» text

[tilfrosset]

Type: Text
Sender ID: tilfrosset (Jill Warrick)
To: Public
Subject: Clive's Departure
Warnings: Possible mentioning spoilers for the end of FF16? Let me know if you want to avoid them.

Good evening, all. This is Jill Warrick.

While I do not enjoy announcing bad news, I am aware he had a fair number of acquaintances who should be notified that Clive Rosfield has left. It seems his last day here was yesterday, perhaps early this morning.

[If this all sounds cold and businesslike, it's on purpose. It's far easier to pretend that she hasn't been crying her eyes out all day through text than any other method of communication.]

With that said, though we did not have plans for a grand event, I must also announce that there will be no wedding. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

[Inconvenience? Sounding like she's putting others out as if she's not the one who lost her other half. But of course, years of hardening her heart against emotional disruptions sure taught her how to fake it until she makes it. Or at least attempt to, badly. She's experienced loss before, but this? It's different.]

Comments

voice; id: paradisaea | privated

[empyrean_mirror]

Jill, where are you right now?

[Because Kaveh now has a Mission.]

[tilfrosset]

[She responds in text because she doesn't trust her voice not to crack over the line.]

I'm at home.

[A short and sweet answer, but does she mean her tiny apartment or the chambers she used to share with Clive at The Roost? It's a mystery.]

[empyrean_mirror]

[Fine, he can switch to text. Though it's marked as being him speaking to Mehrak to convert it to text for him...is he on the move?]

you know I'll hunt down and check both, would you kindly spare me some time by telling me which one?

voice; id: ramuhs

[ramuhs]

[This is certainly not what he expected to see when he saw a message posted by Jill, and for a moment his heart just feels like it stopped, mind momentarily blanking before he quickly tries to call her.]

C'mon, Jill, pick up—

[Should he try their house? Her apartment? Before he even knows it he's already up and moving unable to just sit still.]

[tilfrosset]

[The shellphone rings in her palm as Jill is staring at the screen announcing Cid's ID. She should pick up; after all, Clive was important to him too.

But her throat feels too tight, her eyes are beginning to burn again and she's sure words won't come out the way they're supposed to, so Jill lets it continue ringing the hopes Cid'll think she's just preoccupied.]

> action

[ramuhs]

[Preoccupied his ass—he's already out but what will surprise him is Torgal, who looks as if he had been running to find him. With a whine and a bark, the wolfhound takes off, and Cid doesn't need to ask or question where.

He'll keep trying to call Jill regardless, joining all the others who are undoubtedly trying to reach her. But regardless whether she picks up, she's going to hear a very firm thud thud thud against her door followed by his voice.]

Jill, it's me.

text | un: astudyinviolet

[astudyinviolet]

[ Oh... that changes the pattern he was seeing form. Sherlock didn't know them very well, but Jill had seemed nice when they had exchanged messages on her engagement announcement. She must be devastated. ]

My condolences.

[tilfrosset]

[What does one say in return? "Thank you for recognizing my loss and sadness"? It all seems so awkward, but Jill knows that she has to say something lest she appear impolite.]

Thank you. It's greatly appreciated.

[Devastated is truly an understatement.]

action, a day later

[garudas]

[She'd seen the message, but chose not to say much of anything about it. Mostly because she did not know what to say. Words were never her strong suit, especially for situations like this, and especially when it was Jill. Actions spoke much louder, and even then, Benedikta wasn't sure what she could even do.

At any rate, she will try. Just like she has been trying for many months for many different things.

So, there will be a knock on Jill's door the next day, sometime in the late afternoon. And if she doesn't answer, there will be more knocks, sharper and louder, until she finally does.]

[tilfrosset]

[Hours have passed and Jill feels no differently than she did earlier. Her heart hurts, so much so that she's certain she can physically feel how broken it is. Maybe it'll heal, maybe it won't. Time is needed and definitely more than a day.

But there's a knock at her door right now and for a long moment, Jill freezes in place, almost like a deer caught in the gaze of a predator. If she stands still long enough, will whoever it is go away thinking she's just not at home?

No. They continue knocking, harder even, as if they know she hasn't left the confines of her room all day. The person seems insistent and Jill seemingly won't get any peace until she lets them in. Who it is on the other side is unexpected and it takes a moment for Jill to swallow her surprise before greeting the woman with solely her name.]

Benedikta.

text

[apothecarry]

[In the cold silence following this announcement, Alfyn debates replying by shellphone. But what could he possibly say? As bad as he feels about a friend gone, Jill must feel a hundred times worse. No words he has are going to come off comforting or helpful, of that he’s certain.

So after some long thought and, hopefully, enough time to put his own feelings on the matter under wraps for now, he gets himself to his feet and goes looking for Jill. She doesn’t seem to be anywhere out in public - and why would she be? While saying all that? - so it takes a bit of wandering, but in time he comes to her closed door and stands before it.

Then he gets out his phone.]

Hey, Jill, are you home?

[tilfrosset]

[She is not fit for public viewing. Her face has turned puffy and red, her hair has remained uncombed since rising this morning, and there's absolute certainty she would probably scare small children at this rate.

