite the commotion.”

All four of you turned almost in unison to see Lord Edmont approaching.

You bowed slightly. “Lord Edmont. Pray forgive the noise. We were simply debating on what to do next.”

“Ah, yes. Have you heard the city is on lockdown due to an incoming blizzard? I just received word from one of my knights. You should really come inside before you catch cold.”

“I’m trying to explain to these three why sleeping in the gazebo through a blizzard is a bad idea.” You pinched the bridge of your nose, gesturing towards your friends.

Edmont was, very understandably, taken aback by the idea. He turned his gaze upon Hildibrand and friends. “Have you three been sleeping out here this entire time?!” 

Three simultaneous nods, slightly bashful.

“Why!?”

Hildibrand raised a finger, taking a moment to think. “Er, you see… the funds of a traveling inspector are sometimes…” He seemed reluctant to admit it.

“We’Re RoUgHiNg It LiKe TrUe InSpEcToRs Do!”

Edmont shook his head. “While your sense of adventure is… admirable, I simply cannot very well allow you three to stay outside in this horrid weather. Why, the storm is already starting!” As if to punctuate his point, a gust of wind that chilled even you whipped through the Pillars.

“I would hate to impose…” Hildibrand looked conflicted between his pride and his likely desire to stop being out in the cold, if his shivering was any indication.

“Nonsense! I insist. It would be poor manners to merely leave an esteemed member of House Manderville and his companions out in the cold.”

Gigi tugged at his hat, shaking his head. “We ArEn’T sTaYiNg In ThE gAzEbO?”

Uh oh. You had to act fast. “Uh, we’re going to go stay in the big gazebo, Gigi! They’ve got more than just a kettle. They’ve got a whole fireplace!”

“A rEaL oNe?”

You nodded. “A real one, with real fire!”

“YaY! bIg GaZeBo!” Gigi jumped for joy. 

Edmont couldn’t help but chuckle at Gigi’s enthusiasm. “Yes, a real fire. Though do take care to keep your distance from it, young man.”

“OkAy! ThAnK yOu, UnClE eDmOnT!” Forgetting about the true gazebo for now, Gigi puttered off in the direction of Fortemps Manor.

“Gigi! Wait a moment, my son!” Hildibrand called, dashing after him.

Nashu hopped up from her seat and ran after Hildibrand. “Wait for me, Inspector!”

You shook your head affectionately as you watched them go.

“What a lively bunch they are,” Edmont commented with a smile. “However did you come to know them?”

“It’s a long, long story. Perhaps Lord Godbert could tell you sometime. But I can assure you that while they may be somewhat… lacking in common sense, they are perhaps some of the kindest souls Eorzea has ever known.”

Edmont nodded. “Then that is more than enough for me. I trust your judgment.” He patted your shoulder affectionately. “Are you staying for dinner?”

You grinned. “You know it.”

~

After a lively dinner in which miraculously no one was maimed, injured, or heavily insulted, it was time to settle in for the night. All of the guests were given a room… only for Nashu to fall asleep in front of the fireplace with Gigi, who had entered a ‘sleep mode’ of sorts.

Outside, the snow was falling and the wind was howling. It was likely for the best that your entourage had been invited inside, because from what you could see from the window, the gazebo outside was already half-covered with snow and the kettle long snuffed out by the winds.

You retired to your room as you usually did, and settled in for a night’s rest… only to find yourself completely unable to sleep. This happened from time to time; occasionally thoughts kept you up at night, thoughts of the past, the present, the future…

After what you estimated to be about three or so bells of trying, you gave up and decided to see about tea. The halls of the manor were dark, and it was doubtless that everyone was asleep.

Everyone, that was, except Hildibrand.

The man in question was sitting on a couch in the foyer, hunched over parchment and muttering to himself. There was a low fire crackling, which gave the room a dim glow. In the firelight, you could see that Nashu was still fast asleep on the floor, curled around Gigi like a mother coeurl. Someone (probably Edmont or one of the stewards) had draped a blanket over them and put a pillow under Nashu’s head.

“Hildy?” you called softly.

He startled a bit, dropping the quill in his hand. “Oh, it’s just you,” he said, relaxing.

You gave him a tired smile. “Can’t sleep,” you replied, moving to look over his shoulder. “What’s all this?”

“Plans!” he exclaimed, though he thankfully had the sense to lower his voice when Nashu, still curled up by the fire, twitched.

“For when we get to Idyllshire?” You leaned over the back of the couch, resting your head on your folded arms as you attempted to make heads or tails of Hildibrand’s elegant scrawl.

He grinned. “Precisely! As sharp as ever, my friend.”

You chuckled. “What have we got planned?”

“Well…” He pointed to a crudely drawn diagram. “I propose that using mainly spoons, we tunnel under where the Grand Sers have made their base and catch them unawares!”

A moment of silence passed between you two, then another.

“Spoons.”

Hildibrand made a face. “This is a work in progress, of course.” He pushed his papers aside. “What do you think?”

“Hmm… well, we should start by questioning the residents when we arri-“

“Ah, I just had the most brilliant idea. When we arrive, we should split up and ask around!”

You snorted in laughter, shaking your head. “Never change, Hildy,” you said, standing up and starting towards the kitchens. “I’m making tea, do you want any?”

“That would be very kind of you!”

You gave him a thumbs up before disappearing into the kitchens to start the kettle.

A few moments later you came strolling back into the foyer with a tray. Upon the tray sat a teapot and two cups and saucers. “I hope you like black tea.”

“Thank you, it-“ For the first time since you’d come into the foyer, Hildibrand looked directly at you… and then promptly looked away, mouth slightly agape.

Huh? What was- oh. You looked down at yourself, remembering you were wearing a nightgown that, while very comfortable, left little to the imagination.

So Hildibrand was shy, hmm? You nearly giggled at the thought. As you poured the cups of tea, you took a moment to look at him as well. Given the late hour, it seemed he’d shed his coat and gloves, setting them neatly beside him. His bow tie hung to one side of his neck and the first two buttons of his shirt were undone. The fire from the hearth gave off a warm glow to the room, reflecting off his eyes in a way that almost made them twinkle.

Your stomach flipped a little. How had you not noticed before how handsome a man Hildibrand was?

Well, objectively you knew this as it was an undisputed fact. But here and now, with the firelight dancing off the walls and highlighting his strong jawline and muscled form? Now, it was hard to deny on a personal level.

Deciding to test the waters and see where this went, you sat down right next to him after placing his teacup on the table in front of him. “Everything alright, Hildy?”

He nodded stiffly, still not looking at you. “I am completely fine!”

You drew your legs up next to you. “Are you sure? You seem flustered.”

“I assure you, nothing is wrong. But you… are you not cold?”

“Me? I’m not cold at all. Especially not next to you, I’m not.” You patted his arm for emphasis.

Hildibrand cleared his throat. “I-I see…” You could see a hint of a blush on his cheeks… adorable. 

“Why would you think I’m cold?” You wanted to hear him say it.

“Well, you see… what you’re wearing… may not be the best choice for cold weather!”

You giggled. “Hildy, are you embarrassed?”

“No! It is simply uncouth for a gentleman to gaze upon a lady in such a state of undress!”

Adorable and polite. Your heart did a few more flips in your chest. Oh, you wanted to gobble him up.

“Even if the lady didn’t mind?”

The thought hadn’t seemed to have occurred to Hildibrand before right now. He turned a little bit back towards you, still not looking at you.

“Honestly, I don’t mind. I wouldn’t have worn it outside my room if I did.”

He turned back to face the table at the very least, picking up his teacup and taking a sip. You could practically hear the cogs turning in his head.

“And what would you say if I told you I wanted you to look at me, hmm?” you teased.

He raised a finger as if to make a point, but also seemed to be at a loss for words. “Far be it from me to deny a lady such a simple request,” he finally said. And so he turned his gaze upon you.

You felt your heart pounding as his eyes swept your form, wide with reverence. Sometime during the evening, he’d forgone his monocle, leaving his face clearly visible. Oh, and what a nice face it was. Now that you were thinking about him like this, you were really, really thinking about it. Hildibrand may not have been the brightest person out there, but he was kind, sincere, handsome… oh no.

Suddenly you felt a little self-conscious. You swallowed, tongue darting out to wet your suddenly dry lips. “H-Hildy?”

“The most prolific of poets could not do you justice, my lady. You are utterly radiant.”

Holy shit. Where had that come from? Your eyes widened in turn, and you could feel your face heating up. “You truly think so?”

“Of course. I have eyes, woman!”

“You’ve never said anything.”

Hildibrand nodded sagely. “It is hardly gentlemanly to make unsolicited compliments on a lady’s appearance. My mother taught me that from a young age.”

Suddenly a lot of things about Hildibrand made more sense. You almost shuddered remembering how effortlessly Julyan had taken out not one but three people during the course of the investigation in Ul’dah.

You chuckled softly. “You did say you were well versed in the ways of the fairer sex.”

Hildibrand looked away for a moment. “About that…”

“Hm?”

“‘Tis true I am highly experienced in the art of treating ladies with the utmost respect! However, when it comes to courting one…”

You saw what he was getting at. “You haven’t had the chance.”

He nodded, seemingly grateful that he didn’t have to admit it himself.

“Well, I’m open to the idea.” You placed a hand on top of his.

Hildibrand’s jaw dropped. “A-are you?”

“Whyever not?” you said, parroting his words from earlier in the day. “You’re sweet, earnest, and devilishly handsome. I’d say you’re quite the catch.” You winked, causing Hildibrand’s face to erupt in a blush which in turn caused you to giggle. “You look like you’re surprised. What about your ‘swaths of adoring fans’?” you teased.

“I would never dream of taking advantage of someone’s admiration!” He looked scandalized by the very idea. Gods, how was this man real? He had an ego and a half for sure, but somehow also managed to still be utterly sweet and sincere in his words and actions.

You leaned in closer to him. This close, you could practically count his eyelashes. “If I’m offering, it’s hardly taking advantage, now is it? In fact…” You shifted so that your lips were right by his ear. “I could even teach you a thing or two about how to please a lady.”

Hildibrand stiffened, and you could have sworn the man shuddered . “I suppose not, no. I have a question for you, though.”

“Hm?”

“Are you propositioning me?”

If you hadn’t been supported by the couch, you’d have fallen over from the sheer shock of such an obvious question.

“I have been this entire time, yes.” You laughed. “Thank you for noticing.”

Hildibrand huffed a laugh in response. “Well! I must say this is unprecedented!”

You pulled back a little. “You can say no. I won’t be mad, honest. I don’t want to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“Pray do not mistake my reaction for reluctance! I am merely… pondering my next steps. I would be a fool to refuse a beautiful woman such as yourself!”

You crept your fingers up his arm. “If you don’t know what to do… I could show you?”

He swallowed audibly. “I would be most honored, my lady.”

Grinning, you stood and offered him a hand up. “Not here,” you said, glancing over to the fireplace where Nashu and Gigi were still fast asleep. “Let’s go to my room.”

Hildibrand nodded dumbly and took your hand. You led him down the hall to your room, hips moving in an exaggerated sway the whole time. If you were relaxed about this, hopefully he would be too.

You flitted about your room, setting up candles for mood lighting while Hildibrand took a seat quite politely on your bed. He looked very much like a deer in the lamplight, and the sight made your heart melt just a little.

Hildibrand looked up at you in awe as you approached, radiating confidence that matched his on an average day.

“Before we start, I want you to know: you can tell me to stop at any time. I don’t want to do something you don’t want to do, Hildy.” You smiled softly at him.

“Er, likewise! I will not force a lady into an uncomfortable situation!”

You chuckled. “There’s not a lot I haven’t done. Hope that doesn’t bother you.”

He shook his head. “A gentleman does not judge one on their history, merely on their present actions.”

“You’re sweet.” You took a seat next to him on the bed. “What would you like to do first?”

He froze a moment; apparently he hadn’t expected you to ask him what he wanted. Eyes widened and lips parted slightly, he held up a finger as if to ask for a moment, which you gladly gave him.

“May I… kiss you?” he finally asked, blinking a few times as if to confirm the sight in front of him was indeed real.

You grinned. “You certainly may,” you said, leaning forward and placing a hand on the side of his face as you gazed at him affectionately with eyes half-lidded. You moved closer, but left him space to close the distance or back away, whichever he wanted.

He chose the former, pressing his lips to yours cautiously. You gladly accepted, kissing back softly as to not overwhelm him. It was… it was clumsy to start with, to say the least. His lips were puckered far too much, and it was like kissing a fish.

Pulling back a little, you tilted your head at him. “How was that? Was that nice?” He nodded. “Here, try it like this.” You pursed your lips just as you had before, waiting for him to do the same.

This time was much smoother, he was a lot less stiff. The hand not holding his face came up to tousle through his hair, completely pulling it out of place. You slid your other hand down and around him, pulling him closer to you, and he grunted softly into the kiss in response. Glancing down briefly told you he had no idea what to do with his hands.

The kiss ended much slower this time. As you both pulled back, his eyes fluttered open to look at you, pupils blown wide. The sight almost made you squirm. Kissing him on the cheek, you reached down and tugged on his hands gently. He let you guide them to your waist.

“Is this alright?” you asked. Wordless, he nodded. His hands were large on your waist, and you could feel the heat radiating from them through the thin material of your nightgown. “You’re doing excellent, Hildy.” He shuddered at the praise.

You brought your legs up underneath you as you turned to face him fully, still sitting on the edge of the bed. Both of your hands came up to either side of his face as you kissed him again. This time he seemed to get it, pressing back with intensity equal to your own.

Moaning softly into the kiss, you moved to deepen it. He responded enthusiastically, daring to put one hand up to the side of your face. You broke the liplock momentarily to press a nuzzling kiss into his palm before returning to your target. His goatee scratched ever so slightly against your face, and you giggled at the sensation. With one hand, you silently nudged him to face you as well.

He pulled you closer to him and you happily followed, coming forward and swinging your leg over so your legs were on either side of his firm thighs. Oh, they were as solid as they looked. His grip on you tightened slightly and you responded by grinding down on him. A very solid proof of interest greeted you as well as a throaty moan from him, which you returned with one of your own.

Your hands eagerly moved down to the buttons on his shirt, fingers fumbling with the fabric. He froze, one hand coming up to stop yours. You stopped immediately, scooting back to give him some room.

“Ah, give me a moment…” he said, breathing heavily.

“Are you sure? You don’t have to if you don’t feel comfortable.”

Hildibrand looked conflicted. “But you want-“

You shook your head. “Doesn’t matter what I want.” You took his hands in yours and held them. “We go at your pace. It wouldn’t be very ladylike of me to force a gentleman to do something, now would it?” You winked at him.

“It wouldn’t be something I don’t want,” he said, scrunching his face up in thought. “This is something I am very much interested in! Rather…”

“Too fast?” You tilted your head at him, squeezing his hands reassuringly.

He chuckled. “Once again, your powers of deduction are capital!”

“I did learn from the best,” you said, leaning forward and kissing him on the forehead. “That’s you, in case you didn’t realize.”

“Oh.”

You giggled. “You want to just stay like this? We could sleep.” A moment of silence passed. “ Just sleep.”

“Ah, what if your friends were to find us?”

“They know what I’m like.” You shrugged. “And I won’t tell if you don’t.”

He shook his head rapidly. “A gentleman does not kiss and tell!”

You grinned, moving to lay down on your bed and patting the area next to you. Cautiously, Hildibrand moved to lay down next to you. You rested your head against his shoulder. “Is this okay?”

Hildibrand was silent a moment before nodding. “This is… nice.” He moved to wrap his arms around you before stopping halfway through. “Er, may I?”

“Please,” you said, giving him a sleepy smile. Despite the fact that your heart was still racing (and so was his, you could feel), you felt comfortably tired now.

He pulled you into his strong arms and settled you down so that your head rested against his chest. You noticed he very pointedly angled his pelvis slightly away from you, and you didn’t press the matter. Instead, you snuggled into his arms and breathed him in. Somewhere along the way, he’d lost the scent of rotting flesh and picked up saltpeter and mammet oil. It was familiar, comforting.

You sighed softly, content. Here in his arms, you felt… safe, secure. Logically you knew that if something were to happen it would be you protecting him instead of the other way around, but it felt nice to be held.

Goodnight, Hildy,” you whispered.

“Sleep well,” he whispered back, and you felt the light pressure of his lips against the crown of your head.

It was there that you drifted off, safe and sound in the arms of your inspector.

Chapter Text

You turned out to be correct in your assumption that Cyr and Julyan had made it out of the city before the lockdown. With the Dragonsong War good and over, you were able to charter an airship directly to Tailfeather, effectively cutting your travel time in half.

When you arrived, you found Julyan waiting quite patiently and Cyr itching to go on. Apparently in the time it took you to get there, Julyan had taken it upon herself to detail Hildibrand’s childhood at the chocobo stables of Manderville Manor to the poor inquisitor. In detail.

In the time remaining at Fortemps Manor, you and Hildibrand had decided to keep this quiet for now. Whatever ‘this’ was, anyway; you still weren't quite sure. At first, you figured this would be a fling or a passing lust, but there was no denying the warm feelings that now crept into your heart whenever Hildibrand directed one of his signature grins your way.

This was going to be a problem.

For one thing, you suddenly realized how nice Hildibrand was. Not just to you, but to everyone . This was a man with zero ulterior motives, who did good for the sake of doing good. Even after being berated and beaten up Twelve knows how many times, he still faced every challenge with a flex and a smile. Some would call him crazy, others stupid. He may have been these things, but he was also fundamentally a good man.

Most of all, he treated you like a person and not a weapon. You were more than just the godsdamned Warrior of Light when you were with Hildibrand. Why, you hadn’t felt like that since you were with-

Well, there was no sense in dwelling on those who have been lost, now was there?

The trek across the Forelands was far less harrowing than you anticipated. With the dragons not being a problem anymore, your main threat was the Gnath… and even they were no match for Julyan and her frying pan.

(You made a note to ask her later where exactly she’d learned the techniques of a dark knight.)

Hildibrand made it a point to help you across large gaps and pull branches out of your way. At first, you’d been slightly irritated; didn’t he know by now you could take care of yourself? It was only about halfway through the Forelands that you realized this was just something he did to be nice. In fact, you were sure he must have helped Cyr up half a dozen times after the latter tripped over something or another.

But the lingering gazes and the slightly overlong moments he spent holding onto you? Well, those were for you and you alone.

… Well, they would be, but Julyan had spent the entire second half of the trip eyeing you two intensely. If she’d figured out something… may the Fury have mercy on your soul.

After a few too many close calls with goblin-made explosives to be comfortable, your party finally made it to Idyllshire. Upon seeing civilization, Cyr just about collapsed from relief. You poked him with the toe of your shoe, and he groaned in response. He’d live.

Hildibrand suggested his (your) brilliant idea of questioning the locals and after taking a moment to haul Cyr off the ground and confirm his well-being, you all went your separate ways.

You took a moment to close your eyes and relax, take in the sounds of Idyllshire. This place had always been soothing to you, a testament to the bonds forged between man and goblinkind. And it was nice to be alone with your thoughts after multiple days of traveling with a full entourage.

Your thoughts, however, did not seem to want to be alone; they kept turning towards a certain inspector. After you dropped your weapon off for repairs at the tinker’s, you scanned the area for him before finally locating him near the markets.

Gigi was looking at all the vendors and hopping around in what you hoped was excitement. Hildibrand was laughing merrily and looking at Gigi with an expression brimming with paternal affection. Your heart swelled; gods, this man was just too sweet. He truly made an excellent father, and it made you feel some kind of way.

You wanted to kiss him, you wanted to kiss him so badly. Well, you wanted to do more than just kiss him, but this was all going at his pace and you would wait however long it took to go further, if it even went further at all.

Over the course of the trip to Idyllshire, you’d done a lot of thinking and you’d come to the conclusion that yes, you really wanted to see where this went. Hildibrand was a real catch, and it seemed like he was interested too. At least, you hoped he was and wasn’t just going along with it to be nice. He didn’t seem like the type to string someone along.

(Gods, why were you so fluttery and anxious about this?!)

After making sure your appearance was in order and that there wasn’t too much dirt smudged on you from traveling, you approached the pair while admonishing yourself for being so nervous. This was Hildibrand , for Twelve’s sake. How many adventures had you been on with this man? Your shared experiences had already forged a deep bond between you and him. This wasn’t the time to get butterflies. Nothing had changed!

Oh, but it had.

Gigi saw you first. “AuNtIe! AuNtIe!” he exclaimed, running over to you and doing the universal little kid motion for ‘up’. You hoisted him up in the air and he laughed as you did so.

“Hey there, kid. How are you liking Idyllshire?”

“I lOvE iT! yAy FoR eVeRyThInG! aLl ThE gObBiEs ArE sUpEr NiCe! OnE oF tHeM cAlLeD mE a ‘MaRvEl Of MeChMaKiNg’!”

You giggled. “I’m glad you’re having fun. If anyone gives you trouble, though, you run right to me or Julyan, okay?” You set him down and gave him a hearty pat on the head.

“OkAy!”

An idea came to you. “Why don’t you go help Mama Nashu pick out a nameday gift for herself while Papa Hildy and I go take care of some things?”

“I’m GoNnA hElP hEr PiCk ThE bEsT pReSeNt EvEr!” You watched as he toddled over to the market and was received by an equally enthusiastic Nashu.

“Ah, the little tyke,” Hildibrand said, coming to stand next to you. “Already shopping on his own. Brings a tear to my eye.”

You smiled at him, quashing down the butterflies in your stomach. “You’re doing really well with him.”

“You think so? That is wonderful to hear!” He grinned and you couldn’t help but give him one back; his happiness was infectious and exactly what you needed after the ordeal you’d been through with the Dragonsong War.

“Your mother will come around, I’m sure.” You looked around before spotting her leaning up against a lamppost and sulking. She seemed to sense your gaze on her, as she almost immediately snapped her head in your direction with razor sharp precision. You could have sworn her eyes were glowing.

Deciding not to test her ire, you suddenly decided the building in the completely opposite direction from her was fascinating .

“I hope so…” Hildibrand shook his head. “She always says I get my stubbornness from Father but I dare say she might have a hand in it as well!” He sighed exaggeratedly. “Anyroad, you wanted to speak with me?”

You stood up straight, heat rushing to your cheeks. Get it together! “Ah! Yes! I was wondering if… You, uh wanted to go for a walk, see the sights of Idyllshire!”

Hildibrand nodded enthusiastically. “A capital idea! A morale booster before settling in on the case sounds excellent! I shall gather everyone at once!”

Fury take me, you thought. There was no way he could be this dumb. But then again, this was Hildibrand, and if the other night had taught you anything, it was that you needed to be direct with him or else risk a hint going straight over his head.

“N-no! Not with everyone!” you exclaimed, waving your hands in surprise. “Just us! You and me. Alone together? Like a… a date?”

Hildibrand merely stared at you for a second before breaking out into a stupidly wide smile, complete with blush and watery eyes.

“A date! How lovely! Yes, you and I shall take in the sights together!” He had a sudden realization. “But I’ve nothing to wear for a date!”

You giggled, the nervousness in your stomach easing upon seeing his enthusiasm. “You always look sharp. Besides, look at me.” You gestures to yourself, still clothed in your traveling garb and looking rather slovenly compared to him.

“You look marvelous as always. Why, you could make a popoto sack look like the finest silk!” he exclaimed, offering an arm.

“H-Hildy!” You covered your face to hide your flusteredness but happily took the offered arm.

He flashed you his signature sparkling grin. “I merely speak the truth, my dear lady. Now, shall we?”

You peeked at him from between your fingers, shooting him a grin equally as silly as the one he’d given you earlier. “We shall.”

The two of you walked all around Idyllshire, and you eagerly showed Hildibrand all the sights, from Rowena’s Center for Cultural Promotion to Stickqix’s Bangpots to Freewalks Roundspot and more. You even pointed out the Aetheryte to him and suggested that future trips back and forth could be shortened by catching a teleport with you.

The entire time, you were arm in arm with Hildibrand. Some people recognized you and offered cheerful greetings, which you happily returned along with an introduction to the man by your side. Khloe even asked you when the wedding was, which you deflected by sputtering and shoving a completed journal into her hands to distract her.

Gradually, however, you were leading him behind the buildings to a more secluded spot. You wanted your alone time with him and by the Twelve, you were going to take it where you could.

You two came to a walled ledge at the very end of town. “If you look here, you can practically see the entirety of the hinterlands,” you said. “Isn’t it pretty?”

Hildibrand nodded. “Breathtaking indeed! Though naught compares to the lady by my side!”

“Hush, you,” you said, waving your free hand in his direction. The heat on your face, however, betrayed how pleased you were by his compliment.

Instead of waiting for Hildibrand to open his mouth and fluster you further, however, you let go of his arm and reached down to lace your fingers through his. His jaw dropped just a bit in surprise as he glanced down to your joined hands and then back up at you, but he quickly reined himself in and squeezed your hand.

“This okay?” you asked.

“More than okay!” he replied. “I… I must admit the words are failing me, but I will say that I’ve never felt like this before!”

You leaned against his shoulder. “I’m glad,” you said as you brought your unheld hand up to rub gently at his upper arm. “I missed you.”

Hildibrand blinked in confusion. “Whatever do you mean? I’ve been right here with you these past few weeks!”

Giggling, you shook your head affectionately. “Yes, but we haven’t been alone since… you know…”

His thin eyebrows raised. “Ah, yes. That.”

“Don’t think I didn’t see how you sweetly were looking at me on the way here from Ishgard.”

“Well, you do have beautiful eyes.”

You laughed softly. “Charmer.” You traced shapeless patterns into the fabric of his jacket as you took a moment to gaze out upon the scenery. “You aren’t ashamed of this, are you?” you finally asked.

Hildibrand looked genuinely taken aback. “Of course not! Whyever would I be?”

“You seem eager to keep this a secret.”

Hildibrand was silent for a moment. “Inquisitor Cyr tells me that you are a person of no small import.”

That was a bit of an understatement. It was also part of why you liked Hildibrand so much; he’d never given a damn about your status as the Warrior of Light. 

“You could say that…” you replied, sighing. “Does that make you nervous?”

“Not at all. I am, after all, an inspector extraordinaire, loved the realm over!” He flexed as best he could with one hand taken. “People will talk. I, of course, have never minded the talk! But you might.”

You turned to look him straight in the eye. “Let them talk. I don’t care. I… I really like you, Hildy. And I want to see where this goes.”

It was if you’d told him he’d won a million gil, or that the case of a lifetime was waiting to be solved… by him. He looked ecstatic, and you couldn’t help but match his elation. “I believe the feeling is mutual!”

“Good to hear,” you said, leaning in. “Kiss me?”

“With pleasure!”

And so he did, right there at the edge of town. His arms wrapped around you and pulled you close and you wrapped yours around him in turn, one hand coming up through his hair. He dipped you dramatically, and you could feel the wind rushing past the both of you as your pounding heart sounded in your ears. This was bliss.

And then-

“I KNEW IT!”

You leapt apart as if burned as one Julyan Manderville came striding triumphantly towards you. In tow were Nashu, Cyr, and Gigi. Oh brother, the gang was all here.

Cyr had a hand over Gigi’s eyes and was trying to usher him away from the scene while Nashu cheered and clapped. She was similarly being nudged away by the thoroughly flustered inquisitor, who seemed desperate to put a wide berth between himself and the scene unfolding in front of him.

(Smart man.)

“Mumm- er, Mother!” Hildibrand exclaimed. “I was under the impression you were assisting Inquisitor Cyr with the investigation!”

Julyan stopped in front of Hildibrand and stood with her arms crossed. “I was, until I saw the two of ya sneakin’ about like teenagers! I knew there was somethin’ goin’ on with ye!”

You gulped. As the esteemed Warrior of Light and savior of the realm multiple times over, there were few things in this world that truly scared you.

Julyan Manderville was one of them.

“M-Ma’am-“ you began.

“Don’t you ‘ma’am’ me, young lady!” She pointed a finger at you and you actually took a step back in mild fear. “Ya didn’t let me finish!”

Hildibrand took a step back with you, wrapping an arm protectively around your waist. Oh, Hildy… as if he could stop the wrath that was his mother. You appreciated the gesture, though.

“Milady,” you amended. “Pray forgive us this indiscretion. We were hoping to keep things… quiet for a time.”

“Ya can’t hide from me. A mother always knows. So how long has this been goin’ on, huh?”

You smiled sheepishly. “Er, remember how we were late meeting you in Tailfeather because of that snowstorm?”

“Damn right I do! Three days ya made us wait, though it really was a charming little town…” She realized something. “Wait, so while you two were holed up in Ishgard...”

“Nothing happened!” you exclaimed. “Well, nothing more than, uh, this.”

Julyan narrowed her eyes at you. “That so? Anything… else?”

Hildibrand was scandalized. “Mother! To imply such a thing… Unbelievable! I intend to court her properly!”

Oh. He was actually invested in this. Oh my. Your heart swelled with the idea. You could definitely get on board here. It had been an age since you were properly ‘courted’, as it were. And being with Hildibrand, helping with his investigations… it made you feel like a person again, like there was a light at the end of the long tunnel of despair that had been your stay in Ishgard.

“I’d hardly call that spit-swappin’ ye were doin’ ‘proper’…” She looked between you and Hildibrand before giving up and shrugging. “Who am I to say anythin’, though? Yer father an’ I gave people plenty to talk about back in the day.”

“So you’ve said…” Hildibrand had the look of someone who’d heard this story many times and didn’t care to hear it again.

Julyan jabbed a finger into Hildibrand’s chest. “So you better treat her right, ya hear me?! I did not raise my beloved boy to be a cad or a heartbreaker! And for the love of the gods…” Her eyes glowed a deadly red. “Don’t make me an actual grandmother yet. Are we clear?”

You both nodded very rapidly. “As crystal, Mother!” Hildibrand exclaimed. He then cleared his throat. “Ahem! Where were we? Ah yes, I do believe we’d ascertained the location of the Grand Sers’ hideout. Let us go and find our villains!”

He dashed off, clearly wanting to put some distance between himself and Julyan before a frying pan got involved.

Now knowing how Nashu felt when she yelled for Hildibrand to wait up for her, you took a step to go after him when a hand grabbed your sleeve. Turning, you saw it belonged to Julyan, who was smiling serenely at you. She was the very picture of sunshine and flowers.

“Just a moment, now. I wanted to talk to ya in private.”

You were so dead.

“O-of course.”

Another sweet smile. “Wonderful. Now, as you know… Hildy is my darling boy, my one and only son… I love him very much.”

You had a feeling this was going the ‘shovel talk’ route. “Yes, Milady…”

“Now, yer pretty famous in yer own right. Warrior of Light n’ all. Which means you got nothin’ ulterior to gain by datin’ him. And from all ya’ve been through with him, it looks like ya genuinely like him.”

“Of course I do!”

Julyan snapped her head to look straight at you. “Don’t interrupt me.” You gulped. “So as I was sayin… it’s a good thing ya really do like him, because if you break his heart…”

Her eyes flashed red once more.

“ I’ll shove this frying pan somewhere you won’t like. You’ll be tastin’ pure cast iron fer the rest o’ yer life, missy. Capiche? ”

Your blood ran cold. “Yes. Absolutely. One hundred percent understood, Lady Julyan.” Please don’t kill me, you mentally added. You’d been face to face with the dread wyrm Nidhogg twice over and you hadn’t been this scared.

“Excellent!” Like flipping a switch, she was back to sugary sweet. “I’m glad we could have this talk, just us gals. Now, why don’t we get back to Nashu and the boys before somethin’ gets blown up, yeah?” She patted your softly on the arm for good measure.

You nodded so fast it was if your head was on springs.

Julyan started off in the direction her son had gone off to, humming a cheery tune. You waited until there was a little distance between you two before you continued after.

When you were halfway there, you realized you still hadn’t asked her about the dark knight thing.

Somehow, you had a feeling now was not the best time to bring it up.

Another time, perhaps.

Chapter Text

You craned your neck up to see Hildibrand fly higher and higher until he was naught but a speck in the sky. The initial panic that had seized your heart upon his first ascent was slowly easing; somehow in your heart of hearts you knew he would be okay.

It wasn’t until you’d dropped Cyr off in Idyllshire and the Grand Sers off with the knights in Ishgard that any of you really said anything.

“Perhaps I mighta overreacted just a tad…” Julyan muttered as you stood with her and her husband near the aetheryte in Foundation.

“Ah, maybe…” you replied, not really wanting to truly agree or disagree lest either option incur the other woman’s wrath.

Godbert chuckled. “But what a swing that was! You haven’t lost your touch, my dear.” 

(He’d at the very least had the good sense to put on a coat between Zenith and Ishgard.)

Deciding against questioning the Mandervilles and their bizarre family rituals, you instead took the conversation in a different direction. “Which way do you think he went?”

Godbert thought deeply for a moment. “... East,” he finally said. “But more importantly! My wife has told me something rather interesting concerning you and my dear son…”

Oh no. Here it was.

“Er, about that-” you began, getting ready to defend yourself and your position if needed.

“Ohoho! About time you two figured it out!” Godbert said, laughing heartily.

Whatever response you’d been planning died instantly. “... What?” was all you managed.

“Godbert here thought you n’ Hildy were meant to be from the start,” Julyan said, crossing her arms. “An’ I guess he was right.”

“Of course! I knew from the moment we met that you were a Manderville in the making by the way you dance!”

You blinked. “The way I… dance.”

“The way you lift your legs and put up your hands is Mandervillan in its very essence!” Godbert elaborated, raising a finger for emphasis. “From that moment in Northern Thanalan onwards, I was sure you were going to join us somehow. I just didn’t know if it was going to be adoption or marriage!”

“Guess we can quit draftin’ those adoption papers…” Julyan mused matter-of-factly.

You were taken aback (but just a little bit). “I-I am a woman grown…”

Godbert raised a non-existent eyebrow, and you suddenly realized where Hildibrand had gotten that feature (or lack thereof) from. “And? The bonds of family do not stop when one reaches maturity.”

“Hildy’s got twenty three summers on ‘im, and he’s still my little boy!”

Well, that answered one question that had been on your mind for a while; you’d genuinely had no idea how old Hildibrand was. His demeanor pegged him for anywhere between eighteen and thirty and the apparent ages of his parents just raised more questions.

Questions, of course, that you didn’t dare to ask. At least, not with Julyan present. The last thing you wanted was to end up like poor Hildibrand.

You smiled thinly. “Ah, I’ve never had much in the way of family…”

Godbert clapped you the shoulder affectionately. “You do now, my dear girl!” You made sure he wasn’t looking before you rubbed said shoulder in pain - the man truly did not know his own strength.

“Oh, uh…” You didn’t know what to say, honestly. After all, you’d barely just started courting their son. And yet… this felt right. Things with Hildibrand felt real. You hadn’t felt like this in what felt like forever.

“Coeurl got yer tongue, dear?” Julyan asked, giggling at your confused expression. “It’s alright. Godbert an’ I have a habit of pickin’ up strays here and there… which our dear boy seems to have inherited.”

That reminded you. You looked to Gigi, who was now safely tucked under Godbert’s arm. “He’s going to be okay, right?”

Godbert nodded. “His core is perfectly intact. He’s merely depleted his aether is all.” You breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m going to make some modifications and then bring him over to that Cyr boy my son made friends with.”

“That milksop wound up growin’ a spine in the end. I’m almost proud of the whelp.” Julyan shook her head in a manner almost resembling affectionate.

“And Cyr… he’ll be safe in Idyllshire, right?” You couldn’t help but worry about the young ex-inquisitor. He’d given up everything he’d ever known to help Hildibrand and Gigi, and now if the inquisitors were after him...

Julyan frowned. “Dunno. If you ask me, all this heretic crap is a bunch of hooey,” she said with a shrug. “But the boy does seem a helluva lot less miserable than he did when we first met ‘im.”

Godbert laughed heartily. “Darling, would you believe the boy accused me of being a heretic to my face? Me!”

You chuckled fondly at the memory. “Oh, right. I thought Lord Edmont was really going to give him what for!”

“It was a harmless mistake, and I do think the boy has learned his lesson!” Godbert exclaimed.

“I’d hardly call accusations of heresy, a crime punishable by death, ‘harmless’...” you muttered.

Julyan huffed. “Jumpin’ at shadows, this lot out here…” She then looked at you. “But you seem to be good at puttin’ folks like that kid back on the straight n’ narrow!”

“I don’t think I could have done it without your son, milady. Hildy… tends to have that effect on people. He makes me - makes a lot of people, actually - want to be a better person,” you said, smiling wistfully as you thought of all the people you’d met and touched the lives of through Hildibrand and his friends. Where would you be, honestly, if you hadn’t taken Wymond up on his request to help Nashu?

“Ohoho!” Julyan exclaimed, holding a hand to her mouth as she laughed. “Lookit that! I know that look! That’s the smile of a lady in love.”

Your face heated up. Well, you certainly liked Hildibrand… but love?! That was… something that could definitely happen, you realized. If you let this go naturally, this could end with you falling in love. And that… wasn’t so bad, now was it?

“I remember when you looked at me like that, my love,” Godbert said to his wife. “And you’re still every bit as beautiful as you were the day you met. Even more so, perhaps!” 

Julyan playfully shoved her husband’s shoulder, and it was enough to make the man stumble just a little. “Quiet, you,” she scolded, though the blush on her face indicated she was pleased with the compliment. She sighed wistfully. “I guess it’s true, Godbert. Our little boy is grown up and out there stealin’ hearts. Oh, I could cry!”

“I think we did an alright job with him,” Godbert said. “He’s a good man.”

“Truly,” you agreed. “There are few in Eorzea more selfless than he.” You bowed slightly to them. “You have my word that I shall keep him safe out there.”

Godbert nodded. “I trust you. And I’m sure my lovely Julyan has already threatened you quite graphically about what would happen if you were to harm our son.”

“Graphic is right,” you said, shivering as you remembered the raw power that shone from the other woman’s eyes.

“We did have a little chit chat, yes,” Julyan answered sweetly, not a trace of the ruthless dark knight from before to be seen. 

(Dammit, it still wasn’t a good time to ask!)

Godbert pulled out a pocket watch and gasped at the time. “Is it this late already?!”

“Need to head back to Ul’dah?” you asked.

He sighed. “Yes, much to do, though I wish this excursion could have lasted longer. It’s been far too long since we’ve had a vacation, Julyan and I!”

You nodded, feeling very much in need of a vacation yourself. Sadly, the world never stopped getting into peril, and someone had to save it.

“I’m likely heading East soon on, uh, Scion business. I’ll keep an eye out for Hildy.” You shook your head with a smile. “Gods, I miss him already.”

“If ya find him, tell him to write to us for once in his godsdammed life! That boy will give me early grays with all he runs around doing! Maybe even wrinkles!” Julyan looked terrified at the thought.

You decided not to remind her that it was due to her actions that he was missing once more.

With a hug from Julyan and another hearty shoulder pat from Godbert (mercifully on the other side this time), you went your separate ways.

~

It occurred to you soon after that a reasonable person would be worried out of their mind if the person they were courting had been launched into the sky to parts unknown. A fall from that height was supposed to be more than fatal, and yet you found that you weren’t overly perturbed by what happened at all.

You missed him, of course. Now that your relationship had gone to the next level, you found yourself wanting his company, even if just for his comforting presence. It was hard to be angry and afraid with Hildibrand there; he made you feel like everything was going to be alright.

But you’d see him again before long, this you knew. If Hildibrand survived Dalamud and the Treaty Blade, you highly doubted a rogue frying pan could do him in. Your theory? Whatever had been done to him during those five years he’d spent in stasis had made it impossible to die.

… or maybe Godbert and Julyan weren’t as mortal as they seemed.

That wasn’t a theory you were too keen on testing anytime soon, though. It would just have to go on the theory pile, probably next to the long missive you’d once come up with about you were absolutely certain Gilgamesh was an Echo bearer.

Oh well. Problems for another day. You had an upcoming revolution to focus on.

Chapter Text

Focusing on the task at hand was far easier than you anticipated. From the moment you stepped foot over Baelsar’s Wall to the moment you faced off against the deadly fusion of Zenos yae Galvus and the primal Shinryu, you barely had a second to yourself. 

For the vaunted Warrior of Light, it was just one task after another. ‘Serve, save, slave, slay’, as you’d heard it put more than once. When you finally got back to the little house you were renting in Kugane’s Ijin District, you were pretty sure you slept for three solid days.

