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[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?

[tilfrosset]

[Kaveh putting in any kind of work to find her is something Jill does not want, but she also knows he's stubborn. Unfortunately, she too can be stubborn.]

My personal lodgings.

[Not very helpful without an address.]

[empyrean_mirror]

I see. That doesn't make this delivery much easier.

[THAT'S IT HE'S GONNA ASK DAD--

No actually he's sending her an image.

Of several bottles of wine.

your move, Jill.]

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.]

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]

[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, 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]

[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.]

[tilfrosset]

[Asking Cid for her address goes against the rules! And what delivery?]

I'm not sure what this is.

[She knows wine when she sees it, but why is he sending her a picture of it? And so many too.]

> 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

[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?

[empyrean_mirror]

Those would be yours, Jill, if I could only find where to take them.

[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.

[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.]

[tilfrosset]

[At some point, Jill switches the shellphone to silent mode because the shrill screaming of the thing is driving her mad. Especially knowing who's on the other end because Cid is going to want to talk and she knows it.

But there's only so much running away she can do before there's a knock at her door and a far too familiar gravelly voice calling her name. She has to face the man whose become like a father figure to her and she has to do it now because Founder knows he's not going to give up. So forgive her the few long moments it takes to attempt to put herself together physically (and poorly too; there's no hiding those red eyes) before she makes her way to the door, tugging it open.]

Good day.

[Right. He'll certainly accept that as a normal greeting, nevermind the hoarse voice it comes out in.]

[tilfrosset]

How so? I made no such order for wine.

[She's playing the fool, just wanting to be left alone in her misery for however long it'll take for it to pass. But in all honestly, Clive meant too much to her for Jill to expect that to happen anytime soon. Or ever.

The idea of taking every single one of those bottle straight up is tempting though, at least in the hopes that she'll pass out and not have to think for a few hours. Maybe for the rest of the day.]

[ramuhs]

[Despite how he rushed over and as much as he'd like to just fling that door open, he waits. Waits for her to gather herself, waits for her to decide what she wants to do. There would have been a point where he would have pressed, try and talk to her through the door and perhaps force it open if only to make sure she was physically all right, but otherwise he will be patient here.

And it will pay off when she does finally open it...only for his brows to furrow upon seeing her. Of course he expected her to be worn out, but it's not the red eyes. It's that forced greeting, that attempt to be "fine." Something that he knows all too well.

For a moment he stands there, but Torgal whining beside him finally makes him move.]

Mind if we come in? I think it would be better than standing out here.

[apothecarry]

Right.

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

Alfyn knocks, gently.]

It’s just me.

[astudyinviolet]

[ He didn't expect much of a reply if any, and he won't give her empty platitudes that won't change anything. Writing messages could offer a distraction, but it also brings up Clive's absence again and again. Sherlock has seen what that can do to a person.

So, Sherlock doesn't reply. Jill doesn't have to force herself on his account.

However, if the opportunity to check on her should come up, he will do so. ]

[tilfrosset]

[Jill can't even say she's physically okay. Who knew that her heart could literally hurt? Like it's been shattered into pieces from it falling into her stomach at the moment she realized Clive wasn't just out on an errand without telling her so. Emotionally, she's broken beyond recognition, but Jill swallows all of that down and puts on a indifferent looking face.

She's silent aside from a wave of her hand to bid him and hound permission to enter. There aren't many words that feel appropriate right now. Plus the less she speaks, the easier it is to continue pretending. Cid has always seemed a man of the gift of gab, so he's welcome to use it to speak enough for the both of them.]

[tilfrosset]

[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...

[ramuhs]

[That "gift of gab" may be a bit silent given everything, but perhaps something will come of it. For now he follows her in without another word, Torgal right behind. Even after the door is shut and they've moved further in, he doesn't say anything.

Honestly, it's difficult to say anything at all. So he'll just have to...start with the basics.]

...Are you certain he's...gone?

[And that would be with the hardest question.]

[apothecarry]

[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.]