Then again, she doesn't have any plans of leaving the confines of her room that affords her the privacy of crying at any moment.]

Yes.

[A simple answer that's straight to the point. Jill finds nothing but difficulty carrying on conversations at the moment.]

voice; un: weishappened

[weisshappened]

[... Oh damn. Damn. It's pretty easy to read between the lines here. Unfortunately, he hasn't had a chance yet to work out just how private lines work, if they work. Sorry, Jill.]

[But he'll keep it light.]

We talked a while back about your Torgal meeting Assan. I've got some free time on my hands, coming up. Be happy to arrange something.

[And, you know, go touch grass or something like that.]

[tilfrosset]

[She's still sticking to text. Jill is being adamant about not splashing her emotions everywhere even if it's the one thing she wants to do the most.]

He's not my—

[Jill stops herself but still accidentally hits send. She doesn't mean to be argumentative. It's just that Torgal always seemed to be Clive's furry brother in arms first. But perhaps without his master here, the ownership claim falls to her. Or maybe to Cid. In any case, it's something to be dealt with on another day.]

Disregard that. I'm sure Torgal could use the distraction.

[And so could she. There's no way she can stay in her room until the heartache fades. It probably never will.]

[TEXT] un: hammertime

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Darin is assuming that Jill has a vastly superior network of friends that she can readily count on to be calling and checking on her.]

[And he knows that...well, at times like this, you aren't alright. And having a bunch of people ask if you're alright only serves to make things worse.]

[So instead, he texts a one word question.]

Drinks?

[tilfrosset]

[Vast? Maybe. Superior? Maybe not when all Jill wants is to be left alone to drown in her grief. None of them seem intent on respecting her wishes and Darin is just another one of them.

But she's tired, tired of nodding and plastering on a smile that doesn't reach her eyes, of confirming that she is sure he is truly gone, of wondering if wishing upon any of the stars here for his safe return would comfort her like wishing on Metia used to. Just plain exhausted. So when Darin offers some more alcohol to soothe the burn, Jill doesn't fight. She just texts back a single word.]

Where?

text; un: feralhumanity

[feralhumanity]

[Oh... this isn't news Nanaki wanted to hear. After switching to the speech-to-text function, he replies.]

I'm so sorry to hear... I really liked Clive.

[tilfrosset]

I'm sure he enjoyed your company as well. He seemed to be quite liked by so many here.

text; un: nutsornothing

[nutsornothing]

Aw man...That's super shitty.

You know what always cheers me up when I am pissed off, Jill? A good ole milkshake.

[tilfrosset]

[Who said she was pissed off? Certainly not Jill. She's fine. Fine. Losses like this should be expected in a place full of unstable rifts.

But it doesn't make them hurt any less.]

I'm not really in the mood for a milkshake.

[Or any sort of food, really. Grief has been taking up most of the room in her belly, leaving space for nothing else.]

text; private

[phoenixdominant]

[Joshua is still going through the motions of this departure... He may be going through them for some time.]

Thank you, Jill. For posting this for the both of us.

Although, you should have let me do this for you.

[tilfrosset]

[Ah, the one person Jill has absolutely been avoiding at much as possible. There is no joy to be had in telling Joshua that his brother has returned home to an uncertain fate, a possibility of never being seen again and none in having to share the pain of a Clive-sized hole left behind. Not one bit in also being reminded that Joshua had went with Clive to Ultima too and Jill doesn't know what fate lies in stores for her brother figure.]

For what reason?

[It wouldn't have made it any less painful and at least it gave her a nice foundation in pretending all her emotions over it were already processed.]

[midifications]

[Knock knock. It's a little after the announcement Jill makes, but not insistent at all, just a knock so she knows something was there, should she choose to open the door later.

When Jill finally opens the door, there won't be anyone there but a note and some flowers that may or may not look like the ones Jill had asked for. A little different, perhaps, but as close as they could be from their talk before a few months prior. They've been dried, so not as to wilt.

'Jill,

Couldn't find the exact flowers you wanted, but I found these. I know it won't make the hurt go away, but you and Clive are still together. Don't think anything could keep you apart from each other. Your bond is stronger than that. If you need to hit something with a hammer, I've got plenty of stuff for that to happen, let it all out. Just tell me. :)

Love,
Mid']

voice | un: netherese | private

[netherese]

[Gale waits a good while before reaching out to Jill later in the day. He's not sure that he expects her to answer, given what she must be feeling at the moment, but he cannot bring himself to say nothing.]

Jill, my deepest condolences.

[He sounds earnest, sympathetic.]

I realize there is very little that may bring you comfort at this moment, but if there is aught I can do for you, you need but say the word.

[tilfrosset]

[Condolences. The word is usually use when someone has passed and hearing it said in regards to Clive leaving makes Jill wince. It's nothing that's Gale's fault; it's all because she doesn't know whether or not Clive is still alive in her world and if that word is more fitting than not...

Jill doesn't even want to consider that option.]

I can tell you that I want no more wine for the night. Maybe the week. Perhaps the month.

[At least she's started to reply with her voice now, though it sounds hoarse and raw from all the crying.]