And for once, the world let you rest. When you started feeling like a person again, you decided you wanted to wander Kugane for a bit, get lost in the crowds. You wanted to be a nameless part of the masses, if only until you were called upon again.

That was when you saw him.

There wasn’t anything particularly striking about the young Lalafellin man; in fact, he was so ordinary it was strange. You were strolling past the tea house with the markets as your destination when he called you over from his place near the hostelry. The entire time he spoke to you, you couldn’t shake the feeling that he was familiar somehow, and not in a way you liked.

The way he described the Miqo’te girl he wanted to ‘protect’ made you sick to your stomach, but you took him up on his request if only to distract and appease him. Your true plan, however, was to find this girl and warn her of her intended assailant. Few things boiled your blood more than people like this lech of a man.

In all honesty, you wanted to punt the creep into next week, but… well, you weren’t keen on explaining to the Sekiseigumi why you had assaulted another traveler.

You’d just have to do this the civil way. As you approached where the man told you the Miqo’te girl was currently at, you practiced what you would say to the girl. ‘Don’t be scared,’ you said in your head, ‘but I believe you’re being stalked. Let’s go to the authorities and report him together. I’ll keep you safe.’

All your plans came to a screeching halt when you realized the girl in question was none other than your dear friend Nashu.

It wasn’t that you didn’t want to help her; no, the opposite was true. But now? Now this was personal .

No one messed with your friends and got away with it.

After scaring away the Namazu who was trying to swindle poor Nashu, you wrapped the other woman in a big hug. After being shocked for a second, she returned the gesture.

“What serendipity, finding you here!” she said, grinning.

“I’m just glad you’re safe, Nashu! It’s been months.”

Nashu blinked. “Oh… has it? I’m bad with days…” She shrugged. You couldn’t really be mad; this was par for the course with Nashu.

“You haven’t been answering your linkpearl.”

“Oh, that old thing? I have it somewhere…” She fished through the pockets of her tunic before coming up empty.

You shook your head. “Uh, never mind that. If you’re here, does that mean…”

Nashu grinned, utterly catlike. “I know who you’re looking for…” she teased.

The heat flared to your face immediately. If even Nashu realized, you weren’t being subtle. But dammit, you missed Hildibrand. Knowing how nigh-indestructible he was, you weren’t so much worried as you were lonely. Months of having to be the Warrior of Light again had eaten at your sense of self, and you longed to be around people who didn’t care about any of that crap.

That, and you missed kissing him, and talking with him, and holding his hand, and-

Uh oh. Maybe this was becoming a ‘love’ thing after all.

During your travels, you occasionally asked if anyone had seen a man matching his description wandering about; even if they hadn’t found him, maybe someone had seen his father, or even Autgar. No dice, however.

As for his family, you’d seen Godbert briefly while escorting the Sultana to the Gold Saucer. Explaining to her later on that you were in the midst of courting Godbert’s son had been quite the interesting time. Sadly, the man had no news of Hildibrand, and had even been hoping you’d come bearing tidings.

Cyr hadn’t heard from Hildibrand, either. You wrote to the man once every few weeks and dropped in whenever you were in Idyllshire. He was flourishing quite well in his new life as a consulting inspector, and you had half a mind to introduce him to Briardien someday. Hmm… together those two might really be able to get things done…

“Ah, you’ve got me,” you admitted to the other woman. “I was hoping you’d found him?”

Nashu shook her head, pulling a notepad and quill out of her pocket. “Not yet… but if my calculations are correct, he landed somewhere on this continent!”

You blinked. “That doesn’t… narrow it down very much.”

“Which is why it’s good I found you. I think you’re the only one that wants to find the inspector more than I do!”

“M-maybe.” You looked around for a moment to make sure there weren’t any people overhearing. “About that, Nashu…”

Nashu tilted her head at you in confusion. “Huh?”

“Are you… okay with all of this? Me and Hildibrand, I mean. I know you’ve known him forever and-“

“Of course I am! He’s really liked you from the start, you know. He just was too polite to say anything. But a girl knows these things…” She winked at you.

You breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, good. I just didn’t want to step on any toes or-“

Nashu cut you off by bursting out into laughter. “Ahaha! Y-you think me and the inspector- oh, you’re too funny!” She slapped you on the arm good-naturedly, taking off her glasses to wipe at a joy-induced tear. It was as if you’d told her the world’s funniest joke.

“Wh- what?”

“You're right, I have known Inspector Hildibrand a long time - almost half my life. But he’s like family to me! Pretty much my only family…”

You were curious now, but you knew better than to dig into someone’s past; if Nashu wanted to tell you about her early life, she would at some point.

“He’s a good man,” you said instead.

“And you’re a good woman. Which is why you're perfect for each other! I couldn’t be happier for you two!”

This just flustered you. “Thanks… I’m really glad to hear it.”

“I’m just glad you made the first move! He was never going to do it himself, no matter how many times I told him he should.” She shook her head with a smile, and you found yourself suddenly curious about what Hildibrand and Nashu talked about when you weren’t there. “Anyway, I have a really good idea about how we can find him!”

“Shoot.”

Nashu grinned. “We just sniff out the biiiiiiggest crime we can and start investigating. The inspector is bound to turn up sooner or later!”

Well, it wasn’t as if you had any better ideas.

“Alright, where should we start?”

Nashu thought for a moment, tapping her chin pensively. “Hmm… let’s split up and ask around.” She started scribbling on her notepad once more, and you cast your glance around the room to see the Lalafellin creep from earlier peering through a window he had no business being at unless he knew some feats of parkour. He winked and threw you a thumbs up, and your stomach churned in disgust.

“Or! Since it’s getting dark, we should really think about resting!”

“Wow, evening already? Where does the time go?”

You nodded vigorously. “Yup! Where are you staying? I’ll walk you there.”

“Hmm… I hadn’t really thought about that yet. Are there any particularly comfy alleyways you’ve come across in your travels? Or maybe a nice tamed gazebo…”

Oh no, no way in the seven hells were you going to let her stay outside alone with that creep prowling around! “I’m renting a nice, uh, gazebo in the Ijin District. It has doors that lock and everything. And plenty of other people living nearby to act as witne- er, neighbors! We should go there… right now!”

Nashu squinted at you for a moment in suspicion. “Okay!” she finally said, smiling sweetly at you.

You started gently pushing Nashu out the door opposite the window the creep was peering at you two through. Through the back of your head, you could almost feel the diminutive stalker staring daggers at you, but you didn’t care. You would deal with him later; getting Nashu somewhere safe came first.

“You can stay there with me as long as you like, free of charge.”

Nashu frowned. “Are you sure? I don’t wanna impose…”

“Yes, very sure. I want you safe! Uh, and comfortable. Now let’s go!”

“Pushy, pushy…”

~

You, of course, tried to warn Nashu about her pursuer.

(And, of course, she didn’t believe you.)

Not knowing what else to do, you decided staying by her side was the best course of action while you decided to do about the creep. And so when the next day dawned, you two set out to the streets of Kugane to figure out what the latest news was.

It was in the quest for information that you both learned of the Kugane Wolf Burglar and befriended a young samurai by the name of Shigure.

Shigure was more than happy to let you know of an auction he’d caught wind of, and the three of you headed over there.

While waiting for the auction to start, Nashu flitted about, asking both about the Wolf Burglar and if anyone had seen hide nor hair of Hildibrand. You smiled as you watched her; just like Hildibrand, she was dedicated to her cause.

“Hey, Shigure…”

The man looked over to you. “Hm? What is it, my lady?”

“You seem competent… I might need your help with something.”

“What troubles you?”

You looked around, making sure he hadn’t followed you here. “It’s about Nashu. I’ve recently become aware that a man has been stalking her for over five years.”

Shigure gasped. “Surely you jest.”

“I wish I was…” you said, sighing. “He’s followed her all the way to Kugane… he flagged me down and said he needed my help ‘protecting’ her…” You clenched your fists. “But the things he said about her… weren’t very protective if you know what I mean.” Even recalling his words made you sick.

“The fiend…”

You crossed your arms. “He’s a straw-hatted Lalafellin man dressed in pink. I’ve half a mind to kick the creepy little bastard all the way to Ala Mhigo, but…”

“He’s not done anything yet, thus the authorities would see you as the aggressor,” Shigure finished.

“Precisely.”

Shigure thought for a moment. “The Sekiseigumi are not to be trifled with, that much is true… but I can see you and Miss Nashu are close friends, and you seek to protect her.”

You nodded. “I do. But I can’t be there every second of every day. I… am a very busy woman. Soon enough I shall be called to duty once again. And then what? Yes, he’s been watching from the shadows for five years, but what if he decides one day that’s not enough? What then, Shigure?”

“You wish for me to assist you in building a case against this man to take to the authorities so that he will plague Miss Nashu no longer.” It wasn’t a question so much as a sure statement.

“Would you help me?”

Shigure sighed deeply, eventually giving you a nod. “I would not forgive myself if I were to stand idly by while a young woman is assaulted.”

“Thanks. I know we’ve only known each other a short while, but it means a lot.”

Whatever Shigure intended to reply with was swallowed by the cheers of the crowd as the auctioneer took the stage.

“I think it’s starting!” Nashu, who had made her way back to your side, exclaimed.

You wondered if it was too late to ask about the gil-koban exchange rate.

Everyone gasped as the auctioneer brought out… a Qiqirn?

“By the Twelve…” you gasped quietly, so that only Nashu and Shigure could hear. “Are they selling… living, sentient creatures!?”

“The poor little Qiqirn…”

You looked around to verify no one was paying attention to you. “Hey, Nashu… think we can bust the little guy out later when no one’s looking?”

Nashu grinned and pulled out one of her signature Delights, much to Shigure’s horror. As he lectured her on the importance of not blowing up civilians, the auctioneer put the next item out on stage, and-

“Hildy!” you gasped.

“Cor, that looks just like the inspector!”

There was no mistaking it; there on the stage, frozen in time once more, was Hildibrand. The trauma from the frying pan attack combined by the harsh landing he no doubt endured must have sent him back into stasis, you thought.

“That’s because it is!” you exclaimed. “Come on, let’s go grab him.”

You’d taken all of one step towards the stage when Shigure grabbed you by the wrist.

“Forgive me my forwardness, but to remove an item from the auction without paying would be theft!”

The auctioneer started the bidding. Seeing no time to argue semantics with Shigure, you immediately placed a bid with no concern over whether or not you actually had the funds.

Akebono, of course, outbid you. You leveled a glare his way; potential client or not, the more you talked to this man the less you liked him. He had more money than scruples and it almost seemed like the only reason he wanted to buy the ‘statue’ is so that you couldn’t.

You bid back, and the two of you got into a bidding war that made the patrons around you gasp. In all honesty, you had no idea if you were good for the money or not. You weren’t hurting for gil, but you weren’t sure how it would translate to koban. Still, no way in all the seven hells were you going to let this mustachioed muckmaker run off with the man you-

A loud noise brought you back to reality, and the world around you was obscured by a sudden burst of smoke. This was no Delight, and judging by Nashu’s startled yelps, she definitely hadn’t been the one to throw it.

Oh gods, what if it was… no, he wouldn’t. Not for a statue ?!

When the smoke cleared, your worst fears were confirmed: the Kugane Wolf Burglar had indeed made off with your inspector.

Gasps and coughs echoed throughout the crowd. “ The Eoruzean Gentleman! ” someone exclaimed. “It’s gone!”

“Who would want to make off with such a horribly ugly statue?” another asked. Ugly??? Had they even taken more than just a passing glance at the man?! You tamped down a wave of irritation at that comment.

“Did you see the detail on that thing? It’s probably worth thousands!”

Akebono, who seemed to have been the one closest to the blast, pointed a shaky finger in the direction of the Short Pier, looking at both you and Shigure. “I...I saw him! The fiend with wolfish features! He took the statue and ran towards the Short Pier! You both are warriors, are you not? After him! I want my statue!”

You opened your mouth to tell Akebono exactly where he could put his one million koban when Shigure, seemingly sensing your distress, placed a hand on your shoulder in an effort to comfort you. “Let us go and inquire after the statue, if only for your sake. It seems to be of some import to you, my lady.”

That was an understatement. You hadn’t waited this long to be reunited with Hildibrand only to have him snatched from right in front of you, dammit!

You took a deep breath to calm yourself, fixing Shigure with a serene smile - the likes of which wouldn’t be unusual from Julyan. “You’re right. We should get going. Nashu?”

“Let’s go find the inspector!”

~

And find him you did, but not without going all the way to the Ruby Sea. It probably would have been much more difficult, actually, if you all hadn’t run into Autgar during your search. He, of course, let you know exactly how he felt about you clearing out the Sirensong Sea.

Okay, maybe he had a point; you did have a tendency to attack first and ask questions later.

(In your defense, they did strike first.)

Shigure seemed to be adjusting to the antics more readily than his predecessors had, only briefly questioning reality as Autgar used his aetheric ties to lead your party straight to Hildibrand.

“Is he… going to eat us?” he asked you quietly as the two of you paddled Autgar’s skiff across to the other side of the Isle of Bekko. Autgar, who was sitting up front and chatting amiably with Nashu, either didn’t hear Shigure’s question or didn’t care.

You shook your head. “Nah, he only eats rude people. Besides, he’d never dare hurt a friend of the inspector.”

“Who is this ‘inspector’ you keep speaking of, anyroad? I was under the impression that you and Miss Nashu were inspectors?”

Where to begin, you thought. “Well…” you started, smiling softly. “Inspector Hildibrand is… a character. He gave up his family fortune to travel the world helping people. And while he may be… eccentric, he’s a fundamentally good man, one of the kindest I know. That’s why I’m proud to call him my-“

“I think I see him!” Nashu exclaimed. “There, up on the cliff!” She pointed to a figure up top who seemed to be carrying something heavy on their back.

And so began the chase that ended in Nashu nearly spearing their quarry with three of her Delights, stacked together dango-style. She would really fit in with the Machinist’s Guild or the Ironworks, you thought idly.

As both Hildibrand and the Wolf Burglar hung on opposite sides of the cliff, you were faced with a choice. Either you went after the Wolf Burglar and let Hildibrand fall to his doom, or you went to rescue Hildibrand and let the Wolf Burglar escape.

Your choice was obvious, but Hildibrand lost his grip before you could make it over there. You cried out as you saw him spiral towards the ground; that was going to hurt.

In the resulting chaos, the Wolf Burglar unfortunately was able to escape on the back of a large bird. You’d half a mind to summon your yol and follow, but you had more pressing concerns. Running back over to Hildibrand’s side of the cliff, you gasped as you found he was already gone.

The sound of quickly approaching footsteps answered your question before you could even ask it, and your heart swelled as you saw Hildibrand rapidly ascending the terrain to meet you.

He stopped and gave you his signature grin, and though he was covered in rubble with his clothing blasted to bits, to you he was the most beautiful thing you’d seen in a long time.

“My dear, your attempted rescue was very much appreciated, but I assure you I am quite fi-mmph!”

His words were cut off as you lunged forward and grabbed him by what remained of his collar before dipping him in a dramatic kiss. He froze for a split second before his eyes slid shut and he passionately returned the gesture, his arms wrapping around you and pulling you close.

“This simultaneously explains everything… and absolutely nothing,” you heard Shigure say. Autgar clapped and cheered much as Nashu had in Idyllshire.

When you broke for air you immediately started shaking him by the shoulders.

“Months! It’s been months, Hildibrand Manderville!”

He blinked in confusion. “Has it? Why, I feel as if it were just yesterday that I took my scenic trip across the Dravanian skies!”

Well, that confirmed your stasis theory, at least. You sighed, wrapping your arms around him and pulling him in for a hug. “I missed you.” You held him close, not caring about getting dirt on your clothes or that he smelled of gunpowder.

“I would say the same, but to me it is as if we just parted! Know that if our time separated had been greater, however, you would have been at the forefront of my mind!”

Chuckling, you rested your head on his shoulder. “I’ve got a lot to fill you in on.”

He ran a soothing hand up and down your back. “Perhaps we should quit this place, then.” He then looked up and around. “By the way, where are we?”

Autgar came up to the two of you. “A thousand pardons, my lady!” He bowed deeply. “I had no idea that you were Master Zombibrand’s intended!”

Heat rushed to your face as you released Hildibrand from your hug. “Ah, you see, it’s-“

Hildibrand grinned. “This is a recent development, my good man! But yes, we are in a courtship!” He wrapped an arm chastely around your waist, and you leaned into his touch. You really had missed this.

“How serendipitous! I must inform my brothers posthaste!”

You sputtered, not sure if you were ready for the news to be broken to the entirety of the Gentle Dead Men.

“While you’re here, I feel I should ask,” Hildibrand said, oblivious. “What brought you all the way out here?”

Autgar explained his attempt to parley with the inhabitants of the Sirensong Sea, kindly leaving out that you were the reason he arrived to a deserted island. 

“One of these days you shall succeed in your endeavors!” Hildibrand exclaimed. “I have the utmost confidence in you.”

A loud cawing interrupted your conversation, and you glanced up to find multiple ruby hornbills circling Autgar overhead. “Perhaps we should get back to town…” you said uneasily, one han on your weapon in case any of them tried to take a chunk out of your living impaired friend.

Autgar looked up and took a step back in shock. “Astutely put, my lady! Let us return to civilization at once!”

Hildibrand nodded. “Yes, but first allow me a moment. My keen inspector’s sense tells me someone nearby is in distress. We must away to find this troubled soul!”

He dashed off as he always did, leaving you to watch as Nashu sprinted after him.

You sighed, no doubt that some sort of love struck smile was evident on your face; even after yet another brush with death, he still put others first. You started after them, leaving poor Shigure standing there in utter confusion.

“Wh… I… does anyone want to tell me what exactly is going on here?!”

Chapter Text

The first thing Shigure did after the chaos died down and the auctioneer was being led away in chains was apologize to you.

“A thousand pardons,” he said, bowing deeply. The two of you were standing in front of where the auction had taken place. Hildibrand had, as usual, dashed off in pursuit of a quarry without even asking questions first. You’d gone to go after him when Shigure had called after you.

You blinked at him. “Huh?”

“I admit I had no small measure of confusion regarding your reaction to the, er, ‘statue’s’ theft. If I had known that The Eoruzean Gentleman was in actuality your lover, I would have treated the situation with far more delicacy!”

“Ah, well we haven’t gotten to that point just yet…” you muttered, flustered. “Anyway! I’m used to people being confused over this sort of thing. You aren’t the first and you certainly won’t be the last.” You smiled at him.

Shigure sighed deeply. “I feel as if I should take some modicum of comfort in that, but… are you implying that this is a regular occurrence with this man?”

“Yep. Wherever Hildy and Nashu go, things are bound to happen. I’m usually just along for the ride.”

“Forgive me for asking such a forward question, but are you not the Warrior of Light? Surely you could take control of the situation with ease.”

You grinned. “You got me. But think about it like this, Shigure… what if I don’t always want to be the Warrior of Light?”

“I believe I follow…”

“I like Hildy because he doesn’t treat me like the Warrior of Light. Hells,” you chuckled, “sometimes I don’t even think he knows .” You shook your head affectionately. “I like him for a lot of other reasons too, but that’s a big one.”

Shigure thought for a moment. “He is rather… energetic. Are we certain he is a mortal man?”

You shrugged. “He survived a fall from Dalamud… I don’t think anything can kill him. Which is… very fortunate, especially for someone who spends time with me.”

Shigure took half a step away from you, which you weren’t particularly offended by. “Anyway!” he said, coughing awkwardly. “I return your earlier compliment in that you also seem rather competent. While I do not know how much help that inspector or his assistant will be, I feel much more at ease knowing you are on my side.”

“If I had a gil for every time I heard that one…” You laughed softly. “They’re good people, and they actually have a very high success rate!”

“I am... actually inclined to believe you, especially after seeing him help that pair of Qiqirn sailors.”

You smiled, no doubt getting that ‘look’ on your face once more. “That’s another thing I like about Hildy. No client is insignificant, no one gets turned away. He’s helped everyone from Qiqirn to goblins to children and so on. It’s… inspiring.”

“In all honesty, I do find myself reinvigorated for this chase…”

“And that’s what I like to call the Hildibrand Effect.” You grinned broadly. “I’m glad to have you with us, Shigure.”

He bowed slightly. “And I am glad to be of assistance, my lady. Rest assured that should I hear anything of the Wolf Burglar, I will notify you immediately.”

“Likewise. Now… I should probably go find them before something gets blown up.”

Shigure laughed softly. “I wish you luck, my friend.”

~

You found the pair over by the markets just as the sun was nearing the highest point in the sky. Nashu was looking over a selection of fruits you’d only seen in Kugane and nearby areas while Hildibrand was poring over some scrolls. Oh, this was the perfect opportunity…

You slipped behind Hildibrand and reached up to cover his eyes lightly. “Guess who?” you asked playfully.

“Mother?”

“No silly, it’s me,” you said, coming around to kiss Hildibrand on the cheek. Upon realizing it was you, however, he rapidly replaced whatever it is he was looking at.

He turned to face you fully afterwards, returning your cheek kiss with one of his own. You arched an eyebrow at his haste to hide the scroll he had had in his hands. “Ah, hello! Lovely to see you as always, my dear!”

“What was that all about?” You gestured to the pile of scrolls.

His face reddened. “‘Twas nothing at all! Hahaha, why would it be something?”

“Hildy…”

He gulped. “It’s, er, a surprise! For later!”

That was enough for you. “You’re sweet,” you said, embracing him lightly. “Any news of the Wolf Burglar?”

“None yet, though rest assured I am keeping vigilant!”

You giggled. “I know you wouldn’t have it any other way, Hildy. Anyroad, how do you like Kugane so far?”

“What a lovely city! Commerce is bustling and the architecture is beautiful! You say you’re renting a property here?”

“Yes, in the Ijin District. Nashu is staying with me while she’s in Kugane. You can stay too.”

Hildibrand thought for a moment. “Are you certain it wouldn’t be an imposition?”

“Absolutely not. My bed is far too big for one person anyway, not to mention it gets oh so cold at night sometimes…” You winked at him.

This hint he seemed to catch, as he blushed just a little. “Well, I do believe that is an area where I could be of assistance!”

“It’s a date,” you said, smirking

This seemed to remind Hildibrand of something. “Oh, yes! Speaking of dates…” He suddenly looked incredibly nervous.

You tilted your head at him in confusion. “Hm?”

He took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. “Iwouldverymuchliketotakeyouonaproperdatethisevening,” he spewed out all at once. Though it took you a moment for my brain to process his rapid speech, you couldn’t help but giggle once you’d made sense of it.

“A date? Oh, I’d love to! I’ll show you all the best places here in Kugane. We could see a show, get some food, go for a walk on the pier…” You felt yourself go starry-eyed just thinking about it.

Hildibrand breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed he’d been worried you’d turn him down. As if you could say no to a face like that.

“Ooh, a date?” Nashu said, popping up next to you two. It seemed she had finished fruit shopping and was now interested in what you and Hildibrand were talking about.

“Yes, my astute assistant!” Hildibrand exclaimed. “I am going to take her on a proper date this very evening!”

Nashu clapped. “Oh, this is exciting!” She reached down and took you by the wrist. “Come on, let’s go back to the gazebo! I’ll help you pick out an outfit!”

You looked at Hildibrand to confirm he was alright with the temporary nabbing of his assistant. He nodded. “A ladies’ day! That sounds like a good time for the both of you! I shall remain here and continue my, er, research!” His eyes flicked back over to the curious piles of scrolls and books. You wondered what in the world they were, but you didn’t want to interfere with Hildibrand’s brilliant plan.

Not yet, at least.

As you went to leave, Hildibrand took your hand in his and brought it to his lips for the gentlest of kisses. “Until this evening, my dear lady.” The gesture was unexpected enough to catch you off guard. Your heart skipped a beat and your stomach flipped over itself. Even after all this time, Hildibrand was still full of surprises.

You were absolutely certain people ten fulms away could feel the heat radiating off you, you were so flustered. “R-right! See you!” After sputtering out your address you turned sharply, staring down at your hand as you started after Nashu.

Out of the corner of your eye you saw a certain pink Lalafell slink down an alleyway and out of sight. You scowled in his direction; you’d deal with him later.

~

Upon arriving back at your rented residence, Nashu immediately insisted on seeing your wardrobe.

“Hmm…” she said, comparing two articles of clothing that were almost, but not quite, the same color. “You sure do have a lot of armor.”

“Of course I do, I’m a warrior. Do you even know what I get up to when I’m not with you and Hildy?”

Nashu paused for a moment. “Um, well you did take care of that one dragon that was giving everyone trouble…” She tapped her chin in thought. “You must do a lot of hero stuff!”

You laughed heartily. “Well, you’re not wrong.” From your position reclining on your bed, you craned your neck to see what Nashu was doing. “What are you looking for, anyway?”

“Something cute! I’m going to make you look adorable, and you’re gonna make the inspector’s jaw drop!”

“Oh, I don’t know about that…” The thought of such a situation was appealing, however.

Nashu spun on her heel and gave you a fanged grin. “Trust me! When I’m finished with you, you’ll be the prettiest lady in the whole city!”

If her fashion skills were anything like her art skills, you were scared. “Uh…”

“Don’t worry, I learned from the best!”

You raised an eyebrow. “Did you?”

Nashu nodded enthusiastically. “Sure did! Years ago, the inspector and I saved this nice aesthetician from a dastardly pickpocket, and he gave me lessons in return! Apparently he’s famous in some parts, which I didn’t find out about until later...”

Hmm... “Was he an Elezen man? Did he have a flair for the overdramatic? Plenty of scissors that he kept losing? A reputation as an eccentric?”

“Wow, how did you know?” she asked, gasping.

You laughed. “Alright, I trust you.”

Nashu squealed excitedly and continued going through your clothing. “Wow, you don’t have any cute dresses…”

“I mostly took necessities when I came over here. I do have some things in the other wardrobe over there, though.” You pointed to a smaller one in the corner that was filled with clothing you had acquired since your initial arrival in Kugane some months prior.

The speed at which Nashu hurried over there made you wonder if she too had the ability to flash-step. In what felt like an instant, she had already pulled out a red togi with a high neckline, delicate golden embroidery, and white lace. “Ooh, what about this? This is cute!”

“I don’t know… don’t you think that’s a little bold?” You eyed the high slits on either side of the togi.

“Maybe… but bold is good. I think the inspector would like this.” She winked.

You buried your face into your folded arms to hide your flustered expression. “You think so?”

“Oh, I know so. Like I said, a girl knows these things!” She tossed the togi onto the bed, where it landed on top of you. “Go put that on. I’ll wait right here.”

“Yes, ma’am,” you said with a laugh as you stood and ducked into the washroom. You quickly changed clothes and emerged to see Nashu examining your vanity cabinet.

When you came out, she dashed back over to you and circled you much like a vulture, examining you from every angle.

“Yes, this is adorable! I love it!” she exclaimed, taking you by the arm and steering you over to the mirror on your vanity cabinet. She sat you down facing away from the mirror.

“Hair now?” you surmised.

Nashu nodded. “Yep!”

You gulped. “Please be careful…”

“Don’t worry! I used to give people haircuts on the side when clients were hard to find. Besides, I like the length you have because it’s good for your face shape. All we need to do is style it real cute!”

“I trust your judgement,” you said, hoping you weren’t making a huge mistake.

Nashu started her work, and to your pleasant surprise she was actually quite skilled at what she was doing.

“Makeup?” she asked.

You shrugged. “Just don’t make me look like one of those mummers from the All Saints’ Wake,” you replied, which made Nashu laugh.

A few moments passed in silence as Nashu did her work.

“This is fun. Don’t you think this is fun?”

“Yeah, I needed this,” you said with a nod. “I forgot what it was like to have a day to just pamper.”

Nashu finished the last touches of your makeup and then took a step back to examine her work. “... It’s nice to have time to sit and chat with another woman around my age. I can’t remember the last time I did. Not since I was a kid, at least.”

“No?” You tilted your head at her curiously.

“My parents passed when I was little, and I don’t talk to my sisters very often…” she replied, unusually solemn. “Until I found the inspector, I sort of just drifted from here to there, doing what I could to keep myself fed.”

You thought for a moment. “That sounds lonely,” was what you finally said.

“Uh huh. But it’s fine now, because I have you and Inspector Hildibrand!” She grinned, back to usual cheery Nashu. “I wouldn’t trade this life for anything!”

“I… I am eternally grateful to have had the chance to meet the both of you,” you said, and you meant it. In a world where your actions were put before your identity, having people who were blissfully unaware of your titles was… nice. If the world didn’t regularly depend on you, you would happily spend your days solving mysteries with Hildibrand and Nashu instead.

Nashu grinned. “Same here! You helped me find the inspector again after five long years…” She did some last touches on your hair and instructed you to turn around.

The person in the mirror could hardly be called you, at least not as you normally went. The battlefield allowed you precious little time for fashion, but you still liked to do what you could. Your hair was styled in a way that framed your face perfectly, and the makeup Nashu had put on was tasteful. She really had a knack for this, thought.

“Ta-daa!” she cheered.

“Nashu… this is fantastic!” You stood and turned to face her. “Thank you so much!” You hugged the other woman lightly, which she happily returned.

Nashu giggled. “Only the best for the new overlady of the Gentle Dead Men!”

Remembering how eager Autgar was to accept you flustered you a little. “Ah, that’ll be interesting to explain to my other friends…” You could almost see the Scions’ faces in your mind’s eye, the sheer disbelief on their expressions as you explained your situation and relationship status to them.

For now, however, you were content to keep these two parts of your life separate. Your time with Hildibrand and Nashu was time spent not having to be the Warrior of Light, and you liked it that way.

You turned around in the mirror a few times, examining yourself at all angles. This sure was a lot of leg you were showing off… “... Do you think he’ll like it?”

“Oh, I think he’ll love it,” Nashu replied, grinning mischievously; it seemed she knew something you didn’t.

Before you could reply, a knock sounded at the front door. “Is it time already?” you wondered aloud, looking out the window to see that it was indeed just starting to be evening. Who knew a pampering session could make time fly so fast?

“That must be the inspector. Wait here, I want it to be a surprise!” Nashu said as she quickly disappeared in the direction of the foyer.

Yes, that could be Hildibrand, you thought, or it could be- “If it’s anyone else, anyone at all, yell for me immediately!” you called after her.

You took a seat on your bed and arranged yourself to look enticing. In actuality, you were certain you must have looked rather awkward, but you were giving it your best shot.

From the foyer, you could hear two muffled voices, one of which clearly belonged to Hildibrand. You breathed a sigh of relief; for now, you had eluded Nashu’s stalker.

“No peeking!” Nashu exclaimed, stepping into sight of the doorway with Hildibrand being dragged by the arm. The man in question had one gloved hand clapped over his eyes.

“I am coming on my own accord, Nashu, there is no need to-“ He stopped in the doorway and took his hand off his eyes. What he saw made him stop mid-sentence immediately. 

This was either very good or very bad… You gulped. “Hi Hildy,” you said, trying your best to sound sultry. “You look stunned.” You uncrossed your legs and crossed them the other way, drawing attention to the high slits on both sides of the outfit. You saw his eyes follow the moment, mouth agape with what you hoped was awe.

Nashu reached over and physically shut his jaw with an audible clack.

All at once, his eyes snapped back up to your face, and his cheeks reddened. “My dear…” he began. “You look absolutely breathtaking. The stars themselves could not compare to your radiance!”

It was your turn to be flustered, but you maintained your bravado. “Well, I would hope so. We spent a few bells getting me ready, after all.”

He blinked in confusion. “All this… for me?”

“Of course. I wanted to look nice for my inspector,” you said, winking at him.

“You always look nice!” he exclaimed almost immediately, and your heart swelled at his sweet honesty. “I told you before in Idyllshire, you would look wonderful in anything simply because it is you who is wearing it!”

Damn, where did he learn to be this smooth? You rose from your perch on the bed and slinked over to him, radiating confidence you only sort of felt. When you made it over, you reached and pulled him into a soft kiss, which he did not hesitate to eagerly return. He wrapped his arms around you gently, taking care not to wrinkle your outfit or smudge your makeup.

When you pulled apart, his eyes fluttered open and took a second to focus on your face. You leaned your forehead against his, smiling at him as he attempted to get his wits back.

“Hello,” you greeted coyly, darting forward to give him a quick peck on the lips before moving away from him and over to your vanity mirror where you’d placed a handbag you intended to use for the evening. His hands, which had settled chastely upon your waist, reached after for just a second before he numbly let them drop. Nashu was now nowhere to be found.

“Ah, er, yes, hello! It is excellent to see you in such thigh- er, high spirits!” Hildibrand sputtered, reaching up to tug at his collar. “I have spent my time asking about the sights and I believe I have a few good ideas on how to spend the evening!”

You walked back over to him, taking the arm he offered you in your own.

“I look forward to what you have in store for me, Hildy,” you said, lips quirking up in a smirk.

He bowed and gestured to the foyer. “Shall we, my lady? Kugane awaits!”

“Absolutely.” You walked in tandem with him until you remembered something halfway across the foyer. “Nashu!”

Nashu appeared at the balcony railing of the upstairs floor that contained the guest bedrooms. “What’s up?”

“We’ll probably be back later tonight. If you feel unsafe or if anyone tries to break in, you call me on the linkpearl immediately, alright?”

“I’m not a little kid, you know…” Nashu replied with a pout that made her appear far younger than her twenty one years of age.

You sighed. “I know. I just want you to keep safe. Don’t know who’s prowling about these days.” Well, you knew exactly who was prowling about, but Nashu refused to take your specific warnings and anything further than jest.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine!” she said, grinning. “Now, you two have fun! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” She waved, disappearing back down the hall.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Hildibrand began after Nashu was out of sight. “What has you so concerned for Nashu? She is very capable, you know.”

You sighed. “I’ll tell you when we get out there. In fact, you can probably help me.”

He made a confused face but nodded. “Of course, anything to keep my dear assistant safe.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” you said, smiling warmly at him with eyes half-lidded in affection. 

“Now let us face the eve with style and grace befitting gentlefolk such as ourselves!”

You wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chapter Text

The other residents of the Ijin District paid you little mind as you left your humble abode with Hildibrand by your side. Your neighbor across the way, who was tending to some plants out front, waved to you, which you returned.

You took a moment to check both sides of your house for any meddling Lalafellin stalkers. Hildibrand, of course, was curious.

“Perhaps my keen inspector’s sense is working overtime, but something seems to have you preoccupied. Whatever is distressing you, my dear? Tell me, and I shall endeavor to help you!”

“Someone’s stalking Nashu.” Better to be out with it than beat around the bush, especially with Hildibrand.

Hildibrand was, understandably, taken aback by this news. “My stalwart assistant has become someone’s target?!”

You nodded solemnly. “This man, he flagged me down not long after I got back from… things in Ala Mhigo. He said he needed help ‘protecting’ the girl of his dreams, and he pointed me towards Nashu.”

“A protector…?”

“No. An assailant. The way he described the things that could happen to her very much sounded like he wanted to do them to her himself.” When all you got was a blank stare, you elaborated. “ Bad things, Hildy. Very ungentlemanly actions.”

He seemed to understand. “Not on my watch! But for this perpetrator to be so bold as to state such intentions in the open… whatever is his motive?”

“He claims he does it for love. But love… doesn’t involve stalking someone for five years!”

Hildibrand blinked. “Five years?! All without our noticing!?”

“I have a feeling he’s been around for all of our investigations. When I look at him, he feels… familiar, in a shadowy sort of way.” You paused for a moment to think. “Does a Lalafellin man with amber eyes and a preference for the color pink ring familiar to you, perchance?”

“Hmm…” Hildibrand assumed his usual thinking pose. “Ah, I do recall meeting such a person during our case in Costa del Sol! I asked him what he was doing hiding under a table, and he ran away! I thought perhaps he was a poor soul in need of our aid, but…”

You shook your head. “He needs help, but not the sort of help we can provide. And what he also needs… is to leave Nashu alone. When I see him next, I intend to convey this to him in a most convincing manner.” You gestured to the weapon you kept strapped to you even now.

Hildibrand nodded. “In most situations I would say not to interfere with matters of love and the heart. But this is not most situations! If you say the safety of my most loyal assistant is at stake, I must needs take this seriously!”

“I’m glad you understand. I just…” You sighed, shaking your head. “I wish I’d known about this sooner! How did I not notice him?”

“For him to slip past myself and my razor sharp investigative skills… a most elusive man indeed. Not to mention most of it would have taken place during…” He glanced up to where Dalamud no longer was.

You rubbed his upper arm soothingly. “Nothing you could have done all the way from Dalamud… or wherever it was you were during the years after.”

“But I still left her all alone for five long years. From what our good friend Wymond has told me, she… didn’t take the initial news well. Oh, how can I make it up to her?”

“Be there for her now,” you said, embracing him lightly. He wrapped an arm around you in response. “You’re her family, Hildy. She’s just glad to have you back.”

Hildibrand hugged you tighter. “And I am glad to be back! At the very least, we must keep her safe, you and I.”

“Absolutely.” Releasing Hildibrand from your arms, you punched your palm with a fist. “Let’s go find a certain little creep.”

“Er, a gentleman does try to eschew violence…” Hildibrand said with a grimace, holding up a finger as if to ask you to slow a moment.

You frowned. “I know. Not to mention the Sekiseigumi forbid violence within the city limits… I suppose we should try and solve this peaceably… I’m not above physically carrying him to the authorities, though. I could do it!”

Hildibrand chuckled softly. “I know you could, dearest.”

~

You didn’t have to go far to find your man. In fact, he was skulking about right outside of the Ijin District, likely waiting for a certain someone to come out.

Too bad for him that you found him first.

The man was so engrossed in his stalking that he didn’t even notice you until your shadow cast by setting sun engulfed him.

“Waiting for someone, creep?”

He stood stock still and slowly turned to face the two of you, letting out a sharp shout and falling to the ground.

“I’m sorry, miss samurai! I didn’t lay a hand on her! I never had the chance!” He flailed about on the ground, reminding you quite a bit of the namazu you’d chased away from Nashu the other day.

You scowled down at him. “That’s a confession if I’ve ever heard one.”

The man took a moment to fully look at you. “Wait a moment… you’re the adventurer I hired to keep my love safe and sound! And you!” He pointed up at Hildibrand. “You’re the muscle-bound moron she’s always with! I won’t let you steal my love from me!”

“I think you have the wrong idea here…” you said, gesturing by the fact that you and Hildibrand were currently linked by your arms.

The Lalafellin stalker looked at you, Hildibrand, your linked arms, then back to the two of you in very rapid succession. “Whaaaaat?” He then proceeded to fall to his knees in front of Hildibrand and grovel in an overly dramatic fashion. “Oh, how do you do it, good sir? Please! Teach me your ways! Bequeath upon me your tips and tricks! To have the attention of all these lovely ladies… I crave it!”

Hildibrand blinked in confusion. “... There are no tricks here, my good man. Nor do I employ any sort of strategy. I simply treat ladies with the respect they are due as fellow people!”

“What a concept…” you added dryly. “But this has gone on for long enough!”

“Wh-what do you mean?!”

You released Hildibrand to cross your arms and glare down at Nashu’s stalker, making sure to stand at your full height for added intimidation. “Leave. My friend. Alone.” You made sure to punctuate your every word for emphasis. “She doesn’t need your love or, gods forbid, your protection . Should I continue to see you skulking about, I will not hesitate to involve the authorities. And don’t think I’m not afraid to take matters into my own hands if I have to.” You shifted just enough so that the edge of your preferred weapon glinted in the light of the setting sun.

The man took two steps back until his back hit the wall behind him. “Why are you threatening me? I’ve not done anything!”

“Yet. You’ve not done anything yet . I know your type. You watch and you wait and when she’s vulnerable, you swoop. Vile.”

Hildibrand cleared his throat. “If I may say something, my dear…”

Your attitude changed like flipping a switch, an intimidation tactic you’d picked up from Julyan. “Oh, of course, Hildy! Didn’t mean to talk over you. Go right ahead.” You smiled sweetly at him.

The Lalafellin man you’d just threatened looked as if he’d seen the wrath of the Twelve.

“Hmm…” he began, twisting himself in the throes of deep thought. “Ah, yes! Think about it like this, my small friend. How would you feel if you discovered someone was watching your every move for years on end without you knowing?”

“Well, I think it the deepest expression of love!” the man exclaimed back. “To gaze from the shadows, knowing more about someone then they know about themselves! That is true love!”

