Confessions: Chapter 2
May. 22nd, 2023 10:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gaiagesConfessions - Chapter 2
Fic Table of Contents
Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV
With the morning comes many questions... and a splitting headache.
CWs: hangovers
I want to strangle Gale ngl, use your words boy please. Granted that failure to communicate is one of his bigger flaws, I suppose. Let's just hope one of them figures their stuff out.
Other links: Tumblr | AO3
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The sun was bright. Too bright.
Laurent groans as he turns away from the window. Gods, my head hurts. My everything hurts. The sunlight streaming into his room let him know that it was well past noon—but Laurent couldn't muster the strength to get out of bed.
Instead, he wracks his brain, trying to remember what had happened last night. He remembered waiting at the bar for Gale, and became worried when he was running late. Laurent considered going to look for him—he knew the job Gale was on was risky, and there was a chance he ran into trouble.
Gemna, however, scoffed at the idea, telling Laurent to calm down and offering him a drink. He figured that since Gemna knew about his lack of alcohol tolerance, she wouldn't make him anything too strong.
The rest of the night was a blur. That's what I get for trusting her …
Laurent knew there was no way he would have been able to make it home on his own, and Gale was the one who dragged him back to the apartment. I'll have to thank him… but…
Whenever Laurent thought of Gale, he felt apprehensive. He wasn't sure why—he'd never felt anything of the sort toward him before. Something must have happened last night, but he couldn't remember what for the life of him.
Laurent slowly moves his head to look at the bedroom door. He could faintly hear some sounds outside of it—if he had to guess, Gale was making a meal. His stomach protested at the thought of food, but Laurent knew he needed to eat—as well as deal with whatever happened last night.
** **
"Ah, you're awake."
"Yes…" Laurent carefully closed the door to his room—partly to prevent the noise from aggravating his headache further, but mostly to prolong looking at the other Viera. Eventually, however, the door was closed, and Laurent was forced to turn towards the kitchen. Gale was chopping something off, his strokes softer and slower than usual. He's trying to be quiet… I'll have to thank him for the courtesy.
Laurent tries to speak, but the dull throbbing in his head makes stringing the words together difficult—not to mention the uneasiness of his stomach. Instead, the silence stretches on for a moment until Gale turns around.
"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" The Viera makes his way over to Laurent, concern evident on his face. He looks so tired… Did he not sleep last night?
"I… have felt better…" Laurent gives Gale a small smile, but Gale quickly breaks eye contact when he does. Huh?
"I know you feel awful now, but don't you worry—we'll get some food in you and you'll start to feel better." Gale offers Laurent a smile, then abruptly turns around. "I-I know you probably don't feel like eating, but trust me, it will help." Gale heads back to the kitchen. "Sit down and rest, I'm almost done."
Laurent leans against the sofa with a small sigh. Eir is acting strange… something must have happened. He rubs his temples to try to ease the dull throbbing of his head, but it's largely ineffective.
"...Do you… remember last night at all?" Gale's hesitant question cuts through the silence of the apartment. Laurent frowns.
"No, I don't, whatever Gemna gave me to drink was too strong."
Gale chuckles, but it seems forced. "That's no surprise, she gave you something I normally drink… and even then it was mixed to be stronger than usual." He turns and offers Laurent a plate of food. "Here, this will help."
Laurent looks down at the plate of heavy finger foods with a deeper frown. "...I appreciate the food, Eir, but I'm not sure if my stomach can handle this."
"Trust me, it'll help more than something like a bowl of soup will.." Gale looks away, staring out the window for a moment before continuing. "I… should apologize."
"Apologize? For what?"
"Yes, if I hadn't been late, this wouldn't have happened."
Laurent chuckles lightly. "While I appreciate the apology, you know Gemna would have orchestrated this regardless. She does love causing me trouble."
"Causing you trouble? I'm the one who had to carry you all the way home!" Gale casts Laurent a side-eye, though it's obvious the frustration was more theatrical than anything else. "Do you know how heavy you are!? You just decided you wanted to stop walking!"
