"Would you believe on the back of a chocobo?" Viktor asks, a little too honest. "Where birds aren't allowed, though? Hm. I've got favorite places everywhere, but probably...the Sapphire Avenue Exchange, in Ul'dah. It's a market street. Crowded, noisy. Full of adventurers, but still smells nice." He grins at his own joke. "Like spices. I'll take you there."
He knows he should weave the thread of this conversation into something more useful — talk that might tease out Allag's true agenda, its renewed interest in Eorzea now — but, he doesn't expect it to hurt as much as it does, talking of new adventures with someone.
It feels a bit like pressing a still-purpling bruise, but his smile remains — he's well practiced at that. What he can't help is his mind, drifting again to a crystal statue in silent vigil a world away, to the promise that had died on lips turned to blue stone. Silence slips in, lingering a few beats too long before Viktor catches himself staring again at G'raha's mouth. "Sorry. It's just that--" How stupid. Yes, that'd go over well. There's this fellow I'm still getting over, you see. Centuries old. From another dimension. Fancied him quite a bit, even after he'd turned to stone. And you, strange Prince of a Foreign Nation, sort of remind me of him. This stone man whose real name and face I didn't even know. Viktor slides his palm across his face as a new realization strikes him. "--Matron's teats! I haven't even told you my name. Viktor. It's--you can call me Viktor. Or, Warrior of Light, if you really, really want to stick to a title. But, that's a real mouthful."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2024-03-12 11:37 pm (UTC)He knows he should weave the thread of this conversation into something more useful — talk that might tease out Allag's true agenda, its renewed interest in Eorzea now — but, he doesn't expect it to hurt as much as it does, talking of new adventures with someone.
It feels a bit like pressing a still-purpling bruise, but his smile remains — he's well practiced at that. What he can't help is his mind, drifting again to a crystal statue in silent vigil a world away, to the promise that had died on lips turned to blue stone. Silence slips in, lingering a few beats too long before Viktor catches himself staring again at G'raha's mouth. "Sorry. It's just that--" How stupid. Yes, that'd go over well. There's this fellow I'm still getting over, you see. Centuries old. From another dimension. Fancied him quite a bit, even after he'd turned to stone. And you, strange Prince of a Foreign Nation, sort of remind me of him. This stone man whose real name and face I didn't even know. Viktor slides his palm across his face as a new realization strikes him. "--Matron's teats! I haven't even told you my name. Viktor. It's--you can call me Viktor. Or, Warrior of Light, if you really, really want to stick to a title. But, that's a real mouthful."