There was clearly no helping this man. Still, rather than fly off the handle, you decided to go along with Hildibrand’s method of handling this.

Taking a deep breath, you forced your tone to be as amiable as possible. “But if this person never revealed themselves, leaving you to forever be unaware?”

This seemed to make the man think. “Hmm… you might have a point there. So what you’re saying is I should reveal myself to her and declare my feelings once and for all!”

“Nope.”

The shock of your response nearly caused him to fall over. “What?”

“You lost your chance when you stalked her for five years.”

“S-stalked?” The man hung his head in what you hoped was some modicum of shame.

You were quickly losing your patience. “Yes, what you’re doing is called stalking . It’s not romantic. It’s creepy.”

“I see.” He then looked up to you, eyes filled with tears. “But I love her so much!”

“No, you love the idea of her. Have you ever actually spoken to her? How can you claim to know someone’s heart when all you do is watch?!” You were sure you were yelling now, but this was getting too close to home for your liking.

The man blinked a few times, reaching up to scrub at the tears before they fell. “I think I understand. I… I have some thinking to do.”

He quickly dashed away before you could even respond.

You took a deep breath and tried to calm yourself. “Sorry you had to see me like that, Hildy.” This time it was you who was hanging your head.

He placed a hand on your shoulder. “Are you… are you alright?”

“I… don’t know.” You turned to face him. “I… how much do you know about what I do when I’m not with you?”

“I know that like me, you are a great hero!” He nodded solemnly, completely sure of himself.

Well, he wasn’t off the mark. “Yes. There are so many people out there that know my face, but I don’t know them in return. They’ve heard of all these things I’ve done, and they think that means they know me. They put words in my mouth, tell me what they think I think and feel. People… have this idea of me that they let blind them. But they don’t know me. All they know is the Warrior of Light.”

“You want people to like you for who you are, not what you’ve done. An understandable sentiment if I’ve ever seen one!”

You nodded, trying to stop yourself from tearing up and smudging your makeup. “That’s why I like you, Hildy. You’ve never cared about that crap for a moment. You try to see the good in people and to you, everyone is important.” You sniffled. “I wish there were more people like you out there.”

He wrapped you in another hug, which you happily took. “All I’ve ever wanted to do is help people,” he said, stroking your hair softly. “That’s why I left home! So I could follow that dream, to be seen as someone other than just the heir to House Manderville.”

“I think you’re doing a great job,” you told him, and you meant it. “All the people we’ve met… You’ve touched their lives, made them better versions of themselves. And some people, they’re always going to be rude and mean. But you’ve never let that stop you from being the kind person you are.” You moved so that you were looking him straight in the eyes. “You are a hero, Hildibrand. You’re my hero.”

And so you kissed him like one, deep and passionate. There was no hesitation from either of you, just affection, adoration, longing . Kissing Hildibrand was like coming home after a long and strenuous journey; it was comfortable, reassuring.

When you parted, it was with reluctance. “So much for not smudging my makeup,” you teased, taking a moment to fix your hair as best you could.

“You’re beautiful with or without, and I hope you know that!”

You giggled. “I do, but it’s nice to dress up every now and then, especially if it gets you looking at me like you did back there.”

Hildibrand coughed awkwardly. “Er, yes… about that. Do forgive my brazen, ungentlemanly gawking. I was merely caught off guard… Please don’t think me uncouth.”

“I liked it,” you replied, winking.

“Ah, you did? Well I must say...” He blushed faintly. “Red is a most excellent color on you!”

You snorted, coming in for a quick peck on the lips before returning to his side once more. “I’ll keep that in mind…”

Reaching down, Hildibrand took your hand in his, squeezing it. “I… please do not feel obligated to dress up for me, though! I’ve said it before and I shall say it again, you look radiant in anything and everything.”

You leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, taking the opportunity to get right up to his ear. “How about nothing?” you purred, nipping at his earlobe.

Hildibrand started sputtering, which made you laugh. “Certainly! I mean! That is to say! I haven’t been thinking about that! Not at all!”

Smirking, you slipped behind him to his other side, giving it the same treatment. “It’s alright if you have. Maybe I’ve been thinking too.”

His blush got worse. “Ah, have you?”

“Perhaps. We should talk more about that after our date.”

He cleared his throat. “I am… certainly open to the idea!”

“More to look forward to. But for now, your presence is more than enough.” You slipped back to his side, taking his arm once more.

“Presence…” he muttered. “Presence… presents! Oh, I forgot!” He smacked his forehead with his free hand.

You tilted your head at him. “Hmm?”

He seemed nervous again. “There were flowers in the market, red ones. I was going to get them for you, but I got so caught up in my research that I lost track of time. I had to run all the way over here!”

“Oh, Hildy…” You kissed him again, dipping him low like you’d done on the Ruby Sea. “You’re so, so very sweet. Whatever did I do to deserve you?” You released him and twirled him back up into a standing position and he stared for a moment, breathless and awestruck.

“I, ah, ask myself the same thing frequently,” he finally replied. “About you, I mean. Not myself, though I admit my talents are many…” He was rambling now, and you found it so very endearing.

You grinned. “So, what were you researching that whole time?”

Hildibrand suddenly started looking everywhere but you. “Uh, trade routes! And… geography! Boring things, really.”

“Mhmm…” You, of course, didn’t believe him. In fact, you now had a little hunch about what it was he was looking at. “Find any interesting… maps in your search?”

“Everything was… very informative.”

You stifled a laugh behind your hand. “I’m glad it was a good learning experience for you. Never too old to learn something new, I always say. Now…” You took his hand in yours, rubbing your thumb against the back of his hand. “Shall we? The pier is beautiful at this time of evening.”

“We shall!”

Chapter Text

The first stop you’d insisted on making during your date was the Umineko Teahouse; in your time in the East, you’d developed a taste for dango and you were dying to have Hildibrand try it. Hildibrand, despite his rather explosive experience with Nashu’s dango Delights, was eager to humor you.

You couldn’t keep the grin off your face as you ordered your usual from the staff. They seemed intrigued by your plus one, and you were more than happy to introduce Hildibrand to them. 

“Everyone here has been extraordinarily nice thus far!” Hildibrand commented as the two of you took a seat on one of the benches. You faced the aetheryte, watching the floating stone twirl and glow in the light of the setting sun.

“Kugane is a great place if you know the right people. They love tourists,” you said. “Well, as long as we’re spending gil, that is.”

Hildibrand watched you take a bite of your food before following suit, doing as you did.

“Ah, this is scrumptious! I can see why you like these.”

You smiled. “This has been my go-to place whenever I’ve had some free time. Which admittedly… isn’t very often.”

Hildibrand was silent for a moment. “Has it truly been months since Ishgard?” he finally asked.

Sighing wistfully, you nodded at him. “I guess it felt like nothing to you, being in stasis and all, but… yes.” You stared out into the distance, eyes fixing absently on the aetheryte as you watched people milling about. “Between then and now I’ve explored two whole continents and helped spearhead just as many revolutions.”

“Truly?”

You chuckled. “Yes. I barely had a moment to myself. But as adventurous as it was, it wasn’t all fun and games. I… We lost a lot of good people, Hildy.”

“Dangerous business, war,” Hildibrand replied seriously. “There are many reasons I decided to leave home and eschew politics, but my dislike for violence was a major one!”

“Do you ever regret it?” You asked, leaning your head on his shoulder as you polished off the last of your dango. “Running away from home, I mean.”

Hildibrand shook his head. “Not a bit, my dear. Life on the road has been far from glamorous, but this is my true calling. I was never meant for a life of noblemans’ parties or Syndicate meetings. Being an inspector, helping people… this has always been my destiny!” He sighed. “Would that my mother and father could understand that…”

You smiled, patting him softly on the arm. “Godbert and Julyan just want what they think is best for you, misguided as they may possibly be. And I think they’re slowly coming around.”

Hildibrand laughed softly. “They certainly seem fond of you,” he said.

“I think they’re glad there’s someone out there looking out for you.” You looked him in the eye. “I’m glad to be that someone. I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t decided to cross the Sagolii with Nashu that day.”

“And I’m eternally grateful you did, and not only because I got to meet you! You were able to look out for dear Nashu when I could not, and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

You grinned. “She’s been a good friend to me these past few years.” You shook your head. “Gods, I can't believe it’s been so long since I set out from home myself. I started out as some no-name adventurer doing odd jobs for spare gil, and now… well, now I’m a little bit more well known.” You leaned back on your hands and gave Hildibrand a sly smile. “My feats pale in comparison to a certain Gentleman Inspector, however.” You winked.

“Hmm… I wouldn’t sell yourself short like that, my dear. Many of our companions speak of you with the most glowing of praise!”

You felt your face heat up. “Ah, do they?” You always had been curious about what people said about you when you weren’t around.

“They do indeed. You know I would never lie to you!” He nodded sincerely.

“You’re a good man, Hildibrand Manderville,” you said, reaching down to grab his hand, which was resting on the bench. He blushed faintly as you twined your fingers with his, and the sight made you unable to resist the urge to lean in and kiss him on the cheek.

Hildibrand sputtered. “Ah, what was that for?”

You fixed him with a devious grin. “Because you’re sweet.” You went in for the attack, peppering his face with dozens of little kisses as he flailed and laughed. The flailing caused the last bit of dango still attached to his stick to fly off and hit a Roegadyn man sitting a few benches away.

“Uh oh,” you said, standing and pulling him up with you as the now dango-covered man rose and started towards you. “Run!”

The two of you dashed off into the evening, you cackling the whole way.

~

You only stopped when you felt you were a safe distance away from the teahouse.

Leaning over a railing to catch your breath, you huffed out a few more laughs. “I haven’t laughed that hard in such a long time. Oh, that was great.”

Hildibrand looked conflicted. “Should we not go back and apologize to that gentleman? He seemed disgruntled by everything…”

“What, Byakudan? He’ll be okay, he knows me well enough by now as a fellow regular.” You turned to see Hildibrand was still frowning. “Tell you what, next time I see him I’ll apologize for the both of us. Promise.”

“Alright then, I shall take you at your word!” He looked around. “Where are we, anyhow?”

You gazed out across the railing to the sea set ablaze by the setting sun. “Looks like we made it over to the piers. We should take a walk underneath, look out at the ocean.”

“That sounds like as good an idea as any! The night is yours, my dear.” He offered his arm once more but you pleasantly surprised him by taking his hand instead.

He blushed as you did so, but squeezed your hand to show the action was wanted and appreciated. Giggling, you led him down the stairs and along the edge of the pier.

“No matter how many times I see it, I never get tired of the sunsets here,” you said. “There’s just something about the area that makes them… breathtaking.”

“This is a beautiful sight indeed, but it is very much improved by the presence of the lovely lady by my side!”

You couldn’t help but giggle. “H-Hildy…” You swatted him lightly on the upper arm with your free hand.

“I mean it! The way you gaze out upon the sea with wonder… ‘tis a sight in and of itself!”

“There’s no one I’d rather be here with than you.” You leaned into him, content to bask in his presence as the gulls screamed and the water lapped at the walls below you.

Hildibrand reached out with his other arm and gently nudged you to turn towards him. When you did, he flashed you his signifier grin and leaned in to kiss you, pausing a moment to give you the chance to pull away if you wanted to.

You definitely did not want to pull away and instead eagerly closed the distance, kissing him deeply as you dropped his hand to wrap your arms around him. His hands settled at your waist as yours traveled up to his shoulders. You deepened the kiss, nipping at his lower lip. He grunted and returned the favor, grip on your waist tightening just a bit.

“There’s… there’s some open space under the bridge,” you gasped when you broke briefly for air. “No one… would see us between the pillars.”

Hildibrand nodded and let you guide him over to the underside of the bridge. When you were out of sight of the general public, you quickly backed him up against a pillar, not bothering to break your liplock.

Your hands slid down his arms as you kissed deeper still, and you reveled in the feel of the firm muscles that laid beneath his suit jacket. Maybe tonight you’d finally see more of him.

“Should we really be… doing this? Out here, I mean,” Hildibrand asked as he leaned his head back against the pillar you had him pinned to. Though he’d broken the kiss to catch his breath, you took advantage of the position and planted kisses down the exposed line of his neck. You could feel his pulse speeding up under your touch, and this time he made no move to stop you.

“Remember,” you said. “Nothing that you don’t want as well.” He nodded, and when he didn’t indicate a wish for you to cease you continued your kissing assault on all of the exposed skin you could reach on his neck.

Hildibrand groaned softly. “Ah, that’s-“

“Hello? Is somebody there?”

You sprung back from Hildibrand and looked around for the source of the voice.

“Hello, anyone?”

Upon hearing the voice a second time, you ascertained it was coming from a man on the ground a few pillars away. The robes suggested he was of the Sekiseigumi, and the look on his face implied extreme pain.

Libido basically forgotten, you switched into serious mode.

“My good man, what has happened here?!” Hildibrand, it seemed, was on the same page as you.

The man snapped his gaze up to the two of you, arm twitching towards his sword before relaxing as he seemed to recognize the both of you as a young couple rather than any sort of troublemakers.

“I… I was set upon by foreign devils, ambushed! You… you two are foreign but do not look to be devils.”

You drew your weapon and took a protective stance in front of the Sekiseigumi samurai. “Are the assailants still in the area? Which way did they go?”

The man coughed, shaking his head. “I did not see which way. I take great risk trusting this to you two but I’ve neither the time nor the choice. Please, you must help me.”

Hildibrand nodded. “Of course! Tell us what needs to be done and we shall do it posthaste!” Gods, could this man be any more selfless? You could feel yourself falling harder for him where you stood. And you supposed that yes, you truly and fully had fallen for Hildibrand somewhere along the way. Perhaps being in love wasn’t as bad as you were anticipating.

But that was something you could think about later. Right now, you had an injured man to help.

“My Sekiseigumi brother… he patrols the alleys of the Kogane Dori markets. He must be told of this attack... lest he suffer the same fate.”

He made a move to stand but a wave of pain forced him back down in a sitting position.

Would that you had a healer’s soul stone with you at this moment… You crouched down next to him, checking him over for wounds and finding one moderately sized one on his side. He wasn’t going to bleed out but he definitely shouldn’t be up and about. “You’re in no state to move,” you said. “I’ll go find your fellow blade and tell him.” You looked to Hildibrand. “Hildy, stay here with him and linkpearl me if anything happens.”

“Understood!”

You stood and dashed for the markets, grateful you’d chosen an outfit that allowed you freedom to run. The other Sekiseigumi was, of course, confused as to why you came sprinting up to him but took your report seriously, even going as far as to give you a salve to bring back to his injured comrade.

Rushing back as fast as you could, you were relieved to find that no further mayhem had happened in your absence. Hildibrand had managed to get the injured Sekiseigumi up into a sitting position, and the two were talking quietly.

Upon seeing you, the samurai relaxed. “You return… what news have you of my brothers?”

You knelt down next to him, taking the lid off the salve and briefly recoiling at the strong medicine smell that almost immediately hit your nose. “Your comrade is safe, and is gathering reinforcements as we speak. He gave me this salve to use on you.”

The Sekiseigumi groaned in a mixture of pain and relief. “Thank you, travelers, and thank the gods he is safe. My apologies for pulling you into this, but I see now I was right to trust you two.”

“No need to thank us!” Hildibrand replied. “It is my calling in life to help my fellow man. This is the least we could do, and I’m certain my date would agree with me!

You felt your face heat up at the reality of being referred to as Hildibrand’s date, but nodded nonetheless. “I’m glad we found you before something worse happened.” You dipped your fingers into the salve jar. “This is probably going to sting.”

The Sekiseigumi gritted his teeth and hissed as the disinfectant made contact with his skin. It certainly looked painful from where you were, but the salve was already helping with clotting.

“We should probably get you to a healer,” you said.

“We have healers back at the barracks, I’m confident I can-“ he made another effort to stand only to be knocked back by another wave of pain. “L-leave me.”

Hildibrand shook his head. “A gentleman does not leave his comrade behind to face danger alone. Up you go!” Without much warning, Hildibrand scooped the man into his arms bridal style, much to the Sekiseigumi’s shock.

“Unhand me at once!” the smaller man exclaimed, non-injured side flailing.

You couldn’t help but both laugh at the sight and marvel at how strong Hildibrand must be to lift up the Sekiseigumi with barely any effort… Gulping, you pushed that second, less-than-savory thought aside for now. “Hildy, leave the man some dignity. Support him by the shoulders instead.”

Hildibrand blinked in confusion for a moment. “Oh, of course!” he finally said, setting the Sekiseigumi down on his feet and moving him so Hildibrand was supporting most of his weight. One of the man’s arms was thrown over Hildibrand’s shoulder, and Hildibrand had an arm around the other man’s torso.

The Sekiseigumi sighed. “This is… tolerable, I suppose. But let us make haste!” You had a feeling this man didn’t want to be seen relying on two foreigners for assistance… which was fair, you supposed.

You kept watch for any would-be assailants as you and Hildibrand helped the man get back to the Sekiseigumi barracks. At the man’s wishes, you kept mostly to the back streets and consequently met few people on the way over there. The sun had long since departed the horizon, leaving lanterns and street lamps as your only source of light.

The guard at the barracks seemed glad to receive his brother blade back safely, and confirmed that reinforcements were indeed out and searching for the culprits.

“I apologize for getting you two involved in this,” the guard said, echoing his injured comrade’s words from earlier. “But it is also fortunate it was you who happened upon him and not more foreign devils. On behalf of the Sekiseigumi, you have our thanks for your assistance.” He bowed politely.

“I’m just glad he’s going to be alright,” you replied, bowing back. “Let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.”

The guard shook his head. “The gesture is appreciated, but further assistance is not required. Safe travels to the both of you.” The guard resumed his patrol, effectively signaling that this conversation was over.

~

“Well, that was exciting,” you said as you walked back towards the markets, hand-in-hand with your inspector.

Hildibrand gave you his signature grin. “All in a day’s work. This is what makes my life fulfilling!” He thought for a moment. “Though I do find myself thinking back to what we were doing before we got interrupted.” You could see the blush on his face even in the dim light.

You gave him a sly smile. “Oh? And what were your thoughts on the matter?”

His blush intensified. “That it was… exhilarating. Perhaps we should revisit the idea… but not until we’ve left the public eye!”

“Whatever makes you comfortable, Hildy,” you said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek with a soft giggle. “Is little stuff like this okay though?”

Hildibrand nodded, a giddy, boyish grin plastered on his face. “More than alright! To know you have no qualms with showing the world how you feel… what a rush!”

Your heart melted just a little at the joy on his face. Gods, how could you not love him? It spurred you on to give him another kiss as you approached the bulk of the Kogane Dori markets.

“I want everyone to see us,” you said sincerely, stopping to gaze into his eyes. “I'm not afraid of what people think. Let them see us, and see that I lo-“

Someone running down the alleyway bumped into you, and you would have been knocked over had Hildibrand not caught you. The sheer number of Sekiseigumi following after this person told you this was likely the person who had attacked the man you’d just helped.

“Ah, the criminal reveals themselves!” Hildibrand exclaimed, setting you back up on your feet. “Should we give chase?”

You watched everyone disappear around a corner. “Looks like the Sekiseigumi have this one under control.” You sighed, lamenting the fact that the moment was gone, the mood broken.

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?” The way he caressed your arm so gently, the concern on his face...

Smiling, you shook your head as your heart skipped a beat. “I’m doing just fine. Even better since you caught me. My hero,” you purred, giving him one more cheek kiss for good measure before taking him by the hand once more. “Let’s go see what they’re selling tonight.”

“By your lead, my dear!”

Chapter Text

The time of evening did not seem to dissuade the shoppers of Kugane. In fact, there seemed to be more of them now that the sun had gone down.

A light breeze blew through the marketplace as you and Hildibrand approached. It wasn’t a very strong wind, just enough to make you wish you’d brought a jacket or worn something that had sleeves. You shivered slightly.

“Are you cold, my dear?” Hildibrand asked from beside you.

“A little, but I think I’ll-“ You didn’t have the chance to finish your statement, as Hildibrand had already begun to shed his jacket. He wrapped it around your shoulders and you smiled at him despite the heat bursting to your face. “T-thank you.” Gods, he was like something out of a cheesy romance novel, and you loved it. 

Hildibrand was left in his usual bow tie and simple button-up, but he didn’t seem affected by the weather in the slightest. You supposed it wasn’t odd, considering you’d seen his father navigate the frozen tundras of Coerthas in less…

(That was a sight that, unfortunately, you were sure was stuck with you for the rest of your days)

“But of course! What sort of gentleman leaves his lady out in the cold?”

His lady… his lady. You could get used to that.

“Not my inspector, that’s for sure,” you purred, taking his arm in yours as you finished slipping on his jacket. It didn’t fit quite right, not having been tailored for you, but it was definitely warm.

“Where shall we head first?”

You thought for a moment before remembering. “Oh! That’s right, I needed to pick up something at the apothecary. I, uh, put in a special order earlier.”

Hildibrand blinked. “Order for what?”

“You’ll see,” you said with a smirk.

You led him over to the apothecary's stall, which tonight was being run by a stern-faced young Hyurian man. You gave him your name and he handed you a bag with barely a word exchanged between you as you paid. Honestly, you preferred it like that.

“What’s in there?” Hildibrand asked as you peeked inside the bag to check that the contents were accurate.

Not wanting to submit the other patrons to the intimate details of your evening plans, you merely smirked and leaned in, whispering in Hildibrand’s ear exactly what the potions would be used for.

Hildibrand was confused for only a split second; it seemed the man was catching on to how you operated. “What would you need those f- oh. Oh . In case we- oh .” The blush that had been on his face earlier returned in full force.

You giggled. “Only if you want to, Hildy. I promise you don’t have to.”

“And if I did want to?” he asked, coughing awkwardly.

“Well…” you said slyly, “looks like we’re in for a… busy night.”

You led on, pulling a sputtering Hildibrand by the arm as you grinned mischievously.

As you passed by the stall where you’d found Hildibrand earlier that day, the man at the counter called out to him.

“Ah, sir! The ijin in the suit! I was hoping you would stop by.”

Hildibrand paused. “Do you mean me, good sir?” he called, embarrassment temporarily forgotten.

The man at the stall nodded, bowing politely. “Yes, it is good timing on your part. I located a few books that would be of interest to you. Most are from your native Eorzea, and the contents may be to your liking.”

“Books?” you asked Hildibrand, who stiffened upon remembering you were right beside him.

“Ah, ‘tis nothing of import,” he said, though the blush slowly creeping back into his face implied the contrary.

The man beckoned Hildibrand forward and placed a few books on the counter in front of him. You stepped forward to read the titles, picking up the one closest to you.

“ Aether’s Glittering Kiss ?” you read inquisitively, arching an eyebrow. Was this what you thought it was? No…

But now you had to know. You quickly scooped up the other two books before Hildibrand could get to them and ducked underneath his arm as he grabbed for them.

A quick glance at the spines revealed that yes, they were exactly what you thought they were. In your arms sat copies of popular Eorzean romance novels Plucked is the Rose of Ul’dah and To Woo a Lord of Coerthas . You were very familiar with these two novels; in fact, the latter happened to be one of your favorites.

“Hildy…” you said, trying your best to stifle a giggle. “Hildy, is this your ‘research’?”

“Of course not!” he exclaimed, not convincing in the slightest. He sounded mortified that you found this humorous, and this actually made you pause.

You stacked the books neatly in your arms, laughter evaporating gradually. “Hildy… it’s okay if it is,” you replied, handing them gingerly to him. “I actually really like two of these, and the third looks like a fun read.”

“Ah, you don’t find it… unbecoming of a gentleman to be caught reading such… ‘literature’?”

“Not at all!” you exclaimed with a vigorous shake of your head. “In fact, I think it’s sweet you’re trying to learn somewhere.”

He blushed once more, teeth slowly ceasing the chatter they’d started up without your noticing. “I had intended to finish this up on my own…”

You winked. “Oh, but that’s no fun… Maybe we can do some reading together,” you said, grinning at how he immediately started stammering in response.

Any response Hildibrand would have had for you was cut off as the shopkeeper cleared his throat sternly. Oh… oops. You’d pretty much forgotten he was there.

“You have not paid for the items yet,” he informed you coolly. Hildibrand patted his pockets for enough time that he began to become distressed, so you wordlessly took some gil out of the bag you’d brought with you and swiftly paid the man, who nodded politely and ushered you away to let others browse the wares he was offering.

“Ah, thank you. I believe I must have left my funds in my other pants!”

You blinked. “The ones Nashu blew up the other day?”

“... yes.”

You shrugged. “It’s all good,” you said. “Only the best for my inspector…”

He coughed awkwardly. “Ah, yes. Quite. Verily so.”

“So I have to know… what in the world gave you this idea?”

“Ah, well…” Hildibrand twisted his face up in an exaggerated frown. “Do you remember that night at the Fortemps manor?”

You giggled. “How could I ever forget?” Warm company, interesting revelations, the attention of a handsome man…”

“You flatter me.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway! During the next day in which we were sequestered there, I happened into a conversation with the younger of the two lords of the manor…”

Oh no. Oh no . He’d talked with Emmanellain . You buried your face in your hands. “What did you tell him?” you groaned. Gods, no wonder the boy had been giving you knowing smirks that whole time you’d weathered the storm.

“Er…” Hildibrand replied, hesitating. “Well,

I suppose I was in good spirits the day after our…” he coughed, “encounter. Young Lord Emmanellain picked up on that nigh immediately. For what it is worth, I did not specify that it was you- “

“Oh, he knows. No wonder he had a shite-eating grin on his face the whole time we were there. What… what did you talk about with him?” You wanted to assess the damage, see how badly you’d have to thwap Emmanellain the next time you saw him.

Hildibrand seemed to be choosing his words very carefully in a rare burst of wisdom. “I asked him if he had any advice for someone trying to court a lady for the first time.”

You blinked. In theory, that wasn’t so bad, but… this was Emmanellain .

“Do I dare ask what he said in response?”

Hildibrand made a face. “Er, a lot of what he said was conflicting and… rather ungentlemanly. The only bit I decided to follow was to consult literature.”

You breathed a sigh of relief. That venture was harmless, at the very least.

(Additionally, it seemed Hildibrand had good taste in books)

“His young manservant was far more helpful!”

“Ah, Honoroit,” you said, smiling. “He’s a sweet boy. I should bring him some pastries next time I visit Dragonhead… anyroad, what did he say?”

Hildibrand nodded. “A sharp young lad, he was! Once his liege was out of earshot, he suggested I take the man’s suggestions with a grain of salt. He was the one who suggested I ask you out on a proper date. He also suggested the flowers, but...”

You kissed him on the cheek. “I’m glad he did. I’m happy to be here with you, Hildy.”

“As am I to be with you!”

Smiling, you put the books in your satchel and turned to go elsewhere in the markets, only to run smack into a familiar pink Lalafellin… woman.

(It took a moment for your heart rate to go back to normal.)

“Tataru!” you exclaimed, reaching down to help your friend and fellow Scion to her feet. “I am so sorry.”

“No, no, it’s okay!” the smaller woman answered, happily taking your help. “I was too busy looking at the sales over there!” She pointed to a nearby stall emblazoned with signs advertising nigh unbelievable discounts.

You laughed; no matter what changed over the years, Tataru was still Tataru. “Some things never change,” you quipped, grinning at her. Your already high spirits were further raised by running into one of your closest friends.

Tataru mock-curtseyed. “You know me!” She then seemed to realize something. “Oh, I didn’t know you’d be in town! You should have linkpearled me so we could go for tea, or to the hot springs!”

“Ah, well… I was hoping to lay low for a bit. Still recovering after the throne room incident, yeah? Dunno if things would have turned out half as well if it weren’t for Arenvald.”

“Oh, I got the letter about that from Lyse! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Tataru came forward and wrapped you in a hug, though with your height difference the scene looked more like a toddler clinging to her mother’s leg than anything else.

You gave her a pat on the head. “It’ll take more than one primal to do me in.”

Tataru finally seemed to notice Hildibrand, taking a step back in surprise that you knew had to be slightly exaggerated. “Oh, who’s this?”

For a moment, you pondered whether or not you were ready for the Scions to know you were in a committed relationship. After how the last one ended, they were pretty sure it would be a while yet before you opened your heart once more.

(But Hildy had a way of doing things unconventionally, that was for sure.)

Screw it , you thought; let the world know about us .

You opened your mouth to respond only to be cut off by Hildibrand performing his signature flex and grin.

“Inspector Hildibrand, Agent of Inquiry extraordinaire at your service, my dear lady!” he exclaimed. “I assume you are a friend of my date’s?”

Tataru giggled. “Yes! She and I have been through a whole lot!” She then smirked. “So… you’re her date , huh?”

You chuckled, shaking your head affectionately. Oh, Tataru… “Yes, Inspector Hildibrand and I are… seeing one another.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Tataru cheered, hopping up and down with delight. “Oh! Was he that man you were telling us about? The one you were always looking for everywhere you went?”

Your face heated up; you weren’t sure if you’d wanted Hildibrand to know about that just yet… “Ah, yes… he has a habit of getting himself… lost.”

“I was out for months, apparently! Cursed to be someone’s table decoration!” Hildibrand added. “I, of course, know nothing of this.”

You sighed. “And what did we learn?”

“If I make a comment about my mother’s age, do so out of earshot of her,” he replied solemnly.

“That’s as good a lesson as any,” you said, snorting with affection, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.

Tataru giggled at the sight. “This is adorable! I’m so happy for you!”

Your face heated up. “Ah, thanks. I… I’m happy too.” And it was the truth. You were happy, and at peace, more so than you had been in months. It finally seemed like things were calming down, and you didn’t know how long this was going to last, so you intended to make every moment of it count.

“Do tell me…” Hildibrand began. “What has brought you out here to Kugane, Miss Tataru? Is aught amiss? Any mysteries that need solving?”

Tataru thought a moment, ponytail swaying as she did. “Hmm… not that I can think of. Is that what you two are up to? Solving mysteries?”

You grinned. “It’s a welcome break from saving the world.”

“What can’t you do?” Tataru asked jokingly.

“... Weave. Or balance a checkbook,” you shot back. “That’s why I need you , Tataru.”

Tataru blushed. “Oh, you…”

“I mean it! I don’t know what the Scions would do without their most important member.”

“We wouldn’t make it without you!”

You both laughed merrily.

Hildibrand grinned at the two of you. “I’m glad to see you have such good friends, my dear!”

“Dunno what I’d do without her, Hildy.”

Tataru studied Hildibrand for a moment. “... Do I know you from somewhere? You look… familiar.”

Hildibrand frowned. “Hmm… I am told I have more than just a passing resemblance to my father, who happens to be rather well known as a goldsmith in-“

“Wait, I see it now!” she gasped. “Your father is on the Syndicate! You’re Lord Manderville’s son!” You could already see the cogs turning in Tataru’s head. Much as you adored the other woman, she had a tendency to let her ambition get the best of her.

Sighing, Hildibrand nodded. “Well, yes, but-“

“Hildy’s decided to pursue other things,” you interjected, seeing that your date wasn’t interested in telling his life story for who knew what numbered time. “So he lives completely independent of his family’s influence… and fortune.” You shot her a look, but it was hard to stay irritated at someone you truly considered to be one of your best friends.

“I travel the world, helping those in need! I know no rest, for I am a Gentleman of Light, endlessly coming to the aid of others. There is no task too small, no client worthy of being overlooked!”

Tataru laughed. “I think I see why you two get along so well.” She looked up at Hildibrand. “You take good care of her, you understand? Or else!” 

Hildibrand nodded rapidly. “I would never dream of hurting her, Miss Tataru.” He knelt down so that he was level with her. “You have my word!” He crossed one hand over his heart and reached out the other to shake hands with Tataru.

The Lalafellin woman took the offered hand with a cheeky smile. “Ooh, this one’s a keeper! You hold onto him, now, or else I might swoop in!” she warned you, though you could tell she was exactly zero percent serious.

Flushing slightly Hildibrand cleared his throat pointedly and rose to a standing position. This reaction just made Tataru giggle more.

“Well, don’t let me keep you two! I’m sure you’ve got a romantic evening ahead.” Catching your eye, Tataru threw you a wink that implied she knew exactly what you were getting up to later tonight.

It was your turn to feel embarrassed, but you didn’t exactly have a leg to stand on as far as denying it. You’d planned this evening in your head from the moment you’d been reunited with Hildibrand, all the way down to the dress you had on and what you had on underneath.

“I’ll tell you about it over tea tomorrow. Well, not everything , of course.” You coughed awkwardly as you took a step in a direction that was away from Tataru. “Meet at the Ruby Bazaar?”

“I’ll have Hancock put on the good tea!” she called.

With a cheery wave, Tataru stepped back into the crowd of people, her small form completely obscured within seconds.

Hildibrand chuckled. “What lively friends you have! However did you two come to know one another?”

“Oh, she’s a Scion of the Seventh Dawn as well. She’s probably the most important of us… she manages our budget and mends our clothes.” You were completely serious when you said that none of them would probably be able to get by if it weren’t for her.

“Ah, the true makings of an organization’s backbone! Though you may not think it when you look at me, I too know my way around a marketplace! As for weaving, however…” The fact that he owned several identical suits to replace the ones that got torn and dirtied on a day to day basis was enough information for you to extrapolate upon without him needing to finish his statement.

Reaching down to take his hand in yours once more, you flashed him a sweet smile. “Everyone has something they’re good at. You’re good at helping people.”

He gave your hand a light squeeze. “As are you!”

You snorted. “A little too good, perhaps. I’d truly forgotten what it felt like to do something for myself for once. Tonight has been… nice. No, more than nice. Amazing.”

The two of you walked a bit away from the crowd, crossing a bridge that led you closer to your rented home in the Ijin District. Over here, there were fewer people, and you could speak freely with Hildibrand without fear of being overheard.

As you walked hand-in-hand with your inspector, you felt the butterflies in your stomach come back as you glanced at the way the street lamps lit his face just so. There was something about being out and about with him that just thrilled you, and you wondered how in the hell it had taken you this long to realize.

(When you thought back to your adventures in Eorzea and your willingness to follow Hildibrand all around the continent from that early on, however, perhaps it wasn’t as much of a mystery as you’d thought.)

This newfound realization that you were most likely utterly, officially, irreversibly in love with Hildibrand of all people was both wonderful and terrifying at the same time. To feel this open again after having known such profound loss was a most intoxicating fear. You knew this was risky; bad things happened to the people you were close to with alarming frequency. But if there were a safer person to be in love with, you had no idea who they were.

You paused under a street lamp and Hildibrand stopped after a moment when he realized that you had. “Hildy…” you began, feeling your heart race.

“Hmm?” He raised a thin eyebrow at you. “Is something wrong?”

“No… it’s…” You forced back a big grin. “Something is right . I…” You turned and grabbed his other hand, spinning to face him and looking him straight in the eye. “Hildy, I…” Come on, you urged yourself, you could do it. Just say it! You took a deep breath and swallowed the words back down if only for a moment.

Hildibrand looked like he also wanted to say something. “You know, I must admit… This is all very new to me. Brilliant though my powers of deduction are, I did not foresee this coming, and I’ve… never felt like this before.” He took a step closer to you, and your heart flipped about along with your stomach. “My dear, I…” He took a deep breath. “A Manderville man is not known for being controlled by his fear, so I will just say it!”

“Hildy…”

“I believe I’ve fallen in love with you!”

You didn’t think you could grin any wider. Letting go of his hands, you instead opted to throw your arms around his neck and shoulders instead, the force of your embrace causing Hildibrand to stumble.

“I love you too!” you exclaimed, pulling him to you in a passionate kiss. Nigh delirious with giggles upon breaking for air, you held him like you were never going to let go.

Laughing as well, Hildibrand picked you up by your waist and spun you around, but nothing like his father would do to suplex him. No, this was gentle and sweet, like he felt he had to be careful with you. The melody of your combined joy sounded through the night and there likely wasn’t a soul in Kugane who wasn’t aware that you, the esteemed Warrior of Light, were happily in love with one Hildibrand Helidor Maximilian Manderville.

Chapter Text

It took Hildibrand a moment to realize what he was doing, but the second he did he placed you back on the ground as gently as he could and took a cautionary half-step back.

“My apologies!” he exclaimed. “Did I hurt you? Sometimes I forget my own strength.”

You started laughing all over again. “Hildy, that was gentle as can be. And it was… nice.” You felt a flush creeping up your neck. “You’re really strong, aren’t you?”

Hildibrand sighed. “It is part of being a Manderville man, my dear. ‘Tis taken me an age to be able to rein in myself. And sometimes I still worry.”

Stepping back into his embrace, you gave him a little kiss on the cheek. “Once again, you’re just too sweet. Nothing you’ve done so far has brought me any harm, and I promise I will let you know if it does.”

“I appreciate that greatly!” he replied, wrapping his arms around you once more.

You sighed happily into the embrace. “I love you…” you murmured into him.

“And I you!”

Now that you’d said it once, you felt you could say it again and again without fear. It felt so free to be open for once; you were often known as a stoic individual who responded to situations with stone-faced nods and little else. You hadn’t always been like that, but years of battle after battle and loss after loss made you clam up because if you did anything else, anything at all, you were likely to burst. You had already done so twice, and each time had resulted in you fighting a manifestation of your own trauma.

But that was neither here nor there. Right now, you were feeling safe and content in the arms of your inspector. Nothing in the world could harm you now.

However, you were still thinking about one thing…

“Hildy…” you began, lifting your head up for breathing and talking room.

“Yes, my dear?”

You giggled a little, trying to figure out how to phrase what you wanted to say next. “I’ve been thinking… that samurai we helped, you were able to pick him up like he weighed nothing, robes and all.”

Hildibrand seemed confused about where this was going. “Yes… I seem to have inherited my father’s strength, as he did from his father before him.”

“Ah…” You were hesitating now. Was this weird? “Do you think you’d be able to pick me up like that?” It was a bit embarrassing, but you enjoyed being picked up and carried places. It wasn’t something that happened often anymore, what with people being too terrified to approach or lay hands on the vaunted Warrior of Light like that, even if they were an intimate partner.

A moment passed, and then another, and you were beginning to worry that you had overstepped your boundaries and made him uncomfortable. You opened your mouth to apologize when the sensation of Hildibrand literally sweeping you off your feet interrupted you.

You laughed as he picked you up like you weighed nothing. “Is this alright?” he asked.

“Yes! Perfect!” you said, elated. “You’re so strong… but responsible about it. Such a gentleman…” You nuzzled into his chest, sighing contently.

Hildibrand responded by blushing an interesting shade of pink. “Ah, that is what I strive to be at all times, yes!” From here you could just faintly feel his heart thumping a little faster than normal. Could it be that getting this close to you made him feel as thrilled as you felt being in his arms?

“And that’s part of why I love you.” You drew meaningless patterns on his shirt with your finger, and you could feel the solid muscle he hid beneath his suit most days. “So… have you been thinking about what we talked about earlier? You know… about later? ” you purred.

“Oh!” Hildibrand exclaimed, standing up straight. “Ah, er, yes, I have been giving it some thought…” From your vantage point in his arms you could see the blush on his face starting to creep down his neck.

You chuckled softly. “And what do you think?” When he didn’t immediately answer, you shifted your expression to be more serious. “And you can say you’re not interested in that, I promise. You have my word that I will not judge you or think any less of you for it.” You raised your right hand as if you were testifying.

Hildibrand took a deep breath. “I… the thing is… I would very much like to! You make me feel all these things I’ve never felt before! But…”

“But?...” you asked in a sweet and supportive tone, tilting your head curiously at him.

“But is it truly alright to openly engage in such thoughts and actions? As a gentleman, I must needs conduct myself with integrity!”

You smiled softly up at him. “Is that what this is all about?” you asked, not a hint of disdain or irritation in your voice. It certainly made sense, at the very least.

Hildibrand sighed, pulling you just a little closer. He showed no signs of fatigue despite having you in his arms this whole time. “As you know, I was taught from a young age to treat all with respect, most importantly ladies. This was a value instilled in me by my dear parents, especially my mother…”

“She did her job a little too well,” you finished, knowing his occasional reluctance to admit things out loud. “And now you feel guilty for wanting to…” You chose your next words carefully. “... engage in physical intimacy. Or even for thinking about it.”