"Did I…?" Laurent thought back once again to the night before, and he began to have some murky memories of what happened. How Gale helped him out of the bar—having terse words with Gemna not a moment before—and eventually becoming too dizzy to walk. How he thought Gale was stronger than he let on as he was carried on his back. But after that, he couldn't remember anything—only the feelings of apprehension returned.
"Thank you... for getting me back here. I should be the one to apologize—I've caused you a lot of trouble."
"It's fine, Reyna." Gale flashes Laurent a warm smile. "I'm just glad you're okay… relatively speaking."
Laurent can't help but think about how charming Gale looks when he smiles, but quickly pushes the thought aside. "You look tired... did you sleep?"
"I didn't, but I think I'll get some rest now. But if you need anything, let me know." Gale makes his way to his room but stops short of the door. "You truly don't remember anything?"
"...I don't. If I did or said something to upset you—"
"N-no! Nothing of the sort. I was simply wondering. Don't overexert yourself, Reyna."
Gale rushes into his room and closes the door before Laurent can respond, leaving him to stare blankly at the door. What in the seven hells…?
The long-haired Viera looks down at the plate of food. He's acting so strange… He sighs as he takes a bite. I hope nothing happened last night... I'd hate for Eir to be upset with me…
This past year has been one of the happiest Laurent's been for a while, now. He'd never expected to see Gale again after leaving the jungle, but now that they were together again, he didn't want anything to happen that would separate them once more.
Perhaps… Did I say something I shouldn't have? Laurent's feelings for Gale had always been strong, but he didn't try to deny or push them away—he was simply happy to be near the other Viera. The occasional thought would sometimes have him wishing for more, but those feelings would pass quickly.
Gods, did I tell him my feelings? Seven hells, did I proposition him? No wonder he's acting so weird, Eir is no doubt looking to avoid me now that—
Laurent shakes his head and takes a breath. No, I shouldn't let my thoughts get the better of me. Perhaps in a few days, I can remember what happened—or maybe it'll all blow over and I have nothing to worry about. He sighs as he takes the last bites of his food. Perhaps I'll talk to him tomorrow…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Fic Table of Contents
Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV
With the morning comes many questions... and a splitting headache.
CWs: hangovers
I want to strangle Gale ngl, use your words boy please. Granted that failure to communicate is one of his bigger flaws, I suppose. Let's just hope one of them figures their stuff out.
Other links: Tumblr | AO3
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The sun was bright. Too bright.
Laurent groans as he turns away from the window. Gods, my head hurts. My everything hurts. The sunlight streaming into his room let him know that it was well past noon—but Laurent couldn't muster the strength to get out of bed.
Instead, he wracks his brain, trying to remember what had happened last night. He remembered waiting at the bar for Gale, and became worried when he was running late. Laurent considered going to look for him—he knew the job Gale was on was risky, and there was a chance he ran into trouble.
Gemna, however, scoffed at the idea, telling Laurent to calm down and offering him a drink. He figured that since Gemna knew about his lack of alcohol tolerance, she wouldn't make him anything too strong.
The rest of the night was a blur. That's what I get for trusting her …
Laurent knew there was no way he would have been able to make it home on his own, and Gale was the one who dragged him back to the apartment. I'll have to thank him… but…
Whenever Laurent thought of Gale, he felt apprehensive. He wasn't sure why—he'd never felt anything of the sort toward him before. Something must have happened last night, but he couldn't remember what for the life of him.
Laurent slowly moves his head to look at the bedroom door. He could faintly hear some sounds outside of it—if he had to guess, Gale was making a meal. His stomach protested at the thought of food, but Laurent knew he needed to eat—as well as deal with whatever happened last night.
** **
"Ah, you're awake."
"Yes…" Laurent carefully closed the door to his room—partly to prevent the noise from aggravating his headache further, but mostly to prolong looking at the other Viera. Eventually, however, the door was closed, and Laurent was forced to turn towards the kitchen. Gale was chopping something off, his strokes softer and slower than usual. He's trying to be quiet… I'll have to thank him for the courtesy.
