Chapter Text
“Even children know how to tuck their scarves in better than you do.”
The Garlean man was uncomfortably close as he delivered his snide judgement, and Mimi made a deliberate effort to avoid his gaze. She desperately wanted to look cool and unbothered, to prove that the Warrior of Light wasn’t one to be troubled by simple things like the cold weather. Yet her teeth kept chattering no matter how tightly she clenched her jaw, and her lungs burned with each icy breath.
“Look, let me just help you. It will only take a second.”
“No, it’s fine, really, I…” Her protests were cut short when she felt Jullus’ warm hands brush against her skin. He was wrapping her scarf tighter around her head and neck, tucking it into her coat. It all felt embarrassingly intimate, and a crimson red flush burned across her cheeks.
Ever since Quintus had assigned Jullus as their guard and sent them in search of ceruleum, Mimi had refused to look Jullus in the eye. When the twins made small talk with him, she had remained silent, telling herself that prisoners could not earn their freedom by making friends with their warden. His fussing over her scarf had broken the last of her resolve, and she finally let her eyes meet his gaze.
A hint of a smile flashed across the man’s face, though his words denied it. “Don’t think I enjoy this either,” he said, “But Lord Quintus placed you under my watch, and I am not going to let you freeze yourself to death.”
“Of course,” Mimi muttered. They stood in silence, two people who were supposed to be bitter enemies, and all Mimi could think about was how the deep blue of his eyes reminded her of the warm waters of La Noscea. She wondered if the man had ever left Garlemald, and had the sudden urge to offer herself as his tour guide across Eorzea.
Something howled in the distance, breaking her trance, and she suddenly became aware of Jullus’ hands resting on her shoulders, though he was long done fixing her scarf. Mimi wasn’t sure if it had actually helped, or if it was just the natural warmth that seemed to be exuding from the Garlean man, but her teeth had stopped chattering and the wind seemed to bite a little less.
“Thank you,” she whispered, averting her eyes once more as the strange magic of the moment faded.
“Right, yes,” Jullus cleared his throat, pulling his hands towards himself and taking an unsure step back.
It was just then that Alisaie turned the corner of the destroyed alley that they were in, a questioning eyebrow shooting up as she noticed them.
“There you two are. Alphinaud and I have been building a pile of ceruleum tanks back there.”
“You’ve done well. I’ll bring over what we have gathered.” Mimi thought a hardness had come over to Jullus’ face as he spoke, and she didn’t know him enough to understand what it meant.
Once he had turned the corner and the sounds of his footsteps grew quiet, Alisaie spoke again, her blunt tone sounding like an accusation to Mimi’s flustered mind.
“So what were you two doing hiding back here?”
“Just talking about the weather.”