“I see I did well in sharpening your powers of deduction!” He grinned at you, twinkle and all, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

You felt your heart break a little. It wasn’t out of disappointment, but rather for the man who held you in your arms, your brave and lovely Inspector Hildibrand. 

Sex and love often went together, you thought, but one wasn’t needed for the other to exist (a common misconception). It was clear Hildy loved with all his heart, but had been holding himself back from… other types of affection.

While you were absolutely content with what you had, you could feel he was receptive to your advances and wanted to reciprocate them. The thing standing in his way, however, was inner conflict he felt over actually having these thoughts and urges in the first place.

(You’d seen something similar with many Ishgardian partners that you’d had over the years)

“Hildy…” You reached up with one hand and stroked his cheek softly. Under your touch, he shivered. “While you’re right that you should respect others and that random advances on folks aren’t such a great idea, you’ve seen that I very much want to do such activities. And that’s the most important part. Consent matters . That’s why I stopped when you stopped me, back in the Fortemps manor.”

“That moment with you was all I could think about the entire way to Idyllshire!” he admitted, and this time it was your turn to feel flustered.

You smirked up at him, the hand on his cheek ghosting down his neck and shoulder in a deliberate movement that left goosebumps on his skin. “Was it?”

Hildibrand cleared his throat awkwardly, seemingly worried he’d said something wrong. “Er, yes! Such extended time spent in quiet travel is like to inspire deep thought, you see, and since that had been a recent happenstance, my mind happened to keep drifting back to it and-“

He was rambling, and it was adorable. You brought your hand back up and placed a single finger on his lips, effectively silencing him. “I’m flattered to hear I left that much of an impression, Hildy…”

“Ah, you are?”

You couldn’t help but break into a fit of giggles at his stunned expression. Was he really so surprised at this point? Hadn’t you made your desire for him crystal clear by now? 

(Then again, Hildibrand had never been one for hints and subtlety...)

“I am.” You leaned up enough in his arms just enough to press your lips to his and then get right up next to his ear. “Why don’t we get back to my place and discuss this more in private?” you purred in his ear.

Hildibrand’s response was to turn and run to the Ijin District as fast as he felt comfortable going while carrying you.

Though you were no stranger to the unique speeds that he and his family could reach, you were still impressed by how fast he got there without severely jostling you. His eagerness both amused and aroused you.

You waved a hand to undo the aetherial lock you’d placed on the front door while Hildibrand fumbled with it with one slightly trembling hand. In the other, he had you still, supporting you by one arm with only a mild amount of difficulty.

The house was much as you’d left it, and you were relieved to see Nashu lounging on the couch in the foyer, book in hand and no meddling stalker in sight. She looked up at the sound of you two entering and broke out into a fanged grin.

“I see the date went well,” she said, a knowing look on her face.

You laughed. “I’d say so!” Hildibrand set you gently down on your feet and you responded by giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Nashu looked out the window in an exaggerated fashion. “Cor, would you look at that! Your garden looks bone dry and your chocobo seems awfully lonely! I think I’ll help you with that since you’re being nice enough to let me stay here!” She leapt up from her seat and grabbed a trowel that was sitting on a table by the front door. “Have fun!”

You’d just watered your garden this morning, but you realized and appreciated what Nashu was doing. The front door slammed shut as Nashu ran outside, and then it was just you and Hildibrand.

“So…” you purred, turning to him with a sly smirk on your face. “Let’s talk some more. Come with me to my room.”

Hildibrand gave a nervous gulp, but his tone of voice was yearning all the same. “Ah, yes. Lead the way, my dear!”

And so you did, giggling non-stop the whole way. There was just something about Hildibrand that made you feel like a love struck adolescent all over again. It had definitely been quite some time since you’d last felt this way about someone.

You led Hildibrand into your room and shut the door gently behind him. The flush on his face had reached down to the line of his collared shirt and bowtie. His hands flexed and relaxed at his sides, and he seemed at a loss for what to do.

“Now, remember,” you said softly. “Only what you feel comfortable with doing. If you tell me to stop, I’ll stop, no questions asked. Alright?”

Hildibrand nodded rapidly. He took a step towards you, hand reaching slowly for your face. “May I?” he breathed, a hair’s breadth away from touching his lips to yours.

“Please,” you whispered back. And so he kissed you right then and there, soft and passionate, a far cry from the nervous puckering he’d responded with all those months ago in Ishgard.

You moaned softly into the kiss and wrapped your arms around him as you deepened it. He responded by tangling one hand in your hair and putting the other one chastely on your waist.

Nibbling on his lip to entice him, you slowly walked him over to the bed, not breaking the kiss until you felt the back of your knees hit the soft mattress. It was then that you ended the liplock so you could fall back gently onto the bed under your own weight, grinning up at a stunned Hildibrand as you kicked your shoes off to parts unknown.

Hildibrand didn’t seem to know where to look. His eyes flitted between your face, the bed, the exposed skin of your thighs, and then immediately back to your face as his blush turned crimson.

“What would you like to do next?” you asked sweetly, propping yourself up on your elbows and feeling a bit of heat begin to pool within you at how Hildibrand towered over you like this.

“Uh,” he replied with all the eloquence he could muster at the time, which wasn’t much. “Er, let me just...” he trailed off, taking off his gloves and monocle and tossing them to the side, a far cry from how he’d folded his removed clothing neatly that night in the Fortemps manor. It was then you realized you were still wearing his suit jacket.

You tugged at the lapel. “Would you like me to take this off, Hildy?” you proposed, tossing him a wink.

Hildibrand stared like a deer in a caravan’s lantern before holding up a single finger. “Do… do you think I could maybe…” He seemed too flustered to even complete his request.

Realizing what he was trying to say, you sat up and leaned forward towards him. “Certainly,” you purred, gazing up at him with half-lidded, lustful eyes.

Words seemingly caught in his throat, he moved to the side of you and sat down on the bed. You could feel the heat radiating off him even through his clothing. He reached towards you with trembling hands and you turned so that you were facing him to make his job easier. His large hands laid solidly on your shoulders and he started pushing the fabric of his jacket down slowly, gingerly. It was if he was afraid if he moved too fast, the moment would be over.

Smiling warmly, you leaned forward and kissed him softly as you moved your shoulders to assist him. His bare hands were warm and rough on your skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. You could feel the calluses built up over years of tirelessly helping others. Truly, how was this man real?

“Is this alright?” Hildibrand asked when he had the offending jacket completely off.

“More than alright. You’re so sweet. Gods, I adore you.” You kissed him again. He brought a hand up to your face, and you noticed he was still trembling slightly.

You scooted back to give him breathing room. “Are you okay? Do you want to stop?”

Hildibrand shook his head. “Just… a lot…” he said, taking a moment to catch his breath.

“It’s okay, we can take as long as you want. There’s no rush tonight.”

He nodded, bringing his hands back to your shoulders and down the length of your arms. “Beautiful…” he murmured, and your heart did a little flip.

You reached forward and tugged at his bowtie. “You’re overdressed,” you teased.

Hildibrand blinked in confusion. “Am I?” He looked down at himself. “Well, I suppose I am!”

Giggling, you tugged again. “Can I take this off?”

He nodded. “You may!”

You pulled at the fabric and it came free after a few attempts. Hildibrand grasped it and tossed it in relatively the same direction as his gloves and monocle. He then reached up and undid the top button of his shirt, seeming to breathe a little easier once he did.

Reaching forward, you brought your hands down to the second button. This was where he had stopped you before; if he stopped you again, you’d respect that. But there was charged tension in the air, and you had a feeling he wanted you as badly as you wanted him.

This time, he merely watched as you undid the buttons on his shirt, breathing heavy and fast as you worked your way down. When you undid the last button, he did away with the shirt as fast as he’d done everything else.

You sat back a little and just admired him for a second. He was as muscular as you envisioned, and a light dusting of brown hair covered his chest and led down in a trail to-

Oh. It seemed he was getting excited already. You licked your lips subconsciously but made no moves to undress him further. You reached up to the fasteners on your dress but paused halfway through undoing the first one.

“Did you want to take this off me?” you offered.

Hildibrand sputtered a moment. “Er, I believe you would be more adept at doing so than I, simply because you are experienced with wearing it!” It was likely a roundabout way for him to admit he had no idea how to undo the damned thing, but you were tickled by his response anyway.

“I want you to watch me,” you said, reaching back up and undoing the fasteners. “Watch me and know that I am okay with you seeing me like this, that I want you to look at me.”

Swallowing heavily, Hildibrand nodded.

After you’d undone all the fasteners at the back of the neck and hidden among the shoulders, you started to tug the fabric up over your head. Before your sight was completely obscured, you looked over to Hildibrand.

“Hmm, could you be a dear and help me with this? This isn’t the easiest to get off while sitting like this…”

“O-of course! What sort of gentleman would I be if I were to deny a lovely lady’s request?” he exclaimed, and you knew it was merely his long-winded way of justifying this action to himself.

Reaching forward, he helped you rid yourself of the confusing garment, seeming to take extra care not to accidentally grope you. When you were done, you were left in only your smallclothes. You placed the dress by your side and looked over to see how Hildibrand was doing.

The man in question seemed to be debating with himself over how much gazing was acceptable. He’d take a glance at your body, then back to your face, down to your body, over to the wall and so on. Chuckling softly, you leaned forward and kissed him. “You can look.”

He let out a relieved breath and looked back at you. “You… you truly are stunning, I hope you know that!”

“It’s not like you let me forget,” you teased. “Is this alright, Hildy?”

“This is most exhilarating!”

You laughed, pleased that he at least seemed to be enjoying himself this time. “What do you want to do next? Do you have any ideas?”

Hildibrand furrowed his brow before putting his fingers to his temples in thought. Even here in this context, he was still the same old Hildy, and that was something you adored about him.

Something came to him, but it appeared to be a thought that flustered him, judging by the blush you could now see creeping fully down to his broad chest.

“Ah, you know that one novel… about the lord in Coerthas and his lady knight?”

You grinned. “That’s my favorite. Have you already read it? I thought we just picked it up today!”

“That is one I remember from my dear mother’s personal library! She caught me reading it one day, and…” He didn’t really need to elaborate.

“Was there a scene you liked from that?” you asked sweetly, taking his hands in yours. You wanted to bring his mind back to the present rather than focus on the past.

Hildibrand’s flush deepened. “Ah, one thing that I still remember was a particular scene following a spectacular battle wherein the lord had dinner with his lady knight, just the two of them. They had just won a battle most triumphant against a great and terrible dragon! One thing led to another, and…” He seemed too embarrassed to keep talking, but you knew exactly what scene he was referring to.

In fact, it was one of your favorites as well. You recalled it ended with the lord going down on his lady knight, tasting his fill of her until they both had lost count of her climaxes.

Oh, it seemed Hildibrand did have a bit of a dirty mind after all…

“Oh my…” you said, eyebrows shooting up in surprise and interest.

Hildibrand, it seemed, misinterpreted your reaction. “Of course, if you would rather not, I would completely understand! I do not want to infringe upon your boundaries. Perhaps we could forget I asked in the fi-“

“Let’s do it.” Grin plastered on your face, you shifted until you were in the same position the lady knight had been in the story. Hildibrand was silenced in the middle of his nervous ramblings and just glanced down upon you. You smiled back up at him patiently, not wanting to rush this and scare him off.

“Ah, and you’re certain?” he asked.

You nodded enthusiastically. “Do you remember how it goes?” 

“If I recall correctly, it starts like…” He trailed off, getting off the bed and kneeling before you as you lay relaxed on the sheets, legs dangling off the edge. “May I touch you?”

“Please,” you purred, lifting one leg up and watching with amusement as his eyes followed it. He seemed particularly interested in your legs, if that one slip up from earlier in the evening was any indication. You filed that piece of knowledge away to be used later.

Hildibrand cautiously placed one hand on one of your calves. His large hands were warm and rough on your skin, and you welcomed the feel of them. He looked to you for any indication that he should stop, and looked relieved when you just nodded at him, half-lidded eyes fixed on his in a gaze that could only be described as lustful.

Slowly, he brought his hand up to your knee, doing the same with the other in his other hand. “You’re a marvel to behold…”

“Running around and saving the world all the time does tend to build up muscle, yes…” you replied, tone of voice giving away your amusement at his statement.

You shivered in delight as Hildibrand’s fingertips ghosted slowly higher and higher, brushing against the sensitive skin of your thighs. At your response, Hildibrand halted, likely afraid he had harmed you in some way.

“K-keep going,” you breathed. “Please, Hildy…”

This seemed to spur him on more intensely than you’d ever seen before. He reached the waistband of your smalls and paused, perhaps realizing that yes, this was indeed actually happening.

Anticipating his question, you smiled at Hildibrand. “You can take them off. In fact, please do…”

Ever the eager participant, Hildibrand nodded and hooked his thumbs underneath the band, tugging gently. You lifted your hips to assist him, and before you knew it you were laid bare before him, at least on the lower half.

Hildibrand was silent for a moment, and it was then you remembered that this was likely his first time seeing a naked woman outside of illustrations and diagrams.

“Nothing like what you’ve seen drawn, I know,” you said, feeling just a touch-self conscious. You knew he’d also seen the scars that littered every part of your body, trophies won from a life spent fighting to defend others.

He shook his head. “N-no, but I have told you before and I shall again until the moment I cease breathing: every bit of you is lovely!” And there it was, the bravado he put on frequently. You realized now that this was something he did to hide when he was nervous.

You felt yourself flushing nonetheless, the words genuine even if his tone was hammy. “H-Hildy!”

“I mean it!” He scooted forward a little, large hands resting on your thighs to part them slightly. You gladly allowed him to do so, heart pounding and stomach flipping in anticipation.

“Everything still okay?” you checked in with him.

Hildibrand nodded. “Yes, most definitely! I am merely… observing.” He brought a thumb forward and swiped at the wetness gathering between your legs, causing you to squeak in surprise.

“It’s okay, you didn’t hurt me!” you reassured him before he could even ask. “It’s just… been a while.” And that was the truth, technically. During your time in Doma and Ala Mhigo, you’d taken no partners to bed. In fact, you hadn’t had anyone since that night with Hildibrand in the Fortemps manor. Perhaps that was a testament to how much of an impression he left on you before this had even solidly become a ‘thing’.

You turned your attention back to him and saw he was examining his fingers. “Ah, this is…” he murmured. “I remember from the novels, this is a sign the lady is enjoying herself! Which means…” He gasped softly and looked up to you, a surprised expression on his face.

“Yes Hildy, I am enjoying myself quite a bit.” You laughed sweetly, honest to goodness delighted at his reactions. But was he really so shocked at the effect he had on you?

“That is most excellent to hear!” he exclaimed, breaking into a grin whose proportions had you hiding your face in your hands to stifle another laugh. When you looked back, however, Hildibrand had his fingers to his lips, essentially sampling you.

He hummed in thought for a moment. “A most interesting taste… I do believe this requires further investigation! And as an inspector extraordinaire, I must needs provide.”

Was this his way of talking dirty? You loved it, it was so thoroughly him that you were touched by the sincerity. His words sent a renewed wave of lust through you, and you licked your lips.

“I’m open to interrogation, dear Inspector,” you purred. You could practically see his gaze darkening with lust as he reached forward one more and experimentally pushed a single finger inside of you.

The assertiveness with which he did so made you squeak once more, and when you felt him stop you were quick to ensure him to keep going, that that was nice.

You encouraged him to add another, and he eagerly did. The feeling of being stretched out after going so long without another’s touch made you moan out loud, your head falling back on the bed.

“I believe that is a good noise?” Hildibrand inquired.

“Very good,” you said, huffing a laugh. He stood and withdrew himself from you for a scant moment, leaving you to whine at the emptiness. He returned a split second later with a pillow that he placed underneath your head so that your neck wouldn’t get sore. Your heart fluttered at his thoughtfulness.

It didn’t hurt that you got to catch a glimpse of him as he did so, either. His back muscles were every bit as tantalizing as his chest muscles were, and you couldn’t help but wonder if he was uncomfortable in those slacks of his. Most likely, judging by the sizable tent in the front.

“Thank you… you’re so good to me, Hildy. Do you want to get more… comfortable?” you asked, pointing to his slacks and how they were fit to burst any moment.

Hildibrand blushed and shook his head. “All in due time, my dearest. I must first finish my preliminary investigation!” It seemed inspector talk was how he found his confidence in this situation. If that was that, you gladly welcomed it. The fire it ignited within you at his words was just a plus.

“Mmm, I’m your pliable witness,” you responded. “Let’s see what evidence I can provide.”

That seemed to have an effect on him, as he groaned deeply before eagerly returning to what he was doing. His two fingers met little resistance, you were already that worked up. He seemed to get that moving them in and out was a good sensation, but…

“H-Hildy,” you gasped, bringing one hand up and mimicking a ‘come hither’ motion with the same two fingers your erstwhile inspector had plunged deep inside you. “Try that.”

He did as he was told, and the effect was instantaneous. The texture of his rough, callused fingers provided the perfect sensation, and you clenched down on him in an attempt to seek more.

“Good?” he asked.

You nodded rapidly. Your encouragement seemed to spur him on and he did more of the same with an increased intensity.

After a few moments, in which you’d come startlingly close to a peak, he stopped. You almost screamed but stopped yourself lest you scare the still-skittish man who was bedding you.

Instead, you watched as he withdrew his fingers and brought them to his lips, seeming to savor the taste. A new wave of heat and lust washed over you at the sight. Did he know he was driving you mad with desire?

“W-why’d you stop?” you gasped out.

He paused his motions to look back at you. “I was merely preparing for the main course. Allow me to savor you as such a lovely lady deserves!” That was a line paraphrased right from the novel, and it made you giggle as you eagerly parted yourself wider for him.

Hildibrand draped your legs over his shoulders as he drew closer to you. As in the novel, he placed light kisses to each of your inner thighs before setting his sights on his target. His warm breath washed over you and made you want to buck your hips up towards him to make him get on with it, damn him. But you weren’t about to push him into anything. Even if he stopped right here, right now, you would respect that.

Instead, he seemed more concerned with your comfort, the sweet man. “Please stop me if anything starts to hurt!” You nodded, and with that, he was upon you.

He was sloppy, to say the least; too much teeth, not enough tongue. But you couldn’t fault the man for not being perfect on his first try. You could practically feel the raw enthusiasm pulsing through him, and that went a long way to making this all the more pleasurable.

“T-try more tongue,” you suggested between deep gasps. He listened to your advice and the intensity of what you were feeling doubled almost immediately.

You began to caress though his hair gently as he worked. It was soft to the touch, softer than it looked. Somewhere along the way the fasteners for his sideburn braids had come loose, making his hair a mess. It was an enchanting look on him. His facial hair rubbed against your thighs, creating a delicious friction there that added to the pleasure.

Hildibrand was not a man who did anything by half, especially something like this. He partook of you deeply, like a man lost in the desert having his first drink in days. This alone brought immense satisfaction to you. But you needed just a bit more…

M

You took the hand not tangled in his hair and brought it down to your clit, rubbing in soft circles as he continued his ministrations.

“Hildy… oh, Hildy…” you moaned softly. “You’re doing great…” Words were becoming more difficult to grasp in your lust-addled brain, so you settled for more noises that you were sure conveyed your satisfaction.

His eyes flicked up to meet yours and for a scant moment you two made eye contact. The intimacy of such a gaze nearly pushed you over the peak but not quite. “Please,” you gasped.

Hildibrand fixed his attention on what your hand was doing and with a small nod, brought his own hand up to replace yours. He replicated your motions and the effect was instantaneous; if your own hand had already felt nice, then this was bliss.

“H-Hildy, I’m going to- I’m gonna-“ you words were cut off as you crested over your peak, the only thing coming out of your mouth being a mix of swear words and Hildibrand’s name. Your thighs clamped down on his head and your other hand tugged at his hair. The man gave a deep, lustful groan in response.

As you recovered from your climax, Hildibrand was still lapping away at you like a man possessed. You pushed back on his head gently. “T-too sensitive…”

He moved back with such speed that he actually wound up falling back and catching himself on his hands. “Ah, my apologies!”

You pulled yourself up to a sitting position on shaking arms and fixed him with a smile you were sure was lopsided. Without reaching up to test your hair or looking in a mirror, you knew you must have looked a mess. And yet Hildibrand still looked upon you with all the adoration in the world.

“Please, don’t apologize. That was… by the Twelve. Are you certain you’ve never done this before?”

Hildibrand actually put serious thought to that for a moment. “... quite certain. I have always been told I am a quick study, however!”

“Well, you certainly just proved that…” Remembering what you’d done in the throes of passion, you reached out and attempted to smooth out his hair, which you’d mussed up by pulling on it. “I think I might have been the one who got carried away…”

“Ah, do you mean my hair? No need to apologize, my dear! I found I…” He took a moment to compose himself. “I quite enjoyed that.”

You chuckled. “Even though I pulled your hair and damn near suffocated you?”

Hildibrand coughed awkwardly, clearing his throat. “I… especially enjoyed the second part,” he admitted with an expression that implied he was waiting to be admonished.

Instead, you grinned wide and came over to kiss him. He eagerly reciprocated and you moaned softly as you tasted yourself on his tongue. 

“I’ll be sure to remember that for next time,” you purred as you pulled apart for air.

Hildibrand’s eyes widened. “Next time?” he asked, expression and tone implying optimistic delight.

“If you want a next time. It’s entirely up to you, Hildy.”

Hildibrand flushed deeply. “That would be… most agreeable to me!” he replied.

You smiled lazily at him. “Mmm, I’m glad.” Reclining to a leaning position, you patted the space next to you on the bed. “Come on up and join me. You look awfully lonely down there…”

The eagerness with which Hildibrand obliged your request made you burst out into another fit of laughter. Gods, he was just too wonderful, too darling to possibly be real.

“So, what's next?” You raised a suggestive eyebrow at him.

Hildibrand took a moment to think. “Ah… since you were so kind as to oblige me, perhaps we should do something you want!”

You blinked. That… he considered that obliging him? When you were the one practically screaming his name by the end? When you were all too happy to receive? Oh, Hildy… It was time to make him feel good too, you decided; it was time for you to be the one giving.

“Alright…” you began. “But stop me at any time if you don’t feel comfortable.”

“Of course!”

You turned so that your back faced him, tossing him your best sultry look over your shoulder. “Mmm, do you think you can help me with this?” You gestured to the ties holding your breastband in place.

“C-certainly!” Hildibrand replied, gulping with what you hoped was desire. His large hands were warm on your back as he fumbled with the ties, muttering to himself. After what would have taken you perhaps a third of the time, the strings fell free and you tossed the scrap of fabric elsewhere in the room.

“How do I look?” you asked, turning to face him, bare as your nameday.

Now assured fully that he had permission to behold you, behold you he did. His eyes swept your form, from your mussed hair to your flushed cheeks to your curves and all the way down to your legs that he seemed to admire so much.

“I, ah, er, you are, that is to say-“ He seemed at a complete loss for words, and that was what you were aiming for.

“Do you like what you see, Hildy?” You smirked at him when all he could do was dumbly nod in response. He was so enthusiastic, so genuine in this that it made your heart melt. Everything Hildibrand did, he did with all he could give.

You pulled yourself closer so that you were straddling his lap. From underneath, you could feel just how much he admired the view. “I like what I see too,” you whispered in his ear. “Has anyone told you what a handsome man you are?”

“Ah, yes, a few times, but-“

A quick peck to the lips silenced him. “Well, they’re right. But you know what’s even more beautiful to behold about you?”

Hildibrand shook his head.

You started kissing down his jawline to his neck. “Why, that’d be your heart, my dear inspector. Never before have I known such a brave, kind soul,” you paused to leave a mark on his neck right on his pulse point, “in my life. You’re honest,” a kiss to his collarbone, “compassionate,” a kiss to his shoulder, “and oh so sweet.” You punctuated the statement with another kiss to his lips, as if his sweetness was a physical characteristic that you could taste.

With each kiss, each word of praise, you could feel Hildibrand become more flustered, more undone. His breathing was deep and heavy, what words he could get to leave his mouth dripping with lust and want. You had him right where you wanted, and to your delight he was happy to be there.

You slid your hands down his arms, savoring the feel of the solid muscle beneath. “Let’s get you more comfortable, shall we?”

Another nod was your answer. Seeing his consent, you slid your hands back up and then down his broad chest, feeling the soft hair he possessed there tickle your fingers. When you reached his abdomen, you moved back off his lap to give yourself room.

Slowly, ever so slowly, you reached down for the waistband of his slacks, still holding firm despite all the strain. “May I, Hildy? I need you to answer me with words.”

Hildibrand took a few seconds to compose himself. “Yes,” he said, breathless with desire.

“ Please .”

It took you about as long to unbutton his slacks as it had for Hildibrand to untie your brassiere. Why’d they have to put so many damn buttons on an ordinary pair of pants, anyway? When you finally undid the last button, the relieved groan he gave went straight down your spine to your very core. You squirmed in an attempt to alleviate this discomfort.

In a flash, Hildibrand had his slacks off, smallclothes and all. He sat before you, bare and proud. You (consciously, this time) licked your lips as your eyes swept down his solid form. The firm buttocks and thighs you’d heard so much about were not a myth after all. You didn’t know what to look at or feel first.

One thing, however, was definitely standing to attention. It seemed nothing about Hildibrand was small, apparently.

“Oh, what do we have here?”

Hildibrand looked genuinely confused and a little concerned. “Is there something wrong, my dear?”

You giggled, shaking your head. “I’ve found some… substantial evidence, Inspector,” you teased, eyes flicking down so that there was no mistaking what you were looking at.

Realizing what you were getting at, finally, Hildibrand flushed deeply and you swore a certain part of him actually twitched. He cleared his throat. “A-Ah, I see. You’ve always been very astute! Might you… share in these findings with me?”

Now he was talking. “ Gladly .” Instead of coming towards him, however, you crawled over to your bedside table and pulled a vial out of a drawer. “We’re… definitely going to need this.”

Hildibrand raised a thin eyebrow. “What is that for?”

“A bit of lubricant to make things go more… smoothly ,” you said, grinning at his flustered reaction. “I keep it on hand for… situations like this.”

(Nothing quite like a little solo stress relief after a long day spent saving the world.)

You handed Hildibrand the bottle, which looked pitifully tiny in his large hands. He looked between it, himself, you, and then himself again.

“Ah, I believe I understand what this is for!” He poured some on his hand and reached for himself before stopping halfway.

“Do you want me to turn around, Hildy?” you asked sweetly. Some people weren’t always comfortable with touching themselves in front of an intimate partner, and you respected that.

Hildibrand looked conflicted with himself once more. “Er, I…” He took a deep breath. “I want you to watch, and I’m not quite sure why!” He looked mortified to admit it.

You giggled. “Someone’s a bit of an exhibitionist,” you teased. “It’s okay, I promise. I’d love to see how you go about preparing for this.”

Nodding dumbly, Hildibrand took himself in hand. Even at the slightest touch, you could see him twitching and leaking, and the deep pleasured groans he let out informed you he must be very sensitive indeed. 

(The part of you that wasn’t absolutely lost in lust was relieved he hadn’t tried to drink the damn lubricant.)

You watched, breathless and wired with desire, as he coated himself liberally in the substance, movements making slick sounds that were very audible to you in your heightened state of arousal. He muttered something under his breath that sounded like “Twelve…” as he bit back a louder groan.

“Let me hear you,” you cooed. “I want to know exactly how much you’re enjoying this.”

He responded with a hasty nod and another deep groan as he stroked himself once more, a little faster. 

“How do you want me? On top? On the bottom? On the side? Sitting up?” You were down for just about anything at this point; you just wanted him to fill you up already.

“H-aah, I don’t want to hurt you, m-my dear,” he gasped. “Muscles such as mine weigh a,” another strangled moan, “a-a surprising amount!” Still he worked himself, spurred on by your lustful gaze.

You giggled. Even this far gone, his thoughts still were on you. “I’ll be on top, then. How does that sound?” you asked, patient as could be.

“Y-yes please. I would like that!” he exclaimed, finally releasing himself as he scooted backwards on the bedspread. He was stiffer than ever, leaking and throbbing. You wondered if he’d ever been this turned on before in his life.

Confident and in control, you crawled over so that you were straddling Hildibrand’s solid thighs. He watched you dazedly with his head propped up on the pillows he’d provided for you earlier.

Your expression switched from playful to serious.“Now, before we start, I’d like to confirm that you are one hundred percent okay with this. Please, please don’t force yourself to do something you don’t want to just to please me, alright Hildy?”

“I want to! I want to!” he cried. “Please, before I go mad!”

“Far be it from me to deny a handsome gentleman,” you purred, shifting your hips so that you hovered above him.

Slowly, you lowered yourself onto him, moaning softly as you felt him stretch you. Despite you being plenty readied yourself, the lubricant had definitely been a good idea, as you could feel a few spots of resistance that might have proved troublesome without.

After a moment of focus, you were down to the hilt. Even now, Hildibrand was utterly wracked with pleasure, broad chest heaving with every breath he took. Considering this was likely his first time, you weren’t surprised.

“How are you feeling? Are you doing okay? Does it feel good?” It took effort to not moan mid-sentence. Even if no movement had taken place yet, the sensation of being stretched to near your limit after so long was nigh maddening.

A groan and a shaky thumbs-up was your only response, and you took that as a positive sign. “W-would you like me to move?” A nod in response. “You can touch me.” You gently tugged at his hands, which were white-knuckling the bedsheets. He let you place them on your hips, and you felt his strong fingers grip your curves with reverence.

“Y-you’re so soft,” he managed to gasp out, momentarily distracted by his reverence of you. “Please move if it pleases you!”

And so you did. You rolled your hips in such a way that your clit grinded against him. This way the both of you were getting stimulation. “Oh, Hildy…” you moaned, playing it up for him just a tad. “Hildy, you feel divine...”

“A-as do you!” he responded in kind. There was exaggeration at all, just his natural high energy.

You replied with another roll of your hips, and you moaned as you felt his fingers dig softly into the curve of your hips.

“I-I’ve never felt such-“ you cut him off by moving again, enjoying how utterly at a loss for words the normally verbose inspector was.

“You’re perfect,” you breathed. “Gods, I love you.” You punctuated each roll of your hips with another cry of affection.

Hildibrand was beyond words at this point, the only sounds leaving his lips being deep moans and breathy gasps. Each one went right from your ears to your core, feeling another climax building already. The sensation of grinding against him, the weight and warmth of his hands on you, the feeling of him filling you fuller than you’d been in so long… this was ecstasy.

You clenched down on him and you felt one hand leave your hip to grip the bedsheets. The tension in his hips told you he was either holding back from his own climax or trying to prevent himself from thrusting up, maybe both.

“You - oh! You can move too. You won’t hurt me, I promise.”

Nodding, Hildibrand texted the waters with an experimental thrust, and you squeaked as even that little movement sent you a good distance upward. Twelve, the sheer strength he possessed…

“Oh, just like that!” you exclaimed, going for the dramatic once more since it seemed he liked that. “You’re doing great, Hildy.”

He responded with a more enthusiastic thrust, and you giggled-moaned as you were sent up once more. Laid back like this, Hildibrand had a full view of your body as you rode him. His eyes followed your breasts as they bounced freely with your movements, and you wondered how it would feel if he were to grasp them with his warm, callused palms.

The thought made you moan and clench down on him again. You brought one hand up and fondled your chest while the other slipped down to your clit. “Hildy, oh Hildy…”

All Hildibrand could respond with was a choked cry of your name. He thrust up again, rhythm jerky and uneven before his arms came around you and pulled you in for a kiss. You felt yourself crash over a peak as you crashed into him, and you moaned into his kiss as you tightened around him.

By the heaving of his chest and his slowing movements, you figured Hildibrand met his own climax shortly before yours. You glanced down, and the mix of fluids around the junction between you confirmed it.

With an exhausted laugh, you kissed him once more before laying your weight on top of him. Your own breath came in short gasps as the last ebbs of your climax left you. When you felt sufficiently recovered, you looked up from your cozy position cradled against Hildibrand. “... Good?” was all you could manage to ask.

Hildibrand nodded, pulling him closer to him. His strong arms wrapped around you made you feel safe and secure… and a little overheated.

“Lemme… roll over…” you requested, and he acquiesced, releasing you immediately. You winced at the feeling of him pulling out from you down below as you did. You were going to be sore tomorrow, that was for sure. Still, you decided it was one hundred percent worth it as you glanced over to Hildibrand, admiring his blissed out expression.

You leaned over and kissed his cheek. Hildibrand turned his head to look at you, gaze hazily meeting yours. “That was… perhaps the most thrilling thing I have ever experienced. What a rush!” It seemed he was coming back to himself.

“Glad I could provide,” you teased sweetly. You leaned over the edge of the bed and pulled a towel out of your bedside table which you used to wipe up down below before handing it to him so he could do the same. He did so tiredly and looked at you as if to ask what to do with it. You shrugged, and he tossed it off in a random direction.

“I… I feel this… this need,” Hildibrand said. “I feel as if I must hold you close and never let go!”

You giggled. “That’s the afterglow talking. At least you didn’t fall asleep right away.” That was something that had happened to you more than once with more than one partner. Hildibrand, it seemed, was a cuddler instead.

Summoning a bit of extra strength, you found your satchel and quickly quaffed one of the potions you’d gotten from the apothecary, making a face at the bitterness that hit your tongue. There would be no miniature Mandervilles in your future… at least for now. As for further on down the road… Well, that was later.

(You tried to quell the excited, heated flipping in your stomach at the thought; where the hells had that idea even come from?!)

When you were satisfied you had enough that no little surprises would come your way, you flopped back down onto the bed and into Hildibrand’s waiting arms.

“You doing okay?” you asked, sweeping a bit of hair that had come out of one of his side braids back behind his ear.

“Better than ever, my dear!” he replied, huffing a tired laugh. You could tell by the content, genuine smile on his face that he was telling the truth.

You kissed him softly. “I’m glad. You did fantastic.”

A little blush made itself prominent in Hildibrand’s already flushed cheeks. “I aim to please,” he said.

“Oh, and please you did,” you purred tiredly. You reached over and hit the switch next to your bed to turn off the aetheric lamps, plunging the room into partial darkness. The lamps outside still illuminated the streets and some of the light seeped in, creating a gentle glow that put you at ease.

Hildibrand pulled you closer to him and you nestled your head into the space between his neck and shoulder. Reaching down, you pulled the blankets over yourselves and prepared for the best night’s sleep you’d had in a long while.

The world could wait another day or two.

Chapter Text

By your best estimates, you must have gotten nine bells worth of sleep at the very least, judging by the position of the sunbeam that was right in your eyes.

As you came back to the waking world, chasing away dreams of giant green roosters, you reflected on the night before, which felt like a dream in and of itself. Being with Hildibrand had been… something else, that was for sure. Never before had you been with such a gentle, considerate partner. The feelings that that gave weren't emotions you were used to dealing with, but… you liked them. You liked him . Well, you more than liked him, but this much was obvious by now.

You reached out to pull him close… only to find empty air. The lack of warmth by your side snapped you back to the waking world. You sat up in bed to find that yes, you were alone.

Where had he gone? You pulled the covers up to your chest as you looked around the room, looking for any trace of your wayward inspector. Had he had second thoughts after all? Had you scared him away by coming on too strong?

All at once, your anxiety came rushing back. Just when you thought you’d found someone, fate got in the way and now you were alone once more and-

A splash from the washroom adjoining your bedroom interrupted your downward spiral. The bath. Of course!

You realized all the clothes you’d taken off him last night were still strewn about the floor, so unless he borrowed some of your clothing (entirely possible) or was running around in his nameday suit, he couldn’t have gone far.

(Actually, considering who his father was, the latter wasn’t so farfetched either.)

Going with the theory that he was currently using your washroom, you quietly slipped out of bed and put on a bathrobe.

You sauntered over to the washroom door and creaked it open, armed with an apology if it was instead Nashu you had caught unawares.

(You were also armed with a weapon in case it was someone other than your inspector and his erstwhile assistant)

When you caught a glimpse of who was currently occupying your bath, both your jaw and your weapon dropped to the floor.

Through the steam, Hildibrand stood in all his nude glory, bared to the world and to you. His back was turned, and you could see the muscles in his back and arms flexing as he stood under the showerhead and ran his hands through his hair.

His rear and thighs, muscular and solid indeed, had drops of stray water trickling down them, and you couldn’t help but watch as they rejoined the pool of hot water on the ground.

With your adequately sufficient funds, you were able to rent a property with a spacious bathing area, and the tub provided could easily fit half a dozen people of Hildibrand’s size. The water sat at around mid-thigh level for someone of Hildibrand’s stature when standing, with varying sized seats on the side of the tub for those of more diminutive height.

Hildibrand seemed in a state of total relaxation, if his quiet humming as he bathed was any indication. An utterly enchanting sight to behold, you thought.

As if possessed, you quietly stepped in and closed the door behind you. Apparently, you weren’t quiet enough, as Hildibrand immediately stopped humming and instead tensed up.

“It’s just me,” you said softly, as to not frighten him more. Had this been a bad idea? Maybe so.

The palpable relief that shot through Hildibrand’s form made you feel both better and worse. What had this man gone through in the past?

“Good morrow, my dear!” he greeted cheerfully, not a trace of bashfulness over his current state of dress as he turned to face you. It seemed last night had done wonders for that sort of confidence.

(A quick glance down told you he was still quite substantial even when at rest)

“Good morning, handsome,” you replied, lips set in a sly smirk. “I see you found my washroom.”

Hildibrand nodded. “Ah, I did indeed. What a spacious accommodation you have here! Reminds me of home…” He seemed lost in thought for a moment before snapping back and realizing his current predicament. “Oh! Did you need to use this? I deeply apologize for coming in here without asking!”

You giggled. “It’s okay, Hildy. My house is your house. I just got… concerned when I woke up and you weren’t there.” You frowned, suddenly feeling silly for even worrying in the first place.

“My love, I would never dream of leaving without a goodbye, especially after a moment so intimate as the one we shared last night!” He cleared his throat. “I, er, have read enough stories to know that that is one of the worst possible things a suitor can do!”

“You’re not wrong,” you said, chuckling. He really was too much sometimes, in the best way possible. It seemEd the novels he’d consumed had left him with a confused but very wholesome view on romance.

You’d made the ultimate catch, you thought.

“Ah, but yes, you must have come in here to use the bath! I shall finish at once!”

And there was his textbook obliviousness; he wouldn’t be Hildy without it.

“Well…” you started, tapping your chin in exaggerated thought. “It would be such a waste of water to run two separate baths, especially with such a spacious tub. Perhaps I could… join you?”

Hildibrand blinked in confusion. “The water sources here are plentiful, far more than enough for two score baths or mo-“ He stopped, seeming to come to a realization. “Wait, that was a proposition, was it not?”

“A quick study indeed,” you purred. “May I join you? You can say no if you want, I promise.”

Instead of refusing, however, Hildibrand nodded rapidly.

With another giggle, you untied your robe and let it pool around your feet.

He gave you a quick once-over, blushing deeply and averting his eyes afterward. You frowned; apparently he was back to being shy.

“You can look at me,” you reminded him gently. He relented, glancing back to your face. That was a compromise, in the very least.

You stepped into the bath and into his embrace. He smelled like the soap you usually used. His hair was out of its usual style and down nearer to his face. Like this, he truly looked his twenty three summers of age.

“Are you okay? After everything last night, I mean.”

Hildibrand nodded, placing a kiss to your forehead. “I’m feeling fantastic! There is, of course, that nagging guilt, but something about the smile on your face puts me at ease!”

You looked up at him with the biggest grin you could manage while still looking genuine, and he returned it with one of his own. The two of you stayed like that for a solid few seconds before both breaking up into laughter.

When you calmed, you reached over and swept some of the hair out of his face, creating a relative facsimile of his usual style. “There’s my inspector,” you said playfully.

“Ever at your side, my dear!”

You giggled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Hildy.” Taking a half step back, you eyed the soap bottles on the edge of the tub. “Help me with my hair?” It was something you could manage on your own, but the intimacy of bathing with a partner was something you craved.

“It would be an honor,” he said, grabbing one of the bottles of hair soap and squeezing out a dollop into his hand. You turned around so that your back was to him, making sure to wiggle your hips and rear at him. The slight hitch in his breath you heard told you it had had the intended effect on him.

He lathered the soap into your hair and began to massage it in. You could feel your knees begin to buckle in the wake of the absolute bliss that was his large, strong hands working your scalp. It wasn’t surprising that he was good at this; the Mandervilles were apparently familiar with the art of massage therapy, after all.

