shellphones |

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[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.]

Right.

[So! She’s home and awake and responding. Those are probably good signs.

Alfyn knocks, gently.]

It’s just me.

[Good signs in that she's still alive, sure. Whether or not she's in any condition for visitors remains to be seen.

There's a kneejerk reaction to ignore it and continue in her spiraling, but Alfyn is already her. The least she can do is greet him so he can quickly be on his way. So she answers the door, looking like she's been dragged up and down, and plasters on a polite smile, the kind that sends the message someone is just trying their damndest to avoid the inevitable storm headed their way.]

Alfyn...

[Oh, he knows that look. He’s seen it, or near enough, on his friends’ grieving faces back home.

Alfyn doesn’t step forward, or make any sudden moves at all really. Trying to smile will also seem too untruthful. He just stays gentle and serious - and sad.]

Hey there. [He holds up his hands.] I won’t stay, if you don’t want company. But I…well, I didn’t want you to be all alone if you’d rather not be, either.

[They both know there’s nothing anyone can do. It’s just that he couldn’t sit and do nothing.]

[If Alfyn won't make any moves, neither will Jill. They might just stand here staring at each other all day long because she doesn't know what to say that won't be her sharing her emotional distress to someone who thought they were prepared for it, but really wasn't. Besides, she's so wound up that it's better than Alfyn approach her gently, like one does a skittish animal. Founder knows something in her is just ready to snap.]

I...

[What does she want? Obviously, she would want Clive here and for them to be living their best life together, but Jill doesn't seem to get what she wants. Anything else, she just comes up blank. All she knows is that she doesn't want to feel this way anymore, but there are no obvious solutions to be had.

But she's always been one to lean on the side of honesty.]

I don't know what I want.

[Watching her struggle to say anything, accounting for all the pain on her face and her physical distance from being easily found and the way something in the air feels like it might snap any minute…Alfyn can understand.

He looks around, out and behind him. No one else is here, but he bets it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the crew shows up. And maybe Jill would be better off with someone who knows her better, has for longer.

Jill herself keeps his feet from turning to go. He’s sure there’s more to this than her sweetheart going home.]

I thought about askin’ if you wanted to help tidy up the garden. But we’re a little far from that right now.

[He smiles for just a second and shakes his head at his own nonsense.]

Think a walk would do any good? [Not help, obviously. Nothing will help. But moving around can sometimes be better than stewing.]

[Would she really be better off with those from her home world? Probably not. They'll all be pushed away with the walls she's building around her heart, knowing they'll serve as painful reminders of what she now lacks. Clive was the common denominator between all of them and the thought of having to juggle their hurt along with her own is just too much to handle right now.

If this was just about Clive going home, Jill would be more stable about things, but no, it's not just that. Her faith and and loyalty has been shaken to their cores and there's a million and one things tied up in one man's departure. It would have never been as simple as that.

Jill shrugs, truly not knowing what would do her any good. She hasn't eaten, much less drank anything today. And she certainly hasn't washed up either. If Alfyn's suggestion is the only thing put on the table for her to choose from, there's really not much of a decision to be made.]

I suppose so.

[Her heart's not in it, that's clear enough to see. But Alfyn's been standing in her doorway long enough for Jill to get the impression he's not about to leave her to her own devices.]

[He'd feel terrible about leaving her alone after seeing her like this. Since he can't solve the problem, the best he thinks he can do is be a good distraction.

So he steps aside, just out of the doorway, and holds his far hand open, motioning to the general outside.][Alfyn is being very careful not to give any impression other than that he's worried for her (which is true) and that she's under no pressure to agree with him.]

Won't go anywhere there'll be a lot of people to deal with. [None of his lady friends - probably not any of his friends, really - would want a crowd around if it was clear they'd been crying like this.]

[Distractions are good. She may not want them, but she needs them, and well, Jill is in no condition to be refusing the good of others.

So she sighs in the way someone has given up any fight at all and takes a step out of her chambers. One foot forward, then the other, and soon enough she's in the hallway. Baby steps, really, but one has to start from somewhere.]

As long as you can promise that.

[She doesn't want to talk about her feelings with too many people. And who could blame her when it gets draining being asked how you're holding up when you're barely hanging on?]

I'll swear it on my satchel!

[He thinks about offering her his arm, then thinks better of it. There's only so much pushing he'll get away with, if his gut's right, and the walk shouldn't end before it starts.]

Anyone gets too close, I'll chase 'em off! [He grins, rubbing his chin like he has such a good thought.] The suggestion that they stop an' take a rest usually does the trick.

[Some of the crew, in particular, are experts at simply disappearing when Alfyn is around and concerned about their welfare.

When they are down the hall and out the door, Alfyn steers the path away from the harbor, toward a little rocky walking trail that overlooks the water instead. It's still chilly, but the weather isn't too bad otherwise. There's enough of a breeze, in fits, that any worry Jill might have about the state of herself will be easily explained by the gusts.]

Been quite a while since I came out here. Not much to forage for, just now, but it's about time to start lookin' again.

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