“I wanna make up for all the favours you did me, but you just keep surprising me with nice things, thats kind of rude, do you know that?” Somna’a said to Aveen when they were back in Ala Ghiri and tending to their Chocobo. Aveen chuckled and hung the reins and head harness on a hook in the stable, while Somna’a carried the saddle to its resting place.

“And I am not even sorry!”

“I see that, sassy little Mr. Not-Tia.”

Aveen just grinned at him, noticing Somna’a’s light mood in his voice. The day already felt so much longer than just the hours that had already passed. Their trip to the wonderful hidden valley and back seemed to have been more than just one shared little adventure, but more as if they had spent half a week together, compressed into half a day. Aveen couldn’t describe nor fully understand it. Maybe he was just still wriggly from the use of his aether and its little dance it did together with Somna’a’s. Aveen hadn’t been sure if he would be successful in pulling the Keeper’s aether with him, as stubborn as it is, but in the end he could proudly say to have managed his premiere of Aetherweaving successfully. And after that it just magically felt as if he had known Somna’a for so much longer already. He asked himself if Tristan had had this epiphany too, when he had been the one pulling Aveen’s Aether with him into the nature around them on that summerday those long months ago. If he ever had any kind of moment where he knew that something had changed between them. It had been so hard to talk with him about these things. Aveen was so used to guessing, hoping, patiently waiting…

“What is your family name, by the way?” Aveen asked curiously.

“Teyhaan. Someone told me we are somewhow related to the Tayuuns.” he answered with a shrug. “But I don’t much care for names.”

They had just finished tending to the red Chocobo when a loud drumming sound began on the stables roof. A heavy sudden rain had started and from outside they heard some complaining cries of the citizens, quickly running to their houses or searching for shelter. Somna’a’s ears moved and he positioned himself near the open entrance to the stables, bare arms crossed before his chest.

“Ah, great.” he harrumphed, tilting his head a bit to look up a bit to the sky without getting hit by too many raindrops. “Just as I wanted to fetch my coat from the weaver.”

“You let a little rain stop you from that?” Aveen calmly asked and stood next to him.

“Little rain? This will be fleshed out thunderstorm in a few seconds.” As if the weather wanted to emphasize his point, a low thunder rumbled in the distance. “See?” Somna’a grinned. ”And I don’t like thunderstorms.” he added. “Rhalgr is angry and sends his lightnings to us during thunderstorms.”

“Oh.” was all Aveen for now said to that. Well, everyone had his fears, right?

They stood in gentle silence next to each other for some minutes, watching the raindrops dancing on the cobblestones on the road outside the stables, listening to their enthusiastic drumming on the roof. Aveen often felt that he enjoyed those moments quite much. Sharing the same sounds and sights without the need to constantly talk. His right ear was turned towards Somna’a at his side who adorably tried to hide a wince as the first bright lightning flashed outside. The heavy clouds had stolen much of the late afternoons light and Ala Ghiri was coated in grey colors. Aveen could see a part of the freshly healed cut on Somna’a’s left shoulder and the line of pink new skin that had grown over the scratch on his arm where the garlean projectile had flown by. The moment Aveen had helped to heal these very cuts seemed so far away already.

Without noticing and caught in his reverie, he must have stared at Somna’a’s left arm suspiciously long, because the Keeper said in an amused tone: “Just ask if you wanna touch.”

Aveen’s ears flew up and and then further down as he looked up into Somna’a’s face. ”I was just observing the state of your healed wounds!” he said defensively, despite it being only the truth. “Like a healer does!”

“Ah. And what is your conclusion, Healer? Before you ask: no they don’t hurt anymore. I have survived nastier things. My shoulder and hip are fine.” A warm tone found it’s way into his voice, as if he wanted to say thank you again for the treatment through these words. He turned a bit more towards Aveen, arms still crossed.

“Thats good news.”

“Hm. But can I touch you hair in return then?”

Aveen blinked dumbly. “Uh… what?”

Somna’a just laughed his contagious, cute laugh and loosened his arms. “You touch my arm, I touch your hair.”

Was he being serious now? They were talking like stupid 6-year-olds here! Aveen just gave a silent snort, his ears still shyly back. ”I don’t… even want… why my hair?!” he stuttert and then immediatly had to laugh about himself.