You let out a soft moan as his fingers brushed the nape of your neck. He immediately stopped.

“Ah, have I hurt you? My apologies!”

“No, no,” you said, lamenting the loss of sensation. “That feels… really good. You’re damn good at this, Hildy. Would that we could do this all the time…”

He was still for a few seconds, and you had a feeling he was trying to rein in his response. After a moment, he continued with renewed vigor, making sure there wasn’t a bit of scalp or hair that was missed.

You, in return, made sure your satisfaction with the sensations was known, the room echoing with your contented moans as Hildibrand kneaded your stress away. He hadn’t said a word in a few minutes, the only sound other than your rather eager vocalizations being his gradually more ragged breathing.

Exactly as planned.

The next step in your master plan was to take a step backwards so that your back was flush with his chest. And so you did, feeling exactly what you expected to feel poking up against you.

You ground back against him, savoring the grunt and groan he gave in response. Every little noise he made made all your effort worth it, you thought.

“My, my…” you teased. “Is that a notebook in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me, Inspector?”

Hildibrand was stunned for a moment. “Er, since I’m not wearing anything with pockets, it’s clearly- oh, that was another proposition.”

This was a part of why you loved him so. You turned around in his arms so that you were facing him, and his hands left your hair and fell to your shoulders. A quick glance downward told you that every bit of him was indeed now awake.

“Hi,” you said, blinking half-lidded eyes at him.

“Hello!” he responded, sweet and earnest as ever. “I suppose this was another plan of yours?”

You chuckled lowly. “Guilty as charged. The great inspector finds his query once more.”

“I-It is what I do best, after all.”

“You have to catch me first,” you teased, surging forward to give him a heated kiss. Taking advantage of the short moment he was stunned, you quickly dove under the water, escaping any grasp he could have tried to hold you in.

(He, of course, hadn’t even made an attempt)

Thanks to the blessing bestowed upon you by the Kojin, you were able to navigate the water as easily as if you were walking down the street. Even the soaps coming down off of you had no effect on your eyes as you opened them to glance up at Hildibrand. The man was looking down at you with a mixture of shock and concern. Oh yeah, you realized you’d never told him about your ability to breathe underwater.

You spun around a few times down there to ensure all the soap was washed off of you before you broke the surface, throwing your head back to toss your hair like one of the merfolk of legend.

“Are you alright, my dear? You were down there for quite some time!” You were aware of his eyes following a trickle of water as it ran down your neck to your collarbone and down your chest.

“Never better,” you replied, grinning. “I can breathe underwater.”

Hildibrand gasped. “Truly?!”

“Truly. Have you run into any Kojin in your travels, Hildy? Tall, turtle-like folks.” Hildibrand nodded. “Very nice people. They gave me and some of my friends the power to breathe underwater. It came in handy for what I needed to do over in Ala Mhigo.”

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Hildibrand asked, echoing Tataru’s question from the previous day.

You thought for a moment, tapping your chin idly. “I can’t look half as dapper as you do after being knocked from Dravania to Hingashi!”

Hildibrand opened his mouth for a charming retort as you expected, but you cut him off by kissing him once more, your fingers tangling through his wet hair. You brought one leg up to hook around his waist and were pleased to feel that hardness that met you down below. He placed his large hands chastely on your waist, trembling with what you hoped was desire.

When he pulled back for air, you watched him curiously, awaiting his next move. He could put a stop to this anytime, and you wouldn’t complain.

“Are you alright?” you asked softly.

Hildibrand nodded. “Ah, yes… just wondering if this place is proper for such activities…”

You smirked. “You remember the bathtub scene from the Rose of Ul’dah novel?”

“However could I forget? The imagery in that scene stuck with me for… longer than I would care to admit,” he said, though his blush told you all you needed to know.

“Well, why don’t you seat yourself up on the edge of the tub, and we can do a little… re-enactment…” you purred, running your hands down his chest.

Wordlessly he did as he was told, his entire form shaking with lust at the prospect of what you were about to do. You hauled yourself up onto one of the middle-tier platforms and settled yourself on your knees before him, eye level with your target. A sweet, faux-innocent glance up at him was all it took to get him blushing again

“Ah, er…” You gave him a moment to collect his thoughts. “Are you sure you want to do this? This would be entirely for my benefit, and you wouldn’t be getting anything out of it! Not to mention, that most likely is not a comfortable position for you to remain in-“

You held up a single finger, which was enough to silence his nervous rambling; the sheer power you seemed to hold over him excited you to your very core. “What if I told you I wanted to do it, Hildy?” you asked, gazing up at him with half-lidded eyes as you rested yourself upon one of his muscular thighs.

Hildibrand hadn’t even seemed to have considered this possibility. “Oh,” he said brilliantly. “You do?”

“Very much so,” you replied with a low chuckle. “In fact, you might even say I’ve fantasized about it more than once.”

Your inspector was speechless, and you could see a lump in this throat bobbing as he swallowed. His thick cock twitched, and you could see a bead of moisture form at the head. You licked your lips and made sure that Hildibrand saw you do it.

“Some of us derive pleasure from pleasuring others…” you explained. “I’m beginning to think you might be the same, if your little ‘re-enactment’ from last night points to anything.” You winked at him.

Hildibrand coughed, seemingly trying to power through his embarrassment. “I, uh, perhaps, very much enjoyed those noises you made!”

“Did you now?” The smirk on your face deepened. “I’ll have to remember that. You make some very nice noises yourself, Hildy.”

Hildibrand blinked dumbly. “I do?” 

“That you do. So please… let me hear you as I do this.” You leaned forward before stopping about halfway. “Stop me if you don’t like something I do, okay?”

He nodded rapidly. “O-of course!”

With that, you hungrily set upon him. You started off by licking a teasing stripe up the underside of him from base to tip. When you reached the head, you looked back up to see Hildibrand watching you with a crimson face and undivided attention. His chest heaved with heavy breaths already, and you couldn’t help but wonder if he would last long at all like this.

(You considered that a compliment, honestly)

Giggling, you took him into your mouth slowly, swirling your tongue around whatever you could reach. You were experienced with this, yes, but you weren’t about to go and take all of him at once. Not only would that likely choke you due to your rustiness, but Hildibrand himself would probably keel over due to overstimulation.

You pursed your lips about his head and hummed softly. The effect was immediate. Hildibrand groaned, voice echoing off the hollow washroom walls. His hands were white-knuckled on the edge of the tub. All this, from just that? Oh, this was going to be fun.

Reaching a hand forward, you gripped him around his thick base and gave a few teasing pumps as you eased more of him into your warm, welcoming mouth. Hildibrand jerked a little, and you paused, wondering if this was too much.

“Ha-aah, I am quite alright!” he exclaimed, as if knowing what you were about to ask. “That’s- ohhh…” Out of your peripheral vision, you could see him toss his head back. His grip on the tub grew tighter still.

You chuckled around him, the vibration coaxing a moan from the thoroughly flustered man you were attending to. The hand not on his shaft reached forward and tugged one of his hands away from the tub and placed it on top of your head. The grip on your hair tightened a minuscule amount before relaxing. It seemed he was hesitant about pulling or tugging, the sweet man.

Hildibrand’s moans only deepened as you took another ilm of him into your mouth. The hand you’d placed on your head began to move in a soft petting motion, caressing your hair gently. This man was determined to be soft and gentle to the end, and you honestly loved it. Much of what you were used to was rough tumbling between sheets, heated kisses and love bites and one night stands, but this was… This was soft, it was kind. You weren’t used to it, and you realized perhaps soon it would be you getting overwhelmed.

You mentally shook those thoughts away as you focused on the task at hand, taking another ilm of Hildibrand and swirling your tongue over what you could reach. The hand in your hair slipped down to your face, cupping your cheek gently as a thumb softly stroked your flushed cheek. Hildibrand’s other hand had moved from the edge of the tub to behind him, supporting the bulk of his weight as he continued to lose himself to the sensations.

“M-my dearest, ah…” Whatever he was trying to say was lost as you took even more of him in. You were reaching the point where you could no longer breathe through your mouth, and the ghost of your gag reflex was reacting. Still, you pushed onwards, taking him straight to the hilt while the hand that had been stroking him moved up to fondle him instead.

Hildibrand gasped and let out something that sounded suspiciously like a swear word. You chuckled again, savoring how he trembled in response. Oh yes, you’d missed this, being able to make someone react like this all by your own doing.

If you could talk right now, you’d be telling Hildibrand how wonderfully he was doing, how you adored him, wanted to make him feel good. But you couldn’t with him in your mouth, so you settled instead by taking your idle hand and caressing his hip softly, lovingly. You hoped that gesture was sufficient to convey your affection for him, at the very least.

“I… my dear, I- I feel my stamina isn’t-“ He was still having trouble forming words, and you savored every bit of it. You had a feeling he was close, if the fact that he was twitching in your mouth meant anything. His body was a rubber band, pulled tight and ready to snap. “I-I believe I might be-“ he cut himself off as the tension finally burst. 

He gave a half-thrust into your mouth as he spilled himself, unable to hold back any longer. The angle of his hips made him hit the back of your throat, and you felt the nigh overwhelming urge to cough as he emptied himself into your warm and welcoming mouth.

You powered through it, swallowing around him as you took every last drop. Your eyes flicked up to his, and he was watching you with shock.

As Hildibrand’s pleasure ebbed, you pulled yourself back, making a show of swallowing loudly and wiping your mouth on the back of your hand. “How was that?” you asked, voice slightly rough. Now that you could breathe, the urge to cough came back and you covered your mouth as you did so.

“That was exhilarating, but are you alright?!” He reached down and scooped you into his arms with ease, resting you in his lap as he brushed hair out of your face.

When you could breathe again, you smiled up at him. “I’m fantastic,” you said honestly. “Are you alright, Hildy?”

Hildibrand took a deep, shuddering breath. “I… I believe so! But… did I hurt you?! I may have gotten carried away there at the end!”

He must have been referring to the thrust that left you coughing. You hadn’t even thought twice about it, if you were being honest. A little bit of coughing and gagging came with the territory, after all.

You reached up and stroked his cheek. “Oh, Hildy… you’re too good to me. You didn’t hurt me, promise.”

Hildibrand frowned. “Glad am I that you are unharmed, but… do you really not believe yourself worthy of such kindness?”

Oof, way to hit close to home so early in the morning, you thought. “It’s not that …” (It was, partially). “You’re just… so sweet. The last time I had someone half as sweet as you…” You sighed, pushing back the memories. “Things happened. Fate happened.” Tears threatened to prick at your eyes and you swiped at them to stop the process before it started.

“My dear…” Hildibrand began, wiping your tears for you. “Ever shall I be at your side, if I can help it! A Manderville man stands by his loved ones through thick and thin!”

There he was, back to classic Hildy. You wouldn’t have it any other way. Reaching up, you pulled him into a passionate kiss, trying to pour every iota of how you felt into the gesture. Hildibrand shivered as hell reciprocated, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you close.

It wasn’t the best angle, if you were being honest, but you didn’t care. All you cared about right now was the man whose lap you sat upon. He was solid and warm, a source of stability. You had learned over the time you’d known him that no matter where you went, there was always Hildibrand.

(Eventually.)

You reached a leg up to hook around his back, and that’s when you slipped off his still-wet lap, taking a tumble into the warm water. Your attempts to stabilize yourself by grabbing at Hildibrand only wound up pulling him into the water after you with a yelp.

You sat up on your hands, head breaching the surface of the water. Whether or not you were underwater didn’t matter to you, but you figured staying down there too long would make Hildibrand anxious, regardless of your abilities. 

Hildibrand was on his knees above you, nigh straddling you in a very suggestive position. You eyes met, a few moments passed with nothing but the sound of your breathing filling the room, and then-

You both burst out laughing. The circumstances were too funny to not . He was still laughing as he scooped you back up into his lap and you were still laughing as you straddled him. The laugher only stopped when you pulled him into a deep kiss, and even then a few chuckles remained when you broke for air.

“Thought we were goners there for a second,” you teased, pressing your forehead against his.

“It takes more than a slip and fall to take me down!” Hildibrand exclaimed with the utmost of confidence. “And you… you might be one of the strongest and most resilient people I know! I have every confidence in you!”

Leave it to Hildy to have a jest go way over his head. But that was a part of why you loved him so. You ran your hands down his broad chest as you kissed him once more.

Though Hildibrand’s hands and mouth were one hundred percent on board, you could sense his mind was wandering. Breaking apart once more, you tilted your head at him curiously. “Gil for your thoughts?”

Hildibrand sighed. “I was just thinking… this wasn’t really fair to you, now was it? You have shown me such pleasure this morning and I have nothing to show in return!”

Your heart melted just a little more. “Hildy… you don’t have to do something just because I did something. You don’t owe me. Relationships aren’t transactions.” You smiled softly and sweetly at him, hand reaching out to stroke his cheek.

“Ah, but if I perchance wanted to hear you make those lovely sounds once more…” He blushed.

You chuckled. “Well, in that case, we can certainly arrange something…”

“We can?”

“Yes, Hildy, we can,” you answered, unable to keep a grin off your face. His pure eagerness was infectious.

Hildibrand cleared his throat. “Well then! If you could perhaps inform me on what you would like, we can proceed!”

Ah, he was at a loss for what to do. Thankfully, you were more than happy to guide him.

An idea came to you, and you leaned up and whispered what you had in mind into his ear. The more you told him, the more profound the blush on his face became. You loved it.

“T-That sounds like a fantastic idea! Let us try it at once! May I move you?”

“Please.”

He hoisted you up by the waist and placed you so that you were straddling his thigh, facing outward. “Is this correct?”

“Perfect,” you purred, grinding down on his muscled thigh. The friction was at a perfect angle, and you threw your head back. “Oh, Hildy…” You couldn’t help but want to play it up for him.

“This is good for you?” he asked, eyes fixed on you as you moved.

You ground down harder. “Yes, wonderful.” When you’d worked yourself up a satisfactory amount, you slid back so that your back was flush with his chest. Hildibrand’s hands automatically went to your hips to stabilize you.

“Alright, please give me your hand.”

He did so, and you squeezed it lovingly before guiding it to its intended destination at the apex of your thighs. He watched you intently.

You placed his thumb on your clit as you positioned the rest of his fingers so they were in prime position to enter you.

At this point he seemed to get what you were getting at. “I see! Stop me if it hurts!”

“Yes, always,” you said, impatient for him to just get on with it already . He started slowly, a single thick finger sliding into you and meeting little resistance.

You rested your head back on his shoulder and moaned softly, exaggeration minimal this time. He seemed to respond well to that, as he started a slow rhythm like the one he’d tried last night.

“Never have I heard a sound so sweet…” he murmured, adding a second finger and speeding up. You spread your legs wider for him as his grip around your waist with his other hand tightened.

His thumb came down on your clit, calluses on the pad providing friction that drove you higher. “H-Hildy…” you moaned. “Ohh, Hildy, that’s wonderful…” You leaned your weight back on his solid frame.

His ragged breathing was your only response as he dared add a third finger to the mix. Your cries only became louder as you began to squirm against him, trying to meet his movements with some of your own.

And then, he stopped and withdrew.

You nearly cried out in frustration, but you bit your lip instead as not to alarm him.

“Hildy? Are you alright?” you asked instead.

It took him a moment to gather his words. “W-wonderful!” he exclaimed, though that didn’t explain his sudden stop. “Allow me to just…” He shifted you so that you were further up along his thigh and no longer flush with his frame.

“Oh, was I putting too much weight on you? I’m sorry!”

Hildibrand shook his head, flush deepening in his cheeks. “N-no, that particular bit is more than fine. It is just… er… you see…”

You looked back at him and down and saw what his problem was. A very sizable problem indeed; once more, he was achingly hard.

“Oh…” you said, smirking. “Looks like I’ve got you going again.”

(Truly, the highest of compliments.)

“I, ah, pardon my brazen uncouthness, my dear! It was merely… you sound so lovely, you see… I find myself excited by that! But this is supposed to be for you and therefore to respond so strongly myself is-“

You turned and kissed him to silence his nervous rambling.

“Nothing wrong with that,” you said, reaching up and cupping his cheek in your hand. “Do you want to know a secret?”

Wordless, Hildibrand nodded.

“It’s a compliment to me. Knowing I can do all that with just the noises I make… well, that excites me .”

“It does?”

You giggled. “It sure does. Why don’t we do something that can work for the both of us?”

Hildibrand blinked dumbly for a moment. “B-by your lead!” he finally answered.

Leaning forward, you whispered exactly what you wanted in his ear and took great satisfaction in the sputtering he responded with.

“A-and you are certain this will not harm you?”

Grinning, you turned back once more so that you were facing away from Hildibrand. “Positive.” You wiggled your hips at him and he groaned deeply.

Gently, he took you by the hips and lifted you up so that you were in his lap, hovering above him in perfect alignment.

“Please, Hildy…” you gasped, and apparently that was what he needed. He guided you down onto him and you eagerly took every ilm. It was a tighter fit without assistance, but oh you loved the burn as he stretched you. His grip on your hips tightened.

“Oh, that’s a new… ohh…” He couldn’t even finish his sentence.

You laughed, and the vibrations of your body just flustered him further. “Feels different sitting up, doesn’t it?” He nodded rapidly. “Here, let me start and you follow my lead, alright.”

“By your leave!”

With another chuckle, you started a steady pace, lifting yourself up by a few ilms and then coming right back down on him. The sound of skin against skin filled the washroom, and you had a feeling not all the steam in the room was from the water anymore.

Hildibrand kept his hands firmly on your hips, using his strength not to hurry or force you, but rather to assist you in chasing your pleasure. When you moved up, he helped support your weight. When you moved down, he made sure you didn’t fall too fast and get hurt. This was unusual and exhilarating to you, as you were mostly used to being manhandled in your wild trysts.

(You liked that, but you loved this.)

However… you felt like those nice big hands of his could be put to use elsewhere.

“H-Hildy,” you groaned. “Hildy, please touch me.”

His pace slowed enough for him to gather words. “I… I was under the impression that I was touching you…”

Unlike most times you’d heard something like that, his statement was one of genuine bewilderment rather than one of a teasing nature. Technically, he was right; he was touching you. But you wanted him to touch you more, to explore you as you had him the previous night.

“No, I mean… Here, let me show you,” you said, loving amusement dripping from your tone as you slowed the pace even further and took his hands in yours. Slowly, you pulled them off your hips and moved them higher until they were cupping your breasts.

“Oh.” His tone was the one someone held upon realizing something obvious.

You looked over your shoulder at him. “Is this alright?”

“Y-yes! Absolutely sublime!” His hands were warm on your skin, rough palms providing friction on your heated skin. He brought one hand down the curve of your waist, seeming to revere every scar and divot on your skin. His other hand squeezed your breast carefully, coaxing a moan out of you that seemed to satisfy him.

Hildibrand’s other hand settled at the small of your back, above your rear, and paused there. You wondered for half a second what he was doing.

“Waiting for permission?” you teased.

“Of course!”

You laughed. “Go for it.”

He slid his other hand down and took a generous handful of your rear and squeezed softly. You gave a quiet moan in response. Your rhythm had all but stopped but you wanted Hildibrand to be able to explore to his heart’s content.

“Such soft curves…” he mused. “Truly, you are a marvel!”

His praise washed over you in waves, bringing a warm feeling both to your heart and your core. You clenched down on him, causing him to startle just a little. It seemed in the rush of exploring and admiring you, Hildibrand may have gotten sidetracked from the task at hand.

Entirely in character. Entirely adorable. 

You leaned back and kissed him once more. “Explore me all you want, alright? I’ll tell you to stop if I don’t like it.”

“As you wish!”

His hands wandered your body as you started up a rhythm again. They went from your hips to your waist, to your breasts, to your shoulders, to your arms, all over in an attempt to memorize every inch of you.

Though you couldn’t see his face from this angle, you knew he was looking at you with something resembling awe, of his reverent touches were anything to go by. His fingers traced the scars you’d received over many long years of fighting for the sake of others, for the world.

“You… you fight so valiantly for others, my dear!” he said, taking pauses to breathe as you rocked back and forth on his lap. “It is one of the many things I have always admired about you!”

You huffed a breathless laugh. “I-is that so? I’ll have to admit that’s something I love about you too.” You would ask about the other many things later, when he wasn’t buried to the hilt in you.

Doubling your pace, you urged him to move his hips to meet yours, to go faster. Each time he bottomed out inside you he hit all the right spots, and you felt your vision go starry with pleasure as every thrust moved you closer to your climax. One of your hands moved to your clit as the other went up and tangled in his hair.

“H-Hildy,” you breathed. “That’s good. Just a little more, a little more…”

As always, your praise spurred him onward, giving him new energy to intensify his efforts.

Each meeting of your hips was met with a breathy cry of his name tumbling from your lips. This, it seemed, was what he liked the most, as each time you said his name he got more energetic, which in turn led to your cries growing in both pitch and volume.

Eventually you couldn’t take it anymore, tumbling over the edge with a loud and breathy shout, clenching down on him in an attempt to savor the sensation.

Hildibrand, who seemed to have been barely holding on this whole time as it was, followed you shortly with a deep groan of his own.

There was a solid minute where the both of you merely laid there as one unit, breathing in heavily. There was nothing but you and him and the aroma of sex in the air. He held you firmly to his chest, pressing absent-minded kisses to your hair. When you began to wiggle, he loosened his grip immediately.

Boneless, you slid off him and down into the warm water below, relief flooding through you as the heat soothed the budding aches. You kept your head above water as not to distress Hildibrand.

Hildibrand, apparently, was still processing everything that happened.

“Are you… are you alright?” he finally asked after a few solid minutes spent collecting himself.

You giggled. “Never better. That was… wow . Like I said earlier, you’re definitely as quick a study as you say.”

He gave a breathless chuckle in response. “I live to serve, my dear!”

Another moment of silence, somehow just as intimate as the moment you’d just shared.

“No, you didn’t hurt me,” you answered before he could ask, as you could see the concern beginning to furrow on his thin brows. “I might be sore later but that’s a good thing. It means you did wonderfully .”

Hildibrand made a confused face. “I’m not quite sure I follow…”

“You don’t have to. Just revel in the knowledge that I am very satisfied.”

“That is... all I want,” he said, blushing deeply. “Could I perhaps join you in the water? I find myself wanting for some rinsing and refreshment. Would that we had salamander oil…”

You reached out your arms and Hildibrand quickly slid into them. “We can put in an order at the market today if you’d like.”

“That would be most kind of you!”

“Here, let me get your back.” You reached for a washcloth and lathered it up with a soap you figured he would like. He pulled himself partially out of the water and allowed you to scrub his back freely, a soft and content smile on his face as you did so.

When you were finished, he rinsed under the spigot before gently taking the washcloth from you. “And now I shall return the favor!”

Heart melting once more at how considerate he was, you let him do so. You rested yourself against the edge of the tub, head on your folded arms as he worked.

You decided to address the aurochs in the room.

“I bet you’re wondering about my scars,” you said.

Hildibrand hummed thoughtfully in response. “Not so much wondering as much as reviling whomever dared lay a hand on you! Vile villains!”

You turned your head back to smile at them. “Not all of them. Some were from training, necessary bumps and bruises. Some were from animals, just following their instincts. And some…” You reached an arm down and brushed against a long scar in your side, a gash from one of your many fights against Zenos. “Some were from the evils of man, yes…”

“As you know, I eschew violence unless absolutely necessary! Weapons should be a last resort, not a first!”

“I agree. Not too many do. Everyone thinks I’m always gunning for a fight because fighting is what I’m known for, but… sometimes I wish there was a little more kindness in the world? I don’t know, it’s stupid…”

Hildibrand paused in his ministrations for a moment. “It most certainly is not! To want for a more peaceful world is not a shortcoming! If anyone criticizes you for such, pray tell them so!” He stopped washing and pulled you close to him in a hug instead. “The desire to help those in need is what drove me to leave home in the first place.”

You turned around and returned his embrace. “I know. And every day I love you a little more, you know. You’re always doing all you can for others, and gods, I wish more people appreciated it!”

“One cannot help how others think! All you can do is stay by their side.”

You kissed him softly. “I wish more people were like you, Hildy.”

“I frequently think the same about you!”

“Scars and all?” you teased. “I know they’re a ghastly sight to look at…”

Hildibrand looked scandalized. “As if I could ever consider you lesser for that! They are but proof of how you fight tirelessly for the sake of those who cannot!”

You kissed him so you wouldn’t start crying. Hildibrand… how someone as sweet and kind as him could exist after getting beaten up by the world multiple times over was lost on you. But gods, you were glad for his existence. He brought the levity you so desperately needed after throwing yourself into fight after fight.

“I adore you,” you said when you pulled back. You leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the forehead and then one on each cheek. “Let’s get cleaned up. I’m meeting Tataru for tea today and I’m sure you’re itching to get out there and investigate the Wolf Burglar.”

“You would be correct! To best assist the good people of Kugane, I must needs gather all the information I can!”

You grinned; without that enthusiasm, Hildy wouldn’t be Hildy. “I’ll see if I can join you later, but I think Tataru said she had something important to tell me! I hope they don’t send me off again so soon…”

“Even if we must part ways for some time, I know you’ll spend your time out there doing all you can! I have the utmost confidence in you.”

Everyone and their brother sing their praises about you and your skill, but coming from Hildibrand, it actually sounded genuine. You were pretty sure he didn’t even know how to pander, so honest was every statement that spilled from his lips.

You rose from the water and held a hand out for Hildibrand to take. “The water’s getting cold and the day awaits us. Take my hand and let’s go!”

“For you, my lady, anything.”

Chapter Text

You sighed and stuffed your hands into the pockets of the simple tunic you’d elected for today. You both looked forward to and dreaded seeing Tataru in a half bell’s time. The tone of voice she’d had with you when you’d called her earlier suggested that this wasn’t entirely a social call.

(Though of course, you knew she was dying to know about Hildibrand.)

You were wandering the back streets of Kugane with no particular goal other than to kill time before you had to go to the Ruby Bazaar. Staring at the ground, you found yourself lost in thought.

In fact, you were so lost in thought you had no time to react to the tall figure rounding the same corner you were, albeit in the opposite direction.

You smacked into one another right at the crux of the corner, sending the tall figure stumbling slightly and you straight onto the ground.

Served you right for not looking where you were going, you thought.

“I am so sorry!” you began. “I wasn’t looking where-“ You glanced up and got a good look at the person you’d ran into. “Yojimbo!”

“You!"

The two of you stared at each other for a moment, terse silence hanging in between you two. You wondered if you should go for the weapon you kept aetherically hidden on your person at all times.

After a few more seconds, Yojimbo relaxed his stance. “You have naught to fear from me, madam. I’m off the clock.” Instead of striking, he instead reached a hand down to help you up, which you took while muttering a soft ‘thanks’ in return.

You honestly had no idea what to say. It had only been about a fortnight since you two had faced off in Kugane Castle, and though you’d emerged victorious, it hadn’t been easy.

“How… are you?” you finally inquired. Gods, this was awkward.

“Pleased to report I am almost fully recovered from my bout of fighting! You and your friends put on a good show!”

You smiled. “Good to hear,” you said, shifting your weight nervously. “No… hard feelings?”

Yojimbo shook his head. “None at all! Our fight at the castle was strictly business. Why, that was the most fun I’ve had since the last time I-“ He stopped himself, contemplating something deeply. “-Since I last fought an opponent of equal strength.”

“Good to know you’re none the worse for wear,” you replied, relaxing slightly. Outside of combat, Yojimbo seemed like a decent enough guy. “What have you been up to?”

“Ah, my latest contract has me prowling the streets for a most fierce fiend! He has struck many merchants, and my employer fears he may be next!”

What a coincidence. “The Kugane Wolf Burglar?” you asked.

Yojimbo seemed startled. “You know of him?”

You nodded. “Yes. I’ve also been investigating him closely with the help of some of my friends.”

“Your friends… would one of them perhaps be a sharply-dressed Highlander?”

“... yes. Know you of Hildibrand Manderville?” This was getting stranger and stranger.

Yojimbo crossed his arms, looking away in thought. “To think that he haunts me even here…” he muttered.

“Pardon?”

“Ah, forgive me, merely contemplating! I’ve… heard of him. He is rather… infamous, you know.”

Fair. But why did you have the feeling he wasn’t telling the whole truth?

“That he is. But he’s a good man, through and though.”

Yojimbo nodded. “Indeed! Perhaps I shall pay him a visit…”

“Well, we could certainly use your help in the investigation.” You were at a bit of a dead end right now, waiting on Shigure to find out something.

“I will consider it!”

You opened your mouth to reply when you heard the chiming of bells coming from the market.

“Crap, I’m going to be late!” you exclaimed, racking your brain to remember the fastest way to the Bazaar. Route plotted, you rushed past Yojimbo and started down another side street. “See you around!” you called back to the mysterious sellsword, who offered only a wave in return.

As you navigated the crowd, you realized the encounter you’d just had left you with more questions than answers.

Who was Yojimbo’s employer? Did he have a lead for your case? Could you trust Yojimbo around Hildibrand and friends?

… and why did you have the feeling you’d seen him somewhere before even the castle?

~

“Tell. Me. Everything!” was Tataru’s enthusiastic inquiry as she set a tea tray down in front of the both of you.

You giggled. “Eeeeeverything?” you teased.

Tataru waved a hand at you. “Oh, you know what I mean.”

Hancock, who had been lounging in a chair, suddenly looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. He got up and quickly strode out of the room, mumbling something about 'tea leaves on sale…'

Tataru affectionately rolled her eyes. “Boys, I swear… but anyway!” She stood up on her chair, raising herself to about your eye level. “Details! This is so exciting!”

You felt your face heat up. “It’s not that big a deal…”

“Of course it is! One of my best friends is over the moon with someone and you think I’m not going to be ecstatic?”

“Alright, alright… sit down before you break your neck.”

Tataru sat as instructed, an eager grin on her face as she waited for you to start.

Sighing, you tapped your nails on the table while you thought. “Alright… where to start? I’m sure you want to know how he met.”

“Of course!”

You chucked. “You aren’t going to believe me.”

“Try me!”

“Alright… so. You know how Southern Thanalan is crawling with zombies?”

As you expected, this threw Tataru for a loop. “Yes?”

Smirking, you continued. “Hildibrand was presumed dead for five years. There was even a funeral, and he was buried. Turns out he wasn’t dead. I saw it.” You tapped your forehead, which you usually did to explain you had seen something via your Echo.

“Uh-huh… how did he, uh, ‘die’, if I may ask?”

“Now that I wasn’t around for, but I’m told he tried to fight Dalamud.”

Tataru blinked. “As in the moon?”

“As in the moon. He launched up into the sky… and didn’t come back down for almost five years. Anyway! When he unearthed himself, he couldn’t remember anything, so he was taken in by a pack of roaming zombies. He proceeded to teach them manners.”

“Now that I think about it, I have met quite a few articulate zombies out there in the desert. There’s this one that always wants to play cards… I wish I didn’t have such a weak stomach or else I’d love to sit and chat with him...” Tataru thought for a moment. “Yes, this makes sense. I believe you.”

It was your turn to be confused. “Just like that?”

“Why would you lie to me?” Tataru replied with a shrug. “Besides, I know that with you, anything can happen. I saw you ride into Ishgard on a dragon!”

You chuckled at the memory, one of the only lighter spots in that whole mess right after taking down Thordan. “I do hope Midgardsormr is doing well… he only shows up when he wants to.” You shrugged. “Anyway! When Hildy disappeared he left behind his assistant, who swore to carry on his legacy. One of her first cases was… the zombies in the desert.”

Tataru giggled. “What a coincidence!”

“Indeed. You know Wymond in Ul’dah?” Tataru nodded. “He pointed me her way and we went out and investigated together to find out that the ringleader of the zombies was none other than the inspector himself. We knocked his memories back into him, and well… it’s been an adventure ever since.” You looked back on those days spent running around Eorzea proper with him as some of the better days of your life.

“How romantic!” Tataru exclaimed. “Was it love at first sight?”

You shook your head. “My first thought upon meeting him was actually ‘what a strange man’! But he was such a nice guy that decided I was going to stick around and see this situation to the end. I think he liked me from the start, though. Never said anything but I always had this feeling, you know?”

“Mm-hmm. So you two ran around fighting crime together!”

“Do you remember the Phantom Thief, the Man of a Thousand Faces?”

Tataru gasped. “Of course I do! He struck right there in Vesper Bay and I refused to go anywhere alone for a solid fortnight! Did you and Inspector Hildibrand catch him?”

You nodded. “We did indeed catch… her . Them , actually. It was a pair of sisters, one of whom was traveling with us the whole time.” You were silent for a moment. “I should… go visit her soon, I think. We really did become good friends over those few months. It was… it was never personal, having to fight her.”

“I’m sorry it ended like that, though.”

“Me too. But… she’s putting her life back together, piece by piece. That’s all we can really do these days, right?”

Tataru sighed. “So much has happened these past few years. Especially to you… which is why I’m so happy to see you happy!” 

Your face heated up. “Is it really that evident?”

“Yep! And you should have seen the way he was looking at you!”

“A-at me?”

Tataru grinned from ear to ear. “He looked at you like you put all the stars in the sky for him! So romantic! You’d better invite me to the wedding, you hear? I’ll help you plan…” she offered in a singsong voice.

“W-we aren’t quite there yet, Tataru! Why, last night was the first time we-“ You coughed and cut yourself off, realizing this was bordering on Too Much Information.

“Ohoho!” Tataru laughed in a way that was reminiscent of Julyan. “And I trust you’re being careful?”

You rolled your eyes affectionately. “Yes, mother,” you retorted. “You know me, I always am.”

“I know, I know… I’m still allowed to look out for one of my best friends, especially when I haven’t seen her in ages!”

“It really has been too long, huh?” you replied, smiling wistfully. “I’m glad to see you’re doing well for yourself here. Have you heard from the others?”

Tataru’s eyes widened. “Oh, yes, I nearly forgot! About that…”

The door opened, and Hancock returned with Soroban in tow. Uh oh. This looked important.

~

You left the Ruby Bazaar with quite a bit on your mind. Your old ally Gosetsu… alive after all? It was nearly too good to be true, you missed the big lug.

But why would he be traveling with Yotsuyu? Questions, questions…

In less than a bell, you’d be meeting with the twins at the pier, and you had a sinking feeling this would end with you having to run off again in your never ending quest to keep the realm safe.

You should have realized your recent days of bliss were numbered.

Sighing, you fiddled with your linkpearl. It was time to inform a certain someone that you might be leaving soon. You had half a mind to take him with you, but with such danger, true danger potentially on the horizon, you wanted him safe and sound with the company of an entire large city to keep him in check.

Well, it was time to face the music. Just like he had sworn never to leave without saying goodbye, you decided to endeavor to do the same.

You channeled Hildibrand’s personal frequency on the linkpearl you’d given him upon reuniting on the Ruby Sea. It only rang twice before he answered; you wondered if he’d set a personal tone for you or if he was just that eager to answer any call he received.

After a short conversation, he was in front of you faster than you expected. 

“My dear! You sounded so distraught, I had to fly to your side at once!” he exclaimed after taking a moment to capture his breath. “Is aught amiss?”

“I’m okay, I promise.” You kissed him on the cheek. “But…”

Hildibrand looked hesitant. “But?”

You sighed and shook your head. “I knew this was going to happen. I’ve got to leave soon. Something came up, Scion business, and-“

To your surprise, Hildibrand nodded. “I understand. Your path is a long and difficult one! But you do what you must for the people of this realm and for that I have always admired you greatly!”

Breathing a sigh of relief, your expression changed to that of a wistful smile. “I… thank you. Some days it feels like I never stop moving. This past week has been a godssend.”

“But alas, all good things must come to a close,” Hildibrand replied, stroking his goatee in thought. “But rest assured, I shall remain here awaiting your triumphant return!”

“I know. You and Nashu can keep staying in the hou- gazebo. Just make sure the garden gets watered every day, alright?”

Hildibrand eagerly saluted you. “You have my word!”

You couldn’t help but giggle at his enthusiasm. “And your word is as good as gold.”

The entire time, you’d been slowly making your way towards the pier, hand in hand with Hildibrand. When you got to a point where you knew you had to continue on without him, you stopped and took both his hands in yours.

“You know there’s always a chance I won’t make it back, do you?” you asked, looking directly into his eyes to ensure that he knew you were serious.

Hildibrand frowned. “I know, my darling. But you take the risks you must, and I truly feel there is no trial you cannot overcome!”

You couldn’t take it anymore. Right there, in full view of the pier, you took hold of him and dipped him into a dramatic kiss. He eagerly reciprocated, wrapping his strong arms around you as he did.

When you broke apart, he was slightly dazed, his normally neat hair a little mussed. “I… I will admit I don’t know what that was for, but I certainly appreciate it all the same!”

“Because you’re you, and I love that. I love you.”

This brought a flush to Hildibrand’s face, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “And I you. If I find any more information regarding the nefarious Wolf Burglar, I shall not hesitate to tell you at once!”

Two shouts caught your attention. You glanced over to the pier to see two similar, familiar figures attempting to get your attention.

You sighed. “That would be my comrades. I’d take you to meet them, but… well, they’re rather eccentric. Let’s take things a step at a time.”

“Understandable!”

“Thank you. Now…” you looked toward the pier, where you saw the twins had given up on shouting and were now approaching you instead. “I think Nashu mentioned something about me being out of rice.” You took a bag of gil out of your aetherial storage space and handed it to him. “Can you be a gentleman and stock up the pantry? Don’t let her blow anything up.”

Hildibrand made a face. “I shall do my best, however as you know, my astute assistant is a force of nature.”

You gave him one last kiss for the road as he disappeared into the crowd. Just as he was out of sight, the twins approached you.

“There you are!” Alisaie exclaimed, “I had half a mind to send Alphinaud to look for you.” This earned her a pointed glare from her twin brother, which she ignored. “Who was that?”

Damn, they’d seen him after all. Now you’d have to explain.

It wasn’t that you were ashamed of Hildibrand, (quite the opposite, actually) it was just… if you introduced him to everyone, integrated him fully into your life… would he be much longer for this world? You were cursed, bound to lose everyone close to you eventually.

But you still wanted to try. If Hildibrand was as indestructible as you suspected he was, maybe this could work after all.

“Ah, him… he’s… I’ve been seeing him for a while now.”

Alisaie raised an eyebrow. “This is news to me.”

“And to me as well,” Alphinaud chimed in.

“Not to me!” Tataru exclaimed, making you jump. When had she gotten here? “Well, it was news until I met him yesterday!”

Alisaie turned to Tataru. “And what would you make of this man? What of his character? Is he someone we want our friend around?”

You mentally shook your head affectionately. There was Alisaie, unsubtly jealous. Yes, you were only too aware that the younger girl’s attitude towards you was perhaps a bit more than simple camaraderie. It was sweet, honestly, but you’d never seen her as anything other than a little sister.

(She was far too young, anyway.)

Alphinaud chuckled. “Calm yourself, dear sister. I trust that our friend here can make the right choices for herself.” Alphinaud had been much the same towards you during your stay in Ishgard, but you were relieved to see it had mellowed out into a simple familial affection.

“Well, he’s got the Tataru seal of approval!” the Lalafellin woman in question replied. “Doesn’t seem to have a mean bone in his body. Perhaps a little on the dense side, though…” She thought for a moment, ponytail swaying as she did.

Alisaie narrowed her eyes, similarly contemplative. “I see… well, rest assured I shall be keeping a close eye on him should we ever meet.”

You laughed softly. “I know, Alisaie. You’re just looking out for me,” you said, patting her on the head. Ever since you caught on to her interest in you, you’d sought to drive home the ‘little sister’ narrative as best you could.

Instead of protesting that she wasn’t a child like she probably would have had anyone else done this, Alisaie simply pouted and fixed her hair.

“Well, I for one trust Tataru’s judgement. If she had any objections, we know she would have raised them by now,” Alphinaud said matter-of-factly.

You decided not to mention Hildibrand’s relation to Godbert, knowing Alphinaud would have a problem with you associating so strongly with someone related to a Syndicate member.

Tataru sent you a knowing glance, and you shook your head. She nodded in return. “No objections here! He’s actually quite charming.” She giggled.

You were glad you had a friend like Tataru, one whom you were able to communicate with only through facial expressions.

