Just a flock of birds
That's how you think of love
And I always
Look up to the sky
Pray before the dawn
- O by Coldplay
Most days Papalymo didn't let it bother him; Yda's presence is what mattered. It didn't bother him because maybe he didn't want to admit it or because it never bothered Yda. But at the end of the day, when the sun sets in Little Ala Mhigo — Papalymo loves Yda.
At first he had tried to ignore it. He had never been one to fall in love. His work came first, always. But Yda... Yda was an anomaly, something he never prepared himself for. He had hated her, hated that they had to be paired together and hated that he needed her. But with having to learn to read her and work with her — he got to know her, got close to her and learned more about her than he knew about anyone else. And that is when he fell. It had taken time, years even, but now his heart aches. He didn't need to tell her; they didn't need to exchange words. She knows and he knows her.
It doesn't bother him, most days, but there are bad days. The days of soft touches and tight chests. He wants to say 'I love you'. He wants to hearher say 'I love you'. Everyone has bad days, Papalymo is no different. The bad days are rare but since their escape to Ala Mhigo they are more frequent. Papalymo is irritable and he takes it out on Yda. He wants to go home; he know they can't. Deep down he knows Yda wants to go home too but right know all he can see is her playing hero with the Ala Mhigans.
"And do you really think we can take back Ala Mhigo just like that, Yda? Did you even think this through? We need to find the others."
She won't turn to look at him — she is leaning over a table covered with scattered maps, battle plans and letters. "If we don't help them fight the Garleans now, then when?" she snaps back. He had been reprimanding her all day.
"We will get Ala Mhigo back! Just not now. We can't just run away from everything else."
She turns, not meeting his eyes, "The others have never shown any interest in doing this. Not even Minfilia! We have to do this without them, or not at all! Don't you care about the Ala Mhigan's plight? Is there home not part of the Eorzea we're sworn to protect?!"
Papalymo throws his hands up in the air, "That isn't what I meant at all!"
"Then what, Papalymo?! What did you mean?!"
"Ye gods, Yda! Aren't even a little bit worried about what happens to our companions?! To the Warrior of Light?"
"Of Course!"
"Then why are we still standing around here planning to go to war with the Garleans again?"
Yda pauses, chewing at her lip. Her voice is low when she speaks again, "Do you remember the vow we took when we got our marks?"
Papalymo is taken aback and glares at her, "I don't see how—"
She interrupts him, "Dawn may banish even the darkest nights."
Papalymo looks away and grits his teeth, "Yet ever shall primal desires burn. Aye, Yda, I know."
"Then why is this even up for debate?!"
Papalymo closes the distance between them and jabs his finger at her chest, "Because this is dangerous, Yda! This is absurd! We cannot possibly do this alone!"
"We won't know unless we try!"
"No!" He snaps, "I don't want to lose you! I can't lose you!"
She growls, "If we can't do our one duty alone, why are we even fit to be Scions?!So, why does that even matter?! "
"Because I love you, Yda!" He shouts and then freezes. A silence. Yda stares at him and Papalymo's shoulders fall. He takes a deep breath and turns to leave. She won't reply in kind and really he doesn't even want to heart it anymore. It just wouldn't be Yda that way. It wouldn't be the Yda he fell in love with.
"Papalymo..." she reaches for his wrist and he tries to shake her off.
"Don't."
"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Ever."
Papalymo meets her eyes and without her mask he can see them clearly. They shine in the dim light and he does love her. He loves her so much. And she loves him too. He can see that. He gives her hand a squeeze and she tugs him into a hug.
"We have our work cut out for us, don't we?" he sighs into her embrace, returning it by tightening his hands into the fabric of her shirt.
"You worry too much," she mumbles into his hair. He chuckles and at the end of the day, what they have is enough. Papalymo wouldn't change it for the world. There is no need to over-complicate it. At the end of the day, they are Yda and Papalymo. They are one in the same and there will never be a word strong enough to explain what they have.