Laurent tries to speak, but the dull throbbing in his head makes stringing the words together difficult—not to mention the uneasiness of his stomach. Instead, the silence stretches on for a moment until Gale turns around.
"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" The Viera makes his way over to Laurent, concern evident on his face. He looks so tired… Did he not sleep last night?
"I… have felt better…" Laurent gives Gale a small smile, but Gale quickly breaks eye contact when he does. Huh?
"I know you feel awful now, but don't you worry—we'll get some food in you and you'll start to feel better." Gale offers Laurent a smile, then abruptly turns around. "I-I know you probably don't feel like eating, but trust me, it will help." Gale heads back to the kitchen. "Sit down and rest, I'm almost done."
Laurent leans against the sofa with a small sigh. Eir is acting strange… something must have happened. He rubs his temples to try to ease the dull throbbing of his head, but it's largely ineffective.
"...Do you… remember last night at all?" Gale's hesitant question cuts through the silence of the apartment. Laurent frowns.
"No, I don't, whatever Gemna gave me to drink was too strong."
Gale chuckles, but it seems forced. "That's no surprise, she gave you something I normally drink… and even then it was mixed to be stronger than usual." He turns and offers Laurent a plate of food. "Here, this will help."
Laurent looks down at the plate of heavy finger foods with a deeper frown. "...I appreciate the food, Eir, but I'm not sure if my stomach can handle this."
"Trust me, it'll help more than something like a bowl of soup will.." Gale looks away, staring out the window for a moment before continuing. "I… should apologize."
"Apologize? For what?"
"Yes, if I hadn't been late, this wouldn't have happened."
Laurent chuckles lightly. "While I appreciate the apology, you know Gemna would have orchestrated this regardless. She does love causing me trouble."
"Causing you trouble? I'm the one who had to carry you all the way home!" Gale casts Laurent a side-eye, though it's obvious the frustration was more theatrical than anything else. "Do you know how heavy you are!? You just decided you wanted to stop walking!"
"Did I…?" Laurent thought back once again to the night before, and he began to have some murky memories of what happened. How Gale helped him out of the bar—having terse words with Gemna not a moment before—and eventually becoming too dizzy to walk. How he thought Gale was stronger than he let on as he was carried on his back. But after that, he couldn't remember anything—only the feelings of apprehension returned.
"Thank you... for getting me back here. I should be the one to apologize—I've caused you a lot of trouble."
"It's fine, Reyna." Gale flashes Laurent a warm smile. "I'm just glad you're okay… relatively speaking."
Laurent can't help but think about how charming Gale looks when he smiles, but quickly pushes the thought aside. "You look tired... did you sleep?"
"I didn't, but I think I'll get some rest now. But if you need anything, let me know." Gale makes his way to his room but stops short of the door. "You truly don't remember anything?"
"...I don't. If I did or said something to upset you—"
"N-no! Nothing of the sort. I was simply wondering. Don't overexert yourself, Reyna."
Gale rushes into his room and closes the door before Laurent can respond, leaving him to stare blankly at the door. What in the seven hells…?
The long-haired Viera looks down at the plate of food. He's acting so strange… He sighs as he takes a bite. I hope nothing happened last night... I'd hate for Eir to be upset with me…
This past year has been one of the happiest Laurent's been for a while, now. He'd never expected to see Gale again after leaving the jungle, but now that they were together again, he didn't want anything to happen that would separate them once more.
Perhaps… Did I say something I shouldn't have? Laurent's feelings for Gale had always been strong, but he didn't try to deny or push them away—he was simply happy to be near the other Viera. The occasional thought would sometimes have him wishing for more, but those feelings would pass quickly.
Gods, did I tell him my feelings? Seven hells, did I proposition him? No wonder he's acting so weird, Eir is no doubt looking to avoid me now that—
Laurent shakes his head and takes a breath. No, I shouldn't let my thoughts get the better of me. Perhaps in a few days, I can remember what happened—or maybe it'll all blow over and I have nothing to worry about. He sighs as he takes the last bites of his food. Perhaps I'll talk to him tomorrow…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