Alisaie seemed to accept this. “Well, I do hope to meet him someday to confirm this for myself. But anyway, what news have you of our friend Gosetsu?” She posited the question to Tataru who immediately hopped into serious mode, telling all she knew.

It was then that you were whisked away to the markets, starting yet another adventure. You hoped this time you at least made it out emotionally unscathed.

Of course, you didn’t.

Chapter Text

It was late at night when you finally made it back home, feeling thankful you’d splurged for a personal aetheryte. With everything that happened, the ties made and subsequently dashed, you felt your whole world was spinning.

Well, that was also probably because you’d had an unceremonious landing in your front garden. After giving lip service to all your comrades and telling them that ‘no, you were just fine to travel’, you’d hopped right onto the aether current to get home. The smart thing to do would have been to at least quaff an ether first, but you weren’t really thinking.

Though you’d missed the rose bush at least, you’d definitely not stuck the landing. As you picked yourself up from the ground, you were sure that at least a few of your gashes had reopened.

Oh well. You’d worry about that in the morning.

There was nothing left for it now but to wait for Alphinaud to return with tidings from Garlemald. You’d been loath to let the boy board an imperial ship all by his lonesome, but this ‘Maxima’ seemed level-headed and trustworthy enough. You didn’t have nearly the people-sense that Krile did, but you didn’t get any of the hackle-raising feelings with Maxima that you had felt when you’d first set eyes upon Asahi.

You’d known the young man was trouble the second he’d come waltzing in, boasting about his love for peace. You just didn’t know it would end as badly as it did.

Tsuyu… You bit your lip to keep fresh tears from springing forth as you undid the aetherial lock to your residence.

With any luck, your guests would be fast asleep. You were glad to come back and see them, of course, but… you had too much to think about right now.

(Not to mention you hadn’t actually had a chance to truly rest since before you had departed for Castrum Fluminis.)

Alas, you were only half as lucky as you could have been. The house was dark as you entered, and no one stirred from the top floor, but not long after you came in, the door to your bedroom opened and a figure stood in the illuminated doorway.

“Show yourself, intruder!”

And still the man had no fear.

You laughed softly, though it came out about as hollow as you felt inside. “It’s just me, Hildy. I’m home. Sorry it took so long.”

There was a dull clang as Hildibrand dropped whatever it was he was wielding. In only a few strides he’d crossed the room and taken you into his arms.

“My dear! I am so very relieved to have you back with me, hale and whole!”

Hale? Perhaps. Whole? Probably not, discounting the physical.

You flicked a lamp on as the both of you moved to the couch in the foyer. The warm glow made Hildibrand look as friendly as ever, and you felt your heart lighten, just a bit.

Judging by the look on his face, however, the light wasn’t nearly as flattering for you

He placed a hand on your cheek softly, turning your head this way and that. “Twelve… what’s happened to you?”

Right, the bruises and cuts that were still left from the fight… you’d been banking on getting enough sleep to replenish your aether to the point where you could heal those yourself. You could still feel the ghost of a headache throbbing in the back of your skull from using too much magic, and you knew you’d definitely overtaxed yourself.

“I had to fight again,” was all you found you could say. “I… I’d really wanted everything to go the peaceful way, and for a moment it looked like it was going to, but…” You glanced down at your lap. “In the end I had to do what I do best.”

Hildibrand pulled you close, pressing his lips to your forehead in a gentle kiss. “I know you did what you had to for the safety of those around you. As always, I am so very proud of you!”

The dam broke, and you wrapped your arms around his solid frame as you began to cry. He responded in turn, holding you close as the tears fell. You noticed that tonight he’d forgone his usual suit for a simple undershirt and what appeared to be hempen trousers. And now you were getting tears and snot all over his shirt. Some romantic partner you were.

You’d almost never let yourself be seen like this in front of anyone. The amount of other people who had seen you cry could be counted on one hand.

Crying… didn’t exactly befit the image you gave off as the unflappable Warrior of Light. And it was easy enough to tamp it down… until it wasn’t.

You hadn’t cried this much since you’d-

“Do you want to talk about it?” Hildibrand asked. “Perhaps there is something I can do to assist you!”

You sat still for a moment in his arms, taking a few shuddering breaths to calm yourself. A fresh tear made its way over a cut on your face that was still healing and you winced.

Hildibrand, of course, noticed this. “Ah, let me get the first aid kit!” He released you and sprang to his feet, dashing off into the kitchen. If he already knew where it was without you telling him, he’d definitely had an adventurous few weeks without you.

He was back in a flash, already pulling out a jar of salve. “Would that I was gifted in the healing arts…” he muttered while grabbing some bandages and a clean cloth. Already so deep in the task of tending to your wounds… gods, you loved this man.

“I’d have healed them myself, but I barely had enough aether to get home,” you said, tamping down a wave of teleportation sickness. The last thing you wanted was to lose whatever you’d eaten last all over the man currently fussing over your injured state.

“This may sting.” He dipped the cloth in the salve and pressed it to the gnarliest wound on your face, a large gash right under your left eye. You hissed as you felt the healing herbs doing what they were supposed to do.

The two of you sat in silence as Hildibrand disinfected and bandaged every visible wound. He then produced a hi-potion from your pantry and insisted you drink every last drop. You did so, grimacing the entire time at the terrible taste.

“Thanks,” you said softly as he finished the last bandage. You leaned forward and kissed him softly, which he returned. “I dunno what I’d do without you, Hildy.”

“Be your excellent self just as you are with me!” he answered earnestly. That earned him another kiss.

When you pulled back, your lip started to wobble. “I…” Fresh tears spilled out despite your best efforts. You had a feeling there wasn’t a thing in the world you could do to dampen this man’s opinion of you. He was an honest man, full of love to give, and he wanted to give it to you.

And you, o harbinger of destruction and despair, didn’t deserve it, not a bit.

Hildibrand was quick to pull you close to him again, letting the tears and half-dried blood soak his undershirt as he ran a soothing hand up and down your back. 

“You are safe, my dear. Not a thing in all the seven hells could hurt you, not while I remain at your side.” He was completely confident in the fact that he could protect you from any potential assailant.

Just like…

“You’ll get hurt,” you murmured, muffled by his shirt.

“Pardon?”

You took a shaky breath as you pulled yourself back. “You’ll get hurt,” you repeated. “Everyone does, in the end, with me…” You pulled your knees to your chest and hugged yourself, trembling with the grief of many campaigns put together.

The spiral of doom and gloom was interrupted by a soft hand cupping your face. You glanced over to see Hildibrand looking back, affection and concern swimming in his russet eyes.

“Tell me what happened, please! My heart cannot bear seeing you in such distress!”

And so you did. You told him of Ala Mhigo, of Doma and Yotsuyu. You spun the tale of two bloody revolutions spearheaded by yours truly. And you told him of Tsuyu, of redemption dashed to pieces by a man possessed of a wicked heart and horrid, rotten jealousy.

By the time you’d finished, Hildibrand was uncharacteristically somber. “Her own brother…” he murmured, petting your head absentmindedly. Sometime during your talk your head had found its way into his lap, supported by a couch cushion. Hildibrand idly played with your hair as you spoke.

“I knew he was a rat from the start, Hildy. You ever looked at someone and just… knew?”

Hildibrand was silent for a moment. “I can’t say I have, no.”

You chuckled, genuine humor dripping from your lips. “Of course not. You see the good in everyone.” You reached up and stroked his cheek. “That’s something I like about you. You believe in second chances, that even those who have wronged can do right.”

“Everyone has the potential to change for the better! All they need is encouragement!”

“Would that everyone thought like that. But sadly, sometimes there are people that take that encouragement and grind it into dust.” You thought of Laurentius, who’d been handed redemption on a silver platter and still chose to throw it away. And of course, you thought of Tsuyu, who could have finally been happy …

Hildibrand sighed. “I would like to think that the world is ultimately good. You’re proof of that!”

“I… I’m honored that you think that,” you said, knowing he would not entertain any arguments to the contrary. “Sometimes I forget I’m more than just a weapon.”

“Of course you’re more! You are a person, same as myself or Nashu! And every person has a story.”

You smiled weakly, and you knew it didn’t reach your eyes. “I’ve been trying to take a page out of your book lately,” you replied, frowning as memories of the tenuous friendship you’d formed with ‘Tsuyu’ twisted your stomach into knots. “She could have been… happy. She’d done horrible things, things that could never be forgiven. But… there was a spark there, a chance at coming back from that brink. And then… her damned brother stamped it out.”

“Jealousy is a cruel thing, my dear. It stains the hearts of men, driving them to do the unforgivable!”

“Don’t you ever feel jealous?” you asked, genuinely wondering after his answer.

Hildibrand thought for a moment. “Ah…” He looked reluctant to admit this. “Sometimes I see children with parents that truly support them, and I wonder… what would be different if that had been me?”

You knew his relationship with his parents was… strange, but he’d never given any indication that this truly, deeply bothered him. 

“They’re… coming around, I think.”

“Slowly. I am loath to admit this, but…”

You sat up, shifting positions to look at him sincerely. “Hmm?”

“When we were in Ishgard, when I saw how warmly the Count de Fortemps regarded both you and young Gigi, I wondered why it couldn’t have been that way with my own father when I was young.”

“I never knew… it stuck with you like that.”

Hildibrand shook his head. “It doesn’t, not normally… I suppose stumbling upon sudden fatherhood made me think about things.” He sighed. “I should have done better by him.”

“I think you did just fine. He loved you so much.” You felt the mood getting even more somber, if that was even possible. “And he still loves you! We just have to wait for his core to recharge!”

He grinned, seeming to come back to his normal self. “Ah, I cannot wait to regale him of this tale of a thief most foul and how I brought him to justice!”

You laughed, feeling a weight lift off your chest. Everything still hurt, but Hildibrand had a way of reminding you that nice things still existed in this world. “That’s my inspector.” You gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Cyr says Gigi’s doing well in his miniature form. Actually, he says the little guy is the best assistant he’s ever had.” You thought back to the last letter you’d received from the young man, detailing the ins and outs of Idyllshire and its politics. He was a far cry from the miserable soul you’d met in Ishgard.

“Ah, it is good to hear that young Cyr is in good spirits! Do give him my regards if you should happen his way, will you?”

“He’d be glad to hear it,” you said, smiling warmly. You meant it; though things had started out rocky, it was clear that Cyr had gained a deep respect for Hildibrand over the course of those weeks in Ishgard. He’d gone from a tortured soul jumping at the shadows of heresy to an optimistic young man who believed wholeheartedly in assisting others, and it was mostly thanks to Hildibrand and his bizarre way of helping people become the best versions of themselves.

Hildibrand seemed relieved to hear that. “I have the utmost confidence that Gigi is safe in his care.” He leaned back, shifting to a more comfortable position on the couch. “And what of Constructing Inspector Briardien?”

You giggled at Hildibrand’s continuing inability to get the other man’s title correct. “He’s doing well. I helped him and his sister get to the bottom of a conspiracy plaguing the school his uncle helps run. After that, he gave me some good insight on how best to assist the rebuilding efforts in Ishgard.” You thought for a moment before adding, “He actually asked about you, in a way.”

“Oh?” Hildibrand raised a thin eyebrow.

“It wasn’t the… politest of inquiries.” You shook your head in mild amusement at the memory.

Hildibrand shrugged. “Par for the course for our friend the Constipated Inspector.”

This made you burst out laughing. Was Hildibrand doing this on purpose? You had no idea, but the unexpectedness of the incorrect moniker had you doubled over, clutching your stomach in mirth.

In truth, the statement had only been mildly humorous, but you had a sneaking suspicion you were well past the exhaustion point where every emotion was multiplied tenfold.

“I guess - heehee - I guess that’s a perfect description for him!” You broke down into snorting laughter once more.

“While I will admit to my confusion over what exactly is so funny, I will also confess that it is wonderful to hear your lovely laugh once more!”

You sputtered mid-laugh. “H-Hildy!” Despite your protests, however, you couldn’t hide your grin.

Things still hurt. Recent events had left a deep, gnawing hole in your chest that you knew would take quite some time to heal (if it ever did). But Hildibrand… he was doing what he did best.

He made you feel like the world wasn’t so bad. After all, could someone as wonderful as him come from a world that was so bad?

(Maybe.)

You laid back down, flopping your weight against the cushion that still sat in Hildibrand’s lap. He wrapped his arms around you as you cuddled into his warmth.

That was another thing you liked about Hildibrand. Even in the snowy mountains of Coerthas, he still ran warm. It was as if his very blood was composed of fire crystals. You could foresee this getting irritating should you wind up in warmer climes once more, but right now it was your lifeline.

There in his arms, you could feel the warmth of his skin and the beat of his heart. Both of these were solid, irrefutable evidence that he was here with you, hale and whole.

Knowing Hildibrand, you didn’t know how much longer you had left with him before some happenstance sent him flying off to his next adventure.You wanted to make the most of the time you had.

Speaking of...

“Any updates on the Wolf Burglar?” you asked, sighing contentedly as Hildibrand continued to play with your hair.

“Ah, that’s right! You arrived at precisely the perfect time! Just this evening, Shigure rang me on the linkpearl to inform me that he had made a breakthrough! He wants to meet us in the market tomorrow at midday. He would be glad for your presence, I am certain!”

Oh, this could be interesting. You couldn’t help but think back to your chance encounter with Yojimbo some time ago. “Has anyone else joined the investigation?”

“Not that I know of. But I could always use more assistants!”

You laughed. “All in due time, Hildy. I’ve got a feeling this whole thing is just starting.” That last bit was stifled behind a huge yawn.

“Feeling tired, my dear?”

“Exhausted,” you admitted. “I can’t remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep. I think it was here, with you.”

Hildibrand tutted softly. “We can’t have that, now can we? Let us away to bed, where we can rest our troubles away!”

That sounded like a good idea, but you were also half sold on the idea of sleeping here. Moving sounded like too much effort.

“Mm, but you’re so comfy…” you murmured.

“As much as I enjoy this - and I really do, you know - I know you will be much more comfortable in your bed. Only the best for my lady!”

You pouted. “Carry me?”

“With pleasure!”

He had you up off the couch and in his arms before you could even follow up with anything else. Giggling, you turned and nuzzled your face into one of his muscular biceps.

Once Hildibrand deposited you onto your bed, you shucked off only your outermost layers of adventuring gear, just enough to be comfortable. By the time you’d finished unlacing your boots, he’d already turned down the covers and was waiting for you. He looked so at home in your bed, and it made you feel some kinda way.

But you were too tired right now for that kind of intimacy. All you had on your mind was sleep as you laid down next to your inspector.

Hildibrand eagerly received you into his arms as you shut off the lamp in your room. The room plunged into partial darkness, the only light coming from the aetherial lamp on the street outside your house.

“I am so glad to have you back here with me,” he said. “I found myself missing you terribly when you were away!”

You chuckled tiredly. “I missed you too. Calling you in the evening was the best part of my day.”

“And hearing from you was easily the best part of mine.”

“Charmer…” you teased, finding the most comfortable position you could while held snugly in Hildibrand’s arms. “I love you, Hildibrand.”

He kissed you softly on the crown of your head. “And I love you.”

For the first night in a while, you were not plagued by nightmares.

Chapter Text

You awoke once more to an empty bed. Before you could panic, however, the scent of food cooking wafted its way to you. He must be in the kitchen, you thought.

Stretching your sore limbs, you rose from bed and looked around your room. Aside from a few of Hildibrand’s clothes and other items he must have obtained during your absence, it was pretty much as you had left it.

Hmm… sleeping in adventuring garb may not have been the best of ideas. You took off the heaviest of it, trying to rub life back into the angry red marks that were left behind. When you were just left in a soft tunic and cotton shorts, you considered that sufficient.

You grabbed a fluffy robe off the back of your door and put it on, opening your bedroom door. The scent now hit you full in the face… oh, was that bacon? Your stomach growled; in the chaos around the botched prisoner exchange, you’d failed to eat more than the bare necessity to keep you going.

The sound and smell of sizzling meat only intensified as you grew closer to the kitchen. It was all so quaint… As you rounded the corner into the kitchen, the first sight that greeted you was Nashu, seemingly still asleep at the kitchen table with her head in her arms. Her only acknowledgement of your arrival was a twitch of her ear and a tired hand raised in a half wave.

Over at the stove stood Hildibrand, who was facing you with a plate of bacon and scrambled dodo’s eggs. The bacon was slightly burnt and the eggs a tad watery, but both were definitely still within the realm of edibility.

“Impeccable timing, my dear!” Hildibrand exclaimed, signature grin wide on his face. “I have just finished your breakfast!”

That was unexpected but definitely welcomed. “Goodness,” you said, searching for words. “What’s the occasion?”

Hildibrand looked confused. “What occasion? You’ve had a long and arduous trip. Why must there be a special occasion to do something for my lady love?”

You felt your face heat up at the words ‘lady love’. Sometimes, Hildibrand acted just like a character out of one of those Classical Ishgardian Era romance novels… On anyone else it would have sounded forced and awkward, but he made it work perfectly.

(Maybe it was on account of the fact that that was likely literally all he knew thanks to his taste in literature.)

Giggling, you strode up to him and traded a kiss for the plate. “You’re too good to be true, Hildy,” you said as you crossed back to the table and took a seat near Nashu. There was a half-eaten bread roll on a plate in front of the woman, and you wondered if she’d fallen asleep in the middle of eating breakfast.

You crunched through the extra crisp on the bacon and tried to drain the eggs of fluid as you watched Hildibrand plate his own food.

“I hope that it is to your liking!” Hildibrand exclaimed, sitting next to you and giving you a quick kiss on the cheek. He got a bashful look on his face. “It may have taken me a few tries.”

His eyes flicked over to your refuse bin, and it was then that you noticed that it contained a small pile of burnt food as well as… the charred remnants of a white shirt?

It was only then that you noticed that Hildibrand was indeed shirtless under the apron. Though he still had his trousers on, a quick lean backwards revealed the expanse of his muscular back. You subconsciously licked your lips.

Hildibrand, as usual, was oblivious to your gaze, having already begun to eat. The muscles in his back contracted and relaxed as he moved his arms about. Truly marvelous…

You wondered how receptive Hildibrand would be to the idea of having a bit of… fun in the kitchen. Surely he didn’t realize the effect this would have on you, did he? If he did… well, he was quickly catching on to how you operated.

Yes, you could see it in your mind’s eye, you sliding one hand down his broad chest while reaching with the other to undo-

“... Is aught amiss, my dear?” Hildibrand asked, pulling you back to the present; it seemed he’d finally noticed your wandering eyes.

“Ah, no, quite alright,” you said. “Just… thinking.”

Hildibrand seemed to accept this. He finished his own breakfast and set about taking care of dishes, humming pleasantly as he went. You, of course, couldn’t take your eyes off his frame as he worked, feeling your patience dwindle with each passing second.

A movement out of the corner of your eye caught your attention. You turned to look at Nashu, who seemed to have finished her nap. She glanced at you, her half-eaten bread, Hildibrand, back to you, and back to Hildibrand before finally turning her gaze to you one last time.

She stood. “You know… I think your krakka roots are ripe. I’m going to do more gardening.” You made eye contact with her and could have sworn she winked. In a flash, she’d grabbed her bread and was halfway to the door.

You wondered how she could be so simultaneously smart and… forgetful at the same time.

“Hmm, that was odd…” Hildibrand mused as the front door slammed behind his assistant. “I could have sworn that Nashu and I just planted those seeds yesterday… perhaps they’re a new, fast-growing strain!”

Oh, Hildy… Finishing the last of your breakfast, you put your plate aside and came up behind him as he stood at the sink.

“Maybe so…” you said playfully, slipping your arms around him and hugging him from behind. Your chest was pressed against his exposed back, and you could feel the warmth radiating from his form.

Hildibrand chuckled. “Hello there. Did you come over to help?”

“Mm, in a sense. Looks like you got into a bit of hot water earlier…” You pointed to the destroyed shirt.

“Merely the ins and outs of cooking. It is not the first shirt I have lost in a kitchen fire, and it most likely won’t be the last!”

This made you pause for a bit, curiosity piquing you. But no, you could ask later.

“Are you alright? Sounds like quite a scare… You could have gotten burned!”

Hildibrand was very obviously uninjured, but you weren’t about to let the perfect opportunity slip through your fingers.

“I assure you I am none the worse for wear. It takes more than a grease fire to take me down!”

You ran your fingertips down one of his biceps, smirking when gooseflesh followed your touch. “Still… I am a healer… perhaps it would be prudent if I looked you over to make sure you’re okay…”

“Ah, but I believe you were saving your aether to-“

A quick kiss between his exposed shoulder blades made him lose his train of thought.

“- I see, a proposition!”

You giggled. “You’re getting better at it, Hildy. Why don’t you put those dishes down and let me do the inspecting for once?”

“Very well… as your humble gentleman chef, I accept!”

In an instant you had him up against the island in the middle, your hands smoothing down his arms. “No injuries here,” you purred. “But let’s get this off and see under, hmm?” You tugged at one of the shoulder straps on the apron.

Hildibrand nodded, his breathing already kicked up a notch. He was easy to excite and you loved it. Having confirmed his consent, you reached around and undid the knot on his back before carelessly tossing the apron off in a random direction. This left Hildibrand standing shirtless in front of you, and you tossed your own robe off to match.

(Though you were certainly still overdressed compared to him…)

“I do apologize for using your apron without asking, by the way!”

“My house is your house, Hildy. No need to apologize. Besides, maybe I like having a handsome man serving me breakfast in little more than one of my aprons...”

It seemed this hint did not go over Hildibrand’s head as hints usually did. “A-ah… this needn’t be a special occurrence, then. If it has you looking at me like this, I shall do it every morning!”

You slid your hands down his chest, carding through the light dusting of hair. “I could get used to that,” you replied, smirking at his flushed expression.

Hildibrand cleared his throat. “Do I… appear to be injured?”

“Hmm…” You sparked some healing magic in your hands. Doing this wasn’t too taxing on your aether as it seemed there weren’t any actual wounds to heal; like this, it would just tingle, which was what you were looking for… You pressed your hands to his chest, smirking as he immediately inhaled sharply. “How’s that feel?”

“I-I am no stranger to the work of conjurers but this feels different, this is, oh-“ Hildibrand bit his lip firmly, presumably to keep from crying out.

You moved your glowing hands over every bit of his torso in an agonizingly slow manner. If you were doing this, you were doing it legitimately. Any healer worth their salt would check every ilm of their patient, after all... “Well, that means it’s working…” A look lower revealed to you that yes, it was indeed working .

Glancing back at his face, you were satisfied to see it had rapidly been taken over by a brilliant blush. “Ha-ah, I-“ His chest heaved with each breath, his hands twitching by his sides. It was clear he very much wanted to break the charade and kiss you, but still you persisted.

“Hmm?” You tilted your head in mock confusion. “Is something wrong , Hildy?”

“N-not at all, my dear! It’s clear that you-“ he broke off into a low moan when your magic brushed what was apparently a sensitive spot by his navel. “-T-that you are very experienced in this!”

You chuckled. “I wear many hats.” As your hand brushed near the waistband of his trousers, you paused for a moment in case he stopped you. Instead, he merely gazed at you, desire pooling deep in his russet eyes.

“You’re doing so well,” you cooed, leaning into him. When you were but a hair’s breadth from touching your lips to his, you pulled back again. The whine Hildibrand gave as you did so was utterly satisfying. “Now, now, let’s not be hasty. You don’t want to agitate anything.” In all honesty, the person who should have been careful was you, as you’d not yet taken the time to fully heal your reopened wounds, only surreptitiously going over them as you teased Hildibrand.

You finally reached where you’d intended to go this entire time, using one last burst of magic both for show and to finish healing yourself. “Oh my…” you said, clicking your tongue. “You’re all healed, but it seems like I’ve created a secondary condition. Let’s do something about that, shall we?” Reaching forward, you grabbed him teasingly through the fabric, letting the barrier serve to block some sensation, just enough to leave him aching for now.

The poor man threw his head back and cried out your name, hands at his sides white-knuckled with the effort of keeping still. He lost the battle in one place, thrusting his hips up into your hand in an attempt to chase the sensation. 

Pulling away you gazed at him with half-lidded eyes. “What do you need? You can tell me.”

His chest heaved with deep breaths. “P-Please…”

You decided to throw him a bone. “‘Please’ what? Do you want to touch me?” you asked. He nodded vigorously. “I think I’ve teased you enough. Let’s get down to the actual- mmph!”

Hildibrand surprised you by instantly pulling you in for a needy kiss. Surprised and more than a little pleased at his show of initiative, you moaned softly, placing a knee between his legs as wrapped your arms around him.

The prodding you received against your thigh was more than enough proof that you’d driven him nigh to madness, the poor man. And still he waited for your go-ahead… ever the gentleman, even when trapped in the throes of lust.

As the kiss deepened, his hands slid down your waist until they sat firm at your hips. Sensing he might keep things at this stage for a while, you took the lead by grabbing his torso and briefly breaking the lip lock to spin the two of you around so that Hildibrand was pinning you to the counter instead.

“I missed you,” you said, leaning over to kiss down his jawline to his neck. “Every single day I missed you. And every single night…” you brought yourself up to his ear. “I thought about you.” You punctuated your statement with a nibble to his earlobe.

Hildibrand blinked dumbly for a second, cogs in his head turning extra hard to work through the cobwebs of lust. “Ah, when you say you thought about me…” he asked when he caught his breath. “Do you mean-“

You pressed a finger to his lips. “I certainly do,” you said, winking.

This set off another crimson blush on the man’s face, and he leaned in for yet another kiss. He pulled you close, clutching to you like a precious lifeline. When you next broke for air, he buried his face in the crook of your neck.

“Every moment you were away felt like a lifetime in length!” he exclaimed, pulling his head up to look at you. “I found myself longing for your presence by my side, even going as far as to, er, as to do some thinking myself.” He pulled away enough for you to see the bashful look on his face as he admitted to this.

You giggled. “How naughty. I like it,” you purred, punctuating your statement by rolling your hips against him.

This caused him to let out another strangled moan. You’d moved so that he was looming over you now, his hands on either side of the counter of you. “Y-your every touch is like fire…” He leaned in for another kiss, weaving his fingers through your hair while his other hand remained perched on the counter. Even on ‘top’ he still endeavored to be gentle.

Maybe you could convince him to take it up a notch…

When your lips parted once more, you leaned back flat against the counter. “How do you want me?”

“I… I shall show you!”

With minimal effort he hoisted you up and sat you on top of the counter, tugging at your tunic. The offending piece of clothing was banished to the same mystery realm as the apron and robe had been, leaving you in your smallclothes and shorts.

Hildibrand took a moment to admire your form before moving to remove your breastband. After a short pause punctuated by a nod from you, he did away with the thing in only about three quarters of the time it had taken him that first night.

You liked where this was going, leaning back to give him a better view of you while simultaneously beckoning him forward.

“I-I’ve been doing more research…” he admitted.

“Show me the fruits of your investigation, Inspector,” you replied with a smirk.

Hildibrand kissed you, soft and sensual. His hands slid down your bare torso to rest at your hips and you shivered in delight at the sensation. After kissing you deeply enough to leave you wanting more, he broke the lip lock and began to trail kisses down your neck and to your collarbones. Every now and then he paused and looked up at you with hopeful eyes, and each time you spurred him on with a nod and a loud moan.

He continued down your chest, making sure to pay plenty of attention to your breasts. Down and down he went, until he was kneeling in front of you, head level with the waistband of your cotton shorts.

Looking up at you, he hooked a thumb under the top of the material and you responded by lifting your hips up to assist him in a gesture of non-verbal consent. In one quick movement, you had both your shorts and smalls off and were now bare before him.

With the way Hildibrand looked at you, it was nigh impossible to feel self-conscious about anything. To him, you were perfection, a work of art, a muse made reality.

He cleared his throat boldly. “Please, my lady, would you allow me to sup upon you?” he asked, looking up at you with such a sweet and earnest expression that you couldn’t even comment on him taking that line directly out of A Dark Knight’s Light.

Suppressing a giggle, you smirked down towards him. “But of course, my brave and noble kni- er, Inspector,” you replied, paraphrasing the accompanying response to your liking.

Hildibrand enthusiastically proceeded, and you were taken by surprise with just how much he’d improved since the first time he’d gone down on you many weeks prior. You hoped he hadn’t been practicing with anyone else, but you knew the likely scenario is that he intensely read and reread every scene he could find about the act.

After all, Hildibrand never did anything in halves. This man was all or nothing… usually all.

You hooked your ankles together behind his head and shoulders as he tasted you, catching yourself one of your hands as you tilted backwards in an attempt to get closer, to take more .

“H-ah, H-Hildy,” you called softly, thankful you’d had the good sense to close the kitchen window after Nashu had run outside.

In response, Hildibrand’s grip on your thighs tightened as he pushed deeper. The scratch of his well-groomed facial hair had you almost bucking your hips into him, but you settled for tangling your other hand in his soft brown locks, mussing any attempts he’d made earlier today to style it.

“Hildy, you’re doing so well, keep going…” you rambled, praise spilling from your lips the second it came to your mind. His responding intensity was worth every word. If there was one thing Hildibrand loved besides his work, it was being praised.

(And by the gods, did you love to praise him.)

As he took you further, alternating the ministrations of his tongue, he let go of one of your thighs to add a hand to the equation, which made you start grinding against his face.

A quick glance down told you that these marks would likely bruise later thanks to his strength, but you’d heal them before Hildibrand could see, fret, and apologize a dozen times.

“Twelve, Hildy, that’s it! Oh, I’m going to-“

You weren’t even able to finish your statement as a burst of activity from Hildibrand’s side sent you tumbling. Your thighs tightened around his head as you rode your climax. This time, however, you had the mind to avoid squeezing too hard or suffocating him.

When you calmed, your ankles unhooked and your legs dropped to either side of Hildibrand. Your hand in his hair came down to join the other one supporting you on the counter. Pulling your other one up, you shook the feeling back into it as leaning back for so long had made it go numb.

Catching his own breath, Hildibrand pulled back and sat on his knees, glancing up at you with adoration and lust. You could see that there were little bits of your release here and there on his chin, shining family as the aetherial light in your kitchen caught and bounced off of it.

“Was that to your liking, my lady?” he asked, seeming genuinely curious.

Out of breath yourself, you giggled. “You even have to ask?” you replied. When he nodded, you grinned back at him. “You’ve clearly been… researching. That was breathtaking.”

“Not as breathtaking as you are right now. I would commission a painting if such a thing were socially proper!”

You blushed profusely as you hopped off the counter on slightly shaky legs. When you were certain you had your footing, you looked down to see that Hildibrand was still gawking at you.

“W-what?” you asked, a mote of self consciousness seeping into you.

“You look powerful standing above me like this, divinely so. I am but your humble acolyte in this moment!”

That may have been the cheesiest thing you’d ever heard. From anyone else, you may have laughed, or even cringed, but from Hildibrand all it did was make you swoon. He was earnest to the brim, saying what he meant and meaning what he said. 

“Well…” you said, thinking. “I would like my humble acolyte to stand and shed the rest of his clothing, then.”

“A-at once!” He did as he was told in a flash, visibly relieved when his trousers exited the scene.

You gave him a long, appreciative look up and down that had him squirming in anticipation by the time you were finished. “Now… since you had me how you wanted, might I request to have you as I would like?”

He nodded so fast it was if his head were being controlled by springs and pistons. “Absolutely. I am here to serve!”

Smirking, you walked past Hildibrand, taking the time to give his shapely rear a slap much to his (delighted) astonishment. He really was too cute to handle at times, too easy to rile up.

You leaned forward against the island of your kitchen, wiggling your hips in an invitation for Hildibrand to take you from behind.

“Don’t hold back, Hildy. I mean it.”

With a gulp and a shiver, he nodded once more. “Your wish is my command!” And so he drove himself in to the hilt in one swift move, a motion that made you cry his name out sharply.

The counter was custom, made of marble that was cool to the touch. With the force of Hildibrand’s thrust, your chest was pressed against the surface, the temperature difference between your flushed skin and the colder stone making you moan as your breasts rubbed against the stone. It was polished enough to not be abrasive, but still possessed texture that provided the friction you were craving.

“Good, good!” you exclaimed. “Keep going, I really want to feel it.”

The sounds of your union filled the air as he fulfilled your request, aided by the lubrication of your earlier release.

(Maybe you should start keeping lubricant in every room of the house, you thought.)

“You’re so lovely,” he muttered. “How I’ve dreamed of being with you once more! The nights were cold and lonely without you!” Every few words, he paused to give another mighty thrust. In the back of your mind, you had a feeling he was still holding back, but even if he was, this was plenty succifient.

There were times when you longed to be caressed and cradled, and then there were times when you needed to be fucked until you saw stars…

Today was one of the latter times, the need to feel force that was of your own volition nigh overwhelming. After endless instances of being tossed around and bruised because you were being opposed, it was time to be manhandled because you wanted it.

If you couldn’t have anything else under your control, at least you had this.

Each time Hildibrand moved forward, you moved back to reach him, to move yourself against him in an effort to get him to come forth harder. You’d (likely on purpose, you realized) chosen a part of the counter where the underside jutted just a little bit outward, providing you purchase to grind against when Hildibrand’s motions jerked you forward.

You cried out to him, begged him to keep going, but the stuttering movements of his hips and the increasingly erratic thrusts he gave told you was close to the end.

Very well, then, so were you. Or at least you would be if you shifted just a little and… oh, that was perfect. Not only was Hildibrand now hitting you in the perfect spot inside, you’d made it so that each thrust ground your throbbing clit against one of the drawers under your countertop.

In order to entice him over, you let yourself go first, clenching down around him as you dropped your head down, forehead resting against the counter as you climaxed.

Obviously, he wasn’t expecting to do that, as the choked cry of your name he gave in response and the sudden tightening of his grip on you gave his surprise away as he joined you in the moment, spilling himself into you.

You pulled yourself up on your elbows and Hildibrand lowered himself against you, strong arms coming around to embrace you, pulling your back against his chest. After a few moments of nothing, not even thinking, he cleared his throat. “That was… that was new,” he said.

“Good new or bad new?” you inquired, pulling forward and wincing slightly as he slipped out of you. Oof, what a mess. You’d have to freshen up quick before it was time to go.

“Good, definitely good,” he amended, loosening his grip so you could turn around and embrace him chest to chest.

Pressing your forehead to his, you gazed deeply into his eyes. “I’m glad. I was worried it would maybe be a bit too much for you.”

Hildibrand shook his head. “But what about you, my dearest? You’re fresh from what you called one of the most terrible fights of your life!”

You chuckled. “While I was ‘healing’ you, I was primarily healing myself. It aches a little now, but I’m leagues better than I was when I came stumbling in last night.”

“Alright…” Hildibrand replied cautiously. “However, I cannot help but worry that I could have worsened your aches by being, er, forceful like that. I very much enjoyed myself, but I hope it wasn’t at your expense!”

“Actually, that was the plan, to make myself feel something.”

Hildibrand raised a whisperfine eyebrow. “I am afraid I don’t quite follow, darling…”

You smiled sadly. “I have almost no control over anything in my life, Hildy. I’m a weapon, a last resort, the ace triad card up the sleeve of the Eorzean Alliance and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.” Scowling, you sighed. “They say jump, I ask how high. Almost one else out there is blessed with the powers I have and the combat experience to use them. Not anymore, not since-“ You stopped yourself before you could think of your fallen friends, your sister Echo bearers. “There are so few of us left, I never get time to myself. So I give what I do have to you.”

“So being here, with me…”

“That’s my choice. I’m here in Shirogane, with you, because I want to be. Every time I’ve gone  somewhere with you has been because I wanted to. Even when I take a step back and let you do the investigating, I’m happy to do it.” You hugged him a little tighter. “I don’t want everyone’s eyes on me. Just yours.”

You lifted your head up again to look him in the eyes, and he surprised you by closing the distance and kissing you deeply, passionately. Despite the intensity of what you felt, you had no desire for a second round right now, and judging by how he stayed at rest against you, neither did he. This was a moment of emotional intimacy, rather.

“In all my life, I’ve never felt so strongly about someone as I do for you,” Hildibrand said. The confession made your heart pound, your head spin. This wonderful man... “I’ll gaze upon you however much you desire. I am forever your humble servant.”

You tucked a lock of his hair behind his ear. “You don’t have to serve me, Hildy. Just… be here for me. Although if you’re talking about serving in the bedroom…” you teased.

“Always and forever more,” he said earnestly, and you giggled.

“Maybe later today,” you said, giving him a quick peck on the lips before extricating yourself from him. He looked like a sad puppy in response to losing your touch.  “We have places to be. You said Shigure had news for us?”

At the mention of the big case, he perked right back up. You giggled; classic Hildibrand. “Ah, yes, I nearly forgot! Yes, our astute assistant and friend has uncovered information most important. I believe with his aid, we shall get our man in the end.”

You grinned. Yes, this was what you loved, what you wanted to come home to after however long of having to protect the world. “I’m with you, Hildy. Always and forever.” As you moved to take a step, you realized you two were still very much a mess. “… But first, let’s get cleaned up. And then rescue poor Nashu from the garden.”

“A most excellent idea! I am right behind you!”

If that was the case, you made sure to make it a nice view.

Chapter Text

By the time you arrived at the market to meet Shigure, the young samurai already looked antsy.

“My comrades, you have returned, and not a moment too soon!” he said, looking at Hildibrand and Nashu. When he sees you, however, he seems taken aback a little. “You have returned from your travels! Full glad am I to see you hale and whole. How do you fare?”

You made a face. “I don’t want to talk about it… sorry.”

Shigure seemed to accept this answer as sufficient. “That is fair. The life of a warrior is not an easy one.”

“Thanks…” you said, giving him a small, sad smile. You felt the urge to change the subject. “You had an update for us?”

This gets Shigure right back into business mode. “Yes, of course! The Wolf Burglar, for whom we have been searching day and night, has struck again! And we know his next target as well.”

Nashu already had her notepad out. “Wolf Burglar… struck… next target…”

“My good man, tell us about this poor soul, so we might away at once!” Hildibrand exclaims, back in form. You smiled at him; his enthusiasm was infectious.

Shigure nodded. “I trust you remember Akebono, the merchant with whom we spoke some weeks back?”

“Smarmy jackass…” you said with a sneer. “Too much money, not enough sense.” You took a deep breath and calmed yourself before you could rant any further.

“Anyroad, he has come into possession of a valuable antique sword that the Wolf Burglar has set his sights on with unusual vigor.”

You thought for a moment. “Any reason why he wants this more than anything else?”

Shigure shrugged. “I am afraid I have no knowledge of the situation. However, I know that Akebono is holding a gathering of some sort today. He is stationed at the edge of the markets in the Rakuza District and-”

“Rakuza District, got it!” Hildibrand exclaims, off in a flash and a cloud of dust. He took off with such force that Shigure was nearly knocked over, and you had to catch the poor man before he hit the ground.

“Wait for me, Inspector!” Nashu yelled, following after. And so they went.

You couldn’t help but smile as you helped set Shigure back on his feet. “Always so energetic. I love that about him,” you said, holding back a lovestruck sigh.

Shigure brushed some dust off the sleeves of his outfit. “You have my thanks. I had no idea this man was possessed of such speed!”

“All Mandervilles have that ability. His father is far faster than him,” you explained, giggling at the memory of the father-son reunion in Northern Thanalan a few summers ago.

“You are saying… there are more of him?” Shigure asked, gulping. “And here I thought just was enough.”

You grinned at his surprise. “The Mandervilles are known far and wide in Eorzea for their philanthropy… and eccentricity. His parents are some of the richest people in the country, and they put their money where their mouths are. I do have some gripes about Lord Manderville’s economic policies, but… well, that’s off topic.”

Shigure blinked in surprise. “The young inspector is a nobleman? I suppose I can see where he has some of those traits…”

“Well, yes and no. He ran away from home some eleven or twelve years ago, didn’t want to be an artisan like his father. It’s only recently they reconnected. They’re… slowly patching things up… Anyroad, don’t be shocked if one or both of his parents end up here.”

“I… see. I shall be on the lookout for them.”

You chuckled. “Don’t worry, Godbert looks intimidating but he’s one of the kindest people I know. It’s his wife Julyan you have to look out for… she can and will hit people that are in her way with her pure cast iron frying pan.” You thought back to poor Greg during your adventures in Ul’dah.

(What was that guy even up to these days, anyway?)

Shigure paled. “W-we should get going before your inspector and his assistant start questioning people.”

Yet another person shocked into silence by Manderville shenanigans. Nothing about your love and his family shocked you anymore, and you actually derived a somewhat twisted sense of amusement out of baffling others.

“Lead the way, Shigure.”

~

As expected, you found the two at an impasse with their client.

Akebono narrowed his eyes at you and Shigure. “Ah yes, the aspiring Sekiseigumi and the Western warrior. I see you’ve arrived with your explosive-happy assistant in tow.” He turned his gaze to Hildibrand. “And what’s this?! My statue?! So you are a man after all!” He sighed. “A shame, I would have loved to have you for my collection.”

Hildibrand shook his head. “I apologize, my good man, for I already belong heart and soul to my love!” With a few long strides, he was at your side again, embracing you.

You kissed him on the cheek. “Hello, handsome. You left in quite a hurry.”

“My keen inspector’s sense led me right here!”

“We only got turned around twice!” Nashu added.

You hugged Hildibrand closer. “That’s my Hildy. Never change…”

Akebono looked a little sick to his stomach. “Well, at least your anger over the statue theft makes sense now…” He shook his head, banishing whatever thoughts laid within his mind. “Why are you here?”

“We heard the fiend known as the Kugane Wolf Burglar is poised to strike at any moment, to steal your precious sword!” Hildibrand exclaimed. “And that he has already tried!”

“Yes, this is true… in broad daylight, no less! But his dastardly plot to steal the Soboro Sukehiro was foiled by none other than my new bodyguard, Yojimbo!”

Oh, so that’s what he meant by joining the case. Maybe if Yojimbo saw something, it could give them a lead…

“Yojimbo is one of the best, I agree,” you said. “I squared off with him in a bid for Kugane Castle some moons ago, and only just barely came out on top. I credit that to the fact that there were four of us and one of him, however…”

Akebono raised an eyebrow. “Must have been an off day for him, as I am sure he could single-handedly fend off twice that number. Nay, fourfold!”

You shrugged. “I think he pulled his punches because he wasn’t getting paid enough for lethal force.”

“That won’t be a problem here,” Akebono replied with a smirk. “Anyroad, I’ve no need of your services. Though you and the samurai are competent enough, I fear your friends may be a hindrance.”
Shigure grimaced. “Master Akebono, I think you underestimate this foe-”

“Enough!” Akebono exclaimed with a scowl. “I will hear no more of it, boy. Go impress the Sekiseigumi some other way. Now away with you! I have a pressing engagement in Sanjo Hanamachi to which I have been looking forward all week, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let this business with the Wolf Burglar delay me further.” He waved you all away with a ‘shoo’ motion as he started down the street.

You look at your companions. “Well… that could have gone better.”

“Merely a small setback, my dear. If I let every hurdle break my confidence, I’d have never solved a single case!” Hildibrand quipped.

Nashu grinned. “We never give up!”

Shigure watched Akebono disappear around a corner. “We must needs take a different approach. Perhaps if we were to sneak in…”

“It’s worth a try,” Nashu said, scribbling something in her notepad and tucking it away in her tonic pocket. “Let’s follow him.”

~

As expected, you were all turned away at the door.

“I wasn’t born yesterday, you crooks!” the guard spat with a sneer. “Trick the daft doorman into letting you in so you can steal Master Akebono's priceless sword!? I think not! And you definitely aren’t the entertainment.”

“To imply I would consort with criminals!” Shigure responded, mortified.

The guard crosses his arms and somehow manages to stand taller than he had been. “I said what I said. Geiko of surpassing beauty only . None of you are nearly good-looking enough.”

You were in the man’s face before you could think about it. “You take that back.”

“My darling, there’s no need for fisticuffs…” Hildibrand said, stepping forward and placing a gentle hand on your shoulder.

“But he called you…” You relented with a sigh, taking a step back. “I can see we aren’t wanted here, let’s go.”

The guard grinned. “That’s what I thought. Piss off before I call the Sekiseigumi.”

He didn’t have to tell you twice. Shigure especially was eager to quit the place before he incurred the ire of his would-be employers.

Two streets down, you mulled over your options.

“Perhaps I can teach you the Manderville art of parley, my young friend!” Hildibrand offered.

Shigure seemed to take a moment to choose his next words carefully. “... I do not believe it would work with me. You have… a certain style.”

“This is fair! It takes quite a bit of flair to pull my skills off, though I’m more than happy to impart lessons as needed!”

“... maybe later.”

You thought about what the guard had said. “So, he’s only letting ‘geiko of surpassing beauty’ in?”

Hildibrand seemed to have a brilliant idea, if the grin on his face was any indicator. “Ah, yes! We must become geiko at once!” He was silent for a moment. “How do we do that?”

“Well, it is not as if we have any other options…” Shigure muttered, looking somewhat defeated. “Though I do not believe I would be able to pull it off. I know of an okiya, whose proprietress I have done a few odd jobs for… Perhaps we should ask her.”

Hildibrand nodded vigorously, likely having only understood half of it. “Lead the way!”

~

Hilarity, of course, ensued. You were ready to pay for the lot of you to become geiko, but Hildibrand and Nashu insisted on earning it on their own merits. This, you expected.

What you did not expect, however, was the fact that their plan was for Nashu to shear off all of Shigure’s hair in a show of devotion to the cause. The proprietress, between peals of laughter, offered not only one but three makeovers.

It would have been four, but Shigure had staunchly refused to participate, too busy mourning the loss of his (admittedly nice) hair.

In the end, you decided you would all be geiko. Why not? You only live once, right?

You and Nashu spoke to the guard in the front to get in while Hildibrand sneaked through the side. Now that you were ‘pretty’, the guard was far more agreeable. And leery.

The men inside were just as leery, which made your skin crawl. You looked around uncomfortably before making eye contact with the other, actual, geiko seated next to you. The woman nodded sympathetically.

Nashu was too busy stuffing her face to notice much of anything.

When Hildibrand entered, the chaos that ensued didn’t die down until the Wolf Burglar had struck and the Soboro Sukehiro was long gone. Though your plan was a complete and utter failure, you hadn’t had so much fun in ages. 

You and Hildibrand took your leave down an alleyway while Nashu continued to eat and Shigure was doing his best to smooth things over with Yojimbo and Akebono. The entire way, the both of you were laughing merrily.

“Hildy, you have to teach me your tricks,” you said when you were a safe distance away from the miffed merchant. “Your makeup is flawless .” You admired the robe he wore, how it complimented his form well.

Hildibrand grinned. “Trial and error, my dear! I have spent many years perfecting the art of disguise makeup.”

You giggled. “It shows.” And you meant it. As the joy of the day’s chaos started to wind down, you sighed, leaning back against the alley wall and not caring if it smudged your robe or not. “So… that didn’t work.”

“Merely a small setback. It takes more than that to get me down!” Hildibrand exclaimed, still in high spirits.

“I know, that’s why I love you.” You moved in for a kiss, which he happily returned. With his cover having been blown, he didn’t seem to care much about his makeup being smudged. This was fortunate, because you were definitely in the mood to smudge it.

And smudge it you did with how much you kissed him in that alleyway.

When you broke for air, not all of the flush on Hildibrand’s face was thanks to the rouge he sported. “I… I must admit, being in there with you, seeing the way those men leered… it made me feel… unpleasant.”

“Hm?”

“They looked at you like an object, failing to see who you were underneath all the veneer. It… there was this feeling in my gut. That they would have the audacity to behold you in such a way, right in front of me, it made me feel…”

You pondered Hildibrand’s words for a moment. Then, you recognized the feeling for what it was. “Jealousy.”

Hildibrand blinked. “This too, is jealousy?”

“Yes, you didn’t like the way they were looking at me, because we’re an item and you find it an affront not only to me but to yourself as well. Now, it’s a perfectly normal feeling, but it’s something you should express so that it can be talked through in a healthy way.”

“I-I would never purport to own you, my dear! Outside of investigations where you are my assistant, we are equals!”

You giggled. “I know. But not all feelings make sense, yeah?”

“I… I suppose not. But I already feel better for having brought it up.”

“Good, I’m glad,” you said, pressing your forehead against his. “Now, why don’t you come here and kiss me? You know I only have eyes for you.”

Once again, a blush could be seen on Hildibrand’s face, even through the makeup. “As you wish!”

And so he does. You leaned into the kiss, wrapping your arms around him. As the kiss got more intense, you flipped your positions so that he was now the one against the wall. You could feel the delicate threads of his robe snagging on the wall as yours had, but at this point neither of you cared.

When you were certain his makeup had been thoroughly ruined, you pulled back and began trailing kisses down his jaw.

“M-my dear, aren’t we in public?” Hildibrand asked in reply, though he was making no moves to stop you. In fact, he even went as far as to lean into your touch with a soft groan as his hand came up to your hair.

You had him right where you wanted him, and that thrilled you. “No one will find us down here,” you purred, nipping at his earlobe before darting down to his neck and kissing with the intent to leave marks. Your hand slipped into the top folds of his robe and trailed along his muscled torso, feeling its way down until you were at-

“Hey! We have a thief to catch, you two!”

Busted. With only the tiniest modicum of shame, you pulled away from Hildibrand reluctantly to look towards whoever had shouted at you. To your surprise, it wasn’t Shigure like you’d expected, but rather Yojimbo.

Hildibrand seemed a little more embarrassed than you. “My apologies, Jim! I was merely discussing our next move with our associate here.” He stood and fixed his robe, which had been starting to slip off.

Someone cleared their throat and you looked down and to the side to see that Shigure was accompanying Yojimbo, eyes averted respectfully and blush traveling up to his now bald head.

“We must needs make haste,” he said. “The longer we dally, the farther away the thief will get!”

This snapped Hildibrand right back into business mode. “Right you are, my friend! I will get changed and then we will away at once!” With one last quick peck to your lips, he extricated himself from your grasp and started down the alleyway.

Chuckling, you dusted off your robe and turned to your friends. “Once he gets going, there’s no stopping him.” You attempted to fix your hair.

Still flustered, Shigure was avoiding your gaze. “When you are ready, I will be at the docks. Let us not tarry.” He quickly pivoted and left the scene as well.

“Boys, I swear,” you said, shaking your head affectionately. Now it was just you and Yojimbo.

Yojimbo seemed to be deeply contemplating something. “Did… did he just call me ‘Jim’?” he asked incredulously. Though you couldn’t see his face behind his mask, you imagined he must have looked gobsmacked.

That was what Yojimbo had taken away from the entire thing? “He likes to nickname people. I think it’s because he’s bad with names.”

“It’s three syllables! Only seven letters!” Yojimbo huffed, crossing his arms. “Just as buffoonish as ever, I see.”

You blinked. Had Yojimbo and Hildibrand crossed paths while you were away on Scion business? That feeling of familiarity crept back into your mind, but you pushed it aside for now.

“I think it’s part of his charm,” you said, giggling.

When you looked over, you noticed Yojimbo seemed to be studying you pensively. “You and that inspector… How long has that been going on?”

“Depends on if you count the moons he spent in stasis or not,” you replied with a shrug. “It’s been a while, at least, though the time we spend together is limited.” You sighed sadly. “If it’s not me getting called away for stuff, then it’s him getting blasted to parts unknown. But I knew what I was getting into when I started seeing him.”

Yojimbo nodded, though you weren’t sure if he truly grasped it or not. “I see…” he said, falling into step with you as you exited the alleyway. Akebono was nowhere in sight, and at the end of the street, you could see Nashu making off with the majority of the food the gathering had had. You waved to her as she went, assuming Shigure must have already briefed her on the plan.

You chuckled. “You have questions. Go ahead and ask… Jim,” you urged with a shit-eating grin.

“Don’t you start that too,” he said, scoffing. “I’m just… baffled. You two seem… so different.”

“It just sorta happened, I guess. We were snowed in for days in Ishgard and one thing turned into another and… well, you can see where it’s ended up.” You smiled to yourself. “I think… no, I know I love him.”

Yojimbo laughed softly. “Ah, young love.”

You looked up towards him. “How old are you, anyway?” You genuinely had no clue; Yojimbo had a demeanor that made him seem ageless.

“Older than you could ever fathom, my friend,” he said after a moment of deep reflection. “I’ve seen more places and met more people than you could ever imagine.”

“That must be why you know so many different fighting styles, huh?”

Yojimbo nodded sagely. “Precisely! And one day I’ll have learned them all.”

A question that had been bugging you since Kugane Castle came to the forefront of your mind. “Hey, speaking of… did your travels ever take you to a place called Dravania? One of your artes seemed eerily familiar.”

“Which one?”

“The one with the butterflies.”

Yojimbo thought for a moment. “Ah, yes! I remember I crossed swords with a rather large fellow with four arms. He put up a good fight!”

You blinked. “You fought Ravana?”

“Yes, that was his name. We were blow to blow for a while, but I emerged victorious in the end! It was there I learned a few of his artes. I take it you have met this fellow too?”

“Yes, more than once. You see, when primals get summoned, it’s my job to send them back where they came from. I’m surprised you made it out of there with your mind intact.”

This seemed to throw Yojimbo for a loop. “Is that… not normal?”

You shook your head. “Beings like Ravana… they’re able to warp your mind or your aether or something just by being close to them. Well, most people. I’m immune… long story.”

“Most impressive! Now that I think about it, he did send a wave of strange energy my way when first we met, and seemed baffled when I felt nothing.”

This made you pause. “Truly?” Could it be that Yojimbo was among your fellow Echo-bearers? If so, he would make quite the asset to the team that fought primals in your stead when you were busy.

“Yes… I had no idea it was unusual.” His voice dropped to a mumble. “Perhaps because I am not of this world…”

You hadn’t quite caught that. “Huh?”

“Er, nothing. Merely contemplating!”

“You do that a lot,” you said dryly, though you couldn’t help but smile.

Yojimbo shrugged. “I have a lot of thoughts.”

“You know… you’re not so bad after all, Yojimbo. I’m glad we bumped into each other outside of ‘work’.”

“Likewise!” Yojimbo replied with a hearty laugh. “Though one of these days we must have a rematch! I wish to show you all I’ve learned since then.”

Grinning, you punched your fist into your palm. “You’re on.”

“That’s the spirit!”

You responded with a laugh of your own. “But not yet. We have a sword to find.”

“Indeed!”

The next silence that fell between you two was comfortable, like two people who knew each other in and out. “You know… you remind me of someone.”

“I do?”

You nodded. “Yes. An old friend of mine and Hildy’s. He was always talking about becoming stronger, finding the best weapons… we came to blows more than once but it was never personal. Outside of fighting we actually got along pretty well. I wonder what he’s doing these days…”

“I-I’m certain he’s out there being brilliant! And strong! And not walking the streets of Kugane at all!”

Yojimbo’s strange response baffled you, but you hardly had time to mull it over before you realized you were only a few streets down from where your neighborhood began. And at one of the corners stood-

“Ugh, that little creep!” you exclaimed, balling your hands into fists and starting a beeline for the offending Lalafell.

He took one look at you and went sprinting down the other street at a pace that could rival Hildibrand running from his father. You didn’t give chase, knowing more important things were at stake right now.

Instead, you stood there silently seething until Yojimbo caught up. “Dare I ask what that was about?”

You heaved a deep sigh. “That creepy little bastard’s been following Nashu around for years. I thought I gave him what for before I left for… work a few weeks back, but it seems he didn’t get the message.”

“That’s frightening. Does she not know?”

“I tried to tell her but she doesn’t believe me. To be fair, he’s pretty good at hiding. I only see him now because I know to look for him. I’d have kicked his ass all the way to Doma by now if it weren’t for the fact that violence is forbidden in the city.”

Yojimbo nodded. “And therefore any retaliation would be seen as your fault. Unfortunate indeed!”

“But if I ever meet him outside of the city…” You punched your palm again.

“Knowing how strong you are, I would not take that threat lightly if I were him.”

You laughed. “Thanks, Yojimbo.” If he was still keeping it up… “It’s only a matter of time before, uh, duty calls me away from Kugane. If you’re here and I’m not, and you see that little jackass, tell him to scram?”

“Certainly!”

“Thanks,” you said, breathing a sigh of relief. There was still a lot you didn’t know about Yojimbo, but you could tell he was a man of his word at the very least.

You pointed down your street. “I live down there. I’m gonna change into something I can fight in if it comes to that.”

“Understood. I’m going to go retrieve my dog and meet you at the harbor.”

Oh yeah, you remembered the dog; swift and just as money-minded as his master. If you were being honest, you were hoping you got to pet him this time.

“See you there!” you called to your new and mysterious friend as you jogged down the street to your house.

Hildibrand and Nashu were already waiting outside. It seemed they’d both changed back into their regular clothing, except for the fact that Hildibrand seemed so hurried he’d not had the chance to wipe off his makeup yet.

“Ah, there you are, my dearest!” he greeted. “We must make haste to the harbor!”

You came over and kissed him on the cheek. “I know. Let me get my traveling clothes on and we’ll head out.”

“Excellent.”

After one of the fastest outfit changes in your life, you were out front once more with Hildibrand and Nashu.

“Which Delights should I pack?” Nashu asked, looking at crates of explosives that were just casually sitting on your front lawn.

“Uh… is it really a good idea to have those there? Houses are… flammable.” You could only imagine the hell it would be with insurance if those blew up. Was such a thing even covered?

Nashu waved a hand. “Oh, it’ll be fine. You and the inspector are always such worrywarts.”

You had a feeling this was an argument you couldn’t win. “Uh, the dango ones worked really well last time.”

“Alrighty, let me get another spear…”

While Nashu rummaged through crates, you returned to Hildibrand’s side once more. “Are you ready to catch a thief, Hildy?”

“I was born ready.”

You laughed. “Good. Looks like we’re all ready for the chase. Shigure and Yojimbo are waiting down at the harbor, so we should get going.”

“Ah, Jim is lending his expertise? We’re in good hands, then!”

Again with the nickname; you loved it. “You know, he’s not so bad once you get to know him. We crossed blades a few months ago, but it was all business.”

“If he can match you in combat then he is an astute ally indeed!”

“He gave me a run for my money… literally. And if he’s still around when all of this is done, I think I’ll introduce him to some other friends of mine who might have a job for him.” Yes, with Yojimbo on the primal fighting team, you could breathe a little easier.

Nashu appeared beside you with a dango bomb spear hefted over her shoulder. “Okay, let’s go catch a criminal!” she exclaimed, making you jump. You had been so lost in thought you hadn’t noticed her approaching, you realized.

You and Hildibrand gave her a wide berth in fear of explosion. “Yes, let’s!” Hildibrand exclaimed. “B-but maybe put that somewhere safe first?”

Nashu pouted. “You’re no fun, Inspector.”

Chapter Text

“You have got to be kidding me,” you exclaimed as soon as you had a moment alone with Hildibrand following your latest revelation. You’d had this nagging feeling at the back of your mind that maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to leave the sword with Yojimbo after recovering it, but surely you were just being paranoid, right? There was no way that upstanding samurai mercenary Yojimbo, who was money-crazed, would have had ulterior motives for joining the case, right?

Wrong.

(So much for you being a good judge of character, you thought.)

Hildibrand frowned as he settled into the sofa next to you, face freshly washed of makeup. “Perhaps this is all a misunderstanding. Jim could have been held up by those pirate fellows! Or maybe he stopped for dango on the way back?”

You smiled. Sweet Hildy, wanting to be positive. “I doubt it, sadly. He’s profit-driven, he likely pocketed the sword to sell. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t give a shite about Akebono. I’m more pissed that Yojimbo double-crossed us. You think you know someone…”

“Don’t lose heart, my dear. I have no doubt in my mind that Jim can be found. And maybe we can talk it out, strike a deal?”

“If only to get that creepy merchant off our backs.” You hated admitting loss like this, but Hildibrand had a good point; diplomacy was always an option until weapons came out.

Hildibrand hummed in thought, hands drifting to play with your hair as you laid chasely in his lap with your head on a pillow. “There’s just… something I don’t get.”

“Hm?”

“The Wolf Burglar. For someone so dedicated to the art of theft he seemed to admit defeat with grace. I respect that in a fellow, of course, but…”

You mulled it over in your head. “Might be an honor thing. He did state he had no quarrel with us in particular. But something he said makes me wonder if there’s more to this sword than we thought. Like it was… something personal to him?”

“I got that impression as well… Hmm, with Shigure on the Sekiseigumi’s roster now, we have a route to questioning him but I have a feeling the Wolf Burglar is hardly interested in talking to me after what I did to his bird…”

“That was funny,” you said with a giggle. “Just glad no one was hurt, not even him.”

Hildibrand nodded, shifting positions to rest an arm around the back of the couch. “Agreed! Do you have any ideas on how to proceed?”

“Maybe the Wolf Burglar knows something about where Yojimbo could have gone. I’ll try asking him tomorrow. He might be willing to talk to me perhaps…”

“I think that’s an excellent idea! Meanwhile Nashu and I will comb the streets for testimonials. The Wolf Burglar seems quite popular with some of the folks out there!”

Nodding in turn, you shifted positions so you were laying flat on your back and looking at the ceiling while your legs dangled over the arm of the sofa. A practical position? No. A comfortable one? Yes. “It’s the analogy of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. A noble venture on paper...”

“A crime is still a crime, but perhaps we all can work together to reform the root problem. That way, we can prevent figures such as him from rising to infamy in the first place.” He was pensive for a moment. “People like him and Miss Ellie.”

You chuckled hollowly. “I visit her from time to time. She still hates you, but… seems willing to talk to me at least.”

Hildibrand sighed. “Her animosity saddens me, but all the same I understand.” It seemed he was having another Solemn Moment. One thing you’ve noticed about him that other people tended to overlook was that besides the occasional blundering blurted phrase uttered on impulse, Hildibrand was actually quite emotionally intelligent.

“Hm?”

“I am Ul’dahn after all. I may be a runaway but my roots are clear. That she has faced such prejudice… it isn’t fair to her at all. But I hope those like my father can use what they have to change the system for the better.”

Too fatigued to sit up, you kissed your palm and placed it to Hildibrand’s cheek, reveling in the slight blush it pulled from him. “The shift is already in motion. Your father and the good Sultana have a lot to do with it.” You smiled, thinking of Nanamo. “She’s a good friend of mine, you know. I can personally vouch for her pure heart.”

“You care deeply for those you come across. That is one of my favorite things about you, my dear!”

“I would do anything to protect her. Having almost lost her once, right in front of my eyes… it was almost more than I could bear. I no longer trust drinks I don’t make myself.”

Hildibrand was silent for a moment. “Poison, I presume.” When you nodded in the affirmative, he shook his head with a sigh. “More than once, unscrupulous knaves have tried to kill my father using the same method. Luckily for us all, he is immune to almost all poisons!”

You giggled. “Why does that not surprise me?”

“He is, after all, a Manderville man!”

“Doing all a Manderville can!” you responded in singsong.

Hildibrand laughed heartily. “You have the makings of a Manderville for certain!” He was silent for a moment. “I have to ponder this further… but that is for later! What would you like to do for now, my darling? The evening is yours.”

You weighed your options; you could go for a soak, go to bed maybe, have a nice romp with Hildibrand. All of those sounded wonderful. Hmm… You tried to sit up, but the fatigue and soreness won. “Everything hurts. I want to lay down. We can go from there.”

“I admit that I am feeling much the same!” He stood, picking you up with him. You giggled and wrapped your arms around him for support. That was your inspector, strong and valiant.

After peeking upstairs to make sure Nashu was asleep safe and sound (and the vicinity free of meddling lalafells), he carried you to your bedroom, setting you gently on the bed before doing a stretch to loosen his muscles. You, of course, watched intently with interest.

When Hildibrand noticed you noticing, he quickly turned it into his signature flex and grin, though with the added appeal of a slight blush. You blew him a kiss which just made him blush worse.. “You flatter me, my dearest.”

“Is it truly flattery if it’s what I really feel?” you teased, winking at him.

He took a moment to ponder this. “I suppose not, no,” he relented, sitting down next to you on the bed. “But I appreciate it all the same.”

“Mmm, I love you, Hildy,” you purred tiredly, reaching to kiss him but wincing when a sudden pain wracked your shoulder. Okay, you’d definitely pulled that while running after the Wolf Burglar.

Your dearest Hildibrand was of course immediately concerned. “Is aught amiss?!”

You grimaced. “Think I took that dive catching the sword the wrong way. Shoulder hurts.”

“Oh no! Hmm… If you would be so kind as to lay on your stomach for me?” he suggested.

“Oho… look at you, always having a solution,” you teased, doing as he asked. The positioning made something in your stomach flutter as once again he was looming powerfully over you. And yet, you had complete trust in him. Thankfully, you’d already stripped down to naught but a tunic, shorts, and skivvies.

The only thing that surprised you was that Hildibrand took a position to the side of you rather than electing to straddle you.

(Then again, he was a gentleman…)

“Please let me know if anything starts to hurt,” he said. You could hear the rustling of fabric, and you turned your head to the side of where it had been resting on your arms to see he was divesting himself of his jacket and gloves. The anticipation of his warm, strong hands on your aching body made you lick your lips. Hildibrand seemed oblivious to the gesture.

“Of course. You know I trust you,” you cooed, returning your head to its original position.

The bedsprings creaked as Hildibrand repositioned himself. Not a moment later you felt his hands on your shoulders. Having expected it, you did not startle; rather, you relaxed into his touch.

“Mmm, your hands are warm,” you murmured. “S’a good thing.”

“I only wish to bring you comfort, my sweet,” he said. “Would that we had salamander oil!”

You snickered. “Maybe next time. But also maybe it’s a good thing. I like these sheets.”

“They are quite soft.”

“Made from the finest of Doman silk. They were a gift.”

Hildibrand chuckled softly. “It is most certainly an upgrade from the cold soil of the Shroud.”

It was then you remembered that this man had spent years on the road. How many nights had he spent sleeping on the ground, huddling with Nashu for warmth? For years, all they had was one another.

The strong hands kneading into your shoulders stopped any thoughts going forward, however. Hildibrand’s thumbs pressed into the muscle, quickly finding the knots and soothing them with more precision than you had expected from someone like him.

A moan fell from your lips before you could stop it, not that you felt the need to muffle yourself around Hildibrand. “Mmm, that’s good.”

Behind you, you could hear Hildibrand’s breath hitch, just a little. “Is it?” he asked, voice jumping up a tad. “That’s good, that’s good…” He finds another big knot. “By the Twelve, you’re tense.”

“Not often I get to rest,” you said, breathing deeply through your nose. “I could get used to this.”

“And I would be happy to provide daily for the rest of my days!”

He moved to the other end of your shoulder blades, near your neck. With another press of his thumbs, you were moaning once more. “Y-you’re sweet. I love that about you.”

Another deep, hitched breath from Hildibrand. “Your appreciation is appreciated.” He moved his thumbs in soothing circles down to under your shoulders.

“Mmm, if you get above me it’d be a better angle,” you suggested for not-totally-innocent reasons.

“Are you certain? I do not wish to harm you further.”

You giggled. “Your weight would actually make me feel better, ground me. Does that make sense?”

“I see…” Hildibrand replied hesitantly. “Then allow me to…” He shifted so that he was straddling you. “Reposition?”

“Ohh, that’s perfect…” you purred. “That’s my Hildy.” Were you trying on purpose to work him up now? Perhaps.

Hildibrand audibly gulped and shifted his pelvis slightly away from your waist. Excellent, all according to plan. “Any, er, problem areas?”

“Keep going down, you’re doing wonderfully,” you encouraged, knowing how much he enjoyed being praised.

“As you wish!” And so he did, strong hands reaching down your back and expertly undoing every knot you had, including knots you hadn’t even realized were there. How many moons worth of knots was this? It had to be at least a handful.

Soon, you were a moaning, blissful mess on the mattress, muscles jelly and mind wracked with the unique pleasure-pain that comes from a good massage. You were floating on a cloud.

Hildibrand, on the other hand, seemed incredibly antsy, and you had an inkling of why.

Smirking, you rolled over onto your back and looked him over. Oh, what a sight he was, with his flushed face and top buttons of his shirt undone. You licked your lips again, which Hildibrand saw this time.

“I-I, er, this looks rather, ah, perverted of me,” he said, averting his eyes respectfully from your languidly lounging form on the bed. A quick glance down told you all you needed to know.

“This was my intention, Hildy. Another proposition.” You winked, sitting up on your hands.. “But as always, you don’t have to. We can sleep if you’re tired.”

Hildibrand weighed his options, thinking in that exaggerated manner of his. “I… would very much like to lay with you… if that’s amenable.”

“C’mere and kiss me, Inspector.”

And he was on you in an instant, kissing with a fervor that was unusual for him. But you loved it.

“I don’t know,” he said between kisses, “what it is about you,” a kiss to your jaw, “that makes me feel these things,” a kiss to your neck, “but I don’t want it to ever end.”

You leaned your head backward to give him better access to your neck. “If I had my druthers, it - ah! - wouldn’t.” He’d hit a particularly sensitive spot on your neck. “Yes, right there.”

He obliged you with more kisses and even a nip. Where had he learned that?

“There was this scene in a book…” he started but trailed off.

“You’re a good reader,” you replied, hands coming down to the buttons of his shirt and beginning to undo them.

The sheer distance Hildibrand had come in his confidence and comfort slowed in how he helped you with his buttons. That night in Ishgard where you two had agreed to take it slow felt so far away now. In a few ways, it was.

In a flash his shirt was off and discarded somewhere in the sheets as you pulled him backwards with you onto the bed.

One hand carded through the light dusting of hair on his broad chest while the other did away with your own tunic top so you could press your bare chest to his. Judging by his reaction, it had apparently only dawned on Hildibrand just now that you’d been going without smalls on top.

You gazed at him lustfully through half-lidded eyes. “You know, Hildy… my chest could use some massaging as well.”

His eyes flicked down to your chest, then back to your face, down to your chest again and finally back to your face as he cleared his throat. “As your humble gentleman masseuse, I will gladly oblige your request!”

Oh, and oblige he did, actually taking it seriously and working to soothe the aches and pains you felt. Such big, warm hands felt wonderful on your sensitive skin. “Mmm, Hildy, that feels good,” you groaned, arching up into his touch. In response, you felt something that had already been poking you down below twitch.

You leaned forward and began kissing down his neck. Under your lips, his pulse raced and he doubled his efforts with his hands. When he seemed to be satisfied with his ‘massage’, he brought his hands back to your shoulders and kneaded from the front. Even in the throes of passion he still cared about making you feel good, feel relaxed.

“I want you,” you murmured in his ear. “Let’s go for a quick one before bed, hmm?”

Another twitch . “I think that’s an excellent idea!” he exclaimed, nodding eagerly.

Giggling, you laid down on the bed and beckoned him forward with the crook of a finger. Hildibrand, seemingly at your beck and call, crawled forward and straddled you.

“How do you want to do this?” you asked, gazing up at him affectionately. “How do you want me?”

The proverbial cogs in his head seemed to turn for quite a few seconds before he came to an answer. “This… just like this is good!”

“Then like this we shall proceed, my good inspector.” You winked at him, hands reaching down to divest yourself of the bottom half of your clothing.

Hildibrand paused for a moment to admire your form. “Every time I see you, you’re as breathtaking as the first time I laid eyes upon you.”

You felt your face grow hot, his sweet talk having its intended effect on you. “A-and you’re overdressed,” you quipped, reaching for the buttons of his pants.

He doesn’t protest, instead wiggling around to help you get the offending garments off and sighing with relief when he’s finally free. It seemed he’d been confined for a while.

“Well, well…” you teased. “Looks like it wasn’t just me enjoying the massage, hmm?”

“I, uh,” Hildibrand stammered. “My intentions were not perverted in the slightest, my dear! I merely wished to bring you relief from your aches and pains.”

You giggled. “I know, Hildy. I suppose I just couldn’t resist the attention of a strong, handsome gentleman such as yourself. You, putting your big, warm hands all over me…” You leaned up to brush your lips against his, taking one of his hands and bringing it down to the apex of your thighs so he could see that you were just as excited as he was. “Why, it drove me wild.”

“I-I see!” Hildibrand replied after his mind took a second to catch up with what was happening. “Perhaps… I can remedy that!”

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” you teased. You flopped back on the bed, taking Hildibrand with you with an unceremonious ‘oof!’ from your love. With you underneath him, you guided him on where to properly straddle you. He brushed against you where you needed it the most and you bit your lip to stifle a moan.

Instead of entering you, however, Hildibrand instead took a moment to study your face. For a second, you were worried you’d upset him or done something too forward, but your mind was put at ease as his expression became that of an entranced smile. “My dearest, I wish to take time to etch your face into my mind. Should I ever lose my memory again, I want the scant things I remember to all involve you.”

Your eyes watered. “H-Hildy…” you stammered, feeling a wave of pure emotion wash over you. Leave it to Hildibrand to turn a heated moment into a tender one.

(Not that you minded.)

“I mean it! You are… so very dear to me. Every day I am glad that the Twelve guided you to me, that you could be one of my dearest associates. My investigations would go nowhere without you by my side to brighten my days.”

Not being able to take much more of this without your heart exploding from love, you smashed your lips to his, running a frantic hand through his hair as the other tossed his monocle off to parts unknown. Hildibrand seemed surprised but pleased by this revelation, wrapping his arms around you to pull you close as he kissed back with passion and fervor.

When you paused for air, you trailed kisses down his jaw and neck. “I need you, Hildy. Please…” you keened, needing him body and soul.

“As you wish!” he replied, lining himself up with you.

Impatient, you took care of the rest, wrapping your legs around his waist and pushing him down into you with your impressive strength. You may not have been supernaturally blessed with the muscleage Hildibrand possessed, but you were no slouch either. Years of training across multiple disciplines had made it so you could easily toss a full grown man across the room.

And right now, you wanted to use that strength for improper purposes.

Caught off guard but clearly pleased by this show of initiative on your end, Hildibrand gave you his signature grin before starting a pace that he knew you liked. Such a dorky expression should have been a mood-killer, but you were so in love with this man that it just spurred you on further.

You silenced that grin with a deep kiss that you kept up as you matched his pace with fervor, rolling your hips into each thrust. Your hands left his hair to scratch down his back with ecstasy, something he responded enthusiastically to with a deep groan.

By now, you two were familiar and comfortable with each other. There was no fanfare, because there was no need for it. It was just you, Hildibrand, and your soft silk sheets. Your two forms became one over and over as you tasted deep of his love and devotion.

True to his word as a gentleman, he refused to finish until you had. This time, you only had to guide his hand a little to help him get you there; he was learning you just as you had learned him.

You chuckled at him as he rolled over to lay next to you, panting with exertion. “You alright, Hildy?”

He responded with a breathless laugh in return. “Blissful. I could not imagine a sweeter place to be than here with you!”

Kissing him, you nuzzled into the crook of his neck. “Guess all I needed to feel better was a little tender loving care. Mmm, you have the hands of a deity.”

“Years of practice went into perfecting my craft!” he replied with another goofy smile. “As you know, I do nothing in halves.”

“I hope I didn’t scratch you up too badly,” you said, remembering how intense you’d been in the throes of the act.

Hildibrand blushed a bit. “Ah, these are marks I’ll wear with pride… though I suppose I’ll have a bit of explaining to do should my shirt get shredded… again.”

“That’s why we have spares,” you replied with a tired giggle. A wave of your hand turned the aetherial lamp in your room off as you burrowed deeper into Hildibrand’s warmth. You were still tired to the bone, but with an added layer of satiety that made everything mellow.

Pulling the covers over the both of you, Hildibrand kissed the top of your head softly. “Sweet dreams, my love.”

You were already out cold.

***

Hildibrand was plotting something, this much you could tell. For one, he’d been rather dodgy all morning, having gotten himself up early and sequestered himself in your crafting studio. Maybe he was taking up weaving like Tataru had suggested to him at some point while you were away.

(You wondered what on earth they talked about over tea without you there. Saucy romance novels, maybe? Current events? Economics?)

Curious though you were, you knew Hildibrand would tell you in the end. You trusted him implicitly and all you had to do was be patient… and hope he didn’t blow up your studio again.

The day was surprisingly informative, with you successfully managing to speak with the Wolf Burglar. He was expectedly aloof but had trusted you enough to point you in the direction of some of his associates in the city.

What you hadn’t expected was running into Godbert, out on a business trip with an unassuming man from the Something or Other Concern Trading Company. They’d said the same, but you couldn’t recall on account of the fact you were too busy pondering Godbert’s strange behavior.

“Did something about your father seem… different to you?” you asked Hildibrand as you two walked down to the pier, hand in hand.

Hildibrand hummed in thought. “Now that you mention it, he didn’t try to suplex me even once! Passing strange…” he mused.

You had been thinking more along the lines of Godbert’s odd detachedness, but that was also very true. “Maybe he isn’t feeling well.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen my father sick a day in his life. First time for everything, I suppose.”

“I’m sure he’ll bounce back,” you said, squeezing his hand as you looked out across the water. The sun was starting to set, painting the sky a myriad of pastels. “He’s a brilliant and tireless craftsman, after all.” Speaking of crafts. “Hey Hildy, was there anything you needed at the market? I saw you using the crafting studio this morning.” You fancied yourself an ameteur armorer and blacksmith, so most of what you had laying around was random metal.

Hildibrand’s eyes widened. “Ah, you caught me,” he said with a blush. “No, I… I procured what I needed ahead of time. I’ve been… planning this for a while.”

“For the investigation?” He’d lost you.

“No, it’s…” he trailed off, trying to get the words to come to him. You’d reached the railing overlooking the Ruby Sea, the dying rays of the sun glinting off the water and making Hildibrand seem to almost glow. “I…” The hand not holding yours flexed and relaxed by his side as if he were anxious about something.

You smiled at him. “Take your time, it’s alright,” you said, patient and sweet.

“I don’t quite know how I got lucky enough to catch your attention, but I know you’ve been in my thoughts since first we met that day in the Sagolii!”

This was feeling a lot like… no, he couldn’t possibly…? You kept listening.

“When I first laid eyes on you I knew there was something about you that would tie us together evermore. I know now that it’s the strength of your will, your valiant heart!”

Your heart thudded in your ears. “Hildy…”

“So! For the past few weeks I’ve been working on something. Now, I’ve never even come close to rivaling my father’s skill in crafting but I am still his son…” He reached into the pocket of his suit pants and took out a small box. Your heart leaped and flipped with excitement.

“I…”

Before he could lose his nerve, Hildibrand did exactly what you expected; he got down on one knee and opened the box to show you the contents. Inside were a pair of earrings that resembled the ones his father wore. They were a bit clumsily crafted in comparison to those, but the resemblance was unmistakable.

“Will you… will you make the the happiest man in Eorzea and take my hand in Manderville Marriage?”

Amidst your joy you felt a spark of humor. Leave it to Hildy to make a proposal of all things silly. But would it be him if it wasn’t?

Probably not.

Your extended silence seemed to worry Hildibrand. “Ah, perhaps I’m moving a bit too fast. Let us forget I ever said anything.” He moved to start shutting the box when you tackled him in a kiss.

“Of course I’ll marry you, you lummox!” you cried when you finally let the poor man breathe. A few passersby cheered but left you to your moment.

“You… you will?” Hildibrand replied, stunned. It was almost as if he were expecting his proposal to be declined, the poor man. “I-I mean, of course you will! I’m delighted. At last this Manderville man has found his Manderville wife!”

You put the earrings on as you two still sat there on the ground in a tangled heap from where you’d tackled him. The night was beginning to creep in and with it the chill, but you didn’t care about that. All you cared about was the joyful laughter you shared with your love between sweet kisses.

All this time you figured you’d make it alone out there, and then Hildibrand had come around and changed everything. And now you could practically hear the wedding bells ringing. Actually, now that you were paying attention, something was ringing for sure.

Wait, that wasn’t wedding bells; it was your linkpearl!

Of all the lousy times… you silenced it and kissed Hildibrand again only for the damned thing to start shrieking again within seconds.

You huffed a sigh and looked to Hildibrand sheepishly, who nodded. Irritating though it was, you both knew you were on call 24/7 as the Warrior of Light. And so you answered with a grumble to hear Tataru’s frantic voice on the other end. She sounded inconsolable and you were immediately anxious. It took multiple tries to get her to get the words out properly but she eventually managed to get the grim news out to you.

Just as quick as your spirits had soared, they plummeted once more;  Alphinaud’s ship had been shot down over The Burn.

Chapter Text

The house was quiet as the two of you entered, the weight of the night as well of what you’d been through heavy on your shoulders.

“Are you sure it’s alright for me to stay here? I don’t want to impose…”

You smiled. “Of course, Ali. It’s my house, after all. I get to make the decisions.” The fact that the both of you were afraid to let one another out of their sight went unspoken but known all the same. After all, you two were the only ones left now. Thancred, Y’shtola, Urianger, Alphy… all locked in soulless slumber.

But at least they were alive, you thought. The gut-wrenching despair you felt when you thought Alphinaud had perished in the crash was something you never wanted to feel again. For a moment, you’d thought your dear brother-in-arms had been lost to you forever, only for him to be brought back by the person you’d least expected.

Unlocking the front door, you placed your bag right on the inside, gesturing for Alisaie to do the same. With a nod, she dropped her satchel next to yours, taking a moment to examine the foyer. “What a beautiful home…”

“Thank you,” you said. “I never expected being a world savior to come with such a hefty paycheck, but I like having something nice to come back to after everything I have to go out and do.” Had it really only been a few days since the crash?

You frowned at the memory of Tataru’s call, the horrible news, the frantic cadence of the poor girl’s voice… your dearest Hildibrand had once again held you close that night as you sobbed. And then you were off before the morning sun even started to rise, knowing that once more your expertise was needed.

“If - no, when,” Alisaie said, shaking her head. “When I make it back to Sharlayan, I insist you come with. The scenery is beautiful and this place makes me think of home…” She sighed. “… I just realized I’ll have to write mother and father and tell them what’s… happened to Alphinaud.” Her lip began to quiver.

“We’ll get him back,” you said, pulling the girl into a sisterly hug. “We’ll get them all back. Krile is a brilliant healer, I’m certain she can solve this.”

Before Alisaie could answer, a voice from the hall called out “who’s there?!”

Alisaie yelped and drew her rapier before remembering what you’d told her. “That’s right, you have other houseguests,” she said, returning the catalyst to the blade as her shoulders slumped from the exhaustion that frequently follows a scare like that.

“It’s just me, Nashu,” you responded. “And I brought a friend.”

The soft pattering of footsteps sounded before Nashu appeared from around a corner, a snuffed Delight in her hands. The thin trail of acrid-smelling smoke that wafted from the blackened wick told you that until just a moment ago, it had been primed.

“Please don’t tell me you’re keeping those in the house,” you scolded.

Alisaie eyed the explosive like it was about to leap up and bite her on the nose.

Nashu quickly hid the Delight behind her back. “Nope, not at all! Keeping what? No idea what you’re talking about!”

That was bullshit and all three of you knew it, but you were too tired to argue. “Whatever,” you said, pinching the bridge of your nose. “How is everything here? Anyone… try to break in?” You still had it out for that creepy bastard; it was on sight.

“Break in? No, this is a nice neighborhood,” Nashu answered, raising an eyebrow. “Besides, Shigure’s been having this area patrolled regularly… for some reason.”

You owed the man a stiff drink after all of this was done, you thought.

“Good. Any updates on Yojimbo or the sword?” You knew Alisaie was likely totally lost, but you’d explain it to her later.

To your surprise, Nashu nodded eagerly. “Actually, we’ve secured a meeting tomorrow with a few of the Wolf Burglar’s accomplices. It looks like this whole thing is shaping up to be bigger than we expected! A real conspiracy!” Nashu flashed a fanged grin, excited. Her eyes flitted from you to Alisaie, and she gasped as if she just realized the girl was there. “Cor! Where are my manners? You must be the friend!”

Numbly, Alisaie nodded, lost in the throes of confusion most were upon meeting Nashu. “E-er, yes, hello. I am Alisaie Levielleur, red mage and Scion of the Seventh Dawn,” she said, bowing. “And you are…?”

“Nashu, Assistant Agent of Enquiry extraordinaire!” she replied, rushing forward to eagerly shake the girl’s hand. “We’re on the trail of a dastardly thief.”

“Ah, yes, I was told a bit about this on the way here…” Alisaie said, still a bit thrown off guard by Nashu’s energetic introduction. She looked back to you. “Would you mind filling me in on the details?”

You chuckled softly. “I’d need at least three days for the whole story, but… let me at least fill you in about our current endeavor.”

And so you told her everything, starting from your chance meeting with Shigure and ending with your recent engagement. Somewhere in the middle of it, Nashu fell asleep on the couch.

As expected, Alisaie was flabbergasted. “I’m sorry, but you have a what?!”

“A fiancé, Ali. We’ve not started planning the wedding yet, but…”

“And you failed to mention your engagement because…?”

You frowned. “It’s hardly been relevant in the face of what we’ve been enduring these past days.” Yep, you’d been afraid of this; Alisaie was definitely jealous. Perhaps soon it would be time for you to sit her down and explain that under no circumstances would she be anything but a sister to you.

Alisaie huffed a sigh, shoulders visibly slumping. “That… is fair. I suppose this is the man from the pier?”

“The very same.”

“Well, Tataru doesn’t seem to have a problem with him, so…” With an exhausted huff, she ran her hand through her hair. “When might I be able to meet him?”

Well, Nashu hadn’t mentioned anything about Hildibrand being missing, so… “Tomorrow at breakfast. What do you want, by the way? I have eggs, toast, rice…” You rattled off the foods and Alisaie decided on one that suited her palate.

Alisaie glanced over at Nashu, who was currently deeply asleep on the couch. “Is there a guest room?”

“There is, don’t worry. Nashu’s a bit of a narcoleptic and not picky at all about where she sleeps.”

“She seems… nice,” Alisaie managed. You smiled at her; that moniker was a lot kinder than what a lot of people usually had to say about Hildibrand and his entourage.

You chuckled. “She’s been a steadfast companion of mine for some time now. She’s unpredictable but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” You looked around to make sure the coast is clear. “By the way, if you see a Lalafellin man in pink with a straw hat, you tell me immediately, alright? He’s been stalking Nashu for years.”

Alisaie gasped. “Of course I’ll tell you!”

“Thanks, Ali,” you said, ruffling her hair. “Go get some sleep. We’ve got a big day in Kugane tomorrow. Well, you don’t have to come but you’re certainly invited. We could use all the help we can get.”

“You know I’m not going anywhere without you, considering we’re…” She bit her lip, fear clear on her face. “We’re… some of the only ones left.”

You pulled her into a hug. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. And if I find who’s doing this…” You released her, clenching your hand into a fist. “Well, they’re not getting away from me.”

“Nor from me.” Alisaie let out a deep breath that turned into a yawn. With a chuckle, you pointed out where the guest room she would be taking was as you headed to bed yourself.

As you suspected, Hildibrand was fast asleep in your bed when you crawled in next to him.

“Mm?” he inquired in the throes of sleep.

“Hello, Hildy. I’m home.” You cuddled up to him and kissed his cheek.

Hildibrand cracked open one russet eye and looked at you fondly. “My love. I’ve missed you ever so much.”

You smiled, nuzzling into his warmth. “I missed you too. I have a lot to tell you in the morning. My friend is here too, you’ll meet her tomorrow. But for now,” you paused to yawn deeply, “sleep.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Hildibrand replied with a tired chuckle, pulling you close.

Within moments, you were out.

~

Surprisingly, you were the first one awake the next morning, and Hildibrand followed groggily after you to the kitchen as you started breakfast.

Next in was Alisaie, already dressed and ready for the day. It seemed the smell of food had drawn her in. As she rounded the corner into the kitchen, she stopped short as she saw Hildibrand.

(You were relieved she was awake; who knew when that voice would come again?)

“Ali, good morning. How did you sleep?”

“Like the dead,” she replied, yawning and stretching.

Hildibrand smiled at Alisaie. “You must be the friend my beloved mentioned.”

Alisaie placed her hands on her hips as she sized up Hildibrand. “And you’re… the fiancé. The fiancé she failed to mention until yesterday.”

You sighed. “Alisaie, we’ve been over this…”

Hildibrand blinked. “Ah, you haven’t told your friends yet?”

“We’ve had a lot happen in a really short time, Hildy.” You plated breakfast, leaving enough for Nashu to help herself when she woke up. “Sit down and we’ll explain everything.”

And so you told Hildibrand of everything that had transpired between Tataru’s frantic linkpearl call and now.

“Most troubling…” he mused. “Though I am heartened to hear your friend survived the crash.”

“He’s still locked in slumber, though,” Alisaie said. “And we don’t know who’s next.” She picked at her scrambled eggs.

You frowned. “That’s why she’s here with us, Hildy. We’re keeping a close eye on one another until this problem is solved.”

“Is there truly nothing to be done for your other friends, my dear?”

“Nothing,” you answered morosely. “We’ve tried just about everything. But the hopeful thing is that they’re still alive. So we’re going to keep trying.”

Hildibrand smiled softly. “That’s the spirit! If there’s one thing I’ve always admired about you, it’s your determination.”

“I could say the same about you.” You took his hand and squeezed it as you gazed lovingly into his eyes.

Alisaie cleared her throat pointedly, breaking your little lovebird moment. “How is it that the two of you came to meet, anyroad?”

“Oh, where are my manners? We’ve been sitting and talking and I haven’t even introduced myself.” Hildibrand stood and then bowed politely. “Inspector Hildibrand, Agent of Enquiry extraordinaire at your service!” He then did his signature flex and grin.

Surprisingly, this actually caused Alisaie’s expression to soften. “Oh yes, I think I remember…” She looked at you. “You told me you’d done a stint as a private investigator during the lull after the Praetorium incident.”

Smiling, you nodded, telling her the rest of the story. “That’s where I met Hildy. We were friends for a good long while before anything like this started,” you finished off.

“Why didn’t you tell us about any of this?” Alisaie questioned, a smidge of hurt on her face.

You sighed sadly. “It’s… I suppose I was afraid that if I mixed him in with my Scion life, that…”

Alisaie got it, judging by her expression. “Oh, I understand.”

“I’ve never been one for politics and warfare, anyhow,” Hildibrand added. “I left that all behind when I left Ul’dah. I wanted to live my own life, not a copy of my father’s.”

“Your father…?”

Welp, no more hiding that little detail. “Godbert Manderville of the Ul’dahn Syndicate,” you explained, ripping the bandage off.

Alisaie took a step closer, examining Hildibrand’s face. “Yes, I see the resemblance. Admittedly, I’ve only met your father once, when I happened to tag along to a meeting my father had with some Ul’dahn emissaries some years ago. But Lord Manderville is rather… unique in appearance.”

Hildibrand made a face. “Please tell me he wore trousers to the meeting.”

“Yes… why?”

“Never mind,” he replied with a chuckle. “Tell me about yourself, Miss Alisaie.” 

Alisaie shrugged. “There’s not much to tell about me. I’m seventeen, I’m from Sharlayan, I’m a red mage…”

You chuckled. “Aw, don’t sell yourself short, Ali. You’re also one of the bravest people I know. The way you were ready and willing to run Shadowhunter through with your rapier… that was courageous.” And reckless, but you left that part out.

“Right…” she replied, bristling. “Was it truly just a few days ago we were in the Burn? Wary though I am to see one of our enemies wasn’t as dead as we thought, at least he’s not antagonizing us anymore.”

You took a long sip of your orange juice. “I say give him a chance. But you know how I am.”

“Gracious and forgiving!” Hildibrand exclaimed, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and coming in for a cheek kiss. “By the by, what time is it?”

Alisaie checked a timepiece she pulled out of the pocket of her tunic. “Ah… two or so bells before midday? Give or take.”

Hildibrand perked up. “Ah, let us make haste. We shall be late for our appointment if we do not!”

You began scarfing down your eggs in response. “I’ll go wake up Nashu. Did the tonic for Shigure come in yet?”

“Just yesterday morning!”

“Excellent. We’ll bring some with us, maybe it’ll ease Shigure’s worries.” As you spoke, a piece of bacon went down the wrong pipe and you began coughing.

Hildibrand was by your side immediately, patting your back until you successfully managed to dislodge the offending piece of breakfast food.

“My love, are you alright?” Hildibrand asked, concern clear on his face.

You smiled between coughs. “Yeah, just wasn’t expecting that is all.” You took a few gulps of orange juice and felt better.

“Oh, what a relief,” Alisaie said, and you noticed she was still primed to do an anti-choking intervention. But what you didn’t see was that the cogs were working in her brain. This man… truly seemed to care about you. He wasn’t in it for the glory, or the power, or the status. He truly loved you for you.

As much as it stung her, Alisaie had to admit that you two went together very well. Part of what made her like you so much was your positive nature and willingness to believe that good will always triumph in the end.

Yes, she thought. She could trust Hildibrand with you.

Instead of dwelling on it, she decided to steer herself back into the present. “Where are we meeting this ‘Shigure’? And is he trustworthy? Can we count on him to have our backs if it comes to blows with these associates we’re meeting?”

Hildibrand told her the plan. “And I personally can vouch that Shigure is a man of solid character!”

Despite your love sometimes being a tad too trusting, you felt he was right on the gil here. “He is. I trust him, he’s been with us the entire time thus far and has been nothing but kind… and very patient. He even forgave us for shaving his head.” You chuckled at the memory.

Alisaie blinked. “You… you what?”

“Another long story,” you assured her. “To make it short: it was part of a deal to get some disguises. And that plan failed spectacularly… but it was a lot of fun and no one got hurt.”

“And you looked so lovely in that ensemble,” Hildibrand said, pulling you close.

You giggled. “So did you,” you replied, kissing him on the cheek. “Let’s wash up and get going.”

“At your lead!”

~

The sun was high in the sky, not a cloud in sight. All things considered, it was actually a tad muggy. Nashu fanned herself with her notebook as the group waited for Shigure, and Alisaie looked like she sorely regretted not bringing a similar implement.

“You must be roasting, Hildy,” you said to your beau as you all arrived in the square.

Hildibrand tugged at his collar with a grimace. “I am… simmering a tad, yes. But a gentleman must needs endure!”

You chuckled. “Okay… but if you need to take a break in the shade don’t be afraid to say something.”

“As I live and breathe!” a familiar voice exclaimed.

Turning, you saw that Autgar had found your group. Currently, the man donned a… rather unique getup. 

“A zombie!” Alisaie gasped, going for her rapier.

You stopped her. “Autgar here prefers the term ‘living-impaired’, Ali. And he’s a friend of ours.”

“Autgar, my good man!” Hildibrand said, beaming as he gave his Gentle Dead Man cohort a brotherly hug. “What brings you to the streets of Kugane?”

Autgar informed you and yours of his business here as well as the reason for his strange attire.

Adapting quickly to the strange circumstances, Alisaie began circling around Autgar with a contemplative look on her face. “Hmm… yes, I do suppose you could pass for Lupin… from the back. At twenty paces. In the dark.”

“That is all I wish for, my lady,” Autgar replied with a polite bow. “I do not wish to raise alarm with the good people of Kugane, but all the same I wish to walk the streets and see the sights.” He studied her for a moment. “I shall inform my brethren that you are not to be eaten should they encounter you out there in the world at large.”

Alisaie went pale. “Ah, appreciated? Um, might you add my twin brother to that list? He looks a lot like me… but he’s a boy.”

“As you wish!” With this, Autgar imitated Hildibrand’s signature pose.

You chuckled. “Did you wish to accompany us on our investigation today? We could always use another pair of eyes.”

“I would be honored! Serendipitously, my eyes are functioning as intended today!”

Hildibrand grinned. “The more the merrier! Come, let us away!”

~

Now that things were smoothed over between Alisaie and Hildibrand, she got far more involved in the shenanigans than you’d expected. She and Nashu got along like a house on fire, seeming to share in a love of freedom above all else.

The pair emerged from the prison in peals of laughter, sunglasses and smiles plastered upon their faces.

“I can’t believe - ahaha! - I can’t believe that worked. Twelve, we’re breaking so many laws right now! If my brother Alphinaud were here, he’d have kittens.”

Nashu waved a hand. “Aw, what’s a few laws in the face of doing the right thing? If that sword is an heirloom of the Wolf Burglar’s, then by all rights it belongs to him!”

The Wolf Burglar cleared his throat. “I would implore you ladies to keep your voices down, if you could. After all, I am still a wanted criminal.”

“Not to us,” you said with a warm smile. “Sorry for the earlier misunderstandings.”

“It is no trouble.” He looked at all of you as his vision slowly recovered from the bright flash of light he’d been exposed to. “Strange though you all are, it is clear you mean well. Never have I had any quarrel with you personally.” He took a deep breath. “This Yojimbo character, on the other hand…”

You sighed, scowling sympathetically. “Trust me, I’ve got some choice words for him too. I thought we’d had a good rapport going!”

“I still think we can get through to Jim if we really try!” Hildibrand quipped, falling into step with you as he pocketed his sunglasses. “No one is beyond redemption!”

You and Alisaie shared a knowing look. “No one you and I have met together, at least,” you said to Hildibrand after a brief moment of contemplation.

“This is it. This is where my career and my life end,” Shigure remarked as he ran a hand through his newly grown blond tresses with a resignation of a man already condemned. “Not even one moon into this position and I have already committed the most unfathomable crime in my life.”

Hildibrand clapped Shigure on the shoulder, either not noticing or not caring about making the poor man wince at the power behind it. “The most unfathomable crime yet. But this is not a crime to harm, but rather a loophole to heal the hurts our misunderstanding has caused!”

“My superiors will likely beg to differ,” Shigure replied, morose and defeated. “I cannot believe I allowed you lot to talk me into this.”

“If I may ask,” the Wolf Burglar began, “what is it that led you to join the Sekiseigumi to begin with? You seem to be more sensible than most of them.”

Shigure puffed a lock of hair out of his face, clearly not used to his new style just yet. “Ever since I was a boy, I have wanted to make a difference in this world. There is an epidemic of injustice out there, and though I know I am but one man, I seek to do all I can.”

“And that, my good man, is why we get along so well!” Hildibrand exclaimed, throwing an arm around Shigure’s shoulder and bringing him close in a brotherly fashion.

“I… cannot argue that,” Shigure replied, not even putting up a token resistance to Hildibrand’s actions. If anything, the usually stoic man had the smallest of smiles on his face. “Eccentric though you may be, you… you are a good man, Hildibrand Manderville.”

Any response your love may have had to Shigure was quickly cut off by the sound of uproar from the prison complex behind you. It seemed your ruse had been discovered.

“Uh oh,” Alisaie said, glancing around for a quick escape. Spotting an accessible balcony, she used her red mage abilities to leap up and off the streets. “Meet me at the pier. You said Yanxia’s where we’re headed first?”

“That is the last place we saw Jim, yes. The best place to start on his trail would be there!” Hildibrand said, looking pleased with himself for such an excellent logical deduction.

With a nod, Alisaie was up and away. Looking to the rest of them, you decided the best way to split further would be for you to take the Wolf Burglar among the back streets.

You explained this to your party. “I know some sailors that’ll look the other way if I pay them to,” you said. “They’ll take us to Yanxia and keep it quiet.”

Nashu thought for a moment. “I can head to the pier by myself. I’ll even get some snacks for the road!””

The horrid little cheese-man who’d been terrorizing your friend for more than half a decade flashed into your mind. One look at Shigure was all you needed to ascertain he was thinking the same thing. “Or!” you interjected. “Shigure can come with you! You were just talking about wanting dango earlier, right?” Producing a small pouch of gil to cover said dango, you handed it to him while elbowing him gently in the side.

Being one of the sharper members of your retinue, it only took Shigure about half a moment to catch on. “Er, yes! Of course. It is my favorite food!”

Nashu clapped her hands and did a little hop of delight. “Yay! Then I’ll have an extra pair of hands to help carry my Delights too!”

“Ah, yes, certainly. Ah, you are certain they are stable to transport, my lady?” The bead of sweat trickling down his forehead was a great indicator of his doubts about that.

“Just keep them away from open flames!” Nashu replied with a giggle as she all but dragged Shigure off in the direction of the dango stand.

And then there was the matter of…

“Hildy, will you be okay on your own? I’d love to come with you but I know these back streets enough to navigate them in my sleep.”

Hildibrand did his signature pose. “But of course, my love. I shall all but fly to the pier posthaste!” With one last kiss for the road, he dashed off with a speed that could rival his father’s.

You turned to the Wolf Burglar. “Alright, he’s going to get lost… twice, probably,” you said, tapping your chin in contemplation. “But with his speed he’ll probably beat us to the pier by about three minutes.”

The Wolf Burglar just blinked a few times as he took in this information. “You seem to know him well,” he said, nodding to indicate he took your guesstimations as accurate.

You chuckled as you started down an alleyway with him in tow. “Of course I do! I’ve known him for years now and he’s my fiancé on top of that!”

“You are betrothed to that man?”

Tilting your head to show him the earrings you proudly sported, you nodded. “For a few days now. We’ve not started planning the wedding yet, but that’s for after we’ve solved this case and brought Jim- er, Yojimbo - to justice.” It seemed that Hildibrand’s penchant for nicknaming everyone had started to rub off on you, you noted with a smidge of mirth. Oh, that man… the Twelve must have blessed you with him, you thought.

The trip to the pier was met with no resistance. In a split second of inspiration, you’d given the Wolf Burglar a cowl to place over his head; thay way from the back he looked like any other Lupin traveler.

You greeted the usual crew from the Ruby Sea after ascertaining that all of your friends had arrived safely.

Shigure was hefting a box of Delights with mild difficulty as Nashu was eagerly munching down on dango, Hildibrand was doing squats, and Alisaie was… arguing with the sailors? Hoo boy…

“I already told you, I need passage to Yanxia.”

The sailor, a gruff-looking Auri man whom you vaguely recognized, scowled. “An’ I already told you-”

“Easy, friend. She’s with me,” you said, stepping between the two.

The man stiffened. “Ah, then of course she may pass! Is… everyone here with you?” he asked, eyeing the Wolf Burglar warily.

“Yep,” you replied, fluidly tossing the man a decent sized pouch of gil. “I trust that won’t be an issue?”

Hefting the weight of the bag in his hands with a mildly surprised look, he pocketed it. “Not a problem at all, ma’am. Welcome aboard.”

You smirked. “I didn’t think so.”

And so, you all set off for the next leg of your zany adventure.

Chapter Text

“Hrm…” Alisaie grumbled, running a hand through her hair as she fixed her braid. “I must admit, now that I’ve met this ‘Yojimbo’…  he seems like a right chocobo’s arse!” She scowled, and you had to tamp down the urge to ruffle the hair she’d just spent five minutes fixing.

You chuckled. “He’s… very money-minded. He looks out for number one. Not that I excuse any of what he’s done, merely that I… I can see where his logic comes from? When our goals align he’s actually rather good company. Were he not an enemy right now, I’d go for drinks with him.” You glanced over to Hildibrand. “In a camaraderie sort of way,” you clarified.

“No worries, I understand what you mean and honestly echo your sentiments!” He scratched his chin. “Hmm… you know who he reminds me of?”

Ah, so you weren’t alone in your comparison. “Greg?”

“Greg!” Hildibrand corroborated. “Such an interesting fellow… a friend one moment and a foe the next! I must say, however… I do miss his company. He always kept us on our toes.”

“I agree,” you said with a nod. “I hope he and Enkidu are doing well right now.”

Alisaie frowned. “Greg? Enkidu? Now you’ve lost me.

“Well, you see, it all started in Thanalan a few years back…”

You told her a condensed version of your time with Gilgamesh, leaving out the irrelevant parts for another time.

“You mean to say this man summoned a primal by himself and still stands hale and whole to this day?!” Alisaie exclaimed, rightly horrified at the prospect.

Hildibrand blinked. “Enkidu the giant bird was a primal? No wonder you didn’t let me within twenty paces of her!”

“I can’t risk you getting tempered.” You patted Hildibrand’s shoulder. “A few friends of mine with the Echo were enough to subdue Greg and send Enkidu back to the aetherial sea.” You grumbled. “Would that there was some sort of linkshell for people to call on when I need assistance with primals. The only one I can call upon at a moment’s notice is my friend Arenvald.” You shook your head. “A problem for another day,” you said, sputtering a breath. “Let us focus on the present.”

Alisaie nodded. “Yes, we’ve quite the fight ahead of us. If Yojimbo is as strong as you purport, we must needs approach this with caution.”

“You have my support,” the Wolf Burglar stated solemnly. “I am trained in the art of ninjutsu.”

Hildibrand hummed in thought. “I can take a hit!”

“I am a trained samurai, as you know,” Shigure added.

Alisaie placed a hand on your shoulder. “And you have me, of course.”

You chuckled. “Each of you is worth at least two ordinary combatants if not more!” Alright, three damage dealers, one tank… “I shall take up the position of healer.”

And so it commenced.

***

Though it would have been a trivial matter to shrug off the two Sekiseigumi restraining you as they prepared to haul Shigure off in chains, you also knew it would be a terrible idea to gain the ire of an entire law enforcement group.

So instead, you gritted your teeth and powered through the humiliation you felt as a god-slayer held fast by two mere men. “Shigure!” you cried. “Hang in there, I’ll figure something out!”

Shigure took his arrest with stride. “Fret not, my friend,” he said, smiling sadly. “I know I have done what is right. I accept what is to come.”

Well, he may have accepted it but you sure as all the seven hells didn’t! That was your friend they were leading away in shackles and there was nothing you could do about it.

When the squad arresting Shigure was a sufficient distance away, the Sekiseigumi restraining you released you with a stern warning as they too departed.

“Dammit!” you snarled, beating your fist against the wooden post next to you. The waves calmly lapped about the pier beneath your feet, a stark contrast to the boiling, churning rage you felt inside.

A hand on your shoulder jolted you out of the worst of your funk, and you turned to tell whoever it was to shove off before you realized it was your inspector.

“Deep breaths, my love,” he said. You humored him and thankfully did find yourself calming slowly. “Though this is a snag in the plan, I feel we are closer than ever to uncovering the truth!”

The Wolf Burglar shook his head with a frown. “Though I am glad to be unchained once more, I wish it were not at the expense of an innocent man’s freedom. The true culprit is that fiend, Akebono.”

“He sounds just as bad as Yojimbo, if not worse!” Alisaie said, coming to your other side and offering a similar gesture to Hildibrand.

“Hey!” came Gilgamesh’s offended protest.

Fangs bared, the Wolf Burglar whirled on Gilgamesh. “And you! Give me one reason why I should not tear you limb from limb for what you have done!” He jabbed a clawed finger into Gilgamesh’s chest.

Gilgamesh swatted the Wolf Burglar’s hand away like he was but a troublesome gnat. “Because I didn’t do anything wrong, really. Sure, I took the sword, but you won it back from me in a duel. Fair’s fair.”

“Easy,” you said, taking a step between the two now that you’d quelled your own rage. “Squabbling is pointless. We have to figure out how to expose Akebono’s schemes.”

The Wolf Burglar took a deep breath in, fists slowly unclenching at his sides. “You have the right of it, my friend. I suppose in light of what has happened, we shall revisit this matter another day.”

Gilgamesh flashed a fanged grin. “Now you’re talking! I’d love a good rematch!” With a hearty laugh, he moved and clapped Hildibrand on the shoulder so hard the man toppled over with a yelp. “And Hildy! Good to see you, lad! It’s been far too long!”

“Nice to see you too, Greg…” Hildibrand replied weakly from the ground. You helped him up, trying futilely to brush the dirt from his already ruined suit.

Alisaie blinked. “Wait, this is Greg? The Greg you said summoned a primal on a whim?”

“The very same!” Gilgamesh boasted, hands on his hips as he beamed with pride. “Though really, it was an accident…”

“We took care of Enkidu the primal in the end, Ali. This whole thing is a really weird and hard to explain situation, but… well, I don’t think Greg is a threat right now.”

Gilgamesh shrugged. “None of you has anything I’m particularly interested in right now. Well, besides the sword. But I lost the duel so I lost the rights to it.”

“You never had any rights to it to begin with, you fiend!” the Wolf Burglar scoffed.

“Watch it,” Gilgamesh retorted, scowling. “First of all, I’m an oni. If you’re going to insult me, do it properly.”

This time, it was Hildibrand’s turn to clap Gilgamesh on the shoulder, though his efforts hardly budged the larger man. “I think,” he began. “That instead of fighting, we should sit down and talk about this like gentlemen!”

You sighed. “Hildy’s right. And I for one need a godsdamned drink.”

“And I need context for this whole thing,” Alisaie said, confusion plain on her face.

“And context you shall receive, young lady!” Gilgamesh boasted. “I have much to tell your friends of what I’ve seen since last I saw Hildy!”

***

And so, you all promptly booked a table at the most expensive restaurant in town and proceeded to stuff your faces.

“Hm,” you said, swirling your wine in your glass as you finished listening to Gilgamesh’s tale. “I was wondering what had happened the second time I got called out to Dravania only to find no Ravana. The first time was, well, that’s a long story.”

“And an awful one,” Alisaie quipped, remembering how she’d nearly died to that poisoned arrow. “But let me get this straight: you’re an immortal world-hopping shape-shifting demon?”

Gilgamesh finished his third plate of dinner. “Oni. But yes. I’ve traveled the universe in search of the strongest opponents and the rarest weapons. It was on one such search that I met Hildy!”

“I do wonder how you managed to evade capture for so long, Greg,” Hildibrand said. “The authorities were right there along us every step of the way while we were investigating the thieving duelist!”

“Were they? I remember that Ishgardian fellow and that journalist, but I only saw them in passing.”

You drummed your fingers on the table as you thought back to those halcyon days in greater Eorzea. “You always stepped away right before they got back from somewhere, and vice versa. A comedy of errors, truly.”

“You really gave them the slip!” Nashu said, halfway through her fourth plate.

(Thank the gods you had more gil than you knew what to do with.)

“They ended up declaring catching you a lost cause and closing the case after they caught the Phantom Thief,” you informed him. “Still, I’d say avoid Thanalan and Coerthas for a time.”

“Noted! I’ve no plans on returning to greater Eorzea in the near future, so worry not.”

You nodded. “Alright, but you’re going to have to lay low here too after everything.”

Gilgamesh laughed heartily. “Why would I? That cunning and handsome samurai Yojimbo is the criminal, not I. I’m the great and horrible Gilgamesh, no relation!”

“Alright, I get it, but don’t let all of Kugane know,” you said, chuckling along.

“If I may ask…” Alisaie started cautiously. “You’ve been between worlds… have your travels ever brought you face to face with a boy that looks like me?”

Gilgamesh studied Alisaie’s face for a moment. “I can’t say they have, no. Why do you ask?”

Alisaie’s shoulders slumped a little. “Ah, well, my twin brother and our other friends… something’s happened to them. Their souls have been ripped away, and our best guess is that they’ve been spirited away to another world. It was… worth asking.” You patted Alisaie’s shoulder.

“Nothing we’ve tried has worked to bring them back,” you continued. “And since Ali and I are the only two left that have heard this voice without losing ourselves… we’re sticking together. That way…” You trailed off, tamping down the fear of being next. What if it happened in the middle of battle?

“That way we can keep each other safe,” Alisaie finished. “And when I find out who’s doing this…” She took a deep breath to calm herself and returned to her singular dinner plate. “Well, we’ll be having words, that’s for certain.”

Gilgamesh grinned. “I’d be worried if I were them! You’re quite the worthy opponent, young lady! We must have a rematch sometime.”

Alisaie grimaced. “Uh, perhaps. We’ll see.”

“That’s ‘Greg’ for ‘you’ve earned my respect!’” you explained. “That’s… what, four times we’ve battled? You’ve gotten better.”

“As have you, my friend! I wasn’t expecting you to slip free of my chains so easily. And you weren’t fooled by my chaotic tides for a moment!”

You smirked. “I’ve fought Susano too. He reminded me of you, actually. Always in it for a good fight, not for malice. Let’s just assume if you’ve fought a primal, I’ve fought them too. Which actually reminds me of something…”

“Hm?”

“Do you want a job?” you asked Gilgamesh. “You can’t be tempered, probably because you’re from somewhere else entirely. Or hells, maybe you have the Echo too. But we need reliable people to be able to fight primals when I’m not in the area. There’s a group of them headquartered near Ala Mhigo, but given the strict criteria it’s incredibly difficult to find people.”

Gilgamesh was silent for a moment as he thought it over. “Ah, I’m afraid I must respectfully decline. I know not where adventure will take me next, and I’d hate for an absence where my presence was expected to be the reason aught goes awry. But if we’re ever in the same area should something happen, know that I am always raring for a fight!”

You chuckled. “Okay. Well, you probably know where to find me if you change your mind. Just find where the biggest battle is taking place.”

“Or the toughest mystery!” Hildibrand added, finishing his plate and wiping his hands clean. “My love is the second best assistant I have ever had in my investigations!”

“Second best?” Alisaie asked.

Nashu raised a hand. “Well, I was here first, so I’m first!”

You smiled. “I’d never try and take that from you, Nashu.”

“I know!”

The rest of the dinner passed smoothly with bouts of conversation.

At the end, the Wolf Burglar spoke up for the first time since giving his order to the waiter (whom you’d bribed to keep his mouth shut about your dinner guests). “I propose a toast,” he said. “To Shigure, and what he has sacrificed for us today.”

“To Shigure,” you all said, clinking glasses together. It hung solemnly in the air as you contemplated how likely a second breakout would be. No, best not to risk it. Shigure said he could endure, but…

“Rest assured, I will not let what he has done for me go without gratitude. After this, I shall return to my brothers under the docks and begin forming a plan to bring Akebono to justice.”

Everyone made statements of affirmation, even Gilgamesh. Besides the occasional steely look, neither he nor the Wolf Burglar had provoked one another so far since the pier.

“What? Don’t look at me like that,” Gilgamesh said as everyone exited after you paid. “That slimeball never paid me! That means he’s stolen from me too!”

“That does not mean that-“ with a snarl, the Wolf Burglar clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides again. “No, I must be the bigger man. I thank you for your assistance. But should you attempt to lay a hand on my sword again…”

Gilgamesh held his hands up in a defensive position. “You won’t have to worry about that. I already lost the duel.”

“I shall hold you to that.”

And so Gilgamesh and the Wolf Burglar took off in different directions to meet and maybe squabble another day.

Satisfied no more fights were going to break out, you fell into step with Hildibrand and took his hand. “We make a good team on the battlefield, Hildy,” you told him.

He grinned. “I agree, we are most compatible! Never once did I fear for my life with you at my side to heal my wounds.”

You chuckled and leaned into him. “And I wasn’t afraid of getting hit with you there to draw emnity.”

“It truly is a wonder you’re still standing,” Alisaie mused from your other side. “You took more than one hit meant to be spread amongst multiple people and yet here you are.”

“I’m pretty sure Hildibrand can’t die,” you said seriously. “He survived a fall from Dalamud and countless years in stasis.”

Alisaie’s eyes widened. “Dalamud itself? And you still yet live?”

“Well, there was a time I thought I was a zombie, but no, it turns out I’m as alive as you!”

“You… what?”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “The zombies in Thanalan took him in after he dug his way out of his own grave without a single memory to be had.” You tapped your forehead to tell Alisaie you’d seen it all via Echo.

“So, the… the really polite zombies in the desert… that’s your doing, Inspector Hildibrand?”

He grinned and flexed. “It is indeed, Miss Alisaie. My good man Autgar that we met earlier today has been my right hand zombie since first I came back from the dead!”

You gasped. “Shit, we forgot about Autgar! We have to bust him out!”

“No need!” a voice quipped. You gasped and turned to see that the zombie in question was strolling up to you, still clad in his Lupin attire. “When those fellows at the jail discerned I was not of the living, they ran screaming! I took the opportunity to quietly exit the scene.”

“My good man, full glad am I to see you unharmed!” Hildibrand brought Autgar in for a one-armed hug but stopped when something went squish.

Autgar bent and picked up the arm that fell off without much fanfare. “Nothing a bit of twine and aether can’t fix!” he said, tucking it under the arm he still sported.

Alisaie slipped around you and Hildibrand and took something out of her satchel. “Here, let me,” she said, beginning to stitch Autgar’s arm back on with little complaint. 

“When did you learn how to do that?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, Tataru’s been teaching me some of her weaving, and what is a reattachment but weaving two pieces of flesh together? Besides, the undead and occult hardly faze me. I’m not Alphinaud.” This much was true; besides the initial shock of Autgar being a sentient zombie, Alisaie had adapted quickly to the new reality that had presented itself to her. “There we go,” she said, breaking the thread with her teeth and sealing her work with a Jolt’s worth of aether.

The arcane sigils marking Autgar glowed brighter for a moment before fading back to baseline. He tried the arm and found to his delight it worked just fine. “As good as new!” he exclaimed, bowing. “You have my utmost thanks, dear lady!”

“Wait,” you wondered aloud. “If you broke out earlier, where have you been this whole time?”

“Ah, well…” Autgar sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with his newly restored hand. “I realized with how warm it was today, that being out in direct sunlight for longer than necessary would have hastened my decomposition, and with as peckish as I am, I might have lost more than just an arm by this time! So I have been laying low until now.”

Hildibrand frowned. “When’s the last time you ate?”

“It has been… hmm…” Autgar furrowed his brow in thought. “Well, last I went out to the Ruby Sea, a pair of ruffians attempted to separate me from my belongings, but I instead separated them from their brains. That was… quite a few days ago. Hmm…”

Alisaie took a step back, giving you a worried look.

“Don’t worry, Ali. Autgar only eats criminals,” you assured her.

“And the criminally ungentlemanly!” he added. “Those on the side of justice have naught to fear from me! Now… where might I find a ne’erdowell…?”

You racked your brain to remember any unsavory characters you’d encountered recently. “Ah, there should be a man still in jail who was auctioning off living, sentient beings to the highest bidder.”

“Yes, that fiend!” Hildibrand said. “Full glad am I that we were able to reunite that pair of Qiqirn sailors!”

Autgar gasped. “Trafficking is among the most unforgivable of evils! As one who was myself created solely to serve another, I despise it. I serve Master Zombibrand solely because I wish to!”

Alisaie tilted her head, curious. “So, you have your own free will? How did that come to happen?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, dear lady. I was once a merchant who one day fell victim to a horrible substance called Trader’s Spurn. Anyone who gets hit by it immediately becomes living-impaired like myself, bound to serve the one that cursed them.”

“Almost anyone,” you corrected.

Autgar nodded. “Right you are, my overlady. Master Zombibrand himself is the only one to have recovered from its effects.”

“That whole ordeal just felt like one really bad dream…” Hildibrand mused. “I felt like I was floating, unable to move or even breathe. And then I was myself again… thanks to you, my love.” He kissed your cheek.

“I had help from Greg and everyone else,” you said, giggling as you returned his kiss with one of your own. “But I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.”

Autgar nodded. “Full glad am I that Master Zombibrand has yet to become living-impaired. As for myself, after my creator succumbed to time as all mortals do, I wandered the desert aimlessly, mindlessly. And then one day, there was a bright flash… and I was myself again. Many of my brothers likewise came to themselves at the same time, and we wandered the land searching for… something, anything.”

You frowned. “Hmm… how many years ago would you say that light was?”

“About… six or seven, give or take a few moons.”

And then it made sense. “The Calamity!” you realized. “It must have been the pure aether spat out in that area by the Calamity.”

“Now that you mention it, there was a lot of rubble and destruction. A lot of new brethren… What era are we in, anyhow?”

“The Seventh Astral era,” you answered. “The Seventh Umbral era ended when we drove the imperials from our land not too long back.”

Autgar was silent for a moment. “It has been so long… I wonder what happened to my family, if they ever learned of my fate.”

Hildibrand laid a hand on Autgar’s shoulder. “I know not, but if they are watching us now, they would be proud of the gentleman you’ve become!”

“Thank you, Master Zombibrand. Once more, your words have soothed my soul.” He looked to you. “And your advice shall soon soothe my hunger. Until tomorrow, my overlady.” With a bow, he departed.

You looked at Alisaie. “Are you doing alright?”

“I think. This is all so strange… So, you said this is what you do when you aren’t out on Scion business?”

You nodded. “Every time I find downtime, Hildy and Nashu find me.”

“Well, you found me that first time,” Nashu quipped. “But yeah, every time I see you you tell me you just got done with something big. Like dealing with that empire guy! Or that dragon! Or that empire guy who turned into a dragon! I wonder what you’re going to face next?”

“Hopefully nothing,” you said, exchanging a brief weary look with Alisaie. “The only thing I want to hit in the near future is the hay!”

It was probably you vocalizing your desire for peace and quiet that cursed you. Not a moment later, both yours and Alisaie’s linkpearls began simultaneously shrieking.

This was going to be bad.